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aaronclemens
Reviews
Coming to America (1988)
Hilarious romantic-comedy-drama with a great ensemble cast
Coming to America centers on the story of young prince, set up for an arranged marriage. He leaves his home in Africa to find a woman that he can truly love. Like all good tales, this one has already been told many times. It covers how a newcomer must adjust to a new culture, including encountering difficulties in the romance department, and fathers who just don't understand. This is all done to comedic effect, but not without romantic and dramatic overtones, to the credit of all involved.
I could watch this movie every week (actually, I have been lately, since it's on CINEMAX). The writing and direction was fantastic, the film is perfectly paced, with constant sight gags and witty repartee. The film works because actors selected have great timing.
Eddie Murphy (Akeem, et al) is quite versatile as the lead. He's in his very best form, earnest when he needs to in this feel-good comedy, with on-point comic timing.
Shari Headley (Lisa McDowell), she's level headed, perfect in delivering outrage and frustration as well as contentment and laughter.
Allison Dean (Princess in "Cool as Ice") as Patricia is not only hot, I love her nappturality hair styles. (Shari's got some nice ones too). Allison ideally portrays the jilted, petulant, and gold-digging little sister.
Eriq La Salle (Darryl) is the outlandish villain you can actually feel sorry for. His Jeri curl, damn, it's atrocious.
Arsenio Hall (Semmi, et al) was a great, smarmy, sidekick.
I could go on and on. The supporting cast, from James Earl Jones (King Jaffe Joffer) and Madge Sinclair (Queen Aoleon) to Frankie Faison (Landlord) and Samuel L. Jackson (hold-up guy), are spectacular.
Every time I watch it again, I find something new. I enjoyed it when I was younger, but now I like it even more.
Foreign Student (1994)
French student visits South, tries to fit in
A slightly above average film, watchable for the entire time (I saw it a lazy Sunday afternoon). It never got too slow, the plot moved along regularly, with sufficient evolving narrative to evoke interest throughout.
The tale centers on a young man who leaves Paris, France to study as a freshman in college in rural Virginia. The movie heralds his attempts at acceptance, sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, politically charged with one main issue of the day (race relations).
The four main characters, and several supporters, were well developed. A pre-Tyson Robin Givens (as April) did a fine job, she was smoldering hot. Marco Hofschneider (Philippe) was not at his most emotional, but although some might call his performance wooden, his range of emotion seemed appropriate for me. Heck, it's not as if all actors must seem as if they're hamming it up during an audition for All My Children.
Rick Johnson (Cal) and Charlotte Ross (Sue Ann) more than make up for any perceived lack of emotion by Marco with their satisfying efforts.
Love Relations (2002)
Insensitive Pony-Tail Man
It was unrealistic for Steve (Ray Dainton), looking atrocious as a white guy with a PT, to cheat on his wife. The movie opened choppy, it was almost put together more like a play (a morality play at that). The theme music could use some work. The attempts to show the family and love relationships were strained because of a lack of character development. Since it's hard to get into feeling for strangers, it's usually important for a writer/director to flesh out the characters first before they make things happen to them. Sometimes, such development doesn't take much time, but it does take planning.
Overall, good for a cable show, but if you want a show on this theme, go see "30 to life," with Tracy Morgan (funny) and Erika Alexander (hot): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0273048
The person who gave it a 10 probably had a starring role... I see how a person could hate this, but not how one could love it.