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Equilibrium (2002)
Very Interesting and Unique! Love it.
So many movies that depict different versions of what the future may hold. This one depicts what fascism and oppression truly is, even better than most documentaries do! I have always enjoyed films and TV where a hero emerges to free oppressed people and this one did exactly that. This movie turned me into a fan of Christian Bale. I had never really had an opinion on him before, neither positive nor negative. But he was superb in this. This film should have been a blockbuster. Why it was not is beyond me.
After a World War 3, all forms of emotion, entertainment, and religion are banned and people are executed if they allow themselves to feel. Even pets are illegal since they make people happy. A drug is used every few hours that suppresses human emotion and leads to complete submission to the will of "Father"-- a dictator in full control. After he executes his own partner for reading a book of poetry, Preston (Bale) eventually succumbs to emotion himself. He realizes how important emotion and liberty are and joins the resistance to free the people. He is pleased to learn that his own children have not been using the emotion-suppressing drugs themselves since losing their mother. He eventually kills the dictator and destroys his tools of indoctrination and the people will now be free.
You want to see a world under control of a fascist would look like? Watch this one.
There are a few disturbing scenes, such as the extermination of some dogs (which one is rescued by Bale). People are mercilessly show down for simply desiring freedom. Preston's wife is arrested in front of the two young children.
The action sequences, especially by Christian Bale, are exciting and thrilling. Though a few scenes are slightly slow, it is altogether a great film. This movie should have outdone many movies I have seen in the past 15 years.
What are you waiting for? See it now.
Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
Exciting, Funny, and Perfect Ending to the Franchise
This is my favorite of the "Lethal Weapon" series. Yes, I know it didn't do as well as the other three. But, that's fine by me. Those who haven't seen it missed out on some great stuff.
First, I really liked the addition of Jet Li as the primary antagonist. He is a good actor who can play either good or bad character roles. (I like the little ponytail, too). The late Kim Chan was good and can be very entertaining and makes an antagonist almost likable. Stuntman/actor Jeff Imada (the Chinese thug with long hair that sets the house on fire) is a very multi-talented man. I would like to see him do more acting! I enjoyed the big car chase scene right after the fire. It's the most entertaining car chase scene that I have seen and I still watch it over and over. I almost wore out the VHS tape (when the movies were new to video) and now I have the DVD and blu-ray. I especially loved when Riggs (Gibson) pulls the second Chinese thug (Simon Rhee) from the driver's seat of the Mercedes. That's a great action! Only Richard Donner can give us that! Of course, bumper-cars with real cars and driving through an occupied building make for a heart-pounding chase!
Joe Pesci, one hilarious man, gives us the great comic relief that we expect from him; along with the usual f-bomb thrown from his mouth almost every second. I miss watching him acting and hope he returns soon. (Come on, Joe!) Steve Kahan, like the other three LW films, is the perfect choice for the captain. He is a talented actor and it's a shame that he decided to retire. But, I wish him the best in whatever he does.
Altogether, this is a very entertaining and exciting movie with excellent acting and great comedy. Today's movies just don't compare. The four original "Lethal Weapon" films are the only ones, in my book. I will never see any remakes of these. Now, go watch it.
Need for Speed: Carbon (2006)
Best NFS Yet
This is the best one as far as story and gameplay and I love the crew racing. My favorite rival was Angie. The crew remarks were quite entertaining and they made racing more fun. Like I said with "NFS Most Wanted," this should also have the choice of a female driver and to see a female arrested in the police video shots in the game. For a female player, the roles of Darius and Nikki could be swapped.
I was so disappointed in the continual decreasing in the number of vinyls for the car and no contest was held this time. EA is becoming lazy, I believe.
Why was it in Tier 3, all the muscle car opponents had no Mustangs? They all had Challengers, Vipers, and Corvettes. I do like all these cars, but I also like Mustangs.
I would like to see future NFS games add Saleen and Roush Mustangs for players to have. It would be fun to race Cross.
I would, no matter, like to see NFS return to this. "NFS The Run" was no more than a "Grand Theft Auto" knock-off and awful; and I want this back. I want my own name, not Jack (so over-used in games and movies and TV) and not Player (NFS Undercover). I want my name.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)
Excellent Gameplay; Some Things Missing
First, the gameplay and graphics are wonderful. The story was enjoyable and the actors were quite good (except the Mia actress). The game is addicting and has many great cars. I do wish they would add Saleen Mustangs and Roush Mustangs. Also, I would love to be able to choose to be a female driver with a handsome "significant other" rather than Mia, who I am not attracted to since I am not a lesbian. I do find this sexist. One thing I love about the "Fast And Furious" films because they have strong female leads who drive just as well (if not better) than the men. Le'ts see these games do that.
That said, there were a few things so wrong. First, Cross's female partner was all wrong. The actress was OK, but female cops are not allowed to dress like that! The fact that she was in a marked police car with lights and siren tell you she was not undercover; therefore, her attire was inappropriate.
Also, NFS: Underground 2 had so many many many many vinyls and body kit items to choose from; but this one had so much fewer and we could not layer the vinyls. I really loved those old splash-style vinyls and want those back! Finally, I am so tired of the perfection of opponent drivers; they are much too perfect: they seldom crash, they always avoid traffic, and when they rarely do crash they recover immediately. Also, I sometimes see that I very far ahead and then at the last moment another car gets this big boost of speed and zips by as if I am suddenly on a bicycle! Jeff Gordon couldn't even do that and we all know how good a driver he is.
Fast & Furious 7 (2015)
Best One Yet
I have seen all the F&F films and love them all. The only thing I could ask for is more Mustangs (my favorite car); especially either a Roush or Saleen Mustang.
The action in this one was very over-the-top, which made it more fun. The addition of Kurt Russell as Mr Nobody was brilliant; Russell can NOT make a bad movie, no matter what. I have liked him for years, since about Overboard. I also like Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and Dwayne Johnson. I would, however, like to see a handsome actor with long hair, which I love on my men; preferably Scott Whyte or Jeremy Davies.
Of course, the have to love the fast and beautiful cars (most of them) and fun insane driving stunts. I am a big fan of cars, racing, drifting, etc; and this has led me watch the entire series over and over again. Again, I want some Mustangs added. There have been a few, but we need more. I also like Ford GT.
The loss of Paul Walker was a terrible tragedy and he will be missed in future F&F films. May he rest in peace. I will surely miss him. I hope his family finds peace.
I am not a fan of Ludicrous, but he still did a good job in his performance as Tej.
The few downsides or mistakes that I disliked were; one, when Mia says she is pregnant it is so early that you cannot see and this means there is NO way to know the gender of the baby; that takes about three months, not immediately; two, Russell needed more camera time; three, needs more Mustangs. Finally; I hate that all these movies depict only "sexy" super-skinny women in string bikinis and provocative clothes. Added to the women in the background, parties, and other events should be normal, realistic, and average women also; maybe one in a wheelchair or something; just to show that not all men are narrow-minded sex-hounds and don't expect all women to have perfect skinny bodies.
This may seem small, but I like realism to some extent and I noticed that when the house was blown up Mia screamed her son's name in panic; most movies say "my baby!" and that's a mistake. Using the child's name is what parents will do more than 96-percent of the time. Using the name personalizes and individualizes the child; even if the parent has only one child, they will most likely use the child's name, not "my baby" or "my son" or "my daughter."
Final Voyage (1999)
You Cannot Be Serious
First I did indeed like the idea of modern-day pirates. We are so used to seeing all these movies with "Golden Age of Piracy" pirates that this was a nice change.
However, the movie kept saying "terrorist." A terrorist has a political or extreme-religious agenda; they are not at all thieves. They do not take hostages in attempts to steal valuables. They often want their colleagues freed or to make a political or religious statement. They don't look for valuables. These people were pirates and that's it.
Secondly, there was no research at all done here with the ship or the White Star Line (original owners of Britannic). The ship in the movie was indeed beautiful. But, the historical information was all wrong. There were three ships owned by White Star Line called "Britannic": two were built before Titanic and one after. The first two were eventually scrapped (dismantled). The third one continued for a few years after Titanic sank and later became a Navy hospital ship and was sunk near Greece by a German submarine. This Britannic, the last ship built for White Star, was originally RMS Britannic; it then became HMHS Britannic. It was sunk in 1916. Therefore, there is no Britannic that could possibly be restored. Two are gone and one is sunken and could not be restored that new at all even if it were to be raised. No further ships were ever built for White Star and they renamed no other ships this name. The last Olympic liner for White Star that exists today is the Nomadic. Nomadic has been structurally restored with the original paint finish. A new cradle is being constructed for travel and exhibition.
Finally, ships seldom sink in as little as five minutes. They must be very severely damaged for that. The RMS Lusitania sank in 18 minutes after being torpedoed in 1915. Also, if a lifeboat were that close to a sinking ship, this can cause the smaller boat to be pulled down by the suction.
And why Ice-T? Why not a "cool" bad-guy actor? Better choices would be Billy Zane or John Pyper-Ferguson, among others.
Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Good, But Needs Research
I must say I don't see why Rockstar Games brags on a research team. If they are only researching the city, they are blowing money.
The graphics are indeed the best of all the GTA games; so lifelike! I love them.
My biggest complaint is that they don't seem to understand the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath. Michael was indeed a psychopath. He was not at all a sociopath. According to FBI psychiatrist and profiler Candace DeLong, a sociopath exists in an emotional vacuum. They feel nothing: love, compassion, remorse. Michael loved his family and even risks his own life to save them. If he were a sociopath, he would never have cared if they ran off. He would have more concerned about his missing car than the son. Then, he would not have been so eager to get the family back home. When Merryweather was sent to kill the ladies, Michael's first prerogative would have been self-preservation and he would have fled.
I also hated that cars had no airbags and I kill the other drivers much too easily! All cars now come standard with airbags! I should not be killing these people so easily. (And why are the cops and gangbangers invincible in their cars?) Secondly, the windshield bust out much too easily. Windshields are thick laminated glass; a rubbery laminate holds it all together. The characters should not at all fly through the windshields so easily.
Finally, I wish they would research police procedure. At least stop the cops slamming into the rear-end of motorcycles and throwing the suspect like that. Police never do that. They would face serious disciplinary action for that! They also do not shoot from a helicopter and ride on the sides of SUVs and shoot like this is the Wild West. Security cameras do NOT broadcast live to the police department! Can you imagine how many cops they would have to hire for ALL THOSE security cameras all over the city? Can you imagine how much taxes would seriously increase and then all those hundreds of thousands of nothing but normal business? Plus, if you shoot out the cameras, would it not appear to be suspicious? If one camera goes out, that's understandable. But if they all go out? Hello? Also, why didn't the larger bank have this? Bigger bank, more money; no live-security cameras?
Bank robbers do NOT use suppressors (silencers) when they rob banks! The idea is to strike fear into the hostages, not to pacify them by silencing the guns. They need the gun to be LOUDER to make the hostages more frightened to reduce the chances of a Good Sameritan. Second, I should NOT have to go to the gun store to take off the suppressors. Do the people at Rockstar not know how EASY it is to remove these? And I should be able to get rid of guns that I no longer need. I don't need 5-million guns in my inventory.
The online mode: I only want a few changes. One; STOP making the women dance ballet when trying on shoes!!! That is extremely sexist! I am not a ballerina!!! Two: I want to choose colors for other vehicles: bicycles, planes, boats, and helicopters; not only cars! (Yes, a bicycle is a vehicle; it is not a motorized vehicle, but it is indeed a vehicle).
Finally, I want an online heist with Michael! Why was Trevor so special that he got everything? In the story,Franklin gets that stupid motorcycle (why not his unique vehicle?) that I kept getting stuck with. I hated chasing anyone on that thing! Trevor gets extra helicopters and an ATV; but Michael gets nothing extra! Michael is the best one, my favorite ever GTA character!
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
Horrible and Full Of Idiocy
I started out liking this. But by season 5, it started to go very idiotic and on a warpath against religion. It is also full of ridiculous lines and plots.
In the episode "Popular" (which was among the last that I watched), they are discussing a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly raped; Benson says she wants to check out mom and dad because "the father seemed very upset about his daughter having sex." Well, duh! ANY parent would be upset at a 13-year-old having sex! How ridiculous!!! (It's a shame; I do like this episode, mainly because I like Ned Luke; but that was a ridiculous thing to say; obviously the one who wrote it must not have a daughter of any age).
In "Slaves" Benson points out; "She's not even his real daughter. She's adopted." Now THAT is a serious insult to ALL adopted children, including myself. I am just as much this family's daughter as blood. DNA alone does not make a family. Love does. Then, the writers have the audacity to write in (a few seasons later) that Benson was planning to adopt, but was denied. Serious hypocritical behavior for a woman who says that an adopted child is not the "real" son/daughter! I am now planning to adopt and I will treat that child no different than if I did indeed have her/him. Get a clue, people!!!
In several episodes, paramedics will say things like "it's likely he'll die" or "they will never walk again." My brother is a paramedic. They do NOT diagnose, do NOT determine if you will live or die, do NOT say things about possible disabilities you will have. The DOCTORS do the actual diagnosing. Paramedics are NOT doctors. They transport you to the doctors and the docs do the rest.
Episode "Competence" was the worst ever! Whoever wrote this should be ashamed! First, NOBODY at all takes care of a baby all alone! There are many many many disabled women who are even SINGLE mothers!!! As a disabled person myself, I was INSULTED by this!!! Are you going to say that I cannot be a mother? I do like Andrea Faye Friedman and Lois Smith, but this episode was complete stupidity!!!
Episode "Coerced" was badly thought out during the rescue of the missing boy. They are searching for a missing boy in an abandoned boarded-up building. They tell him to bang on something and you hear metallic banging, like a pipe hitting another. When they locate the boy, his hands are tied behind his back and there is no pipe next to him that he could have used to bang on something.
As far as religion is concerned, the show cops (in real life, I say "police" out of respect) deal with extremists or cultists and not actual religious people. Benson often says "I blame religion." Only extremists and cultists feel the need to kill (or harm) the people they believe are in the wrong. TRUE Christians believe that we pray for them! Christianity does NOT ever condone violence! We do NOT just pray and do nothing. We pray and take action and believe that God guides us! I wish these writers would at least research! There are many differences between a religion and a cult. Religion is about guiding the people. Cults are about control. Ever notice they never bad-mouth scientology idiots? Plus, TRUE Christians do not just pray and do nothing. We pray and then take action. We believe that God guides us, not does everything for us. I have been dealing with a condition since I was aged two. My family, religious, prayed AND followed doctor's instructions and made sure that I took my medications. This is what real Christians do. We believe that God granted people the intelligence to learn, research, and use that research to our benefit. Why would God grant humans such intelligence if He didn't expect us to use it? It is the extremists that refuse medical attention. But the people who make this show just refuse to get that and they put real religion in the same category as cults and extremists.
I detest the new detectives intently. That blonde woman (cannot remember her name) is a lousy actor. Why not bring back Dani Beck? I actually liked her. Instead they give us a lame actor and lame character.
SVU deals not only with sex crimes. They deal with ANY crime against a child. ANY. Children are considered special victims.
There are almost no new surprises anymore. "Oh no; he's really a woman!" "Oh no; she's really a man!" "Oh he's really a pedophile!" Same old, same old.
Why do ALL the children and young girl/boy characters have the SAME names? It's ALWAYS Henry, Molly, Sophie, and Katie! Where are the REAL names, such as Stephanie? Or Travis? Or Trevor? Or Charlotte? I hate these "cutesy" name being used all the damn time.
The only ones I watch now are the ones that guest-starred Naveen Andrews, Ned Luke (except "Surrender Dorothy"), and Jeremy Irons.
Finally, Mariska Hargitay has the most ridiculous haircut. Does she know how awful she looks? I cannot stand looking at that haircut that looks like she cut it with a weed-whacker.
I will stay with the ORIGINAL "Law & Order"! That was (and still is) the best ever crime-drama TV series!
Titanic: Case Closed (2012)
Tim Maltin; A Brilliant Man!
I always knew there was more to it! When I was almost 11 (when the Titanic wreckage was found), the TV news diagrammed the size of Titanic by showing familiar objects next to a silhouette of it (such as various planes, buses, etc) and it shocked me. How could they not see an iceberg big enough to sink such a large ship? My uncle was a commercial fisherman and he always insisted there was more (I wish he had lived to see this). Now, we finally have the answer! It makes perfect sense!
I think anyone who is interested in maritime history should drop everything and watch this immediately. Yes, I said immediately. What are you waiting for?
This documentary follows scientist and maritime historian Tim Maltin as he puts his theories to the test as to why Titanic struck the iceberg on that night. He knew that there had to be more. He travels the world, reads logs of other ships that were in the area in the days before and after the disaster, sees the Labrador current and icebergs with his own two eyes, collects the data he needs, and puts it all together. He finally reveals to the world the true cause of the tragedy.
This also proves that Stanley Lord was indeed telling the truth of what he saw that night. The scintillation, which we all see millions of times in our lives, is absolutely a perfect explanation for why they were not able to read the Morse code. And proof that mirages happen anywhere at all where there are layers of warm and cool air, not only a desert was the final proof we needed for what really happened that night. Now, if I ever have a son I will name him after Stanley Lord. Rest in peace, noble captain!
It's awesome to see the silly and idiotic myths being debunked. Titanic was NOT made of weak steel, there was no "speeding through ice zones to make up time," and the captain was not drunk. Today I believe that if anyone believes the weak steel myth, you are gullible.
This is based from Tim Maltin's research and book "Titanic: A Very Deceiving Night" (ebook only). Why didn't anyone else think of this? What a brilliant man! All I ask now is another documentary based on Maltin's "101 Things You Though You Knew Anout Titanic" to be made! I hate all those stupid myths that are still taught to schools.
If you want the truth, this is one of the few truly great ones to go to for that.
Mermaids: The Body Found (2011)
Docufictions Now?
The only good thing here was the computer animation. And I do believe if mermaids were indeed real, they would look more like this and not like "Splash" (which I love) and "The Little Mermaid" (not liked).
But, where did these docufictions come from? This makes a mockery of real documentaries. This is a fictional program that is based off real science of DNA testing and so on; but mocks the discovery of real animals. I do believe there are indeed animals that we have yet to discover; but not mermaids or unicorns (will they do that one next?).
Shame on Discovery networks for airing this. This should have gone to DVD with a disclaimer on it. Sad that they sold out for ratings.
Ghost Town (2009)
Pleasantly Surprised
Normally, cable TV movies are lousy and too predictable. I will be honest, I originally watched this solely because Billy Drago is in my Top Five list of absolute favorite actors. I love him! In this movie, a busload of college students on the way home from a sports event and a debate match is suddenly on a dirt road and leads into a ghost town from the Wild West. They at first believe it is one of these life-size museums that teaches tourists and field trip kids about how people lived then OR one of these haunted-house theme parks. However, they soon realize it is not either of these places and find that there are ghosts of five outlaws (four men and one woman) who had killed the entire population back in the Wild West era. Now they return every thirteen years to kill anyone who gets trapped. The more they kill people, the stronger they become. The students die off, one-by-one, until the last few figure out what to do and are able to break the curse. As the last three leave the town, one of the totems that broke the curse burns away. This may be insinuating a sequel, but this has not happened.
I found this a good movie, especially for those who scare easily since this is not a "super-scary" one. It is moderately scary, but it's one that I can watch right before going to sleep with no nightmares. I recorded it on my DVD recorder and watch it at times and always on Halloween. (I have several movies for Halloween watching).
I do wish SyFy would put this on DVD. They did with that awful Sharknado movie, but not this much-better than that movie.
The actors were mixed; some were good actors and some were awful actors. The special effects were quite good. Despite a few plot holes, it can be enjoyable. It is a good Saturday night "there-is-nothing-on-TV-to-watch" movie. Or it can be a good one to watch on Halloween or on a night you want a little chill in your spine.
Even if this were a lousy and bad movie, Billy Drago makes anything watchable.
The Call (2013)
Great; But Could Be Better
First, I liked many of the actors in this film; especially Abigail Breslin, Michael Imperioli, and Roma Maffia. I kind of like Halle Berry, though she is not a favorite of mine. I have never been a fan of Jose Zuniga, but he was OK here.
I loved the thrill of the storyline and the fact that Casey did indeed try to put up a fight. I disliked that Jordan said "we're Capricorns; we're fighters." Well, Capricorns are not the only people who fight. I personally do not believe in this astrology trash and I don't think 911 dispatchers should use that. What if the caller is like me? Or what if the caller is a devoutly religious person? Along with that, many people have indeed fought back in these situations, even children. Was Alan Donado a Capricorn, too? And what if you do believe in this ridiculous nonsense, what if you are not a Capricorn? Should the 911 operator say "Sorry, you're not a Capricorn, so you're not a fighter; so you're just gonna die. I'll go on to the next call since there is no hope for you!" Click!
The "Good Samaritan" role should have ended better for Alan Donado. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of confronting the abductor when he noticed something was wrong. Tailing him and calling in would have been a better choice, maybe with speaker phone so the abductor does not notice he was on a phone. (A Dr Phil episode featured a 911 call in which an elderly woman who had briefly tailed a suspected kidnapper and told the police where he was going until they were separated).
I hated intently the fact that the police officer boyfriend was prank-calling 911. If this were real, I would say take that badge and let him work as a garbageman. No one, not even cops, should be doing this. People who actually need help may not be getting through! This was the biggest factor on why I did not give this a 9 or even a 10.
Finally, near the beginning of the movie, Jordan is trying to talk a man out of suicide "Chris, put the gun down!" A gunshot is heard and the line goes dead. She moves on to the next caller. Any real 911 operator would have called back. Whether or not anyone answered, the operator would have continued with the situation until the police, medics, etc arrived and took over.
Altogether, it was very good. It would have better with more research, a better ending for Alan Denado, and cops that do not hold up 911 centers while we need help.
Fuller House (2016)
Disappointed; Kind Of OK
If it were not for the political intrusion and a few other details, I would have given this a perfect 10! This was the reason I quit watching sitcoms; because politics were shoved down my throat in their stories. I am sick of Hollywood doing this! Sitcoms are supposed to be funny and relaxing, not to shove your political opinions down my throat! In the Pilot, the boy says "I know all the bad words; burp, booger, and Donald Trump!" So, the writers decided to either kick in the face all the people who like Trump or to praise to the skies the people who dislike Trump! Secondly, when the boy says something smelly "smells like Trump" this shows that it is OK to allow children to say rude things. My child would have punished for that remark!
Secondly, I seriously doubt these girls would be drinking alcohol, considering their mother had been killed by a drunk driver. In the original, references were made that seemed to point to the direction that these girls would not be drinking as adults.
Thirdly, I am so sick and infuriated at all these shows giving us the "I cannot have children and there is nothing that I can do about it" stories. If you cannot have a baby, there are indeed options! You can adopt, get IVF, or hire a surrogate mother! I was adopted and it saved my life; NOT ruined it. I do not see why all these shows give us that ridiculous story. If the show does not take the turn into one of these options for Stephanie soon, I will quit it!
My main disappointment: the politics being shoved down my throat. The original "Full House" never did this (that I remember). It was a good clean show that made me forget the real world for 30 minutes a day. This needs to be like that. Remake the pilot and remove the references to any candidate! I am extremely disappointed in Jeff Franklin and the entire cast for the political inclusion. I have lost respect for all of them! Other than the political stuff, the show was indeed enjoyable. It was great to see all the old cast and how great they all look now. But leave politics OUT!
And finally, I hate DJ's "oh my lanta" phrase. This is really annoying! Please stop it.
Hannah's Law (2012)
Better Than I Expected
I normally don't watch Hallmark originals. They can be a little corny. But, John Pyper-Ferguson is one of my favorite actors. I became a fan of him when he was on Brisco County Jr (1993-94). So, I watched this.
Hannah (Sara Canning) is only a child when she watches, from a hiding place, her entire family killed for their horses. The leader of the gang, Frank McMurphy (JPF), is very heartless and non-caring. Hannah is later raised by another bounty hunter, who is also now a wanted man. Hannah has a reputation for always bringing bounties in alive. She does not have it in her heart to kill, no matter how dangerous the criminal.
Hearing of Hannah and that she is after him, McMurphy decides to go after her before she can come for him. He and his men ride into town, where they confront Hannah and her friends. Hannah learns from a now-injured McMurphy that her brother was not killed that day, but was raised by the gang and was one of the men who had faced her. He refuses to tell her which one he is. As it has been 12 years, she cannot recognize him. McMurphy is then shot by Wyatt, taunts Hannah one more time, and dies.
I enjoyed this movie and hope that it goes to DVD soon. The storytelling was pretty good, the acting from most of the cast was excellent, especially SC and JPF. The film has no foul language and limited violence (until the end of it). It is a good one for adults, teens, and older kids. I did think there was a little too much dialog with little action through many scenes, but it was altogether a very good movie. Danny Glover has a brief role in this movie also. He was the usual excellent actor that he has always been. However, I did not buy Greyston Holt as Wyatt Earp. He was too neatly-dressed and clean-cut for that. Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell were the best Wyatt Earp players.
Now, what are you waiting for? See it.
Burn Notice (2007)
Action, Drama, and Humor All Together
This show has the best of everything: action, drama, suspense, humor, and fun. Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) is a burned spy, AKA "blacklisted," by the CIA. He has three close friends; Samuel "Sam" Axe (Bruce Campbell), Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar), and Jesse Porter (Coby Bell). The team takes odd jobs helping people while they investigate who burned Michael. Sam once informed on Michael to the FBI, but eventually quit. Now, they are like brothers. Jesse was accidentally burned by Michael during the investigation. Throughout the series, people who started out friends and later became enemies, have come along. All promised Michael something in exchange for favors and later either betrayed him or abandoned him.
I first saw Jeffrey Donovan on an episode of "Monk" and later "Law & Order." I thought he was a good actor, but could not understand why he was always playing "bad guys" when I saw him. He was also great in "Changeling" as an uncaring and corrupt police captain. Now, Jeffrey is a "good guy" character. His character here tries all he can to prevent hurting anyone, even the criminals. He will do anything for his friends, even if it lands him in jail or an extremely dangerous situation. He is pragmatic and can use anything he finds lying around to his advantage. He is the new MacGyver!
Bruce Campbell is superb as Sam. Nobody could do better! If they were to kill off Sam, I would quit watching this. Sam is a retired US Navy SEAL. He once informed on Michael to the FBI, but quit as he and Michael became great friends. He likes mojitas, beer, overeating a little, Hawaiian shirts, and women. Finacially strapped, Sam dates older wealthy women in exchange for food, shelter, and cars. He gives us great one-liners, some sarcasm, and a softer side of the team. Sam is an expert marksman and knows his way around a gun. Like Michael, he does not want to harm anyone at all. He often refers to his friend as either "Mike" or "Mikey." Sam is very forgiving, even forgiving and offering to help a woman who kidnapped him and threatened to kill him.
Gabrielle Anwar is an actress that I had seen little of until she started this role. As Fiona Glenanne, she does a great job. Fiona is a tough tomboyish woman, petite, and loves her guns. She was once with the IRA in Ireland, where she met Michael. She never calls him anything else. Fiona is not the type of woman who is looking for a man to settle down, have children, a house, a dog, and a swing-set in the backyard. She is also caring, but is impulsive. (Once, she wanted to shoot a greedy womanizer in a nightclub. Sam had to stop her forcefully.)
Jesse is the newest member of the team, burned by Michael. At first, he was angry at Michael and even wanted to kill him. The only thing that had originally stopped him was at the time, Michael was trying to rescue a kidnapped 5-year-old child. Jesse later saved Michael and joined up with the team. Jesse is sensible, thoughtful, and not as quick to move as the others.
Madeline is Michael's mother, but she "mommies" all the team. For her, Sam and Jesse are also her sons and Fiona is her daughter. She knows all of them very well. Once, she was shocked when Sam punched a man unprovoked and worried that something was wrong from the change in Sam's behavior. She recently put herself at risk to obtain something that Fiona needed and ended up with a black eye. Sam, Jesse, and Fiona have all put themselves at risk to rescue her at times. She allowed Sam to sleep in her guest room for awhile. She is outspoken and never holds back. Once, she felt that Sam had lied to her and threatened him "I will smother you in your sleep." Maddie is tough, a chain-smoker, and an abuse survivor. Her late husband had abused her and Michael and his brother (Nate).
I really love these characters. My favorites are Michael and Sam. Their friendship is obvious and they would do anything for one another. In a recent episode, Sam drew the police away from Michael by getting the police to chase him instead. Fiona and Sam seem to patronize one another a lot. Fiona had disliked Sam at first, but now considers him a friend. Sam has shown great chemistry with a new character (Rebecca). We don't yet know if Rebecca is a new permanent character or a temporary one. I hope she is permanent. I think she will make the show slightly better.
I believe the show's ratings would drop dramatically if Sam, Michael, or Fiona were killed off. It might do well without Jesse, but many fans seem to like him now. I don't think too many new permanent characters need to be added, but Rebecca needs to stay. We'll see!
I think anyone would like this. It's Renegade, MacGyver, CSI-Miami all rolled into one. It's usually rated TV14 or TVPG. Some may not be suited for younger children. Forget "Law & Order SVU" and "Castle"! This is the best thing on TV!
Cars 2 (2011)
Great Family Movie that Anyone Will Love
I loved this movie. It was a little better than the first (except for the loss of Paul Newman and Hudson Hornet). I loved the James Bond car (Aston Martin V12 Vanguish) and the Bond-style spy storyline. I don't understand why this movie got mixed reviews. It was full of action, just not so much that it was not appropriate for children. Children can indeed watch this without parents worrying.
Lightning McQueen has just won his fourth Piston Cup, now renamed the Hudson Hornet Piston Cup, and is resting in Radiator Springs. While watching a TV call-in show, Mater is angered by negative remarks made about his best friend and calls in. He accidentally gets McQueen entered in the first World Grand Prix.
The World Grand Prix is set up by a wealthy oil entrepreneur named Miles Axelrod. Axelrod has swapped to an electric car and is introducing alternative fuel.
At a party in Japan, Mater interrupts a fight between an American secret agent named Rod Redline (Dodge Challenger) and unknowingly leaves with a vital item that Rod leaves on him. Rod is abducted by the evil lemons (defective cars) and is forced by fear to reveal who he left the item with. Finn McMissile, the "Cars" version of James Bond, finds Mater and takes him along on his mission. Mater, thinking the female spy Holley Shiftwell (Jaguar XJ220) is his new girlfriend, has no idea what he is truly in for.
The lemons are out to make newer well-made cars look awful so everyone will go back to regular gasoline.
Mater's automotive expertise solves the case and finds the real culprit who is the leader of the lemons and deliberately interfering with the World Grand Prix and hurting the race cars.
I believe anyone could really enjoy this movie, whether or not you have children. From age 6 to 106, you will have loads of fun with this movie. Mater, as always, will have you laughing so loud, they'll hear you down the street.
Some people were angered about the addition of the violence and the "kill McQueen" sub-plot and the fact that Rod Redline (an American spy car) is "tortured" and killed in a scene. This is not a perfect world and there are indeed criminals who do awful things. The cartoon violence here is not offensive. It's what we call "make-believe" and "fantasy" for a reason. Children see the same level (or even worse level) of violence with cartoons such as Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and more.
As usual with Hollywood, the heroes (Lightning, Mater, Finn, and the other protagonists) come out alive and unharmed and return home happy and thankful.
A few complaints were also brought up from people who were "shocked" that the movie wrote that Hudson Hornet had died. I don't understand why. It would not have been the same with somebody else providing his voice. That belonged to Paul Newman and to him only.
The addition of Michael Caine as Finn was an awesome choice. He is an awesome actor and very talented, including voice acting. Owen Wilson once again gave a great performance as Lightning. Larry the Cable Guy is not my favorite comedian, but he did a great job as the "foolish" Mater.
I wish they had brought back Junior (Dale Earnhardt Jr) and Michael Shumacher's Ferrarri. I missed them.
All together, I greatly recommend this to anyone of all ages. This is the best sequel to any movie ever. In fact, I am going to watch it again right now. Pass me the popcorn and soda, please.
Rest in peace, Paul Newman. He will be missed!
Bruce Almighty (2003)
As Usual, Carrey Delivers Laughs with a Moderate Plot
I did laugh a lot. I will be honest about that.
Bruce Nolan is a selfish and conceited man who does not think of the needs and wants of others and does not consider consequences of his actions. All he cares about is "me me me me me." Bruce constantly complains about God and says that God is ignoring him and maybe even laughing at him. One day, Bruce meets God face-to-face and is given God's powers. The first thing he does is set the wheels in motion to get back what he wants; such as lead anchor at the news station and getting his rival fired. He does eventually "help" the people that pray to him, but he simply answers "Yes" to all the prayers and this sets off catastrophe, such as hundreds of lottery winners all at once and each winner getting only 17 dollars. Riots break out and things go just as bad for Bruce himself as he realizes what he has done.
Becoming God would not solve all your problems. God is not a lucky horseshoe or rabbit's foot. He does not interfere with free will, which is just what the movie does state. The biggest mistake the movie was that God says "they have the power" as if saying "they don't need me." Prayer and action go together. People who do follow the Bible will tell you that. You cannot just pray and expect to get what you want. If you need a job, pray and go out and apply. Take the right actions and pray, and God will lead you to the right job. You cannot just pray and wait and expect that somebody will ring your doorbell and say "I want to hire you for my company!"
Sometimes, God does say "no" to what you ask for. Maybe he has something better for you later. God helps those that help themselves. If you were just to pray and do nothing, you will not obtain what you want/need.
The plot holes in the story did have to do with free will. Bruce does seem to interfere with it, such as making Tony Bennett wave at him as if he knew him. But, all movies have plot holes.
Altogether, this movie is fun. It can be funny and amusing to even the atheist population. I would not buy it, but I would rent it every once in a great while.
Law & Order (1990)
Great Until the Final Season
Until Anderson was added, this show was awesome.
The best detectives were Lenny Briscoe, Ed Green, and Nina Cassady. Briscoe was caring, compassionate, and some comic relief. Ed was also caring and compassionate, but was more businesslike. He did have 2 complaints of excessive force, but he was never suspended. Nina was the newbie, shoved into the detective job after obtaining local celebrity status as a hero. Though she started off on the wrong foot (mainly with her mouth and impulsive behavior), she was gradually improving and gaining better control of herself. I felt that Lenny was a great addition to the show. However, I don't see why so many cop shows have these cops with adult kids who hate them. Why does every cop show do that? Come on, that's getting old. Lenny retired and later died (Jerry Orbach died shortly after leaving the show). Ed was not married and had no kids. He was able to devote his every waking hour to his work. Ed decided to leave after he was investigated for the death of a suspect, which was later deemed justified. Nina was a beautiful woman and she knew it. She hated when suspects or witnesses would hit on her. Her nickname of Detective Beauty Queen was not something she wanted and she loathed when people brought that up to her. She wanted to be the best detective she could possibly be. No reason was ever given for her departure (as opposed to reasons given to ALL the others).
The best DA's were Jack McCoy, Abbie Carmichael, and Alexandra Borgia. Jack was always determined to get the suspect and sometimes even crossed the line. Nothing angered him more than seeing a guilty person walk out of a courtroom free and clear. I was pleased when McCoy became the District Attorney, now the boss. He still remained fair and stuck to the law. Abbie had the same determination as her boss. She took it personally when the victim of a crime was a woman, especially if that woman had been raped. Abbie later left when she was offered a better job with the US attorney's office. Abbie was a great DA and she could have taken Jack's place when he became the lead DA. Alexandra could have been Abbie's twin sister with that same attitude. Her anger is especially visible when she is investigating the cover-up of a rape of a twelve-year-old girl. She would do anything to see this person pay. Alexandra was later killed while investigating fake DEA badges. I personally wish she had stayed another season or even until the show ended.
The final season was not very good at all. Anderson is a lousy actor who couldn't act to save his own life. What was Dick Wolf thinking? Did he get kicked in the head by my horse? The others were all superb actors and did a marvelous job. Even if I did not like the actors or characters of the others, they still did a great job.
My favorite actors on Law and Order were Sam Waterston, S Epatha Merkerson, Jesse Martin, Milena Govich, Angie Harmon, Jerry Orbach (RIP), Annie Parisse, and Diane Weist. My favorite guest star was Jennifer Beals. She is also a fabulous actress.
The Book of Eli (2010)
And God Said See This Movie
Once again, Denzel Washington has come through with a great film. This guy is just too good!
Denzel stars as Eli, a man who has walked for thirty years in a post-apocalyptic America, which is suffering the effects of a nuclear war. Now, the population is almost depleted and simple resources such as water have become a valuable commodity. Some people are so desperate for food that they have resorted to cannibalism and are eating animals we keep as pets (such as cats and dogs). Almost all technology, such as televisions, computers, and video games, are gone. Eli is on his way to a place where a valuable book he has in his possession will be safe. The book is the final surviving King James Bible. After the war, Bibles (and other religious books) were burned. Eli enters a small town that is dictated by a man named Carnegie (Gary Oldman). He is cruel and uses his women as prostitutes. He longs for a copy of the Bible to use to control people (like a cult leader). He learns that Eli has one and he chases Eli, who is accompanied by a young daughter of one of his women, and obtains the Bible by threatening the young woman, Solara, until Eli hands the Bible over. He shoots Eli, leaves him for death, and takes Solara with him. She escapes and returns for Eli. Carnegie, after learning their vehicle has low fuel, returns home with the Bible. Solara takes Eli in the stolen vehicle she has now and they continue west. In town, Carnegie manages to open the locked Bible and realizes that it is in Braille. It is learned that Eli is blind. Carnegie's main woman is also blind, but refuses to read the Bible to him. She realizes that he is dying from sepsis from his injury that he received days before. Eli and Solara continue their way. They come to the Golden Gate Bridge, which is in ruins, and row out to Alcatraz Prison. The prison is now being used as a fortress. They allow Eli and Solara in once they are informed of his Bible. There, Eli dictates the entire Bible from memory as it is written down word for word. Then, it is printed in the printing press. Eli dies shortly after and Solara decides to return home.
For those of you who are not religious, this is not religious propaganda. It is about a man who strongly believes the Bible. Nobody complains when the movie character is an atheist, a Catholic, or a cult leader, or even a racist. But when it's a Christian character, people just start screaming hatred towards it. I am proud of Denzel for standing for his beliefs and not allowing atheists to mentally break him down. He is a strong man and I find him very inspiring in this world where religious people are called "crazy" by others. I don't call you crazy for being atheist, it's your choice. I make the choice to believe.
Altogether, this is a good movie for anyone to see.
This movie does have profanity and violence, which most religious movies lack.
Carnegie is more like a wannabe cult leader rather than pastor. A cult leader forces you to do as they say. A true pastor simply guides you and lets you decide on your own what to do.
This is among Denzel's best work. It has a gripping storyline and great acting by all. It also stars Gary Oldman, Jennifer Beals, and Mila Kunis. They are also excellent actors and give the movie excellent work.
And God has spoken and said, "See this movie."
God bless you, Denzel!!!
Unstoppable (2010)
Unstoppable Action Film
True, runaway trains are not a new phenomenon in Hollywood. But, this one beats any attempt at a runaway train movie. Is it even possible for Denzel Washington to make a bad movie? Not in my opinion.
Inspired by the 2001 Crazy Eights Train Incident (see info on wikipedia), Unstoppable is about a runaway train that has been in full throttle and carrying extremely hazardous materials. If the train derails, the materials will cause a major catastrophe. An engineer (Denzel Washington) and a conductor (Chris Pine) attempt to chase down the runaway train that is being powered by two locomotives in their single locomotive. Not wanting to see a massive tragedy, they hope to be able to bring the train under control as quickly as possible, despite threats that they will be fired if they pursue.
Along with Denzel and Chris, this movie stars a great cast, including Rosario Dawson and Lew Temple.
The action will keep you on the edge of your seat and biting your nails. The actors gave great performances and should all be credited with making this a great movie.
This is rated PG13 for action sequences and language. It is almost 100 minutes long (just over one and a half hours).
See it before it runs away from you!
Conviction (2006)
Bring This Back
This was one of the best things on TV in the past 25 years. I don't see why it was cancelled. All the cast was perfect.
I especially liked Stephanie March, Milena Govich, Jordan Bridges, and Eric Balfour.
This legal drama show, created by Dick Wolf, was a spin-off of Law & Order and about a group of young district attorneys who were eager to make a name for themselves. The professional and personal lives of each one was played out to the fullest as you came to know their histories, families, feelings, and beliefs.
This is the one show that should have lasted. I am glad I bought the DVD's!
The Hitcher (2007)
Better than the Original
I saw this before the original. So, I watched the original to compare them. Both were good, but this one is so much better. This is an R-rated slasher movie with a lot of blood, violence, and disturbing scenes. This is not at all for kids! Although the original was a little scarier, I prefer this one. Slasher and horror do not always have to coincide in the same movie, such as the "Saw" movies. There are times when I prefer a "plain" slasher to a horror slasher and this one was my perfect choice.
In this, a dating couple (Zachary Knighton and Sophia Bush) are traveling and almost run down a strange hitch-hiker. The hitcher, John Ryder (Sean Bean), later accepts a ride to a hotel with them. He threatens them and they throw him from the car. After that, he begins killing innocent people and making it seem as if the couple are committing these awful murders. He stalks them and refuses to leave them alone, leaving the couple wondering why he chose them.
The three lead actors did a great job. The story kept me glued to the screen and I refused to move without pausing it. I have seen it many times and it still is not getting tiresome. As usual, Sean Bean gives a great performance as a villain who doesn't seem to care about anyone or anything at all. I think Sean did a better job than Rutger Hauer. Zachary Knighton's first starring role proved excellent and I hope to see him in more lead roles very soon. He is a better actor than Howell. Sophia Bush was somewhat good, but a little too whiney sometimes. Nonetheless, I think she did an OK job.
Lie to Me (2009)
No Lie, This Show Is the Best
This is the best show to hit the TV in years. The fact that body language and facial expressions can give away anything is true and much more reliable than a polygraph, a machine that can malfunction. In this show, Tim Roth, a fabulous actor, plays Cal Lightman. Lightman is an expert in deception and helps various law enforcement and private citizens determine if suspects are being truthful or not. He does whatever he needs to do to get the truth, no matter how cruel or confronting he may seem. Deep down, he does care but has trouble showing it. His colleague, Gillian Foster, tries hard to keep a leash on him. But Cal is a Pit Bull and chews right through them. He likes to be in charge. Eli Loker seems to worship Cal. He originally practiced Radical Honesty, until he found himself in a situation that he had strong feelings about. Ria Torres, the newest addition to the team, is headstrong and always annoyed when she sees that Cal keeps silent when she sees some lies that she knows he notices. She does not seem to understand that they are only to speak up when asked. Otherwise, they are to ignore it. Emily Lightman is Cal's teen daughter. She seems to have the same talent as her father. She loves him dearly, but gets frustrated with him often. (Don't all teens get that way with their parents at times?) The story lines are gripping and will keep you glued to your TV. There are also doses of comic relief to make you laugh here and there. The writing and acting are awesome and could not be any better. The cast was well thought-out and I think Tim Roth was the best choice that they made. He is one of the best actors today. I suggest you check out this show. You will love it... honestly.
The Warrior's Way (2010)
Awesome And Original
What do you get when you take 'Unforgiven' and 'Ninja Assassin' and the world's greatest actor (Geoffrey Rush) and put them together? An awesome movie!!!
This is the first (and only, I think) film to be a Martial Arts and Western combination!
A young warrior seeks to be the greatest swordsman ever, but refuses to kill the baby he is ordered to kill. He takes the baby to the American Wild West and hides among a group of struggling circus performers and a drunk ex-bank robber. Cowboys want revenge on the woman in the town and the clan wants the warrior dead and the battle begins as they all end up in the town at the same time. There are a few graphic scenes, but not as much as other Martial Arts movies like Kill Bill or Ninja Assassin. Geoffrey Rush (Ronald, the drunk ex-robber) is an awesome actor who gave a great performance with some doses of humor! He is NOT capable of making a lousy movie. He did an awesome job.
The storyline was great and the acting of all was excellent. There was suspense, humor, sadness, and love. The R rating is well-earned, as this is NOT for younger audiences.
I must say I was also extremely impressed that they used a doll the same size as the real baby for certain scenes. I have always loathed to see others use dolls that are so much smaller than the real baby. I DO understand why they use dolls. But is it so difficult to find a doll the same size as the actual baby in the film? When I shop for my nieces and nephews, I see dolls of all sizes at the toy store. Every movie director needs to see that the doll they get is the same size as the real baby.
I don't care if this film was a box-office bomb. It is one of the best ever.
Now... go see this... right now. Run... don't walk to go get this movie now.
What... you're still here...???
The Five People You Meet in Heaven (2004)
A Classic
This is one of the best movies that exists! Jon Voight is an awesome actor and he played the role so very well. In this movie, Eddie (Voight) is a maintenance worker at a small amusement park on a pier. A nice man yet not happy with his life, he feels trapped and feels that he didn't accomplish what he had wanted when he was young. As he is working one day, he sacrifices his own life as he tries to save a young child from a potentially life-threatening situation. This begins his journey to Heaven. Along the way, he meets five people that show him he was right where he belonged and right where God wanted him all along. He learns some truths behind some of the saddest and some of the happiest times of his life. Beautifully written with wonderful acting, this movie will move you. Even if you are not religious, you will love every second of this movie.