fee_tambo Reviews

Committed (2011 TV Movie)

Makes you think

[7/10 · 5 August 2015]

This is a great subject for a film, and it does start off very promisingly. I worked in a psychiatric ward for several years and when patients were sectioned,I would often think 'what if that person is telling the truth and nobody believes them?'. The family have all the power and we all know how fractured families are!

The actors in this film are all very good, it's a shame they've not been heard of outside TV movies, the story becomes quite dry about 3/4 through but it's no fault of the actors, it's the writing so I'd definitely recommend that you you'd watch this film, if only to have some food for thought, and to see some of the very underrated acting!

The Myth of Fingerprints (1997)

Bo-ring!

[3/10 · 13 February 2007]

I just watched this film, and I came on here to see if I'd missed something that I really should have paid attention to! I really cant help but think 'Geez, that's an hour and 40 minutes of my life that I'll never get back!'

I must admit that I think the acting was great, Juliana Moore was amazing and so was Noah Wyle, but what was the point of the sister and the other brother? What was going on with the brothers blonde girlfriend? she was perky and had some personality but it went nowhere... the story was just so slow and - how do I put this? non descript!

If you want to see a film with a dysfunctional family, inappropriate relationships, humour and an answer to the questions posed during the movie, then watch The Family Stone...now THAT'S a movie worth seeing.

Miami Vice (2006)

Good movie...shame about the acting, the script, the wardrobe.....

[6/10 · 7 August 2006]

Yeah, actually I ended up enjoying the film...but I just couldn't believe how bad the script and some of the acting was.

How can I put this?........Miami Vice is basically a watered down version of Bad Boys. It's Bad Boys without the humour, class script, top notch special effects and quality acting. In fact, Miami Vice doesn't even match up to the original TV series...I'd go as far as saying that the TV series had better effects, better acting and sharper scripts...with a sense of humour too.

Colin Farrell is a handsome guy, there's no doubt there, but in the film, his acting was very patchy, and the script didn't help - the dodgy lines came thick and fast though, which help me get over the hurdles! Jamie Foxx didn't have any decent lines either, I was expecting at least some dry wit or some good put downs...but this film had none of that, there was no soul.

But somehow, I ended up enjoying it, and I'll go and see a sequel if it happens. But If it goes ahead then I just hope that the director takes on the project, keeping in mind that he needs to engage a good screenwriter...and someone with a sense of humour!

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

I think the film is a 'high 8', but I gave it 9

[9/10 · 29 June 2006]

Don Cheadle's acting was absolutely stunning. I don't know who got the Oscar that year, but Don deserved it 100%. The film itself is OK, but it gets the point across...tells the story enough for people who get a basic knowledge of what went on in 2004. If that sparks an interest then maybe people will want to learn more.

The Rwandan massacre is something that really affects me, the people were murdering their own friends,colleagues...even family, simply because they were not of the same tribe. Millions of people murdered in cold blood, people chopped up in cold blood and left in the street or lining the roads. Barbaric...that'd never happen in a civilised country would it? or would it! This was a country where the people lived in relative comfort, many had nice houses and were well fed and clothed. People seem to have a mental image of everyone in Africa being wasted through hunger, with tear stained faces and barefoot....but no, this wasn't the case. It could happen anywhere, Just think about what could happen is the Protestants and Catholics in Ireland were all fired up and one side decided to wipe out the other.....Or put it on a bigger scale, America and Canada. We all call ourselves civilised, anything could happen....

I recently watched a documentary recently where a woman lost her husband, all his family and all her own family. She now runs an organisation to care for orphans of the atrocity. This is what is left of Rwanda...brave people just getting on with life, while the so called 'civilised' countries look on and occasionally sympathise with them....in fact, most people don't even know what happened - or even care for that matter.

Why did the UN pull out? why is no-one talking about it now? because the people don't seem to have a strong enough voice that makes people sit up and take notice, they need more films like this to be made, they need a big time director who empathises with them, to make a big noise...Stephen Spielberg did it with Schindlers List, another film about genocide. Jewish people are passionate in getting people to know what their people suffered, Rwandan people are too, but they need help. This film is a start, but more of the same is required to make sure that people don't forget.

She's the Man (2006)

Yentl gone mental!

[3 April 2006]

At 34 years old, I'm a little long in the tooth for the teen comedies that are out now, I'm a 'Brat Pack' kind of girl! All the actors/actresses are starting to look the same to me! However, this one is different, Amanda Byrnes is fabulously funny and her comic timing is excellent.

Anyone who has seen the Barbra Streisand musical 'Yentl' will find the story familiar...but this is not a rip off. It's a kind of Yentl with a new spin, a kind of dumbed down version with loads of scatty slapstick and close shaves! I loved it and would definitely recommend it to anyone....of any age!

Packin' It In (1983 TV Movie)

I loved this film

[7/10 · 14 February 2006]

...and I'm so disappointed because I can't seem to buy the DVD or VHS of it anywhere.

Its a kind of mix of, Uncle Buck and The Great Outdoors and Molly Ringwald is fabulous as the spoilt teenager. This was made when Molly was still a brunette, just before she hit the big time with Pretty In Pink.

I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good clean family comedy, with an edge!

If anyone has a copy of this, or knows where I can get one...please leave a message for me - it'll be much appreciated.

Evening Shade (1990–1994)

This gentle sitcom has apparently been forgotten by most people

[5 January 2006]

....which is such a shame because it really was very well acted and the writing was excellent, very witty and sharp and it will be difficult to repeat that kind of standard these days. I notice that there was a recent show out called 'A minute with Stan Hooper' which tried to emulate 'Evening Shade', and it did the job very well...but still didn't match up in my opinion.

Burt Reynolds was surrounded by a wonderful cast but he barely had to speak, because they did the work for him! Still,it wouldn't have been the same without him - he was perfect in the role and Marilu Henner was perfect as his wife.

The much missed Michael Jeter was the highlight of the show for me. He was so funny...a classic character actor with so much talent. But he wasn't alone, this show was full of fantastic actors; Ossie Davis, Charles Durning, Marilu Henner & Hal Holbrook are the actors that I remember...but I was just looking at the IMDb list of actors I see that Hilary Swank and Leah Rimini were in the show too - its fabulous to see that such quality stars started offin this great little, much respected show.

I really wish they'd repeat it on one of the comedy channels, it would be such a waste if it wasn't shown again.

Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005)

This series took me ages to get into

[5 January 2006]

...but now I'm hooked, and I've even bought 5 DVD boxsets of it! Its weird because its both subtle AND sharp humour.

Its about Ray Romano, a sportswriter who just wants a quiet life...but he has 3 kids (a girl and twin toddler boys) and Debra (his wife) who struggles to juggle housekeeping and being a mother because Ray just will do anything to stay out of her way and not help! Debra is not your typical sitcom mum. She's independent and opinionated, and a very good match for Ray - she keeps him in line!

His Italian American parents (Marie and Frank) and divorced 40 year old brother (Robert) stay in the same street and facing across from Ray & Debra's house. And they are never away from there - The parents are very loud, expressive, overbearing people, but they don't mean to be....It's just their way. The brother is quirky to say the least! he's 7 foot tall and has a voice like Eeyore from the winnie the pooh movies (he IS the voice from the cartoon). He has weird little habits and is a little obsessive compulsive and insanely jealous of his younger brother Ray. However, at heart they are good, caring people and the family are extraordinarily close...but you'd never know it by the drama and shouting that goes on all the time! This is where the comedy comes from....

Now, I am married to an Italian man and I know from experience what Italian in-laws are like! so this might be why I find this so funny....watching Marie (Rays mum) is like watching my MIL (only its not so funny in real life, believe me!!)

If you like Seinfeld, King of Queens (another sitcom which took ages to grow on me), CLASSIC Woody Allen movies, the film Mambo Italiano or My Big Fat Greek Wedding, then you'll like this. Give it a go, watch more than one episode and you'll end up hooked like me - I promise!

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005)

No surprises and no disappointments either

[6/10 · 5 January 2006]

Its just a squeaky clean family movie and you don't need to think about it - just sit back and be entertained....or when if comes out on DVD, you can have it on in the background while doing other stuff around the house - its fluff!

The first one was just the same, but they seemed to use the children more, however, in this one they just focused on 2 or 3 from each family (there is another large family in this movie). I felt that this was a shame, because there are so many cute characters that they could have included in the the storyline. All the child actors are great, the 2 kids who play the twins are particularly funny. Steve Martin & the other adult actors definitely get the best out of them.

Maybe they're planning another sequel which will focus on more of the kids, that would be fine by me...I personally like this kind of movie now and then. But if you want to be mentally challenged, busting a gut laughing or tensely kept on the edge of your seat then this definitely isn't the movie for you!

The Producers (2005)

Such a disappointment :-(

[1/10 · 3 January 2006]

Now, I have never walked out of a film in my life so this was a first for me...but I just couldn't stand any more! I loved the original and adore Mel Brooks writing and anything with Nathan Lane and Jon Lovitz in it so I thought that I was going to see a dead cert hit! But I was sorely disappointed almost as soon as it started.

I felt that Nathan Lane was...dare I say it...miscast, and Matthew Broderick was no fit match of Gene Wilder - but I don't know who could be to be honest.

Uma Thurman was fabulous - very entertaining. If this doesn't give her career a huge boost then nothing will. Unfortunately though, Uma wasn't enough to salvage this film for me. It might have been better, in my opinion, if this film was never made...after all, it never brought anything new to the original and certainly wasn't any better.