Al Weaver Movies
- 2009
- PG13
- Add Me & Orson Welles to Queue
A young student (Zac Efron) finds love in the theater after being cast in a production of Julius Caesar directed by Orson Welles (Christian McKay) in this 1930s-era romance directed by Richard Linklater. Claire Danes co-stars in the CinemaNX production, with adapting duties handled by Holly Gent Palmo and Vincent Palmo Jr. from the Robert Kaplow novel. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zac Efron, Claire Danes, (more)
Set over the course of five 24-hour periods, the television miniseries Five Days follows the case of a young mother (Christine Tremarco) who vanishes under mysterious circumstances while driving her children to visit their grandfather (Edward Woodward). When the children set out in search of their missing mother, they too seem to disappear without a trace. As a high-profile police investigation begins to make headlines across the country, it appears that everyone involved with the case, including the woman's grieving husband (David Oyelowo), has something to hide. Soon it begins to appear that even Detective Barclay (Hugh Bonneville) and Sergeant Foster (Janet McTeer), the two authority figures in charge of the investigation, are operating on some secret agenda. As the missing mother's parents (Penelope Wilton and Patrick Malahide) step up the pressure to solve the case before too much time passes, a stranger named Sarah (Sarah Smart) gradually works her way into the investigation while gradually ingraining herself with the frustrated family. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Bonneville, Janet McTeer, (more)
Writer and director Sofia Coppola puts a new spin on the life and times of one of Europe's most infamous monarchs in this lavish historical drama which fuses a contemporary sensibility with painstaking recreations of the look of the 18th century. Born to Austrian nobility, Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) is only 14 years old when she's pledged to marry Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman), the 15-year-old king of France, in an alliance that has everything to do with politics and nothing to do with love. Sent to France and literally stripped of her former life, Marie weds Louis, but to the consternation of the royal court, he seems either unwilling or unable to consummate the marriage while their advisors clamor for an heir to the throne. Young and more than a bit out of step with the new life that's been thrust upon her, Marie gives herself over to the pleasures of life in Versailles, knowing and caring little of the political intrigue that surrounds her. In time, Marie's trusted older brother, Joseph (Danny Huston), is brought in to coach Louis on the finer points of marital relations, and before long the couple is finally blessed with a child. However, as Marie tends to her children in the gilded cage of her palace and enjoys an affair with a Swedish nobleman, political power plays are throwing France into chaos, and the growing ranks of the poor rebel against the royals and their life of privilege. Also starring Rip Torn, Judy Davis, Steve Coogan, and Asia Argento, Marie Antoinette was given a controversial reception when it premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, (more)
One of the most popular and influential video games ever makes its way to the big screen in this sci-fi thriller. A coalition of Earth's scientific and military interests have established a research colony called Olduvai on the planet Mars, but one day all communication from the outpost stops and no one can tell what has happened -- though the final messages suggest it's not good. Believing foul play may have overtaken Olduvai's crew, the Rapid Response Tactical Squad, a team of specially trained military personnel, are deployed to investigate the situation and, if necessary, eliminate the invaders. But Sarge (Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock) and Reaper (Karl Urban), leaders of the RRTS team, soon discover the situation is far more grim than they could have imagined. An experiment on Olduvai has very literally opened a portal to Hades, and a variety of savage and demonic creatures have overtaken the colony. Now the RRTS must seal off Olduvai, close off any access to Earth, and exterminate the satanic beasts before they can kill again. Doom also stars Rosamund Pike (as Dr. Grimm), Dexter Fletcher, Ben Daniels, and Deobia Oparei. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karl Urban, Rosamund Pike, (more)
