Ken Solarz Movies
An enormous crocodile terrorizes a Thai beach resort in this tale of terror in the water starring Michael Madsen. As the local begin to mysteriously disappear and various appendages are found floating in the swamps, the locals offer $5000 to anyone able to capture the beast responsible for all the bloodshed. While local crocodile hunter Hawkins (Madsen) is ready and willing to track down the man-eating monster, he begins to suspect that he's dealing with a more powerful force than he ever imagined as the body count continues to rise, and the blood-curdling screams of the locals echo eerily through the treacherous swamps. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Madsen, Peter Tuinstra, (more)
Two siblings find themselves competing on and off the racetrack in this action-packed drama. K.C. Carlyle (Steve Howey) and his kid brother, Trip (Mike Vogel), are both racers in the rough and tumble world of supercross, a revved-up variation on motocross racing in which specially modified motorcycle negotiate specially built dirt tracks that send riders through tricky twists and turns, over rough terrain, and off high-flying jumps. Both are talented racers, but K.C. has a wilder and more reckless approach, while Trip follows a more cautious path. A more profound difference between them arises when K.C. is offered a lucrative deal to ride for a factory-sponsored team; he takes the deal, and leaves his brother behind to race on his own dime. However, when an accident takes Trip out of the running on the supercross circuit, he and K.C. set aside their differences as Trip helps coach his older brother so he can succeed in his drive to the championship. Made with the cooperation of a leading supercross race promoter, Supercross: The Movie also stars Sophia Bush and Cameron Richardson as the brothers' love interests, and Robert Carradine as a determined race coach. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Howey, Mike Vogel, (more)
- 2003
No sooner had actor Joe Pantoliano's character literally lost his head as mobster Ralph Cifaretto on the HBO crime series The Sopranos than he switched to the "right" side of the law on the CBS weekly The Handler. Pantoliano was cast as veteran FBI agent Joe Renato, who was placed in charge of a group of rookie undercover agents operating in L.A. Each of Renato's chameleon charges was a master of disguise and deception, ideally suited for the various FBI stings to which they assigned -- but still not yet dry behind the years insofar as surviving deadly situations. Featured in the cast was another Sopranos expatriate, Lola Glaudini, as eager young agent Heather, Anna Belknap as Lily, Ken Weiler as Roy, Hill Harper as Darnell, and Tanya Wright as Marcy. The Handler debuted September 26, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Pantoliano, Anna Belknap, (more)
Betrayal and revenge are the key ingredients of this violent, streetwise crime drama. Roy Egan (Harvey Keitel) was once a highly successful thief but has gotten out of the business and now leads a quiet life in the Midwest. He's lured out of retirement by his brother, Lee (Timothy Hutton); Lee figures that he's come to the end of his rope as a small-time thief and wants to pull one last job that will earn him a healthy score. Lee and Roy devise a plan to knock over a jewelry store in Palm Springs and bring along two helpers, even-tempered family man Jorge (Wade Dominguez) and hot-headed driver Skip (Stephen Dorff). The heist goes like clockwork, but afterward Skip turns on his partners and kills Lee and Jorge. Roy is able to escape and swears to avenge his brother's death with the help of Jorge's wife Rachel (Famke Janssen). City of Industry was the debut feature for writer/producer Ken Solarz. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harvey Keitel, Stephen Dorff, (more)
Before Jackie Robinson broke the racial barrier in 1946, black American baseball players were restricted to playing in segregated leagues. Only the Ball Was White traces the birth and development of professional black teams, the incredible talent spawned there, and the throngs of faithful fans who flocked to the games. This documentary features an engaging look at legendary players Satchel Paige, Roy Campanella, Buck Leonard, Jimmy Crutchfield, and other memorable black athletes. The documentary is based on a book by Robert Peterson. ~ Sally Barber, All Movie Guide
