Steven Wright Movies
A standup comedian who delivers deadpan. surreal jokes, he has occasionally appeared onscreen in supporting roles from 1985. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2008
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Comic Relief: The Greatest... and the Latest features a number of performances by some of the most talented comics of their day performing for a charity that collects money for the homeless. Among the performers who appear on this release are Sarah Silverman, Lewis Black, Jon Stewart, and David Cross. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, (more)
- 2006
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Comedian Steven Wright brings his signature dry wit to Toronto's historic Elgin Theater in this 2006 concert. Wry observations and low-key humor are on display in Wright's first live performance since 1991. The collection of new material includes musings on such random topics as baby monitors, iPods, Santa Claus, and placebos. ~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Wright
- 1998
When word begins to spread that Beverly (Penny Johnson) is pregnant, it doesn't take long for the office to begin a pool to guess the identity of the father. Armed with the knowledge that he is a former guest, speculation begins to fly. Meanwhile, Hank (Jeffrey Tambor) ruins a Wisconsin family's life during a remote shoot. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Documentary filmmaker Nick Davis, the grandson of famed Hollywood screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (Citizen Kane), wrote and directed this comedy-drama about young New Yorkers at a party on New Year's Eve in the year 1999. The dawning millennium brings the partygoers to an existential precipice, where they look into a yawning canyon of angst, identity crises, insecurities, mood swings, doubts, dreams, and dilemmas. In the neat Greenwich Village apartment of Andrew Goldman (Matt McGrath), the party guests include neurotic Rufus Wild (Dan Futterman), aggressive lesbian Suki (Sandrine Holt), Andrew's self-stringent father Harold (Buck Henry), the mysterious, philosophical Goat Man (Steven Wright), immature and bookish Danny (David Gelb), and insecure vocalist Sylvia (Margaret Devine). To kick into the new millennium with a fresh outlook, Rufus attempts to end his relationship with girlfriend Annabell (Jennifer Garner), but he nevertheless feels they shouldn't cancel their plans to go to Andrew's apartment. At the party, Rufus sees Nicole (Amanda Peet), a woman he's wanted. He considers a confession to her of his desires, but a black-and-white flashback with accompanying internal monologue forces him into a reflective self-examination. The music track goes from the baroque (Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni) to alternative rock (Dandy Warhols). Shown at the 1998 L.A. Independent Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Futterman, Jennifer Garner, (more)
- 1993
The Larry Sanders Show gets a new producer in this episode of HBO's popular late-night talk show satire. When Artie gets stuck on the freeway during torrential rains, Paula (Janeane Garofalo), the show's booker, momentarily takes over the reigns as producer. Guest stars include Bruno Kirby, Les Lannom, D.V. DeVincentes, Stephen Wright, and Porno for Pyros. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) throw a party to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Paul tries to recapture the excitement of the original nuptials; Fran and Mark Devanow (Leila Kenzle, Richard Kind) are separated and barely speaking to one another (he wants to kick over the traces by cruising cross-country in his new Range Rover); and romance unexpectedly blossoms between Paul's somewhat off-the-beam assistants, Warren (Steven Wright) and Connie (Meagan Fay). And those are the conditions that prevail as Mad About You closes out its first season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Jerry Lewis guest stars as "the nutty billionaire," aka Freddy Stadler, who wants Paul (Paul Reiser) to make a film about his life. Alas, Paul's new cameraman-editor Warren (Steven Wright) -- a veteran of CNN -- is as dull and phlegmatic as Freddy is wild and energetic. This episode marks the first appearance of Paul's assistant Connie (Meagen Fay). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
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An unusual sports event takes place when a new commissioner decrees that basketball will no longer be a serious sport -- and some of the greatest players in the NBA compete against an All-Star team of comedians. Actors and athletes include Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, George Wendt, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Marv Albert, Shelley Long, Stephen Wright, Bob Saget, Rich Hall, Elayne Boosler, Jim Morris, Chuck Daly, John Salley, Rick Mahorn, Shadoe Stevens, Jimmie Walker, Paul Rodriguez, Vlade Divac, and Mychal Thompson. ~ Alice Duncan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
This video documents the third annual Comic Relief live benefit for America's homeless. Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal return as hosts of Comic Relief in this 1989 event. Directed by Walter C. Miller (who helmed many of TV's All in the Family episodes), this program includes routines from such renowned comedy stars as Bob Newhart, Bob Saget, Steven Wright, and Bobcat Goldthwait. Director Miller also includes portraits of people in need, and of those who have already benefited from these performers' generosity. The organization Comic Relief has gone on to raise and distribute nearly 50 million dollars, providing direct health care services to homeless men, women, and children throughout the United States. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1989
This performance video features a collection of five comedians doing their stuff. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1988
A collection of today's funniest comedians is the focus in this performance video. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1986
This hilarious comedy video contains performances from some of the funniest stand-up comedians of the 1980s as they do their schtick at the Improv comedy clubs. Performers include funnyman/magician Harry Anderson, Billy Crystal, and Michael Keaton. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1985
A better title for this 60-minute comedy video would be Steven Wright Comatose.Still, the poker-faced, flat-voiced Wright can raise more chuckles per minute than most "zany," hyperthyroid comics. There's always the temptation to review a Steven Wright performance by listing the best one-liners. See how we resist temptation, so as not to spoil your fun? Steven Wright Live may not win Mr. Wright any new fans, but the old ones will be utterly satisfied. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
We've had chainsaws, we've had power drills. Now the murder weapon is both portable and easy to conceal (if you're wearing an overcoat). The mysterious killer in Sledgehammer has targeted a previously tranquil small town. His choice of victims? Why, beautiful young women who can't act, of course. After several local lovelies are bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer, the authorities suspect foul play. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
A visting reporter is told that WKRP is just your average, run-of-the-mill station--but events quickly prove otherwise. It all starts when Mr. Carlson (Gordon Jump) insists that Herb promote the station by wearing the costume of the WKRP mascot, the "KRP Carp". Meanwhile, Johnny (Howard Hesseman) and Venus (Tim Reid) participate in an on-the-air experiment involving alcohol intake. And a curiously phlegmatic painter spends forever decorating the walls of the station's reception room. By the end of the day, Johnny and Venus are drunk as skunks, a strange animal is roaming the halls of the station, and several staffers--including uptight Les Nessman (Richard Sanders)--are in jail for beating up the mascot of rival station WPIG. This episode was written under protest by series creator Hugh Wilson (under the nom-de-plume of "Raoul Plager"), in response to CBS' request that WKRP in Cincinnati become less character-driven and more farce-oriented; ironically, it proved to be one of the viewers' favorite episodes! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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
Jim Jarmusch's black-and-white feature Coffee and Cigarettes contains three vignettes originally released as short films along with separate yet somewhat related sketches. As the title suggests, most of the vignettes involve famous people smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. The first, "Coffee and Cigarettes," is a six-minute short from 1986 starring Stephen Wright and Roberto Benigni. The 1989 installment, "Memphis Version," stars Steve Buscemi, Joie Lee, and Cinqué Lee. The award-winning 1993 segment, "Somewhere in California," stars musicians Iggy Pop and Tom Waits. The remaining sketches include Cate Blanchett performing a duel role, a conversation with Bill Murray and members of the Wu-Tang Clan, and Alfred Molina and British television actor Steve Coogan as themselves. In its full-length version form, Coffee and Cigarettes was shown at the 2003 Venice Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roberto Benigni, Steven Wright, (more)
Returning from a food run, kindly kindergarten teacher Kenny (Harland Williams) makes the mistake of feeding a massive amount of junk food to a tired-looking, diabetic NYPD horse, which drops dead. Tossed in jail, Kenny relies on his totally stoned roommates (Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Diaz, Jim Breuer) to devise a way to raise the 100,000-dollar bail. Their solution? Sell marijuana stolen from a government research lab. Cameos in this comedy include Stephen Wright, Janeane Garofalo, Stephen Baldwin, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Willie Nelson, and Jon Stewart. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Diaz, (more)
In Michael Moore's political satire, the U.S. president (Alan Alda) decides to wage a cold war against Canada in an attempt to reverse his slipping popularity, and, as a result, he drives a small group of incensed Canadians to take matters into their own hands. Alda is the first president in years not to lead his country into war, which naturally means that his approval rating is dangerously low. The sure-fire way to boost his popularity is to start a war and demonstrate American superiority. Unfortunately, as his advisors point out, the U.S. has run out of enemies. That is, until Alda's National Security Advisor Stuart Smiley (Kevin Pollak) happens to catch a segment on the news about a brawl at a Canadian hockey game that began when local American sheriff Bud Boomer (John Candy) made a remark about Canadian beer. This incident gives Smiley the notion to make the public believe that Canada is their new enemy. Determined to demonstrate the mighty power of America to the Canadians, Boomer gets a group of equally angry fellow Americans together to cross the border and perform the most serious of all Canadian crimes -- littering. However, the invasion is foiled and Boomer's numerous blunders threaten to turn a fabricated war into a real one. Written, directed, and produced by Michael Moore, Canadian Bacon takes lighthearted jabs at the differences between the U.S. and Canada, while also satirizing America's obsession with its military strength. The film features John Candy in his last complete screen performance. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Alda, John Candy, (more)
A frenetic, bloody look at mass murder and the mass media, director Oliver Stone's extremely controversial film divided critics and audiences with its mixture of over-the-top violence and bitter cultural satire. At the center of the film, written by Stone and Quentin Tarantino, among others, are Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis), a young couple united by their desire for each other and their common love of violence. Together, they embark on a record-breaking, exceptionally gory killing spree that captivates the sensation-hungry tabloid media. Their fame is ensured by one newsman, Wayne Gale (Robert Downey, Jr.), who reports on Mickey and Mallory for his show, American Maniacs. Even the duo's eventual capture by the police only increases their notoriety, as Gale develops a plan for a Super Bowl Sunday interview that Mickey and Mallory twist to their own advantage. Visually overwhelming, Robert Richardson's hyperkinetic cinematography switches between documentary-style black-and-white, surveillance video, garishly colored psychedelia, and even animation in a rapid-fire fashion that mirrors the psychosis of the killers and the media-saturated culture that makes them popular heroes. The film's extreme violence -- numerous edits were required to win an R rating -- became a subject of debate, as some critics asserted that the film irresponsibly glorified its murderers and blamed the filmmakers for potentially inciting copy-cat killings. Defenders argued that the film attacks media obsession with violence and satirizes a sensationalistic, celebrity-obsessed society. Certain to provoke discussion, Natural Born Killers will thoroughly alienate many viewers with its shock tactics, chaotic approach, and disturbing subject matter, while others will value the combination of technical virtuosity and dark commentary on the modern American landscape. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, (more)
In 1992, Reservoir Dogs transformed Quentin Tarantino practically overnight from an obscure, unproduced screenwriter and part-time actor to the most influential new filmmaker of the 1990s. The story looks at what happens before and after (but not during) a botched jewelry store robbery organized by Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney). Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) is a career criminal who takes a liking to newcomer Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) and enjoys showing him the ropes. Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) is a weaselly loner obsessed with professionalism. Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) has just gotten out of jail after taking the rap on a job for Cabot; he's grateful for the work but isn't the same person he used to be. While Mr. Blonde goes nuts during the heist, the thieves are surprised by the sudden arrival of the police, and Mr. Pink is convinced one of their team is a cop. So who's the rat? What do they do about Mr. Blonde? And what do they do with Mr. Orange, who took a bullet in the gut and is slowly bleeding to death? Reservoir Dogs jumps back and forth between pre- and post-robbery events, occasionally putting the narrative on pause to let the characters discuss such topics as the relative importance of tipping, who starred in Get Christie Love!, and what to do when you enter a men's room full of cops carrying a briefcase full of marijuana. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, (more)
