Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Flyerplesys Perfectly adorable

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

daved-06551 If I was rating the show based on the cast, it would be 10 out of 10. However, Greenleaf is not about entertaining the viewers. Instead, it appears to be an attempt to lobby for total acceptance of a gay lifestyle in the church.The show seems to toss the Ewings' of "DALLAS" into the stew pot, add a couple of Megachurches, and stir in an LGBT Rally. The result is "Greenleaf" a modern soap opera with an all star cast and the controversial topic of Homosexuality at the forefront.The first season kept me mesmerized as I followed the life of the Greenleaf Family, amid the aftermath of a suicide that brought a prodigal daughter back to the family mansion. As the family sat at the dinner table, I recalled the dinners of the Ewing family and the rivalries between siblings. While there was no JR, Grace, the lead character, came through as a Bobby Ewing character, beloved by all, but unable to overcome the influence of her powerful mother.As the season progressed, we learned of a deeply buried secret of a perverted uncle who preyed on young girls. This appeared to be one of the main story lines through the first and into the early part of the second season. However, it would be only one story line, soon overwhelmed by possibly the primary agenda of the writing staff; homosexuality in the Christian Church.The number of characters who were gay seemed to grow from week to week. In the end, one of the son-in-laws, a family friend, a church choir director, his spouse, and a counselor all "came out of the closet." While the introduction of gay characters is nothing new, the idea of battling the traditional church stance of frowning or even opposing homosexuality, became center stage. Even a meeting of local churches turned into a lobbying effort to overcome any opposition to the full inclusion of homosexual individuals and relationships, into the church.Even if the story line stopped there, it would hardly be the first time that gay relationships entered our living rooms. However, the main plot now seemed to focus on a wide variety of caveats. There was the divorce of one of the Greenleaf family members because the husband was gay. A choir director was fired because they were in a same-sex marriage. But, alas it didn't stop there. Each episode brought the main story line deeper into the clash between Biblical Verses opposing a gay lifestyle and the New Testament concept of "Love" covers sin. I believe that this was not a creative accident by writers, but the main purpose behind the series. When Bible Verses are reinterpreted by characters portraying ministers, it is not just part of a larger plot, but the very theme itself.While I enjoy a strong performance by a highly-talented cast, it seems that homosexuality in the Christian Church, has become a rallying cry of the writing staff. When any subject overpowers the show, it turns from a medium of entertainment to a protest rally.I must step aside for a moment and add a personal dimension to this review. As a Christian, I do not believe that anyone is sinless. I also believe we should love one another. However, when any drama style show attempts to interpret scripture, it leaves the realm of entertainment and enters Theology. Overall, the show is interesting but it is overshadowed by an effort to mold the writers view of the Bible into a soap box for gay rights. Please return the show to a story of a family who struggles with a variety of social issues. Leave lobbying for interpreting the Bible to religious venues.

MK Greenleaf was on the right track Season 1, despite a few holes in the writing; they had a great leading and supporting cast and authentic stories and characters. Leaving the audience anticipating highly what's to come next. And then Season 2 came and concluded and it has become clear; the producers, casting, show-runner, some of the actors (especially Merle, side eye), and writers have decided to go "Hollywood" and engage in "politics as usual" by promoting to series regular a "wanna- be/celebrity/mediocre actor, Rick Fox, despite the audience mainly being indifferent to his character Darius. His addition is an example of writers recklessly putting pen to paper and writing inconsistent, nonsensical stories and characters and ultimately not following through with the stories of some of their most popular intriguing characters of Season 1.Season 2 left a lot of the audience confused and presented itself like a show trying to find its rhythm, when by now they should be doing the salsa all the way to ratings heaven. A huge contrast to their sister show, Queen Sugar, who is very clear on their purpose and very consistent with each cast member and not bent on celebrity. Characters who are added make sense and none of the core characters of Season 1, leading or supporting, are missing without explanation. Queen Sugar is leading the dance. Perhaps why they have won awards as a show and Greenleaf has not. Greenleaf may need a change in leadership (show- runner and head writer), with exception of Oprah of course. They are off beat. Season 2 felt like a sophomore jinx album, when an artist was so pure on their first album, no bells and whistles, so true to themselves and then because of that success and hype decides to invite unnecessary guest "popular" artists for their second album and ends up over producing themselves and losing the authenticity that their core audience fell in love with in the first place. Darius is an unnecessary/poorly written and acted character (Rick and his dopey expressions), and lacks so much depth that a lot of the audience barely remembers his name, some even asked whether Grace and Darius are dating after their love scene? (shows the disconnect), and many have even said that Grace lacks a story line despite all the bells and whistles of a Rick Fox addition. Some even want a new love interest or want the popular character Noah back. But how? Rick Fox is Rick Fox, right? He is, but Greenleaf viewers want a good story, not another celebrity cheapening a show. His addition is not good for the Grace character, and I believe this will ultimately hurt her relevance on the show, where was she on the finale? Oh Darius was in the picture mmmmk. The producers/casting did not want to "settle" on a love interest for Grace, but DID by focusing on height and aesthetics (although fading) instead of mainly performance.The character Noah had the potential to be a great one had the writers put in the effort and continued to write for Grace and Noah. Instead they sabotaged that authentic story in exchange for a mediocre/random one just so Greenleaf could have a "celebrity" as mentioned. Noah despite being in every episode Season 1 and a part of the foundation of this show was not even present or mentioned in Season 2. This shows the laziness and incompetence of the writers. What good show does that? Highly frustrating to a viewer.Although Noah and Grace was a controversial story, that translated to good TV (he was engaged when they got together); Grace's chemistry was much better with Noah. There was something highly intriguing about their connection. Darius and Grace seem quite forced, like the producers are like "hey guys, love them, because Darius is played by the tall Rick Fox and every woman wants to see Rick Fox in a love scene, right?" Nope. Even Rick wondered why no one was talking on his love scene. Why? Nobody cares! I personally have no interest nor do I care where that story goes. I, like others, still wonder where is Noah.Go back to the drawing board producers and STOP being star struck, along with the writers and actors and arbitrarily make a mediocre actor and story line a "series regular". Why would you promote even more something that is barely working? And the writers should be ashamed of how inconsistent they are with their writing. If Greenleaf continues down this path, I predict they won't be around much longer. Rick needs to focus on Echo Fox (his company), which seems to be doing well and exit stage left with Greenleaf. He has to know deep down and away from his ego, that this is not working and this is not his "tribe" or audience. He of all people should know, you don't always get a "slam dunk".Point blank, producers/writers need to re-see the light and get back to authenticity. Allow this show to return to what again made it great and special, Season 1. As stated, with Season 2, the producers and writers fell for the sophomore jinx syndrome. They became desperate for cheap ratings and then ultimately lost ratings. Season 1 was presented with much more care and intention and the audience loved it.The thrill is gone for Greenleaf unless they correct these issues for Season 3. Stop being lazy writers: drop Darius (out of place), bring Noah back and give him proper development (him not returning Season 2 was an epic fail), thoroughly conclude a story (Uncle Mac died too soon, should still be on causing issues), and write better for Grace (she has no story line now). Until then, 3 stars for Greenleaf to match the three championship rings of Rick Fox since they "love" him so much. Sidenote: Really it was Kobe and Shaq who got those rings.

Charles Herold (cherold) The best of what Greenleaf has to offer can be seen in a family dinner conversation in the first episode. Ex-minister Grace has come back to the city of her father's megachurch for her sister's funeral, and mentions that she rarely goes to church in her new town. Her sister-in-law Kerrisa jumps on it, passive-aggressively asking why. Grace's mother insists on an answer, and the whole conversation devolves into a tense mess of resentment and jealousy. It is fascinating.Much of my fascination with Greenleaf is that, for me, a white, big- city atheist, this world is so outside of my experience, in part because everyone's black, but more because everyone accepts Jesus as a very tangible figure in their lives. Only Grace is the sort of Christian I'm used to - the "I'm more spiritual than religious" type, and in her case she is torn between that and her evangelical roots.Even though Jesus is so real for them, they are still human. One is clearly gay and trying hard not to be. The church head seems to be casually corrupt. Even Grace's odious pedophile uncle is probably a believer although he seems to flout everything in the bible.There are some very interesting characters. Grace, her starchy mom and glad-handing dad, and most notably Kerrisa, played by Kim Hawthorne as a controlling, anxious woman resentful that following all the rules hasn't made her happy. She's awful, but also tragic.I often object to character-driven dramas without much story, but in this case, I feel the story arc lays an element of artifice over these fascinating dynamics. Grace stays in town to play detective, looking for proof of her uncle's crimes, and while this story would be fine if it felt like just a part of the drama, its centrality overshadows the series' more subtle aspects.I like Greenleaf, but I feel I would like it more if everyone just stayed at the dinner table forever.

Jason Daniel Baker The story of a Southern mega-church headed by a family of sly hypocrites. Living in luxury and wielding influence how deep does the spirituality they claim really run? Are their sins products of their own human frailty exacerbated by a difficult world? Or are they bad people pretending to be holy? It is about time a TV series dealt with the world of organized, profit-motivated religious organizations. A night-time soap take on an African-American mega-church in the Deep South is a novel approach to that telling the stories of people that have not yet been properly told in a fictional construct.But my praise ends there. A solid cast in an interesting setting largely goes wasted in teleplay scripts so inept that they look like film school dropouts wrote them.I love night-time soaps. I like the idea for this show as well as the story and the characters and the angle they take in relating the narrative. It is an imagined glimpse into a secret world of powerful people who profess piety and modesty but can't live it and we get to see them at their best and worst. I want to see it get multiple seasons.But the scripts have to get better. They need to be outlined better and the dialogue needs to be more subtle in relaying information as well as doing so in a natural manner in which real people speak. So far they have tried to cram too much information in each sentence