Pookiebooz Reviews

13 Going on 30 (2004)

Fun to watch, but has soooo many flaws

[6/10 · 16 September 2005]

I can see why there are so many mixed reviews on this movie. When I read the good ones, I agree. When I read the bad ones, I agree as well. I've seen this movie a few times because I'm the type of person that likes watching cute, corny, family-type movies and/or chick flicks over and over. To simply put it, I like this movie but there are so many things about it that bug me and they should have been altered/deleted. Here are some examples: -Soon after Jenna first becomes 30, her cell phone is ringing and it freaks her out (I liked this part, it was funny), but why include a scene set a little later the same day where her 2004 cordless phone rings, she doesn't know it's her phone and has to be reminded it is hers, and then she casually plops down on her bed and quickly pushes the button without a second thought on how to work it. -The "Thriller" dance scene is fun to watch if you can take it in as performers putting on a rehearsed show for you, not like the way the story goes (everyone in the party knows the choreography to the dance coincidentally, they just jump in). It kind of makes you feel uneasy watching it, thinking "Am I really supposed to believe this nonsense?" -How in the world does Jenna keep her job? If you're telling me that the qualifications for a magazine editing job that provides you a rich, luxurious and glamorous lifestyle is something that a 13 year old can do? Someone who is just "thrown in" and does nothing more than show up and sit in meetings? Okay... -The Chris Grandy character, the "popular" boy who Jenna supposedly has a crush on as a kid. I think the total amount of time spent on this character, including his on-screen presence and any reference to or about him is probably less than 3 minutes. But it's almost like the writers half-heartedly attempted to make this a key character, something that doesn't work in so little time devoted to him. I understand that they wanted to follow the cliché of the girl having a "hot boy" crush when truly the nice "dork boy" is really right for her. Also, the brief scene with Chris as an adult and he is Jenna's cab driver seems so desperate, like a last minute "oh yeah, we better throw in a scene where we can show what a loser he turned out to be!" It was just so...pointless. -The last scene is so dumb and it's like they didn't even try to come up with anything better, with no thought at all. The part where they cut to Jenna and Matt prancing out in wedding gown and tux, holding hands and smiling as rice is tossed their way...anew...and then them lounging in front of their dream home and calling each other "Mr._____" and "Mrs._____" (I don't recall the last name) That is just entirely WAYYY too cheesy! There are more but I'll stop there. I'll end by a compliment, the performances were great, even by the kids (Christa, Sean, the girl who played Lucy(sorry I didn't catch her name either!). Even though Mark Ruffalo appears "bored" or "laid back", I like him as an actor and who's to say it wasn't a good job, maybe that was the way Matt's adult personality was like. I recommend this movie if you don't take it too seriously.

Mask (1985)

Very sad, very uplifting, very good movie

[9/10 · 14 September 2005]

Watch this movie. It is great. And it is the only "Cher" movie I like (well, I kind of enjoyed Mermaids too). Cher's character can be very unlikable, especially when Rocky is trying to read his poem to her and she is just trying to get ready to "go out" and ignoring him and being a rude bad mother. But for some reason for the most part you still like her. Eric Stoltz is awesome! So is Sam Elliot (I wouldn't mind riding on the back of a motorcycle with HIM!) I'm sure the real Rocky Dennis put up with more abuse from his peers than portrayed in this movie but the point wasn't to show all that all the time. He was well loved and a great person. He was stronger than a lot of us. I also thought it was interesting that this movie has no musical score whatsoever, the only music you hear is what the characters are listening to(I also love that Bob Seger music). I highly recommend it.

Where the Lilies Bloom (1974)

It's too bad this movie and the child actors aren't more well known...

[10/10 · 14 September 2005]

This is a very excellent movie. The book is great, too. I first read the book when I was about 14, loved it, and tried to find the movie but couldn't. That disappointed me and I eventually forgot about it, until I was about 20 and saw it on television. I knew it would be good but it actually exceeded my expectations! Everyone was wonderful, especially the children. I was shocked to learn that Jan Smithers who played Devola was the only one out of the children in the family who made any other films. Helen Harmon was just too cute for words and portrays a perfect precocious little baby sister and really has some funny scenes. Matthew Burril is real good as the brother, perfectly portraying the poor only boy surrounded by sisters! And Julie Gholson was amazing!!! I love the story about the children doing anything possible to stay together and Julie as Mary Call taking charge was intriguing to watch. This is not a well known movie and I would like to get the word out and let people know this is a must-see!! (unless the only movies you like are non sentimental shoot-em-up movies)

Roseanne (1988–2018)

Great until they won the lottery

[8/10 · 14 September 2005]

Roseanne is one of the funniest shows ever made. I love it! I think John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf are a couple of the best actors out there. It was refreshing to see a family going through real life struggles such as losing jobs and creating fears on how the parents will be able to make house payments, put food on the table, etc. instead of "Aw, shucks! Oh well, next week it won't matter, everything will fall into place and be rosy again." I really enjoy the reruns and watch them all the time. Except the end. I don't even bother with the last season or so. It became a horrible show after the family won the lottery. It was so very, very stupid. I watch the episodes following that and shake my head because they are so dumb. An episode devoted to weird TV Producers coming to the home to pitch ideas about a TV movie based on the family. Just bad. One episode featured Roseanne kung-fu fighting somebody on top of a moving train. That is an episode I saw only once, so I don't know the details...when they show it in reruns I turn it off in the beginning. And one episode where there is the grandmother, who they had turned into a lesbian, and Leon and their lovers playing poker (I think...they were just sitting around talking). Seeing an episode like that is so far from the original idea of the family and loud kids and real people problems. The character of Bev was so funny as the mother/mother-in-law who annoys her daughters, in the beginning, then she turned gay and the jokes about everyone hating her got old. Also, a baby, Jerry, was added to the family and we saw little or no interaction with him and his sisters and brother, unless they were just holding him in the background. I wish the show would have stayed true to itself. And that last episode...please! Although unique to feature such a huge twist...why do that? You're telling me that Becky was with David and Darlene was with Mark instead of the other way around as we watched for years, so every episode before that are we supposed to disregard, as it was a joke? I'd prefer to just disregard the final episode. I would love to see a reunion, but I guess it would be too confusing and could not include John Goodman since they killed him off. The first few seasons are gold. The end, not.

The Parent Trap II (1986 TV Movie)

Great movie for young girls, but should have had more to do with the original

[8/10 · 14 September 2005]

I like this movie. I am an adult female in my 20's and when I was little this was a favorite of mine. It's very cute, and it portrays well how friends are as children. I mean, when I was little my friends and I used to giggle and talk about how cool it would be if we were sisters (although we never actually tried to make it happen). This is just a fun movie. But...this movie, in my opinion, has very little to do with the original. Thank goodness it at least had Hayley Mills in it. Other than that and a brief reference or two to the original (like a picture of the young Susan/Sharon in a tent while camping), Parent Trap II is it's own separate movie. I think fans of the original such as myself would have LOVED for a Parent Trap sequel to focus on more other characters from the first one. We don't find out how Mom and Dad are doing (Mitch and Maggie), and we don't know anything about Susan's children that she says "are in camp." I realize that the focus is on Sharon's daughter Nikki and that's what Parent Trap II is based on. It would have been so nice to have more in the movie with details of the whole family. So it's better to watch this movie as it's own original, while getting a little kick out of seeing Hayley as a mom, but if you love the original don't expect that same magic.

Judge Judy (1996–2021)

Love the show a lot, but....

[14 September 2005]

I just read about Judge Judy that she divorced her husband Jerry (2nd husband) for a year, and then remarried him. She had children with both husbands. For someone who rips into immature people and preaches responsibility and doing the right thing, doesn't her past actions somewhat place her in the category of the "idiots" she gets so annoyed at in her courtroom? Don't get me wrong, I think she's great. Actually, I love her show and she is way better than Judge Joe Brown and others. I do not think bad of her for her marriage thing. Everyone makes mistakes. But she should tone down a little sometimes on these litigants, most deserve it, but at times I feel it is uncalled for. I have seen her criticize young parents who, for example, may have children and not be married, or perhaps have multiple children with different fathers. But what does getting divorced and remarried in a year show a child about commitment and marriage? I hope this show continues for a long time, it's so entertaining!

The Parent Trap (1961)

Wonderful!!

[10/10 · 13 September 2005]

This charming movie is definitely one of my favorites. There is something about classic Disney movies that will never be done again, as they have their own uniqueness to them. David Swift did an excellent job with the script and direction. This is just an all around, cute, interesting and enjoyable movie. Hayley Mills was just awesome as was the rest of the cast. One flaw, though, is the English accent Hayley falls in and out of, but it's such a minor flaw that most people would either not notice or not care. It would have helped for Sharon to be from London (like the remake) instead of Boston. This film also displays beautiful homes and scenery. You can't help but truly care about the outcome of this film, even if it is a little predictable. I recommend this classic film, if family movies are your thing.