Robert Primes Movies

Debuting December 4, 2005 on the Showtime network, the weekly, hour-long drama Sleeper Cell was at base an I Led Three Lives for the post-9/11 era, albeit with a bit more depth in, and understanding of, the villainous characters. In the opening episode, a disgruntled Muslim ex-convict named Darwyn Al-Sayeed (Michal Ealy) was recruited into a terrorist sleeper cell based in Los Angeles and headed by the fanatical Faris Al-Farik (Oded Eher). In order to best follow out his plans of sabotage and destruction in the US, Al-Farik posed as a Jewish-American named Yossi, who ironically worked for a security company. Similarly, the other members of the cell held down legitimate jobs while carrying out their dirty work--and, as if to put the lie to the assumption that terrorism has but one face, the others were drawn from a variety of ethnic and social backgrounds. Blue-eyed, blonde-haired All-American boy Tommy Emerson (Blake Shields) was the privileged son of liberal activists; Frenchman Christian Aumont (Alex Nesic), a former Skinhead and National Front member, led an outwardly respectable life as a suburban husband and father; and Al-Farik's Bosnian right-hand man Ilija (Henri Lubatti),who had witnessed the slaughter of his family by Orthodox Serbs, hid his terrorist activites behind the façade of a high-school science teacher. What none of the cell members realized was that Darwyn Al-Sayeed was likewise a "poser": He was actually an undercover FBI agent, assigned to infiltrate Al-Farik's cell and covertly thwart his various sinister schemes against national security. Only his FBI supervisor Rayl Fuller (James Legros) was aware of Darwyn's dual identity; others, including Darwyn's single-mom sweetheart Gayle Bishop (Melissa Sagemiller), had no idea of his actual mission. In keeping with pay-cable tradition, Sleeper Cell was infinitely more profane and violent than standard over-the-air action fare. And in many ways, the series was also infinitely superior to its non-pay cable competition. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The ad copy for the ABC medical drama MDs promised "doctors who'll bend any rule and take on the system." The series looked and sounded a lot like M*A*S*H, the difference being that it took place in peacetime, and in contemporary San Francisco. William Fichter and John Hannah essayed the Hawkeye and Trapper John counterparts, here named Dr. Bruce Kellerman and Dr. Robert Dalgety. Though chronically irreverent and taking special delight in bucking bureaucracy and red tape at every opportunity, the two protagonists also happened to be brilliant and dedicated surgeons, investing an emotional interest in virtually all their patients ("Come on, you're not gonna die on me today!"). In its efforts to sustain a staunchly anti-HMO stance, the series admittedly stacked the deck a bit by drawing virtually all of its authority figures in broad, almost caricatured strokes: For example, Kellerman and Dalgety's chief nemesis was Mission General Hospital's bean-counting new administrator Pangborn (Leslie Stefanson), who had previously managed a theme park and who fainted at the sight of blood. MDs premiered September 25, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adapted from a novel by Garrison Keillor and Jenny Lind Nillson, this made-for-Showtime movie is set in the conservative small town of Sandy Bottom, WI, where life moves along at a pleasantly quaint pace and doctors still make house calls. Although life may be agreeable for most of the town's residents, it has never been easy for Ingrid Green (Glenne Headly), a classically trained pianist who moved to Sandy Bottom years ago with her dairy farmer husband Norman (Tom Irwin). Politically outspoken and cheerfully eccentric, Ingrid has never fit in with the town's residents, and when Norman announces his intention to put together a classical concert instead of the traditional marching band for the town's Dairy Days, his decision sets in motion a whole chain of events that disrupt everyday life in Sandy Bottom. Meanwhile, Ingrid and Norman's daughter Rachel (Madeline Zima) is struggling with her own problems: a star violinist who has inherited her mother's talent, she is concerned that she has also inherited Ingrid's eccentricities, and the fact that she's growing away from her best friend and wants to attend a musical academy doesn't make fitting in any easier. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

A low-level criminal and a struggling newsman become unlikely partners in this comedy. Franklin Hatchett (Chris Tucker) is a fast-talking hustler who runs a small time ticket-scalping business. A TV news story by reporter James Russell (Charlie Sheen) brings Franklin's business to the attention of the police, and he finds himself under arrest. While being transported by police bus from one lock-up to another, Franklin is handcuffed to Raymond Villard (Gerard Ismael), a high-level jewel thief from Europe. Villard's henchmen stage a raid in which they explode the vehicle, killing most of the passengers (including two cops), but freeing their partner. Franklin is able to escape but learns that he's now wanted as a cop killer. Hoping to clear his name, Franklin approaches Russell with a deal -- if he'll hide him from the police and help him prove that he had nothing to do with the deadly explosion, he'll give the reporter an exclusive story, which could help Russell boost his sagging career. Money Talks also features Heather Locklear as Russell's fiancée Grace, and Paul Sorvino as Grace's father, who is quite impressed by Franklin's story that he's related to Vic Damone. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Edward Woodward of The Equalizer fame stars in this TV movie as Edward "Teddy" Harrison, a retired Scotland Yard detective currently visiting his daughter Cecilia (Elizabeth Hurley) in New York City. At the request of a prominent lawyer, Harrison takes on the challenge of proving that an ex-convict-- and known drug dealer--did not murder a much-beloved NYPD narcotics officer. As he delves deeper into the case, Harrison is struck by the curious fact that the Police Department itself is only half-heartedly pursuing the investigation of the killing. As for Cecilia, she would just soon her dad drop the whole matter--at least before her marriage to a city cop! Chock full of unanticipated twists and turns, Harrison: Cry of the City made its first appearance over the UPN network on February 27, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Action film director John Badham bites the hand that feeds him in this action movie spoof that features ribbing of pretty-boy Hollywood action stars by Michael J. Fox and a parody of colorful, hair-trigger James Woods types by the man himself. Woods plays New York homicide detective John Moss, who is within an inch of closing in on a serial killer who calls himself The Party Crasher (Stephen Lang) because his specialty is shooting his victims in the middle of discos. Chasing The Party Crasher after his latest victim has been dispatched, Moss finds himself hanging onto the door of a speeding truck with The Party Crasher at the wheel. When Moss is thrown off the truck and nearly killed, The Party Crasher escapes, and Moss is taken off the case. Moss is given a new assignment --to tag around with Hollywood action film star Nick Lang (Michael J. Fox), the popular hero of the "Smoking Gun" movies. Lang spotted Moss on a television news show and thinks he would be the ideal cop to study for adding authenticity to an up-coming police action picture. Posing as Moss's rookie partner, Lang follows Moss everywhere, proceeding to spoil his pursuit of The Party Crasher and interfering with Moss's burgeoning affair with his girlfriend Susan (Anabella Sciorra). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Originally released to theaters, the 145-minute documentary 16 Days of Glory is comprised of footage recorded by 18 separate cameras during the XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles. Highlights include the opening-day ceremonies of July 28, 1984; the inspiring story of Englishman Dave Moorcroft, who set the 5000-meter run world record in 1982; and the emergence of 16-year-old gymnast Mary Lou Retton. Covered events range from swimming to judo, offering well-intentioned sidebars detailing the triumphs and tribulations of the various participants. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In a slapstick spoof of hitmen and crime stories, the head of a security systems company (Hamid Dana) is bumped off by two gonzo exterminators (Brion James and Paul L. Smith) who have gone from stomping out pesky varmints to stomping out human targets, and one of them does so with gusto. Now the exterminators go after the partner who hired them and his blatantly obnoxious wife (Louise Lasser) and in the meantime frame a poor security guard (Reed Birney) for the murder of the company boss. The tale is told in flashbacks, as the security guard has been tried and convicted and is shown at the beginning, about to be executed. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Elliott Hong directs Johnny Yune in the martial arts comedy They Call Me Bruce? Yune plays an immigrant who everyone refers to as "Bruce," because he reminds everyone of Bruce Lee. Bruce unknowingly works for a gangster making cocaine drop-offs. The film shows Bruce interacting with a variety of American stereotypes, and then figuring out how his bosses are using him. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

This is a crazy horror-film spoof in which the enthusiastic leads provide laughs just by the strength of their characterizations alone -- and because they are obviously having fun. Oliver Reed is Dr. Heckyl whose lumpy face is so ugly it has kept women away in droves. He works at a podiatrist's clinic and one day attempts suicide by quaffing a whole bottle of a weight-loss elixir. The result? Dr. Heckyl becomes Mr. Hype, the suave ladies man. The only problem is that Mr. Hype is evil incarnate, his urge to kill is greater than any other urge, and so he remains as virginal as ever as he leaves a trail of victims behind. When he goes after the woman he has loved as Dr. Heckyl, serious confusion is in store -- she prefers the good-hearted beast over the rotten charmer. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

The thesis of this visually stunning documentary feature is that plants have feelings, too, and that they have a variety of ways of expressing them. Based on the best-selling book by Peter Topkins and Christopher Bird, the custom of talking to one's houseplants is strongly recommended by the filmmakers. Though scientific in tone, the film does not air the opposing view advocated by, perhaps, a majority of scientists. One highlight of the film is its original musical score by Stevie Wonder. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Even if you're not a "Deadhead," you'll find much to enjoy in The Grateful Dead Movie. This grandiosely labelled "Movie" is a free-form documentary of the Frisco-based rock group, replete with animation sequences and precious concert clips. Jerry Garcia, the head Dead, is credited as co-director. Given Mr. Garcia's legendary preoccupation with controlled substances, it's more than likely that some of the trippier passages can be attributed to him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide