American Tragedy 2000  PG-13, 170 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Lawrence Schiller
Cast: Ving Rhames, Ron Silver, Bruno Kirby, Darryl Alan Reed, Nicholas Pryor, Robert LuPone, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Diana LaMar, Clyde Kusatsu, Christopher Plummer
Behind-the-scenes investigative work on the O.J. Simpson trial is the subject of this made-for-TV miniseries. The problem with this film lies in the fact that not much of its argument is verifiable and appears to be interpreted to serve a specific purpose.
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Devil's Advocate 1997  R, 138 min.
Genre: Mystery / Drama / Thriller
Director: Taylor Hackford
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Craig T. Nelson, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, Delroy Lindo, Connie Nielsen, Tamara Tunie, Debra Monk, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Vyto Ruginis, Laura Harrington, Pamela Gray, George Wyner
Based on Andrew Neiderman's novel, this film concerns the head of a New York law firm, John Milton (Al Pacino) and his developing relationship with protege Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) who is a young, Southern lawyer. Kevin's mother Alice (Judith Ivey) considers New York to be a city of demons and has reservations about Kevin working in New York, but Kevin, with guidance from John, works his way up the corporate ladder. Meanwhile, Kevin's neglected wife, Mary Ann (Charlize Theron), falls under the influence of neighbor Jackie (Tamara Tunie) and begins to see evil visions. Now, Kevin is attracted to Christabella (Connie Neilson) who works at his office. What is happening to Kevin's world? Could it be the work of the demons that his mother warned him about?
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 Domestic Disturbance 2001  PG-13, 88 min.
Genre: Drama / Mystery / Horror / Thriller
Director: Harold Becker
Cast: John Travolta, Vince Vaughn, Teri Polo, Matt O'Leary, Steve Buscemi, Chris Ellis, Nick Loren, James Lashly, Rebecca Tilney, Debra Mooney, Leland L. Jones, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Floyd, William Parry, Suzanne Nystrom
Nice-guy Frank (John Travolta) and Susan (Teri Polo) are divorced but share custody of 12-year-old Jason (James Lashly). On the day of Susan's marriage to Rick (Vince Vaughn), Frank suspects that there is more to Rick than first meets the eye. In fact, Rick is a cold-blooded murderer, and Jason is about to witness Rick's dastardly deed. Now, it's up to Rick to come to Jason's rescue.
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Honeydripper 2007 PG-13, 122 min.
Genre: Drama / Musical
Director: John Sayles
Cast: Danny Glover, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Yaya DaCosta, Charles S. Dutton, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Gary Clark Jr., Mabel John, Stacy Keach, Nagee Clay, Absalom Adams, Arthur Lee Williams, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Davenia McFadden, Daryl Edwards, Sean Patrick Thomas
This story takes place in Harmony, Alabama, during 1950 and revolves around the efforts of Tyrone "Pine Top" Purvis (Danny Glover) to avoid bankruptcy. Pine Top's bar and blues club, the Honeydipper Lounge, is failing, and he hires popular "Guitar Sam" to perform a one-night-only show as a way to draw in customers who, in turn, will bring in enough money to save the club. But, "Guitar Sam" fails to appear, and now Pine Top has to find someone to impersonate "Guitar Sam" in order to save the club. The answer to his dilemma is itinerant guitarist Sonny Blake (Gary Clark Jr.) who will impersonate "Guitar Sam." But, will the ruse work, and will Pine Top be able to save his club?
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the Invention of Lying 2009 PG-13, 100 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson
Cast: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Louis C.K., Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill, Jeffrey Tambor, Fionnula Flanagan, Tina Fey, Donna Sorbello, John Hodgman, Jimmi Simpson, Nathan Corddry, Stepanie March, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Martin Starr
In a world where everyone tells the truth, loser Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) discovers that lying brings him rewards when he lies and everyone believes him. Through his lies, fame and fortune come Mark's way. Now, Mark seems to have everything–except the one thing that he wants most in his life: the love of Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner).
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 Mr. Brooks 2007  R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: Bruce A. Evans
Cast: Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, Marg Helgenberger, William Hurt, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Danielle Panabaker, Aisha Hinds, Lindsay Crouse, Jason Lewis, Reiko Aylesworth, Matt Schultze, Michael Cole, Yasmine Delawari
Mr. Earl Brooks (Kevin Costner) appears to have it all and is being honored as Man of the Year. But, in fact, he attends A.A. meetings and lives "one day at a time" even though he is not an alcoholic. His "devil within" is not alcohol; instead, it is his alter-ego Marshall (William Hurt) who nags him to commit serial murders. Mr. Brooks is the "Thumbprint Killer," and no one has suspected him, not even his wife (Marg Helgenberger). Then, he kills a couple and is spotted by Mr. Smith (Dane Cook) who now wants in on the action. Meanwhile, the tenacious police detective Tracy Atwood (Demi Moore)–who has her own share of personal problems involving not only her family but escaped psycho killer "Hangman" (Matt Schultze) as well–has spent years tracking down the "Thumbprint Killer" and is still on his trail.
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Rear Window 1998 PG, 90 min.
Genre: Thriller
Director: Jeff Bleckner
Cast: Christopher Reeve, Daryl Hannah, Robert Forster, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Anne Twomey, Ritchie Coster, Allison Mackie, Ali Marsh, Peter Giles, Julie Barker
This made-for-TV remake of "Rear Window" (1954) features Christopher Reeve in his first starring role after the 1995 horseback-riding accident that left him a quadriplegic. The story involves the activities of Jason Kemp (Reeve) and Claudia Henderson (Daryl Hannah) who, after spying on Jason's neighbors, fail to convince the police that a murder has occurred and find themselves in jeopardy.
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The Red Sneakers 2002 TV, 110 min.
Genre: Family
Director: Gregory Hines
Cast: Dempsey Pappion, Cabral Richards, Chris Collins, Gregory Hines, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Linda Carter, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Makyla Smith, Neil Crone, Jordan Walker
Reggie (Dempsey Pappion) would like to play on his high school basketball team but his lack of talent requires that he sit on the bench as manager for the team. All that changes when Zeke (Gregory Hines) gives Reggie a pair of red basketball shoes that supposedly belonged to a famous player. Now Reggie is the star of the team, but problems still lurk in this made-for-TV film.
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 Shaft 2000 R, 98 min.
Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Director: John Singleton
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Dan Hedaya, Busta Rhymes, Toni Collette, Richard Roundtree, Josef Sommer, Philip Bosco, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Lynne Thigpen, Pat Hingle, Lee Tergesen, Daniel von Gargen
Shaft is back–this time Samuel L. Jackson takes on the title role, and all the action of the original 1971 film returns. Throughout his investigations, Shaft receives advice from his Uncle John Shaft (Richard Roundtree who starred as the original "Shaft"). Shaft arrests Walter Wade, Jr. (Christian Bale) for killing a young Black student, but Walter flees the country to avoid prosecution. Two years later, Wade secretly returns, and Shaft arrests him. With help from his wealthy father, Walter Wade, Sr. (Philip Bosco), Walter posts bail and has a mission: get drug king Peoples Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright) to kill Shaft and find Diane Palmieri (Toni Collette) who was the only witness to the murder. Meanwhile, with Hernandez closing in, an angry Shaft, with help from police colleague Carmen (Vanessa Williams), tracks down Diane only to learn that there is more to Diane than meets the eye.
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| 1. American Tragedy (2000)
2. Devil's Advocate (1997)
3. Domestic Disturbance (2001)
4. Honeydripper (2007)
5. the Invention of Lying (2009)
6. Mr. Brooks (2007)
7. Rear Window (1998)
8. The Red Sneakers (2002)
9. Shaft (2000)
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