James Keane Movies

This heartwarming made-for-cable "road" picture begins in Chicago, where widowed grandmother Annie Eason (Betty White, convincingly portraying a 69-year-old while herself in her eighties!) wants to grant the final request of her husband Elliott: To release his ashes from the top of "Annie's Point"--3000 miles away. Embittered over having to manage his late father's business, Annie's son Richard (Richard Thomas) flatly refuses to take her to Annie's Point, so she goes instead with her free-spirited granddaughter Ella (Amy Davidson). Their odyssey turns into a frantic and sometimes funny chase after Annie goes on a gambling spree in Las Vegas, prompting Richard to hotly pursue his mother with the intention of having her institutionalized. Annie's Point made its Hallmark channel bow on January 22, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Written and directed by Max Myers, Don't Let Go reflects on the musical past of siblings Jimmy Ray (Scott Wilson) and Billy Joe (Justin Shilton), who headed a rockabilly band called "The Texas Tumbleweeds" in the late '50s. Unfortunately, Jimmy Ray (Wilson) leaves the band for the bottle after his brother is murdered in a dispute over a woman. Forty years down the line, Jimmy Ray is an alcoholic and a distant father to his two children, young Billy Joe (Levi Kreis), and Johnny Blue (Brad Hawkins). At first, Jimmy Ray refuses to attend the concerts of his sons, who are burning up the rockabilly circuit themselves as leaders of "The Texas Two-Tones." The young band decides to hold a fundraiser in honor of the late Billy Joe (Shilton), and as a tribute to the 40 year anniversary of their father's former band. Though it seems that there is no chance of their father attending, Jimmy Ray happens upon his brother's old guitar in a junk shop and slings it over his shoulder in spite of himself. Don't Let Go also features Katharine Ross and Irma P. Hall. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

In the opening episode of ER's second season, Carter (Noah Wyle) gets off to a bad start on his first day as new surgical sub-intern by showing up extremely late and woefully unprepared. Also on hand is new third-year student Harper Tracy (Christine Elise), who endures an ordeal by fire thanks to a psychotic patient -- and who catches the eye of the still-unattached Carter. Elsewhere, Greene (Anthony Edwards) ruffles more than a few feathers with his choice of new chief resident: the contentious and highly irritating Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes). With this episode, William H. Macy returns in the role of ER chief Dr. David Morganstern. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Patient confidentiality rules may stymie John (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and Andy (Dennis Franz) in their investigation of an abortion-clinic firebombing in which a security guard was killed. This same crime yields evidence that Valerie (Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon) lied to Baldwin (Henry Simmons) about her miscarriage. In other developments, a gun found in a car leads to reopening of a Jane Doe investigation; and Rita Ortiz (Jacqueline Obradors) realizes that a homicide victim is the woman with whom her husband, Don (Stan Cahill), was having an affair. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Despite mixed reviews and a disastrous initial release that dumped the film into theaters for a week in the midst of the 1984 Summer Olympics, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eight Dimension went on to become one of the major cult films of the 1980s, developing a rabid following after its release on videotape. Drifting between satire and improbable sci-fi adventure, the film stars Peter Weller as Buckaroo Banzai, the son of an American mother and Japanese father who is a combination physicist, neurosurgeon, martial arts master, secret agent, and rock star who travels with his band of assistants/backing musicians, The Hong Kong Cavaliers. As the story opens, Buckaroo is driving his car through a mountain to test his new invention, the Oscillation Overthruster. However, a race of boorish aliens called the Red Lectroids have been waiting for such an item to become a reality, as they need it to return to the distant planet they call home. One of Buckaroo's arch-enemies, Dr. Emilio Lizardo (John Lithgow), who has been possessed by the Red Lectroids, attempted to created a similar device decades before; now escaped from an insane asylum, he is back at work with the Lectroids on a plan to control the world. Throw in Rastafarian aliens, unscheduled travel between dimensions, and the odd inexplicable watermelon, and you get a film that defies conventional synopsis. With its fast pace, quotable dialogue ("No matter where you go, there you are"), and barrage of gags (subtle and otherwise), you won't be bored even when you're not sure what's going on. The supporting cast includes Jeff Goldblum as New Jersey, a Cavalier with a snappy cowboy outfit, and Ellen Barkin as Penny Priddy, the twin sister of Buckaroo's late wife. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A variation on the "buddy-cop" hybridized genre, 48 HRS. greatly bolstered the career of Nick Nolte and made comedian Eddie Murphy a bonafide box-office sensation. When a pair of reckless cop-killers break out of prison, grizzled detective Jack Cates (Nolte) is left no alternative but to spring fast-talking hustler Reggie Hammond (Murphy) from the penitentiary in order to find the criminals. The catch: the pair only have 48 hours to complete their assignment before Hammond must return to prison. Naturally, the two despise each other and even engage in fisticuffs, but eventually the danger facing them proves a strong enough common bond for them to play on the same team, and even achieve a little mutual admiration. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide

Explore the Mississippi River with young Mark Twain. A shorter classroom version is also available. ~ All Movie Guide

This independently made program picture gives away its low-budget nature by its proliferation of exteriors and lack of star names. Even the dog that appears, Brindle, is a second-stringer when compared to bigger stars like Strongheart or Rin Tin Tin. Lumber king David Hartley (Walter Davis) is called to the camp on business, and while he is away, a mysterious stranger comes to visit his wife Florence (Esther Welty). The whole village starts whispering about the man's identity and soon rumors about Florence reach Hartley. He rushes towards home and is attacked by a wolf pack. The couple's children, Dolly (Clara Heller) and Bobby (Everett Moran), have become lost in the woods and their lives too are in danger. But their dog Brindle comes to the rescue and fights off the wolves. Back at home, Hartley discovers that the stranger is Florence's brother, "Blackie" Devoe (George C. Welch), who has gotten himself in trouble with the law and come to his sister for help. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

A drunken, embittered country singer and a burgeoning journalist form an unusual bond in this drama adapted from the novel by Thomas Cobb. His spirit broken by multiple failed marriages, too much time on the road, and too many nights with the bottle, Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) had started to feel like he was headed down the path of no return. When probing young writer Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) digs deep enough to unearth the broken man behind the legend, however, Bad realizes that redemption may not be such a long shot after all. Robert Duvall and Colin Farrell co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This shocking prison drama was inspired by a true story. In 1938, Henri Young (Kevin Bacon), sentenced to Alcatraz for stealing $5, attempted to escape from prison with three other prisoners. One of the escapees was captured, and to curry favor with Warden Glenn (Gary Oldman), he informed on the others. Young was soon brought back to custody, and was to be punished by spending 19 days in solitary confinement. Nineteen days stretched into three years, in which Young was kept in a pit with no light, no toilet, no furniture, and nothing to read. Young emerged from solitary a vengeful madman, and he quickly murdered the convict who turned him in. Young was put on trial for the killing, and assigned a first-time public defender, James Stamphill (Christian Slater). Stamphill was horrified by Young's tales of the conditions at Alcatraz, and he used them as the basis of his defense for his client, believing that anyone would be driven to madness and murder if they had been treated the same way as Young. Murder in the First also features Embeth Davidtz, William H. Macy, Brad Dourif, and R. Lee Ermey. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Producer Joel Silver, director Tony Scott, and screenwriters Shane Black and Greg Hicks team up for this gridiron-set action thriller. Bruce Willis stars as Joe Hallenbeck, who was once a top-of-the-line Secret Service agent but has since become an alcoholic, flea-bag detective. While performing the chores of a two-bit shamus, he discovers his wife Sarah (Chelsea Field) is having an affair with his best friend. Joe is hired to protect Cory (Halle Berry), a stripper who has been getting death threats; Joe begins to sober up when Cory is blown to smithereens. Cory's boyfriend, Jimmy Dix (Damon Wayans), was at one time a NFL football quarterback, but was thrown out of the game for gambling and addiction to Demerol. Smelling something fishy, Joe and Jimmy begin to investigate further and discover layers of corruption in professional football circles, leading up to Sheldon Marcone (Noble Willingham), a corrupt team owner who wants to pay off legislators to legalize gambling on pro football games. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Charles Bronson at 63 or so, continues his vigilante persona in this run-of-the-mill crime drama about a Richard Speck-style killer who knifes young nurses to death. There is no doubt that the film exploits both the heinous, 1966 Speck murder of eight nurses in Chicago and an audience's willingness to go along with the Bronson character, Leo Kessler, when he uses illegal means to entrap criminals. The captured killer, Warren Stacey (Gene Davis) manages to go free because of red tape and the need to wait for the outcome of his insanity plea. When he returns to his murderous predilection, Kessler takes action to permanently stop him. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide