Kate Flannery Movies

Season 4 of the acclaimed mockumentary opens with the discovery that Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak) has ascended the corporate ladder from fresh-faced intern to stylishly bearded corporate chieftain. The young gun promptly exercises his authority by charging Dunder Mifflin into the digital age, an affront to technologically dull Scranton branch boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell). Here are the romantic "fax" of life at the office: Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) are hot, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) are not, and Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) and Angela are giving it a shot. A giddy Jam (Jim/Pam) proudly bring their hushed and long-delayed romance to public light, even spending an unsettling night at the Schrute family farm. Dwight confesses to killing Angela's treasured cat Sprinkles, prompting Angela to terminate their romance, which leaves tight Dwight heartbroken and miserable. Angela, in turn, falls into the arms of newest staffer Andy, but only reluctantly. As for Michael, he huffs and puffs through a 5K fun run; hopes to attend a Web-site launch party in the Big Apple; faces a ballooning personal debt; goes on a wilderness survival retreat; butts heads with desk jockey Stanley Hudson (Leslie David Baker); and travels a bumpy-road romance with high-maintenance ex-bigwig Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin), who's mired in a messy wrongful-termination lawsuit with corporate. All this doesn't stop Michael from obsessing over a model in an office-supply catalog or clubbing for "hot hotties" with Ryan in New York. As the year winds down, slumping human-resources drone Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein) decides to quit his post and move to Costa Rica. This development prompts the arrival of a new HR worker named Holly (Amy Ryan), whose sunny presence clearly begins to brighten Michael's downcast world. ~ Dean Maurer, All Movie Guide

The American TV version of the award-winning British sitcom The Office opens by establishing its faux documentary format, as Michael Scott (Steve Carell), regional manager of a branch office of Dunder-Mifflin Paper, jumps through hoops to convince the filmmakers that he presides over a happy, well-running ship. This is but one of Michael's many pathetic self-delusions: he also thinks he's the epitome of "cool," he's convinced that everything he says is a laugh riot, and even worse, he actually labors under the misapprehension that he is qualified for his job. Meanwhile, Dunder Mifflin's employees inadvertently but efficiently put the lie to Michael's self-serving prevarications: sales rep Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) continually cooks up methods to undermine his hated cube-mate, the obnoxious know-it-all Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson); receptionist Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) continually deals with Michael's insensitivities and flubs; and office temp Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak) acts mostly as an observer of the insanity around him. Some of the episodes in The Office's six-episode trial run carried over general plot ideas from the earlier British series, particularly the threat of wholesale downsizing that weaves through the various plots and subplots; however, only the pilot was a direct adaptation of one of the U.K. version's episodes. ~ All Movie Guide

Larry (Larry David) visits Dr. Lynch (Jack Gallagher) because he's got what will discreetly be referred to as "a hair" stuck in his throat. He finds out that it will hurt to remove the hair, so he decides to let it work itself out. Dr. Lynch knows Larry went to see U2 the night before, because Larry's maid, Dora (Dyana Ortelli) told the receptionist. This alarms Larry, who doesn't want people knowing his business. When he gets home, Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) tells him that they have to get a Christmas tree, because her parents are coming for Christmas. This concerns Larry. "There's nothing worse than Jews with trees," he later tells Jeff (Jeff Garlin). Cheryl asks Larry to take care of tipping everyone. He gives a tip to Dora, and tells her not to tell people where he goes. He also tips Carlos (Gary Carlos Cervantes), the gardener. Jeff tells Larry about an elaborate lie he told Susie (Susie Essman) and Larry backs up Jeff's lie, making it even more involved. Jeff and Larry go to the club and work the room, tipping everyone in sight. Larry gets into a confrontation with a waiter he thinks he accidentally tipped twice. He goes home to find Cheryl's parents (Paul Dooley and Julie Payne) and a huge Christmas tree in his living room. Cheryl tells him Dora heard that Carlos got a bigger tip, and suggests Larry take Dora to the club for lunch to make it up to her. This creates more problems Larry runs into Susie at the club. Larry's situation worsens when he eats the nativity cookies Cheryl and her sister baked, mistaking them for animal crackers. Larry decides to go out and hire a manger to replace the cookies. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Can a woman find happiness with the thug she hired to murder her significant other? That's the 64,000-dollar question in this dark romantic comedy. Colleen (Sarah Jessica Parker) is a woman who is not at all happy with her boyfriend Dick (Johnny Knoxville) -- so unhappy, in fact, that she decides to hire Daniel (Harry Connick, Jr.), a hit man, in order to put him out of her life (and everyone else's) once and for all. However, as Colleen negotiates the killing with Daniel, she grows fond of the hired killer, and begins to sense that murder isn't his true calling. Daniel confesses that Colleen is right -- he loves to sing, and wants to put his execution contracts behind him so he can find work as a crooner. Colleen eagerly offers to manage Daniel's musical career, and he agrees to the offer, but there's a catch -- he'll need someone to help him wrap up his last few killings before he can pursue music full time. Life Without Dick also stars Craig Ferguson, Teri Garr, and Claudia Schiffer. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A shy musical comedy composer searches in vain for someplace to bed down with a sexy go-go dancer in this sweet-natured romantic comedy set in Manhattan. College student Gabriel (Christian Campbell) wants to compose musical comedies; Katherine (Tori Spelling), his muse and confidante, wants to star in his productions. In the meantime, she's rehearsing an all-female version of Salomé set in a women's prison while he drowns his sorrows about a negative review at a tony strip club. On the way home from the bar, Gabriel notices Mark (Jean Paul Pitoc), one of the dancers from the club, catnapping in the subway. One mumble-mouthed come-on later, the men attempt to consummate their attraction to one another at Gabriel's tiny apartment, only to find themselves frustrated by pets, roommates, and a visit from Katherine. The couple's attempt to find a suitable boudoir leads them from one location to another; along the way, they discover that their attraction might extend beyond a single afternoon's ardor. Trick marked the feature debut of director Jim Fall, a New York University alumnus who had previously lensed such gay-themed shorts as Shanghai, He Touched Me, and Love Is Deaf, Dumb and Blind. Fall and first-time screenwriter Jason Schafer spent more than three years reworking his original script while raising half a million dollars to finance the film, which appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999. Much of the publicity over the film centered on the heterosexuality of its two male romantic leads; despite such mild controversy, Trick became a modest art-house hit. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide