Steve Roberts Movies

The artists of the internationally acclaimed performing arts troupe Cirque du Soleil appear in this dramatic fantasy, shot in the high-definition IMAX format, which celebrates the human spirit as it follows the life of one man from childhood to old age. The Taiko Drummers perform in a sequence that represents the dawn of mankind, and a synchronized swimming team performs a water ballet that symbolizes the beginning of life. The Flounes (Josette Dechene and Paul Vachon), a pair of stylized clowns, guide the boy (Nicky Dewhurst) as he encounters the Bungees, aerial acrobats who leap from the trees in a forest. The youth (Chris VanWagenen) learns the importance of bravery and strength as he sees the Cuba Man (Mikhail Matorin) juggle with a giant metal sculpture. The performers of the Statue Act (Yves Decoste and Marie-Laure Mesnage) teach the young man (Kenny Raskin) the delicate balance of the relationship between men and women. The importance of joy and adventure are reinforced as the man witnesses the striking acrobatic performance of the Banquine. And as the journey draws to a close, the mature man (Brian Dewhurst) arrives at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, ready to pass his wisdom along to a new generation. Cirque du Soleil: The Journey of Man was shot on location around the world using 3-D technology , giving the artists the opportunity to perform in spectacular natural settings and striking man-made backdrops. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

While there had been a loosely-basted continuity during the previous five seasons of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys -- held together by the never-ending efforts of half-god, half-human Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) and his mortal friend Iolaus (Michael Hurst) to right wrongs and champion noble causes throughout Ancient Greece and the Known World -- Season Five was dominated by a single, basic thought line: Hercules' struggle to find purpose and meaning in life after the death of Iolaus, a struggle that would take him to strange, uncharted lands and a veritable legion of new and fascinating characters. Yes, it's true: faithful Iolaus is killed in the first episode of the fifth season. This, however, did not mean that actor Michael Hurst had departed the series. Instead, Hurst showed up in a variety of different incarnations: The demonic Dahak (a character whom Hurst had introduced on Hercules' companion series Xena: Warrior Princess); the campy "drag" character, Widow Twankey; and Iolaus II, the cowardly, buffoonish "alternate" version of the original Iolaus, who dwells in the parallel world first seen in the fourth-season episode "Stranger in a Strange World." As luck would have it, Iolaus II ends up relocating in the "real" world, where, newly emboldened, he strives to live up to the reputation established by his dearly departed namesake -- at least until another remarkable plot twist at the very end of season five. Getting back to Hercules, the heartbroken superhero, accompanied by pirate queen-cum-Sumerian princess Nebula (Gina Torres) (a character introduced in one shot during season four) is brought back as Iolaus' grieving sweetheart, trying vainly to bring Iolaus back from the dead. When this fails, he turns his back on Ancient Greece and heads to goodness-knows-where. His first stop is on the island of Eire, where he confronts -- and reforms -- a surly Druidic demigod named Morrigan (Tamara Gorski). He then travels to Asgard, land of the Norse gods, where he manages to prevent the End of the World -- with a little help from the mighty Thor (Ben Reed).

It is then back to Sumeria, thence to Corinth, and finally the aforementioned parallel world, where Iolaus II becomes part of the weekly action. That character takes prominence in the season's penultimate story arc, wherein Iolaus II falls in love with Nautica (Andrea Dotchin), the mermaid daughter of ocean god Triton. Meanwhile, Hercules is unexpectedly reunited with his lost love Serena (played by Sam Sorbo, wife of series star Kevin Sorbo), who obviously wasn't quite as dead as she seemed back during season four. Though virtually each and every fifth-season episode picks up where the previous episode left off, there are a handful of amusing self-contained stories. In "Genies and Grecians and Greeks, Oh My," larcenous supporting characters Salmoneus (Robert Trebor) and Autolycus (Bruce Campbell) find themselves in possession of a magic lamp inhabited by a beautiful but klutzy genie. And "For Those of You Just Joining Us," like season four's Yes, Virginia, There is a Hercules," takes place in the present, focusing on another creative crisis plaguing the production staff of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. As before, the series' semi-regular actors are seen in modern costumes as the long-suffering producers, writers, and technicians, who this time are threatened with instant unemployment unless they come up with newer and better story ideas. And as before, star Kevin Sorbo shows up as himself -- in a manner of speaking. The fifth season of Hercules concludes with the spectre of Doomsday in the form of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. At the time, there were rumors that the series would be canceled, hence the ambiguity of much of the action in the climactic episode (especially regarding the "resuscitation" of poor Iolaus). Ultimately, however, Hercules was renewed for a sixth season -- albeit an astonishingly short one. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Legendary half-human, half-god Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) continues his journeys throughout Greece and the known world to spread goodness and charity and defend the downtrodden as the character's weekly TV series enters its third season. Likewise, still on hand is Hercules' mortal friend and traveling companion, Iolaus (Michael Hurst), not to mention such colorful recurring characters as itinerant peddler Salmoneus (Robert Trebor), self-styled "King of Thieves" Autolycus (Bruce Campbell), impulsive goddess of love Aphrodite (Alexandra Tydings), malevolent god of war Ares (Kevin Smith), harsh but fair god of the Underworld Hades (Erik Thomson), and the never-seen Queen Hera, the spiteful immortal stepmother of Hercules, who continues wreaking havoc in her efforts to punish her husband, Hercules' Olympian father, Zeus.

New to the series is another antagonist, the ferocious female warrior (and later immortal) Callisto (Hudson Leick) -- one of several "crossover" characters from Hercules: The Legendary Journey's companion series Xena: Warrior Princess. An additional antagonist appears in the form of the aptly named Strife (Joel Toback), nephew of war gods Ares (Kevin Smith). Also introduced during season three is the beauteous demigod Serena, played by actress Sam Jenkins (aka Sam Sorbo), wife of series star Kevin Sorbo. Originally a pawn in the schemes of Callisto to destroy Hercules, Serena (who also goes by the name of the Golden Hind) instead falls in love with the mighty muscleman, leading to a tragically brief marriage between the two characters. But though Serena dies at the end of her story arc, her character would continue to pop up in future episodes with appropriate "explanations" given for her remarkable durability. Spicing up the proceedings with a bit of variety, season three offers the first of a handful of episodes set in a time period other than Ancient Greece. Laid in 18th century France during the revolution, "Les Contemptibles" sets the template for all subsequent "time-displacement" episodes by casting several of the familiar Hercules stars and recurring characters in markedly different roles -- presumably as means to prevent the actors from feeling as if they were getting in a rut. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Much against his better judgment, Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) is drawn into a fight between Iolaus (Michael Hurst) and a band of toughs. This causes the humiliated Iolaus to challenge Hercules to a race to Thrace. En route, Iolaus is captured by what appears to be a band of Satyrs and attempts to escape in the company of another prisoner, Lydia (Lisa Chappell). Meanwhile, Hercules has an ominous encounter with his childhood sweetheart Nemesis (Karen Witter) -- who is forsworn to kill Iolaus. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season two of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys finds the titular half-human, half-god Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) and his mortal friend Iolaus (Michael Hurst) persisting in their efforts to spread peace, kindness, and goodwill throughout Greece and the known world, despite the formidable opposition of several nasty Olympian gods, disgruntled demigods, hideous monsters, and a few mean-spirited human beings. Among the new recurring characters introduced during this season is Autolycus (Bruce Campbell), a former sideshow escape artist and part-time pickpocket who strives to live up to his self-anointed title, "The King of Thieves" -- the results usually being disastrous for Hercules and his friends. We also meet Aphrodite (Alexandra Tydings), gorgeous goddess of love, whose sometimes bird-brained capriciousness makes almost as much trouble for Hercules as does Autolycus. Likewise making his first appearance as Hercules' envious mortal half-brother, Iphicles, who bears a disturbing resemblance to our hero's longtime enemy, the war god Ares (both characters are of course played by the same actor, Kevin Smith). And in another development, Hercules is forced to tangle with Echidna (Bridget Hoffman), the Mother of All Monsters, who is determined to avenge the deaths of her many offspring at the hands of the muscular superhero. Additionally, Hercules forms a curious relationship with Hades (Erik Thompson), king of the Underworld, requiring our hero to make a few side trips into the Land of the Dead -- where, for a brief and touching moment, he is reunited with his long-departed bride Deianeira (Tawny Kitean). And in another "earthly" reunion, Hercules touches base with Jason (Jeffrey Thomas), former commander of the Argonauts, with whom both Hercules and Iolaus had once set sail in search of the elusive Golden Fleece. The friendship between Hercules and Jason is solidified near the end of season two when Jason asks Hercules' mortal mother, Alcmene (played this season by Liddy Holloway, replacing Elizabeth Hawthorne) to become his bride -- an act that brings joy into the hearts of all but Hercules' spiteful immortal stepmother Hera, who, though never actually seen on-camera, remains an ominous and dangerous presence throughout season two's 24 episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Trevor Howard is virtually the whole show in Sir Henry at Rawlinson End. He plays an eccentric-to-the-point-of-insanity nobleman whose love affair with the bottle is a long standing source of family embarrassment. Still, when the family mansion is plagued by an unfriendly ghost, Howard finds himself the only one willing or able to exorcise the spirit. Sir Henry at Rawlinson End was based on a radio play by Vivien Stanshall. As such, it is more satisfying for the ear than for the eye. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi