Kevin Brodie Movies

The fifth film version of the classic 19th century children's tale by Ouida (aka Marie-Louise de la Ramée), A Dog of Flanders tells the story of young Nello (Jesse James), a boy growing up with his grandfather Jehan (Jack Warden) after the death of his parents. Although Jehan has little in the way of material wealth, he loves his grandson and tries to encourage him in his pursuits; Nello also has the support of his best friend Aloise (Madyline Sweeten) and the love of his faithful dog, Patrasche. Following in the footsteps of his late mother, Nello has an interest in art and has taken up drawing. His work catches the eye of Michel La Grande (Jon Voight), a famous artist who lives in town and offers Nello encouragement. However, as he grows older, the friendship between Nello (now played by Jeremy James Kissner) and Aloise (now played by Farren Monet) is jeopardized because her family feels that a lower-class boy like Nello is not a fit companion for a respectable girl like their daughter. Hoping to earn money and advance his career as an artist, Nello enters a competition for painters on the advice and coaching of La Grande. However, the prize goes to a less skilled but more socially prominent art student. Discouraged, Nello and Patrasche leave home for a journey that will teach them and those around them an important lesson about friendship. A Dog of Flanders represents a change of pace for director Kevin Brodie, whose previous credits include the college comedy Delta Pi and the thriller Treacherous. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Three stalwarts of straight-to-cable productions -- Tia Carrere, C. Thomas Howell, and Adam Baldwin -- team up for this erotic thriller set in an appropriately exotic Mexican resort. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

Bill Rebane's backyard wonder is a hilariously hokey throwback to the giant-monster flicks of the 50s, while taking its only pseudo-scientific conceit from the mid-70s trend of popular "black hole" theories, combining these two elements to create pure bad-movie heaven. A tiny, decrepit town in rural Wisconsin is rocked by a mysterious explosion, after which a drunken farmer (Robert Easton) discovers dozens of crystal geodes strewn across his property. Cracking each one open reveals a diamond-like encrustation (which to the farmer's dismay proves nearly worthless), as well as a hairy but decidedly un-cosmic tarantula. Being permanently soused, he fails to notice the latter (his equally boozy wife accidentally purees one in her daiquiri!) until the rocks begin opening on their own, and the entire farm is overrun with eight-legged invaders. Despite the title, only one of the spiders would qualify for giant status, but it's definitely a keeper: the Big Daddy arachnid is quite clearly a Volkswagen Beetle covered with black fake fur, with legs operated by the car's passengers and taillights doubling for glowing red eyes. Unfortunately, it is merely glimpsed through much of the film, making its triumphant appearance in the final few minutes. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Travelling under the name of "Richard Clark", Kimble (David Janssen) is arrested for hitchhiking by Marshall Joe Bob Simms (Pat Hingle). Though he enjoys a reputation as a prince of a fellow, Simms is actually a scheming sadist who uses prisoners like Kimble as slave labor, forcing them to work on a town park that the Marshal hopes will advance his political career. Though he manages to leave town after serving his time, Kimble returns to make Simms pay the penalty for the death of another prisoner (Tom Skerritt)--thereby placing his own life in jeopardy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Real-life WW II hero Audie Murphy stars in this war drama that follows the exploits of a civilian who works closely with Filipino resistance fighters against the Japanese invaders. The man has come to the islands to find his new wife after they are separated during their honeymoon in Manila. She is alive but thinks that her hubby died under enemy fire. She then begins to fall in love with one of the underground leaders. Meanwhile, her husband and his buddy must fight the Japanese and the jungle until at last they find her. As soon as they are reunited, the guerrilla gracefully bows out, leaving the couple to head home and resume their lives. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide