Jim Greenleaf Movies
- 1984
- R
Academy award-winner Tim Robbins makes his feature film debut in this 1984 thriller concerning a group of seven American college students held ransom by a rogue band of Central America guerillas. Ignoring the advice of their captain while taking a cruise around Central America, Beverly Hills rich girl Amy and her clueless friends unwisely venture off of the beaten path and deep into the vast jungle. Subsequently abducted by guerilla fighters and sentenced to death, the girls await their grim fate as Captain Sarge prepares to stage a daring rescue mission. Against all odds, Captain Sarge does manage to rescue Amy, though as the lucky survivor makes her way back to California she can't help thinking about the rest of her friends. When her efforts in convincing her wealthy father to fund a rescue mission fails, Amy rounds up a group of fearless neighborhood kids and implores Captain Sarge to lead them straight into the lion's den. With time quickly running out for the frightened hostages, seven American students and one hardened soldier of fortune rescue their friends and save the day. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Miller, Cleavon Little, (more)
- 1982
- PG
Students at a college with obviously low graduation requirements spend their time and energy playing a game that involves mock assassinations with rubber-tipped darts fired from plastic guns. If you are shot, you are assassinated and out of the game and whoever remains alone at the end wins. When Gersh (Bruce Abbott), the odds-on favorite is about to do one of his opponents in, the hapless victim drops his dart gun, it misfires, and bonks a dart at Gersh - who is pushed over the edge, pulls out a real gun and kills his unfortunate opponent. Gersh drags the body to his room and stuffs it in his closet. Having killed once, the blood-thirsty student goes on a rampage, killing as many of these players as he can and stuffing them all in his closet. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Carradine, Linda Hamilton, (more)
Straight-laced Henry Winkler takes a night-shift job as a morgue attendant. Winkler falls under the spell of wheeler-dealer coworker Michael Keaton, whose catchphrase "Is this a great country or what?" is the clarion call for his many get-rich-quick schemes. His latest plan is to turn the morgue into a nocturnal brothel, for the benefit of anything-goes hooker Shelley Long-and incidentally, to line their own pockets. Director Ron Howard and his frequent scripters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel turn the potentially lurid story material of Night Shift into an endearing comedy, with winning performances from its three often miscast stars. Keep an eye out during one of the party sequences for Kevin Costner as a carousing college boy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton, (more)
Professional weirdo Clint Howard plays one of his more interesting oppressed-geek roles in this occult revenge thriller about a tormented military-school nerd (apparently in his mid-thirties!) whose personal computer provides the only solace from the endless taunts and pranks of his fellow cadets. He also has an intense fascination with the occult, leading him to investigate an arcane tome secreted within an ancient, crumbling chapel. In an attempt to decipher the text, he feeds it into the computer, which translates the writings into actual working spells. As Clint's mind reels with the possibilities of sweet revenge against his cruel classmates and teachers, the demonic forces once trapped within the book begin to exert control over his mind and body. Before long, he is able to summon an army of snarling devil-pigs (no, that's not a misprint) to do his evil bidding. Though this is essentially a gender-bent rip-off of Carrie, there is enough in the way of spooky atmosphere and well-staged shocks to keep less discriminating horror fans interested. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Howard, R.G. Armstrong, (more)
- 1982
This is one of several episodes featuring the late character actor Larry Breeding. On this occasion, Breeding plays Laverne's latest heartthrob, a charmer named Hank. Unfortuantely, Hank has neglected to inform Laverne (Penny Marshall) that he already has a wife named Geraldine (played by no less than Anjelica Huston)--and when Geraldine shows up in the middle of a romantic dinner at a fancy sea-food restaurant, a panicky Hank "hides" Laverne by dumping her in the lobster tank! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Still longing for the good old days of their reckless youth, Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) accept the invitation of three teenage college kids to attend a fraternity party. As the evening progresses--and gets wilder and more out of control in the process--the girls become acutely aware of the age gap between themselves and the other revellers. In fact, L&S leave the party feeling like a couple of little old ladies--a feeling that persists until the episode's very last scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
- G
The first volley in the never-ending "Presley movie" blitzkrieg, the made-for-TV Elvis: The Movie stars Kurt Russell as the King, Season Hubley as Priscilla, Pat Hingle as Col. Parker, Shelley Winters as Elvis' mom, and Bing Russell (Kurt's real-life father) as Elvis' dad. The film recounts Presley's life from age ten to his 1969 Vegas comeback. Presley imitator Ronnie McDowell expertly dubs in Kurt Russell's renditions of "Love Me Tender," "Heartbreak Hotel," et al. When first telecast on February 11, 1979, the ratings for Elvis: The Movie went through the roof, even beating out a competing telecast of Gone With the Wind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kurt Russell, Shelley Winters, (more)
