Oliver Muirhead Movies
A wannabe superhero joins a team of bumbling heroes-in-training on a time-traveling mission to thwart an evil plot in this high-flying comedy featuring Clint Howard, Adam West, Tom Sizemore, and Doug Jones. Ed Gruberman (Justin Whalin) may not possess any actual superpowers, but his passion for fighting crime rivals that of even the greatest comic-book do-gooders. When Ed becomes a member of The Super Capers, an oddball team of aspiring superheroes, it seems as if his dream of fighting crime for real is about to come true. Upon discovering evidence of an evil plot involving gold bullion, an alluring femme fatale, and a powerful criminal mastermind, Ed travels back in time to prevent a disaster the likes of which the world has never seen. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Justin Whalin, Adam West, (more)
- 2007
- PG
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In this adventure-filled sequel to the 2004 blockbuster National Treasure, Nicolas Cage reprises his role as artifact hunter and archaeologist extraordinaire Ben Franklin Gates. In this outing, Gates learns of his own family's implication in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. Gates must then locate an elusive diary, not only to clear his family's name, but to unearth and connect several secrets, buried within the book, that point to a massive, global conspiracy. The film co-stars Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, and Helen Mirren as Ben's mother. Jerry Bruckheimer returns as producer. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Justin Bartha, (more)
Shrek and Fiona's (Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz, respectively) fairy-tale wedding has gone off without a hitch, yet just as the beaming newlyweds prepare to enjoy their blissful "happily ever after," the sudden death of King Harold (John Cleese) finds everyone's favorite ornery ogre being reluctantly fitted for the royal crown. Troubled to learn that not only will he be compelled to rule Far Far Away, but that he and Fiona are also expecting a little ogre, Shrek determines to track down his new bride's rebellious cousin, Artie (Justin Timberlake) -- the one true heir to the throne -- in order to focus on fatherhood without the added distraction of having to preside over the kingdom. As Shrek sets out with faithful companions Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to locate the medieval high-school slacker and bring him back to become the reigning sovereign of Far Far Away, handsome snake Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) slithers back to the castle in the company of the dreaded Captain Hook (Ian McShane) to stage a diabolically timed coup and assume control of the throne. Now, as Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in Boots do their best to wrangle up the feisty Artie, Fiona must enlist the aid of fighting princesses Snow White (Amy Poehler), Sleeping Beauty (Cheri Oteri), Rapunzel (Maya Rudolph), and Cinderella (Amy Sedaris) to barricade the castle and fend off Prince Charming's invading army of fairy-tale villains until her beloved husband can return with the cavalry to save the day. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, (more)
- 2006
- PG
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The laziest cat in America swaps places with the richest feline in England in director Tim Hill's lasagna-laden sequel to the 2004 theatrical hit Garfield. Jon Arbuckle (Breckin Meyer) is on his way to London to propose to his veterinarian girlfriend, Liz Wilson (Jennifer Love Hewitt), and his unflappable cat, Garfield, is determined to be there when Jon pops the big question. Of course, Garfield wouldn't go anywhere without his old pal Odie, and soon after arriving in the land of Big Ben, the clueless tomcat inadvertently changes places with royal look-a-like Prince. It seems that Prince's owner, Lady Eleanor, has recently passed away, leaving the care of her sprawling estate Castle Carlyle in the capable paws of her devoted kitty companion. The trouble is, Prince has decided it's due time for a vacation, and with Garfield in charge there's no telling what kind of trouble will befall Castle Carlyle. Despite having a devoted butler named Smithee (Ian Abercrombie) to cater to his every whim and a whole host of fun-loving critters with whom to pass the lazy days spent lounging in the sun, this crowned head begins to feel the sting of deceit as the envious Lord Dargis (Billy Connolly) hatches a dastardly plan to do away with the whiskered heir and claim Castle Carlyle all to himself. Meanwhile, as Garfield attempts to hold his ground against his greedy would-be nemesis, the fun-loving Prince is living it up with Jon and Odie by taking a trip to some of London's most popular pubs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, (more)
- 2006
The air is thick enough to cut with a knife in the offices of the Yale Daily News; though Rory (Alexis Bledel) is now editor, her predecessor Paris (Liza Weil) is still on the staff, and still seething with resentment. Nor is this Rory's only cross to bear: while attending the wedding of Logan's sister Honor (Devon Sorvari), Rory learns from each one of the bridesmaids that Logan (Matt Czuchry) was far from lonely -- or celibate -- during their brief separation. Back in Stars Hollow, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) babysits for Christopher's three-year-old daughter, Gigi (Nicolette Collier), who turns out to be a thoroughly out-of-control brat; and Zach (Todd Lowe) tries to reunite the band even as Lane (Keiko Agena) advertises for new members. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Katsuhiro Otomo, director of the groundbreaking anime feature Akira (1988), returns with this visually striking fusion of the past and the future. It's the Industrial Age in England, reimagined, and various and sundry inventors and scientists are arriving in Britain to hawk their products while capitalism rears its ugly head. A gadget-happy British lad named Ray (voice of Anna Paquin) receives a mysterious package from his grandfather Lloyd Steam (Patrick Stewart) -- a tiny ball that turns out to be an engine toting immense power. As it happens, several of these little balls run the O'Hara pavilion, a massive, mobile fortress. Ray later discovers that his dad and grandfather are located inside of the pavilion; his dad, Eddie, has become mesmerized by O'Hara and subject to their whims, while Lloyd suspects that O'Hara may want to use the balls for nefarious purposes, and tries to put a definitive end to those plans. Indeed, the O'Hara people soon take over the Great Exhibition and turn it into a veritable circus for weapons dealers. Meanwhile, Ray starts to develop feelings for a young girl named Scarlett O'Hara. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Suzuki, Manami Konishi, (more)
The brain-child of director and executive producer Straw Weisman, Man of the Year is billed as a reality/surveillance/improv/drama. In fact, the film was shot in one night, with no script and a cast of about 20 being followed around by an equal number of cameras. The story centers on Bill, a successful oil company executive played by John Ritter. At a party in honor of Bill, the audience is introduced to a number of people in Bill's life, including his wife, Carol (Heidi Mark); his bookie, Mickey (Dan Ponce); and his mistress, Vanessa (Khrystyne Haje). As the evening progresses, the mood of the party goes from festive to angry as all of the secrets in Bill's life become exposed, and his life begins to crumble around him. Suddenly, a gunshot is heard, someone is dead, and no one knows who the killer is. Completely improvised based on a loose story outline and a set of predetermined motivations for each character, Man of the Year premiered at the 2002 Method Film Festival in Pasadena, CA. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ritter
Home Improvement's Richard Karn lends his talents to this family-oriented animal-sports adventure from the producers of another animal-sports picture, Air Bud. MVP II: Most Vertical Primate picks up the story line of the first film in the series, MVP: Most Valuable Primate, but transfers its star monkey from the suburbs to the city, and switches his sport of choice from hockey to skateboarding. MVP II opens with the lovable Jack being ousted from his hockey team, the Seattle Simians, and having to hit the road after being falsely accused of league misconduct. Jack ends up in the city, where he's befriended by Ben (screen newcomer Scott Goodman), a homeless skateboarder, and Ollie (Karn), a skate shop owner. Jack proves to be as adept at mastering the half-pipe as he does at delivering a slap shot, and before long, he and Ben are crashing amateur skateboarder competitions all over the country. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Bancroft, Richard Karn, (more)
- 2002
Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the Scoobies hole up in the Summers' house and imprison Spike (James Marsters) in hopes of learning more about the unseen adversary who's been manipulating him. On a trip to pick up animal blood for the captive to drink, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) encounters incognito super-nerd Andrew (Tom Lenk), who appears to be the pawn of the same shape-shifting fiend as Spike. Soon, ex-lovers Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Anya (Emma Caulfield) are joyfully interrogating the geek. The terrified Andrew is more than forthcoming about his encounters with the spirit of Warren (Adam Busch) and his murder of equally dorky former ally Jonathan (Danny Strong). But Spike reveals very little -- until another visit from the big bad turns him into a mindless, vamped-out threat. Ultimately, Buffy shackles Spike down in the basement but refuses his pained entreaties for a merciful death. Touched by Spike's true confessions about the tribulations he endured to win back his soul (and, less successfully, her heart), Buffy tells Spike that she can see the better man deep inside him. Just then, robed warriors attack the house. Buffy assists her friends in staving them off upstairs, but it's all a diversion: they make off with Spike, whose own spilled blood soon fuels the spell that Jonathan's murder was incapable of completing. Elsewhere, a zonked-out Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside) buries Jonathan's body, and the headquarters of the Watcher's Council blows up spectacularly. Originally broadcast November 26, 2002, on the UPN network, "Never Leave Me" marked episode 131 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Quentin Travers (Harris Yulin) and several other members of the Council arrive in Sunnydale with information about Glory (Clare Kramer) and begin ordering Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) around. They promise to share their data if Buffy and her friends will submit to tests and interviews, but they warn that without cooperation they'll shut down the magic shop and have Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) deported. Everyone reluctantly goes along with the Council's directives until a pair of close calls shifts the balance of power. First, Glory herself shows up at Buffy's house and threatens to kill Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) if the Slayer doesn't reveal the location of "The Key." Then, a bunch of medieval warriors called the Knights of Byzantium show up, declaring that Buffy is their enemy as long as she harbors The Key. Unflappable even in the face of these twin threats, Buffy turns the tables on Travers. Announcing that she's the one with all the actual power, she gets the Council members to cough up their info. They reveal the subtle but profound distinction that Glory is a god, not a demon. Originally broadcast January 23, 2001, on the WB network, "Checkpoint" marked episode 90 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Bruce Willis makes his third and final series appearance as Paul, the father of Ross' college-age girlfriend, Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden) -- and the current amour of Ross' former sweetie Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). As Paul's behavior becomes stranger and more ominous, Rachel begins to see her relationship with Ross (David Schwimmer) in a whole new light. Meanwhile, Chandler (Matthew Perry) enlists the aid of Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) in choosing an engagement ring for Monica (Courteney Cox)...a major mistake! ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Oliver Muirhead, (more)
- 2000
Though not the first TV dramatization of the lives and careers of the popular 1960s singing group the Beach Boys, this two-part miniseries was the first that did not concentrate exclusively on Brian Wilson, arguably the most brilliant and troubled member of the quintet. Instead, the production details the triumph and heartbreaks of all five Beach Boys: Brian (here played by Frederick Weller), his brothers Carl and Dennis Wilson, and non-related members Mike Love and Al Jardine. Played by Kevin Dunn, the Wilson brothers' father Murray Wilson is cast as a complete monster, shown to be both verbally and physically abusive to his grown sons, as well as a money-grubbing dictator while managing The Beach Boys during their most prolific period. The miniseries also delves into the darker side of the singers themselves, especially when Dennis Wilson (played by Nick Stabile) begins carousing with a would-be tunesmith named Charles Manson (Erik Passoja). Producer John Stamos had originally wanted to appear in the production as Dennis (who died in a surfing mishap in 1983), but the ABC network decided that Stamos was too old for the part. Many (including, reportedly, Brian Wilson himself) complained loudly about the gross liberties taken with actual events in this picture. The Beach Boys: An American Family was originally telecast on February 27 and 28, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frederick Weller, Nick Stabile, (more)
A chimp learns the blue lines rules of hockey (which is more than can be said for many fans) in this family oriented comedy from the creative team behind Air Bud. Jack is a three-year-old chimpanzee who has been the subject of a long-term experiment by Dr. Kendall (Lomax Study), a researcher who been teaching Jack to communicate through sign language. Jack, however, has not been making progress fast enough for Dr. Kendall's sponsor, Dr. Peabody (Oliver Muirhead), who has cut off his funding and sold Jack to a medical research lab. Afraid of what could happen to his simian friend, Dr. Kendall sneaks Jack out of his home in the lab; however, Jack is accidentally sent to Canada, where he gets loose and is discovered by Tara (Jamie Renee Smith), a deaf girl who recognizes Jack's sign language. Jack has an even bigger surprise for Tara's older brother Steven (Kevin Zegers); Jack scrambles onto the ice in the midst of practice for Steven's junior league hockey team, and he and his teammates discover the monkey has a natural talent for the game. With Jack on the team, Steven's team is on their way to a league championship, but Jack's notoriety attracts the unfortunate attention of Dr. Peabody, who are determined to send Jack back to his new owners. Jack is played on screen by three different chimps, Bernie, Mac, and Louie; the suppoirting cast also features former SCTV regular Dave Thomas. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Billed as Benji meets Howards End, this charming Canadian children's film concerns the struggle between a philanthropic duke (John Neville) and his sniveling nephew Cecil (Oliver Muirhead), who worries that his uncle is wasting his money by spending it on the poor. When the duke dies halfway through the movie, his American niece Charlotte (Courtnee Draper) takes over. Soon Charlotte falls in love with a dashing laborer (Jeremy Maxwell), while Cecil plots to stain the moral standing of the duke's loyal dog, Hubert. Star Trek's James Doohan also appears as a snooty English butler. The Duke was screened at the 1999 Flanders Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Neville, James Doohan, (more)
- 1998
Visiting a pizza place he used to frequent in years gone by, George (Jason Alexander) goes into full obsessive mode over his extremely high score in the old "Frogger" video game. Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) has trouble with his new "sentence-finisher" date Lisi (Julia Campbell). Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) tries to cut out all socializing, only to find herself addicted to the four o'clock sugar rush. And Kramer (Michael Richards) has bad news: the most recent victim of a serial killer who is plaguing Riverside Park looked a lot like Jerry (can it be a vendetta?). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
At times it is hard to tell whether this made-for-TV movie is supposed to be taken seriously or if it is nothing more than a John Waters-style spoof. Yasmine Bleeth and Jill Clayburgh are respectively cast as ambitious beauty contestant Danielle Stevens and her even more ambitious mother Cathy. It is clear from the outset that this pair will stop at nothing to win a prestigious beauty pageant, which naturally casts suspicion on both mother and daughter when the first runner-up is killed. But can it be that the murderer is the boyfriend of the victim, who happened to have been carrying said boyfriend's baby? Crowned and Dangerous made its ABC network debut on September 21, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Desperate to improve its terrible public image, a chemical conglomerate creates a swimwear catalog to sell it's products, many of which are responsible for some major environmental and medical catastrophes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rebeccah Bush, Arthur Roberts, (more)
- 1994
Hired by the DMV, Bud (David Faustino) struggles to communicate with long lines of potential drivers, none of whom are remotely familiar with the English language. But Bud's most formidable task is to administer a driving test to his own father Al (Ed O'Neill). Meanwhile, Kelly (Christina Applegate) loses her job as "The Verminator" thanks to the interference of Jefferson D'Arcy (Ted McGinley), compelling Jefferson's wife Marcy (Amanda Bearse) to find employment for Kelly at the bank--a most "revealing" assignment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
"A good man is hard to find. A rich man is worth the effort." This advertising tagline could just as easily have been applied to Gold Diggers of 1933 or How To Marry a Millionaire as to the made-for-TV Rich Men, Single Women. Three attractive women of a certain age decide to pool their resources and land wealthy husbands. The first step is to convince their victims-er, potential soulmates-that they are "the women of their dreams." Suzanne Somers, Heather Locklear and Deborah Adair star as the Gold-diggers of 1990, who, according to one reviewer, "could set feminism back 20 years." Concocted by Aaron Spelling and Douglas S. Cramer-the folks who inflicted The Love Boat on an unwary nation--Rich Men, Single Women premiered January 29, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
If you liked the 1941 Johnny Weissmuller opus Tarzan's New York Adventure, you'll go ape (sorry!) over the made-for-TV Tarzan in Manhattan. The Jungle Lord uncovers an insidious plot by a covetous scientist to enhance the natural IQ of African monkeys. To prevent his beloved Cheetah from falling into the hands of vivisectionists, Tarz heads for New York, where he meets his Jane (Kim Crosby) -- a wisecracking cabbie. Tony Curtis plays Jane's father, barely justifying his "special guest star" credit. Tarzan in Manhattan was the pilot for a TV series that just plain didn't swing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Stan Dragoti, whose forte is plumbing the depths of the male psyche, plumbs those depths once again in She's Out of Control. Tony Danza stars as Doug Simpson, a broadcasting executive who has trouble adjusting to the fact that his fifteen-year-old daughter Katie (Ami Dolenz) is blossoming into a sexual being. This realization kicks in after his fiancee Janet (Catherine Hicks) takes Katie for a makeover; suddenly she appears before Doug looking like a sultry super model. Now Doug is unable to look at his daughter as anything other than as a sexy chick, and he spends his time fending off packs of horny suitors while dictating morality to Katie. It finally gets to the point where Doug consults with television psychiatrist Dr. Fishbinder (Wallace Shawn), who recommends that Doug read a book he has written for single fathers, advising him, "If you're a slow reader, you better put your daughter on the pill." ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Danza, Catherine Hicks, (more)
