D.J. Caruso Movies
A producer and director whose early work in television eventually segued into features, D.J. Caruso showed a distinctive blend of noir conventions and dark, almost surreal gallows humor in such moody thrillers as The Salton Sea and Taking Lives. A lifelong film lover who aspired to a career in the entertainment industry from an early age, the Pepperdine University graduate began his career as a production assistant and earned his first credit (associate producer) with the 1991 James Woods/Michael J. Fox action comedy The Hard Way. Caruso later served in varying production capacities on such features as Point of No Return (1993), Drop Zone (1994), and Nick of Time (1995). In 1995, he stepped into the director's chair for an episode of the short-lived sci-fi series VR.5. Gradually gaining confidence behind the camera by helming episodes of such series as Buddy Faro and Martial Law, Caruso directed the short comedy Cyclops, Baby before making the 1998 made-for-TV mystery Black Cat Run. Another television thriller, Mind Prey,was followed with episodes of Dark Angel and Smallville before Caruso moved into feature territory with the neo-noir crime drama The Salton Sea in 2002. Starring Val Kilmer as a former jazz musician who descends into a world of drugs and crime in order to find his wife's murderer, the film performed only moderately well at the box office despite receiving praise for its stylish direction and striking cinematography. Back on the small screen, Caruso directed episodes of The Shield and Robbery Homicide Division. In 2004, he returned to the multiplexes with Taking Lives, a haunting thriller starring Angelina Jolie as an FBI agent on the trail of an elusive serial killer. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi- 2013
Garth Ennis' popular Preacher comic heads to the big screen with this Columbia Pictures production. The Vertigo series, published from 1995-2000, revolves around a possessed preacher who leads a revolt against God in a violent trip across America after the deity steps down from his place in Heaven. Big Fish's John August provides the scripted adaptation, with I Am Number Four's D.J. Caruso taking on directing duties. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- 2013
- PG13
- Add Jack the Giant Slayer to Queue
The beloved fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk gets the big-screen treatment courtesy of director Bryan Singer (Valkyrie) and screenwriters Darren Lemke (Shrek Forever After), Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects), and Dan Studney in this fantasy adventure about a naïve farm boy who attempts to rescue a beautiful princess from a race of vengeful giants. When Jack (Nicholas Hoult) inadvertently opens a passageway that allows giants to cross into our reality, the towering titans stake their claim on the world of humans. Should they succeed, Jack's kingdom will be but the first of many to fall. Now, in order to save his people and rescue a noble princess, Jack must summon every ounce of bravery to drive out the invading giants. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, (more)
A teenage fugitive with an incredible secret races to stay one step ahead of the mysterious forces seeking to track and destroy him in this sci-fi action thriller from director D.J. Caruso (Disturbia, Eagle Eye). With three dead and one on the run, the race to find the elusive Number Four begins. Outwardly normal teen John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) never gets too comfortable in the same identity, and along with his guardian, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), he is constantly moving from town to town -- the perpetual new kid in a series of strangely familiar schools. Despite the fact that his nomadic lifestyle has made it difficult to form meaningful connections, John experiences the joy of first love with a beautiful young woman (Dianna Agron) and begins to unlock his full potential after arriving with Henri in a small Ohio town. With each passing day, John gains a stronger grasp on his extraordinary new powers, and his bond to the beings that share his fantastic fate grows stronger. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, (more)
Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan star in Disturbia director D.J. Caruso's race-against-time thriller concerning two strangers thrust together by a mysterious telephone call, and their frantic efforts to discover why they have inexplicably become the nation's most wanted fugitives. Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan) were complete strangers at the beginning of the day, but that changed the instant a strange woman called to threaten both their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Suddenly forced into a series of increasingly dangerous situations, Jerry and Rachel must now take orders from a woman who's using everyday technology to track and control their every move. As the situation intensifies and the hapless duo are deemed the country's most wanted fugitives, they must work together in order to discover who it was that turned their lives upside down, and what they can do to thwart the criminal mastermind's cunning yet diabolical plan. Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson, Michael Chiklis, and Anthony Mackie co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, (more)
Salton Sea director D.J. Caruso travels from the shore to the suburbs for this suspenseful tale of a high-school senior who suspects that his neighbor is a notorious serial killer. Kale (Shia LaBeouf) is a high-school senior who has yet to come to terms with the fact that his father is gone, the tragic victim of a fatal accident. As Kale's mother (Carrie-Anne Moss) struggles to pay the bills by picking up extra shifts at work, her son's behavior grows increasingly erratic. When an altercation at school finds Kale placed under court-ordered house arrest, the homebound student teams with newly arrived girl-next-door Ashley (Sarah Roemer) to investigate the suspicious neighbor (David Morse) whom Kale believes to be an elusive and wanted serial killer. Their attentions focused intensely on the man they believe to be a murderous maniac hiding in broad daylight, Kale and Ashley trespass down a dangerous path while attempting to discern whether his suspicions are grounded in fact or just a combination of deep depression and suffocating cabin fever. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shia LaBeouf, David Morse, (more)
D.J. Caruso's Two for the Money stars Matthew McConaughey as Brandon Lang, a former college quarterback whose life plans changed when he suffered a career-ending injury. Brandon turns out to have remarkable skill at picking winning football bets. Eventually, he comes to the attention of Walter Abrams (Al Pacino), a very successful business tycoon who runs a giant gambling operation. Walter brings Brandon to New York and introduces him to a glitzy, fast-paced, money-drenched lifestyle that Brandon eagerly soaks up. When Brandon's magic touch begins to falter, Walter starts to turn on his protégé. Soon the two men are attempting to outwit each other, with Walter's wife (Rene Russo) caught in the middle. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, (more)
A female detective on the trail of a psychotic killer discovers love in a dangerous time in this thriller, based on the novel by Michael Pye. Illeana Scott (Angelina Jolie) is a special agent with the FBI who has a reputation for using offbeat methods, but also boasts a strong record as a criminal profiler. Scott is called in by a former Quantico colleague (Tcheky Karyo) to assist two Canadian police detectives, Paquette (Olivier Martinez) and Duval (Jean-Hugues Anglade), who are on the trail of a serial killer who has been doing business in and around Montreal for close to two decades. The murderer has a history of assimilating many aspects of the lives of his victims after he kills them, but there's been a witness to his most recent crime. Art gallery owner James Costa (Ethan Hawke) saw the killer during an assault, and now finds himself working as an only marginally willing decoy for Scott. As Scott and Costa follow the killer's trail, they find themselves becoming attracted to one another, which is not necessarily a comfort to Scott as she finds her quarry moving closer and closer. Taking Lives also stars Kiefer Sutherland and Gena Rowlands. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke, (more)
- 2002
Amy Palmer (Azura Skye), a girl working as a domestic at the Luther mansion, harbors an obsessive crush on young Lex Luther (Michael Rosenbaum). Before long, Lex's girlfriend, Victoria Hardwick (Kelly Brook), is victimized by an invisible but highly dangerous entity. Is Amy behind these unseen attacks -- or are there more sinister, kryptonite-engendered forces at work? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The feature film debut of producer and TV director D.J. Caruso, this pulpy noir mystery is a dark tale of redemption set among southern California crystal methamphetamine "tweakers." Val Kilmer stars as Danny Parker, a former trumpet player who has become a tattooed speed freak living in a cesspool of murderous dealers and hardcore addicts near the desert lake of the title. Danny's fall from grace is the result of a hidden agenda, however -- he's seeking answers about the murder of his beloved wife. He's also working undercover for a pair of brutal narcotics cops (Anthony Lapaglia and Doug Hutchison), while trying to rescue his beautiful neighbor Colette (Deborah Kara Unger) from an abusive situation and her own demons. As he and his slacker buddy Jimmy the Fin (Peter Sarsgaard) are antagonized by the sadistic, noseless dealer Pooh Bear (Vincent D'Onofrio) and his henchman, Danny draws closer to the truth about his wife's death, but the crime's solution isn't quite what he expected. Produced by Frank Darabont, The Salton Sea co-stars Adam Goldberg, Meat Loaf, Luis Guzman, and Azura Skye. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Val Kilmer
A psychiatrist confronts a new client whose problems may not be all in his head in this drama. Dr. Ty Adams (Michael Beach) is a well-known psychiatrist who has earned no small amount of controversy for his blunt and "anti-medicinal" approach to treatment. Adams is also dealing with some emotional problems of his own after the death of his wife and child. Parker (John C. McGinley), a documentary filmmaker, has arrived at the hospital where Adams works to make a movie about his work, just in time for Adams to start working with a new patient -- a mysterious and angry fellow known only as "The Man" -- who insists he is Satan (Eriq LaSalle). The new patient is not easily convinced that he's delusional, and as he becomes a greater disruptive force, Adams can't help but wonder if maybe the stranger is telling the truth. Crazy as Hell was directed by actor Eriq LaSalle, who plays the new patient and is best known for his work on the television series E.R.; it was his first theatrical feature, after helming the made-for-cable Rebound. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Beach, Eriq La Salle, (more)
- 2001
In the opening episode of Dark Angel's two-part season-one finale, Tinga (Lisa Ann Cabasa) has been recaptured by Manticore, prompting her genetically engineered siblings Max (Jessica Alba) and Zack (William Gregory Lee) to go to her rescue. Meanwhile, Logan (Michael Weatherly) prepares to celebrate the first anniversary of his meeting Max -- a celebration that may not come off if Max's feline DNA kicks in again. And Lydecker (John Savage) continues his efforts to close in on Max, even though he is increasingly disenchanted with his Manticore superior, Madame X (Nana Visitor). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In this thriller, a young man finds himself accused of abducting his own girlfriend and holding her for ransom. Meanwhile, his lover is in grave danger from her murderous captor. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Patrick Muldoon, Russell Means, (more)
- 1998
Lucas Davenport, the wily (and very sexy) computer-programmer detective created by novelist John Sandford, comes to the small screen in the form of actor Eriq LaSalle) in this made-for-TV adaptation of Sandford's best-seller Mind Prey. A nutcase named John Mail (Titus Welliver) escapes from a mental institution and kidnaps his therapist (Sheila Kelley) and her two daughters. Though he intends to exact revenge against his captive for having him put away, Mail intends to prolong the agony by playing a cruel game of cat-and-mouse with the police, leaving behind a number of cryptic computer clues to his whereabouts. It is up to Lucas Davenport to make sense of these clues--and to figure out there is more to the story than a simple kidnapping. Fans of John Sandford were not entirely happy with the literary liberties taken in this adaptation, but since star Eriq La Salle was also one of the producers, it isn't surprising that the main character would be reshaped to suit his established TV persona. Reportedly the pilot for an unsold weekly series, John Sandford's Mind Prey originally aired March 22, 1999 on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eriq La Salle, Titus Welliver, (more)
A stranger pulled into a deadly scheme races against time to save his daughter in this thriller. Gene Watson (Johnny Depp) is an accountant who comes to L.A. with his ten-year-old daughter Lynn (Courtney Chase) to attend a funeral. On the street, Gene and Lynn are pulled aside by Mr. Smith (Christopher Walken) and Ms. Jones (Roma Maffia), who flash what look like police badges and usher them into a van. Gene soon discovers that he's been kidnapped, and his captors have an unusual demand -- if Gene does not murder Gov. Eleanor Grant (Marsha Mason) within 75 minutes, his daughter will be killed. Gene now has just an hour and a quarter to tip off the authorities, spare Gov. Grant, and find out what Smith and Jones are trying to do, along with saving his daughter's life. He finds a much-needed ally in one-legged shoe-shine man Huey (Charles S. Dutton). Most of the action in Nick of Time occurs in "real time," meaning that the passage of time on screen matches that of real life, as the frequent shots of clocks and watches will attest. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Johnny Depp, Christopher Walken, (more)
Wesley Snipes is battling bad guys in the air again, this time with parachutes, in this action-packed suspense thriller. Pete Nessip (Snipes) is a Federal Marshall who, teamed with his brother Terry (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), is escorting criminal computer genius Earl Leedy (Michael Jeter) to a new prison facility. Pete, Terry, and Earl are on a jet en route to Earl's new lockup when terrorists attempt a daring hijacking; Terry is killed in an explosion aboard the plane, and suddenly Earl is missing. Pete discovers that a team of sky-diving outlaws, led by former DEA agent gone bad Ty Moncrief (Gary Busey), have snatched Earl from his flight and spirited him away for a special raid on Washington D.C.; Ty and his men intend to take advantage of an obscure rule in which the normally restricted airspace in Washington D.C. is open to parachute enthusiasts on July 4. Eager to avenge his brother's death and put both Ty and Earl behind bars, Pete recruits sky-diving expert Jessie Crossman (Yancy Butler) to teach him how to infiltrate Ty's team of sky-bound criminals. Superb aerial stunt work highlights this film; please note that Pete's last name is an anagram for the leading man's last name. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey, (more)
In Stakeout, cop Richard Dreyfuss fell in love with Madeline Stowe, the woman he and his partner Emilio Estevez were watching during a police stakeout. Stowe's back in Another Stakeout, but her part is fleeting and unbilled. On the other hand, we get plenty of Dreyfuss and Estevez, still both as cantankerous and obnoxious as ever. This time, our two heroes are in search of a Mafia witness who has disappeared after an attempt on her life. While holed up in a judge's mansion, staking out the apartment where the woman may or may not return, the pair are subject to the comic aggravation of DA's assistant Rosie O'Donnell, who's brought her "darling" little rotweiler along for company. Another Stakeout works a little harder for its laughs than its predecessor; the best scenes go to Ms. O'Donnell and to nonplussed supporting players Dennis Farina and Marcia Strassman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez, (more)
Director John Badham's remake of French action thriller La Femme Nikita moves the action to the U.S., where Maggie (Bridget Fonda) is a strung-out Washington, D.C. drug addict who kills a policeman in a pharmaceutical-induced haze. Sentenced to death, Maggie is rescued by a shady operative, Bob (Gabriel Byrne), who offers to save her life if she'll become a covert government assassin. Maggie agrees and trains for a life as a professional killer under a new name, Claudia. Her classes include weaponry, martial arts, explosives, and even social graces under the tutelage of Amanda (Anne Bancroft). Claudia is transformed into a classy sophisticate and is assigned to Venice, California, where she falls for J.P. (Dermot Mulroney), an attractive photographer who lives downstairs. Claudia's highly dangerous job soon interferes when she's ordered to carry out a series of clever assassinations, including a hit in a restaurant and a hotel bombing. When one particular killing goes horribly wrong, she gets some assistance from Victor the Cleaner (Harvey Keitel), a disposal artist who may have also been ordered to get rid of Claudia. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, (more)
Action film director John Badham bites the hand that feeds him in this action movie spoof that features ribbing of pretty-boy Hollywood action stars by Michael J. Fox and a parody of colorful, hair-trigger James Woods types by the man himself. Woods plays New York homicide detective John Moss, who is within an inch of closing in on a serial killer who calls himself The Party Crasher (Stephen Lang) because his specialty is shooting his victims in the middle of discos. Chasing The Party Crasher after his latest victim has been dispatched, Moss finds himself hanging onto the door of a speeding truck with The Party Crasher at the wheel. When Moss is thrown off the truck and nearly killed, The Party Crasher escapes, and Moss is taken off the case. Moss is given a new assignment --to tag around with Hollywood action film star Nick Lang (Michael J. Fox), the popular hero of the "Smoking Gun" movies. Lang spotted Moss on a television news show and thinks he would be the ideal cop to study for adding authenticity to an up-coming police action picture. Posing as Moss's rookie partner, Lang follows Moss everywhere, proceeding to spoil his pursuit of The Party Crasher and interfering with Moss's burgeoning affair with his girlfriend Susan (Anabella Sciorra). ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, James Woods, (more)
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