Jimmie F. Skaggs

Produced on a shoestring $2 million budget, documentary director Nancy Kelly and her husband, editor Kenji Yamamoto created this romantic western based on a true story. Rosalind Chao stars as Lalu Nathoy, a young woman sold into marriage by her impoverished father in late 19th century China. Lalu is transported to the U.S. by a slave trader, Jim (Dennis Dun), on whom she develops a crush. Although conflicted, Jim fulfills his professional obligation to deliver Lalu to Hong King (Michael Paul Chan), a saloon owner in a rough Idaho mining town. Refusing to participate in Hong King's plan to make her into an exotic prostitute, Lalu keeps her dignity about her and wins the adoration of Charlie (Chris Cooper), Hong King's white, alcoholic partner. Despite the prejudice of the locals, Lalu becomes a cleaning woman and a successful laundress. Though she dreams of marriage to Jim or escape to China, she recognizes Charlie's admirable qualities after a violent incident that casts him in a different light. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Marshall (Kevin Weisman) explains the full significance of the Rambaldi manuscripts, thereby revealing a 500-year-old prophecy of the Apocalypse. To prevent this, Sydney (Jennifer Garner) and Dixon (Carl Lumbly) must track down a Panamanian named Di Regno (James Carraway) -- but Dixon, determined to avenge the murder of his wife, Diane, at the hands of Sloane (Ron Rifkin), may not be up to this crucial assignment. The outcome of the story -- and the fate of the world -- may hinge upon a startling confession made to Sloane by a repentant monk named Conrad (David Carradine). And in a less somber development, new NSA special ops agent Carrie Bowman (Amanda Foreman) develops a crush on Marshall. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast in two parts, Blind Faith was adapted from a fact-based book by investigative author Joe McGinniss. The scene is Toms River, New Jersey; the year is 1984. Insurance salesman Rob Marshall (Robert Urich) informs the authorities that his wife Maria (Joanna Kerns) has been murdered by a band of marauding thieves. Marshall claims that he and his wife were ambushed at a remote picnic area, and for a while everyone believes the man. But further investigation leads to the conclusion that Maria was the victim of a murder conspiracy, fomented by Marshall himself in order collect his wife's insurance. The climactic trial forces Marshall's three teenaged sons to bear witness against their own father. With grim irony, Blind Faith was first broadcast just before Valentine's Day, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The talents of the CSI team are stretched to the limit when the unidentified and partially decomposed body of a woman is found stuffed in a shopping cart just off the Vegas freeway. It is clear that the woman's face was deliberately and methodically disfigured -- in fact, she may have been thrust into a rotating fan while still alive. Clues vital to the proceedings include a handbag, a collection of fashion magazines, and several coded messages. This is definitely one case that Grissom (William L. Petersen) and his colleagues are not going to let go unresolved. "The Hunger Artist" was the final episode of CSI's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A gifted forger and confidence man attempts to stay one step ahead of the lawman determined to bring him to justice in this comedy-drama from Steven Spielberg, based on a true story. Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a 16-year-old high school student who finds himself emotionally cut adrift when his mother, Paula (Nathalie Baye), leaves his father, Frank Abagnale Sr. (Christopher Walken), after Frank Sr. falls into arrears with the Internal Revenue Service. One day at school, Frank Jr. attempts to pass himself off as a substitute teacher, and easily makes the subterfuge work. His small-scale success gives Frank some ideas, and he soon discovers bigger and more profitable ways of hoaxing others, passing himself off as an airline pilot, a doctor, and an attorney. Along the way, Frank learns how to become a master forger, and uses his talent and charm to pass over 2.5 million dollars in phony checks. Frank's increasingly audacious work soon attracts the attention of Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), an FBI agent who is determined to put Frank behind bars. Frank seems to enjoy being pursued by Carl, and even goes so far as to call Carl on the phone to chat every once in a while. While posing as a doctor, Frank falls in love with Brenda Strong (Amy Adams), a sweet girl working as a candy striper. When Frank asks Brenda to marry him, he decides to assume a new identity to impress her father, Roger (Martin Sheen) -- who happens to be the District Attorney of New Orleans, LA. Catch Me If You Can was based on the autobiography of the real Frank W. Abagnale Jr., who has a cameo in the film and today works on the side of the law as a top consultant on preventing forgery and designing secure checking systems. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A family making their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Grandmother's house finds their journey taking an ominous turn when they attempt to take an unfamiliar shortcut in this low-key chiller from first-time director Jean-Baptiste Andrea. For 20 years, Frank Harrington (Ray Wise) has driven the same, mind-numbingly familiar route to the annual holiday gathering, but the discovery of an unfamiliar shortcut simply proves too enticing for the loving but strained father to resist. As the road grows increasingly dark, the eerie sight of a young woman carrying a small infant sets into motion a horrific series of roadside deaths that finds the family's numbers quickly dwindling. Though there are no other travelers on the long and dark stretch of road, the appearance of a menacing black hearse seems somehow connected to the spectral woman and her child. Could it be that a vengeful entity was the previous victim of a roadside accident, returning to torment any trespasser who happens to wander down her silent stretch of road, or could the answer to the horrific mystery lie deep within the conscience of one of the few remaining family-members? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Romano (Paul McCrane) surprises everyone when he promotes his longtime nemesis Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) to associate chief of surgery. Returning from his mother's funeral, Greene (Anthony Edwards) is plunged into an argument with Weaver (Laura Innes) over a patient who is to be resuscitated. New second-year resident Malucchi (aka "Dr. Dave," played by Erik Palladino), manages to rub the entire staff the wrong way, especially Carter (Noah Wyle) during a medical crisis at a construction site. And can it be that Benton (Eriq La Salle) is not truly the biological father of little Reese (Matthew Watkins)? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The ER staffers treat three teenagers injured in a fiery car crash while on their way to their prom. An AIDs patient and her son are flown into County General after a fishing mishap. Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Corday (Alex Kingston) grow closer, while Benton (Eriq La Salle) awaits word about the Trauma Fellowship. And amidst all this confusion, the hospital is besieged by obstreperous FBI agents who demand immediate and preferential medical treatment for a wounded stripper -- but is this incredible scenario too "good" to be true? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Director Andrei Konchalovsky comes a cropper with this mawkish road movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and James Belushi. Goldberg plays Edwina, an escaped mental patient with a brain tumor and only a month to live. Belushi is Homer, a retarded man abandoned by his parents when he was a child after a smack with a baseball bat rendered him an idiot. The two team-up when Homer takes off to Oregon to visit his parents and catch up on old times. Edwina agrees to drive him there to recover the $87 that Homer has stolen from her. As they drive down the American roadways, they bond, and Edwina is granted the shining love of Homer as she lapses into a coma. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

LA cop Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), whose wife has recently died, is a loose cannon with a seeming death wish. This makes him indispensable in collaring dangerous criminals, but a liability to any potential partners. Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), a conservative family man who wants to stay alive for his upcoming 50th birthday, is partnered with Riggs. As Riggs gets to know Murtaugh and his family, he begins to mellow, though his insistence on using guerilla tactics to catch criminals is still (put mildly) above and beyond the call of duty. The main villain is The General (Mitchell Ryan), a drug dealer responsible for the death of the daughter of one of Murtaugh's oldest friends. The General is also in charge of a deadly, militia-like gang of smugglers. Adding fuel to the fire is The General's chief henchman, played with all stops out by Gary Busey. Moviegoers familiar only with the relatively tongue-in-cheek Lethal Weapon sequels may be amazed to find out how dangerous and unpredictable Riggs is in the first Lethal Weapon -- and how likely it seems that Murtaugh might not survive until fade-out time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

What do you get when you combine a Western with a Science Fiction film? You might get this shoot'em up in space. It is set in the distant town of Oblivion (it was actually filmed in Romania). Though it's a high tech town, it has the feel of an old fashioned Western outpost from the 1800's. The town is being terrorized by the snakelike, power-mad Redeye who is also out for the contents of local mines. He shoots the sheriff and disarms Stell Barr, his cyborg deputy. Enter Zack Stone, son of the late Sheriff Stone. Zack is of a rare breed, the empaths. Because he feels the pain of others, he walks a path of non-violence. Can he remain pacifistic in the face of Redeye's terrifying reign? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A group of scientists are sent to the sun in 2050 to stop a giant solar flare from destroying the Earth. As the team nears the sun, some members of the team begin to suspect that someone is trying to sabotage their mission. Solar Crisis has very strong special effects and fine acting, making it an excellent sci-fi thriller. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide

The scene is New Mexico, where evil towing-service operater Tyler (Don Stroud) is using the most vicious means imaginable to drive his chief competitor, the Corson Garage, out of business. Tyler, it seems, is in league with drug dealer Zuniga (Carlos Romero), and is using the towed cars to smuggle narcotics out of Mexico. But fear not--the A-Team is on its way to save the day. Among the many schemes cooked up by our heroes is an elaborate eavesdropping ruse in which Murdock (Dwight Schultz) hides under the hood of a car! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide