Dule Hill
An ex-con looking to start life anew with his loving fiancée resorts to extreme measures as a means of funding his lifelong dream in director Stewart Hendler's dark supernatural thriller. Max Truemont (Josh Holloway) has served his debt to society, and now he is ready to make a fresh start alongside his faithful fiancée, Roxanne (Sarah Wayne Callies). When the bank takes umbrage to Max's manslaughter conviction and refuses to approve his loan application, the desperate recidivist soon joins forces with a pair of shady associates to carry out what promises to be a lucrative kidnapping. Upon abducting the eight-year-old son of the richest woman in the state, Max, Roxanne, and their criminal collaborators travel to a secluded and abandoned summer camp to await further instruction. Now, as loyalties begin to shift, suspicions arise, and the deteriorating situation appears to go into a menacing downward spiral, Max gradually begins to suspect that their young hostage may not be quite as innocent as outward appearances suggest. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Josh Holloway, Sarah Wayne Callies, (more)
- 2006
Robert S. Levi writes and directs this Emmy Award-winning documentary focusing on the life of pioneering gay composer and jazz musician Billy Strayhorn, whose compositions for Duke Ellington included such timeless classics as "Satin Doll" and "Take the A Train". The driving creative force behind the Duke Ellington Orchestra from the 1940s through the 1980s, Strayhorn produced a staggering body of work that included everything from jazz greats to orchestral suites and even film soundtracks. Though historians and scholars alike are quick to single out Strayhorn as one of the most woefully overlooked American composers in history - he was a virtual unknown when he succumbed to throat cancer in 1967 - his influence lives on even at the dawn of the 21st Century. With this film, Levi offers a comprehensive view of who Strayhorn really was as both a person and a musician, while simultaneously exploring why he remains a relative unknown even to ardent jazz enthusiasts. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A decorated Coast Guard search and rescue specialist still haunted by the death of his teammates during a disastrous mission off the coast of Alaska is charged with the task of training the next generation of Coast Guard rescue swimmers in director Andrew Davis' ocean-bound adventure drama. Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) was the best swimmer of his graduating class, but upon surfacing as the sole survivor of an Alaskan rescue mission attempted during a Category Three storm, his outlook on life has grown increasingly jaded. Now, as hotshot young swimmer Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher) arrives at Coast Guard rescue school looking to accomplish something meaningful with his life, he will be forced to endure the rigorous training methods of a man who expects nothing less than the very best in order to become a member of one of the most elite rescue squads on the planet. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, (more)
- 2006
The weekly, hour-long detective dramedy Psych made its USA network bow on July 7, 2006, right after the fifth-season opener of the thematically similar Monk. James Roday starred as Shawn Spencer, the genial "slacker" son of no-nonsense police officer Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen). Relentlessly trained from an early age to recognize the smallest and most minute clues at a given crime scene, Shawn developed a photographic memory, which he generally used to coast through life and avoid honest work. Hoping to gain a bit of prestige as a police consultant, Henry made the mistake of providing so much "inside" evidence that at one point he was accused of being a perpetrator. In his efforts to wriggle out of this dilemma, Shawn managed to convince the authorities that he possessed psychic powers (which he most certainly did not), and as such became a permanent "troubleshooter" for the Santa Barbera police department, answerable to interim police chief Karen Vick (Kristen Nelson) -- who, luckily, was an old friend of Shawn's father. Grudgingly partnered with our hero was hard-bitten detective Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), who harbored serious doubts about Shawn's psychic prowess, and Lassiter's co-worker Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson), a gung-ho, ebullient type who believed every word that Shawn said. Also on hand was Shawn's best friend and confidante, Gus (Dulé Hill), an overcautious type who resented being continually thrust into harm's way, but who couldn't hide his fascination with various aspects of crime and crime-solving. In a clever directorial gimmick, viewers at home "saw" and "memorized" the various clues in each episode through Shawn's eyes, via freeze-frame and zoom lens. A few episodes of Psych were seen on the over-the-air NBC network beginning July 14, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Roday, Dule Hill, (more)
David Mamet wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of his play about a man who suddenly stumbles into a new and dangerous life. Edmond Burke (William H. Macy) is on his way home from work one evening when he impulsively stops to have his fortune read by a woman who informs him, "You are not where you belong." When he does arrive home, Edmond soon falls into an argument with his wife (Rebecca Pidgeon), and he storms out into the city, where he stops at a bar for a few drinks. There, Edmond finds himself talking with a man (Joe Mantegna) who freely shares his racist views about the role of African-Americans in society, and suddenly Edmond begins letting go of the sense of self-control that has always governed his actions. After a crawl through the city's underbelly of watering holes, strip clubs, gambling dens, and brothels, Edmond comes face to face with the violence of this world, and unexpectedly finds himself responding in kind. Edmond also stars Julia Stiles, Denise Richards, Mena Suvari, Bai Ling, and Dylan Walsh; it was directed by Stuart Gordon, who worked often with David Mamet during their early days at Chicago's Organic Theater Company. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William H. Macy, Joe Mantegna, (more)
Originally produced as a miniseries for NBC, 10.5 is a disaster film that wonders what might happen if the Western United States is ever ravaged by unprecedented earthquakes. After one quake wreaks havoc on Seattle, another strikes California, this one worse than the first. With scientists speculating that an earthquake registering 10.5 on the Richter scale could be next, the U.S. president (Beau Bridges) enlists the help of a seismologist (Kim Delaney) to somehow formulate a plan to prevent the deaths of millions of people. This film aired under the title Earthquake: 10.5 in the U.K. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Delaney, Beau Bridges, (more)
Eight loosely connected city dwellers find their lives intersecting through their sexual proclivities in director Ken Kwapis' screen adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's enduring play La Ronde. As the revolving set of bedroom doors spin ever faster, the hopes, fears, truths, and heartaches of those longing to make a meaningful connection surface to offer a revealing look at modern sexuality. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The crises facing the various members of the Bartlet administration at the outset of The West Wing's sixth season include the ever-escalating hostilities between Israel and Palestine, with President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) refusing to exploit the situation by staging a preemptive strike against a longtime enemy; and the slow recovery of Donna Moss (Janel Moloney), assistant to Barlet's deputy chief of staff, Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), after her surgery to remove a pulmonary embolism. Nor is this the only health crisis facing the staff: it is painfully clear that Josh's boss, veteran chief of staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer) is himself suffering from an as-yet-undetermined ailment. Alas, this doesn't take long to "determine": three episodes into season six, Leo has been rushed to the hospital to undergo an emergency bypass after suffering a massive heart attack. In his absence, press secretary C.J. (Allison Janney) is thrust into the responsibility of negotiating a peace accord in the Israeli-Palestine war with the UN and NATO. In another plot development, the race has begun for a worthwhile Democratic candidate to run for the Presidency now that Bartlet is winding down his second term. One of the leading contenders is the party's first Hispanic Presidential candidate, Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits). Emerging as the most viable Republican opponent is the venerable Senator Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda), who, somewhat surprisingly, shares many of Bartlet's more liberal opinions. Amidst these and other intrigues, the series actually finds time to pause for a somewhat comic episode, "In the Room," featuring gonzo magicians Penn and Teller as "themselves" in a story which gently tweaks the nose of activists who equate desecration of the American flag with wholesale treason. The season climaxes at the Democratic National Convention, as Matt Santos vies with the two other leading candidates for the precious 2,162 votes needed to choose a nominee who can successfully halt the apparently invulnerable Arnold Vinick political juggernaut come November (the choice of the Democratic running mate is quite a surprise!); and the outgoing Bartlet finds he still has one final crisis to deal with, this one a matter of life or death in outer space. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, (more)
A boy being punished for a crime he didn't commit learns there's more going on at a juvenile correctional facility than meets the eye in this comedy drama. Stanley Yelnats IV (Shia LaBeouf) is a teenager who has been told all his life that the men in the Yelnats family are cursed, thanks to a false promise his great, great grandfather made to a fortune teller. Given his frequent bad luck, and that which follows his father (Henry Winkler), Stanley has no trouble believing this. Stanley's bad luck hits a new low when a pair of sneakers literally falls out of the sky on him -- and turn out to be stolen. A judge sentences Stanley to a stay at Camp Green Lake, a juvenile correctional facility stuck in the middle of the desert, where he finds himself sharing a tent with a gang of misfits, including ringleader X-Ray (Brenden Jefferson), pushy Squid (Jake M. Smith), small but wiry Zero (Khleo Thomas), tough and stinky Armpit (Byron Cotton), paranoid ZigZag (Max Kasch), and thief-in-training Magnet (Miguel Castro). The Warden of Camp Green Lake (Sigourney Weaver) has her own ideas about rehabilitation, which consist of having the boys spend their days digging holes five feet deep under the desert sun. While well-mannered counselor Pendanski (Tim Blake Nelson) tries to help the boys however he can, Mr. Sir (Jon Voight), The Warden's right hand man, is a heartless creep who enjoys making Stanley and his friends suffer. Before long, Stanley wonders if there's a good reason why the Warden seems so curious about what (if anything) the boys find during their digging, and in time he suspects there's something they haven't been told which might be connected to the Yelnats family curse. Holes was based on the award-winning book for young people by Louis Sachar, who also wrote the film's screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, (more)
The administration of President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) is still technically in charge of the United States as The West Wing enters its fifth season (and its first without the services of longtime producer Aaron Sorkin), but Bartlet himself is no longer commander in chief -- at least, not at the moment. To avoid conflict-of-interest charges after his daughter Zoey is kidnapped by Qumari terrorists, Bartlet had relinquished power to the next person in the chain of command. And since there is no vice president, that person is Speaker of the House Glenallen Walken (John Goodman) -- a powerful and rather cantankerous Republican! At Walken's orders, Qumar is bombed in retaliation for Zoey's abduction, prompting Bartlet's staff to seek out a new, less reactionary vice president as soon as possible. Once Zoey is safely home, Jed lobbies for the approval of his new vice president, Robert Russell (Gary Cole), but it won't be easy. Meanwhile, the first lady's new chief of staff, Amy Gardner (Mary-Louise Parker), ruffles many West Wing feathers with her damn-the-torpedoes attitude toward her job, with Presidential Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer) particularly perturbed. Other major developments include the defection of a powerful Democrat to the Republicans, for which Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) must take the heat; another volatile hostage situation, this one in the Sudan; a move to legalize assisted suicide in Oregon; an even bigger move in both houses to abolish Social Security; the ramifications of the chief justice's serious and debilitating illness; Bartlet's outrage upon discovering that nuclear testing in the Indian Ocean has been given the go-ahead by someone in his administration; and a concerted effort by Press Secretary C.J. (Allison Janney) to counteract the intentions of Bartlet's troublesome former VP, John Hoynes (Tim Matheson), to run for president by slandering the entire Bartlet administration. The season ends as Bartlet girds up to tackle the (hopefully) last major crisis in his administration -- a possible all-out war between Israel and Palestine; and Josh's fiery assistant, Donna (Janel Moloney), faces critical injuries after her convoy is attacked by terrorists while she is on a fact-finding mission in Palestine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, (more)
Once the fourth season of The West Wing gets past its semi-serious two-part opener, in which White House staffers Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), and Donna Moss (Janel Moloney) get lost somewhere in Indiana while campaigning for the re-election of President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen), the series hunkers down to more vital matters. Driving the action during the early stages of season four is, of course, the tense election battle between the Democratic Bartlet and his Republican opponent, Robert Ritchie (James Brolin). Despite the controversy surrounding the president's multiple sclerosis and his staff's presumed efforts to cover up his illness, Bartlet easily defeats his opponent. But the victory is not altogether sweet: First Lady Abby Bartlet (Stockard Channing) may put on a happy face for the public, but inwardly she is outraged that Jed reneged on his promise to serve only one term. The other major development this season is the defection of Bartlet's longtime deputy communications director, Sam Seaborn (played by Rob Lowe, who was reportedly dissatisfied that his role had become secondary to Martin Sheen's). Running for a seat in the House of Representatives, Sam is assured of full support by the Bartlet staff -- and he has been promised that if he loses, he would someday be invited back to the White House as senior advisor to the president. Meanwhile, Sam's replacement, Will Bailey (Joshua Malina), initially hired just to help write Bartlet's acceptance speech, calmly assumes the duties of his new post. Elsewhere, Bartlet's daughter Zoey (Elizabeth Moss) begins an ill-fated romance with a charming but slightly sinister Frenchman; Press Secretary C.J. (Allison Janney) tries to cope with her father's Alzheimer's; the president's new secretary, Debbie (Lily Tomlin), imperiously plays no favorites when it comes to honoring White House protocol; Bartlet courts international disfavor by condemning genocide in the war-torn nation of Kundu; and Mary-Louise Parker joins the cast as Amy Gardner, the first lady's new chief of staff. In the season's controversial closing episode, an anguished Jed Bartlet learns that his daughter Zoey has been kidnapped by Qumari terrorists -- forcing him to avoid a conflict of interest in handling the situation by invoking the little-used 25th amendment, which will place the reins of the government in the hands of Jed's second-in-command. And since the vice president has resigned, the power passes to Speaker of the House Glenallen Walken (John Goodman) -- a powerful Republican! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, (more)
Season three of The West Wing breaks the series' established continuity with the opening episode, "Isaac and Ishmael," hastily assembled to address the terrible events of September 11, 2001. Thereafter, the principal storyline picks up where season two left off, with President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) facing possible impeachment because of his failure to make public his multiple sclerosis. Also dragged into the turmoil is First Lady Abby Bartlet (Stockard Channing), who as a doctor may face accusations of malpractice or at least dereliction of duty because she did not reveal her husband's condition. Season three is marked by a number of international crises, beginning with unrest in Haiti, continuing through the ominous disappearance of a nuclear submarine in North Korean waters, and ending with the U.S.'s possible complicity in the assassination of the terrorist foreign secretary of Qumar. Additionally, Bartlet and his staff work overtime to martial up support for the president's upcoming re-election bid (a decision made despite Josh's promise to Abby that he would serve only one term). Adding to the intrigue is the fact that there is no love lost between Bartlet and his vice president, John Hoynes (Tim Matheson), making the latter's placement on the re-election ticket questionable at best. Meanwhile, Press Secretary C.J. (Allison Janney) uncharacteristically loses her cool with the media in her efforts to "spin" the MS issue, and later must call upon the Secret Service to protect her from a demented stalker. And Josh's assistant, Donna Moss (Janel Moloney), finds herself in a bind when, after dating the head of the congressional investigation committee looking into charges of Bartlet's "medical coverup," she herself is summoned to testify. Further travails await Donna when, during a security checkup, she is not cleared because she is technically not a U.S. citizen! The season ends with a tense showdown between Bartlet's staff and the president's chief Republican antagonist, Robert Ritchie (James Brolin), and with the introduction of Lily Tomlin as Bartlet's new, infuriatingly efficient secretary, Debbie Fiderer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, (more)
- 2000
President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) has 48 hours to commute the death sentence of a man convicted of a controversial murder after the Supreme Court refuses to stop the execution. While struggling with the moral, ethical, legal, and religious issues of his decision, he calls on his former priest, Father Thomas Cavanaugh (Karl Malden) for guidance. Toby (Richard Schiff) weighs in on the topic after having a conversation about the death penalty with his rabbi (David Proval). Political strategist Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin) wants to ask the president why her candidate has not received enough money from the Democratic National Committee. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Abigail Bartlet (Stockard Channing) makes some bold statements concerning policy during an appearance on a talk show, causing a rift between her staff and the White House staff. When the head of the Federal Reserve passes away, President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) must consider appointing his wife's college boyfriend to the position. Toby (Richard Schiff) is asked by Josh (Bradley Whitford) to soften his prickly persona before attending a sensitive meeting with a powerful member of Congress. Charlie (Dulé Hill) and Zoey (Elisabeth Moss) clash over what to do when the Secret Service asks them not to attend a public event together because of credible death threats from racists. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2000
While President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) is in Hollywood for a fundraiser hosted by politically active homosexual movie mogul Ted Marcus (Bob Balaban), Leo (John Spencer) is back in Washington politicking Vice President Hoynes (Tim Matheson) to vote the White House's position on an important tax bill that is currently in a 50-50 tie on the floor of the Senate. Meanwhile in L.A., Josh (Bradley Whitford) happily learns that political strategist Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin) is staying in the same hotel as he is, and Bartlet meets his daughter Zoey's (Elisabeth Moss) new Secret Service bodyguard, Gina Toscano (Jorja Fox). ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This episode of The West Wing is structured as a flashback while Josh (Bradley Whitford) addresses a college class on the day-to-day workings of the White House. Toby (Richard Schiff) and Sam (Rob Lowe) must travel to Connecticut in order to smooth over troubles when Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) nominee for the Supreme Court, Roberto Mendoza (Edward James Olmos), is arrested for drunk driving. Media feeding frenzies abound when the African-American head of Housing and Urban Development, Debbie O'Leary (CCH Pounder), accuses a Republican leader of being a racist, and when Josh, subbing at a press conference for suddenly sick C.J. (Allison Janney), claims that the president possesses a "secret plan" to prevent inflation. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2000
While Josh (Bradley Whitford) and Sam (Rob Lowe) deal with the political fallout from the attacks on Leo's (John Spencer) previous addictions, Toby (Richard Schiff) matches wits with elected officials who have attempted to stifle the Public Broadcasting Corporation. The entire staff must figure out the proper response to a recently released sexual education study, as well as figure out how to uninvite the father of a hate-crime victim to an important bill signing upon learning that he was apparently not sympathetic toward his gay son's sexual orientation. C.J. (Allison Janney) continues her flirtation with reporter Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield). ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2000
President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) seeks out the advice of Lord Marbury (Roger Rees), whose intelligence in diplomatic affairs is matched only by his eccentricities, when a possible nuclear exchange could transpire between Pakistan and India. Mandy (Moira Kelly) desires to find out how the staff would feel if she were to represent a liberal Republican. Josh (Bradley Whitford) is forced to testify at a hearing concerning substance abuse among White House staffers. Charlie (Dulé Hill) and Zoey Bartlet (Elizabeth Moss) plan the best way to approach the president about the possibility of them dating. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
This military drama is based on the true story of Carl Brashear, who was the first African-American to serve as a diver in the United States Navy. Brashear (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) was born to a poor farming family in the deep South, and joined the Navy in hopes of bettering himself. When Brashear applies for diving school, he first encounters Master Chief Billy Sunday (Robert De Niro), a gruff and tyrannical diving instructor who holds absolute sway over his charges. Sunday does little at first to encourage Brashear's ambitions, and the would-be diver discovers racism in the military is an ugly fact of life when his white comrades refuse to share barracks with him. But Brashear's courage and determination make an impression on Sunday, and the two men become allies as Brashear must fight prejudice, military bureaucracy, and even a crippling injury in order to realize his dreams. Originally announced under the title Navy Diver, Men of Honor also features Hal Holbrook, David Keith, Michael Rapaport, Charlize Theron, and Powers Boothe; Bill Cosby served as an executive producer for the project. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Cuba Gooding, Jr., (more)
- 2000
Serious health problems befall the White House as President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) passes out while preparing for the State of the Union Address, and Leo (John Spencer) publicly admits to his previous addictions to alcohol and pain killers. Lord Marbury (Roger Rees) finds a peaceful solution to the Pakistan/India issue. C.J. (Allison Janney) and Leo's daughter, Mallory (Allison Smith), each reveal romantic feelings for men in their lives. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
