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Review-"Scrubs: Season One"

I first caught this wacky comedy when its fifth season premiered in January. I loved it and just had to pick up the DVD sets to catch up on this awesome show. While season one doesn't quite live up to the latest season, it's still great. Any fan of comedy who hasn't given this show a chance, should give it a whirl.

Plot-This is a comedy set in a hospital following the exploits of medical interns and other employees. Friends for life, J.D. and Turk are joined by nurse Carla and neurotic Elliot. The focus is on their relationships and their struggles to adapt to life in the hospital. Making life even harder is money hungry Dr. Kelso, demanding Dr. Cox, and the Janitor who finds every possible way to torture J.D. It's one of the freshest and most intriguing ideas for a comedy in years.

Rating-10/10

Acting-Most of the actors are relatively unknown (the lead, Zach Braff was waiting tables until he got this job) so it is pretty surprising that the performances are so good. Braff is incredibly goofy and lovable in the lead role. Judy Reyes (Carla) and Donald Faison (Turk) are also very good. Sarah Chalke is adequate as Elliot. In addition, the supporting cast is exceptional. John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox) deserves an Emmy for his very funny rants. Neil Flynn (Janitor), Sam Lloyd (Ted), and Ken Jenkins (Dr. Kelso) also deserve mention for their outstanding performances.

Rating-10/10

Episodes-This show is very inconsistent but most episodes have at least one laugh out loud joke. However, one of the things I like the most is that the show doesn't always have to be funny. For a comedy, Scrubs has some awfully good storylines.

Rating-8/10

Video/Audio-There were some serious video issues in the early episodes. It looked very grainy and old to me. Luckily, these issues were resolved very quickly. I still have to take a point off though.

Rating-9/10

Extras-I was very impressed with the special features in this set. I didn't listen to any of the commentaries but I watched everything else and enjoyed it all. The outtakes and deleted scenes were actually better than they usually are in these kinds of sets. The feature on ad-libbing was interesting but more could have been done with it. "Newbies" examines the actors before they got the part. While the stories of how they got the job were interesting, nothing else was really new. Overall, Buena Vista came up with some nice extras that complement the show very well.

Rating-9/10

Conclusion-Scrubs is a great comedy that deserves a lot more love. Anybody who loves wacky humor will be in love with this show. Even those of you who don't particularly like that kind of comedy should be entertained by the interesting storylines. If you haven't given Scrubs a chance yet, please pick up the DVD sets or try a few episodes when it goes into syndication this September. I'm sure you'll like what you see.

Overall Score-46/50=92%
Similar To: Arrested Development, My Name Is Earl, How I Met Your Mother, Grey's Anatomy




Plot- I won't go into details. I believe the plot is great. The plot is funny at times and serious and touching at other times. I would consider this show a dramedy. Overall it is a little more comedy than drama. One thing that I really like is that every episode has a lesson on how you can improve your life. Overall it has a great plot.

Rating- 10/10

Acting- I believe everyone on the cast does a great job. I believe that Zach Braff does the best job. He is a lovable, goofy character. Other great performances include John C. McGinley (Dr Cox), Neil Flynn (Janitor), and Donald Faison (Turk). THe rest of the cast does a good job but not as good as the ones I listed. Overall a great cast with very lovable characters.

Rating- 10/10

Episodes- The episodes of this show are usually very good. Most shows have a least one laugh out loud moments and some have two or more. I agree though that at times it is not that funny. Not all the Episodes are geared to be hilarious. There are a couple episodes that are used for character development. About 75% of the episodes are great. About 15% of the episodes are good. 10% of the episodes are not that great. Every show has some bad episodes though.

Rating- 9/10

Video/Audio- There is not much to say here. The pilot looks grainy but what do you expect from the pilot that has a very small budget. I had no problems with any of the other episodes. The audio is good and I really like the theme song. Overall there is nothing to complain about.

Rating- 10/10

Extras- Scrubs has some of the best extra features I have seen in a Tv series on dvd. I didn't watch the commentaries so I can't comment on them. All the other features are interesting and are worth watching. Overall Scrubs Season One has great extras.

Rating-10/10

Conclusions- Everyone should give Scrubs a try. It is a funny comedy that also has great storylines. I believe the show is one of the best comedy's on tv today. The only problem I have with Scrubs is there are a couple of episodes that aren't that great. I would recommend that everyone give Scrubs a shot. Buy the first set and watch a few episodes and you will probably want to go out and buy the other two sets. You will want to get them all watched because the next season begins next spring.

Overall Score- 49/50=98%

Review-"Chicago"

Rated-PG-13 (sexual content and dialogue, violence, and thematic elements)
Runtime-1:53
Genre-Musical, Drama, Award For Best Picture
Starring-Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly
Rotten Tomatoes Score-88% (84% Users)

I'm usually disappointed with the Academy's picks for Best Picture when I get around to watching them. However, I was quite impressed by this award winner. The songs were very catchy, the acting was great, and the plot put some originality into your typical murder story.

Let's talk about the music and dancing first. Most of the songs had me tapping my feet. I especially loved the title track "And All That Jazz" and "Razzle Dazzle." I liked the music so much that I went out and got the soundtrack. The dancing and other elements were creative (though very strange at times).

The acting from veterans like Zellweger, Zeta-Jones, and Gere was as good as you would expect. Zellweger in particular plays a very intriguing role. Gere plays a great cocky, splashy lawyer. Zeta-Jones' talents aren't used quite enough.

If you like musicals at all, make sure to give this film a watch. If you aren't a fan of song and dance, you will be puzzled as to how this won the Best Picture. You still might get some enjoyment out of it though.

Pros: Great music, solid acting, original story.
Cons: Story isn't developed enough.

Rating: ***1/2 (Out of 5)

Review-"Dharma & Greg: Season One"

Who would have thought a sitcom about a couple different in every way imaginable would be so funny? I certainly didn't expect too much out of it but I was pleasantly surprised. The great storylines, acting, and humor help make Dharma & Greg one of my favorite sitcoms of all-time.

Plot-The idea for the show is one of the freshest concepts in sitcom history. Most of the time these shows are about a dysfunctional family or a look at a workplace environment. Dharma & Greg is a romantic comedy about a mix-matched couple who got married on their first date. They have nothing in common but they are deeply in love. It is a very cute idea for a show and you can't help but root for the two of them.

Rating-10/10

Acting-The acting is top-notch. Jenna Elfman is a superb actress who is very underrated. She can play both comedy and dramatic roles and it really shows in this season. Thomas Gibson is very lovable as Greg. The supporting actors/actresses can all take a scene and make it their own. Every couple on the show has so much chemistry. This has to be one of the most talented group of cast members I've seen on a sitcom.

Rating-10/10

Episodes-While most of the episodes in this season were spectacular, there were a few slower ones as well. The show started with a lot of steam in the beginning, waned a little in the middle, than picked it up to finish off the season. My favorite episodes included Pilot, And the In-Laws Meet, Indian Summer, The First Thanksgiving, and The Office Dharma & Greg Episode of the 1998 Winter Olympics. The show did struggle at times but this isn't too big of a problem because most comedies are inconsistent (especially in their first year).

Rating-9/10

Video/Audio-No problem here at all. The sound and video quality is fine.

Rating-10/10

Extras-This is probably the biggest problem with the set. There probably isn't a whole lot that can be done with this show in terms of extras but a bigger attempt could have been made. Extras include three commentaries with Jenna Elfman, Mimi Kennedy, and Alan Rachins; a featurette about the plot; a trivia game; and the complete set of "vanity cards" co-creator Chuck Lorre put at the end of each episode. The commentary is just average. Jenna Elfman is very knowledgeable and articulate but Kennedy and Rachins didn't add much to the conversation. There were a few nice fun facts provided (like the fact that Larry wasn't originally supposed to be in the pilot) but the conversation often turned boring. It was nice to see the "vanity cards" in one place without having to pause the tape. The featurette could have been longer and it would have been nice to see Thomas Gibson take part. Still, it was a nice addition to the set. The trivia game was way too easy and not something I'll do again. I wish there would have been a few more special features but the ones we got were solid.

Rating-8/10

Conclusion-Dharma & Greg fans will be thrilled to finally see their show hit store shelves. While there aren't as many special features as I would have liked, this is still a great set. Anybody who is a fan of comedy or romance should give this show a chance. It is a great mix of comedy and terrific storylines.

Overall Score-47/50=94%
Similar To: How I Met Your Mother, Courting Alex (but much, much better), pretty much any ABC comedy from the '90s.

Review-"Fun With Dick and Jane"

Rated-PG-13 (brief language, some sexual humor, and occasional humorous drug references)
Runtime-1:30
Genre-Comedy
Starring-Jim Carrey, Tea Leoni, Richard Jenkins, Alec Baldwin
Rotten Tomatoes Score-28% (49% Users)

I went into this movie knowing that I wouldn't be that impressed with it and I certainly wasn't. While there are some occasional laughs, the plot was ridiculous and the acting was subpar.

The plot is interesting to begin with (in this corrupt corporate world) but when the two have to turn to robbery, it gets very unbelievable. Unfortunately, neither Carrey or Leoni help matters with their so-so acting. This is probably Carrey's weakest acting job of all-time.

Still, if you are a fan of Jim Carrey humor you will probably have a pretty good time. This film doesn't stray far from his usual material. However, I personally didn't find this to be very funny. The funniest part was the start of the credits. I won't spoil it for you but if you know your current events, you'll be laughing out loud.

Jim Carrey fans should probably give this one a rent. Almost everybody else can pass on it. I wished I would have.

Pros: Occasionally funny.
Cons: Unbelievable story, so-so acting, very inconsistentally funny.

Rating: **1/2 (Out of 5)




Fun with Dick and Jane is a comedy about a man who was fired from his company after a coporate scandal. Dick loses all his money and has to resort to stealing anything he can get his hands on.

The premise doesn't sound that bad but the execution fails. The acting is average at best. The movie tries to be funny throughout but fails most of the time. This is probably Jim Carey's worst movie. He is the star of the movie but he still fails to bring this movie out the gutter.

The movie is funny at times but it never has those laugh out loud moments. I have seen worse movies but not a lot. If you have seen all the other new comedies you wouldn't go wrong trying this one. Don't expect too much though or you will be severely disappointed.

Pros: Funny at times
Cons: Average acting, very very inconsistent
Rating: **1/2 (Out of 5)

Review-"The Da Vinci Code"

Rated-PG-13 (disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content)
Runtime-2:29
Genre-Adventure, Mystery
Starring-Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellan
Rotten Tomatoes Score-24% (71% Users)

I was hoping this might be another National Treasure. Like that film, The Da Vinci Code was a conspiracy treasure hunt that the critics didn't like. While I completely disagreed with the critics distaste for National Treasure, I can't help but agree with them this time. This film was often boring and very lifeless. Even the usually stellar Tom Hanks turned in a lifeless performance.

Another complaint I have with the movie is the fact it got away with so much more than most R rated films. There was nudity, self-inflicting pain, and some very bloody scenes. After watching the film, I couldn't believe that this didn't get an R rating.

Ian McKellan was probably the star of the show and the only one who provided a bit of humor. I do think that Audrey Tautou showed a lot of potential and could be a future movie star. She didn't have great material to work with but she made the best of it.

If you can stand long movies with a lot of dialog and thinking, you might get some enjoyment out of it. Just don't expect too much from this film. It is often boring and doesn't really do justice to the book.

Pros: Ian McKellan and Audrey Tautou have pretty good performances, there aren't a whole lot of mysteries on the big screen.
Cons: Story is often boring and doesn't do the book justice, deserved an R rating, lifeless performances by everyone else (even Tom Hanks)

Rating: *** (Out of 5)




The most controversal movie of the summer is The Divinci Code. Catholics are upset with the movie because it claims that Jesus was married and had a child. I can see why this would upset some people. The movie's proof that Jesus was married is speculative at best. The theories have no real proof and the movie pretty much shows that the theory isn't true.

Now lets get on to the movie. The movie is pretty much average. The acting is average. The story is average. The whole movie is average.

The worst thing about the movie is that it is slow at times. There are long stretches of time where there are no action scenes what-so-ever. Also if you are not a fan of history you will not like this film. There is a lot of references to historical events and they can become confusing very quickly. I enjoy history and I thought it was too much.

If you are looking for a mystery with some twists along the way you will enjoy this movie. Be warned though. The movie is not as good as it was hyped to be. Overall it is an average movie. If you have a short attention span this movie is not for you. If you can't stand history this movie is not for you. If you can't deal with the controversal issues this movie is not for you. If you like a mystery that is deeply drenched in history this movie is for you.

Pros: Good Mystery, Will be a good rental
Cons: Slow at time, Acting could have been better, Only for history buffs

Rating: *** (Out of 5)

Review-"Black Sheep"

Rated-PG-13
Runtime-1:26
Genre-Comedy, Stupid
Starring-Chris Farley, David Spade, Tim Matheson
Rotten Tomatoes Score-26% (69% Users)

I loved Chris Farley in Beverly Hill's Ninja, Tommy Boy, and Lois & Clark but I thought Black Sheep was just plain dumb. It just never found a rhythm and it always seemed like it was just thrown together. The movie was also deathly short at just over 80 minutes. This was probably because the concept was so limited in what could be done.

The acting is awful but that is understandable since both Farley and Spade go for laughs over acting talent. I always love the wacky characters Farley plays but I just wished he would have tried something new for once. If you liked any other Farley movie, you will probably get a few laughs out of this. Anybody that hates slapstick and stupid humor should stay far away.

Pros: Funny but not as much as other Farley movies.
Cons: Story is way too limited, seems thrown together, too short.

Rating: **1/2 (Out of 5)

Review-"Stargate"

Rated-PG-13
Runtime-2:08
Genre-Science Fiction, Action, Drama
Starring-James Spader, Kurt Russell, Jaye Davidson, Viveca Lindfors, and more.
Rotten Tomatoes Score-41% (80% Users)

The prequel to the hit SciFi show Stargate SG-1 was a decent movie but it dragged on way too often. The concept was quite original but more could have been done with it. The acting was ok but nobody stood out. It was weird seeing a pre-lawyer James Spader though. Some of the characters were interesting (Daniel especially) but many were too generic for my taste.

If you like science fiction, this movie will definitely be for you. Everybody else will likely be bored with the slow moving story and cookie cutter characters.

Pros: Original story
Cons: Story moves too slow, many generic characters

Rating: *** (Out of 5)