Sundown305

I didn't pay attention to this show when it first ran on ABC (or its second run when it came on Lifetime), but when I learned that it was about the Vietnam Conflict, I tuned in to the 48-Hour Crash-Course Marathon on TV Land. I was so impressed by watching only a couple of episodes that I ran out and bought enough tapes to record all of 'em. Though TV Land only ran the first season, our local WB affiliate carried the remaining seasons, and I have all but seven episodes and the movie pilot...

Dana Delany was completely awesome in her role. Even in the less-critically acclaimed seasons (the ones that talked about the characters once they left Vietnam), she was into her role and made the viewers feel her emotions.

And goodness, the cameos! It seems like damn-near everyone from "Full Metal Jacket" made a cameo in this series! R. Lee Ermey and Dorian Harewood (GySgt Hartman and Eightball) come to mind. Vivica Fox, Judge Reinhold, Tim Ryan, Kim Wayans, and Kathy Bates also come to mind...

This show ruled! Still does! **** out of ****

I must say that as a CART fan, I really wasn't too disappointed in this movie because I didn't walk in expecting much. The real racing sequences were awesome, but the ones between the characters came across as too staged, and the CGI completely sucked in my opinion. Renny Harlin used TOO much artistic license in some of the crash scenes (unless CART is stupid enough to allow the possibility of a Champ Car flying over a wall and landing in a friggin' LAKE!). Plus most CART fans will get a kick out of guessing where the sloppily edited race scenes were filmed, though on most occasions, the location stated was actually the right one...

When the movie was good, it was good: loud CART turbo engines (thank goodness they edited out the F1 sounds), fast-paced racing, and Gina Gershon in that stunning dress at the banquet...other than that, all that was left were the cameos towards the end of the stars of the 2000 CART season that might get some of the fans smiling...

But when it was bad, it was pretty bad: clichéish dialogue, an all-to-predictable ending, and terrible character development. They should have "Driven" this back into the paddock...

I wouldn't recommend spending money to go to the theater and see this, but if you get a rush from rumbling surround sound filling up your room, then this would be a good movie...

Sorry. I don't think this movie'll get many ordinary people to become CART fans... *1/2 out of ****

I was a bit skeptical when seeing the previews for this movie, but it was well worth the two hours it took to watch it! Instead of the cheesy, one-sided, pro-independent-Black-woman, anti-Black-male film that I thought it was, "Disappearing Acts" was a refreshing, well-made movie that both men and women (and not necessarily just African-American) can feel. This is because the movie 1) was actually believable, 2) related to a lot of true events in this day and age that aren't really exposed much without being sensationalized, and 3) had two strong leads in Sanaa Lathan (Zora) and Wesley Snipes (Franklin)...

I think that the supporting cast could have been a bit more utilized (more so with Zora and Franklin's respective families and parents), but that is overshadowed by a powerful, emotion-stirring performance by Sanaa and Wesley. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone looking for a true-to-life, devoid-of-unneeded-drama-elements movie that you can really feel.

If this movie is half as good as the book (which everyone is telling me it is), then I shall be off to Waldenbooks for a sneak peek.