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zephyr-34
Reviews
Space Fury (1999)
Only Good In Last 15 Minutes Or So...
This movie is only very interesting in the final moments when the space station catches on fire and begins to fall towards Earth. At this point, it presents an amazingly spooky and mystical (even Biblical) feel of a burning chariot wheel in the sky (even the feeling of weight and power is expressed well, I think), reminding me of the Ezekiel story that he saw a UFO during Biblical times. Still, it seems very unlikely in that, if everything is burning in one big blaze all around, WHERE are those other scenes of the shuttle actually taking place?
Also, the robotic arm that is used to capture the girl (what was even the point of that?) seems far too big to be a part of the station, seeming more like a "Bugs Bunny" Martian episode in that light (in its movement and overly large size - and what would they even use it for - to fondle asteroids?).
Or, even, what is the point of using flattened cola cans to attack each other and fix everything? Don't they have weapons or even tools as I believe someone else had mentioned? Why does everything have to say "Orbit Cola" everywhere? There is also an "-ade" drink advertised a couple of times, but I forget the name. I'm surprised they weren't wearing "Orbit Cola" space helmets. (Or were they?)
It is too bad that the ending is connected to something that plays out like a 20-part Russian mini-series (with 90% of the series chopped out so that nothing seems to connect properly in any way) about a man (a genius studying the make up of the cosmos with some secret or discovery that will shock mankind?) with mental problems and acts like Jim Carey in "The Mask".
Also, most - if not all, of the scenes are so ridiculously and unrealistically staged, it is rather hard to sit all the way through even once. Plus, it has a very plastic (clinical) feel as if you are watching the Thunderbirds redone in CGI.
5/10, but actually much worse than that rating would probably seem to some.
The Haunting (1999)
Put Casper In While You're At It (Sigh)...
I really wanted to like this movie about the haunted house (hoping it would be like others, much older, that I've seen), especially after seeing the special about it on the TV, made prior to its release.
However, this movie did not work at all for me for the following reasons:
1. Hard to believe at first, but it had too much of a "Casper" feel. I think this is because the children's "ghosts" are so amazingly unconvincing and fake-looking, that it is hard to believe they would even release it like this. The children are all generic-looking and doll-like, as if the people who made this never saw a real child. (Could they not get any child actors?) It also reminds me so much of the CGI trickery in the Casper movie, but unlike Casper, this is supposed to be realistic looking, yes?
2. I did not at all like the character of Dr. David Marrow, especially in thinking anyone who acts a certain way is having some sort of "episode" and is in a state of delusion as if he "knows" everything. Why do some "professional" people assume they have any more understanding than anyone else (relative to actual experience, not just going to school)? This does happen in real life, but far more in movies, it would seem, I guess to purposely make you hate the character?
3. I may be wrong in this, but how many absolutely identical paintings (one in the kitchen?), one on the wall in the stairwell, and at least one more? - were there of Crain? This is not in the lists of "goofs" as far as I can tell, but seems very obvious, more than other listed goofs. Why would you have copies of the same very large painting in different areas? This was very annoying for me and damaged any potential realism. Dorian Gray, he is not.
4. I know the house is always "changing", but how can it be so different on the outside than the inside?
5. Finally, Mrs. Dudley's "in the dark" speeches made me laugh, which I do not think was intended, and the "I can see my breath" scene was also a bit silly.
I will say that the carved cherubic faces of the children "coming to life" and also making outlines in curtains and sheets was very creepy (perhaps the most interesting facet of the whole movie, in concept - having the feel of an old DC comic), but the more obvious CGI ghost children, as well as their unchildlike voices (with regard of what their spirits must have went through, especially), completely ruined these connecting elements.
I also feel this movie would have been more entertaining if they had not shown Crain at all in his "human" form. And the ending made no sense to me at all. I didn't at all understand the supposed explanation of Eleanor's history, nor why she had to die when I thought the ghosts were "protecting" her. This, as well, was extremely annoying.
I will give this movie a 4/10. Not so bad as to deserve a 1.