Michael Lembeck Movies

This teen movie follows the story of four seventh grade preteens who rule their exclusive New York girl's school with their powerful clique known as the Pretty Committee. Normally, their group of friends is extremely choosy about who they socialize with, but when frumpy classmate Claire ends up moving into the guest house of one of these cliquey chicks, their disgust eventually turns to sympathy, as some of them start to realize that it doesn't take a chic outfit to be a good friend. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

Actress and writer Nia Vardalos, who became an overnight sensation with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, returns to the big screen with this gender-bending comedy. Connie (Vardalos) and Carla (Toni Collette) are best friends who've shared the same dream ever since they were teenagers -- making a name for themselves in the musical theater. However, after years of treading water on Chicago's dinner theater circuit and playing bottom-of-the-barrel nightclubs, the two are facing middle age with minimal career success. One evening after a performance, Connie and Carla have the misfortune of witnessing the murder of nightclub owner Frank (Michael Roberds) by low-level Mafiosi; the gals are seen by the shooters, and they hit the road in fear for their lives. Connie and Carla end up in Los Angeles, where they struggle to create new identities for themselves. After witnessing a drag review at a nightclub, they realize that even they have more talent than most of the men performing that evening, and they decide to pose as female impersonators in hopes of landing a gig. Connie and Carla's new act is an immediate hit, and soon they're the toast of L.A.'s gay community. But the women discover it's difficult to keep on fooling people into believing they're men, and things become even more complicated when the Mobsters discover that Connie and Carla are in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Connie finds herself falling for Jeff (David Duchovny), a regular guy looking for his cross-dressing brother who can't understand why he's developing a crush on a drag queen. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Friends opens its seventh season with two prime episodes, originally telecast back-to-back. In the second episode, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) makes a shocking discovery about Rachel (Jennifer Aniston): she has a fondness for extremely erotic reading material. And in another development, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), preparing to shoulder her responsibilities as a bridesmaid for Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry), temporarily moves in with Rachel's erstwhile boyfriend Ross (David Schwimmer) -- who is none too thrilled that "Pheeb" has brought her massage business along in the bargain. ~ All Movie Guide

In the first half of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single hour-long episode), the divorce of their friends Barry and Mindy leads the gang to imagine how their lives might have turned out had they made different choices in life. In this parallel universe of the mind, Monica (Courteney Cox) is overweight and a virgin; Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) has a crush on famous soap opera leading man Joey (Matt LeBlanc); Ross (David Schwimmer) is still wed to a "straight" Carol (Jane Sibbett); and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) has a high-paying job on Wall Street -- and a bad heart condition! The "alternate reality" theme of this episode is even carried over into the opening credits. ~ All Movie Guide

A focal point for many of this season's episodes, Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler's (Matthew Perry) secret romance is revealed here. Ugly Naked Guy is moving out and Ross (David Schwimmer) wants his apartment. To gain an upper hand in a flurry of bids, Ross goes nude with him. Looking out their window, Joey notices that Ugly Naked Guy has a friend; a shocked Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) proclaims, "It's Naked Ross!" While checking out Ross' new apartment, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) looks out the window and sees Monica and Chandler having sex. Deciding to use the information to play jokes on them, Phoebe begins making passes at Chandler. This leads to a flirting showdown between the two where they kiss and freak each other out. Soon everyone knows about Monica and Chandler except Ross, who eventually sees them kiss out of his new apartment's window. This episode originally aired on February 11, 1999. ~ All Movie Guide

Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) have trouble divesting themselves of the free porno channel that has popped up on their TV. When Ross (David Schwimmer) tells Emily (Helen Baxendale) that he loves her, the result is a round-robin of international plane flights and missed connections. And the artificially inseminated Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) discovers that she is carrying triplets -- news that nearly sends the babies' real parents Frank Jr. (Giovanni Ribisi) and Alice (Debra Jo Rupp) into a state of shock (after all, Frank Jr. may now have to drop out of refrigerator college). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the Three's Company tradition, this sitcom involves two guys and a woman in Denver. Assistant district attorney Casey Farrell (Maria Pitillo, of Chaplin and Godzilla) shares her apartment with two male roommates, medical student McCusky (David Newsom) and reporter Riley (Bradley White). In the opening episode, the two guys try to get rid Casey's arrogant boyfriend (Jeff Yagher). The second episode intros deadpan policeman Dan (Patrick Warburton of Seinfeld), given to odd ideas like asking Casey to shoot him in his bulletproof vest. Caryn James (New York Times) found "hints of loopy humor" amid "lame" plots, while Variety suggested the show would work best with the focus on just Pitillo and Warburton. Premiere March 9, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Nathan Lane received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of a visiting college film professor. Upon learning that this was the prof to whom his wife, Jamie (Helen Hunt), surrendered her virginity many years ago, Paul (Paul Reiser) reacts in an unpredictable fashion. Meanwhile, Ira (John Pankow) once again dates a woman with ulterior motives -- or should we say "grave motives." ~ All Movie Guide

The titular coin in this episode is flipped at a restaurant, bringing Paul's obstreperous ex-boss Lou Bonaparte (Larry Miller) back into the series, and landing both Paul (Paul Reiser) and Jamie (Helen Hunt) on the TV tabloid Hard Copy. Destiny also takes a hand when Paul's parents (Louis Zorich, Cynthia Harris) use the selfsame coin at an Atlantic City gambling palace. And what does destiny (or the coin) have in store for Ira (John Pankow), currently the central figure in a paternity suit? This episode was telecast one day after series star Helen Hunt won an Oscar for her performance in the 1997 film As Good as It Gets. ~ All Movie Guide

Ray (Ray Romano) is appalled to discover that the "discount diamond ring" he gave Debra (Patricia Heaton) to seal their engagement ten years ago is as phony as glass--and in fact, it is glass. Rather than inform Debra, Ray "steals" the ring, intending to replace it with the genuine article. But what Ray doesn't know is that Debra has already discovered that the ring is a fake--and she has already replaced it with the $1500 diamond once owned by Ray's grandma. A pre-record-breaking Barry Bonds appears as himself. ~ All Movie Guide

Just in case of emergency, Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) decide to line up a guardian for their unborn baby. Alas, no one seems to want the job -- not even the people whom Paul and Jamie don't want for the job. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Bobby Rubenfield (Seth Green) develops a hopeless crush on Jamie. Friends regular Lisa Kudrow makes a return appearance as Ursula Buffay, and the name of a long-forgotten first season regular is unexpectedly invoked ("Please don't call him!"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide