Change Your Image
nfuller
Reviews
Tripping the Rift (2004)
pan
Wednesday, October 5, 2005 Tripping the Rift This program was described as "'South Park' in space." I would agree with this. This isn't saying much, however, since I think "South Park" is mostly crap.
Another way of saying this is "'Futurama' without the intellectual content or likable characters." Maybe the characters are not developed yet; I have to admit that I didn't like the characters of Mulder and Scully when I first saw "The X-Files." Still, what's up with the gay robot? I don't find any humor in "Tripping the Rift" as I do in "The X-Files." Again, I didn't see the humor in "The X-Files" when I first saw it.
"Tripping the Rift" makes some references to other science fiction icons like Star Trek, Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the episode I saw, it also made reference to Dune, Jurassic Park and The Attack of the 50-foot Woman.
Sliders: Pilot (1995)
why
Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - Sliders I did not watch this program during it's first run, but it has been re-broadcast on SciFi network recently. I get the general idea that they "slide" to parallel universes. They always, however, seem to be in San Francisco. Why is there a San Francisco in every parallel universe? Or do they only go to universes in which there IS a San Francisco? In this case, their slides are not truly random. Finally, why do they have only a limited time in each universe? If they can not control the time, they do not really control anything.
The thing I like most about Sliders is John Rhys-Davies.
I liked Quantum Leap much better.
King of the Hill (1997)
It is a good program
King of the Hill I disagree with ZiM389 of Franklin Square, NY. S/he compares “King of the Hill” unfavorably to “Beavis and Butthead.” “Beavis and Butthead” is aimed at 13-year-old. Maybe ZiM389 is 13 years old. (Beavis and Butthead’s “heh heh” is VERY annoying.) I might have liked ‘Beavis and Butthead’ when I was 13. When I was 13, however, the original “Star Trek” series premiered (I am dating myself) and all of my friends were Trekkers.
I agree with OP Prime of Ardmore, PA. Hank Hill may be something of a red-neck (or as Khan refers to him “hillbilly”) but he always seems to find the enlightened, progressive view of any situation.
I don’t know why F/X puts ‘King of the Hill’ in “Dysfunction Junction” along with ‘The Simpsons.’ I like ‘The Simpsons’ but the two shows are VERY different.
Judging Amy (1999)
Reply to Mr. Downing
I have read Mr. David Downing's comments about JUDGING AMY and would like to make some of my own.
First my own disclaimers. Like Mr. Downing, I am not part of the target audience (women). I have one or two comments about this. First, if the target audience is women, why are reruns being shown on TNT which recently created `Spike TV, the network for MEN'? (Emphasis added). Second, although I am male, I associate myself more with Alan Alda than with Rambo.
Mr. Downing states that at first he was `all for the idea' of a fully three-dimension lead character -- that this was what `set JUDGING AMY apart from . LAW AND ORDER clones.' In a later statement he contradicts this. He says that the episodes spend too much time on the character's home life.
I agree with his first impression. Spending a lot of time on the home life IS what sets JUDGING AMY apart from LAW AND ORDER clones. It is interesting to see how Amy (who, presumably, has presided over many divorces) reacts when it comes time to divorce her own husband. My only complaint is that this was not fully developed. I am either agreeing with Mr. Downing (that not enough time is devoted to certain issues) or disagreeing with him (there should be MORE time spent on home life).
In conclusion, I wouldn't say that I might like JUDGING AMY if I was a woman. I would say that it may not be as good as it might be, but it is better than 90% of the shows that I have seen.
The Enemy Below (1957)
I liked it
I don't usually like war movies, but I liked this one.
It is not filled with bullets and guns and violence. It is a psychological `battle' between the two captains.
Although the Nazis are `the enemy below' they are not portrayed as one dimensional evil people. The viewer sees the battle from their point of view as well. The U-boat captain is a fully developed character.
Note Theodore Bikel as second in command of the U-boat.
The Rare Breed (1966)
Different Perspectives
The Rare Breed
I saw this movie in the theatre when it came out in 1966 (I was 12 years old). I just today on American Movie Classics.
I suppose that 37 years of growth has changed my perspective a little bit. When I was 12 I was not too much into westerns. The closest I came to liking westerns was Cat Ballou, which may succeed more as a comic western than The Rare Breed does. Still I liked, and still like, any-thing with James Stewart. I think, however, that The Rare Breed succeeds as a romance. In 1966 I might have seen the romance as `mushy stuff.'
Although James Stewart did Westerns (`Classic' and `Modern') as well as Fantasy (It's A Wonderful Life) and biography (Charles Lindbergh, Glenn Miller) I think of him as a comic actor (The Philadelphia Story; Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation; Take Her, She's Mine). For this reason, I have to view The Rare Breed as a Comedy as much as a Western.
I can see the phoniness of the fist fights now and I might have seen them in 1966 as well.
I also have one observation: Even after Brian Keith shaves off his beard, he sometimes doesn't look like the Brian Keith we all know and love from, say, Family Affair. He certainly doesn't SOUND the same because he does a VERY strong Scottish brogue in The Rare Breed.
Judging Amy (1999)
Reply to Mr. Downing
I have read Mr. David Downing's comments about JUDGING AMY and would like to make some of my own.
First my own disclaimers. Like Mr. Downing, I am not part of the target audience (women). I have one or two comments about this. First, if the target audience is women, why are reruns being shown on TNT which recently created `Spike TV, the network for MEN'? (Emphasis added). Second, although I am male, I associate myself more with Alan Alda than with Rambo.
Mr. Downing states that at first he was `all for the idea' of a fully three-dimension lead character -- that this was what `set JUDGING AMY apart from . LAW AND ORDER clones.' In a later statement he contradicts this. He says that the episodes spend too much time on the character's home life.
I agree with his first impression. Spending a lot of time on the home life IS what sets JUDGING AMY apart from LAW AND ORDER clones. It is interesting to see how Amy (who, presumably, has presided over many divorces) reacts when it comes time to divorce her own husband. My only complaint is that this was not fully developed. I am either agreeing with Mr. Downing (that not enough time is devoted to certain issues) or disagreeing with him (there should be MORE time spent on home life).
In conclusion, I wouldn't say that I might like JUDGING AMY if I was a woman. I would say that it may not be as good as it might be, but it is better than 90% of the shows that I have seen.
Murder by Death (1976)
Only Average
As "marquis du cinema" says, this is an average movie. I am surprised that it was written by Neil Simon. It is definitely one of his LESS inspired efforts. I found "Clue" to be much funnier and much better. I am not really complaining. I can't expect ALL of Simon's scripts to be like "Only When I Laugh" or "The Goodbye Girl."
Who's the Boss? (1984)
It is very good.
I admit to being a hopeless Anglophile. I love the British Antiques Roadshow MUCH more than the American version. I like most Britcoms better than most American sitcoms. (My favorite britcom is "May to December").
Still I think that "Who's The Boss" ranks with the BEST of the Britcoms. It can hold it's own against any of them!