A Reminder About My Facebook Page

Judy Garland is TCM's Star of the Month

I just wanted to remind readers of Phyllis Loves Classic Movies that I also have a facebook page (link at top right of blog). On it I share random interesting articles, photos, birthdays, and (when I remember) notifications of new posts. Below is an example of some of the things I have shared recently:

Villa from To Catch a Thief (1955) for sale

Happy 92nd Birthday Doris Day - article with photo

My question to Marisa Wayne, daughter of John Wayne, in a live FB question and answer

Article on passing of Patty Duke

Fun Fact about His Girl Friday (1940)

YT video of Edith Head on episode of You Bet Your Life

And More!!!

I hope you will check it out!

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Genre

Action | Sci-Fi

Director

Stuart Baird

Country

USA

Cast

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman, Dina Meyer, John Berg, Kate Mulgrew, Shannon Cochran, Jude Ciccolella, Alan Dale, Wil Wheaton, Majel Barrett, Stuart Baird, Bryan Singer, Whoopi Goldberg

Storyline

The Enterprise ventures near to the Romulan neutral zone in response to a signal, a signal they find is coming from an uncharted planet where they find a prototype of Data. As the nearest ship, the Enterprise is sent to Romulus to supposedly negotiate peace with the new government of the planet. On arrival Picard (Patrick Stewart) discovers that the head of the Reman (Tom Hardy) is his clone. The Enterprise quickly finds that the peace talks are no more than the start of a planned attack on Earth.

Opinion

Even numbered films are the good ones. Oops, never mind, it seems like "Star Trek: Nemesis" is going against this theory by being really bad and really boring.

The writers didn't have a lot of work to do this time since all they did was taking "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" story and changed names. Shinzon, Picard's clone, is a genetically created human, just like Khan. He was abandoned on a desolate world, just like Khan. He has a weapon of ultimate destruction, just like Khan. He hates the captain of the Enterprise, and pursues him to his death, just like Khan. Data, still utterly annoying and with a utterly annoying brother because one annoying android was not enough, sacrifices himself, just like Spock did. 

The opening scene with Picard giving the wedding speech was so corny, it nearly made me throw up. And the dialogues try so hard to be philosophical they end up being just incomprehensible. 

There isn't as much action as there should have been, but the action sequences are good. The special effects are good and enhance the film a little bit. Also the music is a delight. 

Patrick Stewart and Tom Hardy are both at the top of their game, especially Hardy who convinces us that he is just like Picard, and then that he is nothing like Picard. And for once I did actually understand what he what saying. 

The Ranch Season 1 Part 1 TV Review

The Ranch (2016-)

Season 1 Part 1
Watch The Ranch on Netflix
Created by:  Jim Patterson, Don Reo
Starring:  Ashton Kutcher, Sam Elliott, Danny Masterson, Debra Winger, Kelli Goss

Plot:
In this Netflix original series, Ashton Kutcher is washed up football player Colt Bennett. He moves back home to help his dad (Sam Elliott) and his brother (Danny Masterson) on the ranch.

Verdict:
This show is the intersection of an R-rated comedy and a '90s sitcom. The laugh track was incredibly annoying in the first episode, but I slowly got used to it. It's never anything more than a bland comedy. It doesn't get better as it goes on, you just get used to it and accept it.
While the show has all the pieces, a man having to give up his dream and move back home and a tough as nails dad, it just doesn't execute. The jokes aren't as funny as the laugh track would have us believe. It's much easier to list what I don't like about the characters than what I do like. Masterson could be replaced with a cardboard cutout and it wouldn't change the story much, if at all. If this were on a network, it would have been canceled after a few episodes.
Skip it. 

Recap
Former football quarterback Colt Bennett didn't make it big in the pros. Despite making a semi-pro team, he declines the offer to help his father and brother on the family ranch. He makes the big sacrifice for his family, though it's not like his football career was going anywhere.

Kutcher's accent isn't very good. I don't know why they didn't just tell him to use his normal accent. The writing isn't bad, but it's overshadowed by the laugh track. It's very much a traditional sitcom which makes it feel outdated at worst and out of place at best. You can see the jokes coming from a mile away. This doesn't make it bad by itself, but with the rest of the problems, it's amplified. You soon realize the show only has two or three joke variations it reuses.

 Sam Elliott play grumpy all the time. Even if an idea is good he rejects it. The show comes back to this later, but it feels like a lame excuse. He has his moments, but most of his jokes are complaining about modern culture, Ronald Reagan, or old age.

Masterson's character is terrible. He's there just to react to or set up the jokes of Elliott and Kutcher.

Colt is self obsessed and arrogant, despite his current situation. His feelings are split between his old high school flame, who has a boyfriend and his new girlfriend who is nearly half his age.

It's not a bad story but it lacks any pretense of nuance or subtlety. Half the time dialog is treading water so it can make the next country music inspired joke.

The episodes are prefaced as part one, but I assume that is just a creative decision to make it sound more interesting than season one.

The season ends with a big cliff hanger between Colt and his high school flame and Sam Elliot and his wife. Sam Elliot finally does something nice for Colt by buying back the championship ring he pawned.

Vinyl Season 1 Episode 8 Recap

Vinyl (2016-)

Created by:  Mick Jagger, Terence Winter, Rich Cohen, Martin Scorsese
Starring:   Bobby Cannavale, Olivia Wilde, Ray Romano, Juno Temple, James Jagger

HBO's '70s music scene series still hasn't lived up to its potential. The second episode, more than the first is reluctant to start the story proper. The latest episode gave us unnecessary flashbacks in an attempt to build backstory, when the show needs to progress the plot. The first and second episodes should have been combined into one hour long episode. Check out my Vinyl season 1 recaps.

Plot: 
Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale) is a New York record executive in 1973, endeavoring to sign the biggest and best talent.

Review: Episode 8 E.A.B.
This show just doesn't stop, and thus neither do my episode recaps. Richie and the gang need a loan, and it's not looking good. They have no revenue or collateral, which is something upon which banks frown.

Richie pursues a loan from a former associate, which has more strings attached than he expected. I don't know how he didn't see it, I did.

Andrea is steering the ship and setting up Alibi Records. This is a story line that's actually interesting. She fires Andy which leads to her and Richie exchanging insults.

Zak's talent prospect Gary might pan out, and he signs him to a contract hoping for the next David Bowie. Zak's been by and large a joke, it would be nice to give him a foundation. He's still taking the rap for Richie losing ninety grand. I don't see Richie copping to that soon.

The Nasty Bits are in the studio, and it isn't going well. Lester Grimes steps in and lays it down, showing the Nasty Bits how to make music. He's the unsung hero, and it's about time the show gave him some screen time. If this show continues in subsequent seasons, Lester could and should have a big part in developing talent. It's a great scene that shows how smart he is and breaks down music. This is what the show should be doing. 
Kip wants to rework one of Lester's songs. Lester complies and the Nasty Bits create a song that isn't bad. They aren't much of artists, but they sure can copy.

The cops finally get Richie and start grilling him on the Buck Rodgers murder. It's not a bad scene, but it doesn't belong in this show. It's unnecessary drama in a show that should be about music. The cops have him dead to rights since his office is bugged. Hopefully they arrest him and put him away.

OUTTAKES #057

CUTAWAYS: FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF

Please tell me I’m not the only goofball out there who hears today’s reading about “Doubting Thomas” and immediately thinks of this…

Oddly enough, it’s actually a pretty good thing Thomas had his little bout with doubt. As St. Gregory The Great noted…

“It was not by chance but in God’s providence. In a marvelous way God’s mercy arranged that the disbelieving disciple, in touching the wounds of his master’s body, should heal our wounds of disbelief. The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who doubted, then felt Christ’s wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the resurrection… What follows is reason for great joy: Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. There is here a particular reference to ourselves; we hold in our hearts one we have not seen in the flesh. We are included in these words, but only if we follow up our faith with good works. The true believer practices what he believes.”

Well, okay, there is that last part. Saying we believe is one thing; living like we believe is another. Always a catch, isn’t there?

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Genre

Animation | Adventure | Comedy

Director

Mark Dindal

Country

USA

Voice Cast

David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick, Kellyann Kelso, Bob Bergen, Tom Jones, Patti Deutsch, John Fiedler, Joe Whyte

Storyline

Vain and cocky Emperor Kuzco (David Spade) is turned into a llama by his ex-administrator Yzma (Eartha Kitt), and must now regain his throne with the help of Pacha (John Goodman), a gentle llama herder.

Opinion

Yesterday it was my birthday, and I treated myself to the film I was obsessed with when I was a kid. I was just curious to see how my old self would have reacted to this film, and I can't believe how much I've enjoyed it.

Nothing fancy if compared to Disney Classics, yet "The Emperor's New Groove" is a hilarious buddy film that just happens to be animated and suitable for all ages.

The story isn't particularly original - the ruler who has to change externally before he can change internally, the good-hearted sidekick of the villain who can't bring himself to kill the "hero" - and sometimes doesn't make sense, but it's well-paced, entertaining, easy to follow, and somewhat different.

What's different, you ask? Well, the story is told from the perspective of the ruler: the llama Emperor tells the story as if he was the innocent one being hurt by everyone, when it actually is quite the opposite. 

The characters are great. Kuzco is some selfish llama, the main character that we are NOT supposed to like, but how can you not? He's hilarious and David Spade does a wonderful voice work, he just makes the llama so much more likable. Pacha is a generous, thoughtful and intelligent peasant that makes a good team with Kuzco - and he is the only one having a romance -, and John Goodman pulls off a good performance. As for the bad guys, Yzma is a memorable, over-the-top villain, scary beyond all reason, hilariously performed by Eartha Kitt, and Kronk is a the funny and likable sidekick, perfectly voiced by Patrick Warburton.

Like all Disney movies, "The Emperor's New Groove" has a moral that has to do with true values of life and friendship. It still is visually appealing, even 16 years later, and it also features a very catchy opening song performed by Tom Jones.

If you haven't seen it yet, I really don't know what you're waiting for!