Tom Ashworth Movies
- 1993
- PG
Following up his debut, Young Einstein (1988), Yahoo Serious wrote, directed and starred in this broad comedy as the titular hero, a modern-day, fictional descendant of a real-life Australian Robin Hood, Ned Kelly. Carrying on the family tradition of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, Ned crosses the wealthy Sir John (Hugo Weaving), who arranges the sale of Kelly's coastal property to a Japanese buyer. Forbidden by the Kelly family code of honor from stealing to profit himself, the motorcycle-riding Ned decides to raise the money needed to save his lands by going to America. Stateside, his bank robbery scheme falls through, but he finds stardom as the lead in a Hollywood motion picture that might give him the money to foil Sir John's greedy plans. Ned also encounters romance with a teller, the appropriately named Robin Banks (Melora Hardin). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yahoo Serious, Melora Hardin, (more)
- 1993
This gentle baseball fantasy centers on a former ball player who has spent thirty years bitterly brooding over the fact that he has been overlooked by the Baseball Hall of Fame. He finally decides to take action when his long-lost best friend returns from the dead to talk to him. Just before he died, the friend was inducted into the famous museum. The rest of the story is comprised of touching and sometimes funny vignettes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
The low-budget "Killer Tomatoes" series closed with this fourth chapter starring a returning John Astin as the resurrected Professor Gangrene, who resurfaces in France to continue his ongoing plot for world domination through the care and maintenance of the title fruit. Hoping to bank on his sidekick's resemblance to King Louis XVII (long prophesied to return to his throne), Gangrene sends his armies of tomato-monsters (who sport snarling, feral faces and one-liners this time out) to eliminate those who stand in his way. Among them is the nominal "hero," a has-been actor (Marc Price) spurred by the vacillating affections of winsome Parisian Marie (Angela Visser) to join the French army against the Juicy Red Menace. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
This third entry in the dumbfoundingly silly "Killer Tomatoes" series continues the low-budget franchise's tradition of bombarding audiences with endless inane sight gags, horror movie in-jokes, and "nudge-nudge, wink-wink" comic asides. This installment finds flamboyant mad scientist Professor Gangrene (an enthusiastically hammy John Astin) up to his old tricks. The madman responsible for the near-annihilation of humanity by the title fruit, Gangrene is currently masquerading as the host of trashy talk show "Talk of the Town," through which he mounts a temporarily successful media campaign restoring the red-stained reputation of the much-maligned tomato. Fortunately for an unwary populace, the professor's plot for world domination is foiled by hard-bitten detective Boyle (Rick Rockwell) and eminent "tomatologist" Dr. Kennedy Johnson (Crystal Carson). Though not as funny as the previous installment, Return of the Killer Tomatoes (which featured a young George Clooney in deadpan mode), this is still a mildly entertaining romp. The pulpy red menace would soon return for yet another sequel, but not before inspiring a silly animated kiddie-TV spinoff. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Cybill Shepherd doesn't appear in this week's episode, leaving Allyce Beasley, in her familiar role as the Blue Moon Detective Agency's ditzy secretary Agnes Dipesto, as the heroine by default. Imogene Coca guest stars as Agnes' equally scatterbrained mother Clara. Danger rears its ugly head when Clara returns from a vacation in Mexico with a seemingly worthless ceramic souvenir--for which several nasty-looking characters are willing to commit murder! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- PG13
This romantic comedy is based on a true story that happened in California in 1944. Sonny Wisecarver (Patrick Dempsey) is 15 year old who has an affair with his older neighbor Judy (Talia Balsam). The two run off and get married, but a stern judge has the union annulled. Sonny is hauled before the same judge when he gets involved with another older woman (Beverly D'Angelo), and the publicity makes him the object of affection for millions of young women who believe Sonny has something special. Michael Constantine and Betty Jinnett play Sonny's concerned parents. Carl Reiner is the uncredited narrator, and the real-life Elliott "Sonny" Wisecarver has a cameo appearance as a mailman. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Beverly D'Angelo, (more)
- 1986
- R
Columbia Pictures spent as estimated $8 million dollars on this laughless sex comedy that crashes and burns before ever leaving the ground. Two bumbling boneheads who are kicked out of flying school decide to remain airborne by becoming stewardesses. Bathroom humor, sight gags, and the prerequisite nudity are the lowlights of this forgettable film. The only interest is the appearance of former Playboy bunny Yuliis Ruval. This dog makes Porky's seem like Shakespeare. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brett Cullen, Mary Cadorette, (more)
