PACman66 Reviews

The Great Gatsby (2013)

The "Jazz Age"??

[3/10 · 28 October 2013]

I had no prob with the look of the movie. The CGI was a little cheesy, but I thought it had a dreamy look... A little surreal... I was OK with that. The acting was decent, and there were some impressive production values. There were loads of talent, both in front of and behind the camera. The music, however... Sucked serious ass, though. Big time. That's my main gripe. It's so obvious that the film makers wanted a marketable soundtrack, and Jay Z is currently selling more product then Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman or Cab Calloway. There is a reason this era was called "The Jazz Age". Jazz was king... It was the music of youth. Not 2013 youth, but 1920's youth. But some numb-nuts decided to take a heavy period piece, and destroy it by putting in ultra-modern hip hop... Thus completely annihilating any credence the film might have had going for it. It's Moulin Rouge... All over again. There was a fantastic amount of great and relevant music being made at that time.

This would have been a great opportunity to introduce young people to cool music, music they may never get a chance to hear. But some idiot instead said, "To Hell with "time and place", let's make a soundtrack that's totally 2013". Just like every other movie currently out now. Bad idea. In my humble opinion. Call me a purist. I will agree with you. There was one poster here on these boards and he should have been given a medal. He said something to the effect of "Let's make a movie of today's inner city youth, and overdub a 1920's soundtrack over it". It would wind up looking stupid and disingenuous.

I rest my case.

America! (2000–2001)

A Load Of Leftist Propaganda...

[3/10 · 28 April 2013]

I found a copy of this documentary at my local Dollar Tree. Cost me one buck for a 4-DVD documentary. I thought, this will be cool. And it COULD have been a great documentary... But rather then seeing America as a melting pot of races, cultures AND IDEAS, the idiot filmmakers of this documentary focus quite heavily on the Left/liberal side of America. This documentary had loads of hippie/type ideals spewed at you throughout the entire run of the show. I figured... America (the country) has several different views and beliefs of where our country came from, and where it's headed... If I just watched long enough, there would be someone I could perhaps see eye to eye with. I know I'm not the only one who shares Conservative American Values in this great country of ours... But those views never came-It never happened. And, if you haven't already figured out the spin/bias of this "documentary", the "bonus disc" has a special episode. Can you guess what the "bonus episode" entails? A whole episode was dedicated the 2000 DEMOCRATIC PARTY convention! Boo!!

Now before you call me an Archie Bunker... I am totally happy that my views about America are unique to me. And I'm equally happy and comfortable with the fact some people disagree with my opinions. That's one of the beauties of this country of ours... Freedom of choice. I'm just a middle aged guy with a high school education... I don't claim to be a smarty pants... And I don''t believe I possess the ultimate truths... However, it's a shame the makers of "America!" couldn't see fit... Or even recognize the fact that it takes both Democrats AND Republicans to make America great... And to see to it that BOTH parties/ideologies are and should be represented. I guess that was too much to ask. I spent one dollar on this DVD set. I was vastly overcharged.

Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? (1983)

I Don't Get It...

[2/10 · 6 January 2013]

This film was a meandering directionless 90 minutes of non-event. At times I felt like I was watching someones home movies, then I was watching a film with no script, story line or direction... Like most of the scenes were ad-libbed... And not very cleverly either. At times you hear the traffic noise louder then the dialogue. This film is like being chained to two of the most annoying, unappealing people in NYC on a really, really long date, and you can't run away. 40 minutes into this film, I was totally ready to shut down the DVD player and Frisbee this DVD right off my balcony, but I stuck it out, hoping I would find some redeeming feature about this film. No such luck. Perhaps I'm "unenlightened", but I'm amazed this film got above 3 stars.

Lindsey Buckingham - Songs from the Small Machine, Live in LA (2011 Video)

Fantastic Show!

[10/10 · 19 February 2012]

While I wasn't at THIS exact show, I was at one a few months later, when he came down to play "The Grove," in Orange County, Ca, about 60 miles away from LA.

This DVD is a perfect representation of the show I saw that night. The sound is pristine, picture is crystal clear, and the performance is flawless. (Although I feel OUR audience was a little more fired up & excited about the show... The LA audience seemed a little subdued.) Even LB's monologues and 'tween song patter was very similar to the show I was at. His guitar work & his voice are still just as great now as they were in the 70's heyday.

I always love it when a performer comes out with a DVD of the concert tour I saw them on. It's so much cooler then a tee shirt!

Bonus: The DVD has a very enlightening 1/2 hour interview with LB... He covers his whole career... From childhood, through Fleetwood Mac, the breakup with Stevie, and all the way to today.

If you love Buckingham, the Mac, or just love live music with great musicianship... Score this DVD. You'll not be sorry.

The Dog Who Saved Halloween (2011 TV Movie)

Cute, If Average Family Movie

[5/10 · 21 September 2011]

There's not much to this film. It's simply a saccharine sweet animal ABC Family Channel type movie.

Being that I love both dogs, AND Halloween, I figured this would be right up my alley. It's pretty much what I expected to see; Dad's crazy, misinterpreted motives and misunderstandings, cute dog is the smartest living being in the whole movie… Pretty much any standard cliché laid down by Walt Disney is brought to the fore here… But the results aren't all that unpleasant.

I felt Elisa Donovan made the movie… For me, anyhow. The two bumbling burglars also brought chuckles.

Apparently this is third in a "Dog Who Saved (insert holiday here)____________ Movies.

While I did like this film, I won't go out of my way to find the others in this series.

I guess I should note that I don't have any children. I might have given this film a much higher rating had I watched it with the eyes of a parent. But it is what it is.

Happy Halloween!

Mr. Tease and His Playthings (1959)

Disney Porn!

[5/10 · 21 January 2011]

Yeah, I know… Strong Subject line… But it got YOUR attention! Now let me explain…

First of all, this film is shot in such beautiful Eastmancolor, where reds look like candied apples, the greens have a luscious forestry about them and the blues are so vivid. Just like the Disney films of the late 50's-60's. The beginning of this film had some very beautiful shots of a forest, with a babbling brook running down the middle of it. It starts out like a Disney True Live Adventure!

Second of all, this film is SO innocent! If admiring a woman's figure is "immoral", then every single male I know (and some females as well) are condemned to H E double Toothpicks! All Teas does is go around and takes in the eye candy that seems to be on every street corner & waiting room in his neighborhood. (I need to live there as well!)

Note: He DOES seem a lil voyeuristic, but so are we… (We're watching this film, aren't we?)

This film is shot so tastefully, I believe a male might get more excited coming out of an art exhibit. There is, like 30 seconds of frontal nudity, and you may see a girl's behind for about 30 seconds at the most. Even the hokey Jazz band/Marching cadence sounds like a cross between a New Orleans Jazz combo & Peter & the Wolf! (The part of Mr. Teas will be portrayed by the Clarinet!)

(Parts of the music are actually more "lecherous" then the action on screen!)

If ever there were such thing as a "family friendly skin flick", this is it.

This is SO nonthreatening, I believe they could show this film to junior high school students! You'll find more "immorality" in Jersey Shore or hip-hop videos.

Now, the film as a viewing experience, it was fun… Laughable. But thank God it was only 63 minutes long. Any longer and this film would have me fast asleep.

Christmas in Wonderland (2006)

I Guess I Need To Be Lobotomized For Christmas...

[5/10 · 17 December 2010]

Hell, I liked the film!

But I KNEW going' in, this film was going to be a piece of mindless holiday fluff, with sub-par acting. When the DVD costs 3 bucks at my local grocery store, I know I'm not going to see Citizen Kane part 2 or Gone With the Wind, the sequel. It's disposable holiday/family entertainment. The kids were lousy actors, the little girl had the worst looking wig I've seen in recent memory, and it's more conceivable to believe I will be a millionaire before I finish this review, then to actually believe the plot of this movie.

But it's a fantasy! It's Christmas! Miracles are supposed to happen. It's a holiday silly/slapstick comedy with a totally unbelievable "feel good ending".

Course it DOES help, being a fan of Tim Curry, Chris Kattan & Carmen Elcetra. It was also nice to see Preston Lacy actually "acting", as opposed to being a Jackass lackey. Also knowing within 2 years of the making of this film, Patrick Swayze would succumb to cancer, also makes me appreciate this film a little bit more.

I've seen lots of Christmas films this year, and this isn't much worse then the average "movie holiday fare."

If it's a Christmas Classic you want, steer clear of this film. If you want a lighthearted, silly, forgettable and inoffensive family friendly holiday flick, you COULD do worse then Christmas in Wonderland. In My Humble Opinion

The Complete History of U.S. Wars 1700-2004 (2004– )

Very Good Overview...

[8/10 · 9 September 2010]

I'm a layman, and I only have a passing interest in the subject of war, but this series was made for people just like me. Even with my limited knowledge in war, I realized this was U.S. Wars 101. Or U.S. Wars Lite.

It's very difficult in covering ALL of WWII in 20 minutes, or Viet Nam in 15 minutes, but this particular documentary was made for people who don't have an appreciation of war, but honor those who have fought & fallen for our flag.

One funny note: At the end of every episode, they tell you, you can get all 8 episodes of "The Complete History of the U.S. Wars" on a 4 DVD set for 80 bucks! I found all 8 episodes on one DVD at my local Big Lots, for 3 dollars. It's called "The American Soldier". Score it. Unless you're a "war buff", you will learn something you didn't know before.

Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison (2010 Video)

Fascinating Bull S**T!

[7/10 · 2 September 2010]

I remember the early 70's when there was a huge hubbub about whether Paul was dead, and this documentary, while it covers all of the alleged "clues" and hidden backward messages in the albums.. . I've always been interested in this particular conspiracy.

However, the "setup" for this particular movie, I have a very hard time swallowing. You have to remember George Harrison was supposed to have recorded all of this narration on a little tiny mini cassette recorder. There's NO WAY the narration I'm hearing on this documentary was recorded on one of those little things. The narration is way too clean… Like it was recorded in a state of the art recording studio.

The main problem with conspiracy theories it that there are always loopholes, weak links. If we are to believe "George Harrison's" testimony, why doesn't he make even one reference to George Martin, the Beatles long time Producer? Wouldn't Martin also know they had an impostor in the studio with them? Harrison doesn't say anything about George Martin being under any oath, unlike the rest of the Beatles.

I really enjoyed this film, but I don't buy the conspiracy theory. This film is a great treasure trove of the Paul is Dead clues. .. But the "Lovely Rita" portion alone… That makes this "documentary," one hard sell. Someone should take the bones of this doc and make a "real" movie... As I think there's more fiction then fact in this movie.

Protecting the King (2007)

Boogie Fights

[2/10 · 15 July 2010]

From head to toe, this is one huge stink-burger of a film. Easily the worst movie about Elvis, and I've seen them all. With the WORST Elvis impersonator I've EVER seen on film. (Peter Dobson makes DON JOHNSON look like Elvis personified! Hell, I think Ron Howard could have done a better "King" ) Dobson looks like Charlie Sheen with a dead skunk sitting on his head, and he sounds more like Sly Stallone when he talks, over Presley. Because of the simple fact that you NEVER hear or see the name "Elvis", and never even hear instrumental muzak versions of ANY Elvis song, (all you hear is just bad/generic blues riffs…) Plus, ALL the names seem to have been changed… Why? The main person who would watch this flick would most likely already be an Elvis fan, and would already know who the "characters " are anyway. This all makes me doubt the whole story… What's B.S and what's real. It's like filming a movie about Watergate, yet calling the president at the time Jonathon Smith. I have an easier time believing Bubba-Hoetep was real, over this… (At least Bruce Campbell DID impersonate Elvis surprisingly well!)

I'm not being "Pollyannaish", I know Elvis was messed up individual, I've read every book I could get my hands on regarding "The King", including David Stanley's book. What's interesting is, Stanley's book was a testimonial on the evils of drugs, and how he became a born again Christian. You wouldn't ever guess that through watching this movie… It's a sea of excess, with only a passing reference to his spirituality at the very end.

It's as if David Stanley saw Boogie Nights, saw what a GREAT film is, regarding sex, drugs & rock & roll, and figured he could do the same type of picture, as there's already a built-in audience. Instead of the Porn world, it's rock and roll. Boogie Nights, which was a TOTAL immersive experience, with perfect acting, realism, fashions and music, I really felt I was in the late 70's watching that film (I'm 43, so I ought to know!) This film, however, is a sad wannabe. Serving Stanley's pocketbook and ego instead of honoring Elvis' memory. Sad and pathetic. The ONE good thing about this garbage dump of a movie? Danielle Keaton. She was really good in this pic... She kept me from giving this film the big goose egg.

No One Here Gets Out Alive: A Tribute to Jim Morrison (1981 Video)

It's Great!

[8/10 · 3 June 2010]

Amazing... No review of this excellent doc yet? It's a very well done and informative documentary... But it does focus on Jim... Since this doc came out, there have been a few more docs that might go a little more in depth... The brand new documentary that just came out "When You're Strange" is probably the BEST doc on this band. "NOHGOA" is done with the cooperation of the 3 surviving Doors, and their long time producer. (This was done in 1981... When everyone was still getting along!) It's got lots of TV show appearances from The Sullivan show and others... And a pretty rare live snippet of Jim's "Celebration of the Lizard" poem/conceptual piece. (Although THAT footage kind of looks and sounds somewhat crappy , like a poor bootleg video,) but because of it's historical value, it's fine. If you're looking for excellent quality live clips of the Doors, I would seek out "Soundstage Performances". But "No One Here"… Is a very fine rock & roll doc. If you're a Doors fan, don't miss it.

Curious Obsessions (2006 Video)

Sleep Inducing

[3/10 · 20 March 2010]

I wanted to like it! I'm a single, All American red-blooded heterosexual guy… Again, I fell victim to the "Seduction Cinema" curse. They have a few (very few) movies out that I really enjoyed… (See my movie reviews elsewhere)… The DVD box mentions a "haunted film projector", and these two hotties watch vintage stag reels from the '60's & 70's, and become "possessed", and can't stop making out with one another. OK… Sounds kinda cool. Right? Perhaps like an erotic "Ring" thing (You will get laid in 7 days!) But no! The girls find the projector & films on their doorstep; they have about 5 minutes of dialogue… And the rest of the film is literally them watching the films and getting each other off. Now… Even THAT'S not so bad… But the way these girls were filmed… It was SO lethargic… There wasn't any "heat"… They just looked like two collage students going' through the motions…. Poorly. I understand the difference 'tween Soft Core & Hard Core… But this was No Core. Not even erotic. I just recently watched a couple Harry Novak flicks from the 70's, and THEY were fun, silly AND erotic. I'm afraid the lousy "chill techno" soundtrack didn't help matters either. On the plus side, was Jackie Stevens (She's hot!)

And they really did use authentic stag loops from the 60's & 70's for this film. I much would have rather had them just slap 2 hours of those back to back… Screw the non-existing storyline. (The whole script could have filled half of one page-double spaced.) It was beautifully filmed, like all of Seduction Cinema's productions… But between the lukewarm action on the screen, and the ultra mellow soundtrack, this is celluloid Sleep-Ease.

Midnight Blue (1974–2003)

I Like This Friggin' Show!

[7/10 · 6 October 2009]

It's rude, crude, nasty, dirty, disgusting, juvenile, vile, indecent, immoral, vulgar, base gross and naughty. And those are the high points! Al Goldstein was certainly a polarizing offensive mean loud jerk-off kind of a guy… Ya either liked him or not. (I'm still pondering that very issue myself) after having sat thru some 13 hours of Midnight Blue on DVD. BUT… (If you're in a really good frame of mind…) This show is very educational; you WILL learn SOMETHING you didn't know before… However, I'm not too sure if that's a good thing or not… MB is fun. It's like taking the Way Back Machine to the coke'ed-out late 70's-early 80's. Polyester, Leisure Suits and Disco… When the women had more hair downstairs then the men did on their heads! I was only a kid then, watching Star Wars & cartoons… It was a more innocent time… >:o)

Lady Godiva Rides (1968)

Not Great....

[3/10 · 5 January 2009]

Yet I can't say I was totally surprised, as this director (A.C. Stevens) was the director of what REALLY WAS the worst Ed Wood Film ever made, Orgy Of The Dead. As a matter of fact, this film really isn't all that different from OOTD, and it IS rated X, one must have to keep that in mind. That and that this film looks like it was made with the budget of a 8 year old's lunch money. But this film is really nothing more then a dot to dot movie, Any scene in this movie must lead to one thing: Nudity. Which leads to VERY bad and ultra long and boring simulated sex scenes. Maybe in 1969, these scenes were very stimulating & exciting, but today, they are just WAY over long and sleep inducing. We have 3 basic sections of the film: Everyone is in France, with American Accents, then everyone is on a boat bound for America, where the "pirates" all look like 60's Sunset Strip kids. And the last third of the film is something of a Western… Where Godiva FINELY rides nude on a horse, for 10 seconds. And of course, this movie has very little plot, and lousy acting.

Now, to say something good about it, it was fun, from a historical point of view, as I have always been a big Ed Wood fan, and A.C. Stevens is like… One step away from Wood… (They both worked together very closely in the 60's & early 70's.) Also, when viewing this movie, one needs to remember Stevens's theory of box office success: Boobies. He figured the more boobage he flashed up on screen, the more successful his movie would be. We now know how wrong he was… One more thing I feel I should bring up… THANK GOD FOR THE THONG… It's funny watching all these "hotties" dancing around in what would now be considered "Granny Panties".