Saverio Guerra Movies
A professional poker player whose astounding luck at the table fails to translate into his lonesome love life attempts to win the World Series of Poker while simultaneously earning the affections of a beautiful Las Vegas singer in a high-stakes emotional drama from L.A. Confidential director Curtis Hanson and Munich screenwriter Eric Roth. When his personal problems threaten to distract him from what could be his biggest win ever, seasoned poker pro Huck Cheever (Eric Bana) finds comfort in the company of singer Billie Offer (Drew Barrymore). Upon preparing for the biggest card game in the country, however, Huck soon realizes that his problems have only just begun when he finds that his opponent at the table will be none other than his estranged father, L.C. (Robert Duvall), a poker legend whose mythical reputation makes him a more than worthy opponent for his troubled son. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, (more)
- 2004
When his germophobia causes him to bungle a murder investigation and accidentally destroy valuable evidence, Monk's detective's license is revoked by Mr. Brooks (Saverio Guerra), San Francisco's ill-tempered new police commissioner. As Monk (Tony Shalhoub) scrambles around for a new job, Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) attempt to pin the murder on a man named Paul Harley (Brennan Elliott)--while the irascible Commissioner is plagued by a mysterious assailant who repeatedly tries to steal his hat! Ultimately, Monk digs up a connection between the killer and the hat thief, just as his friends at the Police Force stumble upon a foolproof (and hilarious) method to get our hero's job back. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Oceanic wise guys meet up with a small fish who has a big attitude in this computer-animated comedy. Don Lino (voice of Robert De Niro) is the patriarch of a family of sharks who lord over a bustling aquatic community based along a massive underwater reef. Don Lino has two sons, Frankie (voice of Michael Imperioli) and Lenny (voice of Jack Black); Frankie is a carnivorous tough guy who takes after his father, but Lenny is, at heart, a kind soul who has earned the ire of his dad by becoming a vegetarian. One of Don Lino's cronies is Sykes (voice of Martin Scorsese), who runs a "whale wash" where Oscar (voice of Will Smith) scrubs aquatic mammals for a living. Oscar is a small but ambitious fish who dreams of making something of himself, and when a dropped anchor accidentally kills Frankie, Oscar is suddenly (if mistakenly) celebrated as "the shark killer." Oscar's overnight fame attracts the attentions of Lola (voice of Angelina Jolie), a slinky dragon fish who woos Oscar away from his steady date, Angie (voice of Renée Zellweger); however, Oscar strikes up a friendship with Lenny and has to decide what to do when Don Lino and Sykes decides it's time to "take care" of the "different" shark. Also popping up in Shark Tale's all-star voice cast are Peter Falk, Vincent Pastore, Ziggy Marley, and Katie Couric. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Smith, Robert De Niro, (more)
Before he broke out with the J.D. Salinger-esque Tadpole in 2002, producer-turned-director Gary Winick filmed this little-seen relationship drama. Fisher Stevens stars as the title character, a writer with one novel under his belt who can't seem to deliver the follow-up. Instead, he spends his time compulsively cheating on his photographer girlfriend, Cass (Annabella Sciorra); giving the runaround to his agent, Richard (Ron Rifkin); and trying to keep his landlord, Murray (Luis Guzman), at bay. Things take a turn for the worse when the husband of one of Sam's conquests (Maria Bello) confronts him, leaving Sam covered in hard-to-explain injuries. Soon, with the help of his barkeep brother, Lorenzo (Saverio Guerra), Sam is holding down a day job for the first time in years and reexamining every aspect of his life. After the success of Tadpole, the Independent Film Channel picked up Sam the Man for broadcast on cable television. The film's cast, filled with notable and lesser-known New York actors, includes George Plimpton, Griffin Dunne, and Rob Morrow. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fisher Stevens, Annabella Sciorra, (more)
- 2000
Riley (Marc Blucas) is acting strangely around Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and catching her with Spike (James Marsters) -- or Hostile 17 -- makes him even more antagonistic. Meanwhile, Adam (George Hertzberg) kills Dr. Walsh (Lindsay Crouse) and leaves the Initiative compound. Later, Buffy is confronted by Riley with the news of Dr. Walsh's death. Then, while searching for Adam, Buffy, and Xander (Nicholas Brendon) sneak into the Initiative compound and discover that drugs were being secretly given to the commandos and Riley's in withdrawal. Riley confronts Adam who seriously wounds him. Elsewhere, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) attempts to perform a spell with Tara (Amber Benson) to magically locate all of the demons in Sunnydale. Tara sabotages the spell while Willow's eyes are closed. ~ All Movie Guide
In the summer of 1977, a serial killer who called himself Son of Sam (real name David Berkowitz) held New York City in terror as he went on a killing spree, periodically writing letters to New York's media in which he took full responsibility for the murders and made clear that he intended to kill again. Spike Lee's Summer of Sam deals in part with this crime spree, but it mostly looks back at the fearful impact of his crimes on New York's collective consciousness. Vinny and Dionna (John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino) are an unhappy young married couple living in the Bronx; Vinny often cheats on Dionna but is wracked with guilt about it, while Dionna fears she lacks the looks or allure to hold onto a man. Ritchie (Adrien Brody) is a neighborhood kid turned punk rocker (complete with a fake British accent); he has a band and a girlfriend (Jennifer Esposito) but also makes money as an exotic dancer at a gay club. And Luigi (Ben Gazzara), a longtime leader of organized crime in the Bronx, is approached by the police, with whom he generally has a less cordial relationship, to help them find the killer, as the citizens of some neighborhoods barricade their streets in fear that he will strike there next. Meanwhile, a tortured psychopath named David Berkowitz (Michael Badalucco) seethes with rage in his gloomy apartment and receives messages from a demonic dog who commands him to kill and kill again. Spike Lee's first film without a primarily African-American cast (though bearing the unmistakable New York stamp that's one of his hallmarks), Summer of Sam was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, (more)
- 1999
An occult group, the Sisterhood of Jhe, is attempting to open the Hellmouth and bring about the end of the world -- so what else is new? Xander (Nicholas Brendon) recieves a good wolloping in a fight with the Sisterhood and the rest of Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) gang suggests he opt out of future rumbles. Feeling like a big loser, Xander begins attempting to be cool. This includes driving a 1950's Chevy Bel Aire and hanging out with Jack O'Toole (Channon Roe), a school bully. Soon, Xander's new cool group of friends even includes Jack's old gang buddies -- raised from the dead. Apparently, Jack is also one of the walking dead and now he and his gang are going to blow up Sunnydale High. Scared and unsure of what to do, Xander runs into Faith (Eliza Dushku) by running his Chevy over a Sister of Jhe she is fighting. Later, in her hotel room, Faith repays Xander by taking his virginity. A reinvigorated and confident Xander returns to Sunnydale High to stop Jack and the other dead boys from bombing the school. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
Still intent upon re-igniting the spark in their marriage, Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) go off on their long-delayed honeymoon. In their absence, pediatrician Dr. Lee (Steve Park) makes certain that baby Mabel is well cared for. Whether or not Murray the dog is safe in the hands of Jamie's mercurial sister, Lisa (Anne Elizabeth Ramsay), is another matter entirely. And then there's that cooing married couple whom Jamie "fixed up".... ~ All Movie Guide
Can a crook go straight without really trying? Jewel thief Miles Logan (Martin Lawrence) was being chased by the police after a robbery when he was forced to hide a cache of diamonds, worth $20 million, at a construction site. Despite his caution, Miles ended up behind bars anyway; after serving his time, he goes back to retrieve the stones only to discover what was being built: a police station. Miles needs to spend some time at the station to figure out what happened to his nest egg, so he sneaks in, posing as a police detective. Trouble is, he's so convincing that the cops assign him a rookie partner, Carlson (Luke Wilson), to put through training. To his surprise, Miles turns out to be a good cop, and the more he tries to find the missing diamonds, the higher he's promoted through the department, until he finds himself in line for a top spot in the detective's division. Supporting Lawrence and Wilson in Blue Streak are Dave Chappelle, William Forsythe, and Nicole Parker. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson, (more)
- 1998
It's Christmas time in Sunnydale and like Scrooge, Angel (David Boreanaz) is being haunted by the ghosts of his past victims, namely Jenny Calendar (Robia La Morte). He seeks help from Giles (Anthony Head), and later even shares a dream with Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), where he bites her. Jenny appears and tells him the dream represents his true evil desires. Meanwhile, Giles discovers the three Harbingers -- blind priests who utilize the evil and archaic power of the First. The First has taken on the visage of Jenny and taunts Angel to kill Buffy. The First also predicts the death of Angel by sunrise. On a cliff, waiting for morning and Angel's impending death, Buffy releases all the pent up angst she has felt since Angel's return from Hell. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1997
Confused about how there could be another Slayer, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) figures out that when she briefly died (see "Prophecy Girl") -- Kendra was activated as Slayer. Buffy is jealous at first of Kendra's dedication to her duties, but soon discovers that Kendra really doesn't care about helping people as much as she does. Meanwhile, Angel (David Boreanaz) is rescued from his cage by Willy the Bartender (Saverio Guerra) only to be handed over to Spike (James Marsters). Apparently, Spike needs Drusilla's (Juliet Landau) sire -- Angel -- to complete the ritual to restore Drusilla's health. Realizing this, Kendra and Buffy beat the location of the ritual out of Willy. They manage to end the ceremony before Angel is dead, but not before all of Drusilla's powers have been restored. Spike is injured in the fight, and subsequently the couple switches roles, with Drusilla having to care for Spike. This episode marks the actual beginning of Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Cordelia's (Charisma Carpenter) relationship, as they argue, and then kiss, while trapped in a basement. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1997
Horror of horrors -- it's career week at Sunnydale High! While everyone else is excited about planning their future, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is simply reminded that, as a Slayer, her future is predetermined. Angel (David Boreanaz) tries to cheer her up by taking her to a skating rink. They barely get in some cheer-up necking when Buffy is attacked by a rough Hell's Angels type of guy. A member of the Order of Taraka -- supernatural assassins -- he was apparently sent to kill Buffy by Spike (James Marsters). Meanwhile, Spike is attempting to cure Drusilla (Juliet Landau) of her sickness with the du Lac manuscript, an ancient text he stole from Giles (Anthony Stewart Head). Angel is attempting to find out what is going on with Spike, when a mysterious woman attacks him and locks him up in a cage. Buffy, hidden from the Order of Taraka in Angel's apartment, is also attacked by the woman, who introduces herself as Kendra, the Vampire Slayer, (Bianca Lawson). Also, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Oz (Seth Green) finally meet, but in a less romantic fashion than hoped, as they are both being wooed by a computer mega-corporation out of Seattle. ~ All Movie Guide
Barry Levinson directed this crime drama based on a controversial bestseller. Jason Patrick stars as Lorenzo, a New York reporter more commonly called "Shakes," a nickname courtesy of his three childhood pals from Hell's Kitchen -- Michael (Brad Pitt), John (Ron Eldard), and Tommy (Billy Crudup). As kids, all four were sent to reform school after accidentally killing someone during a cruel prank. There, the boys were raped and beaten by several guards, including Sean Nokes (Kevin Bacon), a fact that they've kept secret into adulthood. Michael is now a rising star in the district attorney's office, while John and Tommy are founders of the Irish gang the Westies. When Nokes walks into John and Tommy's hangout, they kill him in cold blood and go on trial, defended by a drug-addicted lawyer (Dustin Hoffman). Michael and Shakes conspire with childhood friend Carol (Minnie Driver) and local priest Father Bobby (Robert DeNiro) to free their friends and get even with the surviving guards. Based on a true story chronicled by Lorenzo Carcaterra in his novel of the same name, Sleepers stirred controversy when the veracity of the book was challenged by reporters who could find no documentation of the events described. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, (more)
- 1996
- R
After director Alex Cox alienated the powers that be in Hollywood with Straight to Hell and Walker, his anarchic follow-ups to Repo Man and Sid and Nancy, it would be nearly a decade before he made a film in the United States again. After making the critically acclaimed, underseen Highway Patrolman in Mexico, he agreed to direct The Winner, based on the play A Darker Purpose by Wendy Riss. Vincent D'Onofrio stars as Philip, a soft-spoken, rather dimwitted young man who stumbles into an incredible lucky streak in Las Vegas. Every Sunday, he enters the same casino, wins some money, and goes home. While Philip himself is pretty nonchalant about his lucky streak, it earns him the attention of a lot of unsavory characters. Louise (Rebecca De Mornay, who also executive produced the film), a tacky nightclub singer, and her impotent hitman boyfriend, Jack (Billy Bob Thornton), plan to get Philip to fall in love with Louise and offer her a fortune to pay off her debt to the sinister, seemingly omnipotent Kingman (Delroy Lindo), the casino owner who employs Jack. A small-time hood, Joey (Frank Whaley) and his motley crew (Richard Edson and Saverio Guerra) plan to rip Philip off, but their plans are complicated when the antic, impulsively violent Joey begins to feel a strange attraction to his would-be prey. Wolf (Michael Madsen), Philip's thuggish brother (and Louise's former lover) arrives in town, practically guaranteeing some kind of violent showdown. After shooting the film, Cox returned to Mexico to work on his next project. While he was away, the producers then re-edited The Winner without his consent, and replaced the film's soundtrack. Cox has since distanced himself from the final product. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent D'Onofrio, Rebecca De Mornay, (more)
- 1996
- R
David (Dan Futterman) is a language expert who knows how to say "I Love You" in fifteen different languages. But he can't seem to bring himself to say it in plain English to his girlfriend of the past two years, Kathy (Susan Floyd), and that's putting their relationship in jeopardy in the romantic drama Breathing Room. Kathy and David have been having a hard time deciding if they should break up or try to work things out between them when, as he joins Kathy for Thanksgiving dinner with her family, she discovers David has applied for a job teaching English at a school in Vietnam. Careerwise, it would be a significant step for David, but Kathy is a bit miffed that he never saw fit to mention it to her before. Meanwhile, Kathy has her own professional dilemmas to deal with as she tries to kick-start her career as an animator. Eventually they decide to take a break from each other until Christmas, with no clear idea of just what they'll do after that. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Floyd, Dan Futterman, (more)
- 1996
The unit's investigation of six unsolved homicides involves the detectives in a violent drug turf war. Things get worse when a peace demonstration proves to be anything but, and Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) begins showing signs of being close to a total breakdown. And in a more lighthearted development, Kellerman (Reed Diamond) is dying with curiosity over the identity of the person who is currently dating Lewis (Clark Johnson). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
Former video director Michael Bay had his first big hit with this action comedy, which also returned producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson to the big-budget, high-violence movies that they successfully churned out in the '80s. Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are two Miami cops who watch as 100 million dollars in heroin, from the biggest drug bust of their careers, is stolen out of the basement of police headquarters. This puts them hot on the trail of French drug lord Fouchet (Tchéky Karyo), who leaves a trail of bodies in his wake and only one witness, Julie Mott (Téa Leoni), who quickly teams up with our heroes. Comic hijinks ensue when plot complications force Mike to impersonate the married Marcus, to the point of moving in with his wife and children, while Marcus takes over Mike's bachelor pad and lifestyle. Car chases, snappy one-liners, and nonstop pacing fuel this umpteenth variation on the cop "buddy" formula. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, (more)
A young man (Matt Dillon) is trying to go in with his friends on a bowling-alley investment, but finds that his finances are too strapped to attempt the venture. To curb his outlays, he begins arranging a marriage for his ex-wife (Annabella Sciorra) so he can end the alimony payments which keep him in debt. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Dillon, Annabella Sciorra, (more)
Michael J. Fox stars as Doug Ireland in this romantic comedy about a brash concierge at a swanky New York hotel who always makes it a point to go out of his way for the hotel guests. But Doug doesn't want to be a concierge forever. What he would really like to do is build a swanky hotel of his own, and all he needs is $3 million to do it. When haughty and patronizing tycoon Christian Hanover (Anthony Higgins) comes to the hotel for a rendezvous with his mistress Andy Hart (Gabrielle Anwar), Doug sees the opportunity to convince Christian to invest the $3 million in his dream of a hotel. So, Doug willingly agrees to baby-sit Andy when Christian has to leave her to see his wife. But the more time he spends with Andy, the more affectionate he feels toward her, until finally he has fallen in love with her. Now Doug must make a choice concerning what he really wants -- his dream of a hotel or the love of Andy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, Gabrielle Anwar, (more)
Independent filmmaker Nancy Savoca's True Love stars Annabella Sciorra as a none-too-bright young lady who evinces untapped brilliance in getting her boyfriend Ron Eldard to the altar. Sciorra's work is certainly cut out for her: Eldard, who prefers chumming around with his old high school chums, is a virtual stranger to the word "commitment." Even so, a wedding date is set, and the guests begin gathering. Will the bells peal for Sciorra, or is she in for another let-down? Hardly original material, True Love scores in its "little truths" about the characters: these are people that you and I know all too well, no matter what our social standing in life. Co-written by Nancy Savoca and her husband Richard Guay, the film won first prize at the Utah-based US Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annabella Sciorra, Ron Eldard, (more)
