boblasher-767-446033 Reviews

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971 TV Movie)

Always tugs at my heartstrings

[10/10 · 7 December 2023]

This is one of my all-time favorites and I still don't understand why it almost never airs on TV. If you ever liked the Waltons, even a little, you'll really like this. It's a wonderful, well-directed depiction of rural life, love, challenge and happiness during the depression.

Every time I see it, I'm always surprised at how well cast the children were, they were so good. Now, more than ever, I appreciate the portrayal of people who not only believed in Jesus, but acted in ways that he would approve. You can find it on YouTube these days and it includes the original introduction from CBS and Earl Hamner Jr.

Mission to Mars (2000)

Amazingly bad in so many ways

[1/10 · 10 May 2023]

I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to movies, heck - I even like Hallmark movies, but this thing... OMG! I only made it about 1/3 of the way through and just couldn't watch anymore.

To begin, the script is truly horrid - including stealing lines from other movies like Apollo 13. I suppose the lousy dialogue could be part of the reason why Tim Robbins and Gary Sinise are at their worst in this film. Their acting is SO bad, that it literally stood out to me... almost as much as - of all things - the make up! Dang,. My classmates and I did a better job putting on makeup in high school plays... and we didn't know what we were doing! The make up is so bad that it jumps out at the viewer.

I saw these familiar stars and kept wondering, "what's wrong with the way they look?" Lastly, there's the sound track. That's the aspect that really pushed me over the edge and made me stop watching. I swear some of the background music is the result of a 7-year-old playing with a synthesizer. I think this is actually the first time in my life that I've been thoroughly distracted by how bad the background music was.

SO bad is this movie, that I wonder if it's actually an understated intentional spoof of the sci-fi genre?

Christmas at Rosemont (2015)

A lot of reasons to like this one!

[8/10 · 24 January 2023]

I'm a sucker for holiday movies and happy endings. Nonetheless, the recent crop of ubiquitous holiday movies from Hallmark and the like have been... well... terrible. That's why I've come to like this one so much. The two older characters are an absolute riot! Plus, they are the anti-hallmark epitome. It's not preachy, not schmaltzy (too much) and has an older woman kicking the tar out of a heathen. What's better than that? Grace Zabriskie and Brad Dourif really knock it out of the park, their characters are the heart of the movie and are fun to watch.

While some may consider the plot a "bit" hackneyed, IMHO compared to most recent holiday movies, I wouldn't agree. It has nice twists and combines thrill, comedy, romance and butt-kicking in a nicely entertaining way. Plus, one of the things that I really hate with many movies is when I watch and immediately think, "why don't they just do X or Y?" That didn't happen in this movie. It's so rare nowadays.

For me the bottom line for any movie is, "would I watch it again?" I've seen this one four or five times now and it's a given that I'll see it again. Enjoy.

Love in the Villa (2022)

Yuck... I couldn't take it, stopped watching about 20 minutes in

[1/10 · 19 September 2022]

I'm a real sucker for Rom-Coms and romance movies. I put up with a lot to get to my happy endings, so it takes a LOT for me to check out shortly after I start watching. This movie, however, drove me away very quickly, while wondering, "Who in the world read that ridiculous script and thought, 'yes, this would make a good movie!.'" Two strangers end up booked into an apartment (NOT A VILLA) in Verona and then start a war of dirty tricks to drive the other off. The behavior and stunts are SO over the top and unbelievable that I just couldn't take it.

On the positive side, if people are dumb enough to invest in this loser, I have GOT to start writing screenplays.

True Love Blooms (2019 TV Movie)

I so wanted t like this... but DANG

[1/10 · 6 August 2022]

I really, really like the two leads and have been a fan of theirs for many years. I realize that they need to work and earn money, but for me, this ii a new low for the Hallmark movie mill. The plot is so hackneyed and script is so ridiculous that they lost me in only a matter of minutes. Many of the characters are so over-the-top that I hope the director and writer find new lines of work.

On the other hand, it's SO bad it's almost a parody of the typical Hallmark movie. In fact, I think, with only a few tweaks, it could be turned into a legitimate comedy spoofing the Hallmark genre. Yes, I truly believe it is THAT bad. I'm sappy and love romance and happy endings, so when a movie loses me in minutes, it HAS to be bad.

A Secret Promise (2011)

Hackneyed & uninspired

[4/10 · 4 February 2022]

I had this on as "ambient TV" while I was working from home. Had I been watching sincerely, I probably would have turned it off. The script is a typical rubber-stamp plot (think Hallmark) and misses some opportunities to be more creative and fun. Most of all, was the seriously mail-it-in performance from Skye. I thought she was new to acting or related to the producer as I watched, because... she was awful.

Stowaway (I) (2021)

Horrid on SO many levels

[2/10 · 10 June 2021]

OMG this is a terrible film. My wife and I only watched until the end to see if they ever tell you how the "stowaway" actually got on board. They don't.

Wouldn't that be your first line of inquiry if you found someone hidden in a compartment on your spacecraft???

Additionally, this crew of "smart people" was colossally dumb in their actions that just stand out too loudly... like not using a tether during a spacewalk.

The plot centers around the fact that the ships carbon dioxide removal assembly fails, dooming them to death from lack of breathable air. As if ANY mission to mars would not have at least ONE redundant system for such a mission critical purpose.

If you do make it to the end, don't be surprised if you're left asking, "Is that it???" We were.

Such good star power, but even they couldn't overcome such a horrid script and mediocre score.

It's almost like a sci-fi movie written by someone who knows nothing about space travel... or sci-fi for that matter. What a waste.

Blue Miracle (2021)

Kinda MEH, with one big error that drove me nuts

[6/10 · 31 May 2021]

Not a bad family movie, thought the plot is a little hackneyed and easy to predict. The boat they used was WAAAAY too old and I'm not sure why - the real one wasn't and it really didn't add much to the story, but it did look silly and stood out right from the start.

What I can't figure out is how there was NO one on the cast who could've pointed out that the captain's magic lure is one that has to be trolled and doesn't work when drifting or anchoring??? It's a real basic thing for just about anyone who has ever fished. That was really annoying to me.

Maybe worth a watch, but not something I want to watch again.

Coming 2 America (2021)

Just okay.

[5/10 · 5 March 2021]

The original is one of my favorites, but it's a tall order to stand up to, and 2 didn't. Plus, if you haven't seen the original, this won't make much sense. Given the star power of the cast, it could have been SO much more. That being said I still had some laughs & am thrilled Randy Watson returned!

Round of Your Life (2019)

Ewww, too flippin' preachy

[1/10 · 2 February 2021]

I watched for about 35 minutes and had to turn off. Their should be warnings on movies that try to indoctrinate you into any faith - and this one does. Plus, too many of the characters are caricatures. Stale, hackneyed, shallow. Damn, I can't believe someone paid to have this movie made

New in Town (2009)

Is this a poorly written, cheesy Hallmark production??

[2/10 · 18 January 2021]

Poor, unimaginative writing leads to a waste of some good acting performances in this dud. The plot is obvious, hackneyed and plays like one of those low-budget, weak Hallmark movies. A corporate super-star from Miami goes to Minnesota in winter and doesn't bring a good coat? Really?? Just too many times during the movie did it ask myself, "should I keep watching?" That makes it only slightly better than a movie that's SO bad, I just turn it off - like Zoolander or Sandler's Murder Mystery. Just too many characters behaving in ways that I can't see actual people behaving.

Merry Ex Mas (2014)

likely the worst Christmas film I've ever seen

[1/10 · 16 December 2020]

As I watched, I was consistently surprised by the truly awful acting, writing and directing. I kept wondering, "who read this awful screenplay and said, 'Yes, let's make this film!'?" The leading character is tossed out by his wife over a misunderstanding and she never lets him explain or hears him out. She proves, at every turn, to be an absolute clueless, selfish obnoxious b*&%!... yet this guy - who has plenty of other options keeps pining for her. I personally don't know anyone that thick and stupid, which makes the plot so ridiculous. Add to that her c-you-next-Tuesday mother and a horrid child and I couldn't help but wonder how big of a jerk this character is to want them back. The ex-wife's boyfriend character is SO bad, the performance is simply .embarrassing. Several characters are trying to get to Mammoth Mtn., a CA ski resort that's closed by a snow storm. They actually end up using dog sleds to get there! Seriously??? As if you can just order those up for on-demand transportation in CA? This is SO bad it should be used as a how-not-to example at UCLA film-school.

The Trip to Spain (2017)

Should be "Steve being and A-Hole!"

[2/10 · 31 August 2020]

I've seen the trips to Italy and Greece so far and liked both enough to watch this, but after this trip to Steve's arrogance, no more. On the Italy trip they did a good job talking about where they were staying and eating, and more about the food, which is fun, because it helps give people ideas for travel and where to go. But when they don't really get into that, like in this movie, it takes away so much of what I thought made Italy really good. Additionally, in Italy, they actually seemed to be having fun and enjoying themselves. In this - not at all. Greece too for that matter. What a shame that they lost the recipe.

Falling Inn Love (2019)

I couldn't finish watching

[3/10 · 19 September 2019]

The first third of the movie was enough - hackneyed, boilerplate, Hallmark Channel type of cheese and plot, I had enough. If I saw that main character scream one more time at the sight of an unexpected person or animal, I'd have to scream myself. I truly believe that a group of local high school students could write and perform a more sophisticated, compelling movie. Ugh!

Tall Girl (2019)

Could have been good

[3/10 · 16 September 2019]

There was a lot in this film that could have made it really good, but just too many hackneyed story lines, Kind of a dull script, Predictable plot. The whole time I kept thinking how just a little "punching-up" of the script could have made a world of difference. Too many characters were just over the top silly including one of my all-time favorite's Steve Zahn. What a shame.