an entertaining remake

Posted : 1 month, 1 week ago on 25 May 2008 06:46 (A review of Bionic Woman)

Following a car accident, Will Anthros (Bowers) thanks to his surgeon capabilities and technological knowledge, does not lose his girlfriend, Jaime Sommers: instead, she wakes up to find herself with bionics in her body: her right ear, right eye, right arm, and both legs. Will she help the good guys with her fifty million dollars technology?

This is quite obviously a remake of the tv series "Bionic Woman" with Lindsay Wagner, and is in no way any better or worse than the original tv series.

The actors' performances isn't top notch quality. Michelle Ryan is not a bad actress, Lucy Bale's acting got on my nerves (she plays the 15-year-old sister who just doesn't look 15 at all), and Miguel Ferrer is basically the only reason I was interested in watching the show: he is quite good here. As was Chris Bowers, who unfortunately only had a short role that lasted 2 episodes.

It's too bad the series is an Alias wannabe. The team has Sommers and her partners travel from 1 country to the next, and it just feels like a lower quality than Alias.

Still, it's an enjoyable, entertaining series with a predictable ending for each episode. No thrills or surprises.


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too long

Posted : 1 month, 1 week ago on 25 May 2008 06:30 (A review of Tin Man)

Loosely based on the Wizard of Oz, Tin Man has a good cast and everything to be enjoyed by the family: a fantastic magical world in which the good sister, DG, has to overpower an evil witch that took possession of her sister Azkadellia; friends (Cain aka Tin Man, Raw, Glitch, Tutor); mad men (The Mystic Man); and the bad guys of course (Zero).

However, this television mini-series in 3 parts is simply too long, 2 parts would have been just fine. It just keeps dragging on and on. The good thing is that there are no useless repetitive scenes; from 1 part to another, the writers didn't feel the need to summarize what happened previously. (Thank you!)

The acting isn't that great, but it works for most of the actors' performances.
The special effects aren't very special either; nothing worth mentioning.

Tin Man is enjoyable, but just drags on too long, which made me long forward to the ending - which was predictable of course.


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recommended viewing

Posted : 1 month, 2 weeks ago on 19 May 2008 07:18 (A review of The Girl in the Café)

The main actors (Bill Nighy & Kelly Macdonald) are splendid, and well cast. I enjoyed their performances, as well as the supportive actors'.
Decent cinematography for a TV movie.
A great script, with a deep political message which, unfortunately, is very true.

A decent movie recommended to all.

-- On a side note, I must thank Prelude for having recommended I see this film :) --

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way too long

Posted : 2 months, 2 weeks ago on 19 April 2008 06:33 (A review of Dinotopia)

Two half-brothers and their father in a plane, crash in the sea. The brothers survive and enter the world of Dinotopia, a world in which dinosaurs live with humans... David will try to become one of the Dinotopians, while Carl wants to go back to his world.

This is quite fun - at times - though I found the CGI was not that great; the acting isn't the best either; and the dinosaurs are... well... entertaining at best.

My problem with this tv movie is that it is way too long. Those five hours could easily have been crammed into a regular feature of two hours; there was just too many scenes that weren't needed.

Enjoyable for the family. Most kids would love this!


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clichéd but funny

Posted : 6 months, 1 week ago on 28 December 2007 12:06 (A review of The Class)

This is the story of a bunch of guys and girls who meet 20 years after being in the same third grade class. Soon enough, Kyle, Richie, Ethan, Nicole, Duncan, Cat, Holly and Lina will discover what their lives have become.

Funny dialogue. Yes it is clichéd and predictable, but so what? It's funny at least, unlike so many other sitcoms out there.
It's well done and I find the actors are performing rather well.

An underrated tv show.
Excellent material.


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excellent but long

Posted : 8 months, 1 week ago on 28 October 2007 09:11 (A review of Band of Brothers (Mini-series))

"Band of Brothers", an HBO mini-series, follows the Easy Company from their training in England, through D-Day. Its members also go through the rest of France, Holland, Germany and Austria.
Ten episodes make up the mini-series, and each starts with commentaries from the original troopers.

Excellent cast. Even David Schwimmer, an unlikable character right from the start, demonstrated his ability to act tough in this role.
Extremely well directed. Scenes are vivid and quite realistic.
Superb art direction and cinematography.

Although I found some episodes quite lengthy, this is *the* series I highly recommend to anyone, on the subject of World War II. (And I usually don't like war movies/series!)


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Naturally annoying

Posted : 10 months ago on 9 September 2007 05:19 (A review of Supernatural)

Two brothers, Sam and Dean (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles respectively), search for their father, who left on a demon-hunting trip and has been missing for a few days. All through the first season, the two brothers kill off demons, face ghosts and hear horrific legends, while on the trail of their father and the demon that killed their mother and Sam's girlfriend Jessica.

While I agree with Jessica's review, I unfortunately found the show very repetitive. How many times can they kill off demons and ghosts and supernatural beings? I know that's what the show is about, but frankly, there was no originality in any episodes after the first lot.

As for the acting: Yes, Jared Padalecki got on my nerves too. But both characters are, to be honest, obnoxious.

Did I just read there is a second season? That's surprising, considering the first season finale - which I just saw on dvd. I certainly didn't expect another season with *that* ending. In any case, I am not desperate to watch the second season.

Don't misunderstand me; this is an enjoyable show - if you can get past the obnoxious characters, and unoriginal scenarios.


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good entertainment

Posted : 11 months, 2 weeks ago on 22 July 2007 08:46 (A review of 5ive Days to Midnight)

A physics professor (Timothy Hutton) finds a locked futuristic computer that contains files regarding his death... in five days. He is running against the clock trying to find who is out to get him, with the help of his daughter, his girlfriend Claudia (Kari Matchett), and one of his students, Carl Axelrod. But is the student behind the murder? is his brother-in-law? or is it Claudia's husband, Roy Bremmer?

Four episodes make up this mini television series, which is action-packed, and relatively credible, that is until episodes 3 and 4 where several plotholes appear. The ending is straight to the point, with no "Hollywood" scenes.

A good cast, good action, pure entertainment.

Fun to see, and worth watching on a rainy day (or night).


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good entertainment on tv

Posted : 11 months, 3 weeks ago on 20 July 2007 05:21 (A review of Tru Calling)

When she was a little girl, Tru Davies (Eliza Dushku) saw her mother murdered in front of her eyes. Years later, she wants to become a doctor, but due to a glitch, the only position available is one at the morgue; she decides to take it. She will work with Davis (Zach Galifianakis) and eventually meet Luc (Matthew Bomer) who, in time, will become her boyfriend.
Tru sees dead people come in the morgue, and in every episode someone asks her for help. That's when she goes back in time for a day, and tries to keep them from dying. That is, until Jack Harper (Jason Priestley) arrives.
Tru will also eventually come to find the truth about her mother's murder.

Great premise, great idea, good actors, fun plots... however it's still pretty much routine, until Jack shows up. Then the plots become more interesting, as were the development of the characters, especially Harrison (Shawn Reaves), Tru's brother.

Fox seems to be doomed with the cancellation of good TV shows, and Tru Calling is no exception. At least season 1 is complete, and is good TV entertainment.


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a decent thriller

Posted : 1 year ago on 26 June 2007 10:20 (A review of Archangel)

The plot is pretty basic.
A British college professor, Fluke Kelso (Daniel Craig), working in Russia investigates certain mysteries surrounding the life and death of Joseph Stalin. By chance, Kelso meets a former Stalinist bodyguard, Papu, who will lead him to the uncovering of one of the world's most dangerous and best kept secrets.

This TV movie is set in contemporary Moscow and in the town of Archangel.
It is a standard thriller based on the novel by Robert Harris (NOT Thomas Harris).

The scenery and characters played true to life. I felt I was back in Russia...
Decent directing, and good acting, and for those who like Daniel Craig, this is truly a gem to discover.
The cinematography reminds the viewer in an obvious way that it is made for television.

The plot does have some holes, but it's nevertheless an enjoyable thriller. Just don't expect Bruce Willis or Schwarzenegger type of action.


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