Kevin Meaney Movies
The documentary When Stand Up Stood Out charts the stand-up comedy boom and then decline that took place in Boston during the late seventies and eighties. Consisting of both vintage footage from the era and interviews with the people who were a part of the scene, the film showcases how this fertile comedic territory produced such famous names as Steven Wright, enis Leary, Bobcat Goldthwait, Colin Quinn, and Paula Pundstone. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Bob Koherr directed this predictable parody of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, offering variations on the film's familiar scenes, plus satirical jabs at other titles, including Reservoir Dogs, Natural Born Killers, Forrest Gump and Nell. Tarantino's hit men are replaced here with exterminators Jimmy (Paul Dinello) and Julius (Tommy Davidson). Subbing for Marsellus and coke addict Mia are compulsive eater Mimi (Julie Brown) and her husband Montello (Robert Costanzo). Instead of coffee-shop thieves Honey Bunny and Pumpkin, writer wannabe Bunny Roberts (Sandra Bernhard) arrives with the Forrest Gump-like Bumpkin (Dan Castellaneta). Psychos Nicky (Matthew Glave) and Vallory (Pamela Segall) disrupt the criss-crossing storylines, and so do nuns with guns. At the Independent Cafe, employees are costumed like various characters from independent films. The talented Juliette Lewis is mocked by Pamela Segall in a re-creation of a Natural Born Killers scene, and Kane Picoy impersonates Christopher Walken. When Plump Fiction played theatrically, it was accompanied by a three-minute short film Swing Blade (a spoof of Swingers and Sling Blade). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Davidson, Julie Brown, (more)
More than anything else, 13-year old New Jerseyite Josh (David Moscow) wants to be "big". That's the wish he makes at an odd-looking amusement pier fortunetelling machine. The next morning, Josh wakes up-only to discover that he's grown to manhood overnight! (At this point, the part is taken over by Tom Hanks). Still a 13-year-old mentally and emotionally, Josh decides to hide out in New York City until he can figure out what to do next. He lucks into a job with a major toy company run by kid-at-heart McMillan (Robert Loggia). By cannily bringing a child's eye view to McMillan's business, Josh rises to the top-and in process, he falls in love with fellow employee Susan (Elizabeth Perkins). But he's still a kid, and he'd like to go back to his own world and own body. Written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg, Big proved a crucial success for budding director Penny Marshall, who'd work harmoniously with Hanks again on the radically different A League of Their Own. The cinematography was by Barry Sonenfeld, who went on to become a director himself with The Addams Family. That Big was heavily reliant upon the input of Tom Hanks and Penny Marshall was proven by the failed attempt to turn the property into a Broadway musical. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
