rramonlugo Reviews

Apollo 13 (I) (1995)

What movies are about...

[10/10 · 7 March 2008]

Strangely enough, I don't remember exactly what my reaction was to the events portrayed in the film while they were going on. However, I do remember how incredible I felt when I watched the Apollo 11 moon landing. And this movie captures the spirit of the Apollo program better than anything I could have imagined. We have here depicted a heroic and true story (with some cinematic drama added), and an ensemble cast to die for. Every time I see it (which is at least once a month) I am moved to tears and happiness. It's what movies are about and everyone involved in its production deserves out thanks for providing us such a wonderful experience. And I always do wonder when we'll go back and who will it be.

Powder (1995)

Extremely Effective and I Loved It

[10/10 · 22 June 2005]

Yes, there are other people out there who liked this movie. As a matter of fact I loved it. I saw it about the same time I saw Phenomenon and both movies share a similar sensibility in my mind, namely, how do we deal with the different among us. Fear is such a human response to the different, especially when it is strengthened by ignorance and general intolerance. In both movies, the different end up leaving us, and we lose because of it. Great and moving performances by everyone in this movie, especially Henriksen. If you don't cry at the scene where Powder helps Henriksen speak to his wife, then you are dead to the world. Henriksen is one of those actors who seems to have been around forever and he certainly has made his share of junk, but no matter what the movie he is in, he makes his character interesting and worth watching.

The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954)

One of the funniest...

[1 May 2003]

I first saw this film in the late fifties or early sixties on tv. If I recall correctly there were a few other films in the story of the St. Trinian's Belles. I don't remember the others quite well, but the first one is without question one of the funniest films out of Britain I have ever seen. For that matter, out of anywhere. The sight gags are fast and furious, the dialogue is to die for and almost all the characters are brilliantly drawn and just plain funny. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves immensely. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who appreciates good old fashioned comedy (not rated R) and I think even children will love it. This is one of those movies (and its sequels) that I would pay almost anything to own. Enjoy it if you ever get a chance to see it.

Mission to Mars (2000)

you can dream

[9 September 2002]

When I was a teenager I spent an inordinate amount of time reading scifi novels and short stories. I particularly remember one where a future scientist in charge of rebuilding a planet destroyed by earth during a war has to choose between sacrificing his life or letting the planet he is on be destroyed by a booby trap left by its former and now dead inhabitants. He chooses sacrifice.

Obviously, this is not the greatest movie ever made nor by any stretch of the imagination nor is it a very good scifi flick. But the Gary Sinise character at the end does make a decision to give up his life (on earth) for his dream. And dreams are what sci fi is all about, as far as I am concerned. It's about looking up and away. To new worlds and to dream of standing on them and looking for even newer worlds in the distance. Let's just say it's a dream I share and more power to anyone who chooses to live that dream. Even in a movie.

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005)

Give it a chance, it will fly!

[10 October 2001]

I just watched the third episode in the new series and continue to be impressed. Scott Bakula is just wonderful as Archer and everyone else introduced so far is also quite good. What I like the most about this show is the sense of wonderment that all the characters (save for T'Pol) exhibit as they "boldly go where no man has gone before". The first book I ever read was Edgar Rice Burroughs "The Mastermind of Mars" and have conservatively read thousands of Science Fiction books over the years. So much so that most of the science fiction plots I encounter are somehow vaguely familiar. However, and despite that familiar sense, the thought of going into space and traveling to other planets has always given me the chills. I just hope that Enterprise will continue to bring back that feeling of joy and wonderment and provide even more excitement as the characters and plots develop.

Let me also mention that it seems to me that a lot of the criticisms I have read are unfairly comparing Enterprise to the other Star Trek series. In addition, many people have read a fair number of the novels which filled in many of the cultural and historical details for the period before the first Star Trek. I have only read a few of the novels and it is unfair to try to hold Enterprise to some standard of historical accuracy based on the novels, many of them written by people who had no connection to the shows. Beside, this is all science fiction fantasy, and as such "it is all made up" so lighten up and enjoy the show.