Reviews

The ads and trailers for My Own Worst Enemy were exciting and intriguing to say the least. One guy, Christian Slater, seemingly two different people who are clueless as to their lots in life. Henry, the family guy accountant, and Edward, the egocentric assassin. How were they going to pull that off so it was new, fresh? But pull it off they did.

But there were scripting and conflict issues with Henry v. Edward. I found myself yelling at Henry when in difficult situations because of his utter stupidity for self preservation. Laughing at Edward when he diddled with the wife and she was suddenly a very, very happy stay at home mom.

As the season went on, I wasn't sure how long I could put up with Henry's stupidity....then there was a plot turn, a scripting turn and it all came together. It then hit me -- Henry, though lovable family guy -- was *supposed* to be the clueless wonder. The company made sure of it. The military/intelligence orgs' programming of people is already good, but the premise of this show brought that to new heights. Kicking that kind of behavioral programming up to that notch, Henry was what they made him -- a pencil pusher, number cruncher who was afraid of his own shadow, and above and beyond the call of the perfect rube if it all went bad.....the uber ultimate in plausible deniability. He couldn't have behaved any other way.

Henry also is a good person, good to the bone, the best of the best ethics, and in recent episodes, we finally find out how that trait (among others) benefits the big picture.

So now, when all the questionable scripting and plot points come together in a fluid manner -- as I imagine it was intended -- NBC realizes that they stuck the show in the middle of two ratings nut busters that have been duking it out since they went head to head (CSI: Miami and Boston Public)......so seems to me that NBC is the ultimate idiot. And the public looses out....again.

If NBC really thinks their mid-season replacement is going to get them the ratings push they want or need, they are even dumber than I said previously. Another hooray for us on the receiving end.

For those of you who haven't watched all or any of the show, time to download it, watch it realtime on the various places on the web, and/or get it all On Demand and watch it from beginning up to now. I promise, you will be just as disgusted and infuriated as I am right now.

Once everyone is caught up, let me know and we can all storm NBC together and demand they bring it back, put it in an honest time slot and then make them step away.

The second installment of LOR is much more disappointing than the first respectably stellar edition. The additions, deletions and widebreadth poetic license taken with the screenplay for the Two Towers is nothing short of astounding -- and to the film's detriment. The actual book was much more compelling, its prequel FOTR being the more informative. The slow stop and pan cinematography in this feature detracted from what should have been building moments in the story. The new characters are barely likable as scripted, save one fair shield maiden, and after the inappropriately (and newly) created scenes with our 2nd Ambassador from Gondor, I cannot imagine anyone having a desire to visit that fair city. The scenery was still breathtaking, the animatronic spectacular (especially the trees) and the storyline began and ended intact. Summary: While FOTR left me breathless for TT, TT leaves me in trepidation for ROTK. If you need to visit the restrooms during this lengthy installment, never fear, you really won't miss much.

The twists and turns in this movie are phenomenal. Will have you guessing the whole way. The script is good and completely non-cornball. Betty White is back as "Sue Ann".....so to speak and the characterization is fantastic all around. Randy Quaid has some of the best lines ever written for him and Christian Slater somehow manages to keep his head while all those around him are losing theirs (for once). You have to watch it twice just to catch up. This is a movie worth buying for your collection.