David Thompson Movies
Paul Giamatti headlines writer/director Tom McCarthy's comedy drama centering on a beleaguered attorney and part-time wrestling coach who schemes to keep his practice from going under by acting as the legal caretaker of an elderly client. Mike Flaherty (Giamatti) thinks he has discovered the perfect loophole to keep his practice in business. But his brilliant plan hits an unexpected hitch when his client's troubled grandson shows up looking for a place to stay. With his home life in turmoil and both of his careers in jeopardy, Mike quickly realizes that he'll have to get creative in order to find a way out of his current predicament. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, (more)
Pineapple Express co-stars Danny McBride and James Franco reunite for director David Gordon Green's fantasy comedy Your Highness, which sends up such beloved '80s gems as Krull and The Sword and the Sorcerer. Thadeous (McBride) has always stood in the shadow of his older brother, Fabious (Franco), a fearless knight who never met a Minotaur he couldn't slay or a warlord he couldn't defeat. Meanwhile, as Fabious embarked on incredible adventures and returned home to lavish celebrations, Thadeous puffed on wizard's weed, and spent his nights in the company of loose maidens. But Thadeous' life of luxury comes to an abrupt end when powerful wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux) shows up and abducts Fabious' beautiful fiancée, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel). Now threatened with being cut off from the family fortune by his father, the king (Charles Dance), Thadeous reluctantly agrees to join Fabious on a treacherous quest to rescue the fair maiden, and defeat Leezar once and for all. Their voyage to rescue Belladonna will be marked by incredible adventure and unprecedented danger, but together with the help of a fearless warrior named Isabel (Natalie Portman) the two brothers will battle mythical beasts and villainous knights. Meanwhile, as Isabel carries out a clandestine agenda that could place them all in greater danger than they ever imagined, Thadeous struggles to summon his inner warrior and help his noble brother prevent Leezar from using his powers to usher in a terrifying new age of darkness. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Danny McBride, James Franco, (more)
- 2004
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David Thompson was an athlete who proved that the tallest man doesn't always have the advantage in professional basketball. At six foot three inches, Thompson's stature was hardly impressive by the standards of college ball or the NBA, but his 44-inch jump and amazing skills in the slam dunk made him a star while also introducing a new style of play to the game. Thompson once scored 73 points in a single game, made the All-Star team four times, and was cited as a major inspiration by Michael Jordan. Skywalker: The David Thompson is a documentary that looks back at the man's remarkable life and career, featuring rare footage of Thompson in his prime and interviews with fellow sports legends Bill Walton, Julius Erving (aka Dr. J), Dennis Johnson, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 2000
The managers of KACL don't know what they've gotten themselves into when they ask Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) to write a theme song for his radio advice show. Instead of the few catchy couplets expected of him, Frasier elects to compose a veritable symphony. Adding to the cacophony is Frasier's brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), who insists that the theme song wouldn't be complete without a dramatic monologue, and his father Martin (John Mahoney), whose musical tastes are less than esoteric. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
An American ex-con gets caught up in a Parisian bank heist that goes wrong in this ultra-violent thriller. Zed (Eric Stoltz), a safe-cracking expert fresh out of prison, travels to France to participate in a robbery planned by his friend Eric (Jean-Hughes Anglade). But first, Zed decides to indulge in some relaxation with a gorgeous, kind-hearted prostitute by the name of Zoe (Julie Delpy). This idyll, however, is interrupted by Eric, who leads Zed and the other criminals on a long night of drinking, drugging, and debauchery. The next day, the thieves find themselves hung over and exhausted, and the plan soon goes disastrously wrong, turning into a hostage situation. Even worse for Zed, he discovers that the lovely Zoe also works as a teller at the bank, forcing him into a tricky moral dilemma. Writer and director Roger Avary, best known as the co-screenwriter of Pulp Fiction, creates a similar combination of black comedy, extreme violence, and hip attitude. Critics of Quentin Tarantino's films raised similar objections to Avary's reliance on bloody violence and a detached sensibility, while the film's fans acclaimed its fast-paced action. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eric Stoltz, Julie Delpy, (more)
Based on a true story, this made-for-television drama chronicles a couple's downward spiral into drug addiction. Meredith Baxter stars as Mary Ann Guard, a nurse who gets romantically involved with heroin abuser Guy Grand (Stephen Lang). Guy turns Mary Ann onto drugs and her once-stable life is suddenly out of control, with Mary Ann stealing from her hospital in order to support their habit. Her family decides to get her clean and get Guy out of her life by checking her into rehab. Mary Ann's rough road isn't over though, and she has to decide for herself which life she wants to lead. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Stephen Lang, (more)
- 1986
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This program presents the story of the Italian sculptor Donatello, whose 15th century works revolutionized the art of sculpture. Donatello was the first sculptor to produce a nude, with his David, which stood in his native Florence. He was also the first sculptor to work in bronze. The program presents many of the artist's greatest works, including statues he did of saints, such as Magdalene and Peter. Art historians and modern sculptors discuss Donatello's importance and his influence on modern sculpture. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, Rovi
- 1982
From the Portrait of an Artist series comes a three-part program reappraising the work of Italian painter and architect Raphael. Part one of the program, The Apprentice Years examines Raphael's life and work up to the age of 25. It was during this period that the Renaissance artist developed his craft under the influence of such masters as Leonardo and Michelangelo. Raphael is considered the central painter of the High Renaissance. This video explores the qualities embodied in Raphael's piece Madonna and Child. It was filmed on-location in places where the artist lived and worked, and includes the beautiful landscapes and historic architecture of Urbino, Perugia, Rome, and Florence. David Thompson, former art critic for the London Times, wrote and narrated the program. ~ Sally Barber, Rovi
- 1980
This video, narrated by David Thompson, chronicles the life and works of French Impressionistic painter Edgar Degas. Born in Paris in 1834, Degas was an organizer of the first impressionist exhibition in 1874 that shocked the art world. However, unlike the freer work of many of his contemporaries in the movement, such as Monet and Renoir, the art of Degas was made of controlled, carefully drawn compositions, which reflected his neo-classical art training. He shared the Impressionists' interest in the subjects of the movement, such as ordinary people and nature. Some of his best-known works, including depictions of ballerinas and Parisian night life, are displayed in the video. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, Rovi
