Beginning as a Fine Arts Editor for the University Star student newspaper at what is now Texas State University, I learned the basics and cut my teeth on interviewing, reviewing and writing about concerts, art shows, books, restaurants, theater productions and movies during my sophomore year.

Although I enjoyed it, I preferred hard news and was honored to win the Investigative Reporter of the Year in 1976 at the Rockie Mountain Collegiate Press Association held in Tucson that year.

Over the years, I’ve held interviews with entertainers, politicians, sports stars, and history makers. My articles have appeared in many publications, but before Cleverjourneys.com I wrote online for AXS Entertainment, Examiner, The Rowdy and others.

Earlier, in 2023, I gave a speech about some of the famous and notorious people I have interviewed and met. Someone asked if there was an event, person, or occasion when I didn’t like something or someone.

Generally, the answer is no. Some have been challenging, but when it comes to reviews, I have indeed provided what I believe are honest reviews. When it comes to movies, over the years, here are some that come to mind that I didn’t like:

I Heart Huckabees, 2004, is one of the few movies I have ever walked out on. I gave it a good 23 minutes, but that was being gracious. Later, I read this review and realized my thoughts were right on:

“The movie is like an infernal machine that consumes all of the energy it generates, saving the last watt of power to turn itself off,” said reviewer Roger Ebert. “It functions perfectly within its constraints, but it leaves the viewer out of the loop.” 

I wanted to see Natural Born Killers because it was made by Oliver Stone. I walked out after about an hour. It’s just a parody of violence and hero worshipping. It received an R rating with this parental warning: “For extreme violence and graphic carnage, for shocking images, and for strong language and sexuality.” 

Clue was stupidily clueless.

I like Jack Black, but this movie was just dumb. He plays Brother Ignacio, a monk who lives somewhere in Mexico, cooks slop for orphans, and lusts after the beautiful Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera). Because he wants to be famous and make money and buy better food to cook for the orphans, he begins a secret career as a masked wrestler. Hokey.

I was nine and happy sitting in the back seat of my parents’ Ford Station wagon with fresh Taco Hut tacos. The movie reminded me of the Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello beach movies but far more corny and set in Lake Tahoe. A group of singers called The Reflections were featured but horrible. The most exciting part was the Heavenly Valley Skylift shots. However, it wasn’t exciting enough to stay awake after the tacos.

Made in 1957, but I saw it on a Saturday afternoon in 1964 on San Antonio Channel 5’s Five Star Shock program. A giant prehistoric praying mantis, recently freed from the Arctic ice, voraciously preys on American military at the DEW Line and works its way south. It was too dumb for even 8-year-old me.

Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. One seemingly deserted house later, with a crazed hitchhiker and slaughterhouse along the way, they’re plunged into a never-ending nightmare as they meet a family of cannibals.

I’ve actually enjoyed interviewing some of the actors from this film, but what is so bothersome is how it changed horror movies forever by introducing violence and gore in place of our imaginations.

☆☆☆☆☆

IN GOD WE TRUST

Thanks for supporting independent true journalism with a small tip. Dodie & Jack

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CINDY LEAL MASSEY, TEXAS AUTHOR

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