Nadia Tass Movies

The characters from the popular "American Girls" series of books and dolls come to life in this made-for-television drama set in the dawning years of the 20th Century. Samantha Parkington (AnnaSophia Robb) is an eight-year-old girl who is sent to live with her grandmother (Mia Farrow) after the tragic death of her parents. While grandmother takes it upon herself to teach Samantha how to behave like a lady, the girl finds she misses her best friend Nellie (Kelsey Lewis), a servant girl who became her closest companion. A visit to the bustling city of New York, however, holds both excitement and welcome surprises for Samantha. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Originally telecast November 12, 2000, on ABC, The Miracle Worker was the third film version of the classic biographical play by William Gibson. Following in the footsteps of Patty Duke and Melissa Gilbert as the young Helen Keller is Hallie Kate Eisenberg, who skyrocketed to TV fame in 2000 as star of a series of well-circulated cola commercials. Alison Elliot co-stars as Annie Sullivan, the dedicated, no-nonsense teacher who ultimately draws the blind, deaf, and mute Helen out of her lonely shell (literally kicking and screaming at times) and into the "normal" world. Filmed in Mississauga, Ontario, The Miracle Worker was shown as a two-hour episode of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on one of the most bizarre hostage-situations ever, this Australian comedy-drama is set in the late '60s when the youth were beginning to rebel against war and government. Set in 1968 Sydney during a scorching summer the whole mess begins when convicted car thief Wally Mellish gets out of prison, rents a hovel on the town's outskirts and gets involved with Beryl, the single mother of a two-year-old daughter. They move into together and dim-bulbed Wally, wanting to show his affection steals the shiny ornaments from a pair of Jaguars. Unfortunately he is not a clever thief and the police soon show up at his door. Not wanting to return to prison, Wally panics and grabs his gun. Thinking he is holding Beryl and her daughter hostage, the police soon surround the house and start a lengthy siege. Unfortunately, the police commissioner, aware of youthful civil unrest spawned by an unprovoked police attack on peaceful anti-war demonstrators a few weeks before realizes that situation requires kid-glove handling and so orders his deputy to negotiate with Wally. Word quickly gets out and soon the media stampedes to the situation. This in turn attracts hoards of tourists and opportunistic street vendors to create an unparalleled circus outside. Meanwhile, in the house, Wally and Beryl are delighted by their new found fame and decide to celebrate by getting married and having the police commissioner himself act as best man. The state premier, appalled by the brouhaha and afraid for his own career, demands that the commissioner be more aggressive and as a result gets taken hostage himself. It only gets stranger from there, but that is half the fun. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This wacky buddy comedy was the fifth in a series of Hollywood remakes of films by French director Francis Veber, none of which were box office successes. Sheila Kelley is Valerie Highsmith, an heiress who, despite her family's wealth, suffers from horribly bad luck. On a vacation to Mexico, she takes a fall, causing amnesia, then is mugged and kidnapped for ransom. When her father (Sam Wanamaker) becomes frustrated with the failed attempts of a detective, Ray Campanella (Danny Glover) to find his daughter, he teams a very reluctant Ray with Eugene Proctor (Martin Short), an accountant whose bumbling bad luck is even worse than Valerie's. The theory is that perhaps two such incredibly unlucky people will act like magnets, with Eugene leading Ray to Valerie's location. Although Ray finds Eugene irritating, the unlikely partners eventually begin making surprising progress in the case, despite Eugene's never-ending screw-ups and pratfalls. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

In the wake of their surprise hit Malcolm, Australian screenwriter/photographer David Parker and director Nadia Tass concocted an equally delightful follow-up, Rikky & Pete. Rikky (Nina Landis) and her brother Pete (Stephen Kearney), feeling like misfits in their hometown (as indeed they are), head for a remote mining community. Here it is hoped that Rikky will at last discern her direction in life, and that Pete can work on his Rube Goldberg-ish inventions in peace. Well, now, if everything went as planned, there wouldn't be any movie, would there? Not quite as fresh and spontaneous as Malcolm, Rikky and Pete still possesses an eccentric charm all its own. Be advised, however, that the film is rated R, and may not be altogether appropriate for kids. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi