Kevin Rankin Movies
- 2004
Caleb (Alan Dale) and Julie (Melinda Clarke) separately embark upon their respective pre-wedding parties. Caleb goes to Las Vegas with the "guys," whereupon Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Seth (Adam Brody) land in a heap of trouble. And while staging Julie's party at the Cohen house, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) impishly introduces some male strippers. Elsewhere, Summer (Rachel Bilson) pines over Seth, Caleb may or may not have a hidden agenda vis-à-vis his upcoming marriage, and Theresa (Navi Rawat) delivers some shocking news for Ryan and Marissa (Mischa Barton). ~ All Movie Guide
A nine-year-old boy who has just received a phantom Eucharist, his horrified cousin, and his religious aunt are trapped in their home by a sadistic phantom force in director Benny Mathews' unrelenting tale of supernatural terror. Despite the intention of the sacrament to keep the young child safe from the malevolent forces of evil, the powers of faith fail when young Ricky Banda and his two family members find themselves stalked by a dark entity intent on claiming their souls for the damned. When the morning sun rises to ward off the powerful force that had descended upon their once-happy home, only one of the three will emerge to tell the tale of what truly happened that fateful night. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Ang Lee directs the live-action feature film The Hulk, based on the Marvel comic book created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby. Emotionally stunted Dr. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) is part of a research team at the University of California at Berkeley. Corporate hustler Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas) takes notice of the lab and makes plans to take it over. Then Bruce accidentally gets hit by an experimental ray and grows into a huge beast, destroying the lab in the process. A creepy janitor who claims to be his real father, Dr. David Banner (Nick Nolte), starts to secretly use the experimental ray on himself. He creates some mutant dogs and sends them after Bruce's lab mate and ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly). After Bruce saves her life in the form of the Hulk, she lets her distant father, General Ross (Sam Elliott), take him to an abandoned army base in the desert. However, Glenn Talbot takes over the operation and wants to patent the creature's superpowers for his own profit, so he holds Bruce unconscious in an isolation tank. When provoked, Bruce turns into the Hulk and makes a break for San Francisco, leading to a desert chase sequence involving military aircraft, tanks, and bombs. Only the sight of Betty can make him turn back to his human form. When he is eventually captured, Dr. David Banner shows up for a final confrontation with his son and his old adversary, General Ross. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, (more)
- 2002
A stolen-goods fence is fatally shot in the groin by an elusive gunman. The investigation of this killing leads to the victim's girlfriend and one of his disgruntled customers -- and, inevitably, to another murder. Elsewhere, Connie (Charlotte Ross) suspects that her sister Michelle (Katherine La Nasa) is being abused by Michelle's no-good husband Frank Colohan (Nicholas Lea, in the first of three guest appearances). The guys at the 15th precinct decide to help Connie out by "talking" to the scuzzy Frank. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Simmons
- 2000
As Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) strengthens her resolve to protect supernaturally incarnated sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) from malevolent über-demon Glory (Clare Kramer), Tara (Amber Benson) fears that her friends will discover her own otherworldly origin. The crisis begins when Tara's father, brother, and cousin arrive to escort her back home before her 20th birthday, at which time, they remind her, her demon heritage will manifest itself and make her a danger to those around her. Reluctant to let girlfriend Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and the others find out she's less than human, Tara casts a spell to prevent them from sensing any demons at all. Unfortunately, the enchantment prevents the gang from being able to see the minions Glory has dispatched to attack them. Only the reluctant intervention of smitten vampire Spike (James Marsters) -- acting on his newfound love for nemesis Buffy -- prevents a total massacre. Tara cancels her spell, her friends learn that she's part-demon, and then (again with help from Spike) everyone learns she's actually human after all. Overjoyed to find out that the demon legend was just a way to keep the women in her family subservient, Tara joyfully rejects her blood family and accepts her role as a member of the Scooby Gang. Originally broadcast November 7, 2000, on the WB network, "Family" marked episode 84 of the cult-favorite series. This episode also reveals that Ben (Charlie Weber), the handsome doctor Buffy keeps running into, somehow involuntarily shares his body with the fearsome Glory. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
