Comedy

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new John Waters film "Serial Mom," starring Kathleen Turner and Sam Waterston.

Film director Ted Demme. His new movie is "The Ref," starring Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis. It's a dark comedy about a burglar stuck with two obnoxious hostages on Christmas Eve. Demme, who is 30, has also directed and produced for MTV; he's responsible for creating the popular hip-hop show "Yo! MTV Raps." His first feature film was "Who's The Man?" He is director Jonathan Demme's nephew.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff on "Guarding Tess", starring Shirley McClaine and Nicholas Cage.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new film "The Ref".

Film critic Stephen Schiff on the new comedy: "Ace Ventura, Pet Detective."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead fills in for film critic Stephen Schiff and reviews the new movie, "I'll Do Anything," starring Nick Nolte.

Actress Julie Kavner. In her first professional role, she played Brenda Morgenstern, the insecure younger sister of the title character, in the television series "Rhoda." She landed an Emmy award for that role. Also on television, she co-starred in "The Tracey Ullman Show" and now can be heard as the unforgettable voice of Marge on the animated sitcom, "The Simpsons," for which she also won an Emmy. She starred in the movie "This Is My Life," co-starred in "Awakenings," and appeared in 5 Woody Allen movies.

Comic writer and actor Chris Elliott. He was an Emmy award winning writer for "Late Night with David Letterman," where he originated such characters as "the panicky guy" and "the guy under the seats." Elliott followed his success on the Letterman show with his own FOX TV-series, "Get A Life," about a young adult man who lives with his parents and has a paper route. It was a cult hit. Elliott comes to the business naturally.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Mrs. Doubtfire," starring Robin Williams and Sally Field.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "The Beverly Hillbillies," the movie version of the popular TV series, starring Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin and Jim Varney.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Manhattan Murder Mystery," the new Woody Allen movie.

Film critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Coneheads," the latest Saturday Night Live-inspired movie. It stars Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd.

Nielsen is best known for his comic roles in Airplane! and the Naked Gun films. He's been acting since the late forties, after he was taught radio broadcasting by Lorne Greene. He's just written a "fictional autobiography" called "The Naked Truth," a pun-encrusted look at nearly fifty years of show business.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Dave," the new film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver.

Tamra Davis is the director of the new rap satire film "CB4," which stars Chris Rock of Saturday Night Live. Davis is well-known for her work directing music videos with everyone from Sonic Youth to Bette Middler. Her first film was "Gun Crazy."

Ramis is one of the most influential forces behind some of the biggest comedy hits of the late 70s and 80s. But his influence is not generally known by those outside the industry. Ramis wrote for "The National Lampoon Show," and "SCTV." He co-wrote as well as acted in the movies, "Animal House," "Stripes," "Ghostbusters," and others. He directed the new movie, "Groundhog Day," starring Bill Murray.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new Eddie Murphy movie, which is being billed as a return to form after the actor's recent string of critical flops. But Schiff says that Murphy has lost his cool.

The new movie, about a lovestruck private-eye, also stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Andrew Bergman. Film critic John Powers has this review.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Wayan's new comedy film. While Schiff admires his ambition, he says the movie is short on humor and offers fraught messages about women, race, and class.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new Whoopi Goldberg movie, "Sister Act." (Buena Vista Pictures)