Tag: Science Fiction

Star Wars Day!

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A New Hope on IMDB

The Empire Strikes Back on IMDB

Return of the Jedi on IMDB

There are few bonding experiences more important to geek dads than sharing the original trilogy with their children.  As this is the first Star Wars Day in several years that falls on a non-School Day (and the men-folk happen to be alone all evening) we’re making a full day of it: friends, all three films, popcorn and pizza.

Since we’re still waiting for George Lucas to pull his head out of his ass (or suffocate up there and let somebody else run things) and release the theatrical versions on Blu-Ray we’re watching the DVD versions.  I’m not quite as rabid as some about the special editions but they do deserve at least a measure of the derision they get.

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Movie Review: The Thing

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“Thing” on IMDB

Sci-fi, 103 Minutes, 2011

I’m a huge fan of John Carpenter’s 1982 classic “The Thing” [IMDB].  Thirty years later the ground-breaking practical effects are still just as creepily effective.  The performances are some of the best ever seen in horror and the pacing and staging has rarely been topped.

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Movie Review: Real Steel

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“Real Steel” on IMDB

Sci-fi/Action, 127 Minutes, 2011

This movie was completely – and I mean utterly – formulaic.  It was unabashedly and aggressively manipulative – I mean Michael Moore was taking notes during the screening.  The plot was full of holes a giant robot could dance through.  Seriously: if you’ve seen “Rocky” or “The Champ” or “Over the Top” then you’ve seen this movie already.

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Movie Review: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

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“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” on IMDB

Sci-Fi, 105 Minutes, 2011

Not to spoil things by fawning overly in the first paragraph: but this is a prime example of how hollywood should proceed through its creative drought.  Comparing this to the well-produced but deeply flawed 2001 remake of the “Planet of the Apes” (IMDB) you’ll find some very educational contrasts.

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Movie Review: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

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“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” on IMDB

Sci-fi/Action, 157 Minutes, 2011:

Did you see the first two movies?  If so, you know that you are in for at least two things.  Firstly, you’ll get some mind-blowing special effects.  Jaw-droppingly intricate effects.  Effects that will make you want to cheer.  Secondly, you’ll get an almost completely incomprehensible story.  A bloated, hackneyed tumor of a story.

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Movie Review: X-Men: First Class

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“X-Men: First Class” on IMDB

Action, 132 Minutes, 2011

We’re definitely approaching the limits of mass appeal for X-Men.  The fact that this is basically “Jim Henson’s X-Men Babies” make it more likely to be accessible to fans of the previous films, but pretty much everybody else will be lost.

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Movie Review: Attack the Block

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“Attack the Block” on IMDB

Sci-fi/Horror, 88 Minutes, 2011

FINALLY an alien movie with something a little different!  No grey-skinned, multi-limbed, claw-handed, slit-eyed generic E.T.s here!  (OKay… there is one – kinda – but it’s small and gets killed almost immediately.)  The aliens here are jet-black, hairy, indistinct beasts with row upon row of luminescent teeth.  While this relatively simple effect may have been chosen for budget reasons it was used beautifully and to repeatedly great effect.

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Movie Review: The First Men in the Moon

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“The First Men in the Moon” on IMDB

Sci-fi, 88 Minutes, 2010

[This is the second review for this edition of  my semi-regular “my-wife-and-kids-are-visiting-relatives-so-I’m-watching-loads-of-crappy-movies” film festival.]

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Movie Review: The Next Race

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“The Next Race” on IMDB

Sci-fi, 38 Minutes, 2009:

[This is the first review for this edition of  my semi-regular “my-wife-and-kids-are-visiting-relatives-so-I’m-watching-loads-of-crappy-movies” film festival.]

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