Portia Dawson Movies
- 2007
- NR
A hotel plays host to four couples who are having problems coping with their relationships in a variety of ways in this independent comedy drama. In one room, a young man who has had bad luck with women is spending the night with a hooker, which proves very uncomfortable for both of them. Elsewhere, a married couple who think the thrill is gone from their sex life decide to add some variety by inviting another woman to join them for the evening. In room number three, a woman who often laments her bad taste in men argues with her former beau about her current significant other -- except that the former lover is only present in her imagination, she's in the bathroom, and her new man is listening to her on the other side of the door. And a couple are planning to spend their anniversary together until the man gets the bright idea of bringing one of his no-account buddies along, much to the woman's annoyance. Starring Kip Pardue, Roger Fan, Jennifer Siebel, Jordan Belfi, and Emily Liu, The Trouble With Romance is the first feature film from writer and director Gene Rhee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Siebel, Kip Pardue, (more)
A bittersweet satire about Hollywood's bottomless capacity for corruption, Dreamers follows the travails of two friends who leave their small Tennessee town for Tinsletown. Opening with a view of Hollywood through the lens of an Asian tourist's video camera accompanied by the movie-loving tourist's ramblings, the film cuts to Jefferson City, Tennessee, where two boys indulge in fantasies of fleeing to L.A. Several years later, one of those boys, Dave (Jeremy Jordan), is heading west to join his childhood friend Ethan (Mark Ballou) in Hollywood. Ethan has spent the past five years trying unsuccessfully to finish his untitled film, scraping together a living as an Amway salesman and construction worker. Following his arrival, Dave finds brief work on a porn set before being fired, and, as part of an attempt to help Ethan find funding for his movie, loses his virginity to a lusty Beverly Hills housewife (Ruth de Sosa). Dreamers is directed by Chinese native Ann Lu and features the late, great Paul Bartel in one of his last screen roles. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Jordan, Mark Ballou, (more)
- 1997
If there is any doubt that this made-for-TV movie is the authorized biography of singer Barbara Mandrell, the fact that the singer plays "herself" in the wraparound sequences should settle all bets. Otherwise, former Brady Bunch regular Maureen McCormick is seen as Barbara, whose life is chronicled from her early years as a musical prodigy (she played the accordion) to her first blush of TV stardom in the company of her sisters Irlene (played by Mandrell's real-life daughter Jaime Dudney) and Louise (Portia Dawson), moving ever forward to her solo superstardom and climaxing with her near-fatal 1984 car accident. The remainder of the drama details Barbara's spectacular post-crash comeback, which involved not only intense physical rehabilitation but also extensive spiritual therapy. Also showing up as themselves are Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Coproduced by Mandrell's husband Ken Dudney (herein played by Greg Kean, Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story made its CBS network bow on September 28, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
A jewel-encrusted chalice is removed from its place of honor in the town of Parthus, bringing down the wrath of the gods in the form of a terrible rock storm. Hercules (Kevin Sorbo), guided by an all-wise Seer (Norman Forsey), tries to shepherd a group of refugees through the storm and into the safe harbor of Calydon. Though he confronts such obstacles as a treacherous swamp and a hugh pterodactyl, Hercules eventually discovers that the biggest threat to the safety of the refugees is their own leader, the shifty Broteas (John Sumner). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Sorbo, Norman Forsey, (more)
A recently transferred high-school student finds herself walking a double-edged sword in her attempt to court friendship with the powerfully popular but frighteningly unpredictable head cheerleader in a disturbing look at the adolescent social hierarchy starring Tori Spelling and Kellie Martin. Angela Delvecchio (Kellie Martin) has just transferred to a new high school, and popularity is her highest priority. Her burgeoning friendship with beautiful cheerleader Stacy Lockwood (Spelling) a sure sign that she is fast making headway with the in crowd, Angela quickly discovers that it doesn't take much for her new best friend to become her new worst enemy. Now, as the vengeful Stacy unleashes a firestorm of cruelty and humiliation on the increasingly vulnerable transfer student, Angela grows unstable for fear of what horrors her venomous teen tormentor will inflict upon her next. But Angela isn't one to take Stacy's abuse in stride, and before the semester is over, the unrelenting tyranny of the cold-blooded cheerleader will lead the newest girl in school to commit an act so shocking that it will shake the entire community. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tori Spelling, Kellie Martin, (more)
- 1991
- PG
The leader of a motorcycle gang (rapper Vanilla Ice) falls in love with a small-town girl (Kristen Minter) and finds out that while her family is involved in the Witness Protection Program, they are being pursued by corrupt cops. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vanilla Ice, Kristen Minter, (more)
