Gary Young Movies

Two impressionable young sisters find their fledgling religious beliefs leading them toward opposite ends of the spectrum following a series of family misfortunes in this drama from Canadian filmmaker Julia Kwan. Eve (Phoebe Jojo Kut) and her sister Karena (Hollie Lo) were raised by Buddhist parents who showed only a passing interest in their faith. When the family suffers a series of setbacks, elder daughter Karena looks to Catholicism as a means of improving her family's lot in life as her strong-willed younger sister Eve -- born under the sign of the fire horse -- opts for a unique blend of Buddhism and Catholicism that is entirely her own creation. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In the concluding episode of Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena (Lucy Lawless) has agreed to the terms of battle set down by evil samurai ghost Yodoshi. In other words, she allows herself to be killed so that she can fight Yodoshi over the souls of some 40,000 murdered Japanese. The grieving Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) races against time to revive Xena by putting her ashes in a magic spring before the next sunset. Only one problem: Even if she manages to defeat Yodoshi, Xena must remain dead in order to undo the samurai's past evil. This episode's climactic disclaimer advises the viewer to hold out hope for a happier ending in the future. We're still waiting. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

For a family picture, not to mention a story that later became the old-fashioned-values-affirming series The Waltons, Spencer's Mountain sure has a lot in it about sex. Henry Fonda gives an interesting portrayal in one of his more unusual roles, as Clay Spencer, the hard-drinkin', hard-livin', hard lovin', hard-cussin' patriarch of a fiercely independent Wyoming family living in the Grand Tetons. When he's not resisting the encroachment of organized religion on his daily life (he believes in God, but doesn't want others to tell him how to do that, or how to show respect to the Lord), he's busy trying to finish the house he promised his wife (Maureen O'Hara) to house their constantly growing brood, and trying to help his eldest son, Clayboy (James MacArthur) -- who's going to be the first Spencer to get past high school -- prepare for college and manhood, while temptation in the form of Claris Coleman (Mimsy Farmer) and Minnie-Cora Cook Kathy Bennett comes his way. There's also a good bit of human drama here, and some especially finely nuanced performances by Donald Crisp and Lillian Bronson, as Fonda's aging parents. Between their work, the CinemaScope photography, the gorgeous Wyoming locations, and a good basic story, this is a surprisingly engrossing comedy-drama of a kind that probably could not be made today, even with a top-name cast. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide