Monica Johnson Movies

A man tries to figure out why his best friend isn't his mother in this comedy written and directed by Albert Brooks. John Henderson (Brooks) is a neurotic, self-obsessed writer whose relationships with women have been almost uniformly disastrous. Middle-aged and single, John decides that he must come to terms with his problems with women, and he decides to start with the first significant female relationship of his life -- his mother, Beatrice (Debbie Reynolds). John arrives at Beatrice's house and announces that he's moving back into his old room until he can resolve his issues with her. Beatrice politely plays along, but she is more puzzled by John's behavior than anything else. John and Beatrice soon find that they spend less time trying to resolve their differences than arguing if salads can be frozen or if you can really tell the difference between premium ice cream and the supermarket's store brand. Rob Morrow plays John's brother, and Lisa Kudrow plays one of John's less compatible blind dates. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Bored with their cushy suburban existence, yuppie David (Albert Brooks) talks his wife Linda (Julie Hagerty) into selling everything they own and hitting the road to "see America." As a starting-over gesture, David and Linda are romantically remarried in Las Vegas -- which, ironically, proves to be the beginning of the end of their idyll. In short order, Linda loses their life's savings, the couple nearly self-destructs at Hoover Dam, they take blue-collar jobs in a go-nowhere Arizona town, and....Well, if you know your Albert Brooks, be prepared for a steady stream of manic social satire. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Robert Louis Stevenson's novel is satirized in this comedy about a scientist (Mark Blankfield) who is hopelessly addicted to his latest invention, a strange white powder. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

In the future (the distant year of 1997), the United States of America is in crisis. The oil shortage has grown to epic proportions, leading to people living in their cars and bicycling to work. Cigarettes and meat have been outlawed, gold coins are needed to operate common household appliances, and the Western White House (located in a luxury apartment in California) has been forced by economic necessity to operate round-the-clock tours for vacationing Chinese citizens. The economy is deep trouble; President Chet Roosevelt (John Ritter) has borrowed four billion dollars from Native American tennis shoe manufacturer Sam Birdwater (Chief Dan George), and he's foreclosing on the loan. When a media expert, Eric McMerkhin (Peter Riegert), is summoned for advice (since despite all hardships, Americans refuse to give up their televisions), he suggests a telethon. It's a great idea, except the President's assistant Vincent Vanderhoff (Fred Willard) is in cahoots with the United Heb-Rab Republic, a sinister coalition of Israeli and Arab nationals who want to snap up America if the debt can't be paid. He ensures that the show is stocked with endless ventriloquists and insists on Monty Rushmore (Harvey Korman), a washed-up, drug-addicted television personality as host. The star of the popular sitcom "Both Mother and Father," he is sure to self-destruct over the grueling 30-day-and-night telethon schedule. Despite terrorist attacks and the kidnapping of President Roosevelt, the patriotic spirit prevails and American citizens dig deep and pledge their gold to the cause. This outrageous farce (based on a play by Firesign Theatre alumni Philip Proctor and Peter Bergman) features cameos from Elvis Costello, Jay Leno, Meat Loaf and the Del Rubio Triplets, and is narrated by George Carlin. The Beach Boys, Eddie Money, and Nick Lowe contribute to the musical soundtrack. ~ Fred Beldin, Rovi

Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) accompany Carmine (Eddie Mekka), Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) to a telecast of the zany game show "Be Silly for Dollars." Though the guys had hoped to be contestants, it is the girls who are selected to appear on-camera. Forced to choose between a utility item and a "World of Luxury" prize, Laverne and Shirley end up being tied back to back for a wild cake-tossing event! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

After an absence of many years, Shirley's irresponsible father Jack (Scott Brady) shows up and makes a dinner engagement with his daughter. Hours pass, and Jack fails to show up. Disconsolately, Shirley (Cindy Williams) tries to track down her dad by searching every two-bit beer joint and gin mill in town--with startling results. Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall (Laverne) sing "Daddy's Little Girl". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The 33-year-old Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) falls head over heels in love with Stephen (Peter Strauss), a man who is nearly a decade younger than she. Bristling at the admonitions of her friends over giving her heart away to a mere "boy," Mary is determined to make the romance work. All this changes when she and Rhoda (Valerie Harper) attend a party with several of Peter's contemporaries. "Angels in the Snow" first aired on September 22, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi