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piperofthemillenium
Reviews
My Alien Girlfriend (2019)
Fun, diverting 70 minutes
As a fanboy from way back myself, I could identify with the main character, who suddenly found himself living every man's wildest dream - meeting a real-life alien. That the alien happened to be drop-dead gorgeous was naturally a bonus!
This movie is full of believable, if typical, characters. There are few surprises here. However, they do have a fun time and certain individuals do get their comeuppance in the end. If you're looking for something new, you're looking in the wrong place. However, if you're looking for a fun, short flick with a sci-fi air that you can much popcorn with, then look no further!
Enjoy!
Han Solo: A Smuggler's Trade (2016)
Excellent fan fiction!
A great, fun ride, done on a budget, but with likeable characters and actors who were into their parts. Liked seeing Doug Jones before Star Trek. Great fun! Never mess with a Wookie!
Mayday: Who's Flying the Plane? (2008)
Clip show.
Season 6 is nothing more than clips of previous seasons. Too cheap to make a new season this year, methinks. Pick up again in season 7.
Mayday: Fatal Flaw (2007)
Another clip show
Season 6 is nothing more than a cheap revisit of the earlier seasons. Don't bother.
Mayday: Ripped Apart (2007)
Clip show.
First up, I'm a huge fan of the show. However, this was nothing more than a trip down memory lane, revisiting some of their earlier hits. If you've seen all of their earlier episodes don't bother.
Alien Warfare (2019)
So bad it's good.
The fx are bad, the suits are bad, the premise is ridiculous, but the actors make the dialogue, which is often quite funny, worth watching. There are a lot of funny moments in the movie which make it worth the time. The bloke bopping to the music in the lift was funny. The same guy cracking onto the scientist in an end of the world scenario was hilarious. This movie was not meant to be taken seriously. If it was, I pity the people who made it.
It's Complicated (2009)
Zzzzz
Pretentious tripe.
The characters are made of cardboard, unlikable and I turned out after ten minutes. The stereotypes came thick and fast and were very quickly tedious.
Don't bother.
Uncomplicated.
The Deep (2010)
Surprisingly good,
Having read some of the critics reviews, most of which were not very complementary, I decided to give this miniseries a go considering I like most of the cast. Minnie Driver, Goran Visnjic. Sacha Dhawan (who played a delightfully evil Master in the most recent Dr Who series) and Antonia Thomas (from the Good Doctor) as talented people I have appreciated for some time, so I gave this a go. And I was pleasantly surprised.
While I did pick up on some issues with scientific inaccuracies (show me a sci-fi show that doesn't for the sake of speeding the narrative up) I did find the story and intrigue compelling. The characters weren't one-dimensional, they (mostly) had depth (pun intended) and the themes of international politics interfering with scientific endeavour were quite accurate. While politicians mouth "save the world", they are often in the pocket of corporations, so the notion that they are motivated by a desire for world peace and lowering our dependence on fossil fuels is naive when you consider how much money is involved. If a natural biofuel was discovered that replaced oil it would be fought, pure and simple.
That theme was explored here in depth in imaginative ways.
There are high prices that are paid along the way, friendships are made and lost.
The CG isn't perfect, but even on my 4K TV it still looked good today.
So, don't let the nay-sayers turn you off. Give The Deep a go. It's value Sci-Fi with a modern tale to tell.
The Cascadia Treasure (2020)
A delightful indie adventure
Sure, this movie was made on a small budget and it shows. However, the characters (some of which are over the top) are mostly well played, the camera work is good and some of the cinematography is interesting. The main protagonist is charming and likeable, and the ghost is compelling. As an author myself, I find this story well thought out and imaginative considering the limitations of a story made on a budget. Kudos to the production team.
And to the naysayers, grow up!
Indemnity (2012)
Not every vampire movie sucks
This movie proves that even a flick made on a shoestring budget can still have a more interesting story than what we often get churned out of the modern Hollywood movie factory.
Everyone in this story has something to contribute and even our "evil" vampire has her motivations. I like a movie that doesn't play by the rules, and, as a fan of alternative fiction, it's people like David that remind me that we don't have to put up with the same old thing being regurgitated time and again in California. Keep up the good work David!
Needs of the Many: a Star Trek Fan Film (2016)
Excellent story telling
This film proves that you don't need a lot of money, or time, to tell a great story. With their ship badly damaged, it's down to two individuals to make the tough choices that make or break things for everyone. It's the old "for the want of a nail" story, but with a more severe price. One of my favourite short films and I congratulate the players. Well done and I hope to see more in the future!
Star Trek: First Frontier (2020)
A great fan film
The official film makers of the franchise could take a few pointers from this film. Made my people who love the genre and starring people who can act (I can't say that for every fan film I've seen), First Frontier tells the story of the first flight of the USS Enterprise under the command of the rarely seen Robert April.
Not all is roses for the crew, either. The ship's commander is suffering from burn out and probable PTSD, he's not connected to his wife and even the new comms officer has an "interesting" past. I would like to see more of these characters.
Most of the special effects were decently created CGI (I had to forgive the creator of the title sequence), although the effect for the evil aliens' eyes were terrible.
If I had one main complaint, it was the sound engineering. The music borrowed heavily from James Horner's STII:TWOK soundtrack and the sound effects were OK, however the mix often drowned out the dialog and I often could not make out what was being said. That, and the editing left me wondering what was going on at times. A bit more TLC in post production and this movie could easily have earned at least one more star.
All that being said, it's a great flic and, story-wise, it's an improvement on the flashy, often brainless, films fans have had to endure in recent years.
A return to real Star Trek. Keep up the good work!
1 Message (2011)
Not what I expected
*Mild spoilers* - nothing you don't find out in the first five minutes. As a fan of Jefferson Moore's movies, I was surprised and delighted that he decided to tangle with the important issue of breast cancer in women.
This movie pulled no punches with just how badly the main character, Becca, sank after she made the devastating discovery that she needed a double mastectomy. She quickly lost everything she held dear and sank into a lonely life of misery, living alone, eating and drinking too much and never seeing the light of day.
Then one day she made a connection that changed everything. Unlike many stories of recovery and redemption, Becca's journey was not an overnight event. It took time and patience from many, including herself.
The subject matter is handled thoughtfully and we are never smacked over the head by the director's message. The characters are real people and these issues are reflected in the lives of many who have been touched by this horrid disease. Indeed, the credits list how many involved in the film have been effected.
Well done to all the cast of this film. I highly recommend it. Just make sure you have a full box of tissues available. You're going to need them.
The War of the Worlds (2019)
Got woke - went broke!
I saw the previews to this event and I was hopeful for a more faithful retelling of the original story. Alas, I was disappointed with a story that mixed elements from HG Wells' own personal story and blended them into the mash of lousy story telling and poor special effects.
I'm sure I wasn't the only one to pick up on the fact that Herbert "George" Wells, his second wife Amy and his brother Frank featured in this schlock fest. Where do I start with this story of sexual repression and foolishness that ends in what looks like the death of humanity?
As an author, I like to create characters that people will root for, but these sad individuals were too messed up to care about. HG created a story about survival in the face of overwhelming odds. This story had the characters more at one another's throats than worrying about the Martian "threat".
Mind you, the Martians were a joke. HG had the smarts to create a creature that was intelligent and capable of creating limbs that could carry out basic functions. Without our opposable thumbs mankind would be in serious trouble. These "Martians" were nothing more than creatures with spikes for legs - no arms. How on Earth did they create the means to brush their "teeth" let alone manage technical devices?
In the original story bacteria killed the Martians with humanity none the wiser and grateful for their foolhardyness. In this story typhoid killed them - but only after the crafty humans figured it would. Give me a break!
I went into this hopeful, but sorely disappointed.
To sum it up - dumb and depressing. I'd rather watch Tom Cruise's outing.
Private Eyes (2016)
Yes, it's reminiscent, but worth a look.
The trolls are at it again. How is it that something can come along, remind us of something else and immediately it gets panned as unoriginal? There is nothing new under the sun. This quote itself is nearly 3000 years old. It was true then and it's true now. Yes, this show reminded me of Moonlighting with a dash of Castle as the remade man who considers a different career. However, it dares to consider than just "bringing the killer to justice". There have been resolutions to stories that I didn't see coming or consider to be regular justice. Remember, these guys are PRIVATE EYES, not cops. Justice doesn't have to include iron bars. I like the chemistry between the leads and having Jason Priestly raise a blind daughter whilst having his own dad around for a foil keeps him grounded. Not to mention that, for once, here is a show with wide appeal that is made in Canada that doesn't pretend to be somewhere else. I've enjoyed the tour of her cities and countryside without it being purported to be "somewhere in the US". Yes, Private Eyes does draw from ingredients we're familiar with, but then some of the greatest cocktails are made from stuff we never consider combining before. Give it a taste!