deadasjuliuscaesar Reviews

Star Trek: Voyager: Nemesis (1997) Season 4, Episode 4

This episode should be nullified. Fathom?

[3/10 · 18 July 2016]

This is typical preachy Trek, which isn't necessarily bad, depending on how it's done. This episode is NOT how it should be done.

This is my first review of any Star Trek series episode. Couldn't help it after being bombarded by no-personality guest 'stars' repeatedly uttering the words 'nullify', 'fathom', 'wayafter' and 'soonafter'. As long as IMDb trivia was tallying the uses of 'nemesis', why didn't they count the other ones? ;-) It's like watching 'Deadwood' and hearing the insanely frequent use of 'c--------r'.

Yet another 'new' alien race (looking very human; guess they ran out of brow-ridge/nose- ridge/cheekbone variations) with their own 'unique' expressions and/or cultural references and personal issues, which we will promptly forget afterwards, because they're too dull to re-use or even care about in the first place. Been there, been bored with that already.

Messages about the use of one-sided propaganda in a conflict has been done many times, and this is one of those episodes where the writers are fresh out of anything, well, 'fresh'. 10 straight minutes of boring, slow and dark to begin the story doesn't help get the viewer especially involved, either. Maybe I've seen too many Trek episodes, I don't know. How many 'it's been a holo-illusion all along' scripts can one Trekker take?

(And on top of all this, it's a shameless rip-off of Predator visuals.)

The intent is clear, and the second half gets better, but it's a painful journey. This definitely belongs on the non-essentials list of Trek viewing, in an otherwise good season that shows the noticeable improvement (finally) of this series of mismatched actors. The Borg stuff helped immensely.

Ring of Fire (2013 TV Movie)

Half-way decent

[7/10 · 30 May 2013]

So, it's not 'Walk the Line'. But as the Phoenix/Witherspoon film was hardly flawless itself, I can't be too hard on this one. I'm not familiar with Jewel's music, but she portrayed June Carter very authentically. Far closer to the real June than Witherspoon (even if Witherspoon is the more seasoned actress). Johnny was not cast especially well, though he did okay. Didn't sound anything like Johnny when singing, which is a shame. Neither did Phoenix for that matter. Too bad they couldn't get that guy who tours with the Million Dollar Quartet show. He was very authentic-sounding.

Overall, good casting, particularly Mother Maybelle. Her funeral scene was really a heartfelt treat to see depicted (Why they cast a 'big' woman in Walk the Line, I'll never know. Maybelle was NEVER more than skinny). I like how they took this film to the end of June's life, but really disappointed that there wasn't more of her music. They did well in the first half-hour, then resorted to typical Lifetime drama for the rest. The film was far too short to give this love story justice. They would have been better served having more of the Carter Family years depicted as their story is virtually unknown/forgotten (read Mark Zwonitzer's book 'Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone'). And, as others have already stated, how the heck can they have 'Wabash Cannonball' TWICE and 'Jackson' not even ONCE?

Ending on a positive note, closing the film with 'Far Side Banks of Jordan' was a brilliant move. Nice touch.

Wyatt Earp's Revenge (2012 Video)

Not great, but not terrible

[6/10 · 10 March 2012]

Straight-to-video is justified, considering the low budget. However, as Earp movies go, this was more than watchable. A fairly well-structured narrative. But definitely more for those, like myself, who are fascinated with the subject matter.

Val Kilmer plays an aging Wyatt Earp giving an interview to a newspaper reporter about his involvement in the investigation of the murder of actress Dora Hand in Dodge City, which is a genuine historical event (though to what degree the real Earp's involvement actually was depends on which historian's account you may be reading). Kilmer's work is probably the most memorable element of this film, very moving, making Earp down-to-earth and realistic. The actor playing the reporter does a fine job as well (not sure who he is, but he bears a striking resemblance to Patrick Dempsey).

The actors playing the young Earp, Bat Masterson, Charlie Bassett, Spike Kenedy, etc. are also fine, though the script doesn't give them much to work with as far as deep character development. The actor playing Doc Holliday (in one scene only) is very memorable. His expressions ('daisy', etc.) may seem like they're borrowed from Kilmer's Doc from "Tombstone", but they're actually historically validated as being genuine southern expressions, and many books attribute them to Holliday. This might be the first on-screen Doc since Victor Mature NOT to have a mustache, though (for what that observation's worth).

My gripes are: a. The music score didn't seem to fit very well. That's very often a crutch with movies; the use of the music can often damage the 'mood' of a film which would be better served having no music at all. b. When Bat Masterson is introduced, he's involved in a fist-fight which employs some use of slow-motion which doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. c. The film looks too 'neat'. A grittier, darker look would have infinitely improved the experience.

A nice thing about this film is the use of almost 'forgotten' lawmen, such as Charlie Bassett and Bill Tilghman, who have gotten very few portrayals in film.

Overall, not a complete waste of time. Again, more for those interested in Earp history. I appreciated the references to the "Buntline Special" revolver, the historicity of which has been debated for quite some time.