Adrian Sparks Movies
When Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) fails to call her, Rory (Alexis Bledel) goes "stag" to a high school hockey game, where she links up with Lane (Keiko Agena) and her sham boyfriend Young Chui (Samson Yi) -- and also gets her first look at her ex-beau Dean's new girlfriend, Lindsay (Arielle Kebbel). Elsewhere in town, the Doose family descends upon the Inn for a family reunion. And Emily (Kelly Bishop) digs up an old scandal with which she hopes to neutralize her irksome mother-in-law Trix (Marion Ross). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A couple's worst nightmare becomes a reality as they find themselves behind bars with their children are taken away from them in this made-for-TV drama, inspired by a true story. Brenda and Scott Kniffen (Viginia Madsen and Jeffrey Nordling) are asked by friends to testify as character witnesses at a child custody hearing. After The Kniffens take the stand, a relation of their friends, who was upset by the testimony, tells authorities that Brenda and Scott are guilty of beating their young sons, molesting them sexually, and taking pornographic photographs of them. While there is no truth to the accusations, a prosecutor determined to prove he's tough on child abuse takes on the case, and his staff badgers Brandon Kniffen (Cory Dorkin) and his brother Brian (Ryan Wilson) into giving damaging statements and testifying against their parents in court. Brenda and Scott spend the next twelve years behind bars, fighting their case as best they can as they try to prove their innocence and become reunited with their children. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virginia Madsen, Jeffrey Nordling, (more)
- Starring:
- Roxann Dawson
It's an odd assortment of humanity that Monica (Roma Downey), Tess (Della Reese) and Andrew (John Dye) come across in a small Texas border town. The angels' assignment this time out is to bring the townsfolk together in faith, by way of a Christmas miracle from God. Unfortunately, it looks as though the miracle will be wasted on its principle recipient, a, cold-hearted, hard-drinking, racially prejudiced motel owner named Charley (George Grizzard). Fortunately, streewise angel Rafael (Alexis Cruz) shows up just in time (Christmas Time, that is!) to give his colleagues a helping hand. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Ally considers embarking on more cerebral activities with male-model Glenn (Michael Easton), but the sexual nature of the relationship has already turned Billy off on Ally. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
In the closing episode of Seinfeld's eighth season, George (Jason Alexander) decides to take the summer off after getting his severance package from the Yankees. Kramer (Michael Richards) lands a job as a seat-filler at the Tony Awards, leading to a potentially nasty situation with an angry Raquel Welch. As it turns out, however, it is Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who bears the full brunt of Raquel's wrath. And Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is about to collapse from exhaustion, thanks to his girlfriend (and no, it's not what you think). Season eight ends as it began, in the hospital. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on a true story, the sentimental TV movie A Thousand Men and a Baby takes place during the final months of the Korean War in 1953. Spiritually adopting an abandoned boy, the crew members of the U.S.S. "Point Cruz" set about to find a proper home for the infant. All the while, ship's doctor Hugh Keenan (Richard Thomas) struggles to keep the baby alive. According to some sources, the grown-up protagonist of the story appears in a bit role in this film. Originally telecast by CBS on December 7, 1997, A Thousand Men and a Baby has since been telecast in the UK under the slightly more lurid title Narrow Escape. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gerald McRaney, Richard Thomas, (more)
Alien invaders descend upon a peaceful desert community and take over the minds and bodies of the residents. Now only a brave photographer can save them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Kerwin, Elizabeth Peña, (more)
An astrophysicist falls in love with a beautiful woman who is actually a disguised extraterrestrial in this high-concept comedy. Dan Aykroyd plays Steven Mills, a dedicated and harmlessly odd scientist researching ways to send radio signals to deep space. Unbeknownst to him, one of his experiments works better than expected, attracting the attention of an alien in need of help. She travels to Earth and poses as a human, assuming the name Celeste and the body of Kim Basinger. Celeste's lack of knowledge about humanity causes her to act bizarrely at times, but her odd behavior unexpectedly causes Mills to fall in love with her. The confused Celeste decides to play along for her planet's sake, but she finds her plan threatened by Mills' teenage daughter Jessie (Alyson Hannigan), who has become suspicious of Celeste after witnessing some odd behavior. The culture clash between Celeste's planet and Earth serves as an excuse for broad slapstick and sitcom-style humor, such as Celeste's fumbling efforts to enact the human ritual of "kissing." ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Aykroyd, Kim Basinger, (more)
We're told that Apprentice to Murder is a true story. If so, we'll steer clear of the film's Pennsylvania Dutch locale in the future. A series of murders occur in a sleepy community, and suspicion immediately falls on the local "character": a self-styled faithhealer and mystic. Donald Sutherland plays this worthy, while Chad Lowe is cast as his nonplussed assistant. Though set in Pennsylvania, Apprentice to Murder was actually shot in Norway. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sutherland, Chad Lowe, (more)
The 3-part TV miniseries Roanoak traces the history of North Carolina's "Lost Colony". The story begins in 1584, when British settlers land upon Carolina's shores. There they are confronted by Native Americans who at first regard the visitors as evil spirits. This mistrust is briefly reciprocated before the settlers and Indians learn to depend upon one another. One of the Englishmen, artist John White (Victor Garber), endeavors to teach the English language to two of the tribesmen, Manteo (Tino Juarez) and Wanchese (Joseph Runningfox), who are then selected to return to England with White, there to acquaint the locals with Indian customs and traditions. Part Two takes place during the first winter at Roanoak, as a diminishing food supplies rekindles hostilities between the whites and the Indians. And in Part Three, Sir Walter Raleigh gives White permission to return to the Roanoak colony-which has mysteriously vanished from the face of the earth. A collaborative effort of the PBS network and South Carolina Educational Television, Roanoak first aired May 26, June 2 and June 10, 1986, on the American Playhouse anthology series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This small-town romance may be trying to ride the coattails of the Big Chill that also featured Kevin Kline. Kline plays Henry here, and when the film opens he and his love Gussie Sawyer (Sissy Spacek, wife of director Jack Fisk), are sitting together planning the future they will have. She will be a flight attendant and he will get a college degree. Yet when they part, so does their destiny. By a quirk of fate, Gussie starts taking photos for an in-flight magazine and ends up an ace photographer while Henry has stayed in their small town to run the newspaper after his dad died. When Gussie comes back for a vacation 15 years later the two old sweethearts find that the embers that burned so low over the last many years are heating up again. No one in the town is unaware of what is going on, and Gussie is in for a lecture from her dad while Henry hears it like it is from his wife. But will that change the course of their relationship? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sissy Spacek, Kevin Kline, (more)
Everyone knows that teenagers are smarter than adults, and if given a chance the kids could save the world--if they don't blow it to bits first. The Manhattan Project tells of how 16-year-old Christopher Collet tries to alert his community to the dangers of nuclear energy. John Lithgow, a doctor in a pharmaceutical research plant wherein covert plutonium experiments are taking place, is the boy friend of Cowlet's mom Jill Eikenberry. While Lithgow is romantically occupied, Cowlet and his girl Cynthia Nixon steal the plutonium and construct their own atomic bomb. They do this, of course, as a warning to foolhardy grownups--none more foolhardy than the folks who put up good money to make this film. Manhattan Project was directed by longtime Woody Allen collaborator Marshall Brickman, whose expert sense of comic timing obscures the thickheaded "message" of this picture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Lithgow, Christopher Collet, (more)
Sweet Revenge was originally shipped out as Dandy, the All-American Girl. The multitalented Stockard Channing plays a car thief with a penchant for elaborate disguises. She hopes to trade in her stolen goods and purchase a snazzy sports model for herself. Sam Waterston costars as a public defender who, much against his will, falls in love with the charming thief. Producer/director Jerry Schatzberg seems so certain of Channing's considerable talents that he feels a coherent story is unecessary. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stockard Channing, Sam Waterston, (more)

















