Joss Whedon Movies
Screenwriter Joss Whedon earned fame and industry standing as the writer, director, and producer of the popular WB series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which he based on his 1992 film of the same name. A third-generation television writer (both his father and grandfather wrote for the medium), Whedon grew up in Manhattan and spent his high school years at an all-boys school in England. Following higher education at Connecticut's Wesleyan University, he spent a year mired in creative and career frustration, an ordeal that ended when he was hired as a writer for the sitcom Roseanne.Whedon stayed with the show for a year, quitting when he sold his first film script. The resulting movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), was a disappointment, and Whedon subsequently found work writing (often in an uncredited capacity) for a number of high-profile films, including the lavishly praised and hugely popular Toy Story (1995). In 1997, Whedon resurrected his story of a teenaged vampire-slaying valley girl, creating the much more popular TV version; within a short time, the series was hailed as one of the best on television, and it had accumulated a large and loyal fan base. That same year, Whedon wrote the script for Alien Resurrection. In 1999, as a measure of Buffy's success, Whedon created Angel, a spin-off of his original show. Like Buffy, it soon boasted a loyal fan base, as well as largely favorable reviews. The next year, he co-wrote the script for the animated sci-fi adventure Titan A.E. He was also nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the almost entirely silent Buffy episode "Hush," a considerable achievement given the show's supernatural/fantasy bent and the fact that it did not air on a major network.
In 2002, Whedon created yet another TV series, this time a "sci-fi Western" called Firefly. The showed was short-lived, lasting only 12 episodes before being canceled (three more episodes were unaired but eventually released on DVD). The next year saw the final season of Whedon's much-loved Buffy, which had lasted seven seasons, with Angel quick to follow suit. Though fans rallied to keep the series on the air, Angel was canceled in 2004 after five seasons. With fans mourning the end of the "Buffy-verse" and amidst rampant speculation of more spin-offs, Whedon surprisingly announced that his next project would be a movie version of his failed television show Firefly. He quickly had a script ready, and the film, entitled Serenity (after the spaceship from the series), went into production that same year and was released in 2005. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
Two centuries after Ellen Ripley's death, doctors aboard the space station Auriga clone her using a blood sample taken from Fiorna 161, in hopes of harvesting the queen embryo that was incubating inside of her when she was trapped on the remote penal planet. Finally succeeding after numerous attempts, they remove the alien and repair the clone for further study. Before long, the Ripley clone has gained consciousness, and displays superhuman capabilities that suggest it possesses alien DNA. When Ripley discovers that General Perez (Dan Hedaya) is keeping the queen in a heavily fortified room of the space station, she warns the military man and his scientists that the creature cannot be contained no matter how hard they try. Meanwhile, General Perez has hired a crew of space pirates to deliver the cryogenically frozen bodies of another ship to the Auriga so they can be used to breed more aliens. The leader of the pirates is Johner (Ron Perlman), a gruff mercenary who engages Ripley to no avail. When Call (Winona Ryder), one of Johner's crewmembers, admits that she was sent to assassinate Ripley, General Perez attempts to have the pirates executed. The result is a tense standoff between the pirates and the military men, with the aliens causing havoc after breaking free of their containment cells. Attempting a daring escape, Ripley and the pirates discover the lab where she was cloned before being forced to swim through the mess hall, which has been submerged in water during the aliens' escape. Discovering a carefully guarded secret about Call's past, Ripley attempts to convince her to alter the Auruga's course, which was set to Earth when the ship went into emergency mode. With the fate of mankind hanging in the balance, Ripley is captured by the aliens and taken to their nest, where she comes face to face with the mutated results of the scientists' experiments. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, (more)
- 1999
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon's first cult-favorite horror-comedy drama, used its supernatural trappings as the breeding ground for countless metaphors about adolescence, young adulthood, and female empowerment. But Angel, its spin-off and Whedon's second successful outing for the youth-oriented WB network, uses the mysterious demon realm to literalize the nebulous grey areas -- moral and ethical, professional and romantic -- that suddenly leap out at young adults once they've left the nest. A detective comedy-cum-supernatural soap opera with a conscience-stricken immortal as its ambiguous hero, Angel follows the adventures of the titular vampire and an ever-expanding group of sidekicks as they seek to "help the helpless" in the glamorous shadows of Los Angeles. If the cheap math for Buffy is Wonder Woman plus The Munsters times Beverly Hills 90210, then Angel is more like Dark Shadows meets Melrose Place with a dash of L.A. Law.
David Boreanaz leads the cast as Angel, a handsome, brooding hunk who, like many Angelenos, doesn't look his age. Born nearly 250 years ago to a stern Irish father and christened Liam, he spent his youth as a dissolute and drunken lecher. Then he met Darla, an American beauty. She promised to show him the world, and she did -- after making him, like her, an immortal, soulless fiend. As Angelus, Liam terrorized Europe for a century before a gypsy curse restored his human spirit to his demon-animated body. With the knowledge of his vampiric sins burning a hole through his newfound soul, Angel spent most of the 20th century a useless wreck. Then, as chronicled on Buffy, he was recruited by the mysterious Powers That Be to serve as a champion in the fight between good and evil. Buffy fans are no doubt aware that Angel's gypsy curse has a loophole that strips him of his soul the instant he achieves a moment of true happiness -- say, for instance, a night of passion with a certain previously chaste vampire slayer. It was this conceit that allowed Angel to serve as both ally and nemesis to Buffy, and, by precluding any real future for their epic romance, set the stage for his decision to seek atonement in L.A. The quest for redemption, then, is Angel's carrot; the possibility of sliding back into atrocity is his stick.
For the show's first four seasons, fellow Buffy veteran Charisma Carpenter served as Boreanaz's comedic and sometimes romantic foil. As the show slowly morphed from a tongue-in-cheek comedy-adventure to an action-packed metaphysical melodrama, Carpenter's Cordelia Chase developed from the spoiled brat of the Buffy years to the kooky girl Friday of Angel Investigations to a champion in her own right. Some longtime fans were therefore outraged when the popular star was written out of the regular cast at the end of the fourth season. Others, however, were relieved that Angel survived a close brush with cancellation to return for a fifth season with an addition to the cast: James Marsters, reprising his Buffy the Vampire Slayer role as Spike, Angel's romantic rival, longtime antagonist, and fellow vampire-with-a-soul. Other recurring and regular cast members have included the late Glenn Quinn as the half-human, half-demon Doyle; Buffy refugee Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Price, a bumbling "rogue demon hunter" who eventually becomes truly roguish; J. August Richards as Charles Gunn, a street-smart vampire hunter with hidden depths; Amy Acker as Winifred "Fred" Burkle, a damsel-in-distress turned super-scientist; Andy Hallett as Lorne, a horned, green-skinned demon who can read your future, but only if you sing karaoke for him; future Law & Order babe Elisabeth Rohm as a Scully-esque police detective; Julie Benz as Darla, Angel's oft-resurrected vampire paramour; Vincent Kartheiser as Connor, Darla and Angel's rebellious (and human) teenaged son; and Christian Kane and Stephanie Romanov as a pair of lawyers at Wolfram & Hart, the evil law firm that Angel fights for four seasons and eventually takes over. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
David Boreanaz leads the cast as Angel, a handsome, brooding hunk who, like many Angelenos, doesn't look his age. Born nearly 250 years ago to a stern Irish father and christened Liam, he spent his youth as a dissolute and drunken lecher. Then he met Darla, an American beauty. She promised to show him the world, and she did -- after making him, like her, an immortal, soulless fiend. As Angelus, Liam terrorized Europe for a century before a gypsy curse restored his human spirit to his demon-animated body. With the knowledge of his vampiric sins burning a hole through his newfound soul, Angel spent most of the 20th century a useless wreck. Then, as chronicled on Buffy, he was recruited by the mysterious Powers That Be to serve as a champion in the fight between good and evil. Buffy fans are no doubt aware that Angel's gypsy curse has a loophole that strips him of his soul the instant he achieves a moment of true happiness -- say, for instance, a night of passion with a certain previously chaste vampire slayer. It was this conceit that allowed Angel to serve as both ally and nemesis to Buffy, and, by precluding any real future for their epic romance, set the stage for his decision to seek atonement in L.A. The quest for redemption, then, is Angel's carrot; the possibility of sliding back into atrocity is his stick.
For the show's first four seasons, fellow Buffy veteran Charisma Carpenter served as Boreanaz's comedic and sometimes romantic foil. As the show slowly morphed from a tongue-in-cheek comedy-adventure to an action-packed metaphysical melodrama, Carpenter's Cordelia Chase developed from the spoiled brat of the Buffy years to the kooky girl Friday of Angel Investigations to a champion in her own right. Some longtime fans were therefore outraged when the popular star was written out of the regular cast at the end of the fourth season. Others, however, were relieved that Angel survived a close brush with cancellation to return for a fifth season with an addition to the cast: James Marsters, reprising his Buffy the Vampire Slayer role as Spike, Angel's romantic rival, longtime antagonist, and fellow vampire-with-a-soul. Other recurring and regular cast members have included the late Glenn Quinn as the half-human, half-demon Doyle; Buffy refugee Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Price, a bumbling "rogue demon hunter" who eventually becomes truly roguish; J. August Richards as Charles Gunn, a street-smart vampire hunter with hidden depths; Amy Acker as Winifred "Fred" Burkle, a damsel-in-distress turned super-scientist; Andy Hallett as Lorne, a horned, green-skinned demon who can read your future, but only if you sing karaoke for him; future Law & Order babe Elisabeth Rohm as a Scully-esque police detective; Julie Benz as Darla, Angel's oft-resurrected vampire paramour; Vincent Kartheiser as Connor, Darla and Angel's rebellious (and human) teenaged son; and Christian Kane and Stephanie Romanov as a pair of lawyers at Wolfram & Hart, the evil law firm that Angel fights for four seasons and eventually takes over. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1999
In the premiere episode of this spin-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy's ex-boyfriend, Angel (David Boreanaz), the vampire with a soul, relocates to Los Angeles and finds a new purpose in life. Shortly after the events of Buffy's "Graduation Day, Part Two," Angel prowls the clubs of Los Angeles to kill vampires, let off steam, and drown his sorrows. He soon meets Doyle (Glenn Quinn), a half-human, half-demon representative of The Powers That Be. Doyle informs Angel that he must become a helper of the helpless, using the visions that the Powers send to Doyle as his guide. Angel's first assignment is to help Tina (Tracey Middendorf), a would-be actress who is being harassed by rich vampire Russell Winters (Vyto Ruginis). In the course of trying to do so, Angel bumps into Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter), another recent Sunnydale transplant, would-be actress, and target of Russell's bloodlust. After Angel saves Cordelia from the fiend, she decides to become Angel's assistant and set up Angel Investigations, a paranormal private-eye business, as a front for their activities. "City of" originally aired on the WB network on October 5, 1999. To introduce non-Buffy watchers to their main character and his backstory, series creators Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt used flashback clips from the earlier show to illustrate a scene in which Doyle plays "This is Your Life" with his new partner. In addition to introducing Doyle and The Powers That Be, "City of" marks the first appearance of Wolfram & Hart, the demonic law firm that would become a recurring nemesis for the title character. Although he's never named in this episode, attorney Lindsey McDonald (Christian Kane) also appears. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Quinn
- 2001
As Cordy (Charisma Carpenter) and the gang continue to press on without him, Angel (David Boreanaz) joins the Host (Andy Hallett) in a mission to stop a misguided physicist named Gene Rainy (Matt Champagne) from destroying the world by stopping time in its tracks. The Host first becomes aware of the impending disaster when Gene sings a song at Caritas and the Host sees no future for him -- or anyone else. It turns out the guy has a girlfriend named Denise (Darby Stanchfield) whom he knows is about to dump him. Aided by a formula slipped to him on the sly by some Lubber demons, he intends to freeze Denise and himself in an eternal embrace when she shows up at his apartment for one final roll in the hay. Unfortunately, the Lubber demons do everything they can to expand the field of temporal paralysis to include the entire world. Despite some intensive detective work and quite a bit of hand-to-hand combat, Angel and the Host fail to prevent this dastardly event from occurring. Eventually, though, they cause time to resume its normal flow and Gene learns an important lesson about the human heart. Originally broadcast February 6, 2001, on the WB network, "Happy Anniversary" marked season two, episode 13 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Doyle (Glenn Quinn) try to convince Angel (David Boreanaz) to charge clients for his services, but he demurs. Doyle promptly suffers one of his visions and sends Angel to contact Melissa Burns (Tushka Bergen), a young woman whom he believes will need Angel's supernatural services. Although Angel's abrupt appearance unnerves her, Melissa soon contacts him to accept his help. It turns out she's being stalked by Dr. Ronald Meltzer (Andy Umberger), a neurosurgeon with the uncanny ability to separate pieces of his body and use them remotely -- a floating eyeball, a crawling hand, etc. With the help of Detective Kate Lockley (Elisabeth Rohm), Angel eventually triumphs over the supernaturally dextrous surgeon, earning thanks and remuneration from Melissa. Originally broadcast October 26, 1999, on the WB network, "I Fall to Pieces" marked season one, episode four of the supernatural comedy drama. Guest star Andy Umberger also has a recurring role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as D'Hoffryn, the former demon master of ex-vengeance demon Anya. Although an undercurrent of flirtation colors Lockley's second appearance in the series, her character will soon turn on Angel (see "Somnambulist"). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Quinn
- 2000
A vision from Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) sends Angel (David Boreanaz) to the rescue of a pregnant woman (Justina Machado) who appears to be in danger from a nearby demon. After Angel kills the beast, however, it turns out it was actually protecting the woman from the Tribunal, a mysterious, inquisition-like mystical cabal. Despite her protests that he's already done more than enough, Angel insists on taking over as the woman's bodyguard. For help in this quest, he turns to the Host (Andy Hallett), the green-skinned, horned proprietor of Caritas, a demon sanctuary and karaoke bar. The Host has the mystical ability to read the aura and chart the destiny of anyone -- but only if they'll sing for him. One monumentally bad Barry Manilow rendition later, the Host arms Angel with enough knowledge to serve as the woman's champion in an impromptu jousting match. Meanwhile, Wolfram & Hart lawyer Lindsey McDonald (Christian Kane) helps Darla (Julie Benz) recover from her recent resurrection (see "To Shanshu in L.A."). And in a brief epilogue, Angel visits rogue slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) in jail, where they talk about their respective paths to redemption. Originally broadcast September 26, 2000, on the WB network, "Judgement" marked season two, episode one of the supernatural comedy drama. J. August Richards, a guest star from previous episodes, joins the regular cast in this episode. And Andy Hallett, playing the important recurring character the Host, makes his first appearance. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2000
After Faith (Eliza Dushku) surrenders herself (see "Five by Five"), Angel (David Boreanaz) decides to try to rehabilitate her, incurring the wrath of Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Wesley (Alexis Denisof), the latter of whom was recently tortured by the rogue slayer. Angel's ex-girlfriend and Faith's arch-nemesis, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), arrives in town too late to warn the gang about Faith's imminent arrival. Buffy is devastated to learn that Angel has taken Faith under his wing. As Buffy and Angel battle it out, both verbally and physically, a group of assassins from the Watcher's Council attempts to recruit ex-Watcher Wesley back to their cause in order to eliminate Faith once and for all. Meanwhile, Wolfram & Hart, incensed at Faith's betrayal, turn to Det. Kate Lockley (Elisabeth Rohm) for a surprisingly legal method of revenge. As the forces against Faith continue to mount, Angel refuses to cede his protection of the girl. Ultimately, though, it's up to Faith herself to choose true penance. Originally broadcast May 2, 2000, on the WB network, "Sanctuary" marked season one, episode 19 of the supernatural comedy drama. Sarah Michelle Gellar, star of Angel's parent series, makes the second of many guest appearances (see also "I Will Remember You"). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
The Host (Andy Hallett) narrates this episode of Angel, which was written and directed by series co-creator Joss Whedon and is structured as one long flashback recounted by the green-skinned demon to an unseen audience. Lorne's tale involves a memory spell he obtained in order to restore the amnesiac Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) to her rightful self. Performing the ritual with her friends, Cordy does indeed remember who she is -- or at least who she was. Reverting to her snotty, teenaged Sunnydale High self, Cordy finds herself in the company of strangers: Angel (David Boreanaz), who thinks he's an 18th century Irish human; Wesley (Alexis Denisof), who has reverted to his Watcher's Academy schoolboy self; Fred (Amy Acker), who has become a pot-smoking Texas teen; and Gunn (J. August Richards), who is once again a surly young warrior of the L.A. streets. Eventually, after being appraised of the existence of demons by Gunn and Wesley, these inner children incorrectly surmise that they've been locked up together with a vampire in their midst as part of a test by the Watcher's Council (see Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Helpless"). A comic murder-mystery ensues, but the danger turns real when Angel realizes that he really is a vampire and goes after Cordy. Connor (Vincent Kartheiser), however, comes to her rescue, and between blows, gets the chance to complain with the like-minded Angel about what a pain in the butt fathers can be. Eventually, everyone's true persona is restored -- including Cordy's. But after a momentary vision of the coming apocalypse, she tells Angel that she can't be with him right now. Reluctantly, though, she reveals that before recent events, she really was in love with him. Originally broadcast November 10, 2002, on the WB network, "Spin the Bottle" marked season four, episode six of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
With Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) apparently in power (see "Over the Rainbow"), Angel (David Boreanaz), the Host (Andy Hallett), and the others are set free. The Deathwok Clan Mother, aka Loren's mom (Tom McCleister), expresses her hatred and shame over her wayward offspring, but cousin Landokmar (Brody Hutzler) bonds with fellow warrior Angel, even asking him to officiate at a feast. The party turns out to be the execution of kidnapped refugee slave Fred (Amy Acker). Angel refuses to participate, and they escape into the wilderness. When marauders attack, Angel transforms into a savage demon and inflicts serious injuries on both the attackers and Gunn (J. August Richards). Wesley (Alexis Denisof) surmises that on Pylea, the human and demon halves of a vampire are out of balance. Nevertheless, with Fred's help, Angel eventually transforms back to normal and retreats with the girl to her cave hideaway. Meanwhile, back at the palace, princess Cordy gets uppity and soon learns that she's merely the tool of the powerful Covenant of Trombli, a band of manipulative demon priests with ties to Wolfram & Hart. She is told she must "cumshuk," or mate, with a fearsome warrior known as the Groosalugg (Mark Lutz), but he turns out to be a handsome, earnest, and human-looking hunk. Despite her relief at Groo's appearance, Cordy gets another nasty shock from the Covenant; they remind her who's in charge by delivering the Host's head to her on a platter. Originally broadcast May 15, 2001, on the WB network, "Through the Looking Glass" marked season two, episode 21 of the supernatural comedy drama. This four-part saga continues in "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2000
When Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) suffers one of her visions, Angel (David Boreanaz) and his crew discover the existence of Bethany Chaulk (Daisy McCrackin), an emotionally disturbed young telekinetic. Even after her out-of-control powers impale Angel with a metal spike, he extends an offer of help and sanctuary. As it turns out, though, Bethany is actually living with evil Wolfram & Hart associate Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov), who plans to manipulate the young woman into being an assassin for the firm. In a moment of distress, Bethany accidentally injures Lilah, and, wracked by guilt at having hurt her supposed friend, heads to Angel for advice. With the help of Gunn (J. August Richards), who has recently become a paid employee of Angel Investigations, Angel figures out what's really going on and attempts to warn Bethany about Wolfram & Hart. Then Lilah brings out the big guns, staging an impromptu reunion between Bethany and her abusive father (Gareth Williams). Now fully in control of her powers, Bethany teaches her father a lesson, and with Angel's help, starts a new life. Meanwhile, Darla (Julie Benz) continues her nocturnal visits to Angel's bedroom, disrupting his sleep patterns and leaving him obsessed. Originally broadcast October 17, 2000, on the WB network, "Untouched" marked season two, episode four of the supernatural comedy drama. When Angel gets impaled on a reebar in this episode, it prompts a crack from Cordelia about a similar injury she received on Buffy in "Lovers Walk." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
When Angel (David Boreanaz) decides to take the gang out to see his favorite ballet troupe, everyone gets all gussied up. Angel is shocked, however, when the performance -- and the performers -- are identical to one he remembers from over a century ago. During intermission, he and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) go to investigate and learn that it's a case of sorcery. The jealous Count Kurskov (Mark Harelik) has encased his unfaithful prima ballerina (Summer Glau) in a temporal loop, dooming her to perform Giselle over and over again for him. Angel and Cordy piece this together between make-out sessions; possessed by the spirit of the ballerina and her long-dead lover, they go at it like hormone-addled teenagers. This causes Angel no small discomfort thanks to his real-life romantic feelings for Cordy. Meanwhile, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and Gunn (J. August Richards), who are both vying for the affections of Fred (Amy Acker), get caught up in a less idyllic, more violent aspect of the Count's spell. When Fred kisses the injured Gunn, it takes the wind out of Wesley, but eventually the gang reunites and defeats the count. Wesley isn't the only guy to suffer romantic disappointment: Back at the hotel, just as Angel is feeling Cordy out about her feelings for him, her old flame the Groosalugg (Mark Lutz -- see "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb") shows up to sweep her off her feet. Originally broadcast February 4, 2002, on the WB network, "Waiting in the Wings" marked season three, episode 13 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
The first Disney cartoon to be produced in the 70 mm format since The Black Cauldron (1985), this blend of traditional animation with computer-generated imagery is a straight adventure tale of the Jules Verne school, eschewing the studio's typical formula of cute critters mixed with song-and-dance routines. Michael J. Fox is the voice of Milo Thatch, a lowly museum employee and linguist in the early 20th century who's determined to continue his late grandfather's search for the lost, sunken empire of Atlantis. Bankrolled by eccentric millionaire Preston Whitmore (John Mahoney), Milo teams up with a diverse crew of mercenaries led by submarine commander Rourke (James Garner). After a sea battle with a giant denizen of the deep, the explorers locate the submerged civilization. Milo falls in love with Princess Kida (Cree Summer), the daughter of Atlantis' aged ruler (Leonard Nimoy), and must choose sides when it's revealed that some of his fellow expedition members intend to steal a mystical energy source from their hosts. Claudia Christian, Mark Hamill, David Ogden Stiers, Don Novello, and the late Jim Varney co-star. Although considered a shoo-in for a nomination in the debut year of the new Oscar category of Best Animated Feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire faced stiff competition from other non-live-action entertainment in the summer of 2001, including Shrek, Final Fantasy, and Monsters Inc.. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, James Garner, (more)
The idea of fusing teen sex-comedy and horror genres into a boffo box-office bonanza seems like classic braindead Hollywood-think... but somehow, beyond all reason, the makers of this film manage to pull it off. Much of the credit goes to director Fran Rubel Kuzui (Tokyo Pop) who chooses wisely to let the jokes and action rip by so quickly that viewers won't have time to realize there's practically nothing going on. Also excellent is Kristy Swanson as the bubble-headed cheerleader who learns from a Van Helsing-ish stranger (Donald Sutherland) that she's, like, the reincarnation of this pure female warrior and stuff, destined to rid the world -- or at least the Valley -- of vampires. No sooner is the Buffster being schooled in the ways of vampire butt-kicking (much to the consternation of meek pretty-boy beau Luke Perry) than the lead vampire (Rutger Hauer) and his leering cronies show up -- and leading up the pack is none other than Pee-Wee Herman himself, Paul Reubens. Fans of this film's popular TV offspring will appreciate the fang-sharp humor but may be surprised to find little evidence of the spooky atmosphere that permeates the series -- though there are some inspired moments, particularly the ridiculous death-by-ruler scene. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, (more)
- 1997
A wildly influential cult hit that escaped the shadow of an unsuccessful film incarnation, helped establish the teen-centric WB network, and spawned a long-running spin-off, Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for 144 episodes between March 1997 and May 2003. Approached by Fox television executives about the possibility of a series, Joss Whedon, screenwriter of the original 1992 film, saw the chance to revisit a concept he thought had been mishandled. Refashioning the jokey film back into a mixture of drama, comedy, romance, action, and horror, Whedon and his Mutant Enemy production company found a home for their show at the nascent WB. Originally airing Monday nights and then moving, with much fanfare, to Tuesdays during its second season, Buffy the Vampire Slayer quickly became a hit -- at least by the standards of its demographically targeted network. Ratings peaked in the second and third seasons, but Buffy maintained its status as critics' darling throughout its run. By the time the show moved to the UPN network for its final two seasons, it was selling like hotcakes on DVD and airing in syndicated two-hour blocks on the FX cable channel.
Plot-wise, Buffy centered on the exploits of its titular vampire slayer, a mystical "Chosen One" who found herself living in Sunnydale, CA, an idyllic small town situated atop the mouth to hell. Plucked from a vapid life of cheerleading and parties and forced by her mystic destiny to slay vampires and vanquish demons, Buffy initially viewed her superpowers as an imposition. By the end of the series, however, she had embraced her role as steely general in a never-ending war against the forces of darkness. Joined by an ever-changing array of allies known collectively as the "Scooby gang," she spent three years learning that high school is literally hell before navigating college and grown-up responsibilities in the later seasons. As the show's tangled mythology grew, Buffy's friends began to acquire magical abilities of their own -- all the better to fight each season's "Big Bad" villain. Science fiction and horror fans loved the show for its tight continuity and sustained world-building. As numerous fans and critics have pointed out, however, the supernatural trappings functioned on a deeper, metaphorical level: they mirrored the complexities of growing up, going out into the world, and accepting one's destiny.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, a former All My Children star with a daytime Emmy to her name, became a postfeminist icon on the basis of her work as Buffy Summers and her appearances in such teen horror flicks as Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It was Gellar's decision not to renew her contract after the seventh season that proved to be the stake in the show's heart. Thanks to Buffy and the American Pie films, co-star Alyson Hannigan, too, became a breakout star. Both actresses remained with the series for its entire run, unlike Seth Green, who served less than three seasons before movie stardom -- most notably the Austin Powers franchise -- lured him away. As for the rest of the large and ever-changing cast, few became household names despite their wealth of TV, film, and stage experience. But David Boreanaz, who portrayed Buffy's vampiric love interest in the first three seasons, soon found himself helming the spin-off Angel with co-star Charisma Carpenter along for the ride. Angel never captured the zeitgeist in the same way that its parent show had, but it did maintain a devoted cult following through five seasons on the WB before facing cancellation a year after Buffy ended. Before the final episode of Angel even aired, rumors circulated on the Internet about future spin-offs, TV movies, and the possible launch of an animated Buffy series. Only time will tell whether the "Buffyverse" achieves the same longevity as, say, Star Trek, but the ongoing wealth of spin-off novels, comic books, and other merchandise make it seem like a pretty good bet. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Plot-wise, Buffy centered on the exploits of its titular vampire slayer, a mystical "Chosen One" who found herself living in Sunnydale, CA, an idyllic small town situated atop the mouth to hell. Plucked from a vapid life of cheerleading and parties and forced by her mystic destiny to slay vampires and vanquish demons, Buffy initially viewed her superpowers as an imposition. By the end of the series, however, she had embraced her role as steely general in a never-ending war against the forces of darkness. Joined by an ever-changing array of allies known collectively as the "Scooby gang," she spent three years learning that high school is literally hell before navigating college and grown-up responsibilities in the later seasons. As the show's tangled mythology grew, Buffy's friends began to acquire magical abilities of their own -- all the better to fight each season's "Big Bad" villain. Science fiction and horror fans loved the show for its tight continuity and sustained world-building. As numerous fans and critics have pointed out, however, the supernatural trappings functioned on a deeper, metaphorical level: they mirrored the complexities of growing up, going out into the world, and accepting one's destiny.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, a former All My Children star with a daytime Emmy to her name, became a postfeminist icon on the basis of her work as Buffy Summers and her appearances in such teen horror flicks as Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It was Gellar's decision not to renew her contract after the seventh season that proved to be the stake in the show's heart. Thanks to Buffy and the American Pie films, co-star Alyson Hannigan, too, became a breakout star. Both actresses remained with the series for its entire run, unlike Seth Green, who served less than three seasons before movie stardom -- most notably the Austin Powers franchise -- lured him away. As for the rest of the large and ever-changing cast, few became household names despite their wealth of TV, film, and stage experience. But David Boreanaz, who portrayed Buffy's vampiric love interest in the first three seasons, soon found himself helming the spin-off Angel with co-star Charisma Carpenter along for the ride. Angel never captured the zeitgeist in the same way that its parent show had, but it did maintain a devoted cult following through five seasons on the WB before facing cancellation a year after Buffy ended. Before the final episode of Angel even aired, rumors circulated on the Internet about future spin-offs, TV movies, and the possible launch of an animated Buffy series. Only time will tell whether the "Buffyverse" achieves the same longevity as, say, Star Trek, but the ongoing wealth of spin-off novels, comic books, and other merchandise make it seem like a pretty good bet. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1998
It's Christmas time in Sunnydale and like Scrooge, Angel (David Boreanaz) is being haunted by the ghosts of his past victims, namely Jenny Calendar (Robia La Morte). He seeks help from Giles (Anthony Head), and later even shares a dream with Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), where he bites her. Jenny appears and tells him the dream represents his true evil desires. Meanwhile, Giles discovers the three Harbingers -- blind priests who utilize the evil and archaic power of the First. The First has taken on the visage of Jenny and taunts Angel to kill Buffy. The First also predicts the death of Angel by sunrise. On a cliff, waiting for morning and Angel's impending death, Buffy releases all the pent up angst she has felt since Angel's return from Hell. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
The first episode of season three finds Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in a large city, waitressing in a diner under her middle name, Anne. She is depressed and heartbroken over the events that took place at the end of her junior year (see "Becoming, Part 1" and "Becoming, Part 2"). A homeless girl named Lily (Julia Lee), formerly Chantarelle, recognizes Buffy as the girl who saved her from vampires (see "Lie to Me"). Lily pleads for Buffy's help in finding her missing boyfriend, Ricky. Buffy reluctantly agrees and soon finds the preternatuarlly aged corpse of Ricky, along with other old people, bewildered and homeless. Her investigation leads to a seemingly innocuous blood bank that just so happens to moonlight as a portal to a demon dimension. Buffy and Lily unintentionally enter the demon world -- where teens are slave workers and a day in our time is years in the demon world. Meanwhile, back in Sunnydale, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) is overjoyed to discover that Oz (Seth Green) is the smartest senior ever forced to repeat a grade. Buffy's friends also act as interim slayers until she returns. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
Acathla, a demon turned to stone by an ancient knight, is dug up during the construction of a new housing project. Angel (David Boreanaz) steals Acathla in hopes of using the demon for the stultifyingly original purpose of opening a portal to Hell. Meanwhile, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan) discover the disk Jenny (Robia La Morte) saved the spell to restore Angel's soul on (see "Passion"). Despite Giles' (Anthony Stewart Head) protestations, Willow readies herself to cast the spell. Unexpectedly, Kendra (Bianca Lawson) shows up with the blessed sword of the knight who turned Acathla to stone. Soon, Angel lures Buffy away from the library and Drusilla (Juliet Landau) leads an attack to capture Giles. Subsequently, Kendra is killed. As this is the first part of the second season finale, the episode is peppered with flashbacks to other episodes highlighting important events, such as Darla (Julie Benz) siring Angel in "Angel." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
At the hospital to check on her injured friends, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) runs into Whistler (Max Perlich) who informs her that she must use the blessed sword of the knight who imprisoned the demon Acathla. She reluctantly forms an alliance with Spike (James Marsters) -- jealous over Angel's(David Boreanaz) relationship with Drusilla (Juliet Landau) -- to fight Angel. Meanwhile, Angel is torturing Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) to find out how to use Acathla to open the portal to Hell. Angel eventually finds out that it is his blood that is required to open the portal. Elsewhere, Buffy learns from Whistler that is also Angel's blood that will close the portal. Unaware that Willow (Alyson Hannigan) is attempting to cast the spell to restore Angel's soul again -- see "Becoming, Part 1" -- she goes to kill Angel. Needless to say, this leads to a heartwrenching decision for Buffy to make. Subsequently, the season ends with Buffy leaving Sunnydale on a bus to somewhere. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2003
Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) interrupts her tender reunion with Angel (David Boreanaz) long enough to dispatch Caleb (Nathan Fillion) quite violently once and for all. Afterward, Angel says he can smell Spike (James Marsters) on Buffy. The Slayer admits that Spike now has a soul and is "in her heart," but she professes no desire for a relationship with either of her undead suitors. Instead, she wants to discover the person she's destined to become -- if, that is, she makes it through the impending conflict. To that end, Angel hands over a magical champion's amulet to be used against The First, then heads back to L.A. to form a second line of defense. Back at home, Spike is apoplectic with jealousy about Angel's return, but he accepts the amulet and shares another chaste, tender night with Buffy. A visit from The First, however, interrupts the Slayer's sleep -- and gives her a brilliant idea about how to defeat her nemesis. The Scoobies, the slayers-in-waiting, Faith (Eliza Dushku) and Buffy head to Sunnydale High to open the Seal of Danzalthar and wage war on The First's Turok-Han army. As Buffy and the slayerettes stream through the Seal, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Kennedy (Iyari Limon) complete a powerful spell to release the immense energy inside the Scythe and "call" every potential slayer in the world at the same time. Their potential now realized, the junior slayers join Buffy and Faith in kicking some serious Turok-Han butt. Injured in battle, Buffy once again receives a visit from The First, but the being's triumph is short-lived. Spike's amulet suddenly kicks in, punching a hole through the Hellmouth and turning Spike into a sort of magical magnifying glass for the sunlight that shines through. The Turok-Han army goes up in smoke and the entire town of Sunnydale begins to collapse into the Hellmouth. As the slayer brigade flees, Buffy professes her love for Spike even as his shining body begins to disintegrate. Cackling joyfully, Spike orders Buffy to save herself, and she does -- running across the tops of crumbling buildings and leaping onto the school bus that has become her army's unlikely rescue vehicle. Buffy and her allies are left to stare at the ruins of Sunnydale, mourn their losses -- including Anya (Emma Caulfield), who died protecting Andrew (Tom Lenk) from The First's bringers -- and contemplate their future in a world full of slayers. Originally broadcast May 20, 2003, on UPN, "Chosen" marked the 144th and final episode of the cult-favorite series. Although star Sarah Michelle Gellar officially pulled the plug on the show when she decided against renewing her contract, creator Joss Whedon said in interviews that he preferred to go out on top rather than allowing the series to linger past its creative peak. Fans were left with one final mystery: How would James Marsters join the cast of spin-off series Angel when his character, Spike, had died saving the world? ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Angry over being human and still only in the 12th grade, Anya (Emma Caulfield) enlists Willow (Alyson Hannigan) to help her get her amulet back. Their spell goes wrong, and, instead of the amulet, brings vampire Willow back (see "The Wish"). Soon, vamp Willow recruits some vampire henchmen, takes over the Bronze and generally sullies the real Willow's nice-girl reputation. Real Willow confronts vamp Willow in the library -- are they attracted to each other? -- and manages to lock her in the book cage. She trades outfits with her vampire self and goes to the Bronze to kick some pasty vampire butt. Later in the library, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), mistaking vamp Willow for the nice one, lets her out of the book cage, all the while preaching to vamp Willow about stealing boyfriends. Meanwhile, Anya recognizes the real Willow at the Bronze blowing her vampire cover and causing one heck of a barroom brawl. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2000
As Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) strengthens her resolve to protect supernaturally incarnated sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) from malevolent über-demon Glory (Clare Kramer), Tara (Amber Benson) fears that her friends will discover her own otherworldly origin. The crisis begins when Tara's father, brother, and cousin arrive to escort her back home before her 20th birthday, at which time, they remind her, her demon heritage will manifest itself and make her a danger to those around her. Reluctant to let girlfriend Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and the others find out she's less than human, Tara casts a spell to prevent them from sensing any demons at all. Unfortunately, the enchantment prevents the gang from being able to see the minions Glory has dispatched to attack them. Only the reluctant intervention of smitten vampire Spike (James Marsters) -- acting on his newfound love for nemesis Buffy -- prevents a total massacre. Tara cancels her spell, her friends learn that she's part-demon, and then (again with help from Spike) everyone learns she's actually human after all. Overjoyed to find out that the demon legend was just a way to keep the women in her family subservient, Tara joyfully rejects her blood family and accepts her role as a member of the Scooby Gang. Originally broadcast November 7, 2000, on the WB network, "Family" marked episode 84 of the cult-favorite series. This episode also reveals that Ben (Charlie Weber), the handsome doctor Buffy keeps running into, somehow involuntarily shares his body with the fearsome Glory. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1999
This seminal two-part episode features the end to the characters' high school careers. As the Mayor (Harry Groener) prepares for the Ascension, so do Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends -- with the help of former demon Anya (Emma Caulfield). Buffy assumes that she has to miss graduation to fight the Mayor, but is amused at finding out that he will give the commencement speech. Hoping to take Buffy's attention off the Ascension, Faith (Eliza Dushka) poisons Angel (David Boreanaz). Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and Wesley (Alexis Denisof) research a cure and find that Angel must drink the blood of a slayer. Nervous about battling with the Mayor, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Oz (Seth Green) grow closer. Tired of Oz's distant behavior, Willow urges him to express his panic -- which he does by kissing her. Buffy attempts to sacrifice Faith to save Angel, stabbing her -- but this, of course, is not the end of their rivalry. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
Failing to cure Angel (David Boreanaz) with Faith's (Eliza Dushka) blood, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) decides to sacrifice herself. Ignoring the obvious dangers, Buffy forces Angel to feed on her blood. Although her friends are angry at her for foolishly risking her life, they all team up -- with a covert plan -- to fight the Mayor. While giving his commencement speech, the Mayor winces with pain and quickly metamorphoses into a giant demon snake. As parents flee the auditorium, students whip open their commencement gowns to reveal an array of medieval weaponry -- and some handy flame-throwers. Buffy orchestrates the attack on the Mayor, luring him into the school library while everyone else is battling with vampires. Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) sets off the pre-planted explosives and blows the demon-mayor as well as most of Sunnydale High to bits. Oz, in a comedic denouement, suggests that everyone reflect on the horror they survived -- high school that is. A minor, but important plot point revealed earlier in the episode is that Buffy quits the Watcher's Council; thus, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) returns to England. A controversial episode, this second part of the March 1999 season finale was postponed until July in sensitivity to the then-recent shootings at Columbine High School. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
Ever studious, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) falls asleep during a class lecture and has a dream about a little girl holding a box and reciting a fairy tale about "The Gentlemen." Meanwhile, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) attends a campus Wicca meeting where she meets Tara (Amber Benson), a demure young coed. Later that night, a group of tall, thin, ghoulish, undertaker-types -- The Gentlemen -- come floating into Sunnydale stealing everyone's voices as they sleep. Perplexed by her inability to speak, Buffy goes to Giles (Anthony Head) to figure out what to do. At the same time, The Gentleman cut the heart out of their first victim, who can only writhe in silent torture. Tara seeks out Willow, hoping to perform a spell with her to combat The Gentleman, who also go after her heart. Then, Giles uncovers the fairy tale about The Gentleman in which only the scream of a Princess can stop their silent evil -- but Princess Buffy can't even whisper. Largely directed as a silent episode, this groundbreaking effort from series creator Joss Whedon was nominated for an Emmy. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) makes a startling discovery after making love with Angel (David Boreanaz) for the first time -- the act of love has destroyed his human soul and turned him into the evil Angelus, a demon with the face of an angel. Angelus is now on the prowl for a human sacrifice, and he has Buffy in mind as his first kill; Buffy must do battle with him, while also fending off the all-powerful demon "The Judge" (Brian Thompson), unleashed by Spike (James Marsters) and Drusilla (Juliet Landau), who can now kill his victims simply by looking at them. While Buffy's romantic problems are rather severe, her close friend Willow (Alyson Hannigan) isn't doing too well either when she learns that Xander (Nicholas Brendon) has gotten involved with Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter). "Innocence" was the second half of a two-part episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which began with "Surprise." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
