3rd Rock At Its Best In Its Fifth Season

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment/NBCUniversal

NBC’s hit sitcom 3^rd Rock From The Sun was one of the greatest sitcoms of the 90s.  Now nearly twenty years after it first debuted, it still stands as one of the funniest sitcoms to have ever been created, despite what some critics might want audiences to believe.  And thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment, fans can now own all six seasons of this laugh riot comedy.  Audiences who remember the series in its original airings will each have their own favorite season(s) and episode(s).  But there’s no denying that of the series’ six seasons, its fifth season marks one of the series major high points.  From the general writing to the guest spots, 3^rd Rock From The Sun Season Five is an example of everything that used to make sitcoms great in television’s modern era.

3^rd Rock’s fifth season is an exemplar of great comedic writing and timing right from the get-go.  The triple-disc set’s first disc offers what are two of the series’ best episodes in “Dial M For Dick” and “Sex and the Sally.”  In the first of the pair of episodes Dick and the others attend a mystery dinner theater.  Obviously being aliens from another world, they have no idea that the murders in question are just an act.  That is, they don’t know until something quite unexpected happens.  Audiences will have to find out what exactly that is for themselves.  Along the way, Dick thinks himself a sleuth and tries to pin the blame for the murders on one of his own group.  This alone will leave audiences laughing no less with each watch.  Speaking of laughing, audiences might find themselves laughing so hard that they’re crying in “Sex and the Sally.”  Sally discovers the dangers of sex and ways to keep from getting pregnant.  Along the way, the side effects of her using birth control will undoubtedly leave audiences laughing uncontrollably.

The set’s first disc offers more than its share of laughs, as is already noted.  But the laughs don’t end there.  The second and third discs are also front-loaded with more than enough comedy for audiences to enjoy over and over.  The return of guest star William Shatner as The Big Giant Head in “The Big Giant Head Returns” leads to a love triangle as Harry admits to Mamie that he loves her.  At the same time, Tommy tries to hypnotize Sally in order to get her to stop buying shoes.  It doesn’t work.  But it does work on Harry, resulting in some hilarious physical comedy on his part. 

If the solid writing and the physical comedy aren’t enough to keep audiences engaged, then maybe the bevy of guest stars will.  William Shatner returns not once, but twice this season.  Also Star Trek TNG star Jonathan Frakes makes an appearance along with then WWF/WWE wrestler Chyna, Larisa Oleynick (The Secret World of Alex Mack), “The Hoff” himself, David Hasselhoff (Baywatch, America’s Got Talent, The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, Pirana 3DD), and many others.  The continued revolving door of guest stars proves just how popular the show was.  Though, Shatner shined brighter than any others with both appearances this season.  Audiences will love seeing Shatner poke fun at himself when he brings Dick (John Lithgow) to a club and The Big Giant Head decides to do some “singing.”  This is just one of so many moments that will stick with both long-time audiences and newer audiences.

Whether for this moment or the loads of others peppered throughout all three discs of Season Five, 3^rd Rock From The Sun has proven once more that it is still one of the greatest sitcoms in modern television history.  It’s available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered online via Mill Creek Entertainment’s online store at https://www.millcreekdirect.com/3rd-rock-from-the-sun-season-5.html. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Cookie Jar’s Christmas Collection Is Holiday Fun For The Whole Family

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

Cookie Jar TV’s Christmas Cartoon Collection” is a fun grouping of cartoons for kids and parents alike.  This single disc collection includes ten holiday themed episodes of some of the best cartoons from Cookie Jar (formerly DiC Entertainment).  This new collection includes toons from both the 21^st Century and some more classic toons, too.  It all starts with a pair of episodes from the kid friendly favorite, Busy World of Richard Scarry.  The first of the episodes sees an evil mastermind stealing stuff from all across New York City.  It’s up to one man to solve the mystery of who is lifting the legendary city.  In the second episode from the show, Santa’s in danger of not making his annual Christmas run after making a rough landing.  The runners on his sled have broken and even Mr. Fix-It can’t help.  So how is Santa to get his sled flying again?  Kids and their parents will have to find out on their own when they pick up this family friendly DVD. 

 Speaking of Santa, in another of this collection’s best episodes, Heathcliff has a mystery on his hands when the mailman tells him that his and his boy Iggy’s letters to Santa have been returned.  And theirs aren’t the only ones.  So Heathcliff and Spike head off to the North Pole to figure out why everybody’s letters are being returned.  The answer to the mystery is a surprise even to Santa himself.  Although being a holiday episode, everything is worked out in the end, and Heathcliff and Squish get a lift back to their homes from Santa as a thank you for getting all the letters returned to him.  Anyone who is old enough to remember when this classic cartoon originally aired will love not just the warm, fuzzy feelings that it will create, but also the general sense of nostalgia that it will instill, too. 

Heathcliff is just one of the cartoons that will make for a great sense of nostalgia on this new collection from Mill Creek Entertainment and Cookie Jar.  Viewers who grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons on ABC will remember a short lived cartoon called Bump in the Night.  This stop motion based toon featured a certain little monster named Mr. Bumpy.  In the show’s holiday episode presented here, Mr. Bumpy is awaiting the arrival of Santa.  He doesn’t want to just see Santa.  He wants to trap him and snag his bag of toys.  It’s not his first try at trapping Santa, either.  Every year that he’s tried, Mr. Bumpy’s plan has failed for one reason or another.  He actually does succeed this year.  But in the process, Mr. Bumpy learns what’s really important during the holidays.  Audiences will enjoy this positive message.  They’ll also appreciate the pop culture references peppered in throughout the episode.  From monster style takes on classic Hanukkah and Christmas songs to a tribute to the Indiana Jones franchise and a spoof of a famous Kenny Loggins song, there is plenty for both kids and adults to love in this episode.  Even veteran actor Cheech Marin joins in on the fun as the voice of a Spanish worm who helps Mr. Bumpy and Squish along the way.  It all comes together to make this episode one more piece of the overall presentation that makes the Cookie Jar Christmas Cartoon Collection such a great collection for families this and every holiday season.  It’s available now in stores and online.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Cookie Jar Cartoon Collection A Great “Treat” For Any Kids’ Halloween Party

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

Halloween is officially just over a week away.  That means lots of parents and kids are getting geared up to go trick or treating.  Just as many might be looking to host their own kid friendly Halloween parties.  What kid friendly Halloween party is complete without something safe for the kids to watch?  Thanks to Cookie Jar TV and Mill Creek Entertainment, parents have yet another option for their kids.  That option comes in the form of the new Halloween Cartoon Collection courtesy of Cookie Jar and Mill Creek Entertainment.  This single disc compilation of Cookie Jar cartoons offers episodes from some of its most beloved cartoons that are a perfect fit for this time of year.

The compilation kicks off with a trio of episodes from The Busy World of Richard Scarry.  In “The New Neighbors”, the kids meet a pair of new neighbors who happen to be twins.  So the kids think that there’s only one, and she is appearing everyone at once with magic.  And it just so happens that the twins are dressed like witches.  So the kids instantly think that something’s afoot.  But soon they learn a valuable lesson about jumping to conclusions and judging people.  This episode alone is a triple hit for audiences of all ages.  Not only does it boast a Halloween theme, but it’s family friendly, and it teaches some very valuable lessons in the process.

That opening episode of The Busy World of Richard Scarry is great for the whole family.  It’s just one part of what makes this compilation great for everyone.  Older audiences are offered not only entertainment but also education with a Halloween themed episode of the classic 90’s Fox Kids cartoon, Where On Earth is Carmen San Diego?  Audiences learn in the episode, “Trick or Treat” the real origins of Halloween.  According to the mini-history lesson taught here, today’s Halloween traditions go all the way back to the Celtic people.  They would actually wear masks and costumes to scare away evil spirits.  And they actually worshipped a god named Samhain.  There’s even a little tidbit about the origins of the jack-o-lantern.  And as always, Carmen ends up getting away in the end, even playing a trick on Zack and Ivy.

Cookie Jar Halloween Cartoon Collection offers audiences lots of great classic cartoons.  Most come from the 1990’s.  There’s even one from the 80’s in The Littles.  For those who want something a little more modern, young audiences are offered a pair of episodes from Cartoon Network’s hit show, Johnny Test.  In the first of the pair, Johnny and his sisters have to help their agent friends develop a machine so that they can win a trip to Fiji.  His sisters create a helmet that lets the wearer bring inanimate objects to life.  When it turns out that they can’t get the helmet off of Johnny, all kinds of havoc ensues.  Audiences can find out for themselves what happens when they pick up this DVD. 

The second episode from Johnny Test is more of a generic holiday episode.  But it’s still entertaining in its own right.  It’s one more of the enjoyable episodes culled for this compilation for audiences.  There are also episodes of other Cookie Jar Cartoons including: Archie’s Weird Mysteries, Mona The Vampire, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, Sabrina The Animated Series, Mummies Alive, and Bump In The Night.  Every one of these shows offers something enjoyable for the whole family for those Halloween parties.  It’s available now in stores and online.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Little Princess Is One of The Greatest Family Films Of All Time

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

The 1939 adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book by the same name is a cinema classic.  Given, the movie doesn’t go entirely by the book.  But it still has more than enough charm to make it a favorite among families nearly three quarters of a century after it first debuted. 

While the big screen adaptation of the book doesn’t go entirely by the book, the script and the acting more than make up for the fact that there are some differences between the book and the movie.  Shirley Temple’s take on Sara makes her character an entirely sympathetic character.  While fellow actress Mary Nash makes Amanda Minchin an absolutely vile character that audiences will love to hate.  That means that Nash more than did her job in the role.  The cast’s ability to interpret the story, along with directors William Lang and William A. Seiter makes the movie even better.  The story is one of triumph over great adversity.  Here we have a young girl who goes from being pampered to perpetually punished by the vile Miss Minchin when her father is believed to have been killed in the Boer War.  Throughout all of the adversity, Sara is able to persevere and come out on top.  She’s a relatable character.  Yes she starts out with money.  But even with money, Sara was still a good hearted person.  In being persecuted so harshly by Miss Minchin, audiences are reminded that similar persecution still goes on today around the world.  It isn’t at the same kind of level by any means.  But it does happen.  The average middle-class person is still looked down on by those in higher social classes just because they aren’t rich.  That alone is a big part of what makes this movie still so beloved to this day. 

The primary story in The Little Princess is one of overcoming great odds and defying those would try to hold others down just because of something as minor as not having money.  But there is also a secondary story tied into the main one.  That additional story centers on the power of family, friendship, and personal faith.  Sara continued to maintain the faith that her father hadn’t really been killed, which not to give too much away, proves true at least in this take on the classic tale.  How that is revealed won’t be told here for the sake of those who haven’t seen the movie.  And if not for the friendship of Becky and Ermengarde, getting through her daily harassment from Miss Minchin would have been unbearable.  It was that power of friendship that helped Sara to keep the faith and keep pushing through her seemingly insurmountable odds.  By the story’s end it would be a surprise if any audience is left dry-eyed.  Yes, the final sequence is that saccharine.  But it can be forgiven as audiences will be rooting for Sara throughout the movie.

This take on the classic literary work is a wonderful family film.  It serves as a reminder of everything that is still so great even today about classic movies.  Some movies have been made in the same vein as the Little Princess.  But none since have been able to capture the magic created by this adaptation.  That magic will continue to keep it a family favorite for another seventy plus years as long as families remember and protect it and continue to pass it down to future generations.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Rescue From Gilligan’s Island Great For Nostalgia TV and Movie Fans

 

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

Gilligan’s Island is one of the greatest sitcoms in television history.  Even though it only ran a total of three seasons on television, the near one hundred episodes made for some of the greatest laughs of any sitcom ever created.  Keeping that in mind, one can only wonder about the first of three movies that would be spawned from this hilarious sitcom over a decade after it ended.

 

Rescue From Gilligan’s Island came nearly twelve years after the original Gilligan’s Island went off the air.  In the time between the series’ end and this movie, the cast had gotten noticeably older.  And actress Tina Louise was replaced by Judith Baldwin, allegedly due to Louise’s belief that her role as Ginger had ruined her career.  The made for TV movie isn’t a bad movie.  But anyone who has any knowledge of the original sitcom, it still pales in comparison, despite still being a family friendly film.  Long time fans of the show will remember in the show’s second season, there was an episode titled, “Quick Before It Sinks” in which Gilligan’s thoughtlessness causes the Skipper, Mr. Howell, and the Professor to believe the island is sinking.  As a result, the men build a hut that will hopefully float.  But thanks to a series of mishaps, it all falls apart, literally.  Of course, it turns out that the island never was sinking.

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

That story idea is used again in Rescue From Gilligan’s Island, only on a bigger scale.  Other than the story’s twist ending, that’s one of few links that this movie has to the original series.  What really makes the movie worth the watch are the castaways’ personal stories.  Having been away from civilization for fifteen years, the castaways return to a world that has greatly changed.  Ginger returns to acting, only to find that it is anything but the wholesome business that it had been before being shipwrecked.  The professor discovers that everything he had hoped to become famous for inventing while on the island has been invented during his absence.  Even the Howell’s themselves find that they have changed during a dinner with some old friends.  When they overhear their guests speaking poorly of Gilligan and the Skipper, the Howell’s toss out their guests.  And Mary Ann finds that she doesn’t love the fiancé that she had left behind all those years before.

The story behind this movie is simple.  But on a much deeper level, the story makes the movie (and the series) so much more important.  It comes across as a kind of social commentary.  Being on the island, the castaways learned to fend for themselves.  They became a family of sorts.  Having returned to civilization, each member of the group realizes that being on the island was perhaps less a prison and more a utopia.  They realize what was most important was being with each other, not the stresses of their new lives.  This concept has become the basis for countless term papers and theses.  And each one would be right.  Whether intended or not, what Rescue From Gilligan’s Island serves to do is to remind audiences to appreciate one’s family and friends, and the little things in life. It reminds audiences the unimportance of life’s daily stresses and pressures.  For that reason, Rescue From Gilligan’s Island is a movie that any Gilligan’s Island fan should see at least once, even if it isn’t as good as the series.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

House On Haunted Hill Is Scary Fun For The Whole Family

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

B-flick or not, House on Haunted Hill is one of the greatest horror movies of all time.  It’s also one of Vincent Price’s finest moments.  It’s one more piece that shows the importance of classic movies.  Rather than being over worn by unnecessary violence, special effects and sex, this black and white classic relies on storytelling and acting to grab and hold the audience’s attention.  The storytelling itself is perhaps the most interesting factor in House on Haunted Hill.  Being that this story is an ensemble piece, one would automatically think that it will have its share of problems, story-wise.  But somehow the planets aligned just right for writer Robb White.

The mood is expertly set from the story’s opening moments, with both Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) and Watson Pritchard (Elisha Cook, Jr.) setting the stage.  Pritchard is up first, telling audiences the ghost story centered on the mansion to which Loren has invited his guests, Pritchard included.  Loren makes the story even creepier with his delivery, explaining why each one of the guests has been invited to stay in the house.  Price’s delivery as Loren will send chills up any first time viewer’s spine.  Of course, the reality of why everyone has been invited is revealed at the end, making the ghost story a little less scary.  It’s only a little less scary because the door is left wide open for audiences to wonder about the house, even as the credits roll.  Could it be that the house really is haunted?  That’s up to the audiences.

Writing is at the base of every good (and bad) movie ever written.  That writing doesn’t just include dialogue.  It also includes little nuances such as lighting, acting, etc.  Those nuances were captured equally well through the direction of William Castle and William Malone.  The entire cast’s acting kept the scare factor on the high end throughout the movie.  The entire cast plays off of Pritchard and Loren perfectly, some of them believing Pritchard’s story.  Some not so sure.  The mixed reactions serve to make the story that much more believable.  Their reactions to things such as the organ playing and the lights going on and off make it all the better.  And best of all is the screams of Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig).  At first her screams are believable.  But the more she does it, the funnier it gets.  And it’s not the only comedy to the story, either.  Audiences will have to find out for themselves what other silliness is in store.  What the inclusion of all this funny business means is that while the movie has a good scare level, it has enough comedy to keep it from being too scary at the same time.

House on Haunted Hill has even more that could be discussed among any classic film buff or even a film studies class.  Keeping in mind that it has so much going for it, it goes without saying that B-flick or not, it’s still a great horror flick that everyone should see at least once in their lives.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews, go to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

D.O.A. Shows Even B-Flicks Can Be Fun

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

D.O.A. is one of the most underrated crime thrillers ever written.  This 1950 film, written by Russell Rouse and Clarence Greene is considered by some to be little more than a B-flick.  But in a weird way, it manages to keep its audience’s attention from beginning to end.  And in comparison to its 1988 re-make starring Dennis Quaid, is far better.  As with so many movies of that era, it didn’t rely on special effects, violence and sex.  It relied on good acting and storytelling.  And through that, it was a success.

The story behind D.O.A. is, as noted, simple.  CPA Frank Bigelow goes on a little vacation to San Francisco.  While there, he is poisoned one night by an unknown assailant while spending an evening at a bar.  As a result, he is left with very little time to live.  So he has to find out who poisoned him and why.  How and why this happens will keep viewers watching throughout the movie’s near ninety-minute run time.  The oddity of this movie is that in a strange way, one can’t help but make some slight comparisons to the likes of the 1998 Will Smith/Gene Hackman movie, Enemy of the State.  The story and action style are very similar.  Odds are, there likely is no link between the two, stylistically.  But it makes for an interesting discussion.  Both have that standard ordinary guy gets unwittingly wrapped up in a big conspiracy, with fast paced action results.  The only difference is the story.

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

D.O.A. sadly is not one of the most memorable crime thrillers ever written.  Sure it isn’t the top notch style movie that others have been over the years.  But audiences must remember that B-movies are classic in their own right, too.  Some of them are awful.  That’s a given.  But then some, like this movie, aren’t that bad, actually.  Any viewer who has any interest in the history of crime thrillers and dramas will easily find this movie a nice addition to their library.  And thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment’s brand new 100Greatest Mystery Classics side-by side double box set, it can be watched any time, along with loads of other classic B-flicks. 

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Keoma Is A Must For Any Film Studies Student

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

Enzo G. Castellari’s 1976 spaghetti western, Keoma, is very much a niche film.  It is not a movie for everyone.  It is by no means the standard shoot-em-up bang bang western that most audiences might know from the likes of John Wayne and others.  This film is much deeper than that.  It deals largely in the view of subjugation of others.  There is the mistreatment of the people who had been ravaged by the plague.  And there is the racist view of Keoma’s half brothers towards him because he is half Native American.  And of course, his friend George, who is African American, suffers prejudicial views because of the times.

Seeing the way that Caldwell and his gang treat everybody as less than second class citizens (including a pregnant woman who doesn’t even have the plague), Keoma serves as society’s better half, trying to eliminate that prejudice, albeit through violent means.  Simply put, the movie is less Western and more social commentary.  On a more simplistic level, while it is a work of social commentary, it’s still a western.  And it’s one that even at nearly two hours long, is still able to keep the audience’s attention without being too preachy in its message.  That’s the most important factor in the grand scheme of things.

By and large, Keoma is not a movie for everyone.  It’s anything but a happy movie.  It’s violent and it’s very dark in its message.  Add on what can only be defined as a more than bittersweet ending, and audiences get a movie that will be difficult for many audiences to digest.  On the other end, though, this is one more must for any true student of filmmaking.  It offers so much that there is simply not enough time to get into it all.  It alone is worth its share of discussions in any college level or higher film studies class.  And that is enough to make it a movie not only to be watched, but to be remembered.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Grand Duel An Underestimated, Well Written Spaghetti Western

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

The Grand Duel is an interesting movie.  The story behind the movie doesn’t make it an instant grab your attention piece.  But given the chance, it turns out to be a very well written story that will keep audiences watching just to find out the mystery of who really killed The Patriarch.

The story behind The Grand Duel starts off somewhat slow.  Audiences are introduced to the story’s main characters early on.  But the story offers very little the way of back story.  Thankfully, the story doesn’t take long to pick up and finally establish the plot.  The plot turns out to be very simple.  It’s one that’s been countless times since and probably before.  Philipp Wermeer is being taken in for the accusation of having killed “The Patriarch” of the Saxon family.  He’s brought into a small town where he meets the ex-sheriff Clayton.  Clayton actually helps Wermeer escape because he knows who really killed The Patriarch.  Yes, it’s the classic innocent man accused of a crime story.

The story of an innocent man wrongly accused had likely been done many times before this movie, and has been done just as many times since.  So what is it that makes The Grand Duel stand out in the crowd of such movies?  What makes it stand out is that writer Ernesto Gastaldi somehow managed to fuse together the Western and Crime Drama genres to make a movie that will entertain both the action movie fans and those into mystery movies.  The gunfights spread throughout the movie (including the final shootout) are more than enough to satiate the appetite of any action movie buff.  While Wermeer’s journey to discover who had really killed the Patriarch and let him take the fall will appeal to anyone that’s a fan of mysteries and crime dramas.

The writing behind The Grand Duel is a big part of the movie’s success, despite its slow start.  Thanks to the writing, the movie clocks in at just over an hour and a half.  It wastes very little time on unnecessary extraneous material, opting instead to stay right on track with the story.  Eventually, the story leads up to a twist that seems predictable only in hindsight.  That alone is a sign of good writing.  And that writing, mixed with a general Western backdrop is enough to bring in even more audiences.  It will bring in fans of the Western genre, even though the story just happens to be set in the old west.  It manages to seamlessly mix the Western, the Action, and the Crime Drama for a piece that while it may not be the most memorable classic flick, it is one that any true movie buff should see at least once.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Duets Does Hit One High Note

Courtesy: Mill Creek Entertainment

Despite what the major critics may say, Duets is actually a surprisingly good movie, especially in comparison to other ensemble movies such as Valentines Day, New Year’s Eve, etc.  Sure it’s slow at many points and drags on probably more than it should.  But what ensemble movie doesn’t suffer from this.  The story behind the characters is what gives Duets its heart.

While the movie focuses on six characters, the real story behind duets is between that of Todd Woods (Paul Giamatti) and Reggie Kane (Andre Braugher).  When Todd and Reggie first meet, Reggie had just robbed a trucker with whom he had hitched a ride.  Todd, on the other hand was drunk out of his mind, and completely messed up.  During the course of their cross country journey to the Karaoke Championships in Omaha, Nebraska, seeing what Todd has let himself become causes Reggie to have a change of heart.  Rather than try to rob Todd, Reggie actually becomes reformed in a sense.  He even tries to get Todd to see what he is throwing away by getting Todd’s wife to come see the state in which Todd has gotten.  In the end, both Todd and Reggie become good friends, leading to quite the bittersweet ending to the movie.  Essentially, their story can be summed up in one word:  Redemption.  Both Reggie and Todd show that redemption is possible in a variety of situations.

The story between Reggie and Todd is the central point of Duets.  Some may argue in disagreement over that.  But the amount of emphasis placed on their journey makes their story come across as the heart and soul of the movie.  That isn’t to say that theirs isn’t the only good story presented here.  The story between Liv (Gwyneth Paltrow) and her father, Ricky Dean (Huey Lewis) while somewhat weak is a heartwarming one that shows even after such a long time, the pair is able to come together, and be a father and daughter.

Billy’s (Scott Speedman) story is perhaps the weakest link in Duets.  Audiences know that his reason for hitting the road was that he came home one day to find that his wife had cheated on him with one of his friends.  He ends up running into Suzy Loomis (Maria Bello).  Suzy is a karaoke hustler, for all intensive purposes.  Audiences don’t really see very much of this story as again, most of the story focuses on Todd and Reggie.  That’s honestly perfectly fine.  Had the story focused solely on Todd and Reggie, Duets would have been a far better movie than it was with the added storylines.  Those extra stories felt more like filler material than anything else.  That aside, Reggie and Todd’s story alone gives Duets just enough heart to stand on its own merits.  Because of those added stories, most audiences probably don’t “sing” Duets’ praises.  But any audience who can see past the extraneous storylines in this movie will see that it does actually have a high note that makes it an enjoyable watch.