Will Lyman Movies
As resident Barack Obama's inauguration approached, the United States, and lands from across the globe anticipated the historic moment and basked in hope that Obama could be the one to fix the country's ailing economy, as well as restore faith in the highest office in the land. This episode of Frontline retraces the steps of the 44th president, from his early political days at the Harvard Law Review, to his ascendancy through Chicago politics, and ultimately, his successful campaign to the White House. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 2009
Martin Smith and Marcela Gaviria investigate Bernie Madoff's massive, global Ponzi scheme in this edition, revealing the truth behind the 2009 scandal that rocked the financial world. ~ All Movie Guide
The collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 triggered fears that a Depression-like economic free fall was fast developing. To head it off, then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson helped arrange the Bank of America-Merrill Lynch merger and, a month later, pressured the nation's largest banks to take $125 billion of taxpayers' money. Featuring interviews with Bank of America CEO Kenneth Lewis and former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain, Frontline: Breaking the Bank examines those goings-on through the prism of Bank of American and also explores the consequences of the infusion of public capital into the private sphere. ~ Jeff Gemmill, All Movie Guide
- 2008
Join Frontline producer Ofra Bikel as he travels to Venezuela and casts an illuminating light on the leader who has stirred up controversy by calling George W. Bush a devil and paving the way for a revolution of "21st Century Socialism" in this documentary that inquires as to Hugo Chavez's true agenda on the world stage. Though interviewing former government officials, associates of Chavez, and every day Venezuelans, Bikel offers a comprehensive overview of precisely how the Venezuelan president achieved his position of power, and how he plans to use the powers of the presidency to remain in office. A look at Chavez's weekly televised show "Aló Presidente" reveals how the president's clever use of the media has endeared him to the population of Venezuela while pointing back to the failed 1992 coup that first put him in the media spotlight, despite also earning him a two year prison sentence. Released in 1994, Chavez immediately began laying the groundwork for his eventual rise to the presidency four years later. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Join the world's leading researchers, activists, and leaders as they mark the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosed AIDS cases with an engaging discussion about the devastating effects of the tragic auto-immune disease, and attempt to find out just what can be done to protect mankind from AIDS in the future. It's one of the greatest pandemics ever to befall man, and even in the age of modern medicine science has yet to yield a cure for the socially stigmatizing disease. By speaking with not only the experts, but the patients as well, producers hope to better educate the public about this mysterious disease while simultaneously offering hope that medicine will one day save mankind from the affliction that has claimed millions of lives. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The trusted reporters of popular television news magazine Frontline team with the seasoned veterans at The Oregonian to take a closer look at the meth phenomenon in an enlightening documentary that pays special attention to the conflict between illegal drug trade and its legitimate counterpart, the ephedrine-driven, $3 billion a year cold remedy industry. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Actor-turned-director and producer Griffin Dunne (Practical Magic, Addicted to Love) teams up with scenarist Dirk Wittenborn for the slice-of-life ensemble drama Fierce People. As summer encroaches, 16-year-old Manhattanite Finn Earl (Anton Yelchin) would love nothing more than to trek off to South America and spend the year's sun-drenched months near the equator, embarking on thrilling adventures with his estranged archaeologist father, whom he's never met. Alas, the bonds of family rein in tight when Finn's booze- and coke-addled mother, the masseuse Liz (Diane Lane), cries out for help -- and, in the process, unwittingly gets Finn arrested. In a dramatic attempt to reverse circumstances and sort out the complications in both of their lives, Liz insists on taking custody of Finn for the summer. Both, she insists, will live in the home of one of her former massage clients, the aging billionaire Ogden C. Osborne (Donald Sutherland) -- with whom she may be amorously involved. Though Finn agrees begrudgingly at first, in time he finds the environment welcoming -- as he develops a crush on Ogden's gorgeous granddaughter (Kristen Stewart) and befriends Ogden's grandson. But when an unforeseen and shocking act of violence erupts, it estranges Finn and Liz from their posh surroundings and provides a sobering, harrowing reminder of the socioeconomic differences between the Earls and their new friends. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diane Lane, Donald Sutherland, (more)
- 2005
Rumor has it that this weekly, hour-long ABC series about America's first woman president was conceived in anticipation of Hillary Rodham Clinton's likely 2008 presidential bid. Whatever the case, Geena Davis starred as Mackenzie Allen, the politically unaffiliated vice president of popular conservative chief executive Teddy Bridges (Will Lyman). When Bridges fell mortally ill, his party did everything it could to persuade Mackenzie to step down and allow powerful Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton (Donald Sutherland) to assume the Presidency. But our heroine was not about to place the country in the hands of a vengeful, duplicitous sexist like Templeton, and thus upon Bridges' death she dutifully took charge of the Oval Office -- even though she had never had any burning political ambitions at any time of her life. Working hand in glove with her chief of staff (and also her husband!), Rod Allen (Kyle Secor), Allen's second in command, Jim Gardner (Harry Lennix), and Press Secretary Kelly Ludlow (Ever Carradine), the plucky Mackenzie managed to navigate the treacherous waters of the Potomac -- and along the way, she continually surprised both sides of the political spectrum by relying upon her own judgment, rather than pay homage to party pressure, polls, or political correctness. Also in the cast were Jasmine Anthony as Mackenzie's six-year-old daughter, Amy, and Matt Lanter and Caitlin Wachs as her teenaged twin offspring, Horace and Rebecca. Created by Rod Lurie of The Contender fame, Commander in Chief took the oath of office on September 27, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Geena Davis, Donald Sutherland, (more)
- 2005
Originally created to be part of the Frontline series, Karl Rove -- The Architect looks at the life and career of the man most people believe is responsible for George W. Bush serving eight years as the American President. The film displays how his take-no-prisoners approach to campaign strategy was honed through the years before he used them to full effect during the 2000 and 2004 Presidential races. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Lyman
Ghosts of Rwanda documents the genocide that brought about the slaughter of nearly one million citizens in that country. The film interviews many of the military and political leaders who played a part in the horrific events including such international figures as Madeleine Albright and Kofi Annan. The film concludes with a study of how these events both changed and have not changed the international community's response to similar situations. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2004
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When the bombs start falling and the war machines start rolling, the sheer chaos experienced by military medics can put the stress of even the busiest inner-city emergency room to shame. As the Iraq war rages and the doctors, nurses, and staff of the 10th and 21st CaSH units leap into action, the barrage of chemical and biological attack victims soon gives way to an unexpected influx of patient overflow from devastated Iraqi hospitals. As the constant influx of victims grows increasingly heavy and the medical supplies and manpower stretch to near the breaking point, the staff of the CaSH are forced to make the life or death decisions that could shadow them for the rest of their professional careers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Originally airing on PBS, this episode of NOVA details the events following the mysterious crash of Flight 111 on September 2, 1998. With none of the 229 passengers surviving and no information known about the aircraft's final six minutes available through flight data recorders, investigators were faced with a daunting task in determining what went wrong when the Geneva-bound flight attempted to make an emergency landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and plummeted into the ocean. With the aid of a special vacuum-equipped ship, the pieces of the airplane were recovered from the ocean floor so they could be reassembled and examined. NOVA: Crash of Flight 111 captures the drama as it unfolds. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
