James Remar Movies
Hard-working character actor James Remar has been mainly typecast as a psychopathic killer in a wide variety of thrillers, both blockbusters and low-budget straight-to-video. A native of Boston, he studied acting at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse and made his Broadway debut with Bent, opposite Richard Gere. His first major film role was gangster Ajax in Walter Hill's 1979 action drama The Warriors. The film gained a minor cult following and seemed to cement Remar's reputation as a bad guy. He would continue to work with director Hill for Windwalker (1980), 48 Hrs. (1982), and Wild Bill (1995).During the '80s, he played psycho gangster Dutch Schultz in Francis Ford Coppola's The Cotton Club, a maniac killer in Rent-a-Cop, and a Neanderthal in The Clan of the Cave Bear. He got a little break in 1989 as the cop Gentry in Gus Van Sant's Drugstore Cowboy. During the '90s, he made a deal with the devil in Tales From the Darkside: The Movie and appeared in many movies that ended up on TV or home video. He had played so many villains that he was able to spoof himself as Max Shady in the comedic thriller parody Fatal Instinct. A few gentle comedy dramas followed with Penny Marshall's Renaissance Man and Herbert Ross' Boys on the Side.
Many film roles opened up in the late '90s, from Victor Salva's independent comedy Rites of Passage to the big-budget Robert Zemeckis mystery What Lies Beneath. After playing Frank Cisco on the TV series Total Security, he showed up on HBO's Sex and the City as Richard, Samatha's (Kim Cattrall) rich boyfriend of the moment. He then joined the cast of the USA original series The Huntress as fugitive Tiny Bellows, the love interest of Dottie Thorson (Annette O'Toole). In 2003, he could be seen in feature films from the action moneymaker 2 Fast 2 Furious to the light comedy Duplex. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
Three female undercover agents fight evil and look good doing it in this made-for-TV action-adventure drama. While Puerto Rico may be a playground for the rich and famous in the eyes of the world, United Nations intelligence agent J.W. Garrison (Martin Sheen) and his CIA colleague Zack Hamilton (Jeff Kaake) discover that all is not well on the island -- a team of terrorists have set up shop in Puerto Rico, and are working on an anthrax bomb which could cause millions of deaths in the United States. Needing to infiltrate the terrorists before it's too late, Garrison and Hamilton call in the Dangerous Reconnaissance Emergency Action Mission Team -- the D.R.E.A.M. Team for short -- which consists of Kim Taylor (Angie Everhart), Eva Kirov (Eva Halina), and Victoria Carrera (Traci Bingham), three highly skilled secret agents posing as international supermodels. While mingling with the upper crust between photo shoots, the D.R.E.A.M. Team meet a business mogul whose plans for his U.S. operations may be less than benign. D.R.E.A.M. Team was the pilot film for a short-lived television show; Martin Sheen did not appear in the series, but Roger Moore stepped in to play a similar role. James Remar and Traci Lords also appeared in the pilot. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Beautiful, sultry Jayne Ferre (Julie Du Page) is a ruthless, mob-connected hitwoman who, in the opening scenes, "eliminates" several mobsters by pretending to seduce them before blowing them away. Her greed gets the best of her, however, when she absconds with a metal briefcase containing a million dirty dollars rightfully/wrongfully belonging to her boss, the equally ruthless Frank Bianci (Louis Mandylor). In an effort to escape with the cash she hitches a ride from California to Texas with down-and-out Emily (Erika Eleniak) and her 16-year old son Kerry (Jeremy Lelliott), who is on the run from a small time drug dealer. Meanwhile, a detective (Adam Baldwin) is tracking the trio as a gaggle of Bainco's henchmen close in on their car -- which breaks down, sending Jayne and Emily in different directions in search of Kerry who now has the million bucks. Emily is eventually picked up by a friendly stranger (James Remar), who happens to be in cahoots with Jayne. ~ Buzz McClain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Erika Eleniak, Julie du Page, (more)
- 2001
In the conclusion of a two-part story, the Green Lantern has been whisked off to Mars to stand trial for his life at the behest of the Martian Manhunters--an organization of which his fellow Justice Leaguer J'onn J'onnz is also a member. Convinced that the Green Lantern will not receive proper justice, the rest of the Justice League rushes to the rescue, while the Green One's longtime superirs, the Guardians of the Universe, show up as character witnesses. But is the whole trial merely a sham, to cover up a sinister conspiracy of evil? This story is adapted from the Justice League of America comic-book continuity "No Man Escapes the Manhunter", and does not feature either Batman or Wonder Woman. Both episodes of "In Blackest Night" were released on DVD in tandem with another Justice League two-parter, "The Enemy Below," in April of 2003 under the umbrella title "Justice on Trial." ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- James Remar, Kurtwood Smith, (more)
When the movie opens, John Kross (Mario Van Peebles) is a U.S. soldier on a covert mission deep inside Iraq on the eve of the Gulf War. What he sees from behind a sand dune is some sort of mysterious excavation, but things go badly and Kross is discovered and wounded. He awakens with vague memories of a baby being born and stolen -- and with hideous symbols carved into his torso. Years later, as a detective for the L.A.P.D., Kross' episode catches up with him when Tel-Al, an invisible, body-shifting supernatural entity, arrives in Los Angeles to claim the stolen child, now a young boy. Meanwhile, Kross is dealing with stopping the flow of a new street drug called Chaos, which is being sold by a malevolent disco owner (Ice-T) and is also connected to the Iraqi excavation that unloosed the evil spirit. The demon takes over Kross' partner's body (James Remar), just as Kross discovers the whereabouts of the boy who is "the chosen one." ~ Buzz McClain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mario Van Peebles, James Remar, (more)
- 2001
In the first episode of a two-part story, the Justice League must put aside its difference to save one of its own from certain death. The member in question is the Green Lantern, who has been targeted for prosecution (or is it persecution) by a Martian court. Making things difficult is the fact that the Green Lantern's comrade J'onn J'onnz is a member of the selfsame "Manhunter" faction that has arrested the Green One. This story is adapted from the Justice League of America comic-book continuity "No Man Escapes the Manhunter," and does not feature either Batman or Wonder Woman. Both episodes of "In Blackest Night" were released on DVD in tandem with another Justice League two-parter, "The Enemy Below," in April of 2003 under the umbrella title "Justice on Trial." ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- James Remar, Kurtwood Smith, (more)
- 2000
The family that tracks down bail-jumping bad guys together stays together, in this action-oriented drama series. Dottie Thorson (Annette O'Toole) hasn't quite gotten over the recent death of her husband when the realities of life on her own sink in -- she's deep in debt, and needs to come up with a dependable source of income -- fast. With the help of her 19-year-old daughter Brandi (Jordana Spiro), Dottie decides to reopen her late husband's business as a bounty hunter who collects rewards for capturing criminals who jumped bail rather than stand trial. With the help of Tiny Bellows (James Remar), a convicted murderer and a superb source of information on what's going on behind bars, Dottie and Brandi flag down different crooks each week, working alongside skeptical bail bondsman Ricky Guzman (Luis Antonio Ramos) and trying to avoid mean-spirited fellow bounty agent Claude St. Clair (Granville Ames). The Huntress debuted on the USA cable network on July 26, 2000; it was preceded by a two-hour pilot film, in which the role of Brandi was played by Aleska Palladino. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Annette O'Toole, James Remar, (more)
In this supernatural thriller, a woman believes that a visitor from another dimension is trying to guide her into a sinister mystery. Feeling lonely after her daughter leaves home for college, Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer) begins to sense that something is wrong in her house, and feels a spirit is trying to contact her. At first her husband Norman (Harrison Ford), a scientist doing research in genetics, attributes her paranormal beliefs to stress or possibly a nervous breakdown, and sends her to a psychiatrist (Joe Morton) who puts no more stock in Claire's stories than does Norman. While Claire's contention that someone or something sinister is afoot leads her down a number of blind alleys, in time she becomes convinced that the mysterious happenings at her home are somehow connected to the disappearance of a woman who was a student at the nearby college -- and bore a striking resemblance to Claire. What Lies Beneath marked the debut of screenwriter Clark Gregg, whose script is based on a story by himself and Sarah Kernochan; the supporting cast includes Diana Scarwid as Claire's best friend Jody, and James Remar and Miranda Otto as a contentious couple living next door. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
Supernatural villain Pinhead finds himself on the wrong side of the law in this, the fifth film in the Hellraiser franchise. Joseph (Craig Sheffer) is a detective with the LAPD who one morning discovers he's no longer living in California -- he's been exiled to Hades, and the only way to escape is by solving the mystery of the all-powerful puzzle box. The box is now in the hands of the fearsome demon Pinhead (Doug Bradley), and Joseph finds himself in a life-and-death struggle with the demon for control of the puzzle box. Hellraiser: Inferno also stars Nicholas Turturro as Tony, Sasha Barrese as Daphne, Noelle Evans as Melanie, and James Remar as Dr. Paul Gregory. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Craig Sheffer, Nicholas Turturro, (more)
A military leader has taken the notion of discipline in the services too far in this action-drama. Lt. John Murphy (Antonio Sabato Jr., taking over the role played by Mark Dacascos in the first film) is sent in to investigate when a large number of American soldiers are reported missing from a remote military installation. Going undercover, Murphy pays a call to Lt. Col. Strauss (James Remar), and discovers a shocking secret -- Strauss has turned his base of operations into a kangaroo court, with the Lieutenant Colonel and his men serving as judge, jury, and executioners against soldiers who they feel are not living up to the high standards of military behavior. Murphy must now find a way to bring Strauss and his henchmen to justice and save the lives of the unjustly accused soldiers without tipping his hand in the process. Also released as Guilty As Charged, The Base II also features Melissa Lewis, Duane Davis, and Yuji Okumoto. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Antonio Sabato, Jr., James Remar, (more)
Two brothers and their father attempt to sort out their issues regarding family and masculinity in the drama Rites Of Passage. A young lawyer, D.J. (Robert Keith), is in a hotel when he spots his father, Del (Dean Stockwell) -- who happens to be with his mistress. D.J. is very upset, and Del suggests they go somewhere else to talk about this matter. They drive to the family's cabin in the mountains, where they discover Campbell (Jason Behr), D.J.'s brother, who has been out of touch with the family for the past two years; Campbell got into a violent arguments with Del regarding Campbell's male lover, and they haven't spoken since. The three sit down to air their differences when a pair of strangers, Frank (James Remar) and Red (Jaimz Woolvett), arrive at the door, claiming to need help with their car. The mood soon turns confrontational between Frank and Del, threatening to erupt into violence at any moment, especially when it becomes clear that Frank and Campbell have met before. Rites Of Passage was directed by Victor Salva and was screened as part of the 1999 San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dean Stockwell, Jason Behr, (more)
Mario Van Peebles and James Remar star in this action drama in which a police detective learns that a murderer he helped put behind bars has been released from prison. The CIA recruited the felon to work as a hired killer for the federal government, but his superiors dangerously underestimated his enthusiasm for this work; the murderer breaks free from custody while in training and goes on a remorseless killing spree, with the detective being one of the only men who knows how to stop him. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mario Van Peebles, James Remar, (more)
Independent film director Gus Van Sant attempts a first in American film history: a shot-by-shot remake of the classic 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. With a few minor, modern-day changes (including filming it in color), his version is essentially the same film with a different cast and the same Bernard Hermann music. Psycho was and still is the story of Marion Crane (previously played by Janet Leigh and now by Anne Heche), an adulterous woman who steals a stack of money from her boss and hits the road hoping for financial freedom. Pulling over in an old motel for the night, she meets the creepy owner of the Bates Motel, Norman Bates (Vince Vaughn doing his best Anthony Perkins), who lives with his jealous nagging mother. Most people know the film Psycho for what happens next -- the shower scene, where Marion is brutally stabbed in the most over-analyzed scene in movie history. The money, the car, and Marion's remains are quickly sunk in a nearby swamp. As a detective (William H. Macy) and Marion's sister Lila (Julianne Moore) come looking for her, they begin to uncover the dark mysterious secret lurking in Norman Bates' life. ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche, (more)
- 1998
- PG13
In this speculative disaster outing, a solar explosion results in a scorched Earth. Though most of humanity dies, there are a few survivors. The story centers on a band of Californians, representing all walks of life, who must work together to stay alive. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kathryn Morris, James Remar, (more)
A group of teens find themselves surrounded while robbing a bank. They take everyone hostage and begin a standoff with the authorities. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- James Remar, Justin Walker, (more)
Just when you thought the game was over, along comes the second movie inspired by the popular video game Mortal Kombat. While Liu Kang (Robin Shou) led his warriors Princess Kitana (Talisa Soto), Sonya Blade (Sandra Hess), Rayden (James Remar), and Johnny Cage (Chris Conrad) to victory, and the safety of the world seemed certain, no one counted on the treachery of Shao-Kahn (Brian Thompson), the evil Emperor of the Outerworld, who has a new plan to overtake the Earth. Shao-Kahn has discovered a portal between Earth and Outerworld, and if it stays open for seven days, the two worlds will merge, with Shao-Kahn controlling both planets. Rayden and Sonya set out to find his colleague Jax (Lynn Red Williams), while Liu Kang and Kitana are on the trail of Nightwolf (Litefoot) as they race against time to defeat Shao-Kahn, who has brought Kitana's mother Queen Sindel (Musetta Vander) back from the grave to aid his evil scheme. Mortal Kombat II: Annihilation marked the directorial debut of cinematographer John R. Leonetti. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robin Shou, Talisa Soto, (more)
Martial arts movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme made his debut behind the camera as the director of this sweeping action drama. Van Damme stars as Chris Dubois, a clown pickpocket and Fagin-like leader of orphan thieves in 1925 New York City. Kidnapped by gun smugglers and then sold to pirate captain Lord Dobbs (Roger Moore), Chris eventually ends up the property of Khao (Aki Aleong), a master Asian kickboxer. His fighting skills win Chris a chance at a legendary contest, a gladiatorial showdown between champions of the world's many diverse combat styles in a Tibetan lost city. Along for the trip are the avaricious Dobbs, heavyweight boxing champ and fellow competitor Maxie (James Remar), and Carrie (Janet Gunn), a beautiful female reporter. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roger Moore, (more)
The first superhero ever, created by Lee Falk in 1936, gets another shot at movie stardom 60 years after achieving fame in comics and serials. Billy Zane stars as Kit Walker, who discovers that he's the 21st in a line of purple-clad African superheroes known as "The Phantom" or, to superstitious Bengalla Island natives, "the Ghost Who Walks." When he's not fighting the evil Singh Brotherhood with his faithful wolf Devil and white horse Hero, the Phantom lives in the hidden Skull Cave. Kit discovers that Xander Drax (Treat Williams), a slimy industrialist, is plotting to take over the world by uniting the three long lost magical Skulls of Touganda. So he travels to New York, where he finds allies in crusading newspaper publisher Dave (Bill Smitrovich) and his niece, Diana (Kristy Swanson), who's also Kit's ex-girlfriend. Kit and Diana tackle Drax's forces, including the conflicted Sala (Catherine Zeta-Jones), in a quest for the Skulls that brings both sides back to Bengalla for a showdown. The Phantom's mixture of elaborate stunts with liberal doses of tongue-in-cheek humor was characteristic of screenwriter Jeffrey Boam, whose previous films included Innerspace (1987) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, (more)
Maverick writer-director Walter Hill's version of the famous Wild Bill Hickok legend is a dreamscape western that is told entirely in flashback. Hickok's friend Charley Prince (John Hurt) narrates the events of Wild Bill's life while sitting at Bill's graveside. Hickok is played by Jeff Bridges as a mean, high-spirited, but gallant outlaw. He wanders the West, adding to his reputation with some well-chosen gunfights, and he meets up with characters such as Calamity Jane (Ellen Barkin), who becomes his sidekick for a time. After becoming a legend, Hickok signs up for a stint with Buffalo Bill Cody's traveling variety show. Eventually, he falls in love with Susannah Moore (Diane Lane), and his love leads him to tragedy in the town of Deadwood, SD. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin, (more)
Needles figure prominently in this blood-soaked entry in the slasher genre. It begins as psycho scientist Dr. Stein begins implanting things in baboons. Dr. Theresa McCann, a colleague at the hospital where they both work is suspicious as to the nature of the perverse professors experiments. Those suspicions increase when one of the apes suddenly dies. Then Stein steals one of her patients. When that patient is found murdered, with only a lollipop left as a clue, McCann gets blamed and suspended. When McCann spies the abandoned sucker she suddenly realizes it belongs to Dr. Matar, an ex-lover in search of revenge against her because she squealed on him and his illicit experiments in tissue regrowth. Matar goes on a killing spree and now only she and her new lover Hendricks can stop him. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Isabel Glasser, James Remar, (more)
- 1995
- R
In this suspenseful drama, Matt's life spirals out of control after he meets his old acquaintance Simon, the man who saved Matt from burning to death after a car accident many years before. Unlike Matt who has since become a successful video game programmer, Simon's life has led him to the streets. Compassionate Matt decides to help and so invites Simon back home and then helps him find work at Matt's company. This proves to be a big mistake, for Simon is not what he seems, and nothing that has happened between him and Matt, past or present, has been an accident. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Remar, Lenny Von Dohlen, (more)
This emotion-filled story stars Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, and Drew Barrymore as three women from different walks of life who find comfort in each other through tragedy. Parker plays Robin, an HIV-positive real estate executive who meets Jane (Goldberg), a lesbian lounge singer on her way to the West Coast who needs a driver. Robin volunteers for the job, and along the way, they stop in Pittsburgh to visit her friend Holly (Barrymore), who is pregnant and abused by her boyfriend. In an attempt to save Holly, all three decide to head West together to begin a new life. But they get only as far as Arizona before Robin falls ill and the three are forced to learn to rely on one another for growth and emotional sustenance. Jane, though concerned about Robin's condition, also finds herself with a romantic interest in her ailing companion. Holly confronts her need to be with abusive men, while Robin comes to grips with her fear of being alone and the realization of her own impending death. Fans of Herbert Ross' earlier Steel Magnolias (1989) might appreciate this movie, which tackles some of the same themes. Sometimes referred to as a "feminist road movie," the film deals with women who find one another in a time of crisis and realize that the bonds among women are more powerful than any of life's obstacles. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, (more)
The 1947 holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street is transplanted to the 1990s with few changes in this family-oriented remake. The screenplay by the prolific John Hughes sticks close to the original outline, centering on Macy's executive Dorey Walker (Elizabeth Perkins) and her young daughter Susan (Mara Wilson), neither of whom much believes in the spirit of Christmas. Dorey is in charge of hiring Macy's Santas, including an old man named Kriss Kringle (Richard Attenborough). He does a remarkably convincing job, and he soon reveals that he actually believes himself to be Santa Claus. The authorities threaten to place the old man in an insane asylum, but a young lawyer comes to his defense. Meanwhile, Dorey and Susan find their own defenses melting and become reacquainted with the power of faith. Hughes and director Les Mayfield add a few modern touches, making Susan slightly more cynical and adding the requisite soulless corporate villains. Viewers familiar with the original may still prefer Edmund Gwenn's original Kris Kringle and consider the remake unnecessary, although the newer version reflects enough of the earlier film's spirit to prove entertaining to modern family audiences. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
- 1994
- R
Elizabeth Pena and Christina Applegate play Carmen and Kathy, two women from Los Angeles with practically nothing in common. Carmen is a working-class Latina and single mother from the East Side barrio, while Kathy comes from a wealthy family in Beverly Hills. However, both of their boyfriends, Richie (Tony Dean Fields) and Lyle (Peter Berg), have ended up in a jail in the Mojave Desert as part of a confidence scheme. Carmen and Kathy want to be near the men they love to show their support, so they head out to the desert in Kathy's convertible to wait out their stay in jail as they share living quarters in an old trailer home. Across the Moon was the second feature film for director Lisa Gottlieb, who previously helmed the cult favorite Just One of the Guys and episodes of the TV series Dream On. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Peña, Christina Applegate, (more)
In Blink, a woman regaining her eyesight after a double cornea transplant operation glimpses the killer of her upstairs neighbor and then must fight for her life as the killer stalks her. Emma Brody (Madeline Stowe), a musician in an Irish folk-rock band was blinded as a result of childhood abuse by her mother. Her doctor, Ryan Pierce (Peter Friedman) performs an operation to restore her vision, but soon Emma is suffering from retroactive hallucinations in which she sees things that have happened hours, or even days, before. As she was the only witness to the murder, her credibility soon comes into question, but she is believed by Detective Hallstrom (Aidan Quinn) who has been tracking what he believes to be a serial killer. Hallstrom also believes that Emma may hold the key to the murderer's motives. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi
- Starring:
- Madeleine Stowe, Aidan Quinn, (more)
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