David Zelon Movies

An outsider teen acclimating to a new school finds a home in a reclusive teenaged fight club in this drama from Cry_Wolf director Jeff Wadlow. Jake Tyler (Sean Faris) has just moved with his family to Orlando, FL. While Jake isn't exactly comfortable being the new kid in town, his younger brother, Charlie (Wyatt Smith), is an aspiring professional tennis star who might just have what it takes to break big. But Charlie isn't the only talented athlete in the family, because Jake used to be something of a hotshot on the gridiron -- at least back home. Here in Orlando, Jake is considered something of a hothead thanks to his penchant for brawling. In an attempt to better fit in with his new classmates, Jake accepts flirtatious classmate Baja's (Amber Heard) invitation to a raucous party. There, the short-fused newcomer is lured into a fight and badly beaten by local bully Ryan McCarthy (Cam Gigandet). But a beam of hope shines through the humiliation when a classmate who sees potential in the defeated fighter informs Jake of a local MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) program run by Jean Roqua (Djimon Hounsou). Despite Jake's preconceived notions regarding MMA, he quickly discovers that it's not just another form of street fighting but a rich new art form that he longs to master. As Roqua takes Jake under his tutelage, it soon becomes apparent that in order to become a true MMA champion, Jake will have to learn patience, discipline, willingness, and reason. This isn't just a quest for revenge, but an opportunity for Jake to finally find out what kind of man he truly is. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Greed turns an idyllic vacation into a nightmare in this action drama. Jared Cole (Paul Walker) makes his living salvaging wreckage from ships off the coast of the Bahamas. He shares a rattle-trap trailer home with his girlfriend, Samantha "Sam" Nicholson (Jessica Alba), a shark expert who works at a nearby resort. While both are happy with their lives in the islands, Jared dreams of finding a major score and living the high life. One day, Jared and Sam are paid a visit by Bryce Dunn (Scott Caan), a childhood friend of Sam's who is now doing very well as a lawyer. Bryce and his girlfriend, Amanda (Ashley Scott), have come to the Bahamas for a few days of diving and fun, and Sam and Jared show them the waters while making use of his yacht. While diving with Sam, Bryce, and Amanda, Jared discovers the wreckage of a plane used to smuggle drugs, and thinks he may have found the big score he's always dreamed of. While Sam persuades Jared that the cargo is too risky to move, Bryce and Amanda think there's a fast buck to be made, and team up with Primo (Tyson Beckford), a local underground entrepreneur, to fence the contents of the plane. However, Bryce and Amanda have underestimated just how dangerous Primo and his henchmen can be, and now Sam and Jared must come to their rescue. Into the Blue was directed by John Stockwell, who previously took filmgoers to the seashore with the surfing drama Blue Crush. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Three generations of method acting giants unite for this crime thriller written by Kario Salem and directed by Frank Oz. Robert De Niro stars as Nick Wells, an aging thief whose specialty is safecracking and who is on the verge of retiring to a life of ease, running his jazz club and romancing his girlfriend Diane (Angela Bassett). But before he can ride off into the sunset, Nick is pressured to do one last job by his mentor and business partner, a flamboyant and extravagant upscale fence named Max (Marlon Brando). Max is plotting the heist of the Montreal Customs House, and he's got a man on the inside, Jackie Teller (Edward Norton), a talented but volatile crook who has managed to ingratiate himself with the facility's staff as a fellow employee suffering from cerebral palsy. Jackie bristles at Nick's interference in "his" score, however, and threatens violence when it seems he's going to be cut out of the action. In the meantime, Nick grows increasingly ill at ease about the operation, as it violates his two most important dictums in thievery: always work alone and never pull a job in your own city. The part of Max in The Score was written specifically for Brando by screenwriter Salem, although the improvisational star and his director Oz reportedly clashed during filming. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide