DVD Collectors Online

Alien3, a review by Jon

Alien³
3 out of 5



Ripley crash lands on a prison planet, the only survivor of the Sulaco. Into this world of rejects she brings another Alien.

WARNING: This is not a review. More of a rant. Sorry.

What a fascinating mess of a film! I can't hate this movie, I won't hate this movie. It's a noble effort and a decent sci-fi film in it's own right. It just had neglectful parents. It's crying out for a Criterion release because I bet they could get uncut features with Fincher ripping into Fox. I'd love to hear the true story of how Fox screwed their own franchise. The twats. In fact, from here on in, "the studio" or "Fox" will be referred to as "the twats". That the film is as good and as watchable as it is, is a bloody miracle.

I watched, for the first time, the "Assembly Cut" and it is a very different beast. Without the still bitter Fincher it is as flawed as the theatrical release, but in a different way and more commendable. There is a glimpse of what could have been.

It was doomed from the start. Despite Aliens being a massive success, the twats had removed Ripley's back story (restored in the SE) which pissed off Sigourney and so she favoured a script with a reduced role so she could walk away. The twats meddling continued and they managed to piss everyone else off: with the scripts (Alien 3 is a mash-up of several ideas and it shows), the creature design (they asked Giger to update it, he overdid it and the twats ignored him! Actually probably best. I don't think his lift goes to the top floor...) and David Fincher. Typical twatty move to hire the current wonder-boy then take every decision away from him.

You can't start a production like that and expect it to work. And those fundamental flaws formed the building blocks of the real villain of the franchise, Alien 4. It seems to me from the features on this film that some threads of the rejected scripts made it into the next film and possibly some of Giger's more ludicrous designs which make Resurrections Alien/Human hybrid baby look good. Although his work should be honoured, I do think the man is utterly bonkers and his raw creativity was tempered for the first two so us mere mortals could actually understand it. Have you seen his books? He doesn't think like the rest of us. His design for Alien 3 included lips and the creature would kill by "kissing"! Seriously. Get the man his tablets. Fincher said he wanted to get back to the erotic nature of Alien, so Giger swapped the jaws for big lips. Jesus.

Another one who needs medication is Vincent Ward. His version of the screenplay was set on a wooden planet. With fucking monks. A fucking wooden planet with fucking monks. Oh. My. God. Have they even seen Alien? This was almost the shooting script by all accounts. Fincher comes in at the last minute to deal with the new script. Poor bastard made a decent go of it really.

So lets deal with what's on the screen. The good stuff. Lets take a step back and think for a moment. How many good part threes are there? Not many, especially on the back of two genuine masterpieces. At least Alien 3 tries to go back to scary basics of one Alien, while extending the story to a new level. A natural level, because it's always been about a fight between species and how our human nature keeps crippling us. Here the humans make a stand by becoming less than human.

The first two films are about survival. This is about death. So starting by killing off Newt and Hicks was controversial, brave and for this story, the right thing to do. This is nihilism. You liked those characters? Tough. Their dead. Deal. It kind of puts the viewer in Ripley's position. We've gone to hell and back with her and this is the reward. More death. Time for a change in attitude. Only right really, because the shit only hit the fan last time because of her. Go back for Newt, she gave the Queen a ticket off the planet and didn't check the ship before hypersleep. That's silly. You always check the back doors locked before going to bed, don't you? It's about time she accepted some responsibility.

The idea of her being infected forces the issue. On this world, she's as alien as the creature. To ram the point home it's a prison planet. A female is the very last thing they need, especially as their exile is their own doing. They've made a conscious decision to separate and form their own society, where they simply function until death which they welcome in whatever form God chooses to deliver. Yes, they've found religion too. This efficient, unemotional and committed group is the first match for the Alien. There are no cats or little girls to worry about here. They're going to fight to win, even if they die.

Excellent idea. Brilliant extension to Alien themes. However, it's pretty bloody miserable. The first two films were just as deep, but remembered to wrap it all up in something recognisably entertaining. A haunted house and a rollercoaster. Here they give us depression. Cheers. Killing two fan favourite characters might have suited this story, but they alienate (snigger) most of the audience. The twats also pissed off Michael Biehn with that one, by the way. When he heard how his character was treated, he allegedly made them pay him more for his likeness than all his work on Aliens! Give that man a beer! Biehn 1, Twats 0!

The assembly cut really improves things with plenty of back story to the prisoners, which only serves to support the excellent performances by the three or four main characters played by Dutton (the funeral is beautifully done), Dance (Ripley wants a piece! Told you it was new attitude. She never got a sniff before), Glover and a deservedly extended role for McGann. They actually have personalities beyond Bald and Ugly now, which was a serious problem before, and they're funny. A whole subplot was cut where they successfully capture the Alien and lock it up, before the nut (McGann) who was going on about "the dragon" lets it out again. That reminded me of Renfield from Dracula, obeying his enigmatic master. I loved that angle, absolutely made the film for me and they make me recommend it for you. It deserves a second chance on this score.

I wasn't so keen on them changing the dog for an ox. I always liked the shot of the dog barking at the facehugger. Here the crash is completely different and you don't see how the facehugger meets Babe (the name of the ox... just go with it). But the prisoners reaction is funnier when one finds the dead facehugger. The Alien overall is simply not that scary in either version. The sleeker design is cool, but CGI just doesn't work. There's even more of it in the SE.

The the last thing that's different is right at the end...
Pacing and editing is an issue and is the biggest black mark against the movie compared with the first entries. No build up to pure adrenalin here and Lance's cameo is just... odd. Without Fincher on board the whole enterprise was irretrievable, but I really recommend seeing this version. It had some good ideas as I said, looks great and could have been a perfect end to the trilogy. And if this post is anything to go by, plenty of waffle potential. Sorry. 

Now I've watched the first three, I suppose you're expecting me to include Alien Resurrection!

You can bollocks.

(From October Marathon: Horror! on October 22nd, 2008)

The Great Gatsby (2013), a review by Silence_of_Lambs

Summary:
An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Long Island-set novel, where Midwesterner Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) is lured into the lavish world of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). Soon enough, however, Carraway will see through the cracks of Gatsby's nouveau riche existence, where obsession, madness, and tragedy await.

My Thoughts:
First of all I haven't read the novel by Fitzgerald, so this review will not be about the adaptation of the original material, just about the film itself (with a little comparison to its predecessor from 1974).

Sometimes Directors (and casting bureaus) are lucky because they can hire the best possible cast for their project. This was correct for the 1974 version (Redford / Farrow) and is so even more for Baz Luhrmann's attempt.
DiCaprio is not playing Gatsby, he is Gatsby. Maguire has it easy, since he even looks (a bit) like F. Scott Fitzgerald, and is definitely on his way to becoming a great actor that has more to offer than his boylike, astounded face. I was a bit skeptical about how Carey Mulligan would do as Daisy, but what a performance she delivers. Joel Edgerton, who for me up to now was more something like the ante-type of a second-row supporting actor with muscles,  as Tom Buchanan, he too is giving us an outstanding performance.

Luhrmann doesn't limit himself to simply re-doing the 1974 version, he is adding and re-interpreting to each and every role and thereby is making the persons and their backgrounds more realistic.
Just like the 1974 version this is a slow-paced movie, and this is good because the story and the characters deserve and need this.

I think it is time to read the novel too.


My Rating: (out of possible 5)

(From Michael's random reviews on November 4th, 2013)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

Title: Life Begins: The Complete Series 1


Certificate:15
Year:2004


Plot:From the creator of Cold Feet comes Life Begins the award-winning drama starring Caroline Quentin.

Maggie thought her 2.4 family life was fairly perfect until her husband runs off with a younger model and all of a sudden she's got to start all over again.  But she soon discovers that what in sales may not be able the worst thing that's ever happened to her.

Episode 1 - Maggie and Phil
Maggie is soon discovering that your life takes a rather sudden tumble when your husband drops the bombshell that it's time to split up.

My Review:

Not a lot of comedy in this pilot episode, which deals with the painful break-up of the couples marriage, it's effect on their children, and the hopelessness felt by the spurned wife as she is left to deal with everything after her husband leaves.
Caroline Quentin is a convincing lead, one who I can imagine will provoke great sympathy in future episodes. The support cast works well, with Alexander Armstrong especially noteworthy as the husband. The writing is superb, as the scenarios, subject matters raised and problems faced are wholly realistic.
This is definately a keeper, and one which I am sure will develop into an interesting drama/comedy.
 

(From My PILOT Marathon on September 29th, 2009)