Nina Hellman Movies

Director David Wain (Role Models) teams up with producer Judd Apatow (Get Him to the Greek) for this comedy about an overtaxed Manhattan couple who move to a liberated community that rejects the rules of contemporary society. Urban power couple George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston) are already buckling under the stress of living in the city when George loses his job. Desperate, they decide to move to Atlanta and stay with George's obnoxious brother until they can get back on their feet. Along the way, however, they find themselves venturing into Elysium, a small, free-spirited community where money has no value, clothes are strictly optional, and everyone works together to make life more meaningful. It's the perfect place for a stressed-out couple like George and Linda to breathe deep and put their lives into perspective. But will they remain in Elysium, or will the many temptations of the modern world ultimately prove too attractive to resist? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

1980s teen comedies finally get the parody they so richly deserve with Wet Hot American Summer, the first feature film from writer/director David Wain and co-screenwriter Michael Showalter, formerly of the sketch comedy troupe the State. It's the last day of the summer season at Camp Firewood, and as camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo) prepares to wrap things up, the staff of teenage counselors realize this is their last chance to do something about the summer romances that have been brewing for the past three months. Sweet but shy Coop (Michael Showalter) is crazy about pretty Katie (Marguerite Moreau), but there's the problem of her severely moody boyfriend Andy (Paul Rudd). Meanwhile, Victor (Ken Marino) is trying to score with sexy Abby (Marisa Ryan), who is known to make friends easily, and McKinley (Michael Ian Black) and Ben (Bradley Cooper) attempt to keep their hot and heavy relationship a secret. Meanwhile, arts and crafts teacher Gail (Molly Shannon) turns to her students for comfort as her marriage falls apart, drama coach Susie (Amy Poehler) tries to whip the talent show into shape with Ben's help, and camp chef Gene (Christopher Meloni) deals with his unique sexual quirks with the help of a talking can of vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin). Beth even finds time for romance with socially inept astrophysicist Henry (David Hyde Pierce), but first Henry has to save Camp Firewood from a large piece of space junk about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. Like Wain and Showalter, Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio (who appears in a small role) were also members of the State; fellow State alumnus Kerri Kenney was cast in a supporting role in the film, but her character didn't appear in the final cut. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi