George Anthony Bell Movies
- 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
- 2001
Patients brought into the ER include pugnacious retirement-community residents Walter (Tom Bosley) and Earl (Tom Poston), each of whom regards himself as God's gift to women. Elsewhere, Weaver (Laura Innes) and Legaspi (Elizabeth Mitchell) reconfirm their romantic relationship. Back at work, Greene (Anthony Edwards) is obviously having problems related to his brain-tumor operation. Corday (Alex Kingston) must overcome her crippling panic attacks in the operating room. Carter (Noah Wyle) admits his drug problems to his heroin-addict cousin Chase (Jonathan Scarfe). And Kovac's (Goran Visnjic) treatment of a patient working in an illegal sweatshop inadvertently leads to a case of arson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Robin Harris, Christopher Reid's foul-mouthed and irascible father from the original House Party film, died in the interim, but he has a university named after him in this follow-the-dots sequel. Kid (Christopher Reid) has finally made it to college in House Party 2, but not without problems. Sent to Harris University on a scholarship check given to him by his local church congregation, he finds himself broke before he can even buy the books for his college courses. He can thank his old pal Play (Christopher Martin) for his financial straits, since Play borrowed the money to pay a phony music producer named Shelia (Iman), who has headed off to parts unknown. Kid tries to pay for tuition by working in the college cafeteria but is thrown out because he is not considered a student. Problems compound when his girlfriend Sidney (Tisha Campbell) spends more time studying than with him. He also receives lectures on political correctness from her strident roommate Zora (Queen Latifah). Still, Kid's main concern is finding the money for college. Finally Kid agrees to go along with Play's scheme -- to hold a surreptitious late-night pajama party in the faculty hall to raise funds to pay for Kid's education. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher "Play" Martin, (more)
- 1989
There were those in 1989 who bellyached that Disney Television's Polly was a far from faithful adaptation of Eleanor Porter's classic novel Pollyanna. What they meant was that Polly did not resemble the 1960 Hayley Mills movie version of Pollyanna, which itself played fast and loose with the source material. In Polly, The Cosby Show's Keshia Knight Pulliam portrays the "Glad Girl" who brings along a satchelful of happiness and optimism when she visits her wealthy aunt one summer. Tranposing Porter's all-white story to a middle-class black community in the Alabama of the 1950s (Celeste Holm is the only white costar) isn't nearly as self-conscious or gimmicky as it seems on paper. Nor is any damage done to the original by adding musical numbers, especially when taking into consideration that the film was directed by renowned choreographer Debbie Allen (the sister of Phylicia Rashad, who plays Polly's aunt--and who in 1989 was costarring with Keshia Knight Pulliam on a weekly basis on The Cosby Show). Polly scored a boffo ratings hit, prompting Disney TV to assemble a 1990 sequel, Polly: Comin' Home! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
