Richard Riehle Movies

Megan McDonald's popular series of children's books comes to life on the big screen in this family-friendly adventure that finds mischievous third grader Judy Moody experiencing a summer she'll never forget. School is out, and with the endless possibilities that summer has to offer, Judy (Jordana Beatty) plans to have fun in the sun with her best pals Rocky and Amy. And right after learning that Rocky and Amy will both be leaving town with their families until fall, Judy finds out that her own parents are taking a trip to sunny California without the kids. At first Judy grows depressed at the thought of spending the summer at home with her little brother, Stink (Parris Mosteller), and their friend Frank Pearl, but once their aunt Opal (Heather Graham) arrives, things quickly start to look up. Later, after making a list of dares to spice up their summer at home, Judy and her friends discover you don't have to travel far to find real fun, because every day is an adventure if you want it to be. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director Paul Feig and producer Judd Apatow team up again for this comedy that stars Kristen Wiig as Annie, a romantically unattached failed bakery owner who fears she's losing her BFF, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), the best thing in her life, when Lillian announces she's gotten engaged. Annie's anxieties deepen as Lillian grows close to Helen (Rose Byrne), a wealthy and beautiful new friend who quickly assumes control of planning all the pre-wedding festivities. On top of the main storyline of a female friendship being torn apart, the movie adds a romantic storyline for Annie, who starts the film answering a booty call from the casually cruel yet undeniably handsome Ted (Jon Hamm), but develops a lovely flirtation with an Irish cop named Rhodes (Chris O'Dowd) after he pulls Annie over one night thinking she's driving drunk. As the low-self-esteem Annie sabotages this new possibility for love, she also feels the most important friendship in her life slipping away. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Ron Perlman and Armand Assante headline this thriller about a man who realizes that his worst nightmares are coming true when his hometown is rocked by a series of gruesome murders. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In this prequel to the Pang Brothers' terrifying English-language debut, the eerie backstory of farmer John Rollins plays out in all its bone-chilling glory. Doing what he believes must be done in order to save his family and livelihood, John places an odd scarecrow among his crops and promptly reaps the benefits. The thing is, his luck probably won't last for long. Produced by the celebrated Ghosthouse Pictures (30 Days of Night, Drag Me To Hell) and penned by Todd Farmer (the screenwriter behind the 2009 remake of My Bloody Valentine), this is one hayride best not taken alone. ~ Jonathan Frey, Rovi

A highly unlikely crime helps bring together two brothers in this nostalgic comedy drama. Rocky Plumm (Owen Pearce) is a five-year-old boy growing up in a small Montana town in the mid-'60s. In Rocky's eyes, there's no star bigger or brighter than local kid's show host Happy Herb (Henry Winkler), who appears on TV weekday afternoons with his puppet friend Froggy Doo. When the Froggy Doo puppet is stolen, Happy Herb's show goes off the air until the doll can be found, which only adds to Rocky's unease as his folks (William Baldwin and Lisa Guerrero) struggle to salvage their clearly failing marriage. Rocky's big brother, Elliott (Chris J. Kelly), isn't especially concerned about Happy Herb's problems or the forced hiatus of Rocky's favorite show, but when Haley (Morgan Flynn), a pretty girl with a yen for detective stories, moves in next door, he suggests they join forces to help find Froggy Doo. Before long, the youthful sleuths find themselves crossing paths with a pair of federal agents (Peter Scolari and Rick Overton) and a growing list of suspects as they follow the thief's trail. A Plumm Summer was the first feature film from writer and director Caroline Zelder. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In the tradition of such psychologically-charged sci-fi outings as The Next One (1982) and K-PAX (2001) comes the cerebral science fiction opus The Man From Earth (2007). The story concerns Professor John Oldman, a scientist who summons a group of associates to a cabin one freezing night, and strikes them with a fantastic revelation: he is not a traditional human, but a 14,000 year-old immortal, who has survived centuries of evolution from the Cro-Magnon Era to the present. In the hours to follow, Professor Oldman's earth-shaking assertion about himself challenges the men on spiritual, scientific and historical levels. But the most incredible is yet to come - an even more astonishing truth in which the men's discussions culminate. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

A pregnant woman who lacks the means to properly raise her child convinces her boyfriend to sell the baby on the black market, only to discover that the couple they have selected have a horrifying agenda of their own in this thriller from debut director Paul Holahan. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

One woman's day goes all to pot in this resinous comedy from independent filmmaker Gregg Araki. Jane (Anna Faris) is a college dropout and aspiring actress who suffers from a certain lack of ambition, doubtless reinforced by her fondness for marijuana. One morning, Jane wakes with a busy day ahead of her -- she has a big audition, she has to pay the electric bill on her apartment to prevent the power from being shut off, and she needs to pick up some pot after paying her debt to her dealer -- and decides to take the edge off her anxieties by getting a little stoned. Under the influence, the cupcakes her roommate Steve (Danny Masterson) has made for his friends to enjoy at the weekend's Sci-Fi convention look too good to resist, and she gobbles them down. What Jane doesn't realize until it's too late is that the baked goods were laced with some especially strong marijuana, and what starts as a pleasant buzz turns into a world-class high that refuses to go away. As Jane struggles to make her way through the day, fate keeps throwing her into strange and surreal situations involving police officers, Steve's lovesick best friend, and a rare original manuscript of The Communist Manifesto. Smiley Face also stars Adam Brody, John Krasinski, Jane Lynch, Michael Hitchcock, John Cho and Roscoe Lee Browne. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A handful of college students looking for a good time are thrown into a world of danger in this homage to the slasher film cycle of the 1970s and '80s. Ben (Joel David Moore) has just been given his walking papers by his girlfriend and is deeply depressed. Needing a pick-me-up, Ben and his friend Marcus (Deon Richmond) head to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, and take in a "Haunted Swamp Tour," with master of ceremonies Shawn (Parry Shen) guiding guests through a spooky patch of bayou country. Along the way, Ben and Marcus meet a pair of half-bright exotic dancers, Misty (Mercedes McNab) and Jenna (Joleigh Fioreavanti), as well as Marybeth (Tamara Feldman), a pretty girl who is secretive about her past. As they tour the swamp, Shawn tells his customers about the local legend of Victor Crowley, a deformed man who was taunted by the other children living near the swamp until he was nearly bludgeoned with an axe by his father while trying to open the door of their burning shack. While Ben and Marcus don't think much of the story at first, it doesn't take long before they have serious reason to believe Victor Crowley is still at large -- and is looking to settle some old scores. Hatchet received its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A handful of America's least likely icons set out to reclaim the nation in the wake of a nuclear apocalypse in this ambitious independent satire from filmmakers Kevin Wheatley and Jonny Gillette. In the year 2075, America's major cities are wiped out by nuclear warfare, and the nation's survivors go underground to wait out the fallout. In 2097, the brave souls who are still around return to the surface to establish the New America, led by Tex Kennedy (Kevin Wheatley), the last survivor of the old nation's greatest political dynasty. Accompanied by his android bodyguards Yul (Chandler Parker) and Quincy (Paul Whitty), Tex sets out from what once was California to form an alliance with Benny Remington (Bill English), who was named king of America during America's two decades underground. Benny was crowned by his uncle, famous car salesman and radio commentator Clark Remington (Daniel Baldwin); however, Clark's deranged son, Vincent (Lea Coco), believes that America's throne is rightfully his, and won't let Benny have it without a fight. As Vincent and his right-hand man, Marcellus (Ted Schneider), search for Benny and Tex, the leaders head to Florida to take on Yorick (Alex Reznik), who has established a powerful fortress called "the Threshold of Hell," a violent domain populated by an army of brainwashed minions. Along the way, they encounter a number of strange and fascinating characters, including friendly cannibal girls, monstrous snakes, distant relatives of Fidel Castro, and perhaps the Devil himself. The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell: The History of New America, Part One received its world premiere at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi