Mark Murphy Movies
A hapless delivery man learns why sometimes too much of a bad thing can be detrimental to your personal well being after getting caught up with an older woman who sends his life spinning out of control. Trey (Jackie Long) may be working hard, though he just can't seem to catch a break. He's got no money for tuition, and his recent attempt to win over the girl of his dreams (Mya) resulted in nothing less than complete and total embarrassment. But while a seductive cougar (Melyssa Ford) may be more than happy to pay for Trey's "personal delivery services," his ideal situation is about to backfire in a way that the roving Romeo could have never seen coming. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Long, Jason Weaver, (more)
- 2005
In the 1950s and '60s, Jackie Paris was one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of his generation; he collaborated with such giants as Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, and Dizzy Gillespie, he was a favorite of leading music critics, and recorded for such top jazz labels as Impulse and East-West. But ten years on, Paris had fallen so far off the radar that a major jazz reference work reported that Paris had died in 1977, even though he was still around and occasionally performing at the time. In the 1990s, filmmaker Raymond De Felitta heard some of Paris' recordings and became an instant fan, and was deeply curious about Paris' life and career, and how an artist with such gifts had become little more than a footnote in music history. De Felitta's search eventually led him to Paris himself, and a fascinating story of bad luck, a wildly dysfunctional family, dangerous pride, a hair-trigger temper, and a remarkable voice that somehow survived it all, even if his career did not. 'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris is a documentary which chronicles De Felitta's search for the elusive singer; the film includes interviews with Paris' family, friends, and fans, including Dr. Billy Taylor, Billy Vera, Joe Franklin, Ira Gitler, Harlan Ellison, and James Moody. Frank Whaley, Nick Tosches, and Peter Bogdanovich contribute dramatic readings of reviews of Paris' work from his heyday. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Paris, Jeanie Paris, (more)
- 1999
One of several top-notch musical biographies presented by the VH1 cable service, Sweetwater: A True Rock Story unfolds the poignant saga of the legendary L.A.-based band which "opened" the original Woodstock Festival in 1969. Nearly 30 years after this historic event, Cami Carlson (Kelli Williams), a reporter for the MIX-TV cable music channel, is assigned to produce a "Where Are They Now?" documentary about the long-disbanded Sweetwater. Although she receives the grudging assistance of several surviving members, Carlson does not learn the full story of why Sweetwater seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth after 1969 until she tracks down the group's lead vocalist and guitarist, Nanci Nevins (played by Amy Jo Johnson in the flashback sequences, and by Michelle Phillips in the present-day scenes). As Nanci painfully recalls the devastating tragedy which all but permanently stilled her voice, Carlson comes to terms with her own private demons. Filmed in Los Angeles and Vancouver, Sweetwater: A True Rock Story first aired on August 15, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amy Jo Johnson, Kelli Williams, (more)
Filmmaker Bo Webb makes his feature directorial debut with this hybrid horror film that combines elements of a heist thriller and a zombie flick. When a group of crooks hatch a plot to rob a bank, they encounter something none of them had planned for. The crew suddenly finds themselves trapped inside the bank while a throng of blood-lusting zombies surrounds the building in search of mortal flesh. Released straight to DVD, Dead Heist stars old-school rapper Big Daddy Kane. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
