Robert Short Movies

Marvel Comics' vigilante character The Punisher gets another big-screen outing in this third film incarnation of the character, this time from Green Street Hooligans director Lexi Alexander. Fueled by revenge and aided by his trusted weapons expert, Microchip (Wayne Knight), vigilante Frank Castle (Rome's Ray Stevenson) turns the New York City streets red with blood as he takes down each and every member of the crime syndicate responsible for the death of his wife and two kids. As the law-appointed "Punisher Task Force" closes in on him, the antihero does battle with Billy Russoti (Dominic West), aka Jigsaw, a nickname given by him to reflect the disfigurement handed to him by Castle. With the help of his psychotic brother, Loony Bin Jim (Doug Hutchison), Jigsaw recruits the criminals of the city to band together to bring down The Punisher, using the wife (played by Dexter's Julie Benz) and daughter of a slayed FBI agent as bait. Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Nick Santora provide the screenplay for the Lionsgate release. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Thanks to the carelessness of a cute little dog, newlyweds Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin are killed in a freak auto accident. Upon arriving in the outer offices of Heaven, the couple finds that, thanks to a century's worth of bureaucratic red tape, they're on a long celestial waiting list. Before they can earn their wings, Davis and Baldwin must occupy their old house as ghosts for the next fifty years. Alas, the house is now owned by insufferable yuppies Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones. Horrified at the prospect of sharing space with these obnoxious interlopers, Davis and Baldwin do their best to scare O'Hara and Jones away, but their house-haunting skills are pathetic at best. In desperation, the ghostly couple engage the services of a veteran scaremeister: a yellow-haired, snaggle-toothed, profane, flatulent "gonzo" spirit named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). The problem: Beetlejuice cannot be trusted-especially when he falls in love with O'Hara and Jones' gloomy, black-clad teenaged daughter Winona Ryder. Beetlejuice producer David Geffen, director Tim Burton, and composer Danny Elfman were also involved in an animated TV-series spin-off. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The special effects are the highlight of this routine science fiction saga. A scientific exploration team bound for the planet Volcryn encounter an evil spaceship helmed by the villainous Jon Winderman (Michael Des Barres), who resembles a composite parody of heavy metal rockers. Not so far fetched an idea -- as in real life, Des Barres took the place of lead singer Robert Palmer in the short-lived 1980s rock group Power Station. He is probably most famous for being the husband of Pamela Des Barres, author of the tell-all groupie expose I'm With The Band. Michael Des Barres's film career began with To Sir, With Love in 1967. He also has been a songwriter and television actor. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

The corpse of a beautiful Middle Eastern terrorist is outfitted with a special computer, programmed to reanimate and to seek and destroy other terrorists. The trouble in this sci-fi actioner begins when something goes wrong and she tries to kill her creators. The film is also known as The Retaliator. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Kay (Sarah Kendall) is a painter who has been experiencing terrifying nightmares of being chased by a mysterious, bloodthirsty creature. The imagery is starting to invade her work and affect her nerves, so a getaway is planned for her to get some relaxation in before a big gallery show. She flies to a dark and stormy island with her husband, David (Alan McRae); her brother, Eric (Frederick Flynn); and his wife, Brooke (Carol Kottenbrook). Though she has never visited it before, Kay recognizes their rented beach house from one of her nightmares and expresses her unease, but everyone dismisses this as the result of her art getting too surreal. After Kay dreams of finding David's disembodied head in bed with her, he disappears and is later found mangled and hanging from the roof of an old barn. Kay refuses to sleep, sure that to do so will mean more deaths, but Eric sedates her secretly, worried about her sanity. He is certain that the culprit is Marsh (Michael Holmes), the pilot who flew them to the island, though Brooke is inclined to believe Kay's supernatural explanation. More mayhem ensues while Kay slumbers, and when she awakes alone, she is intent to stay conscious and avoid facing the slayer herself. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide