Jerry Wasserman

Inspired by actual events, Canadian filmmaker Damon Vignale's Leo-nominated supernatural thriller tells the tale of a kidnapped drug dealer who miraculously manages to escape his abductors, and the connection that police begin to make between what appears to be a typical street crime, and a 16th Century case of demonic possession involving a renowned exorcist and a French nun. Sister Madeline was an early-16th Century nun from Aix-en-Provence, France who had been overtaken by an entity that, when confronted by veteran exorcist Father Sebastien Michaelis, revealed itself to be a fallen angel on a mission to punish sinners and tempt the innocent. At the time, Father Michaelis wrote extensively about his battle against that unholy spirit, and now, 400 years later, his writings may prove the key to solving a disturbing modern-day mystery. Ryan James is a drug dealer who has just survived a close brush with death. After being kidnapped and bound, the street-smart dope slinger somehow managed to break free of his bonds and stage a daring escape. Now terrified that his kidnappers will return to complete the mission they failed to carry out the first time around, a desperate James contacts the local police in hopes that they can somehow help to save his life. Having worked in the city for many years, strong-willed detective Jen Porhowski thinks she has heard it all. Upon hearing James' fantastical account of his harrowing struggle, however, Jen skeptically tries to make sense of the story by separating the hard facts from perceived fiction. But sometimes there's a greater truth at work, and now as the pair begin to discover Father Michaelis' centuries-old writings they quickly learn that this modern kidnapping case may in fact transcend their reality and have implications that reach back through the centuries. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This true-crime biopic explores the life of mother-and-son grifters Sante and Kenny Kimes, from Kenny's childhood apprenticeship in early-'80s Honolulu to Sante's murder trial in late-'90s New York City. Fortyish Sante Kimes (Judy Davis) uses her looks and her brazen disregard for the law to acquire whatever she wants in life, from jewels to cars to large insurance settlements. Her most frequent accomplice in these endeavors? Son Kenny (former General Hospital actor Jonathan Jackson), who spends most of his childhood serving as a bit player, then later a co-star, in his mother's schemes. When a slavery -- yes, slavery -- conviction sends Sante to prison, Kenny enjoys a more or less normal adolescence with his wealthy father (Chelcie Ross), who has long refused to marry Sante. But upon her return from the big house, the now over-the-hill Sante re-enlists her son's assistance in her amoral activities. Eventually fingered for the murder of a wealthy Manhattan matron, Sante finds herself in court, where her son's testimony may well end her lifelong crime spree once and for all. Adapted by Randy Stone and Teena Booth from Jeanne King's book Dead End: The Crime Story of the Decade: Murder, Incest and High-Tech Thievery, A Little Thing Called Murder premiered January 23, 2006, on the Lifetime cable network. It was actually the second TV movie to explore the Kimes' story, following Mary Tyler Moore's turn in the 2001 CBS offering Like Mother, Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Director Alex Proyas (Dark City, The Crow) helmed this sci-fi thriller inspired by the stories in Isaac Asimov's nine-story anthology of the same name. In the future presented in the film, humans have become exceedingly dependent on robots in their everyday lives. Robots have become more and more advanced, but each one is preprogrammed to always obey humans and to, under no circumstances, ever harm a human. So, when a scientist turns up dead and a humanoid robot is the main suspect, the world is left to wonder if they are as safe around their electronic servants as previously thought. Will Smith stars as Del Spooner, the robot-hating Chicago cop assigned to the murder investigation. Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, and Chi McBride also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Wounded by a stray bullet, Max (Jessica Alba) -- using the alias Linda Eastman -- is whisked off to Harbor Lights Medical Hospital. Knowing full well that knowledge of her unique DNA could be disastrous for herself and her fellow Manticore refugees, Max refuses to allow any testing of her blood. But unless another figure can intervene, her secret will soon be revealed to the world. And what of Max's nemesis White (Martin Cummins), whose behavior vis-à-vis the present situation is strange indeed? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Former football star Brian Bosworth stars in this action thriller as Alex Carville, a CIA agent who, while on assignment in Russia shortly before the fall of the Soviet Union, is captured by KGB forces and placed in a mental hospital. Eleven years later, Carville is given a chance to earn his freedom: Felix Grady, an eccentric multimillionaire from Texas who bears a striking resemblance to Carville (and is also played by Bosworth), has bought an extremely valuable painting, and Carville's keepers offer to smuggle him back to the United States if he's willing to pose as Grady, pick up the painting, and hand it over to Russian agents in the United States. Carville agrees, but things don't go quite as expected -- while Carville is getting the painting, the real Felix Grady shows up, and things quickly turn violent , with Carville trying to escape both from the Russians and the police. The Operative also stars Teryl Rothery and Bob Dawson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV drama concerns a troubled young man (played by Eric Johnson) who murdered both his mother and grandmother in a desperate bid to get his hands on the family's fortune. Scorn examines both the young man's grisly crimes, and his curious, emotionally detached history prior to the events. The film was based on the true story of Vancouver, British Columbia, multiple murderer Darren Huenemann, who spoke with the screenwriters and reviewed their work in an effort to make the film more realistic. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The primitve planet Madrona is plunged into meterological chaos when the Touchstone, a weather-controlling device, is stolen. Roham (Matthew Walker), high priest of Madrona, accuses the SG-1 team of the theft. In truth, however, the Touchstone was pilfered by higher-ups in the earth's government, who to pull off the heist have secretly reactivated the long-dormant second Stargate. In order to set things right, General Hammond (Don S. Davis) risks his military career--and, possibly, his life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Francis Ford Coppola is one of the executive producers of this revenge-themed telefilm. After insurance agent Tom Casey (Rob Lowe) reports on the suspicious actions of teens near his apartment building, Tom and his pregnant wife Sally (Jennifer Grey) are threatened by the teens in a series of confrontations. The TV movie premiered January 4, 1998 on ABC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In his first film, The Suburbanators, Canadian director Gary Burns took sharp comic aim at the meaningless, numb lives of a group of Canadian suburban teens. This sophomore effort focus on the same social group, offering a fast and funny take on upper-middle-class gatherings, comparing a teen beer-bash to it's adult counterpart, the dinner party. Because his parents are attending the latter fete, Scott decides to host his own soiree. Unfortunately, his mother is super-uptight about having a pristine home, and so he calls it a kitchen party. Kids from all social groups show up, including Scott's sweet girlfriend Tammy. Meanwhile, his anti-social brother Steve hides out in the basement and listens to loud rock music. The adult party across town goes swimmingly until everyone gets pie-eyed and they become involved in a series of minor accidents outside the local liquor store. Things turn ugly when Scott's father off-handedly suggests that another father's son is a homosexual. Back at Scott's house, things take a similarly downward turn when Tammy goes off with the mysterious Steve. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this drama, two young women, desperate to be fashion-model thin, make an inadvertently deadly pact to lose weight. When one of the girls takes their promise too far, her mother must fight to save her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Based on a true story, the made-for-cable When the Vows Break is a remnant of those dark days not long ago when many women were at the mercy of a chauvinistic legal system presided over by misogynistic judges. Having endured much mental anguish through her marriage, affluent Barbara Parker (Patty Duke) finally divorces her husband Art (Art Hindle) when he coldly changes his life insurance policy to make their daughter Susan his sole beneficiary. When the case comes before Oakland County judge Wendell Adams (Robin Gammell), he presumptively concludes that Barbara was responsible for all the friction in her marriage and rules that she is allowed only a pittance of a settlement and an insultingly low alimony allotment. Thus, despite her divorce, the all-but-impoverished Barbara is still at the mercy of her vindictive ex-husband. Refusing to accept this state of affairs, she launches a legal counterstrike, representing herself in court as she charges Judge Adams with anti-female bias. Produced for the Lifetime cable network, When the Vows Break premiered November 1, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this crime thriller, a detective's face is destroyed when he is shot by a hit man. With nothing left to lose, the gumshoe agrees to undergo radical reconstructive surgery so that he can resemble an FBI fugitive who has connections to the Russian mob. The ensuing plan of action involves a rendezvous with a Russian operative and the pilfering of a valuable microchip. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When the police don't seem to be giving their all in the investigation of a young woman's disappearance, her sister decides to look into the mystery herself. The more evidence she finds, the more the finger of guilt points towards her brother-in-law. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide