Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)

Released October 13th in the US.

Filmed in New York and Italy.

The story: Weldon is a US Army Major stationed in the American South.

He lives with his wife Leonora who mostly cares about giving parties and riding her horses.

Weldon and Leonora do not understand each other and go about their days usually not even paying attention to what the other is doing.

Weldon is struggling in many ways and as stern and quiet as he is, he finds himself slowly cracking under many pressures.

Leonora does what she wants, all while doing her best to ignore Weldon.

She is also having an affair with her married neighbor, Lieutenant Colonel Morris.

Morris' wife Alison, who suffered a breakdown a few years back mostly keeps to herself but knows, along with Weldon, that Morris and Leonora are having an affair that they think no one knows about...

Stars Robert Forster, Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Brian Keith, Julie Harris, Zorro David, Gordon Mitchell, Irvin Dugan, Fay Sparks, Ed Metzger

Directed by John Huston

Not Rated

*yawn* DRAMA

Sybil (2007)

Made for CBS, airing June 7, 2008, in the US.

Filmed in Canada.

Based on truths.

The story: In 1957  Shirley Mason who goes by the name Sybil is attending art school in New York.

After an unusual episode during class, Sybil is advised that the school will not allow her to attend any more classes until she is evaluated by a psychiatrist.

Sybil is sent to see Dr. Cornelia Wilbur who is advised that Sybil is the type of patient who is perfect for her to evaluate due to being hysterical.

Dr. Wilbur meets Sybil and quickly sees that she is in great need of some help.

The more Dr. Wilbur sees Sybil, the more she learns that she is dealing with someone who has such deep-rooted issues that she has taken on various personalities to deal with her pain.

Stars Tammy Blanchard, Jessica Lange, Ron White, Brian Downey, JoBeth Williams, Fab Filippo, Brianna MacDonald, Joey Campbell, David Patrick Flemming, Michael Ray Fox, Marlane OBrien

Directed by Joseph Sargent

Rated TV14

DRAMA/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY

The Demon Murder Case (1983)

Made for NBC, airing March 6th in the US.

Filmed entirely in Rhode Island.

Based on truths.

Of course, as per usual, the real names of the people involved in this story have been changed.

The up-and-coming film 'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It', set for release June 4th is also based on this real-life horror.

The actual people on which this movie is based are the Glatzel family(the Frazier's), namely 11-year-old David Glatzel (Brian), his older sister Debbie Glatzel (Nancy), her boyfriend Arne Johnson (Kenny Miller), Demonologist Ed Newman, and his psychic wife, Lorraine (Guy and Charlotte Harris) and Alan Bono, Debbie and Arne's landlord (Richard).

The story: While Nancy, Kenny, and Nancy's family are getting the rental property Nancy and Kenny are to move into ready, Brian is scared out of his wits.

He tells them that he saw a scary figure which attacked him and that it has followed him from the rental back home.

Everyone he tells believes that Brian must have seen something because he isn't one to tell elaborate stories.

This now keeps Nancy and Kenny from moving in and on a search for a new place to live.

Then, something no one expected happens.

Brian becomes increasingly distant and brooding, which is much unlike him until one evening he is taken by a demon....

The whole family witnesses this.

The next day Kenny suggests because he thinks of Brian as his little brother and is deeply worried for his safety, that they call in some help for him.

They call in the help of Guy and Charlotte, their local priest and a doctor.

After the doctor sees that Brian is fit the priest works alongside Guy and Charlotte during Brians' next demonic episode.

While this is going on Kenny is one of the people subduing Brian.

Kenny makes the demands that the demon takes him and leave Brian.

Guy insists that Kenny does not say such as the demon will surely take him on.

After learning this, Kenny does once more at another later time demand that the demon takes him on, knowing it's not the best of plans.

Soon it seems Kenny is not acting like himself as well but this goes mostly unnoticed.

When Nancy gets a new job at a kennel grooming dogs she is befriended by Richard, the man who owns the business.

He tells her that her new job includes an apartment to stay on the premises to care for the animals.

Nancy couldn't be happier and soon she and Kenny move in.

But shortly, Kenny seems out of character and jealous of his new landlords' advances towards Nancy, which causes his ultimate deed.

Stars Cloris Leachman, Richard Masur, Charles Fields, Joyce Van Patten, Liane Langland, Kevin Bacon, Brian Lima, Eddie Albert, Andy Griffith, Beverlee McKinsey, Frank Hamilton, Benjamin Hendrickson, Becca Lish, Ken Kercheval, Jack Davidson

Directed by William Hale

Not Rated

MYSTERY/HORROR/THRILLER/HISTORY

Dark Side of the Ring : The Ultra-Violence of Nick Gage (2021)

Made for Viceland, airing May 13th in the US.

Season 3. Episode 3.

The story: The most ultra-violent athlete who loves what he does in his arena of pain, Nick Gage is the star of the underworld live-action horror of Death Match wrestling.

A wrestler who wrestles due to his love of the craziness, and a high tolerance for pain, Nick wouldn't choose any other role.

Ever since he was 9 years old he has wanted to wrestle.

Raised by his beloved single mom in a low-income household with his older brother Chris, Nick's love for the sport was first influenced by their dad watching WCW.

Soon the two brothers had their own hardcore backyard wrestling company where wrestling with barbed wire was something they were greatly influenced by a Japanese match involving Cactus Jack.

At the beginning of Nick's wrestling career, he wrestled with and against his older brother Chris.

But as the years went on, Nick got further into the Death Match scene while Chris made a life outside of the ring.

After decades of making a name for himself, Nick was critically injured which almost took his life.

The result was a growing dependence on prescription pain pills.

When he no longer could pull off his wrestling gig due to more injuries and his dependency on the pills grew, he found himself broke and homeless.

At this point both of his parents had past and his brother was becoming increasingly distant with him, he and his girlfriend didn't care about much.

With nothing left to lose, Nick hit rock bottom, making a stupid move that caused his incarceration.

When he was released early on parole he messed up again and went back for another couple of years.

But while incarcerated Nick realized that his fans were out there, rooting for him.

This kept him going and he's still going strong to this day.

Stars (voice) Chris Jericho, Nick Gage, Jon Moxley, Brett Lauderdale, Sondra, David Arquette

Directed by Jason Eisener

Rated TV14

DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/SERIES

"I changed my body. I changed my mind. I changed my soul."

Fall River : Deal With the Devil (2021)

Made for Epix, airing May 23rd in the US.

Season 1. Episode 2.

The story: On April 29, 1980, Carl Drew - known to many as a violent pimp with many ties around Fall River is arrested and told he is being arrested for parole violations.

After the 15 day waiting period to have his hearing, Carl finds himself on trial, being charged with the murder of Karen Marsten.

Even though Doreen Levesques' murder had not yet been solved, Carl was not tried for that but rather her murder was used as evidence in connection to why he killed Karen, even though there was no actual physical evidence that he was involved in either of the murders.

Due to a few witness statements as well as the star witness Robin Murphy, a 17-year-old local pimp with a reputation for being violent, Carl is charged with first-degree murder on March 13, 1981.

Robin claimed to be the one who actually killed Karen and with a plea deal from the DA, Karen was given a second-degree sentence which has the possibility of parole.

The Satanic aspect of the whole case had no significance whatsoever other than what Robin had claimed was the reason why she was forced to kill Karen.

But in the early to mid-80s, the US was in a widespread "Satanic Panic", which people were believing in, no matter how ridiculous.

Years later, after Paul Carey, one of the three investigative policemen who worked the case retired, he began collecting and going over all of the paperwork on the case.

Paul believed in Drew's innocence and went on to get new, undamning evidence from people who testified in the initial case.

A year after Drew's attorney began his effort to repeal Carl's case due to all this new evidence Robin Murphy was up for parole.

At her parole hearing in 2004, she said that she had initially lied in her testimony against Carl Drew.

Her new claim was that Carl nor herself were either to blame for Karen Marsten's murder and that she wished the truth would come out.

Robin Murphy was then paroled...

Stars Carl Drew, Maureen Boyle, Michael Cutler, Alan Silvia, Chris Hayes, Michelle McPhee, Margo Charigbliss, Seth Andrews, Meghan Goodwin, Alan Alves, Paul Carey, Thomas Joaquim, Courtney Kenyon

Directed by James Buddy Day

Not Rated

DOCUMENTARY/HISTORY/SERIES

"The easiest story to remember is the truth."

Dark Side of the Ring : Brian Pillman Part Two (2021)

Made for Viceland, airing May 6th in the US.

Season 3. Episode 2.

The story:  Brian Pillman AKA the Loose Cannon was being compared to Andy Kaufman due to putting people on for attention and press exposure.
His plan was to manipulate his way to the top as a wrestler who wouldn't do as he was told. 

The one thing that drove the Loose Cannon was his responsibilities of taking care of his family.

After being involved in a very bad car accident, he was lucky to be alive but very disappointed in himself, thinking he would never be able to continue to support his family.

When word got out, many believed that this could very well be just another stunt for attention on Brians' part and even close friends weren't sure what to believe.

In reality, Brian had to go through many serious reconstructive surgeries.

But one result of the accident may have very well kept him from going as far as he was expecting in his career.

His ankle was pretty messed up, shattered in fact. 

Even still, while in recovery and rehabilitation Brian was signed to WWF by Vince McMahon without actually admitting just how bad his injuries really were.

His plan had worked and he was going to be doing the work and making the money that he hoped for.

Brians' first TV reappearance was WWF's King of the Ring, for which he showed up on crutches spewing threats.

A scheduled surgery kept him from any matches for a while until he was finally involved in a storyline with Steve Austin which kept him in the spotlight.

The next extreme angle Vince attempted for Brian was directed to an extent that backfired causing Vince to have to apologize publicly.

Then Brian was cast as a sideline announcer, which he was advised would be best for him, although he didn't want to do it even though he was in a lot of pain.
He wanted to have matches still and he was always heavily medicated as a result.

Dependency and pressures were now pushing him to the limit.

Brian couldn't even walk but he was still wrestling and many of his friends were worried about him.

An intervention was in order but Brian was pissed and felt betrayed so in the end, any kind of intervening failed.

On October 5, 1997, Brian was scheduled to appear in the Pay Per View/WWF event Bad Blood.

When he did not show, Jim Cornette called his hotel to check in on him and found out Brian was dead.

The very next night, Vince made a public statement on WWF Raw about Brians' passing.

Everyone was devasted. 

Vince then called Melanie via video call and in very bad taste did an interview with her.

Anything for ratings.

In the end, it was finally announced what ultimately caused Brian's death.

He was 35 years old.

Leaving Melaine and his five children without a father, things got progressively worse.

Melanie was deeply depressed and her actions weren't the best for a mother of five young kids.

Just when it seemed like there was no hope for the kids' future, their fathers' sister stepped in to keep them all close as a family, which they are completely grateful for in many ways.

Stars  (voice) Chris Jericho, Kim Wood, Melanie Pillman, Linda Pillman, Brittany Pillman, Brian Pillman Jr, Danielle Pillman, Jim Cornette, Dave Meltzer, Jim Ross, Steve Austin, Eric Bischoff

Directed by Jason Eisener

Rated TV 14

DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/SERIES

"The only hurdle he couldn't get across was the last one."

Dark Side of the Ring : Brian Pillman Part One (2021)

Made for Viceland, airing May 6th in the US.

Season 3. Episode 1. 

The story:  Magnetic, over the top, and fearless, Brian Pillman was known for pushing the boundaries and bringing his wrestling persona into his real, everyday life.

An overachiever and known to be a tough guy, Brian tried out for and played with the Cincinnati Bengals for some time.

Going on to play in the Canadian Football league but only shortly after he suffered an injury that cut his football career completely.

Brians' plan was to take his rough and tumble and work it to his advantage.

His former football coach during his time with the Bengals advised him to go see the successful wrestling family the Harts while still in Canada.

The Harts trained him and he soon began wrestling with Stampede Wrestling. Word got out quick and Brian next found himself in a US match against Ric Flair.

Ric Flair, a popular, flashy veteran wrestler saw potential in Brian and took him under his wing.

Now known as Flyin Brian, he realized he liked the wrestler lifestyle and all that it gained him, namely women and money.

That's when Brian met Rochelle, and the two soon moved to Atlanta together.

But only a year after their first daughter was born, the fact that Brian had a fling with another woman while with Rochelle became a reality when he realized he had another daughter.

Brian welcomed his older daughter into his life with open arms.

Now things were becoming more and more strained in Brian and Rochelles'  relationship due to his infidelities paired with a busy work schedule.

After many years of mishandled changes with management, Brian was finally matched with fellow wrestler Steve Austin.

Both had been singular wrestlers up until that point and were going nowhere. When they were paired they began being recognized.

Now wrestling as the tag team the Hollywood Blonds, the two were arrogant, cocky, and made a big scene. 

Brians' new, more extreme work situation put an even bigger strain on his personal life.

Making matters worse was when he seen, met, vowed he would marry, and began a secret relationship with stripper/Penthouse model Melanie.

When Melanie began calling Brian and Rochelles home the gig was up, resulting in Rochelle leaving.

Now Brian was free to be with Melanie and soon she became pregnant with Brians' only son.

Next, the couple married and quickly had all of Brians' children living with them.

Things went well for a while but when the Hollywood Blonds were finally made the main event against Ric Flair and the match did not get the ratings it was meant to, the result was a forced separation of the tag team, which did nothing for eithers' current or future career.

Soon Brian and Melanie decided that they needed to file for custody of Brian and Rochelle's daughter after Melanie continuously busted Rochelle's ass about missed child support.

The couple complicated the situation by not allowing Rochelle to ever see her daughter.

 One day, when Rochelle arrived unannounced, Melanie and Brian had her arrested for attempting to kidnap her daughter. 

This only pushed Rochelle over the edge, changing all of their lives sadly,  forever.

Now, more than ever, Brian really needed to change his persona. He needed to do something no one else was doing in an attempt to make more money because now he was supporting 5 children.

When his plan finally worked and he was in negotiations with WCW and WWF - the winner being the one who would pay him the most, he went out and bought himself an 80 thousand dollar Humvee, frequently driving it like he acted for the public , dangerously...

Stars (voice) Chris Jericho, Steve Austin, Jim Ross, Jim Cornette, Brian Pullman Jr, Linda Pullman, Kim Wood, Dave Meltzer, Brittany Pullman, Danielle Pillman, Eric Bischoff, Melanie Pillman 

Directed by Jason Eisener

Rated TV14

DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/SERIES

Fall River : My Soul To Keep (2021)

 

Made for Epix, airing May 16th in the US.

Season 1. Episode 1.

The story: On the early snowy Saturday morning of October 13 , 1979, in Fall River, Massachusetts, the almost naked,  horribly brutalized body of a young woman was found under the bleachers at the Diman Regional Vocational High School.

Her identity unknown until a composite was released to the public, bringing forward a friend who identified her as Doreen Levesque.

Not from Fall River, Doreen was a transient from New Bedford with a drug addiction who relocated to finance her habit by prostitution.

Prostitution was rampant in the 70s in Fall River and the police seemed to turn a blind eye on it even though it was happening day and night only a block away from the town's police station.

While investigating Doreens' murder, the police uncovered something they had yet to think of.

 Alligations of a Satanic Cult by Karen Marsten, another prostitute claiming to be in fear of her life as well as her childs' due to knowing too much about Doreens' murder by a local pimp.

On February 8 , 1980 , Karen also goes missing, and later is said to be murdered , that is when arrests are made.

But is the star witness , a rival local pimp , who isnt exactly innocent , really to be trusted for putting one man away for life?

Stars Chris Hayes , Alan Silvia , Michele McPhee , Paul Fitzgerald , Thomas Joaquim , Maureen Boyle , Trish Desouto , Elaine Gibbs , Carl Drew , Catherine Hindle , Bethany Coultier , Alan Alves , Margo Charigbliss , Michael Cutler

Directed by James Buddy Day

Not Rated

DOCUMENTARY/HISTORY/SERIES

"Satan controls the streets."

The Death of Dick Long (2019)

Released September 27th in the US.

Filmed entirely in Alabama.

The story: Best buds Zeke, Earl, and Dick are in a band together.

Every band practice night they get together at Zeke's house and get, messed, up.

On this particular night, it is no exception only this time around Dick is critically injured.

Worried that they will get in trouble for Dicks' injuries, Zeke and Earl drop him off outside the front of a hospital emergency room, leave him there and take off into the night.

They believe Dick will be okay.

But when he isn't, all Zeke and Earl can do is cover up, plot, and worry until the whole truth finally must come out.

Stars Michael Abbott Jr, Daniel Scheinert, Andre Hyland, Virginia Newcomb, Poppy Cunningham, Janelle Cochrane, Roy Wood Jr, Sarah Baker, Jess Weixler, Sunita Mani, Christopher Campbell

Directed by Daniel Scheinert

Rated R
COMEDY/THRILLER/DRAMA

North Country (2005)

Released November 21st in the US.

Filmed in Minnesota and New Mexico.

Based on truths.

The story: It is the winter of 1989 in Minnesota.

Josey is a mother of two who has finally decided to leave her abusive husband.

She takes her kids and off they go to her parents.

There Josey slowly begins getting herself back on her feet and while doing so, gets a better job idea from a friend.

But the better paying job is working at the local coal mine and the guys there don't make things easy for their fellow women workers.

When Josey decides to stand up for herself and the other females she works with, things become unbearable for all of them.

Making matters worse, after going to the head guy of the company, Josey is attacked by a male employee.

She quits her job and decides to sue the company for sexual harassment, no matter the consequence or outcome.

Stars Charlize Theron, Thomas Curtis, Elle Peterson, Richard Jenkins, Sissy Spacek,  Frances McDormand , Sean Bean, Jeremy Renner, Woody Harrelson, James Cada, Rusty Schwimmer, Linda Emond, Brad William Henke, Michelle Monaghan , Jillian Armenante, Amber Heard, Cole Williams

Directed by Niki Caro

Rated R
DRAMA

Tell Me You Love Me , Junie Moon (1970)

Released May 11th in the US.

Filmed in Massachusetts, California, and Florida.

The story: Junie is a 23-year-old single woman who is being released from the hospital after being subjected to an insane man whom she believed she loved...

In the hospital, Judie has a few friends, namely Arthur, an epileptic, and Warren a paraplegic.

The plan is for the three to get a place together on the outside.

Things aren't so bad for the three friends, as long as they have each other to lean on.

Even if they all have their own personal hang-ups.

Stars Wayne Tippit, Guy Sorel, Clarice Taylor, Liza Minnelli, Barbara Logan, Ben Piazza, Ken Howard, Robert Moore, James Coco, Anne Revere, James Beard, Elaine Shore, Leonard Frey

Directed by Otto Preminger

Rated PG
DRAMA

The Invisible Man (2020)

Released February 28th in the US.

Filmed in Australia, Canada, California, and the UK.

The story: Cecilia is making a break from her brilliant, millionaire, abusive boyfriend but she's scared to death that he will find her.

The next thing she knows she is told her ex has committed suicide and she should be able to rest easy finally.

But soon Cecilia is convinced that her ex is there, at her every turn, looking to cause her harm.

Even though Cecilia knows her ex is out to get her she cannot prove it, at least not yet.

Stars Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson Cohen, Harriet Dyer, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Benedict Hardie, Renee Lim, Brian Meegan, Nick Kici, Vivienne Greer, Michael Dorman, Nicholas Hope

Directed by Leigh Whannell

Rated R
MYSTERY/THRILLER/SCIFI/HORROR

Twice in a Lifetime (1985)

Released November 8th in the US.

Filmed in Washington.

The story: Harry is a middle-aged married man with three adult kids.

Harry and his family could not be any closer.

After celebrating his birthday with the family, Harry goes out to the bar to party with his friends.

There he meets the new bartender, charming and pretty Audrey.

Harry quickly falls for Audrey and the two begin an affair.

When Harry and Audrey are seen out and about together, his wife Kate finds out about them.

Kate doesn't know what to do so she does nothing until their oldest daughter demands that something is done.

Even though he still loves Kate, Harry decides to leave and be with Audrey even though it puts a strain on the rest of his family.

Stars Gene Hackman, Ellen Burstyn, Amy Madigan, Ally Sheedy, Stephen Lang, Darrell Larson, Rachel Street, Ann Margret, Brian Dennehy, Chris Parker, Kevin  Bleyer, Nicole Mercurio

Directed by Bud Yorkin 

Rated R
DRAMA