ENTERTAINMENT
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Mrs.
      Doubtfire
     
     
      Directed
      by
      Chris
      Columbus
     
     
      Starring:
      Robin
      Williams,
      Sally
     
     
      Field,
      and
      Pierce
      Brosnan
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      ‘BYSEAN
      MCQUAID
     
    
   
   
    
     
      CROSS-DRESSING
      COMIC
      CONQUERS
     
     
      box
      office;
      it
      sounds
      like
      a
      tabloid
      headline,
      but.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      truth
      is
      often
      stranger
      than
      fiction--
      and
      Robin
     
     
      Williams
      has
      indeed
      scored
      a
      huge
      success
     
     
      with
      Mrs.
      Doubtfire,
      wherein
      he
      plays
      a
      zany
     
     
      actor
      (not
      much
      of
      a
      stretch)
      named
      Daniel
     
     
      Hillard
      who
      is
      divorced
      and
      kicked
      out
      by
      his
     
     
      uptight
      wife,
      Miranda
      (played
      by
      Sally
      Field).
     
     
      He
      loses
      custody
      of
      his
      kids,
      with
      whom
      he
      has
     
     
      such
      a
      mutually
      loving
      relationship
     
     
      that
      they
      make
      the
      Brady
      Bunch
     
     
      look
      dysfunctional.
      Desperate,
     
     
      out-of-work,
      and
      denied
      access
      to
     
     
      his
      kids
      by
      his
      bitter
      ex-spouse,
     
     
      Williams
      concocts
      a
      bizarre
     
     
      scheme
      tovisit
      his
      kids
      by
      disguising
     
     
      himself
      as
      an
      elderly
      woman
      and
     
     
      seeking
      employment
      as
      his
      wife’s
     
     
      housekeeper
      under
      the
      name
      of
     
     
      “Mrs.
      Doubtfire”.
     
    

    
     
      It’s
      non-stop
      hilarity
      from
      there
     
     
      on
      in,
      as
      the
      kids
      bond
      with
      their
     
     
      “new”
      babysitter
      and
      Miranda
     
     
      grows
      to
      like
      her
      new
      employee
     
     
      much
      better
      than
      she
      ever
      liked
     
     
      her
      husband.
      Daniel
      struggles
      to
     
     
      contain
      himself
      for
      the
      sake
      of
     
     
      continued
      access
      tohis
      kids,
      though
     
     
      his
      efforts
      are
      complicated
      by
      the
     
     
      scrutiny
      of
      his
      unsympathetic
     
     
      supervisor
      (played
      with
      admirable
     
     
      deadpan
      by
      Anne
      Haney),
      who
      is
     
     
      appointed
      by
      the
      court
      to
      monitor
     
     
      his
      financial
      and
      personal
      progress
     
     
      before
      considering
      what
      visitation
     
     
      or
      custodial
      rights
      he
      may
      be
     
     
      granted
      in
      the
      future.
      Another
      fly
     
     
      in
      the
      ointment
      is
      Miranda’s
      new
     
     
      suitor:
      Stu
      (played
      with
      his
      usual
     
     
      smoothness
      by
      Pierce
      Brosnan),
      a
      wealthy,
     
     
      handsome
      charmer
      who
      sets
      his
      sights
      on
     
     
      Amanda
      and
      won't
      take
      no
      for
      an
      answer.
     
    

    
     
      To
      put
      it
      simply,
      this
      is
      an
      incredibly
      funny
     
     
      film.
      As
      either
      Daniel
      or
      Doubtfire,
      Williams
     
     
      displays
      a
      remarkable
      comic
      spontaneity,
      with
     
     
      bits
      ranging
      from
      jokes,
      to
      physical
      comedy,
      to
     
     
      vocal
      tricks
      and
      musical
      outbursts.
      He's
      a
     
     
      Nonstop
      whirlwind
      of
      comic
      energy.
      Even
     
     
      More
      impressively,
      he’s
      not
      just
      a
      comedian;
      as
     
     
      Daniel,
      Williams
      again
      proves
      his
      versatility
     
     
      and
      power
      as
      an
      actor,
      going
      from
      adolescent
     
     
      hi-jinks
      to
      pained
      vulnerability
      in
      the
      wink
      of
      an
     
     
      eye,
      as
      happens
      in
      the
      various
      moments
      where
     
     
      he
      is
      brought
      painfully
      down
      to
      earth
      by
      some
     
     
      sobering
      situation.
      There
      is
      remarkable
     
     
      tenderness
      and
      pathos
      in
      the
      character's
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      affection
      for
      his
      children,
      and
      also
      some
      painfully
     
     
      funny
      episodes
      regarding
      his
      understandable
     
     
      bitterness
      toward
      his
      wife
      and
      her
      new
     
     
      boyfriend,
      upon
      whom
      he
      secretly
      revenges
     
     
      himself
      at
      every
      opportunity
      (ranging
      from
     
     
      vandalizing
      Stu's
      car
      to
      beaning
      him
      on
      the
     
     
      back
      of
      the
      head
      with
      a
      piece
      of
      fruit,
      claiming
     
     
      that
      it
      was
      the
      work
      of
      some
      irate,
      undertipped
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _kitchen
      staff--
      “a
      drive-by
      fruiting”,
      as
      he
      puts
     
    
   
   
    
     
      it).
      It’s
      a
      very
      powerful,
      multi-textured
     
     
      performance,
      a
      plum
      role
      for
      an
      exceptional
     
     
      performer.
     
    

    
     
      Field
      is
      convincing
      albeit
      unremarkable
      as
     
     
      Miranda,
      though
      it’s
      hard
      to
      tell
      where
      the
     
     
      heck
      her'character
      is
      coming
      from
      most
      of
      the
     
     
      time.
      She
      comes
      across
      as
      stressed
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      distressed
      most
      of
      the
      time,
      which
      she’s
     
     
      supposed
      to
      be,
      but
      the
      film
      often
      fails
      to
      move
     
     
      beyond
      that
      and
      show
      us
      why
      the
      character
     
     
      reacts
      as
      extremely
      or
      harshly
      as
      she
      sometimes
     
     
      does.
      At
      some
      points,
      she
      is
      merely
      a
      two-
     
     
      dimensional
      antagonist.
      Brosnan,
      as
      disgustingly
     
     
      charming
      as
      ever,
      is
      a
      worthy
      object
      of
      Daniel’s
     
     
      jealous
      loathing;
      and
      the
      Hillard
      kids
      are
      played
     
     
      capably
      and
      endearingly
      by
      Matthew
      Lawrence,
     
     
      Lisa
      Jakub,
      and
      Mara
      Wilson
      (the
      youngest
      of
     
     
      the
      trio,
      and
      one
      of
      the
      most
      spine-tinglingly
     
     
      cutesy-pie
      talents
      to
      come
      down
      the
      pike
      since
     
     
      Shirley
      Temple).
     
    

    
     
      Mrs.
      Doubtfire
      is
      definitely
      worth
      the
      price
     
     
      of
      admission.
      It's
      a
      non-stop
      laugh-fest
      with
      a
     
     
      lot
      of
      heart,
      and
      as
      the
      old
      cliche
      says,
      it’s
      fun
     
     
      for
      the
      whole
      family.
      (4.5)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Buhloone
      Mind
      State
     
     
      De
      La
      Soul
     
     
      (Polygram)
     
    

    
     
      Light,
      mellow,
     
     
      comforting...
      how
     
     
      often
      would
      you
      use
     
     
      these
      terms
      to
     
     
      describe
      the
      sounds
      of
     
     
      one
      of
      the
      more
     
     
      successful
      hip-hop
     
     
      groups
      around?
      The
     
     
      labels
      would
      suggest
     
     
      something
      that
      your
     
     
      parents
      would
      listen
     
     
      to,
      not
      the
      newest
      rap
     
     
      album
      from
      De
      La
     
     
      Soul,
      Buhloone
      Mind
     
     
      State.
      De
      La
      Soul
     
     
      continues
      to
      be
      one
      of
     
     
      the
      essential
      groups
     
     
      who
      give
      a
      light
      sound
     
     
      to
      rap,
      and
      still
      remain
     
     
      very
      prosperous.
      They
     
     
      prefer
      to
      let
      their
      style
     
     
      be
      personified
      by
     
     
      actual
      music,
      and
      not
     
     
      just
      a
      heavy
      bass
      line
     
     
      with
      profanity-filled
     
     
      lyrics.
      The
      album
      has
      a
     
     
      diverse
      scope
      of
     
     
      sounds
      ranging
      from
     
     
      the
      best
      cut,
     
     
      “Breakadawn”,
      which
     
    
   
   
    
     
      {has
      a
      PM
      Dawnish
     
    
   
   
    
     
      sound
      to
      it,
      to
      the
     
     
      soulful
      sounds
      of
      “|
      Be
     
     
      Blowin”
      which
      is
      totally
     
     
      instrumental
      horns
      and
     
     
      is
      the
      smoothest
      cut
     
     
      they
      have.
      “Patti
     
     
      Dooke”
      is
      a
      song
     
     
      about
      the
      wrongfulness
     
     
      of
      racism,
      in
      addition
     
     
      to
      being
      one
      of
      the
     
     
      best
      dance
      cuts.
      (4)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Get
      in
      Where
      You
      Fit
     
     
      In
     
    

    
     
      Too
      Short
     
    

    
     
      (BMG)
     
    

    
     
      What
      is
      the
      appeal
      of
     
     
      gangsta
      rap?
      After
     
     
      listening
      to
      this
      CD,
      |
     
     
      realize
      that
      it
      was
      a
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      [
      x.press
      january
      eighteenth
      1994
      page
      13
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ound
     
    
   
   
    
     
      bak
      ie
      See
      oe
      ed
     
     
      salvatio
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      trend
      that
      began
      and
      ended
     
     
      with
      anything
      produced
      by
     
     
      NWA.
      Too
      Short
      is
      one
      of
      -
     
     
      the
      original
      gangsta
      rappers,
     
     
      but
      he
      hasn't
      evolved
      as
      an
     
     
      artist
      (to
      use
      the
      term
     
     
      loosely)
      at
      all
      during
      his
     
     
      career.
      He
      unfortunately
      fits
     
     
      all
      of
      the
      negative
     
     
      stereotypes
      that
      are
      unjustly
     
     
      thrown
      on
      rap
      artists,
      as
      his
     
     
      album
      is
      nothing
      more
      than
      a
     
     
      self-description
      of
      how
      many
     
     
      women
      he's
      had,
      and
      how
     
     
      he’s
      the
      biggest
      player
     
     
      around.
      Buy
      this
      album
      only
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -_
      if
      you
      want
      to
      have
      another
     
    
   
   
    
     
      album
      in
      your
      collection
      that
     
     
      contains
      the
      famous
     
     
      “Parental
      Advisory-Explicit
     
     
      Lyrics”
      label
      on
      it.
      (2)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Represent
     
    

    
     
      Fat
      Joe
      Da
      Gangsta
     
     
      (BMG)
     
    

    
     
      See
      the
      above
      review.
      Fat
     
     
      Joe
      is
      just
      an
      imitation
      trying
     
     
      to
      live
      off
      the
      success
      of
      the
     
     
      other
      large
      brothers
      of
      rap
     
     
      (Fat
      boys,
      Chubb
      Rock,
      and
     
     
      Heavy
      D),
      and
      he
      comes
      up
     
     
      many
      pounds
      short.
      One
      of
     
     
      the
      worst
      albums
      |
      have
      ever
     
     
      heard,
      don’t
      even
      look
      at
     
     
      this
      album
      on
      the
      shelf,
      it
     
     
      only
      entices
      you
      to
      start
     
     
      spelling
      words
      incorrectly.
     
     
      (0.5)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Sign
     
    

    
     
      Ace
      of
      Base
     
    

    
     
      (BMG)
     
    

    
     
      “All
      That
      She
      Wants”
      is
      a
     
     
      great
      song,
      but
      all
      that
      |
      want
     
     
      is
      One
      more
      song
      on
      this
     
     
      album
      that
      comes
      close
      to
     
     
      measuring
      up
      to
      that
      song.
     
    

    
     
      It
      has
      a
      lot
      of
      computerized
     
     
      melodies
      which
      sort-of
      all
     
     
      blend
      together.
      Thank
     
     
      goodness
      for
      the
      spaces
     
     
      between
      the
      songs--
      if
      it
     
     
      wasn't
      for
      them
      |
      could
     
     
      barely
      tell
      where
      one
      cut
     
     
      ends
      and
      another
      begins.
      It's
     
     
      a
      mindless
      album,
      stating
     
    
   
   
    
     
      nothing
      of
      consequence,
     
     
      but
      just
      music
      for
      the
     
     
      sake
      of
      music,
      nothing
     
     
      more.
      Ace
      of
      Base
      is
     
     
      often
      compared
      to
      ABBA
     
     
      because
      of
      their
      sound
     
     
      and
      place
      of
      origin.
      |
      can
     
     
      think
      of
      another
     
     
      comparison:
      in
      four
     
     
      months
      they
      will
      have
     
     
      about
      as
      much
      future
      as
     
     
      ABBA
      does.
      (2.5)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Midnight
      Marauders
     
     
      Tribe
      Called
      Quest
     
     
      (BMG)
     
    

    
     
      One
      of
      the
      premier
     
     
      groups
      of
      hip-hop,
      their
     
     
      newest
      CD’s
      title
      means
     
     
      that
      their
      sounds
      will
     
     
      overwhelm
      you
      when
      you
     
     
      listen
      to
      this
      album
      at
     
     
      night.
      This
      is
      a
      lot
      like
     
     
      their
      last
      album,
      Low-end
     
     
      Scenario,
      but
      that’s
      alright
     
     
      because
      that
      was
      a
      very
     
     
      good
      album.
      The
      song
     
     
      “Sucka
      Niggaz”
      is
      about
     
     
      how
      the
      term
      “nigger”
     
     
      has
      evolved
      from
      an
      insult
     
     
      by
      whites
      to
      become
      a
     
     
      term
      of
      endearment
      for
     
     
      black
      youth,
      showing
      how
     
     
      they
      embrace
      adversity
     
     
      and
      become
      stronger.
     
     
      More
      than
      just
      music,
     
     
      Quest
      tries
      to
      educate
      as
     
     
      well.
      (4)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sneeke
      Muthafuckaz
     
     
      Hoodratz
     
    

    
     
      (?)
     
    

    
     
      They
      sound
      a
      lot
      like
     
     
      ONYX,
      and
      “‘Bootlegga”
     
     
      isn’t
      a
      bad
      song
      but
      once
     
     
      again,
      the
      sounds
      are
      very
     
     
      similar
      from
      one
      track
      to
     
     
      the
      next.
      (2)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Haddaway
     
    

    
     
      Haddaway
     
    

    
     
      (BMG)
      ;
     
    

    
     
      Better
      than
      |
      expected--
     
     
      the
      dance-floor
      smash,
     
     
      “What
      Is
      Love?”,
      is
     
     
      excellent,
      but
      the
      album
     
     
      has
      more
      to
      it
      than
      just
     
     
      that.
      Haddaway
      also
      does
     
     
      a
      good
      remake
      of
      Bob
     
     
      Marley's
      reggae
      classic
     
     
      “Stir
      it
      Up”,
      which
      has
     
     
      more
      life
      than
      the
      original
     
     
      version.
      More
      than
      a
     
     
      one-track
      album.
      (3)