David Denman Movies

Commercial director Noam Murro makes the leap to feature films with this comedy drama concerning an aging professor-turned-bitter eccentric due to the death of his longtime wife. Ever since his wife passed away, Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) has become overly acerbic and self-absorbed. He's alienated his son (Ashton Holmes) and transformed his daughter (Ellen Page) into a friendless overachiever. Now, at the precise moment Lawrence thought he had finally figured it all out, his life comes crashing down all around him as he falls for a former student (Sarah Jessica Parker) and his shiftless adopted brother (Thomas Haden Church) comes knocking on the door in search of a place to stay. Though Lawrence always relied on his intelligence to get him out of life's little jams in the past, it's going to take quite a bit more than intellectual thinking to move past this sticky stage in his suddenly chaotic life. David Denman and Christine Lahti co-star in this romantic comedy drama, which serves as the screenwriting debut of Goats and Modern Ranch Living author Mark Jude Poirier. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

An unwitting murderer and a woman close to his victims struggle to come to terms with where the fates have taken their lives in this independent drama. Ana (Minnie Driver) was a wife and mother caring for an educationally challenged son and a moody-but-loving husband when fate led her to cross paths with Saul (Jeremy Renner). Saul was a gambling addict deep in debt to loan sharks and desperately in need of enough money to keep collectors from killing or injuring him; a foolish decision on his part led to the death of Ana's husband and son. Years later, Saul is on death row, awaiting execution for his crimes, and Ana is unable to find closure, still grieving bitterly for the loss of her family. When Ana and Saul finally meet face to face not long before he's to be put to death, they both find it difficult to express their thoughts about loss, forgiveness, and redemption. The first feature film from writer and director Charles Oliver, Take was screened as part of the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A teenage girl becomes a demented serial killer's prey in this big-budget remake of the 1979 thriller that became a TV late-show favorite. When a Stranger Calls takes its title and basic premise from the original, which -- for its first 15 minutes or so -- featured Carol Kane as a frazzled babysitter plagued by creepy, invasive phone calls. This time around, the doe-eyed Camilla Belle plays Jill Johnson, a high-schooler dealing with the usual set of crises: an unfaithful boyfriend, a bitchy best friend, and an over-the-limit cell phone bill. In order to pay for the latter, her father (Clark Gregg) has committed her to a babysitting gig with a wealthy family. At the isolated, palatial house, Jill settles in for a night of no-stress kid-watching. But it isn't long before someone starts anonymously calling the house with creepy, increasingly specific messages. Jill doesn't rule out anyone, but it becomes clear that whomever it is, he or she is watching her, and may be closer than she even suspects. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

The American TV version of the award-winning British sitcom The Office opens by establishing its faux documentary format, as Michael Scott (Steve Carell), regional manager of a branch office of Dunder-Mifflin Paper, jumps through hoops to convince the filmmakers that he presides over a happy, well-running ship. This is but one of Michael's many pathetic self-delusions: he also thinks he's the epitome of "cool," he's convinced that everything he says is a laugh riot, and even worse, he actually labors under the misapprehension that he is qualified for his job. Meanwhile, Dunder Mifflin's employees inadvertently but efficiently put the lie to Michael's self-serving prevarications: sales rep Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) continually cooks up methods to undermine his hated cube-mate, the obnoxious know-it-all Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson); receptionist Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) continually deals with Michael's insensitivities and flubs; and office temp Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak) acts mostly as an observer of the insanity around him. Some of the episodes in The Office's six-episode trial run carried over general plot ideas from the earlier British series, particularly the threat of wholesale downsizing that weaves through the various plots and subplots; however, only the pilot was a direct adaptation of one of the U.K. version's episodes. ~ All Movie Guide

The ABC sci-fi/horror/thriller series Night Stalker was not so much a remake of the cult 1974 series Kolchak: The Night Stalker as it was a "reimagining" of the earlier show -- at least according to the series' producer, X-Files alumnus Frank Spotnitz. Stuart Townsend stepped into the old Darren McGavin role as maverick journalist Carl Kolchak, whose mission in life was to alert the world of various and sundry paranormal, supernatural, and extraterrestrial activities -- only to be made the fool each week when evidence substantiating his stories of ghost, monsters, spacemen, etc. mysteriously disappeared. Instead of answering to an acerbic, disbelieving editor (the role played by Simon Oakland in the original show), Kolchak verbally sparred, "Mulder and Scully" fashion, with his erstwhile partner, doubting reporter Perri Reed (Gabrielle Union). And whereas the "old" Kolchak was merely trying to make a living and restore his journalistic reputation, the "new" Kolchak was motivated by the unsolved murder of his wife -- which he claimed was at the hands of supernatural forces, but which the authorities suspected was his own handiwork (a dash of Fugitive there). The weekly, 60-minute Night Stalker premiered September 29, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Following their discovery of her recent betrayal (see "Players"), the pregnant Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) escapes from the fang gang with help from Connor (Vincent Kartheiser). The mommy-to-be and her unwitting love slave end up in a warehouse, where Cordy warns Connor that if they don't mystically speed up her delivery date, Angel (David Boreanaz) will surely kill their unborn child. Connor reluctantly agrees to kidnap a virgin to sacrifice for Cordelia, but the specter of his dead mother, Darla (Julie Benz), appears and begs him not to commit such an atrocity. Meanwhile, Angel whomps on Skip (David Denman), Cordy's fearsome former demon guide, and forces him to reveal what's really going on. According to Skip, Cordy's entire progression from human to part-demon (see "That Vision Thing") to higher being (see "Tomorrow") was part of a grand, centuries-spanning manipulation that also included Fred's kidnapping (see "Belonging"), Darla's resurrection (see "To Shanshu in L.A."), Angel's vain attempt to keep Darla human (see "The Trial"), and Connor's very birth (see "Lullaby"). It seems that a truly higher being wants to be incarnated on earth; this creature -- the master of the Beast who recently ravaged L.A. -- entered this plane inside Cordy's head and has been controlling her ever since. Now it's ready to give birth -- to itself. After killing Skip, Angel rushes off to stop the big event, vowing to kill the woman he loves if that's what it takes. But it's too late. Connor and the possessed Cordelia have completed their blood ritual and their child arrives in a flash of light. Far from a monster, however, it appears in the guise of a beautiful woman (Gina Torres). Angel drops to his knees to worship his otherworldly grandchild. Originally broadcast April 2, 2003, on the WB network, "Inside Out" marked season four, episode 17 of the supernatural soap opera. Just days before this episode presented her character giving birth, actress Charisma Carpenter and her husband welcomed their real-life firstborn: Donavan Charles Hardy, who arrived March 24, 2003. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

From director Keith Gordon (Mother Night, A Midnight Clear) comes this American feature adaptation of the 1986 BBC miniseries, The Singing Detective. Robert Downey Jr. returns to the big-screen for the first time since 2000's Wonder Boys as Dan Dark, a novelist who is hospitalized with a severe case of psoriasis. As he lays in bed, Dark hallucinates that he is actually a World War II-era private dick embroiled in an oddball web of mystery, intrigue, and musical numbers. Written by the late Dennis Potter (Pennies From Heaven, Gorky Park) and co-starring Mel Gibson, Robin Wright Penn, Katie Holmes, and Adrien Brody, The Singing Detective premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

It's Cordelia's birthday, but her biggest present appears to be yet another debilitating vision. During the out-of-body experience that follows, Cordy (Charisma Carpenter) receives a visit from Skip (David Denman), a demon advisor who tells her that her human form was never intended to withstand the visions of The Powers That Be and that she'll die if she remains on her current path. Given the chance to live an alternate life in which she's a famous actress who never even worked for Angel Investigations, she reluctantly agrees. But circumstances conspire to reunite her with Angel (David Boreanaz), Wesley (Alexis Denisof), and Gunn (J. August Richards), and she regains her memories of having been the conduit of the Powers. Ultimately, she convinces Skip to make her part-demon so that her body can withstand the visions and she can keep helping Angel. Cordy returns to the hotel and amazes the gang with her pain-free visions -- and her apparent ability to levitate. Originally broadcast January 14, 2002, on the WB network, "Birthday" marked season three, episode 11 of the supernatural comedy drama. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Beaurocratic Wolfram & Hart antagonist Gavin Park (Daniel Dae Kim, see "Over the Rainbow") brings an unlikely weapon to bear upon Angel (David Boreanaz) -- building-code violation notices for the Art Deco hotel the vampire detective calls home. Angel has more pressing issues to worry about, however; although Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) is long accustomed to the pain that accompanies her visions, she begins to suffer increasingly dreadful -- and physical -- side effects. When The Host (Andy Hallett) uses his psychic abilities to find out why The Powers That Be would want to hurt their emissary, he learns that another Wolfram & Hart associate is actually behind Cordy's distress. With the help of a psychic (Kal Penn), Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov), has jacked into Cordy's pipeline to the Powers and cranked the juice way, way up. Lilah agrees to cease the attack, but only if Angel will travel to a hell dimension and free a prisoner (Justin Shilton) who's a client of her evil law firm. Angel complies, but then kills the psychic and warns Lilah that she'll be next if she ever tries to harm Cordy again. Meanwhile, Darla (Julie Benz) consults with her South American shaman and learns that he can do nothing to halt her mysterious pregnancy. Originally broadcast October 1, 2001, on the WB network, "That Vision Thing" marked season three, episode two of the supernatural comedy drama. The Wolfram & Hart client whom Angel frees from captivity returns several episodes later in "Billy." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide