John Goodman Movies
With a talent as large as his girth, John Goodman proved himself both a distinguished character actor and engaging leading man. A native of St. Louis, MO, Goodman went to Southwest Missouri State University on a football scholarship, but an injury compelled him to seek out a less strenuous major. He chose the university Drama Department, attending classes with such stars-to-be as Tess Harper and Kathleen Turner. Moving to New York in 1975, he supported himself by performing in children's and dinner theater, appearing in television commercials, and working as a bouncer.Goodman made his off-Broadway debut in a 1978 staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and, a year later, graduated to Broadway in Loose Ends. His best Broadway showing was as the drunken, brutish Pap in Big River, Roger Miller's 1985 musical adaptation of Huckleberry Finn. Goodman has occasionally played out and out villains or louts (The Big Easy, Barton Fink), but his essential likeability endeared him to audiences even when his onscreen behavior was at its least sympathetic. He contributed topnotch supporting appearances to such films as Everybody's All-American (1988), Sea of Love (1989), Stella (1989), and Arachnophobia (1990), and starred in such films as King Ralph (1991), The Babe (1992, as Babe Ruth), Born Yesterday (1993), and The Flintstones (1994, as Fred Flintstone). Goodman did some of his best work in Matinee (1992), in which he starred as William Castle-esque horror flick entrepreneur Lawrence Woolsey, and topped himself in The Big Lebowski (1998), playing a quirky security-store owner. He was seen the following year with Nicolas Cage and Ving Rhames in Martin Scorsese's Bringing out the Dead as an ambulance driver.
Between 1988 and 1996, Goodman appeared as blue-collar patriarch Dan Conner on the hit TV sitcom Roseanne, a role that earned him four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe award; his additional TV credits included two 1995 made-for-cable movies: the title role in Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long and Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, for which he earned another Emmy nomination. Announcing that the 1996-1997 season of Roseanne would be his last, Goodman limited himself to infrequent appearances on the series, his absences explained away as a by-product of a heart attack suffered by his character at the end of the previous season.
After making his 10th appearance on Saturday Night Live (2000), Goodman could be seen playing a red-faced bible salesman in director Joel Coen's award winning O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000), and participated in Garry Shandling's film debut What Planet Are You From? (2000). He could be spotted playing an Oklahoma cop in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000), while Coyote Ugly (2000) and Storytelling (2001) found Goodman stepping back into the role of over-protective father. Interestingly enough, he donned hippie-gear to play a goth-chick's Leelee Sobieski dad in 2001's My First Mister.
Though Goodman's status as an amiable big guy was well established by the early 2000's, he didn't actually appear on-screen for two of his most beloved roles. In The Emperor's New Groove (2000), Goodman lent his vocal talents for the part of Pacha, a poor farmer who taught a spoiled prince (David Spade) some valuable lessons about life, love, and the meaning of societal standing. Any film-going youngster will recognize Goodman's voice as Monsters, Inc.'s kind-hearted Sully, the furry blue monster who risked life and limb to return a little girl to her home; and who other than Goodman would have been appropriate to voice the part of Baloo, The Jungle Book 2's (2003) freewheeling bear?
2001's ill received One Night at McCool's features Goodman as one of three men lusting after Liv Tyler's character, while 2002's Dirty Deeds took John to Australia, where he played an American mafia-goon thoroughly ill suited to the intricacies of culture down under. Though 2003's Masked and Anonymous was skewered by fans and critics alike, it did give Goodman the chance to work with industry bigwigs Jessica Lange, Jeff Bridges, Penélope Cruz, and legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan. In 2004, Goodman got even more involved in the realm of family friendly movies and TV, lending his voice to the character of Larry on the animated show Father of the Pride. The next few years in his career would include many more such titles, like Cars, Evan Almighty, and Bee Movie, and in 2008, he played Pops Racer in the candy-colored big screen adaptation of the popular cartoon Speed Racer. By this time, Goodman had become a go-to guy for PG fare, and signed on next to provide the voice of Big Daddy for the jazz-age animated film The Princess and the Frog.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A Manhattan shopaholic (Isla Fisher) whose buying sprees have buried her in immense debt lands a columnist gig dishing out financial advice in this Touchstone comedy based on Sophie Kinsella's series of books. P.J. Hogan (My Best Friend's Wedding) directs, with producing duties being handled by Jerry Bruckheimer. Rebecca Bloomwood (Fisher) can't seem to break her habit for making impulsive purchases, and while she's always decked out in the latest styles, her credit card bills are as thick as a telephone book. If Rebecca could somehow manage to land her dream job at a high-profile fashion magazine, perhaps she could transform what is now a simple addiction into something that could really benefit her professionally. When Rebecca becomes an advice columnist at a financial magazine published by the same company as her favorite fashion magazine, her fresh approach strikes a chord with readers and she quickly becomes the toast of the town. Meanwhile, her bank account is still bone dry, wreaking havoc on her love life and placing her career in jeopardy. As Rebecca teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, she gradually begins to reassess her priorities in life. Joan Cusack, John Goodman, Hugh Dancy, and Krysten Ritter co-star in the Touchstone Pictures production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, (more)
A detective tracking a serial killer who preys on young women finds his investigation complicated by a glamorous Hollywood starlet and a ruthless crime kingpin in director Bertrand Tavernier's adaptation of the James Lee Burke novel In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead. Jerzy Kromolowski, Mary Olson-Kromolowski, and Tommy Lee Jones collaborate on the screenplay for the film, which stars Jones, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Ned Beatty, and Tom Sizemore. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, (more)
There Will Be Blood's Paul Dano stars as Brian, an unhappy mattress salesman whose infatuation with Happy (Zooey Deschanel), one of his attractive customers, temporarily pushes aside his obsession with adopting a Chinese baby in this unconventional romantic comedy from director Matt Aselton. John Goodman, Ed Asner, and Jane Alexander co-star in the Killer Films production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel, (more)
The Matrix masterminds Andy and Larry Wachowski usher anime icon Tatsuo Yoshida's classic 1960s-era hit into the new millennium with this family-friendly story of a young racecar driver who takes on the mysterious Racer X in a custom-made, gadget-loaded speed machine named the Mach 5. Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is the kind of driver that every wheelman wishes he could be: a born winner whose unbeatable combination of aggression, instinct, and fearlessness always finds him crossing the checkered flag with a comfortable lead. In Speed Racer's mind, the only driver who could present him with any real challenge is his late brother -- the legendary Rex Racer. Rex died in a heated cross-country rally known as The Crucible many years ago, and now his younger sibling is driven to fulfill the legacy that Rex left behind. To this day, Speed Racer is fiercely loyal to family. It was Speed Racer's father, Pops Racer (John Goodman), who designed the unbeatable Mach 5, and even a lucrative offer from racing giants Royalton Industries isn't enough to get the young ace to break his family ties.
Upon turning down Royalton's (Roger Allam) astronomical offer, Speed Racer makes the shocking discovery that the outcomes of the biggest races are being predetermined by a handful of powerful moguls who pad their profits by manipulating the drivers. Realizing that his career would be ruined if word of the fix gets out, Royalton vows that the Mach 5 will never make it to another finish line. Now, the only way for Speed Racer to save the family business and beat Royalton at his own game will be to win the very same race that claimed his brother's life so many years ago. In order to accomplish that formidable feat, however, Speed Racer will not only have to rely on his family and the aid of his longtime girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), but form a tenuous alliance with his longtime rival -- the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) -- as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Upon turning down Royalton's (Roger Allam) astronomical offer, Speed Racer makes the shocking discovery that the outcomes of the biggest races are being predetermined by a handful of powerful moguls who pad their profits by manipulating the drivers. Realizing that his career would be ruined if word of the fix gets out, Royalton vows that the Mach 5 will never make it to another finish line. Now, the only way for Speed Racer to save the family business and beat Royalton at his own game will be to win the very same race that claimed his brother's life so many years ago. In order to accomplish that formidable feat, however, Speed Racer will not only have to rely on his family and the aid of his longtime girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), but form a tenuous alliance with his longtime rival -- the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) -- as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, (more)
Barry B. Benson (voice of Jerry Seinfeld) is your average honeybee. Despite having recently received his diploma from bee college and being virtually guaranteed a bright future in honey, Barry feels he has the skills to pursue a number of different career paths and resents the fact that his employment opportunities are strictly limited to producing the sweet nectar. Upon breaking away from the hive and developing a friendship with an insect-loving New York florist (voice of Renée Zellweger), Barry makes the shocking discovery that human beings eat honey in mass quantities. Having finally found his calling in life, the infuriated Barry decides to sue the human race for stealing all of the honey that his fellow bees work so hard to produce. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, (more)
Part vigilante drama and part psychological thriller, the James Wan-directed Death Sentence stars Kevin Bacon as Nick Hume, a deceptively passive exec whose wife and children are attacked in a sadistic, gang-related hazing rite, and his oldest son killed. Hell-bent on cold-blooded vengeance, Hume pulls a Bronson by tagging each of the perpetrators, then tracking down and rubbing out each one, with the help of formidable, blue-steel artillery. Aisha Tyler co-stars as the homicide detective who first agrees to assist Hume in his mission, then begins to edge up to the conclusion that the unstable father himself might be responsible for the nasty crimes against his family. Kelly Preston co-stars as Bacon's wife, Helen Hume; the cast also features John Goodman (The Big Lebowski), Leigh Whannell (Saw), and Matt O'Leary. Ian Jeffers loosely adapted Brian Garfield's popular 1975 novel. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Garrett Hedlund, (more)
40-Year-Old Virgin star Steve Carell reprises his role as preening newscaster Evan Baxter in this heavenly sequel to the 2003 Jim Carrey comedy hit. Shortly after television anchorman-turned-U.S. congressman Evan Baxter (Carell) relocates his family from Buffalo to Northern Virginia, God (Morgan Freeman) reveals to him that a devastating flood is coming and the planet is about to be cleansed once again. Later, when Baxter accepts the responsibility of building a great ark and his rapidly changing physical appearance begins to draw media attention, his skeptical family attempts to discern if his actions are driven by delusion or divine intervention. John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, Jonah Hill, and Molly Shannon co-star in a divine comedy of truly epic proportions. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, (more)
A pedal-to-the-metal race car determined to prove his worth on the tracks discovers that life isn't always about crossing the finish line first in Toy Story director John Lasseter's mechanically minded tale of friendship and loyalty. Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) may be just a rookie, but he's convinced that he can realize his dream of zooming by the checkered flag if he can only make it to California in time to compete in the upcoming Piston Cup Championship. When Lightning takes a detour into the slow-moving, Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, however, it begins to appear as if his shot at the big time has effectively stalled out. Of course, Lightning's exciting cross-country trek wasn't all for naught, and after befriending such quirky Radiator Springs residents as Sally the Porsche (voice of Bonnie Hunt), Doc Hudson (voice of Paul Newman), and Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy), the eager young racer learns that sometimes life is more about the voyage than the outcome of the race. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, (more)
Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr.'s 1974 animated classic comes to vivid life for a whole new generation of viewers in this live action holiday adventure starring John Goodman, Chris Kattan, Eddie Griffin, Ethan Suplee, and Carol Kane. When a depressed Santa Claus (Goodman) announces plans to take the year off after becoming convinced that the masses have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, loyal elves Jingle (Suplee) and Jangle (Griffin) make it their mission to prove their boss wrong. Saving Christmas is going to be no easy task though, because in order to truly show Santa that the spirit of Christmas is alive and well Jingle and Jangle will first have to settle a longstanding feud between Mother Nature (Kane)'s tempestuous sons Heatmiser and Snowmiser. Perhaps, with a little luck and a bit of help from Mother Nature's notoriously disagreeable siblings, Jingle and Jangle may be able to lift Santa's spirits in time to get his sleigh in flight by the time the sun goes down on the biggest night of the year. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Goodman, Chris Kattan, (more)
Can a young man win the hand of the girl of his dreams by convincing her that he prefers the company of men? That's the dilemma facing the protagonist of this independent comedy. Clay (Sam Huntington) was a big man on his high-school campus, but he discovers he's just another nobody when he starts his first year of college, and while he expected to be making time with lots of pretty coeds, most of the girls on campus could care less about him. As Clay hopes to improve his social status by rushing a fraternity after his dorm roommate unexpectedly dies, Amanda (Kaitlin Doubleday), another incoming freshman, is similarly hoping to join a sorority, and as part of her initiation she and the other pledges are each instructed to pick up a certain type of "loser" guy for a party where the boys will be humiliated as part of the evening's entertainment. Amanda is supposed to find a guy who is obviously gay, and her friend Jessica (Heather Matarazzo) mistakenly thinks Clay fits the bill. It doesn't take long for Clay to realize what's going on, but he decides to play along if it means going out with a pretty girl, and he gives himself a crash course in gay behavior in hopes of winning Amanda's heart with some help from amiable queer bartender Rodney (John Goodman). Produced under the title Home of Phobia, Freshman Orientation was the first feature film from writer and director Ryan Shiraki. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Huntington, Marla Sokoloff, (more)
Ed "Big Daddy" Roth was a genius of outlaw art who took America's obsession with all that is fast, loud and streamlined and built it into an empire. In the 1950's, Roth was a hot-rodder who moved from body work and helping guys fine-tune the look of their jalopies to building unique custom machines. Roth threw out the rule book of conventional automotive design and created fantastic visions of chrome, fiberglass and supercharged engines which took one of America's most conventional consumer items and turned it into a freaked-out vision of post-adolescent cool. Roth was also a gifted cartoonist, and along with his cars he also created freaked-out automotive cartoons which made the artwork in Mad Magazine look sedate; his trademark character was Rat Fink, a maniacal, grinning rodent who was usually seen popping the clutch behind the wheel of one of Roth outlandish cars. Between Roth's crazed automobiles which drew thousands of fans to auto shows, the reproductions of them (in the form of model kits) which sold in the millions, and the Rat Fink and Monster T-shirts (which are still on the market today), Roth was one of the most influential figures in popular culture in the 1960's, and Tales Of The Rat Fink is a documentary by Ron Mann which features interviews with Roth's friends and fans as well as animated sequences that bring his cars and creatures to life on screen. John Goodman, Tom Wolfe, Brian Wilson, Matt Groening, Jay Leno and Ann-Margaret are among those who contributed their voices to the project; acclaimed indie-rockers the Sadies composed and performed the musical score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- PG13
- Add Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School to QueueAdd Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School to top of Queue
Randall Miller's Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School compiles an all-star cast to tell an unabashedly emotional story about life, love, and destiny. Robert Carlyle portrays Frank Keane, a man who has been in a deep depression ever since his wife passed away. One day while driving, Frank sees an accident. He investigates the scene to see if he can help and meets a dying stranger (John Goodman), who tells Frank that he was headed to a dance school in order to reunite with a woman he loved many years before. Frank decides to attend the dance school, and becomes involved with a variety of people. Originally beginning as a short film, Randall Miller's feature-length film was screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, (more)
The voice cast of Disney's 2000 animated hit The Emperor's New Groove returns in this sequel in which newly established restaurateur Kronk attempts to whip his diner into shape before the arrival of his visiting father. Business at his newly opened restaurant just isn't as good as Kronk had hoped, and upon receiving a llama-gram stating that his father is currently en route, the stressed chef and his enchanting partner Yzma begin cooking up a scheme that will give the restaurant the distinct smell of success. When the plan backfires and an enormous cheese explosion leaves Kronk and company scrambling to get back on their feet, it's up to his friends to convince him that the only way he'll ever achieve true happiness is by remaining true to his groove no matter how heavy the odds are stacked against him. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Kevin Spacey serves as both director and star for this biopic based on the life and career of legendary entertainer Bobby Darin, which moves back and forth between his childhood and adult selves to tell the tale of his remarkable life. Born Bobby Cassotto and raised in the Bronx, young Bobby (played as a child by William Ullrich) was raised by his mother, Polly (Brenda Blethyn), his brother-in-law, Charlie (Bob Hoskins), and his sister, Nina (Caroline Aaron). At the age of 15, Bobby contracted a severe case of rheumatic fever, which was expected to take his life; while it left him with a weak heart, Bobby beat the odds and survived. Buoyed by a love of music passed along by his mother, Bobby learned to play several instruments and began singing as he recovered. Displaying a confidence and drive which stopped just short of arrogance, he adopted the stage name Bobby Darin and set his sights on becoming a star. After a string of hits as a rock & roll singer, Darin (played as an adult by Kevin Spacey) takes another gamble, and with the help of manager Steve Blauner (John Goodman) he reinvents himself as a supper-club vocalist in the manner of Frank Sinatra. All the more remarkably, he succeeds, and his swinging version of "Mack the Knife" tops the charts. Now a major singing star, Darin decides to take up acting; on the set of his first movie, he woos his female co-star Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth), and despite the stern objections of her mother (Greta Scacchi), Bobby and Sandra wed. But after a string of successful movies for Dee and hit records and an Oscar nomination for Darin, the shifting tastes of the 1960s throw their careers off-track. Bobby cautiously embraces the new sounds of the day, but his old fans don't want to hear him cover Bob Dylan or the Rolling Stones, while the younger audience isn't interested in his new sound, leaving Darin in a difficult place to make his way back to stardom. Kevin Spacey did his own singing for Beyond the Sea, recreating Bobby Darin's vocal style with uncanny accuracy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, (more)
- 2004
- Add Father of the Pride [Animated TV Series] to QueueAdd Father of the Pride [Animated TV Series] to top of Queue
It is not generally known that the CGI-animated NBC sitcom Father of the Pride was the second cartoon program inspired by the spectacular career of Vegas-based illusionists Siegfried and Roy. The first, a four-part miniseries titled Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible, was seen in off-network syndication in 1996. Ironically, the title of the earlier series provides the acronymic name "Sarmoti" for one of the principal characters on Father of the Pride! The NBC series took us backstage and into the private lives of two of the white lions employed in Siegfried and Roy's act: Larry (voiced by John Goodman) and his wife Kate (voiced by Cheryl Hines). Despite their fame and fortune, the two lions had to endure the usual trials and tribulations of sitcom-style domesticity. Kate's father Sarmoti (voiced by Carl Reiner) was a loudmouth who insisted upon arguing with Larry over anything and everything, while Larry's best pal, a gopher named Snack (voiced by Orlando Jones), was forever hatching idiotic schemes that got everyone in big trouble. Add to this several dashes of toilet and sex humor, and you had an animated "funny animal" series that was far better suited for grown-ups than for kids. Produced by DreamWorks SKG Animation as NBC's answer to such popular cutting-edge cartoon efforts as Fox's The Simpsons and Comedy Central's South Park, Father of the Pride was in production in late 2003 when magician Roy (aka Roy Horn) was seriously injured when he was mauled on the stage of the Mirage Inn by one of his trained lions. For a while, the network balked at introducing the CGI series, worried that it might suffer from the publicity surrounding Roy's injuries. Once the magician was off the critical list, however, Father of the Pride began its 11-week NBC run on August 31, 2004 (two of the thirteen episodes would not be seen until the series was released on DVD). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Goodman, Cheryl Hines, (more)
Clifford the Big Red Dog finally arrives on the big screen in the animated adventure Clifford's Really Big Movie, directed by Robert Ramirez. Clifford (voice of the late John Ritter) lives on Birdwell Island with his owner Emily Elizabeth Howard (voice of Grey DeLisle). Even though he loves the Howards, Clifford starts to think that his enormous size is too much of a problem for them. Feeling unwanted, he runs off and joins the circus with his friends Cleo (voice of Cree Summer) and T-Bone (voice of Kel Mitchell). They fall in with a gang of other runaway animals, including a Chihuahua and a ferret. The dogs compete in a big contest in order to win a lifetime supply of Tummy Yummies. Clifford's Really Big Movie encourages preschoolers to develop trust, independence, and confidence. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ritter, Wayne Brady, (more)
Enigmatic rock legend Bob Dylan stars as an enigmatic rock legend (talk about a casting coup!) in this purposefully eccentric satiric comedy. Uncle Sweetheart (John Goodman) is an unscrupulous concert promoter who has figured out a way to cash in on the feelings of doubt and uncertainty that plague his nation, which is being torn apart by civil war and political revolution. Sweetheart has decided he will stage a massive benefit concert, though the unnamed charity would appear to be his checking account. Sweetheart hires television producer Nina Veronica (Jessica Lange) to help promote the show and sell it as a nation-wide cable-cast event, while Sweetheart pulls a few strings to arrange for the perfect headliner -- Jack Fate (Bob Dylan), a legendary songwriter who is currently serving a term in prison. With Fate out from behind bars, Sweetheart and Veronica set out to sell their grand spectacle to the world, though one determined investigative journalist (Jeff Bridges) has set out to throw a spenner into the works of Uncle Sweetheart and his epic fundraiser. Marking the directorial debut of comedy writer Larry Charles, Masked and Anonymous also features Penelope Cruz and Luke Wilson; the film was shown in competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, (more)
Mowgli the "man-cub" returns to the wilderness in this sequel to the Walt Disney Pictures animated favorite The Jungle Book. After leaving life in the jungle behind, Mowgli (voice of Haley Joel Osment) has been adopted, and now lives in the nearby village with his new parents and his younger brother, while becoming close friends with Shanti (voice of Mae Whitman), the girl who first lured him out of the wilds. However, adjusting to live among other humans hasn't been easy, and after Mowgli pays a visit to an old friend, happy-go-lucky bear Baloo (John Goodman), the boy considers staying for a while. Before long, both Shanti and Mowgli's new family notice he's missing, and Shanti goes into the jungle to look for him, despite her fear of wild animals. However, Mowgli and Baloo are soon reminded that life in the wilderness isn't always carefree when they learn Shere Khan (voice of Tony Jay) is looking for Mowgli, eager to settle an old score. The Jungle Book 2 also features voice work from Phil Collins and John Rhys-Davies; rock group Smash Mouth contribute a new version of "I Wanna Be Like You" to the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Haley Joel Osment, John Goodman, (more)
- 2002
Filmmakers Phillip B. Kunhardt III, Nancy Steiner, and Peter W. Kunhardt explore the eternal struggle for liberty in America while simultaneously illuminating the hypocritical underlying factors that undermined the colonist's bold "experiment in freedom," in a revealing documentary featuring the voices of Brad Pitt, Martin Sheen, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Anthony Hopkins , Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert Redford and many more. As the newly arrived British subjects staged the revolution that would cut loose their ties to Great Britain and give birth to a new era of freedom, a new hope for liberty emerged - but how then does one justify the presence of slavery in a society founded on the claim of all men being "created equal?" A blight on the quest for liberty and freedom that literally divided a struggling young nation right down the middle, slavery would be the last true obstacle in ensuring that the land of the free would truly live up to the ideals set forth by the founding fathers. As the north and the south set the stage for a bloody four-year war that would go down in history as one of the most brutal internal struggles ever waged, the resulting Civil War showed the willingness of Americans to actually stand up and fight to protect the rights of others as stated in the Constitution. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Directed by David Caesar, Dirty Deeds is an Australian crime picture inspired by real-life Sydney mobsters, and is set in the Sydney crime underworld of 1969. Bryan Brown stars as Barry Ryan, a prominent gangster whose ruthlessness rivals some of the toughest in the trade. He lives with his downbeat wife, Sharon (Toni Collette), and their son, but spends the majority of his time either with fellow mobsters or his mistress, Margaret (Kestie Morassi). Ryan's business is threatened when a Chicago Mafia boss dispatches two of his goons to scope out the poker machine scene for a potential takeover. Tony (John Goodman) and Sal (Felix Williamson), however, are lost when it comes to Australian culture, and stick out like a sore thumb. Negotiating with the Americans will be difficult enough for Barry, but the real blow comes when he learns that one of his own gang members has been deceitful. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bryan Brown, Toni Collette, (more)
From the controversial director of Happiness comes another dark look at New Jersey, this time broken into two separate stories. The first is a 26-minute segment entitled "Fiction," which highlights the life of Marcus (Leo Fitzpatrick), an aspiring writer who was born with deformities due to cerebral palsy. He unsuccessfully tries to read a new short story to his girlfriend Vi (Selma Blair), and leaves her after the story is similarly dismissed by his fellow students and teacher, Mr. Scott (Robert Wisdom), a black Pulitzer Prize winner. Vi approaches Mr. Scott in a bar one night and agrees to go home with him, recalling a "fictional" account of their experience in the next class. The second segment, titled "Nonfiction," follows Toby Oxman (Paul Giamatti), a thirtysomething sad sack who gets the idea to make a documentary of contemporary suburban teenage life. Looking for subjects, he runs into Scooby (Mark Webber), a disaffected, dim young man who dreams of being a TV star. Scooby's home life is highly dysfunctional, with a strict father (John Goodman), a prim and proper mother (Julie Hagerty), a football player brother (Noah Fleiss), and a younger brother Mikey (Jonathan Osser), who continually chats up the family's put-upon maid Consuelo (Lupe Ontiveros). Consuelo is soon banished from the household due to her involvement with Mikey, becoming an outcast just like Scooby. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Selma Blair, Leo Fitzpatrick, (more)
