Tommy Morgan Jr. Movies
Four blue-collar workers join forces with a destitute streetwalker in order to establish a top-dollar escort service in actor-turned-director Blair Underwood's working class drama. They live in a rundown Pittsburgh neighborhood where every day is a struggle. Stuck in low-paying, dead end jobs that will never propel them above the poverty line. But the prostitution racket may just be the ticket to a better life. Before long, everyone is rolling in cash, and living the lifestyle that always seemed just out of their reach. But when a sudden tragedy brings reality knocking, the four friends find themselves in over their heads, and desperate to escape. Ving Rhames, Bijou Phillips, and Danny Masterson star in a gritty urban drama exploring the dark side of the criminal lifestyle. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ving Rhames
A popular sitcom star and six of her closest friends set out for a relaxing weekend in the wilderness, only to find themselves stalked by a homicidal maniac in director H.M. Coakley's viciously hilarious horror comedy. Soon after the group crams into Monica's SUV and heads out on the highway, Monica's boyfriend Dwayne spots his recently paroled cousin Troy hitchhiking on the side of the road. Later, with one more passenger than originally planned in tow, the crew arrives at their remote cabin only to find that Monica's agent has also decided to join the party with the intent of convincing the reluctant actress to renew her contract -- and he's brought along a date as well. When Dwayne proposes to Monica as a heavy thunderstorm rolls in and the friends decide to celebrate with some champagne, Troy heads into the kitchen to retrieve a bottle and set the party into motion. Just then, a news bulletin flashes across the television screen implicating Troy in a shocking murder. Though Dwayne insists that his cousin is a simple thief and has never harmed a soul, the lights suddenly flicker out and the body count begins to rise. With no place to run and a killer on the loose, the fun grinds to a brutal halt as the frightened vacationers attempt to survive through the night while revealing the true identity of the killer before the maniac responsible for so much carnage is the last one standing. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelli Boone, Charles F. Porter, (more)
- 1994
Recognizing his problem, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) attends an open AA meeting. Donna (Gail O'Grady) has high hopes when she learns that Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) has again left his wife. Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) sparks racial tensions when, after shooting a black motorist, he is unable to prove that the man drew on him first. And seeking spiritual solace, Janice (Amy Brenneman) confesses to a priest (Dean Norris) that it was she who killed mobster Marino. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
NYPD Blue begins its second season with 15th Precinct police officer Janice Licalsi (Amy Brenneman) on trial for the killing of mob functionary Marino. Despite having suppressed evidence that would have incriminated Janice, Detective John Kelly (David Caruso) testifies on her behalf -- and outside chambers, Kelly tells Robin Wirkus (Debrah Farentino) of his innermost feelings. Elsewhere, the squad investigates a series of robberies targeting drug dealers, and Andy Sipowicz, (Dennis Franz), busy on a case involving a battered wife, must agree to signing a contract with his AA sponsor, Dan Breen (Peter Boyle), before renewing his romance with another recovering alcoholic. With this episode, Gail O'Grady (Donna Abandando), Gordon Clapp (Greg Medavoy), and Sharon Lawrence (Sylvia Costas) graduate from recurring-characters to full "series regular" status. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Poor Maddalena (Sophia Diaz). She's so beautiful and sexy that men in her native Italy could not stop trying to romance her. She could have gone to a convent and she would have had trouble with the priests. There was no place that she could think of that she wouldn't be constantly subject to sexual and romantic demands by men. At some point, though, she remembered what she had heard about the stodginess, even the natural puritanism of the British. And British men are famous for their lack of sexual prowess. In this British-made comedy (penned by the very witty Simon Gray), Maddalena has moved to the British countryside and married a perfectly pleasant British man. Unfortunately, instead of inspiring lust in her new homeland, her great beauty inspires cardiac arrest in those who inopportunely view too much of it on the not infrequent occasions when her breasts break free of their moorings. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simon Callow, Donald Pleasence, (more)
- 1992
- Add Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story to QueueAdd Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story to top of Queue
Adapted from Robert Sam Anson's fact-based book Best Intentions, Murder without Motive stars Curtis McClarin as Harlem teenager Edmund Perry. A brilliant student, Perry is transferred from the inner city to an exclusive prep school principally attended by whites. Ten days after graduating with honors, the 17-year-old Perry is killed by a white undercover policeman, who claims he was attacked by Perry and his younger brother Jonah (Guy Killum). Though unsparing in its indictment of racism and police brutality, the Murder without Motive attempts to be fair to both sides, showing the many external pressures which led both killer and victim to their fatal meeting in the spring of 1985. This made-for-TV film was first shown January 6, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
James Belushi and Charles Grodin team up for this variation on the Prince and the Pauper. Belushi plays Jimmy Dworski, a convicted car thief, serving time in a minimum security prison. But when Jimmy wins a pair of tickets to the World Series from a radio call-in show, he can't resist walking out of jail, particularly when the warden won't even let the inmates watch the series on television. Grodin plays rich workaholic Spencer Barnes, who, when his wife walks out on him right before a long-planned vacation, leaves his datebook in an airport telephone booth. Happening upon Spencer's datebook is Jimmy, who simply intends to return the datebook to Spencer for a 1,000-dollar reward. But when he finds the datebook contains his credit cards, Jimmy assumes Spencer's identity, living the good life and dating the boss's daughter, while making his way to Malibu to return the property to Spencer. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Belushi, Charles Grodin, (more)
- 1989
McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) suspects foul play when her new friend, a pregnant ER nurse, dies in a car crash. The official report indicates that the woman had been drinking, but McCall refuses to accept this: even though the nurse had a history of alcoholism, she would never have mixed liquor with her morning-sickness medicine. Investigating on McCall's behalf, Hunter (Fred Dryer) discovers that the real villain of the piece is one of the victim's coworkers--who is inextricably linked with that most ubiquitous of 1980s TV heavies, an evil land developer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Spy stars Bruce Greenwood as a defecting CIA agent. Trouble is, Greenwood is privy to classified knowledge about recent atrocities in Central America, masterminded by rogue agents. Knowing that he's a dead man walking the moment he leaves headquarters, Greenwood assumes a new identity and heads for parts unknown. One year after forsaking the espionage business, Greenwood finds himself being stalked...but by whom? An above-average "Who Can You Trust" meller, Spy premiered over the USA cable network on December 27, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Keenen Ivory Wayans wrote, directed, and starred in this hilarious parody of blaxploitation films in the comedy I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. Jack Spade (Wayans) returns home from a hitch in the army to find his brother Junebug has died from an overdose of gold chains, leaving his widow Cheryl (Dawnn Lewis) and mother Ma Bell (Ja'net DuBois) alone to fend for themselves. Ma throws two inept thugs (Damon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison) sent by the evil white guy Mr. Big (John Vernon) down a flight of stairs. Junebug owes $5,000 to Mr. Big for his gold-chain addiction and tries to force Cheryl into prostitution to pay off the debt. Jack recruits his old friend to go after Mr. Big to seek revenge. John Slade (Bernie Casey), Hammer (Isaac Hayes), Slammer (Jim Brown) Kung Fu Joe (Steve James) and the former Pimp Of The Year Flyguy (Antonio Fargas) join up with Jack to avenge his brother' death. Chris Rock makes a brief appearance as the annoying customer who risks his life by irking rib joint owner Hammer. Funny and fast paced, the writing, acting, sight gags and cameos by Robert Townsend, Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III, Eve Plumb (Jan from The Brady Bunch), Kim Wayans, and Gary Owens makes this a must-see for any comedy fan. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keenen Ivory Wayans, Bernie Casey, (more)
This satirical look at the ambivalent relationship between Hollywood power brokers and African-American performers marked the writing, producing, and directing debut of Robert Townsend. The filmmaker also stars as Bobby Taylor, a struggling actor looking for his big break despite his family's and co-workers' reservations about his chosen career path. While working a day job flipping burgers, Bobby heads out to insulting cattle calls where white casting agents pass judgement on whether he seems "black enough." Meanwhile, he imagines himself playing Sam Spade, Rambo, and other movie heroes rather than the stereotypical roles actually available to him. When Bobby actually does win one such pimp-daddy part, however, he is forced to choose between accepting work that opens doors, but ultimately demeans him and returning to obscurity with his principles intact. Hollywood Shuffle's enormous supporting cast includes a wealth of black actors, from then-unknowns such as Damon Wayans to veterans such as 227 star Helen Martin. Self-financed and filmed on scraps of hand-me-down celluloid, the film helped establish actor Townsend as a director of note and also kick-started the career of co-screenwriter and co-star Keenen Ivory Wayans, who would cast Townsend in his own directorial debut the following year. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Townsend, Anne-Marie Johnson, (more)
