Michael Jacobs Movies

Filmmaker Bill Guttentag takes a closer look at the atrocities committed by the Japanese after Nanking fell to the Imperial Japanese Army in 1937 with this documentary that was inspired by Iris Chang's novel The Rape of Nanking. Compiled from over 700 hours of footage including news-reel footage, interviews with survivors and soldiers, and staged readings, Nanking was financed in large by millionaire Ted Leonsis, who had read Chang's obituary and subsequently been prompted to read the author's best-selling account of the massacre. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Mitch Rouse starred in this seriocomic ABC series as Michael Davis, a brilliant ad man who was so dedicated to his work that little if any time was left over for his wife, Rachel (Connie Britton), and their three kids. It was Rachel who put the brakes on Michael by informing him one morning that she intended to divorce him if he did not begin creating "quality time" for his family. Some of Michael's efforts to bond with his children were, to put it mildly, ill-advised, but at least he had the moral support of his boss and best friend, Jordan King (Gregory Hines), a battle-scarred veteran of numerous failed marriages who wished that someone had given him a second chance to become a human being. Created by Michael Jacobs of Boy Meets World fame, Lost at Home debuted April 1, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It's 1958, and the producers of the quiz show 21 have a problem. Their current champ, Herbert Stempel (John Turturro), has a phenomenal memory and a broad range of knowledge. He's also a pudgy loudmouth with a grating personality, so Herbert is encouraged to "take a dive" and allow Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes), a handsome and charming college professor, to become the show's new champion. Audiences like Van Doren, and he's certainly not averse to the money he's winning, but the ethics of the situation begin to trouble him, especially when the show's producers begin to give him the questions in advance. Director Robert Redford and writer Paul Attanasio paint a telling portrait of how the network heads and advertising men who manipulated the quiz shows were also able to manipulate the responsibility for the scandal away from themselves. While on the surface a story about the scandal itself, Quiz Show is just as importantly about a turning point in the 1950s when TV and advertising began to change American character and culture. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

One of the most durable offerings of ABC's Friday night TGIF sitcom lineup, Boy Meets World premiered September 24, 1993. Set in Philadelphia, the series starred Ben Savage as Cornelius A. "Cory" Matthews, who at the outset of the program was 11 years old. Hoping to make sense of the world around him and to hack his way through the thorny thicket of "tween-age" (and later teenage) life, Cory found a kindred spirit in fellow 11-year-old Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), who lived in a trailer camp with his combative parents. Cory himself resided in a comfortable suburban home with dad Alan (William Russ), mom Amy (Betsy Randle), footloose older brother Eric (Will Friedle) and precocious kid sister Morgan (played first by Lily Nicksay, then by Lindsay Ridgeway); near the end of the series' run, Amy gave birth to a fourth child, a boy named Joshua. At school, Cory was kept in a state of constant terror and confusion by his mercurial teacher George Feeny (William Daniels) -- and making things worse, Feeny lived right next door to the Matthews family. On a more pleasant note, Cory harbored a crush for his classmate Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel), a feeling that would blossom into true love as the series rolled on. During his elementary school years, Cory also palled around with a nerdish intellectual named Stuart (Lee Norris). When Cory entered John Adams High School, he discovered, to his horror, that Mr. Feeny was now his principal. Also, Cory was faced with a new nemesis in the form of the bullying Harley Kiner (Danny McNulty). Even so, high school had its good points, including the presence of Cory's old friends Shawn and Topanga and his new buddies Joey (Blake Soper) and Frankie (Ethan Suplee) -- not to mention the school's coolest teacher, cycle-riding Mr. Jonathan Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn). The bond between Cory and Mr. Turner grew stronger when the latter became legal guardian of Shawn, whose parents had briefly vanished. (Shawn would later move back with his truck driver dad, Chet [Blake Clark]). On the occasion of their high school graduation, Topanga impulsively proposed to Cory. The following year, they both enrolled in nearby Penbrook College, which was already being attended by Cory's brother Eric. Eric, in turn, was rooming with Jack Newman (Matthew Lawrence)...and when it turned out that Jack was the long-lost half brother of Shawn Hunter, Shawn moved in as well, simultaneously inaugurating a romance with Angela Moore (Trina McGee-Davis). Eventually, Shawn left, whereupon Eric and Jack found themselves with a new roomie, a no-nonsense, take-charge gal named Rachel McGuire (Maitland Ward). Penbrook College also proved to be a life-altering experience for dour Mr. Feeny, who fell in love with and married the schools Dean of Admissions, Ms. Bolander (Bonnie Bartlett). During the series' final season, Cory and Topanga were wed and moved to New York with Shawn and Eric, Angela moved to Europe with her dad, and Rachel and Jack joined the Peace Corps. Boy Meets World remained an ABC Friday night fixture until its cancellation on September 8, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although Charles in Charge fulfilled its mission to produce 100 episodes for daily strip syndication by the end of its fourth season on the air (one season on network, three in off-net), the series remained popular with young viewers, and thus was green-lighted for a fifth and final season of 26 half-hour installments. Most of the familiar cast remains intact: Scott Baio as college student and "male governess" Charles; Willie Aames as Charles' best friend Buddy; James Callahan and Sondra Kerns as Charles' employers the Powells; Nicole Eggert, Josie Davis and Alexander Polinsky as the three Powell children; and Ellen Travolta as Charles' freewheeling mom Lillian. Among the newer additions to the cast is Marlyn Mason as Julia, the steady lady friend of the Powell kids' crabby grandfather Walter Powell (Callahan). Also, several stars in the making appear in guest roles, including Tiffani Amber-Thiessen, Samantha Fox, and Pamela Anderson. The season -- and the series -- ends as Charles is accepted to Princeton's graduate school, and Ellen Travolta essays a dual role as Lillian and her twin sister Sally, who runs a car wash populated by attractive young actors. One might suspect that the series' final episode, depicting life in that car wash, was designed as a spin-off TV vehicle for the talented Ms. Travolta (though no such vehicle ever materialized). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Street gang member Jeff (Adam Baldwin) leaves the organization, seeking out a quieter existence. Meanwhile, gang leader Cinco (Danny De La Paz) and his minions have taken over the local high school, dispensing drugs with impunity. When Cinco is arrested, a rumor spreads that he's been sold out by Jeff. In the ensuing hostilities, Jeff's girlfriend (Deborah Foreman) is beaten and bloodied. A showdown is inevitable, and, per the film's title, it takes place just after the last school bell has rung. Filmed in 1984, 3:15 - The Moment of Truth wasn't released until 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two and half years after it was cancelled at the end of its first season on CBS, the youth-oriented sitcom Charles in Charge staged a spectacular revival in off-network syndication, returning to the air in most markets in January of 1987. Of the original CBS cast, only Scott Baio as 20-year-old college student Charles and Willie Aames as his best friend Buddy were carried over into the syndicated version. When last we saw Charles, he was working as "male governess" in the New Brunswick home of the Pembroke family, riding herd on the three Pembroke children, whose ages ranged from 10 to 14. In the first episode of the "new" Charles in Charge, Charles and Buddy return from a two-week camping trip only to discover that the Pembrokes (played by different actors than in the network series) have decided to move to Seattle, and to sell their home to the Powell family. Quickly ingratiating himself with Ellen Powell (Sondra Kerns) and her curmudgeonly father Walter (James Callahan), Charles manages to secure a new male-governess position, agreeing to watch over Ellen's three children while her husband, a Navy officer, is commanding a station in the South Seas. Fortunately for Charles, two of three kids are virtual carbon copies of the Pembroke children: oldest daughter Jamie (Nicole Eggert) is crazy about boys just as Lila Pembroke had been; and 12-year-old Adam (Alexander Polinsky) is very much the same carefree sprite as his "clone" Jason Pembroke. Only middle child Sarah (Josie Davis), a shy, mild-mannered girl, represents a contrast to her Pembroke counterpart, the wisecracking Douglas. Halfway through the season, Ellen Travolta makes her first appearance as Charles' free-spirited mother Lillian, whose personality clashes harshly with that of the staunch traditionalist Walter Powell. Though Lillian is supposed to make only a brief visit, she ends up moving to New Brunswick, and by the next season she'll be a full-fledged regular. Although the budget of the syndicated Charles in Charge was lower than that of the CBS version, the producers did not cut corners in their choice of talented and instantly recognizable guest performers. Among the actors showing up in the series' first 24 off-network offerings are Ben Stein, Betsy Palmer, Robert Costanzo, Michael Dorn, Kay Lenz, and Michelle Johnson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season one of Charles in Charge finds the title character, a 19-year-old college student, securing free room and board by agreeing to work as "male governess" in the New Brunswick home of Jill and Stan Pembroke (Julie Cobb, James Widdoes). With the help of his best friend Buddy (Willie Aames), Charles does his best -- which is very good indeed -- to keep the three Pembroke children on the straight and narrow. Of course, 14-year-old Lila (April Lerman) would rather be chasing every boy in her class, 12-year-old Douglas (Jonathan Ward) prefers to crack wise than to do his household chores, and 10-year-old Jason (Michael Pearlman) just wants to be left alone to do whatever he pleases. In the course of the season, the kids benefit mightily from the wisdom and common sense of Charles, just as he learns a lot about his role in life through his responsibilities as substitute daddy. During his off hours, Charles devotes himself to winning the heart of the toothsome Gwendolyn Pierce (Jennifer Runyon) a nice young lady who sees no reason to tie herself down to just one boy. Some interesting faces pop up among the guest performers this season, among them such stars in the making as Meg Ryan, Kathy Ireland, Christina Applegate, and Matthew Perry. Also, sitcom veteran Rue McClanahan makes a few memorable appearances as Stan Pembroke's mother. Though Charles in Charge enjoyed a sizeable fan following amongst Scott Baio enthusiasts, the series was far from a success, prompting CBS to cancel the property after a mere 22 episodes. Who could have guessed that Charles in Charge would pull a phoenix two and a half years later, re-emerging in off-network syndication and subsequently enjoying a healthy run of 104 additional episodes? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide