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In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Survivors", an underrated episode, the U.S.S. Enterprise arrives at a remote colony on the planet Delta Rana IV, responding to a distress call. Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) finds that the entire planet is dead, an uninhabitable desert wasteland. Mysteriously, however, there is a single house left standing, located in a small, inhabitable bubble. Several Enterprise crew members beam down to investigate and find a well-maintained lawn surrounding a completely untouched manse. The officers are greeted by Kevin and Rishon Uxbridge (John Anderson and Anne Haney), a kindly elderly couple who welcome them inside for tea.

The Uxbridge's do not seem to fully acknowledge that the rest of their planet has been completely wasted. They said they witnessed an attack by aggressive aliens called the Husnock but were unaware they were the only survivors. The longer the Enterprise says, the stranger things become.

Maura Tierney plays Doris Adkisson, the matriarch of the famous Von Erich wrestling family from Texas who suffered immense tragedy throughout their lives. Tierney's casting as Doris in the Von Erich family biopic, The Iron Claw, was foreshadowed by her previous role in Liar Liar, in which Jim Carrey's character does the Von Erichs' signature clawhold move. Liar Liar featuring the Von Erich family's signature move is demonstrative of the lasting impact they had on pro wrestling.

Maura Tierney's role as Doris in Sean Durkin's The Iron Claw paid off a hilarious bit from the Jim Carrey comedy movie she starred in 27 years ago. In 2023, The Iron Claw brought the true story of the Von Erich brothers to life by showcasing the beloved Texas pro wrestlers' rise to fame in the '80s as well as the darker side of the supposedly "cursed" family's history.

Tierney played the famous family's matriarch,...

In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Survivors", the U.S.S. Enterprise discovered a mystery. On the planet Delta Rana IV — otherwise uninhabited and whose surface was devastated by an ancient cataclysm — a single house sat. Beaming down, the Enterprise crew found a well-kemp lawn, a large white home, and a kindly elderly couple named Kevin and Rishon Uxbridge (John Anderson and Anne Haney). While polite and welcoming, the Uxbridges are cagey about their circumstances. How are they the only people alive on the whole planet, and how can they merely enjoy teatime and lawn mowing without acknowledging their utter isolation?

Eventually, of course, the truth would come out. Kevin Uxbridge was, in fact, a member of a species called the Douwd, a species of pure energy, possessed of godlike powers. He transformed into a humanoid and fell in love with Rishon, living with her in connubial bliss for years.

Clint Eastwood's mint juleps 'n' murder epic is an easygoing pleasure. Kevin Spacey, John Cusack and a host of great performances guarantee interest, but maybe I have to go to the book to really understand what's going on. A solid 'A' for this one, Clint. The Savannah tourism board must bless you in their nightly prayers. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Blu-ray The Warner Archive Collection 1997 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 155 min. / Street Date September 27, 2016 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 21.99 Starring John Cusack, Kevin Spacey, Jack Thompson, Irma P. Hall, Jude Law, Alison Eastwood, Paul Hipp, The Lady Chablis, Dorothy Loudon, Anne Haney, Kim Hunter, Geoffrey Lewis, Richard Herd, Jo Ann Pflug. Cinematography Jack N. Green Original Music Lennie Niehaus Written by John Lee Hancock from the book by John Berendt Produced by Clint Eastwood, Arnold Stiefel Directed by Clint Eastwood

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Clint Eastwood...

Congratulations to these fine folks who guessed 4/4: Ali Ercivan Chris Yachison Ann Haney Clinton W. Thompson Terry Clark Joseph Giancarlo Those who got 3 out for 4, after the cut. Jun...

As anyone who’s ever turned on a TV knows, there’s lots of bad television out there. There’s even a lot of really bad television.

Very rarely has been there anything on television as bad as The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, a show that ran for a mere nine episodes in 1976-1977.

Consider:

The show was a typical 1970s song and dance variety show, but except for Brady mother Florence Henderson, none of the cast had any real experience, and in most cases, any real talent, for song and dance. Several cast members could barely carry a tune. One of the original Brady Bunch cast members, Eve Plumb, who played Jan, refused to participate, meaning the part had to be recast with an unfamiliar actress, later dubbed “Fake Jan.” Since the show was produced by Sid and Marty Krofft (of H.R. Pufnstuf children’s television fame), the sets...

Jim Carrey has reconnected his comedy wire with "Liar Liar", an electric, warm-spirited merriment that melds Carrey's hyperkinetic talents with a heart-tugging story. Sagely directed by Tom Shadyac, "Liar Liar" should chart higher and higher at the boxoffice for Universal. In truth, "Liar" will be a colossal hit, appealing to kids on spring break as well as every species of Carrey's wide and nutty following.

In "Liar Liar", Carrey plays Fletcher, a trial lawyer so smooth, brazen and utterly unencumbered by notions of fair play that one suspects that O.J. will use the role as a yardstick in selecting his appeals attorney. Outrageously successful in his professional life, Fletcher has drawn a hung jury in his personal life. His ex-wife (Maura Tierney) is on the verge of remarrying while his 5-year-old son, Max (Justin Cooper), whom he adores, has reached an age in which workaholic Dad's absence is noted. Making partner is Fletcher's top priority, and professional white lies are a day-to-day necessity for the attorney.

While white lies are considered largely innocuous in the hard, adult world, to his young son they are tantamount to betrayal. When Fletcher misses Max's birthday because of a heavy workload (banging a horny partner), Max makes a wish: that Daddy will not utter an untruth for 24 hours.

In Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur's slyly subversive scenario, the glad-handing, unctuous lawyer, whose prior mouthings consisted solely of self-serving deceptions, now can only tell the truth.

And, as we all know, a little truth can go a long way, especially in Fletcher's case, as he immediately gets himself into hot water with a candid assessment of his boss' performance in the sack. While dishing out a devilishly delirious series of quicky sillies, having Fletcher speak the truth to assorted panhandlers and barristers, Guay and Mazur have wrapped these instant hilarities around a larger theme, that honesty is the best policy, and, best of all, have tied it to Fletcher's genuine love for his child.

What truly makes "Liar Liar" work, however, is Shadyac's inspired sense of comic proportion. While torquing the hilarities to the max, he never loses sight of the story's important human side. His blend of farce with heart is perfect.

With his protean pyrotechnical prowess coming out both sides of his mouth and form, Carrey has never been better - that is to say funnier, or more controlled. He's reached a higher performance plateau here, playing a real human being we care about rather than a goon figure. Credit to the supporting cast, particularly young Cooper, who wins our affection as the irrepressible Max.

Other players are similarly well-cast, including Amanda Donohoe as the predatory law partner and Anne Haney as Fletcher's no-nonsense secretary.

Tierney conveys warm level-headedness as Fletcher's ex-wife, while Jennifer Tilly ditzes it up perfectly as a modern-day gold digger.

Technical contributions are finer and finer, particularly cinematographer Russell Boyd's homey hues and costume designer Judy L. Ruskin's tangy threads.

LIAR LIAR

Universal Pictures

Imagine Entertainment presents

A Brian Grazer production

A Tom Shadyac film

Director Tom Shadyac

Producer Brian Grazer

Executive producers James D. Brubaker,

Michael Bostick

Screenwriters Paul Guay, Stephen Mazur

Director of photography Russell Boyd

Production designer Linda DeScenna

Editor Don Zimmerman

Costume designer Judy L. Ruskin

Music John Debney

Casting Junie Lowry Johnson, Ron Surma

Color/stereo

Cast:

Fletcher Reede Jim Carrey

Audrey Reede Maura Tierney

Max Reede Justin Cooper

Jerry Cary Elwes

Greta Anne Haney

Samantha Cole Jennifer Tilly

Miranda Amanda Donohoe

Running time -- 86 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...