| UK | Germany |
| Home - Video - Actors & Actresses - ( K ) - Kane, Carol | Help | |
| 1-20 of 98 1 2 3 4 5 Next 20 |
click price to see details click image to enlarge click link to go to the store
| 1. The Muppet Movie Director: James Frawley | |
 | list price: $9.95
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: B00000IQBO Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 2031 Average Customer Review: 
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Amazon.com essential video Reviews (92)
All the Muppets are here from Kermit to Miss Piggie, Fozzie, Gonzo, Rolf the dog, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Dr. Munson Honeydew and Beaker, and many others. There are plenty of cameos including Edgar Bergen, Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, James Coburn, Dom Deluise, Elliot Gould, Bob Hope, Madeline Kahn, Carol Kane, Cloris Leachman, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas, Orson Welles, and Paul Williams. Steve Martin and Mel Brooks are the funniest as a sarcastic waiter and a mad scientist. Charles Durning is also very good as Doc Hopper with his bumbling assistant, Max played by Austin Pendleton. Fans of the Muppets of all ages with love this classic about how the Muppets came to be!
Many people question why this is on my top 10. I think the question is why is it not on theirs? This is pure entertainment for the whole family. It is a movie that works on all levels. The story is enchanting. The music is charming and whimsical. The muppetry is fantastic. It is hard to imagine a better opening to a movie than the rainbow connection sequence. The movie is a cornucopia of awesome quotes. I think my favorite still remains: If frog's couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn. The cameo roles are excellent as well. Steve Martin excels as a put upon waiter. Dom Delouise is impressive as a hollywood agent adrift in a swamp and Mel Brooks steals the show as a german mad scientist.
| |
| 2. The Princess Bride Director: Rob Reiner | |
 | list price: $9.94
our price: $9.94 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6304718551 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 86 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (664)
It fun, it's funny and has adventure and romance, monsters and villains. It also has some of the best performances of an ensemble cast in a fairy tale ever. Robin Write-Penn (Then Robin Write at 19 years old) (Forrest Gump, Unbreakable) starring as Princess Buttercup who has fallen in love with a farm boy-turned Pirate, Cary Elwes (Twister, Robin Hood: Men In Tights, Quest For Camelot) and is seeking the kidnapped Princess from three renegades played by Wallace Shawn (Toy Story, Star Trek Deep Space Nine). The late Andre The Giant (Trading Mom) and an astounding performance by Mandy Patikin (Yentel, Alien Nation, Chicago Hope-TV ). Christopher Sarandon (Nightmare Before Christmas, Fright Night, Just Cause) and Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap, Best In Show) head up the evil King and sidekick roles. The chemistry between Cary and Mandy is phenomenal. They are seriously funny in a sarcastic and monotoned way. The swordplay is the best I have seen since Errol Flynn. What makes this movie special and energetic is the magic of fantasy with a splash of you have to believe in True Love for all this to work and for your happiness to be real. Shot entirely on location and with a minimum of a budget the movie is wonderful to watch and look at. A GEM for all the family - literally. The DVD extras include three behind the scenes documentaries and lots of production photos. Very well put together and filled with interesting comments and antique dotes from all the cast and crew. There's even a behind the scenes home movie view of the production thanks to Carry Elwis himself. Of the trailers and production posters show you more of movie making and what it takes. The audio commentary by Rob Reiner is comical and very interesting. There is also a commentary by William Goldwin which gives you a lot of insighjt to the production. This is a great addition to the family film collection. (10-27-02)
Cast: Cary Elwes ... Westley Carol Kane ... Valerie A storybook stable boy turns pirate and rescues his beloved who is about to marry a dreadful prince. The story is told by the Grandfather (Peter Falk) to his cynical (at first) Grandson (Fred Savage). The story is a love story with all of the elements of a fantasy fairy tale. Westley (Cary Elwes), the good guy, is opposed by Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin--"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father. Be prepared to die!"), at first, and then wins Westley's admiration. Another opponent who becomes a co-conspirator, is Fezzick (Andre the Giant). Buttercup/The Princess Bride (Robin Wright Penn) is the princess who needs rescuing.
There is a lot of good tongue-in-cheek humor involved, and even though it is understood that this is a story told to a young boy, there is nevertheless a good level of tension involved. This is a fun movie. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
One of Reiner's best films is 1987's The Princess Bride, a witty-yet-sweet comedy/fantasy written by two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter William Goldman, who adapted his own novel about the beautiful maiden Buttercup (Robin Wright), whose true love, a young farmboy named Westley (Cary Elwes), goes off to sea to seek his fortune, telling Buttercup that he would come back for her. But when Buttercup learns that Westley's ship has been attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts she swears she will never love anyone again, an oath she keeps even when she accepts a marriage proposal from Florin's Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), a handsome yet somewhat shady fellow who probably could give Machiavelli some lessons in, well, Machiavellian diplomacy. His plan is simple: take over as King of Florin as soon as his father passes away, get bethroded to a beautiful engaging commoner, then stage her kidnapping and demise to incriminate the neighboring rival kingdom Guilder and start a war. Aided by the equally heinous Count Rugen (Christopher Guest), Humperdinck hires a trio led by the too-clever-for-his-own-good schemer Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), the revenge-obsessed Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and Fezzik (Andre the Giant), a brawny hulk with a heart of gold and a fondness for rhymes. The three manage to kidnap Princess Buttercup, but before they reach the Guilder-Florin border they run into an unforeseen obstacle: a dashing swordsman dressed in black. Goldman's clever way of grabbing the audience's heart and funny bone is to present this fairy tale with a framing story of a 1980s grandfather (Peter Falk) who visits his sick grandson (a pre-Wonder Years Fred Savage) and reads the tale of The Princess Bride to him, following a long family tradition. Reiner gets wonderful performances not only from the major cast members, but also from Billy Crystal and Carol Kane, who play Miracle Max and his wife Valerie in a short but hilarious scene. He approaches the fractured fairy tale as a comedy/romance/swashbuckling adventure, poking gentle fun at the conventions of all the fantasy/medieval adventure films of the 1930s and '40s without being obnoxious or too sardonic. The result: a film that overcame box-office failure (it had a brief and unprofitable theatrical run in the summer of 1987) by becoming a home video success. (This is not unique to The Princess Bride, either. 1939's The Wizard of Oz was no box office champ when it premiered; only when it became an annual TV staple in the mid-1950s did Oz become a family classic.) The 2001 MGM Special Edition DVD presents The Princess Bride in its original widescreen format, and features a director's commentary track by Reiner, a writer's commentary by Goldman, English and Spanish audio tracks, a new documentary on the making of the film ("As You Wish"), plus theatrical trailers and two original featurettes. As Vizzini might have added, to try and find a funnier family film is absolutely inconceivable.
| |
| 3. The Muppet Movie Director: James Frawley | |
 | list price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6302642493 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 4766 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (92)
All the Muppets are here from Kermit to Miss Piggie, Fozzie, Gonzo, Rolf the dog, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Dr. Munson Honeydew and Beaker, and many others. There are plenty of cameos including Edgar Bergen, Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, James Coburn, Dom Deluise, Elliot Gould, Bob Hope, Madeline Kahn, Carol Kane, Cloris Leachman, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas, Orson Welles, and Paul Williams. Steve Martin and Mel Brooks are the funniest as a sarcastic waiter and a mad scientist. Charles Durning is also very good as Doc Hopper with his bumbling assistant, Max played by Austin Pendleton. Fans of the Muppets of all ages with love this classic about how the Muppets came to be!
Many people question why this is on my top 10. I think the question is why is it not on theirs? This is pure entertainment for the whole family. It is a movie that works on all levels. The story is enchanting. The music is charming and whimsical. The muppetry is fantastic. It is hard to imagine a better opening to a movie than the rainbow connection sequence. The movie is a cornucopia of awesome quotes. I think my favorite still remains: If frog's couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn. The cameo roles are excellent as well. Steve Martin excels as a put upon waiter. Dom Delouise is impressive as a hollywood agent adrift in a swamp and Mel Brooks steals the show as a german mad scientist.
| |
| 4. Trees Lounge Director: Steve Buscemi | |
 | list price: $9.98
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: B00000FAZJ Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 22105 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (28)
Tommy Basilio (Buscemi) is an out-of-work mechanic who lives alone above a bar called Trees Lounge in Long Island, N.Y. He's more than a bit down on his luck; not only did he lose his job, but his pregnant girlfriend of eight years, Theresa (Elizabeth Bracco) recently dumped him for his former boss, Rob (Anthony LaPaglia). He wants to pick himself up and get his life back together, but he doesn't seem to know where to start, and the garages to which he's applied for work aren't exactly knocking his door down to hire him. So he gravitates to the Trees, where he can at least interact with others who seem to be in situations not entirely unlike his own, though at different stages and for different reasons. But they all have one thing in common-- they're people just trying to get through the day; they're trying to get through life. If they can only figure it all out. With this film, Buscemi proves that he is more than just a talented actor, but rather a true artist in every sense of the word, with his chosen medium being film. He has an eye for detail which complements his insights into human nature and enables him to effectively translate his material to the screen. His characters are finely drawn and complex, and with each and every one he manages to successfully avoid the stereotypes to which a setting like this could easily lend itself (and no doubt would, in lesser hands). Even with the minor characters, he succinctly gives you enough of who they are that it allows you to see beneath the surface and know what makes them tick. And he does it imaginatively-- by filling a room with photographs or items that reflect who a certain person is, for example, or simply by training his camera on someone's face and allowing that extra beat that affords the viewer a telling glimpse of what's hiding behind a character's eyes. Buscemi has an innate sense of knowing how to convey what he's trying to say, and he does it in a million small and different ways that are subtle and incisive. Simply put, he knows what works-- including how to get what he wants out of his actors-- and he presents it all with a pace and timing that are right on the mark. In Tommy, Buscemi creates a character to whom many will be able to relate and identify on any number of different levels. To say that Tommy is a "loser" would be too much of a simplification, because the character is too complex for that tag alone to be accurate. Tommy is blue-collar, down on his luck, and like so many people in real life, just can't seem to put it all together, can't figure out how "life" is supposed to work. And that's what Buscemi conveys so subtly and so well, and it's the key to the success of this character-- it's what makes Tommy believable and real. Obviously, Buscemi knew exactly what he wanted when he wrote this character, and he puts it across with a brilliant, memorable performance which also demonstrates his ability to star in and carry a movie on his own. Certainly, he has a wonderful supporting cast that gives him plenty of help, but few character actors have ever been able to step into a lead role with such facility and achieve the level of success Buscemi has here. And it's work that deserves to be acknowledged. There are a number of notable supporting performances in this film, as well, beginning with Mark Boone Junior, who as Mike captures the essence of a guy who is successful, but a loser nonetheless; LaPaglia, who gives a solid performance as Rob; Bracco, with a performance that is introspectively revealing; Debi Mazar, who with very little screen time leaves an indelible impression (and her eyes are absolutely mesmerizing); Kevin Corrigan (another of the finest character actors around), as Matthew; and especially Chloe Sevigny, as Debbie, Theresa's mature-beyond-her-years, seventeen-year-old niece. Rounding out the ensemble cast are Carol Kane (Connie), Bronson Dudley (Bill), Michael Buscemi (Steve's real life brother, playing Tommy's brother, Raymond), Suzanne Shepherd (Jackie), Rockets Redglare (Stan), Seymour Cassel (Uncle Al), Annette Arnold (Sandy), Michael Imperioli (George), Mimi Rogers (Patty), Daniel Baldwin (Jerry) and Charles Newmark (Puck). An involving story presented with a rich assortment of memorable, convincing characters, "Trees Lounge" is a drama about life-- about the things going on in your own neighborhood, or downtown or two streets over, no matter where you are in the world. Wherever people are, there are situations like the ones depicted in this film, problems that have to be solved and life that has to be lived. And that's what makes this film so good; it gives the audience a chance to connect with, or at least examine, things that anyone anywhere will be able to recognize. It may have taken a collaborative effort to make this one what it is, but in the end, it's Buscemi's film from start to finish, and a satisfying little gem of a movie it is. And that's the magic of the movies.
Buscemi's character is a loser: he's been fired from his job as a mechanic, his long-time girlfriend left him for his best friend, and he spends much of his time as a regular at the local bar, the Trees Lounge. A loser, to be sure, but also a basically decent guy. A funny guy with a quick wit, living in a dead-end, blue-collar Long Island suburb, surrounded by friends and relatives with little vision beyond their dead-end lives. We watch as this loser tries to do the right thing, but just can't get it right. At one point, he apparently succumbs to a certain temptation, but when confronted about it, he insists that "nothing happened!". We believe him, we even feel sorry for him, but we also recognize the inveitability of the outcome, for he has squandered whatever goodwill he still had coming to him. The final scene is haunting in the way it echoes the opening scene. Sometimes funny, usually bittersweet, Trees Lounge is a very good character study. As a portrayal of alcoholism, it also makes a fine, understated companion piece to Barfly, its more famous, self-conscious, and, in my opinion, inferior predecessor.
The cast is loaded by supporting talent--Carol Kane is the long-suffering bartender at Trees Lounge, and there's Uncle Al (Seymour Cassel). Uncle Al is a great character, and Uncle Al is exactly what Tommy will become--somewhat shady but always guaranteed to be viewed as the amusing family scallywag at all gatherings. When Al dies, Tommy uses Uncle Al's ice cream van and takes his place at the wheel. But even this relatively harmless employment leads Tommy into more trouble. Buscemi is right at home in the role of Tommy. We all know people like Tommy, and Buscemi's wonderful script and superb acting breathes life into a character who could all too easily be played as a stereotype--displacedhuman
| |
| 5. Annie Hall Director: Woody Allen | |
 | list price: $14.95
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6301963911 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 12664 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Amazon.com essential video The relationship arcs, as does Annie's growing desire for independence. It quickly becomes clear that the two are on separate tracks, as what was once endearing becomes annoying. Annie Hall embraces Allen's central themes--his love affair with New York (and hatred of Los Angeles), how impossible relationships are, and his fear of death. But their balance is just right, the chemistry between Allen's worry-wart Alvy and Keaton's gangly, loopy Annie is one of the screen's best pairings. It couldn't be more engaging. --Susan Benson Reviews (115)
Until now, I've never seen a Woody Allen movie.
Boy, I sure was a "miss out".
Annie Hall, made in 1977, is a classic. Why, oh why, did I wait so long?
First of all it's a story, and a very funny story at that, about a New York Jewish comedian, played by Woody Allen and his WASP girlfriend, played by Diane Keaton. It pokes fun at many social mores that we take for granted and I found myself laughing throughout. There's the New Yorker who never learns to drive, the mid-westerner who orders a pastrami sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise (which seems almost grotesque to a New Yorker like me), the pretentious movie critic, the neuroses of modern romances, and the differences between the New York and Los Angeles way of life.
The film runs along at such a fast pace that there is almost no time at all between funny moments. And, to make it even better, there are some wonderful film techniques. For example, while Diane Keaton and Woody Allen are talking about photography, there are subtitles on the screen about the physical relationship that they are really thinking about.
If the film were made today the phone calls would have been made on cell phones. But surprisingly, that is the only detail that might be changed. Annie Hall has really truly stood the test of time. And I loved it.
I saw this last year after not seeing it since it came out in the late 1970's...still just as fresh and wonderful. I just wish my wife liked Woody Allen humor as much as I do.
I first saw this picture a few years later, with my first real girlfriend (hi, Lisa!) on the revival circuit. I found it witty and intelligent, as I have with most of Woody Allen's films. I have to say that, to my 16-year-old mind, it still didn't make a huge impression. Twenty years and a failed marriage later, however, I think I can honestly say that I now get it. Annie Hall is, to me, Woody Allen's greatest triumph as a filmmaker and a storyteller. It's a bittersweet, often hilarious recounting of a relationship from its start to its inevitable end. We see Allen at his most honest, at times brutal examination of himself and his destructive approach to relationships as he plays Alvy Singer, a funny, neurotic comedian (not a great stretch for Woody, granted). All the angst, the neuroses, and manic phobias that at first seem so idiosyncratic and charming, eventually become tiring and sad. Here is a man who is so attached to his psychoses that he would be an empty shell without them, and we see the painful fact of this in his reflections of previous relationships and marriages throughout the course of his adult life. Ultimately, this is a character so galvanized by his fears and phobias that he is simply incapable of managing a complex adult relationship, one free of paranoia and anxiety and this is his tragic downfall. In short, he is a small child trapped in the body of a small man. This is not, however, one of Allen's Bergmanesque forays into introspection. The knee-slapping hilarity of many of the scenes help draw us into his world and the relationship he has with Annie (Diane Keaton, marvelous as always), his friends, his family, and the world around him. A particular favorite is when, on their first meeting, Alvy and Annie exchange basic getting-to-know-you small talk, and their hidden meanings and anxieties are shown to us in subtitles. Other scenes involving a movie-line blowhard, a lost mantra, and Annie's decidedly white-bread family are the stuff of legend, and they never fail to bring a smile to my face. Though this film is nearing thirty-years old, it shows no sign of aging. The themes are familiar and universal; who hasn't fallen desperately in love, only to feel the painful tentacles of fear come creeping in the moment they've opened their heart for all the world to see? This film will never lose its place in my heart as one of the best films I've ever seen. ... Read more | |
| 6. Ishtar Director: Elaine May | |
 | list price: $9.95
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6302814146 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 1690 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Amazon.com Reviews (68)
I'm not kidding. Imagine if you will Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty singing (badly) these super lines: "I said come look there's a wardrobe of love in my eyes/ Come on in, take a look and see if there's something your size." "Telling the truth is a dangerous business/ Honest and popular don't go hand in hand./ If you admit that you can play the accordion/ No one will hire you in a rock-n-roll band." You live your life and I'll live mine, and mine will always include a copy of Ishtar.
buy it ,see it, youll laugh
It is a milestone movie! It has to be done!! | |
| 7. When a Stranger Calls Director: Fred Walton (II) | |
 | list price: $9.95
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6302797632 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 10181 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (48)
Seriously though, this film isn't for children. It's true life horror and even more true to home in these violent days we live in. When this film came out, no one ever heard stories about Polly Klaas or other children abuducted from their own bedrooms, or intruders entering a home for any purpose other than burglary. Sure, it happened... but it wasn't as prevalent as it is today. Not contented enough to kill two young children with his bare hands, the antagonist intends to finish off the babysitter as well. Carol Kane is superbly convincing as the terrorized babysitter and Charles Durning does a stunning job as the police detective that won't rest until he can get rid of this guy for good. Slow in some places, but they're really just getting you calm enough so that scare the wits out of you when you least expect it. The film is most focused on psychological terror... you really don't see much violence, you just hear about it and expect it. It may seem a little unsophisticated by today's standards, but it will scare the willies out of you.
Years after that horrible night Curt Duncan, the crazed caller, is back out on the streets after a lengthy stint in an insane asylum. Unfortunately, no one told retired detective and now private eye John Gifford (Charles Durning), the cop who was there the night the caller terrorized Jill Johnson. The father of the children brutalized by Duncan hires Gifford to bring the psycho down anyway he can, if for no other reason than to prevent a repeat performance in some other person's family. Gifford agrees to take the case and begins looking for Duncan. "When A Stranger Calls" rapidly descends into boredom from this point forward, as we see Duncan attempting to rejoin society and utterly failing. He ends up in a bar where he meets Tracy (Colleen Dewhurst) and promptly receives a heck of a beating after attempts to ingratiate himself with Tracy brings on the wrath of a beefy bystander. Why Duncan expresses so much interest in a cranky barfly is just one of the many inexplicable questions that arise frequently during the film. You have a better chance of discovering the origins of the Sphinx or learning quantum physics at the age of three than understanding why this movie takes the turn that it does here. As Duncan takes a beating at the bar, Gifford enlists the aid of one of his cop friends, Charlie Garber (Ron O'Neal), now a lieutenant on the force who remembers the bloody horror of that night but hesitates in helping his buddy. This part of the film is interminable, with lots of shots of Tracy strolling through the blasted landscapes of her city in the middle of the night, Gifford pounding the pavement around town trying to track down Duncan, and the former caller's inept attempts to evade capture. Seeing Charles Durning run, although highly amusing and slightly worrisome from a coronary angle, is not enough to elevate this segment of the film. Thankfully, the film returns to its frightening pace at the end, when the now married Jill Johnson once again encounters Curt Duncan. And this time she has here own children to worry about. The scene where she takes a phone call at a restaurant is worth slogging through the preceding sixty minutes, as is the final showdown shortly thereafter. Another let down with "When A Stranger Calls" comes when we finally see Curt Duncan face to face. The guy simply isn't that scary in person. He's older, sort of thin, and looks like your average, every day type of guy and not anything like some former sailor with an insatiable lust for blood. Apparently, the actor who played Duncan, Tony Beckley, died shortly after making the movie. As for Carol Kane, she does a good job playing the eternally frightened Jill Johnson but then promptly disappears for a large part of the movie. Durning sleepwalks through the role of the determined cop John Gifford and Colleen Dewhurst is largely wasted in the meaningless role of Tracy. The performances on the whole aren't bad, but the wooden pacing and uninteresting middle part of the film insured that no performer, no matter how good, could have saved this movie from the doldrums. The DVD doesn't offer much in the way of extras, but it does give you the option of watching the film in either fullscreen or widescreen. "When A Stranger Calls" really is worth watching in its entirety due to the beginning and the conclusion; just don't expect to find a high level of dramatic tension throughout. I see that many, many reviewers present a united front about this film, something that rarely happens with most movies out there. They are not lying. Go ahead and watch the picture, but prepare yourself for some serious tedium in the process. Perhaps you can take a short nap while you wait for the conclusion?
| |
| 8. Addams Family Values Director: Barry Sonnenfeld | |
 | list price: $9.95
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6303057942 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 8631 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Amazon.com essential video Reviews (36)
The movie begins with the arrival of baby Pubert, in a hilarious send-up of birth scenes with a twist: the mother-to-be enjoys the labor pains. From this point on, the movie goes into three different stories which lead into one another. One dives into the children reacting to the new baby, doing everything from dropping him from the roof to placing him under the guillotine. Their antics are relentless, which leads into the second story as Gomez and Morticia decide to hire a nanny, picking the good-natured Debbie Jilinsky to care for their infant son. Fester falls head over heels in love with the new nanny, who is actually a murderess out for his wealth and fortune. Debbie's suspicions that Wednesday and Pugsley know too much leads into the third story, as she has them shipped off to summer camp, where the sun and cheery attitudes of the campers and counselors are enough to make even the audience cringe in fear. As Debbie carries out her devious plans, the children are put through the hells of the camp until they can take it no longer, rounding out the movie's comedic climax with laughs galore. Like the previous film, the original cast remains intact, with the exception of Grandmother Addams. Raul Julia and Anjelica Houston reprise the roles of Gomez and Morticia, whose romance is put on a back burner from its vivacity in the first film, allowing most of the story to rest on the shoulders of Wednesday and Pugsley, once again played by Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman. There is a lot more to their characters as they make their way through the treacheries of camp: Wednesday has matured into a much fuller character, while Pugsley remains childlike and naive. Fester, played by Christopher Lloyd, is shown as a hopeless romantic who honestly thinks his appearance has nothing to do with his inability to attain a female partner, while Debbie is played excellently by Joan Cusack, who knack for comedy and colorful phrases make her a uniquely comedic villain. The contrasts abide within the story of Fester and Debbie and the trysts at summer camp. Fester's unconventional ways become trying for Debbie to live with; try as she might, she's still a "normal" human being. Wednesday and Pugsley's camp experience provides a sharp contrast: their refusal to take part in the events at camp bring the counselors, who are complete airheads that reminded me of the ditzy girls in high school, to the edge of losing it, but instead, they are forced into a place known as the Harmony Hut, where they are subjected to Disney films and Brady Bunch reruns. In some ways, these contrasts could make the movie a social satire of sorts. The ways in which one character's lifestyle is compared to that of another are fascinating, and while the Addams are highly unconventional, the remaining characters from the real world are in no way considered normal. So the movie poses us that very question: "Who's to say what is normal?" That said, let's move on to the story, which is highly better than that of the original movie. This one actually produces the gags, having the feel that the story was written before the laughs were. The original had the feel that all the laughs were tossed into the air and placed in random spots, which would work because the gags never seemed attached to any specific storyline. Here, the comedy comes from the story, and the two work together marvelously at producing side-splitting laughs and subtle humor. I couldn't help but enjoy myself while watching this movie. It made me laugh like I haven't laughed in a long time, while also keeping the characters intact and convincing. Sonnenfield has done a terrific job in creating this sequel, which is definitely the better of the two films.
This film feature a over the top Comic Performance by Cusack and Ricci, which they steal every scene, when they are On-Screen. One of the most underrated films of 1993. One of the best Comic Sequel around too. Director:Barry Sonnerfield (The Addams Family, Men in Black 1 & 2) give a better engery in this one than the Original. Grade:A-.
The storylines here are fuller; none of that a Fester who isn't Fester is really Fester stuff that seemed too scripted. Here, the 3 ongoing plots are more naturally-born from there characters: Morticia and Gomez (Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia, the most perfect casting seen in film in some time) have just had a new baby. Dealing with new parenthood is bad enough, but when your two older children are doing their best to do away with their new baby brother ... well, even though he's pretty capable of taking care of himself, Morticia and Gomez have their hands full; Then there's Debbie, played BRILLIANTLY by the underrated Joan Cusack, who comes to help with the children but instead is a notorious Black Widow-style murderess bent on marrying Fester and getting her hands on the Addams's fortune. Part of her plan in doing so is to get rid of the two older children, Pugsley and Wednesday, by sending them to a summer camp; Pugsley and Wednesday are horrified by the cheery atmosphere at camp -- not to mention the caffeinated perkiness of the camp counselors, who are at times both revolted and ticked off by the 'weirdness' of the Addams kids. All plotlines come together in a hilarious ending that remains true to the characters, and seems to come naturally from the story. Christina Ricci (another of Hollywood's great underrated performers), as Wednesday Addams, again steals every scene she's in with ease -- her deadpan playing of Wednesday could not be more perfect. Watch for the segment where Wednesday and Pugsley perform their little scene from a play at camp; you'll wet your pants laughing! Joan Cusack is, again, brilliant in her portrayal of Debbie, the killer with a heart of stone. In fact, the whole cast works perfectly together for this superior sequel, with enough one-liners and sight gags and twisted humor to keep you laughing from beginning to end. I didn't own either movie on DVD when I saw the first one on tv the other night (though had seen them both in theaters), but have since bought both ... though got this one first. So gather with your shawl on, find a roost that you can crawl on, and catch this great comedy -- a must-see for anyone in need of some good belly laughs!
| |
| 9. Jumpin' Jack Flash Director: Penny Marshall | |
 | list price: $9.98
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6303394035 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 7371 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (42)
| |
| 10. Over the Brooklyn Bridge (Amazon.com Exclusive) Director: Menahem Golan | |
 | list price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: B000059ZXO Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 25094 Average Customer Review: 
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Description Reviews (1)
O.K. the film is frantic and perhaps overplayed but certain individual scenes were wonderful. A former Brooklyn boy like me especially enjoyed the scenes around Coney Island and the family squabble, in the new restaurant, is a gem. Don't recall this movie ever being distributed to the theaters, perhaps the potential distributors thought it to "ethnic' if you get my drift. ... Read more | |
| 11. When a Stranger Calls Back Director: Fred Walton (II) | |
 | list price: $9.99
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: B0000065LQ Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 18067 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (36)
Jill Schoelen is babysitting for the night. There is a knock at the door and a small, inoffensive voice asks her to call AAA because his car is broken down. When she tries, she finds there is no dial tone. Of course you don't tell a stranger you're all alone with no phone so she tells him AAA is on their way. She does everything right. She doesn't open the door when he asks, she makes sure all doors and windows are locked, she doesn't give out her name. It doesn't do her much good, though. This opening sequence is every bit as good as the original and then some. Schoelen is perfect as the put-upon babysitter trying not to be rude and scaring herself half to death with thoughts of what's on the other side of that door. But...you have to enter the second act at some point and when WASCB does it sinks fast. It's five years later and Schoelen now has an awful mullet that makes her look as unattractive as possible. I guess that's the point, but geez -- a mullet?. Carol Kane and Charles Durning are conveniently in the neighborhood to investigate. Again, it picks up for the third act when Kane is stalked by this new killer. His method of disguise is pretty ingenious, I have to admit. The DVD has no extras and is not widescreen, so there is no real reason to get it if you already have it on VHS or have seen the Showtime version. Again, recommended for the opening and ending, but nothing in between.
It all starts with a fantstic opening( almost as good as the orginal's ) the opening scene picks all the moments right, and was veary well thought out( and scary too ). The movie slowly starts to drag after that, and it is preaty boring till the end, the last scene is preaty scary. Over all the movies preaty good for it's opening and closeing, I would have given the movie 5 stars if it could have been closer to the opening and closeing.
| |
| 12. Shrink Is in Director: Richard Benjamin | |
 | list price: $9.98
our price: $9.98 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B000163RZS Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 17639 Average Customer Review: 
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Description Reviews (2)
| |
| 13. Carnal Knowledge Director: Mike Nichols | |
 | list price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help) Asin: 6300147355 Catlog: Video Sales Rank: 18604 Average Customer Review:
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews (12)
Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkle star as best buds in this story that follows their sexual encounters from college to middle age. That's really it. No other action takes place in this movie that doesn't have something to do with, yup, Carnal Knowledge. Good title too. Don't you think? Just grabs you. Like Catch 22, which I just saw, this movie is all about great framing and long one takes. Even though this movie takes place almost completely inside and is very much like a play, it is very cinematic. Nichols always has the camera in the right place, or at least an interesting place. The structure of the film is also so interesting. It just pops around from sexaul encounter to sexual encounter. And it addresses the whole spectrum...: first love, to marriage, to adultery, to apathy, to..well, it covers a lot. And though it tends to focus mainly on the negative, which can be a little bleak, it sure is real. At times it can be a little slow and a little tedious (you sort of feel Nichols getting a little TOO into some of these long takes), but this remains a very good, intelligent, unflinching movie. Check it out. B, B+
| |
When a viewer yawns