Shawn Christian Movies
With their home planet in danger and no place in the known universe to seek shelter, a desperate crew of miniature alien humanoids boards a human spacecraft in hopes of saving their doomed world. Eddie Murphy stars in a sci-fi comedy that re-teams the longtime comic actor with Norbit director Brian Robbins. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, (more)
Mockumentary mastermind Christopher Guest turns his satirical eye away from dog shows, small-town theater, and folk music to offer a hilarious take on Hollywood award season in this comedy focusing on trio of actors whose lives are turned upside down when they discover that their performances in an independent film are generating a sizable buzz in the entertainment industry. Jay Berman (Guest) is in the process of directing his first feature film -- an intimate family drama set in the 1940s and detailing the tempestuous reunion of an estranged Jewish family that is reluctantly drawn together to celebrate Purim at the behest of their dying matriarch. The cast soon comes down with an infectious case of award fever when rumors on the Internet claim that "Purim" stars Marilyn Hack (Catherine O' Hara), Victor Allan Miller (Harry Shearer), and Callie Webb (Parker Posey) may be delivering Oscar-caliber performances. When "Hollywood Now" co-anchors Chuck Porter (Fred Willard) and Cindy Martin (Jane Lynch) perpetuate the buzz on national television, the entire film crew starts to see stars in their eyes. Subsequently convinced that they have a sleeper hit on their hands, unit publicist Corey Taft (John Michael Higgins), talent agent Morley Orfkin (Eugene Levy), and producer Whitney Taylor Brown (Jennifer Coolidge) immediately cave to requests from Sunfish Classics president Martin Gibb (Ricky Gervais) to alter the film so that it may appeal to a larger audience. Now, while "Purim" screenwriters Lane Iverson (Michael McKean) and Philip Koontz (Bob Balaban) are forced to watch helplessly as their original screenplay is plundered in order to cash in on the positive buzz, awards season draws near and the production takes a most unexpected turn. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Balaban, Jennifer Coolidge, (more)
Produced for the Lifetime channel, the made-for-cable Murder in the Hamptons uses the titular 2001 murder, that of multimillionaire investment banker Ted Ammon (David Sutcliffe), as the starting point for a lengthy flashback beginning in 1995. It was during that year that Ammon met and married Generosa Rand (Poppy Montgomery), a talented and temperamental artist. As Ammon's fortune grew, so did the couple's conspicuous consumption, as manifested in a huge, castle-like estate in Long Island; the family itself also expanded, with Ted and Generosa adopting two children. Unfortunately, with each passing year, this "ideal" marriage became less so, with Generosa exhibiting some mighty peculiar behavior, her neuroses and insecurities causing her to fly off the handle at the least provocation. During the inevitable divorce proceedings, Generosa demands that Ted relinquish both the mansion and their children -- and she also launches into an affair with electrician Danny Pelosi (Shawn Christian), who has a criminal record. When Ted is found murdered, suspicion immediately falls upon Danny, though no tangible evidence is available. Ultimately, Generosa marries Danny -- only to leave him as well when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Evidently undergoing numerous epiphanies in her final months, Generosa begins to let go of the many things she held dear during and after her marriage -- but if she knows anything about Ted's death, it is a secret she will carry to the grave. How justice is ultimately served figures into the climax of Murder in the Hamptons, which first aired on July 11, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Poppy Montgomery, David Sutcliffe, (more)
- 2003
When Undercover Christmas first aired over CBS on December 7, 2003, a number of critics lauded the film for its "fresh" and "unique" storyline--blissfully unaware that the film bore a marked resemblance to the 1940 Fred MacMurray-Barbara Stanwyck vehicle Remember the Night. Jamie Gertz tops the cast as Brandi O'Neill, a sassy cocktail waitress who is the "great and good friend" of billionaire Scott Shift (Cameron Bancroft). Determned to nail Shift on a tax fraud charge, FBI agent Jake Cunningham (Shawn Christian) figures that Brandi will make an excellent federal witness, and takes her into protective custody. Unfortunately, not long afterward Jake receives word from his mother Anne (Tyne Daly) that his father Joe (Winston Rekert), a very wealthy and very conservative jurist, has suffered a heart attack--and that it would behoove Jack to come home for Christmas to see his dad just one more time. Naturally, Jake is forced to take Brandi along to meet his folks, who are shocked beyond measure when, to avoid compromising his case against Shift, Jake passes Brandi off as his new girlfriend! Things get dicier still when it turns out that Joe Cunningham's heart attack was just a sham to force Jake to come home and get his annual dressing-down for not living up to his parents' hopes--and all the while, Brandi begins to really enjoy her new luxurious surroundings, and seriously considers latching onto Jake for keeps. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Drew (Drew Carey) has fallen in love with Dawn (A.J. Langer), whom he met by chance during a bus ride. Now he must gently let down Robin (Lori Laughlin), the girl chosen as his future bride by professional matchmaker Larry. But there's another problem that needs an instant solution: Drew is never permitted a moment alone with Dawn, thanks to her ex-boyfriends who keep hanging around her house (in fact, one of them is still living above her garage!) And what about Kellie (Cynthia Watros), who still hasn't gotten over her high school crush on our hero? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Sheriff Mobley (Glenn Morshower) is among the guests at a fundraiser in a lavish Las Vegas mansion when a beautiful young woman is found dead in the swimming pool. The main suspects are the hosts, a young couple (Shawn Christian, Elizabeth Lackey) who are house-sitting for the mansion's owners. As Grissom (William L. Petersen) and Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) try to track down those mysteriously absent owners, Warrick (Gary Dourdan) investigates an apparent mob hit in a hotel's glass elevator. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Most people are afraid of the "boogeyman"; some good witches like Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) are terrified of the "Woogeyman." Prue (Shannen Doherty) and Piper (Holly Marie Combs) scoff at Phoebe's trepidations, but it's no laughing matter when an earthquake release a genuine Woogyman in the form of a shadow demon -- who immediately takes control of Phoebe's mind and converts her to "badness." All of this puts quite a damper on Phoebe's upcoming party in honor of a famed architectural expert. Jennifer Rhodes makes her first series appearance as the girls' grandmother, Penny "Grams" Halliwell. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
A sharp-eyed reporter tumbles to the fact that the Halliwell girls are witches. It becomes imperative for the sisters to prevent the reporter from making this discovery public. But this problem pales in significance to the main dilemma of tonight's story, wherein Prue (Shannen Doherty), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), and Piper (Holly Marie Combs) must rescue two kidnapped boys from a coven of demons with an agenda that could leave the whole world sightless. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
Prue (Shannen Doherty) befriends a young priest-in-training named Brendan Rowe (Michael Weatherly). It turns out that Brendan is going to need a lot more than friendship -- and a lot more than just one witch to extricate him from a devastating dilemma. It seems that Brendan's family has had a centuries-long history of warlocks, including his two brothers...who now want him to renounce his earthly goodness and join them on the Dark Side. And in other developments, Piper (Holly Marie Combs) is attracted to Josh (Shawn Christian) -- but actually going out on a date with him is a different matter. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
This short-lived TV drama series is set in Hawaii where the surfing Connolly clan, headed by widow Ciel Connolly (Bo Derek), has to contend with evil millionaire developer Gardner Poole (Lee Horsley), who's hated by his rebel daughter Kate (Jacinda Barrett). Land-grabber Poole has his eye on Ciel and also on her struggling cattle ranch. Meanwhile, Ciel's surfer sons Cole (William Gregory Lee) and Kelly (Brian Gross) chase after waves and women. Cinematographer John Aronson is responsible for the impressive Hawaiian location shots. The series premiered October 17, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bo Derek, Lee Horsley, (more)
