Larry Brand Movies
Masked serial killer Michael Myers makes his seventh appearance in the eighth installment of this long-running slasher series. Although the climax of the previous installment, Halloween: H20, depicted heroine Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) finally finishing off her brother/tormentor, the opening sequence of Halloween: Resurrection reveals that Laurie actually beheaded the wrong guy. Now confined to a mental institution, she quickly falls victim to her brother and longtime foe (played this time out by Brad Loree). Cut to Haddonfield, IL, where a sextet of college students is assembling for the production of an online reality show in which they'll spend the night locked up in the killer's childhood home being filmed by dozens of cameras and broadcast over the Internet. Presided over by fast-talking producer Freddie Harris (Busta Rhymes) and his girlfriend/business partner, Nora Winston (Tyra Banks), the players range from fame-hungry Jen (Katee Sackhoff) and food-obsessed Rudy (Sean Patrick Thomas) to rakish Jim (Luke Kirby) and cerebral Donna (Daisy McCrackin). As these photogenic youngsters hunt for clues about Michael's tortured childhood, engage in on-camera sexual escapades and discover the phony props planted by Freddie and Nora, Michael arrives to stalk them relentlessly one by one. To complicate matters, Freddie himself is skulking around in a Michael Myers mask hoping to scare up some ratings. As the bodies begin to pile up, thoughtful cast member Sara (Bianca Kajlich) manages to survive thanks to wireless email instructions from high-school dork Myles (Ryan Merriman), but even the latest technology might not be enough to outwit Michael Myers. Halloween: Resurrection was directed by Rick Rosenthal, who previously helmed 1981's Halloween 2. The cast also features Thomas Ian Nicholas of American Pie and Billy Kay of L.I.E. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Lee Curtis, Brad Loree, (more)
In this thriller, Derian (Rebecca De Mornay), a beautiful private detective with a checkered past, is hired by a suspicious woman to keep tabs on her husband, whom she suspects is having an affair. While it's her job to keep her distance, Derian soon finds herself drawn into the web of desire that she's observing -- and becomes involved in an affair that could have terrible consequences. The Right Temptation also stars Kiefer Sutherland as Michael and Dana Delany as Anthea. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, Rebecca De Mornay, (more)
20 years ago, Jana Mercer (Brigitte Bako) witnessed the brutal murder of her entire family by a ruthless serial killer, Calvin Hawks (Larry Drake). Today, Jana has isolated herself inside an apartment that's more like a fortress than a home, with her last contact with the outside world being therapy session conducted via computer. However, one day Jana discovers Calvin has hacked his way into her computer system, and with his release from prison imminent, it's only a matter of time until he also hacks into her stronghold ... and her. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1994
When John Davenport (Scott Valentine) married his lovely wife, Diana (Katherine Kelly Lang), he was totally unaware that she had been wed before. And beyond that, John had no idea that Diana's ex-husband, Drew D'Arcy (John Enos III), is a dangerous psycho. But Davenport soon wises up when, with help of a phony parole office, Drew begins stalking Diana and ultimately kidnaps her. Alerting the authorities to this abduction, John finds that no one will believe him -- especially since he himself has recently been implicated in a murder. Thus, John must tackle the challenge of rescuing Diana himself, leading to a nail-biting climactic showdown in the desert. For all its melodrama and grimness, this film has as astonishing amount of humor, mostly invested in the "sick" comments made by Drew D'Arcy and his partner in crime. Originally filmed for theatrical play but ultimately released directly to home video, Till the End of Night made its TV debut courtesy of the Lifetime cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Valentine, Katherine Kelly Lang, (more)
- 1990
- R
In this sudsy and violent melodrama, a prominent actress is tormented by both an obsessive stalker and a trauma from her distant past. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Oxenberg, David Naughton, (more)
New Zealand-born filmmaker Jane Campion directs the darkly humorous family drama Sweetie. Thin and mousy Kay (Karen Colson) works in a factory and lives a dreary existence with her well-meaning boyfriend, Louis (Tom Lycos). One day, her sister Dawn (Genevieve Lemon) arrives with her so-called manager, Bob (Michael Lake). Nicknamed Sweetie, Dawn is everything Kay is not: boisterous, impulsive, and overweight. Kay is consumed with uptight phobias, while Dawn hangs on to her unrealistic childhood dreams of show business. Meanwhile, their parents, Gordon (Jon Darling) and Flo (Dorothy Barry), are involved in a strange separation. Kay, Louis, and Gordon trick Dawn so they can visit Flo at a ranch in the Australian outback. Everyone gets together back at the family home where Dawn pulls an immature stunt, exposing the psychological realities of the situation. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Genevieve Lemon, Karen Colston, (more)
- 1989
- R
A remake of Roger Corman's 1964 adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe tale was produced by Corman but directed by Larry Brand. Its the story of a medieval prince (Adrian Paul) and his attempt to avoid a vicious plague among the populace. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Macnee, Adrian Paul, (more)
- 1988
- R
Julia's (Kim Delaney) nightmare begins when she picks up hitchhiker Trey (Miles O'Keeffe) on a desolate road. Once back in the big city, Julia finds she is being stalked by the persistent Trey. Just why he is so obsessed is revealed in the film's climax. Meanwhile, Julia is also being followed by someone hired by her sleazy boyfriend (Timothy Bottoms), and someone has just murdered her best friend. Director Larry Brand shows up in a small role as a cop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Delaney, Timothy Bottoms, (more)
Wealthy-but-troubled Vietnam vet Jeff Fahey, his trailer-trash wife Karen Allen, and drifter Keith Carradine are the characters essential to the action in Backfire. Fahey's horrific flashbacks to his days in Nam plunge him into a catatonic state. Though he has previously drawn up a document granting his wife power of attorney in case this should happen, Fahey's protective sister Dinah Manoff keeps this fact secret, hoping to cut off the mercenary Allen--and her lover Dean Paul Martin--without a penny. Drowning her problems at a local bar, Allen makes the acquaintance of Carradine, who shortly afterwards moves into the family mansion, bag and baggage. Fed up with being treated like garbage, and equally fed up with her noncommunicative husband, Allen enmeshes Carradine in an insidious plan that will regain her the riches she feels she deserves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karen Allen, Keith Carradine, (more)
- 1986
In this Disney comedy, two identical cars cause all sorts of mayhem for six people and lively dog. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
