Sandy Tung Movies
Newbery medalist Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's best-selling series of books arrive on the big screen in director Sandy Tung's tale of an eleven year old girl who attempts to find her footing in a new school while avoiding the wrath of her loathsome homeroom teacher - the dreaded Mrs. Plotkin. Alice McKinley (Alyson Stoner) has just relocated to a new town with her widowed father Ben (Luke Perry) and her seventeen year old brother Lester (Lucas Grabeel). As the only girl in an all-male household Alice envisions herself as a girl who can hold her own, yet in reality she's just another stressed out teen who excels at getting herself into awkward situations. Alice misses her mother dearly, but with the support of her family she holds out hope that she'll get by no matter what curve balls life throws her way. But lately nothing is going right for Alice. As the school musical looms on the horizon, Alice is about to learn that even the detestable Mrs. Plotkin (Penny Marshall) may have some helpful advice if the young girl can stop casting judgment long enough to listen. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alyson Stoner, Lucas Grabeel, (more)
The third and final entry into the popular series of Shiloh films, based on the writings of author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and detailing the captivating journeys of a young boy and his loyal canine companion, find a maturing Marty standing by his troubled neighbor Judd during the drunken townie's most desperate hour. A local man has gone missing, and when authorities find out that he was last seen fighting with Judd, who is already suspected in a series of thefts, they are quick to finger Marty's neighbor as the prime suspect in the unsolved mystery. Though local gossip quickly convicts the weary loner before his case ever even goes to trial, Marty, his father, and his understanding teacher are quick to point out that in the American justice system people are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Dolley, Scott Wilson, (more)
A notorious Los Angeles hitman is drawn into an assassination plot that turns out to be much more complex than it initially appeared in this period martial arts adventure starring Rhett Giles. In the 1930s, a skilled assassin named Scholar (Giles) and his trained team of killers took on the jobs that were too intimidating for the rest of the underworld. Approached by the beautiful Kay (Coco Su) to avenge the death of her parents, Scholar and his men set out to track down Kay's diabolical twin sister Sue (Su), who was said to have murdered her parents and horded the family fortune as her own. But the more Scholar learns about his target, the harder he falls for her. Ultimately, Scholar chooses to protect Sue from his own team of assassins, in the process discovering an explosive secret about both sisters. As the mystery builds to an explosive battle between the twins and the assassins hired to kill them, Scholar suddenly realizes that it was his own murderous deed that set this treacherous plot into motion, and that the only way out now is to fight to his dying breath. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rhett Giles, Coco Su, (more)
The Soccer Dog series of family-oriented, animal-starring sports pictures continues with this installment, which features a distinctly cross-Atlantic setting. Soccer Dog: European Cup opens with the titular hero, Kimble, escaping the clutches of an evil scientist, bent on performing animal experiments. Our plucky canine hero then falls into the hands of Zack (Jake Thomas), an American boy who's been brought to Scotland after the death of his mother to be reunited with the father he never knew, Brian (Nick Moran). After a bumpy introduction, father and son eventually connect by playing soccer together, and when the unusually nimble Kimble storms onto the field one day, their lives change forever. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Moran, Jake Thomas, (more)
The adventures of a boy and his beagle continue in this sequel to 1997's Shiloh. Marty Preston (Zachary Browne, replacing Blake Heron, who played the role in the first film) is a well-meaning 12-year-old who adopts Shiloh, a beagle who was treated cruelly by his first master, a bitter alcoholic named Judd (Scott Wilson). However, when Judd is hurt in an auto accident, Marty realizes Judd may have lost one of the only friends he had, even if he did mistreat Shiloh. With help from his parents (Michael Moriarty and Ann Dowd), Marty tries to help Judd get back on his feet both physically and emotionally. Rod Steiger also joins the cast returning from the first film as the crusty but lovable Doc Wallace. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Moriarty, Scott Wilson, (more)
- 1998
This romantic comedy looks at the notion that opposites attract. Actress Anne Henning (Traylor Howard) is hired for a soap-opera role as the girlfriend of the daytime drama's doctor, played by Jack Westmore (Edward Kerr). Over lunch, the two actors hit it off, and Anne listens to Jack's proposal of a "no strings" relationship, agreeing to a date because he's "the opposite of what I want." In truth, Jack is taken aback by a woman who acts "like a man." Taking a conceptual cue from the late Dennis Potter, the story intercuts the duo in soap-opera scenes, blending fantasy and reality. Shown at the 1998 Santa Barbara Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Kerr, Traylor Howard, (more)
Rick Schroder and Brad Pitt are cast as unlikely brothers in Across the Tracks. Schroder is a drug-dealing layabout, while Pitt is a hardworking "model son" (talk about casting against type!) When Schroder begins straigtening himself out by becoming a high school track star, Pitt suffers the pangs of jealousy, retreating into alcohol. Now it is Ricky's turn to reform Brad! Filmed in 1989, Across the Tracks lay unwrapped until 1991, by which time Brad Pitt had become a first-magnitude movie star. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Schroder, Brad Pitt, (more)
- 1983
As Ric Gitlin prepares to sign divorce papers, he flashes back to his marriage to Isabel Glasser. Childhood sweethearts, Gitlin and Glasser had married comparatively late in life due to various complications. At first the union is happy, but eventually collapses, not for any spectacular reason, but because of such banal bugaboos as misunderstanding and incompatability. Marriage is very simple and unclutterd, making its plot points with tenderness and humanity. This independent film was the debut feature for director Sandy Tung, who also wrote the script. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Gitlin, Isabel Glasser, (more)
- 1975
- R
In this blaxploitation comedy, a private clutzy detective and his bumbling assistant attempt to clean up the crime in Harlem. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
