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Reviews
Outpost: Black Sun (2012)
Dreadful
Budget must have been low as the location shots were dreadful. As a Scotsman I recognised the location as being in Dumfries and Galloway. Quite a distance from the former Yugoslavia. A bit of colour tweaking might have helped. The story is poor. They should have stopped at the first one. The female lead is annoying. Flipping and flopping her tough guy status. The actress wasn't very good. The old guy at the beginning was the only decent bit of acting and he lasted 3 minutes. You can watch this without seeing the original as there were lots of flashbacks. If it's a rainy evening and you need a bottle of wine to finish off, this movie won't do the trick.
Get Out (2017)
Not bad
Not a bad yarn. I personally found it too obvious what was going to happen right up until the end. It's a mish mash of other films (movies). Of course the director could have either of two ways but you know it was only going to end one way and so it came to pass. Anyhoo if you are under 40 years of age then this might be a revelation. The acting is very good. The cinematography is very good. Not a bad script. The sound is level so no need to keep adjusting the volume. There's a comedy element that's not needed. The escape is a bit WTF? A bit of closure at the end would have helped I think but maybe they were thinking of Get Out 2. Who knows??
Entity (2012)
It's watcheable
Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday afternoon with bright sunshine whilst you are languishing in a settee with your leg out whilst recovering from a DVT. The acting isn't too bad and it mostly takes place in the dark so it's hard to see what's going on. That keeps the costs down I suppose. It adds nothing to the genre. It's all been done before. The main female antagonist is dumb and puts everybody in danger (as usual) then spends the rest of the film screaming. So nothing new. But it does pass the time. Zero scares as it's too dark to see anything. The sound is up and down. One minute Ruth is mumbling, the next the cymbals fall from the roof.
Jeruzalem (2015)
Found by accident
Found this quite by accident and it was okay. Silly at times made worse by the two lead female actresses whose stupidity get people killed. I admit to muting the sound at times because you still miss nothing. The scenic views of parts of Israel were nice in themselves. Parts were similar to Cloverfield so nothing new added in that respect. The first person perspective keeps the costs down as the CGI isn't needed to the same extent. The other actors were fine (thankfully). Cinematography was adequate. Sound was a bit up and down but that might have been Amazon. The ending? Well I'm sure the military would be at all exit gates so that was the most unbelievable part of the film for me.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
Pizza. Pussycat Poor
Plain awful and made no sense. Ultra sensitive hearing? Really. It didn't seem like it to me. The aliens needed all sorts of noise to be attracted. Do you know an owl can hear a mouse heartbeat whilst it's looking for prey? I'm sure the aliens would be able to do the same. Maybe New York deafened them somewhat. The CGI wasn't particularly good. It was adequate. Why do film makers always make the US forces so inadequate? Modern weapons are so destructive that a good old goodies v baddies with the lead actress trying to get out of dodge a much more realistic film. Some of the shots were trying to be arty. To me, it didn't work. I liked the shot of the Dunkirk like evacuation. That was realistic in the sense the authorities were trying to do something. This genre is tired and needs put to rest. I wish I could comment on the acting. There's no point as there wasn't much acting.
Constellation: Through the Looking Glass (2024)
Sillier and sillier
This series as it progresses gets sillier and sillier. It's the small things that are letting it down badly. The acting isn't bad and using twin girls to play different characters from different places is very good. But the young girl is told by her father it is -50°C. But there's no breath. Did the CGI fail. Also it's -50°C and the same character is standing outside in her Pyjamas!! WTF. It's beyond silly. It's a shame because it's a good premise with underlying intrigue (which what keeps me watching) but why oh why do they lose track of the simpler things? Sometimes they get it right. Other times not. No consistency.
Star Trek: Discovery: Erigah (2024)
Good grief
Another episode of lazy writing. Too many coincidences had to happen to make it work. Too much emphasis on 21st century thinking transferred to the (31st C?) 1000 years but nothing has changed. This isn't science fiction. It's a love story with feeling set in space far from Sol system. Boring!!!!! I understand the series has been cancelled. How it lasted 5 is beyond me when series like Stargate universe with hundreds of unanswered questions was cancelled after two. I wonder if the actors think "I don't care what I say as long as they pay me". It sure seems like that. Discovery is another series where you don't have to watch it in case you miss anything. You can pick it up by watching half or less than half. Finally, what happened to the CGI? At times it was like a cartoon. Strange.
Constellation: Paul Is Dead (2024)
Getting sillier
Ok there's theoretical evidence that we live in a multiverse (depending on how you interpret the mathematics) but a baby wipe stops depressurisation!!!!!!!!??????? Oh how that made me laugh. Poor Mr Goldfinger would be hoping he had those handy in James Bonds Goldfinger. They used the stuck bolt can only be released from inside the ISS scenario not once but twice. Sheesh!!!! The rest is watchable and entertaining if you like to not to think too much. Apart from that there isn't much to say. They obviously ignore the science advisors to the series (do they have any. I think not). The writers have tried to make it intriguing with the multiple jumps but they've made it too convoluted. It's the kind of series you can get on with other things while watching and miss nothing.
PS to the reviewer who says it's possible to plug the hole with a baby wipe. Not the Dixie of that hole. A micro fracture. Yes. Not something the size of a bullet hole. Sorry.
Constellation (2024)
Another piece of cheese anyone?
Complete stuff and nonsense. The science is awful. The ISS shuts down completely. No electricity. Therefore no heat. No condensation either. Amazing. Nothing in the ISS has inertia. Amazing. They can amputate a man's arm in space in microgravity. Amazing. They have astronaut or cosmonaut surgeons. Amazing. Even the cgi looks awful. Of course we have to put in the feelings stuff as the message had to get across. All this rubbish about undying love for a child but mum can't get into space quick enough. Cheesy. The only thing it has going for it is the intrigue of what is exactly going on but it's obvious from the start. Anyhoo it's worth a punt if you like to be mindlessly entertained. Just don't think too hard.
Old Man (2022)
Good film
The screenshot effectively gives the game away. However I liked this film. As others have said it would be a good stage play. A few characters and set in one location. I like these type of films because the actors actually get a chance to act. To let you get involved with the characters. There's a few things that might have been explained better but the director probably thought it wasn't necessary. The main character played by Stephen Lang is acted superbly. Lots of dialogue that you need to listen to. Patch Darragh and Marc Senter are worthy additions. If you like a film that uses dialogue rather than cgi then this one is for you.
Star Trek: Discovery: Mirrors (2024)
Going downhill fast
You watch an episode and think that was awful. It can't get any worse. You watch the next episode and it is worse. Ok the next one really can't be that much worse. Only it is. And so on. That's this episode. Dire. Story 0 out of 10. Costumes and effects 10 out of 10. Script 0 out of 10. What's with pointing guns at each other and not firing. I'm sure a plasma bolt travels faster than a human can react. A bullet does. So I'm sure a futuristic plasma beam is faster. That's the better bit. The rest is worse. More feelings, love and awww sheesh. No one in this Star Trek rendition is hard nosed. They aren't alien enough. Just more human stuff. Boring!!!!!
Infected: The Darkest Day (2021)
Not bad
I can understand why some don't like this film as it isn't like the usual zombie trash such as world war Z or the Walking Dead. Both of which I personally found brain dead rather than fully undead. The constant moving of the camera which is reminiscent of NYPD Blue worked well. It keeps the costs down. The acting wasn't A list but was passable. Cinematography was good. Music wasn't too in your face. Suited the film. Of course with these films there's loopholes everywhere. No packs of dogs. Soldiers without earpieces. Soldiers without IR goggles. Etc etc. But I think it's worth watching. Just don't expect a CGI spectacular or loads of blood and guts which seems to excite some people. .
Star Trek: Discovery: Face the Strange (2024)
Awful. Just plain awful
Do the script writers actually watch previous episodes?
This episode has the usual time travel paradoxes that make no temporal sense. But the worse bit for me was the 'bug' that gets on the Discovery. The transporter filters obviously haven't been updated since 2123. Or 2223? Or 2323......
Too many coincidences to make this work
The spore drive seems to be not very fast as the baddies keep catching up. Are they having feelings counselling between jumps?
The CGI is as always very good but as good as it is you need a well crafted script to make it work. This series doesn't have it. I'm surprised Burnham didn't ask Zora to take into consideration the expansion of the universe between jumps. Oops.
Viral (2016)
Nah not for me
Yet another virus disaster movie with a zombie influence. The acting is reasonable but the storyline is awful. Too many coincidences. Someone gets their head blown off with a gun that looks like a cannon but the blood splatter goes everywhere but not on the lead actress. Nah....you're having a laugh. Somebody tries to leave the town via a road block and not through the bush. Nah.........Your having a laugh Then we have the ultra dumb boyfriend. There's always one. So dumb he doesn't know the gf locked up is probably infected. That guy gets the Darwin Award. The last 20 minutes is silly beyond words believe me. What's with these movies that there are never any animals. No dogs and cats etc. By the way.
Significant Other (2022)
4 stars for the forest views
Pure and utter hokum. Made no real sense. Nothing really explained. Too much wrong with it. Too many coincidences. Characters flawed to the point of not being believable. Cine was good. Acting not bad. Comedy didn't work. However after saying all that a sequel after the aliens invade and replicate themselves would be a great comedy. The human race with its physical and mental instabilities would make the replicants suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, MND etc. Young horny teenager replicants. The possibilities are endless. I don't think that's what the writers and director had in mind though. I think their work was to be taken seriously.
Star Trek: Discovery: Red Directive (2024)
Pointless Rubbish
Who writes this stuff? Teenagers or 20 somethings just out their teens. There's nothing new. It's a rehash of every Star Trek episode ever made plus some from Star Wars. It's utter garbage. The fight scenes are the same old trash. Totally unrealistic. The physics is so bad it makes you burst out laughing. The dialogue is for teenagers. The CGI is very good. That's the only good thing apart from one character; IKovich. We need more of him and less of the rest. The rest are boring. Well for a 63 year old anyhoo who has watched almost every sci-fi made and read hundreds of sci-fi books. I am getting the message this stuff isn't written for my age group. It's trying to attract the younger viewer but I'm sure they are more discerning than that. This episode smacks of produced for the actors, film crews etc to make money. It's not done for entertainment. Will I watch the rest? Yes but I can see big chunks being skipped or coffee breaks. Oh what have they done to Star Trek???
Foundation: Creation Myths (2023)
Excellent
Good finale. Let's hope there is a season 3. The acting especially, Lee Pace was superb. Makes me wonder why some actors and actresses can be so good in this and awful in other films or series. Anyhoo this wasn't a shoot me up like the last episode but tried to fill in the gaps. Quite successfully in my book. I'm surprised that a lot of reviewers didn't like it but there we go. Not everybody's cup of rosy Lee. The CGI, acting, dialogue, script, cinematography was excellent as it has been through 20 episodes so far. Looking forward to season 3 next year if IMDB is to be believed. What next?????
Foundation: Long Ago, Not Far Away (2023)
Not bad
A good episode. A bit cowboy and Indians western with a love interest. Everything about this episode was excellent apart from the Star Wars battle scene and the 'singularity' at the end. Total hogwash. But they obviously wanted to lead it up to something else. (Next episode). However that was the only thing out of the whole episode that was wrong (well maybe the big bloke fighting with the wee slip of a girl). The acting was superb as usual. The special effects were superb and the story narrative explained a lot. If you've got to this episode after watching the others you don't really need to be told keep watching till the end.
Foundation: Why the Gods Made Wine (2023)
Losing me
As others have said this is loosely based on Asimov's books. The cinematography is excellent as always. The acting is superb but it still doesn't work well. The main characters of Gaal and Salvor (originally male in the books but we have the message nowadays) are dim. Very dim. This episode especially. However it is more than made up by the other characters. Especially the clerics and brother Day himself. Great acting and very good dialogue. The CGI in 4K is very good. Very believable, unlike the two characters mentioned earlier on. It's still worth watching but don't be tempted to read the books first. I personally find it annoying when the series just doesn't differ slightly but the writers change huge chunks.
By Dawn (2019)
Good premise not well executed
This starts off well. But then the family is introduced and instantly you hope they end up dead. The mother is selectively deaf and stupid all the time. The two young kids near the end actually look scared. Better acting than the adults. The way the film proceeds it becomes too stupid for words. They'd rather shoot themselves and the kids rather than take their chances with the aliens. I'm no expert on US military uniforms but why would a lieutenant colonel wear a corporals uniform ? I never looked closely enough to see if the medals were genuine. The twist at theme has two. Firstly it's all in the main characters head. PTSD and DID at the same time. Sore one. Then we have an alien presence. WTF. Is their a part two? Anyhoo I watched it on a rainy afternoon. If you have chores to do the film can wait.
Thirst (2015)
Usual hokum genre rubbish
This film is unrealistic. Okay take away the blood sucking alien the film is still unrealistic. A friend found in the desert in his truck so badly decomposed that the lead female character is vomiting but still reckons said friend died due to losing control being drunk. The good looking kid finds dead friends phone but lead actress and actor don't want to look at it despite being told , "I've got his phone". After all that it's downhill. Too many stupid coincidences. Why di they always have the car/bike won't start scenario? Then there is the angry teenager who wants to fight. Not the alien but with the other characters. That boils down to lazy writing as the writers can't be bothered trying to weave a realistic story into the script. I'd say don't waste your time but hey you may like creature features full of coincidences and angry young people.
Eloise (2016)
Makes no sense
WTF was this about. It made no sense unless you invoke magic. The idea isn't any different from similar genres. In fact it doesn't add anything new maybe except for confusion. A guy who's estranged father dies leaving a son (who isn't really his son) with a lot of wedge and a big house. But there's a problem. The 'dad' has a sister who they don't know if she lives. So he has to find if she's alive. That's the first problem. I'm no expert on US law but I would think as there is a sole surviving child the sibling has no rights. Anyhoo off they trot to an insane asylum and there the confusion starts. It jumps back and forwards in time (approx 30 years) with two of the characters actually not changing in age. It made no sense. No explanation forthcoming either. One character ends up drowning while spaced out on LSD. Some random down and out appears twice with no idea what that's about (maybe I missed something). Was this a horror? A paranormal ? Science Fiction? Time travel? Who knows. Too disjointed. Made no sense. Ending was a cop out.
Ultra Red (2023)
Travesty
What a travesty. This had the beginnings of a good plot but the acting and script had me gnashing my teeth. From watching the NASA employee at the very beginning talking to her children you knew the acting was going to be bad. And so it came to pass. Filmmakers love the idea of a brilliant scientist/engineer being a bit of a lad. And so it came to pass. The dynamics between the characters is awful. And the storyline of the crew being NASA employees is an insult to NASA employees everywhere. Nobody would employ these plonkers. Two of the engine room staff don't get any lines and makes you wonder why they were there. The story has more holes than a Swiss cheese. The return to earth was laughable. How do we explain that asks the scriptwriters? Easy. Just ignore it. I guess we will never find out what the or who the alien was.
Settlers (2021)
Borefest
One of the most boring films I've ever watched. Starts off intriguing but by 20 minutes or do you quickly work out what is going on. Then it's a case of editing for the characters to bump each other off. They had to because there wasn't a story if they didn't. Then the last one alive commits suicide by leaving the dome. Ah the dome. Well although it's never really explained they live on Mars under a dome. No mention of how the dome gets there, where the food and waste go, how the oxygen is generated and no mention of how they seem to have standard earth gravity on a planet whose gravitational field is around 1/3 of earths. Sloppy and lazy writing. A setting on a dystopian alternate earth would be more plausible. Maybe the story is meant to make you think, what would I do. Well if you did what the characters did you'd all be dead.
Cobweb (2023)
Starts well then dies
5 stars because the film started well. Up to 15 minutes from the end. Where did the poison in the soup come from ? Rat poison? If so it doesn't work that quick. Why did the father let the mother continue eating the soup? Improbable. The climbing of the walls. Total rubbish. Not enough power to weight ratio. No sunshine for years. Seemed impervious to being pierced by metal objects. The street must have been the only US street with trick or treaters. No-one heard the screaming. Teenagers tooled up to wreck a house. It was bad. Shame. It started well. It was atmospheric. Acting was good especially by the mother. But the ending ruined it. Totally. Must do better.