Reviews

This show has been promoted as reality television done in the style of Desperate Housewives. I really didn't like Desperate Housewives, so maybe it's no surprise that this show left me cold as well.

First of all, the narrator has the most annoying voice on the face of the planet. Part cutesy, part little girl, I'd rather listen to fingernails being dragged down a blackboard.

The real problem, however, is that I just don't buy these "real lives". They all seemed so glossy, so rehearsed, so UN-spontaneous. And the producers couldn't have a happily married couple dealing with a realistic problem, like a child with ADD/HD, autism, being fired, etc? While some of the stories ring true, most of them seem overly dramatized and just too contrived. The newlywed couple that are having problems after only six months- NOBODY could be as big a jerk while being filmed as that husband is. It just doesn't hold water. Same as with the doctor's wife- her reactions and emotions during the scenes of her life were forced and seemed SO unbelievable.

On the other hand, the story with the recovering addict and the woman considering divorce DID seem real.

So what you have is a mixed bag, but really, the good only BARELY outweighs the bad.

I, for one, (in case you couldn't figure this out) will not be watching another episode.

Listen, why do movies have to have great plots, or a true "message" in them? Why can't they just be entertaining? This movie was fun to watch- I loved Patiences' transformation from a doormat to a kick-a** fighting machine! I loved her relationship with Tom Lone, the policeman. I loved her strength of morality which transcended her doormat status into crime-fighter. Let's face it, Halle Berry is easy on the eyes, whether you're a woman or a man, and Benjamin Bratt is equally gorgeous. They have a great amount of chemistry. And Sharon Stone is a great witch, as beautiful as she is deadly. Let's give the movie a break. As Patience says, "It's only coffee." It's only a comic book come to life. Not an Oscar contender. Enjoy it for the piece of fluff it is. Sit back and let it entertain.

I enjoy this film although I'm a bigger fan of the book than the movie. This film follows the book in spirit, but misses many of the finer points of the book that made it fascinating. We never learn _why_ Lestat picks Louis as his first vampire "child". We never learn about Louis' relationship with the neighbors, etc. What the film misses in fine details from the book it makes up for in style. Tom Cruise is not the Lestat from the book, but his Lestat is perfect for the film. Brad Pitt's Louis is perfect, and Kirstin Dunst's Claudia is straight out of the book- creepy! Antonio Banderas' Armand is 20 years too old, so that's a wash. The subtitle of this movie is "The Vampire Chronicles". If only they really made more films!!! Three out of four stars.

So much better than the original!

The young actors have settled in to their roles, are more sure of themselves, and that translates wonderfully to the screen.

Rupert Grint's faces alone pay the price of admission!

Can't wait for the third installment!!

This show is really great. The direction is inventive, the writing is thoughtful, the storylines are involving and the acting is solid. Anthony LaPaglia brings a quiet confidence and gentle concern to a role that could easily have been a carbon copy of other law men on TV today. The rest of the ensemble cast is equally as good, with Poppy Montgomery proving she's not just another pretty face; Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who's been such a strong supporting actress in a number of other movies and shows, really getting a chance to shine as a leading actress; and Eric Close and Enrique Murciano filling out the ensemble cast as two young agents trying to work together while also trying hard to impress their boss and constantly one-upping each other. I look forward to many more episodes as gripping as these first several, and can't wait to see how these characters develop.

When Susan Page Grimes (Mary Page Keller) dies suddenly in childbirth, her husband, Scott Grimes (Gary Cole (1)) struggles to continue living. As he begins rebuilding his life, Susan's mother (Colleen Dewhurst) also deals with the unresolved relationship Susan's death has left her with.

This is quite possibly the worst movie I have ever seen. I had to sit through it while my spouse watched it, and I can honestly say I'd have rather been at the dentist's office!! Of course it's unbelievable; that's to be expected. However, the jokes all fell flatter than John Ritter's hair, and the performances were worse than Jim Belushi's clothes! Don't watch this movie. Your time would be better spent watching paint dry.

Okay, *batteries not included is not a great film. It's not meant to be! The makers of this movie were obviously not trying to win any awards, but make a sweet movie for all ages about love, acceptance, friendship and family.

Frank and Faye Riley (Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy)own the cafe that's located on the first floor of the building they live in. Among the other tenants is a former boxer (Frank McRae), a pregnant woman (Elizabeth Pena) and a starving artist (Dennis Boutsikaris). They band together and try to stop an angry developer (John Pankow) and his assistant (Michael Carmine (II)) out to run them from the building. They're assisted by some mechanical aliens and discover the meaning of forgiveness and family, acceptance and love.

I recently saw this movie and very much enjoyed it, though my husband did not. I haven't felt compelled to write about the movies I reviewed, but this one I did. Why? Because I think my husband misunderstood the movie.

This is a retelling of events which actually occurred in a little town called Point Pleasant, West Virginia. While the movie updates the timeline from 1967 to the present, it does not dramatize or try to make more of what happened in that sleepy little town than the facts. That's all the movie does, is retell the facts, which is exactly what the book does. This is not a movie that says it has all the answers and wraps up the "meaning" of the events in a nice package for you at the end of the movie. It does not tell the viewer what to make of the sightings of the Mothman, what to make of the prophesies, what to make of John's extraordinary journey that first brings him to Point Pleasant. Rather, at the end of the movie the viewers are left in the same situation the characters themselves are: trying to figure out what exactly happened, who or what the Mothman was, and what the events mean to the human society.

Our entire family fails to understand why my husband and I, in our late 30's, are such fans of this TV show. Well, just watch a couple of episodes and you'll be hooked too! There are older episodes repeating on FX so you can catch up on the back stories and with the change in networks, Buffy has a larger budget than ever for terrific storylines and fabulous special effects.

The draw for this show is that it never takes itself too seriously. Joss Whedon is a wonder at maintaining a perfect balance, juxtaposing Buffy's difficulty growing up being The Vampire Slayer and sometimes absurd situations while touching on relevant issues such as teen suicide, domestic violence and death in the family with respect and warmth.

Buffy can be enjoyed by teenagers and "grownups" alike. Anybody with a brain in their heads and a slightly askew sense of humor will appreciate this smart, sly, wonderful television show.