mbkfox Reviews

The Conners: Friends in High Places and Horse Surgery (2020) Season 3, Episode 5

Harsh

[6/10 · 27 November 2020]

If I had one word to describe this episode, the title word would fit perfectly. I'm used to the characters laughing at themselves in their situations and oft times taking pokes at each ther, but this episode was a rip fest. Very uncomfortable. Uncomfortablility can have its place, but when it is so awkward that it starts leaving the realm of believability, then it detracts from the episode. On the one hand, most sisters and daughters, even ones that make fun of each other, wouldn't land such severe direct hits at each othe like the ones delivered throughout these 30 minutes. And on the other hand, if the lines I heard here were actually delivered IRL, the victim would never take it so easily. So, when characters react as they did here with such little believability, you start to realize that the writers are just looking to set up the next line and not keeping focus on immersing you into their created reality, which is what a television program is supposed to do. Instead, you get snapped out of it.

But the laughs were still there, and Conners being Conners like this is way better than no Conners at all, so I'll survive a few harsh shows because the long run is still worth it. I also love how the arcs continue, the Jackie storyline and the Darlene storyline, while others get tucked away for later, like Emilio being absent. I've always enjoyed the Roseanne style of long term storyline storytelling. Just stop being so mean to each other. And if you have to be mean, try not to be so freakin' harsh!

The Conners: Birthdays, Babies and Emotional Support Chickens (2020) Season 3, Episode 4

For better or for worse

[7/10 · 27 November 2020]

I really like how the show doesn't always have to be just a comedy. It can have its tense and super difficult moments and we can see how the characters react in Conner fashion, with dark dry sarcasm. Its as if they ae saying "You can give me a super difficult situation which is impossible to truly be free from, especially not in 30 minutes, but I still get to be in control and make fun of it."

I think because if this, this show (Roseanne and The Conners) is one of the most inspirational programs I have lived with over the years. My friend came over to my house once and said to me, "I don't understand, you're old and your life has almost no real prospects to get better. Why aren't you more depressed?" And I said "I still have hope. I could totally still make it" And we both laughed at the notion. I think it was the past 30 years of this show that has given me that attitude that no matter what the situation, I'm in control, of at least my sense of humor.

Anyway, this espiode was a super difficult one for the fictitious family, and it continued to tell a great story. To be able to laugh at oneself about a dead family member, a life of terrible relationships, infertility, and illegal immigration, all in one episode. That's what the Conners is about, and it's needed.

Also, super weird and surreal that in a crowd scene everyone is wearing a mask. How will the show be watched in syndication in ten years? Do other shows do this, too? I don't watch other sitcoms so I don't know if it's a thing. Either way, what crazy times we're living in.

The Conners: Beards, Thrupples and Robots (2020) Season 2, Episode 15

They turned chicken s--- into lemonade!

[8/10 · 27 March 2020]

At the start of the episode it was looking like they were veering into sitcom cliche land: Jackie finds herself in an odd relationship, Darlene has to work under her child, how wacky! How 90s. I predicted that either Darlene would be so amazing she has to fire Harris or just something was going to happen. It was just such an obvious set up for sitcom hijinx.

Luckily, I still gave the show a chance and, okay, who am I kidding I have seen every episode of Roseanne and the Conners so I wasn't going to stop, but I was not just pleasantly surprised, but actually incredibly entertained with the hilarity of it all. Sure, I was right, both cenarios were a set up for sitcom stories to unfold, but they did it in masterfull Roseanne/Conners tradition that brought out legitimate laughter that more than made up for everything else. The characters stayed uproariously funny while remaining consistent in their personas and it made for a very enjoyable 23 minutes. (The throuple payoff scene and the ribbing Ben's new face were spot on.)

Well done. I'm sorry I doubted you.

Grace Is Gone (2007)

You Don't Get It - This Movie is Completely Anti-War

[15 June 2016]

Many reviewers gushed about how this movie is a wonderful drama about coping after a loss. Sure it is, but that's not the point of the movie.

It was clear when watching this film that it was one thing only: preachy propaganda. Now, I'm not judging the message of the preachy propaganda, just pointing out what this film is: One strong, loud message, which is so blaring that it scared people away from the box office. It wasn't an emotional fiction, it was 100% political commentary, and moviegoers can smell that a mile away and they usually don't like that. They want entertainment, not a sermon. Not only that, I further submit that John Cusak is an extremely intelligent person and knows exactly what he was doing by agreeing to take on this project. He knew the movie wouldn't do financially well but the message probably spoke to his beliefs.

It's not an anti-war message in the literal sense. The point isn't "War is Bad." It's more of an anti-Bush's stupid notion to go into Iraq itself. It's mostly critiquing Bush's main reason of going into Iraq, namely "Ahm a war prezidunt." Most Americans realize now that Bush wanted to go into Iraq, Iran, Syria, and North Korea for a campaign against evil without 1) understanding the true consequences of attempting it and 2) without the determination to stay hard when things get messy, which things did, which is why he never made it past Iraq. This movie's message is: "Hey, future presidential leaders! Please realize that when you make some tossed-out decision about "gowin' tawore" that you're sending real actual men and women who have lives, who have families, and there will be huge repercussions for each loss, every victim is a major tragedy, not just 'Oh, cool, we only lost 4 this week.'" I think the writer of this movie felt that this message was a necessary one to reach the hearts of every American because he probably believed that the Iraq war was a half-thought out plan that Bush decided on just because he felt like it. To make my theory more obvious, they even had a scene where Cheney or Rumsfeld or whomever was saying the rhetoric of 'if we don't continue our aggression it will be seen as a sign of weakness.' Liberals HATE that line of reasoning, which is why it's in here, to have viewers scream "That's why soldiers are dying?!"

So, where do I stand? I definitely agree with the message of the film but at the same time, I had no idea I was signing up to join a rally for 90 minutes in watching a movie. The obviousness of the film's message was a bit eye rolling, that's all. And it therefore seems like a project or an after-school special for adults that only reached a handful of US audiences. I guess it's good to have it out there for the record. Perhaps it can even be shown in schools. Great, stellar acting by all, for what it's worth.

Redemption Road (2010)

An after-school special for adults

[5/10 · 8 March 2016]

The first hour was boreville. I only watched it because Luke Perry was in it and it was fun to see him in a Texan bad dude role. Things started picking up towards the end, and even though the film's tedious pace and low talking rhythm frustrated any enjoyment out of me, the movie managed to still jerk some metaphorical tears out of me, despite my protests at the notion of "giving in" to a movie who's life lesson was as overt as a special edition of Saved By The Bell. The film was so preachy, they literally ended with a church choir. The actors played their roles well, and it's no wonder how the movie managed to secure such talent for a excitement-less film: Actors love taking on pet projects once in a while to teach a lesson that is near and dear to their hearts and I'm sure they all have someone in their life that they know who are victims of alcohol abuse. So, the writer writes his script and it's an easy sell. But it didn't translate well because the message was way too obvious. It's a tough balance to strike, because if the lesson isn't too obvious, the lesson won't be received, but here the film strikes the opposite fate. I'd like my 90 minutes back, thank you. And I could use a drink.

The Muppets.: Because... Love (2016) Season 1, Episode 16

Okay, fine, they're allowed one secret weapon

[10/10 · 8 March 2016]

I've been very hard on the show the entire post-break season, and they deserved it for many reasons, most notably their sudden Prozac- injected mood that permeated the series once the series creator left, the lack of Muppet trademark irreverence and zaniness, as well as the abandoning of storyline overabundance per show in favor of a more focused, 90's sitcom flavored, emptier type of storytelling. This episode still had many of those issues, but whatever they lacked in those aforementioned departments was made up for in a huge influx of Muppet nostalgia. Every television series' season finale is always expected to be bigger and better and more exciting than their regular episodes, and The Muppets' season (hopefully just season) farewell definitely lived up to that requirement. There was an extra layer of excitement, urgency and bravado that was felt in the story, the set, and the welcomed classic acts. Its job was to wrap up the ongoing arc without being too conclusive and that was done very well. Still, the puns are all but gone. The only joke I really enjoyed was, when Piggy kept accusing Kermit of waffling, the Swedish Chef would show up offering waffles, with the third and final waffle gag of the set being the cutest.

I would have given the show an 8.5, but a Mahna Mahna appearance will always force any grade up to a 10. So cheap! That trick only works once per series though!

The Muppets.: Generally Inhospitable (2016) Season 1, Episode 15

And it's nostalgia with the extra half point

[8/10 · 6 March 2016]

I would give this episode a 7.5, which I generously round up to an 8... since IMDb makes you choose a round number. The story still lacks substance, the jokes are still not funny. When Pepe says "You know when we do things without a plan and they usually turn out great?" "Yea!" "Yea, deez eez not one of dem times." Those aren't funny lines, those are sitcom lines. Blah.

But, once again, a select few jokes made the chuckle meter, the story was interesting, albeit still empty of fullness which I can't quite explain, and I'm a sucker for two things that made this episode get higher ratings that it deserved: Muppet slapstick humor and nostalgia. This episode had both. Piggy made me laugh out loud when she fell on her face, second time in 2 consecutive episodes, it's dumb but if I enjoy it I gotta be honest. When she fell to ceiling it had the same effect. It was a slapstick-filled night. As for nostalgia, bringing back Veterinarians Hospital with it's Up Late reality twist was amazing and a perfect tribute, as was hearing the Swedish Chef's signature song and Dr. Honeydew and Beaker. These bits saved the show.

The Pizza sub plot added no excitement, though it was told properly, I guess. The puns were as missed as Gonzo. And finally, the ending was made out to be something we've never seen before, except for the fact that it felt like the 1,000,000th time they've played that angle. Who's The Boss once again. Not sure if this show will last with the mainstreamers, but as a lifelong fan I had a fun time despite the issues. Also Janice's snuggling was original Muppet- humor cute and Willie Nelson is a great performer.

The Muppets.: Little Green Lie (2016) Season 1, Episode 14

Great to see a Who's the Boss Reunion!

[6/10 · 23 February 2016]

I'm starting to see what The Muppets are becoming, a 90's sitcom with two stories. I'm okay with that except for the fact that it's not as funny as the good 90's sitcoms like Friends, Seinfeld, Married with Children, Fresh Prince, or Mad About You. The rhythm is more empty and blah like Grace Under Fire, Webster, or Empty Nest. The 2 main story lines this week were pretty cliché, Gonzo's buddies miss him as a wingman now that he has his girlfriend back and Tony and Angela have to pretend they're together and then comically hide from a bunch of people and then finally bring themselves even closer to the conclusion that it would be great if they really were together. Err, I mean Kermit and Piggy.

The ancientness of these stories would be more bearable, however, if the jokes that surrounded them were more nonstop, as featured on Muppets Tonight and The Muppet Show. You can see that the writers do try here and there to sprinkle their Muppet dose of comedy, but it seems like they're toning the jokes down a tad in favor of the drama. I disagree with this approach as I strongly believe you can have both hilarious nonstop laughter along with deep meaningful drama, that's how Friends became the top show in the world.

Some of the humor missed the mark completely, like Zoot saying he didn't leave the building last night because, "The sign said 'Fire Door.' I didn't want to risk it." Ugh. Some of the jokes were decent, like Zoot saying, "Nothing fixes a broken home like a chair." Wise words indeed. And two times I caught myself chuckling out loud. The first was when the entire crew ran away when Robin (who it was nice to see!) said hello. And the second was Robin's line on understanding that his parents broke up due to them being so different: "My mom likes quiet nights indoors and my dad likes my teacher."

Nice to see Fozzy mentioning having a girlfriend and Scooter remembering his nemesis Ken, the little consistency meant something. Sam Eagle still has yet to acknowledge his crush, though. I guess that's over.

I'm still not comfortable with how Piggy is now super nice. The nauseous smiling opener is back to set the tone and the mood of the series contains deliberately less tension now than it did before, a shame because more stress has an ability to make jokes funnier when applied correctly.

Despite my gripes, I really enjoy watching my favorite characters interact in novel ways and in this reality-esque setting. Because of that, this episode was still intriguing and held my interest, though there's so much greater potential for this style of series and I do hope they get it right. In the very least, tons more puns, please!

The Final Storm (2010)

Cute little Canadian movie

[6/10 · 23 February 2016]

Nothing particularly terribly awful about this film. After going through all of Luke Perry's movies until this one, The Final Storm seems par for the course for a cheap film. Small hometown cast and location and a kooky story to keep things going.

Luke Perry departs a bit from his Dylan persona to bring out his southern baptist evil bible thumping character that he's toyed with on occasion. He does it believably, that's a testament (no pun intended) to his superb and experienced acting skills. The other main characters were all played well, too. The story didn't blow me away like a big budgeter would. Though you can't expect that it should, I don't look at the movie's production price before watching, so I treat all movies equally and they usually cost the consumer equal amounts so it would be fair to stack this movie against Batman, The Godfather, Men in Black, whatever. So, up against those guys, this movie is cheap and is not as much of a thrilling 90 minutes. But for what it is, it's fun, it keeps you guessing, and it has you rooting at the right moments.

I almost stopped watching after the first minute because Luke Perry's been in so many movies about storms, I thought this must have been one I'd already seen. Turns out, nope, here came yet another storm film from the former heartthrob.

Lots of question remain unanswered after the film's ending, which is annoying, most movies wrap 99% of their story up at Fin time, but the conclusion is satisfactory enough to say, "Cool, that was fun," and, of course, it leaves you wanting more, especially more answers!

If you could watch any movie in the world I wouldn't tell you to bother with this one. But if for some reason you had it in your hand and were wondering if it should be played, I wouldn't be compelled to stop you. Grab some popcorn and enjoy, especially on a stormy night!

The Muppets.: Got Silk? (2016) Season 1, Episode 13

I think I'm getting it... Am I?

[17 February 2016]

I'm still trying to figure out how the show "changed" since episode 10. The media that was all the rave (well, the Muppets media) was about how The Muppets after its hiatus was going in a slightly newer direction. I keep forgetting what that newer direction is supposed to be and I keep trying to place what it is while I watch the show. Though really, that's not my job as a viewer. My main role is to see if I'm enjoying the show or not. So, I'll try to combine those two ideas now:

Once again, the last few episodes before the show took a hiatus were incredible, they were hilarious and moving, the two most important aspects that this show needs to hit in order to achieve high praise across the board, which they did earn. After break, not as much. I think the show (here comes the possible change) is trying to look a little happier, a little less dark, and the characters a little more nice to each other. That doesn't have to be the worst thing in the world but there are other slight changes that are killing the show. For example, emotions don't run quite as deep, which sounds crazy to say as this episode explores just how lonely Miss Piggy is, that's a deep topic! And it also looks at Kermit's sadness in losing Denise, double misery! So, you would think, hello, there's depth right there. Sorry, not buying it. Especially because pre-hiatus EVERYONE had issues. Sam Eagle had a desperate crush, Fozzie had a bad relationship, Scooter kept mumbling about his mom and her beau, Yolanda was scheming, lots was going on at once. It was Muppet mayhem and it was awesome. It just feels a bit more 80's sitcommy and hollow now.

The other thing that started to hit its stride but is now gone are the plethora of gags per minute. It's like they're being reduced, by a lot, and that's never a good thing. The puns are all but missing, the slapstick is too few and far between. Just not the same, man. I did get a chuckle watching Piggy fall from her silk and smiled a bit when Pepe smack attacked Gonzo, but meh. You've changed, bro, and I've noticed.

And was that un-PC racism I noticed in this episode? What the heck? I'll take edgy and all, and I'm a Donald Trump and Family Guy fan but when the Muppets go racist it's a bit weird. When Miss Piggy meets a black girl who is clearly dressed like everyone else, she offers her money and says "I'll have two towels and a water, please!" Oy. And why did Bobo the Bear, standing next to Ru Paul on their "TV Show," mutter, "I hope my army buddies aren't watching." Ouch. I may have interpreted them wrong, but still, that means anyone could also interpret it like that, and I urge anyone who wants to judge to watch it first.

Sorry for being a negative Nancy and panning everything this ep offered, but the Pizza guy seems like a Jump-The-Shark addition so that conflicts can now be external vs. internal. Seems childish. And the ending, I don't want this to be a spoiler so let's just say I found a big loophole in the big conclusion which goes a little something like "No, that's his job! He's not Smithers!"

Anything else that was positive? I did like the song at the end, Ingrid Michaelson sang beautifully, and it was good to see Gloria Estefan back as a nod to continuity, though another possible Jump- the-Shark addition. Sorry, couldn't help complaining!

Finally, it's interesting how they took out the opening theme in this episode (unless I missed it or something). Pre-break the opener was the office scrambling and Kermit not getting to have his coffee (sad, dark humor). Post-break it became he doesn't get his coffee but then Miss Piggy returns and gives it to him, awww, so happy (blech). Now, they've scraped the whole thing in this episode. Are they doing it like the Simpsons do a lot and sometimes not have their full open? Or is it a sign that they're still trying to find their stride? If it's the latter, shows that are still trying to find themselves in episode 13 amidst poor ratings can be in trouble. ABC owns them so they may give them a little leeway, but right now I'm just praying they just get shafted to cable instead of getting the axe. Then maybe they'll find themselves eventually and create amazing content. Season 3 on ABC Family here we come, wohoo!

The Muppets.: A Tail of Two Piggies (2016) Season 1, Episode 12

Improvement from last episode

[7/10 · 9 February 2016]

Last episode was a big disappointment, coming off of a series high in episode 10. It just lacked everything, most importantly, enjoyment. But episode 12 found the cutesy jokes back in a big way, from Piggy saying she prepares looking beautiful by waterboarding. "Waterboarding?" "I tell my waterboardist everything," to the simple corny line of "I just wish I could put all this tail stuff behind me."

The arc story lines still feel like a forced reset but I'm hoping it will sink back into its groove soon. The message of the show seemed a bit 10-15 years ago, as I think they were parodying Ellen's sitcom coming out with an episode about Miss Piggy wishing to reveal her tail on the show much to the sponsor's protests.

Oh, and I also loved the line about how, not only were the sponsors angry, but the Million Angry Parents Association were also outside demonstrating. The Muppets riff on everything, it's great!

I'ts not a complete click, but I'm hopeful it will find its groove before becoming another Muppets Tonight. Not confident, but hopeful.

The Muppets.: Swine Song (2016) Season 1, Episode 11

Ouch, not such a welcome back.

[3/10 · 9 February 2016]

So, the season/series started with some good, some bad, mainly blah episodes. Then it really started to click and find itself. It became kind of like a real sitcom, as it was a funny show that had story arcs that all progressed at whatever pace and was enjoyable to go through. In the episode before this one, for example,, Scooter, Dr. Honeydew, Fozzy, Kermit/Piggy, Sam Eagle, and Yolanda all had their own stories, big or small, and there was tons of corny puns and humor mixed in that were laugh out loud funny. Same with the episode before it. What happened here?! Apparently, behind the scenes there was a major shakeup, one of the creators left the show, as he din't like the "creative direction" the series was heading in. Which creative direction? Was he against the multiple arcs and great corny Muppet puns (like back when Kermit said "I feel awful," and Bobo said "Falafel? That sounds great!" I love that stuff!) or was he the one pushing for it and lost the battle? I hope it wasn't the latter! Either way, he's now gone, the show took 2 months to reboot and find itself again, and we were given this episode, one that (probably not so) coincidentally was about the fictional show the muppets produce needing an overhaul to please the networks.

So I don't really care what overhaul decision the fictional show needed, but if this new episode was a taste of things to come, I'm afraid The Muppets on ABC is doomed. There was not one joke at all that had me laughing out loud and the storyline progression suddenly felt forced. Gone were any mention of Fozzy's girlfriend, Scooter's nemesis Ken, or even Sam Eagle's crush. Not only was the main story not so gripping, there were even stale moments that just felt like the show was going nowhere at all. Scary. I hope this is all just rust and the show will be back to its good self again, because the past 4 episodes showed that they have a real gem on their hands. Fingers cr...wish it luck!

The Muppets.: Single All the Way (2015) Season 1, Episode 10

Amazing comeback!

[10/10 · 9 February 2016]

It took a while but this show is finally clicking on all cylinders... I may have messed up my clichés. Regardless, the past few episodes of this show have been awesome. The first few episodes of the series were very miss, but lately the lines have been cornily hilarious while the story arcs progressing a little here and there and are very moving. I like how there are tons of little story lines to follow for so many characters: Fozzy has girlfriend issues, Kermit's balancing between his current and his ex, Scooter has to deal with his mom's boyfriend, secretary Yolanda has her own development, and the Muppets stay within the punny and heartwarming realms even with their more adult problems. It just works great. If the show continues like this then I see it recapturing America's hearts... and ratings!

Good Intentions (I) (2010)

Stupid people doing idiotic things?

[6/10 · 8 February 2016]

Always wondering what the point of a movie is. Okay, I'm usually not because usually the movie tells the viewer as the film progresses. Even The Royal Tenenbaums was a movie about a family just being dysfunctional, despite the fact that nothing much happens, it's a great film. Good Intentions, for all its good intentions, was a bit flat. Usually movies are about a family, a relationship, a human psychology and something changes that in a life altering way, or a crime or tragedy that does the same. So, it was unexpected when this movie did none of this. It was really about stupid and poor people continuing to go in over their heads in stupid schemes. So, on the one hand I'm thinking "is that all this is about? seems trite for a movie," while on the other hand I'm thinking "Wow, this film really speaks to me," as I know soooo many people who are poor, scheming, and constantly going in over their heads in stupid schemes. Especially me. Therefore the movie should speak to me more, it just didn't. I was busy trying to figure out if this was a comedy, drama, crime movie, or a ridiculous plot that was based on a true story. Usually when movies come out of left field, it's because they're based on a true story, or else why would they be greenlit. I haven't checked to see yet, but that's what it looked like. When the mother was in the station waggon with her two sons, I was thinking, "Oh no, this movie is about that lady who drowned her two kids by driving them all into the lake," and I braced myself. That would have made sense as to the point of the movie, but nope.

This wacky flick was decent. Elaine Hendrix was so believable as a hot Georgian hick wife that by the end you start only looking at her as a woman who's hot like your girlfriend or wife would be hot. And wow to Leanne Rimes, congrats to her for pulling off the hot sister role, she used to, um, not be cast in that role so that's a huge achievement as she easily fit as Pam. Perry was good in this, did his role well, but it didn't call for him to stand out at all so he just played his part the way he needed to.

The acting all around was good, the story got a bit campy at times, the humor hit the mark 1 out of 3 times, and the pacing was erratic.

For some reason it just played like a made for TV movie based on a true story, but the idea behind the film, that we constantly go in over our heads, is a great message. Just felt that the conclusion wasn't believable until you classify it as a ridiculous comedy, but it wasn't that funny. Hence the weirdness of it all...

Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency (2009)

Luke Perry movies are like a box of chocolate

[3/10 · 8 February 2016]

I'm going through the Perry movies and sometimes you get 10 star winners... and sometimes you get Sam Steele's Detective Agency. I'm guessing Des Moines and their film credit were seeking some kind of movie to make and this fell in their laps and "Yay, we get to be Hollywood for a month!" Can't blame them for wanting some movie action. But like most film grant movies, the money is in the tax breaks and not expected in real revenue. The script was fine for a kids flick but 90% of the acting was awful, the direction and edits, which usually make up for bad acting, was even worse than the acting, and the action was slow, as they were busy also trying to incorporate showing off some of Des Moines here and there. The soundtrack was cliché but fun, as it was cute how they played accordion music each time the French villain was on screen.

Not an enjoyable movie, as I had to fast forward through the tedious scenery and "action" scenes, but the story was passable for kid entertainment. The story was passable, not the acting. I can't imagine how even a child could enjoy the first receptionist's monotonous talking (even if it was supposed to be on purpose, it didn't deliver) or a news reporter that looked like she was hired from the casting couch. Katherine McNamara was very good and Darren Kennedy was almost decent, as well. Sorry, Fogle, not you, though...

But Luke Perry's gotta work and I'm sure the role paid the bills for him. Speaking of bills, he rightfully got a top billing credit out of the gig. This was fair because he was the biggest star in the film, though it was still awkward because if there's a title character, that person would usually get the cast credit. I don't blame Perry for taking on the film, he had a busy 2009, which is where I'm up to in following him. No projects he's done, though, are worth praising since 2007's John From Cincinnati or 2006's Windfall and nothing memorable that had real Perry fingerprints since Johnson County War and Jeremiah in 2002-2004. I see he did a lot in 2010 and I'll be checking those out next. Here's hoping...

Johnson County War (2002– )

Very moving, has everything you need in a Western

[9/10 · 27 January 2016]

I had a feeling a third of the way in that, although 1 hour had already passed, this film was still going to feel like a regular length movie. It did. After watching this I wonder how any movie can not be 3 hours in length. The story was told well, built up nicely, climaxed grippingly, and then faded, well, awfully. Yea, didn't like the ending much. After 3 hours, could you believe it, I still wanted more.

The acting was perfect. At first you wonder who all these people are, it's a confusing cast of characters with a Marshal, and sheriff, the hired hand, his assistant, the rich British bad guy, 7 other rich guys in the high society club, the good guys, just so many people. And they're all speaking this 19th century Wyoming English that you struggle at first to know what the heck anyone's talking about, but I realized that the story will carry me through these patches. They sure did, Ma'am, and by hour 2 these people were my family and I was living he homesteading life (had to pause to Wikipedia what a Homestead was but that was worth the quick break and really educational).

I liked how, even though the British rich bad guy and his butler were evil jerks for "everything" they caused (I'm keeping this spoiler- free), they still managed to be hilarious at the same time ("Quick thinking, Sir" had me bursting). It added some good relief for this heavy drama. So we have heavy drama, a touch of comic relief, tons of action, romance, and of course the town prostitute who everyone respects, yes this movie had everything.

I watched this movie because I've decided to travel through all of Luke Perry's movies after marathoning 90210 and wishing for more of the Dylan McKay character. He does that in some of his later roles. In this one he does not but he plays this role perfectly. Same goes for everyone else.

The writing was exceptional. Sometimes the rare line is tossed out that is a bit cliché, but perhaps that's to be expected for a Western, no? The rest of the while the dialogue was incredible, the way everyone spoke was so appropriate sounding. Everyone sounded like in those days people just spoke smarter than we do now.

All in all, I enjoyed, then I was gripped, and I was moved. Great Hallmark movie that I highly recommend.

Fogbound (2002)

Not enjoyable in the usual sense

[3/10 · 26 January 2016]

Of course, that basically means it's not enjoyable at all, however I'm sure the writer or director or both or whomever was going for some kind of artistic merit or to make one of those psychedelic movies, though there was nothing psychedelic about it. It just wreaked of independent film. So, if you're into that, where the story progression is so awful you need to check Tinder, where 3 stories are suppose to weave and make sense, where things do happen but do they really?, ugh, then maybe you'll enjoy this one. I was just not in the mood for it, just wanted to watch some Luke Perry acting. The acting was decent, well played even, by all parties, but it just went nowhere. I had to sit through a trite, boring couples therapy for 90 minutes which felt like longer. I feel bad giving this film the review I'm giving because maybe it's just my mood. Maybe it's a great artistic piece or commentary and I'm just not in the mood to give it a chance, looking for the same old Hollywood 3 act story and therefore I'm not giving this film the credit it deserves just because I'm in the mood for a different kind of movie. Maybe, but then if that were true, how come nobody else ever reviewed this film for the first 14 years of it existing until now? I imagine it wasn't well received. Therefore I imagine I am correct. Heck, I loved Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I enjoyed Being John Malkovic. I can get into weird movies. This must just be then, bad.

Attention Shoppers (2000)

Really? What the hell....?

[2/10 · 21 January 2016]

Not sure what I just watched there. For my legions of fans who follow my reviews, all one of you (me), you'll know I watch these movies because I'm a fan of Luke Perry, that's what brings me to them. I like his acting style and enjoy the odd films that he finds himself in as he earns his living trying his best to set himself apart and show that he's not just Dylan McKay. Once in a while, the film or show he gets to be a part of is quite good. Not this time. Luke was fine, though. All the actors were fine, they all played their parts like true professionals. But the story... Geez what the... Just utter, pure, like, why would anyone write such a thing. How is this a story? I often enjoy movies where nothing happens, like Wes Anderson type movies, but usually those films have an interestingness about them while nothing really progresses. Not here. This was just, yea, lousy. There were some parts, like where the main character meets another person in his business on the plane, where I thought something was going to pick up and a story would begin, but it just never materialized. Like I don't even know if they were going for the so bad it's quirky and ridiculously funny because it wasn't. If you enjoy watching pure blah, and sometimes I am in the mood for that, then I highly recommend watching this. But I wasn't looking for it tonight and that's what I got. Oh well, next...

Jeremiah (2002–2004)

Wow. This was amazing. And then season 2.

[8/10 · 21 January 2016]

I got this issue, you see. After deciding to marathon all 10 seasons of 90210 (the original), I just couldn't get enough of the coolness of Dylan McKay. I wanted to be him, to admire him, and watch more of him. Well, after 10 seasons, Dylan was gone, and Luke Perry expressed many times that he wished nothing more than to move on and show he was more than a one trick pony. And that's much to my chagrin because I wanted to see more Dylan. Even in a different role I wanted to see someone like the Dylan character and it was a problem because Perry was busy trying to build his versatility in roles that had him be the bad guy (Angel and the Bad Man, Upstairs), a southerner (8 seconds), a hungry agent (John From Cincinnati), anything, just not Dylan. Finally, though, he brought a Dylan like character back for Jeremiah, this show, and it was better than 90210!

This show was amazing, the feeling, the story, the coolness, the striving of each character, the arcs, the incredible dynamic between Luke/Jeremiah and Malcolm/Kurdy, everything. I marathoned this one, too, and the first season was absolutely non-stop riveting. This was Luke's finest since Dylan and it really should have continued forever. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to watch amazingness and perfection. Season 1, that is...

Season 2 had 2 issues, First of all it was still very good and enjoyable and entertaining. But it started to become a farce of itself as many plot turns which should have taken months to evolve, took weeks. This was because the producers were told like at the last minute that their (e.g.) 26 episode order had been cut down to like 13, I just made up these numbers because I'm a movie viewer not a researcher but the point is I know that there was a cut down of episode orders so everything had to be rushed, so I can't blame the writers for speeding up the plot. But the second problem, without giving too much away, the whole concept of season 2 bothered me: If they lived in a world after the apocalypse, struggling to find even the most remote traces of life, as they did in season 1, how could there have been a big huge city right around the corner that nobody knew about until season 2!?! I mean geez. So that plot hole took away a lot of enjoyment, because you could just see that it was this glaring addition that no writer thought about at all during season 1 and then said, hey, let's design this new thing in season 2. Took a lot of believability away.

Other than that, this show is a must watch. After the series was cancelled fans had campaigns to have them try and revamp the show and I would have fully supported it, but it sadly didn't make enough noise. I hope you watch it and enjoy just as I have!

Angel and the Bad Man (2009 TV Movie)

Decent Acting but Very cliché

[5/10 · 19 January 2016]

I came to watch the movie because I'm a fan of Luke Perry so I like to check out his work. It looks like most people here watched the movie because they wanted to see the new version of John Wayne's classic ... and were disappointed. Many of them opined that perhaps if someone didn't know about the incredible classic movie and just watched it on their own then they wouldn't be so let down with how the film turned out. I'm here to say that that's a wrong assumption. Yuccch. What a cliché movie. Starts off with the legendary gunslinger walking into the message carrier's office, "Hey you, I need to deliver a message." "Now, wait just a minute, you can't tell me what to do, this shop is closed." "I'm sorry Quirt, it looks like you won't get to send the message." "Uh, d-d-did you just say Quirt? As in famous Quirt?? Never mind there, friend, I'll do whatever you want, sir!" And the scenes like this just keep coming.

The fun action does pick up toward the last ten minutes and the climax begins to pique the interest, but that doesn't make up for the previous hour of blech. Not only that, Luke Perry , although a central role, isn't in much of the film, which is why I watched it in the first place (then again, if you watching because of LDP or to watch this remake that shouldn't bother you, I guess).

I also kept trying to figure out that in real life, who would take LDP seriously as a cowboy given his ethnicity as this movie's time was back when everyone was a racist? Wouldn't they at least mention it in the story? Would women be swooning over him back in the 1800's or whenever this was? Just curious. But it didn't take away from his acting, which was spot on.

The ending was feel-good Hollywood, though I was really preparing myself emotionally for a proper yet depressingly tragic conclusion, the fact that I didn't get it and instead got a happily ever after gives me mixed feelings. I left the movie feeling like I really liked it because alls well that ended well, but the cinema connoisseur in me felt like they took the cheap way out. In the end I guiltfully enjoyed watching my guy Luke Perry, the movie made me feel good (but I also like drinking Coca Cola), and over the years I've been conditioned to not regret watching films like these because of those two reasons. However, the truist in me knows this movie wasn't amazing. Then again, look at the budget and the M.O.W. destination, you can't really expect a masterpiece, so there's really no reason to complain. I'm just saying, if you had the choice to watch a million amazing movies or this one...

The Enemy (2001)

Cool, Dylan is a nuclear geneticist or somethingorother!

[7/10 · 17 March 2013]

I bought this DVD to watch Luke Perry, to continue on my journey in watching everything he's done. He was good in it and believable. I only found out afterwards that the British sounding guy was a James Bond. Cool. I expected a B-movie plot, budget, and acting, and a sub par story that will hopefully have me a little entertained. So, in all those regards, boy did this movie deliver! I had fun watching, didn't grow bored, and there were plenty of chase and action scenes to keep the excitement going for those who like that sort of genre, too.

Luke likes to try different roles, like the bad guy, the southern guy, the husbandy guy, the shady guy, etc. to try to expand his versatility, I guess, and I can't hold that against him. It's his acting career and his choice to make. But I'm a fan of Dylan! It's my favorite type of role of his. He's recreated the Dylan character in other shows after 90210, like in Jeremiah. I was overjoyed to see that for this role he brought out more Dylan, albeit a genius version of it, which is fine! It seems that he has a comfortability doing that role whenever he plays a character that has a strenuous relationship with his father, like in 90210 and Jeremiah. So, in that regard, this movie really delivered for me, awesome stuff!

Rated R for violence that you would see on TV and "some language"? Weird.

The movie got a tad technical at times and that could be a bit confusing, with gene splicing, Interpol, and computer jargon, but it stayed honest enough that it sounded all legit. A funny part of the movie where it was a "big reveal" (don't worry, it was only a big reveal for a split second of the scene) when the main character says, "Tell me now! What does WMD stand for!" And when he got his answer it was supposed to be eye-opening. It's sad that only a few months after the release of this movie, WMD became a household term.

Recommended if you're a Luke Perry fan and want to see more of his work. Also recommended if you're a B-movie fan and like action movies that no one has heard of. Not much else reason to watch this one.

The Heist (2000 Video)

Amazing!... For a B-Movie

[9/10 · 9 May 2012]

Great action, cute dose of comedy, great storytelling, everybody played their roles really well and it was an enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes. I bought the DVD to see Luke Perry, I was pleasantly surprised to see David Faustino, another fave, and I enjoyed each character. The writer, director, and producer should be proud of what they put together, especially with the obviously limited budget. I don't recall ever watching a made-for-DVD B-movie before, but this one was well worth it. Lots of fun. I figured this movie would be junk, but each character managed to portray their own stories and characters really well. They made you care about them and made you want to see them and how they respond to situations. It's funny, because they managed to do that more than many Hollywood Blockbusters can sometimes. And I really want to think that I am unbiasedly reviewing this, but I guess I can relate to four of the characters. I relate to Mo, as my name is Mo, I like music,and although I am capable of making good money, I can't work at a job I don't like, even if it means living in a gutter! Same situation! I feel like Perry's character as I feel I deserve some good after all the stuff I've been through. I can relate to the bald guy as I am religious and do things against my better conscious judgement all the time. And I am like David Faustino's character because I'm short, I try to fit in by being cool but wouldn't harm a fly unless I'm pushed into a situation where I have to, then it begins to become natural, as it did him. I feel these are general ways anyone can relate to any of these characters and that's why I think the movie is so good, it has so much of us in these ridiculous characters. Well done.

Upstairs (I) (2009)

Well, it was fun watching them try

[6/10 · 22 April 2012]

This was what you would expect from one of those straight-to-DVD type movies, nothing too fanciful as far as plot, however the imagery, the set, the film quality, and the scenery were perfect.

After watching the trailer I figured that an American producer wanted to make a movie with a famous star so Luke Perry was used and wished to save a lot of costs so they filmed in Germany. I was close, it was a German company wanting to make an "American" looking movie but by using Germany as the location with German actors and then getting Luke Perry from the bargain bin for name recognition. I didn't realize how hard it was to pull off trying to look American, but after watching the movie I see how hard it is.

On the one hand, I was amused by the German actors trying to play American cops and a hooker, trying to sound American by using American sayings, but they all had heavy German accents. It was so awful it was funny. I felt bad for the movie's legitimacy, but for some reason it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the film. Then I even noticed it in the brother-sister main characters, albeit incredibly minute, they clearly had better training, but once you catch it, you notice it really strongly. I like how the mailbox said "US Mail" and the cops had the American flag badges on their uniform, but no one had American accents! Phone calls had European dial rings, and even the voicemail lady saying "the mailbox is full" had a hard time trying to hide her German accent. I tried looking for plugs on the walls, to find the European style to outlets, but I was kind of busy trying to watch the movie, too.

I watch all Luke Perry movies as he is my fave actor, so this is why I watched it. It was fun B-movie entertainment, so you can't really get let down. Luke's acting was fine, everyone else was just trying too hard to be American they didn't have enough energy after that to be amazing actors, but it was still fine and the story was still told. Also, the little girl's acting and accent was perfect.

All in all, I would recommend this movie if you want to see how Germany tries making American movies, it's cute. Plus Luke Perry is a psycho, so that's cool too. I imagine that the producers made the movie, got their tax credits, and aimed to only show it to a German audience to say "Hey look, an American movie with an American actor," so they probably don't expect much from the North American audience. So, I would say their mission was successful. Apparently their business model is a success because they have done the same thing with Corey Feldman and other quasi-known actors, surrounding them with Germans trying to portray Americans. Hey, if it works, good for them.

The Triangle (2001 TV Movie)

Scared the Ship out of me!

[8/10 · 1 September 2010]

Haha, I just wanted to write that tagline. But now that I've started...

It really did, this movie scared me, but really any thriller/horror would. For a TV movie this was very well done, good suspense, great shots of the boat, and everything looked "real," as they didn't resort to many cheesy effects. I mainly watched this for Luke Perry as I am on a binge to watch everything he's been in, and although I am more into his cool Dylan character, he played the happy friendly Stu pretty well, too.

Also, the way this movie was shot, it was interesting that it wasn't focused on one main character. Most movies stay on one person or two main characters usually. In this movie, everyone turned into a principle for their scenes, it was interesting.

It is definitely a fun ride if you are into don't-take -it-too-seriously TV horrors. I recommend.

Silent Venom (2009 Video)

Great phobia fun

[7/10 · 24 July 2009]

Okay, so maybe the plot was silly, but watching it at 2:00 AM on a real fuzzy screen made it believable. I watched this for Luke Perry, I enjoy his acting and here was no different. Krista Allen is a cute and fun and... well, okay I'll come out and say it, I enjoyed this movie. I guess since I only watch a movie every month or so, I don't experience much. Only thing I would have liked to see was when Luke Perry's character was about to board the plane it would have been funny if they told him the in-flight movie was Snakes on a Plane. Regardless, fun movie, don't take it too seriously and you may just find yourself caught up in it.