Laz Alonso
- 2009
- AddAvatarto Queue
A paraplegic ex-marine war veteran is unwillingly sent to establish a human settlement on the distant planet of Pandora, only to find himself battling humankind alongside the planet's indigenous Na'vi race in this ambitious, digital 3-D sci-fi epic from Academy Award-winning Titanic director James Cameron. The film, which marks Cameron's first dramatic feature since 1997's Titanic, will be shot on the proprietary FUSION digital 3-D cameras developed by Cameron in collaboration with Vince Pace, and will offer a groundbreaking mix of live-action dramatic performances and computer-generated effects. Australian actor Sam Worthington stars as the reluctant human settler Jake Sully, with actress Zoe Saldana signing on to portray the local woman who enters into a romantic affair with the hero. The revolutionary motion-capture system created for the film allows the facial expressions of actors to be captured as a virtual camera system enables them to see what their computer-generated counterparts will be seeing in the film, and Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning Weta Digital visual effects house has been hired to supervise Avatar's complex visual effects. Wes Studi, Sigourney Weaver, CCH Pounder, and Michelle Rodriguez round out the cast. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, (more)
Spike Lee's World War II film Miracle at St. Anna begins in 1983 with Hector Negron, a veteran of that war, unexpectedly shooting a customer dead. Police discover that the suspect, a quiet postal worker, kept a statue head worth millions of dollars in his apartment. An eager young reporter (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) interviews Negron in his cell about the mysterious artifact. While serving in the all-minority 92nd "Buffalo Soldier" Division, Negron and three comrades managed to sneak deep into enemy territory in Italy. One of the men, Sam Train (Omar Benson Miller), picked the head up while they were serving in Florence and believes it brings him good luck. Negron (Laz Alonso), Train, and Bishop Cummings (Michael Ealy), along with their sergeant, Aubrey Stamps (Derek Luke), take refuge in the Italian village of St. Anna, harbored by locals who are resisting the Nazis -- who themselves surround the area. Train also protects an injured Italian boy he discovers while investigating a seemingly abandoned dwelling. Eventually, the soldiers make contact with their superiors, and are ordered to capture a German so that he may be interrogated about an upcoming attack. Lee adapted Miracle at St. Anna from a novel by James McBride, who also penned the screenplay. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, (more)
When the traditionally minded pastor of a fundamentalist Baptist church suffers a debilitating stroke, the energetic young preacher brought in as a temporary replacement draws the ire of both his ailing predecessor and the jealous deacon who seeks to sabotage the stylish but sincere clergyman's career. Reverend Robert Gibbs has a decidedly unconventional means of preaching the gospel, so when he is recruited to stand-in for the debilitated Reverend Matthews during the latter's convalescence the congregation is at first somewhat taken aback. Eventually, however, the congregation warms to their new pastor, gradually embracing his hip style of preaching. As attendance at the California-based church begins to perk up, Reverend Gibbs makes the acquaintance of a pretty local teacher named Divine who lost her faith after losing her mother to cancer. Later, as Reverend Gibbs does his best to help restore the woman's faith, he discovers that she is in fact the daughter of the disapproving Reverend Matthews. When it begins to look as if Reverend Matthews may not be able to return to his post after all, the scheming Deacon Wells digs deep into Reverend Gibbs' past on a mission to prevent him from both becoming the permanent pastor and winning the heart of the lovely Divine. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wesley Jonathan, Jazsmin Lewis, (more)
A young man finds that the moves he learned on the street may help him make a better life for himself in this youth-oriented musical drama. DJ Williams (Columbus Short) is a 19-year-old growing up in Los Angeles; while DJ is at heart a good kid and a gifted street dancer, he runs with a dangerous crowd, and one night an underground dance competition turns into a brawl and DJ ends up in jail. DJ's younger brother has already died a violent death, and his mother, hoping to put him back on the straight and narrow, sends DJ off to Truth University, a historically African-American college in Atlanta. At first, DJ feels like a misfit at Truth, but when he gets a chance to show off his dancing skills, he attracts the attention of two campus fraternities. Greek life is a major presence at Truth, and each year the fraternities take part in a "stepping" competition, in which the members show off their synchronized dance moves. DJ joins the ONO house, and is eager to help them take the championship away from their campus rivals, but in time he also comes to understand the brotherhood and community service that's a key part of his fraternity's background. DJ also has more on his mind than dancing and studying when he meets April (Meagan Good), a beautiful coed. Produced under the title Steppin', Stomp the Yard also stars Ne-Yo, Brian J. White, and Jermaine Williams. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Columbus Short, Meagan Good, (more)
Upon gathering together under one roof for the first time in seven years, an estranged family celebrating Christmas rediscovers long-forgotten bonds in this holiday family reuniondrama starring Delroy Lindo, Regina King, and Mekhi Phifer. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, (more)
Vatel director Roland Joffé teams with screenwriters Larry Cohen and Joseph Tura to adapt an original story by Cohen concerning a fashion model (Elisha Cuthbert) and her chauffeur, who are kidnapped and held captive by a sadistic serial killer. Jennifer Tree (Cuthbert) is America's sweetheart; a top fashion model and ubiquitous cover girl who is adored by millions, Jennifer possesses all of the wealth and power that comes with being a natural, world-class beauty. Every girl wants to be Jennifer, and every man wants to have her -- one more than all others combined. That man has been lying in wait for precisely the right moment to strike, and when Jennifer makes the fateful mistake of stepping out on her own at a Soho charity event, he finally sees the opportunity to take possession of his most prized object. Drugged, taken, and placed in a cell, where she is forced to endure unspeakable mental and physical torture, Jennifer struggles against her twisted tormentor with every ounce of courage and fight that she has -- but will it be enough for her to endure should her captor continue to maintain the upper hand? A controversial film long before it ever went into wide release, Captivity caused quite a stir when graphic, unapproved ads for the film appeared on billboards and taxicabs in New York and Los Angeles. Though representatives from Captivity's releasing company After Dark Films claimed that the wrong materials were shipped to the printers and put up before they realized what had happened, public outcry was such that the MPAA saw fit to suspend the ratings process for the film. As a result, it quickly became apparent that Captivity would fail to procure an MPAA rating before its original target release date. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elisha Cuthbert, Daniel Gillies, (more)
Neophyte writer-director Rafael Riera helms the rollicking direct-to-video comedy Bunny Whipped. Traveling in the footsteps of Blankman and Hero at Large , Riera brings us yet another masked crusader sans any superhuman powers. By day, he's Bob Whipple (Esteban Powell), sportscaster extraordinaire stuck in a dead-end existence; by moonlight, he's The Whip (also Powell), a generally helpless superhero nonetheless determined to bring the men to justice who rubbed out a white rap star. Bob's adventures soon bring him into close proximity with his high school flame, Anne (Chasing Amy's Joey-Lauren Adams) who tries to recruit him to help her save a bunch of endangered rabbits. He agrees, but - horror of horrors! - must face down the chief suspect in the rap star's murder when that shady character decides to kidnap Anne. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Director Terrah Bennett Smith teams with writer/executive producer Tiayoka McMillan to tell the tale of a tale of an old love that just can't seem to die, and the friendships that keep our spirits raised even in the darkest of times. Having just received the unfortunate news that his college friend Lucky (Tech Holmes) has recently passed away, Dr. Preston Scott (Miguel A. Nunez) begins contacting his old group of friends to organize a memorial service for the recently departed. The only problem is that one of Preston's old friends just so happens to be his ex-girlfriend Rain Jones (Robin Givens). When Preston tells Rain that he has found the woman of his dreams, the lingering pain over their break-up immediately comes back to the surface, prompting bitter Rain to respond with a fabricated story about her engagement to the perfect man. Now, as the memorial service draws near and old friends (Mel Jackson, Randy Goodwyn, Jazmin Lewis, Bianca Lewis) gather to celebrate the life of their fallen college friend, Preston and Rain are compelled to re-examine their past and face up to the fact that sometimes old love has a way of lingering even after romance has died. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miguel A. Nuñez, Robin Givens, (more)
An ordinary man with an extraordinary gift must save the planet from evil in this action-packed fantasy. Unknown to most people, the world is crowded with spirits both good and evil who walk among us in human guise. One of the few who can see these spirits is John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), but the responsibility of his vision is more than he can stand, and he tries to kill himself. Saved from death, Constantine must now atone for his actions by acting as a guardian in the middle ground between Paradise and Hell. Constantine also makes the acquaintance of Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), a police detective who becomes aware of his unusual gift while looking into the death of her sister; he leads her into the unknown world of the spirits and soon circumstances demand that they join forces in a desperate bid to save humanity from evil. Constantine also features Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare, and Gavin Rossdale, the latter best known as the lead singer of the rock group Bush. Michelle Monaghan (Made of Honor) was originally in the film (cast as a half-breed demon) but director Francis Lawrence cut her scenes. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, (more)
A young man gets a crash course in the madness of war in this fact-based drama from director Sam Mendes. Anthony "Swoff" Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) decides to join the Marines, just like his father and his father before him, and signs on just in time to be sent to Iraq to fight in the Gulf War in 1991. After experiencing the rigors of boot camp, Swofford and his pal Troy (Peter Sarsgaard) are trained to be snipers, and under the leadership of Sgt. Sykes (Jamie Foxx) and Lt. Col. Kazinski (Chris Cooper), the two land in the middle of a desert where they're up against an enemy they can't always see under a blazing sun with hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Swofford, Troy, and their fellow soldiers rely on the wits, their sense of humor, and their friendship of their brothers in arms to deal with a situation that doesn't much resemble what they saw on television at home. Jarhead was based on the memoirs of the real-life Anthony Swofford, who did serve as a sniper in the 1991 Gulf War; the title comes from military slang for a Marine enlistee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, (more)
- 2005
The horror film All Souls Day concerns a man and woman who can't seem to escape from Santa Bonita, Mexico. They would like to leave seeing as the town is filled with ghosts. In order to resolve the situation, the pair must face the feared criminal Vargaz Diaz, who apparently is almost 200 years old. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Marisa Ramirez, (more)
A politically correct accountant and a womanizing real-estate agent find their lives suddenly thrust into chaos as their generally reliable roommate announces plans to leave while handing over his keys to a beautiful actress and model from New York in a topical comedy about just getting along in life. Despite their current status as housemates, Royce (Ben Watkins) and Damien (Laz Alonso) couldn't be any less alike. Royce is a conservative numbers man whose relationship with a longtime girlfriend has just gone bad, and Damien is an opinionated playboy to whom the word "commitment" simply does not compute. When Royce and Damien's housemate Will (Mailon Rivera) announces that he has found a job in New York and that emerging actress Toni (Shawna Rodgers) will be taking his place on the lease, the duo who can't seem to agree on anything are strangely connected by their mutual discomfort with the situation. Despite some initial misgivings that make adjusting to life on the West Coast somewhat difficult for the former New Yorker, the arrival of Toni's outspoken best friend Nicole (Barri Whittaker) ultimately proves the connecting factor that can bring the reluctant new roommates together during the turbulent transitionary period. Todd Bridges and Reynaldo Rey co-star in a film that's all about dealing with the hand dealt to you by life, no matter how strange it may seem when the cards are first revealed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laz Alonso, Ben Watkins, (more)
In this over-the-top comedy, Malik (Maurice Patton) and Morris (Howard Walker) are two friends who head to Miami looking to have fun and meet ladies while on spring break. When their Uncle Fredo (Luther Campbell) gives them full access to his beach house, they think they have it made until Cousin E (A.J. Johnson) arrives. E throws a massive party that leaves the house in ruins, and now Malik and Morris are left to repair the damage before Fredo gets home. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walker Howard, Maurice Patton, (more)
The sixth movie in the seemingly endless Leprechaun series finds the title character revisiting the territory he menaced in the fifth outing. This time around, a group of inner-city friends go from rags to riches when they stumble upon some treasures. Little do they know that the booty belongs to the terrifying little green man and he wants it back. Decked out in bling-bling and smoking chronically, Leprechaun dispenses with the unsuspecting pals one by one. Warwick Davis once again reprises the title role, which he's assumed throughout the series, and instead of Ice-T, who co-starred in Leprechaun in the Hood, another rapper, Sticky Fingaz of Onyx, is onboard for this blood bath. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warwick Davis, Tangi Miller, (more)
Writer-director Christopher Scott Cherot (Hav Plenty) based his second feature, G, on F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby. Tre (Andre Royo), a writer for a music magazine, goes out to the Hamptons to interview a wealthy and mysterious rap mogul, Summer G (Richard T. Jones), who's recently bought a home there. Tre first stops in on his cousin, Sky (Chenoa Maxwell, who also starred in Hav Plenty) and her control freak millionaire husband, Chip (Blair Underwood). Tre soon learns that Chip is brazenly cheating on Sky, and he even witnesses Chip smack his girlfriend around. Tre doesn't have much luck getting close to Summer G, until the music impresario finds out that Tre is related to Sky, whom he dated in college. Summer G asks Tre to arrange a meeting with Sky, and Tre, apparently upset with the way Chip has been treating Sky, helps Summer G connect with his old flame. Summer G tells Sky that he still loves her, and she begins an affair with him. The snobby old money Chip, already predisposed to dislike Summer G because of his hip-hop lifestyle, suspects that there's something going on, and plots to have Summer G chased from their exclusive Hamptons neighborhood. G was produced by Andrew Lauren, fashion designer Ralph Lauren's son, who also appears in the film as Adam Gordon, Summer G's manager. G was shown at the 2002 Tribeca Film Festival and at the 2002 Urbanworld Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard T. Jones, Blair Underwood, (more)
