Joel Moore Movies

A temperamental musician is forced to learn a few things about family and responsibility in this comedy-drama from director David M. Rosenthal. Ethan Brand (Alessandro Nivola) is a veteran indie rock musician whose career is stuck in neutral, and his troubles with alcohol and bursts of anger aren't helping one bit. Before taking the stage one evening, Ethan gets an unexpected visitor -- his former girlfriend Mary Ann (Elisabeth Shue), who has brought along with her a 13-year-old girl, Janie (Abigail Breslin), who she claims is Ethan's daughter. Ethan is dubious about Mary Ann's claims, but Mary Ann takes off for a stay in rehab and leaves Janie with Ethan, forcing him to take the girl on the road with him. Ethan's manager Sloan (Peter Stormare) and his band are no happier than he is to have a young teen girl staying with them on the tour bus, and Ethan's initial relationship with the girl is chilly. But Ethan discovers the girl seems to have inherited some of his musical talent and has a real gift as a singer and songwriter. After an onstage tantrum causes Ethan to lose both his band and his record deal, he tries to salvage his concert tour by turning it into a father and daughter act, with Janie joining him on stage. Janie Jones includes original songs written for the character of Ethan by Eef Barzelay of the band Clem Snide, while Irish tunesmith Gemma Hayes wrote the songs for Janie. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story revolves around amiable underachiever Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn), whose rundown gym, Average Joe's, is populated by a less-than-average clientele including a self-styled pirate, an ultra-obscure sports aficionado, and a pining high school nerd. It soon becomes apparent that Joe's is in financial trouble and will soon be foreclosed by attractive attorney Kate Veach (Christine Taylor) - unless Peter can cough up $50,000. Despite Average Joe's posing little threat to Globo Gym, a fitness Goliath across the street that is owned by egomaniacal White Goodman (Ben Stiller) - Goodman senses an easy acquisition and decides to take over the facility. Peter's ragtag group of regulars, however, are less than thrilled with the prospects, and mobilize a showdown, winner-takes-all Dodgeball tournament against Globo Gym. The film also features Missi Pyle, Rip Torn, Stephen Root, and Alan Tudyk. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and the others return to the hotel to find the gleeful Angelus (David Boreanaz) sucking Lilah (Stephanie Romanov) dry. After Angelus flees, an incensed Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) vows to kill his evil father, unaware that the injured Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) is actually Lilah's murderer. As Wesley prepares to decapitate Lilah's body to prevent any possible vampirification, he is haunted by his ex-lover's memory -- and by his own foolish hope that she would ever forsake her self-serving ways. Such thoughts of redemption remind Wes that Team Angel isn't without allies. He heads to prison to confer with rogue slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku), who has survived not only the last few years behind bars but also a recent attempt on her life. When she learns that Angelus is back, Faith busts out of prison and accompanies Wesley on his search for Angelus. The evil vampire lures Faith to an isolated industrial space where he and The Beast tag-team her. Just as The Beast is about to finish the slayer off, Angelus betrays the molten demon and smites him with his own weapon. The perpetual night that The Beast unleashed on L.A. dies with him, giving Faith the sunlight she needs to hold Angelus at bay. In other developments, Cordelia turns out to be The Beast's mysterious master. She keeps that information under wraps but does tell Connor another secret: She's pregnant with his child. Originally broadcast March 5, 2003, on the WB network, "Salvage" marked season four, episode 13 of the supernatural soap opera. With the announcement of Cordelia's impending motherhood, the producers of Angel were finally able to stop disguising actress Charisma Carpenter's real-life pregnancy with flowing outfits and crafty camera angles. This episode also marked the return of Eliza Dushku's Faith to the Buffyverse after an absence of more than two seasons. The rogue slayer's quest for redemption would continue in the following two installments, after which she would return to Buffy the Vampire Slayer for that show's final five episodes. The use of an ornate Bringer's knife during the attempt on Faith's life serves as a silent tie into the continuity of Buffy season seven. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi