Review: 'A Dirty Shame' is truly naughty poking fun at censorship

A Dirty Shame   NC 17
     John Waters returns to his pervasive origins with a truly strange Baltimore homage to Dreamland and the players of his original cast. Most of them are dead. In this one the surviving cast plays cameo roles in the town's naughty district, which is adjacent to the prudish part of town. When a campaign to censor the perverts in town fails, the twisted family of a woman who has been conked on the head and turned horny seem to be to blame. It has no murder or mayhem but explores the same subject as Pecker, sex, but for even more gross out laughs. It really doesn't deserve an NC 17. It's really R but the actual censorship board didn't want a movie showing people faking enjoyment of sex. Had he included a murder they would have let that slide.
Review by Adam Browne

Review: 'Cecil B. Demented' is mean and funny in classic Waters territory

Cecil B. Demented   R          

            Ceil B. Demented is the tale of a twisted cult film crew, as John Waters takes on the big studios when a big movie crew tries to remake Forrest Gump in their town. Not for the squeamish. The crazy 'youths' of a cult group kidnap a star and force her to take part in their movie, a live crime spree where they will destroy any film production being done in town over the course of a week. It ends in a spectacular drive-in battle. 
Review by Adam Browne   

Review: 'Pecker' is fun but naugthty 90s tale of Baltamore

Pecker   R      

            John Waters tells the story of a boy, Ed Furlong, and his camera, and his girl, Christina Ricci, in one of the funniest mainstream movies he has done. Better than 'Cry Baby' and 'Hairspray', but in a different way really. Pecker winks at everyone, as a naughty movie, but it never gets really demented. It's basically John Waters as a boy acting twisted, making out in voting booths, and visiting stripper bars, ha, all to the chagrin of his family.   

Review by Adam Browne

Review: 'Hairspray' remake uses broadway version and miscasts Travolta

Hairspray   PG          

            This remake of the 1980s John Waters movie is based on the early 2000 play. It's actually very good. The story seems the same, but has more pep, and it's not as twisted. The regretful role is Travolta who does the worst imitation of Divine ever. (He probably never actually watched the original, or got coached in how to talk like he's from Baltimore). Amanda Bynes is a guest star in the story which makes up for some of it. Worth a rental. Not as good as the original by a long shot.
Review by Adam Browne      

Review: 'Hairspray' is fun clean comedy from John Waters

Hairspray   PG          

            John Waters does a fun, mainstream and heartfelt comedy musical about teenagers who just want to dance in the 1960s. It is one of Divine's last movies. He died in 1988. The movie was done in the late 1980s after Polyester. The story stars Divine as the mother of a TV show 'hair hopper' a popuilar person who is loved for her amazing hair, and also for her dancing, but when she falls into the wrong crowd, the trouble begins. It's a fun movie that would inspire a broadway play which would then be remade into a movie! Stick with the original. Divine and only Divine can play her role. She is the Queen of the drag.
Review by Adam Browne 

Review: 'Cry Baby' is strange satire of 50's teen comedies

Cry Baby   PG 13     

            John Waters makes an almost mainstream fantasy about greasers and misfits in this tale.The story takes place in the rocking 50's where a high school is under the sway of a greaser gang, and there is a lot of goofiness, but really the mayhem isn't so shocking this time. About the only think strange is the part where the chick gives birth to a fake baby in a car while running from the law. 
Review by Adam Browne

Review: 'Serial Mom' is odd horror flick about killer mother

Serial Mom   R          

            Kathleen Turner plays a manic mom who decides to put an end to those who annoy her in her neighborhood. John Waters directed this twisted tale. The crazed mother at first worries her kids and husband, and then begins to off people starting with someone who looked at her funny at a sale, and another who forgot to rewind the video she borrowed. The mayhem escalates to ridiculous macabre. 
Review by Adam Browne        

Review: 'Muppets from Space' is odd send up to classic space opera and is kind of lacking

Muppets From Space    G     

     Gonzo has always wondered what he is, but when a mysterious message appears in his cereal, he is convinced he is from another planet. The Muppets then return to try and find Gonzo's people who are visiting Earth on their space journey. Instead of going for epic they go for a nod to old science fiction, like Buck Rodgers, and some newer tropes also, including ET and Close Encounters. It lacks the magic of the others and seems a bit forced. The voices are also nowhere near what they were in the originals. 

Review by Adam Browne

Review: 'Muppet Treasure Island' is fun but lacking something

Muppet Treasure Island    G           

            This strange chapter in the saga does a riff on the high seas adventure about a treasure island. Not bad. Not great.It is everal years after Jim Henson died and it shows that the voices are different than they were, yet they're back to another classic, like the last one. Treasure Island seems like they're gearing up to make pirate movies at Disney, which they will later on with Pirates of the Caribbean. 
Review by Adam Browne