jeremyb Reviews

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Funny, serious- Wonderful !

[10/10 · 29 July 2001]

This is easily the best romantic comedy of the last 50 years. The performances by Ryan and Crystal are the best work they have ever done. Fantastically written by Nora Ephron, and brilliantly directed by Rob Reiner, this film is something that every man and every woman must see. It attacks an age old dilemma- Can friends become more than friends? Before marriage, most people have friends that they are secretly, or not so secretly, in love with. WHMS explores the idea of friends taking a relationship to the next level.

With supporting roles from Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby, and a soundtrack from Harry Connick, Jr. that could not be better, this is a movie ranks in the top 10 in the JB movie file, among films like "The Godfather" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Do not miss this picture.

It is- all a once- a great comedy, a fantastic date movie, a terrific 'chick flick', a good movie to cry with and a great movie to laugh with. This is one of the few films that has it all. You will find yourself loving and hating and caring about all the characters. There are scenes that rank among the best in film history- Meg Ryan's fake 'O' scene being the most famous. Adding to this, check the IMDB page and see who the woman is who delivers the line "I'll have what she's having."

Don't miss this film.

Primetime Glick (2001–2003)

Primetime Hilarity

[23 July 2001]

"Primetime Glick" may well be the funniest show on TV right now. Martin Short wears a costume that pretty much doubles his weight and he becomes "Jiminy Glick". He interviews celebrities both in studio and on location.

There are parts of the show that are quite scripted, but still hilarious. For instance, the 4-5 minute interview with Nathan Lane, who has had a stellar stage and film career, consisted mostly of conversations about the NyQuil commercial Lane did in the mid-80's, and what it was like to work that "old drunk actor with the three parts, the names and the initial" (George C. Scott). In this exchange it was obvious that Lane had no idea what the questions would be, and the laughter of Lane's was infectious.

The vocal inflections that "Glick" uses are funny enough to carry the show, but the exchanges with the guests during the interview, and the sheer ridiculousness of the questions carry it over the top.

The show always begins with a monologue, or sorts, in which Jiminy offers his thoughts of the day, usually something to do with tabloid journalists. It always ends with the in-studio guest and Glick in the sauna. Both are funny. Sprinkled throughout the show, as bumpers to the commercials, are parody spots that are a little hit and miss sometimes. My two favorite so far are Tommy Lee Jones starring in a movie where he becomes the new Pope. Imagine Jones' MIB role as the pontiff. Short, as Conan O'Brien, walking the Walk of Fame advocating a star be awarded to "The Guy With The Mustache from Cheers" (John Ratzenberg) is another good one.

To me, this is a Must-See show. Watch it, you'll love it !

Falling Down (1993)

Someone owes me 2 hours

[1/10 · 6 July 2001]

This movie is just plain terrible. It is such a propagandistic anti-gun, anti-defense, anti-white male movie. It is slow, there is little action, and what little action there is is played in a way that makes the Douglas character seem like a psychotic racist, homophobic, moron. It tries, at some weird level to make the Douglas character sympathetic, and 'falls down'. Robert Duvall puts in what might be the worst performance of what is an otherwise stellar career, and Rachel Ticotin's character seems lost as a cop trying to do good. Barbara Hershey plays her role of Douglas' estranged wife as a hysteric nut-case.

This is just a really bad movie. If it is the only thing on TV that night, read a book.

The Man Show (1999–2014)

Sorry, guys...

[26 June 2001]

I very much enjoyed the work that Adam Corrola did on 'Loveline', even though that show was a teen-age sex self-indulgence-fest. I loved Jimmy Kimmel on 'Win Ben Stein's Money'. They are both very smart, very funny men. I am not yet ready to say comedic geniuses, but it is damn close.

This show is horrible. It is the worst portrayal of everything that is wrong with men. And hey, I am a guy. It has a few funny parts, but mostly it is a fart-filled, beer drinking, T&A extravaganza. Now, if that is your boat, hop on and set sail. But if you are a thinking member of the male of our species, don't waste your time. It's terrible.

Sports Night (1998–2000)

One of the best shows ever on TV

[26 June 2001]

M*A*S*H, Cheers, some of the Seinfeld episodes.... It is rare to have a show on TV that can actually be classified as FANTASTIC. SportsNight is one of those. Amazingly written, brilliantly acted, great stories and secondary stories, timely... Just a brilliant show. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer had a major hit. Not sure why it failed. Needed more publicity probably. It is currently on Comedy Central in re-runs, so check your schedules and watch.

Josh Charles and Peter Krause are fantastic as the hosts of a late-night sports wrap-up. Felicity Huffman, Sabrina Lloyd, and Josh Molina, and Robert Gulliame are tremendous in pseudo-supporting roles. The topics and tensions are timely, the comedy and drama are balanced in a way that is rarely seen. Written by Aaron Sorkin ('The West Wing', 'A Few Good Men'), it is absolutely a must see. I wish they had made 100 episodes. It would make watching in syndication much more fun. As it stands, if it is run start to finish daily, you can see every episode in about three months. That is a shame.

Ned and Stacey (1995–2017)

Needed some work

[25 January 2001]

I enjoy(ed) the show, both when it was on the air and in the reruns, but I must admit I get a little tired of Thomas Hayden Church's over-the-top performance sometimes. Debra Messing is, as always, a beautiful and refreshing presence on the screen, but you can at times sense that she is uncomfortable with the idea of the show. It is a decent destination for laughs, but it would have been very difficult to sustain the premise for much longer.

Nadia Dajani and Greg Germann are a good supporting cast, as the sort of "Ralph and Alice" of the Gen-X crowd.

Secret Cutting (2000 TV Movie)

Frighteningly Accurate

[9/10 · 20 January 2001]

I have a loved one who has engaged in this type of activity. This movie was both painful and insightful to watch. Having lived through all of the emotions and feelings of the parents and friends, it was strange to realize that this condition is much more common than I had ever imagined. It was also a strong impetus to show this movie to my loved one and help them through the issues, as much as I could. It has been a long time since anything else has happened, and I believe that this movie had a bit of an impact.

The acting is a little stilted/scripted, and the story is a bit predictable, but the power of the story is still there. This is a dangerous, disfiguring, and potentially debilitating condition, and if this movie helped one person, or saved one life, it was worth it. If anyone knows of or loves someone who repeatedly harms themself, this movie is a must see, and I applaud the producers, crew, and cast, as well as the USA Network for providing insight into what is a very scary, but very important issue.

Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back (2000 TV Movie)

Enjoyed it a lot...

[9/10 · 28 July 2000]

If you have seen the "Behind the Music" type things on Meat Loaf, there was not much surprise here, but it was a good show. The music spanned years, and is as good now as it was then. The acting was better than I expected, and there was nothing about the story that seemed completely blown out of proportion. If you like Meat Loaf, I recommend catching it the next time it is on.