Suzanne Smith Movies

Loosely based on a true story, director Jon S. Baird's Cass traces the evolution of one individual from an infant with slim prospects to one of the most respected and feared individuals in the United Kingdom. Nonso Alonzie stars as the title character, who begins life as a Jamaican baby bereft of his parents, but promptly witnesses his fate and future turn an unexpected corner with his adoption by an elderly Caucasian couple. Pummeled mercilessly and bullied with racist taunts as a boy, Cass instinctively takes matters into his own hands and thus discovers a source of power and control, in violent action, that he never knew he possessed. Eventually, however, this path comes back to bite him via a assassination attempt against him, that is - mercifully - unsuccessful. In time, Cass reaches a fork in the road, and must choose between continuing to embrace the violence that has shaped and colored his life, or opting for more controlled and thoughtful approach to conflict. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A lonesome widower and college economics professor finds his mundane existence suddenly shaken up when he befriends a pair of illegal immigrants, one of whom has recently been threatened with deportation by U.S. immigration authorities, in the sophomore feature from The Station Agent director Tom McCarthy. Years after losing his wife, 62-year-old Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) has also lost his passion for writing and teaching. In an effort to fill the empty void that his life has become, Walter makes a half-hearted attempt to learn to play classical piano. Later, when Walter's college sends him to a conference in Manhattan, he is surprised to discover that a young couple has moved into his seldom-used apartment in the city. Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and his Senegalese girlfriend Zainab (Danai Gurira) have fallen victims to an elaborate real-estate scam, and as a result they no longer have a place to call home. When Walter reluctantly allows the couple to remain in his apartment, talented musician Tarek insists on repaying his host's kindness by teaching him to play the African drum. Over the course of Walter's lessons, the ageing academic finds his spirits revitalized while gaining a newfound appreciation for New York jazz clubs and Central Park drum circles. Later, Tarek is arrested in the subway and threatened with deportation after police learn that he is an undocumented citizen. Suddenly, in his attempt to help his new friend, Walter's passion for life is unexpectedly awakened. When Tarek's radiant mother Mouna (Hiam Abbass) arrives in the city in search of her son, that passion turns to romance -- something that Walter had previously thought he would never experience again. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

OutKast duo André "Andre 3000" Benjamin and Antwan Andre "Big Boi" Patton star as two Prohibition-era performers determined to fend off the vicious gangsters currently attempting to gain a stake in the pair's lucrative club in this musical drama directed by longtime collaborator Bryan Barber and featuring choreography by three-time Tony award winner Hinton Battle. In the 1930s, Idlewild was the hottest speakeasy in the South thanks to the impressive showmanship of flamboyant manager/lead performer Rooster (Patton) and the notable talents of introverted pianist Percival (Benjamin). Everything changes, however, when a powerful gangster and his ruthless henchmen move in on the scene with every intention of landing a healthy portion of the club's considerable profits. Ving Rhames, Terrence Howard, Faizon Love, Patti LaBelle, Macy Gray, Ben Vereen, and Cicely Tyson co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A late-career change of heart leads to a dangerous life on the run for two seasoned assassins whose complex relationship masks a dark past in director Lee Daniels' pulpy film noir. When Mickey (Cuba Gooding Jr.) was just a child, his abusive father savagely murdered the young boy's mother shortly before being gunned down by Rose (Helen Mirren), Mickey's stepmother. Twenty years later, Mickey and Rose are not only working together as hired killers, but they have grown to become lovers as well. When Rose discovers she is dying of terminal cancer and becomes addicted to morphine, her conscience soon prompts her to reevaluate her murderous ways. Assigned the task of taking out Vickie (Vanessa Ferlito), the wife of local crime boss Clayton (Stephen Dorff), Mickey and Rose are unable to complete their mission upon discovering that Vickie is pregnant. With the tragedy of the past threatening to lock Mickey, Rose, and their reluctant charge into a tragic cycle of death and deceit, the reluctant killers attempt to make amends for their violent past by protecting Vickie's unborn child and allowing Rose one last chance at redemption. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A regular guy adds some much-needed drama to his life in this comedy. Peter Rooker (Marcus Thomas) is a man who has come to a crossroads in his life -- he's just been given his walking papers by his girlfriend, has lost interest in his job, and is looking for something new in his life. Filled with ennui, one evening Peter walks into a small theater where a community drama company is holding auditions for a production of Cyrano de Bergerac. While Peter has no acting experience and stumbles through his impromptu audition, director Edwina (Clare Higgins) thinks there's a great Cyrano lurking inside him, and gives him the title role. Before long, Peter has gained a new circle of friends, dominated by eccentric small-time actors Michael (John Corbett) and Grace (Amy Smart), who are playing Christian and Roxanne, and a new enthusiasm for life. But as it happens, both Peter and Michael have become infatuated with Grace, and as Peter tries to find a way to win her attention, Edwina begins to wonder if casting Peter was such a good idea after all. Bigger Than the Sky was the first dramatic feature from actor-turned-director Al Corley. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This action-packed remake of the John Carpenter classic tells the tale of an under-manned Detroit police precinct on its last day of operation that finds itself under siege by a ruthless force that will not stop. This time, a notorious cop-killer and mobster Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishbourne) is unexpectedly brought into the precinct during a blizzard on New Year's Eve, much to the dismay of police sergeant Jake Roenick (Ethan Hawke). By nightfall, the remaining cops and prisoners find themselves fighting for their lives against a group of rogue cops intent on taking down Bishop before he testifies against them in the courtroom. Now it's up to the officers, secretaries, and inmates on the inside to band together just to survive this one night. Also starring Gabriel Byrne, John Leguizamo, Drea de Matteo, and Brian Dennehy. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

For the second time in her career, Julia Stiles plays a character romancing the Crown Prince of Denmark in The Prince & Me, a romantic wish-fulfillment fantasy from director Martha Coolidge. Far from her role as Ophelia in 2000's Hamlet, however, Stiles plays Paige, a plucky, determined college student from the Midwest who's buried in her last few semesters of pre-med studies when she meets Eddie, a brash, impudent Danish foreign-exchange student who just happens to have a mysterious partner (Ben Miller) shadowing him in everything he does. What Paige doesn't know is that Eddie is in fact the spoiled son of the King (James Fox) and Queen (Miranda Richardson) of Denmark, on holiday in America hoping to find a nonstop keg party complete with buxom American babes. What he and his butler don't count on is squalid dorm life, final exams, and the possibility that Eddie might actually find his true soul mate in the sensible Paige. But when Eddie finally reveals his secret, will Paige want to give up her dreams of becoming a doctor for a playboy prince? ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, Alien vs. Predator follows billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) and his team of drillers, scientists, and archaeologists, to an obscure pyramid site in Antarctica. Among the icy ruins, allegedly, lies the proof of an empire predating humankind. Once there, however, the group finds more than ancient sarcophaguses and hieroglyphics; rather, their discovery consists of dismembered human skeletons and fossilized remains of the alien creatures that appear to have violently burst out of their chests. Even more horrifying is the evidence suggesting that the aliens may still exist. Indeed, there are aliens below the pyramids, but an equal threat looms above: three Predators, all on the verge of manhood, are engaged in a gruesome rite of passage -- every hundred years, young Predators must travel to Earth and take on a hunting ritual in order to complete the transition to adulthood or die in the process. Before long, the humans find themselves battling for their own lives as the Predators and aliens continue their fight for superiority. The film also features Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Ewen Bremmer, Colin Salmon, and Agathe de la Boulaye. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

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, All Movie Guide

When a deal in Kiev goes bad for American mobsters Gino (Danny Nucci) and Settimo (Dan Hedaya), they make their way to Glasgow to seek shelter from the fallout in the home of cousin Bobby (Gerald Lepkowski). A kindly stamp collector who runs a small café, Bobby believes Gino and Settimo to be a pair of PR consultants, although when his grateful guests attempt to repay his hospitality by strong-arming a persistent bill collector, he begins to have his doubts regarding their profession. When the Russian mafia contracts a pair of Liverpool heavies to find the fleeing mobsters, Bobby finds his quiet life falling apart at the seams. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith return along with director Michael Bay and producer Jerry Bruckheimer for this sequel to the 1995 sleeper hit Bad Boys, the film that sparked the careers of both actors, as well as Bay. Once again, Lawrence and Smith play hotshot, wisecracking Miami narcotics officers Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey. This time around, Burnett and Lowrey have been assigned to head up a task force to investigate the illegal trafficking of ecstasy into the city. They discover that an underground gang war has been instigated by drug kingpin Johnny Tapia (Jordi Molla). In order to cut off the flow of the designer drug, they have to take down Tapia. Unfortunately, there's a wrench thrown into the gears in the form of Burnett's sister Syd, whom Lowrey takes a liking to and begins a relationship with. Tensions rise between the partners, threatening both their friendship and the investigation and putting Syd in harm's way. Also returning from the first film are Joe Pantoliano as Captain Howard, Theresa Randle as Burnett's wife Theresa, and former-NBA star John Salley as 'Hacker' Fletcher. Among the supporting players new to this entry in the series are Peter Stormare and musician, spoken-word artist, and sometimes-actor Henry Rollins. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Ralph Fiennes plays a grown man haunted by his childhood in David Cronenberg's stylized psychological drama Spider. Upon his release from a mental institution, Spider (Fiennes) takes up residence in a halfway house. Paranoid, quiet, and forever making notes, Spider spends much of the film remembering scenes from his youth, specifically a horrific event from his childhood that occurred after he came to believe that his father (Gabriel Byrne) was having an affair on his mother (Miranda Richardson). The psychological terror builds to a climax that challenges how much the viewer can believe Spider's recollections of the event. Bradley Hall plays Spider as a boy, and Richardson portrays many different women who come into contact with Spider. Spider was screened in competition at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide