Larry Gelman Movies

While vacationing at the beach, Monica (Roma Downey) and Rafael (Alexis Cruz) are swept up in a search for a boy named Scooter Fisher, who has left an ominous and rather desperate message in a bottle. Complicating matters is the fact that no one seems to have ever heard of Scooter Fisher, and that several others in the vicinity are in more immediate need of the angels' help. The plot takes an unexpected twist when, after Rafael reveals himself as an angel, a media circus ensues and prominent TV anchorman Benjamin Parker (William Devane) shows up to cover the "angel invasion" of Pacific Falls! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Comedian Billy Crystal made his directorial debut with this biography of fictional comedian Buddy Young Jr. (portrayed by Crystal himself), whose self-destructive tendencies prevent him from rising to top of the show business ladder during his five-decade career. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

This sci-fi/horror sequel is set in the 21st century where the human race has been decimated by a man-made plague. Most of the normal survivors now live underground while the Earth's surface is populated by terrifying mutants. The survivors have developed a plague vaccine, but must gather the ingredients upon the dangerous surface. This version opens at the Rocky Mountain Lab, where they have run out of the vaccine and people are getting sick. A few days earlier they sent David Pennington topside to gather more ingredients. Unfortunately he has disappeared. The lead scientist then sends out three people to find David, but instead they end up tangling with a mutant. One of their party is killed. During the scuffle, they manage to cut off one of the creature's fingers and bring it back for research. Meanwhile, David wanders the desert world and meets the beautiful, pregnant Ariel, with whom he falls in love. Just before making it down to safety, the two are attacked by the mutants and one of them rapes her. When she eventually gives birth, her baby is terribly deformed. Meanwhile the finger regenerates into a new mutant horror and now with two of the dreadful creatures to deal with, things look bleak. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of Night Court's two-part Season Eight opener, court bailiff Dan (Richard Moll) is in hot water with prosecutor Dan (John Larroquette) after allowing Dan's promiscuous sister Donna (Susan Diol) to seduce him. Also, Judge Harry T. Stone (Harry Anderson) may not get his belated high-school diploma if he doesn't agree to certain "favors" demanded by his overbearing history tutor (Fran Ryan). And finally, public defender Christine (Markie Post) has a hard time getting down to work after returning from maternity leave. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dan (John Larroquette) and Harry (Harry Anderson) both angle for the attentions of Christine's gorgeous friend Heather (Sela Ward). After carefully weighing the options, Heather decides to spend the weekend with Dan, sending Harry spiraling into a depression. But worse is still to come: It seems that Harry's idol Mel Torme prefers Dan's company as well! Jay Robinson,the unforgettable Caligula in The Robe, appears as Roland Jeffries. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Naked Cage offers a glimpse of the stark realities of prison life while at the same time acknowledging the issue of prison corruption. Young and naïve Michelle (Shari Shattuck) has just been thrown in the slammer for a bank heist she definitely did not commit. The inmates warn her about the warden (Angel Tompkins), whose lesbian lifestyle is forced on inmates of her choosing. No one has to warn Michelle about the guard who rapes and kills the inmates, or about the woman who framed her and is now also in jail. These three threats to Michelle's inherent virtue are nothing she can fight off alone, and so some new characters step into the picture to help tip the scales. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In an unusual comedy by Joan Darling, Brian Dennehy and Anne Archer star as the Richard, a druggist, and his wife Peggy, a pair of debt-ridden parents who rebel against the system. Nothing goes right while they try to uphold the system, then things get even worse when they leave it. Richard decides to pull the plug on modernity when he cannot meet his utility bills and creditors are at his door like wolves. He shuts off the electricity and sets up candles, buys a goat, and digs a well in the back yard. He finally does hit water, but it happens to be the city's water main. Peggy is not quite as crazed as her husband so she goes to see a shrink -- who promptly dies on her. If anything can go wrong for Richard and Peggy, it will. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Great special effects do not always make for a great film, but Dreamscape comes awfully close. Dr. Paul Novotny (Max Von Sydow) and Dr. Jane Devries (Kate Capshaw) run a clinic for the study of dreams. Hoping to alleviate the pain of those plagued with recurring nightmares, Novotny hires a team of psychics to "inhabit" the subconsciouses of the patients. Alex Gardner (Dennis Quaid), a small-time hustler who uses his ESP gifts for financial gains, is hired to work at the clinic. He helps to disperse the fears of a young nightmare-plagued boy, then reverts to type by "raping" the thoughts of the lovely Dr. Devries. Things come to a head when one of the patients, the American president (Eddie Albert), decides to purge himself of his apocalyptic dreams by making a lasting peace with the Soviets. Bob Blair (Christopher Plummer), the political reactionary who finances the clinic, decides to assassinate the president by acting upon Dr. Novotny's pet theory: if a person dies in his or her dream, he/she will die in real life. The finale pits Gardner against psychic assassin Tommy Ray Glatman (David Patrick Kelly). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In flashback, we are treated to glimpses of the Milwaukee-to-California trip taken by Laverne (Penny Marshall), Shirley (Cindy Williams), Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) at the outset of Season Six. Actually, we set several different flashbacks telling highly different stories, endeavoring to establish who was to blame for trashing a hotel room occupied en route by the four merry wanderers. It is up to Carmine (Eddie Mekka)--who was still in Milwaukee when the "trashing" occurred--to determine who is telling the truth, and who isn't. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A standard, mindless teen comedy that is patently geared toward the pre-teen set, H.O.T.S. involves a lot of bouncy females, in this case, sisters in the H.O.T.S. sorority, in hot-blooded competition with the women in another mythical sorority on campus. The objective seems to be to show as many cruel practical jokes, lame-brain jocks, non-stop action, wild orgies, and exaggerated characters as can fit into a 95-minute running time. Added to the pile are the requisite idiot adults who are never able to see what is going on around them, and it becomes apparent (if it was not from the beginning), which age group is meant to be the target audience here. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this, Joan Rivers' first attempt at film direction, a young virgin male (Billy Crystal) is engaged to be married when he finds out he is pregnant! Using the film as a vehicle for her acerbic humor, director Rivers may as well be on stage, for interspersed throughout this questionable plot is an unending onslaught of sarcastic slams pointed at just about every sector of society. Ms. Rivers even makes a cameo appearance. Other big names in this film are Tom Poston (as a minister), Roddy McDowall (in several roles), and George Gobel as the U.S. President. ~ All Movie Guide

In this "B" grade film noir wannabe, the U.S. government releases David Fox (Richard Lynch) from prison on the condition that he help them trap a tax-shelter specialist working for the mob. Armed with $1,000,000 in hot money, Fox is chased all over Miami and back as he vacillates between fulfilling his obligation and finding the man who killed his brother. On the way, he unintentionally picks up Karen (Priscilla Barnes) via the unlikely method of stealing her landscaping truck, and she soon joins him as the adventure continues to the final showdown, back in Miami. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide