MinneapolisJane

When Kolchak: The Night Stalker first appeared, I was 10 years-old and VERY impressionable. Every Fright night I would sit at the end of the couch clutching a pillow in my arms while I got scared out of my wits by the various foes that Kolchak faced. I am not kidding. Perhaps if one were an adult, the episodes would have been missing something, but as a child, I was deeply impacted by them. Example: After the vampire episode, I would only go to bed if I had a cross around my desk or within reach so that I could whip it out to ward off any vampires coming for me! As another writer mentioned, I well remember the episode with the electrical currents in a hospital and the aforementioned vampire show. Kolchak's battles with Vincenza and with his co-workers (geeky man reporter and sweet old lady) were always good. Which brings up another episode when one of the "dark creatures" manifests itself as the sweet old lady. This was a great show, which had a real, tangible affect on me, and I hope that the new 2005 TV series does its namesake justice.

I came across "The Hunger" while searching movies on the database of my local library. Seeing that it starred Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon, I immediately checked it out. Big mistake. This film was a waste of time. I think that the only people who would really be fans of the movie would be those who enjoy the "shocking" scenes of lesbian lust. Even though the film is relatively short, it seemed much longer due to some of the extended shots of birds fluttering, fabric blowing, etc. The movie was in no way scary, as a true horror film should be, nor was it enlightening or entertaining in any other way. "Thumbs down" from me.

Last night I saw Clint Eastwood's latest film, "Million Dollar Baby" and it is worthy of a million compliments. As one has come to expect from their past performances, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, and Clint Eastwood all deliver dead-on portrayals that should ensure many nominations and, if justice prevails, some awards. Morgan Freeman's ability to keep his voice checked while conveying powerful, searing truths is unmatched. Hilary Swank delivers a combination of raw toughness and undaunted optimism that is incongruously based in pain. Clint Eastwood only gets better with age. This movie had most of the audience sniffling by the end. If you found "Mystic River" heart-wrenching, you will find "Million Dollar Baby" a worthy follow-up.