William Sanderson Movies

True Blood chronicles the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps...where vampires have emerged from the coffin, and no longer need humans for their fix. Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) works as a waitress at the rural bar Merlotte's. Though outwardly a typical young woman, she keeps a dangerous secret: she has the ability to hear the thoughts of others. Her situation is further complicated when the bar gets its first vampire patron -- 173-year old Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) -- and the two outsiders are immediately drawn to each other. Delivering the best of what audiences have come to expect from creator and executive producer Alan Ball (American Beauty, Six Feet Under), True Blood is a dark and sexy tale that boldly delves into the heart -- and the neck -- of the Deep South.

Longtime actor/songwriter Kris Kristofferson stars as a whiskey-smuggling schemer desperate to preserve his endangered cattle herd in director Jay Craven's adaptation of Howard Frank Mosher's best-selling novel. The year is 1932; Prohibition is still in place, and smuggling whiskey has long been a profitable tradition in the Bonhomme family. When the coming winter threatens to decimate Quebec Bill Bonhomme's (Kristofferson) cattle heard and render his family destitute, the desperate dreamer and reluctant whiskey runner finally decides to carry on the family tradition. With his 14-year-old son, Wild Bill (Charlie McDermott), in tow, Quebec Bill sets out on a wild ride through Vermont's sprawling Northeast Kingdom that will expose the age-old mysteries of the Bonhomme family to the cold light of winter, and serve as an unforgettable rite of passage for the young adolescent currently teetering on the cusp of manhood. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Martha (Anna Gunn) and William Bullock (Josh Eriksson), Seth's (Timothy Olyphant) wife and son, make their way to the camp in a coach accompanied by Maddie (Alice Krige), Joanie's (Kim Dickens) new partner in an upscale brothel. In Deadwood, Seth is dealing with a shooting at the No. 10, involving a prank that went wrong. Al (Ian McShane) is angry to learn that the feds have appointed three commissioners to oversee the territory, and all of them are from Yankton. He expects Seth to be playing a prominent role in the camp's future, and is disappointed that Seth seems preoccupied with the worst-kept secret in camp -- his affair with Alma (Molly Parker). Al expresses his disappointment to Seth in the crudest terms, and from the balcony of the Gem, prompting Seth to pay a visit. Al questions Seth about why Alma is sending her gold out of town instead of putting it to use in the camp, but it's too late for rational conversation. Seth is insulted, and is determined to fight with Al. Their brutal combat is interrupted by the arrival of the coach, but not before Dan (W. Earl Brown) intervenes, prompting both Sol (John Hawkes) and Charlie (Dayton Callie) to take a run at Johnny (Sean Bridgers), who, unfortunately, wields a shotgun. Cy (Powers Boothe), meanwhile, is less than thrilled at the new arrivals in camp -- Maddie and her new whores -- and enraged that Joanie did not notify him of her plans, finding another backer for her move. "It's kill you or let you go," Cy tells her as he bitterly mulls his options. "Could I make it with you dead?" ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

On the night that Sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) and his friend and business partner, Sol Star (John Hawkes), plan to leave Montana for Deadwood, with plans to open a hardware store, Bullock is faced with a dilemma. He's got Clell Watson (James Parks), a horse thief due to be hanged the next morning, in his jail, and an angry mob outside that wants to kill Watson in a less orderly fashion. After dealing with the situation bravely and honorably, Seth and Sol set out a little earlier than planned. Also among the many making their way to the lawless frontier town are legendary gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok (Keith Carradine) and his cohorts, Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) and Charlie Utter (Dayton Callie). Already making his mark in town, Whitney Ellsworth (Jim Beaver), a prospector, is talking to the owner of the Gem, Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) about his gold claim. "I don't trust you as far as I can throw you," Ellsworth, a fair judge of character, tells Al, "but I enjoy the way you lie." Al's attention is quickly diverted when one of his prostitutes, Trixie (Paula Malcolmson), guns down an abusive john. He's also involved in conning Brom Garret (Timothy Omundson), a wealthy New Yorker, into buying a seemingly worthless gold claim. Seth and Sol arrive in town, and rent a space for their store from Al, to whom Seth takes an almost immediate dislike. Bill seems eager to spend all his time losing all his money at poker to the obnoxious Jack McCall (Garret Dillahunt), but when a family is found slaughtered not far from town, presumably by Sioux, he joins Seth on a ride out to the scene of the carnage. The premiere episode of Deadwood was directed by Walter Hill (The Long Riders). ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Jewel (Geri Jewell) goes to see the Doc (Brad Dourif) to try to convince him to make some kind of brace for her. "Draggin' my leg really makes Al crazy," she explains. At first, Doc is reluctant to risk causing further harm to Jewel, but eventually he reconsiders. Al (Ian McShane) arranges for Silas (Titus Welliver) to head back to Yankton with a powerful message for the magistrate who's trying to shake him down. A.W. (Jeffrey Jones is excited by the arrival of a new camera. Sol (John Hawkes) and Trixie (Paula Malcomson) have a tryst in the hardware store, but a witness later brings unexpected trouble for them. Charlie (Dayton Callie) visits the No. 10 in his capacity as fire inspector, much to the chagrin of owner Tom Nuttall (Leon Rippy), a pioneer who now feels that the camp is getting away from him. Perhaps that's why he goes along when Con Stapleton (Peter Jason) asks him for a recommendation to Al for the vacant position of Deadwood's sheriff. Seth (Timothy Olyphant) isn't particularly pleased with the appointment, and mentions his displeasure to Al, who seems to think that Seth would make an excellent replacement. Cy (Powers Boothe) assigns Leon (Larry Cedar) to stir up animosity against the Chinese. Alma (Molly Parker) appoints Ellsworth (Jim Beaver) to oversee her expanding mining operation. Her father, Otis Russell (William Russ), arrives in town, and does not seem to have the best intentions toward his daughter and her gold claim. This episode was scripted by Ricky Jay, who plays Eddie Sawyer. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Forget Gunsmoke and Bonanza. The HBO series Deadwood was as close to the "real thing" as any Western fan was ever going to see on television -- and in its pursuit of reality, the series was not afraid of smashing icons or skewering sacred cows. Could anything less be expected of executive producer David Milch (NYPD Blue)? The series began its story in 1876, two weeks after Custer's demise at the Little Big Horn, and in the midst of "gold fever" brought about by a major ore strike in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory. Into the wide-open and illegal settlement of Deadwood rode a terrifying variety of hard-bitten men and hard-living women. Keith Carradine headed the cast (at least in the early episodes) as gunfighter and Indian scout Wild Bill Hickok -- not the clean-cut hero of movie and TV fame, but an embittered, disillusioned, cold-hearted killer who trusted no one, least of all himself. Traveling to Deadwood with old friend Charlie Utter (Dayton Callie) and devoted, foul-mouthed sidekick Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert), Hickok quickly met and befriended former lawman Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), the archetypal man with a past who held out hope (but not much) that Deadwood would permit him a new start in life. The destinies of both Hickok and Bullock were gradually intertwined with that of self-styled town boss Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), the manipulative, cheerfully decadent owner of Deadwood's biggest "saloon," the Gem. Several major and minor characters passed through Deadwood, some for a long time, some only as long as it took to be shot down in the street. One of the more fascinating peripheral characters was gimlet-eyed cardsharp Eddie Sawyer, well played by real-life magician and master card manipulator Ricky Jay. Festooned with sex, sadism, sudden death, rampant profanity, and mud, mud, mud, Deadwood was not your father's "cowboy" show. The series drew huge ratings and enthusiastic critical plaudits from the moment it made its first appearance on March 21, 2004 -- and within a few weeks of this debut, all audience expectations were dashed to bits when one of the series' "stars" paid homage to historical accuracy by being abruptly killed off. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

With Ned Mason killed by Bill (Keith Carradine) and Seth (Timothy Olyphant), it seems clear that the Metz family was killed by road agents, and not Sioux. Al (Ian McShane) knows that the trail could lead back to him, and calls in Ned's brother, Tom (Nick Offerman), and his partner, Persimmon Phil (Joe Chrest), to discuss the matter. Worried about Bill's influence on Deadwood, Al tries to convince Tom to avenge his brother's death. Al is also concerned about what the little girl (Breeseanna Wall) will say if she regains consciousness, so while Doc Cochran (Brad Dourif) is tending to his whores, Al pays a visit to the doc's, where Jane (Robin Weigert) has been left to stand guard over the child. Sensing Jane's fear of him, Al warns her not to interfere with him. "If I take a knife to you," he says, "you'll be scared worse and a long time dying." Al sees that the girl is now awake, and dispatches his underling Dan Dority (W. Earl Brown) to deal with the situation. Doc, meanwhile, is also dispensing laudanum to Alma Garret (Molly Parker), who seems to have developed a dangerous habit. Her husband, Brom (Timothy Omundson), after an encounter near his claim with Ellsworth (Jim Beaver), realizes that he's been duped, and suspects Al. He decides to go to Bill for help. Sol (John Hawkes) tries to negotiate to buy their plot for the store, but Seth's temper, and Al's paranoia about their connection to Bill hamper his efforts. Charlie (Dayton Callie) encourages Seth's budding friendship with Bill, telling Seth that while he shares many traits with Bill, Seth also somehow manages to "get along with people, turn a dollar, look out for yourself." ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

The brutal murder of a Catskill Mountains family sets into motion a terrifying sequence of events as the horrors of H.P. Lovecraft come to the screen courtesy of directors Barrett J. Leigh and Thom Maurer. The year is 1908, and a mountain man named Joe Slaader has just committed the ultimate atrocity. Committed to the Ulster County Asylum after murdering his entire family, the man with the mysterious growth on his back is seen by the studied doctors of the facility as the harbinger of the dark days to come. When the inmates of the asylum decide to turn on their captors and wrestle away control of the remote asylum, the strange events that follow precede the ominous arrival of a dark force that the mind of man may not hold the power to comprehend. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Uwe Boll's Heart of America: Homeroom is a drama about a massacre on the final day of the school year. The last day of school contains many problems for teachers and students alike. The principal must discipline an English teacher (Michael Paré) who has let his professional frustrations get the better of him, student Dara needs to score from the drug dealing Wex (G. Michael Gray), and a foursome of cruel athletes continues to torment the losers and nerds. Unbeknown to everyone else at the school, the eternally picked upon Daniel (Kett Turton) and Barry (Michael Belyea), as well as a third accomplice, are extensively armed and plan to unleash their fury on the school right after final bell. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Director Ron Maxwell and producer Ted Turner return to the glory and tragedy of the Civil War in this historical drama, a prequel to Gettysburg, which examines the early days of the conflict through the experiences of three men. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels) left behind a quiet life and a career as a college professor to become one of the Union's greatest military minds. Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (Stephen Lang) was, like Chamberlain, a man of great religious faith who served in the defense of the Confederacy. And Gen. Robert E. Lee (Robert Duvall), who led the Confederate army, was a man who was forced to choose between his loyalty to the United States and his love of the Southern states where he was born and raised. As Chamberlain, Jackson, and Lee are followed through the declaration of war and the battles at Manassas, Antietam, Frederickburg, and Chancellorsville, the film also introduces us to the many supporting players in the epic tale of the war between the States, among them the women these men left behind, among them Fanny Chamberlain (Mira Sorvino) and Anna Jackson (Kali Rocha). Based on a novel by Jeff Shaara, Gods and Generals also features a new song written and performed by Bob Dylan. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

From director Mark Stratton and screenwriter Dave Eisenstark comes Monkey Love, an independent romantic comedy set in Los Angeles. The film centers on three friends, Amy (Amy Stewart), Dil (Jeremy Renner), and Aaron (Seamus Dever). The trio have been best friends for years, with each of their very different personalities complimenting the other. But now in their college years, a wrench is thrown into the gears of their friendship. It seems that Amy suddenly begins to have romantic feelings. To make matters worse she seems to be falling for not one, but both of her male pals. Monkey Love premiered at the 2002 Seattle International Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi