Archive for the ‘Sci-Fi / Fantasy’ Category
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 1st, 2010
“On October 6, the planet blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds. The whole world saw the future…”
For all intents and purposes, it appears just like any routine fall day throughout the world. People are busying themselves about their normal concerns. Suddenly everyone on the planet blacks out for exactly 2 minutes and 17 seconds. Just think about that part for a moment. Every human being collapses at the same moment.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 30th, 2010
It’s been said that all good things must come to an end. In television that could not be more true. In the world of entertainment good things end, often quickly without a chance to leave any kind of an impact. Maybe six years wasn’t exactly quick for Lost, but at least it can’t claim not to have left an impact. The show changed how we watch television, and it will be a long time before anyone forgets about it.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 3rd, 2010
“I always wondered why nobody did it before me. I mean, all those comic books, movies, and TV shows. You’d think that one eccentric loner would have made himself a costume. I mean, is everyday life really so exciting? Are schools and offices so thrilling that I’m the only one who ever fantasized about this? Come on. Be honest with yourself. At some point in our lives, we all wanted to be a superhero. Who am I? I’m Kick Ass.”
You have to give the folks at Lionsgate some serious credit for the way they promoted Kick Ass. The film was generating a lot of buzz almost a year before it actually came out.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 3rd, 2010
For ten years we watched Jack O’Neil, Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and the Jaff’a Tealc’ enter the Stargate. Others would join the team over the years. Each week we would follow their adventures, first on Showtime and finally on the Sci-Fi (now Sy Fy) Channel. We watched with awe as they stepped through a portal that was in reality a wormhole transporting them instantly to another world, brought online by dialing the device like an old fashioned telephone. For another five years we traveled not only to another planet, but to the Pegasus Galaxy itself to the Atlantis Base, a bright floating city left behind by the ancients, the people who created the Stargate system millions of years before. On this show we met new friends, new bad guys, and had new adventures.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 13th, 2010
When I was a kid in the 80’s, Predator was one of those films that you weren’t supposed to watch, but everybody did anyway. Over-the-top action, invincible heroes, cheesy one-liners and big, big explosions made this a film that was a favorite of pre-pubescent boys everywhere. Going into this disc, I found myself wondering if the film would stand up to the harsh tests of time and maturity.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on July 8th, 2010
Swamp Thing the series was one of those shows that certainly be considered a guilty pleasure. Like the Incredible Hulk, Swamp Thing told the story of a scientist who is forced to live his life transformed as a mutated green monster. However, this particular green monster is not a drifter, he is forced to live his life in the swamp where the elements in turn give him great power. But in return, he must protect the swamp from people who would cause the ecological system harm.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 1st, 2010
Fans of classic science fiction know very well who Philip Jose Farmer is. Chances are you have read one of his many Riverworld novels going back to the early 1970’s. It’s absolutely required reading for any fan of the genre. When you think of those classic book series, this one stands right up there with Asimov’s Foundation books or Frank Herbert’s Dune series. I’ve only read the first novel, but remember it still. It’s an enchanting world that I always meant to return to one day. That day hadn’t yet come by the time I received this DVD release of SYFY’s latest take on the work. I’m sad to say that even after watching this 3 hour mini-series, that day still hasn’t come.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 7th, 2010
“I try to believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast. Count them, Alice. One, there are drinks that make you shrink. Two, there are foods that make you grow. Three, animals can talk. Four, cats can disappear. Five, there is a place called Underland. Six, I can slay the Jabberwocky.”
To be perfectly honest with you, I have never read either of the two Lewis Carroll books on which this film has been based. Under ordinary circumstances, that would put me at a decided disadvantage
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 19th, 2010
“In our findings on Gamera, we’ve ascertained that: Firstly, it is attracted to and consumes fire. Secondly, it also seems to possess an internal power plant, of sorts. This emits a signal frequency that can jam radio communications. In order to store up energy reserves, Gamera consumes inorganic resources. Not only does it consume petroleum as well as other mineral and fossil fuels, but Gamera may also seek out atomic bombs.”
Ask anyone about Japanese monster movies and Gamera usually won’t be the first name that comes into their minds.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 6th, 2010
“Most of the world’s population has been wiped out by a virus. Civilization, as we know it, has come to an end. For the few survivors, every day is a fight for life. But sinister forces threaten their future.”
Right from the opening credits, you can see that a lot has changed since 1975 and the original series. I’m guessing that my watching them back to back allows for even more dramatic notice of the changes. Everything is cleaner here. The production values are light-years away from what they were. Even the disc menus reflect the higher-tech edge of the 21st century production values.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 5th, 2010
“You know, I never thought what happens to a city … well … if it breaks down, all at the same time. There’s no power. There’s no lighting, or cooking. And food, even if you can get it into the city, you can’t distribute it. Then there’s water and sewage, things like that. You know, it just never occurred to me when I lived in London. The city’s like a great big pampered baby, with thousands of people feeding it and cleaning it, making sure it’s all right.”
It was 1975. These were the glory days of science fiction on the BBC.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 28th, 2010
Cocoon was based on a somewhat obscure novel by David Saperstein. It was also an unlikely film for beginning director Ron Howard. He had made it known since his career began that he had little respect for the science fiction genre. In an interview provided on this very release, he condemns the genre as not being about character or story. I’d say that Ron Howard just hasn’t watched the right science fiction. I beg to differ with his assessment.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 27th, 2010
“This is the Earth at a time when dinosaurs roamed a lush and fertile planet. A piece of rock just six miles wide changed all of that. It hit with the force of 10,000 nuclear weapons. A trillion tons of dirt and rock hurtled into the atmosphere, creating a suffocating blanket of dust that the sun was powerless to penetrate for a thousand years. It happened before. It will happen again. It’s just a question of when.”
When was 1998 with the summertime blockbuster movie Armageddon. This film was the poster child for summer tent pole movies.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 26th, 2010
“You’re not in Kansas any more. You’re on Pandora, ladies and gentlemen. Respect that fact every second of every day. If there is a Hell, you might want to go there for some R&R after a tour on Pandora. Out there beyond that fence, every living thing that crawls, flies, or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes for Jujubes…”
I don’t really have to tell you what Avatar is. If you haven’t heard of it by now, I have only one question to ask of you: How was that coma?
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 26th, 2010
“No young man, no matter how great, can know his destiny. He cannot glimpse his part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, he must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot. A boy that will, in time, father a legend. His name … Merlin.”
Merlin. You know the name. It conjures up images of a white-haired old man with a long gray beard and a long pointed hat. His story is indeed legend. In the myths of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, he is destined to be the mentor to the King of Camelot.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 14th, 2010
The SyFy Channel has been making original films for quite a few years. Unfortunately, they’ve mostly been known for their quite bad computer-generated f/x and rather silly plots and stories. It says quite a lot to me that I’m such a huge horror/science fiction fan but have never found one of these original movies to be even remotely good. Instead, I’ve found myself wincing with each new ridiculous script and every unimaginable lame creature the series has presented. The Maneater Series has been as guilty as any of the themed series in their efforts.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 7th, 2010
A spaceship crashes. From it emerge a monstrous creature called the Moorwen, and a man, Kainan (Jim Caviezel in Buff Action Mode), who is determined to hunt it down. However, he is promptly captured by vikings and taken to their village, at which point he must convince them of the terrible danger they are in. As it turns out, they don’t take much convincing, once the Moorwen attacks.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 31st, 2010
An ancient facility beneath Antarctica becomes the launching platform to the lost city of Atlantis. Atlantis is buried beneath an ocean in another galaxy and can only be reached with an additional symbol on the Stargate. Because of power limitations this trip, at least for the time being, is a one-way adventure. A crew of scientists and military officers from many countries assemble to explore the Pegasus Galaxy from the Atlantis gate. Led by scientist Dr. Weir (Higginson) and Maj. John Sheppard (Flanigan) they take over the Atlantian command center and begin to explore.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on March 15th, 2010
Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite books from my youth. One of my favorite birthday presents was a gorgeous copy of the book with illustrations from my aunt. So as a result, I have seen many incantations of the classic title from the famous Disney animated movie to a plethora of tv series & movies. Enter 2010, hoopla over the Alice in Wonderland remake with Johnny Depp, the way was opened for other adaptations attempting to cash in. Alice, a mini-series on SyFy premiered in late 2009 and became the 2nd most watched mini-series in SyFy’s history (first being Tin Man). But how good exactly was it?
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 12th, 2010
“Perseus and Andromeda will be happy together. Have fine sons… rule wisely… And to perpetuate the story of his courage, I command that from henceforth, he will be set among the stars and constellations. He, Perseus, the lovely Andromeda, the noble Pegasus, and even the vain Cassiopeia. Let the stars be named after then forever. As long as man shall walk the Earth and search the night sky in wonder, they will remember the courage of Perseus forever. Even if we, the gods, are abandoned or forgotten, the stars will never fade. Never. They will burn till the end of the time.”
Talk about your perfect storm.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Matthew Spencer on February 28th, 2010
Hellhounds is the tale of Kleitos and Princess Demetria—a “Greek” soldier and his bride to be. When Demetria is poisoned on their wedding day by a jealous friend, Kleitos enlists the help of a witch to travel to Hades and retrieve his bride’s soul. The soldier and his loyal friends—each with their own unidentifiable accents—make their voyage into the underworld only to face the wrath of Hades’ hounds when they arrive. They must escape with Demetria’s soul and reunite it with her physical body before Hades claims her as his bride. All the while, the four-legged beasts are hot on their trail for a taste of blood.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 26th, 2010
For all intents and purposes, it appears just like any routine Fall day throughout the world. People are busying themselves about their normal concerns. Suddenly everyone on the planet blacks out for exactly 2 minutes and 17 seconds. Just think about that part for a moment. Every human being collapses at the same moment. Think about all of the things that people are doing at any given moment. Driving cars. Flying planes. Performing delicate surgical procedures, or just walking across the street. Pretty much any activity is going to become dangerous as the blackouts occur. 20 million people worldwide die in the event.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 22nd, 2010
For ten years we watched Jack O’Neil, Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and the Jaff’a Tealc’ enter the Stargate. Others would join the team over the years. Each week we would follow their adventures, first on Showtime and finally on the Sci-Fi (now Sy Fy) Channel. We watched with awe as they stepped through a portal that was in reality a wormhole transporting them instantly to another world, brought online by dialing the device like an old fashioned telephone. For another five years we traveled not only to another planet, but to the Pegasus Galaxy itself to the Atlantis Base, a bright floating city left behind by the ancients, the people who created the Stargate system millions of years before
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 13th, 2010
“My old man calls space travel a fool’s game. He says human beings are 60 percent water; they eat, sleep, defecate, can’t follow directions, and explode like piñata when exposed to the vacuum in space. Lately, I’ve been wondering if he is right.”
Houston, this is Canaveral. Initiating prelaunch checklist. Please respond go/no go:
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 26th, 2010
“Look at yourselves. Unplug from your chairs, get up and look in a mirror. What you see is how God made you. We’re not meant to experience the world through a machine.”
Since the time we were kids, we were warned that you can’t tell a book by its cover. That has never been more true in our modern world of the internet. We play in chat rooms where almost no one is who they pretend to be. We lie about our age, looks, and even our gender, and rationalize it as harmless escapism or merely exaggeration. Everyone does it, or so we believe, so it’s actually expected.
Read the rest of this entry »
