Carlo Alban Movies
- 2009
- PG13
- Add Whip It to Queue
Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut with Whip It!, the story of an ex-beauty pageant contestant named Bliss (played by Juno's Ellen Page) who leaves her crowns behind after joining a roller-derby team. While her mother would prefer that Bliss unlace her skates and step back before the judges, the rebellious teen instead seeks the wisdom of rowdy mentor Malice in Wonderland (Kristen Wiig) in learning the tricks of the circuit track. The Mandate Pictures production was written by roller derby star-turned-screenwriter Shauna Cross. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, (more)
The cult-favorite television series which offered a fun-house version of '70s "after-school specials" returns in this big-screen prequel to the show Strangers With Candy. Middle-aged ex-prostitute, former drug addict and all-around lowlife Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) emerges from prison at the age of 46 ready to start her life over again. Jerri arrives at her parents' home to discover that her father Guy (Dan Hedaya) divorced Jerri's mom and remarried before slipping into a coma. Jerri's stepmom Sara (Deborah Rush) decides to let her stay with the family in the hope her presence might bring Guy around, though she doesn't seem very fond of her new "daughter." Jerri decides to complete the education she abandoned years ago by enrolling at Flatpoint High School, where Principal Blackman (Greg Hollimon) has bigger fish to fry than a middle-aged sex offender as a student. It seems Flatpoint's science scores have been dreadful, and only a first-place entry in the county science fair will maintain the school's accreditation. Science fair guru Roger Beekman (Matthew Broderick) is brought in with hopes of creating a winning project, but science teacher Mr. Noblet (Stephen Colbert) objects to using outside talent and starts a separate team of his own, bringing in Jerri to give her something to do. As it happens, Noblet's team comes up with a potential prize-winner with their Soup Can Superconductor, while Beekman foolishly accepts the help of art teacher Mr. Jellineck (Paul Dinello) and ends up with a dance routine instead of a science presentation. Determined to win out over Noblet's team, Beekman tries to get his hand on the plans for Noblet's project by convincing handsome Brason (Chris Pratt) to charm them away from weak-willed Jerri. Strangers With Candy also features cameo appearances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Allison Janney, Ian Holm, and Kristen Johnston. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Sedaris, Deborah Rush, (more)
- 2004
- Add Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah Emcee to QueueAdd Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah Emcee to top of Queue
A popular but clueless New Jersey bar mitzvah emcee goes from lame to fame in this slightly unorthodox comedy starring Judy Reyes (Scrubs) and Tim Peper (The Greatest Game Ever Played). Taylor James (Peper) may be a hit on the New Jersey bar mitzvah circuit, but despite his popularity at the events Tim is barely scraping by. A lifelong inhabitant of New Jersey who has never ventured outside of the state lines, Tim has two left feet and zero sense of style. When popular NYC event planet Vanessa Dupree (Reyes) offers to make Taylor the toast of the Big Apple bar mitzvah circuit, the pair enlists the aid of legendary emcee Sebastian (George Valencia) and sets about booking some of the biggest bar mitzvahs on the East Coast. Despite a drastic change in outward appearances, however, Taylor is still the bumbling wannabe that he was before Vanessa and Sebastian got their hands on him. Now, amidst a sea of demanding customers and ultra-competitive rivalry, Taylor is about to get a taste of life at the top before plunging back to the bottom harder than he could ever image. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Peper, Judy Reyes, (more)
Music video director Richard Murray makes his feature debut with this hip-hop crime thriller about an ambitious kid caught in the shady underworld of the recording industry. Sam Jones III (Erik Triggs) is a wannabe rap artist working menial jobs at Ill Wax Records by day and sneaking into the studio and laying down some tracks by night. His activities have already attracted the welcome attention of Cheryl (Zo Saldana), a bodacious marketing executive. Meanwhile, the company's villainous president Bobby Starr (Dean Winters) is bullying rap phoneme Prolifik (Nelly) into doing his debut record Bobby's way. On the same night that Sam and his buddy Malik sneak into the studios, Prolifik and his master tapes are abducted and soon the prime suspect appears to be none other than Sam. With the wrathful Starr on his tail and the cops closing in, Sam is forced to find the crook responsible the crime and fast. This film played at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Jones III, Zoe Saldana, (more)
- 2000
The trunk of an abandoned car yields the dead body of a schoolteacher. Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) suspect that the killing was the result of a gone-bad romance between the teacher and one of her students. But the D.A.'s office ultimately issues warrants for the dead woman's husband (Richard Joseph Paul) and father-in-law (Jon Cypher) -- psychiatrists both. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Migrant worker Roberto Morante (Efrain Figueroa) is disdainful of his son Tino (Carlo Alban), a talented pianist who hopes to study music at a prestigious college. Roberto is of the opinion that Tino should remain with his family and contribute to their meager income. The issue may be forced for the boy when Roberto suffers an injury rendearing him incapable of further work, just as Tino has received a letter of acceptance from the college. Worse still, the boy's hands become so blistered that he may not even pass the audition. How can angel Rafael (Alexis Cruz) help resolve this crisis without hurting either Roberto or Tino in the process? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Bartender Ronnie (Cameron Dye) has gone from one job to another a lot over the years, and he wants to settle at a place that he can call his own. So Ronnie teams up with his friend Dave (Kevin Geer) and together they raise the money to buy a popular bar in Manhattan. However, while things start out well for Ronnie and Dave, business has its ups and downs and soon they're in financial trouble; as they add fine dining and live music in an effort to keep people coming in, Ronnie and Dave find themselves learning the hard way about keeping a bar afloat. Meanwhile, Ronnie's love life takes it on the chin when his girlfriend leaves him, and Dave has to tighten his belt when he's let go from his regular job. The Tavern was the feature debut for director Walter Foote, and was screened at Ireland's Galway Film Festival in the summer of 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Dye, Kevin Geer, (more)
Roger Hedden wrote and directed this indie romantic comedy about a group of New Yorkers on the Upper West Side as Christmas nears. Unemployed actor Jimmy (Eric Stoltz), who owes $900 to local bookie Fatty (Charles Durning), tells his girlfriend Susan (Moira Kelly) that the money is for an abortion for sis Maggie (Daryl Hannah) -- who jilted bartender Ray (Campbell Scott). Ray and one of his regular customers April (Katrin Cartlidge) visit bars trying to raise the money, and eventually a half dozen others are drawn into the treasure hunt. Shown at the 1998 Mill Valley Film Festival and the 1998 Chicago Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katrin Cartlidge, Charles Durning, (more)
- 1997
A teenager tries to do the right thing with heavy odds stacked against him in this hard-hitting independent drama. Marcus (Brendan Sexton III) is a 14-year-old growing up in a tough section of New York City. Marcus' father is dead, and his mother is in prison; while she told him that it was for helping to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States, he later discovers that she was actually convicted of the murder of his dad. Living with his grandmother, who works as a bartender, Marcus doesn't get much in the way of guidance, and he soon falls in with a group of kids who ride bikes, hang out, and engage in small-time theft for fun and profit. Marcus and his new friends shoplift CDs and sneakers and then sell them in the schoolyard; however, before long, some of the other kids bring up the idea of pulling bigger thefts for bigger profits, and while Marcus is resistant to the idea at first, the decision isn't entirely his to make. One of Marcus' few friends who wants to see him straighten up is Melena (Isidra Vega), who is growing up with a strong set of principles despite being raised in an abusive home. Hurricane (also released under the title Hurricane Streets) won both the Audience Award and the Director's Award at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival; it was the first feature for director Morgan J. Freeman (not to be confused with actor Morgan Freeman). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brendan Sexton III
- 1996
Five years after a series of murders committed by the same person, a copycat serial killer seems to be at large. Assistant D.A. McCoy (Sam Waterston), who handled the original case, agrees to investigate the more recent spate of murders. This brings McCoy back into contact with Diana Hawthorne (Laila Robins), his former legal partner and lover -- a woman who possesses information which may very well destroy McCoy's career. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
