Actor William H. Macy (1950)

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), an American sci-fi action film directed by Wes Ball and written by Josh Friedman, serves as a standalone sequel to War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) and is the fourth installment in the franchise. Many years after Caesar’s death, apes have formed various clans while humans have regressed into feral beings. Noa, a young chimpanzee from a clan that practices falconry, is getting ready for his coming-of-age ceremony with his close friends Anaya and Soona. However, during an encounter with a human scavenger who ...

Blood Father (2016), an English-language French film directed by Jean-François Richet and written by Peter Craig based on his novel of the same name, follows the story of Lydia. She visits a megastore to buy weapons for her boyfriend Jonah Pincerna and his fellow gang members. Once armed, they set out to kill a family living in their rented house who they believe stole their hidden money. During the attack, Jonah is shot in the neck and Lydia escapes, seeking help from her estranged father John Link. A former convict and recovering alcoholic, John agrees to take Lydia to ...

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), aт American legal thriller film, was adapted from Michael Connelly’s 2005 novel of the same name. Mickey Haller, a criminal defense attorney, operates out of his black Lincoln Town Car in LA County, California. Earl Briggs serves as his chauffeur. Haller’s typical clients include low-level criminals such as Eddie Vogel, the leader of a biker gang. His ex-wife, Maggie McPherson, who shares a daughter with him, is a district attorney who disapproves of his choice of clientele. Unexpectedly, Haller is hired to represent Louis Roulet, a wealthy playboy from Beverly Hills and the son of ...

The Maiden Heist (2009) is an American crime comedy film directed by Peter Hewitt, following the story of Roger, a security guard at an art museum. His job involves constantly monitoring the precious artwork on display. One particular painting catches his eye – The Lonely Maiden, a beautiful woman gazing out into the distance with a sense of longing. Despite being happily married to Rose, Roger finds himself fixated on this painting. However, Rose is eager for Roger to retire so they can start their new life in Florida. One day, Roger receives news that The Lonely Maiden and several other pieces will be ...

The non-hosted anthology series, Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006), originally aired on TNT in the summer of 2006. This eight-episode adaptation features a collection of short stories by King, primarily from the book of the same name. While most are from this specific collection, there are also some stories taken from other works written by King. Produced jointly between Australia and the US, the series was filmed entirely in Melbourne, Victoria. The episodes include Battleground (1) where a contract killer becomes the target of ...

The American satirical black comedy film, Thank You for Smoking (2005), written and directed by Jason Reitman, follows the story of Nick Naylor. As a Big Tobacco spokesman, Naylor relies on ‘research’ from the ‘Academy of Tobacco Studies’, where he serves as vice-president. Despite increasing pressure from anti-tobacco campaigns and declining numbers of young smokers, Naylor remains confident in his job. He meets regularly with his friends – firearm lobbyist Bobby Jay Bliss and alcohol lobbyist Polly Bailey – playfully referring to themselves as the ‘Merchants of Death’ or ...

Welcome to Collinwood (2002), the American caper comedy film written and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. The plot follows Cosimo, who gets arrested with Toto while attempting to steal a car. In prison, he meets an elderly inmate who mentions the ‘Bellini’ – a perfect heist that he couldn’t complete due to a life sentence. With hopes of pulling off this elusive crime, Cosimo solicits his girlfriend Rosalind’s help in finding someone willing to take his place in jail for a sum of money. Rosalind and Toto reach out to Basil, Leon, Riley, and ...

Jurassic Park III (2001) is an American science fiction action film directed by Joe Johnston and written by Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne, and Jim Taylor. The story follows twelve-year-old Eric Kirby and his mother’s boyfriend, Ben Hildebrand, who find themselves parasailing near the restricted Isla Sorna. After their boat enters a dense fog, they are attacked by an unknown creature which leads to Ben detaching the line and both of them drifting towards the island. On ...

Magnolia (1999), an American drama film directed and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, follows Los Angeles police officer Jim Kurring as he investigates a disturbance at a woman’s apartment. Inside, he discovers a body in the closet. A neighborhood boy named Dixon futilely attempts to reveal the identity of the murderer to Jim. Later, Jim visits Claudia Wilson’s apartment after her neighbors call the police during an argument with her estranged father, Jimmy Gator. Despite her erratic behavior and drug use, Jim still asks her out on a date. Meanwhile, Jimmy is dying of cancer and hosts a quiz show called ...

An American legal drama film, A Civil Action (1998), directed and written by Steven Zaillian, is based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. The movie depicts a true court case in Woburn, Massachusetts during the 1980s regarding environmental pollution. The city’s water supply becomes contaminated with toxicants which are eventually linked to a series of local children’s deaths. Anne Anderson, a resident of Woburn, approaches cocky Boston attorney Jan Schlichtmann and his small firm of personal injury lawyers for help in taking legal action against ...

The black comedy crime film, Fargo (1996), was written, directed and produced by Joel and Ethan Coen. In the year 1987, Jerry Lundegaard, an executive sales manager at a Minneapolis car dealership owned by his father-in-law, Wade Gustafson, finds himself in desperate need of money. He devises a plan to have his wife Jean kidnapped. Shep Proudfoot, a mechanic and convicted felon, sets up a meeting for Jerry in Fargo, North Dakota with criminals Carl Showalter and Gaear Grimsrud. They agree to carry out the job. In exchange for their services, Jerry gives them a new ...

Murder in the First (1995) is an American legal drama film directed by Marc Rocco and written by Dan Gordon. As a 17-year-old orphan, Henri Young is turned down for a job at a grocery store and resorts to stealing $5.00 to feed himself and his sister Rosetta. Despite their desperate circumstances, he is caught and arrested while Rosetta is sent to an orphanage. Since the store also housed a U.S. Post Office, his crime becomes a federal offense. Henri never reunites with Rosetta and receives a sentence at Leavenworth Penitentiary in Kansas. Years later, he is transferred ...

Shadows and Fog (1991), an American black-and-white comedy film by Woody Allen, is based on his one-act play Death (1975). Kleinman is awakened by a vigilante mob in search of a serial killer, enlisting his help. His landlady gives him a bag of pepper. Meanwhile, circus performers Irmy and her boyfriend Paul argue about marriage and having children. When Paul leaves for another tent and has sex with fellow artist Marie, Irmy runs away to the city and ends up in a brothel. There, she catches the eye of student Jack who becomes infatuated with her. He offers her increasingly larger sums of money until she finally ...