Wil Albert Movies

A criminal trying to reform is forced to endure the most humiliating punishment of all -- hanging out with his son -- in this family comedy. Ray Gleason (Ted Danson) is a thief whose ambitions far outstrip both his skill and his intelligence; Ray is just bright enough to have realized this, and he's decided to go straight and open a bake shop (he learned how to decorate cakes during his last stay in prison). However, Ray needs to raise some working capital, so in association with his buddies Bobby (Saul Rubinek) and Carl (Gailard Sartain) he is planning his last heist, in which they hope to walk away with a highly valuable collection of rare coins. Ray also happens to have an 11-year-old son, Timmy (Macaulay Culkin), whose mother died several years ago; Timmy has been living with his aunt, but when she gets married and goes away on her honeymoon, Timmy ends up staying with Ray. Timmy is a lot smarter than his dad and quickly figures out what Ray and his cronies have been up to; he's long felt a great deal of resentment toward his father for not being around when he needed him, so Timmy steals the loot from the robbery and uses it to blackmail Ray into spending some quality time with him. Timmy also thinks that it's high time Ray settled down, so when he notices that Theresa (Glenne Headly), an undercover cop, has been following Ray's trail, Timmy tries to play matchmaker and bring them together. Getting Even with Dad would prove to be the next-to-last screen appearance for former pre-teen superstar Macaulay Culkin; he was 14 when this film was released, and within five years he was a married man attending the Rhode Island School of Design. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Charles Bukowski, the talented crown prince of self-abuse, wrote the short stories upon which the surprisingly entertaining Barfly was based. The film concentrates on alcoholic writer Mickey Rourke (the Bukowski alter ego) who carries on a hate-hate relationship with bartender Frank Stallone. Rourke makes the acquaintance of another of society's castaways, Faye Dunaway, who in addition to being a souse is said to be crazy. They move in together, even though Dunaway all but promises to be unfaithful for the price of a drink. Rourke has a chance to clean up his act when offered a large commission for his writings by publisher Alice Krige. They too end up in bed, each trying to change the other. The clarion call of the cheap wine bottle overrides Rourke's half-hearted efforts to enter the mainstream. Watch for author Charles Bukowski, as well as Fritz "Pop!" Feld and Vance Colvig (who's made a career out of playing street people) in Barfly bit parts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A strong cast of veteran stage and screen actors distinguish this episode, in which a neighborhood largely comprised of senior citizens is in danger of obliteration. A soulless band of businessman intends to seize the neighborhood in a hostile corporate takeover for their own selfish purposes. If ever a situation needed the strong, guiding hand of angels Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) and Mark Gordon (Victor French), this is it! ~ All Movie Guide

In this western, a female sheriff must fight to keep her job by capturing a dangerous bandito. She must also fight with international revolutionaries. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

It's plate-carriers vs. plungers when Alice (Linda Lavin), Vera (Beth Howland) and Jolene (Celia Weston) participate in a TV quiz show. The category is "musical trivia", and the girls' competition consists of a trio of plumbers, led by peppery oldster Louie (Cliff Norton). For a while, it looks like the waitresses are going to win--but that's when the competition starts flushing up the dirty tricks. This episode was codirected by series regular Vic Tayback (Mel). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This made-for-television drama tells of an actual event in 1911 where 145 workers in the Triangle garment factory were killed in a huge industrial fire. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

The recent film hit All the President's Men was the clear inspiration for this episode of Alice. Richard Erdman guest stars as a DC-based investigative reporter, who hides out at Mel's Diner in fear of his life. Wanna bet that there's a "Deep Throat" character waiting in the wings? Although many sources claim that this episode's original telecast date was February 12, 1978, the TV Guide listings for that date indicate that it was pre-empted by a movie. More likely it was shown on February 15, right after CBS' telecast of the Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks heavyweight championship bout. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gil Weaver (Roger Robinson), one of Kojak's best young detectives, learns to his dismay that his ex-classmate Richie Linden (James Watson) is now a fence for a gang of diamond thieves. At the same time, Kojak (Telly Savalas) maps out a scheme to recover $1,000,000 in stolen gems and to capture the thieves. This plan would require Weaver to set up Linden as the fall guy--but is he a good enough cop to "betray" his lifelong friend? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide