Stuart Hughes Movies
Director Ed Gass-Donnelly highlights the inner city grey zone that exists between the haves and the have-nots in this urban drama focusing on the displacement of the lower classes by urban gentrification. In many cities, the only thing separating the junkies from the creative class is a posh, overpriced condo that sits where an abandoned building used to be. Carol (Caroline Cave) and her architect husband Harry (Noam Jenkins) are members of the latter group. Despite outward appearances, however, this struggling urban couple is consumed by their petty problems - both husband and wife slowly dying from the inside out. Lately, Harry has been feeling increasing pressure from the senior members of his firm, and he's been taking out his frustrations on his depressive spouse. One day, realizing that each lash from Harry's tongue is sending her one step closer to the grave, Carol leans over the balcony railing in a haze and immediately topples over the edge. As Carol recovers in the hospital and forms a warm connection to kindly policeman Peter (Stuart Hughes), husband Harry strikes up a conversation with neighborhood streetwalker Pretty (Kristin Booth), who scoffs at the architect's ambitious plan to improve their neighborhood. But Pretty's devoted boyfriend Johnny (Aaron Poole) doesn't want his girlfriend selling her body on the sidewalks anymore, and he's willing to fight to get her off of the streets before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristin Booth, Caroline Cave, (more)
An FBI agent (Jennifer Beals) seeks to reveal the identity of a fearless kidnapper who has abducted the child of a prominent multi-millionaire in a tense, independent thriller that explores the tragedy of every parent's worst nightmare. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Beals, Jonathan Goad, (more)
- 2001
Based on a true story, the Canadian TV movie The Stork Derby begins with the death of wealthy Toronto lawyer and lifelong bachelor Charles Vance Miller (Frank Fontaine). Going through Miller's effects, his lawyers discover that he intended to divide his fortune among the Canadian women who would deliver the most babies within a decade after his birth. Fueled by the circulation-hungry Toronto Daily Star, "The Great Toronto Stork Derby" held the Dominion in thrall throughout the Depression years, with hundreds and thousands of women hoping to escape the ravages of the Depression via mass procreation. The contest boils down to three front runners: French-Canadian Vivanne Kennelly (Pascale Montpetit), whose anxiousness to win at all costs leads to tragedy; Colleen Brant (Janine Thierault), who has multiple babies by multiple fathers; and Gina Bonaggio (Ellen David), an impoverished Italian immigrant. Dutifully chronicling each twist and turn of the contest is Canada's only female journalist Kate Harrington (Megan Follows), who at first regards the whole affair as demeaning to women, but ultimately becomes an ardent crusader for fair play when, during the 1938 court trial that will determine the winner, it becomes painfully obvious that the Canadian government will succumb to traditional colonial bigotry and see to it that no "inferior" women--that is, non-white non-Protestants--will benefit from Miller's legacy. Adapted from a book by Elizabeth Wilton, The Story Derby made its CBC debut on January 8, 2002, and shortly thereafter was shown in the U.S. courtesy of the Lifetime cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Filmed in Canada and broadcast in America by the USA cable network, We the Jury offers a new and intriguing spin to the old 12 Angry Men format. There is absolutely no question that Emmy-winning TV personality Wynne Atwood (Lauren Hutton) shot and killed her cheating husband in the home of his mistress. But while the prosecution demands that Atwood be convicted of murder, her attorney, Wilfred Franciscus (Christopher Plummer), insists that the charge be reduced to manslaughter, arguing that his client had been driven to insanity by an abusive husband. Ultimately the verdict must be determined in the jury room, where at first the jurors are divided straight down gender lines. As the deliberations continue, things get hot, heavy, and potentially violent, with the various prejudices, biases, and even the ambitions of the jurors (one of whom wants to write a book about the trial!) threatening to build impenetrable roadblocks on the path of true justice. Attempting to keep his colleagues "on program" is the beleaguered jury foreman, played by future Da Vinci's Inquest star Nicholas Campbell. American viewers first saw We the Jury on October 16, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelly McGillis, Lauren Hutton, (more)
In this horror film sequel, a strange substance referred to as "Food of the Gods" is accidentally fed to some rats in a college science laboratory. The rats grow to an enormous size and escape to quench their thirst for blood on the local college kids. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Coufos, Lisa Schrage, (more)
- 1988
This Canadian made-for-TV movie was originally telecast under the title Skate. Should give you a clue as to its content, yes? no? Under any name, the film is a prosaic biopic of Olympic skating-star Lori Larouche. Lynn Nightingale plays the leading role, while the real Lori is seen in longshot. Blades of Courage premiered in the US on cable television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Jorgens, Jorgito Vargas Jr., (more)
