Kevin McNulty Movies

This made-for-television drama is based on the true story of a complicated custody fight between a surrogate mother and the adoptive parents. The trouble begins when doctors discover that the pregnant woman is carrying twins. The adoptive parents only want one of the babies and insist that it be a girl. The well-meaning birth mother already has three children of her own. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Presented in three half-hour "acts" by the MTV cable network on January 10, 2001, the fact-based Anatomy of a Hate Crime was the opening volley of MTV's year-long campaign "Fight For Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Discrimination." In recalling the horrendous torture-murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard near Laramie, WY in 1998, the film focuses as much on the twisted logic and motivations of Matthew's killers Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney as it does on the victim and the crime. Cy Carter stars as the unfortunate Shepard, with Ian Somerhelder and Brendan Fletcher, respectively, cast as Henderson and McKinney. Filmed in Alberta, Anatomy of a Hate Crime was originally bookended by a marathon recital of recent examples of sexual and racial persecution, delivered by an impressive list of unseen celebrities. Curiously, the Shepard Foundation, formed after Matthew's murder, would not endorse the MTV film, preferring instead to put their clout behind the 2002 NBC TV movie The Matthew Shepard Story. (See also separate website entry for The Laramie Project.) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Television standbys Courtney Thorne-Smith (Melrose Place, Ally McBeal), Kyle Secor (Party of Five) and Tracey Gold (Growing Pains) co-star in the prime-time melodrama Beauty's Revenge (AKA Midwest Obsession), which first premiered on NBC, on Friday, September 22, 1995, but is now available in this home video release. Thorne-Smith plays Cheryl, a diabolical and sociopathic high-school cheerleader in a Midwestern small town, who has her heart set on dating nice guy mechanic Kevin (Secor). Only one problem: Kevin's already attached to Beth (Gold), a local plain Jane. Beth therefore stands as an obstacle in-between Cheryl and Kevin, and Cheryl schemes to eliminate her rival. But first, Cheryl grows irate over her father's lack of affection toward her, and decides to off Kevin's best friend, Larry (Stephen Fanning). Soon, the cops have multiple homicides on their hands - all of which point to the same girl. William A. Graham directs, from a teleplay by Duane Poole. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

The can't-miss teaming of Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn is squandered on a clumsy, illogical romantic melodrama. Running across her old boyfriend Gibson at a Wisconsin gas station, Hawn is astounded that he seems not to recognize her. How could she have known that Gibson was put into the Witness Relocation Program after testifying against a homicidal mob boss (say, don't they usually alter your appearance when they put you in that program?) Curious over Gibson's furtive behavior, Hawn unknowingly sets herself up as a target for the bad guys. The whole affairs culminates in an after-hours showdown at a zoo (a plot device vastly improved upon in the 1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle Eraser). While Bird on a Wire admittedly has its moments of enjoyment, most of the film is on a par with Gibson's embarrassing, homophobic scene with a pair of epicine hairdressers. And whoever heard of the Chinatown section of Racine, Wisconsin? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Friendship and racism in 1880s America is explored in this made-for-television drama. Sidney Poitier stars as Gypsy Smith, a bounty hunter who, much to the chagrin of the local white population, leads a group of black settlers to Oklahoma to form their own free community. The film shows how racial tensions erupt between the black and white homesteaders. The Native American experience of racism is intertwined into the plot as well, with the story of a young Cheyenne boy who has lost his roots. Sidney Poitier and Regina Taylor were nominated for Image awards for their performances. Based on the novel by Clancy Carlile, the film originally aired in two parts. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

Several recent parolees have been bumped off for no discernible reason. The most recent victim was an old friend of Herbal Thought (Alimi Ballard), prompting Max (Jessica Alba) to join Logan (Michael Weatherly) in investigating the killings. Pretty soon, Max realizes she is being stalked by a shadowy figure who calls himself "The Street Sweeper" (Rainn Wilson) -- but is he the killer, and how did he obtain such remarkable powers? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In a 1991 episode of Jake and the Fatman, Dick Van Dyke guest-starred as Dr. Mark Sloan, who couldn't seem to keep his nose out of a murder investigation. Diagnosis of Murder is the two-hour TV-movie spin-off of that episode. This time, Dr. Sloan tags along with his police-sergeant son (Barry Van Dyke, the real life son of you-know-who) on another homicide case. The victim is a powerful business magnate whose questionable ethics have given plenty of people plenty of motive for the killing. Somehow or other, Dick Van Dyke finds time between his hospital rounds and his clue-hunting to perform a brief soft shoe. Diagnosis of Murder was the pilot for a potential series, which was sold under the slightly truncated title Diagnosis Murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this zany, slapstick comedy, earnest-but-dim high-school janitor Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney) becomes much brighter after he tinkers with an experimental machine for boosting intelligence. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A handful of heroes become superheroes under unlikely circumstances in this action drama adapted from the long-running Marvel comic book series. Four astronauts are on a mission aboard a new experimental spacecraft when they are unexpectedly exposed to a massive dose of gamma rays. The accident causes strange and unexpected transformations in all four. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), top scientist and leader of the mission, can now stretch his body like elastic and is dubbed Mr. Fantastic. His partner and sweetheart, Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), develops the ability to become invisible at will, and becomes known as The Invisible Girl. Her younger brother, Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), is renamed The Human Torch for his new talent of being able to summon up fire from his body when he chooses. And Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), pilot for the journey, mutates into a monstrous creature with super-human strength and muscles like stone, known as The Thing. Together, the travelers become known as the Fantastic Four, and they set out to use their unusual skills to fight crime, quickly gaining a nemesis in another altered hero who uses his talents for evil, Doctor Doom (Julian McMahon). A long-gestating project that had been talked about by a number of filmmakers since the early '90s, Fantastic Four was previously the basis for a pair of animated television serials, and was made into a feature film in 1994 by producer Roger Corman, though that film was never officially released. (Fantastic Four creator Stan Lee has said the 1994 film was made only so that the producers could hold on to the rights to the characters, and that it was never intended to be distributed to the public.) ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Real-life recovering anorexic Tracey Gold stars in this emotional drama, which is more than your average disease-of-the-week fare. Based on the true story of college-student Nancy Walsh, this above-average TV-movie focuses on the family dynamic issues often found at the core of the eating disorder known as anorexia. Viewers watch Nancy as she slowly transforms from healthy and outgoing college freshman into a secretive and withdrawn young woman, starving herself in response to pressure. Her frantic parents (Jill Clayburgh, William Devane) try everything possible to save her from the slow suicide and ultimately go to the courts to legally force their daughter into getting help. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

Back in 1989, Immortal Walter Reinhardt (Christopher Ohrt) was killed during a struggle with Duncan (Adrian Paul). In the three years since, Reinhardt's mortal lover, Rebecca Lord (Vanity), has bitterly vowed to avenge her sweetheart's death. Convinced that Duncan, and Duncan alone, was responsible, Rebecca plots an elaborate demise for our hero -- one that also endangers Tessa (Alexandra Van Der Noot) and Richie (Stan Kirsch). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Directed by David Hauka, Impolite features Robert Wisden as Jack Yeats, a disgraced reporter eager to clear his name. When he receives an anonymous call about the death of a famous millionaire, as well as some crucial evidence in the case, he sets out to uncover the truth about the murder and to write the story of his career. Along the way he must elicit clues from both the millionaire's ex-wife and his sexy mistress, all while navigating the mysterious twists and characters involved in the case. The film also features Kevin McNulty, Stuart Margolin, and Christopher Plummer.

~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide