Allan A. Goldstein Movies

In this modern take on the classic tale The Picture of Dorian Gray, a handsome young man quickly learns that having it all may not be the key to happiness after all. A handsome model whose wealth, fame, and luck with the ladies is more than most men could ever dream, Dorian (Ethan Erickson) knows that time is not on his side and when his looks go, his career will be quick to follow. Though Dorian's malevolent agent, Henry (Malcolm McDowell), offers his client the gift of eternal youth, the price tag on this luxury may be more than the vain young man is willing to pay. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Steve Guttenberg stars in this family-friendly comedy-drama as Henry Butler, a one-time professional football player who, after a run-in with the law, is sentenced to do volunteer work at a children's home as community service. Henry finds his charges are ill-behaved and often bicker with each other, and in an effort to bring them together he forms a youth soccer team, and offers to serve as coach. Home Team also features Sophie Loran and Ryan Slater. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this suspenseful drama, a police detective investigating the murders of two sex offenders becomes romantically-involved with the deaf lawyer who unsuccessfully defended them in court. When the attorney herself becomes the prime suspect, her relationship with the cop is jeopardized. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

David Fox and Lea Moreno star in this family adventure about a boy named Manling, who after getting lost in the jungle, was raised by animals and came to understand their ways and their languages. When men arrive to rob the jungle of its treasure, Manling must protect the home of those he holds dear. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Former football player Brian Bosworth headlines this ecologically conscious direct-to-video actioner. He plays a member of the presidential security staff who with his lovely lady partner has been dispatched to Yellowstone Park to save the planet from deadly biological weapons that were accidentally spilled during a trucking accident. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A man trying to forget his past is thrown into a present of grave danger in this thriller. Quill (David Soul) once had a career as a police officer and a wife who loved him. But when Quill mistakenly killed his wife in the midst of a shootout with criminals, he sank into alcoholism and now earns his living as the captain of a charter fishing boat. Four tourists from France hire Quill to take them deep sea fishing, but while out on the water, Quill and his passengers discover a small boat that's sinking. Quill helps to rescue Harry (Vlasta Vrana) and his sons Jake (Carl Marotte) and Ollie (Martin Watier) from the vessel, but Quill discovers that the men he rescued are not pleasure boaters, but drug smugglers -- and more than willing to drag Quill and his customers into their dangerous game. Produced for Canadian television, Crosswinds was filmed in both French- and English-language versions. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this off-beat drama set in Canada, a prison decides that the best way to rehabilitate a particularly troublesome prisoner is to chain him to the wheelchair of a rebellious, bad-tempered young man with cerebral palsy. The government rationale behind this is three fold. First it will help a terribly understaffed nursing home. Second, being chained to a handicapped person may inspire caring in the prisoner and third, it could help to toughen up the patients. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A charming portrait of Quentin Crisp, who has (very deliberately) become the closest thing this century has to an Oscar Wilde. Crisp moved to New York City at the age of 73 and has many devoted friends and admirers who sing his praises. Indeed, pop star Sting literally "sings" of Quentin in his hit "Englishman in New York." Other fans who make appearances in the film include John Hurt, Fran Lebowitz and director Paul Morrissey. Of course, not everyone loves Quentin, as we learn primarily in a segment from the Sally Jesse Raphael show. He is not only a frequent target of homophobic attacks but is described by one homosexual as a "gay Stepin Fetchit." Overall, though, this is certainly a sympathetic documentary which may even provoke a grudging admiration from the viewer. ~ John Voorhees, All Movie Guide

Set in the Manhattan street milieu that served him well in West Side Story, Robert Wise’s Rooftops tells the story of T, a quiet, soft-spoken teen-ager who has left his broken home and is living in a makeshift shelter in an old water tower on top of an abandoned tenement building. There are other kids like him, including Squeak, a talented graffiti artist who joins T after an altercation involving his mother’s boy friend. T and Squeak manage to scrape together what little money they need through minor sins (stripping cars, etc.), and at night all these street inhabitants get together in a vacant lot to “combat” dance, in which they use a combination of karate and dancing to force an opponent off of a platform. Into this mix comes Lobo, a drug dealer who moves into T’s building and turns it into a crack house. Lobo’s beautiful cousin Elana serves as his lookout – not because she wants to, but because her father’s heart attack has left her family in dire financial straits. T and Elana become interested in each other, but T and Lobo are at odds with each other – which fact leads to a showdown in which T must put his “combat” skills to good use. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

One room, several dinners, and a multitude of characters figure into the A.R. Gurney Jr. play The Dining Room. Several lives and relationships are built up and destroyed in consistently amusing fashion. The film consists of wall-to-wall vignettes, some lasting a mere few minutes. The charm and novelty of the original play rested in the fact that the huge "dramatis personae" was played by a mere six actors. This versatility is carried over to film version, though it sure seems like that dining room is full at all times. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The House of Dies Drear is a spooky old mansion where several strange events have occurred of late. An out-of-town family moves into the home, only to be confronted by an odd recluse (Joe Seneca) and by a neighbor warning them to get out "while you got the chance." The youngest members of the family (Howard Rollins Jr. and Shavar Ross) suspect that a human agent is causing the so-called "supernatural" events, and set out to investigate. House of Dies Drear originated as a two-part episode of the PBS series Wonderworks. It was first shown November 5 and 12, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide