Art Imitates Life... "Twister"

Twister (1996)

Rated PG-13 for language and tornados

Starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Directed by Jan de Bont

The Story:

Dr. Jo Harding (Hunt) is obsessed with tornadoes.  Has been since she was little.  Her husband Bill (Paxton) comes to get her to sign the divorce papers so he can marry his new sweetheart (Gertz).  Ah, but when a series of intense storms kicks off in Oklahoma, Harding and her intrepid band of storm chasers are off to try and get their revolutionary storm sensors into the heart of a tornado.  Bill tags along, bride-to-be in tow. He's still got the storm chaser bug in him, and he may still have some feelings for his soon to-be ex as well.

Nearing 20 years, Twister holds up remarkably well.

I'd say it's been about 10-15 years since I last watched this film, so I was afraid it would be a creaky mess of bad special effects and terrible acting.

But no, it's a crisp, quick adrenaline rush; the types of movies that de Bont delivers time and time again.

He'll give you a pause just long enough for a laugh, or to catch your breath, and then the roller coaster ensues again.

To flesh out the story a bit more, the storm chasers are a bunch of well rounded background characters that inhabit the screen nicely and aren't just cardboard cutout yes-men.

Then you have the arch-nemesis chasers led by Elwes who of course are out to steal the thunder of our heroes.

While some of the action may be far-fetched with the stunts and gags, the movie delivers with about as true to life account of what it must be like to deal with a tornado.

Easily, the best tornado movie since The Wizard of Oz.

:)

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't know that I'll rush out and buy it (I used to have it on VHS) but I'll try and catch it again before another decade rolls by.

April Showers Bring May Flowers... "Pushing Daisies"

Pushing Daisies (2007)

TV PG

Starring Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Kristin Chenoweth, Jim Dale

Created by Bryan Fuller

The Story:

Ned (Pace) has a gift, but it comes with a price.  He can touch anything that was alive, but is now dead.  It comes back to life.  If it remains alive past 60 seconds, something else must die in its place.  Should he touch that thing again, it dies.  He makes his living as a pie maker, bringing dead fruit back to the peak of ripeness.  When his gift is discovered by a private investigator (McBride) the two team up to solve cases by asking the deceased who killed them, then solving the crimes and splitting the rewards.  This works out great until Ned attempts to solve the case of the death of his childhood sweetheart, Chuck (Friel) and cannot bear to let her die again.

What a great show.

I never saw it when it aired, and apparently very few others did either, as ABC pulled it during the second season, even before all the episodes could air.

Even though it was a critical smash.

How lame.

However, if you've got Amazon Prime, you can enjoy the entire run for free.

Which, is more than worth the price of admission.

It's smart. Well written. Fun.

The downside?

You will crave pie by watching every episode.

Yum.

And it ends much, much too soon.

The cast is pitch perfect.  I was only familiar with McBride and Chenoweth prior to the show.  Pace makes an excellent leading man, and looking through his credits, there's more work of his to enjoy out there.

Bryan Fuller apparently has a fascination with death, as this followed his Showtime creation, Dead Like Me. 

Currently, he's working on Hannibal for NBC.

Apparently, Bryan Fuller has issues.

:)

However, it's usually enjoyable television watching him attempt to work these issues out on the small screen.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No reason to purchase, I've got Prime! Now that we've finished both seasons, we'll probably come back and give it a spin again every so often to revisit some old friends.

"I Spy" With My Little Eye...A Movie That Should Have Been Better

I Spy (2002)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janssen, Malcolm McDowell

Directed by Betty Thomas


The Story:

The Switchblade, the US government's newest stealth prototype is stolen by arms dealer Arnold Gundars (McDowell), the government sends in crack spy Alex Scott (Wilson) to save the day.  However, they team him with a professional boxer (Murphy) to help provide his cover, and the two must make sure the plane does not fall into the hands of the enemy.  Surely there will be no problem.

Action comedy. Buddy picture.

You name it, this movie wanted to be it.

The problem, it never amounted to much of anything.

There were bits and flashes of comedic brilliance.

Or an action gag would work very well.

But overall, the movie just sort of drags, never really able to capture any oil/water chemistry between Wilson and Murphy.

It's passable entertainment, but nothing you really need to rush out and watch if you've never seen it, or more likely, haven't seen it in over a decade.

I cannot comment on what connection, if anything besides title alone, that I Spy shares with the television show upon which it was based.  My guess...

Absolutely nothing.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Low to watch again... No for the purchase.

If It Happened, Then "The Impossible" Is The Wrong Title For This Film...

The Impossible (2012)

Rated PG-13 for language and peril

Starring Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast

Directed by J. A. Bayona

The Story:

Henry (McGregor) and his wife Maria (Watts) are on Christmas vacation in Thailand in 2004 with their 3 children: Lucas (Holland), Thomas (Joslin) and Simon (Pendergrast).  As they are enjoying a wonderful day at the pool, they are suddenly and viciously hit by a tsunami.  The force separates the family, Maria and Lucas are swept one direction, Henry and the two little boys another.  As Maria fights for her very survival, Henry chooses to leave his sons to try and find the rest of his family.  Will they all survive? Will the family be reunited?

Well of course!

One, it's a true story, and that's what happened.

However, unlike many who have seen this movie, I was not emotionally traumatized and think this was a great movie.

It was okay, at best.

That's not to make light of the real-life tragedy of what occurred by any stretch of the imagination.

Somehow though, in the cold light of looking at this film, whatever emotional chords they are trying to pluck in me, it didn't work.

In fact, the most emotional scene in the movie...

SPOILER!

Is when the brothers are reunited.

That was a sweet moment, and seemed genuine and unforced, unlike the rest of the movie.

Those little boys looked absolutely thrilled to see their older brother.

Which makes me happy, yet angry as a father.

Sorry Henry, as much as you love your wife and other son, you make sure you get those 2 boys to safety, WITH  YOU, and then you work on finding the rest of your family.

Grr.

Final Grade: C...maybe even a C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not going to happen.

Would You Get "In The Line Of Fire" Between A Bullet And A President?

In The Line Of Fire (1993)

Rated R for language and violence

Starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, John Mahoney

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

The Story:

Secret Service Agents Frank Horrigan (Eastwood) and D'Andrea (McDermott) are working the counterfeiting portion of the Secret Service.  Then one night, Horrigan answers a phone call from a stranger (Malkovich) who informs him that he is going to assassinate the President.  This doesn't sit well with Horrigan, as he has already lost a President once: Kennedy.  He vows he's not going to lose another one.  He lobbies to get back on the Presidential detail, but he's old, cranky, and with the President facing re-election, the Chief of Staff (Fred Thompson) wants Horrigan nowhere near the President.  Will Frank be able to take a bullet to save a President this time, or is he doomed to fail again?

I think this is my favorite Eastwood movie.

Doing a quick rundown of titles, yeah, this and Kelly's Heroes are my two favorite films by Eastwood of all time.

The movie is extremely well written, there are excellent actors in every role, and the tension continues to build as the movie rolls along.

Eastwood plays the aging Agent perfectly.  Still with a love and drive for the job, he plays Horrigan perfectly.  The scene in the break room after his return to the Presidential detail is hysterically funny.

The attempted romance between Russo and Eastwood is handled well and does not overly complicate nor bog down the action and tension that is building in the movie.  It works to give the audience a chance to catch our breath as we prepare for the next stage of the game of cat and mouse.

Naturally, if you're going to give Eastwood a competent adversary, you want one of the best.

Cue John Malkovich as the quietly explosive assassin.  He wants the challenge of beating Horrigan at the game.  Bitter adversaries, yet with equal amounts of respect for what each other does and each work to not underestimate the other, because it will be costly to do so.

I would say it's been over a decade since I watched this one, and that's a shame because it really is an excellent film.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own it, and I'll have to put a sticky note to remind me not to wait over a decade to watch this one again.

Frontier Justice... "Hang 'Em High"

Hang 'Em High (1968)

Starring Clint Eastwood, Inger Stevens, Ed Begley, Pat Hingle, Bruce Dern, Alan Hale Jr.

Directed by Ted Post

The Story:

Jed Cooper (Eastwood) bought some cattle from a local ranch and as he is moving them towards his homestead, he is surrounded by a vigilante posse that accuses him of rustling...and murder!  Cooper professes his innocence, but the mob lynches him, and leaves him for dead.  Cut down by a passing Marshal (Ben Johnson), Cooper is taken to Fort Grant, Oklahoma to stand trial for his crimes by Judge Fenton (Hingle).  Found innocent, the judge offers Cooper the chance to round up the mob, and any other bad guys, by becoming a Deputy US Marshal.

Coming off the Man With No Name trilogy of spaghetti westerns, Eastwood created his own company, The Malpaso Company which was the home for Eastwood pictures for the next 20 years, with Hang 'Em High being the first.

The story is a fictionalized account of "Hangin' Judge Parker" from Fort Smith Arkansas.  It portrays the hardship faced by the US Marshal service to cover entire territories with few men, low pay, and danger at every turn.

Cooper tries to bring all of the mob to justice, but some resist and wind up being shot instead of hung.

However, when some rustlers are brought in and tried and convicted of murder and rustling, Cooper bristles at the methods that the judge takes.

At the end of the day, he has to make a decision on whether or not it's in his best interest to help the judge bring law and order to the Oklahoma Territory or walk away and leave a vacuum of lawlessness.

They squeeze a love story into the film after the halfway point to make the Marshal's choice a little more difficult, but at the end of the day, justice will prevail.

Pretty good film.  Glad I finally got around to seeing it.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: One viewing was good enough for me.

The End Is Nigh... "Batman & Robin"

Batman & Robin (1997)

Rated PG-13 for language, violence and ice skating

Starring George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris O' Donnell, Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone

Directed by Joel Schumacher

The Story:

Batman (Clooney) and Robin (O'Donnell) are facing the maniacal Mr. Freeze (Schwarzenegger) who is trying to get his hands on diamonds, to create a freeze ray that will turn the world to ice!  He has a hand in the creation of Poison Ivy (Thurman) who uses her feminine ways to drive a wedge between the dynamic duo!  Thankfully, the arrival of Alfred's niece, Barbara (Silverstone) will tip the scales to the side of justice when she becomes...Batgirl!

Oh my...

This was even worse than I remembered.

When the Dynamic Duo become ice skaters in the opening battle of the film, I literally rolled my eyes and checked out of the film.

Which is a shame, because George Clooney gets the lion's share of unfair blame on the failure of this movie.

It wasn't his fault. 

In fact, I have gone on record, many times, that Clooney actually made the best Batman of the 3 that wore the cape and cowl up to that point.

No, it was the terrible script and Schumacher instilling too much camp in a series that had been only wink and nod in that area up to that point.

Final Grade: D+ realm

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, I'm good.

Time For A Change... "Batman Forever"

Batman Forever (1995)

Rated PG-13 for language/violence

Starring: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Chris O'Donnell

Directed by Joel Schumacher

The Story:

Batman (Kilmer) is faced with a two-pronged attack from Two Face (Jones) who believes Batman caused the courtroom accident that scarred his face, and the Riddler (Carrey) who used to work for Wayne and has invented a device that can steal information from the mind.  With the death of Dick Grayson's (O'Donnell) parents at the hands of Two Face, he becomes a ward of Bruce Wayne, and will attempt to take his place fighting crime alongside Batman. 

Quite a bit to jam pack into this tale!

And if that wasn't enough, add Nicole Kidman in as a love interest, and you have a bloated mess of a film.

This was the first entry in the Bat-chise that I bothered with.

So again, I don't remember if it was Keaton or Burton that kept me away, but with both gone, I came aboard.

Bored.

It was okay for its time.

Again, no rose-colored glasses from this guy, I actually have memories of seeing (and owning!) this one on VHS.

Egads.

Who was the bigger ham, Carrey or Jones?

O'Donnell is close to insufferable most of the time as Robin.

Kilmer does the best he can with the role and apparently would have been back for a sequel except for scheduling conflicts.

Apparently DC has little qualms about recasting the star of their franchise...

The cheese factor was amped up... the cast was amped up.

There was nowhere for this franchise to go...

But down!

Final Grade:  C- maybe a C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nearly 20 years have passed since I last saw this one.  I would assume a similar, or longer time, will pass before I do this again.

Like A Bad Rash... "Batman Returns"

Batman Returns (1992)

Rated PG-13 for language/violence

Starring: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken

Directed by Tim Burton

The Story:

Batman is back, and this time he is trying to stop The Penguin (DeVito) who is blackmailing  Max (Walken) to worm his way into society and making the Penguin mayor!  Max's secretary, Selina Kyle (Pfeiffer) discovers some documents and is thrown to her apparent death.  Ah, but she survives and becomes... Catwoman!

Speaking of Batman films I never bothered with, this was another one.

But now I've watched it, and it was again... meh.

At least they realized that Batman should be the star of his own movies at this point, but the introduction of Catwoman is what this movie will be remembered for.

Which is a shame.  This franchise should have made a mega-star out of Keaton, but he was always overshadowed by his co-stars.

First Nicholson, and now the introduction of Catwoman.

Seemingly, one villain was no longer enough for the bat-films, and everyone thought that more villains equaled a better movie.


Wrong.

It really spelled the doom for this franchise.

At least Burton had some ability to reign in the crazy with the extra cast.

With his departure, the franchise was about to change...


Forever!

(Cue ominous foreshadowing music!)


Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No thanks, I'm good.

There's A First Time For Everything... "Batman"

Batman (1989)

Rated PG-13 for language and violence       

Starring Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough

Directed by Tim Burton

The Story:

Bruce Wayne (Keaton) is a billionaire with a secret: he's Batman!  A hushed urban legend, he wants to help the Gotham City Police Department, including Commissioner Gordon (Hingle) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Williams).  However, Gotham is riddled with crime, and the latest crime boss suffers an accident at the hands of Batman and he becomes...The Joker (Nicholson).  With the police, reporters and photographer Vicki Vale (Basinger) on his trail, can Batman save the day without being caught or killed?

Happy 25th Anniversary to the movie, Batman.

I have never watched the film before.

Shocking, I know.  You'd think I would have been all over this one.

However, I was relatively uninspired by the selection of Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne, and between all the snippets of music that year and clips on TV, I felt as if I'd pretty much seen everything I needed to with this film.

So, I finally sat down and watched it this weekend, and I'm reminded of a time when superhero movies generally sucked.

This film doesn't change my perception of that time, and I figure the popularity of the film came because it had been a long time since Superman: The Movie, and people wanted to like this, or any, superhero film.

Because...

It's pretty bad.

Those with rose-colored glasses who have 25 years of happy memories will disagree, and that's fine...

But wow.

A credit to Burton, he made a Gotham that looks and lives up to its place in the movie as an actual character.

However, the movie really should have probably been called The Joker, because let's face it, that's what most of the movie centered around.

Hey, if you're throwing all of your money and top-billing to the bad guy, you might as well make him shine.

Nicholson does his job, eating scenery and pulling out all the stops as The Joker.

Keaton does a fine job of portraying Wayne/Batman.  No real complaints there either.

The movie itself though, seeks too much synchronicity by making the Joker responsible for creating Batman and Batman responsible for creating The Joker.

Gag.

Vicki Vale provides nothing but eye candy and damsel in distress moments that grew old and tiresome by the 2nd or 3rd time she screamed in terror.

Then, by the third act, when Batman's billion dollar jet cannot hit The Joker even though it targets him perfectly, and the Joker is able to shoot down said jet with one bullet from the most ridiculous gun in movie history...

Yeah...

This is not the Batman you want... it's the Batman you deserved.

Ben Affleck can do better than this with his eyes closed.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I went 25 years before seeing it.  I think I'm good for one lifetime.

Oh How I Miss The Monday Night Wars..."The Rise And Fall Of WCW"

WWE: The Rise and Fall of WCW (2009)

World Championship Wrestling, the late 90s juggernaut that went toe to toe with the WWE is examined here.

Born out of the extremely productive Jim Crockett Promotions, this documentary chronicles the highlights of the company using interviews with the talent in front of the camera and those behind the scenes as well.

An interesting note that is brought up by Crockett, Ric Flair and others...

If the National Wrestling Alliance would have simply stayed in the Carolinas and stretched no farther than the Midwest, it is highly likely that some form of it would still be alive and well today.

The problem, they were growing big and fast, and making cash to match, so they took the show on the road.

While it was true that they were making money, they were spending more than they had in the bank.

Enter Ted Turner who bought the company. 

The 2 hour block that he had been showing on TBS for years was the highest rated cable program at the time.  Of course, cable was still in its infancy, but it's an important statistic to realize and appreciate.

Once they owned the program, the suits didn't want anything to do with it. 

They  loved the ratings, hated the idea of a wrestling program.

Numerous heads of the company were brought in to run WCW, but all simply kept trying to run it into the ground.

It wasn't until Eric Bischoff arrived, and decided that the way to make it work was to tackle the WWE head on, and so he did. 

Spending money hand over fist, Bischoff brought in the nWo, and the rest was history. 

Thankfully, they also note that the other important wrestling aspect from the company was the inclusion of the Cruiserweight Division.  These high flying luchadores made the show entertaining with the impressive, acrobatic style that wasn't being seen anywhere in North America at the time.

Beating the WWE head to head for nearly 2 straight years, wrestling has never enjoyed a more creative time in history.

Of course, WCW began to believe their own hype, and a series of terrible booking decisions began the spiral out of control that doomed the company to completely disappear as a viable option.

It lives on now in memories and video collections.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I wasn't a huge WCW fan, so I'm good.  Very well done production though.

Today On The Zander Kelly Show..."Joe Dirt" !!

Joe Dirt (2001)
Rated PG-13 for language

Starring David Spade, Brittany Daniel, Dennis Miller, Adam Beach, Christopher Walken

Directed by Dennie Gordon

The Story:

The story of Joe Dirt (Spade) as related across the airwaves when he becomes a guest on the Zander Kelly (Miller) show.  Joe relates how he was abandoned at the Grand Canyon as a kid, and has made his way in life, trying to find his family.  The obvious victim of ridicule on the show and in life, a strange thing happens as he tells the tale of his life, and the city becomes enamored with Joe and his search for family, and love, with Brandi (Daniel) the girl with a heart of gold.

How is it that I've never reviewed this movie before?

Okay, I imagine there are two types of people reactions when the movie Joe Dirt is mentioned.

Those that recoil in horror at the thought of this, or any movie, starring any former Saturday Night Live cast member, especially named David Spade or Adam Sandler.

And those that recognize this movie as the Citizen Kane of Trailer Trash movies.

:)

I feel bad for that first group, because they are blindly judging a movie the second group understands that start to finish, this movie is flat-out funny.

Infinitely quotable, I defy you to find a fan of this film that can't quote you at least one of the hilarious Dirt-isms of the film at a moment's notice.

The movie is peppered with wonderful supporting characters from the obvious (Walken) to the inspired (Kid Rock) that you might not expect in a movie like this.

So sit back, and just let the Joe Dirt-iness wash over you.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Own it. Love it.

There Are Worse Times To Be Had... "Grown Ups 2"

Grown Ups 2 (2013)

PG-13 for language

Starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Maria Bello

Directed by Dennis Dugan

The Story:

Lenny (Sandler) decided that he enjoyed visiting home so much a few years back, that's the place to move the wife (Hayek) and kids.  They can grow up around friends and family and maybe have a bit of normalcy.  However, with a small town full of friends and former rivals, how normal can things really be?

Okay, let's be fair.

The first Grown Ups was a pretty cute movie overall.  Nothing ground-breaking or earth-shattering, but it was funny enough and I had a good time watching it, and so did most of the family.

Picked it up when Blockbuster was going out of business, and I have no regrets.

I'm a fan of Adam Sandler, and for the most part, I enjoy more of his movies than I dislike.

Now, with Grown Ups 2, that family-friendly aspect, which was questionable at best before, gets pushed slightly beyond acceptable this time around.

Blame the inclusion of Nick Swardson.

Or Dan Patrick's skimpy shorts.

: /

Swardson has his moments...in other movies... but lately whatever I've seen him in, he's becoming more cringeworthy with every performance.

However this film does not deserve the label of "worst movie ever" or "worst" anything label.

It's simply another typical effort from Sandler that aims for the lowest common denominator for the jokes.

And yes, for every groan-inducing cringe, there are some justifiably funny moments throughout the film.

Why, there's even a bit of a heart-felt message in the final act as old rivalries are ended and some relationships are rekindled.

So again, while not great, it's also not an abomination of film.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't see this one joining the original in the library.

I'm Still Waiting On A Sequel... "S.W.A.T."

S.W.A.T. (2003)

Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Josh Charles, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson

Directed by Clark Johnson

The Story:

SWAT officers Street (Farrell) and Gamble (Renner) break the rules one time too often, and get suspended from SWAT by Capt Fuller (Larry Poindexter).  Gamble quits and Street opts to work in the armory with the distant hope that SWAT will once again open up to him.  Enter the returning Sgt Hondo (Jackson) who has been sent back to create a new SWAT team.  He recruits a ragtag collection of misfits including Street, and the Captain is out for their heads.  But when a notorious mobster falls into their lap, and offers a 100 Million Dollar reward for his freedom, the SWAT team is going to face their biggest challenge, ever.

Ah yes, this is a guilty pleasure of mine.

I've seen it at least a dozen times, and it never gets old.

Just a hair under 2 hours, but the pacing makes the movie just clip along and feel like it has a much shorter running time.

The movie literally moves at a breakneck pace as the team is built and then they are forced into action to move the criminal to safety.

I also think this is one of the better television shows adapted to the big screen films that has happened.

Naturally, aside from the theme song from SWAT, I barely remember the show at all. :)

All said, it was great work by all involved.  Nobody seems out of place, and all of their actions are believable to the character and/or situations that they find themselves in.

If nothing else, LL Cool J made a nice audition reel for NCIS Los Angeles.

:)

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and it gets played annually, at least.

What Are The Odds I Watch "A Million To Juan" Again?

A Million To Juan (1994)

Rated PG

Starring: Paul Rodriguez, Tony Plana, Bert Rosario, Polly Draper

Directed by Paul Rodriguez

The Story:

Juan (Rodriguez) is struggling to raise his kid and become a citizen.  He was born in America, but moved to Mexico as a kid and now that he's back, he's got no proof.  His immigration officer, Olivia (Draper) is trying to help him any way she can.  Then one day, Juan receives a check from a stranger for One Million Dollars!  The catch? He has to give the check back in 30 days.  The check is indeed real, and it gets Juan instant credit all around the city, but that promise of money actually changes Juan's life for the poorer.  At the end of the month, Juan is actually worse off than before...

Or is he?

While billed as a comedy, and filled with some great comedic actors, this film is more of a dramedy than anything.

And a romantic dramedy at that.

There aren't hysterical laughs abounding through the movie, but a steady stream of pleasantry.

Paul Rodriguez is pleasant as the star of the film, and he is surrounded by excellent character actors that drive the story.

Now celebrating 20 years, the movie holds up rather well for itself, this being the 2nd time I've seen it in 20 years!

The mysterious benefactor of the million dollars leaves itself open as a question mark. Was he real? Was he an angel?

The film does resolve itself nicely, with the happiest of endings that the film could come up with.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Apparently it's good for one viewing every 20 years. :)

Trouble Is Brewing On The "Homefront"

Homefront (2013)
Rated R for language and violence

Starring Jason Statham, James Franco, Izabela Vidovic, Winona Ryder

Directed by Gary Fleder

The Story:

Phil Broker (Statham) is a former DEA agent who has retired to the country in Louisiana to raise his daughter.  However, he soon tangles with the locals, and they bring their country justice to bear against him in the form of Gator (Franco) a local meth manufacturer with dreams of going big time.  When he learns Broker's secret, he puts together a plot to give Broker and his daughter over to the man who rots in prison because of Broker, and then Gator can become the king of Louisiana meth.

It's like Justified... in the swamps!

And I mean that in a good way.

This is more of a drama than your typical Statham actioner, but when they unleash Statham in the finale, you get some nice bursts of action sequences to cap off the film.

Otherwise, the movie is a nice, slow build as Phil and his daughter (Vidovic) try and live peacefully with their neighbors, but when the daughter is bullied one time too often, she fights back and sets off a chain of events that will nearly see her and her daddy killed.

But otherwise, it's a great moment on the playground, and a nice taste of Statham action when he is attacked...so to speak...by the bully's dad.

It's a shame that Sylvester Stallone and Chuck Logan felt the need to have the backwoods characters curse like a bunch of sailors every time they opened their mouths.

Unneeded and unnecessary, and seemingly the only reason that the film had to warrant the R rating.

Again, I see some of these movies and think they could appeal to a wider audience if they simply dial back the language.  Embrace the lower rating if you've got a good story to tell.

Franco is perfect as the drug pushing psycho who takes a request from his sister (Kate Bosworth) to get even with Phil to the extreme.  Add in Winona Ryder as the creepy girlfriend, and you've got your usually loveable leads playing against character, but playing it well.

Then you have Jason Statham playing himself.

I've decided that when I grow up, I want to be Jason Statham.

Because, that would just be cool.

:)

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Aside from the language problem, it's a pretty engaging story and I wouldn't mind adding this one to the Statham section of the DVD library.

Untold Tales of World War II... "The Book Thief"

The Book Thief (2013)

Rated PG-13 for violence

Starring Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Nico Liersch, Ben Schnetzer

Directed by Brian Percival

The Story:

Liesel (Nelisse) is a young girl being sent to live with the Hubermann family, Hans and Rosa (Rush & Watson) at a time when Nazi power is on the upswing in Germany but before World War II has been declared.  Liesel's brother dies on the trip, and she discovers her first book, "The Gravedigger's Handbook" and steals it, fascinated by what it could contain.  Hans helps to teach her to read, and so begins her love affair with books.  However, as time marches on, so too does the onset of war, and the change and heartache that comes with it.

This is an interesting, slightly odd film concerning World War II.

First, it opens with narration by Death.  Death will provide a voice over a few times during the film, and it is an odd plot device to employ in the story.  It really doesn't add much to the story, it simply provides some omniscient narration that the writer or director wanted to emphasize.

It's neither a good nor bad technique, just different. 

As for the rest of the story, it's a very quiet build as Liesel learns to adapt to her new family.  Adored by Hans, and fearful of her new mother, the movie is a slow burn as emotions and feelings change throughout the movie.

The movie, while just over 2 hours, doesn't really drag, and they do manage to compress an entire war in the running time.

It's a remarkable feat, and yes, you begin to wonder if the movie is based on a true story, but no, it's a work of fiction.

That said, there is no doubt that the events that occur in the movie very likely happened to many, many Germans during the war.

That includes the hiding of Max (Schnetzer) in their basement, and the budding romance with the neighbor boy  Rudy (Liersch) that is both sweet and tragic as the movie rolls along.

There is some power to this movie that American audiences may never fully appreciate.  While we suffered casualties on the fields of battles, the countries involved in the ground war lost casualties on all fronts and lived in constant fear.

Nobody is asking you to suddenly feel sympathetic to the Nazi Party, but you are stretched to realize that not every German in the country was a devout follower of Herr Hitler.

If you get the chance to see it, I don't think you'll feel disappointed.

Final Grade: B/B- range.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While I could watch it again, I would have no need to own this one for the library.

I Would Like To Chop Down "The Family Tree"

The Family Tree (2011)

Rated R for language

Starring Dermot Mulroney, Hope Davis, Rachael Leigh Cook, Chi McBride, Max Thieriot, Britt Robertson

Directed by Vivi Friedman

The Story:

A dysfunctional family barely held together gets a second chance at life when the mom (Davis) develops amnesia and suddenly becomes a nice person, causing a ripple of change through the family dynamic.

Will it last?

Beats me.

I turned it off after 5 minutes.

Great cast, saddled with a horrible script that was just moving from point to point with no purpose whatsoever.

I usually try and stick a movie out for the full 20 to see if it has any hope of redemption, but this was a cast of characters I immediately didn't care for, and I didn't care if they learned any lesson at all.

I learned I could get about 90 minutes of my life back if I turned it off immediately.

Final Grade: F.  Only the 2nd F I've given this year, but the shortest time viewing a movie.  Congratulations!

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Seriously?

Keep It Classy America... "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues"

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)

Rated PG-13/R  for Language

Starring Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koecher, Christina Applegate

Directed by Adam McKay

The Story:

Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) has moved on with his wife (Applegate) and their child and is now co-hosting the news in New York.  When she is selected to be the first prime-time female news anchor, and he's fired, well Burgundy spirals out of control as his life is effectively over.  But when Ron is approached to be part of a crazy new idea: a 24 hour news channel... can Ron reassemble his old team from San Diego, and help convince the world that news, 24/7 is a good idea?

I remember seeing Anchorman a few years ago, it was amusing, but not the amazing, hilarious cult film that many people I know make it out to be.

The sequel...

Pretty much the same.

There are a couple of insanely funny gags... and a lot of otherwise enjoyable laughs.

However, there's nothing here for me to want to come back to and watch again in the future.

And for me, that's the ultimate test and tribute to a comedy:  How many times can I watch this film, and it still be funny every time?

What actually worked for me in this film was when the movie focused on how Ron and his team actually created history on the air.  Those segments were the best, and revisionist history being what it is, you could believe that in this day and age, it was Ron Burgundy, or whatever real anchor he is indeed cloned after that came up with these ideas that "hey, this could be news!" and the people ate it up.

And still do.

If you enjoyed the first one, I see no reason why you won't enjoy the latest installment.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Maybe in a few years I'd watch it again, but no hurry, and no need to own it.

From Convict To "Champion", The Amazing Journey of Danny Trejo

Champion (2005)

N/R - Documentary

Starring Danny Trejo!

Directed by Joe Eckardt

The Story:

You know the face.
Now learn his story.

What a fascinating documentary about the life and times of Danny Trejo.

His troubled youth and stints in jail and how he turned his life around.

How did he break into the movies?

Drugs.

But as a counselor.  He received a phone call from someone on the set of Runaway Train (1985) and he was tempted by the drugs all around the set.

So Danny heads to the set, and sees all of the extras cast as prisoners and laughs.

Then they see him and think, hey, you'd make a great prisoner.

You think?!?

:)

So he's cast as an extra, but then someone on the set as an adviser remembers seeing Danny box in prison, and he gets moved up to a better paying gig if he's willing to teach Eric Roberts how to box for the film.

And the rest is history...

With additional interviews with other actors and directors who have worked with him, including Dennis Hopper, Robert Rodriguez, and Steve Buscemi, it's a worthwhile documentary about one of Hollywood's least likely stars.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Great one time viewing, but no need to purchase.

You Will Appreciate The "Gravity" Of Their Situation

Gravity (2013)

Rated PG-13 for language and space peril

Starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris

Directed and written by Alfonso Cuaron

The Story:

Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is on her first shuttle mission.  Teamed with veteran mission commander Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) everything is going fine until they are warned by Mission Control (Harris) that there is debris heading towards the shuttle and they need to abort their mission and get clear of the debris.  Before they can, the debris tears through their area, killing everyone except Stone and Kowalsky.  Adrift and alone, can the two survive in outer space and find a way to get back home?

Well, yes and no.

This is a pretty good little dramatic thriller.

The movie is pretty much all Sandra Bullock's and she does admirably as the astronaut who is in over her head.

Saved by her commander, she has one shot at getting home alive, but it's going to be a very perilous journey.

Think Apollo 13, but not real life, and much fewer actors.

Clooney's role is much smaller than you would imagine, but he does a great job with playing George Clooney.

:)

Beautifully shot, I have no problem with this film winning the Best Director award at the Oscars.

Otherwise, it's an engaging 90 minutes worthy of your time.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again in the future, but no need to own it, and no hurry to rewatch.  Maybe in a few years.

Farewell To A Legend: The Ultimate Warrior- R.I.P. 1959-2014

Don't you just hate waking up to find another piece of your childhood has passed on?

So it began yesterday when I woke up to find that WWE Superstar and Hall of Famer, The Ultimate Warrior had passed away.

The timing of it was surreal, as the world had just watched him get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Saturday night, come out during WrestleMania on Sunday, and then finally address the fans one last time on Monday at Raw.

And now he's gone.

Crazy.

But in a business like professional wrestling, unfortunately, we've had to bid farewell all too often and soon to the superstars that make us cheer on a weekly basis.

The loss of the Warrior, who legally changed his name to Warrior because... well, because the man was crazy and loved what he did for a living, is another moment of loss to the WWE.

The Warrior and the WWE weren't exactly on speaking terms with each other over the last decade.  The animosity was so great that the WWE put out a DVD in 2005 called "The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior" which basically was 90 minutes of everyone trashing The Warrior for being a selfish, spoiled tool.

Ouch.

It's rare that Vince will publicly go after someone like that.

Usually, he'll just change his opening logos and make you disappear as if you'd never been a part of WWE history (see the current Monday Night Raw opening and wonder openly...where is that Hulk Hogan fellow?).

But no, this time he spent money to create a product that openly criticized one of the 80s/90s biggest superstars.

Then, 2K sports made an agreement with the Ultimate Warrior to bring him in as a playable character in the video games.  The thaw had begun, the Cold War was ending, and much like he did with bringing Bruno Sammartino back to the company, Triple H worked on getting the Warrior back with the WWE where he belonged.

The rumors began to circulate that this year would be the year to bring the Warrior into the Hall of Fame... and then those rumors turned to reality.

Then the weekend of WWE triumph turned to tragedy, as his family is left behind, and the condolences of the millions of fans are sent to the Warriors' wife and daughters.

:(

However, the silver lining in this, such as it is, was that the fence that was destroyed between the Warrior and the WWE was repaired in time so that the Warrior  and WWE will be able to rest in peace.

Too often, like when Macho Man Randy Savage passed away, there wasn't that moment of closure that would have capped a career of entertaining the millions of fans.

For both the fans, and the wrestlers who entertained us.

I'm very glad that the Ultimate Warrior was able to take one more trip to the center ring and be acknowledged for the accomplishments that he brought to the business and the memories he gave wrestling fans everywhere.

He may not have been the best wrestler...

But he was a literal force of nature that was one of a kind.

Rest well Warrior, you will be missed.

In The Navy..."Down Periscope"

Down Periscope (1996)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Kelsey Grammar, Lauren Holly, Rob Schneider, Harry Dean Stanton, Bruce Dern, William H. Macy, Rip Torn

Directed by David S. Ward

The Story:

Lieutenant Commander Dodge (Grammar) has rubbed some of his superiors the wrong way.  Finally given his chance to Captain a submarine, he is given a relic of a diesel class submarine that is so old, they have to bring on a civilian veteran (Stanton) just to help them know how to work the thing.  Dodge is given a test to elude and defeat a nuclear sub piloted by Commander Knox (Macy) but Rear Admiral Graham (Dern) wants to ensure Dodge fails, and he is saddled with a misfit crew of sailors nobody else wanted, including Executive Officer Pascal (Schneider) and the Diving Officer (Holly), the first female submarine candidate for the Navy.  If Dodge fails... he's out.  Heaven help him.

I don't think I've seen this one since it was released.

Caught it again recently, and it's not bad.

A really good cast with an adequate script, there's nothing ground breaking to be had, but it's an acceptable diversion of 90 minutes.


Grammar flexes his muscle as a leading man on the silver screen, and his comedic instincts are as sound as the years he honed his timing on Cheers and Frasier.

Plus, while it is a comedy, they at least treat most of the war games between the submarines straight- humourous, but not slapstick.  Dodge and his crew actually use strategy and cunning to outmaneuver superior technology.

It's a classic underdog story, and those are almost always entertaining.

Not a bad one to revisit if you see it on cable as you flip channels.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I haven't bought it by now, so I probably won't rush out now, but I have no problem if I were to see it on again in the future

A Fun Little Heist Film... "After The Sunset"

After the Sunset (2004)
Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Woody Harrelson, Don Cheadle
Directed by Brett Ratner

The Story:

Max (Brosnan) and Lola (Hayek) are jewel thieves.  Really good ones.  They've been chased by FBI Agent Lloyd (Harrelson) but never caught. He knows they are guilty, but can never prove it.  When they retire to a tropical island paradise to get married, Lloyd shows up on their doorstep to let Max know that he knows the real reason Max is there is to steal the one diamond he never got his hands on.  Then local mobster Henri (Cheadle) tells Max he better steal the diamond for him.  What's poor Max going to do?

Ah yes, the heist film.

I love them.

This one is also a lot of fun.

It plays up the humorous aspect, which is something you should expect from a Brett Ratner film.

As I am an unabashed fan of Ratner's films, I have no problem with that.

The movie barrels along nicely, very little drag at all through the proceedings.

The scenery is stunning, and all of the actors seem to be having a great time with the movie.  Some great chemistry between the three leads makes for a very engaging story.

Like the gem Max is coveting, this film is an overlooked gem that has aged gracefully over the last decade.

Final Grade: B+ maybe even A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own it, and sadly it's been out of circulation for far too long.  I forgot how fun it was.

Thirty Years Of "Wrestlemania" Running Wild On You!

Every year, for 30 years, Vince McMahon has held a party around my birthday weekend.

For that, I appreciate my annual gift from the WWE.

This year with the WWE Network, I was able to see WrestleMania live for the first time...legally...

:)

I've purchased Royal Rumbles before, but otherwise, that's the only Pay Per View I don't want to miss.

Now, for 10 bucks a month, I get to watch every PPV and 1000s of other hours of PPVs and shows anytime, anywhere.

More stuff than I'll ever be able to actually watch, and I know for that, my wife is happy.

The night before, several superstars were inducted into the Hall of Fame, including 2 of my favorites from back in the day: Jake the Snake Roberts and Razor Ramon.

It was a long ceremony, with some rambling speeches, one by Mr. T that ended up getting called for exceeding the time limit.

Whoops!

:)

As for the program itself, it opened with Hulk Hogan coming down to welcome us to the Silverdome!

Only problem, brother, is that was the site of WrestleMania III, and we are actually at the SuperDome in New Orleans.

Stone Cold Steve Austin comes out to join him, and then the duo are joined by The Rock!

The first 30 minutes were worth the price of the admission alone.

Then a brutal contest opens with Triple H versus Daniel Bryan, the winner moves on to the main event against Orton and Batista.

Again, for those that say it's fake, find replay shots of the Daniel Bryan sized boot-bruise on Triple H's leg!  Yowch!

Great match, and the right outcome to keep the crowd happy.

The 30 Man Andre the Giant Battle Royal offered several great moments for superstars, especially Kofi and Cesaro.  Fun match.

And then it was time for...

The Streak!

The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar.

Let me just say, I never in my life thought I would see the Streak end, except when the Undertaker decided to retire.

I've never seen 75,000 people suddenly so quiet...

The stadium stayed that way deep into the championship match before Daniel Bryan finally willed the people to cheer again.

Chaos ensued in the no disqualification match as it was literally a mountain of Attitude Era shenanigans that conspired to destroy Bryan's chances.

Did he overcome?

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It's one for the ages.  I'll likely revisit several matches again in the future.

"The Rundown" - The Humble Beginnings Of An Action Star

The Rundown (2003)
Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Christopher Walken, Rosario Dawson

Directed by Peter Berg

The Story:

Beck (Johnson)  is a bounty hunter who wants to get out of his line of work and become a chef.  If he takes one last job, to bring back the boss's son, Travis (Scott) from the Amazon, he'll get his money, and be free to go.

What could possibly go wrong?

Ah, the Rock's first film, free from the Mummy-verse, this was the 2nd production offering from the newly created WWE Studios.

This is one that's a guilty pleasure that I usually leave on if I'm surfing through channels and stumble across it.

The Rock gets off to a great start as an action hero, even getting the proverbial passing of the torch from Ah-nuhld at the very beginning of the film.

Seann William Scott is annoyingly hilarious as the 2nd half of the proven successful buddy cop/partner film.  The oil to the Rock's water.

Great B Movie fun, enhanced by Christopher Walken chewing up the Amazon as the bad guy who's making life difficult for both of the guys.

The fight scenes are impressive and very well-choreographed.

Peter Berg is a very underrated director in my opinion.

The running time is just about perfect, just over 90 minutes, and there's really never any dull moments.

I hear rumors that a sequel is in the works.

About time.

:)

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and I try and watch it at least once a year.

Spoiler Free Review Of The # 1 Movie In The World... "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Rated PG-13 for action, violence and pure awesomeness

Starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson

Directed by Joe & Anthony Russo

The Story:

A year after the events from The Avengers, Steve Rogers (Evans) is working for SHIELD, but he's not exactly happy about it.  He doesn't want to compromise his principles, yet it seems like all of the missions from Nick Fury (Jackson) are making Cap uneasy.  However, a far greater threat is lurking to undo everything that SHIELD stands for, and Captain America and the Black Widow (Johannson) may not be able to stop it.

Marvel Studios has done it again.
Not content to sit back and let the "summer movie season" begin early in May, they decided to just give April a shot at kicking off the season.

Of course, as Marvel has proven since pretty much the beginning, these aren't just mindless popcorn films.

The story of Captain America provides continuation of the story of Steve Rogers, man out of time, but also serves as a vehicle to showcase SHIELD and the Widow as well.

When Thor: The Dark World came out last year, and ended the year as the Best of 2013 on my list, I was impressed on how it improved on the original film and surpassed it.  I also noted that it was also a competent Science Fiction film feeling to it, with superheroes.

Now, The Winter Soldier is an updated look at Bond/Bourne... but with superheroes, not just spies.

This is the everyman action film filled with car chases and fights to fill the action quota easily.

I haven't decided yet if The Winter Soldier surpasses The First Avenger or not.  If nothing else, they are close equals, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I would say with 2 films, Captain America is now my favorite of the 3 solo hero franchises.

Anthony Mackie makes a fine addition to the universe as Sam Wilson.  Still with the social worker heart, Wilson's origin works perfectly for the movie, and I don't have any problem if the Falcon never soars in a more traditional costume.  This scenario worked like a charm.

So welcome to the franchise, I have a feeling the 3rd Cap film will be called Captain America & The Falcon.  The comic had a healthy run in the 70s using that very moniker.

Also, as Marvel has been doing lately, they switched directors to allow the Russo brothers to tackle Cap, and they knocked it out of the park.  It was interesting to note that they had been selected to finish the trilogy, and I look forward to what they have to offer..

So much to see.

So much to enjoy.

Quit reading the review and go get tickets.

:)

This is the movie to beat for Best of the Year honors.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I will be owning this one, no doubt.  This is up there with The Avengers as one of Marvel's best films.

Springtime In New York... "The Last Play At Shea"

The Last Play at Shea (2010)

Not Rated

Starring Billy Joel

Directed by  Paul Crowder

The Story:

This documentary chronicles the life and career of Billy Joel.
This documentary chronicles the history of Shea stadium from creation to destruction.
This documentary chronicles the fall, rise, fall, rise, fall, rise... of the New York Mets.

It does all of this in 90 minutes, and it does it spectacularly.

It is a concert film...without a lot of the concert.
It's a baseball film...with rock and roll.
It's a rock and roll film...with baseball.

It's unique, and very enjoyable.

Not a lot of the 2 night finale actually makes the 90 minute performance.

However, over the 90 minute running time, you'll learn a lot about Joel, New York, Shea Stadium, The Beatles and much more.

Example:  Sting realized that performing at Shea was the pinnacle of their career, so while on stage, he decided he would leave The Police when their tour was over.

Crazy, right?

A musical history lesson, perfectly encapsulated in film.

I just wish that the 2 night concert performance was available as extras or released on its own as well.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't see a need to own it, and a viewing is good.  But it could be a nice historical piece to pull out every so often to remember what life was like back in the days of Shea.

Back When Charlie Sheen Was Still Sane...Mostly... "The Chase"

The Chase (1994)
Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Charlie Sheen, Kristy Swanson, Henry Rollins, Ray Wise, Josh Mostel, Marshall Bell

Written and Directed by Adam Rifkin

The Story:

Jack Hammond (Sheen) has been wrongfully accused and sentenced to prison for a crime he didn't commit.  He escapes and ends up taking Natalie Voss (Swanson) hostage.  The problem with that, she's the daughter of millionaire industrialist Dalton Voss (Wise) and he enlists half of the California Highway Patrol to get his daughter back, including the local cops (Rollins & Mostel) who are filming a "Cops" style documentary.

I cannot begin to express how much I love this movie.

Guilty pleasure, whatever, but it is so much fun and I can watch it anytime without fail.

If I'm flipping channels and it's on...the flipping stops.

It's light, breezy fun, and for an action comedy picture that takes place (90%) from the front seat of a car, it's pretty engaging.

As it celebrates 20 years, it's fun to look back now and I wonder if this was a favorite of the writers from Psych, as three of the most frequent guest stars (Swanson, Wise and Cary Elwes) on that show were all in this movie.

Yep, another reason to like the film.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do already own it, and it gets played at least once a year on average.

Are You A Fan of Delicious Flavor ... "Psych: The Complete Series"

I know, you know, that I'll be telling the truth...

Psych (2006)

TV PG

Starring: James Roday, Dule Hill, Maggie Lawson, Timothy Omundson, Corbin Bernsen, Kirsten Nelson, Kurt Fuller

The Story:

Shawn Spencer (Roday) was trained to use keen observational skills by his father, Henry (Bernsen).  However, unlilke growing up to be a cop like his dad, Shawn's pretty much been a slacker.  Then he stumbles on an idea to get himself out of hot water with the cops: Pretend he is actually psychic!  He enlists his childhood friend, Gus (Hill) and they start the Pysch detective agency.  For the next 8 years, they will solve "about a case a week."

And now it's over, and Pysch-o's around the world are a little hurt on the inside.

:)

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my favorite television show, in the history of television shows.

A show that was smart, funny, dramatic, fun, engaging, full of wit, well written, superbly acted and never afraid to try something new, to include a full-fledged musical.

Psych had it all, and it will be missed.

And trust me, this comes from a family of fans that didn't come onboard until the end of the 5th season.  We caught an episode, We'd Like To Thank the Academy, where the boys have to enroll in the Police Academy, and we were instantly hooked.

Trust me, when I find something that I like AND my wife enjoys, that's two thumbs up and let's see what else is available.

We found it was streamable on Netflix, and so we began our foray into season one.

About halfway...maybe almost all the way through, some of the kids stopped by and watched an episode or two.

They too were hooked.

So we did what any good parents would do, we started over with the whole family, and quickly caught up the series.

I probably should not admit that we've had many Psych-o-thons and have probably seen all the streamable episodes on Netflix...on average... 10 times each.

Each time, you catch something new.

A line you missed, a facial reaction by Gus....

The million and one 80s references that populate the dialogue...

The pineapple randomly hidden in the background.

Yes, we now go through life yelling "Pineapple" whenever we see one.

You'd be amazed where pineapples crop up in life...

I've also purchased all of the DVD sets, because someday they won't be streaming, or like seasons 7, 8 and the musical, are as yet NOT on Netflix for reasons unknown to mankind.

It's also a show that, in my opinion, never "jumped the shark".

There were a few episodes that were not as great as the rest, but for the most part, aside from Dual Spires, we loved them all.

And if you're a fan of Twin Peaks, then Dual Spires was probably right up your alley.

So when I hype Psych up to friends and family, I always give them one warning:

The Pilot is not the best episode.

It's not bad... but things really clicked with Episode Two: Spellingg Bee

It was here that the lovely Detective Juliet O'Hara joined the cast, and you could tell by the chemistry that someday Shawn and Jules (Shules) would be a couple.  But boy, was it a long, crazy road to get there, and again, unlike many episodes that began their downward spiral when the leading man and woman got together, Psych did not fall into that trap, so kudos.

:)

So, running down 8 seasons, what were *some of* the best episodes?

Season One:

The Spellingg Bee - Just know that 'banana' gets intoned around our house the same way Shawn uses it in the storyline.

Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast - Juliet goes undercover at a sorority where years earlier Shawn and Gus witnessed a suicide!

Season Two:

American Duos - The boys take to an American Idol style contest with judges Tim Curry and Gina Gershon.  The guest stars that were on this series were amazing and fit in perfectly with the show.

Lights, Camera...Homicidio - Shawn must solve a murder recorded for a telenovela by getting a part on the show.

Picking only 2 for this season is almost impossible.... :)

Season Three:

The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable - Shawn's uncle comes looking for buried treasure!

Lassie Did A Bad, Bad Thing - Lassister is accused of a crime, and Shawn and Gus must clear his name. Even if Gus is pretty certain that Lassiter did it. :)

Again, another strong season that's hard to only pick 2 great episodes from.

Season Four:

Death Is In The Air - Beware the Thornberg Virus!  And the 2nd member of the Brat Pack to guest star!!  They would eventually get them all, except Emilio.  Tsk tsk.

Shawn Takes A Shot In The Dark - An episode that was very different in format to what we'd seen before.  Proof that the show was willing to take risks, and you couldn't always be sure everything would be okay at the end of the episode.

Again, this season is full of great episodes... A Very Juliet Episode, High Top Fade-Out... Possibly the best single season of them all...

Season Five:

Not Even Close...Encounters - An alien abduction in Santa Barbara?  Shawn and Gus enlist an old friend to help them solve the case!

The Polarizing Express - Another Psych Christmas episode, this one a strange take on It's A Wonderful Life where Shawn gets to imagine what life was like for everyone had he not come back to Santa Barbara.

Season Six:

Last Night Gus - Imagine The Hangover... but funnier.  This is the winner for my favorite all-time episode of Psych.

Santabarbaratown - The cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers!  A cast member is shot.... will they survive??!!  It was a long hiatus....

Season Seven:

100 Clues - An homage to the 1985 film, Clue.  Including several guest stars from that movie.  Yes, audience participation even got to pick the ending(s) for each coast.

Office Space - When Gus' boss ends up dead... and Gus appears to be the prime suspect.. the more the guys do to clear his name, the more guilty he appears!

Season Eight:

Cog Blocked - Gus is murdered, or at least a man whose life mirrors Burton's is found dead, and Gus is determined to find the murderer... and live again!

The Breakup - It's the final episode of the series, and it wraps up in just the way that a Psych finale should.  After 8 years hanging out with these guys...

Bring a tissue.

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I may not be watching them live anymore, but they live on through streaming, DVD, and DVR!  I hope to see them return in a 2 hour special movie in the future, but I suppose I'll just have to...

 wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttt!