The Three Musketeers - How many remakes is enough?

The 33^rd film of The Three Musketeers, according to IMDB, begs the question: WHY? This is not the worst remake but again I have to ask: have writers lost all creativity?

There are too many to compare it to and my affinity for the 1973 version with Oliver Reed may cloud my judgment. I will compare it to the last major theatrical release the 1993 Disney version with Oliver Platt, who was the best part about that remake.

This version brings back the character Planchet. This little addition alone makes it better than the 1993 version. A better portrayal of a powerful but understated Cardinal Richelieu works well. I really like Tim Curry but understated is something he just does not do. The addition of air war ships was dumb but movies now need an excuse for special effects. Starring as Milady is Milla Jovovich and Orlando Bloom as the Duke of Buckingham.

Beyond that… not much to get excited about I would wait untill the movie channels for this one. But it is worth seeing just not at the theatre.

Last Man Standing - Review

To answer the title that will be the only one left watching this sit-com after awhile. That is not fair it may have more than that watching but… it is formulaic & contrived with forced laughter and over the top straight characters.

Tim Allen's character is the same as his Home Improvement character with sports instead of tools to obsess on. The exception to that is that on Home Improvement HE was the over the top character. Laughter came from him and peoples reaction to him. on Last Man Standing other characters are over the top and he just delivers one liners about them. While occasionally funny, as one liners are, that is thin to base a series on.

Nancy Travis brings a stability with the same character she was in Becker and The Bill Engvall Show. The actors playing the children are solid but that is not enough to save a thin concept and writing to match.

Just to make sure I am not overly critical I will continue to watch this season and read other reviews. If I change my mind I will update, but I doubt it.

Who is behind the Conspiracy in Hollywood?

Does every show on TV have a conspiracy storyline or it just me? Is a conspiracy storyline the only writing device available to TV writers or are they just this bad? I was trying to think what show has been successful or saved from being canceled by adding a conspiracy. The only one I can think of is Alias and it was ALL about conspiracies.

TV writers, please try to come up with a conspiracy that is inventive, fits with the show, or STOP writing them. Please. Thank you.

Putting Yourself Out There

Putting yourself out there is hard. People could agree with you, disagree with you or worse, ignore you. If you never put yourself out there you will never know. So on that premise I am putting myself out... here.

My premise that it is hard is already wrong. Having opinions or ideas is not hard. Expressing opinions or ideas is not hard. Worrying about people's reactions to them makes it seem hard.

An article in Science News The Probabilistic Mind says humans' brains evolved to deal with doubt. So being worried about anything like an opinion or idea would be normal and healthy. I am just evolving here.

Spurred on by other people who never blogged and are now, like Jaimee, I am going to try this out. I will do poorly both in substance and grammar, but I will improve maybe even evolve.

It is the LIE stupid!

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) admitted he sent the photo of underwear at a press conference today. So... a politician once again fails to remember history and repeats it. It is the LIE stupid!

Now I am one who does not care what a politician does with their private life. That is between them and their family. But... when they lie about it and/or are hypocritical, a form of lying, people like those who vote remember. People can be forgiving but you have to meet them halfway.