David Chokachi
This horror film focuses on a rogue weapons research scientist who, after losing his project to a shut-down by the American military, sets up camp in the Belzan forest of Chechnya. A team of hardcore Deltas are making their way through the wilderness to find the doctor's lab before the Russians do, but they're confronted by unanticipated terror when they run up against the scientist's project: a massive cloud of bloodthirsty bats. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Chokachi, Michael Jace, (more)
- 2008
- R
Devastated upon receiving news that her estranged sister has been brutally murdered and frustrated that local police refuse to offer much help, a promising South Beach lawyer unearths some sordid details about her late sibling in this thriller highlighting the dangers of online dating. Stacy (Alexandra Paul) was accepting an award at a company banquet when her cell phone rang and her life was changed forever. Upon receiving the news that her sister Kate has been brutally strangled, Stacy beats a hasty retreat to her small hometown in hopes of getting some answers. The two siblings hadn't spoken since their parents died years ago, yet their sterile childhood home has remained virtually unchanged ever since that fateful day. When the local sheriff proves incapable or unwilling to offer any real answer, Stacy realizes that catching her sister's killer will be no simple task. As her investigation commences, resourceful Stacy discovers that Kate had a particularly suggestive profile on a tacky online dating site, and that her sister was scheduled to meet a number of men the night she was murdered. The deeper that Stacy delves into the profiles of the men her sister was involved with, the more convinced she becomes that she's closing in on the killer. Later, as Stacy's confidence leads to recklessness, she begins scheduling encounters with all of the men her sister was set to meet on the night of her death, in the process discovering that some are charismatic and sympathetic while others are utterly sleazy. As her investigation intensifies, Stacy begins to discover how little she really knew about the sister she recently lost. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexandra Paul, Robyn Lively, (more)
- 1999
It takes quite a while to determine who the real villain is in the made-for-TV melodrama A Crime of Passion--but once the truth is revealed, it's a terror-inducing ride to a horrifying conclusion. Kindly Dr. Ben Pierce (Powers Boothe) incurs the wrath of his grown daughters Alyssa (Tracey Gold) and Natalie (essie Gold) when he comes home with his new young trophy wife--an ex-stripped named Marci Elias (Kelly Rowan). Since Marci's love for Ben seems sincere, the hostility is all on the side of his daughters, especially Alyssa, who is already on the outs with her dad because of her poor grades in medical school. A series of unfortunate misunderstandings and bad choices causes a serious rift between Ben and Marci--and before long, Ben is found murdered. Normally, Marci would be the primary suspect, but the evidence compels the police to accuse Alyssa of the crime. That is to say, the evidence as it has been carefully and meticulously pre-arranged... A rather gaudy example of the "Smiler With the Knife" school of filmmaking, A Crime of Passion was originally telecast by CBS on December 15, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tracey Gold, Powers Boothe, (more)
Johnny and Tanner are two brothers raised in a violently dysfunctional family, with a brutal psychopath for a father. One day, their father's abuse of their mother goes too far and tragedy strikes. Tanner winds up in jail, and Johnny is sent to a foster home, where he finally knows a stable life and a caring family. Years later, Johnny (Scott Waugh) is a college student with good marks and good prospects ahead of him, while Tanner (Sean Graham) is trying to dig himself out of a life of crime. Tanner calls Johnny and asks him for a favor -- he'd like his brother to vouch for him in a hearing with his parole officer in Hollywood. Johnny agrees, but then discovers that the hearing isn't in nearby Hollywood, CA, but on the other side of the country in Hollywood, FL. A promise is a promise, and Johnny and Tanner hop in Tanner's ancient Lincoln Continental with only 12 dollars to their name, hoping the fates will guide them safely to the East Coast. The supporting cast includes Ernest Borgnine, Jonathan Silverman, and Married With Children star David Faustino. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Waugh, Sean Graham, (more)
- 1997
"She's every man's dream (if you can get past the whole murder and adultery thing)." So went the ABC ad copy for the heavy-breathing TV movie Bad to the Bone, which is (astonishingly) based on a true story. Playing radically against type, Kristy Swanson stars as beautiful 19-year-old Francesca "Frankie" Wells, whose baby face and sweet demeanor hides an evil, manipulative soul. For starters, Frankie kills her mom to receive her inheritance--and gets away with it. Later on, she grows weary of her relationship with her nightclub-owner boyfriend Waldo (David Chokachi), whereupon she slyly persuades her adoring younger brother Danny (Jeremy London) to bump Waldo off, being oh-so-careful not to use such nasty words as "kill" or "murder." Dutiful Danny does what his sister asks, and when both are arrested, he takes full blame for the killing. Although Frankie does a thorough job seducing a number of authority figures who could under normal circumstances put her away in a minute, eventually justice prevails and both Frankie and Danny receive 100-year prison sentences. But Frankie manages to skip town and hit the road, leaving Danny (who has finally wised up!) holding the bag. The climactic phone conversation which seals Frankie's fate is a classic of its kind. Bad to the Bone originally aired on October 19, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
