Frank Cassini Movies

Inspired by actual events, Canadian filmmaker Damon Vignale's Leo-nominated supernatural thriller tells the tale of a kidnapped drug dealer who miraculously manages to escape his abductors, and the connection that police begin to make between what appears to be a typical street crime, and a 16th Century case of demonic possession involving a renowned exorcist and a French nun. Sister Madeline was an early-16th Century nun from Aix-en-Provence, France who had been overtaken by an entity that, when confronted by veteran exorcist Father Sebastien Michaelis, revealed itself to be a fallen angel on a mission to punish sinners and tempt the innocent. At the time, Father Michaelis wrote extensively about his battle against that unholy spirit, and now, 400 years later, his writings may prove the key to solving a disturbing modern-day mystery. Ryan James is a drug dealer who has just survived a close brush with death. After being kidnapped and bound, the street-smart dope slinger somehow managed to break free of his bonds and stage a daring escape. Now terrified that his kidnappers will return to complete the mission they failed to carry out the first time around, a desperate James contacts the local police in hopes that they can somehow help to save his life. Having worked in the city for many years, strong-willed detective Jen Porhowski thinks she has heard it all. Upon hearing James' fantastical account of his harrowing struggle, however, Jen skeptically tries to make sense of the story by separating the hard facts from perceived fiction. But sometimes there's a greater truth at work, and now as the pair begin to discover Father Michaelis' centuries-old writings they quickly learn that this modern kidnapping case may in fact transcend their reality and have implications that reach back through the centuries. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A talented character actor with an undeniable presence on the screen but an uncanny track record of losing roles to more marketable "name" actors decides to take matters into his own hands after losing out on one too many roles in director Monika Mitchell's blood-soaked showbiz satire. Max Matteo (John Cassini) knows that he has what it takes to make it as an actor, but it always seems like there's a producer's nephew just waiting in the wings to snatch the role just out from under him. Now, with nothing left to lose but the role that will most certainly be offered to someone else before the cameras start to role, Max decides to take his fate - as well as various blunt objects - in his hands to ensure a long and rewarding career in a business where there's truly no room for the weak. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The first teaming of Danny Sorenson (Rick Schroder) and Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) is not an easy one for Diane, who still hasn't gotten over the loss of Danny's predecessor, Bobby Simone. Her grief has resulted in profound depression, and may lead her back into her old drinking habits. In other developments, the squad forms a protective circle around Jill Kirkendall's (Andrea Thompson) young son, Kyle (Courtland Mead), who has witnessed a stabbing. While still pursuing the old Suarez murder case, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence) discover that the original informant against Suarez may have actually been the guilty party, and both Greg (Gordon Clapp) and John (Bill Brochtrup) worry that their judgment may be clouded by their affections. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Needles figure prominently in this blood-soaked entry in the slasher genre. It begins as psycho scientist Dr. Stein begins implanting things in baboons. Dr. Theresa McCann, a colleague at the hospital where they both work is suspicious as to the nature of the perverse professors experiments. Those suspicions increase when one of the apes suddenly dies. Then Stein steals one of her patients. When that patient is found murdered, with only a lollipop left as a clue, McCann gets blamed and suspended. When McCann spies the abandoned sucker she suddenly realizes it belongs to Dr. Matar, an ex-lover in search of revenge against her because she squealed on him and his illicit experiments in tissue regrowth. Matar goes on a killing spree and now only she and her new lover Hendricks can stop him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Die Hard meets Cliffhanger in this two-fisted action flick full of cool guns and exploding racists. One cop stands between order and lawlessness when a nefarious band of white supremacists invade a ski resort and take the guests hostage. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide