Ernie Brown Movies

Albert Brooks wrote, directed, and stars in this philosophical comedy about a man having a hard time making a case for himself in the afterlife. When advertising executive Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) finds himself in a fatal car crash minutes after taking delivery on a new BMW, he's whisked away to Judgment City, where the recently dead are put on a sort of trial to decide their fate. If in your time on Earth you were able to face your fears and learn from your mistakes, you get to move on to a life in a better world. However, if you didn't, you have to go back to Earth and try again. As he spends the next several days watching various episodes from his life, Daniel gets the impression he doesn't stand much of a chance of moving on -- and his representative, Bob Diamond (Rip Torn), seems to have little confidence in his case. In the meantime, he frequents Judgment City's many restaurants (where the food is delicious and you can eat all you want without gaining an ounce), pays a visit to the Past Life Pavilion, and meets Julia (Meryl Streep), who seems so kind, sweet, and noble that her advancement is practically assured. Daniel and Julia fall in love, but what's going to happen if they don't end up in the same place? Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep make a witty and engaging romantic team in Defending Your Life, and Shirley MacLaine appears in a highly appropriate cameo. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A group of adolescent monster movie enthusiasts form a club that meets in a treehouse in this pre-teen horror feature. When Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein, and The Wolfman are joined by Gill-Man in the search for a magic amulet, the boys form the Monster Squad to battle the forces of evil. The boys get unexpected help from Frankenstein when the monster grows tired of being continually bossed around by Dracula. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

The Children of Times Square are alienated and disenfranchised kids from all over the country. With nowhere to go and no real purpose in life, they converge on the streets of New York, totally vulnerable despite their outward toughness. Howard Rollins plays a ruthless cocaine dealer who, in the tradition of Fagin, wins the confidence of many of these kids and organizes them into a criminal gang. The film traces the "recruitment" by Rollins of two teenagers, runaway Brandon Douglas and New Yorker Danny Nucci. Joanna Cassidy plays Douglas' mother, who desperately tries to free her son from Rollins' influence. Made for TV, Children of Times Square debuted on March 3, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Bored with their cushy suburban existence, yuppie David (Albert Brooks) talks his wife Linda (Julie Hagerty) into selling everything they own and hitting the road to "see America." As a starting-over gesture, David and Linda are romantically remarried in Las Vegas -- which, ironically, proves to be the beginning of the end of their idyll. In short order, Linda loses their life's savings, the couple nearly self-destructs at Hoover Dam, they take blue-collar jobs in a go-nowhere Arizona town, and....Well, if you know your Albert Brooks, be prepared for a steady stream of manic social satire. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Future Falcon Crest costar Simon MacCorkindale appears in this episode as Gaylord Duke, London-born cousin of Hazzard County's Luke and Bo Duke (Tom Wopat, John Schneider). Arriving in America to claim some land he has inherited, Gaylord finds himself opposed by Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke), who intends to auction off the land in order to collect back taxes. Unexpected complications ensue when Daisy (Catherine Bach) falls in love with the dashing Gaylord. Ernie W. Brown appears in this episode as temporary mechanic L.B. Davenport, cousin of the still-absent Cooter (series regular Ben Jones was boycotting the show, refusing to shave his beard as ordered by the producers). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Hoping to divest himself of his well-earned nickname, veteran moonshiner Hard Luck Jones (Fred Stuthman) steals a vintage armored personal carrier from Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke), who'd been using the vehicle to transport illegal cigarettes. Jones intends to transform the APC into Hazzard County's first "mobile still", and to that end he hides the valuable relic on the Dukes' property--potentially giving Boss yet another excuse to throw the whole Duke clan into the hoosegow. This episode was originally scheduled to air on December 21, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Given an attractive pantsuit by Gloria, Edith would like to show off her new outfit in public. Alas, Archie is his usual stick-in-the-mud self, and refuses to take Edith out. Undaunted, Edith decides to have a good time on her own, and takes her first step toward that goal by heading down to Kelcey's Bar. Jason Wingreen makes his first appearance as Harry the bartender, a role he'd carry over to the spin-off series Archie Bunker's Place. Written by Lou Derman, Douglas Aragno, and Phil Doran, "Edith's Night Out" originally aired on March 8, 1976, as the final episode of All in the Family's sixth season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi