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Futurama (1999)
So very, very funny!
Giving Sci-Fi the same skewering he gave the American Family, Groening has hit gold again. I only hope they don't run out of gags by the second season, because they are laid on THICK in each episode of this excellent show...
And Bender the Robot is easily on of the most relentlessly funny characters ever.
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Not all guys appreciate Jane Austen
And I can hardly count myself among them. But having seen this exquisite production, I am more than tempted to actually pick up one of Austen's books and read it.
Any man who can appreciate Shakespeare can appreciate this miniseries - can be drawn into the twists and turns of this societal tragedy-comedy as surely as you would be pulled into any of the Bard's work.
So guys - give your pride a rest and leave your prejudice at the door - this is one of the best productions ever put to film. I dare you not to like it.
Futurama (1999)
So very, very funny!
Giving Sci-Fi the same skewering he gave the American Family, Groening has hit gold again. I only hope they don't run out of gags by the second season, because they are laid on THICK in each episode of this excellent show...
And Bender the Robot is easily on of the most relentlessly funny characters ever.
Moonstruck (1987)
One of the great movies
There's not a single performance in this movie that's even got a nick - they're all perfect. The surest sign of great acting combined with great directing is that (A) you believe in the characters, and (b) you forget to think of what you're watching as a movie, because everything seems perfectly natural.
I have to fight the urge not to look for the Capumagi's store when I'm in NY, to buy a wedge of parmesan fresh off the block. Everybody's friendly and you can walk home at night alone - hardly the stereotypical New York, but maybe that's why we all like it so much. Everyone from Cher and Cage to John Mahoney is memorable.
But don't expect all sentimentality and sap - there's some real humor here without ever having to truly fish for laughs. Only the best of comedies can make that claim.
Add to this the fact it's an outstanding movie to enjoy while cuddling with your better half, and this may be the perfect movie.
That '70s Show (1998)
You'll bemoan the loss of the 70's (no, I'm serious!)
The first episode brought me tears of laughter, and it's been hysterical ever since. I was only 4 in 1976, but this show's charming enough to make me nostalgic.
It's made me actually return to prime-time viewership. If you haven't seen it yet (and there's a shocking number of those who haven't) - you can correct your oversight next Monday.
And if you hurry, you can still catch the Streaking episode!
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Don't listen to the critics, here or elsewhere
After all, we want to see space opera when walking into Phantom Menace - NOT (snicker) Fellini, Hitchcock or Kubrick. We want to see a sci-fi thrillride and learn what leads us to the events of the original trilogy.
Admittedly, the first @15 minutes are pretty juvenile, and had me groaning - but once they leave the goofy-looking city (you'll know it when you see it) and head for the Core, it gets really entertaining. The effects, the battle scenes are all great fun, and the Pod Race is not to be missed. It's Star Wars meets Ben Hur.
And if you're OBSESSING over the fact that the dialogue seems geared to the younger members of the audience, I suggest you re-watch the originals. They're not exactly Truffaut themselves.
Those of you wanting a dour, serious experience and brilliant Thespian writing and plot elements better not have one word of complaint leaving the theater, because if you expected these things from a Star Wars movie, you might actually want to SEE one first (they're readily available in video stores across the land).
For those who are going to see the movie for all the RIGHT reasons (you know who you are), don't listen to the amateur Eberts around here - it's well worth the price of admission!
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
Really funny
Of course you've heard about the Flying Elvises, but even without that brilliant gag, this movie would still be a great comedy. Cage is brilliantly amusing as the frustrated everyman who can't seem to catch a break.
The Matrix (1999)
It'll make a liar out of your watch
I knew when even the critics gave it positive reviews that it must be sheer sci-fi brilliance...
Brilliance doesn't approach this engrossing, enthralling experience. I even had "lying watch" syndrome. When the films over, you look at your watch, and cannot believe the movie was as long as it was, because you were sucked in to the credits. I last had that feeling during the Usual Suspects and L.A. Confidential. Maybe I've just got a thing for brilliant noir-action fusion, but this movie is a winner. I'm glad it came out before Star Wars I, or even I probably would've ignored it...
See this movie. See this movie now.
Riders of the Purple Sage (1996)
Best western you've never seen
Most of the new westerns being made these days (i.e. Unforgiven, Tombstone, etc.) are exceptional, but this may be the pick of the lot - the characters are real, the plot is believable, the photography is superb. I've never read the book, but I may now.
Serial Mom (1994)
Hilarious!
The lukewarm "official" reviews I've seen of this movie are puzzling. Sure, you're not busting a gut every second, but seeing the plastic-suburbia dreams shredded by Waters is entertainment enough for me - and Turner truly BECOMES her character in the movie. You can watch it over and over and laugh at something new each time.
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995)
One charming movie...
Some of us demand a movie with intricate plots in every movie we see. Others of us can recognize the fact that there is a VAST array of movie types, and one of these is the "character-driven comedy." This is a highly appropriate example. True, the plot seems insignificant - villagers piling dirt on a hill. But it's the characters, who take such fierce pride (or indifference) in this hill's status which become the entertainment. The lengths the townspeople go to to make the status of "their" mountain official is the charm of the film. True, Grant is wooden, but wooden is perfect for the antiseptic Englishman the script calls for.
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998)
The worst show since Charles in Charge
This show could not be worse if you tossed a dictionary in a blender and dropped the pieces on a blank script book covered in paste.
It's the formula and laughability of "Friends", minus all the wit and charm of the "Friends" writing, and with far less likable characters.
Shows like this never get the quick death they deserve, so expect to have to use the remote frequently between "Dharma & Greg" and "The Drew Carey Show" with alarming frequency.
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Passion defined
This movie is the best expression of passion I have ever seen. Every emotion you can have is poured onto the screen, and by the end, with that brilliant song resounding inside, you can't decide to let the credits finish or to rewind it instantly and watch it again.
Overboard (1987)
Surprisingly, quite good
It is utterly formulaic, downright silly, and loaded with cheese - normally the kind of movie I not only avoid, but mock until until it can't take it any more...
BUT
This movie stars Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn - whose real-life relationship translated perfectly on the screen - AND it's directed by Garry Marshall - who, besides being hilarious as a character actor, is a brilliant director in the funny+feelgood family of movies.
This movie has gotten under my skin, and despite all my efforts to the contrary, I cannot help but love it.
If my sickness grows worse, I will soon buy it.
STOP ME, I'M MAD - MAAAAAD!!!!!!
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
A must-see for any serious film buff
Like other users, I am shocked when I see negative reviews of this film... The characters are one-dimensional, but that is part of the charm of the film - the characters blend seemlessly with the imagery. It plays out like a fuzzy, spinning dream about the noir images of the big city. The Coen brothers were the perfect creative team to bring that to the screen, and the cast was perfectly chosen.
I've got it on tape and watch it frequently - if you're thinking about watching it, you know my recommendation - just this word of advice: don't go into it looking for a life-changing experience or an insight into the dark soul of mankind (for that go to your priest, not the movies) - look for a charming story that will leave you with a grin on your face, and you will not be disappointed.