Zoot580 Reviews

The Prophecy 3: The Ascent (2000 Video)

Good way to close it out.

[8/10 · 30 January 2004]

I know a lot of people thought it was trashy. In fact, the whole trilogy was outright blasphemous. Still, those that know the bible will probably appreciate these movies the most.

"The Ascent" brought closure to the storyline, particularly regarding Mary, who suffered the traumatic experience in the first movie. True, I expected more out of Pyriel. There was all of this buildup to a climax and he didn't seem to fulfill the description of everyone who held him in such high regards.

What appealed to me most was how Gabriel, now humbled and downgraded to the level of "monkey" (which he loathed the most - as stated in Prophecy II), found new purpose which was his quest to understand "the question". No, we don't really know what it was, but he did. As a result, he helped protect Danyael. No, he really didn't care for him, but despite his motives, he served God's side. The end result? His full reinstatement to divine status (note the white birds at the end).

My favorite part? Watching him drive - FINALLY! Also the scene where he (Gabriel) played along with the radio happily. It would have been hilarious to see his performance blowing out windows everywhere like in Prophecy I. But, being in the desert - no chance.

It's no blockbuster, but it was a satisfying ending to me, at least.

The Meteor Man (1993)

Not a blockbuster hit, but enjoyable for the kids.

[7/10 · 15 March 2003]

Well, I'd be lying if I said that this could easily rival Spiderman or the Batman movies. Still, it was more appealing to me for it's moral value. I first bought the VHS when my son was about 2 years old and it immediately became his favorite. My wife and I are avid supporters of Robert Townsend and have been since he used credit cards to finance his first movie, "Hollywood Shuffle". True, he needs to take advantage of the talents and knowledge of technical advisors to make the films more believable, but his movies are still fun.

Meteor Man provides a hero with an Urban Contemporary feel. I always felt that, if there were superheroes, they wouldn't provide the same scenarios as depicted in the comics. Meteor Man is realistic hero with real problems: Car broken into, bad neighborhood, local drug-dealing gangs using children for distribution, etc. The scope of his mission stayed pretty much within the community.

What I found to be truly entertaining, outside of James Earl Jones' "young forever" performance, was how the neighborhood responded to his newly discovered powers. It wasn't long before they had a full agenda lined up for him, without his input, of course. It was hilarious to hear them offer to lend him out to other communities where their extended families lived.

Yes, the plot was weak, the movie was predictable, there was bad acting and continuity was rotten, but it ranks #1 with my kids. Robert Townsend works to bring movies "home" so to speak. I doubt he'll ever truly be recognized as the talented actor/producer/director he truly is, but there are and will always be, those that love him for his efforts.

One point to ponder about the film, which I find amusing: Throughout the entire battle with Simon, no one bothered to call the police???? Also, what mother and father do you know that will watch their son fight from a window? My mother would have been right there, scrapping by my side, toe-to-toe. Dad would be loading his pistol. lol

Rent it and check it out. It's worth seeing at least once and good for those of you that are fans of Sinbad, Luther Vandross, Bill Cosby, Big Daddy Kane, etc. Great job with the cameos Robert!

Homeboys in Outer Space (1996–1997)

A waste of talent & beauty...

[30 June 2001]

Being an avid supporter of black sitcoms, which so desperately need support, I was extremely disappointed in this series. It had its funny moments, though they were few and far between. Not even the comedic strength of Flex could save the show. They tried in the beginning with James Doohan's cameo spots, but the show never had it.

The only saving grace to were the expertly selected actresses. From Playboy's PMOY Shannon Tweed, to up and coming talents such as Rhona Bennett, Paulette Braxton, Gretchen Palmer, etc.

I appreciate UPN setting up a platform for rising stars, but to compromise the standards of the network by wasting a good half-hour of airtime is just unacceptable and inexcusable...