Jim Boyce Movies
Two leaders with different philosophies about battle and leadership wage war with each other in this tense military thriller. Capt. Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) is the commanding officer of a nuclear submarine, the U.S.S. Alabama. Ramsey is a distinguished veteran near the end of his career, and he leads his men with an iron hand; as he puts it, "We're here to preserve democracy, not to practice it." Ramsey is assigned a new second-in-command, Lt. Cmmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington); Hunter is much younger than Ramsey, Harvard educated, and believes the goal of the military in the nuclear age is to prevent war, not fight it. While at sea, word reaches the Alabama that a splinter group of Russian forces have seized missile silos, and the ship is put on red alert. The Alabama has orders to fire, but as it is receiving a new incoming order the radio malfunctions. It's Ramsey's contention that an order is an order and they are to move forward with the attack, while Hunter feels if there is any question at all about their mission, they should wait until they can receive further instruction, with Hunter going so far as to threaten mutiny against Ramsey if the missile strike is carried out. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Towne both contributed to the screenplay without credit. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, (more)
Developed by Tina Sinatra and approved by Frank himself, Sinatra is a made-for-television mini-series following the life and times of Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular and acclaimed singers of the 20th century. Opening with his childhood in Hoboken, New Jersey, the film follows Sinatra's (Philip Casnoff) rise to the top in the '40s, through the dark days of the early '50s and his triumphant re-emergence in the mid-'50s, to his status as pop culture icon in the '60s, '70s and '80s. In between, the film hits all of the main events, including his three marriages, his connections with the Mafia and his notorious friendship with the Rat Pack. Even with the presence of Tina Sinatra as executive producer, Sinatra doesn't gloss over the more unsavory portions of Frank's life, which makes it all the more impressive. With the exception of a couple of early songs, all the music in the movie is taken from the original Sinatra recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
In this made for TV movie based on Danielle Steele's novel, Cheryl Ladd portrays a successful New York television anchorwoman. When she marries a successful surgeon in Los Angeles, romance becomes difficult with their careers on opposite ends of the country. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheryl Ladd, Michael Nouri, (more)
- 1985
- PG13
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In this weak, undistinguished sequel to the successful Police Academy, Mahoney and his cohorts have now graduated from their police training and are ready to tackle real criminals. The first assignment for the enthusiastic former cadets is to halt the graffiti-scribbling antics of a local gang of marauding toughs. The new lieutenant at the station (Art Metrano) is not anxious to see them succeed -- and begins to roadblock their efforts against the graffiti artists. Not to be easily outmaneuvered, Mahoney and friends plot an appropriate revenge. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, (more)
- 1982
It is up to Charles (David Ogden Stiers), Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell) to do determine who among the 4077th's enlisted men is due a promotion. As everyone in camp jockeys for approval from the three-headed promotion board, Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan) is profoundly affected by the plight of a wounded soldier. Without saying any more, this is the episode in which a certain corporal becomes a certain sergeant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
- R
Feminist film director Amy Jones and feminist novelist Rita Mae Brown collaborated on this by-the-numbers slasher gorefest, alleviated somewhat by desultory attempts at developing the victims as characters. The film concerns an overnight slumber party, attended by a group of nubile young women, who find themselves harassed by a gaggle of over-sexed young men. Their sexual escapades are punctured by the intrusion of an insane killer wielding a power drill. But the women rule the day when the lone survivor of the killer's hydraulic drill bands together with her sister and a neighbor to form their own posse and hunt down the murderer. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michele Michaels, Robin Stille, (more)
