DCSIMG
 
 

Gary Reineke Movies

2002  
R  
Add Spider to Queue Add Spider to top of Queue  
Ralph Fiennes plays a grown man haunted by his childhood in David Cronenberg's stylized psychological drama Spider. Upon his release from a mental institution, Spider (Fiennes) takes up residence in a halfway house. Paranoid, quiet, and forever making notes, Spider spends much of the film remembering scenes from his youth, specifically a horrific event from his childhood that occurred after he came to believe that his father (Gabriel Byrne) was having an affair on his mother (Miranda Richardson). The psychological terror builds to a climax that challenges how much the viewer can believe Spider's recollections of the event. Bradley Hall plays Spider as a boy, and Richardson portrays many different women who come into contact with Spider. Spider was screened in competition at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Ralph FiennesMiranda Richardson, (more)
 
2000  
 
Nero Wolfe (Maury Chaykin) is the world's greatest detective, and like any genius, he has his share of idiosyncrasies -- he loves orchids with an unnatural passion, he weighs a seventh of a ton, and--oh yeah--he never leaves his New York brownstone. Instead, he is aided by an army of foot soldiers headed by Archie Goodwin (Timothy Hutton). The film opens when Pete, a young windshield washer, is begged by a woman to call the police. She is then ushered into a car and whisked away. Thinking that she has been kidnapped, Pete gives Nero the scoop in exchange for half the reward money. When Pete later turns up dead, Nero kicks his investigation into high gear. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Timothy HuttonMaury Chaykin, (more)
 
1998  
 
Made for television, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is adapted from the suspense novel by John Godey, previously filmed as a theatrical feature in 1974. The earlier version was highlighted by the verbal cat-and-mouse game between a cynical veteran NYPD detective, played by Walter Matthau, and a world-weary master criminal, played by Robert Shaw. The remake offers two detectives, Piscotti (Edward James Olmos and Ray (Lorraine Bracco), who match wits with a man calling himself Mr. Blue (Vincent D'Onofrio), who has masterminded the hijacking of a New York subway car. As his cohorts hold the 14 passengers hostage, Mr. Blue demands a $5 million ransom, to be delivered in one hour, or else the captives will be killed one by one. Though the dark humor which pervaded the 1974 version is largely absent here, the remake pulls off the neat trick of being highly suspenseful and subtle and low-key at the same time. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three debuted February 1, 1998, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Edward James Olmos
 
1998  
 
Add My Father's Shadow: The Sam Sheppard Story to Queue Add My Father's Shadow: The Sam Sheppard Story to top of Queue  
One of the most sensational crime stories of the 1950s was the murder trial of Cleveland doctor Sam Sheppard, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife. Though he protested his innocence and insisted that he'd seen a "curly-haired man" leaving his house on the night of the crime, Sheppard was condemned in the court of public opinion long before the judge handed out his sentence. (This true story served as the basis for the long-running TV series The Fugitive.) Years later, Sheppard was released from prison after it was determined that he hadn't had a fair trial, but his name was never officially cleared. Forty years after the death of his mother, Sheppard's son Sam Reese made it his mission in life to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that his father was innocent. In this TV movie adaptation of the younger Sheppard's autobiographical book, Peter Strauss is seen as Dr. Sam Sheppard, and Henry Czerny as Sam Reese. My Father's Shadow: The Sam Sheppard Story made its CBS network bow on November 17, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Peter StraussHenry Czerny, (more)
 
1995  
 
Fraser (Paul Gross) and Ray (David Marciano) appear in Federal court to testify against Randal Bolt (Kenneth Welsh), the terrorist leader who attempted to hijack a trainload of singing mounties in the previous episode "All the Queen's Horses." Unfortunately for the two lawmen, the courtroom is invaded by Ray's cousins, who intend to free the terrorist and kill off his accusers. The climax finds our heroes strapped to a bomb that is set to go off if their combined heartrate exceeds 200 beats per minute. First broadcast on Canadian television, this episode made its US debut on May 24, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Paul GrossDavid Marciano, (more)
 
1993  
 
Originally broadcast in Canada, this war drama tells the true story of how over 900 Canadian soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives in an attempt and take the French coastal town of Dieppe back from the Nazis. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Victor GarberGary Reineke, (more)
 
1992  
 
John Wayne Gacy was a respected member of his suburban Illinois community -- he was an active member of several service organizations, ran his own business, and entertained children as Pogo the Clown in his spare time. But Gacy had a terrible secret, and before he was finally brought in by the police, he had raped and killed over 30 young men and buried them beneath his house. To Catch a Killer is a made-for-TV movie that examines Gacy's life and crimes, and Joe Kozenczak (Michael Riley), the cop who finally brought John Wayne Gacy (Brian Dennehy) to justice. The supporting cast includes Margot Kidder and Meg Foster. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Brian DennehyMichael Riley, (more)
 
1992  
 
The made-for-television movie The World's Oldest Living Bridesmaid is about a prosperous lawyer who can't find a husband. Eventually, she falls in love with her younger male secretary. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Donna Mills
 
1992  
 
The tragic wreck of the super-tanker Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska on March 24, 1989 was one of the most devastating ecological disasters in recent history. Immediately after the ship ran aground and began pumping over 11 million gallons of suffocating oil from its ruptured hold, experts were sent out to assess the damage and clean up the mess. This gripping docudrama tells their story. Much centers on the conflict between local officials, the fishing industry, and the Exxon official sent out to oversee the clean-up and take the rap. With unflinching moral outrage, the filmmakers point out that much of the aftermath could have been minimized had the officials in charge been better prepared and not spent so much time involved in useless red-tape and petty bureaucratic bickering. Most of the film was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, but it also utilizes archival filmclips of the actual disaster and clean up efforts. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

 Read More

 
1991  
PG  
In this children's film, George Waters (Nathaniel Moreau) is a young boy happily living with his eccentric grandfather, retired sailor Captain Waters (Ian Bannen) who tells the boy exciting tales of buried treasure. An interfering schoolteacher (Sheila McCarthy) motivates the child welfare organization to place George in a foster home, much to his dismay. When his foster parents turn out to be nightmarish folks, George must find a way to escape and get back to his beloved grandfather. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Ian BannenNathaniel Moreau, (more)
 
1991  
 
A new minister takes on the system as he fights to keep a power plant out of his small Saskatchewan area--a project which he feels would destroy the community. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

 Read More

 
1990  
 
This made-for-cable speculative fantasy centers on the illegitimate daughter of Adolf Hitler, who grows up to become a candidate for the United States Presidency. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

 Read More

 
1989  
 
Gus is a successful satellite dish salesman, who is on his way upward, materially. His life is hit by a metaphorical thunderbolt when he falls in love with an elusive girl who is both a radical conservationist and a performance artist. Soon after meeting her, she disappears, so he sets out to find her again, and his journeys teach him the rightness of her political views. Unfortunately, he has been tagged as a radical by the police, who are following him (and her). ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Stephen OuimetteGary Reineke, (more)
 
1989  
PG13  
Where has director Michael Anderson been since Logan's Run? Earning his keep on such slick TV-style time-fillers as Millennium. Kris Kristofferson plays the head of an official committee investigating the head-on collision of two commercial jets. A thorough analysis reveals the presence of a weapon of unknown origin in the wreckage; it is also pointed out that some of the victims' watches are running backwards. This, coupled with the cryptic warnings by flight attendant Cheryl Ladd to drop the investigation, prompts Kristofferson to burrow further and uncover the truth: Ladd is a sentinel from 1000 years in the future, who has come back to the 20th Century to help repopulate her dying civilization. Plot pegs and obstacles are in the hands of such sideline characters as enigmatic professor Daniel Travanti and amiable android Robert Joy. Millennium was adapted by John Varley from his own story Air Raid. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Kris KristoffersonCheryl Ladd, (more)
 
1988  
PG  
Add Iron Eagle II to Queue Add Iron Eagle II to top of Queue  
A pair of American pilots are forced to cooperate with their Soviet counterparts on a mission to destroy a Middle Eastern nuclear weapons site in this predictable, low-budget action sequel. The first Iron Eagle's rebellious fly boy Cooper (Mark Humphreys) has returned, as has his gruff mentor Chappy (Louis Gossett Jr. as yet another military man). They must work with two Russian pilots, one of whom is a beautiful woman that handsome young Cooper naturally sets out to woo. An extended build-up, including the requisite government conspiracy, leads to the climactic final battle. Average-at-best production values fail to elevate the film above a derivative screenplay, although the film did find enough success to produce further installments in the series. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Louis Gossett, Jr.Mark Humphrey, (more)
 
1984  
 
This low-grade thriller centers around Frank Waite (Art Hindle), a sports-car salesman who is suddenly mean-tempered when his wife Lee (Shannon Tweed) becomes turned off by sex, and Anouk Van Derlin, the sex therapist they decide to see (Carole Laure). As Anouk starts to bring out the suppressed sexual fantasies of the couple, their sex life is much better -- but both Lee and Frank are not completely at ease with their new, unrestrained relationship. In the meantime, a series of stabbings occurs in the city that may or may not be related to a transvestite neighbor of the Waites. But as the murders continue, some of the victims turn out to be friends or acquaintances of the couple -- and the guessing game to identify the real killer begins. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Art HindleCarole Laure, (more)
 
1984  
 
Made for cable, Reckless Disregard was clearly inspired by the 1983 court trial involving Dan Rather of 60 Minutes and Dr. Carl Galloway, who felt he was wrongly linked to a pill-dispensing clinic. Leslie Nielsen stars as arrogant TV reporter Bob Franklin, who as part of a lengthy investigative piece for the weekly newsmagazine Hourglass, accuses a Queens, NY doctor, Edward Lucas (Frank Adamson) of illegally trafficking prescription drugs. His reputation in tatters, the doctor wants to sue for slander, but hasn't the money or the position to adequately confront his powerful tormentors. Thus it is up to storefront legal-services attorney Meredith Craig (Tess Harper) to take on Franklin and his bosses in court -- a task made all the more difficult by smug, sophisticated defense counsel Jack Coburn (Henry Ramer). Filmed in Canada, Reckless Disregard debuted March 17, 1985, on Showtime. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Tess HarperLeslie Nielsen, (more)
 
1982  
PG  
Francis Ford Coppola protégé Phillip Borsos directs this elegiac, low-key tale about real-life bandit Bill Miner that has become a classic of Canadian cinema. Having been released from jail in 1901 following a 33-year prison sentence for robbing stagecoaches, Bill Miner (Richard Farnsworth) finds himself living in a society that has completely changed from the one of his youth. He tries to put his life of crime behind him and settle down in Washington state with his sister, but the quiet life does not suit him. He feels restless but uncertain as to how to proceed next. The answer comes to him when he sees Edward S. Porter's The Great Train Robbery. Soon, Miner has slipped over the border into Canada and, along with his new partner, Shorty (Wayne Robson), robs the Canadian Pacific Railway Transcontinental Express. Later, while laying low after the crime in a remote corner of British Columbia, he meets the beautiful, strong-willed photographer Kate Flynn (Jackie Burroughs). In writing this script, Borsos reportedly made heavy use of contemporary court documents and testimonies. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival in honor of its 20th anniversary. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Richard FarnsworthJackie Burroughs, (more)
 
1982  
PG  
Marc Singer stars in this biography of Tom Sullivan, a blind singer, songwriter and actor. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Marc SingerR.H. Thomson, (more)
 
1982  
R  
In this shocking chiller an environmentalist, lecturing at a New York City college begins looking for the brutal killer who has been murdering his students. His search leads him to a psycho technician who has been using long-distance telephone calls to do his dirty work. The story is also known as Bells. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Richard ChamberlainJohn Houseman, (more)
 
1981  
R  
Add Agency to Queue Add Agency to top of Queue  
Agency tackles the question of the efficiency of media manipulation. An unscrupulous advertising agency, in league with equally untrustworthy political campaign manager Robert Mitchum, plants subliminal messages in its TV commercials. Just as Vance Packard warned in the 1950s expose The Hidden Persuaders, these hidden messages persuade the viewers to vote for Mitchum's candidate. Given the potency of the the film's premise, it's disappointing to watch director George Gaczender handle the material (based on a novel by Paul Gottleib) is so cut-and-dried a fashion. But Mitchum is good, as are his costars Valerie Perrine, Lee Majors, Saul Rubinek and Alexandra Stewart. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Robert MitchumLee Majors, (more)
 
1980  
R  
Add The Kidnapping of the President to Queue Add The Kidnapping of the President to top of Queue  
After Third World terrorists abduct the Commander-in-Chief, it's up to Secret Service head William Shatner to get him back in this thriller based on a novel by Charles Templeton. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
William ShatnerHal Holbrook, (more)
 
1978  
 
Add Power Play to Queue Add Power Play to top of Queue  
After years of an oppressive dictatorship, a group of army officers in a tiny, vaguely delineated European country organize a coup. Colonel Narriman (David Hemmings) has bravely taken chances which could have resulted in his death, and he expects, once the coup is successful, to become the next leader of his country. Quietly biding his time, Colonel Zeller (Peter O'Toole) has played along with the revolutionaries but doesn't like their methods. In the end, he puts a monkey-wrench into their whole operation. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Peter O'TooleDavid Hemmings, (more)
 
1978  
R  
When five MD colleagues go camping up in the northern woods they encounter a crazed killer, turning their vacation into a nightmare. This one definitely borrowed heavily from the successful film Deliverance. ~ Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Hal HolbrookLawrence Z. Dane, (more)
 
1977  
 
Based on the novel by Max Braithwaite, this film follows the trials of young schoolteacher Max Brown (Bud Cort) as he travels to Saskatchewan to serve as a teacher in a one-room, small-town schoolhouse. Struggling with the hardships presented by the Depression, the local townsfolk prove to be unfriendly, until Max meets up with housewife Alice Field (Samantha Eggar). ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

 Read More

Starring:
Bud CortSamantha Eggar, (more)