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Old (2021)
Getting old
Beautifully shot on 35mm picture. Fairly good cast. Including Clint Eastwood's daughter. Good Shmalayan trademark cameo. But for a great director who thrives on originality, he missed the mark on the premise that's getting old, in the TV sci-fi realm. Not his worst. Far from his best.
Tides (2021)
Disappointed
I love indie sci-fi. But when it takes itself too seriously. Sci-fi today is vulnerable because of instant fact checking. The Kepler 209a-b system is 1900 light years away. There and back in 150y? Like other users, I agree that it has Waterworld and Children of Men elements. With a convoluted script. Seen much better before. With less. I was warned. 6 for the empty production design.
Blackout (2019)
90 year old format
Triumphcoffeepdx22 is "spot on". It's listed as a TV series. The fun is that its as a 1930-1955 US national radio show. Not an audio book. With newer sci-fi, Rami Malek and better audio!
Uncut Gems (2019)
Cut gem
I know Sandler since his SNL days. Brilliant, hilarious. Then nothing other then 1 joke movie for teens. Finally a vehicle that gives him a layered frantic character to play with. Populated by great supporting characters, including a rock, that tighten the grip slowly. Yet fast, merciless and abrupt. Superior gangster movie.
Star Trek: Picard: Nepenthe (2020)
Best Picard ep. yet
Best episode of the series so far. I find it good but slow. Surprised that Frakes did not direct it, having done it so many times before. He can give a TNG atmosphere. Did it in Discovery, that I mostly disliked.. No matter. Needless to say. Pleasure to see Steward, Frakes and Sirtis! In a pivotal story arc episode as well, that speed things up. I enjoyed myself as a lifelong fan. 9
Star Trek: Picard: The End Is the Beginning (2020)
Above avg
Seen all series and movies. Took 35y slowly. Trekkie by habit. Sir Steward is still fun to watch! 80 soon. Its better then Discovery. Can't compare with 26ep series. TOS has 170+. Yes. Agreed. Bit boring. Could be a lot faster. Yes. But being the last TNG. Maybe its intentional. The EMH is fun ignoring Picard's slow pace. Its also nostalgia. If I want TNG, TOS or VOY. 10yo+ boxsets. Some original ones would get 1 ratings. 8
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
As good as a box of chocolates.
We all know Hanks was ideal for the role. He glides through it like Forrest Gump. Its a sweet, good movie. Like chocolate. With his experience. Its no surprise he nails it although, its not Mr. Rogers. I also thought he lacked screen time. Might win Oscars. However. Big one. The doc witch he is the subject of made last year, rated 8.4, snubbed by the Oscars. Is far superior.
Liu lang di qiu (2019)
Missed opportunity
I have been reading and watching sci-fi since the 70's. I was exited to watch a 100% Chinese sci-fi with a US or UK budget. Proposterously cheesy premise, done 45y ago with the Moon. ITV's Space 1999. Became a cult classic. So, I can live with a rogue Earth, but not with cookie cutter characters and story like this. A sense of humor would helped! Even the darkest Russian sci-fi, has great jokes. I didnt even crack a smile.
High Life (2018)
Not Marvel
Directed by Claire Denis who is not known for it. Led by La Binoche. This is a French cinema treatment sci-fi. Huh! I really liked the .99% S.O.L. principle. Old school 1:66:1 ratio, used by Kubrick. Tarkovsky's colors on the ground. Led by a daring Binoche (riding a Harry Pfarrer machine) and great ensemble cast including a baby. From tenderness to unbrideled X rated violence, sex, grief, nihilicism, in a closed environnement. Is not for mainstream and really love-hate. I loved it. 9
Chernobyl (2019)
Russian cinema treatment
I am Canadian, I cannot account from Ukraine or Russia! Thank You guys!! What I remember vividly was the helicopter pilot and cameraman passing of cancer, shortly having first shot the Chernobyl incident flying over it. We where shocked in HS.
In the 80' and 90', I saw Letters from a Dead Man and Visitor of a Museum on public TV, by Konstantin Lopushansky, and of course Tarkovsky's Stalker. They all deal with nuclear incidents/war. Unforgetable. And I love Russian cinema.
What is surprising here is that the creators managed to give it the same sense of madness. Not as gloomy as Lupuchansky who is allmost unbearable. But certainly give it a great Russian cinema treatment. Witch would be a first for an American-UK production. I think... 10
PS: Saw it twice now. A French critic coined something simple. ''Emphasis on the open reactor making it look like hell's mouth, the real one.'' True. Only with black smoke and music. And finally, methaphorically a la Russian, as far as multi headed dragon legends go... A Slavic Zmei! Proven scientifically.
Star Trek: Discovery: Project Daedalus (2019)
Exellent but with a fatal flaw.
Ok. Old fans like me who saw all series, must get used to having a third Spock. Fine. Its allmost off the old timeline that lasted 40y. Fine. Production value, new characters and aliens, acting, CGI, direction, hello Mr. Frakes again, although did not feel his presence as much as all other ST he directed, are all top notch. 8. Its entertaining! Great Sci-Fi! But the series story line is chaotic. And when the Capt. of a Star Trek episode is billed as a supporting actor... Too many cooks!
Prospect (2018)
Sci-fi Stage Play!
Its one of those not for all, hate-love sci-fi ones. I watched it reluctantly. I love Indie sci-fi so much when its well done! Who needs CGI, exept the nice forest brush painting, when you have such a litt. script, imo not mumbled, it could be English in 100y. That would be a first... We didnt speak like we do 100y ago. Imagine Star Trek. Simple and well staged. So well acted by Pedro Pascal and the new, I guess, Sophie Thatcher who holds her own against him. The actors being the main focus, underlyed with a totally alien story that could have any setting. 9!
Star Trek: Discovery: An Obol for Charon (2019)
New characters and new Aliens
With two new Aliens. Multi storied. Matching CGI packed in 45min. Sometimes the very uneven ST Dis series feels like good modern movie sci-fi. The Short Treks gives insight to Saru' s homeworld. But what held my attention is the engineering room scenes with Tig Notaro as Jett Reno. Wit and humor! I cannot recall laughing so hard in the last scene. In the 750+ep ST ep Ive seen.
Star Trek: Discovery: New Eden (2019)
Unique episode
At the speed reviews come out, this is ancient allready. However as opposed to my lenghty S2 ep1 review. This is shorter. I saw the name Frakes. I saw all approx. 750 ep and 13 movies over 40y. Knowing that Mr. Frakes helmed it. Gives a definite feel of ST TNG to it. Themed after his IMO 10/10 ST First Contact. Sense of humor included. This is the best ep of Discovery yet, Neo Mudd close behind. DOES feel like a Star Trek old school ep. Only to be matched by a certain Alien that might be as surprising as a The Q, The Borgs or Species 8472...
Star Trek: Discovery: Brother (2019)
New start to the never ending saga... Spoilers from past episodes.
My Granpa who would be 107yo, gave me the Star Trek bite in the late 70'. Ive seen approx all 750 ep of 30 seasons and 13 movies, slowly, in 40y, exept the animated ones. You cannot compare apple and oranges. Its hard to have a fav. So Ill try stick to ST D. I thought season 1 was a rehash of only 2 TOS ep. Mudd and Mirror Mirror. The ST Discovery take on Mudd was a 10. The Mirror Mirror aspect lasted way too long. Id give a few a 5 or lower. Neo Mudd, one of my fav ep of all times, the NEW L'Rell, my fav Klingon ever, the true ALIEN nature of Klingons, and NON Captain Lorka characters saved it. Lorka could have been like a mean 1950 Marine Capt. Original! Now that they are gone. The new begining is a welcome restart. No spoilers. Like other reviews mention, it IS of 2019 sci-fi Movie quality. Definite 8. Here is the But.
Having seen them all. Apple and oranges again. The technology involved seems more appropriate to what the biggest SCI-FI franchise ever, Star Wars, sorry, far behind, never dared to go where no one has gone before. Exept in non ST SCI-FI litterature and only 4 ep of ST. After 2395, the farthest date in the series. The finale ST TNG, All Good Things. How about Captain Braxton and Startfleet's USS relativity from the the XXIXth century seen in ST ENT? Or the Century where the hilarious Matt Frewer as Berlinghoff Rasmussen stole the time machine from in ST TNG. Its never never ending so. Who knows.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)
On par with all Black Mirror episodes
Spoilers! Short and sweet. Charlie Brooker did it again. Terrifying. The reproduction of 1984 is perfect. Not 1 mistake. I did not watch it in interactive mode. All the references to older episodes. The presence of Jeff Minter himself, co-inventer of gaming, is eye popping. All freeze frames are incredible. Black Mirror episodes being so rare, 23 episodes in 8 years. It is my second favorite after the terrifying White Christmas from 2014. Is Jerome F. Davies real? If you don't know, It's even better. Bravo to Brooker.
Extinction (2018)
Mixed bag
This review contains many spoilers. I called it a mix bag because watching it, I saw the old clichés seen 100 times. Badly done. The Star Trek TOS looking phasers, the Alien suits that looks like an ant. The ships are out of Transformers. A War Of the Worlds slow to start. Awful... However, I think Michael Pena saved the movie. One of his best role since End of Watch. I predicted the Martian ant was human. But did not see the Replicant twist coming. It was enough to tilt the balance. (for me) A.I., robots, replicants, also done to the bone yes. Its no Blade Runner. Heck no. Still. A seven. For a twist Ive never seen before.
Snowpiercer (2013)
Rare Sci-Fi find.
With zero advertisement and no theatrical release to speak of in Canada, or US as I saw. Foreign box office paid for it twice. 40M budget. This one went totally unnoticed for me. Avid Sci-Fi nut that I am its rare that I miss such a good one.
In sci-fi movies, in books its a given. Originality is often the key to a good concept sci-fi. This is not Marvel or Disney. Snowpiercer's concept is unique. Even if preposterous, I loved what is essentially a spaceship confinement theme movie. But in 1 dimension. Only one axis, forward and twisting.
The supporting cast is great, including Tilda Swinton almost spoofing herself as a Cruella. So is rip Sir John Hurt. A fantastic Korean actor to behold! Kang-ho Song. Many more. Chris Evans is competent. Maybe one of the movie's weeknesses. A few plot holes. And too much standard brawling although, there is a great surprise about the decadent front of the train armement. Surprising assorted living compartments.And a few more surprises.
As for the look. There is a Jean-Pierre Jeunet(Delicatessen) and Brian Singer flavor to the production design without being a copy. The raggedy clothes to the hilarious front train clothes. But Joon-ho Bong made it his own. And made a new fan. 4 years later.
Roxy: The Movie (2015)
For Frank Zappa fans, this is a treat!
This movie is a special interest movie intended for die hard fans of Frank Zappa. The more you know about his work, the more you will enjoy. I have been a Frank Zappa fan for 25 years. Roxy the Movie is unreleased music that existed since 1973. That we know. The double album Frank Zappa Live at the Roxy and Elswhere is the source. We know that as well. Both versions are a best of, of the famous 3 days at the Roxy. For big fans of this album. Or Zappa fans. This live movie version in fantastic resolution given the broken source (Zappa talks about it at the beginning onstage)is just a redux. Yes. But is so amazing to see after so many times listening to the album, you are simply flabbergasted by the different versions of the songs. It leaves you confused as to what is better, between the 42 year old known versions that you are so used to and the re-released ones. Seeing Zappa taking a break on a chair during a long sax solo, or actually seeing the be bop tango dancers is a hoot! Zappa's legendary guitar solos are shuffled from the double album songs. Making you see that he never did the same show twice. The editors removed some very obsolete comments making it a final cut. I do not give it a ten for that reason. Its 42 years old. For a very narrow audience. But if you are in that zone. Its a 10. Its an historical musical document that should be considered as such. Zappa at his best with the Mothers in a 500 people venue. And absolutely not for all tastes. Kent Nagano of the OSM and Zappa's family are about the only ones allowed to play his music in 2015... So if you are a Zappahead. This is a must.
The Machine (2013)
Variation on a theme
This Uk science-fiction film is a real sleeper. It is unfortunate that it is under the radar. It is sharp, suspenseful and especially well made in the production design and anticipation visuals department. Given it's budget, the visuals could put to shame some enormously budgeted recent sci-fi films.
It is rightfully claustrophobic given its plot, the characterization is very satisfying for the genre. The cybernetic telepaths are a surprising element if not to say a hoot! The old school if not vintage Alan Howarth like soundtrack gives it a B-movie atmosphere of the good kind contrasting sharply with the 2013 visuals. Its a lot of fun!
However, it is still a variation on a theme, I could not help but to think Dr. Frankenstein, Frankenstein, Data-Lore, Ash, Terminator and the likes including the yet unfilmed R. Daneel Olivaw throughout.
That being said, yes its a mixed bag, but for fans of sci-fi robots like me. I do not think this one should be missed.