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Reviews
What's Right with America (1997)
Cool concept, should be on DVD
Forgive me for not having a whole lot to say about this title, since my memory of it is foggy. I do know that it aired during the early evening on July 4, 1997 and, for about five July Fourths after that, I checked the TV Guide hoping it'd be on again, but so far I haven't seen it.
The story focused on a family -- Ryan Merriman played the son -- and was set, I believe, in the near future. It was a kind of sci-fi "what if" scenario, in which -- I believe -- people who needed organs and who also happened to be rich & special could receive them through a kind of black market for organs. Ryan's character was abducted and taken from his family.
There was something else going on in the movie, too... I just remember a kind of apocalypse-like situation.
But I really liked it! I wish it was available on DVD or SOMETHING.
The Baby-Sitters Club (1995)
I liked it once I stopped hating it.
When I first saw this movie, I wanted to run far, far away. The cheese! The corniness! The horror! But years later, I have come to appreciate it. Everyone who's familiar with the BSC will definitely watch this movie looking for any discrepancies from the series, and discrepancies abound. As for the actresses who play the Baby-Sitters? Well, one's wearing a wig, another is way older than the others, and one just seemed like a bad casting choice altogether. And as for the plot? Kristy's dad coming to town and everything involving that was a real downer. Plus, the Stacey/Luka thing (despite the fact that Luka is HOT!) was just WEIRD. The best parts in the movie were those involving the play group. What also saves this movie is its hidden talent(s) -- look for Kyla Pratt, Scarlett Pomers ("I've been to the moon!"), Larisa Oleynik, Rachael Leigh Cook, Marla Sokoloff, and Austin O'Brien. So all in all I've chosen to look past the cheese and realize that this movie is just a G-rated romp about friendship that really isn't a waste of your afternoon to watch. 7 stars out of 10.
Freaky Friday (1995)
Long, sort of funny, could have been better
1995's Freaky Friday remake seemed like a good idea at the time. You've got two great actresses -- Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann -- to play the mother and daughter. You've got half the cast of 1995's "The Baby-sitters Club" (Asher Metchik, Natanya Ross, Marla Sokoloff). And then there's the cameo appearances that every Disney film should have (Carol Kane, Drew Carey, Sandra Bernhard). So what's the problem? First of all, as another reviewer suggested, it should NOT be compared to the original. The plots are nothing alike except for the mother-daughter switching thing. Their lives, predicaments, and personalities in the original and the remake are completely different. Even so, I'm going to compare them just long enough to say that in the original, you could believe Ellen was in Annabel's body and vice versa. With this 1995 version, Ellen and Annabel's personalities were so similar to begin with (both kind of loud, bold, etc.) that I was totally NOT convinced they'd even switched places. What's more, the film just goes on and on. Alan Rosenberg's character gets to yell a lot. And the end is really anticlimactic. Despite all of this, it's a decent movie and I'm surprised it hasn't been picked up to air on the Disney channel every once in a while. And if they would be so kind as to start airing these older movies they should definitely consider "The Great Mom Swap" -- another ABC gem from the same year.
Poison Ivy (1985)
Summer fun
Poison Ivy is a funny story revolving around a counselor (Michael J. Fox) and his five campers at a boys' camp called Camp Pinewood. Dennis Baxter (Fox) is looking for love in all the wrong places, until he meets the beautiful Rhonda (Nancy McKeon), the assistant camp nurse. The trouble is, she's already engaged to be married and isn't interested. Dennis's 11-year-old campers each have adventures of their own -- one wants to escape from camp, another tries to woo Rhonda (and takes a romp in poison ivy in order to spend more time in the infirmary with a certain someone), and another devises a scheme to get all the camp goodies into his bunk's possession. It's one adventure after another for these kids, as they learn about loyalty and standing up for what's right.
Fifteen and Pregnant (1998)
Fluffy and Poignant
There's a lot to say about this movie. Overall, it was good. But it had a happy ending and I'm afraid that's what people -- especially teen girls who think having a baby would be fun -- will remember the most vividly afterward. The movie starts out well enough. 15-year-old Tina (Kirsten Dunst) becomes pregnant by her boyfriend, Ray. And for the first half of the movie, it's all "poor Tina." Ray leaves, Tina gets morning sickness, Tina moans about gaining weight, Tina causes her family to plunge into even more despair. (The household is already in shambles since the dad moved out prior to the pregnancy and Tina's two siblings decide to live with him.) Meanwhile, we see snatches of the life of Tina's friend Lori, also a teen mother, who is now a college student with a whiny two-year-old and struggling to make ends meet. Tina has to quit soccer, Tina gets stretch marks, Tina has to go to special school, Tina's mom yells at her . . . and on and on. Then, toward the end of the movie, things turn around. Her parents come to accept the pregnancy and even treat Tina like a queen (much to the anger of Tina's little sister, played by the talented Julia Whelan). When she finally has the baby, everyone is all smiles. It sends mixed messages. But anyway, this is not Dunst's finest performance, though she's a jewel in every part she plays. She brings life to the drab Tina character and makes this movie worthwhile. Otherwise, I'd say, forget it.
Pollyanna (1960)
I love this movie
Pollyanna is one of the sweetest movies I've ever seen. So what if it's cheesy at times? Movies are still cheesy today, sometimes, but at least Pollyanna is wholesome. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not an advocate for violence-free, nudity-free, perfectly goody-goody movies. But I do think this is a beautiful movie that just happens to be OK for everyone. Young children might be scared by the minister or by the ordeal Pollyanna faces, but the fun and happy scenes in the movie (the carnival is my favorite) will more than make up for the -- in the words of Pollyanna herself -- "gloomy" ones. Hayley Mills is terrific. Watch Pollyanna's expressions. You can tell, at times, she thinks everyone in town is completely nuts, but she never says it out loud. Instead, she keeps a happy and hopeful demeanor through most of the movie. And while, at first, the townsfolk resent her attitude and even insult her, she doesn't lose it, and she is rewarded for it in the end. This is a great message.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1989)
Fun, with memorable characters
This was one of my favorite movies when I was younger. My brother and I (I was 9, he was 7) adored it and watched it repeatedly. It was so simply, yet perfectly done -- it took the classic book and turned it into a modern-day tale, but it didn't try to be a classic itself. It just tried to be funny, and it succeeded. The is the story of Karen, who finds herself in Camelot and impresses everyone with her "magical" twentieth century contraptions, and makes everyone call her Sir Boss. She's a sweet kid, and very eighties, but she's one of the best things in the movie. But I can't not mention the supporting actors -- without them, this movie wouldn't be quite the same. Hugo Blick, who plays Mordred, just LOOKS like an evil villain, and the lines he delivers are so corny and so, just, evil villainy, that you KNOW you should hate him but you secretly like him. And Whip Hubley, who plays Lancelot, is attractive and lovable. Emma Samms plays the Queen Guenevere with lightheartedness and beauty. The movie is rarely boring; there's one adventure after another. Fun for kids, and a decade later, I still think it's funny.
Gilmore Girls (2000)
Charming
I am a huge TV buff and really appreciate shows that are done well -- shows where the writers, directors, and continuity people take great care in making sure their show is perfect. This show wins. What's great is that it's sooo realistic. The things the characters go through are hard for them, but unlike some shows, which think they need to dive into the subjects of sex, drugs, and death on a weekly basis just to keep things "real", this show manages to be perfectly realistic and simple at the same time. It's a decent, wholesome drama that's not at all goody-goody, and promises to please. The actors deserve applause as well.
DuckTales (1987)
Great fun
This was one of my favorite shows when I was in about the fourth grade. I remember there was a prime-time movie on TV in 1987 (a compilation of several episodes?) and I think I've watched that tape 100 times. Some of the episodes were soooo cool, others were a little silly, but the cool ones more than made up for the silly ones. Some of the characters, like Launch Pad and Bubba Duck, could get a little annoying. But the Beagle Boys (especially Ma) were hilarious, and the show was practically brilliant. I remember it was part of the Disney Afternoon for two years, and I was devastated when it got bumped out of the lineup to make room for some other show, I forget what, that was just not as good. I will always remember this show fondly.
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Heart-stopping
Wow. I've never screamed in a movie theater before, but I couldn't help myself. The second anything remotely scary happens, there's an accompanying loud noise, which'll have you jumping out of your theater seat (or clutching the armrest--whatever.) This movie keeps you guessing from beginning to end. Every little detail is important. All put together, it's an absolutely amazing film . . . a lot like The Sixth Sense. Robert Zemeckis, the greatest director EVER (sorry Spielberg) outdoes himself, putting together such excitement and great entertainment that it left me wanting to see more. Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer are great. Darnit, the whole cast is great. This is exciting, thrilling, and superb. Gotta love that.
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999)
Stellar!
I was baby-sitting the other night. The kid had gone to bed and I was destined to be bored for the next four hours. But, gasp! A movie was on the Disney Channel: Zenon, Girl of the 21st Century! Sorry Disney, many of your movies are as lame as can be, but this one actually rocked. (Hint: get it to video ASAP!) Kirsten Storms was adorable, and it was great seeing Raven-Symone on TV again. Though some of the plot twists were terribly predictable (like Zenon getting the right code at the LAST SECOND . . . I mean, how cliche is that?), others were new and refreshing. Having about half of the movie set on a space station provided lots of entertainment, and Zenon's trip to Earth--and the unfamiliarity of it all--was perfect. It really was fun to watch. Her Earthly friends were a little dopey, but they were bearable. Zenon was constantly involved in some sort of antic and the movie was rarely boring. Best of all, this movie had a point . . . it was about true friendship, accepting other's customs and ideas, and family. Wholesome but not sappy, this makes for a fine family film that will appeal to all ages . . . I'm way past 13 and I loved it.
Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane (1999)
I love this show!
Some people might not like the wacky humor that is the best part of "Zoe, Duncan, Jack, and Jane," but I, for one, have not seen a show this clever and side-splittingly funny in a long time. I introduced it to my brother, uncle, and two cousins this summer, and they fell in love with it as well. They couldn't get enough of it, and were disappointed that there were only 13 episodes! Zoe (Selma Blair) is quirky and lovable, Jane (Azura Skye) is smart and funny, Jack (Michael Rosenbaum) is the money-loving adorable twin of Jane, and Duncan (David Moscow) is just a cute dimwit that you can't help loving. My favorite character, though, would have to be Breeny (Sara Rue--who's gone on to do the WB's "Popular".) The coolest thing about this show is that although the actors may not be teenagers (except for Azura Skye), they sure can act! These characters are just the best on TV and so is this show.
Good Company (1996)
A cute show that ended too soon.
"Good Company" only aired for a few months in 1996 before it was canceled, but it boasted a talented cast and funny plots. It starred Jon Tenney (who later went on to do CBS's "Brooklyn South" and FOX's "Get Real"), Wendie Malick ("Just Shoot Me"), and Lauren Graham ("Townies"). The characters on this show were unforgettable. Ron (Jason Beghe) was a lying, cheating office suck-up who was hilarious to watch. Zoe (Malick) was the ruthless boss who actually wasn't so mean after all. And then there was Bobby (Terry Kiser) who spoke via facial expressions and an occasional word. Liz (Graham) was the daddy's girl who made animal noises when she got upset. Dale (Elizabeth-Anne Smith) was the insecure one with "issues". Jody (Timothy Fall), armed with a guitar, wrote songs that had the TV viewer in stitches. The shining star of the show, however, was Tenney, who's character, Will Hennessey, held the friendships of his co-workers together, and wasn't ashamed to seek some good words of advice from Jack (Seymour Cassel). An all-around good show that was fun, funny, clever, and canceled before it was given much of a chance. However, the stars moved on to other projects, which I have immensely enjoyed over the last 3 years.
Get Real (1999)
"Get Real" is a fun, clever show that will appeal to males and females of all ages.
Mitch and Mary Green are just like any thirty-something California couple, except that they have three high school-aged children. Meghan, a senior, is an A-student with a rebellious nature. Cameron, the middle son, gets suspended from school and has girls sleep over. And Kenny, the youngest son, is totally inexperienced when it comes to the exciting new world of females. They may be dysfunctional, but the Greens are totally lovable. The use of creative camera angles and unusual plot devices helps make this show continually entertaining. "Get Real" is a fun, clever show that will appeal to males and females of all ages.