Damani Roberts Movies
A single father who has just found success as the host of an outrageous television talk show begins to question his path in life when he returns home to attend his parents' 50th wedding anniversary party in the company of his famous fiancée -- a reality television star -- in this crisis-of-conscience comedy starring Martin Lawrence. RJ Stevens (Lawrence) is a television talk-show sensation who has transcended his modest Southern beginnings to become the most popular self-help guru ever to grace the small screen. His show, "Team of Me," is a ratings juggernaut, his fiancée is a beautiful reality television star, and his pockets are always lined with large bills. There are few Tinseltown dreams that RJ hasn't already achieved, so when his parents announce their 50th wedding anniversary, the family-oriented television star immediately drops everything and sets his sights on Georgia. As a boy, RJ was always the target of ridicule within his family, but these days things are different; not only does RJ have a ten-year-old son, but his bride-to-be is admired by countless viewers all across the globe on a weekly basis. But RJ's egotistical West Coast attitude simply doesn't fly in the South, and when his lovable but relentless family refuses to cut him any slack due to his current superstar status, he must finally pause and take stock of the man he has become. Louis C.K., Cedric the Entertainer, Michael Clarke Duncan, and James Earl Jones co-star in a Southern-flavored family comedy written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Margaret Avery, (more)
Two fathers get a crash course in caring for kids other than their own in this family-friendly comedy. Charlie Hinton (Eddie Murphy) is an advertising executive whose job monopolizes his time, making it difficult for him to stay in touch with his young son, Ben (Khamani Griffin). However, after Charlie and his partner, Phil (Jeff Garlin), are given their pink slips in the wake of a disastrous campaign for a new breakfast cereal, Charlie's wife, Kim (Regina King), goes back to work, and with the family budget tighter than before, Charlie becomes a stay-at-home dad. After pulling Ben out of an expensive and exclusive daycare center run by the humorless Gwyneth Harridan (Anjelica Huston), Charlie comes up with a brainstorm -- since he and Phil watch their own children every day, how much harder could it be to watch a few more kids and open their own day care center? Charlie and Phil discover there's much more to running a daycare center than they ever imagined, but after a very rough start, with the help of likable slacker Marvin (Steve Zahn) their new business becomes a success -- so much so that Harridan finds herself losing customers to the upstart fathers, and she starts searching for a way to shut them down. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, (more)
- 2003
Comic actor Anthony Anderson was appropriately cast as Anthony Anderson in this half-hour WB sitcom. A struggling actor and single dad, Anthony was forced by financial and other considerations to move back home with his middle-class mom and dad, who looked after his son, Tuga (Damani Roberts), while he continued to seek out movie work. Anthony's mother, Flo (Roz Ryan), was delighted to have her darling boy back, but his irascible father, Joe (John Amos), was not so thrilled -- especially since he had already rented out Anthony's old room to Latina medical student Lydia Serrano (Aimee Garcia). Co-created by star Anderson, Adam Glass, and Marco Pennette, All About the Andersons debuted September 12, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Anderson, John Amos, (more)
- 2003
Still incensed that Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) had the anti-violence chip removed from Spike's head, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) shows up with a mystical means of tracing The First's hold on the re-ensouled vampire. Spike (James Marsters) therefore reluctantly submits to the insertion of a magical slug into his eye socket. Once inside his skull, the creature shakes loose all sorts of memories. Spike recalls the close relationship he shared with his crippled mother (Caroline Lagerfelt) and his disastrous decision to sire her once Drusilla (Juliet Landau) entered the picture. He also finally remembers the identity of The First's post-hypnotic trigger: "Early One Morning," a folk tune his mother used to sing to him, is the song that now summons the beast within. Meanwhile, Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside) recalls his troubled relationship with his own mother, slain slayer Nikki Wood (K.D. Aubert), and reveals to Giles that he's out for vengeance against Spike for killing her. Giles conspires to keep Buffy busy while Wood takes his best shot at Spike, but their unholy alliance backfires. The result? An indignant Buffy turns her back on her former Watcher, while Spike finally comes to terms with his past -- and with The First's hold on him. Originally broadcast March 25, 2003, on UPN, "Lies My Parents Told Me" marked episode 139 of the cult-favorite series. Willow (Alyson Hannigan) appears in this episode only long enough to head off to Los Angeles to help out another of Buffy's vampire-with-a-soul boyfriends (see Angel, "Orpheus"). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
