Susan Leber Movies
- 2009
Two seniors at an elite Washington, D.C. prep school forge a close relationship on the lacrosse field, only to find their growing bond tested in this drama inspired by a study that indicates interracial friendships end at age 14 for approximately 87 percent of American teenagers. Fiercely determined to succeed and build a brighter future outside of Anacostia, Tosha (Sonequa Martin) is an African-American scholarship student from one of Washington's poorest neighborhoods. Perhaps Tosha's polar opposite, Jessie (Louisa Krause) is a privileged white girl from Bethesda whose promiscuous tendencies threaten to become her undoing. Though the relationship shared between the two girls is most certainly of the love/hate variety, they both strive to gain a better understanding of one another's plight as society threatens to drive them ever farther apart. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louisa Krause, Sonequa Martin, (more)
Adrift in Manhattan, the third feature effort of Hispanic writer/director Alfredo de Villa (Washington Heights, Yellow), intercuts three intensely dramatic stories of life during a cold New York winter, each of which revolves around the concept (and thematic motif) of vision. In the first, an eye doctor grieving from a traumatic loss (Heather Graham) must reexamine her life and priorities; in the second, an artist of advanced age must contend with encroaching blindness -- thus losing the one of his five senses that represents his greatest asset; in the third, a photographer grapples with inner turmoil. De Villa brings these stories together for an unanticipated intersection on a Manhattan subway line, and watches as these individuals -- initially, complete strangers to one another -- help to guide each other through their struggles, pain, and angst. William Baldwin and Erika Michaels co-star. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Graham, William Baldwin, (more)
Creatures of the night find new prey on the scariest night of the year in this horror story. It's Halloween night, and four friends -- Allison (Vanessa Horneff), Elliott (Wil Horneff), Trevor (Karl Jacob), and Brian (Sean Reid) -- are on a road trip en route to a friend's wedding when their car breaks down after running into something. Looking for help, the four happen upon the farmhouse of an elderly couple, Elvin (Richard Little) and May (Barbara Wilhide), which is located next to a huge barn. Elvin and May have already become lost in the darkness of the barn, and soon two of the lost travelers are suffering the same fate as they search for friendly strangers. However, while they can barely see a hand in front of their face, they discover they're not alone in the barn, which has become home to a huge swarm of bloodthirsty bats. The Roost is framed by an introduction and postscript from a television horror show host, played by Tom Noonan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Independent filmmaker Debra Granik makes her feature debut with the drama Down to the Bone, based on her award-winning short Snake Feed. Vera Farmiga stars as Irene, a working-class mother living in upstate New York. She struggles to keep her marriage together and raise two sons while keeping her cocaine addiction a secret. Hoping to make a change in her life, she tries to kick her drug habit. However, this proves even more difficult with the oncoming winter and a developing affair. Also starring Hugh Dillon and Clint Jordan, Down to the Bone premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vera Farmiga, Hugh Dillon, (more)
- 2002
Directed and co-written by Scott Saunders, The Technical Writer stars Tatum O'Neal as Slim, one of the tenants residing in a glamorous Manhattan apartment complex. Along with Joe (William Forsythe), her husband, Slim is determined to introduce the reclusive Jessop (Michael Harris) into her social circuit, which often involves swinging sex parties. Though Jessop isn't tempted, Slim, after having made a bet with her husband, continues to interrupt his isolated existence, and eventually succeeds in seducing the middle-aged loner out of his agoraphobia and into her bed. Once Jessop is hooked, however, Slim distances herself from him. The Technical Writer also features Pamela Gordon and Oksana Lada. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Harris, Tatum O'Neal, (more)
It's hard to be hip and a mother at the same time, as one twenty-something New Yorker discovers in this independent comedy drama. Zelda (Eleanor Hutchins) is a struggling artist who lives with her boyfriend Max (Larry Fessenden), a would-be writer, in a bohemian neighborhood in Brooklyn favored by fellow creative types for the cheap rents and friendly atmosphere. Zelda is also the mother of a two-year-old boy, Little Z (Jonah Leland). Max is the child's father, but doesn't go out of his way to shoulder his share of the labor in caring for him; Zelda says that since she opted to keep the baby, the ultimate responsibility is hers, not his, but it's hard not to sense a hint of resentment in her attitude towards Max. Zelda strives to be a good mother and provide for her son while staying true to her on-the-edge personality, but she's begun to realize that she can't go on being the life of the party and a responsible single parent at the same time; she's also grown tired of sharing an apartment with five other adults, none of whom is holding down a full-time job. As Zelda is arriving at an emotional crossroads, her old friend Natali (Holly Ramos) re-enters her life; Natali has just gotten out of rehab after her latest attempt to wean herself off heroin, but with little to keep her occupied, her self-control is not especially strong, and Natali soon finds herself becoming quite friendly with Max, who is growing weary of his relationship with Zelda. Margarita Happy Hour was shown at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, where it was enthusiastically received by audiences and critics. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eleanor Hutchins, Larry Fessenden, (more)
