Robert Costanzo Movies

Was Abby's (Maura Tierney) bipolar brother piloting the plane that has plunged into Lake Michigan? As Abby agonizes over this possibility, other dramas play themselves out at the ER. A teenaged driver who may have deliberately run down her taunting classmates is brought in; Chen (Ming-Na) reveals a hidden chapter of her past; and the disabled Romano (Paul McCrane) reacts violently to some bad news about his future as a surgeon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Three young, mischievous boys get more than they bargained for in this 2000 film directed by Eric Hendershot. Brad's sister Becky gets hired to babysit by star NBA basketball player Mosiah "The Messiah" Jackson (Reggie Theus), who happens to live nearby. Brad and his two friends decide to play a prank on Becky by leaving a ransom note and taking the baby, which they hide in one of the cars in the professional athlete's garage. After the infant unexpectedly (to the boys, at least) "makes a mess," the boys quickly decide to end the prank, leaving the baby in the car as they go back into the house to let Becky in on the joke. But a desperate and not so bright car thief named Jack (Joe Piscopo) breaks in and steals the car, along with the baby. Jack -- who was actually blackmailed into stealing the hoopster's vintage Rolls Royce by a pair of mafia goons -- has a change of heart after discovering that not only did he steal the wrong car but he inadvertently kidnapped the star's infant. While he decides what to do with the baby, the two goons learn of the kidnapping and decide to find Jack, take the baby from him, and put a ransom on the infant. Meanwhile, Brad and his friends attempt to track down the baby and return him to Becky before Mosiah and his wife return home from their night out. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

Future ER costar Erik Palladino makes a return appearance as Danny, the juvenile-delinquent son of Frank's current amour Dana. At the suggestion of Murphy (Candice Bergen), Frank (Joe Regalbuto) arranges for Danny to get a security job at "FYI", where the boy's innate intimidation skills come in quite handy. Alas, Frank's gesture of goodwill may well backfire when both Murphy and Danny end up at the gaming tables in Atlantic City. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ira Buchman (John Pankow), the ex-gambler cousin of Paul Buchman (Paul Reiser), falls off the wagon and returns to the racetracks and gaming tables. Before long, Ira is lavishing expensive gifts on Paul and Jamie (Helen Hunt) -- but there's a hidden price tag. Of course, none of this intrigue does the Buchmans' shaky sex life any good. And what about the 4,000-dollar bath? ~ All Movie Guide

This black comedy centers upon the L.A. theater scene. Steve Maletti owns a small struggling theater. He also directs the plays there. He has just secured two popular TV stars to appear in his newest production. Unfortunately, the actors get a movie deal and fly away to Africa leaving the hapless Maletti, who must close the show. His theater will fold if he doesn't come up with a hit show. He finds his chance when he secures the rights to a Broadway hit. Now he must convince the critics that it's a good production. His toughest job will be convincing the curmudgeonly critic Milton Mandler. Maletti decides to scare him into writing a good review, too bad Maletti literally scared the old man to death. Fortunately Mandler had written a rave review of the play before his heart failed. Maletti must then conceal the critic's death until after the review appears in the L.A. Times. It doesn't take long before a suspicious cop is hot on Maletti's trail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This stylish animated adventure is based on the '90s animated television series, which in turn is based on the original comics and Tim Burton's live action "Batman" films. Unlike the campy 1960s version of Batman, this version is half-mad from the superhero's obsession with justice. It is only his unusual sense of ethics that keeps him from becoming a full-blown psychotic. The story describes the origins of Batman as it follows the Dark Knight's attempts to capture the elusive, deadly Phantasm who kills a crime lord and makes it look as if Batman did it, causing a media smear campaign against the Caped Crusader. At the same time, millionaire Bruce Wayne holds a party at his mansion. There he meets Councilman Arthur Reeves, the man behind the accusations. Reeves derides playboy Wayne for allowing his college sweetheart Andrea Beaumont to leave him. Suddenly Wayne flashes back to his pre-Batman days. He remembers how he met her while visiting his parents' graves to renew his vow that he would spend his life fighting crime to avenge their wrongful deaths. He has already devised an early version of his alter-ego Batman, but that is nearly forgotten when he falls in love with Andrea. The story then jumps from past to present and back as the mysterious Phantasm strikes again. Batman continues his investigation and discovers a disturbing link between Andrea, who suddenly shows up after many years absence, and the villain. Meanwhile, the Phantasm, feeling that Batman is too close to learning his/her identity hires the Joker to kill him. But the Joker has his own agenda and much action ensues before the mystery of the Phantasm identity is solved, Batman clears his name, and justice is served. This film was originally made to go straight to video, Warner's studio liked it enough to release it theatrically. Some of the violence may be inappropriate for very young children. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Kelly (David Caruso) investigates when one of his friends is killed and another arrested after a fracas during a pickup basketball game. Still prosecuting the Giardella case, Laura (Sherry Stringfield) senses that she is somehow being set up. Sipowicz suspects that a man whose wife was murdered is withholding evidence. And Janice (Amy Brenneman) saves Kelly's life during a drug bust. This was the first NYPD Blue episode directed by Bradley Silberling, who subsequently married series regular Amy Brenneman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Just as they're closing in on the Mob, Kelly (David Caruso) and Fancy (James McDaniel) are ordered to turn off the heat. Though Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) will recover from his shooting, he may not be able to remember who tried to kill him. As Kelly's soon-to-be-ex-wife, Laura (Sherry Stringfield), prepares to go into private law practice, her neighbor Goldstein (David Schwimmer) arms himself against the possibility that he'll be mugged again. And despite orders to kill Kelly, Janice (Amy Brenneman) knocks off the man who ordered the hit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dan Hedaya guest stars as a self-proclaimed werewolf who demands to be locked up at the 15th Precinct, claiming "intimate" knowledge of a recent murder. Meanwhile, a desperate Polish couple searches for their son, a homeless man is hauled in on a murder charge, and Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) discovers that the much-older fiancée of his teenaged son (Michael DeLuise) is chronically unfaithful. But all of this pales in comparison to the ordeal of Laura (Sherry Stringfield), who is an eyewitness to mob boss Giardella's assassination. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While dining out in Boston, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) and Seth (William Windom) are witness to a mob "hit." The victim is a member of the powerful Abruzzi crime family, who despite Seth's efforts to save him does not survive. Enter the dead man's vengeful son Michael (Vincent Irizarry), who kidnaps both Seth and Jessica--meaning that it is literally a matter of life and death for Jessica to find out who ordered the elder Abruzzi's assassination and prove to Michael that Seth was not responsible for his dad's demise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sandy Duncan, Judith Light, and Jill Eikenberry star in director Paul Schneider's made-for-television musical comedy about a 1960s-era female singing trio that reunites to take part in a television special produced to pay tribute to the pop superstars of yesteryear. Back in the 1960s, pop was king and the Bouffants were at the top of the charts thanks to their catchy hit single "My Boyfriend's Back." Two decades later, an ambitious NBC producer begins planning a television special dedicated to honoring pre-Beatles pop acts, and he wants to name it after the Bouffants' biggest hit. Now in order to make that happen, he sets out to find all three of the original Bouffants and offer them a chance to reunite on stage. But The Bouffants broke up for a reason, and convincing sarcastic bowling alley queen Vicki (Light), high-profile cosmetics executive Deborah (Eikenberry), and downhome housewife Chris (Duncan) to put aside their differences for the sake of the special will prove a more daunting task than he ever anticipated. Additional appearances by such notable '60s-era singing icons as Gary Lewis, the Penguins, Peggy March, and Mary Wells ensure that music lovers are not only in for a few nostalgic laughs, but a toe-tapping trip back to the time when everyone tuned into their radios eager to discover the next great hit. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide