Brainchild of cinematic genius Steven Spielberg, The Goonies is a thrilling fantasy adventure film for younger audiences – although adults will find it enjoyable as well. Foreshadowing the success of the Harry Potter films, The Goonies involves a series of tests and obstacles that a group of young kids must overcome in order to save the day. In a lot of ways, the film is like an Indiana Jones for kids – produced in such a way that kids can envision or fantasize about being in…
The Shield (DVD) Review
Nominated for 4 Emmys and 4 Golden Globes, including Best Television Series – Drama, The Shield is one of the top police dramas of the past decade. The brainchild of creator Shawn Ryan, writer for such hit shows as Nash Bridges (1996) and Angel (1999), The Shield made history in 2003 by becoming the first basic cable series to win a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series (in the past, only non-ad supported shows such as The Sopranos and Sex And The City have done so well). The ho…
The West Wing (Season 3) DVD Review
Since it first aired in late 1999, The West Wing has been one of the most popular drama series on TV. Hollywood veteran Martin Sheen plays the lead role of President Jed Bartlet in this show which chronicles daily events in the life of a president. The daily operations of Bartlet’s White House are run by varying individuals such as Claudia “C.J.” Cregg (Allison Janney), Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), Leo McGarry (John Spencer), Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Toby Ziegler (Richard Sc…
The Incredibles (DVD) Review
Nominated for four Academy Awards, and winner of Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, The Incredibles is one of the best animated films ever produced. A cross between Toy Story, Superman, and Office Space, it provides an endless array of action sequences, visual creativity, and well-delivered humor. Director Brad Bird (who’s directed a few episodes of The Simpsons) not only creates a memorable film, but also voices one of the star characters of The Incredibles, Edna Mode. …
The Simpsons (DVD) Review
Starting with the very first episode (airing December 17, 1989), The Simpsons (Season 1) DVD is packed with some of the best episodes in the show’s history. All of these early episodes exhibit a bit of amateurish (by later Simpson standards) animation, seeing as how the popularity of the show had yet to land it the massive budgets of subsequent years. However, this does not take away from the shows acerbic wit which is present and in full swing throughout all thirteen of the…
The West Wing (Season 4) DVD Review
The recipient of widespread critical acclaim for its somewhat accurate portrayal of White House working conditions, The West Wing premiered in Fall 1999 to much fanfare and media attention.
Seasoned acting veteran Martin Sheen plays the lead role of President Bartlett to such perfection that it’s reported that some believe he’s the actual president. Sheen’s performance is indicative of the superb casting job pulled off by The West Wing creators. Filling with regular doses of…
The Jeffersons (DVD) Review
Nominated for 13 Emmys and 8 Golden Globes, The Jeffersons was a groundbreaking situation comedy that was not only utterly hilarious, but also explored the controversial social issues of its day. Premiering in mid-season 1975, the show was a spin-off of the #1 hit series All In The Family, where main characters George and Louise were the next-door neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker. During its nine-season run, The Jeffersons spent all but its last season as a Top 25 Nielsen…
The Simpsons (Season 2) DVD Review
Before Seinfeld redefined the sitcom, The Simpsons came along and redefined prime time animation. Straying from the usual formula of innocence concocted by The Flintstones and The Jetsons, The Simpsons left no area of society untouched by its raw politically-incorrect satire. With an almost endless array of unforgettable characters, a trip to Springfield is a breath of fresh air, and hilarious as a television comedy can be
The Simpsons (Season 2) DVD offers a number of hi…
The West Wing (Season 5) DVD Review
Widely considered one of the best drama series on TV, The West Wing appeared in Fall 1999 to great media fanfare. Surrounded by various individual staffers such as Claudia “C.J.” Cregg (Allison Janney), Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), Leo McGarry (John Spencer), and Charlie Young (Dule Hill), the president makes his best attempt to govern the executive branch. The West Wing follows the daily exploits of the president and h…
The Jetsons (DVD) Review
If the Flintstones are the modern stone-age family, then the Jetsons are the quintessential post-modern futuristic family, complete with flying cars. Following the massive commercial success of the animated classic The Flintstones (1960), Hanna-Barbera followed with additional prime-time cartoon series Top Cat (1961) and The Jetsons (1962). Cancelled after one season on ABC, The Jetsons lived on through the success of syndicated reruns on Saturday morning cartoons, through TV…
The Simpsons (Season 3) DVD Review
In the late-1980s, a one-minute segment on The Tracy Ullman Show (since long forgotten, except in trivia questions) morphed into its own series. That series was The Simpsons, and it became an anchor for the then-burgeoning FOX network. With a wildly original cast of oddball characters, The Simpsons instantly struck a chord with audiences, becoming the longest running prime time show among all genres, not just the animation genre. Loved by audiences from age 2 to 102, the show…
The X-Files (DVD) Review
Nominated for 12 Golden Globes and 61 Emmys, including 4 for Outstanding Drama Series, The X-Files is one of the world’s most popular science-fiction drama shows. Premiering in the Fall of 1993 on the Fox Network, home of popular programs such as The Simpsons (1989) and King Of The Hill (1997), The X-Files created an entire fictional world of conspiracies and secret organizations, building a legion of fanatic followers as devoted to the series as Trekkies are to Star Trek. Cr…