Louis Mandylor Movies

In 1950, most Americans had only a passing familiarity with the game of soccer, even though it was the world's most popular sport, and few athletes in the United States played the game with any particular degree of expertise. However, when an invitation was extended to the United States to participate in the World Cup tournament in Brazil -- the international soccer championship held every four years -- Bill Jeffrey was determined that America participate. In less than two weeks, Jeffrey assembled a team comprised mostly of players from St. Louis (where soccer had developed a small but loyal following) and the East Coast (where the game gained a foothold on college campuses), with immigrants from Haiti, Portugal, and Scotland filling out the ranks. Against all odds, the Americans not only made it to the World Cup games, but defeated the British team (favored by many to win the championship) in the greatest upset of the 1950 games. The Game of Their Lives is a sports drama based on the remarkable true story of the 1950 United States team, featuring John Rhys-Davies as Bill Jeffrey, Wes Bentley as team leader Walter Bahr, Gerard Butler as goalie Frank Borghi, Jimmy Jean-Louis as Joe Gaetiens, a dishwasher born in Haiti who found his way onto the team, and Patrick Stewart as a journalist covering the games. David Anspaugh, who made the acclaimed basketball drama Hoosiers, directed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A drug deal gone awry leads to harrowing consequences for a group of campers in this thriller from Firestarter director Mark L. Lester. When they stumble across the aftermath of a botched, deep-woods drug deal, Chick (Louis Mandylor) convinces his nature-bound friends to pocket the cash and sell the cocaine that was left behind by the would-be dealers. Unaware that dealer Brian Nathanson (Judd Nelson) has survived the ordeal and witnessed the campers' indiscretion, he vows to track them down and retrieve the missing contraband. Meanwhile, the powerful drug lord behind the deal has hired a beautiful but lethal assassin to track down the drugs and the money at any cost -- and she's more than happy to fulfill her mission and take down anyone who gets in her way. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A snowbound Denver eatery called the Ritz Restaurante ends up as the Valentine's Day rendezvous for three troubled couples: Marty (Louis Mandylor) and Tricia (Wendie Jo Sperber), Amanda (Tembi Locke) and Riley (Cress Williams), and Ben (Lennie Loftin) and Charlotte (Kate Fuglei). While carrying out their assignment of revealing the true meaning of love to the gathered couple, the Angels are helped along by another twosome, George and Loretta (played by real-life husband and wife William Daniels, Bonnie Bartlett) who are celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary. Casting a pall over what should be a joyous occasion is the Angels' foreknowledge that this anniversary will be George and Loretta's last. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One woman's rocky road to the altar gets played for laughs in this comedy, adapted from the one-woman off-Broadway show written by and starring Nia Vardalos. Toula (Vardalos) is a Greek-American woman who is in her early thirties and single, with no immediate prospects of changing that status any time soon. This bothers Toula a bit, but not half as much as it distresses her mother (Lainie Kazan) and father (Michael Constantine), who want to send her to Greece in hopes of finding a husband in the old country. Toula isn't interested in leaving the country to find a man, but since she works in the family business -- a Greek restaurant in Chicago called Dancing Zorba's -- she has to hear about it whether she likes it or not. One day, after seeing a handsome stranger in the restaurant and not having the courage to talk to him, Toula decides she needs a bit of self-improvement. Despite her dad's misgivings, Toula signs up for a night-school class studying computers, trades in her glasses for contact lenses, gets a different job at a travel agency, and spruces herself up with a new look and a new attitude. To her very pleasant surprise, she once again encounters the handsome stranger, who soon asks her out on a date. Schoolteacher Ian Miller (John Corbett) is seemingly perfect -- he's tall, handsome, smart, good-natured, and soon in love with Toula -- except for two little things: he's not Greek, and he's a vegetarian, both of which horrify Toula's family. When Ian pops the question (and Toula says yes), the bride-to-be has to negotiate a reasonably peaceful meeting between Ian's upper-class parents and her own working-class extended family. There's also the matter of the wedding, which Toula's mother is planning around the notion that quantity IS quality. My Big Fat Greek Wedding also features Ian Gomez (Vardalos' real-life husband), Louis Mandylor, Andrea Martin, and Joey Fatone (from the pop group *NSYNC). Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson helped produce the film through the auspices of their production company, Playtone. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Beautiful, sultry Jayne Ferre (Julie Du Page) is a ruthless, mob-connected hitwoman who, in the opening scenes, "eliminates" several mobsters by pretending to seduce them before blowing them away. Her greed gets the best of her, however, when she absconds with a metal briefcase containing a million dirty dollars rightfully/wrongfully belonging to her boss, the equally ruthless Frank Bianci (Louis Mandylor). In an effort to escape with the cash she hitches a ride from California to Texas with down-and-out Emily (Erika Eleniak) and her 16-year old son Kerry (Jeremy Lelliott), who is on the run from a small time drug dealer. Meanwhile, a detective (Adam Baldwin) is tracking the trio as a gaggle of Bainco's henchmen close in on their car -- which breaks down, sending Jayne and Emily in different directions in search of Kerry who now has the million bucks. Emily is eventually picked up by a friendly stranger (James Remar), who happens to be in cahoots with Jayne. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide

Jimmy Smits returned to the big screen after a career-reviving stint on the TV series NYPD Blue with this emotional drama about the difficult relationship between a father and his sons. Smits plays Arturo Ortega, a man with lifelong dreams of being a contender in professional boxing. While Arturo had the knowledge, drive, and ambition to be a champ, his career proved short-lived, and, after a brief fling with success, he's a forgotten man. However, Arturo has instilled his passion for boxing in his three sons, who grow up learning the fine art of prizefighting. All three boys begin competing in the ring, with Arturo as their manager and coach, but Johnny (Jon Seda) quickly shows so much promise that other managers and promoters want to take over his contract and put him on the fast track to the championship. Arturo feels betrayed when Johnny wants to work with another manager, while his other two sons resent Johnny for turning his back on his father and wish Arturo had the same belief in their talents in the ring. The debut feature from director Carlos Avila and screenwriter Phil Berger, Price of Glory also features Maria Del Mar, Ron Perlman, Paul Rodriguez, and Clifton Collins Jr.. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Daniel Benzali stars as a scowling pit bull of a car salesman in this comedy directed by Roger Nygard. Bobby (Louis Mandylor) seeks employment at Southside Motors, where Reggie (Benzali) trains his employees to bilk his customers out of as much cash as possible. Things go astray in Reggie's tightly run venture when loan sharks visit to call in some of Bobby's substantial debts. Suckers was screened at the 1999 AFI/L.A. Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

In this suspense drama, a Marine Corps veteran (played by Steven Bauer) finds himself defending a woman's honor one night, which leads to a fight, an accidental death, and two years in prison for the former Leatherneck. After he's released, he happens by chance to meet the same woman, who is now married. It isn't long before finds himself drawn into a dangerous scheme regarding both her spouse and her sister. The supporting cast includes Frankie Thorn, Fred Dryer, and Louis Mandylor. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Following the mysterious deaths of several prominent Mafiosi, an FBI agent teams up with a clever lady detective and they deduce that the killings were the handiwork of a band of maverick cops who were sick of courtroom injustice. Discovering the identity of the vigilante group was easy; now the intrepid duo must risk their lives to prevent the renegades from killing again. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Martial arts movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme made his debut behind the camera as the director of this sweeping action drama. Van Damme stars as Chris Dubois, a clown pickpocket and Fagin-like leader of orphan thieves in 1925 New York City. Kidnapped by gun smugglers and then sold to pirate captain Lord Dobbs (Roger Moore), Chris eventually ends up the property of Khao (Aki Aleong), a master Asian kickboxer. His fighting skills win Chris a chance at a legendary contest, a gladiatorial showdown between champions of the world's many diverse combat styles in a Tibetan lost city. Along for the trip are the avaricious Dobbs, heavyweight boxing champ and fellow competitor Maxie (James Remar), and Carrie (Janet Gunn), a beautiful female reporter. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

After a recruitment scandal, a struggling college football team is forced to turn to a rag-tag group of misfits in this sports comedy. It seems that Texas State University's football team has relied on some rather unorthodox -- and illegal -- methods to gain players, resulting in the disqualification of most of the team's stars. The desperate coach (Hector Elizondo) must rely on the school's actual students, a motley crew of unlikely characters that includes a female place kicker and a quarterback in his thirties. Unexpectedly, however, the coach discovers that the passer still has a heck of an arm, and suddenly the team again has a chance. The expected comic complications and obvious bits of slapstick follow as this band of eccentrics struggles to find a way to victory, resulting in a familiar reprise of a well-worn storyline. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide