Kristin Booth Movies
Sean Patrick Flannery and Rod Taylor star in this horrific tale of a small town overrun by a conspiracy of flesh eating ravens. Middletown sheriff Wayne Merkle (Flannery) has grown used to the quiet life over the years, and like the other citizens of his bustling community he could have never suspected what horrors were about to unfold during his last day before moving to the city with his pretty new bride Cynthia (Kristin Booth). The first sign that something was amiss in the skies over Middletown occurred when outcast farmer Clyde (Stephen McHattie) was attacked. But the locals have all grown tired of Clyde's bizarre exploits over the years, so when he comes into town claiming that he was attacked by ravens most folks simply laugh him off. Their guffaws soon turn to blood-curdling screams, however, when the local girl's soccer team comes under attack and the citizens are forced to barricade themselves in the town diner. While Sheriff Merkle and his good friend Doc (Taylor) do their best to board up the diner and ensure the safety of the citizens, they quickly discover how futile their efforts were when the flesh-eating fowls make quick work of the flimsy shelter. It seems that local farmer Oskar (John Ralston) has been hiding some particularly unsettling developments from his fellow townspeople as of late, leaving the average citizens easy pickings for the razor-talon terror that circles above. As the day turns to night and the jet-black feathers of death become indistinguishable from the darkened sky, the few remaining survivors will wage one last, desperate stand against the army of merciless killers that circle overhead. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Patrick Flanery, Stephen McHattie, (more)
Director Ed Gass-Donnelly highlights the inner city grey zone that exists between the haves and the have-nots in this urban drama focusing on the displacement of the lower classes by urban gentrification. In many cities, the only thing separating the junkies from the creative class is a posh, overpriced condo that sits where an abandoned building used to be. Carol (Caroline Cave) and her architect husband Harry (Noam Jenkins) are members of the latter group. Despite outward appearances, however, this struggling urban couple is consumed by their petty problems - both husband and wife slowly dying from the inside out. Lately, Harry has been feeling increasing pressure from the senior members of his firm, and he's been taking out his frustrations on his depressive spouse. One day, realizing that each lash from Harry's tongue is sending her one step closer to the grave, Carol leans over the balcony railing in a haze and immediately topples over the edge. As Carol recovers in the hospital and forms a warm connection to kindly policeman Peter (Stuart Hughes), husband Harry strikes up a conversation with neighborhood streetwalker Pretty (Kristin Booth), who scoffs at the architect's ambitious plan to improve their neighborhood. But Pretty's devoted boyfriend Johnny (Aaron Poole) doesn't want his girlfriend selling her body on the sidewalks anymore, and he's willing to fight to get her off of the streets before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristin Booth, Caroline Cave, (more)
- 2006
In Kristin Booth's short For All the Marbles, ten-year-old elementary schooler Jeff plans to use his cat's eye marble as a shoe-in to win the Universal Marble Championship at recess. But at the last waning moment, seconds before Jeff can take the pivotal shot, Cricker - one of Jeff's schoolmates and a playground bully - seizes the marble and hurtles it to the opposite side of the schoolyard. A determined Jeff embarks on a quest through the danger-filled playground to retrieve it, even venturing, on his own, through the "big kids" area. But even if Jeff manages to reclaim the marble, he may not make it back to the championship in time to take the final shot. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Originally telecast on CBC during the 2004-2005 season, the six episodes comprising The Newsroom's third season were technically filmed for the satirical series' fourth season, inasmuch as Season One (first broadcast in 1996 and 1997) was actually made up of two mini-seasons. You got all that? Good. Let's proceed. Series creator-writer Ken Finkleman continues to wear a third creative hat in the starring role of sharkish Canadian TV news director George Findlay, a man who would probably sell his grandmother to get higher ratings if he'd had a grandmother (there is some argument as to whether George ever had a mother). Newcomers to the cast this season include newsroom intern Nora (Kristin Booth), segment producer Jason (Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall), and the latest in a long line of ineffectual bosses for George Findley, Susan Murdoch (Sarah Strange). Whereas the series' previous seasons were deliciously dark in tone, this season exhibits a jauntier, more surreal touch, beginning with an opening episode which skewers media coverage of the war in Iraq. Later on, George and his staff anxiously seek out the "one dumb idea" that will enable them to strike it rich with a TV sitcom; George delivers a college lecture and acquires an underaged groupie; the possibility arises that someone in the staff is gay (not that there's anything wrong etc. etc.); and George's day is ruined by a gristly steak. The season ends with a remarkable essay on the End of the World, with the series regulars rendered in animated form! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Finkleman, Peter Keleghan, (more)
- 2005
The spiritual connection between the physical heart and the intangible human seat of conscience is explored in director Su Rynard's entry into the 2005 Venice Film Festival. As a child Hope (Mimi Kuzyk) underwent an experimental heart operation that would forever link her with the man who aided the risky procedure by offering to act as a human extra-corporeal circulatory system. Now a successful pathologist preparing a lecture that attempts to make a direct connection between the heart and the soul, Hope is suddenly transported back to her childhood and the events surrounding her operation when her heart momentarily stops beating. Spurned by her vivid memories to investigate the facts behind her life-saving operation as she prepares to present her controversial theories, Hope discovers that she shares an unexplainable bond with the man that not only saved her life, but also became her caregiver and father-figure (Peter Stebbings) during her extended convalescence. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mimi Kuzyk, Peter Stebbings, (more)
In the tradition of Arthur Miller's McCarthy-era play The Crucible, this two-part TV dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials was heavily influenced by the present-day political scene. Rev. Parris (Henry Czerny), spiritual leader of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, needs a unifying issue to end the intramural squabbling between the town's Puritans. When the daughters of Ann and Thomas Putnam (Kirstie Alley and Jay O. Sanders) begin behaving in a bizarre, disruptive fashion, Parris knows that he has found something that can be transformed into a target of unilateral hatred for his flock. Before long, the Putnam girls and the family's servant Titubea (Gloria Reuben) have been labeled as witches, and eventually the hysteria spreads throughout the town, with anyone who doesn't agree with the status quo running the risk of public ostracism, and ultimately, execution for witchcraft (the eventual fate of 20 unfortunates). The climax is devoted to the notorious witch trials, staged at the behest of the Massachusetts colony's politically ambitious deputy governor (Peter Ustinov). Shirley MacLaine makes a rare TV appearance as the ill-fated Rebecca Nurse. Salem Witch Trials was presented by CBS on March 2 and 4, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirstie Alley, Shirley MacLaine, (more)
A harmless game among friends escalates into a dangerous game of wits against a master criminal in writer/director William Phillips' taut sophomore thriller. For seven years, Kevin (Ryan Reynolds), Samantha (Kristin Booth), and Rob (Joris Jarsky) have mastered the homespun game Foolproof, in which they plan -- but never actually execute -- a series of elaborate, high-tech heists. When ruthless British gangster Leo arrives in town to case an upcoming diamond heist, his suspicions of the three harmless role-players soon lead him to believe he has some competition. Stealing their plans for the heist and pulling off the crime without a hitch, Leo subsequently threatens to implicate the trio with the crime lest they pull off an exceptionally tricky heist for him. As the three friends fall prey to the seasoned criminal and police soon begin to catch their scent, Kevin, Samantha, and Rob must use all of their resources to make it out of the daring heist alive. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Reynolds, David Suchet, (more)
- 2001
Based on fact, the made-for-TV drama Jewel begins in 1945, a time when children afflicted with Down Syndrome were casually and cruelly dismissed as "Mongoloid Idiots." Already a mother with four healthy, normal children, 40-year-old Mississippi woman Jewel Hilburn (Farrah Fawcett) gives birth to daughter Brenda Kay, a Down's baby who will forever be challenged both mentally and physically. Urged by the local authorities to surrender Brenda Kay to an institution, Jewel defies the "experts" and packs herself and her family off to Los Angeles, where she hopes that her daughter will have a better chance at a normal life. But in her zeal to shower affection and attention on her "different little girl", Jewel sorely strains her relationships with her husband Leston (Patrick Bergin) and her other four kids. Cicely Tyson makes what the CBS publicity flacks labeled a "special appearance" in the role of a loving caregiver named Cathedral. Based on the novel by Bret Lott, Jewel originally aired February 7, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Two of the members of popular boy band 'N Sync make their feature acting debuts with this light romantic comedy. Lance Bass stars as shy Kevin Gibbons, an advertising executive in Chicago who's notoriously maladroit at dealing with the opposite sex. After a chance encounter with his dream girl (Emmanuelle Chriqui) aboard the El train, Kevin forgets to ask for her name and phone number and plasters the Windy City with posters seeking his lost love connection. Kevin's quest to find the mystery girl soon attracts the attention of a newspaper reporter and he becomes a media darling, while his roommates Rod (Joey Fatone), Randy (James Bulliard), and Eric (Gregory Qaiyum) take full advantage of the amorous response by Chicago's female population to their friend's heartbroken search. On the Line (2001) co-stars Dave Foley and Jerry Stiller, along with singer Al Green as himself. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, (more)
- 2000
Created and written by Mark Shekter, this Canadian children's adventure series revolved around the exploits of teenage basketball star Dick Daring (Jeremy Guilbaut and his girlfriend Tracy Grace (Kristi Booth). Raised to believe that his private-eye father Dick Daring Sr. (David Ferry) has been killed in the line of duty, Dick Jr. learned to his astonishment that his dad merely faked his death to evade his enemies. Once he had digested this bit of information, Dick Jr. was persuaded to take over Dick Sr.'s detective agency, with Tracy as his erstwhile Girl Friday. The 13-week Daring & Grace: Teen Detectives debuted October 7, 2000 as part of the weekend "CBC-4 Kids" lineup. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Guibaut, Kristin Booth, (more)
The blurry line between a rumor and the truth is stretched to the breaking point in this drama. Three arrogant and self-centered college students, Jones (Lena Headey), Derek (James Marsden), and Travis (Norman Reedus), are brought together for a class project, in which they decide to start a rumor and keep track of how it spreads. Looking for possible gossip material, they see Naomi (Kate Hudson), a girl known for her high-minded views on saving sex for marriage, drunkenly making out with Bo (Joshua Jackson) at a party. The three students begin passing around the rumor that Naomi became a victim of date rape later that evening, embroidering the truth with allegations that Bo forcibly seduced Naomi after she was too inebriated to put up a fight. Before long, the rumor makes its way back to Naomi herself, who suffered a black-out on the night in question after too much alcohol. Naomi panics, and convinced that the rumor is true, contacts the police, who assign Detective Kelly (Sharon Lawrence) to investigate the charges of rape filed against Bo. Featuring a cast of young actors best known for their work on television, Gossip was an appropriate first feature film for director Davis Guggenheim, who previously distinguished himself on such TV series as ER, NYPD Blue, and Party of Five. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Bogosian, Marisa Coughlan, (more)
- 2000
Just in case anyone thought that the life of a Playboy Bunny was all toothy smiles and heavy tipping, this made-for-TV movie is a prime vessel of disillusion. Set in the early 1960s, the story follows a brace of small-town cuties, Holly (Marina Black) and Ruby (Julie Condra), who are among the first of well-endowed young ladies to land jobs as Bunnies (waitress dressed in revealing costumes, replete with rabbit-ear headgear and cotton tails) in the many Playboy "key" clubs dotting the landscape of the era. Our starry-eyed heroines are soon made to realize that the rules and regulations of the profession are strictly enforced--for example, woe betide the hapless Bunny who is caught chewing gum, or who forgets to point her tail in the direction of the person she is serving. While one of the girls becomes the protegee of tough but protective "Bunny mother" Miranda (Marilu Henner), the other buckles under to the temptations of wealthy customers and free-flowing liquor. One observer labelled this one as Valley of the Bunnies, while for cable-TV exposure the film was rechristened The Price of Beauty. Under its original cognomen, A Tale of Two Bunnies made its ABC network bow on March 20, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marilu Henner, Rhea Perlman, (more)
- 1999
At the urging of her sister Joanne (Isabella Hoffman), battered wife Lisa Miles (Tracy Nelson) leaves her abusive husband Bill (Neil Mafin), taking her three children along with her. Refusing to let Lisa go, Bill continues to torment her, ultimately shooting her to death. As she lies dying in the hospital, Lisa begs Joanne to look after her children, and to seek out justice against Bill. In promising to do so, Lisa ultimately places not only her own life in jeopardy, but those of her own children as well. The Promise was made for the NBC TV network, where it was originally broadcast on August 15, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tracy Nelson, Neil Mafin, (more)
Are you ready for the hottest band in the land? It's 1978 in Detroit, and pretty much any teenager who isn't a total wimp is totally stoked for the upcoming Kiss concert (as anyone who ever listened to Kiss Alive! knows, Detroit has always loved this band). But four proud members of the Kiss Army find themselves without tickets to the show, and one has to deal with a mother who is convinced that Kiss and their music are evil incarnate. Will they be able to foil scalpers, security, and paranoid parents to witness the fire-spitting, blood-puking, hard rock frenzy that is Kiss on stage? Detroit Rock City stars Edward Furlong, Sam Huntington, Natasha Lyonne, Giuseppe Andrews, and James DeBello as the representative members of the Teenage Nation; the original four members of Kiss (Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss) play themselves, and Simmons also co-produced. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Furlong, Giuseppe Andrews, (more)
- 1999
This fact-based TV movie begins in 1987, as high-school athlete Alex Kelly (Matthew Settle) awaits his trial for the rape of one girl and the intimidation of several others. Rather than face the justice system, Alex flees to Europe, where he spends virtually the next decade, with covert financial help from his family. Falling in love with a girl in Sweden, Alex builds a whole new life for himself. Ultimately, however, Interpol tracks Alex down, whereupon the story takes a dramatic new turn. Told from the point of view of Alex's female victim, the film does nothing to whitewash its protagonist, even though actor Settle manages to invest his character with a modicum of sympathy; plus, the viewer is left to ponder whether the fault lies entirely with Alex, or with his upbringing. First broadcast by CBS as Crime in Connecticut: The Return of Alex Kelly on March 16, 1999, the film has since been rerun on cable as The Return of Alex Kelly. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Settle, Cassidy Rae, (more)
- 1999
Based on a true story, The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer concerns the notorious Ira Einhorn, a political activist turned murder suspect who eluded Philadelphia police for nearly 20 years. In 1968, Texas-born Holly Maddux (Naomi Watts) left home to attend Bryn Mawr College, and two years later she made the acquaintance of Einhorn (Kevin Anderson), a community organizer and activist well known for leading peaceful crusades and as the key figure in Philadelphia's radical community. Holly and Ira became romantically involved, but, despite his public image, behind closed doors Einhorn was often abusive and manipulative, though Holly, for her own reasons, accepted his poor treatment and infidelity. In 1977, Holly had reached the end of her rope and told friends she was leaving Ira, intending to return to their apartment only to collect her belongings. She was not seen again for several months, until her corpse was found stuffed in a trunk in Ira's apartment. Einhorn was arrested in connection with the crime, but was released on bail, only to flee the country, surfacing in France four years later. Convicted 'in absentia' for Holly's murder in 1993, Einhorn was extradited to the United States in 1997 under the condition he receive a new trial. The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer was produced for NBC Television, and was first aired as a two-part miniseries in May 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Anderson, Tom Skerritt, (more)
The 12-episode revival of the satirical Canadian series The Newsroom after a seven-year absence was originally heralded by the 2002 special Escape from the Newsroom, in which creator-writer-star Ken Finkleman makes no effort to hide his scorn for those rabid fans who insisted that he resurrect the series despite his (apparent) decision to kill it for good and all back in 1997. Though he seemed to be dead as a doornail at the end of the original series, dimwitted Toronto TV news anchor Jim Walcott (Peter Keleghan) awakens from a two-year coma and makes his way back to his former newsroom, where paranoid, backstabbing, ratings-obsessed news director George Findlay (Finkleman) still rules with an iron fist. When he's not making sarcastic comments about the Canadian TV industry or his viewers, George is running scared over the possibility that his fiefdom will be toppled by a nearby film crew shooting a movie with Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman (and no, those two do NOT appear). Once the series' third season begins in earnest, we're introduced to several new regulars, among them news-segment producers Matt (Matt Watts) and Allen (Doug Bell), the latter suffering from an advanced case of self-loathing (just the sort of person that George Findlay loves to have around). The predominant theme this season is "Death"; George panics when a woman dies of food poisoning at the TV studio; an employee croaks while George wrestles with a labyrinthine job evaluation; an unknown sniper picks off a goodly portion of the Newsroom's viewing audience; and Allen is diagnosed with a tumor, making him more annoying than usual. In other episodes, George's not-so-well-hidden streak of racism rears up and bites him in the butt; Jim Walcott writes a book, astonishing those who thought he couldn't even read; segment producer Karen (Karen Hines "dumbs down" in exchange for a roll in the hay; and George comes to grief in his efforts to avoid jury duty on a controversial animal-rights case. The series' usual offbeat mix of guest stars this season include actor Colm Feore, director Atom Egoyan, Ugandan playwright George Seremba, and former Bush Administration speechwriter David Frum. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Finkleman, Peter Keleghan, (more)
- 1998
The made-for-TV disaster flick Ice first aired on German television under the title Eis: wehn die Welt erfriert on November 29, 1998. Thanks to a precipitous temperature drop on the sun, a second ice age hits Los Angeles, resulting in unseasonable 70-degrees-below-zero weather and a general breakdown of society. L.A. cop Robert Drake (Grant Show) joins forces with his girlfriend (Eva La Rue), his ex-wife (Audie England), and a black convict (Flex) who thinks that the recent cold snap is a government plot against African-Americans, the better to commandeer a submarine and head to the (temporarily) warmer climes of the Equator. Beyond its usual apocalypse-flick trappings, the film nearly collapses under the weight of visual symbolism. American viewers first saw Ice when it was telecast by ABC on July 22, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Grant Show, Eva La Rue, (more)
