jwinters-2 Reviews

Friday Night Lights (2006–2011)

The Best Written Acted Show On Television Today

[9/10 · 25 June 2010]

Every week this show presents some of the best written material you will ever see on television. Every actor- and that means every actor- has a depth and appreciation of their character that leads you to believe that they are not acting at all, but rather are simply allowing their true selves to emerge.

The story lines are complex, independent, complimentary and never ever boring or predictable.

I never have a weekend when my eyes do not water from the drama of a moment or my heart races from the excitement of the game.

It will be a great tragedy if this shows ever ends.

If you have not seen this show, start from the beginning and love each wonderful week.

Spartacus (2010–2013)

Just About the Best Thing On TV

[9/10 · 16 April 2010]

That was just a great great first season. Not for the weak of heart and certainly sometimes as close to porn on TV that you will see, but what fun. The story line is complex and all of the character development is dense and interesting.

The last episode "KILL THEM ALL!". After twelve episodes of watching these horrible Roman's you want to see the entire Roman civilization destroyed. Even though we know where this is all going to end- who could forget "I am Spartacus! No I am Spartacus. NO I'M SPARTACUS", it will be loads of fun getting there.

This could be STARZ biggest hit and I can't wait for the new season.

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans (2009)

Worst Movie of the Decade!

[1/10 · 30 November 2009]

This was without question one of the worst movies that I have ever witnessed in my life. Our audience was laughing most of the way through. The writing, the acting, the scenes, the story, the editing, even the continuity could not have been worse. How anyone could possibly consider this piece of trash anything resembling a "film" is beyond comprehension.

I could say many many more things about this movie, but unless it was intentionally a comedy, Nicholas Cage has lost his mind, his limited talent and his taste and should be forever banned from ever starring in another movie. I saw the damn boom in one scene! Awful awful awful!!!!!!!!!

Generation Kill (2008)

Not as Good as it should have been.

[7/10 · 25 August 2008]

This was very difficult to watch. It was frankly boring. Nor was it just boring between moments of intense fear. It was just boring. The story line just never caught hold and never really rose to a good understanding of what the war was or was not all about.

The acting was very good. The reality of it also was incredible. Seems like it was filmed in Iraq and the most importantly the Iraqis were extremely realistic.I guess it was suppose to be a character study in part and a study of what this war started out like. But it just never made it.

Overall it just should have been better.

The Sopranos: Made in America (2007) Season 6, Episode 21

The Greatest Finale Since Bob Newhart

[10/10 · 13 June 2007]

Wake up America. this was without question the greatest ending for a series in the history of film. What did you want? A blood bath. that's been done. You wanted the daughter killed? that's been done. You wanted an ending where Tony just went on. That would be bullshit. You got what we all wanted; a statement of the continuing moment of disgust and fear that was and is the life of anyone who has devoted themselves to crime as a basis for life.

If you wanted a nice bow tied up for this show then you weren't a real fan.

I hated not knowing what really happened but by morning, I realized that Chase is a genius. Thanks to the Sopranos

War of the Worlds (2005)

Should be War of the Stupid Children

[7/10 · 1 July 2005]

Tom Cruise singing a lullaby. Get real. This story can be told so many interesting ways and from so many angles. I do not understand why essentially Spielberg told a story about a rotten father dealing with really stupid children trying to get to of all places Boston, after leaving a destroyed New York. Who would in their right minds- when the earth is being overrun by people eating monsters attacking every major city go from New York to Boston????? There are so many "why would anyone do that?"'s in this movie it starts to very difficult to believe anything anyone does. The movie really didn't work for me on any level. Poor character development. Tom Cruise was miscast And while the special effects were stunning, they really didn't seem to serve any purpose and principally consisted of lots of people running crazy this way and that. Batman was a great movie. This one is not one of Spielberg's best or even average.

10.5 (2004)

So Bad You Can't Keep From Watching.

[2/10 · 3 May 2004]

One of the worst disaster movies since the first Earthquake! Only character it is missing is Charlton Heston who may still show up as the San Andreas opens up and shows us the Earth's core! But I watched the whole thing! It was addicting it was so bad. This is what television is all about. When a commercial comes on you feel relieved to finally see real acting. When someone dies you can't help but laugh! I fully expected Martians to come out of the sky at the end just to put everything in a true perspective. Don't miss it if it comes on t.v. again, because it will never be released on DVD! WATCH OUT FOR SPOILERS. 1. A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE! 2. THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T DIE! 3. THE CAMERA MOVES AROUND ALOT! 4. PEOPLE CAN'T WALK OR RUN WITHOUT FALLING DOWN. 5. A LOT OF FURNITURE TURNS OVER. 6. tHERE'S A LOT OF QUICKSAND IN A BAD QUAKE. 7. 10.5 IS A REALLY REALLY REALLY BIG QUAKE. 8. THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA IS TOAST. 9. THERE MIGHT BE A NEW CATALINA IF YOU GET MY DRIFT. 10. DID SOMEONE SAY TIDAL WAVE?

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

Incredible

[10/10 · 14 November 2003]

What a great flick. A truly adult adventure which despite all of the macho talk is really just a good old story. It will be better and better every time I see it and as far as sequel'--- Please start production NOW! The only bad thing is that it ended.

Poolhall Junkies (2002)

Couldn't they had at least tried?

[4/10 · 1 March 2003]

How could you waste such talent with such a bad script, inaccurate depiction of such a great game, and overall stupidity. This is not a good movie and certainly does not come close to examining the real world of high level pool and the art of hustling. Walken is an incredible actor and almost pulls this out but in the end this is a worthless examination of story that is improbable and without any significant message. The Hustler still defines the sport and this defines simple poor thought.

Gods and Generals (2003)

SOOOOOOOOOOOO DISAPPOINTING!!!!!!!

[5/10 · 23 February 2003]

How could the same people who brought us Gettysburg bring us this. I prayed all of the critics who have been panning this were wrong. They weren't.

How sad. The story of a Century was not even told. The tragedy of a

nation was summed up in some of the most arcane literature known to man. And it went on and on and on. The battle scenes were so unsophisticated. Did the director and producers miss Private Ryan or Patriot. War is horrible. It's not a bunch of guys marching or charging by a set camera. Half of the characters did not have names! Story lines started mid way through and ended somewhere no one could find. My God, even the opening credits was boring. How many flags can you look at. Gettysburg's opening was as classic as they come and they could have simply repeated that and it would have been a hundred times better. I swear things were out of focus and while no booms showed up in any of the scenes, if I could sit through this again I'm sure there is probably a car being driven in the background. I did catch one soldier running around with a rubber bayonet flapping around like a limp noodle. And have the producers not paid attention to the advancements in computer graphics. There is game software that is more realistic of long range battle scenes. Even the graphics of the towns looked like someone got out their Lionel train set. There were so many editing mistakes it became embarrassing. The camera couldn't even keep from crossing the line; they couldn't even keep the armies marching in the right direction have the time. And while I'm no history buff, the story line is so sparse it's embarrasing. Nothing was told about the war. Nothing. That's right, how much more material can a writer want.This was the American Civil War. Yet we get absoultely nothing about the war. No plot, no pathos and some of the most ridiculous speeches I've ever stifled a laugh thru. I am sooooo disappointed. My goodness, even the intermission was too long.

If Ted Turner was honest he'd take this off the market. Burn all copies and start all over again. Sad sad sad.

Chicago (2002)

Would Have Been a Home Run with Better Music

[9/10 · 9 February 2003]

This was a superb film which got better and better as it went on. They really hit their stride at the end. But- and it's a big but- the music simply wasn't that wonderful. Whatever a musical is, it has to have the great song and two. It has to have something musical that just wants to make you dance, sing, scream, whatever- and this movie never delivers that stunning music. Regardless, well worth seeing and very special acting by the leads.

Gangs of New York (2002)

Disappointing

[7/10 · 5 January 2003]

The talent and money available should have resulted in one of the great flicks of all time. But instead the film is a jerky, often difficult to understand parody of a time in America's history that while certainly more violent than one can imagine could not have been so cartoonlike and so full of frankly bizarre and corrupt characters. The violent scenes were nothing special and actually for all their brutality failed to convey the violence. Compare truly believable violent scenes from Saving Private Ryan; Braveheart, Gladiator, Pulp Fiction, etc. and Scorcese did nothing special with these scenes. There was so much potential for a visually stunning film- but even this opporunity was wasted until the closing. We see hardly nothing of the spectacle that New York must have been in the 1860's. Think of what Coppolla did in GFII with New York of the Italian immigrant. We are given no real flavor of the time and the incredible variety of cultures that had to exist at the time. The acting was superb, and some of the scenes were incredible to see, but overall I left the theatre thinking of only one word "waste".

Welcome to Collinwood (2002)

A Waste of Great Talent

[6/10 · 14 October 2002]

This should have been a great movie. Instead it lacked any coherence any originality and a failure to take advantage of the incredible talent. Despite the absence of any great lines, the acting was superb. I laughed exactly four times. Sad.

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Candidate (2002) Season 1, Episode 1

Great TV

[9/10 · 3 September 2002]

This is great television. Fun, well acted, great plots and not so serious. I loved the fat man episode. Please, please, please don't let this one go away. I just smile the whole time Monk is obsessing his way to the inevitable conclusion.

Spider-Man (2002)

Number II Will Be Better

[9/10 · 13 May 2002]

Very good, but not a classic yet. But the next one will be if they keep the same quality and same characters. A lot was wasted on getting us non spider fans up to speed on the whole story line. Second half was really good and loved the specials. Definitely worth a watch on the big screen.

Final Descent (1997 TV Movie)

The Greatest Comedy Drama Ever!

[3/10 · 26 April 2002]

You've got to watch this movie! It is so bad it actually is great.

You've got your crazy but gutsy captain who of course is having an affair with his worn out used to be gorgeous copilot. And of course the mid air collision occurs when the captain's enemy and rivalis along for the ride to geYou've got your ex Vietnam Vet who is can't handle the pressure of another mid air collision and crash landing. Then you've got your old crazy Army Air corp buddy who is flying the chase plane and trying to well I can't tell you what he's trying to do. The plane keeps going up, up and well and then you've got your greedy and immoral corporate engineer and then you've got your Ice Station Zebra cold and then Lucky saves the bad guy from drowing so they can land the plane! aND IT DOESN'T END --- IT JUST GOES ON AND ON! You've got to watch this. It's great! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING! DID THEY ACTUALLY SHOW THIS ON COMMERCIAL TELEVISION AND HOW IT WAS EVER SHOWN ON CABLE.

Pearl Harbor (2001)

Don't trust the Critics

[9/10 · 25 May 2001]

This was a good movie with some real wit and not a bad love storty. She's too gorgeous not to fall in love with. I enjoyed the film. The battle scene was something else, almost too frightening. It was corny at times but it's a stupid war movie about something that everyone and their brother knows all about. The audience I watched it with laughted, cried and appeared to enjoy the money they spent to watch it. The critics seem more concerned about how much money was spent and the fact that the film did not have some great moral lessons or story, like Gladiator or Titanic. One has actually used the love story from Titanic as some form of standard for what makes for a good story. Go figure! I gave it a Nine and hope it makes lots of money.

Dark Angel: Pilot (2000) Season 1, Episode 0

I like it

[9/10 · 6 October 2000]

I thought this had the right blend of character, plot, futuristic stuff and special effects without going over board. It will take a while to get going, but the acting was good and I was intrigued by the angel who is not to hard to look at. I like the attitude too! Certainly not like other attempts at futuristic stories.

Gladiator (2000)

The Star Wars of the Gladiator Movie.

[10/10 · 12 May 2000]

This excellent film succeeds on many levels. All of the other comments already deal with it's many attributes. But I think the film also may be ultimately seen as a beginning of an entirely new approach on historical movies from this age.

Just as Star Wars redefined how we saw futuristic films, this film may do the same for the gladiator film.

Barry Lyndon (1975)

Life is long and sometimes very interesting.

[10/10 · 2 May 2000]

This is one movie that one can watch over and over again and just meld away into the story. A definite blood pressure reliever. When all is said and done not a lot happens but a study of a life, which the viewer alone must decide was a waste or not. A gorgeous film, one of Kubrick's best.

Wide Awake (1998)

Just a good clean movie

[8/10 · 16 April 2000]

One of those rare movies where the acting is good, the editing, direction, filming and pace are all excellent and not over done in any fashion. Movie never really misses a beat and despite times it could have rolled over into being way too heavy kept it just right. There are no bad guys and just some good old raw emotion is played out in a tasteful fashion. If you want to have life look a little better a very good way to do it.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Beyond Weird But No Different than the 60's!

[9/10 · 5 April 2000]

Such an original movie, it's hard to describe anything that even is similar to virtually any aspect of the film. The script is just incredible with so many memorable lines virtually every page has a gem. The acting is just superb, but it's the way the film is put together that makes it so special. I challenge anyone to guess anything that will happen next. But in the end it makes a lot of sense. These guys know what movie making is all about.

Hard Rain (1998)

It didn't rain hard enough to kill everyone!

[4/10 · 3 April 2000]

This movie was not fun nor very interesting although it must have been as expensive as all get out. You'd think they believe there were some limits to plausibility. I think the best part was at the end when Slater swims through the two storey house to find a gun left by a dead deputy about twenty minutes earlier and then he finds it and swims back to the drowning heroine who is handcuffed to the bannister and they escape to the roof where the bad guy gets killed by a flying outboard motor sorta. What a waste of water and film.