Change Your Image
stormy_daze
I'm much more a book-person than I am TV and movies, i quite prefer books.
Obsessive about TV shows. Firefly (Tv show). Life on Mars (BRITISH tv show, not aliens. NOT american version!!!). Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I love languages -- mainly Latin, Arabic, Greek, Gaelic.
I love off-the-wall stuff like Dead Like Me.
I am Female. If I were at Hogwarts, I would be in Ravenclaw. And probably a prefect-- I'm quite Hermione-ish. But not the Hermione in GOF, more in the books.
Favourite actresses:
Kate Maberly,
Maggie Smith,
Diana Rigg,
Teryl Rothery,
Julie Walters,
Favourite actors:
Christopher Eccleston,
John Simm,
Philip Glenister
Alan Alda,
Paul Reiser,
Andy Griffith,
Edward James Olmos,
James Stewart,
Bruce Willis,
Bob Hoskins,
Brendan Frazer
Love new Battlestar Galactica (at least mini - 2.5) Hate the old one. Love the Old Dr. Who. Love the new one almost as much, tho most of series 2 is rubbish. Favourite Doctor is Tom Baker, second favourite is a very near tie (Chris Eccleston). OK, OK, Eccleston is my favourite, and Tom is a near tie. I feel terrible for betraying Baker, but there we are.
Love older shows like Avengers, Bewitched, Dick Van Dyke, etc (most of the black-and-white or earlier-colour stuff). Hate any remakes of the shows I like, for the exception of Doctor Who, which, in all fairness, is more of a continuation because they still follow canon.
Big M*A*S*H fan.
in fact, the americans are remaking Life on Mars and it's infuriating!! Bloody Yanks!!
Love philosophy, mythology, religion, anthropology and sculpture, psychology, history, and shih-tzus. My field is archaeology of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Very big history of UK person.
I love Harry Potter and read them in Latin and Arabic as well to occupy my time.
Love Jim Dale audio books. I hate music, and listen to audio books instead.
Order for HP books from favourite to least favourite: POA, OOP, COS, PS, GOF, and HBP. Didn't care for GOF because it ran on too long, didn't care or HBP because I felt like I was missing every other chapter. So most of my posts have to do with HP.
Liked PS, COS and POA movies. Hate the rest of the Potter films.
Reviews
The Collector (2004)
sophomore slump
Watching this show because I work with Faustian bargains (selling your soul) in post-grad academics. I wasn't really expecting something brilliant, just wanted to see how they use the Faustian themes.
Okay, the first series was certainly better. As another reviewer pointed out, they often use and reuse too many clips too often. It wasn't the most brilliant show, but it was okay. Carly Pope and Chris Kramer had great chemistry and made the stories worth watching even if they weren't always great stories, acting or directing.
Then came the second series. I'm unclear why Carly Pope was unable to return to the series, but replacing her with Sonya Salomaa was a dreadful mistake. Carly Pope could act a lot better, and Sonya just can't cut it. The writing disintegrates, and it becomes rather clichéd and trite. The first series, Maya is trying to get her life together, has issues, but whatever. Interesting enough. Second series, Maya dissolves into a stagnant drug abuser with no purpose.
The second series just turns into fluff - the could have done a lot with it. Instead they replace a character who can act with a blonde bimbo and resort to having the main character always in vests to attempt to show off his arms. If you can't have a show with good writing, directing or producing, might as well put the bimbos out.
Anyway, the first year is okay, it's not brilliant but it's interesting enough. The second year.... really just spirals down. I'm not convinced it's worth it.
Mrs. Winterbourne (1996)
Better than I Remember
So.... two hours before bed, I'm bored.... want to watch something fluffy and pointless, something i won't get too invested in before sleep... something i won't really care if i fall asleep during it... but something i haven't seen in a while.
Always been a big fan of Frazer, and decided to watch this for a strange reason -- Frazer is ambidextrous and usually writes with his left hand. But I had this memory of him sitting at a desk writing with his right, and I couldn't remember what the movie is. So I'm trying to figure out what it was.... and then remembered him saying one of the lines of the movie. So I hopped on to IMDb and just as I was typing his name I remembered the movie. Looked for it online for a little while, finally found it via good ol' YouTube.
I had expected, going in, a really wretched horrible movie; but had hoped to be at least somewhat entertained by Frazer. The man is really a fantastic actor; He always amuses me. So I thought, what the heck -- I watched The Air I Breathe last night, that was heavy. Let's have a Frazer fluffy movie (that's not Blast from the Past or the Mummy because i've seen them so many times) and had hoped to be, at least, mildly entertained.
This is not a brilliant movie. But Frazer and MacLaine are absolutely wonderful and make the movie watchable.
I just remember this movie coming out around the same time as While You Were Sleeping. Same basic premise -- following a confusion over identity, a lonely girl lies to family about who she really is because the family takes her in and she feels accepted for the first time in her life.
...This one has a baby in it.
So, not original. Let's make that clear. Not believable. Not even that good a movie. However, Frazer and MacLaine are lovely and the movie has its moments -- like when Rikki Lake comes in the room asking MacLaine (who is smoking) who had been smoking in the room and MacLaine half-swallows the lit cigarette to avoid being caught. Or everyone constantly taking MacClaine's alcohol from her as well as her cigs. Cute little moments make it fun-- the Cuban butler getting drunk and dancing in the empty pool over a broken heart is a fun moment too.
So, not original, not believable, not really great. But it's not nearly as bad as I remember. Frazer is fab at playing a snarky business man and there is definite chemistry between MacClaine and Frazer that make the whole thing not only watchable, but enjoyable if nothing else for them.
A weaker story and someone like Lake who just doesn't have the magical charisma to stand up to someone like Frazer or MacClaine just reminds you what the movie is missing most of the time. If they'd cast someone with more charisma like Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping, I'd have been very interested to see Sandra and Frazer together.
Anyway, it's a good fluff, don't expect much and you might enjoy yourself. It's not brilliant, it's not even great, but you know, if you just want a mindless fluff and watch Frazer being snarky it's good enough.
The Air I Breathe (2007)
"Independant film" feel -- if you like movies like Brick or Memento....
This flick is for you.
This is not a movie that will appeal to everyone. This has a distinct "off beat" feel to it. This is why so many reviews you might read on this movie have people talking about how much they hated this film. It's not spoon-fed Hollywood junk -- it's different, simple yet elegant, and true. There are not necessarily "Hollywood" endings where the guy gets the girl and there are birds singing.
Which is why I loved it.
I just finished watching this movie about ten minutes ago. I originally started watching it because I'm procrastinating on my dissertation and don't feel like working.
I was watching Buffy, came onto IMDb and saw that Sarah Michelle Gellar had a few flicks I'd not seen. Movies are key for procrastinating on dissertations.
SO. I thought, "well, Brendan Frazer, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Forest Whitaker, cool cast." And hey -- it's another 2 hours I don't have to work on my paper! Brilliant.
I wasn't looking for something intriguing: I wasn't really expecting to care about the movie, or to even like it. I just wanted a distraction. And with pretty people like Sarah Michelle Gellar and Brendan Frazer at the very least, it's two hours to watch pretty people, even if the movie was terrible.
I am so thrilled I watched this movie -- it's brilliant. BUT. You have to be the type of person who will appreciate what they are trying to do. Movies like this only really appeal to a certain crowd -- that's the gift of these films for me; that they are not the run of the mill typical Hollywood guff. If you're someone who got annoyed by the artsy films -- Memento, Magnolia, Brick, etc, and ONLY likes watching the formulaic, stereotypical rewrites of Hollywood, there is plenty of bubble-gum fluff out there for you and I highly recommend you skipping this movie all together because you won't like it.
The concept is relatively simple: we have Love (Kevin Bacon), Sorrow (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Happiness (Forest Whitaker), and Pleasure (Brendan Frazer). Andy Garcia (Fingers) is sort of the man who connects all of these emotions together. I would go further and I would suggest that Fingers is actually Anger, but they never refer to him as that. But he does connect the characters directly or indirectly. We follow each emotion for a spell, and we see how they connect to each other and how you really can't have one without the other.
These people aren't necessarily the crux of their characters -- for example, Pleasure spends most of his time brooding and beating people. And he doesn't get pleasure out of it. Happiness is a mess who hates his life. Sorrow is a famous pop-tart. These names are not necessarily given to fit their personalities or their lifestyles, but more to focus on one particular moment each of these people reach their given emotion. It's more about that moment they each achieve their assigned emotion.
But it's a little more layered than that -- it's also about the connections between all of them. How Love can't really live without great Sorrow. How Sorrow can't recognise happiness until she's been so far down in anguish that she can climb up. How Pleasure can't recognise great pleasure until he's touched sorrow and surprise.
It's done very simply, without gimmicks, and it doesn't feel forced. It also touches on how very little control we might really have in our lives -- our emotions and fate rule us all. The decisions we make, the way they affect others -- you can be the smartest person in the world, but in the end, how much control do you really have in your life? How much of your life is ruled by emotions of one type or another? This film, whilst not directly getting speechy at you or directly asking these questions, makes you think of these questions as you watch the lives and emotions of these people unfold.
The performances of each of these people were fab -- Frazer carries a hopelessness and a loneliness that you totally believe. Sarah carries the innocence of someone who is trapped in a horrible situation that she just cannot control or get out of. Forest reminds us all of a time in our lives where we just wanted to feel alive; wanted to do something special and be someone special because we worked so hard to get there, but we're just not there. Kevin's desperation to save the woman he loves (who doesn't love him back) plays really well in reminding you of that one person you'd literally do absolutely anything for.
NONE of the actors over-did it; in fact they were brilliant in underplaying the situation and lines. They were all absolutely fantastic in making you not only believe in their stories and situations, but most importantly, making you FEEL like you were there -- that you were them.
Which, I reckon, is the whole point of this film -- to make you step outside of yourself and FEEL the emotions of all of these people, make you take it as your own. It's a little exhausting, to be fair, because all of these people go through a lot in such a short span. But I'm reasonably certain that that's what the film makers set out to do -- not just watch the movie, but become each of these emotions as you watch the stories unfold.
Absolute ten out of ten for those who do not like the standard Hollywood fluff; the writing, directing and acting was absolutely cracking. This is instantly one of my favourite flicks of all time, and it seems like one of those movies that I will enjoy more and more each time I see it.
NOW GO WATCH IT!
Sanctuary (2008)
Wow... this is just about one of the worst things I've watched in a while.....
Wow.
I thought the first year of Torchwood was the worst thing. And this... wow. I figured, (or hoped, rather) being that it's from a few of the fellows who did Stargate, and with Amanda Tapping (who is adorable) that this might actually have some promise. Martin Wood is one of the best directors SG1 ever had.
So I've never seen this show.. the first episode they've sent over here to the UK is the 3rd episode of the second series, unless I've missed something. They're advertising this as "first chance to see the sci-fi show..." and I'm just gob-smacked trying to figure out how this show could have made more than one episode.
Like I said, I really like Amanda Tapping. She's so funny and so clever, I really do enjoy her. But... considering the fact that she was born in England and probably still has enough family she's got good access to an accent if necessary, her accent is quite terrible. Even if I'd never heard or seen Amanda with her Canadian accent, I'd know in an instant after a half a sentence that she was faking an accent.
I wish that were my only complaint.
What's more over, they have irritated me by continually referring to the 17 and 1800's as "the Middle Ages." That's kind of a bad start. I'm willing to overlook something like that provided that the rest of the show makes up for it.
I'm sad to say this is worse than Torchwood series 1. Now I watch Torchwood -- I don't understand why, myself -- but the first series was dreadful. The second series, whilst passable, still cannot delude me into thinking this is a quality show. We all have that one ridiculous show we watch and can't figure out why. It's like junk food TV. You don't expect much, so you can't be disappointed. So if this is worse then that it's very sad. What saves Torchwood is the camp smile of John Barrowman, and above all the ability to laugh at itself very occasionally. It's what saves Doctor Who, a series which is, regrettably, very often terrible in script, from being intolerable and making it delightful. It's like the main characters are laughing at how ridiculous the story is -- making it OK for you to do so as well and just sit back and enjoy it.
Without someone with the charisma of Barrowman to carry a show like this, this show just reminds me of how terrible sci-fi can be.
The premise is very clearly ripped off of Torchwood. The aliens are remarkably similar to the weevils on Torchwood. The acting is WORSE than Torchwood, and the writing, if possible, is even more elementary. The acting/writing/directing/special effects are about level in quality as those on the movie Idiocracy - without the intentional mediocrity and without the social statement.
I really like Amanda and was hoping this would be worth watching.
Unless something severe changes on this show? Don't waste your time.
Jeremiah (2002)
iTunes has released series 2 out... where is series 1?
Yet another Vancouver series set in Norad, Colorado Air Force Base. I've always wondered why Kurdy and Jeremiah never managed to find the Stargate out of there there are so many tok'ra and jaffa everywhere. :P You'll recognise a lot of the same actors from both series if you're a fan of both.
I love post-apocalyptic stuff, Luke Perry in leather trousers, "wanderer" type characters, and Colorado, so this show was right up my alley.
Anyway, I loved this series, I thought it was great. I cannot, for the life of me, conceive why they would release the series 2 before (or in place of) series 1. The only thing I can come up with is that someone thought Sean Astin might improve the sales.
Well, I have a few things to say about this show, really just to warn you about 2 things: 1) This is not necessarily a bad thing, but there are two kinds of shows out there: shows you can pretty much walk in the middle of, having not seen the previous episodes (shows like Seinfeld, for example, rarely build on top of each episode) or even Stargate, (with the exception of a few episodes here and there that link back) and you can still enjoy and pretty much understand everything that is going on. There are other shows, like Battlestar Galactica, where if you come in having not seen all the episodes before it, you sit there scratching your head thinking "whatwait, what? Why is he
what? Who is this woman? When did this guy getWHAT?" So Jeremiah series 1 is much more along the lines of the first kind of show you can, for the majority, watch an episode out of series 1 and figure out what's going on because there aren't a lot of plot lines that connect. There are the major plot lines and characters, but they are easy enough to figure out if you didn't see the last episode.
Jeremiah series 2, however, is much more along the lines of the second kind of series you really do have to watch each episode before seeing the next or there will be too many pieces missing and too much catching up. A lot of people hate this kind of a show, but I love it I think it makes the show more interesting if you have longer story archs, but it makes it harder for you to see a random episode.
So my first suggestion for watching Jeremiah is really to watch series 1 if at all possible. Then, when you're ready to watch series 2, you will get much more out of it if you watch it in order.
2) There is a distinct "tinkering" visible from the studio and/or network for the second series. The dialog and plots take a direct dive in intelligence. There also seems to be a ridiculous attempt to make the show "happy." It's like some idiot who didn't understand the first series at all, and how the show is about finding hope in the worst of times came along and said, "This show is depressing. Make it happy." So there is an obvious attempt to prozac the show and try to make it more "happy" and "hopeful." Even the opening credits see a change. Instrumental music and "Dear Dad, it's been 15 years since the Big Death wiped out everyone over the age of innocence. The end of your world, the beginning of mine." Intelligent, succinct, simple. But series 2 went to "uplifting and happy" music and a dumbed-down version of "it's been 15 years since a strange disease killed off all the adults and left us kids to fend for ourselves. Now I'm moving ahead through the past." I know creator J. Michael Straczynski swore never to work with MGM under the current administration because of this show. The dumbing down and the prozac dose to the show confirms to me that someone must have been tampering with the show.
Now, all of this aside, this is a great series, one of my all time favourites. Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner have especially good chemistry I love that they fight, that they scream and yell, but in the end, they're still as close as kin. Sean Astin makes a great addition to the cast. His character, Mr Smith, is always just a little outside the circle which I love! Most of the time on a show when they bring in a new main character there is this attempt to prove to the audience that the new character fits in perfectly with everyone. I absolutely LOVE that Mr Smith is intentionally set just a little out of the circle because the truth is he does NOT fit in perfectly with Kurdy and Jeremiah. And by making it part of the story that he doesn't fit in perfectly, they made him fit perfectly! I love this series; I've kept watching it all this time. I'm just hoping someone will make the 1st series available on iTunes as well.
Hope you enjoy the series! It really is a brilliant series.
My Boy Jack (2007)
Your Boy Jack (SPOILERS)
My field of history is generally limited to the Mediaeval era or before, and I rarely do the war movies.
That said, this film caught my attention from the effervescant Carrie Mulligan (Elsie) and Daniel Radcliffe, along with the fabulous David Haig (Kipling) and Kim Cattrall (Caroline). Saw the previews on ITV and it looked visually striking -- enough to catch my attention. I love a film that is done right.
The casting is fantastic -- not a shred of Harry Potter in Dan Radcliffe's portrayal of the title character Jack.
I understand this flick is coming to the USA in April. I'm so glad ITV is out there to make stuff like this, and I hope it did well enough to keep doing quality projects in the future. I hope it will do well in the US -- but it's worth it. This is truly the best made for TV film I've seen in ages.
Visually, this flick is beautiful -- great camera angles, wonderful scenery, and a real attempt to make you feel as though you are in the thick of it.
The script is sharp, poignant, clever, and touching. Sometimes witty, always touching, but most important, it's an INTELLIGENT storyline.
Acting-wise, A+. The actors really put their hearts out there. What's fantastic about these actors is they are quality enough that they don't need to speak constantly. They don't have to fill every silence with spoken words; they aren't afraid to take a moment and breathe or let you feel how they are feeling from their expressions and body language. Carrie, as always, is a heart-breaker; and don't let the glasses fool you -- Harry Potter isn't in this movie. Dan Radcliffe is brilliant. David Haig is lovely as the man himself Rudyard Kipling. Kim Cattrall is completely believable as Caroline (no hint of the Sex in the City character).
I watched this flick with my three other roommates. When the credits started to roll, it was silent in our sitting-room for about five minutes, unless you count the sound of sniffling as we wiped our eyes. They do a fantastic job of making you feel as though Radcliffe's Jack is your son or brother; that these are your family members that you are mourning with. You really do feel like you've just been watching the story of your own best friend or brother as they have lost Their Boy Jack.
That is the film's greatest strength -- the fact that you feel like you are there, you feel like you are Elsie, Rudyard and Caroline Kipling and have just lost your own Jack -- and that, I believe, is precisely the point that David Haig was going for. It's not that the Kiplings have lost Their Boy Jack, it's that I have lost My Boy Jack.
Doctor Who: The Girl in the Fireplace (2006)
one of the best Who episodes ever *possible spoilers*
I've been watching Doctor Who for ages -- I won't say how long, but let us say that it's more than a few decades.
But this episode -- it's brilliant -- one of the best episodes of Who of all time. Heartbreaking -- and what's more, you see a great dark side of Tennant's doctor that is very rarely shown.
Sophia and Tennant have brilliant chemistry -- I loved Mdm DePompadour more in 40 minutes than I've even liked other assistants in Who after several years. She has more character and personality than more than half the assistants all of the series have ever had, I wish desperately that she had become the new assistant when Billie left.
I don't want to spoil the best Who episode over, but I will tell you that this episode is brilliant, it's some of Tennant's best performances, and Sophia Miles is brilliant. If you ever watch one single episode of Doctor Who, let it be this one.
Stargate SG-1: 200 (2006)
**SPOILERS** 200 is Proof that this show has Jumped the Shark
This really should deserve a "O" rating, or even a negative ten. I watched this show for ages, and the show jumped the shark around series 7. This episode, however, is proof that the show has jumped the shark. It's writing is lazy, absurd, self-indulgent and not even worthy of rubbish like Beavis and Butthead.
It is quite possible to be ridiculous and still be fun -- Pirates of the Caribbean, the Mummy, Count of Monte Cristo -- all "fun" movies that are not to be taken seriously. However, there is such thing as ridiculous as in "this is the worst thing I've ever seen." And indeed, this is the worst episode of Stargate I've ever seen. It's absolutely dreadful, and this coming from someone with a stargate in her basement.
Makes me want to sell all of my stargate props, most seriously.
DuckTales: The Treasure of the Golden Suns (1987)
Bloody Brilliant!!!
I grew up with this series, and I shall tell you that Talespin, Ducktales, Chip and Dale, and Gummy Bears were fond memories of mine growing up. They were brilliant fun, and quite intelligent for children's cartoons.
I was a little worried, having loved it as much as I did, when I received it for a Christmas pressie last year. What if it wasn't as good? What if my memories were rose-coloured and the show was stupid and ridiculous and tragically unwatchable? I couldn't have been more wrong. The episodes were bloody brilliant, I think I enjoyed them now more than I had done when I was a kiddie -- mainly because I can appreciate it more now. There's wretched things like Dora the Explorer, in which the characters just screech and scream, and then there's a classic like Ducktales.
As most of you are probably aware, Uncle Scrooge, his newphew triplets Hewey, Dewey, and Lewey are always off getting themselves in trouble. Many of the stories are ripped off old mythologies (like Homer and the Illiad) but I don't mind as I'm a mythologist and can appreciate it now. The stories are morally entertaining, but they don't bash you over the head with the morals.
This is a safe, classic programme that's fun at all ages, if not a bit simplistic (what's wrong with that?). The characters are fab (Scrooge is still my favourite cartoon character ever) and even has an occasional guest-star with Uncle Donald.
If you want to relive some of your happy childhood memories, or have a safe, fun, inventive cartoon for your kiddies to watch, I highly recommend the four shows Talespin, Ducktales, Chip and Dale, and Gummy Bears, as they were brilliant.
Best part about Ducktales was the miniseries pilot, tho -- don't dare forget to watch Treasure of the Golden Suns, bloody brilliant!!!!!
Secret Smile (2005)
Surprisingly good
I watched this because I'm not particularly familiar with David Tennant, and wanted to see him act in more than 3 minutes of Harry Potter before moving on to see him replace Chris Eccelston in Doctor Who.
I was really surprised at it, I mean some of it was a bit predictable, but the tale of a good thriller is that even if you know what's coming, you're heart-rate still pumps higher with anticipation.
My bruvva (who has an attention span of a 5 year old) stayed to watch all of part 2 with me, so you know it's interesting.
Basic premise is that of many a Lifetime movie -- woman comes upon a mysterious seductive man, only to realise he's a bugger, bail out, and then can't shake him off. Only she knows he's dangerous -- everyone else sees her warnings as jealous or bitterness. How Lady Cassandra.
DTennant plays the role of the creepy guy who gets away with everything perfectly. Frighteningly well, really. But give him due credit at least for being able to carry the movie.
The plot is not that original, but what is original these days. The acting, directing and producing really carry the movie, and I guarantee you by the end of the movie you will dislike Brendan.
My only complaint comes at the end of the movie (SPOILERS BEWARE!!) because they sort of pull a Hollywood trick on ye. I much prefer the illusional ending of the main character dying, instead of sneaking her in at the last minute. I sort of think that a cheat.
Other than that, two thumbs up, brilliant, highly recommended, will watch again!
Doctor Who (2005)
Love it! Pure British stuff (Possible Spoilers)
Okay, I grew up on Who, but haven't loved a Doctor since Tom Baker. Christopher Eccleston made me love Who again and I'll be furious with him forever for leaving.
The writing is grand, the acting superb, the directing (which was dreadful in the old days) is just fantastic. I was very skeptical about this programme, and watched it merely out of being forced, but am now a huge fan and love it (I have a ringtone of a Dalek screaming "Exterminate" then).
A few of the things I love about the new programme -- 1) people actually notice when Rose (Billie Piper) disappears off the planet. Some of the old shows an assistant would drop off for a while, and then come home like nothing has happened, no one noticed. 2) Chris Eccleston's doc loves Rose -- romantic or not will be debated, but there is no doubt that 9 loves and cares about his companion. He'd destroy the world if he had to to save her, which the old show was lacking -- often a doctor wouldn't care if he never saw his assistants again. 3) They talk and think like real people -- when Rose is shown something outlandish or new (such as aliens) she acts like a real person would -- gobsmacked. I never liked it when an assistant from the old show, who never saw anything alien, would just fit right in and adapt instantly. I want to see the surprise on Rose's face when she sees a plastic dummy come to life. She gives that to me.
The few things I don't like about this series: 1)nearly everything happens on earth (London or Cardiff) and I was sort of hoping for a more off-world sort of show. 2) That Eccleston left so quickly, he really made the show brilliant.
But I can let those few things go -- I far more enjoy the series than I ever expected to, so I don't mind if they have stuff set on earth.
Just don't take this show seriously -- it's fun, it's smart, it's entertaining, but it's not a super-serious heavy duty show. It's pure fun, and pure British, and I can't get enough. Watch it with an open mind, and just put your brain into neutral and enjoy!
ps -- don't watch series 2 or later. series 1 was brilliant, the first few episodes of series 2 were good, but don't watch it once it gets to Love and Monsters. Utter rubbish, completely destroys the show.
What Not to Wear (2003)
Fantastic!
Okay, I won't beat around the bush: these women are rather blunt -- sometimes to the point of sounding rather rude. But, one also must remember they have a very limited time to try to change the styles and looks of people, and they really don't have time to be messing about with pleasantries. They have hundreds of people try to get in, they pick 2, and then they try to fix the problems of the people's clothing overnight. So they don't have time to sit there with a cup of tea talking to someone who's having a tantrum in a dressing room and play psycho-analyst. It's their job to get the people in, make them look fabulous, and then go on to the next set.
They pick the people, go through their lives for a day, then attack their wardrobes. Usually they're content to just binning the rubbish, but once in a while they'll go for a flare for the dramatic -- Susannah set a jacket on fire, once.
I watched this show by accident -- I was waiting for a repeat of something to come on, and this came on instead. I couldn't find anything else to watch, so I watched the whole episode, and while they seem mean at first, once you get to understand their personalities and the way they work, you really sort of just enjoy it and let their comments go. I think either of them should have been stand-up comics -- they're both brilliant.
My favourite quote from Trinny (who's my favourite) is, when finding out that a guest had tried to take some of the binned clothes back out, "Yes, you snuffed through those bags like a pig in truffles." I laughed so hard I nearly cried.
At first I thought they were a bit rough on the people, but one must remember that they have a really limited time to try to turn the clothing style for someone, and that these people came to Trinny and Susannah knowing they can be rough. One must also remember that they are really trying to help the guests, and that sometimes it takes rough words to get someone to listen.
And finally, I shall say this: I've never seen them wrong. Every episode that I have ever seen, the guest walks away looking a million times better than when they came in asking for help. They do know what they're doing, and I think they're brilliant. I've got my Dad hooked on the programme as well. They're fantastic, and I don't watch much TV at all, it's one of about 3 programmes I keep up with.
Bedazzled (2000)
Story is bad, Fraser is good
Look, I'll be blunt: this is a bad movie. However, there is a "But" here. This is a bad movie BUT Fraser saves it. Whilst not the best script, Brendan makes it watchable and even enjoyable. He plays about a dozen different characters, and each one different. I swear I cannot hear sports players or commentators now without hearing Brendan's voice over the picture saying... "we wanna play good, and we gotta play good... and i think we played pretty good. But you know, there's no I in team and we had to go out there and play good, and I think we played real good tonight." While he is sweating so much they must have had a hosepipe on his head and back. But, I really actually enjoyed Brendan, I think he saved what would have been an utterly dreadful movie.
Dead Like Me (2003)
Brilliant
Sadly, Sho seems to love to get rid of their best shows for junk. I think this one was replaced because it was rather more expensive than Fat Actress would have been because of special affects, SHO didn't feel it was worth it.
Which, as I say, is extremely sad. This show is smart, sharp, dark and cold. The characters are lovably dislike-able: George is moody and rather sour college drop out, her younger sister is a clone but still in school. Her mother and father aren't too pleasant either. Rube is grouchy and vague, Roxie is aggressive and sharp, and Mason is absolutely pathetic. Daisy is flighty but you know there's something deeper within all of them, even if you only see glimpses of it.
The writing of this show was utterly brilliant. They had great stories, but I think my favourite part of the show was the cast interaction: Rube may appear to be a jerk, but you know he's the father figure of them all and would do almost anything for them... well, maybe not for Mason, but other than that, you know he loves them. You also know that George's anger would have eventually subsided... she was actually making progress. Mason... well, Mason always screwed up, and I think that was Callum Blues request. And we know people like this, don't we?
But they were a family, and you know they loved each other, even if they didn't say it constantly. I know there have been complaints about this show because it was about death and dead people. I have also been told by those I know who haven't liked it that these people seem callous to death and dying in the first place. I argue this: These people, with their great flaws and "issues" have so much more life to them than most shows about living people, that argument is laughable. This is not a show about death. This is a show about life-- the characters just happen to be dead. These are not people who do not care that others live or die-- they care too much, and it's driving them mad. That is why Daisy seems so flighty -- in her shallowness she can pretend that she doesn't care about all of these people she sees die every day. Rube pretends to be gruff and mean, but as witnessed in "A Cook" even he feels something for the people they pop the souls of. Even when he is in the middle of yelling at George he offers her pie. Roxy might be an angry woman, but you can see that she is really maternal and kind (deeper down, mind). And Mason... Mason drinks and does drugs not because that is what he always has done, but that's the only way he can make himself feel nothing.
And there leaves George: George has spent her entire life not caring, not making connections or relationships with other people. She has spent her entire life forcing others away. She's slowly learning how to connect to others, and it is sad that it took her death to make her live a little, but there are many of us out there like this.
Sadly, this show is Dead. But it will still continue to be one of my favourite series of all time. Had great Guest stars including Teryl Rothery and a few other Star Gate alumni (as it filmed across the street) and it was a delightful dark yet honest show.
Only complaint is that it was just getting good. They had some great stories with Rube and George, it was just a crime that this show is no more. Some don't like season 2 because it was slightly lighter; I think the stories were only getting better, and will miss my weekly dose of Herbig as well. Well, one little tiny complaint, they used the F word constantly. I don't mind it occasionally, but half the time it was every other word, and I think this show was too intelligent and too good, it honestly irritated me a bit. They didn't need it; the show was brilliant and sometimes they could overdo that just a bit.
But, 12 out of ten stars, it's delightful, and surprisingly touching and sweet at times. Brilliant show, RIP Dead Like Me. These characters were more alive than anything I have seen in decades. It is their flaws that made them so alive, and in the end, I shall always love this show. I maintain that SHO was quite stupid to let this one go; so many of us have cancelled SHO just because of it.
DLM is not for everyone. Just if you like deep (although not always obviously so) characters, sharp writing, dark comedy and oddities (there is a toilet-tree, go watch the DVD's if you need more info). It is quite depressing to watch because I know it was just getting good.
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Did You See the Sunrise?
I admit it: I didn't watch this show when it first aired. I was an 80's kid, so I was far more concerned with shows like Ducktails and Tailspin than any dumb show about a P.I.
But, luckily, reruns have managed to re-introduce me to the world of the 80's shows. I've since become rather obsessed with my "three 80's M's" -- Matlock, M*A*S*H and Magnum.
All I can say is, this ain't no Macguyver. Tom Magnum is NOT a PC guy left-wing activist who makes speeches at the end of the episode on the environment, or who can build a nuclear reactor from a piece of gum and a shoestring. Magnum is, as his name suggests, the kind of guy who shoots first and asks questions later. He always manages to get himself in trouble, and sort of mooches off his friends. He doesn't always know who is the bad guy, and he has been known to kill a few people in cold blood. He doesn't always say or do the right thing. He has some serious baggage, from his wife and daughter being killed (or were they??) and Vietnam. Some times-- well, quite often, he screwed up. His closest friends are usually in danger-- or killed-- because of him.
This makes it sound bad, I know, but you know, these are the things I love about Magnum. He's got baggage, he's not all together, he's a bit messed up. Not seriously psychotic, you understand, but not all together. I love Magnum: the play between him and Higgins is just delightful, and his poor mooched off friends just can't say no to him, hard as they try. And, you know he's like that, but you love him anyway. Silly loud Hawaiian shirts and all. You can almost always count on at least one bar fight or car chase, He's sort of a gun-slinger of the 1980's America.
Magnum is first and foremost, Fun. Tom Selleck and cast are utterly delightful, and I think this show is quite underrated, because when you take away the car chases there are still first and foremost good story lines and good writing.
They have serious episodes, and they have silly ones. I tended not to like the sillier episodes: those episodes usually ranked as the best in the series stand up very well. They had good episodes and better episodes, I can only think of one or two eps in the entire series I just didn't like, but they aren't horrible, just not my taste. If you get a chance to see Did You See the SunRise parts 1 and 2, Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts (I don't know if that's the real title) or any of them, really, you watch about 3 of them and you'll be hooked. Especially Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts, I think it's one of the best episodes ever. And the series finale was brilliant, really most of them were just fun but they had some utterly brilliant episodes. You really feel like you know Magnum, and I think it's because he's just a little messed up that makes him feel real to you. That and he talks to you: often he says things like, "I know what you're thinking, and you're right, I shouldn't have..." or "I know what you're thinking, but this time, you're wrong. Higgins is the one who..." I really wish I'd gotten into this series when it was on, and that I appreciated it for what it was, but alas, I did not. I'm just glad I had a second chance to appreciate what a brilliant and fun show this was. I hope someone else out there has the chance to watch this show and enjoy it-- or re-enjoy it, for the great show it was.
Battlestar Galactica (2003)
The Best Show You're Not Watching.
SPOILERS. If you like stupid, predictable reality TV shows, spoon-fed dramas, or recycled characters, this isn't your show. If you're a purist from the original series, this isn't your show. If you like Star Trek TNG, and think it was the best show on TV ever, this isn't your show.
If, however, you want stop-heart story lines, unpredictable and solid writing, acting, directing and producing, this is your show. If you want something different, and are sick of the Hollywood crap out there, this is your show.
What's different? Everything. First order of business that many must deal with: Boomer and Starbuck are chicks. Deal with it. Cylons look like humans now. Deal with it. There's no Boxie, no hideous stupid animatronic metal dog... deal with it.
Next order of business: this is not a science fiction show. This is a drama that happens to take place in space. But, it could take place on a submarine, that's how unimportant the background of space is. There's no stupid laser beams (projectile weapons!), there's no monsters(Almos has said he would walk if they ever had monsters).
Beloved characters turned into cylons. Or shot and killed right on screen. Characters are tortured and raped. People who receive a black eye or scratch just might have it for four episodes-- sometimes a scar. Nothing is easy-- they have no transporters or newfangled gadgets-- their bloody ship is falling apart! lights flicker. They run out of things like water and food and soap! stuff breaks down on this ship, characters have dramatic fights, the phones have cords and they use paper and pencil. It is more like a war movie on a submarine from WW2. The engineer cannot always fix things, the humans are not always the good guys, and most if not all of these people have some serious issues.
This show plays with your mind and your emotions-- it challenges you to think, and it does not always connect the dots to every single little thing. Star Trek is famous for over-explaining every single thing-- you must think to watch this show, because they mention something in passing which becomes crucial 5 episodes later, and if you weren't paying attention, you miss it. They don't hit you over the head with cliché's, they don't spoon-feed you recycled characters and plots, they challenge you to think. You are left at the end of every episode breathless. THe miniseries was good. Season one was better. Season 2? Well, it's only half over at the time of this writing, but I will say one thing... Oh My God.
When I say this show plays with your mind and emotions, I mean it. Sometimes the good guys do bad things. Sometimes the bad guys do good things. I've switched sides in the war: I'm now Pro-Cylon because of the way they show humans. They show our flaws, our weaknesses-- Six is a sex model, leggy blonde. She's there because she knows how to use Balter's weaknesses against him. These new cylons are smart, they are cunning, and much of the time, it's the cylons that are more humane than the humans! Cylons or humans, These are not 2 dimensional characters: these people cry, sweat, go to the bathroom (they've shot scenes in bathrooms-- ever see a toilet on Star Trek??). They are alcoholics, rageaholics, gamblers, people who have been abused in childhood, and most of all, they are real! You don't feel like you are listening to a script-- you feel like you're part of the story, there with them. You watch them change: for good or bad, you see who they are. We are slowly watching Balter turn evil. We are seeing other cylons turn good, (or are they??) and it's quite impossible to say that the humans are always the good guys (I'm furious at Adama over the way he treats my favourite character!!!) They aren't bad people (well, most of them) but they are complex. And every week we find out just a little more about why they are the way they are. And the best part is, they always are the way they are. Adama is always Adama-- he does things I hate him for, but it's always what Adama would have done. Even their side characters (like Chief, Dee, Billy, etc) have story lines that you want to find out, you want to know them, you want to understand them, and the more you find out about some of them, the more you realise you don't know anything about them.
This is the best thing on TV. The communications officer doesn't just repeat the computer. This is literally the ONLY show I watch on TV for the simple reason that there is nothing else worth watching. This isn't the best show because everything else is bad: this is the best show because it makes everything else look bad.
If the people on Star Trek were ever willing to listen to Moore, they would have had a chance on taking advantage of his ideas. He tried to do some of the same things on DS9, but by the time he managed some of them, it was a little too late. This is the show that has set the bar for every sci-fi show out there: StarGate, which was once set the standard, is now trying desperately to keep up with this show, and they have made some changes already to try to keep up with this show.
If you like edge-of-your-seat drama, heart-stopping acting and writing; smart, realistic, often cold documentary-like feel to a show, and are willing to just let the old show go, than this is the show for you.
If you want to be spoon-fed with stupid one-dimensional writing, directing and characters, with no heart whatsoever, go watch TNG on TNT.
VR.5 (1995)
Too intelligent for People
This show was a fantastic show, but it''s biggest flaw is that it was just too intelligent for the average Desperate Housewives watcher. It's not a reality show, it's not even really an action show. It's a thinking show-- they mention one thing very briefly in one episode and if you weren't paying attention the next four episodes don't make sense.
As one user alluded to, this is not a show about virtual reality or technology, it's more about how this woman discovers her own past through that technology. Sydney Bloom is not who she believes she is-- her past is riddled with lies, deceits, and just plain blank spots. Though this virtual reality device, she begins uncovering who she really is, and subsequently her own family's past as well.
Some of it is the Matrix BEFORE the Matrix: in this virtual world, Sydney can do anything: she need only learn how to control it. As I saw this programme first, I always felt that the Matrix stole quite a bit of some of the theory. But no matter.
If this programme ever comes on DVD, it's worth whatever price they fix. The cast is brilliant (I always loved Duncan) and my poor ten year old tapes just don't hold up anymore!! They've started breaking from overuse.
This show is not your run of the mill sci-fi junkie stupid predictable programme. It's weird-- too weird for most people, which was why it was cancelled. It's intelligent-- like the New Battle Star Galactica, they do not hand feed you with over-explanation. It is subtle and you have to pay attention. This is both it's biggest strength and it's biggest weakness.
It's a fantastic show, and if you ever get the opportunity to see it, it's utterly brilliant.
maddy
Boy Meets World (1993)
Jumped half way through
Once upon a time, this was a sweet show... it was warm and the worst trouble the kids got in was for watching an R rated movie.
First season was precious, second season was good, third was acceptable. Fourth had it's moments, but they jumped the shark about half way through the show, and it got quite horrible by the end... if you are new to the show, only watch the first 3 seasons, because otherwise the last 4 will completely make you hate it. If you are not new and watched the show, you probably know what I am talking about.
I was a really big fan of this show, I loved it very much. But they destroyed it.
Return to the Secret Garden (2000)
Pathetic attempt at trying to capture the magic of the 93 version
I would give this a 0 if the voter let me. This film is a pathetic attempt to capture the magic of the 93 version with Kate Maberly. I've been a big fan of Secret Garden my whole life, and think I was tricked into watching this because I thought it was a Maberly sequel.
Aside from the fact that it is not, there are many things wrong with this movie and nothing right. The story is dull, the characters lifeless, and the acting half-hearted. No one seems to even care that they are there, there's absolutely none of the heart from the Kate Maberly film. It's quite pathetic, and the reason you've never heard of this film is because it is quite that bad. It only serves to remind you how wonderful the Maberly version was, and how much they should have left it alone.
I thought it had Kate when I first rented it,because the picture on the front looks much like the other version, and was so disappointed and disgusted with it I was quite upset I was stupid enough to rent it.
Serves to show, never mess with a perfect picture, by giving it a sequel or prequel or whatever it is they do these days. I know Maberly's film wasn't the original, but I think her version was by far the best Garden, and as far as I'm concerned, this film doesn't even deserve to have the name Secret Garden anywhere in the title.