COLD COMFORT FARM Recently orphaned young lady moves in with low brow distant relations because she desires to experience life on a different level to gain material to become a writer. Everyone at Cold Comfort Farm is unhappy for one reason or another and the girl from London takes it upon herself to straighten everything out. Her transformation of the farm is done with stiff upper lip resourcefulness and considerable dry humor. Stars: Eileen Atkins, Kate Beckinsale, Sheila Burrell, Stephen Fry, Freddie Jones M.P.A.A. Rating: PG Year Released: 1996 Type of Humor: Witty Strong Language: Hardly Physical Violence: Minor cases. Sexual Content: Inferred Irreverence to social mores or religion: Humorous portrayal of a fire and brimstone preacher Crudeness: Minor Political Incorrectness: Treats mental conditions rather lightly Anyone who might be offended: Not likely. Color/Black and White: Color Released by: Gramercy Pictures THE DETECTIVE Father Brown is a little priest who seems as harmless as a field mouse. In reality he is a very clever person with an interest in crime and criminals. The Detective is a gentle and uplifting comedy about Father Brown’s efforts to discover the identity of Flambeau, a great European burglar who has stolen a valuable cross that had been in Father Brown’s care. If you like your humor light and with a twinkle in its eye, this is a movie for you. Stars: Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Peter Finch, Cecil Parker, Bernard Lee  M.P.A.A. Rating: Not rated Year Released: 1954 Type of Humor: Witty Strong Language: None Physical Violence: None Sexual Content: None Irreverence to social mores or religion: To the contrary, very affirming Crudeness: None Political Incorrectness: None Anyone who might be offended: No one. Color/Black and White: Wonderful British black and white Released by:  Republic Pictures KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS Very dry British humor with considerable irony. A young man and his mother have been disinherited by her noble family. To get revenge, he sets out to do away with the offending relatives. The ultimate prize for his efforts is his gaining the family title and wealth. A young Alec Guinness (whom most people know only as Obi Won Kinobi) plays the parts of all the relations who are to be disposed. I remember seeing this film when it first came out. I was only six or seven years old. I loved it, which may suggest that I was a strange kid (I really was not). What I enjoyed then (and still enjoy today) was the films quirkiness and total understatement of the protagonist’s dastardly deeds. Stars: Alec Guinness, Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood M.P.A.A. Rating: Not rated Year Released: 1949 Type of Humor: Witty Strong Language: None Physical Violence: There are a number of murders but they happen discreetly off screen. Sexual Content: None Irreverence to social mores or religion: Our hero does not practice good moral behavior. Crudeness: None Political Incorrectness: None Anyone who might be offended: Unlikely Color/Black and White: Black and White Released by: Republic Pictures LIVING IN OBLIVION A lot of people fantasize about starring in a movie because being a movie star appears so glamorous. Well, folks, acting is not that glamorous, and Living In Oblivion is about as close as I’ve ever seen a film come to portraying what it is really like on a set. Over the years I’ve been on lots of "shoots," and I can say that this depiction really is the way movies are made, especially independent films. Yes, Virginia, there are strange people in the film business. Stars:  Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney, Danielle von Zerneck M.P.A.A. Rating: R Year Released: 199? Type of Humor: Satire Strong Language: Yes Physical Violence: No Sexual Content: Try to keep tract of who is sleeping with whom Irreverence to social mores or religion: Some immorality Crudeness: Minor Political Incorrectness: No Anyone who might be offended: Dwarfs Color/Black and White: Color and Black and white Released by: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment ONCE UPON A CRIME I had never heard of this movie until I came across it one Friday night at the video rental. I decided to give it a try since it starred John Candy and the cover of the video box looked interesting. I was not disappointed. Once Upon A Crime, is a twisted, screwball who-done-it comedy in a European setting, bubbling with the kind of fun that was common in comedies of the thirties and forties. It concerns a number of strange characters who find themselves caught up in a murder investigation. The mystery is less important than the situations the suspects find themselves in. Stars: John Candy, James Bellushi, Cybill Shepherd, Sean Young, Richard Lewis, George Hamilton (as Alfonso The Gigolo) M.P.A.A. Rating: PG Year Released: 1992 Type of Humor: Screwball Strong Language: A few words Physical Violence: Mostly off screen Sexual Content: Mostly off screen Irreverence to social mores or religion: The story occurs in a rather decadent world Crudeness: Minor Political Incorrectness: Mildly so Anyone who might be offended: Pretty mild Color/Black and White: Color Released by: MGM/UA Home Video WAKING NED DEVINE Take two cunning Irish pensioners, a winning lottery ticket, and a dead lottery ticket holder and you have the makings for a clever little tale. There is something very likable about the principal characters and all ends well eventually (except for the surly, mean-spirited village biddy). Stars:  Ian Bannen, David Kelly, Fionnula Flanagan, Susan Lynch M.P.A.A. Rating: PG Year Released: 1998 Type of Humor: Situational Comedy Strong Language:  Very little Physical Violence: The mean lady is accidently disposed of Sexual Content: None but some nudity of two 70+ year old men skinny dipping Irreverence to social mores or religion:  Winks at dishonesty Crudeness: Mild Political Incorrectness: Casual use of alcohol Anyone who might be offended:  Those who are offended by larceny Color/Black and White: Color Released by: Fox Searchlight