Oscar B. Ramos Movies
The can't-miss teaming of Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn is squandered on a clumsy, illogical romantic melodrama. Running across her old boyfriend Gibson at a Wisconsin gas station, Hawn is astounded that he seems not to recognize her. How could she have known that Gibson was put into the Witness Relocation Program after testifying against a homicidal mob boss (say, don't they usually alter your appearance when they put you in that program?) Curious over Gibson's furtive behavior, Hawn unknowingly sets herself up as a target for the bad guys. The whole affairs culminates in an after-hours showdown at a zoo (a plot device vastly improved upon in the 1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle Eraser). While Bird on a Wire admittedly has its moments of enjoyment, most of the film is on a par with Gibson's embarrassing, homophobic scene with a pair of epicine hairdressers. And whoever heard of the Chinatown section of Racine, Wisconsin? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mel Gibson, Goldie Hawn, (more)
Though its PG-13 rating is well earned, Look Who's Talking has some elements that might appeal to a family audience. Chief among them, of course, is the "talking baby" protagonist. The product of an extramarital affair, infant Mikey (played by several different babies, and given voice by Bruce Willis) is a cynical, sarcastic observer of his new world. Mikey's mother, Kirstie Alley, having been dumped by her married lover George Segal, searches high and low for a new father for her baby. Of course, the perfect daddy is right under her nose all the time: cab driver John Travolta, who was on the scene when she went into labor on the sidewalk. The best moments in Look Who's Talking include Ms. Alley's imaginary flights of fancy, and the misadventures of Mikey as he progresses from sperm to reluctant newborn (his violent vocal protests against being yanked from the womb are worth the admission price in themselves). Look Who's Talking has spawned two sequels, neither of which are as charming or disarming as the original. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, (more)
- 1988
In 1981, Ronald Biggs was kidnapped by agents from Scotland Yard from his Brazilian hideout for his participation in the 1964 British train robbery. This feature was written by Biggs and director Lech Majewski as a fictionalized account of the authorities trying to bring the colorful crook to justice. Paul Freeman plays Biggs, infamous for his participation in the $5 million heist dubbed "The Great Train Robbery". Jack McFarland (Steven Berkoff) is the Scotland Yard agent obsessed with apprehending Biggs and placing him on board a British navy ship bound for England. Nudity abounds in the final carnival scene as Biggs stays one step ahead of his captors. Colorful scenes of Rio are the highlight of this feature hampered by a thin script. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steven Berkoff, Paul Freeman, (more)
- 1985
Released in Brazil as Alem Da Paixao, Happily Ever After is all about ostensibly happy housewife Regina Duarte. She has a dream one night in which she dances with a woman who "morphs" into a gorgeous hunk of man. While musing on this dream, Duarte hits a handsome young pedestrian with her car. Guess who that pedestrian looks like? Their affair gets off to a bad start when he robs her, but she trails him to a transvestite club. Enchanted by her dream come true, Duarte refuses to acknowledge the fact that her new bisexual lover is a male prostitute, stealing everything she owns to support his drug habit. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Regina Duarte, Paul Castelli, (more)
- 1984
This vampire story by Brazilian director Ivan Cardoso is interspersed with humor and nuanced with a 1950s look. A group of young women are performing in a nightclub act called "The Seven Vampires" at a respectable and (apparently) prosperous hotel. While they are play-acting in the beginning, their roles take on another aura after a "killer vegetable" changes a scientist into a vampire. His affinity for the chorus girls threatens to make their vampire personas all the more realistic. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alvamar Tadei, Andrea Beltrao, (more)
- 1982
This Brazilian version of sun, surfing, sex, drugs, love, and comedy -- a cousin of California-based beach films -- involves the usual teenagers, their dilemmas, and distant views of Rio from various shorelines. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
