John Farley Movies

A 12-year-old boy with a tricked-out mountaintop fort attempts to foil three bumbling jewel thieves in search of a valuable dog collar in this fast-paced family comedy that's fun for parents and children alike. Wherever there are valuable jewels, notorious stone stealer Jackie Seemore is sure to be close by. On the heels of his latest heist, Jackie has disguised himself as a blind nun and is about to be picked up at Cedarville Airport by his two dimwitted assistants, Bud and Arty. Led through the airport by a Seeing Eye dog with an especially luminous collar, Jackie has donned a false veneer that is so effective even his most trusted sidekicks don't recognize him. Later, when the villainous trio pulls into a nearby rest stop to clean up, they have a chance run in with precocious adolescent Owen. Recognizing that the dog is unhappy being teased by Bud and Arty, Owen befriends the tormented animal -- which subsequently escapes into the nearby woods. Upon finding the frightened dog, Owen brings her to his secret hideout that was built upon a nearby mountaintop and fortified with booby-traps to keep away the local bullies. But Owen isn't the only person who resides on this mountaintop, because according to local legend a frightful old man deemed "The Madman of the Mountain" resides somewhere on this formidable hill as well. Naming the dog "Diamond" for her sparkling collar, the brave young boy vows to defend her from Jackie and his henchmen at all costs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

When two dim-witted blonde bombshells are mistaken for the underworld's most cunning assassins, they are approached with a lucrative contract to take out the head of the Chinese mafia in a globe-trotting, air-headed comedy starring Pamela Anderson and Denise Richards. Two fair-haired beauties have just witnessed a high-profile mob hit, and now the Godfather is convinced that they have what it takes to rub out his most fearsome rival. After accepting a hearty payout and agreeing to carry out the dangerous assignment, the two brainless beauties hit the open road on the adventure of a lifetime. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Come celebrate the joy and togetherness of the Hanukkah season with Adam Sandler -- yeah, that Adam Sandler -- in this raucous animated comedy written and produced in collaboration with the noted funnyman. Davey Stone (voice of Adam Sandler) is a twentysomething man with a short temper and a reputation for causing trouble who lives in the small New England town of Dukesberry. Davey has a particularly bad attitude about the holiday season, and on the first night of Hanukkah, he goes on a tear that lands him in front of a judge (voice of Norm Crosby). The judge, who has dealt with Davey before, is prepared to send him to prison, but Whitey (also voiced by Sandler), an eccentric but kindly old man, persuades the judge to give him a chance to turn Davey into a more responsible citizen. Davey doesn't think much of Whitey's charitable nature, but when his trailer home burns down, he's forced to move in with Whitey and his perpetually nervous sister, Eleanore (also voiced by Sandler...spotting a trend here?). Between Whitey and Eleanore's nonstop kvetching and the reappearance of his old girlfriend Jennifer (voice of Jackie Titone), Davey is being driven to distraction by the Hanukkah season, but in time Whitey learns the truth about why Davey has such a problem with the Festival of Lights. Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights also includes eight new songs co-written by Sandler; he duets with bluegrass star Alison Krauss on "Long Ago." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

David Lynch offers an uncharacteristically straightforward and warmly sentimental approach to his material in this film, based on a true story, about an elderly man's journey to reconcile with his brother. Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) is an ailing widower in his early 70's who lives in Laurens, Iowa with his daughter, Rose (Sissy Spacek), who is mildly retarded and has a speech defect. Alvin doesn't trust doctors, despite suffering from emphysema and a bad hip. Alvin learns that his brother Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton) has suffered a stroke and may not have long to live. Alvin and Lyle haven't spoken in 10 years, which Alvin says is mainly a matter of pride and alcohol; Alvin wants to clear his slate with his brother before it's too late. However, Lyle lives in Wisconsin, and Alvin has little money, no car, and no driver's license. He does, however, have a riding lawn mower, and so Alvin hops on board and heads northeast to Wisconsin, hoping to make it while there's still time. Along the way, Alvin makes new friends and refuses to give up on his journey, despite frequent mechanical breakdowns. Richard Farnsworth's performance as Alvin earned him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor; it would prove to be his final screen appearance, as he died a year after the film's release. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Handsome, smooth-talking Al Donnelly (Tim Matheson) has everything going for him. A politician, he is engaged in a heated gubernatorial race with the feisty Governor Tracy (Christine Ebersole), a tough old bird who doesn't hesitate to play hardball with opponents. Unfortunately for her, things are looking good for Donnelly. Fortunately she finds his Achilles' heel with his young brother Mike Donnelly (Saturday Night Live alumnus Chris Farley), a fat slob gym teacher and hopeless imbecile who only wants to win his more successful sibling's respect. Unfortunately all he does is embarrass poor Al to death. In desperation, Al assigns the sardonic and prissy Steve Dodds (David Spade) to keep Mike under constant surveillance. The real trouble begins when Tracy's aids try to frame hapless Mike for arson. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi