James Louis Watkins Movies
- 1975
Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) is determined to bring a suspected cop killer out of hiding. To do this, Baretta uses the fugitive's pregnant girlfriend (Ayn Ruymen) as bait. While waiting for the alleged killer to appear, Baretta agonizes over the fact that the girl is a junkie -- and that her unborn baby may be born with the "craving." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Blake, Dana Elcar, (more)
This violent blaxploitation film stars Jim Brown as the owner of a Los Angeles nightclub. When his brother, a Vietnam veteran, is murdered by gangsters, Brown gathers some of his brother's fellow veterans and an assortment of ex-convicts to get brutal revenge. Martin Landau, Luciana Paluzzi, and Jeannie Bell head the cast, along with genre regulars Bruce Glover, Bernie Casey, and Gary Conway. Director Robert Hartford-Davis is best known for horror films like Incense of the Damned and Corruption, while Brown went on to more successful genre fare in Slaughter and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1972
This is a remake of The Asphalt Jungle with an all black cast. In it a paroled convict plans to steal $3 million work of jewels, sell them, and use the bread to start a bank to back black businesses. He is assisted by two pals, his half-brother, and a preacher who also works as a thief. The operation is ultimately backed by a man who cheats on his wheelchair-bound wife with a sexy woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Deadly Weekend stars Lloyd Bridges as LA beat cop Joe Forrester. Patrolling his old neighborhood, Forrester gets wind of an impending gang rumble. This information puts a dent in his search for a knife-wielding robber. Things get personal when a close friend of Joe's is killed. As Saturday blends into Sunday, the rumble deadline draws closer, and the robber is still at large. Deadly Weekend was first shown on November 4 and 11, 1975, as a two-part episode of the weekly Joe Forrester TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
A high-rise apartment is the murder scene where trendy Hollywood decorator Sheila Parker is found smothered to death. Though Sheila's estranged husband Alex (Ray Wise) is a prime suspect, he manages to avoid police scrutiny by wooing and winning the impressionable DeeDee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer). When the other major suspect, Sheila's boyfriend Dennis Stone (Kristoffer Tabori), also turns up murdered, McCall begins to wonder if Alex is playing her for a sucker. It falls to Hunter (Fred Dryer) to prove that the motive for murder had nothing to do with a romantic triangle--and everything to do with a particularly odious case of child molestation! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This stylish and very entertaining blend of the horror and "Blaxploitation" genres takes some creative risks on a seriously limited budget but manages to deliver the gory goods. The story begins in New Orleans in the mid-1940s, with black crime kingpin J.D. Walker (David McKnight) shot dead on Bourbon Street. Flash forward to the present, when clean-cut college student Ike (Cooley High's Glynn E. Turman) falls under the malevolent influence of the ghostly gangster. As he begins to exhibit J.D.'s boisterous, violent traits, Ike seeks out a local minister (Louis Gossett, Jr., in a standout performance) -- who had once played a role in the gangster's execution -- to exact his revenge. This cult favorite has seen a revival of sorts on home video and primarily remains in the public eye due to the novelty value of its soundtrack: all songs are performed by the artist soon to be known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince -- who also supplies the vocal for " Will Never Let You Go". ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glynn E. Turman, Joan Pringle, (more)
Undoubtedly having second thoughts after turning down Dirty Harry, John Wayne showed up in 1974 in his own "maverick cop" adventure, McQ. Wayne, playing McQ, a veteran detective, turns in his badge when he's officially denied the opportunity of clearing the name of his late best friend, who has been posthumously accused of drug pushing. Investigating on his own, McQ becomes romantically involved with his friend's widow (Diana Muldaur), who unbeknownst to him is up to her neck in police corruption. Considering the usual flag-waving content of John Wayne's 1970s films, it is rather startling to discover that the real villains in McQ are a coterie of crooked cops! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Eddie Albert, (more)
Picking up where the multitudes of late '90s/early 2000s reality-based television shows left off is the unexpectedly shocking horror film My Little Eye, from director Marc Evans. Five twentysomethings are assembled to live together for a period of six months in a house specially outfitted with a bevy of webcams in order to collect a one million prize. The one major caveat being if anyone abandons the house prior to the end of the six-month period, no one will win anything. After introducing the different characters -- intelligent Danny (Stephen O'Reilly), slacker Rex (Kris Lemche), frat boy Matt (Sean CW Johnson), good girl Emma (Laura Regan), and actress wannabe Charlie (Jennifer Sky) -- the story jumps ahead to the last few days before the scheduled end of the contest. At this point, it becomes apparent that outside forces are somehow manipulating certain events within the house, and the household is sent into chaos as one of the participants is found dead. Another participant receives an ominous note, and shortly thereafter, the remaining participants begin to realize the true intensity of their mortal peril. My Little Eye premiered at the 2002 Locarno International Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean CW Johnson, Kristopher Lemche, (more)
- 1988
- R
Tim Daly stars in director Janet Greek's fair horror-thriller as Los Angeles attorney Jeff Mills, who rescues beautiful Miranda Reed (Kelly Preston) from being raped. As he and Miranda become lovers, Jeff learns that his new girlfriend is a witch trying to escape from an evil cult led by Aldys (Anthony Crivello), who wants to use her as a human sacrifice. Borrowing ideas from thrillers like Fatal Attraction (1987) and Tutti i Colori del Buio (1972), this borderline occult chiller co-stars genre veterans Rick Rossovich, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Stefan Gierasch, and Audra Lindley. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Daly, Kelly Preston, (more)
- 1987
While stationed on the planet Ligon II in search of much-needed medical supplies, Enterprise security head Lt. Tasha Yar is kidnapped by the minions of the planet's ruler (Jessie Lawrence Ferguson). In order to secure Yar's release, the rest of the crew must abide by Ligon II's unorthodox -- and very strict -- code of honor. Meanwhile, the beleagured Yar must do battle against the ruler's present wife (Karole Semon), who will stop at nothing to protect her marriage. Written by Katharyn Michaelian Powers and Michael Baron, "Code of Honor" originally aired October 17, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- R
Sergeant J.J. Striker (Charles Napier) is a hard-drinking cop who tracks down a serial killer that can seemingly repel bullets in this routine crime drama made in 1985. Sommers (Robert Zdar) kills prostitutes and paints Chinese symbols on his victims. Rene (Michelle Reese) is the hooker who teems up with Striker in an attempt to nab the killer. Gary Crosby plays an unpopular cop caught with a transvestite prostitute, with a bevy of beauties led by Tally Chanel and Ola Ray who play the ill-fated victims. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Napier, Michelle Reese, (more)
