Bill Croft Movies

When the death of her once-beautiful sister leaves lonely Laci (Linda Purl)'s grieving brother-in-law a newly-single husband and father, the disturbed woman's attempts to take her late sister's place in the marriage only lead to murder in director Douglas Jackson's bloody tale of wedding vows gone awry. Laci will do anything to make her dream of becoming a loyal wife and loving mother come true, and when her sister is killed in a tragic car accident, Laci quickly moves into her brother-in-law's home with every intention of fulfilling all her late sibling's many marital and parental obligations. When Laci discovers that the love of her life is making plans to marry another woman, however, the psychotic sister sets into motion a murderous plan that may find one wedding replaced by two funerals. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Based on the popular Marvel Comics franchise, the made-for-TV Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD stars David Hasselhoff in the title role. Having retired from active duty upon the end of the Cold War, war veteran and secret agent Col. Nick Fury squirrels himself away in his Yukon retreat. Meanwhile, enemy organization Hydra is taken over by the progeny of Fury's perennial enemy, ex-Nazi Baron Von Stucker. Under the leadership of Von Stucker's daughter, "Lady Viper" (Sandra Hess), the bad guys have gotten their mitts on a deadly virus, and intend to destroy America within 48 hours. Summoned from his hideaway by his old bosses at SHIELD, Nick Fury quickly reunites his familiar band of heroes -- the Contessa (Lisa Rinna), Dum-Dum (Garry Chalk), Gabriel (Ron Canada), et al. -- along with a newcomer to the ranks, Britisher Alexander Goodwin (Neil Roberts). Clearly the pilot for a proposed TV series, Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD never quite makes up its mind to be taken seriously or to be enjoyed as high camp. The film was first shown over the Fox network on May 26, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Coproduced by the BBC and America's Fox Network, the two-hour movie Doctor Who was an attempt to revive the phenomenally popular science-fiction series which orginally ran from 1963 to 1989. Sylvester McCoy, the last of seven actors to play the Doctor, here repeats his familiar role--albeit briefly, inasmuch as he is shot by a San Francisco street-gang member on the eve of the 21st century. Rushed to a hospital, the Doctor undergoes his eighth regeneration, whereupon Paul McGann takes over the role. Now the Doctor must do battle with his longtime foe The Master to prevent the latter from harnessing the Time Lords' "Eye of Harmony" for his own nefarious purposes. Only one problem: The Doctor is suffering from amnesia, and has no idea who he is or what he is supposed to do. Written by Matthew Jacobs, Doctor Who first aired in America on May 14, 1996, and in England thirteen days later. Unfortunately, the pilot did not result in a full-scale Doctor Who revival. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The sweeping, melodramatic saga of three brothers, their powerful father, and a beautiful woman, the popular period drama Legends of the Fall presents a romanticized view of rugged masculinity against lush Montana scenery. Based on a novel by Jim Harrison, the film covers decades in the lives of Alfred (Aidan Quinn), Tristan (Brad Pitt), and Samuel (Henry Thomas) Ludlow, the sons of retired military man William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins). Raised by the unorthodox Ludlow after the departure of their mother, the boys grow up close, sharing an appreciation of the land and a pioneering spirit. The family becomes divided, however, when young Sam enlists in World War I over his father's objections, and his brothers follow suit to protect him. Despite these efforts, Sam dies in battle, leaving Alfred and Tristan to return home and deal with the lingering torment. Further complicating matters is the presence of Sam's beautiful fiancée, Susannah (Julia Ormond). After Sam's death, she attracts the romantic attention of both the responsible Alfred and the brooding Tristan, a conflict that threatens to drive the brothers apart. Aspiring to epic status, the film utilizes period detail and attractive landscapes as a backdrop for tragic, doomed romance. While some critics complained that the film resembled a romance novel writ, veering at times into the overwrought, audiences embraced the combination of emotion and grand historical scale, making the film a box-office success. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

A plane crash lands an amateur Los Angeles marshal and a dangerous prisoner in the Alaskan wilderness. Their desperate situation forces them to rely on each other. However, the city-boy cop knows nothing about survival in the wilds while his captive is an expert. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This is a '90s version of the classic Jack London story about the steel-willed captain of a seal-hunting ship who wrangles with a rough-neck crew. Charles Bronson plays Captain Wolf Larsen. Some of the sea scenes were actually taken from the 1941 version of the tale (with Edward G. Robinson) and colorized here. Most reviewers agree that the better version of Sea Wolf remains the earlier (1941) one. ~ Rovi

John Ritter and Pam Dawber star as Roy and Helen Knable, a suburban American couple having marital problems. Roy has become a couch potato, and a resentful Helen wants him to ditch the remote. When the demonic Spike (Jeffrey Jones) offers Roy a deal on the ultimate satellite TV system, Roy doesn't realize that he's just signed away his soul. Roy and Helen are sucked into their own television, where they endure a gauntlet of Hellish television shows such as "Northern Overexposure" and "I Love Lucifer." When their kids Darryl (David Tom) and Diane (Heather McComb) realize that their parents are on the twisted television, they set out to rescue them. Among other elements, Stay Tuned contains an original cartoon short by Looney Tunes legend Chuck Jones. The film was the debut of writing team Tom S. Parker and Jim Jennewein, who would stay in the wacky comedy genre with a whopping four major releases in 1994. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Glenn Close and James Woods star in this artery-clogging schmaltz about a childless couple who desperately want to have a baby. Linda (Close) and Michael Spector (Woods) are an upscale couple who have everything -- except a child. Linda mists over after she takes her temperature, plans the correct time for conception, and then her period starts. Despite medical intervention, the Spectors cannot conceive. They finally decide to adopt a child and meet the pregnant 17-year-old Lucy (Mary Stuart Masterson), who decides that the Spectors can provide a better home for her child than she and her boyfriend Sam (Kevin Dillon) could. The Spectors look Lucy over and determine -- since Lucy's mother died when she was seven -- to take care of her during her pregnancy. The three bond as they await the birth of Lucy's child. But now Lucy has second thoughts about the decision to turn her baby over to the Spectors. The solution for this happy group? Adopt Lucy and become the "immediate family." ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

In this made-for-TV thriller, a quartet of female friends hire a boozy wilderness guide and head into the mountains for a little backpacking fun that is spoiled when they become the target of a militant survivalist group's war games. The film is also known as Bitter Creek. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Sidney Poitier makes his long-overdue return to films in the 1988 thriller Shoot to Kill. Poitier plays an FBI agent, on the trail of an elusive killer. Reluctantly teamed with tracker Tom Berenger, the citified Poitier braves the wilds of the Pacific Northwest in search of his quarry. For Berenger, the pursuit is personal; the killer, whose identity is not immediately revealed, has joined a hunting party being guided through the country by the tracker's girlfriend Kirstie Alley. Though only bearing the slightest resemblance to Real Life (you'll love the scene between lifelong city-dweller Poitier and a huge grizzly bear), Shoot to Kill delivers the goods in the suspense department. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi