Roger Rose
In the world of the emperor penguin, a simple song can mean the difference between a lifetime of happiness and an eternity of loneliness. When a penguin named Mumble is born without the ability to sing the romantic song that will attract his soul mate, he'll have to resort to some fancy footwork by tap dancing his way into the heart of the one he loves. Directed by Babe mastermind George Miller, Happy Feet tells the tale of one penguin's quest for love, and features an all-star cast of vocal talent that includes Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, and Brittany Murphy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, (more)
Mark Hamill directs and stars in the straight-to-video mockumentary Comic Book: The Movie, largely filmed on-location at the 2002 Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA. Comic book fan Donald Swan (Hamill) is hired to make a documentary about his favorite superheroes: Commander Courage and Liberty Ladd. A big Hollywood film company has funded an action blockbuster about the legendary superhero, although with an updated image. Commander Courage becomes an aggressive anti-terrorist played by Bruce Easley (Daran Norris) and his sidekick becomes sexed-up eye candy Papaya Smith (Donna D'Errico). Traditionalist Swan fights to save the dignity of his beloved hero. His documentary crew consists of studio executive Taylor Donohue (Roger Rose) and intoxicated cameraman Ricky (Jess Harnell). A consultant on the project is Leo Matuzik (Billy West), the grandson of the original character creator. Kevin Smith, Hugh Hefner, Bruce Campbell, and Stan Lee appear as themselves. Legendary actors Sid Caesar and Jonathan Winters play a pair of old army buddies who reminisce about the good old days. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Hamill
- 2004
Superman's cousin, Supergirl (aka Kara), has been having weird nightmares in which she appears to be cast in the role of an assassin. When J'onn J'onnz is unable to telepathically decipher these dreams, Green Arrow and The Question try to help Supergirl -- who soon tumbles to the possibility that she might not be dreaming at all. Fans of The Manchurian Candidate will enjoy the plot twists in this episode, which establishes a plot strand that will be explored in further chilling detail in the later episode "Ultimatum." ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicholle Tom, Kin Shriner, (more)
The animated science fiction-adventure film Aero-Troopers concerns a boy who joins the title troupe in order to get revenge on Nemeclous, the entity that forced him away from his family. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1996
New York City is held in the grip of terror when a white tiger escapes from its underground home -- an abandoned subway tunnel -- and goes on a rampage. In their efforts to capture the beast, the Quest team must also contend with a slimy tabloid-TV host named Vince Vance, who intends to milk this potential disastrous situation for all it is worth. Another treat for fans of "real" animation (rather than the limited stuff usually foisted upon TV viewers), "Manhattan Maneater" was originally broadcast on September 2, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.D. Roth, George Segal, (more)
What to do with the kids on a rainy day? Many parents have asked this question and this videotape provides the perfect answers with a variety of creative arts and crafts ideas. Hosted by TV's Roger Rose, children are taught 30 activities to fill time when they can't go outside and play -- like learning to make homemade clay, how to be a rock star, how to create a time capsule, or how to become a pen pal to a child in another country. This tape is designed for children ages four to 11, and it allows parents to supervise and interact with their kids on fun and educational activities. ~ Forrest Spencer, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Marcy (Amanda Bearse) is appalled when the bank where she works (Kyoto National) announces plans to donate a scoreboard to Polk High School--to be named after the school's greatest football hero, Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill). Determined to cheat Al of this honor, Marcy thinks she has found a loophole when she discovers that former Super Bowl champ Terry Bradshaw once attended Polk High for two whole months. Listen as the studio audience cheers when Bradshaw (as himself) invokes memories of the "immaculate reception" of 1972. This episode was originally telecast in tandem with Al Bundy's Sports Spectacular, a montage of sports-related clips from past Married. . .With Children installments hosted by Roy Firestone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Alas, poor Buck! The Bundy's pet dog has shuffled off his mortal coil and ascended to the Animal Afterlife. As Buck's spirit nervously awaits sentence for his past crimes from jury of disgruntled animals, Kelly (Christina Applegate) mourns over the death of her pet. In hopes of making contact with Buck one last time, the Bundys arrange a séance conducted by Father Guido Sarducci (Don Novello). This episode introduces the new family pooch Lucky--who isn't all that Lucky when one considers that he is actually a reincarnation of Guess Who. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
In this romantic outing, a debonair vampire casts a love spell upon an unsuspecting woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kimberly Foster, Roger Rose, (more)
- 1992
For their 20th anniversary, Peggy (Katey Sagal) wants just one present from Al (Ed O'Neill)--and may get what she wants when the two of them are whisked off to Florida at the behest of their kids Kelly (Christina Applegate) and Bud (David Faustino). Unfortunately, the younger Bundys have an ulterior motive: having won a "My Dinner with Anthrax" award, the kids are anxious to get rid of their parents, and to do this have enmeshed Al and Peg in a shady time-share scam. Appearing as themselves, the rock band Anthrax performs "In My World" and "Bad to the Bone". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- PG
This unflattering TV movie offers a portrayal of the stormy marriage between comedienne Lucille Ball (Frances Fisher) and her Cuban bandleader husband (Maurice Benard). ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frances Fisher, Maurice Benard, (more)
Loosely based on the life and times of several R&B artists (The Dells, The Temptations, Frankie Lymon, Sam Cooke and others) The Five Heartbeats traces the rise and fall of a popular African-American 1950s singing aggregation. The story is told from the point of view of one of the "Heartbeats," played by Robert Townsend (who also co-produced, directed and co-wrote the script with Keenan Ivory Waynans). The film is an amalgam of anecdotes drawn from real-life experiences: the long struggle upward, the first rush of success, the dishonest record-company executives, the hard-nosed but nurturing managers, the sex, the drugs, the isolation and the precipitous downward slide. The film begins and ends in the 1990s, as the middle-aged "Duck" (Townsend) ruminates on the past and makes the best of the present. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, (more)
Not to be confused with the 1994 exchange-of-murders melodrama Dead On, this 1991 film was originally shipped out under the title Relentless 2: Dead On. You may recall that in the first Relentless in 1989, Judd Nelson starred as a serial killer. Nelson isn't around for the sequel, though two of his near-victims, a mother (Meg Foster) and her son (Leo Rossi), make return appearances. Relentless 2 elaborates on the possible aftereffects of Nelson's psychotic behavior, as manifested in young Rossi. Could the kid have learned too much about the inner workings of a murderer's mind? The premise is a workable one, and the film makes the most of it, with several genuinely frightening setpieces. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
- PG
In this slapstick comedy, a group of faithful ski patrol members set out to save Snowy Peaks ski resort from the evil plans of greedy businessman Maris (Martin Mull). ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Rose, Corby Timbrook, (more)
- 1986
- R
- AddFriday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Livesto QueueAddFriday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Livesto top of Queue
This impressive entry in the popular horror series brings back the relentless killer Jason Voorhees, this time as a supernatural zombie. Tommy Jarvis, now played by Thom Matthews, accidentally resurrects Jason when he impales the killer's corpse with a metal pole during a lightning storm. Numerous murders follow, beginning with Tommy's friend (Ron Palillo) having his heart torn out of his chest by the zombie killer. Implicated in the crimes by a mean-spirited sheriff (David Kagen), Tommy is freed from jail by the sheriff's daughter, spunky Megan (Jennifer Cooke). The cast converges on Camp Crystal Lake, which has been renamed "Camp Forest Green" by superstitious locals, in time for Tommy to send Jason back to the bottom of the lake, if only temporarily. Harry Manfredini's score is among his best, and the makeup by Martin Becker, Gabe Bartalos, R. Chris Biggs, and others is outstanding. Cooke makes an appealing heroine as Megan, although Matthews' Tommy has lost the interesting mental disturbances of previous entries and becomes just another bland hero. Tom McLoughlin's direction is effective, and the film has a memorably funny supporting turn by Bob Larkin as a grumpy drunken caretaker. Alice Cooper sings the title song, "He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)." Although no classic, this is a solid horror film with a witty script and engaging characters. Jason would rise again to face a telekinetic teen in the disappointing Friday the 13th, Part VII: The New Blood. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer C. Cooke, David Kagen, (more)
Micki (Ann Reinking) is the wife of Rob (Dudley Moore), an airheaded TV talk show host. Maude (Amy Irving) is an attractive musician who is unaware of Micki's existence, and with whom Rob falls in love. Rob is a guy who can't say no, thus when Maude announces that she's pregnant, Rob obligingly marries her. Trouble is, he's still married to Micki who is also pregnant. To make matters worse, Rob's wives are due to give birth on the same day, forcing the double dealer to work doubly hard to keep both demanding women happy. Matters reach their comical climax when the Big Day arrives and Rob is expected to attend both births at the same time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dudley Moore, Amy Irving, (more)
Hot Moves lives up to its title: naked males and females (mainly females) on sizzling beaches run in slow motion through the surf, while teenage guys put forth Herculean efforts to bed down the women of their choice. Young, chubby Barry (Michael Zorek) swipes his father's telescope to scope out the scene at the nearby beach-in-the-buff. While Barry is thus entertained, his friend Mike (Adam Silbar) has running argument with his girlfriend Julie Ann about whether or not their relationship should remain virginal -- true to form, Julie Ann says yes and he says no. With these kinds of profound decisions at hand, pre-pubescent boys will probably be the most enthusiastic audience for this teen comedy. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Zorek, Adam Silbar, (more)
This remake of François Truffaut's 1977 comedy misses out on Truffaut's subtext that delves into the nature of love and instead simply recounts the sexual and romantic exploits of David, a sculptor who is an incurable womanizer (Burt Reynolds). In order to come to grips with his obsession for women, David goes to see a psychiatrist, Marianna (Julie Andrews), and sure enough, she later joins him on the couch. His tale is told by Marianna, as flashbacks reveal their relationship and other loves of David's life, most notably Louise (Kim Basinger), a married woman hooked on intimacy in odd, if not dangerous, places. In all these relationships, David is as much attracted to the women as they are to him. Unfortunately, with flat dialogue and uninspired comedy, David fares better than the film as a whole. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Julie Andrews, (more)
- 1983
Vera (Beth Howland) is overwhelmed with plaintive poems, pretty balloons and assorted expensive presents. The explanation: Vera has a secret lover. The question: Is it anyone she knows (or for that matter, anyone WE know)? Originally filmed for Alice's seventh season and slated to air on June 5, 1983, this episode was held back until Season Eight due to a Hollywood writer's strike. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
