Phil McGraw Movies
Phil McGraw, better known to most people as the television personality and best-selling author Dr. Phil, started to gain world-wide attention when he became a regular guest on Oprah Winfrey's hugely successful afternoon talk show. McGraw put his degree in psychology to use by forming a company that used their knowledge to help lawyers and clients utilize mock trials in order to help plan strategy. After Winfrey was sued for comments she made about the beef industry, she engaged that company's services. Dr. Phil's straightforward manner impressed Winfrey, and soon he was making regular appearances to discuss human behavior, and offering tips on how people can "get real" and take responsibility for their lives. He eventually became the star and host of his own program, aptly named Dr. Phil, on which he tackled topics such as parenting, female empowerment, and the fallout from Hurricane Katrina. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide- 2002
Having achieved nationwide fame as a frequent guest on Oprah Winfrey's daily chatfest, professional "life strategist" Dr. Phil McGraw inevitably graduated to his own Monday-through-Friday talk show, produced by Winfrey's Harpo Productions and syndicated by Paramount Television. In an engagingly offhand, down-to-earth fashion, the balding, Southern-accented Dr. Phil dispensed advice on all sorts of moral, legal, and personal issues, counseling warring families and other such domestic combatants with a combination of harsh nagging, pragmatism, and an abundance of hugs and tears. Basically, Oprah's favorite "self-help guru" put forth a positive message, though there were some problems that even he found insurmountable (and he admitted it). Taped in the studio where Solid Gold and The Arsenio Hall Show had once been produced, Dr. Phil began its run on September 16, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phil McGraw
- 2003
TV talker "Dr. Phil" McGraw makes his acting debut in this episode. Though mad at Dr. Phil because of an outstanding poker debt, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) agrees to take Roz (Peri Gilpin) to the good doctor's lecture. Upon arrival, Frasier is shocked to discover that Dr. Phil's agent is the redoubtable Bebe Glazer (Harriet Sansom Harris). Frasier is also peeved that Bebe had never been able to make him a huge star in all the time she was representing him. So imagine his surprise when Bebe offers to do for Frasier what she's done for Dr. Phil -- in exchange for certain, er, favors. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phil McGraw, Harriet Sansom Harris, (more)
Spoof series torch-bearer and Airplane! mastermind David Zucker steps back into the captain's chair for yet another round of cinematic shenanigans in the latest installment of the Scary Movie franchise, this time mocking such frightful blockbusters as Saw, War of the Worlds, The Village, and The Grudge. An alien invasion threatens to wipe out the entire human race, but not if Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris) and her nymphomaniac pal Brenda Meeks (Regina Hall) have any say in the matter. With the clock counting down for all of humankind and the extraterrestrial invasion about to begin, the fearless but slightly dunderheaded heroines are joined by a series of celebrity guests including Dr. Phil, Carmen Electra, Chris Elliot, Shaquille O'Neal, and, of course, Leslie Nielsen in ensuring that the planet remains free of the alien menace and prepared for yet another installment in the over-the-top, pop-culture deflating satire series. Although two versions of this film officially exist (a PG-13 one and an "Unrated and Uncensored" one - evidently they skipped the R version) the unrated cut only reportedly features about 3 extra minutes of screen time, devoted to jiggling and bouncing breast implants. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Regina Hall, (more)
- 2008
Millions of viewers are familiar with Aussie actor Eric Bana from his Hollywood blockbuster work, notably in Black Hawk Down (2001), Hulk (2003) and Munich (2005). Bana steps away from fiction and doubles as director-and-star with this unusual and highly personal outing, a documentary concerning the thespian's deep-seated love of his classic sports car. Nicknamed "The Beast," the vehicle in question is a Ford GT Falcon Coupe that Bana received secondhand from his father and has rebuilt on multiple occasions. The film explores Bana's ongoing, 25-year+ love affair with the auto, finds him discussing the nature of this relationship with celebrity psychoanalyst Dr. Phil McGraw, and documents racing in the famous 5-day Targa Tasmania Rally. Jay Leno also turns up and offers a tour of his massive collection of classic cars. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
