James W. Roberson Movies
Adversaries become wary allies in this free-wheeling action comedy. Hank Rafferty (Steve Zahn) is a Los Angeles Police Department officer who finds himself out of a job after he becomes involved in a violent altercation with police academy flunk-out Earl Montgomery (Martin Lawrence), escalating into a media event which brings the LAPD a wealth of bad publicity. Unable to find work, Hank finally takes a job as a "rent-a-cop" with a private security firm -- and discovers to his annoyance that his new partner is Earl. While neither of them are thrilled to be working together on the lowest strata of the law enforcement community, the two find themselves dealing with bigger crime than they expected when they stumble across evidence of a elite smuggling network operated by criminal mastermind Nash (Eric Roberts). Hank and Earl want to put Nash out of business, and they try without success to persuade the police of the importance of the case. But before long they discover it's not just Nash's men who are after them, but two high-ranking LAPD officials, Lt. Washington (Bill Duke) and Detective McDuff (Colm Feore). National Security was directed by Dennis Dugan, who'd previously helmed antic comedies starring Adam Sandler and Chris Farley; this film also marked Martin Lawrence's entry into the elite of Hollywood's comedy stars, with Lawrence taking home a 20-million-dollar paycheck for his work on the picture. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, (more)
- 1991
Hearing tales of a legendary giant who lives on Thunder Mountain, some kids go up the mountain to see for themselves. They discover the giant (Richard Kiel, who also co-wrote the film and was executive producer) and persuade him to shave off his beard and come out of hiding. However, a crooked carnival owner soon hears of him and has his own plans for the giant. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Kiel
- 1990
First telecast October 21, 1990 on the Disney Channel cable service, Back to Hannibal: The Return of Huckleberry Finn is set 20 years after the Mark Twain novel. Tom Sawyer (Mitchell Anderson) is now a budding lawyer, while Huck Finn (Raphael Sbarge) is a reporter. They descend upon their old home town of Hannibal when their friend, ex-slave Jim Watson (Paul Winfield), is accused of murdering the husband of Tom's childhood sweetheart Becky Thatcher (Megan Follows). Roy Johansen's script even manages to haul in the King and the Duke (Joe Bova, Ned Beatty) from Huckleberry Finn. It's rather pointless, but it goes down easily enough. But, say: doesn't Back to Hannibal smell like a TV series pilot to you? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Disgusted with city life, the family Robinson decides to chuck it all and head for the Rockies. There they find that rural living can be just as hectic, with hungry bears as well as the forestry service after them. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Logan, Susan Damante-Shaw, (more)
- 1977
- PG
In this supernatural western, Confederate veterans of the last battle of the Civil War set out to find a hidden treasure: a cache of diamonds hidden in a cave. However, the soldiers find out that the cave is guarded by a covey of hawks -- and they begin to suspect that the hawks might actually be agents of the Devil, in disguise. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1976
- PG
In this children's adventure, an 11-year-old Quaker youth sets across the prairies of Montana to avenge his parents' murder. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles B. Pierce, Earl E. Smith, (more)
- 1976
- R
This thriller -- based on actual events -- tells in a pseudo-documentary-style of the murders of five people by a man in post-WWII Arkansas. This mystery was still considered unsolved at the time of its release. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Johnson, Andrew Prine, (more)
- 1976
- PG
This melodramatic adventure follows the exploits of a young Blackfoot Indian who goes to the Anglos for some badly needed smallpox serum. Instead of helping him, they attack. The young man is enraged and retaliates by kidnapping two young people from the unfriendly settlement. He takes them through beautiful wild country, and as they go he and his female hostage begin falling in love. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leif Erickson, Woody Strode, (more)
