Kevin McDonald Movies
Kevin McDonald may have opted for a movie career in the mid-'90s after their TV series ended, but he is still best known as a member of the Canadian comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall. Born in Montreal, McDonald moved to Los Angeles at age seven and to Toronto as a teen. After taking acting classes in high school, McDonald studied drama in college, but ran into academic problems because he reportedly only had talent for comedy. McDonald's career began to take shape when he enrolled in a Second City improv class in Toronto and met like-minded actor Dave Foley. Together, the two formed The Kids in the Hall in the early '80s. Often compared to Britain's Monty Python, the five-man Kids in the Hall attracted a devoted following for their gender- and age-spanning array of nuttily inspired characters, including McDonald's Apathetic Cop and "Nobody Likes Us" Guy. After the series ended in 1994, McDonald earned a role in National Lampoon's Senior Trip (1995) before reuniting with the Kids for their film debut (as a troupe) in Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996). A send-up of contemporary pharmaceutical culture, McDonald's several roles included the hapless researcher forced to prematurely put his new miracle anti-depressant on the market. Dividing his time between movies and TV in the late '90s, McDonald played guest-starring roles on several series, including Seinfeld, Friends, That '70s Show, and Foley's series News Radio. Less successful on the big screen, McDonald starred in the little-seen Canadian comedy Dinner at Fred's (1997), the Mafia spoof The Godson (1998), and The Wrong Guy (1998), a send-up of The Fugitive (1993) that originated as a Kids in the Hall bit. McDonald scored a moderate movie hit with his cameo appearance in Galaxy Quest (1999). McDonald and the other Kids in the Hall reunited for a tour in 2000. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- 2005
From the twisted comic mind of Doug TenNapel (Earthworm Jim) sprang this weekly, half-hour animated series about three zany cats. Feline siblings Mr. Blik (the bossy one), Gordon (the messy one) and Waffle (the goofy one) were owned by elderly and very wealthy eccentric Mrs. Edna Cramdilly. Upon the old lady's death, the three cats inherited her vast fortune and her magnificent mansion. The comedy was precipitated by the protagonists' silly behavior upon finding themselves filthy rich, and by the efforts of faithful family butler Hovis to curb their enthusiasm. Other characters included next-door-neighbor Kimberly, an 8-year-old human girl for whom Waffle carried a torch; and a growling "monster truck" named Gear. Boasting two short segments per episode, Catscratch premiered July 9, 2005, on Nickelodeon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wayne Knight, Kevin McDonald, (more)
- 2004
- Add The Dog Whisperer: Beginning and Intermediate Dog Training to QueueAdd The Dog Whisperer: Beginning and Intermediate Dog Training to top of Queue
Teach your favorite four-legged friend to behave properly and obey your command without resorting to yelling or swatting them with newspapers in this release that aspires to teach viewers easy and humane ways to train your dog. In addition to learning how to curb such annoying habits as jumping, chewing, digging, barking, and stealing, dog owners are also taught how to wean their furry friends off of unhealthy treats, and how to use a popular "clicker" device to get the results you've been striving for. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
This weekly, half-hour cartoon series was not only a spin-off of the Disney animated feature Lilo & Stitch, but also more directly a continuation of the direct-to-video Stitch! The Movie. Lilo is a cute little Hawaiian girl who befriends Stitch, ostensibly a "dog" but actually a multi-talented alien, the result of a once-evil scientist's lab experiment. The TV series version finds Lilo and Stitch teaming up to track down some 625 similar alien experiments, whose special skills bade fare to plunge the world into hilarious chaos. Lilo & Stitch: The Series joined ABC's Saturday morning lineup on September 20, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, (more)
- 2002
- Add The Kids in the Hall: Tour of Duty to QueueAdd The Kids in the Hall: Tour of Duty to top of Queue
The Kids in the Hall: Tour of Duty is a live performance video recorded during the sold-out finale tour of the Canadian sketch comedy group. This performance was recorded live at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, B.C., filmed with 11 cameras in a widescreen aspect ratio. Starring Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson, and Kevin McDonald. Craig Northey from the Odds provides the musical accompaniment. Includes the beloved character creations of the Chicken Lady, Buddy Cole, Sir Simon Milligan, Hecubus, Gavin, and more. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 2000
In 2000, the acclaimed comedy troupe of The Kids in the Hall series reunited for a live performance tour, six years after their groundbreaking television series went off the air, and four years after the release of their movie The Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy. A camera crew followed the Kids -- Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson -- as they traveled across the United States and Canada. The Kids in the Hall: Same Guys, New Dresses captures highlights of their hilarious on-stage performances, as well the sometimes prickly working relationship of five talented men who each have their own ideas about comedy. Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter also make cameo appearances as Dave Foley and Mark McKinney visit O'Brien's television show (to the consternation of Thompson, who canceled an appearance on the same show at the last minute). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1999
In this Canadian comedy, Richard (Gil Bellows) departs his office, driving north for a Christmas holiday at the country home of his fiancé Sarah (Kristin Leeman), the daughter of his boss George Billings (Leon Powhall). When his car collapses en route, he arrives instead at a house inhabited by a kooky family. He is subjected to various humiliations and indignities, but amid the madness and general goofiness, he soon finds himself attracted to the clan's sleepwalking Celia (Parker Posey), "the world's greatest hair stylist," causing him to question his planned marriage. Shown at the 1997 Mill Valley and Hollywood film festivals. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gil Bellows, Parker Posey, (more)
- 1998
Season Four of The Drew Carey Show begins with a series of bizarre work-related accidents befalling our hero Drew Carey (playing himself). It couldn't be that there is a conspiracy against Drew, could there? Oh, yes, there could--and the conspirators turn out to be a trio of Winfred-Louder coworkers (Kevin McDonald, Kevin Weisman and Tracy Letts) who for various reasons have been sabotaging Drew for nine whole years! Elsewhere, Mimi (Kathy Kinney) tries out some "mood makeup" which yields fascinating results during her brief romantic fling with a guy named Ron (Gregory Jbara; and Oswald (Diedrich Bader) still hasn't forgiven Kate (Christa Miller) for jilting him at the altar. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Set in Toronto's Little Italy, Boy Meets Girl stars Sean Astin as Mike, a cynical writer who pens copy for a romance magazine, and Emily Hampshire as Angelina, who has just arrived in Canada from Italy to marry a man she unfortunately doesn't care for. Mike's next door neighbor is an eccentric wallpaper hanger who writes poetry in his spare time. Somehow, one of the paperer's love verses ends up in Angelina's hands and she's convinced Mike wrote it -- and suddenly love is in the air and romance is sparked between them. The supporting cast features Kevin McDonald and Kate Nelligan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Sean Astin, (more)
TV director David Steinberg (Mad About You, Seinfeld) helmed this Canadian comedy satirizing The Fugitive and similar actioners. Cleveland corporate climber Nelson Hibbert (Dave Foley) is confident his promotion to company prez is just around the corner, but when it doesn't happen, he goes postal during a meeting, aiming threats at the boss who passed him over. Later, he barges into the boss' office, finds him dead, and runs from the office holding the bloody weapon. Since this was witnessed by his co-workers, he thinks they have accused him as the killer. Unaware surveillance cameras revealed the real killer, Hibbert hightails it for Mexico, certain that he's a most-wanted fugitive. Made in Toronto in 1996, this film expands on a sketch Foley scripted for Kids in the Hall. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
- 1997
The "thing" of the title is a strange skin condition on a delicate part of Ross' anatomy. While Ross (David Schwimmer) consults Phoebe's herbalist, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is torn between two boyfriends with similar qualifications but vastly different professions. And Monica (Courteney Cox) wonders if Pete (Jon Favreau) is getting serious...even as Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) calmly begins planning Monica's wedding. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
The strike at the bagel place ends after 12 long years -- but will Kramer (Michael Richards) go back to his old job? In trying to blow off a guy in a bad denim jacket, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) may also blow her chances to win a free sub sandwich. George (Jason Alexander) harks back to the all-purpose "Festivus" holiday created by his dad to cover both Christmas and Hanukkah. And Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) finds out that his new girlfriend is "two-faced" -- that is, her looks alter radically depending upon the time of day, the lighting, and the location. (And speaking of location, wait till you see what the bagel place does to Elaine!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Upon taking to the airwaves, the Lorne Michaels-produced series The Kids in the Hall quickly joined the likes of Monty Python's Flying Circus as one of the edgiest and funny sketch comedy shows on television. Featuring five Canadian men in the majority of the roles, the program aired on HBO and CBC from 1989 to 1995. This collection from Columbia/Tristar Video features Mark McKinney, Dave Foley, Scott Thompson, Bruce McCulloch, and Kevin McDonald in two complete episodes, portraying such popular characters as The Chicken Lady, The Head Crusher, and Buddy Cole. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 1989
- Add The Kids in the Hall: The Pilot Episode to QueueAdd The Kids in the Hall: The Pilot Episode to top of Queue
Eagerly-anticipated and long unavailable on video, this pilot episode of the famous Canadian sketch comedy series Kids in the Hall prompted a half-decade run for the SNL and Flying Circus-inspired program. Sketches include: 'Buddy Cole,' Cabbage Head,' 'Brian's Bombshell,' 'Hey You Millionaires!,' 'Guys on a Break,' 'Crying Guy,' and 'Crush Your Head' Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, (more)
Yet another recurring character from Saturday Night Live makes the jump to the big screen in this comedy. Leon Phelps (Tim Meadows) is the host of a radio call-in show in which he dispenses advice on the fine art of seduction, for which he seems to have quite a talent -- rather surprising, seeing that he's usually broke, nearly everything he says sounds crass and obvious, and he possesses a fashion sense that would have been gauche in the mid-1970s but seems just plain freakish today. After finally going too far during a broadcast, Leon is fired, but he receives a note from one of his former flames who wants him to come back to her -- and is willing to support him in high style. This sounds just fine with Leon, except she hasn't signed her name, and now Leon has to backtrack through his numerous conquests of the past and figure out who wants him to work his love magic. Meanwhile, a group of husbands who've been cuckolded by Leon, led by Barney (Lee Evans) and Lance (Will Ferrell), are hot on his trail, eager to get revenge. The Ladies' Man also stars Tiffani Thiessen and Karyn Parsons as two of the ladies in Leon's life and Billy Dee Williams as the ultra-smooth proprietor of Lester's Straight-Up Lounge. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Meadows, Karyn Parsons, (more)
The Canadian sketch-comedy masters hit the big screen with Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy, their send-up of psychopharmacology and its social ramifications. Each "kid" plays a plethora of roles; in fact, nearly every character in the film is played by one of the five "kids". When Roritor Pharmaceuticals finds itself on the verge of bankruptcy, research chemist Chris Cooper (Kevin McDonald) finds himself pressured to push his latest development to market without adequate testing at the risk of losing his job. The product -- Gleemonex, an anti-depressant bearing more than a slight resemblance to Prozac -- seems at first to be a wonder drug; users find themselves in a perpetual state of bliss as they relive their fondest memories time and again. Success goes awry, however, when a fatal side-effect surfaces -- users become catatonics. The craze has caught on, however, and the entire world seems to be taking Gleemonex, forcing Dr. Cooper to fight his employers and warn the masses before disaster strikes. The plot is really just an excuse for a series of funny, hallucinogenic sketches involving the memories and fantasies of its users; the funniest include a grandmother's all-too brief holiday visit with her family, and a married man's homoerotic experiences in the military. Another winning scene: a brooding grunge-rock idol (Bruce McCulloch) who's taken the drug unexpectedly changes his tune at a concert to the bewilderment of his angst-hungry fans. Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy is hit-or-miss satire, but much of the humor finds its mark in this humble, surprisingly intelligent film. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, (more)
- 1995
- R
- Add National Lampoon's Senior Trip to QueueAdd National Lampoon's Senior Trip to top of Queue
In this over-the-top comedy, a group of rowdy high-school students -- whose idea of a good time is throwing a wild party at the home of Principal Moss (Matt Frewer) while he's busy at school -- winds up in detention. As punishment, they're instructed to write an essay on what's wrong with America's educational system. The class brain, stuck in detention with the partiers, comes up with a well-written piece that's sent to the president of the U.S. The president is so impressed that he invites the students to Washington, D.C., to speak before Congress. Sen. John Lerman (Lawrence Z. Dane), one of the president's chief rivals, knows the truth about the students, and he seconds the idea of bringing them to Washington, certain that their behavior will embarrass the president. Principal Moss, sex-starved teacher Tracy Milford (Valerie Mahaffey), and drug-addled bus driver Red (Tommy Chong) load the troublemakers onto a bus and hit the road for the nation's capitol -- and mayhem ensues. National Lampoon's Senior Trip was helmed by Kelly Makin, who also directed the TV series Kids in the Hall; Kevin McDonald, a former Kid in the Hall, has a small part as a deranged crossing guard. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Frewer, Valerie Mahaffey, (more)
- 1991
- R
In this thriller, poet Thierry Martin (Judge Reinhold) takes over the family business, abandoning both his art and his sex life, much to the dismay of his wife, Zandalee (Erika Anderson). However, when Thierry's painter friend Johnny Collins (Nicolas Cage) comes to town, his fling with Zandalee could prove more complicated than he imagined. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Judge Reinhold, (more)
Scary Movie screenwriters Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer join forces to parody the "biggest" movies ever to hit the silver screen in this comedy that gives such popular box-office hits as Pirates of the Caribbean and Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe the same treatment that Scary Movie gave to the slasher subgenre. A virtual smorgasbord of spoof, Epic Movie tells the tale of four fully grown orphans: one the victim of snakes that attacked her plane, another raised by a kindly Louvre curator, the third a Mexican "libre" wrestling refuge, and the last an average mutant from an "X"-community. When the curious quartet visits a sprawling chocolate factory, they stumble across a magical wardrobe which transports them to the enchanted land of Gnarnia. It seems that the wondrous fantasy land has recently fallen under the spell of the evil White Bitch (Jennifer Coolidge), and in order to bring peace back to Gnarnia these four bumbling mortals will have to join forces with a charismatic pirate, a painfully sincere group of aspiring wizards, and one particularly libidinous lion. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kal Penn, Adam Campbell, (more)
This satire on mafia pictures tells the story of the Calzones, a mob family having some troubles (including a serious lack of smarts). Guiseppe Calzone, aka "The Guppy," has taken over the family business after his older brother dies, but his aging father realizes he's not the right man for the position. Dad ships Guiseppe off to Mafia University, but leaders of other crime families see this as an opportunity to move in, and soon an all-out war breaks out. The Godson stars Rodney Dangerfield, Dom DeLuise, Kevin McDonald, and Lou Ferrigno. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
