Michael Quinlan Movies
Lady in the Water director M. Night Shyamalan puts PG-13 suspense on pause to tell this grim apocalyptic tale about a family fleeing a natural disaster that poses a grave threat to the whole of humanity. Philadelphia high-school science teacher Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) is discussing the disappearance of the bees with his students when the staff is summoned to the theater and briefed about a mysterious event that is currently unfolding in New York City. According to reports, citizens in the vicinity of Central Park have suddenly and inexplicably begun seizing up just before killing themselves by whatever means are at their disposal. As the phenomena begins to spread and talk of terrorism fills the airwaves, Elliot, his wife, Alma (Zooey Deschanel), their friend Julian (John Leguizamo), and his daughter, Jess (Ashlyn Sanchez), board a train bound for the presumed safety of the country. When the train screeches to a halt before arriving at its final destination, however, the frightened passengers are forced to fend for themselves as each consecutive news report paints an increasingly grim picture of the situation in more urbanized areas. Theories abound on what could be causing the unexplainable rash of suicides, but the only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that it's some kind of airborne contagion that is carried in the wind. It would appear that humankind's reign on planet Earth has come to an end, but perhaps if this small band of survivors can find a safe place to lie low until this all blows over, all hope for survival of the species might not be lost just yet. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, (more)
A supernaturally-charged serial killer rises from his prison grave to seek out the sacrifice that eluded him in life in Hong Kong cinematographer-turned-director Derek Wan's exploitive mash-up of women's prison films and zombie gut-munchers. As a child, Solitare (Carla Greene) managed to escape being sacrificed to Satan by the fearsome maniac Shadow (Tony Todd), but as an adult she may not be so lucky. Incarcerated in the very same prison where the devil-worshipping killer met his ultimate fate years earlier, Solitare is forced to fight her way through the prison ranks and earn her top-dog status among the hardened female inmates. Defeating her human opponents will be nothing compared to the challenge Solitare faces when Shadow returns from the dead to stake his claim on the soul that he was denied in life, though, and as an undead army rises from the earth to assist Shadow in his evil bidding, Solitare will find that it takes more than muscle and fighting skills to defeat an opponent with the power of ultimate evil on his side. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tony Todd, Carla Greene, (more)
- 2003
The "D.C. Sniper" case was still very much in the news when this Law & Order episode first appeared in the spring of 2003. Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) race against time to track down the unknown gunman who has randomly picked off four victims in broad daylight. Once the suspect is in hand, Assistant District Attorneys McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm) are shocked by the revelations attending the arrest. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1996
In this sequel to the fifth-season episode "Coma," Larry Miller reprises the role of sleazy former comedy-club owner Michael Dobson. Having been acquitted of murdering his first wife, Dobson ends up the prime suspect when his second wife is killed while jogging in Central Park. Determined to nail Dobson once and for all, the detectives and the D.A.'s office hitch their hopes to a Columbian coin which has been illegally used as a subway token. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
