Viola Kates Stimpson Movies
- 1992
In this third version of the Nerds theme, the next generation of Nerd boys have by now taken control of Adams College and one of the college trustees is sick of seeing the geeky nerds running everything so he schemes a plan devoted to the return of jock power. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Carradine, Ted McGinley, (more)
- 1991
Silhouette, an excellent made-for-cable thriller, is the story of a businesswoman who is stranded by car trouble in a small town and who is the only witness to a murder. Samantha Kimball (Faye Dunaway), while waiting for her car to be repaired, stays in a rundown hotel in a small town. There, unable to sleep, she watches through her window as a car drives up to the home of a local waitress. She sees the shadow of a man get out and a violent attack and murder take place inside the home. After having made her statement to the police, Samantha becomes increasingly frightened as the killer begins to stalk her and her daughter, afraid that he can be identified. Dunaway is terrific as the woman who must fight to protect herself and her child, and she gives a cool, nuanced performance in a somewhat cliched role. The identify of the killer, not revealed until the bloody finale of the film, is not much of a surprise, but Silhouette, fast-paced and nicely directed by Carl Schenkel, makes the most of its familiar material and delivers an exciting, suspenseful lady-in-distress thriller. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
When her Mother breaks her hip and needs full-time care, a married woman is forced to a new understanding of the process of aging and the human spirit. Her Mother becomes resentful and fearful in this powerful affirmation of the dignity of the elderly and the power of a family. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1989
This time, the spotlight is on a friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury--namely, Bill Boyle (Ken Howard), a former football star turned detective. When Bill agrees to temporarily take care of a pal's valuable poodle, he ends up permanently saddled with the pooch when the owner is murdered, clutching three empty IV bags in his cold, dead fingers. It soon becomes clear that the murderers have now targeted both Bill and the poodle, plunging man and dog alike into a hotbed of international intrigue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
It's graduation day for high school senior Mike Seaver (Kirk Cameron), and his parents Jason (Alan Thicke) and Maggie (Joanna Kerns) are both thrilled and relieved. Less thrilled and relieved is Mike's sister Carol (Tracey Gold), who has just lost a long-standing bet that Mike would never make it to graduation. As the ceremonies proceed, the family flashes back to earlier times when it looked as though Carol's prediction would come true--and along the way, the viewer learns once and for all how Mike's pal "Boner" (Josh Andrew Koenig) earned his nickname. Featured as the younger versions of Mike and Boner are Victor DiMattia and Jarrett Lemon, who had recently costarred as Dennis and Joey in the live-action movie version of Dennis the Menace. This is the final episode of Growing Pains' third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
When a pregnant woman is caught in the crossfire of a mob hit, Hunter (Fred Dryer) and McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) find themselves faced with two daunting tasks. Not only do they have to locate the killer, but they must also establish the identity of the brain-dead victim in order to save the life of her unborn child. A crucial decision by the compassionate McCall caps this pivotal episode, which was directed by series star Fred Dryer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
- R
Columbia Pictures spent as estimated $8 million dollars on this laughless sex comedy that crashes and burns before ever leaving the ground. Two bumbling boneheads who are kicked out of flying school decide to remain airborne by becoming stewardesses. Bathroom humor, sight gags, and the prerequisite nudity are the lowlights of this forgettable film. The only interest is the appearance of former Playboy bunny Yuliis Ruval. This dog makes Porky's seem like Shakespeare. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brett Cullen, Mary Cadorette, (more)
Filled with enough cameos to keep film buffs entertained, this otherwise routine action-comedy by John Landis boasts Michelle Pfeiffer as one of its major attractions. She plays Diana, a woman prone to having affairs with some very dangerous men, and Jeff Goldblum is Ed Okin, an aerospace engineer whose lot is thrown in with Diana's when the woman is caught in a bind at the airport. The beautiful Diana is an airhead on the scale of the Hindenberg, her only concerns are clothes and men -- which she either most attractively wears or wears out, depending. While Ed is at the airport one day trying to sort out his life, Diana arrives with six smuggled emeralds in tow and is immediately welcomed by several hired assassins. Fear and expediency propel her into Ed's car, and the two are off on a series of narrow escapes that has them pursued by everyone from Iranians to baddies played by well-known international directors (Roger Vadim) or singers (David Bowie) or comedians (Dan Aykroyd). ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
Gene Wilder's remake of this 1976 French comedy is a Hollywood version of what happens when Theodore (Wilder), an ordinary ad agency executive, is captivated by a gorgeous woman (Kelly Le Brock). The woman just happens to be standing on a grate when her skirt blows up over her waist (a scene first made famous by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven-Year Itch), and one glimpse is enough to change Theodore's whole life. Although he is married, he is willing to risk his happy relationship with his wife for a romp in the hay with the beautiful stranger. Unfortunately, even when he tracks down the object of his lust he is woefully inept at sneaking out on his wife to consummate his desire. Three of his male office mates help him as much as they can, but Ms. Milner (Gilda Radner) is really incensed when she finds out that the object of Theodore's attention is not herself. Stevie Wonder's score included his hit song "I Just Called to Say I Love You", which received an Oscar nomination. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Wilder, Charles Grodin, (more)
- 1982
In this made-for-TV film, a high-school counselor (Joyce Brothers) faces ineffectual help from administration in combating drugs, so she recruits several students to help in the battle. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helen Hunt
- 1981
"B"-movie legend Charles Band cranked out this deadly-dull black magic flick through his then-fledgling Empire Pictures company in 1980, though the film never saw widespread American distribution until its video release five years later. The main character is an ageless glassmaker (Robert Ginty) who, thanks to a feud with the evil sorcerer Delgado (Robert Glaudini) in the 19th century, is not only doomed to live forever but regularly transforms into a barely-seen, werewolf-like monster. A century later (the 1950s, for no apparent reason), Ginty meets a woman at his mountain cabin whom he believes to be the reincarnation of his dead wife (Lucinda Dooling), who was the chief catalyst for the feud in the first place. The climactic battle (sort of) between the rival wizards involves low-budget demons called up by Glaudini from a gateway to hell. Despite a decent employment of attractive woodland locations and occasional bouts of cheap but creative effects, this is a rather tedious exercise, bogged down by slow pacing, shoddy lighting and bland performances by the entire cast. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Ginty, Lucinda Dooling, (more)
Screenwriter Walter Bernstein made his directorial debut with Little Miss Marker, a re-make of the Damon Runyon story that has been filmed many times before (most notably as Little Miss Marker with Shirley Temple, Sorrowful Jones starring Bob Hope, and the Tony Curtis vehicle 40 Pounds of Trouble). Here the cute little moppet is played by Sara Stimson, with Walter Matthau as the kid's nemesis Sorrowful Jones. The story concerns the relationship between the two when Little Miss Marker is left with Sorrowful as a down payment for one of her father's bets. Jones is involved with Blackie (Tony Curtis), who's trying to open an undercover casino in a mansion owned by Amanda (Julie Andrews). Jones and the kid find themselves in a number of dangerous scrapes as they try to keep one step ahead of the law -- and of Blackie. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Matthau, Julie Andrews, (more)
