Talya Ferro Movies

A man discovers that what he doesn't know can hurt him, especially when it comes to his wife, in this suspense drama. Ray Reardon (James Spader) is an architect who has just gone through a messy divorce; while his friends sing the praises of the single life, Ray would prefer to settle into a life of middle-class domesticity with a home, wife, and family. Ray meets a beautiful but mysterious woman named Lena (Madchen Amick) at a party, and for him it's love at first sight; while she remains elusive, Ray pursues her avidly, and before long he proposes, even though he doesn't know her especially well. A few years later, they're seemingly happily married with children. But Lena's behavior starts to become erratic and depressive, and she is no longer willing to account for where she's been or what she's been doing. Ray is convinced that Lena has been having an affair and begins doing some research into her past; he soon discovers her previous life bears little resemblance to what she told him and that she's been lying to him about nearly every part of her history and their relationship. Lena contends that she's just "a regular screwed-up person," but in time, Ray realizes that there's a purpose behind her duplicity: she's trying to convince people that he is insane. Dream Lover was the directorial debut of screenwriter Nicholas Kazan. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Nicky (Benthe Forrer) and her father (Rijk de Gooyer) go for a vacation (her) and for business (him) to Aruba, the Dutch island just off the coast of Venezuela, with the added twist that they have not really known each other all the while Nicky was growing up (she is now a buxom young 15 year old). Nicky's ambivalent feelings for her father churn up almost immediately, and she indirectly asks him (employing her invented alter-ego, Sabine) if it is okay for a teenager to fall in love with an older man - wanting to see what his reaction might be. Nicky is conflicted: possessive, jealous, and upset when her father sees no reason to change his style of living just because she is there with him - and he continues to stay out late with one woman or another. Nicky vows "revenge" and carries through by taking up with the piano player (Mike Burstyn). Meanwhile, the father has had problems with his business dealings, partly caused by Nicky's demanding presence, and partly because of a good friend, now a competitor. Nicky's relationship with the piano player starts to develop in earnest, and not surprisingly liberates her from the tempestuous feelings that dominated her relationship with her father - perhaps now the two can get along as normal people. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

A pair of blue-collar buddies use hypnosis to turn a wimpy boxer into a champ in this crime comedy, which reunites actor/director Sidney Poitier and comedian Bill Cosby, stars of the similarly themed Uptown Saturday Night. Clyde Williams (Poitier) and Billy Foster (Cosby) want to help raise funds to sustain the Sons and Daughters of Shaka Lodge, their local community group. Given that Clyde was trained as a hypnotist while in the military, the pair decide to con mobster Biggie Smalls (Calvin Lockhart) by placing a high-stakes bet on a boxing match and then using hocus-pocus to transform skinny underdog Bootney Farnsworth (Jimmie Walker) into a bruiser. When Biggie finds out about their ruse, he and his thugs move in to reclaim their money, setting the stage for further laughs and sleight-of-hand. With a supporting cast that includes Denise Nicholas and Lee Chamberlin as the protagonists' wives and Ossie Davis as an elder at their lodge, Let's Do It Again also reunited Good Times stars Walker and John Amos to the silver screen. Cosby and Poitier would return two years later with A Piece of the Action, though Lockhart, another veteran of Uptown Saturday Night, would sit out the final team-up. Hip-hop fans will note that Lockhart's character provided one of the aliases for slain '90s rap star Christopher Wallace, also known as the Notorious B.I.G. The soundtrack for Let's Do It Again featured Curtis Mayfield songs performed by the the Staple Singers. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Those looking for a tasteful but fun little musical comedy had best look elsewhere as this one is basically about the exploitation to two naive young women who move into a swinging singles complex to find some fun. Unfortunately, they end up objectified, and pursued. One of them leaves the place and gains firsthand experience with gang rape and suicide. Songs include: "For Singles Only," "Take a Chance with Me," "I'm Not Afraid," "Destination Unknown," "Why Need They Pretend?" "Symbol of Love," and "Tight Black Gown." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi