Frederick Koehler
- 2002
A world famous thief's disappearance and assumed murder set the scene for co-directors Stephen Beckner and Michael Huber's feature film debut in the detective film/media satire A.K.A. Birdseye. Two hapless residents of Colorado, Heidi Logan (Amy Hathaway) and Trent Doone (Johnny Whitworth), somehow manage to track down and kidnap Urs Vogelaug (Stefan Kurt), a bizarre performance artist who uses the name Birdseye when committing his fabulously extravagant robberies. Hot on their trail is Sheriff Nolan Sharpless (Fred Ward), who eventually traps the kidnappers at the Denver Airport, but loses Birdseye, who was apparently locked in a suitcase. The thief is initially presumed dead, but is later identified as the chief suspect in a string of robberies throughout Colorado. Meanwhile, the news media seizes upon the story and make a spectacle out of it, much to the chagrin of Sharpless, who has begun tracking Birdseye with the assistance of his son, Ben (Fred Koehler). As the media stretches and distorts the truth, Sharpless starts to lose sight of his investigation, as well as his own sense of reality. A.K.A. Birdseye was chosen as an official selection to the 2002 Locarno International Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Ward, Frederick Koehler, (more)
- 2002
Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) really has his hands full, dividing his time between moving his belongings into Connie McDowell's (Charlotte Ross) apartment and helping John Clark Sr. (Joe Spano) wrest free of the IAB's grasp. Andy also continues having problems concerning his relationship with his son Theo (Austin Majors). Back at the 15th, a schizophrenic who attacked his own father is the prime suspect in another murder; and precinct skipper Rodriguez (Esai Morales) tries to help his drug-addicted former wife, Angela (Jessica Ferrarone). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Simmons
- 2002
As season five of Charmed gets under way, there is no shortage of activity in the San Francisco manor occupied by the Charmed Ones. Phoebe Halliwell (Alyssa Milano) is now gainfully employed as an advice columnist for "The Bay Mirror"; Phoebe's sister Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and her guardian-angel husband, Leo (Brian Krause), anxiously await the birth of their baby; and the Halliwell girls' half sister, Paige (Rose McGowan), has two vocations, as a social worker and full-time demon hunter. In the first half of the fifth-season opener (originally telecast as a single two-hour episode), the girls use their bewitching powers on behalf of Mylie (Jaime Pressly), a former mermaid in danger of losing her immortality to a Sea Hag (Diane Salinger) -- who in turn is in league with Necron (Judson Scott), a demon forsworn to destroy the Charmed Ones. Meanwhile,Phoebe's ex-demon husband, Cole (Julian McMahon), escapes from his exile in limbo, hoping to win back Phoebe's confidence and save their marriage. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Julian McMahon, (more)
- 2002
- PG13
- AddDivine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhoodto QueueAddDivine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhoodto top of Queue
Screenwriter Callie Khouri makes her directorial debut with this adaptation of a pair of popular novels by author Rebecca Wells, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Little Altars Everywhere. Sandra Bullock stars as Sidda Lee Walker, a New York playwright who opens a can of emotional worms with her estranged, boozy mother, Vivi (Ellen Burstyn), when she discusses her painful childhood and particularly Vivi's less-than-enviable mothering skills in a Time magazine article. The eccentric Louisiana drama queen Vivi has already been barred from her daughter's oft-delayed wedding to her fiancé, Connor (Angus Macfadyen), so the article sends her into a rage. Coming to the rescue of the relationship are Necie (Shirley Knight), Caro (Maggie Smith), and Teensy (Fionnula Flanagan), a trio of bickering women, who, along with Vivi, formed a secret society of feminist empowerment and friendship 60 years earlier that they dubbed the "Ya-Ya Sisterhood." The Ya-Yas kidnap Sidda and bring her home to Louisiana, where they reveal to Sidda via a carefully maintained scrapbook her mother's painful past (with Vivi portrayed in flashback by Ashley Judd), effecting a rapprochement between mother and daughter. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood also stars James Garner. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Bullock, Ellen Burstyn, (more)
At the time of its release, this lavish period war drama from hyperkinetic director Michael Bay became the most expensive motion picture ever green-lighted by a studio. Ben Affleck stars as Rafe McCawley, a military pilot stationed under Jimmy Doolittle (Alec Baldwin) in New Jersey, along with his best friend from childhood, Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett). Rafe is chomping at the bit to get involved in World War II, but America has not entered the conflict, so he is forced to fight on loan to the Royal Air Force in Britain, leaving behind his beautiful girlfriend Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale). After Rafe goes overseas, both Danny and Evelyn are transferred to the naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where word arrives that Rafe has been killed in action. A grief-stricken Evelyn and Danny become romantically attached, a situation that becomes a lit powder keg when Rafe suddenly reappears, having survived his ordeal in the European war. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor puts the romantic triangle on hold, as the best friends are ordered to undertake a top-secret and highly dangerous retaliatory mission to bomb Tokyo, once again under the command of Doolittle. Although the trio of leads are entirely fictional, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Sizemore, and Jon Voight (as FDR) co-star in the roles of real-life historical figures. Pearl Harbor is based on a script by Randall Wallace, writer of Braveheart (1995) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1998). Taking a page from the production history of James Cameron's Titanic (1997), many of the actors and filmmakers involved with Pearl Harbor deferred their usual salaries until the film "broke even" at the box office. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, (more)
- 2001
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation moved from Fridays to a Thursday-night time slot with this episode, in which Frank Damon (Sterling Macer Jr.) is facing execution for killing his wife and child in a fire. With time running out, Damon begs Grissom (William L. Petersen) to prove his innocence. Elsewhere, Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) and Nick (George Eads), investigating the murder of a 16-year-old, follow the trail of clues to an illegal sports-gambling operation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Season three of Oz opens with the news that the name of the prison has been changed from Oswald Penitentiary to Oswald Correctional Facility. This is appropriate, according to narrator Hill (Harold Perrineau), because in Oz, "Nobody's penitent. Nobody's sorry." In addition, thanks to the machinations of the governor, the prison's health maintenance system has been privatized to save money. Dr. Frederick Garvey (Milo O'Shea) arrives on the scene to supervise the cost cutting. He deprives Alvarez (Kirk Acevedo) of antidepressants, raising the ire of Dr. Nathan (Lauren Velez). Alvarez also tells Father Mukada (B.D. Wong), in confidence, that the guards have not been feeding him. A new prisoner, Coyle (rapper Treach) arrives in Em City, and immediately bonds with Wangler (J.D. Williams), but Nappa (Mark Margolis) isn't ready to trust the new man. Adebisi (Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje) apologizes to McManus (Terry Kinney) for his past behavior, claims he's done with drugs, and gets released from the psych ward. Warden Glynn (Ernie Hudson) reluctantly hires a new hack, Clayton Hughes (Seth Gilliam), the son of a guard who was killed in the prison years ago. McManus suspects that Metzger (Bill Fagerbakke) is in cahoots with the Nazis, but he can't get anyone to testify against him. Keller (Christopher Meloni) is released from the hole, and apologizes to Beecher (Lee Tergesen), who demands that Keller confess to attacking him, and testify against Metzger and Schillinger (J.K. Simmons). Metzger tries to intercede, leading to a bloody showdown. This episode was directed by Nick Gomez, who also directed the first episode of season two. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 1999
A Harlem community leader is beaten to death with a baseball bat. In addition to building a case against the likeliest suspect, struggling college student Jerome Warren (Avery Kidd Waddell), the D.A.'s office must also deal with a chaotic and potentially dangerous racial situation. "Haven" was originally telecast in tandem with another Law & Order episode, "Hunters," on February 10, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Jerri (Amy Sedaris) and Orlando's (Orlando Pabotoy) friendship is put to the test when a new student arrives at Flatpoint High in this episode of the edgy Comedy Central series. Instantly attracted to new arrival Ricky despite the fact that everyone seems out to get him, Jerri quickly caves to peer pressure and humiliates Ricky at every possible opportunity. When Orlando presents Jerri with a friendship collage, Jerri promptly modifies it and presents it to Ricky in hopes that he will join her at the golf-themed Bogie Nights dance despite Principal Blackman's objections. After a jealous Orlando tips off Mr. Jellineck (Paul Dinello) as to how much time Jerri has been spending with the new guy, Jerri's jealous friend attempts to cause trouble for Ricky at every turn. Confronted by the girls in her class as to the nature of her relationship with Ricky, Jerri reluctantly informs them that she will be attending the dance with sociopathic Spike. When Ricky appears at the dance to inform Jerri that he will soon be leaving Flatpoint, Orlando urges the students to beat Ricky with their golf clubs, resulting in an impassioned plea for tolerance from Jerri. Touched at Jerri's dedication to Ricky, Principal Blackman (Greg Hollimon) declares the couple "Mistress and Master of Bogie Nights" before Spike returns from the bathroom and attempts to attack Ricky. After saving Ricky by crashing her golf cart into Spike, Jerri and Ricky head to the parking lot to make out -- only to discover that Ricky is in fact Jerri's long-lost son. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, (more)
- 1999
Oz is buzzing with news of Metzger's (Bill Fagerbakke) death. McManus (Terry Kinney) recommends an old friend, Sean Murphy (Robert Clohessy), to Glynn (Ernie Hudson) as a replacement. Schillinger (J.K. Simmons), unhappy with the prison's investigation into Metzger's murder, decides that the Nazis should investigate on their own. Cyril (Scott Winters) gets thrown into the hole after Robson (R.E. Rodgers) provokes him by talking about how the Nazis raped him. His brother, Ryan (Dean Winters), finds out he's had 40 years tacked onto his sentence for getting Cyril to kill Dr. Nathan's (Lauren Velez) husband. Coyle (Treach) gets reassigned to the barbershop, where he tells Hill (Harold Perrineau) a lurid tale of a gruesome murder of an entire family for which he was never caught. Hill, horrified by the crime, considers ratting out Coyle, who later tells Hill that a friend videotaped the crime. Said (Eamon Walker) meets again with Tricia Ross (Arija Bareikis), who is involved in the lawsuit over the riots. There is obviously some kind of mutual attraction between the two, and his followers chastise him. Said threatens a hunger strike when McManus won't allow him to keep food in his cell during Ramadan. Diane Wittlesey (Edie Falco) learns from McManus that her mother has died. Claire Howell (Kristin Rohde) flies into a violent jealous rage after seeing McManus comfort Wittlesey. Keller (Christopher Meloni) asks to be released from protective custody, but Beecher (Lee Tergesen) won't forgive him, and Keller is later stabbed by an unseen assailant. Adebisi (Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje) asks to be transferred to the AIDS ward, and his revenge plot begins to take shape. Dr. Garvey (Milo O'Shea) has another angry exchange with Dr. Nathan over the non-treatment of the suicidal Alvarez (Kirk Acevedo), and fires her. This episode was directed by actor Matt Dillon. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
This thriller is the second film based on the novel of the same name by Ira Levin. Matt Dillon stars as Jonathan Corliss, a lethal schemer from the wrong side of the tracks. Now a student at the University of Pennsylvania, Jonathan has been obsessed since childhood with the fortunes of a company called Carlsson Copper. Jonathan plans to ingratiate himself with the wealthy family of magnate Thor Carlsson (Max von Sydow) and has begun secretly dating Carlsson's daughter Dorothy (Sean Young). When Dorothy learns that she's pregnant and informs Jonathan that she'll be cut off without her inheritance when her father learns the truth, Jonathan murders her, making it appear to be a suicide, and moves to New York. There, he makes the acquaintance of Ellen Carlsson (also played by Young), the late Dorothy's twin sister, and begins wooing her. This time he meets with success, winning Ellen's hand in marriage and a powerful position in his new father-in-law's company. However, Ellen has long nursed suspicions about her twin's death and as she probes deeper into the alleged suicide, she uncovers alarming facts about some other murders and the identity of her sister's unknown lover. Director James Dearden also wrote Fatal Attraction (1987), which contains similar themes. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Dillon, Sean Young, (more)
- 1989
In this thriller a married woman in an unhappy marriage takes off to get some time alone and finds herself entangled with professional killers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
With this rote but well-cast romantic comedy, writer-director James Toback began his long association with actor Robert Downey, Jr. The latter stars as Jack Jericho, a grade school teacher and smooth operator who zealously polishes his cliched pick-up lines in front of a mirror. Jack's come-ons even work on Randy Jensen (Molly Ringwald), a redheaded museum tour guide who dishes up a stream of retorts, matching Jack's verbal banter. After quickly trysting in the back of Jack's car, Randy flatly thanks him and walks off. Realizing that Randy is his soul mate, Jack gets his pal Phil (Danny Aiello) to find her. She's in Atlantic City, desperately trying to win $25,000 with her paycheck. Her father, Flash (Dennis Hopper), is an inveterate alcoholic who owes the money to a mobster, Alonzo (Harvey Keitel). Alonzo is willing to erase the debt if Randy will sleep with a South American kingpin, so she's trying to hit a jackpot that will get her and Flash off the hook. With a deadline of tomorrow, Jack sets out to get Randy's money and convince her that he's Mr. Right. The Pick-Up Artist was the final film appearance of actress Mildred Dunnock, who played Jack's grandmother. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Molly Ringwald, Robert Downey, Jr., (more)
- 1984
This by-the-numbers comedy stars Wayne Rogers and Karen Valentine as Alex and Annabelle Grier. Alex is a well-paid ad executive who is laid off during an economic downswing. In order to continue living in the manner to which she he is accustomed, Alex's wife Annabelle decides to look for work. Unfortunately, her practical experience is nil, so Alex labors behind the scenes, training his wife to become a top-drawer copywriter. Inevitably, when Annabelle finally does land a job, it turns out to be a major blow to Alex's ego. Initially titled Paper Castles, this made-for-TV movie was first shown December 18, 1984. TV Guide/Marrill ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jack Butler (Michael Keaton) is a Detroit automobile engineer unjustly fired by his boss. Jack's wife Caroline (Teri Garr) is compelled to get a job to make ends meet, and is soon hired on as an advertising executive in a firm run by the shifty Ron Richardson (Martin Mull. This leaves Jack at home doing the housework and taking care of the kids, which he discovers is a lot more complicated than he ever imagined. Moving from breadwinner to househusband doesn't do much for his self-esteem, and he bides his time playing poker for 10-cents-off coupons with a gaggle of neighborhood housewifes and pondering infidelity with dedicated homewrecker Joan (Ann Jillian). Among Keaton's fish-out-of-water bits: trying to maneuver a shopping cart with the inevitable wobbly wheels; and imagining a soap opera-cum-film noir episode in which he gives in to Joan's advances, only to be found out by Caroline. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, (more)
