alexmichaels Reviews

Face of a Fugitive (1959)

Kept Me Awake

[8/10 · 6 September 2006]

I was trying to sleep and came across this on the Western channel. It kept me up. The first time I saw Fred MacMurray was on reruns of "My Three Sons" when I was little. Then when I saw him in "Double Indemity," my whole opinion of him changed. He does very well as the anti-hero here. I didn't see the beginning of the movie so all I knew going on is that he is bank robber and while he is a "bad" guy," you start to want him to be happy. I won't give away too much of the movie, but it is definitely worth a look. The subtleness of the acting styles has a lot to be desired and the way the romance is handled is great. Like in all old (and new) movies, it happens quickly, but you believe it because the two people have a need that draws them together. I wasn't expecting the shoot out at the end to go the way it did. Yet, well, I can't say how it ends, but it was very well done.

Out of Darkness (2004 TV Movie)

Think for Yourself

[7/10 · 7 May 2006]

While everyone is welcome to comment on the TV show, I did find the other single comment quite "interesting." I would dare not take away anyone's freedom of speech regardless of how much I disagreed with it. Again, everyone is entitled to their opinion. The show can be seen online at http://groups.myspace.com/welcome2darkness/

Some people get the show and some don't. Some like it and some do. That is the way it is with any production.

Again, everyone is free to make their own decisions and not be held to the opinion of anyone else.

I wish to thank the people who worked on the show with me. There are some elements in the show that are not explained and I won't spoil here by going into detail about them. Let's just say, there are a lot of loose ends that are further explained in the next few episodes. So, watch, and think for yourself.

Sincerely, Alex P. Michaels

Auto Focus (2002)

Kinnear is no Bob Crane

[30 September 2003]

While Greg Kinnear did do an ample performance as Bob Crane, I grew up watching re-runs of "Hogan's Heroes." I was shocked when Bob Crane died because as the details of his life came out, it was 180 degrees from the smooth charasmatic guy on TV. I guess that is what I found hard to take with the movie. While the story was good and the acting was as best it could be, for people who remember the real Bob Crane seeing someone else in his place is kind of odd. I have seen Kinnear in other roles and liked him, but he didn't have the presence to pull this off. The Hogan Heroes sequences were the weakest part of the movie. Watch any episode of Hogan's Heroes and you will see an actor who was in control. It is sad in real life that his desires became so dark.

All in all, it is interesting protrayal that the "good old days" were not so good as we think.