Back in the late 70's this ground breaking sitcom was one of the steamiest shows on TV, and most kids were not allowed to watch it, and yet by today's standards it is fairly wholesome. The program ended shortly before I was born, but I am nostalgic and I have watched it for many years. This apartment life crack up revolves around farce, such as its theme of frantic misunderstandings and slapstick, and the lowbrow series paints a cheerful and happy picture of the L.A. area in the Disco era and the 80's. Chrissy wasn't truly a dumb blonde, because she wasn't that focused on her appearance or her hair, she an airhead and her scatterbrained, somewhat child-like personality and expressions made her as funny as anyone on the show. yet her and Cindy received criticism and some controversy about the characterizations of the blonde women in the show, and that is where Nurse Terri Alden came in. In reality all the main cast members in the apartment were rather ditzy, e.g. they NEVER learned to close doors so noisy neighbors like Larry, the Ropers, Mr. Furley and Lana don't drop in and have a frantic misunderstanding, and after all the chaos and slapstick they NEVER learn to be half decent at communicating and state WHAT they "know" the other person is up to or what happened to them. it doesn't take many examples to show they wasn't a really sharp, straight man in the apartment: Mr. Roper hearing about Chrissy's Wart through a busted sink and frantically thinking she's having a baby! Then there was where Chrissy injured her head by slipping and hitting her head on the bathtub and Jack and Janet saw her in the Hospital the next day and she was acting perky and bubbly as ever, but because the doctor laughed so hard at her jokes the her was crying the two thought she was about to pass through the veil. How about the time after Jack, Janet and Terri argue over an article about an older woman marrying a younger man and then Janet hired Furley's shy, wholesome 18-year old nephew to fix a stereo as a surprise, and after Jack spots them at a restaurant for lunch he and Terri panicked, thinking they were having an affair. I heard i said, "there wouldn't be a comedy show" without that lack of common sense regarding communication and insuring privacy. The slapstick often involved food, beverages and paint and other materials being dumped on people, falling of things like ladders, and guys getting punched in the face or other parts of the body. Another one of the pratfalls was a ladies man like Jack trying to date when he shared an apartment with two women in a platonic relationship, and hiding them or trying to get them to buy that they were just friends or relatives et cetra. Another central aspect of the show that made it really silly was a ladies man pretending to be gay to the landlords, except for Mrs. Roper. Add it all up and it was one of the funniest lowbrow sitcoms. The racy humor is mostly suggestive, I don't think it was naughty farce, but it was known for its innuendos. I found Mr. Roper at least as funny as Furley. Jack seemed less rigid about his pretend homosexuality with Roper, he felt free to hug women and kiss them on the cheeks, but seemed more rigid around Furley to the point of acting revolted when trying to kiss a woman and afraid to touch them affectionately when Furley was gullible enough to be convinced that Jack's date who looked plenty like a women was a man! In another knee-slapping episode Jack convinced Furley that he had a twin brother, Austin, from Texas, and was able to pretend they were in the same place at once by talking to him while shifting from his left to his right ! However, the show's biggest weakness was the bad stereotypes. The highly air headed Chrissy, although, like I said, she wasn't wrapped up in her appearence, so she was just an airhead, and she was rather innocent and sweet, like Cindy, plus the blondes in the show often seemed to be airheads and Terri was talented as a Nurse, but seemed rather scatterbrained and naive away from work, but not dumb. Then there was Jack strutting around trying to be a macho man, often being overly assertive about being a "man", and his weakness for dimwitted, skinny women, often blondes with loose morals, then there was Larry, the deceitful womanizer who frequently lies and cons his way into things ,and worked as a used car salesman ,and often brought home naive, skinny, gullible women. I don't know why Jack chose the depraved player as his best friend, but he also has a good, caring side. Mr, Furley also tried to assertively act like a real macho man, but much of the time he openly acted in the opposite fashion a la Don Knotts. He sacrificed his usual wholesome image in the show as a wannabe ladies man, but he was as funny as ever. Then back to the women, Chrissy had a real weakness for a certain desert in a battle of the sexes episode, Janet and Chrissy went on fighting like silly kids, loudly mocking and imitating each others annoying habits (albeit in a pretty amusing bit) over the idea that Jack was having an affair with one of them, Mrs. Roper was terrified to sleep in her apartment alone, and her and Janet would say they were brave and together or it was nothing and the next instant they passed out on different occasions. Then there was the Women's taste in men as another example of the stereotypes, the men they dated and were sweet on all seemed to be classic hunks with nice hair, no beards, and were mostly tall or on the tall side. Then there were the stereotypes made by Mr. Roper and Mr. Furley about gay men. But on the other hand Jack did most of the cooking as he was a cooking student who later got his own restaurant with the hard-nosed Mr. Angelino. Good viewing that usually makes me feel better.
Reviews
95 Reviews
Three's Company
(1976–1984)
Cheerful, low-brow crack up clearly paints the Disco era and the 80's, but beware..
7 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Hart to Hart
(1979–1984)
One of the more pleasant crime shows
21 June 2018
Between the mostly comedic Moonlighting and the dark, gritty crime shows of the 21st century like CSI and Criminal Minds, crime series' like this portrayed the scathing wold of diabolical crime and murder without being too grim and intense, unlike crime shows of the past couple decades. Wagner's Jonathan Hart was a superhero level fighter, and also a refined gentleman, very manly, but too humble, dignified, and willing to show his feelings to be macho and Jennifer was just as plucky, self-reliant and quick-witted; the quips and cute jokes made this show much more lighthearted than other crime shows, especially today's. Their laid-back, fun-loving butler gave a good amount of the laughs with his comedic deliveries. They were very wealthy and lived a glamorous lifestyle but didn't lose sight of what mattered in life and wouldn't hesitate to help anybody. Which is why they were amateur detectives in the first place. Their wealth, plucky resourcefulness, and street smarts gave them clearance to go on any caper and often made them targets for the nefarious villains. I have wondered why they never had children, I did think that was somewhat sad: one time there was a young boy who claimed to be Jonathan's son, a situation that came together by one of Jonathan's old loves and an unstable father where they were both very kind, devoted and protective parents who grew attached to the boy in season 1. Another attractive quality of the show is their cute little shaggy dog and how he was written as one of the family and one of the detectives. Most shows don't seem to write animals as that versatile and central to the story unless the show is about the animal. The episodes write suspense together nicely with creepy two-faced characters and setups and the culprits evil deeds and preying so close by all the noble, likable heroes.
The Middle
(2009–2018)
Clever, wacky family show
1 September 2017
I first saw only bite of this in its early days and right away I thought of Malcolm in the Middle, just like I thought of Office Space when I heard of The Office. I didn't know what such a title referred to. Like the young John Cusack comedy, Better Off Dead, this show features a family they SAY you can't help but relate to but the family is completely wacky and peculiar. As the show is narrated by the Mom, she isn't that good of a mother and forgets important dates and other facets relating to her kids and sometimes makes sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek remarks about her kids like she wants them out of the house. Her Husband rarely shows much affection, while claiming to be emotionally closed off, and is generally matter-of-fact. I haven't watched a lot of current TV shows and I don't know when the TV trope ended of making the dad a Doofus, often a self-centered one, but I found it nice that this dad wasn't that way. Axl is amusing for his extreme sloppiness, and sarcasm, laziness and narcissism. He often eats like he was raised by wolves and walks around in his underwear! He occasionally acts like an amusing dimwit. Sue is often the funniest of the three with her sweet, perky spirited energy, complimented by loud, emotional theatrical drama and her fixation with binders and thinking of her plushes as being alive. Brick, the quirky prodigy can also be quite a knee slapper with his obsession with his intermittent ticks of whispering back what he says, and other ticks that came and went, e.g. shouting "You're gonna love of our pizza" from a commercial out of nowhere, and randomly going, "Whoop!", as well as his expertise and intense interest in fonts and reading, as well as his awkwardness and nasal voice. Sue has a handful of boyfriends who almost all are very nice, funniest being the doofus with little hair. The "Middle" referes to living in the middle of the country, middle-age, and perhaps being lower middle-class. Thought that seems like an overstatement with Axl's trashy tendencies, never eating on the dinner table, and the parents at one point having "like 8 dollars" in the checking account. They also have that annoying "perfect" family next door, like the Kremps on the Goldbergs with another young man who woos Sue. Also adding to the wackiness is their low-class, ruffian neighbors with all boys, one who was 8 years old or so and wore diapers, whose abrasive mother is played by Brooke Shields. There is an interesting set of occasional guest stars with the show being under the radar: Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Van Dyke, Jack MacBrayer, Norm Macdonald, and Brian Doyle Murray.
The Goldbergs
(2013–2023)
a gem in today's television
3 November 2016
When I first saw ads for this show, I wasn't sold, because I didn't watch TV of today, and felt that it wouldn't portray the 80's to my nostalgic liking. I got talked into wanting to watch it and I say it is the best show in many years. The loud, wacky family is one the funniest (I think) in series television. The show is basically non- fiction, centering on quirky and precocious Adam, who is obsessed with pop-culture and science fiction, and is rather girl crazy for a boy who was only 12-years old and starting 7th grade in the second episode. The parents, actually seem to echo Richie's parents on Happy Days, with Beverly, over the top demonstrative, invasive loving mother,nicknamed "smother" whose, supreme confidence in her kids and assertiveness crosses many social boundaries, and Murray, the gruff, asocial dad who tends to withhold parental affection, and frequently sits on the couch without his pants, after work watching sports.
One fictional element is Adam's rebellious, overachieving"sister" Erica, who in real life is his brother, Eric. The high-strung, naive, Barry, is one of the funniest TV brothers, he regularly says such stupid and off the wall things that would make anyone laugh. Then there's the suave, young at heart grandpa (veteran actor George Segal) who is quite funny, especially as he is very involved in his grand kids life and activities, but his great age difference leads him to misname things, such as the "Ghostfellas", and Fergus and Camden, in a wacky episode where Barry and Adam try to retread Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The series easily could pass for non- fiction, it's hard to believe some of the things that happened. But the non-nonsense Mr. Mellor is especially funny, as the gung-ho no- nonsense gym coach, who's says "It is never okay to put butter on a doughnut"!. One of the funny recurring family lines in the show by is, "That's not a thing". Barry's friends also add to the hilarity. The Jenkintown Posse, who chant "JTP!", who act like airheads who like to get crazy, and hang out in the parking lot of the Wawa store like Beavis and Butt-head, engaging in utterly pointless games, and the sweet, positive Geoff Schwartz is really hung up on Erica, who only tries to avoid him as any boyfriend.
The show's timeline is not all consistent, the characters age normally, being played by the same actors, but in one episode, Adam imitates "Say Anything from April 1989, then in a later Episode, he watches Annie (1982) and his dad makes him break the rules and see Porky's (1981). Then Adam goes to E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) and references Alf (1986). Not to mention in video tapes of when Erica was a few years younger, she watched Troop Beverly Hills. You can tell the show is based on actual events, when the adults never seem to strike anybody in fights, and other reasons. Adam's friends have been the fun and loyal Emmy Mirsky, and his fun-loving small group of friends, with the exception of the quiet, mid-mannered Chad Kremp, who alas we don't see a lot of and he drifted away. His mom, Virginia, is Beverly's friend. Adam's character is endearing, his innocent love of life, and how he makes a robot like Johnny 5, and isn't an athlete, and at age 13 or 14, got excited when Muppet Babies was on! Another really funny part of the show is how Murray calls his kids morons all the time, no matter what his mood, and speaking Murray is to say, "you're not a total moron all the time" to mean, "I love you".
One fictional element is Adam's rebellious, overachieving"sister" Erica, who in real life is his brother, Eric. The high-strung, naive, Barry, is one of the funniest TV brothers, he regularly says such stupid and off the wall things that would make anyone laugh. Then there's the suave, young at heart grandpa (veteran actor George Segal) who is quite funny, especially as he is very involved in his grand kids life and activities, but his great age difference leads him to misname things, such as the "Ghostfellas", and Fergus and Camden, in a wacky episode where Barry and Adam try to retread Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The series easily could pass for non- fiction, it's hard to believe some of the things that happened. But the non-nonsense Mr. Mellor is especially funny, as the gung-ho no- nonsense gym coach, who's says "It is never okay to put butter on a doughnut"!. One of the funny recurring family lines in the show by is, "That's not a thing". Barry's friends also add to the hilarity. The Jenkintown Posse, who chant "JTP!", who act like airheads who like to get crazy, and hang out in the parking lot of the Wawa store like Beavis and Butt-head, engaging in utterly pointless games, and the sweet, positive Geoff Schwartz is really hung up on Erica, who only tries to avoid him as any boyfriend.
The show's timeline is not all consistent, the characters age normally, being played by the same actors, but in one episode, Adam imitates "Say Anything from April 1989, then in a later Episode, he watches Annie (1982) and his dad makes him break the rules and see Porky's (1981). Then Adam goes to E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) and references Alf (1986). Not to mention in video tapes of when Erica was a few years younger, she watched Troop Beverly Hills. You can tell the show is based on actual events, when the adults never seem to strike anybody in fights, and other reasons. Adam's friends have been the fun and loyal Emmy Mirsky, and his fun-loving small group of friends, with the exception of the quiet, mid-mannered Chad Kremp, who alas we don't see a lot of and he drifted away. His mom, Virginia, is Beverly's friend. Adam's character is endearing, his innocent love of life, and how he makes a robot like Johnny 5, and isn't an athlete, and at age 13 or 14, got excited when Muppet Babies was on! Another really funny part of the show is how Murray calls his kids morons all the time, no matter what his mood, and speaking Murray is to say, "you're not a total moron all the time" to mean, "I love you".
ALF
(1986–1990)
Funny, cheerful, likable classic
19 July 2015
ALF seemed like a character icon when i was growing up and when I was a young man. I used to like this when I was little, but don't remember it well. I started watching in several years ago and liked to watch it on DVD regularly. ALF was well-written and the furry little alien seemed like a guy I wanted to watch with my family if I really wanted a laugh. He is not only funny, but quippish, albeit sometimes irreverent and his sarcasm and backwards ways of life he got from Melmac and his sarcasm made him a a valuable source of comedy. Though it was a wacky sitcom, the show did, once in a good while tackle serious topics, such as when the Uncle dies and ALF befriends a girl who looked like she wasn't going to make it in the hospital in a Christmas special and the driver contemplated jumping off the bridge in a scene reminiscent of It's A Wonderful Life and ALF saves him through emotional guidance. The Tanner family was pretty average with a nuclear family, including Willie, the patriarch, who was the most frequent source of exasperation over ALF's pratfalls and mishaps, but was also loving and sensitive and an amateur science enthusiast. The mother was relatively calm and not too warm. The daughter Lynn was your typical teenager with a shy side. The son, Brian seemed underrated. He was virtually angelic and easy-going and maybe even well-behaved and perpetuated the movement of teaching boys to learn things like cooking for when they became dads and when there was a bully he didn't resort to having a rematch. It was nice that the dad was relatively pacifistic. The gag with ALF craving cats may have been a little much after a while, but the show was nostalgic and had a nice house and the neighbors were your classic couple next door that hardly seem to like each other and the wife witnesses very weird occurrences or the supernatural and the husband often thought she was crazy and ridiculed criticized her in good comedic fashion.
Bingo
(1991)
underrated, off-kilter feel good movie.
16 February 2015
In this complicated world, troubled by reality shows and drama, Bingo is a sure remedy. Cindy Williams, best known s Shirley Feeney from her popular spin off of Happy Days plays the young boy's mom and she was the movie's star, perhaps the only well-known person in the film and not a major movie actor. The young boy, Chuckie is the voice of reason in his dysfunctional family with rather cold and negligent parents, such as his harsh, contemptible father, a struggling NFL Player and a mean older brother. Being born in 1944 and the movie being released 47 years later, David Rasche looked simply too old to be in the NFL. Bingo is very sharp and intelligent and his capabilities seem far-fetched but might be conceivable. The dog saves Chuckie's life after being knocked out in the stream and the two spend a night or two in the forest and then return home and skateboard, play video games, do math homework and go fishing all the while hiding the dog from his family. Chuckie's father gets inconveniently traded from Denver to Green Bay and Chuckie's attempts to sneak Bingo in the car fail and he chases after them in the car, only to be too slow. The Journey to find Chuckie is a real hoot, he encounters some really flaky and dysfunctional characters that largely parodied the Heartland. He rescues all the dogs from a cruel roadside restaurant Chuckie's family stopped at for lunch and drives the cruel owners in a cage in the truck and makes them crash into the joint. Then he meets the two comic villains that fit a classic movie stereotype; Lennie, is the big and tall guy who is more warmhearted and inept, as well as environmental, while the shorter of the two, Eli, is more sinister and villainous, but the two are a great comic duo whom Bingo first encounters in a motor home where the do held a quirky family with mom, dad and two eccentric girls hostage. Bingo gets them arrested and even the dog gets summoned to court! Bingo gets out of jail and somehow the villains break loose and after more misadventures Bingo finally makes it to Green Bay where a wacky local restaurant hires him as an assistant dishwasher and the villains capture Bingo and Chuckie finds him again before a lot of chaos. The movie shows the amazing instinct and capabilities of man's Best friend. However, this is in no way just for kids. Some of the content made it seem on the edge for a family film. There is a lot of bad language and a couple inappropriate moments and the climax is pretty dramatic and tense for a lighthearted comedy. I saw this movie several times on video when i was little after it was a new movie and maybe when I was a little older. The movie truly cheers me up when I could use a smile.
Curly Sue
(1991)
Amusing and uplifting.
25 December 2014
Curly Sue feels like a peaceful feel of nostalgia, although it was released in 1991, months after Terminator 2 and during the second season of Seinfeld it feels like a 80's film. Belushi's style of humor is always pretty fun and his circumstances are not depressing in the least, as a drifter with the lovable, sassy and amusing 9 or 10-year old daughter, the title character who was designed as an updated Shirley Temple. But in this a gag that occurs several times was his being knocked in the face, the ploy that was first used when the impeccable con artists meet the female lead (Kelly Lynch) who plays a (seemingly) cold, career oriented woman to whom they con a bill of fare off of and she turns out to be very caring, but their relationship is hindered by her snooty, contemptible fiancée (character actor John Getz). Steve Carrell made his film debut as an upscale restaurant employee. The production feels like a 80's era Hughes comedy, but devoid of much of the racy content. The films point seems to be the value of love and friends "quality of life" over materialism and money.
Nebraska
(2013)
Fascinating, creative low-key drama
16 June 2014
Rated R for vulgar dialogue. As far as profanity there are no more than 2 F-Words and swearing here and there, but it didn't rate that high on violence. So it is perhaps a tame R-rated film. The film was fascinating to me, as I am from the Northwest and was pleased that civilized Montana and everywhere from Billings to Lincoln got more coverage in the Cinema as there hasn't been enough. Billings (Montana's largest city) has about 110,000 people in the city proper and is absolutely in the middle of nowhere as far as looking for as a big city is concerned and before the road trip, the movie references places and streets in the city rarely heard of unless you are from around there. Woody Gran, played by Bruce Dern, who I most remember from Joe Dante films, is a gruff, elderly, alcoholic who is led to believe from mail that he was won a million dollars in a sweepstakes prize and is is no shape to make the 800 miles journey to Lincoln, Nebraska, so he gets in touch with his gentle and kind-natured but estranged son, David (Will Forte). The filming style is pretty artsy, and of course, it is in black and white and plays much more like a quirky drama than a comedy. Woody reluctantly hits the road with David and they stop in a bar along the way, drawing attention to themselves and Woody ends up in a hospital in Rapid City where his wife chooses to join them on their trip. Once in Nebraska, they set up home away from home at relatives, which includes David's cousins, which also includes Devein Ratray, who played the airhead, annoying older brother in Home Alone. I hadn't heard of him being in much since Dennis The Menace in 1993, but apparently he has taken more roles since then that I was aware of, so that got me more interested in the whole production. Word gets around in the po dunk Nebraska town that Woody has won a million dollars. The movie paints a picture of the kind of Small town American life with seemingly low standards and morals where the bar scene is popular. It becomes a reunion between Woody and his friends and kin from when he was a younger man and got married. David and his cousins even try and abscond with a piece of farm equipment from Woody's younger years. The kin become aggressively demanding of a share in the winnings. Nebraska was deemed a great tale of redemption. Woody was an immoral and got into a lot of trouble as a youth and a younger man and some of the dialect was pretty vulgar. Later in the movie, the father and son make it to Lincoln to see what the sweepstakes letter was all about.
Leave It to Beaver
(1957–1963)
Lovable nostalgic, even kind of progressive
24 January 2012
I am only 25, but saw Leave it To Beaver on television about 5 years ago and was already nostalgic and then went on to watch it whenever I could on TV Land. A few months ago when we were back where I grew up in Washington, I showed this to my 16-year old brother and he liked it right away; I started with the final season I bought in Seattle earlier in the trip so he saw him in his older days where his voice had deepened and he had a "funny sounding" voice. These were such episodes as where Wally grew a mustache, and Beaver finds that the paperboy he wants to get back at was really a girl, and Beaver gets ready to tour the USA with his class. He liked the older Beaver better. Ward was rather liberal for the late 1950's and early 1960's. How He is sometimes seen in the kitchen and doing dishes for example and rarely punishes Wally and Theodore. Beaver is his nickname to those who weren't part of the generation. When Beaver drills a hole in the garage with Larry coaxing him into having fun with the drill Ward just gave a stern lecture with no punishment, which still led the 7 or 8 year old Beaver to try and run away. When his father wasn't lenient giving a stern talking to or just passing a wise lesson along, he was maybe just on par with parents who are neither lenient nor strict. The one thing that may have bothered me before is that Hugh Beaumont died before I was even born. Mayfield was one of those towns where the state doesn't seem to be revealed, as the nature of Ward's work was never revealed, he was just seen in his office, often with his bumbling and annoying coworker, Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford's dad. Wally was perhaps the funniest part of the show. The generation gap and placing friends above family what Wally and later the Beaver had to say to their parents was a funny recurring joke on the show ie. " oh, people just sort of goofed around back then"," gee dad I'd feel like a creep having you introduce yourself in front of the class, mom that'd ruin me." Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow's voice's deepened a little early. One thing I didn't like was how much Beaver treated girls as repulsive and how long it took him to get over it, he only knew that adult women were too grown up to be icky in any way, he had an infatuation with his young teachers in season 1 and season 2. Mathers was a cute boy, all the way through the show and didn't lose his charm after his voice deepened. He was a nice and charming teenager. if only there was a kid like that now. Sometimes i might feel like a dork wanting to watch a series that is outdated by nearly 50 years every night, when most people under their mid or late 30's or so haven't even seen Leave it To Beaver, much less make early TV Land era shows part of their lineup. ButI have even got my contemporary slightly older brother to watch Leave it To Beaver. there's way too much to say about this show for one review.
Very Uplifting
9 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Captain America is my much younger brother. He is small for his age and has challenges (of course, we all do). This wasn't a typical Superhero transfered to the big screen. Nor is it one of those underdog stories like The NeverEnding Story, where a boy faces the obstacles of his size to become a hero, unlike almost any other. Instead this time it was almost a tear-jerker to a guy who almost never cries, being how good of a heart he had from the beginning and how he was so humble and gentle and didn't like bullys and wanted to join the Army because of all the men risking laying their lives and how he felt he shouldn't be doing any less. But here Seeing very, very skinny and short Steve Rogers being transformed into a perfect body, over 6 feet tall and muscular; perfect for patriotic combat and doing among many, other stunts, jumping from Army planes to break in and rescue captured soldiers from Red Skull and his men was so cool. He has the most ideal physique, not huge, but fairly large and pumped up, but the same heart and humility as the very, very little and Frail Steve Rogers. The supervillans are in line with Adolf Hitler, as you all know. Tommy Lee Jones made the movie a winner itself. It was a little disappointing seeing Stanly Tucci's character, Steve's good, kindly friend who saw him as war material from the beginning dies right after Steve Transforms into Chris Evans in his real physique after a man in league with Hydra blew his cover by terrorizing the lab. Red Skull could've done fine just as Hugo Weaving without the ugly mask, but it made him more scary as he is first seen when a building is burning and he jumps from great heights saving his best friend who was his bodyguard before he became the poignant physically strong and agile superhero. I got taken to it four times because it was so inspirational to my brother.
Silver Spoons
(1982–1987)
Likable, lighthearted, classic family show, that could give you cavities
17 August 2011
Silver Spoons, may not have been a worldwide cultural phenomenon, like Cheers, which started just a few days after this, but is well and fondly remembered by people somewhere in their 30's to maybe those somewhere in their 50's. I'm only 25, but wise and kind of an old soul. The series was referred to as "treacly sweet" or something along those lines, Rick Schroder was a lovable boy, starting as Ricky Stratton, the 12-year old who was mature and wise beyond years. Dad was a kid at heart; VERY much a kid. That is to say he played with electric trains and played in the fashion of a child. Nonetheless, I think he was still a good father and the nicest TV dad I remember. Jason Bateman was in the first two seasons, of course, as Ricky's trouble-making, smart aleck friend. It's a wonder that was Jason Bateman, seeing him today in the ultra-contemporary 21st century programs, like Arrested Development, which i did not like, and his feature films in recent years. Though, maybe not hilarious and sometimes serious with pro social messages and "special episodes" e.g. Ricky babysits a little girl who was neglected by adopted parents,and characters with disabilities maybe the theme in at least an episode, and teen pregnancy (no it wasn't Rick's fault) it made me laugh more than most other shows, strangely. I bought the first season in a vintage style lunch box at Best Buy about 2 and a half year ago, and it took me almost 3 months to finish. Sexism and cliché'd gender stereotyping comments also seems kept to a minimum. I didn't like Jason Bateman so much in the show. By season 2 or Season 3, Alfonso Ribeiro became the new friend. A waiter at Olive Garden from the generation said he was the show's star. Next to Ricky Schroder at least. I carry the lunch box around with me, as I got tired of the little backpack. Joel Higgins, was no prolific actor on the silver screen and I can only think of maybe TV movies he was in, but he went on to record some music. He seemed rather quiet in Hollywood, something underrated, in my opinion. Erin Gray was also lovely as the assistant who was like a surrogate mother to Rick and later his father marries her. Ricky was clean cut like the Brady kids, a style and time in television I miss.
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure
(1993 Video Game)
Played a lot when I was younger
1 May 2010
Until this week, when my brother found it to play again, I hadn't played it in like 11 years, since I was 12. It's very memorable. Not a lot of interaction like in the games of today, which I really don't play anyway. Basically, the disreputable Montana Max and the mad scientist, Dr. Gene Splicer, "Buster's Hidden Treasure" has been seized and stolen or something along those lines. The game is a strategy game, it might be in the vein of Sonic or Super Mario Bros. There are many levels and it just goes on and on. first there's just green land with a stream in the background, then the background has more of a lava look or at least like the sun is setting. After every few levels you fight the mad scientist who puts mind control devices on the characters eg. Dizzy and Plucky. They come back to themselves once Buster defeats Dr. Splicer. Among other places, the forest with wolverines, bats and birds, plus underwater? steams in these forests. Maybe resembling the forests in paets of Idaho, Yellowstone or Montana. there's what looks like a cold, pseudo cave at dusk, a lava cave, an area in and around the ocean; it could be contradicted by the crocodiles or alligators, but those parts might not be the ocean parts of the levels in and near the ocean, that leads you to a spooky ship level. It took me almost 3 years to beat the game. It's one of those games that was like getting a free arcade game where I only wondered what neat places came next, it's where I gained the perspective that it's like an arcade game...where you don't even have to put in more quarters! Your character gets unlimited continues so you don't have to start from the beginning! The video game reminds me of living in a place like Montana. It doesn't feel like the big city, it feels like the sticks, but like some city, but not a big city might be nearby.
Adam
(I) (2009)
Pretty good portrayal of Asperger Syndrome
28 February 2010
I have Asperger Syndrome, myself, I've been posting reviews on IMDb for almost a decade. One aspect I liked was how they didn't make Adam seem like a "robot" he was pretty sensitive and cried several times. Another aspect was brining up detailed information, with his uncanny level of knowledge in restricted, narrow interests, like where he talks about the theater. He is a lonely misunderstood 29-year old; the film's photography took place in 2005. His father, the only one who understood him just passed away, we see the funeral around the beginning of the film, and he's left to fend for himself at the apartment. He seems rather innocent and childlike, like those with Asperger Syndrome. He works in an office making toys, until later in the film his mean boss fires him. He also faces severe distress when faced with the drastic change of a peer or coworker telling him to move, he may've been brought to tears. People with the psychological difference do have trouble with sudden, drastic changes. One miss was that people with Asperge Sydnrome have a low sexual interest, and he said he felt sexually excited with whatever the main woman's name is and came to losing his virginity at 29, before marriage. Hugh Dancy said it was a daunting task playing a man with Asperger Syndrome and it is one of the reasons my mom thinks he is a good actor. the film was in Manhattan, the end of the film is in California.
Black Sheep
(1996)
Likable, stupid, lightweight comedy
30 June 2009
Chris Farley portrayed likable, stoner humor, as in Tommy Boy. This time It's Mike Donnelly (Chris Farley) and Steve Dodds (David Spade) this is better, simply because David Spade's character wasn't so mean or razor sharp sarcastic, like in Tommy Boy. It is set in Washington, where I used to live. Tommy Boy was a virtual remake of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and instead of the brutally sarcastic David Spade, sarcastic at times, the movie has mostly physical humor and "butt-head humor". More like Laurel and Hardy trying to straighten out corruption in the state election, as he is a target who is set up to ruin his brother's election, and Gary Busey plays a weapon crazy, backwoods war monger, who is a bad guy until near the end of the movie when he is impressed with Mike's combat moves when he saved Steve from being murdered, and he becomes their sort of ally in further action. The type of stupid humor we see include the temporary house in the wilderness losing its roof with a storm following hail and Mike on the top bunk crashes down on Steve. The Fridge slides towards the door and crashes into Mike and he thinks he got pudding in his pants, only there wasn't any in the fridge, possible toilet humor and Mike at an MTV election promotion getting stoned with reefers and protesting on live TV almost ruining his brother. David Spade, is actually funny when he's not sarcastic, such as when the bursting nitro booster gets them high while driving a police car.
The Brady Bunch
(1969–1974)
I like it, it's nostalgic and even funny, but...
29 January 2009
It says pretty gender stereotyping things quite often, eg. Greg seemed unfair to girls, like when he tells Marcia men are superior drivers and the die she's be as good a driver as him would be a laugh. Maybe the scripts had the most gender stereotyping comments behind Home Improvement. It doesn't go that far, even Greg was in tears if he was upset. It also doesn't seem to make it seem like girls mentally mature faster, Greg was only a year older than Marcia and they always corresponded with what the boys and girls were doing as if they were the exact same age, plus Bobby's long hair in the later episodes. Mike Brady was no Tim Taylor and it wasn't downright insulting to men, women, boys and girls, but had pretty gender stereotyping comments. It's one of those shows where I say how could I not like it. The nostalgia, Southern California setting and I don't laugh a whole lot from watching TV or movies, but I may've gotten more laughs out of this than most shows.
Monkey Shines
(1988)
One of the most tame horror films (Major spoilers!)
31 December 2008
This film is not from my generation, I was not even 2 yet, but I'm a TV/movie nostalgia nerd and kind of live in the past. Anyway, The film starts out with 20 something Law student, Allan (Jason Beghe) waking up after presumably sleeping with his "georgeous fiancée" and we see he's a top athlete and goes running, but gets hit by a truck, and goes to the hospital where his fiancée leaves him for the doctor (Stanley Tucci). He comes back from the hospital, a quadriplegic, and he movies in with his mom, seeming to take it rather well. his mad scientist friend(John Pankov) has helper monkeys in his lab and sends one (Ella) to Allan and he gets acquainted and comes around pleasantly, and another AID, this one a faithful and true girlfriend. He goes to school and the monkey goes everywhere with him. But things soon fall apart.he has an overbearing nurse and Allan slowly comes to anger, and being unable to move and having an extremely intelligent monkey with human brain sells the monkey vanquishes the annoying Nurse's bird. the story is more a very intense drama and thriller, than a horror film. It's complex but still believable. it's no different than Project X gone R-rated. With the people Allan sinfully wishes to avenge living nearby, in his reality dreams, she runs through the night and causes a fire at the ex fiancés, killing her and the doctor. No one believes Allan and he soon succumbs to verbal ferocity, speaking and shouting f-bombs of hate (the reason for the R-rating)his domineering mother tries to rule his life and he knows his relationship will work, and that he will be cured. The next couple deaths are non gory. Then Allan knows he must put an end to the maniacal creature and after he thinks it got his girlfriend he is overcome by rage that empowers his upper limbs and he and in the only gruesome sequence, becomes the hero . Then he is able to walk and he and his girlfriend go fishing together, and live happily.
Disappointing, as in offensive
28 October 2008
Err.... It was generic,with clichés that could irritate an idealist like mself over the edge. With Adam Sandler and his team it's not a depressing movie. But using children who are too young to be in the spectrum of gaiety is offensive, especially since they are young kinds, too young to be manly and they show him with an easy bake oven and doing ballet or some kind of dance as if it is funny and not cool.What your child is into as an activity as a child won't make them gay, so it is totally cool, not gay or funny.It is also full of contradictions, ie. Men, Women and CHILDREN ,if you know what I mean, and sometimes people treat children like they have lost heir innocence and are in the world of sexism. That is my biggest complaint. The movie was originally R-rated but was changed to gain a larger audience and maybe make more money (no hard feelings) because the bigger the audience the more of a gross. otherwise it didn't seem too clichéd, with the two main characters at least, male gaiety.I did not hate it, but I was really disappointed, as in offended by ceartain elements, and I got one of those feelings from my conscience like it was an immoral movie and I should have not watched it.
South Park
(1997– )
Misunderstood
12 July 2007
When this show came out when I was 10-years-old and some time after, it was a novelty and became hit just because it surprised the world depicting children using profane, and occasionally obscene dialogue. And it wasn't as apparent that the show is a satire and it focuses on skewering every facet of every society on earth. It's not like other shows on Comedy Central that focus on and virtually live for raunchy humor. The lewd words are not as frequent as Beavis and Butthead its former "competition". And I think it has some of the cutest most charming characters ever put on television. Kyle who has diabetes, a medical condition similair to mine, as implied on Season Four Episode Cherokee Hair Tampons (one characted I can actually relate to) who is every bit involved in the action and mayhem. The show's definitely not for "children" but it's a satire that is crude " occasionally". I think Butters is the greatest most charming character on the show (who couldn't like him?) he even plays Hello Kitty Island Adventure which makes him even cooler, though he's a shunned nerd at school. I mostly each it for entertainment as opposed to laughs, but Satan I think is the funniest character how he is portrayed as a touchy feely guy who makes everyone in hell happy and has relationships and a house and a soap opera themed episode.
Matters of Life and Death
(2007)
Very hard-hitting short drama
18 April 2007
This is Joe's most dramatic performance. In his writing, producing and directorial debut, he takes on his parents roles after their tragic deaths on 9/11. With his brother refusing to go to school and his sister ruining off with her worthless boy friend hording their late parents checks for her drug habit. The half hour drama shows the different ways we deal with death, possibly in a shockingly realistic (which most movies fail at) way, such as the 4 or 5 F-words. Mazzello starts out with a seemingly laid-back and quiet demeanor. Then he becomes very strong willed and austere, like when his brother won't get off the couch and go to school and shows disrespect for their father. Mazzello was more intense, strong willed and emotional than I have ever seen. Even at 22 years old when it was filmed last year, Joe still cries hard and convincing in the scence near the end where he replays the conversation on the phone with his parents during the hijack. This is the most hard-hitting drama Mazzello has ever starred in, though it is a short film.
I'd much rather watch the TV show
29 September 2006
It wasn't too bad, if you ask me, but I think the TV series, is possibly the most entertaining animated show on TV.At times, asinine as it may sound, it seems to be more than one genre, it can get to our emotions at times, as in Kenny dies and A Ladder to heaven and be dark, as in the Butter's show episode, and straightmen Stan and Kyle, can be soulful, sensitive, expressive, and convincing. Kenny seems lovable and charming, but perverted. It can also teach lessons about humanity, it is not based on vulgarity. However, I didn't find the incessant shut your F*****n face uncle F****r, from the Terrence and Phillip movie, that funny. The funniest part, I think, is the devil, as a nice guy being in a romantic relationship with Suddam Hussein, who cares only about sex, and how the devil says how " he doesn't nurture my emotions " even though that's about as absurd as you can get, I found it funny, but not wet my pants laughing funny. That Mars and Venus study that is extreme and offensive, not to mention annoying, is portrayed as being the Devil (from Venus) and Saddam (from Mars) when the devil is reading a book in bed, so they are individuals, not the two genders that seem to be stereotyped more than anyone. Eric Cartman really seems like the leader, as he is the most outspoken and main character in the movie. Wendys "boyfriend" is not cool, to me, as a little kid with the deep voice of a British boy whose voice dropped in the third grade, and an overly sophisticated manner.
The kids and parents life at home is hardly seen. Kenny taking his hood off and speaking(voiced by Mike Judge) was one of the reasons I watched it, but the scene, right after the climax, was rather melancholy to me. M'ckay!
The kids and parents life at home is hardly seen. Kenny taking his hood off and speaking(voiced by Mike Judge) was one of the reasons I watched it, but the scene, right after the climax, was rather melancholy to me. M'ckay!
Dead End
(I) (2003)
A Great horror movie if...
24 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The defenition of horror is "crappy". It may be just a movie, but it is one of the most dismal movie, of hapless characters. Just remember, that it is just a movie. It is short and the characters are screwed. A family with a wife and three young adult kids, end up taking a short cut, by the dad's crazy choice, in the woods where a gas station or anything resembling civilization isn't for like hundreds of miles, on a dark Christmas Eve, with not even a car in sight, except for an evil, possessed killer young woman, who abducts the daughters boyfriend after he sees the baby in the blanket is mangled and dead! nice, huh?! And the parents are overbearing especially the dad and the son should be in a mental institute he is a psycho freak, based on him telling his sister in the car staring unconcsious, that he and his friend fried her hamster and it didn't really escape. What a sick psycho freak! The family just gets mangled member by member, the mom loses it and loses her mind and acts like a child before she tries to shoot her husband but gets killed by the young lady. But the daughter makes it alive. No one in sight, pitch black, on a highway through the boonies that goes on hours and hours with no service what a low-budget piece of crap! But it was enjoyable cause it was so creepy, gruesome and fake, my older brother and I watched it in the middle of the night when we were watching cable TV.
Vice Versa
(1988)
A little too overrated
11 November 2005
This movie was alright, but I think it was way too overrated ,and vice versa, no pun intended, for Like Father, Like, Son, which I think was the best of the bunch, and I think people were too harsh about it. The thing about Vice Versa, is that it's so damn fake, Like Father Like son, and 18 Again! were also far-fetched, but somewhat believable how they swapped places; drinking an ancient Indian potion and being in the same place as another person, could of caused Kirk Cameron, in his unconcsious mind to feel Dudley Moore's brain transference, and in 18 Again! It would be very strange but believable that a biological grandson and grandfather could switch places after getting concussions in a car wreck. But for heaven's sake Reinhold and Savage, make a wish with an acnient skull and magically switch places, that makes a lot of sense Huh! Just absurd and not creative, they couldn't find an explanation in the same zipcode as believable. Not to mention the father and son don't even live together. But Reinhold is pretty good at acting in this, so wild and crazy, and so is Savage, it's hard to believe that behind the camera it was still Reinhold and Savage. This movie also grossed a good 60% less than Like Father, Like Son, plus the kid is only 11 in this, his voice hasn't dropped (same as in Big) it works much better when the son was in High School. It has its moments such as when Reinhold in his sons body teaches bullies at school a hard lesson. I think the opinions people had of Like Father Like, Son and this should be Vice Versa.
Cellular
(2004)
Not that impressive
12 August 2005
I don't think 10 years from it's release, this will be a notable film of 2004. It starts out with a guy named Ryan (Chris Evans) who no way, in hell looks 20 years old, but more like 30. The beginning deals with the typical subject of young guys being obsessed with girls and vice versa, his girl (Jessica Biel) breaks up with them, in a situation too clichéd for me, where he drives home from his typical day at the beach surfing and slacking off. Then a lady (Kim Basinger) and her young boy gets kidnapped, and the plot unfolds with, Ryan being the action man. One thing that makes this sort of a lame show, is it could be a blockbuster action hit,with today's biggest stars, like John Travolta, and Joaquin Phoenix in Ladder 49. But also seems like an action move about a young punk, aimed strictly at young people, like myself, especially when the boy's name is Ricky Martin! although he proves to be much more than that. Lenght doesn't seem to be problem unless, it is reasonable, but because of many of some of the flaws of the movie, it being short also added on to being corny , with this being an action movie, not for the family. And Wiliam H. Macy, is one actor who, just irritates me, the fact that he's in everything, and because of that his high, weird voice bugs me even more, being that he's such a well-acclaimed actor. And the finale seems like a desperate, and mischosen spot for the finale, being a popular tourist beach in southern California. But the violence and suspense, make the movie very stressful, with the boy being stolen and soon, all three of them, the mom, her husband, and her son being held hostage by the kidnappers.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
(1991)
Takes me back
16 April 2005
Yes, T2 is a classic that, to me a nostalgic young person, is one of the main pictures that is like a keepsake I think about when I travel in time, not literally. Not as appreciated by the criticts as the first film but a phenomenal sensation in it's day. I don't believe I even saw it until 2003. You're probably familiar with the plot so I won't go into detail. One of the reason's critics, such as my favorite, Leonard Maltin, didn't like this as well as the original is because they thought it gave us no one to root for, I guess that's true, because Arnold's opponent, the T-1000, the most lethal machine ever created is the scrawny Robert Patrick (Die Hard 2, Ladder 49, Spy Kids) and big imposing guys are usually perfect bad guys. I mean the concept was awesome of being a really skinny guy being invincible and capable of being a threat to any aggressive, imposing bodybuilder out there. Edward Furlong, As John Connor, is really young in this and his voice hadn't even grown yet, and he is in his late 20's now, and was one of the premier young actors of the 90's. Does anyone else feel this way about the movie?
Flicky
(1984 Video Game)
One of the hardest games ever made
23 March 2005
It has tacky music and animation, because of how old it is, I first found it when I unlocked it on Sonic Mega collection and it was so tacky and old looking I didn't know what to think of this game I didn't even think it could of possible been sold in stores, the music and animation was funny enough to make me pee my pants. But this game is one of the hardest if not the hardest video games ever amade and also one of the most annoying if not the ultimate. A pain in the ass, even literally if you have the patience to sit down and play it for hours, but I still like it. It just takes more patience than skill for me. It's honestly not as hard as it is a freaking pain in the ass. You are a blue bird named flicky and you collect chicks and escape from orange cats and from round four on, some iguanas, who seem like your best friend compared to these cats from hell, are also on every level, and you need to make it to one of the many doors with all the chicks on the round. The houses or whatever they are change after three rounds and a bonus round where you catch chicks in a net, and the houses or heck if I can make sense what they are, are distorted looking as if it was made by someone manic with a deluded perseption of houses, each one seems to be the size of California. But The creators also could just have a good imagination and see just a house, like a poet sees things. The cats that all look the same and are all named Tiger, just pop out everywhere like cars on the freeway. I'm one of the most gentle and pacifistic people, but after playing this game for a while, I want those carnivorous cats, who seem like ultimate sociopaths slaughtering a pretty little bird, to die as horrible as possible. If you work on your patience, or at least if I do, it's a really fun game, I do enjoy it, But it just goes on and on. My brother made it to round 50 and didn't beat it yet, it seems like it's neverending and levels just keep getting made and it freaks me out, as if the game is just an evil set-up from hell. But Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad I found this game.
Tell Your Friends