Zoe Lister-Jones
- 2008
Two brothers dutifully working the days away at the family carpet business attempt to assert their independence by going to work for the king of Long Island wedding videographers, only to find their new careers floundering when they are forced to move into a cramped studio apartment. It's been five years, three months, and 26 days since Anthony and Carmine Marconi went to work at their father's carpet store, and now both brothers are beginning to fear that their lives have hit a standstill. When he's not slaving away full-time amidst endless yards of carpet, Anthony is attempting to balance a full load of classes at the local community college. Meanwhile, brother Carmine is hoping to strike it rich by playing the tables in Atlantic City and buying scratch-off cards. One day, during a routine carpet installation, the brothers' fate takes an unexpected turn when they cross paths with Maurice "Mo" Brown -- a fast-talking wedding-video producer with some flashy toys and sexy "secretaries." Though Anthony and Carmine miraculously manage to land positions as Mo's new assistants, their father doesn't take the news too well; he immediately slaps them each with a 500-dollar-a-month boarding fee.
Now, for the first time in their lives, Anthony and Carmine are on their own, and they're working for a certifiable lunatic who calls wedding shots like he's Cecil B. DeMille and flies into an uncontrollable rage at the sight of his alcoholic ex-partner and wife, Sonya -- the in-house wedding photographer. To make matters even worse, Anthony has started an affair with Sonya's assistant and Carmine has just screwed up the audio on the wedding vows. With time running out before Mo catches wind of the latest disaster, Anthony and Carmine will have to work overtime if they hope to keep their jobs and save their necks. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Now, for the first time in their lives, Anthony and Carmine are on their own, and they're working for a certifiable lunatic who calls wedding shots like he's Cecil B. DeMille and flies into an uncontrollable rage at the sight of his alcoholic ex-partner and wife, Sonya -- the in-house wedding photographer. To make matters even worse, Anthony has started an affair with Sonya's assistant and Carmine has just screwed up the audio on the wedding vows. With time running out before Mo catches wind of the latest disaster, Anthony and Carmine will have to work overtime if they hope to keep their jobs and save their necks. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Fogler, Brendan Sexton III, (more)
Two women whose peoples are often at odds find they're more alike than anyone expects in this drama from directors Stefan C. Schaefer and Diane Crespo. Rochel (Zoe Lister-Jones) and Nasira (Francis Benhamou) are two young women who have begun teaching at a public grade school in Brooklyn, NY. Rochel is an Orthodox Jew and Nasira is a Muslim of Pakistani descent, and the students and the administrators at the school are concerned there might be friction between the two teachers. However, over the course of their first year of teaching, Rochel and Nasira discover they have far more in common than they imagined -- both sometimes find themselves culturally out of place in 21st century New York, and both are trying to live within the traditions of their faith while struggling with their own feelings. In particular, Rochel and Nasira bond over the fact both are expected to enter into arranged marriages, Nasira with a wary optimism and Rochel with a great deal of trepidation. Arranged was screened in competition at the 2007 South by Southwest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zoe Lister-Jones, Francis Benhamou, (more)
Three men come face to face with their concerns about war when they're drafted in this independent drama set in the near future. As the United States becomes more deeply mired in wars around the world and the threat of major terrorist attacks looms large, the federal government decides to reinstate conscription, and three friends face conflicting emotions as they wait out their last few days before entering the Army under the new draft. George Rifkin (Chris Klein) is a lawyer who has been helping his wife, Molly (Ginnifer Goodwin), get through her recent cancer treatment; he would prefer to stay home with her as she recovers, but despite his legal know-how he can't find a loophole out of his current dilemma. Aaron Feller (Elijah Wood) is a slight and sensitive writer who doesn't feel physically or emotionally prepared to serve in the military, despite his sense of moral obligation, and he turns to a therapist, Dr. Reynolds (Ally Sheedy), to help him cope. And James Dixon (Jon Bernthal) is a cabbie who feels reasonably strong and confident about his future as a soldier until he meets Patricia (Elizabeth Moss), a college student who challenges his beliefs and assumptions about the war and each man's place in it. Day Zero was the first feature film from veteran editor Bryan Gunnar Cole, and received its world premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elijah Wood, Chris Klein, (more)
