Bryan Cranston Movies
A familiar face to a nation of television viewers thanks to his role as the more-than-slightly demented father on the popular FOX sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, longtime stage and screen actor Bryan Cranston has had a rich and varied career, lending his talents to everything from anime voice work (Armitage III and Macross Plus) to daytime television (as an original cast member of Loving). His commanding but off-kilter presence and quirky charm have easily provided Cranston with the necessary range to essay such diverse roles, and the longtime actor can always be counted on to inject a healthy dose of personality into his performances, no matter how large or small the role may be.Though the San Fernando Valley native made his television debut as a commercial actor at the age of eight, it wasn't until college that Cranston truly realized his calling as an actor. Following college graduation, Cranston's passion eventually drew him to Daytona Beach, FL, where the burgeoning actor appeared in such community-theater productions as Barefoot in the Park and Death of a Salesman. In 1982, he joined the cast of the then-new soap opera Loving, and though he would only remain with the daytime drama for a short time, appearances in Airwolf and Hill Street Blues, among various other series, found the actor maintaining a notable presence on television. Following a series of supporting feature performances, Cranston moved back to the small screen with a regular role in the 1988 sitcom Raising Miranda. In the years that followed, he would frequently shift between film (Clean Slate) and television (The Louie Show) while supplementing his income with voice-over work for such popular anime series as Armitage III.
Supporting performances in such high-profile features as That Thing You Do! and Saving Private Ryan helped to increase the busy actor's recognition factor, and in 1999, Cranston wrote, produced, directed, and starred in his first feature film, a low-key drama entitled Last Chance. Though the film failed to gain much attention, Cranston was soon receiving numerous positive notices for his Emmy-nominated role as the hapless father in the breakout television hit Malcolm in the Middle. His performance alternately eccentric and endearing, Cranston injected the role with the perfect balance of fatherly weirdness and down-to-earth charm, and the series embarked on a healthy run. In the years that followed, Cranston became an increasingly familiar face to television and film viewers, and in addition to offering vocal work for the short-lived animated television series Clerks, he would contribute to such family-friendly fare as 'Twas the Night and The Santa Claus Brothers. After taking the lead in the 2003 made-for-television feature Thanksgiving Family Reunion, Cranston could be spotted opposite screen legend Kirk Douglas in the 2004 drama The Illusion. He appeared in the 2006 miniseries Fallen, and had a bit part in the Oscar nominated Little Miss Sunshine.
However, in 2008 his career entered a whole new phase when he began work on the AMC series Breaking Bad, playing a chemistry teacher who becomes a meth dealer. His work on the critically lauded program would earn him three Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series. It also made him an in-demand character actor for movies and he worked steadily appearing in projects as radically different as Drive, Larry Crowne, Red Tails, John Carter, and Rock of Ages among many others.
~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2001
In this holiday-themed comedy, Danny (Josh Zuckerman) is a teenage boy who doesn't always have the good sense to ignore the bad advice of his Uncle Nick (Bryan Cranston), a good-natured small-time con man. The night before Christmas, Danny and Uncle Nick make an amazing discovery -- Santa Claus has designed a new, state-of-the-art sleigh, and Danny and Nick can't resist the temptation to take it out for a ride. But once they head out, the question becomes: can they get the sleigh back in one piece -- and in time for Santa to deliver his toys? Produced for The Disney Channel, 'Twas the Night first aired on December 7, 2001. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bryan Cranston, Josh Zuckerman, (more)
The 1987 portmanteau comedy feature Amazon Women on the Moon lampoons several film genres in general and the 1954 sci-fi cheapie Cat Women of the Moon in particular. Other sketches in Amazon Women include an opening bit with Arsenio Hall; a vignette titled "Son of the Invisible Man" wherein a naked Ed Begley Jr. runs around in full view of the nonplussed supporting cast; the It's Alive parody "Hospital", which offers the spectacle of Michelle Pfeiffer giving birth to Mr. Potato Head; and a Siskel & Ebert takeoff, featuring Arche Hahn as a TV viewer whose entire life is given a "thumbs down." Directed by several hands, including Joe Dante, Carl Gottleib, Peter Horton, John Landis, and Robert K. Weiss, Amazon Women on the Moon also features a satire of the Kroger G. Babb school of "sex hygiene" exploitation cheapies, with syphilis victim Carrie Fisher being counseled by unctuous doctor Paul Bartel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rosanna Arquette, Ralph Bellamy, (more)
When militants seize control of the U.S. embassy in Tehran during the height of the Iranian Revolution, CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) creates a fake Hollywood film production in order to rescue a group of American diplomats who have sought refuge at the home of the Canadian ambassador. As the six members of the embassy staff remain behind closed doors, armed militants conduct thorough searches of local homes, and kill anyone suspected of harboring the Americans. Realizing that it's only a matter of time before the six are identified and taken hostage, Mendez offers a unique - yet potentially dangerous - solution: posing as a Canadian film producer, he will enter into Tehran under the precipice of scouting locations for an upcoming science fiction opus, gather up the refugees, pass them off as his crew at the airport, and fly out of Iran right under the militants' noses. Shortly after touching down in Iran, however, Mendez contends with a few unexpected developments that threaten to erode the bond of trust he needs to establish with the refugees, and expose his deception. Meanwhile, even if they do manage to make it as far as the airport, government bureaucracy threatens to leave them hopelessly stranded in their most desperate hour. Alan Arkin, John Goodman, and Bryan Cranston co-star. Inspired by actual events. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, (more)
- 1997
Captain Sheridan and Delenn summon their forces for a final showdown with both the Vorlons and the Shadows. Londo's ruthlessness pays off when he receives a promotion in the Royal Court of Centauri. And as G'Kar struggles to escape, Centauri Emperor Cartagia (Wortham Kimmer) has his own rendezvous with destiny. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, "The Long Night" was syndicated to American television during the week of January 27 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, (more)
Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's seminal comic book series, Batman: Year One, makes its way to the animated small screen with this Warner Premiere production. The story follows James Gordon (voiced by Bryan Cranston) during his early years on the force just as the vigilante Batman (Ben McKenzie) targets both the corrupt police officials and the crime-ridden streets for a clean-up. Eliza Dushku and Katee Sackhoff lead the supporting voice cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bryan Cranston, Benjamin McKenzie, (more)
Things go from breaking bad to breaking worse for Walter White (Bryan Cranston), the cancer-stricken chemistry teacher, and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), his former student and partner-in-crime, in Season 2 of the drama about two methamphetamine cookers. Having watched drug dealer Tuco (Raymond Cruz) "beat a dude to death...for nothing," Walt and Jesse decide they need to cut ties with the psychotic pusher. Impetuous Jesse devises a half-baked plan of attack, but cooler-headed Walt has a more surefire way to get rid of Tuco. Once free of him, Walt and Jesse face a new pair of problems. First, their business takes a financial hit, and second, Walt's brother-in-law, DEA agent Hank (Dean Norris), gets a major break in the investigation into the meth ring-and it just may put Walt and Jesse in his crosshairs. In response, Walt cooks up an elaborate ruse that has him spinning intricate webs of deceit and misdirection, while a rattled Jesse establishes a shaky alibi that places him in Hank's sights. To get their product back on the streets, Jesse organizes a crew of dealers, and one of them is jacked by two drug-addled losers who make off with his stash and cash. Arguably the season's most riveting episode, it ends in a shocking scene of crushing finality. Meanwhile, on the home front, Skyler (Anna Gunn) is extremely concerned about Walt's mysterious disappearances. When he finally makes overtures to reconnect with the family, she keeps him at arm's length, still wondering what he's been up to while he was away. As for Jesse's personal life, he once again finds himself on the streets, and his quest for living quarters not only proves successful, but lands him a girlfriend as well. ~ Ray Stackhouse, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, (more)
Dana Carvey plays a private detective who forgets everything when he goes to sleep at night, waking up each morning with a "clean slate," in this hit-and-miss comedy that plays like a companion piece to the much funnier Groundhog Day. Pogue (Carvey) is afflicted with his unique form of amnesia after getting injured in a car explosion. With the aid of a mysterious woman (Valeria Golino) who allegedly died in the bombing, he must find a priceless coin and evade the murderous clutches of the mobster (Michael Gambon) who executed the explosion and who wants to silence Pogue before he can testify against him. Carvey fares reasonably well in his role, but the best moments are provided by Pogue's dog, a one-eyed Jack Russell named Barkley who makes a habit out of running into things headfirst. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dana Carvey, Valeria Golino, (more)
Steven Soderbergh presents this look at what happens when an infectious disease threatens humanity through varied viewpoints from an ensemble cast, including Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, and Kate Winslet. The Informant's Scott Z. Burns provides the script. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, (more)
Two business rivals, a domineering careerwoman (Mary Crosby) and her rival (Peter Scolari), make life hard for each other while scratching their way to the top. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Scolari, Mary Crosby, (more)
- 1991
Dead Silence begins with a spring-break spree and ends with a chain reaction of duplicity. Three inebriated college girls, driving along a lonely road, strike and kill a pedestrian. Rather than ruin their futures, the girls cover up their crime, vowing one another to silence. But months later, the body is discovered, and the ladies find that one among them is planning to incriminate the others. Originally networkcast as a Fox Night at the Movies, Dead Silence is distinguished by its second-generation star lineup: Martin Sheen's daughter Renee Estevez and Robert Mitchum's granddaughter Carrie play two of the coeds. The third is played by Lisanne Falk, who isn't related to Peter. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1990
- R
Set in the further reaches of the galaxy, this sci-fi horror film, a cross between Forbidden Planet and Alien, tells the story of a spaceship commander's battle to protect the universe against the terrifying mutation-causing virus that threatens to wreak havoc upon the planet Phabton. The creatures created by the disease are nearly unstoppable so Commander Steve Kreiger has his hands full. The irony of the situation is that the sharp-fanged virus monsters came about as the result of Phabton scientist's attempts to create a virus to destroy the deadly Delta-Five virus ravaging the planet. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marc Singer, Laura Tate, (more)
- 2011
- NR
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An educator and the school where he works are both on the verge of collapse in this hard-hitting drama from director Tony Kaye. Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) is a gifted teacher whose psyche has been taking a beating -- he still bears emotional scars from his mother's drunken tirades while he was a child, and he's been forced to look after his grandfather (Louis Zorich) as he dies a slow, painful death. Henry has become a substitute teacher rather than fully commit himself to his students, but his latest assignment takes him to a high school where the building is in sad shape and the staff are faring no better. The principal, Carol Dearden (Marcia Gay Harden), is dealing with an unsupportive school board and a hostile husband (Bryan Cranston), Mr. Wiatt (Tim Blake Nelson) is being driven to the edge of a nervous breakdown, Mr. Seaboldt (James Caan) is too cynical to care about his work anymore, and guidance counselor Dr. Parker (Lucy Liu) spends more time insulting the students than helping them. As Barthes struggles to find a reason to continue, two troubled kids break through his wall of ennui -- Meredith (Betty Kaye), an overweight student who is a target for bullies among the students and staff, and Erica (Sami Gayle), a 15-year-old who has sex for money and is used as a punching bag by those around her. Detachment received its world premiere at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adrien Brody, Marcia Gay Harden, (more)
A lone-wolf Hollywood stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) moonlights as a freelance getaway wheelman, and he finds his solitary existence taking on new meaning after befriending Irene (Carey Mulligan), the lonely wife of convicted felon Standard (Oscar Isaac), and her young son Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Standard gets released from prison and is strong-armed into committing a bold daytime robbery, the Driver offers his services in an effort to help the repentant ex-con cut his ties to the criminal underworld. Things get complicated, however, when the robbery goes unexpectedly awry, and the Driver just barely manages to escape alive. When the take from the job proves to be stratospherically higher than the Driver was led to believe, it quickly becomes apparent that they were set up. Later, thugs threaten to kill Irene and Benicio, and all evidence points to transplanted New York crime boss Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and his hot-headed partner Nino (Ron Perlman) as the masterminds. As the Driver attempts to turn the tables on them, it becomes clear that the chain of command goes much higher than he could have ever anticipated. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, (more)
- 1994
This unique, erotic film is a compilation of four separate vignettes done by four different artists. The first episode, "Let's Talk about Love," focuses on a phone-sex worker, Rosie, who finds herself attracted to a regular caller. The story focuses upon their conversations and upon the revenge she exacts from him after she learns the truth. In the second, "Taboo Parlor," two lesbians plan to go out and make it with a man. They go to Taboo Parlor, a local club which is managed by Hilde and Franz. In the third episode, "Final Call," a teacher who gets attacked on a train begins a relationship with her rescuer. The fourth episode, " Wonton Soup," examines an Australian-born Chinese man and his ex-girlfriend from Hong Kong, who reunite after years apart. In an effort to reconnect, the man prepares an evening of gourmet food and Chinese sexual techniques for the ex-girlfriend. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bryan Cranston
Originally aired on HBO and directed by Apollo 13 star and space enthusiast Tom Hanks, among others, From the Earth to the Moon explores the ups and downs of space travel, beginning with President Kennedy's famous speech before Congress on May 25, 1961, and chronicling the journey to putting the first man on the moon. This highly acclaimed, Emmy-nominated, 12-episode series is available in a six-tape VHS set and a four-disc DVD set. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Andrews, Bryan Cranston, (more)
- 1998
President John F. Kennedy issued the challenge to America in a speech to Congress in 1961: Land a man on the moon within the decade. This HBO mini-series, produced by Tom Hanks, chronicles the story of NASA's efforts to carry out the vision. In episode six, the goal is in sight, as astronauts Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, and Buz Aldrin take off on a historic flight to the moon, and Neil Armstrong makes that "one small step for a man" onto the moon's surface. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, Rovi
An elite police squad fights to save the city of Los Angeles from a power-hungry East Coast mobster in this gritty police-detective film set in the 1940s, and based on Paul Lieberman's seven-part Los Angeles Times series "Tales From the Gangster Squad." Jewish gangster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is a Brooklyn-born boxer-turned-L.A. kingpin whose brutal ambition has earned him the respect of the Italian mob. He's the kind of crime boss who dines with judges and police chiefs, but still isn't quite sure which fork to use when it comes time for the main course. Just when it begins to look like Cohen owns every cop in the city, however, LAPD Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) enlists honest cop Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) to assemble a top-secret task force that will burn the vicious gangster's thriving criminal empire to the ground. With the help of his pregnant wife Connie (Mireille Enos), Sgt. O'Mara handpicks smooth-talking Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), heroin-hating Officer Coleman Harris (Anthony Mackie), deadeye Officer Max Kennard (Robert Patrick), and brilliant wireman Officer Conwell Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi) for the task at hand. Joined by Officer Kennard's tough sidekick Officer Navidad Ramirez (Michael Peña) as they set out for their first job, the squad strike fast and hard at the core of Cohen's operation. Meanwhile, the charming Sgt. Wooters flirts with danger by starting an affair with Cohen's smoldering paramour Grace Faraday (Emma Stone). Shortly after learning that Cohen is plotting a power play that will cement his stronghold on the city, however, the squad are unexpectedly compromised, putting the lives of all of their families in danger and leaving them with little choice but to step up their efforts and target the ruthless gangster directly. Should they live to accomplish their mission, Sgt. O'Mara and his men will prevent L.A. from becoming a hive of criminal activity like Chicago or New York. But Cohen isn't going down without a fight, and if he falls, the entire city will feel the aftershock.
~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, (more)
- 1989
Based on a true story, the two-part TV movie I Know My First Name Is Steven tells the tragic story of Steven Stayner. At age seven, Steven was kidnapped by two men who held him captive in a tiny shed for seven years. One of the men, a habitual child abuser named Kenneth Parnell, sexually assaulted Steven on an almost daily basis during the boy's ordeal. At age 14, Steven finally was able to escape and return to his family. But we are shown that Steven's safe return was far from the happy ending it appeared to be. He's forced to adjust to a family he'd never really known, to convince himself that his parents had never forgotten him, and to put his seven-year hell behind him. While I Know My First Name Is Steven ends on an upbeat note, the real Stayner died in a motorcycle accident only a few months after this film was first telecast in May 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Director Michael A. Goorjian's Illusion tells the tale of a dying film director who, after leading a lavish life of fame and fortune, finds out too little too late what it truly means to live and be loved. Mr. Baines (Kirk Douglas) is a Hollywood icon who has agreed to grant one final interview before drifting into that good night. As Mr. Baines drifts wearily in and out of consciousness throughout the course of the interview, his long deceased editor returns to join him in going back over the footage of his life. While Mr. Baines never married, he did father an illegitimate son named Christopher (Goorjian) whom he abandoned as a child and never returned to. Now, on the screen before him, Mr. Baines watches mournfully as the tragic life of his long lost son plays out to its devastating conclusion. Upon viewing the heartbreaking footage Mr. Baines begins to realize that it was his own cowardice that ultimately fed his son's crippling sense of worthlessness and cemented the boy's grim fate. Despite Christopher's lifelong love of his childhood sweetheart Isabelle, an endless series of fateful mishaps constantly seemed to prevent the boy from finding true happiness with the ethereal beauty. As the film of Christopher's life careens towards tragedy time and again, the dying director implores his faithful editor to allow him the final cut that will save the picture. After living a lifetime of missed opportunities, the man who thought he had it all will now attempt to summon the dying might for one last opportunity to let his son know what it truly means to love, and be loved in return. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kirk Douglas, Michael A. Goorjian, (more)
Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic tale of interplanetary adventure arrives on the big screen in this sweeping sci-fi spectacle marking the live-action debut of Oscar-winning director Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL-E). Civil War veteran John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) was still haunted by the violence he witnessed on the battlefield when he inexplicably awoke on the distant planet of Barsoom (Mars). Upon learning that the inhabitants of Barsoom are bracing for a major conflict and that war appears inevitable, John finds out that love is a rare commodity on the Red Planet, and summons the courage to be the hero the Martians have been hoping for. Meanwhile, John falls under the spell of the enchanting Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins), who struggles to suppress her compassion in a society known for its warlike ways. Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, and Mark Strong co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, (more)
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