Clancy Brown

When a family of Dakota Territory pioneers is violently abducted and a posse is assembled to venture into the badlands and rescue them, the frightening truth they discover in the hills leads them to believe man may not be the only hunter stalking the Old West. The year is 1879, and beyond the fringes of civilization a handful of courageous pioneers maintain settlements while exploring the unknown territories. One night, under the shimmering Western stars, a family from one of these settlements is brutally dragged into darkness by a group of unknown invaders. At first the kidnappers are thought to be hostile Native Americans, and a posse forms to bring the family back home safely. Venturing out into the unmapped territories is an Irish immigrant desperate to find his lost love, a naïve teen eager to prove his worth, a former slave seeking his fortune after gaining his freedom, and a hardened pair of battle-weary Indian fighters. But nature's wrath and the tomahawks of hostile tribes aren't the only threats that this group will be forced to contend with, because as the bodies begin to multiply and the truth about the abductors gradually emerges, these rescuers will find out that there are forces in this world that can't be described in human terms -- and that seem to have motivations beyond our comprehension. Clancy Brown, William Mapother, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Doug Hutchison star in Soft for Digging director J.T. Petty's subterranean Western shocker. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A decorated Coast Guard search and rescue specialist still haunted by the death of his teammates during a disastrous mission off the coast of Alaska is charged with the task of training the next generation of Coast Guard rescue swimmers in director Andrew Davis' ocean-bound adventure drama. Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) was the best swimmer of his graduating class, but upon surfacing as the sole survivor of an Alaskan rescue mission attempted during a Category Three storm, his outlook on life has grown increasingly jaded. Now, as hotshot young swimmer Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher) arrives at Coast Guard rescue school looking to accomplish something meaningful with his life, he will be forced to endure the rigorous training methods of a man who expects nothing less than the very best in order to become a member of one of the most elite rescue squads on the planet. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In this followup to the second-season episode "Tabula Rasa," Superman's perennial nemesis Lex Luthor returns, claming to have completely reformed. Willing to give their former foe the benefit of the doubt, the Justice Leaguers try to protect Luthor from the evil android AMAZO, who seems determined to kill Lex in as nasty a manner as possible. Meanwhile, "Green Lantern" John Stewart tries to get over his busted romance with Hawkgirl. Fans of The Andy Griffith Show will enjoy the fleeting inside joke during the barbershop scene. ~ All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, the members of the Justice League are confronted by their evil doppelgangers from another dimension. In their world, the "Justice Lords" rule with a curious and sinister version of law and order, in which the innocent suffer while the guilty flourish. When the Justice Lords arrive on earth, they are confused by values that they cannnot understand -- but which they are compelled to destroy. ~ All Movie Guide

Directed by Robert Gardner, Barbarians, Part 1: The Huns was original broadcast on The History Channel in January of 2004. The program is narrated by Clancy Brown. This part focuses on the Huns, who battled the Roman Empire in the fifth century. Roman General Aetius was a hostage of the Huns as a child. Learning much about his enemy as a prisoner of war, Aetius eventually battles the ruthless Attila the Hun. Honoria, the Roman Emperor's sister, secretly offers her hand in marriage to Attila and, along with it, half of the Roman Empire as her dowry. But the Emperor quickly puts a stop to her plans, and in 451, the Huns and the Romans fight each other in the Battle of Chalons. Although somewhat victorious, the highly ranked Huns are ultimately killed off by disease, including the fierce Attila. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Directed by Robert Gardner, Barbarians, Part 4: The Mongols was original broadcast on The History Channel in January of 2004. The program is narrated by Clancy Brown. This part focuses on the Mongols, the nomadic warriors from east-central Asia. Conqueror Genghis Khan gets all of the Mongol tribes together in the early 13th century. His army forms a destructive path westward into Europe. Khan is succeeded by General Timur, who leads his armies to terrorize and conquer the Ottoman Empire in 1402. The Mongol Empire eventually falls because it can't manage the vast geographical area it controls. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Although undergoing a sex change is not as unusual a procedure as it once was in days gone by, it is still hardly an everyday occurrence -- especially in rural, conservative western Illinois, where Normal takes place. After 25 years of marriage, Roy Applewood (Tom Wilkinson) surprises his wife, Irma (Jessica Lange), by announcing that he'd rather be a woman, and in fact has felt like a woman for most of his adult life. As Roy undergoes the standard hormone and prosthetics process to transform himself into "Ruth," his sudden gender switch elicits shock, surprise, and anger from friends, family members, and co-workers alike -- but also is met with support and sympathy from a number of extremely unlikely sources. Tastefully produced and acted, the film wisely avoids shock value in its subject matter and condescension in its treatment of middle-America types. Directed by Jane Anderson, who also adapted the script from her own stage play Looking for Normal, the made-for-cable Normal premiered March 16, 2003, on HBO. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Lex Luthor continues his campaign of revenge against the Justice League with the help of the android AMAZO, which is capable of mirroring the likenesses and special skills of the League members. Once AMAZO takes on the powers of Superman -- albeit with an evil twist -- there seems to be no stopping him. The only hope for our heroes' salvation is in the hands of J'onn J'onnz, "The Martian Manhunter," who unfortunately has soured on mankind and is no mood to come to anyone's rescue. ~ All Movie Guide

More fun and games beneath the waves are in store for you, you, and maybe you as the animated cult favorite SpongeBob SquarePants launches its third season. The opener brings back those antiquated superheroes Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy (voiced by Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway), who must rely upon SpongeBob when they lose their utility belts; and as a bonus, SpongeBob's driving teacher Mrs. Puff is arrested -- and she likes it, she really likes it. And what else? Well, a magic pencil leaves SpongeBob a fraction of his former self; snow falls on Bikini Bottom; the Krusty Krab is apparently invaded by a phony health inspector (accept no substitutes!); Squidward ends up a "street octopus," even though there aren't any streets; SpongeBob tries to prove he's tough enough to get into the Salty Spittoon (our motto: No Weenies Allowed); an abandoned clam brings out the parental instinct -- and the absentee parent -- in the redoubtable Patrick; the outside world is given its first glimpse of the fabled "Krusty Krab Training Video" (watch for the POOP session -- it sure beats "Dating Do's and Don't's"); "My Pretty Seahorse" ends with a Very Special Moment that will leave you as confused as the live-action "dad" we see on screen; the legend of the Hash-Slinging Slasher becomes all too true; Gary enters the Great Snail Race, which is not an oxymoron, we think; and at long last, we see "The Lost Episode" -- or rather, the "Other Lost Episode." In addition, this season offers a flashback to SpongeBob's prehistoric relative, as he discovers fire (not a bad trick when you're underwater). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide