Topic: Marie's Random Movie Viewing

[Dragonfire]

Die Hard High above the city of L.A. a team of terrorists has seized a building, taken hostages, and declared war. But one man has managed to escape detection...an off-duty cop. He's alone...tired...and the only chance anyone has. Bruce Willis stars as New York City Detective John McClane, newly arrived in Los Angeles to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia). But as McClane waits for his wife's office party to break up, terrorists take control of the building. While the terrorist leader, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his savage henchman (Alexander Godunov) round up hostages, McClane slips away unnoticed. Armed with only a service revolver and his cunning, McClane launches his own one-man war. A crackling thriller from beginning to end, DIE HARD explodes with heart-stopping suspense.

I love this movie and think it is one of the best action movies.  John McClane is a wonderful character who seems more realistic than characters in other action movies even when he does unbelievable things.  He has some issues, but he deals with the situation he ends up in because no else is there to do.  He could have tried to find somewhere in the building to hide and hope the cops would come.  Instead he decides to tackle the problem himself, with only his handgun while wearing no shoes.  He gets hurt, but he keeps going because someone has to deal with the terrorists.  The action is done well, though it isn't the most believable at times.  There is no way that someone could survive what John does, but that doesn't bother me. 

Hans Grubber is the best villain from the Die Hard movies.  He's one of the best movie villains ever.  He tends to stay calm, showing only mild irritation at first because John is delaying some of his plans.  Hans gets more and more annoyed with John as the movie progress.  Hans acts a bit more refined and he's as intelligent as he is deadly.  Alan Rickman is absolutely wonderful in the part.  He's so good at playing bad guys, but I think Hans is the best.  This, along with his performances as Snape in the Potter movies, are my favorite performances by him. 

This is a well done action movie that has held up well and definitely deserves to be watched. 



I did get a review  posted on Epinions a few years ago.

Die Hard

[Dragonfire]

Sherlock Holmes in Dressed to Kill

I watched this movie when I found it on one of the movie channels I get.  This is the first of the Sherlock movies with Nigel Bruce and Basil Rathbone that I've seen.  I did enjoy the movie and would like to try to see more of them.

The plot isn't too complicated and mostly straight forward, dealing with three music boxes and a group of criminals that are desperate to get them back.  The mystery is interesting, though it could have been slightly stronger.  Overall, it is entertaining. 

Sherlock and Watson work well together in the movie, though it is clear that this version of Watson isn't as bright as some of the others I've seen.  He's nice enough, but he is rather clueless at times.  Sherlock demonstrates his intelligence in a few ways without coming across as arrogant like has happened in one or two of the other Sherlock movies I've seen.

Overall I really enjoyed the movie and I'm glad I decided to watch it.



I did post a review on Epinions if anyone would like to take a look.

Sherlock Holmes in Dressed to Kill

[Dragonfire]

Desk Set

I had seen bits of this one on tv different times.  I finally watched all of it after I found it on HBO not long ago.

The plot is fairly simple, but it is really entertaining, mostly because of Spencer and Hepburn.  They are wonderful together.  I have no idea how accurate the computer - or electronic brain as it was called at times in the movie - is.  I do know that the first computers were huge, but I don't know that there were any when the movie came out.  

I really enjoyed the movie and think it is worth watching, though the plot may seem too simple to some people.



I did post a review at Epinions.

Desk Set

[Dragonfire]

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Sign up for more manic misadventure with the buffoons in blue, this time featuring rising stars Sharon Stone as a reporter who strikes sparks with Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg) and David Spade as a loopy skateboarder. Cmdt. Lassard (George Gaynes) decides to toughen up neighborhood watch groups by training them to be Citizens on Patrol, or COPs. And guess who the instructors are? The same grads who thought the Fs on their own report card meant "Fantastic." When rival officer Lt. Harris (G.W. Bailey) sees the blue leading the beleaguered, he decides the time is ripe to discredit the Academy. But leave it to our hapless heroes to save the day - bumblingly - by taking to the skies on biplanes and balloons for a frantic finale. All aboard!

Yes I know this is hugely silly...and far from the best of the movies.  However, I still enjoy it.  The plot is ridiculous and rather weak.  This is my least favorite of the movies...of the ones I've seen.  I haven't seen the one where they go to Moscow.  This is the last one that Steve Guttenburg was in.  It is also the last time Bobcat Goldwaith is in one of the movies too.  He is really annoying and his character really gets on my nerves.  The comedy is very silly, and even stupid at times.  The characters are pretty much the same as they have been for the returning characters and the new characters are flat and not that developed.  Sharon Stone's character just sort of shows up and doesn't do much.  It is clear she is supposed to be a love interest for Mahoney, but that really doesn't go anywhere.

Despite all the issues, I still manage to enjoy this one overall. 

I would have gone with 2.5 stars at Epinions if I had the option.  Since I didn't, I decided to round up to 3.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol

[Dragonfire]

Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach Sun, fun and babes in shades. Where else but Miami Beach? Buffoons, blockheads and party-hearty animals. Who else but the Police Academy gang? Put them all together for Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach, the caper that takes our klutzy cops on the road. Our badge-carrying bunglers are in Miami for a convention honoring Cmdt. Lassard. But crime doesn't take a vacation, even if our heroes do. Lassard is kidnapped. And not even the lure of limbo beach parties will stop the intrepid troopers' uproarious rescue attempts. So join your armed and hilarious favorites. If there's a Most Wanted List for laughter, these loony coppers have just gotta be on it.

I enjoyed this one slightly more than the 4th movie, but it still has some issues.  The plot is very silly, but I still find it entertaining overall.  This is the first time Nick, Lassard's nephew, turns up.  He's a cop in Miami and ends up involved in what is going on.  There isn't an explanation for where Mahoney is, or any of the other characters that aren't back.  The humor is very silly, with some of it just stupid.  Several characters play tricks on Harris again..and while that is predictable, it is kind of entertaining.  The movie is a bit different since the location changes, but that is the only difference.  There really isn't anything new or different and most of what happens is predictable. 

People who have liked the other movies might find something to like...or they may be disappointed since it isn't as good as the earlier movies.



I did post a review at Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach

[Dragonfire]

I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season Here's how it all began - the classic episodes that started America's long-running love affair with everyone's favorite madcap redhead, Lucille Ball.  Plus the rarely seen pilot episode that sold the I LOVE LUCY series.  By the end of its initial season, I LOVE LUCY was TV's first bona fide smash hit - the very first program seen in more than 10 million homes.  America just couldn't get enough of this stunning new comedy talent - Lucy as a less-than-poised would-be ballerina in "The Ballet," Lucy battling the world's longest loaf of bread in "Pioneer Women," and Lucy in her greatest performance, as the health tonic-guzzling TV pitchwoman for Vitameatavegamin in "Lucy Does A TV Commercial." ("And it's so tasty, too!")  Fall in love all over again, with the wild and wacky series that changed TV forever!

This show has held up really well and is still very funny and entertaining.  Many of the episodes deal with plots that are a bit more simple, but they are still really entertaining.  I remember having seen most of these episodes before, but they are still very funny.  I did notice more this time how often Ricky was telling Lucy that her place was at home, cooking and cleaning, and stuff like that.  He's a bit of a chauvinist...but given when the show was made, it isn't surprising. 

I love when Lucy does the commercial for Vitameatavegamin...that's hilarious. 

The DVD set has a decent amount of extras for an older show.  The picture quality is really good for all the episodes.  It was interesting to see that different goofs ended up making it into different episodes since when they filmed the show, they rarely did retakes even though they were filming. 



I did get a review posted at Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

I Love Lucy - The Complete First Season

[Dragonfire]

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

I watched this one after finding it on HBO.  It is a bit different from most of Steve Martin's other movies, but I ended up really enjoying it. 

The movie is a bit different with how things are set up.  It is in black and white, and sort of a spoof of noir or detective movies.  Martin's character, Ribgy is a detective who gets pulled into a case by a beautiful woman.  There are clips from several noir movies used, and the way they are done blends in well with the plot of the movie.  The clips are done to make it look like Rigby is talking to the characters from the other movies.  I could tell when clips were being used even when I didn't always recognize the movie the clips were from.  I liked the way the clips were used.  There is a bit of mystery to what is going on as well as some suspense.  I did think there was a decent amount of humor to what was going on even though I have seen funnier movies. 

I thought the movie was really entertaining and I think it is worth watching. 



I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

[Dragonfire]

Fright Night Meet Jerry Dandridge. He's sweet, sexy, and he likes to sleep in late. You might think he's the perfect neighbor. But before inviting Jerry in for a nightcap, there's just one thing you should know. Jerry prefers his drinks warm, red—and straight from the jugular! It's FRIGHT NIGHT, a horrific howl starring Chris Sarandon as the seductive vampire and William Ragsdale as the frantic teenager struggling to keep Jerry's deadly fangs out of his neck. Only 17-year-old Charley Brewster (Ragsdale) knows Jerry's bloodcurdling secret. When Charley can't get anybody to believe him, he turns to TV horror host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who used to be the "Great Vampire Killer" of the movies. Can these mortals save Charley and his sweetheart Amy (Amanda Bearse) from the wrathful bloodsucker's toothy embrace? If you love being scared, FRIGHT NIGHT will give you the nightmare of your life!

I decided to watch Fright Night again recently.  I still really enjoy the movie.  It's just a fun, entertaining vampire movie.  Some things are a little corny, but it still works.  Some things are a little dated, but the movie is still worth seeing.

I've written about it here before.  I've also posted about it at Epinions.

Fright Night

[Dragonfire]

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege A crime spree called Operation Chaos is plaguing the city. Time to call out our frontline defense. And when that defense is made up of Police Academy alumni, it's also time to pray! Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow, David Graf, Marion Ramsey, Leslie Easterbrook, G.W. Bailey, George Gaynes and other returnees strap on laugh-riot gear for Police Academy 6: City Under Siege. A mysterious Mr. Big is the mastermind behind a gang that robs banks and jewelers. Cmdt. Lassard is suspected when it becomes clear that a police department information leak is keeping the bad guys one step ahead. Solving the case won't take a mastermind, just an arsenal of gags and goofiness in the fun Police Academy tradition.

This is one of the weaker movies in the series, though I still managed to enjoy it..a little.  I remember liking it more when I first saw it when it came out.  The plot has some potential, but it ends up being rather weak.  There are some funny moments, but not enough.  Things are predictable and the jokes don't work as well.  The characters aren't developed that much and nothing new is added to the returning characters.

The movie is ok, but far from great.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

[Dragonfire]

MacGruber

I decided to watch MacGruber after seeing that the movie was on HBO. 

I've seen at least some of the sketches with the character on Saturday Night Live, but they were never my favorites.  There isn't a lot to them, so a lot had to be added to make a movie.  More background for a few characters is shared and there is some explanation for a few things, but there still isn't much to the plot.  Things are kind of interesting, at least at first, but then things just fall apart.  It seems like a decision was made to be as crude and gross as possible.  MacGruber swears a lot, and anytime things aren't going his way, he starts offering to perform sexual acts on people..even men.  The spoofing of MacGyver continues in the movie.  MacGruber does use a bunch of random stuff in different situations.  AT one point something really, really bizarre is done with celery. 

The characters are all right, though they are rather flat and most of them are idiots. 

The movie isn't that good and it really isn't worth watching.  It isn't completely horrible, but it isn't that good.



I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

MacGruber

[Dragonfire]

Eureka: Season One Some of the government's best-kept secrets are waiting to be uncovered as Eureka: Season One arrives on DVD! Step into the quirky and seemingly perfect small town of Eureka, where the hidden work of America's brightest scientists can lead to innovation or utter chaos. Making sense of the mysteries is Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson), a former U.S. marshall who is stranded in the surreal small town after a random car accident. Now fans can get in on his entertaining adventures with this 3-disc set packaged with over 10 hours of bonus features and innovatively packaged in eco-friendly materials that were "Made in Eureka." Nothing is as it seems in the brilliant and witty new series critcs are calling "the most original new drama" (The Courier-Journal). EPISODES: 1. Pilot 2. Many Happy Returns 3. Before I Forget 4. Alienated 5. Invincible 6. Dr. Nobel 7. Blink 8. Right as Raynes 9. Primal 10. Purple Haze 11. H.O.U.S.E. Rules 12. Once in a Lifetime

I first saw some episodes of Eureka when there was a marathon on the Sci-fi...Sy-Fy..whatever...channel.  I'm not sure what season the episodes I saw them were from.  Since I enjoyed the show, I decided to pick up the DVD sets when I found them fairly cheap. 

The first season shows how Jack first ends up in Eureka and becomes the sheriff.  He is learning about all the odd things going on in the town along with the viewers.  There is a bit of mystery to some of what happens that helps to keep things interesting.  A lot of odd things happen in the episodes.  Those things may make the show too different for some people, but I think those things helps make the show more entertaining and interesting.  The characters are likable, though there could be more character development.  Overall I really enjoyed the show.



I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Eureka - The Complete First Season

[Dragonfire]

The IT Crowd: The Complete Fourth Season Geeky before geeky was cool (we’re looking at you, The Big Bang Theory), this is the original nerdy sitcom with two guys and a girl: IT geniuses Roy (Chris O’Dowd) and Moss (Richard Ayoade) and their couldn’t-change-a-lightbulb boss Jen (Katherine Parkinson).  In Season 4, the lads try and fail yet again to socialize with the people upstairs, Jen tries to work her way up the corporate ladder by becoming Entertainment Manager and later pretending she can speak Italian and Moss proves a whiz on a TV game show.  So dive into the show the Los Angeles Times once called “the funniest, straight-ahead sitcom of the American fall television season.”

I picked this one up when I found it on sale.  The series continues to be very fun and entertaining.  The characters haven't changed much, though they all go through some different things in this season.  I love they way they interact with each other.  Some of what happens is a bit silly, but it works so well.  The characters are great and very entertaining.  They all have some sort of quirk or issue.  

I really enjoy this show and am glad I decided to check it out.  The fourth season is still entertaining and definitely worth seeing.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

The IT Crowd: The Complete Fourth Season

[Dragonfire]

Mr. Mom



I first saw Mr. Mom years ago, probably not that long after it originally came out.  I think it was when I stayed with my grandmother.  She had HBO.  I seem to remember watching this movie over and over and over...along with some others.  Anyway, I saw it a lot years ago.  I found it on HBO recently and watched it for the first time in years.  I still really enjoyed the movie.

The idea of the dad staying home with the kids was a bit different when the movie originally came out.  Since then, I know a lot of fathers have ended up staying home with the kids while the mothers worked for whatever reason.  With how things are in this country right now and how so many people have lost jobs, that aspect of the plot is still very relevant even though some things seem a little dated.  The movie is pretty funny, though some of the humor is a bit silly.  Most of the humor comes from how Jack deals with or attempts to deal with things around the house.  The plot is fairly simple and straight forward, but the movie is still very entertaining and definitely worth checking out.  There isn't a lot of development to the characters, but the main characters are likable.  The cast does really well with their parts.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Mr. Mom

[Dragonfire]

Modern Problems



I first saw Modern Problems years ago, I think on Encore.  I recently found it on HBO and decided to watch it again.  I remembered enjoying the movie overall.

Things are a little silly, but the movie is entertaining.  The plot isn't complicated, though there is one or two twists.  There are some special effects used in a few scenes.  The effects do look dated, but they aren't that bad considering when the  movie was made.  The characters are kind of flat and it isn't the easiest to like a few of them.  The cast is fine in their parts.

The movie does have a few issues, but it is entertaining.  Chevy Chase has done better.



Modern Problems

[Jimmy]

It's the film where Chevy Chase is kind of possesed no? If it is, I remember I found it quite funny but I saw it many years ago.