John-Candy Movie Reviews

Vulgar and witless, this movie may be a primary reason that neither George nor Glenda has an acting career anymore. L&F felt dated and empty in '79; the passage of time ain't helped. If you have any taste at all, you will HATE this movie!!! So they get to dance with their legs in casts --well, la-de-da!

Lost and Found is a great movie starring the great Glenda Jackson and George Segal. I rememeber seeing this film when it first came out. It is an enduring film and you will love the love story of these two complete opposites. Glenda brings to the screen a touch of class if you will and George adds a touch of spice to their roles. Great film. Hope it comes on dvd someday.

Lost and Found is the second movie to star Glenda Jackson and George Segal together. The chemistry between these two actors is what makes this movie great. I hope they release this film on DVD soon. The story is somewhat believable and very high brow about the loss of love ones and the pain of getting over former loves. Glenda and George have the greatest chemistry that makes this film work. Of course not to mention the great Maureen Stapleton as George's overbearing Mother.

As sequels go, this movie's approach to Dennis is very different than the first one.This is a very appealing movie, but the only actor I wasn't impressed with was Justin Cooper as Dennis.They make references in the movie about him being "seven and a half, almost eight",while the previous movie and the comics clearly state that he is 5. Cooper has a very raspy,ultimately annoying voice,so much that I was finding myself rewinding the tape and replaying it,concentrating harder just to understand what he was saying! Don Rickles, Betty White,and George Kennedy steal the show,with their charming performances as Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Wilson, and Dennis' Grandpa. There is a ridiculous, yet painstakingly hilarious scene where Grandpa and Mr. Wilson have a dance contest, just the two of them, with "Play That Funky Music" playing in the background.This movie is very entertaining, but it has its weak points, as most movies these days do.The actors aren't "extremely fake", nor is this movie "pointless", as a certain reviewer so kindly pointed out.Don Rickles has been in acting for at least forty years,Betty White,for at least 30, and George Kennedy is an academy-award winning actor,with a long-running, successful career,as well. Even the disappointing Dennis(who doesn't hold a candle to Mason Gamble)has had several credits as well(Full House, Liar Liar). A good movie worth seeing.

i never saw the 1st, but this is kidna funny about Dennis that had neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Wilson wants to move cuz he cant take the pranks of Dennis anymore. But Dennis feels sad and will miss them and he must try to get them back.

Being a former "Dennis" back in the 40`s, I was so happy to see Dennis wearing a waist holster with a 6-shooter. Well done Hollywood! My point being, we knew the difference between fantasy and reality. We had good upbringing. We could even point our finger and say "bang" and not worry about "zero tolerance". We`ve got to get our sanity back. Children need fantasies.

As sequels go, this movie's approach to Dennis is very different than the first one.This is a very appealing movie, but the only actor I wasn't impressed with was Justin Cooper as Dennis.They make references in the movie about him being "seven and a half, almost eight",while the previous movie and the comics clearly state that he is 5. Cooper has a very raspy,ultimately annoying voice,so much that I was finding myself rewinding the tape and replaying it,concentrating harder just to understand what he was saying! Don Rickles, Betty White,and George Kennedy steal the show,with their charming performances as Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Wilson, and Dennis' Grandpa. There is a ridiculous, yet painstakingly hilarious scene where Grandpa and Mr. Wilson have a dance contest, just the two of them, with "Play That Funky Music" playing in the background.This movie is very entertaining, but it has its weak points, as most movies these days do.The actors aren't "extremely fake", nor is this movie "pointless", as a certain reviewer so kindly pointed out.Don Rickles has been in acting for at least forty years,Betty White,for at least 30, and George Kennedy is an academy-award winning actor,with a long-running, successful career,as well. Even the disappointing Dennis(who doesn't hold a candle to Mason Gamble)has had several credits as well(Full House, Liar Liar). A good movie worth seeing.

i never saw the 1st, but this is kidna funny about Dennis that had neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Wilson wants to move cuz he cant take the pranks of Dennis anymore. But Dennis feels sad and will miss them and he must try to get them back.

Being a former "Dennis" back in the 40`s, I was so happy to see Dennis wearing a waist holster with a 6-shooter. Well done Hollywood! My point being, we knew the difference between fantasy and reality. We had good upbringing. We could even point our finger and say "bang" and not worry about "zero tolerance". We`ve got to get our sanity back. Children need fantasies.

As sequels go, this movie's approach to Dennis is very different than the first one.This is a very appealing movie, but the only actor I wasn't impressed with was Justin Cooper as Dennis.They make references in the movie about him being "seven and a half, almost eight",while the previous movie and the comics clearly state that he is 5. Cooper has a very raspy,ultimately annoying voice,so much that I was finding myself rewinding the tape and replaying it,concentrating harder just to understand what he was saying! Don Rickles, Betty White,and George Kennedy steal the show,with their charming performances as Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Wilson, and Dennis' Grandpa. There is a ridiculous, yet painstakingly hilarious scene where Grandpa and Mr. Wilson have a dance contest, just the two of them, with "Play That Funky Music" playing in the background.This movie is very entertaining, but it has its weak points, as most movies these days do.The actors aren't "extremely fake", nor is this movie "pointless", as a certain reviewer so kindly pointed out.Don Rickles has been in acting for at least forty years,Betty White,for at least 30, and George Kennedy is an academy-award winning actor,with a long-running, successful career,as well. Even the disappointing Dennis(who doesn't hold a candle to Mason Gamble)has had several credits as well(Full House, Liar Liar). A good movie worth seeing.

i never saw the 1st, but this is kidna funny about Dennis that had neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Wilson wants to move cuz he cant take the pranks of Dennis anymore. But Dennis feels sad and will miss them and he must try to get them back.

Being a former "Dennis" back in the 40`s, I was so happy to see Dennis wearing a waist holster with a 6-shooter. Well done Hollywood! My point being, we knew the difference between fantasy and reality. We had good upbringing. We could even point our finger and say "bang" and not worry about "zero tolerance". We`ve got to get our sanity back. Children need fantasies.

This is a tape of short clips from the show, ostensibly a "best of" collection. Anyone who has actually watched "Are You Being Served?," or many other British shows for that matter, knows that trying to put together a tape filled with short clips of "best moments" is pure folly.

It's not because there weren't plenty of good moments in the show. There were. But see, here's the thing: Most British humor just doesn't work that way. Whereas American sitcoms are almost all based on "punch lines" and the humor is much more broad and easily excised into short snippets, British shows tend to be more truly situation-based. The humor comes from a series of situational set-ups that happen in the course of the episode. The situations frequently build on one another (sometimes to absurd proportions, but that's the point). So then, with that background, even something simple like a facial expression, or an otherwise benign comment (as opposed to an obvious "punch line" as in American sitcoms), becomes hilarious. It is funny because you know the situation in which it occurs.

All of the best comedy, in my opinion, works like that. It even extends to real-life situations. Think of some of the funniest experiences in your life. I think you'll find that a lot of them were "you had to be there" instances. Trying to relate it to another person, after the fact, doesn't have the same effect because that person wasn't given the whole background, or doesn't know all the personalities of the people involved, or there were visual cues that only made sense within the moment.

I'm an American but I love the way British humor works in this way. But in order to appreciate it, you have to watch the ENTIRE episode. Tapes of short clips just don't cut it for this type of show. Chances are, without knowing anything about the original episodes from which these clips came, a casual viewer will watch this tape and wonder, "What's the big deal? That wasn't very funny."

Hey...this show was FUNNY. Absurd at times, yes, but funny. But it's only funny if you watch the whole episode.

... I prefer seeing the entire episodes that the scenes came from, rather than have them excised and made into a 'best of' compilation. Although I do enjoy the narrative presentation by John Inman's Mrs. Humphries (mother of Mr. Humphries, also performed by Inman), it just lacks a certain style when I see just one small part of the whole.

I'd recommend you give this a look if you're a "newbie" to the show. It usually pops up on the local PBS channel during pledge drives. Otherwise, go for the entire-episode videos.

'Late...

This is a nice collection of highlights for the fan who is familiar enough with the episodes to remember the context from which said highlights are taken. As others have noted, however, the humor really works better in context and it's much more fun to watch a couple of the episodes in their entirety that it is to watch these isolated snippets. Furthermore, I find John Inman in drag as Mr. Humphreys' mother to be funny in measured doses, but that act suffers from overexposure here.

In short, this is mediocre at best. To really experience AYBS to the fullest, sit down with a couple of full episodes and prepare for some laughs.

Though I agree that this DVD is not as good as "Farewell, My Lovely", it still is superior to the Humphrey Bogart version. Bogart was very good at playing many roles, but 'The Big Sleep' comletely missed the mark. The ending of the Bogart version is almost criminal and completely corrupts the rest of the movie. Compare the 'Hollywood' ending of the Bogart version with the novel's famous last paragraph being read by Mitchum in this one. It's unfortunate that the rest of the movie was not up to Mitchum's level but it is worth owning another Marlowe movie with Robert Mitchum. Watch the original because you like Bogart/Bacall, but if you want to experience The Big Sleep, watch this one and buy the book (you'll hear Mitchum's voice as you read).

Not being particularly fond either of Raymond Chandler or of the "classic" 1946 adaption of THE BIG SLEEP, I am perhaps more disposed than most to like Michael Winner's 1978 re-make. Shorn of Bogart and Bacall, the earlier film isn't much more than a routine detective saga. (The screenplay was co-written by William Faulkner, but if I absolutely have to deal with Faulkner, I'd prefer to do it with one of his lugubrious novels.) Still, if you choose to re-make an icon, even one made of brass, you're practically begging for trouble.

If you can get past the gall of trying to re-make a "classic," you can see that Winner's film, while no masterpiece, is decently entertaining. It ably uses the English locations, takes advantage of the greater freedoms of the 1970s and boasts a first-rate cast. Mitchum, in his way, is every bit as good as Bogart. Sarah Miles isn't in Bacall's class as a larger than life image, but she's a superior actress and does a creditable job. Many of the supporting performances are at least as good as their counterparts in the 1946 film, including Jimmy Stewart, Harry Andrews, Edward Fox, Colin Blakely, Oliver Reed, and Joan Collins. Even Richard Boone, usually a bit of chore, uses his over-sized presence to good effect.

If you've seen any of Winner's other films, like DEATH WISH or SCORPIO, you know pretty much what to expect. His direction is, as usual, obnoxiously showy and rushed. There are sudden, incomprehensible close-ups on unimportant actions, unmovitated, low-camera angles, flashy zooms, and awkward compositions designed presumably to remind us that someone is behind the camera. His is almost the epitome of "70s filmmaking," for better or worse. Still, at least he has a style, which, despite the laborious efforts of auteurist critics to reveal it, I have never been able to see in Hawks's dry as dust filmmaking.

I don't exactly recommend THE BIG SLEEP. I know that a lot of people, particularly anyone worshipping at the altar of "classic" Hollywood, will find it offensive. If I say I prefer it to the earlier film, it is not in an attempt to turn it into a transcendant work of art. BOTH versions are hack work. They are perhaps best understood as what mainstream filmmakers of middling talent were able to accomplish in 1946 and 1978, and dealt with accordingly.

Okay, Mitchum isn't Humphrey Bogart but the 1979 "Big Sleep" is a great way to kill 90-minutes. This version of "Sleep" begins with Marlowe (Mitchum) visiting Gen. Sternwood (a pallid Jimmy Stewart) at his palatial estate in England. Sternwood wants Marlowe to help him resolve a blackmail sceme involving one of his daughters. This is easily the most sleazy film Stewart ever appeared in; however Mitchum, Sarah Miles, Joan Collins and Oliver Reed seem right at home here. Richard Boone clearly has a hell of a time playing Mitchum's toughest adversary since Robert Ryan in "The Racket." For Michael Winner's best directorial effort take a look at "Lawman," with Burt Lancaster, Ryan and Lee J. Cobb.

This film is ... . Full stop. It is so bad in fact that its worth watching. The plot has loop holes in it so big, that a 747 could fly through them. For example - A car has the ability to skip over water!, or the Jaguar XJS which passes out a Contach in a straight line in a race - yeah right. Or how about the plane used in the film with a (unreal) engine added on to the fuselage - why?. As a fan of truely great films (The Godfather,Casino, Terminator etc...), the film ranks as possibly the worst film I have ever seen. However I did end up watching the whole thing!

The Plot is so thin you can see through it. But the opening credits feature a gorgeous Countach being chased by the police. That alone is worth buying the movie for. But added to that are a huge amount of star cameos and some of the best one liners you're going to find. I wouldn't pay full price for this movie but its definitely worth the money...

This movie is by far the best movie in the world (according to my standards). After Cannonball Run and Cannonball 2 came Speed Zone, with such halarious actors like John Candy and Jackie Gleason. This 1989 movie would be a favorite for car lovers, having a Lamborghini Countach, a BMW 735iL, an Excalibur, a Jaguar XJS, a Ferrari Daytona Spyder, a Television crew Chevrolet van, and many more supercars. It is about a $50,000 race from Pennsylvania to California. The plot is about a valet parker (John Candy) who meets his high school "friend" (father of a teenager in American Pie) who always plays pranks on him, until he finds out he needs a driver for his BMW 735iL in an emergency. The "friend's" girlfreind is being treated badly by him, and falls in love with the valet parker. They don't win the race. When Candy is looking at a television screen at a small valet house, a scene from the Cannonball Run is being shown. Overall, a most excellent film, perfect for veiwing while on a road trip or on a Saturday night.

i made two mistakes i listened to my girlfriend who said this was a good movie and i was like wow chevy chase, dan aykroyd, and john candy they are funny this movie must be pretty good. well it doesn't overly suck but its not good don't spend more then 5 dollars on it because anymore then that is a total waste of money

Chris Thorne (Chevy Chase) is a stock market whiz who needs to attend a buisness meeting. He agrees to take Diane Lightson (Demi Moore, in her last comic role before she, like Tome Hanks, went on to roles that only won her Oscars.) to Atlantic City along with a bizarre couple, and becomes smitten. However, after a pass through the desolate village of Valkenvania (the working title of the film), that will have to be put on the back burner. You see, Chris has been pulled over for a minor traffic violation, and he, with the rest of the occupants, is hauled off to the house of Justice of the Peace Alvin Valkenheiser (Dan Aykroyd) for a trial. Can Chris, Diane, and the rest of the group escape before they become just another news story and memory?

I agree with the critics on one thing: this is not the stars' finest hour. They turn in good performances for the average script they are given, but the agreeing stops there. This is a surreal, strange, and fun way to kill an hour and a half. Memorable moments include a drug using quartet getting sent into "Mr. Bonestripper", a machine that looks like a guy and has jagged metal pistons for teeth. They go in, their bones come out and hit the walls with the sounds of a pinball machine. Another one is the appearance of the band Digital Underground (for all you rap fans out there, this is a rare movie appearance of Tupac Shakur) as a band hauled in by the JP, who joins in (on organ)with their chart-topper, "Same Song". The DVD I picked up in a bargian bin (I'm a cheapskate, I know), and no surprise why: It's an early Warner one, with sub-par full frame video and adequate sound, but NO EXTRAS! Unless you see this DVD in a bragain bin, get the video. As is the case with many movies, good movie, subpar DVD.

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE
(1991, PG-13)

Chris Thorne: Chevy Chase
Judge Alvin "JP" Valkenheiser\Bobo Valkenheiser: Dan Aykroyd
Dennis Valkenheiser\ Eldonna Valkenheiser: John Candy
Diane Lightson: Demi Moore
Miss Purdah: Valri Bromfield
Fausto: Taylor Negron

Director: Dan Aykroyd
Writers: Peter Aykroyd (story), Dan Aykroyd (screenplay)

MOVIE: 4
VIDEO: 3
AUDIO: 3
EXTRAS: 0
MENUS: 1
OVERALL: 3

Chevy Chase and Demi are on their way to Atlantic City and then they get pulled over by a small town cop and the fun begins from there. The cop tells them they have to follow him to the court house and the judge will make a decision on their punishment. They judge decides they have to stay the night and appear in court the next morning but during the night they try to escape and get caught in the fun house. Lets just say this is not a normal house.

Every since I was a kid I thought this movie was so funny. It just cracks me up! John Candy, Dan Akroyd and Chevy Chase your basic 80's comedy team together in this film. They all have parts that are just hilarious and then you add Demi Moore. Also in one part of the movie there is appearance by 2PAC. He is in the band the is playing in the courtroom to avoid getting sent to jail.

I will watch this movie whenever it is on cause I can't help but laugh. Watch this and you will know what I mean!

i made two mistakes i listened to my girlfriend who said this was a good movie and i was like wow chevy chase, dan aykroyd, and john candy they are funny this movie must be pretty good. well it doesn't overly suck but its not good don't spend more then 5 dollars on it because anymore then that is a total waste of money

Chris Thorne (Chevy Chase) is a stock market whiz who needs to attend a buisness meeting. He agrees to take Diane Lightson (Demi Moore, in her last comic role before she, like Tome Hanks, went on to roles that only won her Oscars.) to Atlantic City along with a bizarre couple, and becomes smitten. However, after a pass through the desolate village of Valkenvania (the working title of the film), that will have to be put on the back burner. You see, Chris has been pulled over for a minor traffic violation, and he, with the rest of the occupants, is hauled off to the house of Justice of the Peace Alvin Valkenheiser (Dan Aykroyd) for a trial. Can Chris, Diane, and the rest of the group escape before they become just another news story and memory?

I agree with the critics on one thing: this is not the stars' finest hour. They turn in good performances for the average script they are given, but the agreeing stops there. This is a surreal, strange, and fun way to kill an hour and a half. Memorable moments include a drug using quartet getting sent into "Mr. Bonestripper", a machine that looks like a guy and has jagged metal pistons for teeth. They go in, their bones come out and hit the walls with the sounds of a pinball machine. Another one is the appearance of the band Digital Underground (for all you rap fans out there, this is a rare movie appearance of Tupac Shakur) as a band hauled in by the JP, who joins in (on organ)with their chart-topper, "Same Song". The DVD I picked up in a bargian bin (I'm a cheapskate, I know), and no surprise why: It's an early Warner one, with sub-par full frame video and adequate sound, but NO EXTRAS! Unless you see this DVD in a bragain bin, get the video. As is the case with many movies, good movie, subpar DVD.

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE
(1991, PG-13)

Chris Thorne: Chevy Chase
Judge Alvin "JP" Valkenheiser\Bobo Valkenheiser: Dan Aykroyd
Dennis Valkenheiser\ Eldonna Valkenheiser: John Candy
Diane Lightson: Demi Moore
Miss Purdah: Valri Bromfield
Fausto: Taylor Negron

Director: Dan Aykroyd
Writers: Peter Aykroyd (story), Dan Aykroyd (screenplay)

MOVIE: 4
VIDEO: 3
AUDIO: 3
EXTRAS: 0
MENUS: 1
OVERALL: 3

Chevy Chase and Demi are on their way to Atlantic City and then they get pulled over by a small town cop and the fun begins from there. The cop tells them they have to follow him to the court house and the judge will make a decision on their punishment. They judge decides they have to stay the night and appear in court the next morning but during the night they try to escape and get caught in the fun house. Lets just say this is not a normal house.

Every since I was a kid I thought this movie was so funny. It just cracks me up! John Candy, Dan Akroyd and Chevy Chase your basic 80's comedy team together in this film. They all have parts that are just hilarious and then you add Demi Moore. Also in one part of the movie there is appearance by 2PAC. He is in the band the is playing in the courtroom to avoid getting sent to jail.

I will watch this movie whenever it is on cause I can't help but laugh. Watch this and you will know what I mean!

This is a 5 star movie with 1 star disc quality. The audio is so poor that I would not recommend its purchase to others. I can't even share this movie with friends, as they won't be able to understand the dialogue - it's only because I know most of the dialogue already that I can stand watching it.

It's a shame that the makers of this DVD put little to no effort into maintaining the quality of the original print. The pictue quality is below the standard of VHS (perhaps a PAL conversion?)and the sound has been mixed so poorly that you often can't hear what's being said due to the overbearing effects track. If you can manage to look past this butchering, you may be able to appreciate this great example of '70's Australian culture.

Sydney, Australia, late 1960s. A national election is being held in which the Labor party may be returned to power after 20 years of numbing right-wing rule under the so-called Liberal party. A bunch of old university friends gather excitedly at Don's place to have a party and watch the election results on the television. They're all thirty-somethings now, most of them with families, but they remember their activist, free-spirited socialist youth. That's actually pretty much how they still see themselves at the start of the party. But as the alcohol flows and the night wears on, they grudgingly admit, if only within, that they've joined the dreaded moneyed class and could hardly care less who wins the election. By turns thought-provoking and side-splittingly funny, "Don's Party" resonates disturbingly with all of us who've seen our early passions replaced by a mundane though comfortable reality, accompanied by vague feelings of self-betrayal. Bruce Beresford ably directs this superb play by David Williamson. Strongly recommended. It's that rare thing - a movie for adults.