Newell Alexander Movies
Comedy writers David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams of Airplane and The Naked Gun fame got their start at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, when they formed a theatrical group known as The Kentucky Fried Theater. The Kentucky Fried Movie is based on the KFT's gag-filled theatrical skits. Including well-known stars such as Bill Bixby, Donald Sutherland, Tony Dow, George Lazenby and Henry Gibson, the film has over 22 different segments of varying lengths. Some are seconds long. Longer segments include such highlights as: "Zinc Oxide," which spoofs school educational films; "Cleopatra Schwartz," a spoof of female blaxploitation action films, whose heroine is married to a rabbi; "Sex Record," which depicts a couple who are attempting to follow the step-by-step instructions of a how-to-do-it record; "Catholic High School Girls In Trouble," and "A Fistful of Yen," (the longest episode), which is an elaborate spoof of martial-arts films. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sutherland, George Lazenby, (more)
- 1979
Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) is charged with the murder of rival Viper pilot Ortega (Frank Ashmore). With the full weight of evidence against him, Starbuck finds few that are willing to believe his protestations of innocence. One of those few, however, is his best friend Apollo (Richard Hatch), who doggedly sets about to prove that the authorities have arrested the wrong man--and in the process, Apollo uncovers an unusually vicious blackmail scheme. "Murder on the Rising Star" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Young Lords" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Murder in Space. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, (more)
- 1981
This true-life TV movie stars Glenda Jackson as Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal and Anthony Page as her author husband Roald Dahl. In 1964, Neal is felled by a stroke, which endangers not only her life but the life of her unborn child. Both survive, but it looks as though Neal will never be able to speak coherently again. Dahl bullies, cajoles and caresses his wife into recovery; she rallies under this treatment and is finally able to resume her career and lead a normal life. The film does not touch upon the serious domestic problems which would lead to Neal and Dahl's later divorce, nor does it dwell on the "dark side" of the notoriously mercurial Mr. Dahl. Nonetheless, both Neal and Dahl felt that the book upon which Patricia Neal Story was based, (Barry Farrell's Pat and Ronald) was far too revelatory for their tastes. They severed their longtime friendship with author Farrell and never spoke to him again; nor did they have anything to say publicly about The Patricia Neal Story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
The Heartland Productions video series was designed to offer young viewers a religious alternative to such "mean streets" temptations as drugs, liquor, sex and crime. All were produced by Russell Doughton; some, like Home Safe, were directed by Donald Thompson. Newell Alexander stars as a pre-teen "problem kid". Unable to abide his parents, Newell runs away from home. Only after he finds love and salvation through Jesus Christ does the boy consider himself "home safe." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Snowed in by a Christmas blizzard, the Ingalls family, including married daughters Laura (Melissa Gilbert) and Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and their respective husbands, Almanzo (Dean Butler) and Adam (Linwood Boomer), pass the time by telling stories about their lives. Also on hand is family friend Hester-Sue (Ketty Lester), who imparts a fascinating yarn of her own. This episode features excerpts from the 1974 Little House on the Prairie TV-movie pilot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, (more)
Michael Morgan stars as a teen obsessed with losing his virginity, and who gets his wish with Joan Collins, the mother of one of his best friends. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Collins, Michael Morgan, (more)
- 1982
Something So Right was a November 1982 entry in CBS' series of GE Theatre movie specials. Ricky Schroder plays the trouble-prone son of divorcee Patty Duke Astin. Upset that his idolized football-jock father is gone, Schroder has developed into a petty thief. Unable to handle the boy herself, Duke enrolls Schroder in a Big Brother program--where, much to his dismay, he is paired up with inept, unathletic James Farentino (decked out in a convincing "paunchy" bodysuit and a bald wig). Gradually, Schroder grows close to his new "Big Brother"--only to feel deserted again when Farentino, also divorced, falls in love with Schroder's mom. Something So Right is one of those few and far between TV movies that assumes an audience is intelligent enough to digest a story based on genuine human emotions rather than car chases, serial killings or diseases of the week. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jeff Grant (River Phoenix) is a San Diego teen who discovers his father Richard (Richard Jenkins) and mother Elizabeth Grant) are KGB agents. When he applies to the Air Force Academy, a routine FBI check leads to the shocking news. Soon the suburb of Fountain Grove becomes the focus of international agents and espionage. FBI agent Roy Parmenter (Sidney Poitier) helps Jeff absorb the shock and he battles KGB agent Konstantin Karpov (Richard Bradford) in a race to capture the Soviet agents. The excellent performances from Poitier and Phoenix are the highlight of this feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, (more)
- 1988
- R
A transit engineer and his family must face the gargantuan task of moving from New Jersey to Boise, Idaho in this lively comedy starring Richard Pryor. It all begins after he gets a really great job out West. Unfortunately, his family is less than thrilled with the prospect. The furniture movers, who prove to be crooks, and their crazy neighbors conspire to make matters all the worse. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Pryor, Beverly Todd, (more)
- 1989
Premiering on NBC in 1989 and continuing for five seasons, Quantum Leap gained a cult following for its ability to balance the qualities of science fiction with the hour-long television drama format. Each episode features a different adventure as Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) leaps through time, into different bodies, hoping to someday leap home. Along the way, Sam rights wrongs of the past with help from his hologram companion, Al (Dean Stockwell). In Quantum Leap: Pilot - 1956 viewers are able to see where it all began. Despite the fact that it isn't ready to be tested, Sam chooses to try out the accelerator and leaps into the body of a test pilot with little of his memory intact. After saving the pilot's family, Sam leaps, but rather than leaping back into the accelerator, he finds himself inhabiting the body of a minor league baseball player in 1968 with the task of winning the last game of the season. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell, (more)
- 1989
A double murder, investigated by Gideon, causes great unrest in a normally peaceful religious community. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1990
- PG13
- Add Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? to QueueAdd Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? to top of Queue
This screen version of Del Shores' play follows a dysfunctional Southern family as they squabble among themselves over the family fortune. As the title would suggest, Daddy (Bert Remsen), the patriarch of a large family in the deep South, is reaching the end of life's journey as his health and energy slip away and he watches midget wrestling on a television that isn't even turned on. Daddy's children have all returned to the family home, ostensibly to show their support in their father's final hours, but mainly because they're eager to know how Daddy's estate will be divided. Sara Lee (Tess Harper) has arrived with her new fiancé, Clarence (Keith Carradine). Evalita (Beverly D'Angelo), the high-spirited "black sheep" of the family, also has her new beau in tow, a pot-addled musician and health-food salesman named Harmony (Judge Reinhold). Orville (Beau Bridges) has brought along his wife, the patient and long-suffering Marlene (Patrika Darbo). And Lurlene (Amy Wright) is a born-again Christian who isn't shy about expressing her views on sin and salvation. As the siblings and their companions bicker, Daddy announces that he can't remember where he put his will, leading to a frantic search. The film was directed by Jack Fisk, who made his name in film as an art director and production designer (he's also the husband of actress Sissy Spacek). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Beau Bridges, Beverly D'Angelo, (more)
- 1991
- R
When a woman murdered over fifteen years ago is again found dead, a small-town Arizona policeman (John Beck) must solve the case without stepping on the tender toes of procedure, courtesy of a federal agent from Phoenix (Steven Bauer). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Beck, Steven Bauer, (more)
- 1991
- R
In this thriller, poet Thierry Martin (Judge Reinhold) takes over the family business, abandoning both his art and his sex life, much to the dismay of his wife, Zandalee (Erika Anderson). However, when Thierry's painter friend Johnny Collins (Nicolas Cage) comes to town, his fling with Zandalee could prove more complicated than he imagined. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Judge Reinhold, (more)
- 1991
While dining out in Boston, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) and Seth (William Windom) are witness to a mob "hit." The victim is a member of the powerful Abruzzi crime family, who despite Seth's efforts to save him does not survive. Enter the dead man's vengeful son Michael (Vincent Irizarry), who kidnaps both Seth and Jessica--meaning that it is literally a matter of life and death for Jessica to find out who ordered the elder Abruzzi's assassination and prove to Michael that Seth was not responsible for his dad's demise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Albert Brooks wrote, directed, and stars in this philosophical comedy about a man having a hard time making a case for himself in the afterlife. When advertising executive Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) finds himself in a fatal car crash minutes after taking delivery on a new BMW, he's whisked away to Judgment City, where the recently dead are put on a sort of trial to decide their fate. If in your time on Earth you were able to face your fears and learn from your mistakes, you get to move on to a life in a better world. However, if you didn't, you have to go back to Earth and try again. As he spends the next several days watching various episodes from his life, Daniel gets the impression he doesn't stand much of a chance of moving on -- and his representative, Bob Diamond (Rip Torn), seems to have little confidence in his case. In the meantime, he frequents Judgment City's many restaurants (where the food is delicious and you can eat all you want without gaining an ounce), pays a visit to the Past Life Pavilion, and meets Julia (Meryl Streep), who seems so kind, sweet, and noble that her advancement is practically assured. Daniel and Julia fall in love, but what's going to happen if they don't end up in the same place? Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep make a witty and engaging romantic team in Defending Your Life, and Shirley MacLaine appears in a highly appropriate cameo. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, (more)
- 1994
Made-for-television, this drama tells the story of real-life pioneer aviatrix Amelia Earhart. Diane Keaton stars as the famous American female pilot, who challenged social stereotypes and took to the air in the 1930s. In an attempt to fly around the world, Earhart's plane went missing in 1937 and was never recovered. Keaton was nominated for a Golden Globe, an Emmy and a SAG Award for her portrayal of this ground-breaking historical figure. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1996
When director Paul Seydor was researching the seminal Sam Peckinpah movie The Wild Bunch, he discovered the film which forms the basis for this short documentary (it is approximately 30 minutes long). Some unknown person, probably a cameraman, shot over 70 minutes of film showing how key scenes in The Wild Bunch were set up and shot. Only the shot preparation is filmed. Because the actual shots themselves are not filmed, Seydor suspects that the person who shot the rediscovered footage ran one of the cameras and was not free to document the filming with his personal camera. One highlight of the documentary is footage showing how Peckinpah came up with the shot now known among film buffs as "the walk thing." Footage from the final film is incorporated at appropriate points in this largely black-and-white documentary, and important personnel in the making of the film offer their commentary on what we are seeing. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Jane Seymour stars in this made-for-TV drama as Rebecca Blake, a bookstore employee who lives contently in San Pedro, California with her construction-worker husband Joe (A Martinez). A chance meeting with a woman named Lynn Wyman (Cathy Lee Crosby), coupled with her recent nightmares and searing headaches (one of which has prompted a spectacular collapse at her local grocery store), lead Lynn to the inescapable conclusion that she is an amnesiac--and that she might be Abbie Stewart, who has another family in Fillmore County. Journeying to Abbie's hometown to learn the truth, our heroine is put off somewhat by the curiously mixed reaction of the man who might be her "other" husband, school principal Chase Stewart (Bruce Davison). The key to mystery may not be the surrealistic dreams experienced by Rebecca/Abbie, but instead that painful-looking gash in her head. Produced for the CBS network, A Memory in My Heart initially aired on March 2, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Writer-director Del Shores serves up a heaping helping of Southern-fried comic melodrama in this adaptation of his own play about infidelity, country & western music, and Airstream trailers. When their sister dies, Latrelle (Bonnie Bedelia), LaVonda (Ann Walker), and Sissy (Beth Grant) plan her funeral -- an unenviable task, considering that they must carefully hide the deceased's affair with amputee G.W. (Beau Bridges) from his wife, the vindictive Noleta (Delta Burke). Meanwhile, the trio has to come to terms with two cases of sexual orientation: Latrelle's openly gay soap-opera star son Ty (Kirk Geiger), whose sexuality she continues to deny; and their only brother, Boy (Leslie Jordan), who's serving a sentence in a mental ward for his adamant belief that he is actually country & western legend Tammy Wynette. Playing an aspiring singer-songwriter, Olivia Newton-John turns up to provide the film with the occasional musical interlude. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Newell Alexander, Rosemary Alexander, (more)
- 2002
Now convinced that Jack (Victor Garber) was telling the truth about her mother Irina's treachery, Sydney (Jennifer Garner) is warned by Vaughn (Michael Vartan) that even Jack can't be trusted. With this in mind, the rest of the episode -- involving Sydney's efforts to stop the activities of a vice cartel called the Triad in Budapest -- takes on several extra layers of significance. Upon discovering that the Triad is training children to be enemy sleeper agents, Sydney is shocked to learn the identity of the person who thought up this insidious method of indoctrination in the first place. "The Indicator" was originally scheduled to air on October 26, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The cranky beast with a heart of gold returns to the big screen in this sequel to the computer-animated smash hit Shrek. After massive green ogre Shrek (voice of Mike Myers) and his new bride, Princess Fiona (voice of Cameron Diaz), return from their honeymoon, they receive an invitation to visit Fiona's parents, King Harold (voice of John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (voice of Julie Andrews), who are the monarchs of The Land Far, Far Away. However, the king and queen are more than a bit alarmed to discover their new son-in-law is a monster the color of algae, and that their daughter's little problem with a magical spell gone wrong has turned into a full-time skin condition. Certain this isn't the sort of "happily ever after" they dreamed of for their daughter, King Harold decides to take Shrek out of the picture and return Fiona to her former beauty with the help of Prince Charming (voice of Rupert Everett), the Fairy Godmother (voice of Jennifer Saunders), and ogre-slaying feline Puss in Boots (voice of Antonio Banderas). Shrek 2 also features the voice of Eddie Murphy returning as Donkey, as well as Larry King as an Ugly Stepsister. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, (more)
Vin Diesel returns as the nocturnally gifted antihero Riddick in this sequel to the 2000 cult item Pitch Black. Riddick, on the run from the law and evading mercenaries eager to claim the price on his head, seeks refuge on the planet of Helion, only to discover he's walked into a world in chaos. Helion has been seized by the Lord Marshall (Colm Feore), leader of the Necromongers, a race of bloodthirsty warriors determined to wipe out humanity throughout the universe. Aereon (Judi Dench), leader of Helion's "elementals," pleads with Riddick to join them in their fight for survival; Riddick agrees, hoping to fill out some of the blank chapters in his history along the way. As he plots his battle strategy against the Necromongers, Riddick becomes reacquainted with Kyra (Alexa Davalos), whom he knew as a girl but has since grown into a strong and beautiful woman eager to join him in the fight against the Lord Marshall. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vin Diesel, Colm Feore, (more)
Oceanic wise guys meet up with a small fish who has a big attitude in this computer-animated comedy. Don Lino (voice of Robert De Niro) is the patriarch of a family of sharks who lord over a bustling aquatic community based along a massive underwater reef. Don Lino has two sons, Frankie (voice of Michael Imperioli) and Lenny (voice of Jack Black); Frankie is a carnivorous tough guy who takes after his father, but Lenny is, at heart, a kind soul who has earned the ire of his dad by becoming a vegetarian. One of Don Lino's cronies is Sykes (voice of Martin Scorsese), who runs a "whale wash" where Oscar (voice of Will Smith) scrubs aquatic mammals for a living. Oscar is a small but ambitious fish who dreams of making something of himself, and when a dropped anchor accidentally kills Frankie, Oscar is suddenly (if mistakenly) celebrated as "the shark killer." Oscar's overnight fame attracts the attentions of Lola (voice of Angelina Jolie), a slinky dragon fish who woos Oscar away from his steady date, Angie (voice of Renée Zellweger); however, Oscar strikes up a friendship with Lenny and has to decide what to do when Don Lino and Sykes decides it's time to "take care" of the "different" shark. Also popping up in Shark Tale's all-star voice cast are Peter Falk, Vincent Pastore, Ziggy Marley, and Katie Couric. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Smith, Robert De Niro, (more)
