Richard Reeves Movies
For his sophomore effort, director Gary Ross re-teams with Tobey Maguire and William H. Macy, stars of his directorial debut Pleasantville, for this depression-era sports drama about the legendary racehorse, Seabiscuit. Unlike 1949's fictionalized The Story of Seabiscuit starring Shirley Temple, this version attempts to present a factual account of the story, which centers around the three men who saw the famed horse to victory. Jeff Bridges stars as Charles Howard, an entrepreneur who owns the unlikely racehorse. Howard teams with partially blind boxer-turned-jockey Red Pollard (Maguire in his first performance since annihilating the 2002 box-office in Spider-Man) and horse trainer Tom Smith (Chris Cooper fresh off his best-supporting actor Oscar for Adaptation). Together, the three work to help the famed horse to several symbolic victories that helped to inspire a downtrodden 1930s America. The supporting cast, headed by Macy, includes Elizabeth Banks (Spider-Man) and real-life jockeys Gary Stevens and Chris McCarron. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, (more)
The ghost of Frank Capra must have smiled when he saw Dave, an amusing and effective update of one of Capra's favorite themes -- the scrupulously honest little guy who becomes a force for good against a corrupt system. Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) runs an employment agency and seems to genuinely enjoy finding work for people who need it. He also bears a striking resemblance to the president of the United States, Bill Mitchell (also played by Kline) and occasionally gets work as a Bill Mitchell impersonator. One day, Dave gets a call from the Secret Service -- for security purposes, they want to hire him to act as a decoy for an upcoming appearance by the president. All goes well, but later that evening President Mitchell suffers a massive stroke while in bed with his mistress. Wanting to keep the matter a secret, two of the president's top advisors appeal to Dave to stand in as Bill Mitchell until he regains his health. One of the men behind this scheme, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), hopes to use Mitchell's absence to promote his own right-wing political agenda, but after a few weeks "in office," Dave decides it's time to promote some changes of his own that will help increase employment and keep homeless shelters open. Dave also finds himself growing fond of Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver), the President's wife, while Ellen sees in Dave the idealism her husband left behind years ago. Dave features numerous cameo appearances by politicians, Washington insiders, and journalists; Oliver Stone also appears to explain a conspiracy theory regarding sudden changes in Bill Mitchell's behavior. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, (more)
- 1975
In the first episode of the six-part story "Genesis of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companions Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry (Ian Marter) set out on a return trip to the Nerva Beacon space station. En route, the TARDIS crew is waylaid by a secret Time Lord faction -- and before long, the Doctor has once again been pressed into service to rewrite history (or at least, to give it his best effort). First telecast on March 8, 1975, "Genesis of the Daleks, Episode 1" was written by Terry Nation (the fellow who created the mutant Daleks in the first place). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, (more)
- 1975
In the second episode of the six-part story "Genesis of the Daleks," the crew of the TARDIS is diverted in space and ends up materialized on Skaro, the homeworld of the dreaded mutant Daleks. The good news is that the Doctor (Tom Baker) and his friends have traveled so far back in time that the Daleks have not yet been created. The bad news is that it is up to the Doctor to prevent that creation, a task which may bring his own life to a sudden and violent conclusion. First telecast on March 15, 1975, "Genesis of the Daleks, Episode 2" was written by Terry Nation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, (more)
- 1975
In the third episode of the six-part story "Genesis of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) has been sent back in time to the planet Skaro, under orders to prevent the creation of the mutant Daleks. Complicating matters is the fact that the Doctor and his friends find themselves in the middle of the never-ending conflict between the Kaleds and the Thals, whose nuclear war has thrust Skaro into a second Stone Age. One of those Kaleds is the demented, deformed genius Davros (Michael Wisher), who holds the key to the Daleks' creation. First telecast on March 22, 1975, "Genesis of the Daleks, Episode 3" was written by Terry Nation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, (more)
