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Criminal Minds: Reckoner (2009)
Deep Space Nine Connection
William Sadler (Ray Finnigan) and Lawrence Pressman (Judge Schuller) both played in Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Pressman played two roles, that of a Cardassian who thought that Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) was his biological child in two different episodes, and another as a shape shifter who is discovered and battles Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois). Sadler played the mysterious nemesis of Doctor Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) named Sloan. Pressman's Cardassian is a very sympathetic character, while Sadler's character is absolutely villainous and fascinating as the head of the secret Starfleet intelligence agency known as Section 31.
The X Files: Nothing Lasts Forever (2018)
If I Had a Hammer
This episode is a great homage to the Hammer horror films of the 1950s through 1970s. It is also a great story of the darkness of religion gone bad and the quest for everlasting life on earth. It is also an interesting look at legitimate faith and struggle with it. It is also a nice story of a timeless relationship between Scully and Mulder. It is a fitting episode about their relationship to begin winding up the series. It also has a good number of tongue and cheek jokes between Mulder and Scully, including one that is something that most men have done at least once with the woman they love, not noticing a change in hair style. I was really disappointed to see the number of bad reviews about the gore of the episode because it was so obvious that they didn't understand the play between this and the Hammer films. Admittedly, none of them were really great films, but they were classic horror schlock that starred some great actors, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, as well as some really beautiful actresses, even if most were B movie scream queens. Worth the watch.
The X Files: Rm9sbG93ZXJz (2018)
Brilliantly Funny and Frighteningly Relevant Episode
This is not a typical X-Files episode but that should not be held against what is an uncommonly witty satire of the foibles and maybe future perils of Artificial Intelligence unleashed. The episode shows so many AI devices that are becoming more and more common, from smart appliances to AI driverless taxis, to drone delivery, automated customer service, opening apps, and more. The frustration of Mulder and Scully with these "conveniences" mirrors some of my own. The writing, the set design, and the music all add to the experience of this episode. Though satire the episode seems almost prophetic in the way it presents the subject. Even the lack of dialogue in the episode makes it more entertaining. This is a must watch.
The X Files: Roadrunners (2000)
Totally Creepy
I like the really creepy stories in some of the X-Files. This is one of the creepiest and the people in the religious cult, all of them creeped me out. The very first murder kind of reminded me of the old short story, "The Lottery" where all the members of a community stone one of the community members to death, but that was just the start. From the first time Scully encountered the people in the town, the gas station attendant, the old man, and the lady who kept saying "amen and praise the Lord" who later played in the Blacklist, I couldn't stop watching. My skin about crawls every time I see the thing that is their "God" in the back of their victims. Doggett really begins to come into his own in this episode, and it is fascinating to watch. He adds something to the series that I think actually strengthens Scully's character. It has been so long since I watched seasons eight and nine that I forgot what a believable character he is. This is a very strong episode and done without Mulder.
The X Files: Fight Club (2000)
Great X-Files Comedy
This has always been one of my favorite episodes of the X-Files. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love all of the paranormal and more traditional Sci-Fi episodes, however, when the writes and characters chose to poke a bit of fun at themselves and the genre it is great. Every truly great and long running Sci-Fi series has done similar things from time to time, and sometimes the more series fans take offense, but humor, irony, and self-parody give added life to the characters and the stories. Stories like this make the other more serious ones more believable and interesting. Kathy Griffen did a great job in this, and the chaos that her characters bring is not unlike the chaos when certain people get together. The fights between the missionaries, agents, and the disasters in the bar and print shop are hilarious, while the looks that she gives herself are to die for. Doppelgängers are a part of life for all of us. People have told me about mine in different places all over the country. Thankfully, I have never met one, even the ones I am told were great looking.
The X Files: How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (1998)
Tell me you're not afraid
My goodness. This has always been one of my favorite episodes of the X-Files. The casting, the writing, and the story are perfect for Christmas. I love how Scully gripes about how she needs to wrap presents and spread joy instead of being out with Mulder chasing ghosts.the casting of Ed Asnrr and Lilly Tomlin as the ghosts could not have been better. The exchanges between Scully and Mulder show how well Anderson and Duchovny's characters matured during the series, they can be serious and funny at the same time and play so well off of each other. The discovery of the bodies under the floor in their clothes and Mulder's comment to Scully about it being embarrassing until she pointed out that the male was wearing his clothes was hysterical. Of course there are the exchanges between them and the ghosts. The episode has such a great and unexpected ending gave it an added twist, but not Oliver.
The X Files: Kill Switch (1998)
More relevant now
This is a totally awesome episode. I remember watching it when it was released and even a few years ago, but, it is so much more relevant now than when it was released with the advances in technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence. When I first saw it I thought it was interesting from a theoretical point of view. Now the possibilities of AI directing weapons to track and kill are much greater. The episode has a great story line as well as some great humorous lines like "you wouldn't want a vote on that" when the Goth Geekette asked Mulder if he would take off her handcuffs or did he want her to uses her tongue. All that aside, this episode was really interesting on so many levels. I wonder when we start seeing things like this happen.
The X Files: Home (1996)
Wonderful, wonderful!
This episode has always been one of my favorites of the series. It is creepy, humorous, and somewhat terrifying all at the same time. From the point that Scully says to Mulder that "so you want to live in Mayberry" and then Sheriff Andy Taylor introduces himself it is a gem, and too close to real life in parts of the United States. The writing is superb, especially when it came to using Johnny Mathis's classic "Wonderful, Wonderful" as the freaky unreconstructed inbred family engages in killing and during the surviving son's escape with their equally creepy mother in their vintage Cadillac. The make up, the animal like behavior, and the depiction of the results of generations of inbreeding is frightening. When I was in the Army Reserve in the 1990s I worked as a Chaplain in one of the major university medical centers in West Virginia. Before that I had worked at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. At Parkland the majority of the infants in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were Crack or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome babies. In the West Virginia NICU the majority were from inbreeding. Likewise, in my first night working in the ER of that medical center I saw a woman in a telemetry bed being evaluated for a possible heart attack. She appeared to be in her 60s and sitting next to her was a man who appeared to be in his 40s. I approached them, introduced myself, and asked if they needed anything and if they had any other family coming since we had a limit on the number of visitors in the ER with a patient. The mother and her son looked at each other, and I noticed a resemblance between them that came close to mother and sons in this episode. The son spoke up and said "my brother's coming, but he's also my daddy". At that point I was silent as I tried to find the words and as my eyes darted between them tracing the family stump. I finally managed to stammer, "when he gets here, I will get him back to you". I then excused myself, too dumbfounded to stay with them. Thankfully, the brother didn't arrive before my shift ended at 11PM, and my visit with the West Virginia Peacocks ended.
The X Files: The Walk (1995)
I liked the episode but the goofs with everything Army
I really liked the story and the episode as a whole. My one problem were gross inaccuracies dealing with the Army of the time, in which I was an officer. I have issues with the military uniforms in many episodes but this one is particularly egregious. So, where do I begin? Yes, at the beginning...
The doctor was a Colonel, but rank insignia is not worn on a physician's hospital coat. It might be embroidered on it over the right breast pocket with the doctor's name. The doctor and everyone else called Lieutenant Colonel Lobsterman "Lieutenant Colonel". This is seldom done outside of an official ceremony, normally a Lieutenant Colonel is referred to as Colonel.
The General's aide. She is wearing infantry officer branch insignia. No women were branched in the Infantry at the time. That has now changed but wasn't the case then.
The General had a number of uniform discrepancies. Generals, with the exceptions of the Medical, Dental, Nurse, Veterinary, Medical Service, and Chaplain Corps do not wear branch insignia on their uniforms. Likewise his ribbon rack was all sorts of a mess. Even if he had served in the enlisted ranks the Army Good Conduct Medal would not be the highest award. The rack was also four ribbons across, and there were no unit citations on the right breast. Likewise, when he removes his jacket the epaulets have no insignia, at the time a soft shoulder-board with his stars would be worn. As the base commander his dress green jacket epaulets would have the stars as well as a green felt loop showing they are in a command position. Finally, Generals in that day had two narrow black strips running down the trouser legs. Other officers had one wide stripe, and enlisted personnel none. Forgive me for being so anal, but this kind of stuff in any television show or film drives me mad, regardless of the service as I spend 40 years in the Army and Navy, served 10 years of my Navy service with the Marines and another 4 years in joint assignments working with all services. I wish someone would hire me to fix uniforms in Hollywood.
Other than that I loved the episode and story line.
Star Trek: Voyager: Living Witness (1998)
Bad Kathy Rules
This is an outstanding episode. Set in the far future it shows the crew of Voyager in such a different manner than we are used to seeing them. To see Captain Janeway ordering the genocide of a race, as portrayed by a people who had no firsthand knowledge of the events was fascinating. In the scenes shown the crew seems to be acting more like Klingons than humans, though I wonder just how much different that we might be. That being said, watching the Doctor defend them against the falsified "history" being presented was superb. The Kyrians had believed a lie and the Doctor's witness made them question their beliefs. Far too many people today are willing to believe lies about history. This episode is important in trying to understand how that can happen.
M*A*S*H: Life Time (1979)
Too real
This episode is especially powerful if one has stood in an ER with a dying patient, stood on a ambulance dock when a hopeless case comes in, or been in an ICU when a patient is declared brain dead. I have been the Priest in many of those situations. Seeing Father Mulcahy administer the Last Rites to the patient on the bus, watching B. J. and Mulcahy work with the patient's friend, and knowing how little time there is to make such decisions is heart rending. I have done more of the Last Rites in ER's, and ICUs, and been in Combat Trauma units in Iraq, holding wounded Marines hands and praying as they went to surgery not to be affected by this episode. I have been there too many times when patients came in with ruptured or wounded aorta's and other with their brains destroyed, but their hearts still beating, whose organs saved other peoples lives. The clock in the corner and the ticking is very effective at raising the tension. Mike Ferrell and William Christopher do such a great job in their parts. M*A*S*H is one of the best, if not the best series to deal with men and women dealing with life and death decisions every day. This episode is one of the top five or ten of the entire series.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Better than the first
It is one of the most difficult things for a producer and director to make a sequel to a phenomenally successful film, much less do ne better than the first. However, that is exactly what Christopher Columbus and the late John Hughes did with Home Alone 2. Of course, the plot is basically the same as the first film, and most of the time that formula would doom the sequel. But it was the small tweaks they made which made this film memorable in its own right. I think that the most important thing was setting a high spirited and naturally inquisitive and exploration minded boy loose in New York, rather than remaining at home. I don't know if kids still are wired for that kind of adventure, but I was. Thus, when I see the grin on Kevin's face as he looks out over the city I can relate. That was me as a kid. Likewise, there is his sneakiness in taking his father's wallet, and genius in the story he told the hotel desk clerk. Of course, the other hijinks of Kevin are similar to the first film but played well, and who better than Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern to reprise their roles as Kevin's unwitting victims. The other minor characters add something to this film that was not present in the first, mostly as additional foils for Kevin's bag of tricks, especially Tim Curry and Rob Schneider. But, it is Mr. Duncan and Annie, the pigeon lady that bring a the needed touches of kindness that make this a such a holiday classic.
M*A*S*H: The Interview (1976)
Too Real
This episode has always been one of my favorites. I remember seeing it when it first aired when I was in high school. Back then I only knew about war from movies, television and what my dad and others told me about Vietnam. I was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer in 1983 and commanded an Army Medical Ambulance Company in Cold War Germany, waiting for the Soviets to, come across the Fulda Gap. We planned and exercised in expectation that we would take at least 75% casualties in supporting the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Since then I have been to war in Iraq and was involved a couple of mass casualty situations as a Priest and Navy Chaplain during the "surge" in Al Anbar Province in 2007-2008. That wasn't my normal duty, I was in between missions with our advisors and Iraqis. But I remember so much, the images of the wounded, even their blood stained beard stubble, tattoos, and the sound of their voices as they were stabilized before going to surgery make me think of Father Mulcahy, a fictional character so well played that I saw him as a model of priestly ministry as a chaplain. But, before and after my time in Iraq I served as a trauma and critical care chaplain in major civilian and military medical centers. I have seen so much death. The words of the actors as they answered the questions of Clete Roberts still resonate with me. The writers of the series, especially with this episode, Abyssinia Henry, and Good Bye, Farewell and Amen showed such an understanding of the feelings of the men and women who see so much and do so much to alleviate the physical, psychological, and spiritual trauma is amazing. Since I served nearly 40 years in the military, I really understood Harry Morgan's portrayal of Colonel Potter. The funny and kind of ironic thing is that in 1983, shortly before I was commissioned I was with a marching contingent of California Army National Guard Soldiers and a Color Guard at the People's Choice Awards "Salute to M*A*S*H. I am now retired but this episode still gets me. It is amazing how a television show shot in black and white like this episode can conjure such memories.
What About Bob? (1991)
Too Close to home
I spent many years doing various forms of counseling and serving as an Army and Navy Chaplain. Likewise, I came back really goofed up from Iraq dealing with PTSD. I came back from there and I am still in therapy. Thankfully, I am not Bob, but I have felt like Leo Marvin so many times in my life. I remember getting a phone call from a little old lady that I was counseling not long after this film came out. She got my phone number. From a co-worker and called be at two in the morning. Likewise, I have had people think my time was theirs regardless of the day or time. Thankfully, none were a dependent as Bob, but on my Lord. All that being said, every time I watch this movie I laugh my ass off while quietly cringing. I think that the performances of Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus were amazing. With Dreyfus I could sense a very real loathing for Murray, which is mentioned in the trivia. I might have to watch it again soon.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Stilling Laughing Out Loud After All these Years
Positively brilliant and I still laugh out every time that I watch this. I first saw the film when it came out. I thought I was going to die laughing the first time I saw it. Tonight Steve Martin's portrayal of Freddie Benson and Ruprecht the Monkey boy opposite Michael Caine still gets me laughing so hard. Likewise, the brilliant performance of the late Glenne Healy as Janet steals the show. The duplicitous actions of of all of these actors as they scheme against each other makes the movie.
Red Dragon (2002)
An Amazing prequel.
I had never seen this film because I was deployed to the Middle East when it was released. But wow, what a great prequel to one of the most amazing film series I. History. It answers so many questions of how we got to Silence of the Lambs. The way the film began completely fooled me.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
The Perfect Sociopath
Zac Efron played Ted Buddy, a perfect sociopath, unrequited and unrepentant serial killer. It was chilling, but to see how women would continue to be enamored with him after all his evil was revealed and proven still astounds me. The title of the film was perfect, and John Malkovich played the judge so well. Bless his heart.
Manhunt (2017)
A tremendous account of hunting and finding the Unibomber
When I started watching this series I was impressed by the writing and the depiction of those men and women who found Ted Kazinsky and brought him to justice. It is also a startling reminder of who internal agency politics and prejudices can hamper an investigation. Many times CYA takes the day.
Journey's End (2017)
Masterful Depiction of War's Tragedy
I hesitated to watch this film for five years because of the emotions of war and loss that it would engender in me. It is truly a masterpiece of telling the story of a small unit and it's leaders amid the horror of one of the worst wars, and battles of that war. I cannot say more without giving away spoilers. It was hard to,watch but I am glad that I did.
Still Game: Over the Hill (2019)
A sweet and emotional ending to the series
I didn't see this coming until Jack and Victor start walking up the mountain, to avoid spoilers the fans know what happens. It was sweet, it was sad, it was the story of best friends and a unique fictional Scottish community. The thing is that I could see myself in their place if I outlive my wife, going to the pub every day and and getting into trouble and having fun with my best friend. This was truly a unique show and thankfully I still should be able to go back to the beginning and watch it all again after this sinks in.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
A delightfully quirky and funny film
After years of resisting I finally watched this film tonight. It is Bill Murray at his best. The supporting cast was great and there were so many great moments. I would love to be Steve Zissou.
The Blacklist: Konets (2021)
Always about Mystery, beginnings and endings and beginnings
This is one for the books. The Blacklist has always been about lies and deception, integral parts of the human condition. The idea of not knowing who your parents are, the idea of someone giving up his real life to become someone else, a man devoted in his loyalty to a friend who has so many flaws. This is not a series, it is a epic tragic saga probing the many shades of gray of humanity and the human condition. I think that is why so many of us love Reddington and also don't like Keen, and no, the image of what Liz sees of Raymond as she does is not her surgically altered mother, but the mother figure Raymond became to her. He was the closest thing to a mother that she had. The series is to quote Winston Churchill, "a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a mystery." How the mystery plays out is in season nine as Raymond faces his mortality after the loss of Elizabeth.
Honestly, as annoying as Liz became for me, and as many times as I wish they had killed her off, she was essential to the plot, and to Reddington. As she was transformed from a sympathetic character into one that we loathed, and some, including me hated the development of the Liz character. How she went from a person of some moral character and decency devolves into a person driven by hatred and revenge based on a lot of lies is not uncommon. How many of us have known people like that, or gone through that kind of process before they are either redeemed or become irredeemable. Liz is redeemed at the end when it was quite possible to plunge into the abyss by killing Red.
In the end there were a number of possibilities: Raymond kills himself, Liz kills him, or kills herself, another person kills either one of them, or they kill each other. The episode left us all hanging until Liz gets shot and dies in Raymond's arms. That's what made it a fitting coda going into season nine.
The Exorcist (1973)
Still Scary after all these years
I haven't seen this since I was let into a showing at Stockton, California's Bijou Theater which hosted films after they made their appearances in big theaters, it was still relatively recent like all the films that due to my age when they were shown the good thing is back then you didn't have to produce ID showing your age and when the hippie manning the box office asked if ai was seventeen all I did was nod me head and $2 later I was getting me seat, usually with another underage friend. I saw M*A*S*H, as well as The Godfather there. As a thirteen year old this was a scary movie. And now 48 years later I watch it again, as a retired Priest, and it is still frightening. Of course Imhad to read all the trivia on IMDB before I watched it, which made it even more fascinating by knowing the back stories to the film.
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
One of the last great musical comedies ever made
This is an absolutely brilliant musical combining horror and comedy. I have not seen it since it came out and saw it on Hulu tonight. I had forgotten just how scathingly brilliant, twisted and funny it is. I love the music and however they did Audrey II was incredible. A Frank Oz masterpiece with all the right actors in the right parts. Now feed me!
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Outcast (1992)
One of the most Pertinent TNG Episodes Ever
For me this is one of the most fascinating episodes of TNG as far as the subject it dealt with, perceived sexual deviance, on the part of a majority, which in this case is androgynous and feels that distinctions between the sexes are primitive. But the questions asked by the character Soren during her trial in which she admits being female with urges from relationships with men are so similar to what LGBTQ people are forced by the majority heterosexual population today, and even more so when it first premiered. I am heterosexual, married, and a career military officer, but I am an LGBTQ ally. This show was one of a series of events that caused me to reevaluate how I thought of LGBTQ people and helped me become a better friend to my LGBTQ friends and relatives. The sad thing is that Soren's people reverse her progress and force her into what today would be called LGBTQ Conversion Therapy, something that is discredited and slowly but surely being outlawed in the United States. The episode was aired a decade and a half before Obergfell v. Hodges and the end of the Defense Of Marriage Act. It is a powerful episode.