An amusement park mogul offers a random group of diverse people $1 million to spend the night in a decrepit former mental institution.

Made especially for the HBO cable network, this well-wrought feature is comprised of three short stories by three noted black American authors, each of which is directed by a respected black director.

The foul-mouthed, wheelchair-bound Mr. Rush introduces three adventure tales inspired by the EC Comics of the 1950s: "Showdown," "King of the Road," and "Yellow." This star-studded telefilm was an attempt to launch a second anthology series in the mold of "Tales from the Crypt." When the film failed to generate sufficient interest, the three tales were re-edited and shown as "Crypt" episodes.

After their father is called into work, two young boys, Walter and Danny, are left in the care of their teenage sister, Lisa, and told they must stay inside. Walter and Danny, who anticipate a boring day, are shocked when they begin playing Zathura, a space-themed board game, which they realize has mystical powers when their house is shot into space. With the help of an astronaut, the boys attempt to return home.

Matthew, a college freshman, meets his dream girl in a dorm elevator during a blackout. He never sees her face, but instantly falls in love. In the morning, the power is restored, but the "dream girl" has vanished. All Matthew knows is that she lives in an all-girls dorm. He sets out on a semester-long journey to find his mystery girl among a hundred female suspects. Could it be Wendy? Dora? Arlene? Patty? Cynthia? Or the 95 other girls, any of whom could have been in that elevator with Matthew.