Change Your Image
tiffanie_says_stay_in_your_lane
Female
Millennial
Straight
Currently working as a crisis intervention counselor.
My favorite movie genres are suspense, noir, adventure, mysteries, thrillers, and espionage. I love films from the Golden Age. I don't care for mainstream television, so I mostly watch vintage TV shows.
While I try to be consistent, I do have a life outside of this website, so I might go several days not posting a review. I have a full-time job, and I'm thinking about going back to school. I love movies, but I'm also mindful about not falling into the trap of media overconsumption. When I'm not watching films, I'm listening to music, hanging out at the library, going to art and culture festivals, exploring museums, doing photography, shopping, and walking around my neighborhood.
Reviews
A Roommate to Die For (2023)
Storyline that's been used before, but has a unique twist I didn't see coming
I just needed a movie to watch because I was bored. About 5 minutes into it, I knew it had the same premise as The Killer Downstairs, and a few other Lifetime movies that are about people renting a room in their house to strangers. So initially I wasn't excited, because I was thinking great, this is gonna be just like the other ones I've seen. But I ended up being surprised. The writers managed to add features to the story that weren't present in the other movies. Faith (Angela Cole) is a young woman who's struggling to pay the rent and other bills ever since her boyfriend Jeremy (Austin Valli) moved out, so she advertises for a roommate to lighten her financial issues. A guy named Vince (Zane Haney) meets her at a restaurant for an interview of sorts. He seems polite, intelligent, and kind. Graduated from Stanford Law School, realized being a lawyer wasn't his thing and wanted to be a teacher, due to his parents having taught, so he went back to college for a degree in education, and had created his own tutoring business to help people study for the LSAT. Of course after hearing such an impressive professional background, Faith welcomes Vince into her home. It doesn't take long for him to start touching her stuff without asking. He goes around planting cameras, and accuses her of putting one in his room (which is the same camera that he owns - how toxic is that?), leading her to blame Jeremy, even going so far as to confront him about it when he's playing basketball with his friends, all because he had once mentioned wanting to film them having sex when they were living together. Their landlord-tenant relationship is going fairly well. Vince cooks, pays his rent on time, and consistently has pleasant interactions with Faith. Then one day he gets nasty and rude out of nowhere. She knocks on his door, and he doesn't say anything. She opens it, he shouts at her to get the h out of his room, and it goes downhill from there. Every conversation they have turns into an argument, and he talks to her like crap in general. She tells him that he needs to go, but he refuses to leave. It gets to a point where he's acting so aggressive, that Faith becomes terrified of him. Out of caution for her safety, she stays at her friend Jaden's (Taylor Carter) apartment. They reach out to a law enforcement and legal professional about getting him evicted, but unfortunately, they tell her it won't happen right away. The process itself would take a few months. Having ran out of options, she asks Jeremy for help. She never saw herself letting him back into her life, after having broken up due to his irresponsibility, but she needs male protection. Additional people join forces with them to do everything in their power to make Vince move, including having a party with loud music. That sends him over the edge. He self-harms by banging his head on his desk a few times. He does walk out of the house, but he stops at nothing to make Faith and Jeremy's life a living nightmare. He's definitely a charmer who's skilled at hiding his narcissism and violent tendencies. He uses his bruises from intentionally hurting himself as a visual aid to convince the police that Jeremy assaulted him, and then he takes out a restraining order on Faith, part of which bans her from the house, so she has to go back to Jaden's place. Okay, I'll stop there.
You have GOT to see this! I was suspicious, but trust me, it's nothing like other Lifetime films about crazy tenants. I feel like what made this one different, is the guy repeatedly flew into a rage throughout the course of the film. He wasn't nice the whole time and then turned homicidal. That's what made this so much more suspenseful compared to The Killer Downstairs. I know some people who watch this will say she deserved what happened. She discovers he has zero social media presence, but that's only after he had started acting like a psycho. While I do believe she should've did extensive research on him before agreeing to rent out the room, I don't think anyone deserves to have their life put at risk. If anything, this movie should be a lesson to people who are thinking about posting ads online for a roommate. There's other things you can do if you're needing extra money besides letting a stranger into your home. Get a part-time job, sell items on Etsy if you're artistically gifted. This movie really wasn't far-fetched. There's a lot of people who look and act normal in public, but are unhinged behind closed doors. The acting wasn't Oscar worthy, but the performances were believable as thirtysomethings living in California. And being 31, it's nice to see characters in my age group, instead of teenagers or people in their early 20s. Also, the ending was the bomb! Call it woke, PC, whatever you want - I love to watch a woman kick a man's butt! I don't know why it was taken off of YouTube. But if you ever catch this, definitely give it a try. It'll exceed your expectations!
Hotel Hell (2012)
Phony and staged. And why do we need to see this man in the shower???
This show is more scripted and exaggerated than Kitchen Nightmares. I think it was just a way for Chef Ramsay to continue making money after that ended. Television (and the film industry for that matter) are full of greedy people. Actors/actresses and TV personalities will do anything for a buck, no matter how ridiculous. Although he's a chef by trade, he reminds me of an actor. He has the ability to convey different personas. It's like he went to a theater school before going into cooking. He also takes on different projects that are outside the realm of his expertise. This time around he contends with hotel owners who are out of touch with their staff, in addition to the overall cleanliness of the building. All of these places have hideous decor. Floral wallpaper and antique furniture in all of the rooms. A terrifying amount of dust and insects. It doesn't take a genius to see there's a major need for cleaning and renovation. It's quite stupid they needed Chef Ramsay to bring that to their attention. And by the way - what is the point of watching him take a shower?!? Obviously they don't show his genitals, but seeing his chest, legs, and feet are disgusting enough. This man needs to keep his clothes on. He looks like a bona fide ghost. He's regarded as a sex symbol, and I never understood why. Just because a man has a British accent, that doesn't automatically qualify him as sexy.
The believability of this show leaves a lot to be desired. I feel like reality programs make life out to be simplistic. It's an alternate dimension where people are able to work out their issues with minimal effort, thought or consideration. Apologies are accepted right away, even if the person who's apologizing has been acting like a narcissist for several years, and hurting all of the people around them. I was done with the episode where the socially inept owner of a hotel in Milford, PA had an overnight transformation after he heard his employees telling Chef Ramsay about how he sucked all of their enthusiasm. Unbeknownst to them, they were being filmed, and he was watching. Then he comes out and says 'sorry, that wasn't my intention. I didn't mean to suck the enthusiasm out of anyone,' or something along those lines (I'm sure they aired their grievances many times, so I don't know why he was surprised by how they felt). Then he's dressed by a Hollywood fashion person, further motivating him to be a better person. He was 48 and single, so after he put on his new clothes, Chef Ramsay took him to a bar down the street to find a girlfriend. Apparently Chef Ramsay must have magical powers like Samantha from Bewitched and cast a spell on the women there, because they all swarmed around him like he was the most intriguing person in the world, and he had no problem talking to them. The next night, the same group of women arrived at the hotel for dinner, and Chef Ramsay got them to write down their phone numbers for the owner. Okay, are we supposed to believe this guy went from totally awkward (didn't smile much, had trouble giving eye contact, struggled with rehearsing how to greet guests when they first entered the hotel), to all of the sudden being a chick magnet just because his appearance was changed? That's when I started watching something else. It just got really absurd. It takes more than clothes to increase someone's confidence. What you wear is just superficial. Not to mention, a bar/nightclub atmosphere can be an uncomfortable experience for people who are very shy, so it's not like they'll have that easy of a time finding someone to date. It was the phoniest episode I've seen. I only watch this when nothing else is on, but it's so lame. The situations and dialogue are questionable, which is why it comes off as staged. Makes you wonder how legit Chef Ramsay is.
Hell's Kitchen (2005)
Really has nothing to do with cooking. Just an excuse to make people look stupid
Why has this been on for the last 19 years??? That's insane. Really I don't know which one is worse: that I was 12-years-old nearly 20 years ago, or this show has been on for almost 2 decades (I don't like to think about the former too much). Do people get their jollies out of watching strangers be degraded and ridiculed? This show is abusive. And I'm not saying that to be dramatic. I've been watching it consistently - just stopped officially a few years ago - and it's nothing more than a group of millennial chefs pandering to an unstable lunatic. I'm from the same generation, and I totally get it. It's hard finding a career nowadays that pays a decent salary and gives you personal satisfaction. I applaud them for chasing their dream of owning a restaurant... But is it worth getting treated like crap along the way, on national TV? I watched an episode where Chef Ramsay's assistants get the contestants out of bed by banging on pots and pans at 5:30 in the morning. Afterwards they're made to unload a truck that's filled with crates of oysters, and the one guy injured himself so bad, that his whole left side was numb. I turned the channel once that happened, because I knew it wasn't a good idea. Lifting heavy stuff isn't something you should do first thing getting out of bed. Your equilibrium is off, and you're walking back and forth with crates or boxes that probably weigh in the double digits. If they were expected to do something that strenuous, they could've at least been allowed to have some breakfast first. Geez! Why are they treated like this? They're not in the military. And the dinner services are mortifying. It's like Chef Ramsay goes out of his way to embarrass the contestants. It's one thing to get scolded when you're just working at a hole in the wall type of place, but when you're chastised in front of A-list celebrities, some of whom dine right in the kitchen, that's enough to make you wanna hibernate for the rest of the year. I don't know why they take his junk. The way he screams at these people man... All I have to say is more power to you! Because if that was me, I would drop everything I was doing and walk out. I've wondered if he has an explosive temper for real, or if he's just acting. I understand he gets frustrated by people making the same mistakes when they cook, but he needs to check himself. I've seen him on other programs, and he acts nothing like he does here, so he must have the capacity to regulate his emotions. Fake or not, I wouldn't subject myself to being talked to like trash. HK is extremely humiliating and needs to be canceled. Just hateful and nasty garbage that has no purpose.
He Loves Me (2011)
Absorbing psychological drama
This is probably one of the few Lifetime movies I've seen that has brilliant acting and a storyline that wasn't outlandish. Also my first time watching Heather Locklear. She's a convincing actress. I'm glad the original plan to cast Drew Barrymore wasn't carried out, because there is no way she would've fit a part like this. She looks too innocent to play a married woman with a young daughter who's having sex behind her husband's back with a deep, gravelly voiced saxophonist named Sam. For Heather Locklear's character Laura, Seattle real estate agent, it goes beyond quick, late night meetings in public places. She stays overnight at his place, goes to his cafe performances. Concerned about her failing marriage, her work colleague shares her own experience with the same problem and refers Laura to the therapist who helped her. Although she's open about her thoughts and feelings in the sessions, and her therapist is persistent with trying to uncover what is fueling her desire to cheat, Laura's infidelity doesn't stop, and after witnessing her husband kissing another woman from a distance, her personal life spirals out of control. To make matters worse, a man reappears from her past with the intention of settling marital issues of his own that Laura caused. He stalks her until he's able to get her attention long enough to tell her that he wants her to come back with him to explain what really happened to his wife. She promises to meet him, but doesn't show, making him increasingly angry. He arrives at her job and manages to catch her, then takes her to his apartment, knocks on the door, and instructs Laura to tell the truth. She had ruined his life ever since they encountered each other in a coffee shop downstairs from their offices. During a short, friendly conversation, she propositioned him for sex, but he declined. After they went their separate ways, she began making phone calls and sending flowers to his residence, which prompted his wife to think he was having an affair. It was a struggle for her to be honest, because the first thing out of her mouth was they had lunch. That scene alone was indicative of the fact that she was not only incapable of telling the truth, but she also had an over active imagination.
Her therapist had previously expressed concern when she noticed her story was much different compared to the last session. She went on to say (I'm paraphrasing) that her recollections were inconsistent, and despite Laura's objections, wanted her to continue with the sessions. Laura has the last word and leaves. Towards the end of the film, it's revealed to the audience that everything they had been watching was actually the events that were playing out in Laura's fantasy universe. She has an argument with Sam when she discovers another woman had spent the night, and pours chocolate fondue on his saxophone, then leaves. He runs out after her, following her to an old, slightly run down looking house sitting on a corner. So she wasn't married and didn't have a child. The man who we see her living with in a beautiful home was married to a brunette, and Laura imagined herself with him. Their fake marriage was so detailed in her mind, that she could even tell he had found out about her cheating because she saw he had a brooding expression on his face, and that led her to have the idea of making a special dinner for him and planning a trip to Paris, hopefully changing his mind about wanting a divorce. With the exception of a few questions that sounded judgmental, her therapist did an excellent job. Her clinical assessment was right - Laura was making up her relationship with Sam. I work in mental healthcare, and even before watching this movie, I had found myself wondering if some people create imaginary experiences, and then share them with friends or even professionals, because they actually think what they heard and/or saw was real. The human brain is really fascinating, and the writers gave a realistic portrayal of delusions. Even if you're skeptical about Lifetime movies, I would recommend checking out this one. It's not absurd or sappy. Engaging performances all around. I'll definitely be watching again!
The Big Bang Theory (2007)
Funny in the beginning, but several years later, it got on my nerves
I remember talking to a relative who thought this show was hilarious. I was in my mid to late 20s at the time. I expressed agreement just to be polite, which I do in all cases when I disagree with a show, movie, song and/or band that someone likes, because I always try to avoid hurting people's feelings. I didn't understand why he thought it was so funny. I thought it was awful, especially considering at the time we were talking, it had really declined in comparison to when it first premiered. Don't get me wrong, it was funny when it was new. I was 14 when it debuted, and it made me laugh every week. Two of them are physicists who live together - Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki). Additional characters are Howard (Simon Helberg) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar), an aerospace engineer and astrophysicist. A blonde girl named Penny (Kaley Cuoco) lives across the hall from Sheldon and Leonard, so of course the episodes revolved around their cringey interactions with her. They were the goofiest bunch of guys, both in personality and appearance. They wore neon colored skinny jeans and plaid sweater vests. The colors of their outfits were always random and looked uncoordinated. Howard had a bowl haircut. Their body language and facial expressions were awkward. Through the eyes of a kid or teenager, they were laughable. But after watching more TV shows, and not to mention experiencing life, when I saw an episode of The Big Bang Theory one day as a post-college grad, I didn't laugh, smile, chuckle, or smirk. I had no reaction. In fact, I was disgusted. Now that I'm older, I'm able to see this show for what it really is: unfunny, degrading, tiresome, played out tropes and stereotypes. I mean you really have to stop and think: what nerd is actually like this? There's still a lot of places I haven't been and a lot of people I haven't talked to, but I have never met an egotistic know-it-all like Sheldon. I can only think of one person I've encountered who fit that description. I won't provide details, so I'll just say he's a coworker, and we don't work the same shift anymore. He was self-admittedly opinionated, and boasted relentlessly about his academic achievements. As someone who has an associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree, I really hope there's never a day where I forget about the people who helped me become successful. I wouldn't be where I am now without the support of my family and professors. I lose respect for people who brag about the grades they received on papers and exams, research they conducted, class presentations they gave, etc. Folks like that make the nerd community look bad. They embody the image that people who aren't nerds often have, which is an overbearing, abrasive individual who takes it upon themselves to explain everything to the people around them like they're idiots. Being a nerd is no longer synonymous with a lack of social skills and a pompous attitude. It's a subculture that has really expanded and changed throughout the years. A nerd isn't just someone who loves science. It can be anything they're passionate about really. I myself identify as a film and music nerd. I also like school, especially when the subjects are interesting. The Big Bang Theory is not an accurate representation of nerds. Even as a comedy, it's insulting. To tell the truth, it doesn't even feel contemporary. It's equivalent to unearthing a time capsule, and it feels like I'm watching nerds from the 80s. Very overrated and didn't age well. No wonder so many people go around judging and labeling everybody else before getting to know them. The media is powerful, and when trash like this stays on for a decade, it's bound to exert influence on a collective level. I hope this show disappears into oblivion.
Deal or No Deal (2005)
So infuriating!
I don't know why I thought of Deal or No Deal, but I remembered it's a game show I used to watch that I haven't reviewed. It would make me sooooooo mad!!! Not a fan of Howie Mandel. Although, he's really not that obnoxious compared to some comics I've seen. And my heart goes out to him for having been diagnosed with OCD. I usually dislike a game show because of the host, but in the case of this show, he wasn't the one who annoyed me. The contestants were such idiots! I thought they were dumb on Wheel of Fortune. I suppose what made Deal or No Deal so unique from other game shows, is that it was more or less a matter of decision-making and reasoning, than just pure luck or guessing. They were presented with 26 briefcases that contained various sums of money inside, ranging from 1 cent to 1 million. Each briefcase was opened by skinny, conventionally beautiful women in tight cocktail dresses, and the contestant could choose to keep the money they had accumulated, or have the models continue opening the briefcases until all of them were gone. There was an innumerable amount of people who should've quit while they were ahead. Throughout the course of the game, Howie would get a phone call from this guy named The Banker, who was sitting in a darkish room behind a window. Only his figure was visible. After Howie hung up the phone, he would tell the contestant The Banker's offer. They had the option to either accept it or keep playing. I pretty much never saw anyone take his offer, despite it being a higher value compared to the briefcase they chose. I wanted to fling the remote at the TV screen. There was no other explanation for that besides greed. It's kind of scary to think these people had spouses and kids, because it wasn't like they were the only person who would've benefited from the money. So they were selfish and greedy. I can't believe it stayed on until 2019, since after a certain point it was like the same thing happened every episode. I think I stopped watching after a year or so. Definitely one of those game/reality shows that put the negative side of humanity on full display.
My Strange Addiction (2010)
Is this even real???
It's gotta be fake. People eating glass, mattresses, cigarette ashes, plastic. A woman who drinks household cleaner... Another drinking gasoline?! She actually walks around with the can. It doesn't make any sense. On the back of cleaning products it says "CAUTION: HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. DO NOT ingest. Avoid contact with skin, eyes, mucous membranes and clothing." If someone drinks bleach, Windex, etc., poison control should be called the second after it happens. And drinking gasoline can lead to death from circulatory failure. So it's not humanly possible for anyone on this show to be alive. I try to avoid making conclusions about things without doing research, but I'm convinced this is scripted. The interactions the person has with their family and friends even come off as fake. They'll put anything on TV. It's completely unrealistic. People who drink chemicals are trying to attempt suicide. They're not doing it for pleasure. Nobody takes a spray bottle of Lysol out of their kitchen cabinet, drinks it, says 'mmm, this is good!' - and then proceeds to drink more. Which is why the absurdity of this show makes me think it was done as a joke. Good thing it's online. I would feel awfully dumb if I was paying to watch this crap.
Hoarders (2009)
Starts out addictive, but does get old
I found myself binging this for a few days a couple of months ago, since the episodes were free on YouTube. I'm in agreement with one of the reviewers: it is hard to look away from this show, even knowing how revolting and depressing it is. I had liked Hoarders over the last 4 or 5 years for some reason. I guess it's because I'm somewhat of a hoarder myself. I'm not disgusting, but also not a clean freak either. My bedroom has gotten cluttered due to the accumulation of papers from school and work. I also get tempted to buy clothes I don't need. But I would never let junk consume my space to the extent that these people do. I'm able to concentrate so much better when my environment is spacious and clean. Now my room is also my office, so it's an area where I spend most of my time. I open my window and let the air circulate for an hour whenever it gets a stuffy odor. It's easy to watch this show and think how can these people sit in a messy and stinky house, but they have a psychological disturbance. Hoarding has nothing to do with laziness. It's a debilitating, lifelong condition that leads to isolation and various health problems. The person has an inability to dispose of items, even if they have no use to them anymore. The people on this show don't just hoard clothing and other knick-knacks. Many of them have roaches... Floors that are covered in mouse and rat droppings... Dog feces and pee stains everywhere... Mold growing on food in refrigerators. So just as a warning, it can be really gross, and not to mention disturbing. I actually have a hard time watching it when I'm eating. What's even sadder is how some of these people led normal lives and were able to maintain a clean home. They experienced something traumatic, leading them to snap in a sense. They lost motivation just to do something as simple as toss a paper cup in the trash after finishing their beverage.
Is this exploitative? Eh, yeah, kind of. It does bring attention to compulsive hoarding, and that's a positive because it's not widely discussed. Nonetheless, people's issues are still being put on display for complete strangers to judge them. I also sometimes don't agree with how the therapists administer the interventions. I'm a counselor on a crisis hotline, so I'm not licensed, but I feel like the therapists don't always handle the hoarders' situations properly. For example, a woman who was obsessed with Christmas and skincare products, so the house was filled with mountains of decorations, bottles of lotion, and other stuff she had purchased from Bath & Body Works. Her husband was a diabetic, and when he got up to use the bathroom one night, he stubbed his toe from climbing over her junk to get to the toilet. The smallest injury could've put him at risk of developing gangrene, leading to removal of a limb. It was obvious she didn't care about his health. On one of the days that the cleaning crew was working on decluttering, he just lost it - he got really stressed out, and was shaking. He started flinging stuff around out of frustration, and the therapist was like okay, let's stop throwing things. I thought it was invalidating of her to tell him that, seeing as how he had been dealing with maneuvering around her crap for years. I think it's important for people to express anger, especially if their life has been miserable because of someone else. It's not like he was reacting in such a way that he was putting himself or other people in danger. He had reached a point where he just couldn't take it anymore, and that was understandable. To be honest, I can't help but wonder if this is staged, considering even with a poor therapist, the person is able to get their house clean and reclaim their happiness. Compulsive hoarding has a high likelihood of relapse, so it doesn't seem believable they were able to improve their living environment after receiving subpar therapy. By the 4th or 5th episode, it starts to get tiresome. It's interesting show for if you're bored, but I don't think it's possible to watch for the whole day.
Funny You Should Ask (2017)
Cringey and staged
Man, was I happy when I discovered this didn't come on TV anymore! This was hands down the weirdest and most awful game show I've ever saw. My family watched it EVERY single night after Jeopardy. I don't know if it was coming from boredom due to the covid lockdown. I personally refuse to watch garbage just because I'm bored. And to think, I complained that Jeopardy was too hard. I often felt stumped, but when this came on, I found myself thinking I would rather be challenged, than trying to guess true or false for questions that were inappropriate and stupid. As if it wasn't phony enough, each comedian would receive a question depending on their signature style of comedy. For example, Jon Lovitz would get the sexual questions, Louie Anderson would get the food questions (so sad this is one of the programs he'll be remembered for). Before saying true or false, they would make some idiotic or snide comment in reference to the question, and then give their answer. There were 2 contestants, and one or the other would give their answer, either going with the celebrity's answer, or deciding on the opposite. It was a mix of funny and unfunny comics, but most of them were has-beens who starred in crappy films. A lot of the questions were so obscene, I wouldn't repeat them to anybody. I think it's interesting how it was taken off the air shortly after the covid restrictions were lifted. Was that a coincidence? I don't think so. Seems like the TV execs had a plan to take advantage of us being stuck in the house and tried to turn our brains to mush. There's a lot of comedians I'm not a fan of anyway. People on YouTube are way funnier. If you didn't see this, you weren't missing anything. Consider yourself lucky.
Abbott Elementary (2021)
Incredibly overrated. Makes Welcome Back Kotter look bearable
I've come to the conclusion that ABC has terrible shows. I had always thought The Bachelor/Bachelorette was stupid, but their sitcoms are also wishy-washy. The only reason I wanted to give Abbott Elementary a try is because I have family in Philadelphia, and I live about an hour and a half away, so I go once or twice a month. Plus it seems like a lot of folks rave about it (well, not necessarily people in the general public, but the praises from critics flash on the screen when a promo commercial for the show comes on). I know that hardly ever means anything, but I figured might as well check it out before I decided it was lame. News flash: I was disappointed. I wasn't expecting much, and that's just what I received. The second I flip to the channel, one of the characters is telling another character not to microwave his beans with her coffee. What ensues are a series of boring, unnatural, and vapid conversations. It reminded me of my own personal experiences in the workplace, which I'm sure contributed to why I thought it was unfunny. I've never worked in a school, but I shelved books in a library for several years. I worked with a lot of weird people. I won't go into detail here, but the job I have now, people don't have the best social skills. So I guess shows like this are funny if you're retired? I like to escape work, and that's what entertainment is supposed to be, an escape. Not remind you of the annoyances you encounter day to day. Also, I don't spend much time there aside from visiting, so I know I can't speak from experience, but these characters are nothing like people in Philadelphia. They're so awkward and self-conscious. This must be Hollywood's perception of the city's climate, because it's way off and doesn't accurately represent Philly people. The writers should leave LA and spend a month or so in the area that the story is supposed to take place, and then perhaps the characters would seem more realistic. Or stop being so restrictive with the humor. If I'm being honest, maybe stuff isn't funny anymore because everything has gotten so PC now. I've never thought I would say that as a liberal... But then again, I laugh at 50-year-old comedy. I gave 3 stars because Abbott Elementary did make me chuckle, I think. After only one episode, I got the impression this show is unforgettable. It's definitely not worthy of binging reruns in the future. If you're wanting to laugh out loud, look elsewhere.
Doctor Odyssey (2024)
Should be awarded for the most boring medical drama in history
I would like to start off by thanking the reviewer who provided a detailed explanation of how cruise ships are operated. I've never been on a cruise, so I wouldn't be able to identify the incorrect elements of the story's events. I also want to give kudos to the reviewer who differentiated between the educational requirements for doctors vs nurse practitioners. That I did have some knowledge of (I studied public health for my master's), but nonetheless, thank you for that analysis. NPs do help people and make important contributions to the medical field, but physicians have acquired more education. They also spend more time interning/observing compared to NPs. That's why I find it irritating how doctor's offices are always trying to schedule you with an NP. No offense to them - however, I want someone who has more experience. In real life NPs have less training than doctors, but this show wants the audience to believe they're just as qualified. It's scary how some people will watch this and think that's true. I guess it wasn't created to educate the population. It doesn't seem to offer anything else besides eye candy for females. Although I try not to let that be the reason I watch something, that is what fueled my curiosity. Joshua Jackson is just okay. He's easy on the eyes, but also not anything to write home about either. My primary crush is Jensen Ackles. JJ comes in third place, maybe fourth. But I know that's all subjective. His acting skills leave a lot to be desired. Makes you wonder how he managed to advance in his career. All of the other cast members also give lackluster and unconvincing performances. The focus isn't so much the passengers' health emergencies, but more so the sexual tension between the medical staff. I'll be surprised if this lasts more than a few seasons. It'll probably get canceled like The Company You Keep. I hope so. It's like ABC tries to insult women's intelligence. The 2 stars is for JJ's semi-hotness. Otherwise, don't expect much from this. Very sleep-inducing.
The Lineup (1958)
Slow-moving at times, but a highly authentic noir
I'm glad I didn't listen to the negative reviews. Yes, a character was shot with a silenced revolver, and that's mechanically impossible, but I've seen much worse in terms of logical fallacies in movies. I felt like that was a minor flaw, and ultimately didn't lessen the quality of the film. Out of all the noirs I've watched so far, this one is the grittiest and most realistic. Adapted from a police procedural that came on CBS radio from 1950 until 1953, and then on CBS television from 1954 until 1960, The Lineup tells the story of San Francisco residents who unknowingly smuggle heroin into the US when returning from Asia. Each person is pursed by a mob killer named Dancer (Eli Wallach) and his mentor Julian (Robert Keith), who has never fired a gun in his life. The driver of the getaway car is a talkative alcoholic (Richard Jaeckel). The film does move kind of slow. It reminded me of He Walked By Night, with how the detectives spend a majority of the film tracking down the killer and going from one crime scene to another. But it really escalates towards the end, which I found to be a bit shocking, honestly. A woman and her young daughter (Mary LaRoche and Cheryl Callaway) are taken hostage after Dancer and Julian discover that they disposed of the heroin, since the little girl used it as powder for her doll's face. What follows are emotionally charged and violent scenes involving her and other children. I mean, I think it's a shame they had to write the story in such a way that kids were caught in the middle of the shootouts and high speed chases, but I guess it's not any different from the crazy mess that comes on nowadays. Eli Wallach's performance was just as brilliant in this as it was in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. It displayed how much of a versatile actor he really was. If you love noirs, and you haven't seen this one, it's definitely worth a watch.
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950)
Incredibly disappointing
I was expecting so much, but this was a chore to get through. It did seem promising when I saw the film opened right into a courtroom scene, so I figured at least you don't have to wait for the story's main events to get set in motion. But within the first 5 minutes, I felt like it was moving so slow. The whole movie itself are just visual recounts from several defendants who are on trial for either homicide, or having acted as an accomplice. A major turnoff for me is when films and TV shows use flashbacks as a storytelling device. That makes the plotline feel tedious, but against my better judgment, I stuck with Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye anyway. After career criminal Ralph Cotter (James Cagney) escapes from a prison work camp, nothing else happens besides him just committing more violent and moral atrocities. He romantically pursues the sister of his slain escape partner (Barbara Payton), who he killed out of revenge. And then she becomes traumatized from having taken part in helping him escape. If you stick with it long enough, you'll see that he climbs back to the top of the criminal underworld with the help of corrupt cops. I honestly lost an interest after a half an hour, if I made it that long. Ralph is so unlikeable with no redeeming qualities. I'm not a fan of that anti-hero crap. I watch movies to gain insight into and be enlightened by the human condition. I have a seriously hard time caring about someone who commits crimes, and then subsequently goes around threatening, hitting, and punching people. And for so much physical action, this was still a boring and unstimulating movie. James Cagney was believable as a gangster, but that's about the only positive aspect I can identify. There's just a lot of tough-acting and boorishness that doesn't go anywhere. It's like a Scarface type of film. You know you can't have the main character be a mobster without making him a woman-beater. The scene where she threw a knife at him after he kept talking trash about her brother, and the handle hit him on the side of the head - the length of time they spent looking at each other off and on as he walked to the bathroom to clean the blood from behind his ear was intense. It was apparent he was in disbelief. You anticipate him flying into a violent rage. A real man would've walked away. I think what led to me becoming less engaged was knowing she would enter into a relationship with him, even after slapping her so hard that she saw stars. Every B&W film I've seen, the female characters were so intimidated by men. I know it was a much different time back then, but I'm always thinking to myself geez girl, at least try to fight back! Unless you love James Cagney (this was my first time watching him, and he didn't win me over), or you're into valueless mob and crime flicks, then you'll probably love this. All it has going for it is a cool title. Sorry, but I thought it was overrated.
Cry Danger (1951)
Really engaging with a surprising level of violence
***Slight Spoiler***
Very seldom am I drawn into a film within the first minute, but in the case of Cry Danger, I was absorbed immediately after the opening credits. Rocky Mulloy (Dick Powell) has spent 5 years in jail for the wrongful conviction of robbery and murder. He makes it his mission to accomplish 3 goals: confronting who framed him, a racketeer named Louis Castro (William Conrad), obtaining the money from Castro that he feels is rightfully his - due to him making $20,000 yearly during his prison sentence, so he demands half of that for each year - and finding a cache of stolen money. He develops a partnership with a disabled marine, Delong (Richard Erdman), and we're introduced to him at the beginning of the film when he meets up with Rocky in LA, as well as Lieutenant Gus Cobb (Regis Toomey). He tells Rocky that he'll be under 24-hour surveillance. The movie really starts to become intense when Castro gives him $500 to bet on a fixed horse race. After he collects his winnings, he finds out the money was from the payroll robbery, so he's framed by him twice. That's when he really goes postal. He knocks Castro over the head, then gets on top of him and makes various threats. It's interesting how he goes from a rational and calm person, to a violent and vengeful man experiencing the temptation to actually kill someone. The ending has to be the most hardcore I've ever seen in a B&W film. He has Castro lay down on a table, points the gun at his head, and starts playing Russian roulette. I was personally a bit shocked by the level of violence (as I often am when it comes to old movies), because I'm like wow, I'm watching something that was made 70 years ago, and it's just a gripping, if not more so, than what's coming out nowadays. Of course even with all of the masculine energy, there still had to be a romance involved. This time around, it's kind of messy, considering Rocky was romancing his friend's wife (Rhonda Fleming). He also went to jail, but wasn't lucky enough to get out. Makes you wonder how much loyalty he has towards his friends, getting cozy with his wife. Also, I didn't realize this until after I had watched, but it was quite dumb of him to take the money from Castro to bet on a horse, knowing how shady he was. If he was insane enough to frame him for a murder and robbery, why trust anything else he says or promises? I think because he had suffered from the isolation and bitterness of spending years in jail for a crime that he didn't commit, you find yourself feeling sorry for him, even when he makes poor decisions. And I don't feel like that about those types of characters often, but some of them do have a certain type of endearing quality. I really liked this film and plan on watching it again. I don't know what it is about noirs, but the pacing was actually much faster in comparison to mainstream films of that time period. B&W movies have a reputation for being slow, so it's understandable if some people are turned off by them. But trust me, even if you're not a fan of old movies, you will be impressed with Cry Danger! A must see for both noir fans and anyone who's new to the genre.
A Strange Adventure (1956)
Doesn't really seem to go anywhere in the beginning, but takes off
I don't really know how to describe this film. I guess it's like a heist sort of thing? And I'm not a fan of that genre. It's just something about the way stealing is portrayed, that it comes off like it's being glorified. The characters are also cliched. But I feel like A Strange Adventure was unique in a way (then again, watching any movie from this time period as a person living in the 21st century is unique to me). The description online really doesn't go into much detail. The film opens with 18-year-old Harold Norton (Ben Cooper) working at a motel that he operates with his mom, while a young female guest by the name of Lynn Novak (Marla English) is sunbathing next to a pool. She's a singer - or so she says - and Harold is smitten with her. Unbeknownst to him, she's planning to steal money from an armored truck with a couple of guys who are posing as musicians, Al Kutner (played by Jan Merlin, who I recognized from an episode of Mannix), and his congested partner (Nick Adams). Not only is she an accomplice in the heist, but she's also dating Al, so she's two-timing Harold (although, technically, she was the girlfriend of the ring leader, but he's in jail, so Al used that as an opportunity to take her for himself). Harold's day goes completely south when they kidnap and use him as the getaway driver. When they discover a cabin that's located in a mountainous area, Al holds the occupants hostage, Luther and Terry Dolgin (Peter Miller and Joan Evans), a brother and sister doing research for an electrical company. The situation gets even worse when it snows. Plus, Luther and Terry can't leave until their duty ends, which lasts for 5 months. That's when the film really becomes tense, as both stir craziness and desperation sets in. I'm confused as to why I'm the only one who's left a 10 star review. It was super brilliant to be low budget, which is what I've been noticing with B noirs. I have yet to watch one that I dislike. To be honest, I was surprised at this movie's level of drama, to have been made such a long time ago. The whole issue with Lynn deceiving Harold, and then Al's abusive treatment of her. I was also impressed by the pacing of the story. Oftentimes with films like this, the events will seem rushed. It does start off kind of slow, but I feel like in this case it helped the audience to learn about and understand the characters' motives and relationships. I've seen heist movies where they jump right into the crime early on in the film, but I like to see some character exploration in the beginning. The acting was also convincing. The performances become increasingly impassioned once the hostage situation gets set into motion. Please don't pay attention to the lower reviews - this is perfect for a Friday night.
Railroaded! (1947)
Emotional and compelling
What caught my interest was the title. It actually has nothing to do with trains. The meaning of the word is the act of sending a person to jail without a fair trial or false evidence. Due to my age, I had never heard the word 'railroad' used in that context before. It's a fitting title, as the overarching plotline of the movie is a young man, Steve Ryan (Ed Kelly) who finds himself being framed for a robbery and the murder of a cop, all because a beautician named Clara Calhoun (Jane Randolph) was using her shop as a front for a bookmaking operation for her mobster boyfriend, Duke Martin (John Ireland). The lives of both Steve and his sister Rosie (Sheila Ryan) are ruined, and matters are further complicated when she starts falling for Martin, in addition to the detective investigating the case (Hugh Beaumont), with the former putting her life at risk.
If a story like this had of been done now, it would be a convoluted mess. I guess more technology results in more avenues to take, because films now go down so many paths that you find yourself confused after the first hour, and with 2 or 3 more hours to go, you're tired and don't even care to know how it ends. I thought it was creative how the lives of the characters were intertwined, albeit by heart wrenching circumstances. It kept me engaged the whole time and I plan on watching again.
Wheel of Fortune (1983)
Meh, I don't know how to feel...
I know a lot of people were sad to see Pat Sajak retire. Back when I watched as a teenager during the late 2000s, I do remember him being funny, but over the years his sense of humor became very dry and sarcastic. His facial expressions and tone of voice communicated that he would rather be anyplace else but there. He was often short with the contestants, and made no effort to hide his boredom when they talked about their family and hobbies. It was so bad that I would turn the channel sometimes. I'm happy that he retired. I don't think you should continue doing a job you've lost the enthusiasm for. I'm sure finding a replacement wasn't the easiest task, and quite honestly... I feel like the ball was kinda dropped on this one. Ryan Seacrest is a nice person, but he doesn't quite fit the role as a game show host. I loved him on Live with Kelly. They were hilarious together, but here by himself, it just seems like he's out of his element. I was looking forward to having something to watch after dinner. It's sad how nothing is the same anymore.
America's Funniest Home Videos (1989)
Repetitive and unfunny
AFV was a fun show back when it first started coming on TV. It was the 90s, and camcorders had transitioned from the analog to a digital system. Having the ability to film birthday parties, cookouts, holiday dinners, and other gatherings was exciting. But it's gone downhill. Fast forward 35 years later, and the home videos have gotten tiresome and painful to watch, literally. Most of the videos are people falling off of roofs, bicycles, skateboards, scooters. Kids having meltdowns. Dogs going in circles chasing their tails. It even comes off like some of the videos are staged. I don't know why it hasn't been canceled. There's no use for it with the internet having expanded - you can go online if you're in the mood for a ridiculous video. Besides, I'm a clumsy person. I usually bump into objects around the house. Sometimes I get scratches on my arm and I'll have no idea where they came from. I feel like if I laugh at people hurting themselves, that'll bring negative karma on my life. But if it doesn't make you feel bad and/or you don't think about it on a deep level like I do, then you'll love this.
Girlfriends (2000)
The girlfriends from h e double hockey sticks
I was a kid when this show was coming on TV, so I was too young to watch. Now reruns come on Dabl, and although I've given it a try several times, it just doesn't interest me. Maybe it's because I've had a lot of bad experiences being friends with females, and the characters on this show have the same qualities of the ones I've met throughout college and working: insecure, catty, and superficial. The last so-called friendship I had was just too overwhelming. She was a coworker I met last fall. We hit it off right away, and I saw that as a good sign, because I was new, but over time, she started acting weird. Telling me I looked like a girl she used to date, parroting everything I said, and showering me compliments that didn't make sense in relation to the length of time she had known me. It went from me giving support when she needed to let off some steam about work, which I didn't mind doing, to being used as an emotional dumping ground. She was a hypersensitive and miserable person who vented incessantly. Always having a pity party about something or another. She quit, got another job, and still griped whenever I checked in to see how she was doing. Her nonstop complaining pushed me over the edge so much to the point that I threw up (actually, all I did was gag, because I hadn't eaten anything - it was early on a Saturday morning). I don't necessarily put the blame for that happening on her. I had been stressed and exhausted from my job for months. But interacting with a person who found a problem with everything didn't help. The nice thing is I work from home, which meant I never had to see her face-to-face. She didn't catch the hint that I no longer wanted to talk, because every time I went several weeks not texting her, she would text me. When it was all said and done, to safeguard my mental health, I decided it was best to block her number. Now take what I just told you, and imagine knowing a group of people who complain about their life to no end. They also expect constant validation, including when they're wrong. That's basically what this show is.
Women can accomplish so much when they support each other. Girlfriends had the potential to be a funny and heartfelt sitcom, but instead it portrays us as insecure, whiny, selfish, manipulative, helpless, petty, and combative. They all have careers and live independently, but their behavior is so childish. They fight over the silliest of things, criticize and nitpick each other's personal choices. All of their relationships are a disaster. It's a shame the writers didn't give them more intelligent, level-headed personalities. I'm all for mixing comedy and drama, but there doesn't seem to be a balance here. I've never had a true laugh when watching any of the episodes. In fact, they're anxiety-provoking. I watch TV at the end of the day to relax, not to get a headache. I hope men didn't watch this and think it represents how women behave. I can't believe the idea came from a woman. I don't know who gave her the inspiration, but she must've had some crappy friends. Too many women stay in toxic friendships, and this show exemplifies why it's important to leave. Focus on self-care, and only fill your circle with positive people, regardless of sex/gender.
Not Just Another Affair (1982)
Unrealistic and boring
I thought a story about a woman in her 30s who makes a vow to herself of remaining celibate until marriage, and meets a womanizer who's persistent with getting her to change her mind, was going to have depth, but unfortunately, I was disappointed over how silly it was. California resident Dr. Diana Dawson (Victoria Principal) is a prudish marine biologist with zero social life. The only interesting thing about her is she's an old Hollywood film enthusiast, but it's implied that she acts as though she's living in the time period of her favorite movies. After cohabiting with a guy who cheated on her, she swore to not have sex until she's married. She has a roommate whose relationship with her boyfriend is strictly physical. When she's talking to Diana, she basically tells her she's too conservative and needs to let her hair down. The focal point of the movie is her suing a construction company for their proposal to essentially remove the coastline in order to build condominiums and shopping centers. Her morals and values are at stake when she encounters the lawyer, Bob Gifford (Gill Gerrard), who has been hired by the company. She's captivated by his good looks, but then gets insulted when he expects her to sleep with him. They have an argument in a restaurant, where he purposely raises his voice to embarrass her. In the midst of their issues, she finds out her parents are getting a divorce when she takes Bob to meet them. Of course, in typical rom com fashion, everybody's problems are solved by the end of the film. Bob realizes he needs to stop fooling around, all because of a statement/question Diana made before they started arguing. She said (and I'm paraphrasing): 'you meet a woman in a bar, she goes back to your place, you sleep with her, and then you never talk to her again. What's the point?' Only in make believe land can womanizers change overnight... How nice it would be if real life was that simplistic.
None of the characters in this movie were likeable. Usually when I watch a film that has an actor playing a chauvinist, he's the one I don't like, but I found myself turned off by Diana right from the beginning. There's nothing wrong with choosing to be celibate, but she carried herself like she was better than other people. I don't know why young adults who don't engage in worldly pleasures are always portrayed as so strait-laced by the media. I'm a young woman who loves old movies, and I'm not in favor of casual sex, but I still talk about and even get excited over the attractiveness of various men. It's okay to have feelings, but in this film, I got the impression Diana was trying to avoid experiencing anything that could even be the slightest indication of a crush. She's very guarded, not just physically, but emotionally too. Towards the end, she compromises her standards by going into a bar to meet a guy, and taking him back to her apartment to have sex. Nothing happens, because she bored him the whole night talking about environmental science. So what message was this film trying to send exactly? That you should change who you are to fit in? Or that a woman can change an obnoxious man? I thought the story was disjointed, and not to mention, lacked realism. No one is going to reform after one argument... Especially considering the way it happens. It was inappropriate of him to broadcast their disagreement for the whole restaurant to hear. And she still wanted to spend time with him afterwards? I'm convinced that by the 80s, filmmakers thought people were just stupid. Anyone who goes out of their way to make a scene in public has a screw loose. In real life, women who are celibate face a lot of judgment and ridicule, and they stop corresponding with men who didn't respect their decision the first time they told him. I wonder if all of the romance garbage they've been showing over the years has contributed to people's illogical expectations of relationships, particularly millennials. I came into the world 11 years after this was filmed. Makes me happy I was a tomboy throughout childhood, playing sports in the backyard, so I didn't spend my time watching nonsense like this when my brain was still developing. Unless you like idiotic made-for-TV flicks, you would be wasting your time. What a ridiculous movie.
Visions... (1972)
Very impressive and suspenseful!
When I read Visions of Death's synopsis, I thought it sounded fascinating. I knew I was gonna like it, but I was blown away, quite honestly. I agree with the reviewer who said it's kick-a**. I know it sounds lame to say that of a movie from the early 70s, but trust me, the action is a thousand times better than what's coming out nowadays. Contemporary films just go overboard with violence. I really do believe less is more, and this movie exemplifies that, as do other thrillers and crime dramas from several decades ago. This has a solid story. Monte Markham was perfectly cast as Mark Lowell, a college professor living in Denver, and a clairvoyant who has spent all of his life not telling anyone about his psychic abilities, including his girlfriend (Barbara Anderson). His predictions had always been harmless, but one day as he's going to his class, he starts having indiscernible visions of a man walking around what looks like a factory. He can't see his face, but he's able to see that he's planting a bomb. The visions are intrusive, so much to the point of disrupting his instruction, causing his students to notice that he's behaving oddly. Figuring the safety of the public is more important than trying to keep his clairvoyance a secret, he goes to the police department to tell them what he saw. A short time later a building actually explodes, and he's pegged as a suspect by Lt. Phil Keegan (Telly Savalas). When he finds out Mark is a clairvoyant, he automatically labels him as psychotic, even going so far as to have him take tests for 24 hours straight, so he can make mistakes and prove his theory that he's deranged. As the movie progresses, he helps the police with the investigation, leading Keegan to realize he had misjudged him. What a foreign concept to so many people - not making assumptions about a person based on our own preconceived notions. We can really use more films like this. The acting and pacing of the story were all top-notch. It was highly intriguing to be of the made-for-TV variety. Just like the movie that came out before, Thief, it rivals mainstream, box office hits.
Frozen with Fear (2001)
You'll be surprised by the quality!
***Slight Spoiler***
I don't understand the negative review. I guess some people might see Frozen with Fear as a basic chick flick, but it's actually a deep film that examines the complexities of marriage, trust, love, and mental illness. I thought agoraphobia was portrayed with both sensitivity and accuracy. This was also my first time watching Bo Derek. I knew she was famous for the iconic beach scene from the movie 10, sporting cornrows (huh, cultural appropriation, much? That's a whole other issue - not gonna go into it here). I'm often skeptical of models turned actors, but I really have to say, her performance in this film was quite brilliant and powerful. Her character, Katherine Sullivan, has been terrified to leave her house for the last few years. She has a beautiful home, with an indoor pool and sauna, so she's definitely living in the lap of luxury (I mean, if I had to be stuck in a house, that's the one I would choose). But her life is very depressing and lonely, even more so that her husband is having affairs, which she has awareness of. Her feeling of security is shattered when she witnesses his murder.
There is some predictability to the storyline. Detective Jack Mize (Stephen Shellen) has been assigned to Katherine's case shortly after his girlfriend dumps him. Newly single, he has dinner at her house, in front of a burning fireplace. And then she coaxes him to join her in the pool. So they have sex - as if you don't see that coming. They're 2 of the most polar opposite people. He's a goofy-looking guy with sideburns, and she's a rich, well-dressed stock trader. He was previously a lawyer, which goes to show you shouldn't judge people by their appearance. As the film progresses, their relationship is put to the test when he gets angry over something he finds out about her. The reason she's afraid to leave her house is heartbreaking. I won't share it here, because I've already given away a spoiler, although it's not a big deal. The male detectives usually sleep with their female clients in these types of films. What I will say is, the reason she developed agoraphobia is an integral component to the story, as it relates to her husband's double life. Overall, I thought Frozen with Fear was exceptional, and I'd watch it again. I love movies where women who were in the clutches of apprehension and self-doubt gradually find the courage to be strong. My expectations were high, and I wasn't disappointed. You won't be either. Please watch this and draw your own conclusion.
Absolutely Fabulous (1992)
Misleading title. More like "Absolutely Dreadful"
I always heard Absolutely Fabulous was funny, so when I saw it was coming on PBS Saturday nights, I wanted to check it out - see if it delivered according to the praise it receives. I did laugh the first time, and quite honestly, I felt bad, because the jokes are so offensive. The more I watched this, I found that I wasn't amused. It stops being funny when you realize these characters have serious mental and emotional issues. It's nothing else besides 2 narcissistic women - Edina "Eddie" Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) - talking nonsense for a half an hour. They live in London/Holland Park, and are still stuck in the Swinging 60s. Despite abusing drugs and alcohol, Eddie has managed to build a successful career in public relations. She's slightly overweight, and doesn't know how to wear outfits that complement her figure. She wears large clothing, making her look even less flattering, and not to mention ridiculous. Patsy is a former model and fashion director. She abuses substances more excessively in comparison to Eddie, almost overdosing several times, including needing to have her stomach pumped one of the times after using rave drugs. They have this bizarre, codependent friendship going on. They've known each other since childhood, and although they're not involved romantically, they've spent most of their life together. Eddie is twice divorced. Her long-suffering daughter, Saffron (Julia Sawalha), from her second marriage (which ended due to her ex-husband revealing he was gay) lives with them. Patsy is verbally and physically abusive towards her, using her hair as an ashtray, and she once tied her to a traffic light. Someone please tell me, where is the joke? Why would a person allow someone to treat their child so poorly? I think it's concerning something this inane stayed on for 20 years. That doesn't say much about the collective IQ of human society. I laugh at some pretty dumb things, and I can't even find anything humorous about this show. It glamorizes drug addiction and alcoholism. Maybe it would have the potential to be entertaining if Eddie wasn't a mom. I think what solidified it's not funny is the episode "Birth," when Saffron breaks down in tears as Eddie is trying to teach her how to get a boyfriend. It's impossible not to feel sorry for her. I know it's pretend, but you have to stop and ask yourself, how much of this is actually grounded in fantasy? Some kids do have parents who stay out all night drinking or going on a drug binge, leaving them to feel unwanted and scared. She basically had to raise herself because Eddie was drunk all of the time. I don't even have kids, and I think it's disturbing how the writers tried to make it seem like that wasn't a big deal. She had a son from her first marriage, and living with her caused him to struggle so much, that he left the country. Parody or satire aside - it's a hot mess. I do think it's nice how the episodes revolved around a variety of topics, as TV shows that are geared towards women don't focus on anything else besides relationships, but watching Eddie and Patsy act belligerent and selfish gets old quick. If you're into the party scene, and you sleep around, don't even have kids, because you would just be bringing them into a dysfunctional environment, and that's not fair to them. What an empty show.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
It's just okay. More enjoyable for kids than adults
I remember this being one of the movies I used to watch over and over again when I was a kid. But its entertainment factor is just gone now, at least for me anyway. I saw it on television last night, and didn't enjoy it like I used to. I thought it was groan-inducing. There's actually a lot of movies from my childhood that I don't like anymore. I think my film preference has changed because I've gotten older. And when you become an adult, you notice things that you were unaware of as a kid, and that does take the fun out of watching a children's movie. It has the typical setup of a suburban comedy: women are the voice of reason, while all of the men act like idiots. Not saying women aren't intelligent, but the characters are so heavily stereotyped. Rick Moranis (Wayne Szalinski) plays a nerd and workaholic father/husband. He's so obsessed with his scientific projects, that his wife Diane (Marcia Strassman) leaves to spend the night at her mother's house, causing one of their kids, Nick, to worry that they're going to get a divorce, and he's assured by his teenage sister, Amy, that she'll return home. I didn't even catch what that was intended to mean when I was a kid, how she needed a break from him. I also didn't notice how irritating their next door neighbor was. They're a couple with 2 sons, the older one being Amy's crush. The wife (Kristie Sutherland) was friendly, but the husband (Chris Frewer) was so opinionated and loud. The machine Wayne is working on eventually shrinks both his and their kids. I won't even go into it more, because it's all predictable. Unless you're one of those millennials who's really nostalgic for 80s and 90s movies, this might be boring for you.
Thief (1971)
Better than a lot of box office films
Wow, movies of this caliber used to come on regular television??? Who would've thought a few decades later this would be the same network to have a show where women cry over men that they've only known for 10 minutes. TV has definitely gotten dumbed down. I don't think a lot of people nowadays have the attention span long enough to watch a movie that doesn't contain a load of cussing and sex. That personally turns me off, so I love finding these vintage movies on YouTube. I'm finally done with Lifetime movies. I got so tired of watching people argue with their family. I wanted to go back to watching the movies that I used to enjoy: films that are truly suspenseful and explore the human condition. Thief is proof of why a small budget doesn't mean poor quality. This is the most well-acted made for TV film I've seen in a LONG while. I'm not exaggerating - I've been watching a lot of them, and this is the first one that wasn't crap for a change.
I don't usually like movies or TV shows where the main character steals as a living, but I found myself enjoying this story about an LA burglar and jewel thief, and even feeling sorry for him. Neil Wilkerson (Richard Crenna) wants to go straight - his motivations being his girlfriend (Angie Dickinson), and trying to obtain custody of his son, who's living on the east coast in a foster home due to his mother's alcoholism. He finds himself having to pull off a heist one last time to pay off a gambling debt. The only complaint I have is the ending. It didn't make any sense, and it was disappointing. Otherwise, Richard Crenna's performance was heartfelt as a father who wanted to be with his son, as a man who was giving serious consideration to becoming a husband, and as a criminal who was being pulled into a life that he was striving to escape. This has been added to my list of movies to watch more than once.