Abra Edelman Movies

This $17 million direct-to-video production by Hong Kong director Ringo Lam is the story of a fire-obsessed serial killer (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and the recently retired cop (Michael Rooker) intent on stopping him. After finding his hair follicle at a crime scene, a secret government agency clones the killer in the hopes that the replicant will aid in the search. Although he's full-grown, the clone (also played by Van Damme) has the emotional and mental capacity of a young child. Soon the naïve replicant begins to have visions of past murders and an abusive mother, leading him to escape and seek the killer on his own. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide

The imaginary world of the world's most popular fantasy role-playing game comes to life in this special-effects laden adventure. In the Empire of Izmer, magic is the key to power in both the supernatural and political realms. The Mages are a sect who know the secrets of magic and use it to hold sway over the masses. The youthful Empress Savina (Thora Birch) wants to use her powers to bring justice and prosperity to all, but Profion (Jeremy Irons) is an evil Mage who wants to use his knowledge of magic to overthrow Savina and establish his own despotic rule. Through deceitful means, Profion wins away the special scepter that allows him to control the nation's Golden Dragons; Savina's only hope to recover the scepter and the rule of Izmer is to obtain the Rod of Savrille, a talisman that will give her powers over the Red Dragons, even more powerful than their golden counterparts. As Savina sets out to gain control of the Red Dragons, she gains a number of unlikely allies, including a pair of thieves, Snails (Marlon Wayans) and Ridely (Justin Whalin); a powerful dwarf, Elwood (Lee Arenberg); and Norda (Kristen Wilson), an elf with a gift for finding lost objects. Dungeons & Dragons also features Zoe McLellan, Bruce Payne, and Richard O'Brien, the latter of whom is best known as the writer and co-star of the perennial cult item The Rocky Horror Picture Show. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Rory Kelly (Sleep With Me) directed this romantic comedy-drama about love and infidelity. April (Juliette Lewis) warns insecure Claire (co-scripter Marissa Ribisi) about Chad (Jeremy Sisto), but Claire fails to heed her advice. April cheats on her steady, Neil (Michael Rapaport), sleeping with several men. Giovanni Ribisi portrays Claire's brother Jason. Director Kelly was honored with an award after Some Girl was shown in 1998 at the fourth L.A. Independent Film Festival, an event that rose in admissions from 12,000 to 21,000 that year. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

A group of strangers are brought together under unexpectedly dangerous circumstances in this offbeat drama. Trucker Odell Parks (Robert Forster) pulls into a diner in Ozona, Texas, for a cup of coffee, where a number of other weary travelers are taking a break. Wit Roy (Kevin Pollak) is an out-of-work clown trying to figure out how to get to Las Vegas on his last few dollars, where a job offer awaits; his girlfriend Earlene (Penelope Ann Miller), a one time stripper, is tagging along and thinks that she knows how to raise some money. Reba Twosalt (Kateri Walker), a Native American, is heading west with her Grandmother; the old woman is dying, and they would like to see the ocean together one last time. And Marcy and Bonnie (Sherilyn Fenn and Beth Ann Styne) are two sisters en route to the funeral of their father. As the customers eat their food and drink their coffee, the radio is playing vintage jazz and blues, a form of protest from the disc jockey, Dix Mayal (Taj Mahal), who is breaking the station's country and western format after being forced to work an extra shift by his boss, station manager Floyd Bibbs (Meat Loaf). However, there's a killer on the highway near Ozona, and very soon all of these people will find themselves crossing his path. In addition to playing the disc jockey, blues great Taj Mahal also contributed several songs to the soundtrack of Outside Ozona. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this comedy with dramatic overtones, Susan "Soosh" Teagarden (Moira Kelly) is an aspiring artist with plenty of emotional baggage. Her father Theo (Christopher Lloyd) is a famous painter; he's also an alcoholic who has never been able to express his affection for his daughter. Soosh's mother died when she was young, and she still cherishes her memory but also feels deep loss. These days, Soosh has trouble with men, her job at a clothing store, her art, and her landlord, after she's caught shoplifting. Looking for somewhere to stay, she goes to a nearby convent and tells them a sob story that moves the Mother Superior (Eileen Brennan) to take her in. Soosh discovers that Christian charity isn't the easy street she expected; she has to work alongside the sisters at the convent and follow their schedule, and Soosh isn't accustomed to rising at 5 a.m. and having to be in by 11 p.m. But the Mother Superior sees Soosh's paintings and realizes that she has a true gift; she encourages her in her art and tries to help her put the broken pieces of her life together. Along the way, Soosh also falls in love with Felix (Dylan Walsh), who happens to run the art supply store where she steals most of her supplies. Changing Habits also stars Shelley Duvall as a speechless nun and Teri Garr as one of Soosh's co-workers. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this Quentin Tarantino-style blood-drenched pseudo-film noir, Denis Leary plays a hood named Johnny who, after getting out of prison, dedicates himself to exacting revenge on mobsters who brutally injured his father. Ned Lynch (Larry Bishop, who wrote the screenplay) attacked Johnny's father, causing him to become permanently brain-dead. Johnny travels in a limousine and targets those who he believes may be responsible in a series of killings that take place on Father's Day. His main target is Frank (Joe Mantegna), but he is not certain that Frank is responsible for what happened to his father. Johnny, who has taught himself psychology in prison, takes Frank to a sex therapist, Dr. Diane Leah (Annabella Sciorra), as part of his cat-and-mouse game, in hopes of eventually learning the identity of his father's attacker. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

Tough, world-weary wanderer Rinda travels throughout the Southwest working occasionally as a truck-stop cook. She is in one lonely town when she hooks up with sexy Bo Schrag. They have a brief affair, and she doesn't realize Bo is married until his plain wife shows up during one of their sessions with a shotgun in her hand. Rinda and Hallie Schrag end up becoming friends and taking off for Phoenix. This taut little thriller chronicles their many exploits along the way. The tenuous friendship between two is nearly destroyed when they pick up handsome cowboy hitcher Dodge after he helps them fix their car. Together the three go to a deserted hot springs, and en route a quiet, tense rivalry between the women, both of whom want the enigmatic Dodge, builds. Meanwhile, back in the town they just left, police begin investigating a robbery-homicide that just may involve Dodge. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

An up-and-coming baseball player has a fling with a woman who doesn't want it to be a one-night stand. She starts to obsess over him and move into his life until she finally becomes dangerous. This standard "psycho-chick" movie is one of the better of its kind, even though it's awfully hard to take lead Molly Ringwald seriously. ~ Sean D. MacLaggan, All Movie Guide

Killer is writer-director Mark Malone's offbeat noir fantasy about Mick (Anthony LaPaglia), an alienated, existential hit-man with a secret, romantic streak which leads him into tragedy. Mick is troubled by his desire to murder a call-girl because she failed to excite him, and he confides in mob boss George (Peter Boyle). George offers to set Mick up with a prominent psychiatrist if he first makes a hit on an upscale lady who has stolen money from the mob. Mick's pal Archie (Matt Craven) wants to join him, and Mick reluctantly agrees even though Archie's cowardice in a previous hit nearly cost George and Mick their lives. When Mick arrives to carry out the hit, to his surprise, he finds his victim expecting him. Elegant, cool Fiona (Mimi Rogers), asks a great many questions about Mick, learns a great deal and they engage in some mild sadomasochistic sex. Archie too becomes Fiona's confident, telling her of his botched hit and his troubled relationship with Mick. The film's conclusion is unusual and surprising, with dense and subtle performances by the entire cast. Malone is a confident and inventive director whose use of lighting and sound is smoothly impressive. But unlike many directors, Malone never allows this technique to interfere with the performances of his actors. Killer was well-received by critics, but failed to find an a well-deserved audience until it was released on video. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Quick is based on a series of adventure novels featuring a gorgeous hitwoman. When the title character, played by Teri Polo, is set up by her boss, she takes -- well -- quick action. Abducting the mob witness (Martin Donovan) whom she'd been hired to kill, Quick runs off to parts unknown. As the evil henchmen (Jeff Fahey, on the verge of better parts, and Robert Davi) close in, Quick decides to befriend her captive and entreat his aid. Tia Carrere also appears in this explosive actioner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Veronica Hamel, who'd previously played a detective on the trail of a kidnapped baby, turns kidnapper herself in the made-for-TV The Baby Snatcher. After suffering a miscarriage, Hamel becomes convinced that she will lose her husband's love. Faking a new pregnancy, Hamel allows nine months to pass, then sneaks into the hospital maternity ward and steals another woman's infant. It takes the tireless efforts of Nancy McKeon, the baby's natural mother, to track down the clever but unhinged Hamel. Amazingly based on a true story, Baby Snatcher debuted on May 3, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Three close friends begin to obsess about infants, breast-feeding, disposable diapers and the like in the made-for-TV Babies. Lindsay Wagner plays a thirtysomething career woman who'd like the responsibilities of motherhood without the complication of a man in her life. Dinah Manoff is a married lady who can't conceive; she tries to convince husband Alan Arkin that adoption is the way to go. And Marcy Walker is carrying a baby who may require delicate prebirth kidney surgery. Babies was first telecast September 17, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide