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Bryan Clark
- 1994
Based on a true story, Woman with a Past is about a prosperous real estate agent whose hidden life is revealed when federal agents arrest her for her past crimes. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Reed, Dwight Schultz, (more)
Wesley Snipes and Michael Wright play druglord brothers who have a mob-like crime empire in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem. Through flashbacks, we see how Roemello Skuggs (Snipes) and Raynathan Skuggs (Wright) entered the drug culture, with Raynathan helping his mother inject heroin. She died when the boys were young, but their father A.R. Skuggs (Clarence Williams III) survived, remaining a hopeless and frightful heroin addict. Roemello has grown up to be an educated, culturally pretentious businessman who stays away from his own merchandise, wears expensive cashmere coats and other colorful clothes, and lives in a beautiful uptown apartment, while being plagued by guilt. Raynathan, however, is losing his battle with drug addiction and spiraling downward. Roemello runs the family drug business with the help of an old-fashioned mob boss, Gus Molino (Abe Vigoda), whose grocery is a front for the dealing. To fuel his doubts, Roemello becomes involved with a beautiful aspiring actress, Melissa (Theresa Randle), and she urges him to get out of the drug business. But a rival dealer, Lolly Jonas (Ernie Hudson), cuts into Roemello territory, there is a brutally violent turf war, and Roemello must decide whether to defend or abandon his livelihood. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Michael Wright, (more)
Madonna plays Rebecca Carlson, a sex bomb who parades naked in front of the open windows of her houseboat at all hours while the lobstermen catch crabs. This entry in the Basic Instinct sweepstakes poses the question: If love hurts, does sex kill? The judge and jury certainly want to find out when Rebecca's latest conquest, a multi-millionaire, dies of a heart attack while making love to her. Eight million dollars was bequeathed to Rebecca in his will, and District Attorney Robert Garrett (Joe Mantegna) is convinced that Rebecca, knowing that her rich lover had a weak heart, killed him with wild sex so that she could get her mitts on the money. Rebecca's lawyer, Frank Dulaney (Willem Dafoe), thinks differently, suspecting the millionaire's private secretary Joanne Braslow (Anne Archer) of the crime, since she was dumped by the millionaire for Rebecca. Besides which, Frank is attracted to Rebecca himself and throws legal ethics out the window as he starts a sadomasochistic affair with her. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Madonna, Willem Dafoe, (more)
- 1992
- R
- AddThe Unnamable 2: The Statement of Randolph Carterto QueueAddThe Unnamable 2: The Statement of Randolph Carterto top of Queue
She lives. Deep in the bowels of the underworld Alyda the half-human demon waits to return to the earthy plane. This horror sequel chronicles her blood-soaked ascent. It all begins at Miskatonic University where several gruesome murders have occurred. Two college students, Randolph Carter and Eliot Damon Howard witnessed some of Alyda's handiwork in nearby Winthrop mansion where their friends, who went up there for a little illicit fun, were mysteriously slaughtered. The fleeing duo encounter the cops and paramedics. Though they claim some otherworldly monster is responsible, Sheriff Hatch pooh-poohs them, claiming an animal did the damage. Howard goes to the hospital and while there has a vision. He sees the original owner of the mansion who lived in the 1600s. The owner had been a warlock and it was he who awakened Alyda. As Winthrop fades, he warns Howard that he must stop her. Unfortunately, after his release, Howard has trouble finding people to believe him until he and Carter hook up with professor Harley Warren who uses a combination of ancient rituals and modern technology to take care of Alyda once and for all, but not before more blood is spilled and much horror ensues. Both this and its prequel were based on tales byH.P. Lovecraft. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Kinsey Stephenson, John Rhys-Davies, (more)
- 1992
- PG13
In this comedy, the title delivery boy finds his life tossed up and spun 'round when he inadvertently finds himself enmeshed in an international conspiracy. In Hollywood, where he works, Elmo Bunn's speedy delivery and ability to make sure he is always paid has elevated him to nearly legendary status. His troubles begin when he is called to deliver a sausage and anchovy pizza in East Hollywood at the very address where his best friend and fellow delivery man was last seen years ago. Though he knows he is in for trouble, he cannot deny an order and so heads out to meet his fate. Along the way, he meets some of the most powerful men and women in the U.S. (all played by professional look-a-likes). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Maher, Annabelle Gurwitch, (more)
Julia Cole (Diane Salinger) is more than a little upset about turning 40. She's depressed about growing older, distressed at the lack of attention from her workaholic husband Charles (John Calvin), and bored with being a stay-at-home wife and mother. On her birthday, she finds a bottle of enchanted soap bubbles. Blowing them transports her to moments of happiness from earlier times in her life. Soon, she not only regains her youthful vigor, she cannot even remember how old she is. She changes her appearance, her personality is transformed from reclusive to outgoing, and her values change from strict to permissive. Eventually, she realizes that happiness is not age-dependent. George Clooney and Wallace Shawn are the biggest names in this low-budget, independently produced romantic comedy, also known as The Magic Bubble, directed by Deborah Taper Ringel and Alfredo Ringel. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diane Salinger, John Calvin, (more)
- 1992
Season Six of A Different World opens with the first episode of a two-part story, in which newlyweds Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley (Jasmine Guy) regale their friends with their recollection of the chaotic events surrounding their honeymoon. No sooner has the couple set foot in Los Angeles than the city is thrown into a frenzy over the Rodney King verdict. Trapped in the middle of the city-wide riots, the newlyweds are separated and Dwayne ends up in jail for no reason whatsover. And back at Hillman, incoming law-school student Freddie (Cree Summer) surprises one and all with her "new look"; Kim begins her first year in med school; and Lena has turned into a social activist, accusing practically everyone of selling out. New regulars include Cosby Show alumnus Karen Malina White) in her familiar role as garrulous Charmaine Brown; Bumper Robinson as goofy freshman Dorian Heywood; Patrick Y. Malone as punkish student Terrell Walker; and Jenifer Lewis as Hillman's dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this made-for-cable thriller, the idyllic life of an upstanding architect is nearly destroyed when his partner attempts to corrupt a city official. When murder ensues, the architect must evade the prying eye of a sleazeball detective. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- PG13
- AddDon't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Deadto QueueAddDon't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Deadto top of Queue
Christina Applegate stars in this convoluted comedy that comes across as a teen fantasy combination of Home Alone and Working Girl. The premise is all in the title -- when the mother (Concetta Tomei) of a sniveling group of surly kids goes on a much-deserved summer vacation, she leaves her kids under the charge of an elderly distaff granny (Eda Reiss Merin). When granny ups and dies, the kids load her dead body in a trunk and deposit the package on the steps of the local funeral home. The kids are ecstatic thinking that with the big wad of cash Mom has left, they can have a summer of consumer madness. But when they find out that the money has been buried with the baby-sitter, the kids have to fend for themselves to make ends meet. Dream teen Sue Ellen (Christina Applegate) tries working at a fast food restaurant but she can't stand the grease. So, she puts together a false resume and, posing as a twenty-eight-year old, she applies for a job as a receptionist at a garment manufacturing company. The company vice president, Rose (Joanna Cassidy), is so impressed by her resume that she hires her on the spot as her executive assistant. Her deception looks to be working out great -- Sue Ellen manages to hold off the office lady killer Gus (John Getz), avoids exposure by the embittered receptionist, borrows money from the company's petty cash box for household incidentals, and continues her relationship with restaurant employee Bryan (Josh Charles). But suddenly, the clothing firm is set to go under, and Sue Ellen must use her teen fashion sense to save the company and her job . . . and she has to get the rest of the brood involved. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christina Applegate, Joanna Cassidy, (more)
- 1991
- R
In the made-for-cable film Without Warning: The James Brady Story, Beau Bridges stars in the true-life story of the Ronald Reagan press secretary who was critically wounded in the 1981 assassination attempt on Reagan by John Hinckley. Brady was left crippled by the shooting, and the film follows his recuperation process, as well as his fight for more stringent gun control. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Beau Bridges, Joan Allen, (more)
- 1990
With Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) out of the picture, an overworked Sam (Ted Danson) hires a new manager for Cheers, a likeable fellow named Earl (Bryan Clark). Before long, Earl has become the most popular person in the establishment, which greatly depresses Sam when he learns that Rebecca is so desperate for work that she has been reduced to modeling in an auto show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Filmed in semidocumentary fashion, Extreme Close-up features Morgan Weisser as a 16-year-old boy grieving the death of his mother (Blair Brown). Trying to assuage his grief, Weisser runs family videotapes of his mother. It becomes increasingly clear that the woman was falling apart emotionally in the months before her death, and Weisser wants to know why. Looking for answers, he begins taping new videos of his turbulent home life -- which slowly mirror the disintegration of his mother. Made for television, Extreme Close-up was written by thirtysomething veterans Marshall Herkovitz and Edward Zwick; its director was Peter Horton, who'd played Gary on thirtysomething. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Blair Brown, Craig T. Nelson, (more)
- 1989
Follow the military career of Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North beginning with his Naval Academy days through to his role in the Iran-Contra scandal. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Keith, Barnard Hughes, (more)
Alan Alda wrote, directed, and starred in this satirical film about the corruption of the film industry's approach to history. Alda plays Michael Burgess, a college professor who has written a historical novel about the American Revolution. The book has been turned into a script, and a Hollywood film crew descends on his North Carolina hometown to make the movie. Predictably, the director and actors make a mess of his concept, and Burgess becomes frustrated as the town is turned upside down. Desperately, he tries to salvage his concept with some last-minute script changes. To make things more complicated, Burgess falls in love with the glamorous female lead in the film, Faith Healy (Michelle Pfeiffer). Meanwhile, his long-time girlfriend, Gretchen (Lise Hilboldt) is pressuring him to get married. The film's male star, Elliott James (Michael Caine), finally shows up in town and becomes Burgess's rival for Faith's affections. Silent film star Lillian Gish appears as Burgess's smother. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Alda, Michael Caine, (more)
- 1986
French detective Claude Fornier (Paul Verdier), whose exploits have inspired several of Robin Masters' novels, is murdered just after presenting Magnum (Tom Selleck) with the "PI of the Year" award. Though anxious to solve Fornier's murder, Magnum finds that he'll have to wait in line as every other detective attending the awards ceremony (many of whom closely resemble popular TV gumshoes!) insists upon taking a crack at the case. Elisha Cook Jr., usually cast as shady businessman Ice Pick, reprises his characterization of weasely "gunsel" Wilmer from The Maltese Falcon in a dream sequence; and appearing as chief of security at the ceremony is prolific TV producer Stephen J. Cannell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The "nature-nurture" theory that motivated so many Three Stooges comedies is the basis of John Landis's hit comedy. The fabulously wealthy but morally bankrupt Duke brothers (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) make a one-dollar bet over heredity vs. environment. Curious as to what might happen if different lifestyles were reversed, they arrange for impoverished street hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) to be placed in the lap of luxury and trained for a cushy career in commodities brokerage. Simultaneously, they set about to reduce aristocratic yuppie Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd to poverty and disgrace, hiring a prostitute (Jamie Lee Curtis) to hasten his downfall. When Billy Ray figures out that the brothers intend to dump him back on the streets once their experiment is complete, he seeks out Winthorpe, and together the pauper-turned-prince and prince-turned-pauper plot an uproarious revenge. With the good-hearted prostitute and Winthorpe's faithful butler (Denholm Elliott) as their accomplices, they set about to hit the brothers where it really hurts: in the pocketbook. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, (more)
Conspiracy film specialist Alan J. Pakula turned journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's best-selling account of their Watergate investigation into one of the hit films of Bicentennial year 1976. While researching a story about a botched 1972 burglary of Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex, green Washington Post reporters/rivals Woodward (Robert Redford, who also exec produced) and Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) stumble on a possible connection between the burglars and a White House staffer. With the circumspect approval of executive editor Ben Bradlee (Jason Robards), the pair digs deeper. Aided by a guilt-ridden turncoat bookkeeper (Jane Alexander) and the vital if cryptic guidance of Woodward's mystery source, Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook), Woodward and Bernstein "follow the money" all the way to the top of the Nixon administration. Despite Deep Throat's warnings that their lives are in danger, and the reluctance of older Post editors, Woodward and Bernstein are determined to get out the story of the crime and its presidential cover-up. Once Bradlee is convinced, the final teletype impassively taps out the historically explosive results. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, (more)
