Gene M. Gamache

When an American soldier’s Black Ops Unit is ambushed during a raid to rescue a nano-nuclear device that has fallen into the wrong hands, he must run for his life to not only track down the missing device, but also clear his name when he is accused of aiding the terrorists.

A murder mystery writer misreads the nervous man he bullies in a spooky Hollywood mansion.

Against the backdrop of Reno, talkback radio, casinos, money, religion, crime, and other perversions, Melvin Smarty is a comedic romp about young love and what it takes to achieve happiness - which given the context of the above, is quite a lot.

The film takes a look back at the life of the great Houdini, escape-artist and magician extraordinaire. It also looks into his trying to debunk spiritualists and his silent movie career. It also investigates his promise to return in the afterlife if it is at all possible.

When his girlfriend is kidnapped, a drug-addicted ex-cop must overcome his demons and face the sobering task of tracking her down before it's too late. His story dismissed by the police, he's left with no choice but to rely on his own detective skills in a high-stakes race against time.

It's no surprise that no one ever celebrated Mrs. Buica - her worldly accomplishments were raising a family and surviving a bad marriage. But she did play the hand she was dealt with brutal honesty and fierce humor. We watch her grapple with 24 years of family dysfunction in both Romania and The United States - by the end, we can't help but celebrate the life of Mrs. Buica