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One of Winona Ryder's lesser efforts, this story takes place at an all-boys boarding school. A troubled young student (Lukas Haas) finds a passed out "older" woman (Ryder) and brings her to his dorm room. There, she awakens and soon a relationship starts between Haas and Ryder. As the relationship grows, he finds out some secrets about her. Secrets involving the police, a baseball player and a stolen car! What could it be?After spending twenty minutes watching this, you really won't care. The acting by Haas and Ryder have to be two of the dullest performances captured on screen. The story has potential, but after you see that it's not going anywhere, there's no real reason to stay and see the rest.
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In this recent teacher-student relationship story, Michelle Pfeiffer portrays a ex-marine-turned-teacher, who helps a group of under-achievers at an LA high school learn how to survive by using their minds as well as their fists (and guns). In the process, she learns some things from her students, like what survival in the streets of America is about.Though this is basically just a To Sir, With Love story updated to the 1990's, the film is made surprisingly well, thanks to the great lead performance by Pfeiffer and a cast of fresh young newcomers, who turn possible stereotypical roles into original and unique characters. The film is also very uplifting, without having to resort to becoming gooey. It is definitely one of the best films of the 1990's, and I'm sorry to say that it wasn't even nominated for any Academy awards.
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A real gem of a film, this stars Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer in the title roles. Pacino is a recently released convict, who becomes a short-order cook and falls in love with waitress Pfeiffer, who doesn't want to get into a serious relationship with Pacino. Among the friends that try to advise them on love and happiness, there is the cynical waitress Cora (Kate Nelligan), Pfeiffer's gay roommate Tim (Nathan Lane) and the owner of the restaurant, Nick (Hector Elizondo).The two lead performers overcome their obvious miscastings as two hard-on-their-luck souls, and come out offering very appealing performances. The standout is Nelligan, who is consistently coming up with dead-on one-liners. The love story is as old as the hills, but that doesn't stop it from still being very charming.
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This tailor-made comedy-drama for Robin Williams could be considered the M*A*S*H of the Vietnam Era. Williams plays real-life radio personality Adrian Cronauer, who tears the Armed Forces radio a new asshole, where he provides some truly hysterical commentary about life in Saigon. At the same time, he is forced to see the horrors going on around him, when he becomes a friend of a Vietnamese boy, who is secretly involved with the Viet Cong. He also tries to dodge the attempts by his superiors to keep him from reporting what's REALLY going on in Vietnam.Williams has rarely been funnier, and has most certainly never been given a more poignant role as that of Cronauer. He is supported by an able cast, which includes Forest Whitaker as Williams guide through life in Nam, Robert Wuhl as a fellow radio personality and Bruno Kirby as Williams stuffed-shirt superior. Like M*A*S*H, the film provides moments that combine outrageous humor and that make powerful anti-war statements as well. One scene in particular is very touching. It involves Williams doing a live commentary for a group of soldiers in army trucks, men of all races going off to fight and die for their country. The performance goes off smashingly, and as the boys drive off into the jungle, Williams looks at them sadly and longingly. It's as if to say "What a waste of fine young boys." In that one moment, the film gets its message across, without having to preach one word against war.
The director Barry Levinson handles this brilliantly. He also accomplishes a near impossible task of getting Williams to show his dramatic side. It's a side of Williams that, up until this time, nobody had ever seen before. This is a film that doesn't just make you laugh and cry, but makes you laugh and cry all in the same scene. That is some mighty good filmaking.
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This awful rip-off of American Graffiti apparently thinks that jokes about premature ejaculation and flatulence are going to hold the audiences attention for the whole movie. The plot is simple beyond comprehension. Taking place on Halloween night, 1965, It involves a group of young practical jokers, who hold one last hurrah on the night their favorite hangout is about to close down.There are plenty moments in this where you'll ask yourself, "What the hell's supposed to be so funny". The main interest for anybody is that this features a cast of future stars during their pre-glory years. Among them, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tony Danza (in his film debut), Robert Wuhl and The Nanny's Fran Drescher. You want to relive your youth in the 1960's, rent American Graffiti. Believe me, you'll find you will be much happier.
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John Landis tries to repeat the success of previous action-comedies like Beverly Hills Cop, combining outrageous sight gags and blood-and-gore action. Jeff Goldblum plays a milquetoast, who is dissatisfied with his life. Then, all of a sudden, a beautiful woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) literally falls into his life. From that moment on, the film becomes one large chase sequence. Goldblum and Pfeiffer spend much of their time dodging bullets and being chased by four Iranian bad guys.The reason why this action-comedy formula doesn't work is that most of the time, the film is moving so slow it very nearly grinds to a halt. The performances by Goldblum and Pfeiffer are good, despite the thankless roles they receive. It's also got some funny moments involving the Iranian bad guys. However, after the baddies have killed their third or fourth person in many bloody ways, the idea of these guys as the Four Stooges comes off as crude and ridiculous instead of funny. I'm not quite sure who this would appeal to, save for people who like to spot Landis' usual cast of well-known directors.
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Based on John Updike's novel, this black comedy-fantasy stars Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer as three single women in a sleepy New England town. Unknowingly, they conjure up with their hidden powers their idea of the perfect man. It turns out to be a horny little devil (Jack Nicholson, in a tour-de-force performance), who will change their lives forever. For better or worse!It's hard to say who's the best of the four leads, since they all work together perfectly. And some of the jabs at male chauvinism and women's sexual needs are right on target. The film with its grand special effects and lavish sets is almost perfect, save for the times when the story gets mean-spirited. Most of the time, it's a very enjoyable fable. I just wouldn't recommend eating cherries before you see this.
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