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She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
A TON of Fun. Forget the bad reviews - they're full of, well, you know.
Bottom line - She Hulk: Attorney at Law, based on the first episode, is a ton of fun. Ridiculously fun.
If you're looking for deep meaning or something profound - WHY???
THIS IS SHE-HULK, not The Dark Knight.
It's supposed to be light and fun, not serious, not deeply meaningful. It's just this side of a sitcom. It's akin to The Orville (first two seasons). 80% drama/20% comedy. There can be serious storytelling going on, but it's always going to be fun.
This was a great introduction to the character and the series. And Tatiana Maslany is fantastic as Jennifer Walters (and the She Hulk voice work). Perfect casting.
Don't buy into the bad reviews - a lot of people have an agenda to trash the series, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if many of them haven't even watched the show.
The Orville: Electric Sheep (2022)
What The Hell Happened Here?
The Orville has always been a fun, lighthearted Science Fiction adventure show with a lot of humor and some outstanding comedy at just the right times.
For two seasons The Orville was a bright light giving people something fun and entertaining to watch. It made the viewers feel good.
Now, in a dark time (a pandemic that has killed millions, a horrible war in Eastern Europe, the fallout on the world oil market raising gas prices through the roof, overall inflation, mass shootings, people losing their rights in the highest courts, and dark political stuff that is truly frightening) - we NEED that lighthearted, fun, escapist adventure more than ever!
So what did Seth MacFarlane do?
He went ultra serious. Not just serioius, but unhappy, UN-fun, and somber. That bright light that made people feel good went out, and left only darkness.
To make matters worse, MacFarlane retconned a bit of Season 2 to match the story he wanted to tell here. Isaac was a hero who saved not only everyone on the Orville, but everyone on Earth. He was also the Planetary Unions greatest ally and weapon in fighting the Kaylon. No one knows the weaknesses of the Kaylon more than Isaac.
Yet, somehow, MacFarlane has turned a huge part of the crew against him, treating him like a villain. They hate Isaac. Never mind that he saved their lives and betrayed his own, "People," in doing so. He gave up EVERYTHING to save them. But, no, that doesn't count. He's a villain in their eyes.
Now, that would almost be fine if he had set up this turn of events in previous episodes (following Identity Parts 1 & 2). A line of dialogue here and there indicating some kind of resentment towards Isaac in the last 4 episodes would have set this up so that at least it made some kind of sense.
But Seth didn't do that.
He also didn't set up ANY kind of negative feelings from Gordon towards Isaac. All of a sudden Gordon is a racist jerk. He hates his good friend and practical joke buddy, Isaac because... He reported on the biological life forms that he encountered so Primary and the other Kaylon in charge could decide whether or not they believe the biologicals (as they call them) should be preserved. Isaac wasn't part of that decision making process, and once he found out about the decision he constantly tried to keep Primary from killing people (the guy who got spaced as one example). When Primary told Isaac to kill Ty, Isaac destroyed Primary and shut down all the Kaylon on the ship. He saved everyone on the ship.
And people hate him?
Please.
The topic of suicide is rather heavy, and arguably inappropriate for a show like The Orville (where the tone has been upbeat and fun, even in the serious episodes).
This was just a huge disappointment, and the retconning of details from Season 2 made it even worse. It wasn't a bad episode, but it wasn't nearly as good as the first episode in three years should have been.
Hana yori mo naho (2006)
Major Disappointment
I bought Hana on CD because it had been compared to some of the great modern Samurai movies (Twilight Samurai, When The Last Sword Is Drawn, The Hidden Blade, Love and Honor, etc). I love those movies, so I was very enthusiastic about this one.
And then I watched it.
There is very little plot here. It's a character driven movie, and, in truth, it isn't a samurai movie at all. Sure, the main character is a samurai, but he's kind of a samurai who has given up on the Bushido code and dropped out of that life. He's directionless, aimless, and, really, a bit of a coward.
The biggest problems with this movie are that it's boring and the characters are almost all unlikeable (including the main character). Being a character driven movie that second problem is a major flaw.
It's not a horrible movie, it's just horribly flawed and utterly boring. It's tedious. The humor falls flat, and the story takes place in a bleak, unpleasant setting with characters who have little to offer the story.
If you're looking for something different, and would find a movie about people in 1700's era Japan who live in abject poverty interesting, then this one may be for you. But if plot and character matter it would probably be best to skip this one.
Farscape: Revenging Angel (2001)
Wacky, Fun, and Irreverant
The first time I watched Revenging Angel I absolutely loved it. It was so different, so OUT THERE, that it was impossible not to love. The episode came on the heels of a rather dark two parter that ended in tragedy, so the change of pace was definitely needed.
This is most often referred to as, "The Animated Episode," of Farscape, and that's partially true. About half of the episode is animated in the Chuck Jones Roadrunner & Wile E. Coyote style, and that part of the episode is wildly entertaining.
The rest of the episode is live action. Some of it is in the real world, some of it is in Chrichton's head, with a cartoonish spin on reality. The live action stuff isn't quite as good as the animated scenes, but it's still fun.
The shock value and sheer whimsy of the episode loses a little of it's punch on rewatches (if you know what's coming, it doesn't quite have as much impact), but it's still a lot of fun on repeat viewings.
This episode was one of a handful of episodes that showed that there were no limits as to what the writers and producers would do with Farscape (short of violating broadcast standards). That's part of what won Farscape such a loyal fanbase.
Half Brothers (2020)
Surprisingly Good Movie Marred by Ugly Politics
Half Brothers has a lot going for it. There are some genuinely funny scenes, a lot of heart, some fairly well fleshed out characters, and a really compelling story. I was expecting a poorly written, directed, and acted movie based on the DVD info. Instead, I found that it was a solid, entertaining, heartwarming movie with a strong story.
But, Houston, we have a problem.
The movie's political message is told in a ham fisted, ugly way. In Half Brothers, 95% of the Americans are depicted as fat, lazy, spoiled, entitled, ignorant, arrogant, stupid, mean, obnoxious, racist, or any combination thereof. Americans are painted in a VERY negative light in this movie. In Half Brothers it's: Americans = Bad, lazy, obnoxious, arrogant, selish, hostile people, Mexicans = Good, hard working, caring, selfless people. The writers club you over the head with their point of view (over and over again), and it really hurts the movie.
There is no balance.
There are only a couple decent Americans depicted in the movie, and one of them is the Half Brother who is still kind of lazy and a bit of a wacky, scatterbrained loser.
On the other hand, almost every single Mexican character is noble and honorable.
Don't get me wrong, there are, unfortunately, far too many Americans that fit the narrative of the movie, and there are plenty of Mexicans who fit the narrative on that side as well. The point of view or narrative of the movie isn't completely inaccurate. It's just not balanced and has a serious Anti-American slant.
And that takes away from what is otherwise a really, really good movie. Half Brothers could have been a movie worthy of a 7 or 8 rating if not for the ugly, hate filled political slant the writers brought to the table. It's a shame that they couldn't find a way to balance things out a little bit, because they had an interesting story to tell (the story absolutely IS interesting, captivating, even), and they told that story in an entertaining way. They just also threw in some ugly politics that is insulting to a lot of people.
Never Too Young to Die (1986)
Possibly the Worst Movie Ever
While Never Too Young To Die may not REALLY be the worst movie ever made, it was certainly one of the worst, and maybe the worst made in the big action movie era, and the worst movie that comes across as camp that was intended to be serious. (It certainly doesn't go far enough into camp territory to really work as camp, but it's just ludicrous enough that you can't take it seriously, either.)
Bad story? Check. Bad script? Checked twice. Bad Editing? Check. Bad direction? Again, checked twice. Bad acting? Checked ten times. The entire creative team behind the camera is amateurish to the extreme.
A good director would have reined in Gene Simmons. He has some acting ability, but left to his own devices he goes WAY too far over the top and becomes so silly it's stupid. John Stamos is John Stamos, and he could be barely passable in a movie like this, but the script and direction are so bad that he had no chance. Vanity looks great and is OK in her role. George Lazenby (one time James Bond) is wasted. And Robert Englund hams it up almost as badly as Gene Simmons does!
I wasted four bucks on a late afternoon matinee showing when this first came out, but it's not the money that bothers me, it's the two hours of my life that I never got back.
Awful, simply awful.
Avenging Angelo (2002)
Not bad, but the filmmakers couldn't make up their minds...
Is Avenging Angelo a comedy? A light drama? A gangster movie? A romantic film?
It's all of those things, but those different aspects of the story are rarely put together cohesively. The tone of the movie shifts so many times you'll get dizzy if you think about it too much. It's a bit of a roller coaster, with tonal ups and downs and odd left turns.
Throughout all of this, Sylvester Stallone actually gives a good performance. He's the rock, the glue that holds the movie together. His larger than life persona makes the movie work. Somewhat.
The script doesn't just have tonal shifts that are a little jarring, but it also has quality shifts that are equally jarring. Some of the attempts at humor don't just fall flat, they fall into wannabe slapstick territory without being funny. They're either just misfires, or juvenile gags that should be beneath this movie.
And yet there are moments that are very entertaining. Stallone and Anthony Quinn are gold together. Quinn may have been dying while making this movie, and his voice may have been quieted to a near whisper, but he still gives a really good performance, and his chemistry with Stallone is excellent. For every gag that misses the mark there's another gag or dramatic scene that works. The moments of the film that are well written are very well written. It's a shame that the movie is so uneven, because those good moments are actually quite good.
Ultimately, the movie is just OK. It's not really a bad movie, but it's not all that good, either. It's worth watching for Stallone fans and fans of Anthony Quinn for sure, but aside from that it's hard to recommend this one when there are so many better movies to watch. 5.5 stars out of 10.
MegaFault (2009)
Is it as bad as you'd expect? No. It's worse.
I'm a sucker for disaster movies. It's a genre that is wildly entertaining, even if the movie doesn't have the best character development, dialogue, or even realistic science. But at a certain point, as was reached with Megafault, you hit rock bottom.
Bad dialogue, bad acting, a ridiculous plot, garbage science, bad special effects, and almost non existent direction kill any chance that this movie had of even being marginally entertaining. The, "Action," scenes are tedious and boring. A vast majority of the action sequences in Megafault drag on far too long, and repeat themselves over and over again until the sequence mercifully comes to an end.
The plot and resolution to the movie are absurd, and one wonders just how quickly this script was written, and with how little care. No wonder the main cast phoned in their performances. At least they got paid (not enough, I'm sure, but they did get paid). Hilariously, the incidental characters are played less convincingly than some of the worst voice actors dubbing Godzilla movies play their characters.
Yep, Megafault is Megabad. It's not terribly surprising given the production companies involved (Asylum/SyFy), but a better movie was there to be made if the producers and writers had cared enough to make it. They could have come up with a passable script and made a movie that was cheesy but entertaining, but they didn't even clear that bar.
If you're on the fence about watching this one because you enjoy disaster movies, skip it. It's not that far removed from what Ed Wood would have done given this level of filmmaking technology. On the other hand, if you enjoy truly bad movies like some people do, give it a spin.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Don't Let The Naysayers Fool You - The Last Jedi Isn't Horrible.
The ONLY Star Wars movie that is pretty much above or beyond criticism is The Empire Strikes Back. Other than that, they are ALL flawed in one way or another. The original Star Wars being the least flawed (as in almost not at all, but still a little flawed with some stiff, stilted dialogue and a really whiny, annoying lead character).
But The Last Jedi improves on The Force Awakens in some areas. Finn and Poe are much better developed as characters this time around. Poe has a personal struggle to deal with (to blindly follow orders or to do what he believes is right), while Finn is much less of the stereotypical black comic relief character and has some legitimate personal drama and carries a little more gravitas this time around.
Luke is still Luke. A lot of people forget how whiny and impulsive and UNWISE he was in the first two movies. Like a real person, though, even though he is older, has more knowledge (and is far more powerful in the force) he is still unwise. He is still wrong about some things. And the nicest touch is that it is yet again Yoda who splashes some cold water in his face and show him how and why he is so wrong.
And Kylo Ren is far less whiny than he was in The Force Awakens. Hell, his goal isn't all that bad - it's just his methods towards achieving that goal that are completely unacceptable.
For those who say that, "Well, the First Order ships could just jump into light speed for a second to get into weapons range." Guess what? Light speed doesn't work that way. A second at light speed would put them far ahead of those they are trying to catch.
Rian Johnson and the writers avoid the completely laughable physics that J.J. Abrams put in The Force Awakens (newsflash, a blast from the Starkiller Base would take at least days, if not weeks or months to hit it's intended targets, and you wouldn't be able to see a planet blowing up from another star system the way Abrams showed it - but then he showed his blatant disregard for science with his Star Trek movies, too).
The Last Jedi is fun. It's entertaining. And it is a improvement over the previous movie in some respects (although The Force Awakens is a better movie, overall).
The Orville (2017)
Very Good - Just Enough Humor, But Not Too Much
The Orville is a great Star Trek spoof that plays it straight. Yes, it's a spoof, but the humor is subtle and not slapsticky (mostly). There is a great wit with the show, but the pilot had a good story and some great characters and was genuinely fun and even a little exciting in spots.
This is better than any Star Trek show since DS9, and has a similar style of humor to Arrested Development.
I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series. This was fun!
edit three years later to add...
As the show went along, the humor was definitely in the back seat. This is straight science fiction with humor added in small doses. Yes, there is some tongue in cheek stuff here, but the show is mostly played straight - it's more played to be fun than funny.
The stories themselves are very good, but it's the characters that carry this show. The characters are outstanding. Very well fleshed out, and the actors playing them are phenomenally good in their roles.
The Orville ended up being a fantastic show. As of the time of this writing we're still waiting for production to re-start for Season 3.
Sweetwater (2013)
I Really Wanted To Like Sweetwater...
...but I didn't.
(Spoilers are VERY minor, but noted here for your reference.)
Sweetwater just misses the mark, which was part of my frustration with the movie. There are several good scenes, and at times I really enjoyed the movie. The problem is the rest of the time I was either bored or really frustrated with how poorly the script was written and how poor the acting was.
The main problem with the movie is the villain. A psychotic, cult leader type who has a flock of followers who seem to ignore the fact that he's a psychotic killer (or are, inexplicably, just fine with their religious leader being a nutjob who kills people as a result of temper tantrums). Jason Isaacs takes the role as written and runs with it. He clearly takes devilish delight in playing an evil religious leader, but he plays him in such and over the top manner that it's hard to take the actor or the character seriously (or the script, for that matter). When your villain is one dimensional and evil just for evil's sake it really puts a strain on the writer to make the story work. In this case, Logan and Noah Miller fail to do anything with the character of Josiah other than show him to be sadistically mean, nasty, and psychotic. This really hurts the movie, but it was so unnecessary. Giving the character of Josiah some redeeming qualities and a genuine feeling of righteousness (instead a feeling of, "God, and everyone else, owes me everything") would have gone a long way towards making the movie much more interesting in between the action scenes.
Another thing that really hurts the movie is the crass use of language. Profanity in movies is hardly anything new, and often fits the movie and can make it more realistic. But here it is just over the top, crass and vulgar, and mostly anachronistic. It doesn't fit. And there are a few crass scenes as well that could have been executed better with a little more restraint.
The character of Sheriff Jackson, played by Ed Harris, is interesting, but never fully developed. There's something there, but Miller and Miller seem to be more interested in making him a quirky, oddball smartmouth than making him a great character. Harris gives a decent performance (is he ever bad?), but the character never quite becomes three dimensional.
On the other hand...
Sarah is a fantastic character. Wronged in multiple ways, she finally snaps and becomes a true force of nature. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, except for a woman horribly wronged in several different ways. Her quest for both revenge and a little justice (just a little) is fun. This is the part of the movie that works, and works well. It's just a shame that it takes so long to get there. Her willingness to do what it takes to get revenge (including wading topless in a river to attract her targets) just makes her more appealing - it's hard not to root for a character when they fully commit to doing what has to be done! She is merciless and unfeeling - no sympathy, no empathy, just a woman on a mission that has to be completed.
Had the first 2/3 of the movie been as good as the last 1/3 Sweetwater would be a very good Western. As it is, however, it's a missed opportunity to create something that transcends it's era. Oh, well.
The Dick Van Dyke Show: Three Letters from One Wife (1964)
Fantastic Script, Great Comedic Acting
Re-watching "Three Letters From One Wife," I remembered that this was one of the episodes that I always thought of when it came to the characters on the Dick Van Dyke Show. This episode really nailed the characters. There was a depth to Rob, Laura, Millie, Alan, and even Mel that wasn't always seen. There were also some hilarious, laugh out loud moments as well. The script was so on point, so clever, and so witty that I was absolutely positive that it had to have been written by Carl Reiner.
It wasn't.
It was the team of Bill Persky and Sam Denoff, who had taken over the job of Script/Story Consultants from Reiner after writing several great scripts of their own earlier in the show's run. They wrote this fantastic script - and they should be recognized for this tremendous bit of sitcom magic.
And the cast clearly loved the script, too. They all made the most of their lines and put a ton of energy and enthusiasm into their performances.
A lot of people forget to mention Persky and Denoff when talking about the writing on the Dick Van Dyke show (including Dick Van Dyke himself a little too often). Yes, Carl Reiner wrote a lot of the iconic episodes, but Persky and Denoff also contributed several great scripts as well, helping to cement The Dick Van Dyke Show as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time (if not THE greatest)!
This script was just one that really stood out for me as it hit all the marks you'd expect a Dick Van Dyke script to hit - and it hit them all dead center!
Follow Me Quietly (1949)
Top Notch "B" Murder Mystery
This is the kind of thing that Hollywood hasn't made in decades - a solid, well written, well acted, well directed "B" Movie. With a running time just seconds under an hour there is no wasted time in this movie, and yet nothing feels rushed, either. The main plot is revealed very quickly, and a lengthy set up is not the least bit missed.
By going straight into the main story about 10 or 15 minutes of character introductions and set up for the plot are avoided. We get to know the characters right away, and we find out what the story is all about in the first 5 minutes. And what a creative story, too! Legendary director Anthony Mann had a hand in writing the story, and his flair for Noir shines through (or, maybe I should say his shadows fall on the story).
William Lundigan is well cast as the lead (a detective still trying to break a months old serial murder case), and Dorothy Patrick does an equally good job as a tabloid reporter trying to get a scoop. Jeff Corey is particularly good, too, as Lundigan's detective partner.
Bottom line? Follow Me Quietly is a very good, well made thriller on the outskirts of Film Noir that feels just right in it's one hour running time. It's not rushed, but absolutely nothing drags, either. And there aren't any unresolved plot points, either.
It's a shame that Hollywood doesn't make movies like this anymore (low budget, short run time, taut, well made thrillers). But I guess that kind of thing went to TV in series form. (But a 44 minute TV episode doesn't quite do as good a job of telling this kind of story as a 60 or 70 minute movie could.)
Daikessen! Chô urutora 8 kyôdai (2008)
Great Ultraman Movie
Super 8 Ultra Brothers (or whatever title variation you prefer) is a great Ultraman movie. The production values are fairly good, but the strength of this movie is the script and the direction (as well as some solid acting from a lot of people reprising their roles from various Ultra TV shows). Character development is excellent for an Ultraman movie or TV show, but that actually sells this movie a bit short.
The development of the characters and the plot is done at just the right pace. It isn't rushed, nor is it too slow. And Hiroshi Nagano carries the movie well as the lead (returning to his role as Daigo Madoka from the Ultraman Tiga series). He was likable on the TV show, and he's likable here. He has a charm and charisma that carries the movie well.
And then you've got four of the original Ultramen, and they've got great chemistry together along with their female leads from their respective series. Bringing in the older actors gives this movie great nostalgia value to go along with all of it's other positive qualities.
Of course, like most Ultraman projects the effects are less than Hollywood Blockbuster quality (with the kaiju suits being particularly unrealistic, as usual), but better than most of the Ultra series and/or movies. There isn't anything here from an effects or suit standpoint that takes the viewer out of the movie - it's all solid, even if not great.
Ultimately, this is a great Ultraman movie. Very satisfying and wildly entertaining.
Gun Fight (1961)
Low budget "B" Western shows it's limitations...
Gun Fight doesn't exactly have great production values. Nor does it have a well known cast. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen any of these actors in anything else (if I have their roles were inconsequential). It doesn't boast a great script, or great direction, either. So what does it have?
Well, it's got a fairly good story (nothing especially original or outstanding, but a good, solid storyline) and a cast that is honestly doing their best to give good performances. It also has a short running time (69 minutes), so it doesn't drag at any point.
Ultimately, Gun Fight is an anachronism in filmmaking circa 1960 (when it was filmed). It plays out more like a Western from 1941 than 1961 (when it was released). The style of storytelling (the direction, acting, dialogue, and plotting) is a much closer match to what Hollywood was putting out in the early 40's than in the early 60's, so it was already outdated when it was released. And yet, there is an earnestness about the movie that makes it hard to completely dislike or dismiss. No one will ever confuse Gun Fight with the great Westerns of the pre-Spaghetti Western era, but it isn't quite as bad as many people make it out to be.
Gun Fight is mildly diverting and somewhat entertaining for fans of the genre who are looking for something new that they haven't seen before. It isn't far removed from the kind of Western that a Poverty Row studio might have made in the 40's, and maybe that's part of it's charm. With the right expectations Gun Fight can deliver an entertaining one hour and nine minutes. With the right expectations...
American Hustle (2013)
Scorsese Light
It's so obvious that director David O. Russell was trying to make his own Scorsese movie that I am stunned that more people haven't pointed it out. The use of music, the editing style, the use of narration, the way he directed his actors (and the way Christian Bale aped Robert DeNiro in his performance) - it's all VERY Scorsese. Or, more accurately, like Scorsese on auto pilot (or Scorsese light). Bringing in DeNiro for a cameo was almost like an admission of guilt on Russell's part. As if he were saying, "Yes, I'm trying to make a Martin Scorsese type movie." Don't misunderstand, American Hustle IS a good movie. Very good at times, but it is completely unoriginal in it's style and it is about fifteen or twenty minutes too long.
But throughout the movie I kept noticing the Scorsese-isms and the DeNiro aping from Bale. It became distracting.
Ultimately, American Hustle is a well made movie. It's just a well made homage to Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro more than anything else.
Stargate: The Ark of Truth (2008)
A Solid Ending for Season 10
The Ark of Truth was the kind of satisfying finale to season 10 that I was hoping for. Great stuff - a lot of fun.
The Ark of Truth was well written and directed, and felt like a direct continuation of season 10. The actors continued to do what they do with these characters (which is a good thing), and the action was very good (although they've done better before). As for the special effects, I thought they were excellent (not $100 million budget excellent, but for a straight to DVD movie based on a cancelled TV series they were fantastic).
The only gripe I had about it was that they threw in everything but the kitchen sink (all of the prerequisite SG1 subplots were there). Paring it down and eliminating one of those subplots might have made the movie a little better (Sam and Teal'c don't get quite enough to do in the movie as a result), but as it is I still think it's a damned entertaining movie - as long as you've watched the last 10 years of SG1. If not, you're going to be lost.
Clearly, though, this was not made to win over new fans. This was made for the fans who have been following the show for the last decade. This was made for the fans who weren't happy about the Sci-Fi channel cancelling the show in a cost cutting move, and as one of those fans I am very glad they made this movie. I enjoyed the hell out of it.
Finally, the resolution of the story is what they've been setting up for the last two years of the series. No major surprises, but it was carried off very well.
For those familiar with the SG1 series (particularly seasons 9 & 10) The Ark of Truth is highly recommended. For anyone who has NOT seen seasons 9 & 10 of Stargate: SG1 I would advise holding off until you have seen those seasons to put everything in proper context.
Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier (1980)
Solid Early 80's TV Movie - And A Lot Of Fun!
Fighting Back, The Rocky Bleier Story is a very well made TV movie from the early 80's. The story of Rocky Bleier is a story of courage and perseverance, and this movie is rather poignant despite its, "Movie of the week," trappings.
As Rocky himself (played very well by the late Robert Urich) points out in the movie, it wasn't just courage, but fear that motivated him to overcome the near loss of his foot in Viet Nam to become one of the NFL's star players. While there is a bit too much melodrama covering Rocky's personal life, the scenes covering Rocky's fight to come back from what should have been a career ending, and crippling, injury are truly inspiring.
The music, the direction, the acting - it's all spot on. Fighting Back truly captures the spirit of the times. Heck, Howard Cosell's appearance is perfect as well - he was such a cultural icon in the 70's and 80's, and his cameo really taps into that. Special mention should also be made of Art Carney's performance as Art Rooney. He did a great job portraying a much loved team owner. Richard Herd was also fairly good in his scenes as Chuck Noll.
You don't have to be a Pittsburgh Steelers fan to enjoy Fighting Back. (As a matter of fact, I can't stand the Steelers - but I LOVE this movie! All of a sudden I found myself rooting for them to make it to the Super Bowl while watching it - even though I knew the outcome of almost all the games shown!) Even fans of other teams will find themselves becoming big Rocky Bleier fans while watching this movie.
As a side note - watch out for a severely edited version of Fighting Back that occasionally gets shown on ESPN Classic. That version isn't even worth showing.
Hopefully the full length version shows up on DVD before too long. I'm sure it would sell fairly well - especially in Pittsburgh!
Kiss: Rock the Nation - Live (2005)
KISS Comes Back With Best Tour In Over A Decade!
KISS fans have been largely divided into two camps. On one side you've got the purists who are fans of the original line up (Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter), and may or may not tolerate any of the other line-ups (and if they do tolerate any of the other line-ups, they always preface any conversation with, "Of course, the original line-up is the only REAL KISS"). On the other side you've got the fans who want the best available players to play alongside Paul and Gene. They weren't really happy when the Reunion happened back in '96 as the Revenge line-up was incredibly strong and vibrant musically.
When Peter and Ace returned to the old habits that led them to leave (be asked to leave) KISS the first time around, we saw the return of Eric Singer to the band, and the introduction of Tommy Thayer as the new lead guitar player. That would have been enough to upset some of the "purists" who would rather see the originals regardless of musical abilities, but when you add insult to injury - having Eric and Tommy wear the "Catman" and "Spaceman" make-up & outfits, well, that was tantamount to KISS blasphemy to them.
Which brings us to the 2004 Rock the Nation tour. It featured one of the most high-tech, and visually impressive KISS shows ever, and with Eric and Tommy in the band KISS was able to play songs that they hadn't played in years. "Unholy," "War Machine," "Love Her All I Can," "Tears Are Falling," and "Makin' Love," all reappeared in the set list. All were played very well, and many became crowd favorites.
The purists still weren't happy, however, because of the "controversy" surrounding Eric & Tommy and the make-up. The tour did good, but not great business anyway, and KISS put on some fantastic shows.
This tour was filmed for this home video release, and it is clear to see that the band is having a great time for the first time since 1996. The concert footage is very well shot, and a little better edited than the last concert release, KISS Symphony. The sound on the DVD is fantastic, and is worthy of a live CD release.
One thing that is evident is that Paul Stanley wasn't quite himself. Shortly after the tour was completed Paul had hip replacement surgery, and it is clear that he wasn't able to move on stage quite as much as he had in the past. Casual fans wouldn't notice it, but Paul is a little more reserved physically than on most other KISS tours. He's not running and jumping around in the fashion that KISS fans have become accustomed to. He's not just standing around, but his energy level on stage is not where it was in 1996, or 1992, or 1985. He has since had a second hip replacement, and it remains to be seen if he will ever fully recover. Even if he doesn't, he is still one of the best frontmen in Rock and Roll, and this DVD is just further proof.
At the end of the day, what really makes this a great home video release are the great musical performances of Eric and Tommy, the fantastic visuals, the great song selection, and the cool KISS PowerVision feature on seven songs that lets the viewer decide which band member to watch.
KISS: Rock the Nation Live may not be a perfect release, but it is pretty darned close.
Warlock (1959)
One of the Best Westerns of the 50's
In the 50's Westerns were extremely popular, and many of that decade's best movies were Westerns. The Searchers, Winchester '73, The Man From Laramie, The Naked Spur - the list of great Westerns from the 50's could practically go on for days. One movie that should always be included on any list of best Westerns from the 50's is Warlock.
Warlock's strengths start with a very well written, intelligent script that gives the characters three dimensions and realistic motivations. The script uses these characters well in pushing forward the many solid plot points. Warlock isn't a "shoot 'em up," Western, but it does have its share of good action. Many fans have described this as one of the quintessential "Psychological Westerns," and to a degree that is true. It also features solid drama, and genuine excitement when the action scenes come.
Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn, and Richard Widmark give some of their finest performances in Warlock, and a strong case could be made that this is Anthony Quinn's best performance in a Western. Fonda's dark, brooding performance foreshadows the even darker and nastier performance he would give almost a decade later in Once Upon a Time in the West. DeForest Kelley gives a strong supporting performance as well, showing his natural abilities in the Western genre.
Edward Dmytryk directed Warlock with a steady hand. He didn't overdo the direction looking to push the artistic envelope with unusual camera angles, but he did direct the movie with a flair and style ideal for a Western.
Ultimately, Warlock holds up not only as one of the best Westerns of the 50's, but as one of the best Westerns of all time and may be one of those movies that receives more acclaim with each passing decade.
George Washington Slept Here (1942)
One of my favorite classic comedies
George Washington Slept Here is a tour-de-force for the great Jack Benny. He is given the opportunity to fully display his comedic acting skills here, as the movie is written and directed with class and style. He's ably assisted in the hilarity by the equally great Ann Sheridan, and supporting cast members Percy Kilbride and Charles Coburn add even more comic class to the movie.
This is the kind of movie you can watch with your kids where you find that the entire family enjoys it equally. While some cynics may not enjoy this movie as much as I do (it is clearly a product of it's time), if you find that you enjoy classic comedies then you should give this one a chance.
Hopefully it will be released on DVD soon. (As of this writing, 2/05/05, it is not yet on DVD.)
Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978)
Is it really that bad? Well, yes, but...
Consider this: In 1978 Wonder Woman was a fairly decent sized hit TV series. Cheese and camp were in. KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park originally was planned (and scripted) as "Star Wars meets A Hard Day's Night." Unfortunately, the network censors decided that it was too violent and too serious for all the kids that would likely be watching, so the script was toned down. After 3 or 4 re-writes the script hardly resembled that which the band and their management agreed to, but they had already signed their contracts, so...
Out came KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park to TV screens in the Fall of 1978. It was bad, unintentionally funny in spots, and yet - it was still kind of cool if you "got it." The idea of KISS as superheroes was a natural, and, in fact, it followed the two Marvel Comics KISS special issues from 1977 & 1978 - including the idea of where they got their powers. There are some ideas in the story that if fleshed out and written well could have made for a good TV movie. Unfortunately Hanna Barbera was running the show, and turned it into a live action cartoon - with the approval (and outright urging) of NBC. The band so hated the script that even Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons - the guys in the band with good work ethic and aspirations of becoming serious Hollywood actors someday - didn't bother to study their lines. They just had their lines barked out to them and repeated them for each take. Peter Criss, as has been noted many times, didn't even bother to show up for the "looping," or overdubbing of his voice to fix the spots where the audio recording wasn't up to par (and had his voice replaced by a cartoon voice actor throughout the film as a result). Ace Frehley also seems disinterested for most of the movie (and as he was, and still is, a big Science Fiction fan that shows just how unhappy he was with the script - and the film-making process in general).
Anthony Zerbe and Carmine Caridi, however, do their best to salvage something out of this mess. They give solid, fairly believable performances despite dialog that is often cheesy, and despite their characters being written as cardboard cut-outs rather than 3 dimensional people. Kudos to them, they clearly were (and still are) professionals.
The highlights of the movie end up being the music and the cheesy fight scenes - and maybe the interplay between Zerbe's Abner Deveraux and Caridi's Calvin Richards. KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park can be fun to watch IF you go into it expecting a cheesy 70's superhero camp movie. If that's all you expect, then it meets and exceeds those expectations. It's a great bit of nostalgia as well.
KISS survived this movie, but just barely. A year later they had a huge hit with their Dynasty album, but then saw Peter Criss leave the band, with Ace Frehley following suit a couple of years later. They saw their fortunes fade for a few years (despite the introduction of the late, great Eric Carr on drums in 1980) before their career revival minus the make-up with albums like Lick It Up, Animalize, Asylum, and Revenge. In 1996 the original group got back together for a wildly successful reunion that lasted for 5 years. Once again, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley proved to be too unstable and erratic to continue in the band, and they each ended up leaving KISS (or being asked to leave) for a second time. Despite a "Farewell Tour" in 2000-2001 KISS still continues today, and they still hate this movie. But like a veteran telling war stories, they still tell the tale of making this movie, and of how a great idea was turned into something profoundly stupid yet still strangely compelling.
Flash Gordon (1980)
A Lot Of Fun.
So many people miss the point of Flash Gordon. It is simply a color, big budget updating of the old Flash Gordon matinee serials from the '30s. Max Von Sydow looks so much like the original Ming from those serials that it's eerie. The style is almost exactly the same as those serials as well, just add color and better FX and you get this movie. Sure those old serials look inherently campy today - heck, they looked campy in the 50's when they were first broadcast on television, but they had a sense of fun and adventure. The 1980 movie captures that spirit beautifully. The cast is outstanding as well: Max Von Sydow, Topol, a pre-James Bond Timothy Dalton, Peter Wyngarde, and Brian Blessed all give excellent performances. Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson, while not great, are not horrible in their parts. Jones, particularly, has been unfairly bashed. His performance is adequate. The biggest problem with his performance is that he is just outclassed by all the supporting actors. Flash Gordon is one of the most colorful and visually stunning films ever, and is just a lot of fun to watch - as long as you don't take it too seriously. The soundtrack by Queen is perfect for the movie as well, adding to the fun.
Licence to Kill (1989)
The most realistic Bond film to date. Ian Fleming would have approved.
Licence To Kill was a bold departure from the larger than life (read: cartoonish) adventures that had dominated the Bond series for the previous 22 years. In fact, it works both as a Bond film (re-watch From Russia With Love and For Your Eyes Only and you'll see how it fits in) AND as a straight action/adventure thriller.
With the plot ripped straight out of newspaper headlines Licence To Kill will seem less dated in 20 years than Goldeneye or Tomorrow Never Dies (both of which I love). Why? There are very few (if any) references to current events, and it is much less "tech" driven, so neither the political geography nor the technology in the film will be outdated in 20 years.
Timothy Dalton gives one of the most inspired performances as Bond to date as well. Some have criticized his performance as cold and humorless, but the truth is he plays the part perfectly for the story. Remember, Bond's wife Tracy was murdered on their wedding day by Bond's nemesis (at the time), Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Seeing his best friend Felix Leiter maimed, AND his Felix' new wife raped and murdered (under orders of HIS nemesis) hits too close to home for 007. He becomes obsessed with revenge, which is a realistic reaction. Any other response would be fake, and would detract from the film. Dalton gives the movie the tough, realistic edge that the Bond series had been lacking since 1969. His interpretation of Bond is straight out of the Ian Fleming novels (which he re-read before The Living Daylights). Read "Casino Royale," if you're not convinced.
The direction of John Glen on LTK is fantastic, and the supporting cast (including Robert Davi, Anthony Zerbe, and David Hedison) is among the best in the series. The dialog is excellent, and the characters well rounded. There may not be a threat to national security or world peace in LTK, but that doesn't matter. You can't keep replaying the same type of movie for 40 years. Thankfully neither The Living Daylights nor Licence To Kill followed the "Roger Moore Bond Formula." It was time to update Bond, and Licence To Kill worked flawlessly in that regard.