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J.M. SuarezAbout J.M. SuarezJ.M. Suarez holds a BA and MA in History and works as an archivist by day. Reviews
Murphy’s Law: Series OneMurphy’s Law stands as a somewhat average crime drama, while its greatest strength lies in its casting of James Nesbitt and Claudia Harrison. [8 October 2009] 
Dexter: The Complete Third SeasonDexter's façade of normalcy has gotten more credible and he begins to believe that he can truly live the life he has created for himself. [25 August 2009] 
Designing Women: Season TwoQuick, smart and frank, these women were let loose to create the kinds of characters that are still vibrant, 20 years later. [23 August 2009] 
The Middleman: The Complete SeriesSometimes its cleverness gets the best of it, but The Middleman’s mix of cynicism, innocence, and quirk makes for a hugely enjoyable and original show. [21 August 2009] 
The Lucy Show - and - The Lucille Ball SpecialsLucille Ball's chemistry with her talented cohorts shines on in these two DVDs. [30 July 2009] 
Burn Notice: Season TwoThe series is developing a mythology filled with mysterious agencies, rivals, and characters that often don’t reveal their true intentions right away. [9 July 2009] 
Everwood: The Complete Second SeasonThis show succeeds in creating characters that are nuanced and three-dimensional. [17 June 2009] 
Fillmore: The Last DaysGraham could spot real talent and he fearlessly presented bands solely on the basis of what he liked. [1 June 2009] 
Morrissey: From Where He Came to Where He WentUnfortunately, this set is an unauthorized account of Morrissey’s career and it shows. [22 April 2009] 
Rhoda: Season 1Rhoda strove to portray a modern woman balancing the personal and professional aspects of her life while dealing with a close knit family. [21 April 2009] 
The Paper Chase: Season OneThe series tackled sexual harassment, affirmative action, and equal rights for women, while also devoting time to the demands of academia and romantic entanglements. [13 April 2009] 
Room 222: Season OneThis series broke a lot of ground when it came to race relations, largely because it often went out of its way to leave race out of the equation. [5 April 2009] 
TwilightWhile Meyers’ books tend toward formulaic characterizations, Hardwicke takes the material and successfully transforms it into a subtle, layered atmospheric film. [23 March 2009] 
Family Ties: The Fifth SeasonThe series managed to create characters that have become iconic and over 20 years later, their stories still offer wonderful moments of comedy and emotional resonance. [22 March 2009] 
Frozen RiverBy the time there’s a crack in the river, it’s clear that something has to give in both Ray and Lila’s lives. [10 February 2009] 
Skins: Vol. 1Frank sexuality, open drug use, and incessant swearing mark this as different from a typical teen drama. [4 February 2009] 
Alison Krauss: A Hundred Miles or MoreWhile Krauss' most obvious gift is her ethereal voice, her relationship with the material truly makes her a timeless artist. [9 December 2008] 
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Series MegasetInterested in issues of lasting relevance, the series was successful and unapologetic when things got a little sappy. [8 December 2008] 
Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union: Complete Season OneUllman's chameleon-like presence is sometimes astonishing, particularly in playing characters as disparate as Andy Rooney, Renee Zellweger, and Arianna Huffington. [24 November 2008] 
Sports Night: The Complete Series 10th Anniversary EditionAll the usual elements of a Sorkin series are here: rapid-fire dialogue, his classic walk-and-talks, and stories with a political bent. [13 November 2008] 
TV Sets: Holiday TreatsThe episodes range from classic variations on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi to, as in the case of Taxi, only a cursory attempt to include holiday content. [29 October 2008] 
Johnny Cash Christmas Specials:1978 & 1979While there are Christmas songs interspersed throughout the specials, the majority of the music consists of standard country tunes. [17 October 2008] 
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Three-Disc Unrated Collector’s Edition)A better than average romantic comedy, despite a plot with few surprises, this owes a great deal of its success to Segal and the sincerity he brings to his character. [13 October 2008] 
Californication: Season 1An imperfect show that, much like its protagonist, has the potential to be better than it is. [21 August 2008] 
Friday Night Lights: The Second SeasonEven with such an obvious misstep as the murder storyline in the second season, this is still one of the most well-executed series on television. [2 July 2008] 
The National: A Skin, A Night [DVD]Moon makes use of cityscapes, landscapes, and still images to paint a unique picture of a band at work. [23 May 2008] 
Kurt CobainSchnack has gone to great lengths to humanize Cobain and offer more than the usual icon worship usually attributed to such a tragic figure. [17 April 2008] 
Destination HamburgPoor quality film, grainy photographs, and but snippets of songs – it's difficult to imagine who this DVD is geared toward. [1 April 2008] 
The IndependentPredating Tarantino and Rodriguez’s Grindhouse by seven years, this small film makes excellent use of poor production values, bad acting, and outlandish plots to create authentic-looking schlock. [6 March 2008] 
The AmateursThis film has a great deal of potential, but like many of the characterizations, it's not fully realized. [5 March 2008] BlogsChannel Surfing: Why We Need “Chuck” [4 May 2009]Channel Surfing: Bea Arthur R.I.P (1922-2009) [27 April 2009]Consuming Consumables: The Lemonheads: It’s a Shame About Ray (Collector’s Edition) [2 December 2008]Consuming Consumables: Pushing Daisies: The Complete First Season [26 November 2008] |
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