Alison Maclean Movies
A filmmaker as unconventional in her everyday mannerisms and speech patterns as in the cinematic visions she creates, Alison Maclean constantly aspires to give audiences something new and inspiring. With a constantly evolving sense of inspiration and challenges, Maclean strives for innovation in the endless search to use film language and images in ways that they've never been used.Born in Ottawa, Canada to a pair of native New Zealanders, Maclean made her journey back to kiwi-country at the age of 14. An intensely creative youngster, Maclean eventually enrolled in an Auckland art school where she studied sculpture and photography, later moving into filmmaking after discovering that it was the perfect medium for combining the varying aspects of her vigorously visual interests. Beginning as a production assistant, Maclean soon met producer Brigid Ikin and the two forged a collaboration that resulted in a number of short films. It was after seeing Maclean's acclaimed short Kitchen Sink that director Jonathan Demme contacted her to direct an episode of Subway Stories.
Noted for her distinctively dark style, often penetrated by a ray of humor and hope, Maclean credits an instinct of urgency as the driving force behind her creative endeavors, "It's a combination of your instinct and what's right but also what's possible." All of these factors were in place for Maclean's first feature Crush (1992). A quirky and intriguing tale of the female id unleashed, her dark, humorous, and complexly layered meditation on the disorienting nature of human relationships earned her recognition as a filmmaker unafraid to explore areas of the psyche often left untouched in conventional cinematic terms.
Spending some time directing for television before again venturing into feature territory, Maclean helmed episodes of popular television series, including Homicide: Life on the Street and the first two episodes of Sex and the City, while sorting through numerous offers for her next film. Rejecting offers from the likes of Disney and sorting through a slew of script development deals, Maclean penned three features before hitting a "huge wall of frustration." Little did Maclean know that the perfect project was lurking just outside her range of view -- Jesus' Son, the story of a pathetic but ultimately sympathetic and likeable drug-addled loser, was just the inspiration Maclean had been searching for. A longtime fan of Dennis Johnson's novel of the same name, the unconventional story, along with its fractured narrative structure and unique characterizations were ideal material for Maclean's sophomore feature effort. Hailed by critics as an intriguingly original and offbeat film, Jesus' Son proved that Maclean was a formidable force in fiercely creative filmmaking. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
This exhaustively researched cable-TV documentary traces the history of drug movies, from camp classics like Reefer Madness to more serious and sober examinations like Requiem for a Dream. Top-heavy with clips from such once-shocking groundbreakers as The Man With the Golden Arm, the "head" flicks of the 1960s and '70s (Easy Rider, the Cheech and Chong vehicles, et al.), the goofy dope-head comedies and the straightforward "wasted-teen" dramas of the '80s (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Drugstore Cowboy) and cautionary epics about the ruined lives of the rich and famous (The Doors) and international narcotics-financed corruption (Traffic), the film illustrates how the truth about the drug culture has been both accurately chronicled and pathetically misrepresented by Hollywood. Several actors, writers, and directors who have worked in films detailing drug use and abuse are interviewed. Assembled by Oscar-winning moviemaker Bruce Sinofsky, Hollywood High was originally telecast by the AMC cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
As the show opens, Justin (Clancy Brown) is standing on a bridge, apparently contemplating suicide. He jumps off, and washes up on shore, where he's found by two strange Russian children, Alexsei (Jordan Orr) and Irina (Erin Sanders), brother and sister. Justin is badly injured, and begs them to help him, but they claim they are being pursued by their father, "an evil man," and treat Justin with suspicion. The boy turns out to have a mysterious and deadly power. Iris (Amy Madigan) is visited by Tommy Dolan (Robert Knepper), who uses his radio show to take on the local politicians who opposed Justin's church. Meanwhile, Lila (Debra Christofferson) tells Ben (Nick Stahl) about Ruthie's (Adrienne Barbeau) past relationship with Scudder. Ben angrily confronts Ruthie, and gets into a scuffle with her son, Gabriel (Brian Turk), who falls and breaks his arm. Later, Ben secretly takes Gabriel to a nearby lake and demonstrates his frightening power. Libby (Carla Gallo) is desperate to leave the show, and Stumpy (Toby Huss), distraught over Dora Mae's death, agrees to drive her to Hollywood in the hopes that she'll be "discovered." Sofie (Clea Duvall) decides to leave Apollonia (Diane Salinger) and go with them, but Rita Sue (Cynthia Ettinger) is not willing to let her husband and daughter leave. This episode was directed by Alison Maclean (Jesus' Son). ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2003
- NR
For her follow-up to 1999's Jesus' Son, director Alison MacLean switched gears, teaming with first-time filmmaker Tobias Perse on Persons of Interest, this documentary on the detaining of Muslim-Americans by the U.S. government. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, many Muslim and Arab-Americans were arrested -- often with no charges brought or legal representation provided -- as part of the United States' sweeping War on Terror. Through interviews with detainees and their families, MacLean and Perse attempt to shed light on the issue and detail the experiences of those imprisoned. Persons of Interest screened in competition at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Muhamed Abushhaker, Syed Ali, (more)
In this independent drama, a young man tries to find himself in the early 1970s as he wades through a swamp of heroin addiction. FH (Billy Crudup) is a well-intentioned but weak-willed man whose propensity for messing up his life has earned him his nickname, short for "F--khead." FH's problems with drugs begin in earnest when he falls in love with Michelle (Samantha Morton), a beautiful but emotionally unsettled woman addicted to heroin. FH soon finds himself drawn to the needle, and the couple drifts from one incident to the next, some funny and some horrifying. Michelle rescues FH from overdoses on a few occasions, although their friend Wayne (Denis Leary) isn't so lucky. After a few years, Michelle becomes pregnant and has an abortion in Chicago shortly before leaving FH and journeying to Mexico. While heading South in hopes of finding her, FH falls into a relationship with an older woman, Mira (Holly Hunter), and becomes involved in an auto wreck; his brush with death, and the opportunity to save a child's life, lead him into rehab and a chance to straighten out his life. The American debut from New Zealand director Alison Maclean and based on the novel by Denis Johnson, Jesus' Son also features Dennis Hopper, Will Patton, and Jack Black. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, (more)
- 1998
In this episode, three of our plucky heroines have romantic run-ins with "modelizers" -- a nickname Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) coined for men who only date fashion models. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is going out with Nick (Josh Pais), but doesn't understand his lack of enthusiasm until she discovers his obsession with models. Samantha (Kim Cattrall) also finds herself dating a "modelizer," Barkley (Gabriel Macht), and while she's able to break through his resistance, she also discovers another of his quirks -- recording his sexual conquests on videotape. Carrie decides to do some research of her own on the subject by dating a male model named Derek (Andre Boccaletti), though she still has a more than passing interest in Mr. Big (Chris Noth). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is enjoying her latest fling with a twentysomething slice of beefcake (Timothy Olyphant), but the limitations imposed by his age soon become all too apparent. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) discovers her own limitations when her boyfriend asks a particular sexual favor of her, while Samantha (Kim Cattrall) is less than pleased by her realization that she'll always be older than the young men she beds. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
Subways provide the common setting for this modern anthology comprised of distinct vignettes made by ten of Hollywood's top directors and featuring some of Tinseltown's most popular actors. The episodes are based on real stories submitted by scores of subway regulars. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rosie Perez, Mercedes Ruehl, (more)
- 1997
Homicide's Falsone (Jon Seda) and Lewis (Clark Johnson) team up with the sex-crime division's Stivers (Toni Lewis) to track down the rapist responsible for savage attacks on three women. Bayliss (Kyle Secor) offers a unique method to speed up the delivery of Frank and Mary Pembleton's (Andre Braugher, Ami Brabson) baby -- with astonishing results. And Georgia Rae Mahoney (Hazelle Goodman) launches her campaign of revenge against the detectives responsible for the death of her drug-kingpin brother, Luther. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
Produced with the help of the Sundance Institute, Alison Maclean's first feature, Crush, is a clever, gynocentric neo-noir. Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock) stars as Lane, the film's conflicted femme fatale. The film opens with Lane speeding along a winding road. She's driving her best friend and lover, Christina (Donogh Rees), a literary critic, to meet with an author, Colin (William Zappa), at his home in the New Zealand countryside. In the midst of a snarky conversation, Lane is momentarily distracted and drives her car off the road. The car flips over, and Christina is badly injured, while Lane walks away with barely a scratch. She goes to Colin's house, where she meets Angela (Caitlin Bossley), his shy, tomboyish teenage daughter. Lane doesn't immediately identify herself, and Angela -- thinking that Lane is actually Christina -- takes her for a walk. The charmingly aggressive Lane begins flirting with the impressionable girl, and it's clear that Angela is smitten with the brash American woman. Later, Colin arrives home, and he agrees to let Lane stay in their home for a few days. Before long, Lane has seduced him. Angela is jealous and begins going to the hospital to visit Christina, who is recovering from a severe head injury. As she recovers, regaining control of her movements and the ability to speak, Angela tells her again and again that one horrible person is to blame for her condition -- Lane. But Angela is not prepared for the harrowing results when she brings Christina home for a visit. Crush is an amusingly twisted thriller from down under, rooted in well-drawn characters, along the same lines as Jocelyn Moorehouse's wickedly clever Proof. Maclean demonstrates great skill with actors and with complex material, which is also evident in her second feature, Jesus' Son. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcia Gay Harden, William Zappa, (more)
