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Stowaway (2021)
Had to turn it off
I've watched my share of space launch movies and and YouTube videos to understand a laymans view of a launch.
'Stowaway' did everything to drive me away in the first seven minutes.
*A 15 second first stage burn? Saturn 5s burned at least two minutes before stage separation.
*Program roll during second stage burn? Program rolls occur at launch to better guide the vehicle into proper inclination
* Max Q? They're in space. Max Q is the maximum force on the launch vehicle while still in earth atmosphere.
* 'Artificial gravity'. Gravity is gravity.
Seven minutes I won't get back.
The Last Days of American Crime (2020)
I watched for ten minutes.
Had to turn it off. Over acted and cliche driven.
Others here explain well the problems of this movie, no need to repeat.
For the record, the title sounds like a Scorsese production. He could have done wonders with a title like that.
Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate (2019)
I can't add much more than what has been said.
I was excited to see the program being offered at Netflix. I made a mental note to take it in. That was a mistake.
Being of age to remember the first runs of "R&M L I", I came to love the topical humor at the time and the fast pace of the program. Alan Sues cracked me up as did Artie Johnson and Joanne Worley. The drop in of then major performers was a highlight of the original series. Dan Rowan as the General and Dick Martin as well, being Dick Martin was tops.
The current presentation showed more contempt than was was required. Yeah, we all get it. A certain Commander-in-Chief wasn't missed. Bill whats his name dedicating the first Fickle Finger of Fate to President Trump was not done in jest by any means. A tacky move on the producers part. Hollywood dislikes Donald. Not a well kept secret.
The cue card readers, those who came to bury Ceaser were not even born when the original ran, so their "opinions" were poor attempts at topical humor.
Telling the audience that Laugh In was the precursor to "SNL" and "In Living Color" isn't exactly true. The Smothers Brothers did the same type of humor on CBS at the time.
Bringing out Lily, Joanne and Ruth was a nice touch but we have to face it. They don't have it any more.
The party scenes and the joke wall didn't look as good as they could.
The only good areas were the quick flashes from the original series.
In short, the program failed in many areas and a lot of promise wasn't delivered.
One glaring omission was the absence of Goldie Hawn. Why she was not included in the celebration is a mystery to me.
Bachelor Party (1984)
Universal HD showed it a few minutes ago.
While striving to equate the movie to Animal House, I must admit it comes very close. The scene with the donkey eating the drugs and snorting the lines of coke, invoked the heart attack scene of the horse in Dean Wormer's office. The elevator scene confirmed it.
Tom Hanks has come a long way from Bosom Buddies to Bachelor Party to Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away. This movie shows one of his best comedic moments.
While Adrian Zmed or Tawny Kitaens career didn't advance as far as Mr Hanks, they both made an impact in this movie. Wendie Jo Sperber was, well, Wendie Jo. May she RIP.
If Bachelor Party isn't of cult status, I won't be upset, but I will be baffled.
The Shield: Postpartum (2006)
Total agreement with KimV78
I have viewed all but ONE episode of The Shield. I simply forgot it was a Tuesday night and Shield was on (season one).
From the first promos that had Vic muttering "Good cop and bad cop have left for the day. I'm a different kind of cop.", I knew I was ready for something different in a police drama other than the likes of Adam 12 or Dragnet.
Granted, it's a stretch comparing Vic Mackey to Officer's Malloy and Reed from Adam 12 or Friday and Gannon from Dragnet, but the style of the story lines are diametrically different. The closest police series would be NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues or maybe Police Story.
Sheriff Andy Taylor? Get out!
To avoid a "spoiler", I will say that the way the last season finale ended, was not the way I saw it coming for many reasons. Much the same way that Six Feet Under ended its series run. I had an idea, but did not see it the way the writers did. The writers won.
I will be purchasing the box set of The Shield. All 5.1 seasons. I have to see which episode I missed. I doubt it will have any impact on my opinion of the series.
The ensemble, the writing and the camera shots and movement in no way hurts it. It actually adds to it.
Thanks F/X for picking it up.
The Beatles: A Long and Winding Road (2003)
Has minimal surprises but is pretty much mainstream news.
If one grew up with the Beatles influence, then one already knows of their history and troubles of touring and performing.
Did they sing at Candlestick? No.
They mouthed the words. They couldn't hear themselves due to the screaming from the fans. This had an effect that turned them off to touring. There may have been more to the story (other than the Jesus comment or threats on their lives), but it was never explained.
The clips used were stock footage. There is no on-cam interview of any Beatle. Any comment from John, Paul, George or Ringo comes from sound bites with a "Voice of" disclaimer.
I viewed it on broadcast TV and the placement of the commercials and other interruptions (Lower third crawls telling me to visit a website) added to the disappointment of wasting time watching such trivial information.
No mention at all of their roof top performance above Apple. NONE!
If you would like some great Beatles entertainment, cue up "Hard Days Night" in the DVD or the "White Album" in the CD player. Pour a nice glass of wine (red or white, your choice) and maybe twist a nice smoke. Plug in the headphones and put them on, hit play and escape to your own thoughts, beliefs, desires and memories of the Beatles and your youth.
I give this release a 3/10 rating. It wasn't compelling. Maybe a lesson in Beatles 101. As I mentioned, it came across as prefabricated, due to stock footage and no personal interviews from any of the original players. It get's a "3" since there was nothing better on TV at the time. The information used brings it to a "2" (common knowledge).
Your own memories from the days of "Paperback Writer", "I'm a Loser", "Blackbird" and early music "video" of "Strawberry Fields" and "Penny Lane" (runored to be the basis for the music videos we know today), will carry you to the days of the British Invasion.
The Beatles lead the pack. The memory of John deserves much better.