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Howard the Duck
: :If you concentrate on the fact that Howard the Duck was a notorious box office dud (still brought up today) and considered one of the worst films of the '80s, it's entirely possible to enjoy this special effects piffle. Howard, played by a special effect puppet, lives on a planet where ducks evolved instead of apes, but one day he's sucked into a vortex and deposited on Earth. There he befriends Beverly Switzler (Lea Thompson), lead singer for the Cherry Bombs, becomes their manager, and, oh ...
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Shawshank Redemption
: essential video:When this popular prison drama was released in 1994, some critics complained that the movie was too long (142 minutes) to sustain its story. Those complaints miss the point, because the passage of time is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a life-long friendship. Only when the film reaches its final, emotionally satisfying scene do you fully understand why writer-director Frank Darabont (adapting a novella by Stephen King) allows the story to unfold at its ...
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Hudsucker Proxy
: essential video:The Coen brothers (Raising Arizona, Fargo) have become the most consistently original filmmakers in the land. In a salute/reworking of the fast-talking comedies of the '40s, we follow Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) and his amazing rise to the top. But he's only a puppet for the evil Sidney J. Mussburger (Paul Newman), who wants the company for himself. The Coens' design is the real star, and their first big-budget film will stimulate movie fans. The story weakens in the middle, but you will find ...
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Quarterback Princess
: essential video:The Coen brothers (Raising Arizona, Fargo) have become the most consistently original filmmakers in the land. In a salute/reworking of the fast-talking comedies of the '40s, we follow Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) and his amazing rise to the top. But he's only a puppet for the evil Sidney J. Mussburger (Paul Newman), who wants the company for himself. The Coens' design is the real star, and their first big-budget film will stimulate movie fans. The story weakens in the middle, but you will find ...
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Addams Family Reunion (Clam)
: :This direct-to-video sequel in the Addams Family series stars a winning pair of actors as the everlasting lovers Morticia and Gomez Addams: Daryl Hannah and Tim Curry. Most of the rest of the cast is new, as well. The story concerns the distinct possibility that Grandma and Grandpa Addams are turning normal, so the entire family goes to an Addams reunion in hopes of finding a witch doctor who can help. The film is entertaining largely because of the instant-recognition factor of Addams shtick. Curry and ...
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Nothing to Lose (1997)
: :Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence star in this stupid comedy about a stressed-out white executive who takes a black carjacker hostage and forces him to go along on a road trip to nowhere. The duo, of course, forge a bond but find their journey interrupted by a tarantula, a pair of stickup men, a lip-synching security guard, and loads of dull sight gags. The film looks like it's supposed to suggest increasing depth for writer-director Steve Oedekerk (writer for The Nutty Professor), but he seems content ...
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Dr Jekyll & Ms Hyde
:Description:He's a doctor in search of the discovery that will change his life forever-and boy, does he find it. An experiment in genetic change transforms this gentle Dr. Jekyll into a murderous Ms. Hyde-and he can't get her under control! A sexy hilarious quick-change comedy.
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Miss Firecracker
:Description:He's a doctor in search of the discovery that will change his life forever-and boy, does he find it. An experiment in genetic change transforms this gentle Dr. Jekyll into a murderous Ms. Hyde-and he can't get her under control! A sexy hilarious quick-change comedy.
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I.Q.
: :I.Q. has all the elements of a classic romantic comedy. Certainly Meg Ryan has demonstrated she has the stuff for funny love with films such as When Harry Met Sally... and Sleepless in Seattle, and director Fred Schepisi's Roxanne ranks among top contemporary romantic comedies. Even though Tim Robbins received acclaim for dramatic work in Jacob's Ladder and The Shawshank Redemption, his early comedic work shouldn't be forgotten (well, maybe Howard the Duck, but not the hilarious Sure Thing). And Walter Matthau? No explanation needed. Combine ...
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The Sure Thing
: :Two mismatched college students (John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga) find themselves trapped together during a cross-country road trip, trying to make it home for the holidays. She can't stand him, and he just wants to get to L.A., where a sexy 'sure thing' is waiting to greet him with open arms. It's not hard to predict where this sweetly old-fashioned romantic comedy is going to end up, but along the way there are many pleasures to be had. Director Rob Reiner, in his second feature (after ...
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