jlcdrama Reviews

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Decent film, just too much for a movie

[6/10 · 11 November 2019]

I have to admit when I first saw this movie, I was a bit disappointed. I've seen it again since and I felt like I nailed down the problem. Honestly, there isn't much wrong with the film. It has an interesting plot, great characters, good actors, even good dialogue. Really the main problem is it's just too much in such a confined time period. It's visually stunning and exciting, but it's like going to Disney World, standing in the middle of the park just looking at everything and trying to decide where to go next. It's all thrilling, but it moves so fast that you can't quite catch up. I honestly feel this would have been an excellent tv series, perhaps on HBO or Starz. That would have allowed the story to roll out at a far more reasonable pace.

As it is, it's a good story, just a better fit for the TV screen than the silver screen.

The King (I) (2019)

Not a movie for historians or Shakespeare buffs

[5/10 · 4 November 2019]

Once I went to a medieval times restaurant with my father. The section we were seated in was the "Green Knight" section and the Green Knight turned out to be the villain of the play before us. My father got a bit excited by this. At one point the king declared that he was making peace with the Green Knight's country. My father then shouted "No peace, war! War!" I feel like almost everyone in this movie is doing the exact same thing for Hal.

Now, I'm quite a fan of Shakespeare as well as something of an amateur historian. I have a small library of books dedicated to British history and the monarchy. So I was excited by the announcement of this film as it touched two passions of mine. Needless to say, it wasn't quite what I thought it would be

It's very clear that this production is only minimally based on the famous Shakespeare plays. They borrow the characters and follow the same plot to a degree, but it bears very little resemblance to the plays beyond that. This isn't about the matter of language, but more the feel and actual story of the plays.

That's not always a bad thing. The character of Falstaff is not just a cowardly buffoon like in the plays, but an interesting man and capable warrior even. Still a drunk yes, but his character is richer and has more depth than in the plays.

No my main problem is Hal. Though acted well, Hal just feels so very out of place in this story. Like I said about my father, Hal is the king desiring peace while my father is everyone in England desiring war. Hal feels like a 21st century man in a medieval drama. It just doesn't fit, especially not in history.

The real Hal, or Henry V, was actually a man of his time: a brilliant warrior and quite the opposite of the pacifist he seems in this film. The fact of the times is that war was popular in medieval times, and war with France was very popular in England as they had quite the rivalry. There is a reason Henry V's son, Henry VI was deposed twice: peace, especially with France, was seen as weakness. Henry V would have been raised from the cradle to believe France was the enemy and England should defeat it. It just struck me as so completely out of step to have Hal be so against war. Perhaps they were afraid they would make him look like a warmonger, but that would have been easily enough to avoid. Rather they fail to grasp that this is a historical film, and the truth of the matter is war was the most effective means of diplomacy and brought about glory and popularity. There is a reason Richard the Lionheart has a better reputation than he probably deserves in England: war equaled strength and in that day a man wanted to be seen as strong.

It's not a bad movie. The acting is good, the story isn't bad either, but it clearly wasn't meant for people like me. If I didn't understand the tine period as well as I do, know the plays so well, nor have studied the true history as I have, I probably could have given this a higher score. It's a good drama, but Hal just stands out as out of place and nothing like a true medieval king.

Unplanned (I) (2019)

One of the most difficult films I've ever seen

[10/10 · 3 April 2019]

I just got out of the theater. This is an excellent movie, but be forewarned, it's very disturbing. As Abby puts it herself "No one said abortion was pretty." This movie shows the ugly truth about abortion. It's heart wrenching to watch, but one that has to be seen, especially right now in this turbulent times.

Lost in Space (2018–2021)

A Fun, Thrilling Reboot with a Lot of Heart

[10/10 · 2 May 2018]

I confess, in my younger years I actually really enjoyed the 1998 Lost in Space film. I was a kid so I didn't know better. now that it's been 20 years, I can admit that movie has some serious flaws. I never saw the original series, but my parents were big fans. So I went in to this reboot with no real expectations or even knowledge of the source. From the start, I was intrigued. As each episode passed, I found myself hooked.

Its a great start to a series. It's fun with some great humor and wit, but also full of intense thrills and action. I like that while they added some much needed diversity to the cast, it didn't feel like they needed to shine a spotlight on them. Instead, the fact that Judy is biracial (said later to be from Maureen's first marriage) added some depth and history to the characters. I liked that Maureen is no longer Donna Reed in Space but actually the matriarch of the Robinson clan. John Robinson balances her intelligence well by reminding her that sometimes we have to throw that science textbook aside and go with our gut in order to do the right thing.

In this series, everyone felt real to me. The emotion they displayed, how the siblings had typical spats or teased each other affectionately. The Robinsons here actually felt like a family and not cardboard cutouts of one like in the 1998 film.

Outside of the Robinson family, we enjoy some interesting characters as well. Don West is awesome, a sort of Han Solo scoundrel who acts like he's only interested in helping himself, but that conscience he denies is strong and always makes him do what is right even if it means he misses out on a big pay day. His chemistry with Judy is embryonic, but there. I hope to see more of their interactions and possibly a romance like in the film and hinted in the original show.

Perhaps the weakest character is Dr. Smith. Not to say that Parker Posey doesn't play her well, and I loved the change of making her more of a con artist than just a mustache twirling villain. However,we have yet to find out what is driving her exactly, though we are given hints and a few glimpses into her backstory. I don't necessarily need her to be redemptive, but maybe a bit more layered so I can understand her desires a bit more. That being said, I like the mysterious element about her. None of this detracts from my enjoyment of the series because I felt this season was more about introductions and letting us know more about the Robinsons. Hopefully next season we can get to know Smith better.

In short. this is a great reboot, a fun family series that parents can watch with their kids (maybe not too young though) or simply a fan of sci fi can sit back and have some fun with.

Paterno (2018 TV Movie)

Fairly Accurate Portrayal

[8/10 · 8 April 2018]

I'm not a big football fan, but I remember when this story broke. It still gets to me how bad it was. Don't be fooled by the poor reviews, if you read them you will see they are mostly Paterno Faithfuls who refuse to face the cold hard facts.

This movie does a good job of pointing out a lot of the problems with what happened then and is still happening. A lot of Penn State fans forget that they shouldn't be outraged for Paterno's sake, but for the sake of those children who were sexually assaulted by someone they thought wanted to help them.

Pacino does not portray a villain in Paterno. They show Paterno for what he was, a human being. He did great things, he helped a lot of people, but he wasn't a saint either. He was not solely responsible for what happened, but the truth is that he isn't without fault either.

So for Penn State fans looking for vindication of Paterno, you won't find that here. If you want a well acted, fairly accurate depiction of what happened, then this will be the film for you.

Strange Magic (2015)

A Surprisingly Addicting Film

[9/10 · 28 August 2016]

I remember when this movie first stirred some interest in development. The idea intrigued me, but the poor reviews and basically no publicity turned me off the film and I never really considered watching it. However, I saw it mentioned on social media and decided to take a look.

Best decision ever.

It's been two days and I've already watched four times. I can't seem to stop. My first viewing was positive, but I wasn't necessarily wowed, but the songs...they just get stuck into your head. The duet of Strange Magic with Marianne and the Bog King is particularly catchy and beautiful. I found myself rewatching that scene again and again, but then I wound up just rematching the whole film. the more I watched it, the more I loved it.

While I would never say any film is perfect and Strange Magic has it's flaws (mainly just side characters in need of more fleshing out and some weaker plot points) but that doesn't outweigh it's good parts. For starters, the animation in this film is incredible. It seems so real at times and the world is absolutely beautiful in its depiction. While some of the secondary characters are weak, the main characters are wonderfully complex. Part of what makes this film so different from other animated films is that their is a history of these characters. You don't normally find in animated films the two main characters each having had past relationships that ended badly and left them vulnerable.

The songs are also great. I think some people can be thrown off by the fact that the songs are not original, but it runs in the vein of Mumma Mia and other musicals that feature pop culture hits. I honestly could see Strange Magic being a hit on Broadway since the plot could be drawn out more and even more pop culture songs added to fill in the weaker spots of the film.

Bottom line, this is a movie that once you find yourself liking, you get hooked. I can definitely see this turning into a cult classic over time. It already has a pretty passionate fanbase. I highly recommend this movie if you are looking for something fun, a little different, but still enjoyable.

Suicide Squad (2016)

What movie did the critics see?

[10/10 · 4 August 2016]

I first go excited for this movie with the trailers. The buzz was great, but the negative reviews from the critics surprised me. Out of all of the superhero/comic movies out there, this one looked different? Why the sudden negativity. Still, I decided to catch the 6 pm early showing of it.

I'm left wondering what film all the critics saw because the one I just walked out of was awesome!

I go to movies looking looking for one thing: entertainment. Boy did this one deliver.

The actors were amazing. I was already impressed by Jared Leto from the trailers and he did not disappoint. Some say he wasn't in the film enough, however, this isn't about the Joker. I think Waller would agree, Joker would never be able to join the Suicide Squad. However, what scenes he is in are great, he really shines. I felt like he was in there just enough for him to be interesting and totally thrilling, but it also left me dying to see him front in center of his own movie. You can tell they have Joker in here as a teaser for for more to come with him.

Magot Robbie was fantastic as Harley Quinn. Out of all of the Squad, I found myself feeling her emotions. You really got to know Harley in this film. I would love to see her and Joker together in another film.

Will Smith was great as Deadshot. Sure, we've seen Will be the sarcastic, fun sort of hero (or I suppose sort of hero in this film) before, but he plays the role well. It certainly was interesting knowing he is not so much a superhero as he is a reluctant antihero with crack shot skills.

The actor that most surprised me was Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Now I thought she looked good in the trailers, but her character was one I didn't have much interest in. Boy did that change. You found yourself sitting up straighter when she was on screen. She is scary in her own way, and despite the fact she's one of the "good guys" you certainly don't trust her and you really don't want to get on her bad side.

Now with all movies, this one does have it's flaws. The girl who plays Deadshot's daughter is perhaps the weakest actor of the crew, but she's not in the film much so that's very minor. The villain's motive is rather typical "take over the world" sort of thing, but that's true with most villain in superhero movies and even in comics.

The flashbacks were all great. Some came bit later in the film, but that only was to better enhance the emotions of the characters. For the first time, you were really connecting with crazy psychopaths and killers in a superhero movie.

Bottom line, don't listen to the critics. If you want a movie that wants to entertain you with really great actors, awesome action, and even surprise you with some feels, then you will love this movie.

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Clash of the Plot Holes!!!

[2/10 · 2 April 2010]

I would like to start off by apologizing to all of the people who I assumed were giving this movie poor reviews out of loyalty for the original. Honestly, they weren't harsh enough.

This movie was awful, I couldn't believe how terrible it was. This has nothing to do with the fact that the movie was not at all faithful to the actual myth of Perseus. As you will recall, the original Clash of the Titans resembled very little of the myth. However, the original movie had deeply involved characters, an interesting plot that was well written and some decent action and special effects.

What did this remake have? I'll tell you. It had plot holes big enough for a barge to fit through, worthless characters who did nothing to help what little plot was there and a rather disappointing ending.

The movie starts off with baby Perseus being found by a fisherman after he and his mother Danae were thrown into the sea. Danae died, but Perseus survived. The fisherman raised Perseus with his wife and later his daughter. When Perseus is grown, Hades attacks his family (for no real reason than just because he could) while at the same time the kingdom of Argos is declaring war on the gods (once again for no real reason than because they could). Perseus is saved and is told by Hades that Zeus is his father. (Why Hades would do that, I have no idea.) Up on Olympus, Zeus is apparently finding out for himself that he has a demigod son which makes no sense because Zeus is the creator of Men, he would HAVE to be aware that he has a son.

Because of Argos's sudden desire to attack Zeus, Hades declares that he will release the Kraken on them in ten days. They will only be spared by letting Andromeda be sacrificed to the Kraken. Again, this didn't make sense. If Hades was mad at Argos, he wouldn't give them a way out, he would just destroy the kingdom. In the original story the sacrifice of Andromeda was brought on because of Cassiopeia's vanity and the insult it delivered Thetis. Here, it was just like Hades thought it would be fun to see Andromeda chained to rock.

Perseus agrees to help Argos not because of love for Andromeda, but because he wants revenge against the gods. At this point, Io shows up and talks a lot. That is pretty much all Io does throughout the movie is talk. My guess is that the writers wanted to introduce a strong woman to the plot, instead what they introduced was a wasted character who actually had no business being in the myth.

Hades meets up with Calibos and reveals his master plot to take over Olympus. Huh, where have I seen this before? Oh yeah, that's right in Hercules. It's a sad day when an action movie has to steal the plot of a Disney movie because they can't come up with anything on their own.

What follows is a lot of action scenes which aren't half bad, but are pretty worthless because they slow down the story. To be fair, there isn't much of a story to slow down. They kill off several characters who mattered to nothing during the fight with Medusa. After Medusa is killed, Calibos kills Io. I know that her death was supposed to be meaningful to Perseus, but it just seemed odd. Their interactions before were not very intimate, in fact there was only one scene that could be construed as some what romantic.

Pegasus appears from no where and takes Perseus to Argos where the Kraken is being released. The battle between the Kraken and Perseus consists of the Kraken ripping down some buildings for about two minutes then Perseus turns him into stone with the head of Medusa. Then he sends Hades back to the Underworld, my what marvelous revenge. You did a bad thing Hades, now you go home. Yawn.

Perseus saves Andromeda and then leaves her on a beach to go to some worthless rock in the ocean. Unlike in the original, Perseus does not fall in love with Andromeda. It wasn't a shock since Andromeda did basically nothing useful except for give bread to children and dangle a hundred feet over the ocean.

Perseus then meets Zeus who suddenly seems pleased with his son though Mankind still hates the gods. He then brings Io back to life so she and Perseus can be worthless forever.

I gave this movie two stars because there were only two things good about it: the CGI and the music. I'll stick to the original movie because while the graphics aren't as good as the remake, at least I actually care for the characters and the storyline makes sense.

Leap Year (2010)

One of the Best Romantic Comedies

[8/10 · 10 January 2010]

I just got back from the theater and I had to write down my review before the inevitable bashing of all rom coms began.

If you are looking for a deep philosophical movie, this isn't for you. If you are looking for an action film, this isn't for you. If you are looking for an epic movie that shatters box office records and leaves you feeling awed by the story, this isn't for you.

But, if you are looking for a sterling good time filled with laughter, romance and a small bit of heartache, then this movie is definitely for you.

The start of this movie is a bit slow, but I realized that was the intent. Amy Adam's character, Anna, is colorless, cold and a bit spoiled at the start. I actually remarked that "She needs her feathers ruffled," and that is what happened. After being disappointed by her boyfriend's inability to propose, Anna runs off to Dublin to follow an ancient tradition her grandmother did in proposing to her boyfriend on Leap Year. The quest to Dublin introduces Anna to handsome Irish lad Declan who's cynical attitude on love and romance leaves her stunned. Each misstep in their journey brings her to seeing how planning every moment of her life may protect her from unwanted surprises but it will leave her without the joy of those wonderful, spontaneous events. By the end of the movie, Anna is no longer bland and cold, but warm and filled with adventure.

Cynical Declan also learns from the adventure. Still nursing a broken heart from his unfaithful fiancé Kaylee, Declan agrees to bring Anna to Dublin in order to save his dilapidated pub. While he enjoys teasing Anna, he also enjoys teaching her how to get her hands dirty and to live in the moment instead of planning every second of her life. Despite their differences, the two find themselves falling in love. When they reach Dublin, Declan find his heart breaking again as he watches Anna's boyfriend Jeremy drop to one knee and ask her to marry him. But instead of falling apart, Declan returns to his pub and is determined to save it.

Yes the plot is predictable. No it has no great philosophical meaning to tell, but this story is filled with old fashioned comedy that stems from a love story every woman would wish was her own.

Sense & Sensibility (2008)

Willoughby: Toad, Colonel Brandon: Prince Charming (As it should be)

[10/10 · 7 December 2009]

I just saw this mere hours ago and I couldn't get it out of my head. I'd like to start off by saying that I read the book and then saw the 1995 version of Sense and Sensibility and couldn't imagine what could top it. It's simple: this mini-series.

Within minutes I was saying that I liked this adaption better than the 1995 movie. I mean no disrespect to Emma Thompson who wrote and starred in that movie, but this was a lot better. There were a few flaws in the film that I hadn't really paid attention too before until I saw this version. The main one being the age of both Thompson who played Elinor and Alan Rickman who played Colonel Brandon. Both were far too old to be playing Elinor who is supposed to be 19 and Brandon who was 35, in which Thompson was in her thirties I believe, and Rickman was 49. The problem wasn't so apparent until I saw this version.

The age problem for Rickman in particular helped convey in the movie that Marianne should have wound up with Willoughby instead of Brandon. The point Austen wanted to make in the book was that Marianne's idea of Brandon being too old was silly seeing as 35 isn't that old. Shallow viewers of the 1995 version would be bothered by the more obviously older man (who looked to be in his fifties) marrying a teenager.

The main thing that won me over in this movie was the portrayal of the men: Edward, Colonel Brandon and Willoughby. Hugh Grant in the 1995 film was good, but at times he seemed too awkward and insecure. Dan Stevens played Edward as having a bit of a sense of humor (like in the book) but still a private man. I instantly liked him. But honestly it was Colonel Brandon and Willoughby when stood out the most.

Willoughby is often forgotten to be the villain of the story, this mini-series made it clear from the start that he isn't a good man. Purists might not like the opening scene of Willoughby seducing Eliza, but I thought it worked well particularly when Willoughby showed Marianne Allenhelm. It reminded us that Marianne is treading through dangerous waters and has no idea of who she is dealing with. In the 1995 film, Thompson left out the scene with Willoughby explaining his actions to Elinor after Marianne is jilted by him. My thought there was that Thompson felt that would draw too much sympathy for Willoughby, but I think that was a mistake. This mini-series included the scene and showed more of Willoughby's selfish character. I felt no sympathy for him at all. In fact I found it hard to believe a word he said. As it should be.

Colonel Brandon is often forgotten about by scholars and that is shame because he is one of my favorite heroes. This adaption did him justice because not only did David Morrissey look the part, but Brandon was given more screen time. Unfortunately both Austen and Thompson didn't show much of Marianne's journey to falling in love with Brandon, but this one filled in that gap. At last we were finally able to see why Colonel Brandon was meant for Marianne instead of Willoughby. When she said that Brandon was "a truly romantic man" I squealed because I'm sure Austen meant the same.

Beyond the men, I will say that the Elinor, Marianne and all of the other characters were done incredibly well. I found nothing lacking in any of them with the exception of Mr. Palmer who was much more amusing in the 1995 version, but since he was a minor character I wasn't offended.

In short, Thompson's version was good but this one outshone hers. Sense and Sensibility had more complicated plot which is why I think a mini-series like this was better suited for it on screen since more time can be devoted to it. If you want to watch the best version of Sense and Sensibility, this is for you. I also recommend reading Colonel Brandon's Diary by Amanda Grange if you are as smitten with his character as I am.

NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023)

Needs A Lot More Work

[4/10 · 28 September 2009]

I am a huge NCIS fan, but when I heard that a spin-off was in the works I was very hesitant. Spin-offs are not always a good idea and I didn't think one was necessary in a show like NCIS. Still, I was determined to the give the show a chance.

I'll start with the good stuff. Chris O'Donnell is a great actor and I was very interested in his character who is surrounded in mystery, starting with the fact that he doesn't know his first name. He is just called G. He had great buddy-buddy chemistry with L.L. Cool J which is necessary for a show like this.

That's all I found appealing. The case was okay at best, not really riveting. The other characters were bland and didn't seem to mix very well. Also, I was stunned to find that Edna Mode from The Incredibles had decided to leave the Superhero business and join NCIS. Linda Hunt is a very good actress but I must criticize the make up and costume people as she looks exactly like the animated character Edna Mode from The Incredibles. I kept waiting for her call supermodels "Skinny little stick figures with poofy lips". When she was dressing up Chris O'Donnell I actually had to say out loud, "No capes!"

The humor seemed forced. I started laughing when Chris O'Donnell and L.L. Cool J were coming up with their cover story as a realtor and his client, but the joke kept going to long and it lost it's humor.

They also seem to be making this part of NCIS the MI6 of the Navy. The team is situated in a high tech facility disguised as a Spanish Mission. A little weird for the Navy seeing as how they are supposed to be investigating crimes and not riding around in invisible cars or using a jet-pack like James Bond. Also when they had Director Vance appear on a giant screen from the ceiling, I had to groan. Way over the top.

The point is that the show is NCIS: Los Angeles, meaning Naval Criminal Investigation Service, not Spies-R-Us. I applaud them for trying to make it different than it's mother show, but this doesn't resemble anything like the criminal show it is supposed to be.

NCIS: Truth or Consequences (2009) Season 7, Episode 1

One of the best episodes EVER!!!

[10/10 · 22 September 2009]

Last season of NCIS had me disappointed. Season six lacked the extensive plot that lies behind the scenes of every episode. Instead, they ended the interesting "mole in NCIS" way too soon and left us with nothing of interest until Michael Rivkin, and even that didn't satisfy us. However, that was all forgotten in the last forty-five seconds of the season six finale when we all saw Ziva tied up in a chair in Somalia with no Gibbs in sight to help her.

This season opener grabbed you just like the season six finale, in the first forty-five seconds. The difference is that this episode reeled you in and didn't let you ago, even after it was over. I'm still gasping in shock and counting the minutes until next Tuesday.

First of all we see Tony tied up just like Ziva and talking to the same guy that spoke to Ziva in the last scene of season six, Saleem Ulman. I loved Tony's narration that filled us in on not only what was going on, but at the same time what had passed. Our first shots of the team minus Ziva showed them at their usual struggles in a typical NCIS humorous way. I was actually stunned by how they seemed to be doing fine without Ziva...until I realized that was all just a carefully placed mask. We see the team go through about six possible replacements and it all boils down to one thing: Ziva is irreplaceable.

Through Tony's talks, we learn that the team figured out that Mossad had lost Ziva somehow. We also learn that Tony arrived in Somalia not to rescue Ziva, but to kill Saleem because--according to Tony--he killed Ziva.

Something I surprisingly liked was the fact that Ziva was of course really alive. Not only was this a clue from the credits with included Cote de Pablo as usual, but also in how the team thinks she was killed at sea when of course we all saw her beaten up in Somalia. This was a good choice because there were many fans terrified that Ziva was going to die seeing as how NCIS has killed off two members before.

I had to laugh when NCIS traced Saleem's location through his favorite beverage: Caf-Pow. Just too funny.

The acting in this episode was phenomenal, better than an average episode which is typical of NCIS when they have highly charged plot like this. When Saleem reveals to the captured Tony and McGee that Ziva is in fact alive, not only was Tony's shock and quick dry remark "So how was your summer?" perfect, but so was Ziva's reaction. I swear I saw a hint of a smile on her face when she saw him, no doubt having thought she wouldn't see any of them again.

Of course the man who comes to their rescue was Gibbs, we wouldn't have wanted it any other way. It turns out that Tony and McGee had planned their capture, just not Ziva's rescue exactly. Gibbs doesn't show any emotion when he sees Ziva alive he only says, "Let's go home." That's the Gibbs we know and love.

The last scene is of all of NCIS clapping at their return and I had to chime in, but not for them, but for the episode. It felt like the old NCIS has returned and I couldn't wait for the next episode. After the previews I actually shouted to my sister "I'm going to die! I'm going to die! We are building a time machine and going into the future to next Tuesday. All we need is a flux capacitor, a Delorean and the guy who played as Doc." I guarantee it, any true NCIS fan will feel the same way as I do.

Gamer (2009)

Great Action, Not So Great Plot

[5/10 · 16 September 2009]

I went into the theater expecting a great action movie. What I got was a mediocre action movie.

The Good Stuff: Amazing action. I was on the edge of my seat during the battle scenes with Gerard Butler's character Kable. His character was well thought out and very easy to relate too. Some sterling acting on Butler's part. Michael C. Hall stole the show with his character Ken Castle, the villain of the story. He was an excellent mad scientist kind of character. The idea of the film is good too. Our world has certainly become a gaming world so the idea about a video game that controls people is easy to understand. The character Simon, the seventeen year old who controls Kable, was very funny. I genuinely enjoyed his scenes.

The Bad Stuff: This movie had a great idea, but the plot line was lacking a lot. There were way too many holes in it that were filled in by action and nudity. Some of the characters were pointless while others were needed but not fully rounded. Ken Castle was good, but his motives behind his actions weren't always clear particularly when it came to adopting Kable's daughter. It didn't make any sense why he would adopt the girl after her father was sent to prison. Certainly he couldn't have imagined that Kable would escape in the end. It just seemed odd that he would assume years before Kable's escape that he would see any use for her, even to use against Kable.

The plot line never was fully developed obviously. With the character Humanz, I assumed he was leading some sort of revolution against the game Slayers but it was never fully shown. While I could certainly see why he would object to it, I couldn't understand what his motives were or how he even planned on stopping the game. Ken Castle's plan to take over the world was interesting, but again I couldn't find any rhyme or reason to it. We never got to really know Castle so it was hard to fear or hate him like other villains.

Besides the thin plot, my main complaint is the nudity. Star Wars proved that you can have an excellent SciFi movie without having to show a woman's breasts every seven seconds. Perhaps the intention was to show that when given the chance, humans let loose their dirty side if there aren't any rules. If that was the intent, it was overlooked. The nudity was distracting, taking away from the plot. They should have put less topless women and more juice to plot line.

In total, it could have been A LOT better. I recommend renting this movie and seeing if you like it instead of taking the time to go to the theater.

Scarlett (1994)

Frankly My Dear...I Loved It!

[10/10 · 28 May 2009]

My mother is as Gone With The Wind as one can be. She has the collector's plates, the Rhett and Scarlett Madame Alexander dolls, GWTW Christmas ornaments, even a GWTW cookbook! My sister and I had only seen bits and pieces of GWTW but we knew the whole plot by heart. On a whim, my sister bought this miniseries thinking my mother would like it and we had taken an interest in it after leafing through the novel a bit.

Yesterday we decided to watch both Gone With The Wind and Scarlett. We started GWTW at about 2:30 in the afternoon and ended it at 6:30. We started Scarlett right after. My mother usually goes to bed at about 10:00, she wound up staying up until 1:30 with us to finish it! We were riveted! I like how the movie starts off at Melanie's funeral, right where Scarlett left off saying, "I'll think about it tomorrow." Scarlett doesn't stay in Georgia for long, she runs off to Charleston in her quest to win him back. Rhett is not happy when he finds Scarlett in his home so he leaves for the family's plantation. Scarlett, being Scarlett, follows him and they finally agree to put aside their quarrels for a time in order to keep the gossip at bay. Rhett starts to enjoy her company again and takes her out on his boat. A storm comes up and they sink. He helps her swim to the shore of some island. Terrified that she has died, Rhett is anxious until she awakes. When she does they both get swept up in the moment and make love. Scarlett wakes up the next day back in Charleston but Rhett has gone and writes that he thinks it best if they never see each other again.

Scarlett is heartbroken and when she is so she does some stupid things, in this case she is seen by Anne Hampton going up into a hotel room alone with Ashley. Nothing happens, but her reputation is stained so Scarlett goes to Savannah with her two spinster aunts. She soon discovers that she is pregnant and decides to wait for the right time to tell Rhett. While in Savannah she meets many of her O'Hara relatives and grows to like one cousin in particular a Father Colum. She soon gets her divorce notice from Rhett and then decides she will never tell him about her baby just to spite him. Typical Scarlett.

She decides to go to Ireland to make sure Rhett can never discover her condition. She meets many more relatives and buys a beautiful ancestral home Ballyhara. Through out this time, Rhett is courting Anne. It is on Halloween when Scarlett gets the notice that Rhett has remarried, she goes into labor that night.

The movie skips to a year later and Scarlett is very happy with her beautiful daughter Kat. She is being pursued by Lord Richard Fenton who is really an evil man, forcing a young girl named Mary Boyle to sleep with him. Scarlett meets Rhett and Anne again at a horse fair. After a riding accident, Scarlett has a conversation with Anne and learns that she and Rhett are to have a baby. Heartbroken again, Scarlett leaves and goes to Dublin with Fenton. There she cultivates a relationship with him, like I said, she does stupid things when she is heartbroken.

Mary Boyle has discovered she is pregnant and goes to Colum for help. The priest urges Fenton to help the girl and Fenton murders him after Colum threatens to tell Scarlett. Fenton convinces Scarlett to go to London with him to escape her grief over Colum's death. Mary asks to go with her. Back in Charleston, Anne has died of Yellow Fever. It is made clear that she never bore Rhett a child.

In London, Scarlett sees Fenton's true colors after he hurts her when she isn't in the mood the sleep with him. Fenton rapes her after she tells him she never wants to see him again. She falls unconscious after and when she wakes up Fenton has been stabbed to death. Scarlett is charged with his murder.

Rhett hears about it and rushes off to England with Sally in tow. Fearful of the gallows, Scarlett has no choice but to tell Rhett about their daughter. Rhett is furious at her for keeping such a secret but stays to help her. Mary Boyle, the real killer, can't be found. Scarlett is found guilty but Mary finally arrives to declare her innocence. After promising to help Mary, Scarlett leaves with Rhett for Ireland because as he says, "It's time I became acquainted with my daughter." The scene where he sees Kat for the first time is absolutely beautiful. In Ireland, Rhett sees how much Scarlett has changed and the two finally reconcile completely and admit they still love each other deeply.

After seeing GWTW, I will say that yes, Vivian Leigh was a better Scarlett, but I liked the character of Scarlett in this film than in the first. The reason being that in GWTW, you don't know why you like Scarlett. She's so cruel to Rhett and haughty and spoiled, but you like her lively spirit. In Scarlett, you see how much she has changed. Oh she is still in the lap of luxury, but she's not haughty anymore. You see how she becomes a true mother to Kat and a generous person to the poor people of Ireland. Joanne Whalley does and excellent job at playing this new side of Scarlett. Timothy Dalton is not Clark Gable, but at times you swear that you can see original Rhett in him.

If you just sit back and not compare Joanne Whalley and Timothy Dalton with Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable, you will most certainly enjoy this movie. It's a chance to compare the Scarlett of yesterday, the one she becomes after "tomorrow".

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)

Abysmal

[1/10 · 20 May 2009]

Two hours of my life and eight dollars I will never get back.

The first movie was adorable and actually had a meaningful plot line to it. Reese Witherspoon was cute and reminded every girl about their little blonde moments, I know I've had them.

This movie took that all away. Now Reese was just plain annoying. No longer funny, silly and charming. The plot was a disaster, often moving on to other meaningless subplots. The new characters were all useless and I was unable to connect to them.

However, the worst part of the movie was the introduction that Bruiser, Elle's dog, was gay. Not only did this take away from the plot, it was down right ridiculous.

Readers be warned, stay far away from this movie.

Castle (2009–2016)

I wish I had more thumbs because two just isn't enough.

[10/10 · 14 May 2009]

I saw a preview for this show while I was in a movie theater and I am glad that I decided to take a look. Within five minutes of the pilot I was already rolling on the floor laughing.

Nathan Fillion has always been a favorite of mine and he fills the shoes of the witty, cocky, charming author Rick Castle perfectly. Castle is a mystery writer and out of boredom has just killed off his best selling character Nick Storm. Now he is suffering a severe case of writer's block and sees no hope of recovery. But when a killer begins to copy the murders in his books, Castle finds the answer to his prayers.

Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) is a no nonsense working girl who has a secret love for Rick Castle's books but an obvious frustration with Castle himself. To her horror, Castle finds her his muse and brokers an arrangement to be partnered with her while she solves crimes.

Castle rides shotgun every episode driving Beckett crazy with his boyish charms. However, it is apparent that she is amused by him and can clearly see that he is a good father to his daughter Alexis (Molly C. Quin). I must say that Alexis a breath of fresh air. She is not a typical TV Teen with drama tattooed across her forehead. She is a smart, well behaved and mature young girl, sometimes more mature than her father. It's nice to see a wholesome teen on television and not another drama queen.

While the pilot is not as gripping as most other shows, don't let that fool you. If you keep watching you'll find the show absolutely addicting. Each episode is better than the last where you see the many sides of Castle and Beckett, learn their secrets and fears as well as see the growing friendship (and chemistry) blossoming between them.

Twilight (I) (2008)

Stole My Heart!

[10/10 · 6 May 2009]

I saw the trailer for this movie while I was watching another one and I scoffed at it. I purposely ignored the Harry Potter craze and saw Twilight as the same sort of situation. However, the trailer left me intrigued. I decided to just take a look at this movie just to see what all of the fuss was about.

It's official, I have been bitten by the Twilight bug. I fell head over heels, madly, passionately and irrevocably in love with Edward and Bella. Their love story is so different than the usual teen drama, and not just because it contains hunky vampires (that's just a bonus). It's mature, lacking the usual mundane teenager drama. You almost forget that they are supposed to be in high school and see them as two adults beginning an incredible but dangerous journey.

There isn't a lot of action but I didn't miss it. This movie isn't like The Lost Boys, filled with death and terror. It's a love story great for all ages.

Robert Pattinson is wonderful as the breathtaking Edward, the vampire torn between his love for Bella and his fear of killing her because of her blood's enticing scent. Kristen Stewart plays the mature and klutzy Bella. She plays her character perfectly, showing her as completely spellbound to Edward and quite willing to accept this mythical world she as stumbled upon, even hoping to become a part of one day. I look forward to seeing her in New Moon when Bella's emotional journey takes a serious hit.

After seeing the movie I collected all of the books and I am happy to say that it's not that different. Sure there are additions and several subtractions to the story, but all in all the characters and plots were untouched. I recommend this movie to all of whom are undecided about reading the books. Once the credits roll you'll be heading to the book store, I guarantee it.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

Absolute Fun!!

[7/10 · 6 May 2009]

I am a big fan of movies whether they be dark and twisty, action packed or sweet and funny. Romantic comedies sure are predictable and lack a shocking ending but sometimes that's what I want.

Matthew McConaughey plays the suave and sleazy debonair, Connor Mead who has a new girl not everyday, but every hour! His rakish ways were taught to him by his Uncle Wayne(Michael Douglas), who he continues to revere as the ultimate bachelor. He returns home to play best man to his kid brother, Paul. While Connor is trying keep Paul away from the alter, the only person who can take his snarky words is Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner), his childhood friend and ex-girlfriend. Connor is on the brink of ruining the wedding when the ghost of his beloved Uncle Wayne arrives and tells him he will be visited by three ghosts who will attempt to show him the error of his womanizing ways.

Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past is a typical romantic comedy with a typical romantic ending, but that's not a bad thing. The story made me laugh and want to slap McConaughey's face at times which only proves how good of an actor he is. He and Garner has some good chemistry and some of his monologues seriously left me choked up.

I was a little disappointed with the ending because they kind of skewed away from the happy couple and turned into a sort of silly bit of fun. It was cute, but I think the traditional ending would have suited this better.

All in all, great fun. It's a movie you want to watch with a gallon of ice cream on a rainy day. It's sweet, romantic and just down right hilarious!