Book Review: Too Much Stuff by Don Bruns (Stuff Series #5)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun story and more mature characters

Cons: Some plot elements not quite developed well

The Bottom Line:

Lost gold in the Keys

A stronger series entry

This one’s lots of fun

Will Skip and James Find the Key to Gold?

I know I’ve been lukewarm on the Stuff Series from Don Bruns, but it had been on my radar for so long that I was determined to finish it. So I picked up Too Much Stuff, the fifth in the series. Turns out I enjoyed this one. 

The series features Skip More and James Lessor, best friends and twenty-somethings just trying to survive in Miami. James is always trying to find a way to strike it rich and get them out of their dead-end jobs. Unfortunately, those schemes seem to find them involved in deadly dangerous situations. 

The duo have recently opened their own Private Investigator business, but they’ve only had one client so far. Skip’s girlfriend, Em, brings them another. The woman claims to be the great granddaughter of a man who was in possession of a shipment of gold in 1935 right before a hurricane slammed into the Florida Keys. In the resulting chaos, the gold was lost. Even if the client is telling the truth, can the duo find it? Oh, and there’s the small matter that the last PIs hired to find the gold vanished six months ago. 

Obviously, with the treasure hunt plot, this isn’t going to be exactly like a traditional mystery, although the book does have some of those elements as well. I’ll admit, the many storylines weren’t juggled as well as they could have been, leading to a few things being rushed. But I didn’t care too much since I was having fun. 

I get that part of the hook of the series is James and Skip’s immaturity. In other books, I’ve found that pushed too far. Here, I felt like the author got it right. They were quite as much caricatures as they’ve been in the past, which made it easier to root for them. 

It also helps that Skip, who is our first-person narrator, and James, to a lesser extent, make some good deductions and follow a logical trail as the book progresses. Yes, we still get a couple of leaps, but for the most part it worked for me. 

Skip’s girlfriend, Em, is the other main character in the series. I enjoyed seeing all of their relationships in a different light here. 

Also, there was a refreshing toning down of the foul language. There is still some there, but it’s not quite as gratuitous. 

These books were originally published in the early 2010’s which explains a couple of moments that are already dated. 

I’ve got two more books in the series to go, and this makes me look forward to read them. Too Much Stuff was one of the stronger entries in the series. 

Stuff your bookshelf with the rest of The Stuff Series.

January 2026's Reading Summary

We are already a month into 2026!  Time's flying again as always.  But that means it is time for a reading summary.  Sadly, I didn't get the index updated again this month.  I'll have to make sure I do that next month.

As always, the links will take you to my full review.  All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

 

Whine and Dine by Marc Jedel (Redwood Country Mysteries #2) – 3

It’s been a few months since Andy Shirley solved a murder in his new community of Monte Rio. Now, it’s October, and Andy has settled into his new life a little. He’s still trying to avoid making friends, so when the owner of a souvenir shop in town is found dead in her shop, he doesn’t intend to get involved. That is until the young woman who handles his plumbing, someone he’s become friendly with, begs him to get involved. It seems the police think her friend, who works at the store, is guilty. Can Andy figure out what happened?

I found the first just okay, and I was hoping some of those issues were just set up and the second would be smoother. Sadly, that didn’t happen. There is just a bit too much going on, which meant the mystery was choked out. The suspects could have been stronger. The climax, while answering all our questions, wasn’t enjoyable. Unfortunately, Andy still hasn’t thawed at all either. I do love the setting, since I grew up near there. And the puns are always welcome. I’m not sure that these will be enough to compel me to read any further in the series. 

 

A Spy in Saigon by Nancy Cole Silverman (Kat Lawson #4) – 5

It’s August of 2000, and Kat is heading to Vietnam.  Given her age and the time, this is filled with mixed emotions for her since the Vietnam War impacted her personal life.  But now, the country is once again opening up to foreigners, and Kat is there to cover what the country is like now.  At least that’s the cover.  She’s actually there to make a drop off and pick up with a jeweler in Ho Chi Minh City.  However, while she’s in the store, the contact is murdered in front of her.  Now, Kat has no idea what to do.  In a country where she is constantly watched, can she still get the information she came for?

This series has always been a cross between a traditional mystery and a light spy story.  This entry really leans into the spy part of the series, and it is wonderful.  We jumped into the story very quickly, and I always had a hard time putting the book down until I reached the satisfying ending.  While this is the fourth in the series, it reads like a standalone.  Still, we get some nice character development for Kat, and the rest of the characters come to life wonderfully.  The book is definitely of the specific time and place as Kat deals with the results of the Vietnam War and what that means to her 25 years later.  This is a fantastic entry in this series.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

 

Lime and Punishment by Cathy Wiley (Fatal Food Festival Mysteries #5) – 5

Jackie Norwood and her friends have landed in Maverick Key, one of the smaller of the Florida Keys, for their key lime festival. Everyone is happy to be there since it is February. But Jackie is disturbed to find out that two bar owners have been killed in the last few weeks. She was hoping for a more relaxed festival this time, however, it looks like murder has followed her once again. But it’s only after she runs into her high school band teacher and learns he’s the prime suspect that Jackie decides she must investigate. Can she clear her friend of the crime?

This book sets up the story as quickly as possible and then delivers a mystery filled with plenty of twists, great suspects, and red herrings along the way to the logical climax. All of Jackie’s friends are present, and they continue to provide the cozy core of these travel stories. I love how some relationships continue to evolved. We also get a nice dose of puns and other humor. There are plenty of key lime based recipes, and not all of them dessert. I was thrilled to be back for Jackie’s latest adventure. Fans new and old will find plenty to enjoy here. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

 

Heaven Has No Rage by Liz Milliron (Laurel Highlands Mysteries #2) – 4

It’s been a few months since we last checked in on State Trooper Jim Duncan and Assistant Public Defender Sally Castle. In that time, things have been awkward between them. But first Jim is called to the scene of a fire. Was the dead body inside an accidental victim? Who even was he? Then Sally starts getting creepy notes. Does she have a stalker?

This book does a good job of building on the first book but without any spoilers. It’s nice to watch Jim and Sally continue to build their relationship. I love them and the other characters we are getting to know. One of the storylines was stronger than the other, but both kept me engaged with plenty happening, good suspects, and a climax that kept me turning pages. While this isn’t a cozy, the violence and language is kept to a minimum. I’m hoping I can get to the next book soon. 

 

Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart (Death on Demand #16) – 4

Annie Darling is taking a break to head to the smaller, private island of Golden Silk when her husband, Max, is hired to help find a killer. A year ago, media mogul Jeremiah Addison died when he fell down the stairs of his mansion. At the time, only his sister-in -law knew it was something more than an accident. But now, she’s inviting the guests from the weekend back, and she’s hoping that Max will be able to help her find the killer despite his insisting that this is a job for the police. With Annie tagging along, can they determine which guest turned it into a killer party?

When a series moves the setting, it’s always risky. In this case, the risk paid off. Yes, I missed the other regulars, but Annie and Max really got to shine, and the suspects got more time to develop. The mystery was a little slow getting going, but once it did, I was along for every twist. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it did answer my questions. I did miss the references to other mystery novels, but I loved that we didn’t see more of Annie being furious with the police. Any other fans who haven’t gotten to this book yet will be happy with this entry. 

 

Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee #7) – 5

Lt. Joe Leaphorn is baffled by three seemingly unconnected murders on the Navajo reservation. He has no evidence that they are connected, but something makes him think they are. Then Officer Jim Chee’s trailer is shot up, and he barely escapes. As the two start working together, they must find a connection. Can they?

I’ve been waiting for these characters to team up, and this book was worth the wait. Author Tony Hillerman likes this kind of plot, and he’s a master at it. Leaphorn and Chee are different enough that they will play off each other well going forward. They split time as the viewpoint characters well. The rest of the characters aren’t quite as well developed as the leads, but they work for their part in the story. I’m anxious to see what case these two characters take on next.

 

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven #1) – 4

When Kendra and Seth’s parents need to take a trip, they arrange for the pair to stay with their grandparents. You might think that sounds ideal, but Kendra and Seth barely know their grandparents, who live in the middle of nowhere in Connecticut. But slowly, the siblings begin to discover there is more to their grandparents’ property. What does the revelation mean?

My nephew loves this series, and when he gave me this book for Christmas, I had to give it a try. As I expected going in, the set up felt a little slow to me, although I’m not sure how it could have been accomplished any faster. But the second half? I couldn’t read it fast enough. I appreciated that the story mostly wrapped up here while still leaving things opened for the next in the series. I like the characters, although I did find Seth annoying at times. Still, I liked where he and Kendra ended up. I’d be opened to a return visit to see what happens next to the characters. 

 

Michelangelo’s Ghost by Gigi Pandian (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries #4) – 5

Jaya Jones has gotten a tantalizing email from an old mentor. Dr. Lilith Vine has found an obscure Renaissance artist she thinks was not only a protege of Michelangelo, but someone who traveled to India, incorporating that culture into his work. His name and work have been lost to history, but Jaya can’t help but be intrigued at the possibility. After a death under suspicious – at least to Jaya – circumstances, she travels to Italy in hopes of finding the man’s long-lost work. But can she find a centuries old trail?

I let too long go between reading books in this series, but it was nice to be back in Jaya’s presence.  The story grabbed me quickly and I was hooked the entire way through.  This is different from a typical murder mystery, and I was on board for it.  I loved how it all came together at the end and how some clues had been woven in early.  The characters were interesting, and I need to read more soon to find out about what happens next to them.  Fans of the author’s new Secret Staircase series will enjoy some references to those characters thanks to a crossover character.  This is a fun book that will keep the pages turning.

January 31st's Weekly TV Thoughts

Somehow, I managed to get caught up.  Which means I have a LOT of thoughts.

The Traitors (1/15) – I wasn’t expecting two episodes.  I’m so glad that Michael is gone.  But it just amazes me the group think.  Everyone is so sure that it is Ron, when he laid out some very good arguments at the beginning.  But they are going to keep on him.  Of course, it’s because they really don’t have any other clues.  That’s what makes this game so hard.

Happy’s Place (1/16) – Yeah, that was fairly predictable, but I still loved it.  These characters are such fun when they are allowed to play off each other.  What impresses me is that we yet again have an episode without guest stars.  They are keeping them to a minimum this season, yet you never really notice.  That’s how good the writing and the cast are.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1/21) – I’ve been hearing how the series ending is different from the book, and I had to go look it up.  It’s just been too long since I read it that I had to look things up.  I’ll be interested to see how they play out the twist they did with Thalia.  And I’m really wishing I could remember what really happened to her in the books.  I need more time to reread things.

Shifting Gears (1/21) – I really like this new boyfriend.  I wish he were going to stay around.  But it’s obvious where the show is ultimately going to go romance wise.  Very funny episode overall.

The Traitors (1/22) – I feel for Rob.  I really do.  He’s caught between people everyone knows he is playing with and the Traitors.  I’m now sure what I would do in his situation.  Lisa’s around for at least another day.  And I’m curious to see if the eavesdropping they supposedly showed us was real or not.

Happy’s Place (1/23) – I’m very surprised.  I assumed I knew where Gabby’s storyline was going to go.  Does this mean we are looking at an adoption?  Love that we are slowly getting to know Dakota better.  He’s a man of surprises.

Wild Cards (1/26) – This was a very pleasant surprised when it popped up on my DVR.  I wasn’t aware the show was coming back already.  And I’m so happy it did.  A fun case of the week and some new, juicy storylines set in motion.  I can’t wait to see what this season will hold in the way of twists and turns.

Shifting Gears (1/28) – Not quite as great as last week, but still pretty funny.  And it was nice to finally meet the son/brother.  They wrote it so that he could move back home, too, but I wonder how much we will really see him going forward.

The Traitors (1/29) – This is the part where things get interesting.  I get why Rob was voting how he was, but leading the argument against Lisa?  That’s next level stuff.  I love it when the traitors are at each other’s throats.  This is going to be fun.  And who will the new traitor be?

Happy’s Place (1/30) – I’d forgotten that Emmet had this secret, which is ironic since I’d seen this episode when I went to the tapping back in September.  (The episode I actually watched be filmed is probably the first one back from the Olympics.)  Anyway, it’s been quite a while since they did much with this storyline.  Or even really did much with Bobbie and Emmet’s relationship.  Still, a fun episode with a serious ending.

January 30th's Friday Post

Hi all!  Slipping in a little Friday post here.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, I'll be pulling quotes from The Girl with the Dragonfruit Tattoo by Carrie Doyle.

This is book three in the Trouble in Paradise! series.  It's set on a fictional Caribbean island, and this one was enjoyable.

Here's how it begins:

Plum Lockhart's fingers paused above her computer's keyboard.

Okay, so maybe not the most exciting beginning.  But on page 56 we find this:

"Do you have a minute?  I wanted to talk to you about murder - "

That will certainly catch your attention, won't it?

I'm planning to review this one on Thursday, so I'll hope you'll come back then to see what I thought.

Meanwhile, let's take a look at this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

Do you struggle to start a new read after finishing a truly amazing one?

Not really.  It's rare I start a book immediately when I finish the last one.  Usually, I set a book down and go do something else for a while, be it internet or TV or work or chores or something else.  So by the time I am ready for my next book, I'm mentally ready for my next adventure.  I always start my next book before I go to bed that night.

That's it for me.  Have a magical weekend.

Book Review: Michelangelo’s Ghost by Gigi Pandian (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries #4)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great story and interesting characters

Cons: My hunt for cons came up empty

The Bottom Line:

Renaissance artist

With India connection

Pages keep turning

Jaya’s on the Trail of an Obscure Italian Painter

Being one to be distracted by the next shiny thing, or in this case a new release, it’s been five years since I read book three in Gigi Pandian’s Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries. During that time, I was enjoying her newest series, the Secret Staircase Mysteries. But I decided it was time to catch up on Jaya’s adventures, so I picked up Michelangelo’s Ghost, the fourth in this earlier series. 

If you aren’t familiar with the series, (or, like me, it’s been a while) Jaya Jones is a history professor in San Francisco. Her research and interest in India have led her to make some incredible discoveries of previously unknown art and treasure. While there are some references to her previous adventures, this can be read as a standalone, which is a good thing since I’d forgotten much of the earlier books. 

As this book opens, Jaya’s gotten a tantalizing email from an old mentor. Dr. Lilith Vine has found an obscure Renaissance artist she thinks was not only a protege of Michelangelo, but someone who traveled to India, incorporating that culture into his work. His name and work have been lost to history, but Jaya can’t help but be intrigued at the possibility. After a death under suspicious – at least to Jaya – circumstances, she travels to Italy in hopes of finding the man’s long-lost work. But can she find a centuries old trail?

I quickly got caught up in this story. Obviously, this isn’t a traditional murder mystery, and if you pick it up looking for that, you’ll be disappointed. But if you start this book expecting a well plotted story, you’ll be well rewarded. I was pulled further into the book as I went along and was impressed about how important information was layered into the story when I reached the end. 

I enjoyed getting to know the characters again. Jaya is given some time to reflect, which I enjoyed. The rest of the supporting players weave in and out of the book. And I’m quite interested to see what come next for them. Yes, I’m planning to read more of this series this year so I can find out. 

Of interest to fans of the Secret Stairway series, Jaya’s best friend, Sanjay, is a supporting player in that newer series. There are a couple of references to characters I’m familiar with from those books as well. Considering this book came out in 2016, and that series started in 2020, I found that quite cool. 

I also found the note at the end fascinating as Gigi separates the fact from the fiction. 

I’m glad I returned to Jaya’s world. Those searching for a fun adventure-based mystery will also be glad they picked up Michelangelo’s Ghost. 

Hunt up the rest of the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries. 

TV Show Review: Suits LA - The Complete Series

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Actors, some interesting storylines, fun cameos

Cons: Flashbacks detracted from getting to know the entire large cast

The Bottom Line:

Lawyers in LA

There was potential here but

Too many flashbacks

“That Kind of Makes Me Sound Like a…” “What Ever Word You Are Searching For, Double It.” “Handsome Handsome.”

I was a fan of Suits back in the day.  I mean, back when it was originally airing on the USA Network in the 2010’s.  Yes, I did get tired of it in the last few years, but I was still interested when I heard about the Suits LA spinoff, especially when they cast Stephen Amell as the lead.  As I kind of expected, it wasn’t nearly as good as the original.  There was promise there, but the execution needed to be very different.

When we meet Ted Black (Stephen Amell) in the present, he’s the head of a law firm in LA.  He thinks that his firm is about to merge, but in reality, his partner, Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt) has effectively cut him out of the deal, leading to a firm split.  Stuart sets up shop with Samantha Railsback (Rachelle Goulding), who just happens to be Ted’s ex.  The two firms battle it out for clients, some of them real celebrities and some fictional.  Also, Ted, a former prosecutor, takes on a case for movie producer Lester Thompson (recurring guest star Kevin Weisman), who is accused of killing his business partner.

Meanwhile, we see flashbacks to the time that Ted, Stuart, and Samantha were all back in New York City in 2010 (just before the original Suits).  Ted is trying to get a mob boss behind bars, but that comes with incredible danger.  What will it mean for his relationships, especially with his slimy father (recurring guest star Matt Letscher).

Let’s start with that last one.  Obviously, if you’ve followed my reviews, you know I was a huge fan of the Arrowverse.  While Stephen’s Oliver Queen and Matt’s Reverse Flash never shared a scene in those TV shows, it was fun seeing them acting opposite each other here.

Like the original show, this one had plenty of legal maneuvers, more often than not outside the courtroom.  I will say, the way the lawyers procured deals for their clients, I felt like they were more agents than lawyers, but maybe I just don’t understand the entertainment business as much as I thought I did.  Anyway, those stories could be fun.  Also, since all the characters from both firms know each other, that added to the interpersonal drama.

Each episode featured a flashback to what happened to drive the characters from New York to Los Angeles.  Honestly, this hurt the show for a couple of reasons.  First, we knew the ultimate outcome very early on.  So there was little suspense in seeing all that unfold.  Second, it took time away from the current storylines.  Unfortunately, we kind of needed that backstory to fully understand the character relationships, but the way we got it just wasn’t satisfying.

It didn’t help that there were too many characters to easily track.  Some were only recurring, but they took up quite a bit of screen time when they were in an episode.  If you look at the original Suits, it had six main characters, and the first season really focused on them.  And it had a fairly simple hook.  Yes, the characters had backstory, but we didn’t get it all at once.  Or even in the first season.  We had flashback episodes, but it was something related to what was currently going on.  That show had narrative focus; this one was a bit all over the place.

Like with the Pearson spin off, I felt like it was trying to include too many characters and storylines all at once, and that just didn’t work well.

So what did work?  I found the murder storyline interesting.  What can I say, I’m a mystery fan.  That had some nice twists.  I would get on board with a storyline here and there, but I wasn’t compelled to keep watching from week to week.  Oh, I did, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t wait to see.

I’m not faulting any of the actors, who are all good at bringing their characters to life.  For me, the problem lies with the writing, which felt like a case of too many cooks in the kitchen.

I already mentioned that we had real life celebrities popping in as versions of themselves.  That was often my favorite part of each episode.  None of them had long arcs, but they were always fun.

Three characters from the original popped up.  The most prevalent was Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter, who guest starred in three episodes.  He was electric as always, and I really liked his storylines the best.  Showing up in one episode each, we had David Costabile as Daniel Hardman, who would have been about the last character I expected to show up, and Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt, which just reminded me that a little bit of Louis goes a long way.

The show never did well in the ratings, so I wasn’t surprised when NBC cancelled it.  While the show leaves quite a few things up in the air, I felt like we got enough of a sense of closure that I’m okay.  Don’t get me wrong, I very much want to see what the show would have looked like going forward, and I would have turned in.  But I also feel like we can move on from these characters satisfied.  Or at least I can.

If you are a fan of the original and are curious about this one, give Suits LA a chance.  Otherwise, you aren’t missing much of you skip it.

Book Review: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: interesting start to a fantasy series for kids

Cons: The set up, while entertaining, feels a little slow. 

The Bottom Line:

Trip to grandparents

Hiding magical secret

Slow to start, speeds up

Unexpected Visit

My nephew has been recommending the Fablehaven series to me for a while now, and I haven’t picked it up. There are just so many books to get to, right? But when he gave me the first one for Christmas, I prioritized reading it. And I’m glad I did. 

This is a middle grade fantasy series, not my typical mystery. Of course, I’ve enjoyed middle grade fantasy over the years, and I often say I fell into mystery and I can’t get out (not that I’m trying that hard). It was a nice change of pace for me. 

This book introduces us to siblings Kendra and Seth. When their parents need to take a trip, they arrange for the pair to stay with their grandparents. You might think that sounds ideal, but Kendra and Seth barely know their grandparents, who live in the middle of nowhere in Connecticut. But slowly, the siblings begin to discover there is more to their grandparents’ property. What does the revelation mean?

Being the first in the series, this book has a certain amount of set up to do. I expect this, and it is as entertaining as it can be while doing that, but I did find my attention wandering a bit during this part. Still, I’m not sure how we could have gotten the information we needed any faster.

However, once that set up has happened, the story kicks into high gear and never lets up. I didn’t want to put the book down when I got to this point, and I found the payoff very satisfying. Yes, the story is wrapped up well here while still leaving things opened for future books in the series. 

Kendra and Seth are a study in contrast, but they are both well suited for the story we get here. While I feel like we follow Kendra the most, we do get some scenes from Seth’s third person point of view as well. I did find Seth annoying at times, but I appreciated the growth we saw in his character. I also appreciated where Kendra ended the book. And I liked the rest of the characters we met along the way. 

Some of the scenes in the back half of the book might be a little intense for sensitive kids. But I’m sure most kids will devour those pages like I did. 

Would I be opened to a return visit to Fablehaven? Absolutely. It’s easy to see why so many kids are fans of this series. 

Movie Review: Superman II

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Great action scenes as Superman’s story continues

Cons: Slow second act, Lex is useless

The Bottom Line:

Superman is back

Film still has pacing issues

Not classic for me

“Not Everyone Can Have X-Ray Vision.” “Do I Detect a Note of Jealousy?”

In my quest to watch the Christopher Reeves Superman movies, I had recorded the second when it was on cable.  As much as I had issues with the original, Superman II had its own issues.

After a bit more of the prologue with General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his two hence people on Krypton before it explodes, we get the opening credits, which also act as a refresher of what happened in the original movie.  Pretty clever, at least in my opinion.

When we are off to Paris where Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) is trying to cover some terrorists who have set up a hydrogen bomb in the Eiffel Tower.  When Superman (Christopher Reeve) takes it to space to it can explode without causing any damage, he accidentally frees General Zod and the other two prisoners from the Phantom Zone where they’ve been held prisoner all this time. 

While the trio make their way to Earth with the intent to taking it over, Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve, obviously), and Lois grow closer, leading to Clark making a choice with huge implications.  Oh, and Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) manages to escape from prison thanks to help from Eve Teschmacher (Valerie Perrine).  What havoc will he cause?

Obviously, with the backstory out of the way, this movie can get off to a faster start, and the opening act is fun and thrilling.  We know how it is going to end, but it’s still fun getting there.

It’s the second act where the movie struggles.  We get General Zod’s trio working on taking over the planet while Superman and Lois are out of touch (the wonders of life in the pre-cell phone days).  For me, it dragged.  Couldn’t Superman have learned about the threat earlier?  Because we knew where it was going to go, and I wish the movie had taken less time getting there.

Then comes the third act, which is what we have all been waiting for.  And it was worth it.  I enjoyed the fight.  Yes, we got lots of special effects, but the fight was still contained enough that we could follow what we going on.  Modern superhero movies could learn from it.

Other issues with the film?  I watched the original theatrical cut, and it had a huge plot hole in it.  I had to go back to the internet to figure out exactly what happened.  Yeah, my theory was right, but really?  A line of dialog would have resolved it.  Also, what point did Lex Luthor have in this film?  I get that it’s Lex, but we really didn’t need his character.  They could have accomplished the little bit he did in other ways.

None of what I just said is a slam on the actors.  They are all great at bringing their characters to life.  It’s the fault of the screen play.

The effects are dated; we can definitely tell when a green screen is being used.  But it’s a movie from 1980, so that’s no surprise.  As long as you keep that in mind, you’ll be fine.

I know that the next two sequels aren’t as well regarded as the first two movies, which makes me curious to watch them and see what I think.  I’m also curious to rewatch Superman Returns, which I haven’t seen since it was in the theaters almost twenty years ago.

While Superman II is by no means a bad movie, it isn’t a classic for me, either.  I think nostalgia plays a large part is how much people enjoy it.  For me, that was lacking.

Movie Review: Love in the Great Smoky Mountains

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Beautiful scenery, did enjoy the romance

Cons: Awkwardness in the script; lectures

The Bottom Line:

A dig in the park

Creates chance for love to grow

But script needed work

“Of All the Digs in All the World, You Had to Show Up at Mine.”

Since I’ve started watching Hallmark’s movies set in various National Parks, I’ve been keeping an eye opened for new ones.  Fortunately, I spotted Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Parks Romance on the channel recently so I could keep the streak of watching them all alive.  Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t nearly as good as it could have been.

As this movie opens, Haley (Arielle Kebbel) has just gotten her doctorate in archeology and is thrilled to be heading to a dig in the Great Smoky Mountains for a few weeks.  It will be a great step in her career.  However, she is less than thrilled when she discovers that her ex, Rob (Zach Roerig), is already at the dig.  They haven’t spoken since they broke up three years ago.  Will their both being on the dig cause tension?  Or will old sparks fly again?

I had seen a few previews before I watched the movie, and I was actually rather excited to see how the story unfolded.  I thought the archeology aspect would provide an interesting backdrop to the romance.  At times, it did.  It did drive a few plot points and Haley gets obsessed with an item she thinks might be in the park.

However, it also slowed things down.  I felt like we got lots of exposition at times, more so than the movie called for.  We also got some lectures about how wonderful life was for the Cherokee tribe before they were forced to leave and how awful the Trail of Tears was.  Now, please do not misunderstand me.  What happened to the tribe in the 1800’s was horrible.  It is indeed a part of American history we should be ashamed of.  However, it felt awkward here.  Part of that is how the movie was written.  And part of it is because I wasn’t sitting down to watch something on the topic.  I was sitting down for a light romance.

I mentioned the writing in the previous paragraph.  It left something to be desired.  There were some rough transitions between scenes and topics.  Plus, dialog sounded stiff.  The script needed a polish.

The acting wasn’t the best either.  Yes, I know some of it was the writing, but the actors seemed to be overly enthusiastic at times in an effort to make up for it.  This had a high dose of Hallmark cheese.

On the other hand, the scenery was beautiful.  I believe it was actually filmed in Great Smoky, and this made me want to go visit the park.  And so many waterfalls!  (At least if this movie is to be believed.)

I was pulled into the romance.  That’s part of the reason I found some of the other stuff annoying.  I wanted to see more with Haley and Rob.  There’s a second relationship that I was also rooting for, although they got more of the awkwardness of the script that Haley and Rob did.

While these movies aren’t that great, I’m still finding myself drawn to them just because of the settings.  If that’s you, you’ll want to watch Love in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Otherwise, you can skip it.

This movie is part of this two movie DVD release.

TV Show Review: Poppa's House - The Complete Series

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Scenes between Poppa and Junior often lead to laughs

Cons: The characters aren’t likable and the show tries too hard for laughs. 

The Bottom Line:

Sitcom light on laughs

Badly written characters

Stories try too hard

Occasional Laughs, but Mostly Doesn’t Work

When the 2024 fall TV season hit, I picked out a few sitcoms I wanted to try. While I found a couple of shows I wound up liking, Poppa’s House was not one of them. 

The show was created as a vehicle for Damon Wayans and his son, Damon Wayans Jr. to work together. And they play father and son. Poppa is a talk show host with a show in New York City where he spouts whatever is on his mind. Things chance when the station assigns him a new cohost. Ivy (Essence Atkins) is everything Poppa isn’t, including a physiologist who better understands how people behave and how the sexes best interact. 

Meanwhile, Junior lives next to Poppa with his wife, Nina (Tetona Jackson), and their two kids, Trey and Maya (Caleb Johnson and River Blossom). He works for his father-in-law, but he is trying to get a career together as a film maker, causing tension at home. 

Over the course of the season Junior and Nina attempt to create a retrospective about Poppa’s career. The couple also try to get their parents to help them pay for private school for their kids. Poppa wants a family picture…without his ex-wife in it.  And Junior attempts to get his sister to make up with their father.

So where did things go wrong? This is another sitcom where the writers and actors are trying so hard to be funny that it isn’t funny. The situations are so over the top and the reactions are so exaggerated, it doesn’t work. And yes, I do know sitcoms. Some of my favorite shows of all time are sitcoms. This is a trend I’ve seen with many recent shows in the genre. 

Meanwhile, the show also falls into the dumb male tropes. Neither Poppa nor Junior are especially bright or aware of anyone beyond themselves. It is painful to watch. 

Not that the women fare much better. Nina comes across as a shrew (if not a nag) more often than not. Ivy fairs a bit better, although her know it all attitude can wear itself out. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. There are funny moments in each episode. They just aren’t enough to sustain a 22-minute episode. 

The show has teased a romance between Poppa and Ivy all season, which was a bit icky to me since they are obviously very different in age. But maybe that’s just me. 

I’m not blaming this on the actors, who are all fine. It’s the writing that lets them down. And I enjoyed seeing other Wayans family members show up in guest parts. 

How do I know the writers were struggling? They changed a big part of the premise early on, having Pippa and Ivy getting fired from their radio show and setting up a podcast instead. I had so many questions about the hows and whys of that, both behind the scenes and the storyline. And I could never figure out if their show was pre-recorded or live. It seemed to switch to whatever the writers needed at the time. Yes, that’s a typical thing on TV shows, especially sitcoms, but this one seemed especially blatant. 

The bright spot was any scene that just involved Poppa and Junior. The Wayans were allowed to riff and play off each other, and the results were often some of the best laughs of the episode. I would have watched much more of this every week. 

The show consisted of 18 episodes. The series wasn’t picked up for season two a few days before the series finale aired, meaning no one knew that’s what it was when they were working on it. That means we get some relationship cliffhangers, but nothing too egregious. 

Obviously, I’d already decided I wouldn’t be back if the show had returned for season two. Honestly, I couldn’t quite decide on the show for several weeks, and by the time I did decide, I figured I’d finish season one and then stop. 

So if you have yet to watch Poppa’s House, you aren’t missing anything. I suggest you find a better sitcom, maybe an old favorite, to watch instead.