Linda Moran Movies

Director Jim Mickle (Mulberry Street, Stake Land) takes the helm for this horror remake centered on a reclusive family with a gruesome secret that's gradually revealed during a torrential downpour. The Parkers have never been much for company. In fact, for as long as they've lived in the Catskills, none of their neighbors have set foot in their home. And that's by design; the family patriarch Frank is intent on maintaining his ancestral customs, which wouldn't be understood by modern society. Meanwhile, when the storm clouds open up and their small town starts to flood, the local authorities make some disturbing discoveries that seem to confirm everyone's worst suspicions about the mysterious clan. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A teenage girl who's struggling with her sense of self befriends an enigmatic Native American man who helps her to move beyond a family tragedy and embrace her true identity in this coming-of-age drama based on a story by Judy Blume (who collaborated on the screenplay with her son, director Lawrence Blume). Feeling lost in the world following the death of her father, 17-year-old Davey (Willa Holland) subsequently finds herself living in Los Alamos, NM, with her Aunt Bitsy (Cynthia Stevenson). Socially awkward and unable to connect with her peers, Davey begins exploring the canyons around her home and meets Wolf (Tatanka Means). Wolf is a kind soul who can recognize the pain in Davey's eyes, and his compassion and wisdom helps to draw out the strength hidden deep inside the grieving girl. The more Davey learns about life, love, and loss, the more she begins to realize just how valuable they are in a world where everything is temporary. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A privileged, pot-dealing high school dropout heads down a collision course with tragedy after his cousin is slain in Harlem and his best friend is arrested as the prime suspect in the killing. Inspired by author Nick McDonell's critically acclaimed novel, Joel Schumacher's gritty inner-city drama tells the story of White Mike (Chace Crawford), a wayward teen who makes more money selling pot to rich kids from the Upper East Side than he ever would with a high school diploma. Spring break is here, and everyone in Manhattan is looking for a sack. White Mike's spoiled clientele always springs for the good stuff, making this an especially profitable time of the year. When White Mike's cousin winds up on the losing end of a deadly skirmish at an East Harlem housing project, the drug-pushing dropout finds his comfortable existence shaken to the core. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

When a whistle-blowing executive at an international energy firm prepares to expose his company's corrupt practices in Latin America, he secretly hires a private detective to track his every move for fear that he will be killed for his bold transgression. Jimmy Stevens (Frank Langella) has had enough of the lies and deception, and now he's going to something about it. He also knows that chances are good he'll pay the ultimate price for doing what he's about to do, so as a form of insurance Jimmy hires private detective Frank Turlotte (Elliott Gould) to keep a close tab on him. But Frank doesn't realize that the man who hired him and the man he was told to trail are one in the same, and as the paths of the two men begin to intertwine, the secrets of the past offer clues to the mysteries of the future. Mulholland Drive star Laura Harring co-stars in a twisting neo-noir thriller from A Hole in One director Richard Ledes. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Notoriously nihilistic filmmaker Michael Haneke revisits one of his most controversial works in this remake of 1997's Funny Games starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth. When a family of three arrives at their remote summer cabin for a quiet getaway, the sudden arrival of two psychotic men sets the stage for a harrowing life-or-death struggle that offers savage commentary on the use of violence in entertainment. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The first film by Duncan Tucker, Transamerica stars Felicity Huffman as a pre-operative transsexual named Bree (whose given name was Stanley). One week before going under the knife, Bree learns that she fathered a boy who is now 17 and is in trouble with the law. Bree would like to ignore this information, but is forced to meet the young man, Toby (played by Kevin Zegers), by her analyst Margaret (Elizabeth Peña), who will not allow the surgery to happen unless Bree meets him and confronts this aspect of her past. Upon meeting, the son believes that Bree is simply a do-gooder. She buys a car and the two road-trip back to her home in Los Angeles, Bree all the while attempting to keep from Toby the truth of the situation. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Acclaimed playwright Brett C. Leonard makes his feature-film debut as the writer and director of the prison drama, Jailbait, which was inspired, in part, by Leonard's feelings about mandatory sentencing laws. Randy (Michael Pitt of The Dreamers) is a young prisoner, recently sentenced to 25 years. His new cellmate is Jake (Stephen Adly-Guirgis, also a respected New York playwright, and the star of Todd Solondz's Palindromes), a hardened lifer. Randy seems despondent, and is reluctant to speak to Jake at all, but the older con gives him a book to read and is generous with advice. Gradually, Randy opens up. He's been convicted of vandalizing an expensive car. The sentence was severe because it was his third offense. His other two convictions were for possession of large quantities of marijuana. But Jake refuses to feel sorry for Randy, telling him that he was stupid for committing another crime when he knew his situation. Eventually, Jake's friendly cajoling turns to bullying. By the time Randy's mother (Laila Robins) comes to visit him, he has to hide the visible signs of Jake's abuse. When Randy's efforts to regain control of his prison life are thwarted, he considers taking more drastic action. Jailbait had its world premiere at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

A teenaged boy in desperate need of a father figure finds one in a place no one should ever have to look in this controversial drama. Howie (Paul Franklin Dano) is a 15-year-old who has been emotionally at sea ever since the death of his mother in an auto accident several years before. Howie's father Marty (Bruce Altman) is also having trouble dealing with the loss, and distracts himself with empty sex while avoiding authorities attempting to prosecute him for using unsafe materials in his building contracting business. Howie falls in with a group of homeless delinquents his own age, becoming especially close to streetwise Gary (Billy Kay). In time, Howie begins to wonder if his feelings for Gary go past ordinary friendship, but the issue of his sexuality is forced into a very different light after Gary persuades Howie to join him in robbing the home of middle-aged former Marine Big John Harrigan (Brian Cox). It doesn't take long for Big John to track down the culprits after Howie and Gary steal several guns from his house, but Howie learns that Big John and Gary have met before -- Gary sometimes works as a male prostitute, and Big John, whose tastes run to boys in their early teens, is a regular customer. When Gary runs away to California, Big John proposes that Howie work off their debt by having sex with him; while Howie is hardly comfortable with this arrangement, he has nowhere else to go after his father ends up in jail, and he finds an unexpected degree of emotional support in his relationship with the curiously compassionate pedophile, who comes to understand just how badly Howie needs help. L.I.E. (the title stands for "Long Island Expressway") premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Robert J. Siegel directs this understated exploration of love, sexuality and friendship. Set during the opening of the summer vacation season at Myrtle Beach, the film focuses on Frankie (Lauren Ambrose), a quiet, introverted girl who works with her brother Neil (Josh Pais) at the family's burger joint. Frankie's best friend is the trash-talking Nicola (Jennifer Dundas Lowe), who runs the body-piercing hut next door. When Neil hires the gorgeous Josee (Joelle Carter) as a waitress, Nicola can barely conceal her jealousy, while Frankie is utterly mesmerized by the nubile beauty. Later, a goofy but sweet drifter named Heath (Jamie Harrold) arrives in town, selling T-shirts from the back of his van. He instantly finds himself attracted to Frankie, ignoring both Nicola and Josee. This film was screened at the 2000 Rotterdam Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

In Brooklyn of the '50s, small-time mobster George (David Proval) and his sidekick Dip (Dan Moran) realize they've forgotten the birthday of mob boss Joey (Tony Sirico), so they engage the services of prostitute Glorice (Candis Cayne). Joey's reaction to Glorice gives George a promotion, and he's installed as Joey's assistant. George makes the discovery that gender-bent Glorice is not exactly a woman after all. The problem gets worse: Joey intends to marry Glorice, who plans to blackmail Joey after the wedding. Shown at the 1998 Cinequest San Jose Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

A young man's girl friend has an affair with his best friend and he goes off the deep end in this drama. All of the characters are in their 20s and live in New York. The angry young man is the macho Nick Adams who has spent one month out of town. Upon his return he notices that Mary, his girlfriend is acting oddly. She finally confesses that Sid, Nick's good buddy, made a pass at her. At first, Mary swears that nothing else happened, but Nick is suspicious and begins interrogating all of his neighbors about Mary's behavior. Eventually Mary confesses that she did indeed sleep with Sid. Nick cannot believe that she would willingly cheat on him and so goes to Sid to beat him up for raping Mary. Unfortunately, Sid is accompanied by a thuggish friend who beats Nick up. Nick retaliates by hiring his own thugs, but they mess up and mistakenly brutalize Nick's roommate instead. Nick's rage seems boundless and eventually he causes Mary to leave him and his friends to avoid him. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi