vchimpanzee Reviews (1,155)

Breakin' All the Rules (2004)

Entertaining and funny

[12 May 2025]

It's only a coincidence that I watched this while Morris Chestnut is currently starring in a TV series. That could have been a reason why stations would have shown it, but I've had this movie in the DVR for a long time, thinking I might have seen it. It didn't seem familiar, though.

And this movie shows why I like Morris Chestnut, which is more than I can say for the TV series "Watson". I like him as a comic actor. He's not actually funny, but plays the straight man well. It's not a distinctive performance, but nothing about this movie is distinctive.

Jamie Foxx is also good, and of course funny. That's what he does best. I know he can do more, but he's just fine here.

The most entertaining quality of this movie is the deception. People don't know what is true, or if they do, they don't know whether the other person also knows. It's fun even if it's confusing.

If anyone stands out, it's Jennifer Esposito. Amazingly sexy, and she does get in the bathtub even if we don't see much. And she has talent as an actress, although I'm not sure whether it's overacting. Anyway, Rita is quite a character.

Pat Cranshaw stands out too as a dirty old man. How could he still be alive? Wasn't he already this old when he was in the "M*A*S*H" spinoff?

Gabrielle Union is also good. She always plays pretty and intelligent women.

And let's not forget Peter MacNicol. I know him from somewhere, but he's good at wimpy here.

As for Helen, I'm glad she left. And I'm glad about more about her that I won't mention.

I didn't like a lot of the music, but there were several rap songs that I didn't actually hate. And I've always liked "Atomic Dog". Evan is jamming to that one. As for Heather Headley, she isn't. Her song is what I hate about smooth jazz. If that's what it is. I prefer the older styles, without vocals and less of a beat.

Don't call it family friendly.

Is it worth it? I think so. It won't win Oscars but it doesn't have to be that good to be fun.

Maximum Risk (1996)

Maximum action, good story

[27 April 2025]

I don't know why Channel 55 chose to show this movie when they did, but I had never seen it.

As usual, Jean Claude Van Damme shows he has these talents: Fighting, great stunt work (if he is doing his own stunts), and looking serious while showing absolutely no emotion. Not sure why anyone calls this acting talent, but Alain is polite and has good morals, and only fights when he has to. A recording of Mikhail's voice, if that is really Van Damme, does seem like good acting because, for one thing, the accent is American. As for the stunts, there were times when it was obviously him, and it still looks absolutely amazing. I'm thinking in particular how he jumps in front of a train. Unless there was a green screen involved, the timing would have to be absolutely perfect or he would die. Also walking right through fire to rescue a woman and important information. I personally don't get much from the fighting, but that is a staple of Van Damme's movies and if that's what you want, I'm sure it's very good. Also, for the ladies and gay men, one of the fights is without clothes except for a towel. On Channel 55, that is all anyone gets to see of his body.

Natasha Henstridge also doesn't get to show quite as much on Channel 55, but she is gorgeous and hey, she can act. I like her hair down better than up. She shows so much confidence and intelligence, and yet when she has to be scared she really shows it. But this a strong woman, not a "damsel in distress".

I thought there were a number of good acting performances, but the cab driver who wants to be a writer stands out.

Another important detail is the car chases, and chases on foot. These are great and they cause a lot of needless destruction. Did they really waste all that food? That includes the meat warehouse.

I think this movie has a good story, though maybe some details could have been done differently. I wanted to see Alain succeed in finding out everything he could about his brother. And slowly but surely, details come out not just about Mikhail but also those who are supposed to be the good guys. There are bad guys, worse guys, and even worse guys.

In addition to Henstridge, straight male viewers and lesbians get a few treats: dancers at the club not wearing much, one of which is incredibly flexible, though she gets about five seconds. I wouldn't use the word music to describe what they are dancing to.

How would I compare it to other action movies, or even other Van Damme movies? I wouldn't. There may be better movies than this, but this is okay and can't really be called bad.

Hop (2011)

It made me hoppy

[20 April 2025]

I recorded this a year ago but didn't watch thinking I had seen a similar movie. This was in fact one I had never seen, even though it was so old. But I have given priority to what I knew for sure I hadn't seen.

Sure, it's a kids' movie. That doesn't mean it couldn't have been better. But even if I was born over sixty years ago, I'm still a kid.

The main characters were appealing enough. However, the actors didn't quite have what would be considered real talent. The basic story was a variation on what we've all seen before, but this is a version with the Easter Bunny. And like Tim Allen's version of Santa Claus, this Easter Bunny changes every so often.

There is a formula, but I like the formula.

Let me focus on what was really good. The Easter factory was nothing short of amazing. The animation was quite good and I believe the rabbit movements were realistic.

Easter Island, seen from the ocean, was magnificent.

The building where David Hasselhoff's talent show was recorded had impressive architecture.

For acting talent, I would single out Kaley Cuoco, who I know mostly from "Big Bang Theory". Here, she was more kind and didn't have an attitude.

For actors who voiced animated characters, Hank Azaria stood out as the villain. It was immediately obvious Carlos sounded like so many "Simpsons" characters. Not sure why he had to have a Spanish accent (I'm thinking Spain rather than Latin America) when everyone else sounded British. But Carlos was someone you could love to hate but still not root for.

It was good to see Chelsea Handler, who I've liked ever since she did a prank show that aired on Channel 55.

David Hasselhoff was mostly a parody of himself, which was entertaining but shouldn't be mistaken for talent. His TV talent show resembled "The Gong Show", though. Also entertaining.

As for music, what E. B. likes and what accompanies the Pink Berets isn't fit to be called by the name. Also the big unintended musical number with the kids, though I will say everyone was talented in that performance.

Real music was performed by The Blind Boys of Alabama, at the business where Fred had a job interview. As actors speaking they did a fine job too, in a brief scene. There may have been a couple of good recorded songs as well.

This had better be appropriate for kids, since only kids could possibly enjoy this. Well, it isn't quite G-rated but nothing is too bad. Apparently potty humor has become standard. Characters are in danger but everything will be all right.

If you don't expect too much, I think this movie delivers.

In the Line of Fire (1993)

Mostly fine job, especially Malkovich

[13 April 2025]

I was reminded by the obituary of a Secret Service agent who saved Jackie Kennedy's life on that day in 1963. I had this movie recorded a long time ago but hadn't watched because I supposedly saw part of it back in the day but didn't remember what I had and had not seen. Movies and shows that I really hadn't seen had to be a priority.

I had time this weekend, and remembered absolutely nothing. So this was like an entirely new experience.

Eastwood does his usual fine job, with an attitude, some humor, determination, and unexpected character flaws. And he likes jazz, as I do. He even appears to play piano. Is he really that good? Well, someone is.

But if Eastwood is good, John Malkovich is great. I'm not familiar with the man but He gives an Oscar-worthy performance to be sure. Mostly restrained, sometimes charming, but just plain evil, in a way that somehow makes his deeds seem justified. He is a master of disguise and very crafty.

Pretty much everyone with more than a few lines does a really good job. If I single out anyone else, it is John Mahoney, who I know best as Frasier's father. The look on his face in one scene with Eastwood. He inspires confidence in a way Eastwood's character should but can't (not a criticism of Eastwood but of his character).

Rene Russo is beautiful. She has that hairstyle that was so popular with female leads around the time of World War II. But she's more than just good looking. She is intelligent and shows she can take charge on scenes where that seems appropriate. But a romance with Eastwood's character? Please tell me that's not going to happen. I won't say any more. More bickering between a conservative old man and a hot young woman might have improved the movie.

Patrika Darbo is quite appealing as a bank employee. I know her from several roles.

There is a lot of excitement in several scenes. Some justified, some not. But it is mistakes by a certain character that make this movie less predictable.

What happens toward the end is quite unbelievable but exciting nevertheless. Only in the movies!

I think it was worthwhile.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)

If you like this likable loser, second half makes him a hero

[9 March 2025]

It has been a while. I've watched several movies lately but didn't have strong enough opinions to feel writing a review was worthwhile.

What I liked best about this movie was the mall itself. We have two near where I live that haven't failed, one large but mostly outlet stores and only one story. The other is smaller but reasonably successful after renovation. I can drive to two two-story malls like this one but it's a long way. It just felt good to see a thriving indoor shopping center. And everything looked so real.

I know Kevin James mainly from a TV series where his first wife died so his ex could come back into his life, meaning his wife from a previous TV series that I didn't see many episodes of. I also did not love Raymond, if as I think I am remembering correctly he was on a third series. I liked him in the first series I mentioned but did not like how the terrible event affected him.

But as Paul Blart he is easy to like even if he is not what most people would call a success, and he has good values and is nice to people. And he's fun. I saw the name Adam Sandler in the credits and he's a lot like Paul, if you know the other man.

And while there's not much to the first half, it does establish the characters and situations. When the big crime happens, somehow Paul is oblivious but he eventually gets his big chance to show what he can do. And that's when the movie really works. Lots of slapstick action. And one needs to ignore what is realistic.

Jayma Mays I know from "Glee" and another series with JB Smoove and a yoga studio that sold food. Am I remembering that right? Anyway, I liked her in both but didn't recognize her when she first appeared here with blonde hair. The change in her hair color was pointless. But I liked her even when I didn't know her and I liked her better when eventually I realized who she was. Because of the hair, I thought Paul gave up on Amy and tried to woo a second girl.

Adhir Kalyan is an actor I have liked in a number of TV series and he stood out here in several brief scenes. For women and gay men, he's not wearing a shirt. I liked his personality.

I liked Paul's daughter Maya. She was good in a number of scenes.

I also liked Paul's boss, an older man.

I don't have a lot good to say about the actor playing the chief villain, and the only one whose name was not that of one of Santa's reindeer. But even if he couldn't act most of the time, he was good when he was occasionally genuinely threatening.

Then we had some stereotypical characters, Paul's rival for Amy's affections whose name I don't even remember, who was a cartoon. And the leader of the "real heroes" who came to save the day. What a jerk.

As for the music, there was one Barry Manilow song. I don't even recall the background music. Just the hit songs, which were mostly loud 70s rock or bad 80s tunes. Actually, "I Can't Hold Back" by Survivor does have some appeal to me. It was used twice. And the karaoke singer (I thought there were two brothers until I saw the credits) did so well he should release a single or put it on an album.

It won't win awards but if you want to be entertained and not use your brain, it works.

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

Exciting and somewhat scary kids' adventure, with lessons about caring about family

[13 January 2025]

Not that it matters, but this is one of those movies I recorded and didn't get around to watching for a long time. It wasn't one I had seen, even if for some reason I thought Dax Shepard as an astronaut was familiar.

I don't have a brother but I've seen this kind of relationship between brothers many times on TV and in movies. It seemed realistic but eventually, what seems like hate has to change as the brothers realize how much they care about each other. I thought the actors' performances were good. And these boys are quite intelligent, coming up with solutions to problems. Danny can't read but that may be normal at his age. Other than that he seems quite smart.

Dax Shepard was mostly good but he had a nasty attitude to begin with. That's fine, I guess, since he later makes up for the way he behaved. I am familiar with him from "Parenthood", the TV series. I actually thought this was where he met wife Kristen Bell, even if Kristen Stewart didn't look like her, because somehow I misread the opening credits. There are a couple of scenes that suggest they have a future. But then it was Stewart, not Bell.

And on the subject of Kristen Stewart, she looked good in shorts when she finally got out of bed, but she was mostly in bed, and then she was mostly frozen, which I read was a statue if you want to call it that. Her acting got better after she was ... thawed. But she changed clothes. Tight jeans look good, too.

Tim Robbins made a good father, and the conflict between him and the boys over custody arrangements seemed realistic, even if I've never experienced anything similar. I've seen it many times on screen.

Amazing visuals. I don't care how they did it. It looked like it was really happening and it was quite scary. If this is really a kids' movie, I would say it's not for all kids. It was scary for me and Tim Robbins was the right age to be my son. A Saturn like planet, a star much like the Sun, and of course robots and monsters.

Some situations weren't very realistic. Walter tells Danny there can't be water because they're in space. Well, there is. No gas, either. No, the stove works and the furnace works. Did anyone even think to ask about electricity before it had to be turned off to protect the house? And pulling out a card causes things to change? This just has to work.

Is this movie for kids? A couple of bad words that made it to broadcast TV don't belong in a movie really intended for kids. And I mentioned that it was scary.

I read criticism about this being like "Jumanji". Who cares, really? "Jumanji" is not in space. This is very different. And it's been a while since I even saw the sequel. And that movie had people changing bodies. This one didn't.

I think this is worth seeing.

A Smile Like Yours (1997)

I suppose it made me smile

[5 January 2025]

This movie was so old I held off on watching my recording, thinking I might realize I had seen it. I guess the reason I surely hadn't was that people thought it was bad.

There's not that much to make me recommend this. I sort of liked the story. It eventually had the expected twists and turns a romantic comedy should. And I found the ending satisfying.

Greg Kinnear is considered a respected actor, I think. Just not here. He was likable enough, I guess.

I know the name Lauren Holly. But the reason she seemed familiar had nothing to do with her. I finally realized she looked just like Christina Hendricks in the highly regarded "Good Girls" TV series, a much better actress. I will give Holly points for her scenes negotiating for a better deal on her perfume.

Jill Hennessy.is a familiar name and I guess she did a good job, but wow, did she look good in her sexy outfits, even her dress for success outfit with a very short skirt.

While they may not have appealed to me personally, I think the actors who stood out here had small roles. Jay Thomas is an exception in that I liked him, probably better than anyone else. I've seen him in lots of good roles, and he made a good best friend.

Joan Cusack I didn't like, but it doesn't change the facts. She was quite good as the best friend and business partner who liked sex too much.

Shirley MacLaine was good as usual in a brief role as Jennifer's mother.

Marle Gaines was an exceptionally perky airline ticket agent who sounded like a recording.

Helen Swee had all of one line as a nasty flight attendant.

Ben Stein did his usual style narrating a video about how children are born.

And the best performance of all, one I found very unpleasant, but one I feel many should enjoy. Marianne Muellerleile was described as the woman who used to be Nurse Ratched, making a fertility clinic experience miserable for Danny.

The "I Love Lucy" scene where Lucy told Ricky she was pregnant was a highlight.

Some people might enjoy the karaoke performances. They were good, with at least one notable exception the movie's stars. It doesn't help that The Captain didn't sing, but Tennille did, in the original. Most of the music was Motown, which I can enjoy now but might not have developed a taste for when this movie was made. Then there was junk (my opinion) like the Tracie Simpson song about rain, which young women probably would like. Natalie Cole did the title song, which wasn't quite my taste. I like her better when she does music more like her father's.

This isn't family friendly at all. The sex talk and various sex-related scenes were about as naughty as what broadcast TV will allow. And yet some people might like the naughty humor. And based on one imdb review, there may be something I didn't get to see and for that I am grateful.

Is it worth seeing? Probably. Just don't expect too much and be happy with what is good.

Babes in Toyland (1986 TV Movie)

Not what I expected, but entertaining if your expectations are low; Mulligan superior

[29 December 2024]

This doesn't seem anything like what I remember. And I don't think I've seen this movie, but I avoided watching it for several years after i recorded it, because I don't have time for something I've already seen. The only thing that could possibly have been familiar was Lisa's outfit. Because I didn't remember anything else.

First, some background about my experience. I have an LP which includes a version of this story and some great songs. Those songs aren't here. That was a disappointment. There was the instrumental "March of the Toy Soldiers" and an instrumental version of the theme song here. I think I also saw the Laurel and Hardy version of the story, and there may have been one other movie. But this didn't seem familiar at all.

As a story on its own, I suppose this was okay. Most of the writing and acting was below par. But Richard Mulligan, who I know primarily as a much nicer pediatrician frustrated when his grown daughters moved back home, did an outstanding job as a truly evil villain, both in the real world and the fantasy world. He reminded me of Alec Baldwin's Donald Trump if Trump had been truly threatening as portrayed. Pat Morita was fine as The Toymaker but this role doesn't compare with the "Karate Kid" master. Also, Walter Buschhoff as the kindly Justice. Eileen Brennan didn't appear much but was okay as Mother Hubbard. Googy Gress makes a fine Georgie Porgie given the material.

The monsters were truly scary, especially the one-eyed Trollog.

Drew Barrymore doesn't live up to the family name. But she is adorable and has some good moments. The fact is in my opinion, her best scene is one where she accepts flowers from Barnaby at Mother Hubbard's house, a large boot. Given what she has to accomplish, that's not a good sign.

Keanu Reeves? One of our most respected actors? I didn't know he was in this, and there's no sign here of what he will become. It's not even a case of why would someone this good do this movie? He's just not any better than the movie.

The fantasy land is quite colorful and I thought it looked good. The many animals who acted human at least had the right look even if they didn't seem to talk.

The cast members drive these cute cars which make what I will call Hanna Barbera noises. Some of the slapstick violence includes sound effects that are familiar to anyone who watched cartoons in the 60s.

I already mentioned the music. Maybe it was better not to try to make this a musical. And the "Cincinnati" song was not needed. Certainly not in the fantasy world.

Is this appropriate for children? It had better be since they're the only ones who will likely enjoy it. And yet there was an unnecessary Metoo moment in the real world with Barnie and Mary. I thought I heard some bad words in the "Cincinnati" song. Or maybe those are the reactions to that dreck. The monsters are a little intense.

If you want to watch this story, there are surely better versions.

My Summer Story (1994)

Good but wacky, and what does this have to do with Christmas?

[22 December 2024]

I assumed this was a Christmas movie because I recorded it at Christmas but I didn't watch it because the familiar title made me think I had seen it. In fact, if I saw a movie with the title, it was another one. Had I seen the correct title, I would have realized it was new to me and watched it then. After all this time, I went ahead and watched hat I thought was going to be a Christmas movie. I quickly realized it wasn't I(though it did have "Hallelujah Chorus"), but it was a good experience anyway.

I don't know that it's necessary to see "A Christmas Story". I've seen two versions. Because I had to get cable when digital TV became a requirement and a dependable signal was no longer a guarantee, I had the channel the movie always airs on, though I wasn't supposed to. Somehow I picked up a signal comparable to the channels that had a poor signal in the days of analog TV, so I had snow. The other version was a TV presentation where adult Ralphie appeared on screen and even interacted with the family.

With all this out of the way, I can say this was a crazy experience and not at all your conventional family movie. In fact, I would say some of the content was naughty. It may have had to be cleaned up for broadcast.

Ralphie is basically a good kid but not too good. He's fun to watch and always having problems.

Ralphie's Dad was more appealing and more friendly to his sons than one might have expected from a movie set in an era where dads were strict and distant. I don't even know what the man did for a living, even if back then fathers were always working. And yet when the situation called for it he could get angry. He certainly was in his first scene.

Ralphie's Mom wasn't quite as warm and caring as one would expect, but she could be both. And one scene late in the movie, related to an incident at a movie theater, was great. I've always liked Mary Steenburgen, even if she was a little edgier than in most of her roles.

Even Randy has his moments. He's an annoying little brother but realistic instead of overly intelligent.

Pulaski the storekeeper is what one might call a Scrooge if this were actually a Christmas movie. You're not supposed to like him and he's not around long, but he's enjoyable briefly.

The overly dedicated tax assessor is another fun character who appears briefly.

And don't forget the gypsy fortune teller. Really good.

The Bumpus family is fun and not really dumb even if they seem kind of ignorant about modern ways. I did like their hillbilly music but would I get annoyed with it if I heard it too much? I did see one of the Newhart Darryl brothers listed in the cast but forgot to look for him. I assume he talked.

The Chicago exposition looked great, especially the fortune teller's shop.

This movie was set at a time when cars looked good. I don't think the year was ever specified but some people were still driving cars that looked like the Prohibition era or Bonnie and Clyde. And yet other cars looked like they were from the 50s.

I think I had a good time.

The Holiday (2006)

Very good and not exactly predictable

[15 December 2024]

How did it take me so long to see this? When I saw the date, I was afraid I might have already seen it on TV at some point and I delayed watching my recording for several weeks. But it was not familiar.

The movie was a little slow to get started and I couldn't imagine liking either one of these women, but they both surprised me. I'm a little more familiar with Cameron Diaz and Amanda managed to be quite likable after being such a spoiled rhymes with witch to start. There's no way this character could have changed so much, and yet she did, and she made her half of the movie work quite nicely along with another fine job by Jude Law. They were so good together and she was never really anything but charming.

Kate Winslet was even better. Iris enjoyed the life of a spoiled Hollywood big shot so much, and yet she was kind and helpful, not spoiled. She was in a swimsuit a couple of times. Her relationship with the great Hollywood writer Arthur Abbott was something special. Eli Wallach was excellent. We need more people in that age group playing roles like this. It was nice to see Bill Macy again and the other old guys.

Jack Black seemed to be an unlikely choice, if Iris was going to find a new man. He did a good job with his role, and for once he wasn't a crazy frat boy type, which is where he excels. I just didn't think anything was going to result from his platonic relationship with such a hot looking woman. Iris and Amanda's ex? Well, that would have been more likely, but ...

Anyway, the half of the movie devoted to Iris doesn't really work as romance. It's something else entirely, but still special.

And Black has better taste in music than he usually does. Not all the music in this movie is good, but most of it is. Several great movie themes, some Christmas music, even some Hannukah music. Both female leads have the opportunity to show they love what I consider absolute garbage.

I don't want to give away too much, but there are some adorable children and the scenes with the kids and certain adults were very special. Still, kids shouldn't be watching this. Some scenes might be all right, but most of Amanda's scenes are not.

England looked great and the cottage and the larger houses looked good.

There are the obligatory scenes of exes trying to make up with those they wronged. Can the relationships be fixed? Do you even want them to be?

I will say we get one ending we want, at least with the potential to be happy.

This isn't your everyday Christmas rom-com. It's something different if you want that.

A California Christmas (2020)

Pleasant but occasionally sad, somewhat edgy formula romance

[8 December 2024]

This is not a Hallmark movie. However, it could be on Lifetime. It just so happens I saw it on The CW. The formula is there. Intelligent, independent and pretty woman needs help and won't admit it. Good-looking rich male villain will come in to solve all her problems except the big one: she will lose the farm that means so much to her family. But in this case, there is deception. Villain won't succeed by admitting who he is, but he will charm the pretty girl into doing what he wants.

But this is not the cute Hallmark movie couple. She isn't even that pretty if she's not trying to be. And not pleasant at all. But that soon changes, and she can be quite appealing when she's more relaxed and not bossing her employee around. She is a loving and caring daughter to her sick mother. And she looks good in shorts or tight jeans. And Joseph isn't the rich spoiled jerk he seems like he will be. He hates the work but he really tries, and he is appealing as well. For those who care, he takes his shirt off from time to time. Will they ever become a couple? There have been plenty of movies where the man and woman hated each other more, and it still worked out. And there is the obligatory second good-looking man who we don't want the girl to end up with.

The standout actors, though, are Ali Ashfar as the reluctantly obedient and capable chauffeur who gets things done, and David Del Rio as the funny ranch hand who is having a really good time getting to make money for doing nothing beyond giving advice.

Amanda Detmer Is also good as the mother who looks sick but doesn't really act like it. She knows she might not have much time left but seems determined to live.

The movie is not quite believable but Christmas fantasies usually aren't. The sun is out in the Northern Hemisphere at 6 A. M.? Shorts at Christmas? I know it's California but where exactly? The Golden Gate Bridge was shown at the start and people were dressed warmly. One person works that entire farm with a sister who is too young to do that much? And she has to hire someone to help but can't really afford it. And what is so special about that farm, out in the middle of nowhere? Perhaps it's because the farm has so much debt it will be easy for Snidely Whiplash (I mean Amy Van Aston) to come in and take it cheap.

But of course there is a solution. For all her intelligence, Callie hasn't seen the obvious.

Family friendly? Naked woman in bed in the first scene, two bleeped bad words, a bar fight. Other than these concerns, yeah, I guess it's fine.

The music isn't great in my opinion, except for Liz in the bar and singing "O Holy Night", which is really good. A couple of scenes have heavy metal. Not much Christmas music, and in fact, Christmas is hardly mentioned at all.

This is better than the average corny Christmas movie, though.

Operation Mistletoe (2024 TV Movie)

Standard Hallmark style romance

[2 December 2024]

This was a pleasant enough movie with nothing really special. Pretty, intelligent girl with a good job dating a man we aren't supposed to like, introduction of a good looking successful man who would be ideal, and villain who threatens to ruin the holiday.

Unlike in so many movies, the ideal couple doesn't start out bickering. No, they knew each other and like each other, so the question is whether they can become a real couple again. There is a meddling best friend who stands out from the rest of the cast but still isn't that special.

And the villain isn't obviously a villain. There is a plot that will potentially destroy something that makes this ideal Christmas town not so ideal. But no one is truly evil here.

Lots of pretty decorations and a gorgeous old house that is one of the centers of Christmas celebration. The girls wear pretty clothes.

I am told Spectrum upgraded me without my permission without charging me more and I could watch Hallmark or Lifetime. I don't even have time. I saw this on The CW.

I don't recall anything that keeps this from being family friendly.

My one objection is the Motown style Christmas music. To me that sounds contemporary and I want nothing that sounds like it was recorded after 1960, or even Chuck Berry. There is plenty of background music that is fine and can't even really be heard.

If you watch many of these movies, I find nothing to make this any more special than the others, unless you like them all. But it's pleasant enough if you plan to watch a few.

Lockout (2012)

Not quite my taste, but lots of action and even humor

[26 November 2024]

The best thing about this was Snow's sarcastic jokes. Other than that, I can only say that there were plenty of times where the action was fast and furious. Including a chase that makes the movies with the names I just mentioned look like a NASCAR event. Recording everything and being able to back up is helpful. I actually found myself enjoying the movie at times, but people this violent aren't really what I find entertaining. Watxhing Snow work toward his very difficult goal was exciting.

The president's daughter was pretty and mostly pleasant, but once she meets her rescuer, she becomes quite snarky like Snow and ... wait, this isn't going to be a romance, is it? One important detail is that regardless of how badly she is hurt, she can walk with no trouble, or even run when the situation calls for it, without pain. The same is true for Snow. That's nothing compared to an indestructible character in another movie I may or may not get around to reviewing, but let's face it. Scientific accuracy is not a priority in this movie. That just gets in the way of the excitement.

I;ve heard the name Guy Pearce but none of the other names ring a bell. Maybe Maggie Grace.

Joe Gilgun stands out as a prisoner so demented and wacko he should be a Batman villain. In fact, I've never seen a Batman villain this bad. He does calm down in some scenes with the help of his brother played by Vincent Regan, who for some reason comes across to me as George Clooney as James Bond if Bond were a bad guy. Another standout performance where it's never quite clear if he's helping or making things worse.

Lennie James is good as the one government official we believe we can trust. And Peter Stormare is also good as someone who may be on the side of good, but we root for the one he considers the bad guy.

And Tim Plester turns into Dustin Hoffman's "Rain Man", though not quite on that level, as a side effect of stasis.

I wouldn't say, like some people, that this has been done before. It's a prison riot in space. When was that done? The CW series "The 100" had something similar, and the prisoners were kept frozen there. If this is similar to anything else, it is different because outer space is different. Visual effects aren't exactly groundbreaking but I would say they are well done. As one might expect, this resembles "Star Wats" at times.

The music is loud but appropriate, I guess.

It's an exciting adventure if your expectations aren't too high.

Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story (2024)

I don't like these people, or dogs

[22 November 2024]

I can say several positive things about this movie. It is possible that people who hate the perfect couples or perfect families all over Hallmark and Lifetime will like this family. I am reminded of a TV movie about "The Partridge Family" where Danny Bonaduce's father was so happy about writing for a show called "All in the Family" where everyone hates each other. The truth is there was love there if you were patient, and that's true of this family too. When Steph first arrives, everyone is happy to see her, and there are a few scenes where they get along. And I think people looking for a nice holiday will eventually be rewarded.

But this much arguing, especially at Christmas, is hard to take. Also, even though I don't like dogs, how exactly is it funny that the dog dies? Or does it? There is a lot of deception going on. And I misunderstood some of it and thought the vet was doing something inexcusable, something that would get her in a lot of trouble. I assume Australia has ethics rules for professionals. I did at least find the vet pleasant.

I did like the pretty holiday clothes. If you hate matching pajamas ... well, it wasn't like that at all.

Okay, I did like Randy, Steph's brother. And his friend Leon, who wasn't used to holiday celebrations. He tried to put up with it all.

Steph had a cousin who usually wore brightly colored exercise wear that showed off a very fit body.

The only thing I can suggest is that you either have patience or record it and fast forward to the end.

The Family Man (2000)

Enjoyable holiday fantasy

[12 November 2024]

In the tradition of "It's a Wonderful Life" and a "Christmas Carol", Nicolas Cage gets to see "What if?" I certainly didn't expect him to want to have the life he missed out on, and it took a while for that to be a possibility. More likely was the chance that Jack would want to return to his Wall Street life. Seeing what could have been reminded me of a great but short-lived TV series called "Ordinary Joe". If this movie had taken that approach, I guess it could be said that on Wall Street, we had Orange Jack, and in New Jersey at the tire store, Green Jack. The TV series used different colors to indicate what version we were seeing. But there were no parallel stories side by side in the movie. The only thing I can say without giving too much away is that no matter how much time Green Jack spent in New Jersey, it was Christmas when Orange Jack resumed his life, and he had decisions to make.

Cage did a good job and even as a Wall Street big shot, he was not a jerk. He was nice to everyone but demanding in a nice way with employees, thinking Christmas wasn't that important when billions were at stake. He was funny when he had to adjust to the boring ordinary world but he was still appealing and did not give in to certain temptations. Nothing ground breaking but where Jack had a chance to move up in the world, there's your Oscar moment. Even if this doesn't quite reach the level of Oscar caliber. Golden Globe maybe.

I'm not that familiar with Tea Leoni but Kate too was appealing, and attractive. She was quite patient with Jack's strange behavior, but it became too much sometimes. I won't say what she was doing in the real world, but she continued to have a certain kind of appealing quality.

Don Cheadle was quirky as the angel or whatever you want to call him.

Makenzie Vega was wonderful as the young daughter. The scenes with Annie and her father were great. It was obvious she was going places. I haven't even looked her up.

Harve Presnell was a cowboy type and about what one would expect.

Amber Valletta as Jack's date in the real world looked great topless from the back (broadcast TV) and even from the front in the dress she was almost wearing. On a related subject, Kate got a little naughty from time to time and those scenes were fun. And there was a sexy temptress in the fantasy world. I wouldn't really recommend this to kids.

Important lessons are learned here. And not everyone is living as perfect a life as would be believed.

It's a nice movie to watch at Christmas, though The CW may have scheduled it a little early.

The Age of Adaline (2015)

Very good, especially Blake Lively

[10 November 2024]

The best thing about this movie has to be Blake Lively's performance as a woman who is perpetually 29 years old as everything changes around her, as her daughter ages to the point she has to be introduced as the grandmother. Adaline, or Jennifer as she is known, is a charming, old-fashioned woman who is somewhat uptight, but when the movie detours into rom-com territory she also shows a humorous and fun side. And she's pretty, even gorgeous for this one New Year's Eve party. Of course, her unique situation makes her somewhat paranoid, and it's sad to watch what she has to go through. In this day and age, though, I have to question why a cop in the 1950s would think she didn't look like she was in her 40s. Plenty of women look like that in their 40s these days.

Ellen Burstyn does her usual good job as Jennifer's "grandmother". The interactions between the two women are nice but there is conflict. The situation is not normal, though, and there's not really a good answer.

I didn't recognize Harrison Ford, which may be a good thing. He looked familiar for some reason. Maybe I was thinking of Bryan Cranston, but I don't really know him because his series wasn't on a channel I watch. Regardless, he did a good job. The situation was uncomfortable, but it's reasonable to expect such a strange situation to be difficult to handle.

I didn't know the actor playing Ellis, but Ellis was an appealing character regardless. The rom-com type scenes were nice.

I enjoy history, but maybe not quite enough to spend my life in places such as the room where Jennifer worked. Still, it's a nice change from modern settings.

And as one would expect, there was lots of older music, which I enjoyed. Ellis' idea of jazz didn't appeal to me any more than it did to Adaline. I like some smooth jazz, which is what that might have been, but not pounding drums.

I found the narration confusing, because as Jennifer watched the historic movies, it seemed like the narration was part of that. It could have been handled better, but some explanation was necessary. The reference to 2035 made me think this was taking place far in the future, but certain details made it clear the year was 2015, the year the movie was made. I did have some difficulty with clues that we were seeing something that was important in the past, and it took me a while to understand flashbacks. But scenes from the past were important, as there was an important surprise detail that had the potential to cause trouble.

Is it family friendly? Well, a couple ended up in bed sooner than they should have, but other than that, I guess it's not too bad.

It was definitely worthwhile, and the sort of thing you see on awards shows.

Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)

Not a classic but mostly harmless, ending has more substance

[28 October 2024]

It has been years since I saw the original and I saw no reason to watch the original again even if ABC gave me the chance to. I don't remember much so I went into the sequel as if I know next to nothing.

The start of the movie gives some additional information from the 17th century that I assume the first one didn't have, and it is a little intense for kids but somewhat funny, and explains a lot. A beautiful but scary villain appears briefly and sets up the main plot, and then she is never seen again.

Then we have an ordinary teen movie with the typical situations, which soon becomes Halloween themed as the town celebrates their most famous citizens, and our heroes manage to conjure up what turn out to be the movie's real villains. There is a real threat to two of our heroes, but don't get too concerned. Because the sisters are mistaken for costumed celebrants, they are not too scary. There is some naughty humor as the real sisters participate in a contest for best portrayal of the Sanderson sisters. Great costumes. And then for those who like this kind of music, a great musical performance by the real sisters which somehow turns the town into a flash mob. Almost perfect choreography. Maybe a few people who aren't quite in sync with the others works better. This all takes place with a typical misbehaving teen subplot, together with the other teens' attempt to escape their ordeal.

The silliness evolves into something more substantial and even scary. Younger and more sensitive kids might be okay with it, but I'm not too sure. There is another well-done musical performance even if it isn't my taste. And then lessons are learned by both sides, just like on an ABC Afterschool Special but with more visual effects. And they are good visual effects.

Whether this is as good as the original or not (and I assume it's not), Bette Midler does a great job. She is just scary enough and evil enough. Sarah Jessica Parker is somewhat more cynical and mean than I remember, but I enjoy watching her being mistreated. At one point, she has had enough of that. And "amuck, amuck, amuck" only worked in the first movie. Kathy Naijmy was appropriately subservient and just nasty enough but nicer.

The book has one eye instead of a face and yet that eye can effectively communicate emotion and feelings, as it struggles to stop the sisters from doing something unspeakable.

Doug Jones as the zombie is funny and there are some visual effects that add to his humor.

I've heard good things about Tony Hale, but here I wonder.

The acting and writing for the 17th century is somewhat better.

The rest of the acting and writing, except at the end, was I guess about like what one would expect from a TV-movie or silly sitcom.

Stay around if you like loud music because the sisters give us the best music video yet with the closing credits. Parker especially still seems young and enjoys dancing.

It wouldn't be a lot of people's first choice for Halloween, but it mostly works.

Siberia (2018)

Not a lot to like here

[27 October 2024]

If I focus on just what I liked, there were scenes with Lucas and Katya's family, Lucas and his wife, the clever people who came up with schemes, and beautiful scenery. Wait, beautiful scenery in Siberia? Maybe that can be explained by the fact the movie was filmed partly in Canada.

The brothers cared about their sister and didn't want anything to happen to her, but as long as Lucas was behaving himself, he got along well with them and they even jokingly acted overprotective. There was some humor here.

On the subject of humor, some people might appreciate the jokes about ... private parts.

Molly Ringwald is always good. And maybe prettier than Katya.

I can't really say all the scenes with Lucas and Katya were good. It bothered me that they had to resort to making this couple fall for each other, or at least have a sexual relationship. I don't know who Ana Ularu is but she is very good as an actor. I will say I was quite surprised to see a woman so beautiful in a place like Siberia. But she did state she joined her sister in Australia until she had to run the family restaurant. So she has been in the "real world". And wow, when she was trying to look good later on, she looked amazing. But certain events in that part of the movie did not please me.

Keanu Reeves has always been a good actor, playing so many different types of roles. I've seen him a lot. I think he was good here. And to some extent, there was entertainment value in the tension involved in dealing with people who might kill those who did wrong, and Lucas' discoveries that put him in terrible positions. But there was value in scenes with those people who could scheme to make things appear what they were not. The question was whether Lucas could ever get himself out of this terrible jam.

I looked back and couldn't really see that this movie had much to recommend it. But looking at individual scenes, maybe so.

Labyrinth (1986)

Mostly good, at least in the fantasy world, though I didn't care for most of the creatures

[13 October 2024]

I recorded this but didn't watch for a long time because I thought it might be something I had seen. When I saw a great documentary (Emmy-winning, I later found out) on the life of Jim Henson, I clearly realized this was not something I had seen.

The documentary made it sound like this movie was not weel regarded but later became a classic. I will say the first scenes weren't very good. Even Jennifer Connelly wasn't a good actress.

Then Sarah entered the fantasy world and became a really good character. The fantasy world had amazing visuals for its time, and the creatures were really well done though not really my taste. A few of the creatures had pleasant personalities at least, particularly Ludo. Hoggle is appealing and stands out. Brian Henson, son of the master, shows he can make it on his own merits.

David Bowie does a good job as an actor and he seemed quite capable of interacting with the baby Toby. I won't say he is a villain I love to hate, but he is a good villain. I don't care for his music, and he does get to perform at least one of the songs. I can't say how good it is but people who like that kind of music will probably like it.

There are enough twists and turns and unfortunate events, and we wonder at times if Sarah will ever reach her goal. But she shows intelligence and accepts help from others. Important lessons are learned.

Good job by the elder Henson and many of those involved.

The Little Mermaid (I) (2023)

Fine job, Ariel eventually won me over

[8 October 2024]

I saw the animated original a long time ago and a live action version which included parts of the original. I don't remember enough to really compare them.

I heard the complaints when this movie was made. My first impression of Halle Bailey was she just didn't have the appeal of the animated character.

But what a magnificent singing voice. True, they could have had her do the singing. But she also had a nice speaking voice. What a shame there was this one plot development. No, wait, the movie audience (and not others in the movie) got to hear her sing once just after she lost her ability to speak, and once just before she regained it.

Once on land, without saying a word, Bailey did an amazing job of making us like her. Such an enjoyable character and such good scenes with her and Eric.

The human actors all did such a good job. I was particularly impressed with art Malik as the servant Grimsby. Melissa McCarthy, usually so pleasant, was unrecognizable as a truly hateful villain. I thought I heard Brad Garrett's voice as the king of the sea, but he was Javier Bardem. I've heard of him. Wonderful job.

I wish Jodi Benson, the original Ariel, had been around for more than one line. I had to go back and find her.

Sebastian was appealing. I can't really say the same for Scuttle or whatever the bird's name was.

Great music, especially the steel drums.

The "under the sea" world was magnificently done. Chances are none of it was real, and that took a lot of effort.

"Under the Sea", the song, was a visual masterpiece in addition to being well done.

And on land, what a fine castle. What beautiful scenes outdoors.

A great job overall.

Monster's Ball (2001)

Unpleasant for the most part but well acted

[6 October 2024]

I watched this to see an Oscar-winning performance by Halle Berry but I'm not sure I did. While she was good, and everyone with a significant number of lines was good, I just didn't see an obvious Oscar nomination. I will say Berry was quite pretty and spoke in a very different way than the sophisticated way she usually talks. Other reviews show I didn't see this movie on the level that others did.

Billy Bob Thornton was also quite good and while he has this look that makes him appropriate for bad guy roles, he started out quite bad and ended up good, or at least he seemed to be doing the right thing. Sometimes I questioned his motivation, especially after this one discovery he made, and after his father's comment.

Peter Boyle was also very good, and very bad at the same time. But a lot of people in the South were like him at one time, I guess.

Given what has happened recently to Diddy or whatever they call him now, I had an easier time watching what happened to him than I otherwise would have. At the same time, he did a really good job and I felt bad for the character. However one feels about the death penalty, this movie makes people face what it really means. I saw someone who was potentially redeemable and wouldn't support the death penalty if that is the case. Also, the art his character did was really good.

I have to believe the creators of "The Cleveland Show" were inspired by Tyrell. The son on that show looked and talked exactly like him.

From what I heard about this movie I doubted it would make it to broadcast TV, and even cleaned up, it certainly pushed the limits. I couldn't believe what I did see. But what happened was implied. I couldn't believe how casual and polite the hooker was about what she was doing. And while it seemed to happen fast, maybe the original had more detail.

I wondered how in the world the movie would have a proper ending because it was almost over and there was no sign anything could develop. The answer is: it didn't. You just have to decide what might have happened.

Teachers (1984)

Mostly good and often funny film about a bad school ... well, not that bad

[29 September 2024]

It took me a long time to watch this. I was recording shows on one DVR I didn't really need anymore except the other ones were always full. And it was inconvenient to watch anything on this DVR if I had time. But it's not important when the movie aired in my area.

What is important is that this was sort of a comedy about a school that appeared to be bad on the scale of the one Morgan Freeman ran later in the decade. And I have more to say about Freeman later. But the truth is the school wasn't as bad as the first scenes made it appear at first.

Can it be stated that this is a movie like many others? Maybe back in the day it was groundbreaking. I wouldn't know. Even if there is a formula, I like the formula.

Apparently the faculty is mostly apathetic and the students who need more aren't going to succeed, while there are others who can succeed if given the chance. But the focus is on the faculty and just a few students.

Nick Nolte starts out as a lazy bum who will apparently be more apathetic than the other faculty. Wrong. Regardless of how well Alex did as a teacher, of course, Nolte clearly shows how talented he is and how respected he will be when the time comes for awards. But he ends up as the most caring of all the faculty, even breaking the rules to make a difference for his students.

Judd Hirsch does a great job as he does in most of his roles, showing he is in charge and that he should have been the principal instead of the pathetic Henry Blake character who has the title. However, he is part of the problem as one of the faculty who says they can't do it all and they'll settle for good enough.

Richard Mulligan is great as an escaped mental patient who pretending to be a substitute teacher delivers realistic performances of historical characters such as Abraham Lincoln.

I didn't know Ralph Macchio but I've seen him those "Karate Kid" movies and he is really good as one of the students who is smart but not achieving by measurable standards. He might have been dyslexic but the movie never makes clear what his problem is. He can get things done even if he can't study and learn what is taught in class.

I must have seen Jobeth Williams in other movies and she is certainly pretty and likable, and her lawyer character really tries. She is up against obstacles. As for her big scene, I was watching on broadcast TV so I don't know how much I missed.

In a time before he became the authoritative and respected actor we all know, Morgan Freeman was a con artist lawyer. The role doesn't seem to suit him now that we know him as a man who might have been able to turn this school around. Yet he does a good job with it. If made years later, this movie should have had Jamie Foxx or Chris Rock in the role, and they could have really done something with it.

Laura Dern has great hair. I forget she was ever that young, and in fact she looks too old to be a high school student. She does a good job here.

There is a tragedy that seems too dark for a comedy movie, but the movie mostly works.

This movie was cleaned up for broadcast and I was grateful.

As would be expected for the movie' intended audience, the "music" was everything that was bad about 80s music.

Does this still work today? Some things may have changed, but even forty years later, there are apathetic teachers and students who need someone to care and don't have that.

I think it's really good.

Ender's Game (2013)

Inspiring but dark future

[23 September 2024]

I did not read the book and all I knew was what I saw in the summary.

Ender was selected to be a leader because he was a genius but like so many similar characters, he wasn't taken seriously and was even bullied. And yet he wasn't a bully himself, like so many TV and movie geniuses. His training seemed to take place entirely too fast, and I assumed Graff was looking for someone who could lead a battle in the distant future. And yet he advances through the different stages of training, and while not perfect, he does well enough to impress those who had faith in him. What makes Ender such a good character is that he took others' opinions seriously.

Bonzo was entirely too cruel, though Ender's solution was just as bad. The previous sergeant, while cruel, changed his tone as Edner moved to later stages of training, and he was a better character.

Harrison Ford did a good job but lacked personality, which is what most of his characters have. His stubbornness and determination ended up making ender the leader his people needed.

When Ben Kingsley finally appeared, he had what was missing from Ford's character. A fine performance, and more dimension to the character.

Viola Davis did a great job, logical and caring.

Ender had allies, particularly Petra, who was warm and caring but tough when she had to be, and Alai, who seemed like he would wash out but became what he needed to.

Abigail Breslin has been praised from a young age and she didn't disappoint. She was Valentine, Ender's loving sister, and a mysterious video game character.

And on the subject of video games, these were hardly games. They were quite serious. And all too real. The main point may have been to show what we were doing was what was done to Earth in flashbacks in "The 100", where many of the few survivors ended up on a space station. If Ender's solution for fighting the evil creatures was carried out, it would make us no better than them. It could be stated that these creatures were people too, and at the end, this was shown to be true. I want to leave the one final fact of the ending for you to see.

Visual effects were mazing. The space station was incredible. The action was exciting. The producers of visual effects just seemed to go on for days in the credits. And no wonder.

If you can deal with a dark future, the story of who Ender became a leader is inspiring.

Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)

Mostly good look at life in the 'hood, but raunchy at times

[16 September 2024]

I think I saw the original, but I don't remember it. And maybe a sequel. Maybe both of them.

I don't know the 'hood but I've seen plenty of TV series and movies. There is a good story here and great efforts to find solutions to problems. Maybe government can't do it all, but if individuals can solve their own problems, that's great. Things can be bad in the 'hood and they didn't ignore what can happen there.

Even though I am white, I wasn't bothered by the comments about white people. I enjoy Chris Rock's insults, for example, though he isn't in this movie. At the same time, I'd have been happier if they had come from Anthony Anderson. I really enjoyed his characters rants about white people on "Black-ish". And while you probably have to keep the same actors in a sequel, I would have liked him better as the lead. He was still very good as a con artist type claiming to do good, and someone we could root for even if he wasn't on the right side of good and evil. His co-worker from "Black-ish", Deon Cole, added to this movie as well.

One problem for me with this movie as that between the time it was made and the time I saw it while at the beach, Cedric the Entertainer had a legendary TV series in which he played a businessman named Calvin. So this movie was very confusing. Eddie is a very different character, but entertaining. Still, I was confused a lot when Calvin was mentioned.

And on the subject of Calvin, he was quite a good character too. I mostly know Ice Cube from his role as the intimidating and disapproving brother-in-law of his movie character in the TV series "Are We There Yet?" based on the movie. He is somewhat toned down here compared to that, but someone who can be respected for his caring attitude and his determination to keep a business in a bad neighborhood while he has to weigh the pros and cons of raising his son elsewhere.

Common, as in "The Wiz", was anything but. He went above and beyond in scenes that were not funny.

I know J. B. Smoove as a smooth-talking and charming man much like he is here, from a series whose name I don't even remember, and probably no one does, which starred the actress who played the wife of the glee club leader from "Glee". And he is good here, and on the wrong side of good and evil like Anderson's character.

I didn't recognize Utkarsh Ambudkar until he said he was Indian (from India) and then I realized. He's the husband who can't see the ghosts his wife talks to. And he's quite good here, disagreeing with those who are not from the same ethnic group as he is.

I didn't recognize Lamorne Morris of "New Girl" but I liked him there and I liked him here.

I haven't mentioned any women, but I just didn't care for them. And I certainly didn't like the raunchy talk about ... relationships.

Also, even though someone decided to put a TV-14 on this movie, BET left in every use of the S-word they possibly could. I could have done without that.

It was mostly a worthwhile sequel and even stands on its own.

Halloween Kills (2021)

Little entertainment value for me, and what did they do to Anne Murray?

[15 September 2024]

I've avoided movies like this for many years, though I think I have seen one of the Jason series set at a summer camp. Probably the most entertaining movies in this genre for me, even if I didn't get to see either all the way though, were the funny "Chucky" movies. This has none of the appeal of any of those. I don't see what was so great. Even the great Jamie Lee Curtis--that was it?

The best scene for me was one with young girls at the playground. That had nothing to do with the terrible things that were happening. Another scene with the same girls could have been good but it was a cruel joke. I might have been able to like Big John and Little John. And some people were having a good time before they realized what was going on.

Maybe I should see the original or one of the other sequels. I just don't know what it is that appeals to people about these movies. I've never seen Freddy Krueger but I did see that actor in a great movie and believe he would be a great villain. Here, was it even Michael Myers? There's not even a personality or anything about the villain to even make him entertaining. I have an idea. How about a spoof where the SNL and Austin Powers actor does the killing?

And the scenes where a mob of people prepare to confront this villain? Just entirely too silly. But since this wasn't supposed to be funny, that's not a good thing.

"Could I Have This Dance" by Anne Murray is a nice song. But why ruin it like that?

And the worst thing is that for some odd reason SyFy allows the F-word while FX does not (and even warns us about the bad language when they show movies). I just can't stand to see a pretty woman talk like that. It's not even necessary.

Yes, I have more choices now. I happened to be at the beach and what I wanted to see wasn't on. But I had heard so many good things about this series. This was not the one to start with.