Louis Vanaria Movies

Thomas Michael Donnelly directed this Vietnam drama, filmed in New Zealand and adapted from Tim O'Brien's short story, "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," about a group of army medics in Vietnam. Rat (Kiefer Sutherland) narrates the tale seen in flashbacks: Rat's buddy Fossie (Skeet Ulrich), after learning about a unit that pooled money to bring in a hooker, manipulates the black-market to import his hometown girlfriend, innocent teen Marianne (Georgina Cates). The M*A*S*H-like unit is pleased by her presence, but Marianne finds the war carnage fascinating; she experiments with small-arms fire, goes wandering off into dangerous territory, and becomes friends with a unit of Green Berets, much to the dismay of Fossie. Just when he's on the brink of sending her home, she sets forth on an all-night patrol with the Green Berets. This film and Donnelly's The Garden of Redemption, another war drama, are two/thirds of a planned Showtime trilogy. Locations in New Zealand. Shown at the 1998 Seattle Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Grandnephew of the famous mobster known as Tony Pro, Danny Provenzano is the co-writer, director, and star of the independent crime drama This Thing of Ours (the title is a literal translation of the crime organization La Cosa Nostra). Provenzano plays young mobster Nick Santini, who wishes to impress his Uncle Danny (Frank Vincent) and the other elders of a New Jersey mob. Nick plans a major bank heist with his old pal Robert Biaggio (Christian Maelen) and computer geek Austin Palermo (Louis Vanaria). Using a complicated Internet scam to distort a communications satellite, they plan to steal more than 50 million dollars. Nick is eventually stuck with having to choose between his friends and the mob when high-ranking Patsy DeGrazio (Michael DelGaizo) kidnaps Austin. This Thing of Ours also stars Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos), James Caan (The Godfather), and Pat Cooper (Analyze This). Incidentally, Provenzano was arresting in 1999 under a 44-count felony indictment that included charges of racketeering, kidnapping, and money laundering. He eventually pleaded guilty to racketeering and was scheduled to begin a ten-year prison sentence in August 2003, just weeks after his film is released. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Filmmaking duo Frank and Joe Ciota follow up 1997's The North End and 2001's Ciao America with this black comedy about an Italian-American funeral home struggling to remain afloat as an influx of young, healthy bodies into the neighborhood finds business slowing. Ragucci's the nation's oldest Italian-American funeral home, and owner Felix Ragucci (Joe Sicari) is determined to stay in business. At the heart of Frank's business is Frank Tramontana (Danny Aiello), a former public relations executive who now drives a hearse for a living. Frank is a handsome man who prides himself on both his spotless reputation and his remarkable ability to seduce young women like statuesque beauty Lauren (Heather Tom). Ragussi's holds a special place in Frank's heart, not only because so many people he knows received their final farewells there but also because it serves as a community center for the close-knit family that works there. When Frank learns that Ragucci's may finally be closing their doors, he recruits fellow employees John "The Prince" Monaco (Jon Polito) and Nino Degeneroso (Louis Vanaria) in concocting a scheme to keep the funeral home afloat. But Frank is about to find out that it isn't easy to save the day while attempting to keep up with a much younger girlfriend and negotiate your son's tuition with your demanding ex-wife, and when the gang's shady scheme draws the attention of local gossip writer Sid Buford (Frank Bongiorno), all three will be begging to bury the past. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi