Gary McDonald Movies
- 1993
In this British "ethnic" sitcom, Trevyn McDowell was cast as Jane Wainwright, the leader of a youth club catering to tough inner city kids. So far as the local authorities were concerned, the most hard-boiled of Jane's youthful charges was a bloke named Trevor (Robert McKewley), aka "Too-Bad." In truth, Trevor was a deep-down decent kid, something of a cockney Fonzie; and yet, every time something went wrong or some local crime was committed, poor Too-Bad was held responsible. The seven-episode What You Lookin' At? was broadcast from July 17 to August 28, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Trevyn McDowell, Robert McKewley, (more)
Action icon Jean-Claude VanDamme stars in this explosive thriller following a former New Orleans homicide detective who leaves his post at the local police force in order to combat murderous drug smugglers as a U.S. Border Patrol agent. Jack Robideaux (VanDamme) is a former cop with a secret agenda. Robideaux is right at home observing freshly killed corpses and grisly crime scenes, so when he's assigned to patrol a dangerous stretch between Columbus and Las Palomas, Mexico, he readily adapts to his new surroundings. When Robideaux learns that a renegade American Special Forces unit has hatched a plan to smuggle $35 million worth of heroin into the United Stated he sets out to single-handedly take down the cartel while contending with suicide bombers, merciless torturers, and traitorous double agents who would have him killed in order to protect their dirty little secret. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Van Damme, Stephen Lord, (more)
Writer/director Paul Morrison, who directed the cross-cultural period drama Solomon and Gaenor, returns to similar ground, though in a lighter vein, with Wondrous Oblivion. Sam Smith stars as David Wiseman, a Jewish boy living in London in 1960 who dreams of being a world-class athlete. David is totally obsessed with cricket, and loves playing, even though he is one of the worst players at his school. His parents, Ruth (Emily Woof of The Full Monty) and Victor (Stanley Townsend), are struggling with the bigoted residents of their working-class neighborhood, but the neighbors get a bit more friendly to the Wisemans when Dennis (Delroy Lindo), a Jamaican laborer, and his family move in next door. David is shocked and delighted when he realizes that Dennis and his daughter, Judy (Leonie Elliott), are installing a cricket pitch in their backyard. Before long, and against the wishes of his worried parents, David is spending a lot of time next door, becoming very friendly with Judy, and becoming a much better cricket player. Ruth gradually warms to Dennis, but the rest of the neighborhood grows increasingly hostile. Wondrous Oblivion was presented by the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center as part of the 2005 New York Jewish Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Smith, Delroy Lindo, (more)
