 Assault on Precinct 13 2005  R, 109 min.
Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Director: Jean-Francois Richet
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Maria Bello, Ja Rule, Drea de Matteo, Matt Craven, John Leguizamo, Brian Dennehy, Gabriel Byrne, Aisha Hinds, Fulvio Cecere, Kim Coates, Currie Graham, Peter Bryant, Hugh Dillon
In the midst of a blizzard, four prisoners–Beck (John Leguizamo), Smiley (Ja Rule), Anna (Aisha Hinds), and crime lord Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishburne)–are delivered to Precinct 13 in Detroit on New Year's Eve. A SWAT team is concerned that Bishop will testify against their chief Marcus Duvall (Gabriel Byrne), and the team arrives at the isolated police station plotting to destroy Duvall. Landlines are cut, and cell-phone channels are cut off. Inside the station, in an effort to survive, Sergeant Jake Roenick (Ethan Hawke) and his staff–Jasper O'Shea (Brian Dennehy) and Iris Ferry (Drea de Matteo)–are forced into becoming allies with the prisoners to fight off the assault.
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 Auto Focus 2002  R, 105 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Paul Schrader
Cast: Greg Kinnear, Willem Dafoe, Maria Bello, Rita Wilson, Ron Leibman, Bruce Solomon, Michael E. Rodgers, Kurt Fuller, Christopher Neiman, Lyle Kanouse, Ed Begley Jr., Michael McKean
This story involves the rise and fall of radio/TV star Bob Crane (Greg Kinnear) who gained fame only to take a down-hill journey, which began when he met sleazy, video technician John Carpenter (Willem Dafoe), continues through an addiction to sex, and ends, eventually, with Crane's murder. Carpenter was tried, and acquitted, for the still-unsolved murder.
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China: The Panda Adventure 2001  N/R, 50 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Robert M. Young
Cast: Maria Bello, Xia Yu, Xander Berkeley, Bill Hayes
Based on a true story and told in the book by Ruth Harkness (Maria Bello), Ruth heads to China in 1936 to continue her husband's search for the rare giant Pandas after he died before completing his search. But she must find them before hunter Dakar (Xander Berkeley) who believes the Pandas to be ferocious. Many obstacles stand in her way, and magnificent scenery unfolds before she reaches her goal. Originally an IMAX presentation.
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The Cooler 2003 R, 103 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Wayne Kramer
Cast: William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, Estella Warren, Ron Livingston, Paul Sorvino, Arthur J. Nascarella, Joey Fatone, M.C. Gainey, Ellen Greene, Don Scribner
Down-but-not-quite-out loser Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) works as a "cooler" (his bad luck rubs off on would-be winners) for manager Shelly Kaplow's (Alec Baldwin) Las Vegas casino. The ploy works–until Bernie falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello), and his run of bad luck changes into good. The ensuing turn of events does not bode well with Shelly. Alec Baldwin was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
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 Coyote Ugly 2000  PG-13, 101 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance / Musical
Director: David McNally
Cast: Piper Perabo, Adam Garcia, Maria Bello, Tyra Banks, Melanie Lynskey, John Goodman, Adam Alexi-Malle, Izabella Miko, Bridget Moynahan, Michael Weston, Del Pentecost, LeAnn Rimes, Jeremy Rowley, Ellen Cleghorne, Bud Cort
Violet (Piper Perabo) heads for New York, dreaming of becoming a successful songwriter, and enters a world unknown to her in South Amboy, NJ. She joins up with the Coyotes–Cammie (Izabella Miko) and Rachel (Bridget Moynahan)–and convinces Lil (Maria Bello) to hire her as a waitress at the Manhattan bar, Coyote Ugly. Soon, Violet is bumping and grinding on top of the bar, pouring drinks, and spritzing male customers with seltzer. Get the idea?
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Duets 1999 R, 112 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Bruce Paltrow
Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Maria Bello, Scott Speedman, Andre Braugher, Paul Giamatti, Huey Lewis, Angie Dickinson, Lochlyn Munro, Carol Alexander, Michael Rogers
During a national karaoke championship, scheduled in Omaha, six unhappy people–Suzi (Maria Bello), Reggie (Andre Braugher), Ricky Dean (Huey Lewis), Liv (Gwyneth Paltrow), Todd (Paul Giamatti), and Billy (Scott Speedman)–gain insight into themselves while lip-synching. This does not exactly make a memorable film for Gwyneth's and her director/father Bruce Paltrow's first effort working together.
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 Flicka 2006 PG, 110 min.
Genre: Family / Drama
Director: Michael Mayer
Cast: Tim McGraw, Maria Bello, Alison Lohman, Ryan Kwanten, Daniel Pino, Dallas Roberts, Kaylee DeFer, Jeffrey Nordling, Dey Young, Nick Searcy, Buck Taylor, Wade Williams
On her first day back at her family ranch on summer vacation from boarding school, 16-year-old Katy McLaughlin (Alison Lohman) discovers a wild mustang, names it Flicka, and begins training the horse to prove to her father, Rob (Tim McGraw), that she can handle ranching. But Rob is opposed and sells Flicka to a rodeo–leaving rebellious Katy no choice but to enter the rodeo and earn enough prize money to buy back Flicka.
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A History of Violence 2005 R, 95 min.
Genre: Drama / Action / Thriller
Director: David Cronenberg
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed Harris, Ashton Holmes, Peter MacNeill, Heidi Hayes, Stephen McHattie, Greg Bryk, Gerry Quigley, Aidan Devine, Bill MacDonald, Kyle Schmid, Sumela Kay, Doborah Drakeford
Just an average guy, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) lives in Millbrook, Indiana, where he owns a diner. He is married to a lawyer, Edie (Maria Bello), and they have two children (Ashton Holmes and Heidi Hayes). Life changes for Tom after he stops a robbery at his diner by grabbing one of the criminal's guns and killing both robbers. During the ensuing news coverage, the media thrusts Tom and his family into the spotlight, and a one-eyed thug from Philadelphia, Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), identifies Tom as a killer from 15 years ago and leaves for Millbrook to confront him. The film received two Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor (William Hurt).
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The Jane Austen Book Club 2007 PG-13, 106 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Robin Swicord
Cast: Kathy Baker, Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Hugh Dancy, Lynn Redgrave, Marc Blucas, Kevin Zegers, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Ed Brigadier, Nancy Travis
Best friends–dog-lover Jocelyn (Maria Bello) and newly widowed Sylvia (Amy Brenneman) have just suffered losses in their lives. They form a book club with six-times-married Bernadette (Kathy Baker), high-school teacher Prudie (Emily Blunt), Sylvia's headstrong daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace), and one guy, Grigg (Hugh Dancy), who happens to be a sci-fi fan. The group meets regularly to discuss the works of Jane Austen and, in the process, finds that their own lives parallel those of the characters in the novels.
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The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 2008 PG-13, 113 min.
Genre: Action / Adventure / Fantasy / Thriller
Director: Rob Cohen
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford, Isabella Leong, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Russell Wong, Liam Cunningham, David Calder, Jessey Meng, Tian Liang, Albert Kwan, Jacky Wu
Adventurer Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) are enjoying retirement in England when they are asked to return the fabled jewel, Eye of Shangri-la, to China. They agree, and when they reach China, they encounter their son Alex (Luke Ford) who is now an archaeologist searching for the tomb of the Dragon Emperor Han (Jet Li). Alex finds the tomb and accidentally awakens Emperor Han who sets out to conquer the world. Alex asks his parents for help, and together–along with Evelyn's brother Jonathan (John Hannah) they set out to the Himalayas in search of Shangri-La where Han can make himself immortal by drinking water from the fountain. Now it is up to the O'Connells and the guardian of the fountain, the witch Zi Yuan (Michelle Yeoh), to stop the Emperor from becoming immortal and dominating the world.
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 Payback 1999 R, 102 min.
Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Director: Brian Helgeland
Cast: Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, Maria Bello, David Paymer, Bill Duke, Deborah Kara Unger, William Devane, Kris Kristofferson, James Coburn, Jack Conley, John Glover, William Devane, Lucy Liu, Kwame Amoaku, Mark Alfa
Porter (Mel Gibson) is a professional thief who–after being shot and robbed of $140,000 by his wife, Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger), and his best friend, Val Resnick (Gregg Henry)–vows to take revenge and retrieve his share of the missing money. He sets out after Resnick and his money but, along the way, becomes involved with the syndicate, an Asian gang, and even crooked police officers. Seven years later, a "Director's Cut" by Helgeland was released as "Payback: Straight Up."
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 Permanent Midnight 1998 R, 85 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: David Veloz
Cast: Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Hurley, Janeane Garofalo, Maria Bello, Owen Wilson, Lourdes Benedicto, Fred Willard, Peter Greene, Cheryl Ladd, Charles Fleischer, Jay Paulson, Spencer Garrett, Chauncey Leopardi, Mary Thompson, Connie Nielsen
Based on Jerry Stahl's autobiography, this is the tale of well-paid Hollywood writer Jerry (Ben Stiller) who, while in recovery, tells Kitty (Maria Bello) the story of his problems with drugs. Through flashbacks, Jerry remembers his marriage to a British woman Sandra (Elizabeth Hurley) who is in need of a green card, and her connections land him a job in television where he makes a big salary. But, most of the money goes for drugs, and his life spirals down into the depths of heroin addiction.
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Sam the Man 2000 N/R, 87 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Gary Winick
Cast: Fisher Stevens, Annabella Sciorra, Ron Rifkin, John Slattery, Annika Peterson, Maria Bello, Saverio Guerra, George Plimpton, Griffin Dunne, Alex Porter, Rob Morrow, Luis Guzman
Novelist Sam (Fisher Stevens) has one hit book to his credit but is having trouble coming up with a second one. So, he cheats on his fiancee (Annabella Sciorra), avoids his agent, and looks for ways to pay his rent. When the husband of one of the women he slept with leaves him with cuts and bruises, he reevaluates his life. Too slow for many, but if you like cynicism and deep thinking, this one is for you.
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 Secret Window 2004 PG-13, 102 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: David Koepp
Cast: Johnny Depp, John Turturro, Maria Bello, Timothy Hutton, Charles S. Dutton, Len Cariou, Joan Heney, John Dunn-Hill, Vlasta Vrana, Matt Holland, Gillian Ferrabee, Bronwen Mantel
Out of the blue, John Shooter (John Turturro) appears at the door of about-to-be-divorced writer Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) and accuses him of plagiarism. Rainey tries to prove his innocence, but Shooter appears to be stalking him. And the killings begin.
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Shattered 2007 R, 94 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
aka: Butterfly on a Wheel
Director: Mike Barker
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Maria Bello, Gerard Butler, Claudette Mink, Chris Astoyan, Samantha Ferris, Dustin Milligan, Callum Keith Rennie, Emma Karwandy, Agam Darshi, Aaron Douglas, Jesse Green, Nicholas Lea
Abby and Neil Warner (Maria Bello and Gerard Butler) and their young daughter Sophie (Emma Karwandy) are living ideal lives–until a conniving sociopath Tom Ryan (Pierce Brosnan) kidnaps Sophie. Ryan does not want money; instead, he wants to destroy the Warners' perfect life. Now, for the next 24 hours, Abby and Neil will be the subject of Ryan's mind games as they comply with his demands as the only means to save Sophie's life.
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Silver City 2004  R, 129 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: John Sayles
Cast: Chris Cooper, Michael Murphy, Richard Dreyfuss, Danny Huston, Miguel Ferrer, Ralph Waite, Daryl Hannah, Tim Roth, Billy Zane, Kris Kristofferson, Maria Bello, Thora Birch
In a not very subtle imitation of George W. Bush, Colorado gubernatorial candidate Dickie Pilager (Chris Cooper) reels in a corpse from the lake during the taping of a political ad to roll back pollution controls. His manager, Chuck Raven (Richard Dreyfuss), promptly hires investigator Danny O'Brien (Kris Kristofferson) to look for links between the corpse and political enemies, which results in the discovery of corruption emanating from the Pilager family. 2 User Reviews
| User Reviews |
| | Joanna 10/18/2009 | | Wonderfully droll look at a clueless or is it a ruthless political family. Chris Cooper is a delight to watch. Great fun! |
| | fair | suzette 02/21/2007 | | fair show better if billy zane got girl |
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The Sisters 2006 R, 113 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Arthur Allan Seidelman
Cast: Maria Bello, Mary Stuart Masterson, Erika Christensen, Tony Goldwyn, Elizabeth Banks, Rip Torn, Chris O'Donnell, Eric McCormack, Steven Culp, Alessandro Nivola, Greg Foote, Ed Ragozzino
This take-off on Anton Chekov's "The Three Sisters," is updated and now set in the United States where sisters Marcia and Olga (Maria Bello and Mary Stuart Masterson) are planning a surprise for their sister Irene's (Erika Christensen) birthday. The party takes place, but it leads to the siblings' struggle with suppressed memories as they try to overcome their father's death and come to an honest understanding of their relationships with each other.
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 Thank You for Smoking 2006 R, 92 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Cameron Bright, Adam Brody, Sam Elliott, Katie Holmes, David Koechner, William H. Macy, Rob Lowe, J.K. Simmons, Robert Duvall, Kim Dickens, Todd Louiso
In this satire, Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is a spokesperson for Big Tobacco whose lobbying for smoking rights in public conflicts with his efforts to be a role model at home for his 12-year-old son, Joey (Cameron Bright).
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 World Trade Center 2006 PG-13, 128 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Oliver Stone
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maria Bello, Jay Hernandez, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Armando Riesco, Connor Paolo, Patti D'Arbanville, Brad William Henke, Lucia Brawley, Jon Bernthal, Frank Whaley, Donna Murphy
This story of courage and survival relates events during the rescue mission following the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Port Authority Police Department officers responded to the emergency and went into the building to rescue survivors. While they were inside, the tower collapsed, leaving only Will Jimeno (Michael Pena) and John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) alive in the rubble. For 12 hours, while awaiting their own rescue, Will and John talk about their lives and dreams while their wives (Maggie Gyllenhaal and Maria Bello) and families wait for news.
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| 1. Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)
2. Auto Focus (2002)
3. China: The Panda Adventure (2001)
4. The Cooler (2003)
5. Coyote Ugly (2000)
6. Duets (1999)
7. Flicka (2006)
8. A History of Violence (2005)
9. The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)
10. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
11. Payback (1999)
12. Permanent Midnight (1998)
13. Sam the Man (2000)
14. Secret Window (2004)
15. Shattered (2007)
aka: Butterfly on a Wheel
16. Silver City (2004)
17. The Sisters (2006)
18. Thank You for Smoking (2006)
19. World Trade Center (2006)
In The News
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