Khary Payton
- 2007
- PG13
An aimless young Chinese-American finds his hoop dreams unexpectedly sidelined when his parents are injured in an accident and he is forced to give ping-pong lessons in the fiction feature debut of acclaimed documentary filmmaker Jessica Yu (In the Realms of the Unreal). Christopher "C-dub" Wang (Jimmy Tsai) may not be able to sink a lay-up to save his life, yet he longs to realize his lifelong goal of playing in the NBA. Add to this the fact that C-dub still lives at home and will likely never emerge from under the shadow of his successful older brother, Michael (Roger Fan), and it's beginning to look like this wannabe pro-athlete is going nowhere fast. C-dub's parents (Jim Lau and Elizabeth Sung) are a pair of former table tennis champs who now own a successful ping-pong supply shop and teach lessons on the side. Much like his parents were back in the day, C-dub's brother Michael (Roger Fan) is a ping-pong wizard who is championed by the Chinese community for taking top rank in the tournaments year after year. But now, Michael and C-dub's parents have both been injured in a car accident, forcing the ill-equipped -- and extremely reluctant -- family slacker to take over the ping-pong teaching duties. While at first C-dub doesn't take his new responsibility all too seriously, he quickly discovers that the future of his family rests in his hands after Michael is injured and rendered unable to compete in this year's championships. Soon, C-dub realizes that by stepping in for Michael and winning the championships, he may also be able to win the heart of the girl he has fallen head over heels in love with. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jimmy Tsai, Smith Cho, (more)
- 2006
Heather Graham starred in this ABC sitcom as Emily Sanders, a successful young businesswoman engaged in the business of publishing self-help books. In order to keep her friends, her values, and her head on straight, Emily rigidly adhered to her own inner set of "Reasons" why to do certain things, and why not to do certain others (for example, she maintained five reasons why or why not to date a guy). Alas, our heroine's self-imposed guidelines flew out the window when she fell in love with a philandering author, forcing her to do some serious mental retrenching to get herself back on track. Helping Emily get back on her emotional feet were her cynical best female friend Reilly (Nadia Dajani) and her gay best male friend/severest critic Josh (Khary Payton). Created by former TV publicist Carrie Gerlach, Emily's Reasons Why Not was dismissed by several critics as a PG-rated Sex and the City (complete with voiceover narration), with undertones of Ally McBeal, notably in the characterization of Emily's former assistant and bête-noire Glitter Cho (Smith Cho), a bitch-on-wheels whose entrances were accompanied by the musical theme from Jaws (similar to the Wicked Witch of the West music heard whenever Ally McBeal's Lucy Liu stormed into view). After innumerable production-personnel changes, Emily's Reasons Why Not premiered January 9, 2006, as a companion piece to ABC's recently revitalized Jake in Progress. Although six episodes were filmed before the debut date, Emily's Reasons Why Not was cancelled after only one telecast, having been pummeled in the ratings by rival series Two and a Half Men. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Graham, Nadia Dajani, (more)
"Teen Titans" Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire and Raven do battle against the forces of evil while simultaneously adjusting to their own personal "angst" and rampaging hormones in the fourth season of their animated TV series. Things get off to a typically lively start when the Titans are thrust into a TV-generated world--with constantly changing channels--by lunatic couch potato Control Freak. Nor does the action abate in the remaining 12 episodes. Robin aspires to martial arts greatness under the tutelage of the True Master, but it is for the common good or to satisfy his own ego? Hurtled 5000 years into the past, Cyborg becomes a Conan-like barbarian. Beast Boy briefly descends from his superhero pedestal to take a job at a fast-food restaurant with a strangely unappetizing menu. Outer space hero Val-Yor wants the Titans to help him vanquish an enemy--but wants nothing to do with Starfire; and a later scuffle in space sends the Titans off to different corners of the universe. Also, a new "Max-7" brain chip turns Cyborg into a "speed freak"; and an elderly eccentric named Mother May-Eye "adopts" the Ttans as her own, but in this case a superhero's best friend may not be his Mother. The season is dominated by a disturbing throughline, beginning with Raven's curiously nonfestive attitude on her birthday. The source of her discomfort is the Titan's perennial nemesis Slade, who has apparently returned from the dead, and who shares a sinister secret with Raven. All of this is but a prelude to the season's riotous three-part finale, in which Raven, guided by Slade, prepares to fulfill what she believes is her destiny--to bring about the end of the world! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, (more)
Clive Barker's sinister creation Pinhead returns again in this horror outing, the eighth feature in the Hellraiser franchise. A handful of teenagers have become big fans of the latest Hellraiser video game -- so much so that they create a tribute website called "Hellworld.com," which simulates a digital Lament Configuration in cyberspace. However, Pinhead (Doug Bradley) is not at all happy with this turn of events, and decides to take action agaist the young people, luring them to a "party" where their frightening fantasies become a far more disturbing reality. Hellraiser: Hellworld also stars Lance Henriksen, Katheryn Winnick, Christopher Jacot, and Henry Cavill. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doug Bradley, Katheryn Winnick, (more)
- 2004
Ronnie (David Rees Snell) discovers that there is 7,000 dollars missing from the "Money Train" stash. He and Lem (Kenny Johnson) suspect Shane (Walton Goggins), but Vic (Michael Chiklis) doesn't believe it. Shane, meanwhile, decides to buy an engagement ring for Mara (Michele Hicks) from Taylor (RonReaco Lee), a fence. Julien (Michael Jace), desperate to have a child with his wife, visits a doctor about his sexual dysfunction. Dutch (Jay Karnes) takes Danny (Catherine Dent) out to look for the "cuddler" rapist, and later learns that an elderly woman was sexually assaulted and murdered just a few blocks away. A minor oversight by Claudette (CCH Pounder) endangers the lives of Trish (Nicki Micheaux) and Waylon (Gareth Williams), who are working undercover to bust a gang-related contract-murder business. Waylon's cover is blown, putting the cops in the precarious position of needing to alert Waylon not to go forward with the sting, without putting Trish in further jeopardy. Tommy (Matt Gerald) returns to the station to beg for his old job back. When neither Julien nor Danny seems enthusiastic about helping him, he takes drastic action. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
The Teen Titans--Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Starfire--continue to save the world from various and sundry super-baddies, and to squabble amongst themselves like the overgrown kids that they are, in the second season of the cartoon series bearing their name. In the first of the season's 13 episodes, Starfire is hurtled two decades into the future in pursuit of time-travelling felon Warp--and comes face to face with Robin's "older self" Nightwing. And that's only the beginning, folks, only the beginning! The Titans mistake Beast Boy for a green alien dog, and vice versa. The half-human side of Cyborg clashes with his half-robot side durng a battle with giant robot Atlas. The world of horror films collides with reality (or at least, cartoon reality) when Titans Tower becomes the repository of the Teen Titans' worst fears. The deadly criminal Killer Moth threatens to decimate the city-- unless Robin agrees to escort the Moth's daughter Kitten to her prom! The moment Starfire begins obsessing over her looks, her looks turn around and nearly destroy her. The Master of Games pits the current Teen Titans against several of their comic-book predecessors in an alternate dimension. And Robin comes to regret a visit from his "number one fan" Larry the Titan. There's also a poignant--and ultimately terrifying--plot thread involving Terra, a strange, telekinetic girl who wants to join the Titans, but may not yet have full control over her awesome (and potentially apocalyptic) powers. Terra is given the opportunity to prove her mettle Titans' arch-enemy Slade--and later, Terra and Beast Boy become an "item". Alas, the relationship sours in a spectacular fashion, as demonstrated in the season's slam-bang two-part finale, which proves beyond doubt that Hell hate no fury like a Terra scorned! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, (more)
Fighting a never-ending battle against the forces of evil--and their own immaturities, insecurities and petty jealousies--Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven and Starfire return for a third season of the animated Teen Titans. In the season opener, Cyborg, disguised as a muscleman named Stone, infiltrates the H.IV.E. Academy, breeding ground for the evil Slade's minions. The mission succeeds in utterly decimating H.I.V.E. , a victory that may prove Pyrrhic when several surviving academy members mount an undersea counteract against the Titans in a later episode which features "guest hero" Aqualad. Elsewhere: Robin must battle his alter ego Red X, and his own guilt for making Red X the crazy mixed-up character he has become. Starfire surprises everyone when she announces plans to marry a man she's never met. Beast Boy's obsession with computer games causes Cyborg to be infected with a virus that causes him to berserk--and later in the season, Beast Boy experience another personality makeover when he's drenched in toxic waste. The Titans' long-dead enemy Slade apparently returns to life--or is it merely Robin's delirium that has brought about this unholy resurrection? Raven a rendezvous with a magician she frees from one of her books; and later,the less benign illusionist the Amazing Mumbo sucks the Titans into alternate world reminiscent of the Krofft Brothers' Lidsville! Retro villain Mad Mod returns to crash the Titans' 4th of July party and hurtle the U.S. back into the British Empire. And the Titan's unofficial pet Silkie the silkworm, introduced the previous season, turns out to be one of those domestic creatures that becomes more unmanageable (and more dangerous) when it's off its feed. The two-part season finale marks the formation of a new team, Titans East, comprised of DC Comics veterans Speedy and Aqualad, and Spanish twins Mas Y Menos; alas, their crimefighting activities are severely curtailed after a brainwashing session with the sinister Brother Blood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, (more)
- 2003
The Justice League finds itself in the middle of a diabolical "reality show" along the Las Vegas strip. It seems that the Joker has planted time bombs all up and down the main drag of Sin City, and has given the JLers only a few hours to deactivate the explosives. Complicating matters is the interference of The Joker's newest henchpersons, the "Royal Flush Gang": Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten (their voices ironically supplied by cast members of Justice League's "sister" animated series Teen Titans). ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Hamill, Arleen Sorkin, (more)
Sweet Home Alabama screenwriter C. Jay Cox directs the independent romance Latter Days. Christian (Wesley A. Ramsey) is a young gay party boy who lives in Southern California. When a group of good-looking Mormon missionary guys move into his apartment complex, he's determined to pick one up. He ends up falling for sweet, innocent Mormon Aaron Davis (Steve Sandvoss), who's secretly struggling with his sexuality. Aaron slowly falls for Christian, even though he thinks he's shallow. The romance causes problems in both worlds. Christian tries to develop a conscience and ends up meeting Keith (Erik Palladino), a man dying of AIDS. Aaron has the difficult job of coming out to his mom (Mary Kay Place) and to his fellow missionaries. He comes against harsh criticism from the blatantly homophobic Ryder (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Latter Days won awards at the Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and L.A. Outfest. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wesley A. Ramsey, Steve Sandvoss, (more)
Youthful superheroes Robin the Boy Wonder, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Starfire battle a vast array of costumed villains--not to mention their own raging hormones, petty jealousies, and deep-set insecurities--in Season One of the animated Teen Titans. Thirteen episodes are dished up this season. In the opener, the Titans are attacked by graduates of the H.I.V.E. Academy, minions all of the mysterious Slade Williams. Then, Starfire is locked into a fierce sibling rivalry with her mercurial sister Blackfire. In the next episode, an effort to wipe out the villainous Cinderblock comes acropper because the Titans can't get along together. And there's more. Practical joker Beast Boy gets a dose of his own medicine just in time to reign in a destructive fraternal pair called Thunder and Lightning. The half-robotic Cyborg suffers a power failure in the middle of a pitched battle with the Amazing Mumbo. An enchanted mirror enables the Titans to literally find out what's on the apparently schizoid Raven's mind. The feud between Starfire and Raven has to be put on the back burner when the Titan males are "puppetized." Beast Boy shows off his morphing ability, only to be upstaged by former Teen Titan Aqualad (voiced by Wil Wheaton). Robin zeroes in on the mysterious Slade when the latter steals a valuable computer chip, virtually ignoring another and possibly more serious threat. The "retro" villain Mad Mod kidnaps the Titans and subjects them to a bummer of a bad trip. And in a two-part episode, Robin agaonizes over the possibility that he may be no better than the villains he pursues. In the first-season finale, Cyborg creates his "dream" vehicle, the T-Car, only to have the vehicle fall into the wrong hands--several wrong hands, in fact! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, (more)
