rimjak

A touching telepic, this was perfect for it's original Mother's Day debut. It stars Gloria Reuben (of ER) as woman who grew up in a foster home and now, with her own family life bustling, becomes ever more curious about her biological mother. Flashbacks help the story unfold, from the early '60s where a white woman gives up a black child conceived after a rape. For most of the period that follows, this child lives with a black foster mother (Lynn Whitfield) and grow fond of each other. As a teen, she is adopted by a well meaning but woefully unprepared white liberal (Alice Krige) who gains a black daughter but loses her skittish boyfriend in the process. The young black woman rebels, and eventually runs away, never to return. Now as as she yearns to know the truth and to find her mother, she revisits her foster mother and has a chance encounter with her adoptive mother. Anne Bancroft is superb in a Emmy winning performance as the now aged biological mother. Ruben shines in the lead, and Whitfield and Krige lend fine emotional support. While there are some tear jerking moments in the end, the film itself is more the story of a quest than a simple tearjerker melodrama. Strictly a TV movie, but a very fine one.

The vintage TV series is given a nostalgic (if scatterbrained) treatment, with a cast of old pros and a quick pace. While it is a bit too silly at times, isn't that how the original series was? Jim Varney makes a great Jed Clampett. I love this guy (Hey Ernest!) and this was a once in a lifetime role for him. Cloris Leachman is also a hoot, as Granny. You couldn't have cast that key role any better. That's what I call a 'character actress'. And that appearance by Buddy Ebsen (the original Jed Clampett) is a hilarious surprise! Overall this is good when you want to watch something that doesn't require too much thinking...and its PG! Perfect fare when babysitting...for you AND the kids.

An interesting premise (time travelers go back in time to abduct passengers before they die in plane crashes and use them to populate the polluted future) is almost negated by cheesy performances from a C-list cast (Krist Kristofferson, Cheryl Ladd, Robert Joy, Daniel J. Travanti). Once you start taking it as camp, however, this is quite entertaining, from Travanti's inquisitive Dr. Mayer to Joy's cheesily retro futuristic robot. The special effects have their share of cheese as well, but overall this is pretty decent. One sour note: on the DVD, one bug draw is the alternate ending. But the scene is exactly like the current ending but with a longer musical montage. Talk about anti-climatic!