Derrick Jones Movies
Teenagers stand up for their rights and take on the woman who wants to scuttle their freedoms in this comedy drama inspired by a true story. Principal Weller (Julie Bowen) is the ambitious but hard-headed leader of Booker High School. Weller plans to run for superintendent of her school district, and believes if she wants to win she needs to project the image of a no-nonsense leader, and with that in mind she begins cracking down on what she sees as discipline problems at Booker High. However, in many cases what she sees as kids out of control are seen by others as kids expressing themselves, including a girl who wants to distribute condoms to recognize National Safe Sex Day, and two boys who are caught kissing in the hallway between classes. Mr. Drucker (Malik Yoba) is a teacher at Booker who tries to champion the students' rights of free expression, but his conflicts with Principal Weller end up costing him his job when he's fired for questioning her authority. Holden Donovan (Gregory Smith) is a student at Booker who is alarmed that the students have lost one of their few allies, and decides to do something about it -- along with his classmates, he sets out to establish and defend the right of free expression for high-school students, and launches a campaign against Weller's bid to become superintendent. Kids in America also stars Stephanie Sherrin, Nicole Richie, Adam Arkin, George Wendt, and Elizabeth Perkins. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Smith, Stephanie Sherrin, (more)
- 1987
- R
Set in 1964, a group of four Toronto teens enter a battle of the bands to win an opening spot at a Beatles show. Led by an Italian teenager (Joseph Dimambro), the band just might be successful. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph di Mambro, Luke McKeehan, (more)
- 1985
This low-budget feature is actually comprised of re-edited installments from a syndicated television serial. Jack Palance stars as a self-serving, abusive boor who becomes stranded -- along with his two hapless children -- by a thunderstorm, forcing them to take shelter in an isolated country estate owned by a group of mysterious and wealthy old dowagers. Seeing a golden opportunity, Palance soon turns to plundering their estate, but his plans collide horribly with the secret activities of a Satanic snake-cult who carry out ritual sacrifices in the attic. Guess who's next in line? Given the cheap-looking confines of the shot-on-video production, director Gordon Hessler manages to generate some creepy atmosphere, and Palance chews acres of scenery as the diabolical daddy, whose tyrannical behavior makes his eventual fate quite satisfying. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1981
- PG
First released in 1981 as Sneakers, this feeble story about a young teen trying to succeed on the amateur tennis tour is heavy on tennis sequences and light on content, storyline, and character development. The heroine Karen (Carling Bassett) is an unseeded, talented player snubbed by her peers because her mother (Susan Anton) is a Las Vegas showgirl. Karen's eventual friend, the top-seeded Missy (Shawn Foltz) has a tough-as-nails mom (Jessica Walter), so both young teens have their own personal crosses to bear. The biggest test of their friendship will come when they face off in the finals, like it or not. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Anton, Frank Converse, (more)
