Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 13th, 2004
Synopsis
Bob Hope plays a hopeless American actor in England during the early 1900s. Lucille Ballis the daughter of a newly rich family, and though she may be dressed in finery, she’s very mucha bull in the china shop of English society. Believing Hope to be a butler, Ball’s mother hireshim to teach Ball some etiquette, and hauls the poor soul back to the American frontier, where allmanner of indignities ensue.
The comedy hasn’t aged particularly well, though some of the sma...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 9th, 2004
Synopsis
The unfortunate Renfield (Peter MacNicol) travels to Transylvania, only to be enslaved byDracula (Leslie Nielsen). Dracula uses Renfield to help his move to England, where he preys onLucy Westenra (Lysette Anthony) and Mina (Amy Yasbeck), daughter of Dr. Seward (HarveyKorman) and fiancee of Jonathan Harker (Steven Weber). Seward and Harker fight back withthe help of Dr. Van Helsing (Mel Brooks).
Brooks’ love of vintage horror films, so evident in Young Frankenste...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 9th, 2004
Synopsis
All the expected characters from a typical western are present in this parody, but everythingis turned on its head and made ridiculous. Cleavon Little, formerly a slave, then a railwayworker, becomes sherif (cue the racial humour) in a town besieged by the forces of the evilrailway baron Harvey Korman and henchman Slim Pickens. Also in on the fun are sharpshooterGene Wilder and saloon singer Madeline Kahn.
So the American Film Institute named this #6 on its Top 100 ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 8th, 2004
Summer School is one of those films that I really enjoyed as a boy growing up in the 80’s. It had crazy characters, pretty girls, funny one-liners and cool people, like Mark Harmon. Watching the film today, I can honestly say that it is as good now as it was then. The only problem is, I have matured as a person and as a movie viewer. The characters are still crazy, but they are also largely annoying. The girls are still pretty, and the foreign exchange student is the same woman who played Allota Fagina in A...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 8th, 2004
Synopsis
Risk assessor Ben Stiller believes his life is unfolding according to plan. But then his newwife (Debra Messing) leaves him on their honeymoon for a French scuba instructor (aterrifyingly ripped Hank Azaria). Trying to put his life back together (with dubious help fromslob friend Philip Seymour Hoffman), Stiller runs into old classmate Jennifer Aniston (the Pollyof the title). Her bohemian character is the polar opposite of his, which leads to many dismayingsituations for h...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 8th, 2004
Synopsis
Adam Sandler is a Hawaii-based veterinarian and swinging bachelor, seducing one touristafter another. His pleasure in short-term flings comes to a crashing end when he meets DrewBarrymore, who is physically incapable of anything but a short fling: she has no short-termmemory, and begins every morning with no recollection of the day before. Sandler, however,is smitten, and puts himself through all sorts of contortions to win the girl of his dreams. Againand again and again.< ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 26th, 2004
Synopsis
Jeff Bridges plays the black sheep of an aristocratic Southern family. Shiftless and callow,he is involved in a shady real-estate deal headed up by Joe Spinell (ex of The Godfather,later to gain notoriety as the title character in Maniac). In order to complete the deal,Bridges has to buy out a fitness club, populated by such characters as gym instructor Sally Field,would-be Mr. Universe Arnold Schwarzenegger (now there’s casting against type) and hishappy-go-l...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 23rd, 2004
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 23rd, 2004
Synopsis
Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello essentially play themselves. Once a teen surf idol andMouseketeer, they are now, respectively, a stressed-out car salesman and a neurotic housewife.Their son is a leather-bedecked punk who addresses the camera directly to itemize the failingsof his parents. A trip to LA revives aging pair’s youthful spirit, however, thanks also to cameosfrom everyone from Bob Denver (in Gilligan outfit) to Pee-Wee Herman.
Nostalgia is one thing, ...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 20th, 2004
Synopsis
James Coburn is Dr. Sidney Schaefer, a rather self-satisfied analyst. His ego is given anenormous boost when he is assigned a new patient: the President (who is never seen). Barely hashe begun his new job when he realizes that he is being watched, and his paranoia goes throughthe roof. But just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you. And they are.Every spy agency imaginable, foreign and domestic, wants Dr. Schaefer -- either alive to get hissecrets,...
