90s Movie Review - The Birdcage

Director: Mike Nichols
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria, Christine Baranski

Description: A gay cabaret owner (Robin Williams) and his drag queen companion (Nathan Lane) agree to put up a false straight front so that their son (Dan Futterman) can introduce them to his fiancée’s right-wing, conservative parents (Genen Hackman, Dianne Wiest).

Review: Armand Goldman runs a night club in Florida, his partner Albert is a drag queen there and his main act. When Armand’s son tells him he is getting married, he has to put on a different show, since the in-laws are very conservative.

“The Birdcage” is a successful remake of the French “La Cage aux Folles”. I have never seen the original, so I cannot compare, but it feels like it shines as a standalone film.

Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, as Armand and Albert, are the absolute stars of the show. Their roles as a gay couple who run their night club are absolutely the highlight of the film.

The film remains relevant thanks to the sharp dialogue, and a timely message about acceptance, love and family. The movie came out in the late 90s and made the :GBTQ+ community more accessible. Pure entertainment and deeper satire on prejudice and political correctness. It’s a very funny film with unforgettable absurd situations.

“The Birdcage” is a feel-good comedy that still works.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 37: The Addams Family Values

Director: Barry Sonnefeld
Genre: Comedy/ Fantasy/ Horror
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Joan Cusack, David Krumholtz, Carel Struycken, Christine Baranski, Peter MacNichol, David Hyde Pierce, Nathan Lane, Tony Shalhoub

Description: A comical Gothic horror-movie-type family tries to rescue their beloved uncle from his gold-digging new love.

Review: If you love macabre humor, this sequel to “The Addams Family” is right up your alley. And “The Addams Family Values” manages to keep the magic of the first film intact.
The family welcomes a new member, baby boy Pubert. Gomez and Morticia are very happy with their new baby, but his siblings Wednesday and Pugsley aren’t. they are trying to do everything to get rid of him. The Addams family decides to hire a nanny, in the form of Debbie. In real life she is a serial killer, who marries rich men to then eventually kill them and take their money. Her eyes are on Fester this time. And Wednesday and Pugsley are send to summer camp.
Probably the best parts of the film are set on Camp Chippawa and Wednesday, played by Christina Ricci, steals all the scenes.
Director Barry Sonnenfeld is energetic and inventive. Great eye for detail and a wonderful way to bring this family to life. Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston and Christopher Lloyd are again great in their roles and Joan Cusack is a lot of fun to watch.
Again the story isn’t that complicated, but it’s a good move to let the kids of the family have their own adventure. “The Addams Family Values” is not as good as the first film, but it’s not very far from it.

Rating: 4/ 5