Richard Pepin Movies

New England native Vanessa Parise makes her directorial debut with the Italian-American wedding movie Kiss the Bride. Danni Sposato (Amanda Detmer) embarks on her wedding plans aided by her mother, Irena (Talia Shire), and grandmother Julia (Frances Bay). Danni's three sisters return home to Rhode Island for the wedding: oldest Niki (Brooke Langton) is the Hollywood star of a TV show, who brings along her rude boyfriend/manager Marty (Johnny Whitworth); icy Chrissy (played by director Parise) is a wealthy New York City businesswoman with no romantic prospects; and youngest Toni (Monet Mazur) drives a motorcycle and brings along her girlfriend Amy (Alyssa Milano). Also starring Burt Young and Sean Patrick Flanery. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Young marrieds Lori (A.J. Cook) and Tom (Matthew Harrison III) relocate from Chicago to the country where they end up living next to Carl (James Russo), a right-wing radical who beats his wife, Helen (Theresa Russell). When Tom goes away for a few days, Lori, with the help of best friend, Monica (Sean Young), investigates the disappearance of Helen. Of course, this isn't the best idea, since it involves sneaking into gun-nut Carl's house in the middle of the night. ~ Buzz McClain, Rovi

Those intrepid LAPD detectives Chase McDonald (Wolf Larson)--the white, reckless one--and Austin Brooks (Steven Williams)--the black, sensible one--continue to dodge bullets, embark upon hectic car chases, and narrowly escape being blown to smithereens as the 60-minute action series L.A. Heat enters its second season. The two protagonists also try really, REALLY hard to avoid imitating Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, the stars of the series' blatant "role model", the Lethal Weapon films. This season's crop of 22 episodes begins with "Fangs", a Night Stalker derivation wherein McDonald and Brooks track down what appears to be a genuine vampire. The obligatory "hero is accused of murder" plotline is the basis of the season's second entry, "F is for Framed"; while another reliable plot hook, a vicious Neo-Nazi organization, figures prominently in Episode Three, "Burning Sanctuary." And of course, no cop show of the 1990s would be complete without the occasional drop-in of a bevy of nearly naked exotic dancers--as witness the season's fourth and fifth episodes, "Strip Show" and "Eyewitness". This last-named episode also serves to introduce Gary Hudson in the role of ruthless, "untouchable" criminal mastermind Bobby Cole, who would remain the detectives' most deadly adversary throughout the rest of the year. Arguably the season's most poignant episode is "Little Saigon", which probes deeply--perhaps too deeply--into the troubled past of Detective August Brooks. And one of the most harrowing installments is "Call of the Wild", in which a desperate Chase must hunt down and neutralize a serial killer before the felon is able to bump off both August and his wife Kendra. Other episodes worth noting include "Faces of Fear", with Chase taking a page out of Miami Vice by going undercover as infamous drug lord Jake Rheams; "In Harm's Way", featuring Tina Louise, of all people, as a homicidal bank robber; and "Legacy of a Buffalo Soldier", an elaborate flashback to the Old West in which Steven Williams plays the dual role of August Brooks and his namesake great-great-grandfather. The series comes to a rousing conclusion with "Vengeance", as McDonald and Brooks defy orders from their police superiors--and the FBI--to take down the elusive Bobby Cole for keeps! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Actor Ben Zook co-wrote and co-directed this broad comedy, in which he stars as Randy Rubio, the leader of a small-time dance troupe who hasn't let his 260-pound girth get in the way of his dreams. When Randy and his fellow hoofers are told their 15-year run at a Topeka, Kansas theme park has come to an end, they decide to pack up their bus and move to Hollywood, where he's convinced fame and fortune await them. Randy's dance partners include Saturday Night Live's Melanie Hutsell and comic Margaret Cho; Janeane Garofalo, Illeana Douglas, Noah Wyle and Laura Innes also make cameo appearances. Satirizing sad-sack showbiz hopefuls and 1980's pop musicals such as Flashdance and Footloose in equal measure, Can't Stop Dancing milks its characters' big ambitions and small talent for all they're worth. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Season One of the unabashedly derivative and highly entertaining action series L.A. Heat begins with the pilot episode "Daybomber", in which loose-cannon white LAPD detective Chase McDonald (Wolf Larson) is teamed with level-headed black detective Austin Brooks (Steven Williams) for the very first time. In their efforts to bring a deranged anti-technology activist to justice, Chase and Austin somehow manage to keep alive despite innumerable car crashes and explosions--not to mention the volatile verbal remonstrations of their superior officer, Captain Jensen (Kenneth Tigar). If all this sounds like a rehash of the Lethal Weapon pictures--well, you wanna make something out of it? Later episodes this season include "In Transit", the plot of which bears a marked resemblance to (surprise, surprise!) Lethal Weapon 2; "Electra", in which Chase's actual first name "Chester" is revealed, much to his embarrassment; "Cop Star", wherein the partners are saddled with babysitting the arrogant production crew of a TV reality series; "Rage", featuring series regular Renee Tenison in the dual role of Brooks' wife Kendra and her twin sister Rosie; "Words Will Never Hurt Me", pitting the detectives against a Howard Sternish radio "shock jock" (Robert B. Martin Jr.); "Rap Sheet", in which Brooks demonstrates a hitherto untapped talent as a rap singer; "Old Scores", wherein a murder draws August back into his previous life as a pro boxer; "211 Kidney", a grim new spin on an old urban legend; "Captain Crimestopper", featuring Peter Breck (The Big Valley) as the former star of a popular 1960s "superhero" TV show; and "Kiling on Lily Lane", which marks the last series appearance of Chase's long-suffering girlfriend Jody (Dawn Radenbaugh). The season finale, "Wake-Up Call" provides a valuable service for novice viewers of L.A. Heat) by offering a compendium of highlights from previous episodes--not to mention a compelling guest appearance by Abby Dalton (Falcon Crest) as Chase's mother. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Traci Lords served as executive producer as well as star for this thriller concerning murder and infidelity. Elizabeth (Traci Lords) has given up a career in business to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time journalist, winning an internship at an upscale lifestyle magazine where her editor, Griffin, (Jeff Fahey) alternately praises her for her great potential and treats her a bit better than dirt. None of this pleases her husband Eric (Jack Kerrigan), who looks upon her writing career as a glorified hobby and resents the loss of her previous income. While the magazine is preparing a special issue on contemporary attitudes about sex, Elizabeth strikes up a friendship with Ann (Maria Diaz), who openly discusses an ongoing and very satisfying extramarital affair. Elizabeth is convinced Ann's story is perfect for the magazine, but Ann's romantic joyride soon jumps the tracks when she's murdered. Elizabeth finds herself tempted by Ann's former lover, Bob (Brian Bloom), while she wonders if the neat way these events fit together is just a bit too coincidental. The film is surprisingly light on nudity given the star and the themes (Lords appears to be developing a sense of modesty after all these years). Extramarital is an erotic thriller with the emphasis on "thriller," and features an unexpectedly strong performance from Lords, who is the best reason to watch this film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Real estate agent Maceda (Chris Sarandon) once testified against drug trafficker Orosco (Miguel Najera). Now Orosco is out of prison, and Maceda has a problem. He flees, hiding out at a near-vacant California Central Valley inn where innkeeper Kat (Mariel Hemingway) is happy to have him sign the register. His presence, however, arouses the suspicions of lone cop Gilchrist (Dennis Hopper). Meanwhile, Fed agent Gere (Peter Coyote) hopes to track Maceda before Orosco's thugs pick up the scent. Shown at the 1997 Mill Valley Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

In this high-flying, suspenseful actioner, a routine helicopter charter turns into a life-or-death situation when the pilot lands on a building and discovers it is overrun by terrorists led by a lunatic. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This martial arts actioner moves on the premise that the LA riots were the dirty work of the Irish Republican Army. Okay. Sure. The hero in this low-budget outing is British Special Air Service officer Shane who flies out to the LA ghettos to rescue the daughter of the British ambassador who also happens to be his ex-girl friend. A burly FBI agent helps him. Together they deal with rollerblading gangsters, bikers and other LA-style villains, all of whom are working for the IRA. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this actioner, a secret group of citizens who want to take the law into their own hands do their best to convince an L.A. cop to join them. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In a dual role, Joe Piscopo plays a pair of bungling crooks who kidnap a pair of young girls and hold them hostage. Fortunately for the gals, their talking equine pets, Two-Bits the pony and Pepper the horse, are around to save them, but not without great danger for themselves. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A young martial arts expert takes on an evil villain for the possession of a magical ring said to grant its wearer unlimited power. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi