wordman2k Reviews

Long Road Home (1991 TV Movie)

Trivia

[9/10 · 2 November 2009]

I was an extra on this film along with several other members of a local community theater company from nearby Gilroy and Morgan Hill. During the parade scene in San Juan Bautista, the driver of the vintage tractor pulling the wagon of farmers was supposed to stop when surrounded by rioters. However, the driver, and owner of the beautifully restored John Deere, didn't seem to understand his roll and kept right on driving past the mark and out of the scene. After a couple of resets, Director Korty finally parked the wagon on it's spot. It should also be noted that there were children on the farmer's wagon in the initial scenes, but when the riot breaks out, the children are no longer present. The director did not want to take a chance on them getting hurt in the "riot."

The night scenes in the tent were actually filmed inside a warehouse.

Steve Johnson

Signs (2002)

Big Disappointment

[4/10 · 13 November 2007]

After the "wow" of The Sixth Sense, I expected to be wowed again by Signs. Instead, I ended up laughing through the finale! This film does NOT belong in the same category of greats that includes: War of the Worlds (Gene Barry original), Alien, and The Day The Earth Stood Still. Outstanding shock scenes overshadowed the director's serious omissions and clumsy character motivators. Examples: 1) Wife is conscious and pinned against a tree by a car. EMTs decide she will die soon and fetch her husband so they can have a final moment together... and deliver Mel Gibson's big tag line,"Swing away." Are you serious??! EMTs rescue, treat and transport all victims. They do not withhold treatment to allow a tender moment. 2) The alien is standing in the living room and about to administer a fatal dose of gas to Mel's son. Does the director really expect us to believe that the boys' father needed his dead wife's inspirational pronouncement and his trophy bat to save his son??? What father wouldn't have ferociously launched himself at the creature or pummeled it with a chair? 3) In all the documentaries about this phenomenon, they are referred to as "circles." Not one calls them "crop signs" ... except in this movie.

This film is full of such amateurish oversights and mechanical breakdowns. They're actually fun to look for. Start your own list.