High Incident (1996-1997)

19 okt, 23:37

Post by TV Shows.
This is one of those TV Shows that deserved much better treatment since it was top notch. I can tell you this much it was far superior to any of the contemporary police dramas that are on now. How come people have not heard of High Incident then? Well,this is what you get when idiot network executives play there games. They have no clue what good drama is even if it would be spelled out by God himself. Time and time again I see terrible shows being renewed and terrific shows like this one getting cancelled. It sickens me. If you come across this show on tape or DVD then grab,steal buy whatever it takes because you got yourself a gold mine there.

Review Man of Steel (2013)

19 okt, 02:36

Review Man of Steel (2013)
genre:action/adventure,science fiction

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_hope.html#Q4ORjS71YueQqjxS.99Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_hope.html#Q4ORjS71YueQqjxS.99Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_hope.html#Q4ORjS71YueQqjxS.99Learn from yesterday,live for today,hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not questioning - Albert EinsteinWe must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope -Martin Luther King, jr.
These are two of many well thought of quotes concerning hope. In Man of Steel we get a new addition: The S stands for Hope. " Is there more? No,this is it. Ok. that will work,I think. Let me get this straight. as long as this S is on your suit there is still hope. Hope for what? Without the S on your suit we are doomed? Or don't we really need this S,but just you. All I am saying is,what on Earth are you babbling about? "
This is not dialogue from Man of Steel,but it might as well have been. There is almost no logic to the scene where this gets discussed. How can the S be a symbol already if Superman is not really known in the world yet. Apart from the happy few the rest of the world is completely oblivious of this alien's existence. To honour the man who in fact is the indirect cause of all the chaos and destruction on Earth and make him out to be some kind of Messiah is beyond ridiculous. I would have understood if they would have shown Superman doing good in his suit throughout this movie so that he a god like creature did come across as their saviour. Only this is not the case. Just simple thought or logic will make you question of what is being done or said in Man of Steel. As quite a few things simply don't add up.
First off Man of Steel starts with showing us Krypton and the birth of our hero. And I must admit it was nice to see a little more of the planet. Then we get to see Jor El (played by Russel Crowe) into action in such a way that the overall tone was set. Huge,loud,bombastic action scenes with no dramatic context to speak of.  Sure they looked pretty but without making people invested in them these scenes aren't compelling at all. Which could be said of the whole movie. It lacks drama and suspense. The few supposedly dramatic scenes were so unbelievable and fake it almost became comedic. 
There is no story people. We go back and forth through Superman's past and present that does not build up to anything. Events just happen out of the blue because they have to to get the film going. The abundance of action scenes makes you forget about anything that resembles a plot. I could have handled the bad writing if the characters had meat to them. If they would not spell out the names you would not even be aware of who they were. Amy Adams as Lois Lane is a joke. Biggest miscast ever! Apart from her physical appearance (honestly people, a red headed Lois Lane) there was nothing that made me remind of the character I know. Lois Lane was always on top of things with not much regard of her own life. Sometimes bordering stupidity but at least she had a lot of spunk. Amy Adams was squealing her lines and was far too timid. Superman (Henry Cavill) himself barely says something. And what he says has no weight to it whatsoever. He looked the part definitely but he made me realize how phenomenal Christopher Reeve was as Superman. He did not need fancy cgi effects to show who was the man. Michael Shannon was hamming his role big time and for the first time I have seen him acting poorly. Up to this role he always managed to bring some sophistication when it came to his acting. Here he is clueless to bring depth to his General Zod. For the most part it's not his fault. The bad direction and what has to be the worst dialogue ever doomed a chance of coming on top as a villain.
Back to Supe in Man of Steel. In random scenes he is shown to have revealed his super powers without trying to hide is identity. In the one important scene where it would actually make sense to he does not do anything. Say what? Which brings me to the willingness of the parents to sacrifice their lives for absolutely no good reason at all. In one scene Kal El (Supe) asks his father Jor El why he did not come with him and remained on the dying planet. Then we get some ludicrous answer that I can't even repeat without getting sick. Just another lame attempt in being philosophical and profound with the exact opposite effect. There is no bigger meaning behind it. It is just an artificial ploy to evoke drama. Also why did Man of Steel take itself so seriously? Sure in a darker approach that is to be expected. Still would it really taken away from that if a little comic relief was put in. Are we really to believe that Supe in his teen years did not abuse his powers to pull pranks. Come on.(Ok it just hit me there was one scene that was funny. Although the way it was filmed it had a too much serious vibe attached to it.)
The action. Like I said earlier. The action scenes looked gorgeous. Although they did remind me of some scenes in The Matrix Revolutions. The big fight scene between Zod and Superman was almost a blatant copy of the fight between Neo and Mr. Smith. ( I am well aware that Neo himself was a cross between Superman and Jesus. Still that does not make it ok to steal from this). The tentacle like machines looked like they were straight pulled from Matrix Evolutions. (BTW back at the day Matrix Revolutions was getting bad press because of the overuse of CGI effects and focus on bombastic but spectacular action. Am I the only one seeing the irony how Man of Steel is getting revered for doing the exact same thing. Except that in my opinion The Matrix Revolutions is the superior film in every way.)  Is this a bad thing? If Zack Snyder did something new or original with it,then no. Only he did not even bother and then in my opinion it becomes unacceptable. Action scenes being pretty doesn't really cut it for me especially if they are devoid of emotion and thus made it a chore to watch them. Yes,there is such a thing as just too much. There is only so much the senses can handle.
These are just a few points that made me dislike this film. But I refuse to waste any more time to this title since it is not worth it. In case you have not guessed before. Man of Steel is terrible. Honestly the people who are praising this need their heads examined. I have not even mentioned the blatant disregard of what Superman of the comics,cartoon and previous movies stood for. Just looking at this as a random sci fi production and ignoring it is Superman can't make me overlook it lacks the primal basics of film making to call it remotely good. Have you lost your minds people?  There is no heart in this production. No love,no passion. And what was with all the lens flares?  Have you been copying JJ Abrams, Zack? Bad move, very bad move. I can't believe you made 300. You let me down bro! Don't watch this pathetic excuse of a movie!

Review Saints Row the Third (PS3)

17 okt, 20:11

Review Saints Row the Third (PS3)
genre:s andbox,action/adventure
year: 2011

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A game I ignored mostly because I did not know much about the franchise. And the video review I happened to watch at the time it was released wasn’t that positive. Then I saw it being offered as a free game in the ps3 plus instant game collection and I decided to see what kind of game it was for myself. I could not understand why some people were raving about it like it was the second coming but yet despite that fact was so underrated.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no point beating around the bush. It blew my mind. It wasn’t anything like I expected to be and all the criticism towards it is unwarranted if you ask me. Saints Row the Third is the most fun sandbox game I played.  The game is excellent proof of how to mix up the serious with the absurd. And by doing so surprising you all the time. These surprises is what made me fall in love with the game. It is not often that I can say not knowing how a story will play out and manages to parody  whatever you can think of being parodied. One minute you were laughing your head off then you were stuck in incredibly intense missions that got your heart pumping. The next you are running from zombies wanting to eat you. How this game is not better rated or appreciated more than GTA IV is beyond me. It is by far the superior one and has so much more to offer. Taking over gang territories actually matter as they earn you money. And with money there is all sorts of useful goodies you can buy. RPG elements to upgrade abilities and weapons, customization of your character throughout the game. Not being happy as a man, no worries go to a plastic surgeon and become a woman. Or  vice versa. Thank god for not being forced to stick with a character because you did not have the patience to make one properly. For once when you made a mistake you can correct it. This is also one of the few games where you actually get a sense of progress in the world you play in. The game rewards you for doing optional missions. And there are so many of them. 
What if you don't like sandbox type games and aren't impressed with having options. Well, Saints Row the Third features some of the wackiest characters that refer to current pop culture. Even if you don't recognize the references a lot of the events are funny enough to make the biggest doubter laugh. Plus the game is filled with thrills and crazy action sequences that are so epic and cinematic that it feels like you are playing your most favourite action movie.     Take it from someone who wasn’t particularly fond of  gangster type sandbox games. Saints Row the Third is awesome. It’s a blast from start to finish. I loved it so much that I am planning to play all of the parts in this franchise. Join me and become a Saint. Because The Saints are righteous! (Did he just say righteous? Yes,I did)

Review Sisters (1973)

17 okt, 00:04

Review Sisters (1973)
genre:thriller

Brian de Palma never made a secret of his love for Hitchcock but yet it was never so obvious as in Sisters. The way he sets up the story and the characters could have been directly copied from Rear Window and Psycho yet even then Brian de Palma adds his own unique vision that gives it a different vibe. He goes beyond what Hitchcock  would have done and manages to make this eerie combination of comedy and the bizarre. Most of the story is kept simple and like many thrillers it is asked of the viewer to believe certain events as if it could happen. By doing so it made some scenes effectively creepy and even scary. And credit has to be given to Margot Kidder as well. As she plays a magnificent double role. Which is much better than her Lois Lane role in Superman (1978). Sisters is one of those movies the least you know the more you enjoy it. So therefore I will keep this one short. In my opinion a must watch!
Also read:Review Passion (2012)

Review House at the End of the Street (2012)

15 okt, 23:27

Review House at the End of the Street (2012)
genre:horror,thriller
If a poster is telling you there is an awesome twist then you know it is not going to make good on it's promise. In case you do believe this let me help you out of that dream: NO IT IS NOT AWESOME OR SCARY!
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House at the end of the street could have been so much more since it clearly shows it has the potential. This film is proof how important a director can be to translate such potential to the screen. In this case Mark Tonderai fails to.
From the title you might have gotten the impression this is one of so many haunted house stories. And there was enough there to make it seem like that way. Which would have added to the viewing experience. Yet too soon any hint towards the supernatural is crushed by a turn in the story that in my opinion came far too soon. Then the director seems to be more focused on the dynamics between mother Elisabeth Shue and daughter Jennifer Lawrence. Which was nice to set up the tension between them but it has no bearing to the overall story. And thus ends up a waste of time. Then the thriller elements kicks in that start out promising  and even offer a decent amount of suspense which sadly never supersedes mediocrity. A lot could have been done to add suspense or thrills. Like adding some good old red herrings. I know some people don't care about those and want the blood and the gore. Guess what there is none. Luckily I am not one of those horror fans who find that to be necessary. One can thrill in several other ways. But director Mark Tonderai does nothing of the sort and goes for the easy and predictable solutions. Not even bothering to surprise or reward the viewer for watching at the end of this film. 
So is it a title that is worth your time? It is not bad by any means. Only it’s not particular good either. For me this is one of those titles I reserve for rainy Sundays when nothing else is on. I think Jennifer Lawrence fans will watch this regardless. And perhaps will fall for the charm of Max Thieriot. He shows promise and did what he could with his role and is bound to impress the ones who watch this. Other than that there is nothing going on that needs mentioning.

Review Trapped (2002)

11 okt, 02:40

Review Trapped (2002)
genre:thriller,drama

Sometimes you come across a title with big names and you wonder why you never heard of it before. In my experience a lot of these relatively unknown titles have a lot to offer. But because of  external factors never have gotten the praise and attention it deserved. Sadly Trapped is not one of them. While it starts pretty strong it ends up as a disappointing affair. Charlize Theron and Kevin Bacon are the reasons it remains a little interesting. As for the rest is predictable suspense and some drama that was not nearly as compelling as undoubtedly it was intended. Throughout Trapped I was hoping for something clever because I simply refused to believe that a production like this would have nothing new to offer. Especially if you looked at the cast involved. Still I was willing to overlook it being predictable if Trapped managed to engage me at least. Which it did not. Do yourself a favour,skip this one entirely.


Ok,maybe this is a little harsh. I just think that in this case there is barely any reason to watch. Films like these need to grab you and then dazzle you with twists,turns or other factors and Trapped completely fails to do this. With the talent involved I expect better.

Review Friday the 13th part XI: Jason goes to Hell

8 okt, 23:55

Review Friday the 13th part XI:
Jason goes to Hell 
a.k.a. Jason goes to Hell: The Final Friday
genre:horror,slasher

If you compare the later entries in the franchise then you know they have strayed from the path so much that these sequels barely resemble the style or format of the original. In several attempts to do new things the most outrageous plots have been thought up to keep bringing back Jason. In this part it provides the first WTF moment of epic proportions that you simply know it will never recover from that. Two things you can do then. Be outraged,scream your lungs out,cry and find some comfort wherever you can find it. Or you can go with the flow and accept the weirdness and embrace it and have a thoroughly happy time. I embraced it and freakin loved this film. Do I realize it is incredibly bad? Yes,I do. There are so many things wrong with this one it would take me pages and pages to describe those flaws and mistakes. Despite it being this bad it has a lot of good things also. 
First of all, this part never takes itself seriously. The people involved in making this know it is bad and therefore decide to take it to the next level and come up with one crazy event after another. Giving the viewer several WTF moments that undoubtedly will make you gasp for fresh air since you won't be able to breathe during these events. Second,even when there is a lot of goofiness going around the actors in it play it straight faced  making this one an excellent parody of itself. One might even could go as far to say it is brilliant. (I already regret saying this but damned watch Jason goes to Hell and then decide for yourself it is utter stupidity or magnificent brilliance covered in bizarre metaphors so complicated even the makers themselves have not been able to figure out.) Third, next to the comedy (provided you accept it is just that) some killings are over the top gory. While I prefer suspense over gore. I sure can appreciate it in these types of movies and especially in this one. You simply won't believe what Jason is capable off. Then last but not least Steven Williams as Creighton Duke. He elevates his role into something significant and mysterious. Too bad the film makers did not seize the opportunity to do more with him.
Jason goes to Hell falls into the category that it is so bad it becomes good. It's so over the top that I could not help but laugh en enjoy it. Try to let go of the weirdness and you will be able to see that this part is very entertaining. Be aware though that this is far from the Jason of the earlier parts in the sequels and the mythology has been screwed with so it can lead to disappointment for ones who were expecting more of the same. 

Are you on the line? Review The Internship (2013)

2 okt, 21:00

Review The Internship (2013)
genre:comedy,feel good movie

Are you on the line?

This question (Are you on the line?) pretty much sums up what the older main characters played by Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson know about the jobs they are applying for at Google. Absolutely nothing. However they are experienced in many other fields and are capable of thinking out of the box that they have the potential to be just as valuable as the more technically qualified (younger) persons. Basically this comedy shows us that other factors also matter when looking for candidates how someone could be an asset to a company.    
Now don't expect harsh social,economic or political criticism. It is of the subtle variety and in my opinion an excellent approach especially if you only are watching this comedy for escapist reasons. For the most part The Internship is pretty conventional and predictable. But in a very fun way. There were scenes I was laughing so hard because the delivery of some of the comedy was incredible good. Vince Vaugh and Owen Wilson combined make a good pair and simply are fireworks. 
At a few points the film does drag slightly but these do get compensated by  hilarious scenes that make you forget about the slower scenes entirely. (I think because of the contrast that is created  between them the viewing pleasure even gets enhanced). Although they prolong the length of the movie artificially which I believe was unnecessary. In this case a much shorter film would have made this a stronger one. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson naturally provide the majority of the laughs but they also show why actors of this calibre can make a difference in film projects like these. In certain scenes they hold back or just give enough so that the younger actors get the chance to shine and show their talents. The Internship has a lot of scenes where Vince or Owen are interacting with others in a way that made you care for them even when we aren't really told enough of who they are and where they are coming from. Only adding to the overall feel good experience. Especially Tiya Sircar made an impression. She was fresh,funny and yet was able to add some seriousness to her character. I hope to see more of her in future. With Tobit Raphael as the Asian nerd they tried to address another sensitive issue present in some societies or cultures also in a subtle way which surprisingly worked but where I was hoping to see more depth or originality. Still, then it would have become a more dramatic affair and detracted from the comedy. 
Overall The Internship is a wonderful feel good comedy that is very funny. The fact that it can be seen as one major advertisement for Google should not detract from that at all.  Since The Internship does so much more. It for example addresses all kinds of political,economic and social issues that are current and very much on the topic. And more important. From start to finish it is entertainment at it's finest. Certainly one of the best comedies that have come out this year. Watch it already! 

Review Curse of Chucky (2013)

27 sep, 14:27

Review Curse of Chucky (2013)
genre:horror

Fans of the franchise might have had some doubts when they saw the first images appear of the new Chucky doll. To put the minds at ease there is a perfectly good reason for it. And a brilliant one I might add. Of course you will have to watch for your self why that is. 
Curse of Chucky doesn't waste a minute to set the mood and introduce us to our beloved serial killer doll. Right from when he is there you know he is up to no good. But surprisingly keeps his cool. There is a lot of dread coming from this and it helps build incredible tension. I personally loved this suspenseful approach in stead of following the more gory and comedic route as in Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky (Wait a minute,did they properly explain this how it was possible for two dolls to conceive a child? Should I be worried about Barbie and Ken dolls getting it on? On second thought isn't Ken gay? Still that would not stop him from impregnating Barbie if she asked him to. And knowing what I know she must be asking for it often! Sorry got a little sidetracked here. Back to the review.) Most of the unsuspecting characters aren't that likeable so you just can guess who will be among the first victims. And when Chucky strikes,he strikes them relentlessly. I really like how they achieved to make this little doll so menacing again. In some scenes he truly is Evil incarnate. Even Miss Chofas was impressed as she expected this film to be very cheesy. In stead she found it surprisingly thrilling. I myself really loved this part because it plays around with a lot of what makes Chucky a wonderful horror icon. Plus it has some nice surprises you won't see coming. Granted this is mostly fan service since you only will understand them if you have seen all of the earlier parts. Which BTW I can recommend. It only will enhance your viewing experience. 
Curse of Chucky is proof that creator Don Mancini has done almost the impossible and managed to revive a franchise in a way that makes me excited about the sequel. Chucky is back!    

Review The Company You Keep (2012)

25 sep, 16:32

Review The Company You Keep (2012)
genre:d rama,thriller

If there is one film maker who has proved he can handle drama and thrillers then it is Robert Redford. But this time I can't make sense of what he is trying to say. After having seen The Company You Keep it made me wonder if this was some kind of subtle protest against the American government or if he was being patriotic. He does not send a clear message if that actually was his intention. No matter how you look at the matter it makes the outcome very weak in my opinion. More so because there is not much happening dramatic or tension wise. It only stands afloat because of  competent acting and the promise of thrilling events. This promise never gets met and all the viewer is a left with a big what on Earth did I just watch?  I must say it was nice to see so many good actors appear only it barely registered or mattered. Shia wasn't bad but letting him play this charming ladies man when was that ever going to be convincing? And also another question arose. Does Robert Redford realize he looks like a woman when he jogs? I am sure he must have thought it would impress people to see an old man like him prancing around like that. But he only made it obvious that such a role simply does not become him any more. If you think about it the The Company You Keep would have worked a lot better if the roles of Robert Redford and Shia LaBeouf  had been reversed.  For whatever purpose they could have manipulated the setting and the time if it was this significant to be put in. In my honest opinion there is no point in watching this film whatsoever.  I myself was expecting something similar to Three Days of the Condor at least tension wise. And whatever this is supposed to be it is nothing like that classic. Skip this one!