Jennifer Tilly Movies
A raven-haired actress with an unmistakable voice, Jennifer Tilly was born in Los Angeles, CA, in 1958. Following her parents' divorce when she was five, Tilly relocated with her mother and siblings to the rural setting of Texada Island, British Columbia, where she'd spend most of her childhood. Tilly's acting career began in the early '80s with small roles on shows like Hill Street Blues and Cheers. Her big break came with the part of Monica the singing waitress in 1989's The Fabulous Baker Boys -- a part that was written for her specifically. Though she divorced Simpsons producer Sam Simon in 1984, she continued to show up in films like The Doors and Body Snatchers throughout the '90s, and in 1994 she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway. Another memorable role came in 1996, when she acted opposite Gina Gershon in the erotically charged Bound.In 1998, Tilly delighted horror fans with a tongue-in-cheek turn in Bride of Chucky, voicing the title role and helping to bring a comic twist to the franchise. She soon found another avenue for her comedic voice talents by joining the cast of the animated series Family Guy as the show's perpetually pregnant neighbor, Bonnie. She then went on to lend her voice talent to such titles as Monsters, Inc., Stuart Little, and The Haunted Mansion. In 2005, Tilly won a World Series of Poker bracelet and a cash prize of 158,625 dollars in the Ladies' No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em event. She went on to win the third World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament and subsequently become a popular and formidable competitor in the world of high-stakes poker. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
A collection of losers, misfits, and outcasts find their lives unexpectedly converging at a diner along a desert highway in this violent and offbeat comedy drama. Dwayne (John Savage) is a strait-laced-looking vacuum cleaner salesman with a bad habit of murdering prospective customers, while Patty Mae (Jennifer Tilly) is a sexy mystery woman who has amassed an impressive collection of carpet sweepers. Martin (Eric Roberts) is a down-on-his-luck family man wondering how he'll support his wife and kids now that he has lost his job. Johnny (Luke Perry) is a deeply depressed young man who has arranged for a hired killer (Sam J. Jones) to murder him, not knowing that the killer has no intentions of allowing him to die quickly or easily. And Harv (James Russo) and Gene (Joe Viterelli) are a pair of mobsters from Las Vegas who discuss their various problems with women, not very concerned about the fact there's a man locked in the trunk of their car. American Strays also features Carol Kane, Brion James, and Melora Walters. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luke Perry, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
The phrase "it's a dog's life" takes on a whole new meaning in this family-friendly comedy. When eccentric billionaire Constance Pennington passes on, she leaves her entire fortune to her closest companion, Bailey. However, there's something that sets Bailey apart from most of the nuevo riche -- Bailey is a golden retriever dog. Bailey's best human friend is Ted (Dean Cain), a handsome but nerdy animal behaviorist who has learned to communicate with Bailey in "dogish." Ted looks after the wealthy pooch with Bailey's blessings, but Bailey's new fame and wealth don't sit well with everyone -- Caspar Pennington (Tim Curry), Constance's nephew, is infuriated that a dog has inherited his aunt's fortune. With the help of his shrewish wife, Dolores (Jennifer Tilly), Caspar sets up the Animal Rights and Research Foundation (ARRF), and installs Ted on the boards alongside Marge (Laurie Holden), a cute single mother and animal rights activist. But Caspar and Dolores hardly have benevolent aims in mind -- ARRF is supposed to keep Ted and Marge busy while the Penningtons kidnap Bailey and find a way to prove to the world that Ted has been abusing the dog. Jon Lovitz provides the speaking voice of Bailey. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Lovitz, Dean Cain, (more)
- 2001
Following up on her crowd pleasing 1998 film Finding North, Tanya Wexler directs this tweaked coming-of-age drama about a troubled teen and his even more troubled family. Having just come out of detox for drugs and alcohol, JJ (Jonathan Tucker) returns home hoping for a little comfort and solace, but he finds little of both. Though his mother continues to dote on him, everyone else is out to get him -- his brutish step-father Bull who is still furious over the vintage car JJ wrecked while hopped up; his vampish step-aunt Dot (Jennifer Tilly); his effete uncle Ernie. Even his former dealer Bobby, his girlfriend, who dumped him for Bobby, and his high school guidance counselor Dr. Charlie (David Strathairn) has something against JJ. While JJ struggles to straighten out his life, he remembers fondly his stay in detox. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Tucker, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
Bart got a room -- a hotel room -- and he's booked it for senior prom night. Though the title character of Bart Got a Room only appears in one brief scene towards the end of the film, it's his uber-geek specter that hangs over writer-director Brian Hecker's comedy, a semi-autobiographical ode to teenage angst. The plot is centered on the hopelessly dateless Danny (Steven Kaplan), a gawky band nerd who must decide between taking his best friend, Camille (Alia Shawkat), to the prom, and attempting to woo the date of his dreams, a pretty blonde cheerleader. Along the way he endures derision and peer pressure from friends, as well as uncomfortably frank advice from his divorced parents, played by Cheryl Hines and William H. Macy. Set in the geriatric environs of terminally sunny south Florida, Danny's world offers constant reminders of the road he's headed down should he not solidify this one life-defining event: Macy's Ernie grapples with loneliness by seeking women in chat rooms, while Hines's Beth sees relationships as a shortcut to financial security. ~ David Shim, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William H. Macy, Cheryl Hines, (more)
Ace animator Don Bluth directed this direct-to-video follow-up to his 1997 hit Anastasia, concentrating on the adventures of Bartok the Albino Bat (voice of Hank Azaria). Bartok and his best friend, Zozi the Bear (voice of Kelsey Grammer), are now making their way as street performers, but they find themselves drawn in when Prince Ivan is kidnapped by the wicked Ludmilla, who wants to get rid of the man who stands in her way as heir to the throne. Bartok and Zozi decide they must come to Prince Ivan's rescue, and they confront the evil and powerful witch Baba Yaga. Along with Azaria and Grammer, who repeat their roles from the original, Bartok the Magnificent features voice performances from Jennifer Tilly, Catherine O'Hara, and Tim Curry. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hank Azaria, Kelsey Grammer, (more)
- 1997
Lynda La Plante (Prime Suspect) scripted this TV miniseries about the family life surrounding a Mafia don. Sicilian magnate Don Luciano (Dennis Farina) and his wife Graziella (Vanessa Redgrave) live comfortably at Villa Rosa in Palermo, Italy. Their son Michael (Michael Hayden) has an affair with Sophia (Nastassja Kinski), leaving her pregnant but unmarried. After Luciano refuses to traffic drugs, angry U.S. mob boss Carolla (Tony Lo Bianco) retaliates by having Michael killed. When Sophia secretly gives birth to Luka, her child by Michael, she then marries another Luciano brother and bears twins. Later, Carolla unwittingly adopts the teenage Luka (James Marsden), who is unaware of his own past. Carolla's vengeance continues through the years, and he passes the hatred on to Luka -- who sees that all males in the Luciano family are eliminated. Despite the slaughter, Luca charms the unsuspecting Luciano widows when he arrives at Villa Rosa, claiming to be the son of a wealthy, concerned American. How long before they learn the truth? Film director Peter Bogdanovich is seen in the role of Luciano's American contact, Giancamo. Bella Mafia first aired 11/16/97 and 11/18/97 on CBS. The feature-length video version was edited down to 117 min. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vanessa Redgrave, Dennis Farina, (more)
- 1995
This thriller was filmed on location in Bulgaria. The story centers on Nikolai as he makes his final confession and tells his story to a priest on the day he is to be executed. His tale of revenge is presented in flashback and begins while Nikolai was still a child. Back then he saw his father, a policeman, brutally shot by Griffith, an American smuggler of drugs and arms when the Communists were still in control. Nikolai spent the rest of his life plotting his revenge. He begins by seducing the smuggler's daughter, Kily, who has come to visit. He then tells the criminal that he has kidnapped her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Abel Ferrara's Body Snatchers is the third screen version of Jack Finney's cold war science fiction novel Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Marty Malone (Gabrielle Anwar) is moving with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother to a military base where her father will investigate possible environmental and ecological problems. Before they get to town, Marty is warned in a gas station restroom by a crazed looking military man that, "They get you when you sleep!" Marty adjusts to life on the base by flirting with a young officer and making friends with the rebellious daughter of the base commander. These friends help her when a plot by aliens to turn all humans into unemotional, unfeeling "pod people" shifts into high gear. As her family and friends are attacked, Marty doesn't know who to trust. Previous versions of his story were directed by Don Siegel (1956) and Phillip Kaufman (1978). ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabrielle Anwar, Terry Kinney, (more)
Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly nearly set the screen on fire in this clever, female-powered twist on the standard Mob caper film. Gershon is Corky, an ex-con renovating the apartment next door to where Tilly's Violet lives. Violet is the moll of psychotic gangster Caesar (Joe Pantoliano), who uses the apartment as an occasional location for meetings and beatings, and also uses Violet as an occasional plaything for his Mob cronies. Violet is attracted to the super-sexy Corky, and the two begin an intense affair. Corky hatches a plot to escape with $2 million that Caesar is planning to give to a Mob boss, and the mayhem escalates from there. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, (more)
This horror film, directed by Ronnie Yu, marked a return (after an eight-year lapse) of Chucky and the Child's Play series that began in 1988. At the moment of his death, the spirit of former serial killer Charles Lee Ray was mystically relocated in the doll Chucky (voice of Brad Dourif). After being salvaged from the evidence morgue by his ex-girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) and a corrupt cop, Chucky is put back in action when Tiffany sews his pieces back together and works a voodoo spell to revive his sinister self. Tiffany sees her dreams of marriage aren't working out, so she keeps Chucky locked away. After an escape, Chucky electrocutes Tiffany by pushing a radio into the bathtub, delivering a chant that puts the spirit of Tiffany into a bridal figurine. Chucky's amulet can switch them back into their original human forms, so they head for New Jersey where the amulet is buried -- putting cops in motion, along with car-crash carnage. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Tilly, Katherine Heigl, (more)
Bullets Over Broadway is a Woody Allen romp that, as the title suggests, combines gangsters with show business at the height of the Roaring Twenties. David Shayne (John Cusack) is a straight-arrow playwright who plans to stand firm against compromising his work, but quickly abandons that stance when his producer (Jack Warden) finds a backer to mount his show on Broadway. There's just one catch, however: the backer is a mobster (Joe Viterelli) who sees Shayne's play as a vehicle for his dizzy, talent-free girlfriend, Olive (Jennifer Tilly). Shayne also has to deal with the demands of veteran theatre diva Helen Sinclair (Dianne Wiest) and is shocked to discover that Olive's hitman bodyguard, Cheech (Chazz Palminteri), is probably a better playwright than he is, as he secretly revises Shayne's work when he sits in on rehearsals. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cusack, Jack Warden, (more)
- 1986
When his latest date with an "intellectual equal" doesn't pan out, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) relies upon Sam (Ted Danson) to fix him up with a girl -- any girl. Unfortunately, Frasier's new amour (Jennifer Tilly) is equally desperate for male companionship, the upshot being an overnight courtship and instant marriage proposal. Despite the amusing complications stemming from the basic situation, the most fascinating aspect of this episode is the woman with whom Frasier breaks up in the early scenes. That woman is fellow psychologist Dr. Lilith Sternin, played by Bebe Neuwirth in her first Cheers appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The personal lives of five exotic dancers go under the microscope in this drama, the first American feature from director Michael Radford. Eddie (Robert Wisdom) is the manager of a strip club in suburban California known as the Blue Iguana, where he keeps an eye on the women who make their living dancing for his customers. Stormy (Sheila Kelley) is an attractive, thick-skinned woman who is getting old enough to realize her days as a dancer may be numbered. Jo (Jennifer Tilly) likes to think of herself as the Blue Iguana's star attraction, though her career may hit a detour now that she's learned she's pregnant. Angel (Daryl Hannah) is a sweet, but immature woman, who tries to deal with her fear of being unloved by adopting a child. Jasmine (Sandra Oh), an aspiring poet, tries not to get settled into a career as a stripper, while being encouraged in her writing by coffeehouse owner Dennis (Chris Hogan), who features spoken word performers. And Jesse (Charlotte Ayanna), the youngest of the performers, expresses her desperate need for approval in her desire to please the customers. Dancing at the Blue Iguana received its world premiere at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlotte Ayanna, Daryl Hannah, (more)
A hot-shot college card player and a retired poker legend team-up to take Sin City for all its worth, only to find themselves going toe-to-toe in the ultra-high stakes World Poker Tour. Alex Stillman (Bret Harrison) is a Yale senior with a knack for Texas Hold 'Em. But while Alex dreams of the day he'll be able to dominate the tables out in Las Vegas, he hasn't mastered the art of the cards just yet. Alex's luck begins to change, however, after a chance encounter with legendary poker player Tommy Vinson (Burt Reynolds). Tommy gave up gambling twenty years ago in hopes that he could save his family. He recognizes the potential in Alex, and he's beginning to regain his confidence after two decades of maintaining a low profile. Alex agrees to become Tommy's protégé, and together the pair wins every tournament they enter. But Alex's attraction to beautiful Las Vegas call girl Michelle (Shannon Elizabeth) has caused his attention shift away from the tables, and that distraction has opened up a deep chasm between the emerging talent and the undisputed master. Later, after Alex and Tommy calls off their partnership, they find themselves on opposite sides of the table at the prestigious World Poker Tour. Who will take the top prize? Will it be the old pro who promised he would never gamble again, or the newcomer who learned all of his tricks from the true master of the trade? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Bret Harrison, (more)
- 2004
A small-town Canadian waitress pining for the attention of the former high-school football star finds her affections returned from the least likely of places in this entry into the 2005 Vancouver Film Festival from director Vic Sarin. To say that Eve Stuckley (Marla Sokoloff) has a low self-opinion would be an understatement. Though she may not necessarily be Cosmo material, the lovelorn waitress with dreams of being accepted to a New York City art school and a slight case of body dysmorphic disorder just can't seem to catch the eye of town hunk Jeff Sweeney (Barry Watson) -- even though Jeff is best friends with Eve's older brother, Chuck (Jonathan Cherry). When mysterious beauty Linda (Monika Schnarre) breezes into town on business, heads immediately turn and she is soon fending off the advances of both Jeff and Chuck. Despite the attentions lavished on her by the handsome duo, Linda is instead attracted to a lonely waitress whose true beauty has gone sadly unrecognized. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marla Sokoloff, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
- 2001
- R
Home is where the kidnap victim is in this darkly comic farce. Scooter (Trace Fraim) and Junior (Michael Covert) are a pair of exceptionally dim-witted brothers from West Texas who are left high and dry when their mother passes away. The brothers aren't much good at taking care of themselves (and they know it), so they set out to find a woman who will take mom's place in their house. The hapless pair start by approaching a prostitute (Jennifer Tilly), who after taking $35 from the boys leaves them just where they started, and after a few similarly disastrous attempts at finding a new maternal figure, Scooter and Junior decide to take a more aggressive approach. They abduct a woman named DeDe (Tara Chocol) from the parking lot of the supermarket where she works, but as it turns out, DeDe doesn't really mind -- the dumb but good-natured brothers are actually a pleasant change of pace compared to her husband, a violent and ill-tempered Texas Ranger named Vincent (Patrick Warburton). DeDe agrees to be the brothers' new "mom," but on one condition -- they have to help retrieve her baby daughter. Scooter and Junior are willing, but Vincent isn't willing to let DeDe go, and the brothers soon find that Vincent is not a good man to have on one's bad side. Dirt was directed by Michael Covert and Trace Fraim, who also star as Junior and Scooter; it's the second feature as director for Covert, who also wrote the screenplay, and Fraim's debut behind the camera. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Covert, Tracy Fraim, (more)
Shirley MacLaine makes her feature directorial debut with this offbeat comedy. Bruno (Alex D. Linz) is an eight-year-old boy attending a Catholic school; he is bright, is a good student, and wants to become an etymologist. He also likes to wear dresses, which causes him plenty of problems -- bullies beat him up on a regular basis, and the school's Mother Superior (Kathy Bates) thinks that something must be wrong with him. Bruno's mother Angela (Stacey Halprin), who tips the scales at 450 pounds, has just lost her husband Dino (Gary Sinise) to trampy Donna Marie (Joey Lauren Adams). With her pal Dolores (Jennifer Tilly) giving Angela regular reports on Dino's activities, she's too occupied to worry much about her son. When Bruno is hurt one day while wearing a skirt, he's taken to the hospital; with Angela suffering from a heart attack and Dino refusing to look after him, it falls to his grandmother Helen (MacLaine) to take care of the boy. But Bruno has finally found a playmate at school who doesn't find him strange -- Shaniqua (Kaimi Davael), a young black girl who wants to be a cowgirl. While Bruno was Shirley MacLaine's first attempt at directing a fictional film, it was not her first experience behind the camera; she previously made the Oscar-nominated documentary The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alex D. Linz, Shirley MacLaine, (more)
In this comedy, two women head for Reno to get simultaneous quicky divorces and end up becoming friends. Edie was married years ago, but her husband abandoned her two weeks after the wedding. Pen spent nine years married to an ice-cold businessman who neglected her. Edie and Pen meet while leaving the courtroom. They immediately head for a bar where they encounter Harry, who is despondent that his wife took his beloved dog when she left him. As the three grow increasingly inebriated, they begin having long conversations about their pasts, presents and futures. Now that ditzy Edie is divorced, she plans to marry her new love in Acapulco. Meanwhile, womanizing Harry attempts to bed the vulnerable Pen. Dramatic tension rises when Pen discovers that Edie's fiancé is her ex-husband. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stockard Channing, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
- 2004
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Kilo was born into a life of crime. By the time he was an adult, he was a full-time dealer, and when he meets Sabeva, the daughter of a Colombian drug kingpin, he reaches the upper levels of drug trafficking. It is a dangerous business, however, and eventually Kilo ends up in prison. Still running his operation from inside of a cell, he is eventually offered a shady deal: his sentence will be suspended if he will murder a convicted child-killer. Now Kilo stands at a crossroads, unsure which actions will clear his conscience, end his sentence, or end his life. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
An innocent girl becomes the victim of an ancient curse in this erotic horror story. Charlotte (Alyssa Milano) is a beautiful but chaste college freshman who is nearing her 18th birthday. Charlotte's boyfriend Chris (Harrison Pruett) would like to take their relationship to the next level, but Charlotte isn't sure if she's ready. Meanwhile, Charlotte finds herself aggressively pursued by a mysterious new suitor (Martin Kemp). What Charlotte doesn't know is that she's the reincarnation of a Transylvanian princess (Rebecca Ferratti), and her new friend is a vampire who once loved her. The vampire will be able to retain his powers of eternal life only if he can seduce Charlotte before she turns 18 -- which only gives him three days. To weaken Charlotte's resolve, the vampire arranges for lovely Sarah (Charlotte Lewis) to introduce her to the pleasures of lesbianism. Embrace of the Vampire featured former child star Alyssa Milano in several nude scenes; a large number of internet fan sites began posting frame captures of Milano topless from the film after it was released on home video. Milano and her mother responded by taking legal action against web sites using her images without permission; as a result, she has since pledged not to disrobe onscreen again. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alyssa Milano, Martin Kemp, (more)
- 2001
Christmas is approaching. Stewie (voice of Seth MacFarlane) isn't particularly looking forward to playing the baby Jesus in Quahog's annual passion play. Peter (MacFarlane) only seems interested in watching the annual airing of "Kiss Saves Santa." Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) drags him to visit Joe (voice of Patrick Warburton) and Bonnie (voice of Jennifer Tilly), where they find Joe in an unpleasant mood. Stewie learns of Santa and his "constant surveillance of every child on Earth." Peter accidentally gives all of the family's presents to charity. Lois takes the news surprisingly well, and the Griffins head to the mall to buy new presents, leaving Brian (MacFarlane) behind to look after their Christmas Eve turkey. At the mall, the family fights with other last-minute shoppers, and Stewie is shocked to have a chance to sit on the lap of his new nemesis. "Santa, you make it too easy," he taunts. But when he learns that Santa will give him whatever he wants (in Stewie's case, plutonium) in exchange for being "good," he changes his tune. Meanwhile, back at the house, Brian runs into some trouble, thanks in no small part to Peter's purchase of a novelty fire extinguisher. Her Christmas dinner ruined, Lois' calm veneer cracks and she goes on a rampage through town. This episode features the voices of Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss of Kiss. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Hoping to set a world's record, Peter eats several bags full of nickels--and as a consequence he loses his eyesight. In his efforts to adjust to his blindness, Peter inadvertently becomes a hero during a fire (good thing he couldn't see what was going on or he'd have run like a bunny!) Gina Gershon makes a guest voice appearance, just in case you were wondering if it was really her voice. And don't be too disturbed by that lengthy fist fight between Peter and a huge chicken; it's merely the continuation of a gag introduced two seasons earlier in the episode DaBoom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
Lois develops kleptomania, leading to a wild shoplifting spree. She lands in prison, only to be broken out by Peter and the kids. The Griffins then take refuge from pursuing policeman Joe Swanson by hiding in "Asiantown." Alas, Joe manages to pick up their trail (no great trick, since Peter has become a popular sumo wrestler), whereupon the family retreats to the sewers, where the plot thickens, as it were. So far as we can determine, this is the only American TV cartoon episode of recent memory to reference the names of both Karl Malden and Corey Haim (two treats in one!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
The fact that Brian is a dog does not disqualify him from being a contestant on the TV reality series The Bachelorette. Nor does it prevent Brian from falling in love with Brooke (voiced by Jessica Biel), the ambitious starlet who much choose from several bachelors to win the Big Prize. At the same time, Chris is bedeviled by a huge and ever-growing zit, which not only talks (with the voice of Kevin Richardson) but is also clearly intent upon world domination (or at least "Chris domination"). Listen for the references to Blazing Saddles and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
