Duane Murray Movies

In this powerful independent drama, Franklin Page (Donal Logue) is a war veteran who saw some ugly things in combat and has the missing finger to prove it. But seven years after returning home, Franklin has put the nightmares of the past behind him; he married his pretty sweetheart Irene (Molly Parker), they have two children, they share a comfortable home in the country and Franklin has a good job in a factory. One evening, there's a knock on the door and Franklin is surprised to find Sherman Oliver (Garret Dillahunt) standing on the porch. The two men served together in the Army and Franklin saved Sherman's life in a battle that saw Sherman take a bullet in the head. While Franklin is surprised that his buddy has shown up unannounced, he and Irene welcome him in and make a place for him at the dinner table. Sherman is clearly still coming to terms with the war and he has no family, no job and no home; Franklin isn't sure what to do for him but is willing to let him stay at his home for a few days. As the days pass, Sherman becomes a more uncomfortable and unstable presence, and Franklin has to weigh his loyalty to Sherman against his responsibility to his family. Oliver Sherman was the first feature film from writer and director Ryan Redford. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A feature-length pilot for a possible cable TV series, Deathlands: Homeward Bound was inspired by a series of novels and audio-books written by James Axler (actually a joint pseudonym, shared by several prominent science-fiction authors). Sort of a "Mad Max Meets the A-Team," the film is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where crime and destruction is the norm and law-and-order is in the hands of a few courageous mavericks. Vincent Spano stars as justice-fighter Ryan Cawdor, who travels the scorched countryside in his "SecWag," or military security wagon. Cawdor's hearty band of cohorts include his half-mutant girl, an angry Albino teenager, and a geeky weapons specialist called the Armorer. Not surprisingly, the original "Deathlands" book series was incredibly popular with long-distance truck drivers, presumably the audience to whom this ultra-macho thriller is geared. Deathlands: Homeward Bound debuted May 17, 2003, on the Sci-Fi Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi