brtmh

Five Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK VOYAGER" Season Three (1996-1997)

brtmh — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:15:43 GMT

Below is a list of my five favorite episodes from Season Three of "STAR TREK VOYAGER". Created by Rick Berman, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor; the series starred Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway:

FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK VOYAGER" SEASON THREE (1996-1997)

1. (3.16) "Blood Fever" - While enduring pon farr, a lovesick Ensign Vorik unexpectedly passes it to Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres, affecting her relationship with Chief Helmsman Tom Paris during an Away mission. Alexander Enberg guest-starred.

2. (3.24) "Displaced" - A mystery develops when Voyager crew members are replaced, one-by-one, with aliens from an unknown race.

3. (3.25) "Worst Case Scenario" - When Torres discovers a hidden holodeck program in which the ship's Maquis crewmen stage an insurrection, members of the Voyager crew begin clandestinely participating in it, with surprising dangerous results for Paris and Security Chief Tuvok. Martha Hackett guest-starred.

4. (3.17) "Unity" - Voyager's First Officer, Commander Chakotay, crashes on a planet with a community of unassimilated Borg drones from all over the galaxy. Meanwhile, the ship encounters a Borg cube that is "dead in space".

5. (3.02) "The Chute" - While on leave on the Akritirian homeworld, Paris and Operations Chief Harry Kim are falsely accused of a terrorist bombing. While the two men struggle to survive in a brutal prison, Captain Kathryn Janeway and Voyager's crew race against time to prove their innocence.

Honorable Mention: (3.14) "Alter Ego" - Kim falls in love with a holodeck character from Neelix's Polynesian resort program named Marayna. But when he seeks help from Tuvok to get over his "crush", Marayna begins to behave strangely when she develops an obsession toward the Vulcan Security Chief.

"EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS" (1992) Review

brtmh — Wed, 27 May 2026 17:45:50 GMT

"EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS" (1992) Review

I honestly do not know what to say about "EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS". I had heard so much about this adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 novel. Yet, I have never seen it in the movie theaters. In fact, it took me a long time to finally come around viewing it. When I finally saw it, the movie produced a reaction I did not expect to experience.

Unlike the more famous 1939 William Wyler film, "EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS" proved to be an adaptation of Brontë's entire novel. Unlike the famous Wyler film or the 1847 novel, this movie was set during the second half of the eighteenth century. Directed by Peter Kosminsky, the movie began with the arrival of a gentleman named Lockwood, who seeks to rent a Yorkshire estate called Thrushcross Grange from its owner - a middle-aged man named Heathcliff. The latter lives at another local estate called Wuthering Heights. While visiting Wuthering Heights, Lockwood has an encounter with what he believes is a ghost . . . the ghost of a woman named Cathy. This drives Heathcliff racing out of the manor house and housekeeper Nelly Dean to recount to Lockwood on what drove Heathcliff to behave in that manner.

The story jumps back to some twenty to thirty years earlier in which an earlier owner of Wuthering Heights, Thomas Earnshaw, returns from a trip to Liverpool with a young boy who or who might not be a gypsy in tow named Heathcliff. The latter manages to befriend Earnshaw's daughter Catherine "Cathy". However, Earnshaw's son Hindley develops a deep dislike of the newcomer. He fears that Heathcliff has replaced him in his father's affections. Several years later, Earnshaw dies. Hindley marries a woman named Frances and becomes the new owner of Wuthering Heights. He allows Heathcliff to remain at Wuthering Heights . . . but only as a servant. The one bright spot in Heathcliff's life is his friendship with Cathy, which has developed into a romance between the pair. When Cathy and Heathcliff discover the Earnshaws' neighbors, the Lintons, giving a party at Thrushcross Grange, Cathy is attacked by a dog when she and Heathcliff climb the garden wall. The Lintons take Cathy in to care for her and order Heathcliff to leave the Grange. Cathy becomes entranced by Edgar Linton, along his wealth and glamour; while Edgar falls in love with her. Edgar's marriage proposal to Cathy and her acceptance leads to a major fallout between her and Heathcliff. The latter disappears without a trace for several years. And his return leads to jealousy, obsession and in the end, tragedy for him, the Earnshaws and the Lintons.

"EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS" proved to be rather popular with moviegoers. Ralph Fiennes' portrayal of the brooding Heathcliff and the film's adaptation of the entire novel left this film highly regarded by fans of period dramas. On the other hand, the majority of films critics were not impressed with this movie. Why they felt this way about the movie? I have no idea. I have yet to read a single positive review written by a professional film critic. I am simply aware that "EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS" was not that popular with them. While some movie fans are inclined to quickly accept the views of film critics, I decided to see the movie for myself and form my own judgement.

When I first saw this film, I was surprised that it was set during the late 1700s and around the beginning of the 1800s. James Acheson, who had designed the Oscar winning costume designs for 1988's "DANGEROUS LIAISONS", created the costumes for "WUTHERING HEIGHTS". And frankly, I believe he did a marvelous job in re-creating the fashions for the movie's setting as shown in the images below:

Another aspect of "WUTHERING HEIGHTS" that impressed me proved to be the performances. I do not know what led Peter Kominsky and the Casting Department to choose Ralph Fiennes for the role of Heathcliff, but I believe that fate or something divine led them to select the right actor for this role. Honestly, he did a fantastic job in portraying such an emotionally and morally chaotic character like Heathcliff. Some people were a bit put off by Juliette Binoche as both Cathy Henshaw and Catherine Linton. They had an issue with her slight French accent. I have to be honest . . . I could barely notice her accent. But I thought she did an excellent job in portraying Cathy's vain and capricious personality, along with daughter Catherine's no-nonsense, yet compassionate nature. The movie also featured some excellent performances from Sophie Ward as Isabella Linton, Simon Shepherd as Edgar Linton, Janet McTeer as Nelly Dean, Jeremy Northam as Hindley Earnshaw, Jason Riddington as Hareton Earnshaw, and Jonathan Firth as Linton Heathcliff. Overall, I thought the cast was pretty solid.

And yet . . . I must confess that I am not a fan of this adaptation of Brontë's 1847 novel. I honestly do not care that the movie was a faithful adaptation that covered not only Heathcliff and Cathy's generation, but that of the younger generation. I am simply not a fan. One of my problems with this film was Kominsky's direction. He did a fine job in directing the actors. But I found his overall direction of the film rather problematic. Quite frankly, I thought the entire movie seemed like a rush job. Perhaps he was hampered by Anne Devlin's screenplay. The latter tried to shove Brontë's entire narrative into a movie with a running time of one hour and forty-five minutes. I am sorry, but that did not work. Watching this film, I finally understood why William Wyler only shot the novel's first half back in 1939.

Another major problem I had with the film is Brontë's novel . . . or the second half. I am not a major fan of the 1847 novel. But if it had ended like Wyler's movie, I would have been satisfied. Personally, I have always found the second half of the novel rather boring and contrived; especially with Heathcliff running around like some damn mustache-twirling villain. And the taint of borderline incest certainly did not help, considering that Catherine Linton spent most of her screen time being torn between two men that happened to be her first cousins.

My final problems with "EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS" are rather aesthetic. As much as I enjoyed James Acheson's costumes, I cannot say the same about the hairstyles worn by the cast. Exactly who was in charge of the film's hairstyles? Because that person seemed unable to surmise that the film was set in the late 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Some of the cast had modern hairstyles. And a good deal of the women cast members looked as if they were wearing rather bouffant wigs. One last problem I had with "WUTHERING HEIGHTS" was Mike Southon's cinematography. I suppose the 1990s ushered in the age of naturalistic lighting for period dramas. The problem is that I could barely see a damn thing! Especially in the movie's interior shots. I find it rather difficult to enjoy a movie or television production in which the lighting is so dark that I found myself depending more on the dialogue than the images on the screen. Worse, even some of the exterior shots seemed a little darker than usual. Was this a case of Southon adding to the film's Gothic setting? I have no idea. And honestly, I do not care, considering that . . . again, I could barely see a damn thing.

I wish I could say that I enjoyed "EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS". I really do. There were some aspects of the film that I liked - namely James Acheson's costumes and some first-rate performances from a cast led by Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes. But I found the movie's running time too short for an effective adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel. Either the film should have been longer . . . or it should have followed the example of the 1939 film and only adapt the novel's first half. Overall, I found this movie rather disappointing.

"THE INFORMANT!" (2009) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:56:34 GMT

Below are photos from the 2009 Steven Soderbergh movie about industrial informer Mark Whitacre called "THE INFORMANT!". The movie starred Matt Damon:

"THE INFORMANT!" (2009) Photo Gallery

"NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II" (1986) - Episode Two "July 1861 - August 1862" Commentary

brtmh — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:53:23 GMT

"NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II" (1986) - EPISODE TWO "July 1861 - August 1862" Commentary

Episode Two began with the aftermath of Bull Run. It also featured Brett Main Hazard and Semiramis' journey to South Carolina, Orry Main's wedding to his widowed neighbor Madeline LaMotte, and Elkhannah Bent and Ashton Main Huntoon's smuggling operations. I wish I could be objective about this particular episode, but I cannot. I dislike it too much. It is one of the main reasons why I have so much difficulty with "NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II" in the first place.

My main beef with this episode centered around the plot line that featured Brett and Semiramis' journey south to Mont Royal, following the Bull Run battle. First of all, I believe that this particular plot line was badly written. Brett and Semiramis should not have had any difficulties getting past Union lines, since nearly the entire Union Army had fled to Washington in disarray, following the battle. Second, once they had reached Richmond and delivered the message about Clarissa Main's injury, they could have accompanied Orry back to South Carolina. They would have arrived at Mont Royal in late July or early August 1861, instead of November 1861. And why did it take them so long to reach South Carolina in the first place? Surely, the two could have traveled by train. The Union Army had not began destroying Southern railroad tracks during the summer of 1861. And one last question – why on earth was a message sent to Brett in Washington D.C. in the first place? An accommodating neighbor of the Mains or a local doctor could have sent the message about Clarissa to Orry in Richmond. It would have been a lot easier. And quicker. Talk about bad writing!

I have a few other qualms about Episode Two. I find it odd that Justin La Motte never suffered any legal repercussions for his attack upon Mont Royal in Episode One. Nor did Orry Main encountered any repercussions for La Motte's death, when he rescued Madeline from her venal husband. And could someone please explain Orry's war duties to Jefferson Davies and the Confederacy? It is bad enough that he managed to procure such a high position within the Confederate Army, considering his previous military history. But what exactly was his duty? Was he the main quartermaster for the Confederate Army? Was he involved in investigating war profiteers? Or was he some unrealistic jack-of-all-trade? In fact, I have the same complaint about George Hazard's position with the Union Army. Like Orry, his previous military history was very limited. Yet, he managed to become a military aide to President Lincoln and serve other duties for the Army - duties that seemed to be very varied. I was especially shocked to find George attending one of Lincoln's Cabinet meetings. Really? Are they serious? This is incredibly sloppy writing. Both Charles Main and his fellow officer Lieutenant Ambrose Pell continue to unnecessarily cart around their swords, during their duties as scouts. And I still see no signs of enlisted men under their command. Episode Two also featured a moment when President Lincoln announced his "Emancipation Proclamation" to his cabinet . . . and George Hazard. I realize this should have been a profound moment, but the pretentious dialogue left me feeling cold.

However, there were some good moments in this episode. George and Orry had a bittersweet reunion inside a barn, while both were traveling to their respective capitals. Charles visited the widowed Augusta Barclay’s farm after being injured by Union cavalry. Stanley and Isobel Hazard scheme to profit from the war and make enough money to take over Hazard Iron. And in one brief scene, Congressman Greene had an embarrassed reaction to a wounded soldier that did David Odgen Stiers’ skills proud as an actor. Of all of these scenes, the one that really impressed me proved to be the one that featured Stanley and Isabel's scheming. For me, this was a step up from their narrative in John Jakes' 1984 novel. The reason I was so impressed by these scenes was due to the first-rate performances from the cast.

Aside from the Stanley and Isabel story arc, I believe the rest of the scenes benefited from the cast's excellent acting. This was especially apparent by James Read and Patrick Swayze's performances in the scene that featured George and Orry's reunion, and also the performances by Lewis Smith, Kate McNeill and first-time actor John Nixon. Both Philip Casnoff and Terri Garber continued to amazing heat in their portrayals of Elkhannah Bent and Ashton Main Huntoon. Kurtwood Smith gave an intense and fascinating portrayal of Billy Hazard's commander Hiram Burdan. And Whip Hubley, an actor I have never been that particularly impressed with, gave an interesting performance as Billy's regimental rival, Lieutenant Stephen Kent.

Kevin Connor continued to handle his actors with skill. And the miniseries' photography by Jacques R. Marquette continued to strike me as colorful, but not particularly impressive. But there is one aspect of this production that continued to really impress me was Robert Fletcher's costume designs - especially for the women. Below are examples of his work in this episode:

But if I must be brutally frank, Episode Two featured some of the worst writing in this miniseries, and probably in the entire trilogy. No amount of excellent performances or dazzling costume designs could improve my opinion or save what proved to be an otherwise dull episode.

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Review

brtmh — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:36:22 GMT

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Review

Years ago, Eddie Murphy had an idea about him and a group of comedians starring in a movie about a group planning to rob Trump Tower. The script developed and changed into an "OCEAN'S ELEVEN"-style caper, leading Murphy to leave the project. When director Brett Ratner continued to develop the idea into the movie's present story, Murphy eventually rejoined the production.

"TOWER HEIST" told the story about three employees of an exclusive apartment building called The Tower, who lose their pensions due to a Ponzi scheme of a Wall Street businessman, who also lives in the building. The group enlist the aid of a criminal, a bankrupt businessman that also lives in the building, and another building employee to break into the businessman's apartment and steal back their money, while avoiding the FBI Agent in charge of his case.

One of my favorite types of movies has always been the heist comedy. This is why I am a fan of such movies like "LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS", "A FISH CALLED WANDA" and the "OCEAN'S ELEVEN" series. I do not know if I would place "TOWER HEIST" on the same level as the previously mentioned films. I would not regard it as one of the best heist films I have ever seen, or even one of the best comedies. But I cannot deny that I found it entertaining.

I must admit that I did not believe Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy would ever generate a strong screen chemistry. But in a rather odd way, they seemed to click. I suppose this was due to the fact that Stiller's more subdued performance perfectly balanced Murphy's more extroverted one. And they had solid support from the likes of Casey Affleck, Téa Leoni, Alan Alda, Michael Peña, Matthew Broderick and Gabourey Sidibe. I was especially impressed by Alda's insidious performance as the scheming businessman Arthur Shaw and Sidibe's portrayal of the sharp-tongued maid Odessa, whose savy proved to be the group's godsend on at least two occasions.

Another aspect of "TOWER HEIST" that I admired was the movie's script written by Ted Griffin and Jeff Nathanson. It was not the most spectacular story I have seen on the movie screen. I had a problem with the movie's last five or ten minutes. I would reveal what I found troubling about the ending. But if I did, I would give away the story. I suspect Griffin and Nathanson ended it this way to put a little bite in the movie's ending. It just did not work for me.

However, I did enjoy most of the story. I also liked that one of the main aspects that injected a good deal of suspense into the story was the possibility of one or more of the robbers betraying the others - especially in the case of both Murphy and Affleck's characters. This is something that is usually common in a heist drama. But I have yet to see such a thing in a comedy, until I saw "TOWER HEIST".

In the end, "TOWER HEIST" proved to be a solid and entertaining comedy with a slightly weak ending. The movie was also blessed with a first-rate cast led by Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy. And director Brett Ratner did a good job in utilizing both the story and the cast to make a pretty solid film.

"WORLD WAR Z" (2013) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:00:50 GMT

Below are images from the new apocalyptic horror movie, "WORLD WAR Z", an adaptation of Max Brooks' 2006 novel. Directed by Marc Forster, the movie starred Brad Pitt:

"WORLD WAR Z" (2013) Photo Gallery

Top Five Favorite "MAD MEN" Season One (2007) Episodes

brtmh — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:41:10 GMT

Below is a list of my top five favorite Season One episodes of AMC's "MAD MEN":

TOP FIVE FAVORITE "MAD MEN" SEASON ONE (2007) Episodes

1. (1.12) "Nixon vs. Kennedy" - In this superb episode, Sterling-Cooper's employees have an all-night party to watch the results of the 1960 Presidential Election. Also, Pete Campbell discovers that Don Draper's real name is Dick Whitman, who had been officially declared dead during the Korean War.

2. (1.10) "The Long Weekend" - During the Labor Day weekend, Roger Sterling decides to cheer up Don over the loss of a client by arranging a double date with twins. During the date, he suffers a heart attack. Meanwhile, Joan Holloway has a double date with her roommate and two out-of-town businessmen.

3. (1.05) "5G" - In this poignant episode, Don receives an unwelcome visitor in the form of his half-brother, Adam Whitman, whom he had not seen since the Korean War. And when Ken Cosgrove gets his short story published in a magazine, a jealous Pete asks wife Trudy to convince an old boyfriend to publish his story.

4. (1.01) "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" - The series' pilot episode introduces Manhattan advertisement executive Don Draper and his co-workers at the Sterling-Cooper agency, as he struggles to maintain Lucky Strike as a client for the agency.

5. (1.09) "Shoot" - A larger ad agency tries to lure Don from Sterling-Cooper by hiring wife Betty Draper for a modeling job. Meanwhile, Pete devises a strategy to help the Nixon campaign.

"NORTHANGER ABBEY" (2007) Review

brtmh — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 04:19:18 GMT

"NORTHANGER ABBEY" (2007) Review

As far as I know, there have only been two screen adaptations of Jane Austen's 1817 novel, "Northanger Abbey". The first adaptation aired back in 1986. And the most recent aired on Britain's ITV network back in 2007, as part of a series of dramas called Jane Austen Season.

"NORTHANGER ABBEY" followed the misadventures of Catherine Morland, the 17 year-old daughter of a rural clergyman and Gothic novel aficianado. She is invited by her parents' wealthy friends, Mr. and Mrs. Allen, to accompany them on a visit the famous spa city, Bath. There, the friendly and somewhat naive Catherine becomes acquainted with Isabella Thorpe (who becomes engaged to her brother James), and her crude brother, John. She also befriends Eleanor Tilney and falls in love with the latter's brother, the witty and charming clergyman, Henry.

The Thorpes are displeased with Catherine's friendship with the Tilneys, due to John's interest in making her his future wife. Both sister and brother assume that Catherine might become the future heir of the childless Allens. But when Catherine's relationship with the Tilneys - especially Henry - grows closer, a jealous Mr. Thorpe plays a prank by falsely informing Henry and Eleanor's father, the tyrannical General Tilney, that Catherine is an heiress. The joke leads the Tilney patriarch to invite Catherine to spend some time at the family's estate, Northanger Abbey. There, Catherine and Henry's relationship become romantic. However, between her penchant for Gothic novels, her overactive imagination and Mr. Thorpe's lie; Catherine's stay at Northanger Abbey threatens to end in disaster.

My review of the 1986 version of Austen's tale made it pretty clear that I harbored a low opinion of it. Fortunately, I cannot say the same about this 2007 version. Mind you, there were aspects of it that I found troubling.

As in the 1986 television movie, a castle (this time Lismore Castle in Ireland) served as Northanger Abbey. Was finding an actual estate with an abbey that difficult to find? Also, screenwriter Andrew Davies seemed determined to inject some form of overt sexuality into his recent adaptations of Austen novels. In "NORTHANGER ABBEY", he allowed the engaged Isabella Thorpe to have sex with the lecherous Captain Frederick Tilney, instead of simply flirting with him. My biggest problem with the movie turned out to be the last fifteen minutes or so. Quite frankly, I found the finale somewhat rushed. For some reason, Davies decided to exclude General Tilney's reconciliation with Catherine and Henry.

Frankly, I found the movie's flaws rather minor in compare to its virtues. I thought "NORTHANGER ABBEY" was a fun and delicious soufflé that proved to be one of the most entertaining 93 minutes I have ever seen on television. It is a wonderfully funny and elegant tale about the coming-of-age of the 17 year-old Catherine Morland. Andrew Davies did a pretty good job of conveying not only the charm of Catherine, but also the personal flaws that prevented her from opening her eyes to the realities of the world. But her acquaintance with the Thorpe siblings, General Tilney's vindictiveness and Henry Tilney's practicality finally opened those eyes. Another aspect of "NORTHANGER ABBEY" that I truly enjoyed was the array of interesting characters that participated in Catherine's journey to young adulthood. And it took a cast of first-rate actors to bring these characters to life.

Unlike other Austen fans, I had not been impressed by Sylvestra Le Touzel's portrayal of Fanny Price in the 1983 miniseries, "MANSFIELD PARK". Her performance as the giddy Mrs. Allen is another matter. Le Touzel gave a deliciously zany performance as Catherine's flighty and social-loving benefactress. And it is amazing how the actress' skills had improved after 24 years. Liam Cunningham made an impressive and rather foreboding General Tilney. In fact, he struck me as so intimidating that a black cloud seemed to hover about every time he appeared on the screen. William Beck, who portrayed the brutish John Thorpe, did not strike me as intimidating . . . only sinister. From a physical perspective. Yet, the moment the actor skillfully embodied the character, his Mr. Thorpe became a gauche and desperate loser who injected a "demmed" in nearly every other sentence that left his mouth. Carey Mulligan was wonderfully radiant, sexy and scheming as the manipulative Isabella Thorpe. She almost seemed like an intelligent Regency sexpot, whose lack of impulse control led to her downfall. And Catherine Walker made a charming and intelligent Eleanor Tilney.

However, it seemed quite obvious to me that "NORTHANGER ABBEY" belonged to the two leads - Felicity Jones and J.J. Feild. The role of Catherine Morland proved to be Felicity Jones' first leading role as an actress. And she proved that she was more than up to the challenge. She did an excellent job of portraying Catherine's development from an innocent and over-imaginative bookworm to a slightly sadder and wiser young woman. More importantly, her chemistry with J.J. Feild literally crackled with fire. Speaking of Mr. Feild, I can honestly say that his Henry Tilney is, without a doubt, my favorite on-screen Austen hero of all time. Everything about his performance struck me as absolutely delicious - his charm, his pragmatism, his wicked wit and occasional cynicism and especially his voice. Pardon me for my shallowness, but Feild has one of the most spine-tingling voices among up and coming actors, today.

I also have to commend the movie's production values. David Wilson's production designs did an excellent job of conveying viewers back to the second half of the Regency decade. He was ably assisted by Mark Lowry's art direction and Grania Preston's costume designs, which struck me as simple, yet elegant and stylish. But it was Ciarán Tanham's photography that really impressed me. The movie's colors were rich and vibrant, yet at the same time, rather elegant. Tanham's photography did much to project the movie's elegant, yet colorful style.

I would never consider "NORTHANGER ABBEY" as one of the heavy-hitting Jane Austen adaptations. But it has such an elegant, yet witty aura about it that I cannot help but enjoy it very much. I was also impressed by Andrew Davies' development of the Catherine Morland character, which lead actress Felicity Jones did a great job of transferring to the screen. "NORTHANGER ABBEY" is, without a doubt, one of the most likeable Jane Austen adaptations I have ever seen, hands down.

"UNDERGROUND" Season Two (2017) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 18:22:41 GMT

Below are images from the WGN series, "UNDERGROUND". Created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, the series stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Aldis Hodge:

"UNDERGROUND" SEASON TWO (2017) Photo Gallery

"HANCOCK" (2008) Review

brtmh — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:46:35 GMT

”HANCOCK” (2008) Review

When I first learned about the premise for ”HANCOCK” - a superhero leading the life of a drunken bum – it struck me as rather original. Seventeen years later, I still feel that it is one of the original movie premises I have ever come across.

”John Hancock” is a powerful amnesiac who uses his super abilities to occasionally help the citizens of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, not only does his help tend to come off as heavy-handed and reluctant, but also damaging to public property. In short, his actions and drunken, yet sardonic attitude also pisses off a lot of people. This all changes when Hancock ends up saving the life of a Public Relations spokesperson named Ray Embrey. The grateful PR man offers to help Hancock clean up his public image. Although Ray ends up achieving his goal, trouble arises when Hancock finds himself growing attracted to Ray’s wife, Mary. And she finds herself forced to reveal a big secret surrounding both Hancock . . . and herself.

I must admit that I found the first half of ”HANCOCK” rather interesting. It seemed like a rare treat to witness the metamorphosis of a drunken, yet powerful asshole into a competent and less reluctant Good Samaritan/superhero. Unfortunately, once Mary revealed the truth about herself and Hancock, the movie veered into entirely new direction. What started out as the development of a genuine superhero who might be interested in a friend’s wife, ended up as a semi-tragic tale of two immortals forced to remain apart in order to maintain their powers. Frankly, I found this whole, new scenario a load of nonsense. And a contrived reason to keep the two immortal lovers, permanently apart.

In a way, I can understand why screenwriters Vince Gilligan and Vincent Ngo had prevented Hancock and Mary to end the movie with a lovers’ embrace. Such a conclusion would have broken Ray Embrey’s heart. And I must say that Jason Bateman’s portrayal of the idealistic PR spokesperson struck me as very enduring. It would seem slightly depressing if the movie had ended with his character as a loser. In fact, I would go further and say that the main strength ”HANCOCK” centered around its cast. British actor Eddie Marsan made a captivating bank robber with a penchant for bombs and revenge against Hancock. Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron did a wonderful job in portraying the enigmatic Mary Embrey, who is not only torn between two men, but by a secret she has been harboring for years. But it was really Will Smith in the title role, who really impressed me. Portraying a character as complex as John Hancock must have been a challenge. But Smith lived up to the challenge by capturing every nuance of the character without resorting to over-the-top acting, as he was inclined to in the past decade. Without him, Bateman and Theron, the movie could have fallen apart.

I wish I could say that ”HANCOCK” was one of the better movies of 2008. Despite stellar performances by the cast and Peter Berg’s competent direction, the movie was nearly undone by a script that deviated midway into the story. However, the movie was not a total loss. It could have been a lot worse. A lot worse.

Movies For HALLOWEEN

brtmh — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:32:32 GMT

Below is a list of movies that I would probably watch for the Halloween holiday. The list is in chronological order:

MOVIES FOR HALLOWEEN

1. "I Married a Witch" (1942) - Based on the 1941 novel, "The Passionate Witch", this movie is about a witch who married a politician that happened to be the descendant of an old nemesis out of revenge. Directed by René Clair, the movie starred Veronica Lake and Fredric March.

2. "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" (1947) - Based on an 1945 novel, this movie is about an Edwardian widow that strikes up an unlikely romance with the ghost of a sea captain. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the movie starred Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison and George Sanders.

3. "Ghostbusters" (1984) - Ivan Reitman directed this major hit about parapsychologists in New York City, who start a ghost catching business. Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson starred.

4. "Ghostbusters II" (1989) - Ivan Reitman returned to direct the sequel to the 1984 hit, in which the parapsychologists reunite to resume their ghost catching business and deal with a new threat. Again, Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson starred.

5. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1992) - Before the famous 1997-2003 television series, Joss Whedon wrote this tale about a Los Angeles high school student who discovers that she is destined to be a vampire slayer. Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, the movie starred Kristy Swanson, Luke Perry and Donald Sutherland.

6. "Hocus Pocus" (1993) - Kenny Ortega directed this comedy about family of 17th century witches, who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenager, his younger sister and girlfriend in the late 20th century. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy starred.

7. "Sleepy Hollow" (1999) - Tim Burton directed this loose adaptation of Washington Irving's 1820 short story, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci starred.

8. "The Others" (2001) - Nicole Kidman earned a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of a post-World War II English mother who believes that her Isle of Jersey home is haunted. Directed by Alejandro Amenábar, the movie co-starred Christopher Eccleston and Fionnula Flanagan.

9. "Hallowe'en Party" (2010) - Hercule Poirot investigates the death of a young girl who was murdered at a Halloween party for children, after boasting she had witnessed another murder. Based on Agatha Christie's 1969 novel, the movie starred David Suchet as Hercule Poirot.

10. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (2012) - Timur Bekmambetov directed this adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's novel about the exploits of Abraham Lincoln as a vampire hunter before and during the Civil War. Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Anthony Mackie starred.

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 17:48:06 GMT

Below are images from the 2011 comedy called "TOWER HEIST". Directed by Brett Ratner, the movie starred Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy:

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Photo Gallery

"THE PELICAN BRIEF" (1993) Review

brtmh — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 16:48:24 GMT

"THE PELICAN BRIEF" (1993) Review

In my review of "THE FIRM", I had once referred to the period in which bestselling novels written by attorney-novelist John Grisham as "Age of Grisham". This same period - mainly the 1990s - also saw the release of movie adaptations of Grisham's novels. Released in 1993, "THE FIRM" was not the only Grisham released that year. Another Grisham adaptation was released six months later - "THE PELICAN BRIEF".

Directed by Alan J. Pakula and based on Grisham's 1992 novel, "THE PELICAN BRIEF" told the story of a Tulane University law student named Darby Shaw writes a legal brief detailing her theory on why two Supreme Court Justices had been murdered. The elderly and infirmed Justice Rosenberg, a liberal, had been shot inside his home, along with his nurse. The Republican-appointed Justice Jensen was found inside a gay porn movie theater, strangled to death. Both had been murdered by a paid assassin named Khamel. Out of curiosity, Darby engages in research of Rosenberg and Jensen's records and writes a legal brief speculating they were not killed for political reasons. Darby links the assassinations to an oil tycoon named Victor Mattiece, who wants to rearrange the Supreme Court in order to win a case. Matticece had discovered oil beneath a Louisiana habitat in the marshlands but was blocked from drilling due to a lawsuit filed to protect an endangered sub-species of brown pelicans. Because Rosenberg and Jensen were both pro-environmentalists, Darby suspected they were killed. Mattiece also has ties to the U.S. President, due to being the latter's biggest financial contributor. At the same time, Washington Herald reporter Gray Grantham receives a call from an informant named "Garcia", who claims to have information about the assassinations. Although Gray manages to snap a photograph of "Garcia", the latter disappears without a trace.

Matters eventually grow worse for Darby. She gives the brief to her law professor and lover Thomas Callahan, who in turn gives a copy to his good friend Gavin Verheek, Special Counsel to the Director of the FBI. It does not take long for Darby's brief - dubbed as "the Pelican Brief" - to circulate among the F.B.I., the C.I.A. and the White House. Not much time passes before a car bomb kills Callahan at a New Orleans parking lot. Since Darby was outside of the car during the explosion, she manages to avoid Callahan's fate. Realizing that her "Pelican brief"may have been accurate, Darby goes into hiding and reaches out to Verheek for assistance and Gray for more information about the brief's circulation. Unfortunately, Verheek ends up murdered in New Orleans. Darby finally decides to meet with Gray before the pair sets out to find "Garcia" in Washington D.C., the one person who has the evidence to link Mattiece with the justices' deaths.

With a running time of 141 minutes, "THE PELICAN BRIEF" is a pretty long movie. I do wonder if today's younger moviegoers would have the patience to watch a political thriller that runs over two hours long. Personally, the movie's running time did not bother me. I thought it gave director/screenwriter Alan J. Pakula enough time to explore the film's narrative in great detail - Rosenberg and Jensen's murders, Darby's research and preparation for her legal brief, how her brief ended up being circulated around the nation's capital, Gray's attempt to connect with and later find "Garcia", Darby's evasion of the attempts on her life, the pair's search for "Garcia"'s identity and his evidence against Victor Mattiece. I am happy to say that Pakula did not take any major shortcuts to transform a three hundred-and-eighty-seven-page novel into movie that ran over two hours. Some might suggest that Pakula could have shortened the movie a bit. I am not certain I would agree with that. I would not have enjoyed the film more if he had edited the narrative. However, I do wish Pakula could have stepped up the pacing a bit. I have seen movies that were just as long or even longer than "THE PELICAN BRIEF". And yet, they moved at a faster pace and were never in danger of putting me to sleep.

The idea of a CEO or business tycoon sanctioning one or two political murders for the profit may seem a bit implausible to some. It seemed more than plausible to me. One only has to study either U.S. or World History to realize how business or corporate greed has played a role in politics, wars, crime or the combination of all three. But what I found a little implausible about Gresham's plot was the idea of a law student's legal brief about the recent murders of two Supreme Court justices being circulated about the F.B.I., the C.I.A. and the White House. One, why would Darby research the two murders and create a legal brief that accuses a powerful CEO of sanctioning the murders? As if she was engaged in a school project? And why did Thomas handed over her brief to a F.B.I. official, who happened to be a close friend? As an incentive for the agency to investigate? I found that hard to believe, considering that Thomas' attitude toward the brief seemed to be that of a proud boyfriend revealing how clever his girlfriend is to a friend. What I am saying that the vibe behind Darby's initial investigation and Thomas' decision to circulate the brief seemed wrong . . . to casual. I wish Greham had created a stronger reason for Darby to investigate the two justices' deaths and for Thomas to pass her brief to the F.B.I. Or Pakula could have created stronger reasons behind both actions, when he wrote the adaptation.

"THE PELICAN BRIEF" featured several action sequences that I found pretty solid. Most of these sequences occurred in the movie's first half and featured a team of assassins hired to kill her. I found them rather tense, especially the chase scene that led into a crowd celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans' French Quarter. But they did not blow my mind. The one action sequence that really impressed me proved to be the last one that featured the assassins' attempt to kill both Darby and Gray. I found it odd that the assassins, who had been following the pair for nearly 24 hours, did not make any attempt until after they got their hands on "Garcia"'s evidence against Mattiece and the latter's law firm. A relative of mine had suggested the assassins not only wanted to kill Darby and Gray, but also destroy the evidence they had acquired. Perhaps she was right. If so, I do wish that the movie had indicated this. If it had, would someone please point out the scene?

I must admit that there is something about the film's settings I found unusual. "THE PELICAN BRIEF" is set in New Orleans of the Deep South and Wahington D.C. and Maryland, which are parts of the Upper South. Yet, I never sensed any Southern vibe in this film. Not even when the film focused around New Orleans' famous French Quarter. There seemed to be something ethereal about Pakula's filmmaking style that made me forget this movie is set in the South. Perhaps it was Stephen Goldblatt's sleek cinematography or the movie's slight generic tone. This strikes me as a pity, considering the movie's two major locations - New Orleans and Washington D.C. - usually convey more colorful and atmospheric vibes in other films.

But I must admit that I enjoyed Pakula's portrayal of the political characters in this film. The characters radiated an ambiguous, yet cynical vibe that hinted Darby and Gray's mistrust of them. This especially seemed to be the case of both the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. Directors' attitudes toward the White House and the President's controlling Chief of Staff Fletcher Coal. The two agencies' reactions to Darby's legal brief struck me as very interesting. F.B.I. Director Denton Voyles seemed to relish the idea of investigating the connection between the President and Mattiece, due to his dislike of Coal. Yet, he had allowed the President to convince him to delay the investigation as long as possible. On the other hand, C.I.A. Director Bob Gminski seemed to have a more paranoid reaction to Rosenberg and Jensen's deaths, along with Darcy's brief by assigning agents to shadow Darcy in the immediate aftermath of the brief's revelation.

The White House officials featured in this film - from the slightly high-strung President to his cool and calculating Chief of Staff, and finally to the array of smarmy White House officials and private lawyers who either expressed disbelief that a law student may have solved the mystery behind the two justices' murders or amusement over the brief's potential impact on the President's administration. The cynicism that permeated from the politicians and lawyers in this tale seemed to touch the journalists featured in the movie. Even the leading man, Gray Gratham, seemed to harbor a touch of cynicism, despite his somewhat "noble" facade. As for his editor-in-chief, Smith Keen, the man and his tongue seemed to radiate cynicism - despite any fondness he might have for Gray. It occurred to me that the cynicism, ruthlessness and desperation from the characters featured in the Washington D.C. served the movie's narrative very well, especially for its Washington D.C. setting.

The performances featured in "THE PELICAN BRIEF" seemed to range from solid to first-rate. But if I must be honest, there did not seem to be any performance that really impressed me, save for a handful. What was it about the acting that failed to blow my mind? I believe this situation had a lot to do with some of the dialogue featured in the movie. How can I put this? There were times when I found myself wincing from some pretty pretentious dialogue that struck me as unnecessary. Despite these occasional bursts of pretentious dialogue, I had no problems with the cast's performances. Well . . . most of them.

"THE PELICAN BRIEF" featured solid performances from the likes of Sam Shephard, Tony Goldwyn, Cynthia Nixon, John Heard, Anthony Heald, William Atherton, Jake Weber, Nicholas Woodeson, Casey Briggs, Christopher Murray, Ralph Cosham, John Finn and Stanley Anderson. There were some performances that I found entertaining or interesting. John Lithgow gave a witty and entertaining performance as The Washington Herald's editor, Smith Keen. Sonny Jim Gaines struck me as equally entertaining in his brief role as Gray Grantham's White House mole, Sarge. Hume Cronyn gave an effective performance as the ill, yet sharp-tongued Justice Rosenberg. James K. Sikknig's portrayal of F.B.I. Director Denton Voyles struck me as very skillfully ambiguous. But I believe the film's best performance came from Robert Culp, whom I believe gave an excellent performance as the President. The latter did an excellent job in portraying a slightly weak, yet vacillating head-of-state who depended too heavily on his Chief of Staff for decisions.

You might ask . . . what about the film's leads, Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. I thought the latter gave an excellent portrayal of the stubborn, yet stalwart Gray Grantham. There were times when I found Washington's Gray nearly too ideal. But I would attribute that flaw to Pakula's screenplay and not the actor. Thankfully, both the screenplay and Washington managed to infuse a little ambiguity in Gray's character during his first hunt for the informant "Garcia". I thought Julia Roberts gave a very solid performance as the film's other protagonist, Darby Shaw. I was impressed how her performance transformed Darby from an outgoing and warm woman, to one who became withdrawn and paranoid through grief, and her struggles to stay one step ahead of assassins. But I have two major problems with Roberts' performance. One, her Darby Shaw seemed to be another one of her characters throughout the 1990s that were put pedestals by the end of her films. And two, although she was and is a competent actress, there were times I found her performance in this film slightly wooden. Whenever Darby experienced an emotional trauma, Roberts had this tendency to change her performance - but without any smooth or gradual transitions. Her mood changes almost seemed like a case of "acting by the numbers or the beat". Fortunately, it did not take Roberts very long to outgrow this trait.

I have never considered "THE PELICAN BRIEF" as my favorite adaptation of a John Grisham novel. One, I feel that the movie's pacing struck me as a bit too slow, especially in the first half. The movie's screenplay featured some unnecessary pretentious dialogue. I wish the film's photography and tone could have been a bit more colorful. And there were some acting decisions that I found questionable. Fortunately, the movie's virtues outweighed its flaws. Thanks to Alan J. Pakula's screenplay and direction, along with an excellent cast led by Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington, "THE PELICAN BRIEF" proved to be a first-rate political thriller that featured a very interesting and original tale.

"LOST" Retrospect: (3.13) "The Man from Tallahassee"

brtmh — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 15:23:42 GMT

"LOST" RETROSPECT: (3.13) "THE MAN FROM TALLAHASSEE"

Aside from one or two episodes, I have no real love for the first half "LOST" Season Three. Along with the second half of Season Two and the first half of Season Six, it is one of my least favorite periods during the series' six-year run. However . . . I did say "first half". Aside from previous episodes like (3.07) "Not in Portland", (3.11) "Enter 77" and (3.12) "Par Avion"; Season Three truly began to redeem itself with the airing of the John Locke-centric episode called (3.13) "The Man From Tallahassee".

The episode picked up immediately where the previous one, (3.12) "Par Avion" left off. Oceanic 815 survivors John Locke, Kate Austen and Sayid Jarrah had decided to leave the survivors' camp to find the Others' main camp and rescue their fellow castaway, Dr. Jack Shephard. The trio eventually found Jack at the Others' camp at the end of "Par Avion' and were astounded to discover him playing a friendly game of touch football with his captors. While Locke and Sayid remained in a state of shock, Kate went into warrior mode and decided to shoot as many Others as possible in an attempt to free Jack. Due to the "brainwashing room" that she and James "Sawyer" Ford had discovered during their escape from the Others in (3.07) "Not in Portland", Kate believed that Jack had been brainwashed. Both Locke and Sayid managed to stop Kate before she could commence upon her bloody rescue plan. Locke advised that they wait until dark to rescue Jack. While Kate and Sayid attempted to rescue Jack, Locke decided to embark upon his own agenda regarding the Others' submarine he had learned about from Other Mikhail Bakunin in (3.11) "Enter 77".

Since this episode is Locke-centric, the flashbacks featured turning points in Locke's relationships with girlfriend Helen Norwood and his con artist father, Anthony Cooper. The flashbacks revealed how Locke tried to put his obsession over his father behind him and focus upon solidifying his relationship with Helen. But his goals failed when a young (Patrick J. Adams of "SUITS") named Peter Talbot sought Locke's help in breaking up his mother's upcoming wedding to Cooper. However, Locke's re-entry into his father's life resulted in tragedy for young Peter and himself.

"The Man From Tallahassee" not only marked the beginning of better writing for Season Three, I believe it proved to be one of the season's best episodes. Screenwriters Drew Goddard and Jeff Pinkner did an excellent job of utilizing a certain aspect of John Locke's personality that drove forward the narratives for both the island's present story line and Locke's back story. Audiences have seen how Locke's obsession with Anthony Cooper in episodes like (1.19) "Deux Ex Machina", (2.03) "Orientation" and (2.17) "Lockdown" led to a good deal of misery in his life, previous to the Oceanic 815 crash. Ever since the plane crash, Locke had directed this obsessive trait toward the island and its "secrets". His obsession reached a higher level in "The Man From Tallahassee". The past John Locke finally seemed intent upon staying out of his father's life. But one visit from Cooper's future son-in-law left Locke determined to re-enter Cooper's life and save Peter's mother from falling into the con man's clutches. Locke's obsession with the island and his discovery of the Others' submarine in "Enter 77" led him to abandon the plan to rescue Jack and change his agenda. His actions not only led to a cat-and-mouse game with the Others' leader, Ben Linus, but also soured his relationship with Jack and Sayid even further.

This episode not only continued the series' exploration of Locke's obsessive nature, but also a trait of his that I have always found disturbing - namely his penchant for enforcing his will upon others. Audiences have seen this trait in past episodes such as (1.13) "Hearts and Minds" and (2.16) "The Whole Truth". When I first saw "The Man From Tallahassee", I wondered why Locke had bothered to destroy the Others' submarine with the C-4 explosives he had pinched from Mikhail. The episode never fully explained Locke's actions in so many words. But I eventually began to suspect that Locke did not want anyone leaving the island - whether that person be an Oceanic 815 survivor or a member of the Others. Again, this is merely speculation on my part. However, a part of me also suspect that Locke believes the island is the best solution for everyone's troubles. After all, it had healed his legs and led him to a renewed interest in life after so many failures. But the thing is . . . Locke's faith in the island was based upon what it did to his legs. He never really had an idea what the island was about, why the Others were determined to protect it from outsiders or whether it was the right solution for every soul that inhabited it.

Locke's destruction of the Others' submarine ruined Jack Shephard's chances of leaving the island. Some time between (2.09) "Stranger in a Strange Land" and this episode, Jack made a deal with Ben Linus to leave the island on the subm. Would Ben have kept his deal and allow Jack to leave? Many fans would say "no". Personally, I have no idea. Benjamin Linus could be a controlling liar in order to serve his goals. Yet . . . he kept his promise to Oceanic 815 survivor Michael Dawson and allowed the latter and son Walt Lloyd to leave the island in the Season Two finale, (2.24) "Live Together, Die Alone - Part II". So . . . who knows? The submarine's destruction achieved something else. I suspect that Locke's action led Ben and the island's resident immortal, Richard Alpert, to introduce the castaway to the island's latest newcomer, Anthony Cooper. When I first saw this episode, I had assumed that Cooper was simply a tool Ben was using to push Locke's emotional buttons. Now, I know better. Cooper's presence was basically a test for Ben and Richard to see whether Locke was worthy of becoming an Other. Speaking of Anthony Cooper, "The Man From Tallahassee" also revealed how Locke ended in a wheelchair before his fateful flight aboard Oceanic 815. I have to be honest. I never saw it coming when I first saw this episode. For two seasons, viewers like myself wondered how John Locke became physically handicapped. Although I had had been aware of Cooper since "Deux Ex Machine", I never thought he would end up being responsible for Locke ending up in a wheelchair. During my first viewing of this episode, I had practically gasped aloud when I saw the con artist shove his son out of that window.

The operation to rescue Jack not only ended in failure - at least from Kate and Sayid's point-of-views - but also sidetracked the latter's character. Sayid really had nothing to do in this episode but suffer as a prisoner of the Others. On the other hand, this episode also featured Jack and Kate's reunion after the latter's escape from Hydra Island with Sawyer in (3.06) "I Do" and "Not in Portland". And man . . . did it turn out to be memorable. Many fans of "LOST" have never viewed the Jack/Kate relationship as particularly sexy or passionate. Although I had originally shared their feelings, I also believed that Jack and Kate's relationship was more than simply about sex and passion. However . . . sex and passion certainly had a strong impact upon their reunion in "The Man From Tallahassee". And the ironic thing is that the meeting of lips or the exchange of bodily fluids were not involved. . . . only heated words and hand play.

The "Man From Tallahassee" featured some very fine acting from the cast. Only two cast members did not benefit from this episode. As I had earlier pointed out, Naveen Andrews, who portrayed Sayid Jarrah, spent most of the episode either looking shocked, annoyed and frustrated. Elizabeth Mitchell's Dr. Juliet Burke did very little in this episode, as well. The episode featured a sly performance from M.C. Gainey as Others member Tom Friendly. It also featured an earnest performance from guest star Patrick J. Adams. Kevin Tighe continued his excellent portrayal of Locke's treacherous father, Anthony Cooper. Michael Emerson was also excellent as the Others' leader, Ben Linus. And both Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly knocked it out of the ballpark, while portraying the passionate regard both Jack Shephard and Kate Austen held for each other. But this episode belonged to Terry O'Quinn, who gave a brilliant performance as the always complex John Locke. O'Quinn took Locke's characterization all over the place - from emotionally needy to ruthlessly determined - and still managed to keep his performance in control. It is not surprising that O'Quinn won his Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in this episode.

Ironically, I have never considered "The Man From Tallahassee" as one of my top ten favorite "LOST" episodes. Locke's tale in this episode has always struck me as slightly depressing. But I cannot help but regard it as one of the best episodes from Season Three . . . and one of the best that the series had to offer.

"MAD MEN" SEASON ONE (2007) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 14:34:24 GMT

Below are images from Season One of AMC's "MAD MEN". Created by Matthew Weiner, the series starred Jon Hamm:

"MAD MEN" SEASON ONE (2007) Photo Gallery

"THE HATEFUL EIGHT" (2015) Review

brtmh — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:22:15 GMT

"THE HATEFUL EIGHT" (2015) Review

Following the success of his 2012 movie, "DJANGO UNCHAINED", Quentin Tarantino set about creating another movie with a Western theme that also reflected today's themes and social relationships in the United States. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, Tarantino nearly rejected the project. And if he had, audiences would have never seen what came to be . . . "THE HATEFUL EIGHT".

The circumstances that nearly led Tarantino to give up the project occurred when someone gained access to his script and published it online in early 2014. The producer-director had considered publishing the story as a novel, until he directed a reading of the story the United Artists Theater in the Ace Hotel Los Angeles. The event was organized by the Film Independent at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) as part of the Live Read series. The success of the event eventually convinced Tarantino to shoot the movie.

"THE HATEFUL EIGHT" is at its heart, a mystery. I would not describe it as a murder-mystery, but more like . . . well, let me begin. The story begins in the post-Civil War Wyoming Territory where a stagecoach rushing to get ahead of an oncoming blizzard, is conveying bounty hunter John Ruth aka "The Hangman" and his handcuffed prisoner, a female outlaw named Daisy Domergue. The stagecoach is bound for the town of Red Rock, where Daisy is scheduled to be hanged. During the journey, an African-American bounty hunter named Major Marquis Warren, who is transporting three dead bounties to the town of Red Rock, hitches a ride on the stagecoach. His horse had died on him. Several hours later, the stagecoach picks up another passenger, a former Confederate militiaman named Chris Mannix, who claims to be traveling to Red Rock in order to become the town's new sheriff. The stagecoach passengers are forced to seek refuge at a stage station called Minnie's Haberdashery, when the blizzard finally strikes. The new arrivals are greeted by a Mexican handyman named Bob, who informs them that Minnie is visiting a relative and has left him in charge. The other lodgers are a British-born professional hangman Oswaldo Mobray; a quiet cowboy named Joe Gage, who is traveling to visit his mother; and Sanford Smithers, a former Confederate general. Forever paranoid, Ruth disarms all but Warren, with whom he had bonded during stagecoach journey. When Warren has a violent confrontation with Smithers, Daisy spots someone slip poison into a pot of coffee, brewing on the stove. Someone she recognizes as a fellow outlaw, who is there to spring her free from Ruth's custody. And there is where the mystery lies - the identity of Daisy's fellow outlaw.

"THE HATEFUL EIGHT" marks the sixth Quentin Tarantino movie I have ever seen. I also found it the most unusual. But it is not my favorite. In fact, I would not even consider it among my top three favorites. And here is the reason why. "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" struck me as being too damn long with a running time of two hours and forty-seven minutes. I realize that most of Tarantino films usually have a running time that stretches past two hours. But we are talking of a film that is basically a character study/mystery. Even worse, most of the film is set at a stagecoach station - a one-story building with one big room. Not even Tarantino's attempt to stretch out the stage journey at the beginning of the film could overcome this limited setting. And due to the limited setting and film's genre, "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" is probably the least epic film in his career, aside from his first one, 1993's "RESERVOIR DOGS". At least that film did not stretch into a ridiculously long 167 minute running time.

I also thought Tarantino made too much of a big deal in the confrontation between Major Marquis Warren and General Sanford Smithers. Apparently, Warren had a grudge against Smithers for executing black troops at the Battle of Baton Rouge. I find this improbable, due to the fact that there were no black troops fighting for the Union during that battle, which was a Union victory. There were no black Union or Confederate troops known to have taken part in that particular battle. Tarantino should have taken the time to study his Civil War history. But what really annoyed me about the Warren-Smithers confrontation was that Tarantino thought it was necessary to include a flashback showing Warren's encounter with Smither's son, which resulted in the latter's death. I realize that the Warren-Smithers encounter allowed Daisy's mysterious colleague to poison the coffee. But a flashback on Warren and Smithers Jr.? Unnecessary. I also found Tarantino's narration in the film somewhat unnecessary. Frankly, he is not a very good narrator. And I found one particular piece of narration rather unnecessary - namely the scene in which Daisy witnessed the coffee being poisoned. Tarantino could have shown this on screen without any voice overs.

Despite these flaws, I must admit that I still managed to enjoy "THE HATEFUL EIGHT". It featured some outstanding characterizations and dialogue. And it seemed the cast really took advantage of these well-written aspects of the script. I am not surprised that the film had received numerous nominations for Best Ensemble. Although the running time for "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" might be longer than it should, I have to give Tarantino kudos for his well-structured screenplay. He took his time in setting up the narrative, the mystery and his characters. And although he may have overdone it a bit by taking his time in reaching the film's denouement, Tarantino delivered quite a payoff that really took me by surprise, once he reached that point. Unlike many movie directors today, Tarantino is a firm believer in taking his time to tell his story. My only regret is that he took too much time for a story that required a shorter running time.

But what I really liked about "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" is that it proved to be a new direction for Tarantino. In this age filled with lack of originality in the arts, it was refreshing to see there are artists out there who are still capable of being original. After viewing the movie at the theater, it occurred to me that is was basically an Agatha Christie tale set in the Old West. Tarantino utilized many aspects from various Christie novels. But the movie resembled one movie in particular. Only I will not say what that novel is, for it would allow anyone to easily guess what happens in the end. Although many of Christie's novels and Tarantino's movies feature a good deal of violence, "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" featured very little violence throughout most of its narrative . . . until the last quarter of the film. Once the Major Warren-General Smithers confrontation took place, all bets were off.

I wish I could comment on the movie's production values. But if I must be honest, I did not find it particularly memorable. Well, there were one or two aspects of the movie's production that impressed me. I really enjoyed Robert Richardson's photography of Colorado, which served as Wyoming Territory for this film. I found it sharp and colorful. I also enjoyed Yohei Taneda's production designs for the movie . . . especially for the Minnie's Haberdashery setting. I though Taneda, along with art directors Benjamin Edelberg and Richard L. Johnson, did a great job of conveying the Old West in that one setting.

Naturally, I cannot discuss "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" without mentioning the cast. What can I say? They were outstanding. And Tarantino did an outstanding job directing them. As far as I know, "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" marked the first time at least three members of the cast have worked with Tarantino - Jennifer Jason-Leigh, Channing Tatum and Demián Bichir. Otherwise, everyone else seemed to be veterans of a Tarantino production, especially Samuel L. Jackson. "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" marked his sixth collaboration with the director. It is a pity that he was not recognized for his portrayal of bounty hunter, Major Marquis Warren. As usual, he did an outstanding job of portraying a very complex character, who not only proved to be a ruthless law enforcer, but also a somewhat cruel man as shown in his confrontation with General Smithers. Actually, most of the other characters proved to be equally ruthless. Kurt Russell's portrayal of bounty hunter John Ruth struck me as equally impressive. The actor did an excellent job in conveying Ruth's ruthlessness, his sense of justice and especially his paranoia. Walton Goggin's portrayal of ex-Confederate-turned-future lawman seemed like a far cry from his laconic villain from "DJANGO UNCHAINED". Oddly enough, his character did not strike me as ruthless as some of the other characters and probably a little more friendly - except toward Warren. Jennifer Jason-Leigh has been earning acting nominations - including Golden Globe and Academy Award Best Supporting Actress nods - for her portrayal of the captured fugitive Daisy Domergue. Those nominations are well deserved, for Jason-Leigh did an outstanding job of bringing an unusual character to life. Ironically, the character spent most of the movie as a battered prisoner of Russell's John Ruth. Yet, thanks to Jason-Leigh, she never lets audiences forget how ornery and dangerous she can be.

Tim Roth, who had not been in a Tarantino production since 1995's "FOUR ROOMS", gave probably the most jovial performance as the very sociable English-born professional hangman, Oswaldo Mobray. Bruce Dern, who was last seen in "DJANGO UNCHAINED", had a bigger role in this film as the unsociable ex-Confederate General Sanford Smithers, who seemed determined not to speak to Warren. Despite portraying such an unsympathetic character, Dern did an excellent job in attracting the audience's sympathy, as his character discovered his son's grisly fate at Warren's hands. Michael Masden gave a very quiet and subtle performance as Joe Gage, a rather silent cowboy who claimed to be on his way to visit his mother. And yet . . . he also projected an aura of suppressed danger, which made one suspect if he was Daisy's collaborator. A rather interesting performance came from Demián Bichir, who portrayed the stage station's handyman, Bob. Like Madsen's Gage, Bichir's Bob struck me as a quiet and easygoing man, who also conveyed an element of danger. I was very surprised to see Channing Tatum in this film, who portrayed Jody Domergue, Daisy's older brother. Although his role was small, Channing was very effective as the villainous Domergue, who could also be quite the smooth talker. "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" also featured excellent supporting performances from the likes of James Parks, Dana Gourrier, Lee Horsley, Zoë Bell, Keith Jefferson and Gene Jones.

Yes, I found "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" too long. I feel it could have been cut short at least by forty minutes. And I was not that impressed by Quentin Tarantino's voice over in the film. I could have done without it. But despite its flaws, I cannot deny that I found "THE HATEFUL EIGHT" to be one of the director's more interesting movies in his career. With a first-rate cast led by Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins and Jennifer Jason-Leigh; and a screenplay that seemed to be an interesting combination of a murder mystery and a Western; Tarantino created one of his most original movies during his career.

Favorite Episodes of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" Season Four (1995-1996)

brtmh — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 17:49:19 GMT

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Four of "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE". Created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller; the series starred Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko:

FAVORITE EPISODES OF "STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE" SEASON FOUR (1995-1996)

1. (4.08) "Little Green Men" - Deep Space Nine's bar owner Quark and his brother Rom take the latter's son Nog to Starfleet Academy on Earth. But a malfunction with the ship sends the crew back in time, to 1947 Roswell, New Mexico. Megan Gallagher, Charles Napier and Conor O'Farrell guest starred.

2. (4.10) "Our Man Bashir" - When a transporter emergency turns the station's command crew into holosuite characters in Dr. Julian Bashir's James Bond program, the situation takes on a deadly reality. Ken Marshall guest-starred.

3. (4.03) "The Visitor" - Sometime in the future, an aspiring writer named Melanie, wants to know why an older Jake Sisko stopped writing at age 40. Jake reveals how his father, Captain Benjamin Sisko, had died in an accident and then suddenly reappeared. Tony Todd guest-starred.

4. (4.22) "For the Cause" - Sisko must face betrayal when evidence surfaces that his girlfriend Kasidy Yates is smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile, former spy/tailor Garak makes acquaintance with Gul Dukat's daughter, Ziyal. Penny Johnson and Ken Marshall guest starred.

5. (4.20) "Shattered Mirror" - When the Mirror Universe counterpart of Sisko's deceased wife, Jennifer Sisko, lures Jake to the other side; Sisko must follow and help the Terran resistance against the Alliance forces. Felecia M. Bell guest starred.

Honorable Mention: (4.26) "Broken Link" - Station security chief Odo is suddenly struck by illness and he is barely able to hold shape. Bashir and Odo see no other alternative than going to the Founders. Salome Jens guest starred.

"NORTHANGER ABBEY" (2007) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Fri, 30 May 2025 12:10:38 GMT

Below are images from "NORTHANGER ABBEY", the 2007 adaptation of Jane Austen's 1817 novel. Directed by Jon Jones and adapted by Andrew Davies, the television movie starred Felicity Jones and J.J. Feild:

"NORTHANGER ABBEY" (2007) Photo Gallery

"EVIL UNDER THE SUN" (2001) Review

brtmh — Mon, 05 May 2025 15:01:47 GMT

"EVIL UNDER THE SUN" (2001) Review

There have been four adaptations of Agatha Christie's 1941 novel, "Evil Under the Sun". One version was a radio play that broadcast in 1999. The Adventure Company released its own adaptation in 2007. John Bradbourne and Richard Goodwin released a movie version in 1982. However, the adaptation that has recently caught my attention is the 2001 television movie that aired on ITV's "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT".

While dining at his friend Captain Arthur Hasting's new Argentine restaurant, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot suffers a sudden collapse. His doctor reveals that Poirot need to lose weight or risk a heart condition. Both the doctor and the detective's secretary, Miss Lemon, book Poirot at a health resort on the coast of Devon called Sandy Cove. Miss Lemon also insists that Captain Hastings accompany him.

At the Sandy Cove Resort, both Poirot and Hastings come across the usual assortment of guests. Among them was a well-known stage actress named Arlena Stuart Marshall. Many of the guests disliked Arlena, including her new husband, Captain Kenneth Marshall and her 17 year-old stepson, Lionel. Another guest, Mrs. Christina Redfern harbored jealousy over Arlena's indiscreet affair with hubby Patrick. Well-known dressmaker Rosamund Darnley, was an old flame of Captain Marshall's, and also harbored jealousy toward Arlena. A fanatical vicar named the Reverend Stephen Lane viewed Arlena as the embodiment of evil. An athletic spinster named Emily Brewster harbored resentment toward Arlena for bailing out on a play she had invested. The only guests who seemed to harbor no feelings regarding Arlena were a Major Barry and a Mr. Horace Blatt. But both seemed to be involved in some mysterious activities around the resort's island - including the location where Arlena had been waiting to meet a clandestine lover. When Arlena's body is discovered strangled to death, Poirot and Hastings work with Scotland Yard inspector Japp to investigate the crime.

When I was younger, I had read Christie's novel on a few occasions. I tried to enjoy the novel. I really did. I understood that it was a favorite among Christie fans. But I never managed to rouse any enthusiasm for the story. There was something about it that struck me as rather flat. This 2001 television adaptation seemed to be an improvement over the novel. Perhaps a visual representation on the television screen made it easier for me to appreciate the story. I certainly cannot deny that Rob Hinds' production designs struck me as colorful and sleek - a perfect continuation of the Art Deco style that had dominated the "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" since the beginning. I was also impressed by Charlotte Holdich's sleek costume designs for the cast - especially the female characters. Overall, "EVIL UNDER THE SUN" proved to be eye-candy for those who usually enjoy television and movie productions with a 1930s setting.

The subplot involving Poirot's health certainly made it easier for me to understand why he would vacation at a not-so-interesting hotel resort. To be honest, I could not see someone like the flashy Arlena Marshall being a guest at such a low-key location. Screenwriter Anthony Horowitz made a wise choice in transforming Arlena's 16 year-old stepdaughter Linda Marshall, who studied magic; into a 17 year-old boy, studying poisons. Arlena had been strangled. And Scotland Yard made it clear that large hands had been responsible for the crime. The idea of a 16 year-old girl with man-size hands struck me as slightly improbable. After all, if Christie wanted Linda to be considered as a serious suspect, she should have changed the character's gender, which Horowitz did; or find another method to bump off Arlena Marshall.

The above mentioned changes in Christie's story - Poirot's health problems and the transformations of the Linda/Lionel Marshall character - seemed like improvements over the original story. However, other changes made it impossible for me to love this adaptation. I understand why the series' producers and Horowitz had decided to include Hastings, Japp and Lemon into the story. After all, the Eighth Series, which aired in 2000 and 2001, proved to be the last that featured these three characters. But none of them had appeared in the 1941 novel. Hastings' presence only gave Poirot a pretext for vacationing at Sandy Cove in the first place. Unfortunately, the running joke about Poirot's distaste toward the resort's health-conscious menu for its guests became tiresome within one-third of the movie. Other than the Argentine restaurant sequence, Horowitz failed to make Hastings' presence relevant to the story. And why on earth was Chief Inspector Japp investigating a murder in Devon? He was outside of Scotland Yard's jurisdiction, which was limited to Greater London and the home counties of Essex and Hertfordshire in the East of England; along with Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey and Kent in South East England. In other words . . . what in the hell was Japp doing there in Devon? Miss Lemon proved to be the only veteran recurring cast member that proved to be relevant to the story. She helped Poirot investigate another murder case with connections to Arlena Marshall's murderer. The movie also featured one scene in which Poirot verbally castigated one of the suspects - the married Patrick Redfern - for conducting an affair with victim Arlena Marshall. This brief conversation seemed to strike a false note to me. Poirot might disapprove of adultery, but he would never so indiscreet as to openly confront an adulterer over any extramarital activities.

The cast gave solid performances. But I could not recall any memorable performances among them. The four main cast members - David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran - were competent as usual. I was also impressed by Michael Higgs (Patrick Redfern), Carolyn Pickles (Emily Brewster), Ian Thompson (Major Barry), Tamzin Malleson (Christine Redfern) and especially Russell Tovey (Lionel Marshall). But there were performances that failed to rock my boat. David Mallinson's portrayal of Kenneth Marshall struck me as . . . meh. He was not terrible, but simply not that interesting. Marsha Fitzalan's performance as Rosamund Darnley seemed a bit off. Her portrayal of the dressmaker struck me as gossipy and callow. She seemed like an early 20th century version of her old role, Caroline Bingley; instead of the warm and strong-willed Rosamund. Both Tim Meats and David Timson's performances seemed slightly hammy and rather off for such a low-key production. But the real worm in the apple proved to be Louise Delamere's portrayal of victim Arlena Marshall. I realize that Delamere was given a role that seemed the least interesting in Christie's novel. But Horowitz's script and Delamere's performance failed to improve upon it. Delamere ended up projecting a fourth-rate version of Diana Rigg's performance in the 1982 film.

Overall, "EVIL UNDER THE SUN" proved to be a mixed bag. Production wise, it looked sleek and colorful. The script provided a few improvements over Christie's novel. And there were some first-rate performances that included David Suchet. But in the end, I felt the movie was slightly undermined by other changes that I found unnecessary and some not-so impressive performances.

Ranking of "HIS DARK MATERIALS" Season One (2019) Episodes

brtmh — Sun, 04 May 2025 18:18:00 GMT

Below is my ranking of the Season One episodes of "HIS DARK MATERIALS", HBO's adaptation of Philip Pullman's 1995 novel, "The Golden Compass" aka "Northern Lights" and the first part of his 1997 novel, "The Subtle Knife". Written by Jack Thorne, the series starred Dafne Keen:

RANKING OF "HIS DARK MATERIALS" SEASON ONE (2019) Episodes

1. (1.02) "The Idea of North" - Orphan Lyra Belacqua starts a new life in London with the charming socialite, Mrs. Marisa Coulter; determined to find her missing friend, Roger Parslow. The Gyptians continue searching for their missing children and the elusive Gobblers, a group of government sanctioned child snatchers.

2. (1.06) "The Daemon-Cages" - Lyra discovers the horrific truth behind the Gobblers' activities at a science station in the North called Bolvangar.

3. (1.08) "Betrayal" - As the Magesterium, a religious-political body, closes in; Lyra learns more about Lord Asriel's rebellion. But her assistance to him comes at a great personal cost.

4. (1.01) "Lyra's Jordan" - Lyra's world at Jordan College in Oxford, is turned upside-down by the arrival of her long-absent uncle Lord Asriel from the North. Meanwhile, she meets the glamorous Mrs. Coulter for the first time.

5. (1.04) "Armour" - As Lyra and the Gyptians head up North, she searches for allies in her search for Lord Asriel. With the help of a balloonist named Lee Scoresby, she comes across an armored bear named Iorek Byrnison at a port town in Svalbard.

6. (1.03) "Spies" - Lyra is rescued from the clutches of the Gobblers by the Gyptians, who helps her piece together more about her past and keep her safe from the Magisterium.

7. (1.07) "Fight to the Death" - Separated from her friends and captured by the armoured bears ruled the usurper king Iofur Raknison, Lyra must use all of her methods of deception to thwart him in order to be rescued by Iorek Byrnison, the true king. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter plots her next move.

8. (1.05) "The Lost Boy" - On their journey to the Bolvangar Station, Lyra and the Gyptians finally discover what the Gobblers have been doing to the missing children. In the alternate World, an adolescent named Will Parry and his mentally ill mother Elaine are being stalked by Magisterium official Lord Carlo Boreal, who seeks Will's father, a missing explorer named John Parry.

"DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" (1971) Review

brtmh — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 01:34:33 GMT

"DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" (1971) Review

I might as well be frank. After my recent rewatch of "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER", I have come to the conclusion that it just might truly be the worst Bond movie ever released by EON Productions. I certainly view it as an unworthy follow-up to the superb "ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE". Yet, despite my low opinion of the movie, I also found it to be very funny.

The movie’s pre-credits started the movie out with a montage featuring Bond’s search for Ernst Stravos Blofeld, head of SPECTRE and the man responsible for the brutal murder of the agent’s wife of a few hours, Teresa Bond. And yet . . . the movie had never clearly stated that Bond wanted revenge for his wife’s death. Rather curious. I suppose that Broccoli and Saltzman wanted the audience to forget about "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE" . . . and at the same time, remember that Bond had a reason to seek revenge against Blofeld. The movie eventually unfolded a tale featuring a diamond smuggling operation from South Africa to Amsterdam and finally to Las Vegas. Apparently, the operation seemed to becoming to an end, since two assassins – the very funny Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, played by Bruce Glover and Putter Smith – seemed to be killing every courier/link that formed the smuggling ring. Her Majesty’s government, worried that the stability of the diamond market might be threatened if all the hoarded diamonds are released at the same time, ordered MI-6 to investigate. M assigned Bond to investigate the matter. At first, the British agent (along with diamond smuggler Tiffany Case, Felix Leiter and the CIA) discovered that a reclusive American millionaire named Willard Whyte might be behind the smuggling operation and the murders. But this proves to be a red herring and Bond finally realized that Blofeld (whom he thought he had killed in the pre-credit sequence) had taken control of Whyte’s business operation to use the diamonds to create a satellite with a powerful laser on board in order to blackmail the world. And of course, Bond destroyed Blofeld’s operation before the villain could blow up Washington D.C.

What is it about "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" that made it such a terrible Bond movie? One of the main culprits had to be Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz’s screenplay. Their first mistake came in the form of Bond’s search for Ernst Stravo Blofeld in the movie’s pre-credit sequence. It all seemed so vague . . . almost pointless. In fact, it seemed as if the screenwriters and producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman had been torn between a desire to make fans forget about "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE"’s tragic ending and a fear that those same fans might not forget. Which would explain why the movie’s opening found Bond traveling from one location to another in search of Blofeld. He even managed to nearly strangle one contact with her bikini top, titillating certain fans of the franchise. Yet, not once did Bond ever mention his late bride or her murder – obviously the main reason behind his search for SPECTRE’s leader. I could not help but conclude that the entire sequence was nothing but a cop-out.

And the story had failed to improve following the opening credits. I never could understand why Her Majesty’s government had deemed it necessary for MI-6 to investigate a diamond smuggling operation. Why not seek the assistance of an agency like Interpol or something? And why would the C.I.A. be interested in such a case? Both MI-6 and CIA’s interest all came about before the revelation of Blofeld using the diamonds to create a weapon to extort the major superpowers. And I never could understand this.

Bond’s investigation took him to Amsterdam, impersonating one of the links in the smuggling operation – Peter Franks. From this point forward, a serious of implausible moments appeared in the story. After a fight with the real Peter Franks, who had appeared at Tiffany Case’s Amsterdam apartment, Bond planted his own wallet in the dead smuggler’s jacket. Tiffany discovered the wallet and expressed dismay at the idea of someone killing 'James Bond'. Could someone please explain how a diamond smuggler would know about a MI-6 government agent, yet have no knowledge of Blofeld or the fact that he had been her actual boss? And there are more implausible moments to follow:

-After Mr. Slumber prevented Bond from being incinerated, Bond accused him and Shady Tree of giving him bad money (they saved him, because he had switched the real diamonds for fakes). Yet, he pocketed the ’bad money’and used it at one of the Vegas hotel/casinos.

-Bond and Tiffany found dead prostitute Plenty O’Toole in the latter’s Vegas swimming pool. Apparently, there had been a scene in which Plenty (who had been dumped out of Bond’s hotel room and into a swimming pool by gangsters working for Tiffany) had returned to Bond’s room and found Tiffany’s purse. If this is true, I can see why this scene had been cut, because it lacked sense. But why had EON Productions failed to cut the scene featuring the discovery of Plenty’s body, as well?

-The stunt featuring Bond’s two-wheeler driving of Tiffany’s Red Mustang through a narrow alley seemed . . . questionable.

-Why on earth did Bond bother to wear a tuxedo in order to break into Willard Whyte’s penthouse?

-Since Blofeld had left instructions to Bond (impersonating as SPECTRE minion, Burt Saxby’s voice) over the telephone to kill Willard Whyte, how did Saxby learn of the assignment in order to appear at Whyte’s house to do the job?

-Why would Tiffany be suspicious of a Blofeld in drag and tail him, when she never knew what he looked in the first place? And I doubt that she knew about the cat.

"DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER"’s script had ended in a rather disappointing showdown on a SPECTRE-controlled oil rig off Baja California. Come to think of it, Blofeld’s "death" and Bond’s showdown with Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd seemed equally lame.

The movie had also marked Sean Connery’s last appearance as the agent in an EON Productions’ Bond film. He returned following George Lazenby’s decision not to continue with the Bond role. Granted, Connery’s performance had its moments. He seemed to be at his funniest in this movie, displaying a true flair for comedy. And his elevator fight with Joe Robinson (portraying Peter Franks0 made it apparent that he had not lost his touch with action films, following a four-year hiatus from the Bond franchise. And yet . . . I could not help but wish that Lazenby had continued his tenure as James Bond, following "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE". Perhaps the Australian’s presence could have guaranteed a more serious follow-up to Tracy Bond’s death. Then again . . . perhaps not. And despite Connery’s comedic touch, he seemed to have lost some of the fire that had made his earlier performances as Bond so memorable. In fact, he seemed to have sailed through the entire movie without any true depth.

There seemed to be a split opinion among fans regarding Jill St. John’s performance as smuggler Tiffany Case. Some viewed the red-haired Tiffany as a funny, smart and sassy woman. Others regarded her as nothing more than a bubble-headed bimbo. Personally, I agree with both views. I liked St. John’s sharp portrayal of Tiffany in the movie’s first hour or so. She portrayed the smuggler as a sharp-tongued woman who was shrewd enough to keep Bond’s paws off of her, until she needed him for her advantage. And she helped Bond infiltrate Willard Whyte’s desert laboratory. But once Blofeld was revealed to be alive, Tiffany became this idiot bimbo who allowed herself to get caught by Blofeld; and who helped Bond on the oil rig and later against Wint and Kidd with great ineptitude. Her character seemed to have lost its steam by the movie’s last half-hour.

Charles Gray, who had been last seen as a murdered MI-6 agent in "YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE", became the third actor to portray SPECTRE leader Ernst Blofeld on screen. I have to give points to the British actor for being the wittiest villain in the franchise’s history. Although he had spent most of his on-screen time in the movie’s second half, more witticism streamed out of Gray’s mouth than any other actor or actress. And as funny as he was, this abundance of witticism had also lessened his impact as a villain, I am sorry to say. This seemed rather odd for an actor like Gray, who has proven to be more intimidating in other roles.

"DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER"’s supporting cast had seemed at best, a mixed blessing. Not many Bond fans had been impressed by Norman Burton’s gruff performance as C.I.A. agent Felix Leiter. Frankly, I found his gruffness rather amusing and witty . . . in a deliciously acidic way. Speaking of gruffness, Bernard Lee seemed downright acerbic and hostile during his brief appearance as M. Neither Lois Maxwell and Desmond Llewellyn as Moneypenny and Q, respectively, came off as memorable in this movie.

Marc Lawrence and Sig Haig had portrayed two of the gangsters who popped up during Bond’s first day in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, they came off as movie gangsters from a 30s crime melodrama, instead of modern day thugs. Donna Garratt and Trina Parks portrayed Willard Whyte’s bodyguards, Bambi and Thumper. I must admit that they were memorable, although Ms. Parks had struck me as a bit of a drama queen. Lana Wood (Natalie Wood’s younger sister) portrayed the unfortunate Plenty O’Toole. And honestly? I now feel that Ms. Wood was one of THE WORST actresses to appear in a Bond movie. Okay, make that the second worst.

Speaking of bad acting, who on earth had the bright idea to cast Country-Western singer, Jimmy Dean, as Willard Whyte? No wonder he had never pursued a movie career. Dean must have been the biggest ham in the movie, considering his tendency to bellow nearly every word that came out of his mouth. Hollywood star Bruce Cabot ("KING KONG" [1933]) seemed like a waste of time in his role as Blofeld minion, Burt Saxby. What a shame, especially since "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" was his last film. The movie’s bright spot came in the forms of Bruce Glover and Putter Smith as Blofeld’s assassins, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. Glover and Smith portrayed these two hitmen (and possible lovers?) with wit, style and a delicious touch of menace. It seemed a shame that they were killed off in one of the lamest action sequences of any Bond film.

I am trying to think of a Bond movie directed by Guy Hamilton that has really impressed me. So far, I cannot think of one. "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" is certainly not that movie. Granted, it has its bright points – the witty humor, a sassy Tiffany Case in the film’s first half, a great fight scene between Connery and Robinson; along with Bruce Glover and Putter Smith. I would also like to add that I also enjoyed the film’s musical score by John Barry and the theme song, performed by Shirley Bassey. Granted, the song lacked the excitement and brashness of "GOLDFINGER" and the lyrical beauty of "MOONRAKER", but I still managed to enjoy it. But considering some of the second-rate performances found in this movie, along with poor editing and piss poor writing by Maibaum and Mankiewicz, "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" strikes me as being the complete nadir of the Bond franchise. And that is saying something about a movie that I still enjoy watching . . . much to my never-ending surprise.

"HANCOCK" (2008) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 16:52:05 GMT

Below are images from the 2008 movie, "HANCOCK". Directed by Peter Berg, the movie starred Will Smith, Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron:

"HANCOCK" (2008) Photo Gallery

"THE BUCCANEERS" Season One (2023) Photo Gallery

brtmh — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:32:52 GMT

Below are images from Season One of "THE BUCCANEERS", the Apple TV+ adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1938 novel. Created by Katherine Jakeways and directed by Susanna White, the starred Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Imogen Waterhouse, Aubri Ibrag and Josie Totah:

"THE BUCCANEERS" SEASON ONE (2023) Photo Gallery

"POLDARK" Food Styles

brtmh — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:05:23 GMT

Below are images of culinary dishes created by food stylist/chef, Genevieve Taylor, for the 2015-2019 BBC series, "POLDARK":

POLDARK" FOOD STYLES

"BLEAK HOUSE" (1959) Review

brtmh — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 01:57:20 GMT

"BLEAK HOUSE" (1959) Review

I never thought a trip to Great Britain would reveal the existence of many television adaptations of certain Victorian novels. But it did. I took a trip to Europe and discover that the BBC had produced older television adaptations of famous novels - including those written by Charles Dickens.

One of the adaptations I had stumbled across was the 1959 version of Dickens' 1852-1853 novel, "Bleak House". First aired in eleven 30-minute episodes, I had been forced to binge watch the entire miniseries at a friend's house due to a time constraint. Eric Tayler, known for his work with the BBC in Great Britain and the ABC in New Zealand, served as the producer. And Constance Cox, who had a reputation for adapting classic literature for the stage and television, had served as the screenwriter for the five-and-a-half hours production. How did they do?

Before I offer my opinion of the miniseries, allow me to provide a recap of this adaptation of Dickens' story. "BLEAK HOUSE" centered around Jarndyce and Jarndyce, a long-running legal case in the Court of Chancery, due a testator having written several conflicting wills. Among the characters directly affected by Jarndyce and Jarndyce are:

*John Jarndyce - a beneficiary of the case, and benevolent landowner and owner of the Bleak House estate
*Richard Castrone - one of Mr. Jarndyce's wards and another beneficiary
*Ada Clare - Mr. Jarndyce's other ward and another beneficiary
*Esther Sommerson - Mr. Jarndyce's third ward, whom he hired to serve as his housekeeper and Ada's companion
*Honoria, Lady Dedlock - the wife of baronet Sir Leicester Dedlock, another beneficiary and Esther's illegitimate mother

Although the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case directly affect some, other characters - like Esther - are indirectly affected by the case:

*Sir Leicester Dedlock- wealthy baronet and Lady Dedlock's husband
*Mr. Tulkinghorn - Sir Leicester's solicitor, who becomes aware of Lady Dedlock's past, due to her reaction to the affidavit
*Nemo aka James Hawdon - a former British Army officer, Esther's illegitimate father and law writer, whose penmanship of a Jarndyce and Jarndyce affidavit alerts his presence to his former lover, Lady Dedlock
*Jo - a poor young street sweeper whom Nemo had befriended
*Miss Flyte - an elderly woman, whose family had been destroyed by a long-running Chancery case similar to Jarndyce v Jarndyce, and who befriends Mr. Jarndyce's wards
*Krook - a rag and bottle merchant and collector of papers, who is also Miss Flyte and Nemo's landlord

Although Mr. Jarndyce remained unconcerned with the case, Richard develops an obsession over it, an act that leads to his estrangement from his guardian. This estrangement leave both Esther and Ada caught between the pair. Lady Dedlock seemed more concern with the identity of the man who had been hired to write the Jarndyce and Jarndyce affidavit. Her concern is noticed by Mr. Tulkinghorn, who becomes obsessed with connecting the two in an effort to protect Sir Leicester's good name. His search for Nemo's identity and Lady Dedlock's secret end up affecting other characters.

I had expected to dislike this version of "BLEAK HOUSE" . . . or merely express contempt for it. To my surprise, I found myself impressed. Granted, I believe it had its share of flaws, which I will eventually discussed. But overall, "BLEAK HOUSE" proved to be more than a solid adaptation of Dickens' novel. Thanks to Constance Cox's screenplay and the group of directors, the eleven-part miniseries moved at a steady pace that kept me alert and interested in the story. And although Bryan Langley's camera work lacked the artistry and sweep of the two adaptations that followed, I thought he managed to provide some artistic touches in the productions, especially those moments featuring Esther, Richard and Ada's arrival at Bleak House, Esther and Inspector's Bucket's search for the missing Lady Dedlock later in the series, the miniseries' final shot and especially the murder of a major character around the end of the ninth episode. What I find interesting is that many of these "artistic" touches had occurred near the end of an episode.

I noticed that this version of Dickens' novel had removed several supporting characters from the adaptation. Those missing included Mr. Jarndyce's old friend, Lawrence Boythorn; the Jellyby and Turveydrop families; the former servant of Esther's aunt, Mrs. Chadband and her minister husband; Rosa, Lady Dedlock's second maid; Watt Rouncewell, Rosa's intended; and Robert Rouncewell, Watt's industrialist father and the older son of the Dedlocks' housekeeper. This led screenwriter Constance Cox to create another excuse for Lady Dedlock to dismiss her French maid, Madam Hortense. I cannot help but wonder if this was an attempt to portray Lady Dedlock's treatment of her personal servants in a more positive light. There were characters whose roles had been reduced by Cox and producer Eric Tayler. Among them were George Rouncewell's right-hand man, Phil Squod; the memorable, yet malignant moneylender, Joshua Smallweed; and his granddaughter Judy Smallweed. Because of this reduction of Smallweed's character, Lady Dedlock needed another reason to flee Chesney Wold, other than blackmail and the threat of exposure. The elimination of one particular character nearly left a hole in the production - namely Harold Skimpole, the selfish and amoral friend of Mr. Jarndyce, with his penchant for sponging from others.

The lack of Mr. Skimpole proved to be a problem for me. Without his presence, I found Richard Carstone's gradual interest in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case, his growing hostility toward Mr. Jarndyce and his hiring of the greedy Chancery lawyer, Mr. Vholes, less easy to accept. Correct me if I am wrong, but it seemed to me Skimpole had played a major influence in Richard's growing obsession with the Jarndyce case. Without his presence in this production, there were times when Richard's arc seemed rushed. But I had a few more issues with "BLEAK HOUSE", but not as severe as the one surrounding the Skimpole character. The miniseries had failed to explain Miss Flyte's whereabouts, during her landlord Mr. Krook's moment of spontaneous combustion. Where was she? The old lady had already moved to other lodgings in the novel. And in the two adaptations following this one, she had encountered law clerk William Guppy outside of Krook's shop, while returning home. Granted, this adaptation proved to be more faithful regarding the circumstances of Krook's death with the addition of the Tony Jobling character. I just wish it had explained Miss Flyte's whereabouts.

I do have some complaints regarding the production's casting, but I will get to that later. Some have pointed out that this adaptation lacked the sweeping visuals of the 1985 and 2005 versions. I cannot deny this. But this "BLEAK HOUSE" was a television production from the late 1950s. It seemed unrealistic to expect the miniseries to possess the same visual sweeps from the two adaptations that followed. With the exception of the mid-19th century hairstyle worn by actress Elizabeth Shepherd, the other major female cast members had their hair (or wigs) swept into late 1950s beehives. If that was not enough, I also had some issues with the women's costumes. Dickens' novel had been published between 1852 and 1853. The costume designs for the 1985 and 2005 adaptations had reflected this time period. But I had noticed that the women's costume designs for the 1959 adaptation reflected a later period - between the late 1850s and early 1860s - when women's skirts were more wider, due to the innovation of the cage crinoline petticoat in 1856. Had it been the intention of producer Eric Tayler to set this adaptation during the later years of the 1850s?

With the exception of one or two actors, I did not have a problem with the performances featured in "BLEAK HOUSE". I certainly had no problems from the likes of Elizabeth Shepherd, John Phillips, Jerome Willis, Angela Crow, William Mervyn, Wilford Brambell, Richard Pearson, Michael Aldridge, Gerald Cross, Eileen Draycott, Leslie French and Annette Carrell. I especially have to commend Shepherd, Phillips, Aldridge and Carrell for being standouts among the supporting cast. The only reason I could not regard John Phillips' portrayal of the lawyer Mr. Tulkinghorn as among the best of the series is that although I found his performance rather intimidating at times, I thought he had lacked the high level of menace and spite that both Peter Vaughn and Charles Dance had managed to infuse into their portrayals.

There were performances that I found questionable. David Horne's portrayal of the aristocratic Sir Leicester Dedlock struck me as a bit too theatrical or hammy - especially during the miniseries' last two episodes. Terence Soall's performance as the moneylender Mr. Smallweed seemed not only a ghost of Dickens' original character. The malice and sharp temper seemed to be missing in Soall's interpretation of the character, leaving the actor's Mr. Smallweed to be nothing more than a man who resorted to passive-aggressive sniveling to get through life. And to my surprise, I believe he was only featured in one or two episodes. I finally come to Malcolm Knight, who portrayed the impoverished street-crossing sweeper, Jo. I am not claiming that he gave a bad performance. If I must be honest, the actor had given his all to inject as much pathos as possible into the role. But . . . if I must be honest, at the age of 23 or 24 years old, Knight had been too old to portrayed the 10-to-12 years-old Jo. No amount of pathos in his performance could overcome this issue.

For me, the outstanding performances came from six cast members. Although Cox's transcript did not touch upon Esther's bouts insecurity - a product of the emotional abuse she had endured, while being raised by her aunt - I thought Diana Fairfax did an excellent job of conveying Esther's sometime frantic need to be liked. Andrew Cruickshank was equally superb as the warm-hearted landowner, Mr. John Jarndyce, who seemed torn between his efforts to protect his charges and his anguish over Richard's unfounded hostility toward him. I also noticed that both Fairfax and Cruickshank had generated a very strong screen chemistry - which would be repeated by those who had portrayed Esther and Mr. Jarndyce in future adaptations. All of the actors I have seen portray the young Richard Carstones had been first-rate. But I believe Colin Jearvons gave the best portrayal of the fleckless but good-natured ward, transformed over time by the character's growing obsession with the Jarndyce case and his own resentment toward Mr. Jarndyce's disappointment in his failure to find a profession. Ironically, Jeavons had appeared in six Dickens adaptations, including two adaptations of "Great Expectations" and two of "Bleak House". Iris Russell did a first-rate job in infusing a good deal of pathos into the Honoria, Lady Dedlock role without resorting to any hammy acting. This especially seemed to be the case in the one scene in which Lady Dedlock revealed herself as Esther's mother to the latter. I believe Miss Flyte must be one of those roles that prove very difficult not to indulge in theatrical acting. Fortunately for this production, Nora Nicholson had been cast in the role of Miss Flyte, the elderly and eccentric woman who had developed an obsessive in other Chancery cases like Jarndyce and Jarndyce, following the destruction of her own family over a similar case. Nicholson managed to keep her performance under control, while conveying Miss Flyte's eccentric nature. Finally, Timothy Bateson really impressed me in his portrayal of the ambitious, yet very funny law clerk, William Guppy, who worked for Mr. Jarndyce's solicitor. I have to say . . . that man had possessed a superb comic timing that not only suited the character very well., but should have been the envy of many comic actors.

I am not going to pretend that "BLEAK HOUSE" should have been faithful to Dickens' novel. That would have been an impossibility for any television or movie production. Some of the changes made by the screenwriter failed to harm the miniseries. But there were a few changes - namely the exclusion of the Harold Skimpole character - that struck me as minor mistakes. However, I thought Constance Cox did a first-rate job in adapting Dickens' novel. And those who had directed the eleven episodes did an excellent job in maintaining the production's pace and also the narrative's continuity. I believe their work had been ably supported by a first-rate cast led by Diana Fairfax, Andrew Cruickshank, Colin Jeavons and Elizabeth Shepherd. I would gladly watch this miniseries again. Unfortunately, it is currently unavailable in the U.S. and I do not see myself in paying for another trip to the U.K. just to watch it. Hmmmm . . . pity.