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I (Almost) Got Away with It (2010)
This show is addictive.
Considering the production crew of this show has a tight group of actors you'll see some actors performing multiple roles throughout the series. That doesn't take away from the fact that the episodes are gripping because they're real. The multiple factors that go into someone becoming a criminal, the close shaves while on the lam, the police who risk their lives in pursuit and the dumb luck some of these criminals have is just astounding.
This isn't just another cop show. It's a detailed look into the variations of crimes, reasons why some people end up as criminals and the chances they overlooked, how innocents get caught up in their lives, the technologies involved which keep on improving.
This is a show the whole family and community should watch. You never know who is in your neighborhood who might be on the run, you never know what might happen in your life that has you up against the wall where you end up on the wrong side of the law.
Cloverfield (2008)
I was rooting for the monster!
Five minutes into the film I found myself chanting, "Bring in the monster! Bring in the monster! " I have the strange feeling that movie monsters only attack when the persons in the film conduct themselves as useless to the bio diversity of the animal kingdom.
I couldn't wait for the monster to show up. I was hoping we'd get a good look at it so I could run out and get some t-shirts of it or maybe some action figures.
Technically the movie is brilliant. The effects and camera angles are outstanding. The dialogue is what murders this movie. I mean the dialogue is like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre of dialogue in a monster movie. The plotting falls apart as the characters don't act anything like real people. I was hoping Freddy Kruger or Jason Voorhees were going to show up and guest star in this to make it interesting. Had this just been people running for their lives instead of the sub plot nonsense it would have been a masterpiece. The characters were boring and lifeless and I'd have rather the monster gotten hold of a steady cam and run amok with it, us getting his viewpoint of the action.
Monster with a camera, great concept, you read it here first.
There've been some great monsters over the past 100 years in film. To call yourself a movie monster you have to earn it like the big boys did. Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, Godzilla, King Kong, Alien, the Blob. All of them still horrifying creatures to this very day. Cloverfield, I missed why the movie was named this, I'll figure it out when I read more, this monster was cool, sadistic, sense of irony, powerful but no personality. Maybe there'll be a sequel or something that does what a movie is supposed to do, tell us a story.
So again, had awesome potential, great technical skill, bad acting, bad dialogue.
You want some monster movie dialogue watch the 1950's classic "Them!".
Now THAT'S a monster movie worth mentioning!
Speed Racer (2008)
What the heck happened here????
I may be brutal but as an original fan of the Speed Racer TV series and the original Manga series, I was much disappointed in this highly anticipated send up.
Let's start with one word: COLOR!!!! This movie looks like it was shot in Girlievision! Like someone's little girl got hold of a computer and went berserk. I didn't know whether to watch the movie or wait for a makeup lady to come rushing down the theatre isles trying to slabby the latest lip gloss on everything moving.
The basic characters are here that we love but their direction is so off and the dialogue so way off base that at times I was hoping a TV commercial would appear so I could see something interesting.
The car designs were outstanding and the concept of wild track designs very thrilling but the story was so badly illustrated that I kept losing interest. Somehow the directors must have forgotten they were supposed to direct the actors to bring the characters to life by being the characters we've loved for 50 years. Speed was the main character's nickname. He used to have a big 'G' on his shirt which stood for the name Gen and later Greg in the English versions of the series. Sure there had to be compromises like Spritel and Chim Chim hiding in the trunk of a car. Okay for the 60's but would be dangerous for kid's today to see. The original series had stories that were often far superior to even major motion pictures and published novels. Some were so profound that they're still talked about with reverence to this day.
The cast was just fine, it's just that I don't think they ever watched the show. If so, they didn't get directed properly. They only came to life during the comedy scenes. John Goodman as Pops Racer was a gem of a choice as was Susan Sarandon as Moms Racer. In the TV series Moms Racer was always a voice of sanity and calm coming from an apron. Pops was hot tempered but a genius and proud but haunted soul. The addition of Rex Racer gave the show more depth and the threat of death at every turn kept the show on edge all the way. No big bubble balloons that rescued drivers.
However I did like the car combat. That was like being in a Hot Wheels crash car set and that pushed the movie into a new cool realm.
So of course it will be a part of my DVD library because of my love of the characters but it's not Speed Racer. If they revive some of the classic stories and let the actors 'be' the characters ( Inspector Detector never was a glum guy but jeeez, this movie had him acting like he was on psychiatric drugs ) then we'd have cool designs and great characters.
There's no excuse not to have a Speed Racer live film franchise since it's got 50 years of fans behind it but you have to remember, it's about racing and racing isn't pretty, it's a brutal sport calling for nerves of steel and a level of courage that few have. That's what made the show great because it showed the value of honesty, courage, integrity and at least the film got that in there but it took second place to bad directing.
Maybe better luck next time.
The Boys in Company C (1978)
One of the best movies and military movies of all time!
I saw this movie on HBO when I was about to enlist back in the late 70s. In those days not too many guys were willing to enlist due to the Vietnam conflict but I was raised to do your part for your country so enlisting was more than just an option.
My older brother was already in the Marines at the time and he loved it. A bunch of my friends and older classmates went into the Marines too so I had an almost front row seat to what it took to being a Marine and what they did for recruits. No cakewalk and they turned guys into responsible citizens that was an amazing thing to see.
My grandpa who was a Marine in WWII made sure that I saw "The Boys In Company C" and soon I realized why.
It's not an anti-military movie but it's an anti-bureaucracy movie. It shows how a long term historical institution can be corrupted by politics and pencil pushers who have no clue as to what it takes to defend the innocent and save lives. It shows how we citizens when under the government's control can be easily turned into sacrificial lambs for the purposes of greed and ego. We see the brutality and injustice of war, the lawlessness and the corruption. We see young men from varying backgrounds thrust together and how seasoned military drill instructors stay on them day and night to give them the skills they'l need to survive in war and in life. We see how it's about teamwork and thinking on your feet and how selfishness can undermine the group.
We see characters like Stan Shaw's Washington, who should have gotten an Oscar nod for his role, we see Michael Lembecks Fazio who also should have gotten an Oscar nod as well as Ermey, Wasson, Canning, and Andrew Stevens' best role yet. I will never forget Santos Morales screaming at Washington in boot camp for not being a team member.
The story is great. It's tragic, comedic, socially vibrant to this day. It's one of the best movies and best military movies ever and I don't say this lightly.
It's a movie that says that life and death are often our choices and that there are forces about us that we drop our guard to agree with that endangers that responsibility.
This is a story about young people having to grow up fast in a hard way.
Sometimes during the movie Noble Willingham was like a menace one moment and the best friend the next. Everyone did a stand up job in this movie and I would recommend it for every classroom in every school so that young people can see some the varying viewpoints and harsh realities of war. It's not a grisly movie but the horrors of war are sometimes far more horrifying than if you saw blood splattered gore all over the screen.
So again, this is a great movie. It shows how our military isn't the villain but the minds that interfere with it and our irresponsibility as citizens to not get involved in supporting our troops can lead to disaster.
If you want suspense, comedy, romance, tragedy, gut wrenching horror, and some awesome performances along with great screenplay and direction then fight to get this movie.
It's not so much a comment on Vietnam but on war in general and is applicable to every military campaign throughout history that was engaged in over political and greedy incentives.
I just found out the movie has been out on DVD since September 2008!!!
Joy!
Go get it and show it to your kids.
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964)
The most reliable characters on television!
I was so young when this show debuted I couldn't stay up to watch it. However, I could hear the theme song and it was beautiful. It's got to be my favorite theme song because it communicates what the show is about, the wonders of the sea.
Every kid on the block would tune into this show when it was on and although I had to catch it in reruns several years later, that's when I got hooked. The show was too 'grown up ' for me at the time and didn't have enough women in mini-skirts and false eyelashes for me. This was a 'man's man' show and I was so sick of war at the time I could only get interested if a babe or a monster appeared on the show. I do remember a few episodes when they debuted and they're classics now.
Later, channel 7, ABC in New York City would rerun the show on Saturday afternoons and it's still the ultimate Saturday afternoon show and I fondly recall that music wafting from every house for a mile around like clockwork every Saturday.
This brings me to the reliability of the actors. These were people you could count on to bring you solid performances and characters you knew you could depend upon. That's what VTTBOTS is all about for me, the portrayal of people who were professionals and had the character to solve those problems they'd wind up in.
I often laugh at some episodes knowing Irwin Allen and his penchant for stock footage, rehashed sets and props, monkeys, and explosions were more of a menace to the crew than the plot points and evil scientists.
One episode had the late great actor Victor Buono as an evil scientist. This episode you have to see to believe. It's so hysterically funny I woke up neighbors one day watching it.
It's not all laughs however as some great drama was portrayed on the show which made me look at the cast with respect and admiration to this day. Remember this show was in the early 60's and having minorities on a show was rare so you have to bypass the political incorrectness to appreciate the show for what it is.
By all means if you can get past the plot holes and the trademark Irwin Allen cost saving production, you'll find some stories and acting that will really be something to treasure.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Best Sci-Fi Story Of The 20th Century
You can't beat this movie.
It's got EVERYTHING a sci-fi/horror movie should have. Mad scientist, square jawed hero and his faithful crew, a menacing robot and most of all a hottie in actress Anne Francis! You know the plot, a starship crew goes to investigate a colony of earthlings on a distant world who'd been incommunicado for decades. They discover the colony save two survivors is gone due to some unseen menace that rended them "limb from limb.".
Soon we find out that the unseen menace is none other than the mad scientist's unconscious mind having been given form from a super computer that was designed to manifest the thoughts and desires of a long lost civilization. The scientist, like the ancient civilization overlooked the fact that the computer that gave life to thought also was accessible by the unconscious, beastial mind. Such sinister and repressed thoughts destroyed the ancient civilization and almost the starship crew but the commander played by Leslie Nielsen figures it out in true, cool, starship captain finesse just in time to save everyone.
The importance of the storytelling in this movie is second to none. It does what great film and storytelling are supposed to do, bring the best of your imagination to bear. We don't always 'see' the monster nor the mayhem it creates but the mere suggestion is enough to keep one's imagination going for a lifetime. You can't buy that level of superior craftsmanship.
The acting is superb throughout in this sendup to Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and the special effects legendary. So you get the full package of entertainment and enlightenment all rolled into one.
Think of today's internet and computing. The Krell's super computer was their internet that was like internet version 1,000,000,000.0 or something.
A good metaphor and lesson to us all that lest we allow our technological progress to override our good sense our doom might come from our dreams that turn our lives into nightmares.
A definite must have movie.
Near Dark (1987)
A Vampire Movie Like No Other
There were two vampire movies during the 80's that changed the genre, "The Lost Boys" and "Near Dark".
I was attracted to Near Dark due to the cast that shown so brightly in "Aliens". To us fans, to have that cast together again was just what the doctor ordered.
The story, a great story on top of having a great cast and one of my favorite directors Kath Bigelow, make this movie a must have for me.
I won't go any further as I don't want to spoil any moment o fthis film for the uninitiated. I remember when I first moved to Los Angeles and wondered if I'd ever meet one of my favorite actresses Jeanette Goldstein and had just rented Near Dark and the next day I'm in the post office and who is standing right there at the counter? Jeanette Goldstein! So for people who love a good horror movie, with suspense, wry humor, and great, great characters, this movie is for you.
The twist that makes this movie unique is that it shows the relationship of the vampires to one another like a family brought together by horrific circumstances. You don't hate the vampires but you sympathize with them which really caught me by surprise as the cast pulled it off magnificently.
Again, a must have good film about parental love, relationships, courage, history and good ol' fashioned monsters.
The Lost Boys (1987)
Monster Movie Fun At It's Best!
This is one of the rare few movies that epitomized summer monster movie coolness! I had so much fun at the movies watching this film that it for me defines my 80's movie going experience. Wish I had seen it at the drive-in! I'm the same age as the actors and was going through a similar situation in my life as the character Michael. I also work in comic books and at that time almost was drawing toons for the company Blackthorne seen in the movie so this flick hits home for me on many fronts! It's a great story, great cast, kick butt soundtrack and has everything a movie is supposed to have.
I at first thought it would be some dreary vampire movie but the comedy level didn't overshadow the horror and suspense and good old fashioned storytelling that makes the difference between a mere movie and a work of cinema.
The cast just rules in this movie and what's extra cool is that Keifer Southerland hangs out in my neighborhood. I would see him every night at his favorite bistro and I was a fan of his for years as he was also a rodeo expert. I always left him alone though as I know it is rough being a celeb and all the crap they go through. However you have to hand it to him in this movie. He ROCKED this movie and gave us a villain that stands out. Being a vampire villain of note takes lots of character and ability as you have such a long history to prove yourself against.
When I scored a copy of the DVD I'll never forget that there was only one copy left in a humongous video store and I snagged it, walked up to the counter and a fellow saw my purchase and screamed out "Great choice! Awesome movie!" and we chatted about how cool it was and the theatre going experience it provided.
Surreal, funny, suspenseful, action, horror, you can't beat this flick for being one of the rare pound for pound "good ones" Hollywood has produced.
Sure there are mullets a-plenty but that was the style back then and the flick still holds up.
Did I mention you couldn't beat the cast? Just superb.
This is a must have movie for those Saturday afternoons and evenings when the gang is around the house.
Amongst Friends (1993)
A Must Have Gangster, Romance, Bittersweet Fans
I know I'll be yelled at for giving this movie such a high rating but it was one of the surprise flicks of the 90's for me.
I didn't catch it at the theatres but saw the trailer on another video I'd rented. It caught my eye and when I saw it on another video as a preview I made a note to get it.
Time went by, I finally found a copy and was glued to the screen. Not everything is perfect mind you but the fact that a life of crime is no life is clearly defined. If you have a young person who thinks a life of drugs is cool, show him or her this movie and see the tragedy of such a lifestyle front and center.
The performances in this movie range from good to outstanding. I was riveted to the narrative and the soundtrack one of the most superb ever. I was stunned at the contrast of composers and you go from the master Ennio Morricone to MC Lyte! You can't beat that! The comic characters are realistic. We laughed and cried throughout the movie. You couldn't ask for more realism. These were people who weren't "Hollywood" models but people with character, charisma, and most of all charm.
This was a story about choices and repercussions that spanned a couple of generations all wound up in some gut wrenching violence in some scenes and comic violence in others. Rigoletto the classic opera comes to mind. That swing back and forth from tragedy to tragic comedy to frustration and all the emotions in between.
Everyone did such a fine job that it's one of the few memorable movies from the 90's. You will get some big laughs, I mean big laughs from this movie but don't let that fool you one iota. There are heartbreaking scenes of such tragedy that it will twist you up inside and make you so angry at crime you'll be ready to spit nails.
How writer Weiss pulled this off is a miracle. It defines several points in modern history and of course pays tribute to gangster films past and present.
If Weiss put together more projects like this I'd be happy.
Bring tissues, popcorn, and enjoy a real modern day classic.
Did I mention I loved every single person cast in this movie? Even the extras? Just perfect.
I've been writing gangster and crime stories for 25 years and Amongst Friends really hit home for me. So many of the characters were like mirrors to people I'd tangled with in the past I could see that I had made the right decisions the character Andy hadn't. Get this vid for your kids out there and you won't be sorry.
Xanadu (1980)
You can't beat this movie for entertainment value and historical value!
Xanadu came along at a very magical time in film history. We'd gone through several years of 'revenge' movies and suddenly something pleasant and enchanting came along. Not only that, but it had the wisdom of combining a super legend like Gene Kelly with newcomers like Olivia Newton-John and Michael Beck. That made the film appealing to young and old alike and actually got us to talking with our parents and grandparents about the days when Gene Kelly ruled the roost.
That's what a film is supposed to do, raise your consciousness and appreciation for things, contemplate alternatives, find something within yourself and others that you can admire and strive for.
Did I mention it has Olivia Newton-John in it? That's all you had to say to get me to the film! What's also rare is that people came to the theatre and kept coming back to the theatre! I must have seen the movie 10 times or more and it got to the point that regulars kept showing up. People would actually dance in the theatre too! A real great time in movie going history if you ask me.
The talent in the film is just extraordinary. Just read the credits and see where many of the cast have gone on to remarkable careers both in film and outside of it.
Did I mention that Olivia Newton-John is in the movie? Oh, well I can't get that fact out of my mind! Now us guys don't always go for that mushy stuff in movies but this film doesn't get all mushy. It's lighthearted and romantic and comedic at the same time and with ELO jamming along it gained a signature all by itself.
The choreographers threw in everything including the kitchen sink. The only dance routine not in the movie are those Russian folk dancers who kick at everything, which might be a good thing as people might have gotten hurt.
Being a professional artist myself I was just in my first year of college and wore the same outfit Michael Beck wore in the film. I could associate with his character and then seeing Olivia Newton-John, I was hooked even more. Basically you could have put a fork in me, I was done.
So again, some people put this movie down and for no good reason whatsoever. If you're a fan of musicals and like seeing movies where the greedy corporate guy gets a beat down, then Xanadu is a must have for your collection. It's even G rated to boot! You can't beat that combination of great story, cast, music, everything and the kids and grandparents can watch it at the same time and you can even call over the priest, minister, or rabbi to stop over to the house and watch it too! Oh, did I mention Olivia Newton-John is in this movie? I did? She should be in MORE movies. :)
Mayberry R.F.D. (1968)
A Wonderful Show And A Classic In It's Own Right
I grew up on the Mayberry shows. They're along the best shows ever created for television and everything since has been pale in comparison to warmth, charm, and responsibility.
The Andy Griffith Show was a hard act to follow but Ken Berry and company followed through just fine.
It's the cast and the stories that taught morals and responsibility like it's predecessor that makes this show remarkable. CBS should run it again just to set our moral compass right.
Buddy Foster did a great job. Same with everyone on the cast who are now legendary and beloved. The scripts, the directing and storytelling just what the doctor ordered.
When the rural shows were pulled off television our country took a moral nosedive.
We need more shows like this.
Gargoyles (1972)
Surprise Monster Movie
Gargoyles was a big surprise when I first saw it. I had no idea what the film was about when I saw the TV commercial. I was around 12 years old and it was broadcast on CBS.
I noticed quality about the film from the start. Good direction, acting, locations, and that was before Bernie Casey showed up in that gargoyle suit! That was scary as heck and not only that, Casey put more in that character than in any monster I've seen since Karloff and to this day. I wish they'd made a Gargoyles II that expanded on the story.
How the director got as much out of that film as he did given the budget is beyond me. The makeup and costumes were revolutionary and although we're not talking Cecil B. Demille epic here, the direction left enough up to our imagination to truly terrify us.
Cornel Wilde as the professor, you can't beat that kind of talent. Jennifer Salt, the foxy Jennifer Salt, portrayed complexity and wasn't a run, fall, scream monster movie hottie, she had intellect going on there. Seeing Scott Glenn as a biker proved out as his talent has become legendary as well. Historically speaking Gargoyles is a must see, must have film. It changed many ways that Hollywood makes movies. Even with the boo boos like cars changing make and model in mid shot, the concept of the menace of the Gargoyles was enough to fire up the imagination which great works do.
The animated TV series I suppose was based loosely on the movie. However the menace and majesty of the movie remains untouched. Only the Alien has turned out to be as cool a monster as Bernie Casey's Gargoyle. The scene where Casey as the Gargoyle swats his female gargoyle on the butt to get her to go tend to the eggs was a kick.
Gargoyles, the original, get it.
The Almost Perfect Bank Robbery (1997)
Very Well Done Movie!
I accidentally ran into this movie while fixing my TV/computer. I saw Brooke Sheilds all dolled up in an eccentric outfit and started giggling. It took only a few minutes for her and the other actors to actually charm me into watching this film. I was confused as I had no recall of it being a theatrical release. I then checked here at IMDb and found out it was a TV movie! What a waste! It should have been released in theatres! It really has charm, comedy, suspense, warmth, and excellent performances and fine direction. There are some films that have memorable performances and these folks really dug in and made these characters a riot.
It's too funny and I won't give out spoilers. It doesn't have any sleaze or violence but it has those characters you would see in an episode of 'Cops'. Well worth the purchase and rental. A real unexpected treat. Anyone saying Brooke Shields can't act should be taken out back and beaten with a half roasted buffalo hoof.