Allen Coulter Movies

Tensions grow between Antony and Octavian in the wake of Caesar's death. Meanwhile, having lost everything, Vorenus takes a job keeping local gangs in line. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

The mysterious and unexpected death of an iconic Hollywood star may be just the tip of an iceberg of scandal in this showbiz drama based on a true story. George Reeves (played by Ben Affleck) was a journeyman actor who had played a small role in Gone With the Wind and appeared onscreen with the likes of James Cagney, Rita Hayworth, and Marlene Dietrich, but his career was not exactly booming when he was cast as comic-book hero Superman in a 1951 B-movie, Superman and the Mole Men. A year later, the producers of the movie launched a syndicated Superman television series with Reeves returning as "The Man of Steel." The show became a major hit, and Reeves was a star at last. However, on June 16, 1959, to the shock of many, Reeves was found dead of a gunshot wound. Police soon declared Reeves' death a suicide and closed the case, but his mother (Lois Smith) refused to believe her son took his own life, and hired Louis Simo (Adrien Brody), a private detective, to find out the truth about her son's passing. Simo found that many Hollywood insiders did not care to cooperate as he researched the Reeves case, but his digging uncovered plenty of evidence suggesting the actor did not take his own life, and he also revealed one of Reeves' deepest secrets -- while he was engaged to marry a pretty young starlet, Leonore Lemmon (Robin Tunney), Reeves was also carrying on an affair with the beautiful Toni Mannix (Diane Lane), the wife of Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins), a powerful and ill-tempered executive at MGM. While the producers of Hollywoodland based their story on factual accounts of the investigation into the death of George Reeves, they were denied permission to use the Superman logo and the familiar introduction to the Adventures of Superman television show by the respective copyright holders. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Widely touted as NBC's answer to The Sopranos, the six-episode series Kingpin also drew heavily from the British mini-series Traffik. The nominal protagonist in this seamy, violent tale of a Mexican drug-trading family was Yancey Arias as Miguel Cadena, the Stanford-educated heir apparent to the Cardena criminal dynasty. Together with his icy, coke-addicted wife, Marlene (Sheryl Lee), Miguel coolly guided the destinies of his worldwide family business, eliminating enemies, friends, and loved ones alike to maintain his empire. Others in the cast included Bobby Cannavale as Miguel's vicious "enforcer" brother, Chato; Ruben Carbajal as Miguel and Marlene's disillusioned eight-year-old son, Joey; Angela Alvarado Rosa as relentless DEA agent Delia Flores; Brian Benben as the Cardenas' personal plastic surgeon, Dr. Heywood Klein; and Shay Roundtree as Texas-born torpedo Junie Gatling, who acted as a sounding board for the other characters. Among the creative contributors to the series was Allen Coulter, who direct several episodes of The Sopranos. Originally slated for a March 2003 debut, Kingpin was moved up to February 2, 2003 to take advantage of a traditional network "sweeps week." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A mob boss's biggest personnel problem is resolved in an unexpected fashion in this penultimate episode of the cable television series' second season. Mob chieftain Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) has been trying to break off his long-running affair with Irina (Oksana Babiy), but the possessive Russian mistress tries to commit suicide with an overdose of pills. Tony is finally forced to send his captain, Silvio Dante (Steve Van Zandt) to visit Irina with a dose of wise advice and an envelope containing 75 thousand dollars. Tony's problems with his enforcer, Richie Aprile (David Proval), are coming to a head because Richie is refusing to follow Tony's order to stop selling drugs on his trash-hauling routes. Now Richie's trying to muscle into other capos' territories and scheming to kill Tony. Trying to persuade Tony's uncle, Junior (Dominic Chianese), to join him, the erratic and hot-tempered Richie finds Junior reluctant. Tony and his wife, Carmela (Edie Falco), host an engagement party for Richie and Tony's sister, Janice (Aida Turturro). Electing to remain loyal to Tony, Junior tips his nephew off about Richie's homicidal plans and receives an increase in his percentage from a grateful Tony. Tony orders Silvio to whack Richie, but before Silvio can carry out the hit, Richie and Janice get into a violent domestic quarrel, and Janice shoots Richie twice at point-blank range. Soprano lieutenants Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and Furio Giunta (Federico Castelluccio) get rid of Richie's corpse at the butcher shop, while Tony puts Janice on a bus back to Seattle, concluding, "All in all, it's been a good visit." Soprano family solider Big Pussy (Vincent Pastore) seems to be having a mental meltdown due to the stress of being a government informant. Acting as if he thinks he's a junior G-man, Pussy stakes out and tails Christopher on an illegal mission to highjack a truckload of "Pokemon" cards but runs down an innocent bicyclist instead. "The Knight in White Satin Armor" first aired April 2, 2000. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

A violent turn of events threatens the good fortunes of the Soprano family in this episode of the cable television series. Concerned that her daughter, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), could end up attending a college thousands of miles away, Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco) asks her neighbor, Jean Cusamano (Saundra Santiago), for a favor. It seems that Jean's twin sister, Joan (also played by Santiago), a successful lawyer, is a graduate of Georgetown University and serves in an influential alum position. Carmela asks if Joan would write a recommendation for Meadow, but Joan's answer is no. Determined and more than a little peeved, Carmela bakes a ricotta pie and shows up at Joan's office, making it clear that the recommendation is an offer Joan can't refuse. Carmela's husband, mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), is dealing with his own headache, his lieutenant Richie Aprile (David Proval), who is bucking his order to build a wheelchair access ramp at the home of pizzeria owner Beansie (Paul Herman), whom Richie is responsible for injuring. Richie caves in after a talk with Tony's Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) and even offers Tony his lucky leather jacket, a relic from the 1970s that Tony promptly gives to his maid's immigrant husband, enraging Richie. Deciding to quit taking drugs and give up his dreams of a life in the movie business, Soprano family lieutenant Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) asks his girlfriend, Adriana (Drea de Matteo), to marry him. The couple's joy is short-lived, as Christopher's two partners in crime, Matt Bevilaqua (Lillo Brancato Jr.) and Sean Gismonte (Chris Tardio), decide to move up the mob ladder by murdering Christopher, gunning him down in a diner parking lot. Sean is killed in the attack, and Matt goes on the run after Richie refuses to help him. "Full Leather Jacket" originally aired March 5, 2000. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

A fantasy woman leads to a therapeutic breakthrough for a mob chieftain, as his family crumbles around him in the penultimate episode of the HBO series' freshman season. Briefly confined to his bed by depression, New Jersey Mafia boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) begins having hallucinogenic dreams about a beautiful neighbor named Isabella, who he believes to be a foreign exchange student living at his neighbor Cusamano's house. After Tony's cousin and soldier Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) unwittingly prevents a first hit attempt on Tony, a pair of assassins nearly manage to kill the crime boss, but Tony gets away with only minor wounds. While he's recovering at the hospital, Tony is visited by the FBI, who tries in vain to recruit him as a federal witness. Tony also receives visits from his lieutenants, who vow revenge, and his uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese), whom he correctly suspects ordered the botched slaying. Tony discovers that there is no Isabella and that the gorgeous girl he envisioned suckling a baby was a figment of his imagination. While consulting with his psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), to see if she's the one who leaked information about him, Tony comes to the conclusion that his dreams about Isabella are significantly related to his lack of childhood nurturing and mothering. Isabella aired March 29, 1999. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi