Change Your Image
DuncanCorps
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Battleship (2012)
Teach your children to be xenophobic and irresponsible!
These 2 stars are for Liam Neeson- he deserves far more, even in this, but I don't want to mislead people into thinking that this is a better movie than it is- and are not to be shared with anyone or anything else. As for Rihanna... we're yet to see her *acting* début. This isn't the sort of movie which requires acting.
The movie generally is strongly reminiscent of the recent Michael Bay Transformers movies, which makes it seem derivative and unimaginative. The various alien designs are stylistically very similar. The 'hero' is an impetuous loser with no common sense and a xenophobic attitude to the Japanese.
Every aspect of the storytelling and plotting expose a severe lack of competence. Plot holes, irrational decisions and unlikely events abound. Irritating, irresponsible liberties are taken with serious topics such as NASA's activities, how navies operate and the immutable universal laws of physics.
I didn't stay for the extra final scene. I can't say that I regret that decision. I dearly hope that it isn't an attempt to facilitate a sequel.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Derivative, clumsy, inconsistent, amateurish.
Like many Star Trek geeks, I'd seen a leaked script several months ago.
I should have taken it as a warning.
The plot is strange and unlikely, and ignores a great deal of the events we've already seen in Star Trek. There are a few plot holes, random events, and some clumsy dialog. It seems more like an amateurish "fan fiction" than a professional, polished, piece of work.
Characterisation is poor and inconsistent with the personalities established during the previous The Next Generation outings (though this could be due to the director- Frakes should have helmed this one). In particular, Picard is constantly joking and fooling around. Particularly embarrassing is the sequence (seen in the trailer, so this is not a spoiler) where he throws a futuristic dune buggy around an alien desert.
Indeed, both Stewart and Spiner (on whom the movie is entirely focussed) seem to be on autopilot, barely thinking about their characters; Frakes does as well as can be expected with an awkward version of Riker; McFadden, Dorn, and Burton are competent, but are largely ignored and have little to do so it's difficult to judge their performance; Sirtis, however, is a pleasant surprise.
Marina Sirtis' performance as Deanna Troi is easily the most convincing, strong but restrained. She plays a pivotal role in this movie, and she carries it well.
Another strength of this movie is the special effects, but even they fail sometimes- and can't make up for other deficiencies. Certain CG effects look fine on TV, but on a big film screen it's obvious how unreal they are. And some sets are clearly small rooms with paintings on the walls. Indeed, the movie seems to be using inappropriate TV effects techniques throughout.
This could have, should have, been TNG's equivalent to The Original Series' "Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country". Alas, it's an average idea implemented sloppily.
L'uomo puma (1980)
An underrated classic
Hard to believe that this film has not achieved the fame it deserves. Apart from the excellent, well paced plot and realistic dialogue, the performances are spot-on and personable. The direction is snappy with a keen eye for detail. And the special effects, obviously secondary to the story, are nonetheless convincing and clearly ground-breaking for the time. A classic in every sense. Do whatever it takes to see it.