auctionmaestra Reviews

Vegas (2012–2013)

Above Average Fun Look at the Sixties

[7/10 · 13 March 2014]

I binge watched Vegas and really enjoyed the blast from the Sixties. The plot was suspenseful, most episodes were taut and compelling. A few weak spots. Quaid, physically perfect for the Sheriff role, was very hammy in that role. He's a solid, charismatic actor; needed to be reined in (can't avoid the pun) here. The character of his youngest son was irritating--basically a hormonal nincompoop totally wrong as a sheriff's deputy. Not the fault of the actor who played it with energy and soul, just the writing. The mobster characters and story lines were just great, the working of the casino fascinating and true to life. Carrie Ann Moss, Michael Chiklis, and Sarah Jones were wonderful in their roles. I enjoyed this season, could have happily watched more, too bad.

Playmaker (1994)

Seriously not good.

[3/10 · 29 October 2010]

I am a Colin Firth fan and will watch anything he's in. He is the sole redeeming part of this film. He plays two characters in effect and plays them well, despite the abysmally inept script and direction. Everything about this film is seriously bad and very cheap looking. Spending a little more on clothing and props would definitely have been worth it. The lead actress, playing an aspiring starlet, is dressed like a preschool teacher and an important prop--the necklace--looks ugly and cheap. Jennifer Rubin does a good job as the "agent" at the end of the movie, but her performance as the actress during the teaching scenes with Colin Firth is very bad, although Ms. Rubin has done good work in other films. This is a recommend to fill in your Colin Firth inventory, but once is enough, and he's the only actor worth watching.

Witch Hunt (1994 TV Movie)

Loads of fun--great performances

[8/10 · 6 June 2009]

I have seen this flic a few times and have enjoyed it thoroughly each time. Great supporting performances. I liked Dennis Hopper in this, although I missed Fred Ward from the first one. Penelope Ann Miller was perfectly cast as well. Valerie Mahaffey and Sheryl Lee Ralph were great also. The special effects do not take over the picture, but are imaginative (the mirror effect)and the magical theory is well thought out and consistent. This is just an enjoyable urban fantasy featuring an alternate history (my favorite genre) of the U.S. in which magic is routinely practices and the social reprecussions spur a McCarthy-like reaction. Diverting and enjoyable.

Ritual of Evil (1970 TV Movie)

One of My Favorites!

[8/10 · 30 September 2007]

I really enjoyed this film and wish there had been more in the series. It was interesting and the ending was left open, probably so that Diana Hyland--whose chemistry with Jourdan was perfect--could come back. She was one of the best female "villains" I have ever seen on TV, because she was complex. It would have been great to see this as a series of movies. Louis Jourdan is one of the all-time great "smooth" actors. He was eminently watchable--sort of an Alain Delon without all the private "drama" going on. I miss him as an actor--miss Hyland, too--and Jourdan's "Dracula" is the best rendition ever of the roll imho. Let's agitate to bring this series back--fx or one of the premium cable channels would be a natural to sponsor, don't you think?

Ghost Story (1981)

A disappointment!

[3/10 · 22 April 2007]

I must not have seen the same movie as the one the comments refer to here. First, I think they should have serialized Ghost Story if they were going to film it at all. The truncated version they come up with was awful. I felt the performances were mannered and so much was left out of the story that the performances of such masters as Astaire, Douglas, Houseman, and Fairbanks seemed hammy. Alice Krige was superb as Eva, though. Craig Wasson is a good actor but he was only adequate as the protagonist. The decision to cast Patricia Neal and to truncate her role was not a good one. Imagine what Anne Bancroft would have done with that character! I blame the script, which was poor. The production values were dark and the pacing was slow. A disappointing, pedestrian effort.

The book is one of the five greatest suspense/horror novels of the 20th century, IMHO. But the movie was disappointing, although a great introduction for Krige.

Season of Fear (1989)

Bad, bad, bad

[1/10 · 16 January 2007]

This is a terrible movie, terrible script, bad direction and nonsensical ending. Also, bad performances, except from Clancy Brown who is criminally underused here, and Michael Pollard. Watching this movie was purgatory--you do it to unload enough bad movie karma to actually see a good one further down the line.

The movie presents a father and son who look like they couldn't every possibly have been related. The part of the male lead is not well written and seems uncharismatic in this role. You can see the plot points a mile away. The actions of the female lead and that of her brother, the cop, also make no sense. So, a major action on her part at the end of the movie makes no sense script-wise.

The Feast of All Saints (2001 TV Movie)

Mostly bad--could have been so good!

[2/10 · 20 December 2006]

This movie was so badly written, directed and acted that it beggars belief. It should be remade with a better script, director and casting service. The worst problem is the acting. You have Jennifer Beals on the one hand who is polished, professional and totally believable, and on the other hand, Ri'chard, who is woefully miscast and just jarring in this particular piece. Peter Gallagher and Jenny Levine are just awful as the slave owning (and keeping) couple, although both normally do fine work. The actors (and director) should not have attempted to do accents at all--they are inconsistent and unbelievable. Much better to have concentrated on doing a good job in actual English. The casting is ludicrous. Why have children of an "African" merchant (thus less socially desirable to the gens de couleur society ) been cast with very pale skinned actors, while the supposedly socially desirable Marcel, has pronounced African features, including an obviously dyed blond "fro"? It's as if the casting directors cannot be bothered to read the script they are casting and to chose appropriate actors from a large pool of extremely talented and physically diverse actors of color. It's just so weird! This could be a great movie and should be re-made, but with people who respect the material and can choose appropriate and skilled actors. There are plenty of good actors out there, and it would be fun to see how Jennifer Beals, Daniel Sunjata and Gloria Reuben would do with an appropriate cast, good script and decent direction.