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Reviews
Red Planet Mars (1952)
Early 1950s American Black and White World View
I'll start by what I thought was good about the film. The acting is for the most part believable. (However the scientist's (Peter Graves') wife is, from the start, a bit over-the-top laughable.) The photography is well done. That's where it ended for me.
Numerous attempts to contact Mars by the scientist seem to be fruitless or unanswered. Finally, he is able to start communication. His son gave him the idea to send the infinite mathematical value of Pi but, of course, truncating the infinite decimal value. Out of the mouth of babes. Mars responds, sending an updated value carrying the value out by some additional decimals. This somehow results in receiving further detailed messages.
The Russian communists in the meantime also eagerly attempt to contact Mars but are totally unsuccessful. They resort to tapping US communications to know what's going on. After all, the US is superior in knowledge to the Russians who dont know how to establish effective communication (this despite their having the scientist who invented the mechanism the US is using to establish communication - [cough.] )
The Martians live to 300 years, have no hunger, are able to harness an infinitely powerful energy source. This throws all of the commercial interests and stock market into a tizzy as they view their livelihoods being threatened. Soon, there is also social unrest.
When asked how Mars has peace despite access to unlimited power sources, the answer comes back. Earth has not heeded words given to them 2,000 years before. The Supreme Being on Mars provides this communication.
Yes, Earth has not followed The Sermon on the Mount. There needs to be a "come to Jesus" moment. This starts happening across the world, including by some Russians who still believe and are following events by a radio-free source.
Everything is so neatly black and white. It was at this point I turned the movie off. I could only take so much sugary sweetness without risk of tooth decay or diabetes.
Fear the Walking Dead: Iron Tiger (2023)
Meh
I have been an avid follower of the original "The Walking Dead" and all of the spinoffs. However, this season just seems lame compared to the earlier seasons of "Fear" as well as all the other iterations of all the franchise series versions.
First, I find the acting to be lackluster by all the characters, including the returning ones. Second, in this episode specifically, I find Madison to be taking some incredibly stupid actions. For a character who has up to now been so level headed, pragmatic, inventive, her sudden revenge seems out of character. Then, after hatching the revenge murder plot, she has an epiphany and tries to stop it with another incredibly stupid move that endangers the person she used to enact the plot. This soon cascades into more tragedy.
The acting and scripts are not as gripping nor as convincing as before. This season has been a big disappointment for me. I'll continue to watch hoping it gets better, anticipating it wont.
Monsters (2010)
Unbelievably surprising twists
I was at first skeptical, thinking this lower budget Vertigo film would be something like the low budget crap - but fun to watch - Asylum films. I was drawn in by the cerebral approach this film took. It relies much more on character development and storyline than special effects. The special effects while not heavily used are progressively more intriguing. By the conclusion they are wonderfully detailed. Up to that point we are only shown glimpses of the monsters but then we get a really good look at them. The film does not rely on gore to make its point. Instead, we see the aftermath of destruction and killings, not the monsters actually attacking. The film ends with an open ending. What happens next?
Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine (2017)
Campy, campy, campy
Think of Battlestar Galactica/Buck Rogers in the 25th Century melded with the 1930s Flash Gordon featurettes. That gives you the type of campy, laughable plots, special effects, makeup, and acting in this film.
The props are the equivalent of low budget 1950s sci-fi films. Facial prosthetics equal the quality from lower budget 1960s productions. Augment that with rudimentary CGI. As to acting, anticipate an overall C- grade. Casper Van Dien delivers as usual an engaging character performance, give him a B. Acting in other roles such as the Princess and the female guardian sent in search of her are of a similar level. The other roles spiral downward from there with C grade acting down to failing E - that goes to the man portraying the prince. His overacting and overly exaggerated facial expressions are over the top bad.
So, don't expect much. There is no edge of your seat suspense, no "OMG that's impressive" moment. Think of it as a Saturday afternoon kids film diversion.
The Triangle (2005)
Great series, one weak point for me.
First, it's one of the better Bermuda Triangle films. The cast and acting are perfect. It has a new spin on what's behind the triangle, made clear in the third episode. The part where they are about ready to set all things back to normal is well paced with a will they or won't they succeed edge of your seat feel. I found the scene where all lost ships/planes momentarily come back and then quickly disappear to be a bit off the mark. The air and sea crowded with all flying next to each other is simply not too believable. Plus, the special effects in this scene are SOOOO obviously CGI and not that well done. Had this part if the film been more believable I would have given it an 8. The film resolves with lives of the key characters cing to a somewhat unexpected resolution for all.
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Not as great as the original "Jurassic Park" but ...
... then it's very difficult to be as ground breaking as that was. The film does have a bit more predictability than I would have liked. It also doesn't have as much of an "on the edge of your seat" feel. However, it was heartening for me to see all the major characters involved with the various other "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World" films united under one film. I thought the storyline brought a satisfying conclusion to the explosive results unleashed in the first of the films. Also, a very interesting history for Maisie was revealed. The film's special effects were outstanding as all prior iterations had been. The musical score for me wasn't as majestic as in most of the others. The acting was uniformly good. In short, yes, not as good as the original but for me very satisfying.
Flood (2007)
Solid acting, interesting premise, but fails
The concept of a storm coinciding with a large tide and flooding London is intriguing. With all the once in 100 year floods seeming to now pop up close to yearly, it's probably not that far fetched. The acting is solid as is the case of most British productions I've seen. Where this TV production falls flat for me is one stupid escape premise, the mind numbing endlessly repetitive musical score without interesting variation, and it's length. It is TOO long it should have and could have been reduced to one episode instead of the two. It simply lumbers along. The mere thought someone could pull off an evacuation of millions at the snap of a finger in a densely packed city to escape impending disaster is ludicrous. From the start of people fleeing I thought why don't they just remain in the more substantial buildings and go to higher floors? The movie could have easily done that as there is very little destruction of buildings. Adding to that is at the end it shows people having done that very thing. Instead, many simply drown in the streets. It could have been a great production but the elements don't come together and simply fall flat.
40 Days and Nights (2012)
Like the Earth, this movie is drowning
Even by 'Asyllum" standards (and I use that term laughably) this movie stinks. I've come to not expect much from them but this delivers even less than their usual substandard fare. The acting is childishly immature matched only by the dialogue and direction. It's raining "cats and dogs" yet the sun is shining as they're off doing some stunt. One of the vessels appears as if it's bobbing in some large pool. The winds are reaching hurricane velocity yet the team can go outside the vessel (you guessed it, sun is shining) and there's nary a breeze as they put up some sails to replace their damaged turbine propulsion. In other Asylum productions I can at least find some small tidbits of a passable film. Not this one. I guess it can pass as a comedy if you look at it as being as contender for worst movie.
Glitch (2015)
Started great and descended into stupidity
So many plot holes from multiple directions that you could easily drive a convoy of trucks through them. A series that starts off with an interesting premise in Season One, weakens with continued degradation of plot twists In Season Two, and self implodes into innanity in Season Three with the addition of two more returned dead that add nothing of value to the story development. Characters that often possess the most unimaginable levels of stupidity and gullibility. A hodge-podge of convoluted religious overtones in a pseudo end times crap fest. This soap opera, unconvincingly done, tries to be sci-fi and fails at that as well.
Better than some of the low budget stinkers by Asylum pictures, but not by a great deal.
Stargate: Atlantis (2004)
Used to avidly watch this series ... But now
When it was a primetime show I was always tuned to each new episode. Flash forward 12 years after it's final season. As I watched the first season I said to myself, yes, as good as I remembered it. It was gripping, appropriately gory at times, the special effects good. My only complaint seeing it the second time around was the now dated and horrible Wraith makeup. They looked like they had shiny hard plastic skin. Not at all realistic or believable. But, small problem for an otherwise great series. Starting in the second season and progressively more so as the seasons rolled by I started to get fidgety. Something like "god, when is this episode going to get bette" The plots became increasingly contrived with new threats seeming nowhere near as menacing as the Wraith. The good constants for me were all - except one - the lead characters. They all showed a range and depth of emotion. They grew into better individuals. The one exception was Dr. McCay. He started off in SG-1. He was admittedly scientifically intelligent. That was it. His stupidity in not being able to shut up, spilling secrets in the process, acting irresponsibly causing dangerous and even massively disastrous results, being obnoxiously arrogant and self important were what he excelled in. He started off that way in SG-1 and remained that way through the end of Stargate Atlantis. In short, he never grew from his experiences. I so many times wanted a Wraith to devour his life force. This second time around, I had to stop with season 5. What did I ever see in the series before?
Europa Report (2013)
Boring
I rarely give a film this low a review. I reserve it only for films I cannot watch through to the end. This is one of those films. I'm an avid Sci Fi film viewer. I enjoy all from the schlocky "The Asylum" low budget flicks to those that are well budgeted and captivating, as in "Alien, Jurassic Park, and Independence Day" genres. Even the low budgeted poorly done films can usually interest me enough to watch to the end. The cinematography was great but the dialogue was monotone without any emotional inflections. I didn't see any build up of suspense in the storyline. I watched for 10 minutes and said this simply has to be better further on. I fast forwarded 20 minutes and watched another 10 minutes. Still, nothing much. No action, nothing to grab my attention. I see that many others gave this film very positive reviews. So, I'm obviously in the minority. But, not for me. Faux documentary films can be great, e.g., "The Blair Witch Project." For me, this doesn't come up to that.
500 MPH Storm (2013)
Typical "The Asylum" movie
The basic premise is a government weather experiment that goes horribly wrong. Gosh, big surprise (but, IMO, based on governments and their actions, somewhat believable.) Special effects are substandard. The story development is not believable: Example, a tornado constantly follows in lock step with Casper Van Dien's SUV, matching all his turns. Then, a tsunami does the same. Another tornado, no problem. He's able to drive into the open loading door or a truck which is perfectly lined up for the SUV. I'll stop here as I think you get the direction of this film. The dialogue is predictable not giving the actors much to work with. Again, even Casper's appearance in this film doesn't save it. But, this is a low budget film and it's OK. Fun for an afternoon, but not to be taken seriously.
The 100 (2014)
Interesting in a stupid way
The premise of a group in space escaping from a nuclear holocaust is interesting. Their mounting problems in space quickly require them to take drastic measures to return to Earth. Their return - relatively few make it - is not really a blessing. One threat after another poses equally life threatening situations. The pluses from the episodes are the constant new threats and the manner in which they handle them. Along the way it is abundantly clear that the enemies are not necessarily the savage inhabitants they encounter but many of their own members. So while these are all great reasons to watch, why did I give it a rating of only 5? Their characters are the reason. They constantly screw up by not learning from their past mistakes. They repeatedly put trust in those they have been betrayed by. They continue to follow the lead of those who have demonstrated they cannot make good decisions. The characters are, IMO, just plain stupid. I watch the show mainly to see what sort of problems they will encounter and how they'll escape. But comparing this series to those of another genre, all the various Walking Dead variations, reveals how substandard this series is. TWD also has constant new threats, villains, and escapes. The main difference is the characters in TWD learn from their mistakes. After watching all seasons I believe the series finale in season 7 was one of the most unsatisfying of all episodes. Up to the final season the main problem for me was the stupidity of the characters. The stories were at least interesting. Season seven seemed to be a mess from the start and ended up as being one of the worst endings ever.
Tentacoli (1977)
I had never heard of this movie. Now I wish I hadn't.
It was on "Comet" TV. I decided to try it out since I love SciFi and movies of this genre. Jeesh. This is proof you can get top notch actors - Shelly Winters, John Huston, Henry Fonda, Bo Hopkins, and Cesare Danova - and still come out with a stinker. Previously, I thought "Beyond the Poseiden Adventure" with Shirley Jones, Michael Caine, Sally Field, Karl Malden, Mark Harmon and Telly Savalas held that position. Compared to this, it is great.
The sound is mediocre, the cinemaphotography unimaginative, the character development shallow, the acting not convincing, the musical score not dramatic nor melodic.
I'm truly surprised the actors they hired actually were willing participants in this movie. All I can think is that they must have been desperate for money.
100 Million BC (2008)
Sit back, no holding onto the edge of your seat for this one,
The plot holes in this movie are so large you can drive trucks through them:
1) It's 2008 and Dr. Frank Reno (Michael Gross) wants to rescue a team he sent back through time in 1949. Michael Gross the actor was born in 1947 and this film was made in 2008. So he'd be 61. I would assume the character is also about that age as he hasn't been made up to be older. This Dr. Reno early in the film said he graduated from MIT in 1942 at the age of 12. So, his birth year would have been 1930. His age would therefore be 78. Come on, there is no way a 61 year old Michael Gross could be that age. Makeup should clearly have made him look older.
2) When the team arrives at their destination, Dr. Reno is his same 60s age. However, all of the survivors from the first time travel experiment haven't aged a day. They are still in their 20s/30s/40s. Later in the film there is a somewhat explanation for this: The rescue team and the ones they rescue return to the present. The one in charge at the base of operations, LCDR Ellis Dorn, says "so it did work, but you just got back." So, it's assumable that you don't age in time travel even though decades pass. Too bad something about this wasn't mentioned earlier.
Towards the end of the film there is even some more convoluted explanation of someone having gone back and forth between times. It was at attempt to get the survivors, but I didn't even try to wrap my head around it. It somehow was involved in leading up to this 2008 trip. Honestly, not important enough to figure out given the other flaws in this film.
3) The dinosaurs are living in a time period with regular deciduous trees, no ferns or other such prehistoric vegetation are to be noticed, except for a poisonous plant that wipes out one of the team early on. It basically looks like any other mountainous/hilly area.
4) The 1949 team doesn't speak in 1940s terms. Instead, their dialogue is essentially 20s something terminology as found in the 2008.
Now, onto the cinematic "qualities" of the film.
The first scenes are supposed to be in present day mountainous Argentina. Yet, the mountains in the distance are of the absolutely poorest examples of CGI matte type cinematography. The CGI dinosaurs are equally done poorly.
Music? Nothing suspenseful.
But wait, at least acting that is gripping and believable could save the film. Well, that doesn't happen either.
There is no point in the film where you are "on the edge of your seat." Instead, you wait, can it get better?
The only reason I didn't give it a "1" rating is I watched it to the end. I reserve "1" ratings for films that are so abominably terrible that I have to leave before their ending. At least I was able to sit through this, but just barely.
Lucifer (2016)
A show that continued to get better
When it was on Fox, it was good/great. When Netflix picked it up for seasons 4-6 it became outstanding. The storylines and character development became more intricate and emotionally charged. Netflix took the shackles off the show that Fox had it under. The final show of the series had me sobbing - not in sadness but in joy. It is extremely rare that I get so emotionally and intellectually involved with any series on TV or for that matter movies. This one did it for me. The acting is superb, the storylines top notch, the set design and special effects outstanding.
Independents' Day (2016)
I liked it ...
... better than most low budget sci-fy films. Weak point: Why any on Earth would believe in the aliens having no harmful intent - despite them blowing up The White House. But, if you can get past this, the tenacity of the US in getting to the aliens' real goal is good. Not too original for their demise, however. Just a redo of War of the World. Special effects OK, but not stellar. The head alien is not too believable. It could have been truly terrifying, but is obviously just a mediocre CGI. Acting generally good. Overall, I liked it. Some similar attempts by other movies either have left me howling in laughter or forced me to turn them off before the end.
10.5: Apocalypse (2006)
If you can accept the premise ...
... it's a fairly good mini-series. Not being an expert on geological volcanic and earthquake activity it would be nice if this novice could accept the premise. However, it strains credulity for me. I suspect experts would have been doubling over in uncontrolled laughter.
That being said and not making it into something it's not, it is entertaining. The special effects are fairly good, but could have been better. The acting is mostly solid. It does seem to move well from each mini-climactic moment to the next UNTIL the conclusion where everything seems to devolve into syrupy emotions. The ending definitely falls flat.
End of the World (2018)
Ridiculous plot matched by dialog and acting
First, yeah, the entire globe is beset by earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and lighting storms occuring at the same time. These somehow are all caused by massive solar storms. Believable? Second, the dialogue is filled with "duh" observations by the characters. Third, sometimes even insipid dialog can be rescued by the actors. Not in this movie. Fourth, repeated situations that all the lead characters somehow survive: Lava that suddenly spurts out of the pavement destroying ONLY one car and nothing else near it; A heroine can miraculously steer clear of lightning strikes BEFORE they occur; The teenage son knows how to fly a helicopter by only having watched a video game. The only reason I didn't give this movie a rating of one star: I was able to watch it through to the end silently chuckling to myself. I reserve one star ratings for movies I cannot bear to watch to the end. This movie didn't reach that low spot, but only by a slim margin.
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
Yawn
First, I'm not a fan of Dwayne Johnson's "acting." He doesn't act. He's merely himself in different roles. I thought Josh Hutcherson and Michael Caine would make it interesting. Wrong. From the start with the dufus helicopter pilot I suspected the worst. I wasn't disappointed. I couldn't watch it past their early encounter with a resident super sized lizard. Up to that point, the only positive for me was the special effects and music were fairly good. But overall, the movie was too cringeworthy to continue watching. I turned it off. I rarely do that to even many low budget sci fi flicks. But this was no low budget film. It should have been so much better.
Shark Attack 3: Megalodon (2002)
I'm a big John Barrowman fan but ...
Jeesh. The acting in this is so lame. The majority of supporting cast delivers lines without any true feeling. It's more like someone without speaking skills reading a newspaper weather report out loud.
Even John's delivery is not up to his usual standard.
The musical score does nothing to enhance what should be tense moments.
What's truly laughable are the sharks uttering roaring sounds.
I love SciFi adventure/horror films, but this one is cringeworthy.
Zvyozdniy razum (2022)
Interesting plot, blah acting
The premise of the film is interesting, even if it does draw from "Alien" concepts. It would have been enjoyable had the acting not been too wooden. The actors, Russian, while speaking English quite well, overly pronounce syllables and stretch the words out. There is also no observable emotion in their deliveries. Had the acting style been more dramatic and the speech a bit quicker, the tension of the movie would have been delivered. Instead, it comes off as people just reading a script without much interest in it.
Supernatural (2005)
An unbelievable series
The first few episodes I thought were not that compelling. But, I continued to watch. Mid-way through the first season I became hooked. It was a roller coaster ride with so many plot twists and turns, moments of joy, moments of sadness, moments of laughter, moments of horror. The final episode in Season 15 started off exiting and soon turned into grief. A bittersweet ending and a wonderful closing with Jensen and Jared brought everything to a conclusion.
ISRA 88 (2016)
A mind fkuc that doesn't work
It is painfully slow moving. The dreariness of the film is amplified by a bleak music score. Half-way into its agonizing almost two hours, I started fast forwarding and stopping to see if it got any better. Multiple tries of this led me to the dreary end. The movie never improved. I love Casper Van Dien and his prior movies. Even with him, I can't think of anything that could entice me to watch this again.
If the purpose of this film was to convey that space travel is miserable and not rewarding, it succeeds.
Salvation (2017)
I thought both seasons were good
The plot line does seem a bit implausible. However, all sci fi films are like that from the best to the worst. I did like the overlapping intrigue of the various factions all posing evil in one way or another. The political assessment that no government is truly all good or all evil is also, IMO, on point. There are unprincipled, unscrupulous people found in positions of power in all organizations. I found all the actors to deliver believable performances. The season 2 finale was interesting for me. Some found it a big disappointment. Not for me. It left open a myriad of possible plot developments. Unfortunately, CBS in its infinite stupidity yanked the show so we'll never know what the asteroid really is.
My only gripe is actually with CBS. They, like all networks, get the public involved with a series only to yank it off because idiots at corporate levels deem it not profitable for them. OK, drop a show but give the audience what they deserve: At least a wrap up episode or episodes to bring closure.
It's for this reason I've tried to not get involved in most series on stations until they are actually off the air and i know if ill be able to have a satisfactory conclusion. I'm tired of corporate a'holes screwing with my time and emotional/intellectual investment making their decisions being only bottom line driven with absolutely no care for viewers.