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texaggie71
Reviews
Love Actually (2003)
Unwatchable
I loathe this movie, primarily for its inclusion of porn movie stand-ins and a sex addict as characters in what was marketed as a "Christmas film." Such a dismal waste of talent.
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1953)
Lots more fun than anticipated
Being fully familiar with Republic's "Rocket Man" trilogy -- "King of the Rocket Men," "Radar Men from the Moon" and "Zombies of the Stratosphere," I ignored the Commando Cody TV series for years only because I mistakenly thought it was just a repackaging of what I already owned and enjoyed on VHS and DVD. Seeing a still from the show on Facebook, though, made me realize that it might be something different -- and it is! Not a cliffhanger, the series proceeds through 12 self-contained episodes and probably would fit best between the first two serials. There's plenty of plot, fewer fistfights than in the serials, and more imaginative use of Cody's rocket, which even travels against the star-studded blackness of space outside of Earth's atmosphere, unlike its lunar voyages in "Radar Men" or rocket dogfights in "Zombies." Yes, there may have been too much reliance on stock disaster footage, but there's also some decent model and miniature work in evidence. To really enjoy the Commando's adventures, just don't sit down expecting modern CGI-quality special effects or sparkling dialogue. Put yourself in a '50s frame of mind and go with it.
Political Animals (2012)
Politics - maybe. Respect for viewers and language - no
At one point Sigourney Weaver's character tells another, "The American people aren't idiots." From what I observed in the opening episode of this miniseries, its creators and "writers" must believe otherwise. There is absolutely no valid reason for such vile language or explicit depictions of drug use and sex. While the actors seem to be giving it their best efforts, and the sets and production values are top-notch, there were almost no scenes that didn't beg unfortunate comparisons to "West Wing" or the movies "Dave" (which also co-starred Ms. Weaver as a disillusioned former first lady) or "American President." On the whole, I couldn't help but find it very disappointing.