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490,696 | 33,913 | 352,565 | 8 |
You go , girl .
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Martha Inc . is actually worth watching to see Cybill Shepherd's take on the character . She really delves into the role and begins to show a sympathetic and vulnerable side to her . Sure , she's pretty and definitely intelligent , perhaps a genius . She worked Wall Street and modeled her way through College . She got married and had a daughter but domestic bliss was never enough for Martha . She wanted more and more in time . She became a successful Connecticut caterer . Even though she won't admit it , she is born and bred in New Jersey to Polish born Parents who immigrated to America . She was brought up in a large ethnic family rather than the small waspy family in Connecticut . Maybe Martha was no great wife or mother but she is creative and brilliant enough to succeed in a man's world . She has done it with class and brilliance . This movie does portray the messy divorce and the affair that broke up this longtime union . Martha may not have best people personilaty but just compare her to Barbra Streisand who is far more difficult . Martha is a perfectionist but brilliant and creative enough to establish herself as a household name . This success always comes with such sacrifice like a marriage and an estranged relationship with her daughter . Most men have often done this but why does it bother people when it is a woman ? You go girl , Martha .
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490,390 | 33,913 | 115,326 | 8 |
Just one of the best shows !
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I loved this show in the second season . I awoke in the middle of a Sunday night . My first episode was about the identical twins ! Unlike other shows , this show spoke to me about the paranormal in our world . While I have had paranormal experiences , it is nice to have a show of our own for a change . Thanks and I wish there was more of the second season . The first season was quite boring but I think it's best season the second season with a great cast including Nigel Bennett as Frank Elsinger , Matt Frewer , Nancy Anne Sakovich as Lindsay , the wonderful Colin Fox as Dr . Anton , Barclay Hope as Peter , etc . The third season was tough because Frewer departed the show in a most unusual way and they added Joanne Vannicola as Dr . Mia Stone who never fully developed in the role . Matt's departure was hard because I think he was the glue that held the show together and made it better . The story lines became dull in the third season and Elsinger was also gone from the series as well with Anton in his role and we see less of Anton . They tried to recover but you just couldn't beat the second season . You just didn't want to miss a second of the middle season . Rare that a show would thrive in the middle rather than the beginning but PSI proved that there is a lot out there that we don't know about .
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490,197 | 33,913 | 209,037 | 8 |
Everybody's A Star in This Dutch Film Classic !
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I don't know much about the Dutch language but the film is based on a young girl who aspires to become a singer much like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera or others . I don't know . Today's young singers are tomorrow's Tiffanys . I could tell you that it's modern and the story is done beautifully with great acting , writing , and directing . It's a modern fairy tale story with a fairy tale ending . The cast is great but I don't know any of them because I don't know much about Dutch actors and actresses . Anyway , I can see why it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film Award and won several awards . It does it's best to show the human involvement and desire to be more than average .
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490,251 | 33,913 | 71,350 | 8 |
They could have had a better title !
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To start with , I always forget the episode with Anne Baxter who I believe is one of America's greatest actresses . Also , I can't forget Kevin McCarthy who is equally prolific and long overlooked as one of America's most talented and versatile actors . Anyway , the story of Anne Baxter playing a movie star who lives on the lot and refuses to turn over the property for tons of money is suspicious . Anyway , Columbo smells murder when her beloved assistant , Jean Davis , is murdered . Falk and Baxter's scenes together are always worth watching again and again . Falk's Columbo is starstruck but not dumbstruck by seeing a movie star involved in such a crime . Anne Baxter's character could have used a little more work in the storyline but she does a superb job in acting her out and she is simply of the grandest actresses of old Hollywood .
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490,589 | 33,913 | 71,348 | 8 |
An entertaining Columbo !
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I like this Columbo episode . It features American legend , Dick Van Dyke , as the prime suspect in his wife's abduction and kidnapping . His character is an accomplished photographer . He is fed up with his wife and sets up another man who is a paroled criminal to take the fall . Of course , this is Columbo and he will get his man or woman no matter what it takes . I love how Dick Van Dyke's character reveals his dream and nightmare to his wife who has no idea what she is in for . I love the scene with Joyce Van Patten who plays a nun who mistakes Columbo for a homeless person and wants to provide a better raincoat than the one he is wearing . That's another trademark in Columbo episodes , there is often light-hearted humor and Columbo always manages to use his charm and charisma to get away with looking so grim . Anyway , Columbo treats everybody with a kind of dignity that you wouldn't expect .
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490,588 | 33,913 | 71,346 | 8 |
An improved Columbo !
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Columbo's wife is away in Bakersfield while he investigates this case involving the founder's heir exploded during a cannon misfire at the founders ' day events . I love Madeleine Sherwood's performance as the devoted and loyal secretary . Patrick Goohan who is a veteran of Columbo episodes plays a devoted military man who refuses to hand over the school to become a co-op private school . Columbo appears to enjoy spending time with the kids . Don't forget the cider jug that is part of the story which is worth watching . It's one of the longer episodes but it's always worth watching . They filmed this episode out of California which is unusual for Columbo . They filmed it at one of the schools in the south like North Carolina for a change . They filmed it at the fame Citadel and I didn't know about Bruno Kirby and son in the film . Anyway , It's worth watching again or once in a while . Watching Columbo get his man is always worth watching .
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490,076 | 33,913 | 112,093 | 8 |
Better than Will & Grace !
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I loved Thomas Hayden Church here as Ned and I prefer Debra Messing here as Stacey than Grace . I think this show could have been a bigger hit if the network allowed it to grow . The premise was silly but somehow Church and Messing made it work even if only for two seasons . Church left his beloved role on Wings to pursue his own sitcom . The comparison between the two roles is noteworthy for any aspiring actor . Here , Ned is intelligent and lot less naive . He marries Stacey to get a promotion and she marries him to live in a grand New York City apartment . What won't people do to live in Manhattan ? At first , there is this friction and uncomfortableness but slowly they turn out to be in love and if only love was really like that . The show was heading in the direction that Ned and Stacey were going from being a fax pas couple to an actual duo . Too bad , the network canceled it . Of course , Church has moved on to other things and Messing will always be known as Grace but I much prefer her here as Stacey .
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489,985 | 33,913 | 112,095 | 8 |
One of the better sitcoms !
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I really miss Newsradio because it was a great cast of eccentric characters and writers who knew how to write . The cast included Phil Hartman who was better known for his roles on Saturday Night Live during this tenure . He was a comic genius and sorely missed by his fans . The other cast members included Canada's Dave Foley from Kids in the Hall , Vicki Lewis as the useless secretary , Maura Tierney as the serious , intelligent and love interest of Dave's character . The cast also featured Stephen Root , an underrated actor , Joe Rogan , Andy Dick , Khandi Alexander , etc . The show's eccentric characters worked well together . When Phil's real life tragic death occurred , the cast and crew worked to remember him fondly and brought in fellow Saturday Night Live alum and close friend of Phil's , Jon Lovitz to replace the void . Of course , the show lasted a year . Much like another NBC sitcom , the show never truly recovered emotionally and maybe the audience couldn't get past it . We did accept and love Jon not as Phil's replacement .
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489,854 | 33,913 | 90,418 | 8 |
It should have been these four women !
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One of things that bothered me about Designing Women was the loss of Delta Burke and Jean Smart leaving the show . Saturday Night Live's Jan Hooks and Newhart's Julia Duffy joined the cast but the show was never the same again . Alice Ghostley and Meshach Taylor were regulars in supporting roles . I remember watching this show on Monday nights when it first aired . They were four loud , opinionated , Southern broads with a sense of humor and chemistry . I truly could believe that Suzanne and Julia played by Dixie Carter and Delta Burke were sisters . I didn't care about Suzanne or Delta's weight . It wasn't an issue but people in Hollywood think that weight is a bigger issue than it should be . Anyway , I never saw the four women ever appear to be working . The place didn't look like an office but an actual house . I know they were supposed to be interior designers but I never saw them do any work . Anyway Annie Potts and Jean Smart were great as the divorced mom and single receptionist . I remember the episode in which Julia was a juror and she was invited to meet President Carter and his wife . Well she missed the dinner but they invited her for desert because of her obligations . It was a well-written show too and very well acted .
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489,941 | 33,913 | 112,090 | 8 |
They never gave this show a chance !
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Tea Leoni plays Nora Wilde , a serious photographer , who is going through a bad divorce . She wants her freedom but it comes at a cost . She wants to legitimate photography but is hired to work for the tabloids as a paparazzi . Her boss is played by the wonderful and divine Holland Taylor . The show was well-written most of the time . TEa's Nora was beginning to develop into quite a memorable character but the network just didn't support comedy and they still don't . Even when they brought in George Wendt from Cheers , they made unnecessary changes in casting and characters . The show was fine in the beginning and the audience was getting used to it but then the network botches it up like a bad plastic surgery .
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490,029 | 33,913 | 112,086 | 8 |
It had so much promise !
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Murder One only came to my attention because my professor mentioned it in class . It was quite a smart series but I think it lost my interest after the first season . It was based solely on one case . I thought Mary McCormack was brilliant as Justine Appleton , the young promising lawyer . Daniel Benzali was magnificent as the balding lead attorney and Patricia Clarkson was also splendid to watch as his understanding wife . The second season followed with Anthony LaPaglia in the leading attorney role and Oscar Winner Eileen Heckart as his mother . The story was not much different about proving the innocence of the client . The show had Bochco's prints all over it like trying to revive L . A . Law's claim in the legal drama . The show did not gain the same appeal and apparently it was canceled after 2 seasons by the network which seemed focused on other shows rather than the quality of this show .
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490,524 | 33,913 | 13,626 | 8 |
Dulac's memorable classic !
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I studied Women and Film with author , Dr . Sandy Flitterman-Lewis at Rutgers University and this is one of the many films that we watched in the viewing . Germaine Dulac provided us a glimpse into the life of women in France during Pre-World War II era and Post World War I world . Paris was a city who loved the arts at the time and was thriving with literary salons and American expatriates as well . Germaine Dulac never captured as much attention but she should have been on league with her male counterparts like Jean Epstein and others . Sadly , the war and the depression may have ended her career like so many others . We can only imagine what might have been if Germaine Dulac had been given the same advantages that her male counterparts received during that time . But she was one of the lucky ones to get the experienced to direct such films like this that are controversial and eye opening as well . Language is not necessary since sound didn't come until the 1930s and Germaine's career went elsewhere .
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490,030 | 33,913 | 389,790 | 8 |
Terrific Animation but weak storyline !
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Jerry Seinfeld had one of the most successful television programs in history . Now , he returns as the voice of Barry Benson , a young bee , who graduates from Bee School with all Bees . All the bees in the hive work after they graduate from Bee School but in the same job for the rest of their lives with little time off to enjoy life . So one day , Barry manages to get out of the hive and experience the world out there . New York City never looked so good on television . He befriends Vanessa Bloome , the voice by Rene Zellweger , who is a florist after she stops her husband from killing him . The voices are first rate with top stars including Patrick Warburton , Matthew Broderick as Barry's best friend , Kathy Bates , and others as well . It's a great film for children but it gets boring and tiresome at some times . THe look is great but it's not perfect .
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490,014 | 33,913 | 115,082 | 8 |
Sad to Say Goodbye !
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I was ready to cry last night when I watched the cast of aliens leave forever . I never cry . I'll miss them so much . I was hoping for a happier ending . Dick and Mary get married and she is pregnant . Don and Sally also get married and Sally is also pregnant . Vicki leaves the Big Giant head for Harry . All in all , it would have been a happier ending to an original sitcom which was neglected by the network who favored Will and Grace and Friends which are two very unoriginal shows . Third Rock was different and fun to watch . I love every episode and will miss everyone in the cast . I wish them the very best in the future . Maybe there will be a reunion movie in the future when they come back . I refuse to believe they ever actually left earth permanently . This became their home . Third Rock from the Sun's first season will be released on DVD this summer and I am order on the list to get it .
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490,032 | 33,913 | 118,949 | 8 |
An Entertaining if flawed adventure film !
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Jon Krakauer's story of climbing Mount Everest earned him his first best seller . Climbing Mount Everest was something that I would have never thought about before until now . It seems exciting even though there have been many casualties of people achieving the difficult climb of almost 40 , 000 feet . This movie has a good cast featuring Christopher McDonald as Jon Krakauer , Peter Horton as team guide Scott Fischer , and Richard Jenkins as Beck Weathers . The story of the climb reminds me of a Perfect Storm . After they reach the summit , they face treacherous weather and casualties mount . It's question of survival , clash of egos , and arrogance as well as motivation and drive to achieve the almost impossible of reaching MOunt Everest and surviving the experience .
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490,488 | 33,913 | 118,946 | 8 |
Pretty good for a television movie !
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I like this movie for some strange reason . I think Peter Horton is believable as a Louisville attorney who goes from corporate to a criminal case with a possible psychopath female serial killer played wonderfully by Carrie Snodgress . I found Horton's character of Steven Keeney to be believable . He grows conscious over a young girl's fallen death and her mother's inquiry regarding her insurance policy opens a can of worms leading to Virginia McGinnis whose primary motive is to collect money on their insurance policies . We begin a journey with Keeney to discover a disturbing psychopath cold-blooded killer capable of the unthinkable . I won't tell you anything more without spoiling the movie . I was impressed with supporting performances by Elizabeth Ruscio as the victim's mother and I enjoyed the rapport between Keeney's secretary Sara West played by Belita Moreno who is now on the George Lopez Show and himself . I found that to be refreshing and memorable too . I am giving this film an 8 because I think it was weak on some parts and could have explored Virginia's personality and background more clearly but I think it is a very high grade for a television film .
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490,328 | 33,913 | 120,888 | 8 |
A great fun film to watch for the whole family !
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I was just watching the Wedding Singer last night on television . I still love this film for all its quirks . I love the fact that it was set in the eighties . Contemporary music and MTV with all its real world shows are not the same as in the eighties . I become very nostalgic watching this film . I remember all the songs , the Madonna look of the moment , the Rubix cube , Freddy Kruger , etc . It is hard to believe that it's almost twenty years since 1985 . It was much better in 1985 for me , I was still a child and there were always music videos on MTV . They weren't just concert videos neither . They told little stories . I wished that we were still in the eighties with the music and culture . Besides all the eighties stuff , they never tried to outdo it in the film . It really is a beautiful , sweet love story between Drew Barrymore's character , Julia , and the wedding singer , Robby Hart . I love the flight to Vegas and I won't spoil the ending for anybody else . The scenes at reception hall were always a pleasure to watch and a great cast . I love watching fellow SNL - - Jon Lovitz , Laura Kightlinger , Kevin Nealon , play even small roles . I loved Ellen Law playing Rosie . She was the best supporting character in this film . The fact that Billy Idol is also in it playing himself is another reason to watch . I wish there were films about the 80s .
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490,702 | 33,913 | 161,200 | 8 |
Take a note , this show's hysterical !
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The show only lasted a few episodes but John Inman ( a man deserving of his own British honor where it is an M . B . E . , O . B . E , C . B . E , or even Knighthood ) is worth it playing the role of Mr . Jones , a secretary to an professional executive woman played by Rula Lenska . One of the joys is Miriam Margolyes O . B . E . in the role as Maria , the Italian housekeeper . She is wonderful in this role . The theme song is quite catchy . John Inman has been out long before Ian McKellen and he is quite well known for the obvious reasons . He is a comedic genius . After watching for years on Are You Being Served ? , he chews the scenery easily . It is time for John Inman to get something for his contributions to entertainment over the decades . People who have done less have gotten something so please award John Inman . One queen surely deserves to meet Queen Elizabeth II . John Inman M . B . E . sounds great doesn't it ?
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490,391 | 33,913 | 240,628 | 8 |
One of Hollywood's legends !
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To be honest , I never really cared much about James Dean . I never saw any of his films but I saw this one about his life . I became fascinated by it . In his short life , he became the rebel with a cause . Watching this film , I became very interested in him . It's too bad that we lost him so young and too soon . much like Marilyn Monroe , Elvis Presley . He became a bigger legend after his death . In reality , he led a very sad lonely life . I'm so glad that Michael Moriarty is back to acting . We do get to know James Dean as the person behind the persona much like Marilyn MOnroe and Elvis Presley . It's hard to imagine that James Dean only acted in a handful of films and has maintained a legendary status since his tragic premature death at a young age . You wished he lived to be an old man because we were robbed of him as the person before our eyes .
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489,732 | 33,913 | 103,515 | 8 |
It could have ran on for years !
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The network powers don't know a good thing if it came and bit them in the behind . Anyway , the main character is played by the wonderful John Forsythe who is a Washington Politician . He is married to the equally wonderful Holland Taylor who is so brilliant as his wife . David Hyde Pierce was here before his life changing role on Frasier . Robin Bartlett played the politician's illegitimate adult daughter . Joseph Gordon Leavitt was here before playing an alien on Third Rock from the Sun . The show had a solid cast , writing , and a good future but I guess networks don't care about quality as so much as the age of it's viewers . I remember this show and think it would have lasted given the opportunity but I guess network executives are smarter than the general public .
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490,784 | 33,913 | 117,043 | 8 |
Delightfully Surprised !
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The little boy in the movie has read William Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream . Like the title , he has a dream where he goes to different worlds and sees them act out the comedy . While it can get confusing , I prefer this film version because the little boy can be the audience . Not everybody who is going to see it is going to relate to the film . Shakespeare's Comedy is fantasy as well with fairies and an underworld all on its own . The boy may not grasp the language neither can most of the audience . But he does see what going on . Just like a title , it is his dream . Dreams can have fairies and be weird on its own . I like the fact that the director tried to do something different . After watching other versions , I like this quirky film for its pure hearted attempt to get people involved in Shakespeare . Like our dreams , they don't make sense a lot of the time . The acting here is average . You can't compare these actors to the other versions . They are not as seasoned as them but that's not the point . The Royal Shakespeare Company should be commended and applauded for taking a daring chance at bringing this play to a mainstream audience . If you want the old fashioned film , watch the 1968 version with Dame Diana Rigg , Dame Judi Dench , and Dame Helen Mirren . If you don't want that , you will enjoy and open your mind to Shakespeare's play without the bloodshed of his tragedies . By the way , since I am going to become an English teacher . I like this version because of the little boy .
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490,239 | 33,913 | 95,227 | 8 |
An Unforgettable Drama as Tragic and Common as Life today !
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Mare Winningham plays the role of a single mother who must struggle without a job and a home with a young child . The film is memorable because she must make the most difficult choice that any parent can make of whether her only child should remain with her on the streets , in rat-infested apartments , in shelters , after friends and family can't help them out anymore . This issue is not new but as old as time itself where parents must struggle to make the most difficult decision of turning her child over to foster care and the state or live on the streets . The final scene is just heartbreaking so have your tissues ready to wipe the tears away .
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490,727 | 33,913 | 70,992 | 8 |
A Lot of Happy Days !
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Growing up in the 1980s where seeing shows in reruns or syndication was the norm , I remember Happy Days as a silly , conventional family comedy with Marion Ross as the mother and Tom Bosley as the father with children , Ron Howard and Erin Moran as Richie and Joanie Cunningham . Who could forget Henry Winkler as the Fonz with his black leather jacket ? The show appeared light-hearted and rarely did anything more than entertain audiences and families without being so offensive . There was no bathroom humor and we were introduced to characters such as Laverne and Shirley and Mork played by Robin Williams . Happy Days was the opposite of All in the Family where it was more friendly and kind to it's family . We remember the Cunninghams owned a hardware store and Mama Cunningham stayed home but the characters were more than just one notes . They became full-fledged as time went on and the show lasted 10 years but the memories are still intact .
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490,823 | 33,913 | 81,872 | 8 |
A Show that was too good to get canceled !
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I remember this show vaguely but I remember it fondly because I liked it not just because of the hit song or the film because I never really saw the film itself . I remember the series as funny and wickedly charming with Barbara Eden in the leading role . I remember Fannie Flagg too as her best friend . It was about a woman who was somebody that deemed inappropriate in Harvey Valley . When she gets involved with Harper Valley P . T . A . , they are in for a shock . She is no bubble-headed bimbo as they liked to think of her . She has a brain and the guts to take the snobs of Harper Valley head on . Maybe the show was a little less Hollywood and New York and more American because I remember it was mostly shot outside and without a laugh-track . I hope they bring it out on DVD because I would like to revisit who I considered to be old friends . It was a good show that could have lasted more than one season .
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490,269 | 33,913 | 172,348 | 8 |
Introducing Halle Berry !
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Halle Berry deserved recognition for the recreation of a Hollywood legend . It was interesting to watch her character's relationship with her agent played beautifully by Brent Spiner who is known for his role as an android in Star Trek , the Next Generation . I liked watching him so much that I have a crush on him now . It was sad that Dorothy did not realize that true love was underneath her all those years by her agent , Earl Mills . He helped her and truly loved her . I don't know if he was gay or just too obvious . Halle Berry really struts her acting abilities in this role . She makes us understand Dorothy's painful life . The violation by her own family to see if she was still a virgin after dating the Nicholas brothers . She was more than just an actress , she was truly an entertainer who deserved more . She puts a feet in the swimming pool and the hotel drains it because of her race . It was kind of hard not to be saddened by the racism of the past and what Dorothy did to endure .
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490,093 | 33,913 | 23,369 | 8 |
Joan Crawford steals the show !
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Before she was Mildred Pierce , Joan Crawford played the role of Sadie Thompson based on Somerset Maugham's story entitled Rain . She is a prostitute or too loose with the men especially the sailors . When she and others are stranded on Pago Pago in the Samoa , they have to stay there before they can go anywhere else . Walter Huston plays a devout religious hypocritical merciless minister who tries to steer Sadie in the right direction . Anybody else could have made Sadie either laughable or one-dimensional , Crawford shows her talent in keeping us to like and dislike her character . Crawford's first and final appearance is simply impressive . You can't take your eyes off her . She wants to be the star of the film and she is because she has the talent in order to succeed and she does to legendary status . Crawford's knack for being comical , cruel , vulnerable all at once in this role . Beulah Bondi has a supporting role . For one of the first films in the early thirties , it's an entertaining film .
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490,367 | 33,913 | 57,733 | 8 |
Bewitched , Bewildered , Bedazzled !
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I have to say that I got a lot of Bewitched in reruns on local public stations usual during my school summer breaks . The great Elizabeth Montgomery played the witch , Tabitha , married to a mortal played first by Dick York and later by Dick Sargent for health reasons only . Of course , the wonderful Dr . Agnes Moorhead played Tabitha's witch of a mother is perfectly cast as Endorra . There are other regular cast members like Sandra Gould as the nosy neighbor and Alice Ghostley as an Aunt . The writing was solid enough and the show lasted for eight seasons . Being married to a mortal , Tabitha must endure with-hold using her powers because she promised her husband . While she is the ideal wife and mother , she also has her hands filled with relatives played by Paul Lynde . There will never be another Elizabeth Montgomery who proved that she can be beautiful , smart , and talented like her father .
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490,539 | 33,913 | 81,856 | 8 |
The Show of the 1980s !
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Dynasty was the show of the decade . What a cast that included the wonderful John Forsythe playing the attractive , mature , wealthy and lovable billionaire Blake Carrington . His first wife was played deliciously by Joan Collins ( Make her Dame please ) . His second wife was played by Linda Evans who played Krystle . Who could forget those cat fights between Krystle and Alexis ? or the other cast members like Emma Samms replacing Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon Carrington . The show explored serious topics like homosexuality and included Steven Carrington as the homosexual in the show . I thought they really did a very good job in explaining homosexuality without overdoing it and insulting the audience . The season finales were always worth mentioning like the shooting at a wedding in Moldova ( fictional country ) .
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489,907 | 33,913 | 186,045 | 8 |
Mona's dead , let's celebrate !
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Mona Dearly of upstate New York was a housewife and mother of a son played by none other than Bette Midler . She was married to Phil ( played by the wonderful William Fichtner ) Mona was abusive , mean , and probably the most disliked person in the small town . Her husband claimed to have been battered man . Watching Mona in action , you can understand his claims . Her husband Phil is having an affair with a diner waitress Rona , played by the wonderful Jamie Lee Curtis , who is also having an affair with Phil and Mona's son at the same time It's like a Jerry Springer episode at times . Neve Campbell plays Ellen who is engaged to Calzone , Casey Affleck's character , and is pregnant . Her father is played by the wonderfully talented Danny DeVito as the town Sheriff . There are other characters like lesbian Lucina who comforts Ellen with a kiss . The writing is fair to say the least . The cast look like they are having the time of their lives on screen and it comes across off screen as well .
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489,994 | 33,913 | 377,253 | 8 |
Please more of Rosemary & Thyme ! !
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I was saddened to hear that last night's episode of this show was the last of the series . I found the platonic chemistry between Felicity Kendal CBE and Pam Ferris to be very entertaining . Felicity's Rosemary Boxer is more down to earth , sensible , and smart while Pam's Laura Thyme is quite charming to watch as well . They work very well together and it would be a terrible shame to end the series now . Granted , two female gardeners working on grand estates where murders occur is unlikely to happen in reality but it's not real . It's television after all and I hope that they would bring them back together for another series . Last night's episode featured one of my favorites like Anne Lambton as Queenie and the storyline was not magnificent but worth watching . In one hour , they solved a double homicide with twists and turns but also kept me guessing and entertained at the same time . The British love their gardens and murder mysteries now they have combined two hobbies into one for an entertaining show to be shown for years on television .
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490,750 | 33,913 | 97,083 | 8 |
A Welcome return for an old friend !
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I think of Peter Falk's Lieutenant Columbo as an old friend . I love watching him in action . Peter Falk is so good at playing him and he obviously enjoys it as well because he keeps coming back to him as well . I know that he kept the trademark raincoat from the series . Columbo Goes to the Guillotine was the first of many Columbo television films that came back after a decade long absence from our homes . We notice that Columbo hasn't changed that much including his raincoat over the last ten or so years that he stopped playing him . He's still the smart , funny , forgetful , and lovable Italian detective that we remember and treasure . I wish there was another episode even now . They're all treasures . I love how he doesn't change with the times but the characters do .
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489,725 | 33,913 | 105,604 | 8 |
Dennehy makes this role his !
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I'm sure Brian Dennehy must have hated doing this role portraying sadistic , cruel serial killer , John Wayne Gacy . In this film version of the events that led to his capture and the revelations of the thirty plus lives that he tortured and murdered and kept as souvenirs to remember . Dennehy gives a performance that is both riveting and frightening and yet we can't wait to see what he does next . Especially when he's trapped by the law and being followed everywhere , still trapped in the closet , he refuses to describe himself as homosexual . Gacy was truly a hated individual who nobody missed now or ever . Dennehy deserves an Emmy for his portrayal because he tries to bring a heart to a heartless villain of a character . In reality , Gacy was the bogeyman that we children feared . Margot Kidder is memorable as the psychic who sees the horror at the home . THe mini-series is worth watching to see a great American actor like Dennehy turn this role into a winner .
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490,748 | 33,913 | 97,085 | 8 |
Weird even for Columbo episode !
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An artist with a wife and two female lovers . First , he's straight or too heterosexual if you ask me . Of course , Shera Danese who plays his wife is the real-life wife of COlumbo himself , Peter Falk . I like Fionnula Flanagan who has a supporting role . Yes , it's the same formula for Columbo . I am always amused by his embarrassment and his ignorance even in this episode . He always seems out of place and fascinated by the situation . Artists have been prime suspects before . He always has a wealthy , prominent , and celebrity prime suspects but he is always at the top of his game and he always catches his man or woman . I just love having him back but this is one of my personal favorites to watch again and again .
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490,810 | 33,913 | 178,364 | 8 |
displaced person
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Displaced Person is the story of a post World War II black German boy orphan who seeks his father . Until now , he has never met or seen another black person in his life . When he reaches American soldiers , he attaches himself to the African American Seargent in charge . Instead , the boy calls him " Papa " and he becomes attached to the boy . He is the consciousness of the film . While it is a short story and old after-school special , it did win an Emmy award for outstanding children's program . It certainly deserved it . This short story is excellently done with a fine cast including one of my favorites , Rolf Saxon , in a small role . It should be studied and seen in classes especially in urban cities and even in the rural areas . Children can learn to identify easily with these characters .
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490,621 | 33,913 | 795,833 | 8 |
Clever Twist and Insights of Naomi , Ellen , and Eunice !
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In this episode , Mama Harper is in the kitchen making gooseberry jam with her loved ones , not her family , only kidding . Naomi and Ellen are already there but they are awaiting Eunice's arrival with the jars . For each of Naomi , Ellen and Eunice's versions , we get a better sense of how they see each other and themselves around Mother Harper . Mama is making gooseberry jam for a church function . Mama ends up in the hospital and Vint arrives to ask what happened to her . Naomi gives her version of the events in the kitchen . She sees herself as the loving daughter-in-law leaving out Ellen and Eunice . Then Eunice's event shows how she is the loving daughter who comes risking her life to deliver the jars . She sees Ellen with a crown like a Queen and she makes snide remarks to Eunice which we love to watch . Ellen's turn has her as the loving daughter and her mother as somewhat losing it .
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490,719 | 33,913 | 103,437 | 8 |
Our Hearts Were Afire !
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I think I preferred the show best when it was set in Washington D . C . over Arkansas . Anyway , the relationship between Markie Post and John Ritter sizzled on screen . They had a terrific supporting cast like Billy Bob Thornton , Conchata Farrell , Beth Broderick , Wendie Jo Sperber , etc . The show was created by Bill Clinton's friends , Bob and Susan Thomason . The show never appeared to be a huge success but the show's writing was alright but the cast was first rate with sitcom veterans Post and Ritter . I think the show could have lasted longer but CBS who also had Evening Shade and Designing Women must have had problems with the show's creators . I don't know what happened but I still think the show had legs but the network didn't give it a chance to shine . It could have sizzled if time was allowed for it to adjust .
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489,809 | 33,913 | 1,090,665 | 8 |
I thought it was really a documentary
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I do remember the re-enactment of the events that led up to the Jonestown Massacre but I also remembered thinking that the re-enactments were additional with the documentary interviews with the real characters like survivor and defector , Vernon Gosney , concerned relative Sherwin Harris , and the real Stephan Gandhi Jones , Jim and Marceline's only son who survived by playing on the basketball team of Jonestown . While I appreciated the mixture of both documentary and docudrama , they could have used the Powers Boothe performance in the mini-series because Powers gives an amazing performance on screen that is simply unforgettable which is why it's hard to imagine somebody lesser known incapable of delivering the material . The real names of the characters also helped in the case . I am not going to compare movies but I thought this was the history channel's version of Jonestown .
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490,218 | 33,913 | 790,193 | 8 |
It's only the beginning ! !
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Mama Thelma Crowley Harper played by the under-rated Vicki Lawrence is one of television's most memorable characters . She is ideal grandmother and widow living with her old maid sister , Frances Crowley , played by the wonderful Rue McClanahan before Golden Girls . Betty White appears regularly in the first two seasons as Ellen Harper Jackson , Mama's firstborn snobbish daughter . Of course , there is the middle child played by the unforgettable Carol Burnett as Eunice Harper Higgins . Her youngest son is played by Ken Berry who is Vinton Harper , a divorcée with two teenage children , Buzz and Sonja played by Eric Brown and Karin Argoud . This episode marks Vinton and his kids moving into Mama's house after their home was put for auction after a bad investment regarding chinchillas with his buddy Claude Harper . The show may not have had the best writers but the cast make it worth while . I can't forget Harvey Korman who plays Eunice's husband , Ed Higgins . Then there is the neighbor , Naomi Oates , played by Dorothy Lyman . The show was never meant to be upscale but I remember it so well because it was the first time that I actually saw a family that wasn't perfect or aiming to be .
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489,748 | 33,913 | 46,247 | 8 |
Still Fresh & Alive 50 years later !
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I got this movie from Blockbuster for $5 . 00 and it's worth it . It is a classic film with great performances by Richard Burton , Victor Mature , and the always fabulous Jean Simmons . If you're really interested in Christian movies , this is a fabulous film with wonderful scenery and acting . It will make you a believer in great film-making . The Robe is about Jesus Christ and his infamous Robe . The writing could be better but the acting is superb with a first rate cast . The costumes are colorful and the scenery is well done to recreate another era in history . I recommend watching if you are a fan of the above listed actors . I wish Jean well and she is always fabulous to watch again and again . I wish Jean became a Dame because she truly is one .
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490,422 | 33,913 | 279,111 | 8 |
A Worthy but disappointing effort on the Civil War
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I applaud their efforts about America's darkest hour which was the American Civil War from 1860 to 1865 . The drama is that it was brother and brother , north against south . America lost more men on it's own battlefields in this war than any foreign wars combined . While Europe remembers two World Wars , America must remember the Civil War . It's sad and depressing to know that most Americans know less about the Civil War than foreign wars . Anyway , the film's battle scenes are shot exquisitely . The brutality and force of the war must be seen to know the evil and horrors of any war . The Civil War is a tough chapter in American history . Unfortunately , this film is almost four hours long and there is so many situations and characters about that you can easily get lost in it . I watched it on video at home . My boss who is a big Civil War buff drove almost 2 hours to see this film and liked it . While some of us are not geared to watching war movies , if you like Gettysburg , you will like Gods and Generals . The actors , Jeff Daniels and Robert Duvall who lives in Virginia himself perform brilliantly and almost unrecognizably . I also liked Frankie Faison in the film as a Black soldier . If this film was released on television as a mini-series , I have no doubt that there would have been awards . The scenery , costumes , and art direction have spared no expense . I believe it was a mistake to release it in theaters because I don't think audiences can sit through 4 hours of this film . Ted Turner , the media mogul , did a service to producing this film . Maybe students in American classrooms will learn to appreciate the magnitude of the Civil War . I'm giving it an 8 .
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490,291 | 33,913 | 120,520 | 9 |
A great movie
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It is truly an entertaining movie based on the Henry James novel . Although the ending was the most troubling part of the film . It did not follow the novel's ending . I enjoyed it with Helena Bonham Carter as the leading role . I felt the movie could have been better though but still it was an entertaining movie for a certain audience of romantics and Henry James readers . I love the scenes filmed on location in Europe such as London and Italy . The film deserved several Academy Award nominations but it was overlooked for Titanic that year . Still , it's a great adaptation of a classic novel . Henry James may be one of our greatest writers or authors .
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490,159 | 33,913 | 72,582 | 9 |
Something for today's classroom !
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As an aspiring school teacher in an urban public school , my local Warner Brothers station affiliate WPIX Channel 11 airs Welcome Back , Kotter followed by other seventies ' sitcoms , The Jeffersons , The Odd Couple , and Taxi ( all shows set in New York City ) but what a night to watch television - - Saturdays from 8-10PM . After watching several episodes of Welcome Back , Kotter , I am exploring the possibility of using this show as an educational tool in the secondary classroom . Welcome Back , Kotter is about those disadvantaged students like me to show that they can succeed with a teacher who believes in them . Besides they have an excellent cast led by Gabriel Kaplan ( whatever happened to him ? ) , Marcia Strassman who plays his loving wife Julie , and the students or sweat hogs known as John Travolta playing Barbarino , Ron Palillo playing the lovable Horshach , and others like Juan Epstein ( a Puerto Rican Jew ) and others . The sweat hogs were not the high achieving students and looked down upon by other students . I can't wait for this show to come on DVD .
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490,762 | 33,913 | 429,455 | 9 |
Puzzled over a the Cancellation of a Quality Program !
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Okay , I wasn't much of a fan as I should have been . I think it's because dramas on television today have become more actor / actress driven than the writing etc . Anyway , this show should have been an easy slam dunk for the network who was known to making interesting decisions . First , Oscar Winner Geena Davis as a likable Vice President who becomes President was a great casting call . She was believable in the role . Second , the other cast members were equally perfect like Kyle Secor as the First Husband and Donald Sutherland as the President's friend and foe . I don't understand why the West Wing was such a hit but not this show . People were tuning in to see this show regularly . I guess the network didn't want the controversy of a female president . Think Hilary Rodham Clinton ! Maybe they felt that women should just be resigned to playing mothers and wives like at Desperate Housewives or lovesick surgeons on Grey's Anatomy . This cancellation is appalling and the network executives should be ashamed of themselves for letting one of the good shows go .
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490,082 | 33,913 | 80,339 | 9 |
One Problem ! It was too short !
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Airplane has to be one of the funniest spoofs on the disaster genre ever made . It was a spoof off all those Airport movies with star studded cast members and melodrama beneath the surface . This film has everything except it's just too short in my opinion . I love Julie Hagerty and Robert Hays as the star crossed lovers . Hays as the pilot traumatized by a war so he became a cab driver . Hagerty as his love interest . I love how he describes how he meets and falls in love with her on a tropical island . The rest of the cast is stellar featuring Lloyd Bridges , Ethel Merman , Leslie Nielson , Lee Bryant , Barbara Billingsley , Jill Whelan , Lorna Patterson , Ann Nelson , David Leisure , etc . The scenes are unforgettably funny when Hays confides in Nelson's character . There are typical spoofs of life aboard the flight . Remember Helen Reddy playing a nun singing to an ill girl aboard the flight but this is done with a twist . It's no wonder that the film became a hit to spark a sequel . It could have sparked a sitcom .
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489,891 | 33,913 | 284,033 | 9 |
too short just like Dusty's life
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I hesitated to watch this program before about Dusty Springfield's life . I thought it would spend too much time on personal life , sexuality , and addictions . But it was rather very pleasant and informative to watch people recall Dusty . For any Dusty fan , they would find this documentary as a short tribute . Unfortunately , it's too short and her brother , Tom O'Brien , is not in it . I respect Dusty's right to privacy but her love was celebrated in her music and she was very passionate about cats including her own . She would have made a wonderful mother . I still miss her after 3 years and this documentary is satisfactory for her fans . It's been 6 years since her death , the world is not the same without her .
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490,374 | 33,913 | 198,253 | 9 |
Today's Special is comedy and fun with friends !
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I remember this half-hour show about a department store set in Toronto , Ontario Canada where another world comes to light after the store closes . With a friendly night female Black Canadian manager and the mannequin who comes to life after the stores closes . She teaches him about life and of course there are the stuffed animals who come to life . Today's Special was one of the first children shows on Nickelodeon . I was enchanted by it's simplicity and it sometimes went out on location in Toronto . The cast was fine and the show was great to watch even though it would be repetitive . I thought there were more episodes but I guess I was too young . I always remember coming home after the show had just started . I prayed that my bus would get us home sooner from school to see the show before we had VCRs and DVD .
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489,974 | 33,913 | 1,040,752 | 9 |
A Terrible Tragedy !
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Minute by Minute was an Arts & Entertainment series that didn't last very long . One of the episodes that they could have focused enough was on Pan AM 103 about the explosion of a large commercial airline , a 747 , which blew out of the sky . There were plenty of witnesses in the Scottish area near Lockerbie . Of course , there are the grieving inconsolable parents of some of the 35 college students who were returning home for the holidays . Daniel and Susan COhen , Kathleen Flynn , and others that I have forgotten their names . I don't remember what I did on December 21 , 1988 when it occurred . I have been trying to find out for years . Sadly , it wasn't an accident but done on purpose . Worse , there were warnings but they were never passed on properly to the people who boarded that flight and the security system missed matching baggage with the passengers . Surely , if they had noticed an extra bag and no passenger . They would have recalled . The bomb was so small that it eluded detection . 270 lives lost 13 years before the events of September 11 , 2001 and sadly , we have not come far enough since the Lockerbie investigation .
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490,288 | 33,913 | 118,564 | 9 |
A Tragic story
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The author , Russell Banks , must relish in personal agony and complicated estranged family relationships . Nick Nolte certainly deserved his Oscar nomination for the playing the tragic hero . His father played by James Coburn deserved his Academy Award for playing such a pathetic abusive alcoholic . Maybe many people who did not see this film but there is an audience who can relate to this tragedy . When James Coburn's character is first introduced to Wade's girlfriend played by Sissy Spacek , he is drunk and pitiful . He opens the doors and windows to die of hypothermia after his wife has been dead for days in the upstairs bedroom . Even though , he beat and abused her . He still loved her enough to want to die too . These stories are not common but very realistic . Depression , alcoholism , abuse , are all here in the dead of winter in upstate New York with snow . Banks must enjoy the snow's presence in both this film and The Sweet Hereafter .
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489,822 | 33,913 | 99,148 | 9 |
A Sad Tragedy South of Me !
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This mini-series is one of my personal favorites . It was one of the first to show New Jersey not as gang-related or as urban but suburban Ocean County in Toms River , New Jersey . Joanna Kerns does a beautiful job playing the mother and the late Robert Urich does an equally superb job playing the father . The boys were played exceptionally well in despite of the growing suspicion of the father's involvement and his obvious guilt . He is still on New Jersey's death row and will never get executed in the state . I remember when I first watched this mini-series on television and later I watched it on lifetime . The mini-series depicts the story of a family who should have had it all only to blow up in the face of Mr . Marshall who arranged his wife's murder to collect insurance money . You can't forget Dennis Farina as the prosecutor in the role , Doris Roberts who plays the loving blinded older woman who helps with the boys , and Robin Strasser does a superb job playing the mistress who finally helps bring down Marshall . I am not saying that she wasn't guilty but you know that you can't judge somebody .
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489,866 | 33,913 | 361,217 | 9 |
The Best Drama on Television or Anywhere Else Period .
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When I read that Dame Vanessa Redgrave . She refused Damehood in 1999 was going to play Joely Richardson's mother , Erica , on the show . I decided to give it a chance . When Erica wanted to look younger for an upcoming book on child psychology . Her character is a well-respected child psychologist in the Miami area . I was kind of disturbed that she uttered the remark " The man who took this photograph of me 20 years ago had an erection at the time . " or something like it . NOw I know after watching it Friday night again , it is a very different show . First , they show the plastic procedures , the blood and gore , is just too much . I hope it discourages people from getting plastic , elective surgery done . The characters are all pretty defined by their sexual orientation . The lesbian anesthesiologist , Christian's bisexual fiancé , her lesbian lover , and the bisexual plastic surgeon Quintin . I remember a time when the sexuality of a character seemed less important . When Julian McMahon was on " Another WOrld , " I believe had less love scenes than in one episode on Nip / Tuck . It's just unbelievable . I love Joely RIchardson , Julian McMahon , and Dame Vanessa Redgrave , and the actor who plays Sean Macnamara . But the show sometimes goes a little too far for me and it's not my taste . The whole carver situation is a little disturbing as well and I couldn't imagine who it is and don't want too . If this is what breaking ground drama is nowadays , I am glad to remember the good old days of television , the 1980s . But despite the gore , the sexuality , and style of the show . It remains interesting to watch though . Maybe I will tune in but I know what I am getting isn't Sean's son dating a trans-gender person ? I have to say it is still a great show anyway . The writing , acting , and scenes take off . You don't see many heterosexual males bond like Christian and Sean do on prime time without it becoming sexual relationship . I started finding myself attracted to this show and wanting to watch it again . This show really surprised me . I thought I wouldn't watch it again but I did and I am glad . I just have to get through those plastic surgery parts and I'm fine now . It's something you have to get used too .
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490,796 | 33,913 | 405,159 | 9 |
Reminds us of what is missing in films today !
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One of the reasons that I don't like going to the movies now is the violence and profanity that fills films rather than great meaningful dialogue . I knew the ending which is why I didn't want to see it . I didn't agree with it which is the only reason that I am giving it a 9 . I found the relationship between Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank to be both beautiful , meaningful , and surprisingly platonic which is rare in movies today . There is too much focus on sexuality and this film lacks it completely . The relationship is more father and daughter than anything else . Clint's character Frankie Dunn finds a willing substitute in Hilary Swank's character , Maggie Fitzgerald . Her character recalls her father fondly in spoken memories only . She does not share the same fondness for her mother and other living relatives . Maggie follows her dream to box professionally which her mother disapproves . Maggie works hard , long hours of waitressing . She saves her pennies and even brings home scraps of leftover food . Hunger and poverty is never really talked about in films anyway . Maggie is a strong character who never gives up her dreams and she is loyal to her trainer , Frankie Dunn who learns to train her . The film's ending still leaves me asking more questions . I am not a person who cries easily and I had tears in my eyes . Morgan Freeman is also wonderful and deserved his Academy Award . In any other year , Clint would have won for Best Actor too and Hilary's performance is both heartbreaking and Oscar winning . She is the best actress of her generation with her own heartbreaking story . She always gives it her all in film and this is no exception .
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490,183 | 33,913 | 68,128 | 9 |
A Great Sitcom !
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Redd Foxx made a lasting impression and impact on audiences in America when they took a British comedy , Steptoe & Son , which was more darker and depressing than Sanford and Son . They brought to America with Redd Foxx as the father Fred Sanford and his son , Demond Wilson , playing Lamont . Fred always cries that he's going to reunite with his wife , Elizabeth in heaven . Fred's sister-in-law Esther is played by the wonderful and hysterical LaWanda Page . I loved the interaction between Fred and Esther . It was a love and hate relationship on both ends of the spectrum . They would trade insults as champion boxers threw out punches . They were hysterical and unforgettable on screen .
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490,074 | 33,913 | 118,760 | 9 |
The Boxer pulls some surprising punches !
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I never thought much about the situation in Northern Ireland before . This film opened my eyes to the British occupation and the division between the Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants . I don't understand why there are problems and I probably never will . It's a desperate situation with no winners on either side . I wish the cease fire will be permanent but you never really know . Daniel Day-Lewis has played an Irishman before in " My Left Foot " and " In the Name of the Father . " It's no surprise that he felt so comfortable in an Irishman shoes that he became an Irish citizen even though he comes from affluent British family lineage to impress anybody . It's sort of like choosing coach over first class in my opinion . Day-Lewis does an extraordinary job playing Danny Flynn to be likable , flawed , and charming . Emily Watson is also excellent as the love his life despite her character's marriage to an I . R . A . Prisoner . Jim Sheridan doesn't forget his Irish roots or heritage or the situation in Northern Ireland . People are getting killed in the midst . Violence and war never solve anything but cause more problems . I pray and hope that the situation in NOrthern Ireland comes to peace . Maybe the same could happen in the Middle East as well . I look forward to seeing more of Jim Sheridan's work . I felt this film could have been better . I was kind of miffed by the ending .
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490,666 | 33,913 | 200,276 | 9 |
Excellent Show but Not For Me !
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The West Wing is Hollywood's version of life in Washington D . C . with a beautiful cast of accomplished actors and actresses but it's nowhere near the behind the scenes version of the White House's Presidential Wing . Granted , the great Martin Sheen can play President Josiah Bartlett as he did playing John F . Kennedy in the mini-series . Stockard Channing is brilliant as the first lady while Allison Janney shows her acting abilities beyond the call of duty as one of his right hands . There are others like Dule Hill , Mary McCormack , John Spencer , Bradley Whitford , and Richard Schiff in an excellent supporting cast . There were also guest stars like Kathryn Joosten and Lily Tomlin . The writing was solid as the acting itself but I'm not into dramas . They suck too much energy from me . I want to leave laughing and not thinking because I do it already . In fact , I was studying political science when the show went on the air and I've lost the interest because I went towards education .
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490,198 | 33,913 | 1,017,622 | 9 |
What if he is ?
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Matt Roth plays a divorced homosexual who befriends Alan Harper at a parents without partners meeting . Even though , Alan knows he's gay . He brings him home and they become good friends and so their kids , his daughter and his son , Jake . When Jake is asked , " how did you know that your father is gay ? " Jake spreads the word and everybody realizes especially his ex-wife , Judith , the housekeeper Bertha , and even his mother even though we don't see her reaction . There are hugs and kisses and Alan wonders if he's actually gay . At the same time , Charlie begins to wonder his sexual orientation despite the fact that he's Malibu's foremost male prostitute who doesn't get paid . Art imitates life ! Charlie visits his wonderful psychiatrist played by the under-appreciated and not enough attention , Jane Lynch . Once Alan tries to kiss Greg , he says he's not attracted to him but he finds his brother attractive instead . You can only imagine Alan's hurt and reaction . Overall , this episode is a longtime in coming .
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490,038 | 33,913 | 279,600 | 9 |
For even those who love good drama !
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I won't lie to you . I don't normally watch television dramas today but I caught Smallville a couple of time and I was really impressed with the acting and storytelling . Of course , I grew thinking only that Christopher Reeve can play Superman . Sorry Dean Cain ! To me , Reeve was both Clark Kent and Superman on screen and off screen but I won't lie to you that this show is actually worth catching up with if you love Superman and it's impact on our American culture . The actor who plays young Clark Kent does a superb job . Annette O'Toole who plays his earth mom is wonderful as Mrs . Kent . She co-starred beside Christopher Reeve in the awful Superman III as his love interest . Dukes of Hazzard Tom Schneider plays his earth father . The actor who plays Lex Luthor does a superb job . Both the actors who I don't know their names who play Lex and Clark do superb acting jobs and I begin to feel for the characters which always makes me want to know more or be in the same room with them for some strange reason . Anyway , Clark's adolescence is a painful time just in general but to know that you have superpowers is quite unbelievable especially if you are capable of abusing them . That's why the role of this Clark Kent has to be superb in order for us to believe that anybody else would botch the role . COngratulations , you have a great drama .
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490,483 | 33,913 | 73,955 | 9 |
You can kiss my grits !
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I have avoided seeing Ellen Burstyn who won an Academy Award in the movie version because I grew up watching Alice on television whether in reruns or on network television . It was a lively show and it had a terrific cast . Linda Lavin will always be Alice to me regardless of her wonderful acting career . Linda Lavin has stretched as a character actress whether in small , supporting , featured , or leading roles . Linda Lavin is a comic gem . Doug McKeon who plays her son , Tommy , is the brother to Nancy McKeon better known for her role as Jo on " The Facts of Life . " Whatever happened to Doug anyway ? Well , Vic Tayback is brilliant as Mel Sharples and the casting of American legendary entertainer , Martha Raye , as his mother is something I have never forgotten . The show re-introduced Martha Raye as a sharp-tongued wise mother to Mel . The show I remember aired on CBS Sunday nights with the likes of " The Jeffersons , " and " All in the Family . " After 9 years on the air , it came to an end . I loved Polly Holliday as Flo with one of the most memorable catchphrases " You can kiss my grits . " I never had a grit . The show was memorable also for lovable Vera , likable Jolene , and Diane Ladd's role . Although it worked best with Vera , Flo and Alice , Flo's show never took off and she should have returned to the show . Since I haven't seen an episode in about a year , I am vague because I have missed the show not being on the air anymore whether on TV Land or anywhere else . It made you want to move to Phoenix which is probably one of the reasons that Phoenix is over a million in population . You have to thank the show for bringing Martha Raye , we all knew her as Mel's mom but in reality , Martha's life was truly extraordinary . I learned that she went to entertain the American troops wherever and whenever they were at war . We can't thank Martha enough even now . She was given America's highest honors for her services as a civilian during wartime . But the show also provided lots of laughs and entertainment during it's long run , we don't see shows like Alice anymore and we probably never will .
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489,805 | 33,913 | 765,425 | 9 |
Sometimes Unfair ! Sometimes Brilliant !
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The chefs who compete in this series are all seasoned and professional and work in top rated restaurants around the country . Until now , I was watching it because I found it interesting that the group of chefs in this series and season were compelling and real to watch . If I was teaching culinary arts , this show would not only be a staple but mandatory in the world of restaurants and culinary fare . The fact that they shop at Whole Foods rather a normal supermarket would have saved them some money . I was rooting for Ariane Duarte in this season and thought she might make it to finals . I won't spoil who gets eliminated when . I think the fact that your colleagues are not voting you out helps a bit . I found them to be supportive of one another during those tough times like students in a class . In fact , Ariane started out on the bottom and suddenly redeemed herself by cooking turkey , lamb , etc . , and she won Martha Stewart's choice during a quick challenge and a guest spot on the Today show . But Ariane's luck can change in a matter of days on this show as it does for some other seasoned chefs . Unlike other reality shows , this competitiveness is rather healthier and more entertaining . During their time , they live together while they are working . Their views and comments are often enticing . The culinary world is tough in itself and fiercely competitive just as it is on the show . I wouldn't know because I don't cook but go out to eat in restaurants . I'll probably keep watching this show to see who becomes top chef even though my first choice was let go .
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490,660 | 33,913 | 935,979 | 9 |
Come Back , Rose , Come Back !
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I hoped it was not the last time that we see Melanie Lynskey on this show as Rose , Charlie's longtime stalker . It was heartbreaking to think that she was actually leaving . I still don't believe it . Like Charlie , I'm in denial about it . Maybe because Melanie is leaving for better or more things , but even those few minutes with her as Rose on the show was golden and one of the show's strengths . It was sad to see Charlie realizing that Rose maybe wasn't kidding . We're not quite sure . You can never tell with her . Maybe she'll come back in the future . Anyway , I always thought Melanie should have been recognized for her role as Rose at awards shows . The show should now focus on bringing back Holland Taylor regularly because she is always a scene stealer . So Melanie Lynskey , I wish you the best but hope this door doesn't stay shut for long .
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490,346 | 33,913 | 47,673 | 9 |
Still a Christmas Tradition !
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I remember when the Christmas season came after Thanksgiving and the networks all began showing Christmas films especially White Christmas and It's A Wonderful Life . Anyway , I liked White Christmas but only for the ending . It was kind heartwarming and sentimental at times but still you can't beat this cast featuring Bing Crosby , Danny Kaye , Rosemary Clooney , and Vera Ellen . Of course , there is romance in the air and a plot to help an old friend out . The film is dated but still beautiful in color and should be seen to be appreciated . Stay till the end of the film when you see those four wonderful stars of yesterday sing White Christmas with the white snow in the background . It's worth watching during the holiday season . Rosemary Clooney used to say that Bing would see her on Christmas Eve . You think they're all in heaven serenading God and the angels with White Christmas .
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490,411 | 33,913 | 870,111 | 9 |
It Should Be Frank's Oscar !
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If I was a voting member of the academy , I would vote for Frank Langella as Best Actor for his performance as the disgraced president Richard Nixon . I also think Michael Sheen OBE should have been nominated as well but he would easily won in the supporting actor category playing Sir David Frost OBE . Both Frost and his producer , John Birt , were knighted by the Queen . I didn't like the Reston character very much and I have read one of his books on Rev . Jim Jones . Langella and Sheen performed the same roles on Broadway and the West End in London . They did a brilliant job and were both equally brilliant in their roles . I never thought that I would have sympathies for the former disgraced president but I did . I felt Langella brought the role of Nixon from a caricature into a full-fledged multi-dimensional human being . Of course , the President is a human being although they were elected to the highest office in the country . This film is one of the best that I have seen but I would have liked to have seen Nixon's interaction with underused Patty McCormack who plays his devoted and dedicated wife , Patricia .
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490,765 | 33,913 | 72,559 | 9 |
It was one of the best of the soaps ! '
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This show never caught on and I'll never know why . The writing was crisp and witty . THe cast was excellent and it was only 30 minutes long . Their half hour has been replaced by news which to me shows the lack of interest in keeping daytime television especially dramas like Ryan's Hope on the air . Claire Labine who lives in Brooklyn , New york was one of the major writers of this show . I don't recall it ever being outrageous but it reminded me of the British soaps where it was only 30 minutes long and there was a bar . Helen Gallagher played the matriarch and she is still a fabulous actress who has done television , stage , and films as well . Other cast members were Nancy Addison who passed away so young and Ilene Kristen now on One Life to Live . The show is gone but not forgotten in my opinion . It was one of those shows that should have gone on forever as well but I guess ABC thought it was expendable . Too bad , people out there would have enjoyed a nice written show like this . Since they were set in NEw York ( big cities as settings don't fair well on soaps except Bold and the Beautiful ) , they also went out on the streets of the city to shoot . It was great to see .
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490,564 | 33,913 | 106,589 | 9 |
One of the better newer ones !
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I have to say that this episode of Columbo is a lot better than the newer ones that started coming back in 1990 with new episodes . It's still the same Columbo though and I would have him anyway to watch . Lieutenant Columbo is one of the best characters on television today or ever . He has charisma , charm , and class . Columbo is also one of the most intelligent characters on television as well . He doesn't dumb down his suspects or the audience . So this episode was indeed worth watching because of Faye Dunaway's performance . I think she is one of the best American actresses around today . She won an Emmy award for her performance in this film . Faye always has class and style . Her character is equally delicious to watch as she does what she does . I won't spoil the plot . It's great for Faye Dunaway fans and it shows that older women are more like fine wine . I wish Faye would do more acting but they would cast her in grandmother roles rather than the seductive , sensual woman that she exhibits on screen . She is one of America's legends on screen and she should be still working . She has talent , beauty , and intelligence .
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490,347 | 33,913 | 307,987 | 9 |
This film is one of the dysfunctional family films !
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Alright , Billy Bob Thornton as a crooked Santa Claus or Father Christmas as Kate Winslet would call him is a terrific safe cracker and alcoholic too . He takes a job as a Santa Claus with this dwarf actor who plays his elf . Anyway they go from Milwaukee to Phoenix for another score , there Billy's Willie befriends an unhappy overweight kid who thinks he is Santa Claus and saves him in the parking lot . They have an unusual friendship . The boy , Thurman Merman , lives with grandmother played by the multi-talented Cloris Leachman in this small , thankless role . The grandmother stays home and watches television and is oblivious to her grandson's new friend . His father is in jail for a white collar crime . Thurman lives in a nice Phoenix neighborhood and Willy is the only friend he has so far . I think the film needs a little work especially with Cloris ' role . She was underused . Of course , this was John Ritter's last film role before his death in 2004 . Still it's one of those dysfunctional Christmas movies that we are beginning to see more of now .
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490,146 | 33,913 | 332,379 | 9 |
Rock and Roll Live Forever !
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I love Jack Black . YOu can have your Leonardo DiCaprio , Orlando Bloom , Sean Bean , Jude Law , and any other hunk but I'll take Jack Black because he is not only funny but he appears normal like the rest of us . He rocks this film playing a guitarist who gets kicked out of his own band . Hard on his luck , he accepts a substitute teaching job for $650 . 00 per week under his roommate's name . Under pressure for not chipping into the rent , his roommate's girlfriend played beautifully by Kathy Silverman even in this small role does a great job . So he takes the substitute job with hopes that he will start a band again . Anyway , he discovers the band under his nose when he learns that the kids play musical instruments at a top notch private school where tuition is about $15 , 000 per year . Joan Cusack was perfectly cast as the school principal , uptight and disliked by the teachers . Of course , Jack Black's character and the students of ten year old wonder actors and actresses all have a part in the project of a rock band under the disguise of a competition . Anyway , everybody even know-it-all Summer has a part as band manager . The band has a role for everybody in the class . One student works the light while another works the security in hopes of keeping the principal away from the classroom secret . I love his role of teaching rock and roll history . I feel ancient now . Jack Black earned a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy Film and I think the honor is very well-deserved and I look forward to more of Jack Black .
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490,000 | 33,913 | 1,046,922 | 9 |
Walters makes her real rather than just a caricature !
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Mary Whitehouse played by the divine Julie Walters CBE could have been silly , over-reacting , or just a caricature of a woman who fought and won in her own mind . The film is quite a tribute to a woman who caused a lot of trouble in the 1960s regarding television content . Whitehouse is a schoolteacher , mother , and wife to Ernest . They live not in London but in Wolverhampton and she is concerned by the explosion of sexuality on television through the BBC which is national television . She gathers and recruits quite easily mostly housewives who have the same concern . All she wants is some time with the director of the BBC which was Sir Hugh Carleton Greene who is portrayed a chauvinistic boss and unlikely character . Whitehouse has her moments like when she telephones the BBC regarding a sketch spoofing her husband involved in a car accident as crossing the line . There is more to it . Despite all of the hatred and vulgarity in the letters and telephone calls , Whitehouse is persistent in trying to clean up the filth in national television .
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490,616 | 33,913 | 640,612 | 9 |
Naomi's Dinner Party Disaster !
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When Naomi and Vint come home from a dinner at one of her friends ' home , she is upset because she can't invite her friends to have dinner at her home . Well , she gets Mama to make the dinner and pays for a night out at the movies with Fran and the kids . Of course , Fran wants to see Gandhi while Mama wants to see E . T . All is going to plan when Mama's back goes out . She can't move and remains on the living room floor when the guests arrive . Only two couples who make bad jokes and help Mama eat the home-cooked dinner . Of course , Naomi sees this event as impending disaster of a party . Of course with Mama on the floor with her back out , the two couples are obviously uncomfortable and Mama makes some wicked comments regarding Needa who is bit of a snob . There is Marsue played by Micole Mercurio , what a stage name . Anyway sometimes things doesn't go according to plan .
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490,534 | 33,913 | 85,859 | 9 |
They don't make films like this anymore !
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Burt Lancaster may have an important role but he's not the leading role . THat role goes to Peter Riegert who plays Mac , an American businessman , who goes to a small Scottish community to broker a deal . What he finds there is something he never expected to find , a sense of belonging and a home that he never had in his native America . At home in Houston , Texas , he has a beautiful home and car and a good paying job . Something most of us would crave for but something is missing in his life . When he goes abroad to a small village of 300 inhabitants , he begins to belong with them like the Russian fisherman who comes to fish the waters . I am upset with what happened to the injured rabbit , Trudy , who they bring up there to take care of . That to me was horrible . To me , I love rabbits and Trudy was truly worth watching . They treated the rabbit like a human being . At the village , Mac plays the important role of making the locals to become millionaires . Plans don't go easily when there is an eccentric holdout who wouldn't sell his property - - the beach front for all the money in the world . The end of the film is obscure and I can't make sense of it . Although Burt Lancaster gives a memorable performance of a rich American businessman , it is probably one of his finest later performances in film . Not much goes on that it would need an R rating if it has one . This film reminds me much of the early 1980s films where they were played continuously and repeatedly on new cable stations like HBO and Showtime . This is a very reserved film in the British tradition . They don't make films like this anymore and boy , do I miss the 1980s .
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490,818 | 33,913 | 640,599 | 9 |
It ' Graduation time !
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When Thelma Harper is named class valevictorian for the upcoming commencement ceremony , she learns that she has to make a speech in front of everybody . Her grandson Bubba is planning to join his parents , Ed and Eunice in Tallahassee , Florida . When he doesn't get into his desired school , the family except Mama suggests that there is a junior or community college down there . Bubba doesn't know that his parents aren't coming up from Florida for his big night and they don't want him to live with them in Florida . Heartbroken , Bubba decides not to go the ceremony unless Mama Harper talks some sense into him . During this time , the ceremony is on hold and stalled by Iola , Vint and Naomi until Thelma and Bubba arrive to hear her speech . Joseph Campanella returns as Mr . Hanson , the teacher , to inform Thelma of her accomplishment .
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490,359 | 33,913 | 640,591 | 9 |
Mama's Dream Funeral !
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After attending the funeral of a relative , Mama desires to have her dream funeral even if it means giving the money that was saved for a trip to the Grand Canyon with her family over to the funeral home . In this episode , we get the wonderful Dorothy Van as Aunt Effie . While Mama knows why she is being so stingy about groceries and not going bowling with her family , Iola insists that she tells her family about her funeral plans while she is hemming her dress for her final resting place . When the family is outraged and goes bowling leaving Mama alone , Mama imagines what it will be like when she does go and how the family does react and behave at the funeral home is worth watching . The funeral director has persuaded Mama to have a lavish funeral and costing her a mighty fortune .
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490,688 | 33,913 | 108,785 | 9 |
A Memorable Attempt at a Sitcom !
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George Carlin plays if I remember a New York City taxi driver who frequents a bar which is also like his second home . He is surrounded by a group of fellow barflies . A single older New York City blue collar man played by the wonderful George Carlin who also produced the entire season . Maybe the show never got the right attention because it was a far better sitcom than others on television . Sadly , it was canceled after only one season . Of course , George would go on to do what he does best which is his stand-up . Nobody was like George Carlin who was brash , honest , candid , and devoutly atheist and proud of it . George Carlin did everything else well including his roles in film especially in Kevin Smith movies like the Cardinal in Dogma and the father to Ben Affleck in Jersey Girl . George might have been more comfortable playing the blue collar roles like the New York City taxi driver struggling to survive but George was great at being George and I loved this show which never got the praise it rightfully deserved .
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489,884 | 33,913 | 640,586 | 9 |
Mama gets on Jeopardy !
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When Jeopardy recruiters are in Raytown , Iola auditions and misses but Thelma is chosen to be the player from Raytown , the pride of the Tri state region . She gets to play alongside college professors and scholars . While she tries to get the hang of the game , she doesn't seem to be do all so well among the contestants . Unlike Jeopardy itself , she speaks more than she should and suggests that Alex and Iola should hook-up for a date . She also kisses Alex as well . When the episode finally airs even with the final questions , Thelma's final standing in the episode determines her prize . She suggests that she's getting a box of turtle wax or something of the sort . You don't have to be first to get a prize or any prize .
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489,888 | 33,913 | 118,364 | 9 |
The best sitcom on NB
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Just Shoot Me is the best sitcom currently on NBC . A show with a terrific ensemble like David Spade , George Segal , Laura San Giacomo , ENrico Colantini , and Wendie Mallick can't get better than this . I worked in a magazine setting with superegos in New York City . IT is nice to have a sitcom without the preachiness . SItcoms are there to provide humor and laughs . I love watching this show . I tape it since they air it late at night in reruns . Please watch this show . It is really there for laughs and I love their ad to watch this show . They brought in models to play the staff of the show to portray realism of Blush magazine . The commercial itself is hysterical and it should be showed all the time to promote this show .
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490,630 | 33,913 | 629,544 | 9 |
Stellar Cast and Story ripped from the headlines !
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A school bus load of high school students from Des Moines , Iowa make a trip to New York City probably a graduation trip . Unfortunately , Bethany and her two girlfriends go clubbing in the city two nights before she disappears at a game club like paint ball or laser tag . Bethany disappears without her cell phone which was confiscated by one of the chaperones and is never heard from again . Logan and Eames investigate and discover that Bethany is not the only girl to go missing from meeting the chairman or Ethan Garrett who turns out to be the son of a prominent New York City judge . Colm Meaney guest stars as the slick lawyer more than fatherly role . Ethan attacks a police officer and is sent to jail where he unknowingly taped when he talks with his cellmate . Soon , the story that begins with a Nancy Grace type journalist who would do anything to send somebody to jail including accusing the chaperone since he confiscated Bethany's cell phone . Kathleen McNenny does a superb job as the grieving , Bible-toting mid-western mother of Bethany . The actress who plays the Nancy Grace clone does also a superb job in showing the character as nothing more than a sensationalist rather than a compassionate objective talk show hostess . This two part drama is worth watching since it gets complicated .
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490,615 | 33,913 | 640,578 | 9 |
Drive for yourself , Thelma !
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Everybody is tired of chauffeuring Thelma around . With Sonja going for her license , Thelma gets driving lessons from Vint , Naomi , Ellen , and even Aunt Fran . All end up in disaster but Thelma wants a hat down at Niedermeyer's department store which has been on hold for her for a week . Desperate she takes a chance after wrecking Ellen's car , Thelma probably didn't think it was as dangerous as going to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a permit for driving . Of course , she has to put with lines and people directing her to the wrong place . Anyway , Mama's experience behind the wheels is quite humorous at times . Of course , Vint and Naomi teach her in the living room . Still I remember Mama getting her license after all that trouble . You are never too old to drive or learn something new .
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490,828 | 33,913 | 158,466 | 9 |
Almost as Perfect as the First Two !
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Okay , Megan Follows owns the role of Anne Shirley after her fantastic performances in the original 1985 mini-series and it's 1987 sequel . In this film , Anne faces a world war with her beloved husband and soul mate , Gilbert Blythe abroad . She gets a child but not by ordinary means . The cast is still first rate but I think by now that I expected so much more with the final part of this trilogy . Unfortunately , Colleen Dewhurst had passed on in 1992 to the great stage in the sky and the role of Marilla Cuthbert could not have been played by anybody else . The producers took Anne abroad during World War I , I believe but I could be wrong but I don't think it was World War II . Anyway , if you are a big fan of the first two mini-series , you will appreciate Megan Follows in reprising the beloved role of Anne Shirley Blythe .
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489,786 | 33,913 | 39,398 | 9 |
A Different kind of war film
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1947 was not an easy year . In fact , the British and the world was still recovering from World War II . This film probably raised a lot of eyebrows and concern . Germany was still the enemy and Frieda played beautifully by Swedish newcomer , Mai Zetterling , should have been honored with nominations for her performance . Frieda is not well liked because she is German so you're not going to trust a German girl in the first place . Anyway , I imagine how it was first released to the British public after a brutal war and the rebuilding of the damage done by the blitz . Anyway , I can imagine audience members not being welcoming to Frieda but she is somebody we grow to understand . It's not her fault that's she's German anymore that I'm an American . She grows on you because she is somebody we can like but I think that's part of the problem . We see her only flaw as being German and not much else . Anyway , Mai Zetterling performs well and should have been honored with a nomination or two for being the star of the film .
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489,760 | 33,913 | 640,564 | 9 |
Will it be Naomi or Mama ?
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Vinton has just won a dinner for two at the Babylonian Gardens restaurant in Raytown which is one of the town's most popular and expensive restaurants as well . His problem is that it's for Mother's Day and he only has two tickets . Will it be his pregnant wife , Naomi , or his mother , Mama Harper ? He comes up with a solution to solve both their problems but it was nice seeing Vinton get mad while his mother and wife fight for the right to get their free meal . Mother's Day is a big holiday on Mama's Family and always has been . Mama Harper at a Thai restaurant complete with a belly dancer and cushioned seats is quite entertaining . I enjoyed this episode and miss this show . I wished that they aired it again on television . I know it's not the best show that was ever made but it was certainly filled with memorable characters that we don't mind seeing again .
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489,924 | 33,913 | 640,554 | 9 |
Mama Goes Back To School !
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When Bubba has failed an English , Mama has arranged him to take it at night school . Mama is steaming mad because she herself never finished high school . With some encouragement , she goes back to night school with an English teacher played wonderfully by John Ingle who was also an acting teacher but retired and became a professional actor himself . In this episode , Mama confronts some of the bad memories that forced her to drop out . Mama has to read " The Scarlet Letter " and is having trouble with it at first until Iola reminds her that she's read books twice the size . It's the same book that chased her away from school to begin with . Well Mama has read the book while her classmates have read Ray Notes sort of like Cliff Notes . If they can get away with their answers , you just have to watch and see .
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490,370 | 33,913 | 460,637 | 9 |
One of the Best Shows on Television
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Chris Rock revisits his childhood in the tough part of Brooklyn , New York with Tichina Arnold playing mom . Chris Rock narrates each episode with a great cast including the child actor who plays him . The show is set in the 1980s Brooklyn before gentrification took over the borough . Chris Rock has some memorable stories about growing up like his job at a local convenient store where he discovers the minimum wage is $3 . 35 and his boss is only paying him $3 per hour to work in the store . He claims that he can't afford the minimum wage so Chris gives an ultimatum . So he loses his job but he does have thoughts about striking and protesting the store owner . There was another episode where he and his brother went to see Wayne Gretzky out on Long Island which was pretty good . This show is an excellent comedy in times when we need to laugh more than ever .
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490,623 | 33,913 | 640,552 | 9 |
One of My All Time Favorite Episodes Ever !
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Mama Harper has lost Vint's most prized possession and best friend , his bowling ball . Anyway Ellen has come over to borrow a family heirloom to wear for her big night at the country club where she has been elected woman of the year . When Mama informs Vint and Naomi that they were invited for the evening , they decide to attend . Mama couldn't be any more humiliating or embarrassing regarding her eldest daughter . She dances with Mayor Tutwiller , drinks beer to Ellen's disgust , and complains that her prime rib was too rare . In the mean-time , Mama is invited to speak a few words and ends up as the Mama Rickles of Raytown with her humor and frankness . Of course , the most fun is watching Ellen be so embarrassed by her family that night .
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489,908 | 33,913 | 80,059 | 9 |
The Brilliance of Wendy Wasserstein !
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I miss Wendy Wasserstein , the playwright , who wrote feminist related plays . This play is probably my favorite starring Meryl Streep , Swoosie Kurtz , Jill Eikenberry , Ann McDonough , and Ellen Parker long before they were famous . Streep just won an Oscar . In this taped version of the stage play , the women of Mount Holyoke College talk about college life . I loved the interaction among the women . I wished that Wendy had lived because she really was the voice of women in this generation . This is not Sex and the City and thank God . These women are strong , intelligent , and independent . Almost 30 years later , Meryl Streep is one of America's greatest film actresses , Jill Eikenberry struck big with L . A . Law , Swoosie Kurtz is still on Broadway but also known for her appearances on television and film , and Ellen Parker won an Emmy for her role on Guiding Light . The story about these women characters reflected the women who played them .
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489,919 | 33,913 | 640,559 | 9 |
Oh Raytown ! Oh Raytown !
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Everybody in Raytown even the Harpers is getting ready for Flounders day or Founders day but Mama Harper . It turns out that she was supposed to sing the song , " Oh Raytown , " but the founder's descendant would sing the song even coming on her walker across the stage . When Iola breaks the news that the woman has died and the pageant might be canceled . Mama Harper now has a chance to reclaim after fifty years that she can sing in front of Raytown on Flounders day . When the piano tuner , Jane MacCauley , comes and tunes it , Mama is again facing unlikely competition from this girl who can belt or sing a tune much better than she ever could . Could Mama wreck Jane's chance or her own of singing " Oh Raytown ? "
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490,427 | 33,913 | 640,544 | 9 |
Ellen's final appearance !
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Ellen Harper Jackson hasn't been a good daughter since she blew off her Aunt Fran's funeral for a bridge tournament . She tries to make amends in this final appearance of Betty White who was now Rose Nylund on Golden Girls . Ironically , her co-star is Rue McClanahan who played Aunt Fran . Mama is playing scrabble with her family and Iola who is like family in the dining room when Ellen arrives with a gift to make amends . Ellen tries to apologize for not being there at the funeral . Regardless , Ellen is in the hospital for a procedure and the family learns that Ellen is there . Not knowing the kind of procedure , Mama and the gang head straight to the hospital without having dinner .
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490,023 | 33,913 | 640,550 | 9 |
Mama & Eunice in the Jug !
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One of the far better episodes regarding Mama's family , it's one of the most memorable . Anyway , Vint and Mama are at the Bigger Jigger Bar to surprise birthday girl , Eunice , and Ed . She was convinced that Ed was going to take her to the Babylonian Roof Garden , one of Raytown's top restaurants . He surprises her by taking his wife to the Bigger Jigger . They sing Happy Birthday Barbara not Eunice . All's fine until Vint sees a picture of Duke Reeves , the love of Eunice's life . When he starts recalling that Duke had stopped by at the house when Eunice was a lovesick teen obsessed with him , it gets ugly . Eunice and Mama end up in the local jail and befriended by Scarlet Dubois , a local prostitute , who has more sense than the two of them . I think this is one of the best Mama and Eunice episodes where they learn a little about something .
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489,756 | 33,913 | 640,548 | 9 |
Classic Mama's Family !
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Bubba gets a band of girls , a trio including Stacey Q who sang " Two of Hearts " back in her day . In this episode , there is an event like a county fair in town where Bubba gets the band booked for and they stay at Harper house much to the delight of Thelma and the family . The girls are punk rockers and Thelma has a change of heart when she learns that the girls know something about baking candy cakes for the county fair . The moment where they sing " Sugar " song is quite a treat since they change their outfits and look so wholesome even warming up to Iola . When Bubba thinks he's lost his band to Mama , he discovers all is not lost . The episode is still wonderful to remember as it was to watch . The band and Mama bonding over baking and sewing was a treat .
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490,479 | 33,913 | 98,897 | 9 |
An Otherwise Perfect Union
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Vita Sackville-West and Sir Harold Nicholson were married for more than 50 years and the parents of Benedict and Nigel Nicholson MBE , OBE , who wrote about his parents ' unusual marriage in a very loving way . Both Vita and Harold had homosexual relationships on the side but it was Vita's relationship with childhood friend , Violet Keppel Trefuses who by the way is related to Camilla Parker-Bowles distantly that nearly threatened Vita and Harold's marriage . Marriage is an institution which produced two fine sons . The actress , Janet McTeer , who plays Vita does a superb job and memorable . Violet is played by Cathryn Harrison who I believe is Sir Rex Harrison's daughter or relative . Anyway the acting is sensational and it was quite revolutionary for it's time on television during Masterpiece Theater . Harold and Vita's marriage may have been quite unconventional by it's unusual circumstances but they stayed together . They built Sissinghurst Castle in Kent , England . Vita wrote a beautiful poem about her love for Harold . Now regardless that their union had outside lovers like Violet and Virginia Woolfe . They always returned to each other for comfort , companionship , and conversation . No , this marriage probably wouldn't survive today because there is just too much focus on sex completing a marriage . For those of us who know better , sex does not complete the marriage but enhance it . THe sexual desires of Vita and Harold may have been toward their own sex but they returned to each other every time . A successful marriage is based on being able to turn to the one you love , trust , and need in your most desperate time . Nigel wrote a loving book about his parents ' unconventional marriage but he wrote that they still loved each other and returned to each other from their infidelities every time even with Violet Keppel .
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490,423 | 33,913 | 405,422 | 9 |
Gays Came out of the Closet and The Virgins Went In !
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Compared to the fact that anybody who is still a virgin is often ostracized by non-virgins for not getting . YOu wonder if it's all worth it whether it be the wrong or right person . This movie will please a lot of religious conservatives who make the presumption that you are any less because you are still a virgin . This movie allows a great comedian like Steve Carrell to play the oldest virgin known to mankind because he is so good at acting in general . We grow to admire and like this character unlike his television show . The fact that he has to come forward and admit his virginity is kind of like coming out of the closet . I love Jane Lynch . She is such a great actress and comedienne and deserves to be recognized . She is wonderful in Christopher GUest films and I saw her last night on Charlie Sheen's show and as always , she is wonderful . This movie is good to show for its lightheartedness and its attempt to be different . It's successful at that . It shows virginity in a positive light rather than as a freak show . There a lot more virgins out there but I'm not one of them sadly . I grew up where getting rid of your virginity was a top priority and how sad is that to give it to somebody who never calls you back .
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490,340 | 33,913 | 412,142 | 9 |
A Terrible title but a good show !
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To tell you the truth , I had my hesitations about watching another medical drama but this show surprised me . Hugh Laurie deserves a lot of credit for taking on an American accent and playing it so well . You forget he's British . The casting of Lisa Edelstein is a welcome addition . She carries her character very well . Robert Sean Leonard is playing an Australian . Funny since the show is set in New Jersey and that's where he is from . Omar Epps is touching in a strong role as the neurologist . My favorite episode is starring Leslie Hope in a guest appearance as a homeless woman down on her luck . It is one of the most touching episodes on television lately . I even teared a little . The fact that this show is set in New Jersey is a welcome change for us . Rather than depicting us as fun loving mobsters or crooked politicians , the show provides an interesting location . I will be watching it more . I love Hugh Laurie and hope that his die-hard fans would nominate him for a British honor . He is long overdue for it in my opinion . The casting , writing , and acting is superb . I watched MAD-TV's parody of the show starring Michael McDonald in a perfect performance as Dr . House . HE is so good that you wonder if it is actually Hugh Laurie himself . Great show overall .
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490,252 | 33,913 | 68,396 | 9 |
Columbo matches wits with Scotland Yard
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In this Columbo episode , it features Honor Blackman ( who denied a C . B . E . ) and Richard Baseheart as an aging acting couple . The wife , Lilian Stanhope , played deliciously by Honor seduces a powerful older British gentleman to produce Macbeth for them to star in so they are not washed up like most actors and actresses in their predicament . Anyway , the plot is more like Macbeth and the film could be useful in an English class if you're teaching Shakespeare's Macbeth . Anyway , I have always enjoyed watching it from beginning to end . Let's not forget Wilfred Hyde-White who should have been knighted in the episode . Anyway , Columbo is a guest in their country and he becomes wrapped up in the investigation . While others have assumed it's just a robbery gone awry , Columbo always comes through . It's fun watching this delectable group of characters and props like an umbrella . It's great to see London location . I believe apart from the Mexican cruise that London was the only other place that Columbo got to travel too .
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489,998 | 33,913 | 444,626 | 9 |
A Story about Heroism !
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United States Senator and Presidential Candidate John McCain's story about his five and half years in Vietnamese prison camp as a prisoner of war is told here . Most of the cast members are not well-known but they all play very well in this ensemble . The movie does it's best to show the brutality of war and the humanity that sometimes comes within . The actor who plays John McCain as the wounded soldier does a brilliant job in portraying him as a complex but likable fellow . The story offers a background regarding his complex relationship with John's father , a high ranking military man and the family's military history . We only see mother , Roberta , and hear her reaction that her son may not be coming home when his plane is shot at down . The same scene for his wife and the mother of his three children is also shown . We also see how he met his first wife , Carol . The five and half-years is well-documented as painful , violent , and inhumane at times but it built character in John to protect his squadron as well as remain behind rather than go home sooner than later . He couldn't bear to leave his men who became his friends behind . This movie is about politics but about a man's battle to survive with broken limbs but not a broken heart .
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490,322 | 33,913 | 85,970 | 9 |
Just a lot of fun to watch for the whole family !
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First , the casting of Teri Garr and Michael Keaton was an excellent choice for the role of yuppie couple . Don't forget Ann Jillian as the seductive neighbor and Miriam Flynn as the friend . First of all , this film is quite entertaining . Martin Mull is great as the boss of Teri's character . Remember when everybody was allowed to smoke indoors ? I do . Mr . Mom was never a film to receive awards . It was made to entertain the idea of a clueless father turned house husband and the wife to go out in the workforce after his co-worker screwed him over . The script was the first of John Hughes and it shows his amazing talent into the minds of suburbia and middle class living better than those Desperate Housewives . It is more believable in my opinion . My favorite moments in the film is when he becomes the sloppy house husband who puts on weight and becomes what he feared most . I love the scenes which included the Young and the Restless . Ann Jillian is perfect in her role . I also liked Jeffrey Tambor who plays Keaton's colleague in the film . THe script could have used more work but it's still entertaining . THe cast is excellent as well . Edie McClurg has a small part as a supermarket cashier . MArc Cherry should hire John Hughes to write about suburbia on desperate housewives .
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490,327 | 33,913 | 98,948 | 9 |
It's Irrestible
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Wings has always been a great show with a wonderful cast of colorful actors like the Hackett brothers , the Chappel sisters , Lowell , Antonio , Fay , & Roy but I am probably leaving somebody out . Unlike most sitcoms , the show is set in Nantucket , far from the Los Angeles or New York City which is another reason to watch alone . Set in a small airport , Fay and Roy are always a pleasure to watch . Lowell is a unique character . The fact that the Hacketts , Lowell , and the Chappel sisters have a history in Nantucket is also useful for creating great plots around their history . I have plenty of favorite episodes like the psycho Valerie Mahaffey's character in recreating their senior prom , honeymoon , wedding etc . I also liked Farrah Forke's character but she left one season . These actors appear to have a good time on screen and off-screen which makes it another reason to watch . I just watched the Christmas episode where Antonio's girlfriend is the wife of his kidnapper , the new air traffic controller , who takes him hostage when he takes his donut . Sure the absurdity sometimes is half the fun of this show .
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490,058 | 33,913 | 103,349 | 9 |
The Inspiration for Law and Order
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American Justice is perhaps one of the finest hours of American television on the arts & entertainment network . It is well-researched and fascinatingly put together to give one of the best hours . It is informative and condensed to one or two hours . There are terrific episodes featured about real criminal cases like O . J . Simpson , Menendez Brothers , and others to name a few . I found it to be one of the most captivating shows on television to watch repeatedly and continuously over the years . Maybe I just like Bill Kurtis because he always provides us with information and an explanation on how a crime is solved or the tribulations of trials and investigations . There are lots of stories about real people . This show probably inspired Law and Order but why watch fiction , when you can watch the real thing on Arts and Entertainment . They don't dumb it down for the audience . They educate and inform .
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490,400 | 33,913 | 918,784 | 9 |
It's Just Grand !
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Vicki Lawrence performs a dual role of Mama Harper and her rich cousin from Atlanta who visits on her way to a cruise . She sends her letter rather late to inform Mama of her impending stay . She is only staying for a night . Her cousin is wealthy , lonely , prominent , and has socialized with the likes of Truman Capote in Atlanta society . Mama feels second to her cousin's accomplishments . Of course , the gang is there to support Mama and to indulge in her cousin's wealth . Her cousin always says grand as we see in the episode . As Mama says , " I just stepped on dog poo and isn't it just grand ? " in mocking her cousin's language . In the end , we learn about Mama and her cousin's relationships about one who stayed in Raytown and had a family while the cousin moved to Atlanta with a kicking and screaming husband for a better life . Now both widows , her cousin has nobody to go home too .
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490,523 | 33,913 | 17,775 | 9 |
L'Avante-Garde
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Germaine Dulac was no ordinary French female film-director . She was Avante-Garde and radical in her film-making which did not include a laugh track or sound . Everything was visual and her silent classics were visuals to be appreciated and understood by all of us . There was a reason that so many people saw the same movie numerous times during that era . First , it was very inexpensive and second , you needed to revisit and see the film again and again until you saw it completely . That's how films once were , films were visual masterpieces and in Dulac's case , she helped reshape the role of women in films to include more than just being an actress . She was the producer , director , and writer . She was many things to many people on film sets in France . Film was new and fresh invention that those of us who seek to learn more about art should watch Dulac's classic .
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490,629 | 33,913 | 275,140 | 9 |
The Best Law & Order of Them All !
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One of the reasons that I was turned off by the original Law & Order was because they would spend so little time in the investigation . Now that I know that Dr . Park Dietz inspired this series now I can see why I am drawn to it . The courtroom aspect of the original show was never my favorite part . I was kind of bored by then but this show focuses on the investigation aspect of the crimes therefore being criminal intent . Although it's still Hollywood in the sense of entertainment , they do clever story lines , great casting , and directing with filming on location around the New York City area including New Jersey , Long Island , New York State , and probably Connecticut too . The cast is first rate with Kathryn Erbe , Annabella Sciorra , Alicia Witt , Chris Noth reprises his role as Logan , sometimes seeing former Senator Fred Thompson as Arthur Branch , Courtney B . Vance as the assistant district attorney , and of course Vincent D'Onofrio as the Park Dietz investigator . I have to say that I had all but given up on the franchise until I started watching this show on cable .
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490,508 | 33,913 | 63,297 | 9 |
A Quality Production but not the costumes !
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THere are three British dames in this film adaptation : Dame Judi Dench , Dame Diana Rigg and Dame Helen Mirren . While the cast is outstandingly directed by Sir Peter Hall , the costumes appear to be weak and cheaply made . When Titania played by Dame Judi Dench kisses a horses ' behind , you can see his eyes . The costumers dressed Titania as a green fairy which was just painted on like silly . The William Shakespeare play is a festive comedy for the light-hearted and entertainment of its audience . It's not an expensive production but it's worth watching to see three Dames in their younger days . Everybody in the cast has been part of the Royal Shakespeare Company and are veteran actors by now . THe play does entertain and I can poke fun at the cheap costumes and lack of expense towards the production . It's nice to see Dame Judi Dench before she was ever a Dame . Not even an O . B . E . in this 1968 production . She appears to enjoy playing the role . Dame Helen Mirren is also cast as the young Helena who seeks to be in love . I probably got the names wrong but it's Shakespeare , who can remember ?
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490,459 | 33,913 | 264,464 | 9 |
A little too long but still a great thrill ride !
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Frank Abernagle Jr . becomes one of the most successful con artists of the last century . He likes to fool people into believing . If he had studied acting , he would have probably gone very far . Frank is played by Oscar nominee Leonardo DiCaprio and Frank Sr . , is play by Oscar winner Christopher Walken . The cast is first rate which includes French actress , Nathalie Baye , as his French mother , Ellen Pompeo before Grey's Anatomy , Kitty Carlisle as herself , and the Oscar winner Tom Hanks . The film is directed by Steven Spielberg . The film is quite detailed about Frank's life conning everybody from his parents to everybody else . The film earned several Academy Award nominations . It's a smart film but it's too long . It does bring back the Pan Am airline legacy even for a little while . Before 1991 , Pan Am Airlines was the king of the airlines before it closed down due to poor mishandled financial matters and weak security which helped cause the 1988 disaster . The story ends before Pan Am's image is tarnished .
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489,789 | 33,913 | 808,137 | 9 |
Let Conan host the Oscars !
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And why not ? He did a wonderful job hosting the Emmy Awards . He made the time fly by and entertained the audience much like Billy Crystal did for the Academy Awards . I love the Bob Newhart segment . I don't think they would have let anything happen to him . I love the memoriam segment but I didn't think they should put the clip of Shelley Winters winning an Emmy . They should have shown a clip from the Roseanne show . Anyway everybody cheered when they showed DOn Knotts name and maybe he should have had a similar tribute as well like Aaron Spelling . I thought it was touching to see the clips , hear the theme songs , and realize how much Spelling meant to Los Angeles and everybody in the entertainment business . I loved seeing the original Charlie's Angels , Kate Jackson , Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith reunite to say goodbye to a television legend and icon . I just wished the SPelling family would patch up their differences and reunite as well . They shot a lot of Candy Spelling and Tori who sat on the other side of the auditorium . Candy was in tears next to Randy . Anyway , I loved the Dick Clark tribute and realize that he is no longer the teenage idol and Barry Manilow's tribute to him . I thought it was ironic that Simon Cowell introduced him . Poor Dick , I hope he is recognized and inducted into the Kennedy Center Honors this year and the National Medal of the Arts as well . All we can do is hope and pray that he gets better . My favorite moment is when Stephen Colbert addressed the audience as " godless sodomites . " I know he was only kidding .
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