Ben Cardinal Movies
A man is forced to overcome his lifelong fear of snakes in order to protect his town from a mythical serpent that is growing at an alarming rate and swallowing up anything and anyone who happens to cross its slithering path. Les Daniels was just a young boy when his father was bitten and killed by an extremely poisonous snake. Years, later, Lee is still petrified of snakes. When Lee's brother inadvertently releases an extremely deadly serpent that was feared by ancient cultures, the one person with the power to defeat the creature is the same one who fears it most. Now trapped in a terrifying situation and forced to confront his painful past, Lee boldly sets up to stop the Meg Snake before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Shanks, Siri Baruc, (more)
An orphaned drifter recently released from the hospital and seeking gainful employment finds that sometimes fate can play cruel tricks on the desperate in a tightly wound tale of adultery, deception, and murder starring Peter Coyote and Lucas Black. Nat Banyon (Black) is an orphan just looking to get back on his feet after an extended convalescence in a Wyoming hospital. When by chance Nat spots a bad car accident and bravely acts to save the life of the car's eccentric driver, Herman Finch (Coyote), the grateful wheelman kindly extends an offer of work to the young drifter, with the understanding that room and board will be provided free of charge. Assigned the task of cleaning up Finch's rundown Deepwater motel in exchange for a street-worthy car, Nat sets about performing his duties while slowly becoming aware that, in this ramshackle motel, nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lucas Black, Peter Coyote, (more)
A man fights to bring decency and the rule of law back to his hometown in this action drama. Chris Vaughn (The Rock) left his home in Washington State's timber country to join the Army, where he distinguished himself as a member of the Special Forces. When his hitch is over, Vaughn decides to return home to help run the family business, a sawmill, but he soon makes the unpleasant discovery that things aren't what they once were. Vaughn learns that the town's lumber industry has all but dried up, and an old high school buddy, Jay Hamilton (Neal McDonough), has turned the city into a den of vice, running a large gambling casino and strip club while selling drugs and women on the side. Angry at this turn of events, and frustrated by local law enforcement officials who are willing to ignore Hamilton's crimes in exchange for kickbacks, Vaughn decides to run for sheriff, and with the help of another old friend, Ray Templeton (Johnny Knoxville), he wins the election. But Hamilton doesn't take kindly to Vaughn's attempts to clean up the town, and Vaughn discovers Hamilton's henchmen are willing to target his friends, his family, and the woman he loves (Ashley Scott) in order to have their way. Walking Tall was based on Phil Karlson's 1973 action hit of the same name, which was in turn inspired by the true story of Buford Pusser, who was sheriff of Tennessee's McNairy County between 1964 and 1970 and gained fame for his tough tactics against the local criminal element. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- The Rock, Johnny Knoxville, (more)
Filmed under the title Breeders, the made-for-cable thriller Brother's Keeper concentrated on, as the print ads so delicately described it, "A serial killer -- a fallen cop." Throughout her life, Lucinda Pond (Jeanne Tripplehorn) has looked after and protected her younger brother Ellis (Corin Nemec), whose aberrant mental state was the result of constant abuse at the hands of his father (Brian Jensen). As an adult, Lucinda worked as a criminal investigator, while Ellis pursued a criminal career. Despite this, Lucinda continued to shelter her brother, carefully covering up for his many crimes. Fired for bungling the investigation of alleged serial killer Victor Orbin, Lucinda opens up a boat and tackle store at a remote lakeside community. Local homicide detective Travis Adler (Leland Orser) invites Lucinda to participate in another murder investigation, this one apparently perpetrated by the same killer who indirectly cost Lucinda her badge. At the same time, Ellis escapes from jail and goes off on a homicidal spree of his own, eliminating those whom he feels did his sister wrong, as well as a few abusive parents along the way. Gradually, Lucinda begins to deduce a connection between Ellis' escape and her current investigation -- but will she continue to protect her kid brother despite his murderous rampage? Brother's Keeper made its USA Network bow on January 29, 2002; it was supposed to have premiered as My Brother's Keeper, but this title was changed at the last minute to avoid confusion with the like-vintage CBS TV-movie My Sister's Keeper. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
"Inspired by actual events", this made-for-TV drama stars Melissa Gilbert ad Donielle, who since childhood has been blessed--or cursed--with a Sixth Sense. It all began at her best friend's funeral, when 8-year-old Donielle was seized with a vision which indicated that her friend had been murdered by his own father. Disowned by her family and ostracized by the community, Donielle learns the hard way to keep her premonitions to herself. By the time she has reached adulthood, Donielle is a rootless single mother, travelling from town to town with her children to avoid coming in close contact with anything that might retrigger her paranormal gifts. But upon arriving in a small town where the citizens are being terrorized by a serial killer, Donielle again begins experiencing horrible visions--and this time, maybe someone will listen...and believe...A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle first aired February 9, 2000, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
This made-for-cable romantic drama was based on the book Fishing with John by Manhattan journalist Edith Iglauer. Jaclyn Smith stars as Iglauer, who is on assignment in British Columbia to write a flippantly satiric piece about the Canadian salmon industry. A "meet cute" scene unites Edith with taciturn, reclusive fisherman John Daly (Tim Matheson). She's sophisticated, he's earthy; she throws up at the sight of a gutted fish, he was born with a fishing pole in his hand; she never stops talking, he never starts. In other words, Edith and John are made for each other, and before the story ends, the two of them have joined forces to save all the other salmon fishermen in the Dominion from ruination and despair. Described by one journalist as the world's first eco-romance, Navigating the Heart made its Lifetime network debut on February 14, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jaclyn Smith, Tim Matheson, (more)
- 1998
Made for and originally broadcast on the USA Cable Network, this soap-operatic tale of deceit, kidnapping and motherly love is set in a small town and centers on Ellie (Mary Page Keller) the wife of the burg's sheriff and her beloved adopted son Charlie (Michael Suchanek). Ellie's marriage to Jack (Jack Wagner) is quite troubled, due in part to his rather shabby treatment of Charlie. Ray (Ian Tracey), his girlfriend Sarah (Tracey Gold) and the rest of his gang make money robbing liquor stores until Sarah comes up with an even better plan: why not kidnap the sheriff's son and ask for $100,000 ransom. That is exactly what they do. Ellie is frantic and wants to call in the FBI, but Jack insists on handling the investigation himself. Determined to have Charlie back, no matter the cost, Ellie convinces her father, owner of the town bank, to put up the ransom. Unfortunately, she does not realize that Sarah, to whom Charlie bears more than a passing resemblance, has other plans. As those plans are enacted, Ellie finds herself learning some surprising and painfully dark secrets, leaving her to wonder just who the good and bad guys really are. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tracey Gold, Jack Wagner, (more)
It has been 20 years since Federal agent Dane Corvin (Richard Chamberlain) left his home town of Raven Island -- and also 20 years since Dane's fiancée Helen (Karen Allen), a talented sculptor, bitterly broke off their engagement when he was forced to arrest her brother for poaching. Now Corvin has returned, hoping to somehow, some way win back Helen's love. As it turns out, however, Helen herself is harboring a secret that Dane may not be able to forgive. Some lovely location footage of the Pacific Northwest makes this adaptation of Evan Maxwell's novel seem more compelling that it truly is. All the Winters That Have Been originally aired over CBS on September 21, 1997, posting the eighth highest rating of its broadcast week. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Chamberlain, Karen Allen, (more)
Widower Jake Barnes (Dirk Benedict) moves with his daughter and son to a fishing village in Alaska, and earns his keep as a bush pilot by ferrying supplies to remote locations throughout the state. While the daughter loves her new home, the son cannot stand it, and is impatiently waiting until he is grown up enough to move away. However, they join forces to look for their father when they learn that he has gone down in an airplane accident. The official search party is called off and Jake is assumed dead, but the children will have none of it, and go off on their own into the Alaskan wilderness. Along the way, they thwart a big-game poacher (Charlton Heston) and his sidekick, and learn about survival in the wilderness. A highlight of the film is its fine footage of wild Alaska. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Thora Birch, Vincent Kartheiser, (more)
- 1995
This intellectually demanding drama is based on a theatrical monologue by actor/writer Daniel MacIvor. Victor and 10 others sit in a church. He, who has just come out of group therapy, is sharing his odd life experiences with the people and as he rambles on, little reenactments of the strange tales are depicted. He tells one story of a boy friend who is driven insane by his girl friend's dog. It seems the pooch can laugh like a person and the longer the man is around it, the more convinced he is that the dog's laughter is directed at him. In another, even stranger, tale of a reporter and a librarian who spend their entire lives almost meeting. When they finally do run into each other, each suddenly realizes that they are soulmates and are deeply in love. So joyful are they that they physically explode. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (from the popular television series Full House) are back with another TV-movie for the kids. This time around the twins go West to help save their grandmother's endangered dude ranch from their greedy uncle who wants to take it over. Western cliches abound, but kids should find the duo heroines entertaining in this safe family choice. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ashley Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, (more)
- 1994
This made-for-television movie is an action-thriller set in the mountains. David Hasselhoff stars as a diamond smuggler who crashes his plane into the snowy mountains to escape capture. His reckless move sets off an avalanche that traps him, along with a father (Michael Gross) and his kids, under the snow. The movie follows the family as they battle to survive both Mother Nature and the criminal-minded Hasselhoff. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
Dedicated to his mentors Sergio Leone and Don Siegel, Clint Eastwood's 1992 Oscar-winner examines the mythic violence of the Western, taking on the ghosts of his own star past. Disgusted by Sheriff "Little Bill" Daggett's decree that several ponies make up for a cowhand's slashing a whore's face, Big Whiskey prostitutes, led by fierce Strawberry Alice (Frances Fisher), take justice into their own hands and put a $1000 bounty on the lives of the perpetrators. Notorious outlaw-turned-hog farmer William Munny (Eastwood) is sought out by neophyte gunslinger the Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett) to go with him to Big Whiskey and collect the bounty. While Munny insists, "I ain't like that no more," he needs the bounty money for his children, and the two men convince Munny's clean-living comrade Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) to join them in righting a wrong done to a woman. Little Bill (Oscar-winner Gene Hackman), however, has no intention of letting any bounty hunters impinge on his iron-clad authority. When pompous gunman English Bob (Richard Harris) arrives in Big Whiskey with pulp biographer W.W. Beauchamp (Saul Rubinek) in tow, Little Bill beats Bob senseless and promises to tell Beauchamp the real story about violent frontier life and justice. But when Munny, the true unwritten legend, comes to town, everyone soon learns a harsh lesson about the price of vindictive bloodshed and the malleability of ideas like "justice." "I don't deserve this," pleads Little Bill. "Deserve's got nothin' to do with it," growls Munny, simultaneously summing up the insanity of western violence and the legacy of Eastwood's Man With No Name. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, (more)
- 1986
This drama is an engrossing exploration of the complexity of noble human traits, like loyalty and love, in conflict with a powerful argument for justice. Dr. David Sutton (Kenneth Welsh) and his wife Lily (Susan Wooldridge) have an argument that, unknown to them, is witnessed by their teenage son. The upshot is that they must move to a remote town in Alberta, Canada where no one knows them. David seems aloof towards his upper-crust wife; at first, it is not clear why, but little by little it becomes apparent he is sexually attracted to pre-pubescent girls. Enter a new housekeeper with a young adolescent daughter, and the tensions in the household become more volatile as they head toward an explosion. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kenneth Welsh, Susan Wooldridge, (more)
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