Tina Hirsch Movies

Director Tim Hunter and co-screenwriter James Crumley go back to the basics for this rough and tumble western that proves the ladies can shoot just as straight as the men. The deadliest gang in the west has been captured and strung up. Now the law is desperate to find out where the recently departed had hidden their substantial plunder, and they're dead sure that the men's widows have the answer to that question. With the corrupt sheriff (Patrick Bergin) closing in on one side, a homicidal preacher (James Gammon) fast gaining ground on the other, and scores of hostile Indians, Pinkerton agents, and even a few gruff ghosts to contend with in between, these three desperate women (Judith Bernett, Suzanne Andrews, and Lissa Negrin) will have to keep on their toes if they have any hope of living to find the treasure and escape to freedom. John Diehl and C. Thomas Howell co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Based on a novel by Kent Haruf, the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie Plainsong looks back on a year in the lives of several very special people in a close-knit Colorado prairie community. Deserted by his seriously disturbed wife Ella (Megan Follows), dedicated high school teacher Tom Guthrie (Aidan Quinn) is forced to raise his mentally challenged sons Ike (Mick Hazen) and Bobby (Cody Arens) by himself. Cruelly tormented by their peers and shunned by many of the adults in the community, the boys find a friend and kindred spirit in lonely old Iva Stearns (Marian Seldes), who offers to let them work on her ranch. At the same time, Tom's fellow teacher Maggie Jonas (Rachel Griffiths) comes to the rescue of Victoria Roubidoux (America Ferrera), a pregnant 17-year old Native American girl who has been evicted by her mother. Maggie arranges for Victoria to stay at the home of the McPherson Brothers (Geoffrey Lewis, William Andrews), a pair of crusty old bachelors who have never lived with anyone other than themselves. The stories of these two "extended" families inevitably converge, reaching a crossroads when Ike and Bobby stumble across Iva's dead body. Despite this morbid turn of events, the story gives special emphasis to forgiveness and the acceptance of those who are different -- and the ability to come to grips with the fact that life offers no guarantees. Filmed on location in Utah, Plainsong made its CBS network bow on April 25, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This made-for-cable romantic comedy would seem to be a sex- and job-change variation on the 2001 theatrical feature The Wedding Planner. Richard Ruccolo stars as Michael Blake, a young master chef who runs his own successful catering service. Falling in love with Gail Hollander (Meredith Monroe) from afar, Michael is crushed to learn that Gail is already engaged to star hockey player Gordie Parks (Gabriel Hogan). Even worse, our hero has been contracted to cater Gail's wedding, right in the middle of a hockey rink. Despite admonitions from his friends that "You're pasta and she wants potatoes," Michael is determined to win Gail's heart before she ties the knot with Gordie. The One debuted February 9, 2003 on the ABC Family Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This episode of The West Wing is structured as a flashback while Josh (Bradley Whitford) addresses a college class on the day-to-day workings of the White House. Toby (Richard Schiff) and Sam (Rob Lowe) must travel to Connecticut in order to smooth over troubles when Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) nominee for the Supreme Court, Roberto Mendoza (Edward James Olmos), is arrested for drunk driving. Media feeding frenzies abound when the African-American head of Housing and Urban Development, Debbie O'Leary (CCH Pounder), accuses a Republican leader of being a racist, and when Josh, subbing at a press conference for suddenly sick C.J. (Allison Janney), claims that the president possesses a "secret plan" to prevent inflation. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) seeks out the advice of Lord Marbury (Roger Rees), whose intelligence in diplomatic affairs is matched only by his eccentricities, when a possible nuclear exchange could transpire between Pakistan and India. Mandy (Moira Kelly) desires to find out how the staff would feel if she were to represent a liberal Republican. Josh (Bradley Whitford) is forced to testify at a hearing concerning substance abuse among White House staffers. Charlie (Dulé Hill) and Zoey Bartlet (Elizabeth Moss) plan the best way to approach the president about the possibility of them dating. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) is furious about a plane carrying his personal physician being downed in the Middle East. After initially requesting a retaliatory attack that would kill a great many people, Bartlet's military advisors try to convince him to take a more cautionary maneuver. Journalist Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) questions Press Secretary C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) about Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) having a relationship with a high-priced call girl. Having heard nothing about it, she confronts Sam about the issue and berates him for keeping her uninformed about such a dangerous political situation. Josh Lymon (Bradley Whitford) hires Charlie Young (Dulé Hill) to be the personal aide to the president. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Leo McGarry instructs the staff to take meetings with groups that have idiosyncratic requests of the government like pro-UFO lobbyists and another group that wants the government to build a road to be used exclusively by wolves. Toby (Richard Schiff) and the president (Martin Sheen) argue relentlessly about the president's plans for an upcoming California trip before confronting each other about Bartlet's original desire to hire a different Communications Director. Josh Lymon (Bradley Whitford ) is unnerved to discover that in case of nuclear attack he is one of the few White House workers who will have access to the safest shelters. All the while, Bartlet is cooking a pot of chili and planning a party for his soon-to-be Georgetown freshman daughter Zoey (Elisabeth Moss). ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Old Smokey develops a bad temper in this volcanic disaster spectacle. Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan) is a volcano expert whose interest became more than academic after he lost the woman he loved in a volcanic emergency. When he is sent to investigate unusual seismic activity in the quiet Pacific Northwest community of Dante's Peak, he discovers people boiled to death in the local hot spring and plant and animal life dying or displaying unusual illnesses near the city's supposedly dormant volcano. Harry becomes convinced that a major volcanic catastrophe is in the cards. Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton), the town's mayor, is a single mother who also runs the local cafe, and now that Dante's Peak has been named one of the most desirable small towns in America, tourists have been flocking to the diner and other local businesses. While concerned with the safety of her community, Rachel takes a cynical view of Harry's warnings about the volcano; she has no desire to alarm either the town's residents or the wealthy visitors lining the city's pockets. Nevertheless, Harry tries to convince Rachel of the potential danger, as they begin to develop feelings for each other that are not strictly professional. The summer of 1997 was a big season for killer volcanoes at the movies, as Dante's Peak and Volcano opened within a few months of each other. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

After he inherits a yacht, Chicago businessman Martin totes his family to the Caribbean to claim it. Not having any skill at boating, he hires long-haired, one-eyed low-life Captain Ron, to pilot the heap to Miami. During the journey, the somewhat inept sailor frequently loses his way while becoming a hit with everyone in the family--except Martin. This comedy features Martin Short, Kurt Russell, Mary Kay Place, with Benjamin Salisbury and Meadow Sisto as the two children. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

John Candy plays Jack Gable, a soap-opera writer who finds himself trapped inside his own television program with a magic typewriter in this toothless comedy. Jack finds himself embroiled in protecting his beloved Laura (Emma Samms), an actress who plays Rachel Hedison in Jack's show -- "Beyond Our Dreams" -- from having her character being killed off by the program's producers, the Sherwoods (Jerry Orbach, Renee Taylor). Laura has recently broken off with her co-star and lover Dennis (David Rasche) and is heading off for a weekend with Jack. As Jack unloads Laura's luggage, he conks himself on the head and knocks himself out. He awakens in a town bearing a name similar to the town in his soap opera. Dennis is on hand, but as his character in the show -- Dr. Paul Kirkland. Jack realizes that he has found himself in an alternative world made up of his soap opera world -- particularly apparent when he is recognized as Jack Gates, "the Wolf of Wall Street." Jack then meets Laura, who, in this soap opera world, is actually Janet Dubois, the daughter of a late biochemist who invented a pill that allows anyone to eat whatever they want and not gain any weight. The unscrupulous Hedison family (Raymond Burr, Charles Rocket, Dylan Baker) want to steal the formula for the pill and make a fortune for their pharmaceutical company. Jack then discovers that he can exit and re-enter the show at will and can alter the narrative of the show however he wants by typing up new plot points on his typewriter. In order to save Laura's character from the Sherwoods, Jack re-writes the show to save Janet by having his own character come to her rescue at the last minute. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

While on a dig in Peru, a shady archaeologist uncovers a strange creature, which he dubs a "Munchie." He brings the animal home, but it begins to mutate and procreate--with disastrous results--soon after a con artist kidnaps it. ~ John Bush, Rovi

"Don't expose him to bright light. Don't ever get him wet. And don't ever, ever feed him after midnight." This sage advice is ignored midway through Gremlins, with devastating results. This comic Joe Dante effort is set in a Norman Rockwell-esque small town at Christmastime. Seeking a unique gift for his son an erstwhile inventor (Hoyt Axton) purchases a cute, fuzzy little "Mogwai" from a Chinatown shopkeeper's (Keye Luke) grandson (John Louie), who dispenses the above-mentioned warning before closing the deal. Meanwhile, young bank clerk Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) must suffer such antagonists as rich-bitch Mrs. Deagle (Polly Holliday) and priggish Gerald (Judge Reinhold) while pursuing his romance with Kate (Phoebe Cates). These and a variety of other plot strands are tied together when the lovable mogwai (named Gizmo) is exposed to bright light and gotten wet. In short order, the town is invaded by nasty, predatory Gremlins, who lay waste to everything in sight as Billy and Kate try to contain the destruction. Like most of Joe Dante's works, Gremlins is chock-full of significant cameo appearances: in this instance, such pop-culture icons as Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph, Chuck Jones, Scott Brady, Harry Carey Jr., Steven Spielberg (the film's executive producer) and even Robby the Robot all show up briefly on screen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this run-of-the-mill romantic drama, the title Independence Day refers to the usual Fourth of July fireworks festival in the U.S. but also to the dilemma of Mary Ann Taylor (Kathleen Quinlan) who lives in a small town but has a big ambition to go to the city and study photography for a profession -- should she go, or should she stay in her hometown with the man she loves? Focus on Mary Ann's dilemma slips to other characters -- her boyfriend's suicidal sister (Dianne Wiest) who is abused by her husband, the abusive husband's equally nasty father, and Mary Ann's boyfriend himself who is preparing his Camaro for the annual Fourth of July race. With the story moving from here to there, hampered by some extraordinary leaps of imagination, the narrative is thinned considerably by the time the Fourth is at hand. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi