John-Candy Movie Reviews

Albert Brooks is the thinking man's comedian. And he proves it with "Lost In America". This movie is written, acted and directed with impeccable precision. The casting is perfect. Somehow this dated 80's yuppie film is just smart enough and just down to earth enough to entertain almost everyone. Albert Brooks has a whimsical intelligent paranoia about life, Julie Haggerty is his invincibly sweet wife, and every other character in this film is tangibly interesting. This movie is full of sarcasm, human honesty, and laughter for the mind. "Lost in America" is full of subtle humor and interesting ideas. If you have a brain and if you like to laugh, this is the movie for you. Albert Brooks deserves some kind of an Oscar for this one. Please get lost in America!

Without question, Albert Brooks is the absolute master of subtle humor. In "Lost In America," the writer-director-star weaves an hilarious tapestry that is no less than a paean to an entire generation of Yuppies. When David Howard (Brooks), the creative director for one of the largest advertising agencies in the world, fails to get the promotion he's "waited his whole life for," he quits his job ("Well, I got fired, but it's the same thing-"), then convinces his wife, Linda (Julie Hagerty), to do the same. They then proceed to sell their house, liquidate all their assets ("We got a ride on the inflation train you would not believe,"), buy a thirty-foot motor home and drop out of society in order to "find" themselves. Patterning himself after the guys in "Easy Rider," David's plan is for them to set off across America, to "Touch Indians, see the mountains and the prairies and all the rest of that song," and they leave Los Angeles with a new motor home, a substantial nest egg and an anxious sense of adventure. It all soon goes awry, of course, and what follows are some of the funniest scenes you'll ever see in an intelligent comedy. Among the most memorable are the ones with Michael Greene (As David's boss), when he informs David that instead of a promotion he's being transferred to New York to work on their latest acquisition, Ford ("We got trucks, too."); one with Garry Marshall (As a casino manager in Las Vegas); and finally, the scene in which David explains the concept of the "nest egg" to Linda, which has to be, historically, one of the classic comedy scenes of all time. The solid supporting cast includes Tom Tarpey (Brad Tooey, the "bald-headed man from New York"), Ernie Brown, Art Frankel, Charles Boswell and Joey Coleman. Written by Brooks and Monica Johnson, "Lost In America" is a timeless comedy classic that can be enjoyed over and over again.

Probably the only great comedy ABOUT the Eighties. The criticisms that *Lost in America* doesn't have a strong plot and not much of a "third act" are substantially on the mark; but with Albert Brooks at his most acidic, should one really care? And yes, the main crisis -- Julie Hagerty gambling away their savings at the roulette wheel in a Vegas casino -- feels hastily conceived, even slap-dash; but again, should one really care? The movie barrels ahead on the strength of its set-pieces, its dialogue, and the continuous presence of the ceaselessly funny Brooks. In other words, *Lost in America* has more than enough going for it. Some of the great scenes in this gem of a movie include: Brooks' aria of outrage in his boss' office when he learns that he's not getting the promotion to VP at the high-powered advertising agency for whom he's toiled for years; Brooks' sales-pitch to casino-manager Garry Marshall that the casino should "give us our money back!"; Brooks' interview with a man at an employment agency in the small Arizona town in which they've found themselves stuck (employment agency man guffawing: "Well, I don't think we got anything 'round here that pays $100,000 a YEAR!") . . . and, of course, the great Nest Egg diatribe, which has become a comedy classic. As the movie progresses, the tone gets a little darker, a little sadder, as Brooks and his wife come to realize that it's too late to start over. Behind the hilarity, *Lost in America* imparts the painful lesson that the dreams of youth must be deferred during one's prime. Those dreams must wait for old age . . . if one is still around to act on them, of course. And the movie also has something to say about the Baby Boomer generation being forced to grow up. (*Easy Rider* has been relegated to nostalgic kitsch, here: it's a HIGHWAY PATROLMAN'S favorite movie!) In the height of the Reagan era, the Sixties -- along with all the baggage that term suggests -- were finished for good. Over and out.

Albert Brooks is the thinking man's comedian. And he proves it with "Lost In America". This movie is written, acted and directed with impeccable precision. The casting is perfect. Somehow this dated 80's yuppie film is just smart enough and just down to earth enough to entertain almost everyone. Albert Brooks has a whimsical intelligent paranoia about life, Julie Haggerty is his invincibly sweet wife, and every other character in this film is tangibly interesting. This movie is full of sarcasm, human honesty, and laughter for the mind. "Lost in America" is full of subtle humor and interesting ideas. If you have a brain and if you like to laugh, this is the movie for you. Albert Brooks deserves some kind of an Oscar for this one. Please get lost in America!

Without question, Albert Brooks is the absolute master of subtle humor. In "Lost In America," the writer-director-star weaves an hilarious tapestry that is no less than a paean to an entire generation of Yuppies. When David Howard (Brooks), the creative director for one of the largest advertising agencies in the world, fails to get the promotion he's "waited his whole life for," he quits his job ("Well, I got fired, but it's the same thing-"), then convinces his wife, Linda (Julie Hagerty), to do the same. They then proceed to sell their house, liquidate all their assets ("We got a ride on the inflation train you would not believe,"), buy a thirty-foot motor home and drop out of society in order to "find" themselves. Patterning himself after the guys in "Easy Rider," David's plan is for them to set off across America, to "Touch Indians, see the mountains and the prairies and all the rest of that song," and they leave Los Angeles with a new motor home, a substantial nest egg and an anxious sense of adventure. It all soon goes awry, of course, and what follows are some of the funniest scenes you'll ever see in an intelligent comedy. Among the most memorable are the ones with Michael Greene (As David's boss), when he informs David that instead of a promotion he's being transferred to New York to work on their latest acquisition, Ford ("We got trucks, too."); one with Garry Marshall (As a casino manager in Las Vegas); and finally, the scene in which David explains the concept of the "nest egg" to Linda, which has to be, historically, one of the classic comedy scenes of all time. The solid supporting cast includes Tom Tarpey (Brad Tooey, the "bald-headed man from New York"), Ernie Brown, Art Frankel, Charles Boswell and Joey Coleman. Written by Brooks and Monica Johnson, "Lost In America" is a timeless comedy classic that can be enjoyed over and over again.

Probably the only great comedy ABOUT the Eighties. The criticisms that *Lost in America* doesn't have a strong plot and not much of a "third act" are substantially on the mark; but with Albert Brooks at his most acidic, should one really care? And yes, the main crisis -- Julie Hagerty gambling away their savings at the roulette wheel in a Vegas casino -- feels hastily conceived, even slap-dash; but again, should one really care? The movie barrels ahead on the strength of its set-pieces, its dialogue, and the continuous presence of the ceaselessly funny Brooks. In other words, *Lost in America* has more than enough going for it. Some of the great scenes in this gem of a movie include: Brooks' aria of outrage in his boss' office when he learns that he's not getting the promotion to VP at the high-powered advertising agency for whom he's toiled for years; Brooks' sales-pitch to casino-manager Garry Marshall that the casino should "give us our money back!"; Brooks' interview with a man at an employment agency in the small Arizona town in which they've found themselves stuck (employment agency man guffawing: "Well, I don't think we got anything 'round here that pays $100,000 a YEAR!") . . . and, of course, the great Nest Egg diatribe, which has become a comedy classic. As the movie progresses, the tone gets a little darker, a little sadder, as Brooks and his wife come to realize that it's too late to start over. Behind the hilarity, *Lost in America* imparts the painful lesson that the dreams of youth must be deferred during one's prime. Those dreams must wait for old age . . . if one is still around to act on them, of course. And the movie also has something to say about the Baby Boomer generation being forced to grow up. (*Easy Rider* has been relegated to nostalgic kitsch, here: it's a HIGHWAY PATROLMAN'S favorite movie!) In the height of the Reagan era, the Sixties -- along with all the baggage that term suggests -- were finished for good. Over and out.

Remember the boy who once tried to free an alien from the US Government back in the early 1980's? The tender and sweet alien that made believers out of so many people and influenced everything from "ALF" to my own fasination with aliens. Grossing to be one of the all time money makers, "ET" paved the way for the young Drew Barrymore but what ever happened to Henry Thomas?

Henry Thomas seems more at ease choosing roles that are less commercial from the over budgeted "ET". 1997's indie film "Niagara, Niagara" proved more about his ability to perform then anything he has done. He plays Seth, a local shoplifter who dreams of a better life and accidentally runs into his significant other while in the process. Robin Tunney's perfomance as Marcy is unbelievably clever and very well acted. I probably would have gave her a shot at "The Exorcist" with a performance of such potency. Offbeat but intensely realistic, "Niagara, Niagara" showcases love and relationships at its most eccentric. Characters locked by fate with a ghostly foreshadowing of life with pain and heartbreak.

When I first saw this movie it gave me chills because I started having memories of how I was treated in High School by the teachers, not my the other students, when they found out I have Tourette Syndrome. I have even had problems with some of my college teachers due to my TS.

Robin Tunney's portrayal of a person with Tourette Syndrome was truly magnificent. The end mad me angry but it was an accurate portrayal of how someone with TS could be misconstrued being violent. This movie really shed some light on the misconceptions people have about Tourette Syndrome. I'm just glad Niagara, Niagara wasn't outrageous like some of the movies made in Hollywood that poke fun at Tourette Syndrome. All in all I thought Niagara, Niagara was an accurate protrayal of the behaviors that a person with severe Tourette Syndrome has. I do have to admit I thought the plot was kind of cheesy. But I still recccommend this film.

When I search the video stores, trailers and magazines for critiques on a special film that is not well known and perhaps overlooked, Niagra Niagra is exactly what I am hoping to find. The only other movies I've seen Robin Tunney in were The Craft & Empire Records and never took notice of her performance as anything special, rather quite average. Tunney blew me away with her performance in this movie. She is deserving of much more recognition than she received. Niagra, Niagra touched me in such a way that I continue to go around telling friends/family, "Have you seen this movie called Niagra Niagra?" I usually follow up with a visit to my local video store and an invite to watch a movie that touches myriad range of emotions such as laughter, shock, empathy, anger and inspiration. Niagra Niagra becomes your own personal, discovered treasure....

John Candy turns in an amusing performance as the bumbling detective Harry Crumb who is called in to solve the case of a wealthy socialite's kidnapped daughter. From the very beginning, Crumb's lack of tact, talent, and detective skills is obvious. He photographs the wrong person on a stake-out, gets stuck in an air conditioning duct, has his tie eaten by a paper shredder, and constantly misuses the words on his word-a-day calendar. While this may not be Candy's funniest performance, it does provide several stellar comic moments.

The supporting cast of this movie is sensational. Superb performances are turned in from Annie Potts, Barry Corbin, Shawnee Smith, and Wesley Mann as the lethargic butler. The finest performance of the movie is accomplished by Jeffrey Jones, who plays the President of Crumb's detective agency. The interractions he has with the befuddled Harry are outrageous and hilarious.

If you are looking for the best of John Candy, I would suggest movies such as "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" or "Uncle Buck" instead of this film. "Who's Harry Crumb?" does have its share of over-the-top moments and comedy that borders on the edge of campy or cheesy. However, more than a few moments of pure hilarity make this film an excellent addition to any movie collection.

This is simply John Candy at his best. I loved this movie and I think you will too. John Candy was at his prime when this movie premiered one year before his death. It's a shame we don't have more of his work. I highly recommend this movie! It is hilarious!

Like many of the movies in this genre(slapstick comdedy), "Who's Harry Crumb" has an absurd story line. But all of this is pretty much inconsequential with a person like John Candy as the star. People who have seen his other performances, know that he can turn the smallest role in to comedic masterpieces(such as "Tom Tuttle from Tacoma Washington" on Volunteers). And naturally, when he has a starring role, he can elevate a movie from mediocre to great, as evidenced by this particular movie. Without John Candy, I would rate this movie as one of the 5 worst ever, but since John Candy is in it, it's in the top 25(which is a pretty exclusive list!).

All I can say is, if you still havn't watched this movie, even though it's been out for almost a dozen years, you're missing out on a hilarious movie. The first time I watched it, I couldn't stop laughing, it's that funny.

I've never really been a huge fan of most of Richard Pryor's films, but I have to say that "Brewster's Millions" is a very funny movie.

The film revolves around Monty Brewster, a baseball player with dreams of making it to the major leagues. One day he discovers that an uncle he knew nothing about has left him an inheritance because Monty is his only living relative. Monty's uncle tells him, via video before he died, that he wants Monty to absolutely hate spending money. He wants to test him. So Monty has a decision to make. He can either spend $30 million in 30 days WITHOUT having any assets and ultimately inherit $300 million or he can take $1 million and be safe. Of course Monty chooses to go for the $300 million, and what happens next are some of the craziest, funniest, and kindness acts you'll ever see in a film. I won't give away the ending, but you'll be amazed at how hard it is to spend $30 millions and not have any assets to back it up.

John Candy does a good job playing Monty's best friend in the film. It's a shame that we lost him so many years ago. It's also a shame that Richard Pryor can no longer perform like he used to due to his illness.

I would highly suggest this film because it is not only funny, but it also wraps you up into the lives and some incredibly funny and fortunate people!

Hmm...let's see...For starters, I would buy myself five or six mansions in different parts of the world, possibly start up a car collection, or perhaps take a few dozen trips around the world and deposit the rest in a bank account. The point is, "Brewster's Millions" is a delightful comedy that stars Richard Pryor as a down and out ex-professional baseball player who must spend thirty million dollars in thirty days. If he is successful, he'll inherit $300,000,000. Sounds easy, right? The catch is that Mr. Pryor must have no assets of any kind after the thirty days to obtain the money. John Candy co-stars as Pryor's buddy and is an "en route" benefactor to Pryor's real fortune. Stephen Collins also co-stars as an attorney who would like nothing more than to con Pryor out of his millions so he can obtain the fortune for his future firm Granville and Baxter. Pat Hingle does an outstanding job as the overseer of the conditions of Montgomery Brewster's (Pryor) great uncle's (Hume Cronyn) will. All this makes for a well-crafted, suspensful comedy. o do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of "Brewster's Millions" today. Chuck Fleming (Peter Jason), Action News!

Richard Pryor, John Candy, what a movie! When this came out I died laughing, and now that I own it on DVD there is no difference! Trying to spend $30 million in one month seems hard for Richard Pryor (he needs to meet my wife!) but he has a blast trying. The movie stays a step ahead of what I am expecting and that's good, because I tire quickly of predictive movies. This one is a classic!

I've never really been a huge fan of most of Richard Pryor's films, but I have to say that "Brewster's Millions" is a very funny movie.

The film revolves around Monty Brewster, a baseball player with dreams of making it to the major leagues. One day he discovers that an uncle he knew nothing about has left him an inheritance because Monty is his only living relative. Monty's uncle tells him, via video before he died, that he wants Monty to absolutely hate spending money. He wants to test him. So Monty has a decision to make. He can either spend $30 million in 30 days WITHOUT having any assets and ultimately inherit $300 million or he can take $1 million and be safe. Of course Monty chooses to go for the $300 million, and what happens next are some of the craziest, funniest, and kindness acts you'll ever see in a film. I won't give away the ending, but you'll be amazed at how hard it is to spend $30 millions and not have any assets to back it up.

John Candy does a good job playing Monty's best friend in the film. It's a shame that we lost him so many years ago. It's also a shame that Richard Pryor can no longer perform like he used to due to his illness.

I would highly suggest this film because it is not only funny, but it also wraps you up into the lives and some incredibly funny and fortunate people!

Hmm...let's see...For starters, I would buy myself five or six mansions in different parts of the world, possibly start up a car collection, or perhaps take a few dozen trips around the world and deposit the rest in a bank account. The point is, "Brewster's Millions" is a delightful comedy that stars Richard Pryor as a down and out ex-professional baseball player who must spend thirty million dollars in thirty days. If he is successful, he'll inherit $300,000,000. Sounds easy, right? The catch is that Mr. Pryor must have no assets of any kind after the thirty days to obtain the money. John Candy co-stars as Pryor's buddy and is an "en route" benefactor to Pryor's real fortune. Stephen Collins also co-stars as an attorney who would like nothing more than to con Pryor out of his millions so he can obtain the fortune for his future firm Granville and Baxter. Pat Hingle does an outstanding job as the overseer of the conditions of Montgomery Brewster's (Pryor) great uncle's (Hume Cronyn) will. All this makes for a well-crafted, suspensful comedy. o do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of "Brewster's Millions" today. Chuck Fleming (Peter Jason), Action News!

Richard Pryor, John Candy, what a movie! When this came out I died laughing, and now that I own it on DVD there is no difference! Trying to spend $30 million in one month seems hard for Richard Pryor (he needs to meet my wife!) but he has a blast trying. The movie stays a step ahead of what I am expecting and that's good, because I tire quickly of predictive movies. This one is a classic!

I don't know how this movie has so many 5-star ratings. I happened to watch this movie from the beginning on TV, and it was so bad that I had to put a review immediately. I am in the Marine Corps, and I feel even for the Army, that military training was portrayed very unrealistically. The Captain and the other "soldiers" show a sense of unprofessionalism and disrespect to superiors and the country. The graduation day scene is unbelievable. They all seemed to get it all together in one night and add their own twist to the drill. Bill Murray is horrible along with the rest. He clearly keeps his sarcasm even after basic training. How can he talk like that to a General? I don't know, but there is no structure or discipline between the Army soldiers and officers. I know this movie is a comedy, but it makes me wonder if they were trying to make the military look like a joke.

STRIPES, the best service comedy of the 80's, was released during Bill Murray's halcyon career years (1979-1984), and has moments of absolute lunacy and imagination, faltering only during the last third of the film. A showcase for many rising stars (Harold Ramis, John Candy, John Larroquette, Sean Young, Judge Reinhold) and featuring Warren Oates' funniest performance on film, it nevertheless is primarily Murray's show, and he delivers, brilliantly!

As an arrogant but likable loser who thrives on twisting the 'rules' to suit him, Murray combines physical humor, sly one-liners, and an anti-establishment point of view to establish himself as the logical successor to the anarchists of ANIMAL HOUSE. His character, John Winger, is not only a jerk, but charismatic enough to make being a smartass desirable! After losing his girl, his job, his home, and even his pizza ("Then depression set in," he announces), he sees a TV commercial for the Army, and convinces his friend Russell Ziskey (sweetly played by Harold Ramis), an English language teacher who's better at teaching cuss words to his students than English, to drop everything and enlist with him.

Basic is a challenge for Winger, as the Army expects him to be a soldier! In a unit comprised of idiots, psychopaths, potheads, and an overweight recruit who enlisted to "shed a few pounds" in a 'Club Med'-style environment (John Candy, who is very funny), Winger immediately attempts to take charge, only to be put down by gruff drill instructor, Sgt. Hulka (Warren Oates), who is wise to all of Winger's scams. Not that this interferes with Winger and Ziskey's social life; the pair soon have MP girlfriends (P.J. Soles and Sean Young) sharing trysts in the General's quarters!

The film's highlight occurs after Sgt. Hulka is incapacitated by an exploding grenade. Faced with having to start basic training all over again, Winger coaches the unit overnight in HIS kind of drill for the final Review and Parade. Unfortunately, everyone then oversleeps, and arrive at the Parade Ground in all manner of dress. Winger's unorthodox marching routines are a hit, however, and the General, thinking he is watching a crack outfit, addresses Winger in one of the funniest exchanges ever recorded on film!

GENERAL: Where's your Sergeant?

WINGER: Blowed up, Sir!

UNIT: Blowed up, Sir!

GENERAL: You mean you trained YOURSELVES?

WINGER: That's the FACT, jack!

UNIT: That's the FACT, jack!

Unfortunately, STRIPES doesn't end with this brilliant piece of insanity, but moves to Europe, where the unit is assigned to guard an attack vehicle that looks suspiciously like an RV. While there are a few amusing moments in this final chapter of the film, it lacks the inspired madness of basic training, and drags, a bit, until the famous 'Magazine Cover' postscript.

All in all, STRIPES is a memorable, if flawed near-classic, and paved the way for Murray and Ramis' blockbuster, GHOSTBUSTERS. If you're a Bill Murray or service comedy fan, it should DEFINITELY be in your collection!

While the Cold War setting of this movie may be a bit dated, the humor is still fresh and hilarious. This movie has a great cast featuring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, John Candy, Sean Young, John Laroquette, Judge Reinhold, and others, when they were relative nobodies. Well, some of them are still nobodies, but in any case... this movie is non-stop laughter! Murray and Ramis are great as a couple of losers who join the Army out of sheer desperation with their dead-end lives. They join up with a company of misfits and freaks with a hard-[corps] drill sergeant, played by Warren Oates in a comedic version of R. Lee Ermey's future role in Full Metal Jacket. The implausibility skyrockets as these fools somehow manage to fall in love, pass basic training, get assigned to guard a top-secret assault video, invade Eastern Europe, and defeat hordes of Commies. Still, what is classic 80's comedy without ridiculous situations such as these? It is a hilarious and completely frivolous movie, but filled with classic lines from Murray and non-stop laughter. Right up there with Caddyshack in the pantheon of goofy comedies, and definitely a few notches above the similarly themed Cold War comedy Spies Like Us. It is no Dr. Strangelove, but it was never meant to be. If you want to see Murray & Co. at the height of their abilities, look no further.

I don't know how this movie has so many 5-star ratings. I happened to watch this movie from the beginning on TV, and it was so bad that I had to put a review immediately. I am in the Marine Corps, and I feel even for the Army, that military training was portrayed very unrealistically. The Captain and the other "soldiers" show a sense of unprofessionalism and disrespect to superiors and the country. The graduation day scene is unbelievable. They all seemed to get it all together in one night and add their own twist to the drill. Bill Murray is horrible along with the rest. He clearly keeps his sarcasm even after basic training. How can he talk like that to a General? I don't know, but there is no structure or discipline between the Army soldiers and officers. I know this movie is a comedy, but it makes me wonder if they were trying to make the military look like a joke.

STRIPES, the best service comedy of the 80's, was released during Bill Murray's halcyon career years (1979-1984), and has moments of absolute lunacy and imagination, faltering only during the last third of the film. A showcase for many rising stars (Harold Ramis, John Candy, John Larroquette, Sean Young, Judge Reinhold) and featuring Warren Oates' funniest performance on film, it nevertheless is primarily Murray's show, and he delivers, brilliantly!

As an arrogant but likable loser who thrives on twisting the 'rules' to suit him, Murray combines physical humor, sly one-liners, and an anti-establishment point of view to establish himself as the logical successor to the anarchists of ANIMAL HOUSE. His character, John Winger, is not only a jerk, but charismatic enough to make being a smartass desirable! After losing his girl, his job, his home, and even his pizza ("Then depression set in," he announces), he sees a TV commercial for the Army, and convinces his friend Russell Ziskey (sweetly played by Harold Ramis), an English language teacher who's better at teaching cuss words to his students than English, to drop everything and enlist with him.

Basic is a challenge for Winger, as the Army expects him to be a soldier! In a unit comprised of idiots, psychopaths, potheads, and an overweight recruit who enlisted to "shed a few pounds" in a 'Club Med'-style environment (John Candy, who is very funny), Winger immediately attempts to take charge, only to be put down by gruff drill instructor, Sgt. Hulka (Warren Oates), who is wise to all of Winger's scams. Not that this interferes with Winger and Ziskey's social life; the pair soon have MP girlfriends (P.J. Soles and Sean Young) sharing trysts in the General's quarters!

The film's highlight occurs after Sgt. Hulka is incapacitated by an exploding grenade. Faced with having to start basic training all over again, Winger coaches the unit overnight in HIS kind of drill for the final Review and Parade. Unfortunately, everyone then oversleeps, and arrive at the Parade Ground in all manner of dress. Winger's unorthodox marching routines are a hit, however, and the General, thinking he is watching a crack outfit, addresses Winger in one of the funniest exchanges ever recorded on film!

GENERAL: Where's your Sergeant?

WINGER: Blowed up, Sir!

UNIT: Blowed up, Sir!

GENERAL: You mean you trained YOURSELVES?

WINGER: That's the FACT, jack!

UNIT: That's the FACT, jack!

Unfortunately, STRIPES doesn't end with this brilliant piece of insanity, but moves to Europe, where the unit is assigned to guard an attack vehicle that looks suspiciously like an RV. While there are a few amusing moments in this final chapter of the film, it lacks the inspired madness of basic training, and drags, a bit, until the famous 'Magazine Cover' postscript.

All in all, STRIPES is a memorable, if flawed near-classic, and paved the way for Murray and Ramis' blockbuster, GHOSTBUSTERS. If you're a Bill Murray or service comedy fan, it should DEFINITELY be in your collection!

While the Cold War setting of this movie may be a bit dated, the humor is still fresh and hilarious. This movie has a great cast featuring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, John Candy, Sean Young, John Laroquette, Judge Reinhold, and others, when they were relative nobodies. Well, some of them are still nobodies, but in any case... this movie is non-stop laughter! Murray and Ramis are great as a couple of losers who join the Army out of sheer desperation with their dead-end lives. They join up with a company of misfits and freaks with a hard-[corps] drill sergeant, played by Warren Oates in a comedic version of R. Lee Ermey's future role in Full Metal Jacket. The implausibility skyrockets as these fools somehow manage to fall in love, pass basic training, get assigned to guard a top-secret assault video, invade Eastern Europe, and defeat hordes of Commies. Still, what is classic 80's comedy without ridiculous situations such as these? It is a hilarious and completely frivolous movie, but filled with classic lines from Murray and non-stop laughter. Right up there with Caddyshack in the pantheon of goofy comedies, and definitely a few notches above the similarly themed Cold War comedy Spies Like Us. It is no Dr. Strangelove, but it was never meant to be. If you want to see Murray & Co. at the height of their abilities, look no further.

I enjoyed American Graffiti so I wanted to see the sequel,too. Movies about the Vietnam Era and the student demonstrations generally don't appeal to me. I was of draft age during Vietnam and I was in college during the Kent State riots. Those are still painful memories. I saw More American Graffiti because I was interested in the stories of the characters from American Graffiti. Unfortunately,the story was not easy to follow because it jumped from year to year. Perhaps the story would have been better told year by year in chronological order. Candy Clark was the best actress in the sequel. I sympathized with Debbie because she lost Terry and her current boyfriend Lance took advantage of her. Debbie deserved better than that! Maybe she found happiness with the band. I never liked the fact that Steve gave up college for Laurie. High school romances usually don't last. I wonder if Steve and Laurie did? American Graffiti had its share of future stars like Suzanne Somers,Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford and others. How many of you know that Naomi Judd of The Judds was one of the female student demonstrators in More American Graffiti? You'll probably find other future stars in the movie,too.I expected better when I watched More American Graffiti,but the overall story,disjointed as it was is still worth watching.

Most of the Original Cast are back, expect for Oscar-Winner:Richard Dreyfuss. This film tells the tales of Seven Friends (Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Bo Hopkins), which they are in Different Situations in the Evolution of the Mid-Sixties.

Directed by B.W.L. Norton, this is Surprisngly Well Made Sequel. Written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, George Lucas and Bill L. Norton. This has a lot of Bright Moments. Harrison Ford has a Cameo as a Motorcylce Officer and Delroy Lindo, then Unknown has a Scene with Actor:Smith. This was a Small Hit in Theaters. Some Might have a hard time watching this film, because it`s filmed in Different Aspect Ratios of this Film. Part of the Movie is Filmed in Panavision. Grade:A-.

I had heard many reviews on this movie. I heard that it was the worst thing he ever had anything to do with. I was a big fan of the original Graffiti and its soundtrack ((dispite my age of 15)). I heard More American Graffiti, the less sucessful sequal, was being rerealesed on VHS. A relative gave it to me for Christmas and I enjoyed it just as much as the first. The songs that were picked were all very good and I hope a soundtrack is released ((dispite the fact the Beatles were not included)). The stories were amazing. It shifts from year to year and tells us what each of the characters ((minus Richard Dreyfuss)) are up too. In 1964 John Millner is on his way to becoming a proffesional racer as he falls in love with a girl who does not even speak the same language as him. In 1965 Terry the Toad is trying to injury himself so he is sent out of Vietnam and back home to his girlfriend. No matter what he does he just gets into deeper doo doo ((seriously)). In 1966 we follow Terry's old girlfriend Debbie in her new life as a flower child. She really longs for a traditional marriage which her current boyfriend refuses to give to her. Dispite this she waits on him hand and foot. In 1967 Steve and Laurie are married with kids. Laurie wants to be more than a housewife but Steve just won't let that go. She runs away to her brother who is involved in a campus riot. Look for a cameo by Harrison Ford in this movie. I loved it and will cherish it in my video collection.

I can still remember this movie when it was shown on TV back in 1976. I thought it was a good story. It still is, but I was extremely disappointed in the DVD release of it. It's a really bad transfer & the packaging that it came in is really pitiful. I can't understand why they (Essex Entertainment) would want to cheapen the best format in the world?

There was also a huge error on it as well. On the disc they have: "The Boy In The Bubble".

It's a shame that this great movie had to be wrecked by a very poor DVD release.

I actually enjoyed "The Boy In The Plastic Bubble" more than I thought I would. After all, it has been the topic of many jokes over the years. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had some very nice human elements to it. John Travolta did a pretty good job of playing Tod, a teenager with a severe immune deficiency who is forced to live in an enclosed germ free area in his house. He spent a lot of the film acting rather goofy and socially inept. That made a lot of sense though for someone who had limited contact with the general public.

Tod has spent many years watching the teenage girl next door, Gina (Glynnis O'Connor). He is extremely attracted to her but whether she feels the same way about him is questionable. Eventually, Tod is able to go through a series of steps which allow him more and more freedom. He uses this new found freedom to both try and fit in with the other kids as best he can and also woo Gina. There are some touching moments between the two of them although at times it crosses over into being too cut and dry. I would've liked the filmmakers to have made the situation between them a bit more complex.

Robert Reed and Diana Hyland, who play Tod's parents, are given less screen time than one might think. The real story here is about Tod's dreams of one day being "normal" and falling in love with Gina. His relationship with his parents is very secondary. Oddly, Hyland won an Emmy for her performance even though she didn't get a chance to exhibit any real emotion or acting skill.

"The Boy In The Plastic Bubble" doesn't know if it wants to be more of a romance or a medical drama. It ends up doing both fairly well and is worth the buy at such a low price.

To start things off I will watch it over and over. John Travolta is a wonderful actor and portrayed the story of this boy wonderfully. It is very sad how he had to live so isolated in this plastic housing just so he could survive. It was kinda sad how the girl next door took him for granted but finally came to what I think love him. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I wish they would have said whatever happened to him, or how he's doing or something. What became of him after he came out of the bubble. I think the ending isn't fair since it left me questioning. But like I said I will watch it over and over. : )