James Carroll Movies

Danny DeVito steps behind the camera for this darkly funny satire that combines elements of Barney and Friends with the real-life Pee-Wee Herman scandal while recalling the director's previously twisted black comedies Throw Momma From the Train (1987) and The War of the Roses (1989). Robin Williams stars as Randolph Smiley, a popular children's show host known professionally as "Rainbow Randolph." Dismissed from his beloved job when he's caught taking payola, Randolph becomes increasingly mentally unhinged and the target of his delusional revenge fantasies is Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton), otherwise known as Smoochy, the fuchsia rhino character that has replaced him and soared to national popularity. Randolph soon learns that his ex-girlfriend and network executive Nora Wells (Catherine Keener) is sleeping with Sheldon, so he sets out to kill Smoochy, egged on by an unexpected ally: corporate president Marion Frank Stokes (Jon Stewart), who should be profiting from Smoochy's rise to fame, except for the fact that he and his cronies are unable to control the idealistic Sheldon's on-air agenda. Death to Smoochy (2002) co-stars Harvey Fierstein, Vincent Shiavelli, and Michael Rispoli. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Still recovering from a breakdown caused by the death of her son two years earlier, Menly Nichols (Kelly McGillis) convalesces in the old mansion where her husband Adam (Cotter Smith) grew up. The emotionally fragile Menly is having difficulty enough adjusting to her somewhat dank surrounding when she begins to be haunted by an eerie, faraway voice. Could the sounds be merely a manifestation of her trauma and guilt feelings--or are they caused by the ghost of her son, desperately trying to contact her? Whatever the case, trouble clearly lies ahead for both Menly and her baby daughter Hannah--and that trouble may or may not be linked with a murder case for which Adam has been hired as attorney for the defense. Based on the novel by (who else?) Mary Higgins Clark, this filmed-for-TV gothic melodrama made its CBS network debut on November 19, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The best of the Elm Street sequels, this creepy, surreal fantasy features terrific effects, a fine young cast, and an air of grim fatalism that sets it apart from its giggly successors. Patricia Arquette stars as Kristen, whose nightmare leads to a slashed wrist which looks suspiciously like a suicide attempt. She is placed in a hospital psychiatric ward with a group of six other troubled teens who all dream about the same horribly burned man (Robert Englund) trying to kill them. Perhaps the most unusual thing about this picture, however, is the unexpected depth of sadness running through it. There are some achingly sweet moments in this otherwise frightening film which, though not disruptive, are impossible to analyze. The first and most bizarre of these is Heather Langenkamp's entrance, which inexplicably causes most viewers to get misty-eyed, and there are several similar scenes throughout the film. One answer can be found in the sensitive direction of Chuck Russell, who emphasizes the tragedy and utter hopelessness in these kids' lives and manages to wring some unexpectedly perceptive turns from his cast. This is a film in which a great deal of care was obviously lavished on individual scenes (the sets are outstanding) and performances. The results are well worth repeated viewings, and prove that sequels don't necessarily have to be inferior films. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

This dull, routine slasher film focuses on a nighttime scavenger hunt sponsored by a sorority that takes a tragic turn when a figure in a bear costume with knives strapped to one "paw" begins slashing the women to death. Years ago, a student was killed by her mentally unbalanced boyfriend when she broke off their relationship. After his capture and trial, the young killer was sent to the local Weston Hill Sanitorium for the mentally insane -- and now he has escaped. Even though the sorority is rapidly losing members, the police are no closer to finding the killer than before they heard of the crimes, so Mac (Hal Holbrook), the original victim's father and head of campus security, goes after the serial murderer himself. Even a surprise ending cannot pull the rest of this film out of the horror doldrums. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this fairly frightening slasher-horror film, sweet young Amy Jensen (Caitlin O'Heaney) and her friends decide to all get married together. Unfortunately, all the guys go on vacation, leaving the women at the mercy of a psychotic killer (Tom Rolfing) who goes after brides with a big knife. Amy must seek help from an obsessed cop (Lewis Arlt) and her nerdy friend (Don Scardino) who works at a morgue. The familiar supporting cast includes Tom Hanks in his big-screen debut, and '80s standbys Russell Todd, Paul Gleason, and Dana Barron. This one has some scary moments despite the clichéd plot and the obligatory severed head in a fishbowl, especially a stalking scene in a tailor's shop and the tense morgue chase at the end. The most memorable sequence, involving a murder at a movie theater, was later restaged almost shot-by-shot in Scream 2 (1997). ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide