C. Thomas Howell Movies
American actor C. Thomas Howell (the "C" is for Christopher) began his acting career at the age of four, when he was a regular on the TV series Little People; he went on to appear on two other series: Two Marriages and Into the Homeland. This led to a big break when he was cast at the age of 16 in a secondary role in Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), one of the most successful films of all time. Following that, Francis Ford Coppola gave him the lead (in part due to Howell's "pretty-boy" good looks) in The Outsiders (1983), which has led to a consistent film career. However, most of his movies (with the exception of The Hitcher, 1986, in which he is stalked by a killer) have fared badly at the box office. Besides being an actor, Howell is also a former junior rodeo circuit champion. He is married to actress Rae Dawn Chong, with whom he co-starred in Soul Man (1986). The two divorced in 1990, but Howell remarried Sylvie Anderson in 1992.Howell would continue to appear in several projects a year, playing such notable roles as Lt. Thomas D. Chamberlain in 1993's Gettysburg, and the title role in 1995's Baby Face Nelson. In 1995, he tried his hand at directing, helming the drama Hourglass. In 1996 he directed The Big Fall and Pure Danger, and later, Howell added writing and producing to his resume as well, earning both screenwriter and producer credits for 2004's Hope Ranch and 2005's Blind Injustice. Howell also never gave up acting, appearing in such varied films as 2004's Hidalgo and 2007's Hoboken Hallow.
~ All Movie Guide
A young doctor must fight for his life when a crippling car accident leaves him at the mercy of a deranged nurse in this thriller from cinematographer-turned-director Joe C. Maxwell. It's hurricane season in Louisiana, and as the rain falls from the sky, Dr. Zack Peters and his female traveling companion are forced off the road in a blinding flash of lightning and metal. When Dr. Peters awakens to discover that he has been rescued from the wreckage by a strange nurse (Savannah Smith Boucher), his momentary relief soon turns to terror when he discovers that his sadistic savior and her brutal brother Raymond (David Parker) have no plans of letting him get out alive. With his traveling companion missing and the screams of the other "patients" filling the decrepit old house, Dr. Peters enlists the help of another of the nurse's desperate captives in finding his lost friend and escaping the bayou hell. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Not dissimilar to such earlier Hollywood features as Boys' Ranch and Johnny Holiday, this made-for-cable drama stars Bruce Boxleitner as ex-cop and former marine J.T. Hope. The owner of a 2,000-acre ranch in Utah, Hope makes it his mission in life to rehabilitate youngsters who, as a result of their criminal records, have been deemed incorrigible. In this instance, Hope focuses his attention on a trio of street punks, including incipient drug-dealer Keith Frazier (Brian Gross). With the help of his no-nonsense ranchhands Colt (Lorenzo Lamas) and Shorty (Barry Corbin), Hope works the boys hard and long (12 hours a day, in fact), tending the horses, cleaning out the barns, and tackling other such grueling chores -- all the while promising the kids that if after two weeks they have straightened themselves out, they will not have to return to the penal system. At first reacting in horror to the strict regimen of Hope's ranch (one of the teens declares, "What is this? An episode of Survivor?"), two of the boys begin showing signs of redemption, and even begin to enjoy their working vacation in the great outdoors. Alas, Keith proves to be a bigger challenge than Hope had anticipated, especially when the boy steals some horse tranquilizers and escapes into the mountains. One of the first films to be produced exclusively for the Animal Planet cable network, Hope Ranch debuted on September 2, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Boxleitner, Lorenzo Lamas, (more)
Each and every year, the farmers in a certain Northwestern community ship in thousand of honey bees to pollinate their crops. This year, alas, the bees have apparently become terrorists, buzzing relentlessly throughout the region and leaving a trail of death wherever they go. Sheriff Lyndon Hobbs (C. Thomas Howell) must overcome his own paralyzing fear of bees to save his community. In other words, this is Arachnophobia with stingers. Filmed in Vancouver, Killer Bees made its PAX Network debut on November 22, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
A woman finally gets to share some quality time with her mother after mom has passed on in this supernatural comic fantasy. Nat (C. Thomas Howell) is a self-help guru and internationally known motivational speaker who is launching a new crusade in Singapore when Catherine (Anna Lise Phillips), who is both Nat's girlfriend and one of his most trusted aides, gets word that her mother has passed away. Catherine and her mother Katya were never as close as she wished; Katya was something of a free spirit who was more interested in pursuing her own goals rather than keeping a close watch over her children. Distraught, Catherine returns home to make a startling discovery -- the spirit of her mother Katya (Anne Looby) has returned to Earth, though only Catherine can see or hear her. Looking 36 years old and dressed in mid-'50s haute couture, Katya's ghost has decided to make up for the time she lost on Earth by following Catherine's every move and offering unsolicited advice whenever possible, which soon has the already nervous Catherine hovering on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Willfull received its American premiere at the 2001 Seattle Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Lise Phillips, Anne Looby, (more)
Director Thomas Elliott made his feature debut with this 2001 thriller about a movie star who comes face to face with her haunted past. C. Thomas Howell plays Nathan, a deranged convict who gets out of the joint and reunites with his brother, Daniel (Jason Widener). As it turns out, Daniel has grown obsessed with Laurie, an actress played by Deborah Zoe. Once Nathan comes into the picture, he decided to take Daniel's fixation to the next level, abducting Laurie and thrusting her back into a life of abuse she thought she'd left behind. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell
In this crime thriller, Jason Chandler (Patrick Muldoon) is an FBI agent who is trying to hunt down a serial killer nicknamed "The Silencer" for his habit of cutting out the tongues of his victims. As Chandler tries to uncover the trail of "The Silencer," he is recruited for an elite FBI unit called the "Red Team," which is devoted solely to hunting down serial killers; however, the more Chandler studies their methods, the more he finds himself thinking the Red Team may be doing more harm than good. Chandler also finds himself developing a very non-professional relationship with his new partner, Stephanie Dobson (Cathy Moriarty). As Jason and Stephanie do research on The Silencer, they discover evidence that there's another unusual killer on the loose -- a multiple murderer who is targeting serial killers. Red Team was also released under the title The Crimson Code. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cathy Moriarty, Patrick Muldoon, (more)
In 2017, the survivors of a worldwide apocalypse do battle for supremacy in this sci-fi adventure. Most of the Earth has been reduced to ruins, and the pitiful few who have survived have moved underground and organized themselves into religious cults who wage war among themselves for dominion over what's left of the planet. A self-ordained holy man (Roddy Piper) kills the family of a roving mercenary (C. Thomas Howell), and the warrior swears revenge. He joins forces with a beautiful female killer-for-hire (Heidi Von Palleske) and they set out to win back the world for the forces of good. Cybercity also features David Carradine. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Roddy Piper, (more)
- 1999
- PG13
Alaskans may be used to a big snowfall every once in a while, but not the sort that hits Juneau in this disaster picture. Jack (C. Thomas Howell), his wife Lia (Caroleen Feeney), and their friend Neil (Thomas Ian Griffith) all work for the Environmental Protection Agency in Juneau, Alaska's capital city. One day, while they are tagging animals for a research project in the mountains near Juneau, a sudden avalanche occurs; Jack is immediately killed, and Lia is believed dead by search party leader Grant (R. Lee Ermey). Neil eventually finds and rescues Lia, but he sinks into a deep depression, convinced that he's responsible for Jack's death. A few years later, a large petroleum concern wishes to install a large pipeline through Juneau's mountain range to transport oil. Lia, who had moved away, comes back to Alaska to protest the proposed pipeline, believing that this will mean more avalanches and more loss of life. Neil is certain that she's right, and together they fight the all-powerful oil company, which is not above using violence to get its way. Avalanche was shot on location in Alaska, with the state's pristine natural beauty one of the film's most notable features. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Ian Griffith, Caroleen Feeney, (more)
- 1999
C. Thomas Howell appears as an evil crime boss in this slacker crime drama about two guys waiting by the phone discussing hockey, dogs, and slurs against Italian-Americans. The Glass Jar was screened at the 1999 Boston Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Crivello, John Kassir, (more)
Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper gets an update and an overhaul in this family-oriented comedy. "Cash" Canty (Sean Kellman) is a typical Southern California kid who likes surfing, skateboarding, and pretty much anything that can be described as "rad." Prince Edward of Gelfland is the heir to the throne of a small nation; he has a wealth, privilege, and retinue of minders, but he wishes that he could live like a normal guy for a change. Prince Edward also happens to look exactly like Cash (and is also played by Sean Kellman), and when the two bump into each other by accident while the Prince is on a visit to California, they get the idea of switching places. Edward gets to do all of the "normal person" things that he's kept away from by his staff, and Cash gets to live like a big shot, not to mention spending time with Galina (Katie Jane Johnson), a beautiful girl who is pledged to marry the Prince when he's of age. However, Edward learns that a commoner's life has its downside, and Cash discovers treachery among the keepers of the throne that must be revealed to Edward before it's too late. The Prince and the Surfer marked the directorial debut for actor Arye Gross; he also plays a small role, alongside Robert Englund, Timothy Bottoms, C. Thomas Howell and Jennifer O'Neill. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1999
- PG
A young boys buys a winning lottery ticket worth $50 million and the household is turned upside down. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1998
Michael Bafaro's Sleeping Dogs features a thief named Harry Maxwell (Scott McNeil) breaking into a gem factory apparently staffed by underwear-clad supermodels and thuggish guards with really bad aim. He kills some of them while gay bad-guy Sanchez Boon (a woefully miscast C. Thomas Howell) shakes down someone from "The Agency." Boon rips a microphone out of the man's jaw with a pair of pliers and shoots him, going way overboard in the tooth-gnashing evil department, evidently so the audience will forget that he was Ponyboy from The Outsiders. Then there's a lot more shooting and Maxwell slides down the supermodels' table on his stomach with both guns blazing. He grabs one of the women, throws some explosives, punches out the woman, and rappels them from the roof to safety as more people shoot at them. Then someone blows up a helicopter with a rocket-launcher. This is all before they even get sent to the main location (a remote outer-space prison colony) with a topless cyborg (Ciara Hunter) and the mayhem really begins. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott McNeil, C. Thomas Howell, (more)
- 1998
- R
After a top-secret weapon is stolen, it's up to a military intelligence officer to find it before it can be turned against the U.S. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
A man who went astray in a moment of weakness finds his mistake coming back to haunt him in this thriller. Mack Maddox (C. Thomas Howell) appears to have a happy, ordinary life -- a nice home, a happy marriage, and a loving daughter. But not all has been perfect in Mack's life and he gets a sudden and startling reminder of his checkered past when he's called up for jury duty. Mack will be hearing the trial of Ezra Tyler (Jay Underwood), who stands accused of killing his wife, and as the testimony goes on, Mack remembers that he actually knew Mrs. Tyler -- and had a brief affair with her. Ezra's morbid jealousy led him to murder his wife and Mack beings to wonder if he knows about his wife's infidelity. Soon Mack has become obsessed with Ezra, and when the trial is called off on a technicality, he discovers that Ezra is following his trail. Stalker was also released under the title Fatal Affair. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Jay Underwood, (more)
Los Angeles suburbanites Quinn (James Wilder) and Laura (Kimberly Kates) host a backyard barbecue of co-workers, including a doctor (C. Thomas Howell), his wife (Erika Eleniak), rough-edged Barry (Jack Scalia), and winsome Jude (Karen Black), who was recently widowed when her executive husband was killed in a botched kidnapping. A confrontation with an irate neighbor (James Russo) turns ugly, and it seems there is more to the guest list than first thought. And then it gets uglier once the accusations fly -- much uglier. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- 1998
- NR
In this drama, a lawyer puts his career and life on the line after he falls in love with a dangerous woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Amber Smith, (more)
Though he essentially made The Big Fall a detective thriller, director/star C. Thomas Howell interjects his hard-boiled tale with a hint of parody. Though specializing in cases of adultery, Los Angeles private dick Blaize Rybeck's newest client, the beautiful Emma Russell (Sophie Ward) has a different type of project: she wants him to locate her brother Kenny, a flight instructor who was involved in a plane crash. His body was never found at the site, and Emma is convinced that Kenny is still alive. To solve the puzzle, Blaize goes undercover and joins a group of sky-diving thrillseekers. His old pal FBI-agent Bill Wilcox (William Applegate Jr.) shows up and tries to persuade Blaize to stop investigating -- as there is far more to the case than is immediately apparent -- but by that time, the gumshoe is in too deep to stop. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Sophie Ward, (more)
- 1997
- R
Assistant District Attorney Theresa (Joan Severance) is getting threatening messages -- a mutilated cat in her car, bizarre notes regarding her attempts at getting pregnant -- pressuring her to purposely lose a high-profile case of a suspected serial killer who shot a detective. When her high-strung surgeon husband (Nick Mancuso) is kidnapped, and a finger with his wedding ring is found frying in a pan in Theresa's kitchen, she calls for help from Michael D'Angelo (C. Thomas Howell), a disgraced alcoholic detective who frequents bondage nightclubs and was recently dismissed from the force. The two are former lovers, and the stress of the continued slayings of prostitutes, the kidnapping of her husband, and the icky-sicky messages rekindle their passion for each other. But then Theresa discovers who all the clues to the killings and mysterious goings-on point to. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Joan Severance, (more)
Between 2014 and 2064 the space station U.S.S. Legacy has quietly circled an uninhabitable Earth. Contained within the station are the last remnants of the human race. Scientist Kendall Forster is among them. Her mission is to help clean up the planet's toxic atmosphere in order to start humanity anew. In this taut space thriller, made especially for the Sci-Fi Channel, trouble comes when one of Kendall's fellow passengers goes crazy and begins murdering the other people. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Frewer, Colin Cunningham, (more)
- 1997
A condemned man's benevolent act turns out to be a desperate bid for freedom in this action thriller. Rudy Salazar (Danny Trejo) is a multiple murderer who has been sentenced to death, but an unexpected act of generosity takes him off death row. Rudy's bone marrow type matches that of a young girl suffering from a rare form of leukemia; he volunteers to donate his marrow for the girl's treatment in exchange for having his sentence reduced to life without parole. The courts agree, but Thomas Quinlan (C. Thomas Howell), the detective who cracked the Salazar case and put him behind bars, is convinced something is afoot. Sadly, Quinlan turns out to be right; as Salazar is being transported to the hospital for the marrow donation, he puts into motion a carefully organized escape plan, and soon the murderer is back on the street, with a number of dead police officers left in his wake. Now Quinlan and his partner Lydia (Sofia Shinas) have to capture Salazar for the safety of the public, as well as giving a little girl her last chance at survival. Dilemma marked the feature debut for director Eric Larsen. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
A man must wage a battle against time, space, and his own mortality to rescue his wife-to-be in this sci-fi drama. Malakai (Billy Wirth) is a criminal from an alternate universe who has a psychic link with a woman on Earth named Adrienne (Jennifer Rubin). Adrienne, however, knows nothing about this, and when Malakai comes to Earth and kidnaps her on her wedding day in a hale of bullets, it comes as a highly unpleasant surprise. Merkhan (Judge Reinhold), a scientist who has done research of Malakai's parallel world, has invented a special bracelet that will allow the wearer to come back to life if killed by an alien like Malakai; armed with Markhan's secret weapon, Aaron (C. Thomas Howell), Adrienne's fiancé, sets out to find and rescue the woman he loves. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Rubin, (more)
- 1996
C. Thomas Howell made his directorial debut in this suspense thriller, in which he also stars as Michael Jardine, a successful fashion designer. When Jardine's wife drowns under mysterious circumstances, he finds himself the key suspect in the murder investigation led by police detective Cecil Dish (Ed Begley Jr.). Meanwhile, Jardine falls into a destructive relationship with obsessive fashion model Dara Jensen (Sofia Shinas). Adding to Jardine's crises is a potential hostile takeover of his company by a rival firm that is marked by threats of blackmail and violence. In what was undoubtedly a great project for red-headed comic actors, the supporting cast also includes Don Most (known as "Donny" when he played Ralph Malph on Happy Days) and Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Sofia Shinas, (more)
In this actioner, a secret group of citizens who want to take the law into their own hands do their best to convince an L.A. cop to join them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Ed Lauter, (more)
