Michael D. Weatherred Movies
- 1999
The first teaming of Danny Sorenson (Rick Schroder) and Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) is not an easy one for Diane, who still hasn't gotten over the loss of Danny's predecessor, Bobby Simone. Her grief has resulted in profound depression, and may lead her back into her old drinking habits. In other developments, the squad forms a protective circle around Jill Kirkendall's (Andrea Thompson) young son, Kyle (Courtland Mead), who has witnessed a stabbing. While still pursuing the old Suarez murder case, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence) discover that the original informant against Suarez may have actually been the guilty party, and both Greg (Gordon Clapp) and John (Bill Brochtrup) worry that their judgment may be clouded by their affections. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Penelope Spheeris directed this Marlon Wayans comedy, scripted by the Rocket Man team of Greg Erb and Craig Mazin. Saddled with several on and off-campus jobs, hard-working college student Darryl Witherspoon (Marlon Wayans) is aiming for a position with the Smythe-Bates brokerage firm, but twit Scott Thorpe has the right resumé and connections. A frat failure, Darryl also doesn't score at ice hockey. For extra cash, Darryl becomes a test subject for an experimental drug that heightens the senses by five times. The initial effect is a rectal irritation, but then Darryl finds his enhanced hearing enables him to pick up distant conversations, and his upgraded coordination improves his hockey game. However, an overdose literally leaves Darryl senseless, as he discovers only four of his five senses operative at any given time. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlon Wayans, David Spade, (more)
- 1996
The 200th episode of Murphy Brown is actually the first episode of a two-part story, bringing the series' eighth season to a close. Now that she's been clean and sober for eight whole years, Murphy (Candice Bergen) now dedicates herself to healing the wounds of those whose feelings she has hurt during that same period. This may prove impossible when Murphy finds out that "FYI" will be moved to a less choice timeslot, and that the staff will be severely reduced--two facts which she is forced to keep secret from her colleagues! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Two leaders with different philosophies about battle and leadership wage war with each other in this tense military thriller. Capt. Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) is the commanding officer of a nuclear submarine, the U.S.S. Alabama. Ramsey is a distinguished veteran near the end of his career, and he leads his men with an iron hand; as he puts it, "We're here to preserve democracy, not to practice it." Ramsey is assigned a new second-in-command, Lt. Cmmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington); Hunter is much younger than Ramsey, Harvard educated, and believes the goal of the military in the nuclear age is to prevent war, not fight it. While at sea, word reaches the Alabama that a splinter group of Russian forces have seized missile silos, and the ship is put on red alert. The Alabama has orders to fire, but as it is receiving a new incoming order the radio malfunctions. It's Ramsey's contention that an order is an order and they are to move forward with the attack, while Hunter feels if there is any question at all about their mission, they should wait until they can receive further instruction, with Hunter going so far as to threaten mutiny against Ramsey if the missile strike is carried out. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Towne both contributed to the screenplay without credit. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, (more)
- 1994
A kickboxing cyborg security agent accidentally kills a corporate officer who was trying to rape a blonde employee in this sci-fi copy of Die Hard. The head of the corporation orders his security teams to kill both the cyborg and the employee to prevent word of the attempted rape from getting out. The cyborg and the victim must make their way out of the building with two teams of killer cyborgs after them. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Olivier Gruner, John Glover, (more)
- 1992
In this made-for-cable TV movie, a man (Bruce Boxleitner) travels to visit his ex-girlfriend (Rachel Ward) and arrives just in time to witness her kill her vicious boyfriend. However, when his lawyer wife (Sela Ward) is assigned to his ex's case, the man finds himself in the problematic role of key witness. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1992
This 1970s true story features a fanatically religious woman and her son-in-law who hold her children prisoner while waiting for her late husband's resurrection in Utah. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1991
When a member of a close-knit group of small-town friends known as the "ButterCream Gang" returns home from a year in Chicago after falling under the influence of a violent street gang, his friends struggle to understand the reason behind his sudden personality change in this tale of friendship and unconditional love. In the quiet community of Elk Ridge, Scott, Pete, Eldon, and Lanny are inseparable. Though Pete's friends are saddened to learn that their friend will be moving to Chicago for the school year, their friendship is challenged when Pete returns from the city a very different person. As Pete struggles to come to grips with his past and the world outside of Elk Ridge, his friends learn an important lesson in friendship and forgiveness. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Johnson, Michael D. Weatherred, (more)
- 1989
The made-for-TV It Nearly Wasn't Christmas stars Charles Durning as the one and only Santa Claus--a role for which Durning evidently required no padding. The plot would have us believe that Santa is on the verge of cancelling Christmas (didn't know he could do that). The reasons are the usual: the holiday has become too commercialized, and people have become too self-centered. Santa's faith in humanity is renewed by a little girl (Risa Schiffman), who hopes that the Holiday spirit will be instrumental in reuniting her estranged parents. It Nearly Wasn't Christmas was syndicated to local TV outlets during the week of December 16, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
