Joshua Butler Movies
- 2007
The NBC cop drama Life was cast in the same mold as Fox's medical series House, in that it was built around a whimsically sarcastic, wittily iconoclastic and thoroughly irreverent anti-hero who rigidly adhered to a Zen-like philosophy in all matters both professional and personal. Damian Lewis starred as convict Charlie Crews, a former police detective serving a life sentence on a triple-homicide charge. Freed from prison after twelve years on the strength new DNA evidence supplied by his loyal attorney Brooke Langton (Contance Griffiths), Charlie was somewhat surprisingly reinstated by the police force, and even given his old job back. As he struggled to catch up with the technological advances of the past dozen years, Charlie also had to adjust himself to his new partner, another "reclamation project" named Dani Reese (Sarah Shawl), who had just overcome a nasty drug habit. Dedicating himself to capturing the person who committed the murders for which he was blamed, and to finding out who framed him and why, Charlie was unaware that Dani was actually a "mole" for his superior officer Lt. Karen Davis (Robin Weigert), who instensely disliked Charlie and had strongarmed Dani into helping her dig up a good excuse to fire him (woven into the series' basic storyline was a sinister, wide-ranging conspiracy which involved a number of characters who would greatly benefit from Charlie's removal--or his death). At least Charlie could count on the friendship and support of former white-collar criminal Ted Earley (Alan Arkin), who lived on the estate Charlie had purchased with his multimillion-dollar legal settlement against the police department, and who owed our hero innumerable favors stemming back to their days behind bars. Others in the cast were Jennifer Siebel as Charlie's ex-wife Jennifer and Brent Sexton as his embittered former partner Bobby Starks. Life was first telecast on September 26, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Some critics labeled the weekly, hour-long series Surface as NBC's spin on the ABC hit Lost, though in fact it more closely resembled the theatrical feature The Abyss. The basic plotline involved a curious new form of sea life that had appeared variously in the South Antarctic Sea, San Diego harbor, the coast of Monterey, and the Gulf of Mexico. The first person to see this phenomenon was oceanographer Laura Daughtery Carstarphen (Lake Bell), from the vantage point of a bathysphere 5,000 feet below the ocean's surface. Others taking a special interest in the strange life forms included a CIA man, a sinister foreign scientist, a pair of fisherman, and a couple of teenagers, one of whom brought the warm, friendly looking creature's egg onto dry land, hiding it in his mom's fish tank, where it promptly hatches and a creature pops out. As the series' multitude of story arcs were played out, a number of disturbing questions were raised: What is this odd sea creature? Where did it come from? The answers, of course, were not immediately forthcoming, but one thing was clear regarding the creature: First impressions were very, very, very deceiving!!! Featured in the cast were Rade Serbedzija as Dr. Aleksander Cirko, Jay R. Ferguson as Richard Owen, Carter Jenkins as Miles, Leighton Meester as Savannah, and Bobby Coleman as Jesse. Created by Josh and Jonas Pate and originally titled Fathom (until another producer staked a prior claim on that moniker!), Surface debuted on September 19, 2005, with one of the most expensive pilot episodes in network TV history. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lake Bell, Jay R. Ferguson, (more)
- 2005
The titular "E-Ring" in this weekly, hour-long NBC drama series was the nickname for the outer offices of the Pentagon, where all major decisions pertaining to national security were made. Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper respectively starred as Major Jim Tisnewski (aka JT) and Colonel McNulty, a pair of oil-and-water military officers united in top-secret government missions, foreign and domestic. A former Green Beret, Tisnewski was the gung-ho "action" guy, while the older and crabbier McNulty preferred handling the strategic end of each mission. In the tradition of JAG, it was made obvious that, although our two heroes were faultless in their judgment on the job, they both encountered enormous difficulties keeping their private lives in order. In the development stages, Tisnewski had both a wife and child, but it was finally determined that making him a bachelor would be beneficial to the various plotlines involving attractive female guest stars. Just as "Mrs. Tisneski" was written out of the show, Kelly Rutherford was added as the two officers' chief nemesis, Defense Department attorney Samantha "Sonny" Liston. E-Ring premiered September 21, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Benjamin Bratt, Dennis Hopper, (more)
- 2003
A feature-length pilot for a possible cable TV series, Deathlands: Homeward Bound was inspired by a series of novels and audio-books written by James Axler (actually a joint pseudonym, shared by several prominent science-fiction authors). Sort of a "Mad Max Meets the A-Team," the film is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where crime and destruction is the norm and law-and-order is in the hands of a few courageous mavericks. Vincent Spano stars as justice-fighter Ryan Cawdor, who travels the scorched countryside in his "SecWag," or military security wagon. Cawdor's hearty band of cohorts include his half-mutant girl, an angry Albino teenager, and a geeky weapons specialist called the Armorer. Not surprisingly, the original "Deathlands" book series was incredibly popular with long-distance truck drivers, presumably the audience to whom this ultra-macho thriller is geared. Deathlands: Homeward Bound debuted May 17, 2003, on the Sci-Fi Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Spano, Jenya Lano, (more)
Saint Sinner begins in 1815, when two monks, played by Greg Serano and Antonio Cupo, inadvertently allow two evil female spirits to go out into the world. The spirits, Munkar (Mary Mara) and Nakir (Rebecca Harrell), travel in a time machine to Seattle at the beginning of the 21st century. The monks must follow them and track down the evildoers, who have become women of the night that kill at random. The monks must convince a police detective that they are not the ones responsible for the murders. The screenplay was penned by horror writer Clive Barker. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Greg Serano, Gina Ravera, (more)
One of the most unabashedly profane (albeit honest) TV movies ever produced for "basic" cable, A Season on the Brink is based on John Feinstein's book about the 1985-1986 Indiana Hoosiers' basketball season. Brian Dennehy heads the cast as the controversial, combative, chair-tossing Hoosiers coach Bobby Knight, whose motto is "The only two words you need to know to play basketball at Indiana: Yes, Sir!" Driving his players mercilessly, and making verbal mincemeat of fans and reporters alike, Knight isn't interested in winning any popularity contests -- he is only interested in winning games, which he does with intimidating frequency. Along the way, Knight's abrasive style has profound effects on two of his best players, Daryl Thomas (Michael James Johnson) and Steve Alford (James Lafferty) -- not to mention Bobby's assistant coaches and family members. Videotaped footage of actual games is incorporated into the dramatized re-enactments, with mixed but generally effective results. A Season on the Brink was simulcast over ESPN and ESPN2 on March 10, 2002, with the original TVMAL-rated version airing on the former service, and a "laundered" TV14LV-rated version running on the latter channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Dennehy, Duane Murray, (more)
This holiday-themed children's film offers a unique take on the legend of Santa Claus and his tiny reindeer. In this movie, a young boy finds a deer in the forest he is sure is Santa's beloved Prancer. Determined to return the creature to the North Pole and his rightful destiny, the child overcomes the cynicism of his family to teach them and us a lesson about the true spirit of Christmas. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Corbett, Stacy Edwards, (more)
- 2001
Its title notwithstanding, this zany made-for-cable comedy-fantasy is motivated by a lack of "beer money." While camping in the woods, a trio of impoverished party animals -- Tim (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), Rut (Nick von Esmarch), and Blank (J.P. Manoux) -- stumble upon a lovable E.T.-like space alien. Nicknaming their new "friend" Greenie, our dunderheaded heroes hope to sell the alien to a sleazy TV tabloid show, "Unbelievable Encounters," thereby keeping themselves in beer money for the rest of their lives. The problem now is to keep Greenie a secret from the local townsfolk until the TV deal is finalized. Producer/writer Rich Wilkes appears unbilled as Nick the Hollywood Snake. The sort of film that makes The Three Stooges look subtle, Beer Money debuted over the USA network on June 19, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mercedes McNab, (more)
- 1997
- NR
Paul Monette was a well-regarded gay novelist who (after losing two long-term companions to AIDS) wrote Becoming A Man: Half a Life Story, a memoir which won the Nation Book Award. Ironically, Monette began to receive his greatest acclaim as a writer and produced his deepest and most personal works after he was diagnosed with AIDS. Monette bravely battled the disease's debilitating effects as he struggled to continue his work as a writer and an impassioned AIDS activist before succumbing to the disease in 1995. Paul Monette: The Brink of Summer's End is a documentary about his life and work that combines home movies and news footage with interviews with Monette, his friends, and his peers. Linda Hunt provides narration, while Jonathan Fried reads from Monette's works. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
