fleagles

Much has been made of Hollywood Shuffle, Robert Townsend's debut film made at a very minimal cost. Unfortunately, the material just isn't very funny. Townsend and his cast try hard, but this comedy is strictly hit or miss, and most of it misses.

Vote: 4

Ben Stiller has become the poster boy for neuroses, and here he is very good as the horribly-named Greg Focker (there are other name issues). Meet The Parents is the story of his trip to the parents of his girlfriend (Teri Polo), and her parents (Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner). Jack takes a particular interest in Greg's background, and as the lies grow, so does the comedy.

Meet The Parents is very funny and features great performances from DeNiro, Stiller, and Owen Wilson as Polo's ex, and is ably directed by Jay Roach.

Vote: 7

A truly original comedy, Dick stars Michelle Williams and Kirsten Dunst as two giggling high school students who unintentionally stumble across the Watergate scandal. They meet Dick (President Richard M. Nixon) who appoints them the White House dog walkers. The girls bring the President cookies (with an unintentional special ingredient) and one of them falls in and out of love with the President, and later they become the infamous Deep Throat, confiding in Woodward and Bernstein, who are constantly competing with each other. (and wait till you see how the 18 1/2 minute gap in the tape was created !)

What makes this film such a treat is not only because it is such a bright satire, but the terrific performances. Both young stars are great, and Dan Hedaya, the best character actor there is, is simply perfect as Richard Nixon. He doesn't do an impersonation, but beautifully displays the paranoia and anger of the man. Saul Rubinek does a great Kissinger, and Will Ferrell and Bruce McCulloch of Saturday Night Live are the famous "Woodstein". This is a film of SNL alumni, including Ana Gasteyer as Rose Mary Woods, Jim Breuer as John Dean, and Harry Shearer as G. Gordon Liddy.