Phil Reeves Movies

Inspired by a true story originally dramatized on the TV series Unsolved Mysteries, this made-for-TV thriller stars Megan Ward) as professional nurse Renee Perkins, whose friend and coworker Terry Deveroux (Kim Dickens) is murdered in a particularly vicious manner. Not long after the tragedy, Renee begins receiving psychic messages, suggesting that she has been "possessed" by Terry's spirit for the purpose of tracking down the murderer. Naturally, Terry wants to notify the police, but her doctor husband Bill (John Terlesky) is worried that such an incredible story might do damage to his career should it be proven false. Also known as Crimes of Passion: Voice from the Grave,the film made its NBC debut on March 20, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this satirical comedy, a hotly contested high school election becomes a metaphor for the current state of American politics. Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) is a popular and well-respected instructor at George Washington Carver High School in Omaha, Nebraska, but lately he's been unhappy in both his personal and professional life, and his anxieties finally come to a head with the school's student elections. Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) is running for student body president, and she certainly seems like the sort of girl who would win a high school election -- she's pretty, popular and takes part in all the right extra-curricular activities. In fact, she seems so perfect she's running unopposed, which offends McAllister's sense of democracy (not to mention the fact he doesn't like her very much). So Jim intervenes and persuades Paul Metzler (Chris Klein) to run against Tracy. Paul is not terribly bright and is entirely unqualified to be student president, but as a star of the school's football team (before a leg injury sidelined him), he's popular enough to at least give Tracy a run for her money. Just as the race begins to heat up, a spanner is truly thrown into the works when Paul's sister, Tammy (Jessica Campbell) announces she's also running for office. Publicly, Tammy's platform is that the student elections are ultimately pointless and if she's elected, she'll eliminate them altogether. Privately, Tammy is out for revenge against her brother; it seems Tammy is experimenting with her sexuality, and a recent fling with a bisexual classmate named Lisa (Frankie Ingrassia) ended when Lisa dumped her to start going out with Paul. Based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, Election was directed by Alexander Payne, who won enthusiastic reviews for his debut feature, Citizen Ruth; Payne also co-wrote the screenplay with Jim Taylor. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Adam Larson and Tony R. Abrams' directorial debut Pumpkin is an unconventional love story. College senior Carolyn McDuffy (Christina Ricci) agrees to coach handicapped athletes from a local town in order to help her sorority win an award. She and her sorority sister Jeanine (Dominique Swain) are put off by the activity. Carolyn's discomfort begins to dissipate after meeting Pumpkin Romanoff (Hank Harris), a young man in a wheelchair who has dreams of competing in the shot put. Slowly, Carolyn falls in love with Pumpkin, sending her into conflict with her boyfriend Kent (Sam Ball), her sisters, and Pumpkin's mother (Brenda Blethyn). This film was screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Directed by Alexander Payne, Sideways follows Miles (Paul Giamatti), who is distressed about his lack of success as a novelist, and Jack (Thomas Haden Church), an equally unsuccessful actor with a rapidly approaching wedding. In a last-ditch effort to sow their wild oats, Jack and Miles take off on a final road trip to California's wine country the week prior to Jack's wedding. Both men have goals for the vacation -- Miles wants to turn Jack on to the art of wine tasting, while Jack is concerned with exploiting his last days as a bachelor -- but when the two men come across two fascinating women (Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh), the duo is forced to examine their morality, and if maturity isn't such a depressing prospect -- at least, for one of them. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

As of now, the only people who know what actually happened to busybody Mrs. Huber are the viewers -- and her killer. Meanwhile, Mrs. Huber's equally problematic sister, Felicia (Harriet Sansom Harris), makes an unexpected appearance. Bree (Marcia Cross) comes to grips with her separation from her husband and tentatively re-dips her toes into the dating scene with pharmacist George Williams (Roger Bart, in his first series appearance). Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) must take drastic measures to compensate for her past extravagances. Susan (Richard Burgi) once more goes head-to-head with ex-husband Karl (Richard Burgi). And Lynette (Felicity Huffman) has reason to regret hiring her new nanny, Claire (Marla Sokoloff). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Andrew Shea's scabrous and brutal psychological drama Forfeit concerns Frank O'Neal (Billy Burke), a man who once murdered his abusive father as an adolescent, and fled from his home in Los Angeles. Now, after years away from that city, a thirtysomething Frank returns to L.A., accepts a job as an armored car guard, and attempts to re-bond with an old sweetheart, Karen (E.R.'s Sherry Stringfield). But in reality, Frank is a clinical sociopath, scheming and plotting to stage a massive robbery and setting Karen up to take the rap. Frank is also a die-hard religious proselytizer, guided in his pursuits by a domineering, manipulative televangelist who controls everything he says and does. In time, as Frank prepares to execute the robbery, the minister pushes him to the edge of a complete mental breakdown. Gregory Itzin and Wayne Knight (Basic Instinct) co-star. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi