Subgenre Sampler

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Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004): Dir. Sara Sugarman
Feat. Lindsay Lohan, Adam Garcia; Light 'tweeny' comedy in which teenage centre–of–attention Lohan (FREAKY FRIDAY) is moved to the dull suburbs with her family and finds…
New York Minute (2004): Dir. Dennie Gordon
Feat. Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Eugene Levy; Fairly innocuous comedy in which the uber–marketing triumph 'The Olsen Twins' head to New York as chalk–and–cheese sisters who…
Prince and Me, The (2004): Dir. Martha Coolidge
Feat. Julia Stiles, Miranda Richardson, James Fox; Solid 'Cinderella' updating, with Stiles playing a student who becomes romantically entwined with Crown Prince of Denmark. Fairly playful, and Stiles…
Agent Cody Banks (2003): Dir. Harald Zwart
Feat. Frankie Muniz, Cynthia Stevenson, Hilary Duff…; Teen heart–throb Frankie Munz plays a junior CIA agent in this lightweight but savvy James Bond–parody. Skateboarding his way into a…
Good Boy! (2003): Dir. John Robert Hoffman; Family comedy has a canine agent is sent to Earth (from the Dogstar) to find out why the planned invasion by dogs has gone awry. Here he finds the…
Mambo Italiano (2003): Dir. Emile Gaudreault
Feat. Luke Kirby, Ginette Reno, Paul Sorvino; Light–hearted story follows an Italian immigrant family in Canada who comically resist their son's efforts to announce he is gay. Set around…
Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003): Dir. Rajkumar Hirani
Feat. Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Dutt; An unusually comedic Bollywood musical, sees a smalltime gangster staging an elaborate deception to prove to his straight–laced father that, in…
Big Fat Liar (2002): Dir. Shawn Levy
Feat. Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti; Congenital teenage liar Frankie Muniz goes up against Hollywood producer Paul Giamatti, who has surreptitiously turned one of his…
Little Secrets (2002): Dir. Blair Treu
Feat. Evan Rachel Wood, Michael Angarano, David Gallagher; Clever writing elevates this quality teen drama which centres around 14–yr old violinist Evan Rachel Wood and her sideline business, keeping…
Sugar and Spice (2002): Dir. Francine McDougall
Feat. Mena Suvari, Marley Shelton; A group of 'sugar and spice' cheerleaders plan a bank–robbery in this passably efficient black comedy. Despite the array of stereotypes, this…
Thunderpants (2002): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Paul Giamatti…; Sweet but slight comedy concerning a 10–year old prodigy who turns his scientific talents towards helping a misfit friend who suffers from high…
Unconditional Love (2002): Dir. P.J. Hogan
Feat. Kathy Bates, Rupert Everett, Lynn Redgrave…; A neatly amusing comedy concerning the fan of a recently deceased pop crooner, who teams up with the singer's gay lover to investigate the death (or…
Curse of the Jade Scorpion, The (2001): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Helen Hunt, Dan Aykroyd…; Woody comfortably ambles through this genial spoof of a 40s detective film, playing a renowned insurance investigator who falls prey to a…
Drole de Felix (The Adventures of Felix aka Funny Felix) (2001): Dir. Jacques Martineau, Olivier Ducastel
Feat. Sami Bouajila; Seeking to meet his father for the first time, HIV–positive Sami Bouajila journeys across France from Dieppe to Marseille in a tour of…
Everybody Famous (2001): Dir. Dominique Deruddere
Feat. Josse De Pauw, Eva van der Gucht, Werner De Smedt…; A hit in the Netherlands and at festivals, this half–sweet, half–cringe–inducingly sour satire, sees truly mediocre singer Eva Van…
Evolution (2001): Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore…; An attempt to replicate the jokey sci–fi formula of MEN IN BLACK by the same producers, has alien bacteria riding a meteor and crashing on…
Get Over It (2001): Dir. Tommy O’Haver
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Ben Foster, Melissa Sagemiller…; Although helped by the charisma of Kirsten Dunst, this teen–movie retreads many of the usual formulas, with hero Ben Foster losing his…
Guinevere (2001): Dir. Audrey Wells
Feat. Sarah Polley, Stephen Rea; Sarah Polley (GO) headlines in this Sundance–winning indie, as a directionless Harvard graduate who falls under the spell of…
Happy Days - Biography (2001): Feat. Ron Howard, Henry Winkler; The 1970s US TV–Series ‘Happy Days’, set in suburban 1950s Milwaukee, is revisited with the crew and cast.
Human Nature (2001): Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Tim Robbins, Rhys Ifans, Patricia Arquette…; An odd yet amusing burlesque from the makers of BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, presenting a wildly contrived scenario as an excuse to examine the comedy of…
Interstate 60 (2001): Dir. Bob Gale
Feat. James Marsden, Gary Oldman, Kurt Russell…; An appealingly quirky teen road movie from the writer of the BACK TO THE FUTURE series, in which Marsden sets out on the mythical American highway,…
Life Without Dick (2001): Dir. Bix Skahill
Feat. Sarah Jessica Parker, Harry Connick Jnr.; Mildly black comedy has a doe–eyed Sarah Jessica Parker accidently offing her boyfriend and resorting to hitman Harry Connick Jnr (who has…
Love On a Diet (2001): Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng; The dir. of HEROIC TRIO, takes a serious change of tack with a weight–problem comedy. Looking to re–ignite her former romance with…
Original Kings of Comedy, The (2001): Dir. Spike Lee; Suggesting in places the fiery comedy of Richard Pryor, this stand–up comedy revue, one of the most lucrative in US history, has four black…
Princess Diaries, The (2001): Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway; PYGMALION–style tale of an initially gawky Anne Hathaway getting made over as a princess, that doesn’t exactly get the royal treatment…
Rare Birds (2001): Dir. Sturla Gunnarsson
Feat. William Hurt, Molly Parker; A nice comic blend of romance, light farce and Canadian eccentricity, set around the efforts of two restaurateurs to lure customers to their sleepy…
Van Wilder - Party Liason (2001): Dir. Walt Becker
Feat. Tara Reid, Ryan Reynolds, Tim Matheson; Freewheeling 'college comedy' in which perenial undergrad Reynolds must use his social skills to make a living after his allowance is cut off. Fairly…
Zoolander (2001): Dir. Ben Stiller
Feat. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell…; Co–writer and director Ben Stiller sucks in cheek as flaky, dim–bulb male supermodel Derek Zoolander whose reign supreme is challenged by…
Broadway Damage (2000): Dir. Victor Mignatti
Feat. Mara Hobel, Michael Lucas, Hugh Panaro; Big gay hugs to the Big Apple and Broadway culture, centering around two friends with mismatched romantic lives, and their scene–stealing…
Broken Hearts Club, The (2000): Dir. Greg Berlanti
Feat. Timothy Olyphant; Ensemble romantic comedy set in and around a baseball team in the bustling gay mecca of West Hollywood. Centre plate is up–and–coming…
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command - The Adventure Begins (2000): Dir. Tad Stones; The TOY STORY character spins–off into his own franchise (still with Tim Allen’s voice) for an animated space–adventure battling…
Closer You Get, The (2000): Dir. Aileen Ritchie
Feat. Ian Hart, Sean McGinley; This 'Trans–Atlantic' production has a bunch of Irish bachelors trying to lure Miami women back to their village for marriage, but come to…
Committed (2000): Dir. Lisa Krueger
Feat. Heather Graham, Luke Wilson; Wacky road comedy vehicle for Heather Graham, who plays a jilted wife trailing after her estranged hubby (Luke Wilson). Along the byways she meets a…
Greenfingers (2000): Dir. Joel Hershman
Feat. Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, David Kelly; Twee, yet engaging Brit comedy concerning the true–story of two prisoners – Clive Owen and David Kelly – who are redeemed by their…
Guest House Paradiso (2000): Dir. Adrian Edmondson
Feat. Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson; Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson scrape off their 'Bottom' characters for this extended sketch (or is that fart?) which has the grossly inept duo…
Hopeless (2000): Dir. Stephen Hickey
Feat. Philip Pinner, Scott Wills, Adam Gardiner; Charming enough to have inspired a 26–episode TV series, this rookie Kiwi comedy boasts a genuine low–budget verve, a charismatic cast of…
Kevin's Guide to Being a Teenager (TV Series) (2000): Dir. Dewi Humphreys
Feat. Harry Enfield; Kevin (Harry Enfield) and his odd–bird disciple Perry, two disaffected, DJ–worshipping teens, give us the run–down on how to hate…
Laughter On the 23rd Floor (2000): Dir. Richard Benjamin
Feat. Mackenzie Astin, Nathan Lane; Taken from a semi–autobiographical Neil Simon play, concerning his experiences as a young TV writer working for Sid Caeser, this cranks out…
Love and Sex (2000): Dir. Valerie Brieman
Feat. Famke Janssen, Jon Favreau; Sharp–tongued comedy with Famke Janssen and Jon Favreau generating a little chemistry as two hapless–romantics who can’t reconcile…
Lucky Numbers (2000): Dir. Nora Ephron
Feat. John Travolta, Lisa Kudrow, Tim Roth; Down–on–his–luck local smoothie John Travolta conceives a lottery–scam with the help of girlfriend Lisa Kudrow and pal Tim…
Midsummer Night's Dream, A (2000): Dir. Adrian Noble; A version of William Shakespeare's classic comedy by the Royal Shakespeare Company, which utilises special effects to realise the play's fantasy…
My Mother Frank (2000): Dir. Mark Lamprell
Feat. Sinead Cusack, Sam Neill, Sacha Horler…; Sober comedy with an 'it's never too late' theme, is nicely done despite some rather convenient plotting. Mother and widow Sinead Cusack decides…
Rat (2000): Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Pete Postlethwaite, Imelda Staunton; After a hard night at the pub, Pete Postlethwaite greets the day transformed into a white rat, giving a nicely surreal twist to this surprisingly…
Shower (Xizhao) (2000): Dir. Zhang Yang
Feat. Pu Cunxin, Zhu Xu; A popular success with international audiences, this Chinese comedy is centred around a modern–day bathhouse in Beijing without a…
Stiff Upper Lips (2000): Dir. Gary Sinyor
Feat. Prunella Scales, Sean Pertwee, Frank Finlay…; Genuinely cheeky lampoon of the “Merchant–Ivory” costume–drama with Prunella Scales, Sean Pertwee, Frank Finlay and Peter…
Tonsil Hockey (2000): Dir. Ray Hagel
Feat. Tom Green; The star of ROAD TRIP, Tom Green, strains his tonsils with some standup comedy, a combination of puerile antics, satire and brute enthusiasm.
Trixie (2000): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Emily Watson, Nick Nolte, Dermot Mulroney…; Uneven attempt at a film–noir spoof by cult dir. Rudolph (who did it better in LOVE AT LARGE) with Emily Watson as a low–wattage…
Walk the Talk (2000): Dir. Shirley Barrett
Feat. Salvatore Coco, Sacha Horler, Nikki Bennett; In her followup to LOVE SERENADE, dir. Barrett depicts the quixotic career of Italian–Australian Salvatore Coco, as he struggles to run a…
Where the Heart Is (2000): Dir. Matt Williams
Feat. Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing; A likeable chick flick tracking Natalie Portman's path from pregnant, jilted trailer–trash, towards some kind of happiness. The movie's…
Woman On Top (2000): Dir. Fina Torres
Feat. Penelope Cruz; English language vehicle for ravishing Spanish star Penelope Cruz, whose magnetism makes up for some of the lulls in the plot of this romantic 'magic…
20 Dates (1999): Dir. Myles Berkowitz; Queasily, both a documentary and 'mockumentary'; the director set out to make a movie and find himself a girlfriend at the same time, organising 20…
24 Hour Woman (1999): Dir. Nancy Savoca
Feat. Rosie Perez, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Diego Serrano…; An incisive, often hilarious film about a very real dichotomy – how does parenthood fit into the life of a modern career woman? In a…
A Slight Case of Murder (1999): Dir. Steven Schachter
Feat. William H. Macy; A light case of noir pastiche, but an engaging one, especially for the film savvy. With confessional asides to the camera, a sly–winking…
An Ideal Husband (1999): Dir. Oliver Parker
Feat. Rupert Everett, Julianne Moore; This ensemble–casted version of Oscar Wilde's play coats the dry, drawing–room humour with unnecessary sentiment, but there's…
Bachelor, The (1999): Dir. Gary Sinyor
Feat. Chris O'Donnell, Renee Zellweger; Remake of Buster Keaton's romantic comedy Seven Chances in which commitment–phobe Chris O'Donnell must tie the knot by his looming 30th…
Beautiful People (1999): Dir. Jasmin Dizdar
Feat. Rosalind Ayres, Julian Firth, Bobby Williams…; Set in London 1993 when the Balkan Wars were in full flight, this lively, panoramic drama reaches its ambitions in witnessing turbulence of the…
Bigger than Tina (1999): Dir. Neil Foley
Feat. Michael Dalley, Sally Lightfoot, Anni Finsterer; This Australian music mockumentary is played so deadpan that those unfamilar with the players might easily read it as non–fiction. As…
Blue Streak (1999): Dir. Les Mayfield
Feat. Martin Lawrence, Peter Greene, Luke Wilson; First headline role for Martin Lawrence, as a parolled diamond–robber who must retrieve his hidden loot from within a police station.…
Bossa Nova (1999): Dir. Bruno Barreto
Feat. Amy Irving; Enjoyable date–movie that replenishes its conventional tale of middle–aged romance with lashings of Bossa Nova music and…
Carriers Are Waiting, The (Les Convoyeurs Attendent) (1999): Dir. Benoit Maraige
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Morgane Simon, Bouli Laners; When journalist Benoit Poelvoorde decides his family MUST win top prize in local competition (which involves training his reluctant son to break the…
Celebrity Deathmatch (TV Series) (1999): Genuinely amusing clay–mation generated by MTV, stages fantasy bouts–to–the–death between various celebrity pairings, like:…
Comedy Greats - Dick Emery (1999): Dir. Harold Snoad
Feat. Dick Emery; A much–loved British TV comedian of the 1960s and 70s, Dick Emery was a master of costume and make–up, playing a host of characters in…
Critical Care (1999): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. James Spader, Helen Mirren, Kyra Sedgwick; Veteran dir. Sidney Lumet (NETWORK) elevates a potentially humdrum comedy about hospital ethics into smart satire. James Spader plays an intern who…
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999): Dir. Mike Mitchell
Feat. Rob Schneider; A lumpen, crassly effective sex–farce about a luckless–in–love fish–tank cleaner who scrubs up for gigolo duties in a series…
East Is East (1999): Dir. Damien O'Donnell
Feat. Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Jimi Mistry; Polished bittersweet comedy about a family of Pakistani Brits living in 1970s Manchester, headed by a traditionalist patriarch whose keen to make…
Elephant Juice (1999): Dir. Sam Miller
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Sean Gallagher, Daniel Lapaine; The makers of the cult late–night TV–series ‘This Life’, extract a similar blend of drama, ennui and pathos from the lives of…
Funny by George (The George Wallace Story) (1999): Dir. Don Percy; Celebrates the life and times of unashamedly Australian vaudeville comedian and movie star, George Wallace.
Girl (1999): Dir. Jonathan Kahn
Feat. Dominique Swain; Hybrid of the teen–flick with grunge–rock movie, starring Dominique Swain (LOLITA) as a brainy virgin who decides to fall in with some…
Gun Shy (1999): Dir. Eric Blakeney
Feat. Liam Neeson, Sandra Bullock, Oliver Platt…; Implausible and cartoonish, this crime comedy has the novelty of Liam Neeson trying out a comedy role – as stressed–out undercover cop…
I Think I Do (1999): Dir. Brian Sloan
Feat. Alexis Arquette, Christian Maelen, Lauren Valez; Feelgood, gay–affirmative comedy revolves around six 20–somethings of various persuasions, who come together when two of their number…
I'm Losing You (1999): Dir. Bruce Wagner
Feat. Frank Langella, Andrew McCarthy, Elizabeth Perkins…; Hollywood 'commentator' Bruce Wagner (WILD PALMS) directs his own novel inter–connecting the rather plaintive lives of well–heeled Los…
If Only You Knew (1999): Dir. David Snedeker
Feat. Johnathon Schaech, Alison Eastwood, James LeGros…; Journalist Johnathon Schaech needs an NYC apartment urgently and ends up feigning 'gay–ness' so as to placate sexy Alison Eastwood, who has an…
Isn't She Great (1999): Dir. Andrew Bergman
Feat. Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, John Cleese…; Intentionally trashy biopic of author Susann Alexander whose VALLEY OF THE DOLLS broke various Hollywood taboos in the 1960s. Mainly a showcase for…
It's the Rage (1999): Dir. James D. Stern
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, Gary Sinise…; This caustic, precocious black comedy/satire of America's obsession with guns is a roundelay of violent and volatile confrontations that eventually…
Jerry and Tom (1999): Dir. Saul Rubinek
Feat. Joe Mantegna, Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy…; Adding mileage to the crime–caper genre, Joe Mantegna plays a hitman who puts used–car salesman Sam Rockwell (LAWN DOGS) through a droll…
Just the Ticket (1999): Dir. Richard Wenk
Feat. Andie MacDowell, Andy Garcia; One for Andie MacDowell and Andy Garcia fans this, a popcorn–y comedy which sees the ill–matched duo strive for harmony by scalping…
L.A. Without a Map (1999): Dir. Mika Kaurismaki
Feat. David Tennant, Vincent Gallo, Julie Delpy…; A young Scottish undertaker (Tennant) follows an aspiring American actress back to La–la land, where he competes with the shallow excesses and…
Mad Cows (1999): Dir. Sara Sugarman
Feat. Joanna Lumley, Anna Friel, Prunella Scales; Joanne Lumley revives her Ab–Fab persona as a credit card fraudster who helps out a struggling first–time mother – lippy Aussie…
Mifune (1999): Dir. Soren Kragh-Jacobson
Feat. Iben Hjejle, Anders W Berthelsen, Jesper Asholt…; The third Dogma 95 film is in many ways as traditional a European romantic comedy as you could come across, a breezy and smart take on a yuppie…
Nephew, The (1999): Dir. Eugene Brady
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Donal McCann; A small Irish island is shaken by the arrival of a young black man from America whose (white) mother has recently died in the community. On familiar…
Out-of-Towners, The (1999): Dir. Sam Weisman
Feat. Steve Martin, Goldie Hawn; Replaying Neil Simon's original screenplay (the basis for the 1970 Jack Lemmon film), Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn leave the safe and cosy haven of…
Picking Up the Pieces (1999): Dir. Alfonso Arau
Feat. Sharon Stone, Woody Allen, Cheech Marin…; When the pieces of a dismembered Sharon Stone are dumped on the Mexican border one of her hands goes astray and is soon being worshiped by the locals…
Playing by Heart (1999): Dir. Willard Carroll
Feat. Sean Connery, Gena Rowlands, Gillian Anderson…; Ambitious multi–character film along the lines of SHORT CUTS, likewise set in the varying social strata of Los Angeles, but infused with…
Secret Society (1999): Dir. Imogen Kimmel
Feat. Charlotte Brittain; ‘Big lady’ Charlotte Brittain finds herself entering a secret society of other seeming lard–arses from her factory job –…
Shonky Golf (1999): Feat. Mick Molloy; Oz comedian Mick Molloy divets up the fairway in a demonstration of dodgy, illegal, and frankly crass golf–play.
Siam Sunset (1999): Dir. John Polson
Feat. Linus Roache, Danielle Cormack; Bright brain candy that puts a surreal, antipodean tilt on road–movie/black comedy familiarities, with dazed Brit Linus Roache suffering an…
Skipped Parts (1999): Dir. Tamra Davis
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bug Hall, Brad Renfro…; Set in the early 1960s, this begins as a typical coming–of–age comedy, with Jennifer Jason Leigh and her son shifting to Smalltown, USA…
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (1999): Dir. Trey Parker; This big screen splash from the cult TV show is also fouler–mouthed, has a strong musical element, and an ironic twist – an R–rated…
This Year's Love (1999): Dir. David Kane
Feat. Kathy Burke, Jennifer Ehle, Ian Hart…; Set amongst the romantic roundelays of 6 thirty–somethings who reside in London's bohemian Camden Town, this comedy has a quirky streak, some…
Three to Tango (1999): Dir. Damon Santostefano
Feat. Matthew Perry, Neve Campbell, Dylan McDermott; An urban comedy of deception whose quality varies between its mildly idiotic plot and some effective casting, in the form of Matthew Perry (TV's…
Trick (1999): Dir. Jim Fall
Feat. Tori Spelling; Downtown Manhattan is the setting of this easy–going, nightlife adventure for a group of gay friends and fag–hag Tori Spelling...
Venus Beauty Institute (Venus Beauty) (1999): Dir. Tonie Marshall
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Audrey Tautou; A modest beauty salon is the setting for this wry ensemble piece about the vagaries of womanhood, with an engagingly eccentric collection of clients…
Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? (1999): Dir. Peter Hewitt
Feat. Tom Courtenay, Stephen Fry, Laura Fraser…; This whimsical coming–of–age tale set in the divide between disco and punk cultures in 1977 Britain has more to offer than just vibrant…
Where's Marlowe? (1999): Dir. Daniel Pyne
Feat. Miguel Ferrar; A sly if uneven low–budget comedy that blends (and parodies) two genres – the film noir detective film and the mockumentary. Shooting a…
Whiteboys (1999): Dir. Marc Levin
Feat. Danny Hoch, Dash Mihok, Mark Webber…; Wannabe honky rappers Danny Hoch, Dash Mihok and Mark Webber take their many–times–removed Iowa version of hiphop to the streets of…
Wog Boy, The (1999): Dir. Aleksi Vellis
Feat. Nick Giannopoulos, Lucy Bell; Endearingly irreverent take on the certain pet–cliches of Greek–Australiana, in which the title–character proudly flaunts his right…
200 Cigarettes (1998): Dir. Risa Bramon Garcia
Feat. Ben Affleck, Martha Plimpton, Jay Mohr…; An all–youth ensemble sample some Big Apple nightlife in the last remaining hours of 1981 before mingling at a precarious loft party.…
Babe 2: Pig in the City (1998): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Elizabeth Daily, Mary Stein, Magda Szubanski; More walking–talking bacon, this time trotting off to the big city in search of cash to save the farm. Special–effects are again…
Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998): Dir. Tommy O'Haver
Feat. Sean P. Hayes, Paul Bartel, Meredith Scott Lynn; A giddy tribute to the wayward impulses of the heart, the affable Sean P. Hayes plays Billy, a struggling gay photographer infatuated with a dreamy…
Blues Brothers 2000 (1998): Dir. John Landis
Feat. John Goodman, Dan Aykroyd, Evan Bonifant; Belated, extraneous sequel to the 1980 cult 'classic' with John Goodman filling in the XXL trousers of the very late John Belushi. (Alas, the…
Butcher Boy, The (1998): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Eamonn Owens, Stephen Rea, Fiona Shaw; Despairing yet distinctive black comedy depicts the insanity implicit in a boy's view of his small town in Ireland, circa 1962. Adopts a lurid…
Can't Hardly Wait (1998): Dir. Deborah Kaplan
Feat. Jennifer Love Hewitt; Getting good party–points out of the classic formula, this perky high–school comedy unravels the limited world–views of its…
Crackers (1998): Dir. David Swann
Feat. Warren Mitchell, Peter Rowsthorn, Susan Lyons; Exploring the rituals and humour of a Melbourne suburban backyard at Christmas time as four generations of a typical clan booze and squabble their…
Dead Man's Curve (1998): Dir. Dan Rosen
Feat. Matthew Lillard, Keri Russell, Dana Delaney; Taking malicious advantage of a school–policy loophole, two desperate students conspire to dress up the murder of their room–mate as a…
Dear Claudia (1998): Dir. Chris Cudlipp
Feat. Aleksandra Vujcic, Bryan Brown; Interesting premise has rural flying–postie Bryan Brown and hitchhiker Aleksandra Vujcic (BROKEN ENGLISH) plane–wrecked in remote parts,…
Deconstructing Harry (1998): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Judy Davis, Bob Balaban…; Woody Allen's most unruly comedy in years is an excoriating satire on his 'public–image': morally–depraved author Harry Blok, in a…
Final Cut (1998): Dir. Dominic Anciano, Ray Burdis
Feat. Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Ray Winstone; A sordidly comic tale of sex, lies and 8mm film – eleven 'friends' gather for the funeral of a film–maker (Jude Law) and discover that…
Girls' Night (1998): Dir. Nick Hurran
Feat. Julie Walters, Brenda Blethyn; A windfall at the local bingo hall puts air in the wings of forty–something factory gals Julie Walters and Brenda Blethyn, but a wheel of…
Goodness Gracious Me (TV Series) (1998): Dir. Nick Wood
Feat. Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal; BBC sitcom based around a clan of Indians that dares to poke fun at Asians and English alike. Often extremely funny, though some of the topical…
Holy Man (1998): Dir. Stephen Herek
Feat. Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Kelly Preston; Bravely playing against his profane persona, the unholy Eddie Murphy gets to fill a pair of Gandhi pajamas in this ironic 'messiah comedy'. But after…
Home Fries (1998): Dir. Dean Parisot
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Luke Wilson; Drew Barrymore continues to style herself as a wise yet perky cutsie–pie, here as a pregnant Burger–Matic waitress dodging the vindictive…
If Only (Twice Upon Yesterday) (1998): Dir. Maria Ripoll
Feat. Douglas Henshall, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Cruz; Young lovers undergoing a relationship crisis get to relive the 'break–up' day all over again, thanks to a dose of SLIDING DOORS–style…
In and Out (1998): Dir. Frank Oz
Feat. Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck…; Bow–tied teacher Kevin Kline is 'out'–ed by an ex–student during his Oscar acceptance speech, casting suspicion on his impending…
Jawbreaker (1998): Dir. Darren Stein
Feat. Rose McGowan; A trio of teen–queens (incl. Rose McGowan), used to inflicting tongue–lashings on their classmates go onto the back foot when they…
Kissing a Fool (1998): Dir. Doug Ellin
Feat. David Schwimmer, Jason Lee; David Schwimmer (TV's FRIENDS) assumes the guise of a dapper, smart–mouthed ladies' man, who, in an attack of last–minute humbug over his…
Krippendorf's Tribe (1998): Dir. Todd Holland
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Lily Tomlin; Bristled anthropologist Richard Dreyfuss commits scientific fraud to help out with the career and mortgage, making films of an undiscovered New…
Last Yellow, The (1998): Dir. Julian Farino
Feat. Mark Addy, Charlie Creed-Miles, Samantha Morton; Dishevelled rogue Mark Addy (THE FULL MONTY) and none–too–bright sidekick Charlie Creed–Miles learn lessons of loyalty and…
Living Out Loud (1998): Dir. Richard LaGravenese
Feat. Holly Hunter, Queen Latifah, Danny De Vito…; Facing up to life without her philandering husband, a nurse (Holly Hunter) forges unlikely friendships with a jazz club chanteuse (Queen Latifah) and…
Mr. Magoo (1998): Dir. Stanley Tong
Feat. Leslie Nielsen, Kelly Lynch; Disney live–action remake, with Leslie Nielsen assuming the squint and bumbling crankiness of the small–screen 'toon. In this instance,…
Next Stop, Wonderland (1998): Dir. Brad Anderson
Feat. Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman; Hope Davis (DAYTRIPPERS) utterly captivates as a jilted blonde indisposed to the dating scene, who finds little sign of Mr. Right in the long queue…
Nothing to Lose (1998): Dir. Steve Oedekerk
Feat. Tim Robbins, Martin Lawrence; Ad–man Tim Robbins loses his will to live after he discovers his wife's affair, and winds up indulging in petty crime with his…
Occasional Coarse Language (1998): Dir. Brad Hayward
Feat. Sara Browne; Taking cheeky inspiration from women's magazine culture, this hilarious Oz comedy flies on a ticket of enthused charm, homespun wit and Sara Browne…
Other Sister, The (1998): Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Juliette Lewis, Diane Keaton, Tom Skerritt; Free–spirited, yet 'simple' Juliette Lewis runs riot much to the consternation of her uptight parents, Diane Keaton and Tom…
Outside Providence (1998): Dir. Michael Corrente
Feat. Alec Baldwin; The Farrelly Brothers venture towards the deeper end of comedy with a, by turns, idiosyncratic and witless farce about a 70s era teen–stoner…
Parent Trap, The (1998): Dir. Nancy Meyers
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, Lindsay Lohan; A–list entertainment for the pint–sizes is the Disney remake of their own Hayley Mills–as–twin–sisters favourite from…
Polish Wedding (1998): Dir. Theresa Connelly
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Lena Olin, Rade Serbedzija…; Laid on incredibly thick, Polish accents and all, this is 'ethnic shtick' writ large with Gabriel Byrne, Lena Olin and Rade Serbedzija heading a…
Relax...It's Just Sex (1998): Dir. P.J. Castellaneta
Feat. Mitchell Anderson, T.C. Carson, Lori Petty…; Centring around an eclectic group of friends – gay, straight and lesbian – in LA, a struggling gay playwright is desperately looking for…
Sea Change, The (1998): Dir. Michael Bray
Feat. Ray Winstone, Sean Chapman; Finding the breath of fresh air he needs in an encounter with Ray Winstone, uptight banker Sean Chapman is able to wildly transform his predictable…
Slums of Beverly Hills (1998): Dir. Tamara Jenkins
Feat. Marisa Tomei, Alan Arkin; A New York teen comes of age while being dragged around various LA hovels by her poor–schmuck father (Alan Arkin) and her two irritating…
Splendor (1998): Dir. Gregg Araki
Feat. Kathleen Robertson, Johnathon Schaech; Breezing in with this hip soap–opera, dir. Araki abandons his doomy, Gen–X scowl, for a lighter if slighter slice of youthful confusion…
Strange Planet (1998): Dir. Emma-Kate Croghan
Feat. Claudia Karvan, Hugo Weaving, Naomi Watts; Three girl–friends and three guy–friends collide by chance for New Years Eve in a remote beach–house, mixing–n–matching…
Suburbans, The (1998): Dir. Donal Lardner Ward
Feat. Jennifer Love Hewitt; Bubbly record–exec Jennifer Love Hewitt gives 80s musical has–beens The Suburbans a second shot at fame despite time finding them…
Swing (1998): Dir. Nick Mead
Feat. Hugo Speer, Clarence Clemmons, Lisa Stansfield…; Thoroughly in the mould of THE COMMITMENTS, this comic celebration of how music can relieve the drudgery of life casts Hugo Speer as an incarcerated…
Tackle Happy (1998): Dir. Mick Molloy
Feat. Simon Morley, David Friend; Eye–widening puppet–show utilises the visual and tactile properties of the male–organ to impersonate… all sorts of things:…
Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, The (1998): Dir. Anthony Shaw
Feat. Angela Lansbury, Ed Bishop, Peter Bland; Game old lady Angela Lansbury fulfils her life ambition to be a CIA–spy when she's accidentally sent on a mission to Morocco. Although this has…
Up 'n' Under (1998): Dir. John Godber
Feat. Griff Rhys-Jones, Brian Glover; Aging pub–dwellers dust off their boots to settle a grudge match in this FULL MONTY for the Rugby Sevens set, that may have you…
Very Thought of You, The (Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence) (1998): Dir. Nick Hamm
Feat. Monica Potter, Joseph Fiennes, Rufus Sewell…; A trifle thin but amusing entry into the British romantic comedy stakes, with American gal Monica Potter giving a trio of London unlikely lads the…
Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, The (1998): Dir. Sheree Folkson, Kieron Walsh
Feat. Ciaran McMenamin, Simone Lahbib, Nicole Stapleton…; Young persons are the target of the whimsical Scottish TV series following the fortunes of an eclectic rock group who go from garage nobodies to gain…
Addicted to Love (1997): Dir. Griffin Dunne
Feat. Meg Ryan, Matthew Broderick; Acting serial monogamist Meg Ryan couples this time with Matthew Broderick for romantic revenge on their respective ex–partners who've become…
Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis (1997): Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Rik Mayall, Jane Horrocks; Rik Mayall delivers one of his oily variations in what is only his second feature. As a jaded music manager he decides to have his…
Buddy (1997): Dir. Caroline Thompson
Feat. Rene Russo, Robbie Coltrane; Animal freaks Rene Russo and Robbie Coltrane incur a series of fine messes when they attempt to domesticate an adult gorilla into their feathered and…
Clockwatchers (1997): Dir. Jill Sprecher
Feat. Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow…; Four office temps band together in an oppressive (and outdated?) corporate environment – too bad they're caricatures: Toni Collette is…
Cousin Bette (1997): Dir. Des McAnuff
Feat. Jessica Lange, Elisabeth Shue, Aiden Young; Well–upholstered tale of malice and revenge in pre–revolutionary Paris follows buoyantly in the tradition of bodice–ripping…
Daria (TV Series) (1997-2002): Derisive cult animation series starring the ultimate high school anti–heroine – Daria Morgendorffer – a bookish student who keeps…
Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag (1997): Dir. Tom Schulman
Feat. Joe Pesci, Andy Comeau, Kristy Swanson; Mob bagman Joe Pesci must transport hard evidence of a mass slaying, but he loses the noggins and has to recoup them by any means necessary from a…
Fathers' Day (1997): Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Robin Williams, Billy Crystal; Middle–aged slacker Robin Williams and finnicky lawyer Billy Crystal dish up more of the same in this…
George of the Jungle (1997): Dir. Sam Weisman
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church; Loose JUNGLE BOOK parody has Brendan Fraser as the hunky klutz in a loin cloth, raised by gorillas, who discovers love in the form of Ursula, whose…
Head Above Water (1997): Dir. Jim Wilson
Feat. Cameron Diaz, Harvey Keitel, Craig Sheffer…; An island respite turns afoul for Cameron Diaz, who adds to her multiple man troubles with a gush of fateful coincidences. Frantic suspense farce has…
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997): Dir. John Pasquin
Feat. Tim Allen, Martin Short, JoBeth Williams…; New–Yorker Tim Allen (in his second big–screen outing), discovers he has a 13–yr old son who's had an Amazon rainforest unbringing.…
Junk Mail (1997): Dir. Pal Sletaune
Feat. Robert Skjaerstad, Andrine Saether, Per Egil Aske; A sex–obsessed, surly postman tampers with the mail, stalks pretty girls and steals erotic letters from his delivery sack, one of which leads…
Kiss Me Guido (1997): Dir. Tony Vitale
Feat. Nick Scotti, Anthony De Sando, Anthony Barrile; Gay–straight comedy of mistaken identity (ala WEDDING BANQUET) set in New York's Little Italy has an authentic sub–cultural bent, but be…
Latin Boys Go to Hell (1997): Dir. Ela Troyano
Feat. Irwin Ossa, John Bryant Daula, Jenifer Lee Simard; Torrid sexual intrigue, dance–club shenanigans and breakneck plot twists power this low–budget story of the New York Hispanic gay…
Love! Valour! Compassion! (1997): Dir. Joe Mantello
Feat. Jason Alexander, Stephen Spinella; The exclamations–marks certainly fly in this spirited comedy of summer–weekend craziness and bad manners. Based on Terrence McNally's…
Mother (1997): Dir. Albert Brooks
Feat. Albert Brooks, Debbie Reynolds, John C. McGinley…; Middle–aged teddybear Albert Brooks reties the apron strings with Mom Debbie Reynolds after two failed marriages. Some very funny scenes of…
Odd Couple 2, The (1997): Dir. Howard Deutch
Feat. Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau; Felix and Oscar reunite – grumpier and a good deal older in Neil Simon's follow–up to the original hit. The comic timing of Jack Lemmon…
On Connait la Chanson (Same Old Song) (1997): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Pierre Arditi, Sabine Azema, Jean-Pierre Bacri…; A winner of seven Cesar awards, this light–hearted homage to Dennis Potter applies his musical–cinematic ideas to the…
Peggy Su (1997): Dir. Frances-Anne Solomon
Feat. Jonathan Arun, Jacqui Chan; Set in '60s Liverpool, this comedy tells the story of an Asian family and the farcial events revolving around the arranged marriage of daughter Peggy…
Preaching to the Perverted (1997): Dir. Stuart Urban
Feat. Guinevere Turner; Upbeat sex farce peeps at the London fetish/S&M scene while taking a plum swipe at censorship and the hypocrisy of moral campaigners. A righteous…
Real Blonde, The (1997): Dir. Tom DiCillo
Feat. Matthew Modine, Catherine Keener, Maxwell Caulfield…; Light yet insightful lampoon of the acting/modelling industry from the director of LIVING IN OBLIVION nicely captures (and skewers) the hollowness of…
Road to Nhill (1997): Dir. Sue Brooks
Feat. Tony Barry, Vikki Blanche, Paul Chubb…; A ripple of effect sweeps through a tiny Australian country town after four elderly women get trapped in their upturned Falcon on their way home from…
Second Civil War, The (1997): Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Denis Leary, James Earl Jones, James Coburn; Fairly realistic speculation of an American Civil War, occurring when present–day Idaho cedes from the Union, painted over with the lighter…
Shooting Fish (1997): Dir. Stefan Schwartz
Feat. Dan Futterman, Stuart Townsend, Kate Beckinsale; Smarmy, contrived romantic comedy with anarchic pretensions and loads o' pop music for the kids, desperately shoots for mainstream success ala 'Four…
Someone Else's America (1997): Dir. Goran Paskaljevic
Feat. Tom Conti, Miki Manojlovic; A quirky character–study drawn from the lives of illegal European immigrants living hand–to–mouth on the bottom–rung of New…
Sparkler (1997): Dir. Darren Stein
Feat. Freddie Prinze Jnr., Veronica Cartwright; Slightly fizzy comedy that follows a post–SWINGERS pack of pals to Las Vegas (incl. Freddie Prinze, Jnr) in a bid to escape financial problems.…
Spiceworld: The Movie (1997): Dir. Bob Spiers
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton…; Rocking–good time of a shallow band movie, with great costumes, sets, attitude, etc. The girls sure know how to have fun, Richard E. Grant is…
Trojan War (1997): Dir. George Huang
Feat. Will Friedle, Jennifer Love Hewitt; Comic misadventures beset a young turk who scours the town in search of a condom in order to consummate with the ready–and–willing girl…
Weapons of Mass Distraction (1997): Dir. Stephen Surjik
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Ben Kingsley, Mimi Rogers…; Media moguls Gabriel Byrne and Ben Kingsley vie for ownership of a pro football team, in an escalating war of one–upmanship, eventually raking…
Would I Lie to You? (1997): Dir. Thomas Gilou
Feat. Richard Anconina, Vincent Elbaz, Bruno Solo; In a Jewish rag–trade district of Paris, an affable street kid maintains the ruse of being Jewish to financial, social and romantic advantage.…
Zero Effect (1997): Dir. Jake Kasdan
Feat. Bill Pullman, Ryan O'Neal, Ben Stiller…; Bill Pullman is Darryl Zero, a bizarre millionaire–genius gumshoe hired by business tycoon Ryan O'Neal to track down his blackmailer, while…
Celestial Clockwork (1996): Dir. Fina Torres
Feat. Ariadna Gil, Arielle Dombasle; Cinderella–type comedy that has a gifted Venezualan opera singer vaulting for stardom in an eccentric Parisian setting. Consistently sunny in…
Chicken (1996): Dir. Grant Lahood
Feat. Cliff Curtis, Bryan Marshall, Martyn Sanderson…; Blackly comic farce about an middle–aged ex–pop–star–turned–fast–food–proprietor who is being stalked by a…
Citizen Ruth (1996): Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz; When chronic solvent–abuser Laura Dern becomes pregnant, then gets arrested again, she strays into the idealogical thicket of the abortion…
Denise Calls Up (1996): Dir. Hal Selwen
Feat. Alannah Ubach, Tim Daly; Twee New York low–budget indie in which six people, most of whom have never met, conduct the gamut of human relations using only the telephone.…
Dogs (Dogs: The Rise and Fall of an All-Girl Bookie Joint) (1996): Dir. Eve Annenburg
Feat. Pam Columbus, Pam Gray, Melody Beal…; Four Brooklyn women opt for a life of running an illegal bookie joint, over the dead–end, unemployed lifestyle of the local area. In her debut,…
Faithful (1996): Dir. Paul Masursky
Feat. Cher, Ryan O'Neal, Chazz Palminteri; Cher, a depressed housewife, gets a very unexpected 20th Anniversary present from hubby Ryan O'Neal; a visit from hitman Chazz Palminteri! Chazz also…
Forbidden City Cop (1996): Dir. Vincent Tak-Chiu
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao); Hysterical and kinda crazy semi–sequel to the smash hit comedy FROM BEIJING WITH LOVE, splices James Bond with A CHINESE GHOST STORY, following…
Girl 6 (1996): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Theresa Randle, Madonna, Naomi Campbell…; Spike Lee's risque fable of the phone sex and role–playing favours glamour over substance, so treat it like a black SHOWGIRLS with phones.…
Guantanamera (1996): Dir. Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabio
Feat. Carlos Cruz, Mirta Ibarra, Jorge Perugorria…; A quirky mix of low–speed road movie and romantic comedy following the unsteady progress of a funeral procession across the length of Cuba…
Hotel De Love (1996): Dir. Craig Rosenberg
Feat. Simon Bossell, Aden Young, Saffron Burrows; Two brothers vying for the same woman are among the farcical romantic complications that entangle at a kitsch honeymoon resort. The first–time…
I'm Not Rappaport (1996): Dir. Herb Gardner
Feat. Walter Matthau, Ossie Davis; A park–bench friendship develops between old–timers Walter Matthau and Ossie Davis, amid the riff–raff of NY's Central Park.…
If Lucy Fell (1996): Dir. Eric Schaeffer
Feat. Eric Schaeffer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elle MacPherson…; Room–mates Eric Schaeffer and Sarah Jessica Parker vow to find true love before they turn 30 or end it all off the side of the Brooklyn Bridge.…
Jack (1996): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Robin Williams, Diane Lane, Brian Kerwin…; Robin Williams plays a nine–year–old who suffers from a medical condition that makes him decidedly more wrinkly and hirsute that his…
Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996): Dir. Kelly Makin
Feat. Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald; Smart satire from the Canadian sketch comedy troupe is more hit than miss. Plot such as it is centres on a dangerous anti–depressant that…
Letter to Blanchy (TV Series) (1996): Feat. Jon Gadsby, David McPhail; The comedy team of Jon Gadsby, David McPhail and A. K. Grant combined their talents for this successful local comedy series. Features the full length…
Lust and Revenge (1996): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Nicholas Hope, Claudia Karvan; An unlikely creative partnership between the solemn, prolific Dutch–Aussie director Paul Cox (MAN OF FLOWERS, A WOMAN'S TALE) and John Clarke…
Man of the Year (1996): Dir. Dirk Shafer
Feat. Vivian Paxton, Claudette Sutherland, Michael Marisi Ornstein; Dirk Shafer's crafty autobiographical 'mockumentary', reconstructs his bizarre experience as a gay model having to live the charade of being…
Manny and Lo (1996): Dir. Lisa Krueger
Feat. Mary Kay Place, Scarlett Johansson, Aleksa Palladino; Two runaway sisters kidnap an expert surrogate care–giver, a baby–shop clerk, to help them after one falls pregnant. As a…
Michael (1996): Dir. Nora Ephron
Feat. John Travolta, William Hurt, Andie MacDowell…; Not even the star presence of John Travolta, William Hurt, and Andie MacDowell can revive this abysmal comic–fantasy about a cynical tabloid…
Mr. Reliable (My Entire Life) (1996): Dir. Nadia Tass
Feat. Colin Friels, Gillian Statham, Susie Porter; A bland title conceals a corker recreation of a bizarre event of late '60s Ozzie history, when a petty criminal became a folk hero after a…
Mr. Wrong (1996): Dir. Nick Castle
Feat. Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Pullman; Ellen DeGeneres, of TV's 'Ellen', playing the dating game of the 90s, meets a handsome stranger only to find his 'perfect' veneer is a creepy…
Small Time (1996): Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Shane Meadows; Shane Meadows stars with his mates in his rough 'n' ready featurette, shot for five grand on digital video. He makes a fast and able riff through…
Summer in La Goulette (1996): Dir. Ferid Boughedir
Feat. Sonia Mankai, Ava Cohen-Jonathan, Sarah Pariente…; Three families of disparate cultures enjoy harmony in Tunisian paradise, until three of their beautiful daughters flirt with losing their virginity,…
That Thing You Do! (1996): Dir. Tom Hanks
Feat. Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech; Tom Hanks makes a solid if squeaky–clean writing/directing debut in charting the one–hit success of fictitious pop band, The Wonders.…
Tin Cup (1996): Dir. Ron Shelton
Feat. Kevin Costner, Rene Russo; Kevin Costner reteams with the sports–obsessed director of BULL DURHAM for this engaging romantic comedy, this time set on the fairways of the…
Trigger Happy (Mad Dog Time) (1996): Dir. Larry Bishop
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Jeff Goldblum, Gabriel Byrne…; Grinning mob–boss Richard Dreyfuss is fresh out of the asylum, gunning down wisecracking old friends and enemies alike. Old friends is indeed…
Two If by Sea (1996): Dir. Bill Bennett
Feat. Denis Leary, Sandra Bullock, Stephen Dillane…; Petty thieves Denis Leary and Sandra Bullock are a seven year item who plan to settle down after one final heist of a valuable painting. But with…
Van, The (1996): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Colm Meaney, Donal O'Kelly, Ger Ryan…; Conclusive chapter of writer Roddy Doyle's informal trilogy started by THE COMMITMENTS and THE SNAPPER. Colm Meaney returns as the cheery Irish…
Vol-au-vent (1996): Dir. John McKenzie
Feat. Dennis Waterman, Julie McKenzie; A quiet wedding turns anarchic in British comedic tradition, when three crims gatecrash the reception, sending the bride and her mother scrambling to…
Baldy Man, The (1995): Dir. Colin Gilbert
Feat. Gregor Fisher; In the tradition of Mr. Bean, Gregor Fisher stars in this new no–dialogue comedy show as a babbling, clumsy, almost lovable character. Four…
Billy Madison (1995): Dir. Tamra Davis
Feat. Adam Sandler; Former Saturday Night Live comic Adam Sandler unveils his particular talent for crude buffoonery as a spoiled rich–kid who must go through his…
Billy's Holiday (1995): Dir. Richard Wherret
Feat. Max Cullen, Kris McQuade, Richard Roxburgh; A melan–comic tale of a bored middle aged shopkeeper who discovers he has a voice of as sweet and soulful as Billie Holiday. It's never too…
Destiny Turns On the Radio (1995): Dir. Jack Baran
Feat. Dylan McDermott, Quentin Tarantino, Nancy Travis…; Fantasy adventure in which an escaped convict (Dylan McDermott) returns to Vegas to collect his stashed loot and reconcile with his girlfriend.…
Disappearance of Kevin Johnson, The (1995): Dir. Francis Megahy
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, James Coburn, Dudley Moore…; Fact–based movie movie about the perils of the Hollywood machine, in which a would–be film producer apparently runs afoul of the…
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While You're Drinking Juice in the Hood (1995): Dir. Paris Barclay
Feat. Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans; Gleeful sendup of the 'hood–drama genre (Boyz in the Hood, Menace II Society etc.), resounds with the impact of juicy cheapshots hitting home,…
Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995): Dir. Mel Brooks
Feat. Mel Brooks, Leslie Nielsen; Another blockbuster spoof, three years too late from the once funny Mel Brooks in which Leslie Nielsen does his NAKED GUN–in–a–cape…
Edie and Pen (1995): Dir. Matthew Irmas
Feat. Stockard Channing, Jennifer Tilly, Scott Glenn…; Unhappily–marrieds Stockard Channing and Jennifer Tilly cut out to Reno to dispense with husbands, bad luck and sobriety. Bittersweet comedy…
Grotesque, The (1995): Dir. John-Paul Davidson
Feat. Alan Bates, Sting; Bizarre, upper–crust English comedy has a suave, veritably oily Sting as butler to crank palaeontologist Alan Bates and his ghastly family.…
High Risk (1995): Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jet Li, Jacky Cheung; A Hong Kong actioner worth singling out from the glut, Jet Li is charisma–on–legs as an unflappable stunt double/bodyguard who is forced…
I.Q. (1995): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Walter Matthau, Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins; Walter Matthau, playing Einstein, (yes Albert!), matchmakes niece Meg Ryan and mechanic Tim Robbins together in 1950s Princeton University. Teases…
Intimate Relations (1995): Dir. Philip Goodhew
Feat. Julie Walters, Rupert Graves; House matron Julie Walters and her daughter become engaged in a queasy sexual tug–o–war for strapping boarder Rupert Graves. It turns…
Kamikaze Taxi (1995): Dir. Masato Harada
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Kazuya Takahashi, Reiko Kataoka; An apprentice gangster fouls up his first major assignment and flees Tokyo in a taxi, the driver of which turns out to be a unlikely confident with a…
Kicking and Screaming (1995): Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Josh Hamilton, Eric Stoltz, Elliott Gould…; Several college grads flounder in love and with prospects of the future. Dialogue–intensive comedy borrows its philosophical vantage and acting…
Low Down Dirty Shame, A (1995): Dir. Keenan Ivory Wayans
Feat. Keenen Wayans, Charles S. Dutton, Jada Pinkett Smith; An action–packed send–up of big loud gun–fests from Keenan Ivory Wayans, who also charms his way through the knowing cliches as a…
Madagascar Skin (1995): Dir. Chris Newby
Feat. Bernard Hill, John Hannah; Intimate drama that portrays the unlikely relationship between two outsiders in a remote seaside cottage in South Wales. Hannah plays a disfigured…
Miami Rhapsody (1995): Dir. David Frankel
Feat. Sarah Jessica Parker, Antonio Banderas, Mia Farrow…; Sarah Jessica Parker brings her cutesy appeal to the predicament of a young woman disillusioned yet preoccupied with modern marriage. Woody Allen's…
Mona Must Die (Ein fast perfektes Verhältnis) (1995): Dir. Donald Reiker
Feat. Marianne Sagebrecht; A tyrannical wife becomes a target for murder of her brow–beaten husband and his neighbour lover. Their devious plan involves the mistress…
Mrs. Winterbourne (1995): Dir. Richard Benjamin
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Ricki Lake; Ricki Lake shines as a pregnant white–trash waitress who is mistaken for a society widow by hoity matriarch Shirley Maclaine. Short on laughs,…
On Our Selection (Dad and Dave - On Our Selection) (1995): Dir. George Whaley
Feat. Leo McKern, Joan Sutherland, Geoffrey Rush…; An all–star comic remake of a 1920 feature, this rambuncious Ozzie folk saga celebrates the pioneering contribution made by the average Joe…
Perez Family, The (1995): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Alfred Molina, Anjelica Huston, Marisa Tomei…; A gently humorous tale about Cuban refugees who pose as a family in order to gain entry into the U.S. The director of SALAAM BOMBAY well harnesses…
Sixty Million Dollar Man (1995): Dir. Yip Wai-Man
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao); Spoiled brat 'accident' victim Stephen Chow becomes a not–so–super hero when he is pieced back together Steve Austin–style for a…
Staggered (1995): Dir. Martin Clunes
Feat. Martin Clunes, Griff Rhys-Jones, Michael Praed; As a rather extreme stag party prank, Martin Clunes ('Men Behaving Badly') is left naked on a beach in the wop–wops. His protracted voyage back…
Sunshine Boys, The (1995): Dir. John Erman
Feat. Woody Allen, Peter Falk, Sarah Jessica Parker…; Second adaptation of Neil Simon's play about two aging comedy legends who are cajoled into reforming their long–severed partnership. Woody…
The Pink Show (1995): Feat. Scott Capurro, Steve Best, Maria Esposito; A 'gay–friendly' revue show hosted by Ian Keable at the Playhouse Theatre, London in 1995. Acts include Scott Capurro, Steve Best and Maria…
Thin Ice (1995): Dir. Fiona Cunningham Reid
Feat. Sabra Williams, Charlotte Avery; Lesbian ice–skating comedy, has Sabra Williams pairing–up with the straight Charlotte Avery for the Gay Games, and teetering into romance…
Being Human (1994): Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Robin Williams, Robert Carlyle, John Turturro…; An episodic comic–drama in which Robin Williams plays five men named Hector, who each search for their place in their own historical period…
Bodyguard from Beijing (1994): Dir. Yuen Kwai
Feat. Jet Li; Jet Li is "The Bodyguard" in this delightful parody of the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston smash. A gourmet chop suey of action, humour and simmering…
City Hunter (1994): Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jackie Chan, Chingmy Yau, Joey Wong; Jackie Chan is the popular Japanese comic book character Ryu Saeba: part detective, part mercenary, all womanizer – is contracted to return the…
City Slickers 2 (The Legend of Curly's Gold) (1994): Dir. Paul Weiland
Feat. Billy Crystal; Passable sequel to the original city–man turns cowboy. Not much plot, but plenty of laughs to be had on the trail.
Clean Slate (1994): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Dana Carvey, Valeria Golino; WAYNE'S WORLD's Dana Carvey plays a detective whose memory is erased every time he wakes up. A keen script explores many of the idea's ridiculous…
Country Life (1994): Dir. Michael Blakemore
Feat. Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi, Kerry Fox; Yet another version of Uncle Vanya, this time set 'out back' in WWI–era New South Wales, and providing some interesting comparisons between…
Exit to Eden (1994): Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Dana Delany, Paul Mercurio, Rosie O'Donnell…; Dan Aykroyd and Rosie O'Donnell are cops assigned to an undercover mission on a sex–fantasy island. Based on a lewd Anne Rice novel, its…
For Love or Money (Concierge, The) (1994): Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld
Feat. Michael J. Fox, Gabrielle Anwar, Anthony Higgins; Fox attempts to rekindle the secret of his success as a shrewd bell–hop with aspirations to run his own hotel and win his dream–girl. Few…
God of Gamblers Return (1994): Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat; Chow Yun–Fat returns as a charming poker player who enjoys the quiet life until a challenger kills his wife and begins to target his friends. …
Grief (1994): Dir. Richard Glatzer
Feat. Illeana Douglas, Alexis Arquette, Mary Woronov…; A quirky blend of 'situation–satire' and contemporary mores, centred round the production offices of Californian TV soap 'The Love Judge' (set…
Grosse Fatigue (1994): Dir. Michel Blanc
Feat. Michel Blanc, Carole Bouquet, Philippe Noiret…; Popular comedian Michel Blanc gently bites the hand that feeds him in this irreverent farce in which the entire cast, including himself and the…
Guarding Tess (1994): Dir. Hugh Wilson
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Shirley Maclaine; Federal bodyguard Nicolas Cage is unable to escape his duties to the former First Lady (Shirley Maclaine) unwitting that there are a few apron…
I Like It Like That (1994): Dir. Darnell Martin
Feat. Griffin Dunne, Rita Moreno; Dynamic, funny Bronx comedy in which a young mother takes on a job at a record company while juggling the demands of her children, headstrong husband…
Naked in New York (1994): Dir. Dan Algrant
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Mary-Louise Parker, Ralph Macchio…; Insecure playwright Eric Stoltz copes with the varying successes of his own career, girlfriend Mary–Louise Parker and college pal Ralph…
Next Door (1994): Dir. Tony Bill
Feat. James Woods, Randy Quaid, Kate Capshaw; Harmless fun escalates to suburban feud between two neighbours – James Woods, an uptight academic and Randy Quaid, a humble butcher with a…
Pcu: Pit Party (1994): Dir. Hart Bochner
Feat. Jeremy Piven, David Spade, Jessica Walter…; Boisterous, ANIMAL HOUSE–style campus comedy takes an unabashed poke at that '90s catch–cry – 'political correctness'. Beer…
Princess Caraboo (1994): Dir. Michael Austin
Feat. Phoebe Cates, Kevin Kline, Jim Broadbent…; All star cast gather for this whimsical tale of an 'abducted' Indonesian princess who may or may not be conniving her way into 19th Century British…
Sex Is a Four Letter Word (1994): Dir. Murray Fahey
Feat. Joy Smithers, Mark Lee, Miranda Otto; A love columnist holds a dinner party for six young Ozzies, ostensibly to source material for her spicy novel. Low budget comedy–drama.
Solitaire for Two (1994): Dir. Gary Sinyor
Feat. Mark Frankel, Amanda Pays, Jason Isaacs; Attractive single Amanda Pays has the ability to read minds, but her 'gift' proves something of a set–back in the romantic stakes with any…
Spanking the Monkey (1994): Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Jeremy Davies, Elizabeth Newett, Benjamin Hendrickson…; The awkwardness of youth is brilliantly captured in this provocative tragi–comedy, another maverick success story from the US indie scene. A…
Spider and Rose (1994): Dir. Bill Bennett
Feat. Ruth Cracknell, Max Cullen; A light Ozzie road movie about a special friendship between her elderly widow and a rebellious young ambulance driver entrusted to escort her home.…
To Die For (1994): Dir. Peter MacKenzie
Feat. Thomas Arklie, Ian Williams, Dilly Keane…; A bizarre, often amusing ‘gay’ version of BLITHE SPIRIT, in which Thomas Arklie is haunted by the camped–up spirit of recently…
Trapped in Paradise (1994): Dir. George Gallo
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz; A successful heist for bank–robbers' Nicolas Cage, Dana Carvey and John Lovitz goes awry when their clean getaway is obstructed by the cloying…
Treasure Hunt (1994): Dir. Ricky Lau
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat; CIA operative Chow Yun–Fat falls in love while on secret assignment at mainland Shaolin monastery. Bubble–headed romance with some action…
Vanya On 42nd Street (1994): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Wallace Shawn, Julianne Moore, Andre Gregory; The late director's final film recouples him with Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory from MY DINNER WITH ANDRE for another compulsive round of…
Air Up There, The (1993): Dir. Paul M. Glaser
Feat. Kevin Bacon; Kevin Bacon plays a disillusioned basketball coach who sets off to rural Africa in pursuit of the ultimate star player.
Amos and Andrew (1993): Dir. E. Max Frye
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Samuel L. Jackson; Cage and Jackson are unwitting abductor and hostage in an exclusive but crazy white neighbourhood. Sharply exacted racial satire is littered with…
Beverly Hillbillies (1993): Dir. Penelope Spheeris
Feat. Diedrich Bader, Dabney Coleman, Buddy Ebsen…; A hair–brained big–screen remake, which despite being well re–cast, re–works what barely passed for a plot in THE ADDAMS…
Business Affair, A (1993): Dir. Charlotte Brandstom
Feat. Carole Bouquet, Christopher Walken, Jonathan Pryce…; Would–be writer Carole Bouquet is caught between her husband (another struggling scribe) and publisher Christopher Walken. European…
Dallas Doll (1993): Dir. Ann Turner
Feat. Sarah Bernhardt; Sandra Bernhardt plays a free–spirited American who turns the lives of a middle–class Sydney family on its ear with her unbridled…
Director's Cut, The (The Pickle) (1993): Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. Danny Aiello, Shelley Winters, Dyan Cannon…; Yet another film about film–making. Danny Aiello portrays the alter–ego of director Paul Masursky, a self–obsessed and aging film…
Freaked (1993): Dir. Tom Stern, Alex Winter
Feat. Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves; A film–school–renegade comedy from actor, Alex 'Bill and Ted' Winter. He becomes an unwilling participant in a freak–show that uses…
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me (1993): Dir. Joel Hershman
Feat. Adrienne Shelly, Sean Young, Diane Ladd; A strained attempt at achieving that 'John Waters' feeling, where everyone shouts at one another in a trashy/camp kinda way in trailer–park…
Just Like a Woman (1993): Dir. Chris Monger
Feat. Julie Walters, Adrian Pasdar, Gordon Kennedy; Likeable gender–bending farce stars Julie Walters as a bored divorcee who discovers her hunky new boarder is a straight man who just happens to…
Leap of Faith (1993): Dir. Richard Pearce
Feat. Steve Martin, Debra Winger, Lolita Davidovich…; Steve Martin plays a charismatic but crooked evangelist whose mock–miracles lead to a personal revelation. Lightweight and sentimental, but the…
Life in the Theatre, A (1993): Dir. Gregory Mosher
Feat. Jack Lemmon, Matthew Broderick; An affectionate and heartfelt look at thespian lives from playwright David Mamet. Jack Lemmon and Matthew Broderick are the 'spring and autumn' pair…
Made in America (1993): Dir. Richard Benjamin
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson; Whoopi Goldberg is shocked to discover the 'sperm–donor' father of her daughter is in fact brash, white cowpoke Ted Danson.
Meteor Man, The (1993): Dir. Robert Townsend
Feat. Robert Townsend, James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby…; Black–American spoof of SUPERMAN doubles as a commentary on their urban crime problem. James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby, Luther Vandross help out…
Mr. Wonderful (1993): Dir. Anthony Minghella
Feat. Matt Dillon, Annabella Sciorra, William Hurt…; The writer/director of TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY directs for the American market, and though a sweet enough romantic confection it lacks the genuine…
My Life's in Turnaround (1993): Dir. Eric Shaeffer, Donal Lardner Ward
Feat. Eric Shaeffer, Donal Lardner Ward, John Sayles…; Two NY deadbeats, playing themselves, decide to make a movie out of thin air, pitching non–ideas to baffled producers, greasing up minor stars…
Night We Never Met, The (1993): Dir. Warren Leight
Feat. Matthew Broderick, Annabella Sciorra, Brooke Smith…; Matthew Broderick enters into a time–share arrangement with two others for set days during the week. Gradually he comes to fall in love with…
Norman Gunston Show, The (1993): Feat. Garry McDonald, Shirley Maclaine; Garry McDonald's ghastly alter–ego, armed with but a microphone, elicits insight as well as fear from luminaries like Shirley Maclaine and…
Prelude to a Kiss (1993): Dir. Norman Rene
Feat. Alec Baldwin, Meg Ryan; A storybook romance for love–birds Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan takes on body–swapping proportions after Meg is kissed on their wedding day…
Reckless Kelly (1993): Dir. Yahoo Serious
Feat. Yahoo Serious, Melora Hardin, Alexei Sayle…; One–man–movie–machine Yahoo Serious follows up YOUNG EINSTEIN with another zany send–up of a famous historical figure. This…
Rubin and Ed (1993): Dir. Trent Harris
Feat. Crispin Glover, Howard Hesseman, Karen Black; Truly eccentric comedy in which Crispin Glover and Howard Hesseman set off on a cross country trip to bury a frozen cat, and end up striking it rich…
Son-in-Law (1993): Dir. Steve Rash
Feat. Pauly Shore; Pauly Shore is a fish–out–of–water as a Californian wild dude stuck in the tranquil country home of his would–be girlfriend,…
Splitting Heirs (1993): Dir. Robert Young
Feat. Eric Idle, Rick Moranis, Barbara Hershey; Switched–at–birth themed burlesque with Eric Idle looking to reclaim the wealth of his American cousin.
Te Video: Billy T James and Friends (1993): Feat. Billy T. James, Rima Te Wiata, Rawiri Paratene…; Compilation video featuring sketches from Billy T's inspired television show, including the pilot episode which was apparently never broadcast.
Tracey Ullman - Takes On New York (1993): Dir. Don Scardino
Feat. Tracey Ullman; British comedian/impersonator/celebrity Tracy Ullman tackles an eccentric selection of alter–egos, all characters experiencing New York for the…
Twenty Bucks (1993): Dir. Keva Rosenfeld
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Christopher Lloyd, Brendan Fraser…; The path of a twenty dollar note connects a number of comic vignettes, most of which hit the mark. Polished up from a recently discovered 1935…
Undercover Blues (1993): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Kathleen Turner, Dennis Quaid; Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid star in this farcical thriller as husband–and–wife Private I's, forced to combat international…
Younger and Younger (1993): Dir. Percy Aldon
Feat. Donald Sutherland, Julie Delpy, Lolita Davidovich; The director of BAGDAD CAFÉ fashions another quirky, character–driven comedy of self–discovery. Donald Sutherland must reconsider his…
Zero Patience (1993): Dir. John Greyson
Feat. John Robinson, Normand Fauteur, Dianne Heatherington; Completely unusual AIDS musical is a chaotic pastiche of sketches and styles that collectively debunk the various myths about the origins of AIDS.…
Accidental Golfer, The (1992): Dir. Lasse Aberg
Feat. Lasse Aberg, Jon Skolmen, Mats Bergman; A redundant factory worker becomes the object of an expensive golfing wager between a millionaire and his mistress. Big Scandanavian hit comes dubbed…
Broadway Bound (1992): Dir. Paul Bogart
Feat. Anne Bancroft, Hume Cronyn; Third film in the trilogy based on the Neil Simon's memoirs remains faithful to its stage origins. His alter–ego aspires to write successful…
Class Act (1992): Dir. Randall Miller
Feat. Meshach Taylor, Rick Ducommun; Funky feature with HOUSE PARTY rap act Kid 'n' Play as a straight–A student and street–wise homeboy who have their identities switched at…
Discrete, La (1992): Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Judith Henry, Maurice Garrel…; Things don't go to plan for a philandering writer who refuses to commit emotionally. A literary yet accessible essay on sexual game–playing,…
Favour, The Watch and the Very Big Fish, The (1992): Dir. Ben Lewin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Jeff Goldblum, Natasha Richardson…; In gay Paris, Bob Hoskins plays a frustrated photographer whose life complicates after friend Jeff Goldblum asks a most unusual favour.
Frauds (1992): Dir. Stephan Elliot
Feat. Phil Collins, Hugo Weaving, Nicholas Hammond; Phil Collins plays a smooth–talking, sleazy insurance investigator hell bent on making life miserable for a young couple who have made a claim.…
George Carlin - Live (1992): Feat. George Carlin; The government, the military, golfers and the media are just some of the victims of this stand up sensation, here best known as Rufus from the 'Bill…
Greenkeeping (1992): Dir. David Caesar
Feat. Mark Little, Gia Carides; Mark Little plays 'yer average bloke' struggling to maintain his job as a green–keeper at the local bowling club while his wife indulges in…
House of Angels (1992): Dir. Colin Nutley
Feat. Helena Bergstrom, Rikard Wolff, Sven Wollter; Two Harley–riding city slickers descend on a country village and obliviously stir up a hornet's nest among the townfolk. Old–fashioned,…
La Crise (1992): Dir. Coline Serreau
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Patrick Timsit, Zabou; Another smart comedy of crises from the comedienne director of THREE MEN AND A CRADLE and ROMUALD ET JULIETTE. A high–powered corporate…
La Vie De Boheme (1992): Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Matti Pellonpaa, Evelyne Didi, Andre Wilms; An achingly deadpan treatment of the book that served as the basis for Puccini's opera. Ironically romantic portrait of deadbeat, impoverished…
Leon the Pig Farmer (1992): Dir. Gary Sinyor, Vadim Jean
Feat. Mark Frankel; Well–written comic gem has Jewish boy Mark Frankel discovering (shock! horror! the guilt!) that his real parents are not the suburban…
Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful (1992): Dir. John Fortenberry
Feat. Julie Brown, Bobcat Goldthwait; The talented Julie Brown sharpens her claws and is not afraid to use them in this parody of Madonna's self–adoring documentary, TRUTH OR DARE.
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992): Dir. John Carpenter
Feat. Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah, Sam Neill…; 'Straight' comic vehicle for Chevy Chase in which he plays a womanising stock–broker blessed/cursed with invisibity. Blessed with some great,…
Mistress (1992): Dir. Barry Primus
Feat. Martin Landau, Robert De Niro, Danny Aiello…; A movie movie about a struggling Hollywood writer whose ethics are violated on the hellish road to production by hack producers Martin Landau, Robert…
Roseanne Arnold - Live from Trump Castle (1992): Feat. Roseanne; The star of TV's 'Roseanne' show gives an exemplary live performance, bringing her ribald, astute wit to the fore, plus a renowned ability for comic…
Saturday Night Live - 15th Anniversary Special (1992): Feat. Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks…; Compilation of some of the best sketches from the first fifteen years of the US TV–show 'Saturday Night Live'. This programme was a training…
Schtonk! (1992): Dir. Helmut Dietl; Following the broad outlines of the 1983 'Hitler diaries' case, in which a forgery of the Fuhrer's scatological jottings was 'discovered', this…
Stay Tuned (1992): Dir. Peter Hyams
Feat. John Ritter, Pam Dawber, Jeffrey Jones…; Elaborate fantasy send–up of trash TV culture in which John Ritter and Pam Dawber get sucked into their TV set and are forced to endure…
Used People (1992): Dir. Beeban Kidron
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Marcello Mastroianni, Kathy Bates…; Feathers fly in the hen–house of recently widowed Shirley Maclaine when courted by debonair Marcello Mastroianni.
Vita Cane (Life's a Bitch aka Vita da Cane) (1992): Dir. Carlo Liconti; An Italian hairdresser plays loverboy with a bevy of clients, but things snowhall hilariously when, to everyone's dismay, he falls in strictly…
Wild Target (1992): Dir. Pierre Salvadori
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Guillaume Depardieu; Jean Rochefort is a fastidious hitman whose mania for control, both at home and on assignment, is dangerously weakened when he apprentices Gerard…
Ben Elton: The Very Best of... Live - Volume 1 (1991): Feat. Ben Elton; Side–splitting stand–up from the genius writer behind THE YOUNG ONES and BLACK ADDER. Ben washes down political satire with good old…
Breaking In (1991): Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Burt Reynolds, Casey Siemaszko, Sheila Kelley; A Stateside charmer from the director of LOCAL HERO about a veteran burglar who takes on a young petty criminal as an apprentice of his trade.
Five Heartbeats, The (1991): Dir. Robert Townsend
Feat. Robert Townsend, Diahann Carroll, Theresa Randle; A bright and snappy musical biopic accounting the rise and fall of a '60s R&B/soul quintet, based loosely on the career of the 'The Dells'.
Flirting (1991): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Thandiwe Newton, Nicole Kidman, Noah Taylor; Award–winning sequel to THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE sensitively explores adolescent life in two single–sex high schools in rural Australia,…
Grampire (Moonrise) (1991): Dir. David Blyth
Feat. Al Lewis; The Munsters' Al Lewis turns up on our shores to star in a ghoulish comedy as the blood–sucking but well–meaning grandfather of a…
Great Day On the Beach (1991): Dir. Stellan Olssen
Feat. Erik Clausen, Nina Gunke, Benjamin Rothenborg; A family day at a seaside resort enlightens a six–year–old boy with grand illusions of his extrovert father. A comic, perceptive view of…
Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991): Dir. Joseph B. Vasquez
Feat. Doug E. Doug, Mario Joyner, John Leguizamo…; The misadventures of two black and two Hispanic youths who kick around the Bronx on a typical Friday night. A ghetto film with laughs, gusto and a…
How to Be a Woman and Not Die in the Attempt (1991): Dir. Ana Belen
Feat. Carmen Maura, Antonio Resines; Carmen Maura, the morning–star of many an early Almodovar film, enlivens this slight–ish, breezy comedy of domestic meltdown, having to…
Miss Firecracker (1991): Dir. Thomas Schlamme
Feat. Holly Hunter, Tim Robbins, Alfre Woodard…; Feel–good Southern comedy stars Holly Hunter as the unsung, insecure cousin of the town beauty who dreams of becoming 'Miss Firecracker'…
Motorama (1991): Dir. Barry Shils
Feat. Flea, Meatloaf, Drew Barrymore…; Hip road movie about a 10–year–old delinquent who steals a car and gets life lessons en route from the likes of Flea, Meatloaf and Drew…
Object of Beauty (1991): Dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Feat. Andie MacDowell, John Malkovich, Joss Ackland…; An amusing black comedy set around a pair of passionate high–flying art lovers, who contrive the theft of a prized sculpture while in London,…
Only the Lonely (1991): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. John Candy, Maureen O'Hara, Ally Sheedy…; John Candy's nice guy 38–year–old cop has his romantic life hampered by his outspoken mother. Maureen O'Hara's first screen role in 20…
Other People's Money (1991): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Danny De Vito, Gregory Peck, Piper Laurie…; Who other than Danny De Vito would play a Wall street buccaneer with the scruples of a gestapo chief?
Over Her Dead Body (Enid is Sleeping) (1991): Dir. Maurice Phillips
Feat. Judge Reinhold, Elizabeth Perkins, Jeffrey Jones…; Garish fun with Judge Reinhold and Elisabeth Perkins as a couple of illicit Southern love–birds who kill his wife, but have trouble disposing…
Pope Must Die, The (1991): Dir. Peter Richardson
Feat. Robbie Coltrane, Adrian Edmondson, Alex Rocco…; Robbie Coltrane is mistakenly elected as Pope in the Comic Strip maestro's follow–up to EAT THE RICH.
Rage in Harlem, A (1991): Dir. Bill Duke
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Gregory Hines, Robin Givens…; A sassy comic thriller, set in 50s Harlem. An entertaining cocktail of violence and buffoonery.
Ripoux Contre Ripoux (1991): Dir. Claude Zidi
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Thierry Lhermitte, Guy Marchand; Sequel to LES RIPOUX reunites the odd couple of petty corrupt cops for another comic round of mischevious errors.
Scenes from a Mall (1991): Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. Bette Midler, Woody Allen; Bette Midler and Woody Allen pair as an affluent married couple of 14 years who lock horns in a shopping mall when they discover they've had…
Shakes the Clown (1991): Dir. Bobcat Goldthwait
Feat. Bobcat Goldthwait, Robin Williams, Julie Brown…; Bobcat stars in his own zany tale of a clown who juggles various crises – job, girl, drinking problem, murder charge – in a town infested…
Spirit of '76 (1991): Dir. Lucas Reiner
Feat. David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Moon Zappa…; Wanting to study the customs of 1776 America, a party of time–travellers from the future end up in a satirised 1970s.
Switch (1991): Dir. Blake Edwards
Feat. Ellen Barkin, Jimmy Smits, JoBeth Williams…; Sultry Ellen Barkin suceeds in a comic role as a womanizing 'man' who is reincarnated in her body and gets a taste of his own sexist medicine.
True Identity (1991): Dir. Charles Lane
Feat. Lenny Henry, Frank Langella, Charles Lane…; Anglo–African comedian Lenny Henry deploys his wonderful gift for mimicry as an actor who unwittingly learns a gangland secret, so assumes the…
Volere Volare (1991): Dir. Maurizio Nichetti
Feat. Maurizio Nichetti; From the director of THE ICICLE THIEF comes another enjoyable comic fantasy inter–relating real and fictional worlds. Nichetti himself plays a…
Woman, Her Men and Her Futon, A (1991): Dir. Mussef Sibay
Feat. Jennifer Rubin, Grant Show; A woman juggles her career in the film industry with her love life as she tries to find the perfect lover and partner. The star presence of Jennifer…
Alice (1990): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Mia Farrow; Whimsical fantasy tale of a rich, bored housewife who takes on a new lease on life when prescibed with mind–altering herbs from a Chinese…
An Evening with Billy T. James and Howard Morrison (1990): Feat. Billy T. James, Sir Howard Morrisson; More hilarity from the legendary comic this time joined by Sir Howard. This was filmed towards the end of James' all too short life.
Antonia and Jane (1990): Dir. Beeban Kidron
Feat. Saskia Reeves, Imelda Staunton; Whimsical portrait of friendship will tickle the fancy of women in particular. Insecurities abound for long–time chums – attractive…
Best of Victor Borge: Act One & Two, The (1990): Feat. Victor Borge; A collection of live performances and routines from the inimitable Victor Borge – raconteur, pianist, comedian and more.
Big Picture, The (1990): Dir. Christopher Guest
Feat. Kevin Bacon; From the writers of SPINAL TAP comes this excellent satire about a student film–maker who attempts to get his first feature made in Hollywood.…
Chinese Ghost Story 2 (1990): Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung; The original cast return for another surreal, big–budget fantasy that delivers as much as the first one, with more of a comedic slant. This…
Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will? (1990): Dir. Jack Fisk
Feat. Beau Bridges, Beverly D'Angelo, Tess Harper…; Various estranged family members re–unite when their patriarch decides to call it a life. A hillbilly comedy with lots of quality squabbling.
Dancin' Thru the Dark (Dancing Through the Dark) (1990): Dir. Mike Ockrent
Feat. Peter Beckett, Angela Clarke, Julia Deakin…; An engaged couple's stag and hen parties wind up at the same nightclub, with a mixed reception! Writer Willy (SHIRLEY VALENTINE) Russell again forges…
Def by Temptation (1990): Dir. James Bond III
Feat. Kadeem Hardison, Bill Nunn, Samuel L. Jackson…; A vampiress uses her smouldering sexuality to lure male victims in this effective update of the '70s blaxploitation genre.
Elementary School, The (1990): Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Jan Triska, Zdenek Sverak, Libuse Safrankova; Sly comedy in which a class of badly behaved Czech schoolboys drive away their timid teacher and learn to love her uniformed, baton–weilding…
Everybody's Fine (Stanno Tutti Bene) (1990): Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni; Marcello Mastroianni plays a fiercely proud but distanced father who embarks unwittingly on a voyage of discovery when he sets out on a surprise…
God of Gamblers (1990): Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat; Chow Yun–Fat plays a gambling king who is de–throned by amnesia, then embraced by a petty hustler who discovers he can trigger his memory…
Lenny Henry - Live and Unleashed (1990): Feat. Lenny Henry, Robbie Coltrane; The black British comedian, doing some of his best impersonations ever. Old and new material also includes favourite characters: Theophilus P.…
Lonely in America (1990): Dir. Barry Alexander Brown
Feat. Tirlok Malik, Adelaide Miller, Robert Kessler…; An ambitious but genial Indian bachelor elusively chases the American dream in New York. A colourful, spicy comedy from Spike Lee's longtime…
Meet the Applegates (1990): Dir. Michael Lehmann
Feat. Ed Jr. Begley, Stockard Channing, Dabney Coleman; A wacky satire about a family of insects who assimilate into suburban America in order to blow up a nuclear power plant. As bent as it sounds, from…
My Blue Heaven (1990): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Joan Cusack…; Steve Martin plays a mob informant who has trouble adapting to his new life–style in suburbia, arranged by FBI dweeb, Rick Moranis.
Peter Sellers - Best Of (1990): Feat. Peter Sellers; A selection of classic moments from the movie career of the incomparable comedian.
Re-Animator 2 (Bride Of Re-Animator) (1990): Dir. Brian Yuzna
Feat. Jeffrey Combs; Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West and friends return for a gory homage to Bride of Frankenstein, but its a pale shadow of both films, with noticeably…
Sgt. Kabukiman (1990): Dir. Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Herz
Feat. Rick Gianasi, Susan Byun; A modest New York cop is gifted the supernatural powers of a Japanese hero enabling him to kick criminal butt, Kabuki–style! Finally, a…
Struck by Lightning (1990): Dir. Jerzy Domaradzki
Feat. Garry McDonald; Garry McDonald (yes, Norman Gunston) takes on a 'sober' role as a cantankerous alcoholic who supervises a workshop for the retarded. Potentially dour…
Things Change (1990): Dir. David Mamet
Feat. Don Ameche, Joe Mantegna, Robert Prosky…; Playwright David Mamet's comedy of errors about an elderly shoeshine who takes the rap for a mob crime in exchange for his lifelong dream.
Three Men and a Little Lady (1990): Dir. Emile Ardolino
Feat. Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, Ted Danson…; None–too–demanding sequel to THREE MEN AND A BABY should please the younger set. It follows the three handsome bachelors and their…
Time of the Gypsies (1990): Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Davor Dujmovic, Bora Todorovic, Ljubica Adzovic; A fascinating and unconventional glimpse at gypsy life in pre–revolution Yugoslavia. It follows the fortunes of a supernaturally–gifted…
User Friendly (1990): Dir. Gregor Nicholas
Feat. William Brandt, Alison Bruce, Judith Gibson; An exuberant comic jaunt in which a mysterious kanine statuette becomes the object of hot pursuit for a number of crackpots, each keen to exploit its…
Where the Heart Is (1990): Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Uma Thurman, Crispin Glover, Dabney Coleman…; Trendy New York teens are forced out of their parents house to live in a ramshackle dump, and learn the ways of the real world. Kooky fun.
Without You I'm Nothing (1990): Dir. John Boskovich
Feat. Sandra Bernhard; Sandra Bernhard struts her stuff on various New York stages with music, dance and humour packaged into something that's gloriously sexy, flamboyant,…
Zilch (1990): Dir. Richard Riddiford
Feat. Michael Mizrahi; Ominously–titled comedy–thriller in which a clerk (Michael Mizrahi) becomes involved in a conspiracy involving greedy money–men on…
A World Without Pity (Un Monde Sans Pitie) (1989): Dir. Eric Rochant
Feat. Hippolyte Girardot, Mireille Perrier, Yvan Attal; A young Parisian slacker falls in love with an ambitious, bright student but finds the tables turning on his egocentric existence. Rochant's debut…
As Time Goes By (1989): Dir. Barry Peak
Feat. Bruno Lawrence; A distinctively Oz sci–fi comedy, centering around a strange encounter between a knockabout surfer and a time–travelling alien.
Best of Billy T, The (1989): Feat. Billy T. James; A collection of fine moments from the TV career of New Zealand's very own comic genius.
Billy Crystal - Midnight Train to Moscow (1989): Dir. Paul Flaherty
Feat. Billy Crystal; Billy Crystal explores his Russian roots, with a mockumentary 'Jokenost' tour of Russian and a standup performance live at the Pushkin Theatre.
Cold Feet (1989): Dir. Robert Dornhelm
Feat. Keith Carradine, Sally Kirkland, Tom Waits…; A deranged assassin and a strange couple concoct a scheme to smuggle emeralds over the Mexican border. Bawdy, off–kilter Southern romp features…
Dead Funny (Penn and Teller Get Killed) (1989): Dir. Arthur Penn
Feat. David Patrick Kelly, Jon Cryer, Reg E. Cathey…; Black comedy and magic duo Penn and Teller deploy an array of morbid stage show theatrics within the framework of a fictional feature.
Eat a Bowl of Tea (1989): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Victor Wong; Witty Chinese–American fable about a young New Yorker under increasing social pressure, especially from his father, who arranged his marriage…
Feud, The (1989): Dir. Bob D'Elia
Feat. Rene Auberjonois, Joe Grifasi, Stanley Tucci; David Lynch meets Norman Rockwell in this oddly likeable satire of '50s Hicksville gazes upon a spiralling feud between two eccentric families.
Icicle Thief, The (1989): Dir. Maurizio Nichetti
Feat. Maurizio Nichetti; Italy's answer to Woody Allen directs and stars in this zany love story–cum–media satire using the film–within–a–film…
Just Me and Mario (1989): Dir. Greg Stitt
Feat. Mark Hadlow; Mark Hadlow portrays a repressed individual obsessed with the music and life of Mario Lanza. It's a surreal, blackly comic take on suburban angst.
Kiwi Shorts Volume 2 (1989-1993): Dir. William Toepfer, Anthony McCarten, Jessica Hobbs; Another good sampling of eight short films funded by the NZ Arts Council and Film Commission – also compiled by the good folk at…
Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989): Dir. Paul Bartel
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Mary Woronov, Ray Sharkey…; This irreverant poke at Hollywood's upper–class has something to offend everyone, but its camp bad taste is kind of endearing. Jacqueline…
Send a Gorilla (1989): Dir. Melanie Read
Feat. Carmel McGlone, Katherine McRae, Perry Piercy; Valentine's Day spells chaos for three women who run a singing telegram company. A whimsical comedy set and filmed on location here in Wellington.
She's Been Away (1989): Dir. Peter Hall
Feat. Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox; After a lifetime in mental institutions, an elderly Peggy Ashcroft is released into the care of her liberal nephew James Fox. A disarming and…
Slaves of New York (1989): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Bernadette Peters, Chris Sarandon, Mary Beth Hurt…; Screen adaptation of Tama Janowitz' cult novel about the pretensions and perversions of fashionable New Yorkers. Stars Bernadette Peters.
Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down (Atame!) (1989): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Victoria Abril; A mental patient kidnaps his sexy B–movie idol in the hope that she will fall in love with him. Teasingly politically unsound, Almodovar…
True Love (1989): Dir. Nancy Savoca
Feat. Annabella Sciorra, Ron Eldard; A raw yet keenly observed slice–of–Italian–life in the Bronx. Annabella Sciorra plays a bride–to–be whose plans to tie…
As Thick As Thieves (1988): Dir. Claude Zidi
Feat. Christophe Malavoy, Claire Nebout, Francois Cluzet; A practical joke goes awry for a group of successful business men who mislead an aspiring friend into thinking he's struck it rich. Hilarious…
Big Business (1988): Dir. Jim Abrahams
Feat. Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Fred Ward…; Midler and Tomlin play sets of identical twins in this mixed–identity farce.
Big Top Pee-Wee (1988): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Paul Ruebens, Kris Kristofferson, Penelope Ann Miller…; Under–rated second feature with Pee–Wee sees him join a circus and gets involved in a bizarre love triangle, Pee–Wee style! Highly…
Fright Night Part 2 (1988): Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace
Feat. Roddy McDowall, William Ragsdale, Traci Lind…; William Ragsdale returns as Charley Brewster, now a college freshman who is tormented by the undead sister of the vampire from the first film. While…
Kiwi Shorts Volume 1 (1988-1992): Dir. Grant Lahood, Scott Reynolds, Nicky Marshall; A good sampling of eight short films funded by the NZ Arts Council and Film Commission, including the classic "The Lounge Bar". Compiled by the good…
La Lectrice (1988): Dir. Michel Deville
Feat. Miou-Miou, Christian Ruche, Maria Casares; Miou–Miou plays a hired 'reader' who leads us through a series of exchanges with various disabled personalities. A sensual treat for those…
Pee-Wee Herman - Live in Concert (1988): Feat. Paul Ruebens; The crazed, infantile comedian Paul Reubens performs his 'Playschool for Adults' live at the Roxy, Los Angeles, with a cast of helpers. His…
Prince of Pennsylvania (1988): Dir. Ron Nyswaner
Feat. Keanu Reeves, Fred Ward, Bonnie Bedelia…; Fans of Keanu Reeves will find small delight in the hunky one cutting his teeth in this often amusing comedy as a free–spirited teenage misfit.
School Daze (1988): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn…; Spike Lee's black high–school musical is perhaps over–ambitious, but the disorder is compensated in sheer exuberance and…
Short Takes: Comedy (1988-1994): Dir. Grant Lahood, George Port, William Toepfer; A prime selection of short and amusing New Zealand films: The Singing Trophy (Dir. Grant Lahood) 13m. Valley of the Stereos (Dir. George Port)…
Whoopi Goldberg - Fontaine... Why am I Straight? (1988): Feat. Whoopi Goldberg; Comedienne Whoopi Goldberg performs live, concentrating on the Fontaine persona – a streetwise dude – she first brought to light in an…
A Taxing Woman (1987): Dir. Juzo Itami
Feat. Nobuko Miyamoto; A nicely offbeat look at the potentially boring subject of tax evasion. Nobuko Miyamoto plays our star tax collector who meets her match in a hotshot…
Beyond Therapy (1987): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Jeff Goldblum, Glenda Jackson, Tom Conti…; Oddball excursion into New York neurotica courtesy of maverick Dir. Robert Altman, who shuffles his cast into various patient/therapist combinations.…
Bill Cosby - 49 (1987): Feat. Bill Cosby; Comedian Bill Cosby hilariously ponders the state of being 49 in front of a live audience at the Chicago Theatre. Includes many new routines and…
Billy Connolly - Billy and Albert (1987): Dir. Nobby Clark
Feat. Billy Connolly; Unexpurgated pure Billy, live at the Royal Albert Hall in July 1987. Some of the topics that Connolly gives his own idiosyncratic slant to are…
Comic Strip Presents: Bad News (1983) / More Bad News (1987): Dir. Sandy Johnson, Adrian Edmondson
Feat. Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer…; An uncannily similar forerunner to the king of mockumentaries, THIS IS SPINAL TAP, follows the equally hilarious exploits of a 'Heavy Metal' band…
Dudes (1987): Dir. Penelope Spheeris
Feat. Jon Cryer, Catherine Mary Stewart; A wacky road movie about a trio of New York punks who attempt to get to LA in a VW. They bargain on fame and fortune, but end up with serious…
Eddie Murphy - Raw (1987): Feat. Eddie Murphy; Eddie Murphy captured live and, er, raw. Something here to amuse and offend just about everyone – live from the Flet Forum, New York.
Life Is a Long Quiet River (1987): Dir. Etienne Chatiliez
Feat. Benoit Magimel, Helene Vincent, Andre Wilms…; Wry, off–beat comedy with a resonant message about two families of different classes who discover that their twelve–year–old…
Love Child (1987): Dir. Robert Smith
Feat. Peter Capaldi; Conceived by famed hippy parents who were killed in a car crash, office nerd Peter Capaldi now aspires only to be 'ordinary'. A quirky,…
Made in Heaven (1987): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Timothy Hutton, Kelly McGillis, Maureen Stapleton…; Quirky comedy with Timothy Hutton finding true soul–mate Kelly McGillis in heaven.
Perfect Murder, The (1987): Dir. Zafar Hai
Feat. Naseeruddin Shah, Stellan Skarsgard, Madhur Jaffrey; This throwaway Indian farce has a number of possible suspects trying to kill (and protect) a Bombay millionaire (Mr. Perfect). Adapted for the…
Secret Policeman's Third Ball, The (1987): Feat. John Cleese, Ben Elton, Jennifer Saunders…; A selection of the very best of 1980s British comedians perform live for charity. Also includes backstage footage with some of the stars.
Some Kind of Wonderful (1987): Dir. Howard Deutch
Feat. Mary Stuart Masterson, Eric Stoltz, Lea Thompson; Some wonderful romantic angst from John Hughes' pen, with Mary Stuart Masterson in love with Eric Stoltz in love with Lea Thompson.
Someone to Love (1987): Dir. Henry Jaglom
Feat. Orson Welles; Typically loose and naturalistic drama from independent stalwart Henry Jaglom, who pretty much plays himself – a jaded divorcee filmmaker in search…
You Talkin' to Me? (1987): Dir. Charles Winkler
Feat. Jim Youngs, Faity Ford, Mykeltin Williamson; An intriguing satire about the perils of blind ambition, it follows a disenchanted New York actor – whose idol is Robert De Niro in TAXI DRIVER –…
Best of Q (TV Series) (1986): Feat. Spike Milligan; Spike Milligan's influential television series (it out Monty Python's Monty Python) takes the former Goon's surrealistic 'nonsense' style and gives…
Comic Relief (1986): Feat. Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan…; The stars of THE YOUNG ONES (along with many other stellar Brit comedians) perform for charity, in this irreverant satirical stageshow.
Dangerous Brothers, The (TV Series) (1986): Feat. Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson; Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson perform raucous skits lifted from British tele's “Saturday Live”. Tape features the sketch 'Kinky Sex' which was…
Law of Desire (1986): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura; Sexual acrobatics and absurd humour abound as it explores the increasingly complex sex–life of a gay film director. Fun screwball romp.
Max Mon Amour (1986): Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Charlotte Rampling; Charlotte Rampling does her stuff... with a chimpanzee called Max? A very dry comedy with some decidedly dicey morality about Man and his closest…
Steve Martin - Live! (1986): Feat. Steve Martin; The much–loved comedian Steve Martin does stand–up at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles. Also features tributes from the likes…
Whoops Apocalypse Now (1986): Dir. Tom Bussmann
Feat. Peter Cook, Loretta Swit; Diverting satire on international affairs with the Comic Strip crew.
Best of John Belushi, The (1985): Feat. John Belushi; Collection of 16 skits from Belushi's time at Saturday Night Live (1975–1979). Showcases his unpredictable, madcap style in many classic…
Bette Midler - Art or Bust (1985): Dir. Thomas Schlamme
Feat. Bette Midler; Song and dance version of Bette at her sassy best, in a unique 'video concert' in which takes on the world of art. Mostly featuring selections…
Billy Connolly - An Audience With (1985): Dir. Alisdair MacMillan
Feat. Billy Connolly; Selected highlights of Connelly's legendary television appearance in 1985 in front of a studio audience. A leopard skin shirt, long hair and the…
Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1985): Feat. Leigh McCloskey; Typical 80's teen sex comedy largely inspired by fast food jobs and the Hamburger University program of the McDonald's Corporation.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill (1985): Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Ian Holm, Judi Dench; Based on Noel Coward's play about an English couple who lived on the South Pacific island of Cowrie, this telemovie is graced with top cast and…
My Sweet Little Village (1985): Dir. Jiri Menzel
Feat. Janos Ban, Marian Labuda, Rudolf Hrusinsky; This good–natured charmer examines the comic, sad, quirky and downright ordinary affairs of village life, highlighted by the exploits of a pair…
No Surrender (1985): Dir. Peter Smith
Feat. Bernard Hill, Michael Angelis, Joanne Whalley…; Black comedy has the unfortunate Angelis getting himself into some hot water when he takes over the managment of a seedy Liverpool club. From the pen…
One Woman or Two (1985): Dir. Daniel Vigne
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver; Screwball comedy has Gerard Depardieu as an archeologist who must choose between the two women in his life – Sigourney Weaver and a…
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Paul Ruebens; A stylised masterpiece in which Pee–Wee Herman embarks on a priceless search for his prized possession; a bicycle. A brilliant,…
Spies Like Us (1985): Dir. John Landis
Feat. Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd; Sending up the spy–caper genre, this piece of Chevy Chase–Dan Aykroyd fluff is amusing enough. Filled with numerous cameos by film…
Supergrass, The (1985): Dir. Peter Richardson
Feat. Adrian Edmondson, Robbie Coltrane, Jennifer Saunders…; A clever, understated comedy from the Comic Strip team with Adrian Edmondson as an ordinary bloke mistaken for a major–league drug dealer.
Three Men and a Cradle (1985): Dir. Coline Serreau
Feat. Roland Giraud, Michel Boujenah, Andre Dussollier; Hugely successful comedy that spawned the U.S. remake about three domesticated bachelors who grapple with the needs of an infant and an unsolicited…
Voyeur (Abel) (1985): Dir. Alex Van Warmerdam
Feat. Alex Van Warmerdam, Henri Garcin, Olga Zuiderhoek; So many windows, so little time! An oddball sex farce in which the director himself plays a binocular–happy mummy's boy who falls in love with…
Comfort and Joy (1984): Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Bill Paterson, Eleanor David; Another likeable and quirky comedy from Bill Forsyth, about a disc–jockey who becomes involved in a mob feud over a mobile ice–cream…
Comic Strip Presents: Bad News Tour (1983) / A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques (1984): Dir. Sandy Johnson, Adrian Edmondson
Feat. Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Dawn French…; Excellent 'Comic Strip' double bill that teams up Adrian Edmonson's classic headbanger's satire with the cult repertory's memorable…
Comic Strip Presents: Fistful of Travellers Cheques, A / Gino (1984): Dir. Bob Spiers
Feat. Rik Mayall, Pete Richardson, Keith Allen…; Winning 'Spaghetti Western' spoof has straw–chewing posers Rik Mayall and Peter Richardson check into the Hotel Bastardos, where they meet…
Dim Sum (A Little Bit of Heart) (1984): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Laureen Chew, Kim Chew, Victor Wong; Endearing, warm–hearted tale of Chinese–Americans living in San Fransisco. Distinctly Chinese but the themes and the humour are universal.
Funeral, The (1984): Dir. Juzo Itami
Feat. Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto; A Buddhist funeral service for a brothel owner makes an ideal vehicle for both fiendish black comedy and social satire. An assured debut from the…
Ladies On the Rocks (1984): Dir. Christian Thomsen
Feat. Gotha Anderson, Bruno Bjorn, Peter Boesen; Two women cabaret performers win the hearts of provincial audiences with their raucous brand of feminist humour. Ironically, their increasing…
My New Partner (Les Ripoux) (1984): Dir. Claude Zidi
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Thierry Lhermitte; The genial Phillipe Noiret plays a slobbish corrupt cop saddled with a straight–laced partner in this hilarious caper comedy. It's a delight…
Not for Publication (1984): Dir. Paul Bartel
Feat. Nancy Allen, David Naughton; Screwball take on NYC tabloid reporters from the director of EATING RAOUL.
Ultimate Solution of...Grace Quigley, The (1984): Dir. Anthony Harvey
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Nick Nolte; Curious black comedy features Hepburn as a lonely widower who enlists hitman Nolte to hasten her demise.
What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Carmen Maura; Carmen Maura plays a delirious feminist housewife in this early black–comic farce from Almodovar, here working at his freshest and most…
Experience Preferred, but Not Essential (1983): Dir. Peter Duffell
Feat. Elizabeth Edmonds, Sue Wallace; Amusing, low–key drama about a young woman waitressing at a seaside resort.
I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret; A Hollywood writer whose career is in freefall has his life made even more complicated when his estranged daughter turns up at his door demanding a…
Labyrinth of Passion (1982): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Cecilia Roth, Luis Ciges…; A nympho pop singer and her bisexual buddy cruise the decadent nightlife of Madrid, encountering Almodovar's usual slate of deviants –…
Pirates of Penzance (1982): Dir. Wilford Leach
Feat. Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury, Linda Rondstadt…; Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury star in this hammy screen version of Gilbert and Sullivan's famous operetta.
Billy Connolly - Bites Yer Bum (1981): Feat. Billy Connolly; Selected highlights from the end of Connelly's 1980–1981 tour, live at the Apollo Victoria, London. The Scots comedian is in fine lunatic form.
Montenegro (1981): Dir. Dusan Makavejev
Feat. Susan Anspach, Erland Josephson, Marianna Jacobi; A bored housewife gets caught up in Slavic sex and violence and discovers that she quite likes it. Unpredictable and weird, things become wickedly…
Whoops Apocalypse (1981): Dir. John Reardon
Feat. John Cleese, Richard Griffiths, Rik Mayall…; The original British TV comedy extended to feature length takes no prisoners in savagely sending up the Cold War mentality. Very eighties, but…
Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980): Dir. Piers Haggard
Feat. Peter Sellers, Helen Mirren; Notable as Peter Sellers' last movie, but ranking close to the bottom of the Sellers canon for its fiendish forced humour and racist overtones.
La Cage Aux Folles 2 (1980): Dir. Edouard Molinaro
Feat. Michel Serrault, Ugo Tognazzi, Michel Galabru; Cast and crew reunite for this enjoyable sequel to one of the most successful French comedies of all time. This time our two heroes find themselves…
Uforia (1980): Dir. John Binder
Feat. Harry Dean Stanton, Fred Ward; Quirky comedy about a kooky check–out operator who believes that aliens are about to dock on their doorstep. Harry Dean Stanton and Fred Ward…
Buffet Froid (Cold Cuts) (1979): Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Bernard Blier, Jean Carmet…; When his lost switchblade turns up as a murder weapon, petty crim Gerard Depardieu goes on the lam in a nightmarish Paris, several disreputable…
Cactus Jack (1979): Dir. Hal Needham
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kirk Douglas; A fledgling Arnie and Kirk Douglas square–up in this comic take on the Old West.
Measure for Measure (1979): Dir. Desmond Davis
Feat. Kate Nelligan, Tim Pigott-Smith; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
That Sinking Feeling (1979): Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. John Hughes; The Bill Forsyth (LOCAL HERO) ‘touch’ for gentle, ironic comedy, is fully evident in this first feature. Chronicling a small–scale…
Cheap Detective, The (1978): Dir. Robert Moore
Feat. Peter Falk, Ann-Margret, Eileen Brennan…; Neil Simon's spoof of Bogart detective movies, with Falk fitting comfortably into his raincoat. A mixed bag, but worthwhile for those…
Kenny Everett Video Show, The (TV Series) (1978-1981): Feat. Kenny Everett; Two compilation tributes to the British TV comedian and his anarchic, smutty style, collecting various clips including Sid Snot, Cupid Stunt,…
Return to Fantasy Island (1978): Dir. George McCowan
Feat. Ricardo Montalban, Herve Villechaize, Adrienne Barbeau…; Mysterious millionaire ‘Mr Roarke’ and his sidekick Tattoo play host (and God, or devil?) to various guests, who pay a fortune have their…
Confessions from a Holiday Camp (1977): Dir. Norman Cohen
Feat. Robin Askwith, Anthony Booth; Askwith and Booth are back in this final tired entry of a the series. Fans will by now know what to expect. Those who don't would be advised to…
Despair (1977): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Dirk Bogarde; Fassbinder's blackly comic adaptation of Nabakov's novel about delusion, depression and decline of the human spirit. Dirk Bogarde plays a Russian…
Goodbye Girl, The (1977): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason; One of writer Neil Simon's best comedies, contrives another odd couple into sharing a New York apartment: downheel actor Richard Dreyfuss and…
Skateboard (1977): Dir. George Gage
Feat. Leif Garrett, Allen Garfield, Kathleen Lloyd; Teen idol Leif Garrett is barely out of huggies to star in this quite entertaining cash–in on the first wave of the skateboard craze in the…
Mastermind (1976): Dir. Alex March
Feat. Zero Mostel, Bradford Dillman; Plenty of slapstick and movie in–jokes as Zero Mostel plays the fool in this enjoyably bizarre Charlie Chan detective spoof. Released in 1976.
Aloha, Bobby and Rose (1975): Dir. Floyd Mutrux
Feat. Paul Le Mat, Robert Carradine, Edward James Olmos; Paul LeMat (AMERICAN GRAFFITI) and Dianne Hull play hapless fugitives from the law in this minor cult item, notable for its pinball visuals and an…
Cousin Cousine (1975): Dir. Jean-Charles Tacchella
Feat. Marie-Christine Barrault, Victor Lanoux, Marie-France Pisier…; Warm, witty and immensely successful comedy in which cousins by marriage take their relationship way beyond the…
Golden Years of TV Comedy Vol. 3 (Porridge, Sykes, The Two Ronnies) (1975): Dir. Various
Feat. Eric Sykes, Ronnie Corbett, Ronnie Barker; Three sample episodes from three classic BBC comedies from 1975.
Let's Do It Again (1975): Dir. Sidney Poitier
Feat. Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, Jimmie Walker; Funny/straight double team Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier strike dividends as working class nobodies who go to New Orleans, and figure they can clean…
Celine & Julie Go Boating (Celine et Julie vont en bateau) (1974): Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Juliet Berto, Dominique Labourier, Bulle Ogier; Rivette assaults the narrative form for his epic–lengthed, dream–like, near indescribable tale of two girls whose lives and imaginations…
Homebodies (1974): Dir. Larry Yust
Feat. Douglas Fowley, Ruth McDevitt, Frances Fuller; A blackly humourous yarn about a group of retired tenants who are willing to go to extremes to prevent eviction. Inventive genre pic belies its low…
Love and Anarchy (1973): Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Mariangela Melato, Eros Pagni; Cult director Lina Wertmuller's political parable about the would–be assassin of Mussolini who falls in love with a prostitute at his…
World's Greatest Athlete, The (1973): Dir. Robert Scheerer
Feat. Jan-Michael Vincent; Fun Disney comedy about the discovery and exploitation of a super–athlete. Gags runs the gamut of Olympic events aided by zany special…
Bless This House (1972): Dir. Gerald Thomas
Feat. Sidney James; Sidney Carry–On James is the long–suffering head of a madcap household, whose constant tomfoolery cause him endless headaches; his…
Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972): Dir. Brian De Palma
Feat. John Astin, Tom Smothers, Allen Garfield…; Quirky Brian de Palma comedy about an exec who wants to become a tapdancing magician.
Pocket Money (1972): Dir. Stuart Rosenberg
Feat. Paul Newman, Lee Marvin, Strother Martin…; Broke and in debt, an otherwise honest cowboy gets mixed up in some shady dealings with a crooked rancher. Amiable comedy written by a pre–fame…
Alfredo Alfredo (1971): Dir. Peitro Germi
Feat. Dustin Hoffman; Even Dustin Hoffman is dubbed in this low–rent sex farce that only the Italians seem to find funny. Time has procured it novelty value.
Dave Allen (TV Series) (1971-1993): Feat. Dave Allen; A personal selection of gags from the droll Irishman, who reflects on his innovative career as a teller of tall tales in between comedy sketches.
Golden Years of TV Comedy Vol. 2 (Morecambe and Wise, The Liver Birds, Dad's Army) (1971): Dir. Various; Three sample episodes from three classic BBC comedies from 1971.
Kotch (1971): Dir. Jack Lemmon
Feat. Walter Matthau; Heart–warming fare with irascible senior citizen Walter Matthau resisting all attempts to 'retire' him. Matthau's regular screen buddy directs.
Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus (1971): Dir. Ian Macnaughton
Feat. John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam…; A particularly surreal later–Python, first released on German television. Features strange and often absurd English subtitles.
Percy (1971): Dir. Ralph Thomas
Feat. Hywel Bennett, Denholm Elliott, Elke Sommer…; Hywell Bennett undergo the world's first members only transplant and turns private dick to discover the donor was a notorious ladykiller. Will he be…
Pink Flamingos (1971): Dir. John Waters
Feat. Divine, Mink Stole, Edith Massey…; John Waters' creative pinnacle (or nadir!) remains the ultimate statement in bad taste – a pure, unadulterated exercise in shock value!…
Plaza Suite (1971): Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. Walter Matthau, Maureen Stapleton, Barbara Harris…; Walter Mathau takes on three roles in this winning trilogy of one act plys by Neil Simon all set in the same hotel suite.
Skin Game (1971): Dir. Paul Bogart
Feat. James Garner, Louis Jr. Gossett, Susan Clark…; Beguiling comedy about a pair of con–artists who pose as master and slave to deceive unsuspecting rednecks in the post–civil war era.
Borsalino (1970): Dir. Jacques Deray
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Michel Bouquet; Delightful seriocomic film of two likeable hoods who become gangland chieftains in 1930s Marseilles. Music by Claude Bolling.
Carry On Up the Jungle (1970): Dir. Gerald Thomas
Feat. Sidney James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey; The 'Carry On' crew encounter familiar humour in darkest Africa, shipping the concept to the days of the British Raj.
Start the Revolution Without Me (1970): Dir. Bud Yorkin
Feat. Donald Sutherland, Gene Wilder, Hugh Griffith…; Cult favourite has Donald Sutherland and Gene Wilder playing identical twins in pre–revolution France.
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came (1970): Dir. Hy Averback
Feat. Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine, Suzanne Pleshette…; Tensions rise to boiling point between an Army base and a neighbouring redneck town in this off–beat satire.
Where's Poppa? (Going Ape) (1970): Dir. Carl Reiner
Feat. George Segal, Ruth Gordon, Ron Leibman…; George Segal becomes determined to hurry along the demise of his ultra–demanding, super–senile 87 year–old mom (Ruth Gordon). Few…
Benny Hill Show, The (TV Series) (1969-1989): Dir. Dennis Kirkland
Feat. Benny Hill; Despite his political incorrectness, Benny had one of the funniest comedy shows of the 70s – the greatest 'its of which are fondly assembled…
Cactus Flower (1969): Dir. Gene Saks
Feat. Goldie Hawn, Ingrid Bergman, Walter Matthau; Broadway adaptation won a supporting actress Oscar for Goldie Hawn, playing second fiddle to Ingrid Bergman for the love of dentist Walter Matthau.…
Carry On Again Doctor (1969): Feat. Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale; Refer CARRY ON DOCTOR
Gay Deceivers, The (1969): Dir. Bruce Kessler
Feat. Kevin Coughlin, Lawrence P Casey; Two draft–ees hope to dodge the army by pretending to be gay.
Virgin Soldiers, The (1969): Dir. Norman Cohen
Feat. Lynn Redgrave, Hywel Bennett, Nigel Davenport…; Comdey–drama following a squad of naive young British soldiers in 1950's Singapore who fall for the daughter of the Regimental Sergeant Major.
Wedding Party, The (1969): Dir. Cynthia Monroe, Brian De Palma, Wilford Leach
Feat. Jill Clayburgh, Robert De Niro; Brian De Palma collaborated with others to make this while still at college in 1963. Improvised film details the sparring between a couple before…
Caprice (1967): Dir. Frank Tashlin
Feat. Doris Day, Richard Harris, Michael J. Pollard; Madcap comedy features Day as a spy for a cosmetics company who stumbles upon a drug smuggling ring. Richard Harris plays a fellow agent who may or…
Ladies of the Night (Plus vieux métier du monde, Le) (1967): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard, Philippe de Broca, Claude Autant-Lara
Feat. Anna Karina, Elsa Martinelli, Jeanne Moreau…; A six–segment portmanteau comedy which traces the history of prostitution from its Stone Age version (being the 'oldest profession') through to…
Golden Years of TV Comedy Vol. 1 (The Likely Lads, Frankie Howerd, Steptoe and Son) (1966): Dir. Various; Three sample episodes from three classic BBC comedies from 1966.
Walk, Don't Run (1966): Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Cary Grant; During the Tokyo Olympics, an American athlete shares an apartment with an amorous distraction and a wealthy businessman. Breezy comedy marks Cary…
Outlaws Is Coming, The (1965): Dir. Norman Maurer
Feat. Larry Fine, Moe Howard, Joe De Rita; In their last comic feature, the Three Stooges don cowboy hats for a slapstick romp in the Wild West.
Heavens Above (1963): Dir. John Boulting
Feat. Peter Sellers; Frightfully British satire of life in the clergy saved from 'Carry–On' status by Peter Sellers' winning performance.
Courtship of Eddie's Father, The (1962): Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Glenn Ford, Ron Howard, Shirley Jones; Wholesome family comedy, wherein widower Glenn Ford is prodded into romance by his six–year son Ron Howard (who went on to become the…
Three Stooges in Orbit / Meet Hercules (1962): Dir. Edward Bernds
Feat. Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe De Rita; Two features in which the three kings of slapstick are propelled into space with hostile Martians, and visit ancient Rome via a time machine.
Wrong Arm of the Law, The (1962): Dir. Cliff Owen
Feat. Peter Sellers, Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbins…; Hilarious comic spoof, in which a gang of Australian thieves is pursued by Scotland Yard and criminal underworld alike. Peter Sellers is at the…
Days of Thrills and Laughter (1961): Dir. Various
Feat. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charles Chaplin…; The third in Robert Youngson's trilogy of definitive compilations of silent comedy, this time with swashbuckling action to match the outrageous…
Tall Story (1960): Dir. Joshua Logan
Feat. Jane Fonda, Anthony Perkins; A young Jane Fonda makes her screen debut in this candy–coated comedy as a bubbly co–ed with romantic yearnings for basketballer Anthony…
When Comedy Was King (1960): Dir. Various
Feat. Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel…; Second anthology of priceless silent comedy from complier Robert Youngson features excerpts from the likes of Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel & Hardy,…
Carlton Browne of the F.O. / Hoffman (1959-1969): Dir. Jeffrey Dell, Roy Boulting, Alvin Rakoff
Feat. Peter Sellers; A pair of eclectic, little known comedies starring Peter Sellers on one cassette.
Golden Age of Comedy, The (1957): Dir. Various
Feat. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Ben Turpin…; Perfect introduction to the world of silent comedy, this is the first of three celebrated compilations from cinephile Robert Youngson. Hailed as…
Invasion of the Saucermen (1957): Dir. Edward L. Cahn
Feat. Steve Terrell, Gloria Castillo, Frank Gorshin…; This low budget sci–fi comedy has a reputation for being so bad it's good. Bulbous–headed aliens frame a teenager for drunk driving by…
Forever Darling (1956): Dir. Alexander Hall
Feat. Lucille Ball, James Mason, Desi Arnaz; The unique talents of Lucille Ball is the strongest aspect of this 'dysfunctional marriage' comedy, starring James Mason as her Guardian Angel. Ball…
Hollywood or Bust (1956): Dir. Frank Tashlin
Feat. Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin; Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin try to crash the Hollywood lifestyle, in frenzied style.
Plucking the Daisy (Mademoiselle Striptease) (1956): Dir. Roger Vadim
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Roger Vadim; One of the Brigitte Bardot/Roger Vadim light comedies that relies on Bardot's charms rather more than the simple story of a smalltown woman who is…
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955): Dir. Charles Lamont
Feat. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello; An interesting 'Abbott and Costello' where the duo, circa 1914, take refuge from crooks by hiding in the Mack Sennett studios and end up…
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955): Dir. Charles Lamont
Feat. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marie Windsor; One of the better films in the 'Abbott and Costello' series, sees the bumbling duo wrapped up in the intrigue surrounding the excavation of The…
Long, Long Trailer, The (1954): Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz; Gallivanting in an enormous RV across America, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz journey to disaster in this winning slapstick comedy. The classic TV…
Student Prince, The (1954): Dir. Richard Thorpe
Feat. Ann Blyth, Edmund Purdom, John Ericson…; Taken from the operetta by Sigmund Romberg, and the third filmed version of the tale of a young Prince breaking out into the real world by falling in…
Who Done It? (1954): Dir. Basil Dearden
Feat. Benny Hill; A young Benny Hill nudges and winks his way through his only feature film, as a novice private eye who gets involved with foreign spies.
Young at Heart (1954): Dir. Gordon Douglas
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Doris Day; Slick musical with Frank Sinatra wooing Doris Day, while trying to make it as a singer.
Captain's Paradise (1953): Dir. Anthony Kimmins
Feat. Alec Guinness, Yvonne De Carlo, Celia Johnson; Nautical romp with captain Alec Guinness paying the price of having a wife in two ports – sultry Yvonne De Carlo and a genial Celia Johnson.
Jumping Jacks (1952): Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin; The comic duo of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin make an unlikely pair of paratroopers.
Love Nest (1952): Dir. Joseph M. Newman
Feat. Marilyn Monroe; Unremarkable comedy about nosey neighbours in a broken–down apartment block, one of whom is Marilyn Monroe.
Pat and Mike (1952): Dir. George Cukor
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy; Athlete Katharine Hepburn pursues track triumphs with the aid of coach Spencer Tracy. Hepburn–Tracy coupling runs like a well–oiled…
Scared Stiff (1952): Dir. George Marshall
Feat. Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin; Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin make a ‘spooktacle’ of themselves in this version of Paul Dickey and Charles Goddard’s Broadway hit.
We're Not Married (1952): Dir. Edmund Goulding
Feat. Marilyn Monroe, Ginger Rogers, Fred Allen…; Overlooked Marilyn Monroe starrer is a multi–episode comedy in which six married couples find out their weddings weren't legitimate.
What Price Glory? (1952): Dir. John Ford
Feat. James Cagney, Dan Dailey, Corinne Calvet; Soldiers James Cagney and Dan Dailey take time out from the trenches of WWI for some zesty romantic rivalry over local attraction Corrinne Calvet.
As Young As You Feel (1951): Dir. Harmon Jones
Feat. Marilyn Monroe; A young Marilyn Monroe has a support role in this affable corporate satire about a printing employee who won’t sit still for retirement. Based on a…
Green Grow the Rushes (1951): Dir. Derek Twist
Feat. Richard Burton, Honor Blackman, Roger Livesey…; Minor comedy, of the English variety, set in a brandy–soaked Kent village.
Magnet, The (1950): Dir. Charles Frend
Feat. Stephen Murray, Kay Walsh, James Fox; After tricking a school–chum out of a toy magnet, an 11yr–old James Fox gets the guilts and resolves to 'do good'. Quirkily…
It's a Great Feeling (1949): Dir. David Butler
Feat. Jack Carson, Dennis Morgan, Doris Day…; Soft–edged Hollywood satire with Jack Carson, Denny Morgan and Doris Day on the path to success. Notable for its great array of show–biz…
Love Happy (1949): Dir. David Miller
Feat. Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Marilyn Monroe; Final Marx Bros. comedy, is a downbeat entry, with a brief scene with Marilyn Monroe.
My Friend Irma (1949): Dir. George Marshall
Feat. Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin; Clown–prince Jerry Lewis first teamed with Dean Martin in this airheaded comedy based on a hit CBS radio–show.
Quartet (1949): Dir. Ken Annakin, Arthur Crabtree, Harold French
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Basil Radford, Honor Blackman; Four W Somerset Maugham stories are given exemplary treatment by the best of British, incl. Dirk Bogarde, Basil Radford and Honor Blackman. Unlike…
Rachel and the Stranger (1948): Dir. Norman Foster
Feat. William Holden, Loretta Young, Robert Mitchum; Western 'rom–com' with husband William Holden and 'stranger' Robert Mitchum competing for the affections of Loretta Young ('Rachel') towards…
Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer, The (1947): Dir. Irving Reis
Feat. Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple…; Playboy bachelor Cary Grant is ordered by Judge Myrna Loy to escort her teenage sister (Shirley Temple), so that the ‘bobby–soxer’ might…
Farmer's Daughter, The (1947): Dir. H.C. Potter
Feat. Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore…; Congressman Joseph Cotton's maid, Loretta Young, decides to run against him in the next election. A perceptive comedy that won an Oscar for Young.
Sin of Harold Diddlebock, The (Mad Wednesday) (1947): Dir. Preston Sturges
Feat. Harold Lloyd; Harold Lloyd’s last film transplants his go–getting character from the silent film ‘The Freshman’ into the rather different comic…
Wonder Man (1945): Dir. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen…; A typically zany fairy–tale for Danny Kaye, as a mild–mannered student persuaded by the ghost of his dead twin to seek out his murderer.…
Road to Morocco (1942): Dir. David Butler
Feat. Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour; Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour do their bit for the war effort by enchanting the public with mad–cap (rom)antics on the North African…
Devil and Miss Jones, The (1941): Dir. Sam Wood
Feat. Charles Coburn, Jean Arthur; Tycoon Charles Coburn goes undercover to investigate union activities, and instead falls for shopgirl Jean Arthur. Well–regarded social comedy.
You'll Never Get Rich (1941): Dir. Sidney Lanfield
Feat. Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, John Hubbard…; Generally amusing showbiz comedy has Fred Astaire play a star Broadway dancer who helps his boss (Benchley) out of trouble with his wife over a…
Road to Singapore (1940): Dir. Victor Schertzinger
Feat. Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour; The first of half a dozen 'Road to' films has Bing Crosby and Bob Hope as clowning, crooning rivals vying for the affections of Dorothy Lamour.
Oh! Mr Porter (1937): Dir. Marcel Varnel
Feat. Will Hay; One of the best British comedies of the 1930s, this predates Ealing in its winning blend of whimsy, slapstick and inventiveness. Will Hay plays a…
Jacques Tati Shorts (1936): Dir. Jacques Tati; Three rare short comedies for those that can't get enough of the French funnyman. Watch your Left! (1936), School for Postmen (1947), and Evening…
Le Crime De Monsieur Lange (1935): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Rene Lefevre, Florelle , Jules Berry; One of the dir.’s early classics. Rene Leferve rises to newsprint fame as the author of the serial “Arizona Jim” after his boss, a…
She Married Her Boss (1935): Dir. Gregory La Cava
Feat. Claudette Colbert; Pleasant romantic comedy stars Claudette Colbert, who just may regret her marital decision.
Whole Town's Talking, The (1935): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Edward G. Robinson, Jean Arthur, Arthur Hohl…; Edward G. Robinson stars in a duel role as a meek office clerk who bares a resemblance to Public Enemy Number One. Entertaining mix of farce and…
Merry Widow, The (1934): Dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Feat. Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald; Out of cold–blooded patriotism to his homeland Marshovia, gadabout Maurice Chevalier attempts to seduce millionairess Jeanette MacDonald into…
Devil's Brother, The (1933): Dir. Hal Roach
Feat. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy; Laurel and Hardy become fearless highwaymen in 1700s Italy but meet their match in a notorious highwayman. Funny spoof of Auber's operetta.
Monkey Business (1931): Dir. Norman Z. McLeod
Feat. Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx…; The four Marx Brothers stowaway, crash a society party and manage to hatch a few crooks in the process. Another exercise in breathlessly sustained…
Parlour, Bedroom & Bath (1931): Dir. Edward Sedgewick
Feat. Buster Keaton; Buster Keaton is mistaken for a rich playboy in one of his rare 'talkies'. Not in the same league as his silent classics, but an interesting curio.
Sally in Our Alley (1931): Dir. Maurice Elvey
Feat. Gracie Fields; Gracie Fields debuted in this lightweight English comedy as a heartbroke girl who, on moving to London, hits it off splendid with the Cockneys.…
Wizard of Oz, The (1922): Dir. Larry Semon
Feat. Oliver Hardy, Larry Semon; Original adaptation of the L Frank Baum story, conjures up more laughs than the Judy Garland version, with Oliver Hardy as the Tin–Man, and…
Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20s (1920-1929): Feat. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy; A Robert Youngson compilation of shorts from the formidable comedy duo.
Harold Lloyd Collection - Disc 4 (The Kid Brother, Bumping into Broadway, Billy Blazes Esq.) (1919-1927): Dir. Ted Wilde, J A Howe, Hal Roach
Feat. Harold Lloyd; Three classic Harold Lloyd features/shorts. Includes THE KID BROTHER, one of Lloyd's best comedies; he plays an unappreciated sibling in a family…
Burlesque On Carmen (1916): Dir. Charles Chaplin
Feat. Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Ben Turpin; A twist ending highlights Chaplin's second 'feature' in which his forlorn soldier is loved and left by a gypsy girl.
Laffing Gas (1914-1929): Dir. Various
Feat. Charles Chaplin; Prime comic–narcotic from the early days of the movies and the heyday of Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle, Harold Llyod, Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and…
Carrot's Commercial Breakdown: Feat. Jaspar Carrot; Brit comedian Jasper Carrot presents weird and wonderful commercials from around the world.
Comic Strip Presents: Mr Jolly Lives Next Door / Dirty Movie: Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson; Two of the darker "Comic Strip" TV Comedies, starring Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson.
Funny Business: Feat. Rowan Atkinson; Rowan Atkinson illuminates the method behind the madness of film comedy using many key examples from screen history.
Julian Clary Live: Feat. Julian Clary; Everybody's favourite fruitcake is captured in all his sequined glory, accompanied by the lovely Russell and a swag of double entendres. Two shows:…
Laugh with the Carry On's: Dir. Gerald Thomas
Feat. Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Williams, Sid James; Best of the Laugh with the Carry On's TV–Series which starred the same cast as the films.
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, The Best Of: Feat. Peter Cook, Dudley Moore; A compilation of sketches from Cook and Moore's 1960s show 'Not Only But Also', including the 'Bargo' saga, The Leaping Nuns and The…
Tommy Cooper - A Feztival of Fun: Dir. Bill Turner; Much–loved English fez–wearing clown Tommy Cooper presents sketches and botched conjurations.

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