Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 57

Script the biggest calamity in 'Adventures in Babysitting' Wednesday AM July 1 1987 I Fort Worth Star-Telegram I Section 4 Page 3 Wednesday AM July 1 1987 I Fort Worth Star-Telegram I Section 4 Page 3 Scnpt the biggest calamity 'Adventures in Babysitting' i I I 1 1 Il A yv iiez Semi-Annual 50 Sal 33 OFF 0 Semi-Annua 1 1 ri IN 11 I osP N- 335 0 00 Sale OFF 741 BY MICHAEL IL PRICE Fen Ihonh Star-Telegram In his' transition from screenwriting to directing Chris Columbus has taken that crucial first misstep that few moviemakers manage to avoid The script of Adventures in Babysitting not by Columbus ironically is what fouls his bow as a director One would think that Columbus author of Gremfins The Goonies and the critics' favorite Young Sherlock Holmes could steer clear of a script or at least doctor some vigor into It But the closest he comes to saving the mess is to give the excellent Elisabeth Shue and a reliable supporting cast free rein at playing a calamity-prone sitter her antic charges and their pursuers The true villain of the piece is novice writer David Simkins whose doltish plot and dimensionless characters suggest a failed imitation of youth-movie maestro John Hughes Even the least of Hughes' pictures 1985's Weird Science leaps to mind looks inspired by comparison Shue is appealingly natural as Chicago area high schooler Chris Parker she displays as a rule the controlled tension that she exhibited to better dramatic advantage in last year's Link Shue registers real frustration on learning of a canceled date and exhibits a tolerant impatience when she agrees at the last moment to sit for Brad Anderson (Keith Coogan) a lovesick I 5- year-old and his kid sister Sara (Maia Brewton) a brat who is obsessed with heroic comic book fantasies Summoned from the suburbs by a friend's distress call Chris takesmiong the kids Soon they are deep in intrigue involving gangsters car thieves finan BY MICHAEL 11 PRICE This is our hugest' sale of the year Come in and take advantage of great savings on Selby Pcnaljo Magdesians Rangoni Beniardo Revelations and more! We have your size: 4-13 'widths 5A-2E This IS our latxts4 sale of the year Come il y- of great sa and take advantage ings on Selby l'enaljo Alagde sians Rangoni Bernardo Revelations and more We have your size: 4-13 Review: Film Adventures in Babysitting Price's pick: 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 Director Chris Columbus Featuring: Elisabeth Shue Keith Coogan Maia Brewton Rated: PG (adult situations some violent action) Theaters: Hu len Mall Cinema Ridgmar in Port Worth Bowen in Arlington Bedford 10 in Bedford North Hills in Richland Hills Skillman Walnut Hill Medallion Prestonwood Creek 5 in Dallas Keith Coogan is the lolesick charge Not even Shoe can save the picture Film from the author's naive WASP percepis in lions of life on the mean streets and one bit that calls for her to share a nightclub stage with blues guitarist Ali a scale of 1 to 10 bert Collins borders on racist mockery blumbus Shoe Keith Columbus' understanding of scene Brewton composition is incomplete as well He iituations some vio- flubs what could have been a brilliant sight gag where the Characters mistake Mall Cinema a giant sewer rat for a cat by failing to rt Worth Bowen in show us enough of the beast 10 in Bedford in Richland Hills On the plus side Michael Kamen's nut Hill Medallion musical score includes a wealth of Chi-reek 5 in Dallas cago blues And two supporting players are especially worth watching: Big Vinnd a cuckolded hus- cent D'Onofrio who has a more substantial turn in the current Full Metal Babisitting a Dis- Jacket and Calvin Levels whose ilm is basically an enactment of a good-hearted car thief is a Mary Poppins reminiscent of Charlie Sheen's show Business sensibili- stopper in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) cial shenanigans and a cuckolded husband Adventures in Babisitting a DisneyTouchstone film is basically an annoying alloy of a Mary Poppins theme with Risky Business sensibilities Reg '25'-'78' Now NOW OPEN IN CIMIEW! A Fitting Tradition Since 1948 it 4 I 7 i rt- i 4 dt eV --1 4 1 Jor i Reg '25' '78' tiO4 Now ::) co 1---- 7:::::: i''' -I 4 7'''' 4 11' tk ibi) -dt 11 4 7-- et Ctli i 4 A i io 't 1 -V Keith Coogan is the imesick charge Not even Shue can save the picture I Review: Film from the author's naive WASP percep- Adventures in tions of life on the mean streets and 4 'Isft 1-v-T one bit that calls for her to share a Babysitting nightclub stage with blues guitarist Al- Price's pick: 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 bert Collins borders on racist mockery Director Chris Columbus Featuring: Elisabeth Shoe Keith Columbus' understanding of scene Coogan Maia Brewton composition is incomplete as well He (adult situations some vio- flubs what could have been a brilliant lent action) sight gag where the Characters mistake Ow Theaters: Hulen Mall Cinema a giant sewer rat for a cat by failing to 1 Ridgmar in Fort Worth Bowen in show us enough of the beast Arlington Bedford 10 in Bedford North Hills in Richland Hills On the plus side Michael Kamen's "4 linalea'1di 11111s- Skillman Walnut Hill Medallion musical score includes a wealth of Chi- -41 Prestonwood Creek 5 in Dallas cago blues And two supporting players are especially worth watching: Big Vin- '''s t'l 4''' cial shenanigans and a cuckolded hus- cent D'Onofrio who has a more sub- band stantial turn in the current Full Metal Adventures in BakIsitting a Dis- Jacket and Calvin Levels whose 'v neyTouchstone film is basically an enactment of a good-hearted car thief is annoying alloy of a Mary Poppins reminiscent of Charlie Sheen's show- NOW OPEN tP theme with Risky Business sensibili- stopper in Ferris Bueller's Day Off ties (1986) IN CITYVIEW! 1 4 A 1 A Fitting Tradition Slim: 1948 141P! I 1l1-6 1111 l'N'1 a omuw mum itt writivo NI sales final AmEx Visa MC All sales cartan's cartan'E InnerspaceFromPage I From Page I 4620 Bryant Irvin Rd 346-08i8 NIANic Sat 10-8 VI Fri 1201 Magn() 1ia Ave 923-7463 NI-Sat (Closed July 4th) 4620 Bryant h-vin Rd NI 346-0888 AV Sat 10-8 111 Fri QM Magnolia Ave 923-7463 NI-Sat (Next to Inn 'rhumb Page) aware of Tuck's nearness the connection between Jack and Tuck allows insights that will assure Tuck of a reunion with Lydia if he can get safely back to normal size Far and away the most full-blooded performance comes from Short a television-trained comedian in only his second feature assignment More than fulfilling the promise he had exhibited in last winter's Three Amigos! Short delivers a portrayal that recalls the best work ofJoe Brown and Harold Lloyd masters at playing mild fellows in desperate situations delivers a portrayal that recalls the best work ofJoe Brown and Harold Lloyd masters at playing mild fellows in desperate situations that may encourage imaginative moviegoers to fantasize thei own sequels As to Innerspwe's subtext of clever comedyfantasy genre bits: Look for cameos by Laugh-In's Henry Gibson Bugs Bunny Road Runner animator Chuck Jones '50s science-fiction hero Kenneth Tobey (The Thing from Another World It Came from Beneath the Sea) and veteran character player Dick Miller (A Bucket of Blood Not of This Earth) A crowning touch for the fans is Dante's placement of one of the ominous Body Snatchers pods in a scene involving McCarthy that may encourage imaginative mo- viegoers to fantasize thei own sequels As to Innerspwe's subtext of clever This Earth) A crowning touch for the fans is Dante's placement of one of the ominous Body Snatchers pods in a scene involving McCarthy Ryan and Quaid make an appealingly combative couple whose happy ending allows for interesting late complications As the main villain Kevin McCarthy the troubled hero of I 956's Invasion of the Body Snatchers plays it straightfaced until he experiences a humiliating comeuppance Although Dante insists he is not setting things up for an Innerspace II the closing moments may invite that interpretation From this comer the tag-ending looks simply like an epilogue Ryan and Quaid make an appealing- ly combative couple whose happy end- ing allows for interesting late COMPtica- ung things up tor an innt-Lspacc II Lim closing moments may invite that inter- Pretation From this comer the tag- ending looks simply like an epilogue At Parkwood meet new friends 5 -L AIL -IL 164111- As AF NAIL AL new filends 11- 1 ti SPARKLE WITH SAVINGS ON OUR SUMMER FASHIONS IN SIZES 16W to 26W Mar Walker Mildred Clauser 'I PM 101101111115 1 lir 11: NINIIIINNO PE111 i ''''z 'k t7 e- 4t--- 0e 1 4 0 i ::::0 4i1 SPARKLE WITH SAVINGS -ON ON OUR SUMMER FASHIONS t- tot'- IN SIZES 16W to 26W lp 4t 7 4 4 i tu '1 Aperwomw 11 7 1 i' i 44-1tt 3 11:3 2 Mac er Mildread Claser 7 13 el Airport Frwy DALLAS 1 I LAirpor1 Irwy DALLAS ilf- Come to Parkwood and create new memories Apartments for seniors featuring home cooked meals scheduled transpoitation housekeeping planned social activities 24 hour monitored alarms and more! icals I social tome to rarkwooct I create new memon Apartments for seniors featuring home ci scheduled transpoitation housekeeping activities 24 hour monitored alarms and af-Ni -1-li li 1 1 OFF ORIGINAL RETAIL PRICES The Answer always has a great selection of fashions early in the season at 20 less than specialty or department store prices BUT WHEN IT'S SALE TIME YOU SAVE EVEN MORE! We've marked our Summer Swimsuits T-Shirts Shorts Skirts Shirts and Dresses down to save you 13 to 12 off the original retail price and all in your size low to 26W CES reat 1 the SAVE our )orts th to )inal 3 FT WORTH 183 FT WORTH 183 HEB Hospital pafvvietit4 City: IL- OMEN (817) 354-1044 Metro 267-6564 PARKWOOD RE IIREMf NI COMMuNihe For more information mail this coupon to: 2700 Parkview Drive Bedford Texas 76022 Name: Phone: State: 0fr (817) 354-1044 0 7- ibsip Metro 267-6564 pA RKWOOD RE IIREMf NI COMMuNihe PR For more information mail this coupon to: 2700 Parkview 1)rie Bedford Texas 76022 Name: Phone: I City: State: siOt impiety DA 1) vAlur-vmn pR010013 PMA1003913 1 I 1 i i 1 1 1 It 1 1 I NSW THE THE ELEGANT LARGE SIZE DISCOUNTER TIT 'TER Zip: HULEN FASHION CENTER-HULEN ST SOUTH orz (OFF 1-20) NEXT TO HULEN MALL 292-16529 ARUNGTON-FOUR SEASONS PLAZA-PIONEER PA1 BOWEN RD 265-2865 PRESTON VALLEY SM CTRPRESTON RD Lai HVW ACRCBS MOM VALLEY VIEW SH CTR NEXT TO CLOTH WORLD 9311-25239 MERVYN'S PIALA-CAMP WISDOM PD WESTMORELAND ACROSS FROM REDBIRD MALL 296-66170 MARSHALL'S CENTERNORTHWEST HWY JUPITER ACROSS FROM 10EHMANN'S 340-51700 THE ANSWER ACCEPTS VISA MASTER CARDAMERICAN EXPRESS LAY-A-WAY 1smonnommlinnimmismonnemormon AN3TILlt Pkt-t-trib VISA tOt kAPruAivititut-Ar4 EA rwts3 LAY-A-WAY0 IIIMEMINISIIP.