Dennis Christopher Movies

Maverick indie filmmaker Henry Jaglom moves from the sweet poignancy of his 2009 Irene in Time to knowing Hollywood satire with this romantic comedy that finds him teaming with actress Tanna Frederick for the third time. Frederick portrays Maggie Chase, a B-list star who longs to find love and fulfillment and achieve household-name status, but must contend with twin products of her wild behavior: a court-ordered electronic ankle bracelet and temporary house arrest. Fortunately, Maggie has a team of clever spin doctors (Ron Vignone, David Proval, Zack Norman, and Diane Salinger), who manage to turn her drunk-driving activities into attention-grabbing tabloid fodder. She also draws on the support of a movie-star beau, Dov Lambert (Christopher Rydell), equally known for his no-holds-barred behavior. For a time, it looks as though Maggie's grandest dreams will actualize, as her national fame crescendos, but her life grows more complicated when she follows Dov home to meet his kin, and runs headfirst into a series of show-business legends (played by Peter Bogdanovich, Dennis Christopher, Kathryn Crosby, Mary Crosby, Sabrina Jaglom, and Jack Heller). She also meets Dov's brother, failed writer Aaron Lambert (Noah Wyle), who seems tailor-made for Maggie with his ability to penetrate her superficial facades, but must deal with lingering issues in his own life and past. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Nick Turturro, Dennis Christopher, and Alexandra Paul star in director Rex Piano's tightly-wound thriller concerning a group of group of kidnappers who take over an abandoned hotel while forcing the daughter of a well-known software engineer to access crucial government data. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Although Six Feet Under often dwells on death -- such as this week's depiction of a scenic designer named Kevin Lamb (Dennis Christopher) who stages his lover's funeral as a miniature opera -- "Nobody Sleeps" also revolves around the birthday of the Fisher matriarch. Electrified by her daring, naughty new friend Bettina (Kathy Bates), Ruth (Frances Conroy) loosens up a little and actually has some fun on her special day. Part of that is thanks to Lisa (Lili Taylor), who, despite the objections of husband Nate (Peter Krause), manages to throw a lovely and somewhat rowdy party for her mother-in-law. Even David (Michael C. Hall) has fun, despite his continuing troubles with Keith (Mathew St. Patrick), which have been thrown into sharp relief by Kevin's elaborate tribute to his late partner. The only person to miss the festivities is Claire (Lauren Ambrose). She's busy having the night of her life getting drunk and talking trash with her pal Russell (Ben Foster), her art teacher Olivier (Peter MacDissi) and one of Olivier's big-wig artist friends. A drunken Nate, also enjoys some rambling conversation -- with the taunting specter of his stultified father (Richard Jenkins), whom Nate fears he's becoming. Originally broadcast March 23, 2003, on HBO, "Nobody Sleeps" marked season three, episode four of the made-for-cable drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

In this grim and suspenseful thriller, a news journalist and his family exchange life in grimy, hectic New York for that in a peaceful Maine village. Unfortunately, the burg they chose is ruled by a harsh, ultraconservative preacher who hates all outsiders. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this bittersweet comedy drama, a man nearing the end of his life seeks closure with his family and friends, and he confronts the issues of the right to die. Nick Stark (Eric Roberts) is a successful architect who is openly gay. He was involved in a committed relationship with Brandon Theis (Gregory Harrison), a television director, until Nick discovered that he's HIV-positive. Nick's first question to Brandon is "You won't leave me, will you? I don't want to die alone." Brandon, however, doesn't have the emotional strength to deal with Nick's condition and soon moves on. Several years later, even though Nick has been mindful of his health, he begins to display symptoms of full-blown AIDS, most notably the brain lesions that indicate Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy, an AIDS-related illness that has already claimed several of his friends. Wanting to go out with his dignity intact, Nick decides to throw one last party, which will give him the opportunity to say goodbye to his friends and family while he's still lucid -- shortly after which he intends to take his own life with painkillers. Nick attempts to make peace with his mother and father (Lee Grant and George Segal), who had difficulty accepting their son's lifestyle, and he enjoys a last laugh with his close friends, until Brandon -- who is hardly welcomed by the group -- shows up. Appearing as Nick's friends and family are Margaret Cho, Bronson Pinchot, Bruce Davison, Sally Kellerman, Marlee Matlin, Roddy McDowall, and Dennis Christopher. Writer and director Randal Kleiser loosely based It's My Party on his own personal experiences when his longtime companion was diagnosed with AIDS and opted to take his own life before his symptoms became too severe. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In part one of this episode, Sisko and his officers had once more fallen into the hands of the Jem'hadar, soldiers of the Dominion, while Odo had left his comrades high and dry to embark upon a mysterious mission to the Omarion Nebula. In part two, Odo arrives on his home planet, which is now completely populated by shapeshifters like himself. Meanwhile, the Founders, leaders of the Dominion, offer to draw up a peace treaty with the Federation, but Sisko has ample reason to oppose this action. Scripted by Ira Steven Behr from a story by Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe, part two of "The Search" originally aired October 8, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on horror author H.P. Lovecraft's writings, Necronomicon: Book of the Dead includes three short stories devoted to the deadly and mysterious "Necronomicon." When Lovecraft (played by Jeffrey Combs) manages to smuggle the legendary book out of a heavily guarded library, he quickly finds himself immersed in its passages, and three short stories take form as he sets off to record the information. In the first, Bruce Payne plays a disgruntled man whose inheritance of an old motel turns out to be more than he bargained for, as there are a nasty group of demons populating its basement. The second story follows a young reporter in search of a doctor who allegedly found the path to immortality, though, like the unwitting motel owner, he wouldn't realize how far in over his head he was until it became too late. The last story features Signy Coleman as a tough-as-nails police officer who descends into a strange set of catacombs in order to find her missing partner -- little does she know that an infamous serial killer is already living inside its subterranean depths. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Do not confuse this fact-based feature with the more tongue-in-cheek cable TV version, The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom. This one looks seriously at the story of a Texas mother who was willing to kill to ensure her daughter's place on the cheerleading squad. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Though based on fact, the two-part TV movie False Arrest plays more like one of those Linda Blair "babes in prison" flicks. Donna Mills plays Joyce Lukezic, a well-off Phoenix businesswoman/homemaker accused of murder. She knows, and we know, that she didn't do it. The double homicide was the handiwork of her sleazy husband Robert Wagner, who works diligently behind the scenes to make certain his wife is convicted. And with the "guilty as charged" verdict, he leaves Joyce high and dry at the end of part one. Part two of False Arrest was telecast three days later, with Joyce fending off hostile and sexually abusive inmates, courting a nervous breakdown, and battling to have her conviction overturned. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

There are murderous goings on at a sweatshop that specializes in lingerie. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Set in a grim post-WW III America, this sci-fi fantasy tells the story of a woman attempting to sell black-market computer chips that allow patrons to experience the nearly forgotten pleasures of sex and drugs. She is hanging out with the gang she works for in a local nightclub when the police raid the joint. She manages to escape and decides to double cross her gang and sell the chips for herself. But first she must escape both the police and the gangsters and make it to the New York underground. She is helped out when she runs into Plughead, an android covered with electrical outlets. He uses these to tap in to the fantasies of other people. The soundtrack by Deborah Holland provides a highlight. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi