David Sparrow Movies
A hard-drinking, hard-living cop assigned the task of transporting a small-time criminal to the nearby courthouse finds that a simple, 16-block drive can be the longest ride of his life in director Richard Donner's urban action thriller. Hung-over, has-been cop Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) has seen better days, and all that the force expects out of him these days is to stay out of trouble while he's on the clock. Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) is set to testify before a grand jury at 10:00 a.m., and it's up to Mosely to make sure that Bunker makes it to the courthouse in one piece -- a job that Mosely estimates will take a maximum of 15 minutes. A black van has been trailing the pair unnoticed, though, and after stopping off at a nearby liquor store to pick up some breakfast, Mosely emerges from the store just in time to save Eddie from the lethal bullet of a determined assassin. When backup arrives in the form of Detective Frank Nugent (David Morse), Mosely quickly realizes that the detective on Nugent's team is the same cop that Bunker is set to testify against. Now faced with the tough task of dodging bullets and eluding a massive onslaught of corrupt cops, Mosely must keep Bunker alive long enough to get him before the judge and ensure that justice is served. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Mos Def, (more)
Planet Earth has been rendered inhabitable due to decades of toxic pollution and ecological disaster, and as a brave team of scientists venture out into space in search of a new home, they discover that the only habitable planet in range is home to a carnivorous, man-eating mutant. Mankind has abused their planet beyond the point of no repair, and now Mother Nature is wheezing out her final, strained death rattle. Perhaps if space explorers could just find a planet with a similar atmosphere to Earth, there would be hope for mankind yet. Upon landing on a planet lush with abundant foliage, it appears as if the human race will indeed continue on. But the deadly secret lurking just beneath this otherworldly paradise is enough to make their scorched home planet look like an island resort. Suddenly forced to choose between returning to a dying planet or fighting for their lives in the farthest reaches of space, the crew struggles to make a decision as the ranks begin to thin and hope starts to dwindle. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Patrick Flanery, David Sparrow, (more)
- 2006
- R
Academy Award-nominee Kathleen Quinlan stars in director Melanie Orr's grim tale of a mother and daughter who seek shelter in a home for abused women, only to discover that the woman in charge harbors a deadly secret. Mavis and Victoria were on the run from an abusive relationship when they wandered into the remote shelter run by matronly mother figure Bea (Quinlan). At first Bea was kind and compassionate, taking young Victoria under her wing as Mavis valiantly battled the demons of her past. But as time wore on Mavis began to sense something strange was happening between her daughter and Bea. Victoria was never a hostile girl, but these days she lashes out at her mother like never before. Upon learning that the women who previously checked into the farmhouse never checked out, Mavis realizes that Bea is attempting to brainwash Victoria into killing her own mother. With little time to spare before Victoria is completely lost, Mavis prepares to do battle with the psychotic Bea and escape from the farm before all hope is lost. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathleen Quinlan, Ingrid Kavelaars, (more)
The toughest man in the American military faces a new kind of challenge -- looking after four kids in soccer-mom suburbia -- in this family-friendly comedy from Walt Disney Pictures. Shane Wolf (Vin Diesel) is a former Navy SEAL who was assigned to protect a scientist working on a top-secret defense project for the government. Despite Wolf's efforts, however, an assassin slipped past him and murdered the man he was guarding. The inventor's project is still being stored in his home, so Wolf has now been assigned to protect Julie (Faith Ford), the scientist's widow, as well as her four children, Zoe (Brittany Snow), Seth (Max Thieriot), Lulu (Morgan York), and baby Peter (Kegan Hoover and Logan Hoover). Wolf has had years of military experience in some of the most dangerous places on Earth, but he doesn't know much about raising kids, and he soon discovers his new job demands he be a nanny as much as a bodyguard. The Pacifier also co-stars Brad Garrett, Lauren Graham, and Carol Kane. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lauren Graham, Vin Diesel, (more)
- 2004
Having survived the loneliness of an orphaned childhood, Brooke Taylor (Kaley Cuoco) has always dreamed of being a top fashion designer, and her dream at last may be fulfilled when she is accepted at America's top fashion school. Then, suddenly, Brooke's life goes in an entirely another direction when her grandfather, a mob boss, passes away. Showing up at Brooke's doorstep is grandpa's second-in-command George (played by The Sopranos' Dominic Chianese), who insists that the girl assume command of the "family business." The fact that George's organization is attempting to go legit means nothing to the Feds, who are determined to jail Brooke and the rest of her associates on a racketeering rap. Meanwhile, Brooke makes the acquaintance of Jack Lawton (Pat Kelly), a shy, bumbling fellow student--and secret FBI operative. Adroitly combining crime and fashion (hence its title), this satirical cable-TV movie made its first appearance on July 25, 2004 over the ABC Family Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Created by author/entertainer Kay Thompson in 1955, precocious six-year-old Eloise, who lived in the Plaza Hotel with her long-suffering nanny, her dog Weenie, and her turtle Skipperdee, was the heroine of several delightful children's books written by Thompson and whimsically illustrated by Hilary Knight. The charm of the "Eloise" books has proven elusive whenever the property is adapted for another media, as witness a disastrous musical version which aired live on Playhouse 90 in 1956. On this occasion, Eloise came off as a spoiled obstreperous brat, which was as much the fault of the child actress cast in the role (Evelyn Rudie) as the adapters. Disney decided to give little Eloise another chance 47 years later with the location-filmed Eloise at the Plaza, a two-hour movie presentation of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney anthology. This time around, Sofia Vassilieva played the title role, with Julie Andrews as Eloise's nanny (something of a full-circle for Andrews, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of a rather different nanny in the 1964 Disney theatrical feature Mary Poppins). The plot finds Eloise insisting upon attending a debutante ball at the Plaza and further conniving to have a runaway foreign prince (Denis Akiyama) -- who isn't much older than she is -- as her escort. Our heroine also mends fences between a reluctant teenage deb and the girl's pushy mother. Jeffrey Tambor is typecast as the Plaza's supercilious concierge Mr. Salomone, whose dithering efforts to keep Eloise from nosing into other people's business avail him not one bit. Hilary Knight appears in a cameo role as himself. Eloise at the Plaza first aired April 27, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julie Andrews, Christine Baranski, (more)
- 2002
Apparently suffering from a mid-life crisis that causes moments of bizarre whimsy, billionaire computer executive Sidney Teal (J.C. McKenzie) pulls a gun and attempts to rob a couple outside a restaurant--and is killed in the process. Though beset with financial problems, and facing the possible loss of his trusted nurse Sharona (Bitty Schram), Monk (Tony Shalhoub)agrees to investigate Teal's death, and the reasons behind it. Perhaps the answer can be gleaned from the two people whom the dead man mugged...or perhaps the solution is in the hands of Officer Moretta (Jonathan Rannells) the cop at the crime scene who inexplicably ran away before back-up arrived--and hasn't been seen since. (Note: the scene in which Monk discusses clues pertaining to the earlier death of his wife with writer Kelly Street [Mary Black] was actually filmed for, but removed from, Monk's two-hour pilot episode). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
A ride on a Ferris wheel proves fatal to police informant John Gitomer (Rob Stefaniuk)--and may also destroy the career of Adam Kirk (Stephen McHattie), a "loose cannon" police detective who is the prime suspect in Gitomer's murder. Kirk's former partner Lt. Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) asks Monk (Tony Shalhoub) to investigate the situation, a job that Monk takes on despite his intense dislike of Kirk and his deadly fear of heights. The trail of clues leads to a dance club, a secret phone number, and a campaign of terror conducted from a prison cell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Monk (Tony Shalhoub) suspects that 800-pound tycoon Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck (Adam Arkin) is the murderer of one Judge Lavinio. But how can this be? Dale the Whale is so obese that he can't even get out of his bed, much less leave his room. Also, it looks as though Monk is acting on a personal vendetta against Biederbeck, stemming from a devastating lawsuit a few years before. Even so, Monk is obsessed (surprise, surprise!) with proving Biederbeck's guilt, and his nurse-assistant Sharona (Bitty Schram) offers her services to prove Monk right--even if it kills her. With this episode, Max Morrow joins the cast as Sharona's son Benjy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) is unpleasantly surprised when Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) evinces a willingness to hand over important Voyager technology to the untrustworthy R'Kaal Collective. She explains that, after years of attempting to return to Earth, she no longer wants to endanger the lives of her crew, and thus sees no need to hold on to the precious technology. Though the Doctor (Robert Picardo) insists that, according to her last checkup, Janeway is still mentally sound, Chakotay begins to suspect that the Captain isn't quite "herself" -- and he's right! The highlight of this penultimate Star Trek: Voyager adventure is the Doctor's surprising gift for mimicry. "Renaissance Man" first aired on May 16, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roxann Dawson
- 1999
Not to be confused with the cable-television movie Strange Justice, which aired the same evening on August 29, 1999, the NBC TV movie Cruel Justice stars A. Martinez as Jerry Metcalf, the intensely protective single father of 16-year-old Amy Metcalf (Nicki Lynn Aycox). Already distraught over the fact that Amy has been raped, Jerry goes completely over the edge when his daughter's attacker beats the rap in court. Taking the law into his own hands, Jerry dedicates his life to wreaking vengeance against the smirking perpetrator. The fact that Cruel Justice was run at the tail end of the 1998-1999 TV season, a time when few people were watching, is indicative of NBC's nervous feelings about the film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Childless couple Keith and Kim Lussier (Andrew McCarthy and Teri Polo) have seemingly had their prayers answered when they are placed in charge of 3-month old foster child Brittany. When the couple decides to adopt the child, it is Kim who seems most enthusiastic about her prospective parenthood, while the noncommittal Keith assumes a "whatever" posture. And then, disaster strikes: Kim is diagnosed with cancer. When it seems as though she'll recover, the adoption agency elects to allow the couple to continue caring for Brittany--and in the process Keith, who has had to take full responsibility during Kim's convalescence and treatment, grows to dearly love Brittany and proves to be an ideal apart. Alas, Kim goes into remission and dies, whereupon the agency falls back on its long-standing policy that no single parent be permitted to adopt. Keith long, agonizing legal battle to win full custody of Brittany serves as the climax to the fact-based TV movie A Father for Brittany (home video title:Change of Heart, which originally aired March 15, 1998, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andrew McCarthy, Michael Learned, (more)
