Craig Kirkwood Movies
Nigel Cole directs the feel-good comedy Calendar Girls, based on the true story of a group of working-class British housewives who became overnight celebrities by posing for a nude calendar in order to raise more than 500-thousand pounds for a new leukemia unit. The film follows the adventures of best friends Chris Harper (Helen Mirren) and Annie Clarke (Julie Walters), both members of the charitable Rylstone Women's Institute in North Yorkshire. After Annie's husband John (John Alderton) succumbs to leukemia, the friends are motivated to take some action. They convince the group to craft a tastefully nude calendar featuring the usual ladies' activities of gardening and baking, as photographed by the young amateur Lawrence (Philip Glenister). Despite the disapproval of the Institute's leader Marie (Geraldine James), the calendar quickly becomes a best-seller and leads the group to Hollywood. Ciaran Hinds appears as Chris' husband Rod Harper. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, (more)
A horrifying family legend comes back to haunt the singer of a popular rock band teetering on the edge of super-stardom in this tale of terror from veteran genre director Neal Sundstrom. Life on the road isn't easy for Slash, a rock band whose big break seems to be forever looming just around the next bend. When death calls lead singer Joseph Macdonald (James O'Shea) back to his rural family homestead to bury a family member, the band takes a detour and heads into corn country. Unfortunately for the members of Slash, death isn't quite finished yet, and it's not long before a mysterious scarecrow who seems to take the band's name as inspiration begins picking off the band members one by one. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Railsback, Craig Kirkwood, (more)
- 2001
Directed by Neal Israel, Hounded is a made-for-television family film about a 13-year-old boy named Jay Martin who has both a school paper and his chances for a scholarship stolen by his rival, Ronny Van Dusen, who just so happens to be the headmaster's son. Jay concocts a plan to right the situation, but when he breaks into the headmaster's house, he can't stop the Van Dusen's dog from following him home. As if that weren't enough, without the proper medication, the dog gets completely out of control. The film originally aired in 2001 and stars Tahj Mowry as Jay, Shia LaBeouf as Ronny, and Ed Begley Jr. as Mr. Van Dusen. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tahj Mowry, Craig Kirkwood, (more)
A high school football coach finds himself fighting for stakes much higher than the State Championship in this drama based on actual events. In 1971, a court order forces three high schools in Alexandria, Virginia (two white, one African-American), to integrate their student bodies and faculties for the first time. As a result, Coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton), longtime head coach of the T.C. Williams High School football team, is asked to step down, and Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is appointed to replace him as the school's first black faculty member. The new coach is hardly welcomed with open arms, either by the school's staff or the students, and the newly integrated team is full of players (both black and white) who have little trust or respect for one another. But Boone is determined to put a winning team on the field -- it's how he approaches the game, and his future depends on it. Against long odds, Boone helps his team overcome distrust and misunderstanding of their coach (and each other) as they become a gridiron force to be reckoned with. Remember the Titans also features Nicole Ari Parker, Kate Bosworth, and Jerry Brandt, and was produced by action-film kingpin Jerry Bruckheimer. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Will Patton, (more)
- 1996
In a comic variation on the movie Six Degrees of Separation, Geoffrey the butler (Joseph Marcell) is ecstatic when a man claiming to be his long-lost son Frederick (Craig Kirkwood) shows up at the Banks home. While Geoffrey buys expensive gifts for Frederick, the personable young man works his charm on the rest of the household. Only Will (Will Smith) suspects that Frederick is not all that he claims to be--and this time, his insticts are right on target! Elsewhere, Hilary (Karyn Parsons) may be forced to rethink her autobiography when a startling childhood photo resurfaces. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
