Larry-Miller Movie Reviews

This was as wholesome as films can get. Coming off of the hits " Sister Act " and " Sister Act II " Whoopi Goldberg decided to target the clean audience that enjoyed both of the films. I saw this movie when it first came out in 94 and I don't remember if it was a huge box office draw or not. To me it's just one of those nice Sunday afternoon movies that allow you to enjoy the film without having to think about an intensive plot. The little girl was terrific and Ray Liotta played the bruised, suffering father to a T. It was impressive to see such a change from the man who usually plays psychopaths in his other movies. Don Ameche was touching in his last role and I enjoyed the family aspect most of all.

The only thing I didn't agree with was the pairing of Ray Liotta and Whoopi because it didn't make sense. The two were going along like friends, trying to help Molly cope with her mother's death. All of a sudden the two are kissing one another on the father's lawn. Whoopi and Ray had better chemistry before the romance factor. Then again no movie is perfect.

That aside this is still a wonderful film. I have it on DVD and I still watch it when it comes on regular television. This is one movie that explores racism and death positively and negatively and how kids handle the attitudes of the adults around them. I found it fascinating that Molly grew so attached to Corrina she began to think of herself as black and Corrina became the mother she longed for.

It's a beautiful movie without sex, violence and profanity. Many movies can't hold your interest without these elements, but Corrina, Corrina will. See it at least once.

This has to be the best Whoopie Goldberg movie ever. She usually acts in "rough" movies which we don't let our children watch, but this was more for the whole family. She plays a nanny for a little girl who has lost a mother, and comes into the family with the idea of just being the "maid and babysitter", but soon falls for the little girl she's caring for, and her father. Ray Liota does a great job in this movie also. This movie will tug at your heart strings, and make you laugh. It also shows us how prejuduce some people are, and were back in those days, when it was socialy unexceptable for people of color to be with white people. It's a sweet movie that you will enjoy with your children without fear that sex or violence with ruin the movie for your children.

This movie is beautiful from start to finish.

Whoopi Goldberg is perfectly casted as Corrina, a black (well, duh) nanny who is employed by a white Jew (very well played by Ray Liotta), to take care of his daughter Molly (again excellently played by Tina Majorino).

The plot. Manny Singer's (Ray) wife has just died leaving him and his 7 year old daughter (Tina) behind. Molly is a little lost after this and she doesn't speak a word to her father or anyone else. After employing a plethora of disastrous nannys Manny finally comes to Corrina, who is perfect. One problem: She's black, he's white, and this is 1959 segregated America.

After a little while Molly begins to talk again and is generally uplifted by Corrina, who seems to have this miraculous way of bringing people back to their feet, including Manny. Corrina and Manny fall in love against all odds, and what you get is a beautiful interracial romance that at that time is classed as wrong, even abnormal. No one approves apart from Molly and her Grandfather (Don Ameche).

One down side to this film, and I will add that it is the only down side, is the ending - you don't really know what happens. If I hadn't done a little research then I wouldn't have known that director Jessie Nelson had based this film on her true life story. She's black and her now husband of 40 odd years was white. This story is her story. They got married and lived happily ever after - but we have to guess. So the ending could have used a little bit more work. But that's it!! The movie is just wonderful. It's uplifting, heartbreaking, humorous and romantic.

Wow, this is one of my favorite funny movies, no matter what the critics say!! It's obvious that other viewers feel the same. I've watched it many times since the first time I saw it 9 years ago, and always laugh 'till my sides hurt. The way Turner and Quaid interact is great, and I love the people they meet throughout the movie (such as Morty I mean Muerte). The music is great, and I like the New Orleans scenery.

I'm always quoting these lines:
"That's funny"
"Funny ha-ha or funny strange?"

Buy it and enjoy!!

I happened across this film on a cable network that will remain anonymous. I saw that Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid were in it, and it was a comedy, so I watched it. All I can say is....I laughed my butt off! I was shocked because I had never heard of this film. It must have been made and send directly to video, although that's no indication of it's quality.

"My name...is Muerte!" The supposedly streetwise thug played by Tucci says when he mugs his victims. Morty, as Quaid calls him, meets his match when he meets ex-CIA, ex-FBI agent Jeff (played by Quaid).

On vacation after the birth of their first child, Quaid and Turner go to New Orleans to enjoy some good food and music, but end up getting pulled back into service of the government when a terrorist organization is trying to buy up a lot of an experimental high explosive.

The action is good, and the comedy even better. There is no adult humor in this film, so it's suitable for even younger children, although the fight scenes might be a bit much for very young kids.

If you like any of the actors in this film, or just like comedy, you should pick this up, it's one of the best comedies out there.

Finally it is out on DVD. Our VHS copy is worn out.
I had a feeling there were others out there like us who just love this movie.

This is a decent movie, made so much better by the tremendous cast and a director who obviously allowed them to be funny. Quaid is at his best (having fun) in this movie, and Turner provides a solid, steadying (perhaps maternal?) force.

(For a token review cliche, let me say) The real gold in this treasure, though, is found in so many surprise performances. Stanley Tucci (genuis) displays his versatility as a physical comedian, and his partner in crime is played by the very funny Dave Chappelle. It is hysterical to watch Tucci unravel throughout the movie in his growing frustration with the Blues.

Larry Miller is in his usual funny "character role" accept this one has a some sort of lisping, old aristocratic southern drawl. Tom Arnold is his usual numbskull self playing the more hyper half of a couple who is staying in the same hotel as the Blues.

This movie will be fun for anybody at any age, and it is one that - for the price - nobody would be ashamed to have in their collection.

"My name is Muerte!" "Nice to meet you Morty, my name is Jeff."

Somthing tells me that the Amazon Editorial Reviewer didn't pay much attention to this gem of a movie. For one thing, the baby is an 11 month old girl, not a year old boy. In fact, one of the running gags is the parents' inability to agree on a name for their precious daughter (Jane Louise or Louise Jane). The action is anything but formulaic. How often do we see a man holding a baby successfully defend himself against two knife-wielding muggers?

The cast is wonderful. Dennis and Kathleen are perfectly matched as quick-witted, devoted spouses. Their on-screen chemistry is delightful. Stanley Tucci's inspired performace is hilarious and scene-stealing. Tom Arnold turns in a funny and understated supporting part, and Larry Miller has quite a bit of fun as the bumbling Sgt. Halsey. Herbert Ross deserves a special Oscar for helming this movie!

There are few movies that I can watch over and over again and still adore. The Princess Pride, Pride & Prejudice, Speechless, and Undercover Blues top a very short list.

I've recommended Undercover Blues to all sorts of different people and every single person has adored it. Ignore the critics and see it for yourself!

Wow, this is one of my favorite funny movies, no matter what the critics say!! It's obvious that other viewers feel the same. I've watched it many times since the first time I saw it 9 years ago, and always laugh 'till my sides hurt. The way Turner and Quaid interact is great, and I love the people they meet throughout the movie (such as Morty I mean Muerte). The music is great, and I like the New Orleans scenery.

I'm always quoting these lines:
"That's funny"
"Funny ha-ha or funny strange?"

Buy it and enjoy!!

This is a decent movie, made so much better by the tremendous cast and a director who obviously allowed them to be funny. Quaid is at his best (having fun) in this movie, and Turner provides a solid, steadying (perhaps maternal?) force.

(For a token review cliche, let me say) The real gold in this treasure, though, is found in so many surprise performances. Stanley Tucci (genuis) displays his versatility as a physical comedian, and his partner in crime is played by the very funny Dave Chappelle. It is hysterical to watch Tucci unravel throughout the movie in his growing frustration with the Blues.

Larry Miller is in his usual funny "character role" accept this one has a some sort of lisping, old aristocratic southern drawl. Tom Arnold is his usual numbskull self playing the more hyper half of a couple who is staying in the same hotel as the Blues.

This movie will be fun for anybody at any age, and it is one that - for the price - nobody would be ashamed to have in their collection.

"My name is Muerte!" "Nice to meet you Morty, my name is Jeff."

Somthing tells me that the Amazon Editorial Reviewer didn't pay much attention to this gem of a movie. For one thing, the baby is an 11 month old girl, not a year old boy. In fact, one of the running gags is the parents' inability to agree on a name for their precious daughter (Jane Louise or Louise Jane). The action is anything but formulaic. How often do we see a man holding a baby successfully defend himself against two knife-wielding muggers?

The cast is wonderful. Dennis and Kathleen are perfectly matched as quick-witted, devoted spouses. Their on-screen chemistry is delightful. Stanley Tucci's inspired performace is hilarious and scene-stealing. Tom Arnold turns in a funny and understated supporting part, and Larry Miller has quite a bit of fun as the bumbling Sgt. Halsey. Herbert Ross deserves a special Oscar for helming this movie!

There are few movies that I can watch over and over again and still adore. The Princess Pride, Pride & Prejudice, Speechless, and Undercover Blues top a very short list.

I've recommended Undercover Blues to all sorts of different people and every single person has adored it. Ignore the critics and see it for yourself!

Wow, this is one of my favorite funny movies, no matter what the critics say!! It's obvious that other viewers feel the same. I've watched it many times since the first time I saw it 9 years ago, and always laugh 'till my sides hurt. The way Turner and Quaid interact is great, and I love the people they meet throughout the movie (such as Morty I mean Muerte). The music is great, and I like the New Orleans scenery.

I'm always quoting these lines:
"That's funny"
"Funny ha-ha or funny strange?"

Buy it and enjoy!!

Christopher Guest is Corky St. Clair, small town Blaine ("The Stool capitol of the world"), Missouri's resident community theater director. With plans of getting back to Broadway, he has created a musical extravaganza "Red, White and Blaine" to celebrate the town's 150th anniversary.

This sly, often hilarious, mock documentary features Guest's resident troupe of improvisational actors -- Eugene Levy (co-writer), Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey, Fred Willard and Bob Balaban as the stage-struck locals who pin their amateur hopes on being discovered when Corky hints that legendary talent scout Mort Guffman will be in the audience.

If you appreciated "Best In Show," than check out its predecessor. Over 80 hours of film were shot in Super 16mm and edited down to a brisk 84 minutes. The widescreen print is especially sharp and the sound is clear. Co-writers and stars Guest and Levy share a loose and funny commentary and there's at least 30 minutes of whimsical and surprisingly poignant deleted scenes with optional commentary. Recommended.

Waiting for Guffman is another wonderful mockumentary from actor/director Christopher Guest (Spinal Tap, Best in Show) and cowriter/partner in crime Eugene Levy. The film highlights the big dreams and raw (very raw) talent of the five stars of 'Red, White and Blaine,' the celebratory musical commemorating Blaine, Missouri's 150th anniversary.

The humor in Guffman is of the cut-above variety, founded on relationships and underlined by the characters' hopes. Guest plays Corky St. Clair, a refugee from Broadway who has found a niche for his special abilities as the de facto King of Theater in Blaine. Levy plays the town dentist who is auditioning for the very first time. Parker Posey is the perky, poignant and perhaps pathetic ingenue who works at the Dairy Queen. Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard prove the maxim that matching sweatsuits betray an unhappy marriage. Bob Balaban plays Lloyd Miller the music director who is grounded in reality, although his suggestion that the cast might spend some of the rehearsal time actually practicing the songs and dances is met with hostility. As an ex-theater major from Hays, Kansas I found the characters 100% real even while laughing at the absurdity of their belief in the possibility that they might take their show to Broadway.

The musical itself would make a great cult movie in the vein of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The events commemorated include the settling of Blaine (in which a wagon train leader manages to convince an entire group of people that they've already reached California), the famous UFO sighting and alien encounter, and the founding of the stool-making business which drove Blaine's economy for generations.

The DVD is worth seeing just for the extra features. The commentary by Guest and Levy is more informative than funny. I got the impression that they were distracted from the commentary by the brilliance of certain scenes in the movie. The extra scenes, however, were hilarious. Waiting for Guffman was shot from a bare-bones script and the actors were encouraged to improvise most of the dialogue. From over 60 hours of footage the best scenes were selected: three of the original scenes that didn't get into the musical, an alternate ending for O'Hara and Willard, scenes with characters that never made it into the movie, and an explanation for why the dentist's wife has a Wisconsin accent.

but I can tell you that this is one mockumentary you should not miss. Having been in local productions I immediately picked up on situations that happen - the ongoing clash between the musical director and the director, the director having a meltdown and leaving only to come back at the urging of the loyal cast, things getting out of hand with the budget, etc. (with director having meltdown with the powers that be over not getting any more money). The UFO stuff is a great added attraction ("I was probed"). What makes this movie a tour de force, though, is the fine cast and their ability to ad lib and become these quirky hilarious people - especailly the ALWAYS hilarious Fred Willard. No matter how many times you see him in one of these films, it is NEVER enough and Katherine Ohara perfectly compliments him in the husband and wife duo. The movie gradually pulls you in and just when you think "Well maybe this one isn't so great" the auditions scene comes along and you are hooked - Fred and Katherine's song and dance routine is priceless (Midnight at the Oasis). Guest and Levy are at their best and the always reliable Parker Posey is wonderful. I can't say for sure if this one is my favorite of the mockumentaries - I love them all - but this one is really great, especially if you have participated in local theater or just enjoy going to the productions.

Tennesee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is a powerful play and here has been made into a powerful film. Family ties, lies, power, money, death, sexual troubles and even sibling rivalry coalesce as the troubled Pollitt family deals with the terminal illness of its patriarch. Although the gay subtext has been muted to fit 1950's sensitibilities, it's still there, adding resonance to the film. There's a bit of the mannered approach common to movies of the period, which gives the film a more theatrical feel than many movie adaptations of plays. In some ways, "Cat" comes across as an early, Southern version of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf."

The acting in this film is superb, if a little over-the-top at times. "Maggie the Cat" is a plum dramatic role, and Elizabeth Taylor more than does it justice. In her hands, Maggie's basic humanity alternates with her greed to eventually define her. Paul Newman likewise turns in an excellent performance as the troubled Brick. Burl Ives steals the show as Big Daddy, the larger-than-life dying patriarch. Jack Carson and Madelaine Sherwood play the elder, less-favored son and his fecund wife, Mae. Mae and her brood are played as wonderfully grotesque charicatures, greatly enhancing the oppressive atmosphere of the film. If you think of Diane Arbus shooting a movie, you'll get an excellent idea of what Mae and her little "no-neck monsters" are like.

Playwright Tennessee Williams' genius and sympathy for the human condition is again evident in this brilliant, though censored, adaptation of the equally brilliant play. Incredibly, the censorship does not hurt the plot, and the acting is so spectacular one hardly notices. The characterization of Maggie, played to perfection by the incredibly beautiful Elizabeth Taylor, as a "cat on a hot tin roof" shows Williams' sympathy for the character, who is much, much more than a "money-grubbing sexpot" as one reviewer put it. She is "Unfulfilled Woman" personified, denied the love she hungers for from her husband, also played brilliantly by Paul Newman, who has turned alcoholic and cold toward her because of his own self-hate and disgust with "mendacity." Her need for love, security, and a future are contrasted with Brother-man and Sister-woman's out-and-out greed and desire for more than they need, like the brood of "no-neck monsters" they put on display "like animals at county fair" to try to win the favor of irascible, dying, and in-denial millionaire Big Daddy (Burl Ives). Big Mama (Judith Anderson) gives a superlative performance as the faithful wife who, like Maggie, is ever trying to coax warmth from her husband. (What's wrong with these men?) And Madeleine Sherwood as Sister-woman is the true perfect cat of this movie and played to feline ferocity. I actually like the ending of the movie better than the play's--and, judging by the palpable chemistry between Newman (who, unlike his play's character, comes off as very heterosexual) and Taylor in the movie, well...judge for yourself whether he preferred it too.

This adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play was nominated for six academy awards in 1959. It stars Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie, rejected over and over by her alcoholic husband, Brick, played by Paul Newman. His father, Big Daddy, played by Burl Ives, has just returned to his Mississippi mansion after exploratory surgery. There's bitter rivalry in the family as they speculate about his death. Jack Carson plays the older son, who, with his pregnant wife, played by Madeline Sherwood and their five obnoxious children are determined to inherit Big Daddy's fortune. But Big Daddy despises him, as he does his own wife of 40 years, Big Mama, played by Judith Anderson.

As this film was originally a play, most of it is sharp and cutting dialogue, every line filled with tension and double meanings. Close-ups reveal the artistry of the actors, all of whom are excellent. I especially liked Burl Ives, whose performance called for a wide range of emotions, showing his vulnerability as well as his strength. And as the characters battled with each other, the story, which I understand was rewritten to fall within the guidelines of 1950s censors, slowly revealed itself. Some critics say this ruined this movie adaptation. I can't comment on that because I though the story was great. Most of the film takes place inside a house and there's almost no physical action. Not necessary. The dialog does it all. And it does it well. Recommended.

Once again Sergio Leone proves that he is the master of the classically "American" genre film, this time training his exquisite eye from the Western to the gangster film...gangster EPIC, actually.
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This movie takes place via disjointed flashbacks over a period of fifty years, focusing on the life (and death) of crime as experienced by four childhood friends, specifically David "Noodles" Aaronson, portrayed in maturity by Robert DeNiro in another typically inspired performance.
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The movie in its American release nearly 20 years ago was absolutely butchered by the US-based distributor, with over an hour of footage removed from the feature in order to make it more managable for US audiences. The result was that the personality of the movie was essentially siphoned off and the film was savaged by film critics nationwide. When the movie was released for cable a year or so later, a fair bit of the footage was restored (and in fact another edit presented the film exclusively in chronological order from Noodles' youth to old age).
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This restored version does include as much as the film's original footage as can be accounted for (to our knowledge), and the effect is somewhat more enlightening than the cable edit I first saw (and legitimately loved) almost two decades prior. The violence edited back into the movie makes it more difficult for the viewer to find sympathy/empathy with any of the characters (which may have been a stretch to begin with)...but while the extra features are a wonderful addition to the DVD (James Woods' admission on the Leone bio piece that to this day he is asked what exactly happened in "his" last scene...and to this day he's uncertain himself...is worth the price of purchase alone. And Richard Schickel's film-length commentary track is also a joy to watch/listen to.
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But Warner Brothers REALLY dropped the ball by deciding to split the film into two equal lengths for the purpose of placing it on 2 discs; particularly when considering that in fact Leone did make provision for an intermission within 2:45 of the film's original running time. The most obvious issue is that yes, a rather crucial scene was unceremoniously interrupted as Disc One ends and resumed at the beginning of Disc Two. Arguments will be made that this was necessary to include the full-length commentary track for both discs, but even "Pulp Fiction" with a complete running time of over two-and-a-half hours was able to complete the presentation with commentary track on the same disc; you have to believe Warner Borthers could at least have done a better job with Leone's final masterpiece. As it is, the perfect realization of the film that was by all admissions nearest and dearest to the Italian film maestro's heart still eludes him, even in this digital age. Had he lived to see it, he could not have been pleased with this treatment. Nor was I. A terrific film, beautifully and lovingly shot as always, speaking to the emotions of the viewer in a way that so many American directors simply can't pull off...but once again the editors have failed the artist. I own it, and will view it regularly out of respect to its brilliance as a film, but someone should have been sacked over this DVD presentation.

this movie is a must see for any fan of Robert De Niro.its a timeless glance back to the way life was in NewYork after the turn of the century.with a superb cast this is one of my favorites.

This movie stands out because in many ways it is very strange! However, I think that it is very special because it is so different from most movies. It is very LONG but I must admit that once I started watching it I got hooked. Even if you end up not liking it, you too will probably be drawn to it. You'll love it if you love DeNiro and if you love epic film-making! I recommend that you AT LEAST watch the entire film once in your life!

Seinfeld live on Broadway is a "no regrets" DVD. Its a great looking performance that puts you in the best seat of the audience. Jerry dishes out over an hour of his best material delivered "for the last time" and it is hilarious even after repeat viewings. You can read some of the jokes on the back of the DVD, but it's Seinfeld's delivery that brings them to life and keeps the jokes fresh and funny. One of the great additions on this DVD that isn't on the tape is an impromptu audience Q & A with Jerry. The audience fires off a variety of what I thought were some pretty dull questions. "How's your new apartment?" "Say, Hello Newman." Jerry answers every one with responses that are as funny as the show material. The disc is not rated but it is funny and great for the whole family. My mom at 60 and my niece who is just eight love watching the VHS of this show again and again. The DVD is even better.

My favorite bits on this video are Jerry's musings about childhood trick or treating, and his horse back riding lessons (Jerry recently published a child's book called HALLOWEEN that is based on the halloween bit in this performance). But Jerry is funniest when he is the average man talking for average men about our above-average delusions: "I'm going to tell you the secret of the male mind . . . all men think of themselves as low-level superheroes." I like being reminded of a time when we imagined some alpha male in the sky could swoop down and save us, or that one day WE could be that alpha male. The universal male (delusional) experience . . . Jerry captures it beautifully.

Andrew Parodi

Jerry Seinfeld is one of those comedians that really stands out from the rest, meaning that there's literally NO ONE else who could do the kind of material he does and get the same response from the crowds. "I'm Telling You for the Last Time" is an outstanding comedic performance from the one and only, Jerry Seinfeld.

This is the last time that Seinfeld performs his most-known material. He talks about air travel, cab drivers, candy, doctors and waiting rooms, McDonald's, airport/airplane bathrooms, and so much more. This is the golden material that made Seinfeld's career, and he appropriately performs them for the last time.

As I said in the beginning of the review, there's literally nobody in the business that could ever duplicate Jerry's material and get the same response from it. The material was made for Seinfeld, and that's why it works so well. He's able to point out some of the most irrelevant or unnoticeable things in society and bring them into the spotlight. Subtlety plays a major role in Jerry's performances.

The DVD also includes a bio on Jerry Seinfeld and a "Q&A" segment that was never aired. The picture quality looks exceptionally good and the DVD does it justice. Running time of the live performance is around 75 minutes.

"I'm Telling You for the Last Time" is an amazing performance by an amazing comic. Although it is sad to see him retire the material that made his career, it's nice to see that he is moving on and working on new bits. He knows when to move on and not just build a career around old material for your whole life. I admire that most about him. This is a great comedy performance that should not be missed by any fan of Seinfeld's or any fan of comedy. It is a great experience.

Saw Bowfinger, decided I had to see this after reading comparisons. Don't feel L.A. Story is as flat-out funny, but there's an excellent balance between humor and romance. (There are some can't-miss humor moments -- gridlock sequence, open season, weather reports, art museum, traffic sign.)

Martin is at his most sympathetic, makes a good romantic lead. Not a Sarah Jessica Parker fan, but she succeeds as an adorable spinning scene-grabber here. There are also some fun cameos, including pre-Star Trek Patrick Stewart.

Only gripe is that Victoria Tennant as female lead seems a bit inert and emotionless as a foil to Martin's character, and the British reserve/eccentric vs. L.A. extrovert/wacko angle is predictable and not very funny. I guess they were married when it was made, but the chemistry feels weak at times. It only shows because everything else is note-perfect.

Definitely worth seeing; a lighter-than-air romantic comedy that avoids the cynicism of some of Martin's other work. This L.A. doesn't exist, but it should.

The traffic sign deserves a screen credit!

A sweet peaen from Steve Martin to his then wife, Victoria Tennant, this is a whimsical look at two people falling in love in a town where everything is surface, surface, surface. You have to suspend your disbelief, because the true hero here is a blithe benevolent spirit living in an LA expressway traffic sign. But Steve Martin gives an affecting performance as both the callous TV weatherman/anchorman and as the star-crossed lover. Bravura performance by Sara Jessica Parker as a free spirit attracted to Martin. She's as open as he is tight, as free as he isn't, and she never stops moving.

P.S. - It's a great date movie.

I'm not sure what the detractors of this film are seeing that they find so distasteful.

Perhaps it's that the two romantic leads (Martin/Tennant), are neither young, nor tan. Some people, unfortunately feel that romance is the provence of the young, and that middle-aged people should keep that stuff to themselves. Perhaps they found a romance that didn't involve histrionics at every turn, dull. I, however, found the Martin/Tennant match-up to be quite attractive and believable (they were, after all, married at the time.). I quite enjoyed seeing the courtship dance performed in a more mature manner.

Maybe, since they may not be from L.A., they didn't get the jokes, or perhaps they got them all too well, and didn't like being made fun of. I really enjoyed seeing the pomposity and silliness that we all exhibit, on occasion, being skewered. People have become so accustomed to laughing AT others, what with all of the "reality" programming about, and the complete UNreality of the "teen" comedies currently out now (not criticising, they're quite good also - some of them), that they seem to have forgotten how to laugh at themselves. An unfortunate product of today's society is that we sem to take things too seriously, especially if they apply to US.

And really, criticising the MUSIC? It's Enya! You may not like her music, but in what possible context could you find it irritating? Just because you don't like a form of music, or film, or art of any kind, or even another race, culture, or religion, does NOT mean that it has no validity. Our opinions are OUR opinions, and we need to stop trying to act as if our opinions, or beliefs, need to be enforced somehow, and that anything we don't like is somehow invalid.

Enough pontificating on my part. Overall, I found this film to be great fun, a solid romantic comedy, overlaid with an intelligent humor applied to life in general, and specifically to L.A. It's the first "fairy tale" based in Los Angeles that I know of, and it is well done.

My only complaint (along with other reviewers), is the quality of the DVD itself. It really is poorly done. Perhaps some genius at some studio will have the common sense to have this classic "remastered" and presented properly.

If you have lost, or are losing your faith in life, love, and romance, watch this film - it will give you hope, and leave you with a good feeling inside - and what's wrong with that?

Saw Bowfinger, decided I had to see this after reading comparisons. Don't feel L.A. Story is as flat-out funny, but there's an excellent balance between humor and romance. (There are some can't-miss humor moments -- gridlock sequence, open season, weather reports, art museum, traffic sign.)

Martin is at his most sympathetic, makes a good romantic lead. Not a Sarah Jessica Parker fan, but she succeeds as an adorable spinning scene-grabber here. There are also some fun cameos, including pre-Star Trek Patrick Stewart.

Only gripe is that Victoria Tennant as female lead seems a bit inert and emotionless as a foil to Martin's character, and the British reserve/eccentric vs. L.A. extrovert/wacko angle is predictable and not very funny. I guess they were married when it was made, but the chemistry feels weak at times. It only shows because everything else is note-perfect.

Definitely worth seeing; a lighter-than-air romantic comedy that avoids the cynicism of some of Martin's other work. This L.A. doesn't exist, but it should.

The traffic sign deserves a screen credit!

A sweet peaen from Steve Martin to his then wife, Victoria Tennant, this is a whimsical look at two people falling in love in a town where everything is surface, surface, surface. You have to suspend your disbelief, because the true hero here is a blithe benevolent spirit living in an LA expressway traffic sign. But Steve Martin gives an affecting performance as both the callous TV weatherman/anchorman and as the star-crossed lover. Bravura performance by Sara Jessica Parker as a free spirit attracted to Martin. She's as open as he is tight, as free as he isn't, and she never stops moving.

P.S. - It's a great date movie.

I'm not sure what the detractors of this film are seeing that they find so distasteful.

Perhaps it's that the two romantic leads (Martin/Tennant), are neither young, nor tan. Some people, unfortunately feel that romance is the provence of the young, and that middle-aged people should keep that stuff to themselves. Perhaps they found a romance that didn't involve histrionics at every turn, dull. I, however, found the Martin/Tennant match-up to be quite attractive and believable (they were, after all, married at the time.). I quite enjoyed seeing the courtship dance performed in a more mature manner.

Maybe, since they may not be from L.A., they didn't get the jokes, or perhaps they got them all too well, and didn't like being made fun of. I really enjoyed seeing the pomposity and silliness that we all exhibit, on occasion, being skewered. People have become so accustomed to laughing AT others, what with all of the "reality" programming about, and the complete UNreality of the "teen" comedies currently out now (not criticising, they're quite good also - some of them), that they seem to have forgotten how to laugh at themselves. An unfortunate product of today's society is that we sem to take things too seriously, especially if they apply to US.

And really, criticising the MUSIC? It's Enya! You may not like her music, but in what possible context could you find it irritating? Just because you don't like a form of music, or film, or art of any kind, or even another race, culture, or religion, does NOT mean that it has no validity. Our opinions are OUR opinions, and we need to stop trying to act as if our opinions, or beliefs, need to be enforced somehow, and that anything we don't like is somehow invalid.

Enough pontificating on my part. Overall, I found this film to be great fun, a solid romantic comedy, overlaid with an intelligent humor applied to life in general, and specifically to L.A. It's the first "fairy tale" based in Los Angeles that I know of, and it is well done.

My only complaint (along with other reviewers), is the quality of the DVD itself. It really is poorly done. Perhaps some genius at some studio will have the common sense to have this classic "remastered" and presented properly.

If you have lost, or are losing your faith in life, love, and romance, watch this film - it will give you hope, and leave you with a good feeling inside - and what's wrong with that?