Dwier Brown Movies
Determined to make a name for herself in the male dominated sport that recently claimed the life of her talented father, a female race car driver with a lead foot and love for speed punches the gas and never looks back in this family-oriented sports drama starring Mircea Monroe and Justin Guarini. Ever since she was just a young girl, Alex Johnstone (Monroe) knew that she was destined to become a true racing champion. But Alex's uncle Bill (Dwier Brown) is the man in charge of the local speedway, and there's no way he's going to lose another relative on the racetrack. As determined as Bill is to prevent his niece from crashing and burning, however, Alex is equally resolute in proving that she has what it takes to keep pace with the best male drivers around. Later, as Alex becomes involved with a professional racecar driver (Guarini) who has a reputation for always crossing the checkered flag first, the young girl's conflict proves much more complex than simple black and white. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mircea Monroe, Justin Guarini, (more)
- 2002
The Charmed Ones come to the aid of Tyler (Alex Black), a ten-year-old runaway orphan with pyrokinetic powers. Unless the girls can act quickly, Tyler will be forced to enroll in an academy controlled by The Source of All Evil, which will channel the boy's talents for evil rather than good. Meanwhile, Cole (Julian McMahon) gives Gram's wedding ring to Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) -- who is immediately transformed into a 1950s-era "June Cleaver" housewife. (Oh, the horror!) ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Krause, Julian McMahon, (more)
- 2001
Swedish-born actor Leif Tilden turned to directing with this independent drama, billed as the first film made in America under the guidelines of the Dogma 95 movement, which specifies that films should only be shot with handheld cameras and available light on actual locations, and without background music or sound effects beyond those which are recorded during the shoot. Jeanie (Jennifer Rubin) is a photographer who returns to her hometown for her 20th anniversary high school reunion, only to discover most of her old classmates have no idea what she's been up to over the past two decades. Jeanie finds that life has not been kind to all her old friends; one has suffered a rift with his father after deciding to give up a career in the military, and another runs a diner while struggling to keep his drug habit under control. The supporting cast includes Billy Wirth, Rainer Judd, and Corey Glover, the latter best known as the former lead singer with the rock band Living Colour. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dwier Brown, Marlene Forte, (more)
- 2000
Long estranged from her father, Ben (Dwier Brown), Chicago-bred teenager Sydney Miller (Camilla Belle) travels to Hawaii for a reunion. Not that there's any affection involved: it seems that Sydney has inherited several acres of valuable beachfront property from her late mother, who died years earlier in a freak surfing accident -- or so Sydney has been told. Urged to sell the property by both her father and her stepmother, Elizabeth (Lauren Sinclair), Sydney chooses instead to follow the advice of her new friends Kona (Brian Christopher Stark) and Gia (Stacie Hess) and hold on to her land rather than let it be plundered by evil developers. Along the way, Sydney not only develops a love of surfing and oceanic photography, but she also forms a bond with her dad -- and as bonus, she unearths the secret behind her mom's death, giving her the trump card in the exuberant finale. Produced for cable's Disney Channel, Rip Girls made its TV premiere on April 22, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Camilla Belle, Dwier Brown, (more)
- 1998
- G
- Add Dennis the Menace Strikes Again to QueueAdd Dennis the Menace Strikes Again to top of Queue
In this direct-to-video sequel to the 1993 movie Dennis the Menace (which was based on Hank Ketcham's long-running comic strip), mischievous youngster Dennis (Justin Cooper) wants to help his eternally frazzled next-door neighbor Mr. Wilson (Don Rickles) celebrate his birthday, but Mr. Wilson is already feeling his age, and the lively Dennis only makes Wilson feel that much older -- and the arrival of Dennis's spry Grandfather (George Kennedy) doesn't help. Eager to feel younger, Mr. Wilson soon falls prey to a con man (Carrot Top) who sells him a variety of bogus youth-restoring potions. Dennis the Menace Strikes Again also features Betty White as Mrs. Wilson, and Dwier Brown and Jaqueline Steiger as Dennis's parents. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1996
While on helicopter-flight rotation, Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) try to help a family of four, seriously injured in a van-and-truck accident. But upon arriving at County with the victims, the two doctors are stymied by the incompetence and obstreperous behavior of "floater" nurse Rhonda Sterling (Jill O'Hara). Elsewhere, Keaton (Glenne Headly) confronts Benton (Eriq La Salle) over his rampant egomania. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
- R
In this independent melodrama, Mack's upcoming marriage to Katie is jeopardized when he goes too far with his estranged friend's girlfriend after his bachelor party concludes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dwier Brown, Jessica Hecht, (more)
- 1996
Appointed honorary commodore of the World's Cup Regatta, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) bears witness to the intense rivalry between yachtsmen Kyle Kimball (John Getz) and Ned Larkin (Steve Forrest). Sustaining a pre-race injury, Larkin turns the command of his vessel "Free Spirit" over to his daughter Anne (Andrea Parker). Then, two days before the race, Kyle is murdered--and Anne finds herself the number one suspect. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Benton (Eriq La Salle) tries to save the life of a 13-year-old gang member who's already been declared dead, thereby creating even more friction amongst the ER staffers. Meanwhile, "floating" nurse Rhonda (Jill O'Hara) continues to make disastrous mistakes. And on the domestic front, Greene (Anthony Edwards) worries that Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) may be dating Morganstern (William H. Macy), while Carter (Noah Wyle) grows ever closer to Keaton (Glenne Headly). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Greene (Anthony Edwards), Weaver (Laura Innes), and Doyle (Jorja Fox) argue over the treatment of a drunken woman who tried to kill her unborn child. Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) is surprised by the benign attitude of Al (Michael Beach) after he serves her divorce papers. And Lydia's (Ellen Crawford) marriage is over before it begins. This episode introduces Kirsten Dunst as Charlie, a teenaged dope addict -- and also (for the time being) bids farewell to Sherry Stringfield as Susan Lewis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
A friend's determination to uncover the truth is the basis for the made-for television drama. Sheila Kelley stars as Sarah Vincent, a woman who leads a bizarre double-life as a woman in business by day, and a sleazy bar-hopper by night. After Sarah is mysteriously killed, her best friend Elizabeth (Rachel Ticotin) goes on a quest to uncover the true story behind her friend's secretive life and untimely death. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1994
- PG
This family-oriented holiday drama takes place in Alabama in 1957 and centers upon the heartwarming relationship between a lonely white boy and his black nanny. When she returns South to be with her family for Christmas, her young charge follows her, creating all kinds of complications. Singer Natalie Cole makes her feature-film debut as the nanny. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Forget the Hollywood-heavy sci-fi flash of Armageddon and Deep Impact as you experience the terror of a destructive asteroid impact firsthand in this startlingly realistic faux news broadcast from filmmaker Robert Iscove. The unthinkable has happened, and it's not long before television news cameras across the globe bring images of death and destruction to the evening news. With advanced news technology that allows for the kind of extensive coverage never before possible, viewers will be riveted as veteran journalist Sander Vanocur, author Arthur C. Clarke, and Malcolm in the Middle star Jane Kaczmarek step before the camera for a startling piece of speculative science fiction that may be a bit too realistic for more sensitive viewers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara becomes this sprawling historical epic. As in Shaara's novel, director Ronald Maxwell focuses on a handful of major players to dramatize the events of July 1863, when the armies of the Union and Confederacy clash at the small Pennsylvania town of the title. Among them are Martin Sheen as General Robert E. Lee, who disagrees with his top advisor, General James Longstreet (Tom Berenger) over battle strategy, and Jeff Daniels as Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a college professor whose unorthodox techniques save the day (and possibly the war) for his beleaguered army. Other cast standouts include Richard Jordan in his final film appearance as the ill-fated General Lewis Armistead, and cameo roles for Civil War buff Ken Burns and media mogul producer Ted Turner. Filmed on-location at Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg was shot as a television miniseries for Turner's TNT cable channel, but earned a limited theatrical release. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Sheen, Jeff Daniels, (more)
- 1993
Former jewel thief turned insurance investigator Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) has changed professions once more, and is now chief of security on a cruise ship. When a woman is found dead in the ship's cargo section, it soon develops that virtually everyone on board is either a thief or a liar--not to mention a potential murderer. The only passenger whom Dennis can trust is his old friend Jessica (Angela Lansbury), who of course agrees to help him solve the case. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
This technically polished debut feature follows a young Los Angeleno's descent into madness and journey back again. As the film opens, he is wearing a tuxedo and is walking zombie-like through the Mojave Desert. In mock-documentary style, his relatives recount how he went wonky on the day he was to have gotten married. His relatives all believe he was killed on that day by being on an Air Force target practice field when guns and rockets were firing. Meanwhile, he is encountering one eccentric desert dweller after another, including an Eastern European woman who seems to believe that the fastest way to stardom is to sleep with every willing man in the state of California who crosses her path. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dwier Brown, Susan Walters, (more)
Can a rough and tumble hockey player and a snooty ice dancer find love and a gold medal at the same time? That's the burning (or more appropriately freezing) question in this romantic drama. Kate Moseley (Moira Kelly) is a world-class figure skater training for the Olympics; she has genuine talent, but years of being spoiled by her wealthy family have made her all but impossible to work with. Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney) is a hockey player with drive, skill, and a full complement of arrogance; his team is also on the fast track to the Olympics. Unfortunately, an eye injury suffered during a game affects Doug's peripheral vision enough to put him on the bench for the rest of the season. At the same time, Kate's colossal ego scares off yet another skating partner, and her coach, Anton (Roy Dotrice), needs to find a replacement as soon as possible. Desperate to stay in Olympic competition, Doug agrees to try working as Kate's partner, even though he has a hockey player's macho contempt for figure skating. Needless to say, the first few practices between Kate and Doug do not go well, but in time they learn to work together and become a pair to be reckoned with both on and off the ice. The Cutting Edge was released within a few months of the 1992 Winter Olympic Games. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- D.B. Sweeney, Moira Kelly, (more)
Just after the evil Emperor Spengo (Jon Lovitz) imprisons King Raff (Eric Idle), he spots a California housewife (Teri Garr) through his telescope. He decides to beam her up along with her husband (Jeffrey Jones), but isn't prepared to deal with the results when both become interplanetary freedom fighters. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Teri Garr, Jeffrey Jones, (more)
- 1992
In this suspenseful drama, a trucker exacts his revenge upon the druggy driver that killed his son. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stacy Keach, Lisa Banes, (more)
- 1990
In this inspiring drama, a plucky 14-year-old boy with muscular dystrophy is abandoned in a ramshackle nursing home where he begins fighting to improve the living conditions of its residents. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Savage, Kevin Spacey, (more)
- 1990
- R
The Exorcist director William Friedkin made a return to the horror genre with this blend of straightforward suspense and Druid myth-inspired horror-fantasy. The idyllic lives of yuppie couple Phil and Kate (Dwier Brown and Carey Lowell) seem complete when they select the winsome young Camilla (Jenny Seagrove) as a live-in nanny for their newborn child, but the lovely young Camilla -- whose natural sexuality begins to work its spell on Phil -- is not what she appears to be. This becomes shockingly apparent to the audience early in the story when she is set upon by a trio of rape-minded thugs who meet with a particularly nasty fate in the woods, but it seems to take the parents much longer to come to the same conclusion. In fact, the woods are the key to the entire equation, as Camilla is revealed to be a powerful forest entity from Druid mythology who intends to sacrifice her infant charge to a hideous tree-god. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jenny Seagrove, Dwier Brown, (more)
"If you build it, he will come." That's the ethereal message that inspires Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) to construct a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield. At first, "he" seems to be the ghost of disgraced ballplayer Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta), who materializes on the ballfield and plays a few games with the awestruck Ray. But as the weeks go by, Ray receives several other messages from a disembodied voice, one of which is "Ease his pain." He realizes that his ballfield has been divinely ordained to give a second chance to people who have sacrificed certain valuable aspects of their lives. One of these folks is Salingeresque writer Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), whom Ray kidnaps and takes to a ball game and then to his farm. Another is Doc Graham (Burt Lancaster), a beloved general practitioner who gave up a burgeoning baseball career in favor of medicine. The final "second-chancer" turns out to be much closer to Ray. That "magical" field in Dyersville, Iowa still draws thousands of baseball-happy tourists each year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, (more)
- 1989
Follow the military career of Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North beginning with his Naval Academy days through to his role in the Iran-Contra scandal. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Keith, Barnard Hughes, (more)
