In honor of my latest interview with L.A.’s premiere acting coach turned director Michelle Danner (Episodes 81 & 82), I have put together this helpful guide to her films, in case you haven’t seen them yet.
For the last 27 years, Michelle has been one of the industry’s most respected and successful teachers in Los Angeles and has worked with many A-list actors privately and on set including Henry Cavill, Gerard Butler, Abigail Breslin, Zooey Deschanel, Penelope Cruz, Andy Garcia, Salma Hayek, James Franco, Seth Macfarlane, Michelle Rodriguez, Isla Fisher, Luke Wilson, Emily Van Camp, Donald Sutherland, Kyle MacLachlan, Mireille Enos, Taryn Manning, Ryan Phillippe, Chris Rock, Enrique Murciano, Josh Bowman and many others. Throughout the years, she was voted the favorite acting coach by Backstage readers. Now she's a successful director who continues to grow and expand her creative universe, hoping to set an example for her students and peers.
Once you've become familiar with her growing body of work as an independent film director, many of her films are available on streaming services like Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Plex, Tubi, Roku, and Sling TV, to name a few. So, if you want to watch one (or all of them), check Google to see which film can currently be seen on which streaming service. Enjoy!
HOW TO GO OUT ON A DATE IN QUEENS
Feature Film - 2006
Starring Rob Estes, Kimberly Williams, Alison Eastwood, Esau Morales, Ron Perlman and Jason Alexander
Three relationships turn sour during dinner at a popular eatery: A self-proclaimed dating expert persuades his friend, who lost his young wife three years earlier, to go out on a date, which turns out to be disastrous; the restaurant's manager learns that her boyfriend is going to bet their entire savings on the Super Bowl that night instead of proposing to her; and a bookie takes his mistress out for dinner and tells her that he is being targeted by the Russian Mafia.
BAD IMPULSE
Feature Film - 2020
Starring starring Grant Bowler, Sonya Walger, James Landry Hébert, Dan Lauria and Paul Sorvino
In the aftermath of a traumatic event, a suburban husband and father buys a cutting edge home security system, only to find that it slowly destroys that which he most wants to protect.
The film won Best Narrative Feature at the 2019 International Independent Film Awards and the Best Director Award at the 2019 Culver City Film Festival.
HELLO HERMAN
Feature Film - 2012
Starring Norman Reedus, Garrett Backstrom, Martha Higareda, Rob Estes, Sabrina Debler
Set in the not so distant future, in Any Town USA, sixteen year old Herman Howards makes a fateful decision. He enters his suburban school and kills thirty nine students, two teachers, and a police officer. Just before his arrest he emails his idol, famous journalist Lax Morales, sending him clips of the shootings captured with Herman's own digital camera. In the clips Herman tells Lax, "I want to tell my story on your show". Lax, haunted by his own past, is now face to face with Herman. The movie explores why and how a massacre like this can happen in our society, desensitizing in America, youth violence and bullying, the impact the media has on our individual quest for fame, and ultimately our need for connection.
The film premiered at the Hollywood Film Festival and had its international premiere at the Monaco Charity Film Festival where it won the award for social relevance.
THE BANDIT HOUND
Feature Film - 2016
Starring Catherine Bell, Joe Flanging, Judd Nelson, Lou Ferrigno, Paul Sovino, Verne Troyer
“The Bandit Hound” is a funny, heartwarming story about a lovable dog, Bandit, who is trained to pull off bank heists by a pair of robbers. When a heist goes wrong, Bandit escapes and is rescued by a single mom and her son, Owen. As the friendship between young Owen and Bandit grows, the former nefarious trainers suddenly reappear and try to steal Bandit back. What ensues is fun filled adventure and the unbreakable bond of a boy and his dog.
THE RUNNER
Feature Film - 2021
Starring Edouard Philipponnat, Elisabeth Röhm, Cameron Douglas, Eric Balfour, Nadji Jeter, Kerri Medders
After being busted for drug possession, Aiden, a troubled teenager, is forced by the cops to go undercover and risk his life to bring down a dangerous drug king pin.
"The Runner" premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival in March 2021 and screened at the Houston WorldFest as well as internationally at the Ischia Global Film Festival, winning Best Independent Feature Film as well as best Cinematography at the Toronto Independent Film Festival and Best Director at the Vancouver Film Festival, Paris Play Festival, Milan Gold Award, and L'age d'Or International Arthouse Film Festival
MIRANDA’S VICTIM
Feature Film - 2023
Starring Abigail Breslin, Luke Wilson, Kyle MacLachlan, Ryan Phillippe, Mireille Enos, Emily VanCamp, Andy Garcia, and Donald Sutherland
Based on true events, this drama follows eighteen-year-old Trish Weir (Abigail Breslin) who in 1963 was kidnapped and sexually assaulted. After a voluntary confession, her assailant, Ernesto Miranda (Sebastian Quinn), is convicted but the verdict is later overturned by the US Supreme Court since his confession was made without an attorney present. In the resulting retrial, a determined prosecutor (Luke Wilson) seeks to hold Miranda fully accountable notwithstanding defense attorney's (Ryan Phillippe) rigorous defense. What follows is a legal proceeding that will forever change the nation's justice system.
The subsequent trials went all the way to the Supreme Court and led to creation of the Miranda Rights. “Miranda’s Victim” opened the Santa Barbara Film Festival in February 2023.
THE ITALIANS
Feature Film - 2024
Starring Abigail Breslin, Matthew Daddario, David DeLuise, Lainie Kazan, Rob Estes, Perrey Reeves and Olivia Luccard
"The Italians" is a quirky dramedy about family, love, forgiveness and Italian cooking. Deeply touching, the story follows a traditional Italian-American family as they meet their son’s new girlfriend, who is distinctly not Italian. Lily is an atheist, is not sold on having kids anytime soon and doesn’t eat meat. Needless to say, dinner doesn’t end well, but that’s just the beginning of the Russo family’s troubles.
"The Italians" premiered at the Los Angeles Italia Film Festvial on March 4th 2024 – Chinese theater. Next screening is at Cinequest film festival in San Jose on March 9th 2024.
SIGUEME
Short Documentary - 2018
A journey through the life and transition of Marianna Rizo, a Mexican born transgender woman who has come to America to follow her dream. Marianna shares her deepest secrets which is to educate, and entertain.
This insightful documentary premiered at the Cinema At The Edge Film Festival in 2018 and has since been shown in several prominent LGBT and Latin Film Festival all across the US, including Indianapolis LGBT, Tampa Bay Latin, and OutFest Fusion in Los Angeles.
Film Information from IMDB & Wikipedia
To listen to my illuminating conversation with Hollywood film director Michelle Danner (Episodes 81 & 82) on my podcast, click the links below. Enjoy!
Episode 81 - HERE
Episode 82 - HERE
