American Pie (1999)

American Pie

What is it that attracts us to somebody else? Body language? Pheromones? Location? Lighting? Lots of liquor? It is these and many other things. It is only later that we come to reflect on the merits of what we did. Paul Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) happens to be beside the pool table when Stifler’s Mom (Jennifer Coolidge) comes into the room. He looks at her. She looks at him and asks if he is trying to seduce her. They both then look at the pool table. He is horny teenager and she’s a horny housewife. If doesn’t take rocket science to know what happens next. It seems likely that post-coital reflection is the least of their thoughts.


Director:  Paul Weitz; Chris Weitz
Writer:  Adam Herz
Cast:
Jason Biggs -  Jim Levinstein
Chris Klein -  Chris ‘Oz’ Ostreicher
Thomas Ian Nicholas -  Kevin Myers
Alyson Hannigan -  Michelle Flaherty
Shannon Elizabeth -  Nadia
Tara Reid -  Victoria ‘Vicky’ Lathum
Eddie Kaye Thomas -  Paul Finch
Sean W. Scott -  Steve Stifler
Eugene Levy -  Jim’s Dad
Natasha Lyonne -  Jessica
Mena Suvari -  Heather
Jennifer Coolidge -  Stifler’s Mom
Chris Owen -  Chuck Sherman
Molly Cheek -  Mrs. Levinstein (Jim’s Mom)
Lawrence Pressman -  Coach Marshall
Clyde Kusatsu -  English Teacher









Alchemy (2005)

Alchemy

You’ve got to wonder why smart and sassy women have difficulties in finding the right man with which to spend their life. Maybe it is because they are smart and sassy. Toss in agile wit and good grooming and, sadly, it seems that their options decrease. I’ve known a few and their life seems to focus on their career and their personal life seems to lag. Not for lack of chances though. It seems that the sort of fellow who is in the frame for such a challenge seems to get distracted by short skirts and simpering demeanours. You can see that has been the history for Jane Rosenthal (Nadia Dajani) who has had a fling with both Dr. Troy Rollins (James Barbour) and Malcolm Downey (Tom Cavanaugh). Both let her slip through their fingers. But she may be lucky since Dr. Love is so self-absorbed, he didn’t see what was in front of him and Mal was so wrapped up in his research that he missed his chance. But he has another with Samantha Rose (Sarah Chalke) unless he forgets to look around and see what she is offering.


Director:  Evan Oppenheimer
Writer:  Evan Oppenheimer
Cast:
Thomas Cavanagh -  Mal Downey
Sarah Chalke -  Samantha Rose
James Barbour -  Troy Rollins
Nadia Dajani -  Jane
Anna Belknap -  Marissa
Logan Marshall-Green -  Martin
Illeana Douglas -  KJ
Celeste Holm -  Iris
Erik Palladino -  Groom
Ajay Naidu -  Best Man
Bryan Ayres -  Angry College Student
Tovah Feldshuh -  Associate Editor
Daphne Rubin-Vega -  Editor
Catherine Kellner -  Bride
Marisa Ryan -  Bridesmaid
Zack Abramowitz -  Restaurant Patron









The Aviator (2004)

The Aviator

Some times money can’t get you anything or anyone you want. As much as you’re willing to spend, people still decide that you can’t buy them. Maybe you can rent for awhile though. Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is smitten by Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale) and tries to buy his way into her life. But hers is already a rich one. She is, however, willing to compromise by letting him buy her dinner.


Director:  Martin Scorsese
Writer:  John Logan
Cast:
Leonardo DiCaprio -  Howard Hughes
Cate Blanchett -  Katharine Hepburn
Kate Beckinsale -  Ava Gardner
John C. Reilly -  Noah Dietrich
Alec Baldwin -  Juan Trippe
Alan Alda -  Sen. Ralph Owen Brewster
Ian Holm -  Professor Fitz
Danny Huston -  Jack Frye
Gwen Stefani -  Jean Harlow
Jude Law -  Errol Flynn
Adam Scott -  Johnny Meyer
Matt Ross -  Glenn Odekirk
Kelli Garner -  Faith Domergue
Frances Conroy -  Mrs. Hepburn
Brent Spiner -  Robert Gross
Stanley DeSantis -  Louis B. Mayer









Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

Austin Powers in Goldmember

Sibling rivalry is always present when sons are in the same room. Scott (Seth Green), the irascible son, presents his father with a pair of sharks with laser beams attached to their heads. Overjoyed, Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) professes his love for his son and seats Scott at his right hand, displacing Mini-Me (Verne Troyer), the sycophantic son, who leaves dejected, giving everyone in the room the finger. Mind you, he is evil so it isn’t surprising that he has set one son against another to curry his favour.


Director:  Jay Roach; Troy Miller
Writer:  Mike Myers; Michael McCullers
Cast:
Mike Myers -  Austin Powers/Dr. Evil/Goldmember/Fat Bastard
Beyoncé Knowles -  Foxxy Cleopatra
Seth Green -  Scott Evil
Michael York -  Basil Exposition
Robert Wagner -  Number Two
Mindy Sterling -  Frau Farbissina
Verne Troyer -  Mini Me
Michael Caine -  Nigel Powers
Fred Savage -  Number Three
Diane Mizota -  Fook Mi
Carrie Ann Inaba -  Fook Yu
Nobu Matsuhisa -  Mr. Roboto
Aaron Himelstein -  Young Austin Powers
Josh Zuckerman -  Young Dr. Evil
Eddie Adams -  Young Basil Exposition
Evan Farmer -  Young Number Two









Æon Flux (2005)

Æon Flux

Security versus social freedom. It is struggle as old as society. Do we forego freedoms in the name of security? It sure seems so these days. Or is it more important that we are free to do as we want to ourselves (but not others), thinks as we want (without controlling others), be as we want (without manipulating others)? This is what most democracies strive towards. Usually the two are found teetering on the ends of a fulcrum trying to find a balance whereby society can progress without feeling that their will has been thwarted by others. Æon Flux (Charlize Theron) is a renegade in a some say perfect society that has shifted almost all of the way toward security. She wants to bring down the regime of Trevor Goodchild (Martin Csokas) which rules a city called Bregna where the remaining five million survivors of a world-wide plague reside. She and her partner Sithandra (Sophie Okonedo) are tasked to assassinate Goodchild. But something is amiss and there are deep secrets to be uncovered and other conspiracies to be foiled. It isn’t as simple as she has been taught.


Director:  Karyn Kusama
Writer:  Phil Hay; Matt Manfredi; Peter Chung
Cast:
Charlize Theron -  Aeon Flux
Marton Csokas -  Trevor Goodchild
Jonny Lee Miller -  Oren Goodchild
Sophie Okonedo -  Sithandra
Frances McDormand -  Handler
Pete Postlethwaite -  Keeper
Amelia Warner -  Una Flux
Caroline Chikezie -  Freya
Nikolai Kinski -  Claudius
Paterson Joseph -  Giroux
Yangzom Brauen -  Inari
Aoibheann O’Hara -  Scientist
Thomas Huber -  Scientist
Weijian Liu -  Scientist
Maverick Quek -  Chemist
Ralph Herforth -  Gardener









Are We There Yet? (2005)

Are We There Yet?

Kids always seem to get the benefit of the doubt. Regardless of what they do, a parent always sides with the kids. You’ve got to really want to win them over, despite their tactics, if you want to become part of the family. Nick Persons (Ice Cube) suffers the indignities of puke, strip search, destruction of property, embarrassment and public humiliation, many misdemeanours and a few felonies, rude behaviour and so much more from Lindsey (Aleisha Allen) and Kevin Kingston (Philip Bolden) to get a chance to win over their mom, Suzanne (Nia Long). You gotta wonder whether it is worth it.


Director:  Brian Levant
Writer:  Steven Gary Banks; Claudia Grazioso; J. David Stem; David N. Weiss
Cast:
Ice Cube -  Nick Persons
Nia Long -  Suzanne Kingston
Aleisha Allen -  Lindsey Kingston
Philip Daniel Bolden -  Kevin Kingston
Jay Mohr -  Marty
M.C. Gainey -  Big Al
Tracy Morgan -  Satchel Paige (voice)
Nichelle Nichols -  Miss Mable
Henry Simmons -  Carl
Ray Galletti -  Car Dealer
Viv Leacock -  Nick’s Pal on the Street
Casey Dubois -  Shoplifter
J.B. McEown -  Shoplifter
Kenyan Lewis -  Basketball Player
Daniel Cudmore -  Basketball Player
Timothy Paul Perez -  Basketball Player









Assassin in Blue (2005)

Assassin in Blue

Officer Philip Gammon (Casper Van Dien) is not a sociopath, he’s just a bit eager. He has killed a dozen or so by now. What started out a killing bad guys has branched out to include witnesses, medical examiners, cops and anyone else like Detective Kathryn Shaunessy (Sherilyn Fenn) whom he thinks will stand in the way of those who have appointed him to carry out the quest to purge the city of those who doesn’t share his views to redeem society. A loaded weapon is always dangerous whether it be a gun or a zealot.


Director:  Christopher Miller
Writer:  Stephen Johnston
Cast:
Sherilyn Fenn -  Kathryn Shaunessy
Casper Van Dien -  Officer Philip Gammon
Jerry Kroll -  Gary Hill
Larry Drake -  Captain Taggert
Ted Shackelford -  Donald Hallows
Richard Gleason -  Mike Shaunessy
Sam Scarber -  Williams
Greg McDonald -  McCammon
Joe Ochman -  Bates
Mario Soto -  Sideman
Jordan Roberts -  Christine Gorman
Tom Tarantini -  David Meed
Fatal Instinct -  Johnny Wilson
Jason Peirce -  Miller
Brooke Baumer -  Assitant Coroner
Solomon Loop -  Officer Morley









Absolute Zero (2005)

Absolute Zero

Ahh… the delights of science made stupid. An eclipse brings with it an ice age.


Director:  Robert Lee
Writer:  Sarah Watson
Cast:
Erika Eleniak -  Bryn
Jeff Fahey -  David
Jessica Amlee -  Sophie
Brittney Irvin -  A.J.
Michael Ryan -  Jeff
Fred Ewanuick -  Philip
William MacDonald -  Colonel
Christopher Redman -  Grad Student
Christopher Rosamond -  Weather Tech
Bill Dow -  Dr. Veet
John B. Lowe -  Dr. Aldaron
Matthew Walker -  Hershel
Claire Riley -  Geology
Scott Bellis -  Seismology
Vanesa Tomasino -  Secretary
Paul Jarrett -  Scientist









America’s Sweethearts (2001)

America's Sweethearts

It is always a trial for a non-dog person to visit a home where a dog lives, especially when it is, as Kevin (Macauley Culkin) from Home Alone puts it, a ball-sniffer. Lee Phillips (Billy Crystal) sits down to discuss business with Kiki Harrison (Julia Roberts) and the dog noses in for the kill. Lee wants the dog to buy him dinner and drinks at least while Kiki wonders aloud whether she should interrupt the pair of them.


Director:  Joe Roth
Writer:  Billy Crystal; Peter Tolan
Cast:
Julia Roberts -  Kathleen “Kiki” Harrison
Billy Crystal -  Lee Phillips
Catherine Zeta-Jones -  Gwen Harrison
John Cusack -  Eddie Thomas
Hank Azaria -  Hector Gorgonzolas
Stanley Tucci -  Dave Kingman
Christopher Walken -  Hal Weidmann
Alan Arkin -  Wellness Guide
Seth Green -  Danny Wax
Scot Zeller -  Davis
Larry King -  Himself
Steve Pink -  Limo Driver
Rainn Wilson -  Dave O’Hanlon
Eric Balfour -  Security Guard
Marty Belafsky -  Security Guard
Keri Lynn Pratt -  Leaf Weidmann