Hey_Sweden

One of the most hysterical 'Fawlty Towers' episodes has Basil trying to run the place by himself while Sybil is in the hospital having an operation. There will be a group of German guests, an utterly dismal fire drill, and a tacky moose head to be hung up in the lobby. Basil, unfortunately, has the idea that the place simply can't function without him.

The comedy highlights are plenty, especially that aforementioned fire drill, which is paid off with a predictable but priceless twist, the fate of the moose head, and what happens when Basil suffers a concussion, escapes the hospital, and proceeds to make a shamble of things trying to impress the German guests while obviously suffering the effects of the concussion.

Cleese is a joy to watch, as he gets all tongue-tied, says all the wrong things, and even indulges in a "funny walk", leaving the Germans feeling quite perturbed indeed. Andrew Sachs (Manuel) is hilarious as always, and Ballard Berkeley ("Stage Fright") as Major Gowen is given more to do than usual, including a memorable conversation that he has with Cleese early on.

The whole thing is so blissfully un-P. C. and lively, and just gets better & better as it goes along. It's a must for all fans of British comedy.

Nine out of 10.

"Juice" is an engaging early-90s urban drama of four streetwise young black men looking for that elusive thing known as "juice" - meaning power and respect on the street. Q (Omar Epps) thinks he can rise above his situation by achieving success as a DJ. But his pal Bishop (Tupac Shakur) is willing to resort to more ruthless methods; specifically, robbing a convenience store at gunpoint.

"Juice" is a good film of its type, even if it doesn't have quite the impact of "Boyz N the Hood" or "Menace II Society". It benefits from its authentic location work, and a cutting-edge and catchy hip-hop soundtrack. The young cast does creditable work, with Shakur rating as the MVP: he has natural screen presence as the unhinged member of the crew who ultimately gets much too trigger-happy. Also turning up in solid supporting performances are Cindy Herron (from the singing group En Vogue), Queen Latifah, Samuel L. Jackson, and Vincent Laresca. There are also cameos from various hip-hop celebrities.

Co-written by Ernest R. Dickerson, who was Spike Lees' regular cinematographer at the time, this saw the talented D. P. making his directing debut as well. And it does bear his stamp, as it is a stylish film with a particularly memorable interrogation scene.

Overall, "Juice" is worth a look for fans of the cast and the genre.

Seven out of 10.

In Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, the black 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed, resulting in the death of four innocent children - the little girls of the title. As horrible as this event was, it served as a wake-up call to white America just how prevalent racial hatred was in the nation, and it also served as a catalyst to further accelerate the Civil Rights Movement.

Foregoing the use of a narrator, producer / director Spike Lee wisely lets his many interview subjects speak for themselves, and the results are riveting. The film paints a very vivid picture of these individuals whose lives were shattered by that event, as well as a vivid portrait of a turbulent time and place in Americas' history.

All in all, the effect that "4 Little Girls" has on the viewer is quite potent - especially as we think about how hatred & bigotry continue to be prevalent in the modern world. (It's mentioned during the course of the film that black churches were still being targeted in the 90s.)

While the results may elicit strong emotions from the viewer, there's no denying that there's also some real strength of character among the people being interviewed - people determined to fight for what they believe in.

Among those interviewed are grown-up friends & siblings, other family members, activists, politicians, and the prosecutor who was finally able to help convict the key perpetrator 14 years after the fact.

One of Lees' finest efforts, this was made for HBO initially, but received a theatrical release as well.

Eight out of 10.