George Newbern Movies

Upon entering its third season, the animated series Justice League serves up quite a few changes in its format. For starters, the titular League, comprised of the Earth's mightiest superheroes, is now under the full control of J'onn J'onnz, aka the Martian Manhunter, with former leaders Superman and Batman taking rather than issuing orders. For another, the League has been given a brand-new headquarters in an orbiting Earth satellite. Finally and most significantly, the series' title has been changed to Justice League Unlimited, reflecting the sudden expansion of the League's membership roster. In addition to old favorites J'onn J'onnz, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, the Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl, the League has welcomed such newcomers as the Green Arrow, Supergirl, and Captain Atom along with a few "stringers" whom J'onn J'onnz occasionally calls upon for backup, utilizing their unique crime-fighting talents to the utmost. Foremost among the big story developments during season three include the reformation of former villain Lex Luthor, an effort by wicked sorcerer Mordred to banish all adults from the Earth (forcing several League members to transform into eight-year-olds!), the arrival of a new superhero team called the Ultimen, the resurrection of Batman's supposedly deceased perennial foe Solomon Grundy, and a time-warp journey to the Old West on one end of the spectrum and to a futuristic Gotham City at the other end. It is, in fact, this last-named adventure, the two-part "The Once and Future Thing," which brings the third season of Justice League (or is it, technically, the first season of Justice League Unlimited?) to a pulse-pounding conclusion. ~ All Movie Guide

Having appeared as "guest stars" and "extra added attractions" in such previous animated series as The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, DC comics' legendary superhero team The Justice League was awarded its own starring series on November 17, 2001, courtesy of Warner Bros. Television Animation and The Cartoon Network. Though its personnel fluctuated throughout its comic-book run, for TV purposes the celebrated League was comprised of such familiar A-list crime fighters included Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, the Flash, and a character that had never previously headlined a cartoon program: J'onn J'onnz, aka the Martian Manhunter. Initially summoned to Batman's orbiting space station to do battle against a battalion of extraterrestrial invaders (spearheaded by a U.S. senator who turned out to be an alien in disguise), the various members of the League, accustomed to working solo, were forced not only to adopt a "team" mentality, but also to put aside their various philosophical differences and personality conflicts -- which sometimes was more difficult than battling villains! For its third season on Cartoon Network, the series' title was changed to Justice League Unlimited, in honor of the many additional DC "specialist" superheroes who freelanced for the organization. The League itself was now under the guidance of The Martian Manhunter, who organized the various and sundry do-gooders into command teams, sending them off to jobs uniquely suited for their individual talents. Several half-hour episodes of both Justice League and Justice League Unlimited have been bundled together thematically for DVD release. ~ All Movie Guide

TNT's first dramatic series, Bull is set in the world of high-powered finance and IPOs. Robert "the Kaiser" Roberts (Donald Moffat) is the head of a business empire, and cannot comprehend why his identically named and ethically minded grandson (George Newbern) wants to break away and start his own firm. Bull's ensemble cast features turns by Stanley Tucci as a dodgy operator, and Ryan O'Neal as the Kaiser's errant son. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) offer to put up Ross (David Schwimmer) until he has enough money for his own place. Pretty soon they realize that they'll have to put up with him as well, and it isn't easy. And Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) begins dating Larry (Gregory Sporleder), a health inspector, causing problems with her friends when Larry begins closing down the gang's favorite gathering places -- with Central Perk next on the list. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this TV sitcom, Cupid (Jeremy Piven) has lost his touch and is banished from Mount Olympus. To reclaim his position there, he must go to Earth and assume the role of mortal Trevor Hale. Once he brings 100 couples together without the benefit of magic, he can return to Olympus. Naturally, this tale gets him institutionalized. In the course of Hale's extensive therapy, his shrink, Dr. Claire Allen (Paula Marshall), remains skeptical of Hale's bizarre Cupid concept, but even so, she invites him into a singles group, an ideal arena for Hale to begin his difficult assignment. Filmed in Vancouver, this series premiered September 26, 1998 on ABC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In this first episode of a two-part story, Tess (Della Reese) pays a visit to the Greene family, the protagonists of the Touched by an Angel spinoff series Promised Land. She informs Joshua Greene (Austin O'Brien) that God has reserved a special purpose for him, specifically act as the "eyes" for the temporarily blinded Monica during her next assignment. Hitching a ride with one Michael Burns (George Newbern), Joshua and Monica end up in a rundown Denver neighborhood, where Michael's grandfather runs an inner-city mall. Here the travellers befriend lunch-counter owner Mary Harding (Esther Rolle) and her grandchildren Calvin (Sean Nelson) and Chanice (Myriah Darden), and also beauty salon proprietor Queenie (Jenifer Lewis). Unfortunately, the neighborhood is rife with tension over a dangerous band of "taggers" who have covered the walls with gang graffiti--and just before the episode ends, tragedy strikes one of the principal characters. Though the concluding half of this story originally aired as an episode of Promised Land, it is currently included in the Touched by an Angel syndication package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lionsgate's money-making franchise is back with this sixth entry in the Saw film series. The editor for all of the previous films, Kevin Greutert, makes his directorial debut with this picture, once again written by Feast writers, Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Frank Whaley, Traci Lords, Gabrielle Anwar, and Dina Meyer star in director James Koya Jones' tale of six childhood friends who band together to confront a lingering secret from the past. A man has died, and now the six friends who knew him best have returned home to pay their final respects. Later, while settling their late friend's estate issues, the group discovers a map leading them to a long-forgotten time capsule that they had all buried many years ago. Upon unearthing the capsule, the six friends find themselves forced to confront a lingering childhood trauma as they begin the painful journey into their crumbling childhood home. Once there, a terrible secret concerning a mysterious dead girl emerges, and the fate of the entire group of forever sealed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This three-part drama, produced for HBO, examines the changing tides of the lives of lesbians in America, both politically and personally, as we eavesdrop on three stories taking place in the same house over a span of five decades. In 1961, the house is home to Edith (Vanessa Redgrave) and Abby (Marian Seldes), an elderly lesbian couple whose lifestyle is not accepted or acknowledged by their families. When Abby suffers a serious stroke and is on the verge of death, her family rallies to her side, but not understanding the nature of her relationship with Edith, she is not included as her loved ones say their final good-byes. After Abby's death, her nephew (Paul Giamatti) and his wife (Elizabeth Perkins) arrive from out of state with plans to sell the house, without consulting Edith. In 1972, the house is now home to four college students, Michelle (Amy Carlson), Linda (Michelle Williams), Karen (Nia Long), and Jeanne (Natasha Lyonne), all of whom are actively involved in the women's movement and also happen to be lesbians. The four find themselves at odds with the campus women's group when they try to promote an all-women's dance, while the other members of the group feel that feminism, not lesbianism, should be the focus of the group. Similarly, Linda faces hostility from her friends when she becomes involved with Amy (Chloe Sevigny), a very butch townie; Linda's friends see Amy's masculine attire and attitude as a form of self-loathing against being a woman, and while Linda cares deeply for Amy, she's not always comfortable with her and isn't sure that she wants to be public with their relationship. In 2000, Fran (Sharon Stone) and Kal (Ellen DeGeneres), a happy and firmly committed couple, are sharing the house, and after much discussion, they decide that they want to take their relationship to the next level and have a baby. However, deciding that they want a child and dealing with the practicalities of getting pregnant are two different things; Fran and Kal first debate about going to a sperm bank as opposed to asking one of their male friends to help out, and later, either going to a doctor to perform the procedure or trying it at home. DeGeneres' significant other, Anne Heche, wrote and directed the final segment; the 1972 story was directed by Martha Coolidge, and the 1961 episode was directed by Jane Anderson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This confusing but enjoyably weird film stars Drew Barrymore (still toying with her good girl/bad girl image) as Holly Gooding, a young woman who apparently stabs her mother to death in New York then shows up on the doorstep of young L.A. screenwriter Patrick (George Newbern), in response to his ad for a prospective roommate. Despite his attraction to her, Patrick is increasingly bewildered by the appearance of Holly's apparent double, whose existence she neither confirms nor denies. At the same time, Holly is tormented by recurring visions of her mother's death and the persistent snooping of an FBI agent. When Patrick becomes convinced that Holly is being pursued by her own evil twin, he learns from ex-nun and phone-sex operator Sister Jan (Sally Kellerman) that the deadly double is Holly's "doppleganger," a supernatural creature which haunts a human being after assuming that person's shape. One plot twist follows another before unraveling completely in a ridiculously contrived double-surprise climax. This film does boast good performances and manages to avoid most standard low-budget horror conventions -- that is, until the last five minutes, wherein its cleverness is derailed by plot holes large enough to fly a zeppelin through. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide