Action Jackson 1987  PG-13, 96 min.
Genre: Action
Director: Craig R. Baxley
Cast: Carl Weathers, Vanity, Craig T. Nelson, Sharon Stone, Thomas F. Wilson, Bill Duke, Robert Davi, Jack Thibeau, Roger Aaron Brown
A tough black cop who also happens to be a Harvard graduate goes after a big shot auto tycoon who's trying to frame him for murder. Action, violence and good-looking women.
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Always Outnumbered 1998  R, 110 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Apted
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Bill Cobbs, Natalie Cole, Bill Duke, Laurie Metcalf, Cicely Tyson, Daniel Williams, Alan Wilder, Bill Nunn, Isaiah Washington, Bridgid Coulter, Kevin Carroll, John Toles-Bey, Jamaal Carter
Laurence Fishburne stars as violent ex-con Socrates Fortlow returning to his Watts neighborhood looking for work. Despite his bitterness, he befriends and counsels young Darryl (Daniel Williams) and gets involved in the marriage of his friend, Right Burke (Bill Cobbs). Made for HBO.
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 American Gigolo 1980  R, 117 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance / Thriller
Director: Paul Schrader
Cast: Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton, Hector Elizondo, Nina Van Pallandt, K Callan, Macdonald Carey, Bill Duke, Brian Davies, Carole Cook, David Cryer, Tom Stewart, Patricia Carr, Carol Bruce, Frances Bergen, William Dozier
Male hooker Julian Kay (Richard Gere) provides his services among the Beverly Hills matrons. When an ex-client is murdered, Julian is in big trouble. He is framed for the murder and becomes the prime suspect. The one person who can help is Michelle (Lauren Hutton) with whom he is enjoying an intense relationship, but she is married to Senator Charles Stratton (Brian Davies). Will Michelle's love for Julian be the answer to his problems?
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Bird on a Wire 1990  PG-13, 106 min.
Genre: Action / Comedy / Romance / Thriller / Drama
Director: John Badham
Cast: Mel Gibson, Goldie Hawn, David Carradine, Bill Duke, Stephen Tobolowsky, Joan Severance, Harry Caesar, Jeff Corey, Alex Bruhanski, John Pyper-Ferguson, Clyde Kusatsu, Jackson Davies, Florence Patterson, Tim Healy
Lots of chase scenes fill the screen in this film about lawyer Marianne Graves (Goldie Hawn) who saves her ex-fiance, FBI informer Rick Jarmin) (Mel Gibson), whose life is in jeopardy after he leaves the witness protection program.
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Car Wash 1976 PG, 97 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Michael Schultz
Cast: Franklyn Ajaye, Sully Boyar, Richard Brestoff, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, The Pointer Sisters, Bill Duke, Antonio Fargas, Brooke Adams, Clarence Muse, Jack Kehoe, DeWayne Jessie, Pepe Serna, Melanie Mayron, Garrett Morris
A day in the multiracial lives of customers and employees of the Dee-Luxe Car Wash in L.A. is the basis for this 1970s' ensemble piece. Cheapskate Mr. B. (Sully Boyar) owns the car wash, and those who work or hang out there include T.C. (Franklyn Ajaye), Irwin (Richard Brestoff), Marsha (Melanie Mayron), a taxi driver (George Carlin), and a preacher (Richard Pryor)–all of whom provide entertainment about one day in the '70s.
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The Cemetery Club 1993 PG-13, 106 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, Diane Ladd, Danny Aiello, Lainie Kazan, Jeff Howell, Christina Ricci, Bernie Casey, Alan Manson, Robert Costanzo
Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, and Diane Ladd play widows who are facing old age together. Problems develop when Esther (Ellen Burstyn) is courted by a widower (Danny Aiello); however, they learn the importance of their friendship and face the future resolutely.
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 Commando 1985 PG-13, 88 min.
Genre: Action / Adventure / Comedy / Thriller / Romance
Director: Mark L. Lester
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Dan Hedaya, James Olson, Alyssa Milano, Vernon Wells, David Patrick Kelly, Bill Duke, Bill Paxton, Drew Snyder, Sharon Wyatt, Michael Delano, Bob Minor, Michael Adams, Gary Cervantes
When "Commando" John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) discovers that his 11-year-old daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) has been kidnapped by an exiled Latin American dictator, Arius (Dan Hedaya), he springs into action in order to rescue her. Along the way, he is aided by another enemy, Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong), of the dictator, and romance develops as they race to bring him down.
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Deacons for Defense 2003 R, 95 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Jonathan Silverman, Ossie Davis, Paul Benjamin, Gene Mack, Tyrone Benskin, Mpho Koaho, Melanie Nicholls-King, Serena Lee, Khafre Armatrading, Adam Weiner, Beau Starr
This made-for-cable-TV film was originally aired during Black History Month and focuses on events following passage of the Civil Rights Act. The African-American citizens of a Louisiana town are still considered to be second-rate citizens. The town's mill, controlled by Whites, is the major employer, and the black men are denied upward mobility while being subjected to indignities. Finally, war veteran Marcus (Forest Whitaker) fights back by forming the Deacons of Defense and Justice to help protect the people in Black neighborhoods from combative whites. When more KKK members arrive in town, war is sure to follow.
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Deep Cover 1992 R, 122 min.
Genre: Action
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Victoria Dillard, Charles Martin Smith, Clarence Williams III, Gregory Sierra, Rene Assa, Alex Colon, Sydney Lassick, Roger Guenveur Smith
When a police officer (Larry Fishburne) is given an undercover assignment that puts him in the Los Angeles drug world, he is slowly lured into the web of drugs and money–with devastating results.
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Exit Wounds 2001 R, 100 min.
Genre: Action
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Cast: Steven Seagal, DMX, Isaiah Washington, Anthony Anderson, Michael Jai White, Bill Duke, Jill Hennessy, Tom Arnold, Bruce McGill, Eva Mendes
Misfit cop Orin Boyd (Steven Seagal) and drug kingpin Latrell Walker (DMX) team up to uncover corruption in a Detroit precinct. Violence abounds.
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Fever 1999 R, 95 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Alex Winter
Cast: Henry Thomas, David O'Hara, Teri Hatcher, Bill Duke, Sandor Tecsy, Irma St. Paule, Marisol Padilla Sanchez, Patricia Dunnock, Helen Hanft, Remak Ramsey
Struggling artist Nick Parker (Henry Thomas) has much to worry about: he is a suspect in his landlord's vicious murder. As if that was not enough, Nick now has come down with a fever that is causing hallucinations, which may represent real events.
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Get Rich or Die Tryin' 2005 R, 117 min.
Genre: Drama / Musical
Director: Jim Sheridan
Cast: 50 Cent, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Joy Bryant, Omar Benson Miller, Tory Kittles, Terrence Howard, Ashley Walters, Marc John Jefferies, Viola Davis, Bill Duke, Mpho Koaho, Russell Hornsby, Sullivan Walker, Serena Reeder, Joseph Pierre
In this loosely based biography on his own life, 50 Cent takes on the role of an inner-city drug dealer, Marcus, who later obtains success as a rapper. Beginning his life as an orphaned street kid and later sent to jail, Marcus aspires to making it in the music world. His girlfriend Charlene (Joy Bryant) supports Marcus, and he moves on and records a demo tape–but, this does not happen without complications from his former business associates.
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Hoodlum 1997  R, 142 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth, Vanessa Williams, Andy Garcia, Cicely Tyson, Chi McBride, Clarence Williams III, Richard Bradford, William Atherton, Queen Latifah, Loretta Devine, Mike Starr, Beau Starr, Paul Benjamin, Joe Guzaldo
Set in Harlem during the 1930s, this story involves Black and White gangs fighting for control of the numbers racket in Harlem. Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (Laurence Fishburne) works for the queen of the Harlem's numbers racket Stephanie St. Clair (Cicely Tyson)–despite the fact that social worker Francine Hughes (Vanessa Williams) urges him to get out of the numbers game. When a White gang intrudes on the Black gang's turf, Bumpy declares war on Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth) who is leading the effort to get in on the action. Violence ensues as the body count escalates.
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 Menace II Society 1993 R, 97 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Cast: Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Samuel L. Jackson, Glenn Plummer, Khandi Alexander, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bill Duke, Charles S. Dutton, Arnold Johnson, Vonte Sweet, Anthony Johnson, Brandon Hammond, Reginald Ballard, Jullian Roy Doster, Marilyn Coleman
Inner city violence is the theme of this story about 18-year-old drug-dealer Caine Lawson (Tyrin Turner) trying to find an escape from the street culture in the projects of Watts. Caine's father (Samuel L. Jackson) was a drug dealer, but he and Caine's drug addicted mother have now both died, and his grandparents have kicked him out of their house. Caine's one hope to break out of his lifestyle is Ronnie (Jada Pinkett Smith) who is a single mother trying to find her way out of Watts. A love affair between Caine and Ronnie leads to the decision to move south to Atlanta. But, tragedy lies ahead as they prepare to leave.
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 National Security 2003 PG-13, 85 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Dennis Dugan
Cast: Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, Colm Feore, Bill Duke, Eric Roberts, Timothy Busfield, Robinne Lee, Matt McCoy, Brett Cullen, Wayne Morse, Stephen Tobolowsky, Troy Gilbert
A mismatched pair–Earl Montgomery (Martin Lawrence) and Hank (Steve Zahn)–are hired as National Security guards who reluctantly join forces to break up an international smuggling operation.
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 Never Again 2001 R, 97 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Eric Schaeffer
Cast: Jeffrey Tambor, Jill Clayburgh, Bill Duke, Caroline Aaron, Sandy Duncan, Michael McKean, Suzanne Shepherd, Lily Rabe, David Bailey, Eric Axen
Grace (Jill Clayburgh) and Christopher (Jeffrey Tambor) are both 54 and have sworn off love when they meet in a gay bar. Despite the odds, they do get together–for awhile.
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No Man's Land 1987 R, 107 min.
Genre: Action / Drama
Director: Peter Werner
Cast: Charlie Sheen, D.B. Sweeney, Randy Quaid, Lara Harris, Bill Duke, Arlen Dean Snyder, M. Emmet Walsh, R.D. Call, Al Shannon, Bernie Pock, Kenny Endoso, James F. Kelly
Cars are being stolen in L.A., and a young cop (D.B. Sweeney) is hot on the thieves' trail in spite of personal problems with a senior policeman (Randy Quaid). Charlie Sheen does a good job portraying the leader of the bad guys.
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Not Easily Broken 2009 PG-13, 99 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Morris Chestnut, Taraji P. Henson, Maeve Quinlan, Jenifer Lewis, Kevin Hart, Wood Harris, Eddie Cibrian, Niecy Nash, Cannon Jay, Albert Hall, Jeff Krebs, Nathaniel Carter, Brendon Terrell Ferguson, Kwame Boateng, Henry Brown
Dave (Morris Chestnut), who loves baseball and children, enjoys helping troubled kids as their Little League coach. But, his wife Clarice (Taraji P. Henson) has other ideas. She is a career woman and finds that she doesn't have time for children. The breaking point in their marriage comes when Clarice is injured in a car accident. Her mother (Jennifer Lewis) moves in to help, and the gap widens. Physical therapist Julie Sawyer (Maeve Quinlan) comes to Clarice's aid and gives her the inspiration needed for her healing. Meanwhile, Clarice and Dave drift apart, and Dave becomes emotionally attached to Julie.
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 Payback 1999 R, 102 min.
Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Director: Brian Helgeland
Cast: Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, Maria Bello, David Paymer, Bill Duke, Deborah Kara Unger, William Devane, Kris Kristofferson, James Coburn, Jack Conley, John Glover, William Devane, Lucy Liu, Kwame Amoaku, Mark Alfa
Porter (Mel Gibson) is a professional thief who–after being shot and robbed of $140,000 by his wife, Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger), and his best friend, Val Resnick (Gregg Henry)–vows to take revenge and retrieve his share of the missing money. He sets out after Resnick and his money but, along the way, becomes involved with the syndicate, an Asian gang, and even crooked police officers. Seven years later, a "Director's Cut" by Helgeland was released as "Payback: Straight Up."
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 Predator 1987 R, 107 min.
Genre: Action / Sci-Fi / Horror / Thriller
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, R.G. Armstrong, Kevin Peter Hall, Richard Chaves, Shane Black, Steve Boyum, William H. Burton, Henry Kingi
United States Major Dutch Schaeffer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his commando unit are sent to the jungles of Latin America on a mission to rescue other commandos. A creature has been attacking the commandos, one-by-one. Dutch figures out that the creature is an alien, appears to be heavily armed, able to make itself invisible, and is attacking them for sport. But, it is not until the end of their race to safety that Dutch is able to confirm his suspicions when he comes face to face with the Predator. There is a sequel.
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A Rage in Harlem 1991  R, 108 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Gregory Hines, Robin Givens, Zakes Mokae, Danny Glover, Badja Djola, John Toles-Bey, Ron Taylor, Samm-Art Williams, Stack Pierce, Tyler Collins, Willard E. Pugh
Place: Nachez, MS. Time: 1956. Slim (Badja Djola) and his gang steal a trunk of gold. But, when the police arrive on the scene, Imabelle (Robin Givens) takes off with the loot while the gang shoots it out. She heads to Harlem with the intention of making some money from her contacts in the area. Her adventures start when she meets an undertaker's assistant (Forest Whitaker) who provides the perfect cover. Before long, the many people who want the gold, including Slim, converge on Harlem and Imabelle.
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A Raisin in the Sun 1989 TV, 170 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Esther Rolle, Danny Glover, Helen Martin, Joseph C. Phillips, Starletta DuPois, Louis Gossett Jr., Kimble Joyner, John Fiedler, Kim Yancey, Lou Ferguson, Stephen Henderson
In the era just before the Civil Rights Movement a poor Black family–Lena (Esther Rolle), her son Walter Lee (Danny Glover), his wife Ruth (Starletta DuPois), and their college-age daughter Beneatha (Kim Yancy)–deals with bigotry as they hope to use a $10,000 inheritance to move out of the projects on Chicago's South Side and move into the all-White suburbs.
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 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit 1993 PG, 105 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Bill Duke
Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Najimy, Barnard Hughes, Mary Wickes, James Coburn, Michael Jeter, Wendy Makkena, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Maggie Smith, Brad Sullivan
"Sister Mary Clarence" (Whoopi Goldberg) returns to the San Francisco convent when her friends, the convent sisters, need help with the high-school choir.
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Street of No Return 1989 N/R, 90 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Samuel Fuller
Cast: Keith Carradine, Valentina Vargas, Bill Duke, Andrea Ferreol, Bernard Fresson, Marc de Jonge, Rebecca Potok, Jacques Martial, Sergio Godinho, Antonio Rosario, Dominique Hulin, Gordon Heath
Michael (Keith Carradine), once a wealthy rock star, is now a drunken street bum. His current fate was a result of crime boss Eddie (Marc de Jonge), the boyfriend of Celia (Valentina Vargas) with whom Michael had had a passionate affair. Eddie had Michael's throat slashed, thus ruining Michael's career and life. When a major riot occurs and Michael is accused of the murder of a cop, he is convinced that Eddie is behind the riot and, with the help of a sympathetic policeman, sets out to prove it.
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Susan's Plan 1998 R, 89 min.
Genre: Comedy / Thriller
aka: Dying to Get Rich
Director: John Landis
Cast: Nastassja Kinski, Billy Zane, Michael Biehn, Rob Schneider, Lara Flynn Boyle, Thomas Haden Church, Carl Ballantine, Bill Duke, Lisa Edelstein, Sheree North, Adrian Paul, Dan Aykroyd
Susan (Nastassja Kinski) plots, again and again, to murder her ex-husband, Paul (Adrian Paul), after she learns about his life insurance policy. First, her new lover, Sam (Billy Zane), hires two thugs (Michael Biehn and Rob Schneider), but they fail to kill Paul. Next a biker, Bob (Dan Akyroyd), is paid to finish the job. The problem is that as more people become involved, more want in on the money, and complications ensue.
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| 1. Action Jackson (1987)
2. Always Outnumbered (1998)
3. American Gigolo (1980)
4. Bird on a Wire (1990)
5. Car Wash (1976)
6. The Cemetery Club (1993)
7. Commando (1985)
8. Deacons for Defense (2003)
9. Deep Cover (1992)
10. Exit Wounds (2001)
11. Fever (1999)
12. Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005)
13. Hoodlum (1997)
14. Menace II Society (1993)
15. National Security (2003)
16. Never Again (2001)
17. No Man's Land (1987)
18. Not Easily Broken (2009)
19. Payback (1999)
20. Predator (1987)
21. A Rage in Harlem (1991)
22. A Raisin in the Sun (1989)
23. Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)
24. Street of No Return (1989)
25. Susan's Plan (1998)
aka: Dying to Get Rich
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