Christy Summerhays Movies
- 2003
For their 200th assignment together, Monica (Roma Downey) and Tess (Della Reese) were supposed to bring hope and faith into the heart of embitteredt DMV instructor Kelly (Lesley Warren). But when Tess is "disqualified", angel-in-training Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli) takes over. On surface, Kelly is a standard-issue assignment, a woman who has soured on life after spending 14 years caring for a streetwise orphan named Jessie (Edwin Hodge) in a crime-ridden Chicago neighborhood. But there is a whole different dimension to this case: Kelly is herself an angel, who since going AWOL from Heaven has evolved into a human being...with far more than her share of human failings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Everybody Loves Raymond's Doris Roberts is perfectly typecast as lifelong busybody Rose (Doris Roberts), who insists upon meddling in the affairs of her grown daughter Maggie (Mare Winnignham) whether anybody likes it or not. Aware that Maggie's marriage to husband Brian (Tom Verica) is in trouble, Rose tries to "fix" things by arranging a Eastern vacation for the couple, which will allow them to hear the Bells of St. Peters' in Rome; perhaps, reasons Rose, this will bring about the miracle that will bring Maggie and Brian back together. A sudden, fatal illness forces a radical change in plans--and an unhappy ending seems to be inevitable. So where's the miracle? And for that matter, where are Monica (Roma Downey), Tess (Della Reese) and Andrew (John Dye? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Monica (Roma Downey) is summoned for jury duty in the trial of 18-year-old Brendan Falstaff, accused of setting fire to the home of his girlfriend Elizabeth for the purpose of murder. On the first ballot, the vote is eleven to one for conviction--and guess who's the sole holdout? Convinced that reasonable doubt still exists, Monica would like to use her angelic powers to sway the other jurors, but is forbidden from doing so by fellow angel Andrew (John Dye). Thus, Monica must adopt another strategy: finding the real reason that the intractable jury foreman (Bonnie Franklin) is so grimly determined to condemn the boy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Lonely florist Joan Connor (Nancy McKeon) has always taken second place to her cute younger sister Laura (Alexandra Wilson), thanks largely to the well-meaning but misguided signals sent out by the ladies' mother Kay (Janet Leigh). With this in mind, it is perhaps understandable that Joan would be pleased and flattered when Laura's ex-boyfriend Michael (Thomas Joseph McCarthy) begins showering attention upon her. Unfortunately, Michael is a psychotic with several sinister ulterior motives on his mind--and it takes the revelation of a secret from the Connor's past to rid themselves of the dangerous Michael. . .and to bring the sisters closer together than ever before. Made for television, My Sister's Shadow debuted January 5, 1999 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Reporter Monica (Roma Downey) endeavors to persuade cynical Chicago tabloid publisher Liz Bradley (Ann Jillian) to return to her original, lofty journalistic ideals. Alas, Liz is so obsessed with reporting the "truth" at all costs that it threatens to destroy everyone around her. Particularly victimized by Liz's ruthlessness is her own sister Lauren (played by Desperate Housewives'Marcia Cross), who finds herself in the middle of a horrendous international scandal involving a corrupt politician (Scott Wilkinson. It takes the combined efforts of Monica and guileless young reporter Ray Rifkin (John Patrick White) to persuade Liz not to use "the truth" as a lethal weapon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Expectant parents Bill and Joanne McNabb (Bill Smitrovich, Betsy Brantley) are torn apart by the news that their unborn child has Down Syndrome. Though Joanne wants to keep the baby, Bill is leaning in the opposite direction--and, out of shame over having an "imperfect" child, he has told Joanne to keep the baby's condition a secret until a final decision is made. Though angels Monica (Roma Downey) and Andrew (John Dye) are on hand to help alleviate the tension, it falls to another angel named Taylor (Chris Burke), himself a Downs child, to lead the McNabbs towards the right decision--but not before a near-fatal disaster! This episode features a piquant reunion of actors Bill Smitrovich and Chris Burke, respectively cast as father and son on the earlier series Life Goes On. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
John Larkin (Timothy Hutton would seem to have the ideal life: A great job, a beautiful home, a happy marriage. Nonetheless, John has always been nagged by the feeling that "something is missing." The truth of this suspicion is violently driven home when John is inexplicably kidnapped from his home in the middle of the night by two sinister strangers. Managing to escape, John makes his way back to his wife (Suzy Amis--only to find out that she's not his wife at all, but instead a doctor for a top-secret government agency. Laboriously putting the pieces together, John realizes that he has never truly existed as a human being since he was nearly killed in a car crash: Instead, he is a semi-android, his brain implanted with false and misleading memories--all part of a master scheme to transform him into a "perfect" government assassin! Not dissimilar to such theatrical technothrillers as Total Recall, the made-for-TV Dead By Midnight (you'll have to see the film to understand the title's grim significance) was first aired by ABC on November 23, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Directed by Joe Camp, Benji: Off the Leash! follows the plight of three underdogs: Benji, who is literally a dog; the funny but none-too-bright Sheldon; and Colby, a 14-year-old facing some real problems. The unlikely trio is brought together by the nefarious efforts of an ill-intentioned puppy breeder who wants to use Benji's mother in an irresponsible backyard puppy mill. The film serves as a prequel of sorts to the Benji franchise, and features Chris Kendrick, Nick Whitaker, Duane Stephens, Randall Newsome, and, of course, Benji the Dog. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Benji, Nick Whitaker, (more)
