The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming

United Artists

May 25, 1966

Comedy
DVD
D+

I'd heard of this movie for years, but the first quarter hour is kind of flat.  This is based on Nathaniel Benchley's novel The Off-Islanders, and directed by Norman Jewison.

The Man with Two Brains

The Man with Two Brains

Warner Bros.

June 3, 1983

Comedy, Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I liked this when I saw it maybe ten years ago but today it was more tasteless and less funny than I recalled.  (Or maybe it was Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid that I liked.)  Carl Reiner directed and cowrote.

The Majestic

The Majestic

Warner Bros.

December 21, 2001

Historical Drama

DVD
B-

This movie is long and more complicated than it seems capable of resolving, but I generally enjoyed it, including the contrast between Lawson and the more hostile world outside.  The cameo voicework by various directors adds some humor.  Also, I always prefer the more serious, less manic Jim Carrey, as in The Truman Show (which had a different relationship to the safe little world and the big scary world of course).  Frank Darabont directed a couple years after The Green Mile, which was much less my kind of movie.

The Jerk

The Jerk

Universal

December 14, 1979

Comedy
DVD
D+

I've of course heard of this movie since the time but never seriously sat down and watched it before.  The only mildly funny part in the first quarter hour was the title character's feeble first attempt to hitchhike.  Martin stars and co-wrote.  Carl Reiner directed.

The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle

The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle

Universal

June 30, 2000

Comedy, Animation

DVD
C

I was rooting for this to at least hit the C+ level, like Dudley Do-Right, but even twenty minutes in, it just hadn't clicked, although there were touches I like and the cast is certainly interesting.  I think the fact that Natasha (Russo) did almost nothing but pose didn't help.  Des McAnuff directed.

This is on a "Four Movie Marathon" pack of "Family Comedies," all of them based on TV shows, although Josie & the Pussycats (which I'm skipping over since I own it) was a comic book first.