Scott Taylor Movies
This remake of the classic 1975 science fiction film follows the same basic story line but focuses far more on the sports action of the fictional game at its center. Chris Klein stars as all-American athlete Jonathan Cross, the most popular player of "Rollerball," a violent 21st century sport mixing elements of basketball, hockey, roller derby, and extreme sports, along with the development of live wagering that tracks each game's action. Along with his friends and teammates Marcus (L.L. Cool J) and Aurora (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos), Jonathan is living the life of a media celebrity and millionaire, enjoying the adoration of fans and all of the perks that his fame brings. When the creator of Rollerball, Alexi Petrovich (Jean Reno), realizes that the sport's ratings spike during the on-court accidents that are de rigueur for the game, he schemes to create the bloody incidents that are popular with viewers but put the athletes in mortal jeopardy. Soon, Jonathan and his friends find themselves pawns in a vast corporate conspiracy in which their lives are far less important than profits. Rollerball (2002) also stars pop singer Pink in her acting debut. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Klein, Jean Reno, (more)
- 1999
Taking one of Xena's offhand comments a bit too literally, Aphrodite (Alexandra Tydings) "helpfully" traps Xena (Lucy Lawless) into the body of Daphne (Rose McIver), a little girl on the verge of death. Once she has assumed Daphne's form, Xena struggles to restore the child's will to live, which she lost after the death of her mother. Meanwhile, Aphrodite and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), posing as Swedish Siamese twins, desperately seek out the magic oil that will separate Xena's soul from Daphne's body before it is too late for both of them. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 1999
Crazy for You, Ken Ludwig's 1992 adaptation of George and Ira Gershwin's 1930 musical comedy Girl Crazy, had already won a Tony award when this PBS TV adaptation was taped at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse. As if it matters, the plot concerns Bobby Child (Jim Walton), the son of a prominent East Coast banker. Though he'd rather be a song-and-dance man, Bobby is forced to enter the family business -- and his first assignment is to foreclose on the Gaiety Theater in Deadrock, AZ. But when he falls in love with Polly Baker (Stacey Logan), daughter of the Gaiety's owner (Larry Linville), Bobby dedicates himself to saving the theater. And how does any self-respecting musical comedy hero accomplish this task? By staging a fabulous show, naturally, with Bobby himself in the lead. Of course, the plot is a mere peg upon which to hang some of the Gershwins' best-loved songs, including "Embracable You," "Bidin' My Time," and the show-stopping "I Got Rhythm," belted out con brio by Stacey Logan. Crazy for You was first telecast on October 20, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara becomes this sprawling historical epic. As in Shaara's novel, director Ronald Maxwell focuses on a handful of major players to dramatize the events of July 1863, when the armies of the Union and Confederacy clash at the small Pennsylvania town of the title. Among them are Martin Sheen as General Robert E. Lee, who disagrees with his top advisor, General James Longstreet (Tom Berenger) over battle strategy, and Jeff Daniels as Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a college professor whose unorthodox techniques save the day (and possibly the war) for his beleaguered army. Other cast standouts include Richard Jordan in his final film appearance as the ill-fated General Lewis Armistead, and cameo roles for Civil War buff Ken Burns and media mogul producer Ted Turner. Filmed on-location at Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg was shot as a television miniseries for Turner's TNT cable channel, but earned a limited theatrical release. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Sheen, Jeff Daniels, (more)
- 1990
- R
Heat, both climatic and erotic, imbue this Australian thriller from first-time directors Colin South and John Tatoulis. The film takes place in mid-summer in the sweltering city of Melbourne and concerns a love affair between Wendy (Santha Press), a jazz singer, and Mack (Hugo Race), a knife-wielding punk who wants to be a rock star but is planning to rob a bank. Wendy's younger sister, 15-year-old JoJo (Rebekah Elmaloglou), has moved in with Wendy, and she is rapidly becoming sexually aware, because she is secretly observing her sister and Mack as they make love. Meanwhile, two cops -- Dinny (Dominic Sweeney), an inexperienced rookie, and Milas (John Flaus), a weary veteran cop -- are following Mack because he has an audiotape in his possession that shows evidence of government corruption. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugo Race, Santha Press, (more)
- 1948
Monogram's Jiggs and Maggie in Society was the second entry in the series based on the George McManus comic strip "Bringing Up Father." Joe Yule Sr. (Mickey Rooney's father) and Rene Riano are once again ideally cast as Jiggs and Maggie, the world-famous nouveau riche shanty-Irish couple. Though down-to-earth Jiggs has little patience for his wealthy new surroundings, Maggie insists upon entering "The 400," and to do this she enlists the aid of dance instructor Arthur Murray and How to Win Friends and Influence People guru Dale Carnegie (both playing themselves!) Try though she might, Maggie cannot win acceptance in High Society, but Jiggs saves the day when he solves a jewel robbery in an upper-crust mansion. The level of wit in Jiggs and Maggie in Society can be gauged by such character names as Mrs. Vacuum and Mrs. Heavydoe. Still, a good time was apparently had by all during filming; it's especially enjoyable to watch "guest stars" Murray, Carnegie and columnist Sheila Graham enthusiastically participate in the lowbrow proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jimmy Aubrey, Betty Blythe, (more)
