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Reviews
The Morning Show: Laura (2021)
The Episode That Jumps the Shark
And only the beginning of the 2nd season. The show was always a feminist utopia, but the end of this episode totally jumped the shark. There was nothing to suggest Bradley was a lesbian, so her going all in on Laura jumps the shark for her character. I found the first season to be excellent, with compelling characters - even given its feminist leanings. But this season has gone "all-in". And it's certainly suffered. I'm a male viewer and I understand this show perhaps isn't written for my demographic - but who is it written for then?
Knock Off (1998)
Underrated Van Damme Hong Kong Actioner
Creative camera work, action choreography, and solid performances from Schneider and Van Damme are the highlights here. Schneider and Van Damme have good "buddy" chemistry, and the movie has a lot of humor as a result. Tsui Hark's direction is the quality you would expect. This looks to be a 100% Hong Kong production with outside financing, so under this perspective it's a pretty solid flick.
A nice companion piece to Double Team, also a Van Damme/Tsui Hark collaboration.
Apparently the last action scene had a huge amount of it cut. I'd love to see a director's cut with this scene (and others) as intended.
Pacific Rim Uprising (2018)
Underrated Giant Robot Yarn
What's missing from the Pacific Rim sequel is what made the original so satisfying: brilliant direction, masterful visual FX, attention to detail and a solid emotional core. Unfortunately, the sequel falls up short in all of those areas, and yet it is still a satisfying Sci-fi action movie that isn't as well received as other similar movies.
On its own, Scott Eastwood and John Boyega do a good job carrying the film and doing the best of what they've been given. The set pieces are well executed, unique and exciting with a focus on Jaeger on Jaeger (robot) action that was sorely lacking from the first entry. The Visual FX are still impressive as the scale and dimensions are well represented. There's also a nice twist in the film that was hard to see coming.
This is a solid movie that is well worth a watch for Sci-fi action and Giant Robot lovers.
Almost Famous (2000)
Easily My Top 10
Just an incredibly smart and witty movie. When there is noticeable character development after 10 minutes in, you know why imdb users rank it in the top 100 movies of all time.
Almost Famous captures so much character, story, cinematography, music; this movie is what makes all other movies. It succeeds in every possible way.
Summer Catch (2001)
Young Girls will love it!
Unfortunately, I'm not a young girl! (although I am still in the target audience). This utter mess of a movie is so mundane, so poorly acted, written, and directed, that I was literally squirming in my seat as to when the movie would finish.
The basic plot of "Summer Catch" is Freddy Prinze Jr. has some emotional crisis going on because he messed up a chance at 'making it', although that was never clearly explained. See, Prinze is a less-than-minor league pitcher, and he pitches good (those 50mph fastballs strangely clocked on-screen at 95mph!!) but once his mind gets clouded he folds on the mound. So, 7th Heaven star Jessica Biel comes into the fray to win Prinze's heart so he'll be that great pitcher that we all know he can be!
Prinze gives his usual "cute boy who smiles a lot" routine, and Matthew Lillard also gives his usual "side-kick to Freddy Prinze Jr." routine. Although Lillard is hilarious in some scenes, I can't figure out why he didn't have more screen time. Wilmer Valderama (Fez from That 70's Show) gives a great performance, although I don't think I saw him for 10 minutes total in the movie!? Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) also has a memorable performance, although again his talents are avoided to give Prinze and Jessica Biel more kissing screen-time. I'd say that whenever the story's focus goes back to Prinze's "overcoming-oneself-to-make-it" over-used plot, the movie comes to a complete hault.
Lack of pacing, no story, bad acting, bad casting, and a combination of washed up actors (Brian Dennehy, Jason Gedrick) and new "talent", makes it impossible for me to recommend this movie.