David Hornsby Movies
- 2008
A fast-talking rainmaker, his wealthy acquaintance, and an unemployed aerospace engineer forge an unusual partnership that hastens the deterioration of their relationships while forever altering the course of their lives in director Paul Schneider's minimalist tale of American entrepreneurialism. Curtis Prentiss (Billy Crudup) is a terminally optimistic dreamer who rolled into a small town with little more than an enthusiastic sales pitch and an unusual set of blueprints. When Curtis' unique plans for a personal "rocket belt" that he claims will revolutionize personal travel captivates the imagination of a gifted but out-of-work engineer (Paul Giamatti), all three men embark on an ambitious quest to raise the capitol needed to finance their endeavor and make flight more accessible to the masses. While the results are indeed promising, the stress of both the task at hand and some unexpected success soon takes an unhealthy toll on the venturesome partnership. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crudup, Paul Giamatti, (more)
Visual effects specialists Greg and Colin Strause both make their feature directorial debut with this no-holds-barred monster mash that attempts to set itself apart from the 2004 Paul W.S. Anderson original by serving as a straight-up sci-fi horror scarefest. The aliens (and a predator) have landed on planet Earth, and small-town America is about to become the scene of an epic interstellar showdown. As these two breeds of cosmic killers clash in the small-town streets Gunnison, CO, the locals are sent running for their lives. From the murky sewers to the rain-soaked streets, Gunnison has become a total bloodbath. Nowhere is safe, especially from the unstoppable new hybrid known as the "predalien." Now, as the once-quiet community of Gunnison is overrun by Aliens, the only hope for humankind is a fierce hunter from the deepest reaches of space. But this predator is far from a benevolent savior of the human race, because he'll kill any man, woman, or child who gets in the way of his mission to destroy every last alien under these stormy Colorado skies. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, (more)
Clint Eastwood's adaptation of the non-fiction book Flags of Our Fathers concerns the lives of the men in the famous picture of soldiers raising the American flag over Iwo Jima during that historic WWII battle. Battle scenes are intercut with footage of three of the soldiers - played by Ryan Phillipe, Jesse Bradford, and Adam Beach -- who survived the battle going on a goodwill tour of the United States in order to sell war bonds. Many evening they are forced to reenact their famous pose, something each of them finds more and more difficult to do as they suffer from survivor's guilt. Eastwood frames the story by having one of the men's grown son (Tom McCarthy) interview his father's old comrades in order to find out more about what happened to his father. Eastwood followed this film with Letters from Iwo Jima, a second film about the battle of Iwo Jima, but told from the Japanese perspective. Flags of Our Fathers was produced by Eastwood and Steven Spielberg. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, (more)
Based on John Grisham's novel Skipping Christmas, Christmas With the Kranks revolves around Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Luther Krank's (Tim Allen) decision to put their normally fanatical enthusiasm for the holidays aside for a tropical cruise. With their daughter in Peru with the Peace Corps, the Kranks believe it just isn't worth it; thus, no presents, Christmas trees, or decorations of any kind will adorn their house to the great consternation of their neighbor Vic (Dan Aykroyd). Just as it looks like Christmas will be successfully skipped, Blair (Julie Gonzalo) throws a major kink into her plans when she suddenly has a change of heart and announces she'll be coming home for Christmas after all. The film ran into troubles early on in production when Ben Affleck's similar sounding bomb Surviving Christmas won the race to the theaters, forcing the filmmakers to depart from the book title in favor of the catchy Kranks one. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, (more)
- 2003
While wife Lisa (Lili Taylor) is away at a cooking convention, Nate (Peter Krause) once again finds himself face to face with former fiancée Brenda (Rachel Griffiths). But the occasion isn't a happy or even a nostalgic one: Bernard Chenowith (Robert Foxworth), Brenda's psychiatrist father, has died of cancer, and Nate feels honor-bound to attend the funeral. Federico (Freddy Rodriguez) offers to have his wife watch the baby, but Vanessa (Justina Machado) seems so depressed and flighty that Nate just brings Maya to the funeral with him instead. Given the assorted tics of the surviving Chenowiths, the memorial proves anything but typical. But Lisa offers a standard-issue reaction to Nate's having exposed her daughter to death (and to the touch of his dreaded ex): She throws a hissy fit. Meanwhile, Ruth (Frances Conroy) is all atwitter about Arthur (Rainn Wilson), the strangely beatific junior mortician who now lodges in her home; she dotes on him so devotedly it's like she's the youngster, not him. Russell (Ben Foster) also lavishes Claire (Lauren Ambrose) with similar fervor as the youngest Fisher grows more attached to her pal-turned-lover. Elsewhere, Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) and David (Michael C. Hall) clash during a shrill if fabulous brunch thrown by David's flamboyant, Hollywood-obsessed friends from the gay men's chorus. Originally broadcast April 13, 2003, on HBO, "Timing & Space" marked season three, episode seven of the made-for-cable drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Threesomes, romantic triangles, and even polygamy intersect in the lives of the Fisher family when they're asked to bury Daddy (Leon Rippy), the patriarch of a commune known as "The People." Nate (Peter Krause) and Ruth (Frances Conroy) both find themselves charmed by Daddy's unorthodox clan -- Nate by one of his daughters and Ruth by one of his wives. Meanwhile, Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) and David (Michael C. Hall) bring an unconventional element into their own union: Sarge (Josh Stamberg), a burly hunk who ends up in their bed after an afternoon of paintball and an evening of hard drinking. Claire (Lauren Ambrose) isn't quite so willing to share her man; she freaks out when she suspects there may be something going on between her boyfriend, Russell (Ben Foster), and her Machiavellian art professor, Olivier (Peter MacDissi). By these standards, Ruth's furtive crush on intern Arthur (Rainn Wilson) seems downright wholesome, although her feelings don't remain hidden for long once she starts kissing him. Lisa, however, is perfectly capable of keeping a secret, and she does so after meeting Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) under an assumed name by posing as a massage client and picking her brain. Originally broadcast April 20, 2003, on HBO, "Tears, Bones and Desire" marked season three, episode eight of the made-for-cable drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Dwayne and Denny Mullet (Michael Weaver, David Hornsby) were a pair of blue-collar, white-trash siblings -- one outspoken, one shy -- who preferred to sport the haircut bearing their family name, and who enjoyed nothing better than hunkering down before the tube to watch the weekly wrestling matches. Equally fond of televised rasslin' was the Mullet boys' brassy, bleach-blonde mom, Mandi (Loni Anderson). But conditions in the Mullet household took a sharp turn toward stuffy "respectability" when Mandi wed Roger Heidecker (John O'Hurley), a prissy, conservative TV game show host. This was the premise of The Mullets, an engagingly silly clash-of-cultures sitcom which made its first UPN appearance on September 11, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Weaver, Kyle MacLachlan, (more)
- 2003
The suicide of a recently jilted woman hits close to home for Federico (Freddy Rodriguez) -- who continues to worry that his own wife (Justina Machado) is clinically depressed -- and for Nate (Peter Krause), who sympathizes with the woman's boyfriend's desire to end a relationship that stifled him. Nate's misgivings about his marriage come to a head at an art show featuring works by Claire (Lauren Ambrose), her boyfriend Russell (Ben Foster), and Billy Chenowith (Jeremy Sisto). There, Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) officially meets Lisa (Lili Taylor) and immediately recognizes that her massage appointment (in the episode "Tears, Bones and Desire") was actually an undercover reconnaissance mission. Brenda privately reassures Lisa that Nate is all hers, but tensions between the couple continue to run high. Ultimately, though, they realize it's time to stop pretending, and they resolve to settle for being friends, lovers and co-parents rather than picture-perfect husband and wife. David (Michael C. Hall), meanwhile, pretends to be okay with the threesomes in which he and Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) are now frequently engaging. Actually, however, he has deep misgivings about the hookups -- and the relationship. Claire feels none too secure about her own romance, especially after Billy confirms, through personal experience, that Olivier (Peter MacDissi), their mutual mentor, has a thing for sleeping with his students regardless of gender. As it turns out, though, Olivier's trysting partner for the evening is none other than Margaret Chenowith (Joanna Cassidy), Brenda and Billy's recently widowed mother. If only Ruth (Frances Conroy) were as sexually forthright as Margaret, perhaps she wouldn't end up sleeping alone, rebuffed by virginal junior mortician Arthur (Rainn Wilson). Originally broadcast April 27, 2003, on HBO, "The Opening" marked season three, episode nine of the made-for-cable drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
The third season of Six Feet Under continues its long, slow setup with another episode devoted to patient character development. Claire (Lauren Ambrose) finally decides she's had enough of her hottie beau's philandering; she kicks Phil (J.P. Pitoc) to the curb and throws herself into art school, where new friend Russell (Ben Foster) and new instructor Olivier (Peter MacDissi) liven things up. Lisa (Lili Taylor), meanwhile, escapes a toxic relationship of her own by walking out on Carol (Catherine O'Hara), her neurotic movie-exec boss. A frustrated Nate (Peter Krause) resigns himself to moving his young family back into his mother's home. Ruth (Frances Conroy) is overjoyed at Nate's return, although she's also busy enjoying the hijinks of Bettina (Kathy Bates), her straight-talking, shoplifting new insta-best friend. As for David (Michael C. Hall) and Keith (Mathew St. Patrick), they struggle to loosen up and enjoy a poolside vacation together. Fun is eventually had, although their return to the city soon destroys any easygoing momentum they've attained. Amidst such minutiae, the biggest drama occurs with this week's featured death: a young woman (Megan Austin Oberle) mowed down by a car as a direct result of a cruel prank played by friends. Originally broadcast March 16, 2003, on HBO, "The Eye Inside" marked season three, episode three of the made-for-cable drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Nate (Peter Krause) continues his descent into quiet desperation as Fisher & Diaz prepares to bury the recently unearthed remains of a young husband and father who disappeared without a trace decades earlier. Adding to Nate's just-married angst, Lisa (Lili Taylor) spends her time micromanaging his finances instead of finding a new job of her own. She also goes ballistic when Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) turns up to make amends with Nate as part of a 12-step recovery program for sex addicts. Nate and Brenda share a few drinks, but he keeps his guard up and expresses none of his doubts about his sudden matrimony. David (Michael C. Hall), too, is haunted by an old lover: Terry (Matt Winston), a fellow singer in the gay men's chorus, who reminds David of their brief and frenzied encounter years ago in a department-store men's room. Ashamed of his own past repression, David is relieved to realize he's finally at peace with his sexual identity. Speaking of which, Claire (Lauren Ambrose) finds her feelings in disarray when Russell (Ben Foster), her supposedly gay best friend, declares that he's actually straight and wants to date her. She considers it -- until Olivier (Peter MacDissi), her manipulative art professor, advises her to shun emotional intimacy if she wants to become a great artist. Blowing Russell off, Claire focuses on her new job as Olivier's assistant. Federico (Freddy Rodriguez), too, hires a new sidekick: Arthur (Rainn Wilson), a mortuary school student who agrees to work for nothing but room and board at the Fisher house. As for Keith (Mathew St. Patrick), he's still stuck in the same terrible job as a rent-a-cop. A disturbing altercation with a fellow security guard, however, convinces him it's time to look for other employment. Originally broadcast March 30, 2003, on HBO, "The Trap" marked season three, episode five of the made-for-cable drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Lisa (Lili Taylor) has been missing for two weeks, leaving Nate (Peter Krause) to stew and the rest of the family to slowly lose hope. Despite -- or perhaps because of -- her certainty that her daughter-in-law is dead, Ruth (Frances Conroy) plunges into a new romance with George Sibley (James Cromwell), the handsome mourner who comforted her during a recent funeral (see "Death Works Overtime"). The Fisher matriarch even toys with wedding her new beau until she learns of his six previous marriages and decides to proceed more carefully. David (Michael C. Hall), in contrast, decides the time for caution is over. After impulsively sleeping with his friend Patrick (David Hornsby), he dumps Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) and moves out of their apartment. Nate, too, goes in for some reckless sex; he beds Allison Williman (Anne Dudek), the troubled daughter of a serial killer (Graham Beckel) who recently received the death penalty and was buried by Fisher and Diaz. Afterwards, however, Nate feels just as empty and distraught about Lisa as ever. Not that he's ready for comfort -- at least not from Brenda (Rachel Griffiths), who gets an angry brush-off when she turns up at the house to offer her support. But Claire (Lauren Ambrose), who just happens to witness the end of their argument, does receive some assistance from Brenda, who agrees to accompany her on a trip to an abortion clinic. Originally broadcast May 18, 2003, on HBO, "Twilight" marked season three, episode 12 of the made-for-cable drama. Although her character, Bettina, had been absent from the show since mid-season, actress/director Kathy Bates steps in to helm this episode. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
In this wide-ranging spoof of reality shows, all of the contestants were professional actors -- except one. Chosen during a nationwide audition, Matthew Kennedy Gould was told that he was going to appear on a reality show titled "Lap of Luxury," in which he would live a sumptuous lifestyle with several other contestants, who would be "eliminated" from the 500,000-dollar-grand-prize sweepstakes at a rate of one person per show. What Gould didn't know was that his fellow players were all following a pre-determined scenario, all knew the outcome of the contest, and none was exactly whom he or she pretended to be. The phonies, all drawn from the reality-TV cliché factory, included The Hutch (David Hornsby), the resident hygiene-challenged jerk; Earl (Franklin Dennis Jones), the grizzled Special-Ops veteran; Kip (Lance Krall), the obligatory gay guy with a heart of gold; Ashleigh (Melissa Yvonne Lewis), the standard-issue "rich bitch"; Dr. Pat (Kristen Wiig), the advice-spouting counselor; Molly (Angela Dobson), the house virgin; Gina (Nikki Davis), the all-around backstabber; and Brian (Brian Keith Etheridge), everybody's best pal. Even the series' host, Ralph Garman, was putting on an act, pretending to be a preening egomaniac more concerned with advancing his career than going about his assigned duties. As the faux contestants were faced with challenges that were blatantly swiped from other series like Survivor and Fear Factor, the question was not whether poor, oblivious Matthew Kennedy Gould would make it to the final episode, but rather, how long it would be before he caught on to the charade. Created for the Spike TV cable service by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, The Joe Schmo Show first aired September 2, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Garman, Matt Kennedy Gould, (more)
- 2003
As the lives of the Fisher clan drift into isolation, the funeral of Keith's great aunt (Ann Weldon) sets the stage for a major showdown between discontented lovers Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) and David (Michael C. Hall). En route to San Diego for the memorial, the couple quarrel over Keith's continuing enthusiasm for extracurricular sex -- and David's emerging distaste for same. But the real conflict comes when Keith decides that it's time to confront his father (James Pickens Jr.) about the physical abuse he once heaped on his kids. The outraged patriarch lashes out, and when David comes to Keith's defense, Keith tells him to butt out of his family business. A disconsolate David heads back to L.A., where Nate (Peter Krause) is growing worried about his wife, Lisa (Lili Taylor), who hasn't checked in since leaving on a road trip. Nate busies himself by consoling Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) over an icky run-in with her insane brother Billy (Jeremy Sisto). Confessing that his latest antics include a stab at physical, instead of the usual emotional, incest, she nonetheless finds herself breaking her own sexual taboos during an impassioned, although abortive, kiss with Nate. Claire (Lauren Ambrose) learns that Russell (Ben Foster), too, has gone beyond the pale when he confesses to a sexual dalliance with bisexual art teacher Olivier (Peter MacDissi). The youngest Fisher dumps her boyfriend as forcefully as possible, although Russell doesn't seem to get the hint. As for the Fisher matriarch, Ruth (Frances Conroy) gets the hint that shy embalmer Arthur (Rainn Wilson) isn't capable of the physical relationship she craves. She, too, dumps her man. Originally broadcast May 4, 2003, on HBO, "Everyone Leaves" marked season three, episode ten of the made-for-cable drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Facing serious consequences for illegally prescribing pain medication for ALD patient Ricky Abbott (Kyle Chambers), Ross (George Clooney) is given an ultimatum by Greene (Anthony Edwards). The situation becomes more problematic when Ross forges papers allowing Ricky to be home-treated by his mother, Joi (Valerie Mahaffey). In other developments, Weaver (Laura Innes) thinks she has a line on her biological parents. Nigerian-born janitor Mobalage (Djimon Hounsou) reacts violently when Greene tries to treat the man's back pains. And Romano (Paul McCrane) is promoted despite the sexual-harassment investigation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
