Bill Bannerman Movies

A sorority prank gone wrong leads to a bloody murder spree in this slasher film featuring Rumer Willis, Audrina Patridge, and Carrie Fisher. It was supposed to be a practical joke, but no one was laughing after a girl in the prime of her life had been accidentally murdered. Desperate to go on with their lives and avoid taking responsibility for their actions, the surviving sisters and their male accomplice agree to dump the body and never speak of the incident again. Just after graduation, however, a mysterious killer begins stalking everyone who harbors the bloody secret, leading the survivors to fight for their lives against a masked maniac with a deadly modus operandi. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

An outsider teen acclimating to a new school finds a home in a reclusive teenaged fight club in this drama from Cry_Wolf director Jeff Wadlow. Jake Tyler (Sean Faris) has just moved with his family to Orlando, FL. While Jake isn't exactly comfortable being the new kid in town, his younger brother, Charlie (Wyatt Smith), is an aspiring professional tennis star who might just have what it takes to break big. But Charlie isn't the only talented athlete in the family, because Jake used to be something of a hotshot on the gridiron -- at least back home. Here in Orlando, Jake is considered something of a hothead thanks to his penchant for brawling. In an attempt to better fit in with his new classmates, Jake accepts flirtatious classmate Baja's (Amber Heard) invitation to a raucous party. There, the short-fused newcomer is lured into a fight and badly beaten by local bully Ryan McCarthy (Cam Gigandet). But a beam of hope shines through the humiliation when a classmate who sees potential in the defeated fighter informs Jake of a local MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) program run by Jean Roqua (Djimon Hounsou). Despite Jake's preconceived notions regarding MMA, he quickly discovers that it's not just another form of street fighting but a rich new art form that he longs to master. As Roqua takes Jake under his tutelage, it soon becomes apparent that in order to become a true MMA champion, Jake will have to learn patience, discipline, willingness, and reason. This isn't just a quest for revenge, but an opportunity for Jake to finally find out what kind of man he truly is. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A man fights to bring decency and the rule of law back to his hometown in this action drama. Chris Vaughn (The Rock) left his home in Washington State's timber country to join the Army, where he distinguished himself as a member of the Special Forces. When his hitch is over, Vaughn decides to return home to help run the family business, a sawmill, but he soon makes the unpleasant discovery that things aren't what they once were. Vaughn learns that the town's lumber industry has all but dried up, and an old high school buddy, Jay Hamilton (Neal McDonough), has turned the city into a den of vice, running a large gambling casino and strip club while selling drugs and women on the side. Angry at this turn of events, and frustrated by local law enforcement officials who are willing to ignore Hamilton's crimes in exchange for kickbacks, Vaughn decides to run for sheriff, and with the help of another old friend, Ray Templeton (Johnny Knoxville), he wins the election. But Hamilton doesn't take kindly to Vaughn's attempts to clean up the town, and Vaughn discovers Hamilton's henchmen are willing to target his friends, his family, and the woman he loves (Ashley Scott) in order to have their way. Walking Tall was based on Phil Karlson's 1973 action hit of the same name, which was in turn inspired by the true story of Buford Pusser, who was sheriff of Tennessee's McNairy County between 1964 and 1970 and gained fame for his tough tactics against the local criminal element. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

High school girl Angela (Lizzy Caplan) returns from summer vacation with a dilemma: Should she or should she not surrender her virginity to her boyfriend, Travis (Bret Harrison)? Upon her return, Angela discovers that her high school has just instituted a trendy new sexual-education program -- consisting solely of "Just Say No." Despite increasing pressure from friends and faculty alike, Angela refuses to sign a circulating abstinence pledge, citing the undeniable fact that most of supporters of "Just Say No" have no idea what they're talking about. Her stance is contrasted with that of her hypocritical, apple-polishing classmate, Caroline (Brooke D'Orsay), who zealously goes along with the new program (and strong-arms others into doing so) only to curry favor with her teachers. As the story rolls on, it is clear that the "Just Say No" credo is a farce -- to everyone except, perhaps, the one person who openly treated it as a farce in the first place. Made for the VH1 cable service, Everybody's Doing It premiered December 22, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

MTV's first made-for-TV movie, 2Gether: The Original Movie, is a hilarious and sometimes touching send-up of the "boy band" phenomenon of the '90s. When rock manager Bob Buss (Alan Blumenfeld) is fired by the studio-created boy group Whoa!, he decides to get even by creating another band from the ground up. After discovering young Jerry O'Keefe (Evan Farmer) singing in the streets, Buss builds his new group around O'Keefe's natural talents. Adhering to the standard music-industry clichés, Buss' pre-fab creation, 2gether, consists of "The Lead Singer" (O'Keefe), "The Bad Boy" Mickey Parke, "The Cute One" Q.T. McKnight, "The Shy One" Chad Linus, and "The Older Brother," who happens to be Chad's older brother Doug Linus. Whipping them into shape in but a few days, Buss prepares 2gether for their big-time debut in Jacksonville -- as the opening act for Whoa! Several MTV personalities, notably the ubiquitous Carson Daly, appear as themselves. In true "life imitates art" fashion, 2gether briefly became an honest-to-goodness pop sensation, turning out several popular tunes, a well-circulated music video, and a weekly TV series. Filmed in Vancouver, 2gether: The Original Movie first aired on February 1, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The world's most athletic Golden Retriever is back, and he's becoming a family man in this, the second sequel to the 1997 hit Air Bud. Josh Framm (Kevin Zegers) suddenly has a lot to get used to -- his mom Jackie (Cynthia Stevenson) has just tied the knot with her boyfriend Patrick (Gregory Harrison), and now that Josh and his best friend Tom have made the school soccer team, Coach Montoya (Miguel Sandoval) informs them that the team has gone co-ed -- Emma, whose family has just moved to America from England, will be playing alongside the boys. As it turns out, Emma's family has a Golden Retriever named Molly, and Molly makes the acquaintance of Josh's basketball- (and football) playing pooch, Bud. Soon Bud and Molly are the proud parents of a litter of puppies, and Josh and Emma discover that Bud's previously displayed ball-handling skills apply to the soccer field as well. But while Josh, Emma, and Bud are trying to push their team to the state championships, the clown-turned-dogcatcher Snively (Michael Jeter) has evil plans for Bud and his new family. Air Bud: World Pup marked the directorial debut of Bill Bannerman, who had previously worked as a producer and assistant director. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this thriller, an aging cat burglar becomes a crusader embroiled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game involving murder and a government cover-up. Adapted by distinguished scenarist William Goldman from a novel by David Baldacci and featuring a powerful all-star cast, the story works at different levels, not only as a straight-forward thriller but also as an insightful look at the love between the old thief and his estranged daughter, a highly successful prosecuting attorney. The trouble begins when ex-con Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood, who also directed) decides to pull off one last heist before retiring. Just as he finishes looting the vault of a well-fortified mansion, a drunken couple enters the adjoining bedroom apparently eager to start making love. But something goes awry and a violent tussle ensues that abruptly ends when gun-wielding men bust in and shoot down the woman. During the ensuing chaos, Luther slips out. Only later does the audience learn that the would-be lovers were U.S.-President Alan Richmond (Gene Hackman) and Christy Sullivan (Melora Hardin), the young wife of the President's biggest supporter Walter Sullivan (E.G. Marshall). As the investigation and cover-up begins, Luther, who has already been contacted by hard-boiled and suspicious detective Seth Frank (Ed Harris) begins to fear that he will be blamed for the killing and prepares to leave the country. He tries to see his daughter Kate (Laura Linney) to make peace with her for having been absent in prison during most of her life, but she rejects him. Luther goes to the airport, but just before he flies, he sees a press conference in which President Richmond, without so much as a twitch, goes on a tirade concerning his stand against violence. Something inside him snaps and he abruptly decides to stay and fight for justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

During a boring, routine weekend, young Glen (Stephen Dorff) and his best buddy Terry (Louis Tripp) decide to explore Glen's backyard. Before long, the boys come across a strange hole in the ground which yields all manner of sinister prizes. Consulting one of his heavy-metal record albums, Glen comes to the correct conclusion that the hole is actually the Gate to Hell. Offering a sacrifice in the form of a dead dog, Glen further opens the portals of Hades, through which pass some of the most hideous demons imaginable. A surprise box-office hit, The Gate yielded a sequel, predictably titled Gate II. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide