HAPPY HOLIDAYS

No posts the rest of this week. I'm taking a holiday break. Please read back on previous posts and I'll start all fresh next Monday. I hope you and yours have a happy and joyous family gathering. Happy Turkey Day!

So Many So Little Time

Deceived

Judd Nelson stars in this Christian inspired mostly clunker about a message from Lucifer himself. Scientists think they've discovered a message from another planet only to find out it's demonic. It turns non-Christians into murderous sinners.

I know Nelson and Louis Gossett Jr. know how to act, I just don't know what they're doing in this film. I guess they needed the money. Nelson plays a part deaf technician who does not get corrupted by the signal. Neither does his Christ loving ex-girlfriend.

It's done by the same people who did the "Left Behind" series which I haven't seen. The plot has a logical flow, but it just falls short of being worth a watch. I also don't like the idea of baggin on science for exploring the universe.

Library: Coquille

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0291850/

Amazon: Deceived

Devil's Advocate

With cutesy tag lines like "the devil is in the details," we know this has to suck. Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino spar over lawyering for Satan. Reeves character takes on a job without really understanding all the ramifications.

I dunno, I'm just pretty clear on this idea of good and evil and right and wrong that it's not much of a brain teaser for me. I am not enamored of this topic and therefore I found it dull.

Library: Bandon & Powers

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118971/

Amazon: Devil's Advocate

Devil's Own

This film only features a figurative Satan. Harrison Ford plays a kindly Irish cop who unknowingly takes in an Irish terrorist played by Brad Pitt. These filmmakers do nothing to set up why we should believe in or trust the terrorist and believe why the cop trusts him so redily.

Seems to me they just tried to do so much. The cop's partner shoots an unarmed suspect and Ford treats him like a bad cop. He didn't know the guy didn't have the gun anymore. Pitt effects an Irish accent. Why couldn't they find an Irish actor?

I find terrorism flat out stupid. I don't get why these guys are even in the states, and what their plan really entails.

Library: VHS Bandon & Coos Bay; DVD Bandon, Coos Bay & Myrtle Point

Amazon: The Devil's Own

Docomentary Review: Frontline; The Diet Wars

Frontline;
The Diet Wars

This episode of the PBS documentary program Frontline discusses the various diet programs and asks questions about how they work, what leads to health and what just makes us all fatter.

It's a fairly unbiased view of the various plans but really just kind of falls short or really being honest about weight issues. Indeed it talks about the popular Atkins and South Beach plans, but not really in detail. They even show a photo of Dr. Phil's book, but never say a word about the plan or what it entails.

This mirrors every news report I've seen on weight loss. Eat less and move around more seems to be the consensus. Though they do suggest eating more "whole" grain breads and pasta and less "white" foods including sugar and potatoes.

Despite the lack of detailed specifics, I did like the information. Pick up the DVD from SWOCC.

No IMDB available.

Check out Amazon for more information:
Frontline: Diet Wars

Movie Review: Juno

Juno

Diablo Cody won an Oscar for writing this witty film about a quirky teenager who ends up pregnant. Ellen Page plays Juno. She decides to give the baby up for adoption to a rather repressed couple. Well, at least the adoptive mother doesn't seem to lead an exciting life.

Juno visits the adoptive father, Jason Bateman, while his wife, Jennifer Garner, is at work and they find they both like bad horror films. He also plays guitar, reads comic books and acts a bit like a juvenile himself.

We see a lot of the life of a pregnant teen and her relationship with her dad and step-mom. I got my first impression of this girl's kitschy life when she drank a whole bottle of Sunny Delight to have enough pee for her third pregnancy test. She has a a hamburger phone, her step-mom obsesses over dogs and her conversation with her best girlfriend needed a teen-speak decoder.

I luaghed so hard. My husband looked over at me and asked me if I needed help. Dora, SWOCC, Coss Bay, Myrtle Point, Bandon, Powers and North Bend all have copies of this odd little gem.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/

Buy this DVD from Amazon:
Juno

Double Dog Day

The Deep

Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset star as a couple who dives into the ocean and finds a shipwreck. Some drug smugglers intimidate them after they find some drug vials during their treasure hunt.

I've seen more entertaining underwater scenes from TV shows. What's the fun of lookin at a pretty woman in a wet suit? Nolte and Bisset failed to convince me they really gave a crap about what they were doing. I yawned and hit fast forward. Look for Robert Shaw, the fisherman from the film Jaws.

North Bend or Bandon has the DVD. Look in Coos Bay or Coquille for the VHS tape.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075925/

Check out Amazon for additional information:
The Deep

Deep Blue Sea

Gotta love confident Samuel L. Jackson gettin ate pretty early in the film. Ok, so these lame scientist guys enlarge the brains of these sharks, right. So the sharks have bigger brains, right. So we're penning up huge big brained sharks... WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG????

I'm told by my horny net geek friends that Saffron Burrows is hot. Maybe that means something to guys, but not to me. This really lame horror film has scary bits, but as I've said time and again, I don't like horror. Jackson's departure did make me stop and laugh. He's all confidently speechafyin and suddenly a shark leaps forward and chomps him whole. Memo: don't show confidence to brainy sharks.

Find this DVD in Dora or Bandon.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149261/

Buy this doggie DVD from Amazon:
Deep Blue Sea

Miniseries Review: Andromeda Strain

2008 Andromeda Strain

Benjamin Bratt stars as a team leader of a group of scientists trying to sort out a germ that kills all but two inhabitants of a small New Mexico town. Much of this parallels the original 1971 motion picture based on Michael Crichton's novel, but they diverge from the story with cast and direction of plot.

They focus more on the guy running the team, where the film focussed on the "odd man out," single man. I think the newer film has some nice scenes and I enjoyed seeing Eric McCormack in a serious role. It's less an alien film and more a science versus military plot.

Some of the acting fell short. Plus the plot points of the smart bug and how quickly they cured the outbreak once they figured it out, bumped me out of my suspension of disbelief. I'm not sure if they were setting up for a possible series. It kind of felt that way.

Worth a watch nonetheless. Gonna have to go into Coos Bay for this DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424600/

Find out more from this Amazon link:
The Andromeda Strain Miniseries

Soso Tuesday

I Am Legend

Will Smith raises this above a dog, but just barely. He plays a military doctor who seems to be the sole survivor of a plague blanketing the world. Some people survive but turn into violent zombies who spread their disease by biting. Smith's character continues to search for a cure.

I'm told this resembles a film called Omega Man, but I haven't seen it yet. It reminds me of the earlier review of Dawn of the Dead. I enjoyed the relationship between the man and his best friend dog. As relationships on film go, I found it very touching.

Horror stories, even well acted, still don't thrill me. Lets face it, this just seems scary and horrible.

Library: Coos Bay, Dora, Myrtle Point, Powers and Bandon.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/

Amazon: I Am Legend (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition with Digital Copy)

The Deal

I can't quite figure out what Christian Slater does for a living in this film. I guess he's somehow involved in making Wall Street deals, but what it really means, seemed vague and convoluted.

He's brought into an oil deal after a friend of his dies. He tries to be diligent about the details but when people give him the runaround and cold shoulder, he stumbles upon a plot within the oil company itself. He finds they're buying oil from a fictional country the United States is at war with.

I'm not interested in plots that confuse me. I'd skip it and watch something like Broken Arrow. Far feteched plot as well, but at least it's entertaining and understandable.

Library: Dora and North Bend

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405861/

Amazon: The Deal

Derailed

A married Clive Owen meets also married Jennifer Aniston on a train and starts an affair. They hook up in a hotel where a man breaks in and beats up and robs the man and rapes the girl. A few days later, Owen's character gets a blackmail call.

He goes to talk to the girl and find her hugging the attacker. He pays the blackmail but stalks the thieving pair and catches them in the act.

I found the plot too easily telegraphed. It seemed inevitable. Infidelity as plot point turns me off too. I didn't care about these cheaters enough to be shocked by the attack.

Library: Dora

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398017/

Amazon: Derailed (Unrated Widescreen)

Make Up Post

Because I flaked out last Thursday and didn't write some dog reviews, I decided to write two posts today. Also I'm switching soso and watchable days. I write another blog Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I takes longer to write a multi review post and I usually have more dog's and soso's to write. I'll now use Tuesdays for soso and keep Thursday for dogs. Wednesdays become watchable day. I like starting and ending the week on a movie worth seeing.

These films are Dogs to make up for last week. Later I'll write the soso post.

Deadly Species

Internet Movie Data Base calls this a B movie and I so agree. The plot, if you can call it one, involves archaeologists and some bad guys going into the jungle to study some ruins. Apparently this is in the Florida everglades but I didn't catch that when I watched it. The baddies are looking for the fountain of youth.

Teenage boys might like this film for frontal female nudity, but nothing about it held my interest. The creatures they run into look so stupid as to make it laughable.

Library: Bandon

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0355364/

Amazon: Deadly Species

The Descent

A few months back I reviewed a film called "The Cave" with a very similar theme. This film has cave creatures who can't see but have outstanding hearing and the humans who find them speculate they "evolved" and come out at night to hunt.

All in all it just follows the typical boring horror film boiler plate. Many dead, one left to tell the story. Yawn. Maybe it could be interesting had they really examined how a group of women started going on adventures together. No, they missed that opportunity. Shame on them.

Library: Bandon

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435625/

Amazon:The Descent (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

Dawn of the Dead

I'm so not a horror fan so little of this film appealed. The logic of a virus that makes dead people walk and want to infect others just doesn't begin to work for me.

A group of non infected people barricades themselves inside a mall until they hear about an island that's "safe." They make plans to get to this island and again with the high body count of who really cares everyone is gonna die anyway.

Library: Bandon

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363547/

Amazon: Dawn of the Dead (Widescreen Unrated Director's Cut)

Movie Review: The Martian Child

The Martian Child

This film comes from the mind of David Gerrold who created such memorable science fiction concepts as tribbles from the Star Trek universe. Though that's my least favorite TOS series episode, I still appreciate his SciFi creds.

A science fiction writer adopts a boy who believes himself to be Martian. Rather than deny the child's unearthly fixation, he helps him work on ways to live on this world while maintaining his creative connection to another.

John Cusack plays the father to be in what I am only guessing is a self portrait from Gerrold's own life. He also feels somewhat disconnected from the "real world" by his interested in a fantastic reality. As the child learns to relate to "humans" some situations arouse stressful reactions and he pulls away.

I try and accept people for who they are and that's the message I took from this film. Head on out to Bandon, Dora or Powers and pick up a copy if this sweet DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0415965/

Have a look at Amazon for information on this DVD:
Martian Child

Old Series Review: The Dick Van Dyke Show

The Dick Van Dyke Show

As I don't see as well as the average person, you might think I wouldn't appreciate such a physical comedy style. I think it helps that they use music to coordinate and emphasize the pratfalls and dancing around they act out on this show.

Carl Reiner created this program as a bit of an art imitating life piece. He worked as a comedy write as depicted by Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam. Mary Tyler Moore began her marvelous comedy career as Van Dyke's wife.

These black and white sketches of suburban New York life tickle with the absurdity of it all. Making us worry about the need for a skit idea or the trials of a housewife that just wants to please her husband. Laugh at their antics and see bits of our own life too.

Bandon, Coos Bay and North Bend all have copies of this DVD. These appear to be separate DVDs with different episodes. I did not watch the library copies. Any episode can stand on it's own. If after viewing you have something to add about these, please do.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054533/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series

Old So and Sos

Daniel Boone,
Trail Blazer

I've never heard of Bruce Bennett, but he stars as Boone. He leads a group of settlers across Indian territory to a fort. A French rabble rouser incites the locals into thinking Boone and his group are there to slaughter them.

I think they could have done a way better job explaining what was going on because I got lost. I knew Indians fought back, it just seemed vague why. I prefer more realistic history to films like this.

Library: DVD in Coquille, VHS in Myrtle Point

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049121/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer

David and Goliath

You'd think Orson Welles would class up the film, but alas, it didn't happen. He plays paranoid King Saul who gets deposed by honorable David. Our hero goes off to certain death to fight the giant. Much to the surprise of all, David defeats Goliath and the king's men start to look to him for leadership.

I guess the time the studio filmed this, they were going through a faith phase. Taking stories from the Bible and playing them out on screen. I am not sure why they didn't put some more effort into making a plot to hold an audience's interest. It fell terribly short of entertainment and or a labor of love of faith.

Library: Bandon, Coquille, North Bend

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054788/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
David & Goliath

Demetrius and the Gladiators

Billed as a sequel to The Robe this film takes off where that one came to an end. Demetrius strives to hide the robe Jesus wore from the Romans. He's captured and trained to fight in the arena.

First he's placed with tigers, then he's expected to fight other gladiators. He refuses until gladiators abuse and appear to kill his lady friend. He abandons God and takes up with the wife of Claudius.

The fighting may entertain for a few minutes but the plot twists and turns tend to make my mind swim. Also the "dramatic" thrashing about acting style leaves a lot to be desired. Ain't no such thing as subtle in 1954 I guess.

Library:DVD in Bandon, VHS in Dora

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046899/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Demetrius and the Gladiators

Poltical Flicks Worth Watching

Death in the Bunker:
The True Story of Hitler's Downfall

This documentary on the last days of Hitler inside his bunker made me wonder about him as a human. He and some of his cohorts preferred death over capture. Though
I don't get why the Goebbels children were executed. Well, that's not true, zealots kill themselves and their family if they don't get their way.

Amazon has more information but I couldn't find this film on IMDB. I did find a few of the people who contributed: Traudl Junge (Hitler's Secretary) Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven (author and adjutant to two of Hitler’s generals) Armin D. Lehmann (Hitler’s courier)

Library: Bandon

No IMDB page, so here's the DVD from Amazon:
Death in the Bunker: The True Story of Hitler's Downfall

Charlie Wilson's War

I'm a huge Tom Hanks fan and I think he's great, but as he's gotten older the roles he's picking just seem not very good. Don't get me wrong, this film has some really good elements that I found interesting, I just didn't see Charlie Wilson. I saw Tom Hanks. Now Julia Roberts, threw herself into her character with gusto. She's almost a caricature of the lady she portrays, but I lost sight of the actress.

A ladies man congressman begins to arrange for the arms and training for the Afghani people to fight the Soviet Union invasion in 1980. He uses his considerable political clout to build consensus and gets the CIA to funnel the equipment. He's urged to do this by socialite Joanne Herring, played by Roberts. Oh and look for Philip Seymour Hoffman's outstanding performance.

I expected more from this film. It should have really shook me up, but all I felt was eh. I think they could have put some pizazz in it. Something that would have moved me in some way. They almost came close when they talked about school funding. That part seemed tacked on just to foreshadow the rise of the Taliban.

Library: Myrtle Point, Coos Bay, Bandon, Dora, Powers and North Bend.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472062/

Check out the DVD from Amazon:
Charlie Wilson's War (Widescreen)

Desert Bayou

I grew up in Las Vegas around Mormons so this film interested me. Katrina refugees from Louisiana find themselves in the Utah desert. The filmmakers followed two families struggling with the different climate both in physical world and the social aspect.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, comes to town to meet with the survivors and help them integrate into the community. An action for which he was fired from his radio show.
He went on to help some families meet with locals and have barbecues and associate with their new neighbors.

I'm not sure what the documentary was trying to say. On one hand, the men from Louisiana featured had problematic pasts and yet the filmmakers were critical of the Salt Lake City residents for not involving refugees more fully into their society.

I suspect the resistance to helping these newcomers assimilate into their society had more to do with rejecting the unfamiliar than real bigotry. After all, the Mormon Church sends missions to Africa. Though that's mainly my personal feeling. We all need to talk to each other.

Library: Bandon

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0899238/

Amazon also has a better page on this film. Have a look:
Desert Bayou

Comedy Special Review: Dress to Kill

Dress to Kill

I felt Circle came off much brainier. Eddie Izzard does such a good job with an audience. I think I commented that he's weird on talk shows though. Ah well. Well worth a couple hours of time. Some of the references are stale, but no matter.

Yet another "adults only" performance. He enjoys juxtapositions of his twisted little connections. It makes sense in the viewing but describing would diminish the program.

Bandon has the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0184424/

Check out Amazon for additional information:
Dress to Kill

Showtime Series Review: Dexter

Dexter

ADULTS ONLY for this one. I wonder if I am a super dirty gal that I love all these adult only programs and comedy bits. Ah well.

Michael C. Hall plays serial killer Dexter. Though he's had his urges channeled into killing "bad" people. Mostly other serial killers. He lives his life as a sociopath with a set of rules that prevent him from killing "good" people.

I don't exactly know how I feel about the morality, I just find the twists the writers take fascinating. How they set up the "rules" for killing and social interaction. The voice over says he fakes all emotional contact, but it feels as though he may have more "true" emotions than even he realizes.

I'm a little squeamish about all the blood and the adult content doesn't stop with the violence. Lots of coarse language and naked breasts and backsides. Beware.

Coos Bay has seasons one and two, Bandon only has season one.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0773262/

Look for additional information on this DVD from Amazon:
Dexter - The First Season
Dexter - The Complete Second Season

Double Dog Day

Day Night Day Night

This film depicts a nondescript girl preparing to set off a suicide bomb in the center of Times Square. Luisa Williams stars as she. Never named, never explained why she might wish to do this or who the people prepping her are. They also explain nothing of their agenda.

This profound topic might need an exploration similar to this, however, this has zero entertainment value. It went on too long and didn't make me wonder about the elements left in or left out. I wish to be moved. I like films that intrigue me. I expect that, in fact.

Bandon has the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499455/

Look up additioanl information from Amazon:
Day Night Day Night

Death of a President

This fictionalized assassination of George W. Bush kinda freaked me out. It strikes me as bordering on treasonous to propose and confusing of history. They mixed stock footage of Bush visiting Chicago with personal interviews with staff, security, cops and suspects. The documentary style made it seem real.

Even being a huge liberal, I felt uncomfortable watching it. I wondered if the filmmakers hoped that someone would do this. I didn't like that. I don't agree with his politics but I believe in our system and he IS the president.

Some of the topics of who the perpetrator ended up being I felt had some validity in how it was portrayed. But I sincerely wish they'd picked a fictional figure head to play out the fake story. In my mind, nothing could save the film from that flaw.

Badon aslo has this film.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0853096/

Check out Amazon for information on this DVD:
Death of a President (Widescreen)

One Post Two Reviews

Due to my election fever I didn't get online until past midnight. I figured the post date would be Wednesday anyway so I waited till today. Tuesday's film will be watchable with a normal Wednesday soso. Enjoy!

Criss Cross

Lovers Burt Lancaster and Yvonne De Carlo get together in a plot to kill her husband and run away together. It was nice seeing De Carlo without her Lily Munster makeup. I knew she was a studio starlet but I hadn't seen her in anything before.

As a plot, the story telegraphed the probable happenings. In thrillers, I prefer unexpected twists and turns.

Maybe you're not as picky as me. Check out the DVD from Bandon. Merely watchable.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041268/

Look at the reviews on Amazon:
Criss Cross (Universal Noir Collection)

Metropolis

OK, I'm only calling this less than stellar because the Coos Bay copy was poorly produced on DVD. There's a really neat version set to modern music put out several years ago. Forgive my poor skills at finding the information on that version through IMDB.

I also lowered my rating because it's very much over visual. Which is pretty much a DUH realization as it's a silent film. But there you have it.

In this future, humanity divided itself into two groups: thinkers and workers. These groups never mix until one man thinker falls for a woman worker. Those who wish to keep the two separate societies create a robot in the likeness of the girl and try and thwart the man's interest in the workers.

Much neato robot and other visual effects make the images really interesting. Though viewing them did leave me a bit confused.

Avoid the Coos Bay copy, but have a look at the North Bend DVD or Bandon's VHS copy.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/

I figured if you wanted to buy a version of this film, Pick a good copy. This Amazon page contains tons of interesting information:
Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition)

Movie Review: Chaplin

Chaplin

Robert Downey Jr. leads the cast portraying the life of a man who dominated the silent film industry. It seems the universe hands out great sadness with great talent as we see Chaplin's life rocked by troubled marriages and scandals of many kinds.

Downey garnered himself Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for his characterizations. Possibly cementing himself as an outstanding go to actor despite his own personal demons.

Director Richard Attenborough, is credited with pulling amazing performances from the entire cast. Look for Anthony Hopkins, Dan Aykroyd and Kevin Kline.

Check Bandon for the DVD and North Bend and Coquille have VHS copies.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103939/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Chaplin (15th Anniversary Edition)