Steven Marcus Movies
- 2002
Connie McDowell (Charlotte Ross) arrests her scummy brother-in-law, Frank (Nicholas Lea), on a charge of spousal abuse. The abduction of a five-year-old girl leads to a suspicious ice-cream vendor -- and an unexpected defense of the often homophobic Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) by gay cop John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup). And the murder of an NBA draftee's pregnant girlfriend leads to a solution straight out of Becket ("Will no one rid me of this man?"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Simmons
- 2001
- Add Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures to QueueAdd Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures to top of Queue
Stanley Kubrick was one of the most acclaimed and controversial filmmakers of his generation, but he was also an intensely private man who rarely gave interviews and produced most of his films under a shroud of secrecy, which tended to foster a great deal of rumor and speculation about his working methods. Jan Harlan, who worked as Kubrick's assistant and executive producer on several projects (and was also his brother-in-law), directed this documentary, which offers a rare in-depth look into Kubrick's career as a filmmaker, structured around interviews with a number of actors, writers, technicians, composers, friends, and family who speak on the record about his relentless perfectionism, his creative vision, his life both on and off the set, his relationships with actors, his unrealized projects, and his importance and influence as an artist. Among those who share their thoughts in Stanley Kubrick -- A Life In Pictures are actors Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Malcolm McDowell, Peter Ustinov, and Keir Dullea; writers Arthur C. Clarke and Michael Herr; special effects artist Douglas Trumbull; composers Wendy Carlos and Gyorgy Ligeti; filmmakers Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Paul Mazursky, and Sydney Pollack; and Kubrick's spouse Christiane Kubrick. Stanley Kubrick -- A Life In Pictures was originally produced as a television project, to be aired in three parts, though the project was shown in its entirety at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, (more)
After his attention-getting turn in the London stage production of The Graduate, actor Matthew Rhys took the lead in Sorted, a British clubland thriller directed by Alex Jovy. Rhys plays Carl, an attorney who travels to London upon hearing of his brother Justin's sketchy drowning death in the Thames River. Upon investigation, Carl tracks down Justin's circle of raver friends and club-owning acquaintances, including his girlfriend Sunny (Sienna Guillory), the megalomaniacal promoter Damian (Tim Curry), and his sex-for-hire friend Tiffany (Fay Masterson). As he becomes ensconced in the city's rave culture, the usually reserved Carl eventually submits to it and finds himself at the center of a dangerous drug operation. An Academy award nominee for his 1998 short Holiday Romance, Jovy is no stranger to London's club scene; he was once a promoter himself. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Rhys, Tim Curry, (more)
Bartender Ronnie (Cameron Dye) has gone from one job to another a lot over the years, and he wants to settle at a place that he can call his own. So Ronnie teams up with his friend Dave (Kevin Geer) and together they raise the money to buy a popular bar in Manhattan. However, while things start out well for Ronnie and Dave, business has its ups and downs and soon they're in financial trouble; as they add fine dining and live music in an effort to keep people coming in, Ronnie and Dave find themselves learning the hard way about keeping a bar afloat. Meanwhile, Ronnie's love life takes it on the chin when his girlfriend leaves him, and Dave has to tighten his belt when he's let go from his regular job. The Tavern was the feature debut for director Walter Foote, and was screened at Ireland's Galway Film Festival in the summer of 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Dye, Kevin Geer, (more)
- 1997
The detectives and the lawyers again run up against the brick wall of military jurisprudence while investigating the death of a Navy pilot. McCoy finally narrows the suspects down to the dead man's lover, also a pilot. Unfortunately, the Navy and the Judge Advocate General form a united front to block further investigation -- and, perhaps, to prevent justice from prevailing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Crosetti (Jon Polito) run afoul of the Feds while investigating the murder of a Chinese student, who turns out to have been one of the leaders of the Tiananmen Square protest. Elsewhere, Munch (Richard Belzer) and Bolander (Ned Beatty) investigate when a body is found in the park; Howard's (Melissa Leo) testimony against sadistic drug dealer Pony Johnson (Geoffrey Ewing) may be inadmissible; and Pembleton (Yaphet Kotto) may get a promotion -- if anyone can find him. This episode marks the first appearance of Pembleton's wife Mary, played by Yaphet Kotto's real-life spouse, Ami Brabson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1993
Hit List is a thriller about a professional hit man (Jeff Fahey) who is hired by an attorney (James Coburn) with the intent of killing drug lords. However, the attorney then introduces the assassin to a sexy widow, asking him to execute the man who killed her husband. Soon, the hit man can't separate his professional life from his personal life. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Giordello (Andre Braugher) is upset when neither he nor his detectives are forewarned of the arrival of an asbestos-removal team. To get vital evidence on a gang leader's murder -- and to find out why the victim waited several days after his beating to get medical help -- Bolander (Ned Beatty) and Munch (Richard Belzer) fake out a witness with the old "polygraph-by-copier" trick. Under duress, Howard (Melissa Leo) confesses her attraction to Assistant State's Attorney Danvers. And Felton (Daniel Baldwin) and Pembleton (Andre Braugher) suffer mightily while their respective partners try to give up smoking. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1992
When a private detective takes on a missing person assignment trying to find an Italian aristocrat's uncle, she discovers a conspiracy of murder and drugs. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cybill Shepherd, Robert Beltran, (more)
- 1992
Based on a true story, this is the case of Carolyn Warmus, a teacher from Westchester County who was convicted of the murder of her lover's wife. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1990
An outwardly decent and upright family man is found in Central Park, beaten senseless by a baseball bat. The police investigation reveals that the victim was a customer of wealthy socialite Laura Winthrop (Patricia Clarkson), who keeps solvent by running an expensive "escort service." At her subsequent trial, Winthrop may beat the rap thanks to the power of public opinion; after all, isn't prostitution a victimless crime? But the D.A.'s office has a trump card in the form of one of Winthrop's girls, who has tested positive for AIDS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
