Daily Archives: March 14, 1995

Circle Of Friends

Three female friends grow up in a small town in Ireland in the mid-50s and attend college in Dublin in this nostalgic soap opera that’s vaguely evocative of Peyton Place, though generally less memorable. Adapted by Andrew Davies from Maeve Binchy’s novel and directed by Pat O’Connor; with Chris O’Donnell, Minnie Driver, Geraldine O’Rawe, Saffron Burrows, Alan Cummings, and Colin Firth. (JR) Read more

Tall Tale

A charmless, mirthless, and juiceless fantasy in ‘Scope from Disney, enlivened only by its natural locations. A spiteful 12-year-old farm boy in the American west of 1905 heaps scorn on his father’s tall tales about Pecos Bill until he finds himself transported to a universe where Pecos Bill and other folk heroesPaul Bunyan (inexplicably got up to resemble a Mongolian rabbi), John Henry, and Calamity Janeactually exist and help him fight off the greedy developers who want to sell his father’s farm. Directed by Jeremiah Chechik from a script by Steven Blom and Robert Rodat; with Nick Stahl, Patrick Swayze (as Pecos Bill), and Oliver Platt. (JR) Read more