Day 124: Moonraker

Moonraker
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Starring: Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale & Richard Kiel
Rated: PG
Length: 126 min
Released: June 29, 1979
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
A space shuttle called the Moonraker, built by Drax Industries, is on its way to the U.K when it is hijacked in mid-air and the crew of the 747 carrying it is killed. Bond immediately is called into action, and starts the investigation with Hugo Drax himself. While at the Drax laboratories, Bond meets the brilliant & stunning Dr. Holly Goodhead, a NASA astronaut & CIA agent who is investigating Drax for the U.S. Government. One of Drax’s thugs, the sinister Chan, attempts to kill 007 at the lab but when that fails, he follows Bond to Venice and tries again there. Bond & Goodhead follow Drax’s trail to Brazil, where they once again run into the 7′ Goliath Jaws, a towering giant with metal teeth. Escaping from him, they discover the existence of a huge space station undetected by U.S. or Soviet radar, and a horrible plot by Drax to employ nerve gas in a genocidal project! Bond & Holly must quickly find a way to stop Hugo Drax before his horrific plans can be put into effect.

My Thoughts:
Okay, I never thought I’d say this…but I’m getting soooo tired of James Bond. This is just crazy. My goodness…marathon in deed.

I also want to apologize (again) for the tardiness of some of these posts. I look like I’m a bit behind, and when it comes to the posting I am. I still don’t have the net at home (I know…I’m working on it) so it’s getting hard to do a post every day…but I’m still watching them.

With that said…thank you to all who have been following me on this journey. I’m sure you are getting tired of all these Bond films, like I am. It will soon be over…and then on to something less misogynistic perhaps? We’ll see.

So, Moonraker. The villain with a plot that winks at Hitler’s idea of the “superior” race and the dark days of eugenics in the world of science/medicine. It’s one of the more memorable Bond films with Roger Moore…and probably my least favorite. All the master race, space battles…and so on. It just doesn’t work for me. Space battles don’t belong to James Bond. I know it’s based on a book…but come on. It seemed like they were really stretching for some new exotic place to have a battle. They’ve done just about everywhere on the planet, so they just took it outside.

It kind of has a throw back feel to it, though. Some parts seem like a little wink back at the older Connery bond films that have elaborate futuristic sets and every villain seemed to have the same interior designer that was way to obsessed with “space age” technology.

On an up note…laser guns are sweet and Jaws gets a girlfriend!!! So hey…it’s not all bad. I’m giving this one 3 stars out of 5.

Day 111: Men In Black II

Men In Black II
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones
Rated: PG-13
Length: 88 Min.
Released: July 3, 2002
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
Kay and Jay reunite to provide our best, last and only line of defense against a sinister seductress who levels the toughest challenge yet to the MIBs untarnished mission statement: protecting the earth from the scum of the universe. It’s been four years since the alien-seeking agents averted an intergalactic disaster of epic proportions. And now it’s a race against the clock as Jay must convince Kay-who not only has absolutely no memory of his time spent with the Men In Black, but is also the only living person left with the expertise to save the galaxy-to reunite with the MIB before the earth submits to ultimate destruction.

My Thoughts:
I was anticipating this movie so much when it came out. I went in with such hight hopes that it would deliver just like the first one. As it turns out, it has everything the first film had…and that’s it’s problem. This movie had such great potential but just couldn’t deliver an original idea. It literally had all the same jokes, plot points and so on. It was really sad.

The comedic chemistry between Jones and Smith also had some issues. They just didn’t have it in this one. I think part of the reason is because the mentor/mentee dynamic was all out of wack through most of the film. It just wasn’t the same witty humor from the last one. First Jay is “in charge” as Kay has no memory for half the film and then when he gets it back there is this strange power struggle issue about who’s in charge. It made for a couple half way good jokes, but most of the jokes didn’t work as well because of that strange dynamic.

Oh, and don’t get me started on the villain. She had potential, but that was all. It wasn’t the perfect blend of “The Bug” in the first film.

Another thing I hate is when a trailer uses all the best material from the movie…especially jokes!!! If you haven’t seen the trailer yet…don’t. Yes, I know I put a link up for those who just “have to” watch it. However, I have a feeling the movie will be FAR better without the jokes being ruined by the trailer.

Just about the only thing it this that was a real “treat” to watch was Frank the dog. Sure, his jokes seemed a bit juvenile at times, but with that adorable dog dropping those lines and taking on the role of an “agent” it totally worked. It was a lot of fun to see him get a more prominent role.

Still, it was an entertaining movie. Not as good as the other one, but still okay. There is a third film being worked on right now that will be in 3D and released in 2012. Rumor has it the plot will deal with time travel. Seeing as how I’m a sucker for time travel plots I can’t help but be a little excited. Lets hope they learned from MIB II and give us something more original. This one is getting 3 stars out of 5.

Day 110: Men In Black

Men In Black
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones & Will Smith
Rated: PG-13
Length: 98 min.
Released: July 2, 1997
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
Men in Black follows the exploits of agents Kay and Jay, members of a top-secret organization established to monitor and police alien activity on Earth. The two Men in Black find themselves in the middle of the deadly plot by an intergalactic terrorist who has arrived on Earth to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies. In order to prevent worlds from colliding, the MiB must track down the terrorist and prevent the destruction of Earth. It’s just another typical day for the Men in Black.

My Thoughts:
When I saw this movie in the theaters I had no idea what it was about. Come to think of it…this was the first movie I ever went to see in the theaters without knowing a thing about it. I don’t do that very often. I was glad I did with this one. It turned out to be my favorite movie all year. I saw it three times in the theater that year, and had it on VHS and watched it over and over. To this day I can still quote most of the movie.

This movie just works on so many levels. It’s highly entertaining, great special effects, action, story/plot and the actors were cast perfectly. Jones and Smith have perfect comedic chemistry. Their mentor/protege  relationship is so much fun to watch. But all of that wouldn’t work nearly as well without a great villain…which they have. The villain in this film is the perfect blend of creepy, discussing, intimidating and hilarious. The whole film has a great balance of action, menace and  comedy, but the best example of that is seen when watching “The Bug.”

This film has also aged well too. Now over a decade old, it’s still a highly entertaining action comedy. You can probably guess I’m giving this one 5 stars out of 5. More accurately I’d like to call it a 5 star popcorn flick. It’s just such a fun movie to watch. Tomorrow is Men In Black II…

P.S. On a side note, who could forget the hit song and music video of Will Smith’s Men In Black song!!! LOL It’s such a classic 90s hit!!!

Day 78: Muppets from Space

Muppets from Space
Director: Tim Hill
Starring: Jeffrey Tambor, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, Rob Schneider, Andie MacDowell, Kathy Griffin & Josh Charles
Rated: G
Length: 87 min.
Released: July 14, 1999
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
When adopted Gonzo and his rat pal Rizzo embarks on a quest to find Gonzo’s real family, Gonzo discovers that his long-lost relatives are actually aliens from a distant planet. After announcing to the world on Miss Piggy’s talk show, “UFO Mania,” that he plans to find his family and prove once and for all that life on other planets exists, he becomes the target of the evil paranoid government operative K. Edgar Singer. After a daring escape from the Singer compound, Gonzo tracks down his mother’s ship and faces the most difficult question of his life: does he climb aboard and joined the family he has always wanted or does he stay on Earth with the family and friends that he has always known and loved?

My Thoughts:
By far, one of the best Muppet movies ever made! Excellent story with a fantastic array of hilarious pop culture one liners. Plain and simple it’s comedic genius all the way through.

I always thought it would be fun to address Gonzo’s “whatever-ness.” He’s an alien…of course!!!

Just watch it…that’s all I got to say. If you are even remotely a Muppets fan you won’t be disappointed.

5 stars out of 5!!!

Day 77: The Chronicles of Riddick: The Director’s Cut

The Chronicles of Riddick: The Director’s Cut
Directed by: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Colm Feore, Thandie Newton, Judi Dench, Karl Urban, Alexa Davalos & Keith David
Rated: NR (Theatrical PG-13)
Length: 134 min.
Theatrical Release: June 11, 2004
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
Five years ago… Escaped convict Richard B. Riddick escaped from a desert planet with his two companions, religious man Imam and runaway teenage girl Jack. After five years wandering across the outskirts of the galaxy and being hunted by bounty hunters calming the bounty on his head, Riddick arrives on the colonized planet New Mecca, he learns Imam placed the bounty on his head and Jack has been imprisoned on the prison planet “Crematoria” for murder. Riddick learns from Aereon, ambassador of the Elemental race is seeking out Furians, a race of warriors in a bid to balance the universe, as a warrior army known as The Necromongers led by the evil undead Lord Marshal are invading every planet in the galaxy and cleansing all of humanity in their goal for universal conquest. Beliving Riddick is a Furian warrior, Aereon decides to hire Riddick believing he is the one man who can stop The Lord Marshal and the Necromongers. When the Necromongers attacks New Mecca, Riddick is captured by cocky bounty hunter Toombs and his crew and he is transported to Crematoria, where he reunites with Jack now named ‘Kyra’, where Riddick and Kyra escapes to the planet’s sun ravaged surface, where Riddick helped by Necromonger warrior Vakko and his sexy wife Dame Vakko, sets out to defeat the Lord Marshal and save the universe from the Lord Marshal’s rule and save the rest of humanity from being converted into Nercomonger warriors.

My Thoughts:
WAY different from Pitch Black…way different. It’s a straight up sci-fi action flick. Not a scary horror/monster flick at all.

It is weird though. It almost comes across as some kind of artistic sci-fi critique of the Crusades…or perhaps extreme Islam or some other crazy violent religious movement. It was a bit off-putting…I’m not going to lie.

This one is really the kind of movie you have to see for yourself and make up your mind. It’s hard to really explain it all…the good and the bad. I’m giving it 3 stars out of 5.

Day 76: The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury

The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury
Directed by: Peter Chung
Starring: Vin Diesel, Rhiana Griffith & Keith David
Rated: Not Rated
Length: 35 min.
Released: June 15, 2004
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
After escaping from a desert planet, Escaped convict Richard B. Riddick and his two companions, Jack and Imam are captured by a crew of bounty hunters of the vessel “Kublah-Khan” commanded by a imperial woman named Antonia Chillingsworth and her chief henchman Junner. Riddick discovers Chillingsworth has her own museum on-board and she collects the galaxy’s most-wanted criminals and instead of delivering them to penal colonies and claiming the bounty, Chillingsworth turns them into living statues and Riddick has become the latest addition to her collection.

My Thoughts:
If you read my “rules’ for this blog you may be asking, “Why is he reviewing this one?  It’s not a feature film.” But I did note that I would make a few exceptions if they dealt directly with a movie series…and this qualifies.

Anyway…

To say this was a strange story would be an understatement. It makes for an interesting transition piece between the two major films, and it provides a unique back story for the next film…but it’s just weird.

The animation is okay, and it’s great that all the actors loaned their voices for this…but it’s just weird. I had a hard time buying it because it was so far out there…even for a sci-fi film. The battle sequences were cool, but as a story…like I said, weird.

I’m giving this one 2.5 stars out of 5.

Day 75: Pitch Black: Unrated Director’s Cut

Pitch Black: Unrated Director’s Cut
Directed by: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser & Keith David
Rated: NR (Theatrical R)
Length: 112 min.
Released: February 18, 2000
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
The space transport vessel “Hunter-Gratzner” carrying 40 people on-board crashes on a desert planet when the ship is struck in a meteor storm. There are only 10 survivors, among them are pilot Carolyn Fry (Who has assumed command after the ship’s captain is killed), bounty hunter William J. Johns, religious man Abu “Imam” al-Walid, Antiques dealer Paris P. Ogilvie, runaway teenage girl Jack, settlers John ‘Zeke’ Ezekiel and his lover Sharon ‘Shazza’ Montgomery and Richard B. Riddick, a dangerous escaped convict. Marooned, the 10 survivors finds the barren and hot desert-scape has sunlight from three suns. Not only they find food and water, and worry about Riddick, the survivors finds themselves being hunted by the planet’s flesh eating alien inhabits, when the planet is engulfed in darkness, which happens every 22 years, as they come out on to the surface to hunt and eat all signs of life. Fry and the survivors finds Riddick is their best chance of survival, as Riddick has surgically-enhanced silver eyes that allow him to see in the dark as they set out to find a way of escaping from the planet and getting to a escape shuttle, before they all get eaten by the creatures on the surface.

My Thoughts:
I’m not a huge Vin Diesel fan, but this one was really good. Going into it the first time I had my doubts about this being any good at all. I got dragged into it because, like I said before, I’m a scary/monster movie fan and I’m a sci-fi fan as well. This one fits the criteria of both.

To my surprise I really enjoyed it! It was a solid sci-fi story without going to far over the top. The acting wasn’t horrible and and neither were the special effects. It wasn’t the greatest movie ever…but it was a surprisingly fun and entertaining ride.

One of the coolest things about this film visually is how they use  light and changing the hue to adjust the tone of the movie. If you weren’t watching it with that in mind you may not even notice it. Since the creatures are allergic to light it makes for an interesting oportunity to use light in this picture in a very clear and direct way. For example, there are two different suns. One is blue and the other is a red/orange. Also, Riddick sees everything with a purplish tone, the creatures see in a grayish black/white hue and even in the dark (once the suns go down) they use various different colored light like white, red, even green and blue to change the feel of the scene. It’s really kind of cool to how they do it.

Other than that I don’t have much else to say really. I know I’m not “selling” this one very well, but I don’t want to give too much of it away. It was better for me knowing less about it when I went into it. If you think it looks dumb I would say just give it a shot. This was such a unique idea for a movie and I had a lot more fun that I thought I would. I’m giving it 4 stars out of 5.

Day 31: Planet of the Apes

The Planet of the Apes

Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti & Estella Warren
Rated: PG-13
Length: 119 min
Released: July 27, 2001
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
It is the year 2029: Astronaut Leo Davidson boards a pod cruiser on a Space Station for a “routine” reconnaissance mission. But an abrupt detour through a space time wormhole lands him on a strange planet where talking apes rule over the human race. With the help of a sympathetic chimpanzee activist named Ari and a small band of human rebels, Leo leads the effort to evade the advancing Gorilla Army led by General Thade and his most trusted warrior Attar. Now the race is on to reach a sacred temple within the planet’s Forbidden Zone to discover the shocking secrets of mankind’s past – and the key to its future.

My Thoughts:
To start this one off I must bring full disclosure. I have not seen any of the original Planet of the Apes movies. I know…I know. How horrible of me…right? I’ve seen portions of the others and the only thing I remember is people who kind of looked like monkeys in terrible makeup and special effects. The new one was way better on the believability scale.

The special effects of this were just amazing. Most of the main actors that were in the monkey makeup…I wouldn’t have thought it was actually them. Especially Tim Roth (seen just a few days ago in The Incredible Hulk on day 29) Some of them I still don’t! I mean look at them!…

Tim Roth

Helena Bonham Carter

Paul Giamatti

Now grant it the old a actors were pretty unrecognizable too, but they didn’t look as realistic. Also the action sequences are nice (and even better on a bigger screen…as always). The ending didn’t quite work for me though. It’s such a confusing way to close the movie, and some of the acting on the part of the humans was less than stellar, but the special effects are well worth the watch. Tim Burton did a marvelous job updating the level of realism and believability to this long lost franchise. Unfortunately it didn’t do so hot at the box office because the story was a bit weak. I’m giving this one 3 out of 5 stars because of the superb job on the makeup and other special effects.

Day 18: Moon

Moon
Directed by: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell & Kevin Spacey
Rated: R
Length: 97 min.
Released: January 23 2009
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
Sam Bell has a three year contract to work for Lunar Industries. For the contract’s entire duration, he is the sole employee based at their lunar station. His primary job responsibility is to harvest and periodically rocket back to Earth supplies of helium-3, the current clean and abundant fuel used on Earth. There is no direct communication link available between the lunar station and Earth, so his only direct real-time interaction is with GERTY, the intelligent computer whose function is to attend to his day to day needs. With such little human contact and all of it indirect, he feels that three years is far too long to be so isolated; he knows he is beginning to hallucinate as the end of his three years approaches. All he wants is to return to Earth to be with his wife Tess and their infant daughter Eve, who was born just prior to his leaving for this job. With two weeks to go, he gets into an accident at one of the mechanical harvesters and is rendered unconscious. Injured, he awakens back at the station in the infirmary, he assumes assisted by GERTY. GERTY tells him that a rescue team named Eliza will come to the station to clean up the aftermath of the accident. After his recuperation, he takes an unauthorized trip back to the broken harvester, where he makes an unexpected discovery. Because of his find, he begins to doubt his sanity, then his true identity, then the company and GERTY’s willingness to do what is best for him. Because of his resulting beliefs, his sole mission becomes how to get back to Earth on his own.

My Thoughts
This movie was given to me by a friend as a recommendation…and I LOVED IT!!! Such a unique idea. As you start to figure out what is really going on the whole concept just seems so insane! It’s a sci-fi movie, but it’s not too far out there for those who don’t like the Fantasy/Space type movies like Star Wars and/or Star Trek. It’s more of a possible future type of sci-fi movie that takes place all on the moon.

It’s not a well known movie which just makes it better in my mind because I like finding hidden gems and then sharing them with others. It did great at a variety of film festivals all over the world but never got a vary wide release. I don’t want to say too much about it because I honestly think it’s better going into it not knowing much about it. If you can find it on DVD…I’d pick it up. It’s a really crazy-awesome idea for a movie.

Sam Rockwell does a great job playing himself in a variety of different capacities…and hearing Keven Spacey voice the computer was a nice touch. I liked it. 4.5 stars out of 5 is my vote.

Day 13: Lost In Space

Lost In Space
Directed by: Stephen Hopkins
Starring: William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Gary Oldman & Matt LeBlanc
Rated: PG-13
Length: 130 min
Released: April 3, 1998
Trailer

IMDB.com Synopsis:
The year is 2058. Most of the Earth’s natural resources are virtually exhausted and will no longer support human life. The government decides that another planet shall be the human race’s new home and the government begins construction of two “Hypergates” that will allow the human race to travel across space to the distant planet Alpha Prime. Government scientist Professor John Robinson, decides to set up a vital space mission. Along with his family: His wife Maureen, their children, oldest daughter, medical officer Judy, troubled teenage daughter, video technician Penny and their youngest son, gifted robotics expert Will and joined by heroic military fighter pilot Major Don West, John and his crew travels to Alpha Prime on-board the spaceship “Jupiter 2″. But the traitorous Dr. Zachary Smith, working for terrorists known as the Seditions, uses the ship’s robot and sabotages the mission and sends “Jupiter 2″ off-course. But as Jupiter 2 is caught in the gravitational pull of the sun, John uses the ship’s hyper-drive to escape. But John, his family and Major West learns that they’ve entered a uncharted part of the galaxy and they are lost in space.

My Thoughts
So this isn’t the greatest Sci-Fi movie ever, but it has its moments for sure. I mean after watching Starship…this thing is an incredibly epic space film. I have only seen the original TV show once or twice as a kid so I don’t really have that to compare it to, but it was a fun ride overall. Since it came out in 1998 you kind of need to be a little forgiving with some of the CGI. It’s not super, but it gets the job done. In particular there is a sequence where they are being chased by these spider-like aliens that was really cool and the CGI worked well.

It was also nice to see Matt LaBlanc in a role other than Joe from Friends. After seeing a few episodes of the less than impressive Friends spin-off  Joey it was nice to be reminded that he can take more serious characters. Gary Oldman also does a nice job playing the villain of this space adventure. Then again…Gary Oldman does a great job playing villains in general.

It also does an interesting job messing with the ever so popular topic of space/time travel. I always like most movies and TV shows that deal with this concept…and this one has an interesting twist, but the ending seemed a bit to awkward/forced. Not to mention the fact that many aspects of how and why exactly the time/space travel happened were left unanswered.

This one is going to get a 2.5 stars out of 5. I am literally torn right down the middle. There were a lot of things about it I enjoyed a lot, and in other areas it was very disappointing. Had it come out 4-5 years later I think it would have been much better.