eisucks

I had never heard of this show until the DVD was released, and shortly thereafter a friend told me how much he loved this show when he was a kid. Based on his recommendation, I decided to give the DVD a whirl and boy, was it worth it! If you like humor in the style of "Airplane!" or "The Naked Gun", then this is without a doubt a show for you. Mocking "Dirty Harry" as well as 1970s cop shows, it doesn't go over the top with slapstick humor (in fact there's next to none), and the dialog is very clever. It's a worthwhile parody show that works because all the actors play it straight and the writing is particularly well-done (look for some episodes written by future "Simpsons" and "The Critic" writers Al Jean & Mike Reiss). David Rasche's performance as Detective Sledge Hammer is on the money. Looking a little bit like a deranged Clint Eastwood, he nails the part with expert comic timing as well as dramatic sensibility. Throw in great supporting performances from Harrison Page and Anne-Marie Martin and a top-notch theme by Danny Elfman, and you've got a hit on your hands. The four disc "Sledge Hammer!" Season One DVD is well worth the meager $25 asking price.

Words cannot describe how horrendous the acting in this movie was. The methods of actors have, over the years, improved by leaps and bounds. Now I'm not one of those people who can't stand all actors form the first half of the century. Even I know that back in the 1930s and 40s there were people who understood the craft. However, Edna Mae Harris is not one of those people. She gives a performance so atrocious, it baffles me that she ever worked again. Not only her, but every other actor who appears on screen (with the exception of Robert Earl Jones) couldn't act themself out of a paper bag. In addition to the bad acting, the film is also marred by sloppy editing and poor direction. Considering the other cinematic achievements of Oscar Micheaux, one would expect more from him. "Lying Lips" was easily one of the hardest movies I've ever had the misfortune of sitting through.

FINAL VERDICT: 1/10

I've been a Garfield fan my entire life, so when I first heard of a Garfield movie, I swore I'd be first in line to buy a ticket. I never made it to theaters, but I managed to get my hands on a preview copy of the disc from 20th Century Fox. My first thought upon the start of the movie was that the CGI Garfield looked bad, but I was willing to get past it so long as all the characters came to life on the big screen. The only thing is...they don't. None of the characters act as they would in the classic comic strip. Jon's no longer a boring nerd who organizes his socks for fun on a Friday night. He's now just a regular Joe with no direction whatsoever. The once hilarious Liz the vet, who used to shoo of Jon's advances with deadpan humor, is now the one making advances on Jon...wha? At least Garfield showed some promise, that is, until he started dancing along with music videos and surfing down a banister on a food tray. Bill Murray's performance is only noteworthy half the time. Sometimes it's good, other times it's as if he's reading his lines off the back of his paycheck. On top of all this, we're treated to some of the most blatant product placement in the history of cinema: Wendy's, Pepridge Farm, Wal-Mart, Olive Garden, Kellogg's...and that's just in the first twenty minutes. I recommend this movie only for Garfield fans or children under the age of ten. If you do insist on a viewing, do what I did and pour yourself a beer before you watch it. And yeah, the kids might need one, too. In all seriousness, check out the "Garfield & Friends" DVDs. The animated characters on that program show far more life that any of the live actors in this mess.