Vicki Lewis Movies
A graceful Amazon princess of untold strength and beauty attempts to prevent the god of war from instigating a conflict that will last for centuries and destroy the human race as the animated adventure marking the return of DC Comics heroine Wonder Woman. On the mystical island of Themyscira lives a fierce race of warrior Amazons who have raised a powerful daughter named Princess Diana. The Amazons live in secrecy from the outside world, but when Army fighter pilot Steve Travor crash-lands in their tropical paradise, the headstrong princess defies the law of the land by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. But her transition into the modern world won't be an easy one, because when Ares escapes from his Amazonian prison and begins plotting his revenge, Princess Diana is the only person who stands between the god of war, and the destruction of the human race - beginning with the Amazons. Now, as Princess Diana harnesses her unique powers to boldly fight back against Ares and save the planet from certain destruction, Wonder Woman is born and the battle for civilization begins. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, (more)
- 2006
Dave Foley and Lea Thompson star in first-time feature filmmaker Linda Voorhees' comedy drama about a middle-class family from Omaha who slowly slide to the end of their rope during a cross-country trip to Doheny Beach. Stu and Ginger Gainor are your typical American family: Stu is the kind of guy who thrives on the status quo lest he offend anyone by rocking the boat, and Ginger is a highly motivated real estate agent with ambition to spare and an optimistic outlook for the future. Their daughter Cookie is a goth princess whose obsession for her loser boyfriend serves as a constant source of frustration for her parents, and their son Milo scarcely ventures outside of the house without his trusty GameBoy firmly gripped in sweaty palms. As Ginger's fortieth birthday approaches, the family decides that a special celebration is in order. While most years the Gainor's venture out for a week in Branson, this year they have decided to fulfill Ginger's lifelong dream of visiting Doheny Beach. Piling into a decked out SUV, the Gainors remain blissfully unaware of the chaos that lies just outside the city limits. From the constant attempts by Ginger's mother-and-sister-in-law to sabotage the trip to Kevin's parent's desire to impose themselves on the vacationing clan, one thing is for certain - this isn't going to be your typical family road trip. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Lea Thompson, (more)
Andrew Stanton, who helped write Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., co-wrote and directed this computer-animated comedy-adventure about finding a very small fish in a very large ocean. Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) is a more-than-slightly paranoid Clown Fish who is extremely devoted to his young son, Nemo (voice of Alexander Gould), the only survivor after an undersea predator swallowed up Nemo's mother and her other offspring. It's not Marlin's nature to explore unfamiliar waters, but when he and Nemo are accidentally separated near the Great Barrier Reef en route to Nemo's first day of fish school, Marlin gathers his courage and sets out to find his son. What Marlin doesn't know, however, is that while Nemo was looking at a boat passing on the surface, he was caught in a net and given a new home in a dentist's aquarium. As Marlin searches for his son, he makes friends with a friendly but absent-minded Regal Blue Tang named Dory (voice of Ellen DeGeneres), a Great White Shark named Bruce (voice of Barry Humphries) who is trying to cut fish out of his diet, a beach-rat Sea Tortoise named Crush (voice of Andrew Stanton), and Nigel (voice of Geoffrey Rush), a Pelican who can take Marlin's search from the ocean to dry land. Finding Nemo's impressive voice cast also includes Willem Dafoe, Allison Janney, Eric Bana, Stephen Root, and Brad Garrett. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, (more)
The intense world of air-traffic controllers is played for both drama and laughs in Pushing Tin. John Cusack plays Nick Falzone, the top air traffic controller at New York's Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Center, where he negotiates air traffic and landing patterns for the Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports, America's most congested airspace. It's a tough, stressful job that's highly demanding and Nick is very good at it -- and he takes no small amount of pride in that. So Nick is less than enthusiastic when a new controller comes on board; Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton) transferred into TRACON from the Southwest, in search of a greater challenge. In direct contrast to the wired edginess of Nick's personality, Russell is a model of Zen cool who is so focused on planes it's said he once stood in the wake of a 747 just to know what it felt like. Soon work becomes a constant competition between Russell and Nick, and their competitiveness doesn't stop when work is over. However, the rivalry begins to take a different turn when Nick takes notice of Russell's beautiful but hard-drinking wife Mary (Angelina Jolie), while Nick's wife Connie (Cate Blanchett) finds herself more than a bit intrigued by Russell. Pushing Tin was written by Glen Charles and Les Charles, who previously received notice for their television work on such series as M*A*S*H, Cheers and Taxi, and directed by British filmmaker Mike Newell, who's last project, Donnie Brasco, also took him into a little seen side of New York City. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, (more)
In a small American town called Midland City, Dwayne Hoover (Bruce Willis) -- a loyal father, a successful car dealer, and a respected member of the community --lives with his wife Celia (Barbara Hershey), who's addicted to pills and TV shows, and his son Bunny (Lukas Haas), who is a weakling. What's more, his best friend and employee Harry Le Sabre (Nick Nolte) is a paranoid red-lace-lingerie fetishist. Dwayne finds short-term consolation in the arms of his secretary and mistress, Francine (Glenne Headley). As the American Dream slowly becomes his nightmare, Hoover begins to retreat into a fantasy world, filled with strange voices and fearful visions. It takes only the arrival of third-rate science-fiction writer Kilgore Trout (Albert Finney) -- whose novels are turned into fourth-rate porno comics -- at the Midland City Art Festival for things to explode. Hoover's only hope is Kilgore, whom he has raised to the status of a guru in his fantasies. However, the two men meet when time, space, and reality have already lost their meaning. Now it is only nonsense that makes sense and madness that reigns; the American dream has turned into lunacy. Breakfast of Champions, which had its world premiere during the 49th International Berlin Film Festival in 1999, is the outcome of a project in the making for over twenty years. Director Alan Rudolph wrote the script when the novel by Kurt Vonnegut was first published. However, it took all this time (and perhaps the casting of someone like Bruce Willis in order to get it financed) for the project to be realized. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Albert Finney, (more)
Dedicated to Tomoyuki Tanaka (1910-1997), who produced the 1954 original and sequels, the Devlin/Emmerich interpretation displays a redesign of Godzilla, now a large lizard mutated after fallout from French nuclear tests. A blinding flash of white light fills the Eastern sky. Thousands of miles away, the Pacific Ocean churns, engulfing a freighter. On another part of the globe, giant footsteps plow a path through miles of Panamanian forests, Tahitian villages, and Jamaican beaches. In the Ukraine, biologist Dr. Niko Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick), with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is examining the impact of radiation on Chernobyl earthworms. Colonel Hicks (Kevin Dunn) and a military team escort Niko to check out giant claw marks on the beached freighter; they're joined by paleontologists Elsie Chapman (Vicki Lewis) and Mendel Craven (Malcolm Danare). Blood and giant-size footprints indicate "some sort of enormous reptile." French secret agent Philippe Roache talks to the freighter's only survivor, who keeps repeating, "Gojira...Gojira." Tatopoulos et al arrive in Manhattan's Fulton Fish Market where Godzilla surfaces, moving on to the NYC financial district where Mayor Ebert (Michael Lerner) is speaking. Ambitious Audrey Timmonds (Maria Pitillo), who works for TV news anchor Charles Caiman (Harry Shearer), is Niko's former girlfriend, and she uses this to her professional advantage. As the wave of destruction continues, Niko and Roache track the creature through the evacuated city and discover Godzilla's eggs about to hatch in Madison Square Garden. They are followed by Audrey and TV cameraman Victor "Animal" Palotti (Hank Azaria), and soon the hatching Godzilla offspring prowl the Garden corridors, leading to a final showdown. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, (more)
The murder of NewsRadio regular Phil Hartman just after filming wrapped on the season's fourth season not only enveloped the rest of the cast in grief and sorrow, but also nearly prompted NBC to cancel the show. Reportedly, the producer kept the series afloat by relinquishing a financial piece of the property to the network--but even this move did not prevent the series' fifth season from being its last. The opening episode acknowledges the loss of Hartman with an unforgettable storyline deftly blending tears with bellylaughs, as the staff of radio station WNYX reacts to the fatal heart attack that claimed the life of vainglorious news anchor Bill McNeal. Well, most of the staff, anyway: Nerdish reporter Matthew (Andy Dick) is still laboring under the misapprehension that Bill has merely relocated to Afghanistan. Shortly thereafter, Jon Lovitz joins the cast as Bill's replacement Max Lewis, a neurotic "radio gypsy" who has lost 37 jobs in the last 20 years. However, no power on earth seems capable of removing Max from the anchor desk at WNYX--not even the resentful Matthew, who cooks up a bizarre scheme to get Max canned. Other than the opener, this season is remembered for a wacked-out three-part story arc, in which WNYX owner Jimmy James (Stephen Root) is arrested on the suspicion that he is actually notorious federal fugitive D.B. Cooper. This turn of events forces news director Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) to fend off the machinations of Jimmy's evil replacement Johnny Johnson, played by the ubiquitous Patrick Warburton)--at least until Jimmy is saved by the eleventh-hour intervention of Adam West (It makes sense when you see it!) The series ends with a 2-parter, built around the staff's efforts to prevent Jimmy from retiring (as if anyone could blame him after the D.B. Cooper debacle). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Maura Tierney, (more)
Gore Verbinski, the TV-commercials director responsible for the Budweiser frogs, directed this Adam Rifkin screenplay about two brothers (Nathan Lane and Lee Evans) who inherit a string factory and a decaying country home after the death of their father (the late William Hickey, in his last role). After moving in, they learn that the house has historical architectural importance and is valued in the millions. However, they are constantly tormented by a mouse within the walls. They engage in cartoon-like combat against the rodent, but it manages to outwit the brothers in successive situations. Both live and animatronic mice portray the title role, and some scenes assume the mouse's point of view. The film is dedicated to William Hickey. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nathan Lane, Lee Evans, (more)
There's a bit of unanticipated irony in the opening episode of NewsRadio's fourth season, with Jon Lovitz cast as a would-be suicide who perches himself on the ledge outside the office of radio station WNYX's news director Dave Nelson (Dave Foley). One year later, Lovitz would join the cast as a regular, replacing the beloved Phil Hartman, who was murdered shortly after filming wrapped on Season Four. A quartet of subsequent episodes feature a story arc with Lauren Graham guesting as a manic efficiency expert. The abrupt departure of series regular Khandi Alexander obliges the writers to come up with a "Rashomon"-style episodes wherein everyone has a different story as to why abrasive news anchor Catherine Duke has left WNYX. Also, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross of Mr. Show fame, joined by one of that series' writers, Dave Posehn, show up as three members of the singing quartet to which Dave had once belonged; news reporter Lisa (Maura Tierney) becomes one of the guys--almost literally--when the station's other female staffers call in sick--and in a two-parter, pompous anchorman Bill (Phil Hartman) proves to be jaw-droppingly efficient when he briefly takes charge of the station. Best of the fourth-season batch is the fantasy finale "Sinking Ship", wherein the cast finds themselves on the deck of the "Titanic" way back in April of 1912, with resourceful maintenance man Joe (Joe Rogan) endeavoring to repair the iceberg damage with his ever-present roll of duct tape. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, (more)
Season Three of NewsRadio opens with WNYX radio-station owner Jimmy James (Stephen Root) considering a run for the presidency--and in an even more frightening development, nerdish radio reporter Matthew (Andy Dick) acquiring a mustache. But wait, there's more! News director Dave (Dave Foley) and reporter Lisa (Maura Tierney) re-take the SAT to find out if growing older has made them dumber; vainglorious news anchor Bill (Phil Hartman) begins drawing up plans when a psychic informs him that he has only 36 more years to live; Matthew impulsively punches out Bill and becomes King of the Office for a whole entire day; the staff goes ballistic when they find out that Dave was born in Canada; Jimmy is suckered into purchasing phony Citizen Kane memorabilia (the name of the sled ISN'T "Rose Bowl"); Lisa shows a curious sense of priorities when she temporarily takes over the station; and Bill is carted away to the insane asylum on the occasion of the series' 48th episode, which is titled "Our Fiftieth Episode". Guest stars this season include cartoonist Scott Adams in an episode built around Matthew's obsession over Adams' creation Dilbert; James Caan in a story that turns out to be about Green Acres; Ben Stiller as a greedy gym manager; Jerry Seinfeld as himself in the saga of Lisa and Bill attempting to get a new show some ratings; French Stewart as a temp who manages to out-weird even Matthew; and, in an episode taped for the previous season but withheld from view because of one of the Words You Couldn't Use On Television Much, Norm MacDonald as a slick attorney representing Jimmy in a workman's-comp dispute. Also, Season Three offers the first of the series' celebrated fantasy episodes, "Daydream", which is topped by the penultimate offering "Space", wherein for no other reason than the producers thought it would be funny, the entire cast is thrust forward into the year 2228. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, (more)
- 1995
Wide-eyed Wisconsinite Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) becomes the latest in a long of a news directors brought in to the hype the ratings of New York all-news radio station WNYX as Newsradio beams forth its first season. Almost immediately, Dave clashes with newscaster Lisa Miller (Maura Tierney), who thought that she was in line for Dave's job. Lisa and Dave will eventually bury the hatchet and enjoy a brief affair, but not before our hero has made the acquaintance of the rest of the WNYX staff, namely his bombastic, buck-passing boss Jimmy James (Stephen Root), preening and pompous male news anchor Bill McNeal (Phil Hartman), antagonistic female anchor Catherine Duke (Khandi Alexander), terminally nerdish reporter Matthew Brock (Andy Dick), viper-tongued, all-knowing station secretary Beth (Vicki Lewis) and mercenary maintenance man Joe Garelli (Joe Rogan). In the opener for the series' seven-episode inaugural season, Dave finds out that his first responsibility is to fire his predecessor. Other crises loom large as Bill is forced to stop smoking in the office; a late-breaking news story takes second place to a turf battle involving desk sizes; Dave is stuck with the job of handing out unfairly distributed bonuses; and Beth spectacularly turns the tables on Bill when the lascivious newsman tries to make time with her at a restaurant. The season ends with a guest appearance by Janeane Garofolo as Dave's former girlfriend--who hasn't yet been informed that she is indeed his former girlfriend! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, (more)
Baby-faced news director Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) continues to leap over unexpected obstacles in his efforts to put New York radio station WNYX at the top of the ratings heap as NewsRadio commences its second season. Ingredients essential to the action this season include a boobytrapped refrigerator (courtesy of indolent station maintenance man Joe Garelli [Joe Rogan]); a collection of nudie-cutie pictures featuring WNYX's acid-tongued receptionist Beth (Vicki Lewis); the short unhappy life of Mike the "office rat", and the rodent's subsequential funeral via the mail chute; the announcement by station owner Jimmy James (Stephen Root) that he plans to get married;a homicidal Santa Claus who has it in for swell-headed news anchor Bill (Phil Hartman); an embarrassing moment in which Dave overhears the staff making fun of him; a practical-joke war which threatens to go thermonuclear when Bill and his co-anchor Catherine (Khandi Alexander) are the combatants; a nocturnal poker game in which Jimmy loses Bill to a rival station; the dreams of nerdish staffer Matthew (Andy Dick) of having a "group home" in The Hamptons; and the on-again, off-again romance between Dave and news reporter Lisa (Maura Tierney) Season Two guest stars include John Ritter as a psychiatrist hired to de-stress the WNYX staff, Bebe Neuwirth as a friend of Beth's who copies her every move, and Mr. Show's David Cross as a pathetic magician. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, (more)
- 1993
Stuck at a fogbound airport in New York, Murphy (Candice Bergen) is unable to attend her son Avery's first birthday party. This traumatic state of affairs sets Murphy to rethinking her purpose in life, as illustrated in a series of "flash-forwards." Meanwhile, back in DC, Avery's party yields an unexpected highlight as Barry Manilow sings "I Am Your Child" (Manilow was something of a running gag on the series, but he stops running here). This final episode of Murphy Brown's fifth season also features an appearance by future NewsRadio regular Vicki Lewis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
