lamont-hard Reviews

The New Girlfriend (2014)

Great Film, But Be Ready To Fill In The Blanks.

[7/10 · 25 April 2024]

The transformation of a guy trapped inside his home that wanted to explore life as a woman outside of it. Aided by his deceased wife's best friend's sincere help. The film in scene after scene stays vague in its messaging. Like when Clair's husband starts bonding with the baby Lucy was Clair jealous. We never get the relationship or so called love affair between the teens and young adults of Clair and Laura. It seemed like Clair had a crush on Laura but Laura never really showed much affection other than great friendship between them. That Clair might be lesbian seemed vague as it appeared to me that she had a crush on Laura and not women in general. The ending one can interpret in whatever you come up with, It just might fit. The whole movie consistently states Clair will look after Lucie and David. In the film Gellis says he and Clair wanted a family and that was what I assumed they were doing as we see Clair being pregnant and her and virginia holding hands girlfriends picking up Lucy from school.

Into My Heart (1998)

Acting Great, Script Weak

[7/10 · 9 May 2023]

The writer seemed to leave out info to help us get really into the intentions of it's characters. Their affair seemed to be initiated without roots to why they preferred each other over who they were married to.

If you are to care for the adulterers you have to believe the spouses aren't right for them, Yet we see that they were loyal and sincerely loving partners.

At about the halfway mark the film started to go in the direction of the cheating wife starts to sense that Ben was not what she wanted as she picked up on the differences between the two men By her husbands actions. This is evident after she realizes he commited suicide and did not just fall.

I got mixed up on the message the film was trying to make. On all the true bonding and friendship the husbands had for each other it changes to one cared less about the other.

Walk With Me (2021)

More Than A Lesbian Love Story

[7/10 · 30 April 2023]

The film tells a tale of just because you may find someone you are convinced this relationship is for you Life's societal, Family issues, And other roadblocks can derail bliss from happening.

I enjoyed the journey of how this relationship came together in the end. The actors were competent and believable even though "The true love" message seemed a bit weak. Part of the journey was the telling of the life she lived with her meddling parents and her marriage disintegration. This to me is where the film is strong. It was refreshing to see her put her daughter first over every outside person around even her new lover. She made it clear that her daughter needs her father.

The film did have a few typical cliches of lesbian love and or women discovering they prefer being with another woman. Like children seem to always understand and accept new lesbian parents. Or a woman automatically likes or knows all will be well in being in a lesbian relationship.

It was good in showing that she was just as guilty in the breakup of the marriage as he was. The conversation with her husband where she expressed true sorrow for the demise of their marriage to me was spectacular. The husband in this scene was equally great. This kind dialog is very rare in lesbian films. Also the film touched on just because she found lesbian love was it really worth it in what she has to go through to be happy.

As I said above, The journey she takes is better than the love story. So give this film a watch if you want more than a typical lesbian love story.

To Each Her Own (2008)

Thoughtful

[9/10 · 13 March 2023]

By far this film gives one of the best and most thoughtful dialog from all sides. From Coming out of the closet, To the ups and downs with immediate family members, From the excruciating reality that she loved both of them. It did an amazing job showing how conflicted each character was in coming to terms on who they are, Whom do they love, Who will they choose, Without lesbian hot sex as in typical lesbian movies making the choice for them.

You didn't get the cliche workaholic clueless husband. At least not much of it. Or the wife being unsatisfied for the normal things coming out lesbians leave husbands for.

In exploring her sexuality she was a bit non sympathetic to both partners in the first half of the film but grew to respect them later on.

After the pregnancy and heartbreak of losing their child they she and husband understood each other and really bonded. He went to her lover and practically begged her not to give up on his wife.

On what seemed like a low budget film you get a REALISTIC story of how a husband and wife whom really loved each other and her lover will all be happy.

La Brea: The Return (2023) Season 2, Episode 10

Complicated, Very Hard To Follow

[7/10 · 15 February 2023]

Well not all of it is complicated. Some of the characters have simple plots and we understand just what is going on with them. Yet with some of the others there is so much confusion about what their motives really are.

There are in fact, So many things and mysteries on James, Gavin's father that it seems as if the series is writing his character just to keep it's viewers frustrated.

Next there is his mother. Is she really helping Gavin or hurting his cause.

I still can't figure out Livi and parts of his character. I actually thought he shot himself when they were rescuing Gavin's mom. He said to Eve "I want to give you a family you deserve or something along those lines. I put Eve and Levi at least 40, More kids. She can't handle the kids she's got. Plus she already has a family. Did he mean taking over the father's role.

I really like the young romances with the young people and Ty.

Come Undone (2010)

Not That Complicated

[7/10 · 27 January 2023]

I watched this film a couple of times and from the first then into the second time I came away with a different opinion. The first time I was absolutely sure of what the story was saying. But then on my second viewing a few months later, Things became a bit different in my understanding of at least from her part in ending the relationship.

In these types of films where the directors and writers guide viewers to what is happening, Or not happening, One can get a bit lost on just what is taking place.

The scene near the end of the film when she paid for the gift he brought from the child vendor, It hit her that she may always be in his families life with his kids and what he can and cannot do for them financially. What kind of life would they have if he had to give most of his meager earnings to support them. He made it clear that they were important to him. She knew he was a great loving father. Remember, she didn't want kids with her husband so how was she to accept being a step mom to his. It's exactly what her husband wanted, And it seemed he would be a loving father also. 2. It was a difficult decision to leave her husband, Yet the lover just belittled him not knowing he was a good man who loved and set his wife free. I think it came off as arrogant that he was able to concurred the wife with ease. He says"in a put down manner the husband was a loser and saint. As if he was nothing. This bothered her, When all her husband was trying to do was be a loving father as he was.

The ending still left me puzzled. Was she going back to start her own family?....The way he the husband let her go it seemed to me that the door was left open for her to come back to him.... Was she crying because she loved the lover but realized it would not work.... Was she crying because she realized she hurt her husband.....The are several scenarios that fit but I encourage one to watch the film and figure it out for yourself.

Fire Country: Mama Bear (2023) Season 1, Episode 11

Getting Better

[8/10 · 22 January 2023]

Now that Gabriella is moving to Bode And Vince's brother won't be around to hit on his wife. It looks as if the series is trying to move away from it's soap opera feel. I liked that we got to see Vince being a guitar player in a band and Jake starting to show some growth and maturty. I'm going to stay with this series. The fire scenes were still a bit far fetched but seen to be getting better. Onr thhing I'd like to see is how these departments interact with each other. All we seem to get is they just show up and go into a fire fighting rescue mode. Max Thieriot and Kevin Alejandro really carry this series with fine acting.

Close Quarters (2020)

Terrible Ending

[6/10 · 22 January 2023]

I felt the ending did not match the rest of the film. He lost his wife, His marriage, In fact he lost his family, And entire way of being. But the film ends with him seemingly focussing on only the unborn baby.

There was so much focussing on the husband loosing ground to his wife and the hired surrogant that the film became way to one sided.

There was not enough time focussed on there daily lives. All we kept getting was her moving closer to one person the surrogant with very little effort by him attracting it. There was very little dialog between them about the baby, life or future.

The husbands parts with wife were hard to watch as he was spiraling, It was hard to watch her treatment of not caring or undestanding/being interested in his hopes and joys of being a father.

I did like how the writer/director did the male competition thing as the surrogant used size and brute to push his rival out of the way.

The wife was never developed enough for us, Actually the marriage before the baby issues. Her needs were vaguely written and so were her motives.

I recommend the film if your a thinker and like to fill in the blanks.... It's not a sunday morning film nor a uplifting one.

We knew the surrogant had issues but this too was not understandbly explored. I wanted to know how this effected there future.

Room 304 (2011)

Confusing

[7/10 · 10 December 2022]

Boy was this film confusing on my first watch...But after the second time around things began to clear up a bit more.

Spoilers...I realized that Nina wanted not just out from her husband but from her two girls also. This was the reason why she stopped wearing the bracelet her kids made for her. The second clue was when she and her husband discussed in detailed code having one last time as a family when he put 2 and 2 together and realized she was having an affair and wanted out. Her words until they go to bed...Meaning that is when she will leave.

A lot of things were never explored enough. Like did the front desk manager turn the boss in. He gave him the gun. Will the police talk to the stewardess and she tells them he had a gun. Did Kasper tell Nina what he did? There are way more questions than answers making this film an unsolvable jigsaw puzzle. I don't recommend it unless you like slow arthouse stuff.

NCIS: Hawai'i: The Tourist (2021) Season 1, Episode 6

Interesting Characters

[8/10 · 24 July 2022]

All of the NCIS series have different types of characters, Some were very likable and endearing to some being unlikable but good for the series. I feel one issue some viewers have is all the leads in the franchise are relatable males, Whereas this series Lead character is a single woman mom. I believe the series is watched by a lot of women, But mostly It's a guys themed show.

It took me a couple of episodes to get behind these characters. The two gay women is something good for me. It shows how two law enforcement women fell in love.

In order for one to enjoy this series, One has to accept this NCIS series can be good if you accept that this group of characters are different.

Law & Order: Organized Crime: Change the Game (2022) Season 2, Episode 18

Great Episode

[9/10 · 15 April 2022]

Gritty and typical Stabler at his best. The villian is so perfect in his role as a ruthless gun trafficler with a soft smart wife...It will be very interesting to follow her and Stablers story arc. The ffranchise is really good with this type of writing. The rest of the cast are also good in there roles.

You Me Her (2016–2020)

Even Handed Character Developement

[8/10 · 11 April 2019]

The writers refuse to cave in to letting Izzy choose one over the other, Making the series stick to they working on becoming a three party household where love is equal for all involved. Without this major plot the series becomes something else. Most viewers that have followed the series from the beginning seems to enjoy this chase of they all becoming a three parental household. The other characters do a nice job with side plots to balance the series out.

Supergirl: Menagerie (2019) Season 4, Episode 12

James Comes Up Single Again...

[7/10 · 22 February 2019]

So many viewers and maybe writers just can't stand to see him with any female characters in the series. I thought at many times there relationship was great. Just about all the romances seems a little forced, probably due to the writers letting some vocal fans and there particular views dominate what other less vocal fans like......I loved the sister and her cop gal pal.

3 (2010)

They all found themselves

[6/10 · 7 September 2013]

The thing I noticed about the film was that the long term couple had a different type of relationship before the lover entered their lives. It was apparent the way she showed very little emotions/support about his illness and his mom's passing. He seemed meek and she aggressive and distant, but I guess it worked for them.

Interesting how she became affectionate in the more traditional way with the lover as her role in life changes meanwhile he became more independent from her and started to assert himself in a more aggressive manner. There lives were coming to be the cliché norms from being with the lover, witch seems to be what the were both looking for.

She became a nurturer while he found responsibility in the more tradition role of the husband. The ending seems to be an easy answer, but I will not spoil it for you.

Talk to Me (2007)

Difficult Dialog..Spolers

[5/10 · 24 January 2013]

I found this series to have some difficult dialog. Some of it would contradict itself in latter scenes. For example, She says I don't love you to Mitch then says I never did as if there affair had been going on for a long time yet the series showed it was no more than a few weeks if that plus she never even hinted to him that she was in love with him and one would have thought this was a no brainer. He even sas himself that she was just out fo the sex. We never really know why she, Clare was truly unhappy, all that is said is we sometimes have problems. Yet she was wrecked with guilt after the sex she had with Mitch. The never discussed anything at all. It seemed as if they Woody and Clare were supposed to be the perfect couple. In the end she says all she wanted was to feel special. But all through the series she says it was lust, nothing more. The guilt she felt far outweighed the issues at home which again we were never even shown what they were.

She never tells Mitch why she does not want more out of the relationship.

The other story of the sister bedding a student half her age did not develop. We never understand what happened to her pregnancy, We only see her leave her husband and close some blinds of who knows where. Did she actually go to jail. The third story was just comedic relief.

The Mob Doctor (2012–2013)

A definite Hit

[8/10 · 17 September 2012]

The pilot gives us quite a bit to chew on. Lots of action and suspense. I was impressed by how it developed and the pacing could not have been better. More than anything I really loved the acting by the lead actress Jordana Spiro. I must admit I am bias as she is good in anything she does. Her look and feel fits this show to a tee. There is also great acting from the rest of the cast, Wendy Makkenna and Zack Gilford, I also detect it will have a soft side to it as the action slows to do human stories along the way. You will enjoy seeing scenery of the Chicago that does not make into most films and television. Over all I feel this will be a strong drama series based on, yes, just the first episode. Watch and enjoy.

A Village Affair (1995 TV Movie)

In the end the right thing was done

[7/10 · 30 August 2012]

SPOILERS....I watched this movie and found the actual love story different than most only because of the way the lover approached the wife. There was quite a bit not explained such as why the wife was really unhappy and why neither of them wife and the lover gave much serious thought of there actions until the end. I found the love they shared to be believable, but in a glass house kind of way. There were many side plots that went no where and I wondered if they were even needed. In the end I felt it was perfect of someone trying to put the Jeanie back in the bottle. But the husband was the one who really shined with his sacrifice and she then follows his lead. No one wants to admit the right thing was done in the end as one the lover was willing to put the kids through anything, including taking them overseas, never for once respecting the love they share with the father, just to make it work with the wife. I believe that the wife recognized the lover was not good for her family moving on from a separation. I actually liked the ending since neither parent will continue to live a lie, but compromised a workable solution for the future. Still recommended for a true story of sacrificing and compromising from a bad situation.

Scandal (2012–2018)

This has all the looks of something good...Spiolers

[8/10 · 20 April 2012]

This is a good series, I found much to like about almost every thing. My first is for the camera work there has been none better that I have witnessed in a T.V. series before, with the lenses focused on the never ending beveled glass shots and characters through I would assume to be glass doors. It is very unique. The second major point is the quick dialog, not a lot of deep thinking scenes to take away the mood of the cases. Every thing is rapid fire and on the go. The characters are equally balanced with mostly good points and a few bad flaws thrown in for good measure.

At first the cases i felt were a bit to dramatic but the second episode was more of what I feel this show will become. I recommend this series to anyone who likes something a bit different and if you suspend belief on a couple of things you will enjoy it.

The Finder (2012)

Something Different

[8/10 · 15 January 2012]

This series appears to be just a bit different. We have the adviser guy with a religious soul, a juvenile bad girl, with sleazy family issues, and a FBI woman who helps with protection and provides muscle for the finder. Our main guy seems to be one who is off the rails and kind of quirky he can find anything he wants to find for the sake of closure for his clients or in the name of justice. I don't think many of us has seen this before.

His head quarters is a bar at the end of some dirt road near a swampy area in south Florida. Perfect for the type of character, mood this series wants to be.

One thing I really like, is they seem to be avoiding the trap of how long will they court each other before they give in to desires, well that was cleared up from the first episode, I think we are all a bit tired of that story.

They seem to all make a great team and I am looking forward to this show, a great contrast for bones fans so tune in, It's worth it.

The Road to Christmas (2006 TV Movie)

Cliché

[6/10 · 18 December 2011]

Warning Spoilers........ A decent little movie with a small and believable cast. The story was told in a manner as not to be complicated. But for a Christmas movie it was a bit cliché. Such movies like this, is a romance formula in girl saying yes to marriage then the writers finding reason where it does not happen. In order for this one to work it would not have been very believable if she all of a sudden feels she does not love him just from traveling with a single widower guy and his daughter, but cast her fiancée as gay, so the wedding most definitely won't take place, and of course the back up plan is she met someone else anyway. I don't want to sound to cynical but just how does a woman getting married one day and the next finds out her guy is gay have a great Christmas is beyond me. To write a story and make it work as this one tries, comes off a bit forced. The acting was great as the director was the silent true hit in this film.

Suits (2011–2019)

Good looking series

[8/10 · 25 June 2011]

After watching the pilot episode I was pleased from what I saw. The episode was long enough to give us a glimpse into some interesting characters. There seems to be a lot to go around with both leads social lives and how they impact the secondary characters. There Is no shortage of eye candy. I did find some of the time lines a bit of a stretch, but nothing major. I most enjoyed how the writers took the time to give good background material on just about the whole cast witch I think Is becoming so rare, knowing this info helps to get into these characters from the start. I recommend this show to viewers who like a lawyer type show with just a touch of softness.

Proof of Life (2000)

A kidnapping, Then a love story

[8/10 · 9 April 2011]

I found this movie to be very good, the scenery and action mixed well and the acting was great. Most reviewers did not like the love story, but i felt it was perfect. It did not make the characters very popular but who cares. I felt the ending was a little off as most viewers. Did not like the reception she gave her husband, but it worked for me. I feel so many viewers missed what the ending meant, disliking the characters and not understanding what took place which was he basically said go to your husband because he knew he was a good man for his humanitarian work. and understood that what took place was wrong. The husband was a good guy and the affair would have in my opinion caught up with them after she realized he did not deserve to loose his wife after what he went through Plus she was the one having problems he could not do much about. So the rescuer pushed her back where she belonged and brought her head out of the clouds. The husband had figured something was up anyway and waited for her to walk back to him. At that moment I felt they would be OK. The movie would have not worked if they had gotten together with what the husband had went thru. Good fast paced action and David Coruso and David Morse were very good. I recommend this movie since you now have a different ending interpretation