J.D. Pardo Movies
- 2007
An amalgam of Death Race 2000 and Lost with CGI effects thrown in, the quasi-fantasy action series Drive centered around a strange, exclusive, strictly secret and highly illegal cross-country race, wherein the contestants were all but shanghaied into participating for a winning purse of $32,000,000--assuming they lived that long. The first contestant was Alex (Nathan Fillion), who was desperately searching for his missing wife. A mystical race promoter named Mr. Bright (Charles Martin Smith) lured Alex to Florida by implying that he'd never see his wife again unless he agreed to become a driver. Alex was then teamed with wild blonde Kristin (Corinna Wiles), who acted as if she knew what it was all about. In truth, NO one knew what it was all about--not the woman just released from a hospital, nor the two siblings who were driving a "cursed" Cadillac, nor the paroled criminal, nor the Iraq veteran and his girlfriend, nor the scientist and his teenaged daughter. Though everyone knew that the race began in Florida, none of the racers had the slightest idea where it was headed, nor the remotest clue as to the location of the finish line. And how about the fact that none of the vehicles were actually sports cars? Only one thing was certain: Those who lost the race faced the direst of consequences. As was often the cast in enigmatic exercises of this nature, the course of the race and the backstories of the contestants were revealed bit by bit, episode by episode, on a need-to-know basis. Drive first parked itself on the Fox network on April 15, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nathan Fillion, Kristin Lehman, (more)
A pair of naïve young girls learn that even the most insignificant actions can have lasting consequences in this music-driven take on teen culture starring Anne Hathaway and Bijou Phillips and directed by two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple. Influenced by the hip-hop thug lifestyle and seeking to explore life outside of their insulated, culturally homogenized suburb, pretty young teenagers Allison (Hathaway) and Emily (Phillips) set their sights on East L.A. to experience the "gangsta" lifestyle firsthand. By the time the pair meet some true-life Latino gang-bangers and realize just how far out of their element they really are, it may already be too late to turn back. ~ 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)
Charlize Theron top-lines the romantic ensemble The Burning Plain, written and directed by Babel screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga. 2929 Production's film tells the tale of a web of interconnecting love stories, with Theron playing Sylvia, a woman with a troubled past who tries to reconcile with her parents. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, (more)
Two siblings find themselves competing on and off the racetrack in this action-packed drama. K.C. Carlyle (Steve Howey) and his kid brother, Trip (Mike Vogel), are both racers in the rough and tumble world of supercross, a revved-up variation on motocross racing in which specially modified motorcycle negotiate specially built dirt tracks that send riders through tricky twists and turns, over rough terrain, and off high-flying jumps. Both are talented racers, but K.C. has a wilder and more reckless approach, while Trip follows a more cautious path. A more profound difference between them arises when K.C. is offered a lucrative deal to ride for a factory-sponsored team; he takes the deal, and leaves his brother behind to race on his own dime. However, when an accident takes Trip out of the running on the supercross circuit, he and K.C. set aside their differences as Trip helps coach his older brother so he can succeed in his drive to the championship. Made with the cooperation of a leading supercross race promoter, Supercross: The Movie also stars Sophia Bush and Cameron Richardson as the brothers' love interests, and Robert Carradine as a determined race coach. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Howey, Mike Vogel, (more)
Cute but geeky high-school student Samantha Martin (Hilary Duff) is knocked off her feet by her father's untimely death, which leaves his diner and Samantha's well-being in the care of Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge), Sam's thoroughly wicked stepmother. Not one to take on such menial tasks as dishwashing and mopping floors, Fiona exploits Sam's dependence as a method of hoisting any dirty work off her own shoulders. School is hardly a break for Samantha, particularly when Shelby (Julie Gonzalo) is around; spoiled, wealthy, and popular, Shelby treats Samantha nearly as badly as Fiona does. Samantha's life is irrevocably changed, however, by two events: a makeover of epic proportions and a sudden electronic correspondence with a mysterious young man. Due to a misplaced cell phone and a series of fateful coincidences, Samantha and her Prince Charming develop a romance through text messages and e-mails, and ultimately promise to meet face-to-face at the biggest school dance of the year. Of course, getting there doesn't go smoothly, and Samantha may miss her chance to meet her dream date -- none other than Austin (Chad Michael Murray), the most popular boy in school. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hilary Duff, Jennifer Coolidge, (more)
