LA FLORIDIANA Florida's Gardens Up Front and Personal -- Part Two by Will Moriaty

THIS WEEK'S MOVIE REVIEW "Matchstick Men" by Mike Smith

COUCH POTATO CONFESSIONS Update on Sci-Fi Hunks and Babes....Whoops, It's Whoopi!....Happy Family by Vinnie B.

ASHLEY'S HOLLYWOOD Notable Passings and Child Stars  by Ashley Lewis

CREATURE'S CORNER Freddy vs Jason....Monsturd....JLA/ Avengers #1....the last "Pillars"?  by John Lewis

MIKE'S RANT Not Yet....Save Me A Spot In The Dandelion Patch....Monkey See, Monkey Do....Cutting Out The Middle Man....Happy Birthday....Top 10 '60s Albums....Send Lawyers, Guns And Money  by Mike Smith

Archives of Nolan's Pop Culture Review

Archives 2003 Archives 2002 Archives 2001 Archives 2000

Email PCR Home

The adventures of a boy and his personal video recorder.

Sci-Fi Hunks and Babes, revisited
Before we tear into the reviews, some news. In response to last week's column, "Sci-Fi Hunks and Babes", Jason L. Liquori of Hocus Focus Productions, offered this tidbit of news concerning an ex-member of "Farscape": "Virginia Hey (Zhaan) has agreed to play a supporting role in a Florida film based on the script and director. The film, however, is having trouble raising funds so it may never get made. If it does, you'll finally get to see that sci-fi babe sans the blue paint job and with hair."

I also had the pleasure of watching Killer's Kiss, an early Stanley Kubrick film on TCM. In a 1955 film written, directed, and filmed by Kubrick we are drawn into the gritty black and white world of a washed-up boxer and a dance hall girl who live in apartments that face each other and whose lives get intertwined with each other. Kubrick also explores the voyeuristic angle in this film with many interesting camera shots looking out the boxer's window into the dancer's apartment. It was interesting to see Kubrick's early work and how it translated into his later movies. I just love watching well-directed films and this one is an early Kubrick gem. More info: http://kubrickfilms.warnerbros.com/video_detail/killers_kiss/

Top Album of the '60s
My favorite album from the '60s: Alvin and the Chipmunks, I loved it when I was a kid.

Whoops, its Whoopi!
NBC premiered the new sitcom, "Whoopi", early this past week. In it Whoopi Goldberg is an ex-singer running a hotel with an Iranian handyman. I am not one for political correctness, but I question NBC's decision to air this show two days before Sept. 11. Especially insensitive was the line from Whoopi to her handyman; "If I see two or three of your people on an airplane I am out of there".

It seems that television programmers feel they have to shock to get viewers, and this show is crass and tries to shock, but fails miserably. From her brother's white girlfriend who goes around acting like a "Yo Yo" rapper, to lines like, "Your Mama", and "You've scared away the white folks", this show sets back race relations 20 years.

This show is a wannabe "The Jeffersons", with an obnoxious laugh track. Whoopi, will you please go back to the center square where all washed-up comedians belong.

Happy Family
Following "Whoopi" is the mildy amusing "Happy Family" marking the return to TV of John Larroquette (sporting a Bob Barker hairdo) and the excellent Christine Baranski (Cybil). They play a married couple of three grown children dealing with their dysfunctional kids in a modern age "Father Knows Best". However it is Baranski who carries this series with her fine comedic acting.

The supporting cast is good and this series could have promise with some better writing and character development. The first episode was enjoyable, positive and upbeat and is the polar opposite of its lead in "Whoopi". I would recommend this for some good family programming.

Coming next week: Smoked Mullets and Nanites!