Charles Guardino Movies
With their home planet in danger and no place in the known universe to seek shelter, a desperate crew of miniature alien humanoids boards a human spacecraft in hopes of saving their doomed world. Eddie Murphy stars in a sci-fi comedy that re-teams the longtime comic actor with Norbit director Brian Robbins. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, (more)
- 2003
Little Theo Sipowicz (Austin Majors) accidentally sees Connie McDowell (Charlotte Ross) without a stitch on. Back at the 15th, Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) is saddled with his least-favorite "snitch," Pisano (Lenny Venito), who has apparently been targeted for death by a tough customer known as "The Dentist" (Raymond O'Connor). A witness to a shooting will hand over the videotape of the crime only on the condition that he retains exclusive exhibition rites. And the tormented father (Joe Spano) of Detective John Clark Jr. (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) commits a desperate act. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Simmons
Singer Anthony "Treach" Criss of the band Naughty by Nature stars in this urban action-crime thriller as Malik "The Ghost" Bishop, a former street gang member turned top assassin. Assigned by his boss to stake out and kill the man's innocent girlfriend (Kent Masters King), Malik falls for his target, forcing him to reflect on his violent past, which began in his childhood when he witnessed the murder-suicide of his parents. He's led to make the fateful choice of turning on his superiors instead of carrying out the slaying, a decision that results in a brutal showdown. Love and a Bullet co-stars Bud Sabatino, Freez Luv, and Walter Jones. The film inspired an animated web series entitled "The Contract." ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Treach
This teen comedy from Disney is based on a popular novel by Meg Cabot and directed by Garry Marshall. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a teenage klutz who's openly mocked by the popular Lana Thomas (pop singer Mandy Moore). In fact, Mia's only friend at her exclusive prep school is the socially outcast Lilly (Heather Matarazzo). Mia's life takes a dramatic turn, however, when her mom announces that her late biological father was in actuality the crown prince of a small European nation, Genovia. Now Mia is the sole heir to the throne, and her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews) wants to tutor the awkward teen in royal behavior. It's a daunting task given Mia's lax table manners, poise, and hair care, but the girl perseveres with some makeover help from her grandmother's security chief Hector Elizondo) and a style expert (Larry Miller). In the meantime, Mia's romantic affections are torn between the handsome, popular Josh (Erik Von Detten) and the more appropriate Michael (Robert Schwartzman), who also happens to be Lilly's brother. The Princess Diaries is the second film from Whitney Houston's production shingle after the television version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, (more)
- 1995
Sex, drugs, lies and betrayal form the basis of this gritty crime thriller that centers on two white guys, Pooch and Big Boy, lifelong friends who decide they want a piece of the local drug trade action in their old neighborhood. They end up being distracted by aspiring-model and pathological-liar Eva, who involves them in an increasingly kinky menage-a-trois that results in jealousy between the friends. Still the two, with the help of their pal Juanito, are getting close to having total control and will be able to make a proposition to the mob behind it all. Unbeknownst to the others, Pooch is working as a spy for the police, but toward the end, he is undecided about whether he should help them, or help himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Mafia hijinks provide the basis of this violent crime drama. The trouble begins the night before an uneasy truce between the warring Malucci family and the Diamonds is to begin. A volatile gang member starts it all when he launches a dirty surprise attack upon the Maluccis, thereby breaching the code of honor. Among the dead is the fiancee of Dino Diamond's chief arm-breaker, aspiring fighter Fist Sullivan. After Sullivan is framed for the killing by a corrupt cop working for double-crossing Dino, he vows revenge. But he is in jail. One of the Maluccis busts him out. Now working for the enemy, Sullivan, and his turncoat surrogate daughter Alex, who witnessed the fiancee's murder, sets out to avenge the death of his beloved. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Steven Seagal plays a good if troubled man living in a corrupt world (sound familiar yet?) in this action drama. Gino Felino (Seagal) is a cop who grew up in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood, and while many of his old friends now live on the other side of the law, he retains a fierce loyalty to the community. When his partner, a friend since childhood, is murdered -- in broad daylight, and in clear view of his wife and children -- Gino is assigned to investigate, and he soon learns that the shooter was Richie Madano (William Forsythe), his life-long nemesis and now a low-level wise guy with an addiction to crack. Gino swings into action to bring Richie to justice, though he discovers that he's not the first in line -- the Don who oversees Richie's crew is appalled by this crime, and Gino has to bring Richie in before the Mafia can put a bullet in his head. Out for Justice also features Jerry Orbach, Jo Champa, and Gina Gershon; keep an eye peeled for John Leguizamo and Julianna Margulies in small roles. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, William Forsythe, (more)
- 1990
In this drama, a divorced dad fights for visitation rights with his daughter after she and her mother are relocated to an unknown locale as part of the Federal Witness Protection program. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed O'Neill, Mike Farrell, (more)
- 1983
The Golden Pagoda, a Chinese restaurant owned by Wan Chu (James Hong) and sponsored by the A-Team, has been targeted for harassment by a local criminal gang. Things take a sinister turn when it is revealed that Tommy Chen (Peter Kwong), the boyfriend of Wan Chu's daughter Sun (Lydia Lei), is working with the villains, who are determined to smuggle infamous drug dealer Chris Tomas (Paul Mantee into the country. Once the A-Team is involved, the viewer can be assured of an explosive climax--literally, in this case! The episode's title refers to the latest delusion of Team member Murdock (Dwight Schultz), who this week imagines himself to be Humphrey Bogart) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The story of Philadelphia-based rock 'n' roll starmaker Bob Marcucci is given a pointed a clef treatment in The Idolmaker. Ray Sharkey plays Vincent Vacarri, who takes a couple of raw young kids (Peter Gallagher and Paul Land) and molds them into teen idols. If Gallagher and Land seem at times to be clones of Fabian and Frankie Avalon, then you've gotten the point. As played by Sharkey, Vacarri comes off as both maven and monster: he gives his boys everything they need professionally and everything they want personally, but it's subliminally clear that his interest is purely mercenary (incredibly, Bob Marcucci is the film's technical advisor). An excellent, clear-eyed view of show biz mechanics, The Idolmaker falters only in its anachronisms, notably the style of music performed by Vacarri's proteges. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Sharkey, Paul Land, (more)
- 1979
Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) picks up a fast $10,000 by renting the Hazzard County Jail to mob kingpin Big Jack Bender (Paul Lambert), who intends to use the facilities for a secret Appalachin-style gangster conference. Noticing the amount of "artillery" in the cars parked around the jailhouse, Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat) figure they'd better alert the authorities--providing they live long enough to do so. With this episode, Hogg's dimwitted nephew Cletus (Rick Hurst) is promoted to deputy in the absence of Enos Strate (series regular Sonny Shroyer had to bow out temporarily due to illness). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
- PG
In this violent, low-budget adventure, a jewel thief hides his loot in the bottom of a Brazilian lake filled with hungry piranhas. Later his avaricious gang members try to retrieve the treasure but unfortunately tend to get graphically devoured each time one of them enters the water. Putting the rocks down there seemed like such a good idea at the time! ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Majors, Karen Black, (more)
- 1976
It's On the Waterfront, Kojak-style, when sardonic Lt. Theo Kojak (Telly Savalas) investigates a murder on the docks. The victim was a longshoreman, and the killing was obviously linked to corruption within the local labor unions. Unfortunately, none of the other longshoremen are willing to talk to the detective, adhering to the old policy of "D-and-D" (deaf and dumb) when it comes to snitching on one of their own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Laraine Stephens guest-stars as Eve Vayle, who masterminds the death of her mobster husband Johnny (Charlie Guardino) in order to steal the records of Syndicate boss Stanley Luchek (Ronald Feinberg). Though forced to hide from the mob, Eve hopes to eventually extort millions of dollars from Luchek and his family. In order to put both Eve and Luchek out of business, the IMF relies on one of its most time-honored ploys: The recreation of a dead man, fingerprints and all. Written by Howard Browne, "Boomerang" was originally telecast on January 12, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1972
The well-known short-story writer Ring Lardner, Jr. wrote the screenplay for La Mortadella, an Italian/French production with mostly English dialogue. The story concerns the difficulties and reactions of Madelena (Sophia Loren), an Italian visitor to New York City. She has come to the country carrying a huge mortadella sausage which she intends as a gift for her fiancé. U.S. Customs has other ideas, however, and she is detained until she hits upon the idea of sharing the offending foodstuff with the customs officers. Finally allowed entry into the U.S., she grows disenchanted with her fiancé and other men she meets and is only with difficulty able to make her escape to a more agreeable location. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1972
Dixie (Julie London) suffers a broken toe--and an endless barrage of bad jokes from her coworkers--when her foot is run over by a portable X-ray machine. Meanwhile, John (Randolph Mantooth) may endure injuries in another portion of the anatomy when he enters a rodeo. This week's caseload for the Rampart emergency staff includes a young girl who is injured by an exploding soda bottle, a potentially fatal gas-heater mishap, and a bus full of children tottering on the edge of a perilously high embankment. Future Hill Street Blues costar Barbara Bosson makes an early appearance in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
