Zero Patience
Zero Patience 2003, NR, 97 min. Directed by John Greyson, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring John Robinson, Normand Fauteux, Dianne Heatherington. Finally, a movie that’s truly unlike anything we’ve seen before: Zero Patience is a movie musical about AIDS. Yes, a musical, as in that singing, dancing spectacle kind of entertainment. This Canadian…
Above the Rim
Above the Rim 1994, R, 96 min. Directed by Jeff Pollack, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Duane Martin, Leon, Tupac Shakur, Bernie Mac, Tonya Pinkins, David Bailey, Marlon Wayans. ‘Tis the season for b-ball films. With the recent Blue Chips, the forthcoming Hoop Dreams, and this debut from Jeff Pollack, Hollywood seems to…
Jimmy Hollywood
Jimmy Hollywood 1994, R, 112 min. Directed by Barry Levinson, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Joe Pesci, Christian Slater, Victoria Abril, Jason Beghe, John Cothran, Jr. Barry Levinson isn’t sure what to do next. After a string of successes with Good Morning, Vietnam, Rain Man, and Bugsy, he fizzled with the outmoded, Seventies-flashback…
The House of the Spirits
The House of the Spirits 1993. Directed by Bille August, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Vanessa Redgrave, Maria Conchita Alonso, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Antonio Banderas, Sarita Choudhury. Bertolucci had 1900. Coppola had The Godfathers, George Stevens, Giant; Welles had his Ambersons and Visconti, The Leopard. Now…
Major League II
Major League II 1994, PG, 105 min. Directed by David S. Ward, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen, Omar Epps, Dennis Haysbert, James Gammon, Alison Doody, Michelle Burke, Margaret Whitton, Bob Uecker, Randy Quaid. You’ve got to know something is terribly wrong when Bob Uecker’s performance is amongst…
D2: The Mighty Ducks
D2: The Mighty Ducks 1994. Directed by Sam Weisman, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Emilio Estevez, Michael Tucker, Jan Rubes, Kathryn Erbe. “We will, we will quack you,” goes this movie’s singsong chant. Usually, movies only spawn sequels and self-perpetuating merchandising paraphernalia. But last time out, The Mighty Ducks gave birth to a…
The Paper
The chaos, confusion, and ongoing struggle that is involved in putting out a newspaper is well-captured in Howard’s movie. Despite a melodramatic storyline, the texture rings true and the rapid-fire dialogue recalls screwball comedies from the Thirties.
