Change Your Image
Sylviastel
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Famously Haunted: Hollywood (2024)
Entertaining about Hollywood
Hollywood has a notorious and sordid history. Too bad they didn't include the Sowden house which is rumored to be where the Black Dahlia a.k.a. Elizabeth Short was brutally murdered and dismembered allegedly by Dr. George Hill Hodel. It was his own son and retired Los Angeles retired homicide detective Steven Hodel who uncovered it but he's not included in this documentary. The locations included here are the grand Biltmore Hotel and the decrepit Hotel Cecil among the locations. Cielo Drive and Oman House are quite interesting. Unfortunately the house where Sharon Tate and her friends were brutally murdered was demolished in the nineties. It's not a bad documentary about haunted Hollywood.
St. Denis Medical (2024)
It Has Great Potential So Don't Give Up on It!
The show has great potential to be a hit. We have so few comedies on television today. It's nice and refreshing to see them on network television. Wendy McLendon-Covey is perfect in her role as the head director at St. Denis Medical Center in Oregon. Alison Tolman is effecetive as a nurse supervisor who has a family. Her character seems to be overly involved and so dedicated that she has trouble leaving to see her daughter perform in her school's Mamma Mia. David Alan Grier is fine here as a long term veteran doctor. There are some familiar faces here. I did enjoy the first two episodes and hope to see the rest.
Don't give up in the show. It's the best sitcom on NBC right now and that's not saying much. I would rather have more sitcoms than crime dramas.
Happy's Place (2024)
When You Just to Lighten Up and Laugh
No this sitcom isn't groundbreaking but there are such few traditional sitcoms on the air as it is. Reba McEntire always seems to be easy going in life and on the show. The show won't win any awards but it's worth watching because it's heartwarming and lighthearted. Reba McEntire does a fine job as the daughter and heiress to her father's bar. The actress who plays her surprise half sister Isabella does a fine job too. They learn about each other after their father's death. Melissa Peterman was a veteran of Reba's previous sitcom. Melissa and Reba work well together. Melissa is good casting for the show based on prior experiences. The show could use improvement as sitcoms take time to evolve. Just give it a chance especially if you love Reba.
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (2024)
Give It Time to Let It Grow On You
I have high hopes for this sitcom and given a chance and time then it will evolve into something worth more. Will Sasso is a great actor and comedian who is being underused right now. As a sitcom, the premise is weak but it gets better with time and effort. The actors who play George and Mandy are exceptional in their performances. A great supporting cast like Sasso helps the show. Even though it is only thirteen episodes, the show has enormous potential to be big. Guest appearances like Zoe Perry and Annie Potts adds to the show. The sitcom has issues but it is still entertaining and I will keep watching because traditional sitcoms are a dying breed. George and Mandy really came out of nowhere to be a couple worth rooting for and I stiil like them very much.
AI: The Doomsday Code, DNA Integration, and the Illuminati Connection (2024)
High Hopes were Dashed!
I still don't understand this documentary about artificial intelligence or A. I. taking over the world. The premise is promising but it lacks experts revealing their beliefs and theories. Yes, artificial intelligence is taken over the world at a faster rate. Unlike humans, they can't feel emotions unless their programmed too. Is the documentary supposed to answer what is going to happen in the future with artificial intelligence? Is there going to be mixed human/robot out there. Yes, it's been done before in movies. Artificial intelligence is useful in many regards. We can send robots to space instead of humans. Unlike humans, robots can malfunction too. They have their limitations. I found the documentary to be circling around the titled topics. There is a monologue instead of a dialogue.
American Tragedy 25 (2024)
Heartwarming and Sad
Sue Klebold didn't get any compensation for her participation in this documentary. The documentary is mixed with re-enactments of her life as a mother of a school shooter. Sue searches for answers about what happened to her son who went and killed students at Columbine high school in a picturesque suburb of Denver, Colorado. There have been other school shootings since 1999 but Columbine was unprecedented and horrific. Sue's son, Dylan and his friend Eric Harris shot and killed students and faculty before committing suicide. Sue tries to understand what led her son to the horrors of April 20, 1999. She is guilt ridden over not seeing and spotting the signs or clues. The reenactment don't include the actual shootings. Like everyone else, Sue seeks answers and solution to prevent more school shootings. You can blame gun control and lack of mental health care in this country. 25 years later, we're still looking for answers.
We Are Columbine (2018)
Columbine Changed Everything in American Schools
The horrific shooting at Columbine High School in picturesque Littleton, Colorado (a Denver suburb) still haunts us to this day. There are have been more school shootings unfortunately though. This documentary is done from a survivor's point of view. Four former students from their freshman year give their accounts of that horrific day and their lives before and afterwards. The principal and language arts teacher also give their accounts. This documentary is tastefully done though with regards to the survivors of that day and the community. The four former students have moved on with their lives but they haven't forgotten that one day etched forever in their minds. This documentary is carefully done. This documentary is relatable. As someone who worked in the American public school system myself, we have a fire drill, an evacuation drill and an lockdown drill.
Dybbuk Box: The Story of Chris Chambers (2019)
Was it Based on a True Story
The Dybbuk Box could have been real to the viewer. They do exist in actuality and are sold on Ebay. I don't recommend buying one for the experience. I don't know if the Chris Chambers story was true at all. I'll take the film's word for it. He gets a Dybbuk box from the black market and he opens it up. There is not much there. He uses the paranormal devices to help know what is or isn't there. We don't know if there is an actual entity usually malevolent. The Dybbuk Box is not a toy and you're not supposed to open it. It is said that the dybbuk or demon spirit lives inside of it. Once opened, the dark forces takes over. The film is about an hour and takes place in one setting. I don't know if its true or not and I don't really care once and for all.
JFK Assassination: The Oval Office to Dealey Plaza (2023)
There's Always Something New in These Documentaries
The 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy was an unforgettable moment in American and world history. The true story about the assassination has grown over the decades. Will we ever really know what happened at the Grassy Knoll, Dealey Plaza and the Texas School Book Depository on November 22, 1963? Probably not, we can only speculate and theorize who killed him and why. Even sixty years later, we still have questions. The witnesses here have contradicted the Warren Commission. The audio recordings taken before and after his murder add to the conspiracy. I think what I learned is that Dallas was the third and successful attempt at killing Kennedy. Oswald may have been a shooter but he wasn't the only one.
Cropsey (2009)
The Boogeyman is Real
Andre Rand may or not be guilty of crimes against the missing children of Staten Island. There were sure a lot of coincidences between him and the missing children. I would have preferred a more detailed background of his life. I remember when Jennifer Schweitzer, a young girl with Down syndrome disappeared and her remains were found. There were other missing children but they've never been found. I suspect their remains were disposed at the large landfill on the island. Staten Island is the least populated borough in New York City. The documentary tried to get Rand to talk on camera but to no avail. He was facing his second trial.
The Pig Farm (2011)
If They Stopped Him At Stitch, So Many Lives Would Have Been Saved
The documentary covers the Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton, a pig farmer in British Columbia. He is largely an unsympathetic character. He might have been good to his so called friends who pretty much ignored his hobby of killing Vancouver prostitutes and gutting them like a butcher in the barn. The Canadian police had a difficult time in getting to him. They couldn't get a search warrant without an eyewitness. When they did get one, it was for illegal firearms. They had no idea what they were getting into. Sadly his victims were largely prostitutes with drug addictions. If they stopped him after Stitch, it would have saved lives. For years, women went missing in Vancouver. The documentary does an adequate job in retelling the story. Too bad, they didn't stop him sooner. The red flags were all over the place.
Demon House (2019)
It Must Be Really Bad to Break Zak!
This documentary is a bit troubling since everyone associated with the house in Gary, Indiana suffered from being in it. Whether it was a coincidence or just reality, the house is average and rented out to a mother, grandmother and three children. If you don't believe in the paranormal, you will likely dismiss their accounts and others in this documentary. The former tenants didn't want anything to do with the documentary as they had an agreement elsewhere. Zak bought the house and thankfully demolished it afterwards. Zak is always interested in the paranormal and still continues to investigate. If you enjoy his other shows, you might be uncomfortable watching this documentary. Zak can antagonize the spirits and demons. The basement steps are on display at his museum in the Southwest. You can believe or not believe what is happening until it is happening to you. Just have an open mind.
Confessions from the Grassy Knoll: The Shocking Truth (2013)
Finally The Truth 50 Years Later
I found this documentary about the President John F. Kennedy's assassination after fifty years to be thoughtfully and thoroughly done. The interviews were eye opening and very informative too. The interviewees add plenty of insight and understanding of the complexity of the situation. Yes, he was a patsy. The documentary examines the bullet wounds and the magic bullet theory. They examine Oswald's history. Retired FBI agents are interviewed and add credence to the investigation. Archival footage helps viewers know the players and they were various too. Yes there was a massive conspiracy that day. The coverup only made it worse. The truth always comes out in the end.
Friends with Kids (2011)
An Incomplete Ending
The film has the stars. The premise could use some work. Adam Scott and Jennifer Westveldt play professional New Yorkers and longtime friends who decide to have a baby before Julie's biological clock winds down. The film fast forwards from conception to the birth. Jake and Julie have a son named Joe. They co parent well until thry start dating other people. Adam Scott is really undervalued as a comedic and dramatic actor. Jennifer Westveldt is also more than just a pretty face. The supporting cast is stellar with Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm and more. The writing could have been better though. I loved the New York City location marks.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
You Will Never Measure Up
I just love this movie. I've been to the Singapore airport too. After a twelve hour plane ride, you don't notice its sights. Awkafina was perfect as Rachel's best friend. The best scene is when Rachel announces to her friend.s family that she is dating Nick Young, the unofficial crown prince of Singapore and heir to a huge real estate empire. Rachel,Chu had no idea that she was attending Singapore's wedding of the year. Michelle Yeoh and Lisa Lu were perfect as Nick's disapproving mother and his manipulative grandmother. The cast is perfect. The film is enjoyable and entertaining as well. It's a classic already.
Katrina Cop in the Superdome (2010)
Still Worth Watching
If you want to know what happened at the Superdome during hurricane Katrina, this documentary shows some insight to what happened there. It was horrific to say what happened. A week at the Superdome in New Orleans where it was known as the home for the New Orleans Saints, the hometown professional football team. Katrina was an epic disaster made worse by poor planning. There was a picture of empty school buses under water. They could have been used to evacuate the people of New Orleans. Nobody expected the levees to breach and flood the city. Thousands became homeless. The evacuation should have happened sooner.
Alt-Right: Age of Rage (2018)
This documentary sheds the light on the darkness of white supremacy
The documentary shows two distinct voices in today's world. Richard Bertrand Spencer is a white nationalist activist and the anti fascist movement known as Antifa. There is nothing that the documentary could do to justify the white nationalists movement. It's evolved from the klu klux klan but they're still the same. Mark Potok from thr Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama has experienced the right wing racism first hand. While this documentary explains white racism origins in America. They could have had a sequel. President Trump made things worse during his term. Too bad the documentary came out before 2021.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Who Are You Going to Call?
The film is brilliant after four decades of its release. The cast was perfect and the writing couldn't have been any better. Comic geniuses Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray. Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson and Rick Moranis were terrific in their roles. Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts also held their own as well. There are plenty of familiar faces on screen. Each scene was brilliantly done by the late Ivan Reitman. I love the New York City features especially the twin towers that is no longer there. I love seeing New York City in the eighties. Alice Drummond, was memorable as the spooled librarian. Rhoda Geminghani was perfect as the realtor.
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Get in the Groove You Got To Prove Your Love To Me
The movie may have propelled Madonna into superstar. She pretty plays herself. Roxanna Arquette is truly the star here among a highly talented cast. Mark Blum was perfect as her hot tub sailing husband unaware of his wife's unhappiness. Laurie Metcalf was coming into her own before Rosanne as Gary's sister. Gary and Roberta live comfortably in nearby Fort Lee, New Jersey which is only a bridge away from Manhattan. Roberta finds herself following Susan in the personals in New York City. Sadly the New York City depicted in the film has been overrun by gentrification. Still I was very nostalgic to see the Manhattan of my child. The film is fine and entertaining. Rosanne Arquette did a brilliant job.
Requiem for the American Dream (2015)
If You Wanted To Know What Happened to America?
Noam Chomsky is a retired linguistics professor from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Besides linguistics, he is one of the most revered intellectuals of our time. This documentary helps us understand how America went from being prosperous and achieving the American dream with a well paying job with benefits. If you saved enough money, you can buy a home and car and have a family. In recent decades, the dreams are slipping away and out of reach. Chomsky speaks to his audience without malice or demeaning. He comes across as the guy next door. He explains his ten principles without overwhelming the audience. This documentary is a must see.i loved the old footage of him.
Looking for Lenny (2011)
We're still talking about him after all this time.
Lenny Bruce died too soon from a drug overdose at his home in Hollywood. Before his death, he raised the bar on comedy to include profanity. Before there was Richard Pryor or George Carlin, there was Lenny Bruce who pushed the boundaries and raised the bar. Lenny still influenced newer generations of comedians. Lenny Bruce was a comedic with a sharp wit and intelligence. His profanity and vulgarity attracted trouble. He fought for free speech. He was a pioneer for many comedians and others. He fought the system. Sadly he died too young. He had quite a life. Interviews included friends, daughter, roommate and others worth watching.
Brexitannia (2017)
For Those Who Wanted To Know Why Brexit Happened
For those who wanted to know why Brexit, the documentary opens up with the people. We get to hear from people who voted to remain or leave the European Union. The documentary reminds me of why the USA elected Trump that year. The disenfranchised Britons voted for Brexit without realizing what they were going to lose. I read about euro skepticism where the British politicians blamed Brussels long before for their problems at home. The documentary isn't shocking but realistic and relatable. The second half included world renowned linguistic professor Noam Chomsky and other experts. Sadly the documentary doesn't include the expert names. I would have liked something more in depth overall.
Inside the World's Most Haunted Houses (2020)
Only One Haunted House Abroad
Except for a house in Indonesia, all the haunted houses are in the United States. Two are in Kansas and two are in California. The documentary does benefit those of us who don't get to see the insides as much from other programs. The Manresa Castle in Port Townsend, Washington peaked my interest the most. As a viewer, you get a better tour of the homes mentioned here. You get a little bit of history and paranormal here too for those of us enthusiasts. I like seeing the interiors better. The visitors are amateur paranormal investigators. We couldn't see inside the LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans, Louisiana where the couple didn't get to go inside it. The viewers get a brief history of the mansion and the crimes there. I enjoyed the documentary though.
Nostradamus: Future Revelations and Prophecy (2023)
Nothing New Here
If you're interested in knowing the future from Nostradamus, this is an okay documentary. There is not much new information here about the future. It's quite vague overall. The narrator is fine. The clips feature nobody familiar. Nostradamus was a French future seer. He wrote in quatrains about the future. Whether he was right or not is up to the individual. Of course, hindsight is nothing new. Sadly the documentary doesn't include scholars or experts on Nostradamus himself. It would have been useful to have experts speak about him. The viewers will see general footage but nobody definitely familiar. You're not going to get new information. The documentary serves a purpose of describing his life.
Wendy Lehr: My Life in the Theater (2014)
She said Yes to life in the theatre
Wendy Lehr should be better known outside the twin cities. She has spent the last six decades on every theatre stage there and elsewhere. She has taught, directed, produced and sold tickets. Wendy spent two decades at the world renowned Children's Theatre Company. She is a regular at the Jungle Theater and others in the twin cities. Wendy speaks about her life in the theatre. Her motto is say yes. Wendy has done every job imaginable in the theatre. She even had a cut scene in the classic film, Fargo, which is too bad. She comes across as humble and approachable. She doesn't have much of an ego. She takes the bus since she doesn't drive. She has taught hundreds of aspiring actors and actresses.over the years. She even has a theatre named after her in St. Paul Conservatory. She reminds me of Dame Judi Dench. Wendy should be better known in her own country.