K. Todd Freeman Movies

Christopher Nolan steps back into the director's chair for this sequel to Batman Begins, which finds the titular superhero coming face to face with his greatest nemesis -- the dreaded Joker. Christian Bale returns to the role of Batman, Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role of Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins), and Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger dons the ghoulishly gleeful Joker makeup previously worn by Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero. Just as it begins to appear as if Batman, Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) are making headway in their tireless battle against the criminal element, a maniacal, wisecracking fiend plunges the streets of Gotham City into complete chaos. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Episode 48 finds Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) falling under the negative influence of maverick slayer Faith (Eliza Dushka). The episode is also noteworthy for the introduction of Buffy's new Watcher, Wesley (Alexis Denisof), a young and unwelcome administrative type who views Giles' training techniques as outmoded. At the start of the episode, Buffy dusts a vampire armed with two swords, which are then stolen by Mr. Trick (K. Todd Freeman), apparently playing some part in the mayor's ascension. Later, Buffy is introduced to the uptight and overconfident Wesley, whom she immediately dislikes. Nonetheless, Wesley informs her that the vampire with the swords belonged to the 15th century duelist cult El Eliminati -- worshippers of the demon Balthazar. They are now searching for a lost amulet, which is in all likelihood harmless. After finding the amulet and discovering where Balthazar is hiding, Faith persuades Buffy -- against her better judgment -- to break into a sporting goods store for weapons. They are arrested and -- again through Faith's persuasion -- cause the squad car to crash so they can escape. Giles and a terrified Wesley are captured by the El Eliminati; during the capture, Faith mistakenly kills Deputy Mayor Finch (Jack Plotnick), an act that will drive her insane and make her evil. Buffy and Angel (David Boreanaz) come to save Giles, who then shows up Wesley by deftly beheading Balthazar with some top-notch swordplay. Meanwhile, the Mayor (Harry Groener) performs a ceremony, after which he pronounces himself invincible for the next 100 days until the Ascension. Buffy confronts Faith about killing Finch -- killing a human is against slayer policy -- but Faith just doesn't care. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is finally readmitted to Sunnydale High by Principal Snyder (Armin Shimerman). Buffy also flirts with Scott Hope (Fab Filippo) a cute senior. Buffy's mood is brightening until the arrival of the slick Mr. Trick (K. Todd Freeman) and the ancient and demonic-looking Kakistos (Jeremy Roberts), two vampires, spoil it. Later, at the Bronze, Buffy and friends notice an extroverted and sexy new girl dancing who is also about to be hit on by a vampire. They rush to her aid just in time to see her dust the vamp in true slayer style. She introduces herself as Faith (Eliza Dushku), a slayer from Boston whose Watcher is at an annual Watcher's Retreat. Faith proves equally adept and vampire slaying as Buffy, but reckless enamored with violence. Meanwhile, Mr. Trick and Kakistos plan to kill the slayers, but as Giles (Anthony Head) discovers that Faith's Watcher is not at a retreat, but dead, suspicion begins to surround Faith. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

It's Homecoming at Sunnydale High and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) is determined to be crowned Homecoming Queen. As Angel (David Boreanaz) is still chained up in his mansion, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) accepts Scott's (Fab Filippo) invitation to the dance. Cordelia's self-involved behavior over her Homecoming campaign irks Buffy into running herself. Meanwhile, Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan) share more than their prospective outfits for the dance. Elsewhere, Mr. Trick (K. Todd Freeman) invites a motley band of psychotics and vampires back to Sunnydale for their own slayer killing festivities. Hoping to give Cordelia and Buffy a chance to mend their friendship, Xander arranges for the limo driver to pick up the feuding pair separately. This works fine, except that the limo driver is German psycho killer Hans Gruenshtahler (Joseph Daube), one of Mr. Trick's guests. Mayor Richard Wilkins III (Harry Groener) is also introduced in this episode, and his demonic intentions established. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

Eleanor Gaver wrote and directed this slapstick comedy-fantasy about graffiti-artist Jeff (Noah Taylor), who loves artist Mona (Fairuza Balk). After Mona produces a painting in which a church sculpture crushes a girl, she sees a church accident identical to her painting, although a stranger (Patrick Dempsey) intervenes. Mona takes a fickle fancy to this man and ends her relationship with Jeff, who enlists the help of Mona's boss (Tea Leoni) to mail himself to Mona in a box. When Mona tries to open the box, she impales Jeff with a pair of scissors, and the film then focuses on efforts to get rid of the body. Shown at the 1998 Hamptons Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Lillian (Tamara Tunie), the wife of Lt. Fancy (James McDaniel), has become a home entrepreneur, but some of the products she coerces her husband into selling may not exactly be beneficial -- as Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) learns the hard way. Jill (Andrea Thompson) is reunited with an old school friend, now a drug addict who has been robbing her parents. A transsexual who has sought protection from his/her abusive boyfriend ends up murdered. And Diane (Kim Delaney) has a frightening run-in with an old "friend" of Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits). This episode was directed by Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Wim Wenders directed this allegorical drama about the emotional impact of violence in our culture, set against the backdrop of California's entertainment business. Mike Max (Bill Pullman) is a Hollywood producer who has earned a great deal of money and power in the film industry through his success with a series of brutally violent action pictures. While Max can juggle any number of tasks while working, he can't find time for his wife Paige (Andie MacDowell), and when she announces that she's divorcing him, he admits to himself (but not to her) that he deliberately put her through emotional trauma; Paige leaves to do volunteer work in the Third World, hoping to bring new meaning to her life. Very little reaches Max on an emotional level until Cat (Traci Lind), a stunt performer, is seriously injured on the set of Max's latest project. Not long after, Max is first car-jacked, then kidnapped by a pair of desperate thugs. He escapes and is given shelter by a group of Mexican-American gardeners. Wanting to retreat from the physical and spiritual violence that has become a key part of his life, Max opts to work with the gardening crew and stay away from his old life, remaining "missing" in the eyes of the world as he searches for a new life. Meanwhile, Max and his secretary Claire (Rosiland Chao) become aware of a secret plan that Ray Bering (Gabriel Byrne) has prepared for the city of Los Angeles, which will essentially put the entire town under constant surveillance, with the goal of ending violent crime once and for all. Frederic Forrest, Udo Kier, and legendary director Samuel Fuller also star; Ry Cooder composed the film's striking original score. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A group of female impersonators witness a murder committed by a child-killer who is supposedly serving hard time. When Fancy's (James McDaniel) former foster son is brought up on heroin charges, help comes from an unexpected source. Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) rekindle their relationship, while Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) is stopped from romantically pursuing Abby Sullivan (Paige Turco) by a surprising revelation. And while working undercover, Diane is placed in grave danger by handsome hood Jimmy Liery (Christopher Meloni). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) has problems on several fronts. First off, he and Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) are investigating the disturbing murders of two children; second, his pregnant wife, Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence), is going through big-time bouts of morning sickness; and third, he doesn't like the fact that Diane (Kim Delaney) has gone off the wagon -- and has turned to Bobby instead of Andy for support. Elsewhere, Lesniak's (Justine Miceli) "private" revelation of her homosexuality is the talk of the precinct. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Director Lawrence Kasdan's Grand Canyon is a gathering of random events, uniting the film's wildly divergent protagonists. Driving home from an LA Lakers game, Mack (Kevin Kline), an immigration attorney, is stranded in an unsavory part of town when his car breaks down. He is rescued from a gang of hoods by Simon (Danny Glover), an African-American tow truck driver, inaugurating a friendship between these two men. Mack offers to repay Simon's kindness by helping his sister (Tina Lifford) find an apartment in a better neighborhood, and by arranging a blind date between Simon and Jane (Alfre Woodard), a friend of Mack's secretary Dee (Mary Louise Parker). Woven into this fabric are the tribulations of Mack's best friend, a pompous exploitation movie producer (Steve Martin), who is later wounded in a robbery similar to the one threatening Mack at the beginning of the film; of Mack's wife Claire (Mary McDonnell), who adopts an abandoned baby, and disenfranchised son Roberto (Jeremy Sisto); and of Simon's nephew (Patrick Malone), who is contemplating joining a street gang. The title is symbolic, referring to the class-imposed chasms which would normally separate the characters. Kasdan co-wrote the screenplay with his wife Meg. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Stephanie Zimbalist stars in this made-for-cable thriller as a L.A. detective who decides to re-open the case of a murder she herself witnessed as a child. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi