Anthobuzz Reviews

Daniel's Daughter (2008 TV Movie)

Sweet movie about finding the forgiveness in family

[4 January 2008]

While slightly predictable, Daniel's Daughter is a sleepy and sweet drama focusing on finding the peace with past and present decisions.

High powered New York Magazine editor Cate Madighan (Laura Leighton) is living the good life - great job, a marriage on the cards and plenty of wealth but her life as she knows it comes crashing down when she gets news of her father's passing.

Having abandoned her as a child, Cate plans on heading to her home town for a brief visit to tie up loose ends only to find herself drawn in by old friends, new love interests and the last wishes of her dead father which make Cate question her current life back in New York.

Camp (2003)

Highly entertaining!

[9/10 · 2 March 2005]

I had heard of camp a few years back when it was being made, and didn't really think much of it. A movie full of first-time actors didn't seem like the type of movie to appeal to me. Boy was I wrong! I just had the pleasure of watching this very enjoyable film about a group of teens considered to be outsiders who go to Camp Ovation in the summer to perform in plays and musicals. The performances were least to say impressive. It took a little for me to get used to Daniel Letterle as he's the type of actor that blinds you with his attractiveness at first, but I quickly warmed up to his playboy character in the film who tried to make everything right by the end of the movie. What struck me mostly though was his characters (Vlad) relationship with drag queen Michael. Something that was an uneven two sided relationship that still managed to hold its ground right till the end.

The musical numbers are better than anything seen on all these music talent reality shows that are so popular today and the most moving performance was that of Tiffany Taylor. Singing "Here's were I stand" was not only moving but powerful and was the perfect way for her to get her message across to the one person who needed to hear it most.

A very enjoyable film!

Eyes (2005–2007)

One to watch!

[8 October 2004]

This Tim Daly led drama is a very nice surprise. It has a CSI classy and glossy feel to it with a touch of humor like that found in something written by David E Kelly.

If someone steals $100 from you, call the police. If they steal $100,000, call the FBI. But if you're the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and your chief financial officer embezzles $100 million on your watch, call Judd Risk Management. Harlan and his employees, including A.J Langer who plays over-educated secretary Meg, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon playing super Private Investigator Nora Gage and Laura Leighton as sly and very ultra slick lawyer Leslie Town, all operate on the fringes of the law, to obtain the necessary outcome.

"Eyes" walks a fine line between sharp wit and fairly dark plot elements, and succeeds for the most part in making that tension in the script feel complex rather than clunky. Judd himself is engaging and strange, and Daly pulls off some very clever dialogue with abundant charm. He's well supported by the rest of the cast, including Laura Leighton who has finally left her well-known Melrose Place after-ego behind and A.J. Langer, who hasn't lost a step since "My So-Called Life."

Eyes is witty and very sharp and if it obtains the target audience (i'm thinking CSI, Crossing Jordan and Law and order) it will do very very well.

With ABC already having 2 break-out hits on their hands (Desperate Housewives and Lost), i'm sure they'll try for the tri-fecta with this one.

Deadly Encounter (2004 TV Movie)

Interesting Premise

[7/10 · 8 October 2004]

Pulling in 2.6 million viewers, one has to wonder what everyone's opinions on the storyline/plot is.

Reading the run down over at lifetime, I was led to believe that this would be an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a single mother being stalked and finally confronting the stalker. Sadly I was mistaken. While the main plot is interesting enough - Single mother run off road one night, then is stalked by same guy, the reasoning behind the stalking left nothing but a really bad taste in my mouth.

Laura Leighton plays the victim, and she does it well. Whether it was all those years on Melrose Place or not, she does well in this movie, playing a mother who would do anything to protect her son from harm, and she's looking pretty good too these days.

Leighton is really the only good thing about this movie. I think many people will identify with the main character, after discovering why the stalker is stalking, it will be a view-only-once type of movie.

Angels, Baby! (1999)

Catchy

[10/10 · 8 October 2004]

I felt compelled to write a comment about this movie because it really is one of the highlights of short feature film making.

Lasting only 15 minutes, after watching it, one could easily assume this could easily be turned into a full feature film. it has romance, comedy, dancing and singing all at once.

Laura Leighton is a knock-out as lonely Jessica. She sings and dances her way into the heart of Jason (Christopher Jacobs) with more talent that anyone really knew of.

The movie is now available to buy on-line in DVD form, and for anyone who loves musicals with a feel-good feel about them, then get it now!