Laraine Newman Movies

One of the most atypical weekly series to emerge from the Aaron Spelling TV factory, 7th Heaven, created by Spelling and Brenda Hampton, has eschewed the sex-and-sin shenanigans of such series as Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place in favor of honest, three-dimensional family values, with generous doses of warmth, heart, humor, and pathos. There can be no doubt that this fundamentally wholesome program has struck a universal chord. The series has not only been lavishly praised by critics, honored by such organizations as the Parents Television Council, the Academy of Religious Broadcasting, and the Anti-Defamation League, and given innumerable industry awards, but it is also one of the most successful offerings of the WB network; indeed, it was the first WB series to run more than seven seasons, and during four of those seasons, it was the network's highest-rated show. Set in the suburban L.A. community of Glen Oak, the series revolves around the Camden family, headed by Eric Camden (Stephen Collins), pastor of the town's Community Church, and Eric's homemaker wife, Annie (Catherine Hicks). In the tradition of The Waltons, loyal 7th Heaven viewers have enjoyed the rare privilege of watching the Camden children grow up before their very eyes. When the series debuted on August 26, 1996, handsome and personable Matt Camden (Barry Watson) was 17 years old; basketball-playing Mary Camden (Jessica Biel) was 13 going on 14; intellectual, inquisitive Lucy Camden (Beverley Mitchell) was 12; happy-go-lucky Simon Camden (David Gallagher) was ten; and precocious Ruthie Camden (Mackenzie Rosman) was five. By the time the series entered its eighth season, the three oldest Camden kids were married and pursuing careers, while the two youngest were seasoned veterans of the school dating scene. (Two more Camden youngsters, twin boys Sam and David, were born halfway through the 1998-1999 season). All of the Camdens, parents included, have had more than their share of setbacks and tragedies (some of them absolutely devastating) as the series has rolled forward, but somehow all of the members of the clan, from patriarch Eric on down, have been able to recover, rally, and persevere with the help and support of their family and friends -- not to mention their inner faith. And unlike so many other TV series which traffic in personal interrelationships, the characters in 7th Heaven are very much a part of the "real" world. During its lengthy WB run, the series has exposed its principals to a wide variety of contemporary issues: teen suicide, racial prejudice, substance abuse, drunken driving, homelessness, negative peer pressure, teen pregnancy, Alzheimer's disease, the Holocaust, the war in Iraq, and the crisis in the Sudan. Eminently suitable for viewers of all ages, but never a mere sop to the "kiddie" trade nor a placebo for the clean-up-TV brigades, 7th Heaven has been and will likely always remain the jewel in the WB crown. ~ All Movie Guide

This lively musical comedy pays tribute to the birth of rock & roll in the late 1950s and the instrumental role played by disc jockey Alan Freed who helped bring the new sound into vogue. Much of the story centers on the daring deejay's attempts to put on the very first live rock & roll stage show at the Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn. To do this he must overcome the protests of concerned and angry parents, conservatives, and local police. Several performers of the era appear in the film including Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A cow learns to walk like a man, both literally and figuratively, in this computer-animated comedy written and directed by Steve Oedekerk, the creator of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Ben (voice of Sam Elliott) is a cow who for years has been the leader and sober voice of reason among the animals at a farm where the critters are a bit unusual -- they can walk on two legs, talk, swim, and act like humans, though they have the good sense to avoid doing these things while humans are around. Ben has long dreamed that his son Otis (voice of Kevin James) would someday take over his duties on the farm, but Otis is a carefree and irresponsible type who would rather party with his friends and hang out with his girlfriend, Daisy (voice of Courteney Cox). Ben and his friend Miles (voice of Danny Glover), a wise and patient mule, wonder if Otis will ever make anything of himself, while Dasiy's best friend, Bessy (voice of Wanda Sykes), is convinced she can do better. However, one night Otis decides to do something about an obnoxious kid who enjoys tipping his fellow cows, and for the first time in his life he gets a taste of leadership -- and he likes it. Barnyard also features the voice talents of Andie MacDowell, Maria Bamford, and Maurice LaMarche. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

"The Coneheads" were a sketch on the Saturday Night Live television show of the late '70s which were expanded to feature-length proportions with this film. The story concerns Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymaat (Jane Curtin), who leave the planet Remulak to prepare for an invasion of Planet Earth. But due to a malfunction, they find themselves plunged into the Hudson River and forced to take up residence in Paramus, New Jersey where Beldar gets work as an appliance salesman and makes a deal for a phony social security card. Before long, all thoughts of invading Earth are left behind as Beldar and Prymaat quickly adapt to suburban life -- except for their coneheads and metallic-sounding voices, they become a typical middle-class suburban family. The Coneheads have a child, Connie (Michelle Burke) and Beldar becomes a New York cab driver and starts up his own driving school. Connie grows into a teenager and a neighborhood boy, Ronnie (Chris Farley), develops a crush on her because he likes to rub her conehead. But a nefarious INS agent, Gorman Seedling (Michael McKean), and his toady assistant, Turnbull (David Spade), are hot on The Coneheads' trail because of Beldar's false social security card. Not only that, but the Remulakian Highmaster (Dave Thomas) is beginning to wonder what ever happened to Beldar's invasion of the third rock from the sun. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

This is a collection of Devo's best-known videos from 1976-1982. The Ohio band has also inserted humorous short clips and sketches between each song. Included here are"Whip It", "Jocko Homo", "Satisfaction", "Beautiful World", "Dr. Detroit", "Peek a Boo", and many more. Special guests Laraine Newman and Timothy Leary also appear in this music video tribute. ~ Karla Baker, All Movie Guide

When a kindly elephant hears a faint cry of help from a floating speck of dust, his attempts to protect the tiny particle cause his neighbors to question his sanity in this animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss' classic 1954 children's book of the same name. Produced by Ice Age makers Blue Sky, scripted by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, and directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, Horton Hears a Who reunites Bruce Almighty co-stars Jim Carrey and Steve Carell as the eponymous elephant and the mayor of Whoville respectively. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Invaders from Mars, horror-film director Tobe Hooper's remake of the classic 1950's science fiction film, directed by William Cameron Menzies, centers on a young boy named David (Hunter Carson) who tries to stop an invasion of his town as aliens take over the minds of his parents George (Timothy Bottoms) and Ellen (Laraine Newman), his teachers and the townspeople. With the help of the school nurse (Karen Black), the boy enlists the aid of the U.S. Army to help save the world. With makeup effects supplied by Stan Winston and visual effects by John Dykstra, Invaders From Mars is a wild sci-fi feast that hearkens back to the 1950's invasion films, made popular by the original film and others like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

While on a stakeout of the Penguin's headquarters with Batman, Wonder Woman is suddenly and inexplicably turned into a pig by the enchantress Circe. The remainder of the episode finds Batman and the beauteous magician Zatanna combining forces to return "Wonder Pig" to her normal self. Mayhem blends with mythology and even music (don't miss Batman's soulful rendition of the old standard "Am I Blue?") in this wild and crazy tale. ~ All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, an innocent Laverne (Penny Marshall) has been arrested for bank robbery along with a loudmouthed radical named Sheba (played by former Saturday Night Live regular Laraine Newman). Handcuffed together, Shirley and Sheba are mistaken for a pair of escaped murderers--who have been slated for execution at midnight! Can Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) come to the rescue in the nick of time? (They'd better, otherwise the now Shirley-less Laverne & Shirley will be left with no stars at all!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

My Town is a one-hour Disney TV movie set in a tranquil American community. Meredith Salenger considers the place "My Town," and prefers that it remain untouched. Thus Salenger is dead set against the urban renewal plans of town banker Glenn Ford--who is also her grandfather. My Town first saw the light of day on May 25, 1986. It was shown back to back with another 60-minute film, The Casebusters, on ABC's Disney Sunday Movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a series of Rolling Stone articles by Aaron Latham, this romance was set in the world of L.A.'s hip fitness scene. Rolling Stone reporter Adam Lawrence (John Travolta) comes to L.A. to write a story about a prominent businessman who's been arrested for drug dealing (shades of the John DeLorean scandal). He's also decided to research a piece on the exercise fad and how health clubs have become the "singles bars of the '80s." His boss (real-life Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner as himself) OK's the project. At a club called The Sports Connection, an incognito Adam meets the regulars, including promiscuous Linda (Laraine Newman), airhead Sally (Marilu Henner) and aerobics instructor Jessie (Jamie Lee Curtis), a former Olympic swimmer. Adam and Jessie begin a romance, but it ends when she discovers that he's there to trash her and the club in print. Conflicted, Adam wrestles with publishing the story, but the final decision isn't his. A director of sincere, sober dramas, James Bridges was an odd choice to helm the romantic Perfect (1985), widely considered one of the decade's notorious cinematic misfires. Bridges had enjoyed much greater success with his previous collaboration with Travolta, Urban Cowboy (1980). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

The title of this made-for-TV period drama refers to a low-income suburban New Jersey housing project, which in the year 1958 represents the life's dream of vivacious Brooklyn housewife Gloria Goodman (Kirstie Alley. Weighed down with a well-meaning but boorish husband (Clancy Brown) and a pair of unruly children (Adam Lamberg, Tori McPetrie), Gloria can only dream of life beyond the four walls of her drab little apartment. Enter Bert Kramer (Gil Bellows), a freewheeling young "beat" writer who may well be the only person capable of liberating Gloria and paving the way towards that El Dorado known as Radiant City. The film made its ABC debut on March 31, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide