morbelle Reviews

Prometheus (I) (2012)

A great sci-fi film!

[10/10 · 3 June 2012]

Now I will start by saying I'm a huge fan of all the Alien films, even AvP. So that was what initially drew me to this film. As the build-up progressed I learnt it wasn't a direct prequel, more of a build-up in the history of this franchise.

I still made sure I watched Alien before going to see it.

And it was a great film! It took it's time to set things up, which is quite rare, and had a plot - a reasonably simple one, but then again, space exploration is simple. Why do we send out probes and scan planets and things? To see what is out there - which is exactly what this film is about.

It has great effects, surprisingly so considering the relatively small budget, and looks very like Alien. The differences in holograms etc. can easily be explained by the Prometheus being a science vessel and top-of-the-range, and the Nostromo being a freighter.

Acting was good and believable - I imagine a little was cut for the cinema as a few characters could have done with a little more screen-time, but still good.

The engineers / Space Jockeys were good too. I've seen reviews where people slate the film about it all being too easy - how the humans saw the security footage etc. I think they are missing the point - it's a trap! The Space Jockeys wanted whoever found them to reactive them so they can leave and colonise Earth. It also occurred to me they could have colonised many planets - so whoever found them would be an advanced race, possible a threat to the Space Jockeys, so they would go there and release the Alien on them.

Remember - this is not the planet in Alien - so the octopus and proto-Alien are totally in-keeping with this. They may not even be direct descendent's of the Alien as we still don't know how the Space Jockey in the original Alien got there.

Overall a great film - it kept me focused and I enjoyed it. It has a lot of good touches and has a very good premise. There are lots of detail and back-story. It is not Alien - if you were expecting it to be, despite all the news, then you will be disappointed. If however you want to see a good sci-fi film and learn more about the Space Jockeys then you will love it. Hope there are more!

Dawson's Creek (1998–2003)

Those were the days.... One of the greatest shows, and soo true to life!

[9/10 · 18 May 2007]

I loved this show when growing up as I was pretty much the same age as Dawson and Co, and do you know what? A lot of what they said really did happen in real life.

I always remember when they went to different Universities, and one of them said that life isn't easy at that point, your friends don't all go to the same place and you don't see each other every time. How true is that? Unlike Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which coped by having everyone goto Sunnydale UC that had suddenly appeared, the show was brave and did something else.

I didn't see the end of the show as its portrayal sadly did start to mirror my life too much, what with Dawson's Dad. Given the chance though, I would go back now and watch those episodes.

For me Dawson's Creek is getting home from school and watching the latest episodes that had been taped, or when you were "ill" watching them live, eating macaroni cheese and enjoying life. Dawson's Creek is all about "home", and whereas Friends was very funny, Dawson's Creek was real.

If you haven't seen the show, you need to! And if you have then I'm sure you will agree with me that it is, for my generation and nearly all 25 year olds, it was your life on TV. In a perfect place sure, but the situations were eerily similar, and the way the characters dealt with them must have been taken from you and your friends surely, they were so correct.

Wonderful, simply wonderful.

Death of a President (2006)

A conspiracy-theorists dream!

[10/10 · 17 October 2006]

Firstly, I would like to point out that I dislike George Bush and his policies. I think the US ARE the main antagonists in the world, and that their actions are responsible for much of the world's woes. The sooner Bush leaves office the better - the man is a liability, a mass-murderer (for ordering two illegal wars) and an idiot. That said, I do not particularly want to see him assassinated, and living in the UK, it is not really my problem - it is up to the American people.

With this in mind, there was no way I was going to miss the movie, and when More4 screened it in the UK, I set the record button.

This is an excellent film, not because it kills Bush - which would just be gratuitous and not worth watching - but of the way it looks at how the US responds. They look at Muslim names, which I guess all Western countries would do now in the wake of any bombings etc, and look at someone nearby who has a "dodgy" record. Then make the man guilty and make him fit the facts. The fact in the case that he was Syrian, and Cheney (now US President) hates Syria is enough for war. Or the prelude to war.

Whilst this film is a work of fiction (I hope!) it is disturbing enough to make you think this could easily have happened in the past, and not just by the US. What do we learn from it? Not a lot - I guess it serves to try and highlight the consequences of actions - in this case an assassination needs to the US creating more a police state and preparing for war, and how going to war can affect people's lives.

An excellent film, and we shall have to see in October 2007 how true to life it was!

Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995 Video Game)

The original and best

[10/10 · 18 June 2006]

Out of all the Star Wars first-person games, this is still the stand-out one for me.

At a time when it was considered novel if your character could look up and down in games, Lucasarts brought this out. Not only can your character look up and down, you can jump and crouch too! You can fall off walls too, but that helps the levels. The story is classic Star Wars, to be honest it is the only Dark Forces/Jedi Knight game that for me really fits into the universe.

You get to see good cutscenes with Darth Vader, good old Imperial Stormtroopers and go one-on-one with Boba Fett! The music is great and helps make a superb atmosphere.

An awesome game and if your PC can run it (as XP doesn't like it) well worth getting!

Titney Spheres: How I Shagged My Way to the Top (2000– )

Very funny and entertaining.

[21 July 2005]

Obviously these are a series or porn "episodes." They are about how Titney Spheres became a pop artist by sleeping with anyone and everyone to get to the top. Possibly this sort of thing does go on in the music business, I don't know. At any rate it makes for great viewing as Titney sleeps with the men, but mostly with the ladies. Spot the references to Britney Spears and the Spice Girls! All I can say is that Michelle Thorne is a very talented lady- not only does she star (and is very good at that!) but she wrote, produced and directed the series too. Good viewing for anyone looking for some decent adult entertainment with a bit of humour and a fairly decent plot thrown in.

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous (2005)

Not as a good a plot as the first, but damn funny!

[7/10 · 4 April 2005]

So then, here we have a sequel to Miss Congenialty. I love the first film, I don't know why, but I love it. This film is even funnier than the first. There are some great lines, mostly from Shatner I notice. Sandra Bullock is so lovable and funny (and look stunning throughout the film) that you just go with it. The plot is basic, but were we expecting otherwise? It was a shame to not have Benjamin Bratt in the film, and to be honest that did distract me for the first 10 minutes. And no Michael Caine. But I loved it anyway. I thought Miss United States was a little underused too (notice how she is in lots of Bullock's films now?) This is a feelgood movie. Yes there is a morality message in there, and it is a good one. But you see this film to enjoy yourself. And its worth every penny.

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Well-worth the ticket price

[8/10 · 29 October 2004]

I would recommend this film to anyone who loves the Alien and Predator franchise, obviously. It has some superb set-pieces and is very well made. WS Anderson has finally mastered the amount of light and dark needed on the set, and the Aliens in particular are well-utilised here. OK, so the characters, with the exception of Weyland, are a bit thin, but that was inevitable. This film is about the Alien and the Predator. The Aliens are as evil and deadly as ever, and the Predators are finally shown to the honourable warrior race they really are. Don't expect Shakespeare, but expect a darn good action film. I rate it as the 3rd best Alien film, behind Alien and Aliens; and the second best Predator film, behind Predator itself. A worthy addition to the series and well-worth the ticket price.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

One to watch ... and worry about.

[10/10 · 15 June 2004]

The most disturbing thing about this film is that the events depicted are all too plausible. Ok, I'm not so sure about the super-cool air, but the rest of it all makes perfect science sense. I actually saw a documentary about a year ago about how if the Gulf Stream was stopped (due to desalination in the sea) then Britain would become like today's Northern Canada. This film makes use of that and serves as a chilling warning about what will happen if we continue to pollute the Earth. The acting was overall good, and you did care if the characters were going to live or die. The plot was a little predictable at times, but in a disaster movie they nearly always are. But the main thing about this film is respect. Respect for Nature. Now I don't claim to be a great eco-warrior, but it is concerning when you see just how easily these events can occur. If just 1 person in 100 in America or other heavily-polluting states stops and thinks about what their country is doing, and takes steps to stop by doing a but more recycling, then the film will have achieved its purpose. And the film is that good that I think it will. So please everyone, let's do just a little but more to recycle, or switch a lightbulb off, or not revving your car engine so much, just that bit more to help save the Earth. Even something as simple as not littering will help. This film portrays a harrowing account of what will happen if we don't. Maybe not tomorrow, but probably the day after tomorrow.

Children of the Revolution (1996)

An odd idea, a good movie.

[7/10 · 17 April 2004]

When I saw this film in the TV listings, I thought "could be some good tack." It's much better than that. It starts off almost comedic like, culminating in Stalin singing. Then it enters into the emotional problems Anna has over killing Stalin. The film then focuses on her son Joe, and his problems in finding out he is the son of Stalin, and his gradual descent into Stalinism. The film serves as a warning against Stalinism, about how any abuse of power, no matter the end, is wrong. The interest is held with some superb acting by the cast and the idea of Stalin producing a child and "heir." The movie could use more of an ending, and it does treat itself as being "true" particularly at the end. Having said that this is well worth watching and I recommend it to anyone intrigued by Communism and Stalin.

Wing Commander (1999)

A fun ride, not a serious one. A must for all fans of the game.

[7/10 · 14 March 2004]

The film has been critically panned and it bombed at the cinemas. But it's actually a pretty good film. Yes it isn't technically the best, nor is it scientifically plausible. And for devotees of the games it kinda screws with history, but for all that it is a good ride. You watch it and appreciate it. Saffron Burrows is great. David Warner and David Suchet excel in their (small) roles. It's a shame John Rhys-Davis and Mark Hamill don't reprise their roles, but their replacements do well enough.

You get caught up in the story, and the visual effects are fantastic, aided by good acting with the actors working well together.

So overall I would recommend this film. Don't expect it to be fantastic, but just enjoy it. It's a fun film and a worthy addition to Wing Commander lore.

Space: Above and Beyond (1995–1996)

An excellent sci-fi TV series

[14 March 2004]

This was a fantastic little sci-fi series. It pioneered the use of CGI on TV shows. It had some great acting from all the leads and relied heavily on parallels with WW2. Created by James Wong and Glen Morgan (of X-Files fame) it draws parallels with the X-Files in terms of lighting and story. The idea of the entire war between Humans and Chigs being an entire corporate plot is classic X-Files. The story-lines are compelling and the graphics are great. It's great for WW2 enthusiasts as a lot of military history is used in the story. It's great for Sci-fi enthusiasts as the sets and story are great. It's just great period! I only wish another season had been commissioned because this is great viewing. Here's hoping a DVD release will soon be forthcoming.