Kyla Pratt Movies
Born in 1986, actress Kyla Pratt entered films as a child star around the age of 10, specializing in portrayals of impossibly cute and sweet-natured tykes; she was frequently, though not always, cast as either the young daughter of lead characters or the younger versions of lead characters. Pratt began with guest spots on such programs as ER, Friends, and Touched By an Angel, then made perhaps her strongest impression as Maya Dolittle, the daughter of Dr. Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) in multiple live-action installments of that series, beginning with the first in 1998 and continuing through its 2001 sequel and the first two direct-to-video follow-ups. As time rolled on, Pratt began to transition into different genres; she played the young version of a soul singer in the 1999 Jackie's Back; the adolescent version of an African American female basketball player in Love & Basketball (2000), and a sad teen who draws the animated character Fat Albert into the real world in Fat Albert (2004). In 2008, Pratt signed for a supporting role in the family-oriented feature Hotel for Dogs, adapted from the children's book by Lois Duncan. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Adapted from author Lois Duncan's 1971 children's book of the same name, director Thor Freudenthal's Hotel for Dogs follows two mischievous orphans as they attempt to hide dozens of stray dogs in an abandoned hotel. Disheartened by their new guardians' announcement that pets are strictly forbidden, 16-year-old Andi (Emma Roberts) and her younger brother, Bruce (Jake T. Austin), race to find a home for their loyal dog Friday. Fortunately for Friday, there's an abandoned hotel just around the corner, and Bruce possesses just the kind of mechanical smarts needed to transform the rundown inn into a four-star retreat for canines. For a while, Friday and his friends have it made, but when the neighbors start to get suspicious, Andi and Bruce resort to every trick in the book in order to prevent their secret from being discovered. Don Cheadle, Emma Roberts, and Lisa Kudrow star in a family-friendly film penned by screenwriter Jeff Lowell. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, (more)
- 2008
- PG
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Aspiring veterinarian Maya Dolittle (Kyla Pratt) gets caught up in the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood scene after using her special skills as a "dog whisperer" to help a celebrity starlet's depressed Chihuahua. All Maya ever wanted to do was help animals. Mata's veterinarian ambitions get unexpectedly sidelined, however, when she's summoned to Hollywood by heiress Tiffany Monaco (Tegan Moss) and offered her own reality television series. But just as Maya prepares to put her higher education on hold, her loyal four-legged friend Lucky helps her to realize that Tiffany's idea of "helping" animals isn't doing the critters on her show any good. Before long, Maya realizes that fame is fleeting, and the only thing that will make her truly happy is to leave Hollywood behind, and dedicate her life to helping all of her furry little friends. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyla Pratt, Tegan Moss, (more)
- 2008
- PG
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This comedy concerns Maya Doolittle, a veterinarian with an over-the-top skill for dealing with animals. Maya gets a call from the president himself, hoping to enlist her help in preventing a pet problem from becoming a canine catastrophe. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyla Pratt, Peter Coyote, (more)
- 2006
- PG
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A young woman discovers that her father's special talent runs in the family in this direct-to-video sequel to the 1998 blockbuster (which, unlike the previous two films in the series, does not feature Eddie Murphy). Maya Dolittle (Kyla Pratt), the youngest daughter of veterinarian John Dolittle, makes the surprising discovery that, like her dad, she can understand what animals have to say, and speak with them in their own language. Unlike her father, Maya hasn't found a suitable use for her talents, and as she finds an outlet for her unique language skills, she is sent away to Durango, a combination summer camp and dude ranch, where she strikes up a rapport with both the fellow campers and the livestock. When she learns that Durango is on the verge of going out of business due to money problems, Maya starts working with the camp's horses and cattle, giving them a much needed pep talk as they're entered in a local rodeo that could save Durango. Dr. Dolittle 3: The Daughter Is In also features Kristen Wilson, John Amos, and Walker Howard. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Amos, Kyla Pratt, (more)
Bill Cosby's gang of childhood pals evolve from standup comedy to an animated cartoon series to real life in this family-friendly comedy. Doris (Kyla Pratt) is a teenager who doesn't fit in with most of her classmates at school, has been depressed since the death of her grandfather, and is disturbed by her foster sister's willingness to remake herself in order to be popular. One of Doris' few solaces comes from watching reruns of the animated television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and one day while watching the show she starts to cry, with a tear dropping into her remote. The tear draws big-hearted (and just plain big) Fat Albert (Kenan Thompson) from the animated universe into Doris' real world in hopes of cheering her up and helping her deal with her problems. As Fat Albert and his pals -- Rudy (Shedrack Anderson III), Bucky (Alphonso McAuley), Mushmouth (Jermaine Williams), Weird Harold (Aaron A. Frazier), Dumb Donald (Marques B. Houston), and Bill (Keith D. Robinson) -- adapt to the three-dimensional world and try to teach Doris to believe in herself, they learn that traveling back to the animated world is harder than they thought, which becomes alarming when they start to fade away. The real world also poses some new dilemmas for Fat Albert when he falls in love with Doris' foster sister, Lauri (Dania Ramirez). Bill Cosby co-authored the screenplay for Fat Albert, using his full name, William H. Cosby Jr., and collaborating with Charles Kipps; the project was begun with Forest Whitaker as director, who left midway through shooting, with Joel Zwick taking over in his place. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenan Thompson, Kyla Pratt, (more)
Eddie Murphy returns as a doctor with a gift for talking to animals in this sequel to a box-office blockbuster. Murphy is John Dolittle, who this time around attempts to save an endangered Pacific forest from lumber industry forces by reintegrating an endangered species of bear back into the wild. Unfortunately, Dolittle's candidate is a performing bear (voice of Steve Zahn) with a taste for junk food and no natural skills in the wild. If Dolittle is going to save the species and its habitat, he must get him to mate with a fussy female (Lisa Kudrow) by providing lessons in winning the heart of the opposite sex. Dr. Dolittle's problems are compounded by a local animal work stoppage and furry woodland creatures who have organized their own version of the Mafia. Norm Macdonald returns as the voice of Lucky the Dog, co-starring with Kevin Pollak, Jeffrey Jones, Michael Rapaport, Molly Shannon, Reni Santoni, and Kristen Wilson. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wilson, (more)
A young African-American couple navigates the tricky paths of romance and athletics in this drama. Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) grew up in the same neighborhood and have known each other since childhood. As they grow into adulthood, they fall in love, but they also share another all-consuming passion: basketball. They've followed the game all their lives and have no small amount of talent on the court. As Quincy and Monica struggle to make their relationship work, they follow separate career paths though high school and college basketball and, they hope, into stardom in big-league professional ball. Love and Basketball was the first feature film for writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who previously helmed several comedy specials for Dave Chappelle. Spike Lee co-produced. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, (more)
In this touching drama from England, a family is given a puppy for a year so that he can be housebroken and taught basic behavioral commands; after that time, the dog will be put into training as a helper for the disabled. A young daughter in the household soon bonds with the puppy, and the dog becomes her constant companion. When the year is up, the girl is heartbroken at the prospect of giving up her best friend; however, she learns that the dog could also be the best hope of a better life for a man with paralysis, and she has to choose between her love for her pet and the desire to help others. More Than Puppy Love stars Diane Ladd, Pamela Bach, and Craig Benton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pamela Bach, Craig Benton, (more)
Soul diva Jackie Washington is determined to hit the comeback trail but seems to be having trouble finding the on-ramp in the mock-documentary comedy Jackie's Back. Jackie (played by Jenifer Lewis) was a Rhythm and Blues singer who had a few late '60's and early 70's hits, including "Yield" and the memorable "Look At Me (My Love For You Has Only Made Me Love Me More)," but she's spent much of the 80's and 90's playing the "Where Are They Now?" circuit. However, Jackie has organized what she hopes will be a gala comeback concert, and filmmaker Edward Whatsett St. John (Tim Curry) is on hand to film the event, and discusses the high and (frequent) low points of Jackie's career with such friends and well-wishers as Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Penny Marshall, Jackie Collins and Dolomite himself, Rudy Ray Moore. Meanwhile, Jackie's big gig is not going quite the way she planned. Directed by Robert Townsend, Jackie's Back was produced for the Lifetime Cable Network and originally aired June 14, 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jenifer Lewis, Tim Curry, (more)
Betty Thomas directed this adaptation of the classic children's stories by Hugh Lofting (1886-1947), updating the original concepts into the present day. When noted surgeon Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) swerves his car to avoid hitting a dog, he hits his head on the windshield, triggering his long-dormant gift for holding conversations with animals. Friends, associates and his wife Lisa (Kristen Wilson), all express concern, but Dr. Dolittle is happy as he takes on new animal clients. Soon Dolittle's clinic becomes a haven for talking rats, birds, and other assorted members of the animal kingdom, and Dolittle's new four-legged and furry friends, in turn, teach him a few things about being human. The effects seamlessly combine Jim Henson Creature Shop animatronics, computer graphics, and real animals, but some viewers might yearn for a return of the Great Pink Sea Snail and Lofting's other imaginative creatures. The 1967 20th Century Fox musical Dr. Dolittle starred Rex Harrison in a strange storyline that began with Dolittle escaping from a lunatic asylum and leaving the Victorian village Puddleby-by-the-Marsh, England, to search the South Seas for the Great Pink Sea Snail. Along the way, he gathered diverse Dolittle denizens and animal anomalies, including the Giant Moon Moth and the famed, two-headed Pushmi-Pullyu. The earlier film spawned the Oscar-winning popular song success, "Talk To The Animals," along with numerous now-forgotten toys, books, and collectibles. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Ossie Davis, (more)
This is the large-screen debut of famous (or infamous, depending on your POV) fuzzy purple dinosaur Barney, the oafish character who began a decade earlier on video (selling 45 million units) and then became a top-ranked public TV preschooler show in 1992, followed by 15 million stuffed toys and 25 million copies of Barney books, plus his own attraction at the Universal theme park. The story in this $15 million movie has Mom and Dad leaving son Cody and daughter Abby, plus Abby's friend Marcella, and a baby with Grandpa and Grandma down on the farm -- where a shooting star deposits a large colorful egg. After it's accidentally taken away, Cody and others chase after the egg, intersecting a Main Street parade and then continuing on through a French restaurant, a circus, and a big hot-air balloon launch, eventually returning to the farm. Music features more than a dozen songs, including "Old MacDonald" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". Dances devised by Cirque du Soleil choreographer Debra Brown. Filmed in the countryside near Montreal. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Hearn, Shirley Douglas, (more)
- 1998
This made-for-TV biographical drama was adapted from William Gibson's sequel to his own play The Miracle Worker. Moira Kelly and Roma Downey are respectively starred as the teenaged Helen Keller and her teacher and closest friend Annie Sullivan. Despite her inability to see or hear, Helen has made such spectacular progress under Sullivan's tutelage that she is able to attend Radcliffe College. Accompanying Helen to the campus, Annie meets handsome journalism professor John Macy (Bill Campbell) and quickly falls in love. Having had her own crush on Macy, and fearing the loss of Annie's friendship, Helen reverts to the anger and jealousy that characterized her childhood years--but soon finds comfort in a romantic relationship of her own. Monday After the Miracle made its CBS network bow on November 15, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roma Downey, Moira Kelly, (more)
- 1997
Upset when her boss, Gunther (James Michael Tyler), suggests she needs more training, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) quits her job. Elsewhere on the employment front, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) lands a job selling Christmas trees, leading Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) to lend a hand despite a long-harbored hatred for those selfsame trees. And Ross (David Schwimmer) sells Brown Bird Cookies as penance for accidentally breaking a little girl's leg. Yes, that's comedian Shelley Berman, making his first series appearance as Mr. Kaplan Jr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
While being escorted to prison from Phoenix to New York, crazed killer Peter Cronin (Anthony Michael Hall) hijacks a commercial jet in flight with the help of accomplices. Holding the 200 passengers and the crew members hostage, Cronin forces the plane to land in Dallas, then demands another, more powerful aircraft for the last leg of his escape. As FBI agent Frank Layton (Perry King) and detective Deni Patton (Ally Sheedy) attempt to negotiate with Cronin, time runs perilously short for the hostages, who know that the killer isn't bluffing when he threatens to kill one prisoner per hour unless his demands are met. A curious reunion for former Breakfast Club costars Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy, the made-forTV Hijacked: Flight 285--which is so weighed down with the "backstories" of the many characters that it could well have been retitled "The High and the Mighty at Gunpoint"--made its ABC network debut on February 4, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Brolin, Perry King, (more)
- 1996
Were it not based on a true story, this two-part TV movie could well have been dismissed as a grotesque nightmare. The story begins in 1988, when the Chicago home of Cindi and David Dowaliby (Shannen Doherty, Kevin Dillon) is invaded by person or persons unknown, who kidnap and murder their daughter Jacklyn while the couple sleeps. Once the crime is reported, the grief-stricken Dowalibys find themselves accused of their daughter's murder. The authorities are cruel and relentless, public opinion is hostile, the media is doggedly one-sided, and the family's very expensive lawyers more interested in their fee than in justice. Ultimately, Cindi is "cleared", but David is sentenced to a 45-year prison term--and both the couple's surviving child and Cindi's newborn baby are taken away from them. The rest of the film concerns Cindi's tireless and apparently futile battle to win back her children, secure her husband's release and restore the family's mud-splattered reputation. Originally telecast by CBS on February 25 and 27, 1996, Gone in the Night may indeed end on a small note of triumph, but by no means is the tragic situation completely resolved. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
TV weatherperson Monica (Roma Downey) and cameraman Andrew (John Dye) are on hand when hard-driving investigative journalist Rocky McCann (Kay Lenz) looks into rumors of child abuse in a foster home run by retired couple Horace and Zelda Wittenberg (John Randolph, Peg Phillips). Though Monica thinks that Rocky's motivations are honorable, Andrew does not--and as for the Wittenburgs, their lives are in a shambles. As it turns out, Rocky is allowing the tragedies of her own past to ruin the future of several innocent bystanders. Meanwhile, there's a mystery afoot: why is Special Angel Agent Sam (Paul Winfield) supervising Monica instead of the missing Tess (Della Reese)? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Unable to cope with losing custody of baby Suzy, Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) begins consulting a therapist, whereupon the events in this episode (directed by series regular Anthony Edwards) are unfolded in flashback form. One of the plot developments involves Carol (Julianna Margulies), who in order to save her paramedic boyfriend, Shep (Ron Eldard), from disciplinary action may be forced to lie on his behalf. Elsewhere, Ross (George Clooney) discovers that his father, Ray, has run out on Karen (Marg Helgenberger) -- and with most of Karen's money. And Carter (Noah Wyle) tries to comfort a young girl named TC (Gabrielle Boni), whose surgery will prevent her from participating in a basketball tournament. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
