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Christmas Under the Northern Lights (2024)
Sign me up for the Sugarplum!!!
I don't understand the hate for this movie. I thought it was completely adorable. This has been my favorite GAC Christmas movie of 2024 so far.
Jesse Hutch was terrific and believable as the small town outdoorsy guy who doesn't want to cave to trends and the Internet. He shinned in this role. Jesse and Jill had great chemistry. It is nice to see Jesse paired up with an actress on his level.
Jill Wagner played the daughter perfectly. A lot of times the "daughter" is too silly and sappy. Her dynamic with Bruce Boxleitner was on point.
Bruce and Lauren Holly's characters had the start of a new romance that is so sweet.
The storyline of Jill being a writer (again?) and the Christmas dance (another one?) really could have been left out completely or been changed.
I recommend this movie if you are interested in watching a sweet small town Christmas love story.
The Swarm (1978)
Campy and Wonderful BEE movie
I don't get all the hate. I watched this for the first time as an alternative Halloween flick. The Swarm is an excellent mix of camp and fun. Far better than the fish-centered "classic" Piranha (1978).
The special effects, characters, and plot remind me a lot of the old cheesy Godzilla movies. The Swarm tries to take itself seriously but the plot holes are glaring which adds to the camp. The special effects are laughable but in a good way. As far as the other review complaints, most people don't realize today's CGI wasn't around prior to the 90s.
What makes this film even better is the all star cast which includes Michael Caine, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia De Havilland, Fred MacMurray, Henry Fonda, etc. The highbrow actors taking their acting parts seriously just to the fun.
This really is a fantastically silly 70s disaster pic. Just don't watch this expecting a serious horror movie.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Weird with a Me Too Vibe
Beetlejuice has not held up over the years.
Michael Keaton is just not funny in this role. Robin Williams would have done better. Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara, and Sylvia Sidney were all fabulous in their roles. Winona was her typical goth pixie dream girl character. Not a lot of range from her. It's the same role in every movie.
An odd choice for the writers to have a 37 year old ghost attempt to marry a teenager. I guess no one questioned this creative decision back in the 80s? The scenes are creepy and not the Halloween creepy.
The movie is ok for killing some time in October but not much else.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Dreadful Hateful Alcoholics
I made it through 7 min 20 secs of Martha's verbal abuse towards George before I shut it off. Maybe this was considered entertaining back in the 60s but the topic is depressing in 2024.
Life in 2024 with all of the hateful political and bullying online is enough to deal with without having to sit through watching hours of a movie filled with alcoholic fueled emotional and verbal abuse. Who wants to watch a couple abuse each other? This is really a sick movie when you think about it.
I have to wonder why Elizabeth and Richard would agree to take part in film considering their reputations.
Never again.
Holiday Affair (1949)
Connie's Big Mistake
I was unexpectedly overwhelmed by the quality of acting and dialogue from this Holiday Rom Com. The cast is just superb including the comedic contributions from the parents and judge.
The storyline is right out of a modern day Hallmark movie. Girl finds a husband within the span of Christmas and New Years Eve...Snow, shopping, and mix-ups are guaranteed.
What kept me from giving this movie a 10 is, like others, Carl was more attractive as a husband than Steve. There really isn't much to like about Steve besides the fact he is being played by Mitchum. Steve is irresponsible, unemployed, disrespectful of boundaries, and manipulative. Carl is the opposite. Let's be real: Connie is moving to California and returning a month later begging Carl for a second chance.
Enterprise: E² (2004)
Yet ANOTHER time travel episode
Enterprise gives us once again - a time travel episode. The gimmick is common in the Star Trek canon but Enterprise relies on this fall back much too often.
The episode is boring. We've been here, done that with multiple dimensions, wormholes, and new pointles characters being introduced. Not only is a time jump an unnecessary plot twist but there are glaring holes in continuity.
My best advice is to skip E2. The entire episode is a waste. It's just filler for the big finale showdown.
Oh, and T'Pol's makeup is the worst ever. A huge disappointment for what has been stellar artwork in past episodes.
Enterprise: Damage (2004)
Enterprise becomes the Bad Guys
Season 3 took a 180 by going from the Star Trek classic episodic format to a series format. It has been a struggle to get through the season but "Damage" takes the cake. What were they thinking???
Long story short, Enterprise attacks a small alien vessel because they want to steal their Warp Coil. Enterprise knows that they are stranding the small ship 3 years from home and the alien crew possibly could die. This entire guerilla warfare scenario is so counter to the original vision of Star Trek that I can't believe the producers and writers went there. It is also so counter to the previous seasons of STE which has episodes defending the life of sentient beings.
What makes the crew of Enterprise any different than the "Evil" Insectoids? Nothing. Which makes viewing this season a complete waste because we have become so indifferent.
The Iron Claw (2023)
So so wrong
The best part of the movie was Zac Ephron. He did an outstanding job. I'm not sure why he has done so many R comedies when he could be doing other work.
The casting has to be one of the worst ever. The actor who played Kerry was so small that he became distracting in scenes. How do you hire a 5'6 140 pd guy to play someone 6'2 254 pds? Flair was just absolutely awful. The director should have cut his scenes. The wigs on the characters were another distraction. They were so cheap looking. The wigs looked like they were borrowed from a highschool musical. It would have been better to use the actors natural hair. Zac physically looked the part (besides the height) but he was the only one who put in the effort. And where was Chris? How does a movie have so many pointless scenes but not enough tie for Chris? The major theme is brotherhood but they left one brother out!!!
I was really looking forward to this movie because it is one of those stories where the truth is stranger than fiction. Instead of using the real life material, the director took a lot of liberties with the truth and made an oddly depressing biopic. I hope someday another attempt will be made to cover Kevin's life.
Road House (2024)
A Bad Woke Reacher
Not realistic at all for 2024. No cell phones? No gangs? No guns at the bar? No one afraid of a lawsuit? Fights every night? The setting would be more believable in Vegas, Nashville, a Big City, or a tourist town.
The acting and casting- It's horrifically woke except for Jake. We couldn't even make out what McGregor was saying half the time. He is a Tom Hardy miscast. The young Brandt is cartoonish. The biker gang is weak. The audience is to believe that Dad bod Post Malone is the best of Fight Club. Lastly, there are not enough Latinos and NO WADE!
The plot is straight out of a Michael Bay summer blockbuster. Lots of pointless action and the main characters are terminators.
The remake completely lost out on everything that made the original fun: No marshal arts, not enough of the staff, no good villain, no chemistry between Dalton and the doctor, lack of belief, and no Wade.
North by Northwest (1959)
Watch it for the Plane Scene
The Plane Scene is absolutely brilliant. The action was slow and paced to build suspense unlike the films of the last 30 years. The special effects were done well enough in 1959 to leave us hanging and surprised at the outcome.
The rest of the film was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. The basic plot was interesting with the Kaplan twist. We became bored with the love story like other viewers. The sexual innuendos were laughable. Again, another movie where the old guy is seduced by a much younger woman. We just rolled our eyes. The entire hookup on the train could have been left out and saved 20 minutes.
The cinematography was wonderful. The Vacation House scene's camera angles were pure Hitchcock.
A solid movie except for the love story.
Nora Prentiss (1947)
Strangely Entertaining
I rated this a 9 because I simply could not stop watching the Trainwreck of Dr. Talbot. Kent Smith did an outstanding job as the straight laced doctor and perfect family man who dives head first into a middle life crisis ignited by Nora.
Yes, this is a B production. Yes, Ann Sheridan is not the main character. Still, this is a highly entertaining movie similar to the Fatal Attractions of the 80s and 90s. Each step of the way, Richard digs himself in deeper with every choice.
Rosemary DeCamp's acting was wonderful, especially in the courtroom scene.
I recommend this as a good watch if you are a fan of the classic 80s and 90s Psychological Thrillers.
Friday Night Lights (2004)
The worst sports movie ever
The director must have watched Any Given Sunday and thought he would copy it but add more shaky camera and tons of blood to make the movie more gritty. Absolute mistake. We actually laughed at how absurd the blood loss was from some of the injuries. The shaky camera usage was so annoying we almost shut off the film.
There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this movie. The characters are shallow and unlikeable. The game scenes are so disjointed that is is difficult to follow what is going on. There is zero build up to the state finals. The storylines were predictable and cheesy. The acting is bad too, especially from Billy Bob and Tim McGraw. BB's character ignores physical abuse and spews his own verbal abuse in multiple scenes. In other scenes he suddenly becomes a Zen Life Coach and starts throwing out word salad to his players. McGraw's character beats his kid throughout the movie but at the final moments of the film he becomes a cool dad by giving his kid a ring. Like what the ?
Do yourself a favor and pass this up.
American Dynasty (2022)
Great Docuseries
We really love this series. The show seems to be produced by the same group responsible for The Titans That Built America from the History Channel Network.
Each episode uses reenactments and commentary from authors, relatives, and historians, to tell the how a famous family earned their wealth and power through business dealings. The stories are not in depth because of the time allotted but they do touch on the important highlights. The production quality is pretty good with Campbell Scott doing an excellent job at narration.
We really hope this series continues with further episodes on early influential families.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Wow was this bad
I wanted to see this movie for years because of the reputation as a classic. I almost stopped watching half way through. I can't believe this was a popular play.
Pros:
The idea of the family pretending to be people they aren't was a good idea but it only lasted for a scene or two.
Jimmy Stewart and Ruth Hussey shine. Their chemistry is outstanding and I wish they were more of a focal point of the story. Jimmy Stewart gave an outstanding performance and helped improve the dud of a script.
Cons:
The plot and characters. Unlikable characters doubling crossing and blackmailing each other is not a RomCom. A good portion of the movie is about a fiancee getting drunk and kissing another man; a man she is not even interested in. Oh, and the misogyny is off the charts.
Katherine Hepburn. She gives a wooden performance and lacks comedic timing. She also doesn't have any chemistry with Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant. Katherine would have never been cast in this movie if she wasn't a producer.
The Haunting (1963)
Bad Ending
I was very impressed with the first two supernatural encounters at night in Nell's room. The use of sound and the actresses reactions led to some very intense and scary moments. I rate the Haunting moments a 10 out of 10.
The rest of the movie doesn't hold up. I found the character of Eleanor to be annoying, whiney, and dull which made it difficult to care about her storyline. She is a very unlikable main character. I'm not sure what Markway saw in her at all.
The writers were all over the place with the plot. Was this meant to be a love triangle? A story about a young woman getting a life? A story about the race to save a house from the auction block? A story about a paranormal research project? A story about the ghost of an evil millionaire?
I know this was the 60's but Nell running straight into mirrors and a statue while running was silly and not scary.
The ending was terrible. I almost fast forwarded through Nell climbing the stairs. Seriously, the whole scene dragged except for on brief moment at the top of the stairs. Afterwards Nell spends 5-10 minutes begging not to leave the house and crashing her car. That's it. Such a build up for a lousy ending.
Watch this for the actual hauntings and the maid. The maid was awesome.
30 for 30: The Minister of Defense (2023)
Reggie deserved better
I only knew Reggie White by name and team before I watched this documentary. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him as a player and in his walk with Christ. Unfortunately, instead of focusing on all of Reggie's accomplishments on and off the field, ESPN decided to turn two thirds of the documentary into a pro LGBTQ piece. You would have thought Reggie was Donald Trump. How about we allow people to have an opinion? The guy who saved Brett Favre and did numerous other good works deserved a better memorial than this episode. Reggie was a really amazing person who knew there was more to life. This was shameful.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
A bad combination of Logan and Thor Love and Thunder
The first two Guardians movies were outstanding. This one was a complete dud. GOTG3 was super depressing, sad, and strange. I don't get the high rating.
The plot included lots of animal abuse, gore, and excessive swearing. Gunn tried to balance this with a strange message of love and dance. The original movies created humor, fun, and a sense of adventure through the cast. Gunn did everything he could to kill the formula that worked. Like Thor, Gunn changed the characters for the worst and broke up the core guardians. Why? Because he is leaving for DC? To be edgy? Good luck DC because your future looks bad.
The movie was too long and the plot was a rehash of Thor Love and Thunder and Logan. A group of kids made up a portion of the cast once again which is strange considering the topics, including genocide, happening in the film. John Wick with kids. Hollywood is just so messed up.
Music has always been a strong point for Guardians but the soundtrack took over too many scenes.
Pass on this. Disney/Marvel has failed since Endgame.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Sick Sarah Sanderson almost ruins the movie
The 1993 Hocus Pocus would be a 10/10 if Disney would edit out the repeated jokes about virginity, the sex jokes, and most of Sarah Sanderson's dialogue. This is NOT a kid friendly movie.
I don't know why Sarah Jessica Parker chose to play her witch as overly sexual but the character is just plain creepy. She hits on any male in an inappropriate manner as an adult. There are a lot of cringeworthy acting choices she made for a children's movie.
Otherwise, the movie is a home run. A good blend of camp and horror. Bette Midler is excellent as Winifred and delivers a wonderful song. The film also provides a flashback as to what life was like in the 90s before smart phones and helicopter parents.
I would definitely recommend this as a girl's night movie but not one for kids.
Diner (1982)
Why would a woman date any of these men?
The only reason to watch this movie is to see the early roles of various movie stars from the 80s generations and the old culture of 24/7 diners.
This plot is about a most unlikable below average group of friends and how badly they treat the women who have settled for them. The film highlights the misogyny of Hollywood.
There should be a turning point when these characters grow and learn from their mistakes. They don't. Instead each interaction with a woman becomes more deplorable than the last. The saving grace is Boogie doesn't hook up with one of his best friend's wives in front of him.
Diners were a wonderful experience years ago. It is a shame this movie couldn't properly convey the history.
Ghostbusters (2016)
The film is as unfunny as Kate McKinnon
So much potential wasted. This movie could have been SOOOO much better. Kristen, Melissa, Chris, and Leslie had outstanding chemistry. Their talent was just so misused.
Kate ruined every scene she was in. I don't know how Kate McKinnon got a roll in this movie or who even looked at the dailies and found her slightly funny. Holtzmann as a character is annoying and unnecessary.
Yes, the script was very very bad. I wasn't really expecting much so I wasn't terribly disappointed. The first quarter of Ghostbusters was actually pretty good but then the plot went off the rails. The villain is just silly. I lost interest in him within minutes.
The soundtrack was horrible. The director should have kept the original song. It's like someone trying to change a John Williams song. Another bad choice.
It's such a shame. This 2016 version could have been an outstanding reboot.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
Gets better with age
Second only to the original. The only negative on the rewatch is the casting of Nick Stahl. He doesn't fit the part. John Connor comes off as whiny which is odd since he is Sarah Connor's son. But at least that annoying kid or another one was not cast in this film.
The action and special effects are OUTSTANDING. We couldn't believe this movie was made 20 years ago. The CGI is better than recent Marvel movies. The Truck Chase scene: a classic that has only gotten better over the years. I would watch the movie again just for that scene alone.
Arnold is almost back to his original Terminator self. No wokeness...no pacifist machine...no kids's giant toy.
The Female Terminator was badass. Another upgraded model that is impossible to stop.
The AI plot is extremely relevant to today's world and the twist at the end was brilliant.
T:3 is definitely not worthy of the criticism.
You've Got Mail (1998)
Has not aged well
Time has not done You've Got Mail any favors. It's not the David vs Goliath shop battle or the life with only AOL that hurts the movie. It's the script.
The positives are the scenes of a Sex and The City-like glamorized NYC and the phenomenal cast.
The story is quite creepy and mean. A woman (who is cheating on her boyfriend) falls in love with the man (who is cheating on his girlfriend) that destroys her family business. This is a Hallmark movie gone wrong. There is so much deceit it is difficult to cheer for either character and find anything charming about them. A woman falling in love with her manipulator is pretty cringe worthy in 2023.
Watch it for the acting, time capsule of what life was like in 98, and the imaginary NYC life.
Days of Thunder (1990)
No sequel required
This my second viewing of the movie; the first was in the 90s. The film has not held up over the years. The script is lame and full of holes, such as the police were not present during the city race/bumper car scene. Kudos to an early acknowledgement of concussions but little is done with that plotline other than to give Cole a car.
Robert Duvall shines as usual in the film and makes the interaction between characters interesting, otherwise I would have rated Days a 2.
There is zero chemistry between Tom and Nicole which is not surprising considering what happened to their marriage.
The movie is watchable, for Duvall's scenes, but I seriously can not believe Hollywood is making a sequel to this instead of Edge of Tomorrow.
Gardeners' World (1968)
Get back to the basics!
Gardeners' World used to be the best show on TV. The episodes were full of educational gardening knowledge presented in a relaxed and enjoyable fashion. I would keep a notebook beside me while I watched to record the useful information provided. Sadly, I haven't used a notebook for 3 seasons.
A typical episode has devolved into social media influencer home videos, stories pushing culture agenda, possibly a tour of a garden, and 10 minutes of either Monty or Adam gardening.
This week my spouse who doesn't watch Gardeners' World walked past the TV and asked,"Isn't this show supposed to be about gardening?". That was my sign and affirmation to stop watching the program.
I rate the new episodes a 3. The older 30 min program gets a 10.
Quintessentially British (2022)
Quintessentially London
This doc had the potential to be 10 stars. Unfortunately, the film didn't stick to the title. There was no history, no visiting cities outside England, ridiculous interviewees, and too much political preaching. A drag queen at Chelsea? A clueless young man wearing a silly English flag coat? Actors as expert commentators? No explanation or discussion of British Tea except that it came from China? No mention of Rugby? No discussion of English comedy?
The doc shined with the hat, coat, suit, shoe, and umbrella stores that have been in existence for generations. Watching the tradesmen creating the products was amazing.
There were subtitle hints at political leanings early but the last 30-40 min was almost unbearable. We get it. The film creators were made up of anti-Brexit supporters and non-straight men. This is when the doc felt VERY American - Too much underlying preaching, liberal judging, and pushing the ideal that everyone white is a racist.
This was a very Posh Liberal Londoner perspective.