Rae Dawn Chong Movies

In this crime thriller, a detective's face is destroyed when he is shot by a hit man. With nothing left to lose, the gumshoe agrees to undergo radical reconstructive surgery so that he can resemble an FBI fugitive who has connections to the Russian mob. The ensuing plan of action involves a rendezvous with a Russian operative and the pilfering of a valuable microchip. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Howard Himelstein's crime thriller Power of Attorney stars Danny Aiello as mob kingpin Joseph Scassi. In order to escape from a variety of serious charges, Scassi hires Paul Dell (Elias Koteas), seducing him into a life full of quick riches. Scassi turns the tables on Dell, but Dell has a plan to bring the bad guy down once and for all. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

A police detective gets in over his head after he falls in love with the moll of a recently murdered gangster. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Cheech Marin and Eric Roberts play two draft-dodging hippies who flee to a commune in Central America where they stay for 20 years. When they return in 1989 and seek out some of their old NYC buddies, they find they've turned yuppie and things just aren't what they'd expected. ~ All Movie Guide

An ambitious-but -spoiled rich white kid wins a scholarship to Harvard Law School by pretending to be African-American in this broadly-played comedy. After his father cuts him off financially, Mark Watson (C. Thomas Howell) wins a full tuition scholarship to Harvard by claiming to be African-American on the application form. With the help of his best friend Gordon (Arye Gross), Mark acquires some bronzing pills, a new hairdo, and a lowered voice. Disguised as a black student, Mark thinks that he's going to breeze through the program. The reality of being a minority at a mostly white institution quickly catches up to him, however, when he encounters some tacit racism and falls for Sarah Walker (Rae Dawn Chong), a fellow student whose affection makes him feel guilty about his ruse. Then there's the imperious Professor Banks (James Earl Jones), an African-American instructor who expects him to perform at a higher level than the other students. Soul Man was written by Carol Black and directed by Steve Miner, who would collaborate again for the popular television series The Wonder Years (1988-93). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

This independent project was originally released as My Main Man From Stony Island. Filmed in Chicago, the story involves a group of multiracial rhythm-and-blues performers, and how they're affected by the death of veteran blues musician (Gene Barge). As a bonus, the films takes excellent photographic advantage of the Windy City. Stony Island proved an auspicious directorial debut for cinematographer Andrew Davis, who went back behind cameras for a series of action films, then returned to directing for another brilliant Chicago-based opus, The Fugitive (93). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While at home recovering from an accident, Olympic downhill skier Marti Gerrard (Tori Spelling) receives an unexpected phone call. It turns out to be a wrong number dialed by wealthy computer tycoon Connor Hill (Jason Brooks)--but Marti doesn't mind a bit, and for the next several minutes she and Connor enjoy a delightful conversation. Later on, Hill's wife is murdered, whereupon he approaches Marti with the realization that, thanks to the aforementioned phone call, she is the only person who can provide him with an alibi. This she does, gladly and willingly...but the story is far from over! Made for television, Alibi was first broadcast by ABC on March 16, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this youthful sports drama, a former professional tennis player begins acting as a mentor for a troubled teen whose life is being destroyed by an overbearing father. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

An impulsive but determined white principal brings order and respect to a predominantly African-American and Latino high school in this comedy-drama from the director of Young Guns and That Was Then, This Is Now. Rick Latimer (James Belushi), a high-school teacher, is in the process of a divorce when he sees his estranged wife at a bar having drinks with her attorney. Drunk and enraged, he smashes the guy's car up and receives a reprimand from the school board -- a new job as principal at rough-and-tumble Brandel High. Security guard Jake Phillips (Louis Gossett Jr.) is soon teaching his new boss the ropes, but Rick isn't willing to accept the violent and drug-ridden status quo. With a two-word motto -- "No More!" -- he sets about cleaning out the riff-raff, also taking time out to tutor students and get to know Jake. But when chief thug Victor (Michael Wright) refuses to back down, the violence escalates. Eventually, Victor's vengeance threatens the lives of steely history teacher Hilary Orozco (Rae Dawn Chong) -- and Rick himself. Kelly Minter, who plays one of Brandel High's troubled students, portrayed a dyslexic in the similarly themed Summer School the same year The Principal was released. Screenwriter Frank Deese would go on to write the Corey Haim/Corey Feldman vehicle License to Drive. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

The 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid provides the setting for this drama that centers on a man's mid-life crisis. While there, he gets involved with love, sex and other diversions. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

It is October 6, 2022 and humankind is nearly extinct thanks to a massive alien attack. Astronaut Michael Raynor is fleeing the planet in his spacecraft when suddenly a "wormhole" opens up and sucks him into a time warp. He finally makes it back to the ground and finds himself in Washington state in the year 1992. Soon scientists and military personnel descend upon him and his craft. They get the ship, but he escapes and finds himself pursued by the same human-looking aliens who are destroying the world in his own time. Among the invaders is lovely Karen, who poses as a scientist and decides to help Raynor save his planet. To do this, they must keep Neila from becoming president. They do not know that Neila is himself an outworlder (but discerning audience members who can spell things backwards certainly do!) As the action in the past continues, so does the future story as the few remaining humans battle it out with the aliens in futuristic Washington, D.C. Back in the past Neila and his henchmen decide to make sure Raynor is never born and take off after his pregnant mother who is going to bear him later that year. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When the Party's Over is a surprisingly down-spirited drama about a group of twenty-something yuppies trying to survive in Los Angeles. All four main characters -- three women (Sandra Bullock, Rae Dawn Chong, Elizabeth Berridge) and one gay man (Kris Kamm) -- live in the same house, where they become increasingly involved in each other's lives, affairs, and careers. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide