With movies like Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2 and Titanic under his belt, James Cameron has the right to command hype with any film he releases now. And Avatar has had it’s fair share. But how does it stack up after it’s 2 hours and forty minutes are finished and the 3-D glasses come off? That depends entirely on what is important to you in a movie. Sam Worthington (Terminator: Salvation) plays a paralyzed marine who is chosen to remote control an alien body in order to communicate with the native people on an alien planet. There are two human forces at work. The scientists(good guys), who want to study the planet and it’s people, and the businessmen and their heavily armed mercenary forces(bad guys), who wish to get rid of the aliens and mine the planet for its valuable minerals. From beginning to end, this flick is a visual feast. I’ve seen a lot of movies, but never before have I watched one with this many visual effects. The credits boast a handful of visu

Ninja Assassin grabbed me with it's visually exciting trailer and the fact the that Wachowski brothers were producing. But they should have stuck to just making the trailer this time. Fans of old school martial arts movies with there unrealistic violence (guy gets stabbed 10 times and keeps on fighting like nothing happened) will enjoy this throwback that that level of realism. With a lot of action and blood spraying everywhere, this is a visually intense movie. At first. But the shocking combat violence that starts the movie and had me on the edge of my seat gave way to repetitive CGI blood splattering that was over the top, fake and devoid of emotional intensity. How many times can you really be shocked by a pint of blood squirting out of a single wound? Add to this the fact that the blood looks extremely digital and you've got an experience that seems to be shooting for "style over substance", but doesn't even quite get that right. I will say that many

Although the trailers for “The Box” were not flashy or filled with special effects, the premise caught my interest and I had the feeling that this movie would provide a unique experience in some way. I was right. Within the first 20 minutes of the film, I felt as though I were watching an episode of the classic “Twilight Zone” tv series. A couple experiencing financial frustrations is offered a strange box by an even stranger visitor. They are told that if they press the button on the box, they will be given 1 million dollars… and someone they do not know will die. The obvious moral dilemma plays out in ways one might expect, but the mysterious origins of the box and the stranger kept me interested in seeing where the story was heading. Odd happenings begin to pile up around our main characters, setting a weird and sometimes creepy atmosphere in which the story unfolds. It’s obvious that effort was made to re-create a “classic sci-fi” feel to the film. Th

Battlestar fans have been waiting for this direct to DVD release in hopes of getting one more fix of the Battlestar they loved so well. Did it come through? Sure! Depending on what you were hoping for. BSG is known for several storytelling elements: Action sci-fi battles, human emotional drama, philosophical/social commentary and unraveling mystery. The Plan has a fair dose of all of these, but certainly seems to exist for the latter. Not that it sets up the mystery. The series did that. Producers admitted that despite the claim that the Cylons "have a plan" at the beginning of every episode, they did not pay off that idea as well as they should have in the series. So "The Plan" exists mostly to remedy that. The movie takes you through some major events of the series, weighing heavily on the first season, and inter-cuts old footage with new to give you a "behind the scenes" look at the Cylons during major BSG events. A few questions are answered t

Although I've seen the Japanese animated flick, "Blood: The Last Vampire", and I remember enjoying it, that's about all I remember. So it obviously didn't make a lasting impression. But when I saw a trailer for the live action re-make of the original movie, I knew I wanted to see it. And I'm glad I did, despite the fact that the live action version will probably be almost equally forgettable to me. The story centers on a Japanese half-demon(vampire) girl who has been alive for hundreds of years, hunting the vampire that killed her father. In this story, she goes undercover, in service to a secret vampire hunting organization, as a high school student on a US military base in Japan. It seems this was done to bring more Americans into the script, which does help make the film more accessible. Most of the film was written and filmed in English, with subtitles appearing for Japanese language sequences. Despite this, the movie suffers from the same kind o

Although the DC animated movies were hit or miss at the start, it seems they’ve finally hit their stride. Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and now “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies”. With Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor, the voices that made these characters jump out from animated tv have brought the goods again in this flick. And the animation has jumped forward to keep pace. If you read and enjoyed the original comic book story by Loeb and McGuiness, you’ll see some of your favorite moments repeated here. But you’re also in for some surprises as the story has been trimmed of its continuity heavy elements and streamlined into a self-contained but broad story. Lex Luthor has become the President of the United States and a kryptonite meteor the size of Australia is headed for earth. But Luthor wants to get all the credit for saving the earth and uses his position to place a billion dollar bounty on Superman. Super-villains and a few her

In a summer filled largely with mediocre movies, I’ve discovered that the fall is when the best movies start to come out. And in a further twist, I am now seeing a pattern in recent Hollywood flicks where the sinful nature of humans is acknowledged and even used as part of a central theme! Pandorum is a futuristic horror movie about a small group of people who wake up in a deep space vessel on an unknown mission. Due to prolonged hyper-sleep, the memory of the two main characters is damaged and recovers only as the plot progresses. It may sound like a cheap writer’s tool, but it works to great effect in this movie. The ship is dark and running on almost no power, and humanoid monsters are hunting humans for food throughout the ship. As the crew scrambles to survive and make sense of what is happening, the mysterious plot unfolds. The strength of this film for most of the ride is what it doesn’t tell you. Enough details are given to avoid frustration and d

This movie nearly slipped under my radar for its lack of trailers in theaters or on tv in my area, but I'm so glad I saw it! In the future world of "Surrogates" everyone is able to live day-to-day life through virtual reality controlled robots called surrogates. While plugged into a control unit at home, users can let themselves physically go to waste while they live out life in either idealized versions of their own bodies, or completely different custom made surrogate bodies. They can see, hear and feel just as if they were in their own bodies, with the exception of pain, which they are protected from at all times. Until recently, it has been impossible to suffer harm through use of a surrogate, but when several surrogate users start turning up dead, Agent Greer (Bruce Willis) is sent in to investigate. What follows is a great ride with plot twists and super-heroic action that is all too short, presented in just under 90 minutes. Willis once again delivers a

Clocking in at a mere 79 minutes, this movie is no epic, but still creatively ambitious. Marketed as "not your little brother's animated movie", just who is this movie for? The story takes place on post-apocalyptic earth. Mankind has destroyed itself and only machines and 9 mysteriously animated rag dolls remain. The dolls, named 1-9, struggle to survive as an evil, monstrous machine aims to hunt them down and kill them. The movie is not graphic, but death is a common reality in this film. The advertising campaign and the PG-13 rating ought to be enough warning, but just in case I'll let you know that this movie probably isn't for most young kids. Though tweens and early teen boys will likely enjoy it a lot. The visual look certainly contains some hallmarks of producer Tim Burton's early work, though not excessively. Both grim and child-like, the design of this world is captivating. Cast with celebrity voices like Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennif

Gerard Butler stars in this movie about a death row criminal who attempts to reduce his sentence by allowing himself to be controlled by an online video game player in a series of death matches with other prisoners and their controlling players. With a 95 minute run-time, the movie starts with action and keeps the pace moving pretty well throughout. The combat is gritty and violent and I felt moderately invested in the safety of the main character. Effects are used well and the world feels well developed, visually. Performances are pretty standard, but the script doesn't give much to work with, dramatically. It gives lip service to dramatic moments (Butler is trying to be reunited with his family) but it's not that kind of movie and this part of the story is not as compelling as it could be. What the movie does do well is action. Plenty of explosions, cool weapons, technology and danger. Imaginative while grounded in reality. It also delivers a concept-driven plot

This Peter Jackson produced sci-fi flick has been simmering in the kettle for awhile now. But does it live up to the mystique? Hard to say. My viewing of the film was tainted a bit by rumors I had heard that the flick had a heavy political agenda. I carried that baggage with me until almost the last 20 minutes of the movie, so my mind was a bit distracted and I may have been thinking too hard. So bear with me as I try to compensate for the baggage I brought to the movie and try to fairly review this movie. The basic premise is that aliens came to earth 20 years ago in horrible physical condition. It's suggested that they were part of some sort of intergalactic "forced labor" and escaped to earth, seeking refuge. Humanity welcomes them and gives them some territory to live in, but then takes advantage of them economically, obsessed with gaining the alien's weapons technology. There is also a clear lack of respect, even racism toward the aliens. The lead cha

Although I didn’t collect the toys as a kid, I often watched the G.I. Joe cartoon whenever it came on. I came into this movie experience as a casual fan of “Joe”, but as a big fan of action movies with sci-fi elements. On one significant front, this movie delivered. If you’re looking for a big action flick with lots of explosions, effects and crazy CGI fight scenes, don’t miss this flick. From beginning to end, viewers are assaulted with visually creative concepts. Gadgets, weapons and sets are often laced with CGI light or electricity. Not much realism in sight, but far from a Schumacher Batman movie. Costumes are respectful of their cartoon counterparts. They are practical enough for a live action movie, and appropriately stylized for a movie of this type. So what “type” of movie is this? It’s Michael Bay’s “Transformers” without the immature jokes and juvenile protagonists. Certainly tolerable and at some points enjoyable, but nearly without substance in terms of plot and

After Lauren Montgomery's excellent "Wonder Woman" animated movie, I was excited to learn that she would be directing "Green Lantern: First Flight", which was released on Tuesday. Green Lantern is, without question, my favorite superhero of all time. Always has been. So I entered into my viewing experience with some "fanboy baggage", making every effort possible to have an open mind. I tried not be either too easily pleased or too easily offended by the choices made in this movie's production. But I'm still a Green Lantern geek, so bear that in mind however you wish. The basic story revolves around Hal Jordan, a test pilot chosen to join an intergalactic peace-keeping force known as the Green Lantern Corps. Each Green Lantern is given a ring that allows them to create solid constructs made of green energy, formed by their imagination and given strength and substance by their force of will. Jordan proves to be a natural and even uncovers a

Although I read and enjoyed the Harry Potter books, I'm not a fan by any means and ultimately have found the stories forgettable. Still, whenever a "Potter" movie comes out, I make it a priority to see it, as a fan of the fantasy genre. As the books and movies advanced, I've appreciated the darker, more mature themes and story elements and this movie was no exception. Character performances were some of the best yet, as Harry, Ron and Hermione continue to grow, along with the actors portraying them. Though I'd imagine these actors would not be cast in their roles if the studio decided to find all new actor's today, their lack of the usual Hollywood polish almost serves as a reminder of what real kids are like at this age: A little awkward and lacking that artificial charm that embodies far too many characters in American films. Since my memories of the book are dim at best, I feel I can basically review this flick as a fresh observer. It had some wond

I feel I need to formally apologize to any who might enjoy my reviews for having not seen this movie when it came out. When I saw previews for “Knowing” it looked interesting, but with “Push” in theaters at the same time, I only had so much time on my hands and chose to make room for the movie that looked more “sci-fi” oriented. I wish now I had seen this film instead of Push. First, it’s directed by Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) which would have put me in the theater on opening day if I had known that in advance. Second, it deals with so many relevant philosophical issues that I would have loved discussing it with others at the time of its release. The movie is about a widower and his son who come across a page of numbers that signify future events. Throughout the movie they are on a race to solve the mystery of these numbers before the final “prophecy” is fulfilled. That’s the non-spoiler version and I greatly hesitate to say much more. Nicho

I’d seen a trailer for this movie several months ago and was under the impression it would be released theatrically. The trailer impressed me and I was excited for a dark sci-fi/horror flick this summer. Imagine my surprise when I discovered this movie while channel surfing on the sci-fi channel! I missed about the first 8 minutes of the flick, but didn’t think I’d missed much exposition. I was excited to see the movie immediately and for free, but also instantly suspicious of its release on TV instead of theaters or even DVD first. Starring Ron Pearlman, Thomas Jane and John Malkovich, none of these actors could rescue the movie from itself, though the flick was still interesting to watch for free. (The “Summer Of Free” reigns again!) In “Mutant Chronicles”, our wars in the 28th century have broken the seal of a massive, evil machine that turns humans into mutant killers, who then hunt humans to kill and turn into mutants, rinse and repeat. Humanity

For those sci-fi/fantasy geeks who are avoiding the inevitable "Bayish" Transformers movie this weekend, you might enjoy renting "Dragon Hunters". This CG animated flick runs 80 minutes and is no epic story or triumph of characterization. It's aimed at the Pixar fanbase and does a very good, though not flawless job of catering to that crowd. The animation is excellent and the visual design is beautiful in addition to creative. In terms of production values, this movie stands next to any Pixar flick I've seen. With the right marketing, this might have been a great success theatrically. For whatever reason it was a direct to DVD release in America. The story takes place in a wildly fantastic world of knights and dragons. The land consist of countless islands that float among the clouds, with bridges or various floating rock formations connecting them all. The flight pattern of these land masses is un-synchronized in some cases, res

Since I don’t often review horror movies, let me first give you an idea of what I like and don’t like in horror flicks. If I watch a horror flick, I want to be horrified. I don’t watch them to see barely dressed teenagers, or to drink in ridiculous amounts of gore. For my tastes, a good horror movie will be scary not just the first time you see it, but also the second and third. So “jump” scares do not win points with me, even when they scare me the first time through, because I’m looking for a movie worth seeing more than once. If I want to be scared by sudden, loud noises, I’ll give my 2 year old the car keys and see how long it takes him to set off the alarm. Doesn’t cost me a dime. A good horror movie will stay with me and leave me unsettled even after the movie is done. I’m much more interested in something creepy, unsettling and disturbing than I am in something that is simply shocking or gory. In my book, great horror movies include Saw (the

The Terminator franchise is one that I have enjoyed quite a bit. Despite the first two films being very different from each other, they were both executed wonderfully and hold up very well today. Terminator 3 had some major shortcomings but I still found some things to like. And the Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show has been a fantastic addition to the mythos. Coming into "Salvation", I wasn't sure what to expect. The visual look of the film looked appropriately bleak in trailers, but the PG-13 rating had me concerned that it would lack the violence that makes this franchise what it is. My estimates were not too far off. From the opening of the film, we're introduced to a new character, Marcus Wright. Surprisingly, he seems to have more screen time in the movie than Christian Bale does as John Connor. Although the Marcus character is interesting, the focus he stole from John Connor was a downside of the movie. This franchise has always been ab

How in the world did I miss this movie in theaters? Goes to show that I should check the new DVD releases every week! This movie had a very narrow distribution in theaters in 2008 and that's a real shame, as fans of fantasy and sci-fi should certainly check this movie out at some point. It's not the best movie in the world, but it's not a terrible film, either. I remained interested in the film for most of it's 115min run-time and was even grabbed in a few instances by some scary or otherwise shocking moments. The script was written by Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain, who both wrote the script for "Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans", their only other writing credit. "Outlander" is also only McCain's second movie as director(though he's done a little TV as well). For fans of bloody sword fighting and battles with clanking armor, you'll get a pretty good fix in this flick. The fights are not especially well choreographed, but the