Chris Engen Movies
- 2007
Intended as a five-times-weekly presentation of MyNetwork's "Secret Obsessions" package, the English-language telenova Saints and Sinners was based on the TV Azteca prime-time soaper La Calle de las Novias ("Bride's Avenue"). An updated rehash of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", the series focused on the bitter rivalry between the Capshaws and the Martins, rival hotel owners in Miami Beach. Widowed Sylvia Capshaw (Mel Harris) was determined to break up the romance between her daughter Julia (Tyler Kain) and young Roman Martin (Scott Bailey), son of unscrupulous hoteliers Diana and August Martin (Maria Conchita Alonso, Charles Shaughnessy). It was not merely hatred of the Martins which motivated Sylvia: Roman had been arrested on the charge of murdering Julia's father. Acquitted of the crime, Roman endeavor to save his family from financial ruin by opening his own nightclub, "The Verona" (!) He also hoped to win back Julia from her current beau Richard Vargas (Chris Engen), the son of shady business mogul Antonio Vargas, who may or may not have actually been the infamous underworld boss known as "The Guerrero." Weaving in and out of the proceedings was the series' "Friar Lawrence" counterpart, a handsome bogus priest named Marcus (Ryan Scott Greene), and New York fashion designer Kelly Mitchell (Robin Givens), who wanted Robin all too herself. This series was originally filmed under the title "A Dangerous Love"; in the early developmental stages, the warring families were named Olivera and Manzini, Kelly Mitchell's name was Kelly Dodd, Maria Conchita Alonso's character had been conceived as the starring role. With the overall ratings for MyNetwork's various "original" telenovas plummeting precipitously, by the time Saints and Sinners debuted on March 14, 2007 the series had been reconfigured as a weekly rather than a nightly offering, with two episodes shown back-to-back each week. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A life forged in tragedy leads to an afterlife filled with darkness as a young girl journeys through purgatory in search of salvation in director Stephen J. Cannell's supernatural tale of terror. Celia (Monica Keena)'s mother died during childbirth, and her father disappeared shortly thereafter. Though her grandparents raised the young girl to their best of their abilities, Celia's grim fate was sealed as soon as she exited the womb. Drugged, raped, and killed by an accidental overdose on the night of her twenty-first birthday, Celia is about to discover that death is only the beginning for the unfortunate souls who neglected to seek salvation in life. Now Celia is trapped in a menacing netherworld land somewhere between salvation and damnation, and in order to reach the light she's going to have to make her way through a world populated by the demonic Soul Eaters and malevolent entities. As the spirit of her recently deceased grandfather (Tim Thomerson) attempts to lure her into an infernal underworld and her guardian angel (David Anders) tries to lead her safely to the other side, Celia will be forced to make a decision that will ultimately define the fate of her eternal soul. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Monica Keena, David Anders, (more)
Not a sequel, not really a prequel, sort of a remake, more of a re-imagining, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights follows the blossoming love affair of young couple Katey (Romola Garai) and Javier (Diego Luna) against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution in 1958. Katey is an American girl living in Cuba with her parents who meets Javier, a local. Javier takes Katey to a nightclub where he teaches her how to dance dirty Cuban-style. The two grow closer and closer, but when Castro takes over, Katey's parents decide to flee for the U.S., leaving Katey to make the ultimate decision. Tying the film together with the classic 1987 original is Patrick Swayze who reprises the role of Johnny Castle in a cameo. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diego Luna, Romola Garai, (more)
- 2002
Based on the British series of the same name, the UPN network dramedy As If emulated such "reality" programs as The Real World, albeit with professional actors following sketchy, improvisational scenarios. In standard cinéma-vérité fashion, a team of cameramen follow six twentysomethings as they cope with life in the Big City -- and with each other. The neatly compartmentalized characters included the sullen Sooz (played by Emily Corrie, the sole carryover from the original British As If), the egocentric Rob (Chris Engen), the worldly Sasha (Tracie Thoms), the sexually voracious Nicki (Adrienne Wilkinson), the prankish Jamie (Derek Hughes), and the obligatory gay character, Alex (Robin Dunne). The American version of As If premiered March 5, 2002, in tandem with another brand-new UPN series, Random Years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
