Phedon Papamichael Movies

Judd Apatow's This Is 40 stars Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann star as Pete and Debbie, the same married couple they played in Apatow's Knocked Up. As the movie opens, Debbie is turning 40 but tells everybody she's younger. She runs a small, boutique clothing store that's breaking even financially, while Pete manages a retro-minded indie-music label that's under serious financial strain just as they are trying to launch a new album by Graham Parker. Their money troubles are compounded by Pete's dad Larry (Albert Brooks), who continually hits up his son for cash because he has toddler triplets after an overly successful fertilization treatment with his younger second wife. Debbie has daddy issues as well. Her father (John Lithgow), an emotionally cold, highly successful surgeon, seems to want no part of his daughter's life, even though they meet for lunch occasionally after not talking to each other for a lengthy period of time. All of these people, along with Debbie's trainer, Pete's employees, and salesgirls from Debbie's boutique, arrive at the couple's beautiful home for a birthday party where all the familial wounds are opened. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Alexander Payne's seriocomic The Descendants, an adaptation of the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, stars George Clooney as Matt King, a middle-age Hawaiian who runs a trust responsible for millions of dollars worth of untouched real estate that has been passed down to him and various cousins. He is preparing to sell the area, and make millions for everyone in the trust, when his wife suffers severe head trauma during a boat race. As he attempts to get her affairs in order, he learns that she had been having an affair. With his two daughters in tow, along with his oldest daughter's doofus boyfriend, Matt sets off to confront the man who made him a cuckold. Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, and Robert Forster co-star. The Descendants screened at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

A single girl en route to a family wedding gets swept up in a fight between a rogue government agent and the FBI in this globe-trotting action comedy from director James Mangold (Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma). June Havens (Cameron Diaz) is preparing to board a flight back home for her sister's wedding when she literally bumps into Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) in the middle of a busy airport. A few minutes later, they're making small talk on the plane when June excuses herself to the bathroom, and all hell breaks loose in the fuselage. By the time June emerges Roy has killed everybody on board, including the pilots. After crash-landing the plane in a darkened cornfield, Roy tells June that she should expect a visit from government agents, but warns her that by cooperating with them she risks almost certain death. The following day, Roy's prediction comes true when June is confronted by an imposing gang of government spooks who come under heavy fire while bombarding her with questions about her mysterious traveling companion. Suddenly, Roy is back, and he's once again whisking June away to safety. But what do the agents want, and why do they insist that Roy is the one to be feared, and not them? Before long the girl who never traveled far from home is off on a wild adventure that will take her from the tropics to Austria, France, and Spain. Somewhere amidst all of the confusion and gunfire, June begins to forge a bond with Roy. Unfortunately, it's never quite clear whether her unpredictable protector is one of the good guys or the bad guys, and by the time Roy reveals that he's attempting to protect a valuable new energy source, there's no time for questions. Paul Dano, Viola Davis, Peter Sarsgaard, Maggie Grace, and Marc Blucas co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

When the citizens of a small evangelical town systematically begin committing suicide, a young girl struggling to reconcile her Christian upbringing with her desire to experience the outside world finds her faith put to the ultimate test. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The rousing, true-life story of a single dad who went from living on the streets to owning his own brokerage firm is brought to the big screen by superstar Will Smith, appearing for the first time opposite his real-life son Jaden Smith. Set in early-'80s San Francisco, the film charts the hard times and eventual comeback of Chris Gardner, a suddenly single salesman who has custody of his son, but finds that providing for the two of them is a challenge in the increasingly unstable economic climate. He struggles to work his way from unpaid intern at Dean Witter to something more substantial, even as life continues to offer him setbacks. Making his Hollywood debut, Italian director Gabriele Muccino was championed by Will Smith for the project. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

An aging Hollywood icon whose fear of failure has caused his once-luminous star to smoulder strikes up an unlikely friendship with an acid-tongued checkout clerk while researching his latest role in City of Angels and Moonlight Mile director Brad Silberling's intimate drama. Crippled by his own all-consuming fears, the man who was once Hollywood's hottest icon (Morgan Freeman) is forced to consider a role in a low-budget independent after a series of more lucrative prospects wither away on the vine. When his driver abandons him during a trip to Carson to research his upcoming role, the onetime showbiz supernova strikes up a lively conversation with Scarlet (Paz Vega), an outspoken check-out girl at a Latino community market. Now, stuck on his own, far from Brentwood, the actor must rely upon the kindness of a common stranger to help him get back on his feet. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A man struggles to get a grip on a life that's spinning out of control in this emotional comedy drama. Dave Spritz (Nicolas Cage) is a television weatherman on a high-profile Chicago news program. Professionally, Dave is doing just fine -- he makes great money for a job that demands little effort, and he has a shot at an assignment with a network morning news and chat show. But Dave's personal life leaves a lot to be desired -- his father, respected author Robert Spritzel (Michael Caine), is in failing health, he's divorced from his wife, Noreen (Hope Davis), and his relationship with his children is tenuous at best, especially his overweight daughter, Shelly (Gemmenne de la Pena). If Dave is to land his new job, he'll have to move to New York City, and with his time in Chicago running short, he dedicates himself to trying to salvage his ties with his family before it's too late, though he discovers this is even harder than he imagines. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Ten strangers are brought together during a weather emergency, only to discover a far greater danger awaits them in this suspense-drama. A sudden rainstorm in a remote desert town strands a disparate variety of people at a rundown motel. A convict sentenced to death, Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince), is stuck in transit with his lawyer (Alfred Molina). Ginny and Lou (Clea DuVall and William Lee Scott) are a not-especially-happy pair of young marrieds on their honeymoon. Ed (John Cusack) is a bright and resourceful chauffeur working for actress Caroline Suzanne (Rebecca De Mornay). George York (John C. McGinley) is a concerned husband trying to find help for his wife (Leila Kenzle, who was struck by Caroline's limo. Paris (Amanda Peet) is a prostitute who wants to move on to a better life. And Rhodes (Ray Liotta) is a police detective who has in his custody Robert Maine (Jake Busey), a dangerous and deranged criminal. As the rain pours down and motel manager Larry (John Hawkes) tries to care for his customers, one by one the unexpected guests begin losing their lives at the hands of a murderer. As the body count mounts, the stranded travelers struggle to find out who the killer is; however, they also learn each of them has a secret, and that their arrival at the motel has not been a matter of mere chance. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Frequent television director Brad Silberling directs the romantic drama Moonlight Mile. Set in a Massachusetts town in the early '70s, Joe Nast (Jake Gyllenhaal) is distraught after the death of his fiancée. He moves in with her parents, Ben (Dustin Hoffman) and JoJo (Susan Sarandon), while trying to sort out all of the legal troubles and painful details of the wedding cancellations. While trying to locate the wedding invitations in the mail, Joe meets Bertie (Ellen Pompeo), whose boyfriend has been MIA in Vietnam. Despite his growing relationship with his late fiancée's parents, Joe begins to foster a romance with Bertie. Also starring Dabney Coleman and Holly Hunter. Moonlight Mile is based on Brad Silberling's real-life situation following the murder of his TV-star girlfriend Rebecca Schaeffer. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Studio mogul Joe Roth returns to his roots as a director with this romantic comedy co-written by Billy Crystal and starring Roth's longtime friend Julia Roberts. Crystal stars as Lee, a studio publicist desperately trying to keep several facts secret from reporters during a high-profile motion picture's press junket. Among the developments that Lee is trying to obscure from view: the film's eccentric director (Christopher Walken) has essentially hijacked the $87 million movie and isn't allowing anyone to view it. Also, the film's high-profile, real-life married co-stars Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Eddie Thomas (John Cusack) have acrimoniously split since filming (over Gwen's adulterous affair with Latin lover Hector (Hank Azaria). Lee has led the press to believe that reconciliation is imminent, when in fact Gwen hates Eddie more than ever. Lee's secret weapon in his campaign of misinformation is Gwen's long-abused sister Kiki (Julia Roberts), who works as the pampered star's personal assistant while secretly pining for Eddie, who might just notice Kiki now that she's lost 60 pounds. America's Sweethearts co-stars Alan Arkin, Seth Green, and Stanley Tucci. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

A young woman's passion has a remarkable effect on a Russian village in this comedy-drama with fantasy elements. Sybill (Nino Kuchanidze) is a 14-year-old girl who is sent to a small town in the country to spend the summer with her aunt. Despite her tender age, Sybill is ripe and sexually aware, and while the initial object of her attention is Alexander (Eugenji Sidichin), a widower in his early 40s, she instead pairs up with Mickey (Shalva Iashvili), Alexander's teenage son. Mickey quickly becomes infatuated with Sybill and is more than happy to indulge her fondness for outdoor lovemaking. Between Sybill's carefree, youthful sensuality and the appearance of Emmanuelle at the local movie house, suddenly love and lust are in bloom all over town. Meanwhile, an elderly ship's captain (Pierre Richard) has somehow happened upon the landlocked community and is searching for a body of water where he can re-launch his boat. 27 Missing Kisses (originally produced under the title Summer) was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A young drifter unexpectedly wanders into a maelstrom of bizarre sex and shameful secrets in this drama. With a mere seven dollars to his name, Clay Hewitt (Vince Vaughn) happens upon a ranch run by Delilah Potts (Kate Capshaw), a hard-as-nails widow who inherited a cattle empire from her late husband but needed no advice on how to keep it financially successful. While Delilah has become a success in business, she's had much less luck in love; to satisfy her ravenous sexual appetites, she often calls upon her various ranch hands to spend the night with her -- and they learn that saying no to the boss will only make trouble for them later on. Clay asks Delilah for a job, and she agrees; she also invites him to her bed and is startled when he turns her down. While Clay is cautiously fascinated by Delilah, his heart goes out to Flyboy (Jeremy Davies), Delilah's disturbed and withdrawn son who appears to need a friend to reach out to. Clay becomes involved with Kitty (Ashley Judd), a sweet local girl, and together they try to help Flyboy break out of his shell, only to discover that his problems -- and Delilah's -- run deeper than they ever expected. Also released under the title A Secret Sin, The Locusts marked the feature debut of writer and director John Patrick Kelley. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The great overlooked actress Gena Rowlands was cast in the starring role of Mildred in this film directed by her son, Nick Cassavetes. Rowlands appeared in several of John Cassavetes's remarkable films, notably A Woman Under the Influence. Mildred is a wealthy widow who lives with her daughter Ann Mary Margaret (Moira Kelly), who is constantly angry with her. Ann Mary moves out, and the void in Mildred's life is soon filled when she takes over babysitting J.J. (Jake Lloyd, the future young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace). J.J. is the son of neighbor Monica (Marisa Tomei), who needs someone to watch him because she has taken a job after being abandoned by her abusive husband Frankie (David Sherrill). Mildred becomes J.J.'s surrogate mother, doting on him. One night, Monica takes Mildred to a local bar, where they meet a Canadian trucker named Big Tommy (Gerard Depardieu). Big Tommy turns out to be a sweet guy with a yen for older women, and a romance begins between the two of them. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi