succotash Reviews

From (2022– )

Great Series!

[9/10 · 2 July 2023]

Reviewing: "From" (TV-Series)

So far, I have really enjoyed Seasons 1 & 2. The whole premise of the plot is, of course, farfetched, but the show is entertaining, and it's easy to suspend your belief and escape into imagination. It's great fiction!

This show is smartly written and well-acted/directed/filmed. It has a good mix of fantasy and mystery/suspense, and keeps you guessing. The characters are engaging and easy to identify with. There is also an element of disbelief here, similar to Gilligan's Island (for example) where you want to question how the people have certain things available to them, being stuck in a place with such severe limitations, but that's not enough to turn me away. There's so much right about this that it's easy to just go along with it for the sake of enjoying the moment. I have now formed a bond with the show (ie: the characters and story), and look forward to what comes next. Hopefully, MGM will not cancel this series!

The 15:17 to Paris (2018)

I tried to like this. I really did.

[2/10 · 5 August 2022]

But it was just too dull. By half way through the movie, there still was nothing to really chew on, and I didn't know it was an evangelistic movie. Jesus freaks against Muslims. Same old crap. Wish I hadn't wasted a whole hour of my life. Clint Eastwood must have lost his mind.

A Fall from Grace (2020)

Stick with it. It starts out intense, becomes weak in the middle, then redeems itself at the end.

[8/10 · 18 February 2020]

Overall, I liked this movie! All the performances were very compelling. Crystal Fox plays Grace, a mild-mannered middle-aged woman who lost almost everything in a bad divorce, but is proud of the life she's rebuilt and rebuilding for herself. We are introduced to Grace from the beginning and easily form an empathetic relationship with her. Grace's innocence at the beginning comes across as unquestionable, inciting in us a natural curiosity to learn more about her and understand how a meek, religious lady of obviously high morals, impeccable character, and good standing within the community, could possibly have committed the heinous crime she has been accused of.

Bresha Webb plays Jasmine, the young and newly-minted idealistic public defender assigned to Grace's case. Jasmine is also an upright person with a passion to be- and do- good in the world, though she struggles with self-confidence and second thoughts about her chosen career. Having to sacrifice personal ethics to defend people she knows are guilty has made her skeptical of even her own ethics and ideals, but learning Grace's story somehow reignites the passion inside her to work within the system she dislikes, to see justice served for someone whom she feels certain is innocent but who must have been wronged in some way and consequently become an unwitting victim of circumstance and the system.

Tyler Perry, who also wrote and directed, plays Rory, Jasmine's boss. Rory is a hard-nosed, self-absorbed jerk, who may have started off his career with the same high ideals that Jasmine did, but who now is fed up and seemingly only counting the days until retirement. Being a Public Defender for many years has made Rory so cynical that he can't even see the gem he has in Jasmine. He is the kind of jaded, arrogant and self-absorbed boss that any of us would leave a good job just to get away from. Unfortunately, the film never does a good job of creating a bond between the audience and Rory, which I believe would have been an asset to the story if it had. We want to like him and see him redeemed in the end, but it is not doable. Overall, Perry does a decent job but it's the script that is lacking. A few more well-placed lines of dialogue allowing the audience to bond better with Rory, and be able to look past his human faults, would have helped. This is important because Rory's role in the story is crucial to the development of Jasmine's.

Phylicia Rashad plays Sarah, Grace's best friend and confidant. Sarah is warm and affectionate, the empathetic kind and caring once- or twice-in-a-lifetime friend turned adopted family (ie: chosen family), that almost all of us can relate to.

Mehcad Brooks plays Shannon, Grace's new, young suitor, whom she marries. His apparent murder, supposedly by Grace, is the center of the mystery.

Matthew Law plays Jordan, a police officer and Jasmine's loving and loyal husband. He is very supportive of Jasmine as she struggles with doubts about herself and her career. Cicely Tyson also makes an appearance in the film.

As the headline notes, this movie starts off strong, then seems to falter, and comes back in the end with a good, though somewhat far-fetched, ending that does a good job of tying up the loose-ends and doesn't leave you entirely disappointed. I admit, I was almost ready to shut it down about 3/4 into it because it seemed to drift so far away from any possible semblance of reality. But due to the relationship formed in the beginning with the movie, I thought there must be something more coming, and it turned out I was right.

The ending was a good plot-turn, and while it wasn't entirely predictable, it still wasn't overly spectacular. Still, this film is a solid work and worth seeing. When all is said and done, the acting, casting and story turned out to be enough to make me like the film overall, and I feel it deserves a solid 8-star rating.

Anything more here would be spoiling it, but I do give it a hearty recommend. You'll need to be patient and take a breather when the action gets tense in a couple of places, but if you stick with it to the end, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Lost Horizon (1973)

It's all about interpretation

[9/10 · 4 April 2017]

I saw this movie in the theater in 1973, as well as a few times since. As I recall, the early 70's were pretty amazing times. People were protesting and getting involved in politics. It was an interesting time to be alive. So then, I have to wonder, why the hate on this film? It's my opinion that once a literary work is published, it's up for interpretation...and that interpretations can be different, but not "right" nor "wrong", because interpretations are subjective. This Ross Hunter 1973 Interpretation of "Lost Horizon" is a musical one. And I ask you, why not? What kind of person insists that there is only one possible interpretation of a literary work? Whenever I encounter critics of this film, I usually find people so dogmatically entrenched in their view that the only possible "right" portrayal of it is the 1937 (Black and White) Capra version. Scrolling through these reviews just confirms this bias. But one must wonder why...whether the reviewers are being true, or simply biased. This film has never portrayed itself as a "better than". It has only portrayed itself as an "Other", i.e: a musical rendition of Hilton's work. Cinematic and other adaptive works, once published, are offered up to the public for interpretation. I have yet to see this film critiqued honestly, as a 1973 stand-alone interpretation of a literary text framed in its own pop culture, rather than a comparison to a 1937 version (also borne of its own pop-culture.) There are too many cooks in this kitchen spoiling the broth! When evaluated in context, this movie stands out! To those of you who love the 1937 version, that's great. I'm happy for you. But please stop bashing this version because it's not 1937 all over again! I love musical theater and honestly, I fell asleep watching the 1937 Capra version of this film. Nevertheless, this whole fracas leaves me with one question: If Capra can be framed within the culture of his time, then why can't Ross Hunter, Burt Bacharach, and Hal David?

Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006)

Like a recipe that's been torn in half...

[1/10 · 7 April 2008]

I see that someone already thought of a similar analogy, which was similar to the first thing that came to mind after I watched this movie. They said that the ingredients were there but there was no plot. Besides the sexual scenes which bordered on child-porn (which I feel could have been edited out or been presented more suggestively in nature rather than graphically, I would liken this movie to a recipe that's been torn in half. It's kind of like being handed a list of ingredients, with no directions on how to put them together into a finished product. From the start, character development and story development are lacking...unfortunately, many times in this monotonous drivel we are teased with bits of plot and we think "Ahh-OK...finally we are going to find out something more about WHY this scene is going on...or...WHO this character is...or maybe we are finally going to get to know and appreciate this character more...or understand and get involved more with this inter-character relationship...etc." But no such luck! On the contrary, many times I was tempted to just turn it off more than once but stuck it out when the carrot was dangled, only to find that whatever mini-plot within whatever mini-plot (and that poorly presented) was just a ruse. Why I stayed with it till the end is a mystery, other than usually IFC has better selections and they gave it 2-1/2 stars (another mystery). It's not that the characters aren't likable to SOME degree, or that you can't identify with them or their humanness at all...it's just that this could have been so much better with just a little more effort. I notice this was shot around Santa Cruz and find myself wondering if it was someone's film school project. I wish I could have given this a better review but honestly it was a frustrating and disappointing waste of an hour and a half.

Show Me the Money (2006– )

Show me the ENDING!

[2/10 · 3 August 2007]

There was such a hype about a game show with Bill Shatner...and especially right in the wake of Deal or No Deal and 1 vs 100. So, of course everyone had to tune in to see what all the fuss was about on the new game show. What a disappointment! As Ben Stein so stoically and nasally says, "wooww".

The only thing likable about this show was the fact that you knew it would eventually be over. Sitting through a full hour of it was like going to the dentist...you find yourself looking at the clock in what you think are 10 minute intervals, only to find out that only a minute has passed (but seemed like an eternity) since you last glanced at the clock. So, why didn't I just switch the channel? Well, probably for the same reason most other people didn't...out of sheer optimism. I mean, no one really *wants* to think that a show with Bill Shatner could actually be SO BAD.

Personally, from the first 15 minutes, I never thought this was the kind of vehicle that would showcase the talents of William Shatner. My chief complaint was that the set was so dark. Watching it left me feeling depressed. You kept on wanting to get ahold of a little excitement, but there was just none to be had. There was not even enough light on the set to get a feel of energy from the audience (who you couldn't even see).

Dear Network: People do not watch game shows to cure their insomnia...they watch game shows to be excited and have a good time. Please do us all a favor and lose this in the vault.

Ice Men (2004)

Starts off a little slow, but draws you in.

[8/10 · 26 December 2005]

When the movie first started, it seemed a little slow moving in terms of character development and it felt like some of the lines were contrived and just weak. I found myself thinking, ho hum...is this going to be another mediocre film by Wolfe Video? (Not all their stuff is bad, but some of it is terrible.) Fortunately, after a few minutes, the stories of the characters begin to unfold and we begin to get a sense of identifying with each of them, who they are, and why they have come together. I say "each of them" because I'm a man and can see a little part of myself in each of these characters (whether now or in the past). I won't give any of the story away--there are some very tense scenes; however, they are well done. The bright spot is that this film is an insightful look at how men interact with each other sometimes, they way we think as men and hide things...not just from women, but from other men as well as from ourselves, even to our own detriment. Deep down, all men are searching for acceptance.

While I wouldn't call this an uplifting film, it's also not a downer either. We are left with good feelings. Admittedly, I do think there could have been a bit more character/story resolution in the end with some of the characters. We're left hanging in some ways...but then again, life is also like that at times, ie: sometimes, things in life happen that we as humans are just not able to resolve, and again, as men, our way of resolving them is just to bury them and not talk about them.

While not the next big Oscar winner, I definitely found this a good, solid, watchable film, and would recommend it. Great performances by all the actors, but Ian Tracey really shines as Trevor. His outstanding performance throughout really helps bring the whole ensemble together. I could not imagine this film working as well as it did without him as Trevor. A+

City of Lost Souls (1983)

I wanna be the one, I wanna be the one, I wanna be the one...to push...the button!

[10/10 · 16 December 2005]

Ach Du lieber Gott! How I wish this were available on video for the US market! I saw this film in 1985 while I was stationed in Germany and I had gone to Berlin to visit a friend and we nearly laughed ourselves to death! This is one of the best Rosa von Praunheim movies that he ever did! Truly a classic! And great performances by some funny as hell drag queens, plus a very comical script and good music. It's a quasi musical (kind of like Hedwig) about a bunch of Americans living in Berlin. These are not just ho-hum Americans, but people on the fringe, ie: various types of artists, drag queens, strippers, rock singers, etc. just your basic bohemians who have come to Berlin seeking social acceptance and a new life, as well as the chance to follow their dreams. One of them opens a restaurant called Hamburger Königin (Hamburger Queen) and a lot of the film takes place here, as this is where the characters hang out together and you get to know them...kind of like the old 50's Burger joint hangouts.

One thing to note: It really helps to know the German language and have an understanding of what it meant to live in cold-war divided Berlin (as well as living in a world under the threat of nuclear war in general). But apart from this, there are still a thousand laughs to be had! If you have the chance to see this, it's very highly recommended! Great cinematography and acting and you get to like each of the characters too! It's fun for everyone! I wouldn't recommend this for kids younger than around 15-16.

The Suze Orman Show (2002–2015)

A great show

[11 July 2004]

Suze Orman, financial maven extraordinnaire, has authored several books and starred in several PBS specials concerning individual financial planning and money management issues. In this, her weekly show (Saturday nights on CNBC), she dispenses sound advice and instruction to live callers and emailers asking about their own financial situations. Also included is a segment called Suze Cam in which a live camera crew goes to various locations (malls, shopping centers, etc.) to take additional live questions from passers-by. Suze's vivacious personality, charm, and wit combined with her compassionate (albeit direct), people-loving nature and her more than three decades worth of experience as a highly successful financial planner make this a show truly worth watching. Pop some popcorn and get out a pen and notebook because you will want to take notes. For a Saturday night, this beats the mainstream network CRAP hands down! Suze...Lovebug...in the event you're reading this...you go, girl!

How Friendly Are You? (1951)

Interesting vintage piece

[8 June 2004]

I first saw this short several years ago as a special presentation of some of the "teen-informative" films that were popular during the 50's, first seen in theaters before the main film, then later broadcast on TV during the kids' TV viewing times in the afternoons and on Saturday morning. Phil (Dick York) gives his younger brother Ray a lesson on how to be friendly to people, including how to be nice to girls. A quaint piece, it has somewhat of the feel of a Centron film, except the topic is social skills rather than safety. As a sidenote, I wish they would still make these types of films today to show to kids and teenagers, as there are so many destructive influences today. Kids need to see more informative things that teach them about being a kind person and all around good citizen. In fact, I know many adults who could use a dose of this as well.

9 Dead Gay Guys (2002)

Laughed my ... off!

[10/10 · 27 April 2004]

This film may seem politically incorrect on the surface, but a closer look will reveal that through the use of comedy, the film forces the viewer to examine one's views toward people who are different than one's self, and then the script very skillfully makes the point of reminding the audience that stereotypes are simply not true and just a bunch of BS. Not only does the film teach us a lesson, but it is absolutely hilarious! Campy and raucous to the hilt, it's like a John Waters movie on steroids. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. A Great film! (Note: this film is definitely for mature audiences and not suitable for general family viewing.)

Waiting (2000)

Glad I didn't turn it off...

[7/10 · 23 April 2004]

This is not Oscar material by far, but it definitely has its charm if you like dark comedy mixed with satire. I have to admit, the first few minutes are totally dead and almost had me ready to turn off the set and send this back, but then after the first bit of humor emerged in the script, (and because there were no other movies in the house--LOL) I decided to give it a chance. All things being said, I'm glad I gave it the chance. I share the view of one previous reviewer, in that I liked this movie more than I thought I would. You'll notice immediately that the acting is not the greatest, which actually adds to the film's satire quotient by making it seem more like a slice of real life (kind of has that Michael Moore documentary feel to it). I honestly have to say that some of the situations were hysterically funny and had me rolling out of the chair. Schtick at its best. Also, the appearance of Ron Jeremy (...yes, THE Ron Jeremy of porn movie fame) in the film (and as the father of a precocious little boy, no doubt) adds greatly to the satire aspect as well. Check out the "Outtakes" portion of Bonus Selections. The outtake of Little Boy Lunch was the funniest! I think they should have used the alternate beginning as well. All in all, I was not disappointed. Thumbs up!

Tuvalu (1999)

101 minutes of Is it over yet?

[1/10 · 25 March 2004]

I always say, "there's nothing like a good movie". And I must say, this was nothing like a good movie! Drab, dull and tedious. It was like one of those bad dreams that never seem to end, no matter how hard you try to wake up. I don't mind the concept of a film without words, (ie: entering a fantasy or dream world), but there has to be something there to capture your imagination, not just empty images, which is what this film is. There seemed to be no character development and it jumped so fast from scene to scene that it was hard to discern any story. (Was there even a story?) You could tell the actors were trying their best, but unfortunately, poor direction sabotaged all the actors' work. It really seemed like a type of cinematic masturbation...only existing to pleasure the director and nobody else. Big waste of time.

The Harmonists (1997)

Brilliant and moving, destined to become a classic

[10/10 · 25 March 2004]

I had never heard of the group The Comedian Harmonists before seeing this film, but they were truly awesome musicians. This film seamlessly blends the actual recordings of the group with wonderful acting and directing to create a true classic. The R rating is a bit too strong, in my opinion, and should be closer to PG-13. The film features mature themes but would be suitable for viewing by most audience members aged 11 and above, with parental guidance of course. Anything of a mature nature in the film is strictly secondary to its real story and was not presented lewdly in any way. You will want to talk about the subject matter with the kids, ie: the effects of prejudice and how Hitler, seemingly on a quest to create perfection and beauty, by trying to play God (which none of us have the right to do), actually destroyed so many beautiful things which were meant to be here to enrich all life. I won't use any plot spoilers but I can tell you there were no dry eyes left in the room at the end. Truly worth seeing and the soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in a long time. Bravo!

West Hollywood Stories, Volume One (1999 TV Movie)

The worst movie ever made

[1/10 · 16 February 2004]

Was this a student project or something? Lousy acting (...if you can even call it acting), lousy script, just plain lousy everything make this the worst movie ever made (...or a close runner up). It started out bad and got worse every scene. Finally, it got so bad we had to turn it off after half an hour because we just couldn't stand the agony any longer. Honestly, getting a root canal would have been more enjoyable.

Deep Shock (2003 TV Movie)

Deep Snore

[1/10 · 14 January 2004]

Deep SH.. is more like it! The eels are just cartooned in over the film. Think "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" meets "Leviathan". Very tacky.

No character or relationship development. So called "romantic" scenes very corny and predictable. An interesting idea, but a poorly written script and LOUSY special effects make this a definite must-miss!

Boxer Shorts (2002 Video)

HO HUM

[3/10 · 25 December 2003]

Painfully dull. The fact that these films won any awards at all does not speak well for their competition. The final short film of the collection (entitled Caught) has some promise, but only by the skin of its teeth. The other four short films are not worth seeing, unless you specifically want to be annoyed...

Urbania (2000)

Excellent movie.

[10/10 · 11 April 2003]

I got this movie through Netflix. The first time I sat down to watch this movie, it was late at night and I thought it seemed sort of wierd. The first scene made me a bit squeemish, it didn't seem like what I was expecting, and I was being interrupted by phone calls anyway, and couldn't really give it my full attention, etc. so I thought, "well, I'll put that one aside for now and think about whether I really want to watch it." Finally, one evening I was rummaging around for something to watch and I saw this lying there and said, "OK, I'll give it another try." I am so glad that I did. As I let it play on from the beginning I found myself totally engrossed. Turns out it's very fast moving and you have to be on the ball to get everything out of the movie. The ending moved me to tears. This is a thriller with a dark thread of ironic comedy woven into a very serious and moving story. I love the writer's and director's use of urban legends. I think the film clearly illustrates how there really are injustices in this life, (ie: the story of the main characters), but how many horrible injustices in society get overlooked and dismissed as trivial, through the desensitization of being grouped together and schluffed off as 'just another one of those urban legends...it didn't happen in my back yard so it must never really happen...etc.'? But, as Charlie's character points out, "s**t really does happen". The truth is that these types of injustices happen often (whether to straights, gays, lesbians, people of color, homeless, handicapped, etc.) but it's always easy to overlook and dismiss as non-existant injustices that have never happened to you or anyone you know. No amount of denial can negate fact. No amount of mass ignorance can void truth. This film is not a good 1st or 2nd date movie and not a good choice for the person who has no depth of character, intellect or emotion. But if you are someone who has the ability to think deeply and see further than the end of your nose, and enjoy reflecting on a film after you see it, you will not be disappointed.

Red Dirt (2000)

Emotionally stirring. If you like Tennessee Williams you'll like this.

[10/10 · 22 April 2002]

OK, I clicked the spoiler box just to be safe. I don't think this review spoils, but just to be on the safe side, OK?

First, this is not a movie you can have on the player while you are doing other stuff. This requires concentration. You have to really sit and watch this movie to pick up all the nuances. This is a good thing, because when you walk away from it you will have looked inside. You may even feel uplifted. Or depressed. Or perhaps just grateful that you are intellectual enough to grasp all of what's there. :-)

At first, I was a little let down at the end, but after reflecting on it for a little and getting in touch with my feelings I find it to be actually a brilliant portrayal of the ties (and sometimes shame) that can bind people to family and home and the unfortunate reality of how sometimes even people who love each other have a hard time finding a common ground on which to come together. I actually went and bought the DVD and have watched this film a few times. Every time I see it, I see the brilliance of not only Tag Purvis' portrayal of rural, southern life, but also the brilliant direction and acting by all involved. As far as the art of film-making goes, this has got to be one of the most under-appreciated and under-rated films of all time, as far as I am concerned.

Karen Black was fantastic, as usual. Everyone else did a great job as well. These characters are people you feel comfortable with, like you know them yourself. Excellent screenplay, but as you watch it, try not to read too much between the lines. Instead, try to see the author's meanings for what is readily apparent, not abstract. In many ways this has a very Tennessee Williams feeling to it, sometimes a bit dreamy and surreal and very intellectually deep and thought provoking. It puts you in touch with who you are. This film does an excellent job of creating the mood, again, thanks to the excellent screenplay, direction and acting. I really felt like I was there in the swamp country in the middle of a long, hot, lazy summer. Not many films can transport you into their setting so well and I must say that is one of the strong points of this film. The ending was different than what I expected, which was very refreshing.

This is a film to watch twice for the full effect. When I first saw this, it seemed a little chopped in places to me, but I think that is because there is so much to absorb, not due to bad cutting. The second time you watch it, everything is just THERE, and you just want to say, "Oh My God! Why didn't this have an Oscar nomination?" (I think it's because this film is a few years ahead of its time as an indie film, but that's another discussion.)

If you're the kind of person who likes to talk about movies afterward, make sure to watch it with someone else because it is thought provoking.

On a side note: I won't spoil the ending but I would like to say I'm glad that Griffith found unconditional love and acceptance by his family in dealing with his sexuality issues. Many gay people aren't that fortunate. The characters, Griffith and Lee are very respectful persons and it's always encouraging to see a film that portrays gay people in a positive light instead of negative (such as Circuit, which is another great film that touches on the really dark side of the gay lifestyle). Agreeable that just as with any group there are some gay people who are lewd, irresponsible, narcissistic, immature jerks and they tend to give all gays a bad name and a bad stereotype because they are not seen for the jerks they are, but rather an association is made because they are gay. However, there are, in fact, many gay people of character and high values, and who strive to live by high moral standards and a code of ethics and decency toward others. The characters of Griffith and Lee exemplify this. I like to hope that they are the rule and not the exception.