Nadia Rona Movies
- 2012
Embark on an incredible journey into the heart of Borneo as adventurers scour the rainforest for mangoes, seek forgotten figs in Renaissance paintings, and discover an unusual fruit with the power to alter human taste-buds. Featuring Bill Pullman. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Live-action filmmaking mixes with imaginative animation in director Michael Landon Jr.'s feature adaptation of author Margery Williams' beloved children's book. An energetic child with a vivid imagination, Toby Morgan (Matthew Harbour) lives with his father (Kevin Jubinville), a successful businessman who seemed to shut down emotionally following the death of Toby's mother. When Toby is sent to spend the Christmas holidays with his loving but stern grandmother (Una Kay), he wanders through the lonely house until he eventually discovers the "magic attic" that was once his father's childhood playroom. There, Toby is surprised to find that his mother left him a stuffed velveteen rabbit -- her final gift to her beloved son. Hugging the rabbit close as he starts to cry, the grieving boy watches in wonder as his tears magically bring the toy to life. Before long, Toby is frolicking in the enchanted attic with a whole new group of friends, including the impetuous Horse (voiced by Tom Skerritt) and the wise but skittish Swan (voice of Ellen Burstyn). Toby's one wish is to spend Christmas with his father, and Rabbit's one wish is to someday hop across the fields as a real rabbit. Later, when Toby falls seriously ill, the courageous Rabbit helps him to win over his grandmother and make a full recovery. When Toby's father returns in time for Christmas, the power of the young child's love grants the Velveteen Rabbit its one true wish. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Matthew Harbour, Tom Skerritt, (more)
A day of high-spirited fun takes a turn into darkness as a game becomes all too real in this comedy drama from Canada. Erik (Ricky Mabe) and his girlfriend, Lyn (Tiio Horn), are both interested in Live Action Role Playing games, in which teams of players assume the guise of particular characters and act out mock battles as part of a fantasy scenario. However, Lyn begins developing a stronger interest in the game than Erik, and runs off for a weekend of play without bringing him along. Depressed, Erik and his brother Bjorn (Mark A. Krupa) set out to catch up with her as their friends impersonate a horde of Viking warriors. Bjorn brings along his "Hammer of Thor" as well as Murtagh (Trevor Hayes), who takes his role as a shaman more than a bit seriously. As the day wears on, Erik's frustration is reflected in his mates, and what began as an afternoon of fantasy and adventure turns into a battle where the blood and wrath are very real. The Wild Hunt was the first feature film from writer and director Alexandre Franchi, who co-wrote the screenplay with actor and writer Mark A. Krupa, who plays Bjorn. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
A young Jew from an anti-Semitic neighborhood summons the courage to pursue his dream of becoming a filmmaker after his fearless cousin comes to town, and teaches him the meaning of self respect. When Jake (David Julian Hirsh) was just a boy, every decision he made was dictated by fear. That all changed when Joey (Jacob Tierney) shows up, and displays great bravery in the face of danger. Years later Jake has become a prolific film director, and life is looking good. When a sudden scandal threatens to sink his career, Jake prepares to use the lessons learned from his cousin, and fight back with everything he's got. Based on the best-selling book by author Mordecai Richler. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Julian Hirsh
- 2005
A beautiful young woman finds her storybook marriage may not have such a happy ending in this thriller starring Sarah Lancaster and Mark Humphrey. When Allison met wealthy software billionaire Phillip it seemed as if all the elements were in place for the perfect union. Before long, the couple was married and well on their way to a loving and committed future together. When Allison reluctantly begins to suspect that Phillip may have played a pivotal role in the death of his first wife, however, the cracks in their foundation begin to show as she begins to follow an ominous trail of clues left behind by Phillips' ill-fated former spouse. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
A married employee of a major corporation schemes with a beautiful coworker to slap the company with a fraudulent sexual harassment suit and later split the settlement in this white collar thriller starring Dina Meyer and Jonathan Higgins. Troubles arise, however, when a snooping co-worker uncovers their ruse and the foolproof plan gradually begins to crumble. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2004
Falling victim to a glib con artist named Michael (Stewart Bick), Texas housewife Diane (Peta Wilson) loses all her money, a disaster that drives her husband Randal (Anthony Lemke) to suicide. Unable to get justice through the official channels, Diane mounts her own plan of revenge. This involves assuming a new identity, trading in her blonde tresses for a redheaded "do", moving to a small town, and systematically seducing the man who ruined her life. One of six "no frills" TV movies produced in Canada for the Lifetime cable network at a flat cost of $2 million each, False Pretenses originally aired October 25, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
A group of disparate characters look for understanding and compassion in the midst of a lonely holiday season in this comedy drama. Rose (Susan Sarandon) is a middle-aged divorcée whose mother is in the hospital with an advanced case of Alzheimer's disease; while Rose wants one more chance to tell her mother that she loves her, the woman doesn't even know who she is anymore. Mike (Paul Walker) is a police officer who has become the obsessive focus of an elderly waiter, Artie (Alan Arkin), who is convinced Mike is the reincarnation of his late wife. Meanwhile, Mike is engaged to marry the beautiful Nina (Penélope Cruz), but he's so consumed with jealousy and suspicion that she's not sure if she can go through with the wedding. And Jules (Marcus Thomas) is a street hustler who has only one fond memory of Christmas -- ending up in an emergency room, where the staff was holding a party. Jules wants to relive the experience, and is even willing to injure himself to do so. Noel was the first directorial effort from actor and playwright Chazz Palminteri. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Penélope Cruz, Susan Sarandon, (more)
- 2004
Five years ago, the husband of Jean Brooks (Mädchen Amick) purportedly committed suicide. Thus, Jean is startled when ex-cop-turned-private eye Eddie Fate (Andrew Walker) shows up with the news that her husband has been alive all these years -- and has only recently been murdered. A trip to Chicago opens Jean's eyes to her husband's motives for his deception (which didn't start out as sinister, but sure ended up that way) -- and places her own life in peril, courtesy of an insane sister-in-law and some slimy-looking drug dealers. Filmed in 2004 under the title Jean's Fate, Lies and Deception was first seen on Canadian TV a few weeks before its April 25, 2005, American cable debut on the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mädchen Amick, Andrew Walker, (more)
"Chop Chop" Frankie Carbone (Armand Assante) has made a career out of stealing cars for the mob in Chicago. An attempted assassination by a mob boss goes badly and Frankie retaliates, only to wind up in the hands of the Feds. Frankie agrees to testify against the mobsters and his life is suddenly worthless -- unless he submits to going into federal protection. The FBI gives him a new name -- Howard Akers -- and relocates him to a sleepy middle-class suburb in Little Rock, AR. Howard catches the attention of his lovely neighbor, Leigh (Angela Featherstone), a bored fund-raiser for a non-profit zoo whose husband, Dennis (David Lipper), is having an affair -- and she knows it, but she doesn't know it's with her hot-blooded sister, Bootsie (Dina Meyer). Leigh becomes friends with the enigmatic Howard, but Dennis and Bootsie see an opportunity to earn the million-dollar bounty the mob has put on his head by turning him in to the mob. ~ Buzz McClain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Armand Assante, Angela Featherstone, (more)
Vanessa L. Williams stars in this made-for-TV drama as Henriette Delille, a woman born in New Orleans before the abolition of slavery. Delille refused to accept the narrow boundaries society attempted to impose upon her as a mixed-race woman (who are routinely married off to wealthy European visitors). While Gerard Gaultier (Gil Bellows), a successful French doctor, attempts to win her hand, Henriette instead pledges herself to serve the community, opening a combination school and medical clinic to look to the needs of the city's black community. While set in Louisiana, The Courage to Love (also shown as The Quadroon Ball) was shot in another place with a rich French heritage, the Canadian city of Quebec. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vanessa Williams, Gil Bellows, (more)
A spy who has convinced much of the world he doesn't exist now must prove that he does in order to save thousands of lives in this thriller. After the assassination of Wu (James Hong), China's ambassador to the United Nations, in the midst of negotiations on a trade pact, FBI agent Neil Shaw (Wesley Snipes) is assigned to ferret out the killer by his superior, Eleanor Hooks (Anne Archer). But Shaw soon discovers that he's now considered a key suspect in the murder, and is the subject of a manhunt. Shaw's ability to cover his tracks, and his network of similarly "invisible" agents, makes him a hard man to track down. But when Shaw learns that the real killers not only plan to strike again but intend to take out most of the U.N. in the process, he swings into action to prevent the attack and clear his name; Shaw is thrown into a partnership with Julia (Marie Matiko), a U.N. interpreter who witnessed Wu's murder and may be able to trace a recording of the crime. The Art of War co-stars Michael Biehn as Bly, one of Shaw's associates, and Donald Sutherland as the Secretary General of the United Nations. The film was originally written as a vehicle of Hong Kong action star Jet Li before Snipes stepped in as both star and executive producer. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Anne Archer, (more)
In this black comedy, a criminal discovers a market for murder in the suburbs. After doing time in prison, mobster Jimmy the Tulip (Bruce Willis) moves to a suburban neighborhood. But Jimmy's new neighbors (Rosanna Arquette and Matthew Perry) soon figure out who he is. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry, (more)
Archibald Belaney was a British man who grew up fascinated with Native American culture -- so much so that in the early 1900s he left the United Kingdom for Canada, where he reinvented himself as Archie Grey Owl and lived in the wild as a North American Indian trapper. He eventually became an environmental activist after renouncing trapping and hunting. Grey Owl is based on Belaney's true story, starring Pierce Brosnan in the title role. In 1934, Archie was living a largely solitary life when he met a young woman named Anahareo (Annie Galipeau), an Ojibway Indian nicknamed Pony. Pony is fascinated by Archie, largely because she wants to know about her people's heritage. Her father, Jim (Graham Greene), is a businessman who wears a suit to work and has little concern for his history; in Archie, Pony sees a link to her past that she can't find in her family. Archie has little use for Pony at first, but in time the two begin to bond, and it's Pony who convinces Archie to give up trapping and work to protect animals. She also encourages Archie to write a book about wilderness life in Canada. The book becomes a huge success and makes Archie something of a celebrity, but with recognition come nagging questions about Archie's true heritage. (In reality, Archie Grey Owl's true idenity did not become public knowledge until after his death.) ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pierce Brosnan, Annie Galipeau, (more)
Part high-tech spy thriller and part psychological study, Eye of the Beholder was Ewan McGregor's first feature film following his mainstream breakthrough performance in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The Eye (Ewan McGregor) is an agent of the British Secret Service, equipped with the latest in high-tech crime fighting gadgetry and assisted by his indefatigable collegue, Hilary (k.d. lang). The Eye's latest assignment is a surveillance project; the son of a well-known politician has been spending a great deal of money on someone, and they would like to know who and why. A little sleuthing reveals that the mysterious person taking the cash is a woman named Joanna (Ashley Judd), but the trail gets much stickier when the Eye witnesses Joanna pulling a knife and killing the politician's son. Normally, he'd take the shortcut to putting her behind bars, but some time ago he lost contact with his daughter when his wife left him; Joanna reminds the Eye of his daughter, and he's too fascinated with her to bring her to justice. The Eye now follows Joanna obsessively, and discovers that she's also involved with a blind man (Patrick Bergin) and has a history of emotional instability from being abandoned by her father at a young age. Eye of the Beholder was directed by Stephan Elliott, best known for the comedy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, (more)
Paul Quinn scripted and made his directorial debut with this period drama about middle-aged schoolteacher Kieran Johnson (James Caan), who finds evidence indicating that his real father was an Irish farmer and not a French seaman as he had been told. Since his mute and paralyzed mother offers no answers, he investigates by traveling to an Irish village with his teenage nephew (Jacob Tierney). After this prologue, the film flashes back to the family roots: Kieran's mother Fiona Flynn (Moya Farrelly) back home from convent school, catches the eye of dirt tenant farmer Kieran O'Day (Aidan Quinn). Their romance gets underway despite disapprovals from family and friends. Shown at 1998 film fests (Montreal, Toronto). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Aidan Quinn, James Caan, (more)
- 1998
Dreaming of becoming a famous blues musician, a young Finn leaves Helsinki and heads for Kansas City only to learn that his host family resides in nearby Canaan, a rural town where xenophobic locals treat him with contempt and suspicion. At first the upbeat Mikko Vihavainen (Mikko Nousianen) pays the locals little mind. After all, his host mother Bonnie Bruckner (Susan Almgren) and her boys are friendly enough, as is cute waitress Carly Malone (Melissa Galianos), the overprotected daughter of the town police chief (Michael Ironside). Mikko's dreams also sustain him. During the first half of Finnish director Pekka Mandart's feature-film debut, the tone is lighthearted and even humorous. However, the story takes a much darker turn in the second half when Mikko gets caught up in a convenience-store robbery that leaves two young people dead. With no apparent suspects, the police chief and the rest of the town charge Mikko with the crime. Their rage bursts into violence shortly after Mikko and Carly flee town. Going to Kansas City played at the 1998 AFI Film Festival as part of their European Film Showcase. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mikko Nousiainen, Melissa Galianos, (more)
- 1997
Richard Dreyfuss narrates this made-for-cable adaptation of the classic novel by Jack London. This particular version of the tale has been hailed as one of the most accurate dramatic presentations of London's work. The story tells the exciting and often brutal tale of Buck, a dog who is stolen from his caring owner in California and sent to the Yukon, where he's forced into service as a sled dog by his new (and violent) masters. Rutger Hauer stars. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1997
In this drama for the family, a young boy from the United States is sent to Ireland to live with his grandfather (James Cromwell) after the lad's parents are killed in an accident. Between learning to help out on the farm and adjusting to the slower pace of life in rural Ireland, the boy's new life is not always easy for him, especially after he becomes friends with a girl whose family has long held a grudge against his grandfather. But the boy learns important lessons about love, loyalty, and self-discipline when he begins working with grandfather's sheepdogs. Filmed on location in the Isle of Man, Owd Bob also stars Colm Meaney and Dylan Provencher. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Cromwell, Colm Meaney, (more)
In this low-budget thriller, which was released directly to video, Donald Sutherland stars as a Ted Robards, a small-time stockbroker who allows promising young Harvard alumnus Jeremy (William McNamara) to move into his home and help run his firm. While pretending to build up the business, Jeremy secretly dismantles it from within, all the while planning to wreak havoc of a more personal nature on Ted; his son Chris; and especially his pregnant new wife, Sandy (Lesley Ann Warren). Flashbacks reveal Jeremy's tortured upbringing and the killing streak it engendered. As things turn out, however, the pampered, beautiful Sandy has some devastating secrets of her own -- one of which may explain why her husband's protégé is out to get her. Natural Enemy also features Joe Pantoliano and Wayne's World starlet Tia Carrere. McNamara previously played another serial killer in 1995's Copycat. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Donald Sutherland, William McNamara, (more)
- 1993
This Canadian documentary chronicles the heyday of Lesbian-oriented pulp romantic fiction in the 1950s, an era when titles such as "Odd Girl Out" spoke volumes to the isolated and confused young lesbians of the era. The scriptwriter for this documentary, Ann Brannan was one of the authors of these novels. Nine women from the period describe their lives at that time, and the comfort they gained from these minor works of fiction. Among other things, they were forced to resort to "safe" dates with homosexual men in order to hide their orientations. If they chose to hang out at bars, they ran the constant risk of police raids, the result of which was having their identities revealed publicly. Being shunned by their families for their orientations was in some ways the least of the dangers they faced. The desperate measures resorted to by the protagonists in the novels are shown to have been tame compared to the experiences of these real women. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Stephanie Morgenstern, Lynne Adams, (more)
- 1993
The excesses of feminism and political correctness come in for some serious ribbing in this Canadian comedy, which might just give Rush Limbaugh a belly-laugh or two, along with anyone else who has ever thought that his pet term "feminazi" was humorous. In the story, Jimmy (Bruce Dinsmore) is having a mid-life crisis, and in order to get a handle on why he has so much trouble with women, decides to participate in a college-sponsored study on male sexuality. What he doesn't know is that the study is being run by some extremely radical, doctrinaire feminists, and that he's in for a nightmarish grilling. He shows up for his first sessions, is blindfolded, and is then put through his paces as a relentless female interrogator puts him constantly on the defensive for everything he has ever done with women throughout his entire life. Indeed, these women completely turn the tables on nineteenth century (male) sexologists and, instead of questioning female orgasm (as those researchers actually did), make Jimmy wonder if there ever was such a thing as male orgasm. Other permutations on the contemporary war of the sexes are shown outside the setting of the study Jimmy is participating in. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bruce Dinsmore, Miranda de Pencier, (more)
- 1990
Backstab an erotic, mystery thriller made in Canada, and directed by Jim Kaufman, is the story of an architect Cliff Murphy (James Brolin), who spends the night with a beautiful woman only to find his murdered boss next to him in bed. Cliff is framed for the murder, and he must prove his innocence. This average thriller, with a lackluster performance by James Brolin never really takes off. The pace is too leisurely and the courtroom finale and plot twists are not convincing. The cast also includes Meg Foster who gives a convincing performance and some beautiful color photography by Rodney Gibbons. Despite some good moments and good production values, Backstab fails to either thrill or entertain. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Brolin, Meg Foster, (more)
- 1987
- R
In this supernatural thriller, a television director's boring life is spiced up by his girl friend who reveals that she is involved with the black arts and then teaches him the art of astral-projection. He becomes adept at freeing his soul from his body and really enjoys the experience until he discovers that his body takes off and begins killing people whenever he's not in it. The story is also titled Blue Man. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Winston Rekert, Karen Black, (more)
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