Brian Howe

A more somber spin on the Quantum Leap time-travel formula, NBC's Journeyman starred Kevin McKidd, late of the internationally popular miniseries Rome, as Dan Vasser, who thanks to a mysterious wrinkle in the cosmic continuum was forever vanishing into thin air and jumping backward in time. Dan's abrupt disappearances in The Present were a source of great bewilderment to his wife Katie (Gretchen Egolf)--who suspected that his lengthy absences were due to a secret drug habit--and to his son Zack (Charles Henry Wyson), his police officer brother Jack (Reed Diamond) and his boss Hugh (Brian Howe). On Dan's part, he couldn't help but notice that his forays into the Past always took place within his own range of experience, and always ended up benefiting someone with whom he was acquainted in the Present. Further confusing Jack were the frequent materializations of his lost love Livia (Moon Bloodgold), who had died in a 1998 plane crash--and who, when Jack tried to prevent this tragedy, sternly warned him NOT to try to change history (and kept issuing that same warning whenever and wherever she showed up). Journeyman debuted September 24, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adrenaline loving director Tony Scott teams with iconic action producer Jerry Bruckheimer for this high flung sci-fi action thriller concerning a New Orleans based maverick ATF agent named Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) who is brought in on a top secret government program to catch the terrorist (Jim Caviezel) responsible for a ferry bombing that kills hundreds. Able to do what most law enforcement officers only dream of, Carlin is now able to look back in time at the perpetrator's movements, and at the life of the innocent woman whose death would set the events into motion. Carlin's instincts tell him that something is amiss, however, and while the government agent who tapped him for the job (Val Kilmer) and the team of ultra-cool scientists who run the project (Adam Goldberg, Erika Alexander) tell him one story about the quantum physics behind this marvel of technology, the hotshot agent suspects that there is a greater power at their fingertips--one that might not just solve the crime at hand, but prevent it. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A small town war hero is forced to venture into the darkest corners of his battle-scared heart upon returning to his childhood home and being forced to fight for survival in the very land he once fought to defend. Special Forces Major Matt Taylor (Greg Joelson) has seen horrors that would have driven a lesser man insane, though unlike many of his fellow soldiers Taylor returned home with no limbs lost and only superficial scars. But sometimes it's the psychic wounds that require the most healing. In order to recover from his trauma Taylor must find peace, but there's no peace to be had in a town on the brink of disaster. Most of the locals have forgotten who Taylor even is, and the local mill is about to cease production for good. When that happens, half of the town will become unemployed. Feeling betrayed by his country and unsure how to contend with the locals as they begin to lash out in anger, Taylor is soon drawn into a nightmare of mental and physical violence. Now, the only way for Taylor to escape is by drawing on his experiences from the battlefield. Is there any hope for Taylor's former way of life when the same kind of chaos he witnessed overseas begins taking form in small-town America? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In order to find out if a future world ruled by the Avatars will indeed be a utopia as they claim it will, Piper (Holly Marie Combs) trades powers with Phoebe (Alyssa Milano). Unfortunately, the demon Zankou (Oded Fehr) interrupts the transference process -- and as a result, the girls' powers are dispersed to a wide variety of mortal "innocents," who wreak considerable havoc with their ill-gotten magic skills. Elsewhere, Brody's (Kerr Smith) true intentions are revealed in a violent fashion, prompting Paige (Rose McGowan) to glean "firsthand" information regarding Brody's tortured past. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A gifted forger and confidence man attempts to stay one step ahead of the lawman determined to bring him to justice in this comedy-drama from Steven Spielberg, based on a true story. Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a 16-year-old high school student who finds himself emotionally cut adrift when his mother, Paula (Nathalie Baye), leaves his father, Frank Abagnale Sr. (Christopher Walken), after Frank Sr. falls into arrears with the Internal Revenue Service. One day at school, Frank Jr. attempts to pass himself off as a substitute teacher, and easily makes the subterfuge work. His small-scale success gives Frank some ideas, and he soon discovers bigger and more profitable ways of hoaxing others, passing himself off as an airline pilot, a doctor, and an attorney. Along the way, Frank learns how to become a master forger, and uses his talent and charm to pass over 2.5 million dollars in phony checks. Frank's increasingly audacious work soon attracts the attention of Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), an FBI agent who is determined to put Frank behind bars. Frank seems to enjoy being pursued by Carl, and even goes so far as to call Carl on the phone to chat every once in a while. While posing as a doctor, Frank falls in love with Brenda Strong (Amy Adams), a sweet girl working as a candy striper. When Frank asks Brenda to marry him, he decides to assume a new identity to impress her father, Roger (Martin Sheen) -- who happens to be the District Attorney of New Orleans, LA. Catch Me If You Can was based on the autobiography of the real Frank W. Abagnale Jr., who has a cameo in the film and today works on the side of the law as a top consultant on preventing forgery and designing secure checking systems. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The Angels arrive in a small New York community just before Christmas, where town mayor Victoria (Blair Brown) is having trouble summoning up any kind of genuine Yuletide spirit. Only recently have the townsfolk discovered that beloved music teacher Bill Harper was killed in the 9/11 attacks in Manhattan (the reason that he happened to be at Ground Zero on that tragic day is mystery that remains unsolved until the final scene). While Bill's student Benny Lewis (J.B. Gaynor) takes the news harder than most, Victoria grimly refuses to allow herself the luxury of mourning. It is up to Victoria's son Patrick to help Benny and his mom find closure and move on with the lives...but first he must perform an act of profound selflessness as an example to everyone else. The song "Winter Carol" is performed offscreen by Steven Curtis Chapman. One of the series' highest-rated episodes, this one is also known as "I'll Be Home for Christmas". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The 1995 novel by Dr. Gene Brewer becomes this drama from director Iain Softley. After a mugging incident at New York's Grand Central Station, Prot (Kevin Spacey), a man who claims to be an alien from the planet K-PAX, is turned over to a public mental hospital and the care of Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges). When medication fails to alter Prot's insistence that he is visiting from another world on a fact-finding mission, Powell gets more involved with his patient, who seems to have a calming effect on the other residents of his ward. At first convinced that Prot is a delusional who can be treated, Powell begins to wonder if his bizarre patient's story is true, particularly after the hospital's doctors find that Prot possesses the baffling ability to see ultraviolet light. As the date grows nearer when Prot claims he must leave Earth (a "class BA-III planet"), Powell becomes increasingly concerned that a psychiatric breakthrough must occur by then. K-PAX (2001) co-stars Alfre Woodard and Mary McCormack. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

In this romantic comedy, a man loses the love of his life, only to find her heart beating in the body of someone new. Architect Bob Rueland (David Duchovny) is happily married until his wife Elizabeth (Joely Richardson), a zoologist, dies in an auto accident. A year later, Bob is still dealing with his loss when he meets Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver), a shy woman who waits tables in an Irish/Italian restaurant run by her grandfather Marty (Carroll O'Connor). Bob falls for Grace at first sight, and she's attracted to him as well, but what he doesn't know is that a year ago Grace was the recipient of a heart transplant -- and that Elizabeth was the donor. Return to Me was directed and co-written by actress Bonnie Hunt, who also appears in a supporting role as Grace's best friend Megan; the cast also includes Robert Loggia, James Belushi, and David Alan Grier. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A high school girl is beaten to death, and it looks as if a neo-fascist youth group is responsible. Conventional wisdom is to prosecute the teens who actually committed the crime. But assistant D.A. McCoy (Sam Waterston) aims his sights a bit higher (or, perhaps, lower) by going after Tom Willis (Michael Cumptsy), the adult white supremacist who fomented the violence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Theodore Bikel guest stars as millionaire Sol Bregman, a longtime friend of District Attorney Adam Schiff (Steven Hill). When his son is snatched by kidnappers, Bregman refuses to cooperate with the police. The reasons for Bregman's behavior go far beyond mere concern for his son's well-being. This is one of the few Law & Order episodes in which stalwart series regular Steven Hill is allowed to carry the ball dramatically. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide