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ER: On the Beach (2002)
Most powerful episode of the series
I firmly believe that this series effectively ended with the passing of Dr. Greene. It has managed to carry on, but to many people, Dr. Greene was the last "good" doctor on the show. He was there from the beginning; he taught characters who are still on the show today. His legacy lives on in the ER and he will never be forgotten.
This episode is the last one for Anthony Edwards. It tells a powerful tale of a father trying to accomplish a lifetime full of things in a short span of time. Ultimately, his last days are spent trying to, as he puts it, "fix Rachel". They stay in Hawaii, near the naval base where Dr. Greene grew up. He teaches her to drive, to surf, and tells her of his own upbringing. They both realize they are more alike than they would like to believe.
Inevitably, Greene succumbs to the tumor that is spreading through his brain. The funeral is shown, with many of the ER staff making an appearance. Notably absent is Dr. Ross (George Clooney). Speculation is that he did not want his cameo appearance to overshadow the departure of a beloved character on the show.
I truly believe this particular episode to be the most moving, and most powerful one to date. With ER in its final season, it will be interesting to see what they can do with the series finale to stir the same kind of emotional response as 'On the Beach'. Anthony Edwards is set to reprise his role as Dr. Greene for the last couple of episodes, appearing in flashback type sequences. I, for one, cannot wait to see Dr. Greene again.
Barney's Night Before Christmas (1999)
Great Christmas video
This is one of the more tolerable Barney videos. After watching them all (or it seems that way), there are a select few that I, as an adult, can stand to sit through. This one has a fun Santa and the other adults are well cast, too. The kids are pretty par, what you'd expect from a Barney show. The sets are appropriate for the target age range; my 3 year old loves it. The songs are appropriate for the Christmas season...it IS a Christmas movie.
All in all, one of the better Barney movies. Just remember, it IS a Barney movie. Go in with low expectations and you won't be disappointed.
The Cosby Show: Theo and the Joint (1985)
A good lesson on illegal drugs, even today
This episode presents a dilemma far too common in households across America. Finding illegal drugs in your child's belongings was a problem in the 1980s when this episode originally aired, and it unfortunately remains a problem today. I think the script executed in 'Theo and the Joint' is a good outline for dealing with such a problem.
Theo is a good kid, but doesn't do well in school. He has other character flaws but he is a good son to Cliff and Claire. When his mother finds a marijuana joint in his textbook, Theo vehemently denies that it is his. Relying on his record of honesty and truthfulness, his parents believe him and say that the matter is closed. Theo, however, takes it upon himself to find out who is stashing drugs in his books. He brings the guilty party to his home, and the owner of the joint confesses to Cliff.
This had the potential to be one of the longest lasting episodes of any sitcom. It addresses an issue that is as much alive today as it was 20+ years ago, and addresses it well. Parents should all take a look at this sitcom in general, and this episode in particular, and keep the lessons of The Cosby Show in mind as they raise their own children.
According to Jim: No Crime, But Punishment (2004)
Give your kids a break!
This episode focuses on the escapades of the middle child, a daughter, Gracie. She is acting out, testing her parents patience, and Jim believes that he's caught her in a lie. He punishes her accordingly, only to find out he was wrong; Gracie was telling the truth! It's a good episode, all of the main cast has a role, and it's nice to see the children taking up more screen time. I think there are a lot of other story lines that could be explored if the children are used effectively. Granted, the children are young and perhaps not the best actors yet, but only time and experience will help with that. I applaud the writers for including Gracie here, and hope to see more of the other children in the future!
Good episode!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
A lackluster sequel to a great movie..
I just can't, in good faith, rate this movie higher than 5/10. Maybe it's just because it's the sequel to one of the best movies ever. Maybe it's because it uses the same type of effects as the original. More likely, it's because the plot line doesn't really "go" anywhere.
The ending reminded me of The Empire Strikes Back. You know, the 2nd movie of the original Star Wars trilogy. It picked up from the first movie and, predictably, leaves open a few cliffhangers to lead into the 3rd movie. If you don't mind this type of thing, then read no further. If, however, you are like me and enjoy an 'ending' to a movie, this one will bother you.
The sets are beautiful, Knightley is gorgeous, and Depp and Bloom play the hero roles to near perfection. Dialogue is strong, but some of the side characters development is lacking. I won't put spoilers in here, but there are a few notable people in this movie, and we're never quite sure what their purpose is.
I do recommend you go see this movie if you enjoyed the original. I plan on seeing the final piece of the trilogy next year, so I felt obligated to see this one. I suppose it will prove to be a essential piece of the puzzle, so to speak, but right now I just feel deflated and unimpressed.
The Cosby Show: And So, We Commence (1992)
The end of an era
I grew up watching the Cosby Show, and now I catch it in syndication every chance I get. I think it was the last wholesome family sitcom ever on television, and it's a shame we'll never have another one like it. This show basically ruled 1980s television, and kept a place among the top shows into the early 90s. Sure it had its ups and downs, but all in all it was a great show for the whole family to gather round the television and watch.
With the closing credits, as the Huxtables dance their way off the set, take a good look at all of the cast standing behind the cameras. Look at the studio audience giving them a standing ovation. The Cosby Show brought black actors into mainstream television, and the world is a better place for it. Thanks for the memories, Huxtables!
Teen Knight (1999)
Pretty terrible
Let's see. A dry script, actors who can't even give the impression of acting, special effects that are absolutely laughable, and I've seen better swordplay between 4 year olds with empty paper towel rolls.
I wanted to like this movie, really. It has a great premise; kids at a castle get caught in a time warp, transported back to the middle ages, and have to figure out how to get home. As they look for that mystical door to their own time, they encounter sorcerers, knights, a prince, and dragons. Sounds great, huh? Well, it's just not. I tried to give it a good shot, but towards the end when Peter is fighting the other soldiers in the castle just lost it for me. It's like the actors didn't want to hit their swords together too hard, because the steel barely touches. The whole showdown with Raykin is horrid, too. The director must have told him to just 'lose' the fight, because he repeats the same mistake, over and over. Call me a stickler, but I just can't stand sword fighting scenes that a child wouldn't believe were real.
I'm stretching to give this a 2/10 rating. Maybe a child would enjoy this movie if they've never seen anything in this genre before. Once they've watched another sci-fi/fantasy film, though, steer clear of Teen Knight.
Jarhead (2005)
A war movie...without the war?
Jarhead is a 'behind the scenes' war movie, if ever there was one. We follow the military career of Swofford, who progresses through boot camp and scout/sniper school and eventually winds up in Iraq serving in Desert Shield.
If you're looking for action packed scenes and lots of special effects, then you may want to pass on this film. This is more about the life of a soldier in the Corps than actual firefights and explosions. There are relatively few battle scenes in the film, and it spends more time in the barracks and in camp than on patrol. Not necessarily a bad thing, mind you, but it may not be what some people expect when they see this movie.
I enjoyed the look at life behind the front lines perspective in the film. Watching this without reading anything about it, I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, I was hoping for more action; it is based on the Gulf War and everything I remembered seeing (trailers, etc) showed a platoon on patrol in the war zone. That's not the way the movie played out, at all.
It's 123 minutes long, a bit stretched out, in my opinion. There are parts of the movie that drag on longer than they need to. All in all, though, it's a movie worth watching. Just don't go into it expecting a shoot-em-up thriller, and you won't be disappointed.
Flightplan (2005)
Plan to miss this FLIGHT
Okay, so maybe it's not that bad of a movie. Really. It's the type of film that seems to be gaining popularity in recent years (think Panic Room or The Forgotten). Jodie Foster gives a decent performance as the panic-stricken mother of a lost child aboard the largest jumbo jet to ever fly passengers from point A to point B. I've never exactly been a fan of Fosters work, and this movie really didn't do much to encourage me to see more of her films.
The plot is decent, and remains intact throughout the film, which does help a viewer to stay involved. This is a movie you have to pay attention to throughout, though, because if you miss a scene early it could throw you off completely down the road. A mother loses her husband to an apparent suicide, and she and her daughter are returning to America from Germany to bury him. The child somehow manages to be lost aboard the plane, because the mother just can't seem to keep her in sight. I don't know how you let your child out of view for extended periods of time, especially while traveling (internationally, at that!). I suppose logic and common sense get tossed out the window in favor of exciting cinema.
I'm not going to spoil the movie completely, but suffice it to say the ending is predictable early in the film. You begin to get a sense of the 'good guys' and 'bad guys' pretty quickly, and your suspicions are confirmed as the ending unfolds.
I give this film a 4/10 rating. Decent plot, though predictable. Mediocre acting by most of the main characters, and questionable dialogue choices in the scrip throughout reduce the score. It's worth checking out if you have an evening to kill, at 100 minutes or so it's a nice filler for time. Don't go in hoping for a great flick, and you won't be disappointed.
Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)
Herbie does NOT age well..
This movie is clearly geared for the preteen, or even under-10 crowd. I'm still wondering why they chose the Herbie series for a makeover, but what's done is done. The film features Lohan in yet another forgettable performance, this time as the daughter of a well known stock car racer, with the racing genes going back at least one more generation to her late grandfather.
The storyline is simple. Herbie gets revived and gets back into the racing scene. Much like the Herbie movies of 20+ years ago. My problem is with the casting, or more accurately, the acting of the cast. Lohan is dry and uninspired throughout, and this movie desperately calls out a need for good acting. The requisite "bad guy" in the movie doesn't fare much better, either. Predictable and boring dialogue, plot turns that can be called thirty minutes prior to them happening, and lackluster acting all around make this a movie to avoid.