Nick Marck Movies

The illegal casino that Veronica's been visiting is robbed, and now she must discover who the thief was, so she can retrieve the necklace Lilly gave her, which was taken with the rest of the casino's loot. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

While on a routine patrol, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) encounters Holden Webster (Jonathan M. Woodward), a high-school classmate she barely knew, just as he's rising from the grave as a newborn vamp. The slayer and her foe spend more time talking than fighting; Holden's affable demeanor weakens Buffy's emotional defenses, leading her to articulate her deepest insecurities. The vamp's most interesting insights -- that Buffy has a thing for guys who hurt her, and, when it comes to her closest friends, suffers from both a super-power superiority complex and a moral inferiority complex -- aren't nearly as shocking as the revelation that he was sired by Spike (James Marsters). Back at the Summers' house, Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) pigs out and plays with Buffy's weapons until a series of Poltergeist-like scare tactics reveals the assault of an unseen demon. Dawn fights back against the shadowy threat and eventually receives a chilling message from the shade of her own long-dead mother (Kristine Sutherland). Meanwhile, at the library, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) meets Cassie (Azura Skye), Dawn's recently deceased psychic classmate (see "Help"). The melancholy spirit claims to bear messages from Tara, Willow's late lesbian lover, but Willow sniffs something amiss when Cassie counsels her to kill herself before she loses control of her powers again. Suddenly, Cassie morphs into demon form, spits out a few nasty threats, and disappears, revealing herself to be the same shape-shifting demon who has been tormenting poor Spike all season. As for Buffy's bad-boy vampire ex, he does, indeed, appear to be feasting on human blood again. Even more blood is spilled by returning super-nerd Andrew (Tom Lenk), who ritually murders his compatriot Jonathan (Danny Strong) at the urging of a spirit who claims to be slain super-villain Warren (Adam Busch). Originally broadcast November 12, 2002, on the UPN network, "Conversations With Dead People" marked episode 129 of the cult-favorite series. After the events of this episodes, fans finally figured out that the season's shape-shifting villain is none other than the First Evil, who briefly battled Buffy four years earlier (see "Amends"). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a storyline introduced in the previous episode, Rory (Alexis Bledel) goes to extreme lengths to get over her breakup with Dean (Jared Padalecki). Rory's mom, Lorelai (Lauren Graham), tries to help out, even arising at the ungodly hour of 6 a.m. to accompany Rory on her daily chores. Meanwhile, Jackson (Jackson Melville) tries to keep Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) out of the kitchen as he endeavors to whip up a special dinner for her; Rachel (Lisa Ann Hadley) continues her efforts to heal the wounds in her relationship with Luke (Scott Patterson); and Lane (Keiko Agena) tries to conceal her own romantic yearnings from her ultrastrict family. ~ All Movie Guide

Skirmishes between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the three dorky would-be villains who have targeted her continue as the Slayer attempts to hit the books and find gainful employment. While auditing classes back at U.C. Sunnydale, Buffy literally brushes up against Warren (Adam Busch), with confusing results. The dorky inventor plants on her a device that speeds time up, resulting in lost hours and missed appointments for the Slayer. Just as she figures out what's going on, the tiny troublemaker self-destructs. The next day, Buffy reports to work at the construction site where Xander (Nicholas Brendon) has agreed to hire her. First her gender and then her super-strength and over-efficiency annoy her burly co-worker's, but Buffy doesn't last long at the new job, anyway; once again, Warren and his sidekicks send demons to attack her, and in protecting her fellow workers she causes thousands of dollars in damages. Soon Buffy finds herself working for Anya (Emma Caulfield) as a salesgirl at the magic shop; this time, the nerds pull a Groundhog Day on her, looping her through this particularly annoying afternoon until she is finally able to restore time to its normal flow by making her first sale. Later, during a drunken escapade with Spike (James Marsters), Buffy comes face to face with Jonathan (Danny Strong) in battle but doesn't even know it: the diminutive would-be arch-fiend is disguised as a much larger demon. He, Warren, and Andrew (Tom Lenk) make their getaway, having successfully taken stock of the Slayer's abilities. Originally broadcast October 23, 2001, on the UPN network, "Life Serial" marked episode 105 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

This episode opens with the funeral of Jumpy #9, a pet frog who is ceremoniously launched in a model rocket. At school, Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) finds himself the target of an obnoxious bully, Kevin (Robert Grovich), who torments Malcolm by calling him "Stinky," repeating everything he says, and cutting in front of him in the lunch line. Pushed to the breaking point, Malcolm leaps on Kevin and beats him up. In the infirmary with the sobbing boy, Malcolm learns that Kevin is only seven years old and still plays with Teletubbies. Malcolm is wracked with guilt, and it only makes things worse that his family doesn't seem to care. Hal (Bryan Cranston) is preoccupied with chopping down the tree in the front yard, while Reese (Justin Berfield) is actually proud of Malcolm's actions. "It sends a good message to our enemies," he says. Malcolm unsuccessfully seeks spiritual guidance from several denominations before deciding to atone by running in a charity marathon. Meanwhile, at military school, Francis (Christopher Kennedy Masterson) and Stanley (Karim Prince) set out to foil Commandant Spangler's (Daniel Von Bargen) plans to give a terrifying anti-sex lecture to the school's impressionable underclassmen. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Spike (James Marsters) reveals his feelings for Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) when she comes to him for information on what it's like when a slayer dies. A brush with her own mortality ignites Buffy's curiosity and she realizes that only Spike, who has killed two previous slayers, will be able to sate it. When she offers the neutered vampire cash for his life story, he happily obliges: William, a terrible poet in the London of 1880, tries to court beautiful Cecily Addams (Kali Rocha) but finds acceptance only from Drusilla (Juliet Landau), the alluring but insane vampire who later sires him. Rampaging across the planet with Darla (Julie Benz), Angelus (David Boreanaz), and Dru, William comes into his own and renames himself Spike. His flamboyant carnage annoys the low-profile Angelus, who warns Spike that one day a slayer will get the best of him. Now fixated on slayers, Spike kills a Chinese Chosen One (Ming Liu) during the Boxer Rebellion, earning extravagant praise from Drusilla. A mere 75 years later, on a subway in New York, he finally bags his second slayer (April Weeden-Washington), this one a Foxy Brown-style heroine from whose corpse he collects his now-signature black leather trench coat. Dru remains his inamorata throughout these adventures, but in 1998 she leaves him, disgusted by his truce with Buffy (see "Becoming, Part 2"). In the present day, Spike counsels Buffy that he was able to kill both slayers only because their constant proximity to death left them eager, finally, to feel its peaceful embrace. He tells Buffy that when she's ready he will kill her, then he tries to kiss her. She recoils, tells him he's beneath her, and leaves him sobbing. Later, however, after learning her mother has once again been hospitalized, Buffy stiffly allows Spike to console her. Originally broadcast November 14, 2000, on the WB network, "Fool for Love" marked episode 85 of the cult-favorite series. The subsequent episode "Hell's Bells" would hint strongly that Halfrek, the vengeance demon played by Kali Rocha, is the same person as Cecily Addams, the human she portrays here. And although she would be played by a different actress, this episode's unnamed Blaxploitation slayer would resurface unexpectedly in "First Date." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Nick Marck directs this sequel to Disney's 1994 live-action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. Released in 1998, Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story is a prequel to the original, following the early adventures of Mowgli and his animal friends. Taking on the role previously played by Jason Scott Lee, Brandon Baker dons the loincloth of the preadolescent Mowgli in this straight-to-video family film. Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story also features performances by Dee Bradley Baker, Myles Jeffrey, and Ashley Peldon, and is narrated by The Wonder Years' Fred Savage. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Part one of a two-part X-Files drama, "Colony" originally aired February 10, 1995. Told in flashback, the episode traces the events leading up to Mulder's reunion with his sister, who was abducted by aliens 20 years earlier. At least, the woman (Megan Leitch) claims to be Mulder's sister, but Scully is none too convinced. Meanwhile, the search goes on for a serial killer capable of changing his shape at the slightest provocation (Brian Thompson). Ending with a truly chilling cliffhanger, "Colony" was written by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide