Brian Thompson Movies

In this vaguely allegorical science fiction-crime film, a Los Angeles cop tries to solve the murder of his best friend with the help of his new partner -- a member of a star-faring alien race. In the near-future world of Alien Nation, the "Newcomers" are a race of formerly enslaved humanoids seeking refuge and integration into Earth society. These unusual immigrants face anger and resentment from some humans, including Matthew Sykes (James Caan), a cop whose partner, Tug (Roger Aaron Brown), was killed in a shoot-out with several Newcomers. In order to get some insight into Newcomer society and track down the "slags" who killed Tug, Sykes volunteers to take on a new partner,Sam "George" Francisco (Mandy Patinkin), the first alien ever promoted to the rank of detective. As Sykes tries to overcome his bigotry against George and his kind, who eat raw beaver and get drunk on spoiled milk, the friendly, helpful George soon learns the identity of Tug's killer: William Harcort (Terrence Stamp), a pillar of Newcomer society who is secretly manufacturing the same powerful narcotic that was used to enslave his race. It's up to Sykes and George to stop Harcort before he turns his fellow Newcomers into drooling addicts and pulls the skeletons out of his race's closet for all of humankind to see. Omen 3 director Graham Baker made his screenwriting debut with Alien Nation, as did co-writer Rockne S. O'Bannon. Kenneth Johnson, creator of the miniseries V, would adapt Alien Nation into a weekly television show in 1989 and several made-for-TV movies in the mid-'90s. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

The night before Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) 17th birthday, she dreams that Drusilla (Juliet Landau) is going to kill Angel (David Boreanaz). Prophetic dreams have always plagued the Slayer (see "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and "Prophecy Girl"), but, upset as Buffy is, her friends still plan a suprise party for her. Meanwhile, Spike (James Marsters), relegated to a wheelchair (see "What's My Line? Part 2"), is attempting to rebuild "The Judge." A large blue demon, The Judge's only desire is to literally burn the humanity out of everything, leaving only the evil. Although The Judge cannot be killed by any "forged" weapon, he was once dismembered by an army and his body parts scattered the world over. In a comic turn of events, Buffy receives The Judge's arm as a gift at her party -- a present Spike originally intended for Drusilla. Later, as Angel prepares to take the arm to a distant location, he is attacked by vampires who steal the arm and take it back to Spike's lair. Buffy and Angel attempt to retrieve the appendage, but barely escape with their humanity, as The Judge had already been reassembled. Shaken by the event, they return to Angel's apartment and make love for the first time. Afterward, Angel feels different -- and he wasn't even a virgin. In a parallel story line, it is revealed that Jenny Calendar (Robia La Morte) is a descendant of the same Romany tribe that cursed Angel (see "Angel"). ~ All Movie Guide

Ostensibly picking up where the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer left off, episode one finds the vampire-stiffing Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her mother, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland), recently moved from Los Angeles to the ironically named suburb of Sunnydale, CA. During her first day at Sunnydale High School, Buffy meets a group of people who will define the course of her new life. Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), a popular girl at school, proffers her friendship by testing Buffy's "coolness factor." "James Spader?" Cordelia inquires. "He needs to call me," replies Buffy, without missing a beat. But Cordelia is soon dismayed when Buffy begins hanging out with the shy computer nerd Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), her friend Xander Harris ( Nicholas Brendon), and his buddy Jesse (Eric Balfour). Also among her new acquaintances is the school librarian, the very British Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), who just happens to be Buffy's Watcher, a sort of guidance counselor for vampire slayers. Giles informs Buffy that the earth is much older than commonly accepted and was once populated by demons and vampires; only vestiges of the great evil still exist. Through Giles, we also learn that after every slayer dies, another is born to take her place, and 17-year-old Buffy is the Chosen One. That night, Buffy meets the enigmatic and mysterious Angel (David Boreanaz), who warns her that Sunnydale is located on the Hellmouth -- a kind of mecca for demons and vampires of all sorts -- and the accompanying "Harvest," when vampires will attempt to take over the earth, is soon approaching. Buffy is resistant to donning her mantle as the Slayer, unaware that in catacombs beneath Sunnydale, the Master (Mark Metcalf) -- a very old and powerful vampire, trapped for 60 years underground -- is now being awakened by his minion Luke (Brian Thompson) to be set free by the Harvest. Originally aired on March 10, 1996, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" is part one of the show's two-part pilot episode. ~ All Movie Guide

Peter Davison stars as bespectacled, aristocratic private detective Albert Campion in this two-part adaptation of Margery Allingham's novel Flowers for the Judge. Campion finds it curous that no one seems terribly concerned when the director of London's prestigious House of Barnabas publishing firm suddenly vanishes. An investigation is conducted the vault in the director's office, yielding a rare old manuscript--and also the missing man's corpse. With a plethora of suspects and a paucity of clues, Campion may not be able to solve this case, which by his own admission has "more holes than a string bag." In America, "lowers for the Judge" was telecast December 27, 1990, and January 3, 1991 as part of the PBS anthology Mystery! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first half of Charmed's fifth-season finale (originally telecast as a single two-hour episode), the mythical Titans are released from their eternal prison, whereupon they wipe out all the Whitelighter Elders -- leaving only Leo (Brian Krause) in charge. While Leo is thus occupied, a mysterious Whitelighter from the future is assigned as guardian angel for the Charmed Ones. Somehow, this results in the three girls being transformed into Greek goddesses: Piper (Holly Marie Combs) is the Goddess of Earth, Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) is the Goddess of Love, and Paige (Rose McGowan) is the Goddess of War! ~ All Movie Guide

Crime is the disease and Sylvester Stallone is the cure in Cobra, a high-octane rehash of the Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry films, burnished to a 1980s action sheen. Stallone is Marion Cobretti, a cop called in when regular police methods have failed. Cobra is sent to get a cult of Charles Manson-like serial killers and to protect Ingrid (Brigitte Nielsen), a beautiful, statuesque witness who is set to testify against them. Cobra deposits Ingrid in an out-of-the-way town for safe-keeping, but a mole in the police department tips off the killers. The gang comes racing into town to get Ingrid, but Cobra is there waiting for them, ready to spring into action. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Doctor Mordrid (Jeffrey Combs) is an interdimensional sorcerer whose earth cover consists of acting as a super for a Manhattan apartment building. He gets word from his contact that a rival sorcerer, Kabal (Brian Thompson), has escaped and is coming to earth to take over the planet. Framed by Kabal for murder, Mordrid is sent to jail where his girlfriend (Yvette Nipar) is the only one who can help him escape -- and prevent the destruction of Earth. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Science must confront a power greater than our own in this unusual sci-fi-thriller. As seismic activities around the world begin going haywire, causing untold damages in major cities and claiming thousands of lives, the President of the United States orders Kasia Czaban, one of his top scientific advisers, and Mason Rand, a leading weapons expert, to investigate the phenomenon and see if it can be stopped. Kasia and Mason's investigation leads them to the Himalayas, where they discover a strange object of otherworldly origin that can generate its own power and water, spawn and support its own life forms, and either extend or extinguish human lives at will. What is this strange item? What is its role in the history of our universe? And can Mason and Kasia unlock its secrets without falling prey to its dangers? Epoch stars David Keith, Stephanie Niznik, Ryan O'Neal, and Shannon Lee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Rumored and anticipated for years, the two biggest icons of the slasher genre finally meet in Freddy Vs. Jason, the eighth entry in the Nightmare on Elm Street saga and the 11th film in the Friday the 13th series, though with Jason X taking place in the future, it should be noted that the events of this film take place after the ninth film Jason Goes to Hell. And it is hell where Freddy Kreuger (Robert Englund) and Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger, donning the hockey mask for the first time in a controversial snub against series veteran Kane Hodder) finally become acquainted. Banished there for eternity, Freddy devises a plan to manipulate Jason into continuing his work, hacking up the teenagers of Elm Street. All goes well at first until Jason realizes he's been duped by "the dream master" and is none too pleased. Coaxed by surviving teenagers Will (Jason Ritter), Lori (Monica Keena), and Kia (Destiny's Child's Kelly Rowland), Jason and Freddy descend upon Crystal Lake for a mano a mano battle royal. Helmed by Hong Kong director Ronny Yu (Bride of Chucky, The Bride With the White Hair), Freddy Vs. Jason features the director of the first Friday film, Sean S. Cunningham serving as producer. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

After capturing the barbarian leader Goth (Brian Thompson), Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) and Iolaus (Michael Hurst) endeavor to bring their prisoner to Athens to stand trial. Hot on our hero's heels is Goth's brother, Bledar (Ray Woolf), who will stop at nothing to free his sibling. Hercules, Iolaus, and Goth take refuge in a fortress where dwells Goth's former lover Elora (Rebecca Hobbs). Will she allow her heart to rule her head and betray the good guys? And what about Titanus, Bledar's terrifying new weapon of mass destruction? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the Cold of the Night is an above-average erotic thriller, directed with superb visual style by Nico Mastorakis, but plagued by an uneven, derivative plot. Photographer Scott Bruin (Jeff Lester) is very successful but begins to have frightening visions of himself murdering a beautiful woman. When he meets the woman in those dreams, Kimberly (Adrienne Sachs), they begin a highly charged romance. When Scott becomes suspicious, he finds out information which leads to a "surprise" ending. In the Cold of the Night generated a great deal of controversy when it was originally released, and director Mastorakis had to cut the film to avoid an X rating. Despite the cuts and the weak plot, the extraordinary visual style of Mastorakis, and the haunting cinematography make In the Cold of the Night a treat for fans of erotic thrillers or anyone who appreciates technique and style in filmmaking. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

If a comedy is to be made from the plight of the homeless, who have to scrape through their days returning deposit bottles and cleaning car windshields to get their daily bread as the rich get richer and more heartless, it may as well be Mel Brooks' Life Stinks. The trademark Brooks humor dominates this fable about a ruthless billionaire, Goddard Bolt (Mel Brooks), who wants to obliterate a poor section of Los Angeles and build a high-tech commercial center in its place. His only problem is that he owns only half the land needed for the construction, the other half belonging to equally ruthless billionaire Vance Craswell (Jeffrey Tambor), who has his own ideas for the land. The two try to buy each other out until, finally, a deal is struck: Craswell bets that Bolt cannot survive a month on the streets as a homeless man. If Bolt makes it, he gets the property. If he doesn't, Craswell gets it. Bolt agrees and, as a poor man, he begins to feel the pain of being uprooted and alone, even meeting a friendly homeless woman, Molly (Lesley Ann Warren) with whom he forms an attachment. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide