Tony di Benedetto Movies
Director Sidney Lumet has remade the 1980 movie by his contemporary, John Cassavetes, casting Sharon Stone in the role of Gloria (portrayed in the original by Cassavetes' wife, Gena Rowlands), a street-toughened woman sliding into middle age. When the neighbors are murdered by a group of mobsters, one of which is a former boyfriend, Gloria takes the couple's seven-year-old son (Jean-Luke Figueroa) on the run. In time, she learns why the boy's parents were killed, and maybe just a little about herself. Sidney Lumet, director of '70s classics Network and Dog Day Afternoon, focuses more on the relationship between Gloria and the boy than did the original. Coincidentally, this would make the film very similar to the Brazilian Central Station, released at virtually the same time. ~ Ron Wells, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sharon Stone, Jean-Luke Figueroa, (more)
- 1998
The chief suspect in the disappearance and probable murder of a couple is turned in by his own brother. Once in custody, the suspect refuses to cop an insanity plea -- much to the consternation of his brother, who had hoped to secure medical treatment for his sibling who must now face the emotional burden of a first-degree conviction. Tovah Feldshuh makes another appearance as aggressive defense attorney Danielle Melnick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A veteran New York City detective's world is turned upside down when his estranged brother is suspected of murdering a powerful mob boss in this thriller starring Michael Biehn, William Petersen, and Leo Rossi. Al Scarano (Nick Vallelonga) is a Big Apple detective living the good life, but when a mobster named Tony C (Petersen) calls him to Little Italy late one night, Scarano's cozy self-contained universe slowly begins to unravel. It appears that Scarano's estranged brother Rudy was seen fleeing the scene of a high profile mafia hit, and before Tony C. sends his henchmen to find out the truth the hard way, he offers Scarano one chance to seek out his brother and get to the bottom of the matter. As Scarano's wife pleads with her conflicted husband to leave the past behind and start a new life, the detective must weigh the value of his own life against that of his troublesome bloodline. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
- R
A relatively low budget follow-up to the successful original Hidden continues the story with the daughter of the cop who had faced the alien menace 15 years earlier, teaming up with a benign visitor from space to oppose his more hostile compatriots. ~ Mark Hockley, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Both Sam (Ted Danson) and Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) covet the lease for the back room of Cheers. Never one to play fair if it wasn't necessary, Rebecca intends to get what she wants by using her womanly wiles on landlord John Hill (Keene Curtis). Meanwhile, Carla (Rhea Perlman) must face up to the fact that her eyesight isn't what it used to be. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
When his wife Vera lands a job at Melville's restaurant on the second floor, a paranoid Norm (George Wendt) decides to quit Cheers for good. Meanwhile, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) arranges a 39th birthday party for Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) -- or rather, she arranges for him to arrange the party. Elsewhere, Gallic photographer Henri (Anthony Cistaro) shoots some sexy "art studies" of an unexpected subject. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Action hero Don "The Dragon" Wilson appears in this third, quickie sequel to Bloodfist. Wilson plays Jimmy Boland, who has been sentenced to a California maximum-security prison for a murder that he didn't commit. When he sees some black prison inmates sodomizing his friend, he flies into a rage and kills the gang leader. The prison warden, in an effort to do Jimmy in, transfers him to the black wing of the prison, where he is sure the black prisoners will dispatch him quickly. This looks to be a safe bet, since the gang member Jimmy had killed was a drug supplier to Blue, the leader of the black prison gang. Wheelhead, a white inmate and leader of a group of white supremacists, takes Jimmy under his wing and offers Jimmy support if he joins the gang. Jimmy refuses, preferring to stay neutral. Meanwhile, Jimmy warms up to his cellmate Stark (Richard Roundtree), and Stark invites Jimmy to join a multi-racial group of prisoners who tend the rooftop prison garden. Jimmy has managed to maintain his neutrality, but at a price. Now both Blue and Wheelhead want to see him dead. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Richard Roundtree, (more)
- 1990
Woody (Woody Harrelson) eagerly looks forward to the return from Europe of his sweetheart Kelly (Jackie Swanson). That eagerness evaporates when Kelly introduces Woody to her new friend, an amorous French photographer named Henri (Anthony Cistaro). Meanwhile, Cliff (John Ratzenberger) draws up plans to have his head cryogenically frozen after his demise. This episode won an Emmy award for director James Burrows. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Cliff (John Ratzenberger) suffers from a deflated ego when it turns out that Cheers' new cocktail napkins dispense even more useless trivia than he does. Meanwhile, Woody (Woody Harrelson) lands a lucrative acting job as spokesperson for a new vegetable drink. Alas, though the money is good, the drink itself is terrible -- or at least Woody thinks it is. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In Marked for Death, Steven Seagal is told to "try to find the gentle person inside yourself." But he doesn't spend too much time looking, preferring instead to crack the spines of his victims. Seagal plays John Hatcher, a burned-out narcotics agent who resigns from the Drug Enforcement Administration after his partner is killed. He returns to his hometown and finds the city in the thrall of a vicious Jamaican drug gang, led by the nasty Screwface (Basil Wallace). He meets an old friend, now a high school football coach, who tells John about losing his best player and his 13-year-old nephew to drug overdoses. Soon John's family is threatened and his prize Mustang stolen, so John joins forces with his buddy to take on Screwface and the drug gang themselves. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, Basil Wallace, (more)
This USA Cable network offering stars Carl Weathers as a none-too-ethical security expert. Weathers gets mixed up with high-profile gangster Billy Dee Williams. If he'd stopped there, he'd be on safe ground: Trouble is, romance develops between Weathers and Williams' wife Lonette McKee. The cool, state-of-the-art cars driven by the protagonists are sometimes more fascinating than the by-the-numbers plotline. Dangerous Passion premiered March 25, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
The wealthy father (Richard Doyle) of Woody's sweetheart Kelly (Jackie Swanson) arranges for the girl to be sent to study in Europe. In desperation, Woody (Woody Harrelson) draws up a plan to elope with his beloved. Elsewhere at Cheers, Norm (George Wendt) has been appointed the evening's designated driver -- but he is really, really thirsty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Unbelievable though it may seem, the abrasive, profanity-spouting tabloid reporter Jerry Gold (Jay Thomas) has a warm, human side. When Murphy (Candice Bergen) discovers this, she falls madly in love with Jerry, and the two rival journalists begin a passionate affair. The problem now facing Murphy is letting her coworkers know that she is literally sleeping with the enemy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
With Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) out of the picture, an overworked Sam (Ted Danson) hires a new manager for Cheers, a likeable fellow named Earl (Bryan Clark). Before long, Earl has become the most popular person in the establishment, which greatly depresses Sam when he learns that Rebecca is so desperate for work that she has been reduced to modeling in an auto show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
By rights, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) should be thrilled that the other girlfriend of her beloved Robin Colcord is being squired by someone else. But "thrilled" is not her reaction when Sam (Ted Danson) reveals that he has scored with Robin's other significant other. Meanwhile, Woody (Woody Harrelson) is in for a surprise when he advertises for a roommate, and the audience is in for a surprise when Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) raises her voice in song. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Season eight of Cheers opens with a shocking confession from Rebecca (Kirstie Alley). Taking Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) into her confidence, Rebecca admits to having wildly erotic dreams about Sam (Ted Danson) -- little realizing that Sam is eavesdropping on this "private" conversation. Roger Rees makes his first series appearance as Trump-like megamillionaire Robin Colcord in this, the introductory episode of a two-part story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) introduce Sam (Ted Danson) to their friend Sheila Rydell (Madolyn Smith-Osborne), a brilliant -- and very sexy -- therapist. Smitten by Sheila, Sam tries to put the moves on her by faking an attack of impotence. Meanwhile, the Cheers gang counts the beans for fun and profit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Sam (Ted Danson) wants to own a bar again, but Cheers is presently beyond his reach. Thus, he settles for a smaller, run-down establishment (euphemistically described to him as a fixer-upper) where the only "customers" have four legs and hairy bodies. Meanwhile, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) pursues her campaign to get multimillionaire Robin Colcord (Roger Rees) in the sack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
You've probably already guessed that the Family Business in this all-star melodrama is the business of crime. Adapted from a novel by Vincent Patrick, the film stars Sean Connery as Jessie McMullen, the patriarch of a family of career criminals, including his son Vito (Dustin Hoffman) and grandson Adam (Matthew Broderick). Vito has gone legit, but college-educated Adam remains loyal to his grandfather. Reluctantly, Vito joins his father and son on a big-time heist involving millions of dollars' worth of test-tube specimens. There's many a slip-up and betrayal before the three generations can find a common ground. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, (more)
In Last Rites a serious thriller on a sensational topic, a priest falls in love with a woman he is protecting. Father Michael (Tom Berenger), a priest with family ties to the mob, helps a woman on the run. Angela (Daphne Zuniga) is the mistress of a murdered Mafia Don, now being hunted by hitmen hired by the Don's infuriated wife. As Father Michael realizes he is falling in love, both his faith and his vows are severely tested. Directed with restraint and respect for the subject matter by Donald Bellisario, the film still caused controversy and was criticized because of love scenes between the priest and the woman. Despite this criticism and despite the fact that the film is somewhat slow and predictable, Last Rites has fine performances by its cast and is an entertaining thriller. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Berenger, Daphne Zuniga, (more)
O'Brien (Chuck Norris) is a detective who captured the psychotic maniac Simon Moon (Jack O'Halloran), aka the Terror, by mistake. When the obese 6' 6'' villain fell from a ladder trying to escape, he was knocked cold and the lucky O'Brien got the credit for his collar. With his psychiatrist sweetheart Kay (Brynn Thayer), pregnant with their first child, the Terror escapes. Although he is large and unforgettable, the terrible Titan manages to evade the police, and no one even notices him when he carts cadavers on his massive shoulders. This routine actioner provides a view of several historic sights in Santa Monica, California. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chuck Norris, Brynn Thayer, (more)
- 1987
When a woman is suspected of killing her 2 young sons, New York police inspector Theo Kojak is called in to investigate. ~ All Movie Guide
Someone to Watch Over Me, a mystery thriller directed by Ridley Scott is the story of a police officer who falls in love with the woman he is hired to protect and the effect of this affair on his marriage and his life. Claire (Mimi Rogers) an extremely wealthy socialite is the sole witness to a mob murder and is in great danger. Mike (Tom Berenger), a happily married NYC police officer is assigned to protect her and takes up residence in her foyer while she waits to testify. A romance develops between the unlikely couple which threatens Mike's marriage to Ellie (Lorraine Bracco). All of this sounds more exciting than it is, and while the film fails to generate much suspense, the love story and Mike's dilemma are interesting. All the performances are excellent, particularly that of Bracco as the no-nonsense wife. The score is exceptional and the photography and set decoration are all fine. Someone to Watch Over Me is a fine police thriller and love story. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Berenger, Mimi Rogers, (more)
A former FBI agent is recruited to root out the gangsters who killed a fellow agent's son in this Arnold Schwarzenegger action film. After being booted out of the bureau for excessive violence, Kaminski (Schwarzenegger) lives in small-town exile with his bitter wife, Amy (Blanche Baker). He gets the chance to return to the big city, however, when Chicago mobsters murder the son of his old colleague Shannon (Darren McGavin), as well as scads of prosecution witnesses against them in an impending court case. Shannon promises to reinstate Kaminski if he'll help engineer the downfall of gang leader Max (Robert Davi). Working undercover and without government sanction, Kaminski infiltrates the mob by posing as a bodyguard/assassin. Along the way, he tussles with beautiful gambling addict Monique (Kathryn Harrold), who starts off as an enemy but ends up more. The action comes to a head when Kaminski's mob bosses send him to kill none other than Shannon. Released post-Terminator and pre-Predator, Raw Deal is one of several non-science fictional action flicks that cemented Schwarzenegger's '80s box-office appeal. Director John Irvin would return the following year with the gritty Vietnam drama Hamburger Hill. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Harrold, (more)
"I'm in love with a mermaid!" read the opening line of Leonard Maltin's original review for Splash. And with the delightful Darryl Hannah in the lead, who could fault Maltin for his public declaration of ardor? The story begins in 1959, when a young boy is rescued from a watery grave by an adolescent mermaid. Twenty-five years later, the boy has grown up--and lo and behold, it's Tom Hanks. Meanwhile, the mermaid, likewise grown up, has surfaced in search of Hanks, her long-lost love. On dry land, the mermaid is able to walk about on legs; any contact with salt water, and she reverts to her half-fish form. Adopting the name of Madison from a New York street sign, the girl manages to win Hanks' heart. Alas, a secret government lab, populated by such smarmy types as Richard B. Shull and Eugene Levy, captures Madison for research purposes--and possible vivisection. Egged on by his brother John Candy, Hanks rescues his beloved, joining her in the ocean depths as a mer-man (mer-fellow? mer-guy?) A captivating confection from the peerless creative team of director Ron Howard and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, Splash was a winner all the way--especially at the box office, where the $11 million film racked up a huge profit. Historical sidebar: Splash was the first release from Disney's Touchstone Pictures division. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, (more)
