John Mahon Movies
- 2000
12-year-old Davey Tucker (Jeremy James Kissner) hates his nomadic existence as the son of a travelling circus clown. He is also somewhat ashamed of the fact that his father Leroy (Phil Fondacaro) is a dwarf. Into this tense situation comes Heavenly casewalker Monica (Roma Downey), posing as a clown-in-training. This time, Monica's assignment is twofold: to teach Davey a lesson about tolerance--with the help of a overweight little girl named Maryjane (Rachel Snow)--and to help Leroy overcome his fear of taking over as the circus' new "human cannonball". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
When Angel (David Boreanaz) learns that Trevor Lockley (John Mahon), the father of Det. Kate Lockley (Elisabeth Rohm), is involved in a demon drug ring, it brings back painful memories of his troubled relationship with his own father and his transformation into a vampire. Someone, it seems, is peddling PCP-like drugs that turn normally peaceful demon races such as the Kwaini into killers. Kate reluctantly teams with Angel to investigate, but she's unprepared for the revelation that her dad, a retired cop, is in leagues with the dope-pushers. Soon, though, Mr. Lockley turns up dead, emotionally shattering Kate and further eroding her tenuous alliance with Angel. Nonetheless, Angel rescues her from the turncoat demons who killed her father. Throughout the investigation, Angel is haunted by his memories of quarreling with his father, becoming a vampire, and then killing his entire family. Originally broadcast February 22, 2000, on the WB network, "Prodigal" marked season one, episode 15 of the supernatural comedy drama. Julie Benz, who played Angel's sire, Darla, in several early episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reprises the role in the flashback scenes in this episode. Darla would later become a recurring character after being resurrected by Wolfram & Hart in "To Shanshu in L.A." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1999
With the help of Angel (David Boreanaz), Detective Kate Lockley (Elisabeth Rohm) arrests a mobster named Little Tony Papazian (John Capodice). His lawyers at Wolfram & Hart send a very special sensitivity trainer into her precinct to rile things up. The trainer, Allen Lloyd (Ron Marasco), uses supernatural powers to turn Kate and her fellow cops into blubbering, sensitive new age guys and gals. Her inhibitions loosened by the magical command to share her feelings, Kate suffers a bizarre breakdown during the retirement dinner of her father (John Mahon), a gruff, uniformed cop. Soon, Angel himself is letting loose his inner child. Doyle (Glenn Quinn) and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) are horrified at their boss' sweet new demeanor, but the therapy spell can't keep Angel from defeating Little Tony. Wolfram & Hart drop their client and decide it's time to keep a closer eye on Angel. Originally broadcast November 9, 1999, on the WB network, "Sense and Sensitivity" marked season one, episode six of the supernatural comedy drama. Kate's father would figure prominently several episodes later, in "Prodigal." ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Quinn
Michael Bay (The Rock) directed this science fiction action thriller in the When Worlds Collide tradition. After astronomy students discover a comet-asteroid collision, an asteroid fragment "the size of the Super Dome" threatens. It's destroyed by a secret USA defense in space, but a large chunk veers off toward Singapore. With another asteroid "the size of Texas" en route, a plan is devised to send oil drillers to land on the asteroid and drop a nuclear device down a 1000-foot shaft, a scheme calculated to crack the asteroid into two halves, saving Earth. NASA begins a crash program to train beer-besotted oil roughnecks for the mission. During a stopover to refuel at the Mir Station, the space station is accidentally destroyed, so a Russian cosmonaut also joins the team. Produced by Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer (Con Air), and Gale Anne Hurd (The Relic, The Abyss). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, (more)
- 1998
Patti LuPone guest stars as Zora, bombastic Greek aunt of Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer). Incensed over some given by Frasier to her son Nikos (Joseph Will) -- he'd suggested that the boy give up medicine for a juggling career -- Zora has not spoken to Frasier for a long, long time. But now that Nikos is about to be married, Zora shows up at the Crane apartment, hoping to patch things up with Frasier...or does she have a different Big Fat Greek Agenda in mind? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on the best-selling novel by James Ellroy and directed by Curtis Hanson, this award-winning crime drama explores both the dark side of the Los Angeles police force and Southern California's criminal underbelly in the early '50s, when Hollywood was still seen as America's capital of sophistication, glitter, and glamour. Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) is the head of the LAPD and is loyal to his officers and eager to turn a blind eye to violence or corruption within his department, as long as it's the "bad guys" who are getting hurt. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a police detective whose violent and cynical nature is often at war with his basic sense of decency and justice. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is a beat cop-turned-detective whose strict by-the-book philosophy and willingness to blow the whistle on other officers is balanced by a shrewd and opportunistic understanding of the internal politics of the department. And Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a flashy "Hollywood" detective who serves as technical advisor for the TV series Badge of Honor. He is also in cahoots with Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito), publisher of the scandal sheet Hush Hush, who throws kickbacks to Vincennes in exchange for being brought along when showbiz figures get busted. White, Exley, and Vincennes find themselves drawn into a tangled and sticky web of violence and betrayal following a multiple murder at a coffee shop that is believed to be part of an effort by Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle) to consolidate his hold on organized crime in L.A. This lead appears to be connected to the discovery of a bizarre pornography and call-girl ring operated by Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn), whose women are given plastic surgery so that they more closely resemble well-known movie stars. White's role in the investigation is complicated when he falls for Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger), one of Patchett's prostitutes, who is the spitting image of Veronica Lake. L.A. Confidential was nominated for nine Academy Awards and netted two, with Brian Helgeland honored for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Kim Basinger taking home a statuette as Best Supporting Actress. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, (more)
This earnest, intelligent, and well-written romantic comedy is enjoyable and optimistic in classic Hollywood style, even if its idealism doesn't seem quite so credible against the cynical political backdrop of the Nineties. President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas), an unabashedly liberal Democrat, is just gearing up for re-election when he meets an attractive and sharp environmental lobbyist named Sydney Wade (Annette Bening). The two fall in love and the President must soon deal with the political repercussions (Sydney is trying to get legislation through Congress), as well as the cynical machinations of Republican opponent Senator Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss), who attempts to paint Sydney as a radical and use "family values" rhetoric to smear Shepherd. With the attacks affecting his standings in the all-important polls, and his love's legislation causing him headaches in the Capitol, Shepherd must decide whether he can risk continuing his relationship. A rich supporting cast, solid characterizations by Douglas and Bening, and an articulate approach make this an appealing, if not particularly weighty, study of the tensions between public and private life. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, (more)
- 1994
Originally made for cable television, Roswell is an entertaining mix of purported actual events and science fiction. The narrative unfolds primarily in flashbacks as retired Army officer Jesse Marcel (Kyle MacLachlan) attends a reunion of the 509th Bomber Group and tries to come to closure on events that had taken place 30 years earlier. Back in 1947, Major Marcel had been part of a military team that investigated a crash site on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. The debris recovered from the site had exhibited some remarkable properties such as being able to repair itself instantly after being cut, suggesting that it might have been of extraterrestrial origin. The military brass had ordered Marcel to go along with their phony story that the material was ordinary metal foil from a weather balloon, and he had reluctantly complied. By the time of the 1977 reunion, Marcel is suffering from a terminal illness, and he feels compelled to try to find out what had really happened at Roswell all those years ago. MacLachlan gives an effective performance, particularly when he portrays Marcel as an older man trying to understand his past. Evocative location shooting in the American Southwest adds cinematic impact. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyle MacLachlan, Martin Sheen, (more)
Actor Ron Silver made his directorial debut with this made-for-TV, futuristic retelling of Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat, in which the survivors of a sabotaged spaceship must face mounting evidence that the terrorist responsible for their plight is among them. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
Developed by Tina Sinatra and approved by Frank himself, Sinatra is a made-for-television mini-series following the life and times of Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular and acclaimed singers of the 20th century. Opening with his childhood in Hoboken, New Jersey, the film follows Sinatra's (Philip Casnoff) rise to the top in the '40s, through the dark days of the early '50s and his triumphant re-emergence in the mid-'50s, to his status as pop culture icon in the '60s, '70s and '80s. In between, the film hits all of the main events, including his three marriages, his connections with the Mafia and his notorious friendship with the Rat Pack. Even with the presence of Tina Sinatra as executive producer, Sinatra doesn't gloss over the more unsavory portions of Frank's life, which makes it all the more impressive. With the exception of a couple of early songs, all the music in the movie is taken from the original Sinatra recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1992
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Adapted from Robert Sam Anson's fact-based book Best Intentions, Murder without Motive stars Curtis McClarin as Harlem teenager Edmund Perry. A brilliant student, Perry is transferred from the inner city to an exclusive prep school principally attended by whites. Ten days after graduating with honors, the 17-year-old Perry is killed by a white undercover policeman, who claims he was attacked by Perry and his younger brother Jonah (Guy Killum). Though unsparing in its indictment of racism and police brutality, the Murder without Motive attempts to be fair to both sides, showing the many external pressures which led both killer and victim to their fatal meeting in the spring of 1985. This made-for-TV film was first shown January 6, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
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Donny B. Lord and Victor Love share the title role in Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story. The film traces the true story of young Gathers, played by Lord as a child and Love as an adult. Rising from his inner-city origins to become a basketball star at Loyola Marymount, Gathers' career is suddenly, and tragically, cut short. Co-starring are Nell Carter as Hank's supportive mother and George Kennedy as the inspirational neighborhood priest. Made for television, Final Shot was first seen in syndication during the week of March 29-April 4, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victor Love, Donny B. Lord, (more)
Wes Craven wrote and directed this surrealistic horror-comedy, which was inspired by a true story of parents keeping their children locked in a basement for years. Fool (Brandon Adams), an African-American teen, breaks into the home of the wealthy landlords who evicted his family from a ghetto tenement. A fortune in gold coins is rumored to exist inside, but Fool discovers that the mansion is a chamber of horrors presided over by a pair of incestuous, serial killer siblings (Everett McGill and Wendy Robie). The twisted couple has also tried to raise a succession of kidnapped boys. Each botched effort is handled the same way -- the victim's eyes, ears and tongues are removed, and he's sent to live in the sealed-off basement, where a colony of similarly deformed "brothers" resides. Fool is able to avoid the evil lovers as he moves through the house's maze of hidden passageways. He discovers that the occupants have a daughter, Alice (A.J. Langer), who has survived their abuse, so he rescues her and they attempt to free the "people under the stairs." Adams, who made his feature debut with in film, was familiar to viewers as the star of rock singer Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (1988). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, (more)
Carl Franklin made his directorial bow with the story of three LA drug dealers who, after committing a rather messy murder, hide out in a rural Arkansas town. Assuming that the local "rubes" will offer them little interference, the criminals have not reckoned with sheriff "Hurricane" Dixon (Bill Paxton). Despite the arrogance of the LAPD agents sent to Arkansas to collar the crooks, it is down-home Dixon who puts the final bloody showdown into motion (the fact that the thieves have been falling out throughout the film doesn't hurt things either). Carl Franklin knows where he's going in every frenetic frame of One False Move, and his movie was one of the most acclaimed independent releases of 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Paxton, Cynda Williams, (more)
Successful LA marketing analyst Michael Boll (James Spader) seemingly has it all-except a sense of self-confidence. Enigmatic drifter Alex (Rob Lowe) enters Michael's life and immediately begins to exert a negative influence. As Michael's self-esteem zooms (aided by generous dollops of sex and drugs) he allows himself to be dragooned into a life of crime by the demonic Alex. The "doppelganger" aspects of Bad Influence, and the film's many unexpected twists and turns, echo films of Alfred Hitchcock, especially Strangers on a Train. The film's boldest stroke is to cast the likeable Lowe as the bad guy (albeit a charming one) and the often villainous Spader as the malleable milquetoast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, James Spader, (more)
- 1989
Did detective Dee Dee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) kill an innocent man in an alley shootout? All the evidence seems to point in this direction, and even McCall herself cannot be sure of what really went down. In order to clear his partner, Hunter (Fred Dryer) teams up with colorful street hustler Sporty James (Garret Morris), following a trail of fragmentary clues to a big-time gang of jewel thieves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In this crime drama set in LA during the '40s, an infamous Hollywood madam is arrested and mayhem ensues as the names of her famous patrons, among them government officials and policemen, are revealed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Michael Ritchie's The Couch Trip follows a long line of Hollywood films (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Disorderly Orderly) in which the psychos are seen as saner than the psychiatrists. Charles Grodin plays Dr. George Maitlin, a pompous radio self-help guru, who is having his own personal mental breakdown. Maitlin's lawyer puts in a call to a Cicero, IL, mental facility and the telephone is answered by schizophrenic mental patient John Burns (Dan Aykroyd). Thinking Burns is a crony of Maitlin, Burns is offered the job of replacing Maitlin during his recovery. Of course, Burns accepts the job. Immediately jetted to Los Angeles, Burns meets panhandler Donald Becker (Walter Matthau) at the airport. While wearing the garb of a priest, Becker sounds off against the madness of societal conventions; Burns takes to him immediately and they become fast friends. When Burns assumes command of the airwaves in Maitlin's place, his words of wisdom are so obvious and commonsensical that he is an overnight sensation. Meanwhile, in London, where Maitlin is convalescing, he gets wind of Burns' success. With renewed vigor and outrage, Maitlin leaves his recovery room and hops on a plane back to Los Angeles in an effort to recover his radio show. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Aykroyd, Walter Matthau, (more)
- 1984
Actress Theresa Saldana plays herself in this gut-wrenching fact-based TV movie. The film begins with Ms. Saldana being savagely attacked by a stalking fan in her own home in 1982. Sustaining multiple stab wounds, Saldana lies near death for quite some time, but eventually pulls together physically and emotionally. But that's only the first half of the story. In the second, Saldana, determined to assuage the pain of others who've suffered from violent attacks, establishes Victims for Victims. The most sobering realization vis-a-vis Victims for Victims is the fact that Theresa Saldana's assailant may very well be paroled someday--a contingency that the actress, and her organization, has been forced to counteract ever since that fateful evening in 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
Shelley Winters) guest stars as Evelyn McNeil, widowed sister-in-law of Chief of Detectives Frank McNeil (Dan Frazer). An aficionado of the gambling houses, Evelyn finds herself in over her head with some particularly nasty mobsters. Banking on his lifelone friendship with Kojak (Telly Savalas), McNeil asks the detective to shield Evelyn from harm--but it may already be too late. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Ingredients essential to this made-for-TV movie are a famous former pro football player, an interracial romance, and a brutal murder. Yes, the football player is O.J. Simpson, but the film was made a full 17 years before the death of Nicole Brown Simpson. In A Killing Affair, Simpson is cast as police detective Woody York, who is partnered with white female cop Viki Eaton (Elizabeth Montgomery) to solve a mysterious killing. In the course of the assignment, Woody and Viki fall in love. Also known as Behind the Badge, A Killing Affair premiered September 21, 1977, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Stockwell, Elizabeth Montgomery, (more)
- 1977
Jim (James Garner) is summoned to the bedside of his old friend Eddie Marks (Howard Duff), who claims to be dying and desperate need of money for his medical treatment. Eddie begs Jim to get him access to high-stakes poker game presided over by Blast Gillette (George Memmoli) in order to acquire the necessary funds. Only after Jim has revealed the location of the big game does he discover that he's been scammed by Eddie, who robs the poker players in order to set up an even bigger scam involving a luxury liner. Left holding the bag for the robbery, Jim turns the tables on Eddie and his equally duplicitious daughter Christina (Joan Van Ark), aided and abetted by several cronies of the irrespressible Angel Martin (Stuart Margolin). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Despite his animosity towards his former parole officer Marcus Hayes (Louis Gosset Jr. in his first series appearance), Jim (James Garner) agrees to take a case on Hayes' behalf. Jim is to investigate the possibility of criminal involvement in the high-stakes bidding for a valuable pro-basketball franchise, ostensibly to help out Hayes' employer, Athletics commissioner Martin Eastman (David White). It turns out, however, that Eastman never hired Hayes...and with the commissioner turns up murdered, Jim begins to wonder what exactly his old "friend" Marcus is really up to. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1976
Jim Rockford's old Army buddy Al Brennan (Ned Beatty) asks Jim (James Garner) to help Marcy Brownell (Veronica Hamel) locate her missing sister. What Jim doesn't know is that the mercenary Al is using him to pull off an elaborate swindle. The key player in this sordid little drama is an ill-tempered gent named John Stabila (Paul Stevens)--and the "Maguffin" on this occasion is a missing Shan-Yin vase, valued at around three million dollars! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
