Awakenings 1990  PG-13, 121 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Penny Marshall
Cast: Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, John Heard, Julie Kavner, Penelope Ann Miller, Max von Sydow, Ruth Nelson, Anne Meara, Richard Libertini, Judith Malina, Alice Drummond, Laura Esterman, Barton Heyman, George Martin, Dexter Gordon
Neurologist Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams) works in the chronic-care ward of a hospital in the Bronx where he gives the new drug L-DOPA to patient Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro) who is in a semi-comatose state. The drug works, and Lowe is gradually awakened after 30 years. He experiences the wonder of life and love, and this success with L-DOPA encourages Sayer to administer the drug to his other patients. Oscar nominations included Best Picture and Actor (De Niro).
|  | |
The Boys from Brazil 1978  R, 123 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller / Drama / Sci-Fi
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Cast: Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, Lilli Palmer, James Mason, John Dehner, Rosemary Harris, Uta Hagen, Anne Meara, Denholm Elliott, Steve Guttenberg, John Rubinstein, Bruno Ganz, Walter Gotell, Jeremy Black, David Hurst
Former Nazi concentration-camp war-criminal Dr. Josef Mengele (Gregory Peck) is trying to re-establish the Third Reich by using DNA to clone Hitler. When Jewish Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman (Laurence Olivier) is clued into the insane plot by young Nazi hunter Barry Kohler (Steve Guttenberg), he is not interested. But, after Kohler is murdered, Lieberman takes Kohler's words seriously and starts to investigate. The trail leads Lieberman to Paraguay where he uncovers Mengele's scheme to murder hundreds of men as part of the cloning experiment.
| | |
 Chump Change 2001  R, 87 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Stephen Burrows
Cast: Stephen Burrows, Tim Matheson, Traci Lords, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Fred Willard, Abe Vigoda, A.J. Benza, Clancy Brown, Miriam Flynn, Jon Chardiet, McNally Sagal
Loosely based on director/writer/actor Stephen Burrows' actual experiences, this story involves Stephen's return to Milwaukee after years spent in Hollywood. He meets the beautiful Sam (Traci Lords) and entertains her with humorous stories about characters he has known in show business.
| | |
The Daytrippers 1996 R, 90 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Greg Mottola
Cast: Hope Davis, Pat McNamara, Anne Meara, Parker Posey, Liev Schreiber, Campbell Scott, Marcia Gay Harden, Stanley Tucci, Stephanie Venditto, Marc Grapey
Eliza (Hope Davis) discovers a love note that she thinks shows her husband Louis (Stanley Tucci) has been unfaithful. A chain of events results in Eliza's family cramming into the family station wagon and heading off to show Louis the incriminating note. The trip with its participants interacting in close proximity is the focus of this comedy.
| | |
Fame 1980 R, 134 min.
Genre: Musical / Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: Alan Parker
Cast: Irene Cara, Lee Curreri, Laura Dean, Antonia Franceschi, Boyd Gaines, Anne Meara, Barry Miller, Debbie Allen, Joanna Merlin, Eddie Barth, Albert Hague, Tresa Hughes, Paul McCrane, Maureen Teefy, Jim Moody
This story focuses on students–Coco (Irene Cara), Doris (Maureen Teefy), Montgomery (Paul McCrane), Raul (Barry Miller), and Bruno (Lee Curreri)–at New York High School for the Performing Arts. From auditions through ensuing years at school, they cope with their teenage problems and keep up with academics in their own unique ways as they work through training that may lead to stardom. The film won Academy Awards for Best Musical Score and Song ("Fame").
| | |
Get Well Soon 2001  R, 95 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Justin McCarthy
Cast: Courteney Cox, Vincent Gallo, Jeffrey Tambor, Tate Donovan, Andrew Lasky, Anne Meara, Max Weinberg, Alan Kalter, Kelly DeMartino, Elina Lowensohn
The trappings of fame become too much for popular talk show host Bobby Bishop (Vincent Gallo). So, off he goes to New York City to renew a friendship with his old girlfriend (Courteney Cox). But it's not going to be smooth sailing, as he soon finds out.
| | |
Heavyweights 1995 PG, 98 min.
Genre: Family
Director: Steven Brill
Cast: Ben Stiller, Aaron Schwartz, Tom McGowan, Shaun Weiss, Tom Hodges, Jeffrey Tambor, Paul Feig, Leah Lail, Kenan Thompson, Anne Meara
Overweight Gerry Garner (Aaron Schwartz) is sent to Camp Hope–hopefully for a summer of fun. He is pleased when he notes that the other campers are also substantially overweight. But the camp has changed hands and is now run by a wild fitness guru, Tony (Ben Stiller), who intends to whip the campers into shape while filming the process for an infomercial on his weight loss/fitness system. The young campers don't care for that one bit, and the rebellion begins. Disney missed the mark with this slapstick effort.
| | |
The Independent 2000 R, 85 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Stephen Kessler
Cast: Jerry Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Max Perlich, Anne Meara, Ben Stiller, Roger Corman, Ron Howard, Karen Black, Peter Bogdanovich, Ted Demme, Fred Williamson, Nick Cassavetes, Paul Logan, Julie Strain, Andy Dick
This mockumentary centers on filmmaker Morty Fineman (Jerry Stiller) whose work has involved low-budget exploitation films. Now, on the verge of bankruptcy, Fineman coerces daughter Paloma (Janeane Garofalo) into helping gain recognition by filming the story of a convicted murderer.
| | |
Judy Berlin 2000 N/R, 95 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Eric Mendelsohn
Cast: Barbara Barrie, Bob Dishy, Edie Falco, Julie Kavner, Madeline Kahn, Carlin Glynn, Aaron Harnick, Bette Henritze, Anne Meara, Novella Nelson
Babylon is a NYC suburb and a total eclipse is on the way at noon. Thus the stage is set for a slice of life centering on schoolteacher Sue (Barbara Barrie); her daughter, Judy (Edie Falco); the school principal, Arthur (Bob Dishy); his wife, Alice (Madeline Kahn); and their son, David (Aaron Harnick). David has just returned from a failed effort as a movie director in Hollywood and meets an old high-school classmate, Judy, an aspiring actress about to leave town to make it big. Meanwhile, Sue and Arthur start an affair while depressed, whining Alice ponders life. Though all of the characters have problems, the film works well as a fine mood piece, much of which takes place in the semi-darkness of the eclipse. Remarkable black and white photography, and the last film appearance by the late Madeline Kahn.
| | |
Kiss of Death 1995 R, 100 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Cast: David Caruso, Helen Hunt, Nicolas Cage, Michael Rapaport, Samuel L. Jackson, Kathryn Erbe, Stanley Tucci, Ving Rhames, Anne Meara, Anthony Heald
Jimmy (David Caruso) is trying to clean up his act; he and wife Bev (Helen Hunt) are recovering alcoholics. Problems begin when cousin Ronnie (Michael Rapaport) talks Jimmy into helping him transport stolen cars. The heist fails, and Jimmy turns state's evidence, but goes to prison anyway. Upon release, he is instructed to go undercover and get information on Little Junior (Nicholas Cage).
| | |
 Like Mike 2002 PG, 100 min.
Genre: Family / Comedy / Fantasy / Drama
Director: John Schultz
Cast: Bow Wow, Morris Chestnut, Jonathan Lipnicki, Brenda Song, Jesse Plemons, Julius Ritter, Crispin Glover, Anne Meara, Robert Forster, Eugene Levy, Roger W. Morrissey, Timon Kyle, Alex Krilov, Stephen Thompson, David Brown
Fourteen-year-old Calvin Cambridge (Bow Wow) lives in an orphanage run by Stan Bittleman (Crispin Glover) who doesn't give the kids much encouragement. One day, Calvin slips his feet into a pair of sneakers marked "M.J." and, almost instantly, turns into a super basketball player. He draws the attention of Frank Bernard (Eugene Levy) who manages the Los Angeles Knights and is signed on as an NBA player. With his new sneakers, Calvin believes that he can do anything, and his attitude leads the Knights out of the cellar and onto a possible championship–but not without upsetting Tracey Reynolds (Morris Chestnut) who used to be the team's star player.
| | |
The Longshot 1986  PG-13, 89 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Paul Bartel
Cast: Tim Conway, Jack Weston, Harvey Korman, Ted Wass, Brad Trumbull, Pat Li, Garry Goodrow, Dave Johnson, Dick Enberg, Anne Meara
Four losers (Tim Conway, Jack Weston, Harvey Korman, and Ted Wass) have no lives–except making small bets on the horses. Then comes their big break: a sure long-shot winner. But, they must come up with the money, which they get from a loanshark. Of course the horse loses, and they are in REAL trouble, as is this film.
| | |
Lovers and Other Strangers 1970 PG, 104 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Cy Howard
Cast: Beatrice Arthur, Bonnie Bedelia, Gig Young, Michael Brandon, Anne Jackson, Bob Dishy, Harry Guardino, Diane Keaton, Anne Meara, Richard S. Castellano
This is the film adaptation of a humorous play, written by Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna, in which two families from different social classes must come together for the ritzy wedding of their children. The song "For All We Know" won an Academy Award, and Richard S. Castellano was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
| | |
My Little Girl 1986 R, 118 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Connie Kaiserman
Cast: Mary Stuart Masterson, James Earl Jones, Geraldine Page, Pamela Payton-Wright, Anne Meara, Peter Gallagher, Jordan Charney, Traci Lind, George Newbern, Erika Alexander
A wealthy young girl decides to do something worthwhile during summer vacation. Her decision leads her to a home for run-away girls where she learns as much as she helps.
| | |
Nasty Habits 1977 PG, 96 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Cast: Glenda Jackson, Melina Mercouri, Geraldine Page, Sandy Dennis, Anne Jackson, Edith Evans, Anne Meara, Susan Penhaligon, Rip Torn, Eli Wallach
Satirizing the 1974 Watergate "burglary," this comedy is set in a Philadelphia convent where the conniving Sister Alexandra (Glenda Jackson) rules the roost (ala Nixon). Sandy Dennis, as Sister Winifred, plays the "John Dean" character to a tee. Good idea, but doesn't quite make the grade despite the good cast.
| | |
The Out of Towners 1970 G, 97 min.
Genre: Comedy
aka: The Out-of-Towners
Director: Arthur Hiller
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Sandy Dennis, Sandy Baron, Anne Meara, Ann Prentiss, Graham Jarvis, Ron Carey, Philip Bruns, Billy Dee Williams, Paul Dooley, Robert Nichols, Carlos Montalban, Robert King, Dolph Sweet, Thalmus Rasulala
Heading for a job interview in N.Y.C., a couple, George and Gwen Kellerman (Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis), leave their quiet neighborhood in Ohio and meet with disasters. Dennis' oft-heard description of each and every new misfortune that they encounter is "Oh, My God!" This is a very funny film.
| | |
Reality Bites 1994 PG-13, 94 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Zahn, Swoosie Kurtz, Joe Don Baker, John Mahoney, Keith David, Anne Meara, Renee Zellweger, Barry Del Sherman, Andy Dick, Harry O'Reilly, Susan Norfleet
Lelaina (Winona Ryder) was valedictorian of her college class and is working at a Houston television station–a glamorous job, but the pay is low. She and her friends represent the 1990s generation of graduates who really thought that hard work and good grades were all they needed to find good jobs. They do not pound pavement nor do they sit and wait for anyone else to open doors to their futures.
| | |
Southie 1998 R, 95 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: John Shea
Cast: Donnie Wahlberg, Rose McGowan, Anne Meara, Jimmy Cummings, Amanda Peet, Will Arnett, Lawrence Tierney, John Shea, Steven Kozlowski, Robert Wahlberg
Danny Quinn (Donnie Wahlberg) comes home to South Boston and faces reality as he finds himself pulled between one Mafia group and another in his tough neighborhood.
| | |
| 1. Awakenings (1990)
2. The Boys from Brazil (1978)
3. Chump Change (2001)
4. The Daytrippers (1996)
5. Fame (1980)
6. Get Well Soon (2001)
7. Heavyweights (1995)
8. The Independent (2000)
9. Judy Berlin (2000)
10. Kiss of Death (1995)
11. Like Mike (2002)
12. The Longshot (1986)
13. Lovers and Other Strangers (1970)
14. My Little Girl (1986)
15. Nasty Habits (1977)
16. The Out of Towners (1970)
aka: The Out-of-Towners
17. Reality Bites (1994)
18. Southie (1998)
In The News
|
