gagliano

First of all....I love it! "West Wing" is a television show like no other. After just a little more than a dozen episodes, it has already received Golden Globe nominations for "Best Drama Series" and two for "Best Actor" . It is considered one of the best shows on television this year as rated by numerous entertainment and news magazines. I am confident you will see it leading the pack for Emmy nominations as well.

Newsman Edward Murrow (1988) said "[Television] can teach, it can illuminate: yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance, and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful." Well, it's now 2000 and we have a television show that does inspire and challenge us to make our society better. But I know what you are thinking? Isn't "West Wing" a television show about the White House and the Presidency? If it's based upon reality, shouldn't that be a comedy more so than a drama? Your assumption by comparing the Clinton Presidency and the current political climate to that of a television comedy is probably correct, but then one of our main networks (NBC) could then be accused of making light of a sad situation. Instead, NBC has risen above the bad jokes or rips on our political system, and created a television show that provides us hope and comfort in the belief that those in government service and politics truly do care about the "man or woman on the street" . I believe that every single person in this country hopes that someday we will have a President who can truly identify with each and everyone of us, one who understands our fears, our struggles, and our dreams. A President, who in either 4 or 8 years of service, makes life better for all of us on a daily basis. Someone who knows about grocery store scanners, knows their favorite "Value Meals" by number, and yet has the wisdom and knowledge to put forth and into action ideas that make this country a better place. We don't seek a President who is super-human, but a President who isn't afraid to show that he is human. Someone who demonstrates their leadership with an exceptional amount of courage and has ideals that inspire us to challenge and overcome the struggles we face as individuals and as a society. And that person is a guy named Jed.

"West Wing" has selected former New Hampshire Governor Josiah "Jed" Bartlet (Martin Sheen) to be President of the United States. He holds a Noble Laureate in Economics, has been a former Congressman, and is a descendant of one of the original signers of the Constitution. He is happily married to Abigail "Abby" Bartlet, his First Lady and M.D., for more years than he can remember (played by Academy-Award winning actress Stockard Channing). Abby helps keep his feet firmly on solid ground. In addition, President Bartlett suffers from a form of multiple sclerosis, but has chosen to keep his condition private from the staff and the public.

Surrounding the President, is his staff, located in the West Wing of the White House. Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, a former Labor Secretary and recovering alcoholic/ drug addict (John Spencer) leads the team. Communications Director, Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff) attempts to challenge the staff to bring forth changes in domestic policy that will make America greater than she is. Toby's not afraid to challenge the President and others to take stronger stands on social issues. You can feel his frustration and anger as worthwhile battles are lost to politics. Deputy Communications Chief, Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) puts the spin on the White House message and while he is as committed as Toby, he also know which battles are worth fighting for. Press Secretary C.J. Gregg (Allison Chaney) is bar far one of the most personable characters on the show. While she is one of the most visible members of the White House staff, due to her role, she is limited in her ability to influence policy and is sometimes relegated to a simple role of sharing the message with the press. The White House staffers who will either develop a loyal television following or rate a strong dislike are Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford of Wisconsin) and Political Consultant Dr. Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly) who used to be significant others. They are the ones whose role it is to play politics, but every so often you see a caring and human side of them that politics hasn't yet touched.

Finally you have fantastic supporting West Wing staff such as Presidential Aide Charlie Young (Dule Hill), Vice-President John Hoynes (Tim Matheson), Aide Donna Moss (Janel Moloney), First Daughter Zoey Bartlet (Elizabeth Moss), Journalist Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield), Presidential Secretary Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten), and Aide Margaret (Nicole Robinson). In addition, you have repeating roles by Supreme Court Justice Nominees, Cabinet Officers and the Joint Chiefs.

You don't have to watch "West Wing" on a regular basis, for each episode carries it's own weekly issue or storyline with a few overlapping sub stories that are easily picked up on. You see issues of nuclear war, terrorism, religion, hate crimes, gun control, alcoholism and health all taken up in less than 60 minutes. Watching how these White House Staffers go about their daily duties is both encouraging and exciting. You gain a sense of hope that if our current White House staffers even care just a touch of how these people care, then maybe things aren't too bad. The sad part is you sometimes find yourself wishing that Jed Bartlet was running for President, for you know he will spend more time working for solutions to our nation's ills rather than being the source of them. Bottom line...we haven't seen any White House Intern storylines yet, but let's hope that the "West Wing" writers just thought a story of a President and an Intern would read to much like bad fiction. Rating 10 of 10.

First of all....I kinda sorta liked it. I thought "Deuce Bigalow" was an okay film, not great in any way, but not a total slug either. While I may agree with you that the title of the film alone would be an indication as to whether or not I thought this film had a chance to be nominated for a "Golden Globe", "Academy Award" or even a "People's Choice" award, I still held out hope that this film may have had some redeeming qualities that were not readily visible in the title. You know the old saying, "you can't judge a book by it's cover", just like you can't "judge a movie by it's title".

For all I knew, "Deuce Bigalow" could have been another blockbuster (no not the video store) like "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (example of sarcasm) or "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective". Well, in this film Deuce could have been from Texas. This movie had a few unique moments....but first the storyline....Deuce is a world-class fish tank cleaner. Deuce finally gets a chance to take care of a great fish tank, but somehow screws things up and ends up needing to replace it. Well Deuce is broke, so he stumbles across the idea of becoming a male gigolo. Well, with all ethical, moral, and legal arguments aside...Deuce as a gigolo is like imagining a former Arkansas Governor becoming President of the United States. Somehow Deuce pulls it off and his career is on its way. (I guess dreams do come true sometimes.) Now as all "love/sex/comedy/R-rated" stories go...Deuce falls in love with one of his clients. Okay, you get the picture. Deuce is lacking in credibility, story line, decent actors, and humor.

Bottom line...."Deuce Bigalow" starring Rob Schneider is more like a "Saturday Night Live" skit or "Energizer Bunny" that keeps going and going and going....until the audience begins wondering why don't they.

First of all....I liked it. Even though there has not been any talk of a sequel to the new movie "House on Haunted Hill", the audience should prepare themselves that in the year 2015, you may be attending the local theater to see "House on Haunted Hill #15...Revenge of the Remodeled Home". "House on Haunted Hill" does not have an all-star cast, nor does it have all those flashy special effects, but it does have the ability to throw a few curves your way. In one scene, I actually had the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and in another I enjoyed a quick knee reflex that allowed me to kick the seat in front of me (thus enhancing the movie's frightful effect on the person sitting straight ahead.) Geoffrey Rush, Taye Diggs, Peter Gallagher, Famke Janssen all put forth great performances to make this a well-done film. I was sold on the film the moment I saw the scene (which also appears in the trailers) of the woman videotaping around the haunted house and discovers in her camera's viewer a room full of ghosts performing an operation, she then lowers the camera, looks with her own eyes, sees the room is empty, and then looks back through the camera and now sees a room full of angry ghosts staring back, and yes you guessed it, this is when the hair on my neck stood up. Some of you may remember an old Don Knotts' film, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken", in which Don is challenged to spend a frightful evening in an old haunted house, he accepts the challenge only to be forced from the house in the middle of the night. This film, has a similar concept and a few good laughs, but the difference is that this house won't let you leave even if you want to. So I would think this movie is more like Don Knotts staying over at "Amityville". You have a touch of humor, a few special effects, a few scenes in which you close your eyes, and an ending which leaves you "hanging" with the feeling that this isn't the last time you will visit this house. Bottom line...do you really suppose there are people out there who truly would stay overnight in any situation that involves ghosts or haunted places? Because while I like to think that I would be up for a good challenge....I also know that if I couldn't have done what Don Knotts did, I surely wouldn't be able to stay a night at the "House on Haunted Hill".s