Vivica A. Fox Movies
Vivacious actress Vivica A. Fox has been attracting attention for performances that mix equal parts sass and class since making her 1989 screen debut in Born on the Fourth of July. A native of Indianapolis, where she was born July 30, 1964, Fox got her start on television with a stint on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives. After making her debut as a hooker in Oliver Stone's aforementioned Born on the Fourth of July, the actress continued to do much of her work on television while appearing in the occasional film. She first attracted notice as Will Smith's girlfriend in the blockbuster Independence Day (1996); her dynamic turn earned her -- together with Smith -- the MTV Award for Best Kiss that year.Fox subsequently appeared in a diverse array of films, ranging from the acclaimed black ensemble romantic drama Soul Food (1997), which cast her as one of three sisters (the other two were played by Vanessa L. Williams and Nia Long), to Batman & Robin (1997), in which she played femme fatale Ms. B. Haven, to Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998), which featured her in a critically lauded portrayal of one of the three wives of singer Frankie Lymon.
Fox's profile declined somewhat in the new millenium, although an appearance in the battle-of-the-sexes comedy Two Can Play That Game caught the attention of Quentin Tarantino, who was casting his long-gestating fourth feature, Kill Bill. As the first victim of hired killer Uma Thurman, Fox brought a little blaxploitation-era sass to the role, making for a memorable, suburban-kitchen battle scene.
In addition to her flourishing film work, Fox continued to work on the small screen, most notably as Dr. Lillian Price on Steven Bochco's predominately African American hospital drama City of Angels. 2005's one-season-only reality show The Starlet offered Fox the opportunity to pass on her actorly wisdom -- alongside head judge Faye Dunaway -- to a group of young hopefuls. The following year, she could be seen hoofing it up as a contestant on the astronomically popular ABC competition Dancing With the Stars. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
A Saintly Switch is a fantasy comedy about a football player switching bodies with his pregnant wife as a result of a magic trick gone bad. ~ All Movie Guide
This was the third follow-up to Tim Burton's Batman (1989), the original revisionist look at the Gotham City legend, as well as the second in the Batman series directed by Joel Schumacher and the first featuring George Clooney as the Caped Crusader; it features not one but two super-villains, and a new heroine to fight crime alongside Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and Dick Grayson (aka Robin) (Chris O'Donnell). The experiments of Dr. Victor Fries (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to preserve his late wife cryogenically have gone horribly wrong, turning him into the evil genius Mr. Freeze, who must keep his body at sub-zero temperature in order to say alive -- and he wants to put Gotham City on ice. Shy horticulturist Pamela Isley (Uma Thurman) goes a bit wild with a Venus Fly Trap-like creation she's been working on and mutates into Poison Ivy, who wants to kill all the people on Earth so plants can take over. Can Batman and Robin stop these fiends before their plans go too far? Meanwhile, Bruce and Dick's faithful butler Alfred (Michael Gough) isn't feeling well, so his niece Barbara (Alicia Silverstone) comes to pay a visit. When Barbara finds out what her uncle's employers do in their spare time, she decides she wants in on the action, and she joins the crime fighting twosome as Batgirl. Batman & Robin also features Jesse Ventura in a small role as a prison guard; it would be his last film role before becoming Governor of Minnesota in 1998. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, (more)
When a threatening gang of terrorists hijack an oil rig off the coast of California, it's up to a former Navy Seal to ensure that their deadly plan is thwarted in this explosive action entry from veteran genre specialist Anthony Hickox. When Lamont Dixon (Eddie Griffin) took a job as a tugboat captain, he thought his days as a fighting military man were behind him, but when an offshore drilling protest unexpectedly turns into a terrorist hijacking, Dixon must leap into action to save the entire state of California. As the hijackers reveal part of their scheme and Dixon begins to suspect that there is more to the elaborate plan then they let on, his only hope is to team with sexy FBI agent Lisa Reed (Vivica A. Fox) to coordinate a counterstrike from the shore and save the lives of both the hostages and thousands of unsuspecting citizens. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Griffin, Breckin Meyer, (more)
Two guys looking for a respite from their bumpy romantic lives find themselves in the midst of a very confusing situation in this broad comedy. Jerry (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a guy who thinks he's found the love of his life in Felicia (Vivica A. Fox), his beautiful longtime girlfriend. Jerry decides to propose to Felicia, and arranges for a hot-air balloon ride in order to create the ideal setting to pop the question. However, Felicia not only turns him down, she announces that she's leaving him for another man. Jerry sinks into a deep depression, until his best friend Nick (Horatio Sanz), who has been having his own romantic problems, suggests they take a vacation cruise on an ocean liner, forgetting their troubles while they make time with bikini-clad babes. Jerry is game, but after an angry misunderstanding with a travel agent, Nick and Jerry discover they've been booked on a tour specifically for gay men. Jerry and Nick are forced to pose as lovers to ward off the indefatigable advances of aging playboy Lloyd (Roger Moore), which cramps their style when the ship's captain rescues a boatload of buxom Swedish swimsuit models. Jerry's spirits rise when he meets Gabriella (Roselyn Sanchez), a beautiful dancer who is part of the ship's entertainment staff. Jerry, however, now has to walk a fine line between maintaining his cover and convincing Gabriella that despite outward appearances, he's not gay. Boat Trip was the first feature film from director Mort Nathan, best known for his work as a writer for television. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cuba Gooding, Jr., Horatio Sanz, (more)
It's 3 a.m. -- do you know where your condoms are? That's one of the dilemmas befalling the characters in this raunchy comedy. Rushon (Tommy Davidson) is a mild-mannered Buppie who has been going out with his girlfriend Nikki (Tamala Jones) for about seven weeks; they seem to like each other well enough, but the relationship has been mainly platonic, and Nikki isn't so sure that she wants that to change. Rushon asks Nikki out to dinner, but Nikki wants to bring along her tart-tongued friend Lysterine (Viveca A. Fox). Rushon has to find a date for her, and he comes up with his rude-boy buddy Bunz (Jamie Foxx). Lysterine and Bunz soon hit it off, and, to Rushon's surprise, Nikki decides it's time for their relationship to move to the physical level. Only one problem: this is the '90s, and all parties involved want to be sure they're practicing safe sex. Which means Rushon and Bunz have to find some condoms fast, before the evening's mood evaporates. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Foxx, Tommy Davidson, (more)
The second of three films by co-writer/director Oliver Stone to explore the effects of the Vietnam War (Platoon and Heaven and Earth are the others), Born On The Fourth Of July tells the true story of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise), a patriotic, All-American small town athlete who shocks his family by enlisting with the Marines to fight in the Vietnam War. Once he is overseas, however, Kovic's gung-ho enthusiasm turns to horror and confusion when he accidentally kills one of his own men in a firefight. His downfall is furthered by a bullet wound that leaves him paralyzed from the chest down. He returns home, spends an appalling, nightmarish stint in a veterans' hospital, and follows an increasingly disillusioned and fragmented path that ultimately leaves him drunk and dissolute in Mexico. However, Kovic somehow turns himself around and pulls his life together, becoming an outspoken anti-war activist in the process. The film is long but emotionally powerful; many consider it Stone's best work and Cruise's best performance. Both were nominated for Oscars, as was the film itself, but only Stone, who co-wrote the film with Kovic from the latter's book, won for Best Director. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Cruise, Raymond J. Barry, (more)
- 2006
Indie director Michael Mabbott follows his debut effort, The Life and Times of Guy Terrifico, with a sophomore feature, the quirky underdog comedy-drama Citizen Duane. Douglas Smith plays Duane Balfour, one of the sons in a family known for fighting impossible battles against tremendous odds. When Duane loses his run for student council president, he vows to take on an even loftier mission: "Operation Infinite Justice," carried out against his sworn enemy, Chad Milton. Chad is the grandson of the local town bigwig, whose family extends its influence to every corner of the community. Duane's teacher, Miss Houston (Vivica A. Fox) discourages him, but he refuses to back down, and - in a last-ditch attempt to rid the town of the dark shadow that the Miltons cast over it - decides to run for mayor himself, backed by an eccentric relative, Uncle Bingo - a man notorious for once putting all of his money on a horse called 'Glue Factory.' First timers Jonathan Sobol and Robert Leskie penned the script; the picture co-stars Alberta Watson, Devon Bostick and Jane McGregor. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Smith, Devon Bostick, (more)
A woman accused could be either a killer or a victim in this psychological drama from director Bill Duke. Valerie Maas (Aunjanue Ellis) is a God-fearing housewife and artist who one day finds herself in a situation she never imaged possible -- being questioned on murder charges by no-nonsense police detective Hicks (Lou Gossett Jr.) and Simmons (Clifton Davis), a district attorney eager to close this case. As Valerie repeatedly insists she's not a murderer, she tells the story of the last several months of her life. Valerie's husband, Dutch (Razaaq Adoti), is a psychiatrist with a practice in Atlanta who was offered a high-paying job by his old friend Monica (Paula Jai Parker), who works at a hospital in Philadelphia. Dutch takes the job and Valerie dutifully follows, and as she seeks solace in the women's support group at local church, Dutch spends more and more time with drug-abusing Monica, her wealthy but disinterested husband, Kevin (Roger Guenveur Smith), and obsessively womanizing musician Ryan Chambers (Leon). As Valerie's marriage begins to fall apart, she suspects her husband is being unfaithful, but she's shocked to discover the truth is more complicated than she imagined. Cover also stars Vivica A. Fox, Patti LaBelle, and Mya Harrison. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis Gossett, Jr., Vivica A. Fox, (more)
- 2007
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HBO's hit series Curb Your Enthusiasm, featuring TV's most cantankerous character, is back and funnier than ever. Writer-producer-comedian Larry David stars as himself in a comic vision of his life. This year, David's world is especially off-kilter: An African-American family, displaced by a hurricane, moves in with the staunchly progressive Davids; and in episode 6 ("The Tivo Guy"), Larry and his wife, Cheryl (Cheryl Hines), decide to separate. In addition to David, cast regulars include Jeff Garlin (as his manager, Jeff Greene) and Susie Essman (as Jeff's wife, Susie). The series also features appearances by guest celebrities playing themselves, such as returning favorites Ted Danson, Richard Lewis, and Mary Steenburgen. Season 6, originally telecast in 2007 over HBO, adds Vivica A. Fox as Loretta Black and Tia Carrere as Cha Cha.
- Starring:
- Larry David, Cheryl Hines, (more)
- 1996
- R
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Much as Keenen Ivory Wayans' I'm Gonna Git You Sucka parodied the basic elements of 70's blaxploitation pictures, this film written by and starring his younger brothers Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans pokes fun at the gritty "reality check" films of the 1990's, such as Boyz N The Hood, Menace II Society and New Jack City. When Ashtray (Shawn Wayans) moves to South Central L.A. to live with his father (who appears to be the same age he is) and grandmother (who likes to talk tough and smoke reefer), he falls in with his gang-banging cousin Loc Dog (Marlon Wayans), who along with the requisite pistols and Uzi carries a thermo-nuclear warhead for self-defense. Will Ashtray keep living the straight life or will he join up with Loc Dog's gangsta homeboys? And is his romance with self-styled poet Dashiki (Tracey Cherelle Jones) going to go anywhere? Big brother Keenen has a small role as a mailman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, (more)
Adapted from author Gail Carson Levine's award-winning children's book of the same name, the Miramax-financed modern fantasy Ella Enchanted is directed by Tommy O'Haver and stars The Princess Diaries alumna Anne Hathaway. Ella (Hathaway) lives in a magical world in which each child, at the moment of their birth, is given a virtuous "gift" from a fairy godmother. Ella's so-called gift, however, is obedience. This birthright proves itself to be quite the curse once Ella finds herself in the hands of several unscrupulous characters whom she quite literally cannot disobey. Determined to gain control of her life and decisions, Ella sets off on a journey she hopes will end with the lifting of the curse in question. The path, however, isn't easy -- Ella must outwit a slew of unpleasant magical creatures ranging from ogres to talking books with evil plots. Though perilous, Ella's adventures turn out to be necessary obstacles in the path toward finding herself, and maybe even true love along the way. Ella Enchanted also features Cary Elwes, who has starred in a fantasy feature himself (the widely acclaimed The Princess Bride), Hugh Dancy, and Patrick Bergin, among others. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, (more)
DMX, Clifton Powell, and Vivica A. Foxx star in director Phenomenon's inspirational tale of a well-meaning religious leader whose questionable business decision ignites a shocking scandal. Bishop Calvin Jacobs (Powell) is the kind of pastor who is relied on by the community and trusted by his loyal congregation. When Bishop Jacobs realizes during a board meeting that the church's funds have apparently been plundered, he rightly discerns that the church is in very real danger of having to closing its doors. Desperate, Bishop Jacobs subsequently accepts a substantial loan from an international tycoon involved in some seriously shady dealings. When in "innocent" loan ignites an international scandal and a beloved church leader loses his life, the same religious leader who once turned to the dark side in hopes of keeping his ministry alive must now repent and seek the forgiveness of a higher power if he hopes to set things right. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- DMX, Clifton Powell, (more)
- 1998
This satirical workplace sitcom is set in a Chicago agency, Old Dog Productions, a TV commercials outfit run by Jack Kacmarczyk (Elliott Gould). In the opening set-up, Robyn Buckley (Vivica A. Fox) meets Sam Wagner (Jon Cryer) in a restaurant line. He fixes her up on a blind date with his co-worker Milo Doucette (Duane Martin), but things don't gel well during the date. The next morning, the two guys go to work only to discover that Robyn is their new boss. Later episodes introduced Robyn's mother (Irma P. Hall) and grandmother (Ketty Lester). Premiered April 6, 1998 on Fox. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vivica A. Fox, Duane Martin, (more)
Bored to tears at being played by the men in their lives, three sexy and smart friends decide to play the players only to discover that the game is fixed in a sizzling relationship comedy starring Vivica A. Fox, Carmen Electra, and Stacey Dash. Who's to say that only the boys can play when it comes to matters of love? Certainly not these three friends, because when the men in their lives prove ever too predictable, it's soon time to find out just how shallow the waters in their male counterparts run. Now, as the girls set out to seduce one unsuspecting mark and convince him that he's struck relationship gold, they are about to find out just how quickly the tables can turn when it comes to games of the heart. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Blood may be thicker than water, but it doesn't hold a candle to hairspray, as we learn in this urban comedy. Angela (Kellita Smith) is a successful hairdresser who operates her own salon based in Los Angeles. One day, Angela gets an unexpected visit from her sister Peaches (Mo'Nique), who runs a beauty shop of her own in Baltimore. The family reunion turns out to not be as happy as Angela may have hoped -- Peaches is trying to stay a step ahead of IRS agents who want to collect 50,000 dollars in back taxes, while also avoiding Marcella (Gina Torres), a fellow hair stylist who wants to take over Peaches' shop. Despite their differences, Angela and Peaches join forces in hopes of finding a way to get the bill paid and take Marcella out of the picture. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mo'nique, Kellita Smith, (more)
Jimi Hendrix was perhaps the single most groundbreaking guitarist in the history of rock & roll; utilizing feedback, distortion, and effects pedals as integral parts of his sound and not simply as punctuation, Hendrix created a radically new aesthetic for the electric guitar, which combined with his superlative songwriting abilities and remarkable gift to bring out the most in other musicians helped to make him one of the most important figures in '60s rock, until his death in the fall of 1970s as a result of a drug overdose. This made-for-TV biography (originally shown on the Showtime premium cable network) stars Wood Harris as the legendary guitarist, and examines his life and career, both on and off the stage. Hendrix also stars Vivica A. Fox and Dorian Harewood; the filmmakers were unfortunately unable to obtain permission to use Hendrix's own songs in the film, so his onscreen performances are of covers Jimi recorded during his career. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wood Harris, Dorian Harewood, (more)
Craig Ross Jr.'s action thriller Hustle & Heat features Duane Martin as PI "Rad" McCrae who is on the trail of the man who murdered his lifelong friend, Benjamin (Jadakiss), an up-and-coming rapper. Weapons expert Lisa (Vivica A. Fox) partners with McCrae and assists him in his quest for justice. At the center of his investigation is Benjamin's former producer, B. Free (Michael Taliferro), who controls quite a powerful business that often deals in illegal activities. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Duane Martin, Vivica A. Fox, (more)
Teenage burnouts and post-modern slasher films are both raked over the satiric coals in the blood-soaked comedy Idle Hands. Anton (Devon Sawa) is a cheerful but exceedingly non-ambitious 17-year-old stoner who lives to stay buzzed, watch TV, and moon over Molly (Jessica Alba), the beautiful girl who lives next door. However, it turns out that the old cliché about idle hands being the devil's playground has a kernel of truth after all; there's a demonic beast living in his house that has already decapitated Anton's mom and dad (though it takes him a while to notice), and now the Dark Lord Himself has taken possession of Anton's right hand. Before he's entirely aware of what's happening, Anton's demon hand has killed his two best friends, Mick (Seth Green) and Pnub (Elden Henson), though both come back as zombies to keep Anton company. Can Randy (Jack Noseworthy), local metalhead and expert on all things Satanic, figure out what the Evil One has planned next for Anton's digits? Will traveling demon slayer Debi (Vivica A. Fox) vanquish the possessed in time? And most important, will Anton get to go to the big dance with Molly before his hand starts causing trouble again? Director Rodman Flender certainly knows the genres he parodies here; he cut his teeth in horror working for exploitation legend Roger Corman and directed the film Bloody Mutilators as well as episodes of the TV series Tales From The Crypt, while more recently he immersed himself in teenage culture directing episodes of the TV series Party of Five and Dawson's Creek. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Devon Sawa, Seth Green, (more)
A group of intrepid humans attempts to save the Earth from vicious extraterrestrials in this extremely popular science-fiction adventure. Borrowing liberally from War of the Worlds, Aliens, and every sci-fi invasion film inbetween, director Roland Emmerich and producer and co-writer Dean Devlin present a visually slick, fast-paced adventure filled with expensive special effects and large-scale action sequences. The story begins with the approach of a series of massive spaceships, which many on Earth greet with open arms, looking forward to the first contact with alien life. Unfortunately, these extraterrestrials have not come in peace, and they unleash powerful weapons that destroy most of the world's major cities. Thrown into chaos, the survivors struggle to band together and put up a last-ditch resistance in order to save the human race. As this is a Hollywood film, this effort is led by a group of scrappy Americans, including a computer genius who had foreseen the alien's evil intent (Jeff Goldblum), a hot-shot jet pilot (Will Smith), and the President of the United States (Bill Pullman). While some critics objected to the film's lack of originality and lapses in logic, the combination of grand visual spectacle and crowd-pleasing storytelling proved irresistible to audiences, resulting in an international smash hit. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Pullman, Will Smith, (more)
It's Big Momma's House on the three-point line in this broad farce, which marks the leading man/woman debut of longtime character actor Miguel A. Nunez. Nunez stars as Jamal Jefferies, a hotheaded pro basketball player whose on-court antics and quick temper get him booted from the league altogether. Faster than you can say Dennis Rodman, Jamal has transformed himself into the busty Juwanna Mann in order to be a forward for a high-intensity team in the WUBA league, the Charlotte Banshees. Behind the doors of the womens' lockerroom, Jamal unexpectedly falls for Michelle Langford (Vivica A. Fox), the team's no-nonsense captain. But prosthetic breasts and false eyelashes aren't the only thing preventing Jamal from finding true love with Michelle: there's also the problem of her aggressive, two-timing boyfriend, Romeo (Ginuwine), not to mention the unwanted advances Juwanna gets from a skanky rapper named Puff Smokey Smoke (Tom Davidson). ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miguel A. Nuñez, Vivica A. Fox, (more)
Rendered comatose for 20 years after a freak breakdancing accident, former child dancer Justin Schumacher (Jamie Kennedy) awakens from his extended repose with no motor skills and the mental capacity of a 12-year-old. So much has changed since Justin lapsed into a coma; not only have people stopped wearing parachute pants, the Internet has connected people in a manner that no child of the 1980s could have ever imagined. Dancing, however, is the one constant that remains as popular as ever. Upon discovering that his mountainous medical bills have drained mom and dad's bank account and the love of his life (Maria Menounos) is engaged to his lifelong nemesis (Michael Rosenbaum), the breakdancing Rip Van Winkle attempts to reassemble his former dance troupe in hopes of winning back the girl and saving his parents' failing yogurt shop. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Kennedy, Miguel A. Nuñez, (more)
Perhaps the most highly anticipated film of 2003, Kill Bill Vol. 1 marked the return of renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino after a six-year hiatus. Re-teaming the director with Uma Thurman for the first time since 1994's Pulp Fiction, the film was originally the first half of what was to be a three-hour-plus movie before being split into two films. Thurman stars as The Bride, one-fifth of a team of assassins called DiVAS. When The Bride opts to leave the outfit for a life of marital bliss, it doesn't sit well with her boss, Bill (David Carradine), so he has her former cohorts, played by Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, and Michael Madsen, show up at the nuptials, leaving behind a blood bath. Miraculously, The Bride survives a bullet to the head and, four years later, she sets out for revenge against her four assassins and their employer. The story is concluded in Kill Bill Vol. 2, released six months later. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, (more)
Based on the play Dearly Departed by David Dean Bottrell and Jessie Jones (who also penned this screenplay), this new comedy from the director of Jason's Lyric looks at a family gathering after one of their clan dies of a stroke. In the midst of a sweltering summer, the Slocumb family convenes. They include Charisse (Jada Pinkett Smith), the long-suffering, frustrated wife of philandering Junior (Anthony Anderson); there's also the Bible-spouting Marguerite (Loretta Devine), who prays to save her hard-living son Royce (Darius McCrary) from a life on welfare. Lucille (Vivica A. Fox) is the devoted family peacekeeper who is struggling with a money-grubbing funeral director, and her husband Ray Bud (L.L. Cool J) has major contempt for his family and wishes he were burying them instead. Kingdom Come also features Cedric the Entertainer as an intestinally challenged reverend and Whoopi Goldberg as the family matriarch. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett Smith, (more)
