Shawn Michael Howard
Initially titled The Colony, this made-for-TV thriller offers the nightmarish scenario of thousands upon thousands of verminous rats swarming over a posh Manhattan department store. Inevitably, the dirty rodents threaten the entire city, and it is up to such hardy souls as hero Jack (Vincent Spano) and heroine Susan (Madchen Amick) to prevent this catastrophe. As The Rats, the film was originally slated for broadcast on September 17, 2001. For reasons that should be obvious, the Fox Network felt it would be more diplomatic to shelve the film for a while--for 367 days, to be exact, so it would not appear to be a tasteless exploitation of the first "9.11" anniversary. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daveigh Chase, Shawn Michael Howard, (more)
In 1955, an African-American woman named Rosa Parks dared to take an empty seat in the "Whites Only" section on a city bus in Montomery, AL, and sparked one of the first major battles in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, thus bringing the work of Martin Luther King to the attention of many Americans for the first time. Boycott is a made-for-TV movie that dramatizes the events of the Montomery bus boycott, weaving vintage newsreel footage with scenes depicting the public and private dramas involved in the protests. Boycott stars Jeffrey Wright as Martin Luther King, Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, and Terrence Dashon Howard as Ralph Abernathy; CCH Pounder, Reg E. Cathey, and Shawn Michael Howard highlight the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Wright, Terrence Howard, (more)
After squaring off in 1995 with competing movie biographies of frontier lawman Wyatt Earp, actors Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner co-star in this action crime caper as former cronies engaged in a series of double-crosses over some stolen loot. Michael Zane (Russell) and Thomas Murphy (Costner) are the leaders of a gang of ex-convict thieves using an Elvis Presley impersonator convention to pull off a daring heist in a Las Vegas casino. The gang also includes Gus (David Arquette), Hanson (Bokeem Woodbine), and Franklin (Christian Slater). Although they manage to retrieve the money, the crooks turn on each other in bloody fashion and Murphy (who believes he's actually the illegitimate son of Elvis) makes off with the illegal funds. In hot pursuit are the police and Michael, who's encumbered by his girlfriend Cybil (Courtney Cox-Arquette) and her young son Jesse James. Written and directed by music video creator Demian Lichtenstein, 3000 Miles to Graceland also stars Kevin Pollak, Ice-T, and Howie Long. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, (more)
A domestic drama that explores the dysfunctional dynamics at work beneath an affluent African-American family's veneer of ostensible perfection, Ritual stars Clarence Williams III as patriarch and former '60s student activist Leron Becker. While Becker refuses to believe that anything is wrong with his family, his wife Sylvia (Denise Nicholas) is an alcoholic who forsakes any domestic responsibilities for liquor. Her daughter Teresa (Angelle Brooks) has assumed Sylvia's duties, and fawns over her father with almost unnatural devotion. Meanwhile, son Mason (Shawn Michael Howard) has dropped out of college to "save" his family. Although he dotes upon his mother, Mason, who is gay, is constantly at odds with his father, who claims that Mason's sexuality stems from being a mama's boy. Tensions reach a breaking point when, on Mason's dime, Leron and Sylvia take a vacation to the Bahamas, leaving their son and daughter to duke it out for psychological supremacy in the family. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clarence Williams III, Denise Nicholas, (more)
- 1998
Season six of NYPD Blue begins with a story arc designed to prepare viewers for the inevitable departure of series regular Jimmy Smits (Detective Bobby Simone). It all begins as Bobby's dentist asks the detective to check up on the dentist's daughter, whose boyfriend is a slimy drug dealer. When the boyfriend is stabbed, disreputable private eye Mike Roberts (Michael Harney), currently the bodyguard of the victim's father, asks the cops to give the case "special" handling -- much to the disgust of Bobby's partner, Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), who despises Roberts. Elsewhere, a false-alarm rape investigated by Bobby's wife and co-worker, Diane Russell (Kim Delaney), turns out to be the real things; John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup), returning to the precinct after his business folds, strikes up a friendship with new PAA Dolores Mayo (Lola Glaudini); and, on a more ominous note, Bobby begins to exhibit signs of a potentially serious illness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Hong Kong action-movie superstar Sammo Hung keeps the kicks flying in this TV action farce about a Chinese lawman (Hung) brought to Los Angeles to join forces with detective Louis McGray (Louis Mandylor) and detective Dana Doyle (Tammy Lauren). It's not long before this trio has the bad guys on the run. Filmed in Van Nuys, this series premiered September 16, 1998 on CBS. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sammo Hung, Tammy Lauren, (more)
Dan Ireland directed this romantic comedy-drama (adapted by James Still from his own play) about a romantic triangle. Doughnut shop waitress Mary Carmen (Salma Hayek) is the girlfriend of bisexual porn star Valentino (Vincent D'Onofrio), but she's frozen out after Valentino gets a look at Midwestern hunk Gary (Thomas Jane). Rivalries end, and the three become close after Valentino succumbs to the AIDS virus. Shown at the 1998 San Sebastian Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Salma Hayek, Vincent D'Onofrio, (more)
- 1996
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Kelly (Christina Applegate) arrives in Fort Lauderdale, where she immediately enters the "Miss Spring Break" bikini contest judged by Jefferson (Ted McGinley). Hoping to cop the $10,000 prize, Al (Ed O'Neill) and Griff (Harold Sylvester) offer their services as co-judges, with Al going to great and ridiculous lengths to hide the fact that he's Kelly's father. But his little scheme may be foiled when Jefferson's wife Marcy (Amanda Bearse) shows up in Lauderdale with blood in her eye. Katey Sagal (Peggy) does not appear in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
In the first episode of a two-part story, Bud (David Faustino) and his frat brothers are foiled in their plan to spend Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale when Kelly (Christina Applegate]) and her gal pals turn on the charm and gyp the guys out of their plane tickets and hotel reservations. Meanwhile, Al (Ed O'Neill) and Griff (Harodl Sylvester) elect to head to Lauderdale when it turns out the Jefferson is going to be a judge for the "Miss Spring Break" bikini contest. Unfortunately, Marcy (Amanda Bearse) catches on to what Jefferson is up to, and she also sets out for Florida to break up the party. Katey Sagal (Peggy) does not appear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Originally planned as a silly vehicle for Chris Farley, in the hands of director Ben Stiller and star Jim Carrey, The Cable Guy became an opportunity for Carrey to flex some of his darker comedic muscles as stalker Chip Douglas. Matthew Broderick plays Steven, an average Joe who is forlorn over his recent breakup with girlfriend Robin (Leslie Mann). When he moves into a new apartment, Steven comes in contact with Chip, who shows up to hook up the cable. Before he knows it, and whether he likes it or not, Steven has a new best-friend in the obnoxious and clingy Chip. However, Steven soon learns that obnoxious is a walk in the park compared to Chip's behavior when Steven tells him he doesn't want to be his pal anymore. What's worse, no one -- including Robin or his family -- believes Steven when he accuses the seemingly harmless Chip of being a malevolent menace. George Segal and Jack Black also star along with Stiller, who plays twins loosely-based on the Menendez brothers. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, (more)
In this satirical comedy, Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller) has a beautiful wife, Nancy (Patricia Arquette), and a four-month old son, and on the surface his life is good. But something's been troubling him: Mel knows he was adopted, and he can't resolve his issues with the mother who gave him away years ago, much to the annoyance of his adoptive parents (George Segal and Mary Tyler Moore). Mel decides it's time he met his birth parents and resolved his feelings once and for all, and Tina (Tea Leoni), a psychology student, has offered to tag along to capture the event on video for a research project. But after a few minutes with Mel's "real" mother, they discover that a mistake has been made and they've been directed to the wrong person. A second meeting, this time with Mel's supposed dad, also turns out to be a mistake, and it's quite some time before Mel, Nancy, and Tina are finally face to face with Mel's biological parents -- a pair of burned-out hippies (played by Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin) who support themselves by dealing blotter acid daubed onto pictures of Ronald Reagan. It doesn't help that Mel finds himself attracted to the very leggy Tina, or that Nancy's head is turned by a bisexual ATF agent (Josh Brolin). Writer/director David O. Russell previously made a splash with his independent debut feature, 1994's Spanking the Monkey. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, (more)
A Jewish high school teacher, Phyllis Saroka (Rhea Perlman), steps in to take on the thankless job of coaching the school's inept basketball team, which is filled with ne'er-do-wells from the slums. She takes the job to get extra money to fulfill her dream of opening a restaurant on the Caribbean island of St. Croix. Phyllis has had bad luck with men, is dissatisfied with her teaching job, and is desperate to do something meaningful as she approaches middle age. Meanwhile, the players on the team are ambitious only about scoring drugs and girls and inventing their own rap songs. Butter (James Harris) is the team's only really talented player, but he wastes most of his energy chasing skirts. Busy-Bee (De'Aundre Bonds) is a small but highly energetic goofball. The mind of Spaceman (Terrence Dashon Howard) has been diminished by learning disabilities and drugs. Phyllis's greatest challenge is the brilliant, moody Shorty (Fredro Starr). Shorty teaches Phyllis the game, but he feels betrayed when he learns that she is planning to leave after one season. Perlman's husband, Danny DeVito, served as the film's producer. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rhea Perlman, Fredro Starr, (more)
- 1993
After surviving a blast from a double-barrelled shotgun, Henry Jackson (Joe Seneca) is still able and willing to identify his assailant. It turns out that the shooter is an outspoken white supremacist -- and a serial killer who preys upon minorities. This is why Assistant D.A. Stone (Michael Moriarty) is astonished when the accused is defended by a prominent African-American lawyer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
