hunterseeker1-1 Reviews

Serenity (2005)

Great Sci-fi is back again!

[10/10 · 30 September 2005]

After Star Trek went down the tubes and Star Wars painfully wrapped up it's ever drawn-out story it started to look like the world of Sci-fi was nothing more than a wasteland. All that has changed. Serenity is a fantastic film and I loved every minute of it. I fell in love with the show (Firefly) and grew attached to the fantastic cast of characters. The film took everything you loved about the show and turned it up to 11. There isn't a single wasted moment and every scene serves a purpose. This is a great adventure and is full of well written characters and fine acting. It's sure to please anyone who misses the swashbuckling swagger of Han Solo or the camaraderie of Star Trek.

If you're looking for sci-fi you can believe in, go see SERENITY. It's a rich and detailed universe you can really get into.

The Room (2001)

Eloquently directed, brief, powerful and moving.

[9/10 · 5 February 2005]

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Hauer at the 2005 Sarasota Film Festival for the U.S. premier of this film. Not only was he gracious enough to autograph my copy of BLADE RUNNER, he took the time to answer some questions about the film before screening THE ROOM for a packed theatre.

I was so impressed by the film that I used it as the yardstick by which to compare all other films I had seen at the festival. It was powerful and moving, yet subtle and brief. The film tells the story of how a young man, (older version played by Rutger) one day finds himself entranced by a seemingly ordinary room in an unremarkable building near the street. Walking by, he notices a single window, always open, from which a haunting melody can be heard. Each day, he passes by the room, sometimes standing for hours outside, watching it through the silken drapes that flutter in the light breeze, hoping to get a glimpse of its occupants. Towards the end of the film, we find out how significant this room really is and what has drawn our protagonist to it.

The film was cut beautifully. Not a second of screen time was wasted on an uninteresting shot. Any single frame from the film could stand alone in an art gallery. Rutger is amazing. He is mysterious, yet approachable. His dialogue encompasses a series of reflections on a life that has run it's course, for better or worse. His words conjure familiar feelings and thoughts from the audience. I was particularly moved by a scene in which he is looking at some old photos, remembering his favourite dog, his favourite horse and his first love. You get the feeling that you are in his presence, as he allows you into his world to glimpse precious memories of a life that is nearing its end.

I loved this film and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something fresh, intelligent and moving. Should be required viewing for all film majors.

The 4400 (2004–2007)

Unprecedented boredom.

[11 July 2004]

I set the timer on my DVR to record this "unprecendented television event" because the word around the campfire was that this would be the new X-Files. What it was instead was an unremarkable, watered down re-hash of old X-Files episodes, a splosh of "Taken" and a little "X-Men" thrown in for comfort. The actors cast for the roles are, again, unremarkable. They share little chemistry, and the male lead comes off as stiff and uninteresting. The main characters are surprise surprise, an ex-F.B.I. agent and a former CDC doctor who are teamed up (against each other's will of course) to deal with the problem of the 4400 abductees who suddenly return. The male character has a personal stake in this, his nephew is one of the 4400. Sound a little like Fox Mulder and his sis? It should. It's an obvious play on a tired act. He doesn't even seem excited to see his nephew when he returns after three years. Again, no chemistry. X-Files was cast perfectly and stands as a remarkable testament to how proper casting and chemistry between actors can make or break a film or television show. The characters here don't react realistically to this phenomenal event. They come off as unimpressed and lack any sort of enthusiasm for what would, in reality, be a world altering event. The only thing interesting about this show is that each of the 4400 return with some sort of mutant like power, telepathy, clairvoyance etc. I'll watch one or two more episodes but so far, I'm not juiced very much about this show. Watch DEAD ZONE or ENTERPRISE instead if you're hungry for good sci-fi.