Elva Mai Hoover Movies
- 2000
This made-for-TV drama was inspired by a true story that occurred in Carleton, Ontario during Christmas Week of 1999. Disguised as a nurse, a bipolar woman named Margaret Wheeler (Nola Auguston) kidnaps a premature infant, the first male child of Karen and Phil Lewis (Marnie McPhail, Hugh Thompson). Though profoundly disturbed, Margaret has covered her tracks well, and has even secured the silence of her boyfriend Darryl (Alan Van Sprang), a former convict who can't go to the authorities without casting blame upon herself. As the Lewises anxiously await news of their missing baby, dedicated police sergeant Jane McKinley (Leslie Hope) follows the trail of clues and ultimately attempts to break down Margaret's wall of lies. The film also brings into play the not inconsiderable domestic problems endured by McKinley herself as she endeavors to bring hope to the biological parents. Despite the grimness of its subject matter, Stolen Miracle is a heartwarming, life-affirming firm which proved ideal Holiday fare when it first aired in Canada on December 18, 2001. It was subsequently picked up for US cable play (again as a "Christmas picture") by the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1997
In this Canadian Candide update, orphan Gordie (Jamie Shannon) lives with his hippie aunts at a quiet Porridge Glenn farm. When his beagle Speedoh is lost, a call from a psychic suggests a search in Toronto, where hayseed meets hooker wannabe Heidi (Sarain Boylan). She introduces him to two past-porn performers (Shelly Mars, Scott Thompson), the former stars of "Who's Afraid of Vagina Woolf?" Hick Gordie seems destined for street hustling and boogie nights after encountering a gay band that raises AIDS-research money by selling Gordie off to a sleazeball pimp (Alex Karzis). At this juncture, however, Heidi hatches a plan to reunite Gordie and Speedoh. Shown at the 1997 Vancouver and Toronto film festivals. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jamie Shannon, Elva Mai Hoover, (more)
- 1996
- R
Chase Phillips, a chronically depressed, emotionally exhausted mother finally hires a helper while she attempts to recover in a tiny cottage upon Martha's Vineyard where she stays with her sons. The helper is the much younger Elizabeth. At first, Chase despises her and treats her terribly. Elizabeth refuses to be broken by the barrage of verbal battering as she is intimate with the problems of the mentally ill. Elizabeth's sister is in an asylum and treats her worse than Chase does. Elizabeth takes it for as long as she can, but one night breaks and blows up at Chase, forcing the ailing mother's depression to abate. Eventually Chase gets better and things are fine until she drops a bomb on the family and formally declares her love for Elizabeth. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helen Mirren, Kyra Sedgwick, (more)
- 1992
- R
This sequel to the dreadful but creative 1987 horror thriller The Gate, centers on troubled-teen Terry who tires of being teased for being a nerd, not having dates, and dealing with his unemployed, alcoholic father. After learning about the portal to the gates of hell said to be in his town, Terry decides to cast a spell and see if he can make his life a little better. Using his computer and a book of ancient incantations, the determined young man begins his ritual. Unfortunately before he is finished, the two town bullies and their girl friend intervene and find themselves hopelessly involved when the gates open and out pops a diminutive demon who is more than happy to do their bidding. At first the kids are delighted to finally have their hearts desire, but it is only a matter of time before the demon's true nature manifests itself and all their dreams turn to nightmares. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Louis Tripp, Simon Reynolds, (more)
Bette Midler stars as Stella Claire, a working-class, fun-loving barmaid in northern New York State. A brief affair with handsome Stephen Dallas (Stephen Collins) produces a daughter, Jenny (Trini Alvarado), whom Stella insists upon raising alone, despite Dallas' marriage offer. As the years pass, Stella and Jenny are a happy pair. Stella gives up bartending to sell cosmetics, supported by her friend Ed (John Goodman), a bartender developing a crush on her and a problem with alcohol. Dallas has stayed involved with his beloved daughter from afar and is now a urologist in New York City, engaged to a book editor (Marsha Mason). As Jenny reaches adulthood, Stella becomes aware that life with her father would provide her daughter with opportunities that she'd never have otherwise, so she devises a painful, self-sacrificing scheme to drive Jenny from the nest. Although functional as a tearjerker, many of the themes in Stella simply don't make as much sense in a modern age of healthy, fractured families, muting the drama of the tale's earlier versions, specifically Stella Dallas (1937). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bette Midler, John Goodman, (more)
- 1984
Karen Woolridge plays Ann in this Canadian TV movie. Though an adult, Ann has yet to fully mature emotionally. Her problems can be traced back to a childhood rape. She must learn to overcome this trauma before it begins to affect her own children. Co-starring Brent Carver, Anne's Story made its American TV debut during a 1986 "Canada Week" on the Lifetime Cable Network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1983
This moving docudrama on a man whose courage raised $20,000,000 for a worthy cause is also an honest look at the nature of determination. When Canadian Terry Fox was diagnosed with cancer in 1977, his right leg was amputated and rather than simply battle depression, Fox decided to run his own cross-country marathon (5,150 miles) to raise money for cancer research. His parents, his doctor, and his friends opposed the idea but he persisted, convincing a friend with a camper to come along with him (or he could never have made the run). Fox starts at the Atlantic Ocean off Newfoundland, and with only a few supporters and very little fanfare, begins his odyssey. The amputee's human failings are clear: he is egocentric, impatient, short-tempered, and verges on the suicidal in forcing his endurance to the limit. As Fox's mental and emotional state is stretched at the beginning of the run, his friend driving the van has to call on his own reserves to stay with him. No one pays very much attention to Fox as he moves slowly through Quebec, but by the time he reaches Ontario, the Canadians start to notice his heroic effort. The Ontario Cancer Society representative, Bill Vigars (Robert Duvall), moves in like a steamroller to set up more sponsors, media events, and receptions. Fox is suddenly forced into the limelight, having to give speeches in front of huge audiences for the first time in his young life (he is 21). About half-way through his now well-publicized journey, Fox collapses and it becomes clear that his dream will have to end -- but not before he inspired millions of others to donate to cancer research. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Duvall, Eric Fryer, (more)
A music teacher (Perry King) at a tough Los Angeles high school reaches out to his students with the gift of music -- only to find a gang of sadistic punk rockers is actively dissuading new members from joining the orchestra. Not only are the punkers sadistic; they are also led by the nefarious Timothy Van Patten (sporting Willie Aames-style blow-dried hair). The plot development: Van Patten is a musical prodigy, as he proves by banging out some angry classical tunes on the school Baldwin in front of the teacher's startled class. King tries to befriend the lad, but he rejects the offer with scorn. When King attempts to settle for a truce with the gang leader in order to end his students' harassment, he finds himself targeted for a slowly-escalating campaign of terror, culminating in a deadly game of hide-and-seek in the high school after hours. One by one, King faces the murderous gang; one by one, teenagers die in a succession of increasingly violent fashions as the already-exploitive film degenerates into a Death Wish clone. As a feature film, Class of 1984 seems more like it was made for television. The plot is completely contrived; the characters are unbelievable (especially the punks, who seem to be the sort of punks that exist only in the imaginations of "B"-grade Hollywood film directors), and the production values are poor. Yet Class of 1984 has a certain charm, a certain earnestness that makes it watchable, if unintentionally amusing. The film includes a soundtrack by Alice Cooper which includes the stirring anthem "I Am the Future." Another point of interest: this may be the only film including a scene in which Michael J. Fox is stabbed during a prison-style cafeteria riot. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi
- Starring:
- Perry King, Timothy Van Patten, (more)
Between giving up his super powers, confronting criminals from outer space, and having problems with his girlfriend, it's a bad time to be the Man of Steel in this sequel to the 1978 blockbuster. When terrorists threaten to destroy Paris with a thermonuclear device as they hold reporter Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) hostage, Superman (Christopher Reeve) comes to the rescue and flings the weapon into space. However, its blast outside the earth's orbit awakens Zod (Terence Stamp), Ursa (Sarah Douglas), and Non (Jack O'Halloran), three villains from Superman's home planet of Krypton who were exiled to outer space for their crimes. Zod and his partners arrive on Earth and use their powers in a bid to take over the U.S., and then the world. However, when Lois realizes that mild mannered Clark Kent and Superman are actually the same person, he brings her to his Fortress of Solitude, where his decision to marry Lois costs him his remarkable strength. Without his super powers, how can Superman vanquish Zod and save the world? Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Susannah York, and Jackie Cooper return from the first film, which was shot at the same time as parts of the sequel. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, (more)
Richard Burton plays a psychiatrist who attempts to discover why young Peter Firth has taken to mutilating live horses. In probing Firth's psyche, Burton discovers that the source of the boy's obsession is his mother, Joan Plowright, who has raised Firth with a convoluted set of values. Even as he gets closer to the reason behind Firth's horrendous acts, Burton discovers many previously locked-away secrets within himself. Equus was based on the play by Peter Schaffer who received an Academy Award Nomination for his adapted screenplay. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Burton, Peter Firth, (more)
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