Gypsybelle Reviews

Brimstone (2016)

The epitome of Tragedy! Will make you cry...

[8/10 · 30 May 2023]

I just now watched Brimstone...not sure why I didn't see it when it was first released. Honestly, I'm more a fan of Science Fiction and Action flicks. Brimstone is a very powerful film in the Genre of Tragedy. Guy Pierce was downright terrifying as The Minister. The film was well cast. Dakota Fanning (Joanna and 'Liz') and Emilia Jones (young Joanna) both gave riveting performances. The character of Joanna (later AKA Liz) is one of the most tragic characters I've seen in a while. Joanna never had a really happy life until she becomes 'Liz', marries and has a daughter...and that portion of her life is short-lived. The acting and overall storyline will draw you in and elicit levels of emotion that you might not have felt for a while, if at all. I was totally crushed by the ending and haven't actually cried while watching a film for a long time. This one really got to me...If you are getting tired of all the re-boots being done by Hollywood today (due to an obvious lack of creative writing abilities), then Brimstone is highly recommended.

The Winchesters (2022–2023)

Good So Far - BUT a Problem with the writers Continuity!

[7/10 · 9 April 2023]

I've been a big fan of Supernatural so I wanted to watch 'The Winchesters' as a prequel when it came out. I finally started watching it today. So far I'm on Episode 4, Masters of War. Overall, I'm liking it so far. I love that they are using songs that go along with the setting of 1972. The characters are compelling. I love that Jensen Ackles is narrating as 'Dean Winchester'.

BUT - Wow! On Episode 4, John Winchester and Carlos are in a therapy group for Veterans...Carlos was evidently in the Navy. The lack of research and continuity here is that both of them were discharged from service and should never have showed up to therapy in uniform! And in the dialog, Carlos calls himself a 'Navy Medic'! NO WAY. In the Navy, Carlos would have been a Navy Corpsman. The Air Force and Army had 'Medics'. I was a Navy Corpsman so I do take a bit of objection to that in the script. They didn't take the time to do the right research in writing the dialog for the script. The Writers need to get your facts right! Take pride in your career...Otherwise, seems like a good show so far. I will continue watching.

Z Nation (2014–2018)

Bland, Empty, Horribly Written

[2/10 · 27 September 2014]

I initially gave it a 1 star. I tossed in a bone for 2 stars. Why, oh why, doesn't SYFY get the talented teams that created some of SYFY Networks most wonderful commercials to develop some original series and movies for them? Z Nation would be a very low grade film, so making this into a 'series' is a major shame and waste of time and money. The story line could have been interesting (from a post apocalyptic point of view), if the dialog and character development were any good, which they are not. Dialogue is cheesy (not in a fun way either), and the actors are very bland. The video quality is also horrible and very stale to the eyes. Anything worth making is worth making right. Sheesh. How hard is that?

Z Nation is no where near as good as The Walking Dead! TWD has interesting sub-plots with the characters, delving into what happened before and after the Zombie Virus broke out so you can really see how this has changed all of them (for worse or better). I don't care about ANY of the characters in Z Nation so far, except maybe Citizen Z (DJ Qualls) and his dog. OK...the Zombie Baby was kind of creepy fun; albeit fleeting.

SYFY has failed miserably with launching Z Nation. What kind of 'Kool-Aid' were their executives drinking?

Predators (2010)

Great Entertainment!

[9/10 · 10 December 2010]

I really enjoyed Predators! The storyline, acting, filming and special effects are fabulous. Casting was done really well. All the actors fit their characters. I didn't get to see this one until DVD release and after I watched it, I realized it would have been worth a trip to the theater to see it on the big screen. I loved the 'tie-in' to the original 'Predator' film and it made perfect sense. I see no reason to mention actor names specifically as they all performed very well in their roles. I will say that Topher Grace has been playing dirt bags in films recently and this was not an exception (watch 'Predators' yourself and figure it out!). This film is definitely worth watching if you like Sci-fi action that is good all the way around. I hope they do make a sequel to this one with the surviving characters (don't want to spoil it too much by naming them). Just WATCH IT and ENJOY!

The Immortal Voyage of Captain Drake (2009 TV Movie)

The Mistaken Voyage of Captain Drake

[1/10 · 25 April 2010]

This was one of the worst movies I ever attempted to watch. I love Adrian Paul but his 'acting' was totally bad if you even want to call it 'acting'. It was as if he was resisting to even reciting the lines given in the script and just spit them out as 'whatever' - Okay so it was a badly written script. How desperate was Paul to do this? Even the sound track was bad! The whole movie was pitiful. I couldn't even finish it. I believe that anything (especially a film) to be done is worth doing right. It is possible to do even a low budget film in the right way but evidently the writer, producer and director of this film haven't figured that out yet and take absolutely no pride in what they do! Wes Ramsey (as 'Peter Easton') did the best acting of all even with the lame writing in the script. I believed his character anyway. Kudos to Wes for doing the best he could with such horrible dialog! Even George Lucas can write better dialog than Rafael Jordan! The overall storyline was interesting, even though it was certainly not reflective of actual events in the life of Sir Francis Drake. This venture was a total waste of time for the actors and anyone who was unfortunate enough to watch it, even for a few minutes. Even 'Ishtar' deserved an Academy Award compared to this flick.

Of course, other reviewers seem to really like this one. Everyone has different opinions and take aways from films they watch.

I have said this before and I'll say it now...SciFi (now SyFy) Channel should turn to the writers and directors of its wonderful 'commercials' to write a good 'original' film for its network! SyFy has proved to show horrible and poorly written 'original' films on a regular basis - Get with the program SyFy Executives! With the right writers, great made-for-TV films are possible - even on a lower budget.

Mothman (2010 TV Movie)

Yikes! SyFy Strikes Again!

[2/10 · 25 April 2010]

'Mothman' was yet another miserable 'original' film that SyFy decided to torture viewers with. Who at the SyFy Network is drinking the wrong Kool-Aid? They need to hire knowledgeable and intelligent decision makers when it comes to their line-up and production processes. The only thing redeemable about 'Mothman' is that the acting is above average for SyFy original features. The cast did a pretty good job with such a crazy, undeveloped storyline and script. The special effects were really pitiful - worse than the old dinosaur flicks from the 50's and 60's. With today's technology, someone with creativity and skill could have created much better effects with home computer equipment. I believe that any movie worth making is worth making right - as right as possible anyway. This starts with the writers of course. A solid plot, storyline and dialog really are the most important - special effects can enhance or destroy a film as well. Continuity is a major element in both, in order to eliminate possible holes and aid in believability. I guess the production company didn't have anyone who could provide continuity for the script or work-flow during filming and editing. Oh well. And why the heck did 'SciFi' change their name to 'SyFy'? Ridiculous!

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009)

Enjoyable Entertainment!

[8/10 · 3 April 2010]

I really did enjoy Cirque du Freak! It is a fun flick to just sit back and laugh and be mystified by some unusual 'freakish' characters. This is one story that needs to unfold into some sequels to give us more visual adventures of Darren Shan - The Vampire's Assistant. I have not read any of the books; although my daughter has read some. She enjoyed the film too. I have to admit that I really don't like it when screenwriters take too much liberty in changing story lines when using a novel...a little bit of condensing and modifying is sometimes necessary for a 2 hour format; but too much changing really ruins the story.

I found 'Cirque Du Freak' as enjoyable as similarly 'toned' films such as 'The Monster Squad','The Goonies' and 'Flight of the Navigator'. Even my hard as nails husband liked this one. I'd love to see more original fantasy fun films come out of Hollywood - rather than watching them try to remake favorite 'classics' and turn those into junk.

Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009)

I give in - This is a GREAT Show! (Fan of 1970's Series!)

[9/10 · 7 January 2009]

OK so...I cave. I am a child of the 70's and loved the original BattleStar storyline and cast. I was so skeptical of this 'updated' version of Battlestar Galactica...The President is a woman? Starbuck and Boomer are women? What the heck?! I was totally resistant even to watch one episode when I heard the 'stupid' changes made to the original story...I thought 'what are these Hollywood idiots doing now?". Why can't they come up with 'original ideas'? My husband watched the new series and liked it and eventually I started watching it and I have to admit the newly devised characters and plot line caught my attention eventually. This has been an amazing and ever surprising series. I had to end up looking at it as a new idea and get rid of my memories of the original. Overall film/video technology has advanced/improved and Science Fiction has matured, so this is a great renewal of an old idea for sure. Very original in itself as to the pro-creation of Human/Cylon and Cylon/Cylon children. It has shown that even the Cylon 'Humanoids' (and they truly ARE more 'human' than 'Robots') can love, be loved, and want to nurture their young. Some of the newly revealed Cylons will be true to their human counterparts because they 'grew up' as human and they are indeed more flesh and blood - with feelings and emotion - than they are cybernetic - I believe even the silent/embedded programming in their 'chips' will not take over all of the final five. Just my take. This has been a very interesting run of seasons and I trust that we will get an acceptable finale to this series when it reaches its time to end. At least I hope so - I've hated when networks end a rather good series prematurely and without giving the fans/viewers a good finale to bring it all home. Let's hope the SciFi Network gives the right and final closure to this Battlestar Galactica Epic!

Open Season (1974)

Human Hunting - Wild and Bizarre!

[5/10 · 24 May 2008]

This is one bizarre film!. I actually saw this movie in 1976 at a drive-in theater in Orlando - with my own mother! I was young, in the Navy and home on leave. Mom wanted a girl's night out so we went shopping and decided to go to the drive-in. It was Peter Fonda night so we got a double feature of Open Season and Easy Rider. Open Season was rather shocking for me to see with Mom. My mother was rather cool so it wasn't too bad. I had always loved Peter Fonda, but his role in Open Season was as a bad guy - a really psycho-pervert. I guess that is why this film has been hard to find mention of on the internet until the last couple of years. I don't know why because Peter Fonda did another rather wacko flick called 'Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry' which was even more bizarre. After this length of time, I would actually like to see Open Season again and compare it with my memories. The theme is very haunting – that of three Vietnam War Veterans who are best friends – in some sense of the word. They get together on an annual 'hunting trip', complete with a family style station wagon and traditional hunting attire! They seem harmless enough in the beginning – very middle class dedicated family men. As the movie progresses, we find out that they are not out for venison. It must be some kind of post-traumatic Vietnam type anguish. They crave the 'human hunt'! They find the perfect quarries in an older man with his younger mistress. Okay, so it was rather hard to feel sympathy for the couple the men chose for this year's hunt….the guy was cheating on his wife. However, the brutality inflicted on the victims was totally vicious. I ended up feeling slightly sorry for the two. The woman did what she thought she needed to do to survive – her boyfriend was a total wuss. I did have a lot of problem seeing Peter Fonda playing such a maniac – but he was very effective at the part – he made me hate him and want him to die a miserable death! The greatest conflict in this film comes from an earlier victim of their 'hunts' – they had raped a young woman years before and as a result she had a baby (no idea on which one was the father). The young woman ended up in a mental institution as a result of the torture they put her through. Her parents raised the son she bore. Her father finally figured out who had done this to his beloved child and was bound for revenge. He follows our fearsome threesome on this particular journey with his own kind of retaliation in mind. You have to see the film to appreciate the circle of life/revenge. This film shows credence to the old saying that 'What Goes Around – Comes Around'!

Starman (1984)

Starman - My Man - Loved it!

[9/10 · 9 February 2008]

I loved this film. I'm surprised the overall user rating isn't higher. I love Science Fiction anyway, but it is especially powerful, with a hint of romance. We don't always need the graphic violence or blatant 'love scenes'. Sometimes the subtle approach to any film will energize viewers brain cells and really make us use our imagination. Starman did just that. I really wanted Jeff Bridges to get the Academy Award for his portrayal of an alien who had so many problems trying to adjust to being human. Jeff played his role oh so well, as an adult who was really childlike 'in learning his new surroundings. Starman should have received more recognition as a classic in Sci-Fi.

Cloverfield (2008)

Intense Moments of Total Fear!

[9/10 · 19 January 2008]

I totally loved this flick! Sure the video is choppy, but it usually is when shot from a hand-held video cam. This was so realistic, I felt like I was there with the group. Total mayhem like that would happen if this were a real event. I didn't feel the 'motion sickness' many of the reviewers speak of at all. The ending is abrupt and I found myself really wanting more as I left the theater. The next best thing Abrams and Reeves could do is collaborate on a sequel which would be shot in the normal sense for a film - with a more complete storyline which would explain the origins of the creature and its lively deadly 'offlings'...This film is brilliant in all the pre-marketing and even in the choice of filming for this type of perspective. I was totally involved with all the characters. I will definitely watch it again when it comes on DVD.

Voodoo Moon (2006 TV Movie)

Good Concept but POORLY Delivered

[1/10 · 18 May 2007]

I watched this flick mainly because of the main actors: Eric Mabius, Charisma Carpenter, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace and John Amos. The storyline caught my attention. I thought this would be at least interesting. It was horrible! I'd give this the SUPER ISHTAR Award! Even Ishtar was a better film! Attack of the Killer Tomatoes would have won an Academy Award if compared to Voodoo Moon. I even love camp B-grade films but this one was F-Grade! It is totally slug slow and boring. The script writing and directing are incredibly lame, the acting is lethargic (did they feed the actors Thorazine?). Did Kevin VanHook win a lottery in some state to fund this fiasco? I could have done better with an 8mm video camera and local talent! Because I needed to see the end, it took me three different days to finally finish Voodoo Moon. I started and stopped the DVD several times. The initial plot was interesting, but the development of the storyline was so infantile. There were many open holes that were never filled in. The ending of this movie just drops off into some sort of empty black hole. Kevin VanHook may have some good credits to his name for video effects but after looking at the other films he as written, directed or produced, I think I will totally avoid any future films he purports to deliver. Pure BUNK!

Lady in the Water (2006)

Do you have Imagination? If so you will love this film!

[8/10 · 22 July 2006]

With Lady in the Water, Shyamalan renders a beautiful fantasy tale. Some of the critics didn't get it, because they've long ago gone brain dead and require a fast pace action filled tale that doesn't require any real mental power to understand. I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, after the marketing for The Village, but I was not disappointed one bit. While it is slow paced, I was never bored and stayed transfixed to the screen. The only negative thing I could say is that there are a few holes in the storyline. It was rather rushed and lacked some real character development. Not one of the residents really doubts Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) when he tells them he has a sea-nymph called a 'narf' and needs everyone's help because she is in danger. Maybe it was a prerequisite for living in the complex not to be a skeptic? Story, as wonderfully portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard, brings up Cleveland's tragic past - but it is just dropped out there without warning. Otherwise, I loved the film. Mr. Shyamalan is definitely original in his material. If you like a good fantasy story as an escape from the 6 o'clock news, give Lady in the Water a try.

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Superb Film! Don't listen to the Brain Dead Critics!

[10/10 · 19 May 2006]

I'm really surprised at some of the ratings for this wonderful film! The Da Vinci Code is long, but it kept my attention the entire time. It is a thought provoking journey into aspects of our religious 'history' that I had already had visions of my own about. Could be just fiction - but the revelations in the book and film could be more...I have no doubt in my mind that the Catholic Church (indeed ALL organized religious sects) have kept many secrets from us over the generations; whatever it takes to control the masses. I'm not saying that what Dan Brown wrote is true, but it sure makes an interesting premise! I saw the C+ ratings, I didn't bother to see where those film critics and users got that breakdown, because they are all way off target. This film is one that the viewer has to really sit and think about - and pay attention to. It's not a wham bam bang em up action adventure flick. It forces you to really watch and listen. It is certainly not boring. I had not read the book before seeing the movie, but I do intend to go buy it and read it now. The filmography is deliberate and beautiful, the music fits the scenes. The cast was well chosen for their parts. Maybe watching this film was just too much work for some of the critics and other viewers? We've gotten so lazy with the mindless junk that many film makers and television networks throw at us most of the time. Dan Brown definitely did his homework in order to put together this masterpiece! Ron Howard did a fabulous job directing and the acting was superb! Just keep an open mind and don't see this film expecting a whole lot of non-stop action. There is enough action and suspense to make you flinch occasionally, but mostly, it's a story being told so you do have to put your mind and imagination to work. Is that too hard for you to do?

Invasion (2005–2006)

Invasion is a Great Show! Keep it on the Lineup!

[8/10 · 17 May 2006]

I am so tired of Network 'Execs' (virtual dumb heads) deciding to take off a great show due to what they perceive to be 'low ratings' without taking a really good look at the number of people who watch. No one polled me! I am one who loves the Sci Fi and fantasy shows. I am so tired of all the cloned sitcoms and spin offs of things like Law and Order (how many clones are there of that one?). It is especially irritating when they yank a show that many of us really love, without at least giving it a grand finale! Invasion is a really interesting show. Okay, the first season got a bit lame here and there, but the writers and creative staff needed some time to build a good storyline and character development for shows that are complicated. I just watched what was supposed to be the 2nd Season Finale. It turns out that it may be the Series Finale. Way too premature! The characters and plot were just starting to get really interesting. We also have lost Surface - which also gained so many possibilities from the 'season finale'. Dang it all! I want to know if Larkin and her baby became hybrids or perhaps the alien just healed them and put them back on shore!

My favorite shows are Charmed, Lost, Invasion, Surface, Ghost Whisperer (thought I detest Jennifer Love-Hewitt as an actress), Supernatural etc. Those are the shows I love because they are fantasy and NOT 6 O-Clock Newsy or stupid-don't-think-sitcoms. We have way too many 'Reality Shows'; cop n robber shows; animated and live sitcoms etc. We need fantasy shows that give us that escapist thrill to think! I am at the point now where I may just refuse to watch ANY TV and go back to the good ole book reading. I'm done with network politics! How do such self-serving idiots get to control the airwaves?

Caved In (2006 TV Movie)

UGH! Sci Fi Strikes Again!

[2/10 · 7 January 2006]

Watched this tonight...it was a forced endeavor after the first few minutes. The Sci Fi Network has some real need of new creative staff, writers and directors. This was a poorly done venture of a pitiful film. While I enjoyed seeing Colm Meaney (Vincent) and Christopher Atkins (John Palmer) again, even their acting was rather bleak. The plot was interesting, but overdone - huge mutant beetles living underground for who knows how long. While the bugs themselves looked 'real', the editing was painful! There were really bad clips during the entire movie. Pay attention to a scene early in the movie when the group is going down the mine shaft – one guy nearly falls out – watch the 'skillful' editing when they get him back on the lift! Amateur film makers with Hi-8 Video Cameras could have probably done a better job. What was up with the actors who played the kids? Chelan Simmons (Emily Palmer) and Stevie Mitchell (Miles Palmer) were real screamers! I had to check the cast list to make sure that the actress who played Emily wasn't the daughter of Kate Capshaw! (Remember all the shrill, needless screaming she did in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom). All Chelan/Emily did was scream nearly the entire movie. If the writers were more realistic, the character of Emily would have been more of a fighter and helped her mother, Samantha (played by Angela Featherstone). At one point, I hoped Samantha would just shoot Emily to shut her up. I love the Sci Fi Channel because I really love Science Fiction and Adventure films, but the bigwigs in that network need a reality check and clean house of those who are producing their network movies. Most Sci Fi Channel/Network 'Original' movies have been absolutely horrible. Why do I even try to watch their 'Original' movies? Because I do live this type of movie and want to give them a chance and...I must also be a glutton for punishment...I keep expecting that they will finally get with the right picture.

Sci Fi DOES have some great and very creative commercials - maybe they need to have the people making those promotional spots produce their network movies.

Wonderfalls (2004– )

The Lion, the Monkey and the Creamer

[9/10 · 17 December 2005]

What the heck was Fox thinking? OK what do the network execs ever think? Do they think? Did they ever listen and lick the light switch? Sheesh... Wonderfalls was one of the most fun series Fox has ever had on the air..and they AXED IT without giving it a chance! Obviously they are NOT as in tune with their viewers as Jaye Tyler was with her inanimate objects! Check the other many viewer comments here on IMDb.COM and you will see the truth. There are so many reviews here and I haven't read all of them, but out of those I did see, NONE of them were negative. Amazing! This fabulously quirky show was so much better than the one it was 'up against' - Joan of Arcadia. That show was B.O.R.I.N.G. All of the characters and the acting on Wonderfalls was so much better - not to leave out the great script writing and plot development! The dialog and scenarios were hilarious! Perhaps this show was more original than the producers at Fox could fathom? I was so let down when it was unduly canceled...I had a void...wanted more! Crazy you say? Maybe...but it was one show that was so enjoyable that I looked forward to each episode knowing that I would definitely be entertained. I was so happy to get the DVD set and even my skeptical husband ended up looking forward to watching each episode. The strange part here is he always assumed that Wonderfalls was a 'chick show' and wouldn't watch it when it was live. He ended up really liking it when I 'forced' him to watch the first episode on DVD...he insisted on watching the rest of the shows! Fox failed this show by lack of true marketing and shifting of time slots! Fox has done that with so many other great shows. Where's the justice? Fox needs to lick the dang light switch and get with it! Bring back Entertainment and get rid of the idiotic 'reality' shows you want to shove in our faces.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Disappointing Finale to an Epic Legend...

[6/10 · 21 May 2005]

Bah...Humbug! I went into the theater full of eager anticipation...and I left feeling as if I should have written the script! I had no exhilaration like I felt when I left after the previous two in this trilogy. I thought back to what I liked, or didn't like, about the original trilogy – Episodes 4, 5 & 6. I remember seeing Episode 4 - A New Hope, when it debuted in 1977 and I was disappointed in that one too. I thought it was boring. I ended up loving Star Wars by Episode 6 - Return of the Jedi. I was quite pleased with Episodes 1 and 2. The storyline, casting, writing, direction and special effects were totally amazing. I fully expected George Lucas to do the ULTIMATE with this last movie - to 'Bring it all Home'...but he failed to do that. In scenes that could have been real tear-jerker's, the dialog was lame and the acting was pitiful! I read somewhere that Francis Ford Coppola offered assistance to Lucas in writing dialog – but ego inflated George refused the offer. Now how dumb was that? He is great with creating special effects, but lacks any forethought and skills in writing the dialog for his characters. No depth at all. So did most of the actors just lose their interest in entertaining the audience due to poor script writing? I expected so much more PASSION from Hayden Christensen as Anakin when he was giving in to Darth Sidious and crossing over to the Dark Side! He came across like Eeyore having another bad day! (You know, the sad little donkey from Winnie the Pooh) 'Whoa is me...I guess I give in to you Master...OK, you win...whoa is me'. His inner 'anger' just wasn't there – he seemed more like a punk, spoiled rotten kid than someone whose misery had gotten the better of his good side.

Even though I knew the time would come for Padme to die, I thought I would be choking on my tears when it happened...nope...not a drop. The scene lacked any amount of emotion – it just happened. . . I loved Natalie Portman in Episodes 1 and 2 – but she was truly a 'un-actress' in this last film! So pitiful and unbelievable! Blame it on the script – the character of 'Padme Amidala' seemed like a 'have to do it toss in' – there was no substance to her part in this film; other than the supposed reason that Anakin decides to succumb to the Dark Side (yet the first two films led us to believe that it is an accumulation of ALL his disappointments – like his bitterness over slavery and the death of his mother). Natalie Portman was so strong in the first two that it was a real let down to see her lose the spark she had brought to Padme Amidala! Of course, I have to question whether it was her acting abilities and lack of enthusiasm, OR was it the writing and directing of this film???? There is also a type of 'token' scene tossed in; when Yoda tells Obi-Wan that he could teach him how to communicate with the deceased Qui-Gon in the afterlife! (like Luke Skywalker was able to do later with Obi-Wan). Of course that was never expanded on. Lucas should have just left that part out totally - it had NO POINT. Just an 'oh-yeah- by-the-way' toss in).

Everyone knew how the end would (or should) be with this film, but it could have been done so much better. Most of the scenes seemed like they were rushed – just slammed together to get to the finish line. There wasn't much forethought put into the development of the dialog or scenes at all. George Lucas puttered-out as a director totally. It was in his realm to bring the actors together to put forth the passion and emotion necessary to draw the audience in. It appears like the actors were just piping out their lines like they would at a line run-through rehearsal and NOT putting themselves into character. It makes me wonder if any of them even wanted to be in this film – seemed like they were forced to do it as it used to be with contract actors so long ago. . . in a galaxy far, far away. . .

The best of the acting came from Ewan McGregor, Frank Oz and Samuel L. Jackson (although his death scene and realization that Anakin was really in cahoots with Sidious was rather weak). The rest of the main players were just embarrassing! I did like Chewbacca and the other Wookies! They were right on target! The costuming and special effects are fantastic! At least 'Master Lucas' didn't let us down in this regard. Unfortunately, a Rose is a Rose, and Star Wars, Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith, is more like a patch of Poison Ivy. I sat in a full theater, and none of the audience seemed thrilled when it was over. How about a remake in 10 years to do it right the next time around? Stranger things have happened in Hollywood…May the Force Guide Lucas to Fix this Mistake!

SpaceCamp (1986)

I love this wonderful film!

[8/10 · 1 May 2005]

I've been reading through some of the other user comments and decided to put one in too. Some of the users are stuck in a 'realist' type of mentality. This film was meant to be a 'fantasy'....a 'what if' fun film. It was never meant to be 'real' or serious. It was thoroughly enjoyable for everyone I knew when it came out - even though it shadowed the tragedy of the Challenger explosion...I was 30 at the time and totally enjoyed this one - my young son loved it too! Later, I shared it with my daughter and she, too, loved it. SpaceCamp is a fun family film that should be enjoyed for just that - fun. All the 'realists' in the world should lighten up or stick to watching documentaries or docudramas and avoid any other type of film. So sorry for those young folks who watched this movie first and then were able to go to the real SpaceCamp (one in Alabama and one at Vandenberg AFB in California) - they must have gone expecting to find the same type of environment that was portrayed in the movie and then felt 'letdown'...I guess their parents didn't explain the difference between fantasy and reality. Oh well. If you love fantasy-fun films and haven't seen this one, I highly recommend it! Enjoy!

The Golden Child (1986)

Wonderful Film and so very underrated!

[8/10 · 2 February 2005]

I loved this movie. I totally disagree with some (negative) critiques that I've read over the years. This was a great vehicle for Eddie Murphy! He appeared to have a great time with his part as Chandler Jarrell and he should never care about what the critics say, if he had fun doing it – and most of his audience enjoyed it! And, it WAS fun to watch as it combined some great fantasy tension with Mr. Murphy's great comedic style. You have to keep in mind that 'Golden Child' is a 'fantasy' film – just an imaginative work of magic and wonder amidst the 'real' world. During the time this film was released, I was working in a video rental store. This was one of the most popular with all our customers. Every single time, we put this one up on our monitor, ALL the copies we had went out fast with wait-list requests that kept it on the queue for months! Everyone who rented it loved it! I was the resident film critic and all my regular customers would ask my opinion before they rented – this was one of my favorites and I knew the taste of my customers so I highly recommended this one to most of them. I really feel that this film is a Sleeper – it may not have done too well at the box office – due to very poor marketing – but it hit a high in the video rental and purchase market later! (YES, I did buy this film for my own video library!). I adored the little boy who played the 'Golden Child' – J. L. Reate - but after looking at his profile in IMDb, I noticed that he never did any more films. That is sad, because he definitely had an on-screen aura and could have continued with a film career. I also adored Victor Wong, who played the Old Man (I LOVED him in his part as 'Egg Shen' in 'Big Trouble in Little China' - 1986). At any rate, this was a great film. The only drawbacks that didn't seem to fit with the theme were some of the parts that got a bit more 'adult' in nature – such as 'Chandler's rather sexual remarks about the serpent lady that was presented to him as a silhouette. It was funny, but it still was out of sync. OK, so there were a few suggestive gratuitous scenes – those were put in for the mind-set of the day perhaps. This was still an adventurous and escapist type of film which we do need today to get away from all the hard core reality and depressing fluff that we are hit with from Hollywood. Now that's Entertainment!

Point Pleasant (2005)

Something Different This Way Comes...Much Possibility!

[22 January 2005]

I found this show very interesting and want to give it a chance to evolve. If IMDb had posted a rating system for Point Pleasant, I'd give it a 7 out of 10 for a beginning. I haven't liked many new shows when they first started - I didn't like Buffy the series at first (I really liked the original movie and the series was quite a bit different); the same thing goes for the first airings of Star Trek Next Generation and many others. After several episodes, most of the new sci-fi type shows DO finally evolve, with the writers and actors finally molding the characters and plot into a wonderful story once they have 'matured'.

Give Point Pleasant some time! This type of story (devil's offspring) usually is put into a two hour movie. No matter what some think, there are endless story lines that can be developed, if the writers have that creative foresight to look for character angles that can yield some new side stories and plot twists. Let's all just hope that the writers are creative and spend the necessary time to help this series grow past it's infancy - and it can! The main teaser is going to be with Christina's struggles with the powers of her dark side and light side and in her search for her human mother – that will be the big mystery. I also feel the casting was very good. Elisabeth Harnois is perfect as Christina! She has the innocent and angelic look about her, and she is great at showing us the inside of 'Christina' - the harboring demons she is just beginning to discover. Grant Show is excellent as the evil Lucas Boyd! He is so good at being subtly evil as the devil's advocate!

I, for one, am glad to see another unusual show out there. I'm sick of all the sitcoms and over-use of cop and reality shows. I like a bit of 'non-reality' to watch at night. We can get reality and crime drama from the 6:00 news. I was not too happy when Buffy and then Angel were dropped off. Thank the networks for then bringing on shows like LOST, Carnivale, and Point Pleasant! All provide the watcher with uniqueness, endless possibilities and a bunch of great entertainment! The nice thing about Television is that there is something out there for everyone. We don't have to watch what we don't like, because there is always a show on another channel that we do like. Let's keep it like that – it's called 'Variety'.

The New People (1969–1970)

A Social Revolution - of sorts

[8/10 · 5 September 2004]

I really loved this series when it was on from 1969 - 1970. I was a teenager at the time and it really appealed to most of my friends back then.

Interesting concept for a group of young college age kids on a plane that crashes in the Pacific. They are survivors and try their best to form an organized society when they realize they might not be rescued. They ultimately realized what life is like as an adult. I have hunted for this for a long time, and I had forgotten the title. It's been over 30 years and the theme of this short lived series still stuck in my mind. I finally remembered Tiffany Bollings name as one of the stars, so I was able to find the title finally. Rod Serling and others involved with this show could have done so much more with it. I recommend watching it, if it is ever brought back into syndication as old shows sometimes are. I sadly doubt that anyone would put a series this short onto video or DVD, but I'd watch it again if they did.

The Ladies Club (1985)

There are times when women DO need to take CHARGE...

[1 June 2003]

Actually, this film was ahead of its time...I was working in a video store when it came out on video. I don't think it ever went to the big screen. Although it is rather violent (with due intent), this is really a great film for women and by women. We are forever the victims of crimes such as rape. This film just goes to show that if women finally banded together and fought back, woe be to MEN who think that they can get away with violating us like that! It also shows what ramifications can happen with citizens try to take the law into their own hands. Yes they will get punished, but is it worth it? YES! The Ladies Club was definitely on a low budget, I think it could have been done much better, but it is still worth seeing. It is tragic but the viewer (if sympathetic) can feel vilified by the actions these women take. The initial rapists, in a few scenarios, are set free by our court system, as does happen in real life. For those men, they put out their own brand of 'justice' and it is justified. Too bad that it is now hard to find on video and never seen on TV in re-runs. Oh well.

Overboard (1987)

Fabulous!

[9/10 · 16 May 2003]

This is an A++++++++ movie! I loved this one. I was very unhappy when I read that 'Overboard' received bad reviews by the definitely brain dead 'critics'. I was working in a video rental store when this came out on video. It was a MAJOR rental that was extremely popular with our patrons. This was an excellent family oriented vehicle. Kurt, Goldie and Roddy were absolutely fantastic! The film critics of today are in very bad form. I think they are being 'paid off' by jealous competitors! Overboard is a 'feel good' film that can excite the viewer! Wonderful! I would have liked a sequel of sorts to this one! Kudos to the actors, writers, directors and producers of this fabulous film! So sorry that you got panned by the petty media! What counts is the VIEWER! If you haven't seen this film, I highly recommend it! In addition to classic film lover's, Frank Capra would have loved this one!