Matthew Tabak Movies
- 2008
Adapted from the novel by former Nightline correspondent Jim Wooten, We Are All the Same stars Naomi Watts in the story of Gail Johnson -- a white South African woman who adopted an African-American child stricken with AIDS and traveled the world with the youngster in an effort to raise global awareness about his mournful plight. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Naomi Watts
A remarkably self-deprecating entry in the USA network's off-and-on Ann Rule Presents series of fact-based films, The Stranger Beside Me details how Ann Rule (Barbara Hershey), a smart and savvy veteran crime reporter, allowed herself to be bamboozled by baby-faced serial killer Ted Bundy (Billy Campbell). Working side by side with Bundy as a volunteer at a Seattle rape crisis center in 1971, Rule had no clue that the personable and charming young man was responsible for one the most terrifying sex-murder sprees of the 20th century. Even after suspicion fell upon Bundy, Rule was initially willing to give him the benefit of the doubt -- as, alas, were so many law enforcement officials of the era. But once the truth was known, Rule embarked upon her own mea culpa campaign by going after Bundy with every resource at her disposal. Based on Rule's 1983 bestseller of the same name, The Stranger Beside Me originally aired March 21, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Hershey, Bill Campbell, (more)
Based on a true story, Obsessed begins when Ellena Roberts (Jenna Elfman), a highly successful medical writer, is yanked out of her apartment and arrested on a charge of harrassment. It seems that Roberts has been dogging the trail of famous neurosurgeon Dr. David Stillman (Sam Robards), whom she met during a medical convention. According to Ellena, she and the very married Stillman had a torrid affair, whereupon Stillman promised to divorce his wife and marry her. When Stillman denied these charges, Ellena inaugurated a campaign of psychological warfare to reclaim the doctor for herself, going so far as to break into his house in the dead of night. The subsequent court trial boils down to a matter of he said/she said, with the neurotic but quick-witted Ellena certain that she can sway the jury to her favor -- even though her own attorney (Kate Burton) suspects that Ellena has merely imagined the entire affair. Much of the story is related through the conversations between Ellena and a fiercely feminist journalist (Lisa Edelstein), whose devotion to Ellena borders on the surreal. Something of a cross between Fatal Attraction and A Beautiful Mind, the made-for-cable Obsessed originally aired September 16, 2002, on the Lifetime network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jenna Elfman, Kate Burton, (more)
Point of Origin, produced by HBO, marks the feature directorial debut of accomplished cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel (Three Kings, X-Men). The film is based on an actual serial arson investigation that took place in Glendale, CA, in the late '80s and early '90s. Ray Liotta stars in the film as John Orr, a skilled arson investigator with a sixth sense for finding the "point of origin," the place where a fire was started. Orr also has a knack for locating the devices used to start the fires. Keith Lang (John Leguizamo), his ambitious young protégé, calls Orr "Professor." Orr is stumped by a series of big fires, some fatal, which seem to have been set by the same arsonist. A commission is appointed to investigate the case, headed up by ATF agent Mike Matasso (Colm Feore) and fireman Mike Camello (Cliff Curtis). Orr uses his influence to get Lang appointed to the panel. But Matasso and Orr are immediately at odds with each other, as the ATF man seems to resent Orr's efforts to maintain control of the investigation. Orr is also dealing with his troubled marriage to Wanda (Bai Ling) and is having an affair with the volatile Kate (Illeana Douglas). As he gets deeper into the case, trying to get inside the head of the criminal, Orr begins to worry that the arsonist has some kind of personal involvement with him. Then the commission uncovers a link to an earlier string of fires, and uncovers evidence that the arsonist may actually be a fireman. The actual investigators, Matasso and Camello, have cameos in the film, and Camello also served as one of the film's technical advisors. These events were also the basis for Joseph Wambaugh's book Fire Lover: A True Story. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
A man is given an unusual opportunity at a second chance in life in this drama. John Nolan (Jeff Goldblum) is a successful but unsatisfied insurance agent whose life takes an unexpected turn one day when he happens to witness a robbery at a liquor store that goes horribly wrong. The store's counterman is shot in the midst of the confusion, and as he dies, Nolan discovers his name is Auggie Rose (Kim Coates) and that he had been released from prison only a few days earlier. Nolan is certain he was somehow responsible for the tragic shooting, and promises to honor his final wish by passing a message along to Lucy (Anne Heche), a woman who had been corresponding with Auggie while he was behind bars. When Nolan meets Lucy, he decides to tell her he's Auggie Rose, and soon he finds himself living a double life, romancing Lucy as Auggie while trying to keep up appearances with his wife (Nancy Travis). Auggie Rose was originally announced to star William H. Macy as John Nolan, but when scheduling conflicts forced Macy to drop out of the project, Jeff Goldblum signed on, less than two weeks before shooting began. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Goldblum, Anne Heche, (more)
