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44 Inch Chest, a review by dfmorgan

44 Inch Chest

Year: 2009
Director: Malcolm Venville
Cast: Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, John Hurt
OverviewWatched: 27th. May 2011
My ThoughtsMy Rating: Should have done better for a  -2 -



ETC watched date

(From Dave's DVD/Blu-ray Reviews on May 28th, 2011)

The Spiderwick Chronicles, a review by addicted2comics

The Plot: After moving into a new house, Jared Grace and his family discover a field guide that opens their eyes to a world of mystical creatures around them.

My Thoughts: Well, starting with the negatives, the plot is kind of done, I mean, I can't shake the Chronicles of Narnia out of my head. Not to mention some scenes are so dark its hard to see. All the same as the film moves on it greatly improves. My hopes weren't that high as it was a Nickelodeon movie, so I associated it with such shows as iCarly and Spongebob, but this is way better. There are some moments I think would reach out to anyone - - - a little girl growing up without a father, a divorcing family, work making a guy ignore his family. What? I said it would reach out, I didn't say it would make you happy!!

After watching the movie, my only regret for this is that there aren't more mystical creatures. The movie mainly focuses on an attack of goblins and trolls, featuring a few others but not all that much. All in all, it pretty cool, would recommend it to anyone, and give it a solid 4 out of 5.

(From Addicted2comics(:P)'s Official Review Thread!!! on March 29th, 2010)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: During the repair of a food replicator, Chief O'Brien accidentally activates a hidden device that was planted there during the construction of the station 18 years ago. This device injects a virus into each replicated food. After the incubation time people start to babble incoherently, then they get fever and die. Even worse: At some point the virus has mutated and has become airborne. Now the entire station is in danger.

My Opinion: It was an average episode, but we've seen Odo and Quark working together for the first time and that was fun.

Synopsis: The first visitor from the Gamma Quadrant comes through the wormhole but he is not on a diplomatic mission. He is the prey in a hunt and the hunters are closing in. But he is no criminal nor did he do anything wrong - not even by the standards of his home world. He was bred to be the prey. The longer he stays alive and eludes his captors the more honour he brings to himself and to the hunter that kills him at last.

My Opinion: Genetically implemented "To the death!" mentality will become a common theme in DS9 and I think the characters handled this situation very well. They've bend the Prime Directive ("no interference in the business of other cultures unless asked to") without breaking it. I don't think Picard could have handled it better.

Synopsis: When the Runabout-class shuttle Ganges returns from the Gamma Quadrant they bring someone with them: Vash. Vash is a archaeologist who is more in the game for the money than the science. A few years back she accepted an offer by the godlike being Q to show her all the interesting places in the universe. Now she's back and Q with her. And Q always equals trouble.

My Opinion: Unfortunately this was the only appearance of John de Lancie in his role as Q on DS9. Stories with Q have mostly been interesting and this was one of them, especially (again) to point out the differences between Picard and Sisko. I really liked it when Sisko punched Q square in the face and he wasn't expecting that.

Synopsis: Three men try to kidnap Jadzia Dax from the station and bring her to a court. Jadzia Dax is a Trill, a symbiotic joined species with a humanoid host and a slug-like symbiont. When the host dies the symbiont will be transplanted into a new one. The former being - and mentor of Cmdr. Sisko - Curzon Dax has died a few years ago but now Jadzia is charged for a murder where Curzon is the prime suspect. But can Jadzia Dax being held responsible for something Curzon Dax supposedly did?

My Opinion: I liked that episode. It reminded me of the TNG episode where it was discussed whether or not Data - as an artificial life-form - has the right to make his own decisions. They had some compelling arguments for both sides and since the minds of host and symbiont have been truly merged it isn't as easy as it would be with Stargate SG-1's Goa'uld/Tok'ra. I also find it fascinating what we will learn about Curzon throughout the show without ever meeting him (except for that short flashback in the pilot).

(From Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Marathon on September 20th, 2008)