Alan Muraoka Movies

Director and screenwriter Adam Bhala Lough takes the reigns for this tale of suburban mayhem that made its world premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. It's the end of another work week in a typical, working class American suburb, and everyone is looking to cut loose before getting back into the daily grind come Monday. When a series of vicious and apparently random youth-related killings shake this quiet community to its very core over the course of three unforgettable days, however, an investigation soon leads the populace to find that there may be a connecting string that ties all of these brutal homicides together. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

David Mamet wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of his play about a man who suddenly stumbles into a new and dangerous life. Edmond Burke (William H. Macy) is on his way home from work one evening when he impulsively stops to have his fortune read by a woman who informs him, "You are not where you belong." When he does arrive home, Edmond soon falls into an argument with his wife (Rebecca Pidgeon), and he storms out into the city, where he stops at a bar for a few drinks. There, Edmond finds himself talking with a man (Joe Mantegna) who freely shares his racist views about the role of African-Americans in society, and suddenly Edmond begins letting go of the sense of self-control that has always governed his actions. After a crawl through the city's underbelly of watering holes, strip clubs, gambling dens, and brothels, Edmond comes face to face with the violence of this world, and unexpectedly finds himself responding in kind. Edmond also stars Julia Stiles, Denise Richards, Mena Suvari, Bai Ling, and Dylan Walsh; it was directed by Stuart Gordon, who worked often with David Mamet during their early days at Chicago's Organic Theater Company. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The controversial satire The LA Riot Spectacular plays for mordent laughs the events that consumed L.A. in 1992, after the police officers on trial for beating motorist Rodney King were found innocent. The city was engulfed by a massive riot, but the film plays these moments for laughs. In addition to recreating some of the images seen on television, the film skewers a variety of figures including the police, the media, and the citizens of the city. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

In 1971, filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles released his third film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which he wrote, directed, and scored. Despite boasting an all-black cast, an X rating, a low budget, and a decidedly non-Hollywood approach to moviemaking, the ground-breaking independent film went on to gross over ten million dollars while inspiring countless other films of the genre that would come to be called blaxploitation. Mario Van Peebles, the director's son, was 13 at the time and got his first taste of show business with a small role in the film. Over three decades later, the younger Van Peebles directed and co-wrote this film, in which he stars as his father. BAADASSSSS! chronicles the director's struggles to get the film made by highlighting the social roadblocks and production pitfalls Van Peebles faced, as well as the personal sacrifices he was forced to make. Also starring T.K. Carter, Ossie Davis, and Nia Long, BAADASSSSS! premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

As NYPD Blue entered its tenth season, there was a perception that the series had become flat and predictable, and that the leading characters were merely going through the motions. But the series had confounded its critics the previous season by retaining its popularity despite a change to an earlier and less advantageous time slot, and it would continue thriving -- and even improving -- throughout season ten. Some of the emphasis during the 2002-2003 season was on couples. The May-December romance between 15th precinct detectives Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Connie McDowell (Charlotte Ross), tentatively inaugurated during season nine, experienced a number of rocky moments -- many of them tied in with the vacillating feelings of Andy's son Theo (Austin Majors). But their relationship was strengthened and reaffirmed by a major crisis: Connie's determination to retain custody of her baby niece Michelle, whose mother (Katherine La Nasa), Connie's sister, was killed by her low-life husband, Frank Colohan (played by former X-Files menace Nicholas Lea). Despite the efforts by Frank's nasty and manipulative parents to obtain custody of Michelle, the forces of good triumphed, largely because Andy marshalled extra assistance from an old friend, Detective Diane Russell (Kim Delaney, in a most welcome one-shot return to the series). The other couplings of note involved Andy's partner John Clark Jr. (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and Detective Rita Ortiz (Jacqueline Obradors), the off-and-on relationship between detective Baldwin Jones (Henry Simmons) and Assistant DA Valerie Haywood (Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon), and the brief reunion between 15th precinct skipper Lt. Tony Rodriguez (Esai Morales) and his drug-addicted former wife, Angela Lupo (Jessica Ferrarone). Two of these three couples would be broken up by season's end, one of them under tragic circumstances, while John Clark Jr. would begin a liaison with police doctor Jennifer Devlin (Chandra West). Back "on the job," the 15th was again targeted for persecution by Internal Affairs captain Pat Fraker (Casey Siemaszko), who was so determined to get something damaging against his longtime enemy Andy Sipowicz that he was willing to engineer a frame-up that sent John Clark Jr. to jail on a trumped-up drug charge. This plot development would result in the disgrace of a longtime NYPD Blue recurring character, the suicide of Clark Jr.'s alcoholic father (Joe Spano), and ultimately a bloody confrontation which, for the season-closing cliffhanger, left Lt. Rodriguez hovering between life and death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Telly, Elmo, Oscar, and the rest of the Sesame Street crew learn about rhythm and how to make music from everyday objects from the cast of the Broadway show Stomp. When Telly misplaces his beloved tuba, he thinks he'll never play music again. But performers Alan Muraoka, Luke Cresswell, and the rest of the cast teach Telly the many possible ways to make music. Amazing percussion performances in this video will entertain children of all ages. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

A pair of sewage-truck drivers attempt to rescue the tarnished reputation of their favorite pro wrestler in this comedy from Varsity Blues director Brian Robbins. Gordie Boggs (David Arquette) and Sean Dawkins (Scott Caan) live vicariously through superstar grappler Jimmy King (Oliver Platt). But when King's manager (Joe Pantoliano), in a fit of ego, arranges to have his client dethroned to make way for the next hot property, the guys hatch a plan to force a rematch. The only problem is, their no-good hero has sunk into a black hole of self-pity and liquor. Enlisting the help of old-time trainer Sal (Martin Landau) to whip "The King" into shape, Gordie and Sean run afoul of Gordie's father, who wants his son to settle down and become a cop like him. Meanwhile, curvaceous Sasha (Rose McGowan) moves in on Gordie, but has ulterior motives. So does The King's son (Tait Smith), who's willing to put his girth to good use in order to exact revenge on his dad for abandoning him. Ready to Rumble features a large cast of real-life WCW wrestlers portraying themselves. McGowan and Arquette previously appeared together in Wes Craven's Scream. Lewis Arquette, the star's father, also appears alongside his son as he did in Scream 2. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Writer/director Barry Levinson returns to his home town of Baltimore, where he previously set three nostalgic features (Diner, Tin Men, and Avalon) for this story of two brothers growing up in the tumultuous days of 1954, as rock 'n' roll, the atom bomb, and the civil rights movement changed the way teenagers looked at the world. One of the brothers has fallen in love with a beautiful girl who, to the chagrin of his family, is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Protestant, while the other has an even bigger shock for his folks: his new girlfriend is black. Joe Mantegna and Bebe Neuwirth play the parents, with Adrien Brody, Vincent Guastaferro, Orlando Jones, David Krumholz, and Kiersten Warren also topping the cast. Tom Waits wrote several original songs for the film, while Andrea Morricone (daughter of Ennio Morricone) wrote the score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This film is the second effort to bring to the screen the 1880 Henry James novel of the same title (the first was The Heiress in 1949). Set in 1850 among the aristocracy of New York, Washington Square examines the inhibitions of Catherine Sloper (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the only child of wealthy Dr. Austin Sloper (Albert Finney). Catherine is clumsy and shy and something of an embarrassment to her high-class father. Dr. Sloper still unconsciously resents the child because her birth caused the death of his wife. He also disapproves of Catherine's attraction to Morris Townsend (Ben Chaplin), warning her that the handsome young man is after her money. He takes Catherine to Europe and warns her to break off her relationship with Morris, but she defies him. Townsend proposes, and Catherine accepts despite her father's threats to disinherit her if she marries him. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

The fourth season of NYPD Blue saw the introduction of two important new cast members: Andrea Thompson as Detective Jill Kirkendall, fearless crime-fighter, single mother, and potential threat to the burgeoning romance between Det. Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Det. Diane Russell (Kim Delaney); and Lourdes Benedicto as Gina Colon, one of several novice 15th precinct administrative assistants, and the new love interest for Det. James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro). While Andrea Thompson would ultimately be promoted to series regular, Lourdes Benedicto remained among the recurring-character ranks, albeit a prominent one. In other developments, Det. Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) went on a crash diet and somewhat reluctantly volunteered to be the father of gay cop Abby Sullivan's (Paige Turco) baby; Bobby Simone inherited a shabby Brooklyn apartment building, involving him in a whole new crop of oddball characters, chief among them surly building super Henry Coffield (Willie Garson); combustible Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) continued to behave in an unpredictable fashion from one day to the next, though he was considerably humanized by his newborn son Theo (the mother, of course, was Assistant DA Sylvia Costas [Sharon Lawrence]); and recovering alcoholic Diane Russell, beset by professional and personal woes, suffered a nervous breakdown.

Of the major story arcs, two involved delicate and potentially deadly undercover operations. Diane Russell was assigned to get "close" to handsome, hair-triggered mob functionary Jimmy Liery (Christopher Meloni); it was the grim outcome of this case that nearly pushed Diane over the edge and back into a bottle. And, prodded by the Feds, who were anxious to build a case against hoodlum Joey Salvo (Peter Onorati), Bobby Simone infiltrated Salvo's circle of friends and performed a few conspicuous "favors" for Joey. The fact that Bobby's covert activities aroused the suspicions of Internal Affairs very nearly lost Simone his badge -- and also set the stage for season four's cliffhanger finale. As was the case in the three previous years, NYPD Blue collected quite a few statuettes at the annual Emmy awards presentation. Dennis Franz copped his third Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actor; Kim Delaney was honored as Outstanding Supporting Actress; and David Milch, Stephen Gaghan, and Michael R. Perry shared an award for their scripting of the episode "Where's 'Swaldo?" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The second season of NYPD Blue was transitional in every sense of the word, with a number of major cast changes and the deepening of characterizations within the people who remained. The big news during the 1994-1995 season was the defection of David Caruso as Detective John Kelly, the sensitive younger partner of the irascible Det. Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz). It was no secret that Caruso wanted more screen time and a lot more money to continue with the series, and when producer Steven Bochco said no, the actor departed -- four episodes into season two. His replacement proved to be just as popular with viewers as Caruso, if not more so: Jimmy Smits as the recently widowed, pigeon-fancying Detective Bobby Simone, whose single status not only opened the door for a whole new slew of romantic complications with various female cast members, but also set hearts aflutter amongst audience members. Also leaving the series after the first two second-season episodes was Amy Brenneman as Off. Janice Licalsi, who had been found guilty of the murder of mob functionary Angelo Marino -- an act that also precipitated the departure of John Kelly, who, for trying to suppress evidence on Janice's behalf, was given the choice of being demoted or leaving the 15th Precinct altogether (of course, he chose the latter).
Also added to the cast was Kim Delaney as Det. Diane Russell, who like most the series' characters arrived at the 15th carrying a lot of emotional baggage, in her case an extremely abusive husband and, like Andy Sipowicz, a drinking problem. Andy was, in fact, the first to glom onto Diane's closet boozing, and it was he who offered to become her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor -- though it would be the younger and svelter Bobby Simone who would win Russell's heart. During her freshman year on NYPD Blue, Diane Russell appeared only on a recurring basis, as did two other new characters: the precinct's temporary administrative assistant, John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup), the series' first (but hardly the last) openly gay character; and Det. Adrianne Lesniak (Justine Miceli), who'd transferred to the 15th to escape a disastrous inter-departmental romance -- only to find herself the object of the affections of Precinct stalwart James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro). But while neither Delaney, Brochtrup, nor Miceli were as yet listed among the "stars" of the series, two recurring characters from season one, Gordon Clapp as Detective Greg Medavoy and Gail O'Grady as administrative assistant Donna Abandando, were bumped up to full "regular" status. Greg and Donna's very, very close friendship became very, very much closer as the year progressed, despite Medavoy's periodic returns to his estranged wife. This was the year in which the misogynistic Andy Sipowicz finally humanized to the point of proposing marriage to Assistant DA Sylvia Costas (Sharon Lawrence), despite having characterized her as a "prissy bitch" during the previous season. This was also the year in which series regular Dennis Franz entered "pop culture Valhalla" by flashing his naked backside to the camera. And this was the year in which NYPD Blue added two more Emmys to its collection, for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Shirley Knight in the episode "Large Mouth Bass"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide