Michael A. Simpson Movies
- 2009
- R
- Add Crazy Heart to Queue
A worn-down country singer and a burgeoning journalist form an unusual bond in this drama adapted from the novel by Thomas Cobb. His spirit broken by multiple failed marriages, too much time on the road, and too many nights with the bottle, Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) had started to feel like he was headed down the path of no return. When probing young writer Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) digs deep enough to unearth the broken man behind the legend, however, Bad realizes that redemption may not be such a long shot after all. Robert Duvall and Colin Farrell co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, (more)
Upon realizing that an incoming MegaMart and a charming stranger (Tobias Mehler) may bring about the downfall of the small town Christmas ornament company she works at, a dedicated employee (Monica Keena) attempts to save the company and bring her town together before Christmas Day. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Monica Keena, Tobias Mehler, (more)
- 2005
Originally titled Secret Santa, this made-for-cabe holiday treat stars Howard Hesseman as Fred Nickells, a lonely old eccentric who intends to spend Christmas Eve driving around town in a limo and tossing huge wads of money to deserving pedestrians. To this end, Nickells hires chauffeur Shannon McManus-Johnson (Andrea Roth), a single mom who'd much rather spend the Night Before Christmas with her son Trevor (Jason Spevack). Meanwhile, reporter Peter Archer (Yannick Bisson), determined to learn the motive behind Nickells' Yuletide generosity, uncovers a startling secret that could well determine the future of himself and Shannon--but will it be for the better? Chock full of cute "inside" references to earlier Holiday films, Crazy for Christmas made its Lifetime network bow on December 7, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
The Problem of Thor Bridge involves a pretty governess, her master, and his invalid wife. The wife dies under highly questionable circumstances. Before the husband can be brought to the police to "assist them in their inquiries," he disappears. It's up to Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) to put all the pieces in place. Like all the entries in the British made-for-TV Casebook of Sherlock Holmes entries, "The Problem of Thor Bridge" is drawn from the "Canon" penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett
- 1989
- R
- Add Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland to QueueAdd Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland to top of Queue
Angela (Pamela Springsteen), the murderous camp counselor of Sleepaway Camp 2, returns to the scene of her crimes in this no-frills installment. Assuming a camper's identity (after mowing her down with a Mack truck), Angela arrives at Camp Rolling Hills, which was purchased and renamed "New Horizons" after her last killing spree. Husband and wife entreprenurs Herman and Lily (Michael J. Pollard and Sandra Dorsey) have reopened it as an "experiment in sharing" to bring street-smart disadvantaged kids together with snobby rich brats. Splitting up into three groups of culturally mixed teens, they go off into the woods for a camping trip designed to break down barriers. Instead, Angela finds a myriad of reasons to off her fellow campers (thanks to their constant bad behavior), and gets the job done with axes, tent spikes, a lawnmower, and firecrackers up the nose. Even the presence of an off-duty police officer (Cliff Brand), who is familar with Angela's crimes, doesn't deter her from slaughtering everyone for the merest provocation. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Springsteen, Tracy Griffith, (more)
- 1989
- PG13
Two wacky guys find both romance and fortune in the hamburger business in this comedy. Augie (Clark Brandon) and Drew (Randal Patrick) are a pair of longtime students at Hopkins University who've been making a living by pulling one semi-legal scam after another for years, but one day the dean (J. Don Ferguson) decides he's had enough of their antics and gets rid of them the best way he knows how -- he graduates them. Forced into the real world, the guys are looking for something resembling a career when Augie gets surprising news. His cousin Samantha (Tracy Griffith) runs a gas station where he works part time, but she's considering selling the place to Wrangler Bob Bundy (Jim Varney), the owner of a local burger chain who is convinced the gas station would be the perfect location for a new franchise. Drew figures if the place would be the right spot for a burger joint, they should open one themselves, and eventually Augie and Drew persuade Samantha to go along with the idea. The business gets off to a slow start, but things pick up when Drew's buddy Calvin (Lanny Horn) cooks up a special sauce for the burgers which has aphrodisiacal side effects. Wrangler Bob isn't about to give up without a fight, though, and hires corporate spy Dixie Love (Traci Lords) to get the inside scoop on the burger stand's sudden popularity. Fast Food also stars Kevin McCarthy, Michael J. Pollard, and Pamela Springsteen (Bruce's younger sister). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clark Brandon, Randal Patrick, (more)
- 1988
- R
- Add Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers to QueueAdd Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers to top of Queue
This campy horror sequel to the original 1983 feature is laced with doses of dark humor and blood-spattering special effects. Camp Rolling Hills is losing enrollment as the "bad teens" are being murdered in various gruesome manners. Angela Baker (Pamela Springsteen) is the moralistic camp counselor who tells people the campers have been "sent home." The victims are beaten, slashed choked, and one is even drowned in an outhouse as others die in creative and grisly ways. Renee Estevez stars as Molly, the heroine of the film who somehow manages to avoid being killed. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Springsteen, Brian Patrick Clarke, (more)
- 1988
- R
A New York cop takes on drug-smuggling Soviet agents in this action-espionage thriller. The trouble starts when the rebellious agents disobey orders and begin glutting the Big Apple black market with illegal drugs. The cops become alerted to the problem after four topless dancers die of heroin overdoses. Renegade detective Mace Douglas, who has just been demoted for his tendency to kill suspects and now finds himself teemed up with a smarmy college-educated, irritatingly straight arrow, sets about solving the case. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this black comedy, the mysterious death of the owner of an amusement park prompts his widow to sell the property to a group of mobsters, the DiMaurios. When the DiMaurios take over, they lower everyone's salary and fire the park's clown mascot, Bruce Burger (David Lander). With his job taken away, the clown loses it and begins to stage his revenge. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Windom, David L. Lander, (more)
- 1987
Malcolm "Mace" Douglas (Ed Marinaro) is a vice squad detective who investigates the drug-related murders of strippers in this uneven, low-budget crime drama. The former homicide lieutenant was demoted when he earned his nickname for spraying mace down the throat of a suspect. He and Mark Cain (Darrell Larson) later become entangled in implausible international intrigue with Bulgarian diplomats, KBG agents, lowlife club owners, and blackmail. Mace loses his badge when he falls for the stripper Amber (Cassandra Gava). Isaac Hayes, Lynn Whitfield, Corbin Bernsen, and John Hancock co-star. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Marinaro, Darrell Larson, (more)
- 1986
- PG
As this Catholic-oriented drama opens, a definition of purgatory is offered by Dame Judith Anderson and then four men are seen sitting in a drab, nondescript room. One (John Putch) is a soldier who died in Vietnam, and the others range from a businessman (Terry Beaver) to a husband and father (Brad Dourif). The four soon discover that they went to the same Catholic school together during the 1960s, and they trace their youthful careers. Mixed with jokes and ribbing about a Catholic school education, the memories of the four are alternately humorous or insightful, given their current situation. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Putch, Terry Beaver, (more)
- 1985
Anthony Burgess translated and adapted this staging of Edmond Rostand's 19th century theatrical classic. Derek Jacobi (of I Claudius) fame stars as Cyrano de Bergerac, the ski-nosed poet, philosopher and swordsman. Believing that the beautiful Roxanne will shrink from his ugliness, Cyrano woos her by proxy, feeding the handsome but empty-headed Christian the honey'd words of love that will win the lady's heart. Jacobi is given powerhouse support by the Royal Shakespeare Company, including the exquisite Sinead Cusack as Roxanne. Videotaped for British television, Cyrano de Bergerac was telecast in America on selected PBS and cable-TV outlets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Jacobi, Sinéad Cusack, (more)
Adapted from the novel by H.E. Bates, the British miniseries Love for Lydia featured Mel Martin in the title role. A young and giddy heiress, Lydia spent the better part of the 1930s holding several eligible bachelors in her thrall. Meanwhile, long-suffering Edward Richardson (Christopher Blake), convinced that he'd be the heroine's one true love if only given the chance, stood quietly on the sidelines as the impulsive Lydia toyed with the emotions of his rivals. The 13 hour-long episodes of Love for Lydia were originally aired over London Weekend Television in 1977, then telecast in America as part of PBS' Masterpiece Theatre anthology beginning September 23, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Martin, Jeremy Irons, (more)
