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Jennifer Aniston has starred in some of the most beloved rom-coms ever made, but looking closely at her filmography revealed many films that viewers may have missed. While movies like Along Came Polly and Bruce Almighty stood out as highly acclaimed and well-known rom-coms, Aniston has consistently starred in lesser-known releases that deserve more attention and recognition. Even as she starred as Rachel Green on Friends for ten years, Aniston still carved out time in her busy schedule for some heartfelt, hilarious, and often zany rom-com love stories.

Many of the best Jennifer Aniston movies were rom-coms, but there were plenty more titles that audiences may have never heard of. While these lesser-known releases varied in quality, and some were unknown for a reason, Aniston always brought her unique charm and comedic persona to every part she played. Even though they may not be as well-known as her best work,...

Platinum-selling artist Jason Derulo and Barbie breakout Alexandra Shipp will headline On Air LA Annex with their new romantic thriller podcast Underwater.

Derulo and Shipp will take the stage Nov. 2 at Kcrw’s Annenberg Performance Studio in Santa Monica with an exclusive visual journey into the first episode and audience Q&a, On Air Fest announced Tuesday. The stars will be joined by Allan Coye of Interval Presents, Rich Statter of Clamor and Alex Addison of Temple Hill Entertainment.

Underwater, which premieres Oct. 31 on all major platforms, hails from Warner Music Group’s in-house podcast network Interval Presents and tells the story of Nico and Ana in the form of a narrative album, which features new music from Derulo.

On Air LA Annex is the West Coast spinoff of New York’s On Air Fest and kicks of Nov. 1 with an invite-only business summit. In addition to Underwater, this year...

Lucy’s in harm’s way on CBS’s NCIS: Hawaii season two episode 20. Directed by Tim Andrew from a script by Amy Rutberg, episode 20 – “Nightwatch Two” – will air on Monday, May 8, 2023 at 10pm Et/Pt.

Season two stars Vanessa Lachey as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, Alex Tarrant as Kai Holman, Noah Mills as Jesse Boone, and Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy Tara. Jason Antoon plays Ernie Malik, Tori Anderson is Kate Whistler, and Kian Talan stars as Alex Tennant.

“Nightwatch Two” Plot: When Lucy receives a strange call on night watch from a man admitting to murder, the NCIS team sets out to find him.

Tori Anderson as Kate Whistler and Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy Tara in ‘NCIS: Hawaii’ season 2 episode 20

NCIS: Hawai’i Season 2 Description, Courtesy of CBS:

The world’s most successful television series continues on the seductive shores of the Aloha State with the #1 new drama,...

Niecy Nash-Betts in ‘The Rookie: Feds’ episode 17 (ABC/Scott Everett White)

The team tracks a merciless gang leader on ABC’s The Rookie: Feds season one episode 17, “Payback.” Directed by Robert Bella, episode 17 is scheduled to air on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 9pm Et/Pt.

Niecy Nash-Betts stars as Simone Clark, Frankie R. Faison (White Chicks) is Christopher “Cutty” Clark, James Lesure (Las Vegas) is Carter Hope, Britt Robertson (Big Sky) is Laura Stensen, Felix Solis (The International) is Matthew Garza, and Kevin Zegers (Transamerica) is Brendon Acres.

“Payback” Plot: Garza and team are on the hunt for a ruthless gang leader on a mission for revenge. Atlas comes to town to reconnect with Laura, but the two cannot seem to see eye-to-eye, and Simone and Carter grapple with letting go of old grudges.

Season 1 Episode 1 “Day One” Preview Season 1 Episode 2 “Face Off” Preview Season 1 Episode 3 “Star Crossed” Preview Season 1 Episode...

” There are only three proper responses when I say something to you: “Yes chef,” “No chef,” “I don’t know chef.” “

What A Rush! 20 Years With Chris Clark is a night of cinema and cuisine to honor Cinema St. Louis Artistic Director, Chris Clark co-presented by Cinema Saint Louis and Tenacious Eats. The event is Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 6pm and will now be held at The Mahler Ballroom ( 4915 Washington Blvd. in St. Louis). The event includes a 5-course dinner and a screening of the 2000 film Dinner Rush. Individual Tickets are $125 or a VIP Table of 6: is $1,000 (includes premium seating and event recognition). A Facebook invite for the event can be found Here, To purchase tickets, contact Bree Maniscalco 314.289.4154 or [email protected]

Chris Clark has been an integral part of the growth and artistic direction of the Saint Louis International Film Festival. Drawing on his background in film studies...

” There are only three proper responses when I say something to you: “Yes chef,” “No chef,” “I don’t know chef.” “

What A Rush! 20 Years With Chris Clark is a night of cinema and cuisine to honor Cinema St. Louis Artistic Director, Chris Clark co-presented by Cinema Saint Louis and Tenacious Eats. The event is Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 6pm and will be held at The Mad Art Gallery (2727 S 12th St. in St. Louis). The event includes a 5-course dinner and a screening of the 2000 film Dinner Rush. Individual Tickets are $125 or a VIP Table of 6: is $1,000 (includes premium seating and event recognition). A Facebook invite for the event can be found Here, To purchase tickets, contact Bree Maniscalco 314.289.4154 or [email protected]

Chris Clark has been an integral part of the growth and artistic direction of the Saint Louis International Film Festival. Drawing on his background in film...

Russell Hornsby has been cast as the star for NBC’s drama pilot “Lincoln,” an adaption of the “Bone Collector” book series that was adapted into a 1999 film of the same name.

Hornsby will play the title character, Lincoln Rhyme, who was played by Denzel Washington in the film. He currently appears on Fox’s rookie legal drama “Proven Innocent.”

Based on the bestselling book series, “Lincoln” follows legendary forensic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme, who was seriously injured during his hunt for the diabolic serial killer known as the Bone Collector. Called back into action when the killer re-emerges, Lincoln forms a unique partnership with Amelia Sachs, a young beat cop who helps him hunt the deadly mastermind while also taking on the most high-profile cases in the NYPD.

Also Read: TV Pilot Season 2019: TheWrap's Complete Guide

The project is from Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television in association with Keshet Studios.

Recently, CBS delivered the new, official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Elementary" episode 21 of season 3. The episode is entitled, "Under My Skin, " and it turns out that we're going to see some very interesting and intense stuff go down when Sherlock and Watson join a huge manhunt to locate a vicious killer, and more! In the new, 21st episode press release: When Two New York City Paramedics Are Killed During A Kidnapping,Holmes And Watson Join The Manhunt To Find The Murderer And The Woman He Abducted. Press release number 2: When two New York City paramedics are killed during a kidnapping, Holmes and Watson are going to join the manhunt to find the murderer and the woman he abducted. Also, Holmes is going to learn important information about his recovery sponsor, Alfredo (Ato Essandoh), that strains their relationship. Guest stars feature: Fisher Stevens (Marty Ward), Terry Serpico (Wallace Turk...

Click here to watch the live stream. Edward Burns' latest film, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, is now available on VOD and digital platforms across the county. The triple threat filmmaker returns to his working class Irish-Catholic roots with The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, drawing comparisons to earlier Burns' films such as The Brothers McMullen. Starring Burns, Connie Britton, Michael McGlone, Kerry Bishe and other familiar faces from the Burns' oeuvre, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas gives your family a perfect opportunity to get together for a holiday movie night! On Monday, December 10, at 7Pm Et/4Pm Pt, New York's own Edward Burns will join host and comedian Barry Rothbart to discuss the yuletide film and answer questions from fans and film lovers, right here on Tribecafilm.com. And it's so easy to participate! Just tweet your questions using the hashtag #Fitzmas, and Edward Burns will answer them on-air in real time.

The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, the latest ensemble drama from Edward Burns, is now available on VOD and digital platforms such as iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu and more. Watch it with your family today! With The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Burns returns to the working-class, Irish-American roots of The Brothers McMullen. Reuniting with McMullen co-stars Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), and Mike McGlone, along with Noah Emmerich and Kerry Bishe, Burns seamlessly weaves an ensemble story of adult siblings dealing with the desire of their estranged father to return home for Christmas for the first time since he walked out on his family 20 years ago. Family rifts emerge, and like with any family, Christmas brings a mixed bag of complicated emotions and dynamics. Alliances form, old wounds are reopened or glossed over, and the possibility for a new hope ...

The Fitzgerald Family Christmas marks writer/director/star Edward Burns’ return to capturing the working class milieu of his earlier work in films like indie darling The Brothers McMullen. Somewhat surprisingly, the film also marks Burns’ very first foray into a making a film about the holidays. In the film, Burns plays Gerry, a grown man who still lives with his mother (Anita Gillette) on Long Island. He also lives with the burden of running his family’s bar and filling in for his father (Ed Lauter), who walked out his large Irish family – a total of seven siblings – twenty years ago. When his father announces that he’s dying and wants to spend his last Christmas with his family, the disparate siblings come together and debate whether or not they are ready to forgive their father for the transgressions of the past. Amidst all the family drama, Gerry also strikes up a romance with at-home nurse...

Like any good Irish-Catholic family, the Fitzgerald clan features a lot of siblings. The eldest of seven children, Gerry (Edward Burns) adopted the role of patriarch when their father (Ed Lauter) walked out on them over twenty years ago. Fortysomething, single and childless, Gerry still resides with their mother (Anita Gillette), while the other siblings each have their own individual dramas to contend with -- individual being the operative word, as none of the siblings show much desire to share their personal problems with each other, unless forced. At the onset of writer-director Edward Burns' The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Gerry is attempting to convince his siblings to celebrate their mother's 70th birthday together. Gerry has an ulterior motive for the gathering; he wants the family to vote on whether their long-estranged father should be allowed to spend Christmas Day with them. Unfortunately, their mother's birthday is only a couple days before Christmas,...

Have yourself a merry little Christmas with the Fitzgerald clan! Edward Burns returns to his roots with The Fitzgerald Family Christmas. Full of familiar faces from other Burns ensembles - Connie Britton, Mike McGlone, Heather Burns, Kerry Bishe, and Caitlin FitzGerald - the film is ideal viewing for your holiday season. Gerry (Burns) lives at home with his mother (Anita Gillette), running the family's pub and trying to rebuild his life after a personal tragedy. When his estranged father (played by character actor legend Ed Lauter) asks to spend Christmas with the family he abandoned years previously, Gerry must encourage his six siblings to participate - a task that proves much more daunting than he anticipated. With The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Burns maintains his signature style and continues to explore his Irish working class roots. We got the chance to sit down with our neighbor, Edward Burns, to discuss the holidays,...

Written and directed by, and starring the great Ed Burns, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas looks to be a solid drama worth heading out into the cold for this holiday season.

Arriving on VoD later this month, and released in Us theatres early next, the film sees Burns reuniting him with Connie Britton, who’s starred in a handful of Burns’ earlier films, and now EW have released a new poster for the film.

“With The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Burns returns to the working-class, Irish-American roots of The Brothers McMullen. Reuniting with McMullen co-stars Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), and Mike McGlone, along with Noah Emmerich (Little Children, Beautiful Girls) and Kerry Bishe (Newlyweds, Red State), Burns seamlessly weaves an ensemble story of adult siblings dealing with the desire of their estranged father (Ed Lauter, The Artist, The Longest Yard) to return home for Christmas for the first time since he...

Edward Burns' 11th film as a writer-director, "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas," is also a reunion for the Long Island native. For the first time in 16 years, Burns and actor Michael McGlone share the screen, playing combative brothers just as they did in Burns' first two efforts, "The Brothers McMullen" and "She's The One."

Available via on demand services starting on Nov. 21 -- and due in theaters on Dec. 7 -- "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" focuses on an Irish-American family on Long Island, dealing with the return of its estranged patriarch during the holiday season. Burns and McGlone star opposite an array of character actors -- Kerry Bishe, Heather Burns, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Marsha Dietlein, Noah Emmerich, Brian James D'Arcy, Daniella Pineda, Ed Lauter -- as well as Connie Britton (the "Nashville" star has worked with Burns twice previously, in "The Brothers McMullen" and "Looking for Kitty"). Burns has called the film his "most personal work.

Ed Burns definitely loves mining his Irish-American roots, as he did for his 1995 sibling flick The Brothers McMullen. He’s returned to similar territory with his upcoming film The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, about a large working class brood whose estranged dad wants to visit for Christmas. The movie, also starring, written and directed by Burns, is out nationwide on VOD and iTunes Nov. 21, and in theaters Dec. 7.

The film reunites Burns with McMullen co-stars Mike McGlone and Connie Britton (such an “it” gal in Nashville). Britton, who played Burns’ character’s sister-in-law in McMullen, is his luscious-haired love interest in Fitzgerald.

With The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Edward Burns returns to the working-class, Irish-American roots of The Brothers McMullen. Reuniting with McMullen co-stars Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) and Michael McGlone, along with Noah Emmerich (Little Children, Beautiful Girls) and Kerry Bishe (Newlyweds, Red State), Burns seamlessly weaves an ensemble story of adult siblings dealing with the desire of their estranged father (Ed Lauter, The Artist, The Longest Yard) to return home for Christmas for the first time since he walked out on his family 20 years ago. Family rifts emerge, and like with any family, Christmas brings a mixed bag of complicated emotions and dynamics. Alliances form, old wounds are reopened or glossed over, and the possibility for a new hope and forgiveness emerges. Coming to VOD nationwide November 21, 2012. Search your zip code and cable provider below to see where Tribeca Film titles are available in your area. Also opening in select...

"The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" is a homecoming of sorts Edward Burns: The new film reunites the writer/director/star with Michael McGlone and Connie Britton, both of whom starred in "The Brothers McMullen," Burns' breakout 1995 indie.

Starring that aforementioned trio -- Burns also worked with McGlone on "She's the One" and the short film "Doggy Bags"; Britton appeared in "No Looking Back" and "Looking for Kitty" -- as well as a cadre of recognizable character actors (Kerry Bishe, Heather Burns, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Marsha Dietlein, Noah Emmerich, Brian James D'Arcy, Daniella Pineda, Ed Lauter), "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" is a spiritual cousin to "The Brothers McMullen." The film takes place on Long Island and focuses on an Irish-American family -- in this case, the Fitzgeralds -- dealing with some internal strife around the holiday season. Burns has called the film his "most personal work."

Tribeca Film will release "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas...

Tribeca Film has acquired North American rights to Toronto-bound "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas," a domestic drama written, directed and starring Edward Burns. The distributor also released "Newlyweds" on multiple platforms. On this Irish-American working class family comedy, Burns brings back old pals Connie Britton and Michael McGlone, who co-starred in Burns' 1995 debut "The Brothers McMullen." Burns tells the tale of adult siblings who deal with the wish of their estranged father (Ed Lauter) to return home for Christmas for the first time since he ditched his family two decades ago. Noah Emmerich, Kerry Bishé and Caitlin FitzGerald also star. "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" will premiere in Toronto on September 9. Tribeca plans to release the film in the late November holiday season.

After not only appearing in Friends with Kids, Man on a Ledge and the upcoming Alex Cross, the prolific Edward Burns has already churned out another feature. His next family drama, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, is set to premiere at Tiff and has just announced acquisition today.

Tribeca Film have picked up the film, which stars The Brothers McMullen leads Connie Britton and Michael McGlone. The distributor plans to get the film out on VOD late-November following success of Burns’ last feature on the format, Newlyweds. Check out the first stills above and below, along with a synopsis for the film also starring Kerry Bishé, Heather Burns, Brian D’Arcy James, Marsha Dietlein Bennett, Dara Coleman, Noah Emmerich, Caitlin FitzGerald, Anita Gillette, Tom Guiry, Ed Lauter, Malachy McCourt, Daniella Pineda, Nick Sandow, John Solo, Joyce Van Patten and Burns himself.

Synopsis:

With The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Burns returns to the working-class,...

Tribeca Film acquired North American rights to Ed Burns' "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas," prior to its Toronto debut on September 9. Writer-director and star Burns is joined in the film by Connie Britton and Michael McGlone -- both of whom also starred with him in his debut "The Brothers McMullen," as well as Noah Emmerich, Kerry Bishe, Caitlin Fitzgerald and Ed Lauter. Tribeca, who also released Burns' "Newlyweds" last year, is eyeing a late November release via multiple platforms, maximizing the holiday-theme potential. Burns calls the film his "most personal work"; check out the synopsis below. Tribeca's Geoff Gilmore says, “Deeply felt performances from a strong ensemble cast make the Fitzgeralds a family that recalls the McMullen’s but with a fresh and wry perspective all its own.” With The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Burns returns to the working-class, Irish-American roots of The Brothers McMullen....

Tribeca Film has acquired North American rights to Ed Burns' "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas," prior to its Toronto debut on September 9. Writer-director and star Burns is joined by Connie Britton and Michael McGlone -- both of whom also starred with him in his debut "The Brothers McMullen" -- as well as Noah Emmerich, Kerry Bishé, Caitlin FitzGerald and Ed Lauter. Tribeca, who also released Burns' "Newlyweds" last year, is eyeing a late November release via multiple platforms, maximizing the holiday-theme potential. Burns calls the film his "most personal work"; check out the synopsis below. Tribeca's Geoff Gilmore says, “Deeply felt performances from a strong ensemble cast make the Fitzgeralds a family that recalls the McMullen’s but with a fresh and wry perspective all its own.” With The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, Burns returns to the working-class, Irish-American roots of The Brothers...

Tribeca Film has acquired Edward Burns' "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas," the company said Tuesday. The latest from "The Brothers McMullen" auteur is another family drama -- one that reunites Burns with Connie Britton and Michael McGlone, both of whom appeared in that breakthrough film. Centered on a working class, Irish-American clan, Burns' latest involves a group of adult siblings who have to deal with their return of their estranged father at Christmas. Expect lots of Guinness and bickering to go along with the carols.  "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" will have its world premiere...

Building upon the success of Newlyweds - a breakout hit on VOD - Tribeca Film has acquired the rights to writer/director/actor Edward Burns' next film, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas. After its world premiere as an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, September 9, a holiday season release is set for late November. 'Having returned to my own filmmaking backyard with my most personal work, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, I'm thrilled to partner with my old friends at Tribeca,' said Edward Burns. 'We've been working closely together for over a decade and I'm happy to have their support to launch the film this holiday season.' In the film, Burns reunites with cast members Connie Britton and Michael McGlone from his award-winning debut film The Brothers McMullen (1995). (Britton is now best-known to audiences from her role as Tami Taylor in the television version of Friday Night Lights.

Audiences are used to seeing sequels to big-budget Hollywood blockbusters like "The Dark Knight," but are continuations of indie films the next trend? Judging by upcoming releases from filmmakers such as Julie Delpy and perhaps Edward Burns, maybe so.

"I like doing sequels," Delpy told HuffPost Entertainment senior writer Mike Ryan. Delpy is currently promoting "2 Days in New York," a sequel to her 2007 film "2 Days in Paris."

"I think it's a fun thing to follow characters in time," she said at the Tribeca Film Festival. "We did that on 'Before Sunset' [a sequel to 'Before Sunrise'], which was really ballsy at the time. When we wrote the screenplay, no one believed in it. And it did better than the first film, in a way. And doing this sequel is not an obvious thing to do."

It isn't, but Delpy is far from alone. While discussing his new American Express-backed short film "Doggy Bags...

What would the Tribeca Film Festival be without Ed Burns? The independent filmmaker has screened six of his films at the event (last year he closed the festival with "Newlyweds") and this year he's back for a seventh time with the world premiere of his short, "Doggy Bags." The project is the result of the 2011 American Express My Movie Pitch competition, which allows one winning contestant to have their idea made into a short. This year's film comes courtesy of winner Susan Brennan, who pitched a story about a young man who suspects his girlfriend is hiding a secret after she routinely orders massive amounts of food to go. Ahead of its premiere on April 20, Indiewire is pleased to offer you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Doggy Bags." Take a look at Burns and his stars Matt Bush, Mike McGlone and Daniela Pineda in action!  ...

It seems lately that actor/director Edward Burns just can’t shake the familiar feeling of his home, but for good reason. With his Catholic-family-from-Long-Island holiday film already underway, Burns is currently planning a sequel to his 1995 hit The Brothers McMullen.

Burns, who’s seen success in front of the camera in Saving Private Ryan and his latest film, Newlyweds, told IAmRogue (via Movies.com) that he’s “started to outline the sequel to McMullen.” He said that the “twentieth anniversary will be in 2015, so my goal is to shoot it at the end of next year to have it ready in time.” He also stated that he was “inspired by what Kevin Smith did with Clerks.” (Clerks II, presumably.)

For those unfamiliar with the original — it told the story of three Irish Catholic brothers from Long Island, who struggle to deal with love, marriage, and infidelity. Burns, Michael McGlone...

Edward Burns, the actor and director behind 1995′s The Brothers McMullen and most recently Newlyweds, has begun plans on his latest directorial effort. WENN (via Cinemablend), tells us that Burns is rekindling with his family roots as he is putting together another movie about an Irish Catholic family from Long Island.

As you may remember The Brothers McMullen is also about three Irish Catholic brothers on Long Island, which attributed to much of Burns’ Hollywood success. His latest project, currently untitled, will focus on a Catholic family all returning home for the holidays, even though the parents are divorced. Burns said the following of the project.

“Half of the siblings still love him and half of them hate him and want nothing to do with him. The mother hates the father most of all and refuses to have him over for Christmas and the family has to figure out a...

Irish American actor Ed Burns is reportedly working on a new project, this one being a holiday themed film about an Irish-Catholic family on Long Island. The film will follow in the footsteps of Burns’ typically Irish themed films such as, most specifically, his 1995 debut in ‘The Brothers McMullen.’ The new film, reports CinemaBlend, will be about a family with divorced parents on Long Island during Christmas. Though divorced, the father wants to come and spend the holidays with his family, causing tension amongst the siblings of the family. Ed Burns says of the film’s plot: “Half of the siblings still love him [the father] and half of them hate him and want nothing to do with him. The mother hates the father most of all and refuses to have him over for Christmas and the family has to figure out a way to convince the other siblings and their mom...

Actor/director Ed Burns is already planning next Christmas - he's making a holiday film for the end of the year.

The Saving Private Ryan star is working on a new movie called Fitzgerald's Family Christmas, which he insists will be like his cult directorial debut The Brothers McMullen, but set during the holidays.

Burns tells WENN, "It's about a big Irish Catholic family out on Long Island. Mike McGlone from The Brothers McMullen is in it. It's seven adult siblings from Long Island and their parents got divorced when they were kids and the father now wants to return to the family's home for Christmas dinner.

"Half of the siblings still love him and half of them hate him and want nothing to do with him. The mother hates the father most of all and refuses to have him over for Christmas and the family has to figure out a way to convince the other siblings and their mom to let dad spend Christmas with them."

And Burns admits the story is a familiar one for him: "I know enough funny Christmas stories that deal with families that I was able to pull enough funny incidents out of it."...

To help support Autism Awareness Month and Autism Speaks, Vanessa and Donald Trump, Jr. are hosting a cocktail reception called A Blue Affair on April 6 at Trump Soho. Along with the Trumps, Autism Speaks’ co-founders Bob and Suzane Wright, ‘Real Housewife of New York’ Kelly Bensimon, Miss New York USA Amber Collins, actor Michael McGlone and famous photographer Richard Phibbs will be in attendance at the event to help raise funds for autism research. Live music will be performed by Talina, a girl from Rockland County, New York with autism. She hopes to be a role model for other children with the neurobiological disorder, as she doesn’t allow it to [...]...

The Waltons ran for nine seasons on CBS and was a cornerstone of the network's Thursday night line-up for the entire run. Three made-for-tv movies aired soon after the series finished and then, three reunion movies followed 10-15 years later.

While the show is popular in syndication, most TV viewers today haven't seen a single episode of the show or really know what it's about. However, most do recognize the iconic scene that ended each episode; a darkened farmhouse with the voices of the family members pleasantly saying goodnight to one another.

The Geico insurance company is having a bit of fun with that part of The Waltons and are using it as the focus of one of their new "Rhetorical Questions" commercials. In the spot, actor Mike McGlone (The Brothers McMullen) asks the immortal question, "Did The Waltons take way too long to...

Spike TV has rounded out the cast of its upcoming eight-hour drama series Kill Pit, which stars John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg.

Joining the cast of the series, from Lionsgate and Mandeville, are Peter Appel (NYPD Blue), Dana Ashbrook (Deadwood), Adam Cantor, Steve Cirbus (Law & Order), Jeremy Davidson (Cold Case), Christine Evangelista ("Law & Order"; reps are Gersh Agency, Myrna Jacoby at MJ Management and attorney Lev Ginsburg), Jennifer Ferrin (Rescue Me), Leo Fitzpatrick (The Wire), Frank Grillo (Prison Break), Michael Hogan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Michael Hyatt (Grey's Anatomy), Mike McGlone (The Brothers McMullen) and Wayne Kasserman (Law & Order: SVU).

Production on the series, which centers on a bank robbery that goes awry, starts Wednesday in Pittsburgh, with the show now set to premiere July 22.

In addition, Steve Shill has signed on to direct all eight episodes and co-executive produce.

As overstuffed as some of the culinary creations it so prominently puts on display, this sophomore film from noted video/commercial director Bob Giraldi (his other feature, "Hiding Out", was a mere 14 years ago) is an entertaining melodrama and a knowing satire of the modern-day restaurant biz. While "Dinner Rush" ultimately bites off more than it can chew, so to speak, it's plenty engrossing along the way, especially for those who wonder about what exactly goes on behind the kitchen doors of their favorite eatery. Showcased at the New Directors/New Films festival, the film is due for a commercial release in the fall.

Danny Aiello, in a part he fits into as comfortably as an old suit, plays Louis, the owner of Gigino, a beautiful Tribeca restaurant that has patrons clamoring to get in. An old-school Italian, Louis is most comfortable with a heaping plate of pasta, but his son Udo (Edoardo Ballerini), the head chef, has grander ideas, creating the sort of lavish dishes that inspire raves from snooty restaurant critics.

The film takes place during one frenzied evening when everything seems to happen. Louis, who also runs a bookmaking business, is threatened by a pair of thugs (Mike McGlone and Alex Corrado) who, in between courses, make it very clear that they want to take over both of his operations. Because his partner was recently gunned down, Louis takes them very seriously.

Meanwhile, he also must deal with numerous other customers and employees, including a pretentious critic (Sandra Bernhard); a chef (Kirk Acevedo) who's in way over his head with gambling debts; his partner's widow (Polly Draper), for whom he has a deep attraction; a snooty gallery owner (Mark Margolis) who makes a sport of demeaning his waitress (Summer Phoenix); and a Wall Street trader (John Corbett) who watches everything from his perch at the bar with an air of bemusement. "When did eating out become a Broadway show?" he innocently inquires.

While some of the plot elements go over the top and the film's climax isn't nearly as clever as it attempts to be, "Dinner Rush" works because of its fast pacing, down-to-earth dialogue, well-drawn characters and, most importantly, its attention to detail. Giraldi owns more than a few successful restaurants, including the one so prominently and lovingly featured here, and he has perfectly captured the atmosphere of controlled frenzy, conspicuous consumption and forced bonhomie prevalent in so many fancy eateries. And his extensive advertising experience pays off; the film boasts a gorgeous visual style, with the restaurant and food shown off to the best possible advantage. While "Dinner Rush" may or may not succeed, it's a safe bet that business at Giraldi's restaurant is going to skyrocket.

DINNER RUSH

Access Motion Picture Group

Credits:

Director: Bob Giraldi

Screenwriters: Brian Kalata, Rik Shaughnessy

Producers: Lou DiGiaimo, Patti Greaney

Executive producer: Phil Suarez

Photography: Tim Ives

Original music: Alexander Lasarenko

Production designer: Andrew Bernard

Cast:

Louis: Danny Aiello

Udo: Edoardo Ballerini

Nicole: Vivian Wu

Carmen: Mike McGlone

Duncan: Kirk Acevedo

Jennifer Freeley: Sandra Bernhard

Marti: Summer Phoenix

Natalie: Polly Draper

Sean: Jamie Harris

Fitzgerald: Mark Margolis

Ken: John Corbett

No MPAA rating

Color/stereo

Running time -- 100 minutes...

Movie-star charisma and the public's insatiable appetite for serial killers are the chief drawing cards for this urban thriller about a quadriplegic police crime scene forensics expert who teams with a young female cop to capture an imaginative murderer with a penchant for baroque clues.

Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, whose visages are prominently featured in an endless series of screen-filling close-ups, provide the charisma, and director Phillip Noyce has invested the material with gripping cinematic tension. "The Bone Collector", which received its world premiere during the weekend at the Montreal Film Festival (it was partially lensed in Montreal), should do solid fall business for Universal.

Washington plays Lincoln Rhyme, a forensics expert and best-selling author whose brilliant career was cut short as a result of a terrible accident in a subway tunnel during a crime scene investigation. Paralyzed from the neck down and connected to a battery of machines, he is still technically a cop, periodically assisting on investigations. But mostly he lies on his motorized bed in his well-appointed New York apartment, watching the peregrine falcon perched outside his window. With a doctor friend's help, he is preparing to commit what he euphemistically calls his "final transition."

Rhyme puts those suicidal plans on hold when he's enlisted by his fellow cops to help them with an investigation. A wealthy couple has been abducted by a New York cabbie (his visual trademark is a tiny monkey hanging from a noose on the rear-view mirror), and the husband is found dead -- buried except for his outstretched hand, skinned to the bone and wearing a wedding ring.

The young policewoman who makes this gruesome discovery is gorgeous Amelia Donaghy (Jolie), who reveals her natural penchant for forensics by her quick-thinking preservation of the evidence. She's also more than a little daring, as demonstrated by her single-handedly stopping a train that's about to intrude upon the crime scene. Rhyme, sensing a kindred spirit, enlists her to assist him in the case despite her lack of experience and impending transfer to a desk job.

Soon the traditional cinematic cat-and-mouse game between killer and capturers ensue, with the former leaving a series of clues that seem to have come from the turn of the century. As the police use Rhyme's apartment as a base of operations, Amelia acts as Rhyme's eyes and ears, exploring a series of grisly crime scenes.

But she invariably arrives too late to save the victims, who suffer such horrors as a deadly scalding by steam and being eaten alive by rats -- details of which are not kept from the audience.

Most of the detectives on the case are Rhyme's friendly former colleagues, played in suitably hard-boiled fashion by Ed O'Neill, Mike McGlone and Luis Guzman. But this wouldn't be a cop movie without a conflict between the lead character and his captain; sure enough, Rhyme's boss, Capt. Cheney (Michael Rooker), is unaccountably hostile to his disabled employee and Amelia in a plot angle that becomes wearisome.

Equally tiresome is the relationship between Rhyme and his devoted nurse, Thelma, with the charismatic Queen Latifah reduced to saying things like "Not on my shift", looking concerned and doing crossword puzzles while listening to Rhyme's urgent radio messages to Amelia.

The convoluted plotting culminates in the none-too-credible revelation that the killer is not merely some anonymous wacko but one of the supporting characters, and the climax features one of the more unusual fight scenes in recent memory: between the deranged killer and Rhyme. The fact that his character is paralyzed doesn't prevent Washington from kicking a little ass -- the encounter is both ludicrous and a total hoot. But the main focus of the story concentrates on the growing relationship between Rhyme and his beautiful protege, with the possibility of a romantic relationship not excluded.

Jeremy Iacone's screenplay, adapted from a novel by Jeffery Deaver, is as occasionally clunky and cliched as his previous effort for producer Martin Bergman, "One Tough Cop", but it mostly gets the job done.

Noyce, who demonstrated his acumen for suspense in such works as "Dead Calm" and Harrison Ford's Tom Clancy flicks, wrings the maximum tension from the proceedings, delivering a highly professional and visually handsome production whose pace rarely slackens. Noyce is smart enough to know that his best assets are his stars, in whom he places a great deal of visual emphasis.

Washington delivers his usual charismatic intensity as the immobile Rhyme, and Jolie provides further proof that she definitely has the goods for big-screen stardom.

THE BONE COLLECTOR

Universal Pictures

A Universal Pictures and Columbia Pictures presentation

Credits: Director: Phillip Noyce; Screenwriter: Jeremy Iacone; Producers: Martin Bregman, Louis A. Stroller, Michael Bregman; Executive producers: Michael Klawitter, Dan Jinks; Director of photography: Dean Semler; Production designer: Nigel Phelps; Editor: William Hoy; Music: Craig Armstrong. Cast: Lincoln Rhyme: Denzel Washington; Amelia Donaghy: Angelina Jolie; Thelma: Queen Latifah; Capt. Howard Cheney: Michael Rooker; Detective Kenny Solomon: Mike McGlone; Eddie Ortiz: Luis Guzman; Richard Thompson: Leland Orser; Dr. Barry Lehman: John Benjamin Hickey; Steve: Bobby Cannavale; Detective Paulie Sellitto: Ed O'Neill. MPAA rating: R. Color/stereo. Running time -- 120 minutes.

Between them, producers Martin and Michael Bregman are responsible for such modern urban crime dramas as "Serpico", "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Scarface", so it's easy to see what would attract them to the adventures of former New York cop Bo Dietl.

Unfortunately, "One Tough Cop" is a distinctly pallid entry in the genre, lacking both the star power and the vivid style of those previous efforts. Although the film, which lacks the complexity of a typical episode of "NYPD Blue", may have a decent opening weekend in certain urban markets, significant commercial success is unlikely.

An amusing end credit declares that every character and situation is fictional except for the character of Bo Dietl, but "One Tough Cop" uses as its chief narrative hook a situation inspired by the real life rape and torture of a nun in East Harlem. This event also figured prominently in Abel Ferrara's "Bad Lieutenant".

Stephen Baldwin stars as Dietl, who, along with his hard-drinking, gambler of a partner, Duke Finnerty (Chris Penn), attempts to bring the bad guys to justice, despite the interference of the police brass and FBI forces hogging the case.

To add moral ambiguity to the tale, Dietl uses as his chief source of information his old childhood friend Richie LaCassa (Mike McGlone), now an important mob figure. Richie is under surveillance by the feds, leading to a conflict between Bo and a ruthless pair of federal agents (Amy Irving, Victor Slezak), who threaten him unless he agrees to rat on his buddy. Meanwhile, Duke is in deep hock to a local gambling boss who is not one to forgive debts, even from cops.

To make things even more complicated, Bo becomes romantically involved with a beautiful nightclub hostess (Gina Gershon), with whom Richie has been having an affair. By the time the film is over, several of the leading characters wind up dead, and Bo's career as a cop is in jeopardy.

"One Tough Cop" had all the makings of a fine cop thriller, but Jeremy Iacone's screenplay is a morass of cliches, hoary dialogue, stock situations, and cardboard characters. It's no surprise, considering the film is based on Dietl's own novel, that his character is portrayed as an uncompromising, caring cop who doesn't let rules or conventions interfere with his single-minded pursuit of justice. Whatever the moral ambiguities inherent in the story, they are lightly tossed aside, even though, as it turns out, most of Bo's efforts seem to wind up in people getting killed.

Baldwin cuts a physically striking figure as Bo, but lacks the depth to bring much subtlety to the role. Penn is far more impressive as his fatally flawed partner, although his efforts are undercut by the fact that we've seen him play this sort of character many times before. McGlone, who here resembles John Gotti Jr., doesn't provide much nuance to his role, and Gershon is equally wan.

The director, Bruno Barreto, who has done so much better work in previous films, also didn't do his wife, Amy Irving, a favor by letting her play a gutter-mouthed Fed; her scenes come across as unintentional parody.

ONE TOUGH COP

Stratosphere Entertainment

Director: Bruno Barreto

Screenplay: Jeremy Iacone

Producers: Michael Bregman, Martin Bregman

Executive producer: Michael Mendelsohn, Bo Dietl

Director of photography: Ron Fortunato

Editor: Ray Hubley

Music: Bruce Broughton

Color/stereo

Cast:

Bo Dietl: Stephen Baldwin

Duke Finnerty: Chris Penn

Josephine "Joey" O'Hara: Gina Gershon

Richie LaCassa: Mike McGlone

Lt. Raggio: Frank Pellegrino

Sgt. Diaz: Paul Calderon

Agent Bruce Payne: Victor Slezak

Agent Jean Devlin: Amy Irving

Running time : 90 minutes

MPAA rating : R...