John Whitesell Movies
The epic struggle for control of planet Earth continues in this sequel to the 2001 comedy that had pet owners all across the world looking at their house pets in a whole new light. Chris O'Donnell and 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer head up the cast of the production, with scripting duties being handled by Brother Bear's Ron J. Friedman and Steve Bencich. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Comedian Katt Williams stars as a wannabe CIA agent who starts up a "temp from hell" business designed to provoke unwanted employees into quitting their jobs. When his latest target decides to fight fire with fire, however, the man whose job it is to make lives miserable finally gets a taste of his own medicine. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katt Williams
When the spirit of Christmas compels a small-town New Englander to decorate his home with enough lights to make it visible from space, much more is set to be decked than just the halls in this holiday comedy featuring Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick as two warring neighbors determined to outdo each other in creating the best lighting display on the planet. Christmas is without question the most wonderful time of the year for Cloverdale, MA optometrist Steve Finch (Broderick). Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Steve's wife, Kelly (Kristin Davis), and the pair's two children, Madison (Alia Shawkat) and Carter (Dylan Blue). Despite Steve's annual holiday zeal, the rest of the Carters have grown to resent the seemingly endless family rituals leading up the Winterfest carnival over which their terminally cheerful patriarch presides. Though it seems that nothing in the world could dampen the spirits of the local "King of Christmas," Steve soon finds his royal status challenged when used-car salesman Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito) moves in next door and covers his house with enough festive lights to make it visible from the deepest crater of the moon. His Yuletide thunder effectively stolen, Steve resorts to desperate measures in regaining his crown when Buddy's lavish decorations make him a local celebrity, his wife strikes up a warm friendship with the neighbor's outspoken better half, Tia (Kristin Chenoweth), and even the kids seem to warm to the car salesman's air-headed twin daughters, Ashley and Emily (Sabrina and Kelly Aldridge). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, (more)
An FBI agent finds himself crossing the gender line again in the name of national security in this sequel to the comedy hit Big Momma's House. Tom Fuller (Mark Moses) is a computer whiz who is under investigation by the FBI, who suspect he may be the man behind a dangerous piece of underground software that would allow terrorists and criminals to access secured intelligence files online. The Bureau is looking for a way to get inside Fuller's home to find out what he's doing when a golden opportunity presents itself -- Fuller and his wife, Leah (Emily Procter), are in the market for a nanny to help look after their three children. The FBI sends in Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence), who will once again impersonate feisty septuagenarian Hattie Mae Pierce, better known as "Big Momma." "Big Momma" gets the job, but while trying to dig up the truth about Fuller's possible criminal connections, Malcolm also finds himself developing a close relationship with the suspect's wife and kids. Malcolm also finds himself offering unlikely romantic advice to his new partner, Kevin (Zachary Levi), and developing a new appreciation of the day-to-day travails of his wife, Sherrie (Nia Long). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Nia Long, (more)
A rich kid who likes to pretend he's from the wrong side of the tracks gets a taste of the real thing in this comedy. Brad Gluckman (Jamie Kennedy) is the son of a wealthy and socially prominent couple (Ryan O'Neal and Bo Derek) and grew up in the lap of luxury in Malibu, CA. However, Brad likes to imagine he's a street-smart gangsta from the mean streets of L.A., and he's been trying to launch a career as a hardcore rapper under the name "B-Rad." Mr. Gluckman is running for Governor of California, and both he and his campaign manager (Blair Underwood) are convinced Brad's antics could have a negative impact on the election, so they come up with a scheme to change his mind about the supposed glamour of street life. Mr. Gluckman hires a pair of African-American actors (Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson) to impersonate a pair of gang-bangers from Compton who carjack Brad's SUV and take him to the 'hood, where he'll learn just how scary the thug life can be. However, it soon becomes obvious the actors don't know much more about life in Compton than Brad does, and as Brad gets used to his new surroundings, he falls for a girl from the neighborhood (Regina Hall) who has her own plans for moving up in the world. Malibu's Most Wanted was inspired by a character Jamie Kennedy created for his sketch comedy series The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Kennedy, Taye Diggs, (more)
A police dog finds himself pitted in a battle of wits against an accident-prone mailman and a gang of crooks (and it looks like the dog has the edge in the brains department) in this broad comedy. Agent 11 (Bob) is a bulldog trained by the FBI agent Murdoch (Michael Clarke Duncan) to sniff out drugs, and the dog's keen nose ferrets out the storage facility of Mafia kingpin Sonny (Paul Sorvino); Agent 11 has also been taught to show no mercy with criminals, and he gives Sonny a serious bite in a rather personal place. Needless to say, Sonny is not amused, and wants revenge against the pooch, so Agent 11 is put into the animal equivalent of the witness protection program. However, unlikely circumstances set the dog loose, where he soon pairs up with Gordon (David Arquette), a stunningly inept letter carrier with a long history of fending off ill-tempered pets. Gordon is attempting to impress Stephanie (Leslie Bibb), an attractive single mother, by helping to look after her son James (Angus T. Jones), and when he comes across Agent 11, he adopts the dog and names him Spot, feeling certain he can smooth out the critter's often cranky relationship with people. But Gordon doesn't know that Sonny and his henchmen are hot on Agent 11's trail and that his new best friend will lead a gang of ruthless gangsters into Stephanie and James' home. See Spot Run was originally announced as a vehicle for comedy star Martin Lawrence, but when changes in Lawrence's schedule prevented him from taking on the project, it was retooled for the talents of David Arquette. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Arquette, Michael Clarke Duncan, (more)
This TV sitcom, set in a bar in the blue-collar Irish-Catholic neighborhood of South Boston, is "inspired by the real life" of comic Sue Costello who hails from South Boston. It also stars Costello in the lead role of a loud-mouthed female barmaid, but just to make sure you're paying attention, this character is named Sue Murphy, not Sue Costello. Go figure. In the opening episode, Sue ends her relationship with her boyfriend P.J. (Matthew Michael Mahaney), and this decision draws a negative reaction from her family -- her carpenter father (Dan Lauria), her waitress mother (Jenny O'Hara), her younger brother Jimmy (Chuck Walczak), and her best friend Trish (Kerry O'Malley). In subsequent episodes, Sue makes moves to establish her independence but finds it's not that easy. As the show's ad phrased it, "Nothing stands between Sue and making her dreams come true...Except reality." Filmed in Burbank, this series premiered September 8, 1998 on Fox. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sue Costello, Dan Lauria, (more)
Lots of guys used to dream about having a date with Marilyn Monroe, but three friends who are about to graduate from high school to go their separate ways try to make that fantasy a reality in this comedy, set in 1962. Roy (Jason Priestley), Ned (Gabriel Olds), and Scott (Jerry O'Connell) have been buddies since the age of six, when they were entered together in a Howdy Doody look-alike contest. With only a few weeks to go before they graduate from high school, Roy has impulsively joined the Army to get away from his abusive father, while Ned has discovered he's going to be a father, and Scott is still plagued by his pesky virginity. Wanting to enjoy their last few weeks of freedom, Roy "borrows" a wad of cash and a blue Galaxie 500 convertible from his former employers, repo men Arturo and Antonio Gallo (Kurt Fuller and Stephen Tobolowsky), and persuades his friends to join him as he heads to Hollywood. Roy wants to meet the woman of his dreams, Marilyn Monroe, whom he's learned is working on a new picture, Something's Got to Give. With the help of Roy's Uncle Harry (Joe Pantoliano), they locate Monroe's home and camp out at her gate, hoping to get a glimpse of the glamourous goddess. However, Roy breaks out a reefer to smoke while they attempt to stay up all night (tactical error number one: marijuana does not make you more alert!), and when she slips out without their noticing, the three end up on a mad chase to find Marilyn before she gets away. Meanwhile, the Gallo Brothers have noticed their car is gone, and they are determined to get it back, without much concern for the health or safety of the thief. Calendar Girl was Jason Priestley's first vehicle following his success on the television series Beverly Hills 90210. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Priestley, Gabriel Olds, (more)
Dan gets into an accident at the construction-site portable toilet, prompting him to reevaluate his life. D.J. can't get over it, so he follows his dad around the house. Scared by what could have happened, Dan and Roseanne write out their wills. Jackie gets angry when she learns that she wouldn't get custody of the kids if they both died. Meanwhile, Roseanne attends Lamaze classes with Crystal (Natalie West). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
The Bowmans move in next door and act snobby toward the Conners. At first Roseanne is jealous of their beautiful home and wishes Dan would do some remodeling himself. Then she unleashes her usual brand of insulting humor when the mother, Kathy (Meagen Fay), looks down on her parenting style and blames D.J. for her son Todd's (Troy Davidson) behavior. This episode contains one of the series' many sarcastic references to Bewitched. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Ziggy (Jay O. Sanders) comes back around to convince Dan and Roseanne to start up a motorcycle shop with him. However, he bails at the last second, ending the season with the Conners stuck in a small business venture all on their own. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
College sophomore Andrea Fermi (Noelle Parker) claims she was gang-raped after attending a Halloween party at a boys' fraternity house. Anxious to bring those responsible to justice, Assistant D.A. Robinette (Richard Brooks) utilizes questionable tactics to nail a confession. This may prove to be the Prosecution's undoing -- and the rapacious college boys may well escape scot-free. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A Lebanese gunrunner is murdered, and the most likely suspect is Ian O'Connell (Anthony Heald), an Irish Republican Army terrorist. This poses a dilemma for detective Logan (Chris Noth), who wonders if his own pro-Irish sentiments may prevent him from conducting an impartial investigation. Originally scheduled to air on January 22, 1991, this episode of Law & Order was bumped forward to March 26 of that year (curiously, only nine days after St. Patrick's Day). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Roseanne's job is threatened when she announces her plan to go with Dan to Las Vegas to see Wayne Newton. Their flight is canceled and they have to drive home in a snowstorm and spend the night in Chicago. Meanwhile, Jackie does her best to act like a police officer at Becky's party. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
The Conners can't afford to get Becky a car, so she and Mark (Glenn Quinn) steal Dan's motorcycle and take it out for a spin, causing Dan to go on an angry rampage. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Becky tries to help Darlene get the attention of the boy she likes, Barry (Tristan Tait). But Darlene she gets mad when he asks Becky to the school dance instead. This episode marks the first appearance of two reoccurring characters: Martin Mull as Leon and Bonnie Sheridan as Bonnie. Roseanne gets upset with Dan for not getting her a Valentine's Day present, so he goes shopping for lingerie. Tobey Maguire guest stars. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Everyone needs Roseanne's time in this episode. Jackie needs her help to practice her lines for a community play. Dan is sick with the flu and wants her to wait on him. Also, Roseanne has to take D.J. to a Scouts ceremony and show a little enthusiasm through her usual sarcasm in honor of his new merit badge. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Roseanne leads a field trip to the supermarket with Darlene's home economics class and teaches them meal-making lessons from real life. For instance, she shows them how to stretch a medium-sized meatloaf to feed five people. Meanwhile, Dan helps D.J. deal with a school bully. Leonardo DiCaprio guest stars. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Roseanne tries to set up a customer (Stephen Wesley Bridgewater) with Crystal (Natalie West). Her efforts are all for naught when Dan's father, Ed (Ned Beatty), visits and announces that he is going to ask Crystal to marry him. Part one of a two-part episode. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Dan disapproves of Roseanne's plans to help with the wedding between Crystal (Natalie West) and Dan's father, Ed (Ned Beatty). Crystal reveals that she is pregnant. First appearance of Lonnie (Kristopher Kent Hill). Part two of a two-part episode. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Visiting a jewelry store to buy a present for Whitley's father, Whitley (Jasmine Guy) and Freddie (Cree Summer) are subjected to the casual racism of a snooty saleswoman, who automatically assumes that the girls won't be able to afford any of the "better" merchandise (this humiliating incident was based on an actual experience of episode director Debbie Allen). Elsewhere, Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Ron (Darryl M. Bell) attend an ROTC retreat, supervised by Col. Taylor (Glynn Turman). Not surprisingly, the event turns out to be one of the biggest military fiascoes since Napoleon's invasion of Russia. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Roseanne takes a job working nights at Rodbell's coffee shop in the mall, making Becky upset because she likes to hang out there with her friends. While Roseanne works nights, Dan takes over as the house disciplinarian by settling a dispute between Darlene and Becky, making Roseanne apprehensive about relinquishing control to Dan. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
When Roseanne finally sets out to talk to Becky about sex, she is surprised by Darlene's reaction. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Roseanne gets upset when Dan lends money to his friend Arnie (Tom Arnold), who uses the money to get his girlfriend Nancy breast implants. The situation is worsened when Dan loses a contracting job and is need of money himself. Although he doesn't want to ask his family members for money, he is forced to get a loan from Jackie. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

















