Coquina Dunn Movies
Luke Perry stars in this biography of the late Lane Frost, a champion bull rider who in 1987 won a rodeo world championship at the tender age of 21. In Eight Seconds (the title refers to the minimum amount of time a rider must stay on a bull in competition), Lane Frost is a young man from Oklahoma who learns to ride, hoping to win the approval of his emotionally distant father. As Lane works his way up the rodeo circuit with his best friend Tuff Hedeman (Stephen Baldwin), he meets Kelly Kyle (Cynthia Geary), a pretty barrel-race rider with whom he falls in love. Lane and Kelly marry, but Lane stubbornly refuses any help from Kelly's wealthy parents, forcing the young couple to live a hand-to-mouth existence, and while Lane's dedication to rodeo and its fans earns him a devoted following, it also keeps him away from Kelly and threatens to sink their relationship. Lane's hard work pays off when he wins the 1987 world championship, but the danger of the sport catches up with him two years later, when he dies as a result of an accident during competition. Country star Vince Gill appears onscreen with his band; keep an eye peeled for a brief appearance by Renee Zellweger, two years before her breakthrough role in Jerry Maguire. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luke Perry, Stephen Baldwin, (more)
This low-rent Disney comedy mines the Home Alone territory for labored laughs. Brian Bonsall stars as the eleven-year-old Preston Waters, who is low-kid on the family totem pole -- his father Fred (James Rebhorn) lectures him on saving his money, while his older brothers, Ralph (Michael Faustino) and Damian (Chris Demetral), are pushy bullies. The final insult arrives when Preston is invited to a friend's birthday party -- held at an amusement park -- and Preston doesn't have enough money to go on any of the good rides. Preston wishes to the gods in heaven that he had his own money. At that point, on-the-lam criminal Quigley (Miguel Ferrer) takes his cue and runs over Preston's bike with his car. Eager to leave the scene before the cops arrive, Quigley hurriedly gives Preston a half-written check and vamooses. Preston looks down at the check and notices that the amount has not been filled in, so he obligingly completes the transaction by adding six zeroes and a one -- for a million dollars in cold cash. This amount, by a strange coincidence, happens to be the exact amount that Quigley has deposited in a money-laundering bank run by his partner-in-crime Biderman (Michael Lerner). Preston goes to the bank, cashes the check, and purchases a neighborhood mansion with all the toys he has ever dreamed of owning. But Quigley and his gang want the money back, and they are on their way to Preston's new home for a housewarming he will never forget. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Bonsall, Karen Duffy, (more)
- 1994
A former Wall Street broker takes on a new career in this made-for-television movie. Jack Scalia stars as Connie Harper, a Wall Street star who gets sent to jail for fraud. While in prison, he becomes known for helping others when all else fails. Upon his release, a friend in the jail asks him to protect his sister who is in danger, and Connie embarks on a new career as a bodyguard. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
William Petersen's High Horse Films produced this romantic comedy that endeavors to recall the glory days of Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. Petersen stars as Joey Coalter, a roving adventurer who has been married to his wife Chris (Sissy Spacek) for almost thirteen years but has rarely been home. During that time Chris has become fed up with Joey's cavalier ways. But it comes as a complete shock to Joey when, while talking to a group of cowpokes about Tahitian women somewhere on the prairie, he receives a wedding invitation sent by his daughter Beth (Olivia Burnette) that announces the wedding of Chris to dull business man Walter Humphrey (Brian Kerwin). Beth hopes the surprise wedding invitation will prod Joey to try to get back together with Chris. Chris hopes so too, as Joey drops what he is doing and takes off to stop Chris's pending nuptials. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William L. Petersen, Sissy Spacek, (more)
After a recruitment scandal, a struggling college football team is forced to turn to a rag-tag group of misfits in this sports comedy. It seems that Texas State University's football team has relied on some rather unorthodox -- and illegal -- methods to gain players, resulting in the disqualification of most of the team's stars. The desperate coach (Hector Elizondo) must rely on the school's actual students, a motley crew of unlikely characters that includes a female place kicker and a quarterback in his thirties. Unexpectedly, however, the coach discovers that the passer still has a heck of an arm, and suddenly the team again has a chance. The expected comic complications and obvious bits of slapstick follow as this band of eccentrics struggles to find a way to victory, resulting in a familiar reprise of a well-worn storyline. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Bakula, Hector Elizondo, (more)
Johnny Walker (Anthony Michael Hall) is a hot-shot high-school quarterback who receives intoxicating offers from spirited college recruiters in this adolescent teen comedy. Bathroom humor and sight gags are strung together in a story involving booze, broads, and other benefits for the coveted quarterback. Robert Downey Jr., Uma Thurman, and Paul Gleason co-star. Even cameos from Jim McMahon and Howard Cosell can't save this feature from itself, though it isn't the fault of the cast. Originally rated PG-13, it was reedited to R (with scenes added) for a home video release. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Downey, Jr., (more)
- 1988
A made for TV movie in which Valerie Bertinelli portrays Florence Pancho Barnes, a bored socialite who decides to learn to fly. After receiving her pilot's license, even though her ambitions get in the way of her love life, she becomes a stunt pilot, barnstormer, and even forced Howard Hughes to change his mind about unions. Her career spanned such varied activities as racing against Amelia Earhart and training army pilots. Fine portrayal of one of the more interesting of the independent women from the 1920s. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
A musician is seduced by an attractive woman, and thinks himself lucky until he realizes that she is involved with him for a reason. She wants him to help her kill her husband. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
