This episode rates one star above the prior episode merely for the fact it contains more original footage than the previous one. It still shows how towards the end of the series they phoned in episodes just to reach a production order. In this episode the impetus for the flashbacks is a Tarot deck that shows up at the Legacy House. This leads Derek, Nick, and Alex, to sit over the magical deck that has cards rising by themselves and each one reminds each member of an incident from a previous episode. You'd think they would have wanted to end the series strong, but two clip shows in a row on the last three episodes? Very disappointing for a show that had so many great episodes over four seasons.
Reviews
12 Reviews
Clip episode. Not worth your time
19 February 2024
I am a huge fan of this show, but it feels like by the fourth season, the writers got lazy towards the end and this episode is the perfect example of this. Basically Nick gets infected by a demonic parasite that causes him to have flashbacks. The only new footage is at the beginning, middle, and end. You can literally skip 95% of this episode and miss nothing if you've seen it up to this point. The majority of the episode are events you've already seen played out in episodes that actually relied on stories that we've seen up to this point. The new footage could be watched in less than ten minutes. One of the worst episodes out of the four seasons for total lack of originality.
Protecting the King
(2007)
Leave it to a family member/bodyguard to stab Elvis in the back
25 November 2023
First off, the only reason this film rates more than one star is the fact that Peter Dobson does a pretty good job in the only scene he's allowed to resemble the Elvis so many have written about, namely the last time we see Elvis alive.
Having said that, this film is a massive slap in the face to Elvis and the only account from the many people that were closer to Elvis than David Stanley was, that almost from start to finish portrays Elvis as a totally contempt able individual.
If you believe this film then Elvis is entirely responsible for all the bad things (drug addiction, divorce, etc) that occur in David Stanley s life. He takes no personal responsibility for anything bad that he did...it was all the fault of being exposed to Elvis...oops, I mean "The King." You see, no one in this film has a real name. All people have pseudonyms and the Elvis character is never called Elvis, just Boss or The King. One can assume this was for (rightly) avoiding lawsuits. The Tom Sizemore character is clearly Joe Esposito. The entire film Elvis is portrayed as a drugged out, Ulta violent, brute. The image of Elvis that is predominantly displayed in so many other accounts by people who knew him longer and better is entirely absent. The kindness, generosity, humor, and warmth, are not there.
It's well known that Elvis did not approve of his father's marriage to Dee Stanley. He took David and his two brothers in as family and it seems that David took after his mother, who wrote an incredibly scandalous book about Elvis after he died full of ridiculous claims as well.
I bought this film because I'm a fan and a completionist, but let me save you the trouble. This film is an affront to any Elvis fan who has done even a minimum of research into his life.
This is just an attempt to divest David Stanley of any responsibility for being a drug addict, an adulterer, and a violent, rage filled youth.
If you want an account by someone who knew Elvis from the time he was in high school to his death...and was closer than David Stanley ever was to him, read Me and a Guy Named Elvis by Jerry Schilling or If I Can Dream by Larry Gellar.
Having said that, this film is a massive slap in the face to Elvis and the only account from the many people that were closer to Elvis than David Stanley was, that almost from start to finish portrays Elvis as a totally contempt able individual.
If you believe this film then Elvis is entirely responsible for all the bad things (drug addiction, divorce, etc) that occur in David Stanley s life. He takes no personal responsibility for anything bad that he did...it was all the fault of being exposed to Elvis...oops, I mean "The King." You see, no one in this film has a real name. All people have pseudonyms and the Elvis character is never called Elvis, just Boss or The King. One can assume this was for (rightly) avoiding lawsuits. The Tom Sizemore character is clearly Joe Esposito. The entire film Elvis is portrayed as a drugged out, Ulta violent, brute. The image of Elvis that is predominantly displayed in so many other accounts by people who knew him longer and better is entirely absent. The kindness, generosity, humor, and warmth, are not there.
It's well known that Elvis did not approve of his father's marriage to Dee Stanley. He took David and his two brothers in as family and it seems that David took after his mother, who wrote an incredibly scandalous book about Elvis after he died full of ridiculous claims as well.
I bought this film because I'm a fan and a completionist, but let me save you the trouble. This film is an affront to any Elvis fan who has done even a minimum of research into his life.
This is just an attempt to divest David Stanley of any responsibility for being a drug addict, an adulterer, and a violent, rage filled youth.
If you want an account by someone who knew Elvis from the time he was in high school to his death...and was closer than David Stanley ever was to him, read Me and a Guy Named Elvis by Jerry Schilling or If I Can Dream by Larry Gellar.
Call Me Fitz
(2010–2013)
Great show for two out of three seasons.
15 August 2023
Out of all the 90210 alum, I think Jason Priestley really went out of his way to play the opposite of his 90210 character. Nothing could be farther from his Brandon Walsh character than his portrayal of Fitz Fitzpatrick, a boozing, womanizer who has the morals of a used car salesman, which he is.
I have to say the entire cast is amazing and the first season was really funny. I binge watched it and thought it was fantastic and outrageous.
The problem with a show that's an over the top representation of such an amoral protagonist is that after the first season, it has to top the craziness, which you can tell by the second season is going to be hard. It's still good, but not quite as good.
By the time the third season rolls around you can tell quite obviously that they are pushing so hard to get as far out there as possible that it feels like you're watching different characters than you've seen the past two seasons.
That push comes at the expense of all the things that made the first season amazing and hooked you.
I had a hard time finishing the third season and only did so with the determination that I would finish the series. It's the ultimate example of the law of diminishing returns.
Jason Priestley is brilliant as Fitz and he's obviously the stand out.
I recommend you watch the first two seasons and skip the third. It'll preserve the characters you've grown to like, because you will not like the situations and directions season three goes in.
Meatloaf said it best, "two out of three ain't bad."
I have to say the entire cast is amazing and the first season was really funny. I binge watched it and thought it was fantastic and outrageous.
The problem with a show that's an over the top representation of such an amoral protagonist is that after the first season, it has to top the craziness, which you can tell by the second season is going to be hard. It's still good, but not quite as good.
By the time the third season rolls around you can tell quite obviously that they are pushing so hard to get as far out there as possible that it feels like you're watching different characters than you've seen the past two seasons.
That push comes at the expense of all the things that made the first season amazing and hooked you.
I had a hard time finishing the third season and only did so with the determination that I would finish the series. It's the ultimate example of the law of diminishing returns.
Jason Priestley is brilliant as Fitz and he's obviously the stand out.
I recommend you watch the first two seasons and skip the third. It'll preserve the characters you've grown to like, because you will not like the situations and directions season three goes in.
Meatloaf said it best, "two out of three ain't bad."
American Flyers
(1985)
Best Cycling Movie Out There.
17 July 2023
This movie will always hold a special place in my heart. It's a movie that I saw as a child and loved and rediscovered it years later and it's just as good. It's hard to believe that Kevin Costner was also in Fandango and Silverado around rhe same time he made this.
Costner plays Marcus Sommers, who, after his father's death has become estranged from his mother and younger brother, David.
The brothers share a bond through cycling and Marcus returns to take David back with him to train for the Hell of the West race.
Along the way you find out more about the family dynamic and you see the brother reconnect while training.
It's a movie that just makes you feel good. The scenery is amazing during the sequences set in the West and the soundtrack is phenomenal.
Bike movies were big in the 80s but you can't compare this movie to Rad or BMX Bandits. I can honestly say I've seen this movie almost a dozen times and it never gets old for me. It's one of those rare cinematic comfort films that I can sit down and watch or leave on in the background.
I think 1985 was a great year for Costner, he didn't get into the heavier leading roles in The Untouchables, No way Out, and Revenge until a year or three later.
This movie is in my top ten and if you like great acting, great scenery, great music, and a great story, this film will not disappoint.
Costner plays Marcus Sommers, who, after his father's death has become estranged from his mother and younger brother, David.
The brothers share a bond through cycling and Marcus returns to take David back with him to train for the Hell of the West race.
Along the way you find out more about the family dynamic and you see the brother reconnect while training.
It's a movie that just makes you feel good. The scenery is amazing during the sequences set in the West and the soundtrack is phenomenal.
Bike movies were big in the 80s but you can't compare this movie to Rad or BMX Bandits. I can honestly say I've seen this movie almost a dozen times and it never gets old for me. It's one of those rare cinematic comfort films that I can sit down and watch or leave on in the background.
I think 1985 was a great year for Costner, he didn't get into the heavier leading roles in The Untouchables, No way Out, and Revenge until a year or three later.
This movie is in my top ten and if you like great acting, great scenery, great music, and a great story, this film will not disappoint.
In the Shadow of the Moon
(2019)
Leave your logic at the door.
10 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
In a nutshell a serial killer pops up every 9 years starting in 1988 and a cop, to the detriment of his family life and eventually his career, dedicates himself to solving the mystery. It's a good film if you're bored and in the mood for a time travel flick. Now, like all time travel films there are flaws, some you have to ponder over for a while. The ones I'm about to mention take little to no knowledge of science to call out. So the killer is sent back in time to essentially murder not only the originator of a domestic terror group before he can spread his message too far, but also key members of his Cadre who will apparently one day play a key role in attacks or the spread of his ideology in the future of 2024, even though at the moment of her killing them, they are seemingly innocent and ordinary. The method of killing is a three pronged device that injects an isotope into the back of the victims neck that can then be triggered from the future to liquefy their brains. First off, if the killer had used conventional methods to kill them, the police would have been interested, but not Uber intrigued by an isotope that didn't exist or a method of death that made ebola look tame. Also the killer didn't even actually murder them, just got close enough to inject the isotope, which was then activated in the future via a computer. Why the delay? Which brings me to the attacks. As shown later on when the main character digs up a person he suspects was a victim, the prongs go so deep they actually left holes in the vertebra of the neck. You expect me to believe someone went up, stabbed them with such force their vertebrae was punctured, and they just walk it off, think, "that was weird " and go about their normal lives telling no one, until the kill switch in the future was activated? The movie expects you to think so because the first three victims, a bus driver, a short order cook, and a concert pianist, all die having obviously been attacked at some point prior and none seem any worse for wear or concerned.
I felt the film was ok, but ultimately anticlimactic and unsatisfying. It's a diversion but if you want great time travel in a film, go watch Primer or even Timecop...it has explosions.
I felt the film was ok, but ultimately anticlimactic and unsatisfying. It's a diversion but if you want great time travel in a film, go watch Primer or even Timecop...it has explosions.
Feral
(2017)
Pray the fate of humanity isn't left to these morons
29 August 2022
Usually a bad zombie movie is still watchable if you're bored. This is for the very, very bored.
A group of medical students venture into the woods and are attacked. Our "hero" played by Scout Taylor-Compton, has a smattering of Mary Sue which is all attributed to her being a country girl raised by an army ranger. She can shoot, disarm bear traps, is a take charge, in your face, always knows what to do kinda gal. The only problem is she calls herself an epidemiologist, despite the fact she is only a student who apparently knows nothing about how viruses work despite seeing evidence mounting in front of her. No one in the cast is likeable in the least. I found myself hoping they would all be eaten in the first twenty minutes. I mean if the point was to dislike everyone then the acting is excellent.
There's a lesbian subplot that's seems like its going to be used to create a potential love triangle that is a moot point almost as soon as it's presented. It feels like it was thrown in to attempt to be edgy or hip, honestly if it were taken out, the story, as weak as it is, wouldn't have suffered in the least. If you watch this you'll see it was only there to cause an argument and cause someone to shove someone else to get them to step into a bear trap...because simply having them walk into it is too pedestrian apparently.
Simple stories in remote settings can be amazing if written well. This is not one of those.
If you want to see a far superior genre picture look up Afflicted instead. Don't waste your time with this letdown.
A group of medical students venture into the woods and are attacked. Our "hero" played by Scout Taylor-Compton, has a smattering of Mary Sue which is all attributed to her being a country girl raised by an army ranger. She can shoot, disarm bear traps, is a take charge, in your face, always knows what to do kinda gal. The only problem is she calls herself an epidemiologist, despite the fact she is only a student who apparently knows nothing about how viruses work despite seeing evidence mounting in front of her. No one in the cast is likeable in the least. I found myself hoping they would all be eaten in the first twenty minutes. I mean if the point was to dislike everyone then the acting is excellent.
There's a lesbian subplot that's seems like its going to be used to create a potential love triangle that is a moot point almost as soon as it's presented. It feels like it was thrown in to attempt to be edgy or hip, honestly if it were taken out, the story, as weak as it is, wouldn't have suffered in the least. If you watch this you'll see it was only there to cause an argument and cause someone to shove someone else to get them to step into a bear trap...because simply having them walk into it is too pedestrian apparently.
Simple stories in remote settings can be amazing if written well. This is not one of those.
If you want to see a far superior genre picture look up Afflicted instead. Don't waste your time with this letdown.
The Catcher Was a Spy
(2018)
Moe Berg Gay? Evidence Seems to Disagree With This Film.
2 August 2022
I'm a history nerd. I understand that every film "based on a true story " takes dramatic license and outright makes up situations. Moe Berg could have ten films made about him with very little embellishments and I'd watch then. The man was a genius who spoke multiple languages and readily jumped at the chance to help his country in WW2.
What I can't abide about this almost great film, due in no small part to Paul Rudds understated performance, is the use of unfounded rumor as part of the character to explain why he's good at keeping secrets.
The movie implies and somehow also hits you over the head at the same, with the fact Moe Berg is gay. It only takes a minimum of research to show that those rumors are refuted by everyone who knew the man or socially interacted with him.
What basis the filmmakers based this on besides rumor and the fact Berg never married I'd love to know. A point of fact they don't tell you is that Berg had a 12 year relationship with his "fake" girlfriend and interviews with his contemporaries blow the theory out of the water. Not only did they not consider Berg gay, but they roundly considered him a ladies man. In fact, the daughter of Babe Ruth told a story of Berg coming on to her while dancing on a ship. As far as I can find there is zero evidence outside of rumor, that Berg was gay.
It is a plot element that is useless at least, but revisionist history at the worst and character assassination on a man who can no longer speak for himself.
It just feels like the filmmakers are trying to weave a thing they want to be true into a fascinating tale that really doesn't need fantasy to be compelling.
What I can't abide about this almost great film, due in no small part to Paul Rudds understated performance, is the use of unfounded rumor as part of the character to explain why he's good at keeping secrets.
The movie implies and somehow also hits you over the head at the same, with the fact Moe Berg is gay. It only takes a minimum of research to show that those rumors are refuted by everyone who knew the man or socially interacted with him.
What basis the filmmakers based this on besides rumor and the fact Berg never married I'd love to know. A point of fact they don't tell you is that Berg had a 12 year relationship with his "fake" girlfriend and interviews with his contemporaries blow the theory out of the water. Not only did they not consider Berg gay, but they roundly considered him a ladies man. In fact, the daughter of Babe Ruth told a story of Berg coming on to her while dancing on a ship. As far as I can find there is zero evidence outside of rumor, that Berg was gay.
It is a plot element that is useless at least, but revisionist history at the worst and character assassination on a man who can no longer speak for himself.
It just feels like the filmmakers are trying to weave a thing they want to be true into a fascinating tale that really doesn't need fantasy to be compelling.
Waiting for the Barbarians
(2019)
Incredibly slow with an unsatisfying ending.
4 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Let me start off by saying that the cinematography is amazing in this film and the actors are top notch. That being said I had to write a review due to all of the other reviews which seem to fawn over this film and slightly touch on some of the negative aspects. I realize that everyone absolutely loves an examination of how bad colonialism and imperialism is and that's pretty much what this movie is about. But having said that I can pretty much sum up this film in a few sentences. Everything is fine on the border until Imperial police show up stir up the natives and things turn bad for the fort. That's an incredible simplification but if you're expecting massive action fights with the natives or the fort being attacked, then this is not the movie for you. Mark Rylance plays the magistrate running a fort along the border of some unnamed Empire in some unnamed country. One other reviewer commented that his character is incredibly weak and I can't deny that. Johnny Depp shows up as a police colonel who is looking for conspiracy amongst the natives when it seems like in reality he's just there to stir up the natives as an excuse for the war that he appears to want. The magistrate leaves the fort to return a native woman to her tribe. The movie makes an effort to show that he's a good man but his entire philosophy of ruling over the fort is that if they leave the natives alone the natives will leave them alone. It isn't as if he's even going out of his way to commit any action one way or the other he just exists at the fort. It shows him trying to help the prisoners that Depp tortures, but he really doesn't even do anything for them other than express outrage to no one but himself pretty much of what's occurred. He writes letters complaining about the Colonel's behavior but he doesn't send them anywhere. Even after he is disgraced and put in custody he really doesn't make an effort to do anything. He's a weak man. While watching the movie apparently the soldiers that are in khaki are the fort soldiers and the soldiers in blue are the military police soldiers that are brought in from the outside, but as the movie shows, the magistrate doesn't even Inspire loyalty in his own people. They freely make statements against him to the military police and when he is arrested and paraded in front of the whole fort in a dress no one lifts a finger to help him, not even the people that he has presided over for however long he's been there. They simply laugh and jeered at him while he is strung up from a tree by his arms. As can be expected once they provoke the natives into the war that they crave so much everything goes very badly for them,. Everyone abandons the fort and in the end you see the Magistrate who is now back in his uniform but serving no Army, alone in the fort save for some children, and as he looks out over the distance you see a dust cloud which could either be a sandstorm or the approaching barbarians come to wipe the fort off the face of the earth. You really don't know. So having not read the book I may not have as much of an appreciation for this film as a lot of the people who have read the book, but as a movie it's incredibly slow it really doesn't have any events that make you satisfied in the telling of the story, if that makes any sense. It's a character study of the Magistrate but as a character I really didn't find any redeeming qualities in him. As I said before basically The Barbarians are the "civilized" people that are in the fort. The whole message is essentially what people who consider themselves to be intellectuals try to teach us about cultures that we don't consider as advanced as our own. So basically if you've ever seen any movie about Vietnam it's the same message only only set long before that conflict. I may be looked upon as being unfair to the film and if you watch it and like it that's great, but the entire experience left me completely unfulfilled. The message could have been told in a far more interesting way that would have held the attention of the viewer better and as I say there's really no resolution in the end so if you enjoy it great but don't say I didn't warn you.
NoHo
(1995)
A 90's film that should be spoken of like Clerks, Slacker, and My Life's in Turnaround.
22 February 2021
I somehow stumbled upon this movie over the weekend by movie surfing Amazon suggestions and since I love independent 90's films, I decided to watch it. After watching this hilarious movie I have officially added writer/director David Schrader to the likes of Kevin Smith, Richard Linklater, and Eric Schaffer and Donal Lardner Ward for making a no budget film that is entertaining from start to finish and seemingly came out of nowhere. The only difference is the release of NoHo was apparently very limited and it had languished in obscurity outside those lucky enough to have seen it, for the last 26 years. It's a perfect capture of what has been termed "slacker" lifestyle. The main characters, Quinn and Walter, struggle with jobs, (keeping or finding) love, (sometimes sabotaged by atrocious taste in music) and the general malaise and soul searching of life in general. I'm sure anyone who lived in North Hollywood at that time will get a blast from the past because the film seems to lovingly display tons of local locations and landmarks right from the start. I've always thought that Gen X writers like Schrader, Linklater, and Smith display a knack for witty, snap fire dialogue that is the hallmark of our generation. I'm not sure if it sprung organically or everyone influenced everyone else, but this movie has it in many scenes. This movie will make you feel nostalgic for pre cell phone stops at the nearest payphone and the greatest decade we've had in a long time, the 1990's. It's funny, heartfelt, and just plain great.
The only reason I can think of why this film was not picked up for wide distribution is the quality of the filming. It's not as polished as Clerks in many spots, you can see more graininess and some processing burn in places. I tend to find if a film can overcome these technical flaws with a good story and humor that keeps your interest, it's a winner. This film is one of those winners. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie, You'll see it's well deserving of a place in the much lauded indie scene from the 90's.
PCU
(1994)
Perfect 90s PC culture before it morphed into the Insanity we have today.
8 January 2020
I have always loved this movie. It captured a time when "politically correct" was becoming a watchword and a culture. Looking back, the protesters look tame and quaint compared to what we have on campuses today. Jeremy Piven is the obvious standout as the leader of The Pit, a decidedly Un-PC group on campus who just wants to have fun in a place where everyone is offended by everything.
Everyone involved is amazing and the film is endlessly quotable. It's not Animal House and it's not trying to be.
After loving it for years, I bought the DVD and listened to the commentary. Director Hart Bochner comes off as a guy who just wanted to make a good film, and I think he succeeded.
Jeremy Piven on the other hand, comes off as an arrogant prima donna who endlessly brings up how, "If only I'd been allowed to improvise my entire dialogue, this film would have succeeded."
Given some public statements he's made since then, like John Cusack wouldn't have had a career if it hadn't been for him, my opinion of Piven as a person is low. Despite that, he really does turn in a signature perform in this film.
It doesn't take itself seriously and you should go into it just wanting to be entertained. It's a nostalgic trip for those of us who were teens/twenties in the 90s, like Airheads, SFW, or Singles.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix
(2013)
Nostalgia and Amazing Music
1 July 2019
I had to comment considering out of two reviews, one was a 1 star, which is totally unfair to this great film.
The film takes place in the very early 90's, right before Nirvana and Smells Like Teen Spirit turned Seattle into grunge mecca for the next few years.
The story centers on Hote, a bass player in a band in Phoenix. If you know anything about the Tempe/Phoenix music scene of the 90's you'll know that The Gin Blossoms, Dead Hot Workshop, The Refreshments, and many other great bands got started, mostly at Long Wongs on Mill Ave.The soundtrack has a lot of DHW and it's amazing.
Hote decides to move to Seattle after his buddy Anda calls and invites him to be in his band. Hote gets sidetracked by a pretty cashier and other events and has to spend more time in Phoenix than he hoped, he also might have a golden opportunity with a couple of friends and band right there at home.
It's a movie about the hard decision to leave home set in a magical time for the music scene in Arizona. The soundtrack is phenomenal and the only reason I didn't give it 10 out 10 was the sound quality in some scenes. This film was a labor of love for all involved and I could forgive technical issues for the story that has kept me rewatching this film.
You won't regret giving this a shot, especially if you dig an insiders peek into the 90's Tempe music sound and scene.
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