Reviews

What is really the problem here is the boring and predictable script, with circumstances and dialogue that are sometimes just ridiculous. And to top it off, none of the characters are very likable or sympathetic. I can't really figure out why Roberts and Clooney didn't turn this material down. Paychecks must have been way up there.

By the end of this movie, you walk away sort of asking yourself, so what ? It's not original at all, you have seen most of this before in movies that were more interesting and with more personable characters. The scenery is beautiful, however, but the problem is the actors keep getting in the way with their yacking about circumstances that are really sort of...who cares? You just want to scream "Get Over It" at them.

One of the worst movies I have ever sat through. I was a student in Ann Arbor when this was released in theaters and it was shreaded by critics. It did get a lot of press because it was X-rated and starred Dreyfuss, who was apparently trying to replicate Brando doing an X-rated film a couple of years previous (Last Tango In Paris). It went to early cable (then called Pay-TV) and that's where I saw it.

It is an insufferable bore - a lot of talking with nothing really happening other than unsympathetic characters yacking on and on about stuff you could care less about. Brando got an undeserved Oscar nomination, but Dreyfuss didn't - and you can see why - his performance is obnoxious and insulting. At the time, I was trying to figure out whether he was just drunk or on some kind of drug. Veronica Carwright manages to rise above the awful script and give a good performance and it was interesting to see how this young teen from Hitchcock's The Birds grew up into a fine actress. Luckily, this film did not destroy her career, let alone that of Dreyfuss' - Jaws released that same year probably saved it for him. I can't understand some of the excellent reviews here. But, go ahead, sit through this if you can, although I suspect it will be hard to find - Dreyfuss should have had every copy of it destroyed.

In the late 1950's films about Southern USA families, especially with "Big Daddies," were all the rage. What we have here is another enrtry in that genre that features some of the worst overacting by a usually professional and talented cast that was ever recorded on film. Lee Remick, Anthony Franciosa, Angela Lansbury, and especially Orson Welles are out of control with their histrionics and overdramatizing. Welles, in particular, looks like he was out to intentionally sabotage the film. His "Big Daddy" is so over-the-top that it is fascinating to watch. And what is it with the dark pancake make-up and fake nose that he apparently insisted on wearing ? The plot isn't that interesting but the cinematography is excellent and the film is saved by the performances of Newman and Woodward, as well as Richard Anderson, who are very good indeed. It's interesting that Newman would go on to make "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" the next year giving an excellent performance as another young Southern dude alongside a superb Elizabeth Taylor and Burl Ives, as another Big Daddy. It seems like Ives learned what NOT to do from Welles and he's quite wonderful. Maybe Newman figured, let's do it again, but get it right this time. Nevertheless, this film is worth watching because of Newman and Woodward and the depiction of the South in the late '50's. And because you can't help but wonder if Marlon Brando saw this at the time and used Welles' performance as a technique for characters he would go on to play in "The Godfather," "The Chase," "Reflections in a Golden Eye,'" and "Mutiny on the Bounty," : mumbling words incoherently, sudden tantrums, contorted facial expressions, etc. Welles was quite infamous in Hollywood and had a reputation for being a creative genius, and I could see where Brando would be influenced by Welles. See if you come to the same conclusion.

This is a very attractive film. The first half is quite stunning and good, but it falls apart in the second half burdened by political correctness and social preaching. It simply becomes a self-serving bore. And what is it with all the award nominations ? No doubt the ones for production design and costumes are justified. Ryan Gosling and America Ferrara are good, but Oscar nominations, really ?

The Academy overlooked some terrific supporting performances in 2023 that far surpassed Gosling and Ferrara (for example, Rachel McAdams or Kathy Bates in "Are You There God? It's Me Margaret" or Dominic Sessa in "The Holdovers"). And what's with the nomination of "I'm Just Ken" for Best Song ? Really ? Will anyone be singing it 10 years from now - or even 2 ?

The only Oscar nomination for acting that this film deserved was Margot Robbie for her performance as Barbie, and the Academy ignored it. Such a shame, because she was spot on and carried this film from beginning to end with sincerity, emotion, and spirit. Robbie understood her character, as written, and played it to perfection. Mention should also be made that her scenes with Rhea Perlman, as Ruth, the creator of Barbie, were outstanding. Perlman is excellent and demonstrates just how good she can be when she is given a role that taps her wonderful talents. Finally, the ending is just ridiculous and unbelievable - leaving it wide open for a sequel, but, see if you really care to sit through another Barbie movie by these writers.

Director Payne and writer Hemingson have brought us a film that is really hard to find nowadays - a touching and involving tale of three people who are thrown together during the Holidays and, as the film evolves, their past and present demons as well as accomplishments are revealed in a totally engrossing manner. Randolph is a shoe-in to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, Giamatti SHOULD win for Best Actor, but the real reveal here is Dominic Sessa in his first major role. Sessa is outstanding as the student who eventually is taken under the wing of Giamatti's teacher. Their relationship developes over the course of the film into one that is ultimately heartwarming and a little gut-wrenching. This is a truly fine film with three really wonderful performers. Looking forward to seeing young Sessa in more movies - he's a talent to be reckoned with. It's rather shocking that his performance was not recognized more by the critics and the award shows alike.

Wow! Some of the negative reviews here really shock us.

We have watched all of the episodes of this series and we feel that each one moves like a well oiled machine. Fast, intriguing, and sometimes startling, and always enjoyable.

Yes, the concept might be far-fetched but that is what makes this fun and interesting to watch. It is definitely unique, and that's one of the things that keeps us hooked. Plus, there is a lot of emotional heart here among the regular characters as well as with the clients they work for.

The direction and production values are excellent. Led by Shanola Hampton, Kelli Williams, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and Brett Dalton, the acting by the entire cast of regulars is excellent. Hampton and Gosselaar, in particular, are revelations. Who knew they could play these types of roles so effectively? We enjoy every single one of them - to us, these are likable and sympathetic characters played by talented, likable actors.

What struck us is that with some series, you can tell that it takes a few episodes for the cast to seem like they are comfortable with other and really click into playing off of each other. But, not here. From the first episode, you feel like these actors are like a "family" - comfortable with each other and the parts they are playing. Ignore the vicious reviews here, and take a chance on this. It's been renewed, and we are really looking forward to the next season.

I know people who saw the color version of this movie and then went back to see the black and white version. They enjoyed them both, but they all said they wished they had seen the black and white version first. I only saw the black and white version, and I was stunned at how remarkable it was. At times, it is like watching artwork in motion. This is a brilliant film - with Godzilla playing second fiddle to the rich and detailed plot about a young kamikazee pilot who is tortured by guilt and shame for surviving at the end of the war. How he tries to cope with living in the devastation after the war, with the assistance of a young woman, a baby she rescued, a resentful neighbor lady, and his co-workers after he manages to find a job is the real heart of this movie. As written, Godzilla is the means by which he can try to find redemption for his self-guilt.

Brilliantly conceived, with superb direction, cinematography, music, effects, and production values, this ultimately is a visual masterpiece in black and white - combining story and thrills in a way that is rare to find in American films nowadays. The acting by the entire cast is excellent, making this movie a dramatic, yet very moving, experience. It is shocking that this film (whether in color or not) was not nominated for an Oscar as Best Foreign Film, but then again, are Academy Awards even relevant any more ? This is the best movie I have seen in the last year - one that I look forward to enjoying again. A wonderful, satisfying, thrilling experience.

As the Magnum series winds down, this second to the last episode is a nice tribute to Amy Hill and her character, Kumu. I always enjoyed the past episodes that featured Hill's Kumu in a predominant way. Hill played Kumu in a no-nonsense and straightforward, yet very endearing, manner that was quite delightful. Here, she is given a lot to do, as a secret from Kumu's past is revealed in an intriguing way. And by her side the entire time is Rick, played so nicely by Zachary Knighton. Kumu was often the one who kept Magnum's three male cohorts in line, but Kumu and Rick always seemed to have a particular affinity for each other, and that comes across here in a special way. Intentionally or not, the producers and writers of the show did not end the series without recognizing the character of Kumu and the talents of Hill, who always played her with great style.

My 30 year old son and I went to see this movie. He has been a wrestling fan since he was 6 years old and those matches on TV gave him many years of enjoyment. So, we were really looking forward to seeing this movie. All in all, it's a very interesting story told in a boring, slow, and very deliberate manner, so much so that it becomes almost annoying. You can not fault the actors and actresses - they are all quite good and give natural, realistic performances. The problems are mostly the script and the direction.

I was not familiar with the details of this family's story, so there were a couple of reveals that were surprising, however, I did doze off a couple of times during the first hour and my son nudged me awake. When I opened my eyes, the same scene was STILL going on, so I don't think I missed anything.

Things picked up during the last 30 minutes and the ending is very, very moving, but it just wasn't enough to make this movie a memorable one.

This goes down as one of the most boring Hallmark Christmas movies ever made. The cast is competent enough but you know where this is going to go right from the very beginning so there are no surprises whatsoever and the actors are not given much to do.

And getting to the ending is almost painful because the characters just talk and talk and talk about the same old stuff to the point where you feel that you would be better off spending your time by slapping some paint on the wall and watching it dry. Poorly written and directed to the point that, by the end, you could care less about whether the Christmas concert goes on or not. Much ado here about, basically, nothing much.

The producers were able to assemble a usually fine cast for this mystery movie, but the problem is, they all really ham it up so much that it almost becomes laughable. The worst hams are Jeanne Crain, Agnes Moorehead, and William Demarast, but Janssen does his share of chewing up the scenery, too. The mysterious plot is somewhat interesting but another problem is that the script just calls for these hams to stand, sit, or sometimes even lay around talking, talking, and talking even more. There is very little action here, just a bunch of verbalization that sometimes goes on and on. After seeing the scene when Janssen visits Moorehead, who is over the top with her hamminess, I concluded that the producers of TV's "Bewitched" must have seen it and said - oh yeah, we just found our outrageous Endora.

I still give this six stars, only because it is interesting to watch - and you really can't turn it off, waiting to see just which of these usually good actors it going to out ham the other ones !

This Hallmark Christmas movie has it all : spirit, romance, sentimentality, humor, and intrigue. And it all unfolds in a wonderful way thanks to the director Andy Mikata, the writer Betsy Morris, and a truly fine cast of actors. Kimberley Sustad and Mark Ghanime are terrific here as two people who, through fate, are thrown together as a result of a motorcycle accident. From there, their relationship grows by ways that are remarkable, but still believable. The production values are high, the locales are beautifully captured by the cinematographer, and the entire supporting cast is top notch, giving performances that equal the professionalism and naturalness of Sustad and Ghanime. It is really swell to see Sustad reunited with the delightful Alison Araya (as Abigail), who played Lucy in "Nine Lives of Christmas".

Sustad's character is put through the emotional ringer in the last half hour of this movie, but Sustad nails it, cementing her reputation as one of the consistently best actresses in Hallmark productions.

This is a wonderful, satisfying Christmas film in all respects.

Followed closely by "A Biltmore Christmas", it is the best of Hallmark's new features. Not to be missed whether you are a Hallmark fan or not.

I found this to be boring and kind of contrived. My spouse even fell asleep during it. There are some glaring plot holes here and you've seen this type of material many times in the Hallmark movies. The cast is likable and they work hard to give this story some oomph, but the script is just not that interesting. There is nothing special about the sets or the locales - it's all recycled stuff that you've seen before. Plus, as soon as the lead character says "My father left right after I was born" at the beginning of the movie, you can probably figure out how this was going to end. We did - and that was before my spouse fell asleep !

The negative reviews here really surprised me. You can't take this movie so seriously. Yes, the Johnson Family was obnoxious, controlling, and self-centered, but that was part of the fun. Just how was the neighborhood going to deal with these TV reality stars, especially when the neighborhood, including Emily, almost gets roped in by their fame and notoriety ? I thought this was a very clever way to write a sequel to the original.

As in the first movie, Lacey Chalbert really seems comfortable and relaxed playing Emily, a role that allows her to really show off her charming and witty talents.

She seems to enjoy this type of part and she is very good at it. So much better than in the Hallmark Scotland snooze fest movie she was also in this season, where she seemed disinterested with the plot and her leading man.

Here, Wes Brown is back as her romantic interest. He is a lot of fun and they have a believable relationship.

Other cast members have returned, including the great Melissa Peterman, and they are just as wacky, if not more so, than in the first movie.

And Seth Morris and Jennifer Aspen are quite good as the Johnson's - they get on your nerves in a comical way, and that's what they were supposed to do.

Oh - and watch for the musical garden gnomes - Hilarious!

The Biltmore may be the drawing card for this movie, but it's Bethany Joy Lenz, Kristoffer Polaha, the script, and the entire production that are the aces.

Lenz is always very good, but here she is outstanding as Lucy, as is Kristoffer Polaha as Jack Huston. Plus, the chemistry they have on screen is quite remarkable, maybe because their characters are so endearing.

Yes, this is a fantasy involving intrigue and time travel, but it so convincingly written that it becomes almost realistic and believable because of the dialogue, the locations, and the performances.

The intermittent use of black and white camerawork is a brilliant idea and serves to enhance the story and the characters of Jack, Ava, and Claude, the three movie stars in 1946's fictional movie "His Merry Wife !". Colton Little and particularly newcomer Annabelle Borke are wonderful as Ava and Claude.

Everything here is perfect : the direction by John Putch, the writing by Marcy Holland, the music by Tommy Fields (which has already been nominated for an award), the production design, the art and set direction, the costumes, and the cinematography. Mention must be made of Tracy Kilpatrick who had the insight to put this cast together.

And don't think that the character of Margaret is too bizarre. Here, in Michigan, we have Mackinac Island where "Somewhere In Time" was filmed. The fans of that film flock to the island and many are just as zany as Margaret, played nicely here by A. K. Benninghofen.

This film is so interesting and of such exceptional quality that I would have paid to see it at the show - it far exceeds some to the movies that are released in theaters nowadays. Even better than "Somewhere In Time," too.

In this film, Charlie (played nicely by Aias Dalman) is an austitic young teen with emotional and social issues that his mother, Marissa, stepfather, Eric, and friend, Amy, are forced to deal with. But, they are issues that are common to any young teen, whether autistic or not. So, what the writers and director have created is a story with lessons about how parents and friends can help a floundering youth deal with problems that are pretty universal to any child who is growing up. This is how parents and friends should talk and act whenever they encounter a troubled youth. And that is what is remarkable about this film - autism may be the catalyst that causes Charlie's family and friends to treat him the way that they do, but it is how we should treat ANY young teen who suffers from the anxieties that Charlie does. It's a great life lesson for us all.

Nikki Deloach plays Marissa wonderfully, but it's Lucas Bryant who is really outstanding here as the stepfather.

The supporting cast is also very good, particularly Daphne Hoskins as Amy, April Telek as Marissa's friend, and Miranda Edwards as her boss. So, the acting here is very real and natural all around.

I really think this is worth your time. Interesting and heartwarming with some really special characters played by an excellent cast.

This is an excellent Christmas story - well written with believable díalogue, very attractive sets and actual locations (sometimes quite beautiful), and professional direction and cinematography. All of the actors, including the supporting cast, are all excellent, giving natural and realistic performances. The cast is headed by Chelsea Hobbs who has matured into quite a good actress since her performance as Blair in Kimberley Sustad's now beloved "Nine Lives of Christmas" nine years ago. As a tireless mother trying to please, but still guide, protect, and discipline, the son she loves, she is wonderful. As is Stephen Huszar playing a lighthouse owner with a sort of mysterious past. Actually, most of the characters in this movie have experienced a life altering event in their lives, and the film examines how they handle it in one way or another. It's all really well done and is quite the surprise this Hallmark season. Didn't expect this film to be as interesting and enjoyable as it is. Nicely done all around.

In 1962, the talented Suzanne Pleshette starred in the very successful "Rome Adventure" and, since that time, many films have been made about a young American woman who goes to Europe in search of fame, romance, riches, adventure - or any combination thereof. In recent years, Hallmark has jumped on the bandwagon, offering stories about young women who take off for England, Italy, France, etc. During the Christmas season. Some are good and some are not. This time it's Germany and it's not good.

What made "Rome Adventure" work was that Pleshette and her co-stars, including Troy Donahue, Angie Dickinson, and Constance Ford, were all gifted and intelligent actors who could carry off the sometimes predictable script and make it interesting for the viewer.

But here, the actors can't and, quite often, the movie comes off as corny and trite. The two leads definitely do not have the chemistry that Pleshette and Donahue had on screen.

Yes, the German scenery is quite beautiful and the director captured it nicely, but the actors keep getting in the way with their often stilted and contrived overacting.

Even "Gidget Goes To Rome" was more interesting with characters who had some flair and wit.

It seems like once every season Hallmark presents a movie where the main theme is the spirit and meaning of Christmas. This is the one for 2023 - and any year, actually. This should put you in the Christmas mood and you may find yourself smiling through the entire movie.

There are no personal conflicts or traumas - just plain old Christmas fun and sentimentality.

Cindy Busby as Lori Jo and Katherine Barrell as Tori are driving cross country on a Christmas mission and we see their adventures as they encounter Corey Sevier as Carl (a tow truck driver), Matt Wells as Jason ( on his way to visit his aunt), and, yes, Kris Kringle.

The acting by these performers is very sweet and genuine, and the actor who plays Kris is not listed on Imdb, but he is quite a character and the actor who plays him does so in a very endearing and fine fashion.

The writing by T. Booker James is clever, the direction by Marni Banack is believable, and the sets and real locations are all very nice.

You have to suspend your belief at the end when the real identity of Kris is revealed, but you will do so willingly because that's the magic and spirit of Christmas.

And this story and the performers exemplify that perfectly.

In this movie, everything is about Christmas, and it's done in a magical, charming, and genuine way.

We didn't think Hallmark could get lower than "Mystic Christmas" this season, but this one does it - way lower.

The three lead actors (Parrish, Hynes, and Lamonthe-Kipnes) are wasted in this story that you could say has a juvenile plot - but childish might describe it better. Parrish and Lamonthe are embarrassingly bad as they cavort around like two immature teenagers. And sometimes the very talented Hynes looks like he is shell-shocked and off somewhere mentally thinking "why am in this ? What am I doing here ?". We don't even think a 13 year-old would sit through this.

It's a shame, really, because Parrish and Hynes have a proven track record at Hallmark, giving some really good performances is fine productions. Particularly Hynes who was excellent in last year's outstanding "Three Wise Men and a Baby," the most watched made-for-cable movie of 2022. But, this totally misses the mark.

Add to it, Linda Ko and Henriette Juanas playing the two leading ladies' mothers in what has to be some of the worst and annoying acting in a Hallmark Christmas movie and this movie simply adds insult to injury.

Skip it, Lil, especially if you are a fan of Hynes or Parrish.

Last year, director Max McGuire and writer Keith Hemstreet teamed up for the excellent movie "Noel Next Door". This year, they work their magic again with this film, another story featuring a man (Trevor) in crisis, who is assisted by a sympathetic woman (Peyton), an unusual plot theme for a Hallmark Christmas story that was also the main theme of "Noel Next Door". I don't know if the guide dog training aspects here are accurate, but they sure are interesting. But, more importantly, the movie also delves into the emotional aspects that a person suffers after a life altering physical change. The writing is smart and realistic, delivered by two performers who are very engaging. Ben Mehl and Amber Marshall are quite wonderful, playing their roles with intelligence and sincerity. And young Ava Weiss is very good as Trevor's daughter, who refuses to let her father's crisis bring him down. McGuire's direction is top notch and the music by Russ Howard III and Erik Schroder is notably different, but quite good, from the usual Hallmark scores.

Whether it's Christmas or not, this story stands on its own as an interesting and enjoyable study of human interactions and emotions, played with natural charm by a really good cast and written and directed with warmth and skill. Well done all.

What makes this movie work so well is the three lead performers. It is about a successful television personality, Gale Storm aka Ms. Christmas, who is on her final televised Christmas tour before her retirement. Amanda is her successor and Travis is her undercover aide/nurse. Erica Durance as Amanda and Brennan Elliott as Travis cement their reputations as two of the best of Hallmark's actors here, giving performances that are sincere, natural, and heartfelt.. Their eventual attraction to each other is quite believable.

It is nice to see Hallmark present a film that highlights an "older" character as much as it does here - that doesn't happen very often. And Barbara Niven as Gale is just wonderful. Her character, as written, could have been played with a lot of histrionics and over-the-top emotions.

But, Niven, always one of Hallmark's best supporting actresses, plays Gale with intelligence, humility, and sincerity. So much so that her performance is very real and believable.

Basically, it's about three people who, through no making of their own, become a family for each other at a critical time. And these three - Niven, Durance, and Elliott, pull it off perfectly with the writer's good and fairly unique script as their guide.

At the same time, there is much here to put you in the Christmas spirit, and in that regard, it succeeds as well.

The only drawback is that sometimes some of the indoor sets are a little cheesy, but these three performers make sure that is not a distraction.

For trivia buffs : By naming Niven's character Gale Storm, the writer, intentionally or not, delivers a nice tribute to the real Gale Storm, a television pioneer who had a couple of successful TV series in the early 1950's. Much like Niven's performance here, she was always a delightful and sincere personality.

One last thing : How many films have you seen where the character is in a hospital bed for treatment and she is wearing full make-up ? It happens regularly, but not here.

Nivens is so professional and realistic, that she strips it off for her hospital scenes - which only adds to the authenticity of her performance.

This could end up being one of Hallmark's best Christmas entries for the 2023 season.

This is a perfect example of a Hallmark Christmas movie that just totally misses the mark. It doesn't happen very often, but this is one that you can miss.

First of all, the entire cast seems like they are on speed or something !! They all talk real fast and frantically - like every scene is a major event or crisis - even though nothing that happens in this story is major, critical, or ever interesting. After about 45 minutes of the cast's overbearing and uncalled for hysteria over nothing - you kind of feel like you could have a nervous breakdown if you see and hear one more scene with them talking so fast and frantically.

Maybe it's not the actors' fault. Maybe the director realized that the script was lifeless and boring, so she told the performers to say their lines real fast and with a lot of urgency in order to beef up the drivel that was written. But, the director, Marlo Hunter, has very little experience, so maybe it's not totally the writers' fault.

Who knows ? In any event, it's all a boring mess.

The ad for this film gives the impression that there are a lot of aquatic scenes, but you find much of that here.

Skip this one, Lil.

What do you get when you assemble five middle-aged actors, Bette Davis, Olivia DeHavilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, and Mary Astor, all with past sterling film credits, in one thriller/drama ? Well, this - a captivating mystery that probably couldn't get made today. Who would finance a film with five performers whose best days were behind them ? It's a tribute to the talents of these actors that, in 1965, this movie was a tremendous success. And it's because you can tell that they all took their roles very seriously and they gave it all they had in creating characters who were complex and, ultimately, memorable - each in their own way. Davis plays mentally disturbed Charlotte with fearless and unapologetic gusto, Moorehead excels as her maid, Velma (and was deservedly nominated for an Oscar), Astor plays her small part as Jewel Mayhew, a key figure to the story, brilliantly, and Cotten is entertaining as a Southern, rather roguish doctor. But, the real revelation here is deHavilland as Charlotte's cousin, Miriam, a complex character unlike any DeHavilland had ever played before. And she plays it to the hilt. The supporting cast, some being recognizable character actors, are all wonderful and professional.

Much like "Baby Jane", the script here is far better than Henry Farrell's literary work. There's plenty of surprises and twists and turns which keep the viewer thoroughly involved until the very end. And what a satisfying ending it is !

The direction by Robert Aldrich is superior and the production values and musical score are top notch.

Oscars winners deHavilland and Astor took their roles on as a favor to Oscar winner Davis, who asked them to.

DeHavilland replaced Joan Crawford, who quit after a couple of weeks, unable to stand working again with Davis after the highly successful "Baby Jane". However, after seeing DeHavilland's performance, you can't imagine Miriam played by anyone else. The same can be said of Davis as Charlotte.

All in all, a sterling and engaging must-see film with five actors, who are all deceased, but who are now considered film legends for having given performances in many movies that are now considered classics.