Joanne Baron Movies

Inspired by the satirical black comedy Man Bites Dog, emerging film director Thomas C. Dunn's feature debut tells the tale of a young documentary filmmaker who inadvertently captures a murder on camera, and unwisely attempts to blackmail the murderer into becoming the subject of his latest film. Mickey (Wes Bentley) is an aspiring filmmaker who seems to lack a certain sense of inspiration - that is, until he captures elusive serial killer James Lemac (Mark Borkowski) on camera doing what he does best. Realizing the remarkable value of this gruesome footage, Mickey approaches the madman with an offer of creating the ultimate reality show. Should James agree to become part of the project the pair will no doubt become famous, but should he refuse Mickey will immediately hand the footage over to the police. Left with precious little choice other than to play along in Mickey's twisted little game, a reluctant James agrees to grant the filmmaker total access to his grisly excursions. But as the filmmaker and his subject set out to make movie history, the lines of power gradually begin to blur, at times giving James the upper hand. Now, as the psychological game of cat and mouse winds to it's shocking conclusion, Mickey will be forced to confront the darkness that dwells not just in the corroded soul of his subject, but somewhere deep within his own fragile psyche as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The religious drama God's Waiting List concerns a brother and sister who have become business rivals. When a suspicious, horrific accident causes a serious injury to the sister, she begins to work on her relationship with the Almighty. However she can't shake the suspicion that her brother might be responsible for her condition. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

A simple brotherly joke goes hilariously awry in director Stewart Wade's zany tale of mistaken sexual identity. Todd's brother Barry wants to help his single sibling out by setting him up on a blind date. While all signs lead to a perfect match, it soon becomes obvious that Barry is having a little fun at his brother's expense when the Kelly in question turns out not to be a beautiful woman, but a homosexual male. Upon realizing that they have been duped by Todd's mischievous brother, the unlikely couple soon forms a warm friendship while concocting an elaborate scheme to one-up the unrepentant prankster. When Barry sees Todd and Kelly holding hands soon thereafter, he becomes convinced that his brother is, in fact, gay, and phones the pair's mother to break the news. As Todd's mother begins to see his son's disdain for sports and love of film as clear signs of his homosexuality that she has somehow managed to overlook, she determines to show her son that she will love him no matter what his lifestyle. But Todd's mother isn't the only one who is now convinced that her son is gay, and as suspicions begin to abound in his close-knit social circle, the hapless "homosexual" soon begins to wonder if there isn't some truth to the rumors after all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A man is forced to examine his headlong dive into chemically induced oblivion when he starts dragging someone else along with him in this independent drama. Dorian (Kirk Harris) is a gifted surgeon who has a severe problem outside the operating room -- he is an alcoholic and cocaine abuser who is quickly losing his grip on his habit. Stumbling from all-night benders and reckless sexual escapades into surgery, Dorian's habits have begun to worry his on-and-off girlfriend, Megan (Laurie Baranyay), and even his drug dealer, Teddy (Eric Roberts). Megan introduces Dorian to her close friend Anna (Camilla Overbye Roos), who recently lost her son in an auto accident. Anna immediately falls for Dorian and willingly follows him into his netherworld of decadence, but before long, Dorian begins to see where his lifestyle is taking both Anna and himself, and he realizes they both need to change before it's too late. Intoxicating was scripted by leading-man Kirk Harris and was adapted from a story written by Harris and director Mark David. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

As a number of luminaries on the international fashion scene converge for a major show, their personal and professional crises come to a head in this comedy-drama. Lorenzo Mancini (Paul Sorvino) is an internationally famous designer who has learned he has only a short time to live. As Mancini tries to make his peace with both his ex-wife (Sonia Braga) and his long-time companion (Peter Gallagher), he also tries to mend fences with his son (and heir) Mario (Michael Sorvino) while persuading him to not merge the family business with the hip-hop fashion empire of J.B. (Omar Epps. Anthony (Jared Harris), a famous and influential fashion photographer, is having a career crisis as his marriage to Francene (Michelle Forbes) begins to collapse. Cutting-edge designer Roberta (Rita Wilson) is scrambling to complete her latest line as her underlings start leaving her one by one. Camille (Leslie Mann), Roberta's business partner, may be the next to hit the road, as she becomes involved with Jamie (Jeff Goldblum), who works for a firm run by arch-rival designer Phillip (Harris Yulin). And Janice (Joanne Baron), the editor of a leading fashion journal, is facing a deadline when she gets an unexpected visitor -- her daughter Halley (Michelle Williams), whom she hasn't seen in over a decade. Taking an unusual approach, director Michael Rymer and screenwriter L.M. Kit Carson wrote a detailed outline for Perfume and in-depth background sketches for all the characters, but allowed the cast to improvise all the dialogue used in the film. Perfume had its world premiere at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A would-be movie mogul has to decide just how low he's willing to sink to get his next picture made in this black comedy about life in Hollywood. Jake Seiling (John Savage) is a filmmaker who wants to adapt a recent novel by author Arthur Kranson (William Atherton) for the screen, convinced it has major box-office potential. However, the book in question has already been optioned by veteran filmmaker Sy (Orson Bean). When Sy dies unexpectedly, Jake is convinced that his chance has arrived, and he's able to persuade a French producer (René Auberjonois) to put up seed money for the project. It doesn't take long, though, for Jake to go through the producer's initial stake, and as he struggles to raise more money to put the film before the cameras, Jake's business partner Arnie (James Wilder) comes up with what he's certain is the perfect plan -- burn down Jake's house, and use the insurance money to finance the movie. Based on the play High Tension in the Tropics by Michael Cole Dinelli, Burning Down the House was shot in 1998, but went unreleased until 2004. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Getting home early, Beverly Hills wife Michelle Halaburton (Lyndie Benson) catches her husband Dustin (Harry Hamlin) in bed with her best friend Allie (Joanne Baron), who works at Michelle's favorite beauty salon. Not long after this, Michelle and Allie embark on a life of crime. At the beauty salon, Michelle sees how to get access codes to homes of the salon's wealthy patrons. During the break-ins that follow, the two collect cash, art, and jewelry. Their haul escalates until the wrong house at the wrong time could lead to their downfall. Surprised by the spoiled son (James Wilder) of one of their victims, they capture him, tie him up, and try to devise a way out of the situation. Shown at the 1997 Hollywood Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In this spoofy horror outing from veteran genre director Brian Yuzna, L.A. Law vet Corbin Bernsen plays Dr. Feinstone, an anal-retentive Beverly Hills dentist with an amusement park of an office replete with Planet Hollywood-worthy, themed exam rooms, piped-in opera music, and a crisp, efficient staff. When Feinstone finds out that his lovely wife, Brooke (Linda Hoffman), is fellating the pool boy, he becomes unhinged -- haunted by visions of filthy mouths and faithless spouses. Inviting Brooke back to the office on their anniversary and begging her to indulge him in his hobby of cleaning her teeth, Feinstone performs a little unorthodox oral surgery and soon uses his now-disfigured sweetie to lure her boyfriend into a backyard trap. Revenge doesn't cure Feinstone's homicidal urges, however, and soon his violence and sexual obsessions spill over into his practice -- especially after creepy IRS investigator Marvin Goldblum (Earl Boen) shows up for a little "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine." Soon, patients and staff members alike are interacting with drills and laughing gas in ways they never expected. Filmed for, and originally shown on, HBO, The Dentist did not receive a U.S. theatrical release. Yuzna, Bernsen, and Hoffman reunited two years later for The Dentist II: Brace Yourself. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Well-groomed junior transfer student Eddy (Josh Charles) forges an unlikely friendship with messy party animal Stuart (Stephen Baldwin) after the two room together in an all-male dorm at a large university. When Alex (Lara Flynn Boyle) ends up in the adjoining suite because of her mannish name, all three students fall into an overheated friendship that provides cover for no less than three unrequited loves. Alex, a sexpot who's turned on by big words, falls hard for intellectual Eddy, who's actually pining away for the ripped, oversexed Stuart, who's got the hots for Alex. As the three friends try unsuccessfully to alleviate their collective sexual and romantic tension, dorm-desk workers Dick (Alexis Arquette) and Renay (Martha Gehman) become convinced that there's something kinky going on -- and they may just be right. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren play archenemies from beyond the grave in this action film. During the Vietnam War, Luc (Van Damme), hoping to be sent home, comes upon blood-crazy Scott (Lundgren), who is starting a one-man genocide program. When Luc tries to stop Scott's carnage, Scott fights back and they end up killing each other. But now the government gets involved, cryogenically freezing their corpses and using their bodies in a secret government project call "UniSols" --turning the dead men into android fighting machines. Luc and Scott are now metallic fighting members of a robot SWAT team. But Luc begin to have flashbacks to the final moments of his life in Vietnam, as does Scott, who recalls that one of his final thoughts was to kill Luc. Meanwhile, a snoopy reporter named Veronica (Ally Walker) stumbles upon the secret of the UniSols, and soon Luc is trying to save both himself and Veronica from the wrath of Scott, who is trying to kill them both. All of the action culminates in a wild chase between a prison bus and a UniSols van, racing around hairpin turns on desert precipices. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The leading lady of the Christmas tale knows just what she wants for Christmas and she lets Macy's Santa know, too. She wants nothing more than the reuniting of her recently divorced parents. Bordering on being a Miracle on 34th Street re-make, this film follows much the same theme, but the kids here get more involved as they thwart any likelihood of romantic success between their mom and her new boyfriend and try ever-so-hard to make Mommy and Daddy love each other again. A reunion does result, but it's a lackluster one and so's this film, which was generally seen as a little too contrived and way too bland. ~ All Movie Guide

Martha Coolidge directed this comedy taking place at fictional Pacific Tech, concerning incoming freshman Mitch (Gabe Jarret), a high school student whose Science Fair project made important inroads into laser beam technology. Mitch has been recruited by famed physics professor Hathaway (William Atherton), who asks Mitch to work in his laboratory. On campus, Mitch becomes roommates with the brilliant Chris Knight (Val Kilmer), legendary as the smartest freshman in the history of the college; but now, as a senior, he is less interested in his studies and more interested in having fun. It turns out that Hathaway is enlisting his students, unbeknownst to them, as a slave labor force to do research in developing a state-of-the-art laser device for the Defense Department (he uses his government grant funds to build a house). But Chris and Mitch begin to suspect that something is amiss with Hathaway's project. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

A satiric romantic comedy, Martha Coolidge's Valley Girl is a testimony to the short-lived Southern California '80s craze. Julie (Deborah Foreman) is a good-natured teenager following a swarm of pastel pink valley girls, who utter "gag me" at every opportunity. To her friends' dismay , Julie breaks up with her egotistical boyfriend, Tommy (Michael Bowen), while shopping at the mall. All the valley kids go to a party that night, and Tommy immediately tries to bed one of Julie's friends. Randy (Nicolas Cage), a bad boy from Hollywood, shows up and crashes the party. Open-minded Julie flirts with him before he is literally thrown out, presumably just for looking different. Smitten with Julie, Randy sneaks back into the party to talk to her again. Julie drags a whimpering valley friend with her to spend the night cruising with Randy in Hollywood. After an extended courtship, Randy is in love with Julie, and she must choose between him and Tommy, who wants her back. Her friends refuse to accept Randy, who makes many exaggerated attempts to win back her love. Finally, after she has a heartfelt talk with her dad (Frederic Forrest), love triumphs at the prom. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide