Colleen Winton Movies

Executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, the ten-episode, 20-hour miniseries Taken was one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by cable TV's Sci-Fi Network, ultimately costing 40 million dollars -- a price that proved well worth it, inasmuch as the series posted the network's highest-ever ratings. Covering a period from 1947 to the present, the story focused on three different families, each of whom was profoundly affected by extraterrestrial visitation. The Keys family was headed by WWII bomber pilot Russell Keys (Steve Burton), who spent virtually his entire adult life haunted by his "close encounter" with aliens. The Clarkes were originally represented by lonely Texas waitress Sally Clarke (Catherine Dent), who was impregnated by a charming stranger (Eric Close) who turned out to be an alien survivor of the Roswell crash. And the lives of the Crawfords were dictated by ruthless Army officer Owen Crawford (Joel Gretsch), who was determined to prove that the government had covered up the truth about Roswell by dedicating his life to tracking down all space aliens and their half-human descendants. The story was narrated by Allie Keys (Dakota Fanning), a "hybrid" child of the present day, whose story determined the outcome of the final episodes. Boasting impressive computer-generated special effects and eye-popping facial makeup, Taken was seen over a two-week period, beginning December 2, 2002, and ending on December 13. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having unwittingly aided a fugitive from justice, the SG-1 team is put on trial, convicted, and sentence to the prison planet Hadante. Here they come in contact with hard-bitten female prisoner Linea (Bonnie Bartlett), who exerts a strange and powerful control over prisoners and guards alike. Linea offers to help the SG-1 if they in turn will help her escape. Team leader O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) agrees, little suspecting that Linea has a sinister hidden agenda. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Another of the many TV-movies produced for NBC's off-and-on "Moment of Truth" series, The Other Mother was based on the autobiographical novel by Carol Schaefer, herein played by Frances Fisher. The astonishing resilient Carol manages to endure a messy divorce, handling the raise of two children all by herself, and survive a nasty bout with cancer. Having weathered all these crises, Carol feels it is time to tackle an unresolved issue from her past. Thus, she embarks upon a journey (both spiritual and physical) to locate the child that she gave up for adoption 18 years ago--and faces obstacles that may, in her own words, "threaten everything I valued in life." Although the core of the drama is the rights of birth parents vs. the rights of privacy of adoptive parents, the film manages to engender sympathy and understanding for both sides of the argument. The Other Mother: A Moment of Truth Movie was first shown on April 17, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Living a hermitlike existence in the woods, Vietnam veteran Leo Atkins (Vincent Schiavelli) is charged with murder by sheriff Howard Crowley (John Novak). The victim was a mortal friend of Immortal Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul) -- and Duncan is convinced that Leo is innocent. Could the actual culprit be a local bully named Lemoyne (Garry Chalk), or is the guilty party the proverbial Least Likely Suspect? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this suspense film, a couple goes on a weekend vacation to get some much needed peace and quiet and instead find themselves entangled with murder and blackmail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide