Armin Shimerman Movies

This episode elaborates upon the secret government conspiracy against the Justice League, introduced in such third-season episodes as "Fearful Symmetry" and "Ultimatum." As Batman tries to halt the conspiracy that has been fomented by the sinister Amanda Waller, Superman heads into the bowels of a volcano for a titanic battle from which he may not emerge alive. It seems that Superman's opponent is the diabolical Doomsday -- who was supposed to have been permanently killed off several episodes ago. ~ All Movie Guide

A single mother whose faith in love died with her former husband learns that Christmas miracles can still happen in director Harvey Frost's warmhearted tale of winter magic. Beth Andrews (Crystal Bernard) is a devoted single mother and advertising executive whose current campaign could put her on the fast track to the big time. The holiday season is here, and in order to sell the latest in video game technology, Beth's campaign needs the perfect Santa Claus. As Beth burns the midnight oil night after night and attempts to convince her young son Jake (Dominic Scott Kay) never to have faith in fantasies, the wistful young man pens a letter to Santa asking for a new dad for the holidays. It seems that up in the North Pole the time has come for Saint Nick to pass along the seasonal responsibilities to his son Nick (Steve Guttenberg), but in order to take the position, Nick must have a Mrs. Claus before Christmas Eve. Upon receiving the Christmas request from young Jake, Nick sets his sights on Los Angeles, and Beth Andrews in particular. Despite his best intentions, it's going to take more than a Christmas miracle to convince the dejected widow that love can still conquer all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The season four finale finds Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and friends returning to her house after the battle with Adam (George Hertzberg). Riley (Marc Blucas) is absent while testifying to the government about the Initiative's activities. Xander (Nicholas Brendan) suggests the group all relax and watch Apocalypse Now -- before the opening credits roll, everyone is asleep. In their dreams, each character is attacked or "challenged" by a primitively painted woman. Each dream is surreal and reflects emotionally on past season events and characters. Willow (Alyson Hannigan) tries to give a book report to a bored Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and the ancient woman sucks the spirit from her body. Then Xander dreams his father is taunting him about never moving out of the family's basement. His father rips Xander's heart from his chest while transforming into the primitive warrior woman. In Giles' dream, he figures out that the spell the group cast to imbue Buffy with stronger powers (see "Primeval") unleashed this ancient "evil" slayer who promptly slices his head open. Finally, Buffy must face the primal woman in her dreams and more importantly -- herself. ~ All Movie Guide

Angry over being human and still only in the 12th grade, Anya (Emma Caulfield) enlists Willow (Alyson Hannigan) to help her get her amulet back. Their spell goes wrong, and, instead of the amulet, brings vampire Willow back (see "The Wish"). Soon, vamp Willow recruits some vampire henchmen, takes over the Bronze and generally sullies the real Willow's nice-girl reputation. Real Willow confronts vamp Willow in the library -- are they attracted to each other? -- and manages to lock her in the book cage. She trades outfits with her vampire self and goes to the Bronze to kick some pasty vampire butt. Later in the library, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), mistaking vamp Willow for the nice one, lets her out of the book cage, all the while preaching to vamp Willow about stealing boyfriends. Meanwhile, Anya recognizes the real Willow at the Bronze blowing her vampire cover and causing one heck of a barroom brawl. ~ All Movie Guide

Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) is out on a slayer patrol with Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) when they come across the bodies of two dead children, both bearing wierd symbols on their hands. It is Giles' (Anthony Head) view that the children may have been murdered by students practicing the occult. Joyce becomes incensed by this idea, and, with the help of Mrs. Rosenberg -- Willow's (Alyson Hannigan) mom -- forms "MOO" or Mothers Opposed to the Occult. Soon, MOO confiscates Giles' library books and other Sunnydale students begin picking on classmates suspected of occult activity. Also, the ghosts of the two dead children appear to Joyce and insist on her avenging their murder. Meanwhile, Buffy and friends discover a demon that takes on the forms of two young children -- Hans and Greta Strauss -- whose deaths engender persecutorial insincts among humans who then seek out and kill the murderer. ~ All Movie Guide

Failing to cure Angel (David Boreanaz) with Faith's (Eliza Dushka) blood, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) decides to sacrifice herself. Ignoring the obvious dangers, Buffy forces Angel to feed on her blood. Although her friends are angry at her for foolishly risking her life, they all team up -- with a covert plan -- to fight the Mayor. While giving his commencement speech, the Mayor winces with pain and quickly metamorphoses into a giant demon snake. As parents flee the auditorium, students whip open their commencement gowns to reveal an array of medieval weaponry -- and some handy flame-throwers. Buffy orchestrates the attack on the Mayor, luring him into the school library while everyone else is battling with vampires. Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) sets off the pre-planted explosives and blows the demon-mayor as well as most of Sunnydale High to bits. Oz, in a comedic denouement, suggests that everyone reflect on the horror they survived -- high school that is. A minor, but important plot point revealed earlier in the episode is that Buffy quits the Watcher's Council; thus, Wesley (Alexis Denisof) returns to England. A controversial episode, this second part of the March 1999 season finale was postponed until July in sensitivity to the then-recent shootings at Columbine High School. ~ All Movie Guide

Evan Oppenheimer writes and directs this Ten Little Indians-style murder mystery set in a student film festival. A British documentary filmmaker (Alan Cox) shows up at the festival just in time to discover a number of student directors turning up dead. Highlights include clips from student films including a Hindu version of Pulp Fiction (1994). ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Something fishy's going on at Sunnydale High -- the swim team is winning meets. Everyone at school is hyped up about the team's success. Even Principal Snyder (Armin Shimerman) asks Willow (Alyson Hannigan) -- still teaching Jenny's (Robia La Morte) computer class -- to give a swimmer a better grade. One student, however, is not so happy with the team -- Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar). After a swimmer tries to grope her while on a date, her slayer sense is sparked. Her suspicions are magnified when two swimmers end up being skinned alive. Meanwhile, another swimmer, Gage (Wentworth Miller), is bitten by Angel, who spits out the blood in apparent disgust over its taste. Everyone suspects the swimmers of using steroids. Later, after Gage transforms into a fish-man or "gill monster," the truth about the swim team is clear. Also, Willow is made a permanent computer teacher for the rest of the season. ~ All Movie Guide

Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has returned to Sunnydale after running away for the summer and there's palpable tension between her and her mom, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland). Buffy's friends also seem to have moved on without her dressing up as military commandos to fight vampires -- Xander (Nicholas Brendon) now goes by "Nighthawk." Then, Buffy meets Pat (Nancy Lenehan), Joyce's friend from a book group she joined while Buffy was gone. Buffy begins to realize how much stress she put her mother through. Later, at home, Buffy discovers a dead cat in her basement and she and Joyce bury it in the backyard. Then, the glowing eyes of Nigerian mask on Joyce's wall seemingly raise the cat from its grave. The next day, while looking for the zombie cat, Giles (Anthony Head) comes across the mask. Later that night, Giles discovers the mask is possessed by Ovu Moboni, a Nigerian demon who raises the dead and at a party at Buffy's house, the dead interrupt a performance by Oz's (Seth Green) band, Dingoes Ate My Baby. In other plot lines, Buffy is not admitted back into Sunnydale High. Savvy fans won't miss the title's cheeky reference to Oingo Boingo. ~ All Movie Guide

Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and friends are recruited by Principal Snyder (Armin Shimerman) to sell chocolate bars for the Sunnydale band. Buffy pawns some off on Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) and Giles (Anthony Head) and then runs off to see Angel (David Boreanaz). Realizing that Buffy used them to distract each other, Joyce and Giles treat themselves to some sympathy and chocolate. Soon, the Sunnydale High staff is behaving irresponsibly and even the Bronze is swamped with adults acting like teenagers. Meanwhile, Giles steals a coat for Joyce and they make out on the hood of a police car. Realizing the connection between the band candy and the adults' goofy behavior, Buffy forces a squirrely Principal Snyder to show her where the candy is being manufactured. He leads Buffy to a warehouse where Ethan Rayne (Robin Sachs), the sorcerer -- see "Halloween" and "The Dark Age" -- is in charge of the candy production. Yet, the candy is a mere ruse to distract the slayer from an even more demonic activity. ~ All Movie Guide

Acathla, a demon turned to stone by an ancient knight, is dug up during the construction of a new housing project. Angel (David Boreanaz) steals Acathla in hopes of using the demon for the stultifyingly original purpose of opening a portal to Hell. Meanwhile, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan) discover the disk Jenny (Robia La Morte) saved the spell to restore Angel's soul on (see "Passion"). Despite Giles' (Anthony Stewart Head) protestations, Willow readies herself to cast the spell. Unexpectedly, Kendra (Bianca Lawson) shows up with the blessed sword of the knight who turned Acathla to stone. Soon, Angel lures Buffy away from the library and Drusilla (Juliet Landau) leads an attack to capture Giles. Subsequently, Kendra is killed. As this is the first part of the second season finale, the episode is peppered with flashbacks to other episodes highlighting important events, such as Darla (Julie Benz) siring Angel in "Angel." ~ All Movie Guide

Pressured by the government to seek out new technologies, O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and the SG-1 team head to a planet inhabited by the Fenri, who have mastered the power of invisibility. Also seeking out the Fenri is SG-1's perennial nemesis Apophis (Peter Williams)--who manages to kill every member of O'Neill's team! Miraculously, the SG-1 crew is revived by the Nox, the peaceful, fairylike former inhabitants of the Fenri's planet, who have the ability to bring the dead back to life. O'Neill offers to defend the Nox against Apophis' Goa'uld hordes--but can he rely upon the help of another revived corpse, the Jaffa Shak'l (Michasa Armstrong), who had been killed in a previous skirmish with the Nox? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide