Show 40 Fnday Cgden March 13 1SS7 Movies M ovie exDi ores t ' ! t hum l v' - i By DONALD PORTER Enammef Movie Review staff "Tin Men" is an odd yet ultimately successful mixture of humor and pathos It's about success failure frustration and paranoia and the strange way the human mind has of dealing with such emotions The humor alternates between bawdy and dark but it's always sharp and revealing Moreover "Tin Men" is a funny movie with two funny stars Danny DeVito ("Ruthless People") and Richard Dreyfuss ("Down and Out in Beverly Hills") The two actors play aluminum siding salesmen (tin men get it?) working in Baltimore during the early 1960s Tillcy (DeVito) doesn't have much to be happy about his marriage is going nowhere and his siding sales are way down BB (Dreyfuss) on the other hand is a successful salesman for a rival company and living the bachelor life to the hilt Tilley's and BB's lives intersect one afternoon as BB is backing his shiny new Cadillac out of the car dealer's showroom Tilley who's driving his beauty (all tin men drive new Cadillacs) down the street slams into the rear fender of BB's new car before all four tires make con- - "" Tin Men' -- — i a I — Standard " - H JP- 'K " -- tact with a paved street The two argue cuss at each other and eventually resolve nothing but to get even And when these guys declare war it's They each vandalize the other guy's car threaten to beat each other up and generally act like juvenile delinquents instead of middle-age- d men But the crowning blow comes when BB seduces Tilley's wife (Barbara Hershey) — just to up the ante Barry Levinson ("Diner" "The Natural" "Young Sherlock Holmes") has crafted a r very funny and poignant look at flag! two men who carry their game of to an absurd conBarbara Hershey stars with Richard Dreyfuss in Tin Men' clusion His keen sense of humor is manifest in the everyday congroup of friends used to have so plays a lowdown skunk versations between the tin men similarly insightful and humorous imbues BB with a roguish charm during coffee breaks and at night discussions and wit Sure he's a cheat and a clubs after hours where among The cast of "Tin Men" cast is user but he's an got other things they discuss the histerrific from DeVito and Drey- quality that's undeniableappealing torical accuracy of the TV series fuss on down DeVito as usual The battle between BB and Til"Bonanza" These scenes many comes off as a vulgar slime-baley is played against the backdrop But he adds depth and feeling to of a witch hunt in the aluminum of which take place in a Baltimore diner are reminiscent of Tilley whose luck has mysterisiding business A specially ap"Diner" in which a younger ously vanished Dreyfuss who al pointed commission is looking — r i tr' 'I iiils: Tl J V : r j? fy '5- ''J Touchstone into abuses and scams run by unscrupulous salesmen in the Baltimore area and it looks as if no tin man — including BB and Tilley — will escape the inquisition unscathed This anticipation of impending doom hangs heavy over the motion picture as the two characters' paranoia and frustration continues to mount Pictures "Tin Men" is a curious film One moment you're laughing yourself sick and the next soberly considering the sad predicament of the main characters When one considers all the ground that Levinson covers — the range of human emotions — it becomes clear what a perceptive and enjoyable film "Tin Men" really is 'Cosby' star takes new By DIANE HAITHMAN Newspapers HOLLYWOOD — When Lisa Bonet visited Los Angeles a few weeks ago to talk about her role in Alan Parker's film "Angel Heart" the film wasn't yet particularly controversial Several days later however the film was slapped with an unexpected X rating by the Motion Pic- ture Association of America To put it mildly this caused a stir After much talking cries of censorship and a little cutting (10 seconds to be exact) the MPAA changed its mind and "Angel Heart" an eerie horror tale of the occult received an R rating No matter what the film is rated however "Angel Heart" will remain controversial for Lisa Bonet Bonet 19 is best known as Denise Huxtable on NBC's "The Cosby Show" — which if it were a feature film would definitely rate a squeaky-cleaMary Poppins "G" Audiences may be just as resistant to seeing their Denise in a film as an one In "Angel Heart" Bonet plays Epiphany a illegitimate unwed mother who becomes in her words "a voodoo princess by night" She uses profanity freely has nude scenes and one graphic sex scene with Mickey Rourke (the 10 seconds were cut from this encounter) Whatever the rating Bonet will have to deal —————— 1 ?S& ify?3f j r y v f r r I I IS Lisa i Bonet with the realities of not being just Heathcliff Huxt- able's daughter anymore Bonet lounging on the couch of her hotel suite dressed in torn jeans hiking boots a fatigue jacket and an army surplus hat seemed to be rather enjoying the idea "I had to think about it in terms of whether the Cosby people would let me do it" she said "I went to Bill (Cosby) about it and he was cool — he didn't care But I had no hesitation really "I can't imagine that I'm going to distort some kid's mind just because I did this film because he ain't going to see this film!" she laughed delightedly "I was nervous (about doing the nude scenes) but I certainly wasn't embarrassed I didn't think I had anything to be embarrassed about The only thing I was nervous about was that people would be watching me and judging me It's very personal you know?" And Lisa Bonet as Epiphany is not going to stop Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable from going to college Bonet will star in a new NBC sitcom tentatively titled "Hillman" a "Cosby" named for the fictional predominantly black college Denise will attend — the alma mater of her father and grandfather The series scheduled to air this fall begins shooting in May "She's going to screw up a lot" says Bonet of Denise who will have two dorm roommates played by Dawn Lewis and Marisa Tomei "We're teaching people lessons out there — — — it's not as easy as it looks" Somewhere between work on "Hillman" and occasional appearances on "The Cosby Show" Bonet plans to continue a movie career "I really think I want to stick to the abstract and really create" she enthused "Everything seems like it's been done already That's why a film like (the David Lynch film) 'Blue Velvet' is so important "You know it might not be the best film in the world but it was really bold and took a new step That's the kind of stuff I want to do" Are there a lot of scripts like "Blue Velvet" out there? "No" Bonet said — then paused and added: when you're young and black" "Especially Bonet drifted into an acting career when someone suggested she enroll in an acting class while she was in high school in her hometown of Los Angeles where she lived with her mother a teacher "I never really expected to go very far with (acting) mostly because I never got sent out (on auditions)" she said "All my friends who had blond hair and blue eyes got sent out every day — I got sent out twice a year" One of those auditions however led to "Cosby" i Movies at a glance Sneak preview BURGLAR (R) Language violence Whoopi Goldberg plays a woman who moonlights as a burglar The film Bob Goldthwait Watch for a review when it opens its regular run at local theaters Sneak preview Saturday only at the Mann Fourplcx New releases HEAT (R) Language violence Burt Reynolds' latest has him starring as an who's a compulsive gambler in hot water with the Mob Watch for a review next week Cinedome n Cinema Six TIN MEN (R) Violence language adult situations Danny DeVito and Richard Dre fuss star as two Baltimore aluminum siding salesmen who do haute ocr a r accident Their little game soon gets out of hand though and lives are forever disrupted A by director Barry Levinson ("Diner" "The Natural" "Young Shcrloik Holmes") Sec the review in this section Mann fourplcx WITCHDOARD (R) Violence Teens get into trouble playing with a Ouija board Watch for a review WiKhire Continuing films AN AMERICAN TAIL (G) An absolutely wonderful animated film bs Don liiuth ("The Secret of NIMH") about a family of emigrant mice who tome to America with the belief there me no uts and that the streets are with theese It'i aimed primarily pj I he kids hut parents will enjoy it loo I aMnti Cincrij Su ' ANCEL HEART (K) iiudtt) adult situations gore Muki) Ruurkc Robert De Niro and Lisa lionet ("Ihe Cosby Show") star in this ItSenJ of "film nou" and horror by director Man Parker ("Midnight Ex Ratings guide Reviews are by Donald Porter Excellent Very good Fair P0C Worthless press" "Birdy") The film has been getting a lot of ink lately concerning its explicit sex and excessive gore and there's plenty of both But those who aren't put off by such things will find this to be a fascinating motion picture that will have you talking about it and contemplating its many meanings for weeks to come Wilshirc BLACK WIDOW (R) ': Language adult situations violence This thriller has Debra Winger on the trail of a woman who marries then murders wealthy men Good idea but this is a thriller with no suspense And it also cops out on exploration of the obvious romantic attraction between the two women Walker THE COLOR PURPLE ) violence adult situaLanguage tions Steven Spielberg's excellent adaption of Alice Walker's novel about a repressed black woman struggling to gain and happiness in her life Newgate Cinema Four LanCRITICAL CONDITION (R) guage violence adult situations Richard Pryor's fifth comedy bomb in a row has him impersonating an emergency room physician during a blackout in New York It is not funny and stupid Newpatc Cinema Tour "CROCODILE" DUNDEE ) Language adult situations An Australian film about a great hunter who supposedly crafted for miles alter a crocodile bit his leg olT An American re porter irjcl Down t'nder to investigate the Mors and winds up bringing the hunter back to New Yoik with her to record his impressions of life in the city Excellent performances high comedy musical about a man a woman and a Capitol Mann City Plaza plant from outer space Rick '2 LanFROM THE HIP (PG) Moranis stars in this adaption from the guage Judd Nelson plays a rookie lawhit Broadway musical which was adaptyer with a penchant for courtroom ed from an old cult classic theatrics and unethical behavior in this Roger Corman film One of the year's surprisingly good movie There's an inmost daring and original films "Little teresting subplot concerning legal ethics Shop of Horrors" is also one of the best at the film's core but it's sometimes obSteve Martin John Candy and Bill Murscured by distracting attempts at romanray make cameo appearances Newgate tic comedy John Hurt delivers a chilling Cinema Four supporting performance as an accused MANNEQUIN (PG) 'j Language killer Capitol Mann City Plaza Andrew McCarthy stars as a young man THE GOLDEN CHILD ) 'i who falls in love with a department Violence language Eddie Murphy is store mannequin If the very idea turns back as a social worker who's searching you off you'll have no trouble hating for a child with divine powers There's this stupid insulting and amateurish s too much and not enough movie Miss it! Mann Fourplcx humor from Murphy THE MOSQUITO COAST (PG) This film is too stupid to be serious and Violence language Harrison too dependent on special effects Miss it Ford plays the part of a father who takes his family to live in the jungles of Country Club Newgate Cinema Four Rov America in order to get away from Vj Language HOOSIERS (PG) the decadence of US society This is a Gene Hackman stars as a former college riveting story of a man's gradual descent basketball coach who takes a job as the into lunacy Walker coach of an Indiana high school team NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET The story based on fact follows the PART 3: DREAM WARRIORS (R) team's entire season Dennis Hopper relanguage nudity adult situaceived an Academy Award nomination tions Freddy's back for more slashing for hisTolc as the alcoholic father of one fun Layton Cinema Six Mann City Plaof the players A very entertaining mov za ic that combines human drama with the OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE (R) thrilling aspects of athletic competition Vj Language violence Bene Midler Mann Fourplcx Carlin and Peter Shelley Long George LADY AND THE TRAMP (G) Coyote star in this about The classic Disney talc of romance betwo women who love the same man tween dogs of different status Newand pursue him across the country Midgate Cinema Four ler is very funny as is Carlm But Long LETHAL WEAPON (R) retreads the same territory she covers as Mel Gibson and Danny language Diane Chambers on the TV scries Gloscr star in this police r "Cheers" Nonetheless this is a very enGibson plays a detective who's skilled at tertaining film Cincdnme anous methods of phssual combat and OVER THE TOP (PG) Vio employs them on the city streets Muih lence mild language Sylvester Stallone of the plot is silly and stupid but the plays a hard luck case who trie to maincharm generated by the tain a relationship with his son and win two stars and the leihnically proficient it big in professional aim wrestling It action sequences win sou ocr It's a may be the least ofivnsisc Stallone mov fun Friday night laton ie since "Kinky" but it's still full of cliCinema Six Mann ( itv PIij ches and predn table plot devices Its for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Stallone lam only layton ) A lanfUJi'c sntem-Cinema Su to PLATOON (R) Violence Finally a film about the Vietnam War told from the perspective of the common foot soldier Director Oliver Stone's tale of his wartime experiences is riveting and recently scored eight Academy Award nominations Superb performances throughout This film will shock and horrify but it must be seen especially by the generation who believes the Vietnam experience to be something like a Chuck Norris or Sylvester Stallone film Layton Cinema Six Mann Fourplcx Walker SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL "? (PG) Language violence The latest John Hughes ("The Breakfast Club" in "Pretty Pink") film investigating teen Angst We finally get to see Eric Stoltz film without a ("Mask") in a ton of makeup but the movie is nothing more than a retread of another of Hughes' films: "Pretty in Pink" it isn't as good as that film It's r filmmaking at its worst Walker Wilshire STAR TREK IVl THE VOYAGE ' HOME (PG) Language violence This time out for a change of pace the crew of the Starship Enterprise go where people have already been — back to 1986 to kidnap a whale and transport it into the future Although the film suffers slightly from director Leonard Nimoy'i obvious tip of the hat to Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space " and the sequel "2010" the humor in the script and the lively performances make up for most of the flaws This is a highly entertaining installment in the ongoing scries of films and the best since JStar Trek II The Wrath of Khan" Layton Cinema Sn Mann City language Plaa THREE AMICOS (PG) violence Stcse Martin Chevy and Mattin Short star in this comejy written by Martin Randy Newman and Lome Michaels In short it has nary a laugh in it and as such is one of the scar's worst Comedies New fate Cinema I uur C have |