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aldris247
Reviews
Doctor Who: Forest of the Dead (2008)
Terrific
I may recommend a new scoring system for episodes of Doctor Who, where we will choose from 1-10 or alternatively enter "Steven Moffat" in the scorebox. The most talented of Doctor Who writers did it again with this episode. It fits in with the fast, hyperactive style of Tennant's latest stories but brings far more emotion and fear into the mix.
There is very little change in style between "Silence in the Library" and "Forest of the Dead", and Donna (Catherine Tate) is practically replaced as a sidekick by the enigmatic River Song (Alex Kingston), which I was pleased with as I felt Donna was a very limited character. This is one of Moffat's common plot devices - a "Combo breaker" similar to subbing in Reinette for Rose in Series 2, or replacing the Doctor and Martha with Sally and Larry in Series 3. It makes the episode stand out from the rest of the series and demonstrates the writer's somewhat rebellious nature.
The Vashta Nerada are an extremely original enemy in their "shadow" state, and the possessed suits with skeletons inside are nearly as frightening with their bizarre repeated last words. However, their simple desire to eat marks the fact that this is not a villain-driven storyline.
What really made "Forest of the Dead" special for me, however, was the final sequence. After a tragic but conclusive ending, with the usual duration of an episode reached, and an optimistic monologue playing, the episode takes an unexpected turn and gives us a tremendous and uplifting little scene - the Doctor's "Last run" through the Library.
My only criticism of the episode (entirely not the writer's fault) is that this story is placed too close to the "Big finale" of Series 4, and the close juxtaposition of two big, epic stories causes one to detract from the other (I feel that Davies' grand finalé suffered, others may think it is vice-versa).
Nonetheless, like "Blink" before it, this is a breath of fresh air in a rather dull series. I consider the Library two-parter one of the best Doctor Who stories of the Tennant era, and I hope you agree.
Transformers (2007)
I expected nonsense, but there's more to it than meets the eye,,,
Excuse the horrid joke above, I couldn't resist.
I have never been a fan of Transformers, I never even had the toys as a kid, but I decided to see this on the basis of being a Linkin Park fan. I wanted to like it, but feared I wouldn't have the option. I was anticipating utter rubbish. I was expecting an ultra-predictable plot, annoying actors, glaring plot holes, cringe-worthy dialog and, of course, an abundance of mindless action. Only the last of these was present.
True, as far as the storyline and script go, it's not exactly The Godfather, but it's not dumb enough to damage the fun. I know I may be overusing the "pleastly surprised" line, but I was pleasantly surprised by Shia LaBeouf. He managed to be a perfectly convincing nerd, and while he and the other characters are blatant stereotypes, one can identify with Sam throughout. The humor comes constantly and in decent quality.
I haven't even mentioned the Transformers themselves. They do look very impressive, particularly when changing. The scenes of combat and destruction are downright kick-ass, notably when a roller-blading Decepticon smashes a bus in half. The overblown budget shows in every action sequence, and is matched only by the use of state-of-the art US military hardware.
So, I recommend this movie without hesitation. Don't think of it as a movie for children, consider it entertainment for one's inner child.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
A wonderful Christmas film for all the family
You take one of the all-time classic Christmas stories, you change the plot a bit and you stick a bunch of cute singing puppets in it. This will destroy it, right? No, actually.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is quite possibly the best screen adaptation of Dicken's beloved tale. It features stellar performances from both the human and Muppet cast, with Michael Caine playing Scrooge with delightful flair and the Muppet roles very well chosen. The jokes are fun enough to keep adults amused, and even the inevitable songs do not become annoying. The story manages to remain true to the source, suitably sad and macabre at times.
Both Henson and Dickens would be proud of this movie. It should be watched by the family every Christmas.
Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead (2009)
Davies has really lost the plot...
As I write this, Russell T Davies turn the job of head Who writer over to Stephen Moffat. If "Planet of the Dead" is anything to go by, this change could not come too soon.
The script shows no flair whatsoever, and the episode has practically no plot. This is made worse by the intensely annoying characters, with Lady Christina being particularly irritating. She is basically Jenny from "The Doctor's Daughter" with black hair. The Swarm,when revealed, are relatively impressive, but do little for the episode. The humor is based on cheap one-liners and slapstick. There is nothing to make this episode memorable, even to fans of the show.
The episode left me disappointed and I hope Moffat can bring back the qualities that made previous series so excellent.