John Drake Movies
Indian director Rajeev Manoj Virani's cross-cultural romance My Bollywood Bride follows the love affair that unexpectedly blossoms between a hunky, fair-haired American novelist named Alex (Jason Lewis) and an ebullient Indian tour guide named Reena (Kashmera Shah). The two fall in love in Los Angeles, but are then forcibly separated by circumstance, as Reena must return to Asia to tend to her seriously ill father and enter an arranged marriage with a cocky, egomaniacal producer named Shekhar (Gulshan Grover). Failing to understand (or accept) these circumstances, Alex then flies to India, heart-in-tow, determined to win Reena back - and immediately runs head-first into madcap conflicts with both Shekhar and Reena's parents. Sanjay Suri co-stars as Reena's Indian pal Bobby, who makes a series of unsuccessful attempts to keep Alex out of trouble as the American vies for Reena's heart. Shah, Brad Listermann and Richard Martini co-authored the script. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kashmira Shah, Jason Lewis, (more)
- 1992
- R
In this political thriller, an ambitious press secretary discovers that the opposing political candidate has feathered the nest of his campaigns with terrible lies. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judd Nelson, Justine Bateman, (more)
Religion, Inc. was originally -- and very briefly -- released as A Fool and His Money. While watching TV, ex-adman Morris Codman (Jonathan Penner) receives a message from God. Advised by the Almighty to go into business for himself, Codman inaugurates his own religion, founded on a philosophy of selfishness. Two distinguished men of letters appear in Religion Inc -- George Plimpton (as God!) and Jerzy Kosinski -- but that's not why this loser is currently available on video shelves. It seems that a pre-Speed Sandra Bullock shows up fleetingly as a long-suffering public defender. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Penner, Gerald Orange, (more)
- 1986
In this uneven drama, Jeff (Tom Mason) is a Vietnam vet trying to eke out a living in New York when his already difficult life gets worse. In order to keep his head above water, he takes on several different, low-paying jobs in addition to driving a cab. He really wants to sell his cartoons so he can have a chance at syndication, and at the same time he satisfies his artist's calling by painting scenes of the war. But then the rent on his father's diner is raised through the roof, so it looks like his dad will be out of business soon. The rejections of his cartoons continue, and even his ex-girlfriend is having her separate problems. Without a doubt, Jeff decides it is time to retrench. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Weatherhead
- 1986
In this comedy, an overweight patient escapes from a mental institution and travels to New York City for some fun and adventure. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tibor Feldman, Peter Linari, (more)
The titular "Osa" ("female bear" in Spanish) is (Kelly Lynch), a brave young woman with a superactive persona and stiff training in target practice since her days as a tot. Set in a thirsty future dystopia when all the water has been contaminated, a Mr. Hammond -- one evil capitalist -- has cornered the market on potable water and is selling it for $200 a gallon. His chief thug is Mr. Big (Daniel Grimm) who terrorizes one and all, until several murders into the storyline he is finally in a confrontation with Osa. That last bloodletting is staged as an elaborate game, but for some reason the baddies are under the fatal assumption that Osa will play by the rules. As usual, motivation and character development are the first casualties in the build-up of violent scenes leading to the culminating gore. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kelly Lynch, Daniel Grimm, (more)
- 1983
- R
Directed by Robert Duvall -- though not his directorial debut, as has sometimes been reported -- Angelo My Love is a semidocumentary study of gypsy life in New York. Real-life gypsy lad Angelo Evans engagingly plays himself: a charming street hustler and con artist. The son of a fortune teller, Angelo is the one truly blessed with a "sixth sense"-about himself, his family and his future. Personally financed by Duvall (whose brothers appear in one delightful sequence), Angelo My Love is a mesmerizing glimpse at a lifestyle often misunderstood and misrepresented by the American mainstream. Be warned, however: the people depicted herein don't mince their words, which is why the film bears an R rating. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angelo Evans, Steve "Patalay" Tsigonoff, (more)
- 1970
Homosexuality in the California mountains during the 1870s provides the basis for this drama that centers on the reminiscences of a grizzled old mountain man who tells the tale of how he lost his lover. It seems the young buck objected to the freewheeling ways of the other homosexuals and so went to seek the counsel of a local shaman who told him that it was okay to have more than one lover at a time. The young man then felt at peace and left the mountain man alone as went off to find sexual adventure elsewhere. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1968
First broadcast in England on January 21, 1968, "The Girl Who Was Death" was written by Terence Feely, from an idea by David Tomblin, producer of The Prisoner and director of this episode. Again mysteriously transported from The Village, Number Six finds himself in an isolated lighthouse with a girl named Sonia (Justine Lord) who by some fluke of fate has apparently caused the deaths of at least three men. Referring to herself as "Death", Sonia insists that she and Number Six are made for each other, inasmuch as he has survived so many previous attempts on his life. As the story progresses, it becomes painfully obvious that the so-called lighthouse is actually a nuclear missile, designed by Sonia's demented father (Kenneth Griffith) to destroy London. Originally intended as a two-part episode, "The Girl Who Was Death" was diminished to a single installment because of star Patrick McGoohan's commitment to the theatrical feature Ice Station Zebra; in fact, McGoohan is absent from much of the proceedings, requiring the producers to use doubles and stock shots for certain linking scenes. The episode made its American TV debut on September 7, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Boyish leading man Jack Watling is caught up in a rather mature set of circumstances in Links of Justice. In concert with his mistress Kay Callard, Watling plots to murder his wealthy wife Sarah Lawson. The best laid schemes gang aft agley, and the wrong person ends up dead. In a variation of Dial M for Murder, a false murder accusation is dissipated by the timely arrival of a housebreaker. Chalk up another serviceable second-feature British melodrama for the production team of Edward and Harry Danzinger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
In this crime melodrama, a car salesman (and suspected safecracker) saves his fiancee from those who would kidnap her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1956
In this comedy-thriller, a woman returns to the country to see her godmother only to learn that the old woman has mysteriously disappeared. She quickly enlists the aide of a doctor to help her look. Like her godmother, the woman ends up in the clutches of the robbers. The fugitive thieves have been using the godmother's house as a hide-out and home base. The women are saved by the brave doctor and the police squad he brings with him. The bandits are captured and locked away. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1954
This children's mystery involves two kids vacationing on an island and the two kids they become friends with there. They discover a smuggling ring working out of the island's bird sanctuary and must turn them in. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
