Paul Schneider Movies
A robbery victim moves to a gated community for solace and peace of mind -- only to find her darkest fears realized -- in this made-for-Lifetime thriller. Baywatch's Alexandra Paul stars as Laura Benson, a woman recovering from a harrowing, still-unsolved assault attempt. Prone to traumatic flashbacks that frighten her husband and teenage daughter, she moves to an upper-class, 24-hour-security neighborhood. But behind the gates of their tony suburb, something ominous lurks: a chipper but demanding next-door neighbor (Shannon Lawson). Laura suspects nothing at first, but when her daughter starts being harassed at school and strange goings-on begin happening around her guarded house, she's not sure whether the loose criminals are still tormenting her or if it is someone even closer to home. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexandra Paul, Shannon Lawson, (more)
One of several fictional films produced for the Animal Planet cable network, Big Spender was inspired by a real-life rehabilitation program sponsored by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Having spent most of his adult life behind bars, embittered petty criminal Eddie Burton (Casper Van Dien) is afforded the opportunity to turn his life around by participating in a work-release project caring for retired thoroughbred horses on a minimum-security farm. Although there's little love lost between the cynical Eddie and crusty, crippled farm hand Jake (Graham Greene), Eddie manages to connect with Big Spender, a worn-out race horse who has obviously endured a life of abuse. Through his efforts to save Big Spender from being destroyed, Eddie comes face to face with his own humanity for the first time. But will this new lease on life be enough for Eddie to earn the friendship of Jake and the love of pert female jockey Melinda (Tara Spencer-Nairn)? And what about Eddie's long-estranged seven-year-old son (Matthew Knight)? Filmed in and around Cambridge, Ontario, Big Spender debuted March 25, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Casper Van Dien, Graham Greene, (more)
In a land where cartoon characters and flesh-and-blood people work side by side, one little black duck lands in a big pot of trouble in this comedy, which brings the beloved Looney Tunes characters into the real world. Daffy Duck (voice of Joe Alaskey) has grown tired of his status as Warner Bros.' leading avian second fiddle and demands that if he can't be given equal billing with his rival Bugs Bunny (also voiced by Alaskey), he wants to be released from his contract. Kate Houghton (Jenna Elfman), Warners' vice president in charge of comedy, is way ahead of Daffy and orders studio stuntman D.J. Drake (Brendan Fraser) to kick the duck off the studio lot. D.J. soon discovers getting rid of Daffy is no easy task, and the duck is in tow when Drake makes a startling discovery -- his father Damien Drake (Timothy Dalton), a movie star best know for playing ultra-suave secret agents, really is a secret agent, and he's been kidnapped by Mr. Chairman (Steve Martin), the evil leader of the monolithic Acme Corporation. Damien knows the secret hiding place of the priceless Blue Monkey Diamond and Mr. Chairman will stop at nothing to get it, so D.J. and Daffy set out to rescue Damien and save the diamond, one step behind Acme's musclemen and one step ahead of Kate and Bugs, who now realize how important Daffy is to the Looney Tunes franchise. Looney Tunes: Back in Action also stars Heather Locklear as a lounge singer working for Yosemite Sam (voice of Steve Babiar), Joan Cusack, John Cleese, Stan Freberg, and Roger Corman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, (more)
The Retrievers stars Bettie White, Robert Hays, and Robert Wagner in the kid-friendly tale of a family who discovers a dog and her newborn litter of puppies. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Hays, Mel Harris, (more)
- 1999
In this comedy-drama for the family, a young boy who feels like a misfit uses his computer and a satellite dish to send a message to space aliens, jokingly asking them to take him away. He never expects them to actually arrive, so imagine his surprise when they do show up, ready to take him up on his offer and lend him a hand on Earth before the spaceship departs. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Malcolm McDowell, Michael Shulman, (more)
In this made-for-television drama, a mother worries when her beloved son's newest love proves to be a conniving vixen. Even though he is 26-years-old, the mother gets panicky when the son suddenly disappears. It is her suspicion that the new girlfriend had something to do with that disappearance. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, Robert Floyd, (more)
- 1998
A millionaire's death leaves a dog and a pet psychic rolling in dough while the deceased's relatives are left to figure out how to get the money for themselves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirk Cameron, James Avery, (more)
- 1997
The parents of a healthy baby boy, Brian and Donna McDermott (Scott Reeves, Martha Byrne) are stunned and grief-stricken when the child vanishes. Making matters worse, the authorities are convinced that Brian and Donna are themselves responsible for their baby's disappearance. Perhaps those same authorities would be better served if they bothered to check out those somewhat shady employees at the local maternity hospital, notably duplicitous receptionist Joan Hollins (Cathy Lee Crosby) -- who in turn is very close with the attorney (Linda Gray) who represents an adoption services that provides newborn white infants to infertile couples...no questions asked. When the Cradle Falls originally aired March 4, 1997, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Reeves, Martha Byrne, (more)
- 1996
A fun-loving bachelor (with every intention of staying unmarried) suddenly finds himself saddled with a big responsibility after a former flame saddles him with a baby that she claims is his. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Bakula, Chelsea Field, (more)
- 1996
In this gripping drama, a mother desperately searches the country for her asthmatic son and the ex-husband who kidnapped him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lisa Hartman, William Russ, (more)
- 1996
Alaska's celebrated Idiatrod sled-dog race provides the backdrop for this made-for-TV murder melodrama starring Kate Jackson) as Jessie Arnold. When Jessie's brother dies mysteriously, she takes his place in the marathon race, carefully positioning the flashlight worn on the head of each contestant to avoid unexpected dangers along the trail. But there is one danger for which a flashlight is no defense: One of the racers is the murderer, who will literally do anything to anyone to win the race. Largely filmed on location in the Yukon, the film was based on Sue Henry's novel Murder on the Idiatrod Trail, which star Kate Jackson had been struggling to bring to the screen for years. The Cold Heart of a Killer finally made its CBS debut on January 9, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This made-for-TV melodrama is based on an actual event that had been so thoroughly documented by the news services of the day that one is amazed that any suspense could possibly be engendered. In Dade County, Florida, disgruntled taxpayer Harry Kee (Michael Paul Chan) angrily protests a huge IRS bill by wiring up a box of explosives and hijacking a school bus full of special-needs children. Although the kids are terrified, Marta Caldwell (Maria Conchita Alonso), the bus' Cuban-born driver, remains calm and collected throughout the ordeal, not only helping her charges survive the crisis, but also providing comfort and support to a teacher's aide on the verge of a diabetic seizure. But while Marta keeps her head about her, the kidnapper grows more and more unhinged, and the police surround the hijacked bus, ready to shoot to kill if necessary. Though slightly weighed down by a subplot involving the courageous driver's home life, Sudden Terror: The Hijacking of School Bus #17 manages to pack a wallop,even for those who are aware of the outcome. The film made its first network appearance on September 13, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Conchita Alonso, Marcy Walker, (more)
Real-life recovering anorexic Tracey Gold stars in this emotional drama, which is more than your average disease-of-the-week fare. Based on the true story of college-student Nancy Walsh, this above-average TV-movie focuses on the family dynamic issues often found at the core of the eating disorder known as anorexia. Viewers watch Nancy as she slowly transforms from healthy and outgoing college freshman into a secretive and withdrawn young woman, starving herself in response to pressure. Her frantic parents (Jill Clayburgh, William Devane) try everything possible to save her from the slow suicide and ultimately go to the courts to legally force their daughter into getting help. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This made-for-television docudrama has its fingers on the pulse of some of the sadness, joys, controversies, successes, and setbacks of one of the most popular comediennes of the '90s. See crafted reenactments of her childhood and be a fly on the wall in some extraordinary scenes from her family life, her failed marriage, and a career packed with ups and downs. Died-in-the-wool fans might not learn anything new or evocative, but matters that the press could only write about are set in motion with a full cast that spans the decades of her personal life and career. Star performances include Denny Dillon as Roseanne, David Graf as Tom Arnold, and Danielle Harris as her daughter, Jessica. ~ Karen Solomon, All Movie Guide
- 1994
For a couple of years during the mid '90s, the Menendez Brothers, Lyle and Erik, held the country's interest after they stood trial for cold-bloodedly killing their parents. The murders took place in L.A., where both victims had successful Hollywood careers. What shocked the nation was that the nicely dressed, soft-spoken defendants claimed their parents abused them all their life. This sensationalistic dramatization is the first of several TV movies that exploited the brothers and their trial. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jill Clayburgh, James Farentino, (more)
- 1993
This made-for-television thriller tells the story of an unstable woman who goes to bizarre lengths to keep her drifting lover. Kate Jackson stars as Rita Donohue, a nurse who believes that she can re-ignite her disinterested lover's passion by having a child. Unable to have a child of her own, Rita plots to snatch an infant from her hospital's maternity ward to later pass off as her own. She feigns a pregnancy, switches records on a stillborn and healthy child, and then steals a baby from new mother Jane Morgan (Lori Loughlin) in order to support her charade. The plan goes sour though, when Jane refuses to accept the hospital's claim that her child died, and she investigates the unsettling clues on her own. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Jackson, Lori Loughlin, (more)
- 1993
Melissa Gilbert-Boxleitner and Mel Harris star as two female police officers fighting the police force in this made-for-TV movie about sexual harassment in the workplace. After Miranda Berkley (Harris) breaks up with her boyfriend/superior officer, she and her partner find themselves on-the-job without any support from fellow officers. They lodge a formal complaint against their superiors and are then forced to suffer the consequences from their angry male colleagues. Based on a true story, this made-for-TV movie debuted on May 11, 1993. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Harris, Melissa Gilbert, (more)
Nell Carter stars a a popular singer and Dinah Manoff costars as her maid du jour in the made-for-TV Maid For Each Other. A spoiled-rotten widow whose wealthy husband left her penniless, Dinah hasn't quite latched onto the concept of being at someone else's beck and call. As for Nell, she doesn't suffers fools very easily. This situation is fitfully amusing in itself, but the fun really begins when Nell and Dinah uncover an insidious plot involving corporate espionage and murder. Maid for Each Other debuted January 13, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
When a successful newswoman receives an on-the-air shock, she begins to analyze her relationship with her philandering husband. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Connie Sellecca, Kevin Dobson, (more)
- 1992
Based on a true story, this is the tale of three women who join forces to get revenge on the handsome con man whose investment scheme cost them thousands of dollars. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Where else but on network television would you be able to see a movie starring Bob Newhart, Linda Gray, and Michael Jackson's pet chimpanzee "Bubbles"? The Entertainers was advertised as "the touching story of a chimp, a chump and the woman they love." Newhart is cast as Todd Wilson, a second-echelon nightclub comic who has a chance to make it big in Las Vegas. The hitch: Wilson won't get hired unless he reteams with his old partner Bubbles. It really is better than it sounds, thanks to supporting appearances by several veteran cabaret entertainers, short on name value but big on talent. The Entertainers was first telecast November 21, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
At last count, there were approximately eight million made-for-TV Christmas movies. Well, maybe not, but they sure are hard to tell apart. Guess Who's Coming for Christmas adds a soupcon of ET to the plum pudding by having Beau Bridges wander into a small, impoverished town and claim that he's an extraterrestrial. Bridges befriends town "character" Richard Mulligan, who enjoys his company even if he doesn't completely believe that Man From Mars talk. This being a whimsical concoction, there's all sorts of evidence that Bridges is telling the truth--which of course renews the Christmas spirit in everyone concerned. Incidentally, Beau Bridges is a mall operator on his home planet; hope he's brought along lots of gift coupons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Mulligan, Beau Bridges, (more)
The millionaire of the title is Joan Rivers, an over-aged Beverly Hills brat whom many of the film's characters want to see dead or in rags. Armed with only her mile-a-minute mouth, Rivers fends off con men, fortune hunters, and would-be murderers--among them, possibly, her own husband (Alex Rocco). Thank heaven for her faithful household staff, headed by manic chef Mesach Taylor. The villains include Morgan Fairchild and David Ogden Stiers, for whom the audience may be rooting after fifteen minutes or so. How to Murder a Millionaire was made for TV--but not for my TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Rivers, Alex Rocco, (more)
Sandy Duncan, Judith Light, and Jill Eikenberry star in director Paul Schneider's made-for-television musical comedy about a 1960s-era female singing trio that reunites to take part in a television special produced to pay tribute to the pop superstars of yesteryear. Back in the 1960s, pop was king and the Bouffants were at the top of the charts thanks to their catchy hit single "My Boyfriend's Back." Two decades later, an ambitious NBC producer begins planning a television special dedicated to honoring pre-Beatles pop acts, and he wants to name it after the Bouffants' biggest hit. Now in order to make that happen, he sets out to find all three of the original Bouffants and offer them a chance to reunite on stage. But The Bouffants broke up for a reason, and convincing sarcastic bowling alley queen Vicki (Light), high-profile cosmetics executive Deborah (Eikenberry), and downhome housewife Chris (Duncan) to put aside their differences for the sake of the special will prove a more daunting task than he ever anticipated. Additional appearances by such notable '60s-era singing icons as Gary Lewis, the Penguins, Peggy March, and Mary Wells ensure that music lovers are not only in for a few nostalgic laughs, but a toe-tapping trip back to the time when everyone tuned into their radios eager to discover the next great hit. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
