Tracy Middendorf
Dylan Walsh, Danny DeVito, Jonah Hill, and Justin Long star in prolific actor-turned-writer/director Hart Bochner's quirky romantic comedy about the efforts of a simple blue collar worker to reconnect with his childhood love and finally clean up his crime infested California neighborhood. Ray Tuckby is a kind-hearted husband and father whose wife suffers from agoraphobia, and whose teenage son simply doesn't fit in socially. As if dealing with his stressful family issues isn't enough for Ray, his community has recently fallen prey to some intimidating drug dealers and a powerful real estate kingpin. Somewhere in the middle of dealing with all of life's little anxieties, however, the put upon Ray learns to reconnect with the power of his youthful dreams. Later, an unexpected encounter with an outside encourages Ray to take on the criminals that are making his life a living hell, and finally summon the courage to connect with pretty checkout girl Nora. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dylan Walsh, Tracy Middendorf, (more)
The third entry in Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible film series involves super Impossible Mission Forces (IMF) agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) being forced back into the field just when he was planning on marrying his girlfriend, Julia (Michelle Monaghan). The agency asks Hunt to save an operative (Keri Russell) he trained after weapons dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) kidnaps her. With the help of his field team -- played by Ving Rhames, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, and Maggie Q -- Hunt achieves his goal, but becomes involved in a web of double-crosses that leave him wondering if he can trust his superiors (Billy Crudup and Laurence Fishburne). Eventually Davian threatens Julia's life in order to get away with his evil plan. Simon Pegg appears as an IMF tech expert. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, (more)
- 2005
After developing a rash and several symptoms of pneumonia, 12-year-old Gabriel Reilich (Daryl Sabara) concludes that his Ouija board is right, and that he has been "cursed." House (Hugh Laurie), of course, is certain that there is a more logical answer, but to get that answer he'll have to penetrate the wall of silence erected by Gabriel's wealthy and powerful father (Nestor Carbonell). Meanwhile, Chase (Jeff Spencer) is none too pleased when his rheumotologist father (Patrick Bachau) flies in from Australia--especially when Chase Sr. seems to hit it off with House! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
An autistic ex-con attempting to readjust to life on the outside finds that the past isn't so easy to escape as he becomes caught in the middle of a deadly triple-cross in director Stephen Purvis' labyrinthine thriller. For five long years Manny (Lou Diamond Phillips) has repaid his debt to society by serving time in a prison for the criminally insane. Now the day of his parole has finally arrived, and after returning to Reno Manny takes up residence at a local motel and soon finds employment as a clerk at the Hotel El Cortez. Upon striking up an amiable friendship with crippled prospector Popcorn (Bruce Weitz), Manny is quickly recruited to help his new friend convince wealthy gambler Russo (Peter Onorati) to invest in the struggling gold-hunter's potentially prosperous mine. Complications soon arise, however, when Arnie (James McDaniel), the vengeful cop who had arrested Manny, pressures the mentally handicapped ex-con to keep an eye on local drug dealer Jack (Glenn Plummer) - who is currently staying in the same hotel as Manny. When Jack's scheming girlfriend Theda (Tracy Middendorf) learns about Popcorn's goldmine and subsequently attempts to seduce Manny in hopes of learning more, shifting alliances and deadly secrets thrust all involved into a murderous game of betrayal and death. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lou Diamond Phillips, Tracy Middendorf, (more)
- 2004
- PG13
On December 24, 2002, a woman named Laci Peterson, eight months pregnant at the time, was reported missing to police in a suburban California community. Laci's husband, Scott Peterson, initially joined police in their investigation of his wife's disappearance, which was soon presumed to be the result of foul play; however, many details of what Scott was doing the night Laci vanished didn't add up, and a woman soon stepped forward to announce that she had been having an affair with Scott. As the case of the missing woman began to attract worldwide attention, many people began to speculate that Scott may have been involved in Laci's disappearance. When her body was finally recovered, Scott found himself behind bars, charged with the murder of his spouse. The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story is a made-for-cable movie that stars Dean Cain as Scott Peterson, following the story from Laci's disappearance to Scott being charged with homicide. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Cain, Sarah Joy Brown, (more)
- 2004
- R
- AddThe Assassination of Richard Nixonto QueueAddThe Assassination of Richard Nixonto top of Queue
The true story of a man who, on February 22, 1974, was thwarted from an ambitious plan for political assassination provides the basis for this striking psychological drama. Sam Bicke (Sean Penn) is a salesman for an office-supply company whose life is slowly beginning to unravel. Bicke's job is going nowhere, his wife, Marie (Naomi Watts), has left him, and his boss (Jack Thompson) keeps pushing self-help books on him that make a mockery of his state of mind. One of Bicke's few friends is Bonny Simmons (Don Cheadle), an auto mechanic, and together they come up with an idea for a tire shop on wheels; while neither has the money to finance the project, Bicke has learned of a program for small-business loans instituted by President Richard Nixon, which he's certain will come through for him. But Bicke is denied his loan, which dovetails with his increasing suspicion of the president's Vietnam policies and a sudden interest in the "by any means necessary" political activism of the Black Panther Party. Desperate to seem important in some way, Bicke becomes increasingly obsessed with the duplicity of Richard Nixon, until he chooses to take it upon himself to stop the president once and for all. The Assassination of Richard Nixon was the first feature film from director Niels Mueller. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, (more)
- 2003
With the Alliance in tatters and Sloane (Ron Rifkin) still MIA, new college graduate Sydney (Jennifer Garner) is more determined than ever to give up the spy game. But CIA director Kendall (Terry O'Quinn) insists that Sydney tackle a case which seems to prove that the Alliance is still a force to reckon with. Cal Tech mathematician Neil Caplan (Christian Slater) and his family have been kidnapped and whisked off to Switzerland, where the fugitive Sloane demands that Caplan help him assemble the Rambaldi artifacts, which when completed will morph into a deadly WMD, capable of destroying a large city. Elsewhere, Dixon (Carl Lumbly) may have to choose between the love of his wife and his dedication to his espionage duties; while Marshall (Kevin Weisman) cheerfully enlists his photographic memory in the good fight. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Speeding motorist Alex Jomes pulls up in front of a casino, gets out of his car -- and dies as the result of the wooden stake driven into his head. It falls to Grissom (William L. Petersen) and Nick (George Eads) to track down the so-called "vampire killer." Meawnhile, Warrick (Gary Dourdan) and Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) follow the trail of clues when the five-year-old son of NBA star Tavian Tombs (Dwayne Adway) is kidnapped while Tombs is having an incredible run of luck at the gaming tables. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Upon discovering that kidnapped scientist Neil Caplan (Christian Slater) and his wife, Elsa (Tracy Middendorf), have had espionage-related life experiences similar to her own, Sydney (Jennifer Garner) defies her father Jack's (Victor Garber) orders and attempts to rescue Neil all by herself. Elsewhere, Sloane (Ron Rifkin) exacts a horrible vengeance upon Dixon (Carl Lumbly), the CIA agent who accidentally killed Sloane's wife, Emily. And the evil lookalike of Sydney's murdered roommate, Francie (Merrin Dungey), continues to flatter vital information out of the unwitting Will (Bradley Cooper). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Future Oscar winner Hilary Swank gives an excellent account of herself in this made-for-TV movie as Lisa Connors, a college student who is pressured into pledging for the campus' most prestigious sorority by her ambitious mother (Isabella Hoffman). Among the other pledges is the desperately lonely and insecure Shelby Blake (Jenna von Oy), who, like Lisa, is forced to endure unspeakable humiliations during the hazing process. When Shelby dies in a fall from the college clock tower, her death is declared a suicide, but Lisa doesn't buy this verdict (nor does the viewing audience, who knows that Shelby was killed following the orders of snobbish sorority girl Drea Davenport [Sarah Chalke]). At the risk of her own reputation and academic future, Lisa embarks upon a crusade to uncover the truth behind Shelby's demise, making powerful enemies all along the way. Originally an "NBC World Premiere Movie," Dying to Belong first aired February 24, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, (more)
- 1997
Monica (Roma Downey) is assigned to give away one (and ONLY one!) miracle to a stranger in a crowded bar. Trouble is, every single person in the establishment is in dire need of a miracle! Whom should Monica choose: Wheelchair-bound Noah (Eddie Jones), desperate pool shark Claude (Clive Revill), unhappily married Ernie (Fred Sanders) and Marie (Terri Hanauer), alcoholic salesman Buddy (Tim Reid), perennial loser Loafer (Edie McClurg), or the dangerously impulsive Amethyst (Tracy Middendorf)? Just when Andrew (John Dye) shows up to lend Monica a helping hand, yet another "person in need" strolls into the bar--changing the dynamics of the story completely! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
While going through a manuscript from a prestigious author, junior book editor Erin Garman (Tracy Middendorf cannot help but notice similarities between the book's plot and her own life: It seems that, as a child, she was kidnapped, and still cannot recall the particulars of the situation. As Erin pursues the matter, she finds that the police have no intention of re-opening the case. Jessica (Angela Lansbury) comes to the girl's aid when the intrigues surrounding her long-ago abduction lead to suicide and murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
As the Klingon/Cardassian conflict grinds on, a much-needed shipment of replicators is targetted for hijacking by the Maquis terrorist group. Making his job all the more difficult, Sisko learns that there may be a Maquis smuggler on board DS9. Worse yet, the smuggler appears to be Sisko's current amour, Cassidy Yates (Penny Johnson). First broadcast May 6, 1996, "For the Cause" was scripted by Ronald D. Moore from a story by Mark Gehred-O'Connell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Veteran horror director Wes Craven was responsible for the hit 1984 film A Nightmare on Elm Street, which introduced the character of Freddy Krueger. After Craven sold the rights to his character, Krueger became filmdom's top grossing monster, with five sequels by 1991, none of them involving Craven. In this post-modernist horror film, Craven plays himself, a filmmaker working on a script for a movie that seems to be spinning out of control. Also playing himself, as well as playing his customary character Krueger, is Robert Englund. The original teenage hero of the first Nightmare film, Heather Langenkamp, also plays herself. She is still haunted by Freddy dreams, but Craven convinces her to make another Krueger film to exorcise her demons. Unfortunately, her son Dylan (Miko Hughes) is being taken over by Freddy himself, who materializes and kills Dylan's beloved nanny, Julie (Tracy Middendorf). Dylan, possessed by the evil spirit, escapes from the hospital and tries to cross a freeway with his mother in pursuit. Craven finds that his character has literally become a creation out of his control. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, (more)
