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Reviews
Cartoons That Time Forgot: The Ub Iwerks Collection (1994)
Almost four hours of fun
I'm over 50 and thought that by now I would have seen just about all the cartoons that have been made, at least in the US. But these were a complete surprise and delight. Cheerful, funny and witty -- you don't get all three very often. Some of these are very old, pre-1930, and reflect their times. For example, bucket of soot might turn a character into a 10 second black-face caricature. But these are spare moments. I used them to explain to my 11 year old daughter about the racism of that era. If you like the early Disney stuff and fret that they "don't make 'em that way anymore" have a look at these.
UFOria (1984)
A little gem
I haven't seen this gem in years, which is my loss. I came to IMDB hoping to see that it was out on DVD. Alas, no. The characters are funny and quirky (not Hollywood phony-quirky) and the story unfolds organically. Having grown up in the 1960s, there were moments that made me laugh out loud in recognition.
Two in particular: Toby (Darrell Larson) a wide-eyed hippie-innocent and his wife are cuddling their newborn son. Toby asks her "Do you think JesusKrishnaBuddha is too heavy a name for him?" Later, when supermarket checker Cindy Williams asks him if he believes in flying saucers. He replies, with a beatific smile, "I believe in everything." It's a great companion line to the hippie in Louis Malle's "Atlantic City," who is cautioned to buckle her seatbelt on the airplane and replies sincerely, "Oh, I don't believe in gravity."
Illuminata (1998)
A gem
I am no fan of Salon, but read their review of this film (follow the link from external reviews) because it sums it up well. This is a funny, thoughtful and romantic movie. The dialog is witty and poignant, and the actors all get moments to shine. John Turturro has made a gem.
BTW, the DVD has excellent production values. One of the best I've seen.
Cold Lazarus (1996)
An amazing accomplishment by Dennis Potter.
I consider Dennis Potter's "The Singing Detective" the best thing ever to appear on TV. "Karaoke-Cold Lazarus" are contenders for second place. It is vital to see Karaoke first because Dennis Potter wrote them as a part of a whole.
Potter racing against the clock to finish Lazarus before he died. They are funny, weird, mysterious and profound -- a rare combination for any medium. It helps to know a bit of Potter's bio to fully appreciate the depth of this accomplishment.
My favorite moment came when slimy TV producer Siltz exults in the opportunity to own a writer's mind (literally) in order to exploit it. I can imagine the smile on Potter's face when he first conceived that scene, seeing it as a metaphor for his showbiz struggles with the Siltzes of the world.
Anyone who appreciates great writing will love this. Dennis Potter wrote a brilliant script about his own death. I doubt anyone will top his feat for a long time.