Kenneth Mars Movies

The seventh sequel to Don Bluth's The Land Before Time is subtitled The Big Freeze. In this direct-to-video entry in the series, Littlefoot and friend sing new songs while experiencing an adventure involving a snowstorm. Fans of the other films in this warm-hearted family series can expect more of the same from this new entry. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

This Yuletide-season TV movie reverses the standard "three girls on the make" formula of many an old 20th Century Fox movie, of which How to Marry a Millionaire is a choice example. This time out, a trio of enterprising young men decide to go on the prowl for rich wives, after first consulting a nonplussed department-store Santa with their intentions. The plan, as hatched by the impoverished heroes, Tom (John Stamos), Jason (Shermar Moore), and Mark (Joshua Malina), is as follows: They will pose as hot-shot Hollywood movie producers, the better to entice attractive and wealthy young women to invest in their newest "production" -- and hopefully, to entrap said women into matrimony. As so often happens in stories of this nature, however, love ultimately triumphs over money. A bit too top-heavy with racy double entendres and potentially unsavory situations, the film is redeemed somewhat by the presence of Dabney Coleman and Rhea Perlman, cast as an older couple named -- believe it or not -- John and Jackie Kennedy. How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale made its first Fox Network appearance on December 20, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

With his parents still encamped in his house, Drew (Drew Carey) moves in with Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader). Appalled by the boys' wretched living conditions, Drew joins them in their ongoing battle against their landlord (Kenneth Mars). As a result, all three are evicted, and wind up sleeping on Kate's (Christa Miller) floor. Only after several days of suffering does Drew discover that his "impoverished" parents could have moved out at any time because of his mom's special rainy-day fund--which consists mainly of Microsoft stock shares! Meanwhile, Suzie (Angela Dohrmann) returns to Winfred-Louder, hoping to charm her way into the heart (and bedroom) of new boss Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The divisive issue of abortion is at the center of Citizen Ruth, a political satire that attempts to subject both pro-choice and pro-life forces to equal ridicule. Laura Dern portrays Ruth Stoops, an irresponsible, unemployed woman who's addicted to inhaling household chemicals and has becomes pregnant, for the fifth time. After she is arrested for substance abuse, the judge offers to lessen her sentence if Ruth chooses to abort her child. Ruth agrees, but that night she encounters a group of pro-life activists. They take her under their wing, promising to help her, while secretly planning to make her case public as a symbol for the pro-life movement . When Ruth discovers the deception, she takes refuge with a pro-choice group, sparking a media frenzy. Yet Ruth soon finds her new friends are also only interested in her value as a media icon. Realizing she has been used as a pawn in the abortion rights battle, the apolitical Ruth turns the tables, offering to join whoever will give her the best deal. What results is a frantic, comedic session of wheeling-dealing which argues that activists on both sides have become more concerned with waging political warfare than helping women. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

In this lively animated feature, Littlefoot and his cute cadre of prehistoric pals embark on another colorful adventure that is aimed at younger children. This time, the rambunctious reptiles ignore warnings and go stomping off into unexplored territory to find a rare flower. Littlefoot needs it to save the life of his grandfather who is near death. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Following up a series of strange sensor readings, Odo and Dax are drawn to an unknown planet. Here they are taken prisoner by a Yaderan colony, where several inhabitants have disappeared without explanation. As Odo and Dax endeavor to solve the mystery (and to plan their escape), back at DS9, Kira becomes more closely acquainted with Vedek Bareil (Philip Anglim. Written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, "Shadowplay" made its U.S. television bow on February 19, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The voices of Carol Channing, John Hurt, Jodi Benson and Gilbert Gottfried help bring this wonderful Hans Christian Andersen story to life. Barry Manilow contributed heavily to the film's music. Children still seem to enjoy this story about a young girl who was the size of a human thumb. She was kidnapped by a toad, just when she hoped to continue her life with Cornelius the Fairy Prince. This is a good "family film" with few, if any, parts that might be considered questionable for children. Kids are likely to enjoy how Gilbert Gottfried does the voice of a strange beetle and how Carol Channing breathes life into Ms. Fieldmouse. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of A Different World's two-part Season Six opener, Whitley (Jasmine Guy and Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) continue to recall their chaotic honeymoon in riot-torn Los Angeles. At the same time, the couple's friends react to the violence (inspired by the infamous Rodney King verdict) in a variety of ways: Col. Taylor (Glynn Turman) is disillusioned over the fact that race relations haven't progressed much since the Watts riots, Lena (Jada Pinkett) places all the blame on the white population, and Freddie (Cree Summer) attempts to be level-headed--a difficult feat, inasmuch as she is being hit on by Ron (Darryl M. Bell) while his girlfriend Kim (Charnele Brown) fumes. Appearing in cameo roles are sitcom diva Roseanne and her then-husband Tom Arnold. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two men attempt to protect a living dinosaur embryo from a villainous coveter. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

Who do you send after a gang of stump-dumb crooks? Who else but the most intellectually-challenged police force in America, in the sixth installment of the Police Academy series. The Wilson Heights Gang, three thieves whose success as criminals is in inverse proportion to their outwardly-displayed intelligence and criminal talent, are managing to terrorize the city in spite of themselves. The increasingly feeble Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) and his much-put-upon second-in-command Capt. Harris (G.W. Bailey) are instructed to bring the crooks to justice; of course, with the Police Academy regulars as their task force, that's much easier said than done. Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow, Leslie Easterbrook, Marion Ramsey, and Bruce Mahler are on hand once again as the comical cops; Peter Bonerz, a former regular on The Bob Newhart Show, stepped in as director. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Disney's The Little Mermaid was the first in a series of blockbusters that restored the venerable firm's reputation as the world's premiere animated-feature factory. The title character is a precocious teenager named Ariel, the daughter of Triton, king of the Sea. Against her dad's wishes, Ariel journeys beyond her own world to the surface, where she falls in love with Prince Eric, a handsome human. Foolishly, the little mermaid enters into an agreement with evil sea witch Ursula in order to become human herself. The wistfully melancholy ending of the original Hans Christian Andersen story is dispensed with in favor of a joyously happy ending-but not before a spectacular climactic confrontation between Ursula and Triton. The obligatory Disney comic relief is handled by such freshly minted characters as Sebastian the Crab, who, courtesy of voiceover artist Samuel E. Wright, sings the film's Oscar-winning "Under the Sea." Other voices are provided by Broadway star Jodi Benson (as Ariel) and such Hollywood reliables as Buddy Hackett, Pat Carroll, Kenneth Mars, and Rene Auberjonois. The enormous box-office take of The Little Mermaid made possible such future Disney cartoon ventures as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rob Lowe stars in this screwball comedy as Richard Dice, the college dropout who comes back home to St. Augustine, Florida to get his act together. He is selected for jury duty and falls for the defendant Molly Gilbert (Colleen Camp), a young woman he later recognizes as his grade-school sweetheart. Richard tries to gather the evidence that will lead to her acquittal. He is not alone in his pursuit of an elusive audiotape that recorded the murder for which Molly is on trial. Jessica James plays Richard's mother, who is courted by Freddie Boneflecker (Rick Jason). Johnny Cash sings some tunes co-written with director Peter Bogdanovich. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide