Jeffrey Schenck Movies

A former K9 police dog has his day when he saves his adoptive family from a pair of holiday burglars. Christmas is coming, and the Bannister family isn't convinced that their new, laid back dog Zeus (voice of Mario Lopez) will be able to defend their home like they thought he would. When the family goes away for Christmas Eve and Zeus fends off two burglars who were looking to rob the Bannisters Blind, the once-skeptical family has a sudden change of heart. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Nicole Eggert, David O'Donnell, and Tom Arnold star in this film about a legal dispute that can only be resolved by one thing -- romance. When two lawyers on different sides of a battle over land rights discover that they were once childhood sweethearts, the case that was supposed to be a dogfight becomes an opportunity to revisit the past. ~ Adam Eisenberg, All Movie Guide

The only thing more terrifying than Snakes on a Plane is "Snakes on a Submarine," and that's exactly what we get in this claustrophobic, sub-aquatic thriller starring Luke Perry. Lieutenant Commander O'Neill (Perry) was piloting a retired submarine to its final port when Admiral Wallace (Tom Berenger) diverted the crew for one last mission: rescue an imperiled army research team before they meet a watery death. In order to reach the researchers and their top secret cargo while avoiding detection by a hostile enemy fleet, Lieutenant Commander O'Neill orders his crew to "run silent" in the depths. That silence is soon broken, however, when the cargo proves to be two genetically altered leviathans. Now, far beneath the ocean floor, a new kind of predator emerges to prove just how vulnerable man truly is when there's nowhere left to run. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Love brings together two men who aren't sure where to fit a relationship into their lives in this romantic drama. Living in the oceanfront working-class community of San Pedro, Zach (Trevor Wright) is a young man in his early twenties who has been forced into the role of emotional anchor for his dysfunctional family; his mother his dead, his father is too ill to work, his sister Jeannie (Tina Holmes) is too busy partying to look after her five-year-old son Cody (Jackson Wurth), and Zach is the only one with the wherewithal to hold down a job and keep the rent paid. He's sacrificed his dream of attending CalArts in order to help Jeannie raise Cody. Between cooking at a diner and looking after Cody, Zach has little in the way of spare time, but as often as he can he heads to the beach to indulge his passion for surfing. While hanging out with his surfing buddy Gabe (Ross Thomas), Zach meets Gabe's brother, the struggling homosexual writer Shaun (Brad Rowe), who has taken a break from Tinseltown while rebounding from a dysfunctional relationship. Shaun goes surfing with Zach one day, and the two discover they're powerfully attracted to one another, and a flirtation turns into a love affair. As Shaun has to explain to his girlfriend why he no longer wants to be with her, Zach tries to make Jeannie and his father understand why he's come out of the closet. Shelter was produced for the gay and lesbian-oriented cable television network Here, though it enjoyed a brief theatrical release before its broadcast premiere. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A ne'er do well father and ex-husband who always raced his way through the holidays is forced to relive Christmas Day time and again until he gets it right in this family oriented fantasy comedy starring Jay Mohr. It's Christmas time once again, and as usual Kevin (Moore) is scrambling to get his son Ben a last minute gift before stopping by his ex-wife Jill's house for a quick swig of eggnog. Ben can't stand Jill's impossibly perfect new boyfriend, and the prospect of spending the entire evening with his former inlaws is nearly too painful to ponder. But this Christmas things are going to be different, because this Christmas might just last forever. At first Kevin resists the curious development by simply reverting to his childish ways, though he is about to find out that sometimes in order to build a better future one must finally make amends with the past. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Thirty-three-year-old ad executive Eve Simon (Elisa Donovan) is, to all outward appearances, a success, and a fabulously wealthy one in the bargain. Even so, as she sits alone nursing an expensive drink in an upscale Manhattan watering hole on Christmas Eve, our heroine wonders if it's all been worth it -- and, more to the point, how would her life have turned out had she made different choices. "Wish upon the Christmas star!" advises a philosophical derelict named Brother James (Peter Williams). Eve does just that -- and she awakens, it is 12 years earlier, she's an unemployed 21-year-old living with her parents (Cheryl Ladd, James Kirk), and she's still engaged to Scott (Sebastian Spence), the hometown boy whom she would ultimately dump in her pursuit of a career in the Big Apple. So, will she make the same choices again, or will she follow her heart instead of her head the second time around? Made for the Lifetime cable channel, Eve's Christmas premiered December 6, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This crime comedy from director Craig Singer is the filmmaker's third independent feature and his second outing with screenwriter Robert Dean Klein and star Gary Stretch, who had contributed to 2001's Dead Dogs Lie, Singer's sophomore effort. Stretch plays Ronnie, a hitman who, three years prior, vouched for his pal and fellow contract killer, August, played by Michael Rapaport (Zebrahead, Mighty Aphrodite). Unfortunately for Ronnie, over the years, August has gotten himself into some trouble and made a few enemies. Now, over the course of one day, Ronnie has to somehow clean up all of August's messes or both men will be facing the consequences of their unhappy bosses. In addition to Frank Whaley and Seymour Cassel, the supporting cast boasts a bevy of 1980s artifacts including Ralph Macchio, Robin Givens, Deborah Harry, and Ally Sheedy. A Cold Day in August screened at Robert De Niro's 2003 Tribeca Film Festival under the title A Good Night to Die. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Overhearing his parents Stephanie and David Carver having a heated argument, young Justin Carver (Cole Sprouse) retreats to his bedroom. A few minutes later, Justin peeks downstairs, only to see his mother Stephanie (Connie Sellecca) locked in a warm, romantic embrace with none other than Santa Claus. Unaware that mom's hirsute "lover" is actually his own father, David (Corbin Bernsen), who has dressed up as Santa in hopes of getting back in Stephanie's good graces, Justin is convinced that his parents' marriage is on the rocks -- just like the recently shattered union of his best friend's parents. Further convinced that jolly old Saint Nick is the cause of all the marital disharmony, little Justin goes on a one-boy vendetta, physically assaulting every department-store and sidewalk Santa who crosses his path. Very loosely based on the 1949 hit song of the same name, the made-for-TV I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus first aired December 9, 2001, on the PAX network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A boy who's looking for trouble finds a lot more than he counted on in this action-comedy. Nathan (Ryan DeBoer) is a 12-year-old kid with a smart mouth and a bit too much attitude for his own good. Not happy at home, Nathan runs away and his parents report him missing to the police; when Nathan finds out, he finds himself dodging the cops at every turn. Low on money, Nathan happens upon a large amount of cash and figures his lucky day has arrived. However, it turns out the money he found belongs to gangsters who are bound and determined to get it back, and Nathan is forced to turn himself in to Norm (Tim Matheson), a police detective, in order to stay alive. But Nathan doesn't much care for cops, and Norm is not exactly charmed by Nathan, which makes working together rough sledding. Catch Me If You Can (also released as Deadly Game and Hide and Seek) also features William Katt and Carol Alt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide