Eric Luke Movies

The original Not Quite Human was a Disney Channel fantasy/comedy involving a friendly teen-age android named Chip (Jay Underwood) and his "daddy", inventor Alan Thicke. Having successfully escaped greedy toy manufacturers in the first film, Chip goes to college in Not Quite Human, Part 2. Here he falls in love with a female android, played by Katie Barberi. Hero and heroine must contend with a vicious computer virus before they clank down the rose-strewn path. In adherence to standard Disney formula, there's opportunity aplenty for destructive slapstick scenes, but the central romance in Not Quite Human, Part 2 lends a touch of grace to the proceedings. The film was followed in short order by yet another made-for-cable sequel, and guess what the title of that one was (Wrong! It was Still Not Quite Human) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Explorers turns out to be much ado about nothing, but it's so sublimely assembled we're willing to overlook the sappy climax. Young sci-fi geek Ben Crandall (Ethan Hawke) (could he possibly be based on director Joe Dante?) would give anything to travel in space. Thanks to his computer-happy pal Wolfgang Muller (River Phoenix), Ben gets his wish, together with best bud Darren Woods (Jason Presson). In the Great Beyond, the boys encounter an extraterrestrial (Robert Picardo), whose knowledge of earth is limited to what he's gleaned from 1960s TV sitcoms (this is unusual?) Lots of outer-space fun ensues before the film's inevitable downward spiral. Moderately successful in theatres, Explorers had a healthy second life on video and cable TV, especially after director Dante rethought the film and rearranged a few scenes for better dramatic (and comic) impact. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi