bilborough64 Reviews

Supernatural (2005–2020)

Always loved "B" rated movies

[6/10 · 15 December 2013]

I've always loved "B" rated movies and "Supernatural" is a "B" rated TV show. I happened on it by accident when I was "surfing" the channels. It has one thing going for it; someone came up with a fresh idea for a show. There have been shows about aliens and monsters but not about angels and demons. The better episodes are the ones in which Carver, Singer and Edlund write or direct. All "B" rated movies are supposed to be fun and not taken seriously. They always have holes in the plots. I have no problems with that, but there are things I wish the writers would improve on. I would like to see growth in the characters. It seems that Castiel is the only character evolving as the show progresses. I'd like for Sam (Jared Padalecki) to stop saying 'sorry' to Dean (Jensen Ackles). It does get on my nerves. Dean throws guilt trips at his brother every time he gets a chance. I also would like Castiel (Misha Collins) to actually become cynical about the other angels. He's been with the Winchesters for 5 years. He is a warrior, Captain of the Garrison that protects Heaven, but is naive when it comes to his superiors. I did enjoy the episode in which Castiel got tired of Dean whining about his life and then beat the tar out of him. Those are the three main problems I have with the show. I've never seen any of Padalecki's, Ackles, or Collins' work before, but then I don't watch Soap Operas'. I like Jim Beaver's work. Mark A. Shepard is a fantastic actor and I will always try to make time to watch it.

Doctor Who: The Name of the Doctor (2013) Season 7, Episode 14

No

[9/10 · 19 May 2013]

I would have put an exclamation point at the end of the "No", but I didn't want to sound like I was shouting. I cried at the end of season 1. I wept at the end of season 4, but at the end of season 7 my heart broke. There is something about a 'companion/character' giving her life like that and then having the 'Dr./friend' realize he couldn't live without her and follows her into death/regeneration that breaks a heart. I think 'Clara' was the 'TARDIS'. But then, maybe not. The 'Marco Polo' scene at the beginning was precious. You could actually see a bit of grandfatherly amusement. But the tears later that started after the word 'Trenzalor' was said, well decide for yourselves. I am anxious to see part 2 in November. I'll probably cry then too.

Orphan Black (2013–2017)

Obscene

[2/10 · 4 April 2013]

I had just gotten finished watching 'Dr. Who' at 6pm MT and was preparing to watch what I thought would be a show with a wonderful premise. What I found instead was the story of a woman who was a clone trying to survive the streets and get her child returned to her custody. She sees a woman who looks just like her commit suicide. She decides to take the woman's place in life including her personal relationships and to find out who the woman was. Then the show becomes obscene. This show was scheduled at 7pm right after 'Dr. Who'. I turned the channel because it offended me, and there is no chance in the universe I would let my child watch it or give her daughter back to her. I think that says it all for me.

Spies of Warsaw (2013)

Disappointing

[2/10 · 4 April 2013]

I use the word "disappointing" to be polite. I love spy novels etc, but this was pathetic. I did stay for 30 minutes to give it a chance. Tieing up an 18 year old German soldier to a tree right after you are discovered spying on the new German 'super' tank. Get real. I know something of history and even though this was fiction, it was bad fiction. I couldn't tell what country the main character was from until 30 minutes into the program. Even at this point, I don't remember his name. David Tennant is a great actor. I've seen his "Hamlet". What possessed him to take this role is beyond me. Let's just say, I changed the channel to watch PBS. They had a program on called 'Nature'. The subject was plants talking to each other.

Hamlet (2009 TV Movie)

Quite Intriguing

[8/10 · 14 May 2010]

It was more out of curiosity than anything else that I rented this DVD from Netflix. I have always adored Patrick Stewart and have recently been introduced to David Tennant as the Tenth "Doctor Who".

I think everyone is somewhat familiar with the story. Uncle Claudius(Stewart) kills the king and usurps the throne by marrying the widow. Hamlet(Tennant), the son finds out about the duplicity and plots to kill him. Stewart's "Claudius" is distinctly kindly and menacing at the same time. Stewart is always exceptional and his cool performance stole the show. It was difficult to know what to make of Tennant's "Hamlet". I made it a point to try not to think of "Dr. Who". It's always easy to see an actor as one character and not another. At the beginning I found his performance rather scattered, but after the "...to be or not to be..." speech the performance settled down. Although a bit long, I thought it a great movie, very tense and somewhat melancholy.

Defiance (I) (2008)

An inspiring movie

[10/10 · 16 November 2009]

This is the true story of 4 brothers; Tuvia(Daniel Craig, Alexander(Liev Schreiber), Assael(Jamie Bell) and Aron(George McKay)Bielski who took to the the forest near their home village to escape the Nazis. Eventually their small group grew to over 1200 refugee Jews.

In the beginning, Alexander(nick-named Zus) and his younger brother Assael witness the destruction of their small village. They rush home to find the rest of the family murdered except for the youngest Aron, who is hiding under some floor boards in a closet. Zus, as portrayed by Liev Schreiber, appears to be a deep emotional man with a pragmatic side. About two days later, they meet up with Tuvia, the oldest. The first refugees that are brought to their small hovel are brought by Aron. They are an old man and his two granddaughters. The youngest dies in the old man's arms. This is the moment that we first see the diametrically opposed view the 2 eldest brothers have of the definition of revenge. Tuvia believes that the best revenge is to "live" and create as normal lives as possible. Zus, on the hand, with several of his friends go to join the Russian Partisans to fight.

In the end, both brothers can see were they were wrong and where they let their pride rule the day.

I was disappointed with Daniel Craig's performance. I've seen him in other movies where the performance was much better. As far as I'm concerned Liev Schreiber stole the show followed by Jamie Bell.

Would I recommend this movie? Without a doubt, but the the subject matter may be incredibly disturbing too some.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

A fun movie

[8/10 · 15 November 2009]

I never got into the original X-Men movie. It actually bored me. I wasn't able to develop a relationship with any of the characters. There was no connection. All I basically remember is that Patrict Stewart was the good guy taking care of the "good" mutants and Ian McKellan taking care of the "bad" mutants. This movie, on the other hand, had more emotion. Though I never learn how Victor and his brother Jimmy(Liev Schreiber and Hugh Jackman) become mutants, it becomes a side story to the main storyline. This story is actually about the relationship between the two brothers. They become useful to the US Army as mercenaries along with 6 or more others. Victor begins to thrive on the adrenaline while Jimmy begins to abhor it. He quits and begins looking for quiet place to live, which turns out to be logging country in the north west. Of course his solitude is destroyed which leads to a show down with Victor. Although ordered to, Victor refuses to kill him, After all, they are still brothers. It seems to be the only thing Victor refuses to do.

The Beast (1996)

I liked this movie

[7/10 · 21 May 2009]

This is not a Oscar winner by a long shot. It is pretty predictable. Good guys kill beast that is terrorizing a shoreline community. The hero is a widower named "Whip Dalton" played by William Petersen. Dalton has teenage daughter Dana, (Missy Crider). There is a love interest, Lt. Kathryn Marcus(Karen Silas) of The US Coast Guard. There is the usual bad guy Schuyler Graves(Charles Martin Smith) and his greedy cohorts, Dr. Herbert Talley(Ronald Guttman) and Osborne Manning(Denis Arndt). Crider gave a sincere portrayal of Dana and William Petersen was great as the ship's captain and was believable. One might even believe he belonged there.

I think the saving grace of this movie is the chemistry between the actors. Petersen and Crider fit perfectly as father and daughter. Karen Silas portrayal of Lt. Marcus was flat made me grind my teeth as she spoke feminist rhetoric that a woman has to be twice as good as a man to get accepted, which may be true depending on who you talk to.

The one thing I did notice was that the movie felt like it had no director and was left it's own devices.

All in all this is a harmless movie that you can let your ten year old watch without supervision, though you might want to watch it as well.

I did like this movie, but I'm still trying to decide if I want to buy it or not.

Keep the Change (1992 TV Movie)

Not what I expected

[9/10 · 16 May 2009]

I expected this film to be in the vein of "Hard Promises", a romantic comedy. It isn't. It's a sincere story of an artist Joe Starling(William Petersen) who goes home to his family ranch in Montana. Like many young people he had to get out of his small town. He leaves the life he had created in Los Angeles including his girlfriend Astrid (Rachel Ticotin). When he arrives he meets his High School sweet heart Ellen (Lolita Davidoson). Things become complicated when he discovers that Ellen is married to his high school rival, Billy Kelton (Jeff Kober). Kober is a wonderful actor. Petersen is the only actor who out performs him.

There are other wonderful actors in this movie, Jack Palance, former Sen. Fred Thompson(R-TN) and Lois Smith.

There is a wonderful energy each person brought to each character large and small. It was a sincere movie about the troubles Joe went through to "find" himself. There was a definite chemistry between the actors.

Like I said I'm a fan of William Petersen, so I rented it before I bought it. It's a keeper no matter which actor the viewer prefers.

One other thing, although I love CSI, I hope Mr. Petersen moves back into the realm of films. I'd pay for the ticket

Curacao (1993 TV Movie)

Interesting

[8/10 · 11 May 2009]

I liked this movie. It wasn't an Oscar winner, but it was interesting. I was surprised that it wasn't predictable. William Petersen plays an exiled CIA agent called Steven Guerin. Geurin is exiled to the American Consulate in Curacao. He is constantly being watched by his own people due to his discontent. He is also being sought out by the enemy to become a double agent. Guerin gets entangled in a web of intrigue when his friend Cornelius(George C. Scott) gets him involved in an insurance scam. Cornelius has a record of his own involvement in the sinking of a cargo ship and the deaths of his crew for money in an act of insurance fraud. Cornelius leaves the evidence in Guerin's lap. Guerin is then caught between mobsters from South Africa and China.

Petersen is wonderful as Guerin. The viewer can "taste" the character's discontent. I can't see any trace of what would become CSI's Gil Grissom. I have seen several of his early works and usually rent the movie before buying it if I liked it.. I would recommend all of them, especially "Gunshy". George C. Scott is wonderful as Cornelius. This is a role I wouldn't have expected him in. He is wonderful. Just enough to make the viewer pity him and just enough for the audience to loath him.

This movie is a keeper and I have already purchased it.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015)

Enter Laurence Fishburne

[8/10 · 19 February 2009]

I was very surprised that they put Fishburne in as a newbie agent considering his stature as an actor. Now I see the genius. His character is very sympathetic. Dr. Ray Langston makes us all feel that it's alright to feel inadequate sometimes even though he is a medical doctor and pathologist.

As for William Petersen's exit, it was very satisfying. The entire two parter had incredible acting. It was very "gutsy". At the end, Grissom and Sidle ride off into the Costa Rican jungle together. We wish all relationships had such happy endings. Grissom is an Entomologist, but what does Sidle do. She probably went back to school and took a degree in Zoology. It is a life-affirming area of study, something she needed.

I'm looking forward to the future episodes of CSI with Fishburne, but I want Billy Petersen to know he is missed. His involvement in the show meant we could always count on a high quality product. I really hope he stays on as an executive producer.

A personal request: Mr. Petersen, I wish you all the best, but now that you've gone back to the stage; if you take a show "on the road", would you have your group stop by Salt Lake City? We are lacking in good theater here. Thanks

The Staircase (1998 TV Movie)

Very nice, very predictable movie

[6/10 · 17 July 2008]

This is a very nice and very predictable movie, but that isn't always a bad thing. A movie like this shows how professional an actor or actress is and what they can do with the little bit of a role they are given.

I do have problems with the actors who played Mr. Mouly (Justin Louis), and Simon Filger (David Clennon). Both of these gentlemen went over the top when it came to their roles. Louis especially went over the top when dealing with being threatened by Bode's(William Petersen) presence. The person I was most disappointed with was Barbara Hershey as the Mother Superior-Sister Madeline. From the moment I was introduced to the character I had no sympathy for the character. She railed against God and everyone around her. Maybe it was the part of her that was angry that she was dying or the fact that the chapel of her Church wasn't complete. Maybe the director told her to portray the character that way, but her performance came off as flat.

There were two very bright spots in this movie and they are the reasons I would recommend this movie. Diane Ladd played Sister Margret, the Mother Superior's second hand with such honesty and feeling. Considering Ms Ladd's ability, it really isn't surprising that she blew Hershey out of the water.

The other bright spot is William Petersen's portrayal of the mysterious carpenter Jode. Petersen portrays the character with such sympathy as he listened to Madeline's dark secret nearly bringing himself to tears.

The editing and music were wonderful, though you could tell this was a movie made for TV. The only part I had with the writing was the concept that Jode didn't carry a weapon or know how to load one. The year was 1876, Geronimo was loose.

This is a nice G rated movie with a couple of problems, but I don't think they would bother someone who is just looking for entertainment. That's why I bought it in the first place.

Good Luck (1996)

A wonderful happy and sad movie-heartwarming

[8/10 · 18 June 2008]

I have a difficult time giving a summary because one can't summarize a good movie in a couple of words.

The first thing I want to warn sensitive people out there that there is a lot of crass male humor. I have 3 brothers so I know. Second, there is a lot of foul language. Sometimes it is a bit much, other times it fits in perfect.

The story is simple enough. Bernard Lemley(Gregory Hines) is a disabled man and he is angry. He is tired of being treated like half of a man just because he is in a wheel chair. He decides to enter a river rafting contest, but has no partner. That's when he meets Tony "Olee" Olezniak(Vincent D'Onofrio) who is angry as well. He is angry at the world because he is blind. Olee was just remanded to jail for destroying a man's car. He is also full of self-pity, what Lemley liked to call "pigs---". Olezniak was a pro running back for the Seattle Seahawks when a freak accident caused him to loose his sight. Lemley offers Olee the chance to participate in the race. Olee notes the fact that "I am blind, asshole." Lemley then attacks what is left of Olee's ego and Olee agrees to accompany Lemley on his journey in a specially fitted van. Thus the adventure begins.

This movie is really one-sided. It chronicles the return of Olee's self-esteem and confidence. It shows that Olee is really terrified of the world and the changes he can't see coming. Lemley tales Olee on the journey of his life by making and breaking plans on a moments notice. Lemley had decided that he wasn't going to be afraid of anything.

What can I say about these two actors. Hines and D'Onofrio had fantastic chemistry. The movie was a joy to watch. I do feel sorry for D'Onofrio for having to carry Hines everywhere. There is a third addition to their chemistry and was the character of "Farmer John" (Max Gail)John was an Oregan pot grower who with his sons were passionate about football. Though no one recognized Olee anymore John and his sons did.

This is an uplifting movie and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys good guy, feel good movies.

Laura

I Am Legend (2007)

Wonderful movie, but a remake

[8/10 · 11 June 2008]

I thought this was a well done movie, but like a lot of things in Hollywood it's been done before.

This might be insulting to those who don't like Charleton Heston's work or they may not like Charleton Heston period, but this was all done in the movie "The Omega Man", down to the last vial of blood that the hero gives to the woman and child in order to save mankind. Wil Smith does an excellent job as the chemist who is obsessed with finding a cure for the virus he possible created. I thought his character was on the edge of going mad.

I won't tell you the ending in "The Omega Man". You should make up your minds yourself.

The Whole Wide World (1996)

Definitely a Keeper!

[10/10 · 19 May 2008]

I love listening to the audio commentaries after I've watched a film. It shows me how much the actors or crew members felt making the film. There is a big difference between a film and a movie. A film holds you to your seat because of the quality of the writing and acting. A movie is usually exciting, but it may or may not have persons who can or cannot act in it's line-up. I consider "The Whole Wide World" in the former category. I can't say enough about this film.

The story is simple enough. Vincent D'Onofrio plays Robert E. Howard, arguably the greatest pulp magazine writer of all time. He is the creator of the Conan series of magazine and movie fame. Howard falls in love with Novalyn Price, a woman who wants to be an author, but has no talent. She is played by Renn' Zellweger, who brings fire to this "mousey" character. Price realizes her destiny lays in teaching and pursues that course in her life. Zellweger's performance is exceptional as her 5'5" frame faces down the 6'4" frame of D'Onofrio.

D'Onofrio's performance in this film is beyond exceptional. He kept me emotionally attached to the character of Howard through out the film. I cried at the end.

As one of the producers of this film, D'Onofrio was able to keep the film on track. But something tells me that he believed so much in the film that he took on the problems himself and protected the project. I loved the Greyhound bus, by the way. It was one of his additions.

This film was Dan Ireland's first major film and he did exceptionally well. He knew the caliber of actors he was working with and let them do their job. The actors also let him do his job as well. Surprisingly in the commentary I could tell that he watched his stars and learned from them

Like I said, I can't say enough about this film. I rented it from Netflix and have watched it several times. It is definitely a keeper and my order on Amazon is already in the works.