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Wesley Mann Movies

2011  
PG  
Add Soul Surfer to Queue Add Soul Surfer to top of Queue  
A champion surfer loses her left arm in a terrifying shark attack, but summons the determination to make an incredible comeback in this inspirational sports drama based on an incredible true story. A lifelong surfer who always felt at home in the sea, Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb) honed her surfing skills in Kauai, and went on to compete in numerous surfing competitions. Then, one fateful Halloween morning, the wave-riding teen was taking part in a national surf competition when a 14-foot-long tiger shark emerged from the depths and changed her life in the blink of an eye. By the time Bethany reached shore, her left arm was almost completely gone. But just when it started to look like she would never ride a surfboard again, young Bethany used her faith and determination to reclaim the title of champion while being cheered on by her supportive parents (Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt), and Sara (Carrie Underwood), the kind-hearted leader of a local youth group. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
AnnaSophia RobbDennis Quaid, (more)
 
2003  
 
15-year-old Raven Baxter (Raven-Symone) manages to get herself, her family, and her friends into all sorts of hilarious scrapes thanks to her remarkable -- and remarkably faulty -- gift for prophecy in season one of the Disney Channel sitcom That's So Raven. In fact, the series has barely gotten started before Raven is on the outs with her friend Eddie (Orlando Brown) because she refuses to peer into the future to help him pass his high school Spanish exam. Later on, Raven experiences a vision that her ten-year-old brother Cory (Kyle Orlando Massey) despises her, senses disaster when her dad Victor (Rondell Sheridan) gets the opportunity to appear on a TV cooking show (and also predicts that Victor will lose his chef's job), nearly wrecks her various friendships in her efforts to touch base with other psychics, and jumps to the conclusion that her dad and mom (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh) are headed for divorce. The problem, you see, is that Raven's glimpses into the future are only fragmentary -- leading her to misinterpret what's in store for her and react upon it in a fashion that would do I Love Lucy proud! The season ends with Raven discovering that the source of her -- er -- gift might well be her Grandma Viv (Jenifer Lewis), who may or may not be a witch. (Though clearly intended as the season finale -- and identified as such in the series' rerun package -- this episode did not originally air on Disney Channel until halfway through season two!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Raven SymoneOrlando Brown, (more)
 
2002  
R  
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Three lifelong cheaters wise up in this gross-out college comedy, which marks the second feature role for Rushmore star Jason Schwartzman. It's the last semester of senior year for roomies Dave (Devon Sawa), Sam (Jason Segel), and Jeff (Michael C. Maronna), a trio of twenty-somethings whose enthusiasm for higher learning is matched only by their enthusiasm for root canals performed without the aid of anesthesia. As such, their entire collegiate existence has been an elaborate series of cons and scams designed to plagiarize essays, skip midterms, and covertly manipulate bell curves. When deranged geek Ethan (Schwartzman) -- who harbors a psychotic fixation for a flaxen-haired co-ed named Angela (James King) -- gets wind of their scheming, he blackmails Dave and the gang into contriving a date between him and his crush. But as Dave cozies up to Angela, he realizes that no amount of scheming can hide the fact that he's the one that's truly in love. Slackers went by a number of working titles while in production at the ill-fated upstart Destination Films; when Destination went belly-up, the film sat on the shelf for over a year before being picked up for release by Sony's Screen Gems division. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Starring:
Devon SawaJason Schwartzman, (more)
 
1999  
R  
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In this satire, parents who are worried that their children might not be walking the straight and narrow path discover a rehabilitation camp designed to curb alternative lifestyles. Megan (Natasha Lyonne), a high school student and member of the cheerleading squad, seems like an ordinary enough teenage girl, but her habit of honestly expressing herself and lack of romantic enthusiasm for her boyfriend convince her very repressed parents, Peter (Bud Cort) and Nancy (Mink Stole), that Megan is becoming a lesbian. So Megan is shipped off to True Directions, a camp for gay and gay-leaning teens, where Mary Brown (Cathy Moriarty) attempts to deprogram kids with homosexual tendencies. The first step in the process is to get each teen to admit to their homosexuality, which Megan is loath to do, since she doesn't believe she's a lesbian -- or at least she didn't think so before she met her new friend Graham (Clea DuVall), who seems quite sure that she likes girls. Meanwhile, Mary's son Rock (Eddie Cibrian) may be exempt from the camp's activities, but he turns more than a few heads among True Directions' male inmates. Noted female impersonator RuPaul appears as a camp guide, and Julie Delpy has a cameo as a "lipstick lesbian." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Natasha LyonneCathy Moriarty, (more)
 
1995  
 
Danny (Bob Saget) fumes when Becky (Lisa Loughlin) is promoted to producer of their TV show, especially since he's been at the station longer than she. Quitting the show in a huff, Danny leaves Becky at the mercy of her smarmy new cohost Phil Blankman (Bruce Gold)--but the real trouble hasn't even begun. Elsewhere, the twins' very public temper tantrums are driving Becky and Jesse (John Stamos) crazy; and Joey (David Coulier) and the Tanner girls have a few serious "comfort food" issues. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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1995  
PG13  
High schooler Angus (Charlie Talbert), a jumbo-sized lad, seems underappreciated in all aspects of his life: he is a standout offensive lineman on the football team, but golden-boy quarterback Rick (James Van der Beek) gets all the accolades for his blood, sweat, and pass-blocking; he is also an outstanding student, but his classmates still regard him as a dork; the girl of his dreams (Arian Richards), Rick's girlfriend, seems to ignore him. Only when Angus musters the courage to put on a maroon tuxedo and head off to the school dance at the urging of his loving, free-spirit mom (Kathy Bates) does he finally get the recognition he deserves (as does Rick, who attempts to publicly humiliate Angus with a cruel prank). While the story is familiar, director Patric Johnson and the entire cast infuse the film with real warmth, making Angus a winner (as does its refreshing attitude toward violence). ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

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Starring:
Charlie TalbertGeorge C. Scott, (more)
 
1994  
PG13  
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A crime fighter created in the 1930s and popularized in movies, pulp novels, and a radio show starring a young Orson Welles, The Shadow came back to life in 1994 in this slick, well-cast production. Alec Baldwin stars as Lamont Cranston, a murderous opium dealer reformed by a Tibetan mystic, who teaches him how to use his keen mental powers to manipulate others. As penance for his past misdeeds, Cranston masquerades as a degenerate New York City playboy by day and secretly plays the heroic Shadow by night, staving off evildoers with a network of agents and a cab-driving sidekick (Peter Boyle). A greater challenge arrives when Cranston must fight Shiwan Khan (John Lone), the final descendent of Genghis Khan, who has received training from the same Tibetan master who instructed Cranston. Shiwan plans to use atomic weapons to take over New York and then the world. At the same time, Cranston meets socialite Margo Lane (Penelope Ann Miller), and, although he's instantly enamored of her, he discovers that her psychic abilities render his secret identity vulnerable. The Shadow was directed by former music video creator Russell Mulcahy, whose feature film debut Highlander (1986) was a cult classic. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Starring:
Alec BaldwinJohn Lone, (more)
 
1994  
 
Murphy (Candice Bergen) recaptures a portion of her youth when she purchases the iconic "Meaty Boy" statue from her favorite fast-food restaurant. Alas, no sooner has the transaction taken place than the statue is stolen. Sensing that she has been victimized by a prankster amongst the "FYI" staff, Murphy vows to exact a terrible revenge upon the perpetrator--and she'll leave no stone (or burger) unturned to find out just who that perp happens to be. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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1993  
 
Designed for older kids and preteens, this continuing adventure of the magical Wonderland characters offers some good-natured silliness, some good songs and learning too! ~ Rovi

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1991  
PG13  
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Steve Martin wrote and stars in this look at the promise and dreamtime of Los Angeles culture. Martin stars as Harris K. Telemacher, a light-hearted television weatherman who does wacky comedy in lieu of reports since, being in L.A., he has very little weather to report. He spends his time roller-skating through museums and spending time with California's beautiful people. But Telemacher is fired and discovers that his girlfriend Trudi (Marilu Henner) is having an affair. He walks away from the relationship and re-evaluates his life, getting advice from a friendly electronic highway road sign. The sign suggests that he call SanDeE (Sarah Jessica Parker), a sprightly and attractive Valley Girl he met in a clothing store. With SanDeE he experiences a liberating and carefree spirit. But Telemacher comes to realize that he has actually fallen in love with Sara (Victoria Tennant), a tuba-playing British journalist who is in California to do a feature on Los Angeles lifestyles. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Starring:
Steve MartinVictoria Tennant, (more)
 
1989  
 
Season Six of Night Court ends with the third of the series' "Day in the Life" episodes, in which the court staff is compelled to process a huge number of cases before a midnight deadline. On this go-round, the time limit is imposed when a water pipe bursts in the building's holding cells, forcing the handcuffed inmates to crowd into the courtroom. As the water rises and midnight approaches, Judge Harry (Harry Anderson) must convict as many inmates as humanly possible--a task made doubly difficult when several of the more dangerous criminals escape! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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1989  
PG13  
Add Who's Harry Crumb? to Queue Add Who's Harry Crumb? to top of Queue  
John Candy's popularity from his appearances on the Canadian television series Second City TV did not translate into film success until he made the John Hughes comedy Uncle Buck. Who's Harry Crumb? was released just before the more well-known film, and some SCTV regulars make cameo appearances. In this farcical comedy, Candy plays bumbling Harry Crumb, scion of a family of great detectives, who works as a trainee in the agency his legendary grandparents founded. His slimey boss Eliot Draisen (Jeffrey Jones) assigns the inept young detective to find the kidnapped daughter of a multi-millionaire. The plot twist is that Draisen doesn't want the kidnappers found, for reasons of his own. While Crumb blithely bumbles along through various mishaps, Draisen tries to put the moves on the millionaire's wife (Annie Potts). Fans of Candy will probably enjoy this film, which he dominates with his comedic talents and (literally) large presence. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

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Starring:
John CandyJeffrey Jones, (more)
 
1989  
R  
Add Chattahoochee to Queue Add Chattahoochee to top of Queue  
Since Chattahoochee is a story based on true events, it may seem absurd to suggest that the actual events of Chattahoochee are pirated from other true-life tales like Gideon's Trumpet. But it certainly seems as if true stories are just as derivative as any fictional narrative coming out of Hollywood. The Chattahoochee saga details the Emmett Foley (Gary Oldman) story. The film takes place in 1955, when Foley, a Korean war veteran depressed and shattered by continual unemployment, snaps and shoots up his neighborhood, hoping that the police will come and shoot him down like a crazed dog so that his wife Mae (Frances McDormand) can collect on the insurance money. Instead of being gunned down by the law enforcement officers, he is sent to Chattahoochee, a notorious prison for the mentally ill which makes The Snake Pit look like a vacation in Bermuda. The gruesome conditions in the jail send Foley into listlessness. But then his anger gets the better of him and, encouraged by a friend, Walker Benson (Dennis Hopper), he begins sending letters to the authorities protesting the sub-human conditions in the mental facility. Due to his efforts, a state commission is formed to investigate conditions in Chattahoochee, and Foley has a chance to tell the world of the horrible conditions. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Starring:
Gary OldmanDennis Hopper, (more)
 
1989  
PG  
Add Back to the Future Part II to Queue Add Back to the Future Part II to top of Queue  
Things have barely settled from the excitement and resolve of the original Back to the Future, when in pops that crazy inventor Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) with news that in order to prevent a series of events that could ruin the McFly name for posterity, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox ) and his girlfriend are whisked into the future to the year 2015, where Marty must tangle with a teen rogue named Griff, who's obviously the descendant of Biff, the first Future film's bully. Marty foils Griff and his group when he jumps on an air-foil skateboard that flies him through town at rakish speeds with the loser bullies beaten again. Marty gets a money-making brainstorm before hopping in the time-traveling DeLorean, and he purchases a sports almanac. He figures that back in 1985 he'll be able to place sure-fire bets using the published sports scores of the games that are yet to happen. Unfortunately for Marty, Dr. Brown disapproves of his betting scheme -- he feels too much messing with time is very dangerous -- and he tosses the almanac. A hidden Biff overhears the discussion about the almanac, sees it get tossed out, and grabs it. Thus begins a time-traveling swirl to make the head spin. Biff swipes the DeLorean, heads back to 1955, and with the help of the unerring almanac, bets his way to power. The now-altered "Biff world" has turned into a nightmarish scene with Biff the mogul, residing in a Vegas-styled pleasure palace and running everything. It's all our hero Marty can do to pull the pieces together this time, as he must jump between three generations of intertwined time travel. The end of Back to the Future, Part 2 introduces its sequel as the zany professor has already time-dashed away to the Wild West of the late 1800s and invites Marty into a new adventure. ~ Rovi

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Starring:
Michael J. FoxChristopher Lloyd, (more)
 
1988  
PG13  
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An astrophysicist falls in love with a beautiful woman who is actually a disguised extraterrestrial in this high-concept comedy. Dan Aykroyd plays Steven Mills, a dedicated and harmlessly odd scientist researching ways to send radio signals to deep space. Unbeknownst to him, one of his experiments works better than expected, attracting the attention of an alien in need of help. She travels to Earth and poses as a human, assuming the name Celeste and the body of Kim Basinger. Celeste's lack of knowledge about humanity causes her to act bizarrely at times, but her odd behavior unexpectedly causes Mills to fall in love with her. The confused Celeste decides to play along for her planet's sake, but she finds her plan threatened by Mills' teenage daughter Jessie (Alyson Hannigan), who has become suspicious of Celeste after witnessing some odd behavior. The culture clash between Celeste's planet and Earth serves as an excuse for broad slapstick and sitcom-style humor, such as Celeste's fumbling efforts to enact the human ritual of "kissing." ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

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Starring:
Dan AykroydKim Basinger, (more)