Fun teen flick for pre-teens (maybe even as young as 8), teens, and twenty-somethings that is as spirited as a good cheer routine, and like cotton candy tasty for the moment even if it melts away in your memory quicker than you can rewind the tape. Kirsten Dunst is both cute and stunning (isn't she always?) prancing around in her short short skirt and unlike other films does not resort to crude sex scenes. She definately has the moves to entice every young male viewer while endearing herself to the female audience. Some of the other performers were also hot but it's Kirsten that sets the tone. She is a gorgeous star.
Reviews
15 Reviews
Get Over It
(2001)
Uneven film is ultimately ruined.
17 May 2001
Uneven film boasts a great star (Kirsten Dunst) and an okay supporting cast, the basis of a good script (including some nice dialogue) and terribly inappropriate crude scenes to "capture" the American Pie audience. Regarding the later aspect, if you aim low and can't hit your target, maybe you need to aim a little higher...just a suggestion. If you are a fan of Kirsten Dunst, in this film she has matured from a cute appealing teenager into a beautiful woman and seems to be a little out of place amongst the low-brow humor. If you are into that type of thing watch American Pie, Scary Movie, or Tom Greene, this film won't reach your expectations either. If her agents don't guide her into better films she might miss the boat to adult stardom. My suggestion, rent Bring It On (similar title, completely different type of film) and wait for her a better Dunst film.
Child Star misses what makes Shirley Temple a phenomena.
16 May 2001
Child Star is appropriately produced by someone who knows something about the subject...Paula Hart, mother of Melissa Joan Hart ("Sabrina the Teenage Witch"). Paula Hart has with varying success parlayed her famous daughter's success into careers for herself as producer and her other children. And though the Family Hart has shown to have talent in each of their endeavors, this particular film was just too much for them to handle. Melissa Joan is also listed as a producer (the name that set the deal in motion), and Melissa's sister Emily (the voice of the animated version of Sabrina) stars as teenager Shirley Temple. Emily is cute, as is Ashley Rose Orr who portrays the younger Shirley, and both are good actresses, but neither capture the essence of the child star that created a phenomena during the depression. Ashley Rose Orr has talent as the younger Shirley but not the button-nose or the frail body of the moppet that danced on table tops and under the legs of such human scarecrows as Buddy Ebsen. Shirley Temple was a "glass doll" who acted tough. That's what made us laugh. The fact that her character THOUGHT she could lick the world with her fists, and in reality could by melting the hearts of her opponents with her optimism. Without her personality, she was dead meat. Ashley Rose Orr looks like she could handle herself quite well in a fight, and probably would have to given her personality. I think she will make a fine actress, she just wasn't up to this particular role beyond the song-and-dance routines. And I am afraid her nose was just too big to make a convincing Shirley Temple. Emily Hart is slightly more convincing probably because the image of an older Shirley Temple is not as embedded into our senses. Finally, this was an authorized film based on Shirley Temple Black's fine autobiography. Great biographical films present a story researched from different points of view. Child Star leaves us with a film based on Mrs. Black's perspective and doesn't delve into the effects she left on her millions of fans, and the world. What separates Shirley Temple from the countless "true Hollywood stories" is the sense of hope she brought to a depression stricken America. It is this phenomena that the producers failed to capture, thus making Shirley Temple just a Melissa Hart of the 30's and 40's. Sorry Paula Hart, Shirley Temple was...and is...much more than a Child Star.
Dancer in the Dark
(2000)
Remake of Pennies From Heaven retains stink.
15 May 2001
So similar to PENNIES FROM HEAVEN starring Steve Martin that I wonder how anyone could get away with not calling this a remake. I've seen other remakes that had much less in common with the original work. PENNIES also dealt with a person who fantasied musical numbers, was accused of a murder, and even had the exact...yes exact!!! ending as DANCER. What's all the talk about a rip-off movie that's even more boring than the original. Bjork was good but it depends if you already liked her or not. The rest of the film stunk. For the record, so did PENNIES FROM HEAVEN.
Cutthroat Island
(1995)
Ode to OJ Simpson
15 May 2001
1995 was the year an American hero was put on trial for slashing the throat of his ex-wife and ex-wife's friend. Everyone watched the daily trial and listened to the bloody details. By the time Christmas rolled along everyone was anxious for a holiday movie treat. So what do a few Hollywood little-brains do? They release a film called...get this...Cutthroat Island! Cut Throat Island!!!! And these people were from Hollywood...where all the real throat cutting happened and all the court room drama and hoopla was happening all year long. Helllloooooo???? How many people wanted to see a film called CUT THROAT ISLAND after the OJ trial? No one. Duh! Little brains.
Walkabout
(1971)
Great film for classrooms.
2 May 2001
A timeless film that handles topics of love, family, tolerance, prejudice, coming of age, and violence in a way that it should be made mandatory for all students (junior high level would get the most out of it, but there is much for younger and older children as well). At the heart is the relationship between a young boy (the director's son) and a teenage girl (Jenny Agutter) who had been shielded from the harsher aspects of life, but through a consequence of events must explore the world eyes opened and unprotected. The love between brother and sister (and the parental responsibilities of the sister toward the brother) will touch your heart. If you have a sibling (especially a younger brother-older sister relationship) this film is a must see. There are also scenes of violence against animals that can be disturbing but they are presented to introduce such facts of life to the audience. Since it would be impossible to shield such acts in other films or TV, this film is excellent to introduce discussion. The most talked about scene in the film is toward the end where brother and sister bathe nude in a pond, but it is welcomed for it's beauty and acceptence of the natural environment and presented almost in a biblical manner.
Pinocchio's Revenge
(1996)
Piece of crap rips off classic line of films.
30 April 2001
Warning: Spoilers
Low budget film that once again uses the evil puppet ("Is it alive?") theme originally introduced in THE GREAT GABBO (1929), made famous in DEAD OF NIGHT (1945), and given full blown Hollywood treatment in Richard Attenborough's MAGIC (1978), that film with no less than Anthony Hopkins as the puppet's owner. Unlike those films, the puppet, in this case PINOCCHIO (by name only, no relation) is not a ventriloquist's dummy, merely a marionette, which is too bad, since ventriloquist dummies are animated and when done well suspend belief. Marionettes never look real, they are just dolls on strings. In every filmed adaptation of Pinocchio the puppet is either animated (traditionally or DGI) or played by a real person dressed as a puppet (from Sandy Duncan to Pee Wee Herman!). If you are making a low budget film, and using a real marionette, there are bound to be limits. In this case, the puppet is just a puppet. Since most of this movie is just the doll hanging around it never really seems frightening, and at the end when it does come to life (okay that's a spoiler but come on' we all knew it would eventually come to life...heck, it's name is Pinocchio!!!), it's really borrowing from all those devil doll films, the best being TRILOGY OF TERROR (1975) itself remade the same year as PINOCCHIO'S REVENGE. I guess most of the horror films dealing with dolls (CHILD'S PLAY, etc...) ripped off TRILOGY OF TERROR though voodoo dolls have been a staple of horror films for quite awhile. What that leaves us here is a hodge-podge of old concepts (evil puppet movies, devil doll movies, Hitchcock's Psycho...and for the record, the Pinocchio theme has been ignored all together) that pale in comparison to all earlier versions with bad acting, bad directing, virtually no sense of horror, and nothing new to enjoy. So-called B-movies shoot low, and this film never rises above earth. Didn't the director ever watch TWILIGHT ZONE or NIGHT GALLERY? Rod Serling adapted these themes without special effects at least a couple times with a great level of success (not burdened with stretching them to feature film length). In addition the title exploits a beloved children's character as if adults can't be happy until they destroy everything that children love (Santa Claus was already filmed as a serial killer why not Pinocchio?). The film could have used an original puppet (ala CHILD'S PLAY's Chucky doll) but the producers were looking to sell the video, not make a lasting impression. These type of films usually start with a title and video box concept and then a script is commissioned. In this case it seems no script was ever made. If the producers really wanted to have fun they should have used the marionettes in SOUND OF MUSIC, and had the puppet goats start eating the Von Trapp children while the puppet goat herders and puppet maidens sang and danced. Or better yet, MUPPETS KILL MANHATTAN, there's a concept. Pass up this film and rent something that isn't a piece of crap. I'm not yanking your string.
Three's Company
(1976–1984)
Better than the critics ever gave them credit.
24 April 2001
The crazy premise really didn't need to continue past season two (couldn't they resolve the "gay" issue easy enough? especially when self-proclaimed "swinger" Furley arrived?), but television was not ready for co-ed living (though The Nanny and the Professor had lived under the same roof a few years earlier and the employer-employee relationship did little to dismiss sexual tension.) Since Jack really wasn't gay how does the gay issue change standards and practices??? Since the audience was in on the joke the show was really about a guy and two girls living together in Los Angeles (circa 1970's), nothing more, nothing less. On that level it was pretty accurate (trust someone who lived it!!!!). Sexy but not perverted (families can watch together without worry), wine but no cocaine (okay there should have been pot for reality sake, but this was a family show), and three young people trying to eek out a living waiting for the next step in their career. Jack is the most driven always striving to become a fine chef and we are rewarded toward the end of the series when Jack finds success. Without Three's Company there never would have been a Friends or a Seinfeld and it showed that mixed roommates can create a loving family atmosphere without it being an orgy, something current television shows forget.
Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century
(1999–2001)
Wonderful inspiration.
21 April 2001
Wonderful animated "steampunk" that mixes late 19th century literature with futuristic fantasy. Like the SciFi Network's live-action THE SECRET ADVENTURES OF JULES VERNE, this isn't about the original novels so much about the spirit and adventure of the characters. When authors like Arthur Conan Doyle, Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H.G. Wells, etc...penned their classics, it was a time when the world was opening up new avenues of exploration on every continent, and new avenues of discovery in laboratories and workshops. It was the dawn of the 20th century and they educated us not only to "what is"...but to "what if". As we seek new discoveries and new adventures in the future we hope there will be literary figures that take us there first that are up to par with the immortal Holmes, Fogg, and Lord Greystoke. This series has chosen one of the best to take us into the 22nd century and perhaps will introduce younger viewers to Holmes and inspire them to read Doyle's original novels. That much better than inspiring them to collect Pokemon cards.
Americathon
(1979)
What if Jerry Brown had become President and Linda Ronstadt "First Girlfriend?"
19 April 2001
Time capsule of 1970's California life-style...or where it seemed to be headed in the next decade. In the opening we see the residents of California living in permanently parked cars and commuting to work via various bicycles, skateboards, and people-powered scooters. John Ritter plays President Chet Roosevelt, a thinly veiled spoof of then California governor and presidential hopeful Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown (he dated roller skating rock star Linda Ronstadt and slept on a futon). This movie asks the question, what if Jerry became president and Linda the "First Girlfriend?" John Ritter's real life wife Nancy Morgan plays Lucy Beth, President Chet's roller-skating girlfriend. In the eighties the United States is broke and the President decides to throw a telethon on television to raise money. At the time this film was made, most television markets had no more than a few stations and watching Jerry Lewis struggle to keep awake during the MDA telethon was an interesting phenomena. Here Harvey Korman hosts an endless list of bad acts that foreshadows the humor of SCTV. Most of the humor here would be lost on anyone too young to remember the 70's or for those who don't really want to remember. Though the film takes place in the "future" eighties, for campy fun Americathon is an interesting time-capsule of the issues ripe for spoofing at the time.
Fish
(1977–1978)
One of the Best Sitcoms Ever!
12 April 2001
Ok, I hated "Barney Miller" back in the 70's (though it does have nostalgic value today). And the character Fish was a nasty grumpy old man, played by Abe Vigoda. But this spin-off may be the BEST SITCOM EVER! Imagine a 70's era sitcom with great 70's clothing, funny jokes, and just add in five extremely talented charming kids: you'll love this show. If you ever do see it on TV (Nick at Nite or TV Land is bound to give this show a run) you are sure to be amazed that this show didn't run forever.
Josie and the Pussycats
(2001)
Why Josie Rocks
6 April 2001
Much better than you would think and a million times better than the trashy SPICE GIRLS flick, because that film was a film starring a rock band (and bad actresses) ala THE BEATLES' flicks and this is a film starring actors (good ones no less) playing a rock band. Though this is not exactly THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY or EDDIE AND THE CRUSIERS this is indeed a movie not a long-form music video. It is also based on the Archie comic strip (and 70's animated Saturday morning TV show) and it belongs to that long time successful genre of film. The good thing is that you don't really need any past knowledge of the cartoon characters and their original situations. One mistake in bringing cartoon characters to life is revisiting the era which made them famous (as with the very dated cold war spoof ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE, the prohibition-era DICK TRACY, and the President Hoover era POPEYE). Cartoon characters are ageless and bringing them to life is like playing musical chairs. Once you say "Hey you're real!" you can stop in our own era. Even the stone-aged FLINTSTONES (actually a spoof of 1960's suburbia) were updated to spoof the nineties with such current pop items as McDonalds. Comic strips and comic books constantly update the period while keeping their characters young. Live action versions of SUPERMAN and BATMAN constantly keep up with the times as do THE ADDAMS FAMILY (yes it was a newspaper comic), CASPER, and that other Archie comic strip SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH. JOSIE is very much rooted into our time and all the current girl bands and boy bands. The music is very much what you would expect of a pop band of today, as are the costumes (sure they look silly, but not as silly as real life rock star Bjork's swan dress at the Oscars). This is a movie the entire family will love.
A Star Is Born
(1976)
Horrible remake of a classic.
19 January 2001
Horrible remake of an A+ classic remake. The acting is bottom of the barrel, as well the direction and production values. Paul Williams' 'Evergreen,' now seriously dated, was best part of the film. Everyone involved has done better, but none have done worse. Rent the Judy Garland/James Mason version and see what quality movie making is all about.
Fun, wholesome, but wacky family comedy
17 January 2001
Wholesome sitcom style family comedy not as bad as critics deemed. This G-rated comedy is very Brady Bunch style with the sum better than the parts. If your family is a fan of Nick at Nite then this movie should delight them. Directed by legendary Hollywood director turned TV-director, George Marshal, this film offers wacky slapstick, a wacky car chase, wacky boyscouts and wacky Phylis Diller on a motorcycle. Bob Hope play's a happily married (to "Make Room For Daddy"'s Marjorie Lord) real estate agent with two kids and a maid (Phylis Diller). One day he gets a wrong number from a Hollywood movie star (a dazzling and very funny Elke Sommer) in hiding from her studio. Eventually Hope tries to help the starlet in her quest for privacy. Trying to keep the news out of the paper, and his association with her from his wife, the film is basically one situation after another of trying to hide Sommer from someone. Hope is a bit subdued with terrible lines but, as usual, has good chemistry with Diller and plays the part of the responsible loving husband but victim of circumstances very well. The part of the movie starlet could easily have been a dumb-blonde role, but Elke Sommer (who was great in the comedy "A Shot in the Dark") brings the role life with a very clever performance and a great flair for physical comedy. She gets a bit upstaged by Hope and Diller, but does just fine alongside the two pros. Just a nice, clean, fun show for all ages.
The Jack Benny Program
(1950–1965)
Jack Benny visits Walt Disney
17 January 2001
I just finished watching an hour-long JACK BENNY SHOW from 1965 with perhaps the best guests ever assembled: Bob Hope, Elke Sommer, The Beach Boys (introducing some now very classic songs), and Walt Disney! The first skit was a parody of popular shows of that era (The Munsters, The Addams Family, Bewitched, My Mother the Car, The Fugitive, and Peyton Place), but the best skit was an Italian film style version of Mary Poppins with Elke Sommer in the title role, Bob Hope as a chauffeur, and Jack Benny as the father. There is also a great skit with Benny visiting Disney's office asking for free tickets to Disneyland for 110 guests. Lots of music from the Beach Boys and Elke Sommer (who manages to steal every scene, even up against Hope and Benny!). If you find this at an on-line auction somewhere (that's how I found it) it is well worth the investment. A classic the entire family will love.
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