Reviews and More

It’s about time for me to place a few orders to bulk up my DVD collection again, and I noticed that the Reno 911! Miami The Movie DVD will be released in just a couple of days — on June 19, to be exact. I saw this film a few months ago when it was still in theaters, and thought it was very funny. I know the DVD will feature an uncut version, which definitely makes it worth buying, so I’m going to have to add it to my shopping list.

I remember that there were a bunch of wild, crazy scenes in the theater version of Reno 911! Miami The Movie, and that just makes me wonder what could possibly have been left out the first time around. For example, some of the funny scenes that immediately come to mind are when Clem (played by Wendi McLendon-Covey) goes around to all the tattoo parlors in Miami to see if any of the artists can recognize their handiwork on her chest and when the “Alligator Expert” (Chris Tallman) lets down his guard because he thinks the gator’s dead — only to get attacked by a second gator in the pool!

Those were awesome, but one of my favorite parts has to be the one right at the beginning of the movie when the Reno officers arrive at a crime scene acting like the finest S.W.A.T. unit ever assembled. Of course, viewers know right away that they’re a bunch of misfits, which is what makes the scene so funny. Here’s a clip so you can check it out for yourself:

http://broadband.foxhome.com/reno911miami/053107/reno911_thefinest_hi.wmv

If you didn’t get a chance to see Reno 911! Miami The Movie when it was in theaters, then you won’t want to miss the DVD. The more I think about how much I laughed while watching this movie, the more convinced I am that I need to buy the DVD!

I mentioned a while back that I planned on purchasing the Cagney & Lacey DVD set that was released last month. Well, I actually did just that and am finally getting around to watching the show. Cagney & Lacey was one of my favorite shows when I was growing up. In fact, I think this is the first show that I watched on a regular basis and the first one that I remember looking forward to seeing every week. However, because I was just 8 or 9 years old when the show was in its prime, I don’t remember any details, so watching the DVDs will be like seeing everything for the first time.

Although the DVD set that I bought is being marketed as the “true beginning,” it starts with episodes from the second season. So in my reviews here, I’m numbering them accordingly.

Episode 2×01 was called “Witness to an Incident” and 2×02 was called “One of Our Own.” I have to say that neither ep struck me as particularly interesting, and I was pretty bored most of the time that I had the DVDs playing. In fact, I found myself checking emails and doing some housework with the TV on in the background. Cagney & Lacey is often referred to as a show that broke the rules when it was on, which makes me expect some great things. But clearly, it’s going to take a bit of time for the good writing to kick in.

There are two initial reactions that stand out for me as far as these first two eps go. First of all, I can’t get over the ’80s clothing, cars, and hairstyles! I remember Christine Cagney’s character as someone who was supposed to be pretty hip and stylish (at least compared to Mary Beth), but she just looks funny now. There was a scene in 2×01 where Cagney gets dressed up to go undercover at some seedy bar by the docks and she actually tied a rolled up bandanna around her head… I just about died laughing!!! But I guess these style issues are to be expected when watching something that’s 25 years old.

Another thing that stands out is how I now like the Lacey character better. I remember that I loved Cagney when I was a kid and thought she was the greatest person on TV, and I basically just dismissed Lacey as a boring mother/wife who stuck too closely to the rules. But now as an adult, I think Lacey comes off as the much better character — at least in the first two eps. Maybe it’s because I’m a wife and mother myself now and I can identify with her more? I don’t know, but it’ll be interesting to see if I continue to feel this way as I watch the rest of the season.

Anyway, I’m a bit disappointed after watching the first two eps of the DVD set, but I’m sure things will pick up soon!

Photo credit: Allposters.com