Avi Lerner Movies

In this emotional film related to the Yom Kippur War of 1973, an American woman and an Israeli journalist both have husbands who do not return from the fighting, and each woman is convinced that the same prisoner who appears in a film taken in an Egyptian POW camp was her husband. At first the women are antagonistic but as they continue to wait and wait with no word, they begin to empathize with each other's trauma and a deep friendship develops. Whenever the POW in question is released, one of the women may be facing a tragedy spared the other. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

For all we know, there may be even more unknown and unseen Dom DeLuise films lurking around out there. Until we did the research, we didn't know My African Adventure existed. Based loosely on a comic novel by Tamar Burstein, the film concerns the son of an American ambassador who meets a steady stream of merry mercenaries while heading into the African interior. One of the plot-motivating factors is a talking monkey; other devices aren't quite as subtle. In addition to Mr. DeLuise (who isn't the lead, though he gets top billing), My African Adventure also features Jimmy "Dy-No-Mite" Walker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lieutenant Jeff Knight (Michael Dudikoff) is an idealistic young officer who arrives in Vietnam to lead a group of fighters from the 103rd Airborne division in jungle combat. Sergeant Michael McNamara (Robert F. Lyons) is a combat veteran who helps Jeff after most of the platoon is wiped out. George S. Clinton provides the music for this low-budget war film that features plenty of gratuitous violence. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

A group of slaves rise up against their oppressive owners in this costume drama starring Eartha Kitt and Oliver Reed. Richard Abdee (Patrick Warburton) is exiled from Britain for treason and falls in love with Honore (Annabelle Schofield), the sister of the sadistic plantation owner Pierre (Drummond Marias). When Richard is flogged, the slaves revolt. Eartha Kitt plays the brothel owner Naomi, with Oliver Reed as the captain sent to quell the uprising. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Shot in South Africa, this direct-to-video installment of the werewolf series continues that franchise's tradition of generating sequels light-years distant from the quality of Joe Dante's witty and frightening original. The fourth chapter even attempts to rewrite the original film's premise, which admittedly took grand liberties with the novel by Gary Brandner. The revamped tale involves successful author Marie (Romy Windsor), who visits the scenic woodland town of Drago to find respite from constant nightmare visions involving werewolves and a mysterious nun. Needless to say, her stay in the village does nothing to dispel the visions, which increase in frequency and seem to suggest strange portents of evil events to come... and a warning to get out of town before the next full moon. Director John Hough has yet to surpass his horror masterpiece The Legend of Hell House, and this deadly dull exercise is hardly a step in the right direction. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

A team of mercenaries, led by Colonel Virelli (Peter Fonda), is hired by an African nation to get rid of a tribe of people who are trying to block a proposed dam. After the men learn that the tribe is merely fighting to save its life, they face mutiny and confusion as to which side they're on. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

This, the third issue in the American Ninja series, stars karate expert David Bradley who goes to Japan for ninja training so he'll be able to avenge his father's murder. Once trained, he enters in an international karate contest held by some no-goods who'd like to get their hands on the world's toughest fella so they can try out a new artificial disease they've created. (They figure the best way to test the disease is upon the toughest guy they can find.) Most action occurs on a Caribbean island. ~ All Movie Guide

This English-language, Israeli produced example of the ever-popular "candid camera" type of show was shot in South Africa for the Israeli market. The producers choice of shooting it in English and the absence of genuinely original set-ups may have been a mistake: at any event, the film did not do well in its home market. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Ten Little Indians, the classic mystery by Agatha Christie, is again adapted, with enjoyable results. The setting of the now familiar mystery is moved to Africa, where the ten guests of a mysterious host are killed one by one as they travel on safari. None of the guests, played with great fun by a cast including Donald Pleasence, Brenda Vaccaro, Frank Stallone and Herbert Lom, know why they have been invited, but as they begin to be murdered, one by one, they fear for their safety and begin to suspect each other. The ending of this wonderful mystery should never be divulged, and the story remains surprisingly fresh despite its many adaptations. This film, while only average, remains highly enjoyable because of the charm and surprise of Christie's wonderful plot and great surprise ending. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

This jungle adventure features an extremely complicated plot that involves a megalomaniacal Nazi doctor who continues to perform inhuman experiments in the Amazon jungle and helms the Lost City of the Nazis, a mecca for war criminals and new followers. He is pursued by three vengeful people: a former colleague whom he double-crossed near the end of the war, a young woman who saw him murder her father, and an angry American physician, whose daughter the doctor kidnapped after they came to the jungle to help the ailing Indians who are dying from a mysterious disease. In addition to coping with each other, the searchers must also deal with the usual Amazon dangers, including ferocious cannibals, before they can make it to the hidden city and get their revenge. The plot is an adaptation of an Alistair McLean novel. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A contemporary version of the masterpiece by Edgar Allan Poe follows a photographer (Michelle McBride) as she spies on a soap-opera star at a party in Bavaria. She must solve the crimes when several guests are murdered by someone in a skull mask and red coat. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Based on a novel by William Boyd (who also wrote the film's screenplay), this darkly witty drama explores the political, social, and sexual gamesmanship of a group of British and African politicians. Morgan Leafy (Colin Friels) is a British diplomat who, for the past three years, has been assigned to the British High Commission of Ninjana, an African nation slowly divesting itself of colonial rule. Leafy is an arrogant and frequently confused alcoholic romantically involved with an African woman named Hazel (Jackie Mofokeng). Arthur Fanshawe (John Lithgow), a new High Commission appointee who wants nothing more than to be promoted and moved out of Africa, brings some interesting news to Leafy: massive reserves of oil have been discovered in Ninjana, and if the British want to reap the full profits of this windfall, they will want to stay on the good side of Sam Adekunle (Louis Gossett Jr.), who in all likelihood will be the next president of Ninjana. However, something of a diplomatic crisis has come up; a native woman was struck by lightning in the courtyard of the High Commission's compound, and the locals insist that she cannot be moved until certain time-honored rituals have been performed. At a loss for advice, Leafy turns to Dr. Alex Murray (Sean Connery), a Scottish doctor who has been in Africa for 23 years and is one of the few people equally at ease with both the British colonials and the natives. However, Leafy doesn't seem so eager to seek out assistance in his romantic problems; while he's involved with Hazel, Leafy also finds himself dallying with Adekunle's wife Celia (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) and Fanshawe's wife Chloe (Diana Rigg). By the way, don't bother looking for Ninjana on a map -- it doesn't really exist. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This action film is a sequel to 1993's Cyborg Cop. This time officer Jack Ryan, known for his itchy trigger finger, comes up against Jesse Starkraven, the psychopathic brother of a man Ryan killed during the last movie. In the first scene, the two are involved in a shoot-out in a warehouse. After Starkraven is captured, he is hauled off by the ATG (Anti-Terrorist Group), a secret government agency, where they turn him into a cyborg. Unfortunately, the lose control of Starkraven and he leads a cyborg revolt. He wants to destroy the human race. It is up to Ryan and the ATG chief to stop him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide