Gregory Sierra Movies

Tony Restrelli (Brian Bloom) left his San Diego mobster family after college to "go straight" on Wall Street. Not only did he flourish, but he met the woman of his dreams in Gloria (Alicia Coppola), a beautiful and smart businesswoman. But when Tony's beloved younger brother Primo (Rocco Vienhage) is gunned down, Tony and Gloria return to San Diego for the funeral -- and Tony is convinced by longtime family friend Willy "the Hammer" (Alan Arkin) to stick around to straighten out affairs. Tony begins to unspool a plot to get his family out of massive debt using money from competing mobs against the other -- and in the meantime exact revenge for the death of his brother. Gloria's financial wizardry comes in handy, as well. But these two yuppies, who are more comfortable reading stock tickers than shooting pistols, have no idea how dangerous a game they are playing. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide

Hollywood is abuzz with the news that a film completed back in 1960, but shelved after its director died mysteriously, has been rediscovered and restored. This takes place at a studio that has become a target for a wide variety of movie pirates--and not a few dedicated film buffs. When one of those buffs is killed, Jessica suspects that a murder has been committed, and that this killing is tied in with the death that occurred way back in the sixties. Featured in the cast is a young James Caviezel, who a decade later would star in Mel Gibson's controversial The Passion of the Christ. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A black detective becomes embroiled in a web of danger while searching for a fortune in missing drug money in this action-comedy. Writer-director Keenan Ivory Wayans also stars as Los Angeles private eye Arthur Shame, a former cop whose troubled past resurfaces when a one-time colleague asks for help in a narcotic case. During the course of his investigation, he encounters various old connections, ultimately confronting the criminal responsible for Shame's expulsion from the force. He must also deal with two women, Angela, a beautiful old flame (Salli Richardson), and Peaches (Jada Pinkett), his energetic but annoying sidekick. Unlike Wayans' blaxploitation parody I'm Gonna Get You Sucka, A Low Down Dirty Shame sticks more closely to genre conventions, lightening the action with wisecracks and standard comic interludes. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

While attending a celebrity-studded party held by the editor of a Beverly Hills gossip magazine, Jessica (Angea Lansbury) begins formulating the plot of her next mystery novel. The principal ingredients include a trendy florist with a roster of A-list clients who is secretly helping an unscrupulous writer dig up dirt for a series of scandalous articles. The florist soon turns up dead, and virtually every member of the Beverly Hills "in crowd" falls under suspicion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode takes place just after the devastating LA riots of 1992. Philip (James Avery) and Vivian (Janet Hubert-Whitten) return to their old neighborhood to spearhead a clean-up effort, prompting a flashback to the couple's early years and their aspirations for the future (offering a glimpse of Philip in a 'fro'!) Meanwhile, Will (Will Smith) runs up against an embittered ghetto dweller (Shavar Ross) who attacks him for forgetting his homeboy roots. The story ends with a surprise announcement that will profoundly affect the family's future. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Laurence Fishburne plays no-nonsense LAPD narc Russell Stevens, Jr., who has worked all his life to expunge the memory of his dope-addict father, whom he saw die in a liquor-store robbery. DEA agent Jerry Carver (Charles Martin Smith) orders Stevens to work as an undercover operative on a major case. The cop is to pose as a dealer in order to get the goods on South American drug lord. Stevens is so convincing as a dealer, that he fast works his way up through the ranks and gains the trust of lawyer and narcotics dealer David Jason (Jeff Goldblum) and his sinister associates, all lackeys to the kingpin who is the target of Stevens' assignment. Through a series of fantastic but credible circumstances, Stevens eliminates the lower echelon, getting closer to his quarry, but in the process he finds himself so deep into the sinister and seductive world of the drug trade that he may never get out. In a surprise move, and just when he is about to bring the ringleader down, the DEA pulls the plug on his assignment, because the top dealer, an influential Latin American politician, may someday be useful to the State Department. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Donor is a variation on a familiar theme, played to the hilt by a topnotch cast. Doctor Melissa Gilbert-Brinkman is shocked when her close friend is strangled by an elderly patient. Before she has a chance to investigate, the killer himself dies in a mysterious accident. Probing further, Melissa deduces that the hospital administators are hiding something from her. She's right: there's a conspiracy in the making, and it's all traceable to a new organ-donor program. Pernell Roberts and Jack Scalia costar in Donor, which made its broadcast premiere December 9, 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Badlands Justice is another in a series of Desperado feature films made exclusively for television. Alex McArthur returns as cowboy Duell McCall, who wanders the wide frontier in search of the one man who will clear him of a murder charge (What price Fugitive?) Once more, McCall finds himself in a corruption-ridden mining town. Since no one knows his true identity, he is able to establish a modicum of law and order, despite the concerted efforts of greedy land baron John Rhys-Davies. It is only a matter of time, however, before McCall will be forced to move on to other adventures. Well photographed and consummately acted, Badlands Justice premiered December 17, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dynamite & Gold is the videocassette title of the made-for-TV western comedy Where the Hell's That Gold? Willie Nelson plays a bank robber, Delta Burke his "moll" and Jack Elam and all-around gol-durned sidewinder. The three stars scrounge for a hidden fortune in stolen gold, fending off other outlaw gangs and Mexican revolutionaries (among them famed Latino actor/director Alfonso Arau). The story's high point, a wild train ride, takes place somewhere in mid-film. Where the Hell's That Gold was written and directed by western stalwart Burt Kennedy; it originally aired November 13, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This week, Jessica is in Hartford, Connecticut--in the vicinity of Trinity College, to be exact. While walking along minding her business, Jessica is witness to the slaying of Adam Cosgrove,who with his dying breath confesses that he is a professional hit man. Before long, Jessica finds herself sequestered in a government "safe house", along with a priest who isn't a priest, and several shady-looking gentlemen all named after American presidents. And that's not all: turns out that the "dead man" isn't quite dead after all. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The son of Hispanic mayoral candidate Michael Elandro (Gregory Sierra) is one of three teenagers accidentally shot and killed in a police raid. In their efforts to prevent a race riot, Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) must convince Elandro that they are sincere in their efforts to see that justice is done. Former series regular Arthur Rosenberg returns as Lester Cain, who since last we saw him has been promoted from Captain to Commander of Police. This episode was adapted by former police detective Dallas L. Barnes from his own novel See the Woman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Temporarily assuming Higgins' duties at Robin's Nest, the normally freewheeling Magnum (Tom Selleck) begins behaving in the strict, stuffy manner usually associated with Higgins (John Hillerman)--who, conversely, is comporting himself in the footloose "Magnum manner" while on vacation! The reason for Higgins' giddiness is a beautiful woman with whom he is carrying on a secret romance. Convinced that the woman is a nothing more than a golddigger, Magnum turns to a most unusual source to advise him how to rescue Higgins from the lady's clutches. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Celebrated Broadway musical star Vivian Blaine is cast as--what else?--a celebrated Broadway musical star, named Rita Bristol. Headling a new production costarring her daughter Patti (Lorna Luft) and produced by her son Barry (Gregg Henry), Rita is among those expressing concern when an aspiring actress is seriously wounded by an apparent mugger. Likewise on the scene is Jessica (Angela Lansbury), who suspects that the mugging is a set-up job--and who ends up going into her sleuth act when a murder occurs. Also on the call-sheet in this episode are a couple of show-biz newcomers named Milton Berle and Robert Morse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide