Ram Bergman Movies

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes his feature directorial debut with this funny yet earnest psychological drama about a womanizer named Jon Martello (Gordon-Levitt) who earns the nickname "Don Jon" for his ability to charm beautiful women, but remains unable to forge a meaningful connection with the opposite sex due to his all-consuming internet porn addiction. Meanwhile, as Jon struggles to free himself from the realm of virtual debauchery, he connects with two disparate women (Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore) who teach him the true value of intimacy. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

An arrested adolescent hell-bent on good times decides to throw a different sort of bash in this comedy. Eric (Jason Sudeikis) is in his early thirties, but he hasn't changed much since his high school days -- the guy lives to party with a handful of his old friends, and the crazier the get-together, the better. Every summer, Eric throws an epic-scale theme party at his parents' home in the Hamptons, as he and his pals get crazy at the "White Trash Bash" or a "Star Wars vs. Star Trek" throwdown. However, this grand tradition is about to end, as Eric's dad (Don Johnson) has announced he's selling the house. Eric decides he should save the biggest party for last, and tells his friends he's hosting an orgy. While Eric and his male friends are just thick-headed enough not to see the problems inherent in having group sex with some of their best friends, the gals in their social circle are more hesitant, but most decide to sign on, at least in principle. However, Eric has become infatuated with Kelly (Leslie Bibb), the attractive real-estate agent who is selling the house, and decides to invite her to the big blowout without telling her just what kind of party she can expect. Also starring Will Forte, Tyler Labine, David Koechner, Lake Bell, and Lindsay Sloane, A Good Old Fashioned Orgy was the first directorial project for Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, who previously served as writers and producers on the television comedies King of the Hill, The Larry Sanders Show, and Frasier. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A ragtag band of renegades takes on a master warrior and his private army in this stylish action thriller. In the wake of a global war, guns have been outlawed but violence is still the way for many, who now do battle with knives or their fists. Nicola (Ron Perlman), nicknamed The Woodcutter, is the most feared and powerful fighter on the East Coast, and he rules his empire with the help of a handful of similarly talented lieutenants, most notably Killer No. 2 (Kevin McKidd). One evening, The Drifter (Josh Hartnett) ambles into a bar in Nicola's village and announces he has a score to settle with the leader, and wants to know who's willing to help kill him. The Drifter's bold request catches the ear of Yoshi (Gackt), a swordsman from Japan who was also done wrong by Nicola and wants justice. Most believe the Drifter and Yoshi have signed their own death warrants by taking on the Woodcutter and his minions, but a few are eager to help them bring down the tyrannical Nicola, including the philosophical Bartender (Woody Harrelson), Alexandra (Demi Moore), a courtesan with an unpleasant history with the tyrant, and Yoshi's uncle (Shun Sugata) and cousin (Emily Kaiho). Written and directed by Israeli filmmaker Guy Moshe, Bunraku was an official selection at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

When the younger of two notorious sibling con artists announces a plan to go legit, his brother implores him to carry out one last swindle in the eagerly anticipated sophomore feature from Brick writer/director Rian Johnson. Tired of a life on the run, a confidence man who has dedicated his life to the art of the grift decides to call it quits. Despite his plans to leave his criminal past behind, however, the reluctant scammer finds that his brother has masterminded one last scheme to claim the wealth of an eccentric millionaire (Rachel Weisz). With the opportunity to make enough money so that he would be able to live comfortably even if his legitimate endeavors fail, the heretofore unrepentant con man finds it increasingly difficult to refuse his sibling's potentially profitable endeavor. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Czech New Wave leader Ivan Passer picks up the torch originally ignited by Russian director Sergei Bodrov to bring Central Asia's first-ever event film to the light of the silver screen. Penned by Russian screenwriter Rustam Ibragimbekov, Nomad tells the tale of 18th-century Kazak military strategist Ablai Khan -- a forward-thinking visionary whose efforts to unify his country eventually helped to define Kazakhstan's borders. Warned by a mystical Kazak warrior named Oraz (Jason Scott Lee) that a child who will unite the warring local tribes and free his people is about to be born, invading Jungar leader Galdan Ceren (Doskhan Zholzhaxynov) -- whose soldiers are currently occupying Kazakhstan -- instructs his assassins to target Mansur (Kuno Becker), the son of a local sultan. After being saved from a grim fate by none other than Oraz, Mansur is raised to become a fearless warrior whose vision of a unified Kazak state drives him to fulfill the ancient prophecy. Tirelessly training alongside his best friend Erali (Jay Hernandez), Mansur leaps into action when love interest Gaukhar (Ayanat Yesmagambetova) is abducted by malevolent Jungar swordsman Sharish (Mark Decascos). Originally set to be helmed exclusively by Passer, Nomad was finished by director Bodrov after a production hiatus threw the fate of the film into question and the European production partner Wild Bunch stepped in to help assure that the film was eventually completed. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A reclusive married couple residing in a lavish seaside home receive a pair of menacing unwelcome visitors in director Jay Anania's tense tale of homebound terror. Carla (Julianne Nicholson) and Bill (Julian Sands) don't get out much, and when a pair of strangers show up and refuse to leave, the tension in their comfortable beach house soon begins to rise. The evening wears on and when the menace of the visitors turns threatening, Bill attempts to take control of the situation before the emotional violence of his malevolent house guests turns physical. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

An encounter between two people with a shared past and conflicting futures is played out on a split-image screen in this offbeat drama. An unnamed man (Aaron Eckhart) and woman (Helena Bonham Carter) are enjoying drinks and cigarettes in a hotel room after attending a wedding reception. At first, the two seem to be playing a flirtatious game, as he cheerfully but confidently advances toward her, and she seems at once attracted and put off by his bravado. Their pas de deux is shot and edited in split screen, with his image appearing in one half of the divided frame and hers appearing in the other. As time wears on, the man and woman begin crossing their appointed boundaries, and in some sequences one half of the frame represents the present while the other shows us events in the past. We learn that the man and woman had a tempestuous affair when they were in their late teens, and both are now committed to other people -- she has a husband, while he has a steady girl. How will the experiences of their past affect their present, and are they willing to betray their lovers for an evening's pleasure? Conversations With Other Women was the first feature film from director Hans Canosa. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Neely (Chelsea Altman) is a struggling actress living in New York. Her Mexican boyfriend, Tonio (Demian Bechir), is a cook who's trying to sell his own line of pasta sauces. Lottie (Patricia Clarkson), her eccentric neighbor, is obsessed with a soap opera, "Heartbreak Hospital." Frustrated with her inability to get work, Neely accepts Tonio's proposal of marriage, and plans to honeymoon with him in Mexico. On their way to the airport, she stops to say goodbye to her acting teacher, who tells her about an audition for the soap. To Tonio's chagrin, she gives it a shot. She's totally unprepared, and the other actresses at the audition have their game faces on. But Sunday (Diane Venora), the prima donna lead actress on the show, takes one look at Neely's glasses and her shock of purple hair and, vigilantly protective of her own place as the prettiest actress on the show, insists that Neely be hired. Neely gets the job, and soon finds herself caught up in more intrigue than she bargained for. She quickly finds out that the actresses who steal the spotlight from Sunday tend to get written out of the show quickly. Both Neely's jealous boyfriend and Milo (John Shea), the desperate actor who plays her love interest on the soap, Dr. Jonathan, seem to have trouble telling television from reality, and Lottie goes completely over the edge with her passion for the fictional doctor Milo portrays. Things get completely out of hand when one of the cast members turns up dead. Co-writer Henry Slesar did time writing for the daytime dramas One Life to Live and Edge of Night. Heartbreak Hospital is the feature debut of director Rudolph Gerber. It's based of the novel Murder at Heartbreak Hospital by Lottie Ohrwasher. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

The personal lives of five exotic dancers go under the microscope in this drama, the first American feature from director Michael Radford. Eddie (Robert Wisdom) is the manager of a strip club in suburban California known as the Blue Iguana, where he keeps an eye on the women who make their living dancing for his customers. Stormy (Sheila Kelley) is an attractive, thick-skinned woman who is getting old enough to realize her days as a dancer may be numbered. Jo (Jennifer Tilly) likes to think of herself as the Blue Iguana's star attraction, though her career may hit a detour now that she's learned she's pregnant. Angel (Daryl Hannah) is a sweet, but immature woman, who tries to deal with her fear of being unloved by adopting a child. Jasmine (Sandra Oh), an aspiring poet, tries not to get settled into a career as a stripper, while being encouraged in her writing by coffeehouse owner Dennis (Chris Hogan), who features spoken word performers. And Jesse (Charlotte Ayanna), the youngest of the performers, expresses her desperate need for approval in her desire to please the customers. Dancing at the Blue Iguana received its world premiere at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Jay Anania wrote and directed this drama that opens on New Year's Eve, 1971. Diane Thwaite (Paulina Porizkova) hits something with her car, stops to check, and faints next to her car. Flash forward to 24 years later, when she's working as a NYC botanical illustrator and friends with Cyril (Jeff Webster), while the mysterious figure of Michael James (Julian Sands) wanders the city. When Diane hears Auld Lang Syne, it triggers memories of the incident in 1971. More recollections are refreshed by a combination of hypnosis, research, and a confession from James. Suppressed memories surface, including a baby's cry, a van, and a missing mother and child. Small-town waitress Phoebe (Julianne Nicholson) may hold the key to the mystery. The music track features moody vocals by Judy Kuhn. This is the first film to take the technical path of a Super-16 original transferred to HDTV and then to a 35mm negative. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

An LA radio talk show host with a night call-in program finds his rating soar after a psychopathic killer becomes a regular caller in this low-budget thriller. Dee jay Karlin Pickett is known for being a wild and crazy guy. He is first seen working in Phoenix. He picks up a girl in a bar and shortly thereafter, she is killed. This is naturally upsetting to Pickett who then moves to LA to take a better job. Soon the antics of himself and his new side-kick Jon catch fire and they become one of the most popular shows around. Then the killer calls and announces that he has killed the woman he just slept with. No one but Detective Dimotto takes it very seriously; it is just good for ratings. When another woman dies, Dimotto moves in and solves the case, something perceptive viewers will have done long before the story's grand finale. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This black comedy centers upon the L.A. theater scene. Steve Maletti owns a small struggling theater. He also directs the plays there. He has just secured two popular TV stars to appear in his newest production. Unfortunately, the actors get a movie deal and fly away to Africa leaving the hapless Maletti, who must close the show. His theater will fold if he doesn't come up with a hit show. He finds his chance when he secures the rights to a Broadway hit. Now he must convince the critics that it's a good production. His toughest job will be convincing the curmudgeonly critic Milton Mandler. Maletti decides to scare him into writing a good review, too bad Maletti literally scared the old man to death. Fortunately Mandler had written a rave review of the play before his heart failed. Maletti must then conceal the critic's death until after the review appears in the L.A. Times. It doesn't take long before a suspicious cop is hot on Maletti's trail. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi