amolad-1 Reviews

Mannix: To Kill a Memory (1972) Season 6, Episode 7

RIDICULOUS

[2/10 · 16 March 2024]

Yeesh. This episode is ridiculous, even for an episode of Mannix. Martin Sheen is wasted. So are good actors like Ben Piazza and Ford Rainey. John Vernon is playing his typical "I'm a bad guy" character that, at least, makes more sense than his character in "Point Blank" who didn't make sense at all.

There were many episodes of Mannix that were entertaining, but not this one. I don't know how much they've pulled out of this episode for syndication, but it could not have helped.

The whole thing makes no sense.

The flashback Vietnam scenes look totally like Southern California.

You'd be better off watching an episode of Hawaii 5-0.

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)

Well done

[8/10 · 8 November 2023]

Well done with very good performances. Nice final film for Friedkin and Lance Reddick.

Note that this is unlike the 1954 original film with Humphrey Bogart which replayed the incidents on the Caine. This is the stage version of the original play where the majority of the action takes place in the courtroom. You only hear about what happened aboard ship.

The final speech my Barney Greenwald is one of the key parts of the movie. That seems a little dated now because this was not World War II but he makes his point. But he wasn't aboard the Caine when everything went down, either.

Nice ending. In the original there was a little more after the "toast." To end it where they did was nice touch by Friedkin.

River's Edge (1986)

Unmemorable, overrated, bleak 80s teen flick

[4/10 · 14 January 2022]

This was considered "hip" in the 80s. It was based on a real incident, I believe, and was then made into a play, I think.

The performances are uneven. Some good, some not so good.

Except for Crispin Glover, who is terrible and overacts the entire film.

Don't waste your time.

The Paul Lynde Show (1972–1973)

Big swing and a miss

[3/10 · 2 December 2018]

It's supposed to be about a harried lawyer with a wife and kids but with Lynde it's actually about a campy gay man with a wife and kids. A full season was probably fifteen episodes too long.

White Famous (2017)

entertaining

[8/10 · 7 November 2017]

This is funny. Pharaoh is entertaining and the writing is smart PROVIDED that you realize that it is a part of the same showbiz universe that Californication exists in. A lot of it is tongue in cheek, but I'm sure it's closer to the reality of Hollywood in some respects than some people realize. I will say this: it's A LOT better than Showtime's "I'm Dying Up Here."

Elle (I) (2016)

Preposterous

[2/10 · 3 August 2017]

This movie is awful. It contains repeated scenes of a woman getting attacked and then {MANY SPOILERS AHEAD}...........when she discovers who it is, she keeps up a relationship with him? WTF? She never calls the police until the end, when she has to. Her father murdered a whole neighborhood when she was young. What's that supposed to mean? She has an affair with her best friend's husband? How French. Her mother has sex with a much younger man. How French. This is an insult to rape victims. I'll bet they think so. A woman is not going to be raped and a) not call the police and b) not be traumatized by the event. This character just takes a bath and washes it off of her. At the end she realizes the man has raped others and NOW she must call the police? What nonsense. Don't waste your time.

I'm Dying Up Here (2017–2018)

Pretty bad -- READ the book

[3/10 · 17 June 2017]

This show is awful. It'a hard enough to write a show about comedians. You have to write jokes--and funny ones--weekly if you insist on showing the comedians on stage. This show can't do it. Based very loosely on Bill Knoedelseder's terrific book about The Comedy Store and the comedians who eventually went on strike because they weren't getting paid, this really pale imitation takes place a good six years before the events Knoedelseder wrote about. It's just not interesting. Did I mention it wasn't funny? Whoever compared this to HBO's Vinyl was right on the money. It's doomed. Also, the comment about how the show uses every 70s cliché in the book was also correct. The only thing this show is very good at is showing what a terrible person "Goldie"--Mitzi Shore--is. Do yourself a favor. Read Knoedelseder's book. It's about a thousand times better and, unlike this series, you really feel for the people in it.

Smash Cuts (2009– )

Dead on Arrival

[2/10 · 18 July 2010]

This show is a knockoff of a knockoff of a knockoff. Web clip review shows have been around forever and this is nothing new. However, they've thought of a new angle:

Most of the "hosts" are not camera friendly. Huh?

There are four or five unattractive guys and one hot girl. And some of them can barely talk on camera. They all have one other thing in common--not many professional credits. How did they cast this show? Pulling names out of a hat?

The only thing I can think of is they got the cheapest people they could find, because this show has a budget of about $10.

You'd be more entertained by reruns of Gilligan's Island.