Mitch Markowitz Movies
- 2002
During the running of a citywide marathon, Gwen Zaleski (Brandi Marie Ward) killed in a 21-story fall. Under normal circumstances, the principal suspect would be Gwen's lover, brash young furniture mogul Trevor McDowell (Peter Outerbridge). But McDowell has the perfect alibi: He was running in the marathon, and he has irrefutable evidence to prove it. Still convinced that McDowell is guilty, Monk hopes that he can prove his theory with the roundabout assistance of his lifelong idol, legendary Nigerian marathoner Tonday Mawaaka (Zakes Mokae)--not to mention his own long-suppressed running skills! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The good (if not fully evolved) citizens of Bedrock make their way to the big screen in this live-action adaptation of the popular animated series of the 1960s. Fred Flintstone (John Goodman) and his best friend Barney Rubble (Rick Moranis) work together at the Slate and Company Rock Quarry. When Fred loans Barney some money that allows him and his wife Betty (Rosie O'Donnell) to adopt a child, Barney is looking for a way to show his gratitude. Barney thinks he's found one when the executives at Slate and Company announce that they're giving all their employees intelligence tests to help determine future promotions. When Barney switches his high-scoring test with Fred's, his plan works -- but not quite the way he had hoped: Fred is deemed executive material and given a big promotion, complete with a sexy secretary (Halle Berry) who makes his wife Wilma (Elizabeth Perkins) jealous, while Barney is soon out of a job and can't pay his bills. Bill Hanna and Joseph Barbara, who created the original television series, make cameo appearances here; Elizabeth Taylor gives a fine comic performance as Wilma's nagging mother, and Harvey Korman provides the voice of the Dictabird. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Goodman, Elizabeth Perkins, (more)
Dudley Moore stars as Emory Lesson, an advertising genius whose finds himself committed to an insane asylum in Tony Bill's Crazy People. Emory becomes tired with creating phony ad campaigns and decides to create his own campaigns that tell the brutal truth. Since sex sells, Emory designs an explicit ad campaign consisting of unadorned sexuality. The campaign is so offensive that his colleagues have Emory put in a mental institution. At first Emory resists, but under the tutelage of a concerned psychiatrist, Dr. Liz Baylor (Mercedes Ruehl) and the tender love of Kathy (Daryl Hannah) a beautiful patient, Emory begins to like it in the mental home. Befriending the cute and lovable patients in the mental ward, Emory discovers that the crazy people are natural-born advertising geniuses and Emory utilizes their genius for a new ad campaign. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dudley Moore, Daryl Hannah, (more)
Ward and June Cleaver have nothing on suburban couple Ray and Carol Peterson (Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher). Together with their perfect son, Ray and Carol are so clean that they squeak. Thus, when new neighbors Dr. Werner Klopek (Henry Gibson), Uncle Reuben (Brother Theodore), and Hans (Courtney Gains) begin evincing bizarre behavior, Ray is slightly put out. Carol thinks that Ray is getting all worked up over nothing. Ray and his fellow suburbanites endure all sorts of slapstick misadventures in the vain hope of getting "the goods" on the newcomers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, (more)
The film begins in 1965, when disc jockey Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) is assigned to take over the AFR's Saigon radio broadcasts. In contrast to the dull, by-rote announcers that have preceded him, Cronauer is a bundle of dynamite, heralding each broadcast with a loud "Goooooood morning, Vietnaaaaam," playing whatever records tickle his fancy (even those not officially sanctioned by his hidebound superiors), and indulging in wild flights of improvisational fancy. Cronauer's immediate superior Lt. Hauk (Bruno Kirby), whose own notions of humor are puerile and pathetic, jealously attempts to dethrone Vietnam's favorite rock jock. Fortunately, Cronauer's popularity is such that he enjoys the full protection of the higher-ups. But when Cronauer, after experiencing the horrors of war first-hand, insists upon telling his listeners the truth instead of the official government line, he is instantly replaced by the unfunny Hauk and must struggle to get back on the air. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, (more)
We'd rather not speculate over how much of Best Friends is autobiographical. We'll just note that this story of a male-female screenwriting team was written by real-life married scenarists Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin. Lovers as well as collaborators, scriveners Richard Babson (Burt Reynolds) and Paula McCullen (Goldie Hawn) decide to make their union legal. Predictably enough, they discover that their relationship goes straight downhill after they say "I do." The stars are far less interesting than the supporting cast, including Jessica Tandy and Barnard Hughes as Hawn's parents, Audra Lindley and Keenan Wynn as Reynolds' folks, Ron Silver as an avaricious producer (no names, please!), and Richard Libertini as a Mexican justice of the peace. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, (more)
- 1980
Selma Diamond makes her first series appearance as Mildred Rafkin, sister of Henry's late tenant. Swooping into the apartment now occupied by Henry's daughters, Jackie (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) and Sara (Lydia Cornell), Mildred presumptively strips the place of all its furniture. Outraged, the girls threaten to move out, leaving poor Henry (Ted Knight) with the unenviable task of making nice-nice with the impossible Mildred. ~ Rovi
- 1980
College student Sara (Lydia Cornell) gets a part-time job as a waitress. The uniform she is required to wear leaves very little to the imagination. Taking one look at the skimpy outfit, Sara's overprotective dad, Henry (Ted Knight), blows his stack. Fed up with her husband's bombastic behavior, Henry's wife, Muriel (Nancy Dussault), moves in with Sara and her sister, Jackie (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) -- and the episode isn't even half over yet! ~ Rovi
- 1979
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) is forced into a difficult decision: Should he immediately tend to a wounded American patient, or try to save the life of a more seriously injured North Korean prisoner? Hawkeye's actions arouse the Commie-baiting suspicions of xenophobic CIA agent Colonel Flagg (Edward Winter), and stirs up resentment from the best friend of the wounded American GI. The best moment occurs when mild-mannered Radar (Gary Burghoff) stands up to the obnoxious Flagg (coincidentally, this episode represents the final series appearance of Edward Winter). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1979
The usually healthy ego of Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester II (David Ogden Stiers) takes quite a beating thanks to the expertise of a brilliant young surgeon (James Cannings). While Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell try to catch up with the latest surgical procedures, the disgruntled Charles goes on a bender. And in another development, Col. Potter (Harry Morgan) ends up a patient thanks to a bout of phlebitis--and seems curiously disinclined to get back on his feet. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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