einhard-1 Reviews

Dirty Jobs (2005– )

A real reality show

[10/10 · 27 December 2007]

While many of my friends and family were enthralled by the reality show craze, I could never get on the bandwagon. Frankly, I don't think throwing a group of strangers together in unusual situations isn't reality. Dirty Jobs is different. It is real. These are jobs people actually do. Therein lies the appeal to this show. Very few of us would ever consider doing these jobs, but our way of life would be near to impossible without these people, a fact host Mike Rowe points out repeatedly. Some of the jobs have had my wife and daughters fleeing the room, screaming, covering their eyes. But they always come back to see what happens next. Mike Rowe is an excellent host. He is witty, mildly sarcastic and insightful. He also is respectful of the people who work these jobs. Simply put, Dirty Jobs shows us a side of life that many of us never see, but should be grateful exists. Otherwise we would have to do these jobs.

The Exorcist (1973)

Wow!

[10/10 · 31 October 2007]

When this movie came out, there were more than a few people who were very disturbed by it. My mother was one of them. She stayed for the entire movie, but told me there were people literally crawling up the aisles in the middle of the movie. She called our pastor to talk about how the movie bothered her. That the movie bothered people speaks volumes. The topic of evil, true evil, invading our lives and the lives of our loved ones is one we rarely face, but the Exorcist forced many to face it. But the topic is a gripping one. The story was well written. You are drawn in to the story and soon feel the terror of the principals. The acting was outstanding. Linda Blair was very good in her role. She was believable as the young girl and she was extremely creepy when Regan was "possessed." Jason Miller, who was new to the silver screen, was incredible as Father Karras. Of course, Max Von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb and Ellen Burstyn were outstanding. While the acting was great, some credit should be given the casting direction, not only for casting the actors I've mentioned, but for the inspired casting of non-actors in some critical roles. First among these were Vasiliki Maliaros, who was cast as the mother of Father Karras. She had no previous acting experience and was discovered working in a Greek restaurant. It was her only movie. There is also Father Thomas Bermingham and Father William O'Malley. O'Malley was very good as Father Dyer and his acting was not only extremely good, but if you had told me he was a priest while I was watching the Exorcist, I wouldn't have believed you. I thought he was a trained and experienced actor. The direction of this movie was second to none. Not overly loud, but not silent, shocking when it needed to be, but not so much so that the shocking moments lose their punch. The movie starts quietly and builds to it's climax. It isn't rushed, but was actually crafted to keep you in suspense and giving you the shock of your life. This is how horror movies should be made.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

disappointing to say the least

[3/10 · 31 October 2007]

After watching the Exorcist, I was looking forward to see how the story continued. Unfortunately, Exorcist II was a disappointing waste of time. The story started promising, a priest, Richard Burton, being sent to investigate the death of Father Merrin, Max Von Sydow. Instead of following the actions of the demon and how it effected the principal characters, the movie veered off in directions that seemed strange. The entire movie was tied around a theory of a deceased Jesuit priest. Few have heard of the theory, orthogenesis, the idea that evolution occurs in a directional, goal driven way and that there is a "global consciousness, or the priest, Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. I'm not sure if it was the unbelievable psychological therapy or the character of Kokomo or the locust, but the story just didn't deliver. And it is a pity, because there were some of the best actors in this movie. Richard Burton was wasted. James Earl Jones was likewise. Louise Fletcher helped, but she, like Burton and Jones, wasn't able to make the story riveting. What I found surprising is that Linda Blair actually delivered a worse performance in the second Exorcist. After four years, I would have hoped that she would get better, but she didn't. She was very good in the original, but she seemed like an average high school drama student, at best, in the Exorcist II. This is a movie to avoid if you can.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

A thriller for those who don't like gore

[9/10 · 10 February 2007]

I'd be the first to tell you that I avoid thriller or any movie that even smacks of suspense. I don't handle it well and I'm not particularly fond of blood and gore. (I almost passed out when the doctor needed a blood sample.) It's not that I don't appreciate a good suspenseful movie, but current movie tend to be more than I can handle. But The Sixth Sense is a movie that kept the suspense and didn't have the gore. I was riveted from the moment it started. Bruce Willis was great as the doctor and the rest of the cast was outstanding as well. However, what makes the movie great were the writing and the direction. The story keeps you interested and on the edge of your seat. I don't believe in esp or ghosts, but the writing made the concepts seem realistic and believable. There are few red herrings and the surprise at the end of the movie really was a surprise. The direction of the movie probably was the strongest point. The movie is quiet with few loud, screeching moments — like many horror movies, such as Halloween or any of the many Friday the 13th flicks — which makes it even more suspenseful. This is a must see for any suspense fan.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Great, great, great!

[10/10 · 18 February 2006]

I have a friend, a real movie buff, who never saw this flick because he didn't like "old" movies. After I tied him to my couch and put this movie in the VCR, he realized it is one of the great movies of all time. Sure, it doesn't tackle weighty social issues, but it a fun time. That is what makes it great. It is the good guys versus the bad guys — and the good guys win. The characters are fun to watch and cheer, or boo as the case may be. The music is great, setting the mood for the entire movie. My daughters and son love the movie, which is good because there isn't anything in the movie that would cause the conservative Christian to be upset. If you need lots of special effects to get your thrills, then this movie probably wouldn't be your cup of tea, but if you enjoy a good, old-fashioned movie filled with exciting fights and chaste romance, you will love this. Oh yeah, Errol Flynn rocks! Check out the Sea Hawk or Captain Blood.

Rip Girls (2000 TV Movie)

Dear God could it be worse?

[1/10 · 22 January 2006]

Having three kids under the age of nine, I have seen more Disney Channel movies than probably any man alive. I should sue Walt Disney Company for the time wasted watching this turkey. How bad was this movie? My daughters, eight and five years old, both thought this movie was bad. The acting was stiff, to the point where elementary plays about the four food groups would win Oscars before any performance in this movie. The writing was poor, you could — and we did — guess the storyline well before it occurred. I have seen stories that third graders have written that have more meat to them than "Rip Girls." Rip Girls isn't even bad enough to make it fun to watch, a la "Plan Nine From Outer Space" or "They Saved Hitler's Brain." If the army forced Iraqi prisoners to watch this movie, they would be guilty of torture. Don't waste your time, it's too valuable for "Rip Girls."

The Mommies (1993–1995)

So bad, it's painful

[29 September 2004]

Over the years, there have been numerous bad television shows churned out by Hollywood, but few have ever reached the depths of this little piece of work. This is a show that makes "Mr. T and Tina," "Supertrain" and "Manimal" look good. Why any network would give a show to these two women was unfathomable. Of course, it wasn't their fault entirely. Lucille Ball and Mary Tyler Moore couldn't have make this show work, the writing was so bad. The producers attempted to improve the show by bringing in Julia Duffy and Jere Burns, but their talents weren't enough to bring this show up to par.

Unfortunately, the show isn't even bad enough to be enjoyable watching, a la "Plan Nine From Outer Space." Thankfully, you won't be seeing this show in syndication.

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Are you cool?

[18 February 2003]

Rarely have I seen a movie that could have been written from my life. While the events were fictional, the attitudes were true to life. This movie was the 1970's for the America that didn't live in New York or Los Angeles and hated disco---not because for some supposed homophobic or racist reason, but because disco sucked! Party on.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

An ethnic laugh riot

[10/10 · 31 December 2002]

It is a rarity for me to take my parents advice on a movie. However, this time I listened and it was well worth it. While my family is Polish and Slovak, this movie could have been written about them. There in lies the appeal of "My Big Fat Wedding." The family may have been Greek, it could have been any ethnic group. Hoping Hollywood will return to making movies that can be enjoyed by the entire family, as they did before the mid-1960s, instead of making movies that shove their views and morals down the throats of America, such as Gay Marriage or the purity of heart of abortion. Sadly, the screenwriter and actress hasn't been able to repeat her success, but at least we got to enjoy this fine movie. Unfortunately, the joy of the movie was not able to be translated to the small screen.

Muriel's Wedding (1994)

bad, bad, bad

[1/10 · 6 December 2002]

This was one of the most painful movies I have ever been forced to watch. My 14-year-old sister-in-law rented it and she has been forbidden from ever choosing a movie again. (Not just from me, but her two older sisters and my brother-in-law all are in agreement.) Poorly acted, horrible music — really, it's Abba, is there a band that is more painful to listen to, outside of Air Supply that is — and a story no one could care about make the Lonely Lady seem like Shakespeare. Steve Irwin looks like Olivier compared to the actors in this movie. The writing of Ed Wood seems inspired compared to the trite trash of this screenplay. I actually can't come up with enough bad things to say about it. I wanted to demand my money back from the video store on the grounds that they should be renting movies made by professionals, or at least movies that appear to be professionally made. Avoid this movie at all cost. It's not even bad enough to be funny. Unless you like pain, but taking knitting needles and jamming them into your temples wouldn't be as painful as watching Muriel's Wedding. If you want a wedding comedy, rent My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It's Citizen Kane compared to this.

Romero (1989)

A moving experience

[10/10 · 13 May 2002]

Easily the best political movie in the past 20 years. If you watch this movie and are not moved by the story of the abuse and the archbishop's fight against it, you need to go to a doctor to see if your heart is still in your chest. While it is a moving film, it is also very disturbing because of the graphic nature of some of the abuse suffered by characters in the film. A must see for Catholics. While the events depicted in the movie are true, keep in mind that there are exaggerations and omissions. Don't believe everything that is in a political movie as fact. Check out the story yourself from respected sources on both sides of the argument.

Sgt. Bilko (1996)

Coulda, shoulda, wasn't

[3/10 · 22 April 2002]

This was a disappointing movie. Considering the material---army life is always good for a laugh---and the stars, this movie should have been a fall down laughfest. It was worth a couple of chuckles, at best. Steve Martin has been much funnier than this and it appears that Dan Ackroyd should stick to dramatic roles, where he might follow Robin Williams' lead and someday win an Oscar.

Valley Girl (1983)

A romance even a guy would like

[8/10 · 19 April 2002]

For the most part, romance films were never my cup of tea. But Valley Girl is one of the few romance films I not only could sit through, but actually enjoy. Nicholas Cage is great in his first role and Deborah Foreman is cute beyond belief. There are some side stories that tend to become muddled, but not enough to diminish this film.

To Find a Man (1972)

Propaganda?

[6/10 · 19 April 2002]

A well done and well acted movie. Pamela Sue Martin, acting before her roles in Nancy Drew or Dallas, was interesting. Teenage pregnancy is a difficult problem and, like many movies, this films solves the problem very neatly. It is basically a pro-choice propaganda film.

Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)

A pro war film without the war

[5/10 · 19 April 2002]

It is a cute story, one that would make you think twice about marrying anyone with more than one child. How the family copes with nineteen children is worth the time invested. Nevertheless, the movie takes a sudden, and surprising considering Henry Fonda is in the movie, dip towards a pro-Vietnam stance. It probably isn't on Jane Fonda's favorite movies her father starred in.