DonutLover

Gerl this is not looking good for you. Give back as much money as you can, and then some more. Come clean. Live a life of middle class for a few years and the world will smile on you, and think that maybe you ARE a bit innocent in all of this. Keep acting like you are doing, though, and you will never be forgiven. This Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is solid gold, this season. Erika being a %&*# to Sutton, and Garcelle, who are being reasonable and intelligent. The other women look bad, backing Girardi. Thank goodness for this season, it's quite compelling!

Start with the negatives: none of the women are Mormons. Not "real" Mormons. Actual Mormons don't call themselves that anymore anyway, they now go by LDS. Anyway, perhaps Meredith is LDS, but Lisa sells liquor and so I don't think that qualifies her as very observant. Whitney broke up a marriage and married her affair, not something condoned by the church I am sure. Also, they all drink! Gen Shaw is Muslim and Mary is a gospel Christian. Heather tried to be LDS but failed, but God bless her for continuing on her journey. But since it is Real Housewives of Salt Lake City it would have been nice to include one or two ladies who are faithful to the church.

Too bad a true friend of Heather can't tell her to lay off on the face plumbers and botox or whatever is ruining her once pretty face. She could be beautiful again if she lays off of the plastic surgery, and Jen Shaw as well. She almost looks wooden. She got herself arrested and this will make good TV! Seeing Theresa on New Jersey and now Shaw on SLC face the music for crime is fun to see. I mean, let's steal thousands of dollars from honest folk and then flaunt our ill gotten wealth on TV! That's a smart idea if I ever heard one.

Mary is my favorite as she is the underdog. She has sensitivity and gets taken to the cleaners by Jen. Jen needs mental help, and falls into the easily exploited cliche that we see on the housewife shows. Lisa has a strange affectation when she talks, but they all jumped right into arguing with each other which is what they are paid to do. And as said before, it would be interesting to see a couple real LDS women on the show, and I am not one of them but am familiar with the religion.

Tuned into this show because I love Maureen Ponderosa from Sunny. However, this show is yet another TV series that never questions the idea of leaving young babies all day long, to pursue a job that is not immediately required. All the women have husbands or partners, and all leave their babies who are under two years old. No one touches on how this separation affects the babies. And, as I predicted, the stay at home moms, the ones who have decided to care for their children during the day, are portrayed as morons. Really, Canada? That's the best you can do?

An over the top ridiculous scene is where the mother is sitting in her front seat pumping milk, while her baby is awake and crying in the back seat. Why not put your baby on your breast? It's like this show is actively trying to encourage the idea of physical separation of mothers and their babies. Sad commentary on our modern world. Couldn't get past the second episode.

Why, why, why did the director have Scarlett Johansen jerk her head around like a robot and tilt her head for the entire movie. Yeah, we get it, this is her "intelligent, computing" look. Puleeeease. Was the movie geared towards first graders? Because that silly trope ruined the movie. Also, her character is a hypocrite. While driving the cop's car and he complains about her killing him, she says "we never really die". Okay, then if she feels that way why is it so important for HER to survive? Makes no sense. Also she is a killer, as she kills countless people in car accidents that she causes. In the end, she leaves humanity a giant computer filled with advanced physics, yes this humanity who still allows child abuse, child slavery, decimation of the planet, drug trade, murder, etc. Yeah, we deserve that and will handle it wisely, for sure!!! The movie is kind of a fun watch if you can not scream in frustration from Johansen's jerking head the entire movie through. The one part I liked was when she kissed the cute cop and told him that he would help her to "remember", so he was her link to being human. That was good.

Spoilers here so don't read if you haven't seen the movie. In the end, what gives about the blind people? A) Why was her doctor there? Never explained. B) Who was feeding/taking care of the blind people? C) Whoever was taking care of the blind people (supplying food, building things) would be exposed to the monsters, right? So how did they remain safe? How will they venture out in the future to get food/supplies to continue living? These questions are not answered, but hit me the second she walks into the blind school with the children. Also, the "blind" thing was used in the movie "The Day of the Triffods". Anyone remember that one? The entire earth goes blind except for one man who had his eyes covered. This move leaves too many questions. The monsters make you kill yourself by making you sad, scared.....then chooses some people to make them think it's beautiful? Interesting concept, would have liked that explained more.

What a rotten Christmas movie. I have avoided watching it for years, angry that every wonderful little thing from the 60s must be redone and RUINED by Disney. This grinch is abandoned by his father because his mother slept with her boss? Really, this belongs in a Disney movie? Then he is apparently adopted, bullied in school and so runs away. Sweet little Cyndy Lu wants to save him and invites him down to town, and when he comes he sees his adoptive parents and says "you're still alive?" That's it! No emotions or love anywhere. Then, he morphs into an awful monster because of more bullying by the town. Got the message kids? Monsters are always created by bullying, never by wrong choices! If you can get past this you have a stomach stronger than mine.

Terrible, terrible messages for little kids unfortunate enough to be subjected to this sad, long and terrible movie. The original animated one is lovely. THAT is the one that everyone should watch. Last, the movie suggests that you can be terrible, rotten, criminal and cruel for a long long time and it's going to be okay in the end. Haven't even finished the movie yet and shaking my head. Two points because Anthony Hopkins is always a joy.

This movie is funny and I recommend it. However, I don't see why they couldn't find a lady their own age because it could have been as good if directed correctly. Ann Margret is 20 years younger than either actor. Hot and sexy for sure, but come on, pairing her up with men 20 years her senior? She deserves far better.

Been watching Real Housewives for years and have enjoyed seeing Teresa face consequences as she stole thousands of dollars from people and pretended not to know. These women have been acting like junior high school adolescents for years and what can I say, I got hooked. But now, Marge's voice makes it hard to watch the show unless I can mute out her voice.

Marge, what you are doing with your voice is called "vocal fry". Google it. It can't be good for your voice. Sometimes you talk like a normal person, and coupled with a smile and joke, you are funny and likable! However, once your voice grates and croaks like a toad with vocal fry it's impossible to listen because it grates on the ears of anyone with any sensitivity to sound. Please Large Marge, lay off the vocal fry. We all want to enjoy the funny Marge! And Melissa, you are the best, just hang in there and keep doing what you do; it can't be easy having Teresa as a sister in law but count your blessings. I enjoy this show!

I do enjoy this show, and I can only chalk it up to "guilty pleasure". As a woman who has as much money as them I am not envious of their money, but it does make me feel good to know that I don't present myself as a fake bimbo hungry for 15 minutes of "fame". It's always nice to know that at least you don't portray yourself as badly as others do. Also, having always been a natural beauty, I marvel at the frozen faces these women want to have as well as the overblown lips and fake boobs. At least they give the plastic surgeons something to do! I don't care one way or another what they do with their faces, but it does bother me that they slaughter the English language so much.

Tamra, in particular. She held up her shirt tonight and said "you have to show your tots". Of course she meant tits, but she thinks it's cute to say it as a cross between "tots" and "tats". Because you know, that's Valley girl talk and that is going to make her look young, right? That's her reasoning. Tamra, wake up and realize you are in your 50's now and you can stop the "cute talk" and your kids might not be so embarrassed! Also Gina seems like a nice girl. She is probably going to stop slouching so much after watching herself on this season. She could cool it with the vocal fry. If you don't know what vocal fry is, google it because it is driving me really super crazy! I like Gina and Emily seems sincere as well.

Finally, for any young people out there watching this show please know that this is NOT how the real world is, people DO grow up and become intelligent, loving people who do not act like arrested development, personality disorder junior high school women like the stars of this show act. Don't despair; junior high does not continue on forever. It's just that these women have chosen to act this way for one reason or another and the producer Andy Cohen does not want intelligent, talented women to be shown on reality TV.

I don't know how true this story was. I did enjoy watching it, but coming from a non racist area of California I found the KKK members to be outrageous and they seemed like caricatures. Are they really that bad and ignorant? I found the soft touch depiction of the Black Panthers and their talking about arming themselves for the coming civil war and the blatant, over the top murderous, ignorant depiction of the KKK slightly revealing. I value truth and don't want to be manipulated at the theater. The movie was good and funny at times. But the whole idea that Trump was calling the neo-Nazis "good people" at the end of the film is just more lies and this is what keeps this stupid race war going. Trump was not approving of the thugs of the neo-nazis or of the thugs of anti-fa. He was referring to people who don't want every single statue in the south torn down because young people today paint every single soldier in the Civil War as evil. This was half of America, people, was everyone a demon? No. And some people at that march in Charlottesville simply wanted to stop statues from being knocked down. Then, the thugs of Anti-fa and the thugs of KKK and neo-Nazis showed up and now Trump's words are used by the left to brand him a "racist", their favorite word. Sad that that twisting of the facts had to end the movie. Sad that Jordan Peele seems to share that belief. I love Peele's comedy but that part of the movie ruined it for me. Other than the blatant anti-Trump message, I liked the movie.

The only spoilers here are that the main girl's character (the daughter of Kevin Costner's character) is badly written. This actress is good and I've enjoyed her in her other roles. But in this show EVERYTHING she does is nasty and mean, yada yada yada. Has to castrate the men. Has to smoke and pout. Puleese. And the fact that her mom is dead. Just seems like I've seen it over and over in TV shows and movies. I honestly think this actress is capable of so much more and should have a more dimensional character.

Also the fact that it's in Utah or Montana where it's dry should show the use of humidifiers in the home and a lot of sunscreen, and hats. Else that pretty face is going to dry up way too soon!! Updated edited version: So, they show the mother was a horrible mother who blamed the girl for a) being afraid of a horse and b) causing the mother's death. Not a nice mama! That helps to explain Beth's terrible personality. She didn't fall far from the tree (her mom) and apparently she doesn't go in for therapy. Also, on the reservation you can kill someone and it's okay? Didn't know that.

It's improbable that a starring actress could not get speech therapy and learn how to say "district attorney" instead of districk attorney. This was like fingernails on a chalkboard to so many viewers, I'm sure it's why it was cancelled. Way to go, producers! It was kind of a fun show while it lasted and I had fun watching it with my daughter.

Of course it was completely fake, no psychic in real life can see things like that. In fact, anyone who says they are psychic is lying because true intuits don't talk about it. And it ain't as jarring and obvious and glaring as portrayed in this show. Anyway, sorry she was never compelled to pronounce her boss' title right.

First let me say I love this young actor. I saw him in "Big Little Lies" and he is a cutie for sure. I kind of hate to see him exploited for this show.

This character of Sheldon shows personal growth when he reaches for his father's hand at the dinner table. He is like 11 years old when this happens. If that were true, we would in no way find an adult Sheldon Cooper decades later who is completely insensitive and clueless to the feelings of others, because surely this kind of emotive growth would have continued. Unless of course he suffered some kind of brain damage, and the BBT never alludes to this. Therefore, this show does not fit, does not make any sense.

Also, in 1989 or whenever it is supposed to have taken place, Asperger's was not so widely recognized as such. We all know that Sheldon Cooper portrays many of these traits. I don't see it in the young Sheldon, therefore I think this show does not fit with the current BBT as you can't just add Asperger's later in life!

Also, the linguist in me must point out that in 1989 girls were not yet saying "NOah" for "no". That is more recent slang.

I would rather watch it than be forced to hike up a hot mountain on a long day with no breaks, hat or water, but it's not something I would race home to see. It was cute, and again, the kid is great.

I love Fargo. I could say a lot. But I have to say that I came here to read other reviews, and so many reviews seem to be written by a Chinese person who writes the same way, having a different name. What's going on here? Why would one person, or a team of Chinese writers, give a bunch of reviews to Fargo? it's a great show, nonetheless.

BBT had a chance to do an actually ORIGINAL storyline with Howard's baby, such as having the scientist mom decide to actually STAY AT HOME for the first year or so, to develop the baby's intellect and emotional IQ. But no, they fall for the unthinking and trendy decision to put the baby in daycare with strangers who don't love her, at most like her, so that mom can run back to work. Oh, puh lease! Way to ruin a good chance at someone from that generation making an ORIGINAL decision for once, and not just buying the whole "babies in daycare do just FINE" BS that everyone wants to believe. It just makes the characters look like suckers who buy everything hook, line and sinker.

And on top of it, the baby is ALWAYS sleeping! Never in the kitchen or living room with her parents. Everybody Loves Raymond showed a family that actually included children. Wonder why the producers of BBT think it would hurt the show so much to have the child included in the family. Scientists can't be loving devoted parents as well? What is this fantasy land?

I'm also concerned about the upcoming "Young Sheldon" series. Old Sheldon obviously has a pretty healthy case of Asperger's, but I can't see them having a young child act autistic, and I think the show is a big mistake. Plus I liked that kid from "Big Little Lies" and I hate to see him exploited and ruined by starring in a new series. He's a cutie pie, and we all know what happens to most child stars. Leave him alone.

At first I thought "who are these hicks?" and why are they shooting at beautiful wild creatures! And why do they talk that way!!? But then as I've watched the episodes I see that this is a very intact, loving family, and sure even though they are homeschooled and probably wouldn't score super high S.A.T.s, they are emotionally intact and don't seem to suffer from the personality disorders that are showcased on so many reality shows! Think the housewives (narcissism and bi polar) and Kardashians (narcissism and illiteracy). These children are close, and supportive and helpful to each other, and it looks to me like the parents have doled out a lot of love and knowledge over the years.

Okay, some of it might be fake as others have written, but who cares. For the most part these young men have not developed addictions to pornography during adolescence, which is a real danger these days! Neural pruning occurs during adolescence, and if boys are "doing their thing" to pornographic videos then that can lead to real trouble later on (just google it, okay? this is not new news). So in that way at least, these young men would be the rare healthy type of boyfriends and husbands to young women who are crying out for "real men" in today's world. Growing up running around in the woods and on a boat has made them healthy, in other words, not sitting in front of a computer or TV playing video games during their formative years.

I do wish there could be some money for the teeth, especially for the older girl as she is naturally pretty, and would be very attractive with her teeth fixed.

I hope very much that the mother recovers from her cancer, and it is heartwarming to see the family give her so much support during this time. Of course cancer does sometime force us to say goodbye to our loved ones, and if this is the case then Ami can go onto her next journey knowing that her family is VERY well adjusted, and supportive of each other. Really what more does a mother want than to know that her children are happy and will have joy in their lives. That said, I do hope she lives for decades!

I think it's cool that the youngest wants to become a sheriff. Go young guy! We need all the good cops we can get!

I hope the family doesn't shoot the bears in Colorado. The state is not that big....the bears are just trying to hang on, surrounded by people and loss of habitat....so please don't kill the bears.

People who don't know geniuses like to fantasize that problems can be fixed so easily; the scene in the end of the little genius wearing a brownie uniform, running happily to fit in with her friend at the playground. Uh......no.

Spoilers!!!

In real life, people who are that profoundly gifted (the new euphemism for genius) have more than one exception: she would also be proficient in music, or writing, or something other than math. Unless she was autistic, which she is not. She is merely a genius. And yes, their brains DO work better and faster than the average smart student, contrary to what a very loud poster on this site claims. It is not just about rich kids who get tutored a lot, and score high on tests. IQ tests can show that genius occurs in kids who are BORN that way, and their brain works like a purebred race horse, compared to the normal horse most of us are. It's also usually inherited genius. Grandma had it, dad, etc.

The boredom of the classroom would have physical effects as well: boredom for geniuses is crippling. This movie showed the girl not having headaches, or tummy aches, or anything that normally happens when a child is placed in a classroom that is years under their ability.

I like in the end that she ends up learning in a university class; this is good. I'm just saying that it's not this easy in real life, folks. Also, geniuses never finish high school in four years, again because they can't stand the boredom. So, the Ivy Leagues don't want them as students, since their path is off the beaten path. Ivies want them to come teach, however, once the genius has made a name for themselves! But read up on how many kids who are geniuses ( coming out of a school like the Davidson Academy, for example) end up at an Ivy League. Very few!! The Ivies want smart kids, not geniuses. Geniuses who can't take the boredom of high school graduate early or drop out. They don't play the game the Ivies want and take the two years of AP classes, etc. etc. Let me tell you raising these kinds of kids has its blessings and challenges!!

PUHLEASE Eboni, enough enough already. YOU are why liberals are given a bad name; labeling anyone who isn't completely in lock and step with your current cause. Hey, you find black history important, which it is. But that doesn't mean that everyone who isn't as fascinated NEEDS to be. I myself am into ending child abuse and slavery; but do you think I ask people who they vote for, insinuate that they endorse child abuse if they don't support my candidates, and continually drone on and one about it? No, because it's MY cause and doesn't have to be yours! People are allowed to have different concerns and causes, so sit down already. If the girls want to learn, let them. Otherwise if they want to party, party with them.

I like Brishawn, she told it like it was to Sonya even though she had to take it back, probably to stay on the series. Sonya is an embarrassment to her daughter and family, and I wish she would grow up and take accountability for her addictions. At least she stopped flashing her vagina every season. Lord, the therapy her child must need.

I give two stars because let's face it, it's fun seeing the restaurants they go to and the little events, but I hope that Eboni and Brishawn aren't alcoholics like every single other housewife. They truly need to change the name of the show to The Real Drunks of New York City, at least call it what it is!

A 3 because it was kind of fun. If you like space movies, you have to check it out, how can you not. Many spoilers ahead!!

It insults blacks because the only black man in the movie plays with this alien, completely and totally oblivious to the fact that it might eat them all. He doesn't care! He thinks it's cute. His actions doom them all (and us).

It insults white people because the woman that is in charge of quarantine has not trained the crew for quarantine. In fact, she keeps them all in the dark about the last protocol (being pushed out into space in case of infection) thus endangering the Japanese guy, who had he known about said protocol would not have headed in that direction. She fails to anticipate anything! The gloves are lame, and why are they using gloves to begin with? They would be using a robotic hand. Not human hands inside of a glove, jeesh! And then the ease in which the alien can escape the lab? Not a very safe lab!

When the last protocol (being shipped out into space) comes to push them into space, surely it would be news down on Earth that something was wrong. I mean, Earth is watching, they've named it after all. Therefore, (here's the insult to Vietnamese fishermen) when Vietnamese fishermen open the space capsule when they can CLEARLY see that a pod from space has landed and there is a strange creature inside, this is saying that fishermen are SO STUPID and they NEVER WATCH THE NEWS and are unaware that life from another planet has been found, so maybe they better not open this hatch. Yeeeeah.

The French are insulted when the French doctor out in space decides not to push herself, alien attached, out into deep space. Instead she wants to come closer to the ship. I don't think so! At least she does try to be a hero at the end of her mission.

Back to the lab and its protocols, it just has to be mentioned. Surely this crew would know that if you have an alien creature which no one knows anything about, you are not going to open the door to the lab, period. It doesn't matter if Pope Francis or John F. Kennedy are in that lab, you are going to keep the door closed. Instead there has to be the customary "open the door! I don't care about your protocols! Someone is dying!!" nonsense. Puhlease.. that was done in Alien, and so we don't need to ever do it again, okay!!!!!!??????? They would not be that stupid.

Each sex acts ridiculous, and the black man, Asian fishermen, and white people are doofuses. Seriously, writers?

Finally, they keep saying the creature needs liquid. Carbon based. If so, why does it not explode or boil in space? It romps around outer space just fine...........how could that be possible at all? It has no space suit.

OH!!!!!! And how in God's name does it know how to pilot a shuttle???? How has it learned how to manually pilot an Earthling's space shuttle down to Earth? This is never explained! Was it human before? Was it at Earth? Are the shuttles we have created some basic brand that is taught throughout the universe? The alien learned "basic shuttling" in its life before Mars? What the hey people?????

As someone who is not able to enjoy a vacation this summer, I have turned to "Below Deck" as well as "Below Deck Mediterranean" as the opportunity to witness blue, inviting oceans and all sets of fun water toys as well as foreign lands that I have never seen. Something about watching the sea every day soothes my hot soul and helps me plan for summers ahead in which I will be the participant in the cool, delicious ocean play.

The show portrays how difficult it is for responsible, intelligent bosses to handle drunk, immature and spoiled crew beneath them. In the first season we have a determined but somewhat gentle chief stew named Adreienne trying her hardest to motivate the spoiled, presumptuous Sam (a young lady) who refuses to show the slightest hint of responsibility or self awareness. Sam smirks and challenges every single instruction or order given to her by her boss and spends the entire season acting as cruel and unfair as she can, siding up with her drunk 2nd drunk stew, Kat, against Adrienne. If you are watching the show hoping to find any self awareness or moment of mea culpa coming from either party, forget all about that. Only Kat admits the truth about herself after the show is over. We never get any apology from Sam, but hopefully someday she will privately apologize to her tormented supervisor.

In the third season, a bi-polar or hard case ADD personality who self identifies as a dolphin throws the color and frustration into the charter season. Her mood swings jump higher than a dolphin zig zagging through the waves and at one point she actually jumps ship and swims away from the boat as fast and strong as an escaped Orca from Marine World. Clearly she is not equipped to live with and work alongside humans, but her insane antics and personality hold attention to the show. I feel bad for her exploitation however, as surely the producers have no compunction placing a head case such as hers alongside reasonable people for all the world to see.

The highlights are the captain, ever so reasonable, handsome and experienced, and Ben with his deep voice, dry wit and skilled hands in the kitchen. I'm watching season 2 right now and enjoying every minute of it!

I suggest you check out these shows and see if they appeal to you! Certainly a cut above the bickering of the Housewives franchise and in this case the beautiful blue seas of the Caribbean and Mediterranean are showcased, along with fun and upbeat music.

My review actually discusses a HUGE spoiler, so please do not read if you haven't seen the movie!

One of the reasons I don't like that IMDb took away the message boards is that I can't discuss this movie, which I loved. In my mind, Louise now has a chance to save her marriage, and not hurt the relationship between her daughter and the daughter's father, because now she knows Ian's reaction. So, in this new future, Louise can keep the secret of Hanna's death, and let it all play out with Ian beside her, and with Hannah. It's bittersweet, but a good concept. By becoming fluent in the language of the aliens, she sees life and time as they do. Kind of reminds me of the tralfamadorians from Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five". But, this is a different story with a similar concept, and it allows our hero (Louise) to actually change the outcome of her life, and make it better. Even though it means keeping a terrible secret from her future husband.

I kept hoping that the technology of the aliens could save her daughter, but I guess that is just not in the cards in the story. I didn't appreciate the little Hollywood digs at Fox news, having a "Rush Limbaugh" type screaming on his radio show, and having a crooked mouthed Greta Van Susterin idiot calling for war. But being from Hollywood, of course you're gonna have to take a swat or two at conservatives. Also, the way the Corporal (Forrest Whittaker) dismisses this giant revelation that Louse shares about the gift is totally unbelievable. Just because you are in the military does not mean you are a fool.

Overall, loved this movie!! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

I haven't seen this movie in a while, but I never had a question answered, at the time that I saw it. I don't remember how long the aliens had their stuff hidden in our earth, but wasn't it like 50 thousand years or something? Well, that's a very long time.......wouldn't't the Aliens have evolved or something? Grown an extra tooth, or a wing, or something, and maybe not wanted to have a lunch of deli human? We sure have changed over the past 50,000 years, just look at our technology. So.....are we supposed to believe that the aliens have basically the same technology, and the same PLAN, that they had eons ago?? Sounds a little strange, to me. Unless, of course, they had slept all that time.......and woke up hungry?

I thought Tom Cruise was not very good in this film. Like his mind was elsewhere. And Dakota Fanning is hard to take, I'm sorry. Her parents should be more careful about the roles she takes; and avoid the screaming ones. Very few can take that.

Sorry, but I had to balance out the other reviewer on this site who said the movie is great, and if you have a problem with it, it's because you have a problem with your faith. That is utterly presumptuous and arrogant. I do have a problem with this movie, for several reasons. First and foremost is that it's another example of Christianity being the target of all things liberal, politically correct, and elitist. Let's just put our thinking caps on for a minute, and ask the question: what type of reaction do you think we could expect from the Jewish community, or the Muslim community, regarding a popular, well touted movie based upon the premise that their sacred beliefs, and history, are a farce? Would everyone just say "oh, that's just fiction, don't get your pants in a bundle", especially if it was day in and day out where their religion was torn apart, analyzed by people who had no knowledge whatsoever of what they spoke? By people who had such a comically minimal knowledge of history, that they believed anything they read? That anything was possible, if it was presented well? That Aliens with nine heads and one foot were actually the conspirators who wrote the bible? Yeah, that could happen! This movie was so bad, and not just because it was slow moving, and forced. Teabing (McKellan) tells his version of the Christians coming to attack the pagans, which is in fact a gross misrepresentation of history (failing to mention the centuries of persecution of the Christians, by the pagans), and Tom Hanks makes a pitiful little comment, obviously aimed at an attempt to make the movie look balanced (but failing, miserably!) like, "well, we don't know who started the war, first". Oh, thank you so much for that thrown bone! Yes, it's such an unbiased movie, so enlightening, such great food for thought, and SO fair! Opie, Opie, Opie, where did we go wrong, son?

Also, the depiction of the council at Nycene (sorry, misspelled I'm sure) was ludicrous: hundreds of men in robes, yelling all at once and falling over each other, shouting out their opinions like they were at the horse races, or brokers in the middle of a heated and hectic day at the New York Stock Exchange. Was this really necessary? It's like, taking a historical event, such as say, the first day that African Americans went into the white school in the south, peacefully, and with police guard. Make a movie though, showing hundreds of African Americans forcing their way into the school, punching every white person in the face, and planting shovels and spears into the ground. But, it's just fiction, right? And who cares if it's blatantly historically inaccurate? African Americans wouldn't mind, right? So, why should a few disgruntled Catholics. Okay, the truth of the matter is, the council at Nycene was a thoughtful, prayerful gathering of scholars and men of the cloth, whose monumental, and difficult job it was to determine which gospels were authentic, and reliable, and which were the modern day version of National Enquirer. Which to include in the bible, which to exclude. These were not idiot, megalomaniacs given this job. Give me a break! The ending made me laugh (SPOILER!!!), and it almost seemed like Tom Hanks couldn't keep a straight face as he said " you are the last descendant of Jesus Christ". Oh, God. I can't even begin to explain how incredibly lame that whole premise is. It was good for a laugh, though, but in the end, the anger I feel for this latest stab at the "Repressive Christian Organizational Administrating Establishment Conspiracy for Sheep People" ruins any fun or humor the movie provided. Also, I was truly looking forward to seeing the Louvre, and scenes of modern day France, since I haven't been there in two decades. But, the movie was so dark, I really didn't see anything at all. Except for the pryamid, and for that I was kind of thankful......

Honestly, if the subject matter were different,and it was a different truth they were seeking, and it didn't involve a bunch of murderous Catholics gunning each other down (!), I MIGHT have enjoyed it........but I'll never know. It might have been more enjoyable if the Holy Grail ended up being the Easter Bunny, but what the film REALLY needed in the end was Barney Fife, holstered gun, earnest look on his face, pacing back and forth and complaining into his walkie talkie "ANNNNDY, I CAN'T come to the picnic tonight, I'm guarding the tomb of the Magdalene!"

***This comment does have spoilers!!!****

This movie was like a fine dinner, real enjoyable, parts of it delicious and just long enough. I honestly thought that Leo DiCaprio is an excellent actor, and even though I'm sure that that's been obvious to many people before, I really just saw it for the first time in this movie, how complex, and realistic his acting is. His expressions in so many scenes are just straight on. There's one thing about the movie that I really liked, and something that I found a little hard to swallow.

First of all, I loved the contrast of the guy you hate, versus the guy you love. Leo is of course the one we love and root for. I wasn't really sure if Matt Damon's character (Sullivan) was despicable, until it was shown in the light of his relationship with Madolyn. Because both guys had a relationship with her, it enabled the writer or director to show their differences. Sullivan (Damon) doesn't want her picture hung in his house, so he makes some lame excuse and puts it away in the bedroom. Apparently she brings it home, probably feeling quite rejected (should be a huge red flag for her, but she ignores it) but then when Castigan (DiCaprio) shows up, unannounced, it's the first thing he notices. He picks the picture up gently, and tells her that he knows that it's her. Then, instead of putting it back on the table, he spots a little nail in the wall, and hangs it there. He does the complete opposite of Sullivan.

Also, in the conversation that Sullivan is having with Costello (Nicholson's character), the (particular) pleasure that Sullivan gets from Madolyn is referenced to, whereas when DiCaprio finally shows up at Madolyn's house, and they make love, it looks like it's going to be (or start out, at least) with him, lovingly making HER happy. He's giving, grateful and attentive, as opposed to the cold Sullivan. The camera cuts away just in time, and I think that love scene was very well done. Having "comfortably numb" playing in the background, also made it very emotional, and sweet. I don't know who that vocalist was, but I didn't mind that it wasn't Pink Floyd. It's a great song, any which way you slice it. Also, the fact that a real life looking actress was utilized, without obviously enhanced breasts and lips, is movie making at it's best. I just loved those contrasts, and also the way DiCaprio was so "vulnerable", as she put it.

I was, however, just the tiniest bit uncomfortable with the question of Sullivan's sexual orientation. Whether he was straight, but had (what they call now)ED, or whether he was gay, and using her as a cover to look straight, was a little unfair in my opinion. He is our "bad guy", so I guess I felt like especially in our day of political correctness, to make the bad guy impotent on top of everything, or gay, was a little risky. But then again, the movie's about tough bad guys back east, so I guess that being gay wouldn't be too welcome with that group of thugs. I think it took some balls for Scorsese to do that. Couldn't he be criticized for that? I have not seen the other movie which this story is based on, so I can't compare the two. But, I also felt that the rise of Sullivan in the dept. was a bit rushed, and unrealistic. He wouldn't be the only guy with a spic and span record, yet he was promoted to this elite unit. That didn't set too well with me. Other than that, I thought it was really great. The lame DVD I had gave out at one point, and I had to fast forward to get past the blip, so maybe I missed why Madolyn decided to stay with Sullivan, instead of the very sexy Castigan. Also, Alec Baldwin had a few funny lines, delivered well. And Mark Walburg's character was unchanging, but satisfying, in the end. I recommend this movie for adult viewing, if you like good cops and robbers stories, and don't mind a bunch of blood, and 4 letter words.

I liked The Village. But, I have to say that I encountered a logistical problem, about five minutes into the movie. It was when the village folk sat down to their long tables, for their meal, or feast. They had some vague "blessing". There was no mention of their God, in an exact form, ie. "Lord", "Jesus Christ", "Jehovah", whatever. And, they were all dressed like Amish, so that lead one to believe that these were religious folk. Well, religious folk from long ago, had a specific God, and still do (Amish). They have some kind of semi-formal ritual, or custom, at the table, not just some California free for all approach. So, the question that came to me was: would this director be so negligent as to think that some liberal "universal force" would pass as religion to his audience? Of people dressed like this? I suspected that M. Night was a pretty smart guy, so NO he would not try to pull that off with his audience, as it would be too lame and obvious. So, then, that lead me to think: if the director is not trying to pull that off, and he WANTS us to see that these folk are DRESSED like pilgrims, but are actually NOT pilgrims (and I did assume it was earth), then that means that these folks are not who they are pretending to be, and I bet that this is modern day. It was as obvious as some banana sitting there with "Dole" marked on it.

Then, I was proved right. And, I was disappointed because I had figured out a main clue of the movie, and it was because of something simple thing like that.

I think the movie was marketed all wrong. So early in the movie, when the "truth" is revealed, that it is modern day and it's all a scheme to fool the kids, I felt the audience, collectively, sigh in disappointment. Too bad!! Because a) the story was cool, and b) the scenery was beautiful! and c) the characters were great, and J. Phoenix is very sexy, and the love story was good. I liked the movie overall, but the marketing of it, as some horror movie, destroyed it for many people. The Sixth Sense is one of my favorite films, and I also loved "Unbreakable", and "Signs"! This movie would have been good, if it had been marketed as a drama, not a scary movie. It did have it's scary parts! And the monsters were very cool.

It also had me thinking that, these people had a bit of balls. I mean, to leave society and lie to your children, BIG time. All for the sake of making a better world for yourself, and your children. If these people had that kind of chutzpah, couldn't they have done something a little bit more reasonable, such as some vigilante thing, in their old world? Maybe killed the killers, or banded together to build some urban trap, to kill murderers and child molesters and rapists? Why did they just give up, and 86 their world? I liked the premise of the movie, though. And, I liked how the wife of William Hurt, reminds him very strongly of his oath, stressing "oath", actually reminding him of his oath to something more than just the village. It's a fun movie, and I recommend it.