BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Whitech It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

richard.fuller1 Oh, where to go in reflecting on this 41-yr-old show. Yes, it has given us the names of Phoebe, Erica, Courtland, Opal (Dorothy Lyman from the moment she squawked, "ooh, it's hot on this bus!"), and couples like Cliff & Nina, Greg & Jenny, Jesse & Angie. But in my past 48-hr reflection, it seems to me this hearty program missed more marks than it hit. lol! No, no, it's okay. There were definitely some major pluses along the way. I started with the show when it was ten-yrs-old. By then, Phil and Tara were just being removed (He was missing, she ran off with Jim Jefferson, a fellow in a striped pullover). Dr. Chuck Tyler and hooker Donna Beck were married and in full-swing. In fact, that's the best place to begin. Donna couldn't have a kid, so she was going to get one off the black-market. "Once Chuck sees the baby, he'll fall in love with him." Didn't happen. Chuck got mad and they split up. Chuck married Carrie Sanders, Donna fell into a romance with Palmer Courtland (one of the wildest romances the show ever had). On a ski trip, Chuck and Donna are trapped in a cave, so they have sex. A child is conceived. What Donna didn't know is Palmer was sterile after a riding accident (and having his two kids), so he always knew he wasn't the father. Donna has the baby after FIVE MONTHS! So now Chuck and Donna have a kid. Guess what? The kid is killed in a night club fire. This was always what AMC did. Even with that night club fire, we had Greg Nelson in a wheelchair, Ray Gardner was blind, Erica was locked in a dressing room and Chuck had left the baby in Donna' dressing room (she sang in the club). I started back to school, got out early, came home to see who was saved, and everyone was out of the club, the baby was the only fatality. Missed it all in thirty minutes. The same thing would happen when Ray Gardner was going to blow up the Martin family on Christmas. I wanted to see the house blow up. Same setup. Started back to school after Christmas, came home early, missed thirty minutes of the show. House was intact, Ray blew himself up. Utter disappointment. Early on, the show truly had some of the trashiest characters around, such as Ray Garnder, Billy Clyde Tuttle (married in real life to Christine Baranski, I believe), purehearted prostitute Estelle and a fave of mine, tho I don't think she was a hooker, Edna, a total nutcase. Oh, yes, and Myrtle Fairgate; her brilliant turn trying to help Phoebe by warning her Langley Wallingford was an imposter. This woman raced to the church on foot, but didn't make it in time. For me, a grand minus has definitely been Adam Chandler. In the entire time he has been on the show, it has been one little girl after another (Dixie, Gloria, Liza, etc.), making each woman look more and more stupid for falling for this man with his track record. Why any of these women would have anything to do with him after Dixie and Brooke alone is beyond me. Each one was just another 'hes trying to control you' bit. This pretty much led to the total ruination of Marcy Walker's Liza Colby. Walker didn't like the early on schoolgirl image she had on AMC(not that the forgettable wispy haired Eden Capwell on Santa Barbara was any better), but upon returning and hooking up with Adam? The promise in Liza was that she could have gone on to rival Ercia Kane. Definitely this was AMC's major problem. Palmer Courtland and Adam Chandler should have paired up with characters like Marion Colby and Enid Nelson (one of the most annoying women around), then with these guys as parents, the young people of Pine Valley wouldn't stand a chance! Marion did eventually marry a Chandler, but it was daffy brother Stuart. But again, the minuses were always there. AMC mocked the 'chased by bad guys' bit popularized by Luke & Laura from General Hospital (after doing a couple of Lovers On The Run story lines theirselves) by having Tad, Dottie, Greg, Jesse, whoever, running from bad guys encircling a monument, and other characters (a woman with a baby carriage, etc.) end up joining in to slapstick music. If the show didn't take things seriously, how could viewers?I was recalling Angie's parents, played by Lee Chamberlain (Electric Comany) and Antonio Vargas (Starsky & Hutch). All that objection to Jesse and then Dad turns out to be running a black market baby scheme anyway. And Mike Minor (Petticoat Junction) as Brandon Kingsley. And I never recall seeing another show have to recast in mid-story as AMC did, from Mrs. Gonzales, the hispanic landlady who helped Jesse and Jenny (she changed in mid dramatic moment), to Mike Roy, should have been Erica's true love, another actor had to do the death scene. And where on Earth did Natalie (Kate Collins) come from? I was trying to recall this. I think she was a rival for Erica somewhere in there. She never really carried much weight, did she? Some Kent Bogard, Lars Bogard storyline. I think Lars ended up a Nazi and the agent for models, Olga, was his sister? And another biggie, Brooke's mother, played by Patricia Barry, ended up the big villianess, Cobra. There was Phoebe's sister-in-law. Too hilarious. No, it wasn't a bad run, I will say that. Been some fun moments, lots of fun moments. The gang was missed anyway, Palmer, Nina, Jenny, Daisy, but they have provided some hearty memories.

Asley C. Dundee I cannot tell you how much I miss the actor James Fitzpatrick. I recently saw James on a rerun of the television show of J.A.G. and I was reminded how compelling he is as an actor.He still has very deep brooding eyes and a face that could freeze Medusa. I was in school when AMC was on but my mom used to tape it and we would watch it together at night.It was kind of funny but I remember my mom saying that Pierce Riley was her favorite character too. I used to go to bed at night dreaming of meeting Mr Fitzpatrick one day.Even though I know I know it was a fantasy, I still hope to see him acting in other TV shows and movies because I really enjoy him as an actor.

ameilius I've been watching All My Children since Day One, and the show has a very different feel today than it did back in 1970. Originally it was a multi-generational, multi-layered story set in the mythical town of Pine Valley, Pennsylvania. Created by Agnes Nixon,it dealt with real-life social issues--- drug abuse, racism, rape,domestic violence,prostitution, even homelessness. The characters came from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. There were the rich, upper-class Tyler and English families as well as the middle-class Martins, and also the working-class Benny Sago and Mrs. Valentine. It also had social outcast Donna Beck, a runaway teen prostitute, and her outrageous pimp Billy Clyde Tuggle. But the most popular character, a break-out character really, was Susan Lucci's Erica Kane.From the start Erica stole the show. She debuted in 1970 as a teenager from a broken home. She started out with Daddy issues and a great big chip on her shoulder. Good writing soon transformed her into something more human,and as the decades passed we learned more about her troubled history. As we eventually discovered, she'd been raped at age 14 by a pedophile friend of her father's, apparently with Dad's full consent! Ever since that event Erica has had emotional problems. Despite her worldly success she's still struggling, 40 years later, to like herself. No amount of male attention is ever enough, which would explain her long string of discarded husbands and lovers. She's a fascinating, complex character and according to Lucci herself, great fun to play. Lucci portrays Erica with a light comedic touch, and her long-time fans continue to love her.Looking back, I remember the 1980's and 1990's as AMC's Glory Years. Inspired writing, along with a superb cast of actors, guaranteed that. During this period the show introduced two new families: the Cortlandts and the Chandlers. These were rich, powerful clans with bigger-than-life patriarchs---Palmer Cortlandt and Adam Chandler, respectively--- continually at each other's throats.Palmer was a cold-blooded s.o.b. who lived in a Gothic mansion with his captive daughter, Nina. Similarly, Adam wielded power from the Chandler Mansion and soon emerged as the villain we loved to hate.Over the years Adam's manipulations have driven away all of his wives--- he has had several, including Erica and the redoubtable Brooke English-- -and he also has alienated his children. Today's son and heir, JR, is a recovering alcoholic with deep-seated problems that he's likely to "hand down" to the next generation. Stay tuned.Another memorable character was, and still is, Tad Martin. An abandoned child, he was adopted by the Martin family nearly 40 years ago. Later he grew up to be the adult Tad that we all adore. Young Tad was a womanizer and a cad yet likable because of his wit and charm. After numerous escapades he found true love with sweet Dixie Cooney, and the fans applauded. Other popular pairings kept us riveted: Cliff and Nina...Greg and Jenny...Angie and Jessie...Natalie and Trevor. Angie and Jesse achieved special distinction in being the first official black Super Couple ever seen on daytime. Jesse's now a p.i. and Angie's a doctor. Watching them interact with their old pal Tad, from adolescence to middle age, has been a joy. But all good things must come to an end. Once Disney bought AMC, in the early 2000's, this iconic show went into a downward tailspin. New people were running it now, people who apparently knew nothing about soaps. The writing regime changed every year or so, with character history violated or simply ignored. The scribes gave us short-term "shock and awe" story lines that made no sense. One of the worst was Erica's hitherto unknown son, an aborted fetus kept alive by a mad scientist...Yeah, right. And then the horrendous tale of Tad, our beloved Tad, burying a man alive! Not to mention the travesty of Dixie's death by poisoned pancakes. After Head Writer Megan McTavish killed off Dixie, for no apparent reason, there was a general outcry from the viewers. AMC was in deep trouble, and sinking fast...Yet even in recent years the show has had its redeeming features. The Kane family, for one. Erica's two daughters have been skillfully woven into the Pine Valley tapestry. Kendall (the child of rape) appeared on Mom's doorstep with an initially bad attitude but has since evolved into a charming if somewhat wacky heroine. Bianca, the younger child, "came out" as a lesbian back in 2000 in one of the best scenes I've ever seen on daytime. The hard-won but close sisterly bond between "Binks" and Kendall, and their coming to terms with their celebrity Mom, has been masterly storytelling.Notwithstanding All My Children is currently on life support, like so many other soaps. Why? The main problem, I suspect, lies in its dearth of good old-fashioned romance. The only Super Couple left seems to be "Zendall"---Kendall and Zach---and with Zach's portrayer, Thorsten Kaye, about to leave the show, even that will soon be gone. But please, no more "Rylee" (Greenlee and Ryan)! "Rylee" is an uninspired pairing that the fans in overwhelming numbers hate, yet the Disney suits have been kicking that dead horse for years. When the chemistry ain't there, folks, it just ain't there. Greenlee, a delightful bitch, had a great romance years ago with con artist Leo Dupres, played by actor Josh Duhamel, but with Ryan she fizzles. I'd rather see her reunited with her dastardly hubby, David Hayward, who we all know isn't really dead. In fact, even as we speak, Dr. Hayward may be resurrecting corpses in his secret lab...SPOILER ALERT! ADDENDUM: A few years after my writing this review the Head of ABC Daytime, Brian Frons, cancelled AMC, causing an angry backlash from the fans. And so now, alas, Pine Valley is just a bittersweet memory. Erica will never break another heart, Adam will never negotiate another dirty deal, and Tad's sparkling wit is heard no more. Finis.

DiamondGirl427 I am not sure when I started watching AMC...but I believe it was when an aunt came down to spend a summer with me..she watched several...but it is AMC that I recall most. Of course Erica Kane was the star..always..and the other characters were for the most part great to watch as well. Fast forward several years to present day: Erica is still the DIVA she always has been..although I do wish Jack and her would FINALLY have their wedding..it has been too long already. I miss Palmer and Adam..another era has ended there perhaps. I wish Julie Bar would return as Brooke full time too. But..please someone tell me WHY they thought the actress who is playing Annie was right for the part? She is NOT sexy enough to pull of the sceming gold digger in my opinion. Giving JR a rather plain and sweet wife as they did seems too unbelievable too...he is a rich spoiled man...there is no way it would happen. Whenever they change actors always seems to change the dynamics too...especially when we have gotten used to the actor who originated the part. The addition of the guy who is playing Caleb is unnecessary too..he is attracted to Erica..even though they seem to have a love/hate thing going on at the moment...but come on..he is an angry,rude guy...not at all sexy...unless you like this type. Jack is way SEXIER in every way. The new Bianca is going to take a while to get used to as well...the new girl is cute..but doesn't quite fit yet. She is too goody goody...more so than the original was. The bottom line is that I won't stop watching the show..I just wish the writers would try a little harder to make it a "must watch" show.