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Elizabeth: The Golden Age, a review by goodguy

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (UK 2007) Written by: William Nicholson, Michael Hirst Directed by: Shekhar Kapur Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Abbie Cornish, Samantha Morton DVD: R2-DE Universal (2008) My rating:

For the most part, the sequel has the same visual splendor as the first movie, but it is less balanced in both storytelling and direction. Too much melodrama, too Braveheart-y battlefield speeches, some superfluous action scenes. But even when Kapur missteps, he still manages to dazzle, as in the underwater shots of the burning Spanish Armada.

Cate Blanchett was a promising talent when the first movie was made and an established star at the time of the second one, which actually is befitting for her role. Clive Owen as Raleigh is solid as always and Abbie Cornish adorable. And kudos to Samantha Morton, who as Maria Stuart has only a few scenes, but what a powerful performance.

Bottom line: While not as great the first one, this is still a very enjoyable movie, well worth watching.


(From goodguy's Watch Log on July 3rd, 2010)

Stay Alive, a review by Rich

Stay Alive



Mind-bending thriller about a killer video game. The real world and the game world gruesomely collide when a group of friends play 'Stay Alive', a mysterious underground videogame that kills the gamer whose character dies in play. In a death-defying race against time, the survivors must solve the mystery of the game while desperately trying to stay alive.

Teen horror in the vein of Final Destination, and although not amazing viewing it is not the worst I've seen. The idea of a group of pc gamers drawn into a deadly computer game which starts acting itself out in real life was good, although the movie relied too much on sudden noises and 'jumps' to provide the scary moments.  A lot of the scenes are seriously dis-jointed and the cinematography is haphazard. The pace keeps you interested, and the storyline and acting are of an average quality.
Because of an immensely poor ending you are left feeling a little disappointed and cheated, and thus it has to be marked down as below average.
 

(From Riches Random Reviews on April 27th, 2009)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Fullmetal Alchemist: Season One: Part One (2003/Japan) IMDb | Wikipedia FUNimation Productions (United States) Length: 420 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

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Plot:
What are you willing to sacrifice ?

Under stormy skies, Eward and Alphonse Elric exploited the
clandestine science of Alchemy in attempt of the forbidden - To
resurrect their dearly departed mother. But every art form has its taboos
and every science its laws not to be broken. The tragic failure of
the young brothers unleashed and unholy reaction that ripped their
bodies apart and their innocense asunder.

Four years later, an evil lurks behind the false face of freedom, its
growth unchecked. A lone State Alchemist combs the countryside
in search of a mythological stone. If found, the stone could amplify
natural talents and harness a power equal to the restoration of
things once held precious, now lost. If found, the stone would also
allow the State Military to senselessly obliterate countless more in
the ongoing struggle. The youngest State Alcehmist in history is
soon faced with harsh truth: The power to create is but a breath
away from the power to destroy.


Hagane no Renkinjutsushi
1.01 Taiyo- ni Idomu Mono (2003-10-04)
Writer: Hiromu Arakawa (Original Material By), Sho Aikawa (Screenwriter)
Director: Seiji Mizushima
Cast

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on June 20th, 2011)