Venge

Life has changed, and today it is in no way unusual to see Black ballplayers filling the rosters of MLB teams, but such was not the case before 1947. This documentary tells the remarkable story, at times joyous but also sadly tragic, of the Black ballplayers who joined together to form the Negro Leagues. Great first-hand recollections of these magnificent players, and of the many experiences they had. Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, Jimmie Crutchfield, Buck Leonard and Chet Brewer take us back to that place not so very long ago, when Black players were forbidden to play in the Major Leagues, yet were able to form a league of their own. Could not recommend this documentary highly enough if you get a chance to watch it.

A great comedic action thriller from the 80s, De Niro was at the top of his game. Co-staring an equally talented Charles Grodin, the two really hit if off in this non-buddy Buddy Movie. Yaphet Cotto as a frustrated FBI agent, Joe Pantoliano playing a sleezebag bail bondsman, and the great Dennis Farina as the nasty hoodlum round out the other top members of the cast. Not exactly what you would call a laugh-fest, the show still has a great feel to it, as long as you can get beyond the rather ridiculous plot. But, like many similar shows from the 80s, you aren't really expected to seriously engage the grey matter, but rather just sit back and have a good time.

There seem to be two types of reviews for "V", one which ranks it a 10, and pronounces it the best miniseries to ever air on T. V., while a smaller sample give it just 1 star, and describe it as a deplorable mess. In actuality, this short 2-part series was a bit of a mediocrity, not being especially well acted or well filmed, but with enough of a story line to keep me watching it until the end. It was much like an episode of a show like "Space Family Robinson", with just enough excitement to fill up a Saturday afternoon.

The acting was, to put it mildly, dreadful. The cast seemed to be a collection of T. V. bit actors and actresses that weren't already busy filming something else. Marc Singer, he of "Beastmaster" fame, pans his way through this epic with something of a bemused smirk. Fay Grant, as a brilliant scientist (in training), was about as convincing as Adam Schiff on a bad day. The rest of the cast pretty much worse, or about what you'd see on the supporting cast of a soap opera like "As the World Turns."

The writing ... not bad as far as creativity, but prone to over dramatic speechifying. Probably no cast member got treated worse than Michael Wright, who got some of the most dreadful dialogue in the show. Watch his first couple of scenes, and you'll know what I mean. The one positive thing that I can say about the writing, was that it keep me watching the show until the very end, which if it had been written any worse, I likely would have turned it off part way through.

Special effects were merely ok for the time, the music was not great but not terrible, and the direction was about what you would expect for a T. V. action show from the early 80's.

Not terrible, but not great. I gave it a 6.