Moira Kelly

The feature debut from writer/director Jess Manafort, this bittersweet teen comedy centers on a group of kids on the last day of school in 1999. With an ensemble cast featuring Lyndsy Fonseca, Amber Heard, and Alexa Vega, the film follows several students as they relish the advent of summer vacation and struggle with drugs, sex, and the unpredictability of the future before them. The Beautiful Ordinary screened at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Ten years after The Lion King shot to the top at the box office and first introduced the characters of Simba (Matthew Broderick) and his pals Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), Disney presented this retelling of the Academy Award-winning animated musical. Switching the perspective to that of meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa, The Lion King 1 1/2 puts a new spin on the events of the original film. This time around, the comic duo are conveniently at the center of much of the story. Along with returning cast members Moira Kelly, Whoopi Goldberg, and Cheech Marin, The Simpsons' Julie Kavner and Seinfeld's Jerry Stiller lend their voices to newcomer characters Timon's Mom and Timon's Uncle Max, respectively. The straight-to-video film also features the never-before-heard song "That's All I Need." ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

The first season of The West Wing wastes no time in plunging the fledgling administration of American president Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) into a crisis, when the commander in chief is injured by a fall from a bicycle borrowed from his chief of staff, Leo McGarry (John Spencer). Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) and Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff) do a neat job alienating the entire Religious Right; and Toby's deputy, Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), exhibits his customary streak of irresponsibility by entering into a romance with call girl Laurie (Lisa Edelstein). As the season progresses, other major issues arise, some crucial, some not. Vice President Hoynes (Tim Matheson) refuses to espouse the party line (it isn't the first time, and it won't be the last); Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly) is hired as Bartlet's consultant, but doesn't last the year; the president ponders the problem of "proportional response" when he mounts a deadly counterattack to avenge the death of his doctor when his plane is shot down over Jordan; Josh must deal with the death of his sister; the love-hate relationship between Press Secretary C.J. (Allison Janney) and reporter Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) heats up; war breaks out on the India-Pakistan border; Bartlet shows signs of fatigue (or perhaps something more serious) when he collapses just before his first State of the Union address; and "First Daughter" Zoey raises a few eyebrows (and, unfortunately, more than a few threats) when she begins dating Bartlet's young African-American aide, Charlie (Dule Hill). Among the recurring characters making their first appearances this season are Bartlet's loyal secretary and sometimes severest critic, Delores Landingham (Kathryn Joosten); Josh's wisecracking assistant, Donna Moss (Janel Moloney); and political consultant Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin), a feisty deaf woman who is seldom seen without her intrepid interpreter (played by actress Maitlin's real-life interpreter, Bill O'Brien). The season ends on a cliffhanger, as Bartlet and his staff are besieged by an assassination attempt -- and it will not be until the following season that the "casualty list" will be posted. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Darrell Rooney directed this direct-to-video sequel to Disney's 1994 The Lion King, which climaxed with Simba (voice of Matthew Broderick) enthroned as the ruling king of beasts following the death of the evil Scar. With the spirited tune He Lives in You, Simba and his mate Nala (Moira Kelly) issue a triumphant announcement of the birth of Lion Princess Kiara (Neve Campbell)! Given to misadventures and mischief, Kiara wanders into the forbidden Outlands, the haunt of Scar's exiled minions, and there she encounters another mischievous cub, Kovu (Jason Marsden), son of lioness Zira (Suzanne Pleshette), once a close friend of the late Scar and now the leader of the exiles. Zira plots against Kiara, drawing her son into her scheme. Kovu has divided loyalties as his love for Kiara deepens. Several original characters (and original voices) from the 1994 film return in this sequel, an event so anticipated that Buena Vista Home Video initially shipped 15 million units for the 10/27/98 retail release. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In this throwback to films noir of the 1940s, Jack Morrisey (Denis Leary) is a pianist and songwriter who has been touring the club circuit with his lady love, Vicky (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon). Jack and Vicky have talent, but they haven't gotten the breaks; they're stone broke and at the end of their collective rope when Eddie (Michael Badalucco), a private eye who knows Jack, makes the couple an offer. Fred Moore (Terence Stamp), a very wealthy man who is something of a fan of Jack's music, is attracted to Vicky. Fred's money and property are, for legal reasons, primarily in the name of his wife, who wants a divorce. If Eddie can provide hard evidence that Fred is cheating on his wife, she'll stand to keep most of his money in a divorce, and Eddie will be kicked back a good chunk of change. Eddie, in turn, will be more than happy to share his wealth with Jack and Vicky, if Vicky would be willing to seduce Fred for the purposes of creating blackmail photos. Though she was a major star in Latin America, this was only the second English language film for Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, after her appearance alongside Keanu Reeves in A Walk in the Clouds. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this TV series, Boston police detective Sean McGrail (Jason Beghe) and public defender Annie Cornell (Moira Kelly) are an odd couple caught in a passionate love affair, and they're just as passionate when they clash. In their close-knit Irish neighborhood, they get plenty of advice, including caustic comments from Sean's mom Fiona (Fionnula Flanagan), his firefighter brother (Stephen Lee), and his other brothers (Jason Wiles, Stephen Largay), also cops. The opening episode sets up an improbable situation that has Annie in the courtroom grilling her hubby-to-be about thong underwear and strippers. Filmed in L.A., this romantic comedy-drama premiered September 30, 1998 on CBS. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

In this comedy with dramatic overtones, Susan "Soosh" Teagarden (Moira Kelly) is an aspiring artist with plenty of emotional baggage. Her father Theo (Christopher Lloyd) is a famous painter; he's also an alcoholic who has never been able to express his affection for his daughter. Soosh's mother died when she was young, and she still cherishes her memory but also feels deep loss. These days, Soosh has trouble with men, her job at a clothing store, her art, and her landlord, after she's caught shoplifting. Looking for somewhere to stay, she goes to a nearby convent and tells them a sob story that moves the Mother Superior (Eileen Brennan) to take her in. Soosh discovers that Christian charity isn't the easy street she expected; she has to work alongside the sisters at the convent and follow their schedule, and Soosh isn't accustomed to rising at 5 a.m. and having to be in by 11 p.m. But the Mother Superior sees Soosh's paintings and realizes that she has a true gift; she encourages her in her art and tries to help her put the broken pieces of her life together. Along the way, Soosh also falls in love with Felix (Dylan Walsh), who happens to run the art supply store where she steals most of her supplies. Changing Habits also stars Shelley Duvall as a speechless nun and Teri Garr as one of Soosh's co-workers. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A woman who skirts the edges of madness finds love, but under deceptive circumstances, in this drama from Ireland. Sarah (Anne Brochet) is a lonely sculptor who lives near the Irish seacoast. One day, while walking along a desolate beach, she discovers a man who has washed up on the shore (James Spader). Though nearly drowned and suffering with a broken leg, the man is alive, and Sarah brings him back to her cottage, nursing him back to health. She discovers that the man is suffering from severe amnesia; he isn't sure who he is or what has happened, and Sarah decides to tell him that they're the only residents of a remote island, which is visited only by a supply boat every few months. The man believes Sarah, and in time he comes to trust and love her, but while Sarah is determined to keep her lover for herself, he displays a growing desire to leave the island for more civilized circumstances. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This biographical drama was based on the true story of Dorothy Day, a devout Catholic who devoted much of her life to working with the poor and homeless on New York City's Lower East Side. Born in an Episcopalian household in 1897, Day (played by Moira Kelly) was a free-thinking agnostic in her young adulthood; she contributed to radical leftist journals and was friends with the likes of Eugene O'Neill (James Lancaste) and Mike Gold (Paul Lieber). After undergoing a painful abortion and giving birth to another child out of wedlock after her lover, Foster Batterham (Lenny Von Dohlen), abandoned her rather than marry, Day embraced Catholicism, a faith she would cling to strongly for the rest of her life. Day's leftist politics and her sense of personal activism remained; she established a political journal, "The Catholic Worker," in association with self-described Christian anarchist Peter Maurin (Martin Sheen), and was a tireless and outspoken champion of the rights of the poor and disenfranchised. Day came under heavy criticism for her political and social activism; as she put it, "If you feed the poor, you're called a saint, but if you ask why they're poor, you're called a Communist." However, Day continued her mission undaunted until her death in 1980, when she was called America's Mother Teresa. Entertaining Angels was produced by Paulist Pictures, a Catholic organization who also produced Romero, another film about a noted Catholic activist. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

One of the most popular Disney animated musicals, The Lion King presents the story of a lion cub's journey to adulthood and acceptance of his royal destiny. Simba (voiced first by Jonathan Taylor Thomas, then by Matthew Broderick) begins life as an honored prince, son of the powerful King Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones). The cub's happy childhood turns tragic when his evil uncle Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons) murders Mufasa and drives Simba away from the kingdom. In exile, the young lion befriends the comically bumbling pair of Pumbaa the warthog (voiced by Ernie Sabella) and Timon the meerkat (voiced by Nathan Lane) and lives a carefree jungle life. As he approaches adulthood, however, he is visited by the spirit of his father, who instructs him to defeat the nefarious Scar and reclaim his rightful throne. Borrowing elements from Hamlet, classical mythology, and African folk tales, The Lion King tells its mythic coming-of-age tale with a combination of spectacular visuals and lively music, featuring light, rhythmic songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, and a score by Hans Zimmer. Embraced by children and adults alike, the film also spawned hit songs ("Can You Feel the Love Tonight", "Circle of Life") and a hit Broadway musical. In late 2002, The Lion King was re-released in the large-screen IMAX format. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide