Gerard Ciccoritti Movies

Produced for the Lifetime channel, the made-for-cable Murder in the Hamptons uses the titular 2001 murder, that of multimillionaire investment banker Ted Ammon (David Sutcliffe), as the starting point for a lengthy flashback beginning in 1995. It was during that year that Ammon met and married Generosa Rand (Poppy Montgomery), a talented and temperamental artist. As Ammon's fortune grew, so did the couple's conspicuous consumption, as manifested in a huge, castle-like estate in Long Island; the family itself also expanded, with Ted and Generosa adopting two children. Unfortunately, with each passing year, this "ideal" marriage became less so, with Generosa exhibiting some mighty peculiar behavior, her neuroses and insecurities causing her to fly off the handle at the least provocation. During the inevitable divorce proceedings, Generosa demands that Ted relinquish both the mansion and their children -- and she also launches into an affair with electrician Danny Pelosi (Shawn Christian), who has a criminal record. When Ted is found murdered, suspicion immediately falls upon Danny, though no tangible evidence is available. Ultimately, Generosa marries Danny -- only to leave him as well when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Evidently undergoing numerous epiphanies in her final months, Generosa begins to let go of the many things she held dear during and after her marriage -- but if she knows anything about Ted's death, it is a secret she will carry to the grave. How justice is ultimately served figures into the climax of Murder in the Hamptons, which first aired on July 11, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Set in Toronto's Little Italy, Boy Meets Girl stars Sean Astin as Mike, a cynical writer who pens copy for a romance magazine, and Emily Hampshire as Angelina, who has just arrived in Canada from Italy to marry a man she unfortunately doesn't care for. Mike's next door neighbor is an eccentric wallpaper hanger who writes poetry in his spare time. Somehow, one of the paperer's love verses ends up in Angelina's hands and she's convinced Mike wrote it -- and suddenly love is in the air and romance is sparked between them. The supporting cast features Kevin McDonald and Kate Nelligan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The Quaker religion was founded in mid-17th-century Britain on principles of non-violence and religious contemplation. Eschewing the pomp, grandeur and complex rituals associated with other Christian sects, the Quakers express their devotion in a plain and outwardly simply manner. They do not proselytize, and they tend to form low-key, tightly knit groups run by totally democratic meetings in which each member has equal say in matters affecting their community. In Prayer in the Dark, the Hayworth family lives in a Quaker enclave in up-state New York. The matriarch, Emily (Lynda Carter) runs the local bank. Years before, she and her family took in troubled, young Jimmy Flood (Colin Ferguson) to protect him from his abusive father. Though one of Emily's grown daughters, Janet (Teri Polo) felt she didn't belong in the quiet, pious community and left the Quakers, the mother believes that her family ties are strong, despite the fact that another of her daughters, Deborah (Lindsey Connell) is pregnant and experiencing difficulties with her husband David (Matthew Bennett). They too are thinking of leaving the order. Real trouble comes to the family when Jimmy Flood returns to the house after busting out of prison with the help of Digby (Phillip Jarrett) and Lester (Silvio Oliviero), and he takes Emily's family hostage in exchange for $4 million. If Emily fails to secure the money in time, her entire family will die. Determined to resolve the potentially deadly conflict in a peaceful manner, Emily races to town and calls an emergency meeting of the Friends to work out a solution. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This inspirational sports drama tells how Detroit Red Wings star Ted Lindsay stood up to the National Hockey League to prevent them from further exploiting the players. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Lucy, a writer of erotic novels who is uninspired unless she gets some new sexual experience, plunges into a torrid affair with Sloan, an arrogant bisexual, who has written a novel about a serial killer and whom Lucy's husband, a publisher, has introduced to her. Lucy either fantasizes or recalls a sultry affair that she had once in Paris with a hood named Minter, who introduced her to the ultimate in sexual satisfaction. Lucy's husband discovers his latent homosexuality, guided by his business associate William, who also has an affair with the sexually indiscriminate Sloan. This pretentious, would-be artsy film combines black-and-white and color sequences but ultimately is derivative and boring. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide

In this horror sequel, the bloodsucking New York cabbie from the first film auditions for and gets the lead in an upcoming horror movie. He plays a vampire and everyone around him is delighted with his performance until they figure out that it is no act. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This low-budget but slickly produced Canadian horror project is an engrossing, heady blend of steamy romance and jugular-gushing vampire mayhem. Silvio Oliviero stars in the quirky role of nocturnal New York cabbie Stephen -- who just happens to be a 350-year-old vampire. Into his clutches falls lovely music-video director Michelle (Helen Papas), a terminally ill woman seeking a passionate one-night stand. Her condition undergoes a remarkable change after Stephen puts the bite on her, claiming her as his undead bride -- much to the chagrin of her jealous husband, who sets out to destroy her immortal lover. Director Gerard Ciccoritti employs modern-day vampire conventions (particularly some startling gore effects) with pleasing results, but it's the film's well-rounded characters who set it apart from the standard direct-to-video exploitation fare. Unfortunately, too heavy a reliance on trite MTV-style window dressing prevents this from achieving true cult-classic status. Graveyard Shift was followed by a sequel titled Understudy: Graveyard Shift 2. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide