Niecy Nash Movies
A Renaissance performer who is perfectly at home (and who has proven herself adept) in a broad array of genres and formats, Niecy Nash dreamed of an acting career from early girlhood. She trained as a theater major at California State University, Dominguez Hills, then obtained her first paid acting assignment by virtue of an L.A.-area casting director who enlisted her in Herbert Ross' 1995 comedy drama Boys on the Side. That assignment resulted in a memorable scene opposite Whoopi Goldberg, and Nash followed it up four years later with a small role in Robert Altman's comedy Cookie's Fortune (1999). The actress made her most enduring impact on television, however, with guest spots on NYPD Blue and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, vocal work as Tollie Mae on the offbeat animated sitcom Kid Notorious, and -- perhaps most endearingly -- a regular assignment as Deputy Raineesha Williams on the raunchy, rollicking police-themed sitcom Reno 911! In 2007, Nash starred as the character of Jacuzzi opposite Cedric the Entertainer and Lucy Liu in the comic thriller Code Name: The Cleaner. Nash also hosted the Style Network's home-makeover series Clean House, and emceed both Emmy and Oscar pre-shows. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie GuideDirector Bill Duke steps behind the camera for this adaptation of the T.D. Jakes novel concerning a newly married couple that finds their union threatened by pressures involving faith, family, and finances. As the couple exchanges their vows, the minister lays a cord around them while uttering the blessing, "a threefold cord is not easily broken." Later, during their darkest hour, the minister's advice to always keep God at the center of their marriage could be the only thing that keeps this troubled pair together. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Morris Chestnut, Taraji P. Henson, (more)
Sandra Bullock stars in the romantic comedy The Proposal, as a Canadian immigrant who creates a demanding and difficult work environment for her subordinates at the office. When the news arrives that she's about to be deported to the Great White North, she rushes into a marriage of convenience with her young assistant (played by Ryan Reynolds) to prevent such a catastrophe from occurring. 27 Dresses' Anne Fletcher directs from a script by Peter Chiarelli for Touchstone Pictures. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, (more)
Two time Oscar-winning visual effects artist Hoyt Yeatman makes his feature directorial debut with this Jerry Bruckheimer-produced family film following a group of highly trained guinea pigs on their mission to prevent an evil billionaire from taking over the world. Beginning in the Civil War -- when carrier pigeons delivered messages from the front lines -- the American government has been covertly training animals to work in espionage. The latest government program is a clandestine espionage team known as "G-Force," which includes a team of ultra-intelligent guinea pigs who share 98.7 percent of their DNA with humans. Comprised of unpredictable weapons expert Blaster (voice of Tracy Morgan), alluring martial arts expert Juarez (voice of Penélope Cruz), stealthy reconnaissance expert Mooch, and a star-nosed mole named Speckles (voice of Nicolas Cage), who specializes in computers, this crack team of agents is fronted by heroic squad leader Darwin (voice of Sam Rockwell). When a deranged billionaire hatches a plan to control the entire planet through common household appliances, the G-Force leaps into action on a mission to ensure that he does not succeed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, (more)
The officers of Reno 911! are back in their most ridiculous season yet, with 16 episodes that'll make you very glad these aren't your local cops. In this fifth season (which aired on Comedy Central in 2008), Wiegel (Kerri Kenney) meets her real daddy, the department hires a former sex slave, and the team takes on a badass bounty hunter. With their failed stings and constant drinking problems, they prove that they have exactly what it takes to be police officers: badges. Bonus material includes over 40 minutes of extended scenes, audio commentary from the cast on select episodes, and featurettes.
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
When a kindly elephant hears a faint cry of help from a floating speck of dust, his attempts to protect the tiny particle cause his neighbors to question his sanity in this animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss' classic 1954 children's book of the same name. Produced by Ice Age makers Blue Sky, scripted by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, and directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, Horton Hears a Who reunites Bruce Almighty co-stars Jim Carrey and Steve Carell as the eponymous elephant and the mayor of Whoville respectively. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, (more)
This workplace comedy takes place at the illustrious New York destination known as the Inn - one of the most popular and exclusive hotels in the country. Always brimming with celebrity guests and the most expensive furnishings, the inner workings of the Inn are anything but smooth. The operation's obsessive manager Neal (Jerry O'Connell) makes even the most minor into a large scale catastrophe, and his anal-retentive attitude is seldom appreciated by coworkers like sassy HR rep Rhonda (Niecy Nash), who has her own set of rules, or front desk clerk Nicole (Molly Stanton), a former model who's usually in a bad mood from being in some stage of starvation. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Niecy Nash, Jerry O'Connell, (more)
A man who has lost his memory has a new and dangerous life thrust upon him in this comedy thriller. Jake (Cedric the Entertainer) is a janitor who finds himself stricken with a crippling case of amnesia. While Jake struggles to regain his memory and identity, he becomes convinced that he's an undercover spy who is trying to ferret out a ring of underground arms dealers wanted by the FBI and the CIA. As Jake is thrown into the world of international intrigue, he gains an unlikely ally in Gina (Lucy Liu), an actual U.S. intelligence agent who is tracking the same bad guys and develops a liking for the janitor. The Cleaner also stars Nicollette Sheridan, DeRay Davis, and Callum Keith Rennie. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cedric the Entertainer, Lucy Liu, (more)
- Starring:
- Harland Williams, Kiersten Warren, (more)
The bumbling cops of Comedy Central's hit television series take a trip to Miami Beach for a national police convention. After the trip there turns out to be much more difficult than anticipated, the bumbling crew must leap into action when the convention center becomes the target of a biological terrorist attack. Lieutenant Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) must keep together his motley and inept crew in order to save everyone from the disaster, and keep peace on the streets of the popular Florida city. The film features the same cast from the popular Comedy Central series of the same name. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lennie Loftin, Danny DeVito, (more)
The officers of the Reno, Nevada Sheriff's department are back with a fourth season of Reno 911! that's full of murder intrigue, and a disturbingly (and mysteriously) pregnant Officer Wiegel. From committing election fraud to donning hot pink uniforms and blowing up various large items, the officers give their all in every episode after gloriously inept episode.
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
Buckle up for another ride with the officers of Reno Nevadaâs Sheriffâs Department in this third season DVD of the hit Comedy Central Series. From a stint in prison to an accidental cat killing to close encounters of the S.A.R.S. kind, you can expect nothing but foolish choices and utter mediocrity from these hapless law enforcers!
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
A man gets a very big surprise when he meets his prospective son-in-law in this comedy. Percy Jones (Bernie Mac) is the understandably proud father of Theresa (Zoe Saldana), a beautiful and intelligent young woman living in New York City. When Percy learns that his daughter is dating someone and things are getting serious, he decides to do some research, and learns that her beau is a solid businessman. Percy arranges to meet the young man, but is a bit taken aback when he comes face to face with Simon Green (Ashton Kutcher) -- Percy and his wife are African-American, and Simon is very, but very Caucasian. When it becomes clear that Simon and Theresa's relationship is likely altar-bound, Percy finds himself suddenly full of misgivings about the young man, especially since Simon tends to get rather clumsy when he's nervous. Guess Who was loosely adapted from the 1967 hit Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, though the race of the prospective father and son have been swapped, and the original film's comic undercurrent has been pushed to the forefront. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernie Mac, Ashton Kutcher, (more)
The whole police reality show genre is savagely raked over the coals as Reno 911! enters its second season. The men and women of the Washoe County Sheriff's Department continue to allow cameras to follow them everywhere, though why they do it is anybody's guess, since the resulting videotapes succeed only in showing everyone off in the worst possible light. (Come to think of it, would there be any laughs if they were seen in the best possible light?) The season begins as department leader Lt. Dangle (Tom Lennon) announces his retirement and schedules his own testimonial dinner -- which may be very sparsely attended thanks to a sold-out sports event. Later on, the deputies ponder the possibility that Deputy Trudy Weigel's new boyfriend may be a serial killer (she never has had much luck in affairs of the heart). In other episodes, a British inspector (Tom Bolster) shows up to compare the department's methods with those of Scotland Yard (gee, no contest there); a jailed televangelist uses his cell as a studio for his weekly "Half Hour of Power" telecast; a bitter turf war develops when the policeman's ball and the fireman's pancake dinner are scheduled on the same night; and for some obscure reason, Kenny Rogers makes not one but two guest appearances -- along with his real-life assistant Patton Oswalt. Season two comes to a riotous conclusion as Deputy Jones (Cedric Yarbrough) -- who apparently didn't die at the end of Season one -- and Deputy Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) are accused of murdering the infamous Milkshake Man, whereupon the series' cast is replaced by a veritable battalion of celebrities (if it makes sense in context, we'll be very surprised). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
Sharona (Bitty Schram) insists that she's been confronted by a dying man soaked in blood, but when Monk (Tony Shalhoub) investigates the body has disappeared and the "crime scene" is spotless. In the days that follow, Sharona comes face to face with the bloodied man on two further occasions, but is unable to convince anyone of what she's seen. Worried that she's been merely hallucinating, Sharona takes a few days off while her nurse friend Varla (Niecy Nash) takes her place. Before long, Monk is investigating whether or not Sharona has been telling the truth...if only to escape from the overbearing Varla! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Blood may be thicker than water, but it doesn't hold a candle to hairspray, as we learn in this urban comedy. Angela (Kellita Smith) is a successful hairdresser who operates her own salon based in Los Angeles. One day, Angela gets an unexpected visit from her sister Peaches (Mo'Nique), who runs a beauty shop of her own in Baltimore. The family reunion turns out to not be as happy as Angela may have hoped -- Peaches is trying to stay a step ahead of IRS agents who want to collect 50,000 dollars in back taxes, while also avoiding Marcella (Gina Torres), a fellow hair stylist who wants to take over Peaches' shop. Despite their differences, Angela and Peaches join forces in hopes of finding a way to get the bill paid and take Marcella out of the picture. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mo'nique, Kellita Smith, (more)
Most creator-driven TV cartoon series merely reflect the tastes of their producers. Kid Notorious was the first cartoon series inspired by the life of its producer -- Hollywood movie mogul Robert Evans, the man responsible for such classics as The Godfather, Rosemary's Baby, and Chinatown. Evans himself supplied the voice for his animated alter-ego, just as Evans' real-life butler, Alan Selka, was heard as "Kid Notorious"' faithful retainer "English." Rounding out the cast was the obligatory sassy black maid Tollie Mae, voiced by comedienne Niecy Nash. Befitting its inspiration, Kid Notorious was festooned with inside showbiz references, dripping sarcasm, and casual profanity. Befitting its unsuitability for children, the series was seen on the Comedy Central network, beginning October 22, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Evans, Alan Selka, (more)
The cinema vérité police documentary parody Reno 911! dispenses law and disorder during its first season on Comedy Central. The season's unscripted, totally improvised episodes follow various members of the Washoe County Sheriff's Department going about their duties, under the guidance of Lt. Jim Dangle (Tom Lennon). It doesn't take long before the shorts-wearing Dangle is revealed as a closeted homosexual, nor to discover that former magician's assistant Deputy Clementine Johnson (Wendi Mclendon-Covey) may still not be totally weaned from her exhibitionist tendencies. In the series opener, Lt. Dangle's new "zero-tolerance" policy backfires when he becomes the first person to be arrested in a fender bender. Later on, Detective Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) wins a scavenger hunt by bringing in an inordinately tall, tattooed Jewish crack addict; Deputy Jones (Cedric Yarbrough) learns, to his surprise, that there are consequences to being racially oversensitive; conversely, Deputy Trudi Wiegel (Kerri Kenney) discovers the advantages of attempting suicide; the department falls over itself trying to impress the FBI, who've come to Reno to investigate a homicide; and an impending terrorist attack makes everyone paranoid, but not for the usual reasons. Season one ends with a cliffhanger, sparked by the Halloween eve death of Deputy Jones and his bizarre videotaped legacy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
A rich kid who likes to pretend he's from the wrong side of the tracks gets a taste of the real thing in this comedy. Brad Gluckman (Jamie Kennedy) is the son of a wealthy and socially prominent couple (Ryan O'Neal and Bo Derek) and grew up in the lap of luxury in Malibu, CA. However, Brad likes to imagine he's a street-smart gangsta from the mean streets of L.A., and he's been trying to launch a career as a hardcore rapper under the name "B-Rad." Mr. Gluckman is running for Governor of California, and both he and his campaign manager (Blair Underwood) are convinced Brad's antics could have a negative impact on the election, so they come up with a scheme to change his mind about the supposed glamour of street life. Mr. Gluckman hires a pair of African-American actors (Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson) to impersonate a pair of gang-bangers from Compton who carjack Brad's SUV and take him to the 'hood, where he'll learn just how scary the thug life can be. However, it soon becomes obvious the actors don't know much more about life in Compton than Brad does, and as Brad gets used to his new surroundings, he falls for a girl from the neighborhood (Regina Hall) who has her own plans for moving up in the world. Malibu's Most Wanted was inspired by a character Jamie Kennedy created for his sketch comedy series The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Kennedy, Taye Diggs, (more)
On this cable TV series, a team of professional "purgers" descended upon various private homes, helping the owners divest themselves of unnecessary junk and bring order and cleanliness to whatever was left over. Each episode was prompted by the viewers, who were invited to submit requests that their houses be given a good going-over; and each program ended with a giant yard sale. Host by Niecy Nash, Clean House debuted September 3, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Niecy Nash
Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) investigates when the production of a "faked" snuff film results in the far-from-fake stabbing death of a young woman. Or did a murder actually occur? Clues are either vague or nonexistent, and Catherine finds herself running down a multitude of blind alleys. Meanwhile, Grissom (William L. Petersen) pieces together the evidence when an abandoned aluminum toolbox yields a human skeleton -- infested with imported fire ants. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The firebombing of a shop owned by Arabs has the odious aroma of a post-9/11 hate crime. Investigating the kidnapping of a baby from a hospital, the detectives follow the trail of clues to the infant's father. Andy (Dennis Franz) offers to partner up with Eddie Gibson (John O'Donohue) and resumes his relationship with Gibson's niece Cynthia (Juliana Donald). Valerie (Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon) and Baldwin (Henry Simmons) try to bring "spontaneity" to their romance. And Connie (Charlotte Ross), anxious to contact the daughter whom she put up for adoption years earlier, covertly places the girl under surveillance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Simmons
Robert Altman directed this bittersweet ensemble piece about an eccentric and entangled group of family and friends living in the Deep South. Jewel Mae "Cookie" Orcutt (Patricia Neal) is the widowed matriarch of a small-town Mississippi family, which includes her nieces Camille (Glenn Close), a pretentious would-be artist staging an amateur production of Salome at a local church, and Cora Julianne Moore), her less than enthusiastic leading lady. Willis (Charles S. Dutton), the caretaker of Cookie's rambling mansion, tries to persuade her sweet but aimless grand-niece, Emma (Liv Tyler), to move in with her, but she's more interested in her on-again, off-again romance with local cop Jason (Chris O'Donnell). Typical of Altman's work, Cookie's Fortune weaves together a number of different plot lines with relaxed grace, and features an impressive cast, including Ned Beatty, Lyle Lovett, and Courtney B. Vance. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, (more)
This TV comedy series, an attempt to find humor in 1990s self-help, rehab and recovery programs, focuses on hard-drinking, former actress Billie Frank (Sherilyn Fenn), once the teen queen of primetime soaps, who now works for lowlife "B"-movie producer Harve Schwartz (Richard Lewis). Johnny (Michael Rapaport) is only one of an unending parade of predatory males standing in line to hit on Billie, and viewing the world through an alcoholic haze, she often has to check on the identity of the man next to her when she awakens. Matching Billie, drink for drink, is her mother Trudy (Lynn Redgrave). Sitcom segments are separated by onscreen titles, such as "Mother's Milk -- 80 Proof" and "Going Down -- This Time in the Elevator." Friends intervene to show Billie where she's headed, but their efforts go nowhere. Finally, the "rude awakening" happens when Billie drinks and drives -- and then collides with a fire hydrant. The next step is the first of 12, as she attends an Addictions Anonymous meeting, where Dave (Jonathan Penner) tries to score with her, and she encounters a wild lesbian, Jackie (Rain Pryor). Episodes titled "Lucky for Me Her Breast Exploded," "Three Dykes and You're Out," and "Vagina" followed the August 1, 1998 premiere on Showtime. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherilyn Fenn, Lynn Redgrave, (more)
This emotion-filled story stars Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, and Drew Barrymore as three women from different walks of life who find comfort in each other through tragedy. Parker plays Robin, an HIV-positive real estate executive who meets Jane (Goldberg), a lesbian lounge singer on her way to the West Coast who needs a driver. Robin volunteers for the job, and along the way, they stop in Pittsburgh to visit her friend Holly (Barrymore), who is pregnant and abused by her boyfriend. In an attempt to save Holly, all three decide to head West together to begin a new life. But they get only as far as Arizona before Robin falls ill and the three are forced to learn to rely on one another for growth and emotional sustenance. Jane, though concerned about Robin's condition, also finds herself with a romantic interest in her ailing companion. Holly confronts her need to be with abusive men, while Robin comes to grips with her fear of being alone and the realization of her own impending death. Fans of Herbert Ross' earlier Steel Magnolias (1989) might appreciate this movie, which tackles some of the same themes. Sometimes referred to as a "feminist road movie," the film deals with women who find one another in a time of crisis and realize that the bonds among women are more powerful than any of life's obstacles. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, (more)





























