Jana Pallaske Movies

This earnest, German-language psychological drama follows the turmoil of a cyclist and womanizer (Til Schweiger), who loses one of his legs in a hit-and-run accident and must adjust, mentally and emotionally, to the presence of the disability. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

The Matrix masterminds Andy and Larry Wachowski usher anime icon Tatsuo Yoshida's classic 1960s-era hit into the new millennium with this family-friendly story of a young racecar driver who takes on the mysterious Racer X in a custom-made, gadget-loaded speed machine named the Mach 5. Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is the kind of driver that every wheelman wishes he could be: a born winner whose unbeatable combination of aggression, instinct, and fearlessness always finds him crossing the checkered flag with a comfortable lead. In Speed Racer's mind, the only driver who could present him with any real challenge is his late brother -- the legendary Rex Racer. Rex died in a heated cross-country rally known as The Crucible many years ago, and now his younger sibling is driven to fulfill the legacy that Rex left behind. To this day, Speed Racer is fiercely loyal to family. It was Speed Racer's father, Pops Racer (John Goodman), who designed the unbeatable Mach 5, and even a lucrative offer from racing giants Royalton Industries isn't enough to get the young ace to break his family ties.

Upon turning down Royalton's (Roger Allam) astronomical offer, Speed Racer makes the shocking discovery that the outcomes of the biggest races are being predetermined by a handful of powerful moguls who pad their profits by manipulating the drivers. Realizing that his career would be ruined if word of the fix gets out, Royalton vows that the Mach 5 will never make it to another finish line. Now, the only way for Speed Racer to save the family business and beat Royalton at his own game will be to win the very same race that claimed his brother's life so many years ago. In order to accomplish that formidable feat, however, Speed Racer will not only have to rely on his family and the aid of his longtime girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), but form a tenuous alliance with his longtime rival -- the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) -- as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Popular German actress Nicolette Krebitz makes her directorial debut with the largely improvised feature Jeans. Set in Berlin during the summertime, the story concerns Oskar Melzer looking for a girlfriend and Marc Hosemann looking for a place to stay. They encounter many other attractive young people, including Angie Ojciec, Jana Pallaske, Mavie Hörbiger, Katja Weilandt, Benno Fürmann, and Nicolette Krebitz herself. Shot in digital video in both black-and-white and color, Jeans features a soundtrack by German dance music trio Shapemod, Fetisch and Meister. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

A group of extreme winter athletes find themselves risking their neck for more than just thrills in this action drama. Jeffrey (Rupert Graves) is a director who has been hired to make a television commercial for a cellular phone company. For the spot, Jeffrey has come up with an exciting visual motif - a group of extreme skiers and snowboarders outrunning an avalanche on a remote mountain range. To get the needed footage, Jeffrey and his crew head to Austria, where they set up to film on a mountain near the former Yugoslavia; joining them is Olympic downhill champion Chloe (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras) and world-class snowboarders Ian (Rufus Sewell, Will (Devon Sawa), Silo (Joe Absolom), and Kittie (Jana Pallaske). While filming along an unchartered slope, Jeffrey's camera crew make an unexpected discovery - they find the secret compound of international terrorist Slobodan Pavlov (Klaus Lowitsch), and even capture the deadly man on videotape. Extremely unhappy that he's been found out, Pavlov turns his immediate attention to eliminating Jeffrey, his crew, and his skiers, and soon the snowboarders are forced to use their skills not just for kicks, but to save their friends - and possibly the world. Director Christian Duguay) is an old hand at filming in snow-covered mountains, having made the TV movie Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story in 1994. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A pair of teenage rebels become lovers before being forced to confront adult responsibilities in this German drama. Joe (Jana Pallaske) is a 15-year-old girl who has grown tired of rows with her mother (Sabine Berg), whose depressive mood swings are fueled by drugs and alcohol. Joe decides to run away from home, and while out on the street with nowhere to go on a rainy night, she runs into Engel (Robert Stadlober), a 17-year-old boy who is a self-styled anarchist with dreams of setting up a collective community in the mountains. Engel takes Joe under his wing and she quickly falls for him, diving headfirst into his lifestyle of partying all night and getting by on his wits. However, Engel's former girlfriend, Asi (Nadja Bobyleva), still seems interested in reclaiming his affections, and Joe's jealousy leads to a breakup; to spite Engel, Joe begins sleeping with Alex (Mirko Lang), but when she learns that Engel has landed in jail, she makes up with him after he's released. Not long after Engel is back on the streets, Joe discovers she's pregnant, and while she's not certain if Engel or Alex is the father, Engel is eager to do the right thing and help support the baby. Unfortunately, his resolve to live the straight life proves short-lived, and Engel soon ends up back behind bars. When he's released, Engel discovers that Joe has set up housekeeping with Alex and her new baby, and Engel finds she's no longer interested in sharing his dream of setting up an anarchist compound. Engel & Joe was based on a true story recounted in a magazine piece by journalist Kai Hermann, whose writings were the basis of another memorable film about German teens living outside society, Christiane F. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi