Marc Macaulay Movies
Marc Macaulay is an actor who's just got one of those faces -- you know you've seen it somewhere before but you just can't seem to put your finger on it. Of course, one glance at the screen veteran's credit list and movie fanatics will instantly realize that they have indeed seen Macaulay numerous times on screens both large and small, it's just that he has a way of immersing himself in the role so effectively that it's difficult to distinguish which performance stood out the most.It was during his junior year of college that the aspiring commercial illustrator accepted a dare to audition for an upcoming play, yet while the friend who issued that challenge was well on his way to becoming a professional actor, Macaulay himself had never even considered a career in the performing arts. When the cast list was posted and Macaulay discovered that he had landed one of the lead roles, however, the course of his entire life would suddenly be altered by the decision of one single casting director. After receiving a scholarship for acting and graduating with a BFA in theater, Macaulay relocated to Jupiter, FL, in order to attend the Burt Reynolds Institute of Theatre Training. While a move to New York seemed only natural for Macaulay upon finishing his training in Florida, acting gigs in the Big Apple were few and far between. After racking up a few film credits and continuing his studies at H.B. Studios, Macaulay eventually returned to the Sunshine State to audition for a new series called Miami Vice (1984).
Over the course of the following decade, Macaulay was swept up in a whirlwind of supporting roles. From short-lived series like B.L. Stryker and Wiseguy to major motion pictures such as Edward Scissorhands, Passenger 57, Contact, and The Truman Show, the workman-like actor could always be counted on to deliver a convincing, well-mannered performance. While frequent roles in such shows as Matlock, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Nash Bridges provided a bit of stability in a notoriously volatile industry, the increasingly busy actor largely earned his keep by continually leaping from the big screen to the small -- all the while displaying impressive footing on both. By the year 2000, casting directors were finally wising up to the true talent at their disposal, and Macaulay was landing consistent work in feature films. Never tied to just one genre, Macaulay turned in impressive performances in films as diverse as From Justin to Kelly, Monster, Transporter 2, and The Hawk Is Dying (opposite Academy Award-nominee Paul Giamatti). A minor role in the 2006 feature film Miami Vice served well to bring Macaulay's career full circle.
In 2006, Macaulay could be seen in a recurring role on the popular Fox drama Prison Break, with subsequent parts in the feature films Premonition and Walking Tall 2 preceding yet another small-screen recurring role in the weekly USA Network thriller Burn Notice in 2007. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands opens as an eccentric inventor (Vincent Price) lovingly assembles a synthetic youth named Edward (Johnny Depp). Edward has all the essential ingredients for today's standard body, with the exception of a pair of hands. For what is initially thought to be a temporary period, he is fitted with long, scissor-like extremities that, while able to trim a mean hedge, are hardly conducive to day-to-day life. When the kindly inventor dies, however, Edward is left lonely and cursed with some very heavy metal for hands. He is eventually taken in by Peg Boggs (Dianne Weist), an Avon lady who takes pity on him after seeing his bleak existence. Edward, in spite of his inherent ability to slay anyone he comes across, is a gentle soul whose only wish is to be loved. His impromptu family has, at best, a limited understanding of Edward, but he finds himself drawn to Peg's weary but sympathetic daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder), who is dating Jim (Anthony Michael Hall), the neighborhood bully. Meanwhile, Edward finds himself a local celebrity after the town realizes that his talents include creative hedge trimming and an unrivaled ability to cut hair. His so-called friends are proven fair-weather when Edward is accused of a crime, after which his only supporters are Peg and Kim. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, (more)
- 1990
In Miami, Ray Sharkey plays a recovering alcoholic-ex-cop/ex-con and possibly a soon-to-be-ex-husband. Upon release from the pen, he tries to go straight, but is confronted once again by the very thing that landed him inside: a Cuban drug cartel. This thriller was made for cable. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1990
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Based on Doug Magee's novel Slow Coming Dark, the made-for-cable Somebody Has to Shoot the Picture is about a photojournalist (Roy Scheider) who is hired by a man (Arliss Howard) convicted of killing a policeman to photograph his execution. As the execution grows nearer, the photographer uncovers evidence that suggests the convicted man is actually innocent, and he tries to save him before it's too late. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In White Lie, a drama based on Samuel Charters' novel Louisiana Black, Gregory Hines plays Len Madison Jr., a New York-based mayoral press secretary who learns that his father was lynched in the South three decades earlier. Madison returns to the South, where he is intent on learning the truth about his father's death. Along the way, he is helped by a doctor (Annette O'Toole), the daughter of the white woman whom Madison's father allegedly raped and killed. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Hines, Annette O'Toole, (more)
When a top secret naval mission leads to the torpedoing of the U.S.S. Indianapolis at the end of WWII, it began one of the most scandalous court-martials in the history of the military. For five days the surviving crew members were left in the shark-infested waters, with only half of them surviving to be rescued. Their well-respected Captain accepted the responsibility to keep the scandal to a minimum but his court-martial only served to show that justice is not always found in military proceedings but rather mere expediency. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- PG
John Goodman's full-throttle performance as a William Castle-inspired schlockmeister propels Joe Dante's delightful and charming comedy Matinee. The film takes place during the fall 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a time when America's innocence began to crumble. Goodman plays film producer Lawrence Woolsey, who is in Key West to premiere his latest horror epic, "Mant," the story of a man who turns into a giant insect ("Half Man! ... Half Ant! ... All Terror!"). He's busy rigging the local movie theater with all manner of gimmicks, such as Atomo-Vision and Rumble-Rama, and stationing a buxom nurse -- played by Woolsey's girlfriend and leading lady Ruth (Cathy Moriarty) -- in the lobby to assist potential heart attack victims. Amidst all the hubbub, a quartet of local teenagers gear up for the big premiere: Gene (Simon Fenton), a Navy brat whose father is on alert for the duration of the crisis; Stan (Omri Katz), Gene's friend who has a furious crush on Sherry (Kellie Martin); and Sandra (Lisa Jakub), the daughter of two beatnik free-thinkers. As the premiere of "Mant" gets closer and Soviet-U.S. tensions increase, the four teenagers' problems and desires also mount to the boiling point. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Goodman, Cathy Moriarty, (more)
This fast-paced action picture plays like Die Hard (1988) on an airplane. Grieving over the death of his wife at the hands of an armed robber and blaming himself for her death, anti-terrorism expert John Cutter (Wesley Snipes) is retiring from his dangerous job. The flight he's on is occupied by a coterie of FBI agents escorting the lethal terrorist Charles Rane (Bruce Payne), but as the aircraft is taking off, Rane's associates, who have also boarded the plane, take the vehicle by force and free their leader. With the aid of a sheriff on the ground, a pair of stewardesses (Alex Datcher and Elizlabeth Hurley) and his old friend, airport manager Sly Delvecchio (Tom Sizemore), Cutter puts his special training and martial arts skills to good use combating the kidnappers. The clever, dapper Rane has several surprises in store for his nemesis, however, including killing a hostage and an ally who's only pretending to be on Cutter's side. His options becoming increasingly limited, Cutter devises a dangerous plan that involves dumping the airplane's precious fuel reserves. Director Kevin Hooks cast his father, actor Robert Hooks in the role of federal agent Dwight Henderson. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Bruce Payne, (more)
- 1992
Carolina Skeletons is based on a prize-winning novel by David Stout. Louis Gossett Jr. plays a former Green Beret colonel who returns to his home town after thirty years. As a child, Gossett was forced to look on in horror as his brother was tried and executed on a trumped-up murder charge. Now that he's back, Gossett seeks out new evidence, intending to bring the real killer to justice. Unfortunatel, there are several people in town who'd prefer that the past remained buried-and aren't averse to burying Gossett should the need arise. Made for television, Carolina Skeletons debuted September 30, 1991. An R-rated version was later prepared for cable TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Kim Basinger plays a burglar ex-con who's just been released from a 10-year stint and intends to go straight, when a big-time Atlanta crime boss kidnaps her six-year-old son and forces her to pull one last heist. She concocts an elaborate bank job but goes one step further and outwits both the bank and the mobster. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Basinger, Val Kilmer, (more)
- 1993
Melissa Gilbert-Boxleitner and Mel Harris star as two female police officers fighting the police force in this made-for-TV movie about sexual harassment in the workplace. After Miranda Berkley (Harris) breaks up with her boyfriend/superior officer, she and her partner find themselves on-the-job without any support from fellow officers. They lodge a formal complaint against their superiors and are then forced to suffer the consequences from their angry male colleagues. Based on a true story, this made-for-TV movie debuted on May 11, 1993. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Harris, Melissa Gilbert, (more)
When an eight-year-old black youth (Norman D. Golden II) witnesses a mob hit, he orders the police to make him a cop for a day before he will help identify the killer. Detective Nick McKenna (Burt Reynolds) is the unfortunate assigned to the case. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Norman D. Golden II, (more)
- 1993
Based on Stuart Kaminsky's novel Exercise in Terror, Hidden Fears is about a widow (Meg Foster) who is haunted by memories of her husband's murder. Several years after his death, she approaches the police with new evidence about her husband's death. Unfortunately the perpetrators discover that the case is re-opened, and they set out to kill the eyewitnesses and the widow herself. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
The baseball-movie cycle of 1992-93 was one of the inspirations for the made-for-TV The Man From Left Field. Looking more like a member of the Manson Family than a Hollywood sex symbol, Burt Reynolds (who also directed) plays Jack, a derelict amnesiac who shambles onto a Florida sandlot and collapses. He is discovered by a ragtag group of kids who'd like to form a baseball team but who have no self-confidence...and no coach. When it transpires that Jack is an ace ballplayer, he is pressed into service, and in so doing unlocks the door to his cloudy past. Reba McEntire plays one of the team mothers, who -- but of course! -- falls in love with Jack. The Man From Left Field first aired October 15, 1993, just in time for the World Series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Reba McEntire, (more)
- 1994
- R
In this quirky drama a trio involved in a self-contained world revolving around a remote tollbooth in the Florida Keys. Jack, an aspiring policeman, works in the tollbooth. There he dreams of his new career and of starting a new life in Miami with his high school sweetie Doris. She works at the Gator Gas fuel depot down the road. She daydreams about her estranged father Leon and takes care of her mother Lillian who suffers from chronic depression. When not caring for her mom, Doris sees Dash, a bait salesman. Leon suddenly returns. A new toll collector, Vic, comes to the booth. He is a suspicious character and soon the state police are carefully watching him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fairuza Balk, Lenny Von Dohlen, (more)
This over-the-top star vehicle for box office draws Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone went through a series of directors before landing in the hands of Luis Llosa. Stallone stars as Ray Quick, a former CIA bomb expert now retired in Miami after an operation against a South American drug lord went horribly wrong, resulting in the death of a child. Ray is coaxed out of retirement by May Munro (Stone) to help her get revenge on the powerful organized crime family -- headed up by Joe Leon (Rod Steiger) and his son Tomas (Eric Roberts) -- that killed her parents years before. In the meantime, Ray's former partner Ned Trent (James Woods) is on the Leon family payroll and is seeking his own kind of revenge on Ray. As Ray executes Leon's soldiers one by one, his attraction to May boils over into a steamy encounter in the shower, a prelude to an explosive finale. Although director Llosa wisely kept his camera focused on his buff, semi-clad stars and the film's spectacular effects, the somewhat silly and incoherent plot resulted in a poor box office performance for The Specialist, the third disappointment in a row for Stone. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, (more)
China Moon is a slick noir thriller, nice to look at, well-acted and directed, but ultimately predictable, even to its "surprise" ending. Kyle Bodine (Ed Harris) falls in love with Rachel Munro (Madeleine Stowe), the unhappily married wife of a drunken Southern aristocrat Rupert (Charles Dance). One night, tired of his beatings and abuse, Rachel kills Rupert, apparently in self-defense. Kyle helps her cover-up the crime and establish an alibi. However, Kyle's young partner Lamar (Benecio Del Toro) suspects Rachel of the murder and begins an investigation. In fairly predictable plot twists reminiscent of the far superior Body Heat Kyle finds his life falling apart. While the plot is contrived, the performances are convincing, particularly that of Madeline Stowe as the treacherous Rachel. Ed Harris gives the character of Kyle depth and complexity. Cinematographer-turned-director John Bailey gives the film a great, dark, rain-slicked noir look and feel and lingers on details which take an otherwise predictable mystery/thriller and make it seem like a game of wits. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe, (more)
Supermodel and sex symbol Cindy Crawford made her acting debut in this high-decibel thriller. Kate McQuean (Crawford) is a lawyer who -- in the course of a divorce proceeding -- attempts to seize a 157-foot freighter docked off the Florida coast in lieu of unpaid alimony. It turns out that the freighter is the current base of operations of Kazak (Steven Berkoff), a former KGB agent who has become an international money laundering expert and leader of a crack terrorist team. As one might imagine, Kazak is not especially happy about possible eviction, and soon Kate has a hefty price on her head. Kate, however, doesn't know the nature of Kazak's business and isn't sure why someone is trying to kill her. Loose cannon police detective Max Kilpatric (William Baldwin) is assigned to protect Kate, and romance begins to bloom as they dodge a remarkable number of bullets and explosions. Fair Game was originally slated to star Sylvester Stallone alongside Crawford (the film's location was moved to Florida at his request); when he dropped out, Crawford found herself co-starring with Baldwin, another model-turned-thespian. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cindy Crawford, William Baldwin, (more)
Former video director Michael Bay had his first big hit with this action comedy, which also returned producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson to the big-budget, high-violence movies that they successfully churned out in the '80s. Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are two Miami cops who watch as 100 million dollars in heroin, from the biggest drug bust of their careers, is stolen out of the basement of police headquarters. This puts them hot on the trail of French drug lord Fouchet (Tchéky Karyo), who leaves a trail of bodies in his wake and only one witness, Julie Mott (Téa Leoni), who quickly teams up with our heroes. Comic hijinks ensue when plot complications force Mike to impersonate the married Marcus, to the point of moving in with his wife and children, while Marcus takes over Mike's bachelor pad and lifestyle. Car chases, snappy one-liners, and nonstop pacing fuel this umpteenth variation on the cop "buddy" formula. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, (more)
Old and new loves are turned upside down through a complex case of mistaken identities in this romantic comedy-drama. In 1980, Juan Raul Perez (Alfred Molina) is released from a Cuban prison after spending 20 years behind bars and is allowed to join a mass emigration to the U.S. While Juan was incarcerated, his wife Carmela Perez (Anjelica Huston) escaped to Florida with their daughter, and Juan lives for the day when they can be reunited. En route to Miami, Juan meets Dottie Perez (Marisa Tomei), a fiery young woman who wants to leave behind her career as a prostitute. Juan and Carmela miss finding each other when his boat reaches Miami, and immigration personnel mistakenly assume that Juan and Dottie Perez are husband and wife; when they learn that families tend to find American sponsors much faster than individuals, they play along with the mistake, even convincing other Perezes to pose as their child and grandfather. Juan discovers that trying to renew an old relationship isn't easy as one tries to start a new life, especially since Carmela has attracted the attentions of police lieutenant John Pirelli (Chazz Palminteri). Cuban jazz legend Arturo Sandoval contributed to the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina, (more)
- 1996
- R
Jack Nicholson reunited with director Bob Rafelson, director of Five Easy Pieces and The King Of Marvin Gardens, for this violent, downbeat crime drama. Alex (Jack Nicholson) is a wine dealer whose business is going belly-up, along with his life. His step-son Jason (Stephen Dorff) hates him, his wife Suzanne (Judy Davis) has a drinking problem and is the constant target of Alex's abuse, and Alex is having an affair with Gabriella (Jennifer Lopez), a domestic worker from Cuba. One of the people that Gabriella cleans for has a diamond necklace worth several million dollars locked in a safe in a bedroom. Desperate for a quick score to get himself out of debt, Alex sees a opportunity for a lot of fast money and hooks up with Victor (Michael Caine), a career criminal who knows how to open safes but is desperately ill with tuberculosis. Nicholson and Rafelson first worked together on the film Head, starring The Monkees (Nicholson only had a bit part, but he also wrote the screenplay and was credited with producing the soundtrack album). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Stephen Dorff, (more)
A story about a career television journalist who eclipses her mentor, this drama's plot resembles that of A Star Is Born, and it shares the same screenwriters as those who penned the 1976 version of that film, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion. It's based loosely on the real-life story of newscaster Jessica Savitch. Sally Atwater (Michelle Pfieffer) gets a job at a Miami TV station based on a demo tape from her hometown of Reno, Nevada. The station's news director is Warren Justice (Robert Redford), a former high-profile Washington newsman whose career has suffered from his insistence on integrity. He makes Sally his gofer and criticizes her clothes and appearance while she begs him for a chance to go on-air. She becomes the station's weathercaster and Warren gives her the stage name of Tally. With Warren's constant advice, she breaks into news reporting and her star rises quickly as the two become romantically involved. She takes a better job in Philadelphia, with Warren's blessing, and there she soon eclipses the anchorwoman Marcia McGrath (Stockard Channing). From there, Tally's career continues to flourish, while her relationship with Warren takes some strange twists and turns. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Redford, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
Stephen Herek directed this comedy-drama in which soul-less exec Ricky Hayman (Jeff Goldblum), programmer for the failing Good Buy Shopping Network, is dismayed by a request to increase sales in two weeks. Bald do-gooder guru G. (Eddie Murphy) assists when Ricky and marketing director Kate (Kelly Preston) get a freeway flat. When G. passes out, tests indicate a heart murmur and heat prostration, so the robed prophet becomes Ricky's house guest. At a party, G. uses hypnosis and psychology to rid guest Nino Cerruti (portraying himself) of his flying fears. Ricky witnesses this and gets the notion to put G. on the air. Unfortunately, G. ignores both cue cards and on-sale products, prompting station owner McBainbridge (Robert Loggia) to calculate Ricky's severance pay. He's back on the job when both sales and ratings soar. The situation eventually causes Ricky to reexamine how his own values became lost in the labyrinth of corporate consumerism. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, (more)
This thriller takes place in Blue Bay, Florida, where social-climbing guidance counselor Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) is indifferent to teen-socialite Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards), who retaliates by accusing him of rape, an accusation that leads to his suspension by the school and a rejection from the country club. He can't afford a big attorney, so he hires shrewd Ken Bowden (Bill Murray), while Kelly's mom, Sandra Van Ryan (Theresa Russell), Sam's former lover, gets a platoon of top lawyers. Trailer-trash Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell) backs up Kelly's claim and additional plot twists and turns develop. The seldom-seen Carrie Snodgrass (Diary of a Mad Housewife) has a supporting role in this film. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, (more)
- 1999
In a departure from the usual ER format, a financially strapped Benton (Eriq La Salle) accepts a temporary assignment at a small clinic in Minnesota -- but a last-minute scheduling change finds him showing up at an even smaller hospital in rural Mississippi. Almost immediately clashing with the no-nonsense nurse in charge, Benton goes on to confront a myriad of challenges, most of them related to racism, ignorance, and lack of facilities. When all is said and done, Benton's big-city methods come in handy so far as saving lives is concerned -- but he is obliged to adopt a more benign bedside manner in order to get through to his new patients. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
