Don McManus
- 2007
- NR
A politically-savvy fifteen-year-old learns the true nature of politics after accepting the position as youth campaign spokesman for a determined congressman in the feature directorial debut of twenty-year-old actor-turned-director Lucas Elliot. When Congressman Lawrence Connor (Steven Weber) speaks before an assembly of high school students during his run for the Senate, the enthusiastic and well-informed response that he gets from fifteen-year-old student Owen (Alex D. Linz) results in an invitation to join the campaign as Connor's youth spokesman. Subsequently exploited in a tireless campaign that includes television commercials, posters, radio advertisements, and speaking engagements, Owen growing distaste for the cut-throat world of politics prompts him to reconsider his career or risk losing his innocence. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alex D. Linz, Steven Weber, (more)
- 2005
On the verge of signing their divorce papers, Addison (Kate Walsh) and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) have second thoughts--and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) fumes from the sidelines. Recovering from her miscarriage, Cristina (Sandra Oh) proves the old adage that doctors make the worst patients. Kindhearted George (T.R. Knight) is run ragged by Meredith's delusional mother Ellis (Kate Burton), who imagines that she is still a busy surgeon with tons of patients. Bailey (Chandra Wilson), aka "The Nazi", shows her human side when she is reunited with a young cystic fibrosis victim (Thomas Ian Nicholas). And Alex (Justin Chambers) worries that his medical career may end before it even gets properly under way. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
The nine-episode inaugural season of the ESPN poker drama Tilt was heralded by a preview special, taking viewers behind the scenes of the production and detailing various important plot points (without giving away any significant twists or turns). The series proper, which lasts nine episodes, begins with professional gamblers Eddie (Eddie Cibrian), Clark (Todd Williams), and Miami (Kristin Lehman) tensely prepping for their high-stakes showdown with poker king Don "The Matador" Everest (Michael Madsen) at the World Poker Championships, which will be held at Las Vega's Colorado Casino, owned by the fiercely (one could say maniacally) honest Bart "Lowball" Rogers (Don McManus). Before the big game, Eddie tries to infiltrate The Matador's inner circle, hoping to pick up the great man's arsenal of strategies. The Matador likes Eddie's style and invites him to join his entourage, which sets Miami and Clark to worrying that their master plan to topple The Matador will be schneidered before it begins. Adding to the intrigue is the hot romance between Eddie and The Matador's daughter, Dee Everest (Amelia Cooke), and a murder investigation conducted by vengeful out-of-town sheriff Lee Nickel (Chris Bauer). Meanwhile, outside the poker arena, such unpleasantries as deceit, duplicity, and death constantly rear their ugly heads. And, can it be possible that the above-suspicion Lowball has actually allowed some cheating to pass by undetected in his establishment? Matters continue to develop in this same hectic pace until the final confrontation between The Matador and...who? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Madsen, Christopher Bauer, (more)
Nick Cannon stars in this comedy thriller as a 24-year-old police detective who takes no small amount of ribbing from his fellow officers for his boyish looks. His appearance, however, lands him a plumb assignment at a posh private high school, where he discovers the students are operating an underground business stealing and selling luxury cars. The Underclassman also stars Cheech Marin, Roselyn Sanchez, and Kelly Hu. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Cannon
In this science-fiction thriller set in the very near future, DNA cloning has been perfected and has become an accepted part of everyday life -- cattle and fish are cloned for sale at the market, genetically engineered fruit and vegetables are found in most family's kitchens (nacho-flavored bananas, anyone?), and if your pet dies, you can even order a cloned replacement. But laws have been passed that strictly forbid the cloning of human beings. However, helicopter pilot Adam Gibson (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who believes people should live and die the old-fashioned way, discovers that someone has been violating these regulations. After Adam luckily avoids being on a copter that crashes, he comes home to discover someone has duplicated him. Now Adam is on a mission to find out who cloned him and why, as he struggles to take back his life from a scientifically created impostor, his boss Michael Drucker (Tony Goldwyn), and a pair of thugs (Sarah Wynter and Rod Rowland) who have been cloned into near-indestructibility. The 6th Day also stars Robert Duvall as cloning expert Griffin Weir, Michael Rooker as Drucker's right-hand man Robert Marshall, and Michael Rapaport as Adam's partner, Hank Morgan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tony Goldwyn, (more)
- 1999
Worried that Andy (Dennis Franz) may be too emotionally strung out, Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence) considers using Danny (Rick Schroder) as the main witness against Cullinen. Meanwhile, defense attorney Sinclair (Daniel Benzali) begins cataloguing the dirty tricks he intends to use on Cullinen's behalf. And back at the precinct, the case of a woman (Julie Carmen) who may have murdered her husband for his insurance dredges up unpleasant memories of an earlier, similar investigation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A scientific experiment gone wrong causes a man to become his own evil twin in this made-for-TV thriller. Marty Stillwater (Stephen Baldwin) would seem to have it made; he has a beautiful wife, two loving daughters, and a great career as a bestselling mystery novelist. However, it soon seems there's a fly in the ointment -- or, more accurately, some of Marty's blood. An evil but brilliant industrialist's son is working with rogue scientists to create an army of superhuman mercenaries through DNA cloning who will do his bidding and conquer the world. However, a sample of Marty Stillwater's blood is used for the cloning process instead of DNA from the pumped-up warrior the would-be world leader had in mind. The clone, named Alfie, has murder on its mind, just as the scientists wanted, but it looks like Marty, talks a bit like Marty and even seems to share a few of Marty's thoughts -- enough of them that it finds Marty's home and moves in, and before long his family is wondering why Dad is displaying a split personality. Dean Koontz's Mr. Murder was originally shown as a two-part miniseries on ABC in April 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Baldwin, Julie Warner, (more)
- 1999
In his efforts to help his ex-wife, Katie (Debra Monk), and his former colleague Dornan (Richard Gant) in their separate struggles with alcohol, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) appears to be playing favorites. Cohen (Michael B. Silver) tries to gather more evidence against Malcolm Cullinen, in hopes of solving the murders of both Mike Roberts and Dolores Mayo. And having split up with Cohen, Jill (Andrea Thompson) is most receptive to the attentions of Sorenson (Rick Schroder). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
As Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) prepares for his courtroom confrontation with Sinclair (Daniel Benzali) during the Cullinen trial, John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup) tries again to mollify the father (Bob Glaudini) of Cullinen's possible victim Dolores Mayo. Back at the 15th, Danny (Rick Schroder) tries to get an obviously abused 13-year-old boy to open up -- leading to a horrifying revelation. The conclusion of this 90-minute episode is a burst of gunfire, and the sudden, startling demise of yet another familiar NYPD Blue character. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
The title of this episode refers to the comedian's basic definition of comedy -- and also, indirectly, to the unexpected demise of Alan Tofsky (Eric Stoltz), former flame of Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt). In a videotaped will, Alan leaves all his worldly goods to Jamie -- and, much to the dismay of her husband, Paul (Paul Reiser), the decedent declares his eternal love for his ex-sweetie. Equally unhappy is Paul's "outed" sister, Debbie (Robin Bartlett), whose impending marriage to her partner, Joan (Suzie Plakson), may not come off as planned. ~ All Movie Guide
In this action drama, Harrison Ford plays James Marshall, a onetime combat hero in the Vietnam War who is now President of the United States. While visiting the former Soviet Union, Marshall gives a speech in which he supports a get-tough attitude against both terrorists and a right-wing general and war criminal from Kazakhstan imprisoned in Moscow, earning him few friends in the Eastern Bloc. While flying back to the United States aboard Air Force One, Marshall and his staff discover that one of the journalists returning with them is actually Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman), a Kazakhstani terrorist, who hijacks the plane with three associates and holds the president hostage -- with his wife and daughter on board. Marshall must use his strength and intelligence to keep the terrorists at bay and devise a plan to allow his family to escape to safety, while on the ground the vice-president (Glenn Close), the secretary of defense (Dean Stockwell), and the attorney general (Philip Baker Hall) grapple over what to do and how much control to take in this crisis. Slam-bang action sequences and plot twists fly fast and furious in this nail-biter from director Wolfgang Petersen, who previously generated suspense under water (rather than in the air) with Das Boot. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, (more)
- 1997
Murphy (Candice Bergen) can't bring herself to tell her son Avery about her cancer surgery--nor, for that matter, has she been able to even say the "C" word to anyone, herself included. As Murphy relentlessly cross-examines the doctors assigned to her surgery (apparently none of them are qualifed enough to suit her!), the rest of the "FYI" gang tries to protect her secret from conniving tabloid photographer Rudy Grasso (Don McManus), even unto having Kay (Lily Tomlin) impersonate Murphy to throw Grasso off the track. Future Sixth Sense star Haley Joel Osment makes his first appearance as Avery Brown in this episode, which originally ended with PSAs delivered by both Candice Bergen and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
In this drama, a troubled youth rethinks his life after a freak lightning strike renders him dead for nearly half-an-hour. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Roberts, Lynette Walden, (more)
A retired soldier (Gerald McRaney) is driving his family from Texas to California. As they cross the desert, they are terrorized by a gang of heroin-dealing bikers who kidnap his teenage daughter and take her across the Mexican border. He follows them to their hideout and devises a plan to rescue his daughter. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Just before Christmas, Fraser (Paul Gross) and Ray (David Marciano) are put in charge of young Del Porter (Ryan Philippe), who claims to have witness a bank heist. In truth, Del is trying to shield his father William (James Purcell), the wheelman for a gang of bank robbers disguised as sidewalk Santas. The two lawmen take it upon themselves to straighten out the situation and to persuade William from further disillusioning his loyal son. This Yuletide episode includes an altogether appropriate reference to O. Henry, author of "Gift of the Magi." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Gross, David Marciano, (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)
In 1946, a banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of a double murder, even though he stubbornly proclaims his innocence. He's sentenced to a life term at the Shawshank State Prison in Maine, where another lifer, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), picks him as the new recruit most likely to crack under the pressure. The ugly realities of prison life are quickly introduced to Andy: a corrupt warden (Bob Gunton), sadistic guards led by Capt. Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown), and inmates who are little better than animals, willing to use rape or beatings to insure their dominance. But Andy does not crack: he has the hope of the truly innocent, which (together with his smarts) allow him to prevail behind bars. He uses his banking skills to win favor with the warden and the guards, doing the books for Norton's illegal business schemes and keeping an eye on the investments of most of the prison staff. In exchange, he is able to improve the prison library and bring some dignity and respect back to many of the inmates, including Red. Based on a story by Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption was the directorial debut of screenwriter Frank Darabont. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, (more)
- 1993
- PG13
In this road movie, the motorists are a pair of preteens--brothers Josh (Jacob Tierney) and Sam (Noah Fleiss)--who hit the highway after their parents announce their pending divorce. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacob Tierney, Noah Fleiss, (more)
- 1993
Cybill Shepherd takes a ride into the dark side in this two-part TV movie, purported based on a true story. Shepherd is cast as wealthy and seductive Phoenix socialite Faith Kelsey, who opts not to get mad but to get even when her husband, Terry (Christopher McDonald), enters into an affair with Stacey Eckhart (Denise Gentile), herself a married woman with children. When Stacey is brutally murdered, the police have great difficulty linking either of the Kelseys to the crime -- and no one has more difficulty than Detective Jay Jensen (Ken Olin), who, entranced by Faith's beauty and charm, concludes that she is as "much a victim" as the dead woman. But as the story unfolds, it becomes painfully clear that Faith has hatched an elaborate scheme to get away with murder, and to cover her tracks by persuading a number of people -- mostly male people -- to help her cover her tracks and leave the dots unconnected. But will Jensen finally wrest free of Faith's alluring spell and see to it that justice is done? And of more importance, can this be done before Faith makes her good her plan to leave the country and totally escape extradition? Telling Secrets was originally seen over NBC on January 17 and 18, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
James Arness made his first appearance as Marshal Matt Dillon in eight years in the 1993 TV movie Gunsmoke: The Long Ride. Inasmuch as Amanda Blake (Kitty) and Milburn Stone (Doc) had passed on, and Dennis Weaver was disinclined to revive the role of Chester, big Jim pretty much goes it alone in this one. The plot is set in motion by a trio of murderous robbers. Matt Dillon chases after the threesome, while he in turn is being chased by a posse who thinks that Matt is the gang's boss. Featured in the cast are James Brolin as a helpful frontiersmen, and Ali McGraw as "Uncle" Jane Merkel (we're not about to explain that one). Gunsmoke: The Long Ride was originally telecast May 8, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Arness, James Brolin, (more)
John Cusack and James Spader play against type in Kevin Wade's morality play, directed by Herbert Ross. Spader plays Tim Gerrity, a well-heeled WASP blueblood, who has dedicated his life to justice and public service. Engaged to Diana Stiles (Imogene Stubbs), the daughter of a powerful senator (Richard Widmark), Tim seems to have a rosy future ahead of him. Enter Peter Burton (John Cusack), Peter's working-class roommate at the University of Virginia. Peter, a ravenous and devouring go-getter, is out to climb the political ladder at any cost. He sees Tim and latches onto him. Their friendship blooms at the university and continues afterwards, with the weak-willed Tim constantly deferring to the antagonistic and aggressive Peter. But they finally come to blows on skis when Tim finds out that Peter has bedded Diana, who has decided to drop Tim for his lack of ambition. When Peter blackmails Senator Stiles to secure a House seat, Tim rouses himself from his lethargy to fight Peter politically. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cusack, James Spader, (more)
- 1990
An artist specializing in S&M paintings is found murdered, dressed in full leather fetish regalia. During their investigation, detectives Greevey (George Dzundza) and Logan (Chris Noth) follow the trail of clues to city arts commissioner Henry Rothman (Larry Keith). As an alibi, Rothman insists that he was with prominent socialite Elizabeth Hendrick (Frances Conroy) at the time of the murder -- but it turns out that Hendrick has more than a few leather-clad skeletons in her own closet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
