Timothy McNeil Movies

In a world driven by celebrity obsession, what better way to express your admiration of the Hollywood star of yesteryear than by having them glimmering from around your neck or shimmering on your finger wherever you go? At least that's the attitude taken by Dr. Lockbuster (Tim McNeil) as he enters into a lucrative partnership with notorious criminal Augustine Garza (Leo Rossi) and millionaire Quentin Leeds (Joseph Ruskin) to market "celebrity" diamonds made from the ashes of deceased Hollywood royalty. It seems that wealthy widows simply can't get enough of the glitz and glamour, especially diamond fanatic Mrs. Kelly (Tippi Hedren). But what happens when the men assigned the decidedly unglamorous task of acquiring the remains begin running out of "product"? With their decidedly finite supply of deceased Hollywood royalty rapidly declining, desperate grave robbers Bergerac de la Houssey (Bronson Pinchot) and Lulu (Darin Heames) soon begin shopping around for living candidates. When the murder of Quentin Leeds inspires investigators to pick up Bergerac for questioning, the nervous grave robber beats a hasty retreat while in possession of the famed Hemingway diamond that is said to have a hypnotic effect on anyone who comes in contact with it. With the police, Garza, and Mrs. Kelly hot on his trail, it seems that this quest for the ultimate gem can only end badly. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Can a would-be artist find happiness with a woman who has never heard of Jackson Pollock? That's the dilemma facing Alex (Mark Ruffalo), whose life is finally going just the way he'd like; he's scored a one-man show at an upscale gallery, and is sharing an apartment with a beautiful model named Yvette (Anne-Marie Johnson). A few days later, however, Alex's life is in tatters; the curator of the gallery informs him his work is soulless and cancels his show, while Yvette hands Alex his walking papers. With no money and nowhere to go, Alex takes a job at a pizza place and finds an flat in a squalid building where the super, Ray (Alan Gelfant), has a habit of walking in unannounced at any time of the day or night. Along with a colorful group of neighbors, including a desperate middle-aged woman who can do wonders with Spam and a hooker with a remarkable collection of "work clothes," Alex meets Lori (Beth Ulrich), a sweet-natured woman who has just moved to L.A. from Colorado. At first they seem to hit it off, but Alex thinks Lori lacks big-city sophistication, and she knows nothing about modern art. Alex breaks up with her, but it doesn't take long for him to realize he's made a mistake -- or for his neighbors to start reminding him of that. Life/Drawing marked the directorial debut of Dan Bootzin, who co-wrote the screenplay with his producer and spouse, Elizabeth Rivera Bootzin; the film was warmly received in its premier engagement at the 1999 Taos Film Festival, then aired on U.S. cable in 2003, retitled Apartment 12. It premiered on DVD in 2006 under the same title. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Garret Williams made his directorial debut with this tale of an urban black couple trapped in a desert town of rednecks. Byron (Terrence Howard) and Nina (Nicole Ari Parker) are driving a BMW from Chicago to L.A. when they experience a back-road breakdown. Teen Mooney (Brendan Sexton III) tows them to a white-trailer-trash town where they're charged $500 for repairs. When the BMW dies again, they stay overnight in a motel, and the situation soon gets grim. The characters in this low-budgeter were first introduced in a 1996 short. Spark was shown at 1998 film festivals (Sundance, Berlin). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide