Joseph L. Scanlan Movies
- 1998
After she is brutally raped by the track coach she trusted, a high-school track runner decides to buck the school, her friends, and even her town to press charges against him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Section One must prevent a terrorist named Tyler (Richard Clarkin) from deploying a lethal and untraceable polymer explosive. As part of this operation, Nikita (Peta Wilson) and Michael (Roy Dupuis) must save the inventor of the explosive, Stanley Shays (Sean Whalen), from Tyler's clutches. When this fails, Nikita is ordered to "cancel" Shays -- an order she flatly refuses. As punishment, Section One assigns Nikita to a suicide mission, causing Michael (Roy Dupuis) to question his own loyalty. This final episode of La Femme Nikita's first season ends in a cliffhanger that will be not be resolved until the opening installment of season two. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Armed with the knowledge that the sun will soon become a supernova, shy physics professor Stanley Hearst (Michael Gross) resigns himself to the fact that mankind is doomed. In the time he has left, Stanley is determined to declare his love for Leslie (Joanna Gleason), the woman he has long worshipped from afar. Of course, Stanley sees no need to tell Leslie that the world is coming to an end -- and she, in blissful ignorance, becomes fascinated by her new "Romeo." Based on a story by Larry Niven, "Inconstant Moon" originally aired on April 12, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Catherine Mary Stewart and Alan Ruck star as Joanne and Howard Sharp, a young couple who hope to use a revolutionary -- and illegal -- technique to genetically enhance their unborn child. The couple is willing to risk the fact that the technique has a monstrous side effect on one out of every ten thousand babies. And then, Joanne and Howard make the acquaintance of the kid next door. "Unnatural Selection" was first broadcast on January 19, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Frasier regular David Hyde Pierce stars as Dr. Jack Henson, a coldly enterprising scientist who creates a "virtual prison" which can reduce a prisoner's life sentence to a few hours. In this way, Henson explains, prisoners will forever be cured of their criminal tendencies, and the penal system will save millions of dollars. Inevitably, Henson is forced to do to time in his own virtual prison -- and in the process he learns the hard way that Justice is not merely a theoretical concept. "The Sentence" originally aired on August 4, 1996, as the final episode of The Outer Limits' second season on the Showtime cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Having all but given up on her incorrigible son, Rusy (Ryan Phillippe), single mom Marianne Dobson (Jane McDougall) in the prestigious Milgram Academy. Marianne is confident that Milgram, famed for its ability to mold "the leaders of tomorrow," will straighten Rusty out. But the boy soon learns to his horror that the Academy is run by the shadowy practioners of a particularly sinister form of mind control. "Straight and Narrow" first aired on February 23, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
In the distant future, the earth has been overtaken by aliens, and the surviving humans have been reprogammed as slave laborers. Hoping to overthrow the rulers, insurrectionist Trent Davis (played by Star Trek: The Next Generation's Brent Spiner) kidnaps Evan (Erich Anderson), the personal slave of alien leader Koltok (Vincent Hammond). During a grueling and emotionally devastating deprogramming process, Evan is groomed to assassinate Koltok -- but will this result in an even more horrific fate for the enslaved humans? "The Deprogrammers" originally aired on May 26, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
College student Jack Pierce (Josh Brolin), experimenting with virtual reality and artificial intelligence, inadvertently unlocks the key to predicting the future. Meanwhile, Jack's professor friend, Wayne Fowler, enters into a financial arrangement with billionaire Bill Trenton (David Warner) so that Jack can continue his experiments. All seems well and good until Jack, making a leap through time, witnesses his own murder -- at the hands of one of the people closest to him in the present. "Virtual Future" was originally broadcast on May 7, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
The popular TV-series private eye Spenser (of Spenser For Hire) re-surfaces in this made-for-cable movie. Robert Urich returns to his role as the gumshoe. This time, Spenser comes to the aid of old flame Candy Sloane (Cynthia Dale), a reporter who needs Spenser's help and protection as she investigates a fraud ring. This drama was based on the book of the same name by Robert B. Parker. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin stars as Jennifer Winter, the subject of a miraculous medical experiment. Deaf since birth, Jennifer is given an ear implant which will ostensibly allow her to hear voices for the first time. Evidently, the device is far from perfect; Jennifer is still unable to hear conversations, but she does pick up some very, very strange whispering sounds. Its title explained in the final moments of the episode, "The Message" was first broadcast on July 16, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
In this spirited comedy, a pair of neighboring teens, anxious to win a big prize in a soda-pop company's contest, fabricate the "perfect family" by making it seem as if their parents (who despise each other) are married. Complications arise when they are chosen as the winners, and the head of the company informs them that he will be staying a week with them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Fraser (Paul Gross smells a rat when his neighbor Charlie (Brendan Kelly)) suffers from one too many "accidents." Promising Charlie's daughter Lucy (Azura Bates) that he'll investigate her dad's streak of bad luck, Fraser discovers that Charlie is the unwilling fall guy for an insurance scam. In his efforts to help Charlie out, Fraser runs afoul of investigative reporter Mackenzie King (Madolyn Smith-Osborne), who thinks that the displaced Mountie is a part of the scam. Meanwhile, Fraser's still-unlicensed pet wolf Diefenbaker runs afoul of the local dog catcher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Gross, David Marciano, (more)
- 1992
The made-for-television movie The World's Oldest Living Bridesmaid is about a prosperous lawyer who can't find a husband. Eventually, she falls in love with her younger male secretary. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donna Mills
- 1991
Jeannie is still Barbara Eden, just as she'd been in the 1965-70 TV sitcom of blessed memory. Despite the passing years, Jeannie still looks great in those harem duds (and behold, she does have a navel). The plot of this TV reunion film has Jeannie searching for her astronaut husband Tony Nelson, who's been lost in space for twenty years. According to Genie Rules and Regulations, she must find a new master soon, or it's back to the bottle. Helping Jeannie in her quest is old buddy Roger Healey (welcome back, Bill Daily). Also on hand is Jeannie's mischievous twin Jeannie II (Ms. Eden again), her invisible dog Jin-Jin, and Chris Bolton as her son Tony Nelson Jr. (who does resemble Larry Hagman, if you squint). I Still of Jeannie was NBC's competition for Game Two of the 1991 World Series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Rescuing an out-of-control Federation shuttle craft, the Enterprise opens the hatch of the vessel to discover an exact double of Captain Picard. It soon develops that this "twin" really is Picard, six hours in the future. Flying in the face of what seems to be the inevitable, Picard struggles to save the crew and himself from a deadly time warp. Kurt Michael Besmiller wrote the script for "Time Squared," which first aired April 8, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Even in the distant future, computer viruses can wreak havoc. In this instance, a malfunctioning computer on board the USS Yamato spreads to the Enterprise, rendering the crew helpless in the face of an impending Romulan attack. Meanwhile, Picard and the away team explore the remnants of a lost civilization, which may hold the solution to their present plight. Written by Steven Gerber and Beth Woods, "Contagion" first aired March 25, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
The Enterprise's Holodeck malfunctions, trapping Captain Picard in a recreation of 1941 San Francisco. In the tradition of the earlier Star Trek episode A Piece of the Action, Picard finds himself smack-dab in the middle of a film noir-style gangster melodrama, with familiar movie stereotypes abounding (two of them played by "cult" actors Lawrence Tierney and Dick Miller). As if this weren't enough, Picard is pestered by hostile aliens who demand that he give them their undivided attention. Nominated for a Best Cinematography Emmy Award, "The Big Goodbye" was written by Tracy Torme, and was first telecast January 16, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In this hospital drama, based on the old TV series, brain surgeon extraordinaire, Ben Casey, finds that he is less than welcome when he tries to resume his practice at County Hospital after spending 25-years elsewhere. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1988
While piloting the Enterprise's shuttlecraft, Deanna Troi crash lands on Vagra 2. She is promptly taken captive by Armus (Mark McChesney), a sadistic creature capable of altering its shape at will. Taking great delight in tormenting the rescue team, Armus causes the death of Lt. Tasha Yar. The anger and outrage engendered by this tragedy ends up hoisting Armus on his own petard. A truly pivotal episode, "Skin of Evil" was written by old Outer Limits hand Joseph Stefano and Hannah Louise Shearer and was first telecast on April 30, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- R
A maverick Big Apple cop sets off on a deadly pursuit of his two murderous brothers after they bomb a series of banks. He must hurry, for they are threatening to explode more banks if they aren't paid a fortune in ransom. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Fairbairn, Kerrie Keane, (more)
- 1981
- PG
First released in 1981 as Sneakers, this feeble story about a young teen trying to succeed on the amateur tennis tour is heavy on tennis sequences and light on content, storyline, and character development. The heroine Karen (Carling Bassett) is an unseeded, talented player snubbed by her peers because her mother (Susan Anton) is a Las Vegas showgirl. Karen's eventual friend, the top-seeded Missy (Shawn Foltz) has a tough-as-nails mom (Jessica Walter), so both young teens have their own personal crosses to bear. The biggest test of their friendship will come when they face off in the finals, like it or not. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Anton, Frank Converse, (more)
- 1976
Our Man Flint had scored in 1966 as a high-gloss spy movie spoof starring James Coburn as Derek Flint, maverick operative of the Zonal Organization for World Intelligence and Espionage (or Z.O.W.I.E.). When the film spawned its inevitable TV-pilot spin-off, Ray Danton was Derek Flint and the project was shorn of all traces of humor or satire. Danton's Flint is just another well-tailored international gumshoe, assigned in the pilot film to rescue an oil company executive who has been kidnapped by a "liberation" movement in a mythical mideastern sheikdom. Our Man Flint: Dead on Target had so little to do with its source that the film was originally telecast under the pared-down title Dead on Target, with no hint of Flint until one tuned in the program. ABC evidently had no faith at all in the film; it was shunted away to a late-night slot on the network's anthology series Wide World Mystery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Directed by George McCowan, this feature length film is actually a compilation of two episodes from The Starlost, a 1970's Canadian sci-fi television series. The film takes place in the year 2790; by this time, the earth has been condemned, and the remaining survivors exist inside of a biosphere spaceship. The ship comes under threat when a twisted space commander attempts to gain control by using implants that enable him to play mind games with the craft's scientists. The Starlost: The Invasion stars Keir Dullea, Gay Rowan, Robin Ward, Stephen Young, and Donnelly Rhodes. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Alien Oro is an expansion of an episode from the Canadian sci-fi TV series The Starlost. Walter Koenig of Star Trek fame guest-stars as Oro, an extraterrestrial who comes upon "space outcast" Ydana (Alexandra Bastedo). Unable to survive outside her own environment, Ydana is doomed to a horrible demise. Originally sent by his home planet to investigate the Ark (the 28th century space vessel that served as the setting for Starlost), Oro now devotes his energies to returning Ydana to her own world. Starlost regulars Keir Dullea, Robin Ward and Gay Rowan also appear, as usual. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
In this sci-fi entry from the Starlost TV series, members of the crew find themselves captured and imprisoned by a mad ruler in an intergalactic dome on an Earthship Ark. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
