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Reviews
Kojak: Pilot (2005)
I wish another network would pick up this series
1st, I have to say, there's some really idiotic people posting comments that do NOT reflect the truth. I saw remarks that say this updated Kojak is a "a cop on the edge" and the show is "Behind the times", using slow-mo effects, which are fabricated lies. I saw none of that in the pilot. The only 'cop on the edge' in this, would be Riggins, who clearly has no qualms about going outside the law or killing for purely selfish reasons. The way Kojak 'solve's one of the murders shows how he only condones killing, if it will keep people safe, yet it also causes him great distress personally, because he doesn't like to see anyone die, even if they're criminals.
I think this is the first time I've ever given any rating over 8. I watched the pilot for this series remake with low expectations, and some trepidation (I remember watching the original, as a boy), due to the complexities that Savalas brought to the original character. I was very surprised, and believe that this is better than the original. Both Telly and Ving display the multiple facets of Kojak's personality and his humanity, which most or all cop shows since the 80s are lacking. However, I think this one showed more depth of character than the original, probably due to the difference in writers or directors. I think it would've been a great prime-time show for any of the 4 major networks. The only thing I disliked, was that the pilot never gave an explanation for the tootsie roll fetish that Kojak has. To clarify that, in the original series, he used them as a means to quit smoking, a novel thing for the 70's, when there was still TV ads for cigarettes. The pilot clearly shows Kojak as a by-the-book cop, who sometimes has to work through everyday life, the same as all of us. It also shows that although he bends small rules, he does not break them or the law, except for one time. And that is because he has to decide which course of action will cause the least impact on public safety. If he goes one way, multiple prisoners might be set free, which would put people at great risk. On the other hand, if he goes another way, a victim's family would see no justice, and Kojak would know that particular case still isn't closed, and most of all, the public would still at risk, because the true killer would still be walking the streets. Instead, he decides on a course of action that will bring the family closure, and make the community safer. Once he does, it's very easy to interpret how much this affects Kojak's sense of morality. At the same time, you also know that what he did was right. One thing I've always liked about Kojak, he makes sure that whatever he does, does nothing to bring harm to any law abiding citizen within his jurisdiction. I recommend this to anyone who can find a copy.
Jump Out Boys (2008)
Barely makes "B" list, in my opinion
3 faults with this movie jump out within the first 5 minutes.
1) lousy camera angles (specially mid-way thru, when the main character is racing thru the city with lights/siren, and the camera is in a 'chase' car behind. while most directors would b sure to zoom in on the first car, instead the 'chase' car's lights are shown in the scene)
2) having an inter-racial partnership as main theme. this has been done hundreds of times, and doesn't really work here. especially when it's an obvious clone of Miami vice. I think if both partners were African-American, the story would be more believable.
3) IF you're going to do #2 above, at least pair up 2 actors that can carry the story. I loved DMX's character. However, trying to force the viewer to believe a 72 yr old man would be his partner is ridiculous.
Anyone with common sense knows that there is absolutely no way any police force would allow a 72 yr old officer to be an 'everyday' detective, that would be cruising the streets on a daily basis. It would be highly likely that they'd be enjoying retirement, or at best, would be behind a desk. I would hope Hollywood has more imagination than to keep churning out the same old story-line, every time it wants to do a cop themed movie. How many more do we have to put up with, before we see something new?
Already Dead (2007)
Very watchable. Not many surprises, but good quality film
I enjoyed this film, for the most part. The acting was well done, lighting was good, and it had plenty of action to hold interest. One main point I liked, is that it will cause you to wonder if you might take the same risks and actions, as the father does, if you were in his shoes.
It seemed every scene was valuable to the story, and character background. But, I thought the sequencing of certain scenes caused me to momentarily lose my focus on what was happening.
I won't say what those are, or discuss any of what happens. I did wonder who plays the son. There was no mention of him in the credits, nor is that information on any movie review site that I've seen.
Joshua (2007)
Some originality may have caused some bad reviews
I many ways, I liked Joshua. There are some similarities to "The Good Son", but where that film relied more on star quality and a mediocre script, I feel Joshua's strengths lie in good acting (I think Kogan's does a great job), decent writing, and the way the film makes the viewers think (a quality that's lacking in 99% of any Hollywood product). There's a scene that shows the father asking how intelligent his son is. The vagueness of the answer makes you think hard about things you've already seen happen.
I was amazed as I watched Kogan's performance. I believe he might be a better actor, than Haley Joel Osment was at the same age, which is saying a lot, since HJO is one of my favs. The other actors did a fine job as well. I think because people have come to expect action scenes in any type of thriller, that they may not enjoy this for what it is; a psychological thriller. It's very interesting to watch how everyone is manipulated throughout the film.
I did find flaws. Otherwise my rating would be higher. One of the most obvious, was the horrible lighting in some scenes. A couple of times, I could hardly even tell what was happening. But, this did not take away my interest. Another flaw that stood out to me, was the different reactions from certain characters, to certain actions by Joshua, or by what was happening around him (which was still caused by him). The way the social worker reacted, was very odd to me. But, I don't live in NY, and I've heard some of the horror stories about the social service system, and what kids are put through, so I could be wrong. I thought the producers did a great job making the film very believable, that could happen in everyday real life. It also would have been better, if some things were not very predictable. Then again, maybe because we've gotten 100+ years of movies/TV, that our personal knowledge base makes it impossible for writers to make scripts that have any surprises anymore.
There were build-ups, that made you feel something was about to happen, only to feel slightly cheated, when there was no action. Again, that is because this is a film to make you think, not one to boost your adrenaline or testosterone levels. To me, it was very enjoyable to watch a film that I had to actually pay attention to details.
I had to keep asking myself, how intelligent can this 9 yr old boy be? I had to wonder what he was going to do next. How was he going to get what he wanted. And most of all, what was his goal or motivation? The main thing that stuck with me, after seeing this, was the ending. I was very disturbed by his relationship to his uncle. Although there was no indication or reference, I had to wonder if this was the root cause of Joshua's psyche. Maybe that was one of the writer's intentions. But, for me, it was the final flaw (my perception). I think that there will be many different reactions and opinions, which is what is desired from a great movie.
I highly recommend this to anyone who is mature enough to understand the film, whether they be young or old. :)
AVPR: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem (2007)
Does contain spoilers: don't read, unless you wish to avoid wasting money
I'm very disappointed in the final product. Any $$ this film earns, is because it rides the reputation of 3 series (Alien, Predator, and AVP). There are so many things wrong with this film. The action itself was decent and enjoyable. But, as others have commented, the acting sucks. I believe this goes to the script, not the actors. I liked Reiko Aylesworth in 24. And she looked OK at times in this, but I don't think she had much to work with, due to bad writing. And that's a shame, since both credited writers have been involved with the entire Alien series.What action there was, I did like. The fight scenes were good, but too few and too short. To me, it seemed at least 1/2 the film was like watching a boring daytime soap, that was made worse by horrible acting, bad directing, and a lousy script.
We know how and why one alien species is here, from the Alien series. But, I still don't know why the predator species is here (maybe it was explained in the predator series, but I don't remember). It would not only put more context to the AVP series, but the Predator films as well. All I could get out of this particular story, was that 1 predator came to avenge the one that was killed in the 1st AVP. But, that was twisted again, when it showed him taking steps to eliminate the "host" bodies for the other aliens. That would mean the predator species knew the other; knew their reproduction process/cycle; and how to track them, and how to prevent the spread of more of that species. Of course, those questions might be answered in AVP 3 (I have no doubt a 3rd will come).
I was also confused with the sequence of certain events, and the lack of some. I watched the deputy call for the sheriff, when he was in the sewers, attempting to vacate the homeless dwellers, and learned of a possible death. I never saw any further police presence at that location. And why were the same homeless people in the same place, after one of them was with the deputy earlier, and knew of the danger? The sheriff seemed to be looking into the absence of the father/son, who were missing. Yet, he never showed up or talked with his deputy, about the incident in the sewer. Why was the FBI never notified about the missing people? Yes, I know this was a movie, and maybe I'm picking at more than I normally would. But, those points are more commonly found in "B" movies, than a highly anticipated, mainstream release.
There are many "B" movies that I would rate better quality than AVP 2. An example of the poor script, is the obvious inconsistencies, not only from real life, but also that totally disregard previous movies in these series. First of all, the govt. has had full knowledge of the Aliens, for years. That is the most obvious fact. Second, 2 alien ships entered the atmosphere, and landed. While the 2nd may used cloaking technology, the 1st craft could not, since it crashed. Every nation with access to satellite or radar coverage would have been all over the crash site within an hour. Either that, or there would have been an immediate bombing, to prevent any aliens.
Third, although it showed things happening quickly, as the National Guard arrived, the film presented the troops as inept, incompetent, and totally untrained. That is proved, 1st, by having only 1 squadron show up, then again when the Lt. does nothing as his squad is slaughtered. Any idiot would know, that there would be a whole unit sent in. The unit commander would have a command post set up within a safe distance, to monitor the situation, as his troops investigated. However, even as it happened in the movie, whoever was in charge of the troops would be on his radio, communicating with someone in command. There were several instances that showed our govt. was aware of the situation (although there was never anything to show how they knew). It was inferred that they were planning to cover up the whole incident, along with any witnesses. That might explain the lack of troop strength sent. But, it is contradictory, because if that was the case, there would never have been any troops sent into the danger zone.
Lastly, was the method used to contain the area; At one point in the film, I thought I heard some reference, that would indicate there was a nuclear power plant involved (after the blackout, someone mentioned something about a "core", and that they should evacuate the town). It seems to me a nuclear plant was involved, which would have been a way to explain to the world, why there was a nuclear explosion in a remote area. Yet, why was there never any other moment when someone mentioned it, or maybe a scene that depicted it shown? That lack of information keeps me confused on that point.
I hope any further sequel(s) will have a higher quality of acting, directing, production, and most of all writing. STOP trying to milk a popular story. If you're going to put out a sequel, make sure it lives up to it's reputation, and that we get our money's worth! I will likely watch other sequels, but only when the DVD is priced under $5.