Peter Michaels Movies
- 2007
- Add Phoenix: Mars Mission - Ashes to Ice to QueueAdd Phoenix: Mars Mission - Ashes to Ice to top of Queue
Though mankind's fascination with the planet Mars persists, only a fraction of the attempts to land on that terrain, during the late 20th and early 21st century, hit their intended target. One of the most triumphant missions materialized in the form of the Phoenix Mars Mission, a robotic craft launched in August 2007 that took around nine months to reach the legendary Red Planet, touching down in late May 2008. As originally produced for PBS, the documentary Phoenix Mars Mission: Ashes to Ice observes the many preparatory events leading up to the initial launch, including testing of the scientific instruments by the University of Arizona, the configuration of the soil analyzer ovens, and much more - all subject to a race against the clock as many individuals struggled to ready the craft for a Cape Canaveral launch before time ran out. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mark E. Kelly, Peter Smith, (more)
A film student discovers the action movie project of his dreams is happening around him in real life in this offbeat independent drama. Alex (Erik Palladino) is a nerdy student studying film production and not doing especially well with it. One day, Erik and his roommate Lars (Billy Jayne) discover they have a new neighbor, an attractive and self-confident woman named Blue (Jennifer Rubin). After they share a few beers and discover a mutual fondness for the films of Sam Peckinpah, Alex makes a startling discovery about Blue -- she's a hired killer, who has a hit scheduled the following week in Miami. After that, Blue plans to get out of the business and leave the United States for good. Alex has a brainstorm: he'll tag along for Blue's last "project" with a camera and make a documentary about her. Blue agrees to cooperate, but en route Alex finds out more about Blue than he was planning on, and when the killing doesn't go smoothly, he finds himself suddenly aiding Blue and not just recording her actions. Jennifer Rubin gives a standout performance in this film, which also features Brian Vander Ark from the rock band The Verve Pipe in a supporting role. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jennifer Rubin, Erik Palladino, (more)
Nicolas Cage stars in the below-par action film Firebirds -- a dying ember from Reagan-era nationalistic jingoism. In this Top Gun retread, Cage plays Jake Preston, a hotshot Army helicopter pilot who is being trained to use the U.S. Army's Apache aircraft to destroy the drug fields of a South American drug cartel. It up to his taskmaster instructor Brad Little (Tommy Lee Jones) to teach Jake humble lessons before he can be trusted to launch into the skies against the drug dealers. While Jake is trying to tame his egoism, he engages in a torrid love affair with flying ace Billie Lee Guthrie (Sean Young). The film was originally titled Wings of the Apache for the U.S. Army Apache assault helicopters that are prominently displayed in the film. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones, (more)
- 1956
The D-Day invasion of 1944 provides a backdrop for the Allied Artists actioner Screaming Eagles. Tom Tryon plays Private Mason, an ill-tempered member of the 101st Airborne Infantry division. Mason makes plenty of enemies with his negative attitude until good-guy lieutenant Pauling (Jan Merlin) straightens him out. The 101st' s main objective (once all personal travails are swept away, that is) is to capture and hold a vital bridge in Normandy. Jacqueline Beer, later one of the costars of TV's 77 Sunset Strip, provides the feminine interest as an attractive resistance fighter (were there ever any unattractive resistance fighters?) Featured in the cast are TV favorites Martin Milner and Alvy Moore and second-generation thespian Edward G. Robinson Jr. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Tryon, Jan Merlin, (more)
