Dakin Matthews Movies
- 2007
To help Rory (Alexis Bledel) get over her nervousness concerning her graduation, Lorelai takes her daughter out on a shopping and dining binge. Luke (Scott Patterson) joins the ladies along the way, and they all end up at a karoake bar, where Rory manages to get Lorelai drunk. What follows is a boozy but sincere rendition of a Dolly Parton song in which Lorelai reveals the depth of her feelings for Luke. Meanwhile, Zach (Todd Lowe) is offered a job opportunity that may separate him from his family for several months; and Logan (Matt Czuchry demands an answer from Rory. This episode marks the last appearance of Vanessa Marano as April Nardini. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
It's Christmas time in the clinic, but there's no occasion for joy when Sister Mary Augustine is brought, apparently suffering from stigmata. Figuring that it is nothing more than an allergy, House treats the nun accordingly--and as a result she nearly suffocates. As the other nuns set up a prayer vigil (much to House's annoyance), the clues to solving this medical mystery are painstakingly pieced together, leading unexpectedly to an incident in the Sister's distant past. Elsewhere, a man in a Santa suit (Dakin Matthews) is suffering from an inflamed bowel, which can only be cured by smoking cigarettes. Ho ho ho! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
In the wake of his father's death, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) is anxious to make Luke (Scott Patterson) feel better. Meanwhile, Miss Patty (Liz Torres) marks her 40th anniversary in show business in her own inimitable fashion. And back at Yale, Paris' (Liza Weil) foray into speed-dating pairs her up with "Daily News" editor Doyle (Danny Strong), while Rory (Alexis Bledel) is faced with double duty, escorting a new student around the campus and getting even for a practical joke perpetrated by Logan (Matt Czuchry). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
In the third-season finale of Gilmore Girls, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) make their first tentative moves toward purchasing a new bed-and-breakfast called the Dragonfly Inn -- but they may not be able to afford the place thanks to an unanticipated financial setback. Elsewhere, Chilton Prep valedictorian Rory (Alexis Bledel) delivers a commencement address that will never be forgotten. Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Emily (Kelly Bishop) come through with a graduation gift that proves to be more beneficial to Lorelai than to Rory. And Luke (Scott Patterson) prepares to embark upon an ocean cruise with his lady love Nicole, little suspecting what is in store for both of them! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
While picking up a prescription in Hartford, Lorelei (Lauren Graham) runs into her former fiancé Max Medina (Scott Cohen), and begins to wonder if breaking off their engagement was a good idea. Back in Stars Hollow, Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Paris (Liza Weil) vie for the honor of being keynote speaker at the Chilton Bicentennial, a competition which ends on a discordant note as Paris goes off the deep end (in front of a nationwide TV audience, no less) after getting turned down by Harvard -- which, according to her convoluted logic, is punishment for having sex with her beau Jamie. Also, the viewers find out why Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) is acting so strangely...at the very moment that Sookie finds out herself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Lorelai (Lauren Graham) panics when Alex (Billy Burke) invites her on a fishing trip, compelling Rory (Alexis Bledel) to check out several books on fishing from the library -- and leading to a most unusual dry run for the occasion in the front yard. Meanwhile, Luke (Scott Patterson) and Taylor's (Michael Winters) quarrel over the construction of the soda shop necessitates a visit from Taylor's lawyer Nicole Leahy (Tricia O'Kelley), whose charms are certainly not lost on the normally tactiturn Luke. And in order to attend the prom with Dave (Adam Brody), Lane (Keiko Agena) must adhere to the highly restrictive stipulations (including no dancing!) set down by her ultraconservative mother, Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Having vanquished The Source of All Evil, the Charmed Ones are offered a reward by the Angel of Destiny (Dakin Matthews). The girls are given the choice to remain "Charmed" or to be divested of their powers and restored to normalcy, thereby saving them from all future demon attacks. Meanwhile, poor Cole (Julian McMahon), though expunged of The Source's influence, is trapped in another realm -- and why are the girls being investigated by the FBI? This final episode of Charmed's fourth season ends with some good news for Piper (Holly Marie Combs)...or at least we hope it is good news! ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Julian McMahon, (more)
- 2002
Lorelai (Lauren Graham) continues to be harassed by her mom Emily (Kelly Bishop) vis-à-vis her broken relationship with Christopher (David Sutcliffe); also, she doesn't quite know how to handle the situation when the combustible Kirk (Sean Gunn) asks her out on a date. Rory (Alexis Bledel) is confronted by an angry Jess (Milo Ventimiglia), who wastes no time telling her that he wasn't entirely lonely during the summer. Paris (Liza Weil) displays her heightened social consciousness by campaigning in favor of raised hemlines at Chilton. And the Independence Inn is invaded by a persistent mouse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director Roger Donaldson teams up with star Kevin Costner for another political thriller (after their 1987 pairing, No Way Out), only this time with a film based on the actual events surrounding the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, taking place during the titular thirteen days wherein the U.S. and the Soviet Union nearly engaged in full-scale nuclear war. After President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) is shown photographs from a spy plane detailing the presence of missiles in Cuba capable of obliterating massive areas of the U.S., he must immediately decide the most effective course of action for the country. With the aid of best friend and special assistant Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner) and brother Robert (Steven Culp), the President must avoid a dire chain of events that could be dictated by General Curtis LeMay (Kevin Conway), who would rather take immediate action and invade Cuba. After initial reticence about leaking the information to the nation, President Kennedy eventually tells of the conflict, leading to widespread panic and a blockade of Cuba. With the aid of Robert McNamara (Dylan Baker) and Adlai Stevenson (Michael Fairman), the leaders must find a way to alleviate the tension of the situation. Thirteen Days also features Walter Adrian as Lyndon Johnson. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, (more)
Actor/writer/director Albert Brooks turns his satiric gaze on the film industry in this comedy about a screenwriter who has hit a rough patch. Steven Philips (played by Brooks) has enjoyed a celebrated career in Hollywood, but one day he has a meeting with his agent, who informs him his career is suddenly going nowhere. Steven quickly finds himself at the end of his rope and is unable to put a decent sentence on paper. Desperate, he hears that there's a bona fide muse in Hollywood, Sarah (played by Sharon Stone), who might be able to help with his problems. The writer contacts Sarah, hoping a good, stong dose of inspiration will get his career back on track. However, Sarah's late hours and endless demands don't do much to help Steven's relationship with his wife (Andie MacDowell). The Muse features an original musical score by Elton John, and cameos by several notable film figures, including Martin Scorsese, Rob Reiner, and James Cameron. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Brooks, Sharon Stone, (more)
- 1998
Slipping on the ice outside a bus station, Monica (Roma Downey) suffers a severe concussion--and a complete loss of memory. Not only does she not realize that she is an angel, but she also fails to recognize Tess (Della Reese), Andrew (John Dye). . .or God. Falsely arrested for theft, Monica must be taught how to pray by a mortal, and is able to recover only after being the beneficiary of someone else's forgiveness. Once she has figured out who she is and what she's supposed to be doing in this episode, Monica tackles her latest assignment--persuading an embittered doctor (Michael Moriarty) to forgive the man who murdered his wife--with a new and somewhat overpowering zeal! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Originally aired on HBO and directed by Apollo 13 star and space enthusiast Tom Hanks, among others, From the Earth to the Moon explores the ups and downs of space travel, beginning with President Kennedy's famous speech before Congress on May 25, 1961, and chronicling the journey to putting the first man on the moon. This highly acclaimed, Emmy-nominated, 12-episode series is available in a six-tape VHS set and a four-disc DVD set. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Andrews, Bryan Cranston, (more)
Comic actor Rowan Atkinson brought his bumbling character Mr. Bean from television to the big screen with this British comedy. Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) is a well-meaning but not especially bright fellow with a gift for making the worst of any situation. Bean is about to be fired from his job as a guard at the Royal Nation Art Gallery for sleeping on the job, but the Chairman (John Mills) intervenes at the last moment. To insure that his incompetence will manifest itself so completely that there will be no choice but to get rid of him, Bean's superiors come up with a plan -- they'll send him to America to speak at a posh private gallery owned by George Grierson (Harris Yulin), where General Newton (Burt Reynolds) will display the most recent addition to his art collection, "Whistler's Mother." It's even money whether or not the museum will still be standing before Bean is done; as if this weren't enough, while in L.A. Bean is mistaken for a surgeon and forced to operate on an injured police officer. Richard Curtis, one of the film's producers, said after viewing the final product, "It's an unpleasant family movie. I'm very pleased." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rowan Atkinson, Peter MacNicol, (more)
- 1995
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) and Seth (William Windom) are invited to the South Carolina plantation owned by Seth's cousin, a wealthy botanist. The visit becomes somewhat less than pleasant when the cousin turns up murdered. Evidently there are several people who would have benefited from this death, but the clues aren't quite so plentiful--but as always, Jessica needs only one or two clues to tighten the noose around the guilty party's neck. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
We'd rather not rehash the sordied Menendez murder case in this space; besides, it isn't necessary, inasmuch as no fewer than two TV movies were produced on the subject in 1994. The first was Fox's Honor Thy Father and Mother; the second, telecast less than a month later, was Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills. Two hours longer than the first film, Menendez spends half of its running time recounting the events leading up to the Menendez brothers' murder of the parents, while the second half devotes itself to their overpublicized trial. Lyle and Eric Menendez are played, respectively, by Damian Chapa and Travis Fine. Edward James Olmos and Beverly D'Angelo costar as the ill-fated parents, while Margaret Whitton is cast as attorney Leslie Abramson. Once past the most lurid aspects of the case-notably the Menendez boys' insistence that their crime was motivated by extreme parental abuse-this 4-hour wallow gets pretty tiresome. Menendez was originally telecast in two parts, on May 22 and 23, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward James Olmos, Beverly D'Angelo, (more)
The Swan Princess is an animated, musical adaption of the fairy tale, "Swan Lake." An aging king (Dakin Matthews) and a widowed queen (Sandy Duncan) arrange a marriage between his only daughter and her only son, despite the two children's initial dislike of one another. Eventually they fall in love, but the evil sorcerer Rothbart (Jack Palance), desiring the throne for himself, enchants the princess Odette (Michelle Nicastro). She is a swan by day, and becomes a woman only when the moon rises. Prince Derek (Howard McGillin) refuses to accept another bride and continues to search for his lost love. When he finds her, Derek must fight the sorcerer to free her from the spell. Winner of the Film Advisory Board Award of Excellence and the Parent's Choice Award, this adventure exhibits high quality animation and a blend of romantic and humorous musical numbers. The animal characters are fun without being too cute, including Jean-Bob the frog who thinks he is a prince, given voice by John Cleese. The subtle layering of spiritual symbolism makes this film intelligent enough for adults to enjoy as well as children. ~ Lucinda Ramsey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Palance, Howard McGillian, (more)
When a company-sponsored white-water rafting expedition turns into a nightmare, an advertising executive finds himself faced with a moral dilemma and an extremely guilty conscience. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Alda, Peter Gallagher, (more)
An attempt to overthrow the President of the United States is the subject of this made-for-cable conspiracy-thriller. Forest Whitaker stars as Colonel Mackenzie Casey, a loyal member of President Foster's (Sam Waterston) inner circle. When Casey discovers a plot by his superior (Jason Robards) to stage a coup during military exercises, he teams up with Foster to thwart the plans before it's too late. The story was based on a novel by Charles W. Bailey and Fletcher Knebel, and Whitaker was nominated for a SAG Award for his lead performance. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Forest Whitaker, Sam Waterston, (more)
The Temp is yet another installment in the 1990s thriller genre of "the conniving woman who gets back at all who stand in her way to success," as seen in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Single White Female, Basic Instinct, The Crush, The Babysitter, et al. In this rehash of the perennial formula, Peter Derns (Timothy Hutton), a marketing executive for a cookie company that has recently been bought out by another firm, is forced to hire temporary help when his regular office assistant takes maternity leave. Into the breach comes Kris Bolen (Lara Flynn Boyle), whose efficiency saves the day for the clueless Peter. Unfortunately for Peter's associates, her efficiency extends to killing off Peter's regular assistant upon her return to work by arranging an accident with a paper shredder. But Kris doesn't stop there, and Peter begins to notice a high body count of dead employees falling around him. Peter suspects Kris may be the culprit, but since he has just emerged from treatment for acute paranoia, he can't decide if he is imaging things or not. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Timothy Hutton, Lara Flynn Boyle, (more)
The late journalist Randy Shilts' best-selling book on the burgeoning AIDS crisis was adapted for cable TV by Arnold Schulman. In 1981, researchers begin discerning a mysterious new disease that apparently affects only homosexual males (or so they thought at that time). Working independently, and with marked hostility toward one another, an American and a French research team manage to identify and name the dreaded HIV virus. The long-range effects of AIDS is experienced through the first- and secondhand experiences of several unfortunates, including a choreographer (Richard Gere) whose character is said to be based on Michael Bennett. The all-star cast (most of whom eschewed their usual high salaries) includes Lily Tomlin as San Francisco health official Selma Dritz, Matthew Modine as Centers for Disease Control researcher Don Francis, Alan Alda as NIH official Robert Gallo (who emerges as the villain of the piece), Ian McKellan as gay activist Bill Kraus, and Glenne Headley, Steve Martin and Anjelica Huston in cameo roles. And the Band Played On debuted September 11, 1993, on HBO. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Making her annual pilgrimage to Ireland, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is determined to catch up with the sightseeing that has so often been interrupted in the past by murder. Alas, it isn't long before our heroine is involved in another homicide case. This time around, the eldest son (Gordon Currie) of Jessica's widowed friend Fiona Griffith (Fionnula Flanagan) is accused of killing the American cousin (Andrew Robinson) who had planned to horn in on the family business. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner return as the Harts, married private eyes who in this made-for-TV movie interrupt their carefree lives to investigate a group of corrupt government contractors. Lionel Stander also returns as their sidekick Max, with Mike Connors and Ken Howard as guest stars. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Nick and Nora Charles are updated to a touchy-feely couple of the 1990s who take a break from the action to raise their eleven-month-old child. Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid star as Jane and Jeff Blue, two CIA super-agents who have abandoned the daily grind to devote quality time to their baby but find trouble on vacation in New Orleans. First a group of muggers try to take advantage of Jeff as he walks down the street with his baby in tow. Jeff teaches the boys a humiliating lesson, but one of the creepy bad guys, Muerte (Stanley Tucci), vows revenge, and he spends the rest of the movie dogging Jeff and Jane and getting kicked in the teeth in the process. But Muerte is small potatoes compared to Novacek (Fiona Shaw), a former Czech agent. Convinced to return to work by their superiors, Jeff and Jane have to catch Novacek red-handed buying illegal explosives from a New Orleans traitor so that the government can send her back to the Czech republic. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathleen Turner, Dennis Quaid, (more)
