Hal Sparks Movies

Actor/comedian Hal Sparks takes the stage to poke fun at the issues that some folks view as beyond reproach in this one hour, stand-up comedy special. In addition to blasting a hole in the theory that men and women hail from different planets, Sparks also ridicules the idea that rural people are more authentic than their urban counterparts, and offers a unique perspective on the plight of the non-smoker. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Robert Hall's drama Lightning Bug concerns a young man trapped in a small southern town with an abusive stepfather. The young man has developed a remarkable facility at creating make-up effects for horror films, and he hopes these skills will get him out of the town were his work is unappreciated by the religious zealots in the town. However his relationship with a pretty girl who wants to stay right where she is may be the one thing to keep him from following his dream. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

There are people who like to watch a ball game every once in a while, and then there are baseball fans, individuals of rare dedication whose passion for their favorite team defies conventional logic, and this comedy-drama follows a group of fans whose devotion to their hometown heroes is rarely tainted by the fact they almost never win. It's a typical summer afternoon, and a group of fans are watching the Chicago Bruins play a typically lamentable game from the cheapest seats in the stadium. Decker (Peter Reigert) is the owner of a hardware store who is playing hooky to watch the game. Marvin (Brad Garrett) and Zig (Wayne Knight) are compulsive gamblers who will bet on anything -- even the hapless Bruins. Richie (Hal Sparks) is a loyal Bruins booster who probably knows more about the team than the players do. Melody (Sarain Boylan) is a sexy fan who likes going to the game, getting some sun, and showing off her figure. And Greg (Matt Craven) likes to follow the game, even if he can't see the players -- he's blind. Bleacher Bums was based on a long-running stage play created by Chicago's Organic Theater Company; Joe Mantegna and Dennis Franz were among the actors who wrote and performed the play in its original incarnation, and Stuart Gordon, who went on as a filmmaker, also contributed to the script, as well as directing the premier production. This film adaptation of Bleacher Bums was produced for the Showtime premium cable network, where it premiered in the spring of 2002. Incidentally, in the stage version of Bleacher Bums, the baseball team in question was the Chicago Cubs, but the team and Major League Baseball refused to give the producers of the film permission to mention the Cubs in this adaptation. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The romantic misadventures of a handful of gay and lesbian friends living in a working-class section of Pittsburgh set the stage for this made-for-cable series, based on a popular (and controversial) British television serial. Brian (Gale Harold) is a professionally driven advertising executive whose take-charge attitude extends to his love life; he's looking for a good time and has little use for commitment. One of Brian's few close friends is Lindsay (Thea Gill), a photographer and art instructor he met in college; Lindsay and her longtime lover Melanie (Michelle Clunie), a lawyer, recently had a child using sperm donated by Brian. One of Brian's biggest admirers is Michael (Hal Sparks), a comic-book artist and bookstore manager who has known Brian since high school; Michael, however, has just entered into a relationship with David (Chris Potter), a sensible older doctor who has only been out of the closet for a few years (after divorcing his wife) and is looking for a stable, long-term relationship. Justin (Randy Harrison) is a 17-year-old high-school student who was picked up by Brian at a club; Justin is convinced he's in love, though Brian hardly feels the same way. Rounding out Brian's circle of acquaintances are Ted (Scott Lowell), a shy accountant who has had bad luck with relationships and spends too much time looking for lust on the Internet, and Emmet (Peter Paige), a flamboyant club maven and owner of a cutting-edge boutique. Queer As Folk kicked off with a two-hour movie on December 3, 2000, and subsequently aired as a series of one-hour episodes; the show's appearance on the premium cable network Showtime allowed the producers to approach the material in a much bolder fashion than any conventional network would allow. As a result, the series is recommended for adults only. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Just how low will a guy sink in order to impress the woman of his dreams? How does stealing her dog sound? In Lost and Found, David Spade plays Dylan, who is about to open an new restaurant and has finally found the perfect apartment. The apartment just gets better when he meets his new neighbor, Lila (Sophie Marceau), a very beautiful women who has recently come to the United States from France. However, Lila has just gotten out of a bad relationship with René (Patrick Bruel), who doesn't want to leave her alone, so she has little interest in romance, preferring to devote herself to her cello and her dog Jack. One day, Jack runs away and Dylan finds him; when he returns the pooch to Lila, it's the first time she's been willing to speak in full sentences to him, though not for very long. Faster than you can say "That idea is so crazy it just might work!", Dylan decides to kidnap Jack; when Lila thinks the dog is lost, Dylan will generously volunteer to help look for him, which will give Dylan a chance to impress Lila when he's able to find Jack so quickly. Sure enough, Dylan swipes the dog, but from that point on the plan hardly goes the way he had hoped. Star David Spade also co-wrote the screenplay with J.B. Cook and Marc Meeks; the supporting cast includes Martin Sheen, Mitchell Whitfield, Artie Lang and Jon Lovitz. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi