Jonah Lotan Movies
The threat to the United States in Season 5's white-knuckle day is Russian separatists armed with weaponized nerve gas and led by Vladimir Bierko (Julian Sands). Inciting their ire is an arms and mutual defense treaty that Russian president Yuri Suvarov (Nick Jameson) plans on signing with the U.S. and duplicitous president Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin). As Day 5 begins, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), who faked his own demise at the close of last season, is working at an oil refinery in California under the name Frank Flynn. He returns from his self-imposed exile to fight the good fight after an assassination rocks the nation and he finds himself framed for it and several other crimes. Jack is also reunited with former love interest Audrey Raines (Kim Raver), but tumult continues to follow them. Meanwhile at CTU, there's a new man brought in to oversee operations, Lynn McGill (Sean Astin), and once again, there's a mole in the ranks. A significant subplot centers on Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller), Jack's mentor-turned-nemesis who has information that can help Jack thwart the Russians. Another thread follows First Lady Martha Logan (Jean Smart), who grows increasingly disdainful of her husband's actions in office. ~ Fred Mitchell, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland
A troubled war veteran tries to unlock his memories of a terrible crime in this stylish thriller, the first American project for British filmmaker John Maybury. In 1991, Jack Starks (Adrien Brody) was an American soldier serving in the Persian Gulf when he was shot in the head; pronounced dead by a field surgeon, Starks somehow returned to life, though with no small number of psychological problems to show for his troubles. A year later, Starks is walking through the snowy Vermont wilderness when he discovers a woman whose truck has broken down, Jean (Kelly Lynch). Starks tries to help Jean and her young daughter, and later flags down a car for a ride into town; however, the car is being driven by a criminal on the run from the police (Brad Renfro), and not long after the car is cornered by police, Starks' memory goes blank. When he comes to, Jack is accused of killing a patrolman in the violent standoff that followed, and is told the woman, her daughter, and the criminal existed only in his imagination. Declared insane in his murder trial, Starks is sentenced to a mental institution run by Dr. Becker (Kris Kristofferson), who seems to believe that the more brutal the treatment, the better. As Starks suffers frequent beatings and long spells in a frozen locker, his mind drifts from his harrowing past into the future, where he visits with Jackie (Keira Knightley), who once was the young girl Starks tried to help. The Jacket also features Jennifer Jason Leigh as Dr. Lorenson, a compassionate doctor who tries to help Starks and his fellow patients. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, (more)
When a beautiful young slave girl learns that her people are about to fall victim to a horrible act of genocide, she will be forced to choose between realizing her wildest dreams or stepping into the pages of history to embrace her destiny in an epic tale of one young girl who rises from peasant to princess to claim the heart of a king. Esther was born an exquisite beauty, but her people have been enslaved by the most powerful kingdom on the planet and her parents executed before she ever had a chance to truly know them. Subsequently taken in by her kindly uncle, a royal scribe, Esther is soon spirited away to the royal palace to take her place in the king's harem. Trouble is stirring in this ancient land, however, and when the queen, Vashti, is banished by the unknowing king, palace princes scramble for a position of power the desperate king determined to live up to, and ultimately avenge the battles waged by his father long ago. Now, as the wheels of destruction are slowly set into motion, a malevolent prime minister who has fallen into favor with the king soon begins to wield a frightening amount of power by calling for the death of Esther's people. With time running out for her entire race, Esther must face her fears and be willing to lay down her life if she is to ever fully realize the plan that God has laid out for her. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tiffany DuPont, Luke Goss, (more)
