briefcase119 Reviews

The 4th Tenor (2002)

The music is the best part.

[5/10 · 11 May 2007]

This is a very predictable romantic comedy. Although he is the main character, we see very little of the Rodney we have come to know and love. We see so little of Vincent Schiavelli, its hard to tell its him. The operatic ingenue-diva, early on, is certainly fetchingly sensual, but her portrayal of a devious wench is unconvincing by any measure. Generally, the acting by all parties is tepid.

There are a few beautiful landscapes of Italy in the movie; watch for them. Sadly, most of the action is shot on a soundstage.

The operatic elements are wonderful, but all too short. The fans of opera will play this soundtrack over and over, and use the DVD as a coaster for their iced latte.

Lose the DVD, save the Soundtrack.

Veronica Mars (2004–2019)

Yet more praise for Veronica Mars!

[10/10 · 22 March 2007]

How many shows feature an attractive young blonde woman NOT obsessed with fashion who actually use their brains, creatively and effectively at that, and have credible feelings towards boyfriends and her very likable father? No other show that I know of does all this while entertaining you with mysteries of high caliber. If CW ever decides to cancel this series (God forbid!), I hope NBC or one of the other major networks will snatch it up without hesitation. This is the kind of writing that needs to be emulated! Kristin... embrace this team and stay with them, and your career will be made. Don't be tempted to play other characters, this is your keeper!!!

Navigating the Heart (2000 TV Movie)

derivative of Crocodile Dundee

[3/10 · 20 March 2007]

Plot is derivative of Crocodile Dundee... sophisticate encounters outdoorsman, culture clash, outdoorsman comes to the city and proves his mettle, both return to the wild and live happily and environmentally ever after. Jaclyn Smith has never looked better... her makeup was flawless, even during the storm and capsize. It took me awhile to recall that I knew Tim Matheson from Animal House, "Otter" the player who beds the Dean's wife. This character is a pleasant diversion for him, and he did well. Also, plot segments are reminiscent of "The Perfect Storm" (experienced sea-goer getting caught out in it) and "African Queen" (with apologies to Bogart and Hepburn... 2 opposites joining forces to battle antagonists). I give it 3 of 10.

Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)

A Van Damme-nable waste of film

[1/10 · 21 June 2006]

This was an atrocious waste of my time. No plot. The acting was so far below par, it should be used as an exemplar in acting classes of what NOT to do. It is merely a commercial rip-off of the earlier Universal Soldier, which also scrapes the bottom of the acting barrel. Its sad that VD needs to assert his ego every few years, and sadder still that people will pay good money to sit thru it. This kind of schlock gives Martial Arts movies a bad name. By comparison, it makes Segall, Norris, and Arnold look almost talented.

Perhaps VD should take the Leslie Nielson track and do send-ups of his genre. At least then we could be laughing with him instead of at him.

Ulee's Gold (1997)

Ulee's Gold

[10/10 · 21 June 2006]

I agree with the above commentator that Victor Nunez has great talent, but I disagree with the criticism of the writing. I think the dialog is intentionally paced to accurately reflect the oral traditions of rural Floridians in that socio-economic milieu.

I was very disappointed that this film did not win an Oscar. In my opinion, its the best acting Peter Fonda has ever done. As a native Floridian, I also recognize many of the locales in the film, shot on location in the Sunshine State.

If you haven't seen this film, you have missed a treasure. By the way, its up to the viewer to decide whether the title refers to honey or Ulysses' family values.

Rootie Kazootie (1952– )

early children's television programming

[9/10 · 21 June 2006]

I distantly remember this show from my childhood, along with Howdy Doody, The Shari Lewis Show, and other puppet-based programs that were the mainstay of early television for children. I used to drive my sweet mother crazy, running thru the house shouting ROOTIE KAZOOTIE! I don't recall the exact nature of its appeal, other than it was a program just for kids, and that was pretty special back then. It was first broadcast in black & white. Color came when the competing Howdy Doody arrived on the NBC "Live and in Living Color". We had all of 3 stations then, and usually only one got decent reception, because there was no cable then either. It was entertaining television that slowly gave way to the cartoons, hosted by Bozo the Clown, and later to the action dramas like Roy Rogers, Sky King, and Tarzan.

Gal Young Un (1979)

Typo, and other observations

[18 May 2006]

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was the author of this short story. Victor Nunez specializes in films about Florida people. In this film, which was shot in the piney woods near Gainesville-Ocala, many of the actors are expatriots from the Florida State Theatre troupe, The Hippodrome Theatre, in Gainesville. The historic interiors are authenticated by interpretation specialists of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Home Historic Site, and the exteriors are also accurate to the place and time of the story. I cannot confirm the automobiles as accurate, but given the care for authenticity in other regards, these are probably accurate as well.

Addicted to Love (1997)

They use a camera obscura...

[7/10 · 12 May 2006]

Just a point of clarification... Sam, as an astronomer, is familiar with a tool used many decades before for observing distant objects, called a camera obscura. It works very much like an overhead projector, but it has no light source of its own. A lens and/or prism receives an outside image and projects it upon a flat wall of a darkened room using the light from the outside image. See http://brightbytes.com/cosite/what.html

On several occasions in the film when the girlfriend and the boyfriend are moving about in the other apartment, you will notice Maggie or Sam turning the camera obscura to follow the action, and it moves the projected image.

The use of this astronomical tool adds much needed depth to the Sam character, and the "projector" is perhaps the only metaphysical allusion in the whole film.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

John Ford - John Wayne alliance

[8/10 · 12 May 2006]

This is one of numerous films discussed in the excellent biography-documentary of director John Ford and actor John Wayne produced by and aired on PBS under the American Masters program.

Ford and Wayne had a complex relationship, starting as mentor-protégé and evolving through many years of competition and conflict in Hollywood, including World War II and the McCarthy years.

Throughout it all, "Duke" always maintained a respectful attitude for his father-figure.

Ford shot this film in B&W for added drama.

I recommend both the film and the documentary.

Sphere (1998)

pros and cons

[7/10 · 2 February 2006]

Giving it a '7' is probably a little generous. However, it was suspenseful the first time I saw it, and the production values are too good to be a "B" flick. The lighting was a little dark, even for trying to evoke a scary environment... I want to see some of that technology, even if it is fake! Nice to see some big cameos... Queen Latifa, Huey Lewis, Liev Schreiber. Peter Coyote should stick to narrating Nature documentaries... as an actor, he has only two emotions; sullen, and over-the-top irate. And I was a little puzzled about the design of the craft that brought the sphere to Earth... why did it look like (sonar image) the tail section of a giant airplane? Wouldn't that have gotten torn to shreds when it went through the black hole? And how can a craft that withstands going thru a black hole get blown up by a mere liquid hydrogen explosion?

Time Lapse (2001 Video)

come on rps-2, don't hold back... tell us how you REALLY feel!

[5/10 · 2 February 2006]

Well, yes there were a lot of bangs, blasts, and flashbacks. But since it was up against the State of the Union address, it gets plus points for being more in touch with reality.

Scheider appeared infrequently in the film, telegraphing in his performance from wherever he was mentally. He has done some really incredible films in the past... its sad to see him waste his time on this one. The female lead was easy on the eyes, and probably gave the most from her reserves of acting juice. The hunk/hero had less emotion than the beer bottle I was looking at him through.

I watched it because it was the least objectionable thing on TV for that time slot, and thats not saying much.