Christina Ricci Movies
One of the most celebrated actresses of her generation, as well as one of the few child stars to make a successful transition to adult roles, Christina Ricci has been impressing audiences and critics with her unnervingly accurate performances since debuting in 1990's Mermaids.The daughter of a lawyer and a former Ford model and the youngest of four children, Ricci was born in Santa Monica, CA, on February 12, 1980. Following her family's move to New York when she was eight, Ricci got her start acting in commercials. Her big screen debut came shortly after, when director Richard Benjamin cast her as Cher's younger daughter in Mermaids. Although much attention went to Winona Ryder, who played Ricci's older sister, the young actress made enough of an impression to land more work: The following year, she starred as the morbidly precocious Wednesday Addams in the hit film adaptation of The Addams Family. The role would help to establish Ricci as an actress known for playing dark, unconventional characters; she went on to play Wednesday again in the film's 1993 sequel Addams Family Values.
Following a series of films both good and bad, including Now and Then, in which she played the young Rosie O'Donnell, and the critically panned but commercially successful Casper, Ricci starred as the troubled, sexually precocious Wendy Hood in Ang Lee's widely praised The Ice Storm. The actress handled the part with uncanny maturity, leading many observers to conclude that she was truly beginning to come into her own. This assessment was solidified with Ricci's subsequent roles in films like Buffalo '66 (in which she played Vincent Gallo's unwitting abductee-turned-girlfriend), John Waters' Pecker, and Don Roos' The Opposite of Sex, the last of which cast her as Dedee, a delightfully loathsome girl who wreaks tabloid-style havoc on everyone she encounters, whether they be dead or alive. For her performance as Dedee, Ricci was nominated for a Golden Globe and attained the unofficial title of the Sundance Film Festival's 1998 "It" Girl.
Now riding high as an indie teen queen, Ricci went on in 1999 to headline the much-anticipated but ultimately disappointing 200 Cigarettes; the same year, she could be seen in Desert Blue, which featured 200 Cigarettes co-stars Casey Affleck and Kate Hudson, and Sleepy Hollow, in which she played Gothic princess Katrina Van Tassel opposite Johnny Depp's Ichabod Crane in Tim Burton's adaptation of Washington Irving's ghostly tale.
In 2000, Ricci starred in Sally Potter's The Man Who Cried, in which she played a young Jewish woman who flees from Germany to Paris during World War II, and Bless the Child, a supernatural thriller that also starred Kim Basinger and Rufus Sewell.
Though rumors of a stateside release date for Ricci's 2001 drama Prozac Nation continued to linger, the dark young starlet would move on to such unconventional efforts as The Laramie Project (2002) and the offbeat romantic comedy Pumpkin, which found her as a popular sorority girl who risks becoming a social outcast after falling for a mentally disabled young athlete whom she has volunteered to help train. Though subsequent efforts as Miranda and The Gathering (both 2002) fell beneath the radar at the box office, Ricci was a hit with Ally McBeal fans when she appeared in a recurring role in the Fox show that same year. Audiences who caught Woody Allen's 2003 comedy Anything Else found her as charming as ever (despite her sometimes shrill characterization in the film). At festivals that year, Ricci could be seen in supporting roles in actor Adam Goldberg's dark drama I Love Your Work, as well as in director Patty Jenkins' Aileen Wuornos biopic Monster.
She next appeared in the werewolf film Cursed, before moving on to Penelope with Reese Witherspoon, and Black Snake Moan with Samuel L. Jackson. In 2006 Ricci turned in a memorable guest appearance on the popular medical drama Grey's Anatomy as an EMT put in the difficult position of keeping a bomb stuck inside a patient from exploding. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
The ghoulish cartoon family created by Charles Addams returns for a second big-screen outing darker and nastier than the first. When Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston) gives birth to new baby boy Pubert, the other Addams children, Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) and Wednesday (Christina Ricci), devise any number of ways to kill off their new sibling. This leads Morticia and her husband, Gomez Raul Julia, to hire a nanny (Joan Cusack) to oversee all three children. But the nanny has an agenda of her own, packing the Addams children off to a horrid parody of summer camp and setting out to seduce Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd), all with the goal of getting her hands on the Addams family fortune. Of course, the Addams eventually triumph, with this blacker-than-most satire extolling the virtues of eccentricity and non-conformity above all. It was followed by 1999's direct-to-video Addams Family Reunion, with Darryl Hannah and Tim Curry replacing Huston and the late Julia. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, (more)
Based on the play by Ivan Menchell, this drama concerns three friends, Doris (Olympia Dukakis), Lucille (Diane Ladd), and Esther (Ellen Burstyn). All three live in the same Jewish community in Pittsburgh, are in their mid-to-late 50s, and have become widows within the past few months. Once a week, they gather to visit their husbands' graves and meet at a deli afterward to talk about their lives. Doris remains fiercely devoted to her late husband and takes her responsibilities as a widow seriously. Lucille is eager to get her feet back in the waters of dating, partly as revenge against her late husband, who often cheated on her, and partly because she's very lonely by herself. Esther is also not used to being alone after 39 years of marriage, but she doesn't feel ready to start dating again, at least not until she meets Ben (Danny Aiello), a former cop turned cab driver who gradually but firmly eases his way into her life. Doris is appalled when she discovers that Esther is dating again and loudly protests that she's being disrespectful to her late husband, while Lucille is more than a bit jealous that Esther snagged a good man before she could. Jerry Orbach and Lee Richardson appear in a brief prologue sequence. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, (more)
Action film director John Badham bites the hand that feeds him in this action movie spoof that features ribbing of pretty-boy Hollywood action stars by Michael J. Fox and a parody of colorful, hair-trigger James Woods types by the man himself. Woods plays New York homicide detective John Moss, who is within an inch of closing in on a serial killer who calls himself The Party Crasher (Stephen Lang) because his specialty is shooting his victims in the middle of discos. Chasing The Party Crasher after his latest victim has been dispatched, Moss finds himself hanging onto the door of a speeding truck with The Party Crasher at the wheel. When Moss is thrown off the truck and nearly killed, The Party Crasher escapes, and Moss is taken off the case. Moss is given a new assignment --to tag around with Hollywood action film star Nick Lang (Michael J. Fox), the popular hero of the "Smoking Gun" movies. Lang spotted Moss on a television news show and thinks he would be the ideal cop to study for adding authenticity to an up-coming police action picture. Posing as Moss's rookie partner, Lang follows Moss everywhere, proceeding to spoil his pursuit of The Party Crasher and interfering with Moss's burgeoning affair with his girlfriend Susan (Anabella Sciorra). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, James Woods, (more)
Inspired more by the 1960s TV series than by the original Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons, The Addams Family proved to be one of the more successful of the TV shows-turned-movies of the 1990s. The film opens on a recreation of the magazine cartoon wherein the ghoulish Addamses prepare to pour hot oil upon a group of merry Christmas carolers. After a series of vignettes which establish the characters of Gomez (Raul Julia), Morticia (Anjelica Huston), Wednesday (Christina Ricci), Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) and family servants Lurch (Carel Struycken) and Thing (Christopher Hart), the plot proper gets under way. A stranger, played by Christopher Lloyd, shows up on the Addams doorstep, claiming to be long-lost Uncle Fester. It appears, however, that Lloyd is a ringer, in cahoots with attorney Tully Alford (Dan Hedaya) to strip the Addamses of their fortune. In their usual against-the-grain fashion, the Addams Family seems to delight in the possibility that they're being hoodwinked-indeed, not even kidnapping or death threats dampen the Addams clan's joy of living (or should we say dying?). The Addams Family served as the directorial debut of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, (more)
There's no point in recounting the many production problems and personal hostilities which plagued the filming of Mermaids: the end result is all that matters. Set in the 1960s, the film details the relationship between an unorthodox, unmarried vagabond mother (Cher), and her two daughters. The 15-year-old (Winona Ryder), continually embarrassed by her flamboyant mother, wants to be the world's greatest Catholic; the nine-year-old (Christina Ricci) would be satisfied with becoming the world's champion swimmer. Moving with her family to New England, the older daughter falls in love from afar with the groundskeeper (Michael Schoeffling) from a nearby convent, while Mom takes up with a lonely salesman (Bob Hoskins). Mermaids is perceptively adapted from the warmly comic novel by Patty Dann. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cher, Bob Hoskins, (more)
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one to six are introduced to the tiny but diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci reveal the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of humans' creepy-crawly neighbors. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. The series also includes tips for safely handling insects, and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. Bug City: Flies & Mosquitoes looks in-depth at these two insect species that have such a bad reputation among humans. From the fruit fly to the housefly, the program looks at the entire four-stage life cycle of these flying insects revealing the unexpected benefits of maggots in the process. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the tiny but diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci reveal the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of these creepy-crawly neighbors. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. The series also includes tips for safely handling insects, and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. In Bug City: Crickets, Grasshoppers & Friends, the cameras head down into the grass and weeds to reveal the creatures responsible for all that chirping and singing. Learn about the phenomenal jumping ability of the grasshopper as well as the camouflaging adaptations that have helped the katydid flourish. Related species like the praying mantis and the walking stick are examined as well. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one to six are introduced to the diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci, the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of humans' creepy-crawly neighbors are revealed in sharp detail. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets which would be difficult to learn otherwise. Also included are tips for safely handling insects and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. In Bug City: Ladybugs & Fireflies, the program explores these two beloved members of the beetle family. Watch as the ladybug patrols the flower garden, snacking on the insects that would eat the flowers and vegetables. The firefly has provided a summertime thrill to children (and adults) for centuries. Dr. Art explains the way in which these flying beetles create their magical light while trying to re-create that light in an experiment. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the tiny but diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci reveal the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of humans' creepy-crawly neighbors. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. The series also includes tips for safely handling insects, and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. Bug City: House & Backyard Insects examines some of the most common -- and often some of the most reviled -- insects. Get to know the cockroach, the flea, the termite, and the slug as Bug City gets up close and personal with these and more creatures from every day life. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the tiny but diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci reveal the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of these creepy-crawly neighbors. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. The series also includes tips for safely handling insects, and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. In Bug City: Bees, Dr. Art and his crew reveal why bees are proverbially busy and how all this hard work makes life nicer for humans. Go inside the hive to see the intricate dances performed by thousands of bees at once, and learn the purpose behind these gyrations. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the tiny but diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci reveal the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of these creepy-crawly neighbors. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. The series also includes tips for safely handling insects, and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. Bug City: Aquatic Insects explores the rich habitat of lakes, ponds, marshes, and streams. Some of the interesting insects featured are the dragonfly, water-striders, backswimmers, and damselflies. See how these, and thousands of other insects, have adapted to life in these watery worlds. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the tiny but diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci reveal the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of these creepy-crawly neighbors. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. The series also includes tips for safely handling insects, and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. Bug City: Butterflies & Moths takes a close look at the amazing process of metamorphosis that transforms the caterpillar into the butterfly (or moth). The program explores the wide variety of these winged creatures and explains how to identify the different species by their shapes and coloring. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the tiny but diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci reveal the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of these creepy-crawly neighbors. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. The series also includes tips for safely handling insects, and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. In Bug City: Beetles, Dr. Art demonstrates the simple steps involved in creating a beetle habitat. Starting with the creation of a meal worm colony (the larval form of a particular beetle variety), children can watch the development of the beetles through their entire life cycle. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci, the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of humans' creepy-crawly neighbors are revealed in sharp detail. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets which would be difficult to learn otherwise. Also included are tips for safely handling insects and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. In Bug City: Spiders & Scorpions the series explores the immense variety of spiders and the means they have developed for surviving in their various environments. The program also follows the day-to-day life of the scorpion. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide
With each episode of the Bug City video series, children ages one through six are introduced to the diverse world of one-insect species or a group of related species. With the help of hand puppet Bugsy Seagull, Dr. Art Evans, director of the Insect Zoo for Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, and film star Christina Ricci, the habits, diets, adaptations, and life cycles of these creepy-crawly neighbors are revealed in sharp detail. Employing the latest advances in microscopic photography, each episode magnifies the day-to-day lives of these amazing creatures, revealing secrets that would be difficult to learn otherwise. Also included are tips for safely handling insects and techniques for creating habitats for the various species examined. In Bug City: Ants, viewers learn that there are over 11,000 species of ants, and that among this terrific variety there are myriad ways to make a living as an ant. ~ Sean Hurley, All Movie Guide














