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carbon_dragon
Reviews
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
Rent the old version, this one isn't worth watching
I like the actors, and the special effects are interesting, though I'd rather an actual spaceship than a godlike weather sphere. The problem is that they have mangled the story into the unrecognizable.
The old story concerned aliens coming to Earth to warn us that our violent ways would not be tolerated in the stars. We were suitably violent and given a slap and told to mend our ways. Klatuu was pleasant and good and was actually trying to help us change.
The new story turns that on it's head. Klatuu's people in this one think our planet is a precious resource we don't "deserve" and are here to pass judgement on us -- now -- with no real attempt to avoid it. Not only is this presumptuous, it's hypocritical given that according to Klatuu, his people only reformed when they had their own cataclysm. Now they're reformed drunks, looking to exterminate anyone else having a drink. Between the ridiculous story and the pathetic writing, one has very little sympathy for Klatuu or his people. You might aspire to live in the peaceful galaxy of the original story, but not this one.
The only advice I'd give Earth in this story is to start working on their own nano-dissassemblers for the next time some super-powerful bozo from this collection of idiots comes calling.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
Not a lot of substance, but a Fun Adventure
There wasn't a lot of character development here, and given where that led in the three prequel movies, perhaps that was for the best. The animation made for kind of wooden actors, but Anakin was strangely MORE expressive than the actor seemed capable of in real life. There was lots of adventure and battles, all nicely paced. The droids were nicely done, and there was a little humor here and there to lighten the mood. Anakin was not the laughable candidate for anger management he was in the prequel movies, but a reasonably likable character.
If the prequel movies had been done as well as this, I would have enjoyed them a lot more. I think the weakness of the prequels is having a story where the hero is plausibly turned into the villain and it just didn't work. In the prequels, the characters made such ridiculous decisions the story was more comic than tragic. Here they're not going anywhere really with the characters, but the result is entertaining.
Star Command (1996)
Not Award winning, but fun and worth watching
Though I would have like to seen more of Chad and Morgan, and though the acting wasn't exactly Academy Award (it was a bit kitchy), this was a fun story with an interesting plot, watchable special effects, and a storyline that I always like (junior officer takes command and saves the day).
Seeing the hero win by cleverness and bravery instead of a plot trick makes it worth watching. The bad guys were suitably evil to deserve their fate. There was probably an even better movie in here somewhere, but what we got was a lot of fun.
I'd compare it to Midshipman's Hope by David Feintuch or On Basilisk Station by David Weber (though those are probably a cut above this movie in story). Seafort in Midshipman's Hope is a bit more doom ridden though, and that gets kind of old. The hero here is gets to actually enjoy the experience, finding his forte at last instead of washing out of the academy.
Beyond the City Limits (2001)
An average movie redeemed by Alyson Hannigan
The compelling acting of Alyson Hannigan, as well as her costars Jennifer Esposito and Nastassja Kinski make this otherwise merely average movie worth watching. Certainly this part is quite a change from Alyson's previous parts as Willow on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and as Michelle in the American Pie movies. Good work Alyson, I'm sure you have a bright future.
Too bad it's SO hard to find in the United States. I had to buy it on VCD internationally.