Richard Allen Movies
- 1999
This edition of the Landmarks of Faith series focuses on the development of America's African church. The video is wide in scope, encompassing Richard Allen, who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church in a Philadelphia blacksmith shop, to the Birmingham parish of Dr. Martin Luther King. Originally aired on the Odyssey Channel, this video presents its history in narrative format, passing smoothly and consecutively between each major church in America to combine both African and Christian spirituality. Because of its scope, the depth of the video's insight is necessarily limited. As such, it is certainly useful for those with a general curiosity about the subject; those with more serious intent should look elsewhere.
~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
This acclaimed British comedy centers on the intermittent romance between a charming (if slightly bumbling) Englishman and a beautiful American woman, who seem to always run into each other at weddings. Indeed, it is at the first of the title's four weddings that Charles (Hugh Grant) and Carrie (Andie McDowell) meet, enjoying a brief but fleeting connection. The spark is rekindled several months later, when they unexpectedly meet at another wedding. Unfortunately, however, Carrie has become engaged to another, a fact that complicates matters for them both. The story may seem simple, but the film is elevated by screenwriter Richard Curtis' ear for witty dialogue and a colorful supporting cast. Director Mike Newell's sympathetic attention to character keeps the proceedings believable, and prevents the film's more serious moments from seeming mawkish. These elements, along with Grant's star-making performance as Charles, helped the film achieve unexpected international success, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, (more)
Filmed just before the Rodney King incident, Extreme Justice is a violent tale of "police procedure" gone bonkers. Troublesome LAPD cop Jeff Powers (Lou Diamond Phillips) is assigned to an elite squad headed by his old friend Dan Vaughn (Scott Glenn). Ostensibly organized to collar violent repeat offenders, Vaughn's men actually comprise a "Death Squad." Always careful to cover their tracks, the squad seldom brings 'em back alive. Powers' dilemma: should he turn in his buddies, or should he uphold their rather direct but undeniably effective deterrent to urban crime? Extreme Justice was withdrawn from distribution after the Los Angeles riots. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lou Diamond Phillips, Scott Glenn, (more)
- 1993
- R
In this violent urban drama, an LA cop is deeply traumatized after he tries to save a child in a hostage situation and fails. He leaves the force and returns to his old gritty South Central neighborhood to help Rebecca Sanchez find her brother Carlos who has mysteriously disappeared shortly after a gang truce, between the African-American gang the Blades and the Latin Lords, begins disintegrating thanks to a number of drive-by shootings in either territory. The cop's investigation soon reveals that both gangs are being manipulated by a third party. Poor Carlos seems to hold the key and finds his life in grave danger. When the cop figures it all out, his life is also jeopardized. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Speakman, Christopher Neame, (more)
- 1991
Captain Picard hopes to establish relationships with the Tamarian race, a task made difficult (if not virtually impossible) by the fact that their language is utterly incomprehensible to humans. After an abortive meeting with Tamarian captain Dathon (Paul Winfield), the situation worsens when Dathon kidnaps Picard, whereupon both men are spirited off to a hostile alien world, patrolled by a fierce beast. The only hope for the two antagonists is to forget their differences and band together, but how can this come about if they can't even communicate with one another? Originally telecast October 5, 1991, "Damrok" was written by Joe Menosky and Philip Lazebnik. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Responding from a call from the Sheliak Corporate, the Enterprise crew is confronted by hostile Sheliaks at the Tau Cygna Five earth colony. Citing an old treaty, the Sheliaks demand that the human colonists evacuate the planet within four days or face total annihilation. It is up to Data to persuade the intractable colonists to leave...all 15,000 of them. Originally telecast October 7, 1989, "The Ensigns of Command" was written by Melinda M. Snodgrass. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
In this entry in the long-running mystery series, Perry Mason has a conflict with an old friend after he begins representing the law student who is the prime suspect in the murder of his friend's son. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Never released theatrically, this drama was prophetically titled in regard to its box-office potential. This action is set in the future after a war has wiped out any sense of humanity that may have survived the 20th century. Motorcycle-riding groups of toughs are now riding roughshod as they try to wipe each other out. Harmony (Deborah Rennard) and Anderson (Garrick Dowhen) are in search of a legendary place where people are attempting to resuscitate civilization. In the meantime, they want to get the disparate, roving bands to quit misbehaving and join them in their search; but the head honcho of the worst group of raiders has other plans. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deborah Rennard, Garrick Dowhen, (more)
- 1982
Filmed on location in New York, Dreams Don't Die is a story of survival. Ike Eisenmann stars as Danny, a young "graffiti artist" whose talents do not go unnoticed by a sensitive cop (Paul Winfield). With no father of his own, Danny latches onto the cop. This in turn leads to an intensive effort by Danny to track down a local drug lord. In his last film role, James Broderick is uncharacteristically cast as the villain. Made for television, Dreams Don't Die premiered May 21, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this slasher film, Lauren Tewes stars as a TV anchorwoman whose deaf, dumb and blind teen sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is the next target of a killer. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lauren Tewes, Jennifer Jason Leigh, (more)
Former stuntman Hal Needham made his directorial debut with the first Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and repeated his success with the sequel, a virtual remake that substituted a live elephant for a truckload of beer. Burt Reynolds returns as law-defying anti-hero Bandit, now a washed-up alcoholic whose girlfriend Carrie (Sally Field) has left him. When a pair of eccentric, wealthy brothers named Big Enos (Pat McCormick) and Little Enos (Paul Williams) approach Bandit with an offer of work, he and trucker pal Cledus (Jerry Reed) jump at the chance. The gig involves transporting an elephant to the Republican National Convention in twenty-four hours. The wrinkle is that the pachyderm is about to give birth -- any minute. Enter "Doc" (Dom DeLuise) a bizarre medical man who joins the team to care for the expectant mother, and Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), who has not forgotten the humiliations that he suffered during Bandit's last "mission." Needham's films were instantly forgettable cocktails of car chases, car crashes, and lowbrow humor. Reynolds and Needham teamed up over a dozen times in various action comedy pictures. Audiences of the late Seventies loved their anti-authority redneck humor and made their early collaborations into box office smashes. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, (more)
