Reviews

For those who are familiar with Wayland Flowers and Madam from their appearances on Hollywood Squares, they will find this performance a little, "el differente" as Madam would say, herself. Madam is in rare form with her commentaries, from her "fuzzy" (a long, furry, flat dead thing) to her "Summer Diamonds" (summer diamonds, summer not). We also get a visit from Crazy Mary. I laughed myself silly the only time I go to watch this special. Language is rough; not for those expecting a G rated bit of comedy they'd expect to hear from a game show. However, if you don't mind raunchy, this show is extremely funny and I wish it would come out on video.

Maybe it's just me. I found many other Simon works absolutely hilarious: "Seems Like Old Times", "Plaza Suite", both Odd Couples, "Barefoot in the Park".... I could go on and on. This one seemed so dry and tedious. There were a few moments that brought a smile, but the overall pace was not enjoyable. Not sure if it was the script, casting or directing. It stunned me how little I enjoyed this film. Give me "The Cheap Detective" or "Murder By Death" any time. Sorry, Neil. This one didn't do it.

Yes, this movie is corny, somewhat lame, weak characters and actors (a few notable exceptions), but the soundtrack is incredible. Laurence Rosenthal simply outdid himself. Soaring strings, gorgeous melodies. If only the DVD had a music-only soundtrack option, it would be perfect.

If you like great musical scores, give this one a listen, and try to ignore the story. It's worth the musical experience.

especially when looking at the amount of crap that has made it to DVD. I found this movie very funny. Rip Torn is classic with his barbs; Rob Schneider if hilariously annoying as the over-compensating Ensign; Bruce Dern makes a great "villain". The entire cast seems to be having a blast, and it's not at the expense of the audience. If you like just plain fun comedy, and aren't looking too deeply into meaning, you just might fall in love with this one.

I, for one, very much enjoyed this movie, so much so, that I even purchased it on DVD. Of course, I'm a big fan of British Comedy and Sci-Fi, and always enjoy any opportunity to see the work of Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams. This was the first time I'd seen anything with Jim Broadbent, but went on to watch some of his other work, and have grown to appreciate him, as well. Ruby Wax was charming, and I'd like to see more of Flora Newbigin, however, it appears she isn't doing much in the industry, except for an appearance in one episode "Holby City."

I find this movie charming in it's escapism. Sure, it mixes times and cities, making it impossible to identify where and when it takes place, but does it even have to be anywhere on Earth? It's fantasy, and I found it entertaining.