magicdog

I'm supposed to feel guilty, but I don't. I downloaded "Making With The Magilla" to my iPod. Imagine my suprise when I learned it was sung by none other than Little Eva! It was on a CD called, "Dimension Dolls" which was a collection of girl group recordings from the Brill Building era.

'I'd heard of the film but never saw it. Sounds like, "Oh Heavenly Dog" in reverse. In that one, Chevy Chase plays a murdered P.I. who comes back to earth to sove his own murder. He is reincarnated as a dog, played by Benji.

Good news! My local Albertson's supermarket changed their sign to "fewer".

Sorry, I can't do that in my state - the cops bust you for "speeding" when you're really just passing. They also like to nail you for not coming to a full and complete stop before turning right on red. Me: People who wear flip flops away from the pool/beach. Double peeving when they wear them at school, church, weddings, etc. People who can't distinguish the correct spelling for "their" and "there". People who say, "concur" when they mean "agree". I'd learned in a law class many years ago that concur meant to agree with an [opinion] but for a different reason than that of the other person. People (often foreign visitors) who automatically assume that as an American, I must be stupid, ignorant, or coarse. People who can't be bothered to put their cellphones/iPhones away at the table. I can't tell you how annoying it is when someone can't look up at you during the meal. What's so darn important that you have to have your nose buried in a screen? People who tailgate or honk at me for doing the speed limit. When products get smaller but the price is still about the same. I went to buy a 5lb bag of white sugar only to find 4lb bags and 10lb bags. Why is it I get charged the same for 1 pound less of food? Not to mention not giving me the option of a 5lb bag anymore. Inappropriate or sexy clothes for children. When my neice was about 6, many of the clothes for her age and size were all about bare midriffs, asymmetrical tops and short skirts. I had to buy some patterns and have a seamstress make some appropriate things to wear! This. I also once worked in retail and was looked down upon far more than I'd care to admit. One fellow was a tourist who said to me, "I'm from Quebec. That's in Canada." I was so pissed I decided to have a chat with him on the current events going on in Quebec - in French. He shut up after that.

As a tribute song, I'd go with "Off And Running" - which she recorded back in 1966. A very underrated song. RIP Ms. Gore.

I would love this! In fact it could fit into my earlier post about a show involving clashing politics. Murphy was the last of the old school TV journalists - working for one of the big three networks, having a primetime news show (akin to 20/20 or 60 Minutes). Her political views were also no secret. Now fast forward to Murphy retiring, whining about how cable and the internet have usurped network news and we learn her son Avery has not only followed in her journalistic footsteps, but works for a FNC type network - which really makes Murphy howl!

I happened to be listening to an interview on the radio. The host was talking about the film and a fellow called in claiming he'd read the book. He said it was so bad, it read like a book written by 6th graders who were told to try to write a potboiler!

I found this blog comparing this film to an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. It makes me wonder.

It was a bit of a turnabout gimmick, but not exploited as much as it could have been, regardless of if it was on in the 80s or 90s.

Touche. However, that show wasn't nearly as politically explosive as it could have been. It was more of a lighthearted sitcom which despite the premise wasn't about spurring controversial storyline. My version would be closer to the adversarial style of the original. Besides it would be more fun to see a senior citizen who was once a part of the hippie movement to see their views being opposed by the younger generation - a reverse of what they did to their parents' previous generation.

I'd watch a new Sliders; I agree the first 2 seasons were best and the less said about the Cro Mags the better! The Pretender I do miss but I hated the last two TV movies that aired. They were supposed to wrap up all loose ends of the series proper and they screw it up by adding more twists - and then tried to add a supernatural one to it (hinted strongly that the Centre was created by a Parker ancestor who had some scrolls allegedly written by Satan!). A female pretender sounds intriguing but IIRC, the creators of the original show insisted there weren't any in their universe. The only pretenders that did exist to their potential were Jarrod and his brother. They had a sister but she was saved from The Centre. I definitely like the idea of reviving an All In The Family like show - except in reverse. The "Archie" would be a Woodstock alum and baby boomer who's all about being liberal (essentially, Mike), while the "Mike Stivic" would be a Conservative or Libertarian. The trouble is I don't trust the writers in Hollywood to be honest about a conservative character (ie. making him/her a joke who's always wrong instead of having as many valid points as the Archie character). Or perhaps alter the premise slightly: have it set up with a young family (children are elementary school aged) and after learning their kids are being bullied and learning things they don't approve of at their local school (not to mention the food) they decide to homeschool the kids and we see the family adjusting to the changes and balancing work home and the kid's schooling. Plus there could be various conflicts with relatives or well meaning neighbors who think they're lifestyle is nuts. The clash of ideals can occur that way. I loved the 90s Daria and I'd have loved to have seen her adventures continue either in college or post college. It might be interesting to see her now and see her riffing on modern issues now that she has some life experience behind her. Do animated shows count? I have always thought there were plenty of classic shows (mostly from the HB stable) that could make it with some updating and strong writing. Some of those include: Space Ghost - Sure, he was "Batman in Space" but with a more mature characterization and cool storylines, he could make a viable comeback. The teaser from Batman, The Brave &The Bold stirred plenty of interest amongst fans that made people wonder if the network was gaging interest. The Herculoids - same as above - and the two shows shared a universe anyway, so perfect for a spinoff. Mission Magic - it could be fun if Rick Springfield could be lured into coming back. Plus, there could be more sophisticated world building in the magical realm. The Impossibles - I really think these guys could hack it in the new millennium - especially if we keep their world as a mid 60s Retro Universe with music to match. Maybe after rerecording their original songs, we could finally get the songs released in their entirety. Frankenstein Jr. - only this time Buzz Conroy and Frankie play it a bit straighter this time. A boy & his crime fighting robot! Jonny Quest - A new slew of adventures for the original group. Jonny and Hadji are still preteens/tweens, and we get some serious adventures not too far off the original series. Goldie Gold & Action Jack - There would have to be a lot of world rebuilding here (rather than a newspaper heiress, she'd be more likely running a high tech company), some down to earth tech (no more mansions on the space shuttle or swimming pools on a space satellite) and adding some Moonlighting - esque banter between herself and blogger/adventurer Jack Travis. Or perhaps create a "Justice League" except using the HB superheroes and give them all sorts of unique adventures. We could have Space Ghost, Birdman, Blue Falcon (with a rebooted Dynomutt that's less of a screw up), Inch High, Private Eye, Frankenstein Jr., Mightor, Jana of the Jungle, et al and reboot some other HB characters who are used in other roles in the periphery. I'd love to see a sequel series of Charmed. It had been hoped (and lobbied for) by fans that Piper's sons, Chris and Wyatt become the next generation of Halliwell witches. Their Charmed cousins could always visit now and again. We could even take the series out of SF and go to Boston! It would be set about 25-30 years from now; the original Book of Shadows would be a digitized version the boys keep in their home which would have 3-D holographic images of various magical creatures, and they'd be dealing with the same initial issues their mothers and aunts did - trying to balance a life of magic with the non magical world. In their case however, they'd have been raised with magic all along, unlike the sisters. Perhaps some of the damage created in the original series could be retconned out.

Oh definitely!

The trope of the over the top crime that makes no sense. One that sticks out in my mind is the one about Haitian children who are illegally adopted and brought to the US to be used as slaves. Not a single family that had a Haitian kid took them into the family as a son/daughter. Puh-leese! Are you telling me not a single white family can love a non white child? That's insulting to adoptive families everywhere! Another trope: Only hot female lawyers work at the D.A.'s office. None of them are fat or plain. They are also the most replaceable since Jack refused to go anywhere. Then there's the trope of the questionable (but treated as noble) last legal word from Jack after a case. I refer to the episode in which a man (who was later found to have lied on his immigration papers by claiming he had not worked in a concentration camp during WW2) was convicted of murder with another man (who did the actual murder but they were tried together because the murderer was an anti semitic Nazi groupie). The victim (who testified via videotape) claimed the immigrant was a notorious sadistic guard she remembered from the camp she was in. It was never proven he actually was this person, but he was convicted anyway despite no actual evidence of his involvement in the murder either. Jack remarks that "The jury could tell a guilty person when they see one". That was a line that made me want to punch Jack! Last I checked, you need evidence to prove guilt - not one's looks of guilt or innocence! Next trope: Staten Island is the Outer Mongolia of NYC and is to be avoided by sreetwise hardened cops at all costs. Occasional swipes at it are practically mandatory despite no reasoning for this.

You're not! You brought up a good point. Although in some cases, they can't go back to singing/performing because they either burned too many bridges (professionally as well as personally to their fans), they're no longer relevant, or they've destroyed their talent via drugs or alcohol. I remember Whitney Houston's voice coach (who was working with her in the months prior to her death) remarked that her voice was just "gone". Her years of abuse took its toll and there just wasn't any coming back from that.

As an American, I'll never understand why you have no love and devotion to your country. If it makes you feel any better, most military folk don't consider themselves heroes either. They reserve that honor for those who never came home I agree with your comment missbonnie. Moore is little more than an armchair quarterback on the Monday after the game. Then again, I expect trash talk from him and his ilk. He is entitled to his opinion, but it would be nice if he were a bit more understanding of what he derides. He needn't fight in a war to hate it (ask anyone who's ever fought in one and they'll tell you how much they hate it too) but he should keep in mind that he wouldn't have the lifestyle he currently has without the sacrifices people he openly claims to despise fought and died for.

I wondered about that too. I think it may be steroids (for a medical issue). He resembles Jerry Lewis back in the 90s who had the same issue. Loved that he did the giggle! Dustin I understand. Lark's people claimed she was too busy to make an appearance. Still, it was a great sketch!

There was a revival of the series back in the early 90s (circa 1994) in which Burke (Gene Barry back in his old role) was now a widower and had a son (played by Peter Barton) who was also a detective. It wasn't bad - a bit on par with similar shows with classic actors like Dick Van Dyke (Diagnosis Murder). I never did see the original series but it sounds gimmicky in the extreme.

I understand that ticket prices are in part influenced by inflation and how much it costs to make the film. Sure there's improved special effects, but to me that's not enough to make up for many of the earlier complaints I listed. Especially when you wonder why is it that despite having the best FX appear in the original Jurrassic Park, (1993) we keep getting ugly and obvious FX (apart from the SYFY channel of course) in many films. True. However I think even back then audiences were willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of the story. I have laughed out loud at some flicks from the 30s through the 50s which showed obvious wires and fake rocks, but if the story and actors were holding my attention, it didn't matter as much. Think of theatrical productions - you know the stage is filled with props of all sorts but you still will yourself to believe you're watching "reality" as the performers do their work on stage.

Just caught, "All Quiet On The Western Front" (1930) last night. I'd read the book in HS, but never got around to seeing any version of the film. I never realized this version was a silent film! The print was clear as a bell and there were some extra sound effects making one think they were added at the time of release (like the sound of the soldiers marching). It definitely plays much better than if the film had been made with the sound technology of the time. Much of what we see in the film still rings true today.

I'm not enjoying the theatrical experience as I once did. It seems somehow in the past 20+ years, movie audiences have become ruder (texting, amongst other things), clueless (let's bring an infant/child to an R-rated movie), and dirtier (hygiene issues and/or infestations of lice/bedbugs). On the theater [chain] end of things, it's cleanliness (infamous sticky floors), and commercials airing during previews. If I wanted commercials, I could have stayed home and watched them on TV for free. You get so little for your money these days; when I think of the stories my parents told about their movie experiences (they went to the movies back in the 40s and 50s) we get a fraction of the entertainment for 10 times the price! The local drive-in is the only place to get a deal of any kind since they have double features every night on all screens.

Could someone help me with timeline - Danny and Linda married before he went to Iraq, but didn't have kids till he came back? Jack is supposed to be 14 - just barely old enough for girls and too young to drive. I'm guessing he's either in 8th grade (JHS) or a HS freshman. It's possible Danny and Linda married while Linda was in nursing school (or perhaps shortly after graduating) since she was working before the boys came along. Danny was in the military and became a cop later. IIRC from the production notes, he went into Iraq to fight after 9/11/01 for two tours after having received a leave of absence. In the Season 3 episode, "The Bitter End", He was shown interviewing the two sisters whose parents were killed in a shooting - and that was in 2000. He was already a detective - according to Frank, he became a detective after 3-3 1/2 years in uniform. I'm guessing Jack would have been born after he made detective and possibly before going to Iraq (early 2001). The younger son was likely born after the two tours or perhaps between tours. The husband hired a hitman but had a change of heart but couldn't get back in touch with the hitman to call it off. He decided the best thing to do was to wait up for him and when he entered the house, he shot him dead. He was arrested by Danny for the crime of hiring a hitman, and possibly murder of the hitman since he was lying in wait.

Plus, NY has crushing taxes! Take home pay apart from the cost of living is rather low. I wish at times that Danny should have taken that job in security for that celebrity, or joined a similar firm. It would have made a great storyline that he deviated away from "the family business" because the pay and bennies were a lot better and he had a safer work environment.

Getting a bit of deja vu again - didn't Erin have to deal with a Mother trying to get her innocent kid out of jail way back in season 1 or 2? I know cases like this do pop up IRL for the DA's office but this isn't the first time I've seen repetitive storylines for the show. I do give credit for having the mother be guilty of her part in the crime as opposed to being an innocent who was "in the wrong place at the wrong time". If her son is as good as Erin thinks he is, I'd love to see him become a killer defense attorney one day! I also liked the personal issues in this ep. How Frank is worried about being accused of favoritism (again) when one of his kids is involved in something that could get them punished or rewarded. I wasn't expecting him to give the medal to Danny due to Danny understanding why Frank was hesitant - and understanding why Frank was denied a medal back in 1988 for the same reason. I was glad Jamie wasn't involved in this ep much, it's not necessary to involve every family member in every scene or storyline. I also adored the scenes with Jack and his crush on Charlotte. Of course seeing Danny with Linda reminiscing over their early dates (and the orange chocolates) only shows how much these two are such a great example of a solid marriage.

I hope it's OK to repost this here since when I originally made it, I posted it under the One Police Plaza thread because I couldn't remember the episode:

I second this! I don't know if it has to do with the actress' demeanor or the limited characterization we've seen so far, but I feel like I just have to know more about her and what she can do. Ditto! One of my favorite ones involve a moment in which the two are in Frank's office and Frank is in a touchy spot (as if we don't see this in many other eps!), and at some point he contemplates laying low for a while. Garrett says he was going to get Frank a pair of glasses with the big nose and mustache for a disguise and then remarks, "but I see you've already done that!" [cut to shot of Frank wearing his usual glasses staring at Garrett]. It was so subtle, but hilarious! I couldn't help but wonder if that was a bit of improv on the actor's part when filming that scene.