Julian Farino Movies

When Vince's birthday rolls around and his new agent Amanda presents him with courtside tickets to a Lakers game and an offer to star in an upcoming adaptation of an Edith Wharton novel, a chance connection with his old agent Ari causes the upcoming star to experience doubts about his current career trajectory. Upon taking his seat at the game, Vince is discomforted to notice Ari across the court. Still longing to win back his old client, Ari convinces Vince to join him for a friendly birthday meal, and is somewhat taken aback when Vince shows up with E in tow. But it's going to take more than a human buffer to sideline the determined Ari, and before the meal is over he tells Vince that his dream project, "Medellin," is one again on the fast track to production. Though Amanda is vehement that "Medellin" will never happen, she is troubled to note that he seems to be second-guessing his decision to take her on as his manager. Meanwhile, as Turtle and Drama draw up plans for Vince's surprise birthday party, they realize that the only way to overcome their financial restraints and hold the party in a suitable venue is to land a sponsor for the big event. Of course the party is a massive success, but before the night is over Ari and Amanda will go toe to toe in front of Vince in a desperate attempt to win him over once and for all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

As the first-season finale of Big Love opens, Bill (Bill Paxton) and Joey (Shawn Doyle) are planning to take over Ernest Holloway's seat on the UEB Council. Joey will actually take the seat, because Bill can't be publicly connected to Juniper Creek. Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) is preparing for the Mother of the Year ceremony at the governor's mansion. Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) is annoyed by Barb's primping, and tries to persuade her to withdraw from the competition, for the good of the family. Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) is far more supportive. Wendy's (Jodie Markell) snooping has uncovered evidence of Bill's polygamy, and she struggles with her conscience over what action to take. Alby (Matt Ross) drops by Joey's house uninvited for a visit. Joey's not there, and Alby warns Wanda (Melora Walters) that "brothers can get brothers into trouble," and he hovers threateningly over Wanda's newborn baby. Wanda turns out to be far more dangerous than Alby suspected, which creates further complications for Joey, Lois (Grace Zabriskie), and Bill. Rhonda's (Daveigh Chase) efforts to extend her stay in the outside world come to an end, and she blames Barb when she's taken back to the compound. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

In the third-season finale, Ari takes evasive action when The Ramones project -- and his future -- are in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Vince taps an unlikely source to chart his career. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

A big day for Turtle is missing a key ingredient; Eric stumbles upon a movie idea for Vince during a long meeting with a producer (Martin Landau); Vince's chance encounter may not be so random after all. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

Ari and Eric try to keep Vince in the dark when rolling blackouts in the Los Angeles area jeopardize the box-office totals for Aquaman. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

Pompey (Kenneth Cranham) and the senators who fled Rome get dreadful news about their war chest, and Pompey sends his son Quintus (Rick Warden) out to find the scouts who found the gold. Back in Rome, Caesar (Ciarán Hinds) is short on funds, and has instituted martial law in order to keep the peace. Atia (Polly Walker) is holding a dinner in his honor, and is unhappy to see Servilia (Lindsay Duncan) on Caesar's guest list. Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) prepares an expensive feast in honor of the god Janus to inaugurate his merchant business. He rejects Mark Antony's (James Purefoy) generous offer to make him a prefect, preferring civilian life to participation in Caesar's campaign, which Vorenus sees as blasphemous. But things get rocky at the feast when his sister-in-law, Lyde (Esther Hall), arrives with her husband, Evander (Enzo Cilenti). Lyde, jealous over her husband's apparent continued passion for Niobe (Indira Varma), gets drunk and makes an embarrassing scene. At Atia's dinner, Caesar, who has asked for an augury at Jupiter's temple, to show Rome's citizen's that the gods favor his actions, takes the opportunity to offer the chief augur (Roger Hammond) a bribe in the guise of a late birthday gift for his wife. Back at Vorenus' home, things get worse after the party when Quintus shows up with some men, threatening Vorenus and Niobe and demanding to know where the stolen gold is. Vorenus has no idea what he's talking about until Pullo (Ray Stevenson) arrives, throwing money around, and the two get the better of Quintus. Vorenus finds out about the cart full of gold and orders Pullo to deliver it to Caesar. Caesar, meanwhile, sends Pompey and the Senate an offer of truce. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

The boys go to a U2 concert for Drama's birthday; Turtle pitches in when Eric and Shauna have trouble with a reporter; and Vince attends a convention with his Aquaman costar. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

Eric battles a defiant Walsh to arrange an early screening of Queens Boulevard; Ari pitches a foreign commercial to Vince; and Turtle gets ready for a video-game showdown. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

The boys get ready for a pajama party at the Playboy mansion; and Eric tries to persuade Vince to do the Aquaman film, especially when the actor goes house-hunting in an expensive neighborhood. Cameos include Hugh Hefner, Ralph Macchio, Danny Masterson and Pauly Shore. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) organizes a going-away party for a New York-bound Vince; Drama auditions for a TV show; Eric is fed up with some of his responsibilities. Larry David and Scarlett Johansson appear as themselves. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

Vince's agreement to appear on Jimmy Kimmel's talk show touches a nerve with Drama (Kevin Dillon); Eric says good-bye to Kristen (Monica Keena); Ari works overtime to land a new client. Luke Wilson, Sarah Silverman and Sara Foster have cameos. ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide

One of several British miniseries adaptations of Charles Dickens' novel Our Mutual Friend, this four-part version debuted over the BBC in 1998. The production's generous running time (total: six hours), enabled scenarist Sandy Welch to include virtually every important detail in this complex Victorian-era saga of how a mysterious waterfront death inextricably linked the lives of two young women, Lizzie Hexam (Keeley Hawes) and Bella Wilfer (Anna Friel). The richness of the Dickensian prose was complemented by the visuals, which incorporated everything from documentary-style handheld camerawork to Eisenstein-ish montages, and by the eerily polytonal musical score by Adrian Johnston. Our Mutual Friend was brought to America courtesy of PBS beginning January 3, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide