Judy Tenuta Movies
Stripped of their wealth and forced to fend for themselves when the multi-million-dollar cosmetics company inherited from their father suffers due to controversy, two sisters who have never known the simple life must finally find out how the other half lives in a high-fashion comedy about hard times starring Hilary and Haylie Duff. Ava (Haylie) and Tanza (Hilary) are teen heiresses whose charmed lives consist of little more than showing up at all the hottest celebrity parties and putting in the occasional cameo at their company's board meetings while letting the responsible adults in charge handle all of the complicated details. All of that changes, however, when an unforeseen scandal robs the privileged "celebutantes" of their car, their cash, and even their lavish home; but what's a poor little rich girl to do when everything she's ever known is suddenly made null and void? In the case of Ava and Tanza, the only answer is to use their substantial setback as a means of realizing their true potential, and put the wisdom imparted to them by their father to use in clearing the family name and proving that there's much more to life than the almighty dollar. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff, (more)
A hedonistic couple embarks on a wild, sex-fueled road trip in this low-budget indie. After a heist gone wrong leaves him battered, bruised and tortured by thugs, the titular Anthony (Daniel Cartier) hits the road with his raunchy girlfriend Donna (Lowe Taylor). But when they come across one of his former captors on the road, Anthony is caught between feelings of desire, fear and doom. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Cartier, Lowe Taylor, (more)
- 2003
Another presentation of the American Movie Channel's AMC Project anthology, Gay Hollywood follows five openly gay men, all employed (not always gainfully) in show business, as they discuss the ups and downs of their Hollywood careers. The quintet includes two aspiring screenwriters, Lance and Benjamin; Robert, an actor/model; Allan, a director; and Micah, a standup comedian. The documentary also offers a capsule history of homosexuality in Hollywood, from the "closeted" years of William Haines, George Cukor, Rock Hudson et al., to the more liberal atmosphere of the late 20th to early 21st century. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dustin Lance Black, Q. Allan Brocka, (more)
- 2003
On the cusp of stardom, standup comic Maija DiGiorgio suffered an emotional breakdown while performing before a room packed with a number of the comedy industry's head honchos -- whom were on the receiving end of DiGiorgio's obscenity-laced outburst -- at the Aspen Comedy Festival. Subsequently faced with a nearly industry-wide blacklisting as a result, the comic (and film school graduate) came upon the idea of creating a film journal to document her struggles within the industry, as well as within her own psyche. The result is Bitter Jester, DiGiorgio's 2003 film that started as a document of self-examination and evolved into an examination of success and achievement within the standup circuit. Greatly assisted by the contacts and prestige of executive producer Richard Belzer -- a friend and former employer of DiGiorgio's boyfriend and co-conspirator Kenny Simmons -- DiGiorgio proceeds to gain access to a surprising berth of comedy legends, including Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor, Phyllis Diller, Whoopi Goldberg, and George Carlin, all of whom dispense insightful and sometimes surprising opinions about their individual achievements. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
Can a caterer from Ohio find love in Los Angeles after spending a decade with the same man? Josh (Jason Stuart) is a thirtysomething gay man who came to Los Angeles from Cleveland ten years earlier with his significant other, Lyle (Rusty Updegraff). While Lyle has eased comfortably into the Los Angeles lifestyle, Josh is still a Midwesterner at heart, and he becomes aware of just how far off base he is when he learns Lyle has been having an affair. Josh breaks up with Lyle, and, suddenly single after a decade, he finds he's more than a little out of step with the Hollywood dating scene. Josh's friend Brandon (Christopher Cowen) assures him that it will only take ten dates for Josh to find the new man of his dreams, and after getting some fresh fashion advice from the wildly flamboyant Tex (Jim J. Bullock), Josh hits the Internet looking for love. However, Josh ends up kissing more than his share of toads as he searches for Prince Charming. 10 Attitudes marked the directorial debut of producer Michael Gallant; Gallant also co-wrote the film with leading man Jason Stuart. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Stuart
In this off-the-wall comedy, Joan Sweeney (Judy Tenuta) is an actress who unfortunately hit the peak of her career at the age of eight. As a child performer, she was the star of a successful television series, but as a grown-up, she can't get work to save her life. Tired of dressing up as a child for personal appearances, Joan has decided she needs publicity to put her career back on track, and she's thoroughly convinced there's no such thing as bad press. Consequently, Joan poses as a homeless person, knocks over a convenience store, and even openly declares herself as lesbian in the interest of greater press coverage, all with no luck. Fate appears to be smiling on her, but at just the wrong time, when Joan finally gets offered a role that could kick start her career just as she discovers she's pregnant. Desperation Boulevard also stars Michael Lerner and Weird Al Yankovic; one-time TV stars Erin Moran, Burt Ward, and Ken Osmond also appear in cameo roles. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1997
What's a nice guy to do if he just isn't able to find the man of his dreams? This is the dilemma that's befallen Matt (Paul Denniston), a sweet-natured but shy gay man who was dumped by his boyfriend three years ago. Matt is somewhat jealous of his roommate Danny (Bil Ingraham), whose evenings are dotted by a series of one-night stands, but Matt's interest in Danny fades when he moves out without warning, taking the furniture with him. Besides, Matt isn't interested in casual sex so much as (of course) someone to love. Tired of being walked on in life and love, Matt joins Butch Camp, a training facility for the less macho among us, where manic dominatrix Samantha Rottweiler (Judy Tenuta) whips her charges into shape. To enable her troops to fit in better with the manly outside world, Samantha gives each of the inmates a homework assignment: they have to go to (gasp!) a sports bar and pick up a woman. Needless to say, Matt is not looking forward to this project, but he goes forth with grim determination, swilling beer and objectifying women with the best of them, until he meets Janet (Jordan Roberts), who is about to give her boyfriend Rod (Jason Terisi) the old heave-ho. Matt takes one look at Rod and senses there's something about him that Janet hasn't quite figured out. This deliberately broad and politically incorrect comedy was something of a switch for writer/director Alessandro de Gaetano, whose previous project was the horror/sci-fi adventure Project: Metalbeast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Comedians Judy Tenuta and Jeff Altman star in this half-hour pseudo-documentary in the vein of This Is Spinal Tap. Subtitled "An Intimate Look at the Fathers of Rock 'N' Robe," the video follows the brothers of Santa Dominica order on a musical journey from their former monastery to the wild, sexy strip of Venice Beach. Pseudo-monks perform Gregorian chant renditions of the "Theme From the Monkees," Queen's "We Will Rock You," R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion," and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This science fiction adventure, set in the future, depicts an Earth so polluted that people must live underground to avoid the deadly air. It is the sequel to 1989's Circuitry Man. In this new world, people who once would have plugged into drugs for illicit fun, now turn on with computer chips. The evil Plughead, a biosynthetic man, has a revolutionary chip that allows humans to live a decade beyond normal life expectancy but to manufacture it they must torture innocent people until they die. Plughead has no problem with that; in fact, he rather enjoys it. Plughead's nemesis, Danner is also a biosynthetic man, but he is a good guy. FBI agent Kyle is using Danner to help her find Plughead. Together they travel to a barren desert in search of their foe. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vernon Wells, Deborah Shelton, (more)
- 1993
In this romantic outing, a debonair vampire casts a love spell upon an unsuspecting woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kimberly Foster, Roger Rose, (more)
- 1987
Released by the now-defunct Simitar Entertainment rather than Rhino Video, which handles the other Comic Relief videos, Comic Relief II is featured on two separate 60-minute videos. A 1987 live charity event benefiting America's homeless, part one of Comic Relief II is hosted by Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal, and features comic turns by Elayne Boosler, Louie Anderson, Judy Tenuta, and Michael J. Fox. Part two of Comic Relief II is a continuation of part one, boasting an all-star lineup that includes comic luminaries Richard Lewis, Steven Wright, Steve Allen, Arsenio Hall, and Roseanne. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
Los Angeles, California's The Improv is one of the most well-known comedy clubs in the United States, establishing itself over the years as the proving-ground for up-and-coming left-coast comics. This sixth entry in Koch Records' Best of the Improv series includes several comedy superstars performing amidst their rise to notoriety. Among those performing on Best of the Improv, Vol. 6 are Jeff Foxworthy, Rosie O'Donnell, Chris Rock, and Drew Carey. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Franklyn Ajaye, Drew Carey, (more)
