Joanne Vannicola Movies
- 2003
An animated comedy, created by Gene Simmons of KISS fame, about a rebellious rock star's son who dreams of having a normal life. ~ TV Guide, Rovi
- 2000
Most girls would be thrilled to discover the most popular boy in school is attracted to them, but it leads to danger for one teenager in this thriller. Laurie Show (Jennifer Finnigan) is a teenager who moves with her mother Hazel (Mary-Margaret Humes) to a small town in Pennsylvania after her parents split up. Laurie finds it easy to make friends with her new classmates, but while covering the junior prom for the school's yearbook, Laurie discovers that Butch Yunkin (Rel Hunt), a popular boy who has been elected prom king, is especially fond of her. However, this seems to bring out mixed feelings in Michelle Lambert (Marnette Patterson), Butch's girlfriend, who is quite proud of her status as half of the school's most popular couple; Michelle seems to go out of her way to make friends with Laurie, but she occasionally betrays her jealousy over the fact Butch is attracted to Laurie. One night at a party, Butch begins flirting with Laurie, but after he kisses her, she actively protests his further advances; he responds by raping her. Michelle walks in as Butch is attacking Laurie, and immediately blames Laurie for seducing Butch. Michelle's version of the story soon sweeps though the school, and Laurie is widely considered a tramp who has tried to steal Butch away from the girl who loves him. Laurie's reputation is ruined, but this is hardly enough for Michelle, whose twisted obsession with destroying Laurie soon escalates into violence. Sally Jessy Raphael served as executive producer for this made-for-cable drama, which was inspired by actual events. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jennifer Finnigan, Marnette Patterson, (more)
The fourth entry in the Iron Eagle series follows the return of General Charles "Chappy" Sinclair (Louis Gosset Jr., who deserves better) as he trains a Dirty Dozen-style team of juvenile delinquents to improve their quality of life by flying planes and combatting evil. This time the Air Force itself is the enemy, as the intrepid teens uncover a conspiracy involving biological weaponry. When Chappy contacts his old friend, General Kettle (Al Waxman), he learns the General is in on the action. Along the way, the group manages to combat some ill-prepared drug dealers as well. This installment is better than the second or third, but that's not the highest of praise; Iron Eagle IV is a dumb-dumb fantasy for fourteen-year-old boys who don't yet have their learner's permits, much less their pilot's licenses. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi
- Starring:
- Louis Gossett, Jr., Jason Cadieux, (more)
- 1994
A community rallies together when a former police officer comes unglued, builds a bomb and takes hostage an entire elementary school. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Thomas, Robert Urich, (more)
- 1994
A family is torn apart when two adult sisters decide to take their father to court for sexually abusing them as children. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marlo Thomas, Mel Harris, (more)
- 1993
- R
Based upon a play by screenwriter Brad Fraser, Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love, Denys Arcand's dark-humored drama Love and Human Remains follows the lives of a group of young Canadians, with a particular focus on their romantic and sexual experiences. The central characters are two roommates, David and Candy. The cynical, witty David is a former television actor turned waiter, the lonely, dissatisfied Candy a book critic; the two were formerly lovers, before David proclaimed his homosexuality. Candy is also questioning her sexuality, having begun a lesbian affair after wondering if her failures with men indicates she might be happier with a woman; meanwhile, David is becoming acquainted with Kane, a handsome, young busboy of uncertain sexuality who idolizes the older David. The other members of the ensemble are also somehow connected to the roommates, through friendship or romance, including Benita, a young dominatrix and part-time psychic, and Bernie, a boastful but insecure young businessman. The couplings and shifting relationships of these characters are intercut with the rather more severe story of a serial murderer who has been terrorizing the city's women, allowing Arcand to place the film's melodramatic elements in an edgier context. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Thomas Gibson, Ruth Marshall, (more)
- 1986
- PG
Toby McTeague (Yannick Bisson) is a teen-aged boy, living in a flyspeck town in Northern Canada with his father and younger brother. Toby's thriving livelihood, raising and training sled dogs, is threatened by a dip in the local economy. His problems are intensified by the ongoing hostilities between Toby and his dad (Winston Reckert). Running away from home, Toby makes the acquaintance of elderly Indian chief George Wild Dog (George Clutesi), who years earlier had been "shaman," or spiritual advisor, to Toby's father. It is Chief Wild Dog who mystically brings father and son together at the film's climax, in addition to rescuing Toby's sled-dog business in a near-miraculous fashion. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Yannick Bisson, Winston Rekert, (more)
- 1981
Set in 1963, this drama looks at the life of Barnie Margruder (Carl Marotte), a teenager dealing with school bullies, his bickering parents, his conflicting feelings about sex, and an often strained relationship with his girlfriend. Barnie's life begins to change when he makes friends with Winona (Charlaine Woodard), an African-American girl from the other side of the city, who gives him a new perspective on his town and the world. Hard Feelings, also known as Hang Tough, was partially filmed in Canada; the film enjoyed a brief theatrical run there, though it never opened in theaters in the United States. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Carl Marotte
