DVD Collectors Online

Stargate, a review by Blair

Stargate

Tagline: It will take you a million light years from home. But will it bring you back?




Film Details
    Rating: PG-13
    Length: 120 minutes
    Year: 1994

    Director: Roland Emmerich

Main Cast
    Kurt Russell as Colonel Jack O'Neil
    James Spader as Dr. Daniel Jackson
    Jaye Davidson as Ra
    Erick Avari as Kasuf
    Alexis Cruz as Skaara
    Mili Avital as Sha'uri
    John Diehl as Lt. Col. Charles Kawalsky
    French Stewart as Tech. Sgt. Louis Feretti
    Viveca Lindfors as Dr. Catherine Langford


Synopsis
Daniel Jackson, a professor of linguistics and Egyptology who has been scorned by his fellow researchers for his radical theories concerning the history and timeline of ancient Egypt, is hired for what initially appears to be a simple job of translating hieroglyphs. Much to his surprise, the results of this work will send him through a portal to a planet on the other side of the universe where Egyptian culture still thrives.

Both immersed and trapped on the ancient-yet-new world and accompanied by a military team, they must search for a symbolic key for opening the gateway to home while escaping the wrath of an Egyptian Godlike alien, known as Ra.


My Thoughts
While traveling to an alien world or having them visit Earth is a concept as old as Egyptian hieroglyphics themselves, I found the unique approach in this film quite refreshing. In other science-fiction films and television episodes, the typical approaches present either beings who can come and go as they please or Eathlings trapped on an alien world spending their days searching for the way home.

Rather than searching for the doorway, in this film the doorway is right in front of them. It is a door that cannot be broken through by force nor bypassed via an alternate entry. Solving the combination lock, as it were, becomes the challenge.


Although splashed with violence, the lighthearted nature of the rest of the film makes it suitable for a wider range of audiences. This is accompanied by what I consider to be a well-placed mixture of dry dialog, both dumbed down and embellished situational comedy, and simple pleasures that happen to fit within a collage of my favorite genres.

Speaking of which, this film is one of my simple pleasures.


My Rating:
    

(From Blair's topic for reviewing . . . . wait for it . . . . . MOVIES! (duh) on November 23rd, 2010)

Ghulam , a review by Tom

Ghulam (1998/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Eros International (United Kingdom) Director: Writing: Anjum Rajabali (Writer) Length: 162 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85 Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

---

Stars:
Aamir Khan as Sidharth
Rani Mukherjee as Alisha
Rajit Kapoor as Jai
Meeta Vashishta
Deepak Tijori as Charlie

Plot:
Sidharth (Aamir Khan), is a boxing champion. His older brother, Jai (Rajit Kapoor) works with Raunak Singh (Sharat Saxena), who rules their estate through terrorising its people and collecting ransoms from local merchants. Sidharth idolized his father, a freedom fighter, whom he saw falling to his death as a child. This effects Sidharth through his adult life. Sidharth meets a young girl, Alisha (Ranee Mukherjee), who rides with a motorcycle gang and Charlie (Deepak Tijori), the gang's leader. Sidharth also meets Hari, whose idealism reminds him of his father. Hari's social work in the community possess a threat to Raunak Singh's evil empire. What happens to Hari changes Sidharth's life forever. How Sidharth breaks Raunak Singh's chains of "Ghulami" around the community forms the crux of the story. Featuring the superhit song "Aati Kya Khandala" sung by Aamir Khan.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (1999)

Best Scene of the Year

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Actor Award (Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Director Award (Vikram Bhatt)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Male Playback Award ("Aati Kya Khandala": Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Villain Award (Sharat Saxena)

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Music Videos
• Scene Access

This movie came to my attention because one song was referenced in Kabhi Khuchi Khabie Gham. Seems that this song was a very popular song in India in the 90s. After checking out (and liking) this song on YouTube, I ordered the movie (it was cheap).
This movie was surprisingly good. Seems like it is a remake of Marlon Brandon's "One the Waterfront" (never seen it myself).
Two interesting tidbits: Aamir Khan did the stunt where he runs toward a fast-moving train himself. He was almost hit by it. He later critizied himself for being so reckless.
Also this is an early movie with Rani Mukherji. The director decided to dub her voice in this one (shame on him). Luckily the next director didn't follow suit and let Rani's distinctive voice in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Now her voice is her trademark.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on March 18th, 2011)

Babylon 5: Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: A human space station called Babylon 5 was built in neutral terrritory between several star empires including the Minbari Federation, the Narn Empire, the Centauri Republic and the Earth Alliance. The construction finished ten years after the Earth-Minbar war where the Minbari nearly annihilated the humans but then surrenderd on the eve of victory. Now the station is complete to prevent such wars and every race sends an ambassador including the mysterious race called the Vorlons. But when the Vorlon ambassador Kosh arrives he is attacked and things get out of hands.

My opinion: Great start into the show even when not all things are already set as they will be in the following season(s). Babylon 5 is a show of great speaches and many wisdoms. It doesn't matter that the effects are somewhat cheesy because the show is built upon the characters and that will never change. We also learn that there is something mysterious about the end of the E-M war and that Sinclair is involved even if he doesn't remember.


Quote of the episode:
Sinclair: "When something we value is destroyed we rebuild it. If it's destroyed again we rebuild it again. And again and again and again. Until it stays. That is our poet Tennison once said the goal: To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."

(From Babylon 5: Marathon on August 4th, 2007)