johnclones

IMDb member since January 2004
    Lifetime Total
    25+
    IMDb Member
    20 years

Reviews

City Island
(2009)

hilarious
Very Funny! This whole family is funny. I like the fact that everybody talks like New Yorkers. The funny parts are at the end. Also the whole issue with Vince Jr. having a sexual fetish for fat women. That was funny. I never knew very many people with that kind of fetish. there was a scene where he went in to the local IGA. WAs that actually a grocery store? I never know that there was a real place called "City Island". It is actually a neighborhood in Bronx New York. I don't know much about the place. The movie seemed to be stereotypical of middle class New Yorkers. Most people in New York and New jersey talk like that. This was one of the funiest movies that i have seen for a few years. All of the antics by the characters were hilarious! Andy Garcia was at his best in this movie. So were the co-stars. The ending parts were among the funniest as well as the rest of the movieI would give this movie five stars out of five!

Yes, Virginia
(2009)

good show
I like this one. there is one point that I want to make. WHen they were talking about Santa in other countries they referred to Santa Claus in Turkey as Haigha Sava. Turks are Moslim and don't celebrate Chrsitmas. Turkey in 2897 had a Christian minority consisting of Greeks, Armeniasn Syrinas Etc. The Turks are 99.9% Mulsim. "Aigha Sava" or St.Sava(Savas) Is a Greek Orthodox Saint from the 4th and 5th century. There was a reference to Santa clause in Japan. The Japanese are 99% Budists. Any Christmas celebrations in these countries is recent. I liked this show and I hope that it is on next year. I like neal patrick harris. This letter that Virginia wrote is often published around Christmas time every year in newspapers and magazines.

The X Files: I Want to Believe
(2008)

excellent!
Excellent! The movie is a lot like the original X Files TV show. I don't think that fans of the X Files TV Show will be disappointed. It takes place in West Virginia during the winter. There are some excellent snow scenes which are beautiful. The acting is good. The one agent shaves off his beard and does not have that look like a man does when he shaves off his beard. The movie makes good use of foreshadowing Espceially with the Catholic priest. This character uses several foreshadowing in the movie. so does the sick little boy. There are a few funny scenes especially with the villain at the end. I wish that they would have used subtitles when the spoke Russian. THere are also some grotesque scenes i the movie.

Kid Power
(1972)

Good show, I hope that it is available on DVD
I miss this cartoon. I remember it when I was 8 or 9. It was described as a "multiracial Peanuts" or something like that. the cartoon was based on the cartoon strip "Wee Pals". There were numerous episodes in the 70's. I don't exacty remember any specifically. The kids all had problems and tried to solve them with in a half hour. I remember the theme song. There were hardly if any adults in the strip. There was a talking bird. The show evolved around the half dozen or so kids who could have been around 9 or 10. They tried to solve their problems. it delt with issues of the day and problems that they had. There was oliver the nerd and Ralph the bully. I hope that it is available on DVD!

Fred Claus
(2007)

funny
Is very funny. It is like a lot of Santa Claus movies starts out in time immortal and ends up in today. The acting is good there are some funny scenes. There are many good visual effects in the movie. No movies have ever made reference to Santa Claus have any siblings or other relatives. It does not say what country of origin that Santa Claus came from. It hints that he had come from up north. Santa Claus is a form of St.Nicholas. He is the patron saint of children and sailors. Also of Denmark, Holland and Russia. That is who Santa Claus is modled from. One movie that this reminds me of is "Santa Claus" from 1985 with Dudly More. I see a lot of similarities between the 2 films.

The Simpsons Movie
(2007)

true to the Simpson's
has funny scenes. It is the length of 3 epsiodes. All of the main characters form the show are in the movie. Margie's 2 sisters do not have much of an appearance. Ned Flandesrs has a big role in the movie. It is just like the show. There are 2 funny scenes durnig the credits after the movie has ended. All of the characters in the movie are the same as they are in the TV show. Lisa finds a new boyfriend and Millhouse is mad. Magie(the baby) speaks once. There were some funny episodes in the past which I wish would have been incorporated in to the movie. I like this movie. I hope that there is another Simpsons movie in the near future. I do not have any complaints about this movie. I will give it a 10!

We Are Marshall
(2006)

poignant
Very poignant movie. You will like this movie whether or not you are a football fan. The costumes are authentic for the early 70's. The foot ball scenes are good. You don't have to understand football to appreciate this film. It is more than about football. It deals with the aftermath of the crash. Ian McShane who plays in the movie is from Eangland but does not have a British accent. How can they do it.This shows that the acting in this movie is good. Marshall university is little known outside of the Ohio Valley. I wonder if that will increase their enrollment with students from around the country. It probably will for the next few years

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
(2005)

true to C.S.Lewis
I am a fan of C.S.Lewis' writings. I am more in to his spiritual writings such as "Mear Christianity". He died on Nov 22, 1963 along with JFK and Alodus Huxley. The movie is set in London. It is reality till Lucy goes in to the wardrobe. The centaurs (half man half horse) look creepy. The Minitaur is supposed to have the body of a bull and the upper part of a man. Not the body of a man and the head of a bull! The theme is good and evil. It was written just after WWll and the bombings of London. Lewis had just witnessed the horrors of Hitler and the rise of Stalin. He had originally been an athiest and became a Christian. The Lion is supposed to be a Jesus figure. Many of the characters are computer generated. It looks very real. They had some good WWll era music in the movie.

Benji
(1974)

good one
Good one. It has a few funny scenes. Most of the actors except for Ms.Bavier are obscure. THe filmography is good. It is clearly evident that the film is shot somewhere in the southern Uninted states. I wish that there would be more films like this one out today instead of what Hollywod is putting out now. I did not hear any foul words in it. Now Hollywood has to put a few foul words in every film. I was thinking about that movie recently and finally rented it 2 months ago. I would recommend this to anybody especially if they like dogs and other animals. The only draw back is toward the end there is one simi-violent scene.

Santa Claus: The Movie
(1985)

Dudley Moore at his best
I liked this movie. I first saw it in 1996 and fell in love with it. Dudley Moore is at his best. So is Mr.Lightow and the rest of the cast. It has a lot of fantasy in it. I even watch it during the rest of the year. There are some poignant scenes in it. There are also one or two funny scenes and some good cinematography. For those people who like New York it has some good footage of New York City. I would recommend this movie to anybody. You would want to watch it during the rest of the year. It is a classic along with Miracle on 34th Street" and Prancer. There are no regrets or disappointments with this movie. Hi Martha "Polly" Baldwin and Curtis Smith in St.Louis!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding
(2002)

Funny ,stereotypes Greeks
It is very funny. It stereotypes Greeks. There could have been a few more wedding scenes in it The Orthodox wedding service is a very beautiful one. I am Greek. Most greeks observe a lot of those customs. Some of them are exaggerated. It is set in Chicago. But it is filmed in Toronto. Until a few years ago, Chicago has about the second largest concentration of Greeks in the world outside of Greece except for New York. Verdallos is funny and so are most of the other characters. Some of the scenes you will have to be Greek to understand them. Many of the Characters are stereotypical of Greeks. The wedding scenes were accurate. I wish that they would have had some more Byzantine chants in the wedding and other church scenes.

Fat Albert
(2004)

Very Poignant
If you liked the 70's Fat Albert cartoon, you will like this one. Any fan of Bill Cosby should see this one. There are a lot of funny scenes in it. There is a very poignant ending. It is set in Philadelphia but it is filmed in Los Angeles. One Los Angeles landmark that I noticed in one scene is St.Sophia Greek Ortrhodox Cathedral of Los Angeles which is in the Byzantine-Latino section of Los Angeles. I am a fan of Bill Cosby and admire him. I remember that cartoon. I did not follow his show in the 80's. I watched that cartoon every Saturday. I thought that it was funny but it taught some valuable lessons. There are some lessons that this film has. There are some funny scenes in the movie, especial with the Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. Hi Martha "Polly" Baldwin in St.Louis, Stan Paden, Archbishop Demetrios, Archbishop Spyridon and Archbishop Iakovos!

American Dreams
(2002)

"The Waltons" of this generation
This is "The Waltons" of this generation. This is a good show. I was born at the time when that show takes place. Much of the music reminds me of when I was 5 or 6. I like all of the flashbacks and the old news reals that they show. It gives more credibility to the show. The American dream is still alive today. It is going to be interesting over the years to see how the show progresses and how the characters develop especially in 68" and in the mid 70's when the Vietnam War ends and how they treat Nixon resigning. Like The Waltons and Happy Days it is set in one decade and lasts in to the next decade. Hi Polly baldwin in St.Louis,MO. and The Substitute Teacher from India.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
(1964)

one of my favorites
This is one of my Favorite Christmas Specials. I remember it since I was 4 or 5. I can't miss it I have only missed it once or twice. I brought the video in case. This is a fantasy based on the song. One theme in this movie is not to make fun of people who are different. The animation is good. The puppets of the randeers look real. I hope that they don't stop showing this one. There were one or two sequels such as "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" which you don't see any more. This is a timeless classic for Christmas. I hope they don't stop showing it. I don't think that Christmas would be Christmas without it. Please no re-makes of this story. I know that some Hollywood people would probably like to make one.

Elf
(2003)

good Christmas movie
Good Christmas movie. As with other good Christmas movies it mixes reality with fantasy. It may have some funny scenes. These are the type of movies about Santa Clause that I like. I like Zoey Dascahfel who played as the department store elf. Bob Newhart and Ed Asner are good at their roles in the movie. These movies help to make the holiday season. It has some similarities with the movie "Santa Clause" with Dudley More. Bothe involve a lot of fantasy. There are themes in this movie about home, family and Christmas. There is also some similarities with "Rudolph the Red Noese Randeer". This I think is a "must" for the Holiday season! Hi Polly Baldwin in ST.Louis and stan paden wherever you are!

Johnny Dangerously
(1984)

good acting by popular actors
Good Acting, Good collection of actors, Very funny, Very cute. If you are a fan of the 20's and 30's this you should see this one. This is a good collection of actors from 20 years ago. I'm surprised they could all make a movie wiht other projects foing on. If you are a fan of DeLouise, De Vito, Henner, Keaton and Piscopo you will like this one!! There are many funny scenes in this movie. No disappointments with this one. I have not seen it in a few years though. I hope to see it again soon. DeVito is always funny. I have never seen him in a serious role. Marilou Henner has not een in any movies or TV shows lately.

Hi Polly Baldwin int St.Louis, My favorite landscape architect!!!

Johnny Dangerously
(1984)

good acting by popular actors
Good Acting, Good collection of actors, Very funny, Very cute. If you are a fan of the 20's and 30's this you should see this one. This is a good collection of actors from 20 years ago. I'm surprised they could all make a movie wiht other projects foing on. If you are a fan of DeLouise, De Vito, Henner, Keaton and Piscopo you will like this one!! There are many funny scenes in this movie. No disappointments with this one. I have not seen it in a few years though. I hope to see it again soon. DeVito is always funny. I have never seen him in a serious role. Marilou Henner has not een in any movies or TV shows lately.

Hi Polly Baldwin int St.Louis, My favorite landscape architect!!!

Van Helsing
(2004)

good cinematography
Good Cinematography. The Dracula and Van Helsing are portraied in many movies. This movie is both comedy and drama. That was one thing that I liked about this movie. The cinamatography and special effects are excellent. There are some gory seens. The countryside in the movie in Transylvania is pretty. There are several contradictory stories about Dracula from the movies from comedy ot tragedy. They are all true to Braham Stoker's novel. This is a good movie for Haloweene time. All three monsters (Dracula,Warewolf and Frnkensetein) ared depicted in this movie which is part of the fun of it.

It Nearly Wasn't Christmas
(1989)

Very poignant
I saw this movie in 91 and again in 2003. I liked it. It is very poignant. The themese are the innocence of children and that there is good in the world. I remember Merle Osmand form the Osmand Brothers when I was a child. i didn't know that he was in to acting. We always hear about Donny and Merie. The acting is good. Some of the actors are famous and some are not. It is a good story about Santa Clause. There are other movies which Santa looses hope. Personally, I think that Chrismas is a special time of year and people sometimes get discouraged with all of they hype. Rent this one you will like it!

It Nearly Wasn't Christmas
(1989)

Very poignant
I saw this movie in 91 and again in 2003. I liked it. It is very poignant. The themese are the innocence of children and that there is good in the world. I remember Merle Osmand form the Osmand Brothers when I was a child. i didn't know that he was in to acting. We always hear about Donny and Merie. The acting is good. Some of the actors are famous and some are not. It is a good story about Santa Clause. There are other movies which Santa looses hope. Personally, I think that Chrismas is a special time of year and people sometimes get discouraged with all of they hype. Rent this one you will like it!

Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones
(1980)

true to life
I saw this in 1980 and 1981. It made me mad. It traces Jim Jones' early life to the mass suicide. It shows how he manipulated people and got in to drugs. I wish that it would have shown the aftermathe of the mass suicide.

This man was sick. I hope that that movie is a lesson to people. Last November there was little coverage of the 25th anniversary of Joneswtown. The only thing that they talked about was Lacy Peterson. I am sick of hearing about Lacy Peterson. THis in my mind is not news. It is more of tabloid trash. The acting in this movie was good and true to life. I hopethat it is on TV again.

Helter Skelter
(2004)

why a re-make
I saw the original one. why a re-make? Are they trying to win sympathy for Roman Polanski? I wish that the media would stop talking about Charles Manson. He was sick. He wants the publicity. I am also sick of hearing about Lacy Peterson. There are some differences between this one and the 76" version. There are one or two funny sceens in the movie althought it is serious.

What next: an opera or a BBroadway musical? I can see ti now! Hello to Martha "Polly" Baldwin my favorite landscape architect!!

The Apostle
(1997)

some funny scenes
This is a serious movie but it has some funny scenes. Robert Duvall and FarrahFawcett do good jobs at acting. The music is authentic. I have seen it several times. First time I thought it was boring until I saw the funny scenes. I would give it a 10 out of 10. Highly recommended.

Hand in Hand
(1961)

reminds me of my childhood
I saw this movie in 1972 on the CBS CFF when I was 9. I may have seen it earlier. I was thinking about 3 weeks ago late at night when I could not get any sleep-I may have been dreaming. Another film I saw I saw on the CFF is "The Shoping Bag Lady". I was also thinking recently about "The House wihtout a Christmas Tree". I have not seen that in a long time. Unfortunately, Hand in Hand is not available on VHS. I have tracked down a copy. Contact me if you want to discuss this film or want a copy. This is a British film. The Actors and dialog ar British. Reference is made to the Queen. The British and other European royal families have fascinated me. It is set in the early 60's. It is Pre-Vatican ll. It could have easily made reference to the Inquisition,the Holocaust or the behavior of Pope Pius ll during WWll but it did not. It sticks to the themes of religious tollerence and the innocence of childhood. One observation that I have made is that Loretta Parry who plays as Rachel looks like Danniel Brisibois who played as Stephanie in "Archie Bunker's Place". Philip Needs played as Michael. Where are they now? The film brings back a lot of memories of my childhood. I was afraid I might get emotional over it but I did not. I did not have that much freedom when I was 7. Hello to Archbishop Demetrios and his predecessor Archbishop Spyridon and plus Curtis Smith and Martha "Polly" Baldin both of St.Louis. I hope that you have seen these movies or will soon and enjoy them!! In memory of Archbishop Iakovos (1911-2005)

Paulie
(1998)

Reminds me of my childhood
Good movie. It remeids me of my childhood. Especially the late 60's fashions. It has some funny sceens. The ending is pretty good when the little girl grows up and the parrot does not realize that she has grown up.

I recommend this film to anyone.

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