jrm23july@aol.com

The "Predator"- A helpless child of the past, who never could interrelate to people, and did not take significant strides through adolescence. Now in the prime of his manhood, he is trying to master adolescence when the world around him tells him he is too late.

The Watchdog Group "Perverted Justice"- Helpless children of the past, who don't understand what a real day of hard work is really like and "want their cake and also eat it." They want to be helpless children, but also police officers. Society does not permit people to do this except possibly places like Bellvue. So Dateline NBC seeing a ratings smash decides to use "Perverted Justice" as their pawns to knock the enemy pawns, the "predators" off the board, to allow the knights (police and state superior courts) maneuverability to checkmate the queens, (the real men who only are interested in kids). They try to scam the viewer into believing that stupid adult children who can't do anything constructive and are feebly trying to break out of their shell are dangerous pedophiles.

The police who arrest the adult children oh "Predators" have already mastered the horny adolescent stage, have survived the military & have structured themselves to take discipline from commanding officers who pay their salary with taxpayer money. The stupid adult children oh "predators" have only understood structure from mommy and the public school system who manipulate mommy into authoritarian parenting such as send warning notices to mommy for her little angel not passing mid-term exams with important questions like, "In Rowling's "Lord of the Flies" was it Ralph or Piggy that was running in the buff trying to escape from the savage boys, and why was Simon so mean to pummel Piggy for not helping him and the other boys gather sustenance?" "In Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" why did the hooker cut Holden Caufield some slack and only take a stipend of his balance for services rendered? and why was Holden paranoid that the male teacher kissing him maybe gay?"

The Truth about American Idol. Most parents of adolescents hate when their kids watch Howard Stern because in their opinion he is an obnoxious, crude, wiseass who earns much more than they do through hard work. True HOWARD STERN GETS a lot of money, but he also EARNS a lot of money. SIMON COWELL just GETS a lot of money.

Just like the empty pot calling the water filled kettle, that has been laying on the stove for sixteen long weeks of singing elimination, black, Cowell has absolutely NO musical talent. Contestants from all over the country, albeit many who are very bad, and some who are pretty good, have to face their fears, perform in front of a panel of judges and shortly after take Cowell's sardonic, bloody, awful tongue.

Cowell doesn't have to face any fear in life, he has to face guilt, the guilt of accumulating an easy fortune of promoting everyone else's talent, while he sits on his behind and forces himself to see and hear reality, the reality of others working hard to please him.

Simon, old chap, this is the States. People come from all over the country to your mobile studios to audition before the lovely Paula, Randy, and you. They do it in liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yes your sarcasm is funny. However I have already accumulated my fill of sarcasm from Archie Bunker, Dorothy Spornak, Sophia Petrillo, and Alice Kramden. Unlike the people who portray these characters you have absolutely no talent to back it up. 60 MINUTES proved my point last Summer, and Mario Andretti and his pals can not just drive sports cars better than you, they probably could sing better than you.

Even though the vast majority of people who audition for this overrated FOX mega hit are not at the level of Kelly Clarkson or Clay Aiken, and in fact are very, very bad, it does not warrant abuse by Cowell just for FOX ratings.

SIMON SAYS that he is from the same homeland as superstars like the Beatles and the Bee Gees. However that does not entitle Simon to say that he is far better than American youth desperately trying to make it in a highly difficult/competitive music industry, when clearly the odds are against them. If you don't agree with me, tell the goofy Ryan Seacrest to invite SIMON to SING SOMETHING SIMPLE like "The National Anthem", either the American or British one, at the next American Idol competition.That way we'll see whether Mister Superstar Critic himself, can walk the walk, just like he can talk the talk.

The truth about the New FOX show, Prison Break- This show is becoming more far-fetched with every passing season. Yes, the nature of the environments of maximum-security prisons are true to life and so is governmental bureaucracy . However all of the conspiracies, failed plots to break out of prison, constant action, kidnappings, government brutality, and a gorgeous woman doctor examining dangerous male prisoners in the infirmary, makes this show fall off the deep end, and now after the condemned man has been exonerated, the nightmare begins again with his younger brother in a more dangerous foreign prison.

This is in reality how you survive the most awful hellish prisons and gain early release.

DO NOT worry about the size, shape, and tone of your fellow inmates abs, delts, pecks, and lats, DO NOT worry whether Bubba and his pals who idolize him can bench 580 LBS or 180 LBS, and if Bubba can curl a barbell using circular steel plates that outweigh all of you combined. DO worry about getting prison employment as quick as you can, and work your ass off making as many license plates, folding as much laundry, and pressing as many hinges as you can during your shift even if they're only paying convicts a ten cent a day stipend for doing their slave work.

If you follow this advise you will understand reality that your snobby acquaintance Chris in the courtyard who mocked you that he's in Bubba's click and you're nothing, will eventually be Bubba's very special friend one romantic night. You will also realize that in reality Chris is "Tweener", Bubba is "T-Bag" with physical strength and emotional controls, and you're like the star of "Prison Break", Michael Scofield.

When people think of downtown Chicago they think of Walter Payton, Ditka and "Da Bears", Ryne Sandberg, The White Sox breaking the curse in 2005 or the immortal Michael Jordan and his six championships (and Finals MVP's) with the Chicago Bulls. Rarely in this generation do people think of the struggling side of Chicago, the ghettos, the drug infested streets and life in the urban housing projects during the 1970's.

One of television's most formidable shows ever and a groundbreaking sitcom was "Good Times", which I remember vaguely as a small child on CBS, and I enjoy regularly now on TV Land.

"Good Times" was another Norman Lear classic, the producer that gave us "The Jeffersons", the best African American sitcom of all time and "All in the Family" the greatest show of all time. "Good Times" brought out the hardships of the ghetto and the urban housing projects, and did so with charm, well written and thoughtful plots, and some wonderful acting especially by the matriarch and patriarch of this struggling ghetto family played by Esther Rolle and John Amos. The children in the supporting cast were also pretty good especially the ever popular Janet Jackson in her early years and Ralph Carter as Florida and James Evans youngest son whose character at a young age realizes that life is unfair, and he has to learn to stand on his own two feet.

The eldest of the children J.J. played by Jimmy Walker is somewhat out of place on this show and is there mainly for comic relief. His emotional age is about 11 or 12 even though he looks like a guy in his early twenties. J.J. gets annoying, and it is a credit to the often nasty James Evans (Amos) that he never tells J.J. to get his own life, get a job and get out of the house. J.J. is an aspiring painter but unlike his younger brother is never serious about getting a college degree, or more important to the family getting a job to help support a household that is just above welfare status.

Two classic episodes of Good Times was the one where the Janet Jackson character is running a fever of 104, and Florida Evans is desperately seeking good medical help for her can't afford anything but a clinic doctor who is very professional yet doesn't want to give a family from the projects any more attention than she legally has to. The other episode is the one where James Evans can't afford the rent a paltry low $104 a month. The Evans are about to get the largest of family setbacks, being thrown out of the projects with no where to go. Florida Evans goes downtown to the board of social services to try to get either a loan or a grant to help her family. But the government doesn't consider her family poor because they have over $4,200 in assets for a family of five which is unfairly but unfortunately legally over the poverty line. James and the kids want to hustle for the money, but Florida is a person of great moral character and doesn't want to do anything dishonest no matter how dire their predicament is. In the end the family does find a solution to keep their heads above water.

"Good Times" a classic show from the 1970's is about keeping you're head above water in a cruel world. James and Florida Evans both work hard in menial jobs to try to bring their children up right and avoid the social stigma of welfare. I was too young to understand the message of the sitcom as a toddler in the 70s in its first airing on CBS, but I really enjoy the reruns on TV Land in 2006. "Good Times" is one of the classic sitcoms from back in the day.

Though, short lived "The Amazing Spider-Man" was one of the best made for TV versions of a famed comic book hero. Only "Wonder Woman" (Lynda Carter) (the best of the genre and "The Incredible Hulk" (Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno) were better.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" outclasses the 1966-1968 "Batman", because the high camp elements of the latter often ruin the adventure. "Spider-Man" outclasses all three television interpretations of "Superman"- "Lois and Clark", "Smallville", and of course the George Reeves "Superman" which brings up the rear.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" was an action drama, during the late 1970's, the pre-CGI era, when stunts had to be performed by stunt men, not in the database of a computer. "Spider-Man" had its own very talented stuntman to perform the death defying daredevil acrobatics. His name was Fred Waugh, who donned the spidy suit for the action sequences. Nicholas Hammond, better known as one of Julie Andrew's children on the all-time movie classic "The Sound of Music" was Spider-Man during the dialogue scenes. Hammond's Spider-Man also had his own secret identity as Peter Parker, similar to Christopher Reeve- Superman/ Clark Kent, Adam West-Batman/Bruce Wayne, and of course Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman/ Diana Prince.

It's unfortunate that the series only had thirteen episodes. Because when the first episode hit the airwaves in November of 1977, the entire country was watching it on CBS that Wednesday night. In all fairness, CBS should release this pilot episode as well as "The Deadly Dust", the "Captive Tower" etc. on DVD shortly. "Spider-Man" was short lived, but did have a cult following, and in my opinion was a heck of a lot better than the movie interpretation of the famed comic book hero starring Toby McGuire.

CBS might be hesitant to release these episodes for two reasons. (A) There might not be a broad market for them based on the lack of longevity of the series and a generation of children and young people who weren't born when the series originally aired in the 1970's. (B) One of the early "Spider-Man" episodes dealt with a terrorist with designs on the World Trade Center, which was attacked twice many years after this show went off the air, in 1993, and of course the devastating attack against this country on 9/11/01 in which the towers were destroyed and many innocent lives were lost.

However I don't think that it would be in bad taste to release this "Spider-Man" episode even if the show was adventure, derived from a comic book, and camp in nature. The live action "Amazing Spider-Man" doesn't have a large following but it has a cult following. If and when CBS releases it out on DVD this cult following could be explained along with the episode in which Spiderman saved the towers in 1978, but how in September of 2001 real life proved to be different from the movies. I like to follow the news, but I also like Science Fiction/Fantasy. Therefore I am eagerly awaiting the release of "The Amazing Spider-Man on DVD".

Seeing "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" for its first release on the big screen was one of my greatest movie theater experiences as a small child.

The first of the three Indiana Jones movies was one of the best action films ever made, and certainly the best of the Indiana Jones sci-fi genre.

This film has everything. For villains there are knife wheeling Arabs, scheming Frenchmen, and of course Nazis. For dangers there were tarantulas, booby traps, imploding caves, runaway boulders, and poisonous snakes.

The setting is 1936. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), an archaeologist/college professor has just returned from a failed mission in the South American jungles. The head of the archeology department, has given Indy a new project. Find the sacred Ark of the Covenant, containing the original Ten Commandments carried by Moses, and beat the Nazis to it.

In order to find the ark's location, Indy must first travel to Nepal to recover a crystallized medallion once owned by Abner Ravenwood. Abner's daughter, Marion, (Karen Allen) now owns the piece and will give it to him for a price. The price may be greater than the reward. Nazis are everywhere and so are… Asps! Snakes! Hundreds of them are a major roadblock in securing the lost Ark of the Covenant.

Truly amazing action sequences are joined together with spectacular special effects and a great soundtrack as Indy tries, desperately, to keep the Ark from falling into the hands of the Nazis. Don't forget this movie was made in 1981, the Pre- CGI era in American cinema.

In one action sequence a stunt double for Harrison Ford climbs under a moving truck transporting the Ark on a major Cairo highway headed for a large vessel in the Red Sea. But it is actor Harrison Ford's job to climb into the vehicle while on his belly, and holding onto nothing but a short rope.

When the Ark is finally opened late in the movie, real drama enfolds. Special effects are used as we finally see the wrath of God.

Of course this movie is science fiction and pure fantasy. The Nazis are depicted as evil in a satirical cartoon like way, not pure evil like the Third Reich that devastated most of Europe in the 1930's and early 1940's. But that is what movies are supposed to be all about. "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" was Steven Spielberg's best fantasy action movie, and his best film ever until "Schindler's List" came along in 1993, and "Saving Private Ryan" in 1998.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" was filled with drama, adventure, and satirical humor. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was a cinematic breakthrough an original, and a great action film.

"The Man In The Iron Mask" is based on the Dumas novel about the Three Musketeers, is a remake of the 1977 classic with Richard Chamberlain in the lead role. Leonardo DiCaprio, who months earlier struck it big with the Oscar winning mega-hit "Titanic", plays the duel role of King Louis XIV, and his imprisoned twin brother Philippe in the 1998 version of "The Man In The Iron Mask".

Set in 18th century France right after the French Revolution, "Man in the Iron Mask" is about the search for democracy, hidden deep underneath the bed of tyranny. France is poor, hungry, and fed up with the tyrannical, King Louis XIV who is an egocentric, high-strung, womanizer, that will shed blood (not his own of course) to get what he wants.

His high officers, Porthos, Athos, and Arimus, played by John Malkovich, Jeremy Irons and Gerard Depardieu, have nearly reached their limit with him. When Athos' (Malkovich) son dies fighting one of Louis' foolish wars, the musketeers plot to overthrow King Louis, and establish a democratic government.

Porthos, Athos, and Arimus, are looking for some leverage in their attempt a bloodless coup, and find their ticket when they discover that Louis has a twin. They journey beneath the bowels of the earth, to find Louis' twin brother Philippe, who has been locked a dungeon and forced to wear an iron mask. Leonardo DiCaprio is gaunt, pale, dirty, and malnourished as the oppressed Philippe. The musketeers rescue Philippe- Porthos, Athos, and Arimus and then plot to kidnap the obnoxious Louis XIV and switch one Leonardo DiCaprio for the other Leonardo DiCaprio.

"The Man In The Iron Mask" is a decent film, but there are several flaws, the major flaw being the huge difference in accents of the actors who are all supposed to be 18th century Frenchmen. You have Leonardo DiCaprio with an American accent from California. Then there is Jeremy Irons with a British accent and Gabriel Byrne with an Irish one. Gerard Depardieu is the only native Frenchman. Leonardo DiCaprio is at times outstanding, and at other times lost, in his duel role. The intriguing plot leads to an exciting finish but the ending is predictable, and not one that makes a hero out of the heroes. The ending makes you feel sorry for the obnoxious, self-righteous King Louis.

The Man in the Iron Mask is basically good swashbuckling fun for viewers of all ages, but this is certainly not DiCaprio's best film, especially not immediately following "Titanic"

"Batman Forever" is the third of a series of Batman movies. It follows "Batman", and "Batman Returns", both movies with Michael Keaton in the lead role. In "Batman Forever", Val Kilmer takes over the lead role as the Caped Crusader, and Chris O' Donnell is introduced as Robin, the boy wonder.

Two Face, (Tommy Lee Jones) teams with the Riddler (Jim Carrey) to wreck havoc upon Gotham City. Dr. Chase Meridian, played by Nichole Kidman is Batman/Bruce Wayne's love interest.

Tommy Lee Jones is a great actor. But somehow I don't feel he is right for the role of the diabolical and pure evil- Two Face in "Batman Forever". He is better suited for more serious dramatic roles, like U.S. Marshall Samuel Gerard in "The Fugitive". I don't like him at all in "Batman Forever" and I think that he ruins the movie. Nichole Kidman has the same type of role that Kim Basinger has in the original "Batman". She is not bad, but very ordinary. Her part in the film may be a necessary one, but anyone here could fill Kidman's shoes.

Not many actors however could fit the shoes of Jim Carrey, who is outstanding as the Riddler. He is skillful, clever, funny, charismatic, and somewhat evil in a goofy sense, which is what "Batman" is supposed to be all about. No one could play the role better than Jim Carrey, whose performance beats out all of the 60's TV villains including Frank Gorshin who played the Riddler on the high camp- "Batman" 60's adventure show.

I also think that Chris O' Donnell is perfect for the role of Robin, the boy wonder. He is more believable as a comic book hero than the Robin in the 60's television "Batman", who plays less like the role of a superhero and more like a damsel in distress. Chris O' Donnell's character Robin also doesn't tease or tantalize us with all of his ridiculous puns, five minutes before he gets captured by the Riddler's goons.

"Batman Forever" is, however written in the same style as the '60s TV show is written; high camp, satirical, and deliberately overacted. This is a better movie than the sequel, "Batman Returns", which is too painful and gloomy to be appreciated by young Batman fans. Very good special effects and stunt work bring this fantasy to life. "Batman Forever" is a big budget film with a very creative set design, great art direction, and original costumes. That's the good aspects of this film. Now let's look at the bad.

The movie, like the first two "Batman" films in 1989 and 1992 has too many adult themes, like Dick Grayson's painful loss of his parents. There is also too much violence for a "Batman" picture and the plot is not dramatic enough. By dramatic, I don't mean that it has to be taken seriously. But it should be more engrossing, and edge of your seat action, not as predictable. The action sequences are high in number but not in quality.

The action sequences are loud, difficult to follow and distracting from the plot. This would be a two-star movie if not for the great acting performance by Jim Carrey and lavish special effects. However, acting and special effects are very important, and often all a movie like "Batman Forever" needs to succeed at the box office. Somehow high quality, in depth screenplays, the ones in the original two Superman movies don't seem to matter anymore in big budget Hollywood.

With fear comes prejudice. With prejudice comes bigotry. With bigotry comes hatred. With hatred comes violence. With violence comes incarceration. With incarceration comes more violence, which could sometimes lead to tolerance. This is how a vicious cycle comes full circle with a young man named Derek Vinyard.

"American History X" is a movie about a young white male, with far above average intelligence whose father is murdered by a black gunman, is subsequently taught to hate. Instead of having the capacity to understand a bad coincidence for what it is, and let justice take its course, he turns the shooting into a racial incident. His inability to see the truth, digs a hole for himself that he may not be able to get out of.

The movie is put together with a series of flashbacks, alternating black & white scenes (the past) with color scenes (the present). Edward Furlong plays 16- year-old high school student, Daniel Vinyard, who has just been punished by his principal, for handing in an essay praising Adolf Hitler. His sentence: He must write a five-page essay covering the arrest, conviction, and incarceration of his older brother Derek, a Nazi skinhead.

Derek Vinyard, (Edward Norton), has just been released from prison on parole, for the shooting death of two blacks who were on his property, attempting grand theft. Even though he had the right to protect his family, he took vigilantism to an extreme. He was charged with second-degree murder.

Derek wants to turn his life around, close out his relationship with the neo-Nazi skinheads, and keep his brother Daniel as far away from them as possible. The problem is, that in the long time Derek spent in jail, Daniel had become much involved with the skinheads, their lifestyle, and their language. With his bald head and dark clothing, Daniel now even looks like a little skinhead.

Now the question is will Derek be able to convince Daniel to stay clear of the skinheads? And if he does, is Daniel too far involved to be saved? "American History X" is a good movie, but the ending is disturbing and sends a wrong message that is inconsistent with a story that begins pitifully, but progresses hopefully. The movie has too many flashbacks, and put together with the scenes in color make the film choppy in texture. Also the Edward Norton character never has the swastika on his chest surgically removed, which makes you wonder whether he has really changed. All In all, "American History X" is powerful movie, but not really a great one.

Batman Returns is the 1992 sequel to the original 1989 Batman movie. Most of the original cast returns, and Batman faces two new- but familiar foes. The Penguin played by Danny DeVito, and the Catwoman played by Michelle Pfeiffer emerge to wreck havoc upon Gotham City and cause Batman even more problems.

The movie is not the blockbuster that the first film was, and is too grotesque and gloomy to be appreciated by young children. This is a cold, dark film, filled with pity and shame.

The movie opens with the wealthy parents of a deformed baby, putting him into a baby carriage, and dropping him into the Gotham River on a cold winter evening. They don't care if their baby lives or dies or gets devoured by wild animals. The baby floats downstream into the city's sewers, where he is rescued and raised by penguins. Thirty-three years late,r the baby emerges out of the sewers fully grown, with an arched back, a deformed nose, and claws. Going by the name Oswald Cobblepot, the pitiful creature has only one goal in life, to discover who his parents were, and find out why they dumped him like garbage.

Cobblepot, later in the movie, becomes vengeful at the citizens of Gotham City for living the fulfilled lives that he had been cheated out of. As Cobblepot emerges from the sewers, newspaper stories circulate about the mysterious penguin-man threatening Gotham City. Oswald is outraged at the fear and scorn he receives, and refuses to allow anyone to call him Penguin. But later, feelings of hate, greed, and vengeance overcome him, and Penguin is the only name he wants to be known by. The Penguin unlike the Joker in the original Batman movie is a pitiful, depressing creature. I felt so sorry for him I was ready to cry. How could his birth parents be so cruel to him? This kind of dark story may have worked for "The Elephant Man", or maybe even "The Sixth Sense", but not for "Batman". "Batman" is supposed to be based on a comic book character, played out for action, adventure, and even laughs. This is not supposed to be a serious dramatic tragedy, like Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist", or even "Great Expectations." Like in the original "Batman" film, Batman is portrayed as a loner, an oddball who happens to be on the right side of the law. Even though he is summoned by Commissioner Gordon (Pat Hingle) via the Batsignal to handle a recent crime wave, he is still feared by many people in Gotham City because of his scientific genius and mystique. Keaton is not as wooden and comical as Adam West (the original Batman) was, but is completely overshadowed by the pitiful Penguin, and the fetishistic Catwoman.

Michelle Pfeiffer who plays Max Shreck's (Christopher Walken) secretary curiously stumbles upon her bosses scheme to control Gotham City. She then is thrown to her death by the evil tycoon, so that there won't be any witnesses to his illegal activity. Pfeiffer however, is licked back to life by alley cats, and later becomes Catwoman. Catwoman sews up her own fetish costume and mask, and vows vengeance on Shreck and the rest of Gotham City ESPECIALLY THE MEN.

Catwoman being a "cat" has nine lives, one of which she loses courtesy of Shreck, one courtesy of Batman, and one courtesy of Penguin after she tells him that he is too ugly to deserve her affections. The Penguin attached her to his flying umbrella, and she flies off to her third death, in a scene of outstanding special effects and creativity by director Tim Burton. Now this is one fantasy sequence that is classic comic book Batman. Later in the movie, in the Penguin's hideout, she loses her fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh lives when Shreck pulls his gun on her and also Batman. Will she also lose her eighth and ninth? I enjoyed Tim Burton's special effects, his dark, brooding Gotham City set and skyline. There were some good acting performances especially by Michelle Pfeiffer, but "Batman Returns" spends too much time dwelling on the shame and hurt of Oswald being dumped and abandoned by his birth parents. This type of screenplay is certainly not meant for the young audience that superhero films are supposed to appeal to appeal to. Maybe if "Batman Returns" had some comic relief, and comical characters to deliver it, it would have been better. But the character who we empathize with most with is the Penguin who is not sinister or goofy but pitiful. This is not what comic book Batman is supposed to be about.

In 1989, director Tim Burton brought the comic book hero to life with the original movie "Batman". This was the first live action Batman on screen since the 1966-68 ABC television series. The 1989 "Batman" film was the best interpretation of the famed comic book hero.

The movie stars Michael Keaton in the title role, and is a nice change of pace from the silly, high camp '60s TV series. The Tim Burton film paints Gotham City as a dark, gloomy place, and Batman as a recluse. The action though, is classic, comic book Batman. The Michael Keaton-Batman has much more virility and smarts than the silly, wooden character played by Adam West in the 1960's TV series.

Batman, a DC Comics superhero, as he does in the comics- Fights crime in a blue cape, cowl, chest armor and utility belt. He also drives the Batmobile, and Batwings, and runs operations out of the Batcave, where he uses state-of-the art scientific equipment to help rid Gotham City of dangerous criminals.

In the moderate camp, high action-adventure 1989 "Batman" film, the Joker is played by Jack Nicholson who really enjoys this role. Keaton is good as Batman, in fact better than Adam West in the same role, but as the Joker Nicholson really steals the show. The Joker is now known as "a homicidal artist", and no longer as "the clown prince of crime".

Unlike the cartoonish TV show this movie has some dark and gloomy moments not meant to be enjoyed by very small children. This was the only problem that short circuited this great interpretation of "Batman". The movie should have been designed to carry no more than a (PG) rating.

Batman, a.k.a. millionaire Bruce Wayne, was made an orphan when his parents were murdered in cold blood. Bruce was raised by Alfred the butler (Michael Gough), until he reached adulthood and decided that he was going to dedicate his life to fight crime.

In the camp-style of the 1960's Batman, the caped crusader's arch nemesis, the Joker, gleefully sings, laughs, and dances his way through murder, robbery, extortion, and terrorizing Gotham City. Unlike the 60's TV show, there is death and violence in this movie. Good guys and bad guys both die.

Into the mix goes photographic journalist Vicky Vale, (Kim Basinger) who becomes Batman's sidekick in this Robin-less movie. Batman, many times has to save her from the Joker's clenches: once at the Gotham Art Museum, once at Bruce Wayne's mansion, at Gotham town hall, and at the church where the Joker plans to force her hand in marriage.

It is a pleasant change to see Batman risk life and limb to save someone else besides Robin, who on the high camp 1966-1968 TV version is often like a damsel in distress. The 60's Robin is there for comic relief. However in the 1989 Keaton/ Nicholson film, Kim Basinger's character more resembles Lois Lane being watched over by Christopher Reeve's immortal Superman. This is what comic book superhero/ action adventures are supposed to be about.

"Batman' is a classic, an action, adventure, with humor, satire and tolerable levels of camp. The special effects, set design, and overall cinematography are first rate. Nicholson is outstanding as the freaky Joker, even though he is just the supporting actor he steals the show. Nicholson really appears to love the role of the villain, and sings and dances his way through his role as the clown prince of crime.

This movie is also full of profanity, violence, murder and vice. The late actor Cesar Romero, who played the Joker in the TV Series, was dissatisfied with the film because according to him, Batman is a comic book intended for laughs and this movie is too serious at times and not intended for small children.

Batman should have been made into a (PG) or (G) rated film so it could have been appreciated by children, DC Comics target audience. The movie however, is a highly welcome change of pace from the high camp 60's TV series, which often resembled a silly cartoon instead of a superhero action/ adventure flick.

"The Crucible" is adapted from the 1954 play by Arthur Miller. I read "The Crucible" in high school and I liked it very much. The big screen version did not match up to Arthur Miller play in depth, design, characterizations, and overall screenplay. However this was an articulate and poignant film and I liked it a lot.

The movie takes place in Salem Massachusetts in 1692, the Pre- Revolutionary War days. At the time, people of the Colonies are caught up in the belief of devils, witches, and witchcraft.

The story begins in the forest, with the teenagers of Salem engaging in a séance, in which they are calling on the spirits to cast love spells over their boyfriends. Abigail Williams is the ringleader.

They are discovered by her uncle, Reverend Parris, who is in a rage when Abigail returns home with his young daughter, who is ill due to the guilt of summoning spirits.

To avoid castigation by Reverend Parris and the theologically rigid court system, Abigail and the other girls start accusing several of the adults of witchcraft. They do a tremendous acting job in convincing the church and the courts that they are being attacked by the devil.

Judge Danforth of Massachusetts is then brought to Salem to investigate these accusations. Not realizing the motives behind the accusations- lust, greed, anger, etc.- he has several people arrested for attacking the children "with their spirits". Among the wrongly accused are a beggar woman, a nurse, and the wife of an adulterer.

Joining in with the accusations is Thomas Putnam, a vindictive farmer who couldn't care less about witchcraft and is only after other people's land upon their deaths.

Elizabeth Proctor, wife of the movie's hero, John Proctor, is accused of witchcraft by Abgail Williams, who has been secretly fornicating with John Proctor. Proctor, to protect his wife from hanging, is forced to reveal before the court that he is an adulterer. The naive Judge Danforth does not believe Proctor, and secretly asks Elizabeth whether her husband is an adulterer. When she says no to try to protect her husband, he throws this accusation out of court and charges John Proctor with witchcraft.

Proctor is forced to admit that he lied about the adultery charge, and is in fact an agent of the devil, or face hanging. He has to choose between his integrity, and the integrity of his children, or face the death penalty.

The Crucible gives insight into the human psyche, showing that intangibles like devils, witches, Satan, and hell, can be motivated by tangibles such as lust, jealousy, land disputes, and anger. This is what makes The Crucible such a good movie. Powerful performances by Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder make this a must see movie. "The Crucible" was definitely one of the better films of the 1990's.

"Varsity Blues" takes place in the fictional place of West Canaan, Texas. West Canaan is kind of a play on words, because, the movie's star James Van Der Beek of Dawson's Creek Fame comes from a place called New Canaan, Connecticut.

West Canaan, a small deeply religious town, is also a town that is filled with die hard, loyal football fans. They treat their high school team's success like European soccer fans treat the World Cup.

Now varsity football coach, Bud Kilmer, (Jon Voight) he is so obsessed with winning, he doesn't care about the physical or psychological health of his players.

Johnnie Moxon,(Van Der Beek) a backup quarterback, gets his big chance at stardom when the starting quarterback, Lance (Paul Walker) goes down with a career-ending injury. Moxon, unlike most high school athletes, isn't playing for an athletic scholarship but an academic one to Brown University. He is not nearly as good as the starting quarterback, Lance, in practice, but comes out of nowhere to shine on the big stage.

Kilmer is vile, racist, introverted and selfish. He has his best running back, a black kid, grind out all of the tough yards, but never take the ball in for a touchdown. When Lance (Paul Walker) tears up his knee, and his doctor says he's going to be out for a year and a half, Kilmer demands that he be given a shot of cortisone and thrown back onto the field. When another player wants to talk with him privately, he tells the kid that he's fat and lazy and orders him out of his office.

The movie is also about nudity, sex, and more sex. Lance's sister, on the eve of his career ending injury, seduces Mox, which causes rift between himself and his present girlfriend. The girl, Collette Harbor, strips off her shirt and prepares a hot fudge sundae, on her breasts for Mox, including whipped cream of course.

On the eve of the big game Mox and teammates get drunk at a strip club where they meet their sex education teacher, as one of the strippers. This incident, along with their ensuing hangovers at the big game, cause Kilmer to explode.

"Varsity Blues" is a very similar movie to television's classic from the 1980's "The Dukes of Hazzard"; childish, stupid, funny, with a southern flair. This movie has some similarities to "Animal House" (1978) and "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983) with its sophomorism and gross-outs. "Varsity Blues" has a good soundtrack, with much of the popular rock music of the 1990's. There is also excellent game footage, and the movie's ending is good but very predictable.

People don't normally associate anti-Semitism with post World War II America. After all, we are the great nation that defeated Hitler. School Ties shows that anti-Semitism existed in America long after World War II ended, even in schools for gifted students.

David Greene (Brendan Fraser) is a gifted student and an all-American high school football player; but he is also Jewish. He is admitted into a Catholic school for the academically talented, for the purpose of giving them a winning football team and giving himself almost certain admittance into Harvard. David's father wants him to know his roots and honor his religion, but the administrators at the school want to keep his religious affiliation private.

Can Matt Damon play the villain and play him well? You bet he can. Going back in the day before the world knew who he was Damon plays a jealous, raging anti-Semite named Charlie Dillon, the supporting character in this film. He and the other students at the Prep School are pleasant for a time, except for the occasional wisecracks about Jews, and Dillon takes a liking toward David, but is jealous of his abilities. David takes Charlie's spot as the "go to guy" on the football team and carries the team past St. Lukes in he big game. Later he falls in love with Charlie's girl.

Charlie, looking for revenge, discovers that David is Jewish, and lets the world know, turning everyone against David. Charlie, once David's friend, is now the ringleader behind every anti-Semitic prank played on him.

David, now ostracized by his peers, has a chance at redemption when he sees Charlie cheating on the midterm exam. Drama mounts. "School Ties" is not a movie of adventure or comedy, but it sends a strong message about the evils of bigotry. For those who like movies from the past this one is poignant, intense, and formidable.

"Rounders" is not a bad movie. But it's not a very good one. The problem is that the film sends out the wrong message. It says that if you are young, intelligent, and handsome you can overcome- even the greatest of odds, and come out a big winner.

Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), a young attorney, who has given up gambling, after losing his case and law school money to a Russian Mafia boss, who calls himself KGB.

McDermott swears off gambling forever until he has to bail out his best friend, an ex-con named "Worm" (Edward Norton). Worm was sent to prison for making thousands of dollars through a credit card scam, and still owes his creditors over ten thousand dollars in loan money.

Together Worm and McDermott hit the streets of New York, looking for every possible card game in hopes of winning back the money Worm owes. When Worm finally has enough money to pay back his number one creditor, (John Turturro) he digs an even deeper hole for himself by taking out more loan money, instead of just closing his account. This puts a tremendous burden on McDermott, who must choose between loyalty to his friend and keeping his wife (Gretchen Mol) to whom he swore off gambling.

Together Worm and McDermott wind up $15,000 in the hole through losing several hands at poker and even get beaten up a couple of times. Finally McDermott is forced to vouch for Worm, trying to get his friend on payment program to save him from danger. However the creditor, (Turturro) demands his money -all of it- within five days, and now McDermott having vouched for Worm is also responsible for it. Damon borrows $15,000 from his good hearted law professor (Martin Landau) to save Norton's hide and ultimately his own.

Now how can the "hero", Damon, take advantage of the generosity of a friend the way he does? But this is Rounders. A movie about gambling and the mafia should show gambling as a sickness that destroys the integrity and possibly the life of the main character. But Damon comes out of it smelling like a rose, and then heads to Las Vegas to bet even more money. Damon's is a talented performer, but "Rounders" shows little purpose in conveying the right message.

"Rounders", doesn't lecture on the evils of gambling, it promotes them. Even though this movie has similarities to The Sting (1973), Rounders is definitely not Oscar material

"Good Will Hunting" is a movie about a young man from the south side of Boston, the rough and tumble neighborhood of Southee, who is having tremendous difficulty coping in the adult world. He is reaching his twenty-first birthday and the age when he is no longer a ward of the state. The question is can he conquer his demons, grow into adulthood and be a contributing member of society.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon), an orphan approaching adulthood, has moved in and out of several foster homes as a child, and has had several run-ins with the law. But he is also a genius, who can solve math problems on the level of Euclid and Pythagorous. The only question is: In which direction will he turn? Will he stay with his street-wise gang of friends? Or will he grow up, start looking for a career job, and start taking some responsibility for his own predicament? Will Hunting is cocky, belligerent, and downright nasty at times until he finally meets his match with Dr. Sean McGuire, (Robin Williams). McGuire talks Will's language, sports, sex, and even profanity to try to get inside the boy's head, to see what's really bothering him.

Comic relief plays a large part in the movie. In one scene, Will accuses his first therapist of being gay and making a pass at him, sexually. Also at a local bar, Will is trying to protect a friend from getting humiliated, and gets into an argument about colonial imperialism with a smart aleck. This bar scene is also very enlightening.

"Good Will Hunting" is the movie that made Matt Damon a star. Matt Damon, along with good friend Ben Affleck won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Robin Williams won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

When you think of bloody, horrible wars you think of Vietnam, maybe Korea. When you think of World War II, you picture Bob Hope entertaining the troops, or people back in the states dancing to Glenn Miller. Saving Private Ryan shows what World War II, the most defining war in human history, was really like. The D-Day invasion of World War II, was to decide the future of the world; fascist, or democratic. Would the world be free, or enslaved by Nazis? D DAY, NORMANDY France 1944- an American squadron is looking for a missing comrade. The movie opens with a 20- minute war sequence with Captain John Miller's unit landing on Omaha Beach, and trying to push the Germans further east to liberate Western Europe. Even though the allies win this battle, body parts and blood is everywhere. This film is full of graphic violence and gore.

Then the film shifts back to a government clerical office where secretaries are typing condolence letters to the mothers who lost sons in battle. It is noticed that Mrs. Ryan of Iowa has lost three of four sons in the D Day invasion. Brought to the attention of army brass, they decide that the US army must rescue James Francis Ryan, Mrs. Ryan's only remaining son.

Finding Private Ryan is like looking for a needle in a haystack for Captain Miller's squadron. At times morale is very low. You see the difference in personalities of Privates Jackson and Reiben. Jackson is a fighter, a war- monger, who doesn't care why he's there. He just wants to please his commander, and kill the Germans. Reiben on the other hand is wary, cautious, and even somewhat belligerent. About two-thirds of the way though the story, Reiben is at odds with Miller on the release of a German POW, and even threatens to go AWOL, but he along with Jackson fights with honor and bravery in the final battle.

After days of searching for Private Ryan, Captain Miller's unit finally finds him guarding a strategically important bridge with a lost squadron. Private Ryan does not want to leave his troupe, considering them the only brothers he has left. This leads to a suspenseful climax.

When a large German battalion spots the two American units guarding the bridge, fighting breaks out. Who will survive this horrible war? The Americans appear outnumbered. Will they be able to save Private Ryan from dying like his three brothers? Will Mrs. Ryan lose her last son in this war? Saving Private Ryan, another spectacular film by Steven Spielberg, is one of the greatest war movies ever made. It was nominated for Best Picture. Best Director Oscar went to Steven Spielberg. Art Direction and Cinematography in the film is top notch, as are the beautifully choreographed fight scenes, which are dramatic, suspenseful, and ultra-realistic.

The hit new teen drama on FOX Thursday nights is "The O.C.". This show is kind of a cross between two Fox dramas of the past, the highly intelligent, but sometimes goofy long running "Beverly Hills 90210" which set the standard for teen dramas, and the over-dramatic "Melrose Place", which was highly goofy and sometimes intelligent. "The O.C." is somewhat dramatic on a juvenile level, has camp elements, and is full of misguided, disenchanted, and sometimes disingenuous characters- all except do-it-all lawyer/dad Sandy Cohen that is.

Peter Gallagher, Best known for his 1989 film "Sex, Lies, and Videotape", plays Sandy Cohen a public defender formerly working for the Orange County D.A.'s office. In addition to a highly intelligent, competent lawyer, that most rich people can't get, Sandy is a fatherly figure, one you can trust, respect, and like a lot. Basically you want him to be your own father. He's the perfect TV dad just like Mike Brady on "The Brady Bunch", Heathcliff Huxtable on "The Cosby show", Jim Anderson on "Father Knows Best", and Ward Cleaver on "Leave it to Beaver".

Sandy Cohen can do it all. He is a loving husband to Kirsten, a loving father to Seth and adopted son Ryan, and still represents all of the desperate, misguided people, wealthy as well as poor of Orange County, and gets them out of jail sentences all of the time. He also is into real estate law and gets housing for low income people and indigents.

In addition he makes road trips to try to bring the extended Cohen family together, like when he bails Ryan's troubled mother out of jail on only one condition, that she attend Ryan's 18th birthday. Unfortunately, she takes advantage of Sandy's heart, and his money and skips town without ever seeing Ryan. I wish I had a parent like Sandy Cohen who could easily bail me out if I got into big trouble. The immature and ungrateful people of the O.C. take advantage of Sandy's good heart, money and hospitality, not realizing that with out him they would literally be up the river without a paddle.

Benjamin Mackenzie plays Ryan Atwood, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks in Orange County California, whom Sandy defends in a juvenile grand theft auto case. Ryan's mother has disowned Ryan and brother Trey. Trey goes to jail on the grand theft auto charge, drugs, and other priors, but Sandy takes a liking toward Ryan, thinks he could be rehabilitated, and the perfect brother figure to his nerdy son Seth (Adam Brody). So he invites Ryan to live with the Cohen family.

Ryan, a hardened stud from the wrong side of the tracks is always being drawn into fights jeopardizing his probation. Most of the time he is drawn into a fight to protect beautiful Marissa Cooper (Micha Barton). He fights Luke Ward (Chris Carmack of "Related"), his brother Trey (Togan Marshall Green), and the new bad boy of Newport Beach, Kevin Volchuk (Cam Gigandet), who stalks Marissa and is out for blood. Ryan even punches the Dean of Harbor Prep School in the face when he tries to escort the expelled Marissa from the school grounds bodily. Ryan Atwood is still getting detentions in school, even though he's now 27 years old in real life.

Marissa is always with Ryan. Ryan is always with Marissa. Ryan and Marissa would NEVER breakup until of course Ryan gets the hots for Sadie who travels with Ryan on a kind of reconnaissance mission to help out a friend. Sadie wants to play strip poker with Ryan in the motel room, and I'm sure she put out a royal flush after Ryan pulled out an ace. Now Ryan is close to dumping Marisa and is dating Sadie.

Kevin Volchuk (Cam Gigandet) is the resident bad boy and the heavy of Newport Beach Orange County. He plays the same spoiler role that Tyler Hilton plays on "One Tree Hill", except this dude doesn't get the s--- kicked out of him he bullies and stalks others. He first taunts Marissa's poor friend Johnny, a poor soul who later falls of a cliff and dies while stone drunk, then of course Volchuk goes for the kill against the vulnerable Ryan Atwood.

However lately he has mellowed out and now has Marissa in his hip pocket, because she is furious about Ryan's relationship with Sadie. Marisa instead of spending Ryan's landmark 18th birthday with her longtime boyfriend and protector, she spends it drinking vodka with Volchuk on the beach.

Now I'll mention Sandy's nerdy son Seth Cohen. He is what we used to call in school many years ago- "a wimp". Sandy clearly does good things for Ryan because knows Ryan will eventually be a good influence on Seth and help protect him from his bullies and tormentors. Seth doesn't just idolize Ryan because he's "cool". He doesn't just love Ryan because he is now his step brother. Seth LOVES Ryan. He hangs onto Ryan like a leech. Seth also has a problem with marijuana and alcohol and couldn't stand on his own two feet without Ryan's influence even at the highly reputable Harbor school.

"The O.C." is a teen drama, with some suspense and lots of modern day camp elements. In some reputable video stores the "O.C. The First Season" is selling for $70 per box set. This is white collar crime and do- it-all lawyer Sandy Cohen would agree with me on this point. "The O.C." is a fairly good show, similar to "One Tree Hill" and the long running "Beverly Hills 90210" which set the mark for this style of teen soap dramas, but The O.C. is surely not a great show. It is pop-culture and highly overrated pop-culture at that.

"Seinfeld" created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld was the best sitcom of the 1990's, was one of television's ten greatest programs, and best sitcom since "All in the Family" went off the air in 1979. This is a show that brought to our awareness many of the silly trivial things that trouble us on a day to day basis, and did so in a satirical, witty, and highly uproarious fashion.

We laugh at our own faults and shortcomings. We do so by laughing at the idiotic escapades of four grown single friends living in high stressful, unpredictable New York City. We see the foolishness of Cosmo Kramer, the lazy, neurotic behavior of George Costanza, the silly vengefulness of Elaine Benes, the compulsive meticulousness of Jerry Seinfeld, and the high strung immaturity of all four of them.

In "The Revenge" Jerry thinks that the Laundromat stole $4,000 that he accidentally left in his jacket pocket. When the Laundromat denies any responsibility for the lost cash, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and Kramer (Michael Richards) plot revenge. Jerry distracts the Laundromat owner while Kramer struggles to dump a ninety pound bag of cement into the guy's top loader. Meanwhile George (Jason Alexander) is plotting revenge against the boss who fired him, when it was actually George who mouthed off to and quit on the boss. Elaine (Julia Louis Dreyfus) is showing the boss her cleavage, while George is struggling to get a laxative into the guy's drink. In this episode the losers turn out to be Jerry on a small scale and George on a large one.

George is a thirty-five year old, short, stout, balding man with glasses, who is obsessed with sex. George would rather sit in Monk's diner bragging about his sexual prowess so all the other patrons could hear, then just get a job like everyone else. He is an incredibly lazy person who doesn't work and lives with his parents. But worst of all, he gets many job offers which he either scoffs at or sabotages, and when he finally gets hired he finds every way possible to lose his job.

One of the funniest episodes of "Seinfeld" is when George's unemployment insurance is running out and he is forced to get a job. He tries to pull a fast one on his unemployment case worker, but after George is caught in a lie with his draws down, he has one more chance to avoid working and also keep his insurance. His scheme revolves around 1986 World Champion Mets captain Keith Hernandez who is Jerry's good friend. The case worker is a huge Mets fan and "Keith Hernandez must be produced within the hour" or George's freeloading days off of the government will be over.

George has gotten dumped by the real estate agent, by the women's bra manufacturer, and loses several office jobs. He always gives George Steinbrenner every reason in the book to terminate him from his top-level job as assistant traveling secretary with the Yankees, and he was only hired BECAUSE he insulted the Boss. When Steinbrenner finally lets George Costanza go, it is not because of Costanza's incompetence or his big mouth. Steinbrenner trades Costanza away the same way he has dumped all-stars like Willie McGee, Tino Martinez, and Jay Buhner.

Kramer is more off the rails than George. He hangs onto Jerry like a leech. He is always imposing himself on the good natured, orderly stand-up comedian. He keeps half his food supply in Jerry's apartment, and is always noshing on the food in Jerry's refrigerator like a gigantic mouse. Sometimes he accidentally spills milk or tomato juice, sops it up with a towel, and then rings the towel right back into the container or milk carton so that Jerry won't lose money on wasted food. He also uses Jerry's kitchen spatulas as his own personal back-scratcher.

George and Kramer aren't the only ones with problems. In "The Pie" Jerry's girl Audrey refuses to taste Jerry's apple pie because the fork touched his mouth. But when her father, Poppy, makes the two of them a lovely Italian dinner, it's time for Jerry to shake his head when offered a slice of pizza pie. Poppy forgets to wash his hands after a bowel movement. Then Poppy starts kneading the dough with his filthy hands for the special dinner as Jerry Seinfeld looks on in disbelief.

Elaine has many wacky escapades of her own, like the episode where she tries to get revenge on the saleslady at Punto Mayo for intentionally ignoring her as a customer. She tries to stuff it back in the woman's face by going on a shopping spree at a rival store. It turns out that the snobby woman owns both stores. So Elaine recruits Kramer to help put both stores out of business by under pricing each individual piece of merchandise with a phony pricing gun. Of course with the silliness of Seinfeld, it is never mentioned that in retail clothing stores the price is already entered into the computer.

Jerry and Elaine are the highest functioning of the quartet of friends. They are always employed. Kramer almost never works in a legitimate job and seems to get his income from business ventures with Kramerica Inc. and family charity. George is pretty much unemployed from the time he tried to poison his first boss to the time when he landed a dream job with the Yankees that he didn't really earn.

Today in 2006 it is still "Seinfeld" that is the show that bridges the generation gaps. Re-runs of "Seinfeld" are well liked and enjoyed by older people, baby boomers, young adults, and those born in the 80's and 90's. There is no other program with the possibility of "ER" that covers this wide demographic. There are very few shows that could match the cleverness, satire, characterizations, and plot development of "Seinfeld".

In the 1970's it was considered odd for a man to be sharing an apartment with two women. It was almost an invitation to be scrutinized by the public. Now many single guys share living arrangements with one or more girls. In the 1970's being gay was considered very odd or "queer". Now being gay may still put you in a minority, but it is commonplace. "Three's Company" which began its formidable run on ABC in 1977, brought to the forefront these taboo subjects.

A strange man whose name is Jack is found sleeping in the bathtub after a wild party the previous night in the girls' apartment. The girls want him out of their apartment until they find out that Jack (John Ritter) is a master cook, and since their cooking is lousy the girls Janet, (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy, (Suzanne Somers) ask Jack to live with them. They're working. He's unemployed but being their personal chef will pay his room and board.

Mr. and Mrs. Roper are the landlords of this beach front L.A. apartment complex. Stanley Roper (Norman Fell) is an old fashioned sot who is very much set in his ways. There is no way he would ever allow a man to share an apartment with two women, in his day and age and even this day and age until of course the girls tell him a fictitious story that Jack is 100% "gay".

Stanley's wife of many years Helen Roper (Audra Lindley) quickly discovers that Jack isn't really gay, and kids are only trying to fool her husband into allowing them to share the apartment. But Mrs. Roper couldn't care less. She's more concerned about the lack of action going on in her apartment with Stanley than Jack's possible hanky panky with the girls.

This great 1970's sitcom is carried by two important themes, the gay agenda, and mistaken identities. The first three years of the sitcom with Norman Fell and Audra Lindley the gay theme carried the show. When the Ropers left the show in 1980, and Don Knotts took over as the kids' landlord, mistaken identities dominated the plots. The comedy was based on the characters always overreacting and jumping to conclusions before they knew all the facts about a given situation. I liked Don Knotts as the bumbling bachelor Mr. Furley, but the early shows with Norman Fell and Audra Lindley as the long suffering Ropers were absolute classics.

"Three's Company" was not as good as some of television's best sitcoms plot-wise- namely, "The Honeymooners", "All in the Family" and "Seinfeld", but often times "Three's Company" was a lot funnier than these other three great shows. "Three's Company may not be one of TV's greatest sitcoms, but it was certainly a formidable one. Recently I saw the episode where Jack finds himself in bed with Mr. Roper, and I was balling with laughter, as though I had never seen this episode before.

"Three's Company" basically centers around two important verbal exchanges, the one between Mr. and Mrs. Roper and the one between Mr. Roper and Jack.

Mr. Roper will say something to Mrs. Roper like "What's all that banging upstairs in the middle of the night? It sounds like one of the kids is moving their bed." Helen Roper typically responds, "I only wish you would move our bed like that Stanley."

A typical dialogue between Mr. Roper and Jack:

Roper: "Jack. Helen wanted me to invite you and the girls over for Thanksgiving dinner tonight. You like turkey don't you?" Jack: "Well I like the drumstick. I don't care much for breasts." Roper: "Yeah I know. I've already figured sweeties like you out." Then Norman Fell as Stanley Roper turns to the camera and unleashes one of his goofy classic smiles.

John Ritter was the king of physical and slapstick comedy, beginning from the day his character Jack TRIPPER TRIPPED all over himself trying to leave the bathroom in Janet/Chrissy's apartment. And of course it is classic laugh out loud comedy every time Jack acts openly gay in front of Roper or Furley in order to stand by his cover story that he really is homosexual and needs to cohabitate with these two girls because (a) he can't share an apartment with men, and (b) his relationship with the girls is strictly platonic.

It was classic Ritter physical comedy every time his Jack Tripper character was caught by Roper- or later- Furley making a move on a girl, and he has to cover his hide by pretending to be openly gay and sometimes even sissy-like so he won't be evicted by his landlord. Then of course is the classic Mr. Roper line. "Helen. That guy up there, he better be gay or he's outta here. I'll throw him out on his ear." Roper often suspects Jack is not gay, but Ritter's Jack outwits him with his classic gay mannerisms. Jack eventually tells Mr. Roper he's straight and Roper thankfully doesn't believe it. Roper has so convinced himself that Jack is gay. Mr. Roper says "If you're straight, than I'm the King of Siam, and you're the queen."

"Three's Company was a great back in the day comedy." Norman Fell and Audra Lindley and of course John Ritter formed the unbreakable comic triangle which made the sitcom certainly one of the best of the 1970's, ending its strong run in 1984. "Three's Company" joined "Happy Days" and "Laverne and Shirley" to dominate ABC Tuesday nights the way "The Cosby Show", "Family Ties" and "Cheers" ran NBC Thursday nights in the 1980's.

Steven Spielberg's "Munich" is a vengeful and bloody recreation of the massacre of eleven Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany and the subsequent retaliation by the Mossad, the Israeli secret service agency, in response to a day that will forever live in infamy; this day is known as "Black September", September 5, 1972.

Spielberg does a fine job presenting the factual aspects of the movie. Although many might disagree, I don't believe that Spielberg ever takes sides between the Israelis and Palestinians. However the problem with Spielberg's interpretation of this infamous and historic event is that he dwells too much on -in fact almost totally on- the revenge killings by members of the Israeli Mossad in response to the Palestinian terrorism and the gory details instead of telling us more about the Arab-Israeli conflict as a whole, and the events leading up to Munich. These events include the 1948 Israeli War for independence and the six day war of 1967 in which Israel captured the West Bank and the Gaza Strip from Jordan, the real Palestinian homeland. Also not brought to the forefront in this movie was the Aftermath of Munich and how it has affected Arab/ Israeli relations today- almost thirty five years later.

Spielberg the master director of such box-office mega hits like "ET", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", and "Jaws", as well as historically poignant films such as "Schindler's List", "Saving Private Ryan", and "Amistad", misses his mark this time. Although Munich is a good film, it is certainly not a great one. If I wanted to see adventure, gore, and bloody scenes, I could have stayed home to see "Supernatural" on the WB network, or "Twenty Four" on FOX instead of going to the movies. Actually this movie reminds me more of a TV Land classic from the 1960's called "Mission Impossible", with all the adventure, stylish drama and espionage.

The movie stars Eric Bana as the leader of the covert Isreali operation designed to wipe out all of those responsible for planning Munich, those at the time believed to be hiding in Europe, and Geoffrey Rush as Ephraim, Avner's (Bana) case manager. Lynn Cohen gives a convincing performance as the Israeli Prime Minister at the time, Golda Meir. Members of Avner's revenge assassin team include character actors Daniel Craig, Hans Zichler, Ciaran Hinds and Matheau Kassovitz.

Besides Cohen as Golda Meir, Bana, the lead actor gives an outstanding performance, which makes up for his other highly popular but pitiful role as David Banner in the dreadful "Hulk" movie, a poor re-creation of the great 1970's television series. Bana, in a more poignant role really hits his mark this time. I wish I could say the same for Steven Spielberg.

The Bana is determined to succeed in his mission, yet he is guilt ridden and apologetic. His character loyally serves his country, and Prime Minister who is somewhat apologetic herself, but realizes that when civilians of a sovereign nation are attacked the way Israel was on 9/5/72, there are people who have to be held accountable. "Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values", proclaims Meir.

What Spielberg was trying to avoid which he shouldn't was finding an answer to the Arab-Israeli conflict, which usually begins with the Palestinians seeking political and ideological gain through force which immediately leads to swift and severe retaliation by Israel. The United Nations and the European Union are also responsible for this vicious cycle of violence for letting their global oil interests get in the way of a fair and just compromise for the Palestinians and the sovereign nation of Israel.

Basically I liked this movie "Munich" for its vast landscape of 1970's Europe and overall cinematography, and I admire taut and tense action thrillers. But this is a historical film that is missing something important, detailed history, and that is why I don't love it. 3 out of 4 stars.

In television's Golden Age, the 1950's, there was "Father Knows Best" and "Leave it to Beaver". The 1960's had "The Danny Thomas Show". In the 1970's there was of course "The Brady Bunch". Then in the 1980's came another feel good family comedy called "The Cosby Show" which was the first time this TV genre was devoted to an all African American cast.

The patriarch of this loving, and well structured nuclear family was none other than veteran actor/comedian Bill Cosby himself. Cosby played an obstetrician named Heathcliff Huxtable, with a loving,loyal yet very independent and professional wife Claire, played by Phyllicia Rashad.

Cliff and Claire a litigation attorney by trade, had five kids ranging in age from kindergarten to college. Rudy, the youngest (Keshia Knight Pulliam), Vanessa (Tempest Bledsoe), Theo (Cliff and Clair's only son played by Malcolm Jamal Warner), Denise (Lisa Bonet) and oldest child Sandra (Sabrina Lebeauf) living away at Princeton.

"The Cosby Show" went through the trials and tribulations of all of the kids growing up and their adolescent problems. Even though the sitcom was centered around the dean of comedy, Bill Cosby, the only irreplaceable member of this show, the other actors were well cast and their characters were well drawn out. Claire was also fabulous as the 80's do it all mother, hard working and strong willed yet conscientious and nurturing to all of her children.

Of course Bill Cosby was perfectly cast as the patriarch of the Huxtable clan. He was a father who could do it all. Spend quality time with all his kids, always give them good advice, tend to all of their problems many of them being silly and trivial, and still hold down a great full time career.

There was one thing I always loved and admired about Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, the father. He never lost his temper with his kids, despite their immaturity and bad decisions.At least Heathcliff never showed it in his demeanor to his kids,whether it was Theo failing in school, or Sandra living in squalor with her husband Elvin, or Vanessa refusing to leave Cliff and Claire alone for the night because she was having nightmares of a R-Rated movie Claire forbid her to see.

Cliff never lost his temper with Denise, even with all of her contemptuous boyfriends, her weird outfits, and high strung personality. Densise never really fit well into the feel good, well structured authoritarian Huxtable household. She was always like a rebel without a cause, and when her rebellious boyfriend (Kristoff St. John) broke bread with Cliff and Claire for the first time, Denise decided to join his cause, even though she didn't really know what it was. David James was a vegetarian and not for ethical or environmental reasons, but because he had a vendetta against the medical establishment. He also had a vendetta against the legal establishment too, Claire's profession.

When David came to dinner with intentionally wearing mismatched socks, he looked like the perfect boyfriend for bandanna wearing, nose piercing, totally 80's hip Denise. But she quickly broke it off with him. HE WASN'T HER TYPE.

"The Cosby Show" drew light on many of these new teen fashion trends, which used to make parents blood boil, but today are commonplace. Remember the episode when Theo came home with an earring, and was desperately trying to hide it from his dad. Today half of all young males who weren't born when this episode originally aired in 1984 have their ears pierced.

Cliff always knew the right things to say to all kids, the good ones as well as the rebels. He was kind, considerate, sociable, yet still fatherly and authoritarian. Bill Cosby himself was always a master at relating to kids of all ages, from toddlers all the way through the oldest college students. It was fun seeing his character Heathcliff play fatherly figure to some of Denise and Theo's weird and drug using friends, yet also be able to warm up to insecure Vanessa and hers, and of course little Rudy and her little gang of rug-rats.

Cliff had so many great moments with Rudy, like when he was trying to teach her that eventually everything that lives, dies, like her poor little goldfish "Lamont", that she kept feeding even though it was floating on its back. Rudy was upset but got over it quickly, and Cliff got carried away with the goldfish's "funeral".

Vanessa unlike Rudy always had a problem with insecurity and lack of perseverance. She would always try a new activity, but would lack the motivation to excel at what she did. This reminds me of myself. This just brought out some of the immaturity of the Huxtable kids.

The only major problem I had with "The Cosby Show" is that it did not accurately and truthfully portray the average middle class American family, and certainly did not portray the average, urban African American family. How many average black families, all right, how many white families live in a beautiful Brooklyn townhouse where the father is a successful medical doctor, and the mother is a successful lawyer? And of course both still have more than enough time to devote to their kids without a live in nanny. I think that two lesser known but above average sitcoms from the 1970's "What's Happening!!" and "Good Times" were a more realistic portrayal of urban African American life.

"The Cosby Show" was written more in the style of feel good family sitcoms from the 1950's and 1960's like "The Brady Bunch", "My Three Sons" and "Leave it to Beaver", than a realistic portrayal of the mainstream African American family. Nevertheless "The Cosby Show" is among the fifty greatest sitcoms in television history. This show was a Thursday night 1980's classic.

"The Dukes of Hazzard" is- I reckon- one of TV's classics from the 1980's. This is a show with great stunts and stunt people pre-CGI special effects and some well-drawn out characters.

The problem with this show, is not that it is poorly written. Some of the plots are actually very good, and "The Dukes" is a better show than some of the other idiot sitcoms of TV's post Golden era, namely "Batman", "Gilligan's Island", and of course "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" of today.

Adventure shows like "Charlie's Angels", "Wonder Woman", and "Smallville" of today have camp elements. But The Dukes of Hazzard is not just from time to time intentionally goofy, it is almost always intentionally stupid. The stupidity of the show smothers some tender moments between Uncle Jesse Duke (Denver Pyle), and his family, niece Daisy (Catherine Bach), and nephews Bo and Luke played by John Schneider and Tom Wopat.

Occasionally there is some serious drama like when Uncle Jesse is almost in tears when he's about to lose his farm to the thoroughly underhanded Boss Hogg, or lose his boys to a bounty hunter who wants to put them away for life, or Bo and Luke trying to protect a beautiful young witness from the clenches of a rogue U.S. senator. But if these tender moments give the show any credibility as a real drama, it is abruptly smothered by lots of slapstick, stupidity, redneck humor, the dimwitted Sheriff Roscoe P. Cotraine (James Best) and the antics of the totally corrupt, bloated Boss Hogg.

Long time character actor Sorrell Booke, unknown to most, but carrying credits from "All in the Family" among others plays the conniving, scheming, bloated, and thoroughly corrupt lawman of Hazzard County in the "Dukes of Hazzard". "The Dukes" was this actor's claim to fame, and Booke WAS "The Dukes of Hazzard." After Booke's untimely death in 1994, the cast members got together for three reunion specials on CBS. It was clear the Booke's presence was sorely missed. These reunion shows were lamer than the General Lee at The Battle of Gettysburg and Custer's hope of defeating the Union army. Booke's absence proved that he was the center and most irreplaceable piece to this classic 1980's comedy/adventure.

Some people down South like the "Dukes" for its fast cars chasing and colliding for half of every episode, or the hot chicks like Daisy Duke, or are intrigued by the luscious women that sometimes draw Bo and Luke into a trap. But none of that matters if you don't have an enormous presence like Booke's Boss Hogg in the middle to stir up trouble in ol' Hazzard County.

Bogg Hogg is not a demon, but he is a devil. he is cunning, conniving, shrewd, and very avaricious. He has this wrongful vendetta against Jesse Duke and is always scheming with yankees and no-gooders to rob Jesse of his farm and land. Yet Boss Hogg is not seen as a mean character, but as a buffoon. He has a monopoly over Hazzard County, and still has this obsession with foreclosing on the Duke farm, and getting Jesse Duke's two nephews "thrown permanently in the clink".

Sheriff Roscoe's "little fat buddy" also eats, and he eats, and he eats, and he eats, and he takes a cigar break, then he eats. He must consume about 20,000 calories per day. He takes pizza breaks, pigs knuckles breaks, eats ham hocks, and a family size portion of fried chicken in one sitting. A snack for him is a dozen kielbasa sausages with sauerkraut, or a sixteen scoop ice cream sundae with whipped cream, caramel, chocolate, strawberry, and butterscotch topping.

And the dimwitted Sheriff Roscoe P. Cotraine, Doesn't Boss Hogg ever let this man eat? Maybe Roscoe can't properly carry out his duties as Sheriff because he's famished. For example Boss Hogg says "Roscoe. Don't ever disturb me when I'm trying to use these here chopsticks, to enjoy me this here Chinese lunch ( a complete course with six egg rolls)."

James Best as Sheriff Roscoe is the king of slapstick comedy, and his deputies are the princes. Roscoe is the perfect foil figure to the Duke boys, and could never catch them to help silence them during Boss Hogg's nefarious schemes. He'll trip and fall on his own shadow, or hit himself in the back of the neck with a shovel. The Dukes always overcome the blustering and deviancy of Boss Hogg to save him and Sheriff Cotraine from the clenches of the real dangerous criminals. Yet Hogg continues to play every trick in the book to swindle old Jesse Duke out is farm and send his two boys "to the pokey". When will he ever learn common decency?

"The Dukes of Hazzard" is a show that thrives on intentional stupidity. This show is actually dumber than "The Beverly Hillbillies", a 1960's CBS classic with a lot of the same redneck silliness as the more modern "Dukes". I mean how many times can you go the right way down a one way street and encounter head on traffic? Unlike "The Beverly Hillbillies", "The Dukes" had charisma, character depth, charm and lots of color, and was very cartoonish. I mean how many people in rural Georgia have a sparkling red & orange car with an eight cylinder engine, and four wheel drive that can easily outrun a Sheriff or jump a river? Them Duke boys' car can do it.

Norman Lear's "All In The Family" is the best, TV's greatest sitcom, and the greatest show in the sixty year history of television. This show beats out "I Love Lucy", "The Honeymooners", "Father Knows Best", "Burns and Allen", "The Cosby Show", and yes, "Seinfeld". And those are only the sitcoms that take a back seat to "All In The Family".

"All In The Family" was a groundbreaking sitcom, an original, that brought to the forefront many of the problems in society in the 1970's, most of which still exist today. Ageism, racism, sexism, nuclear disarmament, Richard Nixon, the Vietnam War, and even homophobia were deeply examined in this groundbreaking sitcom, as television was no longer relegated to the good old days of perfect nuclear family television. i.e. "Father Knows Best", "Make Room For Daddy","The Donna Reed Show" and yes, "The Brady Bunch".

Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) is a hard working, lower middle class average Joe, with a loud mouth and silly bigoted views. Many people label Archie as a racist, but he didn't really meet the profile of a true racist. He would never join the KKK, although in a later episode his foolishness nearly got him unwillingly initiated into the group.

Archie is not a true racist because he doesn't have a mean streak. Yes he'll make fun of blacks, Puerto Ricans, Jews, Italians, Hungarians, and gays, but they're always guests in his little home on 704 Hauser Street in Flushing, Queens.

Archie doesn't hate, he fears. He has just enough financial resources to support "the dingbat", his slow witted but honest and kind wife Edith, his "little goil", spunky and feminist daughter Gloria, and "the meathead", his educated, rabble rousing and ultra liberal son-in-law Mike Stivic.

Mike "The meathead" Stivic (Rob Reiner) is highly educated but doesn't often use good common sense, or social smarts. Archie supports him with food, shelter, and entertainment, pays his way through college, lets him have sex with his daughter Gloria up in their bedroom, and even bails "the meathead" out of trouble a few times. And all Meathead does is chastise Archie for his vices (ultra-right wing and racist views), never commends him for his virtues (the fact that "Meathead couldn't survive if Archie didn't work to support him.) He starts so many silly arguments with Archie like the "Star Spangled Banner" and even uses Archie's telephone to call the Fair Housing Commision to get Archie into trouble for circulating a petition to keep blacks and Puerto Ricans out of the neighborhood.

Archie's wife Edith (Jean Stapleton) with her "straight from the dingbat" comment of "I don't think you should go where angels fear to tread", meaning to mind your own business. Meathead should mind his own business. Yes, Archie shouldn't be circulating a petition to keep undesirables out of the neighborhood, nor should he bad mouth blacks, Puerto Ricans, Asians, Jews, etc. But that doesn't make it educated college boy's business to interfere with Archie's. If Mike would assert himself more intelligently with Archie instead of all of these silly arguments, there would be less tension in the Bunker household. But unfortunately, "All In The Family" then wouldn't have been the great situation comedy that it was.

If you have to pick the smartest person in the Bunker household, your first pick would probably be Mike "Meathead" Stivic or his wife and Archie's daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers), because they are the most worldly and racially tolerant. However the true brain of the Bunker household is really Edith. She likes people and she knows how to get along with everyone. No one but occasionally Archie gets angry with Edith, because she is tolerant, kind, honest, and considerate. However, sometimes she's too honest and this drives Archie batty.

There is a self-defense technique called jujitsu in which you throw people in the way they are already headed. Edith unconsciously uses this technique against Archie. He'll make some wild racial slur to get the CBS studio audience balling with laughter, and then Edith will top him with some dingbatty punchline. Normally she's slow witted but often she gets the better word on Archie.

For example: Archie: "In my day there was nothing, I mean nothing until the wedding night." Edith: "Even Then." Archie: "You have the nerve, Michael Stivic Meathead, to write a letter to the president about your rash!" Edith: "Maybe he knows a good skin man." Then there was the episode when Archie's niece Linda was dating Lionel, his black neighbor and friend. Edith is frantically trying to hide the portrait of Linda and Lionel together. Edith out dingbats herself. Archie sees the picture and goes ballistic.

One of the funniest episodes was "Edith's Problem" when she's going through menopause, is flipping out and turns on Archie. She orders him to "Stifle", like he's told her to do hundreds of times.

I have one more thing to add about "All In The Family". I have worked in many warehouse/ loading dock jobs like Archie does. And from this great sitcom, I never heard the terms, "pallet", "pallet jack", "skinny", "skid", or "conveyor belt". What I mean is that even even on this great show, work is like non-existent. That is the problem with television. I would have liked to learn more about Archie's work, not just his blatantly outspoken, bigoted personality.

However, "All in the Family" had very few flaws, was somewhat educational, and had wall-to-wall laughter. I encourage everyone, especially a new generation who wasn't born until after the 1970's, to buy these great DVD sets of "All In The Family" seasons one through four. Carroll O' Connor as Archie Bunker was a one-of-a kind talent. "All In The Family" now shown on TV Land was the best program ever put on television.

If the Television Hall of Fame selected television programs as a whole to win a gold plaque similar to Cooperstown N.Y. for MLB, or Canton Ohio for the NFL, "The Jeffersons" would be there front and center.

The long running CBS sitcom which aired from 1975 through 1985, won several Emmys, including Isabel Sanford for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. To me "The Jeffersons" is one of television's top fifty All-Time Programs, and the best one with a predominately African American cast, better than "The Cosby Show" and "Sanford and Son". As a child it was a thrill to be able to watch this program when schoolwork or bedtime did not get in the way.

I now own the first two seasons of "The Jeffersons" on DVD, and I enjoy the performances of all the characters. The show is of course centered around bigoted and avaricious George (Sherman Helmsley), and his long suffering wife Louise "Weezy" Jefferson (Isabel Sanford), but the performances of the character actors are also well above par. Paul Benedict as George's goofy, bizarre neighbor, Ned Wertimer as the not so modest or polite (when it comes to tips) doorman, Mike Evans as wisecracking son Lionel, and Marla Gibbs as wisecracking live-in-maid Florence, and of course the interracial couple who are usually the butt of George's racist jokes, Tom and Helen Willis played by Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker. And of course don't forget going way back in the day when people born in the 1890's were alive, well and entertaining us all, Zara Cully as George Jefferson's quick witted Mother, Olivia. She was hilarious when seeking attention from George and Weezy she intentionally tackles herself to the ground in a season 2 episode.

But "The Jeffersons" at least the first two seasons centers around George and his vices, which often outweigh his virtues, similar to the Archie Bunker character introduced in the early 1970's. Like Archie George is set in his ways, avaricious, sometimes crude, and often bigoted. Like Archie he is a bigot without a mean streak. He is a lovable bigot, and his racist views are played out for laughs, but George is not a carbon copy of Archie. They're not twins. Archie makes fun of everyone that is not his race, religion creed, or sexual orientation. George sticks to the basics. Just make fun of whitey, and those whites that don't offer him anything in return for his efforts.

There are some whites like Wittendale, the banker who holds the key to George's future of a dry cleaning monopoly. George always wants to pander to this guy. However George has no use for "honkies" like Tom Willis and his black wife Helen. Like Archie Bunker he despises mixed marriages. (Although Archie is all for Irish marrying Italian). Mostly because Weezy has him on a short leash, George reluctantly accepts Tom and Helen Willis as neighbors and in-laws.

One major reason why Archie's ethnic and racial slurs often spiral out of control and George's doesn't is the nature of the women they're married to. Edith is tolerant, dingbatty, and naive, while Weezy is sharp, quick witted, and as shrewd as George. She puts her foot down faster on George, than Edith does on Archie. Edith tends to push Archie in the direction he's going, with some first class dingbat punchlines added in.

George is a little bit of a thing, with an obsession for power and control, much like Danny DeVito in the movies. He lusts for money and power, and he's got it, a wife a family and a full chain of cleaning stores. Archie doesn't have all this. Archie needs to shut other people down to better his own situation. George doesn't. George has money and power. However, like Archie he is set in his ways, and his lack of modesty always gets him into trouble.

What this show was missing was a crossover appearance by Archie and Edith from the slums of Flushing to the penthouses in Manhattan. Carroll O' Connor and Jean Stapleton never appeared on "The Jeffersons." "The Jeffersons" was not the greatest TV sitcom. "All in the Family" along with "Seinfeld", "The Honeymooners" and "Cheers" were better. However there was a certain charm with this show that lasted from the Gerald Ford through the second half of the Ronald Reagan presidency. This was one fine show.