David Spade in "Dickie Roberts Former Child Star"
courtesy of Paramount Home Video
"Child Stars Do Grow Up"

David Spade is the star of "Dickie Roberts Former Child Star," a comedy which is now available at your local video store. In this film Spade is crude, crass and ultimately lovable. Or at least he tries to be.

Dickie Roberts longs for the fame that has gone away since he grew up. He wants it all back and he wants it back badly. One day he auditions for a part he knows he is right for, but the producer says the role has to go to someone who knows what it is to have a normal life. Dickie missed out on all that so he hires a family to let him be their child. He figures he can recreate a perfect childhood and absorb the normal part.

Troubles ensue when Dickie finds himself falling for his "new mom" (Mary McCormack). Things get even more complicated when his old girl friend (Alyssa Milano) moves in with him. 

The movie has its bad moments but it also has some good ones. The "We are the World" type singalong at the end of the movie is not one of the good. A chorus of former child stars sing a tribute to their careers, which is profane and crude. This group includes Maureen McCormick, Charlene Tilton, Emmanuel Lewis and Corey Haim among others.

If you are a David Spade fan, and I know some of you are; look for this movie. It is more Spade than you could ever want.

"The Lion King 11/2" is one of those rarities, a sequel that is almost as good as the original. The reason is that most of the cast and talent involved with the original are back again. This includes Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as Timon and Pumbaa.

These beloved characters are responsible for the plot that involves filling in the holes in the plot of the original film, from their perspective. Plus we get some new songs and a lot of new comedy. But there are also flashbacks to scenes from the old movie with the new scenes blending with them seamlessly.

"The Lion King 11/2" is a movie to celebrate. Don't let you kids miss out on the joy of it all. Get it today!

Bob Dylan is the star of the movie "Masked and Anonymous" and that is either good news or bad depending on how you feel about him. But he is in this film at his mumbling, bumbling best, or worst.

The film is about a concert and the return of a veteran performer. Everything else in the film is either obscure or pointless. But a host of stars parade through it and they include Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange and John Goodman.

This movie is a confused mess but you might find some nuggets of entertainment in it, if you sift thoroughly and search diligently. Or you might just want to forget it and move on to something else.

"Blow-Up" is also a muddled film but it is also something of a classic. Released in 1966 this film by Michaelangelo Antonioni was dismissed by some and adored by others. It tells the story of a photographer (David Hemmings) who takes a photograph in a park and later decides he might have captured a murder on film.

A young Vanessa Redgrave co-stars in the film as a mysterious woman who might hold the clue to the mystery. It is all fuzzy and confusing but ultimately it is also entertaining.

In "American Gun" James Coburn plays a man whose daughter has been shot and killed and his granddaughter is a runaway. He decides to trace down the gun that was used to murder his daughter. This takes him around the country and always the identity of the killer is one step away.

This was James Coburn's last film role so it is important for that fact alone. His co-stars in the movie include Barbara Bain, Virginia Madsen and Alexandra Holden. They all join forces to tell this "anti-handgun" film.

Kurupt, Ryan Combs and Tony Cox star in the strange comedy "I Accidentally Domed Your Son." In this film four friends try to score some drugs and accidentally are involved in the death of the son of a member of the mob. They end up on the lam and in fear for their lives - or are they. Was it the drugs or was it real. See the movie and find out.

Finally there is "Mambo Italiano," a movie in which a young man tries to deal with his ethnic family and also admit to them he is gay. Yes, it is a variation on "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" but it manages to have some charm of its own.

Paul Sorvino, Luke Kirby, Ginette Reno and Claudia Ferri head the cast and they are fun and fabulously entertaining. Take a chance on this one. You might like it a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

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