Tony Amendola Movies
- 2008
A whistle-blowing doctor hides incriminating information in a magical book with the power to transform all who come onto contact with it, prompting unwanted attention from the heavies at a powerful pharmaceutical company and setting five unwitting strangers on a strange collision course. Bookstore manager Dante harbors a deep dark secret, and as his former lover Zoe finds her life falling to pieces, his best customer Gina claims to have all the right answers when it comes to matters of the heart. Meanwhile, movie-buff Marcia can't stop cracking wise, and diminutive clerk Norman is never short on wild conspiracy theories. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Amendola, Barbara Crampton, (more)
Anton Pardoe, Roselyn Sanchez, and Patrick Bauchau star in this nightmarish film noir about a tortured soul who returns to the city he vowed to leave behind in order to save the woman he knows he can never have. He was a ruthless killer whose disregard for his own life and devotion to the luminescent beauty Porphyria earned him the nickname "The Mad Monk" by his fellow assassins. But that was ten years ago, before he decided to make a break from his violent past. Now Porphyria is in danger, and the only man who can help her is the man who intended to disappear forever. There are men in this city who have been awaiting his return since the day he left, men who would relish the opportunity to watch him die slowly. At the forefront of this diabolical group is the formidable villain named Nikolai -- a man who not only raised the so-called Mad Monk, but may be his biological father as well. Now, as the man with no name returns to the city that never forgives, the guns are drawn and the mystery deepens. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anton Pardoe, Roselyn Sanchez, (more)
- 2005
This witty (and taste-tempting) made-for-cable updating of "Romeo and Juliet"--minus the bloodshed!-- takes place in Verona, New Jersey, where two families, bitter rivals since their origins in Italy, are in charge of the town's two most popular pizza parlors. Upon returning to Verona from college, Gina Prestolani (Shiri Appleby) is informed by her domineering dad Lou (Michael Badalucco) that, not only is she obliged to enter the family business, but he has also picked out her future husband! But Gina's heart already belongs to Joe Montebello (Eyal Podell), a talented pizza chef--and of course, the son of Lou's bitter enemy Vinnie Montebello (Dan Hedaya). This star-crossed romance is further complicated when the animosity between the Prestolanis and the Montebellos is amplified by the efforts of both families to expand their businesses. A near-tragedy involving everyone concerned proves to have a most therapeutic effect in the final moments of Pizza My Heart, which first aired July 24, 2005 on the ABC Family Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A man decides to prove himself by learning to fight in this independent comedy drama. Joseph Rex (Roy Jahangard) is an introverted middle-aged businessman who is going through a midlife crisis and needs to lose some weight. Joseph has become the frequent butt of jokes from a self-consciously macho co-worker Paul (Owen McKibben), and one day Joseph allows himself to get talked into entering an amateur boxing tournament to prove to Paul he can go the distance. Joseph knows he's in no shape to go into the ring, so he hires Jake (Adam Guertin) to train him, only to discover Jake doesn't have much practical knowledge of the fight game. Still, with the encouragement of his best friend Frank (Stephen Sepher), whose romantic problems have sent him into a midlife crisis of his own, Joseph drops thirty pounds in sixty days, and begin to look like he might just make it through the tournament after all. The first feature film for Roy Jahangard and Stephen Sepher -- who respectively wrote and directed the film as well as playing two of the leading roles -- One More Round also features supporting appearances from Udo Kier and Patrick Cranshaw. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Forbidden Warrior is structured loosely on a popular Asian myth. The story concerns Seki, an attractive woman who discovers that she can utilize an ancient book of spells in order to accomplish just about anything. She must master these spells before the book falls into the hands of those who mean to do some serious damage with it. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie Matiko, Kang Sung, (more)
Following up their breakthrough film, 2001's Super Troopers, the Broken Lizard comedy troupe, comprised of Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske, took aim at the horror genre and delivered Club Dread. Starring the five members of the troupe along with Bill Paxton, the film is set at an anything-goes tropical resort for swingers. When a psychotic killer starts offing the guests with a razor sharp machete, it's up to the staff to hide the carnage, lest they lose the business of the unsuspecting surviving guests. As with Super Troopers and the first Broken Lizard film Puddle Cruiser, Chandrasekhar directs. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Paxton, Jay Chandrasekhar, (more)
Ancient warriors are pitted against fire-breathing creatures from outer space in this made-for-TV fantasy adventure. In the Middle Ages, a handful of meteorites begin plummeting toward Earth, but these are not ordinary bits of space debris. The meteorites contain eggs which hatch into fire-breathing dragons, and King Fastrad (John Rhys-Davies) discovers their presence when they destroy his castle. Fastrad is forced to enter into an alliance with another monarch in order to protect his people, but when they find themselves at odds about how to deal with the dragons, they enlist the forces of Silas (Maxwell Caulfield), a master hunter, who is now out to capture the greatest prey of his life. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Rhys-Davies
- 2002
Even in the womb, Phoebe's (Alyssa Milano) baby is showing signs of demonic powers. Anxious to rule the Underworld, The Seer (Debbi Morgan) schemes to steal the baby and plant it in her own body. Meanwhile, the malevolent infant is slowly but surely taking over the rest of Phoebe's body, with the intention of killing Phoebe's half sister, Paige (Rose McGowan). Has the time come at last to enact the all-too-rare "Power of Three" spell? ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Julian McMahon, (more)
- 2002
In hopes of flushing out the elusive Khasinau (who may or may not be the criminal mastermind "The Man") -- and, incidentally, to ascertain the whereabouts of her mother, Irina Derevko -- Sydney (Jennifer Garner) teams with Vaughn (Michael Vartan) to arrange the illicit sale of a Rambaldi artifact. Unfortunately, the scheme is scuttled by a counterplot hatched by SD-6. Meanwhile, Sloane (Ron Rifkin) is forced into a difficult decision involving his terminally ill wife, Emily (Amy Irving) -- who knows the whole truth about her husband's activities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Unaware that Cole (Julian McMahon) is now possessed by The Source of All Evil, Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) proceeds with her plans to marry Cole. At the goading of The Seer (Debbi Morgan), The Source agrees to utilize "dark powers" at the wedding to ensure that Phoebe and Cole's son will one day rule the Underworld. The trick is to prevent Piper (Holly Marie Combs) and Paige (Rose McGowan) from catching on that the marriage ceremony is -- to say the least -- an unholy occasion. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Julian McMahon, (more)
- 2002
Irina (Lena Olin) turns herself in to the CIA, insisting that her main purpose in life is "Defeating Arvin Sloane. SD-6. The Alliance." She also offers to help track down "The Bible," the elusive operations manual for the evil cartel which she formerly headed. But her ex-husband, Jack (Victor Garber), and daughter, Sydney (Jennifer Garner), are extremely skeptical about Irina's sincerity, even after she provides Sydney with the safety measures needed to retrieve a computer disk used by Irina to blackmail other secret agents into complicity -- an assignment given to Sydney by the sinister Arvin Sloane (Ron Rifkin), as yet unaware of Irina's surrender. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Arriving at a supermarket where a woman was abducted and murdered, Grissom (William L. Petersen) finds a message in the bathroom indicating that the killer has already struck five times before. Warrick (Gary Dourdan) and Sara (Jorja Fox) are reluctantly teamed as they investigate a robbery-murder in which the supposed victim isn't the victim at all. And Nick (George Eads) gets into trouble thanks to the shenanigans of a prostitute he has befriended. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this combination sequel and prequel to the surprise box-office success The Omega Code, one man becomes the leader of an evil empire that could destroy the world, and his brother must rise against him in the defense of good. Stone Alexander (played as a child by Gavin Fink) is a moody, dark-tempered child whose parents died shortly after he was born. The mother who adopted Stone died several years later while giving birth to another son, David, and Stone is unable to forgive his brother for unwittingly taking his mother from him. Stone goes so far as to attempt to murder David, and their father, prominent businessman Daniel Alexander (David Hedison), responds by shipping Stone off to military school. There, Stone falls under the tutelage of The Guardian (Udo Kier), an instructor at the school who is actually an emissary of Satan. While the enmity between Stone (played as a teenager by Noah Huntley) and David (played by Chad Michael Murray) cools a bit with time, Stone once again finds himself in a bitter rivalry with his brother when they both fall in love with the same woman, Gabriella (played as a teenager by Elisa Scialpi). Stone eventually wins Gabriella's hand and they marry, as Stone (played as an adult by Michael York) rises to power as the ruthless leader of the military arm of the European Union; David (played as an adult by Michael Biehn), meanwhile, becomes a powerful figure in American politics, and is elected to the office of Vice President. What neither David nor Gabriella (played as an adult by Diane Venora) fully understand is that, under the influence of The Guardian, Stone has taken on the role of the Antichrist, and he attempts to curry his brother's favor (and arrange events that will make David president) in a bid for world domination. When it becomes clear to David that the goal of his brother's campaign is to put the world in the power of Satan, David realizes America and its allies must join forces against Stone's troops in a battle in Megiddo, Israel -- predicted in the Book of Revelations as the place of the final battle of good versus evil. Megiddo: Omega Code 2 also features Franco Nero, R. Lee Ermey, and Gil Colon. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael York, Michael Biehn, (more)
Following the life of cocaine-trafficking pioneer George Jung in a way that recalls Martin Scorsese's Casino, Blow recounts the man's days from his 1950s childhood in Boston to his downfall in the 1980s. George (played by Johnny Depp) begins his life as the son of Fred (Ray Liotta), an earnest breadwinner, and Ermine (Rachel Griffiths), who frequently walks out on them in pursuit of a more fulfilling life. When George moves west to California in the late '60s, accompanied by best pal Tuna (Ethan Suplee), he becomes an entrepreneur in the marijuana business, which soon spreads to the East Coast as well, with girlfriend Barbara (Franka Potente) smuggling the product during her stewardess shifts. George is arrested in 1972 -- at which time Barbara dies of cancer -- but George finds a new ally in Diego (Jordi Molla), who proposes the idea that he become the American conduit for Colombian kingpin Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis). George flourishes in the heyday of the disco era, and falls for Mirtha (Penelope Cruz), a self-serving bombshell who eventually has a daughter with him. Trouble escalates as the FBI threatens to bring George and his crew down, while he desperately tries to be a stable parent to his young offspring. Blow also features Paul Reubens and Max Perlich in featured roles. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, (more)
- 2000
Torres Roxann Dawson and Kim (Garrett Wang) set out in the Delta Flyer in search of valuable dilithium. Crash landing on a warlike planet, Torres finds herself being exploited as the inspiration for alien poet Kelis (Joseph Will). Seeking to curry favor with the local warlord (Stoney Westmoreland), Kelis writes a surreptitiously pacifistic theatrical piece, compelling Torres to play the central character. But when the audience threatens to turn hostile -- and deadly -- Torres has to do a bit of clever and resourceful "improvising." "Muse" made its first U.S. television appearance on April 26, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roxann Dawson
- 2000
Angel (David Boreanaz) asks Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Wesley (Alexis Denisof) to research an abandoned Art Deco hotel called the Hyperion. Little do they know that 50 years earlier their boss was a resident at the very same building. Using the McCarthy hearings as a backdrop, flashbacks reveal the Angel of 1952 to have been an even bigger brooder than now, disconnected from both humans and the vampire world. After unintentionally getting involved in the affairs of a fugitive thief named Judy Kovacs (Melissa Marsala), the '50s Angel discovers the presence of a Thesulac demon in the Hyperion. Feeding off the mistrust and insecurities of the residents, the monster whips them into an angry mob. Judy, terrified of being found out as a criminal, accuses Angel of being a murderer; the crowd strings him up and hangs him, unaware that he's already dead. Angel escapes and tells the Thesulac demon he can have his way with the humans. Fifty years of gruesome murders ensue. Back in the present day, a repentant Angel and the gang stage a final showdown with the still malevolent beast -- and free an elderly Judy Kovacs from her reclusive paranoia. Before the team can leave the hotel, however, Angel makes an announcement; he's turning the building into their new headquarters. Originally broadcast October 3, 2000, on the WB network, "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?" marked season two, episode two of the supernatural comedy drama. The supporting characters of this episode include Denver (Brett Rickaby), a '50s bookstore owner who assists Angel and appears again in "Reprise." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2000
A wounded Bra'tac (Tony Amendola) arrives at SGC with news about the Harsesis offspring of the Goa'uld Apophis and Jackson's (Michael Shanks) Jaffa wife Sha're. The SG-1 crew must race against the forces of Apophis to find the child, whose retention of all Goa'uld knowledge could be a blessing or a curse depending upon who reaches him first. The climax takes place on the mystical planet Kheb, where literally anything can happen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Awakening from suspended animation, O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson), Carter (Amanda Tapping) and Jackson (Michael Shanks) are told that 79 years have passed while they slept, and that they are the only survivors of the SG-1 team. A group of scientists, claiming that they need the trio's memories to continue the fight against the Gou'ald, holographically recreate SG-1's past adventures (via excerpts from the earlier episodes "The Nox", "The Torment of Tantalus", "The Serpent's Lair" and "Secrets". Only when it is almost too late do the SG-1 team members realize that their futuristic trappings are merely an illusion, cooked up by evil Goa'uld leader Hathor (Suanne Braun)--but for what purpose? The "cliffhanger" climax of this final second-season Stargate SG-1 episode would not be resolved until the opening installment of Season Three. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Picking up where the series' second season left off, the first episode of Stargate SG-1 finds SG-1 crew members O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson), Carter (Amanda Tapping) and Jackson (Michael Shanks) trapped on the home planet of evil Goa'uld queen Hathor (Suanne Braun). As Hathor attempts to bring O'Neill over to her side by implanting him with a Goa'uld symbiote, in the Jaffa city of Chulak Teal'c (Christopher Judge) tries to raise an army to rescue his SG-1 comrades, with the assistance of Teal'c's mentor Bra'tac (Tony Amendola). The fate of everyone may rest in a bold plan hatched by Stargate leader Gen. Hammond (Don S. Davis)--while a previous rescue attempt by the reckless Col Makepeace (Steve Majac) yields potentially dangerous side effects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
In part two of Stargate SG-1's first-season finale, the Stargate project has been determined to be a waste of money and shut down by the government. Still convinced that the Goa'ulds, led by Apophis (Peter Williams), are planning to attack the Earth, the SG-1 team defies orders and passes through the Stargate, prepared to thwart the attack by cutting it off at its source. Hopelessly trapped on a Goa'uld ship, the team members agree to sacrifice themselves for the greater good and set about to destroy the vessel. A slim hope for salvation is aroused when O'Neil (Richard Dean Anderson) discovers that his old friend and comrade in arms, the Abydonian Skaara (Alexis Cruz), is also on board the enemy ship. Alas, Skaara is now the host body of Klorel, son of Apophis -- and as zero hour approaches, it appears that Skaara/Klorel will serve only to seal the Earth's doom. This cliffhanger episode would not be resolved until "The Serpent's Lair," the opening installment of Stargate SG-1's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
This opening episode of Stargate SG-1's second season resolves the "cliffhanger" established at the end of Season One. As the earth gears up for an attack from the parasitic Goa'ulds, the SG-1 team, led by Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson), is still trapped on the Goa'uld war vessel commandeered by Klorel (Alexis Cruz), son of the megalomanic enemy leader Apophis (Peter Williams). The fact that Klorel inhabits the body of Skaara, onetime close friend of O'Neill, makes his villainy all the more intolerable. Realizing that there is no hope for escape, the SG-1 crew prepares to blow up the Goa'uld ship with themselves aboard, rather than allow it to descend upon earth. At a crucial moment, a brief ray of hope is provided by the presence of Bra'tac (Tony Amendola), the mentor of SG-1's Jaffa member Teal'c (Christopher Judge). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
On the planet P35636, Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) saves the life of Princess Shyla (Heather Hanson), suicidal daughter of planetary ruler Pyrus (George Touliatos). Rather than be rewarded for his fast action, Jackson and the rest of the SG-1 team are captured and put to work in the planet's Naquadah mines (an element important to the survival of Pyrus' Goa'uld enemies). Rescuing Jackson from slave labor, Shyla tells him that her father is being kept alive by the powers of a Goa'uld sarcophagus--and that once Pyrus dies, she wants Jackson to rule by her side as King. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amanda Tapping
- 1998
SG-1's Jaffa crew member Teal'c (Christopher Judge) is bombarded with bad news about his family. Because she believed herself to be a widow, Teal'c's wife Drey'auc (Brook Parker) has married his best friend Fro'tak (Peter Bryant). Worse still, the supposedly dead Apophis (Peter Williams) has captured and brainwashed Teal'c's son Rya'c (Neil Denis). Now the SG-1 team faces two nemeses: Fro'tak, who may betray them out of jealousy; and Rya'c, who has renounced his father and cast his lot with the dreaded Apophis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
The lawyers are forced to consult another law firm when they encounter a murder case. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
Director Martin Campbell, well-known to the action arena after 1995's GoldenEye, teams up with executive producer Steven Spielberg to bring the first Hollywood production of creator Johnston McCulley's Zorro in over four decades to the big screen. With scenic 18th century Mexico as a backdrop, Anthony Hopkins plays the original Zorro, a.k.a. Don Diego de la Vega, intent on revenge after rival enemy Don Raphael Montero (Stuart Wilson) murdered his wife and took his daughter, Elena. After being imprisoned for 20 years, the fabled hero removes his mask and takes on a tarnished young apprentice, Alejandro Murieta (Antonio Banderas), to infiltrate Montero's plan to take control of California from Santa Anna. A boisterous outlaw with his own desire for revenge, Murieta works with Diego to avenge his brother's death by the sword of Montero's right-hand man, Captain Harrison Love (Matt Letscher, in his big screen debut). After Diego's extensive training in swordfighting, discipline and manners, a new Zorro appears wreaking vengeance and stealing the heart of a now-grown Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones). A sizable summer hit, the film served as Zeta-Jones' stepping stone to leading lady status as the high-spirited heroine. ~ Rachel Koetje, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, (more)
