The Philadelphia Experiment (1984) Review

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(More customer reviews)Because this film lacked real star power, not many people have caught this as they should have. Even non sci-fi fans will enjoy this one. No need for me to reiterate the plot. The story is tightly crafted, well acted, and beautifully executed. Everything is explained nicely and nothing left to confuse the viewer. What is truly refreshing is the use of actual older actors playing the characters at later ages. No latex for a change!
Word of warning: If you order this used, be sure the version you are getting is produced by Anchor Bay Entertainment. It's wide-screen and contains the trailer as an additional feature. There is another version out there which is advertised as containing no features. This one is put out by an independent distributor, is Pan & Scan, the picture quality is dark, very grainy, and sound poor.

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The experiment that should never have happened 41yearsago...is still going on. Philadelphia, 1943: A top-secret experiment isunderwayto make U.S. Navy ships invisible to enemy radar, butsomething goes horribly wrong, and the BattleshipEldridge disappears.Two sailors jump overboard...andare mysteriously transported 41 years into thefuture. On the run and trapped by the past, can they stop theexperiment that has torn a hole in time? Michael Pare (Eddie and the Cruisers) and Nancy Allen(Carrie, Dressed to Kill) star in this provocativesci-fi action hit, executive produced by Halloweencreator John Carpenter!

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Whiteout (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I didn't quite know what to expect when I sat down in the theater today to watch Whiteout. The trailers led me to believe it would be some sort of supernatural type film set in Antarctica, but I wasn't really sure if it was just the weather that would be the evil force or some sort of creature. It was none of the above. Whiteout is really just a typical thriller/mystery that happens to occur on the coldest land mass in the world. It involves some murders back in 1957 and few more in present day that Kate's character investigates. Within the first ten minutes you get the gorgeous Kate Beckinsale stripping down to her undies (always a good thing), but I didn't expect that to be the films only true highlight. Other than her obvious use in that particular scene, I can't believe they casted a good looking woman only to cover her up from head to toe and in multiple layers for the last 90 minutes. Not to mention a giant snow hat on her head. Anyways, most of the acting was okay I guess. Kind of bland, but nothing noticeably bad.
Whiteout is actually pretty darn entertaining if you take it for what it is and don't expect anything special. It deserves better than all the negative reviews it is receiving from the critics, but I have to admit that without the early gratuitous scene or the atmospheric location, I probably wouldn't give this thing more that two stars. You might get a couple of shivers from this one, but those looking for some true frostbite should stick with John Carpenter's The Thing.

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LONE U.S. MARSHAL THE ONLY ONE ASSIGNED TO ANTARCTICA, MUST INVESTIGATE A MURDER AND TRACK DOWN A SERIAL KILLER ON THE FROZEN CONTINENT WITHIN THREE DAYS BEFORE THE DARK WINTER BEGINS.

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Avatar (Three-Disc Extended Collector's Edition + BD-Live) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm primarily interested in the storyline differences between special sets and their theatrical counterparts, so here are the differences between the two (NOTE: SPOILERS FOLLOW).
The extended collector's edition runs 16 minutes 28 seconds longer than the theatrical cut, and listed below are the major differences.
1) The opening scene is different, and starts with Jake in a wheelchair on Earth, in a Blade Runner-esque Earth city. The scene moves to scenes of Jake in his apartment, then taking liquid shots in a bar. Jake's narration of "I told myself I can pass any test a man can pass" and "They can fix the spinal if you got the money. But not on vet benefits, not in this economy" are inserted during this new opening scene.
Jake beats up a bar patron who is mistreating a woman, and then Jake and wheelchair are unceremoniously thrown outside by bouncers into an alley. While in the alley, Jake meets the two RDA representatives who bring him news of his brother's untimely death. Then the movie cuts back to the original theatrical cut where Jake sees his brother's body cremated, then awakes in space.
2) During Jake's initial flyover of Pandora in his avatar, they witness a herd of Sturmbeasts, buffalo-like creatures.
3) After seeing the Sturmbeasts, Grace, Jake, and Norm stop by Grace's old English school for the Na'vi. The school is now closed, abandoned, and some walls are riddled with bullet-holes. Norm finds a Dr. Seuss book, "The Lorax", on the ground. This scene explains how Neytiri knew English so well, and certainly gives some further backstory into Grace Augustine's character.
Interestingly, The Lorax can be seen as a metaphor for the Pandoran story. Recall that the seemingly simple Seussian book is actually a lesson on the plight of the environment and industrialization.
4) We see some other different Pandoran flora and fauna, particularly with scenes of the luminescent forest floor.
5) Jake's first dinner with Neytiri is longer and extended, and it's here that she tells him her full name.
6) When Jake, Grace, and Norm first visit the Hallelujah Mountains on the way to the remote uplink station, Grace explains (in a Jake voiceover) that the mountains are levitated [via the Meissner Effect], because Unobtanium is a superconductor. There's a pretty spectacular CGI shot as the characters look around in awe at the suspended mountains.
7) Pictures of Grace and Na'vi children at her previously functioning school. Dr. Augustine tells Jake that she previously taught Neytiri and her sister, Sylwanin. However, one day, Sylwanin and some hunters destroyed an RDA bulldozer, and RDA SecOps troopers killed them at the school, which explains why the school walls were previously seen pockmarked with bullet holes.
8) Sturmbeast hunting scene after Jake tames a Banshee. After Jake successfully kills a Sturmbeast with an arrow, he and Neytiri chortle a "Heck yeah!" and whoop.
9) Jake and Neytiri's love scene comprises them linking braids together. Some kissing, nothing explicit.
10) Tsu'tey leads a war party that destroys the RDA's autonomous bulldozers, as well as the RDA SecOps squad that was guarding them. Corporal Wainfleet leads the search party that uncovers the evidence, via real-time helmet cam footage. Not sure why they cut this scene from the theatrical cut, as it persuades Selfridge to attack the Home Tree.
11) Attack of Hammerhead Titanotheres on RDA forces has been extended slightly; additional scenes of AMP-Suits getting destroyed.
12) Fight between Colonel Quaritch in AMP Suit and Neytiri on Thanator slightly longer.
13) Tsu'tey's death scene; in the theatrical cut, he falls off the RDA shuttle's aft ramp to his death. In the Collector's Edition, he falls to the forest floor, mortally wounded. He passes on leadership to Jake, and asks Jake to ceremonially kill him e.g. hara-kiri, so that Jake will be the last shadow that Tsu-Tey sees. Jake does so.
I preferred the original Tsu'tey death scene, which was more dramatic. Jake, had afterall, already become the de facto clan leader by that point in the movie, so further formal transfer by Tsu'tey (a minor character) seemed unnecessary.


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Experience the spectacular world of James Cameron's Avatar as never before with this all-new three-disc extended collector\'s edition. The journey begins with three movie versions: the original theatrical release, the special edition re-release, and the exclusive extended cut not shown in theaters. And that's just what's on the first Blu-ray disc. The set's bonus feature run more than eight hours and include over 45 minutes of deleted scenes; actor's screen tests; on-location footage; feature-length documentaries on the film's groundbreaking production; an interactive scene-deconstruction feature that lets you explore different levels of production for 17 scenes; a comprehensive guide to the world of Pandora; and more. The greatest adventure of all time just got bigger and better.Versions of Avatar on Blu-ray and DVD
Contents of the Blu-ray Extended Collector's EditionWhat follows is the back-of-the box summary of the Blu-ray set's contents and then a complete listing of everything that's included.Disc 1: Three Movie Versions
Original Theatrical Edition (includes family audio track with objectionable language removed)
Special Edition Re-Release (includes family audio track with objectionable language removed)
Collector\'s Extended Cut with 16 additional minutes, including alternate opening on earthDisc 2: Filmmaker's Journey
Over 45 minutes of never-before-seen deleted scenes
Capturing Avatar: Feature-length documentary covering the 16-year filmmakers\' journey, including interviews with James Cameron, Jon Landau, cast and crew
A Message from Pandora: James Cameron\'s visit to the Amazon rainforest
The 2006 art reel: Original pitch of the Avatar vision
Brother termite test: Original motion capture test
The ILM prototype: Visual effects reel
Screen tests: Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana
Zoë\'s life cast: Makeup session footage
On-set footage as live-action filming begins
VFX progressions
Crew film: The VolumeDisc 3: Pandora's Box
Interactive scene deconstruction: Explore the stages of production of 17 different scenes through three viewing modes: capture level, template level, and final level with picture-in-picture reference
Production featurettes: Sculpting Avatar, Creating the Banshee, Creating the Thanator, The AMP Suit, Flying Vehicles, Na\'vi Costumes, Speaking Na\'vi, Pandora Flora, Stunts, Performance Capture, Virtual Camera, The 3D Fusion Camera, The Simul-Cam, Editing Avatar, Scoring Avatar, Sound Design, The Haka: The Spirit of New Zealand
Avatar original script
Avatar screenplay by James Cameron
Pandorapedia: Comprehensive guide to Pandora
Lyrics from five songs by James Cameron
The art of Avatar: Over 1,850 images in 16 themed galleries (The World of Pandora, The Creatures, Pandora Flora, Pandora Bioluminescence, The Na\'vi, The Avatars, Maquettes, Na\'vi Weapons, Na\'vi Props, Na\'vi Musical Instruments, RDA Designs, Flying Vehicles, AMP Suit, Human Weapons, Land Vehicles, One-Sheet Concepts)BD-Live Extras
BD-Live extras require a BD-Live-enabled player and an Internet connection. The following extras may be available a limited-time only and are subject to change over time:Crew Short: The Night Before Avatar; additional screen tests, including Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, and Laz Alonso; speaking Na\'vi rehearsal footage; Weta Workshop: walk-and-talk presentationReview of the Original Theatrical Edition

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Starship Troopers (Special Edition) (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)So says Paul Verhoeven, who has said (and says again in the commentary on this DVD release) that it's one of the statements made by this morally complex film.
I love listening to Verhoeven's commentaries (especially the one he does with Arnold Schwarzenegger on _Total Recall_). Here he shares the task with screenwriter Ed Neumeier, and putting the two of them together was an excellent choice. The commentary is one of the best features of the special edition.
The film itself is hard to evaluate. Because it's Verhoeven, it's got sex, gore, and social satire. What it's also got -- and something that was arguably missing from the Robert A. Heinlein novel on which the film is based -- is a high level of moral complexity that doesn't divide everyone neatly into Good Guys and Bad Guys.
The effect is odd, and oddly disturbing. On one hand, the film succeeds quite well as a combat shoot-'em-up in the style of the great World War II films. At that level, if we like, we can take the 'bugs' of Klendathu, playing as they do into our 'natural' loathing of insects, as a politically correct version of the sort of enemy Heinlein probably intended. (As long as we don't take the film's incompetent 'military action' too seriously.)
On the other hand, the film also contains lots of sly references to the Third Reich, lots of little clues that suggest the 'bugs' didn't start the war, and lots of opportunities for the characters _and_ the audience to conclude that war may not be the best way to approach the problem here at issue.
Okay, this latter stuff is a huge departure from Heinlein's novel, which was primarily focused on what makes military folks tick and what it means to be a responsible citizen. Heinlein's civics lesson is duly incorporated into the film, of course: a 'citizen' is one who takes personal responsibility for the safety and well-being of the body politic. But the film doesn't stop there.
In fact, it incorporates elements that could have come from two other SF novels that have been read as responses to _Starship Troopers_, namely, Joe Haldeman's _The Forever War_ and Orson Scott Card's _Ender's Game_. I don't _know_ that Neumeier had either of these novels in mind, but there's an important reference to Mormons in the screenplay that in this context might suggest Card. Be that as it may, Heinlein's civics lesson is here subjected to severe scrutiny and even dark satire.
That's okay by me. I regard _Starship Troopers_ as one of RAH's better novels (and as a success in its exploration of the military-man-coming-of-age mindset; I can see why military readers like it so well). Nevertheless there are problems with it that a straightforward screen adaptation wouldn't have been able to address. Neumeier and Verhoeven address those problems precisely by exaggerating them and sometimes openly ridiculing them -- while still managing to remain sensitive to the integrity of the military outlook.
Such nuance may unfortunately be lost on much of the film's audience. Heinlein fans may either disapprove of Verhoeven's approach or miss it altogether; viewers who haven't read their Heinlein may not even be aware that there's an argument going on (and mistake this gorefest for nothing more than an earlier version of _Independence Day_).
That's too bad, because this well-scripted, special-effects-laden film is a cinematic triumph on several levels -- only one of which is the gut-wrenching battle between humans and bugs. Verhoeven has long been clear that this film is _not_ an endorsement of either war itself or the fascistic society it tends to promote; that this isn't just obvious is a testament to Verhoeven's subtlety and, indeed, his _refusal_ to engage in 'propaganda' of the sort he satirizes.
It's an odd film in the sense that, in order to like it properly, you have to dislike it. If you enjoy it too much, you're missing the point its director wanted it to make.

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Manticore (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)While the SciFi channel shovels out stinkers by the dozen, from Species 3 (and Species 2 clearly earned a grade of Z-, so why they'd make another one....) to that movie with the cloned dragon with Dean Cain, Megasnake with the winner of the superhero competition, Basilisk and let's not forget those amazingly awful and absurd Sabretooth slasher type movies (I liked how the fetus had sabreteeth - cats of course don't grow teeth until after they're born, just like humans) which somehow managed to cast John Rhys Davies and Venessa Angel (hmmm, lots of mythological creatures from the commodore 64 game Archon when you think about it - perhaps we can expect a banshee, golem or shapeshifter movie to come - hopefully not a unicorn movie) to every manner of hokey disaster flick, this one stands out as an exception, despite the fact that its plot SOUNDS like a clone of all the others, which themselves contain nothing new or creative and are therefore pointless. I assure you, this is much, much better, and much more poignant. It's not mindless violence, it's mindFUL violence!
I was so impressed that I was actually waiting all through 2005 and 2006, checking video stores every week, to try to buy it on DVD and finally gave up and recorded it and edited out the commercials for my own collection when I saw it was on one last time, and I guess I should have just waited a little bit longer since now on inspiration I looked it up and sure enough it was released on DVD in 2007. It has several familiar faces, most notably the man who played Chekotay from Star Trek Voyager (and longer back, a main character from the movie Night of the Comet). It amazingly performs a striking political commentary on the whole 'weapons of mass destruction' fiasco in Iraq, as a small group of religious eccentrics in Iraq resurrect a creature of legend to rekindle THEIR national spirit behind a real, living, breathing weapon of mass destruction, in the face of a military invasion of dubious justification. Of course, the Manticore is just SO powerful and nearly uncontrollable (a standard creation turning on its master sort of story you might say), and practically immortal, so it of course gets a bit out of hand (I thought the manticore was kind of cute though, especially that long spiky tail - and they got the legend just right on the physical characteristics of the Manticore, by the way). So how do you stop the invincible manticore? In the final confrontation, they do their best to scrap together legend and modern technology, so watch the movie and see what they come up with. You won't be disappointed with the resolution. Well, unless you were rooting for the manticore to destroy western civilization or become someone's pet, you won't be disappointed.
As another reviewer pointed out, if they couldn't make the manticore a little less flagrantly computer animated, they should have shown him a bit less. His first appearance was such a brief glimpse, you don't get a good look at him, and that was pretty good - too bad they didn't continue like that all the way through, that would have even better than 'a claw here, a talon there'. Oh well, so it's not perfect. But as a low budget movie goes, I'm sure it was a million dollars well spent. Hollywood can shovel out garbage at 5 times the rate of the Sci-Fi channel and 500 times the price, so this is a testament to how good even a small investment can be if it's only done right. And that manticore was totally badazzzz.

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In war-torn Iraq, rugged Army soldiers learn that the battles they face every day have only been a warm-up to the unspeakable terror awaiting them. Dispatched to find a missing news crew, the squad finds itself facing an ancient, evil, a mythical clawed-and-winged beast known as the Manticore, now unleashed by villainous opponents to keep the land under their control. Starring Robert Beltran (Star Trek: Voyager), Jeff Fahey (Grindhouse), Chase Masterson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), and Heather Donahue (The Blair Witch Project), this gritty, powerhouse collision of brutal combat and monster-packed action will thrill you with every explosive minute!

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Star Trek Online Review

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(More customer reviews)Star Trek Online has been hyped for quite a long time and after a little drama (company changes / rumors of vaporware) it is finally released.
Starting Up:
When starting out I was presented with the same basic "create your character" sequence that is common with most MMOs. A somewhat unique feature is to be able to give yourself specific traits. Character customization is good and keeps everybody looking different. You also get to pick whether you want to be part of the Federation or Klingon Empire (each comprises several different races). In this part of the game you also select what you want your ship to look like. You can do a reasonable amount of customization to your ship which keeps things looking a little unique between everybody. The intro/tutorial does a decent job of walking you through the basics of the interface and interaction with the world.
Game Play:
After everything is set up you start out by doing missions for different people. After you get your missions, you leave the space dock and "fly off" to your mission location. What I found quickly is that the missions consist of two types. Type one is essentially "go to this location and kill the bad guys". Type two is "go to this location, beam to the surface, and kill the bad guys".
As you kill more bad guys and complete your missions, you gain experience to improve your abilities (most of which help you to kill bad guys faster). After you gain enough experience you gain a new rank (go from Lt. to Lt. Cmdr.). Each rank contains 10 grades. So the total number of "levels" you can obtain is 50 I believe. After gaining rank you can buy better ships... so that you can more easily kill the bad guys.
Crafting/Gathering:
One feature is the ability to scan and collect resources. While traveling around you will come across - or can scan for - anomalies. When found you can scan them up close and collect different resources. These are used for the extremely simplistic crafting system. The idea is that you bring your different items that you have collected from the anomalies to a person and they will use them to upgrade some ship or personal item you are carrying. The idea isn't as bad as the implementation. During the time I've played so far you are extremely limited as to what you can upgrade and what upgrades are done. The upgrades also don't get you items that are really worth the effort of gathering the resources.
Exploration:
Not too familiar with this but my understanding is that you basically go around and complete missions (Kill stuff) for a group of systems within a sector. Then you are awarded exploration points - or something like that - which you can use to buy ship or personal items. Not much emphasis was put on this part of the game from what I can tell so far.
I haven't got into the PvP part of the game so that is absent from this review.
Pros:
You get to be a ship captain in a star trek environment.
If you liked the combat based episodes of Star Trek then this game is tailored for you.
Space combat mechanics is fairly well done and interesting.
A "Hold your hand" approach to game play. (Could be a con if you like the sandbox approach)
Cons:
If you are picky about graphics quality you will be disappointed.
Pretty much everything in the game is "instanced" and separated by "rooms". What this means is that you are never in a true "Massively" multiplayer environment. Most of the rooms you are in have roughly 50 people and the instances have even less.
Even with the instancing and rooms, the game universe feels small.
The game suffers from the typical "grind" to progress issues.
The point of the game is to shoot anything that moves (i.e. If you're not sure, shoot it). Many feel that this is not what Star Trek was/is about.
Little emphasis placed on Crafting/Gathering and Exploration.
Overall the game will appeal to people who want to play specifically because it is Star Trek. As far as an MMO is concerned... it is not. I suspect that even Star Trek fans (like myself) will want more than what is offered here. I've found the general consensus from people who participated in the open beta is that the game has so much potential but falls short on the delivery.
My recommendation is to wait a few months to buy the game until it is complete and some of the "Afterthought" features are finished.

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With episode missions, every moment spent playing Star Trek Online will feel like a new Star Trek episode in which you are the star. Immerse yourself in the future of the Trek universe as it moves into the 25th century: a time of shifting alliances and new discoveries. Adventure in the Final Frontier Explore strange new worlds and seek out new life and new civilizations in a vast, expanding universe. Establish contact with new races, discover resources and uncover mysteries that will influence Star Trek's future. In 2409, Star Trek Online exists in a timeframe beyond even the latest movies, so everything you experience will be brand new, but still based on all the fiction you love. You Are the Captain Star Trek Online is the first AAA MMO to feature space and ground combat at launch. Missions will take you and your friends into the depths of space, across exotic planets, and even inside starships. As the Captain of your very own ship, it's up to you to lead your crew on missions that span a number of locations. You call the shots, no matter where you are. When you're in space, you direct the action - be it in the middle of a high-tension battle, where you can maneuver in 3-D space and fire a vast array of weaponry at your enemies, or as you enter warp to explore parts of the galaxy never before documented. On the ground, you lead your away team across exciting terrain, interacting with allies and battling enemies. Every Captain commands five subordinates on the ground, all of which can be directed to act in any manner you choose. Can you lead them safely through dangerous locales? Total Customization Using Cryptic\'s Total Customization technology, every ship you command can be customized by you, from its color to its construction. Your ship will retain a Star Trek "feel," but it will also represent your style. What\'s more, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, meaning you can tell your own story about how you came to be in the galaxy and leave your mark on the Star Trek universe. Built by Veterans with You in Mind Star Trek Online is developed by Cryptic Studios, creators of the massively successful City of Heroes and City of Villains. It\'s built on the Cryptic Engine, a core technology that means Cryptic game designers can focus less on a game\'s nuts and bolts and more on creating a game that captures Star Trek\'s essence, guaranteeing that both longtime fans of Star Trek and people new to the universe will feel at home.
System Requirements:

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