Linda Hunt
- 2008
Grammy-winning writer-director Jan Nickman helms Living Temples, a philosophical examination of the American Southwest as a backdrop for the concepts of death and rebirth, and an examination of what specifically constitutes "sacredness." Nickman tells the story of the said landscape with a chronological approach, utilizing a succession of breathtaking vistas that (as the filmmaker reminds us) have survived adverse conditions and impacts, but remained flexible enough to be reshaped by those forces without crumbling. Significantly, Nickman draws parallels between the evolution of the landscape and the various personal journeys of the viewers, as they themselves wrestle with spiritual concepts and the meaning of inner transformation per se. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2007
After enduring WWII-era brutalization by Hitler's Nazi Party and decades of repressive Soviet dictatorship, the tiny Eastern European nation of Estonia began to declare its independence from Communist rule in the late '80s. Over a five-year period, beginning in 1986, hundreds of thousands of Estonians began to systematically and repeatedly gather in public venues to collectively sing illegal patriotic songs, declaring their desire for national independence but never resorting to violence amid their protests. It was no coincidence that Estonia subsequently became one of the first nations to break away from the Soviet Union in the events leading up to the fall of the Iron Curtain. The documentary The Singing Revolution chronicles this extraordinary yet seldom-told chain of events. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Hunt
A socially isolated IRS agent whose every move is documented by a disembodied female voice discovers that his life is the subject of a book currently being written by a best-selling author, whose creative block has stunted her repeated efforts to kill him off, in a quirky fantasy comedy written by Hollywood hot property Zach Helm and directed by Finding Neverland's Marc Forester. Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) lives a life of solitude. Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson) can't seem to find a way to finish her latest book. Though Harold and Kay have never actually met, their fates are about to become intertwined in a most unusual manner. With her publishers growing increasingly impatient with her apparent inability to put the finishing touches on her latest novel, Kay is assigned a new assistant whose task it is to help provide the creative push needed to get her book finished and into the hands of her many eager fans. The subject of Kay's novel is a lonely and despairing IRS agent named Harold Crick, who believes that his life has lost any real meaning. As Kay continues to weave Harold's woeful tale without realizing that her protagonist is actually a living human being unable to concentrate on his life and career due to the constant interference of the narrator who inexplicably seems to anticipate his every move and read his every thought, her continued efforts to kill her perplexed subject finally provide him with the incentive needed to fully experience life by seeking out the source of the voice that plagues him. Penned by the screenwriter named by Variety magazine as one of the "Top Ten Writers to Watch" and who was also included in Esquire magazine's "Best and Brightest" list of 2004, Stranger Than Fiction features supporting performances by Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, and Queen Latifah. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, (more)
- 2005
This documentary chronicles millionaire Cyrus Field's quest to run a cable across the Atlantic ocean, enabling wired communication between Britain and America, a task he finally completed in 1866. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
Two big families merge into one super-sized brood in this comedy. Frank Beardsley (Dennis Quaid) is a naval officer who has been raising eight children on his own after the death of his wife, and while he loves his kids, he rules his household with military precision. Frank has been alone just long enough that he decides it's time to start dating again, and he agrees to be set up on a blind date for a social function. To his surprise, his date turns out to be Helen North (Rene Russo), a girl he dated years ago when they were both in high school who, like Frank, lost her spouse not long ago. The old chemistry clicks anew for Helen and Frank, and he asks her to marry him. However, there's just a bit of a problem -- Helen is caring for ten children of her own, six of whom were adopted, and her artistic temperament makes for a very different household than Frank and his kids are used to. Frank and Helen decide to give this grand experiment a try, but the 18 siblings don't get along at all well at first, until they decide to set aside their differences and unite against a common foe -- their folks. Yours, Mine & Ours is a remake of a 1968 comedy of the same name, which starred Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball as the newlywed parents. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo, (more)
Two friends who've convinced themselves they would never make a good couple discover they might just be wrong in this romantic comedy. Oliver (Ashton Kutcher) and Emily (Amanda Peet) first met when they were college students sharing a flight from California to New York; Emily spontaneously seduced Oliver on the plane, and they spent the next few days together in the city. When they parted, however, Emily decided not to pursue a relationship with Oliver, even though he was obviously interested. Over the next several years, circumstances kept putting them in one another's paths, and over the years Oliver and Emily became close friends and confidantes. Both are still certain, though, that they're entirely wrong for each other on a romantic level. However, after nearly a decade, with both Oliver and Emily edging into their thirties, they begin to wonder if they've allowed a great opportunity to pass them by. A Lot Like Love also stars Kathryn Hahn, Ali Larter, and Kal Penn. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peet, (more)
- 2005
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Of the many horrors of World War II, few have greater resonance today than Auschwitz, the largest of the Nazi death camps, where millions of Jews, political dissidents, Russians, Catholics, gypsies, homosexuals, and others regarded as a threat to Axis forces were executed by the state. Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State is a six-part documentary series produced for PBS which follows the grim history of Auschwitz from the opening of the camp in 1940 to its liberation in 1945, dealing with its day-to-day operation as well as the camp's terrible legacy. Featuring interviews with over one hundred persons who saw Auschwitz firsthand (including several Nazi figures who've never before spoken to journalists), Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State was released on DVD shortly after it was broadcast by PBS in the spring of 2005. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2003
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The documentary The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's intersperses information on leading research scientists conducting experiments that are enlarging the medical community's understanding of the disease with a look at how the disease greatly affects those who suffer from it as well as those victim's loved ones. The film is narrated by the Emmy award winning actor David Hyde Pierce. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2003
The Discovery Channel presents Before We Ruled the Earth: Mastering the Beasts. This historical nature program uses reenactments and computer animation to portray the earliest known humans. Watch the progress of human evolution from homo erectus to the Cro-Magnons, presented along with timelines, archaeological information, and fossil records. This episode shows how inventions like the spear and needle were integral parts of the early human's gradual dominance over animals. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 2003
The Discovery Channel presents Before We Ruled the Earth: Hunt or Be Hunted. This historical nature program uses reenactments and computer animation to portray the earliest known humans. Watch the progress of human evolution from homo erectus to the Cro-Magnons, presented along with timelines, archaeological information, and fossil records. This episode shows the daily survival tactics of the early hominids to eat or be eaten. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
In this supernatural thriller, Kevin Costner plays Joe Darrow, a physician mourning the death of his wife Emily (Susannah Thompson) in a bus accident in South America, where she was providing medical outreach. Wracked by grief, Joe works extra shifts at the hospital to take his mind off the tragedy, but the intense workload triggers his short temper and some careless mistakes. His officious boss (Joe Morton) forces Joe to take time off, but Joe feels obligated to check in on his wife's pediatric patients, fulfilling a promise he made before she left. Visiting the ward, Joe starts to believe that Emily is using the near-death experiences of her terminal patients to communicate with him, through images the children report seeing in their dreams, and symbols they are inexplicably compelled to draw. While the children see Joe as a kindred spirit, the hospital staff worries about how these interactions are agitating them. At home, Joe begins finding other ethereal evidence of his wife's attempt to contact him from beyond the grave, some of it featuring the image of a dragonfly, which was the shape of the birthmark on her shoulder. His friends and a caring neighbor (Kathy Bates) worry that Joe is losing his marbles, especially as his quest becomes more frantic, putting his job in jeopardy. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Costner, Kathy Bates, (more)
- 2002
The second part of Jimmy Carter concentrates on the 39th president's last three years in office and his post-presidential accomplishments. By the time Carter entered the second year of his presidency, his administration had already bogged down in legislative battles and economic difficulties. Carter nonetheless persevered, signing the Panama Canal Treaty and arranging for a peace accord between Israel and Egypt at Camp David in 1978. These accomplishments, however, seemed to mean little once American hostages were taken at the U.S. Embassy in Iran at the end of 1979. The hostages would remain in captivity for 444 days and remain unreleased until Ronald Reagan became president in 1981. Carter returned to the public spotlight in 1984 when he began working with Habitat for Humanity. In 1986, groundwork began on the Carter Center, a facility designed to arrange peaceful solutions to world conflicts. In 2002 Carter became the first president to visit Cuba in over 40 years and he also received the Nobel Peace Prize. Jimmy Carter is a well-balanced portrait that includes rare film footage and a number of interviews with colleagues and historians. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Movie Guide
- 2002
On January 20, 1977, president-elect Jimmy Carter surprised onlookers by walking the length of Pennsylvania Avenue to his inauguration. To many this offered the perfect symbol for the former peanut farmer who would be president. James Earl Carter, Jr. was born in Plains, Georgia on October 1, 1924. A hardworking student, he received an appointment to the United States Navel Academy during World War II. After graduation, he married Rosalynn Smith and pursued a career in the Navy. Following Earl Carter's (Jimmy's father) death in 1953, the couple returned to Plains where they rebuilt the family business into a successful peanut farm. Highly driven, however, Carter soon became restless and decided to run for public office for the first time in 1962. Jimmy Who? offers a fluid overview of these events by combining rare film footage and interviews with friends, colleagues, and historians. The segment climaxes with Carter's attempts to pass legislation during his first year as president. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Movie Guide
- 2002
The Redemption of the World concludes American Experience's biography of Woodrow Wilson. In 1915, Wilson strived to keep the United States out of World War I. Meanwhile, he met and began dating Edith Bolling Galt, a widow who eventually became his second wife. Wilson won a hard-fought presidential race against Charles Evan Hughes in 1916, partially with his appeal as the peace candidate. By April of 1917, however, he asked Congress to declare war against Germany. A new draft sent thousands of American soldiers to Europe, eventually giving the Allies (Britain, France) the advantage. Determined to build a lasting peace, Wilson worked tirelessly on negations in Paris, insisting that all countries join a new League of Nations to assure future stability. U.S. Congressional leaders, however, feared that such a league would threaten national autonomy. Henry Cabot Lodge worked to defeat the league, while Wilson embarked on a campaign-style trip to gain the support of "the people." Wilson's train journey ended prematurely, though, when his health showed signs of rapid deterioration. Back at the White House, it was discovered that a stroke had paralyzed the left side of his body. Unhealthy and bitter, Wilson refused to compromise on the League of Nations and it was defeated. Woodrow Wilson offers a complete portrait of the 28th president, including historical film footage and commentary by historians. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Movie Guide
- 2002
American Experience: Woodrow Wilson -- A Passionate Man follows the development of Woodrow Wilson from his birth in Staunton, VA, in 1857, till the death of his first wife, Ellen Axson, in 1915. Wilson's father, a Presbyterian minister, instilled a sense of mission and righteousness in young Tommy. Still unable to read at ten, Wilson taught himself shorthand, and improved his studies. Eventually he was accepted at Princeton, and during advanced studies at John Hopkins University, he became interested in politics and history. He married Ellen Axson in 1885, became a professor, and returned to Princeton in 1890. By 1902, he had become the university's president, though the stress of the position damaged his already delicate health. In 1906, Wilson was diagnosed with high blood pressure. A doctor recommended retirement, but after much soul-searching, he ignored the doctor's advice. By 1910, he had been nominated, and then elected, governor of New Jersey. After Democrats nominated Wilson for president in 1912, he defeated a split Republican Party with 42 percent of the popular vote. While his administration's early reforms were impressive, 1915 brought the death of his wife and the beginning of World War I in Europe. Woodrow Wilson offers a complete portrait of the 28th president, including historical film footage and commentary by historians. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Movie Guide
- 2000
This video is part of a series presented by PBS that takes the viewer to some of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. This episode, narrated by Linda Hunt, showcases the breathtaking landscape of the Kamchata Peninsula. Located below the far eastern reaches of Siberia, Kamchata is a study in contrasts. Covered by ice and perma-frost year-round, it is also a place of hot springs, steaming geysers, and volcanoes. Abundant wildlife, from grizzly bears to sea lions, make the region home. The video captures the diverse animal and plant population on film. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
Director Howard Hall takes his underwater cameras to Cocos Island, 300 miles from the coast of Costa Rica, which is home to one of the world's largest populations of sharks. Island Of The Sharks captures these undersea predators in their natural environment, with hammerheads, sea lions, manta rays, sea turtles and other aquatic beasts feeding, mating and battling for supremacy in their oceanic community. Island Of The Sharks was filmed in the high-definition IMAX format, and features narration by Linda Hunt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Hunt
- 1998
Many a country built its economic development on the back of its cross-country railway system. Strong and dependable, the iron tracks tied the nation together by transporting goods and people from coast to coast. While this is prevalent throughout out the world, none is more vital than the Great Indian Railway. Dating back to British Imperialism, this network of 24,000 miles of track winds itself over a wondrous landscape and through a rich tapestry of culturally diverse people. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Linda Hunt, this documentary from National Geographic unites a country from the peaks of the Himalayans to the Bombay Victoria Terminus. ~ C. Dwayne Smith, All Movie Guide
- 1998
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For this animated direct-to-video sequel to Disney's 1995 animated Pocahontas, Irene Bedard returns to the title role -- with Judy Kuhn once again providing Pocahontas' singing voice. The story starts in colonial Jamestown before Pocahontas travels to England to meet with the king in hopes of preventing a British-Indian war. Her guide and companion is royal emissary John Rolfe (Billy Zane). They are attracted to each other, but Pocahontas yearns for John Smith (Donal Gibson, brother of Mel Gibson). After a conflict with the evil Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers), the missing Smith is presumed dead. Ratcliffe tells the king that the Jamestown Indians are savages, so Pocahontas enters high society, hoping to prove otherwise by presenting a civilized appearance at the Royal Hunt Ball. Ratcliffe schemes to sabotage Pocahontas' plan. New songs by Marty Panzer and Larry Grossman include the closing-credits tune, Between Two Worlds. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irene Bedard, Judy Kuhn, (more)
