Max Grodenchik Movies
"Houston, we have a problem." Those words were immortalized during the tense days of the Apollo 13 lunar mission crisis, and the suspense, fear, and excitement of those days are captured in Ron Howard's epic recreation of the 1970 crisis. When the commander of the original mission Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), bows out due to possible exposure to measles, astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) leads command module pilot Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) and lunar module driver Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) on what is slated as NASA's third lunar landing mission. All goes smoothly until the craft is halfway through its mission, when an exploding oxygen tank threatens the crew's oxygen and power supplies. As the courageous astronauts face the dilemma of either suffocating or freezing to death, Mattingly and Mission Control leader Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) struggle to find a way to bring the crew back home, all the while knowing that the spacemen face probable death once the battered ship reenters the Earth's atmosphere. Even though the outcome, in which all three astronauts miraculously survived, is historical fact, the film derives suspense from the situation itself and from the actions of the heroic astronauts and the men on the ground. Howard's taut direction, a solid ensemble of players, and eye-opening special effects all add to the overall impact of the film, which has been hailed as one of Hollywood's best historical dramas. In 2002, the movie was released in IMAX theaters as Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience, with a pared-down running time of 116 minutes in order to meet the technical requirements of the large-screen format. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, (more)
The title character, played by John Turturro, is a Broadway playwright, based on Clifford Odets, lured to Hollywood with the promise of untold riches by a boorish studio chieftain (played by Michael Lerner as a combination of Louis B. Mayer and Harry Cohn). Despising the film capital and everything it stands for, Barton Fink comes down with an acute case of writer's block. He is looked after by a secretary (Judy Davis) who has been acting as a ghost writer for an alcoholic screenwriter (John Mahoney, playing a character based on William Faulkner). Also keeping tabs on Fink is a garrulous traveling salesman (John Goodman), the most likeable, stable character in the picture. And then comes the plot twist to end all plot twists, plunging Barton Fink into a surreal nightmare that would make Hieronymus Bosch look like a house painter. Once more, Ethan and Joel Coen serve up a smorgasbord of quirkiness and kinkiness, where nothing is what it seems and nothing turns out as planned. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Turturro, John Goodman, (more)
- 2003
A tormented Kovac (Goran Visnjic) precipitates a barroom brawl and later lobbies unsuccessfully to operate on an ailing Croatian child. Demoted from surgery, Romano (Paul McCrane) becomes more irksome than ever before when he is placed in charge of the ER. A mother-to-be must choose between giving birth to her child or undergoing life-saving chemotherapy. Chen's (Ming-Na) birthday is spoiled by Pratt's (Mekhi Phifer) ill-advised gift. And the staffers get their first look at Lewis' (Sherry Stringfield) brand-new husband. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Michael Douglas stars as a treasure-hunting eccentric in this Alexander Payne-produced comedy from director Michael Cahill. Recently released from a mental institution and reunited with his teenage daughter, Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood), Charlie (Douglas) decides there's century's old gold buried near their lower-middle-class neighborhood, and sets out on an obsessive quest to find it. Along the way, the estranged parent and child rekindle a long-lost bond with each other. Featuring a score by David Robbins, King of California screened at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood, (more)
When Michael Crichton wrote his best-selling thriller Rising Sun, he wrote the character of hero John Connor with Sean Connery in mind. For Philip Kaufman's film version of the novel, Sean Connery, needless to say, fits seamlessly into the role of a legendary police detective who is an expert in Japanese culture. The story takes place in the towering office building of the Japanese Nakamoto Corporation in Los Angeles, who are negotiating a deal with Microcon, an American electronics firm. During a gala held one night in the Nakamoto offices, the body of a woman, Cheryl Lynn Austin (Tatjana Patitz) is found murdered in the main conference room. Arriving quickly on the scene is high-amped police lieutenant Tom Graham (Harvey Keitel), who oozes hatred for anything Japanese from every pore. When he has trouble getting cooperation from the Nakatomo executives, Graham calls in Web Smith (Wesley Snipes), a Special Services liaison, and John Connor (Connery), a man well-versed in Japanese culture and traditions. Together they form a team as they investigate the crime. Connor questions computer video expert Jingo (Tia Carrere), who works on a security system computer disc that captures the killer's identity. The only problem is that the image of the killer on the disc has been altered to conceal the murderer's face. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes, (more)
This groan-inducing would-be camp from the director of Leprechaun boasts some good makeup by Kevin Yagher but is still easily the worst of the '90s crop of fairy-tale horrors. Kim Johnston Ulrich plays a widowed mother who buys a jade rock at an antique store. When she cries on it, she releases Rumpelstiltskin (Max Grodenchik), a soulless hunchbacked gnome who grants wishes, demanding newborn babies as his price. He also spews a lot of bogus Freddie Krueger wisecracks, dons sunglasses to ride a motorcycle, and pulls off his own head to bite a cop's neck. Most of the film follows Ulrich and an obnoxious talk-show host (Tommy Blaze) as they flee from the little goon with Ulrich's baby. There are chases by motorcycle, 18-wheeler, dune buggy, bulldozer, and police car, as well as several crowd-pleasing explosions. At one point, Ulrich runs over the gnome and his severed hand gives her the finger. That should give an indication of the level of entertainment contained herein. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Johnston-Ulrich, Tommy Blaze, (more)
A sleeper hit that received a lukewarm reception from critics but was a success with audiences, Sister Act (1992) was star Whoopi Golberg's first bona fide smash after her Oscar victory for Ghost (1990). Goldberg stars as Deloris Van Cartier, a Reno lounge singer who accidentally witnesses a brutal murder carried out by her gangster boyfriend Vince (Harvey Keitel). Under the protection of a detective (Bill Nunn) who's trying to bring down Vince's criminal operation, Deloris is placed in protective custody at a San Francisco convent. Masquerading as a nun renamed Sister Mary Clarence, Deloris shakes up the established order of the sisters' lives, particularly enlivening their choral efforts. Although running constantly afoul of the Mother Superior (Maggie Smith), the new, jazzed-up musical act becomes a huge hit in the community, even drawing the attention of the Pope, but also alerting Vince to Deloris' whereabouts. Although credited to the pseudonymous Joseph Howard, Sister Act was actually written by Paul Rudnick and Carrie Fisher. The film was followed by a sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, (more)
- 1993
Odo angrily tries to evict an old Bajoran enemy (Stephen James Carver). When the man later turns up dead in the holosuite, Odo is assigned to investigate, only to fall under suspicion when his own testimony incriminates himself. Meanwhile, Keiko tries to set up a school on Deep Space Nine, but does she intend to preach the Bajorian party line? Written by Michael Piller and Gerald Sanford, "A Man Alone" was originally telecast January 16, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
First telecast September 29, 1997, Deep Space Nine's sixth-season opener takes place three months after the crew was forced to surrender DS9 to the Dominion/Cardassian alliance. Now ensconced on the Defiant, Sisko and his crew continues to wage a bloody battle against the enemy, but it seems to be a losing proposition. Federation Admiral Ross (Barry Jenner) removes Sisko from his command, then assigns him to lead a mission to destroy the facility where the drug that keeps the Dominion's Jem'Hadar troops alive is stored. Meanwhile, back on Dominion-controlled DS9, Odo manages to cause a rift between Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) and Dukat (Marc Alaimo). "A Time to Stand" was written by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Still on board the Dominion-controlled DS9 (now renamed Terok Nor), Kira, Jake, Rom, and Odo continue their campaign to turn the Cardassians against the Dominion and vice versa. When Odo rejects Kira's latest strategy, she begins to doubt his loyalty. It turns out that she has good reason to do so: Odo is now under the control of the female shapeshifter (Salome Jens) who'd stripped him of his changeling powers in a previous episode. Written by Rene Echevarria, "Behind the Lines" originally aired October 20, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Returning from his home planet, Quark announces that he has contacted the dreaded disease Dorek Syndrome. With only a week to live, Quark must, according to Ferengi custom, square all his debts before shuffling off his mortal coil. Meanwhile, a pregnant Keiko loses her unborn child in an accident, only to discover that the fetus has been transferred to Kira. Scripted by Hans Beimler from a story by Louis P. DeSantis and Robert J. Bolivar and directed by Avery Brooks, "Body Parts" was first telecast June 10, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
As was the case in seasons past, the fifth season of Deep Space Nine ended with a crisis situation, as the crew prepares for a devastating Dominion/Cardassian attack. Once again, Sisko tries to forestall the attack by closing off the wormhole, but his efforts are futile. Meanwhile, Odo and Kira put aside their blossoming relationship in the face of imminent destruction, Jake accepts a job as a war correspondent, and Worf proposes to Dax. As the episode hurtles to a close, the unthinkable happens, and the crew surrenders DS9 to the Dominion. Those watching "Call to Arms" during its original June 16, 1997 playdate would have to wait until the following season to witness the outcome of this particularly complex story. "Call to Arms" was written by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Dr. Bashir is selected as the model for Starfleet's holographic doctor program. As part of the process, program head Dr. Zimmerman (Robert Picardo) must learn everything about Bashir, warts and all. In the course of his investigation, Zimmerman uncovers a dark family secret that threatens to ruin Bashir's future career. First telecast February 24, 1997, "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" was scripted by Ronald D. Moore, from a story by Jimmy Diggs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine began its seven-season run with this two hour episode. The episode harked back to the classic 1990 Next Generation season-ender "Best of Both Worlds," wherein the insidious Borg took over the mind and shape of Captain Jean-Luc Picard to launch an attack on the Federation. Three years later, Benjamin Sisko, survivor of the Borg attack, is assigned as commander of Deep Space Nine, a run-down former Cardassian space station in Bajoran territory. Sisko's first assignment is to oversee repairs of Deep Space Nine, but as the story progresses, he finds that he has been predestined to repair the tattered remnants of Bajor's ruined economy. Patrick Stewart guest stars in his familiar role of Captain Picard, who the embittered Sisko holds responsible for his own wife's death. Written by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, "Emissary" was originally telecast on January 2, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
At the behest of a Trill guardian (Jeffrey Alan Chandler), Jadzia Dax is obliged to participate in the "zhian'tara," the ancient Trill rite of closure. In the course of events, she is brought face to face with her previous hosts, including the outlaws Joran and Curzon Dax. Jadzia's deep-rooted feelings of inferiority are heightened when the spirit of Curzon takes possession of Odo. Written by Rene Echevarria, "Facets" made its broadcast debut on June 12, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Quark and his brother Rom (Max Grodenchik) return to their home planet, but their visit could hardly be termed a pleasurable one. Armed with what seems to be overwhelming evidence, Quark must accuse his own mother Ishka (Andrea Martin) of violating Ferengi law. On another family front, Jake Sisko introduces his father to a new friend. Originally broadcast May 15, 1995, "Family Business" was written by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
As the Federation continues suffering heavy losses, Sisko embarks upon a bold plan to recapture Deep Space Nine from the Dominion. Meanwhile, back on the imprisoned space station, Rom is sentenced to death for sabotaging a Dominion mission. Through it all, the tenuous relationship between Dominion leaders Weyoun and Dukat continues to disintegrate, as virtually all of the other characters in this continuing "space opera" weave significantly in and out of the proceedings. Originally broadcast October 27, 1997, "Favor the Bold" was written by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Blacklisted by the Ferengi Commerce Authority, Quark returns to his home planet hoping to find comfort and solace in the arms of his mother Ishka (Cecily Adams). But things quickly turn sour when Quark discovers that Ishka is having a clandestine romance with Ferengi leader Grand Nagus Zek (Wallace Shawn). At first shocked by this indiscretion, the enterprising Quark soons figures out a way to turn the situation to his advantage. Originally broadcast April 21, 1997, "Ferengi Love Songs" was written by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Officially released on February 11, 1995, this Deep Space Nine episode was seen as early as February 6 in several markets. While pursuing a Maquis vessel, Kira is trapped in a living crystal. Racing against time to rescue Kira, Odo is forced to confront his true feelings for her. Meanwhile, Nog seeks Sisko's help in his quest for admission to Starfleet Academy. "Heart of Stone" was written by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
A shuttle malfunction causes Quark, Rom, and Nog to crash-land on Earth. Normally, this would be a minor inconvenience: This time, however, the shuttle has passed through a timewarp, depositing the three travellers in Roswell, New Mexico, on that fateful day in 1947. As if the U.S. Air Force wasn't threat enough for our heroes, they are taken captive by a band of genuine alien invaders. Originally slated for telecast on November 13, 1995, "Little Green Men" was shown one week earlier on November 6. The episode was scripted by Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe from a story by Toni Marberry and Jack Trevino. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
After an assault on Quark, a long-unsolved murder case is reopened. As had been the case five years earlier, Odo is put in charge of the investigation, but he wishes that he wasn't. If the existing evidence proves to be reliable, it will be Odo's unenviable task to charge Kira with the murder. Marc Alaimo once again appears in the role of Gul Dukat. Originally telecast on November 13, 1993, "Necessary Evil" was written by Peter Allan Fields. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Dr. Bashir sets up a holosuite program in which he recasts himself as a 1960s-style Earth secret agent. A malfunction causes Sisko, Worf, Dax, and O'Brien to be sucked into Bashir's computer-generated fantasy. Suddenly finding themselves in the middle of an old-fashioned spy melodrama, the foursome must rely upon the resourcefulness of the suave, tuxedoed Bashir to save their lives. Scripted by Ronald D. Moore from a story by Robert Gillan, "Our Man Bashir" made its American TV bow on November 27, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
