Joel S. Rice Movies
- 2009
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A columnist still haunted by her past mistakes hesitates to accept the love of a good man until one of her loyal readers offers some sage advice. Peyton MacGruder (Genie Francis) may have all the answers for everyone else, but when it comes to her own love life she simply can't commit to the man she loves (Ted McGinley). When a reader warns Peyton not to deny her own passion, the sleuthing columnist discovers that her adviser was involved in a doomed romance. But if there's still hope for her reader, perhaps there's still hope for Peyton as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Genie Francis
A materialistic businessman learns the value of giving in this family film from the Hallmark Channel. Based on a true story, the inspirational drama follows workaholic Peter Andrews (Jason Gedrick) as he attempts to redeem his self-serving ways by volunteering to start a Christmas choir at a homeless shelter run by a tough-talking nun, Sister Agatha (Rhea Perlman). ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Gedrick, Tyrone Benskin, (more)
A struggling human interest columnist finds a simple scrap of paper with a profound message may be the key to saving her column from cancellation in this inspirational, made for television drama starring Genie Francis and Ted McGinley. Peyton MacGruder (Francis) is the "Heart Healer" columnist for the local Middleborough Times newspaper. It's Christmas time, and just as the crew of Flight 848 reports a minor electrical problem, Peyton is summoned to her editor's office for a serious discussion about the future of the "Heart Healer" column. According to the results of a recent reader's survey, the "Heart Healer" column was voted the least interesting item that the paper had to offer, and as a result Peyton is about to get the axe. Just as Peyton's editor warns the writer to improve her standing with readers of hit the pavement, word breaks in the newsroom that Flight 848 has crashed, killing everyone aboard. King Danville, Peyton's friend and colleague at the paper, has lost a dear friend in the crash. Pondering whether or not the passengers realized they were going to die while drowning his sorrows at the local sports bar, King wonders aloud whether they had time to say goodbye to their loved ones, half-jokingly suggesting that Peyton work the concept into her failing column. The following day, Peyton is jogging along the beach when she spies smarmy television reporter Truman Harris interrupting a memorial service for the victims, all the while struggling to find an angle that doesn't seem exploitative. That angle arrives in the form of a note that Peyton finds during another walk along the coast. Sealed inside a small plastic bag half filled with cookie crumbs is a note to "T" from "Dad." Peyton is deeply moved by the heartfelt note, and vows to use the "Heart Healer" column as a means for getting the note to its intended recipient. In order to do so, however, Peyton will be forced to contend with her television counterpart Harris, a tactless reporter whose penchant for sensationalizing a story is only matched by his willingness to resort to underhanded tactics in order to take sole credit for all of Peyton's hard work. And while tracking down "T" proves no easy task, Peyton quickly discovers that her latest story truly resonates with readers upon being informed by her publisher that her "Heart Healers" column has gained a loyal following across the country. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Genie Francis, Ted McGinley, (more)
A kid discovers a unique way to stand up for himself and his friends in this family-friendly comedy-drama from director Savage Steve Holland. Nolan Byrd (Devon Werkheiser) is a bright fifth grader who has a knack for creating electronic gizmos and a fondness for remote-control model planes. Nolan is also skinny and shy, which makes him a constant target for thick-headed bully Bubba Bixby (Andrew Caldwell), the son of local sewage magnate Bob Bixby (Daniel Roebuck). Bubba makes life miserable for most of the students at Nolan's school, including Isabel (Francia Almendarez), the girl Nolan worships from afar, but no one is sure what to so about him. An assignment from his teacher Mr. Green (Tim Meadows) gives Nolan the idea to secretly videotape Bubba as he tortures his classmates and post the results online, where parents, teachers and others can see him in action. Needing an alter ego, Nolan creates the online identity "Shredderman," and soon "Shredderman"'s website is the talk of the school as he exposes Bubba's misdeeds to the world. However, "Shredderman" soon has bigger fish to fry when he uncovers evidence that Bob Bixby is planning a scam that will bilk the city for an expensive water processing plant they don't need. Shredderman Rules was based on the popular Shredderman novels for kids by author Wendelin Van Draanen. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Devon Werkheiser, Andrew Caldwell, (more)
- 2005
Worn to a frazzle by her job at trendy "Glow" magazine, straitlaced J.J. Jenner (Carly Pope) is gratified when her boss offers her the job of writing an important food column--but only if she can finish a decent article within a two-week deadline, which will fall upon Christmas Eve. Impeding J.J.'s potential success is the breakup of her current romance, and especially the unannounced arrival of her freewheeling mother Lee (Christine Baranski), former hippie and lifelong chorus girl. To get her well-meaning but annoying mom out of her hair, and to assure that the food-column job will definitely be hers, J.J. enters into an arrangement with publicity-hungry restaurant owner Alex (Bobby Cannavale), wherein he will date Lee in exchange for a glowing review of his eating establishment. Suffice to say that things don't quite turn out as either J.J. or Alex originally planned. Produced for the Lifetime cable channel,Recipe for a Perfect Christmas debuted December 5, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Way back when she was 13 years old, lonely Holly Grant (Kelli Williams), envying the busy social lives of her best friends, made a wish to receive a boyfriend for Christmas. Instead, Holly was given a glass globe, ostensibly by "Santa Claus" himself, with the attached message that her wish would be granted within the next two decades. Flash forward 20 years: Now a dedicated pro bono attorney, the still-unattached Holly has experienced great success in making everyone happy -- except herself. Enter two men in our heroine's life: Ted Powell (Bruce Thomas), her onetime high school heartthrob, and some guy calling himself Doug, who strangely resembles a person whom Holly ardently dislikes -- and who may well be the answer to the wish posted to Santa twenty years before! A Boyfriend for Christmas originally aired over the Hallmark channel on November 27, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelli Williams, Patrick Muldoon, (more)
- 2004
Former Beverly Hills 90210 costars Jason Priestleyand Emma Caulfield are reunited in this frothy made-for-cable romantic comedy. Priestly plays Ryan Banks, a once-popular movie actor whose career is in the toilet, not only because of bad role choices but also because of his unsavory reputation as an irresponsible womanizer. In hopes of revitalizing Ryan's career, his manager and best friend Todd Doherty (Bradley Cooper) comes up with an inspiration: A network reality show called "I Want to Marry Ryan Banks", in which the title character will live in the same house with 15 attractive young women, all of them prospective brides. In fine Mark Burnett tradition, one of the female contestants will be voted out each week by the viewers, with the winner chosen by popular demand. The girl who seems to have the inside track is blue-collar Charlene "Charlie" Norton (Emma Caulfield), who has entered the contest because she needs the prize money. Complications arise when, as the series draws ever nearer to its conclusion, Charlie balks at the notion of wedding Ryan Banks, only to be told that if she doesn't, she'll be sued within an inch of her life--and making things even stickier, Todd Doherty has fallen in love with Charlie himself! Produced for the ABC Family channel, I Want to Marry Ryan Banks was first seen on January 18, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
On her 16th birthday, Darcy Deeton (Danielle Panabaker) continues to grieve over her beloved brother David (Billy Aaron Brown), who had been killed in a freak car accident exactly one year earlier. Desperate for "closure", Darcy joins her friend Sam (Ricky Ullman) on a cross-country journey to locate the person who received David's heart in a transplant operation. Hoping that the new heart will have "transformed" the recipient, Darcy is in for a major disappointment--or so it seems. Meanwhile, she must also deal with serious issues involving David's girlfriend Jayne (Corri English), who holds Darcy responsible for his death. Based on a book by Cherie Bennett, Searching for David' Heart first aired November 21, 2004 on the ABC Family Channel, and subsequently was the winner of the prestigious Humanitas Prize. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Divorced Denver TV weatherman Will (Scott Wolf) only has custody of his son during holidays. Divorced mom Jane (Amanda Detmer) has custody of her daughter every day of the year except holidays. Inevitably, Will and Jane meet at the Denver airport while picking up and dropping off their respective children. And inasmuch as this is a made-for-cable romantic comedy, Will and Jane are destined to run into one another at the same airport again and again on subsequent Holiday weekends. And of course they will ultimately fall in love, despite such complications as the effort by Jane's ex-husband to win her back. The first film project of Friends star Lisa Kudrow's Is or Isn't Entertainment, Picking Up and Dropping Off made its ABC Family channel debut on December 7, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Back when they were junior-high-school "geeks," Melissa and Gabrielle (aka Mel and Gabby) were perennial targets for abuse from the prettier and more popular girls on campus -- especially the beautiful but bitchy Cara Cabot. The most crushing humiliation came when Mel was led to believe that the school's handsomest boy, Drew Hesler, was truly interested in her -- only to be told otherwise in the cruelest and most public fashion imaginable. Eleven years have passed, and Mel (Carly Pope) is now a slim, attractive, high-powered public relations executive, with Gabby (Sara Rue) as her equally well-poised partner. Assigned to publicize a new, trendy restaurant, Mel is astonished to discover that the establishment's owner is none other than Drew Hesler (Brian Austin Green) -- who doesn't even recognize her. Thirsting for revenge, Gabby insists that Mel cook up a scheme that will make both Drew and his partner Cara (Gina Tognoni) look as foolish and flustered as Mel had been back in junior high. But Mel threatens to spoil the scheme by falling in love with Drew all over again. The made-for-cable This Time Around debuted June 22, 2003, on the ABC Family Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carly Pope, Sara Rue, (more)
- 1999
Based on a true story, the made-for-TV Half a Dozen Babies stars real-life married couple Melissa Reeves and Scott Reeves as Indiana couple Becki and Scott Dilley. Unsuccessful in their many attempts to have children, the Dilleys willingly undergo a new, experimental infertility treatment. As a result, in the Summer of 1993 the Dilleys become the proud parents of America's first surviving sextuplets: Julian, Claire, Brenna, Quinn, Adrian and Ian. Now Becki and Scott must not only endure the trials and tribulations of first parenthood, but they must do it six times over--and in full view of a voracious media! Reportedly, the actual members of the Dilley family were none too pleased with the liberties taken in the film, but audiences in general were satisfied. Half a Dozen Babies made its ABC network debut on May 17, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this provocative made-for-television family drama, Marybeth, a college co-ed finds herself forced to make a choice that will forever alter her life when she learns that her recently-deceased grandmother has chosen her to become the legal guardian of her mentally retarded mother. This crossroads comes shortly before Marybeth is to graduate. She knows that if she does indeed take custody of her mother Sarah, all her dreams will be as dust; however, the only other alternative is to send her mother to an institution where she may or may not receive proper care. In making her choice, Marybeth must spend time with her mother and in so doing finds herself finally coming to grips with some of her family's most painful secrets. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kellie Martin, Mary Steenburgen, (more)
Strange happenings occur when California teenager Sarah (Sarah Chalke) and her mother Rosemary (Markie Post) relocate to the small New England town of Pinecrest. It seems that Sarah shares the same name with a notorious witch who'd been burned at the stake three centuries earlier. Before her death, the "original" Sarah had vowed to get even with all the descendants of the people who persecuted her. A group of snotty high schoolers who've formed The Descendants' Club decide to give the hapless Sarah a very, very hard time -- but the fun is over when, while posing as a fortuneteller at a Halloween party, Sarah discovers that she possesses genuine psychic powers, and foresees a series of disasters that foment a frenzy of mass hysteria in the tiny community. Also tossed into this witches' brew is a mentally challenged serial killer, decked out in a Mike Myers-style mask. Adapted (and heavily laundered) from Lois Duncan's novel Gallows Hill, the made-for-TV I've Been Waiting for You debuted over NBC on March 22, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sarah Chalke, Markie Post, (more)
- 1997
Professional nurse Rebecca Dubrovich (Shannen Doherty) is swept off her feet by charming millionaire Dick Strang (Tim Matheson), and the two begin a passionate romance. Only when it is too late does Rebecca discover that Strang has, to put it mildly, a dark side: He's a bigamist, a control freak, a pathological liar, and a vicious sadist. Breaking off the relationship, Rebecca is subsequently stalked by the obsessive Strang, who ultimately injures her so severely that she is confined to a wheelchair. During her painful recovery period, Rebecca falls in love with orthopedic surgeon Jerrold Petrofsky (David Bowe), and ultimately dedicates her life to helping other victims of abusive relationships. Based on a true story previously dramatized on the television anthology Unsolved Mysteries and then released in book form, the made-for-TV Sleeping with the Devil originally aired April 22, 1997 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This fact-based TV movie stars JoBeth Williams as Pam Willis, a case worker for the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women. In the course of a standard investigation, Pam comes upon Laura Keyes (Kellie Martin), a 14-year-old deafmute girl who has been locked up since childhood and never taught sign language. Even worse, Laura has endured a lifetime of unspeakable abuse at the hands of her father. Taking Laura under her wing, Pam endeavors to teach the terrified girl how to communicate and function in the "outside" world--and in the process, awakens the soul that has been so long buried within Laura's battered consciousness. This mission turns out to be a desperate race against time when Laura's bestial father begins scouring the slums in search of his "runaway" daughter. Breaking Through debuted December 30, 1996 on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kellie Martin, JoBeth Williams, (more)
After the Silence concerns a deaf girl who must contend with numerous difficulties in order to make sure her father pays for abusing her. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- JoBeth Williams, Kellie Martin, (more)
- 1995
Devoted to the point of obsession to her brother, Jessica Wells (Jodie Bissett) is completely unhinged by the brother's death. When Jessica becomes schizophrenic, her family must deal with the grim necessity of institutionalizing the girl. Salvation comes from an unexpected source: a new, experimental drug, with which her doctors hope to restore Jessica to normalcy--and to repair her tattered romance with her loyal boyfriend Patrick (Jason Gedrick). Trouble begins when Jessica goes off her medication and transforms into what TV Guide writer Susan Stewart described as a "sexual carnivore." A young Chad Lowe plays a small but pivotal role in the fact-based, made-for-TV Dare to Love, which had its world premiere over ABC on December 17, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
When the police don't seem to be giving their all in the investigation of a young woman's disappearance, her sister decides to look into the mystery herself. The more evidence she finds, the more the finger of guilt points towards her brother-in-law. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann Jillian, Joe Penny, (more)
Two women forced to deal with the ugly specter of domestic violence find support in one another in this made-for-television drama. Beth (Donna Mills) has spent years in a violent relationship with her husband Tim (Corbin Bernsen), who batters her on a regular basis. One day, Beth reaches the end of her rope, packing up her children and leaving her husband behind. Tim, however, isn't about to let Beth go, and begins following her every move. In order to put an end to his stalking, Beth enters a shelter for abused women, where she meets Kaye (Robin Givens), a fellow beaten spouse. Beth and Kaye become fast friends, and they decide to find a house together. However, Kaye unfortunately also has a husband who refuses to leave her be, and when her former spouse violently attacks her, it's up to Beth to see that justice is done. Dangerous Intentions was inspired by a true story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donna Mills, Corbin Bernsen, (more)
In this drama, the mother of an autistic boy and his teacher are frequently at odds. But when they learn that the boy has been molested, the two must unite to discover the abuser's identity. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, Melissa Gilbert, (more)
The Bonds of Love in this made-for-TV drama are those forged between divorcee Kelly McGillis and mentally disabled Treat Williams. What begins as a friendship between two lost souls blossoms into a deep and genuine romance. Their wedding plans are challenged by his mother (Grace Zabriskie) and father (Hal Holbrook)-who are not depicted as villains but merely well-meaning and overprotective (only Williams' brother, played by Steve Railsback, comes off in negative terms). Based on a true story, Bonds of Love is set in Kansas (though it was lensed in Ontario). The film premiered January 24, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Since this no-brainer is basically a hybrid of frat-boy comedy and slasher-thriller exploitation which features no slashing, no humor, and fails to exploit anything, it's hard to determine what the producers really had in mind. The plot (it's in there somewhere) has something to do with a campus killer who likes to practice his own variety of hazing during Hell Week, but mainly it involves a lot of brain-dead college losers (played by similarly challenged non-actors) who blabber their way through one pointless dialogue scene after another before the murderer finally decides to bump them off. He could have done away with them before the cameras began rolling and saved everyone a lot of grief. Whatever fit of prudence prevented director Jimmy Huston from showing any scenes of graphic bloodletting (often the only points of interest in other lame entries from this subgenre) also manages to rob the film of whatever cheap thrills it might have been able to provide. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice, (more)
