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Hardware, a review by dfmorgan

Hardware

Year: 1990
Director: Richard Stanley
Cast: Dylan McDermott, Stacey Travis, John Lynch
Overview: In a post-apocalyptic, nuclear-scarred future the world has become a radioactive, neon drenched, industrial wasteland populated by the disenfranchised and the demented. Amidst the dust and decay of a poisoned landscape a 'Zone Tripper' manages to salvage a disembodied robotic head. But what is initially mistaken for discarded techno trash is in fact the mechanical remains of the M.A.R.K 13: a merciless killing machine programmed to activate, exhilarate and exterminate. After ending up in the isolated apartment of an introverted artist, the M.A.R.K 13 re-assembles itself for an eye gouging, chainsaw wielding, body drilling, skull-crushing rampage where no flesh shall be spared.

Inspired by the 2000AD comic strip SHOK: Walter's Robo Tale and Directed by Richard Stanley (Dust Devil), Hardware features a face pounding soundtrack and appearances from twisted rock legends Iggy Pop, Motorhead's Lemmy and Fields Of The Nephilim's Carl McCoy. Available for the first time as a special edition, Hardware remains a highly original, mind melding, Cyberpunk, horror/sci-fi cult classic, so plug in, turn on, download and prepare to have your inner circuits pulled out and re-wired.

Watched: 17th Apr 2010
My Thoughts: What can I say which hasn't already been said in the overview? Only one thing that I can think is that the overview fails to mention the stalker. Never managed to see this on release but I was able to buy the VHS in 1991 and watch it then. I remember reading the story, SHOK!, in Walter's Robo Tales in 2000AD and then hearing about this film that copied the main theme of the story. When the video was released the two sides had settled their differences with a writers credit being added to the film for the writers of the comic strip. Overall a good film, very dark with some excellent music, in fact I bought a CD of tracks used in science fiction films to get the Public Image Ltd track amongst others.

My Rating: An overall 4

Dave

(From Dave's DVD/Blu-ray Reviews on April 18th, 2010)

Crossing Over, a review by KinkyCyborg

Crossing Over



Title:Crossing Over
Year: 2009
Director: Wayne Kramer
Rating: R
Length: 113 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Harrison Ford (1942)
Ray Liotta
Ashley Judd
Jim Sturgess
Cliff Curtis

Plot:
Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones films) is on a quest for justice as an immigrations agent investigating the case of a missing illegal. In a cross-fire of crime and bureaucracy, fraud and murder, he must race against time to try to save a family from becoming collateral damage in the fight for the American dream. Critics rave, "Harrison Ford is terrific. An engrossing, thoroughly entertaining movie with great performances from a first-rate ensemble cast" (Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com). Co-starring Ashley Judd (Twisted), Ray Liotta (Smokin' Aces), Jim Sturgess (21), and Cliff Curtis (10,000 BC), Crossing Over will keep you riveted until the final mystery unfolds.

Extras:
Scene Access


Dreadful look at the ugly world of immigration in the U.S. and the lengths some people will go to get in, and those who would keep them out.

A myriad of hard luck stories some of which overlap. With a couple of lucky exceptions all of them conclude badly for those involved.

Harrison Ford plays an INS agent who deals with illegals on a daily basis but finds it harder and harder to remain detached from his work and the unfortunate illegals he encounters. He's solid in his typical brooding way as he exhibits compassion to one young Mexican woman and tries to help her. Ashley Judd is fine too as another bright light who is heartbroken day in and day out as she deals with the children of families without green cards.

On the darker side of the coin we meet Ray Liotta who sleazes his way into a young, sexy (and often nude!) Australian woman's bed in exchange for help with her green card. Alice Eve plays the Aussie and demonstrates the desperation that leads to the surrendering of ones convictions.

Many cultures are given air time including Koreans, Islamics, Israeli's and Hispanics all with emotionally charged stories to tell, some more interesting than others but told in an effort to show opposing points of view on the immigration debate.

Personally, despite the sometimes cold, harsh portrayal of U.S. immigration controls and those who enforce them I find them completely necessary in this day and age and are seriously lacking here in Canada.

This was a bit too slow and drawn out, perhaps biting off more than it could chew by telling so many individual stories. It would have been better had they narrowed their focus to one or two of the better stories but overall it gives a very eye opening, raw look into the world of the illegal alien.

KC

Rating:

(From KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2010 on January 9th, 2011)

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

Synopsis: Only one ship was able to withstand the Breen energy dampening weapon in the lost Battle of Chin'toka. Unfortunately this adjustment works only on klingon ships so they have to carry the burden of holding the line. Unfortunately Chancellor Gowron has decided to take a more active role in this war and he takes supreme command of all klingon forces. Meanwhile Damar has lost many of his men and as a cardassian officer he has no idea how to lead a resistance. But someone does: Kira. She, Odo and Garak depart for Cardassia to help Damar, because his rebellion is vital for the survival of the AQ. And Dukat and Winn are still studying the Book of the Kosst Amojan, to release the Pah-Wraiths. And Bashir finds out that Odo is also infected with the Founder's disease and that was actually he who infected them not the other way around. And it was Section 31 who infected him 3 years ago.

My Opinion: Wow, what a synopsis. But so much is happening in these last episodes. Even though I have just watched it, I have to check with Memory Alpha to remember what happened in which episode. But it's cool, I like it. I love the idea of Damar leading a rebellion against the Dominion because for him it has always been "Cardassia first" and now Cardassia is only a second-class underling in the Dominion. And I loved to see Dukat get blinded by the book. That puts a pause on their storyline.

Synopsis: Kira and Garak instruct Damar on how to build a resistance, including the use of small cells independent from each other, sabotage and other "terroristic" activities. Odo uses his shapeshifting to achieve their plans but that worsens his condition. Their next plan is to steal a ship with a dampening weapon to bring it to the Federation for studying. But not every Cardassian feels comfortably around Kira. Meanwhile Gowron is wasting ships and troops on futile attacks against the Dominion. But Martok won't go against his chancellor in times of war.

My Opinion: Worf basically installed Gowron on the throne eight years previously and now he literally uninstalled him and he also installed the next chancellor. Not bad for a man who is considered an outsider in the klingon society. And I liked that Damar finally begins to understand that the old ways are over.

Synopsis: O'Brien and Bashir have managed to lure Sloan to the station by pretending that Bashir has found a cure for the Founder's disease. But they want to retrieve that knowledge from him and for that they (illegally) probe his mind. To prevent that Sloan bites on a suicide capsule that destroys his brain. Bashir can slow down the process but Sloan is in a coma now and will be dead within the hour. Bashir uses a device to perform something similar as a Vulcan mind-melting to enter Sloans thoughts. But Sloan's mind is twisted.

My Opinion: It was an OK closure to the Sloan storyline. But I've seen better mind-walking episodes on this and other shows. But at least they have found the cure.

Synopsis:My Opinion: While it may have been funny, I don't think it was a good idea to make Rom the next Great Nagus. Granted, Zek and Ishka have been changing the Ferengi society for quite some time now, but Rom has no ear for business, he admitted that himself. And even with all those changes a race doesn't change overnight and they only accepted Zek's and Ishka's changes because both of them had an ear for business.
But loved to see how Damar has become a legend after he was allegedly killed by the Dominion. It reminded me of the rumors about William Wallace after he lost the Battle of Falkirk in Braveheart.

(From Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Marathon on March 7th, 2009)