Robert H. Lieberman Movies

A Sikh-Canadian hockey fanatic from Toronto finds his slapshot dreams in a face-off with his family's traditional beliefs. Rajveer Singh (Vinay Virmani) is a natural born hockey player. With the help of his new coach (Rob Lowe), a former NHL star, Rajveer plans to assemble an all-Sikh hockey team that will take the sport by storm. Meanwhile, Rajveer's father has begun pressuring him to stop playing hockey, and help out with the family business. Despite being encouraged to pursue his dreams by the coach's daughter (Camilla Belle), however, Rajveer continually finds his efforts thwarted by his overbearing cousin (Russell Peters). But when the fledgling team miraculously finds the Stanley Cup within grasp, the conflicted young athlete is forced to choose between committing to his religion, or making sports history. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Robert H. Lieberman directs this thriller following a revenge-obsessed couple who take justice into their own hands when their child's murderer manages to plea bargain his way into a light sentence. Before long, the devastated parents have conspired to kidnap the killer and force him to suffer for his sins. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Novelist, filmmaker, and P.S. 99 graduate Robert H. Leiberman crafts this look at his childhood neighborhood of Kew Gardens, Queens - a place where numerous Germans sought refuge from Adolph Hitler while building a tightly knit, hybrid community of German-speaking Americans in the 1940s and 50s. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The third-season opener of The Dead Zone not only clarifies the presence of the mysterious futuristic stranger (Frank Whaley) who had been stalking psychic Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall) throughout the closing episodes of season two, but also helps Johnny fill in the memory gaps resulting from his six-year coma -- the same coma from which he had awakened at the beginning of the series, to discover that he had gained the ability to read people's thoughts and predict their futures simply by touching their hands. In a more disturbing development, Johnny is accused of murdering a pretty young campaign worker for ruthless politician Greg Stillson (Sean Patrick Flanery), whom our hero knows will destroy the world if he, Stillson, is ever elected president. Once Johnny is cleared of the murder charge, he dedicates himself to proving that Stillson was the killer, with the assistance of a new recurring character, Rebecca Caldwell (Sarah Wynter), the sister of the dead woman. Elsewhere, series star Anthony Michael Hall makes his directorial debut in the episode "Cold Hard Truth," in which young J.J. Bannerman (Spencer Achtymichuk) finally discovers that Johnny is his biological father, and not Walt Bannerman (Chris Bruno), the current husband of Johnny's former fiancée, Sarah (Nicole de Boer). The season ends with part one of a two-part cliffhanger, "Tipping Point," in which Johnny courts a nervous breakdown while trying to bring the elusive Greg Stillson to justice; also in the finale, flamboyant televangelist Gene Purdy (David Ogden Stiers), whom Johnny has long suspected to be the murderer of his mother, makes a shocking confession. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Joining the cast of the Lifetime network doctor series Strong Medicine during its fifth season is Tamera Mowry as Dr. Kayla Thornton, new first-year resident at Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic. Though raised in a rural community, Kayla has returned to her home town of Philadelphia to pursue a medical career that was inspired by the tragic death of her brother. The arrival of Kayla proves to be a blessing for the clinic's male nurse Peter (Josh Coxx), who falls in love with the attractive resident--even though his feelings are not entirely reciprocated, at least not at first. Otherwise, Season Five picks up where Season Four left off, as Dr. Lu Delgado (Rose Blasi), one of Rittenhouse's two medical directors, falls in love with Ben Sanderson (Grant Show), the hospital's chief benefactor. Even so, Lu balks when Ben begs her to come with him when he is transferred to Hawaii. Meanwhile, Lu's partner Dr. Andy Campbell (Patricia Richardson) continues having issues with her daughters Jessie (Michelle Horn) and Lizzie (Morgan Flynn) over her divorce from her abusive husband Les. Andy tries to move on with her life by dating Dr. Milo Morton (Richard Biggs), but this proves difficult thanks to the resistance of her ex-husband. Tragically, Milo is slated to be killed by a drunken motorist, which is one of the motivating factors for Andy to consider giving up the clinic and lobbying for the position of State Attorney General (the other is the fact that she is denied the position of clinic chief of staff, a post recently departed by Dr. Paul Santiago [Philip Casanoff]). Meanwhile, Lu has problems of her own, beginning with the likelihood that her son Marc (Chris Marquette) has gotten a girl pregnant.On a more positive note, Lu enters into a relationship with Jonas Ray (Nestor Carbonel), a self-made millionaire from humble Cuban-refugee origins. Guest stars this season include Olympic athlete Keri Strug) and versatile actresses JoBeth Williams, Lynn Whitfield and Charlotte Rae. The series' 100th episode "Cinderella in Scrubs" manages to find roles for the likes of Fran Drescher, Camryn Manheim and Sara Gilbert. And in the 108th episode "First Response", the series' regulars are shunted into the background while the focus is on Nicole Hiltz and Lauren Velez as Kate and Vanessa, dedicated members of Rittenhouse's EMS team, and foster sisters (one white, one black) in the bargain. Can it be that "First Response" was intended as a spinoff for a new series? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this Six Million Dollar Man for the computer-wonk generation, Christopher Gorham starred as Jake Foley, a nerdish Georgetown graduate who yearned to be a spy. Presenting his credentials to the CIA-ish National Security Agency, Jake was immediately hired -- as a lower-level computer repairman. It was while working in this capacity that our hero was exposed to fragments of an experimental biotech formula, which instantly transformed him into a half-human, half-computerized cyborg. Though poor Jake didn't quite know how to best use his new, awesome powers (heck, he couldn't even use them to score with chicks), the NSA opted to make the hapless fellow the central figure in a special-ops force designed to foil villains throughout the world. Other characters include Jake's NSA boss, Kyle Duarte (Philip Anthony-Rodriguez); fellow agent Louise Beckett (Judith Scott); congressional staffer Sarah Heywood (Marina Black); research doctor Diane Hughes (Keegan Connor Tracy); and our hero's comic-relief roommate, Darin Metcalf (Matt Czuchry). Created by Silvio Horta, the weekly, 60-minute Jake 2.0 made its UPN debut on September 10, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This weekly, 60-minute sci-fi/fantasy series was based on a novel by Stephen King, previously filmed in 1983 with Christopher Walken in the lead. Anthony Michael Hall, who (in this instance, at least) bore a remarkable resemblance to Walken, starred as schoolteacher Johnny Smith, who spent several years in a coma after surviving a terrible auto accident. Upon awakening, Johnny realized that his ESP abilities, which had been mild at best before the accident, have been amplified to an astonishing degree. In fact, Johnny now possessed the ability to read a person's mind -- and that person's future -- simply by touching hands. Naturally, this gift turned out to be both blessing and curse, depending upon the touchee. As reconceived by series creator Michael Piller, the TV version of The Dead Zone had a somewhat lighter touch than the original novel and earlier theatrical film. The series debuted June 16, 2002, over the USA cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season Three of "Strong Medicine" marks the departure of series regular Janine Turner as Dr. Dana Stone, who with her earthier counterpart Dr. Lu Delgado (Rose Blasi) has since the outset of the series been in charge of the Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic in Philadelphia. Having resumed her romance with the clinic's arrongant resident Dr. Nick Biancavilla (Brennan Elliott), Dana suddenly hears the ticking of her biological clock, and wants to have a baby. The clinic's sensitive male nurse Peter (Josh Coxx) volunteers to be sperm donor, which of course causes friction between Dana and Nick. Although she loses her baby, Dana adopts two infant girls, one of whom is HIV-positive, then decides to give up the clinic and return to her home state of Virginia with her new family, which she does in the season's sixth episode "Discharged". Dana's exit does not rest well with Lu, who is already emotionally fragile as a result of being raped the previous season. But once Dana's decision is made, Lu sets about to find a replacement. At the same time, Rittenhouse chief of staff Dr. Jackson (Philip Casnoff) makes his own choice for Lu's new partner: Dr. Andrea "Andy" Campbell (Patricia Richardson), a former Marine sergeant who has returned to civilian life specifically to take command of Rittenhouse--and, not surprisingly, Andy's strict, rules-are-rules approach to medicine serves only to drive a wedge between herself and Lu. Meanwhile, Andy is saddled with domestic problems, specifically an abusive husband (Brian Kerwin) and a pair of troublesome daughters, Jessie (Michelle Horn) and Lizzie (Morgan Flynn). In various story develops, Lu puts aside her resentment toward Andy to forestall not one but two potentially deadly epidemics; the 9/11 tragedy is touched upon when Lu clashes with the Government over admitting a patient who may be a terrorist; briefly returning to active duty, Andy has her hands full dealing with a patient with post-polio syndrome; and Lu drops her attitude about Andy and offers moral support when her new partner is beaten by her volatile husband. In the season's cliffhanger finale, Lu's currently boyfriend, a firefighter named Mickey Arenas (Julian Acostas), has no sooner emerged unscathed from a particularly nasty fire than he is gunned down by one of Lu's more unbalanced patients! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Novelist, professor, and scholar Robert H. Liberman makes his directorial debut with the showbiz comedy Green Lights. Bob Beeman (John Fitzgibbon) is a location scout for the major film studio Everest Pictures in New York City. He struggles to work beneath his brother in-law, Wendell (Joel Leffert), who's also the CEO of the company. Looking for a location in upstate Ithaca for the big-budget movie "Virgin Blood," Bob finds himself surrounded by small-town folk who think he's a big-time movie producer. Different acts pitch their talents to him, and he ends up getting really impressed with the musical "Julio," the work of composer/writer team Jimmy (Daniel Dresner) and Alex (Shawn Randall). Everest Pictures wants nothing to do with it, so Bob sets out to produce it himself with his newfound friends. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

This made-for-cable "feel good" picture begins with a "feel-bad" moment, as the entire first-string offensive squad of the Buffalo Bills football team falls victim to food poisoning. With no other option, the Bills' ulcerated coach Ditcher (Jon Voight) must rely upon the team's second-string benchwarmers. Among these also-rans are aging reserve quarterback Dan Heller (Gil Bellows), a longtime thorn in Ditcher's side, and overeager but undertalented wide receiver Gerry Fuller (Richard T. Jones). Miraculously, Heller, Fuller and the rest of the misfits pull themselves together to the extent of qualifying for the playoffs--and, eventually, the Super Bowl. A veritable feast of sports-movie cliches and strenuous overacting, Second String first aired December 18, 2002, over the TNT cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The female-centric medical series Strong Medicine launches its first season as Dr. Lydia Emerson, played by series cocreator Whoopi Goldberg) somewhat forcibly negotiates a merger between the financially strapped South Philadelphia storefront clinic run by the feisty and outspoken Dr. Lu Delgado (Rose Blasi) and the upscale Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic, directed by the prim, Harvard-educated Dr. Dana Stowe (Janine Turner). The instinct-driven Lu and the rule-bound Dana don't get along at first--nor, for that matter, do they get along at second, at third, or at home--forever clashing over procedural matters and bedside manners. Despite this, the ladies develop a grudging respect for one another, and by season's end they could almost be called close friends. In the course of Season One's 22 episodes, Dana develops a romantic relationship with the clinic's egotistical resident Dr. Nick Biancavilla (Brennan Elliott); Lu has issues with her fatherless son Marc (played in the pilot by Paul Robert Santiago, and in the series proper by Chris Marquette, who attends a tough inner-city school; the clinic's dazzlingly handsome but overly sensitive male nurse Peter (Josh Coxx) gets into a variety of pickles with his more eccentric patients, and at one point decides to supplement his income by working as a male model (the producers of this series certainly understand their target audience!); Rittenhouse's chief of staff Dr. Jackson (Philip Casnoff) is suspected of abusing his wife, only to be cleared when it turns out that Mrs. Jackson's many bruises are a result of the early stages of MS; and the clinic's snide, abrasive receptionist Lana (Jenifer Lewis) is given a new perspective on her prickly relationship with her clients when she ends up hospitalized herself. Highlight episodes include the two-parter "BRCA", built around the clinic's Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend; the Christmas-season "Blessed Events", wherein Dr. Jackson fires a kitchen employee for drunkenness, only to find out that woman actually suffers from MLS; and the season finale, "Mortality", in which Dana endures a crisis of faith over a "meltdown" in the OR and Lu tends to a woman who has gone on a hunger strike to save her son from execution. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Best-selling author Tom Clancy was executive producer of this made-for-TV spy thriller, which debuted on ABC in 1999. In the year 2005, the FBI has established a special division --"Netforce" -- to investigate crimes committed using the Internet. Agents Alex Michaels (Scott Bakula) and Steve Day (Kris Kristofferson) are put on the case when software genius Will Stiles (Judge Reinhold) designs a Web browser that allows him to hack into Netforce's computer system and take control of the entire Internet for his own purposes. The supporting cast includes Brian Dennehy, Joanna Going and C.C.H. Pounder. While this was originally billed as "Tom Clancy's Netforce," Clancy neither wrote the screenplay nor directed the film; Netforce was written by Lionel Chetwynd and helmed by Robert Lieberman. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In 1912, the H.M.S. Titanic was the largest ocean liner built to date, and its designers had incorporated several features they believed would make the ship virtually unsinkable. However, the Titanic never returned from its maiden voyage; after striking an iceberg, the ship slowly sank to the bottom on the ocean, with most of its passengers meeting a watery grave in the freezing ocean. The 1996 made-for-television movie Titanic tells the story of how this disaster came to befall the great ship, and what happened to the passengers on board -- both the wealthy socialites in first class and the poor immigrants in steerage. The cast includes George C. Scott as Capt. Smith, Peter Gallagher as Wynn Park, Eva Marie Saint as Hazel Foley, Tim Curry as Simon Doonan, Marilu Henner as Molly Brown, and Catherine Zeta-Jones (before she became a major star in The Mask Of Zorro and Entrapment) as Isabella Paradine. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi