Steve Monarque Movies
- 1998
This romantic comedy looks at the notion that opposites attract. Actress Anne Henning (Traylor Howard) is hired for a soap-opera role as the girlfriend of the daytime drama's doctor, played by Jack Westmore (Edward Kerr). Over lunch, the two actors hit it off, and Anne listens to Jack's proposal of a "no strings" relationship, agreeing to a date because he's "the opposite of what I want." In truth, Jack is taken aback by a woman who acts "like a man." Taking a conceptual cue from the late Dennis Potter, the story intercuts the duo in soap-opera scenes, blending fantasy and reality. Shown at the 1998 Santa Barbara Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Kerr, Traylor Howard, (more)
- 1996
One of the last and yet most vital of the African American a cappella groups, The Persuasions have been spreading their good news since 1970. This documentary features performances of the group and interviews with surviving band members as they tell their fascinating stories of the trials, tribulations and joys of life on the road. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Three stalwarts of straight-to-cable productions -- Tia Carrere, C. Thomas Howell, and Adam Baldwin -- team up for this erotic thriller set in an appropriately exotic Mexican resort. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Tia Carrere, (more)
- 1989
- R
When two rival groups of surfers face off on a Southern California beach prior to a big surfing contest, things get a little tense. However, when surfer Nick Rainwood (Richard Joseph Paul) meets up with a pretty girl, Allie (Danielle Von Zerneck), the two start off a romance, in spite of the fact that they belong to opposing sides of the surfing feud. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith Coogan, Danielle von Zerneck, (more)
On the eve of her sister's wedding, suburban teenager Samantha (Molly Ringwald) suffers silently as her family forgets her birthday. Even worse, some total dork (Anthony Michael Hall) keeps propositioning her with sophomoric innuendo when she really craves romantic attention from high-school hunk Jake (Michael Schoeffling). Moving from Samantha's family home as it's invaded by outre relatives to a high-school dance where nothing seems to go her way, this bittersweet teen comedy traces the hopes and disappointments of not only Samantha, but also a host of incidental but memorable characters, from a hapless Japanese exchange student to a prom queen and a posse of barely pubescent nerds. A climactic party scene at which these various strata of young America overcome their rigid hierarchies sets the stage for resolutions both tender and torrid. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, (more)
This run-of-the-mill teen romantic comedy's main attraction is 22-year-old Demi Moore as Laura Victor, an aspiring rock singer. The slightly younger Jon Cryer is Charles Cummings, a dedicated photographer who meets Laura, falls in love, and decides that a dedication to furthering her career might further his own amorous designs. Charles is essentially a loser when it comes to women -- and just about anything else except photography. One day Charles captures Laura on film along a San Francisco seashore and is shocked but excited to run into her later while at a North Beach nightclub where she is a performer. Unable to just let her go, he finally convinces her to pose for him, and as a result of that session he comes up with one good photo which he then puts on nearly 200 San Francisco cabs -- using up all his savings in the process. The result consists of offers that have nothing to do with singing -- until one exception occurs. Another new face in the crowd in this conventional movie is Jennifer Tilly (younger sister of Meg Tilly and Oscar-nominated for her role in Bullets Over Broadway), working in her first film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Cryer, Demi Moore, (more)
- 1980
At the time this ABC Afterschool Special was originally telecast in 1980, one out of every nine high-school seniors had either smoked marijuana or was actively doing so. This story is about 15-year-old Jack Melon (played by Scott Baio), who knows all the risks of pot smoking but continues to toke up anyway. Written and directed by John Herzfeld, who also appears onscreen as concerned teacher Doug David, Stoned does not take the easy-out of preaching against marijuana but instead focuses on the reasons an otherwise sensible teen might take up the habit: In Jack's case, he does pot because of loneliness, a father who doesn't pay enough attention to his academic skills, and jealousy of his older brother's athletic achievements. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Baio, John Herzfeld, (more)
