Archives for May 2010

Air Force One starring Harrison Ford, Glenn Close and Gary Oldman

Posted on May 23, 2010 Written by ripitup

Air Force One starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman and Glenn Close. Image from http://www.kotiposti.net/

With the collaboration of Russia and USA, a tyrant leader is captured and put the jail. This is seen as a triumph by both countries. However US President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is skeptical. He is determined to favor humanity over politics and save more people the next time.

It is time for the President to go home on Air Force 1. The plane has The First Lady (Wendy Crewson), the president’s daughter, important administrative staff, his press secretary, bodyguards and a Russian-speaking (led by Gary Oldman) group who is supposed to make an interview with the President and the staff. The plane safely takes off. However unknown to the passengers, there is a traitor on the staff and with his help, the Russian group prove that they are something else all together. They hijack the plane, threatening to kill the hostages. Their demand? The release of the tyrant. The Vice President (Glenn Close) does her best to control the situation. The President can leave in his escape pod and jump off to safety or he can stay to fight for the hostages and the family. While it seems like mission impossible, the president will do his best to use his “General” skills, his intelligence and well…adrenaline…

This movie was fun. Pure, unsaturated action/thriller. So what if Harrison Ford will save the world once again? He does it well and we expect him to. Our Han Solo/Indiana Jones/ Jack Ryan sure has the guts and the experience to pull it off.

If there were any major flaws, I didn’t notice. I was too busy having fun. I liked the fact that all the terrorists spoke in Russian between themselves. It added authencity. While some might argue that we get another heroic President with the perfect family life gets to save the world, along with a little help from his friends (Independence Day, Bill Pullman also comes to mind), it is not like the screenplay writer hasn’t rubbed the viewers’ noses in America’s political sins. Movies like this tend to portray a perfect politician: honest, determined, family-oriented, loving and humane. He also comes with a fondness for football and a good sense of humor. I like this type of fictional politicians because let’s face it, movies are the only places we are going to see this politician. So enjoy his character, root for him and well…let the action begin. I guess I don’t really need to mention that Glen Close and Gary Oldman are good as always. I am yet to encounter a role that they sold and I didn’t buy.

Reasons to see the movie:

– The Cast: Harrison Ford, Glenn Close, Gary Oldman, William H. Macy

– The Concept and The Genre: It is so cool to imagine how it would be to fly in that nuclear-war resistant, ultimately gorgeous plane. And action on a plane is a concept I do enjoy.This one is truly well done. It had 2 Oscar nominations: Best Sound and Best Editing.

– The script is good.

Made in 1997. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (Outbreak, The Perfect Storm, Troy). Written by Andrew W. Marlowe.

6.3 on IMDB. 7 for the art, 9 for the entertainment from me.

Favorite Villain Quote:

– Egor Korshunov (Gary Oldman)- to the First Lady: In a war, people die.

– First Lady: This isn’t war! You just murdered an unarmed woman!

– Egor Korshunov: You who murdered a hundred thousand Iraqis to save a nickel on a gallon of gas are going to lecture me on the rules of war? DON’T!!!!

Six Days Seven Nights starring Harrison Ford and Anne Heche

Firewall starring Harrison Ford and Paul Bettany

Gary Oldman Tribute

The Scarlet Letter starring Gary Oldman and Demi Moore

6 Shows and Their Season Finales: Castle, House, Cougar Town, The Mentalist, Gossip Girl and Grey’s Anatomy

Posted on May 22, 2010 Written by ripitup

This week saw a lot of season finales for popular shows. No major spoilers.

CASTLE

Richard Castle and Kate Beckett are working together once again on a case. The case is really interesting. It involves secret operatives, deadly games, espionage, hidden motives and a really cool love triangle. You probably know Beckett has been seeing hunky robbery detective Tom Demming and Castle is depressed about it. His daughter will be going away for the summer and so will his mother Martha. Castle has a manuscript to finish and a couple he wants to get away from.

Michael Trucco appears in the last 4 episodes of Castle's 2nd season. I wish he had more episodes. But you can watch

You may not like everything that happens in this episode, romantically speaking.

But as always, the show provides a cool season finale and many more episodes to look forward to.

HOUSE

And the best season finale ever award goes to House!! House has been going on for 6 years and I am just as addicted to show as I was when I first started. Not all episodes are created equal. Some are inevitably more engaging and some of the cases are more unique. But it is OK. House’s (Hugh Laurie) lines and his interactions with other characters and guest stars (patients, etc) is what matters. Some episodes provide more comic relief and some leave us depressed. But it is always good. But if there is an episode to hit you right in the guy and swear you’ll back for the other season is the episode finale. Season 5’s finale was amazing- a great balance between what we wanted to happen and what actually happened. Season 6 us gives us a great case outside the hospital while House multi-tasks with a case at the hospital. And we get all the House-Cuddy confrontations we need. I watched some great finales this season but House’s was the best.

COUGAR TOWN

I really hope this show goes on because its quirkiness and adorably crazy and grumpy and sweet characters, it is a modern comedy that happens to be relevant, funny and interesting all at the same time. Courtney Cox is great and so is the rest of the cast. Andy and Ellie’s baby will really entertain you this time too. It is a nice change for a season finale not to leave the main romance hanging in the air. Jules and Grayson finally hooked up a couple of episodes ago. This episode just has them try to figure out how to tell Bobby…

THE MENTALIST

Obviously, Red John strikes again. Or maybe it is a copycat? Actually, there is both the real thing and the copycat and this makes things much more intriguing. Along with Patrick’s (Simon Baker) first date with Kristina, the case(s), and some really stupid mistakes on Kristina’s part will really keep you glued to the screen. This is one of the most intense episodes ever- Simon Baker is again at the top of his game. And for those of you who have seen it: I have a pretty good guess on who Red John might be. What do you think?

GOSSIP GIRL

OK, Gossip Girl is not an addiction but a guilty curiosity. It is not a show to be watched from beginning to end but rather watch on fast-forward to see what the authors did this time. How much more soap can you add to the opera after all? But this episode might actually the best one yet. Not only I watched more than I usually do but they added a pretty nice cliffhanger to the all the drama and romance and disasters. But please, somebody else make the wardrobe for Blaire. Her clothes are almost often dreadful. And Jenny should put on less make-up. The actress playing her is 16 just like her character. She might age pre-maturely. Just a thought.

GREY’S ANATOMY

Like Gossip Girl, if I watch Grey’s, it is most often on fast-forward. Or I just play in the background when I am doing something else. It wasn’t always like that. I loved this show during season 1. Than Season 2 was even better. Than they got too soapy and killed off one of my favorite characters. But hey, since this post is dedicated to finales, I thought I should check out Grey’s finale. Grey’s writers are good finales. Yes, they are never ever short of drama, complications, conflicts and emotional confrontations. Actually, they just overdo everything. e

Do you remember Dr. Burke? George O’ Malley? Izzie Stevens? Patient Denny Duquette?

But finales add action to the drama. There is suicide or murder or attacks…Guns and accidents go overboard, things get out of hand, some characters die and some survive. But this finale just took the action and tension way up:

Remember the guy whose wife was unplugged from the machine because she was brain-dead? Well, he gets in and kills and shoots more than he had initially planned. Lead or supporting, a lot of characters are endangered, lots of dangerous and risky calls are made and it is safe to say, if this was real life, all the parties involved would need serious therapy.

These are my takes on the finales. What are yours?

P.S. Desperate Housewives also had a pretty good ending to the 6^th season. But I think it had better finales before and did we really need that comeback?

OTHER TV SHOW POSTS

– The Forgotten starring Christian Slater

– Who’s The Boss? starring Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano

– NCIS Los Angeles starring Chris O’ Donnell

– My Own Worst Enemy starring Christian Slater

– Alias

– Chuck

– Modern Family

– Justified starring Timothy Olyphant

– Sex and The City

– Damages

Firewall starring Harrison Ford, Virginia Madsen and Paul Bettany

Posted on May 21, 2010 Written by ripitup

Firewall starring Harrison Ford, Virginia Madsen and Paul Bettany. Image from: http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/HPO/firewall.jpg

Consider yourselves warned. This movie will not surprise you. You will get the ending you always do. That being said, it is just not a bad movie.

After a movie, I usually cruise through IMDB boards and check out what the other folks are saying. It’s quite amusing. No matter what the movie, you will find people that had a good time, that hated it and that just don’t really care. Some people think Harrison Ford should stop acting (in action films). Because he is too old. Yeah, I know. People would love to manage actors’ careers…

OK. Enough with the gossip and the sarcasm. I did warn you that this is a predictable movie. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s entertaining:

Jack Stanfield (Harrison Ford) is a happily married man with 2 kids, aged 8 and 14. His wife (Virginia Madsen) is a beautiful architect and the marriage is great. His only problem is the merger his bank is going through but it is nothing he can’t handle. His life gets very difficult and complicated, however, when his best friend Harry (Robert Forster) introduces him to a businessman (Paul Bettany). Jack is a security specialist working at the large bank. The “businessman” makes him an offer and as Jack leaves to get home, he finds the businessman in his car. His name is Cox, he wants $100,000,000 from the bank. He also has taken his family hostage. From then on, it is a matter of life and death. Jack tries to outsmart Cox, and every time he fails, Cox proves that he is not kidding. So Jack needs to rob the bank he is protecting – and this robbery is a lot more technological and a lot less physical than the robberies we are used to…

It is not a masterpiece. It doesn’t have surprises. Still, I liked watching Jack finding a way to pull the stunts off. I had fun. The fun isn’t in trying to figure out whether Harrison will save his family. It’s in more how psycho the villain can get and how Jack can steal that much money, cover Cox’s track. And let’s face it, Bettany makes a fine villain. You might recgonize Jack’s secretary Janet (Mary Lynn Rajskub) as she has helped out Jack Bauer more than once in the series 24.

And why would people think Harrison is too old for this role is beyond me. It is not like he is playing Clive Owen’s part in Shoot Them Up or Gerard Butler’s in 300! He is trapped, he needs to save three members of his family. Anyone’s adrenaline would be pumped up. Watch it if you enjoy a typical thriller/action and like Bettany and Ford. By the way, remind me, did Harrison Ford ever play a villain?

5.8 on IMDB. I’ll give it a 6.Let me know what you think.

P.S. I read that Harrison Ford declined to play in Schindler’s List, claiming his stardom would get in the way of the message of the movie. I am glad Liam Neeson has the title role but what do you think about Harrsion’s remark? Do you think he is right? Or just cocky?

Who’s The Boss? starring Tony Danza, Judith Light, Alyssa Milano, Katherine Helmund & Danny Pintauro

Posted on May 19, 2010 Written by ripitup

Who's The Boss starring Tony Danza, Judith Light, Danny Pintauro, Alyssa Milano and Katherine Helmund. — Who's The Boss cast. From the right: Judith Light, Danny Pintauro, Tony Danza, Alyssa Milano and Katherine Helmund. 1984-1992. A fun note: Matthew Perry a.k.a Chandler Bing of Friends appeared on the 8th episode of 7th season. Way before Friends.

I am glad that there are some great new shows out there but I have a thing for nostalgia. I especially enjoy the nostalgic stuff more if I realize it is still fun after all those years.

Recently I re-watched Overboard and after seeing Katherine Helmund there, I wanted to watch “Who’s the Boss?” Again. There are reruns, youtube videos and DVDs around so if you are interested you can watch this lovely show again.

The Plot:

Tony Micelli (Tony Danza) is a nice, fun, down-to-earth single dad of Italian origin. He feels Brooklyn is getting too dangerous to raise her tomboy of a young daughter Samantha (Alyssa Milano) so he jumps at the opportunity of living in the Connecticut suburbia. The housekeeping job is a little unconventional for a man but Tony doesn’t mind. But after packing up and leaving their old lives behind, Tony gets a little surprise. His “employer” Angela Bower (Judith Light) doesn’t know anything about this. She is a single mother, living with her small son Jonathan (Danny Pintauro). She is an advertising executive and she has left her mother Mona (Katherine Helmund) to interview the candidates. Of course she should have known that her man-loving, youthful and fun mother would go with the handsome Tony. Although Angela is a lot more conventional and reserved, she is eventually talked into giving Tony a shot. From then on it is a bliss of comedy, romance, great family moments, awkward situations and a wonderful time.

The show went on for 8 seasons, from 1984 to 1992. It may not be the funniest show ever, but it is definitely one of the sweetest and it is a show whose jokes don’t get old and you can still relate to the characters even long after it is over. The show’s only vice is that because it takes place in the 80s, they have dressed Judith Light in the worst fashion possible. Her character Angela’s wardrobe is awful but hey, if bad clothes is the only bad thing about a show, you can definitely overlook it.

As I watch the episodes once again, I’ll be posting some really fun quotes. Here are some to get started:

Episode 1

*Angela can’t get her son to take his pet snake out of the living room.

Tony: It looks like a showdown between your snake and your mother. Remember, snake doesn’t pay your allowance.

Jonathan: Good point. (to the snake, as he is taking it away) Sorry, Wilbur. Money talks and you don’t.

************************************************

*Angela is unwilling to hire a man as her housekeeper.

Mona: Angela, what’s the problem?

Angela: The problem, Mother, is that you sent me a man for a housekeeper.

Mona: Oh, don’t be sexist, Angela. A man can do meaningless, unproductive work just as well as a woman.

*****************************

Angela is dating her boss, around the time she is about to get a promotion:

Tony: Let me tell you one thing, Angela! you will never catch me doing something dumb like sleeping with my employer!

***********************************

Episode 2

On Tony’s accidentally walking in on Angela when she is naked…

Mona: It’s the first time I feel like we are a real family.

Angela: A family?

Mona: After all we are the only 3 people in the world who know about your mole.

Here’s a fun video. Let me knows if the video stops working.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65VxIT_mJW4[/pro-player]

Other Comedies Featured

Cougar Town starring Courtney Cox

Friends and The Hollywood Stars That Guest-Starred in the Show

Chuck

Modern Family

Sex and The City

Saturday Night Live Episode: Gerard Butler

Saturday Night Live Episode: Jon Bon Jovi