I loved The Facts of Life when it originally aired. Unfortunately, the reruns haven't aired that much over the years. I've found it on a few different stations over the years, but it was never on that long. I picked up the DVD sets that were out last year. One DVD set has the first two seasons and the second set has the third set.
The main group of characters is firmly established in the third season. The girls have issues dealing with each other, but the dynamic works better than when there were more girls during the first season I think. Some things tied to school are brought up, though the girls usually aren't shown in class. They each have to deal with different things over the course of the season, and their friendship is tested a few times. The plots are mostly self contained and resolved by the end of the episodes, though there are a few two part episodes.
I'm glad that I have the third season on DVD even though there are no extras for the set. That is disappointing.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Facts of Life - The Complete Third Season
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Veronica Mars - The Complete First Season
Veronica Mars is a television show that I've heard about for years before finally watching it. I had read a few positive reviews of the seasons on Epinions. In the last few years, I've heard more about how good the show is on a movie board I joined. Earlier this year, I tracked down some episodes online. I really enjoyed them and decided that I wanted the DVD sets. I tracked down a sale and got all three seasons.
Veronica Mars is a wonderful show about a teenager, Veronica Mars, who works with her father Keith in his detective agency. Even though the main character is a teenager and much of what happens is tied to high school in some way, this show isn't just for teenagers. I actually think it is more for adults than teenagers because of the different subject matters that pop up every so often. The show is set in Neptune, a fictional southern California town.
Most of the episodes have a mystery of some sort that Veronica works on and solves by the end of the episode. The season also has a few season long mysteries that Veronica is trying to solve. The main one involves the murder of her best friend, Lilly Kane. Keith was the sheriff at the time of the murder. People in Neptune, especially the Kane family, weren't happy with how he handled the investigation and it wasn't long before he was recalled. After that, Veronica lost her popular friends at school, they had to move to a small apartment, and Keith's wife left. Someone was arrested, but Veronica doesn't believe he is the killer, so she does her own investigating. She is also trying to find her mother during the season. The mystery elements work very well to the make episodes entertaining. Time is also taken to deal with other issues Veronica has, like with her friends and love life.
The characters are all interesting, though not all likable. A few of them are jerks, but that works for what is going on. None of the characters are all good or all bad, which makes them more believable. Even Veronica has some flaws. Kristen Bell is wonderful in the part. The rest of the cast does well with their parts too.
I'm very glad that I decided to start watching Veronica Mars. I loved the first season and will probably start on the second season before long. It is too bad that such a good show was canceled after only three seasons, though it is probably lucky that the show had the chance to last that long. I have a feeling if it had been on a different network, it may not have lasted as long as it did.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Veronica Mars - The Complete First Season
Veronica Mars is a wonderful show about a teenager, Veronica Mars, who works with her father Keith in his detective agency. Even though the main character is a teenager and much of what happens is tied to high school in some way, this show isn't just for teenagers. I actually think it is more for adults than teenagers because of the different subject matters that pop up every so often. The show is set in Neptune, a fictional southern California town.
Most of the episodes have a mystery of some sort that Veronica works on and solves by the end of the episode. The season also has a few season long mysteries that Veronica is trying to solve. The main one involves the murder of her best friend, Lilly Kane. Keith was the sheriff at the time of the murder. People in Neptune, especially the Kane family, weren't happy with how he handled the investigation and it wasn't long before he was recalled. After that, Veronica lost her popular friends at school, they had to move to a small apartment, and Keith's wife left. Someone was arrested, but Veronica doesn't believe he is the killer, so she does her own investigating. She is also trying to find her mother during the season. The mystery elements work very well to the make episodes entertaining. Time is also taken to deal with other issues Veronica has, like with her friends and love life.
The characters are all interesting, though not all likable. A few of them are jerks, but that works for what is going on. None of the characters are all good or all bad, which makes them more believable. Even Veronica has some flaws. Kristen Bell is wonderful in the part. The rest of the cast does well with their parts too.
I'm very glad that I decided to start watching Veronica Mars. I loved the first season and will probably start on the second season before long. It is too bad that such a good show was canceled after only three seasons, though it is probably lucky that the show had the chance to last that long. I have a feeling if it had been on a different network, it may not have lasted as long as it did.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Veronica Mars - The Complete First Season
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Princess Bride
I don't remember now when I first saw The Princess Bride. I do remember wanting to see the movie after seeing the trailers when the movie first came out. I'm not sure when I first saw the movie, but I have seen it many times and I love it.
The plot is very entertaining, telling what I consider a fairytale story. It has things set up like a grandfather is reading the story to his sick grandson. They pop up every so often throughout the movie. That works for what is going on. The characters and situations are interesting and make for an interesting movie. The cast all fit their parts really well. Some parts of the story are predictable, but that doesn't keep the movie from being very entertaining overall. The movie is definitely worth watching.
I got the movie on DVD several years ago. Since then, one or two new DVD versions have been released with new extras. My version does have a few extras on it that are entertaining.
I recently got a longer review posted on Epinions.
The Princess Bride
The plot is very entertaining, telling what I consider a fairytale story. It has things set up like a grandfather is reading the story to his sick grandson. They pop up every so often throughout the movie. That works for what is going on. The characters and situations are interesting and make for an interesting movie. The cast all fit their parts really well. Some parts of the story are predictable, but that doesn't keep the movie from being very entertaining overall. The movie is definitely worth watching.
I got the movie on DVD several years ago. Since then, one or two new DVD versions have been released with new extras. My version does have a few extras on it that are entertaining.
I recently got a longer review posted on Epinions.
The Princess Bride
The Sound of Music
I really like musicals, though I didn't like them as much when I was younger. I avoided watching The Sound of Music for years before I had to watch it during choir in 8th grade. I loved the movie and have watched it many times since then.
The movie is based on the true story of the Von Trapp family. From what I have read, things were changed for the movie. Sometimes that did add a bit more drama to what was happening. Even with the things that were fictionalized, the movie is very entertaining. It works well as a family friendly movie, though it could be a bit long for children. The movie does deal with serious things, like the lead up to World War II.
The music is wonderful and even though it had been a few years since I last saw the movie, I still remembered the words to most of the songs. Having characters break out in songs works a little better with this movie since it is shown that Maria loves music. She uses music and songs as a way to teach the children things, so it flows a bit better when they start singing. Julie Andrews is wonderful as Maria and I did like Christopher Plummer as Captain Von Trapp. The children are all fine, though some of them don't act as well as others.
There have been a few different DVD versions of the movie released. Unfortunately, the one I have doesn't have any extras.
I did post a review of the movie at Epinions.
The Sound of Music
The movie is based on the true story of the Von Trapp family. From what I have read, things were changed for the movie. Sometimes that did add a bit more drama to what was happening. Even with the things that were fictionalized, the movie is very entertaining. It works well as a family friendly movie, though it could be a bit long for children. The movie does deal with serious things, like the lead up to World War II.
The music is wonderful and even though it had been a few years since I last saw the movie, I still remembered the words to most of the songs. Having characters break out in songs works a little better with this movie since it is shown that Maria loves music. She uses music and songs as a way to teach the children things, so it flows a bit better when they start singing. Julie Andrews is wonderful as Maria and I did like Christopher Plummer as Captain Von Trapp. The children are all fine, though some of them don't act as well as others.
There have been a few different DVD versions of the movie released. Unfortunately, the one I have doesn't have any extras.
I did post a review of the movie at Epinions.
The Sound of Music
DVD Releases 3/23/10 - The Blind Side
I'm know I'm a bit behind with this, but I still wanted to post about.
I saw The Blind Side while it was still in the theater, before there was all the Oscar hype about Sandra Bullock. I really enjoyed the movie, including Sandra's performance. I don't really like sports, but I was interested in seeing this movie from the first time I saw a trailer. Some scenes are a slightly sappy, and some liberties were taken with the true story, but overall it works as a very entertaining movie. It is definitely worth seeing, especially for fans of Bullock.
I thought that Sandra gave an amazing performance in this movie. Every year I watch some of the award shows, mainly the Golden Globes and Oscars. This year, I was very happy to see Sandra win several awards for her wonderful performance.
So far, I haven't added the movie to my DVD collection, though I probably will at some point since I did enjoy it so much.
I did post a review of the movie on Epinions after I saw it in the theater, giving the movie five stars.
The Blind Side
I saw The Blind Side while it was still in the theater, before there was all the Oscar hype about Sandra Bullock. I really enjoyed the movie, including Sandra's performance. I don't really like sports, but I was interested in seeing this movie from the first time I saw a trailer. Some scenes are a slightly sappy, and some liberties were taken with the true story, but overall it works as a very entertaining movie. It is definitely worth seeing, especially for fans of Bullock.
I thought that Sandra gave an amazing performance in this movie. Every year I watch some of the award shows, mainly the Golden Globes and Oscars. This year, I was very happy to see Sandra win several awards for her wonderful performance.
So far, I haven't added the movie to my DVD collection, though I probably will at some point since I did enjoy it so much.
I did post a review of the movie on Epinions after I saw it in the theater, giving the movie five stars.
The Blind Side
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Shutter Island
I went to see Shutter Island recently. I was intrigued by the trailers I saw, though I wasn't completely sure I wanted to see the movie. I'm glad I ultimately decided to see it. I do think it is a very good movie and it may end up being one of the best movies released in 2010.
The movie is based on the book by Dennis Lehane. I haven't read the book, though I am thinking about it now. I don't know first hand how close the movie stays to the book, but I have heard that it is very close. I know of at least one person that thinks the movie is too much like the book. Even without having read the book, I still thought a few things were a bit predictable and I did figure out something very early. Despite that, I still really enjoyed the movie. I may even pick up the DVD once it is released.
Shutter Island has a very creepy atmosphere and vibe. That comes across in the previews I've seen and I even thought that the movie might be more of a scary movie from the previews. There is suspense to what is going on, but I don't think the movie is scary. The pace is a bit slower, but that allows for enough time to properly introduce the characters and situations while also slowing building the tension. There is some mystery to what is going that helps to make the movie more interesting and entertaining. I think the cast does a wonderful job with the parts, especially Leonardo DiCaprio.
I do think a few things could have been handled a little better, but Shutter Island is very well done and a wonderful movie that is worth seeing.
I did post a longer review of Shutter Island on Epinions. I would have rated the movie 4.5 stars there if I had the option. Since I didn't, I decided to round to 5.
The movie is based on the book by Dennis Lehane. I haven't read the book, though I am thinking about it now. I don't know first hand how close the movie stays to the book, but I have heard that it is very close. I know of at least one person that thinks the movie is too much like the book. Even without having read the book, I still thought a few things were a bit predictable and I did figure out something very early. Despite that, I still really enjoyed the movie. I may even pick up the DVD once it is released.
Shutter Island has a very creepy atmosphere and vibe. That comes across in the previews I've seen and I even thought that the movie might be more of a scary movie from the previews. There is suspense to what is going on, but I don't think the movie is scary. The pace is a bit slower, but that allows for enough time to properly introduce the characters and situations while also slowing building the tension. There is some mystery to what is going that helps to make the movie more interesting and entertaining. I think the cast does a wonderful job with the parts, especially Leonardo DiCaprio.
I do think a few things could have been handled a little better, but Shutter Island is very well done and a wonderful movie that is worth seeing.
I did post a longer review of Shutter Island on Epinions. I would have rated the movie 4.5 stars there if I had the option. Since I didn't, I decided to round to 5.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp is one of my favorite actors. I have seen and enjoyed most of the movies that he has made with Tim Burton. When I heard that they were making a new version of Alice in Wonderland, I was interested even before seeing any trailers. I headed out on opening day to see the 3D version of the movie.
I loved the movie and will more than likely see it again in the theater and I'll add the DVD to my collection. I really liked that there is more of a plot to this movie than there was to the Disney animated version. In that movie, Alice just sort of wonders around and meets a few odd characters. With Burton's version, Alice still interacts with odd characters, but there is more purpose to what is going on. I also liked how it is set up like Alice had been there as a child, forgotten things, and was back as a young woman. I know that some people aren't happy with the fact that the plot isn't more like the Carroll books featuring Alice. I think the plot works wonderfully and makes for an entertaining movie. The visuals are amazing and give the movie a unique look.
Johnny Depp is great as Mad Hatter. This version of the character is still a bit wacky, but he also has moments of sanity and clarity. He is much more than a loon who drinks tea and that makes the character much more interesting. He does have a bizarre look, but that manages to work for the movie. The Red Queen is in control, and she is not nice to anyone. Helena Bonham Carter is great in the part. The White Queen is the sister of the Red Queen. The White Queen is much nicer than her sister, though she is missing a marble or two herself. Anne Hathaway does well with the part. White Rabbit, March Hare, Cheshire Cat and Tweedledee and Tweedledum also turn up. I really like how Cheshire Cat is done.
I did post a longer review on Epinions.
Alice in Wonderland
I loved the movie and will more than likely see it again in the theater and I'll add the DVD to my collection. I really liked that there is more of a plot to this movie than there was to the Disney animated version. In that movie, Alice just sort of wonders around and meets a few odd characters. With Burton's version, Alice still interacts with odd characters, but there is more purpose to what is going on. I also liked how it is set up like Alice had been there as a child, forgotten things, and was back as a young woman. I know that some people aren't happy with the fact that the plot isn't more like the Carroll books featuring Alice. I think the plot works wonderfully and makes for an entertaining movie. The visuals are amazing and give the movie a unique look.
Johnny Depp is great as Mad Hatter. This version of the character is still a bit wacky, but he also has moments of sanity and clarity. He is much more than a loon who drinks tea and that makes the character much more interesting. He does have a bizarre look, but that manages to work for the movie. The Red Queen is in control, and she is not nice to anyone. Helena Bonham Carter is great in the part. The White Queen is the sister of the Red Queen. The White Queen is much nicer than her sister, though she is missing a marble or two herself. Anne Hathaway does well with the part. White Rabbit, March Hare, Cheshire Cat and Tweedledee and Tweedledum also turn up. I really like how Cheshire Cat is done.
I did post a longer review on Epinions.
Alice in Wonderland
House Bunny
When House Bunny came out in theaters, I was only slightly interested in seeing it eventually. My interest wasn't great enough to warrant heading to the theater and forking over cash. Not that long ago, I spotted the DVD fairly cheap and I almost picked it up, but something stopped me. Now that I've seen the movie, thanks to one of the Encore channels I get, I'm very glad I didn't give into the momentary urge to get the DVD.
The plot has a tiny bit of potential that quickly goes no where fast while Anna Faris prances around barely dressed most of the time. She does get naked at one point, though she is only shown from behind. The role does show off a sexier side of Faris. Sexual remarks are made and a few things shown are very suggestive, but there aren't any actual sex scenes. Faris's character is sort of likable, but she is so stupid that she becomes irritating. The jokes fall flat most of the time and things just aren't that entertaining or interesting. I was watching the clock waiting for it to end.
House Bunny isn't the worst movie I've seen, but it is far from the best. Fans of Anna Faris may find something to enjoy about the movie, but I wouldn't count on it. The movie is available to rent and own on DVD and Blu-ray. It has been turning up on the Encore movie channels and it could be an On Demand option with some cable and satellite providers.
I did post a longer review of House Bunny on Epinions.
The plot has a tiny bit of potential that quickly goes no where fast while Anna Faris prances around barely dressed most of the time. She does get naked at one point, though she is only shown from behind. The role does show off a sexier side of Faris. Sexual remarks are made and a few things shown are very suggestive, but there aren't any actual sex scenes. Faris's character is sort of likable, but she is so stupid that she becomes irritating. The jokes fall flat most of the time and things just aren't that entertaining or interesting. I was watching the clock waiting for it to end.
House Bunny isn't the worst movie I've seen, but it is far from the best. Fans of Anna Faris may find something to enjoy about the movie, but I wouldn't count on it. The movie is available to rent and own on DVD and Blu-ray. It has been turning up on the Encore movie channels and it could be an On Demand option with some cable and satellite providers.
I did post a longer review of House Bunny on Epinions.
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