Change Your Image
stretchrunner
Reviews
Buddy Faro (1998)
Thought I was the only one...
Well, I thought I was the only one who lamented this show's demise. Was just surfing around this site and looked to see if Buddy was listed and lo and behold! "Buddy Faro" was one of the most interestingly-premised new show in quite a while with a great cast and fun to watch. Felt like I was sucker-punched when it was cancelled. Then a few years later, I find another very interesting show, "Push, Nevada" and THAT gets cancelled. That's the last new show I watched. It seems when you get a good off-the-wall new show, people get uncomfortable and go back to watching the formulaic old standbys and the networks go along with that thinking. Didn't mean to rant here...just still upset that this show never was given a real chance to catch on.
Box of Moonlight (1996)
Stop and smell the flowers
Eventually, our lives reach a point where we find ourselves defined by our jobs, bogged down by some routine, and where we begin to sense that time is running out. Peggy Lee said it best when she sang "Is That All There Is?" In "Box of Moon Light", Al Fountain's (John Turturro) life is reaching middle age and he doesn't realize he's become such a no-nonsense, upright, law-abiding, squeaky-clean, white-shirted bore. Then, after an unsettling attempt to re-visit a childhood memory at Splatchee Lake, he stumbles upon Buck (or Kid) who works at liberating the repressed Al Fountain. Sam Rockwell is absolutely engaging as Buck, Al's Peter Pan if you will, and he truly gives this movie life. Like Al, I did not want to see this journey end!
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
You'll howl at this Yule classic
The Griswold family is at it's holiday finest here. A stellar supporting cast helps carry this gem to the top of the holiday-must-see-comedies list (along with Christmas Story). Other classics which we are all familiar with bring out the spirit and warmth of he season, but Christmas Vacation allows us to relieve holiday stress with side-splitting laughter. This movie also has its share of warmth, but laughter is its main agenda. Chevy Chase, as Clark, is at his over-achieving funniest here. Randy Quaid is priceless as Cousin Eddie and Beverly D'Angelo is again sexy and understanding as Ellen. Juliette Lewis and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are wonderfully obnoxious in early career roles. All in all, this movie is just plain funny and a Christmas staple in my house. In the immortal words of Aunt Bethany, "Play ball".
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
Laughter is the best medicine
How anyone can honestly say that this movie is not funny is beyond me. Yes, there are scenes that strain credibility but this is an escapist comedy movie ,not reality TV! Many of the funniest comedians of the middle twentieth century assemble together to treat us to a laugh riot. Jonathan Winters, in my opinion, is the funniest and wittiest comedian of all time and Phil Silvers was a very under-appreciated talent. Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hackett, Dick Shawn, Arnold Stang, etc...what a cast! The interplay between them is masterful. No, this movie is not edgy or crass or crude or filled with special effects. It's just fun fun fun fun!
Remember WENN (1996)
wonderful nostalgia
For people who like to slow life down and visit the relaxing innocence of times long gone, "Remember WENN" was a wonderful means to accomplishing this. I always looked eagerly ahead to the weekly visits with my radio friends in Pittsburgh. But, like those days of yore, the visits have ceased and all I have are memories. The best memory I have is one which I relive on tape every year at this time - the episode known as "Christmas in the Airwaves". The cast is at their charming best here and the music is fantastic. Peter Noone does a wonderful rendition of "Winter Wonderland" and Betty Buckley is superb with the two original Christmas songs written by Rupert Holmes. This was a great Christmas present from AMC to the fans of this show but watching it every year makes me miss "Remember WENN" all the more.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!!!
There are many great Christmas movies and specials and we all have our favorites, but A Charlie Brown Christmas is probably so well-liked because we have all followed the characters every day of the year on the funny pages, thus they have become like family to us. We know the Peanuts gang intimately from the newspaper and when we see a TV special with them, it's almost like seeing a home movie of our best friends. This is such a beautiful way to illustrate the "true meaning of Christmas". I swear I know the dialogue by heart and I still laugh at Snoopy's antics, yet I never tire of this wonderful Yuletide celebration. (One note of irony here - I see others also remember the Dolly Madison sponsorship in the early years. Funny how the special decries commercialism yet we remember what the commercials for the program were!)
The Rose Bowl Story (1952)
Pleasantly engaging football tale
This is an entertaining little gem that seems to have disappeared from TV screens everywhere. I first saw this as a kid on TV each year around New Years Day and seeing it again after many years has rekindled the fun of those simpler times.
The actors in this movie are all familiar faces and everyone plays their roles in a pleasant, relaxed manner except for a teen-age Natalie Wood, whose character is just brimming with youthful enthusiasm. The plotline is simple and transparent but it's fun to just watch it unfold.
The Rose Bowl story is a glimpse back into the postwar past when the "Grandaddy of Bowl Games" was a big and exciting tradition and not the media-fueled extravaganza it has become today.
If you're looking for a nice and relaxing little story as well as a little-seen vehicle for Natalie Wood, this is a good movie to catch in the "bowling season".
A Christmas Story (1983)
A true Christmas treasure
This is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time! My only problem with it is that it has to end. Growing up in Pennsylvania in the 50's allows me to relate to much of Ralphie's story. I, too, wanted an air rifle (yet I never got my wish fulfilled). I, as well as most everyone I guess, spent a good part of youth daydreaming of performing heroic deeds and receiving the adulation of our peers. The cold, snowy days - the heavy rubber boots - the fantasy heroes in the media - the school bully - the stay at home mom..even a dad with the same sort of temperment as the "old man"...all relatable images. There are some hearty laughs in this movie, but for the most part, it's evokes pleasing grins and rememberences of the happy days of youth. The casting is so perfect that I couldn't conceive of anyone else in the roles. Having Jean Shepherd as the narrator adds the perfect touch. Daily life was so much simpler back then and it seems like everything was appreciated so much more. This movie doesn't have all the bells and whistles of today's releases - it has only humor, charm and nostalgia. Ralphie's face in the final scene is a reflection of my own at that point. This is a true Christmas treasure!
True Lies (1994)
a 90's Bond and Peel?
True Lies is a joyride through Testosterone Valley driven by the outstanding performances of Arnold Schwartzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold in particular along with the sultry nastiness of Tia Carrere and the comic "machismo" of Bill Paxton. This is a tale of a muscled James Bond and an Emma Peel wannabe. Being a sucker for anything with Jamie Lee in it, I was captivated by her again but what surprised me was the easy-going comedic stylings of Tom Arnold. The role of Albert Gibson couldn't be in more capable hands. So if you're looking for a highly entertaining 2+ hour escape, this is the movie for you.
Come to the Stable (1949)
Faith and determination can move mountains
"Come to the Stable" is a charmingly entertaining tale of two French nuns attempting to establish a children's hospital through their faith in God and their fellow man. This story, set in the post-WWII New England,is not a Christmas movie per se but it does embody the spirit of the season. Loretta Young and Celeste Holm are wonderful as the nuns - Loretta as the feisty Sister Margaret and Celeste as Sister Scholastica with the unshakeable faith. Elsa Lanchester is yet again exceptional, this time in her role as the reluctant aide to the nuns. Hugh Marlowe is wonderful as the harried and frustrated songwriter/neighbor.
This movie is about determination and faith and accomplishing the improbable. Sit back and allow this magnificent cast to entertain you. The experience will be well worth it.
Scrooge (1951)
Simply the BEST
The only reason I'm delivering these comments for this film is simply to echo the other reviews and re-affirm what a classic this is. As we all know, there have been many versions of A Christmas Carol made throughout the years which in itself reflects the quality of Dickens' tale, but what truly separates the 1951 version from the others is Alastair Sim's portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge. If ever an actor was born to play a role, this is it. Mr. Sim's portrayal is so natural and effortless. When he is the miserly, sullen Scrooge, the screen is seemingly frosted by his coldness. But when Ebenezer is transformed, his warm glow could melt an iceberg (not to mention the viewer's heart). The entire cast is wonderful but there is no mistaking the body and soul of this production. No matter how many times I've seen this film, I still get that exhilarating feeling at the end. Don't let the Christmas season go by without seeing this gem.
The Bishop's Wife (1947)
Grant, Niven and Young make Christmas magic
"The Bishop's Wife" is simply a tremendous movie, beautifully combining the talents of Cary Grant (Dudley the angel), David Niven (Bishop Henry Brougham) and Loretta Young (Julia Brougham). Monty Woolley is marvelous as Professor Wutheridge and a superb supporting performance is turned in by James Gleason as a skating (?) taxi driver. Dudley is an angel sent to guide the bishop who had prayed for help in getting a magnificent new cathedral built. The problem arises from the fact that Dudley becomes enamored of Julia who has taken a back seat to Henry's obsession with the cathedral. While struggling with his personal crisis, Dudley has an angelic influence on all the lives of the people he meets. Originally, Grant was to portray the bishop while Niven was to have the role of Dudley. Thankfully it worked out as it did because in my mind Cary Grant is the perfect Dudley. This movie also contains one of my all-time favorite scenes - the ice skating session in the park. It is a scene which gives me a warmth inside and I just can't help but feel good watching it. As a matter of fact, I guess I could say the same thing about the entire film!
The Hollywood Knights (1980)
Halloween hilarity in LA in 1965
If you're looking for a fun way to spend an hour and a half, plug this movie in, kick back and be prepared to laugh yourself silly. This film basically has no plot save for the fact that Tubby's Drive-in is shutting down and the Hollywood Knights converge there for one last hurrah. Most of their hijinks take place elsewhere however, but Tubby's is their hangout. The movie is a series of comedy sketches rather than a straightforward progression. The cast plays their roles to the hilt led by the frenetic stylings of Robert Wuhl (Newbomb). Also outstanding are Stuart Pankin as Dudley (the much-maligned honor student), and Gailard Sartain and Sandy Helberg as Officers Bimbeau and Clark. One point I notice in other reviews and which I have to agree wholeheartedly with is that the subplots featuring Tony Danza/Michelle Pfeiffer and Jimmy Shine/Vietnam both contrive to slow the film down. This can be excused though, thanks to such gems as Newbomb's rendition of Volare, the one-armed violinist and the catered reception. Bottom line: it's a lewd and crude laugh-riot!!!
Night of the Ghouls (1959)
So bad it's good
"Night of the Ghouls" is one of those movies best viewed by a group of friends ala Mystery Science Theater because this movie is so bad it's good. If you're expecting to see a classic horror film, you will be sorely disappointed. If you are looking for a fun diversion, this is your flick. The opening monologue by Criswell is a perfect set-up for the guilty pleasure you are about to see. Edward Wood,Jr did not make his movies with a tongue-in-cheek attitude and the actors seem to be taking their work seriously, all of which gives the movie it's unintended comedic charm. One sidenote - John Carpenter (later of "Halloween" fame) gets to take his turn on the other side of the camera as Captain Robbins. The rest of the cast is basically Ed Wood regulars highlighted by the inimitable Tor Johnson as Lobo. The sets and props are as basic and wacky as you can get. All in all, this film is a true Ed Wood production and a must-see for devotees of "so bad it's good" films.
The 'Burbs (1989)
"God, I love this street"
In adolescent years, one of the most exciting activities boys undertake is searching for unknown mysteries in caves, old abandoned houses or any place that's "off limits". The thrill of potentially discovering and then dealing with an unholy terror is motivation for these adrenaline-fuelled adventures. The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and Yeti are examples proving that we never really lose our fascination with the unknown.
"The 'burbs" features grown men perplexed by the mysterious ways of their new neighbors, the Klopeks. Tom Hanks, Rick Ducommun and Bruce Dern are perfectly cast as the heroes of the cul-de-sac, determined to save Mayfield Avenue from the evil Klopeks. The cast is deliciously funny, paranoid and chilling. The film is an hour and a half of pure entertainment which you hate to see end.
Corey Feldman (Ricky) sees the goings-on as the representative of the audience. His line, "God, I love this street" could easily be replaced with, "God, I love this film".