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movieguy53
Reviews
History of the World: Part II (2023)
Just dreadful
I'm a fan of Mel. He's still an icon and American treasure but most of this series is painful to watch. When Mel is on screen (rarely) or narrating (mostly) he still seems sharp as a tack (at 96!).
An occasional funny idea like Shakespeare's writers room where Josh Gad as the bard shoots down bad ideas and takes credit for good ones. Mel worked in one of those rooms almost 70 years ago for Sid Caesar.
Then there is Wanda Sykes as Shirley Chisum done like a Norman Lear 70's sitcom (think Maude) complete with a laugh track that hits the funny bone only occasionally.
Have to mention comedian George Wallace as the racist politician George Wallace. That's pure Mel.
As many other reviewers have stated the whole series is hit or miss humor but mostly misses. I can only hope that this isn't Mel's last shot at entertaining us.
Amber Waves (1980)
A beautiful and moving story
This is an excellent movie that is very hard to see these days. There is a difficult to find VHS tape version but no DVD yet. That's a shame because this movie deals with many topics that seem timeless. A man, Dennis Weaver, dealing with his mortality and a spoiled and shiftless male model, well played by Kurt Russell, who learns from him what it is to be a man. Mare Winningham is very good as the unlikely love interest to Russell who helps him make the transition from spoiled brat to responsible adult.
This film is very patriotic yet deals well with a subplot of how the Vietnam war tore our country apart. Weaver's son is a draft dodger from that conflict who flees to Canada to avoid the draft. Weaver's scenes with him are heartbreaking.
Director Joseph Sargent weaves all these elements and more to create a memorable movie experience. If you can find this movie, I highly urge you to give a viewing. You won't regret it.