Dan Duran Movies
- 2009
- R
- Add Saw VI to Queue
Lionsgate's money-making franchise is back with this sixth entry in the Saw film series. The editor for all of the previous films, Kevin Greutert, makes his directorial debut with this picture, once again written by Feast writers, Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell, (more)
Danny DeVito steps behind the camera for this darkly funny satire that combines elements of Barney and Friends with the real-life Pee-Wee Herman scandal while recalling the director's previously twisted black comedies Throw Momma From the Train (1987) and The War of the Roses (1989). Robin Williams stars as Randolph Smiley, a popular children's show host known professionally as "Rainbow Randolph." Dismissed from his beloved job when he's caught taking payola, Randolph becomes increasingly mentally unhinged and the target of his delusional revenge fantasies is Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton), otherwise known as Smoochy, the fuchsia rhino character that has replaced him and soared to national popularity. Randolph soon learns that his ex-girlfriend and network executive Nora Wells (Catherine Keener) is sleeping with Sheldon, so he sets out to kill Smoochy, egged on by an unexpected ally: corporate president Marion Frank Stokes (Jon Stewart), who should be profiting from Smoochy's rise to fame, except for the fact that he and his cronies are unable to control the idealistic Sheldon's on-air agenda. Death to Smoochy (2002) co-stars Harvey Fierstein, Vincent Shiavelli, and Michael Rispoli. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Bored with her dead-end existence in a small Iowa town, neurotic Janet Flanders (Jordan Ladd) retreats into the rarefied world of romance novels. Her dreams of being swept off her feet by a handsome young prince seem to come true when Chicago businessman Brett Becker (Vincent Spano) enters her life. Alas, Brett already has a bride -- but this won't stop the unhinged Janet from dreaming, or from taking violent action to fulfill those dreams. What starts out as something fine and beautiful degenerates into a sordid murder trial, with attorney Evelyn MacInnis (Holland Taylor of The Practice fame) taking a pivotal hand in the matter. Made for cable, The Deadly Look of Love originally aired July 10, 2000 on the Lifetime network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jordan Ladd, Vincent Spano, (more)
- 1998
Childless couple Keith and Kim Lussier (Andrew McCarthy and Teri Polo) have seemingly had their prayers answered when they are placed in charge of 3-month old foster child Brittany. When the couple decides to adopt the child, it is Kim who seems most enthusiastic about her prospective parenthood, while the noncommittal Keith assumes a "whatever" posture. And then, disaster strikes: Kim is diagnosed with cancer. When it seems as though she'll recover, the adoption agency elects to allow the couple to continue caring for Brittany--and in the process Keith, who has had to take full responsibility during Kim's convalescence and treatment, grows to dearly love Brittany and proves to be an ideal apart. Alas, Kim goes into remission and dies, whereupon the agency falls back on its long-standing policy that no single parent be permitted to adopt. Keith long, agonizing legal battle to win full custody of Brittany serves as the climax to the fact-based TV movie A Father for Brittany (home video title:Change of Heart, which originally aired March 15, 1998, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andrew McCarthy, Michael Learned, (more)
- 1998
Housewife Tess McCall (Patricia Kalember) knows that her sister's husband is a philanderer, but she can't prove it. With the help of her policeman husband Craig (Tom Irwin), Tess gleans a variety of surveillance and clue-gathering techniques, the better to trap her brother-in-law in the act. She does this so well that she decides to open up her own private detective agency, "I Spy", dedicated to helping other wives get the goods on their errant hubbies. Ultimately, Tess determines that her own husband is cheating on her--but is this information correct, or is she merely being carried away by the euphoria of detection? Reportedly inspired by a true story, When Husbands Cheat was made for the Lifetime cable channel, where it originally aired on February 2, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
