Frankie and Johnny 1991   R, 118 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Garry Marshall
Cast: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hector Elizondo, Nathan Lane, Kate Nelligan, Jane Morris, Greg Lewis, Glenn Plummer, Harvey Miller, K Callan, Al Fann, Ele Keates
Based on Terrence McNally's great play, this movie adaptation is about the romance of cynical waitress Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer) and just-released-from-prison short-order cook Johnny (Al Pacino). 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | More than the sum of its parts | 1fatts 10/28/2007 | There are reasons this film should not work. It does not transfer well from its theatrical origins: there are "speeches" that are too clearly "speeches"; too many characters are stereotypical "New York menagerie of mankind." The ending is cornball by anyone's standards.
And yet the film DOES work, by and large. Credit to a really good cast and a more quiet control of tone and pacing than one generally expects from Garry Marshall. True, Michelle Pfeiffer is too pretty for the part, but she projects a quiet, sad emptiness which is convincing, even moving, and forms the center of the piece. And, true, Al Pacino can't quite pull off an optimistic innocent, but he is genuinely likable, and you pull for him.
We are ready to extend our suspension of disbelief a little farther than we might usually do because these are characters we care for, people who have not had an easy time of it and could use a break; and we are willing to gloss over the sit-com slickness of some of it to allow them the break. We would really like them to have a shot at doing better.
. . . and it helps if you like Clair de lune. |
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Logan's Run 1976  PG, 120 min.
Genre: Drama / Sci-Fi / Adventure / Romance
Director: Michael Anderson
Cast: Michael York, Richard Jordan, Jenny Agutter, Roscoe Lee Browne, Farrah Fawcett, Peter Ustinov, Randolph Roberts, Lara Lindsay, Gary Morgan, Greg Lewis, Michael Anderson Jr., Michelle Stacy, David Westberg, Camilla Carr, Richard Kelton
In a man-made city of the 23rd century, humans live in a world without crime, hunger, or strife. The only problem is that no one is allowed to live past the age of 30 (population control). Concerned about his future, almost-30-year-old Logan (Michael York) escapes the city and is joined by Jessica (Jenny Agutter). Although Logan's former partner Francis (Richard Jordan) is on their trail, determined to catch Logan and end his rebellion, Logan and Jessica clear their city and enter the outside world where adventure and dangers await. This Academy Award winner for Best Visual Effects gets high marks in that realm.
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| 1. Frankie and Johnny (1991)
2. Logan's Run (1976)
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