Bryant Gumbel Movies

When Life Magazine ran a cover story about the phenomenon of miracles in modern society, the belief in a higher power and its ability to alter reality took a leap from the fringe to the mainstream. In the release, scientific evidence regarding miracles is explored as the facts in the cases of various alleged miracles are presented so that the viewer can draw their own conclusions as to the validity of the claims. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In 1947, an unidentified flying object crash-landed in the desert outside Roswell, New Mexico, on property belonging to a local sheep rancher. A handful of startling news reports appeared in the local press, with Roswell authorities suggesting they had recovered not only a "flying saucer," but also the bodies of three aliens who piloted the craft. Within a week, the U.S. Army and Air Force had entered the picture, claiming the UFO was in fact a weather balloon and clearing any and all evidence from the alleged crash site; before the military authorities left town, the key eyewitness recanted his story about the crash and a veil of secrecy fell over the event, which has yet to fully lift. The Rosewll Crash: Starling New Evidence is a documentary produced by the Sci-Fi Channel which examines the background on this now-legendary event and presents newly uncovered information which fuel speculation on the veracity of the original reporting of the incident. Bryant Gumbel serves as host and narrator. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Following the two-hour season finale of Survivor: Borneo, all 16 castaways joined Early Show host Bryant Gumbel for a live television recap. While contestants were grilled about the strategies used in the game and the countless twists and turns, viewers were given the chance to see clips from some of the audition tapes for the first time. The program also offers an early glimpse of the second season, Survivor: Australian Outback. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Action film director John Badham bites the hand that feeds him in this action movie spoof that features ribbing of pretty-boy Hollywood action stars by Michael J. Fox and a parody of colorful, hair-trigger James Woods types by the man himself. Woods plays New York homicide detective John Moss, who is within an inch of closing in on a serial killer who calls himself The Party Crasher (Stephen Lang) because his specialty is shooting his victims in the middle of discos. Chasing The Party Crasher after his latest victim has been dispatched, Moss finds himself hanging onto the door of a speeding truck with The Party Crasher at the wheel. When Moss is thrown off the truck and nearly killed, The Party Crasher escapes, and Moss is taken off the case. Moss is given a new assignment --to tag around with Hollywood action film star Nick Lang (Michael J. Fox), the popular hero of the "Smoking Gun" movies. Lang spotted Moss on a television news show and thinks he would be the ideal cop to study for adding authenticity to an up-coming police action picture. Posing as Moss's rookie partner, Lang follows Moss everywhere, proceeding to spoil his pursuit of The Party Crasher and interfering with Moss's burgeoning affair with his girlfriend Susan (Anabella Sciorra). ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Hosted by Bryant Gumbel, this documentary depicts the victory and defeat, the pain and glory of the 1988 Summer Olympics gymnastics competition in Seoul, Korea. ~ Rovi

Opting for light entertainment after the critical satire of Shampoo (1975), producer-director-writer-star Warren Beatty remade the 1941 comic fantasy Here Comes Mr. Jordan. Dimly amiable L.A. Rams quarterback Joe Pendleton (Beatty) is prematurely called to Heaven by an over-eager escort (Buck Henry, who co-directed) after a traffic accident. When archangel Mr. Jordan (James Mason) discovers the error, he offers to return Joe to his body, only to find that it has been cremated. On the verge of playing in the Super Bowl, Joe demands a fit body rather than the old about-to-be-murdered industrialist Farnsworth he has been offered, but he reconsiders when he sees environmentalist Betty Logan (Julie Christie) in Farnsworth's house. Assuming Farnsworth's body while keeping his sweet self, Joe hires his beloved coach Max Corkle (Jack Warden) to get him in shape (after convincing Max who he really is), sets Farnsworth's business on an eco-friendly path, and romances Betty. Farnsworth's homicidal wife (Dyan Cannon) and secretary (Charles Grodin), however, are still determined to succeed in their plan to kill him. When Mr. Jordan finally finds the Super Bowl body Joe wanted, Joe has to trade his old self for the new life -- but will he remember his love for Betty? Heaven Can Wait offered contemporary yet old-fashioned escapism and tapped into the late-1970s vogue for nostalgic fun, becoming one of 1978's most popular summer movies after Grease. Updating the original while following its blueprint, Beatty and co-writer Elaine May switched Joe's sport and turned Joe into a man of his '70s moment, adoring Betty for her convictions and favoring "green" policies over corporate greed. Gently breathing life into a classic form, Heaven Can Wait found romantic innocence in a jaded time, and it went on to receive nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi