Ilene Kahn Movies
As the wife of fading Hollywood producer Kit Freers (Andrew McCarthy), children's book illustrator Holly Freers (Justine Bateman) would love to have some of the fame and fortune of her movie star neighbors rub off on her just once in a while. However, there is one aspect of living in Beverly Hills that Holly despises. Whereas she is deeply devoted to her daughter Chloe (Holliston Coleman), most of the wives in Holly's neighborhood regard their children as mere ornaments, treating motherhood more as a passing fad than as a blessing. This is especially true of Julia Prentice (Angie Everhart), the trophy wife of a popular sitcom star, who is gearing up to stage the baptism of her baby as a major media event. Nor is this the only reason that Holly resents Julia; it seems that the woman had once been Kit's lover. Thus, when Julia's corpse is found floating in the Freers' swimming pool, the police have two ready-made suspects -- and Holly suddenly becomes a celebrity, just like she always wanted...though she certainly didn't want it like this! Hoping to track down the real killer, Holly starts playing Jessica Fletcher (or is it Nancy Drew?) in the company of her handsome neighbor, screenwriter and mystery buff Justin Caffrey (David Gale). Originally telecast by the Hallmark Channel on August 8, 2004, The Hollywood Mom's Mystery is based on Dead Hollywood Moms Society, a novel by Lindsay Maracotta. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Justine Bateman, Elizabeth Peña, (more)
- 2003
Based on a best-seller by Elizabeth Berg, this made-for-TV movie stars Christine Lahti as Samantha Morrow, a middle-class mom deserted by her shallow husband, David (Chris Potter). In order to keep a roof over her head -- not to mention the head of her son, Travis (Mark Rendall) -- Samantha decides to take in boarders. Among these is a runaway teenager named Lavender Blue (Grace Lynn Kung) and a chubby working stiff named King (Daniel Baldwin). Without giving the game away, it can be noted that one of these boarders will enable Samantha to realize her full value as a woman and human being by film's end. Also on hand are Samantha's down-to-earth mom (Eva Marie Saint) and cable-TV home-design expert Colin Cowie (as himself). Open House made its initial CBS appearance on February 16, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christine Lahti, Daniel Baldwin, (more)
Frank Military and Susan Rhinehart scripted this western, a look back at the post-Civil War Black cavalry troops known as the Buffalo Soldiers, the fierce fighting unit previously covered in a PBS four-parter (1970) and an NBC pilot (1979). In the New Mexico Territory, ex-slave Sgt. Wyatt (Danny Glover) and the Buffalo soldiers arrest Captain Draper (Robert Knott) and other Texas Rangers, but politics mean the Rangers are quietly freed later. Back at Fort Craig, Wyatt reports to anti-black General Pike (Tom Bower) and Col. Grierson (Bob Gunton), a white responsible for assembling and supporting the black regiment. A search is underway for Indian chief Victorio (Harrison Lowe). Indian prophet Nana (Chesley Wilson) is tortured in an effort to get him to reveal Victorio's whereabouts. Determining that Victorio is at Rattlesnake Springs, the Buffalo Soldiers head in that direction for a confrontation. Filmed in the desert of Arizona's Cochise County, Buffalo Soldiers premiered December 7, 1997 on TNT. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Glover, Bob Gunton, (more)
- 1994
Originally made for cable television, Roswell is an entertaining mix of purported actual events and science fiction. The narrative unfolds primarily in flashbacks as retired Army officer Jesse Marcel (Kyle MacLachlan) attends a reunion of the 509th Bomber Group and tries to come to closure on events that had taken place 30 years earlier. Back in 1947, Major Marcel had been part of a military team that investigated a crash site on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. The debris recovered from the site had exhibited some remarkable properties such as being able to repair itself instantly after being cut, suggesting that it might have been of extraterrestrial origin. The military brass had ordered Marcel to go along with their phony story that the material was ordinary metal foil from a weather balloon, and he had reluctantly complied. By the time of the 1977 reunion, Marcel is suffering from a terminal illness, and he feels compelled to try to find out what had really happened at Roswell all those years ago. MacLachlan gives an effective performance, particularly when he portrays Marcel as an older man trying to understand his past. Evocative location shooting in the American Southwest adds cinematic impact. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyle MacLachlan, Martin Sheen, (more)
- 1981
In this touching drama, an heiress with dyslexia is assisted by a self-taught taxi driver. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
