COMEDY

I have placed "sizzler ratings" next to movies to give you an idea of how good they are

AMERICAN BEAUTY (1999) A MUST SEE!!

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Anette Bening
The plot: Lester is trapped in a dull job, a loveless marriage with a wife who is more focused on being better than the "King of Real Estate" and a teenage daughter who doesn't want to be associated with either parent. However, things change when Lester fulfills his parental responsibility and goes to see his daughter doing a dance routine at a high school basketball. There, he sees Angela Hayes, his fantasy come to life - and his daughter's best friend. Suddenly, the nicest thing that can be said, is he has a mid-life chrisis.
Comment: If I was to describe what I want in a perfect movie, this would be it. First time director, Sam Mendes, takes a wonderful script written by a frustrated "Cybil" (American Sitcom) writer and has created a movie which is filled with laughter, tear, supsense, drama, horror, tragedy... This is a most amazing movie! For the first time, we see a very vulnerable Kevin Spacey as the frustrated Lester and he recreates Lester as a tragic but very human person. Anette Bening is also excellent as the somewhat manic wife who is more focused on the material things in life than her and her family's happiness. Special mention should also go to the three children in this film. All of them turned in very mature, professional performances that all add to the power of this film. I could go on more, but think you have to see it to realise jsut how powerful this film is - its the type that will linger on in your mind long after it is finished.
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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (1999)

Starring: Michell Pfeiffer, Calista Flockheart, Rupert Everett, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline
The plot: Throw together two young couples in love, Italy last century, some scheming gods and goddesses and an acting troup with no talent and you have the ingredients for this Shakespeare comedy. And on a beautiful and fantasy like night, all these come together in a comedy of errors.
Comment: Having never read Shakespeare's original tale, I cannot comment on how to true to the book the film is. However, from the film one can clearly deduce it was a play in 3 parts... Yet despite being penned by one of the World's literary greats and having any big Hollywood name you to care to think, this film ends up lacking in substance. The first part is virtually undecipherable as the actors swing back and forth between the english of Shakespeare and the english of America. The second part is restful on the eyes as everyone romps through the mystical night. Alas, the funniest - and shortest - part is at the end as Klein and his motley crew give a fine comedic performance. I leave it up to you as to whether or not you are feeling patient enough to endure this movie or prefer to wait for video so you may fast forward when it begins to drag a bit...
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BILLY ELLIOT (2000)

Starring: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jamie Draven, Gary Lewis
The plot: 11 year old Billy Elliot is attracted to a ballet class as he supposedly participates in a boxing class. He doesn't know why he is attracted to it, but seems to revel in the sense of freedom it gives him. And freedom is what everyone hopes for in the film - set in the harsh times of Thatcher in the '70s and all the coal miners on strike. When Billy's dad discovers Billy dancing, he doesn't understand it and yanks him from the class. But Billy's love of dancing refuses be crushed by the family's problems and surrounding 'weirdness' the neighbours.
Comment: Although I personally found the film a little choppy, you cannot escape the fact that this is a brilliant film! It is warm, tragic, funny, weird and uplifting and all of this surrounds young Jamie Bell who is absolutely perfect as the boxer-turned-ballet dancer. Of course, the film has a marvelous supporting cast and every character is believably portrayed and capture the sentiment of the '70s in England brilliantly. Accolades in particular go out to Julie Walters as the ballet teacher who sees the potential in young Billy, and to Gary Lewis as the tough coal miner father who comes to terms with his son's desire to enter a 'sissy' profession. In fact, Lewis' performance is as good as Bell's! This is definitely a warm and often funny inspiring film not to be missed!
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FREQUENCY (1999)

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel, Andre Braugher, Elizabeth Mitchell
The plot: In 1969, sun-spot activity is so intense, it causes the Aurora Borealis to appear over New York city. Coincidentally, sunspot activity is intense in 1999. John Sullivan is wandering aimlessly around just after his long term girlfriend has walked out on him, when his best friend's son finds his father's old ham radio. John gives the boy the chance to play with the ham radio. After they have gone home, John is wanders into the study to find someone asking if anyone was out there. He answers and has a brief conversation with someone from Queens before static cuts them off. The next night, he finds out that a freak event has occurred because of the sunspots, and he is communicating through the CB radio with his father in 1969. However, their chatting inadvertently changes the future for the worse and it becomes a race against time to change the future back before they loose touch...
Comment: What a wonderful movie! Let me get my only negative comment out of the way at the start so that I can rave about the rest... Sun spot peak on an 8-year cycle not 10-year... That aside, this is one delightfully written and produced film! Although films that play with time can sometimes be confusing, this one uses time to induce some great mysteries and drama's as the plot twists are tweaked. Wonderful plot twists actually that will have you on the edge of your seat for most of the time. Dennis Quaid is warm and cozy as the fireman father who loves his kid and works with him to correct times imperfections. Although Jim Caviezel as his son, John, does remind one vaguely of the Baldwin Brothers, he is fortunately not as slimy or immature and believable as Quaid's son. The rest of the cast - supporting, although Andre Braugher is just as warm and fuzzy as the police detective who is with them through all the time lines and family crises.
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PLEASANTVILLE (1998)

Starring: William Macy, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon
The plot: A roving fairy 'Godmother' posing as a TV repair man, sends bickering siblings, David and Jennifer, to the TV set of Pleasantville. Pleasantville is a black and white family show set in the idyllic 1950's. As idyllic as it is, this isn't what our kids from the 1990's call fun. Now playing the roles of Bud and Mary-Sue, the shows teenage stars, David and Jennifer go about introducing clean cut Pleasantville to life in the passion-filled '90's. The changes eerily parallel some of the best and worse of America in the later half of this century...
Comment: A novel film and simply refreshing in this Hollywood era of re-makes (albeit, it is set around an American show remarkably like "Leave it to Beaver"). The special effects in the film as the residents of Pleasantville become touched and coloured by passion are superb, and William H. Macy is great as the 'wronged' father when things don't conform to the way of life in Pleasantville. The acting and special effects make up for the few weaknesses in the plot, making this a good movie to see.
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THE DISH (2000)

Starring: Sam Neill, Kevin Harrington, Tom Long, Patrick Warburton
The plot: When man is to take his first steps on the moon in that fateful day, July 1969, it looks the signal will initially have to bounce off the Parkes satellite dish in Australia as America will be in radio shadow. As the time draws closer, the residents of Parkes and the Scientists at the satellite dish are whipped into a frenzy over this incredible honour. And then - disaster strikes at the 11th hour... It becomes a frantic race to find the signal and be ready to receive the signal from Apollo 11 as Armstrong takes his first steps on a heavenly body other than the Earth.
Comment: Well, I for one can become misty eyed at seeing ANY Apollo lift off as it always sets off my nostalgic longing for the days when the human race was 'on track' and I should have been safely esconced on the moon by now, prospecting... However, that hasn't happened (yet) and this film is a slightly meandering, loosely factual nostaligic look at those times. The Dish is sweet and well-made but never really picks up any pace and never develops beyond a rose-tinted stroll back though time. 'Tis true, the team of producers have come a long since The Castle, but hoepfully next time, they will combine some more of the hard, edgy humour they are know for in Australia with a strong plot and prefectly realise their creative potential.
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THE OTHER SISTER (1998)

Starring: Juliette Lewis, Diane Keaton, Giovanni Ribisi, Tom Skerritt
The plot: Carla Tate, daughter of rich parents, is a 'mentally challenged' young lady who was institutionalised in her early teens. The movie commences when she is bought back into the family fold. During her years away, she developed some firm ideas of what she wants to be, and has to prove to her over-protective mother that she is capable individual.
Comment: A sugary sweet, cutsey movie this is... Despite the potential P.C. bomb this movie represents, the story is never insulting and remains light and comedic throughout - with some life lessons to be learnt along the way... (this IS Hollywood, people!). Diane Keaton is marvellous as over-protective mother, and Ribisi should be commended for his very convincing performance as Carla's even more 'mentally challenged' love. As for The Sisters - ???? This story barely focuses on them!
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THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998)

Starring: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Ed Harris
The plot: Truman Burbank is living an idyllic life in picture perfect American town. And yet... The explorer in him wants to conquer his thirst to go beyond the barriers of his town, and his heart craves another woman he had a brief, stolen moment with years beforehand. With his thirtieth birthday approaching, he begins to suspect all is not quite what it seems, and that someone else may be trying to control his destiny.
Comment: At last, Jim Carrey shows the talent he displayed before his success as Ace Ventura. The combination of Peter Weir directing, Jim Carrey and the strong performance of the supporting actors all enhance a tight, well-written script with very few loose ends.
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