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Family movie reviews for "Science" sorted by average review score:

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
Released in DVD by Image Entertainment (17 October, 2000)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Jim Mallon
Starring: Trace Beaulieu and Michael J. Nelson
The cult television show (in which a hapless space explorer and his robot pals are forced to watch and deliver a hilarious running commentary on bad movies) makes a successful transition to the big screen as Mike and the 'bots lay waste to the '50s sci-fi yarn This Island Earth (a painfully stiff would-be epic that's actually a cut above the usual MST3K fare). While ardent fans may be a little miffed that more advantage isn't taken of the expanded theatrical venue (aside from a tad more scatological humor than usual, the content here would fit in comfortably as a regular episode of the series), the nonstop, hyper-literate salvo of comedy riffs that run the gamut from references to Tommy Chong's backyard to Yes album covers more than make up for any conceptual complacency. Be prepared to laugh till it aches. --Andrew Wright
Average review score:

A good effort, but could have been better
In adapting their superb series for the cinema, Mike and the Bots chose the obvious way of straightforwardly repeating their proven formula while slightly upping the quality of their sets and cannon fodder, for which they selected Universal's minor science fiction classic This Island Earth.

While the result is indeed consistently funny, as well as frequently hilarious, one can certainly hypothesize how it could have been severely improved if they'd taken the time and effort to innovate. Alas, any kind of character development (yes, the original show DID develop their characters) is rendered impossible by the curiously short running time of 75 minutes, far less than an average episode.

Said time restriction also caused them to essentially cut This Island Earth, of which little over 50 minutes remain, to shreds. Then again, the much-beloved classic was hardly the perfect choice for the MST3K treatment anyway; I'd have picked something like Irving Allen's The Swarm - great to look at, simple to trim to a manageable length, and full of hilarious ridiculousness, both in dialogue, plot and effects. Along with some more host segments (perhaps even an actual plot?) it could have made a true MST3K epic.

But there should be no crying over a lost opportunity, as the final result is indeed very entertaining and a fantastic introduction to the show. Definitely recommended.

The Funniest Movie Ever
Quite simply Mystery Science Theater the Movie is the Funniest movie ever made. Mike, Crow and Tom provide perfect comments in tune with the movie "This Island Earth" that each line of dialog seems to be a punchline in waiting. If the people making "This Island Earth" would have known what was going to be said by these lovable critics they might have given making it on the spot depriving many people of a wonderful evening of comedy.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Lite
If you are looking to find out, "What's the big deal about Mytery Science Theater?" You have come to the right place. Too bad some big wigs feel it's not worthy enough to be in the coveted DVD format any more. Thank Goodness there is still VHS copies to be had. This is this best movie for the quick-witted. You have to be on your toes to watch this movie and sitting down. Otherwise you may fall victim to the chronic "Fall Over Laughing Syndrome" or F.O.L.S. This "episode" pans This Island Earth, although it was abbreviated and cut down by the studio. From the Evil DR. Forrester to the Robots & Mike this movie is full of all things that make people laugh from the Manos reference to TV's Frank in the door sequence. These refernces for the faithful as well as this lightning quips during the experiment for those who "don't get it". All Msties (although it really is all hope) can hope for is the "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie Special Edition" or the more preferable "Director's Cut." You figure if they can place 5 or so versions of "Army of Darkness" on the market, which is a great movie in it's own right, then they can come up with one Director's Cut for fans of this movie. (sigh) Maybe it's all wishful thinking. At least there are enough MST3K Episodes floating around on DVD as well as the vernerable tapes circulating.


Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Mitchell
Released in DVD by Rhino Video (20 November, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
This farewell episode for Joel Hodgson is a sentimental favorite but even more worth it for the hilarity spawned by our captured Satellite of Love friends. The movie centers on the hapless, big lug cop named Mitchell (Joe Don Baker), who fights the rich and powerful drug-dealing bad guys. Along the way, Mitchell finds himself investigating murder, falling "in sex" with Linda Evans, helping an elderly woman like a good son, and telling a bothersome wisecracking kid to buzz off. Match that with clothing and music from 1975 and you've got prime fodder for the biting remarks of Joel, Crow, and Tom Servo--which, of course, they take advantage of handily and in abundance. Mitchell has a few quiet areas but these are spotty, and when Joel and his mechanical friends start wisecracking, it's all hilariously worth the wait. Mitchell: So '70s, you'd swear Kris Kristofferson was moaning the theme song in the background. --Karen Karleski
Average review score:

My, my, my, my GOD!!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!
Mitchell, like Manos: The Hands of Fate, is a classic example of how NOT to make a movie, this time in the cop thriller genre. Mitchell (Joe Don Baker) is a slob and a cop (makes me feel better about who our police picks to be on the force), who stumbles into a drug caper executed by lawyer John Saxon and millionaire Martin Balsam, who send a hooker (Linda Evans) to try and get Mitchell to stay away. Amatuerish direction, bad writing, and subpar acting doom this one. The MST3K version is hella funny, with the cracks on Joe Don and the movie itself (Joe Don hated the MST3K version so much, that he threatened to beat up any of the crew if he saw them. Whatsa matter, can't take a joke?). the host segments involve a Three's Company-like misunderstanding that has Gypsy believing that the Mads want to kill Joel, so throughout the episode she tries to come up with plans to free Joel. Memorable quotes: "Mitchell, even his name says, 'is that a beer?'", "My, my, my, my apartment", and "MITCHELL!!!". The only redeeming quality to this piece of crap is the title song by Hoyt Axton, who probably needed the paycheck. The song is just catchy, and I find myself humming it quite often. If the plot seems totally confusing, get the unMSTied version, as it clears up most of the confusion.

The DVD is a mixed bag: the host segments are crisp and clear, while the movie itself is scratched, dirty, and a bit faded, which is what MSTies, like myself, like. The supplement on this disc is the trailer for the feature, which makes this look like an enjoyable movie. Oh, Hoyt, how could you? (Even though the MST3K version is good, I will be rating based on the movie alone. MST3K gets 5 stars, while Mitchell gets 1).

MITCHELL
(1975, R)

Mitchell: Joe Don Baker
James Arthur Cummings: Martin Balsam
Walter Deaney: John Saxon
Greta: Linda Evans
Benton: Merlin Olsen
Salvatore Mistretta: Morgan Paull

Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Writer: Ian Kennedy Martin

MOVIE: 1

VIDEO: 3
AUDIO: 2
EXTRAS: 2
MENUS: 3
OVERALL: 2

Adios, Joel Hodgson: a fun farewell
Make a good movie, say "Dirty Harry", and a thousand bad imitations will follow. Mitchell is a rather dull and formulaic cop drama about yet another police officer who "doesn't play by the rules", but the gang at MST3K manage to provide entertainment where the movie fails. The host segments really shine and are cleverly scripted to remove Joel Hodgson as the host and insert head writer Mike Nelson as his replacement. Although fans of the show at the time (myself included) were most sad to see Hodgson leave his brainchild, it doesn't diminish the quality of the laughs scripted in this episode. Not the funniest MST3K episode ever, but definitely worth repeated viewing. Look for Linda Evans in the film, but you may wince when she's "makin' it" with Joe Don Baker!

Was this filmed at a studio in the Florida Keys?
A hilarious episode.
Sort of reminds me of Final Justice (also with Joe Don Baker), in that the seemingly same scene gets repeated about three or four times - Mitchell showing up at Martin Balsam's house. (In Final Justice, the repeated scene is Sheffif Geronimo Jefferson [Baker] getting up from his jail cell cot.)
If I remember right, the climactic (term used loosely) scene at the end of Mitchell is a fight on a boat between Baker and Balsam; that very, very closely resembles the fight between Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson at the end of Key Largo.
Hmmm.... Anyone else notice this?


Godzilla vs. Destoroyah/Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla
Released in DVD by Columbia/Tristar Studios (07 October, 2003)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Kensho Yamashita
Godzilla's nuclear-powered heart is waning, threatening not only himself but mankind. But before going to that monster island in the sky, he must first battle his most forbidding foe to date: Destoroyah. Destoroyah makes Biollante, Space-Godzilla, and Rodan look like washed-up sparring partners as he dukes it out with Godzilla Jr. and Pop. With chilling powers that are sure to remind you of the creature from "Alien," Destoroyah wreaks havoc, and everyone's favorite radioactive lizard must give everything, including his life, to defeat him. Easily among the best of all Godzilla movies, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah eschews much of the series' campy humor for a dark and poignant vision that infuses the long-running series with new life at the same time that it lays to rest a beloved monster. --Tod Nelson
Average review score:

Go Go Godzilla
If you like Godzilla these are pretty good movies, I highly recommend them and my triplet boys love them as well. I gave these four stars as far as Godzilla movies go, Space Godzilla is one of the better of the recent Godzilla films.

One of the Best Big-G Movies Around
This is like 2 movies on 1 DVD, each movie is on ones side so I guess I have to split 9it in 2:

Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla:
There isnt alot of eye candy stuff to look at in here, except for the cute little version of Godzilla (little Godzilla) and the cool evil twin of Godzilla (Spacegodzilla), Spacegodzilla's Crystal's look so fake but his attitude is so demented and evil, very sadistic and sometimes...scary...? I really didnt like how this storys goes: G-Cells escaped into space and was sucked into a blackhole, creating Spacegodzilla, then he was spit out by a white...hole??! is there such a thing? and is heading twords earth to kill GOdzilla so he can rule that planet himself...ok soo the story isnt so fun, but it is fun to watc the King of Monsters battle against his Evil Twin. I RATE THIS 3/5

Godzilla vs Destroyah:
This is one of my most favorite Godzilla movies EVER! Godzilla is now facing one of his toughest foes...The Destroyah! the Destroyah is a mutation of the Oxygen Destroyer that killed the first Godzilla in 1954 and is now wrecking havoc on earth, luckily GOdzilla's power was boosted by the nuclear enrgy inside his heart, making him glow orange amking him a SUPER MONSTER...this is the Strongest and Biggest out of all the Godzillas in the series. Special FX are top notch and the Adult Destroyah is one mean looking monster compared to Biollante or Spacegodzilla. Near the end Godzilla's son was viciously attacked and critacaly wounded by Destroyah, Godzilla crys, and trys to reach his Dying Kin but then Destroyah heads face to face with the King of Monsters. They fought and Destroyah flys away, Godzilla reaches his son and trys to heal him with his red nuclear breath thing...but looks like its not enuff...Destroyah returns for another match against the Big-G!!! but With Godzilla's overpowering heat rays, Destroyah knows he cannot defeat Godzilla, and trys to fly away but the army finished off the great monster with there freezing rays. I wont give away the ending so buy it to see it yourself. Godzilla vs Destroyah is one of the best Godzilla movies, i rank it #2 best G Movie and the 1954 Godzilla the #1 and this movie is the big deal in this doubled feature and is also on of his Last movies so check out, i highly reccomend it! I RATE THIS: 5/5

Great DVD for any Godzilla fan
These are awsome movies. Spacegodzilla is an awsome villain and definately saves the otherwise mediocre film. Destroyah, even though he looks awsome, is really kind of ... in his last form, all godzilla has to do is look at him to make him squirt blood all over everything. Overall Godzilla vs. Destroyah is the better movie, but they really should have made Destroyah tougher to beat. Definately get this DVD even if you only remotely like Japanese giant monsters.


The Thing from Another World
Released in DVD by Warner Home Video (05 August, 2003)
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Directors: Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby
Starring: Margaret Sheridan and Kenneth Tobey
With its modest special effects, lean plot, and small cast of lesser stars, this 1951 thriller remains a sturdy blueprint for fusing horror and science fiction. The formula has been employed countless times since, fleshed out with more extensive and elaborate production values, and manned by higher profiled marquee names, but the results have yet to improve on The Thing from Another World, Howard Hawks's lone foray into sci-fi.

The story begins as military airmen are dispatched to a remote Arctic research station where scientists have detected the crash of a spacecraft. An effort to retrieve the saucer-shaped vehicle fails, but the team returns to the station with the frozen body of its sole occupant. When the extraterrestrial pilot is accidentally thawed, the crew, headed by a tough-talking pilot (Kenneth Tobey), grapples with a massive, chlorophyll-based humanoid (James Arness) thirsty for blood and in no mood for galactic diplomacy.

Hawks takes only a production credit for this low-budget exercise, but his filmmaking style transcends Christian Nyby's nominal direction: rapid-fire, overlapping dialogue, an ensemble of comrades whose professionalism is tempered by wisecracks, and unsentimental female characters (embodied by feisty romantic interest Margaret Sheridan) recall Hawks's signature works, while propelling the plot over any potential gaps in credibility. It's hardly surprising, then, that The Thing from Another World remains among the most influential science fiction movies ever shot, or that it remains exciting entertainment a half century later. --Sam Sutherland

Average review score:

Recipe for successful filmmaking - scary too.
Take a group of good ol boys from WW11, add a mad scientist (he must be mad wearing a yachting jacket in the Arctic); a wisecracking dame cup size D; isolate them; throw in some snappy dialogue, a rampaging blood sucking monster that doesn't mind the cold, winces a little when set alight, and is a threat to the world as we know it; and top it off with a scene stealing prop - a geiger counter with a flashing light; and you have one hell of a movie. If you willingly suspend disbelief, turn the lights off, and watch it uninterrupted, it will also give you a thrill or three.

At Last!...The Thing on DVD
OK! we all know the plot. We all know the Hawks-Nyby controversy.
We were all scared out of our wits when we were eight years old and saw this in neighborhood theaters (Circa 1951-1954)
Why?... It's all about that "Door" scene. When that door is opened, The Thing actually looks Ken Tobey in the face for a scant second before he swings. That's when we lost it kids! It's that eye contact we can't forget.

Has anyone ever noticed that about one or two seconds before the door is opened, a round "Soft Focus" effect covers The Thing's face? Even when the door is closed, the soldier's guns gleam in Soft Focus.

I rate this DVD 4 stars, only because there are no extras...However, the Lost scenes have been restored very nicely.

The Thing is finally complete (for now.) Perhaps in the future it will be re-issued with all the "Extras" it deserves.

Vegetarians Beware
Despite a no-name cast and several scenes shot in a Los Angeles meat locker, this fx-deprived film remains a science fiction classic. Modern moviemakers should take lessons from Howard Hawks in how not to lose the human element while letting your imagination take over. And though I am skeptical of the film's underlying message, at least the conflicts are plausibly posed and intelligently handled. Then too, there's the dialogue, long a Hawks trademark, that at times flows so effortlessly the rhythms approach the poetic as they underscore a free and easy banter among military professionals. Seldom has camaraderie under pressure been more persuasively portrayed, or the responsibilities of command more democratically depicted. Having seen the movie on first release, I am glad to say the highlights have lost little over the years, though I still puzzle over a super space-traveler who communicates only in grunts. And while flying saucers and nuclear-age mutants have passed into yesterday's lore, the clarity of the Lederer script and the excitement of the Hawks staging still happily endure, especially when compared with the muddled, over-fx'ed remake. All of which shows once again why more is so often less, and less is so often more. As the studio hosts at TCM like to say : this is a movie Essential.


Journey to the Center of the Earth
Released in DVD by Fox Home Entertainme (04 March, 2003)
MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Director: Henry Levin
Starring: Pat Boone and James Mason
James Mason plays Professor Oliver Lindenbrook, a scientist hoping to find the world's core in this 1959 adaptation of the Jules Verne novel. He leads his unusual party on an expedition to the center of the earth, by way of a volcano in Iceland. On the way, they encounter enormous mushrooms and giant prehistoric monsters. Produced by Michael Todd with then-spectacular special effects, the story was modernized to 1950s sensibilities. Mason gives this class, while Arlene Dahl and Diane Baker are the romantic interests. And Pat Boone is more palatable than you might expect as a secondary lead. You can watch this with your children and not be bored, and they will surely love it. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Average review score:

Fox could have added a "behind the scenes" feature....
It's very surprising that Fox (which is known for putting together good DVDs) kind of played the cheap route for this movie. I would have liked to have seen a "Behind the Scenes" feature on how this movie was done. I'm sure they could have put together something for it, like they did with "The Day The Earth Stood Still". This is a good movie and deserves better treatment on the DVD format. I feel like I wasted my money.

Journey To The Center Of My Youth...
I had fond memories of this for 30+ years. Sitting in front of the TV, cross-legged, stuffing popcorn in my mouth, while watching the greatest sci-fi/ adventure flick of it's time. I just watched it again and loved it! James Mason (20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Lolita) is professor Lindenbrook. He leads an expedition to the earth's core after uncovering a strange artifact encased in lava rock. The group of underground explorers includes Pat Boone as Macuen, Arlene Dahl as the wife of Lindenbrook's rival (who was murdered early on), A giant icelander named Hans, a duck named Gertrude, and two evil sabotuers who plan on knocking off our heroes and cashing in on their discovery. This movie has earthquakes, rockslides, floods, a giant whirlpool, a thundering styrofoam boulder, an explosion, a volcanic eruption, AND not 1, but 2 giant lizard attacks!! Be still my heart! James Mason is pleasantly irrassible. Pat Boone is astonishingly believable (I'm not a big Pat fan). Arlene Dahl is, well, absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend JTTCOTE. Get that corn a-poppin'...

Pat Boone Rules!!Where are his other movies?!!
Pat Boone Rules in this superb film"Journey to the Center of the Earth"but where are his other great movies including musicals that his starred in that unfortunately never been released on video during the 50's and 60's including Bernardine-1957,April Love-1957,Mardi Gras-1958,All Hands on Deck-1961,The Main Attraction-1962,The Yellow Canary-1963,The Horror of It All-1963,Never Put it in Writing-1964,The Perils of Pauline-1967.Video Distributors both large and small including Fox Home Entertainment should aggressively inquire about releasing these very,very long overdue and overlooked movie gems on vhs/dvd.I mean Elvis as great as he was shouldn't get all the glory!!!


Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (TV Miniseries)
Released in DVD by Artisan (Fox Video) (21 October, 2003)
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Director: Greg Yaitanes
Conspiracies abound in Children of Dune, Sci-Fi Channel's praiseworthy miniseries sequel to Frank Herbert's Dune, loyally adapted from the Herbert novels Dune Messiah and Children of Dune by John Harrison, who passed directorial duties (due to a scheduling conflict) to Greg Yaitanes, a 31-year-old TV director and Dune neophyte tackling his biggest assignment to date. Uninitiated viewers face a disadvantage; it's best to read Herbert's books and/or see the first miniseries before plunging into this remarkably coherent tangle of political intrigue, unfolding 12 years after the events of Dune.

To his horror, Maud'Dib--Arrakis emperor Paul Atreides (Alec Newman, reprising his Dune role)--has become the unintended figurehead of a violent dictatorship, and his enemies are multiplying. Vanishing into the desert, he waits as destiny shapes his twin heirs Leto II (James McAvoy) and Ghanima (Jessica Brooks), who must contend with their scheming aunt Alia (Daniela Amavia) while Princess Wensicia (Susan Sarandon), of the enemy House Corrino, plots her own attack on Maud'Dib's familial empire. Exiled Atreides matriarch Lady Jessica (Alice Krige, giving the film's finest performance) returns to Arrakis, where the enormous, desert-dwelling sandworms face an uncertain future. As always, the spice must flow, and the universe's most coveted commodity remains at the center of this richly detailed and physically impressive production. Special effects range from awesome (fly-over shots of the capital city, Arakeen) to awful (the saber-tooth tigers look like Jumanji rejects), and Dune devotees will endlessly debate the miniseries' strengths and weaknesses. Some may desire more action to punctuate the film's inherent verbosity, but consensus will surely conclude that this is Dune done right, with monumental effort and obvious devotion from everyone involved. --Jeff Shannon

Average review score:

the second is always done with a marginal budget
I was gravely disappointed in "children of dune". I had waited for the second installment after throughly enjoying the first. To my disappointment I found the second lacking in imagination. the impressive costuming of Dune was replaced by jeans and tank tops. The sets seemed like cheap studio flats.

I will say that "children of dune" did follow to a great extent the storyline. For this I am grateful. I just wish that the producers of a series would not cut the bugets of sequals in order to make a quick buck off of an existing market. Quality people quality, not quanity will turn the trick.

Over all I was greatly disappointed in the second installment of the dune series. I hope if they proceed they will do better next time.

Not Quite Up to the First One
(N.B. The Matrix Revolutions features scenes very similar to those portrayed in this miniseries, particularly the blinding of Paul and his ability to perceive the world around him even after losing physical sight. I wonder if those Wachowskis are Frank Herbert fans.)

Children of Dune provides another excellent adaptation of Herbert, in this case the novels Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. John Harrison returns as screenwriter, and you've just got to admire this guy's talents. He weaves together a lot in this miniseries and is faithful to the spirit if not the letter of the books. My favorite part of Children of Dune comes at the end of the first night, when Paul eliminates his enemies, through Alia and others. The music and quick cuts from scene to scene of revenge reminded me of similar montages toward the end of each Godfather movie.

Even though Children of Dune contains many good qualities, the acting is this series is uneven. I continue to like Julie Cox very much as Irulan. She's sympathetic (much more so than in the novels) but calculating as well, and clearly in love with Paul. That last, and only, kiss between them is unbelievably sad. I know not everybody likes Alec Newman as Paul, but I do.

Some of the new additions to the cast are real disappointments. You'd think with her acting pedigree that Susan Sarandon could do something better than the kitsch-witch she came up with for her role. But no. And who was that guy playing her son--was I supposed to be interested in him? I wasn't much for the actor portraying Duncan Idaho either, though he is both a ghola and a mentat, so I suppose he shouldn't show all that much emotion. And didn't they pay Alice Krige enough to do some real acting as Jessica? I loved her as the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact, but here she seemed wooden and awkward, at least to me.

All in all, it's great to see Dune on the screen, even if it's just the television screen. The people behind these miniseries have accomplished an impressive amount on what are reported to be small budgets and tight schedules. Congratulations to all involved. Is there any chance for a Dune III? Hope so.

As I said...good things come to those who wait!
And here it is! "Children of Dune", a merging of both the title novel and the immediately preceding "Dune Messiah" by Frank Herbert, is LIGHT YEARS better than John Harrison's original "Dune" miniseries, and about on a par with Lynch's original for soulfulness and viewer hooks. This continuation of the original story is VERY faithful to the two books, with Muau'dib/Paul becoming blinded, turning into "The Prophet" and cursing the very "miracle" he engendered: The falls of Houses Harkonnen and Corrino, the "fremenization" and fecundization of Arrakis and the known universe. However, the cosmos-wide jihad that went along with it all has made him a pariah within his own empire. Even to himself!

Through all this, you are no longer bothered by the fact that Alex Newman isn't Kyle MacLachlan, as he takes to "owning" the role at this point. Here, Paul is clearly disenchanted by the monster he's created, but, in his heart of hearts, he doesn't want it to all crumble, despite his ranting against it after he leaves the throne to his sister Alia, cursing his own mother when she arrives to see to the upbringing of her grandchildren, not recognizing him.

The future of the empire is eventually to be left in the hands of Paul and Chani's children, Leto III and Ganima, who survive much intrigue and House Atreides in-fighting in this follow-up. Alice Krige's take on Jessica also makes you forget that she isn't the same actress that portrayed the character in the first one. Princess Irulan is still here, one of the remnants of House Corrino, house of Shaddam IV, the former emperor, but the old emperor's house is not dead, not by any means. While Irulan sees to Paul's children when they're young, as his legal wife, another Corrino relative, Princess Wensicia, played by Susan Sarandon, schemes to bring down the already shattering House Atreides to reinstate her own family to the throne of Khaitain.

Alia, as portrayed by Daniela Amavia, is done beautifully, being parlayed as a haunted, just-this-side-of-insane interim ruler tenuously holding onto her wits as the "ghosts" of the decadent Vladimir Harkonnen, (her grandfather), and other Atreides ancestors, hover over her until she ultimately loses control of her "gift" and succumbs.

The set design is exemplary...in fact looking an AWFUL lot like I expected it to look as described in the "Messiah" and "Children" novels. Arrakeen Palace, the new cities springing up post-Corrino/Harkonnen, the costuming, etc., are also done well.

As I've noted before, some franchises, when they have the budget behind them, might disappoint on the first installment, re: "Batman", "Star Trek:TMP", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", but the sequels to these limp monsters are often major improvements on the originals, and that's what happened here. The "Children" experience is much richer than Harrison's original miniseries, and it ought to be a feather in the cap of the young director, (just 31 years old!) that took the reins from him.

You may be disturbed by the fact that a VERY different actor plays Stilgar this time out, and the sad fact is, the ORIGINAL Sci-Fi Channel Stilgar wasn't all that great a choice either, (I'm still a big fan of Everett McGill's Stilgar from the Lynch version,) along with the fact that Jessica is being portrayed by another actress. However, everybody else is back: Ian McNiece, Newman, Julie Cox and some late recruits to the cause from the first miniseries, so the new faces' negative impact is softened somewhat.

You MUST read the books to know exactly what happens to Leto III at the end and in the subsequent books, (which will probably also be made into mini-series.)

All in all, a VAST improvement over the first! And yes, that elusive quality of "soul" is definitely here!


They Live
Released in DVD by Image Entertainment (17 October, 2000)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Roddy Piper and Keith David
An economic crisis brings unemployed Nada (Roddy Piper) to L.A. in search of work. What he finds instead is that the ruling elite of the world are aliens in disguise, their aim being to keep humans in a state of mindless consumerism. His discovery comes when he dons a pair of special sunglasses made by a resistance group and sees for the first time reality unadorned. Billboards, store signs, magazine covers--all bear subliminal messages to OBEY, to CONSUME, to have NO INDEPENDENT THOUGHT. Money itself says THIS IS YOUR GOD. But worst of all, with these glasses you see which of us are really hideous, bug-eyed aliens. The conceptual breakthrough is hilarious while keeping its roots in darker matters. Although some fault the film for settling into its action plot, the ending has a great payoff. And the direction by John Carpenter is handled with superb workmanlike aplomb. One unforgettable set piece has Piper in a back-alley fistfight with a friend who won't put on the glasses that goes on and on, and just when you think it's over it goes another round. One of the most subversive films ever made in Hollywood, They Live was released on the eve of the 1988 elections. The first TV ads had two hideous alien politicians debating, then one accusing the other of being "No John Kennedy!" --Jim Gay
Average review score:

Good Movie, Lame DVD
This film is better than I remembered it being. Interesting premise that holds up pretty well even today. Roddy Piper cannot act, but that's okay, he does alright with what he's given. Not bad. The DVD is weak, no extras at all. A commentary track would have been great. For the cheap price, definitely reccommended.

Classic!
Well, I had to laugh! I've just come from reviewing a DAVID ICKE book, and mysteriously on my list of things i may want, appears this!

Aliens in humans bodies, subversive messages in the media etc etc! Like i said, clasic. Sometimes coincidence is startlingly amusing!

Ok, enjoy this film for what it is. Carpenter is a great director, with an insight into how to make people think. The fist fight i believe is the longest ever, and steals the show. The theme is believable as long as its seen as a metaphor, (unless you read Ickes books in which case you'll be screaming "I told you so!!!"), and all in all its a good chuckle all round!

THEY LIVE Review!
John Carpenter's brilliant cinematic attack on "Reaganomics" stars Roddy Piper as an unemployed drifter who soon discovers (using special "sunglasses" that only he seems to have) that a number of the people making the moves in our country are actually aliens. With the help of a few skeptical friends and an underground movement, Piper decides that "he's through be Daddy's little boy" and declares war on the unwelcome visitors.

"They Live" mixes social commentary on the "rich get richer, poor don't get a f--king thing" economy of the late 80's with the paranoid science fiction tales of the 50's for a good little film. It's all in good fun though as our hero takes on the alien visitors with more ammo and one-liners than you can shake a snake at. In one of the most memorable scenes, Piper and Keith David have a fist fight that literally goes on for what seems like forever. Carpenter's musical score is simple but it gets the point across. The violent finale ends with a humorous conclusion that certainly makes for an entertaining pay-off.

While I have enjoyed Carpenter's work since, I can honestly say this was probably his last truly effective pic. He has since more or less stuck to making fun but predictable genre films and re-visiting the plots of films he already made years before. Much of the same can be said for Piper who after turning in a brilliant performance with dialouge tailor-made for his unique sense of humor has been stuck on the straight-to-video roles ever since.

You're better off picking up the VHS version of "They Live" as the first release of the film on DVD has very little new to offer. It would be good to get a DVD edition of this film with some extra added features. Well, regardless of how you see it, this is an excellent movie worth checking out.


They Live
Released in DVD by Universal Studios (23 September, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Roddy Piper and Keith David
An economic crisis brings unemployed Nada (Roddy Piper) to L.A. in search of work. What he finds instead is that the ruling elite of the world are aliens in disguise, their aim being to keep humans in a state of mindless consumerism. His discovery comes when he dons a pair of special sunglasses made by a resistance group and sees for the first time reality unadorned. Billboards, store signs, magazine covers--all bear subliminal messages to OBEY, to CONSUME, to have NO INDEPENDENT THOUGHT. Money itself says THIS IS YOUR GOD. But worst of all, with these glasses you see which of us are really hideous, bug-eyed aliens. The conceptual breakthrough is hilarious while keeping its roots in darker matters. Although some fault the film for settling into its action plot, the ending has a great payoff. And the direction by John Carpenter is handled with superb workmanlike aplomb. One unforgettable set piece has Piper in a back-alley fistfight with a friend who won't put on the glasses that goes on and on, and just when you think it's over it goes another round. One of the most subversive films ever made in Hollywood, They Live was released on the eve of the 1988 elections. The first TV ads had two hideous alien politicians debating, then one accusing the other of being "No John Kennedy!" --Jim Gay
Average review score:

Good Movie, Lame DVD
This film is better than I remembered it being. Interesting premise that holds up pretty well even today. Roddy Piper cannot act, but that's okay, he does alright with what he's given. Not bad. The DVD is weak, no extras at all. A commentary track would have been great. For the cheap price, definitely reccommended.

Classic!
Well, I had to laugh! I've just come from reviewing a DAVID ICKE book, and mysteriously on my list of things i may want, appears this!

Aliens in humans bodies, subversive messages in the media etc etc! Like i said, clasic. Sometimes coincidence is startlingly amusing!

Ok, enjoy this film for what it is. Carpenter is a great director, with an insight into how to make people think. The fist fight i believe is the longest ever, and steals the show. The theme is believable as long as its seen as a metaphor, (unless you read Ickes books in which case you'll be screaming "I told you so!!!"), and all in all its a good chuckle all round!

THEY LIVE Review!
John Carpenter's brilliant cinematic attack on "Reaganomics" stars Roddy Piper as an unemployed drifter who soon discovers (using special "sunglasses" that only he seems to have) that a number of the people making the moves in our country are actually aliens. With the help of a few skeptical friends and an underground movement, Piper decides that "he's through be Daddy's little boy" and declares war on the unwelcome visitors.

"They Live" mixes social commentary on the "rich get richer, poor don't get a f--king thing" economy of the late 80's with the paranoid science fiction tales of the 50's for a good little film. It's all in good fun though as our hero takes on the alien visitors with more ammo and one-liners than you can shake a snake at. In one of the most memorable scenes, Piper and Keith David have a fist fight that literally goes on for what seems like forever. Carpenter's musical score is simple but it gets the point across. The violent finale ends with a humorous conclusion that certainly makes for an entertaining pay-off.

While I have enjoyed Carpenter's work since, I can honestly say this was probably his last truly effective pic. He has since more or less stuck to making fun but predictable genre films and re-visiting the plots of films he already made years before. Much of the same can be said for Piper who after turning in a brilliant performance with dialouge tailor-made for his unique sense of humor has been stuck on the straight-to-video roles ever since.

You're better off picking up the VHS version of "They Live" as the first release of the film on DVD has very little new to offer. It would be good to get a DVD edition of this film with some extra added features. Well, regardless of how you see it, this is an excellent movie worth checking out.


Soylent Green
Released in DVD by Warner Home Video (05 August, 2003)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Richard Fleischer
Starring: Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson
Charlton Heston seemed fond of starring in apocalyptic science-fiction films in the late 1960s and early '70s. There was Planet of the Apes, of course, and The Omega Man. But there was also 1973's Soylent Green, a strange detective film (based on Harry Harrison's Make Room! Make Room!) set in 2022 and starring Heston as a Manhattan cop trying to solve a murder in the overpopulated, overheated city. His roommate (a necessity in the overcrowded metropolis), played by Edward G. Robinson, tries telling him about a better time on Earth before there were no more resources or room left; but Heston doesn't care. Directed by Richard Fleischer (The Vikings), the film has a curious but largely successful mix of mystery and bleak futuristic vision, somewhat like Blade Runner but without the extraordinary art direction. This was Robinson's last film and he's easily the best thing about it; his final scene seems terribly appropriate in retrospect. Joseph Cotten makes an appearance as the man whose murder results in the revelation of a shocking secret. --Tom Keogh
Average review score:

This movie is horrible
I bought this movie because I had heard about it for so many years with the infamous line (you know it). Well, can't say I exactly enjoyed the movie. Parts of it are interesting, but most of it drags on and on. I was waiting for the big pay off at the end and was severly let down. WEAK. The CHEESE factor is very large. In fact if anyone wanted to cut scenes from the film to make a gag real it would be perfect. I can't recommend this movie to anyone. It's terrible. Buy something else.

Soylent Green on DVD: Looking good
I was so pleased to see that one of the true classics of the science fiction genre, "Soylent Green" had finally been released on DVD. The most notable aspect of the new MGM DVD is simply how good the film looks compared to previous VHS tape releases and murky television prints.

For the first time in viewing the film, I was able to actually see the building where Sol Roth (played impeccably by screen legend Edward G. Robinson) goes to "go home" so to speak.
Previous VHS copies were so dark a viewer could not make out much of the shoot out action which takes place outside of the Excahnge building which evetually spills over into a brutal fight scene in the Church.

This is truly one of the most outstanding DVD transfers that has been done to date. The soundtrack sounds to have been remixed bringing up more the background music as well as a "sweetening" of ambient sounds and sound effects.

In the scene when Sol Roth goes to the Exchange to meet with the people who work there to find out more about the disturbing history of Soylent Corporation, the film print is so crystal clear that you can read the years written on the piles of papers. The print is perfetct no jumps, no scratches, no shifting of colors or pops in the soundtrack.

First time viewer in 2003
I'm getting in on these classics late, "Planet of the Apes" (original - the new one sucks), "The Omega Man", and just now "Soylent Green". Planet of the Apes blew my mind as to how good it was especially considering it was my first time seeing it just a year ago and it is 30 years old, The Omega Man was pretty good but definitely not on the level the other two films are, and finally I enjoyed Soylent Green the best. I found it very believable (take away all the cheesy 70's related stuff of course). I'm also a passionate hater of happy Hollywood endings if they don't apply and all three of these films have appropriate endings. I have to say I'm becoming a big fan of Charlton Heston too, he comes across in his films as a man with a great sense of humor and he makes me believe that he is like this also in real life (whether he is or not who knows). One thing is for sure though, he's a man who loves his guns.

A great film, and I highly recommend to anyone who likes Science Fiction to give this a whirl...as long as you're not a close-minded Jack Ass who can't appreciate a film older then 5 years.


Flash Gordon
Released in DVD by Image Entertainment (17 October, 2000)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Mike Hodges
Starring: Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson
When the totalitarian planet of Mongo decides on a whim to obliterate Earth, it's up to the lunk-headed quarterback Flash Gordon and his oddball companions to make the universe safe for democracy. Based on the classic (and infinitely more reputable) comic strip and its '30s screen serialization, this cotton-candy-colored trash classic deserves immortality for Queen's unforgettably pulsating soundtrack alone. The legendary Max von Sydow appears to be having a blast as the evil Ming the Merciless, while Ornella Muti, as his daughter, is the living embodiment of what attracts adolescent boys to comics in the first place. (She makes Barbarella look mundane.) One of the most shamelessly entertaining movies ever made, this is a knowingly absurd sensory freak-out that'll have the viewer blissfully checking the sky afterward for signs of Hawkmen. --Andrew Wright
Average review score:

WHY ISN'T THIS DVD AVAILABLE ???????????????????????????????
This is a totally goofball fun movie. There is no high dramatic moment such as "Luke I am your father". It needs to be available on DVD and not for the arm and a leg that some of the people are charging for their OOP copies. Please release this on DVD again THX or a Super-Bit Digital transfer would be nice and some features on cast and crew, Where are they now? kind of stuff.

Gordon's Alive!
One could argue that this movie is one of the more successful transfers from comic-book to big screen - possibly because the movie is a fairly close and accurate version of the earlier comic.

Max von Sydow at his scariest, Brian Blessed at his noisiest, Sam Jones as a flash Flash, soundtrack by Queen, great movie all round.

FLYING BLIND ON A ROCKET-CYCLE?!!
Move over Luke Skywalker, the true hero of 80's sci-fi films is here!!! Thank God for sci-fi films, and thank God for "Flash Gordon!" One of the best, and most wildly entertaining sci-fi epics to ever be produced, "Flash Gordon" is a real treat. The film has everything that a moviegoer could ever want in one movie: lots of action(including a great battle scene involving the Hawkmen), humor, great settings & costumes, the single best movie soundtrack EVER ('Flash! Ah-a, savior of the universe!') and the wonderfully over-the-top Brian Blessed as "Vultan." I mean, honestly, is there any movie scene out there that compares to the thrills that you will receive when Vultan's legions of Hawkmen assualt War Rocket Ajax, and that kick-bum battle theme music from Queen kicks in? I think not!! Let's just thank our lucky stars that we have a movie that's the caliber of "Flash Gordon." This film is enjoyable on every level, and will surely become part of the sci-fi lover's home video library. I would honestly marry a woman in a heartbeat if she loved this film as much as I! Don't miss out!!!

P.S. Who knew that a New York Jets quarterback was capable of such amazing feats - honestly, could you picture Broadway Joe doing this? I think not!


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