Anthony Michael Hall Movies
Anthony Michael Hall was 14 when he essayed his first screen role in the Kenny Rogers vehicle Six Pack. With his cracked voice, skinny frame, and unkempt hair, Hall went on to play nerds and dweebs in such films as Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Breakfast Club (1985), working so well under the direction of John Hughes that there were those who assumed that Hughes was treating the young actor as an alter ego, reliving his own "misfit" high school years. Hall's film career temporary eclipsed in 1985, partly as the result of a disastrous personal-appearance tour during which the actor behaved in a fashion that could charitably be described as bizarre. He showed up as a regular on TV's Saturday Night Live later that year, and as he grew older, became too athletic and self-assured to continue in his previous "clueless" vein. Hall's professional second life as a character actor began with his villainous performance in Edward Scissorhands (1990). He turned to directing with the 1994 theatrical feature Hail Caesar, in which he cast himself as a relentlessly obnoxious rock star. In 2001, he starred as Whitey Ford in Billy Crystal's made-for-TV movie 61*. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Noted baseball fan Billy Crystal directed this made-for-cable drama set in the summer of 1961, as two of the strongest hitters in the major leagues, Mickey Mantle (Thomas Jane) and Roger Maris (Barry Pepper), find themselves neck and neck in a battle to break Babe Ruth's long-standing record for most home runs in a season. Both men were playing for the New York Yankees at the time, and as the two men came within grasping distance of Ruth's record, their loyalty as friends and teammates was put to the ultimate test. 61 also features Richard Masur, Bruce McGill, Anthony Michael Hall, and Renee Taylor; the scenes set in Yankee Stadium were filmed at Michigan's Tiger Stadium, shortly after the Detroit Tigers shuttered the venerable playing field and relocated to a newer facility. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Pepper, Thomas Jane, (more)
- 1992
- PG
In this action-comedy, an eccentric detective ends up working with a lost gnome who has accidentally burrowed up from his subterranean world. He is searching for something valuable he lost so he can win the heart of a winsome gnomette. Wacky mayhem ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Jerry Orbach, (more)
Rap star and actor Ice Cube produces, co-writes, and stars in this comic crime thriller that reunites him with his Next Friday (1999) co-star Mike Epps in the 48 Hrs. (1982) mold. Cube plays Bucum Jackson, a Miami bounty hunter for Martinez Bail Bonds who's tired of his dangerous, unprofitable profession and wants to start his own private investigation firm. Lacking stake money, Bucum is forced to hunt down a small-time grafter named Reggie Wright (Epps), a fast-talking confidence man who's crossed his path before. Except that this time, Wright tries to avoid his pursuer by hiding in a van being driven by a pair of murderous diamond thieves who've just made off with 20 million dollars worth of stones. They're in the employ of lethal crime lord and yacht broker Williamson (Tommy Flanagan), someone that neither Reggie nor Bucum is anxious to cross, but it seems that Reggie left his wallet in the van, a wallet containing a winning lottery ticket worth 60 million dollars. The hunt is on for big money as the mismatched duo tries to outfox a wily syndicate for both the ticket and the precious gems. The directorial debut of music video director Kevin Bray, All About the Benjamins (2002) co-stars Eva Mendes, Carmen Chaplin, Valarie Rae Miller, Jeff Chase, Roger Guenveur Smith, Anthony Michael Hall, and Lil' Bow Wow. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- 1995
An updated but faithful remake of Roger Corman's 1959 exploitation favorite, this campy horror-comedy chronicles the deviant exploits of a coffee-house busboy whose dream of becoming a famous artist comes true after he accidentally stumbles upon a way to make eerily life-like statues. Directed by Michael James McDonald and executive produced by Corman, the story is adapted from Charles Griffiths' original script. As in the first story, this version takes place in a Venice Beach coffee house filled with quirky performance artists, and "alternative types" (originally beatniks). Anthony Michael Hall replaces the inimitable Dick Miller as the geeky busboy Walter. Originally aired on cable, Buckets of Blood was released on video as The Death Artist. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Justine Bateman, (more)
- 1996
From Leo Films comes Bomb Squad, an action thriller starring Brat Packer Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club) and Michael Ironside (Total Recall) as two members of a government agency looking to thwart a catastrophic terrorist attack. When word breaks that there's a homicidal madman planning to detonate a briefcase-sized hydrogen bomb in downtown Chicago, it's a race against time for the agents to find him and stop him before it's too late. Tony Lo Bianco also stars. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands opens as an eccentric inventor (Vincent Price) lovingly assembles a synthetic youth named Edward (Johnny Depp). Edward has all the essential ingredients for today's standard body, with the exception of a pair of hands. For what is initially thought to be a temporary period, he is fitted with long, scissor-like extremities that, while able to trim a mean hedge, are hardly conducive to day-to-day life. When the kindly inventor dies, however, Edward is left lonely and cursed with some very heavy metal for hands. He is eventually taken in by Peg Boggs (Dianne Weist), an Avon lady who takes pity on him after seeing his bleak existence. Edward, in spite of his inherent ability to slay anyone he comes across, is a gentle soul whose only wish is to be loved. His impromptu family has, at best, a limited understanding of Edward, but he finds himself drawn to Peg's weary but sympathetic daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder), who is dating Jim (Anthony Michael Hall), the neighborhood bully. Meanwhile, Edward finds himself a local celebrity after the town realizes that his talents include creative hedge trimming and an unrivaled ability to cut hair. His so-called friends are proven fair-weather when Edward is accused of a crime, after which his only supporters are Peg and Kim. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, (more)
- 2007
Drama's obsession with his condo's orderliness makes him a less-than-gracious host for Vince's welcome-home party; Billy's peculiar nature keeps his star from seeing a first cut of "Medellin." ~ Joe Friedrich, All Movie Guide
"Never trust a man after midnight," mutters Vicky Mayerson (Michelle Johnson) in a bit of untimely advice she offers to her victims just before their life drains out entirely. The young serial killer is determined to murder each and every man who had assaulted her during her high school career, but she didn't count on the investigative prowess of detective Laura Underwood (former Baywatch actress Alexandra Paul). Directed by Marc S. Grenier, Eternal Revenge also features Anthony Michael Hall, Vlasta Vrana, and David Byron Elkin.
~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexandra Paul, Vlasta Vrana, (more)
Dean Cain and Anthony Michael Hall go toe-to-toe at 30,000 feet in this action-packed mini-series that finds a radical terrorist poised to take down domestic flight or die trying. FBI hostage rescue specialist Jack Bender (Cain) is traveling across the country on a domestic flight when the members of the People's Separatist Movement attempts to take control of the aircraft. The leader of the terrorist group is Greg Gilliad (Hall), an unpredictable fanatic with visions of nuclear grandeur. When Jack's ex-wife, an FAA employee, announces that the only way to defeat Greg and his group may be to shoot the plan right out of the sky, the seasoned hostage rescue specialist attempts to draw on his extensive combat training in order to ensure that the flight touches down without incident. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Cain, Anthony Michael Hall, (more)
Television star Tom Green makes his directorial debut with this gross-out comedy. Green stars as Gord Brody, a 28-year-old slacker who aspires to be an animator of Hollywood cartoons. After his dreams of working for studio mogul Dave Davidson (Anthony Michael Hall) temporarily wash out, along with his thankless job at a cheese factory, Gord returns home to live with his parents, Jim (Rip Torn) and Julie (Julie Hagerty). Jim wishes that Gord would simply grow up, move out of the basement, and get a real job like his younger brother Freddy (Eddie Kaye Thomas), who works in a responsible position at a bank. When the battle of wills between Gord and Jim heats up, Gord devises various stunt-like schemes to drive his father bonkers, including the bogus charge that their father molested Freddy as a youngster. Marisa Coughlan co-stars as Gord's wheelchair-bound, nymphomaniac, amateur rocket-scientist girlfriend Betty, while comedian and Green's fellow Canada native Harland Williams plays Gord's oddball neighbor Darren. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
A street performer whose luck in love could best be described as abysmal is subjected to a complete image overhaul by his womanizing best friends in a laid-back romantic comedy about love in the city starring Anthony Michael Hall and directed by Jeff Oppenheim. Despite his kind nature and keen sense of humor, street-busker Josh (Anthony Michael Hall) just can't seem to land a date. Though things start to look up for Josh when his worldly buddies Tim (Lord Jamar) and Sean (Ivan Martin) vow to share their secrets of seduction with Josh, clean up his image, and place a personal ad to help him find a date, Josh soon begins to realize that he may have already found the love he is looking for in working single mother Doreen (Marlo Marron). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A young man (director Hall) narrates this story of how he tried to impress the spoiled, bratty daughter of the millionaire owner of an eraser factory. He manages to ingratiate his way into the family and becomes the manager of the eraser plant. He then discovers that her father is actually a secret international arms dealer. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall
Is Ruby Weaver's Mr. Right really an emissary from the year 2,470, or is he just a complete loon ball? This question is at the heart of Brad Anderson's whimsical romantic comedy. The story opens with Ruby (Marisa Tomei) lamenting over her boyfriend Sam (Vincent D'Onofrio) to her shrink (Holland Taylor). In a series of flashbacks, the film quickly sketches Ruby as a neurotic with an unhappy track record concerning men and Sam as an oddball who is afraid of small dogs and has a barcode tattooed to his arm. But he's nuts over Ruby, and at least initially, that is enough for her. Slowly, Sam begins to reveal his "past." He tells her that he is from the Dubuque of the future and that he hails from a rare "anachronistic" family who believe that reproduction should occur the old-fashioned, fun way as opposed to the more popular cloning method. At first, Ruby is amused, until she realizes that he's not kidding. After a series of arguments, he agrees to visit Ruby's analyst, which yields unexpected results. This film premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marisa Tomei, Vincent D'Onofrio, (more)
- 1996
While being escorted to prison from Phoenix to New York, crazed killer Peter Cronin (Anthony Michael Hall) hijacks a commercial jet in flight with the help of accomplices. Holding the 200 passengers and the crew members hostage, Cronin forces the plane to land in Dallas, then demands another, more powerful aircraft for the last leg of his escape. As FBI agent Frank Layton (Perry King) and detective Deni Patton (Ally Sheedy) attempt to negotiate with Cronin, time runs perilously short for the hostages, who know that the killer isn't bluffing when he threatens to kill one prisoner per hour unless his demands are met. A curious reunion for former Breakfast Club costars Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy, the made-forTV Hijacked: Flight 285--which is so weighed down with the "backstories" of the many characters that it could well have been retitled "The High and the Mighty at Gunpoint"--made its ABC network debut on February 4, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Brolin, Perry King, (more)
- 2001
Noted screenwriter Wesley Strick made his directorial debut with this offbeat suspense story. Ted (Anthony Michael Hall) and Eve (Sheryl Lee Diamond) are a couple who've just moved into a beautiful old house, which has an unusual feature in the basement -- a hidden bar room which was used as a "speakeasy" during Prohibition. Eve has for some time wondered if Ted is entirely faithful to her and she gets an answer when she's called to the hospital after Ted's been in a serious auto accident, and discovers his mistress is already at his bedside. Eve discovers Ted has been cheating on her with a variety of women for years and she decides to do something about it. Shortly after Ted is released, he mysteriously disappears and no one has any idea of where he's gone. While she isn't telling, Eve knows the truth about Ted -- she's locked him up in the basement speakeasy, and is keeping him captive so he can't run around on her. While Eve is happy to know where Ted is at all times, Police Detective Grant (Alex Carter) keeps popping by to ask questions, and Eve finds herself tempted by another man while struggling not to let down her guard. Hitched was produced for the USA cable network, where it first aired in 2001. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Sheryl Lee, (more)
- 2001
- Add Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story to QueueAdd Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story to top of Queue
The saga of pop metal superstars Def Leppard is told in this biopic, produced by cable television music channel VH1. The film traces the band's history from their origins as a teenage hard rock act in the English industrial town of Sheffield to the massive success they enjoyed worldwide as multi-platinum recording artists. Def Leppard's rise to the top is depicted as driven by rabidly dedicated lead singer Joe Elliott (Orlando Seale), though along with the money, supermodels and parties there are tragedies as well. Original guitarist Pete Willis (Nick Bagnall) is sacked when excessive drink affects his performance, drummer Rick Allen (Tat Whalley) loses an arm in a car accident and must endure grueling effort to learn how to play again, and lead guitarist Steve Clark (Karl Geary) struggles with alcoholism as he bounces in and out of rehab centers. Through all the tribulations and excess, however, the band sticks together like brothers and fights to keep rocking as a unit. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karl Geary, Orlando Seale, (more)
- 1992
- R
Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Pare star in this ridiculous rip-off of Top Gun and Rambo III. Hall plays Tom Slade, a Hollywood pretty-boy star who prepares for a film role by hanging around Air Force fighter pilot Paul Watkins (Michael Pare). Of course, Paul resents the Hollywood intrusion, but as the film unravels, he begins to respect Tom Slade. Paul begins by putting Tom through the wringer, and Tom manages to make it through the tough training regimen, but Paul gets his dander up when Tom makes a play for his girlfriend Major Goode (Deborah Maria Moore). Finally, Tom gets to ride in an F-16, and Paul puts on an aerial display that would rival the Blue Angels. Unfortunately, during the stunts the boys are shot down and end up in the Middle East where they are tortured by Bedouins. Tom and Paul have to combine their stunt tricks in order to escape the enemies clutches. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Paré, (more)
- 1983
When a young girl and her younger brother are taken from their home in Florida, they start off on a journey back home. ~ All Movie Guide
Johnny Walker (Anthony Michael Hall) is a hot-shot high-school quarterback who receives intoxicating offers from spirited college recruiters in this adolescent teen comedy. Bathroom humor and sight gags are strung together in a story involving booze, broads, and other benefits for the coveted quarterback. Robert Downey Jr., Uma Thurman, and Paul Gleason co-star. Even cameos from Jim McMahon and Howard Cosell can't save this feature from itself, though it isn't the fault of the cast. Originally rated PG-13, it was reedited to R (with scenes added) for a home video release. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Downey, Jr., (more)
Written and directed by Ian Gurvitz, the comedy/drama LA Blues follows a police detective who attempts to unravel why a man has attempted to kill himself. Soon she interviews a man who knew what was going on in the man's life, and eventually the officer and the audience learn about the problems of a group of male friends. The ensemble cast includes Anthony Michael Hall, Nicholas D'Agosto, William Ragsdale, and Dave Foley. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Dave Foley, (more)
Jimmy Corona (James Lorinz) is related to a bunch of mafia types, sure, but he has always earned his living writing potboiler exposés on the killing of John F. Kennedy. Now his publisher insists that he write something gritty about society's underside instead. This makes the youngish man suicidal, but none of his amateurish attempts to end his own life succeeds. Eventually he decides to seek out his mobster uncle (Tony Darrow), who takes him under his wing. He is just getting into the swing of this new life when he is snared by the cops to get the goods on his uncle's second in command. However, Jimmy's competence and luck in this, as in everything else, soon turns sour, when his body mike starts playing that day's ball game. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Lorinz, Tony Darrow, (more)
- 1996
Seth's niece Amy (Cari Shayne) arrives in Cabot Cove, where she plans to hold her wedding. Alas, the happy event is postponed permanently when both a landscaper and attorney die under mysterious circumstances--and one of the two was Amy's fiancé. Another interested party begins asking a few pointed questions, for which Jessica (Angela Lansbury) intends to provide the answers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
As the Sipowicz-Costas nuptuals approach, Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) expresses a desire to get married quickly in a Maryland civil service, while Sylvia Costas (Sharon Lawrence) wants a big, fat Greek Orthodox Wedding. Back on the job, Sipowicz and Simone (Jimmy Smits) investigate an execution-style multiple slaying at an upstate restaurant. And in the midst of a rape investigation, Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) expresses jealousy when his partner Lesniak (Justine Miceli) is reunited with her high-school friend Paul (Tom Verica), who happens to be the doctor tending to the elderly rape victim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
