Brian Markinson Movies
"Houston, we have a problem." Those words were immortalized during the tense days of the Apollo 13 lunar mission crisis, and the suspense, fear, and excitement of those days are captured in Ron Howard's epic recreation of the 1970 crisis. When the commander of the original mission Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), bows out due to possible exposure to measles, astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) leads command module pilot Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) and lunar module driver Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) on what is slated as NASA's third lunar landing mission. All goes smoothly until the craft is halfway through its mission, when an exploding oxygen tank threatens the crew's oxygen and power supplies. As the courageous astronauts face the dilemma of either suffocating or freezing to death, Mattingly and Mission Control leader Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) struggle to find a way to bring the crew back home, all the while knowing that the spacemen face probable death once the battered ship reenters the Earth's atmosphere. Even though the outcome, in which all three astronauts miraculously survived, is historical fact, the film derives suspense from the situation itself and from the actions of the heroic astronauts and the men on the ground. Howard's taut direction, a solid ensemble of players, and eye-opening special effects all add to the overall impact of the film, which has been hailed as one of Hollywood's best historical dramas. In 2002, the movie was released in IMAX theaters as Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience, with a pared-down running time of 116 minutes in order to meet the technical requirements of the large-screen format. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, (more)
A holiday comedy with dark overtones, Mixed Nuts presents a supposedly humorous look at the behind-the-scenes events at a crisis hotline on Christmas Eve. Philip (Steve Martin) runs Lifesavers, a Venice, California organization dedicated to helping the depressed and troubled. Unfortunately, Philip is a bit down himself, having learned that Lifesavers is on the verge of eviction. His staff isn't feeling particularly helpful either, with Mrs. Munchnik (Madeline Kahn) giving gruff, often insulting advice, and Catherine (Rita Wilson) obsessing over her own unspoken love for Philip. As the holiday approaches, various weirdoes of all shapes and sizes -- from to a pregnant clothing store owner (Juliette Lewis) to a disenchanted Santa Claus (Anthony LaPaglia) -- begin dropping in, throwing the already strained office into utter chaos. Director Nora Ephron followed her smash success Sleepless in Seattle with this remake of the cult 1982 French comedy Le Père Noël est une Ordure, co-authoring the script with her sister Delia Ephron. However, Mixed Nuts met with little box office or critical approval, with most viewers finding the film's manic farce disappointingly forced and abrasive. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, (more)
Jack Nicholson becomes a werewolf in this bizarre comedy-horror film directed by Mike Nichols. Nicholson plays Will Randall, a book editor with a testosterone deficit who has just been sacked at his publishing firm by a new boss, Raymond Alden (Christopher Plummer). A colleague, Stewart Swinton (James Spader), whom Randall thought was his friend, betrays him. Randall's personality changes after he hits a wolf with his car and gets bitten by the creature. He immediately feels more powerful, has heightened hearing and vision, and sets about to right the wrongs in his life. He visits Alden at the publisher's mansion to protest his dismissal, and he is asked to leave -- but Alden's daughter Laura (Michelle Pfeiffer) asks him to stay for lunch. Laura loves to defy her father. Will tells her about the wolf bite, and she becomes attracted to him. But because werewolves usually kill the ones they love, Laura is in danger. Will reasserts his place in the publishing world, supported by his loyal secretary Mary (Eileen Atkins), and his relationship with Laura deepens. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
- 1994
Though by now accustomed to interference from the various members of his family tree, Worf is nonetheless unprepared for the problems wrought by his foster brother Nikolai (Paul Sorvino). In order to save the doomed Boralaan race, Nikolai defiantly violates the Prime Directive. Will Worf join forces with Nikolai, or will he remain loyal to the Federation? First broadcast January 22, 1994, "Homeward" was scripted by Naren Shankar, from a story by Spike Steingasser. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
- R
This action thriller tells the story of Jonah, a daring cop with a hair trigger finger who finds himself suspended by Internal Affairs after he shoots a psycho-killer. His girlfriend Lisa is also in trouble as she tries to deal with the constant harassment of her boss, a dishonest city councilman. When her boss accepts a bribe for $3 million from the mob, Lisa decides to get her revenge and steal it. Jonah readily agrees to assist in the heist. Also involved is Dr. Chandler, a man with a genius for electronics. Problems ensue when Lisa finds herself attracted to Chandler. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Roberts, Michael Rooker, (more)
- 1994
- PG13
Like the feature film Network (1976), this made-for-television drama scathingly satirizes an amoral, avaricious media. The story is set in 1999, a time the pay-per-view television industry is in a tailspin. It seems with over 500 available channels, audiences have become jaded with movies and sports. Enter up-and-coming executive Jessica Traynor (Sean Young) a member of the Tycom network team. It is her brilliant idea that her company can attract new customers by offering them a chance to witness a real execution on live television. Once her company approves and she untangles all the government red-tape, Jessica is left with the task of choosing an appropriately photogenic and charismatic death-row inmate. Trouble brews when Jessica begins suspecting that the man she selected may be innocent. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Young, Tim Daly, (more)
- 1994
When a gang leader murders the partner and friend of a police detective, the cop vows to get revenge, but as his quest for justice continues, it is at times unclear which is the hunter and which is the hunted. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Stockwell, Michael Gross, (more)
- 1993
The seven-year-old daughter (Madeline Zima) of prominent Broadway producer Gary Silver (Barry Primus) is kidnapped. As it turns out, the girl's abductor is her own natural mother. But things get even more complex -- and more unsavory -- when charges of sexual molestation enter the picture, leading to the requisite Law & Order surprise ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Developed by Tina Sinatra and approved by Frank himself, Sinatra is a made-for-television mini-series following the life and times of Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular and acclaimed singers of the 20th century. Opening with his childhood in Hoboken, New Jersey, the film follows Sinatra's (Philip Casnoff) rise to the top in the '40s, through the dark days of the early '50s and his triumphant re-emergence in the mid-'50s, to his status as pop culture icon in the '60s, '70s and '80s. In between, the film hits all of the main events, including his three marriages, his connections with the Mafia and his notorious friendship with the Rat Pack. Even with the presence of Tina Sinatra as executive producer, Sinatra doesn't gloss over the more unsavory portions of Frank's life, which makes it all the more impressive. With the exception of a couple of early songs, all the music in the movie is taken from the original Sinatra recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
A raging ex-wife exacts revenge on her former husband in this made-for-television drama. Based on a true story, Meredith Baxter stars as Betty Broderick, the well-to-do ex-wife of Dan Broderick (Steven Collins). Furious at Dan for divorcing her and attempting to get on with his life, the insanely jealous Betty instigates some nasty encounters that culminate with murder. Baxter gives an all-out, over-the-top performance as the crazed ex-wife. This installment was followed by another TV-movie entry, Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, The Final Chapter. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meredith Baxter, Stephen Collins, (more)
- 1992
Maniacal Dennis Hopper plays a high-strung L.A. homicide detective who embarks upon a vengeful hunt for the drug pushers who brutally murdered his partners. His investigation soon reveals that the dealers' influence extends to the highest echelons of city government. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A doctor finds out the hard way that there's more to medicine than skill in the operating theater in this emotional drama. Jack McKee (William Hurt) is a gifted but arrogant surgeon who cares little about the emotional welfare of his patients and is little more than a benign stranger to his wife Anne (Christine Lahti) and his son Nicky (Charlie Korsmo). Jack has been suffering from a nagging cough for some time, and when he begins coughing up blood one morning, he finally allows another doctor to take a look at him. The doctor discovers that Jack has a malignant tumor in his throat that could rob him of the ability to speak, or even kill him. Suddenly, Jack is a patient instead of a doctor, and he learns first hand about the long stretches in the waiting room, the indignity of filling out pointless forms, and the callous attitude of the professional medical community. Jack also gets to know June (Elizabeth Perkins), a terminal cancer patient whose joyous embrace of life as her time draws to a close is an inspiration to him. Restored to health, Jack is determined to be a more caring healer and strives to be a better husband and father, but his new lease on life also earns him an enemy in fellow surgeon Murray (Mandy Patinkin), who wants Jack to lie under oath for him in a major malpractice case; and a new respect for Eli (Alan Arkin), an ear-nose-throat man he used to ridicule for his empathetic treatment of his patients. The Doctor was based on the memoir of real-life surgeon Ed Rosenbaum, entitled "A Taste of My Own Medicine." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Hurt, Christine Lahti, (more)
- 1991
After ten years as "FYI"'s perennial runner-up, Frank (Joe Regalbuto) finally wins the coveted Humboldt Award. The honor causes his chest to swell with pride--right along with his ego, which expands to impossible proportions. Before long, Frank is summarily rejecting news assignments that are "not Humboldt material", and is shamelessly hawking his own franchised action figure! Meanwhile, Murphy becomes touchier than usual over comments about her pregnancy weight gain. CBS newsman Harry Smith appears as himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
