Actress Charlize Theron (1975)

The Yards (2000), a film directed and written by James Gray and Matt Reeves respectively, follows Leo Handler as he celebrates his release from prison at his mother Val’s house in Queens, New York. At the surprise party, Leo reconnects with Willie Gutierrez, who thanks him for taking the fall for their group of friends. In need of employment to support his mother’s medical condition, Leo considers working for Erica Soltz’s stepfather, Frank Olchin, at the Electric Rail Corporation in Maspeth. During a meeting with Frank the next day, he offers to fund ...

Reindeer Games (2000) is an American action thriller directed by John Frankenheimer in his final feature directorial outing before his passing in 2002. In a prison near Iron Mountain, Michigan, cellmates Nick Cassidy and Rudy Duncan are just two days away from their release. Nick has been corresponding with a woman named Ashley Mercer, whom he plans to meet once he is free. On the other hand, Rudy wants to reunite with his family in Sidnaw for Christmas. A fight breaks out in the prison, resulting in Nick’s supposed death while protecting Rudy. After being released, Rudy poses as Nick and meets Ashley. They go to ...

The American sports film, The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), tells the story of Hardy Greaves, a senior who has experienced his fair share of health issues while playing golf. His late wife used to question why he continued to play ‘a game that seems destined to kill’ him. Despite this, Greaves shares his love for the sport by recounting his childhood hero: Rannulph Junuh. Junuh is the beloved son of Savannah, Georgia, known as a talented golfer from a privileged background. Alongside his stunning girlfriend Adele Invergordon, they appear to have the perfect life. However, after experiencing the horrors of World War I and losing his entire company in ...

Men of Honor (2000) is an American drama film directed by George Tillman Jr. In the movie, Carl Brashear leaves his life as a sharecropper in Kentucky behind to join the United States Navy in 1949. Prior to leaving, he made a promise to his father that he would never give up and would fight for what he wants. Carl serves on the USS Hoist as part of the crew, working in the galley. During his time on the ship, he witnesses Master Chief Petty Officer Leslie William ‘Billy’ Sunday’s courageous actions as he rescues a diver who had fallen overboard without an air line. Unfortunately, Sunday suffers from an ...

The film adaptation of John Irving’s 1985 novel, The Cider House Rules (1999), was directed by Lasse Hallström and follows the life of Homer Wells at St. Cloud’s orphanage in Maine. Under the guidance of Dr. Wilbur Larch, a kindly father figure, Homer grows up surrounded by love and respect. Despite being returned to St. Cloud’s twice by foster parents, who either found him too quiet or mistreated him, Homer finds solace in his extended family at the orphanage. With older children like Buster looking after the younger ones, including Fuzzy Stone who was ...

The American science fiction thriller film, The Astronaut’s Wife (1999), marked Rand Ravich’s feature directorial debut. Spencer Armacost, a NASA astronaut, and his wife Jillian, a second-grade teacher, faced a terrifying situation when an explosion on their mission caused a loss of communication with the command center. After a safe landing, both spouses visit them in the hospital where they are unconscious until they recover. While Armacost wakes up without any issues, Streck requires an emergency electrical cardioversion. However, neither of them discusses the in-flight incident. Subsequently, Armacost ...

Based on the 1949 film of the same name, Mighty Joe Young (1998) is a grandiose movie. The plot revolves around a colossal mountain gorilla, Joe, who is taken to a wildlife reserve in Los Angeles by his young caretaker and a zoologist, for his safety against poachers. The film was expertly directed by Ron Underwood. During her childhood, Jill Young and her mother Ruth, who is a primatologist, conduct research on mountain gorillas in the Pangani Mountains of Central Africa. One day, while observing an infant gorilla and its mother, Jill names him Joe. However, their peaceful life is disturbed when poachers led by Andrei ...

Celebrity (1998), an American comedy-drama film by Woody Allen, follows the story of a divorced couple who take different paths in life. Lee Simon, an unsuccessful novelist who turns to travel writing after his midlife crisis and split from his insecure ex-wife, Robin, a former English teacher of sixteen years. As he navigates the world of celebrity journalism, Lee’s search for purpose is hindered by his constant pursuit of fame and struggles with insecurities and neuroses, causing him to miss out on multiple opportunities. As she moves forward, Robin sheds her numerous neuroses ...

Trial and Error (1997), an American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, follows the story of Charlie Tuttle. Recently promoted to partner at the prestigious law firm Whitfield and Morris, he is tasked by his boss and future father-in-law with requesting a continuance for a cousin-in-law’s mail fraud case in Paradise Bluff, Nevada. Despite conflicting with his upcoming bachelor party, Charlie makes the journey from California. To his surprise, he is met by his best man, actor Richard Rietti, who is determined to ensure a memorable pre-wedding celebration. However, things take an unexpected turn when Charlie gets ...

The American supernatural horror film, The Devil’s Advocate (1997), tells the story of Kevin Lomax, a successful defense attorney from Gainesville, Florida. He has built a reputation for never losing a case. During one particularly challenging case defending Lloyd Gettys, who is accused of child molestation, Kevin discovers his client’s guilt. Despite this realization, he continues to mount a fierce defense and ultimately secures a ‘not guilty’ verdict by discrediting the victim through aggressive questioning. This impressive display catches the attention of a New York City law firm, who invites Kevin to assist with jury selection. After ...

2 Days in the Valley (1996) is a darkly humorous American film by writer-director John Herzfeld. Two hired killers, Lee Woods and Dosmo Pizzo, enter a bedroom and find a sleeping couple: Olympic athlete Becky Foxx and her ex-husband Roy Foxx. After injecting Becky with a tranquilizer, Lee shoots Roy and the two men flee to an empty spot near Mulholland Drive. There, Lee stages Dosmo’s death by shooting him and blowing up their car. With his girlfriend Helga Svelgen in tow, Lee runs from the scene while Dosmo miraculously survives thanks to his bulletproof vest. Seeking refuge at the opulent home of affluent art ...

That Thing You Do! (1996) is an American musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Tom Hanks, making his debut as a feature writer and director. Set in 1964, the story follows Guy Patterson, a budding jazz drummer from Erie, Pennsylvania who works at his family’s appliance store. One day, his friends Jimmy and Lenny ask him to fill in for their regular drummer Chad, who broke his arm, at a talent show where they plan to perform a song Jimmy wrote. The trio practices the slow-tempo ballad ‘That Thing You Do!’ in Jimmy’s garage. In need of a band name, Jimmy’s girlfriend Faye suggests ...