Nick Mancuso Movies

Long-suppressed emotions bubble to the surface when a group of Italian immigrants throw a celebratory dinner for a struggling young actor who's finally on the cusp of success. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

William Tannen's thriller Night of Terror begins with a dysfunctional family setting off on a rafting trip in order to help them heal the emotional rifts. Their emotional problems become far less important when a deranged psychotic joins them, and goes to frightening measures to be accepted. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

A young boy's innocence is shattered when his mother enters into an elicit affair with a mysterious blue-eyed stranger in a two-part, four hour miniseries directed by Jerry Ciccoritti and starring Academy Award-winner Sophia Loren. Vittorio Innocente is a typical young boy from the tiny Italian village of Valle del Sole. When Vittorio's youthful innocence is shattered by his mother's enigmatic boyfriend, the youngster is compelled to shed light on the mystery of his mother's past by piecing together her remarkable story one chapter at a time. As he does so, Vittorio gradually learns of the centuries-old superstitions that continue to influence the actions of the naïve villagers, and gains greater insight than ever into the true nature of humanity. Though the hypocrisy, fears, and maliciousness he discovers in the centuries-old village soon leads Vittorio to discover the truth about his mother, those very same discoveries also threaten to unravel the very foundation of his safely sheltered world. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Unprecedented sunspots threaten to bring about the end of the world in this adventure thriller from director Brenton Spencer. Joanna Pacula plays Valery Landis, the only person who's figured out that the activities on the sun are leading to violent and extreme weather on Earth. When no one will listen to her claims, Valery takes matters into her own hands, racing against time to save humankind. Lightning: Bolts of Destruction also stars Nick Mancuso and Ellen Dubin. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Few performers in pop music have enjoyed the career longevity of Paul Anka, who first rose to fame as a teen idol when he scored a hit single with the song "Diana" in 1957 (he was 15 at the time), and today has distinguished himself as a vocalist, songwriter, actor, and business mogul. Destiny: The Life and Times of Paul Anka is a documentary on this legendary star which contrasts footage (drawn from the acclaimed 1962 film Lonely Boy) from his teenaged days with Anka as he is today: minding his business affairs, working on new recordings, visiting with friends and family, and preparing for a special homecoming concert in Ottawa, Canada. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A woman accused and her lawyer risk their lives to defend the rule of God in this Christian drama, the third sequel to Apocalypse: Caught in the Eye of the Storm. In the near future, a One World government led by the despotic Franco Macalousso (Nick Mancuso) rules the globe, and he's taken it upon himself to stamp out fearless Christian activist Helen Hannah (Leigh Lewis), whose followers oppose his leadership. Macalousso has Hannah arrested on charges of crimes against humanity, and attorney Mitch Kendrick (Corbin Bernsen) is given the assignment of representing her in court. Victoria Thorne (Jessica Steen), Kendrick's former girlfriend, has been selected to prosecute Hannah in a trail orchestrated to conform to Macalousso's dictates. But the longer Kendrick spends preparing his defense of Hannah, the more deeply he's touched by her message, and he chooses to ignore his orders and defend Hannah's beliefs by refocusing the case on the existence of God, rather than the supposed crimes of Hannah. Apocalypse IV: Judgment also features Mr. T as J.T. Quincy, one of Hannah's supporters. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A cop used to chasing bad guys finds himself up against the ultimate villain of all time in this Christian-themed thriller. Tom Canburo (Gary Busey) is a police detective whose work doesn't leave him with much room in his life for the intangibles of faith. Tom's sister, Eileen (Margot Kidder), however, is a born-again Christian who often attempts to engage her brother in discussions of spiritual matters, while his brother-in-law, Jason (Howie Mandel), embraces a puzzling melange of New Age teachings. One night, Tom's life seems to take a left turn into the unknown; he gets a call from Eileen, saying that Jason has tried to kill her, calling her a "hater," while in the course of an investigation, Tom uncovers a bizarre underground cult with supernatural powers. As Tom tries to escape, he gets in a severe auto accident and drifts into a coma. Several years later, he comes to and finds himself in a strange new world. Franco Macalousso (Nick Mancuso), a New Age philosopher who spoke of bringing peace to the world, is now the most powerful man on Earth, and under his leadership everyone must have their right hand marked with the number "666" -- those who refuse have their hand cut off. Christians are also persecuted as "haters," and Helen Hannah (Leigh Lewis), the leader of a Christian resistance group, has become Public Enemy Number One. Also released as Apocalypse III: Tribulation, Tribulation was the third film from screenwriters Paul Lalonde and Peter Lalonde inspired by modern-day interpretations of biblical prophesy. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A cop looking for a chance to redeem himself comes up against a man who has built a fortune out of corruption in this thriller. Roy Murcant (Nick Mancuso) is a free-wheeling entrepreneur who has built a multi-million dollar empire on the Las Vegas strip with his own two hands. But not everyone in newly corporate Las Vegas is convinced Murcant is playing by the rules; Murcant's partners think he may be pocketing more than his fair share of the money, while others are certain he's keeping his operation afloat through bribes and kickbacks. Jack Newland (Louis Mandylor) is a police detective new to Las Vegas after questionable behavior cost him his job in Florida. Newland's new job is a final opportunity to make good, and as he investigates allegations of Murcant double-dealings, he learns that Murcant keeps two sets of books -- one for the authorities, and one that tells the real story of his illegal business transactions. Murcant's case would be made if he could find the second set of books, but there are plenty of people in Vegas looking for them, and a few would be willing to kill to get their hands on them. Jack of Hearts also stars Ben Gazzara, M. Emmet Walsh, Lucky Vanous, and Joe Penny. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Based on a Harlequin Romance novel, this romantic drama centers on the powerful president of a computer software company and follows him on his journey home after his brother is killed in a boating mishap. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this decidedly pre-9/11 political thriller, the President of the United States (Lloyd Bochner) responds to terrorism by announcing plans to negotiate with the aggressors. This policy does not rest at all well with General Metzger (Nick Mancusco), the fiercely xenophobic chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. With the help of a group of CIA rogues and other conspirators, Metzger stages a White House mutiny, taking the President hostage. It is up to Vice President Lane--who happens to be a woman, played by Joan Van Ark)--to battle against a sea of enemies to prevent a full-scale military junta. Made for cable, Loyal Opposition: Terror in the White House was first shown by the Family channel on March 16, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this crime drama, a specially-trained FBI agent suspects that his former professor may be involved in terrorist activities. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A Manhattan architect starts a new life with a new wife. All seems to be going well until the day when his friends and acquaintances start turning up murdered. The killer turns out to be his psycho ex-wife, and the architect realizes his new wife is next on her list. ~ Brian Gusse, Rovi