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Lakeview Terrace, a review by Jon

Lakeview Terrace ****
4 out of 5



A young couple (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) have just moved into their California dream home when they become the target of their next-door neighbour, who disapproves of their interracial relationship. A stern, single father, this tightly wound LAPD officer (Samuel L. Jackson) has appointed himself the watchdog of the neighbourhood. His nightly foot patrols and overly watchful eyes bring comfort to some, but he becomes increasingly harassing to the newly-weds.

Samuel L. Jackson shares the lead with at least Patrick Wilson, but his powerful performance anchors the film. When I say this is his best role for years, don't be concerned if you think this will be full-on Pulp Fiction Jules. Instead he shows how brilliant he truly is by commanding the screen without taking it over. All three are complicated roles and this isn't the sort of story they can get through with show-boating and shouting.

On paper it seems a new play on the theme used in Pacific Heights (Modine v. Keaton!) or Unlawful Entry (Russell v. Liotta!), but the characters and situations are more exploitive in both of those and descend into predictable action beats. Not that there is anything wrong with that! It's just that Lakeview Terrace is first and foremost a drama that you may be able to identify with more readily, and it seems reluctant to cut loose until the very last moment.

Up until then, director Neil La Bute creates a simmering tension, possibly undermined by your own assumptions. If you go into it expecting Jackson to be an obvious villain, you do his performance a disservice, because throughout he deserves some sympathy. None of the three characters are perfect and it's their flaws that drive the story. Jackson's Turner is a manipulative racist, but he is also a single dad and staring forced retirement in the face. Meanwhile Wilson as Chris is paranoid that everyone is like Turner, judging his interracial relationship. His wife Lisa, played by Washington, doesn't always give Chris enough respect for that position and she also makes a particularly poor judgement that threatens their marriage.

Still, they are a close couple and Wilson and the lovely Kerry Washington have good chemistry, so you want them to work it out and that means dealing with Turner. It's a clever plot development that escalates the situation without turning him into a cartoon villain, even for the ending which is otherwise predictable. I also like the backdrop with California wild-fires that are getting closer throughout the film because that increases the immediacy of a plot that could have become tediously contrived, especially the ending. Like Gone Baby Gone, it is a satisfying conclusion, but not one that suggests a happy ever after. Life isn't like that and to suggest otherwise is insulting.

Occasionally the black versus white sensibilities border on heavy handed, but actually I still found it easier to empathise with than Crash and it bears more similarity with Gran Torino in some ways. It's a well written, cracking little thriller, that doesn't spoon-feed the viewer. Highly recommended. La Bute may have done himself a disservice by making the ill-advised remake of The Wicker Man, because here he shows a far more interesting grasp of difficult material.

(From Jon's Random Reviews on November 29th, 2009)

Good Witch's Garden, a review by GSyren

The Good Witch's Garden (018713-612700)

United States 2009 | Released 2014-04-22 on DVD from Cinedigm

86 minutes | Aspect ratio Anamorphic 1.78:1 | Audio: English Dolby Digital 2-Channel Stereo

Directed by Craig Pryce and starring Catherine Bell, Chris Potter, Catherine Disher, Peter MacNeill, Rob Stewart

Cassie has settled into Middleton and is busy making a home of Grey House. Her boyfriend, Sheriff Jake Russell, and his kids are happy to have Cassie in the neighborhood, but she has yet to gain the trust of some people in town. Before long, a stranger rolls into town with papers entitling him to legal ownership of Grey House. Cassie is left without a home and is convinced Middleton isn't where she belongs. Ultimately, everyone will learn holding on too tightly to something can make it more likely that thing will slip through your fingers.

My thoughts about The Good Witch's Garden:

Sweet, inoffensive and just a bit too bland for my taste. But it has Catherine Bell, and I really like her. Not as good as the original Good Witch movie, but fair enough. Not sure I'll go for any of the following sequels, though.

I rate this title

(From Reviews and ramblings by Gunnar on February 15th, 2016)

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete First Season marathon, a review by Dragonfire

What He Beheld
Sarah and John's true identities are discovered by a mysterious operative. Comartie's infiltration of the FBI has devastating consequences.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this episode and think it worked pretty well as a season finale.  There were still doubts about Cameron and Derek that seem to have all sorts of potential for the second season.  I like that the FBI agent has had to realize that there are some very strange things going on and I think it will be interesting to see how he continues to cope with that.  I loved the birthday present Derek gave John.  It was very touching and also opened up some possibilities for the second season as well that should be interesting. 

Overall I've really enjoyed this series and am glad I decided to pick up the DVD set.  It is a really entertaining show that has added new things to John and Sarah's story while also remaining true to the source material of the first two movies.  Now I want to start on the second season episodes right now.   

(From Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete First Season marathon on January 28th, 2009)