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Amusing Sequel Fires Away with Gags Galore

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Amusing Sequel Fires Away with Gags Galore § ntertainment Amusing sequel fires away with gags galore By Gerri Pare Fast-paced fun- is the hallmark of • co- Catholic News Service writer/director David Zicker's latest fun The Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams anc flick. The zanier the better as the move is David Zucker team that brought us "The littered with sight gags and snappy one- Naked Gun" and the wacky "Airplane" liners. movies continue the misadventures of In addition to Nielsen and Presley, bumbling cop Frank Drebin (Leslie Niel­ George Kennedy and O.J Simpson reprise sen) in "The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell their original roles in a seiies of impossibly of Fear" (Paramount). silly sketches as long-suffering fellow cops This time Frank is unleashed on an un­ and handy foils for fearless Frank. witting Washington and nearly knocks off The self-mocking tone of the movie first lady Barbara Bush while being hon­ makes the harebrained plot all the more of ored by .the president for killing his 1,000th a lark with enough pratfalls, background drug dealer. nonsense, recycled jokes ind carefree non- Stumbling onto the middle of a plot to •sequiturs to make the time fly. The stunts wreck the president's proposed energy po­ are similarly well-staged and fast-paced licy, Frank finds that the villain Quentin with less crude humor this: time around (Robert Goulet) is none other than the new As a parody of hard-boiled detective and beau of his former flame, Jane (Priscilla macho cop movies, this one's all lighthear Presley). ted looniness and sure io bring summer Sparks again fly between Frank and smiles. Jane, but before wedding bells can peal he Because of intermittent sexual innuendo, must discredit Quentin and rescue the kid­ mildly vulgar humor, corhic-book violence napped energy expert, who has been re­ and minimal rough language, the USCC placed with a dastardly double (Richard classification is A-III adults. The Theo Westenberger/Paramount Picture Griffiths in a dual role). Leave it to-Frank MPAA rating is PG-13 parents are Leslie Nielsen stars as Lt. Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun V/z: The Smell of to confuse the two, but it's all part of the strongly cautioned that seme material may Fear. merry mayhem. be inappropriate for child en under 13 Fiery special-effects star in predictable 'Backdraft' The conflicts of two estranged brothers liam Baldwin) — who as a child witnessed ways mixed like oil and water, and Steve the floor might collapse at any moment. intensify when one, a rookie fireman, his father's horrible death — never sticks at makes matters worse by saying that Brian But this special-effects effort tends to comes under the command of his older any job too long. Returnin;g to Chicago can't cut the mustard in an emergency. bite off more than it can chew by situating brother in "Backdraft" (Universal). after six restless years, Brian becomes a Steve's opinion is apparently justified the action in both a heavy relationship Sons of a hero fireman killed in action, firefighter but resents thajt he is assigned to when Brian hesitates on the job with near drama and a murder mystery. Steve (Kurt Russell) unswervingly follows his brother's firehouse and put Tinder his disastrous results. Doubting himself, Brian As the unproven and insecure younger in his father's footsteps while Brian (Wil­ harsh scrutiny. The two siblings have al­ transfers to a job assisting a wily arson in­ brother, the character played by Baldwin is spector, Shadow (Robert De Niro), in the finely understated while Russell goes to the investigation of several deaths by fiery ex­ wall with his hothead macho character. plosions — known as backd^afts — that The plot here is all predictable formula. CRAMDALL HEARING jnayt be related, arson murders. Their in-.- Donald Sutherland's small role- as a vesfigation links a local alderman (J.T. crazed pyromaniac is a-carbon copy of An­ Walsh) with the three victims, but the ac­ thony Hopkins' insane doctor in "The tual "torch" remains elusive. Silence of the Lambs,'' right down to the INSTRUMENTS As the two brothers warily eye the possi­ prison interview where he ..demands highly "29 Years of Service" bility of burying the hatchet, Brian begins personal information from Baldwin in Professional Hearing Aid Services to suspect the unthinkable about the iden­ exchange for his help. tity of the torch. * "Backdraft" has more excitement and "We service all your hearing aid needs" Fire is the best performer in director Ron less violence than the average action movie Howard's big Hollywood production. Insi­ and gets across the image of firefighters as Over 30 Makes and 300 dious, velvety and all-enveloping, the fires intensely loyal, unsung heros. Too bad the take on lives of their own in a way that is family drama gets watered down in die Models to Choose From simultaneously terrifying, mesmerizing blaze of big Hollywood stunts and special • Canal Aids (As seen on T.V.) and repulsive. \ effects, which don't make a movie worth Few movies have better captured what it getting heated up over. • "Presidential Aid"- As worn by can be like for a fireman to step into an in­ Because of some grisly charred body former President Reagan ferno and dark, deadly smoke, aware that shots, very brief nudity, fleeting sexual in­ nuendo, occasional fisticuffs and intermit­ • Noise Reduction Aids-Reduces tent rough language, die USCC classifica­ back-ground noise up tb 75% Please tion is A-III — adults. The MPAA rating is R — restricted. • Fully Automatic Aids-No visible tubes, wires, cord; patronize no batteries; no volume control our • If you HEAR but don't always UNDERSTAND what people are saying... advertisers • If people seem to mumble ... STOREWIDE • If your must ask others to repeat... MENSWEAR • If you are embarrassed by MISUNDERSTANDING IN NOISY SURROUNDINGS- SUMMER CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ELECTRONIC HEARING AID TEST CLEARANCE! WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS-NO CHARGE BARTOLOMEO CALL TOLL FREE: 1-800-421-1012 FUNERAL HOME, INC. 30-60%OFF GREECE NEWARK HORNELL 1577 Ridge Rd. West 165 E. Union St. 40 Federation Bldg. (716)865-4311 (315)331-6161 (607)324-4171 rf" "i» «•» f"» ~jt [•'•'nti, . ^Irtewt^gfi^B, MM Since 1878 mms QonflBBT' Wittii Any H< Peter W. Giullari. Jr. Philip P. Perotto Michael P. Perotto Whillock "Bros. Personalized service in the community TRADITIONAL CLOTHIERS since 1922. 235 Park Avenue > CRANDALLHI 1425 Lexington Avenue Rochester. NY 14606 (Corner of Goodman) conveniently located near 390 461-2220 Hearing tests are conducted for the express purpose of making the selection and Mon.-Fri. 10-6; Sat. 10-4 adaptation of hearing instrumentation and not for the medical diagnosis of hearing loss. (715) 254-5400 Catholic Courier .
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