Jeff Austin Movies
- 1995
Deep Space Nine's third season finale begins on an upbeat note, as Benjamin Sisko is appointed Captain. Things quickly take a downturn when one of Odo's fellow Changelings tricks Sisko into a course of action that turns out to be a Dominion plot to spark an apocalyptic war in the Alpha Quadrant. Even when Sisko manages to get things under control -- or so it seems -- he must come to grips with the fact that his troubles are just beginning. Originally telecast June 19, 1995, "The Adversary" was written by veteran Deep Space Nine scriveners Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
The Alien Nation series continues with this made-for-television science-fiction thriller. In keeping with the original premise, the film is set in the near future on a planet Earth that is integrated with aliens. Alien detective Francisco and his human partner Sikes return, this time to investigate a mysterious child and her keeper. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Based on a true story, Woman with a Past is about a prosperous real estate agent whose hidden life is revealed when federal agents arrest her for her past crimes. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Reed, Dwight Schultz, (more)
- 1994
Nearly a full year after the first telecast of the two-hour pilot, the weekly, 60-minute Babylon 5 series proper began on January 26, 1994 with "Midnight on the Firing Line." It is now 2258 AD; the Babylon 5 has become the target of increased attacks from enemy pirates, a situation exacerbated by a personal feud between Londo and G'Kar. Making matters even worse, a Narn attack on the peaceful agricultural colony of Ragesh 3 threatens to explode into all-out warfare unless Sinclair can put a lid on the crisis. Watch for cameo appearances by executive producer Douglas Netter and costume designer Ann Bruce. "Midnight on the Firing Line" was written by J. Michael Straczynski. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael O'Hare, Claudia Christian, (more)
- 1992
- R
In this martial-arts actioner a young man is forced to learn physical and spiritual self-defense tactics from a master after he witnesses a gangland murder. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- R
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
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Yvette Nipar, (more)
- 1991
In this entry in the long-running mystery series, Perry Mason must reevaluate his legal principles when an old buddy asks him to represent the gangster suspected of murdering his wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raymond Burr, Paul Anka, (more)
- 1991
Among the Metro Division officers providing protection for a drug-dealing murder witness (Anthony Ponzini) is Chris Novak (Lauren Lane). At the same time, the Feds have taken a special interest in this witness, especially veteran FBI agent Tom Reed (Mitchell Ryan). As it happens, Reed is Novak's long-estranged father--and as a result, the outcome of the current situation is largely dictated by the long-simmering hostilities between father and daughter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
- R
Fear stars Ally Sheedy as a psychic who frequently helps the police track down criminals. This time, however, there's a serial killer at large who's a pretty efficient psychic in his own right. The story boils down to a battle of wills, and for while it looks as though the villain's will is the stronger of the two. Fear was tensely, tersely written and directed by Rockne O'Bannon, a veteran of the Twilight Zone TV-series revival of the 1980s, as well as the author of the screenplay for Alien Nation (1988). The star-studded supporting cast included Lauren Hutton, Michael O'Keefe, John Agar, Stan Shaw and Dina Merrill. Originally intended for theatrical release, Fear debuted July 15, 1990, over the Showtime Cable Network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ally Sheedy, Lauren Hutton, (more)
- 1989
This particularly bizarre horror variant on Joe Dante's Gremlins (1985) was directed by newcomer Jeff Mandel. The ridiculous plot concerns the efforts of a group of Nazis to set the stage for a Fourth Reich by mating one of Santa Claus' elves with a pretty teenaged waitress (Julie Austin). The cast is peppered with former television stars, including Deanna Lund of Land of the Giants as Austin's mother (she kills cats and has a nude scene) and Dan Haggerty of The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams as a drunken department-store Santa who used to be a detective. Even better is Haggerty's predecessor, a cocaine fiend who gets castrated by the Nazi elves. Mandel went on to co-direct Robo-C.H.I.C. (1989), which was almost as bad. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Haggerty, Julie Austin, (more)
The third sequel to Sylvester Stallone's boxing blockbuster combines the ringside sports melodrama of the previous installments with the Cold War patriotism of the star/director's other motion picture series of the 1980s, the Rambo saga. Stallone is back as Rocky Balboa, the heavyweight champion of the world and now good friend of his one-time nemesis, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Creed is brutally slaughtered in the boxing ring during a lop-sided exhibition match against the superhuman Russian boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), an event that Rocky takes personally. Vowing revenge against Drago in the name of Creed and the United States, Rocky is invited to the Soviet Union for a matchup and hires Creed's former manager (Tony Burton) to get him in shape. While Drago trains using the latest technology, Rocky's ascetic preparations are a low-key affair of carrying logs up hills through knee-deep Russian snow. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, (more)
- 1983
- R
This made-for-TV comedy postulates that, someday, members of carpools will be selected by computer. The four so anointed herein are Harvey Korman, Peter Scolari, T.K. Carter and Stephanie Faracy. Their lives go along in their usual luckless fashion until the quarter of mismatched "poolers" find themselves in possession of a million dollars that has fallen from an armored car. But ex-cop Ernest Borgnine has his eyes on the loot as well, and the chase is on. Basically a bargain-basement It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Carpool first aired October 5, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
In 1967, Joni Eareckson Tada broke her spinal cord in a diving accident, and at the tender age of 17 she was consigned to a wheelchair for life. This biographical drama (based on her book) is about her courage in adjusting to the results of the accident. At first, Tada suffered through several operations and long rehabilitation sessions, but nothing was able to bring back the use of her arms and legs. After she goes home to her family in Maryland, she starts to draw and paint by holding the brush in her mouth. This creative outlet, combined with her spunk and a growing religious faith, not only brings her through her darkest moments, but points the way toward a future career and mission. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joni Eareckson, Bert Remsen, (more)
