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Max Headroom (1987)
The Granddaddy of Post-Apocalyptic TV
Before "Revolution" ... Before "Dark Angel" ... Before "Falling Skies" and "The Walking Dead" ... There was Max.
"Max Headroom" was the first cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic TV show EVER (way back in 1987).
Max was decades ahead of its time. The show predicted such things as identity theft, the Internet, the webcam, and the fusion of media and government. (One episode even mourned the closure of movie theaters. Today, thanks to Netflix and video-on-demand, that has now come to pass.)
In a word, Max was prophetic. The hip, trendy post-apocalyptic shows that you're seeing today owe a great debt to Max Headroom.
Birds of Prey (2002)
In Defense of "Birds of Prey"
There are those comix purists who will complain that BoP violates "continuity". If the truth be known, that which constitutes "continuity" is in the eye of the beholder (At last count, there are over five -- and counting --different Batman "continuities" [Movie Batman, "Batman: The Animated Series", "Batman Beyond", "Justice League", "The Dark Knight", etc.] ). At last count, Superman has over EIGHT different continuities (radio show, TV shows ["Superboy", "Smallville", etc.], and countless cartoon incarnations -- in addition to the comics). This is to say nothing of the pre- and post-"Crisis" versions of each of these characters.
There are so many different versions of Batman and Superman and different eras that trying to please each and every comic fan out there is a nightmare and an impossible task for a screenwriter. There are some people who want to see this version and some who want to see this era and if the writers mix them up then all hell breaks loose in Comix Fandom. To attempt to satisfy the whims of each individual fan is to ask for trouble.
While the critics are marking off their checklists and tabulating how well BoP adheres to its "source material", they're missing out on a fun show peopled with some quirky and interesting characters (The Huntress holds the singular honor of being TV's first superhero to see a therapist on a regular basis!).
"Birds of Prey" is best enjoyed when judged on its own merits. In my opinion, it's a fun show that deserves a chance to come out from under the shadow of its comic book origins.
Seinfeld (1989)
This is supposed to be FUNNY?!
Let me get this straight ... I'm supposed to find a clutch of whining baby boomers AMUSING?!
In my opinion, "Seinfeld" is one of the most overrated pieces of garbage that I have ever seen. One of the Top 5 Sitcoms Of All-Time? Call me back in forty years and we'll see how "Seinfeld" does against giants such as "I Love Lucy" or "I Dream of Jeannie".
I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later (1985)
Good Idea, Botched Ending
Jeannie has always been a bit on the feisty side (that's a quality I like about her; she's nowhere near as domesticated as Samantha). I can understand her feeling a little taken for granted after so many years (she's not a robot, people -- she has feelings too).
Great idea ... but they messed up the ending. It caused a MAJOR continuity problem for its successor, "I Still Dream of Jeannie".
It had its moments (I liked the scene where she has to tell her son about her ... "secret identity").
I Dream of Jeannie (1965)
Often Imitated, NEVER Duplicated
The airwaves are littered with the rotting corpses of Jeannie-wannabes (USA's "Weird Science", "You Wish", "Just Our Luck", et al.) trying -- and failing -- to capture the magic of the original.
Jeannie had something Samantha lacked: ATTITUDE. Jeannie is one character that, IMO, will never go out of date; she was nowhere near as domesticated as Samantha. Jeannie had charm, spunk, nerve, and guts -- qualities that were sorely lacking in many of her her pretenders. This is to say nothing of the great Barbara Eden filling her harem pants.
Jeannie is a classic character who will never go out of style.
Bewitched (1964)
I Never Cared for It
At the risk of once again stirring up the perennial "Jeannie vs. Samantha" debate, I must say that I never really cared for Bewitched.
In my opinion, Samantha was too much the goody-goody for my taste. She could do no wrong. More often than not, Samantha was called upon to fix a crisis brought about by her psychotic family (Uncle Arthur, Maurice, Endora, etc.).
In my opinion, the character of Samantha is dated; she strikes me as being too much a servile creature of the 60's.
Jeannie had something Samantha lacked: ATTITUDE. Jeannie was a hell-raiser; she wasn't anywhere near as domesticated as Samantha. For that reason, I will always prefer Jeannie over Samantha.
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002)
Don't quit your day job, Steve ...
Steve Irwin -- for better or worse -- is normally very good at what he does: wrangling crocs and pulling other assorted (poisonous) critters out of their burrows for the camera.
As an actor, however, his talents leave a lot to be desired. His lack of acting ability is painfully obvious on the big screen.
In my opinion, Steve Irwin has no more business doing a feature film than Emeril Lagasse had doing a sitcom.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Thoughts about the removal of guns from the film
I think Steven Spielberg made a mistake in removing the guns from the re-issue of the film; I thought the gun-laden original version was more true-to-life.
The hard reality is that man has a tendency to destroy that which he does not understand; the agents' carrying of weapons in the original print reflected that fact very well.
As much we would prefer it otherwise, the world as it exists today is not a friendly place. In my opinion, the agents' behavior should reflect that fact.
Mannequin: On the Move (1991)
Lame sequel to a great movie
This movie should never have been made; I thought the first film was relatively self-contained -- it didn't leave much room for a sequel.
Kristy Swanson is no substitute for Kim Cattrall. Kim brought energy and enthusiasm to her character; Kristy, on the other hand, simply went through the motions. I found her performance wooden and mechanical (and this was when she WASN'T playing a mannequin!).
The Lottery (1996)
The original short story was better
By all means, read Shirley Jackson's original short story; it gets down to business without the padding this film adds to it.
To all who think that the ending is sick and pointless, that was Ms. Jackson's intention exactly -- the original story is an allegory about the cruelty man inflicts upon his neighbor in the name of upholding "tradition". Ms. Jackson's story is much more affecting than this film.
You Wish (1997)
Bad "I Dream of Jeannie" rip-off
Take Jeannie, give her a sex-change operation, deduct her charm and good nature, and you have this show's "Genie". "You Wish" is but the latest in a series of misguided attempts to remake "I Dream of Jeannie". John Ales's "Genie" is crude, obnoxious, and self-indulgent. Avoid this show at all costs; this supposed sitcom is not funny.
I Still Dream of Jeannie (1991)
B-plot better than A-plot
I thought the B-plot (Tony Jr. is kidnapped ... and Jeannie has less than a week to find him) was better than the main (or A) plot (Jeannie has less than two weeks to find a new master ... or be sent back to Baghdad forever). The main plot could've been done away with altogether, in my opinion ... leaving only the kidnap story.
I loved the ending!! (Let's just say Jeannie kicks a** ... as only Jeannie can).
Disorderlies (1987)
Stupid movie, great soundtrack
This is one of those stupid movies with great soundtracks. The plot is weak... the characterisation is all but non-existent (this is what happens when one tries to teach rappers to act).
The soundtrack is about the only thing that makes this film worthwhile; check out the great Bananarama number "I Heard a Rumour". The Fat Boys are fine when they are in their element -- rapping. They contribute two passable numbers -- "Baby, You're a Rich Man" and "Wipeout".
Thank goodness Anne Dudley has moved on to better things ... like winning an Oscar for scoring "The Full Monty".
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
I can't relate to these people!
I could never relate to any of these people; if the people on ST: TNG had flaws, I never saw any. Hardly anybody ever had an actual dark side. (Why do you think they gave Data and Riker their own evil twins? The cast of characters was so morally perfect it was disgusting.) Starfleet Command doesn't behave like any real organization I've ever known (in the real world, when management makes an error, they do everything in their power to AVOID taking responsibility ... unlike Capt. Picard, real managers take credit only for successes; responsibility for any failures is passed down the chain of command.)
Something else I've noticed ... where are all of the non-commissioned officers? The latest edition of the _Star_Trek_Encyclopedia_ features insignia for Starfleet NCOs (Petty Officers, Mates, Able Seamen, etc.) ... but you never see them aboard the _Enterprise_. The lowest rank I've seen on board the _Enterprise_ is ENSIGN (the lowest-ranking commisioned officer); that does not happen in any Naval force that _I_ know. Where are the NCOs ... vacuuming the decks? Where are the people on the low end of the food chain? It's as if they don't exist in the 24th Century.
IMHO, the closest thing ST has to a real living, breathing, flesh-and-blood human being is Seven of Nine on ST: Voyager. She started out bad (a Borg); now she vacillates between heroic, trying-but-troubled, and half-crazed ... sounds like more than one person I know (including myself).
The crew of the Starship _Enterprise_, to put it simply, is not human.