kicking222 Reviews

Tom Goes to the Mayor (2004–2006)

As great as Adult Swim can be at times, this show is terrible.

[16 January 2005]

I understand this show's attempt at dry humor. I get the interesting, unique animation style based on Tim and Eric's web cartoon. I like the voice acting, and the guest voices by celebrities are consistently well-done. With all of that said, "Tom Goes to the Mayor" is awful. I've watched almost every episode shown thus far (after all, it is between two of the best shows on television in "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" and "Sealab 2021"), and I think that literally the ONLY time I laughed was at the weird sounds being made by Jack Black in the first episode. Not just are the jokes few and far between, but those that exist aren't funny. It's worth it to give this show a chance... once. Afterwards, you'll realize that the writing is crap and the animation simply gets annoying. With so many hits on Adult Swim, it's a shame that they don't immediately get rid of the misses. "Tom Goes to the Mayor" is definitely a miss.

John Mayer Has a TV Show (2004 TV Special)

Surprisingly excellent

[17 December 2004]

I like John Mayer's music- like, but not that much- but I've always thought he had a great personality. This random, nonsense talk show definitely shows off a lot of the latter with only a bit of the former. I'm not sure how, but this show is amazing. When Mayer's simply talking, it's interesting. When he's interviewing fans or road crew members, it's interesting. When he's doing sketch comedy or pulling pranks on people for no apparent reason, it's interesting. The show keeps my attention, and not many shows in this day and age of crappy medical dramas and crappier sitcoms can do that. It may look odd and cheaply-produced, but that's because the whole point of the show is for it to be odd and cheaply-produced. And, magically, it works very well.

SK8 TV (1990– )

A great, unheralded show

[4 August 2004]

Few people remember "SK8 TV," and that's a shame. I can't remember any shows devoted to skateboarding, much less from 1990. Under the direction of the great Stacy Peralta, it was shocking to see how many skateboarders appeared on the show, from established stars like Tony Hawk and Tony Alva to pre-teens who would grow up to be pros like Bucky Lasek. More than anything else, "SK8 TV" simply showed how much fun people could have boarding- the tricks they could pull off, and the friends they could make. It is amazing to see what skateboarding was like almost 15 years ago, and the incredibly laid-back atmosphere of the show helped make it such an excellent exhibition of talent.

Marathon (2002)

Not recommended in the slightest

[1/10 · 16 June 2004]

"Marathon" has a very interesting premise, excellent ambient sounds, and good scenery. Unfortunately, the movie, aside from these aspects, falls flat on its face. For a woman trying to complete so many crossword puzzles in a day, she spends an awful lot of time standing around, sulking, and not doing puzzles. I believe there is more walking shown in the movie than her work on these puzzles. Also, while I understand the point of showing so much scenery, there is simply FAR too much of it. The movie is incredibly boring and unfocused. It's not worth buying, renting, watching on television, or viewing in any conceivable way. I lost interest so quickly that I'm not sure why I sat through the entire film in the first place.

Inherit the Wind (1960)

An absolutely brilliant film

[10/10 · 22 June 2002]

"Inherit the Wind" is a movie that will forever stand the test of time as a masterpiece. Of course, some of the facts and views of the Scopes Monkey Trial are exaggerated (the attourneys would never be able to make their speeches or ask many of their questions in a real court), but this is true of every movie. The relationship between Drummond and the Bradys is perfectly portrayed, and Tracy, March, and Kelly deliver performances that rival any other movie they have ever appeared in. Every aspect of the film, from the arrival of Brady in Hillsborough, to the selection of jurors, through the death of "son of god" Brady, is excellently created by director Stanley Kramer. I suggest that everyone looking for one of the greatest law movies ever made see "Inherit the Wind."

American Idol (2002– )

I had to watch just to see how horrible it would be... my worst fears came true

[11 June 2002]

I couldn't give a crap about the competition on "American Idol," I couldn't care less about who's going to win or lose. It's a stupid contest to find yet ANOTHER teenybopper who can't write their own songs or play an instrument. I turned on this tripe for the humor- and boy, it was FUNNY. They showed clips of the best and worst singers... the worst ones were horrible, but even the BEST ones were horrible! There were maybe three talented people out of the 100+ they showed their seven or eight viewers. The hosts of the show are disgustingly bad, and possibly the two worst actors I've ever seen. Even the clips of future episodes look idiotic. I don't know why anybody on the face of the earth would care about this program- I still don't have a clue why the Brits are dumb enough to care about the original version of it. There is not a SINGLE redeeming quality of "American Idol" except for how pitiful the singers and hosts are. I watched episode 1 simply to see how awful the show would turn out to be. Unfortunately, it was much worse than what I'd assumed, and I would rather break a foot than watch episode 2.

Carmen (1984)

Awful... Just plain awful

[1/10 · 29 May 2002]

Due to a French class, I've been forced to watch this film. Check that, it isn't a film, it's a movie- films have some sort of artistry. Forget the overacting (even more than needed in an opera), the vast armpit hair on Carmen, or the pitiful English subtitles. The camera work in this version of "Carmen" is atrocious. There are over a dozen points throughout the movie when a character is singing, but the camera is on either the cheap scenery (with no actors present in the shot) or a character who is not singing or speaking. The acting isn't awful, but it certainly isn't good. Placido Domingo holds his own as Don José, but the rest of the cast is replaceable. There were few good qualities of this movie, and even if the acting had been better (I can't comment on the script, since the movie did a good job of staying true to the original opera), the cinematography and sound were bad enough to destroy it.

Grand Theft Auto III (2001 Video Game)

The greatest video game of all time. Period.

[10/10 · 20 May 2002]

GTA3 is, undoubtedly, the best game that has ever been made. Aside from small glitches that only come around every once in a long while (I must've played 100 hours of GTA3, and I've been hit with 3 glitches at the most), the game is absolutely perfect. Unlike every other game that isn't endorsed by a celebrity or an athlete, GTA3 has real actors in great voice-acting roles. The buttons are extremely easy to figure out the first time you play, and the array of weapons (acquired either through actual game play or through codes) is astonishing. Most amazing about GTA3 is the how gigantic the game is. There are thousands of things to do- I have friends who have played for at least 50 hours without actually touching the missions. Finding unique jumps for huge bonuses (for as long as I've been playing, I've still only achieved about 8 out of 20), Rampages (of which I've only beaten 5), Taxi/Vigilante missions, Matrix-style pills that allow you to rip off car doors and kill nearly anyone with one punch... I beat the game with my best friend 4 months ago, but we still play frequently. Crashing into cars is not just extremely fun, but a great way (aside from killing people and stealing from them) to earn enough money to buy weapons if you don't want to use codes. The vast number of cars rocks, as it's almost as fun to drive a Yakuza Stinger as it is to drive a Manana, if for the sole reason that you know you're in the worst car possible and it will basically explode on impact. There's a large reason why this has been the most highly sold and rented game of the last year or so- there are few, if any, downsides to playing it. I recommend GTA3 to absolutely anyone who can stand a bit of violence and profanity and wants to have the most fun a video game can provide.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Simply brilliant

[10/10 · 7 May 2002]

I had not seen "Forrest Gump" in many months, but upon seeing it once again, I can't think of a better way to spend a couple of hours in front of the TV. The movie is perfectly done: everybody who you're supposed to like (Forrest, his mother, Lieutenant Dan, Bubba), you like; everybody who you're supposed to dislike (Jenny, Dan at the beginning of the movie), you dislike. In such a dramatic movie, it's amazing that it can still be so funny- or, in a comedic movie, it's amazing that it can still be so dramatic. The shots of war are brilliant, and it's easy to believe that the action is real. Tom Hanks played Forrest as well as he acted in any movie, and Sally Field did not get enough respect for her performance. I'm sure there are tons of people who can say something about "Forrest" better than I can, but I've liked this movie since my early teens, and I still love it whenever I have the pleasure of viewing it.

Whammy! The All New Press Your Luck (2002–2013)

This doesn't come CLOSE to the original PYL

[28 April 2002]

"Press Your Luck" was a great show that gave out much more money than most game shows of its time did. "Whammy" isn't even remotely good. I find it insane that the prize given out on "Whammy" are CHEAPER than the ones given out 18 years ago! Moreover, you aren't allowed to play for more than 1 day on "Whammy," where as you could keep coming back without hitting the prize limit on PYL. Worst of all on the new show are Double Whammys. They're completely idiotic- how many times can someone get crap dropped on their head? I'll take the old PYL any day of the week- the original is my favorite show of all time, this is just a piece of junk where every prize on the second round board is worth $500.

Sealab 2021 (2000–2005)

One of the greatest cartoons of all time (and I'm not kidding)

[10/10 · 7 February 2002]

"SeaLab 2021" is absolutely hilarious. It's easily the most screwed up show I've ever seen, and I'm completely addicted. Although they've only made 10 or so episodes, even watching repeats is better than almost anything on television. Every character, from Hesh screaming about sex to Marco (voiced by Erik Estrada, of all people!) showing off his muscles, is funny and unique. Best of all: the show has no plot whatsoever. Each episode is pure jokes- plot is just background. If you don't believe me, see the episode where the entire crew is talking about becoming robots as the SeaLab explodes. My favorite shows of all-time used to be "Simpsons" and "Clerks: The Animated Series," but now "SeaLab 2021" joins that elite group. I hope this show never stops production- hell, production must be cheap, since they use animation from the original, early '70s show. I'm a diehard fan, and I think everyone else on earth should be.

2001 MTV Video Music Awards (2001 TV Special)

Absolutely horrible

[1/10 · 24 January 2002]

MTV used to be a great network that played all sorts of great music- rock, pop, rap, electronica, etc. The 2001 VMAs are a prime example of just how downhill the now-pitiful network has become. They were completely awful, and I'm not just talking about the fact that the talentless, disposable quartet of "Lady Marmelade" beat out Fatboy Slim and Spike Jonze's ingenious "Weapon of Choice" for Best Video. Half of the presenters could not read a word off of the TelePrompter; it was a disgrace to see the poorly put together "tribute" to Aaliyah, when even her brother had to read off of cue cards and Janet Jackson had no idea what she was saying. Speaking of Jacksons, Michael's dancing during the performance of another garbage boy group, Nsync, truly showed his age. The only singers who did not directly appeal to the 10-to-14 age group were limited to performing on the pre-show. With the exception of U2, even the rock acts during the VMAs- Staind and Linkin Park- were there because fans of "bubblegum" pop enjoy them. Worst of all, consider Nsync vs. Fatboy Slim. Nsync one four awards, and were able to take the stage during the show to accept all four, while also performing. Fatboy Slim, who was nominated nine times and won six "moonmen"- as many as anyone else was even nominated for- only got to accept one of the six and did not perform. The 2001 Video Music Awards were disgraceful, and this year, I will not be watching what had become a September staple in my life life.

The Fairly OddParents (2001–2017)

One of the greatest cartoons ever... even if you aren't 9

[20 October 2001]

I'm 17 now, and not since I was 11 had I watched Nickelodeon. However, when I first saw "Fairly Odd Parents," I was floored. This cartoon is absolutely hilarious- even for someone like me, a fan of teen/adult cartoons like "Simpsons," "Daria," and "Family Guy." "Parents" is a great show, with little snippets of adult themes thrown in. The concept for the show is genius, and anyone can watch and laugh. Except for "Simpsons" and "Clerks: The Animated Series," this may be the best cartoon ever made.

Loser (2000)

100 Times Better than I Ever Imagined

[8/10 · 5 October 2001]

With the exception of "American Pie," I have never liked a Jason Biggs movie. He's generally just a typecast actor with little to offer, and I don't like his roles or his films. However, "Loser" is a wonderful movie. His performance, along with that of Mena Suvari, are great. While many people (not that many saw it) say it's a comedy, I think "Loser" is more dramatic romance than comedy. Yes, there were downsides. Either Greg Kinnear's performance is very poor, or the writing for his part of the script was bad, or both. Yet when he wasn't on screen, the acting and writing was amazing. Sure, the end is pretty predictable, but in the last decade, every ending to every movie has been predictable (look at the most seen movie ever- everyone knew the ship was going to sink, and it still made 2 billion dollars). I suggest that anyone who has HBO (where I saw it) watch "Loser" at least once. I almost turned it off as soon as I saw Kinnear and Biggs, but I'm certainly glad I gave it a shot. The acting, not just by Biggs and Suvari but also the supporting cast, was passionate. In fact, if for no other reason, the movie is great because the acting is so above-par. Please check it out, because you probably won't be disappointed. I gave it a 9/10, but that's just my opinion, and what do I know?

Insomniac with Dave Attell (2001–2004)

Brilliant show

[29 September 2001]

"Insomniac" might be the most fun non-cartoon to watch on television. Dave Attell is a great person to watch do strange things and meet strange people. It's a shame it has to be on so late (because every aspect of the show is for adults, obviously), and has to be on Sundays instead of Fridays or Saturdays. But "Insomniac" is still worth watching. Congrats to Dave for finding a show that has some true entertainment- even if it has the educational value of an adult film.

Titan A.E. (2000)

An amazing movie, the best animation ever for a film

[10/10 · 30 June 2001]

I saw this movie on opening night, and I'm sad that it was such a flop. I believe that if Fox had ADVERTISED the amazing cast (Damon, Pullman, Barrymore, Garofalo, etc.) that it would have been a sure hit. The plot had been done a million times in a million settings, but the plot isn't what made "Titan A.E." great.

Of anything I've ever seen, no movie has ever had better animation. Points that stick out in my mind include the hydrogen field (renowned as the best scene of the movie) and when Korso follows Cale. All of the actors who contributed their vocal talents were stupendous, especially (in my opinion) Nathan Lane and Drew Barrymore.

The music was also incredible. Fox did a bad job of putting songs into their commercials that were neither used in the movie or put on the soundtrack. The songs actually used in the movie were well-placed, and every song on the soundtrack was tied in to the movie, not just a song they happened to use. The song that stands out is "Karma Slave" by Splashdown, a heavily-acclaimed and extremely talented band signed by Capitol Records, only to have Capitol not release their CD. Although they are on permanent hiatus, they deserve another look in this film. Other great songs are by well-known bands on the album, including the single "Over My Head" by Lit and Jamiroquai's offering.

Overall, this was a stellar movie. There are few movies I have ever seen that I liked more than this. Yet when I saw that the theater was only 3/4 full during the premiere showing at the cinema, I was saddened. I knew it would fail, as much as I did not want it to. But how much do I love "Titan A.E.?" I've only seen 2 movies since I saw it, because no movie could live up to how great this was.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

This movie is, by far, the worst ever made.

[1/10 · 12 March 2001]

First of all, there was absolutely nothing good about this movie. It was not scary whatsoever. Supposedly a psychological thriller, I didn't have a single frightening thought enter my mind. The fact that these 2 unknown directors could make up a crappy legend, to go with a crappy plot and crappy actors that were supposedly not acting (yeah right), it's amazing the movie was so successful. I completely hated it. Without a doubt, I have never seen a movie so awful. If you want scary, go rent The Sixth Sense. There are a bunch of recent thrillers that have come out recently that are hundreds of times better than the Blair Witch Project. In fact, pretty much every movie ever made is better.

My Giant (1998)

Gheorghe Muresan rules

[10/10 · 11 March 2001]

I just wanted to say that. I love Gheorghe Muresan, so I automatically loved this movie. Everything else about it was so-so... Billy Crystal is a good actor, even if he is annoying. But the thing that made this movie was- at least, for a basketball fan- seeing Gheorghe Muresan act.

Clerks (2000–2001)

CLERKS IS THE GREATEST TELEVISION SHOW EVER

[6 March 2001]

All 6 episodes of "Clerks" are amazing. It's a shame only 2 were shown on ABC, because "Millionaire" screwed "Clerks" over. In all seriousness, along with "Simpsons," "Clerks" is without a doubt the greatest show of all time. The best episodes were #s 2 and 3 (keep in mind that the episode titles were merely their numbers- episodes 4 and 5 were actually shown on ABC, a.k.a. All Bad Crap), and because of its Loony Toons rip-off ending, the last episode is the worst, even though it's the best until the climax. All of the characters are well portrayed and each has their own humor (well, how much humor can Silent Bob have?) I ask everyone on the face of the planet to get the "Clerks: the Animated Series" DVD. Not just is each episode uniquely brilliant, but the interludes with Jay and Silent Bob are hilarious. I've never heard someone put so many curses into just one or two sentences. Another amazingly creative and funny part of the actual shows are the flashbacks. What makes episode 2 great is that, when trapped in a freezer, Dante and Randal imagine what it would be like if they were in a sitcom and, because they were trapped, flashbacked to all of their previous episodes. So, of course, they flashback to all of their episodes- a.k.a. episode 1. Overall, the show is the most incredible television series in the history of TV, albeit a short run. From 1 to 10, "Clerks: the Animated Series" gets a perfect 10.