Michael F. Nolin Movies

Michael Nolan wrote and directed this erotic tale of Los Angeles gallery owner Joe (Kristoffer Tabori), who is married to Rita (Jane Kaczmarek) but courts prostitute-dominatrix Wendy (Jennifer Sommerfield). It's a situation which leads Rita to a therapist (Megan Cole), while Joe experiments with bondage and S&M, mainly just to please Wendy. Lou Rawls does a brief bit as a jazz singer, and the film's choreographer, Sara Costa, is seen performing at a New York strip club. Shown at the 1997 Hollywood Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Somewhat based on the life of author Anais Nin, this beautifully photographed erotic outing from director Zalman King (Wild Orchids, 9 1/2 Weeks) tells the story of an aspiring American writer who comes to Paris to hone her craft and ends up exploring the full extent of her sexuality. Initially, Elena's dream was to become a writer of serious literature, but that of course does not happen overnight. In the meantime there are expenses to be met, so when a wealthy and extremely handsome French novelist (whom she has been secretly watching every morning as he rows up and down the Seine) offers her a small fortune to write erotic stories, what can she do but accept the offer? She quickly discovers however, that it's difficult to write of life's sensual pleasures when one has not experienced them and so, sets off to educate herself. Her schooling leads her to a variety of steamy situations and locales with an equally broad assortment of tutors. Though filled with all the bells and whistles expected of such a film, which was originally rated NC-17 but later released on video with a tamer R-rated version, King's film has been widely panned by critics as ostentatious, trite, and worst of all, not nearly as sexy as it tried to be. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

84 Charlie Mopic offers the Vietnam experience as seen through the eyes of a combat photographer (Mopic is slang for the Army Motion Picture Unit). Byron Thames plays a combat cameraman who has already been on two tours of duty; he goes on a third because he is intrigued by a reel of film found on the body of a dead photographer. Thames must answer to green lieutenant Jonathan Emerson and experienced sergeant Richard Brooks. In straight-on, non-judgemental fashion, we are shown the day-to-day struggle to stay alive, meeting the main characters in the natural course of action. As the mission winds down, Thames is compelled to abandon his camera to rescue a fellow soldier; as a result, yet another roll of film returns to headquarters without the photographer. 84 Charlie Mopic isn't about politics or collective guilt; it's about survival. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This entertaining teen comedy is set in the effervescent 1950s and involves the friendship of the introverted, clumsy Jonathan (Doug McKeon) and the nonconformist, extroverted Gene (Chris Nash). Jonathan's main objective is to win over the sexy Marilyn (Kelly Preston), in spite of his shyness, while Gene has his own love-life to maintain with his girlfriend Bunny (Catherine Mary Stewart) -- as well as counseling Jonathan on how to attract women. Gene also has to defend himself against Kenny (D.W. Brown) the class bully while trying to work out a borderline relationship with his widowed father, who has zero tolerance for his often wild escapades. As Jonathan and Gene handle life's challenges, the 1950s emerges as a potent presence on screen in the form of background setting, including movies and music, as well as dress and customs that were popular in that distinctive era. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi