Eric Balfour Movies

Directors Eric Balfour, Brandon Nicholas, Petro Papahadjopoulos, Laura Henry, and Jon Mann-Krieger each speculate on what goes on behind hotel doors in this experimental anthology film that found each contributor given a brief story overview, eight specific rules, and one shooting day to produce their film. From a curious encounter between a prostitute and a lonely man with unusual demands, a tender prom night romance, a mind-bending sci-fi story, and a grim tale of mafia violence, you never know what to expect when you check in to this hotel. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

At the end of Season 5, Jack Bauer was kidnapped, beaten, and taken captive in retribution for his involvement in a raid on the Chinese Consulate eighteen months earlier. Now, there's a new president, Jack Bauer is missing, and the U.S. is under siege from terrorist attacks more threatening than anything we've ever encountered! There is only one thing that can save the nation: Jack Bauer must die.

Another Law & Order spin-off from producer Dick Wolf, NBC's weekly, hour-long Conviction starred Stephanie March, recreating her familiar Law & Order: SVU role as Assistant DA Alexandra Cabot. Formerly imbedded in the Federal Witness Protection Program, Alexandra was once more able to move about and practice her trade, this time as bureau chief for a group of young, ambitious ADAs. Her new colleagues included deputy DA and law-office manager Jim Steele (Anson Mount); born-into-privilege lawyer Nick Potter (Jordan Bridges), who idealistically left a lucrative private practice to work with Cabot for a paltry 51,000 dollars per year; arrogant grandstander Billy Desmond (J. August Richards), who went to great lengths to secure for himself only those cases that he was sure to win; Jessica Rossi (Milena Govich), Nick Potter's unofficial assistant and a woman with a murky, working-class past; Brian Peluso (Eric Balfour), whose legal brilliance was mitigated by his slovenliness and his messy private life; and Christina Finn (Julianne Nicholson), who'd been working in the office for two years before finally landing her first case and was understandably anxious to make up for lost time. Eschewing the "procedural" format of the other series in the Law & Order franchise, Conviction was built more along the lines of the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, focusing more on the various lawyers' personal problems and hang-ups than on their professional activities. Also breaking away from the Law & Order formula was the series' predilection for having the attorneys inaugurate legal investigations before it was entirely certain that a crime had actually been committed. Conviction first aired on March 3, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A young woman who's formed her sexual identity around anonymous one-night-stands considers the option of a committed, monogamous relationship in this erotic psychological drama. Introduced in voiceover, the twentysomething Leila (Lauren Lee Smith) makes clear her preferences for picking up guys based on mutual, animal attraction, as well as her desire to exhibit power over men. But when she locks eyes with the tall, dark, and handsome David (Eric Balfour), her priorities begin to change, and she finds herself wanting more from a man than just hot sex. Each partner has his or her own baggage -- David is taking care of an ailing father, while Leila is caught in the middle of her parents' messy separation. Already familiar with the concept of sexual liberation, Leila finds she has to be emotionally vulnerable as well if she wants to hang on to David. Directed by Canadian independent filmmaker Clement Virgo, Lie With Me had its world premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Friends, lovers no more: Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Marissa (Mischa Barton) intend to resist all temptation and keep their relationship on a strictly platonic basis. Meanwhile, Ryan's former girlfriend Theresa (Navi Rawat) isn't being completely above-board as to why she has shown up in Newport. Elsewhere, Jimmy (Tate Donovan) is suspicious about the relationship between Julie (Melinda Clarke) and Luke (Chris Carmack); Caleb (Alan Dale) causes more trouble for his son-in-law, Sandy (Peter Gallagher); and the relationship between Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer (Rachel Bilson) reaches an impasse thanks to false pride. ~ Rovi

Federal agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is having a very bad day in this unique, action-packed drama series in which events unfold in real time and the entire season takes place within one 24-hour day. Bauer is the director of the Counter Terrorist Unit in Los Angeles. He's also a married man who is attempting to rebuild a trust-depleted relationship with his wife Teri (Leslie Hope), and a father to independent-minded teen daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert). Shortly after midnight on the morning of the California Democratic presidential primary, Jack receives information that an assassination attempt will be carried out against Maryland senator David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) -- the first African-American with a legitimate chance of capturing the White House -- sometime within the next 24 hours. Jack's mission is made even more difficult when he learns from his boss Richard Walsh (Michael O'Neill) that someone within CTU may be a mole involved with the foreign-based conspiracy. Meanwhile, Palmer, unaware of the assassination plot, receives a phone call from a dogged reporter who says she has evidence that his son Keith (Vicellous Reon Shannon) committed murder. He allegedly killed his sister's rapist. Palmer initiates an investigation to uncover the truth and must decide whether to break the story himself or wait. Jack is contacted by terrorist Ira Gaines (Michael Massee), who informs him that his wife and daughter have been kidnapped by Gaines' henchmen. Gaines threatens to kill them if Jack refuses to follow his detailed instructions. Gaines' goal is simple: Jack is to carry out the assassination against Palmer himself. As the hours pass, the conspiracy deepens, and Jack learns the surprising truth behind the plot and his role in it. ~ Tim Holland, Rovi

Andy Sipowicz' (Dennis Franz) joy over being promoted is tempered by his grief at the funeral of former partner Danny Sorenson. Additionally, Andy is nervous about being teamed with John Clark Jr. (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), the son of an old and vengeful enemy (Joe Spano). Before the reason for the animosity between Andy and Joe Sr. is revealed, the squad tackles a burglary-homicide case involving a valuable guitar and a nutty roommate (Pamela Gordon), and tries to nail the victim's husband in a stabbing death. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The sometimes turbulent relationship between two brothers forms the basis for this coming-of-age drama. Curt Martin (Justin Urich) is a high school student who has a gift for music, but has grown up introspective and shy around girls, in contrast with his older and more popular brother, Andy (Eric Balfour). Andy encourages Curt to try out for the school play and, to his surprise, he wins the leading role -- only to discover his brother rigged the audition. Curt quits in anger, and instead signs on as the play's accompanying pianist, with Andy taking over the role Curt abandoned. Curt strikes up a friendship with Lisa, the play's female lead (Keili Lefkowitz), that soon blossoms into romance -- and inspires tension and jealousy between Andy and Curt. Writer and director Kurt Kuenne takes a new approach to an old theme in Scrapbook, which enlivens its tale of sibling rivalry with inventive photography and editing and strong performances from its youthful cast. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Ostensibly picking up where the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer left off, episode one finds the vampire-stiffing Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her mother, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland), recently moved from Los Angeles to the ironically named suburb of Sunnydale, CA. During her first day at Sunnydale High School, Buffy meets a group of people who will define the course of her new life. Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), a popular girl at school, proffers her friendship by testing Buffy's "coolness factor." "James Spader?" Cordelia inquires. "He needs to call me," replies Buffy, without missing a beat. But Cordelia is soon dismayed when Buffy begins hanging out with the shy computer nerd Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), her friend Xander Harris ( Nicholas Brendon), and his buddy Jesse (Eric Balfour). Also among her new acquaintances is the school librarian, the very British Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), who just happens to be Buffy's Watcher, a sort of guidance counselor for vampire slayers. Giles informs Buffy that the earth is much older than commonly accepted and was once populated by demons and vampires; only vestiges of the great evil still exist. Through Giles, we also learn that after every slayer dies, another is born to take her place, and 17-year-old Buffy is the Chosen One. That night, Buffy meets the enigmatic and mysterious Angel (David Boreanaz), who warns her that Sunnydale is located on the Hellmouth -- a kind of mecca for demons and vampires of all sorts -- and the accompanying "Harvest," when vampires will attempt to take over the earth, is soon approaching. Buffy is resistant to donning her mantle as the Slayer, unaware that in catacombs beneath Sunnydale, the Master (Mark Metcalf) -- a very old and powerful vampire, trapped for 60 years underground -- is now being awakened by his minion Luke (Brian Thompson) to be set free by the Harvest. Originally aired on March 10, 1996, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" is part one of the show's two-part pilot episode. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

In the second episode of the series, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and friends Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), and Watcher Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) band together to stop a group of vampires from fulfilling an ancient prophecy called "The Harvest." The Harvest will allow Luke (Brian Thompson), a vampire supernaturally connected to The Master (Mark Metcalf) -- a very old, powerful, and angry vampire -- to feed on humans and thereby give him strength. The Master, viewers learn, was imprisoned in catacombs underneath Sunnydale 60 years earlier by an earthquake while attempting to open the Hellmouth, and is trapped underground until The Harvest is complete. When Luke sends some vampires out for food, they subsequently capture Xander's buddy Jesse and use him as bait to lure Buffy into a trap. Buffy, who now understands her destiny to be the Slayer, dutifully chases after Jesse. Buffy and Xander find Jesse in the catacombs only to realize that he has already been turned into a vampire. Meanwhile, Luke and his vampires are attacking all the club-going teens at The Bronze to fulfill The Harvest prophecy. Buffy and her cohorts come to the rescue just in time to stop them, during which Xander accidentally kills Jesse. Most of the vampires (including Luke) are killed, but Darla (Julie Benz), a vampire who figures heavily in future episodes, gets away. Originally aired on March 10, 1996, "The Harvest" is the second half of the two-part pilot episode. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

Veteran AIP genre star Larry Bishop (son of famed Rat Packer Joey Bishop) directs and stars in this gritty revenge tale concerning a biker gang that rallies to avenge the violent murder of a fellow gang member. An homage to such classic biker films as Chrome and Hot Leather and Angel Unchained, Hell Ride was conceived when director Bishop was invited to Quentin Tarantino's home to view a print of The Savage Seven. Upon realizing that there hadn't been a true biker film in years, the pair quickly contacted Bob Weinstein and conspired to produce a lean and mean two-wheeled revenge flick that would more than make up for lost time. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi