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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)

Rio, a review by Dragonfire

I went to see the animated movie Rio recently. 

This is another one that is showing in 3D in some theaters.  I didn't see the 3D version and really don't think I missed anything.  The movie does look really good, full of bright, vibrant colors.  The bright colors really work for the movie.  At times, the birds do look more like they are covered in fur instead of feathers.  I'm not sure if that is realistic for birds or not.

The plot is entertaining and fairly simple, though it is still entertaining.  Much of what happens is predictable, and that could disappoint some people.  There are a few surprises that turn up without the movie being suspenseful.  A few things that happen might bother or upset younger viewers, but the movie is a good choice for families overall.  There is decent humor in the movie that doesn't resort to a lot of gross stuff.  Some of the humor is a bit silly, but it works for the movie.  There are a few songs without them over taking everything that is going on.  The songs are alright, though they really aren't memorable. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Rio and think it is worth watching for people who like animated movies. 



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Rio

(From Rio on May 16th, 2011)

Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews, a review by Tom

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Season 6.17 Wrongs Darker than Death or Night
Writer: Ira Steven Behr (Writer), Hans Beimler (Writer)
Director: Jonathan West
Cast

(From Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews on March 2nd, 2013)