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Cutthroat Island, a review by addicted2dvd

Cutthroat Island
Geena Davis (Thelma & Lousie, BeetleJuice) and Matthew Modine (Married to the Mob , Full Metal Jacket) deliver a tidal wave of nonstop action and adventure in this swashbuckling saga of ruthless pirates, buried treasure and bloodthirsty betrayal.

My Thoughts:
I am personally not a huge fan of pirate movies... but I do enjoy one every now and then. I mostly bought this movie on no other merit then it starred Geena Davis... who I always have enjoyed. And even though it is not my favorite subject matter... I did enjoy this one. I thought Geena Davis did a great job as usual. I really love a strong woman.... and that is something you pretty much always get from characters Geena Davis plays.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: 11/21 - 11/23 on November 21st, 2008)

Dog Soldiers, a review by Jon

Dog Soldiers
4 out of 5



Soldiers on an exercise in Scotland come up against werewolves...

This is a great debut from director Neil Marshall, working from his own superb screenplay that turns unavoidable weaknesses (namely the budget) into strengths. He knows exactly what he can get away with and brings the audience in on the joke. We're scared when we should be scared and laugh when we should too.

The story takes its lead from Predator, with soldiers banter giving way to a mad dash for safety when they're attacked by werewolves, and it becomes more akin to Night of the Living Dead once the survivors are in a deserted farmhouse, complete with suicide missions and the wounded turning into the creatures. The script balances the jokes, the gore and the scares without any awkwardness. Not long into the film there's a Predator camp-fire moment that easily qualifies for all three! A fine cast led by Sean Pertwee and Kevin McKidd find their jobs all the easier for the solid writing. The film relies on McKidd as Cooper, but most of the best lines go to Pertwee's memorable Sergeant. Everyone finds just the right tone, even for some corny jokes ("there is no spoon!").

But good writing and acting aren't enough in a horror film; we need action and gore as well! Marshall does well to disguise his men-in-suit effects, using editing and shadows to create old fashioned scares and proving that CGI is often a crutch for lazy film-makers. There's only a couple of cheap moments and they are normally supported by a well placed scare, like the unfortunate soldier who becomes a kebab or Pertwee's hilarious gut-problems! Within the farmhouse, the creatures stand a few close-ups and some of the imagery is fantastic, especially the moment in a garage.

It really only stumbles in the final act. There's an obvious twist, but in a film like this, second-guessing doesn't matter, but it unexpectedly undoes the good work of a previous scene and it leaves the film feeling laboured for a short-while. However, the final scenes are fantastic building up to a nicely done end. All-in-all, one of the best horrors of recent years and the budget probably couldn't have paid for the catering on disappointments like I Am Legend.  

(From Jon's Marathon of Horror! 2009 on October 18th, 2009)

Babylon 5: Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: Arthur Pendragon, King of the Britons has arrived at the station to return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. Meanwhile Sheridan tries to set up a defense treaty of Babylon 5 with the League of Non-Alligned Worlds.

My opinion: Loved the speculation whether or not he could be King Arthur, especially with the experience that the Vorlons have indeed taken people from Earth. Michael York played this role very well. I also liked the episode because I think that a sword is the most fair weapon on a battle field - if something like a "fair weapon" exist. I always liked what I call "sword movies" (e.g. all kinds of "3 Musketeers" movies, Highlander, "Last Samurai" and so on). "Sword movies" are one of the few movies I'd watch even if they were made before the 80s.

Quote of the episode:
Garibaldi: "What are you so nervous about? We went up against the entire Earth Alliance and two carrier groups." Security guard: "Yeah, but this is the post office. This could get us in real trouble."


Synopsis: Bester comes yet again to the station to ally himself with Sheridan. He fears that alien forces have to much influence on the president and that they are threatening the Pis Corps. And so he acts accordingly to the old rule "the enemy of my enemy ..."

My opinion: Again a very good Bester episode in which we learn a lot about the Shadows and we get the insight that Bester has indeed a heart beating in his chest. And now it makes sense why the Narns were the first victims of this great war. They knew too much about the Shadows and how to beat them.


Synopsis: Sheridan needs a great victory against the Shadows to draw other races into the war against them. And for this victory he needs the support of the Vorlons, the only race capable of winning such a battle. Meanwhile Londo is awaiting Adira Tyree, the exoctic dancer he fell in love with in the first season. But Morden is unhappy, that Londo did cut Morden's connection to Lord Refa.

My opinion: It was great to see that a Vorlon can be made angry and that they have feelings just like the rest of us (fear of death for instance) and it was a very sad moment to see Kosh die. It was also sad to see Londo doing all the wrong things again. He was fooled again by Morden and was too blind to see it.


Synopsis: Ranger One / Entil'Zha Sinclair comes to the station because he got a letter addressed specifically to him, but written over 900 years ago. When he arrives Delenn discloses to him, Sheridan, Marcus and Susan that she knows, where (or better when) Babylon 4 went, after it got lost. It was used in the great war a thousand years ago and it would be their task to steal it and move it back in time.

My opninion: Just like I waited for "Comes the Inquisitor" in the last season I waited for this one in this season. I always liked the fact that Sinclair simply wasn't forgotten after he left Babylon 5. And for this episode he had to be there since we saw a "future Sinclair" in the "Babylon Squared" episode in the first season. Can't wait to see the continuation.

(From Babylon 5: Marathon on August 26th, 2007)