Jim Jansen Movies
- 2006
Health issues dominate this episode, as Lorelai (Lauren Graham) becomes Emily's (Kelly Bishop) chauffeur after the latter's eye surgery, and Rory (Alexis Bledel) tends to Logan's every need upon his return from the hospital. Though physically on the mend, Logan (Matt Czuchry) suffers emotionally when he reads a scathing newspaper interview granted by his father Mitchum. Elsewhere, Luke (Scott Patterson) finds out that his sister Liz (Kathleen Wilhoite) is pregnant; Jackson (Jackson Douglas) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) must quickly dispose of a marijuana crop left behind by his former employees; and a surprise gift from her parents knocks Lorelai for a loop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Hoping to mend the rift between Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel), Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) asks them to be godmothers for her babies -- but the baptism ceremony may prove to be a disaster with Jackson's wacky family in attendance. Hoping to spend some of the earnings from her tour, Lane (Keiko Agena) is shocked to discover that the band's money has been decimated by Brian (John Cabrera) and Zach (Todd Lowe). And Logan (Matt Czuchry) learns to his dismay that his future has already been mapped out by his wealthy and powerful father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Angry at her dad Christopher (David Sutcliffe) for his supposed interference in the Lorelei-Luke romance, Rory (Alexis Bledel) cuts him dead when he shows up at Yale. On a happier note, Rory's grandparents Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Emily (Kelly Bishop) forget their mutual animosity long enough to care for a stray dog. And as Stars Hollow is blanketed by the year's first snowfall, competition heats up for the pivotal role of the "Woman of Questionable Morals" in the town's annual Revolutionary War Reenactment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
A restored church belfry has a curious effect on the citizenry of Stars Hollow, with rapture and tears among the various and sundry reactions. In other developments, Rory (Alexis Bledel) goes after a malicious campus gossip who turns out to be Paris' latest boy-toy. Luke (Scott Patterson) fails to inform Lorelai (Lauren Graham) that he is now living with Nicole. And upon finding out that Lane (Keiko Agena) has been playing with a band -- and staying out until one a.m. to boot -- her mom Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda) reacts in exactly the way that you'd expect Mrs. Kim to react. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
The dust still hasn't settled the morning after the "battle royal" between Dean (Jared Padalecki) and Jess (Milo Ventimiglia). Luke's (Scott Patterson) anguish over Jess is compounded when he is confronted by a man (Rob Estes) who identifies himself as Jess's father. Meanwhile, Rory (Alexis Bledel) is shocked to learn that Dean has decided to get married on the rebound; and Lane (Keiko Agena) wonders if she'll ever be permitted to attend the prom after drinking herself blotto at Kyle's kegger. As the episode fades, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) are confronted with a "bad news-good news" situation involving an establishment called the Dragonfly Inn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Glenne Headly makes her first appearance as Karen Stottlemeyer, the woman whom Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) disdainfully dismisses as "my hippie wife." While filming a documentary about Miles Holling (Patrick Cranshaw), the world's oldest man, Karen is thrown for a loss when Holling dies in bed. Though her husband is certain that Holling succumbed to natural causes (he was, after all, just one day shy of his 115th birthday!), Karen is convinced that the man was murdered--and she wants Monk (Tony Shalhoub) to prove it. In the course of his investigation, Monk uncovers a surprising link between Holling's death and a hit-and-run fatality that occurred five years earlier--the only unsolved case in Captain Stottlemeyer's career. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
When a pair of bright-but sociopathic teens conspires to commit the perfect murder, a troubled cop teams with her eager new partner to solve the case that left the community in fear and the police without a clue. High school ladies' man Richard Haywood (Ryan Gosling) and outcast Justin Pendleton (Michael Pitt) have no motive to commit murder, but they soon conspire to choose a random victim and pin the crime on local pot dealer Ray (Chris Penn), under the guise that the police will never suspect them of such a brutal act. Determined Det. Cassie Merriweather (Sandra Bullock) is assigned to the case, and quickly becomes suspicious of the elusive teens despite the doubts expressed by her superiors and her lack of solid evidence. Soon entering into a dangerous test of wills with the increasingly desperate and dangerous teens, her investigation leads her down a disturbing path that will test her skills as a detective and her will to survive. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Bullock, Ryan Gosling, (more)
- 2002
Much against her better judgment, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) accompanies Rory (Alexis Bledel) to the baby shower being held in Boston for Christopher's insufferable "ex" Sherry (Mädchen Amick). Meanwhile, back in Stars Hollow, everyone is abuzz over Miss Patty's (Liz Torres) new boyfriend, whom she met at a funeral. The Town Loner demands the right to hold a protest demonstration downtown, even though no one knows exactly what he's protesting. And Luke's (Scott Patterson) suspicions are aroused when Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) suddenly comes up with enough money to buy a car. (By the way, the episode's title refers to a highly cathartic experience for both Lorelai and Rory). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
- PG13
- Add A.I.: Artificial Intelligence to QueueAdd A.I.: Artificial Intelligence to top of Queue
Based on the 1969 short story Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, by Brian Aldiss, this science fiction fantasy bears similarities to Pinocchio (1940) and originated as a long-gestating project of director Stanley Kubrick that passed to his friend Steven Spielberg after Kubrick's death. Haley Joel Osment stars as David, a "mecha" or robot of the future, when the polar ice caps have melted and submerged many coastal cities, causing worldwide starvation and human dependence upon robotic assistance. The first mecha designed to experience love, David is the "son" of Henry (Sam Robards), an employee of the company that built the boy, and the grief-stricken Monica (Frances O'Connor). David is meant to replace the couple's hopelessly comatose son, but when their natural child recovers, David is abandoned and sets out to become "a real boy" worthy of his mother's affection. Along the way, David is mentored by a pleasure-providing mecha named Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) and a talking "super toy" bear named Teddy. His adventures take him to the Roman Circus-style "Flesh Fair," where mechas are destroyed for the amusement of humans; Rouge City, where Gigolo Joe narrowly avoids capture by police; and finally a submerged New York City, where David's creator, Professor Hobby (William Hurt) reveals the secrets of the boy's creation. Brendan Gleeson and narrator Ben Kingsley co-star in A.I., which was adapted from Kubrick's treatment by Spielberg, in his first crack at screenwriting since Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, (more)
- 2000
The ER is the site of several personal crises: the parents of a premature infant implore the staff to save the child, a gay woman (Rosemary Forsyth) is prevented by legal red tape from getting treatment for her comatose life partner, and a homeless patient who refuses to show up for dialysis sparks a quarrel between Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Romano (Paul McCrane). In another development, Carter (Noah Wyle) attends his first AA meeting, where another of his ER colleagues agrees to be his sponsor. And Greene (Anthony Edwards) pops the question to Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Having dated Topanga (Danielle Fishel) for several months now, Cory (Ben Savage) is anxious to prove that he has not fallen into a rut. To this end, he attends a party at Hamilton High, where nobody knows him. Once he arrives, he finds himself the most popular guy in the room, and no wonder: Everyone there thinks that Cory is actually Shawn (Rider Strong)! Things come to a head when Cory-alias-Shawn takes it upon himself to woo and win the mysterious "French" girl who is also at the party. . .and guess who SHE turns out to be. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Mike Nichols teams up with his former partner/screenwriter Elaine May for the first time in many years and for the first time together in films to create this sophisticated, remake of the phenomenally popular French musical farce La Cage aux Folles that stars Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman and Diane Wiest as two dramatically disparate couples who manage to reconcile their vast differences for the sake of their children who are getting married. Williams plays Armand Goldman, the owner of a popular South Beach drag club known for putting on elaborate showcases starring his long-time lover/wife Albert (Lane) who appears as "Starina." Lately poor flamboyant, flighty Albert has been in crisis over the inexorable onset of middle age. He has been moody, paranoid and unbearably. When he gets too inconsolably distraught, handsome but clumsy houseboy Agador quietly slips Albert "Pirin" tablets (which he explains to Armand are simply Aspirin tablets with the "as" scraped off). Still though Albert can be a royal pain, Armand dearly loves him and the two live happily in their splendiferous apartment above the club. One day Armand's son Val (the result of Armand's single foray into straight sex) comes visiting with joyous news: he has found his dreamgirl and is getting married. The only trouble is, Barbara Keeley's father is the blustery ultra-religious right-wing Senator Keeley (Hackman), the founder of the Coalition for Moral Order. Senator Keeley and his colleagues are not as upright as they seem and when his closest associate is found dead beside a black, underage prostitute, Keeley finds his house surrounded by ravenous newshounds, hungry for dirt. Knowing that they are poised to ruin him, Keeley and his proper but slightly addled-wife (Wiest) decide that a big, elaborate, church wedding will be just the ticket to save his reputation. Barbara has neglected to tell them that Val's parents are gay, preferring to claim that they are members of the South Beach social elite. In a panic, she panics and calls Val who breaks the bad news to Armand and begs him to make the apartment less flamboyant and worst of all to hide Albert (who functioned as Val's mother while the youth grew up) during the visit. Armand is angry, but loving his son, finally, reluctantly agrees, knowing that he will deeply wound his companion. Unfortunately, Albert finds out and as a compromise tries to learn how to be macho so he can pretend to be Val's uncle, he is too much the Great Dame to ever pass as one of the guys and so is banned from the party. Armand then locates Catherine and asks her to masquerade as his wife. She agrees to show up later that evening. Meanwhile their friends busily redecorate the apartment until it looks as if it were done in "Early Inquisition." During the fateful dinner party, Catherine is late and Albert gets uproarious revenge. Achingly comic chaos ensues as Armand tries to hold the increasingly tenuous evening together while outside the newshounds bay and threaten to make even more trouble for Senator Keely. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, (more)
- 1996
While subbing for Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) in a golf tournament, Will (Will Smith) becomes closer than ever to his Uncle Philip (James Avery). Not surprisingly, Carlton is jealous, and does everything he can to sabotage Will's performance on the links. In a similar development, Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) and Vivian (Daphne Maxwell Reid) find the competition tougher than expected during a tennis match. And in the episode's "money" scene, Hilary (Karyn Parsons) manages to get on the bad side of Regis Philbin when she sits in for Reege's TV cohost Kathie Lee Gifford. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Cory (Ben Savage) is hailed as a hero for triggering a fire alarm that saved both Adams High and the school janitor. Noticing that Cory seems a bit too eager to accept all the adulation, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) suspects that there's something very wrong. And as usual, Feeny is right: Cory and Shawn had accidentally set off the alarm (and the fire!) during a nocturnal foray into the school to turn in their overdue chemistry papers. The trick is to get the "hero" to tell the truth before the Big Lie overwhelms him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Matlock goes to church to learn the truth behind the murder of a football coach and his wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rebeccah Bush
- 1993
Chief Miles O'Brien is the center of attention in this episode. While on Bajor, O'Brien is appointed the Sirah, or spiritual leader, of a tiny village. With considerable reluctance, O'Brien not only assumes his duties, but endeavors to save his disciples from destruction. On another front, Jake and Nog vie for the attentions of a Bajoran girl who is intent upon renegotiating a delicate peace treaty. First broadcast May 1, 1993, "The Storyteller" was written by Kurt Michael Bensmiller and Ira Steven Behr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
- PG
The exciting world of rollerblading provides the basis of this tale of a young teen who tries to inspire the affection of a pretty girl with his skating prowess. The lad is 15-year-old Mitchell Goosen who is sent from sunny southern California to snowy Cincinnati to live with relatives while his parents go on a long trip to Australia. The boy comes to the Ohio city clutching his surfboard and meets his goofy cousin who quickly becomes his friend. Naturally his laid back West Coast ways make him the subject of ridicule in his new high school. His biggest foe is the school jock. The pain of his new life is eased a bit after Mitchell meets perky blond Nikki. They talk and then he is forced to play in a hockey game. Mitchell has no idea what hockey is about but still manages to score the winning goal causing him to be the victim of more ostracism. In the spring, he begins rollerblading and the other kids are amazed by his many stunts. Eventually, he uses his skills to win the respect of his enemies and Niki's heart, but not without a lot more daring skating escapades. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shane Mc Dermott, Seth Green, (more)
- 1993
Impudent Dennis plagues the ever-irascible Mr. Wilson in this full-length, live-action adventure comedy, which finds everyone's favorite troublemaker digging in the sandbox for some forgotten fossils. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
High-concept director Robert Zemeckis applies his usual polish -- helped by an equally adept cast -- for this surprisingly gruesome and extremely funny black comedy. The film begins with narcissistic actress Madeline (Meryl Streep) stealing the latest in a series of potential fiancées, wimpy plastic surgeon Ernest (Bruce Willis), from her ex-best friend Helen (Goldie Hawn). Depressed and infuriated, Helen suffers a breakdown that lands her in a mental hospital -- in addition to a junk-food bender that seems to triple her weight. When Madeline crosses paths with Helen again many years later, she is horrified to discover her once-chunky rival looking younger, slimmer and more glamorous than ever before. Fearing that Helen will try to steal Ernest back -- and dreading the thought of not having a plastic surgeon at her beck and call -- Madeline solicits the supernatural services of an exotic New Age mystic (Isabella Rossellini), who sells her a potent youth elixir with the stipulation that she follow the dosage instructions to the letter... yeah, right. It appears that Helen owes her sexy comeback to the same magic formula, and the inevitable violent clash between the two well-dressed banshees leads to the realization that both women have become nearly impervious zombies, clawing at each other's throats long after the blood has run cold in their veins. Best remembered for Dick Smith's Oscar-winning makeup effects, which allow the rapidly-rotting undead femmes to toss off witty one-liners with ragged holes blasted through their bodies or spin their heads Exorcist-style. Not all the sight gags work, and Zemeckis' lighthearted treatment of such grotesque material tends to dull the satirical edge, but there are some truly inspired moments of dementia -- particularly a hilarious cameo from Sydney Pollack as a doctor who comes unglued while examining Streep (who has yet to realize she's dead). ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, (more)
- 1992
The political campaign between Philip (James Avery) and Judge Robertson (Sherman Hemsley) begins in earnest--deadly earnest, as it turns out. Will (Will Smith) seriously jeopardizes his uncle's chances when he is hauled into jail to account for $2000 worth of unpaid parking tickets. Though he may be senile, Judge Robertson isn't stupid, and he intends to exploit Will's "indiscretion" to the fullest in public! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
When Eddie (K.C. Martel) elopes to Las Vegas with hat-check girl Tina (Melissa Young), Mike (Kirk Cameron) and Kate (Chelsea Noble) go along for the ride--not so much to witness the ceremony as to talk Eddie out of his foolishness. Upon finding out what's happened, Mike's parents Jason (Alan Thicke) and Maggie (Joanna Kerns) leap to the conclusion that it is Mike and Kate who intend to tie the knot. This is the last episode of Growing Pains' sixth season, and the last with the original production crew. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
Two lovers inadvertently take the notion of fiery passion too far when their lovemaking begins generating real conflagrations in this romantic fantasy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, (more)
- 1989
During an "FYI" hiatus, Murphy (Candice Bergen) and Corky (Faith Ford) agree to temporarily co-host the station's early-morning show. While Corky takes to the job like a fish to water, Murphy is driven crazy by the show's laid-back format and her co-host's nails-on-the-blackboard ebullience. Famed Elvis Presley impersonator Pete Willcox shows up as Murphy's "Secretary #20", who bears a startling resemblance to a certain Memphis singer who had Left the Building several years earlier. This is the final episode of Murphy Brown's first season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
In this children's comedy, Hank Ketcham's enduring comic-strip character and his pals discover mysterious bones in their neighborhood. Paleontologists soon come to investigate and mayhem ensues. On video the film is titled: "Dennis the Menace: Dinosaur Hunter." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Dudley Moore and Eddie Murphy try but fail to bring this flat comedy to life, while the story itself is hampered by intercutting between the years of 1982 in Los Angeles (Moore) and 1984 in Kuwait (Murphy), with no explanation of how these two disparate people and locations are related. Wylie (Moore) is an inept engineer trying to perfect a gyro system for his employers who contract projects with the U.S. defense department. Wylie accidentally gets some blueprints for another type of gyro -- and his company successfully manufactures the part, much to almost everyone's benefit. Unfortunately, these plans are coveted by a certain ruthless industrial spy (David Rasch), and the FBI itself is suspicious about the origins of the blueprints in Wylie's hands. Meanwhile (and in constant interspersed segments), Landry (Murphy) is trying to get his tank to stay on course, but no matter what he does the machine swerves and lunges at random -- could there be a gyro at fault here? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dudley Moore, Eddie Murphy, (more)
