ryan-l-leong Reviews

The Time Machine (1960)

The original Time Travel movie is still one of the best!

[10/10 · 23 January 2024]

Saw this movie for the first time in the 1980's and remember recording it on VHS (remember those) in 1990. It's timeless (pun intended). In fact the colors on the panel of the time machine in green, yellow, and red would be copied on the Delorean in Back to the Future. The storyline is great, a little comic book-ish but for 1960 it's fantastic story telling. It was Rod Taylor's first feature film in a leading role as H. George Wells and it's arguably his signature role. Some will say Alfred Hitchcock's: The Birds but I'm going to be biased and say it's this film. Yvette Mimieux who was only 18 at the time, had her first starring role as the demure and lovely Weena. Alan Young, known for his role as Wilbur on the 1960's sitcom Mr. Ed is George's best friend David Filby.

The special effects for the time were incredible and it was the 1960 winner of the Academy Award for best visual effects. Wah Chang, one of the few Chinese employed in Hollywood at the time helped design the Time Machine. Chang later worked on Star Trek and it was he who created the famous communicators used by Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew of the U. S. S. Enterprise.

Anyways, this film has a different story arc than the original 1895 novel penned by Wells but it's still a very good movie. At the time the film was released in 1960, all of Wells' actual children were still alive. If you're a fan of Back To The Future, check out this movie, I think you'll enjoy it!

A League of Their Own (2022)

Boring and uninspiring

[5/10 · 13 August 2022]

There's way too much profanity in this. My grandmother who has passed away was the age of these ladies in the early 1940s and women then did not drop F-bombs and say S*** every other word. The pluses to this are seeing the clothing worn during the 1940s and the cars. Watchable but nothing at all like the classic movie from 1992.

Star Trek: Picard: The Star Gazer (2022) Season 2, Episode 1

Picard sounds like he's going to croak any second

[3/10 · 31 March 2022]

I agree with most of the reviews here. This is the Trek at its worst, so boring and not interesting in the least. Just using props and familiar faces with mostly a new and inept crew. What's really sad is to see Patrick Stewart looking to be older than William Shatner even though he's nine years younger. His voice is so weak and so is he with no screen presence. Watching him you wonder if he's going to tip over like Humpty Dumpty. This is garbage, watch an older Trek series instead that hasn't been contaminated by Alex Kurtzman.

Fantasy Island (2021–2023)

Updated 21st century version of the popular TV show from the 1980's

[7/10 · 11 August 2021]

The plot of Fantasy Island has been updated with Roslyn Sanchez playing the role of Elena Roarke, the grand niece of Mr. Rourke and she has an assistant named Ruby.

Same storylines but the main difference is a big budget which the classic show didn't have. The new show is filmed in Puerto Rico.

Ms. Sanchez is very attractive and FOX is known for eye candy so there's that. Nothing can replace the original series but I'm sure this new one looks great in HD and hopefully this show rekindles interest in the original. It has for me, and I for one enjoy watching the reruns with Ricardo Montalban!

Audrey (I) (2020)

A Timeless beauty

[10/10 · 23 March 2021]

Audrey translated into any word means Classy lady. They don't make them like her anymore and continues to captivate us just like Marilyn Monroe. Wish there were women like her in the world today

Parasite (2019)

Convoluted story and plot but good acting

[5/10 · 8 March 2021]

Parasite received all sorts of rave reviews and the movie is really interesting until the part when they find out the housekeeper's husband is living under the house. Then it gets all whacked. And the son should have been killed by the force of trauma from the scholar stone that was supposed to be for good luck. Too many plot holes, like how could the family move back into that crappy apartment? Wasn't it condemned after all that flooding? Acting was superb but the violence at the boy's picnic was gratuitious and unnecessary. I'm sure some love this movie and want to see it again and again but it was rather dark and depressing. If you have a sick macabre sense of humor this film is for you!

Before Sunrise (1995)

Not realistic but then again it's a movie

[7/10 · 17 January 2021]

Somewhat long winded and the "romance" between Jesse and Celine just seemed forced but they do have chemistry. For me it makes me happy thinking I too could find someone like Celine. She just seems like a wonderful woman I'd love to spend time with being romantic and acting whimsical

Warrior (2019–2023)

Kung Fu was much better than this "PC" version

[5/10 · 14 January 2021]

This show is all swearing, sex (which I don't mind) and gratuitous violence. Kung Fu with David Carradine was so much better at portraying Chinese as a whole even though Carradine was a white guy. First season was hard to watch at times because the dialogue contained more f words than necessary. Second season had much more character development and so I will give that a 7. Unfortunately this series still perpetuates many stereotypes but it did spark my interest in the history of Chinese immigration. Being a third generation Chinese-American it was nice to see a predominantly Asian cast.

Back to the Future (1985)

Arguably one of the best time travel movies and the original is still the best of the trilogy

[10/10 · 19 November 2020]

One of the true classics of the 1980s. Everything about it is spot on. Bob Gale's DeLorean is inspired by the 1960 movie The Time Machine. Notice the time circuit colors of red, green, and yellow are inspired from that classic film. It's just such a feel good film and the lines are as quotable as any great film. It's timeless, PUN INTENDED!

The film score is really what makes this film work and it doesn't seem dated at all except Marty's clothes but that's a large part of the charm of this cinematic masterpiece. I don't know of anyone who doesn't like this movie and if they don't like it, they don't know a good movie if it hit them on the head like Doc hitting his head on the toilet trying to hang his clock. LOL Simply put, I could watch this film over and over and over again just like traveling back in time! A MUST SEE FILM and I own the trilogy on Blu-ray.

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020–2024)

"Star Trek" for dummies

[1/10 · 7 August 2020]

This show is AWFUL. It's totally stupid and insipid. Has nothing to do with Star Trek. The animation is cute but if I want animation I'd rather watch the series from 1973-1974 from Filmation. This show might be worth seeing if you're under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering substances. Otherwise...hard pass.

Dead to Me (2019–2022)

Good acting but mean spirited show

[4/10 · 4 August 2020]

You watch a show like Dead to Me and it makes it so clear why our society is ill mannered. This show epitomizes why we have lost empathy and have become so narcissistic. The creator of the show did a great job of capitalizing on the worst traits of people and passing it off as entertainment. I didn't care for it after a few episodes and like others have said, Netflix seems to have an agenda.

The Odd Couple (2015–2017)

Why did they waste time and money trying to rehash a classic show??

[1/10 · 23 May 2020]

The Odd Couple worked twice. First as a 1968 film starring the legendary Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, and then again with the incomparable Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. This show was first remade in 1982 as the New Odd Couple with an African-American cast and lasted only one season. This show somehow managed to go three seasons but it's a miracle it did. This show stinks! Honor the Odd Couple by watching either the 1968 film and the 1970-75 sitcom. This is a waste of film, time, and money!

Life (I) (1999)

Not what I expected and depressing

[5/10 · 22 May 2020]

This film is not very funny or enlightening or entertaining. It was good acting by Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence but it just showcased how unfair the system is for two African American men to be imprisoned wrongly for a murder they didn't commit and they spend most of a life sentence in this hellish prison camp until they're in their 90s. I wouldn't recommend it

Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)

For die-hard Pitch fans only

[3/10 · 1 May 2020]

I never saw the first two installments and the third I saw as a home rental. The ladies are fun and the singing is great but the dialog is truly abysmal. I think teenagers could piece together a better script. The music, costumes, and choreography save this flick from being a total diaster.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

If you really want to be inspired watch an episode or Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

[5/10 · 5 March 2020]

Tom Hanks is the Spencer Tracy of this generation, hard to argue he's not worthy of the many accolades he's earned through his career as an actor. This script plays out like a parody but it's not Saturday Night Live. In other words I couldn't take Hanks or any of the characters seriously. I do hope this movie does inspire others who were too young to have seen Mr. Rogers on PBS or want to experience a trip down memory lane, to go and watch actual episodes of the famous show. Learn some real lessons instead of being manipulated by a Hollywood movie "pretending" to teach you a lesson.