Mon Martien bien-aimé

This was yet another big screen outing for a US TV show from the sixties It is amusing enough but was very much to formula. Intelligent Martian lands on Earth and meets the not too bright humans, in his view.

The usual wackiness ensues with the human, Bridges, eventually bonds with him and helps him to get home. Along the way he also gets the girl, Hannah.

This is a nice outing for some pleasant Hollywood stars who I had not seen for a while.

Pleasant enough to pass some spare time if you have not got anything better to view.

When I was a kid in the 50's and 60's anything connected with Disney was by definition great. What happened? They are able to get any actors and actresses they want, the best of their time. But somehow Disney manages to screw things up in spite of their abundant resources.

Disney can afford the best writers, the best producers and directors, but still...they screw things up! This movie is crap. The sad thing is that I suspect Disney in their arrogance does not even know when a movie is good or bad.

It is only due to the talent of the actors that I can even give it a 3 of 10.

My Favourite Martian (1999, Dir. Donald Petrie)

Life couldn't get much worse for News Producer Tim O'Hara. He humiliates the one he loves, Brace Channing and ends up getting fired by her father. Then, a Martian from Mars arrives in his home. The Martian adopts the name 'Uncle Martin' and becomes friends with Tim, whilst he fixes his ship. Unaware to Martin, Tim actually wants to reveal him to the world, but can he actually do that to his new friend and 'Uncle'?

I was very young when this came out, and at the time i loved it. I am not familiar at all with the original TV series and had never seen any of the episodes, but i do know what makes a good film, and this film isn't exactly a good film. The film just did not have a well built story. The film just seemed to have a lot of scenes of talking and walking around. The film was basically just following them around in their normal lives. When action did begin to pick up, this was very limited and was over in a matter of minutes. The characters really didn't have much character in them. There weren't many jokes at all coming from any of them. Christopher Lloyd only seemed to play the most interesting character and did provide me with a few laughs. He had all the perfect characteristics, but this still doesn't save a poorly written film.

"Is there an alien amongst us?" - Brace Channing (Elizabeth Hurley)

All I can say is I'm glad I didn't pay good money to see this, I watched it on T.V the other night. It lacked a decent script and had none of the charm of the original series. The studio sacrificed plot and character development for special effects and an attempt at slapstick. Was very disappointed in the end.

Boy, I can hear those producers right now: "That's great, a movie-version of My Favorite Martian... That calls for computer FX! Get me those CGI-people!"

The writers: "Well, we were hoping that the story..."

The Producers: "Yes, yes, yes! But enough with the story, GET ME COMPUTER FX!!! GOTTA HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF FX!!! KIDS WILL LOVE IT!!!"

And thus yet another charming 60's TV-show was mutilated by Hollywood.

This movie version is so loaded with pointless F/X they left no room for a story, not to mention comedy! All though Jeff Daniels and Christopher Lloyd try their best the story just ISN'T FUNNY. Not to mention that dreadful ZOOT-character voiced by Wayne Knight: it ranks as one of the most annoying film characters off all time, alongside the infamous Jar Jar Binks.

One plus worth mentioning: the star of the original show, Ray Walston, turns up and he is in surprisingly good form.