Tom Braidwood Movies

One of the most successful Canadian drama series of the late 1990s, Da Vinci's Inquest was also one of the CBC's slickest efforts -- not to mention one of the most realistic. Nicholas Campbell starred as Dominic Da Vinci, a former cop who worked as a police coroner in Vancouver. Like Quincy before him, Da Vinci used his official capacity to right wrongs, help those in distress, and in general boldly go where the "regular" cops feared to tread. In this he was assisted by a number of friends, business associates, and family members, who frequently found themselves in jeopardy, obligating the hero to effect a last-minute escape. Compared by some critics to the American TVer Homicide (albeit with a bit more melodrama), the series was created by Chris Haddock, who also wrote many of the 60-minute teleplays. Da Vinci's Inquest began its long and profitable CBC TV run on October 7, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this interesting drama set in the 1960s at the height of the Vietnam War, a tough drill sergeant looking for two of his AWOL enlisted men tracks them to the home of an unhappy, manipulative Vancouver couple. Sergeant Ulysses Hawley (Alan Scarfe) is looking for Peter (Jon Bryden) and his companion who have humiliated him in front of an officer. Noel (Dermot Hennelly) has allowed the runaways to stay in his home, while he and Val (Barbara March) use them as examples of courageous rebellion against the Vietnam War. The Sergeant's Gunga Din personality has the effect of making other men remember to be macho in his presence -- an attitude the runaway Peter has never really known. When he comes on the scene, the Sergeant easily takes charge -- and the deserters will be hard-put to evade capture. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Set in the late '50s, the life of a young Canadian girl (Margaret Langrick) is plagued by boredom until her older California cousin Butch (John Wildman) visits her house. With a healthy dose of James Dean rebelliousness, Butch introduces her to rock & roll and chewing gum, among other things. The film won big at Canada's 1985 Genie Awards, carting off the Best Picture trophy, as well as Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

In this suspenseful drama, an woman unwittingly endangers her ex-husband's life after she becomes involved with a sociopath. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Before the black oil, the Cigarette Smoking Man, and the threat of global alien colonization, there was just Fox "Spooky" Mulder (David Duchovny) researching FBI cases with a paranormal bent in his basement office and Scully (Gillian Anderson), the skeptical agent with a degree in medicine and directions to debunk Mulder's findings. Thus, The X-Files: Season One is relatively devoid of the vast government conspiracy for which the series would become known, and serves mainly as an introduction to the show's two protagonists. Mulder, despite his reputation, is no kook; best in his class and well-known for his criminal profiling abilities, the rogue agent chose his path in hopes of finding his sister, Samantha, whom he witnessed -- or, at least, believes he witnessed -- being abducted by aliens. As eager as Mulder is to find an unearthly solution to his cases, Scully is equally determined to find an answer more consistent with the laws of science. Alone, both agents are somewhat blinded by their respective philosophies, but as partners they are able to complement one another nicely, and Scully's initial task is thrown to the wayside for a deep friendship and mutual respect that would test the boundaries of work, and ultimately the planet itself. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

The conspiracy spiraled even further in the third season of The X-Files, which picks up with FBI Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) on a desperate search for her missing partner, Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Though Mulder was left for dead after having suffered serious bodily harm in a train explosion, a group of Navajo Indians nursed him back to health and offered what help they could to the agents' quest to find the ever-elusive truth. Considered one of the strongest seasons of The X-Files, the 24 episodes in the third season contain some of the most complex and integral aspects of the series' far-reaching mythology, including a heavily encrypted digital tape which may hold the key to government knowledge of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and perhaps even insight into Scully's own abduction. Alien life does, indeed, make an appearance on this season, though not in the form of a little green man. Rather, an insidious, ancient, and alien black oil is unearthed, leaving Mulder and Scully to question its potential impact on humankind, and what the government may already know. Of course, The X-Files wouldn't be complete without its stand-alone, or "monster-of-the-week," episodes, and this season is no exception -- from evil spirits to astral murder and killer cockroaches, The X-Files: Season Three has more than its fair share of earthly, if bizarre, occurrences to its name. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Now five years into their partnership, FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) have developed a bond deep enough to contend with the conspiracy they're faced with both inside and outside their professional lives. Unfortunately, between Scully's cancer and Mulder's guilt regarding his role in her condition, any potential romance is shelved while Mulder searches to find a cure, and Scully, while unsuccessful, comes closer than anyone to proving the government's role in hiding their knowledge of extraterrestrial involvement on Earth from the people of the world. In addition to addressing some of the series' very early mythology, the vast alien cover-up continues to build; ultra-clairvoyant Gibson Praise (Jeff Gulka) is introduced, as well as Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright), Agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens), and Mulder's former flame, Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers). Despite all the doom and gloom, The X-Files: Season Five nonetheless included some lighter fare, including a much-needed retrospective on Mulder's relationship with The Lone Gunmen, a town obsessed with talk-show host Jerry Springer, and a tale of vampirism as told from Mulder and Scully's wildly differing perspectives. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

The seventh season of The X-Files offered more input from its lead characters than any of its predecessors; Gillian Anderson penned and directed the spiritual "All Things," while David Duchovny did the same for "Hollywood A.D." Aside from the actors' directorial jaunts, however, the series became even further immersed in an already-impossible amount of conspiracy theories, government cover-ups, and alien-born afflictions. The season picks up with Scully rushing to find a cure for Mulder's rapid neurological decline, and later offers viewers a resolution to a mystery seven years in the making -- the fate of Mulder's sister, Samantha. There is also no lack of classic X-Files fare; Scully and Mulder are caught on a Cops-style television show as they hunt for what appears to be an escaped werewolf in "X-Cops," and they go on to unearth a complicated heist arranged by rival magicians in "The Amazing Maleeni." To the delight of fans, Mulder and Scully finally consummate their romantic feelings for one another. The X-Files: Season Seven is also notable for being the last season of the series to feature David Duchovny as a lead actor. Though he continued to make appearances in the show's final seasons, the role of Scully's partner would ultimately be filled by Robert Patrick as Special Agent John Doggett. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Now you can rent or own the entire ninth season of THE X-FILES. All 19 classic episodes (including the 2-hour series finale) are available for the first time in this exclusive 7-disc collector's edition. From the revelation about Scully's baby in 'Nothing Important Happened Today' and the mystery surrounding the murder of Agent Doggett's son in 'Release' to Mulder's final confrontation with those who would deny 'The Truth,' these Season Nine episodes are a must for every X-Files fan!