Alan Dale Movies
Two people trying to leave ugly memories behind them find life and love anew in Australia in this made-for-television adaptation of the novel by Nevil Shute. Carl Zlinter (Michael York) was a doctor who was drafted into the German Army during World War II and forced to serve the Axis war effort. After the fall of the Third Reich, Carl becomes a displaced person and in time emigrated to Australia, where he tries to build a new life for himself and forget his horrific past. Jennifer Morton (Sigrid Thornton), meanwhile, is a woman from Great Britain who has her own grim memories of the toll the war took upon her nation, and has decided to visit Australia in search of sunshine and fresh scenery. Carl and Jennifer meet, and they soon fall in love, but it becomes obvious that they must reconcile their very different pasts if they are to make a future together. Originally produced for Australian television, The Far Country first aired as a two-part miniseries. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
People start dying pretty early on in this slasher flick, while they are attempting to shoot a music video on a remote lake in the Australian outback. Despite the plethora of gory deaths, the pretty artistes still attempt to have a good time by swimming, etc. Needless to say, this only puts them in still greater danger. Why, why won't they take these deaths sufficiently seriously? Don't they know there's a deranged man out there who will kill again and again and again....? ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alan Dale, Craig Alexander, (more)
- 1999
- PG
The crew of a ship traveling to Mars awakens from space hibernation to find a serious problem on board. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Jason London, Simon Westaway, (more)
- 1999
- NR
A federal agent is demoted to a less challenging assignment, only to have it become the most dangerous mission of her life in this action-thriller. Alex McGregor (Mariel Hemingway) is a Secret Service agent who once guarded the President of the United States, Jonathan Hayes (Gregory Harrison). But after a series of misunderstandings following an attempt on the President's life, McGregor has been reassigned to oversee security for Hayes' teenaged daughter, Jess (Monica Keena). Jess has been chafing under the pressures of having a team of agents following her everywhere, so when she makes plans to go on a white-water rafting trip, the President requests a minimal compliment of Secret Service agents. This proves to be a mistake when Jess and her companions are kidnapped by a gang of right-wing terrorists. McGregor is forced to join forces with scruffy wilderness guide Grant Carlson (Doug Savant) in order to find Jess and return her to safety. Though set in the United States, First Daughter was shot in Australia, and had its premier on American television. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mariel Hemingway, Doug Savant, (more)
- 2000
Abby's mentally disturbed mother, Maggie (Sally Field), thinks she's healthy enough to interview for a job -- but she's wrong. Greene (Anthony Edwards) reacts to the news that he has a brain tumor. Kynesha (Toy Connor), the girlfriend of Benton's (Eriq La Salle) murdered nephew Jesse, is herself targeted for extermination. Corday (Alex Kingston) bends the facts during the deposition for Mr. Patterson's lawsuit. And Abby (Maura Tierney) has company when she awakens in a hotel room. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
Sally Field makes the first of several appearances in the Emmy-winning role of Maggie Wyczenski, the bipolar mother of ER nurse Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney). Off her medication, a hyper Maggie tries to pay a visit to Abby -- who refuses to see her. Meanwhile, Kovac (Goran Visnjic) looks into a suspected case of child abuse. In a rush to begin her vacation, Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) makes a serious mistake during an operation. And Benton (Eriq La Salle), grieving over his murdered nephew, takes out his rage on Malucci (Erik Palladino) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2001
While wrestling with her feelings regarding Kim Legaspi (Elizabeth Mitchell), Weaver (Laura Innes) delivers her evaluation of Carter (Noah Wyle). Elsewhere, Abby (Maura Tierney) angrily drops her AA sponsorship of Carter; Kynesha (Toy Connor) continues to be a source of trouble for Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Finch (Michael Michele); and an unexpected visit causes Corday (Alex Kingston) to panic. John Cromwell guest stars as an ailing bishop who forces Kovac (Goran Visnjic) to re-examine his own religious convictions. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The tenth film in Paramount's highly lucrative sci-fi franchise is also positioned as the last for the entire original Next Generation crew. En route to the honeymoon of William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) to Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) on her home planet of Betazed, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise receive energy readings identical to those uniquely emitted by the positronic brain of android crew member Data (Brent Spiner). Upon investigation, they discover the disassembled parts of an identical android named B4, an early prototype of Data himself, now scattered on the surface of a remote world. As they reassemble B4, the crew receives word from Starfleet that a coup has resulted in the installation of a new Romulan political leader, Shinzon (Tom Hardy), who claims to seek détente with the human-backed United Federation of Planets. As commander of the closest starship to Romulus, Picard is ordered there to negotiate with Shinzon. Once in enemy territory, the captain and his crew make a startling discovery: Shinzon is human, a slave from the Romulan sister planet of Remus (the residents of which are vampire-like creatures that dwell on the perpetually dark side of their home world), and has a secret, shocking relationship to Picard himself. It soon becomes clear that Shinzon has lured the Enterprise to Romulus using B4 as bait and that his sinister ulterior motives include the destruction of Earth. A vicious battle between the Enterprise and Shinzon's powerful warship ensues, resulting in heartbreaking heroics and a devastating casualty. Star Trek: Nemesis was written by long-time Trek fan and Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan. Regular cast members Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, and Whoopi Goldberg co-star with Ron Perlman, Dina Meyer, and Steven Culp. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, (more)
Fresh from Iowa, Holly (Melissa Joan Hart) and Calvin (Ryan Browning) arrive in New York, there to pursue careers as actors. Alas, money is mighty tight for the new arrivals, and decent housing is well night impossible to find. Eventually, Holly is forced to move in with her eccentric, cat-crazy Aunt Agatha (Lynne Marie Stewart), who lives in a rent-controlled apartment in the middle of an upscale neighborhood. When Aunt Agatha dies of natural causes, a desperate Holly hits upon a brilliant idea: she and Calvin will pretend that Auntie is still alive, the better to remain in the apartment for a minimal price. The couple enlist the apartment building's feckless elevator operator Dennis (Andrew Kavovit) as their co-conspirator, then spend much of the rest of the movie trying to keep their landlord's suspicious son Vincent (Joseph D. Reitman) from stumbling upon the truth. Filmed in 2002, Rent Control did not make its ABC Family Channel debut until September 9, 2005, by which time the made-for-cable film had been extensively re-edited to accelerate its pace. The film has since been released abroad under its working title Aunt Agatha's Apartment. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Melissa Joan Hart, Ryan Browning, (more)
Further cementing 2003 as the year of Ron Shelton cop movies, the director continued his vacation from the sports genre with Hollywood Homicide, a police comedy that comes right on the heels of Shelton's Dark Blue, a decidedly grittier cop thriller. The film stars Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett as LAPD homicide detectives Joe Gavilan and K.C. Calden, two cops with bigger dreams. Gavilan moonlights as a real estate agent, while Calden teaches yoga and yearns for a career on the big screen. When an entire hip-hop group is murdered on-stage, Gavilan and Calden are called in to handle the case. As their investigation progresses, they begin to suspect that the rappers were offed for attempting to get out of their recording contract with label head Sartain (Isaiah Washington). Along with Bruce Greenwood and Keith David, the supporting cast boasts a plethora of real-life musicians, including Dr. Dre, Gladys Knight, Dwight Yoakam, Master P, and Ronald DeVoe of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Harrison Ford, Josh Hartnett, (more)
Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service was the somewhat redundant official title of this popular "procedural" series during its first season on the air. Mark Harmon tops the cast as the rule-bending, intensely private Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the head of an elite NCI team specializing in solving baffling crimes related to US Navy personnel. Gibbs' cohorts during this season include tough, outspoken Caitlin"Kate" Todd (Shana Alexander), former Baltimore homicide detective (and flagrant womanizer) Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), caffeine-addicted, goth-girl technogeek Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette); and all-knowing, long-winded chief lab technician Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum). Though the two-part pilot episode was filmed for the military-legal series JAG, it was not shown until several weeks after NCIs proper premiered with its debut episode "Yankee White" (in the pilot, Robyn Lively is seen as Viv Blackadder, the character that eventually morphed into Abby Sciuto). Its plot involving a mysterious death during a flight of Air Force One, "Yankee White" introduces several recurring characters: Alan Dale as NCIs director Tom Morrow, Joe Spano as FBI agent Fornell and Pancho Demmings as Ducky's assistant Gerald Jackson. Another frequently seen character, Special Agent Paula Cassidy, first shows up in "Minimum Security", while Gerald Jackson's ultimate replacement Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen makes his bow in "Split Decision". Finally, "Sub Rosa" marks the initial appearance of MIT-educated lab tech Tim McGee (Sean Murray), who would join the cast as a regular in Season Two. The series' second episode, "Hung Out to Dry", is something of a crossover, with Patrick Labyorteaux appearing in his JAG characterization of Lt. Bud Roberts. "My Other Left Foot" is a reunion of sorts for onetime St. Elsewhere regulars Mark Harmon and Bonnie Bartlett. And "Bete Noire" introduces the series' most vicious antagonist, Ari Haswari (Rudolf Martin)--Hamad/Mossad double agent, terrorist, master of disguise, and ultimate assassin of one of the show's best-loved characters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, (more)
- 2003
Seth (Adam Brody) introduces Ryan (Ben McKenzie) to his own special bi-religious holiday, "Chrismukkah." But others are not in so festive a mood: embarrassed by the endless feuding amongst her family members, Marissa (Mischa Barton) finds solace in alcohol; Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) may lose everything she has due to her impatience regarding her mercurial father, Caleb (Alan Dale); and a choice between two very special gifts has the potential of causing great sorrow for one of the gift-givers. Taylor Handley makes the first of several controversial appearances as new O.C.er Oliver Trask. ~ Rovi
- 2003
Mom Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) and son Seth (Adam Brody) both have much to answer for after their outrageous behavior during Thanksgiving. While still wondering if she should become involved with Kirsten's father, Caleb (Alan Dale), Julie (Melinda Clarke) has trouble dealing with the fact that Kirsten's husband, Sandy (Peter Gallagher), is dispensing advice to her own soon-to-be-ex-hubby, Jimmy (Tate Donovan). In other developments, perpetual rivals Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Luke (Chris Carmack) temporarily bury the hatchet while teamed on a history project, and a prominent O.C.er makes a disturbing revelation. ~ Rovi
- 2003
Although they still intend to "play it slow" romance-wise, Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Marissa (Mischa Barton) prepare for their first real date. Meanwhile, Summer (Rachel Bilson) continues to play coy with Seth (Adam Brody), driving him ever closer to Anna (Samaire Armstrong). And Seth's mother, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), wonders if husband Sandy (Peter Gallagher) is seeing another woman. A great deal is ultimately revealed -- if not resolved -- during a lavish O.C. charity event. ~ Rovi
- 2003
During Thanksgiving week, Ryan (Ben McKenzie) is summoned back to Chino by his family. Accompanied by Marissa (Mischa Barton), Ryan ends up visiting his brother, Trey (Bradley Stryker), in prison. Meanwhile, back in the O.C., Marissa's mother, Julie (Melinda Clarke), expresses outrage that her daughter has taken off without telling her or asking her for permission, blaming it on both Ryan and her ex, Jimmy (Tate Donovan). Many unpleasant memories are invoked throughout the remainder of the episode, with (potentially) worse to come. Meanwhile, the romantic triangle involving Seth (Adam Brody), Summer (Rachel Bilson), and Anna (Samaire Armstrong) rushes toward a resolution. ~ Rovi
- 2003
Alan Dale makes his first series appearance as Caleb Nichol, the wealthy, manipulative father of troubled Newport matron Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan). Caleb sets the Cohen household on its ear when he introduces his new and extremely young girlfriend, Gabrielle (Nichole Hiltz), who may well put Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) in the uncomfortable position of having to refer to a 24-year-old woman as "Grandma." As for Kirsten's lawyer husband, Sandy (Peter Gallagher), he is becoming more and more nostalgic for his "old," pre-Newport lifestyle. Next door at the Coopers, Jimmy (Tate Donovan) faces losing his wife and his job in one fell swoop, while Jimmy's ex-to-be Julie (Melinda Clarke) begins cozying up to the redoubtable Caleb. In other developments, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) tries to choose between Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Luke (Chris Carmack). And is Summer (Rachel Bilson) really interested in Seth or is she just playing games? ~ Rovi
Destined to run an impressive 27 hour-long episodes (as opposed to the usual 22), season one of The O.C. wastes little time in setting up its premise: trouble-prone teenager Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), booted out of his Chino home and apparently foredoomed to a life of crime, is "rescued" by idealistic pro bono defense attorney Sanford "Sandy" Cohen (Peter Gallagher). Over the initial protests of his former beauty-queen wife, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), Sandy invites Ryan to live in the pool house of the Cohens' lavish Newport Beach home in California's very upscale Orange County. Quickly making friends with the Cohen's intellectual-loner son, Seth (Adam Brody), Ryan also makes a good impression on his attractive next-door neighbor Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) -- much to the disgust of Marissa's jock boyfriend, Luke Ward (Chris Carmack). Unfolding in a serial-like fashion, the remainder of the season details the disintegrating marriage of Marissa's parents, Jimmy Cooper (Tate Donovan) and his avaricious wife, Julie (Melinda Clarke) (who later has an affair with the cast-off Luke); Sandy's job switch, which causes friction in his relationship with Kirsten vis-à-vis his sexy new law partner Rachel Hoffman (Bonnie Somerville); the decision by Sandy and Jimmy to jointly purchase Newport Beach's favorite restaurant, the Lighthouse; Marissa's self-destructive behavior during a vacation in Mexico, and her ill-fated association with the duplicitous Oliver Trask (Taylor Handley); Seth's dilemma as he tries to choose between two girlfriends, Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) and Anna Stern (Samaire Armstrong); and the disruptive machinations of Kirsten's high-rolling father, Caleb (Alan Dale), and her hedonistic sister, Hailey (Amanda Rhigetti). The cliffhanger climax of The O.C.'s first season is dominated by two major events: the wedding of the series' two most selfish and mercenary characters, and some devastating news delivered by Theresa (Navi Rawat), Ryan's former girlfriend from his Chino days. ~ Rovi
- 2004
As Anna (Samaire Armstrong) prepares to return to Pittsburgh, Seth (Adam Brody) is tortured with guilt, thinking that he, and he alone, is responsible for her abrupt departure. In other developments, Sandy (Peter Gallagher) tries to untangle the legal problems facing his wife, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), and father-in-law, Caleb (Alan Dale). The clandestine relationship between Julie (Melinda Clarke) and Luke (Chris Carmack) is discovered by an outraged Jimmy (Tate Donovan). And though Ryan (Ben McKenzie) is happy that his former girlfriend Theresa (Navi Rawat) has decided to stay in Newport, he will be less happy about the emotional baggage Theresa has brought from their old Chino neighborhood. ~ Rovi
- 2004
Friends, lovers no more: Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Marissa (Mischa Barton) intend to resist all temptation and keep their relationship on a strictly platonic basis. Meanwhile, Ryan's former girlfriend Theresa (Navi Rawat) isn't being completely above-board as to why she has shown up in Newport. Elsewhere, Jimmy (Tate Donovan) is suspicious about the relationship between Julie (Melinda Clarke) and Luke (Chris Carmack); Caleb (Alan Dale) causes more trouble for his son-in-law, Sandy (Peter Gallagher); and the relationship between Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer (Rachel Bilson) reaches an impasse thanks to false pride. ~ Rovi
- 2004
Paris Hilton guest stars in this episode, in which Grady Bridges (Colin Hanks), handsome leading man of the popular TV soap opera "The Valley," invites his gushing fans Marissa (Mischa Barton) and Summer (Rachel Bilson) to a party in L.A. Coming along for the ride are Ryan (Ben McKenzie), who hopes to shield Marissa from learning about the affair between her ex-boyfriend Luke (Chris Carmack) and her mother, Julie (Melinda Clarke); and Seth (Adam Brody), who is just worried about losing Summer to the glamour and glitter of la-la land. This episode also includes a surprise confrontation with Kirsten's (Kelly Rowan) prodigal sister, Hailey (Amanda Righetti). ~ Rovi
- 2004
The impending marriage between Caleb (Alan Dale) and Julie (Melinda Clarke) affects different people in different ways at the O.C. Having been asked to be maid of honor, Caleb's daughter Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) helps organize the wedding shower with Julie's daughter Marissa (Mischa Barton). Angered by recent events, Marissa schemes to spoil the wedding by inviting a most unwelcome guest. And Julie's ex-husband, Jimmy (Tate Donovan), ends up in a ticklish situation with Kirsten's wild sister, Hailey (Amanda Righetti). Elsewhere, Seth (Adam Brody) has an uncomfortable meeting with Summer's (Rachel Bilson) father, and Theresa (Navi Rawat) seems curiously anxious to avoid Ryan (Ben McKenzie). ~ Rovi
- 2004
The Lighthouse's reopening is threatened when its liquor license is turned down due to improprieties on the part of co-owner Jimmy (Tate Donovan). Summer (Rachel Bilson) and Seth (Adam Brody) try to comfort Marissa (Mischa Barton) after she learns the truth about Julie (Melinda Clarke) and Luke (Chris Carmack). Recovering from his near-fatal accident, Luke makes an effort to come clean before exiting the O.C. for good. And in keeping with the title of this episode, Caleb (Alan Dale) startles everyone by proposing to the love of his life. ~ Rovi
- 2004
When this final episode of The O.C.'s first season originally aired in May of 2004, producer Josh Schwartz refused to reveal any plot details, though he made a tantalizing promise: "I think people will be upset, but they won't be disappointed." As expected, most of the episode is taken up with the wedding of gold-digging Julie Cooper (Melinda Clarke) and scheming Caleb Nichol (Alan Dale). However, there is still time aplenty to deal with other major plot developments -- not least of which is Theresa's (Navi Rawat) announcement that she is pregnant, and that Ryan (Ben McKenzie) is possibly the father. ~ Rovi
- 2004
Caleb (Alan Dale) and Julie (Melinda Clarke) separately embark upon their respective pre-wedding parties. Caleb goes to Las Vegas with the "guys," whereupon Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Seth (Adam Brody) land in a heap of trouble. And while staging Julie's party at the Cohen house, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) impishly introduces some male strippers. Elsewhere, Summer (Rachel Bilson) pines over Seth, Caleb may or may not have a hidden agenda vis-à-vis his upcoming marriage, and Theresa (Navi Rawat) delivers some shocking news for Ryan and Marissa (Mischa Barton). ~ Rovi
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