Brett Ratner Movies
The only child to Jewish parents in Miami, FL, Brett Ratner was accepted to N.Y.U. at the age of 16. Attending the Tisch School for the Arts, he received funding from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment for his senior project Whatever Happened to Mason Reese?, a documentary about a child star. After forming a friendship with Def Jam producer Russell Simmons, Ratner began directing music videos for stars such as Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, and Madonna. It was Simmons who helped him get his first big break, directing Money Talks with Chris Tucker and Charlie Sheen. Ratner worked with Tucker again for his sophomore effort, Rush Hour, a Jackie Chan comedy that broke box-office records for New Line Cinema. A brief departure into romantic comedy with The Family Man was not very well received, but the wild success of Rush Hour 2 brought him back into the limelight, and he soon landed the director's chair for The Silence of the Lambs prequel Red Dragon. He helmed the pilot of the FOX drama Prison Break, and was behind the camera for the superhero sequel X-Men: The Last Stand before returning to familiar territory in 2007 with Rush Hour 3. He created one of the segments for the omnibus film New York, I Love You, and directed Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller in the ensemble action comedy Tower Heist in 2011. He was tapped to direct the 2012 Oscar telecast, but was fired from the job, allegedly after making a series of insensitive statements. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- 2008
- PG13
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Director Robert Luketic adapts Ben Mezrich's best-seller Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions to tell the true-life tale of six genius students who used their brains to beat considerable odds. Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) may be shy, but his wallflower reputation betrays his inner brilliance. As smart as Ben may be, however, if he can't pay his tuition he'll be kicked out of M.I.T. Fortunately, the answer to all of Ben's problems is right there in the cards. Recruited to join a team of extremely gifted students who have used their mastery of numbers to beat the odds at blackjack, Ben procures a fake identity in order to join the casino scammers and their brilliant leader -- eccentric math professor and stats genius Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) -- in some highly profitable weekend excursions to Las Vegas. Counting cards isn't illegal, and by using a complex series of signals, this team has cracked the code. Of course, it doesn't take long for Ben to become seduced by the glamorous Las Vegas lifestyle, and the attention afforded to him by his sexy teammate Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) finds him pushing his luck to the absolute limits. Laurence Fishburne stars as Cole Williams, the Sin City security chief who catches on to the group and makes it his mission to expose their lucrative blackjack scam. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, (more)
In this caper movie from director Brett Ratner, two brilliant criminals are lured out of retirement...or are they? Max Burdett (Pierce Brosnan) is a master jewel thief who, with the help of his accomplice and lover Lola Cirillo (Salma Hayek), has stolen two of the three Napoleon diamonds, among the most valuable gems on Earth. Stanley Lloyd (Woody Harrelson) is an FBI agent who has been on Burdett's trail for years and is especially eager to bring him to justice after a humiliating incident in which Max swiped one of the Napoleons out from under Stanley's nose. But word has it that Max and Lola have abandoned their lives of crime, and they've taken up residence on an idyllic island in the Bahamas, where they're living the good life on their ill-gotten fortune. Lloyd is not convinced they're out of the game for good, and when he learns that the third Napoleon diamond will be on display aboard a cruise ship headed in Max's direction, Lloyd joins forces with Sophie (Naomie Harris), a Paradise Island police detective, to catch Max and Lola red handed. Henry Moore (Don Cheadle), an expatriate American gangster who also lives on the island, doesn't believe Max has gone straight either and tries to rope him into stealing the jewel for him. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, (more)
Love and identity become twisted across the lines of the Internet in this documentary from filmmakers Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. Nev Schulman is a photographer who one day received a surprising e-mail message -- Abby, an eight-year-old girl in Michigan, had seen his picture in a newspaper and wanted permission to paint a portrait from it. Nev gave his OK, and when he was given a copy of the painting, he was struck by how good it was, assuming that the girl was either a genius or a fraud. Nev tried to contact Abby's family, and somehow ended up in contact with Megan, Abby's sexy 19-year-old sister. As Nev fell into an increasingly complicated on-line relationship with Megan, he decided it was time to meet her in person, but when he traveled to Michigan and tracked her down, Nev learned that Abby and Megan's family were not at all what he expected them to be. Ariel Schulman, Nev's brother, began filming his brother's adventures from his first contact with Abby, and in Catfish he and Henry Joost tell this strange story from beginning to end. Catfish received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock re-teams with that film's producers Heather Winters and Joe Morley to produce Sara Sackner's documentary concerning the arts education crisis in America. As arts programs continue to disappear at an unprecedented rate across the country, Sackner examines the role that teachers play in ensuring that creativity and education alive and well in the public school curriculum. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jay W. Jensen
A man who has lost his memory has a new and dangerous life thrust upon him in this comedy thriller. Jake (Cedric the Entertainer) is a janitor who finds himself stricken with a crippling case of amnesia. While Jake struggles to regain his memory and identity, he becomes convinced that he's an undercover spy who is trying to ferret out a ring of underground arms dealers wanted by the FBI and the CIA. As Jake is thrown into the world of international intrigue, he gains an unlikely ally in Gina (Lucy Liu), an actual U.S. intelligence agent who is tracking the same bad guys and develops a liking for the janitor. The Cleaner also stars Nicollette Sheridan, DeRay Davis, and Callum Keith Rennie. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cedric the Entertainer, Lucy Liu, (more)
When a powerful force of supernatural evil threatens to destroy Hyboria, legendary Cimmerian warrior Conan (Jason Momoa) raises his sword against mythical monsters and treacherous enemies. Ron Perlman, Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang, and Rachel Nichols co-star in a sweeping fantasy adventure based on the character created by Robert E. Howard, and directed by Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jason Momoa, Stephen Lang, (more)
A man trying to run away from trouble finds it follows him in unexpected ways in this action-packed vehicle for comic actors Eddie Griffin and Orlando Jones. Daryl Chase (Jones) is a successful investment banker who handles international accounts for a major New York firm. Chase discovers to his surprise that one of his biggest clients, a company from Mexico, is actually a front for a cartel of drug smugglers; Chase realizes too late that he's been framed for money laundering, and is now wanted by the FBI. Chase is soon approached by a CIA agent, who thinks Chase's relationship with the Mexican drug kingpins might prove useful, but when his local contact disappears, Chase has to make his way to Mexico in order to save his skin and hopefully clear his name. Needing a new identity to get out of town and across the border, Chase obtains a stolen passport -- and soon learns the man whose name he's using is in even deeper trouble with the law than himself. With nowhere else to turn, Chase asks streetwise hustler Freddie Tiffany (Griffin) to help him get out of town; Chase will pretend to be Freddie, while Tiffany will pose as a businessman like Chase. However, Chase finds out Tiffany isn't the man he thought he was, and that his sticky situation is even more perilous and fraught with secrets than he imagined. Double Take was inspired by the 1957 drama Across The Bridge, which was in turn based on a novel by Graham Greene; the supporting cast includes Edward Herrmann, Gary Grubbs, Garcelle Beauvais, and Daniel Roebuck. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Orlando Jones, Eddie Griffin, (more)
The president has been assassinated, and it's now up to the Secret Service agent who failed to act in time to save the Commander in Chief's life to solve the crime and get the gunman in a tense tale of political intrigue starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Burt Reynolds, and James Woods. Alex Thomas (Gooding, Jr.) was the man in charge of protecting the president, but when the time came to fulfill his duties everything just went wrong. His conscience haunted by a bullet and his devotion to his country stronger than ever, Alex teams with seasoned reporter Kate Crawford (Angie Harmon) in navigating a treacherous web of lies, unlocking a dangerous conspiracy, and enter into a deadly world in which skilled assassins and highly-trained ex-special ops lurk in every shadow. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2007
As Vince negotiates an indecent proposal with a shady prince interested in financing the production of "Medellin," Drama rides the wave of his recent television success straight to Brett Ratner's backyard pool and Turtle's date with dream girl Kelly turns into a nightmare thanks to the beauty's overbearing parents. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2007
Helmut Newton (1920-2004) was one of the most celebrated photographers of his generation, the master of a singular visual style in which the famous and the unfamiliar where made part of Newton's visual netherworld of uneasy glamour, kinky sex and unspoken perversity. While Newton worked regularly for some of the world's best known fashion magazines, his work walked a fine line between art and commerce, and even his simplest images carried an undertow that was both witty and disturbing. Newton frequently worked with supermodels and major entertainment figures, but one of his favorite photographic subjects was his wife of fifty-six years, June Newton, and while he worked his photo shoots, she would often take candid photographs of her husband as he immersed himself in the creative process. June Newton offers viewers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the work that went into Newton's images and glimpse into the private life of the artist who created them in Helmut by June, a documentary directed by June which features footage of the master photographer at home and on the set. Featuring appearances by Cindy Crawford, Sigourney Weaver, Helena Christiansen, Luciano Pavarotti, Billy Wilder, Claudia Schiffer and many other friends and colleagues, Helmut by June received its world premiere at the 2007 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival; it was produced with the participation of the premium cable network HBO. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 2014
Dwayne Johnson stars as the son of Zeus in this Brett Ratner-directed adaptation of Steve Moore's Radical Comics graphic novel. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dwayne Johnson
- 2014
Another Hanna-Barbera cartoon character gets his big-screen debut in this Alcon Entertainment production starring the voice talents of Eddie Murphy as Penry, the pup who is transformed into a kung-fu fighting canine. Alex Zamm directs this mix of live-action and animation from a script by Family Guy's David Goodman. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy
Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and Charlie Day star in this workplace comedy about three frustrated employees who hatch a plan to kill their micromanaging bosses, only to find their murderous plot snowballing into disaster. Seth Gordon (The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters) directs a screenplay written by Michael Markowitz, Jonathan Goldstein, and John Francis Daley. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, (more)
- 2014
Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day return for more employee revenge in this follow-up to 2011 comedy. Once again Seth Gordon directs from a script by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
John Cazale's resume as a film actor isn't long, but it's distinguished. Cazale appeared in five feature films, and each one received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, while three of them -- The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Deer Hunter -- won the category. Al Pacino, who made three films with Cazale, considered him one his finest acting partners, and many film buffs cite Cazale as one of the best actors of his generation. But Cazale was thirty-seven years old before making his film debut after distinguishing himself in the New York theater community, and shortly after completing work on The Deer Hunter, cancer claimed his life in the spring of 1978. I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale is a short documentary celebrating the life and art of Cazale, featuring clips from his memorable performances and interviews with friends, colleagues and fans, including Meryl Streep (who was also Cazale's wife), Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Gene Hackman, Francis Ford Coppola, Sidney Lumet, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman and many others. I Knew It Was You was an official selection at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
A passionate affair leads to danger and excitement for two young lovers with nothing to lose. J (Hrithik Roshan) was left to die in the Mexican desert. Handsome and resourceful, he's one step ahead of certain death when Natasha (Bárbara Mori) blows into his life like an electrical storm. In a flash, he's smitten. Somehow, despite the deep cultural and language barriers that separate them, J and Natasha form a powerful connection. But Natasha is engaged to another man, a powerful figure who's none too pleased that his prize got away, and who would rather see her dead than in the arms of another man. Perhaps if J and Natasha can just manage to escape, they can find a place to start over, and begin a new life together. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hrithik Roshan, Bárbara Mori, (more)
- 2010
- NR
Director Brett Ratner brings Bollywood to Hollywood with this alternate cut of director Anurag Basu's romantic action thriller. A passionate affair leads to danger and excitement for two young lovers with nothing to lose. J (Hrithik Roshan) was left to die in the Mexican desert. Handsome and resourceful, he's one step ahead of certain death when Natasha (Bárbara Mori) blows into his life like an electrical storm. In a flash, he's smitten. Somehow, despite the deep cultural and language barriers that separate them, J and Natasha form a powerful connection. But Natasha is engaged to another man, a powerful figure who's none too pleased that his prize got away, and who would rather see her dead than in the arms of another man. Perhaps if J and Natasha can just manage to escape, they can find a place to start over, and begin a new life together. In addition to condensing the running time to 90 minutes from the original 130 minutes, Ratner also jettisoned most of the musical numbers, used alternative footage, added action sequences, commissioned a new score by Graeme Revell, and used English-language takes simultaneously with the Hindi-language version in order to appeal to American moviegoers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hrithik Roshan, Bárbara Mori, (more)
An 18-year old rock & roll fan finds her crafty scheme to have a little fun in the sun with her favorite musician thwarted in this romantic teen comedy starring Amanda Bynes and Jamie-Lynn Sigler. Jenny (Bynes) is a wide-eyed teen who has recently been hired to work at a popular tropical resort for the summer. When Jenny learns that handsome rock star Jason (Chris Carmack) will be a guest at the posh resort, her excitement is simply too powerful to contain. Fortunately for Jenny, fate is on her side this summer, and when Jason falls overboard from his cruise ship Jenny reflexively dives in to save him. Upon rafting to the safety of a nearby shore, Jenny convinces the hunky rocker that the pair are castaways on a deserted island paradise. Of course, considering that the luxury resort is just a stone's throw away, this minor deception is a bit of a stretch, but what's a little white lie when the object of her affections is none the wiser? Jenny's brilliant plan for romance is soon complicated, however, when her romantic rival, Alexis (Sigler), washes ashore pretending to be shipwrecked as well. Now, as the pair competes for Jason's affections, Jenny's deception rapidly begins to unravel. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Amanda Bynes, Chris Carmack, (more)
The timeless fairy tale Snow White gets a dazzling makeover by visionary director Tarsem Singh in this fantasy adventure starring Oscar winner Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen and newcomer Lily Collins as the fair-skinned Princess Snow White. When handsome Prince Alcott (Armie Hammer) falls for angelic Snow White, the jealous Evil Queen seizes control of a magical kingdom and casts the orphaned princess into exile. Meanwhile, as the diabolical queen schemes to win the heart of handsome Prince Alcott with the help of her bumbling servant Brighton (Nathan Lane), Snow White befriends a gang of pint-sized thieves who will help her to reclaim her rightful place on the throne and win back the man of her dreams. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, (more)
A low-level criminal and a struggling newsman become unlikely partners in this comedy. Franklin Hatchett (Chris Tucker) is a fast-talking hustler who runs a small time ticket-scalping business. A TV news story by reporter James Russell (Charlie Sheen) brings Franklin's business to the attention of the police, and he finds himself under arrest. While being transported by police bus from one lock-up to another, Franklin is handcuffed to Raymond Villard (Gerard Ismael), a high-level jewel thief from Europe. Villard's henchmen stage a raid in which they explode the vehicle, killing most of the passengers (including two cops), but freeing their partner. Franklin is able to escape but learns that he's now wanted as a cop killer. Hoping to clear his name, Franklin approaches Russell with a deal -- if he'll hide him from the police and help him prove that he had nothing to do with the deadly explosion, he'll give the reporter an exclusive story, which could help Russell boost his sagging career. Money Talks also features Heather Locklear as Russell's fiancée Grace, and Paul Sorvino as Grace's father, who is quite impressed by Franklin's story that he's related to Vic Damone. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chris Tucker, Charlie Sheen, (more)
A psychotic woman and her adult sons torment the new occupants of their former house in director Darren Lynn Bousman's remake of the demented Troma classic. In the wake of a botched bank robbery, three brothers race back home and learn that their mother (Rebecca De Mornay) has received a foreclosure notice. Flash-forward a couple of months, and the new owners of the home are throwing a housewarming party with a few close friends. In an instant, the brothers have taken the party guests hostage. But the real horror begins when their mother arrives. Sadistic, ferocious, and fiercely protective of her malevolent sons, she turns a happy celebration into a depraved nightmare of torture and death. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jaime King, Patrick Flueger, (more)
An all-star team of directors including Peter Farrelly, Brett Ratner, Rusty Cundieff, James Gunn, and Steve Carr pilot a powerhouse cast featuring Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, Gerard Butler, Kate Winslet, Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Chloë Grace Moretz, Liev Schreiber, Terrence Howard, and Richard Gere in this anarchic, anything-goes comedy that shatters the boundaries of good taste. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2009
Chris Tucker and Brett Ratner join forces once again on the New Line production based on the book Mr. S: My Life With Frank Sinatra, a tell-all from the perspective of Sinatra's longtime valet and good friend George Jacobs, whom Tucker is set to play. William Stadiem is adapting the memoirs that he co-wrote with Jacobs, with Ratner handling producing and directing duties. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
Some of the world's most-respected directors align forces to pay tribute to the city of the New York in this unconventional omnibus sister film to 2006's Paris, Je T'Aime. Broken into short segments, New York, I Love You is comprised of ten films, most choosing to take a down-to-earth approach to the stories of the countless lives lived in the city on a given day. The segments are as follows, chronologically:
Segment 1 -- Directed by Jiang Wen; written by Hu Hong and Meng Yao; starring Hayden Christensen, Andy Garcia, and Rachel Bilson.
Segment 2 -- Directed by Mira Nair; written by Suketu Mehta; starring Natalie Portman and Irfan Khan.
Segment 3 -- Written and directed by Shunji Iwai; adaptation by Israel Horovitz. Starring Orlando Bloom and Christina Ricci.
Segment 4 -- Directed by Yvan Attal; written by Olivier Lécot and Yvan Attal; starring Robin Wright Penn, Ethan Hawke, Maggie Q, and Chris Cooper.
Segment 5 -- Directed by Brett Ratner; written by Jeff Nathanson; starring Anton Yelchin, James Caan, Olivia Thirlby, and Blake Lively
Segment 6 -- Directed by Allen Hughes; written by Xan Cassavetes and Stephen Winter; starring Drea de Matteo and Bradley Cooper.
Segment 7 -- Directed by Shekhar Kapur; written by Anthony Minghella; starring Julie Christie, John Hurt, and Shia LaBeouf.
Segment 8 -- Written and directed by Natalie Portman; starring Taylor Geare, Carlos Acosta, and Jacinda Barrett.
Segment 9 -- Written and directed by Fatih Akin; starring Burt Young, Ugur Yucel, and Shu Qi.
Segment 10 -- Written and directed by Joshua Marston; starring Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman.
Transitions in between segments -- Directed by Randall Balsmeyer; written by Israel Horovitz, James Strouse, and Hall Powell; starring Emilie Ohana, Eva Amurri, and Justin Bartha. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
Segment 1 -- Directed by Jiang Wen; written by Hu Hong and Meng Yao; starring Hayden Christensen, Andy Garcia, and Rachel Bilson.
Segment 2 -- Directed by Mira Nair; written by Suketu Mehta; starring Natalie Portman and Irfan Khan.
Segment 3 -- Written and directed by Shunji Iwai; adaptation by Israel Horovitz. Starring Orlando Bloom and Christina Ricci.
Segment 4 -- Directed by Yvan Attal; written by Olivier Lécot and Yvan Attal; starring Robin Wright Penn, Ethan Hawke, Maggie Q, and Chris Cooper.
Segment 5 -- Directed by Brett Ratner; written by Jeff Nathanson; starring Anton Yelchin, James Caan, Olivia Thirlby, and Blake Lively
Segment 6 -- Directed by Allen Hughes; written by Xan Cassavetes and Stephen Winter; starring Drea de Matteo and Bradley Cooper.
Segment 7 -- Directed by Shekhar Kapur; written by Anthony Minghella; starring Julie Christie, John Hurt, and Shia LaBeouf.
Segment 8 -- Written and directed by Natalie Portman; starring Taylor Geare, Carlos Acosta, and Jacinda Barrett.
Segment 9 -- Written and directed by Fatih Akin; starring Burt Young, Ugur Yucel, and Shu Qi.
Segment 10 -- Written and directed by Joshua Marston; starring Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman.
Transitions in between segments -- Directed by Randall Balsmeyer; written by Israel Horovitz, James Strouse, and Hall Powell; starring Emilie Ohana, Eva Amurri, and Justin Bartha. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hayden Christensen, Andy Garcia, (more)
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