C. Ernst Harth Movies
- 2009
The Devil orders Sam to teach his spoiled son, Morgan, to have a stronger work ethic so he can take over the family business. Sam reluctantly takes Morgan with him to capture an escaped soul. Meanwhile, Ben believes Nina is turned off by his human form, and Sock uses Ted in a scheme at the Work Bench. ~ Tim Holland, All Movie Guide
L. Frank Baum's enduring fantasy story gets a new and very funny spin in this made-for-TV comedy. Dorothy (Ashanti) is a young woman who works in a diner in Kansas owned by her Aunt Em (Queen Latifah) and dreams of one day making it big as a singer. When a tornado makes its way through the trailer park Dorothy and Em call home, the young woman is spirited off to a magical land known as Oz, where she accidentally kills the most wicked witch in the land. Dorothy, however, isn't so sure she wants to stay, and sets off to find a wizard who might be able to help her. As Dorothy searches for the wizard's castle, she makes some friends along the way -- a scarecrow (Kermit the Frog, voiced by Steve Whitmire), a cowardly lion (Fozzie Bear, voiced by Eric Jacobson), a combination robot and computer made of tin (The Great Gonzo, voiced by Dave Goelz) -- but she also has to fend off The Wicked Witch of the West (Miss Piggy, voiced by Eric Jacobson), whose sister fell victim to Dorothy upon her arrival in the strange new land. Featuring most of the best-known Muppet Show characters, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz also features guest appearances by Jeffrey Tambor, David Alan Grier, and Quentin Tarantino. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ashanti, Queen Latifah, (more)
When the perfect murder is foiled by an unexpected twist and darkness descends on a small Alaskan town, a madman's hunger for blood grows in this thriller from director Michael Bafaro. As a blanket of darkness settles over Revelstoke, AK, for a period of 24 hours, local barber Dexter Miles and the rest of the citizens realize that winter's chill is soon to follow. No one would suspect a man like Dexter Miles to be a cold-blooded killer, but when Dexter overhears the sheriff mention that the body of Lucy Waters has been discovered, he quickly realizes that his dark secret is about to break wide open. Having only murdered Lucy a few days prior, Dexter had hoped that authorities wouldn't discover her body until the spring thaw. Now, as the big-city detectives cloaked in the darkness of the Alaskan winter arrive to investigate the murder, Dexter once again feels the thrill of the kill -- and he's starting to like it. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Malcolm McDowell, Jeremy Ratchford, (more)
- 2001
MTV's first made-for-TV movie, 2Gether: The Original Movie, is a hilarious and sometimes touching send-up of the "boy band" phenomenon of the '90s. When rock manager Bob Buss (Alan Blumenfeld) is fired by the studio-created boy group Whoa!, he decides to get even by creating another band from the ground up. After discovering young Jerry O'Keefe (Evan Farmer) singing in the streets, Buss builds his new group around O'Keefe's natural talents. Adhering to the standard music-industry clichés, Buss' pre-fab creation, 2gether, consists of "The Lead Singer" (O'Keefe), "The Bad Boy" Mickey Parke, "The Cute One" Q.T. McKnight, "The Shy One" Chad Linus, and "The Older Brother," who happens to be Chad's older brother Doug Linus. Whipping them into shape in but a few days, Buss prepares 2gether for their big-time debut in Jacksonville -- as the opening act for Whoa! Several MTV personalities, notably the ubiquitous Carson Daly, appear as themselves. In true "life imitates art" fashion, 2gether briefly became an honest-to-goodness pop sensation, turning out several popular tunes, a well-circulated music video, and a weekly TV series. Filmed in Vancouver, 2gether: The Original Movie first aired on February 1, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on James C. Christensen's novel Voyage of the Bassett, this two-part TV movie stars Beau Bridges as recently widowed mythology professor Alan Aisling. Subscribing to the theory credendo vides (by believing, one sees), Prof. Aisling finds this philosophy put to the test when his home is invaded by malevolent trolls, determined to prevent him from fulfilling "the prophecy." Managing to escape, Alan and his older daughter, Miranda (Heather McEwen), embark upon a journey from the Sensible World to the Land of Imagination on board the magical ship "The Unicorn." Meanwhile, Alan's younger daughter, Cassie (Chantal Conlin), heads off on an adventure of her own, eventually reconnecting with her family on Faerie Isle -- where it is written that a wise man and two gentle maidens are destined to release the population from the powers of darkness. Voyage of the Unicorn made it American TV debut over the Odyssey cable network beginning March 2, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Beau Bridges
- 2000
The annual North American UFO Convention degenerates into a series of heated arguments between various factions of "true believers." One of the donnybrooks is instigated by Max Buford (Don Thompson), who claims he has come into possession of a fragment from an alien spaceship. This sparks a power struggle between mild-mannered Boo Weston (Mackenzie Phillips) and the imperious Gunther Van Owen (Jerry Wasserman) -- which may be part of a master plan by the Government to discredit the entire convention. "Down to Earth" first aired on April 21, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A man throws himself into a maelstrom of danger as he tries to rescue his girlfriend in this tense thriller. Jack (Meat Loaf Aday), an emotionally unstable truck driver, snaps and kidnaps Sylvia (Kristin Davis), the girlfriend of stand-up comic David (Lochlyn Munro). As David sets out to find the woman he loves, he discovers the trucker has cleverly left a series of clues so that David will be able to find him -- and become caught in a dangerous trap. Blacktop also stars Vicky Pratt and C. Ernst Harth. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lochlyn Munro, Meat Loaf, (more)
A veteran detective and his novice assistant find some very unexpected mysteries in this offbeat comedy. Jack Potter (Leslie Nielsen) is a hard-boiled but absent-minded private detective who thinks it might be a good idea to retire soon. Potter is approached by Marty MacKenzie (Lochlyn Munro), a small-time actor wanting to research a role as a detective (while making some much-needed pocket money at the same time). Potter hires MacKenzie as a leg man and has him stake out a beautiful woman from Beaver Ridge, OR, whose husband is convinced she's cheating on him. Things quickly get far more complicated than Potter expected, and he has to rescue MacKenzie from Beaver Ridge, which is populated by freaks, lunatics, and two-headed livestock; it doesn't help that MacKenzie has also fallen in love with Cindy Davies (Vanessa Angel), the woman he was supposed to be watching. Camouflage also stars William Forsythe and Patrick Warburton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Nielsen, Lochlyn Munro, (more)
- 1999
This unusual Canadian addition to the Scandavian film movement Dogma 95, which emphasizes a realist style with minimal artifice, focuses on a Romanian photographer adrift in the confusing world of Vancouver. Forty-year-old Petru (Peter La Croix) manages to get a job as a night watchman in an aging shipyard. His grumpy boss (Jay Brazeau) offers him a place in a low-rent neighborhood filled with artists. One painter relishes urinating on his work while a pretty young sculptor (Gina Chiarelli) encourages the Romanian to show his photographs. Noroc was screened at the 1999 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Lacroix, Gina Chiarelli, (more)
- 1999
To cross the portal into the real world, Hobbes links up with a cunning, virtual-reality character in a plot interwoven with intrigue surrounding the mystery woman aiding Hobbes' fiancée. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
A boy who's looking for trouble finds a lot more than he counted on in this action-comedy. Nathan (Ryan DeBoer) is a 12-year-old kid with a smart mouth and a bit too much attitude for his own good. Not happy at home, Nathan runs away and his parents report him missing to the police; when Nathan finds out, he finds himself dodging the cops at every turn. Low on money, Nathan happens upon a large amount of cash and figures his lucky day has arrived. However, it turns out the money he found belongs to gangsters who are bound and determined to get it back, and Nathan is forced to turn himself in to Norm (Tim Matheson), a police detective, in order to stay alive. But Nathan doesn't much care for cops, and Norm is not exactly charmed by Nathan, which makes working together rough sledding. Catch Me If You Can (also released as Deadly Game and Hide and Seek) also features William Katt and Carol Alt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan De Boer, Tim Matheson, (more)
- 1998
Michael Rohl made his directorial debut with this Canadian comedy-drama in which Brian (Benjamin Ratner) loses his San Francisco garage job and talks pal Michael (Colin Cunningham) into joining him on a fishing trip. At an unmarked gravesite, they find a key inscribed "PUMZACH." This prompts them to cross the border into Nevada in search of a shaman who can translate the enigmatic inscription. After meeting medicine-man Martin Yellowcrow (Willie John Hanna), owner of flatulent canine Zacharia, they are joined by winsome waitress Corey (Madison Graie) and nerdy numismatist Wayne Newton (C. Ernst Harth). The group arrives in a small town where the locksmith finds a match for the key with lonely Jean (Betty Linde), mother of a missing son. Minus Wayne, they head back to California. Shot in Vancouver, this film was shown at the 1998 Vancouver Film Festival and the 1998 AFI Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colin Cunningham, Ben Ratner, (more)
- 1997
A rural Indiana woman named Shaineh Berkowitz (Pattie Tierce) claims that she was impregnated by a "Frankenstein" creature with two mouths and an overriding yen for peanut-butter sandwiches. Agent Scully suspects that the woman made up the story as a result of watching one too many episodes of Jerry Springer. But Mulder has good reason to believe that Shaineh speaks the truth -- and soon he comes face to face with terrifying evidence of her veracity. Written by X-Files creator Chris Carter, "The Post-Modern Prometheus" first aired November 30, 1997, and was filmed in black-and-white. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The creation of one of the most memorable books of the 1960s -- and the impact the writing and research would have on its author -- is explored in this drama based on a true story. In 1959, Truman Capote (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) was a critically acclaimed novelist who had earned a small degree of celebrity for his work when he read a short newspaper item about a multiple murder in a small Kansas town. For some reason, the story fascinated Capote, and he asked William Shawn (Bob Balaban), his editor at The New Yorker, to let him write a piece about the case. Capote had long believed that in the right hands, a true story could be molded into a tale as compelling as any fiction, and he believed this event, in which the brutal and unimaginable was visited upon a community where it was least expected, could be just the right material. Capote traveled to Kansas with his close friend Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), herself becoming a major literary figure with the success of To Kill a Mockingbird, and while Capote's effete and mannered personal style stuck out like a sore thumb in Kansas, in time he gained the trust of Alvin Dewey (Chris Cooper), the Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent investigating the murder of the Clutter family, and with his help Capote's magazine piece grew into a full-length book. Capote also became familiar with the petty criminals who killed the Clutter family, Dick Hickock (Mark Pellegrino) and Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr.), and in Smith he found a troubling kindred spirit more like himself than he wanted to admit. After attaining a sort of friendship with Smith under the assumption that the man would be executed before the book was ever published, Capote finds himself forced to directly confront the moral implications of his actions with regards to both his role in the man's death, and the way that he would be remembered. Capote also co-stars Bruce Greenwood as Capote's longtime companion Jack Dunphy, and Amy Ryan as Mary Dewey, Alvin's wife who became a confidante of Capote's. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, (more)
An advertising executive at risk of losing his job finds that inspiration can sometimes come from the least likely of places in a brotherly comedy about getting laid and getting the job done from director Pat Holden. Adman Ed Waxman (Brendan Fehr) has just been informed by the higher-ups that if he doesn't come up with a killer campaign in the next 48 hours, he can kiss his high-paying job goodbye. Though work is all Ed can think about as the weekend approaches and inspiration seems to take a vacation, the arrival of Ed's womanizing brother, Cooper (Chris Klein), finds the pair setting out on an altogether different mission: to find the overworked and undersexed Ed some fitting female companionship. Just as a series of disastrous encounters with everyone from single mothers to sultry strippers begins to convince Ed that his love life is in as much trouble as his professional life, the appearance of a woman who could quite possibly be Ed's soul mate provides a glimmer of hope that the situation may not be as dire as he previously thought. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Klein, Brendan Fehr, (more)
Why rent a dirty movie when you can make your own? That's the can-do philosophy embraced by a handful of girl-crazy teens in this comedy. Fred (Tony Denman), Deacon (Erik von Detten), and Matt (Daniel Farber) are three high school kids who, like most teenaged boys, are obsessed with sex. Deacon has a part time job at a video rental shop with a large selection of adult films, and he's been able to sneak porn titles out of the store on a regular basis, to the great enthusiasm of Matt and Fred, who not only enjoy the videos themselves but dub bootleg copies they sell to their classmates to make pocket money. However, when Deacon loses his job, the guys are left high and dry, until one of them gets an idea -- they've seen enough porn movies to know what the average viewer expects from one, so why don't they make one themselves? However, recruiting the performers necessary for such a project turns out to be harder than they expected, with exotic dancer Ashley (Sarah Jane Potts) and neighborhood bully Jake (Riley Smith) rising to the top of a very shallow talent pool. The first production from the guys is an unexpected success, but they soon discover that not everyone is happy with their good fortune, especially sleazy porn kingpin Vic Ramalot (Horatio Sanz), who isn't interested in having more competition. Filmed under the title After School Special, Barely Legal also stars Tom Arnold, Amy Smart, and Dey Young. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Erik Von Detten, Tony Denman, (more)
Four men are changed forever by an act of mercy -- changes which have a profound impact many years later -- in this blend of horror and science fiction based on a novel by Stephen King. Jonesy (Damian Lewis), Henry (Thomas Jane), Pete (Timothy Olyphant), and Beaver (Jason Lee) were four friends who, as schoolboys, rescued a boy with Down's Syndrome, Duddits (Donnie Wahlberg), from a savage beating at the hands of bullies. Their experience with Duddits left the boys profoundly changed, as they discovered they had developed psychic powers which allowed them to wordlessly communicate with one another, read the minds of others, and see events in the future. The four remained close friends into adulthood, and meet every year for a weekend get-together at a remote hunting lodge. However, one year Jonsey is approached by the spirit of Duddits, which leads him into a severe auto accident, though his wounds heal with mysterious speed and are gone by the time he and the guys get together a few months later. As the guys drink and swap stories, a desperately ill hunter makes his way into the cabin, whose body has become the host for a horrible wormlike creature, which breaks free and soon goes on a killing spree, leaving only Henry alive. In the wake of this attack comes a massive snowstorm, and Henry learns that these events are the first signs of a major attack by a powerful alien force which can assume any form it wishes. As duplicitous military leader Col. Abraham Curtis (Morgan Freeman) comes in to quell the menace, Henry finds himself in communication with the late Jonsey, whose previous near-death experience gives him an unexpected advantage in stemming the alien tide. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, (more)
The writing/directing team of Drew Daywalt and David Schneider are responsible for the straight-to-video heist comedy Stark Raving Mad. Seann William Scott plays Ben McGewen, a guy who needs to pay off some major debts. Mostly he needs to pay the crime lord Gregory (Lou Diamond Phillips), the gangster who killed his brother. Ben gets the idea to throw a big rave in a club next to a bank vault. According to plan, the loud music and party atmosphere will disguise the fact that he and his gang (Timm Sharp, Patrick Breen, John B. Crye, and Suzy Nakamura) are breaking through the wall. Once inside the vault, they will steal a valuable statue and Ben will revenge his brother's death. This being a heist comedy, however, things don't go exactly according to plan. Dave Foley and Kavan Smith play a couple of pesky FBI agents. Alan Arkin plays cranky club owner Don Partridge. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seann William Scott, Lou Diamond Phillips, (more)
This haunted house chiller is the second feature from Dark Castle Entertainment, the mid-budget outfit put together in 1999 to remake the cheesy horror genre pictures of William Castle by his daughter, Terry Castle, and producers Gilbert Adler, Robert Zemeckis, and Joel Silver. Financially ravaged and widowed by a fire that is consuming him with guilt, Arthur Kriticos (Tony Shalhoub) is left to raise two kids on his own: beautiful teenager Kathy (Shannon Elizabeth) and grade school student Bobby (Alec Roberts). Good news suddenly drops into their lives when a lawyer visits and reveals that they have inherited a lavish home from a late uncle, Cyrus (F. Murray Abraham), an eccentric ghost hunter. The Kriticos family moves into the remote house only to discover its odd secret: the dwelling contains a state-of-the-art, elaborate system of moving glass walls that trap spirits inside. Soon the ghosts, which can only be seen through the use of special high-tech spectacles, are loose in the elaborate contraption and are none too thrilled about their predicament. With the exits sealed, the family members try to learn the secret of Uncle Cyrus' bizarre mansion and survive supernatural assaults with the help of sassy housekeeper Maggie (Rah Digga), neurotic psychic Rafkin (Matthew Lillard), and Kalina (Embeth Davidtz), an activist championing the civil rights of ghosts. The eyeglasses through which the spirits can be viewed in Thirteen Ghosts (2001) were part of a ballyhoo gimmick involving pairs of spectacles handed out to audiences for screenings of the 1960 original, which was presented in "Illusion-O." ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Shalhoub, Embeth Davidtz, (more)
The political thriller B-movie Ignition was released straight to video in the U.S. Bull Pullman stars as Conor Gallagher, a former military helicopter pilot who was discharged due to his violent rage. He is assigned to protect Federal Judge Faith Mattis (Lena Olin) after a mail bomb goes off in her office. Meanwhile, the U.S. is about to put a man on the moon and corrupt military officials plan to assassinate the President. Colm Feore plays the corrupt bad guy, General Joel MacAteer, and Peter Kent plays his henchman Brunson. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Pullman, Lena Olin, (more)
Bobby Farrelly and brother Peter Farrelly continue exploring outrageous premises with this comedy directed by their first assistant director J.B. Rogers. In this wacky spin on the boy-meets-girl tale, Gilly Noble (Chris Klein) enters a sexually charged, passionate love affair with girl of his dreams Jo Wingfield (Heather Graham). After a happy time together, they soon realize that they are brother and sister and quickly break it off. Jo begins a new life elsewhere and Gilly is left heartbroken -- until he learns that Jo is not actually his sister; the incest suggestion was in fact a lie begun by a meddlesome third party. As Gilly travels to meet up with his beloved, he finds out that Jo is engaged to be married to another man; he must put a stop to it, even while everyone still believes he is Jo's sibling and is committing an unnatural act. Say It Isn't So also features Sally Field, Orlando Jones, and Farrelly stalwarts Richard Jenkins and Lin Shaye. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Klein, Heather Graham, (more)
- 1995
- R
In this actioner, a petty crook attempts to deliver a computer disk to his boss. Unfortunately, the information upon that disk is of particular interest to corrupt G-men and the ruthless members of a drug cartel. Finding himself in the midst of this deadly struggle, the crook receives help from a plucky lady detective. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Biehn, Matt Craven, (more)
