Peter Coyote Movies
There are several theories as to why Peter Cohon chose the stage name of Peter Coyote; for his part, the actor is reluctant to discuss an event that apparently was the end result of an evening's experimentation with controlled substances. In the late 1960s, Coyote quit his job as a dockworker to "turn on, tune in and drop out." With hair so long that he could sit on it (by his own admission), Coyote was a "fringie" with such varied organizations as the Grateful Dead and the Hell's Angels, and also worked for a while with a guerilla mime group. After years of deprivation, Coyote dropped back into society in 1975, accepting a job as a drama teacher at a public school. Rapidly approaching middle age, Coyote entered films with 1980's Die Laughing. Throughout the 1980s, he alternated between good guys, villains, and a vaguely defined stereotype known as "loser boyfriends." As the vengeful public prosecutor in The Jagged Edge (1985), Coyote turns out not to be the film's principal heavy; even so, we leave the picture disliking his character more than anyone else's. Leading roles came his way in such films as Exposure (1991), but even here he could not completely escape an aura of slime (his ostensibly heroic character burrows through the seamy underside of Rio in search of a prostitute's murderer). One of Coyote's few unconditionally "nice" roles was as the enigmatic scientist Keys in the champion moneymaker E.T. (1982). In the late 1990s, Coyote published Sleeping Where I Fall, a candid memoir of his years as a cultural drop out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 2004
Jean-Michel Carre's documentary The Kursk: A Submarine In Troubled Waters examines the events surrounding the sinking of the Russian nuclear submarine that gives the film its title. The filmmakers examine physical evidence that seems inconsistent with the official explanation of how the tragedy occurred, and pose provocative questions about the possibility of the United States being somehow responsible. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote
- 2004
The Lakota Native American tribe has a long tradition of ceremonial horseback rides, which are used to celebrate within the community or bring positive spiritual energies toward matters of concern. In 1990, members of the Lakota Nation felt it was time the tribe addressed the growing need for peace around the world, and with this in mind they began a series of rides dedicated to ending war and bringing greater understanding to the peoples of the Earth. Documentary filmmaker James Kleinert examines the growing Native American peace movement in Spirit Riders, which looks back to Lakota traditions and takes them into the present with the continuing phenomenon of the Spirit Rides for Peace. The film includes interviews with activists and ride participants, including Charlotte Black Elk, Chris Leith, Ron His Horse Is Thunder, and actor Viggo Mortensen; Peter Coyote narrates. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Viggo Mortensen, Charlotte Black Elk, (more)
An actor who lands the role of his life is forced into an even greater real-life acting challenge in this comedy drama from France. Maurice Kurtz (Stéphane Freiss) is an actor who is passionately in love with his wife, Perla (Bérénice Bejo), and wishes he could provide a better life for her. Maurice and his friends Simon (Lionel Abelanski), Sami (Olivier Sitruk), and Edouard (Stéphan Guérin-Tillié) work for a company that dubs American films into French when they're not looking for acting work, and when they learn that famous American filmmaker Grichenberg (Peter Coyote) is coming to Paris to shoot a Yiddish-language version of The Merchant of Venice, they all show up at a "cattle call" audition hoping to land bit parts. To his great surprise, Maurice's reading wins him the leading role of Shylock, and he quickly passes the good news along to Perla. As it happens, Perla needs some good news -- she's just been diagnosed with cancer, and her doctor tells her she's not long for the world. Maurice is comforted by the fact that his good fortune is lifting Perla's spirits, so when Grichenberg recasts him a few days later with a major American star, Maurice and his buddies devise a variety of scams to convince Perla that her husband is still making the movie that will make him famous. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stéphane Freiss, Bérénice Bejo, (more)
The first season of USA Network's sci-fi thriller The 4400 begins (pardon the cliché) with a bang, as a huge, glowing object falls from the sky and lands near Highland Beach, Washington. The comet-like object then disgorges some 4400 human beings, all of whom had vanished from the earth over the past 58 years! After a brief quarantine, the "4400" leave for various parts of the world--and then several returns, exhibiting such paranormal abilities as telekinesis, mind control, supersensitve hearing, and even, in the case of Shawn Farrell (Patrick Flueger), the power to revive the dead. Another of the 4400, Lily Moore, is pregnant with the child of Richard Tyler (Mahershalahashbaz Ali) Acutely aware that the returnees' otherworldly powers can be used for evil as well as good, Dennis Ryland (Peter Coyote), head of the National Threat Assessment Command division of Homeland Security, dispatches agents Tom Baldwin (Joel Gretsch) and Diana Skouris (Jacqueline McKenzie) to locate the rest of the 4400 to make certain that nothing terrible happens. Unfortunately, the damage has already been done, as witness the serial killer who has the power to make others do his dirty work. Also, whatever has caused the 4400 to develop these skills also has a profound effect on the two NTAC agents--to say nothing of Tom's son Kyle (Chad Faust), whose erratic behavior turns is a harbinger of things to come. Meanwhile, another of the 4400, the mysterious Jordan Collier (Bill Campbell), offers protection and shelter to his fellow retunees at Arcadia Estates--an outward act of altrusim that may be a cover up for a sinister hidden agenda. The five-episode first season ends after several of the 4400 are assassinated once their identities are made public--and after the startling secret behind the 4400 is revealed (we won't give too much away here: suffice to say that, though the 4400 were definitely abduction victims, their abductors were NOT aliens from another planet!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote, Joel Gretsch, (more)
When an underground society of powerful and dangerous men transforms from a secretive safe haven into a tangled web of lies and deceit, their unwavering desperation culminates in a shocking act of murder in this thriller from director Rich Cowan. Everyone in the secret society has committed a crime that could bring their fortune and public face crumbling to the ground, and Harrison French (Matt Davis) is no exception. Convinced by leader William Ashbury (James Spader) that the only way to make his troubles disappear is to confess his agonizing secret to the members of the group -- who will in turn exchange his confession for a "favor" designed to take the weight off his crushing conscience -- French soon discovers that the price for a future of lies and deception may be more than he is willing to pay. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Spader
- 2004
- R
- Add Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room to QueueAdd Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room to top of Queue
Alex Gibney, who wrote and produced Eugene Jarecki's The Trials of Henry Kissinger, examines the rise and fall of an infamous corporate juggernaut in Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, which he wrote and directed. The film, based on the book by Fortune Magazine reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, opens with a reenactment of the suicide of Enron executive Cliff Baxter, then travels back in time, describing Enron chairman Kenneth Lay's humble beginnings as the son of a preacher, his ascent in the corporate world as an "apostle of deregulation," his fortuitous friendship with the Bush family, and the development of his business strategies in natural gas futures. The film points out that the culture of financial malfeasance at Enron was evident as far back as 1987, when Lay apparently encouraged the outrageous risk taking and profit skimming of two oil traders in Enron's Valhalla office because they were bringing a lot of money into the company. But it wasn't until eventual CEO Jeff Skilling arrived at Enron that the company's "aggressive accounting" philosophy truly took hold. The Smartest Guys in the Room explores the lengths to which the company went in order to appear incredibly profitable. Their win-at-all-costs strategy included suborning financial analysts with huge contracts for their firms, hiding debts by essentially having the company loan money to itself, and using California's deregulation of the electricity market to manipulate the state's energy supply. Gibney's film reveals how Lay, Skilling, and other execs managed to keep their riches, while thousands of lower-level employees saw their loyalty repaid with the loss of their jobs and their retirement funds. The filmmaker posits the Enron scandal not as an anomaly, but as a natural outgrowth of free-market capitalism. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote
The documentary Oil on Ice discusses various factors that are having negative effects on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The film explains how America's energy policy, the rights of Gwich'in Indians, animal rights, and global warming are all causing serious disturbances to the Refuge. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Although the feature length UFO documentary Out of the Blue first aired on the Sci-Fi Channel, the film takes a sober, clinical and surprisingly down-to-earth approach to its subject matter. Assuming that the audience already accepts the existence of UFOs, the producers -- and narrator Peter Coyote -- calmly offer spoken testimony of "close encounters" from several high-profile witnesses, among them ex-presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, retired American astronauts Gordon Cooper and Edgar Mitchell, and former Soviet cosmonaut Pavel Popovich. Also disseminated are previously classified government documents, and palpable evidence of UFO "interference" with American aircraft. One of the more intelligent and logical films of its kind, Out of the Blue will probably not convert any skeptics, but it won't make the True Believers feel foolish either. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote
- 2003
Made for television, Phenomenon II is not so much as sequel to the theatrical feature Phenomenon as it is a remake--and as such, it is rather obvious that the film is the pilot for a proposed TV series. Christopher Shyer stars as California mechanic George Malley, who after being literally struck down by a bolt from the sky develops hyper-intelligence, mental telepathy, the ability to foretell the future, and a skill not covered in the first Phenomenon: the power to heal. Unfortunately, George also suffers from terrible headaches, suggesting that his "gift" is more bogy than blessing. Plus, try though he might to use his heightened senses to do good for others, he succeeds only in driving everyone away--including his own mother (Jill Clayburgh). Eventually, it is discovered that George's superhuman brilliance is the freakish result of a brain tumor that will eventually kill him. To best use the time he has left on earth, George hits the road, seeking out people in need of his peculiar talents. . .and, it is hoped, a cure for his fatal affliction. When Phenomenon II initially aired over ABC on November 1, 2003, it was introduced by the star of the original Phenomenon, John Travolta. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The last frantic days before the Germans seized France in 1940 provide an unlikely backdrop for this dark comedy. Viviane (Isabelle Adjani) is a glamorous and well-known film actress who attracts the attentions of many men -- often many she has no interest in knowing. One night, at a reception following the premiere of her latest picture, Viviane finds herself pursued by Beaufort (Gérard Depardieu), a government official whose girth exceeds his charm. To throw him off her trail, Viviane allows a cranky older man, André Arpel (Nicolas Vaude), to escort her home. During the evening, Viviane and André quarrel, and after slapping him, she discovers that he has simply dropped dead. An understandably terrified Viviane calls a former boyfriend, Frédéric Roger (Grégori Derangère), and asks him to help her get rid of the body. In hopes of reviving their romance, he agrees, but after an auto accident, Frédéric is caught with the body, and is taken to jail to await his trial. When word gets out that German troops are due to arrive in Paris at any minute, Frédéric and his fellow prisoners are instructed they're to be moved out of town; Frédéric is handcuffed to petty thief Raoul (Yvan Attal), and en route the two are able to make their escape. When Frédéric learns that Viviane has fled to Bordeaux, along with much of the French upper crust, he makes his way there, where he finds he has a new rival for her affections -- Beaufort, who no longer seems such a poor prospect. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu, (more)
- 2003
Hosted by actor Peter Coyote, this four-part documentary series was an unofficial follow-up to The History of Sex. Covering the years 1900 to 2000, the series emphasized changing sexual manners and mores during those 100 years, covering the first 20 years of the century in the opening program alone. Such episode titles as "The Century Turns On," "Passions Coming of Age" and "The Politics of Pleasure" were ample proof that this was not just another of the History Channel's military series. Sex in the 20th Century debuted January 26, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote
What was once a brave frontier town has become a haven for enlightened oddballs in this unusual drama from director Michael Polish, written in collaboration with his twin brother, Mark Polish. Northfork is a small town in Montana which, in 1955, is soon to disappear in the name of progress; a massive hydroelectric dam is to be put in nearby, which will flood the entire village. A group of six men sent by the power company -- led by Walter O'Brien (James Woods) and his son Willis (Mark Polish) -- arrive in Northfork to evacuate the few remaining residents. If the men are successful, they'll each be given parcels of land on the banks of the new lake which will be where Northfork once stood. Most of the townspeople have already left, but a few remain, among them Father Harlan (Nick Nolte), a man of the cloth who is caring for Irwin (Duel Farnes), a strange, scarred boy apparently on his deathbed, and a handful of enchanted eccentrics who have taken over a local bar, including Flower Hercules (Daryl Hannah), Cup of Tea (Robin Sachs), Happy (Anthony Edwards), and Cod (Ben Foster). As Walter and Willis try to persuade the stubborn stragglers to move on, Walter must search for a new final resting place for his late wife, whose coffin is the last to be relocated after Northfork's cemetery is dug up. Northfork received its world premier at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Woods, Nick Nolte, (more)
John Terlesky's psychological thriller Written in Blood concerns a police detective named Matt Ransom who attempts to clear the name of his partner after the partner is convicted of killing his wife. The investigator uncovers a web of people who might have been responsible for the crime, but he begins to mistrust his now incarcerated partner, who might be trying to manipulate Matt. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael T. Weiss, Peter Coyote, (more)
Brian De Palma blends the emotional netherworld of film noir with a stylish portrayal of life among the wealthy and powerful in Paris in this glossy thriller. Laure Ash (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) is a beautiful but mysterious woman who has aligned herself with a small ring of jewel thieves, led by a man known as Black Tie (Eriq Ebouaney), who has planned a major score during the Cannes Film Festival. Sexy model Veronica (Rie Rasmussen) is scheduled to make a spectacular entrance for the screening of director Regis Wargnier's picture, wearing a body-hugging piece of jewelry worth a cool ten million dollars. Laure approaches the sexually adventurous Veronica and is able to seduce her, while at the same time stealing her diamond-studded outfit and replacing it with a carefully constructed counterfeit. Veronica, however, also makes off the loot without giving her partners their cut, and must go into hiding in order to avoid the wrath of Black Tie and his cohorts. Fate allows Laure to make her way to the United States, where in time she marries a powerful politician. Photographer Nicolas Bardo (Antonio Banderas), however, had snapped a picture of Laure while she was on the lam years before, and when he takes an assignment to get a photo of the camera-shy woman, Laure realizes Nicolas is in a position to reveal her new identity to the world -- and put the bloodthirsty Black Tie back on her trail. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rebecca Romijn, Antonio Banderas, (more)
- 2002
- Add Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election to QueueAdd Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election to top of Queue
Independent filmmakers Richard Ray Pérez and Joan Sekler direct the political documentary Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election. Narrated by Peter Coyote, this 50-minute film examines the controversial occurrences in Florida during the 2000 presidential election leading up to the eventual administration of George W. Bush. The filmmakers examine what went wrong before, during, and after the disputed election decision. It explores the topic of voter rolls, ballot design, vote recounting, and the actions of the Supreme Court. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Coyote
He's hip, he's fly, and he never mixes meat with dairy -- he's the world's first Jewish private eye, and he's out to save the world in this satiric comedy. Mordechai Jefferson Carver (Adam Goldberg) is a super-cool Jewish detective who takes no mess and is always ready to do the right thing for his Torah-reading brothers. But Carver is a lone wolf, and he isn't so sure he's interested in taking an assignment from Chief Bloomenbergansteinthal (Peter Coyote) of the Jewish Justice League -- or at least not until he meets the Chief's gorgeous daughter, Esther (Judy Greer). It seems a mysterious stranger named Damien (Andy Dick) has made it his business to persuade Jewish children to abandon their faith in favor of celebrating Christmas, and it's Carver's job to put an end to Damien's campaign while urging kids to be proud of their Semitic heritage. The Hebrew Hammer also features Nora Dunn as Carver's kvetching mother, and a cameo appearance by Melvin Van Peebles as outlaw blaxploitation icon Sweetback. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Goldberg, Judy Greer, (more)
The best-seller by sentimental novelist Nicholas Sparks becomes this teen melodrama set in a coastal North Carolina port. Cocky, popular high school student Landon Carter (Shane West) is the big man on campus at Beaufort High School until a hazing incident leaves a fellow student paralyzed. Sentenced to community service and membership in his school's drama club, Landon is forced to seek help from Jamie Sullivan (pop singer Mandy Moore), the conservative, religious, plain-Jane daughter of the town's Baptist minister (Peter Coyote). When the two students begin to fall in love, Landon struggles with the drop in popularity that his new friendship brings, while Jamie is forced to deal with her strict father and a secret that she's keeping from her schoolmates. A Walk to Remember, which co-stars Daryl Hannah, is the second of Sparks's novels to make it to the big screen after Message in a Bottle (1999). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mandy Moore, Shane West, (more)
