Capsule Movie Reviews
Copyright (c) 1994, Bruce Diamond
All rights reserved

     
     
        Ŀ
          JUNIOR:  Ivan Reitman, director.  Kevin Wade and Chris   
          Conrad, screenplay.  Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny        
          DeVito, Emma Thompson, Frank Langella, Pamela Reed, and  
          Judy Collins. Universal.  Rated PG-13.                   
        

          If the idea of Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming pregnant
     induces shivers in you, then avoid JUNIOR at all costs.  If,
     however, a gentle comedy about understanding between the sexes
     appeals to you, then this reuniting of TWINS director, Ivan
     Reitman, and co-stars Schwarzenegger and DeVito is the movie for
     you.  Never tacky or tasteless, JUNIOR handles male pregnancy
     seriously, for a comedy, and offers another interpretation of
     procreation.  Emma Thompson is on-hand as Ahnold's love interest,
     playing the part of a klutzy scientist with great knockabout
     fervor that helps keep the picture moving through its draggy
     portions, of which there are too many.
     
     RATING:  6 out of 10
     
     
==========
     
        Ŀ
          INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE:  Neil Jordan, director.  Anne  
          Rice, screenplay based on her novel.  Tom Cruise, Brad   
          Pitt, Antonio Banderas, Stephen Rea, Christian Slater,   
          and Kirsten Dunst.  Geffen Pictures.  Warner Bros,       
          distributor.  Rated R.                                   
        

          Tom Cruise is Top Fang as novelist Anne Rice's vampire
     Lestat, in one of his juiciest roles ever.  His rich, vibrant
     performance nearly sucks the life out of co-star Brad Pitt's
     portrayal of Lestat's proteg, Louis, in comparison.  A solid
     supporting cast keeps the film's life-blood pumping, although a
     showy second half set in Paris contrasts jarringly with the moody
     first half.  The astonishing Kirsten Dunst, as the vampire
     woman-child Claudia, steals every scene she appears in.
     
     RATING:  8 out of 10
     
     
==========
     
     
                             SEASON'S GREETINGS
     
        Ŀ
         MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET:  Les Mayfield, director.  George  
         Seaton and John Hughes, screenplay.  Based on the 1947    
         screenplay by George Seaton.  Valentine Davies, story.    
         Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson, Elizabeth Perkins,     
         Dylan McDermott, J.T. Walsh, with William Windom and      
         Robert Prosky.  20th Century Fox.  Rated PG (mild lan-    
         guage and pratfalls).                                     
        

          Writer/producer John Hughes, creator of the hugely-
     successful HOME ALONE movies, updates the Christmas classic with
     Sir Richard Attenborough (JURASSIC PARK) as an eerily-genuine
     Kriss Kringle.  Kringle's a department-store Santa who thinks
     he's the real thing, and tries to prove so in a court of law.
     MRS. DOUBTFIRE's Mara Wilson endearingly lisps her way through
     the movie as a non-believing youngster who's swayed by Kringle's
     good nature and twinkling eyes.
     
     RATING:  5 out of 10
     
     
==========
     
        Ŀ
           THE SANTA CLAUSE:  John Pasquin, director.  Leo Ben-    
           venuti & Steve Rudnick, screenplay.  Tim Allen, Judge   
           Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, David Krumholtz, Eric Lloyd,   
           and Peter Boyle.  Walt Disney.  Rated PG (Santa falls   
           off a roof, misc. slapstick.)                           
        

          Tim Allen's Santa could use some Nome Improvement -- the
     script is littered with fat jokes and other "comedic" misfirings,
     making THE SANTA CLAUSE one of the most mean-spirited Christmas
     flicks of recent history (even considering the gosh-awful SILENT
     NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT series).  Allen becomes Santa by donning the
     jolly old elf's red suit after St. Nick accidentally falls from
     the toy executive's roof.  That scene alone may make the movie
     unacceptable for the under-five set.
     
     RATING:  2 out of 10
     
     
==========
     
        Ŀ
         THE PAGEMASTER:  Joe Johnston & Maurice Hunt, directors.  
         David Kirschner, David Casci, Ernie Contreras, screen-    
         play.  Kirschner, Casci, story.  Macauley Culkin, Chris-  
         topher Lloyd, Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Stewart, Leonard   
         Nimoy, and Frank Welker.  20th Century Fox.  Rated G.     
        

          Young Richie Tyler must survive horror, adventure and
     fantasy after stumbling into a library inhabited by animated
     books.  Macauley Culkin, more appealing as a cartoon than in real
     life, proves to be an entertaining voice talent, especially when
     teamed with the likes of Whoopi Goldberg and Patrick Stewart.
     Older kids may find the storyline bland, with cursory glances at
     such classics as MOBY DICK and TREASURE ISLAND, but younger
     children may be entranced by the colorful characters.  Smooth
     animation, but a minor entry in toon annals.
     
     RATING:  5 out of 10
     
     
==========
     
        Ŀ
         THE SWAN PRINCESS:  Richard Rich, director.  Brian Nis-   
         sen, screenplay.  Rich and Nissen, story.  Jack Palance,  
         Howard McGillin, Michelle Nicastro, John Cleese, Steven   
         Wright, Steve Vinovich, and Sandy Duncan.  Nest Enter-    
         tainment.  New Line Cinema.  Rated G.                     
        

          Loosely adapted from SWAN LAKE, this movie resulted from the
     efforts of a nest of former Disney animators, and the influence
     of that larger studio shows.  The animation is smooth, if bland
     and lacking in depth, and the character design is well thought-
     out and delineated.  The music that surrounds the story of a
     princess enchanted to live her days as a swan is the standout
     element, ranging from Broadway-esque show tunes to jazz pop to an
     old-time Hollywood musical number.  The youngest kids will get a
     kick out of a turtle named Speed and a decidedly-French frog,
     Jean-Bob, voiced by former Monty Pythoner John Cleese.
     
     RATED:  4 out of 10
