Lisa Nicole Carson Movies
- 1991
A young aspiring actress is killed by a lethal drug overdose. At first glance, it seems the girl was driven to her death by her mother, the proverbial "stage mom from hell." But as the detectives and the D.A.'s office pursue the investigation, it becomes painfully clear that both mother and daughter are inextricably linked with the sleazy producer of porno films. This episode offers an interesting change-of-pace role for frequent Woody Allen co-star Tony Roberts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Though just about ready to graduate from high school, 18-year-old Sam Baker sees little future for himself beyond flipping burgers. Then he meets Queens assemblyman Tony Dillon, a former family friend who has exchanged his ideals for corruption and easy money from the white developers wanting to raze the local housing projects and build expensive condos, something that will have a catastrophic effect on the black community. Wanting to save his friends and neighbors homes, Sam joins former basketball star Bill McCoy's campaign to replace Dillon. The incumbent, however, plays dirty and when McCoy proves more popular, Dillon arranges for him to suffer a fatal accident. But just as Dillon prepares to enjoy his inevitable victory, Sam decides to run in the late McCoy's stead. A talented rapper, his message reaches the local youth, and the tables begin to turn again. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lisa Nicole Carson, Starletta DuPois, (more)
This drama, set in a gritty part of Houston's outskirts, pits brother against brother as the two men try to cope with their childhood family tragedy. Jason and Joshua are opposites. Jason, an ambitious young TV salesman, is the straight arrow. Joshua, an aimless coke-head and frequently jailed petty criminal, is the black sheep. Their father, Maddog was a bitter and maimed Vietnam vet with a penchant for battering his wife, Gloria. To protect herself and her sons from Maddog, she throws him out of the house. In the ensuing fight one of the brothers fatally shoots Maddog. Jason is in love with Lyric, a feisty waitress. As he courts her, his brother Josh plans a bank robbery with his gang. In the end both brothers must face their past and do so in a violent shoot-out. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, (more)
Denzel Washington stars in this adaptation of the novel by African-American crime author Walter Mosley, the first of his stories to reach the screen. Ezekiel Rawlins (Washington), known to his friends as "Easy," has just lost his job at an aircraft plant in post-WW II Los Angeles, a time when good-paying jobs for black men are hard to come by. He's wondering how to make his mortgage payment when he's approached by De Witt Albright (Tom Sizemore), who describes his job as "doing favors for friends." It seems that a woman named Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals) has gone missing; Daphne is the former girlfriend of wealthy mayoral candidate Todd Carter (Terry Kinney) and a known habitué of the black jazz clubs and night spots on L.A.'s Central Avenue. Albright offers Easy $100 to help him find Daphne, and while he doesn't have any detective experience, the price is right, so Easy agrees. After a passionate affair with a friend of Daphne's, Coretta James (Lisa Nicole Carson), leads to that woman's murder, Easy enlists the help of his friend Mouse (Don Cheadle), who seems to know just a bit too well how to use a gun, which gives Easy all too clear a look at the lower depths of L.A.'s upper crust. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, (more)
- 1996
Ross' (George Clooney) one-night stand with a girl (Lisa Darr) whom he picked up in a bar threatens to turn into tragedy when she is stricken with an epileptic seizure and rushed to the ER. The staff can't shake the notion that Ross was somehow responsible for this, and he hardly helps matters by revealing that he doesn't even know the girl's name. In other developments, Carter (Noah Wyle) loses Benton's (Eriq La Salle) lecture notes when his apartment building catches fire; and Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) and Greene (Anthony Edwards) experience new romantic adventures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
In the opening episode of ER's third season, Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) get the results of their HIV tests, forcing Jeanie to make a difficult decision. Carter's inaugural assignment as a first-year intern is to temporarily replace Benton as ER surgical consultant; Carter (Noah Wyle) also finds time to befriend another first-year man, Dr. Dennis Gant (Omar Epps). Having been promoted to full-time attending physician (and, incidentally, full-time ER regular), Weaver (Laura Innes) is more insufferable than ever. And in two separate Fourth of July festivities, a couple of the other main characters experience uncomfortable reunions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
During Christmas week, Ross (George Clooney) again tries to extend a helping hand to surly homeless teenager Charlie (Kirsten Dunst); Doyle (Jorja Fox) comes to the aid of a battered wife (Gloria LeRoy); and a mangy orphaned dog is "adopted" by Greene (Anthony Edwards), who is under the impression that the mutt would make a good gift for his daughter, Rachel (Yvonne Zima). In another development, Greene and Weaver (Laura Innes) try to forge a policy regarding HIV-positive employees, an action which may force Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) out in the open. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Greene (Anthony Edwards), Weaver (Laura Innes), and Doyle (Jorja Fox) argue over the treatment of a drunken woman who tried to kill her unborn child. Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) is surprised by the benign attitude of Al (Michael Beach) after he serves her divorce papers. And Lydia's (Ellen Crawford) marriage is over before it begins. This episode introduces Kirsten Dunst as Charlie, a teenaged dope addict -- and also (for the time being) bids farewell to Sherry Stringfield as Susan Lewis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Ally McBeal, despite low expectations from the network, proved to be a highly successful endeavor from writer/producer David E. Kelley. The notoriously tiny Calista Flockhart's neurotic portrayal of Ally fueled the show for five seasons, though it could not have lasted nearly as long without the insights of its eccentric supporting cast. Unique for its forays into the surreal, Ally McBeal as a show is as conflicted as its starring character. Half feministic endeavor, half a frustratingly traditional portrayal of lovelorn women, Ally McBeal danced precariously between law dramas of a more serious nature and Bridget Jones-esque "chick-shows." The series centered around the life of Ally McBeal, the quintessential "little girl lost," who, after graduating with a law degree from Harvard University, found herself in a law firm populated by an extraordinarily unconventional staff, including but not limited to Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows), her high school sweetheart. The show's premise allowed for quite a bit of creative freedom, and most episodes switched seamlessly from the thought-provoking (modern gender issues and sexual boundaries) to the absurd (remote control toilet flushers and pet frogs). Ally's quest for love and emotional fulfillment made for the heart of the series, along with the dark undertone of her often-questionable sanity. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
A young girl learns some difficult lessons about truth, love, and fidelity in this critically-acclaimed Southern gothic drama. Eve Batiste (Jurnee Smollett) is a ten-year-old girl whose father Louis (Samuel L. Jackson) is a successful and well-liked doctor in an African-American community in Louisiana. Louis is a good father and an excellent provider, but he also has a way of attracting the ladies, and he's not inclined to turn them away. One night, the Batistes hold a party, and Eve, her older sister Cisely (Meagan Good), and their mother Roz (Lynn Whitfield) all notice that Louis is spending a great deal of time dancing with the same woman. Eve later spies her father and the woman in an embrace in the carriage house, though Louis unconvincingly claims that nothing untoward was happening. The evidence of Louis' infidelity takes a toll on the entire family: Cisely, who at age 14 is walking the middle-ground between being a girl and a woman, becomes sullen and confused about her new emotions, Roz takes out her frustrations on her loved ones, and Eve visits Elzora (Diahann Carroll), a voodoo priestess, looking for advice and possibly revenge. Meanwhile, Eve's Aunt Mozelle (Debbi Morgan), who claims to have psychic powers, arrives to stay with the family after the death of her third husband, though she isn't lonely for long after meeting the eccentric Julien Greyraven (Vondie Curtis-Hall). Eve's Bayou was the first project as writer-director for actress Kasi Lemmons; leading man Samuel L. Jackson also co-produced. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jurnee Smollett, Meagan Good, (more)
The first season of Ally McBeal centers around Ally's (Calista Flockhart) introduction to a law firm as full of eccentric characters as it is legal files. Not only must Ally adjust to her former high-school sweetheart's choice to marry another, but she also has to learn how to cope with having both him and his wife as co-workers. This season was a highly successful test of Ally McBeal's unique format, which emphasized musical numbers and special effect-laden flights of fancy. Despite initial low expectations from the network, Ally McBeal became a sleeper hit, owing much of its success to its originality, incorporation of truly unique characters, and its expert combination of modern issues of political-correctness with age-old matters of the heart. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally faces a moral dilemma when she's assigned to defend Richard's partner, who was arrested for solicitation. Meanwhile, Richard tries to use Ally to snag a client. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Georgia asks Ally to work on an age-discrimination case involving a TV newsanchor (Kate Jackson). ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
In the series pilot, Ally (Calista Flockhart) goes to work for a former classmate (Greg Germann). ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally's anything but jolly when she's assigned to represent a threesome (Eric Pierpoint, Amanda Carlin, Katie Mitchell) who want to make their marriage legal. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Billy's revelation unsettles Ally. Meanwhile, Elaine hires an attorney (Sandra Bernhard) in a sex-discrimination suit; and Ally and Georgia turn tough in a divorce case. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
What do you do after love at first sight? That's the question posed in this romantic comedy-drama set in Chicago. Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) is a novelist who is giving a reading at the Sanctuary, an upscale club presenting jazz and poetry to a bohemian clientele. Shortly before his set, he meets Nina Mosley (Nia Long), a woman who is a gifted photographer, despite the fact that she just lost her job. They exchange small talk, and Darius makes his interest clear when -- on the spot -- he retitles a love poem "A Blues For Nina." A mutual attraction is sparked between them; soon Darius finds Nina's address on a check and shows up unannounced at her apartment, a visit resulting in a photo session that turns seriously sexy. So far, so good, but neither Darius or Nina are sure where to go next after this promising start. She's just gotten out of a relationship and isn't sure if she still cares for her old boyfriend or not, while Darius' buddies read him the riot act for wanting to give up his freedom so early on in the game. Love Jones was the debut feature for African-American writer and director Theodore Witcher; Isaiah Washington, Bill Bellamy, and Lisa Nicole Carson lead the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larenz Tate, Nia Long, (more)
- 1997
Ally reexamines male-female relationships when a lawyer develops an unrequited crush on her, and she defends a prostitute (Jamie Rose). ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
In the series' 100th episode, Ally is hired by a man who believes he can fly, and he tries to prove to her that she can, too; and John scoffs as Richard and Elaine try matchmaker Harriet Pumple (Nell Carter). ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally's racked with guilt when she's asked to give the eulogy at the funeral of a law-school prof with whom she once had an affair. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally defends a young transvestite (Wilson Cruz) on charges of prostitution, using a modified insanity defense. Meanwhile, Richard fights to have his dead uncle's unusual last request carried out. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally tries to shake off her prudish image; and the firm is sued again---this time by the object of Elaine's lawsuit. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Several weeks after being assaulted and beaten, Greene (Anthony Edwards) returns to work, but it is obvious that he is the worse for his horrendous experience. When Carla (Lisa Nicole Carson) goes into premature labor, Benton (Eriq La Salle) can only stand by helplessly and wait. Carter (Noah Wyle) considers giving up his dreams of being a surgeon so that he can continue with ER work. And Ross (George Clooney) isn't about to let Carol (Julianna Margulies) have a quiet birthday. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
As their premature baby son struggles for his life in the ICU, Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Carla (Lisa Nicole Carson) mull over their future. Increasingly paranoid after being beaten by an unknown assailant, Greene (Anthony Edwards) purchases a gun. Anspaugh (John Aylward) is upset that Carter (Noah Wyle) wants to abandon surgery in favor of emergency medicine. Romance re-enters the lives of Ross (George Clooney) and Carol (Julianna Margulies). And troubled teenager Charlie (Kirsten Dunst) is back. This was the final episode of ER's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Carol (Julianna Margulies) weighs her options as she decides to either pursue medical school or remain a nurse. Carter (Noah Wyle) wonders if he should turn in a fellow intern and former romantic rival for falsifying a patient's record. A couple who delights in concocting potentially dangerous "scenarios" plagues the ER staff. Ross (George Clooney) is determined to save the life of a two-year-old boy. And a genetically altered mouse is running loose in the hospital. This episode contains one of the most shocking and startling moments of ER's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
