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Monday, February 28, 2011

Wayne's World 2 (1993)

In the sequel to Wayne's World, Wayne Campbell now lives in an abandoned doll factory in Aurora, and their Friday night television show still a big hit. But Wayne wants to put on a concert. That night he has a dream where he is led by a weird naked Indian and meets Jim Morrison, where Jim tells him that putting on the concert is his destiny and that "if you book them, they will come." So Wayne and Garth decide to do it, calling the concert "Waynestock", however when signing the bands and selling the tickets are unsuccessful, Wayne thinks that maybe it wasn't such a good idea. Garth meanwhile has an affair with a seductive blond whom he finds out is already married. And Cassandra has a new producer by the name of Bobby Cahn. When Cassandra finds out that Wayne was spying on her with Bobby, they break up and Bobby marries Cassandra only to be interrupted when Wayne goes to get her back. Even funnier than the original, Wayne and Garth are two memorable and funny characters that you'll love. Starring Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Tia Carrere, Christopher Walken, Rip Taylor, Ed O'Neil, Kevin Pollak, Kim Basinger, Chris Farley, Aerosmith 7/10

Wayne's World (1992)

Wayne Campbell lives in suburban neighborhood with his parents in Aurora, Illinois, and has his own Friday night public access cable show with his friend Garth Algar. When a television station executive named Benjamin Kane sees them on television one night, his girlfriend tells him how popular the show is, he tells his producer Russell Finley and they think they have a great opportunity for a huge sponsorship. The next week Benjamin visits Wayne and offers to buy the rights to the show for ten thousand dollars. Meanwhile Wayne falls for a bassist named Cassandra who is also the leader singer of a rock band called Crucial Taunt. But Benjamin has an scheme up his sleeve and unbeknown to Wayne, he plans to steal Cassandra away and ruin their show. Hilarious and fun; based on the character skits from Saturday Night Live, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey are a riot. Starring Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere, Lara Flynn Boyle, Brian Doyle-Murray, Robert Patrick, Ed O'Neill, Chris Farley, Michael DeLuise, Meat Loaf, Alice Cooper 7/10

Friday, February 25, 2011

Poison Ivy (1992)

Sylvie Cooper is a lonely teenage girl who doesn't have any friends. Until she meets Ivy, the bleached blond with the stick on tattoo on her thigh. Ivy also is alone and out of place. The girls become fast friends and not long after Ivy is staying with Sylvie's wealthy family in their fancy house. But soon Ivy has to have what she wants, and secretly seduces Sylvie's father, Darryl. Drew Barrymore is sexy as the manipulative, trashy Ivy; Cheryl Ladd and Sara Gilbert are also terrific in their roles. Except for Tom Skerrit, whom I find just isn't convincing enough as the character and doesn't really impress. A dramatic and interesting thriller. Starring Drew Barrymore, Sara Gilbert, Tom Skerrit, Cheryl Ladd 6/10

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Airheads (1994)

Chazz is a struggling musician who just wants to have the demo tape of his band The Lone Rangers heard on the radio so he can get a record contract. But it's not an easy task, especially when security keeps throwing him out. So along with his band buddies Rex and Pip, they do the only thing they can think of; they decide to take the Rebel Radio Station hostage so their song can be heard. But when the disc jockey puts them on the air without them knowing, it gets the attention of everyone listening and soon the police arrive outside the station to see what Chazz' demands are. A wacky, fun and hilarious music comedy. Starring Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, Adam Sandler, Joe Mantegna, Michael McKean, Ernie Hudson, Amy Locane, Chris Farley, Judd Nelson, David Arquette, Michael Richards 7/10 

Friday, February 18, 2011

Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

William Holden plays Mark Elliott, an American reporter in Hong Kong during Chinese Civil War who falls in love with the beautiful Han Suyin (Jennifer Jones), the half Asian, half European doctor. However, their courtship is threatened when their friends and her family want them to end the relationship. Adapted from the 1952 novel A Many-Splendoured Thing by Han Suyin, this is one of the most romantic films of the fifties; Jones and Holden are simply magnetic. Starring William Holden, Jennifer Jones, Torin Thatcher, Isobel Elsom 8/10

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Digging to China (1998)

Harriet is ten years old, living with her alcoholic mother and promiscuous sister Gwen in the country where they run a motel. She is lonely and dreams of leaving home, by digging a tunnel to China or tying balloons to a lawn chair to float away. Until one day she meets Ricky, a mentally retarded young man and his mother Leah, who is dying of cancer when their car breaks down near the hotel. They stay at the motel until it gets fixed, and Harriet and Ricky become close friends. When Harriet's mother gets killed in a tragic accident, it's up to Gwen to take look after her, but Harriet doesn't care for her sister and resents her even more when she tells Harriet to stay away from Ricky. An absorbing and deeply touching film; Evan Rachel Wood is terrific in her film debut, as is Bacon playing the mentally challenged Ricky. Starring Evan Rachel Wood, Kevin Bacon, Mary Stuart Masterson, Cathy Moriarty 7/10

Friday, February 11, 2011

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Thirty-five year old Frances Mayes is a writer living in San Francisco who thinks she has the perfect life. But she gets a rude awakening when she finds out her husband is cheating on her. So after they get a divorce, Frances gets very depressed and suffers from writer's block. Her best friend Patti convinces her to take a much needed vacation to Tuscany. On a whim, Frances buys a villa that's for sale and fixes it up. She also becomes friends with her neighbors and meets a handsome man named Marcello. Based on the book of the same title, this is a wonderful romantic story about second chances. Diane Lane is simply wonderful. Starring Diane Lane, Sandra Oh, Lindsay Duncan, Raoul Bova 8/10

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Possession (2002)

Roland Mitchell is an American scholar who travels to London on a fellowship to study the Victorian poet Randolph Henry Ash. While in the library one afternoon he makes an interesting discovery; he finds a letter from Ash that was addressed to a woman. But the only concern is Ash was already married at the time the letter was written. Mitchell suspects it maybe a poet by the name of Christabel LaMotte. He contacts researcher Maud Bailey, whom just happens to be descended from Christabel, her niece three times removed. Working together, Maud and Roland find the love letters that Ash and LaMotte exchanged, and about the brief, forbidden affair they once had. It's no surprise that while reading the letters, Maud and Roland develop their own romantic relationship. An intriguing romantic drama; Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle are fabulous. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam, Jennifer Ehle, Lena Headey, Holly Aird 7/10

Friday, February 4, 2011

Taxi Driver (1976)

Travis Bickle is an ex-Marine and Vietnam veteran who now drives a cab in New York City. But he feels like an outsider who is disgusted about the ugliness of life and the corruption around him, how dirty the city is and how much he wants to change it. He tries to seek affection from a campaign worker named Betsy, but it doesn't go too well when he ends up taking her to see an adult film. Things turn worse when he fails to persuade a child prostitute named Iris to go back home to her parents. So out of rage and desperation he buys four handguns and sets out to assassinate the Senator. One of the best films of the seventies; violent, disturbing and powerful. DeNiro gives an intense and chillingly dark performance. Starring Robert DeNiro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepard, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle 8/10

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

A dysfunctional family is determined to have their seven-year old daughter Olive Hoover enter a beauty contest called Little Miss Sunshine, so they take a trip cross-country in their Volkswagon bus. But the trip is hardly a smooth one; her mother Sheryl Hoover is trying to keep her family happy and together, her brother Dwayne refuses to speak until he can join the Air Force academy, her uncle Frank goes along after his failed suicide attempt, her father Richard is unsuccessful with trying to sell his self-help program and her grandfather is a heroin-addict but becomes Olive's coach. A heartwarmingly funny black comedy with an interesting variety of characters that you won't forget. Starring Abigail Breslin, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano 8/10