Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Hollywood Saloon R.I.P.
One the best film discussion pod casts ever and my personal fav, The Hollywood Saloon is shutting down production. Bummer. John and Andy are moving on to different things. Citing irreconcilable differences, the guys are going there own separate ways. Best of luck guys and I wish you well in the future. Anybody is a film fan should check out their web site, and give the shows a listen. Thought provoking intelligent film discussion with a little bit of irreverence thrown in too.
"I'M BACK! BABY I'M BACK"
Sorry about the long lay off but I start a new position at work longer hours and a longer commute combined with parental duties and other commitments didn't give me much time. A lot has happened since I last blogged, I haven't kept up with watching Terminator: SCC. The only prime time show I watch now is Heroes which is steadily regaining lost momentum from seasons 1&2. I did however pick up season 3 of Star Trek: Remastered( haven't watched any eps yet) The baby turned 1 years old this month(happy birthday Willow) and 2 days later I turned 34. No party for me just a good dinner and some alone time with my wife. For my birthday I bought a PS3 and joined the Bluray camp finally(now I'll have to go back and repurchase seasons 2&3 of Trek on Bluray*sigh*) Was playing Gears of War 2 during any free time I had and some Fallout 3 too. I still love my 360. The first Bluray disc I bought was The Dark Knight. Saw some great movies as well: Quantum of Solace, WALL E, Kung Fu Panda, Tropic Thunder, Hellboy 2 just to name a few. Not to forget the debut of the new Star Trek trailer from JJ Abrams still salivating over that one. I think that I will drop the episode reviews for Remastered and focus on favourites or landmark episodes and just write about scifi tv and movies in general. Trek will still be prevalent in my blogging just not the only focus. Good to be back, have a better one.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
SCC: Episode 1 season 2
I watched this show last season and was sceptical that it would return for a second season. The show started out shaky with some bad storytelling, and ill defined characters. I think the real turning point in the series was the introduction of Derek Reese. Yeah David Silver himself Brian Austen Green. Not only can he act but having his motives unclear and bluntness moved the story along. As always Summer Glau was great if a little uneven, mostly in the pilot. Lena Hedley is great as the title character, and she portrays the that world weary toughness quiet convincingly.
The episode is titled Samson and Delilah starts out where it left off last season, Cameron survived the explosion but somehow gets her wires crossed and sets out to now kill John. The entire episode is basically them being chased by Cameron until they trap her between to semi trucks. Upon being trapped she reverts to pleading with JC to not deactivate her and that she loves him. Huh? As they are about to destroy her John rebels against his mother and reactivates Cameron. She is somehow reset but something is different about her and John. Maybe it's John losing the emo haircut and adopting a harder edged adult look. I will keep watching but Fox is going to pull the plug if the stories are failing to draw in even a die hard Terminator fan. Shirley Manson as the new t-1000? Better have some good explanations handy.
The episode is titled Samson and Delilah starts out where it left off last season, Cameron survived the explosion but somehow gets her wires crossed and sets out to now kill John. The entire episode is basically them being chased by Cameron until they trap her between to semi trucks. Upon being trapped she reverts to pleading with JC to not deactivate her and that she loves him. Huh? As they are about to destroy her John rebels against his mother and reactivates Cameron. She is somehow reset but something is different about her and John. Maybe it's John losing the emo haircut and adopting a harder edged adult look. I will keep watching but Fox is going to pull the plug if the stories are failing to draw in even a die hard Terminator fan. Shirley Manson as the new t-1000? Better have some good explanations handy.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Ok, so I'm gonna start doing some other sci-fi reviews and some movie opinions on the site. I will still continue to do Trek remastered episodes as well. The new TV season is starting up I watched Terminator TSCC last evening so I will post up a review of the season premier shortly if anyone is reading this blog out there send an email, or comment please! Let me know I'm not alone.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Next on TATV: Double your Kirk Double your fun!
Stardate:
So begins a trek cliche classic: a transporter malfunction splits Kirk into two beings: an indecisive wussy emo and a swaggering, aggressive brandy swigging jack ass who goes all drunken frat boy on poor Janice Rand. Can they possibly co-exist? All this and more Stay tuned for "The Enemy Within".
So begins a trek cliche classic: a transporter malfunction splits Kirk into two beings: an indecisive wussy emo and a swaggering, aggressive brandy swigging jack ass who goes all drunken frat boy on poor Janice Rand. Can they possibly co-exist? All this and more Stay tuned for "The Enemy Within".
Stardate:1704.2 The Naked Time
Original Air Date: Sept. 29 1966
Dir: Marc Daniels
The Lowdown: The Enterprise has arrived at the ice planet PSI2000 to retrieve a lost science team. The planet is breaking up and the scientist were recording the event. Spock beams down with crewman Joe to investigate. When they arrive they find the team dead frozen to death. As they conduct their search the crewman exposes his hand to scratch an itchy nose and comes into contact with contaminated blood. Shaken by the gruesome death chamber, Joe fails to report the breach of protocol to Mr. Spock and upon return to the ship begins to act strangely. Despite being checked out by Dr. McCoy Joe continues to act bizarrely and attempts suicide in the mess room. Sulu and Riley try to stop their friend but are infected as well.
Sulu begins sweating profusely and abandons his post to go chase crewmen with a sword. Joe meanwhile is dying from his wound which was not fatal but the doctor believes he is willing himself to die. Riley commandeers engineering and shuts down the engines and takes control of the ship. The virus spreads by touch and more of the crew begin to act uncontrollably almost drunk. As the Captain tries to regain control, and Scotty attempt to retake the engine room Spock is infected by the amorous nurse Chapel.
He weeps for his human mother and his suppressed human feelings, Kirk finds his first officer smacks him around a bit, gets infected, wants to walk on a beach calls the Enterprise a woman. Mc Coy finds a cure and then they attempt to jump start the engines. They are successful and the ship is sent back in time 3 days to relieve events all over again.
The DVD: The addition of the science station was a nice touch, great establishing shot. The new chronometers look natural, retro without looking intrusive as with adding the laser beam to Scotty's phaser as he's cutting through the bulkhead. The planet shots are vibrant and standout in HD. Solid work CBS-D. One nitpick, digitally remove the dummy in the science station it looks weird.
The episode was written by John DF Black who also co-wrote Shaft. He also wrote 2 episodes of TNG. Director Marc Daniels directed some of Treks biggest episodes: Space Seed, The Menagerie, Court Martial, Mirror Mirror and several others. Great character moments for most of the main cast, Spock weeping, Sulu being a swashbuckler, Kirk lamenting the burden of command. Guest star Bruce Hyde(Riley) steals the show with his rendition of the ballad "I'll take you home Kathleen." Hyde would return later in the season for Conscience of the King. Some fun dialog set against a dire situation, this episode had a little of everything even a bit of sixties techno babble.
Overall: 4 out of 5 Some nice visual effects additions that blend seamlessly with live action combined with a good story make a classic trek episode. A early season standout. The weakness here is the plot device of Joe getting infected is a little weak, the shop dummy corpse is silly but doesn't derail the episode.
Dir: Marc Daniels
The Lowdown: The Enterprise has arrived at the ice planet PSI2000 to retrieve a lost science team. The planet is breaking up and the scientist were recording the event. Spock beams down with crewman Joe to investigate. When they arrive they find the team dead frozen to death. As they conduct their search the crewman exposes his hand to scratch an itchy nose and comes into contact with contaminated blood. Shaken by the gruesome death chamber, Joe fails to report the breach of protocol to Mr. Spock and upon return to the ship begins to act strangely. Despite being checked out by Dr. McCoy Joe continues to act bizarrely and attempts suicide in the mess room. Sulu and Riley try to stop their friend but are infected as well.
Sulu begins sweating profusely and abandons his post to go chase crewmen with a sword. Joe meanwhile is dying from his wound which was not fatal but the doctor believes he is willing himself to die. Riley commandeers engineering and shuts down the engines and takes control of the ship. The virus spreads by touch and more of the crew begin to act uncontrollably almost drunk. As the Captain tries to regain control, and Scotty attempt to retake the engine room Spock is infected by the amorous nurse Chapel.
He weeps for his human mother and his suppressed human feelings, Kirk finds his first officer smacks him around a bit, gets infected, wants to walk on a beach calls the Enterprise a woman. Mc Coy finds a cure and then they attempt to jump start the engines. They are successful and the ship is sent back in time 3 days to relieve events all over again.
The DVD: The addition of the science station was a nice touch, great establishing shot. The new chronometers look natural, retro without looking intrusive as with adding the laser beam to Scotty's phaser as he's cutting through the bulkhead. The planet shots are vibrant and standout in HD. Solid work CBS-D. One nitpick, digitally remove the dummy in the science station it looks weird.
The episode was written by John DF Black who also co-wrote Shaft. He also wrote 2 episodes of TNG. Director Marc Daniels directed some of Treks biggest episodes: Space Seed, The Menagerie, Court Martial, Mirror Mirror and several others. Great character moments for most of the main cast, Spock weeping, Sulu being a swashbuckler, Kirk lamenting the burden of command. Guest star Bruce Hyde(Riley) steals the show with his rendition of the ballad "I'll take you home Kathleen." Hyde would return later in the season for Conscience of the King. Some fun dialog set against a dire situation, this episode had a little of everything even a bit of sixties techno babble.
Overall: 4 out of 5 Some nice visual effects additions that blend seamlessly with live action combined with a good story make a classic trek episode. A early season standout. The weakness here is the plot device of Joe getting infected is a little weak, the shop dummy corpse is silly but doesn't derail the episode.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Next on TATV: Enterprise Kegger@psi2000
Star date:1704.2 Sulu running around the lower decks trying to make human shish kabobs?
A drunken Irishman takes control of the ship. Spock goes all emo on us? and who is writing graffiti all over the walls? All this and a drunk, horny nurse Chapel next time on TATV! "I'll take you home again Kathleen!"......
Stardate: 1312.4 Where No Man Has Gone Before
Original Air date : Sept. 22 1966
Dir.: James Goldstone
The Lowdown: The U.S.S. Enterprise is approaching the edge of our galaxy preparing to explore the great barrier and beyond when it intercepts a distress call. The call emanates from a marker buoy from the SS Valiant previously lost some two hundred years ago. After beaming it aboard Spock accesses it's memory core and finds that the doomed ship was swept up into the great energy barrier surrounding our galaxy. After setting course back into the galaxy and making repairs(a six month voyage at sub light we are told) there are frantic requests of the ships' memory banks regarding ESP(extra-sensory perception) Not long after the logs become erratic and the Valiant's captain orders the ship destroyed.
Undaunted, the Enterprise heads into the strange barrier to take readings and pierce the space between galaxies. While entering the colorful phenomena the ship is struck by an unseen force. First officer Gary Mitchell and newly assigned physciatrist Liz Dehner are struck by some strange energy field and collapse. The ship sustains major damage and limps back through the energy cloud on impulse power. When Mitchell regains consciousness his eyes glow silver. Nine other crewman are dead, all elven had higher than average ESP ratings with Mitchell having the highest.
While continuing to make repairs, the Enterprise is headed to the nearest planet Delta Vega. The planet has an automated mining station that has equipment which can be cannibalized to get the ship back to a repair station. Mitchell meanwhile, has shown an exponential increase in mental powers, diagnosing engineering problems, reading through the entire ships library at lightning speed and sensing peoples thoughts before they enter the room, all from his sick bay bed. Gary is becoming increasingly arrogant, and disconnected from the rest of humanity, Spock recommends that he should be killed so the Enterprise does not suffer the same fate as Valiant.
Kirk is torn because Mitchell is one of his oldest friends and has saved his life on a past occasion. He decides the most humane option is to maroon him on the remote planet.
As the ship arrives at Vega, Mitchell now believes he is a god and that the crew are insects. Gary imprisoned in a holding cell on the surface now kills helmsman Lee Kelso then encourages Dehner to join him as she now exhibits the same silver eyes. They leave the station to start their ascension into godhood, The crew rig the lithium cracking station to explode. The captain goes hunting for his former best friend with a phaser rifle. As they struggle Dehner regains some of her humanity and realizes that her and Gary cannot survive, she helps Kirk kill his first officer at the cost of her own life. Heart broken Kirk leaves Delta Vega behind listing Mitchell and Dehner as dying in the line of duty.
The DVD: Outstanding work by CBS-D the re-interpretation of the great barrier looks amazing and the approach shots of the ship give the barrier more depth and vastness. The barrier looks huge like it is all encompassing. Nice tip to the original by using "The Cage" enterprise with the lightning rod tips on the nacelles, the bigger bridge dome and deflector dish good continuity. With all the detail of hd the sets look so cheap, for example when Dehner talks to Mitchell in sick bay you can actually see the nail holes that were covered up with drywall compound in the background on the wall she is leaning on. Not to mention the horrible early make-up for Spock he looks alien alright! Once again great looking transfer.
Overall: 5 out of 5 One Treks finest hours, great sf storytelling with a real human element to the narrative to keep the story going. Some classic action and Kirk gets his tunic ripped for the first time. Interesting to see Scotty in command gold and Sulu in science blue, as their characters were not fully established yet. The sets have a strange unfinished quality to them and it must have been quite jarring for anyone first following the series back in the sixties. One gripe that they could have fixed the bridge view screen when Kirk,Mitchell and Spock first walk out of the turbo lift with a star field or something other than the flickering TV interference. Guest stars Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman are fantastic and really have all the best scenes in this episode. Lockwood's other famous role was as Dr. Frank Poole in 2001: A space Odyssey. Kellerman's was as 'hot lips' O'Houilihan in MASH. Samuel Peeples script really established Kirk and Mitchell's relationship and the captains personal torture as what to do with his increasingly dangerous best friend. And for god sakes change the name on the tombstone to James T Kirk not James R Kirk! Wonder what the 'R' stood for; Roy maybe.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Next on TATV: Take you back
Stardate 1312.4 Gary Mitchell is the first officer, Mark Piper is the doctor,Scotty's a goldshirt, Sulu wears a blue shirt, Lee Kelso is driving the ship, there's a beautiful blond on board and no miniskirts! Has Star Trek gone mad? No it's the second pilot yet third episode aired Where no man has gone before. Coming soon to a blog near you.
Stardate:1533.6 Charlie X
Original Air date: Sept. 15, 1966
Dir: Lawrence Dobkin
The Lowdown: The Enterprise rendezvous with the freighter Antares to transport a special passenger: Charlie Evans. A 17 year old survivor from a crashed ship on the planet Thasus. It seems he was the only survivor, and from the age of 3 on was left alone to fend for himself until rescued by the crew of the Antares. After an awkward introduction to captain Kirk, Charlie meets his first female in the person of yeoman Janice Rand and immediately falls in love. Being naturally curious, Evans explores the ship and observes the crew going about their routines. While seemingly like any other teenage boy; emotional, moody, socially awkward he is hiding a secret. Charlie has the ability to transmute objects and people at will. He knows he has great power but he does not understand it. Meanwhile the crew struggle on what to do with the impudent youth, Kirk knows he can not let the boy live with his relatives on earth colony 5. The boy eventually takes control of the ship and is intent on winning Janice's heart. Spurned, Evans makes the Janice disappear and is locked in a contest of wills with the captain. With the vessel locked on course to colony 5 a communication is trying to be sent that appears to rattle Charlie and Kirk seeing this beings to assault Evans. The boy being taxed, mentally cannot handle the strain and the mysterious communication reaches the ship. The Thasians have arrived to take the boy back to their world. Humans were not meant to have this power, and after pleas from Charlie to the captain he is beamed back to the alien ship.
The DVD:
The hd image is so clear I can see the makeup on Shatner's face. Colors are vibrant especially the artistically lighted corridors and cabins. The addition of the Antares freighter was a nice nod to the animated series. The effect for the ship wasn't quite convincing it looks cartoony in hd. Some of the new phasing effects were smoother and did not take away from the story. The Thasian ship was very disappointing a couple of green blobs that actually looked like the Liberator from Blake's 7. Poor effort CBS-D! Not really much else in the way of new shots this episode. I was more taken with the cuts for syndication, over the years having up to 8 minutes of footage cut from the original running time of 52 minutes. Guest star Robert Walker Jr. was excellent in the role as Evans really capturing the awkward teenage angst and earnestness of a boy on the cusp of the adult world. A well written story by Roddenberry with the teleplay by DC Fontana had humour, angst and some action. Scary moment: Shatner in ballet tights eeewwww!
Overall: 4 out of 5 Strong story, but hampered with some poor choices for effects. The print is crystal clear and the level of detail is amazing. This episode is indicative of early season 1 Trek serious drama, a little humor and gorgeous Janice Rand!
Dir: Lawrence Dobkin
The Lowdown: The Enterprise rendezvous with the freighter Antares to transport a special passenger: Charlie Evans. A 17 year old survivor from a crashed ship on the planet Thasus. It seems he was the only survivor, and from the age of 3 on was left alone to fend for himself until rescued by the crew of the Antares. After an awkward introduction to captain Kirk, Charlie meets his first female in the person of yeoman Janice Rand and immediately falls in love. Being naturally curious, Evans explores the ship and observes the crew going about their routines. While seemingly like any other teenage boy; emotional, moody, socially awkward he is hiding a secret. Charlie has the ability to transmute objects and people at will. He knows he has great power but he does not understand it. Meanwhile the crew struggle on what to do with the impudent youth, Kirk knows he can not let the boy live with his relatives on earth colony 5. The boy eventually takes control of the ship and is intent on winning Janice's heart. Spurned, Evans makes the Janice disappear and is locked in a contest of wills with the captain. With the vessel locked on course to colony 5 a communication is trying to be sent that appears to rattle Charlie and Kirk seeing this beings to assault Evans. The boy being taxed, mentally cannot handle the strain and the mysterious communication reaches the ship. The Thasians have arrived to take the boy back to their world. Humans were not meant to have this power, and after pleas from Charlie to the captain he is beamed back to the alien ship.
The DVD:
The hd image is so clear I can see the makeup on Shatner's face. Colors are vibrant especially the artistically lighted corridors and cabins. The addition of the Antares freighter was a nice nod to the animated series. The effect for the ship wasn't quite convincing it looks cartoony in hd. Some of the new phasing effects were smoother and did not take away from the story. The Thasian ship was very disappointing a couple of green blobs that actually looked like the Liberator from Blake's 7. Poor effort CBS-D! Not really much else in the way of new shots this episode. I was more taken with the cuts for syndication, over the years having up to 8 minutes of footage cut from the original running time of 52 minutes. Guest star Robert Walker Jr. was excellent in the role as Evans really capturing the awkward teenage angst and earnestness of a boy on the cusp of the adult world. A well written story by Roddenberry with the teleplay by DC Fontana had humour, angst and some action. Scary moment: Shatner in ballet tights eeewwww!
Overall: 4 out of 5 Strong story, but hampered with some poor choices for effects. The print is crystal clear and the level of detail is amazing. This episode is indicative of early season 1 Trek serious drama, a little humor and gorgeous Janice Rand!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Stardate 1513.1 The Man Trap
Air Date Sept 8 1966
Director: Marc Daniels
The Lowdown: The Enterprise is dispatched to the remote planet M-113 to resupply Professor Robert Crater with supplies. Crater lives alone with his wife Nancy among the ruins of a long dead race. Nancy happens to be an ex-girlfriend Dr. McCoy. Crater is surly and wishes them to leave immediately while getting a medical exam from McCoy. Soon after two crewmen end up dead with all the salt leeched from their bodies. Nancy is not who she appears to be, assuming the identity of one of the dead men to get aboard the ship. After a brief armed stand off with Crater on the surface he reveals that dear Nancy is dead and that the creature that took her form is salt vampire. The last of it's kind. While trying to take the captains' salt, the doctor must kill this illusion of his lost love in order to save his friend.
DVD: I own the HD DVD combo set so I reviewed the season in glorious high definition uncut and commercial free! What a beautiful restoration! After years of watching this episode on standard def television and vhs tapes the colors and the details are amazing. The velour uniform shirts have never looked better. The remastered visuals are minimal in this episode, some nice space shots of the enterprise nice detail on the ship hull plate segments etc. Some nice new angles of the enterprise orbiting the planet were remenicent of the shots from TNG. The matte shot of the surface with the building in the distance really integrated well with the live action footage. Cbs digital did not go overboard with the effects and just added to the story not taking way from it.
Notes: The first crew death in the series was a blue shirt not a red shirt interesting. A small gripe: when Crater is stunned by the phaser the sound effect is a bullet riccochet. Great character moments for the supporting cast Uhura, Sulu and even Rand, love the beehive and mini skirt.
Overall :4 out of 5 Great work from the team at cbs digital to homage the original episodes' effects this was a good first adventure for the crew even though this was the sixth episode filmed the chemistry between the big three was already beginning to gel, giving its basic "monster terrorizes "the ship story more weight and feeling.
Director: Marc Daniels
The Lowdown: The Enterprise is dispatched to the remote planet M-113 to resupply Professor Robert Crater with supplies. Crater lives alone with his wife Nancy among the ruins of a long dead race. Nancy happens to be an ex-girlfriend Dr. McCoy. Crater is surly and wishes them to leave immediately while getting a medical exam from McCoy. Soon after two crewmen end up dead with all the salt leeched from their bodies. Nancy is not who she appears to be, assuming the identity of one of the dead men to get aboard the ship. After a brief armed stand off with Crater on the surface he reveals that dear Nancy is dead and that the creature that took her form is salt vampire. The last of it's kind. While trying to take the captains' salt, the doctor must kill this illusion of his lost love in order to save his friend.
DVD: I own the HD DVD combo set so I reviewed the season in glorious high definition uncut and commercial free! What a beautiful restoration! After years of watching this episode on standard def television and vhs tapes the colors and the details are amazing. The velour uniform shirts have never looked better. The remastered visuals are minimal in this episode, some nice space shots of the enterprise nice detail on the ship hull plate segments etc. Some nice new angles of the enterprise orbiting the planet were remenicent of the shots from TNG. The matte shot of the surface with the building in the distance really integrated well with the live action footage. Cbs digital did not go overboard with the effects and just added to the story not taking way from it.
Notes: The first crew death in the series was a blue shirt not a red shirt interesting. A small gripe: when Crater is stunned by the phaser the sound effect is a bullet riccochet. Great character moments for the supporting cast Uhura, Sulu and even Rand, love the beehive and mini skirt.
Overall :4 out of 5 Great work from the team at cbs digital to homage the original episodes' effects this was a good first adventure for the crew even though this was the sixth episode filmed the chemistry between the big three was already beginning to gel, giving its basic "monster terrorizes "the ship story more weight and feeling.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
First post!
Never done this before.. So bear with me. Coming soon season one of Trek Remastered. I will review the episodes in order by air date. Some personal impressions and behind the scenes anecdotes or whatever else I can dig up. Welcome aboard!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
