Reviews

Yes, there are American Dad crossovers, but let's go back to the 1972 origins... All In The Family. A hard-working bigot dad, the lovable yet gullible mom, and the insufferable college student convinced she knows best in spite of zero life experience. The formula worked in the 70's, it works now - it's a fun setup for conflict. The only area they start losing me is when they use today's vocabulary for the 1990's - it's the ongoing effort to normalize the insane vocabulary academia and NPR throw at society. (I took college biology in the 1990's when they taught XX and XY chromosomes.) Outside of the ridiculous politics Hollywood can't stop throwing in audiences faces, Ted is mostly funny. If you liked the humor of the movie Ted, you'll enjoy most parts of the series.

This is very brutal to watch... it is a shame that Putin gets referred to as a President. We should refer to him by what he is... a dictator.

The biggest mistake Ukraine made was allowing their nuclear weapons to be removed in the early 1990's. I was in college when the US and UK pushed for removal and guaranteed Ukraine's safety (which makes the US and UK morally obligated to keep helping). My fellow students cheered the "no nukes" decision... I couldn't understand why an independent country would voluntarily give up weapons that insured their independence. My professors assured me everyone would be safer in the long run. Fortunately the US and UK kept their nuclear arsenals - it's a shame Ukraine let theirs go.

This episode was great - it put the problems of tv (and society) in context using comedy. This live episode goes through the history of television and points out horrible choices in some of our historical TV "entertainment" (references to spousal violence and the racism of shows like Amos and Andy). This episode was pulled from the streaming services, but I wanted to see it so I purchased a copy. It's a shame this episode has been pulled because it so brilliantly mocks the absurdity of what passed for entertainment in eras that were less culturally sensitive.

Ironically - while this 30 Rock episode has been pulled - the actual shows they were mocking can be streamed for free without any problem. I think those old shows SHOULD be available for viewing - we shouldn't pretend like wrongs of the past didn't happen.... but to censor the episode of 30 Rock that uses humor to highlight how ridiculous those shows were, is knee-jerk, short-sighted, and (to quote Tracy Jordan) just ignorant.

This episode should be put back on the streaming services.

I loved this show... great premise, writing and cast. It uses the views of an old-school writer's room with present ones to create funny conflicts. (Every time some behind-the-scenes cluster broke out I'd wonder if that happened behind the scenes of Modern Family.) The storylines between characters were funny and engaging, and all the actors bring their A game. Nobody seems to be going through the motions.

Netflix, Prime, Hulu, HBO, premium networks, anyone with a studio, PLEASE pick up this series before the cast and crew move on to other projects.

This show has many great storylines that could stay interesting and funny for years.

I've been rewatching these shows, and am surprised at how much I missed the first time through when it was just an odd little web series.

I'm not sure if it's the early loss of Garry Shandling, or the memories of my own lost youth when I watched Garry's shows... but this episode left me with a feeling of melancholy. As we age and start sensing our own mortality, what was once silly laughter begins to take on different meaning.

Of course the episode is funny, but I found myself crying as Garry discussed the aspects of his own comedy era ending, and the reality of his own health and mortality staring him in the face. A reality we all end up facing at some point.

I miss him - I miss his awkward, humorous take on life and the laughter he brought to my life. He left this world too soon. I found this episode a great tribute to a funny man, but also a bit heartbreaking. I wish we all could have had more time with Garry Shandling.

Something as simple for Kendall Roy as wanting to talk about a horrible life situation with his mom doesn't fit into her schedule. A rich, privileged guy doesn't have a mother in his life that's willing to forgo some simple pleasures in her life to help her child in need. It tugged at my heart strings.

I didn't grow up with much, but I had a mom that was always there for me through every challenge in life when I needed a shoulder to cry on - and for that I feel blessed.

Would I trade places with Kendall and the problems having billions of dollars brings? Yes... yes I would.

But maybe I say that because I know what it's like to be raised poor, but with a mom who was always there for me... I have no idea what growing without a mom would be like.

Especially the first season... I wish it'd have lasted longer - I think it might've found itself again. (Same for The Sarah Connor Chronicles.)

I loved the premise, most the stories and all of the characters... even the antagonistic ones. As a dad (of then young children) it was fun on cleaning day to clap my hands and say let's go... bip, bip, bip!

If this were made now on a streaming service I think it'd have had a much longer run. With all the reboots going on I wonder if they'd ever consider it for this series? The concept was a great one, dystopian futures are very popular and there are some great SciFi series being made today. If a batch of motivated writers were turned loose with this concept it could be a very fun watch. I have no idea if any original cast would be interested - they seem to all stay pretty busy, but even some cameos from the original cast with a new main cast could make this a great reboot.

Venice has some of the most expensive beach property in America. When you can't afford to live someplace do like the rest of us... move. Go inland to Riverside County, or north to Bakersfield. Still too expensive? Try Fresno, Merced or Atwater.

The entitlement of so many that believing they have a right to live somewhere others worked their whole life to live is staggering.

I lived outside San Diego for years - when I was laid off I took a job in Northern California. I'd planned to work my way back to San Diego, but after the prisons started early releasing felons, violence and crime soared and junkies started camping on the sidewalks en masse, I realized it was time to leave my beloved home state of California. I - and most of the population - exercise our freedom to move when price, or crime, or lack of opportunity say it's time to move on. Take control of your life and move someplace affordable with opportunity. Become fiscally independent so you don't have to depend on others... your life will be much better.

Even if a sidewalk camper guilts someone into giving them a house in Venice, good luck coming up with the annual property taxes to keep it.

I literally thought Colin Hanks was Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is It Anyway). Amazaing.

Oh, I have to do 600 words?

Um... remember that game they'd do on Whose Line when Colin Mochrie would stand in front of the green screen? There'd be bugs or something gross that the audience could see, but he couldn't! He had to guess what was going on behind him. That was awesome.

Remember when he did that thing with Ryan Stiles... the Hoe Down? Stiles hated it, but it has the word Hoe in it so it's automatically hilarious.

Anyway, this friend of the family, movie? It's decent. It's a true story that takes place in the potato capital of the world, Pocatello Idaho.

They know their potatoes.

So it's this big Mormon community, and if you don't know, Mormons can be a bit on the naive side. So if you ever turn a criminal loose in their ranks - a wolf in sheeps clothing if you will - they tend to run rough shod over the Mormon folks for quite awhile before getting caught. Remember Mormons, Jesus said to be innocent as doves, but wise as servants. If you have a bad person in the flock, get him out! Don't be so nice to everyone!

Dog one friendly Mormons.

Anyway, the movie's a decent watch.

Things most of Hollywood - and this film - doesn't like:

America Religion US Constitution Founding Fathers The Suburbs

You know, the standard Hollywood dislikes - nothing new.

Things THIS film (like many low budget movies) doesn't like:

Complex characters The outdoors Due process White people

Things this film likes:

Edged weapons Homeless people Random acts of violence PC character motivations

The Purge is such a part of our lexicon I figured I should give it a watch when I saw it was on HBO. The concept is a very good one, the execution was a little disappointing. Like most movies that follow Hollywood's rules of political correct wokeness, it becomes easy to predict who will be good or bad... which kills a lot of the suspense.

It gets a 5 and not a 1 because it held my attention in spite of being stuck in one location (due to budget reasons). The acting and directing were also solid - especially for a low budget movie.

If they'd changed up even some of the standard PC tropes for some surprises, it would have been much better.

(If you want a violent movie with a similar feel to this movie, but will keep you guessing, check out The Hunt.)

Great tribute. I still feel the loss... I can't imagine what it was like for people close to him. The writer's handled the situation about as well as could be done.

600 characters now? I wanted to list a short tribute to a talented man, not write an essay.

Whoops, still too short. What brain trust decided more blah, blah, blah was needed in reviews? Over the years I've made my watchlist on here and thought the reviews by the "regular people" since the critics are so jaded.

I'm going to give it another shot... am I at 600 characters?

Nope, still too short. Guess I'll finish out with a limerick and see how far I get.

There once was a Phil from Nantucket, With a.

This would be a great two hour movie, but the characters and story aren't interesting enough to be interesting over multiple episodes. This drags on forever and becomes a chore to watch. I don't get why people rate this so high when there's SO many great shows with equally complex themes that don't require sitting through 6 hours of watching paint dry.

Ironically, IMDb seems to have a similar philosophy with their reviews. I've said everything that needs to be said about this movie (that went on and on and on), but I can't post my review until I his 600 words. I'm not sure why they believe longer is better?

"Hopefully it will get better," is the phrase many people writing reviews come up with after seeing the first two episodes - and I will add my voice to that chorus.

When the (then new) writers for Game Of Thrones followed the storyline laid out Martin's books, it was great. When they ran out of source material and wrote their own version of GOT, it was awful.

Now we have Rings Of Power from the duo that brought us 1980's Flash Gordon (fun as a cult movie, but I don't think anyone watches it thinking, that's some great writing). According to IMDb they (Patrick McKay and John Payne) haven't done much else (compare their credits to Peter Jackson's).

I'm mystified why Amazon Prime trusts them with a budget in the hundreds of millions - especially after seeing the first two episodes. While I'm not surprised, I am curious why Payne and McKay choose to stray away from the source material. At least they're doing it early and not after 7 years of investing in the characters like Game Of Thrones.

The acting and directing are okay, but for this budget they should be great. The same can be said of the musical score (why didn't they use Howard Shore)? The writing is subpar and dull, which is the most disappointing aspect since Tolkien's books are so epic.

The one positive note is the amazing look of the film (it was the reason I kept watching). I prefer shows that get me so invested in the characters I want to know what happens to them, and writing that I'm still thinking about a few days later. This series has neither of those, it just looks pretty.

So here I sit with the same thought I had watching the Game Of Thrones 8th season... hopefully it will get better.

Season 7 started the downhill trend, Season 8 completed the downward spiral of the once great comedy. It went from a light, fun comedy to a preachy, condescending and boring show. But I highly recommend Season 1-6... during those years is is a 10 star comedy... especially the episodes that highlighted Hitchcock and Skully.

Wow, I feel like I've said all I need to say, but my review needs to be 600 characters... so there. Still not 600? It LOOKS like 600... I am on a phone not a computer, so I don't have a character count, but I must be close.

Come on IMDb - I like reviewing, but 600 characters?

The movie might be decent, but it should have a title of its own!

I am tired of movies being produced with the same name as great classics for the purpose of name recognition and (I assume) a better payday.

Why is it so hard for "creative" Hollywood to have an original thought?

No spoilers.

This was a great show, and should have had AT LEAST 2-3 more seasons.

Season 4 opens strong, with Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) pulling off one of the most nuanced roles he's ever tackled. Great writing - logical reasons for the motive, and why the suspect has the ability to pull it off.

Soooooo, why the sudden low ratings? I feel like Detective Flynn changing her hairstyle might have hurt the ratings. Stupid? Yes... but everything about the show stated the same - it was the only change and the ratings dropped. Maybe Det. Kennicki? Perhaps... but Angie kept him in place and he was annoying, but not hateful.

Losing interest in a show because of a hairstyle? I don't want to think people are that shallow... but I think people are that shallow.

That - or maybe the continued changing channels and time for the show. Hopefully it was more that than the hair.

Either way - great job by all of this great cast - great writing (as usual), and excellent work by the visiting killer, Jon Heder. Excellent episode.

I get it... a lot of Hollywood writers were obsessed with Trump - and parody's popped up a lot (SNL, Homelander on The Boys, multiple antagonists...). So when a new character pushing fascism shows up on a series, I can see why some made the leap.

But with Peaky Blinders - when there's a new character of any prominence - (especially a politician), I pause the show and do a quick internet search. The writers weave a lot of real people in with the fiction - which I find really fun.

It turns out Oswald Murray was a real British politician that started the British Union of Fascists (BUF) in 1932. (Before WW2 quite a few politicians worldwide were giving fascism a chance.)

His name might have been well known in Britain, but I'd never heard of the guy. Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill - of course I'd heard of... but a 1930's British politician and the father of Britain's fascist movement? Not so much...

Might the writer or the actor playing Murray borrow some Trump traits? Who knows, maybe - but after reading up on Oswald Murray, I think the writer - and the actor playing him (Sam Claflin) - did a great job capturing Murray in both physical looks and the intensity Murray must have had as he pushed for fascism and his fascist party.

Good episode and great setup for the season (series) 5 finale.

I came for the idiocy, I stayed for the story.

I was expecting a story like B&B Do America - but this is better. I would have been content hearing my favorite two idiots spitting out phrases like cornholio - TP for my bunghole and FIRE for a couple hours... but it actually came with a decent story of political intrigue. As usual the adults have all their own motivations, while B & B note things like - that sign says Johnson - and they remain obsessed with boobs and phallic symbols. I don't know if the humor translates for people that weren't young in the 90's - I'm sure my score got a couple stars for nostalgia. I'll be curious to read what people write that weren't around when B & B were everywhere. (Glad I caught the Mike Judge interview on Rogan.) It makes me want to rewatch Office Space and Idiocracy this week, too.

More that just a game - you can immerse yourself into the world. While you can play the narrative to advance the story, you can also do side quests or free roam. This is the best game I've ever played.

American here, and only an occasional hockey watcher, but Letterkenny makes me laugh SO hard I've watched them all. Now one of Keeso's characters, Shoresy, gets his own series and it's more of the same.

Keeso is so talented - I checked out 19-2 because of him. That show was a little too soap operaish for me, but Keeso is a solid dramatic actor, too. I'm looking forward to Shoresy, and looking forward to seeing what Keeso comes up with in the future.

Oh that 80's nostalgia! Back when we had an old man in the White House and the Russians were global bullies threatening to nuke their enemies. The more things change....

Is this Academy Award material? Of course not. Is it really fun? Very much so! The first movie worked so well they basically made it again - which was fine by me. Aircraft carrier B roll, some hard-a** admirals stuck relying on Maverick, 80's tunes, amazing flying sequences and an evil empire to confront. Toss in bad guys that look like Darth Vader in superior jets with a Death Star trench run, and what's not to love?

This movie was made to be seen in a theater and for the audience that enjoyed the original. It worked on me. Now I'm going to do something I haven't done since I was a kid... go see this movie in the theater a second time.

They're back! I watched them when I was a kid... like them. Now I'm old... like them. The stripper sketch was painfully realistic (gravity really does a number on the nards).

It's the kids! They're older, cranky and taking full advantage of premium video by being a wee bit dirtier. Hearing their opening theme music makes me so happy.

Thank you for this one, Prime. You brought a smile to my oft cranky face.

For a great double feature night watch Airport 1975, then Airplane! Take a drink every time someone says surely. Karen Black - the hottest actress with a lazy eye you'll ever see.

I love the British (original) version of the improve show, Would I Lie To You (WILTY), and watched this trying to be unbiased. I loved the British improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway, but feel the American version with Drew Carey was better. However, I don't see this ever being the case here. Granted, the British WILTY has been on for many years and started off rough - but the team captains (the brilliant David Mitchell and Lee Mack) were always very quick and funny... the American captains (Matt Walsh and Sabrina Jalees) aren't.

Also annoying is the CW channel and their app insist on commercials instead of a subscription option, and I hate commercials (but that's a CW criticism).

I'll tune in when actual funny people are visiting the show.

What Brady accomplished as a young player was incredible, but watching a veteran like Bledsoe sacrifice everything for the good of the team was amazing. My heart really ached for the guy. Bledsoe is a class act.