Michael N. Grossman Movies
- 1988
- R
Dr. Bob Frankenstein (Mark Blankfield) is the great-great grandson of his legendary relative Victor in this horror spoof. He uses the basement of General Hospital for his experiments to create what he hopes will be the perfect human. Kathy Shower plays the female psychiatrist Alice Singleton, with Irwin Keyes as the monster. This one is so bad it's good, and Leonard Maltin's searing critical indictment makes it a must-see. It has been called the worst English language Frankenstein film ever made, elevating it to near cult status. Bobby "Boris" Picket appears and reprises his smash Halloween hit The Monster Mash. Nudity and profanity resulted in the feature's R rating. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Blankfield, Leslie Jordan, (more)
Daniel Pyne directed and co-scripted (with John Mankiewicz) this satirical look at private eyes, originally planned as a TV series but instead later expanded into a feature. Before a switch to color, the film begins with a black and white prologue in which NYU film-school graduates Wilton Crawley (Mos Def) and A.J. Edison (John Livingston) bore the small audience at the Utica Township Film Festival with their 180-minute film about NYC water-supply sources. Realizing a stronger subject is needed for their next documentary, they focus on L.A. private investigators Joe Boone (Miguel Ferrer) and Murphy (John Slattery) and the agency's secretary Angela (Allison Dean) -- captured in the usual student-film techniques of hand-held subjective shots (plus Super 8 when their regular camera breaks). As the filmmakers shoot, they soon become intrigued by an unsolved case and look for a solution. Shown at the 1998 Mill Valley Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miguel Ferrer, Mos Def, (more)
- 2000
Irrepressible kiddie-sitcom icons Kenan and Kel ( Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell) are the whole show in this made-for-cable comedy, described by one dim viewer as "Sleepy Hollow for idiots." Vacationing in New England with Kenan's family, our two heroes are stranded in the middle of nowhere when the car breaks down. Offering to go to the nearest village for help, K & K find that the locals are held in the terrifying thrall of the legendary Headless Knight. In the fine tradition of Abbott and Costello, the boys vow to overcome their own fears and take on the ghostly knight--before he manages to claim their heads (empty though they may be) for his collection. The great Milton Berle makes his final acting appearance in this film, which may or may not say something about the evolution of TV comedy since the heyday of "Uncle Miltie". Two Heads Are Better Than None made its Nickelodeon service debut on July 15, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Angel (David Boreanaz) undergoes a punishing regimen of physical and mental training in preparation for his inevitable showdown with Darla (Julie Benz) and Drusilla (Juliet Landau). He shadows the terrible twosome as they haunt the demon lairs of Los Angeles, inviting would-be villains to attend their impending tryouts for the formation of a fearsome vampire/demon posse. Meanwhile, it turns out that Lindsey McDonald (Christian Kane) and Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov) were spared during Darla and Drusilla's massacre (see "Reunion") so that one can serve as a scapegoat at Wolfram & Hart and the other can continue liaising with the vampire women. Angry at having been manipulated, Darla tells the lawyers she doesn't care who gets axed and who lives to scheme with her another day. In the end, the senior partners kill neither Lilah nor Lindsey, instead allowing them to take over from the slain Holland Manners as acting co-vice presidents. As for Angel's newly fired associates, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), Wesley (Alexis Denisof), and Gunn (J. August Richards) nurse their hurt feelings with the Host (Andy Hallett) at Caritas. Drunkenly resolving to carry on Angel Investigations with or without its founder, they respond to one of Cordelia's visions and successfully save a girl from a demon. Elsewhere, Angel arrives at Dru and Darla's audition space and slays the assembled would-be minions. When the vampire vixens themselves arrive, Angel sets them on fire. They escape the reaper by knocking the top off of a fire hydrant, but are horribly burned nonetheless. Originally broadcast January 16, 2001, on the WB network, "Redefinition" marked season two, episode 11 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
It's Cordelia's birthday, but her biggest present appears to be yet another debilitating vision. During the out-of-body experience that follows, Cordy (Charisma Carpenter) receives a visit from Skip (David Denman), a demon advisor who tells her that her human form was never intended to withstand the visions of The Powers That Be and that she'll die if she remains on her current path. Given the chance to live an alternate life in which she's a famous actress who never even worked for Angel Investigations, she reluctantly agrees. But circumstances conspire to reunite her with Angel (David Boreanaz), Wesley (Alexis Denisof), and Gunn (J. August Richards), and she regains her memories of having been the conduit of the Powers. Ultimately, she convinces Skip to make her part-demon so that her body can withstand the visions and she can keep helping Angel. Cordy returns to the hotel and amazes the gang with her pain-free visions -- and her apparent ability to levitate. Originally broadcast January 14, 2002, on the WB network, "Birthday" marked season three, episode 11 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Now that he's back from his salt-water prison, Angel (David Boreanaz) is determined to find Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), who was ready to profess her love for him before she was summarily beckoned to a higher plane (see "Tomorrow"). A terse meeting with uneasy ally Wesley (Alexis Denisof) yields one possible avenue of investigation: an ancient relic that can locate souls across dimensions. The only problems are that the object is up for auction and that a sultry cat burglar Alexa Davalos with the power to control electricity is out to steal it. That doesn't bode well for Angel's own attempt to "borrow" the relic -- or for Gunn (J. August Richards), who almost dies during a skirmish with the thief, causing no end of anguish for Fred (Amy Acker). Ultimately, Angel does get a crack at using the object, only to learn the truth about Cordelia's ascension. Little does he know that Cordelia gazing down at him imploringly, hoping to be rescued from highly evolved tedium. Originally broadcast Oct. 13, 2002, on the WB network, "Ground State" marked season four, episode two of the supernatural comedy drama. Gwen Raiden, the electrifying cat burglar played by Alexa Davalos, receives an extensive backstory in preparation for a recurring role. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
River's (Summer Glau) behavior is getting more erratic, and Simon (Sean Maher) is having difficulty controlling her. The Serenity touches down to deliver the cattle they picked up in "Shindig." As some of the crew go off exploring the area, local law enforcement stages a raid on the buyers during the transaction, and Book (Ron Glass) is badly wounded in the crossfire. He needs medical attention, but Simon and River are nowhere to be found. They've been abducted by local bandits, who routinely kidnap visitors and drag them to their village. The townspeople welcome them graciously, though, because they need Simon's medical skills. Unable to locate Simon, Mal (Nathan Fillion) reluctantly decides to leave the planet and seek aid from an Alliance cruiser stationed nearby. The Alliance is unwilling to help them until they learn Book's identity, and then, suddenly and mysteriously, the wheels are greased. Meanwhile, back on the planet, the townspeople's hospitality turns to malevolence when they learn that River seemingly has the ability to read minds. The superstitious hicks proclaim her a witch, and prepare to burn her at the stake. Simon stands beside her, prepared to die along with his sister if the townspeople follow through with their plans. Flashbacks throughout the episode show how Simon defied his father and gave up a promising medical career to respond to the encoded cries for help which River sent him from the Academy. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2002
Long averse to turning Angel Investigations into a purely for-profit venture, new dad Angel (David Boreanaz) suddenly becomes money-conscious when it comes to the welfare of his son. He advertises online, and the crew find themselves spread rather thin by the flood of new business. Angel gets conned by a businessman who turns out not to be who he claimed. Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and Gunn (J. August Richards) try to save a woman from her now-undead stalker ex-boyfriend, but lady and zombie ultimately decide to overcome their differences. Fred (Amy Acker) and The Host (Andy Hallett) take a 50,000-dollar gig helping some demons solve a complex puzzle, but Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) learns in a vision that the demons actually want to harvest Fred's head and use it to revive their ailing leader. Angel, Wes, and Gunn save the day, and the gang decide to pocket the 50 grand for their troubles. Originally broadcast January 21, 2002, on the WB network, "Provider" marked season three, episode 12 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
As the newly re-ensouled Angel (David Boreanaz) come to grips with the impending arrival of his grandchild, the gang tries to research what the little tyke might look like. The secretly evil Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) doesn't bother to share the fact that her offspring is already wriggling, rippling, and morphing inside her belly, nor does she let slip to daddy-to-be Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) that she's been emotionally manipulating him from day one. Meanwhile, super-powered thief Gwen Raiden (Alexa Davalos) reappears seeking help from Gunn (J. August Richards) on a mission to rescue a kidnapped little girl. Once again Gwen's story turns out to be a self-serving fabrication, though Gunn enjoys helping her achieve her actual goal: the theft of a top-secret military prototype she believes will enable her to control the electricity that crackles through her body and kills everyone she touches. Despite his reputation as just a piece of muscle, Gunn uses his smarts as well as his brawn to help Gwen get her wish. He's rewarded when the shy virgin allows him to become the first man ever to get past first base with her without being electrocuted. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, The Host (Andy Hallett) heads into seclusion to complete a ritual that will realign his empathic abilities. Anxious to prevent Lorne from "reading" her perverted aura, Cordy prepares, literally, to stab him in the back. Just then, the lights come up and Angel appears, rueful that his suspicions about Cordelia's treachery have been confirmed. Originally broadcast March 26, 2003, on the WB network, "Players" marked season four, episode 16 of the supernatural soap opera. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Conducting some supernatural detective work, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and Anya (Emma Caulfield) learn that Buffy's resurrection (see "Bargaining, Part 1") caused a vulnerability in the slayer line, which is presumably the impetus for The First's campaign to kill all the potential slayers in the world. As the surviving potentials continue to stream into town, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) does everything she can to get them to safety before The First's Bringers can take them out. Rona (Indigo), one such potential, gets a dramatic rescue at the Sunnydale bus depot and joins the assembled slayerettes at the house. Eve (Amanda Fuller), another potential, fills the other girls' heads with horror stories about what's in store for them at the hands of The First. Meanwhile, Buffy finds Eve's body in a motel outside town -- evidence that The First has infiltrated the ranks in the guise of yet another dead person. Once it's found out, the fiend taunts the assembled potentials, then winks out in a flash of light. Soon, the Turok-Han (Camden Toy) and a bunch of Bringers attack the house. Fresh out of ideas, Buffy asks Willow (Alyson Hannigan) to cast a protection spell, then assumes the role of decoy so Xander (Nicholas Brendon) can bring everyone to his construction site to hide. The übervamp cottons onto Buffy's con and turns up at the site ready to wreak havoc. But the Slayer achieves a stunning defeat and finally fells the creature that's been terrorizing her army. As it turns out, her earlier helplessness was a ruse cooked up telepathically by Buffy, Xander and Willow to set the stage for the Turok-Han's destruction. A triumphant Buffy gives the potentials a motivational speech and then rescues poor Spike (James Marsters) from the underground lair where The First has been torturing him. Originally broadcast January 7, 2003, on UPN, "Showtime" marked episode 133 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2004
In the course of a murder investigation at the magic school, Paige (Rose McGowan) and Agent Brody (Kerr Smith) find themselves plunked into the middle of a detective novel that was started 20 years earlier, but never completed. In order to escape their literary prison, Paige and Brody must figure out how the novel was supposed to end -- and they must also locate the book's long-missing author, Eddie Mullen (Bug Hall). As indicated by its title, this episode uses the Charmed format as a framework for an affectionate homage to the shadow-laden film noir genre of the 1940s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Dorian Gregory, (more)
- 2004
A restored church belfry has a curious effect on the citizenry of Stars Hollow, with rapture and tears among the various and sundry reactions. In other developments, Rory (Alexis Bledel) goes after a malicious campus gossip who turns out to be Paris' latest boy-toy. Luke (Scott Patterson) fails to inform Lorelai (Lauren Graham) that he is now living with Nicole. And upon finding out that Lane (Keiko Agena) has been playing with a band -- and staying out until one a.m. to boot -- her mom Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda) reacts in exactly the way that you'd expect Mrs. Kim to react. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
As punishment for helping the Avatars, Leo (Brian Krause) has his memory wiped clean and sent back into the world to start helping people all over again. Although he doesn't know exactly who he is or what has happened, Leo is still expected to make a crucial choice: either permanently remain a Whitelighter Elder or lose his powers, become a mortal, and live with Piper (Holly Marie Combs). Unfortunately, Leo is unable to assist Piper at a time he is needed most: she has lapsed into a coma after a demon attack. As she hovers between life and death, Piper experiences a spectral vision of a former love (welcome back, Julian McMahon!). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Dorian Gregory, (more)
- 2005
As a newly enlisted Whitelighter, Paige (Rose McGowan) is assigned to help a troubled young mechanic named Mitchell Haines (Seamus Dever). Trouble is, Mitchell doesn't want to be helped -- and his resistance may cause Paige to lose her powers before she even gets to use them. Meanwhile, Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) is trapped in the Underworld after switching bodies with the sorceress Imara (Suzanne Krull), and Piper (Holly Marie Combs) has her hands full with a demonic assault at P3. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Dorian Gregory, (more)
- 2007
Bailey (Chandra Wilson) announces plans to start a free clinic, and Izzie (Katherine Heigl) has the money to make this dream come true--provided that the clinic is named after the late Denny Duquette. Meanwhile, Cristina (Ellen Pompeo) receives a marriage proposal; George (T.R. Knight) expresses his grief over his father's death in a truly unique fashion, much to the delight of Callie (Sara Ramirez); and Addison (Kate Walsh) and Alex (Justin Chambers) take great pains to avoid each other. Also, the surgeons become emotionally involved in the plight of Jillian Miller (Jessica Stroup), a young Amish cancer patient torn between her strict parents and her "shunned" best friend (Rachel Boston). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2007
In the first episode of a two-part story, Addison (Kate Walsh) heads to LA for a reunion old medical-school friends, blissfully unprepared for what it is in store for her. Meredith's stepmom Susan (Mare Winningham) is brought in with a truly bad case of hiccups, just as Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) thinks she has come to terms with their relationship. "Jane Doe" (Elizabeth Reaser) has been identified as "Ava", and Alex (Justin Chambers) is happy with her by any name. And Cristina (Sandra Oh) prepares for her wedding with the dubious input of her own mother (Tsai Chin) and Burke's mom (Diahann Carroll). This episode serves to introduce the future costars of the Grey's Anatomy spinoff Private Practice: Tim Daly (Pete), Amy Brennerman (Violet), Taye Diggs (Sam), Chris Lowell (Dell) and Paul Adelstein (Cooper) (the character of Naomi, here played by Merrin Dungey, would be taken over by Audra McDonald in Private Practice). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2007
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Addison (Kate Walsh) undergoes a profound personal crisis as she mulls over the possibility of moving to LA's Oceanside Wellness Center (thereby setting the stage for the Grey's Anatomy spinoff Private Practice). Back in Seattle, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) learns that her stepmother Susan (Mare Winningham) is suffering from something far more serious than a bad case of hiccups. Alex (Justin Chambers) shows up for emotional support as Derek (Patrick Dempsey) performs emergency surgery on Ava (Elizabeth Reaser). And Burke (Isaiah Washington) and George (T.R. Knight) get quite an earful when they turn to Bailey (Chandra Wilson) for marital advice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2008
This Christmas special finds Nickelodeon's own Drake & Josh getting into trouble once again, this time on the roof of the mall - at Christmas time! The movie features performances by Drake Bell and Miranda Cosgrove, as well as an appearance by MMA fighter Kimbo Slice. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
