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Return of Jafar, the

starring: Jason Alexander, Jeff Bennett, Val Bettin, Liz Callaway, Dan Castellaneta
directed by: Tad Stones, Alan Zaslove

July 14, 1998
While this was probably one of the better Direct-to-video releases Disney produced - it was *far* from memorable. Bringing Jafar back seemed like some sort of cop-out - as if there were no other villans or adventures to chase. It played out like a gigantic episode from the TV series (which I also remember watching, but not with any kind of fervor.)

And somehow, creating a sequel for Aladdin felt cheap - it was a feeling I couldn't rid myself of during the entire film.

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The Simpsons

starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria
directed by: Chuck Sheetz, Gregg Vanzo

May 26, 1998
I'm sort of a Simpsons fan by default; my boyfriend is a fanatic, which means I've seen every episode multiple times. One Friday night, we decided to put together a list of our top 25 episodes, and "Three Men and a Comic Book" came out #4. Bart, Milhouse, and Martin pool their money to purchase Radioactive Man #1, but when they begin fighting over the comic, hilarity ensues. "Lisa's Substitue" is also a great episode (#23 on our list), but in many ways, it's more poignant than funny. Lisa's regular teacher, Mrs. Hoover, is out with an extended illness, so Lisa's class gets a young, hip substitute who actually cares about teaching. Lisa quickly develops a crush on the teacher (voiced by Dustin Hoffman in an uncredited appearance) and strikes an ... Read More:

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Nothing in Common

starring: Tom Hanks, Jackie Gleason, Eva Marie Saint, Hector Elizondo, Barry Corbin
directed by: Garry Marshall

July 28, 1998

I've watched this movie dozens of times, and was overjoyed to find it on DVD at last. This was (I believe) The Great One Jackie Gleason's final screen performance, and it showed the way of the future for Tom Hanks. Sela Ward also appears as a love interest, along with Hector Elizondo as his boss, and Eva Marie Saint as Hanks' mom.

The only thing that gets on my nerves just a little is the soundtrack. I think it's Christopher Cross, surely one of the most annoying alleged musicians ever to hit the big time.

The transfer to disk is good. The cast is excellent. The plot makes sense, and the script is near perfect. The story is about the relationship between Tom Hanks' character, David Basner, and his father, Max Basner. ... Read More:

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My Giant

starring: Billy Crystal, Kathleen Quinlan, Gheorghe Muresan, Joanna Pacula, Zane Carney
directed by: Michael Lehmann

February 02, 1999
An angel of death (Nicolas Cage) falls in love with a surgeon (Meg Ryan) and wishes he were a real man.

I like love stories, but this was just too corny for me. Meg did her usual perky-girl-next-door thing but this time it felt fake. When she flashed her big trademark grin or let a single tear trickle ever-so-slowly down her beautiful face, it felt like she was just posing. I didn't buy her as a real person; too much staring thoughtfully into the camera and spouting trite dialogue. And who races downhill on a bike at the edge of a cliff with no hands and eyes closed? I'm still wondering why Nic Cage is a star. He played the same gosh-gee-whiz angel that Brad Pitt did in Meet Joe Black minus Brad's good looks and charm. His unwavering nobility ... Read More:

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The Simpsons

starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria
directed by: Chuck Sheetz, Gregg Vanzo

February 03, 1998
As always, the Simpsons rock, no matter what! And the Treehouse of Horror kicks butt! I used it in the classroom when I taught the Raven. The kids loved it and it brought about some interesting discussion! Plus, it's just plain hilarious!

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Hey Arnold!:Arnold S Christmas

starring: Jamil Walker Smith, Francesca Smith, Sam Gifaldi, Justin Shenkarow, Lauren Robinson

October 07, 1997
I am not one for too much mush, but Arnold's Christmas episode is touching. The subtle undertones in this cartoon are great, especially the love-hate relationship Helga has for Arnold. I think adults will enjoy this as much as kids. The episodes on this VHS are some of Hey Arnold!'s best work.

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My Giant

starring: Billy Crystal, Kathleen Quinlan, Gheorghe Muresan, Joanna Pacula, Zane Carney
directed by: Michael Lehmann

April 06, 1999
After reading the reviews, I had to respond. I really enjoyed this movie. A lot of people seem to be missing the entire point of the movie (as well as the storyline). Apparently a movie with Billy Crystal must be all hilarity and no poignancy for people to enjoy it.

Maybe advertising is to blame, but I was lucky enough to not hear much about it when it was released. With no expectations in mind, I thought the movie was great -- and Billy Crystal does a decent job taking on a dramatic role. Muresan does surprisingly well with his role as well, concidering the horrible screen talents of other famous-sports-players-put-in-movie types. I would recommend this to anyone...as long as they don't expect Crystal in a stand-up-comedic routine.

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K-9

starring: James Belushi, Mel Harris, Kevin Tighe, James Handy, Ed O'Neill
directed by: Rod Daniel

December 18, 2001
Grown man. Don't care about the plot or the humour, some of which is good. Seen all the series. THIS IS IT. If you like dogs you will go nuts for this movie.

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War of the Roses

starring: Danny DeVito, Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Marianne Sägebrecht, Sean Astin
directed by: Danny DeVito

April 02, 2002
While critics (and audiences) were somewhat lukewarm in their response to this film when it was first released, I enjoyed it. Although it's a "black comedy", it never veers too far into total comedy or total darkness. DeVito's narration helps to hold the film together and keeps it from degenerating into a series of mind-numbing retaliations. The film is visually appealing, with interesting camera angles and a solid sense of composition that is often lacking in comedies. The movie has held up well and does not appear as dated as many films from the same time.

Douglas plays his role of a rather self-important and arrogant know-it-all quite well, and Turner is equally convincing as she exhibits growing distaste for him.

The DVD has a ... Read More:

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Plump Fiction

starring: Bob Koherr, Tommy Davidson, Julie Brown, Paul Dinello, Philippe Bergeron
directed by: Bob Koherr

February 09, 1999
I rented this movie expecting it to be hilarious. Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs are two of my favorite movies, and I also saw Natural Born Killers and Forrest Gump. Some of the visual scenes (such as the Reservoir Nuns receiving their identities) will cause you to smile, but the movie is plagued by a poor script, some bad actors (the actors portraying the main characters from Natural Born Killers were the only good ones) and about 95% of the jokes are just not funny. This movie was painful to watch and incredibly disappointing.