David Kanter Movies
A high-school senior loses her little brother while trick-or-treating, and recruits three of her classmates to help bring him back home before her mother finds out in this teen comedy from first-time director Josh Schwartz (executive producer of TV's Chuck and Gossip Girl). Sardonic Wren (Victoria Justice) hails from an unusually dysfunctional family. She can't wait until she escapes to college and leaves them all behind, but in the meantime, an invitation to the biggest Halloween party in the area at least offers her an excuse to get out of the house for a night. But when Wren is placed on babysitting duty so her mother can dash out and party with her handsome young boy toy, the dejected teen reluctantly takes her little brother Albert out for a night of trick-or-treating. Later, when Albert vanishes into a sea of costumed kids, his panicked sister enlists the help of her best friend April, wannabe womanizer Peng, and his charmingly geeky pal Roosevelt to track down her missing brother, and get him safely back home while their mother remains none the wiser. Meanwhile, over the course of one wild and unpredictable Halloween night, the group's frantic search lands them in some pretty outlandish situations, and provides Roosevelt with the perfect opportunity to impress his longtime crush Wren. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Victoria Justice, Thomas Mann, (more)
An 8-year-old boy dedicates his life to helping children rendered homeless by Hurricane Charley, and learns that you can't put a price tag on life's greatest gifts in this inspirational drama based on actual events. Dejected at the images of families whose lives were uprooted by the disaster, Zach Bonner uses his trusty wagon to collect essential items that will help them get back on their feet. When the media spotlight's Zach's benevolent endeavors, the selfless seizes the opportunity to launch his own charity, dubbed the Little Red Wagon Foundation. Later, Zach encounters a widow and her son who were rendered homeless by the story, and vows to draw attention to their plight by embarking on a cross country walk. Despite his mother's trepidations about the journey and his teenage sister's growing resentment over being stuck at the center of a media circus, Zach sets out on a journey that will transform not just his own life, but also the lives of everyone he encounters. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
In the 1960s and '70s, young people in America were caught up in a wave of political and social activism, speaking out about racism, civil rights, free speech, war, police brutality, and a number of other matters, doing so in a wide variety of ways. In the 21st century, youth activism is no longer in vogue, and apathy and a belief that the system is beyond changing have become common among contemporary students. What caused these changes? What can be done to engage young people in the political process? And what sorts of youngsters are still involved in activism? Filmmaker Phillip Montgomery addresses these issues in his documentary ReGeneration, in which the changing tides of political opinion and media coverage are examined. The film also profiles three different groups of young people -- a band of leftist musicians and activists, a young family of conservatives, and a handful of high-school students, who discuss their future and their political views. ReGeneration also includes interviews from Howard Zinn, Amy Goodman, Noam Chomsky, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli; Ryan Gosling, who helped produce the film, narrates. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ryan Gosling
A man having trouble with women suddenly finds himself surrounded by them in this independent comedy drama. Carter Webb (Adam Brody) is a successful writer who has fallen into an emotional tailspin after his girlfriend, well-known actress Sophia (Elena Anaya), breaks up with him. When Carter learns that his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) is in failing health, he decides to leave California and return to his hometown of Detroit to help take care of her and beginning work on his long-planned novel. As Carter spends time with his grandmother, he becomes friendly with her neighbors -- mom Sarah Hardwicke (Meg Ryan) and her two daughters, angst-ridden teen Lucy (Kristen Stewart) and precocious 11-year-old Paige (Makenzie Vega). As Sarah attempts to deal with a pressing personal crisis and Carter begins sorting out his relationship issues, he discovers that sometimes what feels like the end is actually just a new beginning. In the Land of Women was the first directorial project for actor and screenwriter Jon Kasdan, the son of writer and director Lawrence Kasdan. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart, (more)
The director of the Academy Award-winning 2006 crime drama Tsotsi returns to the helm with this tale of a Middle East CIA operative who begins to have doubts about his latest assignment after witnessing the interrogation of a suspected suicide bomber by secret police. When Egyptian-born chemical engineer Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally) mysteriously vanishes on a routine flight from South Africa to Washington, his wife, Isabella (Reese Witherspoon), embarks on a frantic international search for her missing husband. At the same time, a CIA analyst (Jake Gyllenhaal) arrives at a clandestine detention facility outside of United States. As the interrogation of El-Ibrahimi gets under way, the CIA analyst is profoundly shaken by the unorthodox methods used by the man's captors, and quickly begins to reevaluate his assignment. Peter Sarsgaard, Meryl Streep, and Alan Arkin co-star in this topical political thriller penned by Kelley Sane and produced by Steve Golin. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, (more)
With Lake of Fire, American History X helmer and music-video director Tony Kaye climbs inside of the decades-old abortion debate for a 152-minute study of the pro-life and pro-choice positions. In the process, he uncovers not an objective black-and-white issue, but a myriad of circumstances and sub-issues of tremendous moral complexity and ambiguity. He then investigates the sub-philosophies and ideas that belie each side, with generous input and assistance from socialist Noam Chomsky, and via interviews with Christian theologians, and professors of bioethics, sociology, and philosophy. Kaye also gives substantial consideration to the violence directed by certain extremists at abortion doctors, nurses, and clinics. The director worked on the picture for well over 15 years, and it serves as a prime candidate for the definitive abortion documentary. However, be forewarned: Lake of Fire includes lengthy, graphic depictions of abortion procedures and their physical and emotional side-effects, and it is not for the squeamish or suitable for younger audiences. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- 2002
Dick Wolf, the TV producer responsible for the seemingly endless Law & Order and its numerous spin-offs, entered the realm of "reality" television with his weekly 60-minute NBC series Crime & Punishment. Co-created by Wolf and David Kanter, the series followed a number of criminal cases, from arrest to final verdict, brought to trial by the D.A.'s office of San Diego, CA. Though the cases, lawyers, police, perpetrators, and witnesses were real, and the episodes were unscripted and unrehearsed, the series was edited in the manner of a "fictional" crime show, replete with mini-climaxes just before each and every commercial break. The opening episode of Crime & Punishment, originally aired June 16, 2002, dealt with the first-degree murder trial of James Dailey, a security guard accused of murdering his wife. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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