Usher Raymond Movies
A young R&B star who makes music under only his first name, Usher Raymond has also forged a secondary career (fully billed) as an actor. Born in Tennessee, Raymond moved to Atlanta with his family at age 12. Under the eye of his choirmaster mother, Raymond nurtured his singing talent in the church choir, but it was at a local talent show that Raymond caught the attention of LaFace Records impresario Antonio "L.A." Reid. A success with his first album at age 16, Raymond added acting to his repertoire in 1997 as part of the cast of fellow one-name teen music star Brandy's hit sitcom Moesha. Continuing to make the most of the late-1990s teen entertainment explosion, Raymond made his feature film debut in 1998 in the Robert Rodriguez-Kevin Williamson high school horror movie The Faculty. Though the success of his second album made Raymond Billboard's 1998 Artist of the Year, he maintained his dual career with a small part in the popular, teenage Pygmalion retread She's All That (1999) and his first starring role in the urban high school drama Light It Up (1999). Though Raymond proved he had the acting talent and presence to topline a movie, Light It Up did not exactly brighten the box office. Undeterred, Raymond next joined the all-star cast of the splashy TV miniseries Geppetto (2000) and co-starred with James Van Der Beek and Ashton Kutcher in the teen-dream big-screen Western Texas Rangers (2000). ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
Three years after settling down with the woman of his dreams, a former government assassin discovers there's a price tag on his head, and that his number could be up at any minute. Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kucher) was the man the government called on when they needed someone taken out on the sly. Fast, clean, and efficient, he always got the job done, and enjoyed the many perks that came with traveling the globe in search of his targets. But somewhere amidst all of the fast cars and exotic women, Spencer fell in love with Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl), a carefree computer expert on the mend from a relationship gone sour. Flash forward three years, when Spencer and Jen are happily married and living the domestic dream. On the heels of Spencer's 30th birthday, he and his happy wife discover that their life of bliss could come to a violent end at any second -- someone has put a multi-million-dollar contract on Spencer's life, and the hired killers who have been tracking him could be anyone from the checkout girl to the neighborhood curmudgeon. Time is running out for Spencer, and as the race to uncover his assassin intensifies, so too does his paranoia. With his in-laws making life miserable and the threat of death lurking around every corner, Spencer struggles to maintain appearances while staying out of the crosshairs, and keeping Jen safe from harm. Catherine O'Hara, Tom Selleck, and Martin Mull co-star in an action-packed comedy thriller from director Rob Luketic (Legally Blonde, The Ugly Truth). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, (more)
- 2005
- Add Usher: Rhythm City, Vol. 1 - Caught Up to QueueAdd Usher: Rhythm City, Vol. 1 - Caught Up to top of Queue
R&B superstar Usher shows off his sexy and soulful style in this home-video release. Usher: Rhythm City, Vol. 1 -- Caught Up features a 30-minute short film which expands on Usher's video for the song "Caught Up," as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the movie. Also included is the original "Caught Up" video and clips for the songs "Yeah," "Confessions," "Caught Up," "Burn," and more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Usher
R&B star Usher Raymond plays his first starring role in this story which blends crime with romantic comedy. Darrell (Usher Raymond) is a successful club DJ who one night unexpectedly rescues a woman from a dangerous situation. It turns out the woman in question is the wife of Frank Pacelli (Chazz Palminteri), one of New York City's most powerful mobsters. To show his appreciation, Pacelli gives Darrell a job -- serving as bodyguard for this beautiful daughter, Dolly (Emmanuelle Chriqui). A short-lived romance blooms between Darrell and Dolly, but it isn't long before the couple are quarreling, which makes Pacelli more than a bit unhappy with his new hire. However, Pacelli also has a mob war and a disloyal and ambitious young lieutenant to deal with, and Darrell soon finds Pacelli's problems become his problems too. Also starring Kevin Hart and Robert Davi, In the Mix was produced under the title Dying for Dolly. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Usher Raymond, Emmanuelle Chriqui, (more)
- 2004
This 2004 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Lindsay Lohan and features musical guest Usher. ~ Skyler Miller, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lindsay Lohan, Usher Raymond, (more)
R&B superstar Usher demonstrates why he's considered one of the great showmen of his generation with this concert video, in which he combines his music with dance, lighting, and special effects to create a one-of-a-kind experience. Usher: Live -- Evolution 8701 features the songs "You Make Me Wanna," "My Way," "U Remind Me," and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Usher Raymond
- 2000
Wise-cracking, beer-drinking comedy star Drew Carey makes a change of pace as he tops the bill of this made-for-TV adaptation of Carlo Collodi's classic children's fantasy. Geppetto (Drew Carey) is a bachelor woodcarver who loves children, but has none of his own. As he works on a wooden puppet he calls Pinocchio, Geppetto sadly wishes he could have a son; the Blue Fairy (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) decides to grant his wish, and Pinocchio comes to life. Geppetto is thrilled, but he soon discovers that taking care of the little wooden boy is more trouble than he ever imagined. As Geppetto struggles with the responsibilities of parenthood, Pinocchio is kidnapped by Stromboli (Brent Spiner), a traveling puppet master who wants to use the enchanted marionette in his traveling show. Though Geppetto has become disillusioned with his abilities as a father, he can't let Pinocchio be stolen away by an ill-meaning stranger, and sets out to find the wooden boy. En route, Geppetto meets a number of strange and remarkable characters, including the inept magician Lazardo (Wayne Brady), the mysterious Professor Buonragazzo (Rene Auberjonois), and the Ring Leader (Usher Raymond), who spirits wayward boys away to Pleasure Island. Geppetto features several original songs by Steven Schwartz; the film was produced for the ABC television network, where it first aired on May 7, 2000. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Drew Carey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, (more)
The true story of the formation of the Texas Rangers provides the backdrop for this youth-oriented Western. In 1875, after the Civil War, Leander McNelly (Dylan McDermott) organizes the Texas Rangers to battle the outlaws terrorizing Texas, notably crime kingpin John King Fisher (Alfred Molina). With a team of experienced gunmen (Robert Patrick and Randy Travis) and enthusiastic but green recruits (James Van Der Beek, Usher Raymond, and Ashton Kutcher), McNelly and his Rangers bring law and order to the wild Texas plains; McNelly must also keep order among his charges when two rangers fall in love with the same woman, Caroline Dukes (Rachael Leigh Cook). Tom Skerritt and Vincent Spano are also featured in the supporting cast; the screenplay, adapted from a script by John Milius, was at one time set to be filmed by Sam Peckinpah, shortly before the legendary Western director's death in 1984. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Van Der Beek, Dylan McDermott, (more)
If Hollywood can shoehorn William Shakespeare into the teen-movie treatment with Romeo and Juliet, and Jane Austen with Clueless (from her novel, Emma), why not George Bernard Shaw? While his Pygmalion has been staged and filmed endless times, most famously as the musical My Fair Lady, here Shaw goes to high school. This time around, a Los Angeles' school's most popular guy Zack (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) loses his girlfriend Taylor (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) to television star Brock Hudson (Scream's Matthew Lillard). Zack then vows to his friends that he can take any girl in school and turn her into the prom queen. With five weeks until the prom, his friends pick weird, art nerd Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook). Zack predictably gets more than he bargained for as he falls in love with his "creation." Eldon Hudson and Kieran Culkin, stars of The Mighty, play Laney's best friend and little brother, respectively. Robert Iscove, director of television's Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, makes his big-screen debut. ~ Chris Gore, Rovi
- Starring:
- Freddie Prinze, Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook, (more)
Noted R&B artist and producer Kenneth (Babyface) Edmonds served as executive producer for this tough urban drama. After a shooting incident in a neglected inner-city school leaves a police officer wounded, a group of students holds the cop hostage, in a desperate effort to force improvements to their school. The cast includes another R&B hitmaker, Usher, as well as Forest Whitaker, Vanessa L. Williams, and Rosario Dawson. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Usher Raymond, Forest Whitaker, (more)
Miramax Films darlings Robert Rodriguez and screenwriter Kevin Williamson teamed up for a high-school alien-horror film that they described as The Breakfast Club meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Dilapidated Herrington High is the location for a story about a school faculty taken over by outer-space creatures, forcing the students to take charge and kick some alien butt. School faculty members (Robert Patrick, Bebe Neuwirth, Salma Hayek, and Jon Stewart) are infested with rapidly reproducing space worms that take over their minds and bodies. But never fear, because at this school, between hazing the student body and having sex in the locker room, a Scooby-Doo-ish group of high school students is ready to fight back. The up-and-coming acting talent includes R&B singer Usher Raymond, Elijah Wood, Clea DuVall, Josh Hartnett, Shawn Hatosy, Laura Harris, and Jordanna Brewster. The story is nearly irrelevant, as the real stars are the action and lots of special effects. ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi
