LL Cool J Movies
Innovative rap music superstar LL Cool J made the successful transition to actor/musician in the 1990s, with several major films and a TV series to his credit. Born James Todd Smith in Queens, LL Cool J established himself as one of the major figures in rap music in the 1980s and '90s; he made his movie debut as himself in the 1985 rap movie Krush Groove. Although LL Cool J also appeared as himself in B.A.P.S. (1998), his 1990s movie career revealed that he had the acting chops to go with his musical talent. Following roles in the light-hearted cop movie The Hard Way (1991) and the ill-fated fantasy Toys (1992), LL Cool J spent four seasons as one of the stars of the primetime TV sitcom In the House (1995-1999). During his years on TV, LL Cool J also showed his dramatic versatility in the romantic comedy Woo (1998), crime dramas Caught Up (1998) and In Too Deep (1999), and horror sequel Halloween: H20 (1998). After starring as potential shark bait in the mutant mako actioner Deep Blue Sea (1999), he finished the decade by winning critical kudos as an immodest football player in Oliver Stone's sports drama Any Given Sunday (1999). Hit former career in music all but forgotten, LL Cool J would give action films a shot with Charlie's Angels (2000) and Rollerball (2002) before living up to his real life reputation as a ladies man in the comedy Deliver Us from Eva. Starring as the stud wrangled into taming Gabrielle Union’s shrew Eva, LL Cool J notched his first romantic comedy lead and took another step away from his musical past by billing himself under his real name. Following the less than stellar Eva, LL Cool J added his voice to the animated Rugrats Go Wild (2003). Further bolstering his action movie credits (and returning to his street moniker), LL Cool J then joined the multicultural cast of Samuel L. Jackson’s elite police squad in the summer popcorn movie S.W.A.T. (2003). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- 2008
This edition of the DVD magazine features appearances by a number of rap acts including Mook Diamonds, Shawty Lo, Red Café, and Remo Da Rapstar. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arlis Michaels, Mook Diamonds, (more)
- 2008
This program takes an in-depth look at the link between street-fashion and designer style, following some of the hottest styles from the sidewalks to the catwalks, and featuring appearances by the likes of DJ Khaled and LL Cool J. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
A cop trying to clear the name of a woman he loves falls deep into a morass of corruption in this crime thriller. Ford Cole (Ray Liotta) is the district attorney in a crime-ridden town where he's contemplating a run for mayor in a bid for greater power. Cole is also having an affair with one of his assistants, Nora Timmer (Jolene Blalock), though he tries to keep that a secret. One evening, while Cole is chatting with journalist Trippin (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Timmer arrives with startling news -- she claims to have been sexually assaulted by Isaac Duparde (Mekhi Phifer), a clerk at a nearby music store who broke into her apartment. Making matters more complicated is the fact that Duparde is currently dead in her flat, leaving Cole to find a way to protect Timmer while not staining his own reputation. Cole realizes this may be harder than he imagined when Luther Pinks (LL Cool J) arrives on the scene to tell him that Timmer actually lured Duparde back to her apartment on purpose, in an effort to get information on a well-connected organized crime figure. Slow Burn was the first directorial effort from screenwriter Wayne Beach. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Liotta, LL Cool J, (more)
- 2006
- Add Russell Simmons Presents: Hip Hop Laws of Success to QueueAdd Russell Simmons Presents: Hip Hop Laws of Success to top of Queue
Russell Simmons Presents: Hip Hop Laws of Success features the rap music mogul offering a variety of practical hints and tips on how to build a career in the music business. Also offering suggestions are such rap luminaries as ce Cube, LL Cool J, Jay-Z, and Sean Combs. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
A woman learns to love life when she finds out she won't be around long in this comedy. Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) lives in New Orleans, where she works in the cookware department of an upscale gourmet supply shop. While Georgia carries a torch for Sean (LL Cool J), one of her co-workers, she doesn't have the nerve to tell him, and despite her estimable skills in the kitchen, she lives frugally and doesn't put her talent to use. Georgia's good friend Rochelle (Jane Adams) often tells her that life is short and she needs to live a little, but she doesn't pay her much mind until a visit to the doctor reveals that Georgia has a very rare medical condition, and only has three weeks to live. Throwing caution to the wind, Georgia cashes out her life savings and heads to Europe for a last bit of revelry. She checks into a four-star hotel, trades her drab clothes for haute couture, finds herself flirting with a handsome and powerful politician (Giancarlo Esposito), convinces the head of a cooking supplies firm (Timothy Hutton) that she's a high-powered executive from a rival company, and makes friends with a four-star chef (Gérard Depardieu). But when Sean learns the truth about Georgia's condition, he sets out to find her before their chance at romance has passed. Directed by Wayne Wang, Last Holiday is a remake of a 1950 British comedy, which starred Alec Guinness as a salesman with a few weeks to live. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, (more)
- 2005
- R
Corruption is the law of the land in the every-city of Edison, and the only soul brave enough to peer into the fire and face the wrath of an entire squad of corrupt cops is a fresh-faced journalist in this neo-noir thriller from television director-turned-feature helmer David J. Burke. Joshua Pollack (Justin Timberlake) has discovered a glitch in the system, and as a fledgling journalist he sees it as his duty to expose the corruption. When Pollack misjudges the depth of the authoritative decay and his girlfriend is hospitalized following a brutal attack by the alliance of crooked cops known as F.R.A.T., he soon decides to take action and prove that even those who believe themselves to be above the law still aren't beyond its reach. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, (more)
- 2005
- Add Hip Hop Time Capsule: The Best of RETV 1993 to QueueAdd Hip Hop Time Capsule: The Best of RETV 1993 to top of Queue
Viewers are offered a retrospective look at the world of hip-hop circa 1993 in this program from Music Video Distributors. Along with interviews with the likes of The Pharcyde and Live Squad, Hip Hop Time Capsule 1993 includes live performances by Onyx and MC Lyte, and a video for Apache's "Gangsta Bitch." ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Finnish-born Hollywood filmmaker Renny Harlin directs the suspense thriller Mindhunters with a screenplay by writer/director Wayne Kramer. Val Kilmer stars as Harris, an FBI official teaching a group of trainees the art of profiling serial killers. He takes them on a weekend retreat to a deserted island for some supplemental simulation exercises in which they catch a fake killer. When some FBI trainees get killed for real, the rest figure the murderer must be one of them. Class leader Sara (Kathryn Morris) must try to stay alive long enough to figure out if one of her colleagues is the murderer. Is it Gabe (LL Cool J), J.D. Reston (Christian Slater), Bobby (Eion Bailey), Rafe (Will Kemp), Lucas (Jonny Lee Miller), Vince (Clifton Collins Jr.), or Nicole (Patricia Velazquez)? ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- LL Cool J, Kathryn Morris, (more)
- 2005
The opening episode of House's second season finds misanthropic medico Greg House (Hugh Laurie) still mulling over the possibility of rekindling his romance with lawyer Stacy Warner (Sela Ward)--and never mind that Stacy is very much a married woman. The major medical crisis of the evening concerns death-row inmate Clarence (LL Cool J), who collapses shortly after claiming to hear the voices of all his victims. Despite the stiff opposition of Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) and Foreman (Omar Epps), House and Stacy conspire conspire to sneak Clarence into the clinic so that House can save his life in time for the execution! And in another development, Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) finds herself peculiarly incapable to inform her patient (Christie Lynn Smith) that she has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Two of the most popular animated series on the children's cable network Nickelodeon get wrapped up in one big-screen package in this comedy-adventure, featuring the characters from Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. Drew and Didi Pickles (voices of Michael Bell and Melanie Chartoff) decide to take a special vacation with their children, Tommy (voice of Elizabeth Daily) and Angelica (voice of Cheryl Chase), with their friends (both grown-ups and toddlers) coming along for the ride. However, the ship Drew has chartered isn't especially seaworthy, and their party ends up stranded on an uncharted island in the Pacific. The kids figure the day is saved when they discover that famous explorer and television personality Sir Nigel Tornberry (voice of Tim Curry) is also on the island with his family, but after he gets a world-class knock on the head from a coconut, Nigel's upper intellectual register gets knocked out of commission. The Rugrats are then forced to turn to Nigel's daughter, Eliza (voice of Lacey Chabert), who not only knows the wilds, but can talk to animals, which comes as quite a surprise to Spike (voice of Bruce Willis), the Pickles' family pooch. Rugrats Go Wild also features the voice talents of LL Cool J, Cree Summer, Nancy Cartwright, Jack Riley, and Flea. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Chrissie Hynde, (more)
Clark Johnson's big-screen adaptation of the 1970s television series S.W.A.T. stars Colin Farrell as Jim Street, a young special weapons and tactics team member who, in the film's opening sequence, is demoted after his hothead partner Jeremy Renner shoots a hostage while trying to kill her captor. In need of good press, the higher-ups call in SWAT expert Hondo Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) to put together an elite team that can bring some luster back to the badge. He chooses Street, veteran T.J. (Josh Charles), and tough single mother Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez). The new team survives a series of tests before hitting the streets. Their first big assignment involves transporting an international criminal (Olivier Martinez) to federal authorities. The criminal had offered a hundred million dollars to anyone who can bust him out. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, (more)
This remake of the classic 1975 science fiction film follows the same basic story line but focuses far more on the sports action of the fictional game at its center. Chris Klein stars as all-American athlete Jonathan Cross, the most popular player of "Rollerball," a violent 21st century sport mixing elements of basketball, hockey, roller derby, and extreme sports, along with the development of live wagering that tracks each game's action. Along with his friends and teammates Marcus (L.L. Cool J) and Aurora (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos), Jonathan is living the life of a media celebrity and millionaire, enjoying the adoration of fans and all of the perks that his fame brings. When the creator of Rollerball, Alexi Petrovich (Jean Reno), realizes that the sport's ratings spike during the on-court accidents that are de rigueur for the game, he schemes to create the bloody incidents that are popular with viewers but put the athletes in mortal jeopardy. Soon, Jonathan and his friends find themselves pawns in a vast corporate conspiracy in which their lives are far less important than profits. Rollerball (2002) also stars pop singer Pink in her acting debut. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Klein, Jean Reno, (more)
Three men discover that meddling in their sister-in-law's love life only makes their own lives more complicated in this romantic comedy. Eva Dandridge (Gabrielle Union) developed a sense of responsibility early on in life, when after the death of her parents she was left to care for her three younger sisters, Kareenah (Essence Atkins), Bethany (Robinne Lee), and Jacqui (Meagan Good). All four of the Dandridge sisters have grown up to be attractive, intelligent, and successful; Kareenah is happily married to Tim (Mel Jackson), while Bethany is engaged to Michael (Duane Martin), and Jacqui is going steady with Darrell (Dartanyan Edmonds). However, Eva still watches over her siblings like a hawk, and while her sisters love Eva dearly, Tim, Michael, and Darrell wish their sister-in-law would stay out of their business. The guys decide that if Eva had a boyfriend, she might be less interested in running other people's lives, and they turn to Ray (LL Cool J), a notorious ladies' man, for help. Ray is short on cash, so the guys make him a deal -- they'll give him 5,000 dollars to romance Eva, sweep her off her feet, and then dump her a few weeks later. Ray agrees, and while getting past her no-nonsense demeanor takes some doing, before long she's head over heels for him. However, Ray unexpectedly finds himself falling in love with Eva, and Eva, when offered a job in another town, decides to stay on to be with Ray. Even worse, the other Dandridge sisters are so impressed with the romantic Ray that they start demanding a bit more TLC from their own men. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- LL Cool J, Gabrielle Union, (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)
They're beautiful, they're brilliant, and they can kick your butt -- the most glamorous private eyes in the world are back in action in this big-screen adaptation of the popular '70s television series. Natalie (Cameron Diaz) is the smart but silly one, Dylan (Drew Barrymore) is the tough but fun-loving one, and Alex (Lucy Liu) is the classy but hard-as-nails one, and they work for a man named Charlie (voice of John Forsythe), who never meets his employees face to face. Along with their helper Bosley (Bill Murray), the Angels are sent into action when electronics genius Eric Knox (Sam Rockwell) is kidnapped, with the nefarious Roger Corwin (Tim Curry) as the prime suspect. But they soon learn even bigger danger is afoot -- the kidnappers have gotten their hands on Knox's latest invention, a system that can monitor voice communication from anywhere in the world, virtually ending the notion of private conversation. Charlie's Angels also stars Crispin Glover, Luke Wilson, Kelly Lynch, and Tom Green. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, (more)
- 2000
- Add Babyface: A Collection of Hit Videos to QueueAdd Babyface: A Collection of Hit Videos to top of Queue
Over a dozen videos from R&B performer, arranger, songwriter, and producer Babyface are collected on this release. Among the promotional clips on this video are "How Come, How Long", "This Is the Lover In You", "Every Time I Close My Eyes", and "Every Time I Close My Eyes". The DVD release of this collection offers a biography of the performer and a discography. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenneth Edmonds
In this crime thriller, L.L. Cool J is a underworld boss so powerful that his nickname is "God." He has his fingers in 80% of the drug traffic in Cincinnati, has won over nearly every adversary through bribery or intimidation, and seems practically untouchable. New police detective Jeffrey Cole (Omar Epps), convinced that he's the man who can bring down "God" and his empire, assumes a criminal identity that allows him to infiltrate "God"'s organization. However, the longer Cole remains inside the underworld, the more he finds himself caught up in it, and getting out of "God"'s empire becomes more difficult than getting in. The supporting cast includes Stanley Tucci as Cole's superior, Nia Long as Cole's girlfriend , and Pam Grier as an undercover detective, as well as hip-hop artists Nas and Mya. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Although mako sharks are among the fastest and deadliest predators in the ocean, they're not as smart as humans -- at least, they weren't. However, Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) has been using mako sharks as her test subjects for research on the regeneration of human brain tissues. McAlester has altered the DNA of several sharks, raising them close to the level of human intelligence; the sharks have also become faster and stronger in the process. While these DNA experiments have yielded fascinating results, they're also of questionable ethics and legality, earning her the distrust of several members of her crew, including shark authority Carter Blake (Thomas Jane and cook "Preacher" Dudley (LL Cool J). The financial backers of these experiments have also expressed skepticism, so when McAlester is ready to perform some major tests, financier Russell Franklin (Samuel L. Jackson) arrives for the occasion. McAlester and her team are delicately extracting brain tissue from one of the altered makos when the animal regains consciousness - and becomes very angry. The shark not only attacks the researchers but also damages the floating lab, leaving the crew aboard a literally sinking ship, with the makos eager to go a few rounds - in an arena that favors sharks. Deep Blue Sea was directed by Renny Harlin, and filmed in Mexico at Fox Studios Baja in the underwater filming facilities created for James Cameron's Titanic. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, (more)
Oliver Stone takes on professional football, a sport whose grace and delicacy are a good match for his filmmaking style. Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino), the head coach of the Miami Sharks, won back-to-back championships four years ago. But new team owner Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz) has little enthusiasm for the finer points of the game and is concerned only with the bottom line. The longtime strongman of Tony's team has been "Cap" Rooney (Dennis Quaid), a 39-year-old quarterback, but Christina balks at renewing his contract. When Cap is injured during a game, third-string rookie quarterback Willie Beaman (Jamie Foxx) goes on in his place and becomes a major star. But Beaman is mostly interested in fame and money, and he has little regard for Tony and his teammates. Any Given Sunday also stars James Woods as the team's doctor, LL Cool J as a star running back, Jim Brown as a former football great turned Sharks' defensive coordinator, Ann-Margret as Christina's alcoholic mother, Bill Bellamy as a wide receiver, Elizabeth Berkley as Tony's favorite prostitute, and Charlton Heston as the football commissioner. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, (more)
Originally broadcast on pay-per-view TV in 2000, this bi-costal simulcast concert brought together some of the most influential artists in rap for a one-time-only show of rhyming might. Rap Mania: The Roots of Rap took place at both the Apollo Theater in New York City and The Palace in Los Angeles, and featured sets from such performers as Sugarhill Gang, L.L. Cool J, Ice T, Tone Loc, and Kool Moe Dee. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
This is the seventh movie in this horror series and a 20th anniversary follow-up to John Carpenter's Halloween (1978), arguably the most influential horror film of the '70s, a film that set the standard of horror for the next two decades and catapulted the career of Jamie Lee Curtis. Newspaper clippings review the murders 20 years earlier by Michael Myers, including one stating Laurie Strode (Curtis) died in a car accident. Actually, she faked her death to hide from Michael, changed her name, and became headmistress at a Southern California boarding school attended by her son, teen John (Josh Hartnett). On Halloween, with most of the school staff and students away on a Yosemite camping trip, John plans a "romantic" evening with several of his classmates -- his girlfriend Molly (Michelle Williams), Charlie (Adam Hann-Byrd), and Sarah (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). Laurie, meanwhile, has her own date with school-counselor Will (Adam Arkin); on their date, she reveals some of the secrets of her past life to Will. Meanwhile, masked Michael (Chris Durand) evades security guard Ronny (LL Cool J) -- and the nightmares begin anew. Curtis' mother, Janet Leigh, appears in a cameo role as the school secretary. The music score by John Ottman features orchestral variations on the 1978 score composed by Carpenter. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Lee Curtis, Adam Arkin, (more)
Daisy von Scherler Mayer (Madeline, Party Girl) directed this comedy, scripted by David C. Johnson (D.R.O.P. Squad), following the trajectory of a mismatched couple throughout the evening of a blind date in New York (but mostly filmed in Toronto). Extrovert Darlene "Woo" Bates (Jada Pinkett Smith of Scream 2) is one woman who's not afraid to take what she wants, and she has a notorious knack for turning men into mush. When Woo's psychic friend Celestrial (Girlina) predicts that the man of her dreams is about to enter her life, Woo doesn't believe it's true. Celestrial, however, is convinced that Woo is destined to meet a tall, debonair Virgo. Woo's cousin Claudette (Paula Jai Parker of Friday) and Claudette's boyfriend Lenny (Dave Chapelle of Con Air) plan to spend the night together but find themselves entertaining Woo instead. Fearing that his night alone with Claudette will be ruined, Lenny begs his best friend Tim Jackson (Tommy Davidson of Booty Call) to take Woo out -- even though shy, straight-laced law clerk Tim is the polar opposite of the sassy and brassy Woo. At first, Woo expresses disinterest in the matchmaking mismatch. But when she's told that Tim is a Virgo, she decides it's fate, jumps at the chance, and immediately heads for Tim's apartment. Meanwhile, Tim, who can't believe his luck, goes next door to his neighbor Darryl (LL Cool J of B.A.P.S.) for tips on romancing women. Darryl, who knows all the smooth moves, supplies Tim with incense, edible body oils, and a tape of sexy songs. When Woo arrives, Tim is completely smitten. Woo, however, discovers that Tim is anything but the sexy, spontaneous stud of her dreams. Finding Tim's pseudo-cool act totally transparent, she humiliates and teases him. They are just about to exit Tim's apartment when Tim gets a visit from three of his pals -- Frankie (Duane Martin of Getting Personal), Hop (Darrel M. Heath of B.A.P.S.), and Romaine (Michael Ralph of Do the Right Thing). The chauvinistic attitude of these guys irritates Woo, so she retaliates and freaks out the trio with wild, seemingly psycho behavior. Finally, the date gets underway. Woo and Tim arrive at a stuffy Italian restaurant, but Woo's behavior gets them thrown out. They go to a dance club, where Tim becomes the victim, punched out by Woo's ex-boyfriend. Woo likes a good laugh, and when Tim discovers the theft of his flashy new car, she finds this hilarious. "Maybe we could be having a good time, if you could control your psychotic mood swings," says Tim. And so it goes, straight on till morning. Billy Dee Williams portrays himself in a brief fantasy sequence. Daisy von Scherler Mayer is a native New Yorker who made film history when her movie Party Girl became the first feature film to premiere on the Internet (on June 3, 1995). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jada Pinkett Smith, Tommy Davidson, (more)
Darin Scott made his directorial debut with this neo-noir crime drama set in South Central L.A. and featuring Cynda Williams in a dual role. Back in L.A. after serving time on drug charges, Daryl Allen (Bokeem Woodbine), who narrates, plans to open a nightclub, and a pal offers to bankroll the business. Daryl drives his buddy to the bank, unaware he's taking part in a robbery. He's sent back to the slammer for a long stretch, and during that period his girlfriend (Cynda Williams) marries. Released after five years, Daryl is unemployed when he meets Vanessa Dietrich (Williams), who gets him work as a limo driver. Vanessa and Daryl are targets of a hitman, and Vanessa tells Daryl she suspects her ex-lover Ahmad (Basil Wallace). What Daryl doesn't know about Ahmad and Vanessa may turn out to be his undoing. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bokeem Woodbine, Cynda Williams, (more)
