Barry-73 Reviews

Black Mirror (2011– )

Good, but too much foul language

[6/10 · 5 December 2016]

On Saturday night I watched 4 episodes of this series- "The Entire History of You", "Be Right Back", "White Bear" and "The Waldo Moment".

I had previously never heard of this series, so I'm not sure what channel this plays on (in England I assume?).

I was disappointed in the amount of foul language used throughout each episode, plus I was disappointed in the use of gratuitous sex in at least two of the episodes.

That said I thought they were quite interesting, and I wouldn't mind watching more of them to see what they are like. From reading the episodes descriptions, the rest of the episodes sound quite interesting.

Night Stalker (2005–2006)

Nothing like the original at all

[9/10 · 25 February 2010]

Okay. To start with, I agree with all or most of the other reviewers about one fact, that this is nothing like the original except for some of the characters' names and other similar things. But even though this series strays far from the original I really like it. I'm a big fan of the original series and TV movies, but I really liked this "remake" as well! You don't have to be familiar with the original at all in order to like this. It's good as a stand-alone series. I thought the characters were quite good and were well-acted. The story lines were also good. Unfortunately it was canceled in the middle of a two-part episode! How low could the network go! Then later on I found out the the entire series, including un-aired episodes, was put on DVD. So the two-part episode was available to be seen in its entirety. Very good. If you can put aside the association with the original series and TV movies with the similar name, I recommend renting or buying the DVD set and watching this with an open mind. It really is very good, and I highly recommend it. I give it 9 stars out of 10. I'd give it more if it had not gotten canceled so early. There just aren't that many stories in the series.

Road Games (1981)

Just like a Hitchcock movie

[10/10 · 4 September 2005]

I first saw this movie on TV. I taped it and watched it later. A couple of weeks ago I bought it on DVD and re-watched it. I had forgotten just how much I loved it. To me, watching this movie is just like watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie. It's filled with suspense. The characters are amazingly intelligent too, especially Stacy Keach's character, Pat Quid. At one point he picks up a hitchhiker, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, but is a gentleman the whole time she is in his truck. That was perfect. I mean, if he fooled around with her, that would have seriously detracted from the story. All the way through it the story has good supporting characters that only add to the quality of the film. Plus the cinematography in Australia's Outback is beautiful. I also enjoyed the truck driving sequences. One other thing, even though the movie is by no means a comedy, there are some very funny scenes in it, which you should enjoy. I don't want to give any of it away though. You need to watch it for yourself. I highly recommend this one. It's worth at least a rental. You will probably want to own it after seeing it once though. I know I did.

For a Few Dollars More (1965)

A masterpiece

[10/10 · 4 February 2003]

This movie is tied with "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", as my all-time favorite western. It's one of several masterpieces put forth by Sergio Leone. I love everything about it- the gorgeous cinematography, the fantastic musical score by Ennio Morricone, the acting, the script, and everything else. It's all top-notch. What more can I say about this movie? Clint Eastwood is of course fantastic, along with Lee Van Cleef, and Gian Maria Volonté who plays the main villain of the movie, El Indio. This movie has a lot of acting without words, lots of watching and waiting, which is typical Sergio Leone Style. There are periods where the camera focuses on the faces of the characters as they watch each other and try to figure out what the other is doing or try to be the first shot in the shootout scenes.

This movie is best viewed with your VCR patched into your stereo system or a home theater system, to get the most out of Ennio Morricone's haunting score. And if you've got it on DVD, it would be that much better. Unfortunately this movie came out when I was only about 2 or 3, so I never saw it in the theater, but it must've really made an impression on those who did see it. Watching it on big-screen TV with the sound played through your stereo would be the next best thing. I highly recommend it and I give it a perfect 10 score. Go rent it, or better yet, by it!

Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976)

Great movie, with some great old cars.

[7/10 · 29 January 2003]

I watched this movie because it features old passenger-car type ambulances. But once I watched it I realized it was quite funny. I liked Bill Cosby in this movie also. The one thing I didn't like about this movie, and others too, is the fact that they put some really sad scenes in a comedy. But I guess that's the way they do things sometimes. Overall I like it and I recommend it. And of course if you are into old cars, particularly old ambulances, this is a great movie for you. Because of some mild foul language, I give this a 7 out of 10.

Family Plot (1976)

A most enjoyable film

[8/10 · 28 January 2003]

I really like this movie. It's a great little story that's fun to watch. This is Hitchcock's last movie and I think it's as good as any. I guess you could call this a mystery with a little humor injected into it. Does it have suspense? I don't know. But what else would you call it? I think it's a pretty good mystery and all the characters are quite believable. I think the choice of actors for each part was good. I give this movie an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. I'd rate it higher, but it's got some mild swearing and a bit of sexual innuendo. But all in all it's worth seeing next time you find it on TV.

The Twilight Zone (2002–2003)

Just as good as the original

[27 January 2003]

Finally someone has done a re-make of the Twilight Zone that is just as good as the original. I didn't think it could be done. I didn't even know the show was being made till about 3 weeks ago or so (early January 2003), so I missed a few months of it. But of the episodes I've seen, most seem to have the same imaginative writing as those of the original series. The stories are most definitely modern, yet made in the same spirit as the originals, at least the ones I've seen. I recommend this show to fans of the original series as well as to those who have never seen it. I think if you watch it with an open mind you will like it. My only gripe, and this is just nit-picking, is that the voice that speaks in the opening sequence doesn't do it right. He should have listened more carefully to Rod Serling's opening sequences. This one just doesn't sound right, but that is a small thing. If I were to rate the original series a perfect 10, I would rate this one an 8 or better. It's that good.

Judge Judy (1996–2021)

Best of the courtroom TV shows

[27 January 2003]

I believe Judge Judy is my favorite of the real courtroom-type TV shows. But I like all of them, at least all of the regular, small-claims court shows. (leave out Animal Court and Divorce Court) Judy Sheindlin appears to be very conservative, and judges very fairly. I also like her personality, even if she does yell at people from time to time. But I think most of them deserve it. Hope she continues a long time. When Hollywood first found her and asked her to do a TV show, I think they had a great idea.

Maigret (1992–1993)

A great, but short-lived mystery series

[27 January 2003]

Unlike many Maigret fans, I have never read any of Georges Simenon's books. So I never heard of Maigret till one of our PBS channels started showing it on "Mystery!" several years ago. Right away I knew I loved it. This show is so realistic! Michael Gambon is great as Inspector Maigret, and his subordinates and the bad guys are all great characters as well. The cases the Chief Inspector solves are really very interesting. Also the locations and sets make you feel as if you are right there on the case with the Chief Inspector and his men. It's great to sit back and watch him slowly solve a mystery. You can tell that a lot of thought was put into the making of this show. Pity it was only made for 2 seasons. But at least that gives us 12 great episodes to watch. I was able to tape series 2 before our PBS channel stopped playing it. Fortunately it's available on video if you know where to look. I'd rate this at least a 9 on a scale of 10.

The Car (1977)

Great science fiction

[10/10 · 27 January 2003]

This has got to be my favorite science fiction movie of all time. If not then it's at least in the top 5. The acting is very believable and all the characters seem like real, everyday people. And to top it off, the car itself is my favorite movie car. I love that thing. I believe it's a George Barris creation. Also the location shooting for this movie (in Utah) is terrific. What beautiful scenery. Unfortunately I never saw this movie till I caught it on TV sometime in the early or mid 1990s. I had a friend who knew someone who taped it off TV and I got a copy of that tape. But then finally, just a few years ago, it was released on video! Unlike many of the people who have commented on this movie, I have not seen Duel, so I cannot compare it to that movie. But I still say it's a great movie, and a much better one than Christine. I gave this movie a perfect 10 score and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to watch some great science fiction.

Circle of Fear (1972–1973)

Very entertaining, with well-known actors

[27 January 2003]

I remember watching this TV series on occasion back in the 1970s. Unfortunately since it's been 20-25 years since I've seen it, I no longer remember any of the episodes. The only thing I remember clearly is the sound effect that was played whenever a ghost was present. Before reading about this on the IMDB I did not know that it was later re-named Circle of Fear. That was new to me. To me it was always Ghost Story. I remember that I always found the show interesting enough to watch it till the end. If you can find this on video (It's extremely hard to find), I highly recommend it. I did find one source for it on video, some years ago and purchased one episode that starred John Astin and Patty Duke Astin. This episode was from when the series had been re-named Circle of Fear. Very entertaining if you can find it. Maybe some day the Sci-Fi Channel will pick it up. Who knows?

To Sir, with Love (1967)

Great story. Top-notch acting.

[9/10 · 27 January 2003]

This movie is one of my all-time favorites. Sidney Poitier is absolutely fantastic as the teacher who takes over the class of tough kids that nobody wants to teach. The acting is all first-class. I find this hard to believe, and hate to admit it, but whenever I watch this movie, the ending with Lulu's song puts me in tears every time. They just don't make movies like this anymore. This reminds me very much of another teaching movie, Conrack, which I believe is just as good a movie. I give this movie a 9 on a scale of 10. Rent it!

The Addams Family (1964–1966)

Very funny show, with great acting

[27 January 2003]

This old TV series is one of my all-time favorites. It seems that all of the actors were perfectly suited to the characters they played. John Astin was a great Gomez Addams. Carolyn Jones was a great Morticia Addams, Ted Cassidy was a great Lurch, and so forth. In fact Lurch, as played by Ted Cassidy, is one of my favorite TV characters of all time. And the interaction among all these characters is fabulous. These actors really put themselves into their characters. They just don't make TV shows like this any more! I believe I would score this series a perfect 10, or at least a 9. There is nothing I don't like about it. And the 1998-99 remake of this series is just not as good. The stories were actually quite funny, of the ones I've seen, but the actors weren't nearly as good no matter how hard they tried. There is just no substitute for John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Ted Cassidy and the rest. Watch for this series on TV or look for it in the video store if you've never seen it. You'll like it!

Better Off Dead (1985)

One of the funniest movies I've seen

[9/10 · 26 January 2003]

This movie is absolutely hilarious. It's on my list of all-time favorite comedies, along with Johnny Dangerously, the ZAZ movies (Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker), and many of Cary Grant's movies. This movie keeps me laughing from start to finish. The gags, the things some of the characters say, the weird scenarios, and Lane Myer's over-active imagination, all add up to a great movie! Unfortunately when I taped this off tv some time ago I missed the beginning. On my tape the movie begins with Lane's father struggling to get the garage door open before the psycho paper-boy can break another window. So I don't know how the movie actually begins. No matter though. It's funny all the way through. It's got great characters, and the actors that portray them do a great job. I'd rate it at least 9 on a scale of 1-10.

A.D. (1985)

Highly recommended!

[9/10 · 26 January 2003]

This mini-series starts where "Jesus of Nazareth" leaves off, with sightings of Jesus after his resurrection. I believe it to be just as good as "Jesus of Nazareth" also. It was made by some of the same personnel, although the actors are different. The locations, costumes and sets are just as good. The big difference here is, there are a lot of fictional sub-plots in this mini-series, but they only enhance the overall experience. They bring together all the true stories in it that are taken from the Bible and from other historians of the period. I know of only one movie that tells this story, and this mini-series does a better job, partly because of its length. I recommend the 9-hour unabridged version rather than the 6-hour version. If you want to know the story of the early church, starting from the very beginning after Christ rose from the dead, this is for you. Highly recommended for any Christian or just anyone into ancient Christian history. I give it 9 *'s out of 10.

Jesus of Nazareth (1977– )

This is a must-see. Well worth owning.

[9/10 · 26 January 2003]

This is the greatest, most realistic re-telling of the story of Jesus ever made. It goes into great detail, leaving out very little of the actual story found in the Bible. The locations, sets and costumes are authentic-looking, and the actors played their parts with great feeling. Watching this mini-series puts you right there in the Holy Land 2000 years ago. You really start to feel how Jesus felt when dealing with the various characters he met up with, and you really start to feel how the disciples felt as well. In fact there were a few scenes that put me in tears, such as when Peter denied knowing Christ. I always knew he did that, but seeing him do it- that's another thing altogether. I give this mini-series 9 *'s out of 10. It's a must-see for any Christian, or anyone interested in the Bible or in the life of Christ.

Doctor Who (1963–1989)

One of my favorite science fiction shows of all time

[2 January 2001]

This program came out the year I was born. I first saw it on PBS in the late 1970s. At the time we had 2 different PBS channels to watch it on. Unfortunately this was in the days before I owned a VCR. Today Dr. Who cannot be seen on tv in NJ. We have to rely on video tapes. My favorite doctors are #3 Jon Pertwee, and #4 Tom Baker. But all of them are very good.

I think the stories were all excellent (at least the ones I've seen) and I liked all the actors. The show is very British and not like Star Trek or other American sci-fi shows, yet just as good. The special effects aren't Hollywood-quality, but you really don't even notice. The show relies on great humor, great interaction between the characters, and great storylines, and the special effects are secondary. If you've never seen it, I recommend renting an episode of each doctor. Then try The Two Doctors, and then The Five Doctors. Then you can go on from there. There is an incredible number of stories to choose from.

Now if one of the PBS channels would bring it back to this part of America, or better yet the SciFi Channel would show it, I'd have it made!

Fantasy Island (1998–1999)

Excellent show. Should NOT have been cancelled.

[24 September 1999]

I saw the first few episodes of this new version of Fantasy Island. I immediately loved it. But the time slot it was in (Saturday evening) was weird. Occasionally I forgot to watch. But then the TV station started pre-empting it with movies and what have you. Then it disappeared altogether. I think it should have been played on Sci-Fi. That might have helped. I can't believe it was canned in the first season! It kind of reminded me of The Twilight Zone, in some ways. I liked Malcom McDowell as Mr. Roarke, and I liked Ariel the shapeshifter. I also liked Fyvush Finkel as the travel agent. If this ever comes out on video, I will buy every episode. This show is high on my list of favorite TV shows. If it ever shows up on TV in reruns, it is a MUST-SEE!