Lynne Gorman Movies

Based on E.T.A. Hoffman's classic book The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, this animated holiday tale utilizes the vocal talents of such stars as Kiefer Sutherland, Peter O'Toole and Phyllis Diller. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

An Emmy-winning adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel by the same name, this is a Canadian TV production which follows the life of a feisty young girl who is adopted by a bachelor farmer and his sister who have decided to adopt a boy and have several surprises due them when Anne arrives. Part of a series that goes through her winning a place in their hearts and home, it continues on through her youth and the blossoming of young love. This particular episodes deals with her first tentative encroachments into social functions and dealing with the loss of a loved one. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

Hardcore pornography, sadomasochism, mind control, and living televisions all play crucial roles in Videodrome, one of director David Cronenberg's explorations of dangerous sexuality and technological obsession. The morally questionable hero of the tale is one Max Renn (James Woods), a television executive searching for an intense new program for his sex-oriented network. He ultimately discovers an underground program called "Videodrome," which appears to broadcast pornographic snuff films of actual murders. Horrified but perversely intrigued, Renn sets out to find the truth behind the program. During his search, he meets alluring femme fatale Nicki (Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry), technology cult leader Bianca O'Blivion, and other mysterious figures. Things become even more disturbing for Renn as his addiction grows, and the program begins to infect the outside world -- or perhaps merely destroy own his sanity. Cronenberg mingles his cerebral concerns about the nature of reality in the video age with enough visceral gore (courtesy of Rick Baker) to satisfy the film's intended horror audience. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

This downbeat, semi-improvised look at troubled youth was a landmark in Canadian filmmaking, and in 1984 it was named one of the ten best Canadian films of all time in a poll of the nation's film writers. Peter (Peter Kastner) is a confused and alienated teenager, bright and personable but also headstrong and rebellious, whose difficult relationship with his father (Claude Rae), an auto dealer, comes to a head when Peter steals a car Dad has brought home for the night. After his father forces him to spend the night in jail, Peter leaves home and moves into a rooming house, hoping to find a job and save enough money to move away. Peter's only real ally is his girlfriend Julie (Julie Biggs), who loves him and admires his bravado, though she's a good bit more emotionally mature. When Peter's parents insist that he break up with Julie, come back home, and return to school, it only strenthens his resolve, but his fortunes soon take a turn for the worse when he reaches a crosroads in his relationship with Julie. Director Don Owen and actors Peter Kastner and Julie Biggs revisited these characters 20 years later in the follow-up, Unfinished Business. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi