Rainer Judd Movies
Marking the writing and directorial debut of Henry LeRoy Finch, Wake revolves around four estranged brothers whose reunion, through no conscious effort of their own, takes place on the eve of their mother's death. Shot entirely on location in Bath, ME, Wake is told from the perspective of Sebastian (Martin Landau), a struggling writer who has been burdened with the care of his rapidly deteriorating mother. Through flashbacks, Sebastian recounts the odd night from beginning to end. There's also Raymond (Blake Gibbons), fresh out of prison and equipped with a mean streak from hell; Kyle (Gale Harold), whose alcoholism resurfaces within hours of being in contact with Raymond; and Jack (John Winthrop Philbrick), who, after being laid off from his job as a security guard is celebrating the best way he knows how: with lots of alcohol and sleazy women. While the party rages downstairs, Sebastian and Kyle sit upstairs fretting over the state of their mother. Ultimately, they reveal a series of secrets that perhaps oughtn't have been shared and the night ends with devastating results. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gale Harold, Blake Gibbons, (more)
- 2001
Swedish-born actor Leif Tilden turned to directing with this independent drama, billed as the first film made in America under the guidelines of the Dogma 95 movement, which specifies that films should only be shot with handheld cameras and available light on actual locations, and without background music or sound effects beyond those which are recorded during the shoot. Jeanie (Jennifer Rubin) is a photographer who returns to her hometown for her 20th anniversary high school reunion, only to discover most of her old classmates have no idea what she's been up to over the past two decades. Jeanie finds that life has not been kind to all her old friends; one has suffered a rift with his father after deciding to give up a career in the military, and another runs a diner while struggling to keep his drug habit under control. The supporting cast includes Billy Wirth, Rainer Judd, and Corey Glover, the latter best known as the former lead singer with the rock band Living Colour. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dwier Brown, Marlene Forte, (more)
- 2000
The border between professional and personal relationships comes under fire in this independent drama. Michael (Martin Donovan) is a filmmaker whose last project featured a beautiful actress named Anna (Irène Jacob). While Michael is trying to work on his next screenplay, he can't get Anna out of his mind, and obsessively watches outtakes from her scenes. Deeply infatuated and desperate for a reason to speak to her, Michael calls Anna and asks is she can help with his script -- he's having some trouble with dialogue and it would help if he could have an actress read the lines with him. Anna agrees, but as she keeps returning to "assist" Michael with his project, he writes more and more of what he wants to hear her say, and his pretense of working on a film begins to melt away. A prizewinner at the Avignon Film Festival, The Pornographer (a love story) also features cameo appearances from Maggie Gyllenhaal and Laura Prepon. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Award-winning soundman Ron Judkins makes his directorial debut in this drama about family ties and how they can unravel. Vera (Rachel Leigh Cook) is a young woman with little in the way of ambitions or goals who still lives with her parents, Clyde and Laura (Stuart Margolin and Margot Kidder), in a remote city in Montana. One day Sam (Ryan Alosio) arrives in town, claiming to be interviewing prospective employees for a discount store soon to be built in town. However, it quickly becomes obvious that Sam is telling a tale, and we discover the real reason he's in town. A man Sam once knew who just died in prison gave him a letter, saying he fathered a daughter named Vera, who was given away shortly after her birth to a man named Clyde. When Clyde and Laura admit they are not Vera's birth parents, Vera and Sam head out in search of Vera's biological mother. The Hi-Line was shown in competition at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachael Leigh Cook, Ryan Alosio, (more)
1999 proved a banner year for screen portrayals of Satan's love life: first his relationship with Saddam Hussein went under the microscope in South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, and a few months later his search for a girl to settle down with became the basis of this thriller. With the millennium approaching, a series of disturbing signs suggests that Satan (here played by Gabriel Byrne) has returned to Earth and is walking the streets of New York City. It seems that Satan needs to find a woman who will bear his child, as the time for the arrival of the anti-Christ draws near. A woman named Christine (Robin Tunney) believes that she has seen the Devil and felt his presence, and it's up to Jericho Cane (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a former policeman turned elite bodyguard, to keep her safe from The Dark Lord. End of Days was both directed and photographed by Peter Hyams; Kevin Pollak, Renee Olstead, and Udo Kier are among the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, (more)
