30 Days 1999  N/R, 87 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Director: Aaron Harnick
Cast: Ben Shenkman, Arija Bareikis, Alexander Chaplin, Bradley White, Thomas McCarthy, Catherine Kellner, Jerry Adler, Barbara Barrie, Arden Myrin, Mark Feuerstein
Four NYC friends (Ben Shenkman, Alexander Chaplin, Bradley White, and Thomas McCarthy) suffer problems with their love lives in this run-of-the-mill romantic comedy.
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Angels in America 2003  TV, 352 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Mike Nichols
Cast: Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Justin Kirk, Ben Shenkman, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeffrey Wright, James Cromwell, Patrick Wilson, Michael Gambon, Simon Callow, Brian Markinson
Set in 1985, this made-for-HBO miniseries revolves around gay men–during the first days of the AIDS crisis in the era of the conservative Reagan administration–and the angels who seem to visit them through hallucinatory dreams.
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Camp Stories 1997 PG, 100 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Herbert Beigel
Cast: Elliott Gould, Jerry Stiller, Paul Sand, Zachary Taylor, Ted Marcoux, Talia Balsam, Susan Vanech, Chris Park, Brett Barsky, Jason Biggs, Andrew Barlow, Ben Shenkman
Against his wishes, David Katz (Zachary Taylor) is sent to summer camp where he rebels in the midst of a power struggle between two counselors, Moishe (Phil Sand) and Chaim (Ted Marcoux). Some funny moments.
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 Jesus' Son 1999  R, 110 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Alison Maclean
Cast: Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Denis Leary, Jack Black, Will Patton, Greg Germann, Holly Hunter, Dennis Hopper, Torben Brooks, Antoinette LaVecchia, Ben Shenkman, Mark Webber, John Ventimiglia, Michael Shannon, Alan Davidson
Based on Denis Johnson's short stories, dark humor and a strong cast contribute to this story about FH (Billy Crudup), a 1970s' junkie who shoots up to attain his dreams. FH's heroin addiction leads to many problems that intensify when he falls in love with Michelle (Samantha Morton) who is also addicted. Michelle becomes pregnant, has an abortion, and leaves for Mexico. Determined to track her down, FH sets off on a trek to Mexico. Along the way, FH meets Mira (Holly Hunter) and becomes involved in an auto accident. This tragedy leads him into rehab where he finds redemption. Presented as a series of episodes in an addict's life, the film tends to romanticize the drug culture.
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 Just Like Heaven 2005  PG-13, 95 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance / Fantasy
Director: Mark Waters
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Donal Logue, Dina Waters, Ben Shenkman, Jon Heder, Ivana Milicevic, Caroline Aaron, Rosalind Chao, Ron Canada, Chris Pflueger, Willie Garson, Gabrielle Made, William Caploe, Billy Beck
Dr. Elizabeth Masterson (Reese Witherspoon) climbs into her car, drives off, and is involved in a head-on crash. She has been in a coma ever since the accident, and David (Mark Ruffalo) has sublet her apartment. But, Elizabeth's spirit has not left the apartment, and she makes appearances to confront David about his sloppy housekeeping. Over time (You guessed it!), criticism turns into romance.
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Must Love Dogs 2005 PG-13, 98 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Gary David Goldberg
Cast: Diane Lane, John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins, Christopher Plummer, Dermot Mulroney, Stockard Channing, Ali Hillis, Brad William Henke, Julie Gonzalo, Ben Shenkman, Jordana Spiro, Glenn Howerton
After enduring bad luck in love, newly divorced Sarah (Diane Lane) is about to give up–until her family and friends get her involved in on-line dating. She finds what could be her perfect man–except for one thing: his requirement that those responding to his add must love dogs. Sarah does NOT love dogs but borrows one and joins Jake (John Cusack) who, coincidentally, has also borrowed a dog for the date, and the fun begins.
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Pi 1997 R, 85 min.
Genre: Sci-Fi
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart, Stephen Pearlman, Samia Shoaib, Ajay Naidu, Kristyn Mae-Anne Lao, Espher Lao Nieves, Joanne Gordon
A mathematic genius, Max Cohen (Sean Gullette), invents a supercomputer named Euclid that aids in understanding secrets of the universe–including complex stock fluctuations. Wall Street sharks are alerted to Euclid's possibilities and attempt to get control of it.
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Requiem for a Dream 2000 N/R, 102 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans, Christopher McDonald, Louise Lasser, Keith David, Sean Gullette, Ben Shenkman
Adapted from Hubert Selby Jr's. 1968 novel set at Brighton Beach, this story centers around four confused people–Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly), and Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans)–who have opted for drugs to achieve happiness. In the process they learn that what they are trying to find for themselves is only an illusion. Ellen Burstyn was nominated for the sixth time as Best Actress.
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 Roger Dodger 2002 R, 104 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Dylan Kidd
Cast: Campbell Scott, Jesse Eisenberg, Isabella Rossellini, Elizabeth Berkley, Jennifer Beals, Ben Shenkman, Mina Badie, Chris Stack, Marina Bacarin, Lisa Emery
Ladies'-man Roger (Campbell Scott) introduces his 16-year-old nephew, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg), to the world of sexual conquests when he takes him to a singles bar. They pick up two women (Jennifer Beals and Elizabeth Berkley) who end up attracted not to cynical Roger but to naive Nick, instead.
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Then She Found Me 2008 R, 100 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: Helen Hunt
Cast: Helen Hunt, Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, Lynn Cohen, Ben Shenkman, John Benjamin Hickey, Salman Rushdie, Daisy Tahan, Tommy Nelson, Robert Lupone, Lillias White, Ben Shenkman, Mark Webber, John Ventimiglia
Thirty-nine-year-old schoolteacher April Epner (Helen Hunt) is suffering a midlife crisis: her husband Ben (Matthew Broderick) has walked out on their marriage, and her mother Trudy (Lynn Cohen) has just passed away. In the midst of her problems, her long-lost birth mother Bernice Graves (Bette Midler) appears on the scene attempting to reconcile with April. In her fragile emotional state, April begins a relationship with the single father (Colin Firth) of one of her students. Events take still another turn when April learns that she is pregnant. The father is Ben, and now he tries to woo her back.
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| 1. 30 Days (1999)
2. Angels in America (2003)
3. Camp Stories (1997)
4. Jesus' Son (1999)
5. Just Like Heaven (2005)
6. Must Love Dogs (2005)
7. Pi (1997)
8. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
9. Roger Dodger (2002)
10. Then She Found Me (2008)
In The News
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