jbdean

If you love Adrian Monk you're going to love his last case! The original cast, minus Sharona, are back again to help Mr. Monk solve what is expected to be his last case. Full of all of his quirks, phobias and catchphrases, this film does not fail to delight true Monk fans and those who love Tony Shalhoub! Trudy's daughter is set to be married & everyone has gathered for the joyous event! But, of course, wherever Mr Monk is murder seems to follow and this is no exception.

The only drawback I can find with this movie is that it's only just over an hour and a half long. Personally, I could've gone for 2 1/2 hours and still wanted more.

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Sadly this wasn't the swan song movie for DeNiro it's been hyped to be. With a runtime of 209 minutes, it's about 89 minutes too long. Filled with far too many "talking heads" scenes, with DeNiro and Pacino rehashing how he's got to do what the mob wants but he's not going to do what they want about 5 times too many. Okay already. We get it. Hoffa was a badass.

This coupled with endless scenes of Pesci & DeNiro's wives smoking, wanting to smoke or arguing about not being able to smoke was beyond a waste of film and time. It would have been fabulous if Scorsese would have used even a fourth of that 89 minutes to showcase Harvey Keitel. Instead we're left with seeing him maybe twice or three times with less dialogue than a glorified extra. It was truly disappointing.

While the film was good, it was far from great. It seemed like the Goodfellas met Scent of a Woman. At the end, the film shows us that DeNiro and Pacino have really not grown as actors as we've been led to believe. Gone are the edgy characters like DeNiro's Taxi Driver and Leonard from Awakenings! There was no hint of Pachino's Bobby Deerfield or even his Michael Corleone. We're left with the typical gangsters they've given us over the decades. Pesci, on the other hand, while still giving us a mild taste of Tommy DeVito from Goodfellas with a dash of Vinny Gambini from My Cousin Vinny, stole the show from the Trio of Headliners.

Is the movie one you should pass on altogether? Not if you enjoy these three stars or gangster movies or even the genre from the Jimmy Hoffa-era. Is is an Oscar winner? Well, it sadly doesn't get my vote but at the end of the (long) night, I am glad I watched it if for no other reason than to see DeNiro, Pesci, Pacino & Keitel all on the same bill.

SPOILER! Not sure if they thought they were making another Hitchcock film (he was notorious for leaving audiences to fill in the blanks, like in The Birds) but this fell so short a 50 foot ladder wouldn't have helped.

The story begins solidly enough and does progress to where we're all wondering just who is messing with the mother and her son ... human or specter. But once we determine the intruder to be human, there's one really good scare and then it's all down hill from there. There is no explanation as to who the intruder is, where he's come from, why he wants the house or why he only started this deranged stalking with these two people. Surely if the mother's sister was having issues she wouldn't have let her sister and nephew stay there. You'd think, right? Maybe she hated her and this was payback? Maybe she'd taken out a huge life insurance policy on them and paid the intruder to kill them. Who knows? Those ideas at least would have given the story some closure. Too bad because it had enough scary moments to keep me on edge and then fell dead when the second shoe failed to drop.

A bunch of losers get together for the heist of a lifetime. Are they pros enough to pull it off?

I found this little ditty in a bargain bin, got it for a buck and I tell you ... I never laughed so hard! The characters are original, quirky, funny and just plain lovable! Great dialog, great scenes and all of the cast plays off each other like they've been together forever.

I really recommend this film for everyone (though not for kids as there is strong language) who wants to just simply laugh until their sides hurt! :D

While the songs and dance numbers, in general, aren't as strong as many would have them be, the film's storyline and message are still there and ring out loudly above the simple 70s-style musical numbers.

Keeping in mind that this film was made after the Hollywood Musical had nearly died out (with few exceptions being rock musicals), the audiences that went to see it new didn't appreciate the fact that it was a brave attempt at something that hadn't been done to date. Audiences that see it today will tend to judge it against the films and musicals of today and, perhaps, the huge all-star casts of musicals gone past. But to do that to this film, or any for that matter, is an injustice to the film itself.

There are some good musical moments in the film. The first is that of Bobby Van. Mr. Van took his role of Harry Lovett just after closing a 2 year Tony nominated (for best actor) run of the Broadway revival, "No, No, Nanette." He is a song-and-dance-man from way back and, honestly, the only one in the cast that was truly talented and experienced for musicals. He never misses a step in his "Question Me An Answer" and rightly so ... he was totally at home as Harry. Other pleasant numbers are done by Olivia Hussey when she welcomes the new visitors and while the lyrics are weak, James Shigeta shows his strong voice in the "Family" song, as well as a nicely done staging of the full piece.

View the film for what it is ... a fantasy about a place where you never grow old, hidden in the ice and snow covered mountains of Tibet, found by a group of unsuspecting modern-day people wrapped up in the strife of any modern culture. Take this and compare it to reality and you get a film that falls short of a goal. But ... take this film for the message of love and peace and tranquility and brotherly love and you get a warm and refreshing message and a positive one at that.

To some this film may seem corny to others a welcomed release from the hectic pace of reality. To the first, try to not judge and just enjoy the message. To the second, you have discovered the secret of Shangri-La!

The highlights and shining moments lie solely in those belonging to William Hurt and Donald Sutherland ... and even they aren't given much that's new to work with.

The film starts out so similar to the version done by Kenneth Brannagh that one thinks it might just be that film they're getting ready to watch. Only until we see Donald Sutherland do we realize that it's a newly done remake. Yet with few exceptions to the plot, it's not hard to mentally replace each character with those done in the version that had DeNiro as the patchwork monster of Dr. Frankenstein.

Lacking the passion of the lovers that is needed to believe that the young doctor has lost everything to live for when his young bride is murdered, the film is fraught with slow moments, stiff dialog and a monster that looks like a rock star and sounds like a polished English gentleman.

However, the photography is marvelous but this can't save a film that has been done too many times and brings nothing new to this version. The supporting cast of Mrs. and Mr. Frankenstein and Victor as a child are weak and often done over the top. Henry, sadly, has little to contribute and seems to be there only because he was written into the script.

Television is the best venue for this production as it's simply not worth the cost of a movie ticket if it were playing on the big screen.

A young man comes to America and goes to live with an elderly man (James Whitmore). The humor, though probably out-dated by today's standards, was fresh and very funny when the show was new. The escapades of the young, sweet and helpless Tony ... as he struggled to do everything right and the "American Way" had him in more scrapes than out. Think of "I Love Lucy" with Tony as Lucy and you have "My Friend Tony."

I remember this series and how much I loved it. Though not on for long, Enzo captured many a young American girl's heart with his portrayal of Tony.

His smiling face appeared in every teen magazine on the newsstand and it was a sad day when the series ended and Enzo went back to Italy.

How do a seemingly mismatched group of people, that have never met and

know nothing about one another, end up in an insane maze of sci-fi looking

cubed rooms? How will they ever figure out the solution to their freedom?

Teamwork seems to be the key ...

From the very first scene to the last, the writer, director and cast have you by the collar ... you are totally hooked! I was completely impressed with the set design and the thought that went into how the CUBE works. A totally

professional work of art from all sides!

While some questions are not fully answered it doesn't hinder the enjoyment of the film simply because the whole sense of it is the unknown. It will keep you guessing, wondering and hoping from start to finish!

The film is incredible! You'll cry because you're sad, because you're happy. You'll laugh because it's funny and because you'll share the awkward moments. This film has it all!

And Kevin Spacey is at his most chameleon-like ever. Not just the body language but the voice ... this truly is like no other role he's ever done and it is so believable that you'll just be in awe.

The writing, acting and score are equally excellent. It is truly a movie that keeps your attention and moves along at a perfect pace ... always forward. From the very inventive and superbly filmed opening scenes to the personal moments that each character goes through as they travel towards their new futures, "The Shipping News" is top quality and truly a gem of a film. This one is a keeper and destined to be a classic.

All politics aside, let's just enjoy the movie. This is a delightful tale of Irish immigration to America and, while wanting to be "All American", holding fast to tradition. Finian finds the elusive pot o' gold and steals it off to America. The drawback? If Og (the leprechaun) doesn't get it back in time he'll lose his magic and become ... dare we think it ... MORTAL! Tommy Steele, adorable as Og, is so charming and believable that there is no need for trick photography to make him appear "wee" in size. We accept his full size and never disbelieve that he is full-blooded Leprechaun! With such delightful songs as "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love," "Something Sort of Grandish," (sung by Steele), "How are Things in Glocca Morra" and "Old Devil Moon" (Pet Clark) the film is a delight from beginning to end. And who doesn't love the scene when Og begins to realize that being mortal isn't really all that bad? One of my very favorite films and one of the last of the Classic American Musicals! 4 Stars!

While Fred MacMurry *is* the Happiest Millionaire, it's Tommy Steele's John Lawless that keeps a smile on your face throughout the whole film! Playing the role he was born to play, the Irish immigrant, Steele "steals" the show. From his opening number, "Fotueosity" to "Let's Have a Drink On It Now" you'll be standing in front of the tv trying your best to dance and sing along! The Happiest Millionaire, a Disney Classic, has songs that have a strong flavor to such great musicals as "Mary Poppins" and "My Fair Lady" while the story is a delight as well. A man, MacMurry, has an unethical way about him that makes him an odd-ball among the upper-crust. His "Biddle Bible School" (made up of losers that even the Salvation Army would have rejected) is a strong-willed man with a gentle heart. Loving his family, friends, servants and alligators more than *society*, he finds that when you love some one "you know when to let them go" but that it isn't as easy as it sounds. When his oldest and only daughter goes away to prep-school and falls in love (John Davidson and those adorable dimples ... ) he has to make the best of it ... as best he can. Filled with fun, frolic, romance, and near-tragedy, "The Happiest Millionaire" is worth a million ... and then some! 4 stars

Originally I got this film because Tom Hulce was in it but after I finished watching it (and had finished drying my eyes from all the crying I had done) I sat back, heaved a huge sigh and thought ... "WHAT A FILM!"

I didn't see it in 3-D (but would love to) and it still took my breath away! The acting is superb and the photography excellent! And what struck me the hardest was "why aren't we told about these *heroes* in school?" These men, who risked their lives for opening the lines of communication, bridging huge gaps between friends, family, lovers, etc., were true heroes in every meaning of the word. And this one particular man, who would travel to the ends of the world and back again for the love of his wife, is what people are hoping to find enter their own lives. And to realize this is a TRUE STORY is just unbelievable!

But I think Tom Hulce has the best line in the film ... "Good night, you love birds." At a time when only single phone lines existed, he places two phone receivers opposite of each other so husband and wife can speak on the phone over thousands of miles. After the call is ended, he says this line. The deliverance of the words and the look on his face ... what a moment!

{{sigh}}

While a bit *soft* at times, this film is well worth watching. It holds a deep message for all humans ... "to know who we are is the key to understanding others". It also tells us that TRUE friends are what make life worth living!

Tom Hulce, winning an Emmy (long over due!) for his performance as Peter Patrone, is excellent! Not playing the sterotypical gay man, he shows us that we all have one thing in common ... we want to be loved for who we are!

BRAVO!

Tom Hulce turns in yet another stellar performance as "Shadowman"! From the moment he first appears on screen until the last second he has the viewer in his grip. You want to know all about "Shadowman" and you want him helped. Tom's Polish accent is perfect and his ability to take us into the world of abuse and neglect inflicted on him and other Jews during WWII is remarkable.

A film hard to locate (only released in Holland and Europe), it's well worth the trouble needed to find it.

TOM HULCE* turns in yet another Oscar-worthy performance as Dominick Luciano, the brain-damaged garbage man who's helping put his brother (Ray Liotta as Eugene) through medical school.

This is a must-see for all movie lovers and all lovers of life and people!

===========> *From the small studder to the eratic dancing, to the repeated words "Oh, Jeez" whenever Nicky is in a bind, the belieavablitly of Tom's performance is so excellent that you will have to concentrate to remember that it's an actor on screen!

Ready for a wild ride into the underworld?

Murder, sex, Mafia, cops, love and marriage ... Slamdance has it all!

C.C. Drood* is a cartoonist but his life is anything but a comic strip. When an affair with a mystery woman he meets at a friend's club leads to murder and his implication, life turns upside down for Drood. Just wanting to reunite with his wife and their daughter, Drood has to solve a mystery that even the cops can't figure out. And life begins to imitate art ... the art of being treacherous!

==========> *TOM HULCE is C.C. Drood. Tom, again, brings us a complete character ... as real as life. Drood has a funny side, a serious side, a vulnerable side and a loyal side. He shows us the chaos of being caught in a lie and the struggle of trying to straighten it out. Drood is a great role and is done to perfection by Hulce!

The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket ... a delightful film and wonderful performance by TOM HULCE!

Who wouldn't love Daniel Rocket? Most of his school mates, that 's who. Children can be cruel ... and cruelest to those they don't understand. So is the case with sweet "Snood" (Daniel Rocket, played by TOM HULCE).

Snood, as his best friend calls him, has a secret and a gift that he shares only with two friends ... he can fly! But as with most "gifts", they tend to alienate us rather than bring us closer to people. Being different isn't easy but for those that are ... it's a way of life that has to be dealt with.

Daniel Rocket shows us that being different is not just what some of us are but it's what we should all strive to be! Because, in reality, we're all a little different and accepting this will make living with others more rewarding. For those that choose to ignore that fact will only, eventually, miss out on all the wonders that we all have to share with each other.

"We're all just delivering pizza ... " [Jonathan]*

Everyone has dreams ... but reality makes us have to live the 'normal life' while waiting for our dreams to come true. That's the way it is in Echo Park, California for three mismatched people that come together and form a bond of friendship that none of them ever expected!

A Pizza Man who's really a song writer. A Waitress that's really an actress. A Body Builder that's really the next Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In Echo Park ... dreams can come true!

===========> *TOM HULCE as Jonathan ... shows the tenderness of this endearing character. And we also get to hear some of his beautiful voice as he sings, pieces, of the song he's working on! (A definite added bonus.)

Amadeus, while not totally historically accurate, is a journey into the wild life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and many that shared that life.

The photography is breathtaking, the score superb (of course!), the costumes candy-for-the-eyes, and the acting ... BRILLIANT!

TOM HULCE is amazing as Mozart! From the laugh to his death, Tom takes us on the wild ride that was what made Mozart who he was. "Your Majesty, I'm a vulgar man. But I assure you, my music is not." [Amadeus]

If this film doesn't make you a fan of Mozart's and Tom Hulce ... nothing ever will!

Rating: All the stars in the Heavens!!

"Who do you dream of? Hoot Gibson ... Howdy Doody? I'm talking about the *theater*!" [Harry Crystal]

Nothing beats a great stage show ... nothing! And Harry Crystal lives that belief. A stage actor still waiting for his big break, Harry brings the magic of live theater to a small town and to Artie Shoemaker (TOM HULCE) ... a young man who has big dreams (but just didn't know it until he met Harry).

With scenes and songs from many of America's classic musicals ... Those Lips, Those Eyes conveys both the ups and downs of the people that, for 2 hours, take us to a fantasy land, but who manage to keep that magic alive in their hearts all day long!

Like Artie ... once you've seen Those Lips, Those Eyes ... "You're hooked, kid!" [Harry Crystal]

A film about the day James Dean died ... is a good glimpse into the lives of some fans that were so moved by his death that it changed their lives.

Tom Hulce gives us a glimpse into more great things to come from him. His role, while not the principle character, is complete and real. The youthfulness and obsession (with sex) Haney has is so true of many young people but done in a non-sterotyplical way.

A great film for James Dean fans, Tom Hulce fans and Richard Thomas fans.

Animal House is not only a classic for its legacy of what comedy was like in the 70s but a classic for its comedy timing, style and characters.

With such comedic giants as John Belushi and Donald Sutherland, Animal House is a riot from beginning to end! From food fights to sex on campus, Animal House lives up to its name.

Tom Hulce, as Pinto, shows us the gentler side of the 70s ... those few quiet ones that were longing to *break out* and *live*!

This is a must for anyone that wants to just have a good time, laugh 'till their sides ache and see comedy at its best!

Tom Hulce turns in yet another stellar performance as "Shadowman"! From the moment he first appears on screen until the last second he has the viewer in his grip. You want to know all about "Shadowman" and you want him helped. Tom's Polish accent is perfect and his ability to take us into the world of abuse and neglect inflicted on him and other Jews during WWII is remarkable.

A film hard to locate (only released in Holland and Europe), it's well worth the trouble needed to find it.