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edhuds0n
Reviews
Range Runners (2019)
Oh, I get it now!
I rarely go for movies that do not have a lot of action, special effects, comedy, or other devices designed to keep short attention spans like mine engaged. However, I really enjoyed this movie.
Like the endurance running subject matter, the movie held a steady pace as it slowly built to a satisfying climax that came with less than 10 minutes time left.
With a small cast, there was little to distract viewers from the protagonist Mel and the burning question of what drives her to run such long distances under such extreme conditions. There was also the seemingly odd question of WHY she felt the need to retrieve her backpack after escaping from Wayland and Jared.
Had to watch and pay attention to the flashbacks to get the payoff (and the answer to that last "WHY" question) at the end. No spoilers, but the very last scene resonated with me, because of events in my own family history.
Overall, it gave me quiet inspiration at a time when most of us could really use more of that.
I am glad to have watched it.
Chosen (2022)
A really good Danish Sci-Fi Series
Just watched this series again after having seen it when was first available in the US. While the dubbing always leaves something to be desired in foreign films, I thought it was well done.
The pacing was good; characters were developed just enough to advance the plot. It was good to see the writers were brave enough to make ALL of the characters with their own personal flaws, as opposed to making unrealistic 100% good-vs-evil caricatures like in so many other shows.
The makeup and special effects were of good quality without being distracting, and there was just enough action to keep us ADHD folks interested.
The finale is conclusive but leaves the door open for a second season/series. I hope that it gets renewed and distributed again here in the States.
The Upshaws (2021)
Really missed Mitchell Marchand in Season 2
The actors all took a step forward and seemed to grow into their characters in Season 2. However, the writing itself seemed to take a very noticeable hit from the level we enjoyed in Season 1. If there's a Season 3, I hope they bring back Mitchell Marchand as the Executive Story Editor. I think contributions from him and Annie Levine were part of what made the show so enjoyable.
Dad Stop Embarrassing Me: #YeezysAndShrimp (2021)
Ooh, wee! Laughs AND Character Development!
They grow at least one character's back story in every episode. In this one, we got a little from Manny and Pops. Plus, Sasha now has a dim-witted friend and a nerdy love interest.
Best moment of the episode was David Alan Grier's imitation of Shirley Caesar's "Hold My Mule," aka UNameIt (Beans, Greens, Potatoes, Tomatoes...).
Antebellum (2020)
An Extremely Slow Burn, and then Wait For It....
At around the 70 minute mark (1:10:32) to be exact, the viewer is allowed in on an absolutely earth-shattering plot detail.
SPOILER #1
SPOILER #1
SPOILER #1
The guy in charge has a cellphone in his saddlebag?!?
This is a Twenty-first Century Slave Rehabilitative Plantation??!!!??
You mean we didn't get magically transported back into Civil War times, like the trailer would have us to believe?
That's even more despicable!!!
So, at this point, any experienced viewer could fathom that a revolt or escape is coming.
However, it still does not come quickly. In fact, it gets more gruesome before it gets even the slightest bit better, and then, at 1:16:04, the protagonist Veronica/Eden gets her magical sign to make the big move.
At 1:19:31, the viewer now gets to see how all of the previously shown small preparations come together to aide her break for the phone. More things start to go wrong with the plan. It looks like all is lost, until at 1:27:37...oh, boy...
"My name...is Veronica!!!"
SPOILER #2
SPOILER #2
SPOILER #2
After that point, the protagonist proceeds to kill not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 -- that's right -- FOUR of the main captors.
As much as the first 87 minutes was a non-stop ride into despair, the last 14 minutes was a victorious, action-packed one-woman display of vengeance!
Being somewhat of an ADHD-type viewer, I was tempted to watch the first few minutes and then fast-forward to the end. However, I am glad that I didn't do that, since I would have missed a lot of the details that made the ending much more gratifying.
Into the Dark: Delivered (2020)
I overall liked it, but...
...it is a mashup of "Misery" and previous crazy-woman-wants-my-baby movies. However, after more than a century of talkies, the vast majority of movies are similar to at least some other product(s) -- i.e., when it comes to movies, the old adage is largely true that "there is nothing new under the sun."
All that aside, **** SPOILERS ****
I concur with other reviewers that...
1.Tina Majorino was superb as the villain! In a lot of ways, she carried this movie.
2. When it comes to pacing, the exposition and climax/denouement were good, but the rising action could have used more baking powder. In other words, the slow burn was just too slow.
However, I would advise the prospective viewer to resist the urge to fast forward. Doing so results in not fully understanding the ending, as is obvious from previous reviews.
3. This is one of the better episodes in the "Into The Dark" series.
I disagree with some of the other reviewers...
**** Again, SPOILERS ****
1. Killing the cat: Although I do not take this action lightly (it was a horrible thing to do), it was absolutely central to Valerie's ruse which led to her final -- and this time, successful -- escape plan.
After suffering increasingly severe punishments from Jenny with each previous attempt, knowing that her time was running out, and discovering just how psychologically damaged Jenny was, Valerie could not afford to "miss" on another escape effort. BTW, that blood-drinking cat was evil.
2. Character Development / Portrayals: There are those who said the most sympathetic character was the villain (who stalked and killed countless other pregnant women, along with killing Tom, Riley, and her own parents). However, the protagonist (whose only revealed transgression was cheating on her husband -- again, not taken lightly -- and choosing to carry the love child to term) was deemed as "unlikable."
I will not pass judgments on other reviewers or assume to know anyone else's motives, but simply say that I disagree.
Further, I appreciate when characters are portrayed as more realistic -- i.e., the protagonist has real flaws like regular people, and the villain is given a backstory to show why she chose such a violent path.
3. The Ending: Subtle subplot throughout this movie was Valerie's coming to grips with being a mother and especially to this baby, who was conceived through adultery. She did not want to know the baby's gender (even though she was due in less than a month), had not picked a name, did not want to assemble the crib, was having nightmares about the baby, and feared Tom was going to leave her. Jenny's recipe box of victims even highlighted this.
Through her ordeal, she cemented her maternal bond. At the midway mark, she promised the baby they would escape. These were the first soothing words she said to the baby. It was powerful that before her last escape attempt, Valerie whispered the two candidate names to the baby. Then at the end of the movie, she spoke the name where the audience could hear and kissed the baby.
Santa, Baby! (2001)
Heartwarming
PROS: The story was very sentimental, and it was quite nice to hear the voices of Eartha Kitt, Patti Labelle, and Vanessa Williams singing "Santa, Baby" as a trio. This was also one of the few credits for Tom Joyner outside of his radio show.
CONS: The plot was somewhat pedestrian. The interactions between some of the voice actors was less than smooth, and with most other cartoons, there is always at least one song that makes you race for the mute button.
Nevertheless, my wife and daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it this Christmas. We gave it a 7/10 rating.
Mr. St. Nick (2002)
Kelsey puts a nice spin on this story
At first I thought this would be a Santa Clause rip-off, but after seeing it, I would recommend it to anyone.
Despite the plot similarities, this movie stood on its own merits. The casting was perfectly done, and the actors did very well in their roles. Charles Durning and Katherine Helmond made a nice pair as the outgoing Santa and Mrs. Claus. Who better to play the role of a "young" Santa struggling with identity and relationship issues than the actor who played Frasier all of those years. No good story is complete without a good villain, and Elaine Hendrix -- who played the gold-digging fiancée in "The Parent Trap" -- again played the part to perfection.
I especially liked the subtext of how the power and love of the holiday spirit can overcome the cruel, corrupt world surrounding us.
Give it a look...with the family!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
How the heck did this crap get 7.4 stars????
A lot of people must be smoking crack! The first movie was delightfully funny, packed with action, and the story-line really moved. The sequel was its polar opposite.
The jungle sequence was entertaining, but the rest of the story, or shall I say three ill-woven stories, oozed along at a pace that any able-bodied snail could beat.
My family and I endured 90 minutes of mindless drivel. The characters we grew to love in the original movie were reduced here to self-important mumbling stick figures, who lost our empathy and -- towards the end -- our interest.
We finally relented and followed the huge cross-section of disgruntled patrons who made their way to the exits.
In other words, save your money...and your 2 1/2 hours!
Girlfriends (2000)
An Outstanding, Beautifully Written Show
I cannot say enough good things about this show.
It is so funny, but so realistic at the same time. Not since Living Single has there been a show that captures the life of the Black middle class as well Girlfriends.
Some say this show is stereotypical, but to build likeable characters, sometimes you have to start with a framework everyone easily can understand. The story arc has taken these basic stereotypes and built full characters that diehard viewers have come to really love. We really did care when William quit his job at the firm, as we did when Joan was stuck trying to decide between her actor boyfriend and his agent.
Anyone open-minded person who appreciated Frasier would love this show.
I only hope that it a) enjoys a much longer life with the same or better quality of writing and b) old episodes are made available on DVD.
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
and the award for worst horror flick of 2001 goes too...
you guessed it, this turkey!
*** WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS! ***
Jeepers Creepers, what horrible characters! The actors delivered the best performance they could, but they had nothing with which to work.
The two lead characters take turns doing and saying the most asinine things throughout the movie. You will grow quite weary of them walking up on obviously dangerous situations saying "Hello?". If I see a guy who just almost ran over me on a deserted road throw a body into a sewer pipe, I am not going to convince my sister to go back there with me. If a psychic accurately confirms incredible things I have witnessed, I am not going to waste time arguing with her. These two had a number of chances to -- just as they often said -- "get out of here" but continued to hang around and let the creature find them.
The writer/director never developed the characters enough for us to sympathize with either of them. No significant bonding happened between the sister and brother in spite of all they experienced together. Likewise, the Poho County police didn't lift a finger to help when they were needed most. They didn't even help when one of their own was in the creeper's clutches.
IT'S JUST PLAIN SAD. ...and the so-called "great and daring ending" in my humble opinion only served as icing on the cake for my conclusion that my $3.69 and 90 minutes of my life had been utterly wasted.
My 16 year old daughter laughed throughout this movie. See it, so that you can laugh, too.
Kazaam (1996)
Once again, I was misled by others' negative revues...
Based on the opinions of some (not all) of the other reviewers, I expected this movie to be horrible. I was quite pleasantly surprised that -- while Shaq will probably never win a Golden Globe award -- it was a very entertaining and heart-warming story.
Unlike some others, I had no trouble watching it to the end, and I was not sorry that I had allocated that portion of my lifespan to viewing it.
In short, the movie was about a 5,000-year-old genie stuck in a boom box who befriends the lonely 12-year-old boy who finds him and whose only (real) wish is for his parents to get back together.
If you take it for the light-hearted comedy for which it was intended and not expect "classic cinema", then IMO, it is well worth a look.
I give it 6 out of 10.
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990)
Absolutely Outstanding! A Fine Showing of the Life of a Great Man
Both informative and entertaining, this is an extremely intimate portrait of the man who knew no boundaries. It showed his European tours, both as a 19-year-old jazz musician AND later as a band leader who went broke (midtour!) and had to sell everything to get home. I was amazed at his countless works with legendary artists and composers. As the title states, it's hard to imagine all those experiences fitting into JUST ONE lifetime.
I was unaware of how much of a pioneer he was for many African Americans. Not only do the "old jazz tour" pictures and interviews with Dizzy, Miles, et al show this, but also his accomplishments -- 1st black VP of A&R for a major record label, produced "It's My Party (and I Cry if I Want To)", furthered the civil rights movement through music, 1st black to write movie scores -- are discussed as well.
It is all told in a very entertaining way -- narration, studio recording footage, and chats with Q, his siblings, his kids, and the myriad of artists he has impacted (Streisand, Sinatra, Spielberg, Ice-T, Flavor Flav, Oprah, you get the idea). Who else has worked with such a wide range of people? What I especially liked was the way many different interviews were spliced together in a point-counterpoint style, so that you could hear all of their views about the same subject.
I came away with a new respect for him, especially considering all of the financial, social, and even medical hardships he has had to overcome. However, anyone who does not already have a profound interest in music or someone who never faced hard challenges in life may not be able to relate to this story very well.
I would rate it 8 out of 10 - no question.
Jackie's Back! (1999)
Like an All-You-Can-Spoof Buffet!
I laughed throughout, except for the icky-sweet ending. I guess they decided to spoof everybody so that no ONE person could say it was about them. Although it was more of a Diana Ross/Pam Grier roast, they picked on everyone, and it was great! The cameo interviews were wonderful -- Penny Marshall, Don Cornelius, Dolly Parton, Diane Carroll, Howie Mandel, Liza Minelli, and that's just the beginning.
Tim Curry and Jenifer Lewis held the story together nicely around the numerous snippets and provided many comedic moments themselves. It is definitely worth your $1 at the video store, or better yet ... tape it next time it appears on Lifetime!
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999)
The best of the three to me...but many will disagree
In reading some of the other comments, I know that my opinion is the direct opposite of theirs. Nevertheless, I found the first and third installments TOO over-the-top with the gore, sex, and profanity. While the 2nd one contains a fair compliment of these elements, this film bothered to interrupt the stream of vampire bites and exploding heads every now and again with some jokes and dialogue.
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love a good vampire movie, but can I sit down with my wife and 14-year-old daughter to watch the first and third one???
I was not surprised that many thought the first version was a "masterpiece". After all, the first and third came complete with NONSTOP explosions, lap dances, topless lady vampires, gunfights, fistfights, and let's not forget the post-rape crime scene that came near the beginning of the original.
Texas Blood Money is much funnier than the original, but managed to have some cool action shots as well. In other words, you won't be bored unless you need twisting t*ts to keep you awake.
Hey, married guys that share your viewing privileges with your family. Go to the discount video store and sacrifice $1 and 90 minutes. You will see what I mean. It is worth a look.
EdH
The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
If you can't laugh at this, your "funny bone" is broken!
This has got to be one of the funniest feature-length cartoons done in the past 10 years! The pace of the writing is a laugh-a-minute (which may be lost on some viewers, especially the young ones), and the cast pulls these gags off perfectly.
Spade and Goodman make a great comedic tandem, as do Kitt and Warburton as the bad guys. Right down to the minor characters, such as the wife and kids, Bucky the squirrel, and even the diner waitress, the humor flows like a fountain.
I could go on and on but, without a doubt, this is one where you and your kids can sit down together and be genuinely entertained from start to finish.