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Reviews
The Twilight Zone: He's Alive (1963)
1963 is 2022
I haven't seen this episode in a few years and as I watched it this time I found it incredibly frightening and prescient. Fascism exists today as much as it ever has. The difference is a large group of people would agree with the Hitler loving character portrayed perfectly by Dennis Hopper. His ability to switch quickly from the man-child he is in front of his elderly friend to a cold blooded Nazi at his rallies brings forth a depth and a sad psychological assessment of his character.
The man in shadow whose face is hidden advising him on how to relate to his crowds of angry bitter people is very reminiscent of today's most extreme politicians. Far-Right populism sticks to a tried and true playbook: appeal to the crowd's fears and prejudices and offer simplistic solutions designed to sound convincing to them no matter how ridiculous or evil those solutions may be. Perhaps most importantly, by telling your followers the same lies over and over again and those oft repeated lies begin to gain an appearance of plausibility.
Written by Rod Serling himself, this episode is dark and contemporary, it could have been filmed last week with little added or subtracted.
Super Zeroes (2012)
Silly and Juvenile... It's hilarious
This must be one of the goofiest and most juvenile movies of all time. There are poop jokes, gay jokes, jokes against women and almost everything presented in this film. The meteor story is typically sci-fi/fantasy as a trope on strange unearthly powers granted to whomever possesses the meteorite. This goes back thousands of years through myth. Thor's hammer, King Arthur and the sword in the stone and further back to at least the time of the Greeks.
In this instance it brings change both good and bad to three somewhat lovable hicks somewhere in the American South, which is instrumental as the perfect stereotypical setting for this kind of juvenile humor.
This film is well worth watching. It's clear the cast, writers and producers poured their hearts into this childish but feel good by the end movie. However it also concludes with the possibility of a growing danger brought on by one of the film's antagonists.
All in all I highly recommend this unforgettably weird but worthwhile entertainment extravaganza of poop jokes and gay jokes et al, done with all the exuberance of smarter than your average juvenile delinquents.
Star Trek: Discovery: The Examples (2021)
Star Trek: Recovery
I swear I don't know what I'm watching. Well, what I'm watching is whining, whispering, somber discussions about feelings, more whining then Burnham saves the day which must be followed up by emphatic whispering and and finally a round robin of discussing heartfelt feelings and emotions. They need to generate a holographic Sigmund Freud to analyze them to death on the good ship Recovery.... I mean Discovery.
The Waltons: The Changeling (1978)
Predates Spielberg's 'Poltergeist' by 4 Years
This is the most unusual episode of the Walton's which is why I judge it my favorite. Elizabeth shines in this episode. As she reluctantly turns thirteen bizarre occurrences begin. Floating stones in her bedroom, a fallen vase, a dancing rocking chair...you get the picture. Elizabeth is even causing electromagnetic disturbances by causing radio static when she's near their big 1930s vacuum tube radio! Without revealing more all I'll say is this is a great episode where Walton's Mountain enters the Twilight Zone. Oh, and there's the other story in this episode in which Jason is Cousin George on the radio giving advice to the lovelorn, or more specifically to the Godseys. It's amusing whereas Elizabeth's story is just a little, well, creepy...
Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
Better than average review listed here.
William 'Captain Kirk' Shatner and hordes of killer spiders rampaging through rural Arizona in the 1970s....what a concept! These sort of movies aren't meant to be Shakespeare, but are a lot of fun. The acting is pretty decent, so is the script. No massive budget special effects, but these movies from this era didn't need them. All you needed was an active imagination, something lacking in today's films. Watch this for what it is.... an enjoyable spider film with Bill Shatner.
Duncanville (2020)
Majority of Bad Reviews Sadly Very Accurate
I wanted to love this because of Amy Poehler, but frankly this is not even passable as an adult animated comedy series. The animation is uninspired. The dialogue is boring and mostly jibes or semiliterate diatribe. The one episode I've attempted to watch is lacking in any material to make me want to come back for more. I'm not a psychic but I see this lackluster effort fade away to Pluto TV pretty quickly.
The Ray Bradbury Theater: The Concrete Mixer (1992)
What was Been Cross Thinking?
Granted, there are some really bad episodes in this series. But this one is really awfully horribly bad. Ben Cross who is a fine actor usually (was he somehow forced to do this role?) goes through the motions portraying this Martian soldier who with around seven or eight other of his fellow aliens (This comprises the entire invasion force to conquer Earth!) who are no more alien looking than anyone on this planet already. Anyway, once landed in their very cheesy spacecraft they are at the total mercy of the earthlings who greet them in what appears to be a generic American Midwestern picket fence community with a marching band and general television family hour toned down celebrations in the streets to welcome the Martians who are dressed in unimaginative and no budget costuming which looks more homeless than alien. This episode is bad on so many levels. How did the great Ray Bradbury come up with this? He must have been ill when he penned this stinker.
The Waltons: The Fighter (1975)
Cleavon Little Guest Stars
Very powerful episode in which Cleavon Little plays a pugilist who dreams of starting a church on Walton's Mountain. Overcoming 1930s American racism both in the ring and out of the ring is boldly on display with a very 1970s era "Roots" and all things Mohammed Alli zeitgeist. This is a poignant and beautifully written episode. It may well bring tears to your eyes during the powerful final scene on the mountain.
Star Trek: Voyager: Spirit Folk (2000)
Taking a break from the usual trek
I don't think some of the reviewers really understand holodeck episodes. Lighten up folks and set your phasers to fun. Fair Haven is a fantasy escape dreamed up by the irrepressible Tom Paris; it was never meant to be a true representation of early 20th century Ireland. It's definitely a backlot set of course but it works nicely and the period costumes are great. Janeway in a Victorian dress sporting a hairbun coiffure is awesome. There's comedy and some deeper stuff too in this episode. It's fun and entertaining as holodeck episodes tend to be. Let's just watch and enjoy this break from fighting the Borg and other nefarious aliens.
The Waltons: The Sermon (1975)
Fish out of the water
It's great to see Elizabeth Walton (Michael Learned) and John Boy (Richard Thomas) forced to try challenging new things. When the reverend and school teacher marry and go on their honeymoon. Our two intrepid Walton's are asked to fill in as minister at church (John Boy's task) and substitute teach (Olivia's task). They are both very convincing in conveying their trepidation in performing their new roles and Grandma's (Ellen Corby) pounding her fist against a dresser teaching John Boy how to properly 'preach' is hilarious. Great episode, one of the best of the fourth season.
All Rise (2019)
Unfairly Judged
I feel the extremely negative reviews here are very unfair. No matter one's political views there is still such a thing as what is right and what is wrong. And Judge Carmichael fights for what's right weekly in her very camera friendly courtroom. The storylines are imaginative but sometimes a little cheesy as well. Just try watching with an open mind though, while leaving political views aside for just an hour. (Some negative reviewers made every case Judge Carmichael ruled on practically a five alarm fire burning down Scotus). So in summation (wink wink). I believe the people here disparaging this series would find it enjoyable, just not as much as a presidential rally though.
Modern Marvels: Satellites (1997)
Pre 21st Century Stuff
Very quiant episode from our perspective nearly a quarter century later. This is before Google Earth do they can only show declassified government satellite images of earth from the early 70s. And they talk about the 'possibility' global warming before it was accepted science. These older episodes really do provide history on the History Channel.