Maria Del Mar
The low-budget, direct-to-video thriller Jekyll + Hyde updates Robert Louis Stevenson's seminal 1886 novel to the Twenty-first century. Jeff Roop and Bree Turner star as medical students Jay and Mary, whose undying experimentation with an ecstasy-like drug yields a complete loss of behavioral control, followed by a sudden descent into unbridled madness, and Mary's death. As Jay begins to gradually alter the formula with the hope of saving himself, he instead becomes more and more controlled by the substance, with little recognition of the extent to which it is reshaping his life and personality. Meanwhile, he captures the entire experience on a series of video diaries that will tell the tragic story to the rest of the world. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bree Turner, Jeff Roop, (more)
- 2004
Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) decides he will not give in to Saunders' (Paul Blackthorne) latest demand, to release the names of all of America's foreign operatives. He also refuses to leave L.A., despite Aaron's (Glenn Morshower) plea. Two new symptomatic cases of the virus have turned up in the city. Tony (Carlos Bernard) gets a call from Michelle (Reiko Aylesworth). They both break down when she tells him that her test results are back and she doesn't have the virus. She's being taken to a quarantine area for further observation. Having failed to keep Jane's (Alexandra Lydon) abduction a secret, Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) resumes questioning her. He plays her a tape of her father making threats, and shows her horrifying video from the Chandler Plaza Hotel. She finally admits that she has an emergency phone number, and agrees to call her father. When she does, Saunders quickly realizes that the call is being monitored, and tells Jane to put Jack on the phone. He warns Jack to release Jane unharmed, reminding Jack what he's capable of. Jack responds coolly, "You know what I'm capable of, too." The call enables CTU to close in on Saunders' location, and a team is sent there. Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) is assigned to escort Jane back to CTU headquarters. Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) is horrified to discover Adam's (Zachary Quinto) sister on the list of infected people. As CTU closes in on Saunders, he seems remarkably unconcerned. Jack is outside with a bullhorn, reminding him that Palmer will no longer give in to his demands, and that CTU has Jane in custody. Jack orders him to surrender, but he has other ideas. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2004
Tony (Carlos Bernard) helped Saunders (Paul Blackthorne) escape CTU's clutches because he is holding Michelle (Reiko Aylesworth) hostage. Now Tony tries to cover his tracks, deleting the satellite imagery of the CTU team being moved. Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) realizes that the video is missing, and suggests to Tony that Saunders might have someone helping him inside CTU. Tony has her work on tracing Saunders' last call to him. Tony and Saunders seem to be at a stalemate, because Tony has said he'll kill Jane (Alexandra Lydon) if anything happens to Michelle, but when Saunders finds out CTU is tracing his call, he orders Tony to put a stop to it, and he does. Jack (Kiefer Sutherland), who has just gotten back to L.A., overhears Tony shutting down the trace, and demands to know what's going on. Tony admits to screwing up, and tells Jack he'll resign once the crisis is over. Jack points out that Tony didn't just screw up; he lied to cover his "mistakes." Jack relieves him of duty, forcing Tony to take even more drastic action. Meanwhile, Sherry (Penny Johnson Jerald) goes to Palmer's (Dennis Haysbert) opponent, Keeler (Geoff Pierson), and offers him evidence that Palmer lied to cover up her involvement in Alan Milliken's death. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christina Chang, Zachary Quinto, (more)
- 2004
Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) has been forced to kill Chappelle (Paul Schulze). Back at CTU, it's determined that Saunders (Paul Blackthorne) has a 19-year-old daughter to whom he's been sending money. She's a student at UC Santa Barbara. Knowing that Saunders probably has surveillance on her, Jack tells Tony (Carlos Bernard) that they'll have to do a "plain sight swap," replacing the girl with a double so Saunders won't know she's missing. The closest match they can come up with for Jane Saunders (Alexandra Lydon) is, sadly, Kim (Elisha Cuthbert). Tony gives Kim the assignment, despite Chloe's (Mary Lynn Rajskub) reservations. But when Jack gets back to CTU and finds out about it, he goes ballistic. Kim manages to convince him that it's her duty. Jack gives her a gun, just in case. They take a chopper to UCSB, where the switch is made in the ladies' room of the library where Jane works. Kim isn't enough of a physical match to fool anyone who gets too close, and that's just what happens, forcing Kim to use that gun. Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) meets with his Cabinet and tells them what's happened with the hotel, and informs them that he's had a CTU agent murdered to meet the terrorist's demand. Meanwhile, Chase (James Badge Dale) goes to interrogate Susan Cole (Jenni Blong), the wife of the man who left the Chandler Plaza Hotel, and that man, William Cole (Patrick Fabian), goes to a pharmacy and then an emergency room, complaining of a nosebleed that just won't stop. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
This sentimental made-for-TV drama was based on the bestselling novel by Donna VanLiere, which in turn was inspired by the popular song of the same name. Rob Lowe stars as Robert Layton, a workaholic attorney who sorely neglects his family, even during the Christmas season. Clearly, Layton is overdue for a "humanizing" treatment, which comes in the form of a little boy named Nathan Andrews (Max Morrow). Learning that his mother, Maggie (Kimberly Williams), is dying from congenital heart failure, and unable to financially rely upon his underemployed father, Jack (Hugh Thompson), Nathan goes about collecting tin cans and other throwaways so that he can afford an expensive pair of red shoes for his ailing mom. Nathan's plight not only touches Layton, but also has a heartwarming trickle-down effect on the lawyer's estranged family. The Christmas Shoes debuted December 1, 2002, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Kimberly Payne Williams, (more)
- 2002
Monk (Tony Shalhoub) has sworn to remain faithful to the memory of his late wife Trudy, but beautiful divorcee Monica Walters (Maria Del Mar)--who so closely resembles Trudy that it is genuinely frightening!--may make him change his mind. But there's a problem: Monica is among the suspects in the murder of attorney Lou Pratt and Pratt's assistant. Despite a preponderance of evidence, Monk is convinced that Monica is not guilty --and nearly gets himself killed in his dogged efforts to prove her innocence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jimmy Smits returned to the big screen after a career-reviving stint on the TV series NYPD Blue with this emotional drama about the difficult relationship between a father and his sons. Smits plays Arturo Ortega, a man with lifelong dreams of being a contender in professional boxing. While Arturo had the knowledge, drive, and ambition to be a champ, his career proved short-lived, and, after a brief fling with success, he's a forgotten man. However, Arturo has instilled his passion for boxing in his three sons, who grow up learning the fine art of prizefighting. All three boys begin competing in the ring, with Arturo as their manager and coach, but Johnny (Jon Seda) quickly shows so much promise that other managers and promoters want to take over his contract and put him on the fast track to the championship. Arturo feels betrayed when Johnny wants to work with another manager, while his other two sons resent Johnny for turning his back on his father and wish Arturo had the same belief in their talents in the ring. The debut feature from director Carlos Avila and screenwriter Phil Berger, Price of Glory also features Maria Del Mar, Ron Perlman, Paul Rodriguez, and Clifton Collins Jr.. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jimmy Smits, Jon Seda, (more)
- 1998
This TV science fiction series is set in the 23rd century aboard an intergalactic medical facility dedicated to the new science of alien physiology. The space-bound doctors, who care for both aliens and humans, include android ANI, aka Android Nursing Interface (Julia Pennington), alien physiologist Dr. Maxwell (Joe Morton), Dr. Caleb "C J" Jurado (Brian McNamara), Dr. Dru Breslauer (Alexandra Wilson), and concerned Dr. Rema Cook (Gay Thomas), who fights for the rights of patients. Filmed in Vancouver, Canada, this series premiered October 6, 1998 on United Paramount Network. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Morton, Maria Del Mar, (more)
Detective Jean Martin (Linda Hamilton, in her first TV movie) isn't happy at the LAPD sex crimes unit and gets a transfer to robbery/homicide, where she's partnered with Dan Collins (Jeff Fahey) and Lt. Gil Suggs (Coolio). As a single mom, Martin tries to raise her young son (Tim Redwine) and engage in a few fleeting moments of romance, while simultaneously tracking down violence-prone, death-dealing teen bank robbers. Filmed in LA, this TV movie premiered January 15, 1998. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Hamilton, Jeff Fahey, (more)
- 1997
Originally telecast as a one-hour episode, "Three Dates and a Breakup" has been split into two half-hour for syndication. In part one, Frasier's plans for a romantic weekend -- with no fewer than three lady friends -- are scuttled by his father Martin's girlfriend, Sherry (Marsha Mason). One thing leads to another, and before long Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) discovers that Sherry and Martin (John Mahoney) have broken up. Normally, this would be a great cause for celebration on Frasier's part, but... ~ All Movie Guide
- 1997
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Martin (John Mahoney) and Sherry (Marsha Mason) have broken up over a silly quarrel. While Martin's son, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer), is rather relieved to see the back of the bombastic Sherry, he soon realizes that his father is miserable without her. Thus it is that Frasier takes on the responsibility to patch up the quarrel using every professional skill (and subterfuge) at his disposal. Parts one and two of "Three Dates and a Breakup" originally aired as a single hour-long episode. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1996
- PG13
In this rip-roaring actioner, a moonshiner comes to a crossroads in his life when he must decide whether he should spend the rest of his days running illegal corn squeezin's and eluding the vengeful and corrupt sheriff, or follow the advice of his lover (the same sheriff's estranged wife) and head down the straight and narrow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyle MacLachlan, Randy Quaid, (more)
Dolly Parton stars in this light-hearted story as Ruby Diamond, a singer who unexpectedly dies in an auto wreck and finds herself meeting the man at the pearly gates. Ruby discovers she did not rack up enough good deed points to enter the kingdom of Heaven, but she's given a second chance to come back to Earth and help others in hopes of proving she deserves angel status after all. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dolly Parton, Roddy McDowall, (more)
- 1994
Desire, the fleeting pleasures of casual sex, and the difficulty involved with keeping passion alive are the focus of this unusual Canadian drama. The film, which was shot alternately in black and white, and color, is set in modern Toronto days before a solar eclipse is to occur. For his high school project, Angelo is filming a documentary on eclipse fever. His work is presented in color as he interviews people about the eclipse. Interspersed between Angelo's film is a series of sexual scenes, shot in black and white, involving gay and straight encounters between 10 friends, lovers, and acquaintances. What makes the film unique is that a connected progression occurs as one character from a preceding sexual encounter always appears in the subsequent one. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Von Flores, John Gilbert, (more)
