captspastic

IMDb member since December 1999
    Lifetime Total
    50+
    Lifetime Filmo
    10+
    Lifetime Trivia
    10+
    Lifetime Title
    1+
    IMDb Member
    24 years

Reviews

Extended Family
(2023)

Could be Better
I really like Jon Cryer & Donald Faison, So I was hoping for at least a decent and workable show.

The writing on this show is just bad. It's weak, it's hackneyed. It's just not that good. I mean you've got good performers all around in the cast. It's as though however, they thought the cast alone could carry it. A good cast can do a lot, but they can't work miracles.

This show just seems lost. It has no direction It doesn't seem to be going to ward anything. It's just a bunch of open-ended jokes that don't go anywhere. The episode about the cyst, that one was particularly bad. This is like the little show that tried, but just couldn't.

Hacks: Quid Pro Quo
(2022)
Episode 2, Season 2

Stellar!
This has been by far over of the best episodes of the series. They managed to pack so much in 30 minutes It's almost unbelievable. This episode offered a little bit of everything. Just absolutely stellar, a standout above all others, of an already great show.

This one episode brought so much together from the storyline, really showing so much about them main characters. The scene of her picking up Ava, and how that was played out was actually just short of real genius. I mean if you ever want to look at an example of fine episodic series writing, this episode would be it. All around, very well done.

This Fool
(2022)

So What
Every once in awhile a show comes along that really takes you by surprise. This show is just one of those shows. It's very smart, it's very well written. And it has such a subtlety to it that you don't find in a lot of shows on TV nowadays. It's touching its deep all at the same time without being condescending and stupid. This has been one of my favorite new shows honestly for just those reasons. It's not perfect no, but underneath it all the core of the show has a very distinct message and thank goodness for it. I look forward to more of this show. There are such possibilities. I would love to see more networks and more content providers look at the aspect of this show and what it's doing. It's very smart and very well done.

Night Court
(2023)

Good Premise...
I'd just that after at least a couple of episodes, someone at NBC let's the production staff know it's OK to HIRE actual writers, and not just drop live mics in the bar across the street from a courthouse.

I'll give the producers of the show a freebie...

Jokes make a sitcom FUNNY. Lacretta and John Larroquette are the only ones that had jokes that actually landed.

Really hope this show is able to find its pace, I really do feel like it has good potential, but these first two episodes seem forced almost to the point of being painful. It seems unclear exactly what they're going for here. I mean it's obvious they're not trying to reproduce the old show, which is a good thing cuz that would never have worked. What they are trying to do though, still kind of a mystery. Let's just hope they try a little bit harder, to bring some funny material to the table.

I can remember laughing so hard at the original show, I'm pulling for these guys. Seriously, but the storylines have to go somewhere. Both of the first two episodes just seemed like part of a good story in search of an ending.

Welcome to Flatch
(2022)

Flatch-u-lence
Yes, fart jokes & baseline, low-brow humor is the cornerstone of the show. Which if you've ever spent any time or lived in a small town, you'll know did this show is pretty on the mark.

Tons of "Hold my beer" moments, really drive home the authenticity of the portrayal of small town life. Ya get BORED people! So you do anything for laughs & entertainment.

The whispered conversations and hand over the mouth gossip, is exactly the kinds of things that goes on in these small towns where everybody knows everybody's business.

All in all, not a bad show at all. Has really funny moments, but some really endearing ones as well and very relatable if you ever lived in a small town.

The show has had a great starting point, I really want to see where they take it from here.

Match Game
(2016)

Gene Rayburn x 10
When I first heard of the new version of Match Game with Alec Baldwin as host, I was skeptical, not really having seen him doing anything like a game show, outside of acting roles. After seeing the show, he's done an excellent job! Gene Rayburn will always be thought of as THE Match Game host, but Alex Baldwin took the exact right approach. He didn't try to carbon copy Rayburn, he really brought a fun, goofiness to his duties as host, while still grasping the essence of the "Rayburness" that really made Match Game work. Part drunk cat corral hearder/part ribald lounge stand up comic.

The panel follows the who's new/who's through formula the original show did, always making for a mix that tend to really fire off each other. Every episode delivers.

All in all, of all the game show revivals, this one stands out for not being a stale remake while at the same time, being an honorable homage to the original.

Expecting Amy
(2020)

Brutal Honesty
This show is amazing. Amy Schumer really puts it all out there, in a frank, sometimes painfully honest story of the very real side of pregnancy and exactly why mom's believe & know THEY OWN YOU! Really is a wonderful, touching show about the not so glamorous side of pregnancy and what it takes.

Shazam!
(2019)

Great Superhero Romp
It's clear someone took notes from the Deadpool snark catalog, but that's ok. It works!

Having been an every Saturday morning devotee of the Shazam/Isis hour in my youth, I looked forward to this movie with no more tree hope than just hoping they didn't screw it up. Zack Levi brings a flawed breath of fresh air to Captain Marvel, I mean Shazam of course. His portrayal was unique, entertaining, & did a great job of portraying a teenage boy in an adult male body. The results were hilarious at times, touching & endearing at others, just plain fun from start to finish.

Speaking of Isis & sequels... 😁

The Orville
(2017)

This Is The Way To Do a Really Good Parody
At 4 episodes in, I am loving it. The interesting take on the sci-fi- soap opera-western genre mix, the ordinary everyday, sometimes awkward dialog, the inside nerd jokes, it all works to make a very smart comedy that works on multiple levels. The casting choices were really spot on as well. Excellent effort overall.

And you still have to steer clear of the red shirt!

Such a great, great show.

Great News
(2017)

The Clone Wars
I don't dislike this show.

You can definitely see many of Robert Carlock's & Tina Fey's touches in the show. Tracey Wigfield & Briga Heelan both have had previous notable efforts and moderate successes, and really seem to be keeping extremely busy. Briga recently playing the great Heidi character on the Netflix series LOVE.

Here's what bothers me about this show... Did they think we wouldn't notice?

This show is a sliced and diced, chopped, pressed and reformatted version of 30 Rock.

Tina Fey/Briga Heelan - Liz Lemon/Katie Wendelson John Michael Higgins/Tracy Morgan - Chuck Pierce/Tracey Jordan Jane Krakowski/Nicole Richie - Jenna Maroney/Portia Scott-Griffith Horatio Sanz/Judah Friedlander - Justin/Frank Rossitano

The list goes on.

Unlike the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which was a wide departure from a show about a show format, this show has Wigfield, Fey & Carlock back in VERY familiar territory. It remains yet to be seen whether they've managed to capture lightning in a bottle, or merely static electricity on the rug.

As many have noted, the WONDERFUL Andrea Martin has really carried the first few episodes, but she can't do it alone and this show be a success. The first 3 episodes have been a great starting point, but there's a definite need for some more spit and polish if this show is going to make it long term.

Parks and Recreation
(2009)

NBC Has Gone Green
At least that would explain the repackaging of discarded The Office scripts into a show with virtually the same format, with a female Michael.

This was such a very disappointing show. I absolutely LOVE Amy Pohler, and I like Greg Daniels, and was hoping for much more from the pairing of these two for Parks and Recreation, but the pilot episode was so weak. Situated between The Office and 30 Rock, would be setting up virtually any show for success and having these people involved with the show, should have been a home-run. Had they applied any effort, instead of taking the lazy, rehash way out.

Very disappointing.

The Haunting in Connecticut
(2009)

Undaunting Haunting
If you want to see a movie that leaves you with the feeling that you've just set through an hour and 40 minutes of every horror suspense movie cliché EVER, then this is the movie for you. This movies uses every common horror movie device ever conceived. Nothing unique, or original about this movie. Just a retreading of a story that we almost all seen before, in incarnation or another.

This movie is a fine example of how even a really good cast can't save a badly written, poorly directed movie. Some points were almost painful to watch, as good actors try to salvage a huge, heaping pile of crap.

Do yourself a favor and rent Amityville Horror instead instead of paying for this.

Backseat
(2005)

Life in the Backseat
This was one of the best coming of middle age style stories I've ever seen translated into a film. Wonderful job to both the writer and director on truly capturing the anxiety, the indecision, the confusion and the loneliness of middle age restlessness. A very touching, very real, very relatable story of two good buddies just trying to break away and find direction for their lives in the process. Very good overall. The characters were engaging, the story was real, and the situations were something anyone in that age group can and should be able to relate to. The desire to find that one "thing" in your life to give it meaning was really told in a very touching manner, that give a real and sympathetic view to the choices we all make life that are made out of necessity at times, and not because we really agree with them.

Sicko
(2007)

Sicko Should Be A Wake Up Call...
Not to the health-care industry, or drug companies, but to every American that's ever been sick, or had seriously sick loved one.

Insurance companies in this country have gotten out of control, and we have our corrupt, bought with a hand-shake loaded with a check politicians, and the lowest rung on the human ladder of life, even below lawyers, lobbyists.

More importantly, the film drives home the very important point that apathy in America is no longer an option, or it will be the end of our society as we know it. Voting does count, and it does matter. It is the biggest indicator to elected officials that we are paying attention, and demand accountability. Accountability on IMPORTANT issues that effect us all, not just the special interest groups.

Please, not matter what your politics are, go see this movie.

Big Day
(2006)

Day... Week... Whatever!
This show was much better when it was on the BBC and titled The Worst Week of My Life.

Stephanie Weir and Wendy Malick should certainly be credited with being the only saving grace this show, but esp in Stephanie's case, being the funniest part of the show.

The show certainly has the ingredients of a hit with a great cast. While the Americanized version of another British sitcom, The Office, translated well, that has largely been because past the pilot, they have pretty much made the show their own, and not relied solely on the British show's format. This show needs to do the same thing.

The Worst Week of My Life was a great BBC series. Big Day should grow up, and have it's big day and start walking on it's own.

Mail Order Wife
(2004)

Adrian Martinez
offered a very fine performance in this movie. He played a very convincing scum-bag. Had someone seeing this movie never seen him before, you would almost believe that he WAS the Adrian Martin character he portrayed, even that he WAS doorman. If you were to look at this performance apart from the other sometimes smaller, and sometimes more forgettable roles that he has also played, you can see elements of an actor that really absorbs a role, as opposed to just offering up a performance. Hopefully his talent will be recognized, and we'll get to see much, much more of him. Overall, the movie was OK, and a tiny bit believable as a documentary. However, the performance of Eugenia Yuan and Adrian Martinez, this film would never have had the endearing qualities that made it entertaining.

Reno 911!
(2003)

Very Funny
This show has the look and feel of Cops! The comedians that carry off the show, do it so dead panned, you actually can think for a half of a second that they ARE serious. This is a great show, with a wonderful premise. Check it out, you will laugh.

Office Space
(1999)

A comedy that anyone whose ever worked for living can appreciate
This was not a blockbuster film. It was however, one those movies that you can watch over and over again. It's so easy for one to relate to the band of misfits that make up the characters of this movie. It's a great, light-hearted romp of what can happen when you try to "stick it to the man". The scene with Mike Judge and Jennifer Aniston talking about "flair" was worth the price of admission alone. All in all, a very funny movie.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
(1982)

A heart-warming film
This movie has all the elements of a great motion picture. One of the best written stories ever. Of all the times I have seen this movie in a theater, I've never been able to watch the scene where E.T. and Elliot are saying good-bye without tearing up.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
(1999)

Damn the critics!!!
Well anyone that sees the movie will clearly understand that anyone having negative comments about this movie clearly just want to see Lucas stumble. Once you see it, even if you have never seen any other Star Wars movie, you see what true film making really is. It was really very good, fantastic I would say. Pay no attention to what these so called "professional" critics may say. If you see the movie, it will speak for itself. And it speaks VOLUMES!

See all reviews