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The Fantastic Four (1994), a review by Jimmy

Didn't realize that I've not written anything in my review depot for that long, almost 3 and a half months 
OK I've wrote my reviews in a marathon topic, but this one had disapear almost at the third page and now it's time to resurect it 

Since many of you had wrote reviews of comic book superhero film I've decided to make my part and watch "The Fantastic Four". Not the recently release one since this is not the goal here (and I have not seen it or care about it to begin with), but one that you probably didn't even know that it exist.



Title: The Fantastic Four (1994)

Genre: Super Hero
Director: Oley Sassone           
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h30
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: No Subtitles

Stars:
Alex Hyde-White   
Jay Underwood
Rebecca Staab
Michael Bailey Smith
Joseph Culp

Plot:
When an experimental space voyage goes awry, four people are forever changed by cosmic rays: Reed Richards, inventor and leader of the group gains the ability to stretch his body and takes the name Mr. Fantastic. His girlfriend, Sue Storm, gains the ability to turn invisible and create force fields becoming The Invisible Girl. Her little brother, Johnny Storm, becomes The Human Torch with the ability to control fire, including covering his own body with flame. The pilot Ben Grimm is turned into the super-strong, super-tough Thing. Together they become a team of super-heroes and use their unique powers to foil the evil plans of villains.

This movie was never suppose to be release that's why almost nobody know it, in fact it was made because the producer was about to loose the movie right of it. The actors and the crew didn't know this fact at all when they worked on the film. Because of this it's evident that the movie had some flaws, but the most apparent one is the lack of finishing on the Human Torch effect. The rest of the effects are well done and seem real enough for me (I prefer the old way of doing the special effects, the CGI effects doesn't really interest me). The cast who consist of relatively unknown actors does a good job (except for Underwood, he overact so much) : White had mostly works in tv series (his father is the annoying doctor in the second season of Buck Rodgers, Staab works on tv too and Smith was at the beginning of his career.

For the movie I will not say that it's the best movie ever made, but the origin story goes fast and everything is clear. 2 vilains are present in it : evidently the Dr. Doom and The Jeweler (a lame one who doesn't exist in the comic). One big plus in comparaison with the recent films : Susan Storm is played by a real blond actress, not an untalented bleach one  . The chemistry between the four actors is really great and this isn't a problem like it is with the others movie (from what I've understand of the review written by Tom).

If you can find it this is a fun way to pass 90 minutes in front of your tv or your computer. 

Rating :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcpmM-eTESI

(From The little known movie review depot on January 11th, 2009)

Demon Seed, a review by Rich

Title: Demon Seed

Runtime:94
Certificate:R
Year:1977
Genres:Horror, Science-Fiction

Plot:Susan Harris is alone in the house when, suddenly, doors lock, windows slam shut and the phone stops working. Susan is trapped by an intruder...but this is no ordinary thug. Instead, the intruder is a computer named Proteus, an artificial brain that has learned to reason. And to terrorize.
In "one of her finest, most vulnerable perfromances" (Danny Peary, Guide for the Film Fanatic), Julie Christie plays Susan in this taut techno-thriller based on the Dean Koontz novel. Packed with suspense, surprise and special effects, Demon Seed follows Susan's desperate attempts to outmaneuver and outthink her captor. Then Susan learns what Proteus wants: its own child, conceived in her womb and destined for domination.

My Review:
Quirky, strange, weird, scary and immensely watchable.
From a Dean Koontz novel I had read some years ago, Julie Christie is outstanding and brings her character from the page to the screen with admirable panache. The direction is slick, and Vaughns creepy voice of the machine was an inspired choice. It is amazing to think this was made and created in the 70's, when today we are so close to such a scenario of computers with intelligence and artificial consciousness.
Engaging, typically attractive 70's sci-fi effects and feel similar to Logans Run etc, this was an unexpected entertaining pleasure to view.


(From Riches Random Reviews on January 17th, 2010)

Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon, a review by Tom

19. Sanctuary (2000-05-02)
Writer: Tim Minear (Writer), Joss Whedon (Writer)
Director: Michael Lange
Cast: David Boreanaz (Angel), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce), Elisabeth Rohm (Kate Lockley), Christian Kane (Lindsey McDonald), Thomas Burr (Lee Mercer), Stephanie Romanov (Lilah Morgan), Alastair Duncan (Collins), Eliza Dushku (Faith), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy), Jeff Ricketts (Weatherby), Kevin Owers (Smith), Adam Vernier (Detective Kendrick)

A good conclusion to the Faith storyline. It's nice that she turns herself in. Sadly this means that we won't see her often the next few years.

Rating:

(From Tom's Buffy and Angel Marathon on July 11th, 2009)