Jonathan Prince Movies
- 2008
Based on the real-life story of "extreme interventionist" William "the Cleaner" Banks, this series stars Benjamin Bratt as the title character, a man who overcomes his own addictions through a religious experience. After striking his own peculiar bargain with God, the Cleaner sets out on a career as an interventionist, getting between clients and their vices with the knowledge that reasonable tactics have no place with the addicted. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
- 2007
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Santa finds himself in serious trouble when Rusty Reindeer leaves the North Pole in order to do some soul searching in the big city, and a malfunctioning "Nice 'N Naughty O'Matic" leaves him unable to distinguish the good kids from the bad in this animated adventure for the entire family. Rusty Reindeer is having a personal crisis, and now he's hoping to find his true role in Christmas by venturing into the city and joining a support group for holiday icons. Meanwhile, as Rusty is trading stories with Albert the Thanksgiving turkey and Mr. C the ornery cupid, Santa's "Nice 'N Naughty O'Matic" goes on the fritz. Now a young boy who should have been on the good list has been mistakenly shifted to the bad, and in order to ensure that the child has a good Christmas Rusty will enlist the aid of moody Halloween ghosts Trick and Treat. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Fred Savage, Fred Willard, (more)
- 2007
Best described as Dallas with a Latino flavor, the CBS drama series Cane dealt with a wealthy and powerful Cuban-American family, the Duques, who ran a luctrative rum-and-sugar business in South Florida. Sensing that he wasn't long for this world, patriarch Pancho Duque (Hector Elizondo) began making arrangements to turn over his business to a younger member of the family--but which one? The two leading contenders were Pancho's oldest biological son Frank (Nestor Carbonell) and his adopted son Alex (Jimmy Smits), who in his own sly-and-cunning way was the series' "J.R." character. As Frank and Alex fought tooth and nail over control of the Duque empire, Frank indicated a willingness to sell out to the rival Samuels family, if for no other reason than he was having an affair with Ellis Samuels (Polly Walker). Alex resisted the notion of a sell-out, not only out of loyalty to his adoptive father, but also because he was married to Pancho's biological daughter Isabel (Paola Turbay), making him son and son-in-law all in one! Befitting his status as the series' "hero-villain", Alex handled his business and personal affairs with equal ruthlessness, especially when it came to his dealings with his own son Jaime (Michael Trevino), who in the earliest episodes was being pressured to stay in college, though he himself was torn between joining the Army and making a commitment to his girlfriend Rebecca (Alona Tal). Cane premiered on September 25, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo, (more)
- 2002
Set in Philadelphia during the early '60s, the NBC drama series American Dreams concentrated on the Pryors, an Irish-Catholic family struggling to make sense of the great sociological changes being wrought upon the world -- and themselves. The first episode, ostensibly built around the determination of 15-year-old Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow) to appear on the locally produced TV dance show American Bandstand (whose host, Dick Clark, was one of American Dreams' executive producers), veered sharply into an entirely different direction with the announcement that President Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas, an event that would inexorably shape the future of the entire family. Other characters included family patriarch Jack Pryor (Tom Verica), the traditionalist owner of a TV sales shop; Jack's wife Helen (Gail O'Grady), an incipient feminist who had begun to realize that a whole new world existed outside of her home and family; son J.J. (Will Estes), whose plans to attend Notre Dame on a football scholarship were sidetracked by his blossoming radicalism; the two younger Pryor children, Will (Ethan Dampf) and Patty (Sarah Ramos); Meg's best friend Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies); and the family's African-American friends, Henry and Sam Walker (Jonathan Adams, Arlen Escarpeta). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2000
While on a location shoot, spoiled movie actress Sydney Clarke (Sela Ward) clashes with her equally temperamental director. Storming off the set in a snit, Sydney gets lost in the woods, then hitches a ride to a small New England steel town -- where, amazingly, no one seems to recognize her. Curiously enjoying her anonymity, she befriends bowling-alley waitress Joyce (Rebecca Jenkins), who helps her land a job as a nurse at the local steel mill, managed by a handsome, down-to-earth hunk named Ryan (Andrew Jackson). Upon learning that the mill is in danger of demolition at the hands of greedy corporate fat-cats, Sydney vows to save the community's only source of income -- but will the citizens rally behind her if they find out she's been posing as something she's not? Made for the CBS TV network, Catch a Falling Star premiered March 5, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sela Ward, Rebecca Jenkins, (more)
- 1995
A pair of teenage girls decide to switch families for a while to prove that each of their own clans likes the other girl better. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Valerie Harper, Shelley Fabares, (more)
This light-hearted comedy depicts a typical summer camp, but with a special twist: this camp was designed by the campers themselves! "Mud" Himmel is a nerd. Once again he is faced with attending computer camp. His buddy Zack will be marching into go to military camp while Trish is acting happy about theater camp. That Gaby is going again to fat camp weighs heavily upon her mind. None of them are thrilled with their camp prospects and it is rebellious Mud who suggest that they create their own, secret camp. Enter Dennis Van Welker, their crazy high school drama instructor. He offers to join the conspiracy and act as their camp counselor. Just as it looks as if the four misfits are going to have a really great summer together, two dozen of their peers find out about the camp and decide to come along. For a time it's one big chaotic party. But as the kids act out their camp fantasies, they are gaining valuable insight into their lives. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jonathan Jackson, Christopher Lloyd, (more)
- 1992
When a divorced couple discovers that they are still legally married, their lives are further complicated by an old lover who wants to take over their successful swimwear business. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eugene Levy, Linda Kash, (more)
- 1992
- R
Released directly on to video in the U.S., but exhibited on the festival circuit and in Europe, Plague is an adaptation of Albert Camus' novel and reteams filmmaker Luis Puenzo with actors Robert Duvall and William Hurt to tell the story of a South American city that must be cut off from the world following an outbreak of the bubonic plague. The key characters include a French tele-journalist, her cameraman and a fearless doctor. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Hurt, Sandrine Bonnaire, (more)
- 1991
When Murphy (Candice Bergen) makes a flippant on-air comment about short men, she incurs the wrath of the "66 Club", comprised entirely a small-statured males. One of the club members demands that Murphy make a personal apology to himself and his brethren. But upon meeting the "66 Club", Murphy realizes that they are just as prejudiced against those who are unlike themselves as she appears to be. Paula Zahn and Mark McEwen, then the cohosts of CBS This Morning, appear as themselves in this, the first Murphy Brown episode NOT directed by Barnet Kellman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1990
- R
Fear stars Ally Sheedy as a psychic who frequently helps the police track down criminals. This time, however, there's a serial killer at large who's a pretty efficient psychic in his own right. The story boils down to a battle of wills, and for while it looks as though the villain's will is the stronger of the two. Fear was tensely, tersely written and directed by Rockne O'Bannon, a veteran of the Twilight Zone TV-series revival of the 1980s, as well as the author of the screenplay for Alien Nation (1988). The star-studded supporting cast included Lauren Hutton, Michael O'Keefe, John Agar, Stan Shaw and Dina Merrill. Originally intended for theatrical release, Fear debuted July 15, 1990, over the Showtime Cable Network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ally Sheedy, Lauren Hutton, (more)
On his 81st birthday, grandpa George Burns, bemoans the fact that he's wasted his life, and wishes he had it to do all over again. He gets his wish when he and his 18-year-old grandson Charles Schlatter are involved in an auto accident. When he awakens, Burns' personality has been transferred to Schlatter's body, and vice versa! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Burns, Charlie Schlatter, (more)
A wacky teenage sex comedy of the sort that proliferated in the mid-1980s, this farce is notable for featuring two lead actors who would go on to bigger and better things. Rob Morrow and Johnny Depp star as Ben and Jack, respectively, teen buddies who are on the sexual prowl for beautiful, wealthy girls at a posh Miami resort where they are weekend guests. Also on the prowl is The Maestro (Hector Elizondo), a skilled jewel thief who evades detection by cross-dressing as a woman while he pursues the diamond necklace of society woman Amanda Rawlings (Dody Goodman). When they accidentally run afoul of the Maestro, Ben and Jack suddenly have their hands full. Private Resort was the third in a series of comic teen sex romps from producer R. Ben Efraim, each of which had the word Private in the title. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rob Morrow, Johnny Depp, (more)
- 1984
Enterprising Mel (Vic Tayback) purchases a nursery school for the purpose of bulldozing the property and erecting a parking lot for his diner. This scheme causes the school's faculty and students, not to mention the diner staff, to regard Mel as a super-villain--and in fine "sitcom retribution" fashion, it is Mel himself who suffers most from the situation. Future Designing Women regular Rue McClanahan is cast in the unlikely role of Mother Goose!
~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1984
It was perhaps inevitable that the breakdancing craze of the early 1980s would pervade even a traditionalist sitcom like Alice. In this episode, a group of talented breakdancers are hired to perform at an art festival held at Mel's Diner; unfortunately, Mel (Vic Tayback) mistakes the dancers for hoodlums and boots them out. Featured in this episode are professional dancers Steven "Sugar Pop" DeSilva and Jason "Elf" DeSilva), not to mention a veritable chorus line of familiar faces, among them What's Happening!!'s Fred "Rerun" Berry, Coach's Kenneth Kimmins, and singer-model Donovan Leitch. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Three of the hallmarks of education in America -- nudity, teenage sex, and big, destructive gags -- are on plentiful display in this teen comedy. Christine (Phoebe Cates), a student at an exclusive all-girls private school, is in love with Jim (Matthew Modine), who attends an academy for boys nearby. Christine's archrival Jordan (Betsy Russell) also has her eye on Jim, and she is willing to do whatever she can to steal him away. Jim's über-slob buddy Bubba (Michael Zorek) is going with Betsy (Kathleen Wilhoite), Christine's cynical friend, though he would probably be unfaithful if any other woman were willing to get near him. Bubba and his pals sneak into the girls' school dressed in drag in hopes of reaching the Promised Land (better known as the women's shower room), while Christine and Jim run away together for the weekend, though their escapade isn't as romantic as they had hoped. Among the adults observing the chaos are Ray Walston, Fran Ryan, Martin Mull, and Sylvia Kristel; one of the sexy students on display is future scream queen Brinke Stevens. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Phoebe Cates, Betsy Russell, (more)
- 1982
The made-for-television Pray TV was the subject for hot debate long before its February 1, 1982 debut. This even-handed exploration of the televangelism business stars Ned Beatty as the Reverend Freddy Stone, whose religious empire nets $3 million annually. John Ritter co-stars as Rev. Tom McPherson, a newly ordained clergyman who joins the Stone operation. As Ritter begins to question the religious ethics behind Stone's lucrative ministry, a subplot develops involving Reverend Gus Keffer (Richard Kiley), who in contrast to Stone must operate on a shoestring, minus the glittery trappings of TV, radio, and SRO revival meetings. Lane Slate's teleplay takes great pains to offend no one; whether this is good or bad is up to you. Pray TV bears no relation to the earlier theatrical-feature comedy of the same name. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
While John Carpenter's 1978 horror classic Halloween irrevocably changed the style of horror cinema with its simple but relentlessly tense story, it triggered more than a decade's worth of uninspired, exploitative knock-offs, and one could easily list Halloween II among these failures. As with its predecessor, this film was written and produced by Carpenter and Debra Hill, but the terse style and unbearable suspense of the first film are missing, replaced by a more simplistic stalk-and-slash scenario. Directorial duties were handed over to Rick Rosenthal, whose lack of expertise is quite evident (though he managed to hit his stride two years later with the prison actioner Bad Boys). The plot picks up exactly where the original left off: Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), shaken and injured from her battle with unkillable psycho Michael Myers, is taken to the Haddonfield Hospital for observation, while Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) continues his desperate search for his monstrous patient. An interesting plot twist has Loomis' investigations revealing Michael's true identity (some of these sequences incorporate footage of young Michael originally shot for the television version of Halloween, which contained scenes hinting at the link between Michael and Laurie).
After slashing his way through the town, Myers manages to track Laurie to the hospital, where the remainder of the action takes place. Numerous night-shift employees are slaughtered in a variety of gruesome ways before Loomis catches up with his quarry, leading to an explosive -- and seemingly conclusive -- confrontation. Pleasence is compelling as usual, but Curtis, who made an auspicious debut in the original, is sadly wasted here, her character reduced to shuffling half-drugged through darkened hospital corridors and screaming helplessly. Carpenter's active involvement in the Halloween franchise continued to dwindle steadily from one sequel to the next, getting scarcely a mention by the time producers Hill, Moustapha Akkad and Irwin Yablans revived the series in 1988 for three more sequels. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
After slashing his way through the town, Myers manages to track Laurie to the hospital, where the remainder of the action takes place. Numerous night-shift employees are slaughtered in a variety of gruesome ways before Loomis catches up with his quarry, leading to an explosive -- and seemingly conclusive -- confrontation. Pleasence is compelling as usual, but Curtis, who made an auspicious debut in the original, is sadly wasted here, her character reduced to shuffling half-drugged through darkened hospital corridors and screaming helplessly. Carpenter's active involvement in the Halloween franchise continued to dwindle steadily from one sequel to the next, getting scarcely a mention by the time producers Hill, Moustapha Akkad and Irwin Yablans revived the series in 1988 for three more sequels. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, (more)
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