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Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Movie Count:  6
TV Ep. Count:  1
Other Count:  1
Time Started:  9:45am

Plot:
The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in his battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.

My Thoughts:
This is one I was really looking forward to seeing for the first time. And I did enjoy it quite a bit. Though I think I let the hype get to me a little as I was expecting a little more from it. After 2 sequels I think it was the perfect time for a prequel... showing us how the war between the Vampires and the Lycans started. I would say if you liked the other movies in the Underworld series... you can't go wrong here.



(From Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2009 on October 3rd, 2009)

The Departed, a review by Eric

The Departed


Click the Pic for Details

I'm really not a big fan of Leonardo, I actually think he's a pretty bad actor and I disliked most the movies of his that I've seen.  However IMO Nicholson and Damon are just about as good as one can be so that was enough to make me watch this movie although I knew I would have to suffer through DiCaprio's scenes.

This is quite an interesting movie where just everybody is a rat and/or double agent.  The idea of having a police agent who infiltrated a criminal group and a criminal from that group who infiltrated the police chasing each other without knowing who's who opens up endlessly possibilities of rebounds and surprises which are very well exploited in that movie.  I think however that the movie would have been just as good with a little less violence and blood.

Rating:

(From Eric's DVD watching. on June 27th, 2008)

"Battlestar Galactica" Marathon (1978-2009), a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: For a thousand yahren the war with the Cylons has lasted. The Cylons are machines and their creators - the original race called "Cylons" - have died out long ago. But now an armistice was negotiated by Baltar and the fleet of the Twelve Colonies of Man meets with the Cylons to sign a peace treaty. But Baltar has betrayed his own species to seize power and the Cylons launch a large-scale attack on the colonial fleets and the colonies. Only one Battlestar - the Galactica - and a few refugees survive that holocaust. But there's a myth about a thirteenth colony of Kobol. Commander Adama and his fleet of 220 ships leave the colonies behind to find that legendary colony: Earth. But it won't be an easy journey and there are still those who believe that mankind should lay down its weapons and seek peace with the Cylons.

My Opinion: The show begins with an epic three-parter which was re-cut and re-published as a movie. The designs of that show are still great. The Galactica, the Cylons ("walking chrome toasters"), the Cylon Raiders, the Basestars. Although the deception of mankind and the destruction of the fleet was a bit too easy, it was a decent start for the story and it showed that Adama is an astute commander and that he has the best pilots in the fleet. I also liked their sense of humour: One of the ships had an advertisement printed on the side: "Colonial Movers - We Move Anywhere". The characters are also good. They may not have the depth of nowadays's characters, but they have charm: Adama, Apollo, Starbuck, Athena, Cassiopeia, Serina, ... and of course the diabolical Baltar.

(From "Battlestar Galactica" Marathon (1978-2009) on March 13th, 2009)