Courtland Mead Movies

Based on the popular animated children's program Disney's Recess, this full-length film focuses on the end of a school year, where young pupil T.J. Detweiler is looking ahead to having a wild, fun-packed summer vacation. T.J. stumbles upon a plot hatched by the villainous Dr. Benedict, a former principal who once tried to strike recess from the average school day. Dr. Benedict hatches a scheme to control weather patterns with a specialized laser beam to create a permanent winter, making it impossible for the students to have a summer vacation. T.J. calls in all of his best pals to defeat the villainous Dr. Benedict, as well as recruits the help of the faculty, who willingly join the young students on their crusade for freedom. Recess: School's Out was directed by Chuck Sheetz, who has helmed episodes of The Simpsons and King of the Hill. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) continues to fret over his son Theo's bone-marrow test. Diane (Kim Delaney) confronts Jill (Andrea Thompson), forcing Jill to reveal why she has hidden the knowledge that her drug-running ex-husband, Don (Erich Anderson), is still alive. And in a tension-laden climax, Sorenson (Rick Schroder) prepares to nab Don, while Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) and Jones (Henry Simmons) set their sights on corrupt drug cop Denby (Scott Cohen). "The Last Round Up" and the preceding episode "Bats Off to Larry" were originally telecast as a single two-hour "special" episode, which served as NYPD Blue's seventh season finale -- not to mention the series swan song for actress Andrea Thompson. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The first teaming of Danny Sorenson (Rick Schroder) and Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) is not an easy one for Diane, who still hasn't gotten over the loss of Danny's predecessor, Bobby Simone. Her grief has resulted in profound depression, and may lead her back into her old drinking habits. In other developments, the squad forms a protective circle around Jill Kirkendall's (Andrea Thompson) young son, Kyle (Courtland Mead), who has witnessed a stabbing. While still pursuing the old Suarez murder case, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence) discover that the original informant against Suarez may have actually been the guilty party, and both Greg (Gordon Clapp) and John (Bill Brochtrup) worry that their judgment may be clouded by their affections. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This is the first episode of a two-part story, which originally concluded on the Touched by an Angel spinoff series Promised Land. Monica (Roma Downey) and her fellow angels once again pay a visit to the family of Russell Greene (Gerald McRaney), on the one-year anniversary of the traffic accident in which Russell's ne'er-do-well brother Joe (Richard Thomas) killed two people. Though Joe has ostensibly reformed, he is still not quite out of the woods: Sandra Mills (Karen Silas), whose husband and son were killed in the accident, has sworn to put Joe in his grave. In a curiously parallel development, Russell's wife Claire, who teaches reading to Death Row inmates, tries to help condemned prisoner Darlene (Tracy Gold) reconcile with her family. The episode ends in a cliffhanger, with two lives (and maybe more!) in the balance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This second filmed version of Stephen King's best-selling horror novel credits King as the scriptwriter as well. The 4 1/2-hour long made-for-TV epic takes a more subtle approach to the horror and spends more time on the human elements than the now legendary Stanley Kubrick predecessor ~ Andrew Olthuis, Rovi

This Disney live-action film is a very loose adaptation of Mark Twain's two novels about boyhood friends in Hannibal, MO, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn which omits some of the darker themes and undertones in the original books. Television star Jonathan Taylor Thomas (of Home Improvement) is the prankish Tom Sawyer. Tom wants desperately to be friends with the renegade orphan boy Huck Finn (Brad Renfro), who lives on his own on the edge of town. Tom is also smitten with the tomboyish Becky Thatcher (Amy Wright), daughter of the town judge. On an adventure one night, Tom and Huck stumble upon a murder in a graveyard. They see Injun Joe (Eric Schweig) killing the town undertaker to get a map to a treasure. Tom's friend Muff Potter (Michael McShane) is wrongly accused of the crime, but Tom and Huck both know the real killer. Huck has made Tom swear not to reveal the truth and both boys fear that Injun Joe will come after them if they squeal. Tom must choose between his friendship with Huck and his desire to vindicate Muff and get the real killer brought to justice. They try to find the treasure and end up confronting Injun Joe in a cave. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi

A young pig fights convention to become a sheep dog -- or, rather, sheep pig -- in this charming Australian family film, which became an unexpected international success due to superior special effects and an intelligent script. The title refers to the name bestowed on a piglet soon after his separation from his family, when he finds himself on a strange farm. Confused and sad, Babe is adopted by a friendly dog and slowly adjusts to his new home. Discovering that the fate of most pigs is the dinner table, Babe devotes himself to becoming a useful member of the farm by trying to learn how to herd sheep, despite the skepticism of the other animals and the kindly but conventional Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell). Because technically impeccable animatronics and computer graphics allow the farm animals to converse easily among themselves, first-time director Chris Noonan can treat the film's menagerie as actual characters, playing scene not for cuteness but for real emotions. The result is often surprisingly touching, with Noonan and George Miller's script, based on Dick King-Smith's children's book and, indirectly, a true story, seamlessly combining gentle whimsy and sincere feeling. These same qualities are embodied by in Cromwell's beautifully understated performance as Farmer Hoggett, which anchors the film. Despite its unlikely premise and low profile, Babe's inspirational story was embraced by audiences and critics, and the movie became an international sleeper that won an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. It was followed in 1999 by the less successful Babe: Pig in the City. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

This rental contains both Babe and Babe: Pig in the City

Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, and the other characters made famous in the Our Gang shorts of the 1920s and 1930s are brought back to life in this nostalgic children's comedy. Although the setting is the present day, the characters remain much the same, down to their old-fashioned clothing and their membership in the "He-man Womun Haters Club." When Alfalfa (Bug Hall) starts to question his devotion to the club's principles after falling for the beautiful nine-year old Darla (Brittany Ashton Holmes), the rest of the gang sets out to keep them apart. An attempt to win the grand prize in a go-cart race also comes into play, providing opportunities for physical comedy, while Darla's and Alfalfa's story trades on the humor of innocent puppy love. Most critics found the film less a tribute to the original series of shorts than a blatant attempt to capitalize on the familiar name, though younger audiences may be entertained by the simple gags and child-like attitude. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

Courtland Mead stars in this whimsical, live-action children's fantasy, as Johnny McGowan, a young man living on his family spread in Scotland. The somewhat lonely Johnny wishes for a friend, and is startled when that wish materializes before him in the form of a genuine fire-breathing dragon. Fortunately it's a nice dragon, so the two get along fine. But when a filmmaker and an unscrupulous promoter discover the creature and try to exploit it by building a theme park, 'Dragonworld,' around it, but Johnny evinces great resistance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This erotic drama stars Joan Severance as Irene, a repressed housewife who develops a lustful and somewhat obsessive attraction to Billy (Billy Zane), a handsome landscaper working with a crew of laborers on her yard. With both her husband and son gone on a fishing trip for a few days, Irene becomes a stowaway in her own camper, which Billy steals for a weekend getaway with his girlfriend Grace (May Karasun), unaware that Irene is inside. After Irene joins the surprised couple, she's invited to join them as they relax in rural environs and enjoy a Chinese festival being held nearby. Thanks to the willing and able assistance of Billy and Grace, Irene also unlocks her sexual side and discovers some deeply repressed desires. Lake Consequence (1992) was created by the soft-core drama duo of director Rafael Eisenman and writer/producer Zalman King. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi