Bryan Burk Movies
- 2011
The Star Trek franchise continues with this follow-up to 2009's J.J. Abrams-directed reboot. Abrams and Bryan Burk handle producing duties on the sci-fi production, from a script by Damon Lindelof and the writing team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- 2010
Produced by J.J. Abrams and written by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada), director Roger Michell's comedic glimpse into the cutthroat world of live television finds a desperate female news producer (Rachel McAdams) attempting to put out the flames between an anchorman (Harrison Ford) and his blustery but iconic cohost (Diane Keaton) in a last-ditch effort to save their failing morning show. Jeff Goldblum co-stars in the Paramount Pictures production. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Mission: Impossible III director and Alias creator J.J. Abrams resurrects the classic science fiction franchise created by Gene Roddenberry with this feature film that embraces the rich history of the influential television and film series while also exploring some uncharted territory. Heroes star Zachary Quinto assumes the role of the Federation Starfleet lieutenant and Vulcan made famous in the original series by Leonard Nimoy (who also appears in an older incarnation of his original role), Spock, with Anton Yelchin stepping into the role of USS Enterprise navigator Pavel Chekov, Zoe Saldana assuming the role of communications officer Uhura, Simon Pegg keeping the ship in top shape as chief engineer Montgomery Scott (aka "Scotty"), and Eric Bana tormenting the benevolent space explorers as the villainous Nero. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle co-star John Cho also boards the Enterprise as Hikaru Sulu, with Chris Pine and Karl Urban assuming the legendary roles of Captain Kirk and Leonard "Bones" McCoy, respectively. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, (more)
- 2008
The lines between science fiction and reality blur as J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind Star Trek and Alias, regroup to craft this mind-bending series that begins as an international flight lands at Boston's Logan Airport with everyone of the passengers and crew members brutally murdered. When FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) and her partner Special Agent John Scott (Mark Valley) are called in to investigate, a mysterious, near fatal mishap prompts Special Agent Dunham to seek out the assistance of famed genius Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble). Dr. Bishop has a reputation as our generation's Einstein, but due to the fact that he's been institutionalized for the past twenty years, the only way of contacting him is by going through his estranged son Peter (Joshua Jackson). Later, Special Agent Dunham's investigation leads her into the lair of unscrupulous corporate schemer Nina Sharp (Blair Brown, who may hold the key that reveals the incident on Flight 627 as a small piece in a much larger, and frighteningly sinister, conspiracy. Only with the assistance of fellow FBI agents Phillip Broyles (Lance Reddick), Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo), and Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole) will Agent Dunham and her partner have any hope of uncovering the twisted truth behind the crime that seemed too strange to be true. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Torv, Mark Valley, (more)
Producer J.J. Abrams teams with writer Drew Goddard and director Matt Reeves for this frenetic tale of a powerful destructive force that descends upon New York City, and the four desperate people who put their lives on the line to embark on a perilous rescue mission. Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) is a young American professional who has recently been offered a coveted new job in Japan. Eager to send his older sibling off in style, Rob's younger brother, Jason (Mike Vogel), and his girlfriend, Lily (Jessica Lucas), organize a surprise going-away party to take place the night before Rob boards his Eastern-bound flight. As the party gets underway, Rob's longtime friend and current love interest, Beth (Odette Yustman), shows up with another man as the dejected guest of honor's best-pal Hud (T.J. Miller) encourages partygoer Marlena (Lizzy Caplan) to wish him an on-camera farewell despite the fact that they barely know one another. Moments after Beth storms out following a bitter skirmish with Rob, the entire New York City skyline goes dark. Power is quickly restored, prompting partygoers to turn their attention toward the news, where they learn that a freight tanker has been overturned in New York Harbor. Racing to the rooftop in hopes of getting a better look at the situation, the group is terrified to witness a massive explosion that rains debris across midtown Manhattan, causing mass chaos and unparalleled destruction. But the worst is yet to come, because it soon becomes apparent that this is not the work of a terrorist or an act of war, but a massive creature beyond human comprehension. Now, as the military moves in and the streets of New York City become a virtual war zone, Rob, Lily, Marlena, and Hud race to rescue Beth and get out of the city before the powers that be unleash the ultimate weapon of mass destruction on one of the most populated cities on the planet. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, (more)
Created by J.J. Abrams (Alias, Lost) and Dana Stevens (For Love of the Game), the weekly, 60-minute dramedy What About Brian covered reliable territory previously staked out in the 1969 Broadway musical Company. Set in Los Angeles, the series starred Barry Watson as Brian O'Hara, who at age 34 was the only one in his circle of friends, six in all, who was neither married nor engaged -- and, of course, all of Brian's friends were anxious that he "join the club" and find the right girl. Actually, no one was more anxious for this than Brian himself, who was tired of feeling like a "seventh wheel." Brian ran a video business called Zap Monkey with Dave Greco (Rick Gomez), who had been married to wife Deena (Amanda Detmer) for 13 years. After having three children and pretty much wearing out each other's welcome, Dave and Deena were seriously considering experimenting with an "open" marriage, even while trying to convince Brian of the joys of matrimony. Elsewhere, Brian's best friend, Adam (Matthew Davis), had just become engaged to "perfect in every way" pediatric surgeon Marjorie (Sarah Lancaster) -- good news for Adam, but bad for Brian, who hadn't yet gotten over his own adoration of Marjorie. Finally, there was Brian's older sister, Nic (Rosanna Arquette), recently wed to much-younger hunk Angelo (Raoul Bova), and desperate to have children before her biological clock ceased ticking. What About Brian inaugurated its ABC network run on April 16, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Originally developed for the WB network, the hour-long drama series Six Degrees ultimately made its debut courtesy of ABC. In the tradition of the Oscar-winning theatrical feature Crash, the series offered a sextet of diverse Manhattanites whose lives intersected in strange and mysterious ways. The title was, of course, derived from the familiar conceit that everyone on the face of the earth is divided by only six degrees of separation (and no, Kevin Bacon did not appear on the show). Filmed on location in New York, the series' multigenerational ensemble cast included Laura (Hope Davis), a single mother grieving over the death of her war-correspondent husband; Steven (Campbell Scott), a washed-up, formerly successful photographer; Whitney (Bridget Moynahan), a publicist who gives Steven a major professional break and also befriends Laura; Carlos (Jay Hernandez), an idealistic public defender; Damian (Dorian Missick), a limo driver and chronic gambler; and "mystery woman" Mae (Erika Christensen), who while on the run from an unknown pursuer was defended by Carlos on a charge of public indecency, and who, while donning one of her many disguises and adopting one of her aliases, was hired by Laura as a nanny -- and who, inevitably, was somehow connected to the troubled Damian. Six Degrees first aired on September 21, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay Hernandez, Bridget Moynahan, (more)
- 2004
The runaway hit of ABC's 2004-2005 TV season, the weekly, hour-long drama series Lost began at a point that in any other case may have been an ending: a passenger jet was torn apart in mid-air, crashing on an uncharted Pacific Island. Stripped of all vestiges of the civilized world, the 48 survivors were forced to fend for themselves in their new tropical surroundings, which departed from the "norm" for similar castaway dramas by boasting a bizarre and frequently incomprehensible topography, not to mention a most unusual variety of wildlife -- include at least one polar bear! Among the principal survivors were Dr. Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox); fugitive Kate Ryan (Evangeline Lilly); has-been rock star Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan); the reclusive and mysterious John Locke (Terry O'Quinn); hot-tempered and self-serving James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway); chauvinistic Korean husband Jin Kwon (Daniel Dae Kim) and his much-put-upon wife, Sun (Yunjin Kim); resourceful former Iraqi Republican Guard Sayid (Naveen Andrews); estranged siblings Shannon Rutherford and Boone Carlisle (Maggie Grace, Ian Somerhalder) -- she's a bitch, he's a control freak; dad Michael Dawson (Harold Perrineau) and his sullen young son, Walt (Malcolm David Kelley); roly-poly comic relief Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (Jorge Garcia); and very pregnant Aussie Claire Littleton (Emilie de Raven). Forced to rely upon one another to stay alive, this diverse group shares a number of sinister secrets and oft-unsavory interrelationships, with the truth behind each character revealed piecemeal via flashbacks and little-unexpected twists of plot. Adding to the suspense, at least during the series' first season, was the apparent presence of a person not on the passenger list, who seemed determined to bump off the hapless castaways one by one, and a mysterious, terrifying yet unseen monster-like creature. Co-created by J.J. Abrams of Alias and Felicity fame, Lost debuted on September 22, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
