Meet the Parents (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I wasn't really sure what to expect with Robert De Niro in a more comedic role and the so-so reviews of Meet the Parents. Well, let me be the first to tell you that all theses reviews were wrong and De Niro shined in his role as the father. The toilet humor of There's Something About Mary is still present in Meet the Parents--I won't give any of it away since the shock factor is what makes these scenes so hilarious. Ben Stiller is wonderful as Gregory, the misguided yet well-intentioned boyfriend of Jack's daughter. This movie had so many well placed comic moments that I never really stopped laughing. Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller make such a great pair because of the fact that they are such polar opposites. De Niro's paranoia feeds Stiller's own paranoia and makes for a lot of awkward but humorous confrontations. Their misunderstandings range from the hidden meaning of "Puff the Magic Dragon" to premarital relations. Mixed in somewhere within the gags and the shock humor is a nice romance story that is somewhat generic but never overshadows Stiller and De Niro's relationship. Meet the Parents is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time and I implore you to see it.

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MEET THE PARENTS - DVD Movie

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The Company (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Robert Littell's The Company is a massive novel that follows the history of the CIA from post WWII to the end of the cold war. As long as three books, this novel is rich and full of characterization. So it's obvious that any such book would be hard to bring to the screen, large or small. The TNT TV version, at around 4 1/2 hours, tried hard, but didn't do justice to the book. It sometimes seems like an outline of the book, and so much is left out, that the action moves too quickly, changing locations and characters, making it hard to follow. This is more so in the early part of the series; the last 1/3 focuses on a more limited situation, the attempt to find a CIA mole.
Suffering from overbearing music that is way too loud in the early parts (which makes you wonder why the music was toned down so much in the last third), and characters who are supposed to age about thirty years, but look only a few years older, The Company is, nevertheless, good TV. It will keep your attention, and the intrigue is interesting, but be prepared to give it a chance; it's hard to follow at the beginning. The acting is good, the sets and locations interesting, and the plot - good vs evil - works well, especially since we already know who won the cold war.
But if you like this mini-series, do read the book - it is probably the best spy novel I've ever read, and is so much more interesting than this over-short TV version. No film could do it justice, but I can't help but think that a couple more hours could have saved this from its weaknesses.

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Product Description: The TV miniseries event of the year, The Company is an exciting new star-studded thriller from Tony and Ridley Scott. The Company depicts the history of the CIA, from the dawn of the Cold War to the demise of the Soviet Union.

Plot Synopsis: The Company tells the story of Jack McCauliffe (O’Donnell), an idealistic Yale graduate recruited into the CIA by his coach. He’s sent to the legendary Berlin Base in Germany to work with a man who becomes his mentor: the eccentric and colorful Harvey Torriti (Molina), codename "The Sorcerer". Jack and The Sorcerer are imprisoned in double lives, fighting an elusive but formidable enemy in an unrelenting and deadly battle within the CIA itself. Together with the counterintelligence chief, James Angleton (Keaton), the three men are hell-bent on finding the moles within their own ranks before every operation they undertake is completely undermined. However, Jack is forever changed as he must witness the cost in human lives.

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Sleeper Cell - American Terror - The Complete Second Season (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)After reading some initially moderate reviews of the first season of "Sleeper Cell", I tuned into Showtime with minimal expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised by an efficient, nicely acted, and timely thriller. I became a big supporter of the show, and felt that it was much better than a lot of people gave it credit for--and eventually it was recognized with some accolades (an Emmy nomination for best miniseries among others).
So, I went into "Sleeper Cell - American Terror" with greater expectations. While, ultimately, I don't feel as if was as taut and exciting as the first season--it is still an intriguing and serious minded look at the world of terrorism. The show essentially revolves around Michael Ealy as Darwyn, an African-American Muslim who is also an undercover FBI agent. He thwarted an attack on Dodger Stadium in "Sleeper Cell." The show picks up with months after that incident with Darwyn looking to distance himself from field work and live quietly with his girlfriend. As a horrific fate befalls his previous handler, he is called back into action to help stop a current and impending threat. Using his previous connections, he not only joins a new cell--but eventually becomes its leader. With an inexperienced handler, he often has to go rogue in order to maintain his credibility within the cell. In concurrent storylines, we follow two other members of last season's cast--Farik, the mastermind of the Dodger stadium attack and another "soldier."
Farik, a great and believable villain, is a bit underutilized here--but Oded Fehr makes him a powerful presence. The action is filmed around the globe, and the scope of the show is ambitious and impressive. I actually liked the members of the new cell, and thought the characterizations were surprisingly detailed. Far from stereotypes, you learn about them as individuals. This definitely raises the stakes. I did, however, think the show lacked some of the propulsive narrative drive necessary to make this absolutely unmissable entertainment. The interplay between Darwyn and his new handler is pretty forced and not particularly believable. It's conflict added for the sake of conflict. But once again (as in Season one), the character that threatens to derail the show is Darwyn's girlfriend. She is incorporated into the action unnecessarily and tediously (she does work for the FBI to conveniently thwart a custody action from her son's grandparents). It's not credible, nor interesting or well played.
I do recommend "American Terror," however. I do like that the show doesn't shy away from real consequences and real tragedy. An insightful look, the show is further distinguished by an ethically questionable ending and an ambiguous final shot. I admired that the show wasn't wrapped up in nobility--for to give this a tidy ending would have been a compromise not worthy of the serious and complex topic. KGHarris, 12/06.

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In SLEEPER CELL: AMERICAN TERROR, the Muslim undercover FBI agent, Darwyn (Michael Ealy), discovers that another terrorist cell in Southern California is planning a catastrophic attack that will be more successful than the last attempt. Meanwhile, Farik escapes out of the country and directs another terrorist operation, beginning a parallel storyline between Southern California and the Middle East.

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Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Close on the heels of his ADAPTATION, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman scores again with CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, based on the (fictional?) autobiography of the same title by Chuck Barris. It's also George Clooney's initial outing as Director.
At the very beginning when the audience sees a bearded and naked Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) standing as if in a trance while a frumpy housekeeper vacuums around him, the viewer suspects that the film will be something special, outrageous, or both. This is the starting point for an extended flashback as Barris recalls his young adulthood, when it seemed everybody but him was having sex, to his successful career as a TV game show creator and low-brow polluter of the American airwaves ("The Dating Game", "The Newlywed Game", "The Gong Show"). Pretty standard stuff except that along the way Barris is seduced by a penchant for violence into a double life as a CIA contract killer, and the schizophrenia brought on by his double life almost proves his undoing.
Rockwell is superb in the leading role, as is Director Clooney, who plays his square-jawed, no-nonsense CIA recruiter and control, Jim Byrd. (Byrd to Barris: "Listen, you're thirty-two years old and you've achieved nothing. Jesus Christ was dead and alive again by thirty-three. Better get cracking.") Drew Barrymore does a swell job as Penny, the on-again, off-again love of Chuck's life, but she's deliciously upstaged by Julia Roberts in a new sort of character for her, that of the seductive and deadly femme fatale spy, Patricia. ("Prove how much you love me, baby. Kill for me. Then I'm all yours".) Brad Pitt and Matt Damon have hilarious two-second cameos on stools. And there's one scene where a Federal official lectures The Dating Game contestants on the dire repercussions of introducing risqué material into their game show appearance that alone is worth the price of admission. I don't know who that actor was, but he deserves an Oscar for a one-minute speech.
This is a movie that perhaps has to be seen twice to be fully appreciated for the deft and clever use of camera perspective, scene and timing changes, and almost-overexposed color, all of which keeps the audience on its toes wondering what's coming next. And the Big Question: who's The Mole?
This is one of the best dark comedies that I've seen in a long while. It's one of the must-see films of 2002/2003. Bravo, bravo!

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George Clooney (OCEAN'S ELEVEN), Drew Barrymore (CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE), and Sam Rockwell (THE GREEN MILE), star in the comedy thriller that poses an irresistible question: What would happen if a wildly successful TV producer was also a top-secret CIA assassin? While a maverick creator of America's favorite game shows gains notoriety for his smash television hits, he is also drawn into a shadowy world of danger as a covert government operative! But soon his life begins to spiral out of control -- both of them! Directed by George Clooney and based on Chuck Barris' cult-classic autobiography, with a script by Charlie Kaufman (ADAPTATION), this entertaining hit delivers comedy to keep you laughing . . . and intrigue to keep you guessing!

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Alias - The Complete Third Season (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an honest, reasoned review from a devoted fan of Alias. I know that I will get plenty of negative votes simply because I am not giving it five stars and saying nothing more than "THis is dEfinately kewl. Buy iT now!" So be it.

As has been said many times before, Season 3 was a huge letdown from the previous two (which are stunningly excellent). This decline can be traced back to the episode that aired after the Super Bowl in Season 2. When the creators used that epsiode (one of the most exciting in TV history) to "restart" the series so new viewers wouldn't have to learn all the backstory of SD-6 and so forth, it eroded and (in Season 3) eventually wiped out all the best elements of the show. The Rambaldi elements became incredulous. The twists, turns, and liaisons became arbitrary, forced, and repetitive. Worst of all, the crackling tension in the relationships has downshifted into sniping and griping. And Lena Olin is sorely missed.

The fall of SD-6 and the end of Sydney Bristow's double life may be likened to the Scoobies of "Buffy" graduating high school. It may have been inevitable but things were never the same after.

I love "Alias" and I still ask people to ty it out - both so my friends can enjoy it and so its ratings will improve! The feature film flavor still lingers, the actors are all engaging, the look and music are still cool, and Jennifer Garner is so sweet she should be illegal. It's better than 95 percent of the pablum on the tube. But, for the first time, it didn't kill me to miss an episode during this season. I stopped caring so much about what happened to Sydney Bristow. That's an unfortunate loss.

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The mystery and excitement reach unimaginable heights in ALIAS' spectacular third season.Special Agent Sydney Bristow awakens to an all-new world of intrigue from the very first moment of episode one, and her life is turned upside down as the action accelerates through the season's final frame. All 22 episodes plus must-see special features are included in this 6 disc set.

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Intelligence: Season One (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I could not disagree more with Sam Graham's analysis of this program (see Amazon's review). First, he unfortunately compares what he considers failings of this show with U.S. programming. Who ever said programming in the States is something writers should try to emulate!
"Intelligence" does have a large cast, and you will recognize many of them from the DaVinci series if you have been fortunate enough to see those. (Acorn - please put that entire series out on DVD!)
I like this show for exactly the reasons that Sam Graham finds fault with it. There is not gross visualization of violence and gore - because it is written with more development of character than the standard shoot 'em up you will find in U.S. programming. (How many times can we watch CSI and all those carved up bodies!)
Ian Tracey is great as the low key bad guy you can't help but like and they give the strongest role opposite Tracey's to a woman. Klea Scott as Mary is compelling because she holds her own with the big boys, never using her sexuality to get what she wants. She uses her brain and intuition to get the "Intelligence" she sees as the way to fight crime in her city.
It is apparent Mr. Graham is not a Canadian and seems to think crime is
neat and tidy in Canada....too whitewashed to be interesting. Has he not heard of the pig farmer lately?
I live in Seattle and drugs crossing our borders from Canada are a constant worry here. Amazon is based about a mile from my house, but Graham's lack of understanding of the drug problems in the Northwest make me wonder where he lives!
Readers, pay no mind to Amazon's review of this series. Take a chance on "Intelligence". I think you will be as fascinated as I have been. Chris Haddock continues to produce writing for our times - realistic writing with well developed characters and doesn't depend on shock value to hold an audience. He gives you tension, suspense and intrigue without the blood and guts which so often attract the average 12 year old mind.

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Information is the most addictive drug of all. "One of the smartest cop dramas in years" -- The Vancouver Sun "Smart. . .sexy. . .edgy" -- The Toronto Star This critically acclaimed drama from the creator ofDa Vinci’s Inquest takes you deep inside the murky world of organized crime and the cops who keep tabs on it. As a dedicated father, respected businessman, and big-time drug smuggler, Jimmy Reardon (Ian Tracey) feels the heat from outlaw bikers muscling in on his territory. Mary Spalding (Klea Scott), the ruthlessly ambitious head of Vancouver’s organized crime unit, fears her rivals in the intelligence community more than she fears criminals. Together, Jimmy and Mary form an uneasy alliance that threatens to undo them both. From Vancouver’s mean streets to its high-rise offices, Intelligence shows the shifty nature of undercover information-gathering, where your deadliest enemy can become your closest confidant and treachery is taken for granted. DVD FEATURES INCLUDE behind-the-scenes clips, biography of series creator Chris Haddock, character descriptions, cast filmographies, and more. Contains strong coarse language.

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