The entire episode is very nicely done. I may have missed "Been There, Done That" when the series first aired, but it has now become one of my all-time favorite Xena episodes. Good stuff!
8/10
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Xena: Warrior Princess "Been There, Done That" #3.2 (1997) (TV)
"I'll rise but I refuse to shine!", 24 March 2006
"Been There, Done That" is the Xena take on the movie Groundhog Day. Unbeknownst to her companions, Gabrielle and Joxer, Xena is reliving the same day over and over until she manages to get things right. In this case, getting things right includes stopping the local townspeople from killing Gabrielle and/or Joxer who just happen to be caught in the middle of a feud between competing families. To accomplish this, Xena must discover the root cause of the feud and intervene before things get out of hand. As with Groundhog Day, the repeating day concept presents several opportunities for humor and, fortunately, the Xena writers didn't miss any of them. The funniest bit for me was waiting to see how Xena would handle Gabrielle and Joxer each morning to keep them safe and out of trouble. The sight of the pair bound and gagged with looks of outright astonishment on their faces is laugh-out-loud funny.
The entire episode is very nicely done. I may have missed "Been There, Done That" when the series first aired, but it has now become one of my all-time favorite Xena episodes. Good stuff!
8/10
The entire episode is very nicely done. I may have missed "Been There, Done That" when the series first aired, but it has now become one of my all-time favorite Xena episodes. Good stuff!
8/10
The Magic Sword (1962)
Time has not been kind, 24 March 2006
Having recently re-watched The Magic Sword for the first time in 30 or so years, I understand why it once appealed to me. Knights, monsters, magicians, curses, and a quest are things that would have appealed to a boy growing up when I did. Looking back on the film, I no longer find the same enjoyment I once did. It's as cheaply made as anything Bert I. Gordon had his hand in. The special effects are laughable, most of the acting is terrible, the dialogue is inane, and the plot twists are utterly predictable. The one saving grace I can found now is Basil Rathbone. His performance is on a level far above the rest of The Magic Sword. It's too bad he's got nothing to say or do that equals his abilities.
3/10
3/10
The Comeback (1978)
Certainly not Walker's best, but still very enjoyable, 24 March 2006
It has taken me a while to become a Pete Walker fan, but you can officially include me in the club. The Comeback may be one of his weakest films that I've thus far seen, but it's still a solid little thriller with a few great moments along the way. For example, Walker handles the first murder scene quite well. The murderer comes out of nowhere to commit an incredibly brutal and violent act against his victim. Walker is able to catch a real sense of malice and hatred on the part of the killer – something quite nice when compared with the usual unemotional serial killer. Another real plus for The Comeback is the presence of Walker regular Shelia Keith. She may not have as much to do here as in something like House of Whipcord or Frightmare, but she's incredible in the scenes she does have. The woman could chew scenery with the best of them. She has an air about her that works in Walker's films. The creepy old house, the elevator scenes, and Walker's use of red herrings are also among my favorite bits of the movie.
But, as my rating would indicate, it's not all good. My biggest problem is the casting of Jack Jones in the lead. He's dull and unappealing. He can't carry most of the scenes he appears in let alone the entire movie. During the film, I began to dub him "The Anti-Shelia Keith" as he lacks anything approaching the screen presence of scene-stealing Keith. My other big problem is with David Doyle as Jones' manager. As is evident even in his performances on Charlie's Angels, Doyle cannot play "serious" believably at all. He comes across as far too goofy to add the required gravity to a given scene. He's just bad.
If you're a fan of Pete Walker and enjoy his work with Shelia Keith, you should be able to find something enjoyable in The Comeback. If you're new to Walker, I would suggest starting with another of his films.
6/10
But, as my rating would indicate, it's not all good. My biggest problem is the casting of Jack Jones in the lead. He's dull and unappealing. He can't carry most of the scenes he appears in let alone the entire movie. During the film, I began to dub him "The Anti-Shelia Keith" as he lacks anything approaching the screen presence of scene-stealing Keith. My other big problem is with David Doyle as Jones' manager. As is evident even in his performances on Charlie's Angels, Doyle cannot play "serious" believably at all. He comes across as far too goofy to add the required gravity to a given scene. He's just bad.
If you're a fan of Pete Walker and enjoy his work with Shelia Keith, you should be able to find something enjoyable in The Comeback. If you're new to Walker, I would suggest starting with another of his films.
6/10
Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)
Where is the real Scooby Doo?, 24 March 2006
I realize that Scooby Doo 2 is basically a kids' movie. I realize that I am long past the target audience's age. And, I realize that it's a sequel to a movie I didn't care for. However, I grew up a fan of the original Scooby Doo cartoon. I was 6 years-old when the cartoon originally aired and I have fond memories of those Saturday mornings. The people responsible for making these movies have taken most of what made that show good and thrown it out the window. The ghosts and monsters weren't real. There was always a rational explanation behind everything that went on. Part of the fun was trying to wrap my 6 year-old brain around how the bad guys were doing their evil deeds. But a movie based in anything approaching reality wouldn't work as a big, over-bloated, CGI mess like Scooby Doo 2. It's unreal, it's loud, and it leaves nothing to the imagination. The film consistently makes fun of itself in that I'm-smarter-than-you, self-referential way that I find so annoying. It's a shame to me that young kids today will not grow-up understanding the charm of the original Scooby Doo.
3/10
3/10
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
Peckinpah and Oates - A Winning Team, 21 March 2006
From IMDb, "A family scandal causes a wealthy and powerful Mexican rancher to make the pronouncement--'Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia!' Two of the bounty-hunters thus dispatched encounter a local piano-player in their hunt for information. The piano-player does a little investigating on his own and finds out that his girlfriend knows of Garcia's death and last resting place. Thinking that he can make some easy money and gain financial security for he and his (now) fiancée, they set off on this goal. Of course, this quest only brings him untold misery, in the form of trademark Peckinpah violence."
In general, I do not enjoy depressing movies. Life is tough enough without having to watch how bad someone else has it. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is no ordinary Hollywood movie where everything is okay in the end. There is no "happily ever after". This is dirty, depressing, and uncompromising. With Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Gardia, Peckinpah created one of his most violent and unforgettable films. Watching Warren Oates character Bennie is a lot like watching a car crash. It's all but impossible to look the other way. It's truly an outstanding performance by Oates. In fact, I'll go so far as to say it might be the single best piece of acting I've ever seen.
9/10
In general, I do not enjoy depressing movies. Life is tough enough without having to watch how bad someone else has it. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is no ordinary Hollywood movie where everything is okay in the end. There is no "happily ever after". This is dirty, depressing, and uncompromising. With Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Gardia, Peckinpah created one of his most violent and unforgettable films. Watching Warren Oates character Bennie is a lot like watching a car crash. It's all but impossible to look the other way. It's truly an outstanding performance by Oates. In fact, I'll go so far as to say it might be the single best piece of acting I've ever seen.
9/10
Ride the High Country (1962)
"I hate to get married with one of my brothers smellin' bad enough to gag a dog off a Gut Wagon.", 21 March 2006
It's all but impossible to watch Ride the High Country and not be impressed with Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea. Scott and McCrea are two aging "cowboy" types who have been asked to guard a shipment of gold from the mine into town. While McCrea sees this as just another paying job, Scott sees it as an opportunity for a big score and to get what he feels he deserves. Scott and McCrea make a great pair. They bring dignity, honor, and class to their characters and to the whole film. They are naturals and appear very much at ease. I've never been much for older Westerns, but after watching this pair of fine actors, I realize I need to visit some of their earlier films.
Compared with some of Peckinpah's other films, Ride the High Country is a simpler, more intimate work. Even though it's not as violent and sprawling as his better known The Wild Bunch, the two films share some common themes (themes explored in some of Peckinpah's other films as well). Both films deal with the end of the Old West and how this change affects those who have known nothing else. The outlaws in The Wild Bunch face it head on - walking into a barrage of bullets. The lawmen in Ride the High Country face their uncertain future in a similar manner - walking into a barrage of bullets (albeit, on a smaller scale). Be they outlaw or lawman, the end of the "cowboy" era represents such uncertainty that neither is quite prepared to face it. Where The Wild Bunch is wild, brash, and over-the-top, Ride the High Country is controlled and deliberate. In either case, the outcome is very nearly the same. It's a masterful job by Peckinpah of portraying the same notion in two completely different styles.
In the end, Ride the High Country may never make it to the top of the list of my favorite Sam Peckinpah films, but it's a solid effort that I'm glad to have "discovered".
8/10
Compared with some of Peckinpah's other films, Ride the High Country is a simpler, more intimate work. Even though it's not as violent and sprawling as his better known The Wild Bunch, the two films share some common themes (themes explored in some of Peckinpah's other films as well). Both films deal with the end of the Old West and how this change affects those who have known nothing else. The outlaws in The Wild Bunch face it head on - walking into a barrage of bullets. The lawmen in Ride the High Country face their uncertain future in a similar manner - walking into a barrage of bullets (albeit, on a smaller scale). Be they outlaw or lawman, the end of the "cowboy" era represents such uncertainty that neither is quite prepared to face it. Where The Wild Bunch is wild, brash, and over-the-top, Ride the High Country is controlled and deliberate. In either case, the outcome is very nearly the same. It's a masterful job by Peckinpah of portraying the same notion in two completely different styles.
In the end, Ride the High Country may never make it to the top of the list of my favorite Sam Peckinpah films, but it's a solid effort that I'm glad to have "discovered".
8/10
Vengeance of the Zombies (1973)
- La rebelión de las muertas
One good gore scene, but little else, 20 March 2006
What a mess! Vengeance of the Zombies tries too hard to be everything. The film doesn't devote near enough time to any one element of the plot. Vengeance of the Zombies is all over the place. It's one part Satanism, one part Eastern mysticism, one part Caribbean voodoo, and one part revenge. Throw in some bad acting, a lack of logic, and a twist out of left field and you've got a recipe for disaster. I'm trying real hard to enjoy these Paul Naschy films, but thus far I'm not impressed.
My rating would be lower if it weren't for some special effects that work quite nicely. There's one decapitation scene in particular that far exceeds the quality of anything else in Vengeance of the Zombies.
2/10
One good gore scene, but little else, 20 March 2006
My rating would be lower if it weren't for some special effects that work quite nicely. There's one decapitation scene in particular that far exceeds the quality of anything else in Vengeance of the Zombies.
2/10
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