DVD Collectors Online

Star Trek (2009), a review by Rich

Title: Star Trek

Runtime:122
Certificate:12
Year:2009
Genres:Science-Fiction

Plot:
Director J.J. Abrams (Alias) re-teams with his MI: III screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to bring a new vision of the greatest space adventure of all time. Featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no man has gone before, Star Trek depicts Romulan time traveller Nero's bloody quest for revenge against Spock and the Federation.

My Review:
A welcome glossy revamp of Star Trek, and it really is a fantastic piece of work. The casting is superb, Pine as a feisty Kirk is excellent in the role, and the choice of Quinto as Spock inspired. The love interest between Spock and Uhura (Saldana) was a little twist that was unexpected but works well, and Urban playing the sarcastic and dry Bones better than the original. Pegg as Scottie was ok for me, and with Chekov and Sulu played well we have a full house.
The effects are jaw-dropping, the first view of Nero's Romulan ship is stunning, and the huge budget is evident in every minute of the movie. Audio is knee-tremblingly solid, and you are immersed in the film from the first shots.
I was not happy with the one to one between Nimoy and the new Spock, but that is about the only negative I can list about a fresh, exciting storyline. I am sure ST purists may find more fault, but I was never into the ST enough to notice any continuity or design anomalies. Seeing the history of Kirk literally from birth, and the early schooling years of Spock, give us an insight to their characters strengths and flaws before joining Starfleet.
I believe you don't have to be a trekkie to enjoy this film, standalone it is a great movie, and I take my hat off to Abrams for this modern day sci-fi action classic.


(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 21st, 2009)

Screamers, a review by Achim

Screamers (1995/United States) Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Christian Duguay Writing: Philip K. Dick (Original Material By), Dan O'Bannon (Screenwriter), Miguel Tejada-Flores (Screenwriter) Length: 104 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, German: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround Subtitles: Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian

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Stars:
Peter Weller as Hendricksson
Roy Dupuis as Becker
Jennifer Rubin as Jessica
Andy Lauer as Ace
Charles Powell as Ross

Plot:
After 10 years of devastating warfare on Planet Sirius 6B, a distant mining planet, Commander Joseph Hendricksson (Peter Weller) is assigned to protect his outpost from the New Economic Block. His scientists have created a perfect weapon, designed to destroy all enemy life - a blade wielding, self-replicating race of killing devices known as Screamers.

But something has gone wrong - the Screamers continue to evolve without any human guidance, cloning themselves into human form and obliterating all forms of human life.

Betrayed by his own political leaders and disgusted by the atrocities of the endless war, Hendricksson decides he must negotiate peace with the enemy. But to do so, he must first destroy the very weapon he helped to create...
Screamers!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Production Notes

More of a B-movie from the mid-90s. I believe it was overshadowed by some other bigger release that year, which I can't remember what it was (maybe Species...?). However, this film is great on DVD. Good production values (they used an abandoned industrial area which gives it a great look), good acting by Peter Weller (he is very cool in this one!, to bad he never really got very far) and a solid B-movie (read: people we never really heard of) supporting cast. The special effects hold up very well, with only some minor use of CGI, and there is some gore, but not much of it. With only a few rather obvious continuity slips and mostly congruous writing this is good science fiction entertainment.

Rating:

(From The Movies from Within My Lifetime on July 5th, 2011)

HawthoRNe: Season 1 Ep. 3: Yielding, a review by addicted2dvd

YIELDING
An overprotective mother is suspected of poisoning her infant daughter, Christina looks to honor her promise to keep an old woman on life support long enough for her son to say his last goodbyes.

Notable Guest Stars:
No One Recognized

My Thoughts:
Another very good episode. I really liked the storyline with the infant... especially the way it ended.

My Rating:

(From HawthoRNe Episode Reviews on June 22nd, 2013)