Isle1970 Reviews

Blood Free (2024– )

Wow -Very Unique

[22 May 2024]

*As an aside to address another review's criticism of the edit/scene shifting, this is unfortunately common for Disney produced Kdramas, and should not reflect negatively on the work itself.

For starters, I love this cast filled with favorites at their best. The first episode really draws you into the imperfect dream of living at the top of the food chain humanely. Unfortunately humans lack generosity, humility, and grace, especially those with money and power. I was immediately drawn into the concept, and kept at attention by the affects of the various mysterious characters and trying to figure out their angle.

These more condensed Kdramas, due to less filler and more tightly woven storylines, can sometimes come across as rushed to those of us used to the more leisurely Kdrama stroll. But having seen and enjoyed several of them now, I've come to appreciate this style. There is little time to get distracted or bored because nearly each scene adds an important layer of detail and story progression.

I found the ending quite intriguing. I find myself both satisfied by some aspects, and exceedingly excited about a more fully satisfying total conclusion. It's an interesting feeling to appreciate what they did there. I'm not frustrated, I'm excitedly anticipating. They really had better have that season 2, though. Highly recommend.

Queen of Tears (2024– )

Review Written Through Tears

[29 April 2024]

It's just everything one could want from a good Kdrama. And let's be clear, this is not a rom-com, this is a melodrama. It is easily my favorite drama now, like it topped the list of the 100s I've seen. There are other greats in my top ten, but this is going to be extremely hard to knock from that position for me.

The introduction of the characters, their immediate believability, the acting strength of each and every member of the cast, the absolutely gut wrenching emotions displayed, and the beautifully poignant ending makes this a full 10. Extra points if I could for the OST and cinematography. I'm actually going to watch it all again starting tomorrow.

Jongidal (2023– )

Captivating Remake

[31 March 2024]

Apparently this is a remake of a Japanese series and movie by the title of Paper Moon. As such, my one problem with the drama, (the ending), becomes a bit moot. I like things tidied up a bit better, but it wasn't a terrible ending, and many things did get some closure.

I'm a big fan of Kim Seo Hyung, and she did not disappoint here. She has always exuded such presence that it hurt my soul to see her portrayal of a very intelligent and capable career woman stripped of all self-esteem by her self-absorbed husband. Her exceedingly lonely existence was its own tragedy and lent itself as the driving ingredient for the events that followed.

There's certainly room for debate about some of the character's choices, but there's also a great deal of deserved empathy for the underlying emotions and motivations for those choices. It's all quite conversation-worthy.

I found the so-called May-December romance to be quite believable in that it wasn't a rush of sheer lust. Just a quiet longing for attention and affection during a crisis in each of their lives, that also included attraction and intimacy. They filled each other's needs at that time - which often gets mistaken for real love. Those kinds of relationships rarely last, even without an age gap. Once the crisis changes or is resolved for one, the foundation inevitably cracks. And for this particular culture, having relatively realistic intimacy scenes, and showing that a man his age not only can, but actually often does, find an older woman attractive in that way, was extremely refreshing.

I very much enjoyed the noir style the director chose, the soundtrack was subtle - meaning nothing caught my ear as either memorable per se, nor distracting. I even liked the unobtrusive intro and let it just play each episode.

Now that I understand this to be a remake, I'm not expecting a second season - though I would be over the "pale moon" if they got creative license to do so. If you aren't a fan of subtle noir-style, slow-burn, have some kind of problem with older woman/younger man, or will find yourself very upset with adultery from a woman's side, no matter how many men get away with it - this won't be for you. If you can handle those things and want to watch several great performances, (including the elders of this drama - who get a chef's kiss), then I definitely recommend.

Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area (2022)

So Intriguing!

[8 March 2024]

I have to start by saying that I'm annoyed as you know what about the negative reviews. They're not based on the acting, the SFX, the presentation of an original story but with all the educational North and South Korean elements that would obviously have to be set in the future, 2025 to be exact.

These reviews are beating the cat because it's not the dog. If they had changed much, THAT would have been the complaint. That they stuck with the premise is apparently the biggest complaint in these excessively and abusively low ratings.

Staying true to the base of the story is the attraction and the whole point. Capitalistic abuse in any culture usually results in revolution in one form or another.

It's rare, suspicious, and abnormal to see a show with ranges between 1 and 10, so please do give the ratings between 5-10 your attention and disregard the rest.

This IS an extremely well done show in its own right. It was so well done that I will be watching the original just out of appreciation for a great story set in another culture. That's respect in storytelling, when your adaptation shines so bright that there's room for both.

Captivating the King (2024– )

Finale Disappointment

[4 March 2024]

Though I enjoyed the show for what it was, and the ML is a personal favorite, and the acting of other characters was top notch, I was a little bored at times with this dialogue heavy and slow-rolling plot series. There was so much reading of the subtitles only for them to not have actually said much to advance the story. I just felt weary after each episode. I can't say much one way or the other about the FL. She just seemed stuck on one expression, and frankly looked way too feminine to be convincing as a man, no matter how hard I tried to suspend disbelief. If they are going to keep making shows about women convincingly dressing as a man in the Joseon era, they ought to try with someone taller than 5'4" and a little more body presence than the fraily built supermodel types they keep casting.

Episodes 14 and 15 were quite good, so I was expecting some good wrap up of the main "problem", but alas, they just wouldn't do it. The finale was either rushing you through time with narratives from side characters, or plodding through nonsensical scenes from the leads. It's absolutely unclear why she'd be avoiding him, the queen dowager's issues never get resolved, the maidservant clearly has a crush but we never see anything come of it, and the overarching dilemma never gets addressed at all - how will they reintroduce this person as a woman who the king wants as his queen. I mean, sure, the villains getting their due was interesting and all, but the woman dressed as a man issue was the main point of interest and I feel emotionally ripped off by them not properly tying that up.

Celebrity (2023)

Enjoyed More Than Expected!

[3 February 2024]

I watched this as a time-filler until some more recent series' get all of their episodes released, (I'm a binge watcher, don't like to wait). The description sounded interesting enough for my purpose.

WOW. I was captivated instantly by the FL's acting. She displayed so many emotions so convincingly, from awkwardness, irritation, anger, pride, despair, determination. She had a great many memorable and often quite cutting lines that she delivered with the exact expression and acerbic tone needed, never over the top. Her romantic arc was understated and understandable in its hesitancy. I just adored her from start to finish.

There are of course the Kdrama tropes of certain women, (usually moms and shallow young women), being...shall I call it "hyper-expressive." But it never takes you too far out of the story, which I appreciated.

Secondary to the FL being outstanding, the story itself was educational, illuminating, disheartening, had some fascinating plot twists, and was very well directed.

Didn't love parts of the soundtrack, would have liked a little more wrap up at the end, but I highly recommend and would watch again.

Like Flowers in Sand (2023–2024)

A Real Gem

[3 February 2024]

I don't always seek out a drama with sports as a central theme, but when it's done well they can be really enjoyable. This series does that, but also believably weaves past secrets, murder mysteries, small town beauty and not so beautiful issues, friends, and a slow burn romance. None of those subjects take over the entire experience, they are gently and expertly woven together at a pace that keeps you interested.

The cast was wonderful and it was nice to see so many familiar faces. I was a big fan of the ML's mother, and all of the child actors. The kids made me cry real tears. Both leads were great in that the FL was very good at showing the different sides of herself; while I felt the ML was outstanding with his athleticism and expressiveness. They had great chemistry in all the ways.

The only reason I didn't give it a full 10 was because occasionally the ML would be a bit much for me in his persistent ways, sometimes the dialogue would drag a bit with characters taking quite a while to spit out what they were trying to say, and the ending could have wrapped up a little tighter. But this was still one very worthy and thoroughly enjoyable watch that I highly recommend.

Would You Like a Cup of Coffee? (2021– )

Understated & Poignant

[26 January 2024]

This is a slice of life, slow burn series - so it isn't for everyone. It's very coffee industry oriented, but also weaves lessons of life into the narrative, through the main characters and the several guest roles.

These half-hour episodes, 12 of them, means the series is really only 6 hours long. I will say that I needed to not be too tired when watching it, because there weren't any overarching themes to follow. In other words, there was no serial killer to catch, or political enemy to overcome, or a romance you're waiting to see how it ends. It was a window into the lives of some good people whose connections were forged and built on the shared love of coffee, the perfecting of techniques to create the various flavors and consistencies, and the universality that the words "Would you like a cup of coffee?" can open minds and hearts once a person feels seen, heard, understood.

I feel like I've been given such a gift in watching this series. I had just come away from 2 other series that I had to drop because they were too over the top for me. This was exactly the right speed and degree of elegant excellence that I needed.

Somebody (2022– )

Nope!

[22 January 2024]

Only watched the first episode. Had a feeling it was going to show me more than I go to Kdramas to see, and sure enough, that final scene was the exit door for me.

I didn't appreciate the animal scene at all. Of course sad things can happen, but the dwelling on it for what felt like forever was a sign to me that this drama was going to keep doing such things for alleged realism. The other reviews support my conclusion.

These types of "edgy" and over Westernized Kdramas do need to come with much stronger warnings. Though I can't speak for all fans of this genre, given that the majority of Kdramas are not like this, but are blowing up in popularity internationally anyway, I'd say the usual formula is the winning formula. I switch it up and watch a crime drama, then a romcom to lighten things up, then an action or sci-fi drama, then a period drama, and then do it all over again. Some can be more violent than others, and some have more kissing and innuendo than others, but what they all have is a certain class to them that I admire and appreciate.

Most of them, anyway - not this one.

The Bequeathed (2024)

Good Short Mystery "Book"

[20 January 2024]

I'm not sure I understand the criticism of this being a slow-burn series when it's only 6 episodes.

That said, this is a "thinking person's" / "mystery book loving person's" drama. If you're more into non-stop action, (nothing wrong with that), this might not be for you.

I thought it was well-paced, well told, superbly acted, and had a satisfying finish. Those are the ingredients for good storytelling through film.

I appreciated the director's choice to not fill up that time with extra flash or gore for excitement's sake.

I liked that even many of the peripheral characters had quite memorable moments.

I liked that the story, while having a lot of cultural elements unique to Korea, still manages to be sadly believable and relatable about how far things can go astray given the occasional perfect storm of unfortunate events that sometimes happen in life.

Without giving anything away, the part pertaining to DNA was hard for me to follow at first. So I also appreciated that the story continued to make things clear in a manner which flowed naturally. In other words, I wasn't spoon-fed, but neither was I left hanging. It's nice to be treated as an adult as a viewer.

Totally recommend and totally would watch again.

Welcome to Wedding Hell (2022– )

Good Enough

[20 January 2024]

It wasn't as good as I'd have liked, and I'm glad it was only 12 episodes, but it was good enough for a one-watch time.

ML is phenomenal in everything else, but given they are not romcoms, I was curious if he could pull a role like this off. I came away believing that he's better suited to his usual action /sci-fi/ crime genres. He wasn't terrible, he's just not comfortable and I could tell. I hope he gets more mainstream dramas with some romance interspersed, until he becomes more comfortable with comedy. Still adore him.

FL I don't have much to say about. Her character annoyed me as always feeling she was right about everything. I don't fault the actress. She is someone I'm unfamiliar with as an actress, and I'm afraid I found her to be forgettable.

Sadly, they didn't have much "in-love" chemistry to me either, but to be fair, the series begins at the problem starting phase. The dialogue wasn't stellar at times, but I've definitely endured worse. Those moments were thankfully brief and few.

The real stars of the show are the parents. The moms especially are favorites from other Kdramas and they are the foundation of the series. You need to watch at least for them, and the sidekick friends with their better handle of comedy and honestly well written words of wisdom about marriage and relationships. Special mention to the ML's two colleagues' anti-marriage "advice" which was hilariously delivered.

Glitch (2022– )

Pacing Not Great But Still a Good Watch

[17 January 2024]

Some parts of the early episodes had some uncomfortably long scenes, so I was worried the whole series would be like that. Fortunately it picked up, with only occasional filler dialogue.

I didn't love the ending. I didn't hate it either, but was rather anti-climactic and still left some questions unanswered.

The acting by the leads was outstanding, and they had fantastic chemistry as their friendship rekindled. I'm really noncommittal about the sidekicks, and they were just kind of there to me. But the dad, the director, and scary cult leader stood out for their roles.

Anyway, it's a nice enough series, had some thought-provoking moments, with not too many episodes. I do recommend.

Kill Boksoon (2023)

Deserves a Better Rating

[8 January 2024]

It's really about an 8.5 for me, but like others, I felt the need to aid in getting this movie more appropriately rated.

What keeps it from being a full 10 for me was the length, a somewhat dissatisfying ending, and a not fully explained flashback scene.

But what it did well, it did very well indeed. The fight scenes were absolutely outstandingly choreographed and filmed. The angst between mother and daughter was realistic. The irony of honor and rules being part of an assassin's "moral" code was breathtaking in its absurdity, but the film still manages to convince you of the sincerity of their convictions, even as you disagree with them.

So please give this movie a fair shot. I probably won't watch it again, as gore isn't usually my thing. But it is a movie worth seeing for some amazing acting, fight scenes, complex characters living double lives, and the thing I loved the most was seeing a middle aged woman be attractive, strong, and portray such depth.

Chocolate (I) (2019–2020)

Disappointing

[31 May 2021]

I must caution that this drama has themes of loss (death, abandonment, betrayal) that could be triggering for some.

This is the first drama I've watched where I found myself repeatedly annoyed by the female lead character throughout the entire series, completely unmoved by the love story, and frustrated by the ridiculously high number of loose ends. They were never clear or convincing as to why this childhood connection needed to be such a secret in the first place.

It took me 3 days to muddle through the last 2 episodes, and I only finished because that's just how I am, not because I was interested in the main characters.

I did enjoy most of the supporting cast, and frankly I would have been more interested in the director's & the head nurse's backstories than the main one. But because I'm not invested in the main characters, I'm not hoping for a season 2.

Mr. Sunshine (2018)

Heartbreaking But So Good

[8 July 2020]

Tremendous acting and such a poignant tale. I felt like I was reading a beautiful novel and had a hard time waiting till the day was done and the kids were in bed to get back to it. I loved the length and thoroughness of the telling, and the time they took to incorporate beauty, love, heart, anguish and eternal hope. I feel like a better person for having watched it. I am inspired to research and learn more, and will be on the lookout for more from this cast and this creative team who wove a story so deep and so well, that I believe I will carry it with me forever.

The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)

Clever, Engaging, Superbly Acted, Thought-Provoking Gem

[27 June 2020]

I came for Lee Min-Ho, (who was his amazing self and seems to be aging in reverse), but left in awe of Kim Go-eun. She is one of the most talented actresses I have ever seen - ever. She's gorgeous of course, but to have that amount of depth, to emote so gut-wrenchingly real, to portray such strength of will and purpose was a masters class to watch and experience. She's the real deal.

Every main character gave their stellar best - even the children. I cared so much about all of them - for differing plot arcs and reasons. I will say that Ep. 2 was a little slow and the hardest for me to get through, but Ep. 1 was so incredibly amazing that I knew it would pick up the pace again in Ep. 3, and it did not disappoint.

I appreciate that Korean dramas take the time to lay a good foundation to carry the plot forward and draw you into the story. It's actually very helpful, in all honesty, for us non-Korean speakers to help us get familiar with the names of the characters and keep them straight (at least it is for me).

You can read other reviews if you want more about the story. I'm just adding my basic views as an American fan of all kinds of K-dramas - and this one is definitely in my current top 3.

The Victims' Game (2020– )

I Need More

[18 June 2020]

Was hooked 1st episode. The characters draw you in and you can't help but be interested, in them and the plot unfolding around and through them. I have liked Asian films\series for some time now, but I did have to roll some scenes back a few times, (literally just a few), to catch up and keep the names straight; but that was far outweighed by the times I rolled it back just to really catch the expressions and emotions being portrayed. Such fine acting from so many people. Each main character had their moments to express their story so well - I was stunned by the sheer amount of talent and the masterful directing & production throughout. How I wish our crime dramas were done this way in the States. I will admit that there were some laggy moments in a couple of the middle episodes, but I implore you to continue watching to the end. The sum total is so thoroughly amazing, enlightening, thoughtful, beautiful, humbling and real, that I could not bring myself to give it anything less than a 10. I'm hoping with all I've got that they bring this back for a second season.

Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)

Heroes Have Flaws

[14 July 2018]

And sometimes so do movies. I can forgive the flaws though, because the message, the acting, and the call to action the film inspires are more than worthy of watching.

I gave it a 10 to counter the people unjustly giving it 1 or 2 stars, but I would rate it a 9 otherwise. There were a couple of script choices I would have liked tightened up a bit, or made more obviously relevant to the scene. There were some characters that could have been a bit more fleshed out. But the beauty of being the director is that you get to tell your story, your way. I can respect that, and I didn't let those things distract from the underlying story.

Denzel was phenomenal, and Colin Farrel was very good as well. It was so interesting watching the parallel of their existential journeys, and witnessing the truth that we can simultaneously be an inspiration to others while privately losing our own way. To know that even if the mighty fall, there is always something redemptive we can and should do. That forgiveness, and self-forgiveness heals the soul.

Unlike other reviews, I didn't mind the ending. It left me wanting more, at first. But I watched that final scene one more time, and I had an epiphany: WE are the rest of the story. Colin's character is all of us. We are left facing the clerk of court, because WE are the change we seek. And there are many whose shoulders we can stand on to do so. Many whose work remains unfinished unless we pick it up and finish it.

This movie has an indie vibe in that not every single thing is spelled out for you, but it also has excellent cinematography, excellent acting from all - but especially the 3 main characters, but most importantly, this film gently knocks on your internal convictions and sense of self.

I do highly recommend this movie for the deep thinkers out there. If you're more into action/adventure/comedy, this is not the Denzel movie for you.

David and Goliath (2015)

Should Have Never Been Made

[3 September 2016]

The 1 star is for the actor playing David. If he'd had better material, he would have shone much brighter. Honorable mention for the men playing his brothers. They too were inhibited by their (excessively repeated) lines, but I could see that they do have some talent in there. The actor playing Saul wasn't awful, just not quite right for the "role".

That is literally all I have to say good about this alleged film. I'm actually very generous to films with real effort behind them usually - but this one does not deserve it. The good reviews are either bogus or biased, and my review is to help counter them with truth.

I'm not going to make this real long, because others have articulated the myriad of issues with this film very well. But I do want to add my two cents about a few things:

The Costumes: They were absolutely, unacceptably, ridiculously substandard by any definition. They literally looked like they were mass purchased sheaves of discount fabric that they didn't even bother to sew the edges of. The colors were a garish off shade of red, and there was a ton of it. The costumes were closer to Roman style than anything the Jews would have worn in a pre- Roman era. The fabric looked cotton/rayon/polyester instead of wool, so the "billowing in the wind" to (unintentional) comical effect was distracting. Some strips of cloth were wrapped around head pieces at times. Yards of unshaped material was draped this way and that on people, and fastened with pleather and brass looking buckles. The "armor" looked to be of some kind of lightweight foam material or also pleather, because they too billowed in the wind (to more comical effect). The cap sleeves had cut edges, not finished edges - nothing I saw had finished edges - yet we're supposed to believe these were their military uniforms. There was nowhere to put a sword, and the helmets looked like gold painted plastic. The Philistine "uniforms" were similar, but black. Lots of comical billowing there again. I was distracted beyond belief by those costumes. I've seen better in a Kindergarten play...

Michal: They pronounced her name as Michelle, she was uncharacteristically blonde, and she was absolutely out of place randomly wandering the hills with soldiers involved in a holy war. That is beyond the pale NOT "biblically accurate".

Goliath: A caricature unworthy of the fearsome villain whose death launched David to fame. He comes across as just a large, and largely unintelligent, schoolyard bully of extremely limited vocabulary. I was reminded of Mongo in Blazing Saddles - but Blazing Saddles was supposed to be funny (and was), and D&G was supposed to be inspiring, (and failed).

Repetition: I began to laugh each time the poor actors playing David's brothers had to try to (again) convince David to not fight. I mean, it became clockwork. David would make his case for faith, they'd deride him, he'd leave. Lather, rinse, repeat. 5-8 times. Nevermind the times Michal, Saul, and others also did the same. This was the entire movie, badly done, until the "battle."

The Battle: Laughable...in a very sad way. They circle each other, David doesn't even swing his sling to gain momentum, then he very weakly overhand throws his shot, rock bounces off Goliath's forehead, drops to knees, David slices him for the kill - with a sword there is no way he could have lifted. Next thing you know, Goliath's head is detached from his body when the prior shot showed him dead with head attached...

One Scene: Where some men had been caught doing something wrong (I wasn't paying much attention to the particulars anymore), they were begging for mercy. It was fine, till the scene went on...and on...and on. By the end of it, the more weepy of the two men just continued to shout "Noooo", then you see him standing still, looking back, and shouting "Nooo" one last time, but he also looked like he was ready to laugh, cause it was just overkill by then. Watch for it (if you can stomach it), it was a case of needing to be edited down much shorter, but they needed the filler.

OK, this ended up longer than I'd wanted, so I'm done now. Just avoid the movie, unless you want to learn how to not make a movie, or wish to punish your wayward teen...

Truth Be Told (2012)

Worth Seeing

[5 January 2015]

As a former Witness, I was curious about the film and found many points I could absolutely, and sometimes tearfully, relate to. The vernacular and experiences of those profiled rang true for the most part, and I can say nothing against the sincere anguish and pain conveyed in their stories and reflected in their eyes as they tell their stories.

While I would say that this is a must-see for anyone who was at any time associated with the Organization, and especially for those who may have found themselves disfellowshipped - as well as for those who have been raised in non-mainstream religions, I did have some issues with it which keep me from giving it a more favorable review.

I appreciated that they did not portray the Organization as some horrible evil and ill-intentioned monolith. That said, there were several non-sensical statements made that distracted me.

* Statements about parents explaining why a particular holiday was "bad", and yet that same interviewee stating that nothing was ever explained. Statements about only Jehovah being worshiped, but never having him and his person/power/purpose explained - that is simply not at all true. Jehovah is personified extensively - almost relentlessly.

* I did not care for the constant depiction of the two bored little girls, because you can see that in any religious service at any time - so that just seemed a self-serving gimmick to me.

* I did not care for the assertion that the materials were being sold. Suggesting a donation, and usually leaving the materials without a donation of any kind, is not considered "selling" by any stretch of the imagination.

* And I also did not like the implication that parents do not have a right to instill their beliefs in their children. Witness upbringing is indeed rigid, but baptism is not forced upon them, and freedom of choice (yes, with consequences) is never off the table once adulthood is reached.

I would have preferred a little more about the psychological effects of feeling like questions were not allowed, that dissent from some beliefs was tantamount to apostasy, the difficulties of finding a suitable mate, and more about the state of mind that still believing some of the doctrine, but not having anything else close to it to turn to, leaves you in. It is an incredible and particular kind of loneliness to be disfellowshipped from a religion you still mostly believe in, and have no alternatives to worship Jehovah in a way that doesn't mimic other religions that you can't quite submit yourself to.

So, in other words, I felt at the end of the day, that most of the stories were about being disgruntled about embarrassment and celebratory deprivation as children, and the pain and confusion associated with disfellowshipping. Worthy of discussion, but not as representative as it could have been. For those of us who did not compensate by finding "God" within, or hyper-celebrating every holiday we felt deprived of, or harboring major resentment for something we never really believed in - the movie just did not leave me with any closure or feelings of closeness with fellow ex-JWs.

I feel it was a disservice to not incorporate an angle about ex-JWs who still believe in much of it but wish the Organization would address and fix their glaring issues, find ways to modernize and balance their approach to childhood, teens, dating, marriage, secular work and education, etc., and rethink their disfellowshipping practice. An exposé without that angle just felt incomplete to me.

The Event (2010–2011)

Fascinating

[21 November 2010]

I was too busy at the time of premier to get into the program, but I DVR'd all the episodes for a later date. A couple of weeks ago I watched the first 7 episodes all at once, and have stayed up to date since. I am absolutely addicted to this show now, and will be heartbroken for the 3-month hiatus, and if it is subsequently canceled altogether.

I am taken aback by all the haters and pseudo-intellectuals nit-picking this program to death. There is absolutely nothing so onerously out of joint with this show as to draw that level of ire. And some of us prefer a show that requires our attention instead of our minds drifting to the bills or what we're going to make for dinner tomorrow night. I turn my phone off (anyone old enough to remember turning the house phone ringer off for some mini-series everyone wanted to watch?). I swear, there is a generation that simply refuses to be satisfied with anything. If it is infused with reality, the creators lack imagination. If it is imaginative, it has reality boundaries because their "sophisticated" willful suspension of disbelief must be bought off first. It's a cliquish farce.

Make up your own mind.

Hawthorne (2009–2011)

Really, really, really, really bad.

[22 May 2010]

I gave this 2 stars because I think the basic premise is admirable - a show about the contribution and perspective of nurses. But that is unfortunately not what this program delivers.

I love Will Smith, but I believe it is his clout that created this show for Jada - and it is his clout that just got the thing renewed for another season. I like Jada, but she is a one-dimensional actress: beautiful, feisty, independent woman who gets things done. You can't build an interesting drama when that is the gist of every episode.

I had a bad feeling from the previews, this feeling was supported by the weak pilot, and the fact that I haven't made it through another episode has solidified it.

Though I now watch more cable programs than network, I have never been taken by The Closer or Saving Grace. I'm sorry, but southern accents radiate up and down my spine like Styrofoam on a chalk board. But those programs utilize interesting supporting casts and story lines in such a way that the lead character seems truly involved in an event. With Hawthorne, everything seems plotted to give the title character a chance to flex her muscle and sainthood.

If they insist on keeping this show on, I would suggest an overhaul. Send daughter off to college and lets see her once or twice a season. More about the other nurses and their job performances. Maybe a nurse with a suspected drug problem. A nurse in crisis because they may have made the wrong career choice (can't handle the death aspect of the job). Is there a thin blue line among nurses like there is with cops? Between doctors and nurses? Between or amongst hospitals? How about an impostor nurse snatching some baby out of NICU on her watch and the political fallout from that; etc.

There is just so much that could be done to EDUCATE people about the impact those types of events on our nursing staff and to let their story stand apart from the group dynamic of the "medical community".

This review is longer than anticipated, but yeah-as it stands, I recommend passing this show right on by.

My Name Is Sarah (2007 TV Movie)

So In Love With This Movie

[24 March 2010]

I don't watch Lifetime very often, and I'm rarely impressed when I do. But this one, which I only stopped on because Jennifer Beals was in it, just kind of took my breath away. There were some raw emotions, the kind we don't like to talk about, in there. There was a grown up approach to a new relationship. There was a reconciliation that rang true to me. And the ending was romantically classy.

Is Jennifer aging beautifully or what?! 43 at the time of this movie, and she didn't look a day over 30. Her leading man was very handsome in a younger Gary Oldman way. And, having participated in some AA meetings in my life, the actors and scenes pertaining to that were very well done.

Anyway, loved it and I highly recommend.