Rob Swanson Movies
- 2006
Season Five of Monk begins as San Francisco's most efficient--and most obsessive-compulsive--private detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) finds himself the central character of an upcoming movie. Much to Monk's relief, he won't be forced to play himself: Instead, the role of Monk has gone to Hollywood superstar David Ruskin (Stanley Tucci). Unfortunately, Ruskin is one of those method actors who insists upon meticulous pre-film research, and soon he is relentlessly dogging Monk's trail during a murder investigation. At first, Monk doesn't seem to mind, and actually enjoys showing off for Ruskin's benefit--but things take a sinister turn when Ruskin so loses himself in the role of "Adrian Monk" that he tries to exact his own personal vengeance against a suspect in the long-ago murder of Monk's wife Trudy! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Season Four of Monk begins as obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) seemingly meets his match in the form of private eye Marty Eels (Jason Alexander), whose disheveled appearance and careless manner evidently masks a keen analytical mind. Both Monk and Eels are working on robbery-murder at a jewelry store, and Monk is none too pleased that his rival is continually two steps ahead of him in uncovering evidence and arriving at the right conclusions--in fact, Eels' skills are something short of miraculous! Eventually, Monk discovers that Eels has been cheating all along with the help of his mother (!)...and it is a suddenly humbled and contrite Marty Eels who begs Monk's help when his duplicity puts his mom in harm's way. ~ Hal Erickson, 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)
Marc Forster directs this chilling psychological drama about a young mother trying to come to terms with the loss of her first born. Angie (Radha Mitchell) and her husband Russ (Justin Louis) live a quiet suburban life. At the film's opening, Angie, along with her best friends Judith (Catherine Lloyd Burns) and Barbie (Megan Mullally), who also happen to be pregnant, gleefully discuss morning sickness and baby showers. After her textbook delivery to a healthy boy, the doctor pulls Russ aside and whispers something in his ear. Angie's worst fears are confirmed when she learns that her child suddenly died, a victim of sudden infant death syndrome. In spite of loving support from her husband and friends, Angie quickly spirals into a deep depression and begins developing morbid obsessions, such as going to morgue to examine her baby, visiting the place where her child's toys are buried, and watching children at play in the park. Shot on digital video, the film features an intense emotionally immediacy. This film was screened at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Radha Mitchell, Megan Mullally, (more)
