Michael Kelly Movies
Onscreen performer Michael Kelly specialized in slightly rough-hewn, working-class character roles. Kelly premiered on the big screen with occasional bit parts in the late '90s, but achieved much greater prominence by playing a security guard in the 2004 supernatural horror remake Dawn of the Dead, and by essaying one of the supporting roles in the Ericson Core-directed inspirational sports drama Invincible (2006), starring Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear. Kelly also acted regularly on the small screen, with numerous guest roles as well as a longer stint on The Sopranos as FBI agent Ron Goddard. In 2007, Kelly signed to appear in Tooth & Nail, a post-apocalyptic thriller about a courageous band of holocaust survivors who hole up in a hospital and try valiantly to defend themselves from invading cannibals. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Jamie Foxx stars as an assistant DA who finds himself at the mercy of a spiteful vigilante (Gerard Butler) hell-bent on avenging the death of his wife and daughter, whose murderers are set free due to legal loopholes. F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job) directs from a script by Frank Darabont and Kurt Wimmer. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, (more)
Inspired by actual events that occurred in 1920s-era Los Angeles, Clint Eastwood's The Changeling tells the story of a woman driven to confront a corrupted LAPD after her abducted son is retrieved and she begins to suspect that the boy returned to her is not the same boy she gave birth to. The year was 1928, and the setting a working-class suburb of Los Angeles. As Christine (Angelina Jolie) said goodbye to her son, Walter, and departed for work, she never anticipated that this was the day her life would be forever changed. Upon returning home, Christine was distressed to discover that Walter was nowhere to be found. Over the course of the following months, the desperate mother would launch a search that would ultimately prove fruitless. Yet just when it seemed that all hope was lost, a nine-year-old boy claiming to be Christine's son seemed to appear out of thin air. Overcome with emotions and uncertain how to face the authorities or the press, Christine invites the child to stay in her home despite knowing without a doubt that he is not her son. As much as Christine would like to accept the fact that her son has been returned to her, she cannot accept the injustice being pushed upon her and continues to challenge the Prohibition-era Los Angeles police force at every turn. As a result, Christine is slandered by the powers that be, and painted as an unfit mother. In this town, a woman who challenges the system is putting her life on the line, and as the situation grows desperate, the only person willing to aid her in her search is benevolent local activist Reverend Briegleb (John Malkovich). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, (more)
A 20-year-old man at a crucial crossroads in life finds himself caught between two worlds and two women in director François Velle's feature adaptation of author Tom McLoughlin's original novel Heart of the Old Country. Mike Manadoro (Kevin Zegers) is a Bay Ridge, Brooklyn shutterbug who lives with his father, Vinny (Vincent D'Onofrio), a former Department of Sanitation worker who is now retired on disability. Despite the fact that Vinny is officially retired, he still manages to draw a healthy income thanks to his side job as Bay Ridge's main numbers runner. It's Mike's job to drive his father on his "rounds," and while Vinny is taking care of business Mike passes the time by snapping pictures of the neighborhood locals. Seeing great promise in Mike's impressive portfolio, an influential professor offers the amateur photographer a partial scholarship to a high-profile university in Manhattan. It's the opportunity of a lifetime to be sure, though Mike soon finds out that there are strings attached. Unfortunately for Mike, Vinny is a proud man who refuses to allow his son to seek out financial aid. But Vinny has underestimated his son's desire to accomplish something more in life, and before long Mike is leading a double life in order to forge ahead into the future. Unbeknownst to his father, Mike accepts a job delivering "packages" for a local mobster named Tony (Titus Welliver). But while the job does help Mike bring in the cash he needs to cover his tuition, his two worlds begin to collide after he meets beautiful and refined fellow student Kathy (Sophia Bush). Unfortunately Mike's longtime girlfriend, Gina (Monica Keena), is none too happy about this latest development, and the situation quickly begins to spiral out of control. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Zegers, Vincent D'Onofrio, (more)
A mysterious, mind-altering epidemic has infected humankind, and when a Washington, D.C. psychiatrist discovers that the outbreak seems to be extraterrestrial in origin, she struggles to save her son from infection in this sci-fi thriller starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel (Das Experiment). The space shuttle has crashed, and investigators assigned to explore the wreckage have found something unimaginable in the debris -- something from the deepest reaches of outer space. Everyone who comes into contact with it soon begins to transform in ways that can't be explained by modern science. While their physical appearance remains completely unaltered, their emotions seem to be drained and their actions become strangely inhuman. The only people who know the truth about this extraterrestrial epidemic are Washington, D.C. psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Kidman) and her longtime friend Dr. Ben Driscoll (Craig). It seems that the alien virus attacks people in their sleep, and by the time they awaken, the transformation has already taken place. The contagion is spreading rapidly, and as more people fall victim to its eerie effects by the hour, it becomes impossible to differentiate the infected from those who can still be trusted. When Carol realizes that her young son may hold the only hope for saving the human race, she struggles to remain awake long enough to find the boy and prevent planet Earth from becoming host to a terrifying new breed of extraterrestrials. Based on the book The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney, The Invasion was written by David Kajganich and co-stars Jeffrey Wright and Jeremy Northam. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, (more)
Trapped in an abandoned hospital by a wandering band of savage cannibals, a small group of survivors intent on repopulating a post-apocalyptic world must fight for their lives and the future of the human race. We've run out of gas, and now the civilized world is a fading memory. Still, there are some who would work to see society rebuilt. One such group has taken refuge in an empty hospital. Upon discovering a young girl who has somehow managed to survive an attack by a nomadic horde of cannibals known as Rovers, the frightened heirs of humanity are forced to defend themselves against a predator that knows precisely what they fear most. Now, as the Rovers methodically emerge from the wasteland to pick off their savory brethren one at a time, the remaining survivors must adapt the same hunting skills as the flesh-eating sub-humans who stalk them if they hold out any true hope of saving the legacy of mankind from certain tragedy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachel Miner, Nicole DuPort, (more)
- 2006
Two people are caught up in an all-consuming and forbidden love in this drama, the first feature from director Jean Chateuvert. Christine (Valerie Cantin) is married to Mario (Michael Kelly), a successful businessman, and is the mother of two children. However, Christine has a lover, a man she's known long before she was married -- her brother Christophe (Marc Marans). Both Christine and Christophe are aware of the dangers of their incestuous relationship, and have both attempted to stop it -- Christophe even introduced Mario to his sister in hopes that they would hit it off and their affair would come to a end. But neither Christine nor Christophe have the strength to put an end to their relationship, and while Mario has recently earned a promotion at work that will necessitate moving to a new city (a job Christine urged him to get), she hasn't had the courage to tell her brother the news. La Coupure (aka Torn Apart) received its world premiere at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Valerie Cantin, Marc Marans, (more)
From the producers of The Rookie and Remember the Titans comes an inspirational sports drama detailing the true story of a down-on-his-luck football fan whose dreams of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the best of the gridiron became a once-in-a-lifetime reality when he took part in an open tryout organized by Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil. Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) was a 30-year-old substitute teacher and part-time bartender who had never even played college football. When Coach Vermeil (Greg Kinnear) made the unprecedented announcement that he would be holding open tryouts for the Philadelphia Eagles, Papale would go against incredible odds to live the dream and experience every fan's biggest fantasy. With a position on the Eagles secured and a new life path forged out of little more than determination and persistence, Papale takes to the field to experience the life-altering rush of running yards as a stadium full of cheering fans burst from their seats to support the hometown hero who proved it's never too late to take control of your own destiny. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, (more)
Tim Kirkman wrote and directed Loggerheads, a film that follows three different storylines that all transpire over the course of a Mother's Day weekend, but take place at different times. One of the stories features a man who arrives in a coastal North Carolina town in order to preserve turtles that are endangered. He becomes involved with a local businessman and must decide where he feels in his heart that he belongs. A second story concerns a woman who begins to feel her small-town changing in ways that frighten her. She must face these changing social realities while constantly listening to the speeches of her minister husband. The third storyline involves a woman who intends to spend the weekend celebrating the holiday with her own mother while also attempting to make contact with the child she gave up for adoption years before. Loggerheads was a selection at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bonnie Hunt, Kip Pardue, (more)
In this belated prequel to director Brian De Palma's 1993 crime drama, gangster Carlito Brigante (Jay Hernandez) rises through the ranks of the New York underworld to establish himself as Spanish Harlem's most powerful kingpin. As the intoxication of ultimate power tightens its firm grip on the rising heroin czar, he soon learns that greed and deception are the unspoken laws of the street. With no one to trust except for his two brothers in crime, Carlito begins building an empire founded on supplying the city's addicts with the one product that is always in demand. His dreams of ruling the city finally becoming a reality, Carlito soon learns that the only way to sustain his power is through loyalty and respect. Adapted from author Edwin Torres' acclaimed novel, Carlito's Way: Rise to Power also stars Mario Van Peebles, Luis Guzmán, and Sean Combs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay Hernandez, Mario Van Peebles, (more)
The feature-film debut of director Zack Snyder, Dawn of the Dead is a modern retelling of George Romero's 1978 horror classic, which was actually the second film in a trilogy that began with Night of the Living Dead and concluded with Day of the Dead. Sarah Polley and Ving Rhames star as two of the last remaining people on an earth that has been ravaged by flesh-eating zombies. After escaping to a shopping mall with a handful of other survivors, they decide that they only way to truly elude the approaching throng of undead is to somehow make their way to an island that is supposedly zombie-free. Jake Weber and Mekhi Phifer also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, (more)
- 2002
In another episode loosely inspired by actual events, the limo driver for star baseball player Kevin Seleeby (Reynaldo Rosales) is murdered. When it turns out that the victim was regularly supplying steroids to his boss, Seleeby becomes the prime suspect. But, as often happens on this series, the DA's office discovers that nothing is cut and dried, not even what seems to be irrefutable evidence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Eric Drilling wrote and directed this adaptation of his one-act play, set in rural New England, about alcoholic abuse in a single-parent family. After Dave Holden (Tom Everett Scott) fatally stabs his father while protecting his younger brother Tom (David Moscow), it's Tom who takes the rap and is sent off to a juvenile correction facility. But then Dave discovers dad's debts, works as a dishwasher to pay them off, and finally turns to robbery. Scott was the director of Drilling's one-act play. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Everett Scott, David Moscow, (more)
Six friends in their mid- to late twenties are forced to deal with the sticky business of adulthood in this independent comedy drama. For close to ten years, Paul (Elon Gold) has organized a weekend getaway for his college friends every summer at his folks' cottage in upstate New York. This year, the number of attendees has dwindled to six, which disappoints Paul, as he prefers to look back on his past rather than deal with his present. Paul and his wife, Julia (Amanda Peet), have been trying to have a child, but she has been mixed feelings about the notion of parenthood, which are aggravated when she learns she is indeed pregnant. Stan (Jonathan LaPaglia) is still reeling from a recent bout with testicular cancer, as well as a bad breakup with his girlfriend Kate (Sybil Temchen). As it happens, Kate's pal Laura (Jean Louisa Kelly) is attracted to Stan, but between his weakened physical state and his mixed feelings about his breakup, he's not sure if he should proceed. And ladies' man Fisher (Michael Kelly), disappointed by the dearth of single woman, decides to act on his feelings for Julia; while Julia is flattered, she's not sure if Fisher is worth throwing away her marriage. Origin of the Species was the first feature film from director Andres Heinz, and was adapted from the play of the same name by Robert Weston Ackerman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
