Change Your Image
katie-cj
Reviews
Family Ties (1982)
Good, Quality TV
I often watch old sitcoms that I use to love as a kid. A lot of times, I'm disappointed because they are not near as good as I remembered, and in some cases they are just plain bad, when seen through my now-adult eyes. Family Ties is NOT one of those sitcoms! It's more impressive now than it was then. And of course, there are things that I pick up on now that I didn't when I was 10 years old. (politics/ hippies)
I also never realized how FUNNY Michael Gross was until I started watching it again recently. I have no idea how that slipped by me! He is hilarious. Micheal J Fox is very funny too, of course. He had a lot of funny lines, but I've only recently noticed how much physical comedy he did as well. It's really sad to watch how quick and nimble he use to be; the way he could jump up onto the kitchen counter in one quick motion and slide all the way across it.
There was always a moral lesson, too. I think all '80s sitcoms had those, but Family Ties pulled it off w/o being too cheesy about it. It's such a great show for both kids & adults. Every time I watch it, I find myself thinking "what ever happened to good, quality TV!?"
Orphan (2009)
Impressive!
This movie has a great plot. It starts out a little slow, but it definitely picks up. The creepy scenes were VERY creepy! I rarely see anything in movies that I find TRULY creepy, so I just can't emphasize that enough. I wish there had been more creepy scenes, but that might have been over kill.
There is some really good acting too. You notice right away how talented the main character is, but the deaf little girl is good too, acting only w/ her facial expressions. The mom was very believable as well. I like the way that the audience is introduced to (and gets to know) the family. It has a realistic element. It also has a few laugh-out-loud parts. And I REALLY like the fact that things are not overly explained. Sometimes obvious things will be told (and re-told) to a movie audience as if we wouldn't be able to pick up on it otherwise. This movie has its subtleties w/o being confusing or hard to understand in any way. It's a great movie all around. I highly recommend it!
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Extremely Boring.
About 80% of the movie is watching ppl sleep! Many scenes are the exact same: two ppl lay in bed/ one of them rolls over/ the clock shows 2 A.M./ the bedroom door moves ever so slightly/ two ppl are still asleep in bed/ one adjusts their pillow/ the curtains move just a little/ the clock shows 3 A.M. ... and so on. It was incredibly difficult not to fall asleep in the theater. (The camera focuses on a big comfy bed w/ fluffy pillows, and soft lighting.) I am a huge fan of psychological thrillers/ horror/ suspense/ mystery. The majority of the film does not fit any of those categories. I am AMAZED that so many ppl liked this movie. There was NOTHING to it. It starts out very slow ... and stays that way. There was one part where I thought things were finally going to pick up, but I was so wrong & so disappointed. It was horrible. Sooooo boring.