This was the first episode I have ever seen of the Loretta Young Show and it makes me want to see more. A story taking place on Christmas Day in a train station, people walk through and interact with the waitress in charge, Sadie (Loretta Young). The story tells of the pain of unrealized hopes and dreams at Christmas in a way I found surprisingly good, especially in a half hour mini drama. Miss Young is always lovely, but I think young Bobby Clark came close to stealing the show with an excellent performance. Catch it on one of those classic TV stations if you can!
Reviews
8 Reviews
Annie
(1982)
I Wanted to Love This Movie
18 November 2017
I really wanted to love this movie. I have the original cast recording and have known every song by heart for years. It was a good musical, there is a phenomenally talented cast, but it just doesn't work that well on the screen. I am not sure who to blame--director? producers?--but it seems over-produced and underwhelming at the same time.
I am watching the end of the film as I write this, and in the last few minutes I have seen helicopters and elephants and fireworks. There is a hugeness to this production that sometimes overwhelms the characters and story. In an effort to make the musical less stagy on the screen, the musical has lost its sense of being a musical. Just before this final scene is extended chase drama that does nothing to heighten tension but simply serves to drag out the inevitable happy ending. Sometimes less is more.
At the same time, there is an underproduction to the musical numbers that hurts it as well. For example, when the orphans dance and sing the choreography seems sloppy, like it has not been rehearsed enough or at all. While the effort may be to look natural, it comes off as poorly done. Musicals are NOT natural. They require we suspend our disbelief enough to accept that people break out into song and dance. That the singing and dancing are sloppy looking doesn't make it easier to suspend disbelief. It simply disappoints.
Ann Reinking is amazing among a very talented group of actors I have admired in other productions. They do their best here. But the production is not worthy of the talent gathered here. You may enjoy it, but it is sad when Annie is watching a scene at the movies and those (long, long) clips of a film within the film make you care more about THAT movie than the one you are watching.
I am watching the end of the film as I write this, and in the last few minutes I have seen helicopters and elephants and fireworks. There is a hugeness to this production that sometimes overwhelms the characters and story. In an effort to make the musical less stagy on the screen, the musical has lost its sense of being a musical. Just before this final scene is extended chase drama that does nothing to heighten tension but simply serves to drag out the inevitable happy ending. Sometimes less is more.
At the same time, there is an underproduction to the musical numbers that hurts it as well. For example, when the orphans dance and sing the choreography seems sloppy, like it has not been rehearsed enough or at all. While the effort may be to look natural, it comes off as poorly done. Musicals are NOT natural. They require we suspend our disbelief enough to accept that people break out into song and dance. That the singing and dancing are sloppy looking doesn't make it easier to suspend disbelief. It simply disappoints.
Ann Reinking is amazing among a very talented group of actors I have admired in other productions. They do their best here. But the production is not worthy of the talent gathered here. You may enjoy it, but it is sad when Annie is watching a scene at the movies and those (long, long) clips of a film within the film make you care more about THAT movie than the one you are watching.
The Mayor
(2017–2018)
Funny, Smart, Excellent!
3 October 2017
What a great show! I was flipping channels and found the series premiere tonight and was absolutely delighted by this comedy. Brandon Micheal Hall is a charming, fast talking, sightly self-centered Courtney Rose. Courtney, by trying to promote his music with his run for office, ends up the mayor of his town.
This comedy has a lot of heart, and the heart and common sense are centered in Courtney's mom, played by Yvette Nicole Brown. She is fabulous! She reels in her son when he goes too far, and gives him the inspiration and advice and firm talking-to he needs--along with a lot of love and confidence. What a great mom.
I was disappointed tonight when I flipped to this show and came here to IMDb. I wanted to find out a little more about it, and I saw that 42 people had rated show for an average of 5.6 before the show even aired. Come on, people, don't do that to this delightful show. Give it a shot. you'll laugh, you'll think, and you'll feel good when it is done.
This comedy has a lot of heart, and the heart and common sense are centered in Courtney's mom, played by Yvette Nicole Brown. She is fabulous! She reels in her son when he goes too far, and gives him the inspiration and advice and firm talking-to he needs--along with a lot of love and confidence. What a great mom.
I was disappointed tonight when I flipped to this show and came here to IMDb. I wanted to find out a little more about it, and I saw that 42 people had rated show for an average of 5.6 before the show even aired. Come on, people, don't do that to this delightful show. Give it a shot. you'll laugh, you'll think, and you'll feel good when it is done.
Good Boy
(2003)
Cute Movie, Cute Dogs
16 September 2017
I found Good Boy! while flipping through channels this afternoon and was pulled in to watch it all. There is not other word for the movie but cute--it is not great art, but a delightful little fantasy about dogs and people and their special bond.
The voice actors for the dogs are excellent, with a special shout out for Brittany Murphy's nervous Nelly--quite touching. There is not much computerized distortion of the dogs' appearance so the dogs are cute and natural. If you are going to make a movie about dogs, it is nice to see real dogs. Hubble is adorable!
The acting is a little stiff and formulaic from most characters, but Liam Aiken gives an amazingly natural and touching performance. I cared about this kid and Hubble the dog. I admit to a few tears at the end. Nice for the whole family--even my cat-person son liked this.
The voice actors for the dogs are excellent, with a special shout out for Brittany Murphy's nervous Nelly--quite touching. There is not much computerized distortion of the dogs' appearance so the dogs are cute and natural. If you are going to make a movie about dogs, it is nice to see real dogs. Hubble is adorable!
The acting is a little stiff and formulaic from most characters, but Liam Aiken gives an amazingly natural and touching performance. I cared about this kid and Hubble the dog. I admit to a few tears at the end. Nice for the whole family--even my cat-person son liked this.
Loved this Beginning!
26 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I loved this show! I heard it was good and decided to see what it was like while I was waiting for Scorpion to come on. It was terrific television--I literally put a notice on Facebook to my friends to watch it. I started watching it alone, and ended up with my husband and adult son both engrossed. There goes the idea it is just for girls. It was terrific TV--enough action to keep things hopping and enough about the characters to make you care.
This episode starts with meeting Kara Danvers. I found the introduction of the Kara/Supergirl character quite true to life--a young woman with the vague idea she wants to help people and make the world a better place, but working at a job that will not really achieve her goal and not taken too seriously. Most women I know have been there. The story is built on her beginning to accept and live into her true identity, which ends up being Supergirl the hero. After the first 15 minutes, when she does her first super act, I cheered.
There are a a lot of introductions in this episode, so the characters are not yet fully developed. I did like the short intros I saw--her strong, responsible sister with a hint of the same insecurities Kara has, the head of the government alien project who alludes to hating "immigrants" from space, the introduction to some villains who will surely be in future episodes, and her obnoxious boss.
Good start to a show I am looking forward to watching again!
This episode starts with meeting Kara Danvers. I found the introduction of the Kara/Supergirl character quite true to life--a young woman with the vague idea she wants to help people and make the world a better place, but working at a job that will not really achieve her goal and not taken too seriously. Most women I know have been there. The story is built on her beginning to accept and live into her true identity, which ends up being Supergirl the hero. After the first 15 minutes, when she does her first super act, I cheered.
There are a a lot of introductions in this episode, so the characters are not yet fully developed. I did like the short intros I saw--her strong, responsible sister with a hint of the same insecurities Kara has, the head of the government alien project who alludes to hating "immigrants" from space, the introduction to some villains who will surely be in future episodes, and her obnoxious boss.
Good start to a show I am looking forward to watching again!
Supergirl
(2015–2021)
Terrific!
26 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I am writing this about 2 hours after the premiere of Supergirl, so I am commenting on the actual show that aired tonight, not a leaked, unfinished version on the web.
In a word, it was terrific. I found the character of Kara/Supergirl a nice mixture of young woman with hopes and fears along with more power and drive within her than she had realized. Melissa Benoist was amazing--she did really well playing the divided character of a low- key human and this emerging superhero. I liked the power and joy of her first take off to fly, trying more than once to get off the ground, and how her face changes when she is flying to where she is needed.
I liked Smallville, but this isn't Smallville nor should it be. It is a different kind of show with a lot more comic book action it it and a different kind of storytelling. I liked the characters, especially Kara's sister and her obnoxious boss. Both of them were multi-dimensional--not all good or bad--and I think in the future we will see a lot more interesting things from them. The villains are sooooo evil as to be one-dimensional, but hey, it is comics, not Shakespeare. We'll have to watch for more development in the future.
I have to mention the change of Jimmy Olsen from a freckled redhead to a tall, gorgeous African American man played by Mehcad Brooks. It jarred me at first because it was so unexpected, but by the end of the show I was a total fan. We don't need another young guy learning the ropes when Supergirl is the one doing that in this series. Interesting choice that works for me, but might not work for everyone.
All in all, I thought the show was terrific. And I was not alone in this. I started watching it alone, but by the end of the show both my husband and son had joined me and were engrossed. It was a hit for all of us. I highly recommend Supergirl!
In a word, it was terrific. I found the character of Kara/Supergirl a nice mixture of young woman with hopes and fears along with more power and drive within her than she had realized. Melissa Benoist was amazing--she did really well playing the divided character of a low- key human and this emerging superhero. I liked the power and joy of her first take off to fly, trying more than once to get off the ground, and how her face changes when she is flying to where she is needed.
I liked Smallville, but this isn't Smallville nor should it be. It is a different kind of show with a lot more comic book action it it and a different kind of storytelling. I liked the characters, especially Kara's sister and her obnoxious boss. Both of them were multi-dimensional--not all good or bad--and I think in the future we will see a lot more interesting things from them. The villains are sooooo evil as to be one-dimensional, but hey, it is comics, not Shakespeare. We'll have to watch for more development in the future.
I have to mention the change of Jimmy Olsen from a freckled redhead to a tall, gorgeous African American man played by Mehcad Brooks. It jarred me at first because it was so unexpected, but by the end of the show I was a total fan. We don't need another young guy learning the ropes when Supergirl is the one doing that in this series. Interesting choice that works for me, but might not work for everyone.
All in all, I thought the show was terrific. And I was not alone in this. I started watching it alone, but by the end of the show both my husband and son had joined me and were engrossed. It was a hit for all of us. I highly recommend Supergirl!
Doing right no matter what
21 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This episode tugs at my heart every time I watch it. We have an ordinary guy, Barney Sonners, trying to do the right thing. Recruited to help in a robbery, he goes to the police, he agrees to testify in court even though he is being threatened by the perpetrators, and even when those around him get too frightened to continue with him, he is determined to do the right thing. This decent guy finds out that no good deed goes unpunished.
Robert Duvall is the heart of this episode, with a natural, ordinary-guy persona that doesn't look like he's acting. He makes you care about this guy who works in a bar and loves his family and really doesn't have much else going for him. Watch him play with the baby and his son, or the glowing look in his eyes as he drinks in the last view of his wife, and you see the heartbreak. He and Adam Flint are well-matched as philosophers: Adam in his collegiate style, and Barney in ordinary words and simple courage. Great episode!
Robert Duvall is the heart of this episode, with a natural, ordinary-guy persona that doesn't look like he's acting. He makes you care about this guy who works in a bar and loves his family and really doesn't have much else going for him. Watch him play with the baby and his son, or the glowing look in his eyes as he drinks in the last view of his wife, and you see the heartbreak. He and Adam Flint are well-matched as philosophers: Adam in his collegiate style, and Barney in ordinary words and simple courage. Great episode!
Stern Honesty and a man's integrity
20 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I am a fan of Naked City and the opportunity it offers some gifted character actors to play a starring role. In this episode, that star is Myron McCormick, who plays a teacher whose gift to his students is stern honesty. In his capable hands, this stern teacher shows more love toward his troubled student than his gangster father, well-played by Richard Conte. Once the boy admires the teacher, the father sees a rival and sets out to tempt him and succeeds.
This is not much of a crime fighting episode. We hardly see our beloved detectives. This is a battle between good and evil, with references to Faust.
Spoilers--We find out the teacher is not invulnerable. He has a weakness for a beautiful young showgirl, given and suddenly taken away by the gangster. Driven to murdering her, an act covered up by the power of the gangster, McCormick is now owned, body and soul. This gangster has succeeded in getting what he wanted: false A grades on his son's report card so he doesn't lose custody of him. He is content to destroy two lives for a report card.
But not a third life. Stern love and integrity win out in a moving way.
This is not much of a crime fighting episode. We hardly see our beloved detectives. This is a battle between good and evil, with references to Faust.
Spoilers--We find out the teacher is not invulnerable. He has a weakness for a beautiful young showgirl, given and suddenly taken away by the gangster. Driven to murdering her, an act covered up by the power of the gangster, McCormick is now owned, body and soul. This gangster has succeeded in getting what he wanted: false A grades on his son's report card so he doesn't lose custody of him. He is content to destroy two lives for a report card.
But not a third life. Stern love and integrity win out in a moving way.
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