Alva Chinn Movies

In this pivotal episode, Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) continues to be frustrated that he can't score any better than a "C" in his college subjects, no matter how hard he studies. Cliff (Bill Cosby) tries to help out by suggesting that Theo try just a bit harder, but succeeds only in making the situation worse. It is up to Mrs. Roscoe (Alva Chinn), the head of a local learning center, to zero in on the real problem: Theo may be dyslexic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Clair (Phylicia Rashad) volunteer their services at the urban community center run by their friend Tony Castillo (Tony Orlando). Cliff scores a hit while offering advice to pregnant ladies, while Clair does equally well dispensing free legal aid. But both Huxtables are stymied by a young boy (Alexis Cruz) who is apparently a victim of domestic abuse--but who stubbornly refuses to divulge his name or anything else about himself. A young Angela Bassett plays a small role in this episode, which was originally intended as the pilot for an (unsold) spinoff series starring Tony Orlando. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Harvey Fierstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway hit was adapted for the screen by Fierstein himself. The playwright also repeats his stage role of female impersonator Arnold Beckoff, aka nightclub entertainer "Virginia Hamm." The three-part plotline, whittled down to accommodate the film's 117-minute running time, concerns Arnold's seriocomic efforts to find a lasting relationship. We first meet Arnold in 1971, when his heart is broken by his bisexual lover (Brian Kerwin). Next we find Arnold in 1973, enjoying short-lived happiness with his true love (Matthew Broderick). The final act takes place in 1980: Arnold, still grieving over Broderick's sudden death and struggling to raise the young boy that the couple had adopted, has a long-anticipated showdown with his uncompromising mother, superbly played by Anne Bancroft. A witty film that is by turns touching and outrageous, Torch Song Trilogy works well despite its somewhat soft-pedaled approach to the material. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Combining elements of A Christmas Carol and Rain Man (1988), this modern-day parable of greed and redemption was crafted with generous helpings of sentimentality by director Mike Nicholas. Harrison Ford stars as Henry Turner, a slick, ruthless corporate attorney willing to spin any falsehood to win a case. A bully to his teenage daughter Rachel (Mikki Allen), Henry also cheats on his wife Sarah (Annette Bening) and treats everyone from the maid to his assistant with cruel selfishness. Stepping out to a local mini-market for a pack of cigarettes late one night, Henry accidentally interrupts a burglary and is shot in the head by a stick-up artist. After a long coma, Henry survives only to find that he has no memory and must re-learn everything from reading to tying his shoes. Reborn as a friendly, childlike innocent, Henry charms his therapist (Bill Nunn) and reconnects with his wife and daughter, only to uncover some secrets about how truly appalling he once was. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide