Forensic Science Movie Reviews

Nancy Archer (Darryl Hannah) is a rich but troubled young woman, who is married to a cheating lowlife who only stays with her for her money. One night, she is driving home by herself, when an alien spaceship lands on the road. She is irradiated by the ship and over the next few days, starts to grow taller and taller, until she reaches a height of 50 feet. She uses her newfound height (and power) to take revenge on those who have wronged her - especially her sleazy husband Harry (Daniel Baldwin) and the trashy, gold-digging bimbo (Christi Conaway) he has taken up with.

This HBO made-for-cable remake of the 1957 cult classic of the same name is updated with an even more feminist slant and has a more thoughtful (and clever) script. The effects and acting are still every bit as cheesy though.

"Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman" finds Daryl Hannah in the titular role of this HBO remake of the 1958 exploitation cult classic. Director Christopher Guest goes whole heartedly for a retro Fifties look in this 1993 which tries to take the best parts (so to speak) of the original and enlarge the rest into a feminist allegory. Once again the story is about poor little heiress Nancy Archer (Hannah), who has been abused all of her life by men from her father, Hamilton Cobb (William Windom) to her swarmy husband, Harry (Daniel Baldwin), who is devoting his limited attention to local bad girl, Honey Parker (Cristi Conaway). Out driving around in the desert to relieve her sexual frustration, Nancy encounters a flying saucer that zaps her, thereby starting the growth process that will level off at the 50 ft. level (note: the original is "Foot" but the remake is "Ft."). The teleplay by Joseph Dougherty (who did his first script for "thirtysomething") borrows as much from "The Feminist Manifesto" as it does from "King Kong." What becomes important is that not even the U.S. military is going to stop Nancy from getting some much needed attention from hubby Harry. Sure, she could do a lot better than Harry, but that is not suppose to be the final payoff of this little feminine fantasy.

This remake does not have the same sort of tacky charm that makes the original so compelling. But there is still the great unanswered question from both of these films as to how the giant woman's underwear manages to keep up with her growth spurt. Daryl Hannah is a lot angrier than Allison Hayes was in the original, and it was the latter's decided sense of disinterest during the final rampage (along with the cloth bikini) that made it one of the enduring images of Fifties science fiction. Ultimately, this is more Guest's film as director, because the entire art direction and visual style of the film is as much a homage to the genre in the Fifties as the original storyline. The remake does not stand alone because there is too much that works off of the original to allow that to happen, so you have to have seen the 1958 version to fully appreciation this one. The main thing is that "Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman" does not take itself seriously, and that makes up for a lot of the film's shortcomings.

Remakes can never compare to the original film. This one is the exception. I found the 1993 Attack of the 50ft woman to be much more entertaining and funnier than the original. Plus a lot of women can relate to the characters in this movie. The movie is mostly a statement about how mistreated women are around the world, yet it doesn't go too far and totally attack men and make them all villans like other feminist movies. Hannah who plays Mrs. Archer does a great job as a cheated and mistreated wife who never gives up on trying to save her relationship with her low life husband played by Daniel Baldwin. Hannah has an encounter with a UFO and then grows giant and eventually realizes that she is tired of being pushed around. There are many funny situations and characters in this remake. In my opinion, I thought that VICTORIA HAAS stole the show as she played a cute, tom boy, deputy named Charley. The most funniest scenes in the movie involved Haas(i wonder why she never came out with any more films). Well, this film is wildly entertaining. The ending was a little disapointing and didn't explain the scene in the beginning, but I still recommend this film.

While this movie can stand on its own, it simply begs for a Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment, and it got one. I believe this was the funniest MST-3K'd movie ever, I mean eye-squirting funny. The voice-over for Grandpa alone is worth the price. You'd perhaps be better served finding this one on the MST-3K collections that are also coming out on DVD.

I'd been waiting to see this movie for years (somehow it's never played on TV in the Chicagoland area), and after reading some of the other reviews here my expectations were high. I am not disappointed. 'Teenagers' starts off a little slow, but stick with it; the absurdities pile up steadily until the completely ludicrous finish causes your lower jaw to drop open in amazement. It actually gets better with each viewing. Some of my favorite cheese factors: the alien analyzer machine clearly labeled "multichannel mixer"; the Fabio and Harry Chronic-lookalike aliens; the heroine's salacious hag of a girlfriend; the so-cliched-he's-brilliant TV newscaster; and the disorienting effect of hearing the 'scary' music cues from Night of the Living Dead in this context. Plus, whenever someone gets zapped, their skeleton is curiously held together with metal clips; the high-tech aliens are extremely dependent on human automobiles for getting around; and at bottom the story is really a soppy romance peopled with Mayberry and Mayfield refugees. All alien/hero Derek really wants is a home and family! And of course there's the Gargan; you have to admire their chutzpah and utter shamelessness in using the silhouette of a crayfish (not the actual crayfish mind you!) for their monster. There's something quite Ed Woodian about the whole thing; the naive enthusiasm of the cast, the non-sequitur dialogue, the poverty-stricken effects. Hour of fun for the bad movie connoisseur!
Ironically, Image's DVD presents the film in as pristine a state as could possibly be expected. The tonal values, sharpness, and detail are excellent, and you have to really watch closely to see any speckling or blemishing. The chapter stops are on the main menu, and a trailer for 'Teenagers' is included, as well as five of the same handful of trailers that are on other similar Image releases. Informative production notes are on the box. A solid entertainment value at the price.

At first I wasnt sure if I was going to like this movie.....But then my heart was touched by the friendly nature of betty and her grandpa ,who decide to welcome derek with open arms.......Derek is sort of a james dean type person

The "Time Changer" is one of the better Christian-based movies produced recently. But it's not the best.

The basic device of the movie is a little silly, that someone in the 19th century could develop a time machine, but we've seen a lot worse in sci-fi before.

A seminarian, Dr. Russell Carlisle, is sent forward in time by his friend to show him the dangers of his upcoming book's message: that ethics can be separated from Christ. Carlisle, played by D. David Morin, discovers a moral-relative world, much to his shock.

Theologically speaking, the movie lacks any sublety. You know exactly what the theme of the movie is, and it's often hammered down hard. That tends to distract from the other aspects of the movie, but it does parallel with the plot of Dr. Carlisle's book.

I have to add Morin's acting is a little wooden at times. (My wife likened him to Mr. Data from "Star Trek.") He does a much better job with his facial expressions and gestures, as he adapts to the modern world, in what is often quite amusing misadventures.

So, while it's not the absolute best Christian movie made in recent years (I'd give "The Omega Code" that distinction), it's not the worst, and worthy of watching.

It's apparent that the Amazon.com reviewer didn't get it. Strident message? Well, DUH! That's what makes this such an awesome movie (not to downplay the awesome story and wonderful acting). Christians have become complacent and way too compliant and too often bend over to the politically correct nonsense of our day when they should be taking a stand in the power of Christ. Christ IS coming back whether people want to believe it or not. Unbelief in God doesn't cause Him to cease existing. This movie renewed my spirit and convicted me to live out my beliefs with the same unabashed fervor of Professor Carlisle. What a wonderful lesson and message this movie brings to Christians and non-Christians in these last days.

This movie was amazing. It had a very positive effect on me. I just finished watching it, not even 5 minutes ago. I wanted to write this review, before the effect the movie had on me, faded away. This movie also made me realize certain things. One of those things, is that I myself, have strayed from Jesus a bit. I stopped going to church 10 years ago, and I used to say prayers at night, before going to sleep. I haven't done that in many years. I still believe in Jesus, strongly, but I don't think about him and what he has done for us, nearly as much as I used to. This movie is very good. Not just for extremely religious people, but for anyone. The speech that Dr. Russell Carlisle gives at the church, right near the end of the movie, could almost bring a tear to your eye. It was a very moving speech, and as you are listening to it, you keep saying to yourself, that everything he is preaching to the people, is absolutely true. Society is moving further and further away from the teachings of Jesus. We have become more rude, and more cruel towards one another. We are more self-centered than we ever were before. In the movie, they quote the divorce rate in 1890 as being 5%, and they were shocked by that. Then in the year 2000, the divorce rate is quoted again, at 50%. Earlier this year, the United States had a divorce rate of 57%. That is the highest that it has ever been, in history. We were also tied with another country, for having the highest divorce rate, of any nation on Earth. What has happened to our society? Watch this movie, and I guarantee that it will make you think about your own life.

The story is good and the cast is great. Who would know that Dennis Hopper and John Ratzenberger would add such great comedy. This is one of those sleeper movies like "Adventures in Babysitting" and "The Last Starfighter" that turns out well worth your time.

If you like movies like "Explorers", "Goonies", and "Flight of the Navigator" you should love it. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The sets, music, and directing is excellent. Even the special effects which are a bit dated now are still quite good.

A science project made from a hidden device in a secret military stockpile can lead to some unpredictable results. When the school starts to transform into periods of the Earths history including the dinosaur age, the students must keep on their toes to survive.

I pre-ordered my DVD because I am sure there will be extra features as well. Even if there weren't any this is a great price for couple hours of comedy adventure.

As some others have said, "My Science Project" is pure 80s absurdity - but that doesn't make it a bad thing. With surprisingly high production values and a premise that was every misfit's high school dream (as in saving the day, getting the girl, and winning the respect of your peers), it's hard for an 80s-born nerd such as myself NOT to enjoy it. Since I was a kid I've always had a soft spot for this cheesy flick, and it hasn't changed with time. It may be too campy for much of today's audience, but it's jam-packed with that nostalgic 80s flavor and some really fun moments.

I liked this movie when it first came out, I like it now
and my kids who are Star Wars , Lord of the Rings fans,
like it too.
Yes it's geeky and very 80's. But that was the audience, it was made for. Just take that into account because your not going to get Jurrassic Park and Fhantom Menace,special effects in this time frame. If they did this movie now with the effects of today it would knock your socks off. It's just fun escapism.

The story is good and the cast is great. Who would know that Dennis Hopper and John Ratzenberger would add such great comedy. This is one of those sleeper movies like "Adventures in Babysitting" and "The Last Starfighter" that turns out well worth your time.

If you like movies like "Explorers", "Goonies", and "Flight of the Navigator" you should love it. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The sets, music, and directing is excellent. Even the special effects which are a bit dated now are still quite good.

A science project made from a hidden device in a secret military stockpile can lead to some unpredictable results. When the school starts to transform into periods of the Earths history including the dinosaur age, the students must keep on their toes to survive.

I pre-ordered my DVD because I am sure there will be extra features as well. Even if there weren't any this is a great price for couple hours of comedy adventure.

As some others have said, "My Science Project" is pure 80s absurdity - but that doesn't make it a bad thing. With surprisingly high production values and a premise that was every misfit's high school dream (as in saving the day, getting the girl, and winning the respect of your peers), it's hard for an 80s-born nerd such as myself NOT to enjoy it. Since I was a kid I've always had a soft spot for this cheesy flick, and it hasn't changed with time. It may be too campy for much of today's audience, but it's jam-packed with that nostalgic 80s flavor and some really fun moments.

I liked this movie when it first came out, I like it now
and my kids who are Star Wars , Lord of the Rings fans,
like it too.
Yes it's geeky and very 80's. But that was the audience, it was made for. Just take that into account because your not going to get Jurrassic Park and Fhantom Menace,special effects in this time frame. If they did this movie now with the effects of today it would knock your socks off. It's just fun escapism.

There's a number of differences of opinions regarding the audio portion of this DVD. I own both the DVD and VHS versions of Mysterious Island, and can tell you that sonically the tape is superior, with Bernard Herrmann's score in stereo (as it was recorded). This is also true for the VHS version of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. If the DVD of Sinbad is not up to the quality of the remastered tape (as another reviewer noted), then I'll not be in a rush to replace mine anytime soon. Thanks to the previous reviewers who noted this.

Well I can't say that Colombia/Tri-Star make the best DVD's. Sometimes they put really boring bonus features on the DVD and a lot of forgetable film trailers added to make up for the lack of bonus features, but the DVD of Mysterious Island is an exception. The print of the movie is very good. Rather exceptionle picture and sound quality, including an informative making of featurette hosted by Ray Harryhausen on how the movie was made. And also a bonus, hardly any boring film trailers were put on it. One of the better Colombia/Tri-Star DVDs.

one of the better sci fi flicks in the early 60's and a must for all fans of jules verne. this movie has a great storey line and a great adventure tale to boot.
maybe a re make will make this a better movie, this is the kinda movies..kids should see on saturday afternoon.

The best of the Godzilla-clone classics, this well-heeled offering is superbly written, directed, and performed--and considering that it was filmed at the emergence of the sixties, the monstermation is state of the art. As in most movies of this ilk, civilization provides a ready path for the rampaging creature, but this feature possesses a poignancy and plot-twist that puts it paces ahead of its contemporaries!

You could make the argument that there is an interesting political sub-text to "Gorgo," the 1961 monster movie. After all, Gorgo is discovered by a salvage vessel on the Irish coast and taken to London for display, where a bigger version of the little fellow, who is a relatively standard prehistoric monster, shows up to level London. But this film was the last directed by Eugène Lourié, the Russian-born French art director and director who worked with Jean Renoir. Lourié directed "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" and "Behemoth, the Sea Monster," so I am pretty sure he was just making a monster movie and not endorsing the reunification of Ireland. Still, you have to think that the Irish must have found this film more enjoyable than most.

It is easy to dismiss "Gorgo" as the British version of "Godzilla," but when it comes to destroying recognizable landmarks this film is without equal until "Deep Impact." Of course, we are talking models and miniatures rather than CGI, but what else would you expect from way back when? The problem is that the plot is predictable, the human cast is utterly forgettable, and until the monster parent actually shows up the action is too slow. But then things get rather interesting in a cheesy sort of way as London's landmarks come tumbling down. Then there is the question of that big monster: we assume it is Gorgo's mother, because we know the maternal instinct is pretty strong, but who can be sure when it comes to telling a monster's gender (and do not even get me started on what should be the name of the big monster). "Gorgo" received "MST3K" treatment during the show's ninth season and was one of those few times when the money was better than the riffs at its expense.

could cause the destruction of a major city, due to the irresponsible actions of a greedy treasure hunter. A prehistoric creature is captured off of Ireland and brought back to London as a circus attraction. The money flows in and the folks are delighted!! Good deal!
Well....there's just one little catch: The attraction was only an infant! The party's over as an angry parent sniffs out its kidnapped child and heads off to the rescue, trampling all that gets in the way. Pretty stylish story with some dazzling effect. I believe this was the first monster flic to dispense with the 'man in the rubber suit' and make use of a radion controlled robot. Pretty good stuff that has you rooting for 'Mama' at the end.

These three Trek films made between 1994 and 1998 were among the most disapointing films made in the Star Trek movies. Made at a time when they were also making two Trek shows on television. So you had the same TV crew also doing the movies, and Paramount giving more and more shoe-string budgets to work with. So they were much more limited in their resources to make these movies. The productions looked a bit more cheaper. Herman Zimmerman's sets were not so impressive. Michael Westmore's alien make-up designs looked under-developed. The scripts as written by Rick Berman, Brandon Braga, and Ron Moore were under-developed and looked more like badly written TV shows, even Michael Piller (the best among the Trek writers) couldn't do an effective screenplay given the limited time to do these movies. So it's very difficult to watch these movies now because of the fast way they were produced. The movies could be a lot better, given bigger budgets, more time to work on them, and actually getting movie screenwriters to do the screenplays. They did this recently with Star Trek; Nemesis. A big improvement over the other three movies, because they treated it like a movie, made a lot of changes behind the camera in production personal, and had a bigger budget to work with. Not a bad way to start a new era of Star Trek movie making, and leaving these three jokes of Trek films behind. Just treat them like movies, not TV shows. I think more and more, Star Trek's future is at the movies. Not the limited format that is television.

If you are a Trekkie and don't have these three movies yet, it would be a good idea to get this pack. fans of the original star trek series and the first 6 star trek movies (who probably don't like the next generation much anyway) might discourage you from buying the pack. however as a fan of the next generation series and the occasional reader of the books, I found these movie to be very well done and worth owning on DVD. Generations: is the perfect transition between the original Star Trek and The Next Generation. First Contact is my favorite, it has satisfied my curiosity about the Borg! Insurrection: on the outside it's about preserving a small settlement of humans on a planet that everyone have their eyes on! but if you look deeper, it's like any other episode of the TV series, it has a moral point summerised by Picard's question: who the hell are we to decide the next course of evolution for these poeple?
eventually, the choice is yours: to miss out on a great adventure or to go where no man or borg has gone before!

Classic film making, and the Star Trek Next Generation movies are a perfect example of it. Star trek Generations, a great movie to bring in a crew with, I love it. Star trek First Contact, one word, rocks. This film blows away any of the new Star Wars movies(1 and 2). Star Trek Insurrection, it may have gotten bad reviews(go figure) but I loved it. These 3 movies never get old, I watch them over and over again. But before I stop, I would like to say that one of the reviewers said if you had all ready bought the DvDs don't get this...If someone is smart enough to like Star Trek, I don't think there so stupid that they would buy the trilogy again when they had alreay owned it.

This movie was ok. I don't know what else to say. It was entertaining, but not fantastic. It didn't leave me wanting to see it again, but it wasn't boring or poorly done. It was just ok.

As implied in the name there is an experiment in Philadelphia (1943) to make a navel ship invisible to the enemy. The experiment goes beyond its parameters and sends the ship into the future. David Herdeg (Michael Paré) and Jim Parker (Bobby Di Cicco)
Jump ship in the process. What will become of them? Will this time travel effect others and can they get back? If not will they adapt?
It can not hurt to have a relationship with Nancy Allen you may not want to go back.

The story is based on a real conspiracy theory to cover-up the real thing. Even tough there are records to show that the destroyer was no where near the aria at the time, that just fuels the fire for the conspiracy.

I thought it was well done. Smoothly takes you to the impossible - finding yourself in another time. Believable.

If there was a setting for "0" stars I would give it to this movie. This movie is TERRIBLE! Okay, take a bunch of kids from some mindless bedroom community in about, say, grade 7 that have never left the burbs, give them some decent camera equipment and then ask them to do a variation on Blade Runner and this movie is EXACTLY what you would get. The dialogue that exsists is mindless, boring drival that you can't wait to end, low-budget pyrotechnic gun fights set in rural scrap yards. I think most of the budget was spent on designer sunglasses and black leather. The lead guy (a french actor), is SO bad that he can't even keep his accent consistent - sometimes he sounds Russian, then French, Eastern European, American, the guy is really, really bad and boring as %$&^!. I think I even recall seeing one of those Darryl Hanna Blade Runner athletic back-flip things. I think it's funny how directors keep trying to ripp Blade Runner off but since they have no taste, they always fail. Don't even think of renting/buying this film unless you are a tasteless, mindless fool and then by all means, waste your money.

The plot is incomprehensible. The acting average. The special effects laughable. Yet, this flick is eminently enjoyable due to the outrageously bombastic gun battles. An action movie with some terrifically entertaining mayhem, NEMESIS is worth the ten bucks.

An Albert Pyun production can threaten the mental stability of even the most diehard B movie fan. This director is a master of cheesy, low budget films loaded with hammy acting, molasses like pacing, and terrible scripts. As far as I know, there are only two Pyun films really worth watching: the early 1980s sword and sandal picture "The Sword and The Sorcerer" and this movie, the 1993 science fiction thriller "Nemesis." Two good movies out of a slew of stinkers doesn't mean I wouldn't watch any of his clunkers, though. If anything, a bad movie always promises to deliver a few laughs. Anyway, Pyun's name is synonymous with junk in B movie circles. Just scan some of the movie review sites on the Internet and laugh out loud at the abrasive comments aimed in Al's direction. The success of "Nemesis" eventually led to several sequels, each a victim of diminishing returns. The first one is a winner worth watching, but still contains plenty of plot holes for the discerning viewer to giggle over.

Los Angeles cop Alex Rain works hard to break up crime rings and terrorist groups. It's the year 2027, and humanity has changed quite a bit in the near future. It appears that technology dominates, with doctors capable of implanting robotic machinery directly into the human body. In 2027, you've got millions of people ambling around the country with implants, many of them more machine than human. The growing numbers and strength of these cyborgs is starting to become a real problem for the rest of humanity. Eventually, some people fed up with the increasingly metallic composition of the population form resistance groups to fight the growing cyborgs. It is Alex Rain's job to help keep the peace, and to bring in these people when they break the law. After all, killing a cyborg is still a crime since most of these creatures still possess a significant percentage of human parts. Many of Alex Rain's fellow police officers have machine implants. Actually, Rain himself has a few parts in him, too. In the future, it is just too difficult to discern who is completely human and who isn't, and it's about to get much harder. After a lengthy opening sequence that shows us how Alex ends up in retirement, the movie starts in earnest.

Rain's old boss, Farnsworth, approaches him about a new mission. The United States and Japan have decided to merge into one country (a process not unusual in the near future, according to the movie). A cyborg that worked with the police rebelled against the system and took some important information about the merger with her to Java, where she is presently hiding out while attempting to contact a terrorist organization named the Hammerheads. Rain, who has a contentious history with this sexy cyborg, must go to Java and kill her in order to retrieve this critical information. Rain reluctantly goes for reasons made obvious in the film, and soon discovers that things are not quite what they seem. It turns out that the mission Farnsworth sent Rain on is merely a cover for a much more important mission involving the fate of the planet, humanity, and the cyborgs. We don't find this out for some time, and until we do, the movie does tend to confuse the viewer. Not to worry, though, as you can content yourself with the bevy of beautiful women wearing tight skirts, some nudity, massive amounts of gunfire, and a healthy dose of bloody special effects. "Nemesis" may well rank as one of the most violent shoot 'em ups made in the last few years. The movie contains elements that reminded me of both "The Terminator" and "The Matrix," although I wouldn't go so far as to say that "Nemesis" serves a bridge between those two movies. I will say that if you love films overflowing with huge guns and a super high body count, you will love this Pyun picture.

The plot zips along at mach speed, but the acting often fails to engage. Lead star Oliver Gruner, a French actor who must have once been on the same "up and coming action star" list as Jean Claude Van Damme, tanks as the tough yet caring cop Alex Rain. I suspect Gruner graduated from the Joe Dallesandro School of acting because his wooden expressions to some extent resemble those of the co-star of "Blood for Dracula" and "Flesh for Frankenstein." The female stars take second fiddle, and are usually on screen to serve as eye candy for the mostly young male audience that would watch a film like this one. At least "Nemesis" gives us the ever reliable Tim Thomerson in the role of Farnsworth, along with late B movie star Brion James as one of Farnsworth's sidekicks. James's pseudo German accent alone makes this movie worth watching. In fact, I doubt I would have even watched this movie if I hadn't known beforehand that Thomerson and James appeared in it.

The DVD gives us several extras, including a trailer and some behind the scenes action about the film. The extras list said there were a few television spots, but when I selected that option, I got more behind the scenes footage. At least the transfer is decent, although it isn't as good as it should be. Colors occasionally look washed out, and there are a few rips on the print. Overall, I give a hearty round of applause to Albert Pyun. It is going to be tougher for me to criticize this guy after watching "Nemesis." The movie not only entertains, it is entertaining enough to watch again. This picture just goes to show that even a hack filmmaker can turn out a great treat every now and again.