yuhui Reviews

The Elizabeth Smart Story (2003 TV Movie)

A pain to watch

[3 June 2004]

After the first half hour, I started checking my clock constantly to see if it was anywhere near the end of the show.

Why? Because right from the start, the show tugs at your heartstrings and never lets go. You then either become very strained or snap.

I could give a few examples, but they're very spoiler-ish. Just watch how the cops handle the investigation and how Ed Smart goes about searching for his daughter with that constant pained look.

I watched this show only because I never followed the Elizabeth Smart case. In that aspect, the show was educational in showing how she was eventually reunited with her family. It also made me think about survival tips during kidnappings for both the victim and support groups.

Hail Mary (1985)

Dumb show alert!

[4/10 · 17 August 2001]

If you like arty, incoherent, choppy films that make you go "Huh?", then this show is for you. Maybe it was the copy I saw. It started off with "The Book of Mary" for the first half hour, about a young girl named Mary whose parents are divorcing. After that, it's "Hail Mary" about a virgin basketball player who becomes pregnant. Is that correct? Does the young girl Mary become basketball player Mary? That's never explained fully. And who the hell is Eva and why is her story in this? That's never explained either. The dialogue was bad, or maybe something got lost in the translation. Also, it seemed to get mired in too much philosophy and angst. Overall, I wouldn't watch this film again... unless you showed me just the nude scenes. Those scenes were worth watching.

American Pie 2 (2001)

aka "Jim's Story"

[7/10 · 16 August 2001]

While the first movie focused on all 4 guys (Jim, Kevin, Oz, Finch) trying to get laid, this one sends everyone to the background except Jim and brings Stifler to the front. It's all about Jim wanting to be cool with girls and Stifler doing what he does best, i.e. making a complete fool of himself but all in good fun. Too bad we don't see much of Heather, I guess Mena Suvari wanted a break from this franchise, though her absence did highlight how mature her relationship with Oz is. The plot between Kevin and Vicki was so lame, you can ignore it without missing anything. The gags pretty much followed the same order as the first movie, i.e. Jim and his dad, then Stifler's party, then the broadcast goof (Internet in the first movie, CB radio in the second), then the guys deciding to throw a party to get girls, and finally everyone ends up happy in the arms of his (naked) girl. And in the end, it's all about Jim becoming a really believable and likeable character, not that he isn't already.

The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000 TV Movie)

Lovely story, kudos to Love

[7/10 · 27 March 2000]

This is a touching story of a young woman's desire and eagerness to become the best at whatever she did, and as she did so, she became a famous movie star.

Aside from the seemingly fake accent and air of pomposity that she carried around throughout the show, Jennifer Love Hewitt seemed well cast as Audrey Hepburn, I could replace her face with Ms Hepburn's and everything would fit nicely. Her grace and style seemed to match what I know of Ms Hepburn, which isn't a lot, but probably sufficient enough to appreciate it.

Emmy Rossum also did a good job as the young Audrey Hepburn, playing the frail but strong-willed young girl who was driven to become an accomplished dancer.

Two things kept nagging at me: the show seemed to point out that Ms Hepburn's life revolved around her desire to be reunited with her father, and that all she wanted in life was to have babies and if the man couldn't provide, he was off her list. These 2 things seem to remove some of the charm but were probably added to make her a more real person, but unfortunately they were done in a fake manner which made me a bit put off.

But overall, a lovely show that makes me want to watch it again and every Audrey Hepburn movie.