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Billy Strange Movies

2004  
 
Add Las Vegas: Season 02 to Queue Add Las Vegas: Season 02 to top of Queue  
Ed Deline (James Caan), smooth-talking and fast-acting head of security at the Montecito Resort & Casino, continues commandeering his highly efficient staff of subordinates throughout season two of the NBC dramatic series Las Vegas. Things get under way with a happy reunion, as team member Danny McCoy (Josh Duhamel) returns after a year's military service in the Iraq war -- but happiness turns to concern and doubt on the part of Danny's lover, Mary Connell (Nikki Cox), and very close friend Sam Marquez (Vanessa Marcil) due to his erratic behavior. In addition, Sam is on the outs with Ed's daughter, Delinda (Molly Sims), who in turn has developed a more than professional interest with new security-team member Leo (Eric Dane) -- who, incidentally, may not last the season. Also, Nessa Holt (Marsha Thomason) once again finds herself the reluctant object of suicidal billionaire Fred Puterbaugh's (Jon Lovitz) attention, and later receives word that her father might be alive and that Ed has known this all along. Ed himself is framed for murder early on, with Danny and Mike Cannon (James Lesure) working overtime to clear himself; and when in a later episode Ed is kidnapped, it's the same two guys to the rescue again. Geoff Stults shows up as the childhood sweetheart of Delinda, who claims to have terminal cancer -- and whose "dying wish" is to sleep with his former flame. Sam, Nessa, Delinda, and Mary become roommates, a situation fraught with imminent disaster. And Danny is stuck with caring for the infant daughter of a fellow Marine.

Plus, when Danny and Mary slip off for a weekend vacation, rumors fly that they've become man and wife. Sam sets her sights on a handsome billionaire (Dean Cain) -- only to find out that her dream lover is her highly unreliable "ex." To keep his staff from getting too big for their britches, Ed switches everyone's jobs around so that they can see what it's like to walk in someone else's designer shoes. Sam is scrutinized by the FBI when she becomes innocently involved in a drug cartel. And in a crossover episode with the NBC "procedural" drama Crossing Jordan, Jordan Cavanaugh (Jill Hennessy) and Woody Hoyt (Jerry O'Connell) arrive in Vegas to investigate a gambler's murder. Given the series' locale, it is no surprise that there is a full complement of guest stars during season two. Among these are Clint Black, Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, Duran Duran, Paul Anka, Sylvester Stallone, Joe Rogan, Don Knotts, Ashanti, Jon Bon Jovi, and John Elway. The second season of Vegas ends as the Montecito is purchased by a new, mysterious owner -- an event that promises a major shakeup of personnel (and, possibly, the series' premise) when season three rolls around. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
James CaanNikki Cox, (more)
 
1980  
PG  
Add Coal Miner's Daughter to Queue Add Coal Miner's Daughter to top of Queue  
Loretta Lynn was one of the first female superstars in country music and remains a defining presence within the genre; with her strong, clear, hard-country voice and tough, no-nonsense songs about husbands who cheat and wives who weren't about to be pushed around, Lynn introduced a feminist mindset to Nashville years before the phrase "women's liberation" became common currency. Coal Miner's Daughter is a screen adaptation of Lynn's autobiography, starring Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn. One of eight children born to Ted Webb (Levon Helm), a coal miner raising a family despite grinding poverty in Butcher's Holler, KY, Loretta married Dolittle "Mooney" Lynn (Tommy Lee Jones) when she was only 13 years old. A mother of four by the time she was 20, Lynn began singing the occasional song at local honky-tonks on weekends, and at 25, she cut (at Mooney's suggestion) a demo tape that earned her a deal with an independent record label. Loretta and Mooney's tireless promotion of the record (including a long road trip through the south in which they stopped at every country radio station they could find) paid off -- Loretta's first single, "Honky Tonk Girl," hit the charts and earned her a spot on the Grand Ole Opry. Stardom called and Loretta never looked back, but success brought with it both joy (a long string of hit records and sold-out concerts and a close friendship with Patsy Cline) and sorrow (a nervous breakdown brought on by overwork and a great deal of stress to a marriage that endured -- but just barely). Sissy Spacek won an Academy award for her vivid, thoroughly natural performance as Loretta (she also did her own singing), and Levon Helm (drummer for the legendary rock group the Band) made an impressive screen debut as her father. Ernest Tubb makes a cameo appearance as himself. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Sissy SpacekTommy Lee Jones, (more)
 
1971  
NR  
Would you believe Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine as a pair of free-spirited hippies on a crime spree? That's the premise of this unlikely comedy starring the two Oscar-winning veterans. Bunny O'Hare (Bette Davis) is an elderly woman living in New Mexico who is trying to keep herself afloat financially while supporting her two grown children, both of whom have fallen into bad straits. Thanks to a mistake by her bank, Bunny is evicted from her home, which is quickly torn down, but not before one Bill Green (Ernest Borgnine) can repossess her commode. Bunny is left with nowhere to go, and Bill allows Bunny to tag along in his trailer after he leaves. Bunny soon learns that Bill was once a bank robber who is still on the run from the law, and she persuades him to show her the ropes so she can steal her nest egg back from the bank. Dressed as hippies, Bunny and Bill pull the job, but rather than escape to Mexico, Bunny decides to stay in the Southwest and rob more banks with Bill to help keep her kids out of hock. Bunny O'Hare also features Jack Cassidy, John Astin, and Jay Robinson; ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Bette DavisErnest Borgnine, (more)
 
1970  
PG13  
Frank Sinatra stars in this bawdy western satire as Dingus Magee, a would-be outlaw who robs Hoke Birdsill (George Kennedy) while Hoke is en route to Yerkey's Hole, New Mexico. Hoke reports the theft to Belle Knops (Anne Jackson), the mayor of Yerkey's Hole and proprietor of the town's biggest business, a brothel favored by the enlisted men at the nearby Army fort. Belle appoints Hoke as the new deputy, and he tracks down Magee as he's enjoying a roll in the bushes with Anna (Michele Carey), a very friendly Indian maid. Hoke brings in Magee, but Anna then helps him escape; Belle uses Magee's unscheduled release to convince the commanding officers at the Army base that an Indian uprising is imminent, and that their planned relocation to Little Big Horn (where they hope to arrive before Gen. Custer and his troops) might be a bit premature (not to mention bad for her business). Soon Hoke is after Magee for robbing a stage and stealing the strongbox (which, of course, he can't open), the Indians are after Magee for running off with Anna, a sexually repressed schoolmarm named Prudence (Lois Nettleton) is after Magee after he awakens the woman within her, and John Wesley Hardin (Jack Elam) is after Magee, well, just because. "Catch-22" author Joseph Heller co-wrote the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Frank SinatraGeorge Kennedy, (more)
 
1969  
R  
Add De Sade to Queue Add De Sade to top of Queue  
Keir Dullea dives into a bevy of babes with an open wine bottle as the notorious Marquis de Sade in this low-budget debauch from American International Pictures -- purveyors of fine entertainment morsels for the connoisseur. The film takes place as an extended flashback after de Sade has escaped from a madhouse and taken refuge in the dilapidated mansion where he was reared. In his flashback, de Sade recalls how the Abbe de Sade (John Huston) used to have a maid whip him until he began to like it. Of course, after that, the next step down the primrose path was flagellation and orgies. Finally sent to a French jail for lewd behavior, de Sade begins to write anti-government creeds to while away the hours. After his release, he is compelled to marry the repulsive Renee de Montreuil (Anna Massey). De Sade goes along with the marriage in order to get closer to her sister Anne (Senta Berger). In spite of that, de Sade continues to seek out various forms of softcore sex. But then the Black Plague hits. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Starring:
Keir DulleaSenta Berger, (more)
 
1969  
PG  
Add The Trouble with Girls to Queue Add The Trouble with Girls to top of Queue  
Walter Hale (Elvis Presley) is the manager of a chautauqua, a traveling show consisting of performances, lectures and entertainment. Along with manager Johnny (Edward Andrews), he helps some young kids break into show business and contends with the union-organizing Charlene (Marilyn Mason). Vincent Price appears as Mr. Morality. John Carradine, Sheree North and Dabney Coleman also appear in this forgettable film which makes Clambake and Girl Happy classics by comparison. Elvis is limited to three tunes as he plays out the string of poorly scripted vehicles that ended with his next feature, the equally awful Change of Habit. By now, the inane screenplays had done permanent damage to a once-promising film career, souring the King of Rock & Roll on everything in movies except live concert performances. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

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Starring:
Elvis PresleyMarlyn Mason, (more)
 
1969  
G  
Add Charro! to Queue Add Charro! to top of Queue  
This western saga finds Jess Wade (Elvis Presley) as a reformed gunfighter who is stalked and captured by his former band of outlaws. Vince (Victor French) is the heavy who orders Jess' cheek to be branded with a hot iron. The gang terrorizes a small town by threatening to use a gold-plated and jewel-encrusted Mexican cannon on the innocent population. Presley sings only one song (the title track) in the last dramatic role of his career. The feature has the look and feel of the popular spaghetti westerns of the time. This routine western would be followed by the truly gaugeable The Trouble With Girls and Change Of Habit. Presley revived his live performing career soon after the forgettable last two films and continued touring until his death on August 16th, 1977. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

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Starring:
Elvis PresleyIna Balin, (more)
 
1968  
PG  
Add Live a Little, Love a Little to Queue Add Live a Little, Love a Little to top of Queue  
Singing stars from two very different generations appear in Live A Little, Love A Little. Elvis Presley plays Greg, a photographer who divides his time working for a skin magazine and a conservative newspaper. Rudy Valle plays Penlow, the veteran newspaper publisher. Lansdown (Don Porter) is the publisher of a girly magazine as Greg tries to work for both without the other finding out. Greg falls in love with a fashion model (Michele Carey) in this situation comedy that even die-hard Elvis fans have a hard time swallowing. By this time, Elvis planned to fulfil his remaining movie obligations and return to the stage, as his 1960s film career had failed to take on the dramatic seriousness he desperately sought. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

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Starring:
Elvis PresleyMichele Carey, (more)