zounds456

I'm trying to figure out this series. I've just started watching, during the second season, starting with "Schitzofrenzy." The stories are OK, but the overall production is NOT "knocking my socks off." And, Kathleen Robertson...who really wowed us in "Boss," seems to be just sleepwalking through the scenes. Is she exhausted…or does she, maybe, need better direction? She is not "fully present." I'm also not crazy about the ample low-life gang lingo. I guess a bit of this enhances the authenticity, but it doesn't do much for me.

So far, we're not seeing James Cromwell—one of our stellar actors today—in this season. Sounds like they need to sneak him into the next episode. Hm, toward the end of the next episode, "Blue on Blue," I'm finding SOME interest arising in me. Yet, the pacing is decidedly languorous, the plot lines seem to lack cohesion. This series is NOT at the level of your usual Steven Bochco product.

Forget the criticism about this motion picture "The Fake." This is a gem of a movie...with good characters,acceptable plot line and lots of British and American flavor. The male lead is a somewhat obnoxious--but charming--American private investigator who is attempting to solve the case of the disappearance of several Da Vinci paintings. Low budget, but still worthwhile (Hell, some low budget films have earned Oscars!)...and there are a few real chuckles...and some very neat scenes, such as the chemist's lab (took me back to my high school and college chemistry classes...and the Hollywood horror films of the fifties and sixties, with people like Vincent Price and Peter Cushing.. and the museum boiler room.

The romantic development is worthwhile too. Oh...black and white, so it has a film noir air about it. I liked the picture enough to burn to disc...and grinned through much of the action.

I enjoyed seeing Judge Reinhold in this role (I have not seen him for sometime), and this film was not a complete loser, but it did feature a weak plot, and was somewhat amateurish in execution. Let's put it this way. This would rate "good" as a student film. Oh, this picture was shot "on location" in Bulgaria and featured some fine scenery and exteriors. Incidentally, there are some major motion pictures, such as "Raising Arizona," (which really stunk, in my humble opinion!) I would rate lower than this picture.

The computer generated aircraft effects were a bit cheesy, but better than some I have seen.