Justis Greene Movies

A Chicago librarian suffers from a rare genetic disorder that sends him hurtling through time whenever he is under extreme duress; despite the fact that he vanishes at inordinately frequent and lengthy intervals, he attempts to build a stable future with the beautiful young heiress he loves. Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams star in this dramatic fantasy, which is directed by Robert Schwentke and based on the best-selling book by author Audrey Niffenegger. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Forget terrorists or hijackers -- there's a handful of deadly assassins aboard a jet liner and they don't even have arms or legs in this airborne thriller. Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson) is an FBI agent handling what seems like a routine assignment -- serving as bodyguard for Sean Jones (Nathan Phillips), a Hawaiian surfer dude who is flying to California to testify in a high-profile criminal trial after witnessing mobster Eddie Kim (Byron Lawson) murdering one of his underlings. However, Flynn's job gets a lot more challenging when he discovers Kim's associates don't want Jones to talk, and have devised a unique way to ensure his silence. A cache of highly dangerous poisonous snakes has been hidden on board the jet, and is released using a timed mechanism once the flight is well underway. The snakes quickly attack several members of the flight crew and are eagerly eying the passengers when Flynn decides its time to get medieval on the reptiles. Also starring Rachel Blanchard, Benjamin McKenzie, and Mark Houghton, Snakes on a Plane was produced under the title of Pacific Air Flight 121, but in several interviews Samuel L. Jackson expressed his enthusiasm for the script's original title, Snakes on a Plane, and the high-concept moniker quickly made the film's title and theme a favorite with bloggers and on Internet fan sites all over the world. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Gavin O'Connor directs the sports drama Miracle, based on the true story of the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. Kurt Russell stars as hockey coach Herb Brooks, who assembles a U.S. team of underdogs. No one thinks they can make it, as they are up against the previously undefeated Soviet hockey team. Despite the odds, Brooks leads the U.S. team to victory. As the 1980 Winter Olympics happen to coincide with the Cold War, the event is interpreted as patriotic. Also starring Eddie Cahill and Patricia Clarkson, Miracle was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

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, All Movie Guide

Brian De Palma directed this science-fiction suspense story. When the United States sends its first manned mission to Mars, hopes are high for new scientific discoveries, but many of those hopes are dashed when the Mars crew meets an unexplained disaster; three members of the mission are killed, and a fourth (Don Cheadle) loses all radio contact with the Earth. A rescue mission sets out to bring back the one survivor; in the process, they discover that Mars may not be a dead planet after all, and uncover some startling evidence about the fate of their predecessors. The rescue crew includes Gary Sinise, Jerry O'Connell, Connie Nielsen and Tim Robbins. The screenplay was partially by award-winning playwright Ted Tally, who won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Silence of the Lambs. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Action-adventure director Stanley Tong (Supercop, Rumble in the Bronx) did a change of pace by directing this live-action adaptation of UPA's bumbling, near-sighted Mr. Magoo the animated-series character created during the '40s by John Hubley and others for the cartoon short Ragtime Bear (1949). Millionaire Quincy Magoo (Leslie Nielsen) won't admit he needs glasses, so nephew Waldo (Matt Keeslar) removes obstacles in Magoo's path. At a museum exhibition, when Magoo steps up to cut a ceremonial ribbon but instead severs a power line, it sets in motion events making Magoo the target during an international manhunt -- while he continually escapes mishaps by inches. Greg Burson does the voice of Magoo in animated sequences at the film's beginning and end. During the '50s, the animated character (voiced by Jim Backus) led to two Oscars -- for the jazz-scored Rooty Toot Toot (1952) and the CinemaScope When Magoo Flew (1955). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Two dogs and a cat, separated from their human family, must find their way home and face the dangers of a big city for the first time in this adventure story for the whole family. Bob Seaver (Robert Hays) and his wife Laura (Kim Greist), who live in Northern California, are taking their kids on a camping vacation in Canada, and they're bringing along their pets -- spunky bulldog Chance (voice of Michael J. Fox), self-centered Himalayan cat Sassy (voice of Sally Field), and wise old Golden Retriever Shadow (voice of Ralph Waite). However, Chance doesn't like being cooped up in his travelling cage at the airport, and when he escapes, Sassy and Shadow follow him to the nearest city, San Francisco. After a scary night on their own, the trio are befriended by a gang of stray dogs and cats who have learned to live on their own after running away from their cruel masters. However, Chance, Sassy, and Shadow soon realize that life on the streets is not for them, and they set out to find the Seaver house they call home. Sports fans take note: Bob Uecker, Tommy Lasorda, and Al Michaels appear as themselves and also provide the voices of their pets. The voice of Shadow was performed by Don Ameche in the preceding film Homeward Bound; it proved to be Ameche's last film released before his death in late 1993 (his final film, Corrina, Corrina, didn't reach theaters until several months after his passing), leading the producers of this sequel to cast Ralph Waite in the role. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In Stakeout, cop Richard Dreyfuss fell in love with Madeline Stowe, the woman he and his partner Emilio Estevez were watching during a police stakeout. Stowe's back in Another Stakeout, but her part is fleeting and unbilled. On the other hand, we get plenty of Dreyfuss and Estevez, still both as cantankerous and obnoxious as ever. This time, our two heroes are in search of a Mafia witness who has disappeared after an attempt on her life. While holed up in a judge's mansion, staking out the apartment where the woman may or may not return, the pair are subject to the comic aggravation of DA's assistant Rosie O'Donnell, who's brought her "darling" little rotweiler along for company. Another Stakeout works a little harder for its laughs than its predecessor; the best scenes go to Ms. O'Donnell and to nonplussed supporting players Dennis Farina and Marcia Strassman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Produced for HBO, The Glitter Dome is based on the crime novel by Joseph Wambaugh. Manhattan detectives Al Mackey (James Garner) is forced to wade his way through the glamorous cesspool known as Hollywood. Mackey's quarry is the unknown person who brutally murdered studio mogul Malcolm Sinclair (Alistair MacDuff). Providing a brief diversion for the diligent Mackey is Margot Kidder as eccentric young actress Willie. Also on hand is James Garner's Rockford Files cohort Stuart Margolin, who, in addition to directing the film, plays the murder victim's smarmy nephew. When first telecast on November 11, 1984, The Glitter Dome was criticized for a brief bondage sequence involving Margot Kidder: in retrospect, however, the scene serves to affirm the integrity and decency of the character played by Garner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide