“Airplane!”
The 1980 release about an ex-fighter pilot (Robert Hays) who takes control of an airliner when the crew is incapacitated had a massive affect on film comedies. The irreverent humor, quick cuts and one-liners used by writers/directors Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker and David Zucker became a pattern filmmakers would copy for the next 40 years.
It stars Leslie Nielsen, Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves.
Grade: A
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon“
There’s a very good reason director Michael Bay’s film runs two hours and 33 minutes.
It needed to be that long to get in all of the embarrassingly bad acting, predictable plot twists and stupid dialogue.
Grade: D+
“How I Met Your Mother: Season Six”
This is one of the most underrated comedies on television. Neil Patrick Harris has gotten attention for his hilarious performance as the womanizing Barney Stinson, but this series works because of the comedic skills of the entire cast, which includes Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan.
The cleverly written show takes the familiar friends format and gives it a goofy spin.
Grade: B
Also new
“Footloose“: Deluxe edition of the 1984 film is being released before remake hits theaters.
“The Cleveland Show: The Complete Season Two”: Animated FOX family comedy.
“CSI — Eleventh Season”: Seasons wraps up stories with Laurence Fishburne.
Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)
“Lost Empires”: A young man (Colin Firth) comes of age on the eve of World War I.
“Law & Order Special Victims Unit: Year 12”: Christopher Meloni stars.
“Queer as Folk: The Complete Collection”: Set includes both seasons of the British series.
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