Wendie Malick Movies
While savvy television viewers will no doubt recognize prolific small-screen actress Wendie Malick from such popular series as Baywatch, Just Shoot Me, and HBO's smart and sexy comedy Dream On, the late '90s found her feature career warming up in such independent efforts as Manna From Heaven (2001) and Bathroom Boy (2003). A native of Buffalo, NY, who first found work in front of the cameras as a Wilhelmina model in the 1970s, the Ohio Wesleyan University alum would later work for New York congressman Jack Kemp following her graduation. Subsequently gracing the catwalks of New York, Paris, and Madrid, it was a small role in the 1978 comedy How to Pick up Girls that provided the aspiring actress with her first screen break. Though she would appear in a few theatrical releases such as Scrooged (1988) during the 1980s, most of her work came with made-for-television features and such series as Kate and Allie and Anything But Love.Increasingly visible on the small screen during the 1990s, Malick's role as series protagonist Martin Tupper's (Brian Benben) ex-wife on Dream On utilized her comic abilities to maximum effect and netted the actress four Cable ACE awards. Following the final episode of Dream On in 1996, it was only one short year before Malick began a stint on another popular series that would gain her accolades among sitcom junkies, Just Shoot Me. Her background in the modeling industry provided the ideal foundation for her role as former model Nina Van Horn, and Malick (Emmy-nominated for the role) remained with the show until its final episode in 2003, simultaneously taking occasional parts in both made-for-TV and theatrical features. In 1997 Malick took the lead in the little-seen romantic comedy Just Add Love, and following voice work as the egotistical principal in the Disney series Fillmore!, she took the lead in her own sitcom, entitled My Life With Men. In addition to her screen work, Wendie Malick met husband Richard Erickson while building homes for poor families in Mexico, and she also helps the homeless with her work for the Adopt-A-Family organization. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A Manhattan shopaholic (Isla Fisher) whose buying sprees have buried her in immense debt lands a columnist gig dishing out financial advice in this Touchstone comedy based on Sophie Kinsella's series of books. P.J. Hogan (My Best Friend's Wedding) directs, with producing duties being handled by Jerry Bruckheimer. Rebecca Bloomwood (Fisher) can't seem to break her habit for making impulsive purchases, and while she's always decked out in the latest styles, her credit card bills are as thick as a telephone book. If Rebecca could somehow manage to land her dream job at a high-profile fashion magazine, perhaps she could transform what is now a simple addiction into something that could really benefit her professionally. When Rebecca becomes an advice columnist at a financial magazine published by the same company as her favorite fashion magazine, her fresh approach strikes a chord with readers and she quickly becomes the toast of the town. Meanwhile, her bank account is still bone dry, wreaking havoc on her love life and placing her career in jeopardy. As Rebecca teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, she gradually begins to reassess her priorities in life. Joan Cusack, John Goodman, Hugh Dancy, and Krysten Ritter co-star in the Touchstone Pictures production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, (more)
Inspired by writer/director Greg Mottola's own true-life job-from-hell experience, Adventureland stars The Education of Charlie Banks' Jesse Eisenberg as an uptight recent college graduate who discovers that he'll have to get a degrading minimum-wage job at a local amusement park instead of spending his summer drinking German beer, visiting world-class museums, and flirting with cute French girls. It's the summer of 1987, and James Brennan (Eisenberg) has just graduated college. James is all set to embark on his dream tour of Europe when his parents (Wendie Malick and Jack Gilpin) suddenly announce that they won't be able to subsidize the trip. Now the only things James has to look forward to this summer are sugar-fueled children, belligerent dads, and an endless parade of giant stuffed animals. When James strikes up a relationship with captivating co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart), however, he finally starts to loosen up. Suddenly, the worst summer ever doesn't seem quite so bad. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, (more)
- 2009
- R
- Add The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard to QueueAdd The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard to top of Queue
A smooth-talking jack-of-all-trades attempts to save a struggling car dealership from certain bankruptcy in this comedy starring Jeremy Piven, directed by Chappelle's Show creator Neal Brennan, and produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez Productions. Don Ready (Piven) takes sales seriously; he's always up for a challenge, and he parties as hard as he works. Approached to help an ailing car dealership from falling into the red, Ready recruits a crew of his best men and descends upon the quiet town of Temecula determined to succeed. Before long the dealership is flourishing and Ready's crew are kings of the roost, but what happens when the man who made his mint by hustling cars meets the one woman who isn't charmed by his formidable skills as a salesman. Realizing this may be his one shot at true love, Ready starts working overtime to convince the woman of his dreams that he's the best bargain on the lot. Has the hustler finally found his soul, or is he so locked into his anything-goes lifestyle that there's no looking back? Ving Rhames, Ed Helms, James Brolin, and David Koechner co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, (more)
- 2006
Based on the BBC comedy series The Worst Week of My Life, Big Day was described by parent network ABC as "24 Meets Father of the Bride." The entire series took place on a single day, upon which occurred the wedding of Danny (Josh Cooke) and Alice (Marla Sokoloff). Each half-hour episode depicted the many crises and calamities surrounding such prenuptial rituals as securing the venue, choosing the right wedding gown, stage-managing the reception, and so on. Aiding, abetting, and sometimes impeding the bride and groom were Alice's mom, Jane (Wendie Malick), and dad, Steve (Kurt Fuller), and such assorted friends and relatives as Becca (Miriam Shor), Skobo (Stephen Rannazzisi), and Lorna (Stephnie Weir). Whereas the original British version stretched out the wedding over a period of nine episodes, the American Big Day was storyboarded for 22 separate installments -- a formidable creative task indeed for executive producers Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, whose previous screenwriting credits included What Women Want and 13 Going on 30. Intended to debut in January 2007 as a mid-season replacement, Big Day was moved forward to a premiere date of November 28, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marla Sokoloff, Josh Cooke, (more)
- 2006
- G
- Add Brother Bear 2: The Moose Are on the Loose to QueueAdd Brother Bear 2: The Moose Are on the Loose to top of Queue
An old friendship is renewed and new bonds are forged as Kenai and Nita set out on the adventure of a lifetime in this animated, direct-to-video sequel to the 2003 Disney hit Brother Bear. When Kenai emerges from his first hibernation with a hearty appetite and a craving for the best spring berries around, he takes his younger brother Koda to Crowberry Ridge for a delicious feast. As Rutt and Tuke scour the landside looking for some female companionship, Kenai is surprised to find his childhood friend Nita venturing into the wilderness with a pressing problem that only Kenai can solve. It appears as if the amulet given to Nita by Kenai has much greater power than either of them had previously thought, and in order to marry, the old friends must travel back to Hokani Falls to burn the amulet together. Now, as the pair travel over icy mountain ranges and down raging rivers, the plan set into motion by the Great Spirits for Nita and Kenai slowly begins to come into focus. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Mandy Moore, (more)
- 2006
The weekly, half-hour cartoon series The Emperor's New School was a spin-off of two Disney animated features, The Emperor's New Groove (2000) and the direct-to-video Kronk's New Groove (2005). Set in pre-Columbian South America, the series, like its predecessors, chronicled the misadventures of spoiled young Incan emperor Kuzco, who was forever learning valuable life lessons en route to the throne. In the TV series, Kuzco was obliged to graduate from school before he could claim the crown. Thwarting the protagonist every step of the way was his power-hungry former administrator Yzma, who had disguised himself as the school's principal, and Yzma's principal stooge Kronk, who posed as a fellow student. Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick and Bob Bergen, who had provided voices for the original films, repeated their roles on the TV spin-off. In typical Disney "super-saturation" fashion, The Emperor's New School debuted on The Disney Channel, ABC and Toon Disney over a three-day period, from January 27 through 29, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wendie Malick, Jessica Di Cicco, (more)
- 2006
- Add Bratz: Passion 4 Fashion - Diamondz to QueueAdd Bratz: Passion 4 Fashion - Diamondz to top of Queue
The dolls that every little girl wants to own now star in the one cartoon that no little girl will want to miss as aspiring fashion icons Chloe, Sasha, Jade, and Yasmin set out to find their fortune in the world of fashion. With the cameras of their new reality television series capturing every high-profile move, this stylish quartet makes their way through a town that appears to be haunted and encounters a designer who's willing to do anything it takes to win a fiercely competitive fashion contest. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tia Mowry, Soleil Moon Frye, (more)
A horse of a different pattern becomes a spoiler in a high-stakes race in the family-friendly comedy-drama. Nolan Walsh (Bruce Greenwood) is a farmer who once earned his living training racehorses before his wife was killed in an accident while riding, which led him to leave the racing game. Nolan tends to his farm and looks after his daughter Channing (Hayden Panettiere) and a large flock of animals, who speak to one another but not to humans. After a traveling circus passes through town, a zebra pony is left behind; Nolan takes in the animal, intending to return it to the circus, but at Channing's insistence they keep the zebra, naming him Stripes (voiced by Frankie Muniz). Channing loves Stripes, and the zebra is welcomed by the other critters on the farm, including grumpy Shetland pony Tucker (voiced by Dustin Hoffman), slow-moving hound dog Lightning (voiced by Snoop Dogg), a New Jersey-born pelican named Goose (voiced by Joe Pantoliano), skinny-brained rooster Reggie (voiced by Jeff Foxworthy), and deep-thinking goat Franny (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg). Channing discovers that Stripes can outrun nearly any horse around, and Woodzie (M. Emmett Walsh), a local character who has spent years handicapping the ponies, is convinced the zebra would be shoo-in in the Kentucky Open, a prestigious race held at the estate of champion horse breeder Clara Dalrymple (Wendie Malick). Channing believes Stripes can win, but he'll need the help of Nolan, who isn't so sure he's ready to start training again; meanwhile, Stripes gets plenty of advice from the other farm animals about his big step onto the race track. Mandy Moore, David Spade, and Steve Harvey also contribute their voice talents to the picture. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hayden Panettiere, Bruce Greenwood, (more)
- 2005
Its title notwithstanding, the half-hour animated series The X's was not a ripoff of X-Men but rather a derivation of the live-action Spy Kids theatrical films. Mr. and Mrs. X (voiced by veteran comic actors Patrick Warburton and Wendie Malick) were the parents of a family of highly skilled "special ops" secret agents for the covert organization SUPERIOR. Headquartered in Cleveland, the X Family, which also included daughter Tuesday and son Truman, used their peculiar talents to save the world from the evil spy aggregation SNAFU, whose members included Glowface, Lorenzo Suave, Sasquatch and the Scream Queens). The "good guys" took their orders from the talking computer Home Base, voiced by Stephen Root (NewsRadio, Office Space). Although they seemed to be a class apart from the rest of Cleveland, the X's were pretty much like any other family during their off-hours: Constantly bickering, complaining, and teasing and tormenting one another. Created by Carlos Ramos, whose other credits included the popular cartoon weekly ChalkZone, The X's was first seen over cable's Cartoon Network on November 25, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick, (more)
The animated movie Bratz: Rock Angelz follows the adventures of the popular female characters as they travel to the United Kingdom in order to become rock stars, all the while keeping up their successful magazine. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Based on the same-named video game and toy line, the weekly, half-hour CGI series Bratz concerned a quartet of teenaged girls with "a passion for fashion"--and unusually oversized heads. Cloe, Sasha, Yasmin and Jade were all correspondents for their own, self-created teen magazine. From their headquarters at Stiles High, the girls traveled across the world and back again for the hottest news about the hottest trends. Meanwhile, ill-tempered Burdine Maxwell, editor of the rival "Your Thing" magazine, cooked up scheme after scheme to outscoop--and outwit--our heroines. Although the premise of the series would seem to be along the lines of "Barbie Goes Wild", the producers of Bratz were careful to include a potent moral message at the end of each episode, usually along the lines of "Be true to yourself and a loyal friend to others." Produced in Canada, where it first aired on the Teletoon cable service, Bratz joined the Fox Network's Saturday-AM "4Kids" lineup on September 10, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Olivia Hack, Tia Mowry, (more)
- 2005
First telecast March 13, 2005, the ABC sitcom Jake in Progress starred John Stamos as Jake Phillips, a handsome, stylishly dressed celebrity publicist who worked for the Magnum PR Agency. It was Jake's function in life to handle damage control for the rich and famous -- and to endure the constant insults hurled his way by his high-strung boss Naomi (Wendie Malick), who in the earliest episodes was twice as contentious as usual because she was in the last stages of pregnancy. Although supremely in charge on the job, Jake was less fortunate in his private life, unable to sustain any sort of lasting romantic relationships. Offering comfort and advice to the protagonist were his two friends, a dentist named Adrian (Ian Gomez) and a funky (and remarkably ubiquitous) street magician named Patrick (Rick Hoffman). Almost universally panned by critics during its initial 13-week run, Jake in Progress went on a lengthy hiatus, resurfacing on January 9, 2006. Evidently taking the criticism to heart, the producers endeavored to make the somewhat abrasive Jake more likeable and the episode plotlines more credible; also, two new regular characters were added, Annie (Charlotte Ross) and Mark (Dondre Whitfield). However, the series still languished in the ratings, posting the lowest numbers of the four major networks in its time period. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Stamos, Ian Gomez, (more)
Learn why you should never send your food back and other valuable lessons in this over-the-top comedy set in the food service industry. Dean (Justin Long) and Monty (Ryan Reynolds) are two longtime friends who work as waiters as Shenanigan's, a self-consciously "fun" chain restaurant. Both have been working at the restaurant since they graduated from high school; it's only recently occurred to Dean that he has nothing to show for the last four years of his life but a community college diploma and his name tag from work, and he's developed a sudden urgency to make something of himself. Monty, on the other hand, is more interested in making time with the women on the wait staff at work than accomplishing anything, though his recent relationship with fellow employee Serena (Anna Faris) has rather dramatically crashed and burned. Over the course of an evening at Shenanigan's, Dean and Monty confront obnoxious customers and train timid new employee Mitch (John Francis Daley) while dealing with wildly eccentric chef Raddimus (Luis Guzman), control-freak manager Dan (David Koechner), and a kitchen full of crazed cooks, prep workers, and dish-washers. Waiting was the first feature film from writer and director Rob McKittrick. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, (more)
Sisters Gabrielle C. and Maria Burton direct the independent comedy Manna From Heaven, written by their mother, Gabrielle B. Burton, and produced by their siblings at Five Sisters Productions. In Buffalo, NY, during the '50s, the wind blows in cash money to the tune of 20 thousand dollars. Believing it was a tangible gift from God, Sister Teresa (Ursula Burton) tries to gather up the money and pay it back 30 years later. However, her family members don't want to give up their free money and can't even get along, including card dealer Inez (Wendie Malick) and con artists Bunny (Shirley Jones) and Ed Burns (Frank Gorshin, in his final film role). Also starring Seymour Cassel, Shelley Duvall, Cloris Leachman, Harry Groener, Faye Grant, Jill Eikenberry and Louise Fletcher. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Burton, Ursula Burton, (more)
- 2002
A freewheeling animated spoof of the "hard-boiled private eye" school of fiction, Fillmore revolves around the adventures of seventh grader Cornelius Fillmore, a safety monitor in an extremely accident-prone middle school. Under the guidance of safety chief Vellejo, and with the help of sidekick Ingrid Third, Fillmore wages endless war against those who would despoil the sacred walls of learning with graffiti, or who would leave oil-soaked rags in the vicinity of matches, or who would operate a baseball-card black market threatening the financial well-being of his fellow students. As in most cartoon series of the era, this one abounds in pop-culture spoofs, notably a Silence of the Lambs takeoff involving a grafitti artist who'd been sentenced to permanent detention. Created by Scott Gimple of Disney's Pepper Ann fame, Fillmore joined the ABC Saturday-morning lineup on September 14, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orlando Brown, Tara Strong, (more)
- 2001
Boys will be boys, and that's not always a good thing, as this dark drama with comic overtones reveals. Matt (Keith Carradine) and Harley (David Keith) were best friends in high school, but since then their lives have followed a very different course. Matt drifts from job to job, swilling beer and making trouble wherever he lands, while Harley is a building designer with a nice home and an attractive wife, Fox (Janet Gunn), who wants to have a baby, though Harley isn't so certain he wants to be a parent. One day, Matt walks off his job at an Alaskan oilfield and heads to California, appearing on Harley's doorstep; Harley has neither the heart nor the desire to turn Matt away, and soon Matt is giving Harley a new taste of the bachelor lifestyle as they head out drinking, carousing, and chasing women from dusk till dawn. But Fox soon becomes wary of the way Matt is bringing out the less wholesome side of Harley's personality, while Harley notices Matt's behavior is advancing past good-natured rowdiness into something more sinister. Matt's fondness for fast sex with prostitutes and his sudden friendship with a gangster (Jan Triska) leads Matt down a dangerous road that proves to have disastrous consequences for the two friends. Cahoots was the first feature film for writer and director Dirk Benedict, who is best known for his career as a television actor, having starred in the TV series Battlestar Galactica and The A-Team. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith Carradine, David Keith, (more)
The world of competitive figure skating takes a pratfall in this satiric comedy. Professor Robinson (Chris Hogan) is a documentary filmmaker whose latest project presents an in-depth look at three figure skaters hoping to someday rise from the lowest rungs of amateur competition into the ranks of the U.S. Olympic Team. Robinson's subjects are Veda Tilman (Barret Swatek), a high-strung young woman who suffers from an eating disorder; J.C. Cain (A.J. Langer), a chain-smoking trailer-park refugee with more than her share of attitude; and Wendy Wodinski (Marissa Winokur), whose rotund build would make her seem like an unlikely contender for a skating championship. As Veda, J.C., and Wendy train for their next match, seen-it-all Zamboni driver Phil (Jason Alexander) offers his perspective on the action. On Edge features cameos from noted comic actors Kathy Griffin, Michael McKean, and Wendie Malick, as well as appearances by real-life skating champions Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Tai Babilonia, Randy Gardner, Steven Cousins, and Peter Carruthers. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Alexander, John Glover, (more)
Four tales of music and the unknown come together in this made-for-TV anthology feature. Strange Frequency 2 features the story "Soul Man," in which a hapless guitar roadie (James Marsters) makes the discovery of a lifetime when he finds a final, unrecorded song by Jimi Hendrix in a pawn shop, but is warned that there will be a terrible price for presenting it to the public. "Cold Turkey" concerns a songwriter (John Hawkes) whose struggle with sobriety becomes a living hell when he meets a beautiful journalist (Patsy Kensit). A politician (Peter Strauss) finds his career taking a nose dive after his mistress dies in a car crash in "Don't Stop Believing," but his real troubles begin every time he hears the song he embraced as his theme song. And "Instant Karma" concerns a jaded rock star (Jason Gedrick) who, after taking advantage of a beautiful young fan (Lindsay Sloane), finds she's taken revenge against him by using a magic spell to swap their bodies. The four segments in Strange Frequency 2 were originally produced and aired as part of the short-lived VH1 series Strange Frequency. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
A ruler learns how the other half lives -- the animal half, that is -- in this animated comedy-adventure from the Walt Disney Studios. Kuzco (voice of David Spade) is the young emperor of an Inca nation who takes a self-centered joy in the troubles of others. Not surprisingly, Kuzco's attitudes have earned the enmity of many of his subjects, including Yzma (voice of Eartha Kitt), a sorceress who wants to seize power away from the emperor after he relieved her of her royal duties, declaring she was too old and unattractive to do the job. Yzma and her musclebound assistant Kronk (voice of Patrick Warburton) hatch a plan to poison Kuzco and take the throne, but thanks to a mistake on Kronk's part, Kuzco isn't killed -- he's instead turned into a talking llama. Kronk can't bring himself to kill the llama, and instead sends the former emperor into the jungle to fend for himself. Kuzco doesn't do too well as a llama until he runs into Pacha (voice of John Goodman), a poor farmer whose property Kuzco once planned to take over for a vacation home. Soft-hearted Pacha agrees to help the emperor-turned-llama find his way back home where, hopefully, another sorcerer can reverse the spell, but once they hit the road, they discover Yzma and Kronk are looking for them, with Yzma determined to finish the assassination she started. Pop star Sting composed several original songs for The Emperor's New Groove, which during its long and troubled production had previously been announced as Kingdom in the Sun and Kingdom of the Sun. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Spade, John Goodman, (more)
- 1999
Walking on water, sleeping for months without eating, seeing things that are too far away to see -- animals have skills and abilities that are far beyond the range of humans, and How Animals Do That! explores and explains these interesting attributes. A Discovery Channel presentation, this program uses graphics and scientific facts to discover animals' instincts and their usefulness. ~ Leslie Birdwell, All Movie Guide
- 1999
This made-for-cable biopic is a slightly campy recounting of the lives, careers, and inbred rivalry between twin-sister gossip columnists Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren -- both characters played by Wendie Malick, in what one critic described as "a weird tour de force." Covering a period between the early '50s and the late '90s, the film begins with the childhood of Ann and Abby (née Esther and Pauline Friedman), growing up Jewish in the heart of WASP country (namely, Sioux City, IA). Their subsequent lives develop in an eerily simultaneous fashion, as both are married in a dual ceremony, both launch their journalistic careers, and both achieve national success at almost exactly the same time. Fiercely competitive, the two women strive gallantly to be as "different" as possible, yet the vast reading public continues to refer to them both in the same breath, though those same readers are almost evenly divided in following the advice dispensed individually by Ann and Abby. As it turns out, the rift between the sisters can only be repaired when they learn to follow their own advice. With so much attention lavished on the two protagonists, it is nothing short of amazing that the ladies' husbands and children are given any screen time at all. Covering its four-decade time period in typical movie-shorthand fashion (virtually every scene takes place during a famous historical event), the film leaves the viewer breathless, though probably no more knowledgeable about what really made Ann and Abby tick than when the story began. Take My Advice: The Ann and Abby Story first aired July 19, 1999, on the Lifetime channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wendie Malick, Robert Desiderio, (more)
