F. William Parker Movies
- 2000
A barrel containing the dismembered body of a woman is found in a house formerly owned by mobster Pete Mangrini (Al Sapienza). In their efforts to prove that the body is that of Mangrini's long-missing wife, thereby pinning a murder rap on the mob boss, Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) and Jones (Henry Simmons) are aided and abetted by plucky reporter Nicole Graf (Elizabeth Berkley). Meanwhile, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Sorenson (Rick Schroder), pursuing another lead in the Mangini case, come up with a satisfying example of the postman ringing twice. And off the job, Sipowicz tries to help police medical examiner Dr. Kroft (M. Emmet Walsh) cope with his wife's terminal cancer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
The inaugural episode of The West Wing finds the staff concerned with Cuban refugees, and the fact that President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) has injured himself riding a bicycle. Rumors are swirling that Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) will be fired due to heated remarks he made during a television appearance that angered the religious right. Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) is quite concerned about the political ramifications when he discovers that the woman he slept with the night before is a high-priced call girl. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
In this low-budget horror outing, a psychopathic killer loses the last of his warm feelings for humanity after he is involved in a freak accident. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Allport, Stephen Mendel, (more)
Before his commercial breakthrough with Boogie Nights (1997), writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson made this low-key drama. John (John C. Reilly), a half-bright loser stranded in Reno, is down to his last few bucks when Sydney (Phillip Baker Hall), taking pity on him, buys him breakfast and offers him a few tips on making money in the casinos. Two years later, John has become Sydney's partner, but his lack of common sense goes from problematic to dangerous when he falls in love with Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a cocktail waitress who isn't above turning a few tricks when she needs to make money -- and isn't any brighter than John. Hall and Reilly, both first-rate character actors, are cast in rare leading roles, and Paltrow is cast strongly against type as a part-time prostitute with a serious lack of street smarts. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, (more)
- 1996
Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) goes to great lengths to peek at her diagnosis after visiting a doctor about a rash. Refusing delivery of a package with no return address, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is faced with a charge of mail fraud -- and worse still, a "basic instinct" moment with Newman (Wayne Knight). Kramer (Michael Richards) urges George (Jason Alexander) to act upon the "fact" that a photo clerk has including a sexy picture of herself in a batch of photos. And Uncle Leo's (Len Lesser) stove explodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A successful retired jock and his geeky younger brother play out their sibling rivalry by coaching rival little league football teams in this family comedy. Ed O'Neill plays the older brother, Kevin O'Shea, a former Heisman Trophy winner whose gridiron exploits have made him a local hero in his small Illinois hometown. Kevin is the almost unanimous choice to head up the town's Pop Warner football team, and he happily builds an imposing team from the best local players. One of the few objectors is Kevin's young brother Danny (Rick Moranis), an awkward, bespectacled gas station owner who empathizes with the kids rejected from the team, including his own athletic daughter Becky (Shawna Waldron). As revenge, Danny starts his own competing team of misfits, taking on the coaching duties himself. Naturally, despite the total ineptitude of Danny and his players, they eventually find themselves major underdogs in a climactic battle against Kevin's well-trained juggernaut. Director Duwayne Dunham and a team of four screenwriters hit all the expected sports film conventions, throwing in a few innocent romantic subplots and cameos by real football players for good measure. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Moranis, Ed O'Neill, (more)
- 1994
We'd rather not rehash the sordied Menendez murder case in this space; besides, it isn't necessary, inasmuch as no fewer than two TV movies were produced on the subject in 1994. The first was Fox's Honor Thy Father and Mother; the second, telecast less than a month later, was Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills. Two hours longer than the first film, Menendez spends half of its running time recounting the events leading up to the Menendez brothers' murder of the parents, while the second half devotes itself to their overpublicized trial. Lyle and Eric Menendez are played, respectively, by Damian Chapa and Travis Fine. Edward James Olmos and Beverly D'Angelo costar as the ill-fated parents, while Margaret Whitton is cast as attorney Leslie Abramson. Once past the most lurid aspects of the case-notably the Menendez boys' insistence that their crime was motivated by extreme parental abuse-this 4-hour wallow gets pretty tiresome. Menendez was originally telecast in two parts, on May 22 and 23, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward James Olmos, Beverly D'Angelo, (more)
- 1994
Originally made for cable television, Roswell is an entertaining mix of purported actual events and science fiction. The narrative unfolds primarily in flashbacks as retired Army officer Jesse Marcel (Kyle MacLachlan) attends a reunion of the 509th Bomber Group and tries to come to closure on events that had taken place 30 years earlier. Back in 1947, Major Marcel had been part of a military team that investigated a crash site on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. The debris recovered from the site had exhibited some remarkable properties such as being able to repair itself instantly after being cut, suggesting that it might have been of extraterrestrial origin. The military brass had ordered Marcel to go along with their phony story that the material was ordinary metal foil from a weather balloon, and he had reluctantly complied. By the time of the 1977 reunion, Marcel is suffering from a terminal illness, and he feels compelled to try to find out what had really happened at Roswell all those years ago. MacLachlan gives an effective performance, particularly when he portrays Marcel as an older man trying to understand his past. Evocative location shooting in the American Southwest adds cinematic impact. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyle MacLachlan, Martin Sheen, (more)
Set in a busy inner-city emergency room, this made-for-cable television drama follows the struggles of a world-weary surgeon who takes on the hospital administrators whose budget-cutting is affecting his ability to adequately care for his patients. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Lynn Whitfield, (more)
This TV movie recounts the true-life story of a corporate takeover in the greed-driven 1980s. James Garner is F. Ross Johnson, CEO of RJR-Nabisco. Having just been burned by an expensive failure of a smokeless cigarette product, Johnson doesn't wish to incur the wrath of the stockholders. He begins drawing up plans to buy RJR-Nabisco outright so he'll have no one to answer to but himself. Unfortunately for Johnson, his company is also being coveted by sharkish "buyout king" Henry Kravis (Jonathan Pryce), who turns out to have $25 billion at his beck and call. Barbarians at the Gate was adapted by Larry Gelbart from the book by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar. Advertised as a "docucomedy", the film premiered March 20, 1993, over the HBO cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Jonathan Pryce, (more)
- 1993
This two-part pilot episode for Babylon 5 was originally telecast as a single two-hour TV movie on February 22, 1993 (the "official" release date of March 8 refers to the film's Chicago TV premiere). Like the subsequent series, "The Gathering" takes place in the 23rd century, and was set on Babylon 5, a space station hovering in neutral territory which is used as a center of trade and diplomacy for a wide variety of friendly and hostile planets. As the space station becomes fully operational, the crew must deal with the attempting poisoning of Vorlan ambassador Kosh Naranek, for which B5 commander Jeffrey Sinclair is being held responsible. Complicating matters is the refusal of the Vorlans to allow any medical treatment for their ambassador. Written by series producer-creator J. Michael Straczynski, "The Gathering" features several actors who were supposed to have played recurring characters, but for various reasons were written out of the weekly version: Tamlyn Tomita as Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takamisha, Blaire Baron as Caroline Sykes, Johnny Sekka as Dr. Benjamin Kyle and Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander. The pilot won an Emmy Award for special effects, and a Hugo nomation for "Best Dramatic Presentation" -- this in spite of almost universal damnation from mainstream TV critics. On January 4, 1998, the TNT cable network offered a re-edited version of "The Gathering", with a new musical score by Christopher Frake (replacing the one composed by Stewart Copeland), a handful of new computer-generated special effects, a number of judicious cuts, and several previously excised sequences, including a lengthy hostage-crisis subplot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael O'Hare, Tamlyn Tomita, (more)
- 1992
After the sudden death of the network's Sunday night anchorman, both Murphy (Candice Bergen) and Jim (Charles Kimbrought) vie to fill in for the unfortunate man until a permanent replacement is chosen. The rivalry between the two coworkers spills over into their weekly "FYI" duties, resulting in a "Battle of the Divas" than no opera house could ever boast! While this may be funny to the viewer, it's anything but amusing to network executive Kinsella (Alan Oppenheimer), who may be forced to take drastic action. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
She Stood Alone is the fact-based story of Prudence Crandall, described by her admirers as "the bravest woman in America." In Connecticut in the 1830s, Ms. Crandall establishes a school for young woman. Upon her acceptance of a black girl for admission, Prudence endures racism, threats, renunciations and mob violence. When the white parents pull their children out, Prudence defiantly opens the doors of her school exclusively for African-American girls. Mare Winningham is excellent, and scrupulously accurate in her period costumes and mannerisms, as Prudence Crandall. Produced by Disney, She Stood Alone was originally telecast as part of NBC's "Education 1st" week in April of 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Ellen Barkin stars in this mystical comedy about a detestable male chauvinist temporarily reincarnated into the body of a woman. Steve Brooks (Perry King) foolishly accepts an invite for an evening of debauchery from three former girlfriends, and thinks he's got it made when he shows up to find them waiting for him in a hot tub. Eager to exact revenge on the scoundrel, the women proceed to drown him, and Steve is cast into a purgatory in which two unseen voices are deciding whether to send him to heaven or hell. Steve is given one chance to save himself from damnation -- if he can find a woman alive who actually liked him. To complicate his task and teach him a lesson, Steve is reincarnated as a sexy woman (Barkin), just the type who would have been the target of his cheesy advances. Sloppily adjusting to his new body, Steve (now Barkin) tells people he is the sister of the missing Steve Brooks, and begins working at his old advertising agency as a means toward completing his arduous task. As Steve's sister, he also enlists the help of his best friend, Walter (Jimmy Smits), despite the complication that Walter is noticeably attracted to the woman he has become. Steve's homophobia -- and several of his other hateful traits -- are put to the test. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Barkin, Jimmy Smits, (more)
- 1991
Joe (Tim Daly) insists that he does not want the gang to throw him a birthday party. Evidently everyone takes this insistence as gospel, but Joe still suspects that they intend to spring a surprise on him. When Fay (Rebecca Schull) asks him to remain in the terminal after hours to await a crated shipment of airplane seats, Joe convinces himself that everyone intends to jump out of that selfsame crate and shower him with presents. As it turns out, a surprise has indeed been planned -- albeit for the wrong night! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Real-life sweethearts and film directors Ken Kwapis and Marisa Silver co-directed this throwback to the silver-screen romantic comedies of the 1940s, examining the different ways men and women view reality. Kwapis takes the male character's point of view, recalling a burgeoning relationship. Silver then takes a crack at the same story, recalling the same events from the woman character's point of view. Unfortunately, both perspectives are not that much different. Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins star as Dan Hanson and Lorie Bryer, two reporters from the Baltimore Sun who are assigned to share space on the editorial page debating opposing viewpoints. Dan is the conservative philanderer. Lorie is the sensitive liberal. The new column becomes a big hit -- a shop owner exclaims, "Hey, it's the people who argue!" Although originally antagonists, Dan and Lorie become lovers. As their relationship grows, so does their popularity, and they end up hosting a popular television program. But Lorie wants commitment, and Dan doesn't. Frustrated, Lorie shies a coffee cup off Dan's noggin live on the air. Their ratings soar. And then the whole routine is played out again. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
John Schlesinger directed this upscale horror film about a landlord with the ultimate problem tenant. Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) and Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) are a middle class couple who lie on their financial statement in order to buy an old Victorian house in San Francisco, planning to renovate it and rent it out. Unfortunately, they select as a tenant Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton), a psychotic real estate bargain hunter who plans to drive Patty and Drake into foreclosure proceedings and then buy the house cheap. Carter starts the ball rolling by refusing to pay his rent and driving out a couple who had rented the rear flat by hammering and sawing all night -- and then releasing a tidal wave of cockroaches. What follows is a psychological war between Carter and the Yuppie couple, with Carter succeeding not only in provoking Drake into more extreme means of eviction, but also causing a rift between Drake and Patty. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Keaton, Melanie Griffith, (more)
- 1989
- PG13
- Add Gleaming the Cube to Queue
Gleaming the Cube does for skateboarding what Over the Top did for arm wrestling -- i.e. not a hell of a lot. Christian Slater is the skateboarding star, playing Brian Kelly, a sneering and laconic teen outcast. He feels left out and envious of his adopted Vietnamese brother Vinh's (Art Chudabala) success as an honor roll student and as the center of attention in his family. When Vinh commits suicide, Brian is suspicious and rolls away on his skateboard to find out what really happened -- and ultimately to avenge his murder. Brian's investigation is aided and abetted by a sardonic detective named Al Lucero (Steven Bauer), a collection of skateboard aficionados, and an incredibly attractive Vietnamese girl, Tina (Min Luong). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian Slater, Steven Bauer, (more)
- 1989
Marcy (Amanda Bearse) is more uptight than usual when a gypsy fortune teller (Carmen Zapata) predicts her premature demise. Since the psychic has seen good things in the future for the Bundys, Marcy insists that Al (Ed O'Neill) and Peg (Katey Sagal) accompany her on a plane trip to New York, as a form of "life insurance". The journey proves to be unforgettable thanks to the delirious reaction of the Bundys to First Class accommodations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Blake Edwards departed from his customary sex farces to direct an unusual satirical Western comedy-thriller. In 1927, legendary lawman Wyatt Earp (James Garner) comes to Hollywood to serve as an advisor to a film studio making a movie about Earp's life. He meets silent screen cowboy star Tom Mix (Bruce Willis). The two stumble upon a murder that has apparently occurred on the set but is linked to a renowned bordello. The aging cowboy and the young actor set off on a series of time-warp misadventures to try to solve the mystery. Along the way, they encounter the shady Alfie Alperin (Malcom McDowell) and the intriguing Cheryl King (Mariel Hemingway). ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, James Garner, (more)
- 1987
Adam Arkin plays a frustrated teacher who decides to hit the road. En route to nowhere in particular, he befriends drifter David Morse, a former convict. Arkin and Morse get along famously until the stunning Susan Wheeler Duff enters the scene. The performances in this deliberately "small" film are uniformly fine, with Ms. Duff close to perfection. Personal Foul falters a bit pace-wise, but it doesn't really hurt the picture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Arkin, David Morse, (more)
- 1986
This episode opens with the grave announcement that it has NOT been filmed in 3-D (the glasses didn't show up in the mail). Once this is established, we segue into the curious tale of the Great Kandinski, a famous escape artist who has recently died. Inasmuch as Kandinski had threatened to come back from the grave to get even with his philandering wife (K Callan), David (Bruce Willis) and Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) are engaged to do some "corpse sitting" at the local funeral parlor--but comes the dawn, and the body has disappeared...and even worse, it looks as if Kandinski has carried out his threat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A seat-of-the-pants militia attitude gets a boost from this conventional drama about the heroics of a teen son anxious to free his father from captivity in a small Middle Eastern nation. Doug's (Jason Gedrick) father is an Air Force pilot who was shot down on a mission near the border of an Arab country and is now held hostage. Failing adequate U.S. intervention causes a desperate Doug to enlist his school chums in a wild plan to essentially sneak away with two Air Force jets and take off on a mission to rescue his father. He convinces the veteran Chappy (Louis Gossett, Jr.) into flying one plane, while Doug himself flies another (he learned how to pilot from his father). Yes. If audiences believe all this, then the ending should come as no surprise either. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis Gossett, Jr., Jason Gedrick, (more)
- 1985
This made-for-TV drama was inspired by the real-life Toughlove program, set up to help parents of kids with severe alcohol, drug and behavior problems. Lee Remick and Bruce Dern star as a middle-aged couple who have completely lost control of their teen-aged son Jason Patric. When all else fails, the couple joins Toughlove, adhering to the organization's policy of being cruel (but not abusive) in order to be kind. Their story alternates with the travails of Toughlove member Piper Laurie and her suicidal daughter DeDee Pfeiffer (sister of Michelle). Toughlove was originally telecast October 13, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Revenge of the Nerds is the juvenile sex comedy perhaps most synonymous with the 1980s, alternating gags and scantily clad women with a power to the underdogs mentality that prompted three sequels. The handsome jocks of Alpha Beta, led by Stan (Ted McGinley), run Adams College, which means that when they burn down their house after a stunt involving grain alcohol and an open flame, they kick a bunch of socially inept freshman out of their dorm and into the gymnasium. But sleeping on cots is only the beginning of their worries, as the so-called nerds soon become the target of pranks by Alpha Beta, assisted by Betty (Julie Montgomery) and the gorgeous gals of Pi Delta Pi. Instead of taking the abuse sitting down, the displaced freshman, led by Gilbert (Anthony Edwards) and Lewis (Robert Carradine), buy a ramshackle house, affiliate themselves with the only national chapter who will take them (the all-black Lambda Lambda Lambda), and use their superior intellect to launch a counterstrike. The bespectacled but loveable geeks set up surveillance cameras in the Pi bathroom and put liquid heat in the athletes' jock straps, then draft a sister sorority of misfits (Omega Mu) to strengthen their resources. The frats quickly become bitter rivals, and the goal is to win the annual fraternity decathlon, which involves such feats as a burping contest and a go-cart race, with bragging rights (and perhaps peace of mind) at stake. Look for John Goodman and future thirtysomething cast member Timothy Busfield in small roles, and expect a torrent of nasal laughter. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, (more)
