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The Principal's Office (2008)
Good Reminder/Reason to Homeschool!!!
Every time I see "The Principal's Office" I am reminded why school was such misery for me (and based on this show, its only gotten WORSE and more fascist, dictatorial, and tyrannical in the over decade and a half since I graduated) and why if I ever have kids they are NEVER, EVER, EVER setting foot in any conventional school as long as I have a say, and instead will be home-schooled and specifically, UNschooled!!
Seriously, I thought MY high school principal was a jerk for kicking me out of school for weeks/months at a time for being a self-injurer (a "cutter") and being suicidal at times, but compared to the such trivial and frivolous crap that kids on this show are being suspended for...............for example, the episode where a kid got in trouble for just speaking a foreign language to friends at school, or another kid was suspended for texting during lunch (of course, cell phones weren't in widespread use, when I was in school so that wasn't really an issue back then -- although pagers & cell phones were banned at my school as well, nobody really had cell phones yet, and only the drug dealers had pagers).I mean WHO CARES if a kid is speaking a foreign language at school?? Don't schools actually have FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES (at least they did in my high school where they offered Spanish, French, German, Latin, Japanese, Chinese and ASL) so if its all right and expected to speak foreign languages in those classes then why aren't kids allowed to speak foreign languages amongst themselves if they want? They're not hurting anyone!
Yet, pretty much EVERY SINGLE principal or assistant principal featured on this show are absolute dictators, especially that "paddling principal" Steve Halter! I bet a pervert like him really gets his rocks off paddling young schoolgirls behinds! You can just see the lust and excitement he has, hoping that the students will choose a paddling when he offers them the option of trading a paddling for a half a day of Saturday detention school. Even the non-paddling principals are all fascist bullies, like that Principal Sheninger (from New Milford HS, I think?) who called a mother to his office just because her daughter was texting DURING HER FREE TIME at LUNCH. I loved how the mother pointed out Sheninger's tyranny, saying "If this is the worst thing that my daughter has done at school, I should be coming down here for an award!", or that Wills Point principal, Coach Lamb, who threatens to burn a kid's skateboard just because he was skating at school! WTH?? Talk about emotional abuse and destruction of personal property! What right does he have to burn someone's skateboard just because he doesn't like their behavior? Also, what is it with nearly EVERY male principal (Sheninger, Tague, Halter, Coach Lamb, etc.) on this show being bald?? Are they intentionally TRYING to draw a comparison between the principals and goose-stepping skinhead neo-Nazis??
It's INCREDIBLE how much more fascist and tyrannical that schools have become since I was a student. This series is a PRIME EXAMPLE of the many EXCELLENT points made in the SUPERB Cevin Soling documentary, "The War on Kids". As funny as some of the kids & situations on this show can be, it just furthers my resolve that if I ever have kids, they are never going to any school (whether public, private, parochial or charter) to have their every move controlled by Gestapo-wannabes, and worse put them at risk of perverts in power like that paddling principal.....No sirreee! This show is a great reminder (and anytime I need a refresher -- though I never do, and just watch it for the laughs) why, with the exception of college/university (which will be THEIR choice whether to go or not) if/when I have kids, they're never setting foot in a formal school system, and instead, will be home-schooled/UNschooled from toddler-hood to adulthood!!
So thanks Principal Sheninger, Coach Lamb, Mr. Tague, Mr. Halter, Dean Arritt, and the rest of the tyrannical dictator bullies on "The Principal's Office", as well as my own fascist principals from middle school, the late Gary Grossnickle, and High School, Dr. David S. Symington, for making what might have been a hard decision (where and what kind of schools to send my kids to) a much easier one!!!
Not Without My Daughter (1991)
Not as Good as Book, but Still an Okay Movie! Events in Movie/Book may have been Exaggerated or Downright False!
Before I saw this movie, I read the actual book by Betty Mahmoody. The book was very detailed & fairly intense, so when I saw the movie, I was somewhat disappointed to see the truth in the statement that "Movies are Never as Good as the Actual Book" Still it was an okay movie, though nothing very great or special.
When I first saw this movie, I was still growing up & I thought it was a better movie than I do now, even though I have not seen it again recently, so this opinion is in retrospect.
In my opinion, there was a LOT of room for improvement in this movie.
First of all, I don't think that Sally Field was a good casting choice for the role of Betty Mahmoody. In this movie, like in some of her other work, Sally majorly overacts, making this particular character come off as a spoiled, whiny, elitist American & precisely the what those in the Middle East & elsewhere in the world detest about America.
Now, Alfred Molina, who played Betty's husband Moody, acted very well, but he too was a wrong casting for the role, because he is nothing like the real-life Moody, either in stature, size or appearance, giving viewers a wrong idea of the differences between Betty & Moody. As a result, in the movie, the situation was manipulated and exaggerated towards Betty's point of view, so that viewers will automatically support her, when in reality, there are two sides to every story, including this one - the other side which has not been shown until recently.
When I first saw the movie, I was still in my preteens. Because of that I was still somewhat naïve & believed most things, without always verifying it for accuracy and factual basis.
So when I read the book, and saw the movie, I immediately believed that what Betty claimed in the book & movie really happened, and I never bothered to question it.
Even though a Iranian friend who watched the movie with me one time, said life was not really like that in Iran, and that most Iranian people did not act like that, I was unsure.
Then recently, I started Googling, and researching, about Betty Mahmoody. Because her daughter, Mahtob, is just a year or so younger than me and they're originally from the general area that I lived/live in, I felt a sort of connection, and was interested in where they were/are and what's been happening with them, in the years since the movie came out.
So I started researching them, and what I found out was eye-opening, and has made me question the truth of the very foundation of the movie and book.
First of all, in the book and movie, Moody is portrayed to be this big, strong, powerful guy who physically attacked his wife, Betty and daughter, Mahtob often to the point of injury.
In reality, Moody, is a fairly short (smaller than Betty!) soft-spoken guy, who looks like he couldn't harm a flea (and even if he did, couldn't hurt him much!) Betty is nearly double the size/strength of this man, and there is no way that he could physically attack her in any way that could cause the harm that she has described in her book, and movie.
Betty's husband Moody, has recently come out with a film of his own side of the story, that was produced by a Swiss production company.In the movie (which I've seen several clips) that shows him as the soft-spoken, gentle, kind man that he probably is who just loves and misses his daughter.
Furthermore, Moody has NUMEROUS witnesses, including friends of Betty's, both in Iran AND in America who state that Betty had agreed to relocate to Iran with her husband and daughter willingly, and that she had been given the option of returning to the US anytime, both with and without her daughter Mahtob.
I think Betty Mahmoody is just a bitter, spoiled rich American woman, who went to Iran willingly with her husband and daughter, thinking that she would have all the creature comforts available to her in America, and when she found out otherwise, instead of just coming home where she would have to work for her own living, she instead stayed in Iran, so she could be supported by her husband, and live off his money, in relative luxury (read the description in her book of the HUGE mansion as well as the lavish jewelry and clothes that Moody bought her and Mahtob in Iran) Then when her husband asked her to return to America to liquidate their assets so he could have the funds to support her in her exorbitant "Americanized" lifestyle, she got mad, and ran away, taking their daughter with her.
So she turned Mahtob against her father and she came back to the US. But without her "sugar daddy" around to support her, she found another get-rich-quick scheme by selling the rights to her story.
She just played up her role as the "poor American woman oppressed by the big mean old brute Iranian husband and government", which the US media just ate up, even in the pre 9/11 world. So by playing "victim", Betty has gotten books published and a movie out of the deal which I'm sure has her just about rolling in the bucks now.
Meanwhile Moody is an aging, frail, sickly, and lonely, pitiful man who just wants to see his daughter again before he dies. Yet because Betty has brainwashed Mahtob into thinking her father is a cruel, controlling, and violent man, Mahtob and her dad have yet to reunite after years of separation and estrangement.
Way to go, Betty Mahmoody. Nice job at destroying your daughter's relationship with her dad over money!
Life Goes On (1989)
A BEAUTIFUL family drama! A Nostalgic Look at My Childhood! BRING ON SEASONS 2, 3 & 4 NOW!!!!,
Growing up I used to watch this show, nearly every Sunday night. I still remember trying to finish up last-minute stuff, have my shower and get ready for school the next day in time to watch "Life Goes On" (and on many occasions, "America's Funniest Home Videos" after that) Often I would be running late, and would watch "Life Goes On" in my parents bedroom, practically still dripping wet, wearing a bathrobe, with my hair wrapped up turban-style in a towel to air-dry as my dad ironed his work clothes, and I watched the show.
I have LOVED "Life Goes On" for its entire run! It is a poignant and touching family drama, starring Bill Smitrovich and Patti LuPone as "Drew" (Smitrovich) and "Libby" (LuPone) Thatcher, a middle working-class couple, who are dealing with the issue of "mainstreaming" their 18 year old son, Charles "Corky" who has Downs Syndrome into a regular, public high school as a freshman, and all the challenges and trials, tribulations, and triumphs that go along with it.
Drew and Libby have their hands full, raising Corky and their 2 other children, twenty-something Paige (Monique Lanier in Season 1, Tracey Needham in Season 2-4) who is Drew's child from a previous marriage, and 14 or 15 year old Rebecca "Becca" while trying to make ends meet on Drew's construction worker salary, and Libby's income as a secretary/clerical worker in an advertising agency.
Towards the end of the first season, Drew buys a diner, and quits his back-breaking construction work to run the restaurant, and things start looking up for the Thatchers.
Growing up I LOVED watching "Life Goes On", especially because of Kellie Martin, and Monique Lanier. Though I liked Tracey Needham, I was IMMENSELY disappointed when Monique left, and the role of Paige was recast with Tracey. Because up until then, I LOVED Paige best, and then Becca. After Monique left and Tracey assumed the role, it changed and I LOVED Becca best.
This is a BEAUTIFUL series, and one of the many nostalgic highlights of my childhood and adolescence.
When I think of my childhood and preteen years, I think of shows like "Punky Brewster", "Life Goes On", "Perfect Strangers", "Who's the Boss?", "Head of the Class" and many more! But "Life Goes On" (and a few very select others), had and still does have a very special place in my heart! I CAN'T WAIT until the other 3 seasons are released on DVD! BRING ON SEASONS 2, 3 & 4!!!!!!!!!
A Call to Remember (1997)
Poignant Movie about the Legay of the Holocaust! A MUST-SEE!
A Call to Remember, is a BEAUTIFUL made-for-TV movie about the long-term effects of the Holocaust & its legacy on future generations.
I LOVE this Movie! I taped it off TV, but I've watched it so often, the tape is almost worn out! Literally! :)
So I really hope it comes on DVD very soon!
A Call to Remember, is a true story, that occurred to one of the movie's creators. It stars Joe Mantegna and Blythe Danner, as David (Mantegna) & Paula (Danner) Tobias, a Jewish couple living in the northwestern United States with their two sons, 18 year old Jacob (David Lascher) & 12-13 year old Benjamin (Kevin Zegers), during the late 1960's.
David and Paula Tobias are Holocaust survivors whose entire families (including Paula's first husband & two sons, & David's first wife & two sons) were murdered by the Nazis.
After the war, David and Paula met in a D.P.(Displaced Persons) Camp, and married - not so much out of love, but rather a fear of being all alone in the world, and the need for somebody in their lives. As in the words of Paula Tobias, "At that time people didn't think about love, it was better not to be alone."
At the movie's start, the Tobias family are living a relatively normal, typical upper middle-class Jewish-American life. They are busy planning their 13 year old son Ben's bar mitzvah, and though over two decades have passed since the Holocaust, many reminders of the trauma and ordeal they endured still remain, as vivid as ever.
For example, there is a scene where Jake and Ben accidentally discover $20,000 in cash stored in several mayonnaise jars, and hidden behind a secret wall in the basement. It's a clear reminder that even though it's the late 1960's and they're in America now, they are still in "basic survival instinct" mode - living in fear of another Holocaust, and the need to quickly flee.
Another obvious but understandable effect, is David and Paula's over-protectiveness, resulting in their kids, especially their elder son, feeling completely smothered and suffocated. As Jake complains bitterly about his mother to his girlfriend, Amy, "She breathes my air first, to make sure it's okay for me. Do you have any idea what that's like?" Also, the Vietnam War and its military draft is intricately woven into this storyline, with David & Paula's terror that their 18 year old son, Jake will be called up and forced to fight in the war. They're petrified at the thought of anything happening to their remaining children. So much so, that Mr. & Mrs. Tobias enlist the aid of a psychiatrist, Dr. Green (Joe Spano) to write a medical exemption letter to the draft board, which infuriates Jake, further reinforcing his feelings of being controlled by his parents.
Another facet of David and Paula's overprotectiveness, is a total inability to not only discuss their experiences during the war, but to share ANY aspect of their pasts or family history with their children. As Jake, remarks cynically to his brother, Ben, in regards to their father's family, "Don't expect him to tell you what happened. He won't even say what their names were."
Because of Mr. & Mrs. Tobias's reluctance to talk about their pasts, Jake and Ben are unable to fully understand and comprehend the depths of suffering that their mother and father have endured. As a result, the Tobias children, Jake, especially, minimize their parents pain, while exaggerating and overemphasizing the minor discomfort over the petty, insignificant trivialities in their own lives. Like in one scene, when Jake is arguing with his parents about moving in with friends, he says, "I'm drowning!" to which his mother scoffs, replying, "What do you know about drowning? Drowning is when you have nothing!"
So, all these tensions, and long-buried traumas that are just simmering beneath the surface, all come to a head when, out of the blue, Paula Tobias gets a phone call that her son Alec, who it was presumed had been killed during the war, was found alive and well in Poland. This surprising and unexpected call creates a whirlwind of emotions for the entire family from excitement, and joy to skepticism, jealousy, and worry.
Later, when they receive some very tragic news, the entire Tobias family are thrown into a tailspin, and for the first time in their lives they are forced to truly look inside themselves, and reassess everything they have ever known - their values, priorities, relationships with family, friends, and acquaintances, indeed their whole way of dealing with life in general.
In the aftermath of their cruel twist of fate, David and Paula come to realize that if they want to heal themselves and their children, and strengthen their bonds as a family, they must face all the memories that they have been running and hiding from since the war. They slowly accept that the only way for them to survive and move on with their lives is if they deal with the grief that they have postponed for over two decades, and finally mourn for all the deaths and losses that they suffered at the hands of the Nazis.
With this realization, and working to recover from the long-buried traumas of the past, the entire Tobias family are ultimately able to come together happily at the end to celebrate the much-anticipated rite of passage of son Ben's bar mitzvah.
Far from being a dark, and depressing film, this is a beautiful movie about life in general. It has happy moments, sad moments, good times, bad times. Although the theme of the movie is about the Holocaust, and there are sad parts, "A Call to Remember", is not a gloomy movie. It is a touching and poignant tale about the legacy of the Holocaust and its effects on future generations. A MUST SEE!!
Secret Cutting (2000)
Important Issue - HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE Casting!!
As a recovering cutter, I'd read Steven Levenkron's book (as well as other books on self-injury) and I was very interested when I heard that a movie was being made about this very important issue, and I watched (and taped it) when it first premiered under the title, "Secret Cutting" (before the title was later renamed as "Painful Secrets")
When I had been cutting, and when it had been discovered, 10-12 years ago, there had been hardly ANY information about it anywhere. As such there was a LOT of stigma, discrimination and myths associated with it. I think it is a good thing that important issues like this be brought out of the closet and discussed, so there is more information about it out there, and those who suffer will not be scared or ashamed to get help.
So I was very excited when I heard this movie was coming out.
However, even before I actually saw the movie, I had a feeling that the casting would not be good when I saw Rhea Perlman being interviewed on one of the morning shows or talk shows about the movie, and heard that she would be playing the role of the therapist. I thought that, it was an AWFUL choice, and if that was a representation of the judgement of the casting director, that for most part the other characters would probably be no better - and I was unfortunately right.
Now don't get me wrong, I have NOTHING against Rhea Perlman. She is a WONDERFUL comedic actress. I LOVED her in "Matilda" and other movies and shows. But she is not good at serious drama, and she was totally unsuited for an important role that is not meant to be funny like that of this character.I mean every time I saw her different facial expressions and body language, I got the urge to laugh, which is not the purpose of a serious issue movie like this.
A better choice would be someone who can exude compassion, and empathy in her acting, like Nancy Lee Grahn (of General Hospital, 7th Heaven, and other shows) or Teryl Rothery (of Stargate SG-1, who has acted in MANY, MANY made-for-TV movies). Alternately, actresses like Stepfanie Kramer, Patti LuPone, Veronica Hamel, Pam Dawber, and a few others would likely have been good choices for this role. Even Sean Young (who played the mother in this film) would have been a much better casting choice for the part of the therapist, than Rhea Perlman was.
Unfortunately, the bad casting choices did not end with Rhea Perlman. The main role of this movie,the starring character, Dawn Cottrell, was played by Kimberlee Peterson - another HORRIBLE choice.
Again, I have nothing against Kimberlee Peterson, I think she is a great budding actress, and I really enjoyed her in other roles, such as when she guest starred for several episodes as a homeless teen, in "Boston Public", and when she guest-starred on "Strong Medicine". But she was just not right for this role. For one thing, and I mean no offense by this, but she looks like a freak. Especially with her constant raised eyebrow expression (which is extremely annoying and distracting) and the way she would become so excited, nearly to the point of being giddy, while self-injuring, it just perpetuates the myth that those who mutilate themselves, are just "insane, psycho freaks", and it just reinforces the stigma and discrimination against them.
Kimberlee Peterson is a good actress but totally wrong for this part. Better choices for this role would be Kellie Martin (of ER, Life Goes On, and TV movies), Jennie Garth or Tori Spelling (of Beverly Hills 90210), Jessica Biel (of 7th Heaven, and various movies) and Jessica Bowman (of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) Alternately, Katie Wright (of Melrose Place, and various made-for-TV movies), Ariana Richards, and SEVERAL others would likely have been good choices for this role. Even Crystal Buble (who played cruel bully Rebecca in this movie) would be a better casting choice for the part of Dawn Cottrell than Kimberlee Peterson.
The casting of the other characters in this movie ranged from mediocre or average (Mr.& Mrs. Cottrell, the school personnel, etc.) to EXCELLENT (Lorraine, Alex)
Though this is a good movie, the casting for a majority of the main characters was AWFUL, and it really took away from what could have otherwise been a great, informative, and important movie.
Without Consent (1994)
A Scary Yet Realistic Look Inside "Treatment" and Psychiatric Facilities
I saw this movie when it first came out, and though since then, I taped it, my tape is getting old and worn out, so I really hope that it is released on DVD soon!
I saw this movie when it came out in 1994, and it is chilling to the bone in its eerily (sp?) portrayal of these so-called "treatment" facilities. Every time I've watched it, I just want to scream, and throw things at the awful, evil people at the psych facility, and I cheered as loud as I could when Laura managed to break out and escape!
It's a sad yet realistic look at what truly goes on behind the closed, locked doors of these "treatment centers, and psychiatric hospitals.
It's about time that movies like "Without Consent", "Dancing in the Dark", "What Kind of Mother Are You??" and "On the Edge of Innocence" expose the reality of these places.
It is just SICKENING how innocent people who have done NOTHING other than be unfortunate enough to be afflicted with medical conditions like depression, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, are treated WORSE than convicted CRIMINALS in PRISON!
Even a mass murderer like Timothy McVeigh had more rights, and privileges both while awaiting trial, as well as when he was on Federal Death Row, than even psychiatric patients are afforded, under the guise of "treatment", and "protection".
The mental health care system needs to be totally re-vamped! This movie is a chilling look at the pure injustice that occurs in today's psychiatric facilities.
Laura Mills (played by Jennie Garth) is a rebellious and wayward teenager when her parents, Michelle and Robert (played by Jill Eikenberry and Tom Irwin) decide to admit her to an adolescent treatment center, run by an evil psychopath (who should be locked up and given a good taste of his own medicine - no pun intended!)called Dr. Winslow (played BRILLIANTLY by Paul Sorvino)
Dr. Winslow and his staff treat Laura and the other patients worse than criminals, and at one point, Laura even manages to break out, with the help of other patients, and she escapes only to go home to find out that Dr. Winslow is there too, and has lied to her parents, and convinced them to trick/force Laura into going back. When Laura refuses to return to the facility, Dr. Winslow, showing his true nature threatens Laura into compliance.
Meanwhile another patient at the hospital, Marty (played WONDERFULLY by Johnny Galecki) is a depressed and suicidal young man, who is hospitalized in the treatment center only as long as there is insurance coverage. The moment it runs out, he is discharged. He is just pretty much kicked out the door and left to fend for himself without any treatment or follow-up care, and as a result he ends up taking his own life.
Finally after being convinced to talk to Nora Fields a lawyer who specializes in abuses in the mental health care system, Mr. and Mrs. Mills finally come to their senses and realize what a scam these psychiatric treatment centers are. After a struggle they are eventually able to extricate Laura from their evil clutches.
Unfortunately the relationship between Laura Mills and her parents have been severely damaged by this ordeal, and soon after her return home she moves out, to go and live with her brother who is also estranged from their parents.
As the movie ends, there is hope for an eventual reconciliation, as Michelle and Robert slowly tries to to rebuild their relationship with their children.
A WONDERFUL MOVIE! A CHILLING MUST-SEE LOOK AT THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM!
BRING THIS TO DVD, PLEASE!!