Change Your Image
twilightfades33
Reviews
Stargate Universe (2009)
Excellent space drama
Let me just start out by saying I never watched SG-1 or SGA. So I don't have an immediate bias against the show like a lot of the reviewers seem to have.
This show, a drama set an unfathomable distance from Earth on board an alien spacecraft, has been really great to watch. The premise is excellent, the acting and writing get better and better with each episode, and the large cast is an asset instead of a detriment. Every episode is so engaging, it goes by in what seems like ten minutes. And while it took a little while for the cast to gel, they are fun to watch now.
Some highlights are Robert Carlyle as Dr. Rush and Alaina Huffman as TJ. I have never seen either of them in anything before, but they are extremely enjoyable in this show. Rush isn't a typical good guy or bad guy, but a scientist who has been given a once in a lifetime opportunity, and intends to make the most of it. As as viewer, sometimes I love him and sometimes I want to throw things at the TV when he is on screen, which to me signifies a complex, well-written character.
I really hope Syfy continues to let this show do its thing. I saw commercials for it before it premiered last year, and thought - "Wow, this looks cool, I'm going to have to check it out." A year later, I still feel the same way. Give it an honest chance, rather than dismissing it out of hand because you think it canceled your favorite show.
Rent (2005)
great adaptation.
For those of you who are hell-bent on seeing the Broadway show true to form on the screen, there isn't much anyone can do to convince you of how good this film actually is. I went to a free advance screening on November 19th (sponsored by some magazine) and there was a line out the door of people wanting to get in - they had to turn a lot of folks away. I attended with a friend who is only familiar with "Seasons of Love", but after it was over, there were tears in both of our eyes. Rosario Dawson was wonderful, and dare I say better than the original Mimi. Surprisingly, Jesse L. Martin is the comedic relief of the piece (well, Wilson Jermaine Heredia helped a great deal in that department) and Tracy Thoms was wonderfully understated.
There are some minor adjustments to plot, and a few songs left out (some that I missed dearly, hopefully they'll be on the DVD), but overall, the movie was fantastic. My friend's ability to connect to the characters so quickly assured me that it was not just my familiarity with the story and music that made me a fan of the film. Chris Columbus doesn't botch it too badly - I could see how the direction could have been much worse - but there were some awkward cuts that were kind of frustrating.
In my opinion, the highlights were "Santa Fe", "I'll Cover You", and "La Vie Boheme". All three pieces were snappy and cute, and pretty well choreographed. I'm definitely going to pay to see it again opening day.
Stranger Inside (2001)
Director = A film professor of mine; Film = Good!
The director of this film was my professor for a beginning film class at Temple University this past semester. She is a very intelligent and funny woman, and at the end of the semester, we watched this film. Grades are in already, so don't think I'm posting this to brownnose, but I really enjoyed seeing Ms. Dunye's film.
The "women-in-prison" plot is not an area covered very often in film, and when it is touched on, there are too many stereotypes to keep count of. Although there is some predictability in this film, the subject matter and themes were looked at from a very fresh angle. Ms. Dunye often talked to our class about incorporating reality and fiction together so that the two would blend and the line separating them would be blurry. This is exactly what she's accomplished in this film. The storyline is believable and the viewer becomes sympathetic to the characters; even though they are convicted prisoners, we look past the bars and into the minds of these women. We may not understand their motives, but we appreciate their actions. I'd recommend this film to anyone, especially those who've never seen a movie covering this subject area before.
4/5
Trigun (1998)
Written by a former anime-hater... One of the best series ever.
I honestly didn't like anime, ever, because the only anime I ever came across was childish and confusing. But my boyfriend made me watch one episode of "Trigun" and I was hooked. My sister got the entire series on DVD for christmas a few weeks later, and I watched all 26 episodes in a couple days over my college break.
To categorize "Trigun" is difficult, but one could say it is a dramedy, set on another planet, centered on a talented yet pacifistic gunslinger with a past. What sets this series apart from the Pokemons of television is its substance, style, and lack of overly confusing elements.
This is a superb show. Sure, some will point out its sometimes-flawed dubbing and non-fluid animation, but the premise is amazingly complex. 'Paradise', episode 23 of the 26 in the series, made me cry, and yet there were moments in many episodes which made me laugh despite the often grim situations. "Trigun" deals with pain, mortality, death and sacrifices in a way that is both honest and intriguing. The main character, Vash the Stampede, is a wonderful example of what a leading man should be in any dramatic series. If you ever get a chance to see one episode of this anime, make it episode one. You'll surely want to follow suit and watch the entire series.
9.5 out of 10, or 4 and 3/4 stars.