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Frasier (2023)
Very Disappointing start - hopefully gets better
I never was a Cheers fan, but totally fell in love with "Frasier". I quote it often, own all the episodes and watch it still. I was so excited about the reboot and sorry to say I am VERY disappointed. Here's why:
1) Laugh track. If the writing was better you wouldn't need this AND it is annoying.
2) The character of David is awful. A cliche about nerds. He's worse than Niles ever was and that they would do this to a character named after co creator David Angell who died on 9/11 in a plane that hit the World Trade Towers is borderline criminal. Where is Daphnes spunk? Heck they could have made him more like her brother Simon, but really smart. That would be interesting! BTW my car navigation we call "Maris". Lol.
3) Freddy/Eve plot line is a bore. I like Freddy and that he is a firefighter is great. Eve can be funny but the baby has already disappeared so what's the point? They are no Niles and Daphne. Blah.
4) Alan? Where was he? Frasier never mentioned him before why is he so pivotal now? He's the "Niles"? Oh please god no!!
5) The writer's suck. Can they stealh some good ones like from "Hacks"?
I hope the writers and producers see these points and fix them. The fact that they have to bring back the previous series cast is a sign of desperation and lack of creativity. Good luck with that! BTW Charlotte was such a pivotal character for Frasier why dismiss her so casually? I would have been more interested if Frasier could be somewhat broken hearted instead of some rich snob who poo poos a 20 year relationship with a shrug to the pain it would cause.
Feud: Pilot (2024)
Great Acting, writing and directing the whole package
I can't say enough about the great actors playing intriguing society women and how they bring them to life in every movement and word spoken. They are on top of their game and what fun to watch! It gives me hope that Hollywood will see from the success of this show how much more these women have to offer after 50!
Yes the rest of the cast is fantastic- Jessica Lange was fantastic as Truman's mom whose influence on events is evident- even though she's dead. And great shots of NYC and capturing some of the "old" New York City, the Brownstones, the "ladies who lunch", the bath scene. Gus V and team did a great job. I bet this was a lot of fun to make too.
Somewhere in Queens (2022)
Family Can Drive U Crazy
What is it about our families that make us crazy? This movie explores several perspectives - expectations, whether you are pushing for your child or to heal something internal in yourself. I'm not a fan of Ray Romano but I thought he did a good job directing, and acting in this story, and I love everything Sebastian Maniscalco does. Laurie Metcalf and the rest of the cast were really good -but the movie was an "8" until the ending, that made it a "9" as it felt unique to this family and the movie came together well at the end, including the choice of music. It never felt like cheap sentiment, but you feel the bumps and bruises in the relationships, but also you know they love each other and things will work out as they should. So I won't spoil it, but this movie takes you places you will recognize if you have kids or are a kid, whether your Italian or not. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Triangle of Sadness (2022)
The rich are different and boring
Very slow paced. It appears to cover many issues such as money, race, power, class (as in upper or lower) and I kept waiting for something to tie all this together but it just lays there. The ending really wasn't satisfying either. It may speak to more European sensibilities about wealth and privilege but the dialogue gets lost in some slapstick type vomit. And what a waste of Woody Harrelson! I can think of some tweeks that would have made this a much better movie and message. Lots and lots of holes in the story too. It reminded me of the movie "The Menu" which is a much better movie and makes the same points. Human nature doesn't change and I think the one percent should tread lightly.
Return to Oz (1985)
A W F U L
Electroshock? Headless witches? Rocks that talk? People on wheels? If you think social media is messy, take a look at this turn of the 20th century mess! It made no sense and you just can't wait for it to end. The girl playing Dorothy and the Nurse/witch were the best. I felt like I was watching a mashup of "Star Wars", "Nightmare Before Christmas" and the Wizard of Oz. But with really cheesy costumes. Skip this and watch "The Great and Powerful Oz" or Tik Tok (the app not the stupid pot in the movie).
The Beatles: Get Back (2021)
Beautiful and Sad
This was very interesting and I thought as well done as possible by Peter Jackson. I felt like I was watching a marriage break up. Then it was more like siblings growing up and away from each other. They talk about their shared past quite a bit - which was great. They were young men heading toward 30 and having spent 50 per of their lives together and the death of Brian Epstein forced them into roles that tore them apart. Absolutely fascinating. But a bit long and monotonous at times. That's why 9 stars instead of 10.
Hacks (2021)
For Every Middle Aged Woman - Vindication!
I LOVE this show. Watched it for first time about a week ago and couldn't stop. As a successful, trailblazer myself I so identify with Deborah Vance - played BRILLIANTLY by Jean Smart. The drama with the daughter, career ups and downs, the need to push on because that's what you've done all your life, dealing with this neurotic millennial/Gen Z crowd. I've been there, done that too and yes I have grown in my 4 decades in business. We have value now more than just our attractiveness and sexuality. This show is bold and I love that. Looking forward to many more seasons.
Coming 2 America (2021)
G A R B A G E
Wow. Unwatchable. Screams "Look how COOL I am for middle age!" The obvious nods to "The Lion King" get old quickly. Women are props or pigs. Unless you watched the original movie and understood the popular culture references when it was made, you will be turning it off in the first 30 minutes. This movie is what used to be called "direct to video" which means it's too awful to open at a theater. Today the term is "An Amazon Original movie". Why did this need En Vogue AND Salt n Pepa? I wanted to like this movie but it wouldn't let me. Watch at your own risk.
Once Upon a Time: Hyperion Heights (2017)
Once Upon A Time - this was a clever show
So far...far...far away from where it began. I LOVED this show in Season 1, enjoyed Season 2, but by 3 I think I'd had enough. Every year I try to watch but these last 2 seasons in particular were dreadful. I didn't like the loose ends and all the focus on every fairy-tale you ever heard becoming a season or a couple of episodes with one outrageous explanation after another! The Devil did it for me...Hades, really? I don't blame Jennifer Morrison for leaving, I was embarrassed for her with some of the things she was asked say and do - they literally made me cringe. Poor girl. She went from being a strong,somewhat cynical girl to...well, evil, then back to good. Then being devastated by Neal's death then hooking up with...Hook. And the musical! Oh dear God no! (Where was God in all this?? Maybe Season 8 LOL). I just couldn't watch anymore. And speaking of Neal, what happened to baby Neal? (who never cried or seemed to need to be fed or changed)-just 'disappeared'! I thought the last few seasons really left Henry behind - the original catalyst just a secondary player. Sad. By the end Henry was just awkward.
WARNING, THE NEXT PARAGRAPH MAY CONTAIN POTENTIAL SPOILERS
I saw the show was back...and didn't plan to watch until I saw Henry on the motorcycle and most of the cast was not involved and thought - maybe something fresh? Now Henry will get his due. I liked the kid who played him and was amazed and how he had grown! Now, he's another actor entirely. Hmmm not sure about him yet, but I will say he does fight like a Charming that's for sure! I thought the best part was the fight at The Ball and his latest "Operation Glass Slipper" was cute. But the fact that Henry has a daughter he doesn't remember, blah blah blah..c'mon! Really?? Same story device?? Don't they have any other curses in these other "realms?" I did get a kick out of Hook and Gold in law enforcement...hilarious. And "Roni" the bar owner giving it to the land baroness. Nice to see the spunk of the old Regina again - without all the evil - or being goody two shoes, mushy in love one.
I suppose I will watch - on Hulu when I am really, really bored, but I think the thrill is gone and this may be the end. The mistake I think this show made was they told the best part of the story in 2 seasons and then stayed too long at The Ball. Once Upon A Time has turned into a pumpkin.
Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story (2004)
It's BAD, Ya Know It! Ya Know It!
OMG - this is UNWATCHABLE. Words cannot describe it (except Michael's that I quoted above). I love his music, and I can respect what he went through being famous at such a young age, so yeah he has issues - but the way this movie is written and acted it seems the whole purpose was to focus on his dysfunctions in brief snippets that tell us nothing, which is a shame because no one is so one-dimensional. And who is this "Bobby" guy? Useless, that's what he was.
I am also a Lisa Marie Presley fan, and the young woman who played her was not even close! Lisa Marie is so much prettier, spunky, and smart - whereas the woman playing her was blah. The first time I saw her I laughed outloud. And yes, the mother has a limp and yet, the woman playing her walks perfectly! Even the most casual MJ/Jackson 5 fan knows that! If the writer, director and actors were simply trying to scam VH1 for a few bucks, in that way they succeeded. Someone should revoke all their writing/directing/acting credentials for this abomination! The Jacksons: An American Dream is far superior.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
Curse of the Sequel
Anyone who loves the first "Wall Street" for anything other than 'greed is good' quote, will not like the sequel. No memorable quotes or anything really compelling.
The original "Wall Street" had so many elements that could be used for a sequel, plus the recent meltdown of the financial markets, this was a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY to make the sequel. Instead what you have is a movie that tries to be something to everyone. The dialog by Aaron Sorkin is excellent, but the movie is flat, shallow and not engaging at all.
Let's start with the obvious - a central character in the new movie is the daughter of the villain Gordon Gekko, but she didn't exist in the original. Gekko had a son, Rudy, who is discussed but he's now dead. He's discussed briefly and then, oh well! The daughter is a blogger, with a liberal blog and her boyfriend/fiancé is a trader. Yawn. The actor, Shia Lebouf, to me is not a great actor or interesting to watch.
Gekko is older and wiser and the scene of him getting out of jail is the best part of the movie. Now he's older and wiser and time is more important than money. He writes a book in prison and goes around speaking about the over-hyped markets and how it is all going to come crashing down. No one will listen and that part of the story line isn't really fleshed out. Too bad.
The movie tried to include elements of the world we live in, concern over energy for the future and investing in 'green' technology; the real estate bubble. Individual characters are also used to represent current events and ideologies, for example: Shia Lebouf is big on environmental companies and money isn't that important to him; Carey Mulligan (Gekko's daughter) is a 'modern woman' who also writes a liberal blog - the new 'Wall Street Chronicle' used to manipulate the market.
Susan Sarandon as Shia Lebouf's real estate investing mother. Over leveraged when the market starts to crack, but she USED to be a nurse! Selfish, narcissistic, she is the new greed. Why be a nurse when you can flip houses for more money? Hey, nurses make real good money AND help people, that's why.
The NEW villain, Josh Brolin is no Gordon Gekko. Instead he is BP Oil, Goldman Sachs, and George W. Bush. The scenes with him and Shia are a yawn.
The NEW hero/mentor/older wiser guy with good values is Frank Langella. He represents Lehmann Brothers and the 'old way' things were done on Wall Street. 'Old' meaning the previous movie.
There is too much time spent trying to tie the first movie into the second because two of the three main characters weren't even BORN when it was made! To add insult to injury is the cameo of Charlie Sheen. Basically you get Charlie Harper instead of Bud Fox.