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Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, a review by DJ Doena

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home



William Shatner ... Admiral / Captain James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy ... Captain Spock
DeForest Kelley ... Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy
James Doohan ... Commander Montgomery "Scotty" Scott
George Takei ... Commander Hikaru Sulu
Walter Koenig ... Commander Pavel Chekov
Nichelle Nichols ... Cmdr. Uhura
Jane Wyatt ... Amanda
Catherine Hicks ... Dr. Gillian Taylor
Mark Lenard ... Ambassador Sarek
Robin Curtis ... Lieutenant Saavik
Robert Ellenstein ... Federation Council President
John Schuck ... Klingon Ambassador
Brock Peters ... Admiral Cartwright

After having stolen the Enterprise and having it blown up above Genesis, the crew has to return in the captured klingon Bird of Prey which Dr. McCoy ironically named HMS Bounty. On Earth they have to face charges of mutiny and theft of the Enterprise. But there is anothere traveler on its way to Earth with a message for its inhabitants.

My opinion:
The funniest movie of the series and I enjoyed it very much. This movie is packed with gags that play with the situation that a group of humans and aliens from the 23rd century has to blend in with the population of San Francisco in the year 1986.
What is regrettable is the fact that we haven't learn anything since then. We still hunt whales for "scientifical purposes".

(From Weekend Star Trek Marathon on February 9th, 2008)

The Mummy, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Mummy
Year of Release: 1932
Directed By: Karl Freund
Starring: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Arthur Byron, Edward Van Sloan
Genre: Horror

Overview:
The Mummy features horror icon Boris Karloff in a legendary performance as the Egyptian, Imhotep, who is accidentally revived by a team of archaeologists after 3.700 years. It is revealed in a flashback that he was a high priest, embalmed alive for trying to revive the vestal virgin whom he loved, after she had been sacrificed. Alive again, he sets out on an obsessive - and deadly - quest to find his lost love. Featuring groundbreaking makeup by Jack Pierce and artful direction by Karl Freud to achieve a mysterious atmosphere, this terrifying classic inspired countless sequels, spoofs and spin-offs that continue to fuel the legacy of the monster to this day.

My Thoughts:
Second watch, and I still really enjoy this film.  Karloff is still wonderful in his performance as the tortured romantic willing to go to any length to be reunited with his lover, and the direction and subtle horror of the film is still top notch.

I was struck, as I was watching today, with the question of who decides who should live and who should die.  Imhotep is the villain because he wishes Ankh-es-en-amon to live at the expense of Helen.  But does that line of reasoning also not make Frank and Dr. Muller equally villainous, for they wish Helen to live - therefore at the expense of Ankh-es-en-amon...

Watched For: Scavenger Hunt 19, Hoop-tober 3.0, Horror/Halloween Challenge 2016

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

Horror/Halloween Challenge Films: 10/52

(From Horror/Halloween 2016 Challenge on October 7th, 2016)

The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Firefly



What's the show about?
Captain Reynolds commands an old Firefly class starship called "Serenity", after the Serenity Valley, where a deciding battle in the Unification War has taken place. Reynolds and his crew smuggle stuff and loot abandoned ships as well as they do regular transports of people and cattle. And they try to avoid contact with The Alliance and the Reavers.

"Serenity"
While they're looting a ship an Alliance cruiser detects the Serenity and they can barely escape but now they've got a search warrant for them and their employer won't take the looted items. In a try to sell them elsewhere they take passengers to the planet Boros with a little detour...

My Opinion
To sad that the show only lasted for a dozen episodes. It was an interesting concept especially with all these different characters and the ambiguous captain.

(From The One Where It All Began: The Pilot Marathon on January 3rd, 2008)