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LittleStorpingInTheSwuff
Reviews
World Class Trains: The American Orient Express (1999)
Maybe in 1999 it was world class....
But given recent events in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, they might have a very hard time filling those passenger cars.
But back then this would have been a really exciting 7 day train ride well worth the price.
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: Gut Punch (2021)
A lame way to get rid of gibbs...
If that's what the writers/producers are leading up to. Gibbs murdered a Mexican national in Mexico just before joining NCIS (or maybe it was still NIS at the time) and he's given a pass on that, even after he admitted it to his team. He also falsified evidence in "Family Secret" (season 3 episode 16). And in "Iced" (season 3 episode 19) he shared evidence with gang members, which is a no-no, to influence them to kill their boss. I'm sure there were other times when he crossed line but was given a pass.
So now they are going to use an assault and battery to get rid of him (if that is what all this is leading up to)? That is so lame.
Hunter: Night of the Dragons (1985)
Oh, come on. Seriously?
Hunter was probably my favorite show when it was running, and I enjoy watching them again. But in this episode -- when Hunter and McCall arrive at Chang's restaurant (at around 30 minutes) a bunch of Chang's goons run outside with automatic weapons and start firing at them. Seriously? That was taking poetic license to the extreme. If a shoot out like that happened in real life it would draw perhaps 100 cops to the scene, not something a drug lord like Chang would want to happen. Totally way overboard. However, the rest of the episode was good enough to get past that shoot-em-up farce.
FBI: Liar's Poker (2020)
So the message is ........
We do negotiate, and give in to, criminals demands. Yeah, I know, it's only a TV show, but still..... If the writers are going to be totally ridiculous, one solution was brought up early on. Shackle the drug lord and sit him down next to the bomb. The employee may be blown up, but so will Vargas. Another solution, have a volunteer agent sit down next to Vargas with a gun to his head, with orders to pull the trigger when the bomb goes off. Sure, they are ridiculous solutions and would most likely never happen. But so what? If the writers can portray the FBI as Milquetoasts who will cave under threats, then the writers can also let them have some guts and put the ball in the bad guy's court.
The episode was actually dramatic, but I gave it a 1 for painting the FBI as cowardly and easy to threaten.
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: Seek (2013)
Man's, and a soldier's, best friend
This is not really a review of the episode, which I enjoyed. A good script, a good mystery, and the bad guy is (as usual) caught. What made this episode so enjoyable for me was have Dex having more than just a bit part. As the owner of 4 German Shepherds I always enjoy the episodes that feature dogs, especially German Shepherds (season 5's Dog Tags). I have always felt that military (and police) dogs are very special canines, but sometimes their worth is overlooked. Not so in this episode, Dex did his duty as he was trained to do, searching out explosives. And in the last scene in Afghanistan Dex displayed his loyalty as well, protecting Gibbs from the bad guy without regard for his own safety. This is special character of military dogs that many overlook. Some military dogs give their lives protecting their handlers, and are given the respect they deserve. But In this case Dex recovered from his bullet wound and retired from active duty. I especially liked the ending scene with Dex sitting and looking at his handler's coffin. It reminds me so much of the late President Bush's service dog Sully at his former master's casket when he lay in state at the Capitol.
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: Capitol Offense (2008)
Seriously?
Abby collecting forensic evidence looking for who stole her cupcake is over the top. An excellent example of wasting government resources and money for a personal crusade. Sure, it's only a TV show, but the Abby character can be very over bearing at times.
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: Call of Silence (2004)
The very best episode ....... period
"Call of Silence" is the only TV show or movie I have ever rated a 10. The final 10 minutes are so emotional and heart wrenching I guarantee you will not have a dry eye, and the lump in you throat will be unavoidable. It will start when Ernie and Kate are slow dancing to "Begin the Beguine", which Ernie sings and hums. Moments later, when Cmdr. Coleman and two Marines are about to take Ernie into custody, Tony slowly pulls Ernie's tie to the side to reveal his Medal of Honor. Cmdr. Coleman and the marines snap to attention, and the marines smartly render a salute. I have watched this episode at least a dozen times, and each time I see this scene I feel a great sense of pride in our men and women in uniform, past, present and future. And finally when Gibbs convinces Ernie he did nothing wrong, it's another scene that will bring moisture to your eyes. Mr. Durning's performance (he was a real life WW2 veteran, and he shows Tony some actual photos of himself during his military service) is beyond outstanding in this episode, just one of the reasons this episode rates a perfect 10.
NCIS: Los Angeles: Murder of Crows (2020)
*sigh* Another watered down episode
It's a one hour show. When you factor in 20 minutes for commercials, ending credits, etc. that means it is effectively a 40 minutes show. Yet the writers are still squandering roughly 15 minutes on boring soap opera type nonsense, leaving about 25 minutes for an actual crime/drama. Okay, so a few minutes of light banter is usually written in to most shows of this type. But wasting a quarter of the available time on this drivel takes away the enjoyment. If I want to watch a soap opera, I'll watch a soap opera! The actual story/plot was okay, but the nonsense ruined it. Time to get some new writers for next seaspon, if there is a next season!
NCIS: Los Angeles: Knock Down (2020)
I thought this show had already reached the bottom of the barrell.....
Apparently the bottom of the barrel has a leak in it. Pumping breast milk during an interview??? Seriously????
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: The Arizona (2020)
Second onlty to "Call to Silence"
A wonderful story, easily the best of the previous 4 or 5 seasons. I would actually rate this one 9.5 if I could. It was so much like "Call to Silence", featuring Charles Durning, a real life WW2 Hero who was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He played Marine Corporal Ernie Yost, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery at Iwo Jima. It was the only TV show (not just NCIS, but all TV shows) I have given 10 stars. This episode came very close.
My one complaint about NCIS is that the producers/writers made no mention of Cp. Yost when Charles Durning passed away in 2012.
NCIS: Los Angeles: Answers (2019)
Too bad....
This episode was just too bad. Too bad negative stars aren't available. One star is waaay too high for this episode. I kept skipping forward a few minutes at a time trying to find some actual action and/or drama but I didn't find an until about 5 minutes from the end. And even that was on the substandard side.
Too bad this once entertaining show has devolved into a really bad soap opera with a little action mixed in just to keep the audience from falling asleep.
Scandal (2012)
really really bad
An acquaintance recently loaned me the pilot episode to watch. Within 10 minutes I knew this was another BS liberal drivel offering. No wonder ABC is at the bottom of the ratings barrel! One and done for me, I won't have to waste my time watching more to know that my evaluation is confirmed by all of the 1 rating I've seen posted here.
NCIS: Los Angeles: Choke Point (2019)
"It seems like we're missing something"
That's what Callen says at around 33min. He's right, what they are missing is decent writers! What have they been doing the past few years, hiring out of work soap opera writers to work part time to fill in gaps in the show? It's a one hour show, with about 20 minutes or commercial time cutting it down to an essentially 40 minute show. And of those 40 minutes there is about 10 to 15 of useless soap opera quality (un-quality?) babbling and boring so-called romancing. As for finally bringing Hettie back, it hasn't helped the show one bit. She is acting more like Dr. Ruth or Dr. Laura than the assistant director of a federal agency.
Wake up CBS, you are systematically killing what was once a really good show!
Mission: Impossible: Chico (1970)
A very good episode, but......
Sad to say that Chico, who is not only an important part of the plot as well as the title character, didn't even get mentioned in the credits. Minus 1-2 stars for that oversight. Otherwise, a very interesting episode.
NCIS: Los Angeles: Born To Run (2019)
Ho Hum
What we got here.....is a failure to entertain.
So we have a 1 hour show, which is actually a 40 minute show due to all of the commercial and promo time. Of that 40 minutes there is about 15 minutes of useless soap opera type drivel and nonsense, leaving about 25 minutes for actual investigation. As for the investigation, there was nothing original about it but it wasn't boring, which rates an extra star.
The best part about NCIS LA is that it can't be much longer before it reaches the bottom of the barrel and starts to (hopefully) become an interesting show again.
Emergency!: Survival on Charter #220 (1978)
A big disappointment
The first hour or so was sooooo boring, well below the quality of the first six seasons. Even when the "action" picks up after the plane crash it still had the look and feel of a high school production. I wouldn't call it a time waster, but it falls well short of a 'keeper' or 'watch again' episode.
Mystery Woman: Oh Baby (2006)
another ruined cozy mystery
I know this is a Hallmark movie, so don't expect a mega budget mega star academy award blockbuster. But once again the background music is WAY WAY TOO LOUD!!. Don't the producers, etc., review these productions before airing them? Don't they realize just how ANNOYING THE LOUD BACKGROUND MUSIC IS? It drowns out the actual dialogue. Not only that, it's the same notes OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!
Mystery Woman: Redemption (2006)
Ruined by background music
As another poster pointed out, the background music is waaaaay too loud! At times it was so loud it drowned out the dialogue. The movie itself was entertaining for a cozy mystery, but the WAY TOO LOUD background really ruined it. It's like being in a chat room AND EVERYONE IS POSTING IN ALL CAPS while you are trying to communicate with someone.
Mystery Woman: Game Time (2005)
Enjoyable movie, but......
I really enjoy the Hallmark cozy mysteries, and this is one of them. However, the constant annoying background ... music, jingle, whatever you want to call it ... really detracts from the enjoyment of it. Sure, you need some background music at certain suspenseful moments, but not for the entire movie. After about 15 minutes you become so aware of it that the movie starts to become the background setting instead of your prime focus. Which is the reason I only rated it a 5.
NCIS: Los Angeles: The Sound of Silence (2019)
Still too much soap opera bs
It's supposed to be a 40 minute action/ adventure show, but there is still 10+ minutes of boring soap opera non-drama. Way too much deeks/kensi fluff and boring eric/nell as well. The plot was decent and the action (when was any) was entertaining. But just when it was getting interesting the soap opera garbage ruined it.
Madam Secretary: Family Separation: Part 2 (2019)
That's one side of the problem...
This was a 2 part politically correct side of the immigration problem, now let's see the other side of it. Let's see a 2 part episode showing the affects and suffering that U.S. citizens have had to endure as victims of crimes at the hands of illegal immigrants.
Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target (1998)
Just awful
This is an awful movie with so many flaws there isn't enough time to list them all. I wouldn't even call it a 'B' movie, it's more like a grade school production of a 'D' movie. Yeah, sure, the good guys save New York City in the end, but what else would you expect. The acting is mediocre at best, the action isn't much better, and the plot is a joke.
What is even more stupefying is all of the 10's given by other reviewers! Honestly? A 10? All those 10's give this movie an overall rating of 6.2. In comparison, "Gone With The Wind", arguably one of the greatest movies ever, is only rated 8.2 by reviewers! I think reviewers who gave this movie 10 stars should seriously rethink their definition of a great movie.
Band of Brothers: Currahee (2001)
A good start
Having gone through army basic training in the mid-60's, when the Vietnam War was really starting to heat up and escalate, I can definitely relate to "Currahee". This was not basic training of course, the soldiers had already gone through that. My basic training was only 8 weeks, but I think during WW II basic training was 12 weeks. The training here in "Currahee" was advanced infantry training (AIT), which is a more specialized training, in this case airborne. There have been some comments made about Capt. Sobel. Well, there were officers and non-coms like Capt. Sobel in my day, and no doubt ever since Revolutionary times and after my service time. Let's face it, sometimes even cowards or near-cowards can be found in the officer ranks. Having a Capt. Sobel in this series makes it even more realistic and believable. I am just now watching this series for the first time, and I find it to be interesting and believable.
Band of Brothers: Day of Days (2001)
An intense combat sequence you can almost feel
The scene when Winters and his small force of men take out the German artillery emplacements was so intense you can practically feel the bullets whizzing by your head. The use of a non-stationary camera makes it even more real for the viewer, like a first-person experience with more realism and tension than the stationary cameras typically used in past war movies and TV shows. I think the opening combat scene of the Normandy Beach action of "Saving Private Ryan" equals (or maybe surpasses) the battle scene in "Day of Days".
NCIS: Los Angeles: A Diamond in the Rough (2018)
Not a diamond in the rough
This show is still heading down hill with no bottom in the near futures. Each episode has a little more boring (kensi/deeks and eric/nell) soap opera romance/nonsense than the previous. About 15 minutes worth in this one. A minute and a half on interviewing candidates to manage the bar? Seriously? In a *ahem* action/drama show? The plot wasn't all that great either. The only good part in this episode was the bad girl with diplomatic immunity getting her immunity permanently revoked with a couple of well placed bullets.