Actress Angelina Jolie (1975)

The Fever (2004), a psychological drama produced by HBO Films and directed by Carlo Gabriel Nero, is based on the 1990 play of the same name by Nero and actor Wallace Shawn. The film centers on an unnamed urban sophisticate who experiences an existential crisis upon realizing the nature of world politics, economic exploitation, and shallow consumerism in her surroundings. In search for deeper understanding, she embarks on a journey to an unnamed third world country, which serves as an exotic location somewhere in Eastern ...

The science fiction action-adventure film, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), marked Kerry Conran’s directorial debut. Set in a technologically advanced 1939, the zeppelin Hindenburg III docks atop the Empire State Building. On board is Dr. Jorge Vargas, who arranges for a package containing two vials to be delivered to another scientist, Dr. Walter Jennings. However, after delivering the package, Dr. Vargas disappears. Meanwhile, reporter Polly Perkins from The Chronicle is investigating the disappearances of not only Dr. Vargas but also five other renowned scientists. A mysterious message leads her to ...

Shark Tale (2004) is an amusing animated film created by DreamWorks Animation Productions for DreamWorks Pictures. In the Southside Reef resides Oscar, a bluestreak cleaner wrasse who longed to work at the Whale Wash like his late father Earl, despite being teased by his peers. Oscar dreams of fame and fortune but finds himself owing money to his boss, Sykes, who owns the Whale Wash and happens to be a pufferfish. Luckily, his best friend Angie offers him a pearl from her grandmother as collateral to settle his debt. At the same time, Don Lino, head of a shark mob consisting of orcas, sailfish, and octopuses (among others), is displeased with his son Lenny’s ...

The epic historical drama film Alexander (2004) is based on the life of the ancient Macedonian general and king, Alexander the Great. Narrated by Ptolemy I Soter, basileus and pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt, the story follows Alexander’s journey starting from his childhood with his mother Olympias and mentor Aristotle. As he grows up, Alexander becomes interested in love, honor, music, exploration, poetry and military combat. However, his relationship with his father Philip II of Macedon takes a negative turn when Philip marries Eurydice, niece of Attalus who Alexander has disowned. This conflict leads to Alexander’s banishment from the palace. After Philip is ...

Taking Lives (2004) is an American psychological thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso. In the early 1980s, teenagers Martin Asher and Matt Soulsby meet on a bus to Mont-Laurier, Quebec. The vehicle breaks down, so they obtain a car, which later gets a flat tire. As Matt fixes the tire, Martin notices their similar height and shoves him into the path of an oncoming truck, causing the death of both Matt and the driver. Martin then takes Matt’s guitar and clothes and continues on foot, imitating his singing voice. Twenty years pass and FBI profiler Illeana Scott is called in by Inspector Leclair to assist Montreal ...

Beyond Borders (2003) is an American romantic-drama film directed by Martin Campbell, following the story of aid workers. During a fund-raising gala, Sarah Jordan, a married American socialite residing in England, witnesses an impassioned speech given by Dr. Nick Callahan – a rebel humanitarian. His plea for the impoverished children under his care has a profound impact on Sarah’s life. She becomes captivated by Nick and his cause, leading her to leave her job at an art gallery and comfortable life in England to assist him at the refugee camps. Her journey takes her to Ethiopia, where she arrives with ...

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003), an action adventure film directed by Jan de Bont and based on the popular video game series, takes place on Santorini island in Greece. A powerful earthquake reveals the Luna Temple, originally constructed by Alexander the Great to house his most treasured possessions. One of these treasures is a luminous orb adorned with a cryptic pattern. While treasure-hunting archaeologist Lara Croft and her team uncover this orb, they are ambushed by Chen and Xien Lo, leaders of the Chinese crime syndicate Shay Ling. Despite their efforts, Lara manages to evade capture with an ...

Life or Something Like It (2002) is an American romantic comedy-drama film by director Stephen Herek. Lanie Kerrigan, a successful reporter for a Seattle television station, conducts an interview with self-proclaimed prophet, Jack, in hopes of proving his football score predictions to be true. However, Prophet Jack not only accurately predicts the football score and the next day’s hailstorm, but also foresees Lanie’s death in just seven days. As her fears escalate with the fulfillment of Jack’s first two prophecies, Lanie once again meets with him to test his abilities further. This time, Jack predicts ...

Original Sin (2001), an American erotic romantic thriller, stars Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie. Based on the novel Waltz into Darkness by Cornell Woolrich, it is a remake of the 1969 François Truffaut film Mississippi Mermaid. The story takes place in late 19th century Cuba during Spanish rule, and alternates between scenes of a woman confessing her past to a priest as she awaits execution and the events leading up to her impending fate. Luis Vargas, a ...

The action adventure film, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), is based on the popular video game series of the same name. The film follows adventurer Lara Croft, played by Angelina Jolie, as she faces challenges and defeats a robot in an Egyptian tomb. This turns out to be a training exercise in her family manor, where she lives with her technical assistant Bryce and butler Hillary. As the Illuminati search for a key to join halves of a mysterious artifact known as ‘the Triangle’, Lara finds herself in Venice during the first phase of a planetary alignment. The cabal’s leader, Manfred Powell, claims to ...

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000) is an American action heist film directed by Dominic Sena and written by Scott Rosenberg. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it is a loose remake of the 1974 H.B. Halicki film of the same name. Car thief Kip Raines and his gang are hired by British gangster Raymond Calitri in Long Beach, California, to steal 50 high-end cars. However, their plan goes awry when Kip unknowingly leads the police to their warehouse after taking a Porsche 996 from a showroom. ...

Girl, Interrupted (1999) is a biographical psychological drama film, written and directed by James Mangold. In the year 1967, in New England, an aimless 18-year-old named Susanna Kaysen experiences a nervous breakdown and takes an overdose of aspirin and alcohol. Despite her protests, she is admitted into Claymoore, a local psychiatric hospital. During her stay in the ward, Susanna forms bonds with other patients such as Polly ‘Torch’ Clark, who has schizophrenia; Cynthia Crowley; Daisy Randone, who engages in self-harm and struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder; Georgina Tuskin, a compulsive liar and ...

Pushing Tin (1999), directed by Mike Newell, tells the story of Nick ‘The Zone’ Falzone and his colleagues at the New York TRACON. These air traffic controllers are known for their remarkable ability to handle the immense pressure of controlling one of the busiest airspaces in the country. In fact, they boast about the 50% drop-out rate among new staff who can’t cope with the stress. However, their dynamic is disrupted when Russell Bell, a quiet and confident veteran from Western US TRACONs, joins their team. Russell’s unorthodox and risky methods quickly prove him to be a highly capable ...

The Bone Collector (1999), a crime thriller, was helmed by director Phillip Noyce. Set in New York City the year prior, the protagonist Lincoln Rhyme is left paralyzed from the neck down following an accident. While on patrol duty, Amelia Donaghy uncovers a mutilated body at an old Civil War-era railroad site. With Rhyme confined to his bed, he guides her through the investigation via video and audio feeds from her patrol car. Upon finding evidence that suggests foul play, Rhyme enlists Amelia’s help despite her initial hesitation. The killer poses as a taxi driver and kidnaps a married couple before our ...

Playing by Heart (1998) is a comedic-drama film that follows the lives of various characters in Los Angeles. These include an older couple renewing their wedding vows, a theatre director and architect starting anew, a young woman seeking excitement, a gay man with AIDS and his distant mother, an unfaithful couple trying to reignite their marriage, and the husband exploring ways to overcome its dullness. As the plot unfolds, the audience discovers the interconnectedness between these seemingly unrelated individuals. Unhappily wedded Hugh frequently pursues women using a variety of falsehoods: claiming he caused the death of his wife and child in a car accident; stating ...

Hell’s Kitchen (1998) is a film written and directed by Tony Cinciripini. Its plot revolves around a robbery gone wrong, resulting in the accidental death of one of the robbers. The culprit, Johnny, is sentenced to five years in prison. His former girlfriend, Gloria blames him for her brother’s death and upon his release, she urges her new boyfriend to seek revenge. However, the new boyfriend knows that Johnny was not at fault and cannot bring himself to harm him. In the meantime, Johnny turns his life around by pursuing boxing and receiving training from a former heavyweight contender.

Gia (1998), an American biographical drama television film, follows the story of Gia Carangi, one of the first supermodels. A Philadelphia native, Gia moves to New York City in pursuit of her dream to become a fashion model. Upon her arrival, she catches the eye of influential agent Wilhelmina Cooper. With her striking demeanor and stunning looks, Gia quickly becomes a prominent figure in the modeling world. However, despite her success, she struggles with feelings of isolation, exacerbated by the loss of Wilhelmina. This leads her down a destructive path as she turns to drugs like cocaine and heroin to cope. Gia finds herself ...

Playing God (1997) is an American dramatic crime thriller directed by Andy Wilson and written by Mark Haskell Smith. The protagonist, Eugene Sands, loses his medical license due to operating while under the influence of amphetamines and opiates. He gets entangled with a crime boss named Raymond Blossom after saving a stranger’s life in a bar with an emergency procedure to inflate their collapsed lung. Blossom hires Sands as his private doctor, tending to his associates when they cannot seek medical attention elsewhere, as well as providing care for the crime lord ...

The television film, George Wallace (1997), was brought to life by the talented producer and director, John Frankenheimer. It delves into the intricate political journey of a man who undergoes a significant transformation. Starting off as a typical judge in the south, Wallace maneuvers his way to political prominence and gains notoriety as one of the most despised figures in American politics. However, his world is turned upside down when an assassination attempt leaves him incapacitated and forces him to confront his actions. The film chronicles Wallace’s journey, starting from ...

The American Western CBS TV miniseries, True Women (1997), is based on a 1993 novel by Janice Woods Windle and directed by Karen Arthur. It follows the story of sisters Euphemia Texas Ashby and Sara McClure. Euphemia returns home from picking flowers to find that Sam Houston is visiting. As Santa Anna approaches, they are forced to flee east in the Runaway Scrape. Sara suffers a miscarriage and her son Little Johnnie dies in Euphemia’s arms while attempting to cross a river. Along the way, many other Texans, both ...