Monthly Archives: July 1997

One Eight Seven - * 1/2*

Posted on July 30, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

You know the drill. There’s a tough classroom full of unruly kids. Enter a new, inspiring teacher. After some good, hard work the new teacher transforms the troublemaking class into an entourage of geniuses. High school drama after high school … Continue reading →

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Good Burger - * 1/2*

Posted on July 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

It is difficult to convert a skit from a television show into a full length movie. For proof, see the countless Saturday Night Live spinoffs, or, if you dare, Good Burger. Derived from the popular sketch on Nickelodeon’s All That, … Continue reading →

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Air Force One - * * *

Posted on July 25, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Call it the “My Fellow Americans” syndrome. Any formula movie can be made better by making the main character a president. My Fellow Americans tackled the buddy road comedy, Independence Day used the formula for disaster pics, and The American … Continue reading →

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Mrs. Brown - * * *

Posted on July 18, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Mrs. Brown is an enjoyable and humorous period piece focusing on the out of the ordinary friendship between Queen Victoria and a Scottish highlander. After the death of her husband, Prince Albert, Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) retreated from public life … Continue reading →

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Operation Condor - * * 1/2*

Posted on July 18, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

There’s some very good action, and not much else in Jackie Chan’s latest outing. Actually, the term “latest” doesn’t really apply, since Operation Condor is actually a trimmed and dubbed rerelease of his 1990 effort, Armor of God II. This … Continue reading →

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Nothing to Lose - * 1/2*

Posted on July 18, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Nothing to Lose is the prime example of what happens when a formula comedy runs out of gas. Absolutely nothing. No humor. No entertainment. The film just doesn’t go anywhere. Tim Robbins is Nick Beam, an advertising executive who seems … Continue reading →

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George of the Jungle - * * 1/2*

Posted on July 16, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

As yet another nostalgic live-action treatment of an old television cartoon series, George of the Jungle didn’t have much going for it. The key asset of the klutzy Tarzan-wannabe was his catchy theme song. However, by sticking with the offbeat … Continue reading →

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Shall We Dance - * * *

Posted on July 11, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

Shall We Dance is a charming Japanese comedy about an ordinary businessman who finds an escape from life in the world of ballroom dancing. Koji Yakusyo stars as Shohei Sugiyama, a happily married accountant whose routine life is steadily sinking … Continue reading →

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A Simple Wish - 1/2*

Posted on July 11, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

I don’t know what child, or adult for that matter, would wish for A Simple Wish. This pathetic attempt at a children’s slapstick comedy is a mind-numbing bore. Martin Short stars as Murray, the only male graduate of Fairy Godmother … Continue reading →

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Contact - * * * *

Posted on July 11, 1997 by Madeleine Williams

It has been awhile since Hollywood has delivered a serious science fiction drama. Most recent forays into SF tend to gravitate toward comedy (i.e. Men in Black, The Fifth Element), or action/thrillers (i.e. The Lost World, Face/Off). In addition, there … Continue reading →

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