Todd Kessler Movies
- 2009
A young man working as an emergency medical technician in Harlem in order to gain experience for medical school hits the streets with a comfortably numb mentor whose current malaise causes him to make a critical mistake in the midst of a life-or-death situation. Screenwriter Todd Kessler adapts Shannon Burke's novel of the same name, and Darren Aronofsky directs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Tiger Beat teen idol Jesse McCartney takes the title role in writer/director Todd Kessler's drama about a second-semester high-school senior named Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois), who believes she has life figured out until happening upon Keith, a troubled and unpredictable youth who begins to alter her perspective in ways she never thought possible. Keith is based on author Ron Carlson's short story of the same name. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jesse McCartney, Elisabeth Harnois, (more)
- 2007
Several of the production people responsible for The Sopranos were also behind the equally quirky FX network series Damages. Glenn Close, who'd been asked to star in this series on the strength of her work as police captain Monica Rawling on another FX offering, The Shield, was cast as barracuda-like Manhattan power attorney Patty Hewes. As ruthless and calculating as the high-profile criminals that she went after in court, Patty spent most of the series' first season pursuing a class-action suit against billionaire Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson), a shady Ken Lay-style corporate CEO. It was clear from the get-go that Frobisher was willing to do anything to stop Patty in her tracks, possibly even including ordering a few murders. The first-season storyline literally began at the end, as Patty's idealistic protégée Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne), half-naked and caked with blood, ran through the streets of New York (were the show was filmed) and made a beeline for her office, where her first words were "I need a lawyer!" The rest of the season built up to this crucial moment, with what series creator Todd Kessler described as the inevitability of a Greek tragedy. (It was planned for Patty Hewes to handle a different case in each successive season, each introduced with a similarly tantalizing "teaser.") Throughout the drama, the thin line between "hero" and "villain" grew progressively thinner, in the tradition of The Shield. In addition to Glenn Close and Rose Byrne, the regular cast included Tate Donovan as Patty's much-maligned subordinate Tom Shayes and Zeljko Ivanek as sly defense attorney Ray Fiske. Debuting July 24, 2007, on FX, Damages was also briefly carried by MyNetwork TV beginning August 1 of that year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
- Add Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Musical Movie to QueueAdd Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Musical Movie to top of Queue
Blue the Dog (from the popular children's TV series Blue's Clues) stars in her first full-length musical adventure. Blue (voice of Traci Paige Johnson) and her master Steve (voice of Steve Burns) are putting on a show in their backyard, but suddenly Tickety Tock the Clock (voice of Kelly Nigh) loses his voice, leaving poor Blue without a singing partner. While Blue follows up on the clues to find who wants to duet in Tickety Tock's place, G-Clef the Keyboard (voice of Ray Charles) and his friends the Notes (voices of the Persuasions) show kids how to make a song. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
In this sexploitation film, made in conjunction with the Playboy Channel, struggling law student and heir Chip Thurston cannot inherit his fortune until he graduates. If he does not finish, his cousin will get all the money. Naturally, the cousin is doing all he can to insure that Chip will fail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Drake, Steven Holt, (more)
