Peter Fitzgerald Movies
WWE Smackdown star and self-proclaimed "Doctor of Thuganomics" John Cena makes his explosive action feature debut as John Triton, an injured U.S. Marine who returns home from duty after violating a commander's order, only to have his wife kidnapped by a ruthless criminal. Robert Patrick co-stars as the villainous Rome -- who is more than willing to kill if it means staying one step ahead of the law -- and Nip/Tuck star Kelly Carlson appears as the endangered object of the vengeful veteran's affections. With nothing left to lose and enough training to take down a small army, the hard-fighting Triton sets out to rescue his wife, and ensure that the psychotic Rome receives a painful taste of Semper Fi justice. Commercial veteran John Bonito takes the rein for his feature directorial debut. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cena, Robert Patrick, (more)
- 2002
Narrated by Anjelica Huston, this cable-TV documentary offered an up-close and personal look at the life and career of quintessential movie queen Joan Crawford. From her humble beginnings as MGM contract starlet Lucille LaSeuer, Crawford climbed to the top with a heady combination of talent, tenacity, glamour, hard work -- and obsessive, manipulative ruthlessness, both onscreen and off. Written off as "box-office poison" in the early '40s, Crawford confounded her detractors by changing studios and staging a spectacular comeback, winning the Academy Award for her performance in Warner Bros.' Mildred Pierce. She managed to hold on to her stardom well into the 1970s, plunging headlong into the horror genre with such masterworks as What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? -- not to mention such dogs as Berserk! and Trog. In private life, Crawford married several times (her union with Pepsi Cola executive Alfred Steele briefly but memorably transformed her into a high-pressure businesswoman) and enjoyed the favors of dozens of men along the way. She also "enjoyed" a reputation as a domestic tyrant, allegedly insisting upon an immaculately clean home and holding her children in the grip of horrified fascination. In addition to excerpts from Crawford's classic (and not-so-classic) films, the documentary includes interviews with such interested parties as the actress' first husband, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., her directors (George Cukor and Vincent Sherman), her costars (Anita Page and Cliff Robertson), her biographer Bob Thomas -- and, inevitably, her stepdaughter, Christina Crawford, whose warts-and-all biography Mommie Dearest yielded one of the most campily outrageous biopics in movie history. Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star debuted August 1, 2002 over the Turner Classic Movies cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anjelica Huston
- 1995
This desert war adventure is set during WWII and is a remake of Zoltan Korda's 1943 version. The tale chronicles the courage of an American sergeant and his few men who attempt to escape approaching German forces in their tank. As they cruise southward, they pick up a stranded British medical officer and band of ragged fighters that include an Australian, a Frenchman and a Sudanese officer. Eventually, water becomes a major issue and they end up at a lonely oasis where they decide to make one final brave stand against the Nazi invaders. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In 1974, MGM Studios released its first compilation of musical highlights from 45 years of Hollywood extravaganzas. Entitled That's Entertainment!, it was a big box-office hit and inspired a second compilation two years later. Eighteen years went by before MGM tried again. The third installment of the series contains a total of 62 musical numbers and includes scenes from more than 100 films. The cavalcade of memories is hosted by nine stars from the old musicals: Gene Kelly, Esther Williams, Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Lena Horne, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, and Howard Keel. The film is loaded with outtakes and unfinished numbers that didn't make the cut of the original musicals. At many points, there is a split screen, showing the finished product as filmed as well as behind-the-scenes confusion. It's as much a comic "bloopers" TV show as a tribute to the heyday of the musical. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, (more)
- 1989
Sons of Steel combines elements of science fiction with head-banging heavy-metal music. Black Alice (Rob Hartley) is the lead screech who ends up traveling through time in order to save the Sydney Harbor from a cataclysmic nuclear disaster. Sight gags and sounds of music that would make most people cringe are the highlight of this offbeat entry. The plot of this film is less important than its non-stop energy and barrage of innovative imagery, interspersed with some moments of wacky humor. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Hartley, Roz Wason, (more)
