William Butler Movies

The horror rises like baker's yeast in this sequel to the fully baked frightener about a murderous cookie man with a true taste for terror. After inheriting his father's fledgling film studio, ambitious young producer Kelvin Cheatam announces an outrageous slate of genre films that will have horror hounds drooling and hopefully save the studio from bankruptcy. "Hamburger Time Traveler Detective" and "Space Spankers 2015" are sure to be big hits, but Cheatam's most personal project is "Tiny Terrors 9: Purgatory of the Petite." The "Tiny Terrors" series was his father's most infamous film series, and Cheatam is determined to carry on the twisted family tradition. As production on "Tiny Terrors 9" gets underway, however, a crusty killer shows up on lend an air of authenticity to all of the cinematic slaughter currently unfolding before the cameras. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

When a white teenager is murdered in Harlem, the police at first assume the victim was killed in a botched robbery. Later on, a couple of black kids are heard bragging about the killing and seen brandishing the victim's jacket, thereby fomenting a dangerous racial situation. But as the evidence mounts up, the DA's office shifts its attention to a pair of police officers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Barry Levinson directed this crime drama based on a controversial bestseller. Jason Patrick stars as Lorenzo, a New York reporter more commonly called "Shakes," a nickname courtesy of his three childhood pals from Hell's Kitchen -- Michael (Brad Pitt), John (Ron Eldard), and Tommy (Billy Crudup). As kids, all four were sent to reform school after accidentally killing someone during a cruel prank. There, the boys were raped and beaten by several guards, including Sean Nokes (Kevin Bacon), a fact that they've kept secret into adulthood. Michael is now a rising star in the district attorney's office, while John and Tommy are founders of the Irish gang the Westies. When Nokes walks into John and Tommy's hangout, they kill him in cold blood and go on trial, defended by a drug-addicted lawyer (Dustin Hoffman). Michael and Shakes conspire with childhood friend Carol (Minnie Driver) and local priest Father Bobby (Robert DeNiro) to free their friends and get even with the surviving guards. Based on a true story chronicled by Lorenzo Carcaterra in his novel of the same name, Sleepers stirred controversy when the veracity of the book was challenged by reporters who could find no documentation of the events described. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

In this horror thriller, a scary sorcerer opens up his ancient Italian castle and allows the winners of a music contest to enter it and search for a fabulous treasure--provided they can stay alive long enough to enjoy it. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Upon stopping for gas and directions on the Texas back roads, bickering yuppies Michelle (Kate Hodge) and Ryan (William Butler) get harassed by leering service-station owner Alfredo (Tom Everett). When the helpful intercession of a hitchhiker named Tex (Viggo Mortensen) leads to violence, the couple flees the area. Eventually, an unknown truck forces them off the road and into an accident with the sports utility vehicle of Benny (Ken Foree), a well-armed survivalist. Pursued by unknown assailants, Benny and his fellow accident victims must abandon both vehicles and armaments. Eventually all three end up trapped on the boggy forest estate of a family of cannibalistic serial killers who range in age from a feral little girl (Jennifer Banko) to an aged matriarch (Miriam Byrd-Nethery). The clan also includes the title character, whose chainsaw-wielding rampages are among the few direct links between this installment and the earlier two films in this series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Though bereft of budget, the 1988 sci-fier Arena has its heart in the right place. The scene is a distant planet, where extraterrestrial gladiators square off in an arena. Earthling Steve Armstrong would like to prove his fighting skills, but the evil planetary ruler Marc Alaimo won't let him. After an intensive series of training sessions with martial-arts expert Claudia Christian, whose father used to run the arena, Armstrong is at last permitted to display his prowess in public. He also gets a chance to topple Alaimo's despotic regime, and, hopefully, to win himself a trip back to Mother Earth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This pedantic sequel to Empire Pictures' less-than-original Ghoulies was released directly to video and summarily slipped into oblivion. At the outset of this one, the title creatures -- rubbery puppets originally conceived as cut-rate Gremlins lookalikes -- are shanghaied by a priest who intends to exterminate them, but they manage to escape to a low-rent carnival. There they take up residence in "Satan's Den," a foundering, old-fashioned haunted house attraction run by Royal Dano, who fears he may lose ownership of the show due to sagging attendance. The presence of the ghoulies at first gives business a much-needed boost ... until the slimy little buggers start dining on the patrons. Despite some enhancements in the lackluster monster effects (by John Buechler, who's done better work elsewhere) and clever stop-motion animation by David Allen, this film is just as pointless as its predecessor. There is, however, one memorable scene, which makes good on the promise of the first film's ad campaign -- which featured one of the reptilian critters leaping from a toilet bowl, accompanied by the tagline "They'll get you in the end!" ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide