Steven Mark Friedman Movies
- 2000
Michael McKean and Annette O'Toole, husband and wife in real life, guest star as a couple of high-rolling and none-too-honest monetary advisers. When six people are killed in a helicopter bombing, the detectives follow a lead provided by the wife of one of the victims. The D.A.'s office subsequently goes after "New Age" financial pundits Elias and Valerie Grace (McKean and O'Toole). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
A teacher who worked in a school where a mentally challenged student was gang-raped is shot. The killing is revealed to be part of a vendetta, possibly tied in with the sexual assault. When time comes for prosecution, the attorney for the three rapists tries to secure a lesser sentence by arguing his clients did not know their victim was handicapped. Jennifer Bill makes her final appearance as Cathy, the troubled daughter of detective Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This avant garde film is based on two angry autobiographical books by David Wojnarowicz: Close to the Knives and Memories That Smell Like Gasoline. Wojnarowicz, a noted performance artist, died of AIDS . The film examines three sides of his life. The first looks at his suburban childhood and the abuse he suffered at his alcoholic father's violent hand. The second chronicles his experiences as an teen-age street hustler and criminal in New York, and the third section, which is highly abstract, follows the adult Dave as he wanders through a dangerous desert. Once these identities are established, chronology is scattered to the winds, and the three ages of David play up to and comment on each other. The work of Wojnarowicz is also represented in Knud Vesterkov's film, By The Dawn's Early Light. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Lyons, Michael Tighe, (more)
Karate Kid, Part 4 is better known by its release title, The Next Karate Kid. The sole holdover from the first three KK flicks is Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, once more cast as janitor/martial arts maven Miyagi Yakuga. This time, his pupil is orphaned 17-year-old Hilary Swank, the granddaughter of Miyagi's war buddy. Relentlessly bullied by her male classmates and feeling responsible for her parents' fatal accident, Swank is taught self-worth through the tough-but-gentle guidance of Miyagi. While The Next Karate Kid may come off as too "PC" for the tastes of some fans, it is heaps better than the appalling Karate Kid, Part 3. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Hilary Swank, (more)
- 1994
This charming comedy follows the quest of a young girl to find her unknown father through the vivid streets of New York. The film begins in Brooklyn as 17-year old Sam again asks her mother about her estranged father and again receives no answers. The determined girl then sneaks a look into her mother's 1976 datebook to look for clues. She finds two potential fathers and so writes each of them a letter of introduction. One of the men is a Latino trumpet player. He is also a womanizer. The other is Anglo, owns an art gallery, is very wealthy, and gay. Both of them are delighted at the prospect of having a daughter. Sam must now find a balance between her mom and two dads. The two disparate men teach her much about the diversity of life outside of Brooklyn. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michele Pawk, Lazaro Perez, (more)
Former boxer Jake LaMotta stars Hangmen along with Rick Washburn and Doug Thomas. The scene is New York's East Side, which according to this film is a hotbed of intrigue. An elite corps of ex-CIA agents form a covert terrorist team known as The Hangmen. When the hero (Washburn) finds out about this, he is targeted for elimination, but the villains forget that he's been trained by the CIA as well. Hangmen later received a home-video release due to the presence of Sandra Bullock as the heroine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Washburne, Jake LaMotta, (more)
