Reviews

John Ford's classic is redone here with a very good new song by Wayne Newton and stunning visuals of the old west. Most of the rest of the story is a faithful retelling with some additions that were unnecessary at best or detract from the story at worst. There's Gatewood, a white coller wimp who's embezzled money from his employers. Good story line but in the original he's arrested upon arriving in Cheyanne. Here he pursues the prostitute, Dallas, and tries to grift additional money from outlaw Luke Plummer and his sons. This costs him his life. A guy like that would be 'all business' and not have time for additional pursuits. Not believable. Another change was Curly keeping Ringo chained up while he pursues the Plummers. This costs him his leg in a gunfight. He then lets Ringo go free and Ringo kills the Plummers. In the original Curly turns Ringo loose right away (this delegation of authority is the obvious better option) and of course Ringo kills them and Curly remains in one piece.

Dave Gurney awakens to a world where no one, including his wife, knows who he is and he can't find any documented evidence of his existence. His literal nightmare ends when he wakes up and his wife knows him. Ironically he doesn't know her. Hinting that the same has happened to her and she'll need his help. Question, what's the dilemma? The "new" wife is a sweetie trapped in the body of a super model. Hs previous wife was rotten and ugly. Was this another test for the audience ( at least the men ) or just ironically bad casting?

Two astronauts survive re entry after disappearing from the radar for 5 minutes. Only one astronaut remembers a third, so everyone else, including his fellow astronaut think he's crazy. It's as if the first man never existed. Then all evidence of the second man disappears with only the third remembering him. The explanation is that they were 'supposed' to have died. OK but then why is ALL evidence of them ever having existed being erased? That looks more like the astronauts s/never have been born in the first place, not just that they should have died.

Millicent is convinced she's has a double stalking her as she waits in a bus terminal. This includes theories about dopplegangers from parallel universe. A stranger seems compassionate until he turns her into the authorities. That's where this one kinda lost me. It's lack of believability has nothing to do with the premise. Science fiction and horror often go outside conventional bounds. No, I'm talking about the police arresting her on the word of ONE person, even when her behavior, if crazy, is not destructive to herself or others. By all accounts this story takes place in the USA, not communist Russia. I think the cops need more than just his word to take her into custody.

Previously friendly neighbors, thinking they are under nuclear attack from the Soviets, turn on each other in a grim battle for survival. The ending reveals it was all a mistake. The 'nukes' were just satellites accidentally gone off course. So their violent reaction was completely inexcusable. A previous TZ episode had neighbors turning on each other in a similar fashion, fearing an invasion from Mars. That episode had much less credibility because we find out the invasion was real all along. Making their violent reaction at least a little bit understandable.

The neighbors turn on each other thinking there' an alien invasion. We all agree that's wrong. However their initial hunch was correct. There WAS an alien invasion after all.

This is awful and not in a campy "Plan 9 from Outer Space" way. You can't even laugh AT it. There's a plot that is literally the LAST thing I'd have thought of after hearing the pretty likeable song. The only thing remotely positive I can say is, it explains how the reindeer could have been low enough to have run over grandma in the first place. That part of the song always puzzled me. I.E. "Don't reindeer simply go from roof to roof, why would they run over Grandma walking on the ground?" This movie explains that part albeit bizarrely ***Spoiler Alert**** They're drugged by cousin Mel (YEAH, HER) Glad I only shelled out $5 for this.

I am a big supporter of the death penalty, and I loved this movie. It is clear that the makers of this movie are against the death penalty but they don't lie or exaggerate to make their case. ****SPOILERS**** Matthew Poncelet, the convicted, is clearly guilty and unrepentant. This is true for virtually everyone on death row. Most other films (or political campaigns) against the death penalty take the chicken s**t approach of portraying a man who is innocent, then is executed. This film has the guts to tell it like it is, then makes it's case. It says that even a guilty man should not be put to death. I don't agree, but at least I can respect the messenger who fights fair.

I have always been a strong advocate for the death penalty, but being a fair guy I decided to give this movie a shot. I now believe in it twice as much as before. *********SPOILER ALERT************ Are we supposed to sympathize with this guy? He witnesses a suicide, then purposely tanks his own defense and is sentenced to die. And this is the system's fault because....WHY? This idiot gives new meaning to the phrase "Stop me before I kill again"

Thumbs down.************POSSIBLE SPOILERS************ Saw this movie on ESPN classic last night. Sorry, can't sympathize with Henry at all. His coach was absolutely right. The kid was a hot dog, an undisciplined show-off. And like the coach pointed out, greedy and hypocritical. He even pops amphetamines during practice. I wondered why the coach took so long to try and throw him off the team. I would have done it much sooner, and much harsher. Then when he finally redeems himself and the coach gives him another chance, does he thank the him? No, he returns to his wise-ass self. Jerk.

This movie was entertaining but it can't decide if it wants to be a comedy or a morality play. That's fine if it wants to be both, but it must be believable if it wishes to be the latter. Why is Hal so shallow in his selection of women but not in anything else? His second best friend is crippled, but Hal would NEVER make fun of him. Why? I thought Hal was.....shallow.And that whole bit with the neighbor across the hall **************SPOILER ALERT******************* She would NOT fall in love with him just because he started dating fat girls. If anything, she'd ridicule him even more. The best she might do is say, "Hal, I was wrong about you. I think you two make a nice couple." SHE WOULD NOT START HITTIN ON THE GUY..... SHEEEESH. Is this supposed to be a slice of life or a farce, make up your mind.