Julia Nickson Movies

Death brings a contentious family together (though that doesn't mean they get along) in this comedy-drama from director Anna Chi. When elderly Mrs. Xiao (Lisa Lu) dies in her sleep at home, her housekeeper and close friend Viola (Talia Shire) contacts her four adult children in hopes they'll come home to help with the funeral. Unfortunately, Mrs. Xiao didn't have many friends besides Viola, her children all have issues with her, and given her zeal to assimilate into American culture, the siblings are more than puzzled that she insisted upon a traditional Chinese funeral lasting a full seven days. Alexander (Russell Wong), a successful doctor, is still coming to terms with his overly strict mother and philandering father, and is unexpectedly reunited with his ex-wife (Kelly Hu), who he lost through his own infidelity. Elizabeth (Julia Nickson), a writer, also crosses paths with her former spouse (Adrian Hough) while she mourns both her mother and her young son. Victoria (Francoise Yip) has never been able to forgive her mom after she rejected her for marrying an African-American. And MeiMei (Steph Song), an actress, is a lesbian who wants to have children with her significant other Deedee (Bai Ling); they've been having trouble finding a suitable sperm donor, though they think one of the monks at the funeral may be just what they're looking for. Dim Sum Funeral received its world premiere at the 2008 AFI Fest. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The product of a dysfunctional family takes unusual revenge on his parents in this drama. Ethan Mao (Jun Hee Lee) is a teenager living in a Los Angeles suburb with his straight-laced father (Raymond Ma), his new stepmother (Julia Nickson), his younger brother (David Tran), and his angry stepbrother (Kevin Kleinberg). Ethan has accepted his own homosexuality, but his father is not so understanding, and when he catches Ethan with a gay magazine, the youngster finds himself thrown out of the house. Ethan starts supporting himself as a street hustler, and moves in with Remigio (Jerry Hernandez), a drug dealer who develops a strong friendship with Ethan. On Thanksgiving Day, when his family is away, Ethan decides to break into his old house and recover a necklace that belonged to his late mother. Remigio decides to tag along, but before they can leave with the jewelry, the family unexpectedly comes home early. An argument breaks out and Remigio pulls a gun; moments later, Ethan and his friend are holding his mother and father hostage. Ethan Mao is the third feature from independent Asian-American filmmaker Quentin Lee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Talia's former teacher and lover, rogue telepath Jason Ironheart (William Allen Young, arrives on B5 with the Psi Cops hot on his trail. The victim of a secret experiment, Ironheart now possesses artifically enhanced "psi" skills, enabling him to "think" people into oblivion. And in another development, Catherine Sakai (Julia Nickson) ignores G'Kar's warnings and heads for Sigma 957. Star Trek stalwart Walter Koening appears as Psi Cop Bester. First telecast on March 2, 1994, "Mind War" was written by J. Michael Straczynski. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Babylon 5 plays host when the representatives of different alien religions gather for a conference. Just before the conference gets under way, G'Kar learns that he has been targeted for assassination, literally from beyond from the grave. Meanwhile, Sinclair has a reunion with his ex-sweetheart Catherine Sakai (Julie Nickson). Written by J. Michael Straczynski, "The Parliament of Dreams" (alternate title: "Carnival") earned Babylon 5 its second Emmy for makeup design. The episode first aired on February 23, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This tired, pointless sequel (the sixth in the creatively bankrupt series) continues the premise explored in both Amityville: The Evil Escapes and later used in Amityville 1992: It's About Time, in which the demonic forces occupying the infamous haunted Long Island spook-house reside within various household items that subsequently haunt their unsuspecting new owners. This time the curse inhabits an antique mirror from the house -- passed on to a photographer (Ross Partridge) by one of his subjects -- whose reflection presages the violent death of nearly everyone who gazes into it. Inane plot twists abound, leading Partridge to discover his own connection to Amityville's dark heritage, while his pretentious friends die in messy and uninteresting ways. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Pierce Brosnan stars as adventurer Phineas Fogg in this adaptation of Jules Verne's classic story, in which to win a wager he must travel around the globe in 80 days or less. However, Fogg has been blamed for the theft of a large amount of money, and a detective (Peter Ustinov) is hot on his trail trying to catch him before he reaches the finish line. The supporting cast includes Eric Idle, Lee Remick, Roddy McDowall, and Christopher Lee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cadaverous character actor Vincent Schiavelli guest stars as the peddler in this Next Generation installment, which originally aired April 16, 1988. While searching for the missing space vessel U.S.S. Drake on the planet Minos, Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher vanish from sight. With Giordi LaForge left in charge, the Enterprise's away team must contend with a computerized super weapon, capable of wiping out virtually the entire Federation. "The Arsenal of Freedom" was scripted by Richard Manning and Hans Beimler, from a story by Maurice Hurley and Robert Lewin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A lifeguard who had been driving an expensive car that was well beyond his means is found dead, apparently from drowning. To find out if the victim was actually murdered, Magnum (Tom Selleck) teams up with Tracy Spencer (Annie Potts), who introduces herself as a homicide detective. In truth, Tracy is only a meter maid, but she hopes to land a promotion by cracking this case--assuming that she and Magnum can survive the deadly assaults perpetrated by the criminals responsible for the murder, including a particularly nasty set-to between Magnum and a pair of Karate-chopping damsels! The main villain in this episode is played by Magnum, P.I.'s stunt coordinator Bob Minor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this martial arts actioner, a vengeful government agent seeks the gangster who slew his partner. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When a pair of inept thieves, Todd (Will Egan) and Bo (Steve Donmeyer), break into the mansion of a famous Hollywood producer, their criminal activities are disturbed when a group of attractive young women mistakenly show up for an audition. Taking advantage of the situation, the crooks pose as movie makers in order to run the auditions for an X-rated film. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

In this futuristic martial arts drama based on a popular video game, Los Angeles has been transformed into a watery New Angeles after a long-threatened earthquake devastates the West Coast. Billy Lee (Scott Wolf) and his brother Jimmy (Mark Dacascos) are two martial arts experts who were raised by a woman named Satori (Julia Nickson) after the death of their parents. Satori has come into possession of one half of a magic amulet; if joined with the other half, it gives whomever possesses it remarkable powers. However, the other half of the charm is now held by Koga Shuko (Robert Patrick), a martial arts master and business tycoon who is obsessed with ruling New Angeles. Satori gives her half of the amulet to Billy and Jimmy, hoping they can keep it safe while trying to win the other half away from the unscrupulous Koga Shuko. In their adventures, the brothers encounter Marian (Alyssa Milano), the leader of a gang called "The Power Corps," and Linda Lash (Kristina Malandro Wagner), Koga Shuko's beautiful but deadly female bodyguard. George Hamilton and Vanna White appear in cameos as themselves, and Andy Dick has a small role as the Smogcaster. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Julia Nickson (then billed as Julia Nickson-Soul) stars as Nora Lamm, whose childhood was rent asunder when the Japanese invaded Shanghai at the outset of World War II. Recalling these horrific times, Nora remembers the cloistered pre-invasion existence she enjoyed thanks to the prominence of her physician father (played by James Shigeta). The deprivations she experienced at the hands of the invaders are compounded when postwar China is taken over by the Communists. In the early 1960s, Nora escapes to Hong Kong, where she works tirelessly on behalf of basic human rights for those still trapped on the Mainland. China Cry is based on the autobiography by Sung Neng Yee. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide