pcoles5 Reviews

The Littlest Horse Thieves (1976)

Heartwarming

[9/10 · 11 August 2017]

This is a cute and heartwarming little movie about kids who develop a fantastic heist together, after planning to steal some horses (which are actually just ponies I think) from a mine company's owner who, after deciding to fully mechanize his operation and destroy the horses which are now useless to him and obsolete. It is a great family film but very hard to find here in North America and I eventually tracked down a second hand copy on tape from a television broadcast in I think the 1980s. The movie was originally made in the 1970s if I remember correctly.

The kids are great and the story is fun and realistic and never boring, even though it's a pretty simple plot. The kids will love this one, trust me. Also keep an eye out for Alastair Sim, a really fantastic and under-appreciated actor best known for his role as Scrooge in what I think is the hands down best version of that story ever filmed. I give this one 9/10.

Wok with Yan (1980– )

Classic and Funny Canadian Cooking Show

[9/10 · 8 August 2017]

I remember this show very well and very fondly, I would watch it with my mom any time I was able to do so and she watched it all the time, made some of his dishes (usually they were great) and would tell us some of the funny things he said and did. I just heard he passed away and I'm not sure if that is actually true but I hope not, he was such a likable and funny guy!

He had funny aprons all the time, many of them with fun puns on them (such as the show's title Wok with Yan). He was a fantastic cook and very skilled in the kitchen. I remember mom being very impressed one time when he just splashed some oil or other liquid into his wok and said "some people wonder if I'm actually doing a tablespoon but it comes with practice, look" and then he dumped the oil out from the pan into a measuring cup and it was the exact amount he needed. The best part though is even then he wasn't bragging or being fake or anything he was just an incredibly nice, genuine, funny person.

I wish this was still available somewhere or on in reruns. Thanks for this great show, Omni!

Ground Floor (2013–2015)

Lacklustre

[2/10 · 7 August 2017]

I had very high expectations for this show so I guess I should try to temper them in my review, and that might be why I am so very disappointed with this show to be honest, but I tried it several times and just tried it again after leaving it for a long time and still think it is a very disappointing (and also not very funny for a comedy) effort.

Ted McGinley (if that is the right name?) is completely wasted and even seems uncomfortable being in this, as if he knows that the show is not very good and is just going through the motions to fulfill his contract as an actor. I liked him a lot in Scrubs and he is still good (though similar) in this but there's just not much for him to do with poor writing and poor other performers (the male lead in this is incredibly annoying).

Not sure what they were even trying to do with this show but it was frankly not very good and not at all funny (other than a few scenes by the guy from Scrubs).

Package Deal (2013–2014)

Needs Work

[3/10 · 31 January 2014]

I wish I could like this show but I just can't. It looks very good and the quality of the picture, sound and so on is of the level that you would expect of a U.S. based sitcom so that is good. After that I can't exactly put my finger on it but I think it's just the overall combination of things and the overall show that just doesn't work and just isn't funny. I'm sure the actors are good in other things but in this I just don't really identify with any of the characters and I don't think any of them are very funny. The one brother is just a whiny mess which I didn't find very funny in episode one but it just gets more annoying the more you watch it. Harland Williams the other brother has some pretty funny lines and I think about the only funny lines in the show but I think that has more to do with Harland Williams being a very funny person who is just naturally funny. I don't think the leading couple are very funny or interesting. I think the biggest problem is probably bad writing because no matter who the actors are I don't think the lines I'm hearing are very funny and the weekly plots and secondary stories are not very good.

Labor Day (2013)

Very Good Movie

[9/10 · 31 January 2014]

The acting in this movie is really phenomenal, I think that Kate Winslet for sure should get nominated again for an Academy Award for the job she does in this movie. Josh Brolin is also obviously very good with his part in the movie.

The story is pretty engaging and I don't think there was anybody in the theatre that was bored over all or didn't like the story. There are parts of the movie that do seem to drag just a little bit but that is just me being overly picky and looking for things to complain about because it's great.

Not the best movie I've ever seen by any means but definitely a very good one.

Escape from the Newsroom (2002 TV Movie)

Good

[6/10 · 4 May 2013]

This is a good show. I don't remember this as much as the TV series they did which I thought was great, it wasn't as good as the series and the later series they did where they brought back the Newsroom was even less good, but this was enjoyable enough. It is about a heartless news producer who uses horrible events as a way to get better viewer-ship numbers for his show, all of the characters have some big flaws. The jokes are good if you like dark humour. Like I said not as good as the original show was but still worth watching if you ever get a chance to see it on TV again. I would recommend it and as a TV show on CBC it is pretty safe for the whole family to watch though like I said there is some dark stuff.