Initial Entertainment Group (USA): 6

Blood Diamond (2006) is a political action thriller film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, set in Sierra Leone during the late 1990s civil war. The country is ravaged, with the Revolutionary United Front terrorizing locals and forcing them to mine diamonds to fund their war efforts. Among those enslaved is Solomon Vandy, a Mende fisherman from Shenge who is torn from his family and forced to work under the brutal Captain Poison. One day, while mining along a river, Vandy uncovers a large pink diamond. Poison attempts to steal it, but their operation is interrupted by government troops. Desperate to protect the ...

The American crime thriller film, The Departed (2006), was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. It is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, and also draws inspiration from the Boston Winter Hill Gang. In 1980s Boston, Irish Mob leader Frank Costello takes a liking to a young Colin Sullivan. After many years, Sullivan becomes a spy for the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) and joins their Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Meanwhile, another recruit at the police academy named Billy Costigan is asked by Captain Queenan and ...

The Aviator (2004), a biographical drama directed by Martin Scorsese and written by John Logan, tells the story of young Howard Hughes. In 1913, his mother teaches him to spell ‘quarantine’ while giving him a bath in Houston, warning about a cholera outbreak. Fourteen years later, he begins directing Hell’s Angels and hires Noah Dietrich to manage his business affairs. However, after seeing the success of The Jazz Singer, Hughes becomes determined to make his film as realistic as possible and converts it to a talking movie. While the film is ...

Gangs of New York (2002) is an American historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on Herbert Asbury’s book, The Gangs of New York. Set in the slum of Five Points in 1846, the story follows two rival gangs. The Anglo-Protestant Confederation of American Natives, led by William ‘Bill the Butcher’ Cutting, and the Irish Catholic Dead Rabbits, led by ‘Priest’ Vallon, engage in their final battle for control of the territory. After Bill kills Vallon and declares the Dead Rabbits outlaws, Vallon’s young son witnesses it all and is sent to an orphanage on Blackwell’s ...

Michael Mann’s biographical sports drama film Ali (2001) follows the journey of boxer Cassius Clay Jr. leading up to his first championship match against heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Clay taunts Liston and initially dominates the fight, but midway through he experiences a burning sensation in his eyes, causing him to briefly believe Liston has cheated. With encouragement from trainer/manager Angelo Dundee, Clay regains his vision and ultimately wins the match, becoming the second-youngest heavyweight champion at that time. Along the way, he meets with Malcolm X and is eventually given the name Muhammad Ali ...

Mojave Moon (1996) is an American road movie written by Leonard Glasser and directed by Kevin Dowling. While dining at his favorite restaurant, Al McCord encounters Ellie, a young woman searching for a ride to her mother Julie’s home in the Mojave Desert. Despite the presence of Julie’s volatile boyfriend Boyd, Al finds himself drawn to the free-spirited woman. As they journey through the desert, strange events occur and it falls upon Al to make sense of them. When their car gets a flat tire, Al discovers a body in the trunk – Ellie’s boyfriend ...