dolls Reviews

ATF (1999 TV Movie)

Patricia Cornwell comes to TV! Woo.

[8/10 · 6 September 1999]

This was supposed to be a TV pilot originally, and it would've been pretty damn cool as a series. As a movie, though, it works, though you get rather absorbed in finding out what happens to the character after this. Kathy Baker's cool in an obvious Scarpetta ripoff character, and Amy Brennaman is cool. It's full of the usual Cornwell angst: sex in a car, dead people who meant a lot to the leads, dangerous missions to catch the bad guy, relatively happy endings. All in all, an 8 on the ratings scale; I hope that PC's next project involves bringing Dr. Scarpetta to the big screen.

Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996–1999)

Interesting, but...

[2 February 1999]

Now, I watch Poltergeist: The Legacy all the time. I like it. But sometimes the writing/characters are a bit off. For example, almost every other villain of the week is after one of the female characters. And, almost every time, the girl falls for him. This show has so many good female leads: a delightful Helen Shaver as a mother/skeptic/psychiatrist; Robbi Chong as a archeologist/black/woman/psychic; and, currently, Kristin Lehman as a brilliant woman trying to be a member of the Legacy without letting it take over her life. All these WONDERFUL female leads and they have to resort to evil dudes of the week to bring out the passion in these characters. Would it be too much to ask that they got a healthy relationship once in awhile with a decent guy, or are they going to mimic Dana Scully in the "My Work is My Life" department? (I certainly hope not!)

The Relic (1997)

Oh, boy.

[1 January 1999]

I saw this movie on the big screen and I was scared out of my wits at the beginning. While entertaining, the movie loses steam and never explains most of the things it leaves hanging! The book was so much better and I will never forgive them for eliminating the FBI Agent Pendergast who is the real romantic interest of Dr. Green in the novel. You want a really good version of "The Relic," check out the book on tape as read by David Colacci, who does a funny rendition of each of the character's voices.

Smilla's Sense of Snow (1997)

Wonderous...

[10/10 · 30 December 1998]

The sci-fi twist in this movie was unexpected, but was made semi plausible by Julia Ormond's perfect representation of a multi-faceted woman with her own demons to fight without having to deal with a corrupt corporation. Look for the gorgeous scenery of Greenland in the opening scenes.