Billy Zane Movies

Contemporary high schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) doesn't have the most pleasant of lives. Browbeaten by his principal at school, Marty must also endure the acrimonious relationship between his nerdy father (Crispin Glover) and his lovely mother (Lea Thompson), who in turn suffer the bullying of middle-aged jerk Biff (Thomas F. Wilson), Marty's dad's supervisor. The one balm in Marty's life is his friendship with eccentric scientist Doc (Christopher Lloyd), who at present is working on a time machine. Accidentally zapped back into the 1950s, Marty inadvertently interferes with the budding romance of his now-teenaged parents. Our hero must now reunite his parents-to-be, lest he cease to exist in the 1980s. It won't be easy, especially with the loutish Biff, now also a teenager, complicating matters. Beyond its dazzling special effects, the best element of Back to the Future is the performance of Michael J. Fox, who finds himself in the quagmire of surviving the white-bread 1950s with a hip 1980s mindset. Back to the Future cemented the box-office bankability of both Fox and the film's director, Robert Zemeckis, who went on to helm two equally exhilarating sequels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Critters, an amusing horror comedy directed byStephen Herek, is the story of a family menaced by eight basketball sized creatures from outer space who arrive at their Kansas farm in search of food. Helen Brown (Dee Wallace Stone) and Brad (Scott Grimes), owners of the farm find themselves held hostage as the creatures roll, jump and bounce around during the night. They are pursued by a pair of inept, intergalactic bounty hunters, Charlie (Don Keith Opper) and Johnny (Terrence Mann) who can shape-shift at will and are packing weapons capable of taking care of any creature they encounter. The special effects of this humorous thriller are extremely good and the creatures themselves have distinct and separate personalities. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Things have barely settled from the excitement and resolve of the original Back to the Future, when in pops that crazy inventor Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) with news that in order to prevent a series of events that could ruin the McFly name for posterity, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox ) and his girlfriend are whisked into the future to the year 2015, where Marty must tangle with a teen rogue named Griff, who's obviously the descendant of Biff, the first Future film's bully. Marty foils Griff and his group when he jumps on an air-foil skateboard that flies him through town at rakish speeds with the loser bullies beaten again. Marty gets a money-making brainstorm before hopping in the time-traveling DeLorean, and he purchases a sports almanac. He figures that back in 1985 he'll be able to place sure-fire bets using the published sports scores of the games that are yet to happen. Unfortunately for Marty, Dr. Brown disapproves of his betting scheme -- he feels too much messing with time is very dangerous -- and he tosses the almanac. A hidden Biff overhears the discussion about the almanac, sees it get tossed out, and grabs it. Thus begins a time-traveling swirl to make the head spin. Biff swipes the DeLorean, heads back to 1955, and with the help of the unerring almanac, bets his way to power. The now-altered "Biff world" has turned into a nightmarish scene with Biff the mogul, residing in a Vegas-styled pleasure palace and running everything. It's all our hero Marty can do to pull the pieces together this time, as he must jump between three generations of intertwined time travel. The end of Back to the Future, Part 2 introduces its sequel as the zany professor has already time-dashed away to the Wild West of the late 1800s and invites Marty into a new adventure. ~ All Movie Guide

Two years before he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, Adam Sandler starred in this comedy as Shecky Moskowitz, who wants to get a job as a comedian on a cruise ship, but when that job is taken, signs on as a waiter instead, hoping fate will lend a hand. The cast also includes Burt Young, Peter Berg, Billy Zane, and a then-unknown Billy Bob Thornton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Billy Zane stars in this direct-to-video gem as a spectacularly unsuccessful car thief. Hoping to reform by leaving LA, Zane must scare up $400 worth of exit money. He decides to pull off one last job, stealing a TV from William Bastiani. An ill-tempered criminal, Bastiani stabs Zane, who then runs off blindly into a cemetary ("Blood" and "Concrete": get it?) Weaving around the tombstones, Zane makes the acquaintance of would-be suicide Jennifer Beals. Love blooms, but it might be too late for both of them: Bastiani is found murdered, and Zane is suspect number one-forcing him to hide out from both the cops and the mob. Luxuriating in its tawdriness and cheapness, Blood & Concrete: A Love Story actually has an offbeat charm all its own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Unabashedly sentimental, this war film was produced by David Putnam in partnership with Catherine Wyler, whose father William Wyler directed an acclaimed documentary about the real-life events depicted in the film. The ensemble cast is composed of ten young actors portraying the crew of the World War II B-17 bomber "Memphis Belle," anticipating their 25th and last mission before they will be able to go home. Having won fame with their exemplary war record and amazing lack of casualties, they expect their final assignment to be a cakewalk, but instead they are ordered to bomb Bremen, a heavily defended German city that will mean almost certain loss of life. Led by their experienced captain, Dennis Dearborn (Matthew Modine), the crew shoulders its responsibility despite mounting fears, while their commanding officer (David Strathairn) and a public relations specialist (John Lithgow) wait anxiously for their return. Aboard the bomber, there's friction between Dearborn and his disgruntled co-pilot Luke Sinclair (Tate Donovan), and between medical officer Val Kozlowski (Billy Zane) and the rest of the crew when it's learned that Val lied about his qualifications. Despite impressive technical credits and a popular Generation-X cast, Memphis Belle (1990) was a box-office disappointment, its enthusiastic patriotism considered a throwback to a bygone era of filmmaking. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Leo Feretti is awfully rich and lives the glamorous life of a corporate magnate, travelling from one nest of luxury to another around the world. He is married to a loving, supportive woman, who is extremely loyal. That's good, because when he falls ill, his slimy low-down brother and his nephew conspire to take control of his companies away from him using every underhanded scheme in the book, from blackmail to simple backstabbing. In this action-packed drama, the suspense about whether Leo will succeed in retaining his company is at least equalled by the display of corporate opulence in gorgeous vacation spots. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Episode 25 of Twin Peaks, "On the Wings of Love," originally aired on April 4, 1991, and was directed by Duwayne Dunham. Sheriff Truman gets drugged and almost killed by Jones (Brenda Strong), then he wakes up with a hangover. Chief Gordon Cole (David Lynch) arrives with some new information regarding Windom Earle and also reinstates Cooper as a Special Agent, giving him a brand new gun. Meanwhile, Earle and his minion, Leo, plot to kill whoever wins the Miss Twin Peaks contest. Donna's mom, Eileen Hayward, and Ben Horne discuss their past connection while Audrey and Donna listen in. Audrey then encounters a strange man at the library who claims to be named Prof. Edward Perkins. That night, Andy, Truman, Hawk, and Cooper go spelunking at Owl Cave to discover a strange symbol on the wall. An owl flies around them, causing Andy to swing his axe at the symbol, revealing a hidden object. Later, over drinks at the Great Northern Hotel bar, Cooper notices Annie's scars. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Episode 24 of Twin Peaks, "Wounds and Scars," originally aired on March 28, 1991, and was directed by James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross). Cooper recalls recent events to "Diane" and admits that someone dies every time Windom Earle removes a chess piece from the board. This episode also features the first appearance of Norma's sister, Annie Blackburne (Heather Graham), who recently left the convent to work as a waitress at the Double R diner. Ben Horne has become an environmentalist, and he plans a benefit show to save the pine weasel with Tim Pinkle (David L. Lander aka Squiggy) as guest speaker. Also at the Great Northern Hotel, Nadine and varsity all-star Mike check into the honeymoon suite under false names. Meanwhile, Cooper, Major Briggs, and Margaret (the Log Lady) compare their strange experiences in the woods. Each of them has heard the call of the owl and seen the light, leaving Major Briggs and Margaret with similar tattoo markings. While her parents are away, Donna gets a visitor claiming to be Dr. Gerald Craig, who leaves behind a present containing the next chess move. That evening, the pine weasel benefit talk goes awry, while Audrey and John Justice Wheeler discover their mutual attraction. Still grieving the mysterious death of Josie, a drunken Sheriff Truman destroys all the furniture at the Bookhouse. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Episode 27 of Twin Peaks, "The Path to the Black Lodge," originally aired on April 18, 1991, and was directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal. In this episode, the contestants of the Miss Twin Peaks contest prepare for the big day and several characters experience a mysterious shaking hand phenomena. Just before John Justice Wheeler takes off for Brazil, Audrey meets with him one last time. Doc Hayward examines Ben and warns him to stay away from Eileen. Meanwhile, Donna finds the "Father" entry blank on her birth certificate. Major Briggs, Cooper, and Truman watch a videotape of Windom Earle, who announces his intentions of seeking out the Black Lodge. Cooper believes there is a connection to the Black Lodge and the maps of the petrogyph in Owl Cave. Out in the woods, Earle abducts Major Briggs, then proceeds to interrogate him and shoot him with drugs. Later that day, Andrew and Catherine continue to struggle with the puzzle box, which seems to only contain other boxes. While dancing with Annie, Cooper has another vision with the Giant. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Independent filmmaker Sally Potter's gender-bending epic, which views four centuries of sexual politics through the eyes of a sex-switching main character, is based on the 1928 novel by Virginia Woolf. The androgynous title character is played with delicate quietude by Tilda Swinton. The story begins during the reign of the aging Queen Elizabeth I (Quentin Crisp, in a droll turn recalling his The Naked Civil Servant). Queen Elizabeth takes a shine to the attractive young Orlando and seeks out his sexual favors. In return, Elizabeth grants him a large estate, commanding him, "Do not fade, do not wither, do not grow old." Orlando takes the queen at her word and doesn't. When Elizabeth dies, Orlando becomes attracted to Sasha (Charlotte Valandrey), the daughter of a Russian diplomat, but she rebuffs his advances. Crushed, Orlando accepts an ambassadorship to Constantinople. After witnessing the killing of a man in battle, Orlando undergoes a change of sex, becoming a woman and returning to England, where she hobnobs with 18th-century geniuses like Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, and John Addison. Walking through a garden labyrinth, the time frame shifts to the 19th century, and Orlando falls in love with a handsome American (Billy Zane). Now in the 20th century, Orlando gives birth to his child and continues on. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

This erotic drama stars Joan Severance as Irene, a repressed housewife who develops a lustful and somewhat obsessive attraction to Billy (Billy Zane), a handsome landscaper working with a crew of laborers on her yard. With both her husband and son gone on a fishing trip for a few days, Irene becomes a stowaway in her own camper, which Billy steals for a weekend getaway with his girlfriend Grace (May Karasun), unaware that Irene is inside. After Irene joins the surprised couple, she's invited to join them as they relax in rural environs and enjoy a Chinese festival being held nearby. Thanks to the willing and able assistance of Billy and Grace, Irene also unlocks her sexual side and discovers some deeply repressed desires. Lake Consequence (1992) was created by the soft-core drama duo of director Rafael Eisenman and writer/producer Zalman King. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

R&B star Janet Jackson made an impressive film debut in Poetic Justice as Justice, a hairdresser at a small salon in South Central Los Angeles. Justice uses her poetry to deal with her grief after her boyfriend is killed in a shooting incident at a drive-in. Hired to work at a hair stylists' event in Oakland, Justice is stranded when her car breaks down, until she remembers that her friend Ieasha (Regina King) was going to hop a ride down to Oakland with her boyfriend Chicago (Joe Torry), a postal worker who is heading there with a truck full of mail. Justice tags along to discover that Chicago's driving partner is Lucky (Tupac Shakur), the postman who delivers mail to her shop and keeps asking her out. Ieasha and Chicago have to deal with their own rocky relationship while Justice has to decide if she's ready for a new love -- and if Lucky is the man she's waiting for. Along with strong work from Jackson, Poetic Justice features a surprising turn from Shakur, whose nuanced performance as Lucky is in strong contrast to his "Thug Life" public persona. Justice's poems were written by Maya Angelou, who also appears in a small role. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide