Gabriel Hogan Movies
- 2005
Although the made-for-cable drama Widow on the Hill was based on a true story, the film bears a strong resemblance to the 1947 Joan Crawford theatrical feature Possessed. Natasha Henstridge stars as Linda Dupree, an ambitious hospice nurse who marries Hank Cavanaugh (James Brolin), the very wealthy widower of one of Linda's former patients. Hank enrages his grown daughters by quickly installing Linda in the family's luxurious Virginia mansion, and even more so when he gives his new wife the most precious possessions of his former spouse. Not long afterward, Hank himself falls seriously ill and dies, leaving Linda one of the richest women in Virginia -- and also arousing suspicions that she not only knocked off Hank, but his first wife as well! More questions than answers are offered in this heavy-breathing melodrama, which made its Lifetime network debut on January 24, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Natasha Henstridge, James Brolin, (more)
Australian filmmaker John Duigan directs the romantic war drama Head in the Clouds. Charlize Theron stars as ambitious photographer Gilda Bessé, who lives in France during the 1930s. She shares her stylish luxury apartment in Paris with Cambridge student Guy (Stuart Townsend) from Ireland and refugee Mia (Penélope Cruz) from Spain. When WWII starts, the three close friends are torn apart by different priorities. Thomas Kretschmann also stars as Major Thomas Bietrich. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlize Theron, Penélope Cruz, (more)
The twentysomething urbanite Sarah (Michelle Nolden, Martha, Inc.) finds her life threatened when a teenage couple, Jackson (Kett Turton, Walking Tall) and Jenna (Katharine Isabelle, Ginger Snaps), kidnap her and drag her off to an isolated, forest-bound cabin in Show Me. Thus begins a series of intense head games between the captors and the terrified woman, who -- sensing that these kids may be in over their heads -- believes she just might be able to outsmart them. Cassandra Nicolaou directs this thriller from her own original script, an extended cat-and-mouse suspenser designed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michelle Nolden, Allegra Fulton, (more)
- 2003
Premiering August 26, 2003, the weekly, 60-minute Playmakers was the first "scripted" series presented by cable's ESPN network, which normally focused on sports events and discussion programs. The 11-episode series chronicled a season in the life of the Cougars, a fictional pro football team in a league that resembled the NFL. Omar Gooding, younger brother of Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr., headed the cast as hotshot running back Demetrius Harris. Also appearing were Russell Hornsby as Harris' principal rival, veteran gridiron star Leon Taylor; Jason Matthew Smith as Taylor's linebacker friend Eric Olczyk ; Marcello Thedford as offensive tackle "Buffalo" James, who idolized Harris; Christopher Wiehl as Derek McConnell, an all-pro quarterback in a deep and seemingly inescapable slump; and Tony Denison as head coach Mike George. To avoid alienating TV fans who felt surfeited with sports, the series devoted much of its time to the off-field lives of the principals and their loved ones. Filmed in Toronto, Playmakers was created by John Eisendrath, who was also an executive producer on the popular ABC espionage series Alias. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Omar Gooding, Jason Matthew Smith, (more)
- 2003
This made-for-cable romantic comedy would seem to be a sex- and job-change variation on the 2001 theatrical feature The Wedding Planner. Richard Ruccolo stars as Michael Blake, a young master chef who runs his own successful catering service. Falling in love with Gail Hollander (Meredith Monroe) from afar, Michael is crushed to learn that Gail is already engaged to star hockey player Gordie Parks (Gabriel Hogan). Even worse, our hero has been contracted to cater Gail's wedding, right in the middle of a hockey rink. Despite admonitions from his friends that "You're pasta and she wants potatoes," Michael is determined to win Gail's heart before she ties the knot with Gordie. The One debuted February 9, 2003 on the ABC Family Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard R. Ruccolo, Meredith Monroe, (more)
- 2000
This made-for-TV drama was inspired by a true story that occurred in Carleton, Ontario during Christmas Week of 1999. Disguised as a nurse, a bipolar woman named Margaret Wheeler (Nola Auguston) kidnaps a premature infant, the first male child of Karen and Phil Lewis (Marnie McPhail, Hugh Thompson). Though profoundly disturbed, Margaret has covered her tracks well, and has even secured the silence of her boyfriend Darryl (Alan Van Sprang), a former convict who can't go to the authorities without casting blame upon herself. As the Lewises anxiously await news of their missing baby, dedicated police sergeant Jane McKinley (Leslie Hope) follows the trail of clues and ultimately attempts to break down Margaret's wall of lies. The film also brings into play the not inconsiderable domestic problems endured by McKinley herself as she endeavors to bring hope to the biological parents. Despite the grimness of its subject matter, Stolen Miracle is a heartwarming, life-affirming firm which proved ideal Holiday fare when it first aired in Canada on December 18, 2001. It was subsequently picked up for US cable play (again as a "Christmas picture") by the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Based on actual events from the early '90s and first aired on the Family Channel, this exciting drama centers on the attempts of one small town to keep the Mississippi river from destroying it. The leaders in this seemingly impossible quest are widower farmer Herb and the Army Corps of Engineers woman he loves. Despite their efforts to shore up the town's levees, the water keeps rising, and the town is increasingly at risk. When a levee up-river breaks, Herb's kids are caught in the flood and a massive search ensues. Finally, just as the town is about to be inundated, Herb finds himself forced to make a difficult decision between the town's welfare and his own. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Thomas, Kate Vernon, (more)
Gabriel Hogan, Richard Donat, and Ben Rose-Davis star in this drama about a young boy growing up in a coal mining community in Nova Scotia near the dawn of the 20th century. The boy learns many valuable lessons when he makes a new friend -- a wild horse captured and trained to work in the mines. The supporting cast includes Denny Doherty, best remembered as a member of the singing group The Mamas and the Papas. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Rose-Davis, Richard Donat, (more)
