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JJFabbsy
Reviews
The Panel (1998)
Must-See TV
This is a show I make sure I never miss.
You could call it Australia's own "water-cooler" show. The discussions are (most of the time) lively, depending on who's on The Panel and the one-liners steal the show.
Simple concept, great viewing.
Alien Nation (1989)
Lovely series
I love this series, it's a shame it didn't last too long. Great acting by the main cast, and most importantly GREAT STORIES :)
Thank god the Alien Nation universe is still being continued through TV movies.
The relationship between George and Sikes is fun to watch, as they get closer and closer as friends.
The alien culture is also great, and believable.
A joy to watch.
The Simpsons (1989)
THE WORST TELEVISION SHOW OF ALL TIME!
Just kidding :)
If you ever find yourself stuck for half an hour, with nothing to do, watch a Simpsons episode, and you'll find yourself wondering where the time went, and in a much better mood.
After each episode (most) I find myself with a smile on my face long after the lady in the "Gracie Films" thing has shushed and 20th Century Fox has deafened me with their infernal logo of death.
No series has ever impacted TV and society like the Simpsons, it is cutting edge television, it rivals Seinfeld as the most commonly quoted show. "D'oh" is used so commonly in society, it should be put into the dictionary. Yes, the Simpsons has left a mark on us all.
I seriously hope this show never ends, it would leave a bigger hole in our hearts, greater than the sadness of "Cheers" and "Seinfelds" endings combined.
Touch and Go (1986)
Fun film to watch
I like this film. The acting is ok, the story is ok, it's fun to watch.
I found the soundtrack stuck in my head for years and years after I watched this film, sometimes I'll be doing something and BAM a song from the film will pop into my head. Weird :)
Michael Keaton is great in it, in fact this is one of his better films I believe.
See it, you'll either love it or hate it. I like it, and have watched it numerous times.
The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police (1997)
An immensely watchable cartoon :)
I love this cartoon!
I first got introduced to Sam and Max thru their Lucasarts video games, and when I heard about this cartoon, I HAD to see it :)
It was everything I expected, even though it was a kid's show, it still had the same "adult" humour present in the video game. The stories are funny, the gags are funny and the relationship between Sam and Max is just special.
If you loved the game, you KNOW you'll love this. If you haven't seen the game, watch this, love it, THEN get the game.
No, I am not a Lucasarts employee, this show really rules :)
Fame (1980)
Love the music :)
Fame is such a great film, and this is coming from a 16 year old growing up in the 90's.
Everything about this movie should be turning me off, the cheesy 80'ness of it and all, but it just isn't. I love it :)
The music really does it for me, I went out and bought the soundtrack, I had the song "I Sing the Body Electric" in my head for days, then once I heard "Red Light" and "Out Here On My Own" on LP, I was hooked.
The story is also great too, a group of young aspiring stars going through the ups and downs at the Performing Arts school. All with their own stories, strengths and weaknesses.
Of course the music is incomplete on-screen without the dancing, and in Fame it adds to it greatly.
This is one movie that I never miss when its on cable, I suggest you check it out if you haven't.
Don't bag Fame on the merits of the TV show, this movie is the true "Fame", in my eyes, and it is done a disservice to a degree by the bad rep of the TV show.
Titanic (1996)
My second favourite Titanic picture.....
Of course Jim Cameron's epic is my favourite.
I caught this version on cable, and found a lot of sequences in it strangely similar to the big movie, I guess you get that with historical re-enactments.
The fictional elements were refreshingly different to the 1997 movie, and the special effects were very good for a TV movie.
It has harsh competition obviously, but it holds its own in the end.
I recommend you see it if you are a fan of the Titanic, or if you want to see a fine disaster flick.
Mallrats (1995)
Clerks is better
If you wanted to see another "Clerks", this is NOT the movie for you.
Clerks was more rugged and raw, while Mallrats seems to have that "Hollywood" sheen to it. I think it tries to be Clerks, but it really can't with the restrictions (how a bigger budget can be a restriction, I don't know) placed upon it.
The restriction is definitely the softer tone to this film, obviously the bigger budget allows for the "rough edges" of the film to be shaved off.
The thing is, the rough edges were what made Clerks special. It was charming for its flaws. You can't represent an imperfect world with perfect eyes.
I'm not bagging this film, it is funny and one of those ones you can watch many times over, it's just not another Clerks.
Clerks (1994)
Seinfeld humour in an independent film
This film takes a page out Jerry Seinfeld's book with its use of observational humour and conversations about "nothing". Don't let the black and white turn you off, this is a special film.
Jim Cameron should take some tips from Kevin Smith, the man who made the most out of $27,000 making this baby.
The acting is decent, the sets are.....well...they serve their purpose....The soundtrack is fitting....and the script is a classic.
I have watched this film numerous times, and haven't gotten sick of it yet.
Set aside 2 hours of your time, and let Clerks take you on a trip to suburban New Jersey, you'll see that life is really as simple as black and white, and have a ball.
Ruthless People (1986)
One of my favourites.....
I love this film.
The storyline is wacky, and the soundtrack is great too. It may not be to everyones tastes, but I personally have watched it too many times to mention, and it doesn't get boring. It's one of THOSE films, if you get my drift.
Danny DeVito and Bette Midler are hilarious, same goes for Judge Rhinehold and Helen Slater.
The way the kidnapping works out for everyone involved is just classic, and I recommend this film for anyone to try out, at least once...or twice....or three times :)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993)
A good intro to Japanese Sentai
This show is easy to bag, think about it, huge dinosaurs that look like giant action figures, spandex-clad heroes in crazy looking helmets. And boy has it been bagged.
Unfairly bagged? Yes and no. The stories are corny, MOST of the time. However, if you persevere, sooner or later you will get a great story, usually in the two or more part episodes.
I find the show to be enjoyable to watch, when the story is not corny, especially when the major plotlines are being furthered. Some episodes seem to have been made, just to fill out a season.
Look past the crazy costumes/monsters, and get involved in the story, which can get quite good.
Three Amigos! (1986)
One of the best comedies of all time
I have seen this film an immeasurable number of times, and it never ever gets boring.
It's comedy and musical numbers are top notch, and definitely under-rated.
See this film, it is special.
Full House (1987)
Don't be so nasty to this show
It may have been corny at times, but it was enjoyable. By the end of the 22 mins of show, you had yourself a heartwarming ending and a really good feeling inside.
A good family show...that doesn't deserve the harsh words that it is getting.
Mystery Train (1989)
The stories of 3 groups of strangers, all linked by a single seedy hotel.
An excellent and different film. Set in Memphis, Tennessee, it oozes atmosphere with great location shots, and a great soundtrack.
The film includes many lines of dialogue in foreign languages, such as Japanese and Italian, thankfully subtitles are provided.
We start off with a duo of Japanese travellers, who are "Far from Yokohama". They are travelling around the U.S simply to visit important sites in rock and roll history. This story was my personal favourite, because it set up the inter-weaving elements of each story. Both of the actors in this story were played well, especially the super-cool male Jun who oozed style. The tourists stumble into a seedy hotel, and set-up the rest of the movie.
Secondly, we join an Italian lady, stuck in Memphis after an airplane mishap. She also finds her way to the seedy hotel, after being ripped off and conned by some unsavoury elements. At the hotel, she meets Dee-Dee, and they end up sharing a room together. A supernatural encounter, alluded to earlier in this story, takes place and is quite entertaining.
Finally, we meet up with 3 crooks, quite predictably actually, since a certain sound was heard in the previous two stories (you'll see what I mean when you watch the film). This story I felt was the weakest of the 3, starting off slow, and providing a flaky finish to an otherwise great film.
All through the movie, we also meet the seedy hotel's bellboy and concierge, who provide some comic relief, and hold the 3 stories together.
I recommend this film whole-heartedly, it's quite a fun ride. You'll have a great time picking out the common elements in each of the 3 stories, and by the 3rd story, I guarantee you will know what is about to be said as soon as the crooks get into their hotel room, trust me :)