Michael Brandon Movies

A young student (Zac Efron) finds love in the theater after being cast in a production of Julius Caesar directed by Orson Welles (Christian McKay) in this 1930s-era romance directed by Richard Linklater. Claire Danes co-stars in the CinemaNX production, with adapting duties handled by Holly Gent Palmo and Vincent Palmo Jr. from the Robert Kaplow novel. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Six stories combine to tell an exciting tale of life on the Island of Sodor as Thomas the Tank Engine and pals Percy, Emily, and James set out to get their jobs done and keep the tracks running smoothly. It seems like Thomas is always on the go, and as Emily strives to deliver her passengers on time and James drops in with a little helpful advice, Percy struggles to figure out if he's made a big mistake. Story stops include "Thomas Gets it Right," "Emily's New Route," "Percy's Big Mistake," "As Good as Gordon," "Thomas, Emily, and the Snowplow," and "James Gets a New Coat." ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This release features a number of stories involving Thomas the Tank Engine and many of his locomotive friends. The many tales on this collection include Duncan learning about the importance of following rules, James carrying the Queen of Sodor as a passenger, and the possibility that a monster dwells near Castle Loch. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

The plucky little locomotive Thomas the Tank Engine and his railroad pals on the island of Sodor are at it again in this collection of episodes from the popular children's television series. In Thomas & Friends: Percy Saves the Day, Thomas finds out the hard way just how smart Percy can be, Duncan finds himself in trouble until Rusty comes to his aid, and Fergis gets a chance to show his new friends in Sodor just what he can do. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Another entry in the long-running Thomas the Tank Engine series of children's programs, this episode finds Thomas and company in a variety of adventures. Emily, Toby, Gordon and several others are along for the ride as the gang learns lessons about friendship and even rescues a group of calves in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends: It's Great to Be an Engine. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

In this science fiction thriller, David Whitman (William Hurt) is a chemist who lost his wife and child in a freak accident and is trying to rebuild his life on his own. While doing research, Whitman discovers a series of mysterious deaths that seem to follow in the path of Joseph Mueller (Peter Weller), a seemingly ordinary man who works as a security guard. Unknown to Mueller, his body carries a strange contaminant that's deadly to many people, and Whitman is desperate to find Mueller and stop him before he can cause more deaths. But he discovers there's more to Mueller's story than he ever imagined. The Contaminated Man also stars Michael Brandon and Natascha McElhone. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Entrepreneur and aspiring film producer Kevin Johnson is presumed dead when his car is pulled out of the harbor after an accident, and a British documentary film crew comes to Los Angeles to trace the story of his rise and fall in this mockumentary. While Johnson rubbed elbows with movie stars and Hollywood power brokers, most of whom remember him fondly on camera, his greatest talent seems to have been his gift for schmoozing and his willingness to tell people what they want to hear (and get them what they want for the evening). He got his start by bribing a travel agent, Fred Barrett (Guy Siner), to put him next to the right people on flights to and from L.A., and with the help of agent Ricky Ryan (John Hillard), he begins pitching his script idea to anyone and everyone who might listen. However, it was Kevin's willingness to find female companionship for men in power (and eagerness to blackmail his new "friends") that helped get him financing for his project just before his car hit the water. James Coburn, Pierce Brosnan and Dudley Moore appear as themselves, and director Francis Megahy plays the leader of the documentary film crew. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Were it not based on a true story, this two-part TV movie could well have been dismissed as a grotesque nightmare. The story begins in 1988, when the Chicago home of Cindi and David Dowaliby (Shannen Doherty, Kevin Dillon) is invaded by person or persons unknown, who kidnap and murder their daughter Jacklyn while the couple sleeps. Once the crime is reported, the grief-stricken Dowalibys find themselves accused of their daughter's murder. The authorities are cruel and relentless, public opinion is hostile, the media is doggedly one-sided, and the family's very expensive lawyers more interested in their fee than in justice. Ultimately, Cindi is "cleared", but David is sentenced to a 45-year prison term--and both the couple's surviving child and Cindi's newborn baby are taken away from them. The rest of the film concerns Cindi's tireless and apparently futile battle to win back her children, secure her husband's release and restore the family's mud-splattered reputation. Originally telecast by CBS on February 25 and 27, 1996, Gone in the Night may indeed end on a small note of triumph, but by no means is the tragic situation completely resolved. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Racketeer Paul Avensino (Tony LoBianco) buys a controlling interest in a popular restaurant, but he finds that he exercises no control over the establishment's egotistical chef Bernard Bonelli (John Saxon). Shortly after a confrontation between the two men, Bonelli is murdered--and lest anyone suspect Avensino of the crime, he turns up dead as well. Jessica (Angela Lansbury) becomes involved in the case when her friend Lorna (Heidi Swedberg), host of a TV cooking show, is charged with one of the murders. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When post-partum depression causes the reawakening of long-dormant and traumatic memories of childhood rape by her father, an angry young mother takes her tormentor to court and in so doing nearly destroys her family. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A group of politically conscious students must resolve their own conflicts as they try to change the world around them in this made-for-TV drama. Jennice (Andrea Lia) is an African-American freshman at a university in the Midwest. Jennice is invited to join a campus activist organization, the Black Students Coalition (BSC). But Jennice's initial enthusiasm for the group sours when she accuses Jarib (Crayton Robey), the group's leader, of rape. Soon the BSC is being torn apart from the inside as the members argue about whether or not Jennice is telling the truth. Meanwhile, Troy (J.R. Jarrod), another member of the group, uncovers evidence of corruption among the BSC's leadership. Troy must now decide if he should make his findings public and risk destroying the BSC once and for all -- or remain silent and stand behind the principles of the group that he believes in. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide