Michael O'Rourke Movies
- 2000
Created by Di and Hal McElroy, the Australian series Going Home was technically a sitcom, chronicling the experiences of nine commuters as they took their daily train ride home. What set this series apart was the fact that each episode was written, filmed, and edited on the day of its telecast, allowing the characters to comment on the most up-to-date of current events. There was also some built-in "interactive" material for the benefit of viewers who followed the exploits of the characters via the Internet. Telecast in Australia through the facilities of SDS, Going Home was seen on a Monday through Friday basis from 2000 to 2001, clocking in at 130 half-hour episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Directed by Linda Yellen, this made-for-cable movie originally aired on the Showtime network and featured a star-studded cast including Dudley Moore, Liza Minelli, and James Belushi. The plot centers around several fraternity and sorority graduates who have decided to regroup at their alma mater. Nick (Belushi), a determined but gloomy reporter, attends on the sole hope of finding some good gossip. His highest hope lies within the career ties of his ex-lover Winnie (JoBeth Williams), who now serves as publicist to rising politician Rebecca Ferguson Stone (Patricia Wetig). Fellow alumni Charlie (Ben Gazzara) is returning for equally dishonest reasons--he's hoping to convince his ex Francie (Gena Rowlands) to pay off his gambling debts. Francie, however, has found herself more interested in bonding with a single mom/housekeeper (Ally Sheedy). All of their lives take a turn for the unexpected when the big man on campus mysteriously dies. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 1989
- R
The daughter (Abigail Wolcott) of the owner of a ghost-town tourist attraction was killed by strangers, and the owner bears a serious grudge to those who are his bread and butter. So much so, that when he runs across a crystal that revivifies corpses and turns them into monsters or worse, he uses it on his newly dead daughter. When she is revived, she looks normal, and is able to lure unsuspecting victims to the man's town where he can then chop them up. In this horror thriller, a group of college students on a lark come to the town with predictable results. Fortunately for the hero (Ron Palillo), the dead girl still has some human feelings left. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ron Palillo, Abigail Wolcott, (more)
In this underscripted and not wholly convincing drama, Kevin Bacon plays Jack Casey, an up-and-coming broker who crashes on the stock market one day and cashes in whatever he has left to become a bicycle messenger in San Francisco. Although not exactly a logical alternative, bicycling the hilly streets of S.F. turns out to be dangerous after Casey runs into Gypsy (Rudy Ramos), the street pusher who has the messengers run drugs for him. A series of characters and events drop in and out of the conflict between Gypsy and Casey, including love interest Terri (Jami Gertz) and Casey's friend Hector (Paul Rodriguez). Music dominates throughout the film which includes scenes of breakdancing on bikes. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Jami Gertz, (more)
Barbarosa is a western starring the unlikely screen team of Willie Nelson and Gary Busey. Nelson is an outlaw, Busey his country-bumpkin buddy. They decide to ride together, since both are on the run from separate family feuds. Directed by Australian filmmaker Fred Schepisi, the screenplay for Barbarosa was written by William D. Wittliff who would later gain acclaim for his adaptation of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Willie Nelson, Gary Busey, (more)
