Stockard Channing's TV movies
Another thread to discuss the films of a specific actress known for her TV movie career. Stockard starred in some exceptional TV movies. Here are the ones I've seen:
1. The Matthew Shepard Story (2002) Perhaps her most well-known and well-liked TV movie. Stockard won the Emmy for this one. Despite the title, the movie is told from the perspective of Matthew's mother (Stockard) and it tells the story of a college student who was murdered for being gay. The movie starts with his death and through Stockard's flashbacks, we see the boy's life-long struggle with his sexuality. I highly recommend this emotional movie.
2. The Baby Dance (1998) Stockard plays a woman who plans to adopt the baby of a pregnant woman (Laura Dern) who lives in a trailer park. This may sound like the Glenn Close/ Mary Stuart Masterson classic "Immediate Family", but it's not the same story. I highly recommend this one too.
3. An Unexpected Family (1996) I really like this one. Stockard plays a NYC museum employee who inherits her delinquent sister's children. The fact that the movie was really shot on location in New York City really adds to this very fun movie about Stockard learning how to be a mother.
4. An Unexpected Life (1998) This is a sequel to her popular TV movie "Unexpected Family". Now Stockard and her boyfriend have moved with the children to the country, and Stockard learns she's pregnant. Not nearly as good as the first movie, but not terrible either.
5. The Room Upstairs (1987) Stockard stars as a city woman who owns a boarding house and she also works as a social worker. This is a really terrific TV movie that has the big budget look and feel of a theatrical movie. The dvd has a criminally misleading photo of Sarah Jessica Parker on the cover even though Sarah is only in the movie for about 5 minutes. Make no mistake, the movie stars Stockard and Stockard alone.
6. The Girl Most Likely to... (1973) Stockard's first TV movie. Stockard has said that she owes her entire career to the success of this movie. Stockard plays a girl who was bullied in high school, so after she graduates she gets plastic surgery to improve her looks, and then she murders those who bullied her. Joan Rivers wrote this classic must-see movie.
7. Tidy Endings (1988) Stockard's husband was a closeted homosexual who dies of AIDS. After his death, Stockard agrees to meet with his gay lover (Harvey Fierstein). Not a great movie, but not unwatchable either.
8. The Truth About Jane (2000) Stockard is an anti-gay mother of a teenage lesbian. Eventually she comes around to accepting her. Not great.
9. David's Mother (1994) Kirstie Alley stars as a woman with a mentally challenged son. Stockard has a supporting role as Kirstie's sister, who tries to fix Kirstie up with a guy. This is a very good one.
10. Lily Dale (1996) Set in the early 1900's, Stockard plays a mother of two adult children- a son and a daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson). Stockard's new husband does not like her son. Nothing special here.
11. A Girl Thing (2001) Stockard has only a supporting role as a therapist. Her patients tell her 3 stories which make up the whole movie. Stockard is merely the wrap-around story that connects the 3 stories together.
12. Jack (2004) The movie is about a teenage boy who's parents divorce because the father is gay. Stockard plays the wife and mother. This is a very bland movie.
13. Not My Kid (1985) Stockard's teenage daughter is a juvenile delinquent so they send her to a strict rehab type place. Stockard only has a supporting role and the movie is pretty terrible.
....I hope this helps to serve as a guide for Stockard's TV movie enthusiasts.