Jodie Markell Movies
- 2008
- PG13
A rebellious socialite defies social conventions for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at true love, only to see her hopes for the future shattered after a priceless diamond vanishes into thin air in this romantic drama adapted from a long-lost Tennessee Williams screenplay. Fisher Willow (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the debutant daughter of a wealthy Memphis plantation owner. She harbors a great distain for the narrow-minded elite who seem to worship the ground her father walks on, and takes great delight in shocking and insulting them whenever the opportunity to do so arises. Shortly after returning from studying overseas, Fisher is swept off her feet by lowly farmhand Jimmy Dobyne (Chris Evans), who works on her father's plantation. His father a hopeless alcoholic and his mother having long since lost her mental capacities, Jimmy seems destined to go nowhere in life until Fisher hires him as her escort for the lavish party season and attempts to pass him off as an upper-class suitor in order to placate her spinster aunt Cornelia (Ann-Margret), who's been placed in charge of the family fortune. When one of Cornelia's priceless diamonds suddenly goes missing, a storm of accusations and betrayals begins to brew, effectively threatening to destroy any hopes that Fisher and Jimmy may have had for a happy future together. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Evans, (more)
Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga star in director George Ratliff's uncomfortable psychological thriller Joshua, as Brad and Abby Cairn, an affluent young stockbroker and his wife, raising children in New York City. Their firstborn, the nine-year-old Joshua (Jacob Kogan) is a frighteningly intelligent child - to such a degree that he thinks and acts decades ahead of his age. Nearly always clad in formal wear and demonstrating limitless brilliance as a pianist - with a marked predilection for "dissonant" classical pieces - Joshua gravitates toward his gay aesthete uncle (Dallas Roberts) as a close friend, but distances himself from his immediate kith - particularly when Abby brings a newborn baby sister home from the hospital and unwisely alienates the young tyke. As the days pass, one at a time, the mood at the house regresses from healthy and happy to strange, unsettled and disorienting; meanwhile, bizarre events transpire. As the baby's whines drive an already strained Abby to the point of a nervous breakdown, Joshua devolves from eccentric to downright sociopathic behavior, discarding all of his toys, disemboweling a stuffed animal, and killing off pets. One at a time, family members also begin to suffer tragic fates - but are they Joshua's fevered and psychotic doings or merely the result of happenstance? ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, (more)
- 2006
Wills have been drawn up for Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloë Sevigny), and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) determining who will get custody of their children if they die. It's supposed to be relatively simple, according to "wife order," but the wives have other ideas. Margene privately asks Barb if she can leave her children to Barb instead of Nicki, while Nicki secretly makes arrangements to have her kids sent to Juniper Creek in the event of her death. When these maneuvers come to light, it naturally increases the tensions between the sister-wives, tensions that are exacerbated by Barb's being named a finalist in the statewide Mother of the Year contest. Bill (Bill Paxton) gets a public accolade of his own when he's invited to join the Salt Lake Leadership League. He sees it as a great opportunity for his business, but others warn him that being involved in such a public organization will increase his risk of exposure. Ernest Holloway (John Ingle) agrees to sell Bill his shares in the UEB, which will give Bill access to a seat on the council. Roman (Harry Dean Stanton) finds out that the two are meeting, and takes swift and brutal action against Ernest. Rhonda (Daveigh Chase) comes from Juniper Creek to stay with the family while she competes in a local drama competition. Sarah (Amanda Seyfried), whom Rhonda horrifyingly describes as her "step-niece and granddaughter-in-law," and Heather (Tina Majorino) spend some time with Rhonda, and are increasingly horrified by the girl's ignorance of the outside world. Ben (Douglas Smith) is overcome by feelings of remorse after having sex with Brynn (Sarah Jones), and begins trying to avoid her. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Nicki (Chloë Sevigny), realizing that something sneaky was going on between Bill (Bill Paxton) and Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), has announced her desire to "bring a new soul" into the family. This enables her to manipulate the wives' schedule according to her menstrual cycle. But she's secretly taking birth control pills. Bill and Barb continue their affair. Barb confesses to Peg (Wendy Phillips), who disapproves. Bill obtains the state file on Roman's (Harry Dean Stanton) shady real-estate ventures. Bill visits Juniper Creek to attend the funeral of Frank's (Bruce Dern) first wife, planning to also meet with Roman. Bill is outraged to learn that Frank refuses to make Lois (Grace Zabriskie) his first wife, as he once promised, because, among other things, he thinks she tried to kill him. Bill tries to persuade Frank to change his mind. He also checks with Joey (Shawn Doyle) to make sure Joey's name won't appear on any of Roman's real-estate deals before going to Roman with a cash offer and a threat to expose him if he doesn't take the money. "God will have a humble people," Roman warns Bill. "Either we can choose to be humble, or we can be compelled." Meanwhile, back in civilization, Nicki creates a scene at Home Plus when she demands the "family discount" while buying a garbage disposal, and Ben (Douglas Smith) chastises Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) for inviting Pam (Audrey Wasilewski) over to watch a DVD. This episode was directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho). ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Since being evicted from Juniper Creek, and then from the motel where they were staying, Joey (Shawn Doyle), Wanda (Melora Walters), Lois (Grace Zabriskie), and Frank (Bruce Dern) and his other three wives have all been staying at the Henrickson's. Bill refuses to let Frank stay in the house, which Wanda says is a good idea because "Bill hates him, he makes Joey crazy, and he doesn't pee in the toilet." What she means is, Frank, having lived with many women for many years, has decided that there's always a woman in the bathroom, and so he prefers to use the sink, wherever he's staying. Bill develops serious problems with his vision, and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) quietly brings him to the ER, where he learns that his overuse of Viagra is having serious side effects. Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) frets about her credit-card debt, and asks Adaleen (Mary Kay Place) to somehow make sure that Roman (Harry Dean Stanton) doesn't tell Bill about her situation. Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) has ended her "affair" with Bill, but she's not too happy about it. She feels even worse when Joey confides to her that he's not sure if he believes in polygamy anymore. "The only way I know what to believe is to listen to my heart," he tells her, "and it says that Wanda's it for me." Lois explains her short hair to Sarah (Amanda Seyfried), telling her that she cut her hair, like the women used to in biblical times, after her daughter, Margaret, drowned in Lake Mead. With everyone gathered in the house for Easter dinner, the scene is set for a dramatic confrontation. More drama occurs when Bill and Joey travel to Juniper Creek, with Bill determined to get Roman off the store's books, and get his family back into their homes. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
A European exile finds herself a stranger in a strange land when she comes to the United States in this independent romantic comedy-drama. As a man ponders what to do with his family's estate after the death of his grandmother, he thinks back to how she first came to America shortly after World War I. Olaf (Tim Guinee) is a Norwegian-American farmer looking for a wife to share his home on the Minnesota prairie, and with eligible women in short supply locally, he sends away for a mail-order bride. Inge Ottenberg (Elizabeth Reaser) soon arrives at Olaf's doorstep, but while she's pretty, smart, and amiable, he's taken aback to discover she's not Norwegian but German, which after several years of anti-German propaganda does not make her popular with her new neighbors. Inge isn't very good with English, making it even harder to keep her background a secret, and the local pastor, Rev. Sorrensen (John Heard), is so outraged at the presence of a presumed Hun he refuses to perform their wedding. But Inge struggles to make friends with her new neighbors, in particular Olaf's best friend, Frandsen (Alan Cumming), a gadget fancier whose wife, Brownie (Alex Kingston), is better with mechanical items than he is. In time, Inge's cheerful nature and love of music begin to make an impression on the community as she shares her favorite tunes on her ever-present gramophone. Sweet Land was the first feature film from writer and director Ali Selim. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Reaser, Tim Guinee, (more)
A down-on-his luck auteur gets one more chance at the big time -- provided his neuroses don't swallow him whole -- in Woody Allen's 33rd feature release, Hollywood Ending. Allen plays Val Waxman, a one-time cinematic genius who's resorted to taking advertisement work to pay the bills for himself and his airhead live-in girlfriend, Lori (Debra Messing). Val finds his luck is about to change, however, when he receives the script for The City Never Sleeps, a period noir set against the backdrop of 1940s New York City. It seems his ex-wife, Ellie (Tea Leoni), now an executive at Galaxy Pictures, has been pulling for him to direct the picture, claiming he's the only man who can do justice to the script. She even manages to convince her boyfriend, Hal (Treat Williams), Galaxy's high-powered studio head, to take a chance on Val's "unique vision." Just when the cameras are ready to roll, however, Val finds that unique vision in jeopardy -- literally -- as he's struck with a psychosomatic case of blindness. When physicians and psychiatrists fail to cure him, Val contrives a scheme to forge ahead with the picture, for fear of blowing his one last chance at greatness. Hollywood Ending co-stars George Hamilton and Mark Rydell. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Allen, Téa Leoni, (more)
- 2000
Stacy Cochran directs this loose, understated comedy about football and celebrity. Pete Barnes (James LeGros) is in desperate straits -- he lost his job as a sports reporter, his married girlfriend has had enough of him, and his muckraking exposé on the seamy side of the NFL has saddled him with a handful of lawsuits. In spite of this, Pete wins an assignment from a loyal editor for a tabloid feature on 19-year old football wunderkind Spanks Voley (Desmond Harrington). When Pete catches up with him, Spanks is playing the lead in a low-budget flick about football; that is until a mysterious assailant rearranges the jock's face, forcing him to drop from the shoot. As Pete starts digging around, he soon learns that Spanks is not what he appears. His murky past is populated with two angry ex-wives; a trail of changed names, ages, and careers; and vague accusations of domestic abuse. This film was screened at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James LeGros, Amber Valletta, (more)
- 1997
Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) are visibly shaken by their latest investigation, centering around the murder of a retired cop. When it turns out that the victim trafficked in illicit sex and murder, the trail leads to a pair of interior decorators who "moonlight" as prostitutes. Once the ball is in the D.A.'s court, McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Ross (Carey Lowell) must again deal with feminist lawyer Lanie Stieglitz (Elaine Stritch). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Todd Haynes presents a revisionist take on the paranoia thriller with this story of a Southern California housewife who suddenly falls victim to an inexplicable, apparently incurable illness. Carol White (Julianne Moore) lives with her husband and son in suburban comfort until she collapses one day, for no apparent reason. Her condition worsens in the weeks that follow, as she suffers from coughing fits, exhaustion, and spontaneous nose bleeds, triggered by sources as disparate as car exhaust, cologne, and the sun. Failing to find any medical explanation for her maladies, her doctor refers her to a psychiatrist, who suggests that her physical ailments are psychosomatic -- a theory echoed by her callous and increasingly frustrated husband. At her wits' end, Carol withdraws to an expensive New Age retreat for sufferers of "20th century disease," where the community's guru (Peter Friedman) champions a dubious regimen of diet, climate control, introspection, and self-love. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julianne Moore, Peter Friedman, (more)
- 1995
In this comedy a married couple discovers that in order to save their marriage, they must first destroy it. The couple lives in New York and both are in their thirties. Art history professor Veronica is losing sleep from worrying about her tepid 13-year marriage to Garr. He too is feeling an itch that he would love his lovely co-worker to scratch. He stays faithful to Veronica until she unjustly accuses him of cheating and throws him out. She finds renewed zest with a handsome student and then a sleep therapist. The couple eventually comes back together after she sees him dancing to a disco song dressed as a woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this sequel to My Girl, Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) is now thirteen and at the crossroads of adolescence, beginning to question her past. Her father Harry (Dan Aykroyd) is now married to Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis) and preoccupied with an expectant child. Vada feels left out and decides to write about her mother -- whom she knows nothing about -- for a school project. Vada wants to travel to Los Angeles during spring break to find out more about her mother by interviewing old friends and acquaintances. Harry is reluctant to let her go but finally agrees when he arranges for her to stay with her Uncle Phil (Richard Masur), who lives in L.A. with his girlfriend Rose (Christine Ebersole) and Rose's son Nick (Austin O'Brien), who happens to be the same age as Vada. Together Vada and Nick travel all over Los Angeles, uncovering revelations about Vada's mother and her past. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Aykroyd, Anna Chlumsky, (more)
Clad in a blonde wig, Joe Pesci stars as the title character, a luckless actor. Unable to make it in the real showbiz world, Jimmy starts fantasizing about fame and fortune. His delusions eventually turn into reality when, through a fluke, Jimmy becomes known to one and all as "Jericho," a Robin Hood-like vigilante. Victoria Abril appears in a supporting role and the film's climax features a number of cameo performances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Pesci, Christian Slater, (more)
Director John Badham's remake of French action thriller La Femme Nikita moves the action to the U.S., where Maggie (Bridget Fonda) is a strung-out Washington, D.C. drug addict who kills a policeman in a pharmaceutical-induced haze. Sentenced to death, Maggie is rescued by a shady operative, Bob (Gabriel Byrne), who offers to save her life if she'll become a covert government assassin. Maggie agrees and trains for a life as a professional killer under a new name, Claudia. Her classes include weaponry, martial arts, explosives, and even social graces under the tutelage of Amanda (Anne Bancroft). Claudia is transformed into a classy sophisticate and is assigned to Venice, California, where she falls for J.P. (Dermot Mulroney), an attractive photographer who lives downstairs. Claudia's highly dangerous job soon interferes when she's ordered to carry out a series of clever assassinations, including a hit in a restaurant and a hotel bombing. When one particular killing goes horribly wrong, she gets some assistance from Victor the Cleaner (Harvey Keitel), a disposal artist who may have also been ordered to get rid of Claudia. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, (more)
Ray (Ken Olin) is a young adult and has a girlfriend whom he lives with quite happily. However, the agreed-upon date of their marriage is coming up, and he's not quite sure he wants to make that kind of commitment. His buddies Dennis, Elliot, and Vinny have their own commitment problems. Dennis (Kevin Bacon) isn't sure he wants to stay away from his buddies long enough to get his music career going in Hollywood; Elliot (John Malkovich) knows that he's homosexual but thinks that being gay means fitting all sorts of ugly stereotypes -- stereotypes he is determined to avoid at all costs; and Vinny (Tony Spiridakis) commits himself all too frequently and often to the nearest desirable female. Meanwhile, cousin Al (Joe Mantegna) is in trouble with his wife, and only the intervention of a well-intentioned psychotic (Jamie Lee Curtis) can put him back on the right track. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Linda Fiorentino, (more)
Written and directed by the ever-unpredictable Jim Jarmusch, Mystery Train is comprised of three short anecdotes involving foreign tourists in Tennessee. Each story is set in a fleabag Memphis hotel which has been redressed as a "tribute" to Elvis Presley. Story #1 involves two Japanese tourists whose devotion to '50s American rock music blinds them to everything around them. Story #2 finds eternal victim Nicoletta Braschi sharing a room with stone-broke Elizabeth Bracco and having her problems solved by a spectral vision of The King. And story #3 offers the further misadventures of Bracco, her no-good boyfriend and her dysfunctional family. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Masatoshi Nagase, Youki Kudoh, (more)
- 1989
- R
Loosely based on the novel by Alberto Moravia, Me and Him concerns an architect (Griffin Dunne) whose penis begins giving him advice on business and love. It urges him to leave his wife and seduce a series of co-workers and acquaintances. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Griffin Dunne, Ellen Greene, (more)
Vampire's Kiss follows the story of yuppie literary agent Peter Loew (Nicolas Cage) as he descends into madness and vampirism. Loew believes he has been bitten by a vampire (Jennifer Beals) and is slowly becoming one himself, despite the contrary opinion of his therapist (Elizabeth Ashley). He then begins to wage a campaign of escalating terror against his secretary and first potential victim, Alva (Maria Conchita Alonso, looking appropriately baffled). Alva begs her parents to let her stay home from work to avoid her unusual boss, but they force her to go on that fateful day, and the plot unfolds. Vampire's Kiss became a cult item on the basis of Cage's outrageous performance: at one point he actually eats a live cockroach. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Maria Conchita Alonso, (more)
