Siskel & Ebert Classics - 2/3/90 - Stanley & Iris, Loose Cannons

Leftover Winter '90 flops show also includes HOMER & EDDIE, SWEETIE and THE WHITE GIRL. As a reminder, if you're looking for the latest home video reviews -- from Blu-Rays of classic catalog titles to the latest releases -- be sure to check out my own review site at www.andyfilm.com

[@garydeblasio8810]

Stanley and Iris is a beautiful little gem of a movie. Wonderful acting, Wonderful authentic locations, and a beautiful score by John Williams.

[@AMERASIAN12]

AMEN.

[@sahej6939]

It also makes me cry 😢and I think it’s a drama 🎭

[@markelijio6012]

Stanley & Iris was the final American picture from the Oscar nominated filmmaking team behind Hud and Norma Rae: director Martin Ritt and writers Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank. A romantic film that did some good business despite a series of production problems. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture. Peace!!!

[@kurzrock]

Intelligent and sharp reviews. I miss these two very much.

[@sonnyroy497]

I love Stanley and Iris ♥️.

[@patrickthomas8890]

Deeply flawed and corny movie…but it was enjoyable. De Niro and Jane Fonda were good. Both very charismatic people who saved a melodramatic, under-written and over-cheesy movie.

[@oldfashionedguy1368]

It's ironic that when they reviewed the critically panned Loose Cannons, they didn't mention the fact that the film was directed by Bob Clark whose credits include Porky's 1 & 2 and A Christmas Story.

[@knownpleasures]

Umm Porkys 1 was a huge box office hit

[@theessentials450]

And is still unfunny trash

[@theessentials450]

A Christmas story is still amazing

[@BruceLee-t9n]

Stanley & Iris is a great movie. Most De Niro and Fonda movies are Awesome

[@sdrawkcabUK]

Hah I quite liked that scene with De Niro reading aloud in the library - schlocky, yes, but fun

[@bowlineobama]

Siskel & Ebert, rest in peace. I agree with Ebert. It is a wonderful movie. It is my favorite Robert DeNero and Jane Fonda movie. It is not just about someone who can't read, it is also about love story as well. I don't know why Siskel is so hard on Jane Fonda and this morning.

[@Hellraiser0601]

"90s winter flops" 😂 😂 😂

[@reneedennis2011]

Stanley & Iris is a good movie.

[@patrickthomas8890]

It’s an entertaining movie, but it’s pure schlock. The scene where De Niro stops the bus and says “Teach me to read!” while the rain was pouring down felt like an SNL parody. I liked it overall, but Siskel was right…it was a glorified made-for-tv movie

[@timcurrent5511]

I loved loose cannons. I thought it was hilarious but I think the Three Stooges are hilarious also Different strokes for different folks

[@reneedennis2011]

I have never heard of Holer and Eddie. And as for the plot of Loose Cannons? WTH?!?

[@DawgPound86]

Loose cannons is a funny movie

[@knownpleasures]

Wow !! They had to review some junk back then lol 😂

[@notsure1277]

This is why these guys were and still are respected for what they did: they had no problem with justifiably giving the thumbs-down to the majority of films on their show. They were not cheerleaders. A couple of additional points of my own: 1. Siskel did not say it, but everybody knew that Fonda was on a box-office public-relations campaign to make people forget her treasonous activities during the Viet Nam War. 2. Aykroyd and Goldberg were both terrible on screen. Just plain unfunny. They could never carry a film on their own, but Hollywood producers and the public were not yet ready to admit it.

[@stevejohnson1577]

100% agree

[@sdrawkcabUK]

Was Fonda treasonous? I heard she was just opposed to the war.

[@garydeblasio8810]

That's ridiculous. Jane did many movies after North Vietnam.

[@garydeblasio8810]

Stanley and Iris is s beautiful little gem of a movie.

[@patrickthomas8890]

@@sdrawkcabUK She visited North Vietnam during the war, took publicity photos on an NVA tank, painted them as victims in the war (ignoring atrocities committed), and said all American POWs were war criminals…I can understand her opposing the war but she took it too far and really crossed the line. Maybe she got too caught up in the anti-war movement, but I think vets were justifiably upset with her. I think an argument can be made that it was somewhat treasonous since she supported an enemy and tried to undermine American troops during wartime. The North Vietnamese tortured Americans and justified it by claiming they were war criminals not deserving of humane treatment…which Jane Fonda supported at the time. I’m sure she deeply regrets that.

[@daringabler8352]

I don't disagree with them about Stanley & Iris, mostly. I just don't think its failings made it a bad movie. The library scene is totally overwritten, sometimes the score gets in the way (as do lots of scores from that era), and the subject of illiteracy is not treated with much weight. But I really enjoyed the performances, Fonda, De Niro, definitely Martha Plimpton. And a number of scenes are noticeably good, especially with Stanley and his father and between Stanley and Iris in the park- loved that scene. Not that anyone asked ME.

[@heilzorak64]

Bunch of proven directors (at that time) getting their films canned on this show like Martin Ritt (Stanley & Iris), Andrei Konchalovsky (Homer & Eddie) & Bob Clark (Loose Cannons). As for 'The White Girl' (a passé codeword for trashy street character nowadays), Armond White's book 'The Resistance' had an article that exposed the movie even deeper than S&E's review did, described it as a "racket" conning a bunch of fools with exploitation. Always was curious to see the whole thing with how absurd those clips looked.

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Like WOW, 90% Thumbs Down & 10% Thumbs Up

[@kdryan21]

Oh, shut up Gene. I loved Stanley and Iris!

[@fje6902]

Loose Cannons wasn't "The French Connection", but I thought Ackroyd was bizarrely funny. Gene Siskel thought "Loose Cannons" was ludicrous, but liked "Parents".

[@sahej6939]

it is funny

[@ifragisk]

I recorded Stanley and Iris on PVR and To Live and Die in LA, supposedly a hidden gem. I found Stanley and Iris comfortabley predictable with decent acting (considering the lines are mediocre). I couldnt get through the LA movie, found it gross and without humanity. Deleted from PVR but will keep Stanley.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

"gross and without humanity" ? How was it gross ? How was it without humanity ? The film was riveting, it's a fascinating thriller about two men driven to self destruction. I guess you want a simple film about clearly defined heroes and villains.

[@stoogefest16]

Out of curiosity, you recorded these off Turner Classic Movies, right?

[@dnasty312]

5:48 We don't use that word anymore 🚫

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Lex Luthor meets Dr. Ray Stantz Loose Cannons was awful Whenever I think of Loose Cannons, I think of Scott Steiner and the late Brian Pillman

[@BruceLee-t9n]

Gene is way too harsh on Movies. Come man take a chill pill

[@mykal.7424]

I was shocked how awful Loose Cannons is

[@Locadel2003]

Man Dan Aykroyd after that movie start taking supporting roles because Loose Cannons and Nothing but Trouble were absolutely garbage. Also Caddyshack 2🤮

[@rosario508]

Don’t forget Exit to Eden

[@hip-hoplegend9882]

Nothing But Trouble is a hilarious movie.

[@freddyfurrah3789]

F dinero