Alison Folland Movies
Bearing remarkable talent and the looks of a dyed-in-the-wool riot grrl,
Alison Folland has made a distinct impression on audiences and critics with performances in only a handful of films. A native of Boston, where she was born August 10, 1978, Folland acted throughout her childhood and got her first big break in 1995, when she auditioned for Gus Van Sant's
To Die For. She auditioned as part of a joke with some friends, and was thus more than a little surprised when she found out she had been cast as one of the three social outcasts (the other two being
Casey Affleck and
Joaquin Phoenix) whom a murderous weathergirl (
Nicole Kidman) attempts to fashion into her protégés. Although the role was a supporting one, Folland managed to stand out, and after appearing in
Barbet Schroeder's
Before and After in 1996, she landed her first lead in
All Over Me in 1997. The film was a hit on the independent circuit, and Folland, playing a teenager coming out and coming of age in Hell's Kitchen, won praise for her subtle, poignant performance. That same year, she gained further--if limited--exposure with a bit part in Van Sant's
Good Will Hunting (which also featured fellow
To Die For alum
Casey Affleck). In 1999, Folland again got a chance to demonstrate her talent with a role in
Kimberley Peirce's
Boys Don't Cry, which had its premiere at the New York Film Festival. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

- 2010
- R
- Add The Fighter to Queue
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Mark Wahlberg stars in Paramount Pictures' inspirational docudrama exploring the remarkable rise of Massachusetts-born, junior welterweight title winner "Irish" Micky Ward. A determined pugilist whose career in the ring was shepherded by his loyal half-brother, Dicky (Christian Bale) -- a hard-living boxer-turned-trainer whose own career in the ring was nearly sent down for the count due to drugs and crime -- perennial underdog Irish Micky rebounded from a disheartening series of defeats to win both the WBU Intercontinental Lightweight title and the WBU Light Welterweight title thanks to a fierce combination of determination and hard work. David O. Russell directs from a script by 8 Mile's Scott Silver and Paul Attanasio (The Bourne Ultimatum). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, (more)

- 2008
- R
- Add The Happening to Queue
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Lady in the Water director M. Night Shyamalan puts PG-13 suspense on pause to tell this grim apocalyptic tale about a family fleeing a natural disaster that poses a grave threat to the whole of humanity. Philadelphia high-school science teacher Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) is discussing the disappearance of the bees with his students when the staff is summoned to the theater and briefed about a mysterious event that is currently unfolding in New York City. According to reports, citizens in the vicinity of Central Park have suddenly and inexplicably begun seizing up just before killing themselves by whatever means are at their disposal. As the phenomena begins to spread and talk of terrorism fills the airwaves, Elliot, his wife, Alma (Zooey Deschanel), their friend Julian (John Leguizamo), and his daughter, Jess (Ashlyn Sanchez), board a train bound for the presumed safety of the country. When the train screeches to a halt before arriving at its final destination, however, the frightened passengers are forced to fend for themselves as each consecutive news report paints an increasingly grim picture of the situation in more urbanized areas. Theories abound on what could be causing the unexplainable rash of suicides, but the only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that it's some kind of airborne contagion that is carried in the wind. It would appear that humankind's reign on planet Earth has come to an end, but perhaps if this small band of survivors can find a safe place to lie low until this all blows over, all hope for survival of the species might not be lost just yet. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, (more)

- 2008
- PG13
- Add The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 to Queue
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The 2008 sequel to the female buddy film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants constitutes an adaptation of Ann Brashares' novel Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood. Like the premier installment, this picture explores the seriocomic events that unfold one summer in the lives of four temporarily estranged friends as an extremely special pair of jeans works its way from one girl to the next. In one subplot, Lena (Alexis Bledel) travels to Providence, RI, and enrolls in a painting course; in another, Bridget (Blake Lively) embarks on an archaeological excavation in Greece; in a third, Carmen (America Ferrera) works on the backstage crew for a Vermont-based theater festival; and in the fourth, Tibby remains in New York and enrolls in summer courses. Sanaa Hamri, best known for her Prince and Mariah Carey music videos, directs; Elizabeth Chandler, who co-scripted the first film, adapts the Brashares book. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, (more)

- 2006
-
- Add Zerophilia to Queue
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A young man who remains decidedly insecure about his masculinity attempts to uncover the mystery of his rare genetic disorder before it transforms him into a female in a sci fi flavored romantic comedy directed by Martin Curland and inspired by the studies of renowned Neuromorphologists Professor Czierny Ptolemy and Eva Szantova. Slowly immersed in a world where some change gender at will and others seem to make the transformation despite how hard they try not to, Luke (Taylor Handley) is forced to abandon all of his assumptions on sexual identity to focus on the one person he truly loves. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Taylor Handley, Dustin Seavey, (more)

- 2004
- R
- Add She Hate Me to Queue
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Directed by Spike Lee, She Hate Me follows John Henry "Jack" Armstrong (Anthony Mackie), who is fired from a posh job in biotechnology after informing the proper authorities of some sketchy business dealings from within the company. Unemployed and desperate for some quick cash, Jack accepts a strange offer -- his ex-girlfriend Fatima (Kerry Washington) says she will pay him generously if he successfully impregnates her. Once word gets out among the lesbian community, Jack is inundated with requests, and is initially quite happy with his new direction in life. However, things -- as they are wont to do -- get complicated. There's his former employer, who is actively trying to pin the blame for their wrongdoings on his shoulders, for one thing, and it isn't long before the moral implications of his life as a sperm donor come to the forefront. The film co-stars John Turturro, Ellen Barkin, Woody Harrelson, Monica Bellucci, and Q-Tip. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, (more)

- 2004
-
An actress tries to sort out her life while those around her are busy doing the same in this independent comedy drama. Nina (Eleanor Hutchins) enjoyed a few years of minor celebrity when she joined the cast of a popular soap opera while still a teenager, but seven years later, after devoting most of her time to traveling the world on a budget, she decides it's time to get back to work when her bank account is nearly empty and her fan club has been reduced to a single member. Stuck in Rhode Island and needing a place to stay, Nina moves in with Jim (Barney Cheng), a librarian who is having some problems with his girlfriend, Carla (Alison Folland). While Nina struggles to get both her career and her love life back in gear, her best friend, Sheila (Reena Shah), is having problems of her own with her boyfriend, a flighty Frenchman (Pierre Mignard). Stay Until Tomorrow was screened in competition at the 2004 Avignon Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Eleanor Hutchins

- 2003
- R
- Add Milwaukee, Minnesota to Queue
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Allan Mindel's Milwaukee, Minnesota is about con men hoping to take advantage of a fishing champion. Albert (Troy Garity) is the best ice-fisherman in Wisconsin. He is not the sharpest tack in the box, making him susceptible to the less than ethical advances of nefarious Jerry (Randy Quaid), Stan (Hank Harris), and Tuey (Alison Folland), who all want in on his tournament winnings. Albert's life becomes even more difficult after his loving mother (Debra Monk) dies in an unexpected traffic incident. Milwaukee, Minnesota was screened at the 2003 Slamdance Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Troy Garity, Alison Folland, (more)

- 2001
- R
- Add Things Behind the Sun to Queue
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Writer and director Allison Anders, who used the world of rock & roll as the backdrop for her films Border Radio, Grace of My Heart, and Sugar Mountain, returns to the music scene for this tale of a woman struggling to come to terms with an emotionally devastating past. Sherry McGrale (Kim Dickens) is a punk-influenced singer and songwriter whose angry, deeply personal music has begun to win her a national following, though the demons that fuel her art are playing havoc with her life, as she drowns her sorrows in drugs and alcohol and fills a growing police blotter with arrests for disorderly conduct. Sherry is winning significant airplay for a song about the brutal rape of a young woman, and rock journalist Owen (Gabriel Mann) convinces his editor Pete (Rosanna Arquette) to assign him a major story on Sherry when he tells her he knows the truth about Sherry's own rape as an adolescent, which inspired the song. Owen is forced to run interference with Chuck (Don Cheadle), Sherry's manager and former boyfriend who is fiercely protective of his fragile client, but Owen is still able to meet with the singer. However, Owen finds that Sherry either can't or won't remember most of the details of the brutal and degrading assault, and she doesn't want to discuss the heavy toll it's taken upon her. Influential experimental rock group Sonic Youth contributed several original compositions for the film's score; Sherry's singing voice was provided by Kristen Vigard, who performed on the soundtrack of Grace of My Heart. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Kim Dickens, Gabriel Mann, (more)

- 1999
- R
- Add Boys Don't Cry to Queue
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Based on a true story, this drama was adapted from the life of Brandon Teena, born Teena Brandon, a woman who chose to live her life as a man and suffered tragic consequences as a result. In 1993, 20-year-old Brandon (Hilary Swank) leaves Lincoln, Nebraska for the nearby community of Falls City, where she sports a crew cut, favors jeans and boots, and is regarded as a man by most of the people in town. While Brandon's friend Lonny (Matt McGrath) warns her that sexual outsiders aren't looked upon kindly in Falls City, she develops a reputation for being something of a ladies' man, and is soon living with a single mother named Candace (Alicia Goranson). But when Brandon meets teenage Lana (Chloe Sevigny), the two become romantically involved almost immediately. Brandon makes friends with Lana's mother (Jeanetta Arnette) and a burly ex-con named John (Peter Sarsgaard). John and his buddy Tom (Brendan Sexton) run with a rough group of men who like to drink and carouse, and they accept Brandon as one of their own. However, when Brandon ends up in jail on a traffic violation, her secret comes out, and, while Lana stands by Brandon's side, John and Tom feel betrayed -- and their anger soon boils over into violence. A distinguished feature debut for director Kimberly Peirce, Boys Don't Cry was enthusiastically received in its showings at 1999 film festivals in Venice, Toronto, and New York. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, (more)

- 1999
-
Filmmaking duo Michael Swanhaus and his brother Trip direct this gothic tale about teens in an East Coast mental asylum. Devon (Justin Pierce), who was unjustly committed, finds company with the cute Kayleigh (Galaxy Craze) and the sex-crazed Eve (Alison Folland). Pigeonholed was screened at the L.A./AFI Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Justin Pierce, Alison Folland, (more)

- 1998
-
A teacher who worked in a school where a mentally challenged student was gang-raped is shot. The killing is revealed to be part of a vendetta, possibly tied in with the sexual assault. When time comes for prosecution, the attorney for the three rapists tries to secure a lesser sentence by arguing his clients did not know their victim was handicapped. Jennifer Bill makes her final appearance as Cathy, the troubled daughter of detective Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- 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, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)

- 1996
- PG13
- Add Before and After to Queue
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Director Barbet Schroeder and screenwriter Ted Tally adapted the novel by Rosellen Brown into this intriguing drama that, while heavily criticized for a third-act revelation that is something of a cop-out, nevertheless features -- typically of Schroeder's work -- compelling performances, domestic discord, and a search for the truth. Meryl Streep stars as Carolyn Ryan, a rural Massachusetts pediatrician married to Ben (Liam Neeson), a handsome, rugged sculptor. Although theirs is not a picture-perfect marriage, the Ryans consider themselves happy, until police arrive at their home one morning to inform them that their son Jacob (Edward Furlong) was the last person seen the night before with a teenage girl who has been murdered. Jacob is missing, and the Ryans frantically search for him, but when the boy returns, it is obvious that he's not being completely truthful about the night's events. While Carolyn wants the truth, Ben is willing to go to whatever lengths are necessary to defend Jacob, hiring an expensive lawyer (Alfred Molina), destroying evidence, and encouraging Jacob to be deceitful. Carolyn and Ben's opposing views of their son's legal trouble cause serious turmoil in the Ryans' marriage, which may be irreparably harmed in spite of the 11th hour appearance of the truth. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson, (more)

- 1996
- R
- Add All over Me to Queue
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A teenage lesbian comes-of-age in this drama. Claude (Alison Folland) is a raw-boned girl graduating from high school. She spends all the time she can with her beautiful friend Ellen (Tara Subkoff). Ellen has lately gotten a new boyfriend, and has less time for their previous intimacy. Claude has a part-time job at a pizza joint in her multiracial neighborhood in New York City, and makes friends there, and in her neighborhood. Gay newcomer Luke, with whom she shares her dream of becoming a rock musician, is among her most recent acquaintances. Realizing finally that Ellen will not return her affections and that her own affections are lesbian in nature, she slowly develops the courage to act on her feelings, and she hesitantly goes to a lesbian bar, where she meets Lucy (Leisha Hailey), an older woman who can simultaneously offer her sexual guidance and help Claude with her musical aspirations. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Alison Folland, Tara Subkoff, (more)

- 1995
- R
- Add To Die For to Queue
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The price of fame is murder -- or at least it is in the mind of one woman in New Hampshire. Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) has spent most of her life wanting to be famous; she's attractive, speaks well, and imagines herself to be intelligent ("imagines" is the key word here), so she has set her sights on becoming a TV anchorwoman. However, opportunities for female broadcasters are hard to come by in Little Hope, New Hampshire, and she's convinced that her husband, the once handsome but now flabby restaurant manager Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon), is just getting in her way. Suzanne gets herself a spot hosting a weather report on a local public access station, and is preparing a documentary called "Teens Speak Out," which puts her in touch with a trio of high school students -- Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), Russell (Casey Affleck), and Lydia (Alison Folland) -- who are even more desperate for attention than she is. When Suzanne hatches a plot to get Larry out of her life once and for all, she uses Jimmy, who has developed a serious crush on her, to do her dirty work, but Larry's sister Janice (Illeana Douglas), who has long believed there was something fishy about Suzanne, eventually begins to realize what happened to her brother. Nicole Kidman won a Golden Globe award for her work in this film, which represented something of a comeback for director Gus Van Sant after the commercial and critical disaster of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. Screenwriter Buck Henry plays a small role as a high school teacher. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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- Starring:
- Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, (more)