cbauman Reviews

Enchanted (2007)

Too silly and cutesy

[4/10 · 10 March 2008]

I expected a typical Disney fairytale with adult punchlines. Enchanted was too sugary sweet for my taste, and provided only a handful of chuckles. It was worth watching once (and for free, I might add since it was shown on a cross-country flight), but not worthy of purchasing unless you have little girls that are obsessed with the "princess" ideal.

Furthermore, most of the film is terribly predictable and unoriginal- although I suppose anyone who views this movie out of any actual desire to see it probably expects this. On the other hand, when the storyline finally reaches beyond the scope of predictability, it becomes ridiculous. And as much I would like to commend Disney for the reversal of gender-roles at the end, it seems to be more of a mockery.

Cashmere Mafia (2008)

has some potential

[7/10 · 7 January 2008]

This show reminds me of Sex in the City- without the warmth and genuine friendships. The pilot didn't quite demonstrate natural chemistry between the characters, although that could come in time. And airing the show after Desperate Housewives was smart; while I am sure that some DH fans will not like Cashmere Mafia, I would imagine that fans of Cashmere Mafia will be viewers of DH.

Thus far (i.e. after the airing of only the pilot), I think the show has the potential to capture the chick-flick audience- provided the plots of future episodes are original rather than predictable rewrites of other women-taking-charge shows.

Army Wives (2007–2013)

Army Wives

[9/10 · 12 August 2007]

I'm amazed at how many people expect this show to be realistic- as if medical and police dramas are accurate, or for that matter, as if it's any less accurate that anything else on TV (aside from documentaries or biographies). I'm not even in the medical profession and I can spot a ton of inaccuracies is Grey's Anatomy and House. And it's not as if the show is advertised as a reality show.

The show is essentially a modern-day soap opera, with much better acting, about a group of army wives and how their lives intertwine. I love the character Roxie; she's fun-loving and outspoken, and really makes the show. But each character brings its own dynamic to the series in its own way.

Medium (2005–2011)

Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag.

[5/10 · 21 July 2007]

Most episodes of this show can be summed up by the following: Allison has a vision that relates to a crime that has occurred or is about to occur, her husband/boss/co-worker/etc doubt her conclusions and Allison nags them until it is somehow proved that she is correct and they, being the dumb men that are, have been wrong all along.

I know the show is supposed to be based on a real person, but the show must take a lot of liberties. And I'm surprised the real Allison Dubois is OK with the way she is portrayed.

But the plot lines to the crimes are usually pretty good, even if the main character is rather annoying.

The Closer (2005–2012)

Unrealistic but entertaining

[6/10 · 17 April 2007]

I hate to sound petty, but if you can get past the terrible fake Georgia accent of the main character (or don't know what a real Georgia accent sounds like), this show is OK. After watching the show for nearly a year, I barely even notice the terrible color of lipstick she wears (the lipstick she wears in promos look good, but it looks awful on the show).

Most importantly, what you think of this show is going to depend on how realistic you expect a show to be. I, personally, prefer cop shows to be somewhat unrealistic because I don't believe there is any reason to give criminals any ideas or solutions. (Ask any detective or forensic investigator and they'll tell you solving crimes is much more difficult since CSI first aired).

On The Closer, the main character, Brenda Leigh Johnson, is supposed to have specialized interview training, but her most notable talent is the condescending tone of her voice when interviewing suspects. The police staff and most of the brass are written as if they are completely incompetent and inexperienced so that Brenda can swoop in and save the investigation- for example, during one search warrant execution of a house, the police are also searching the garage until Brenda "enlightens" them that the garage cannot be searched unless it is specifically stated in the warrant.

But the story lines are usually interesting and creative, and I think the show is quite entertaining if you don't expect it to be realistic.

Blue Smoke (2007 TV Movie)

Obviously made for Lifetime Channel

[3/10 · 3 April 2007]

I like Nora Roberts' books, but this movie was terrible. The main character is so very unrealistic, but since I didn't read the book, I don't know if this is just an awful book made into a movie or it's just the movie.

The story is very predictable. The main character is so cheesy, so depressed and brooding, suspicious of everything and then suddenly happy-go-lucky, not a care in the world. She refers to herself as a cop, but then plays the part of an arson investigator with the fire department.

In my opinion, this movie would be great for someone who loves to watch made-for-TV movies, or the typical Lifetime original movie. Otherwise, don't waste your time.

Eragon (2006)

Different from the book, but very enjoyable

[8/10 · 5 January 2007]

Anyone who has not read the book, or can accept that the story lines vary, would likely find this movie quite entertaining. The story itself is kind of a cross between Harry Potter (as a teen) and Lord of the Rings. Saphira's comments will bring a smile to your face, and Ed Speleers gives an outstanding performance- not to mention being very easy on the eyes! The entire cast does a spectacular job, although on a couple of occasions I found John Malkovich to be a little overly dramatic. But the cinematography is impressive, and the scenery is absolutely beautiful.

It's been about 3 years since I read the book so I remembered only the gist of the story. It's true that the movie does not follow the book exactly, but the story progresses smoothly at an acceptable pace for being only an hour and 45 minutes. I found the variations between the book and the movie to be more logical and less disjointed than the lame film version of the Da Vinci Code.

As a fan of the book I would have also enjoyed a longer, more detailed movie that followed the book more closely, however I would imagine that movie profits would have been significantly reduced- it would be too long for young children, a long movie would probably not appeal to anyone who has not read the book, and it would require either a larger budget for shooting or sub par cinematography.

Overall, I highly recommend this movie and feel that anyone who thinks they might be interested in the movie ought to go see and decide for themselves!