By most criteria, this is a terrible movie. And it is. But is has so many comic moments that it is worth watching if you can wade through the swamp of horror movie cliches. The comic talents of Chevy Chase, John Candy, Dan Ackroyd, et al are not completely wasted ... just utilized in a very strange way.
Reviews
15 Reviews
Haven
(2010–2015)
An underrated gem
8 July 2021
Haven is low budget sci/fi fantasy. As such, it absolutely excels in this niche.
There's a complicated back story and many complicated plots, but it really comes down to the characters, Nathan and Audrey (Lucas Bryant and Emily Rose) in particular. They're the anchor, but the show is really about the plotting.
In no way is this a love story although the story line strays in and about. There's nothing traditional, no traditional category you can pin this to. This show is all about story telling. Every episode is a new day, a new adventure. Indeed, each episode could concievably be expanded to a film. There's a huge expenditure of imagination here. It's fascinating.
Emily Rose gradually endears herself to you, while Lucas Bryant remains the enigma he has always been, right up to his role in Marvel's Agent of SHIELD last year.
The supporting characters, particularly Vince & Dave, are wonderful and occasionally precious.
This is the kind of show you can fall in love with, even if you wouldn't nominate it for an Emmy.
There's a complicated back story and many complicated plots, but it really comes down to the characters, Nathan and Audrey (Lucas Bryant and Emily Rose) in particular. They're the anchor, but the show is really about the plotting.
In no way is this a love story although the story line strays in and about. There's nothing traditional, no traditional category you can pin this to. This show is all about story telling. Every episode is a new day, a new adventure. Indeed, each episode could concievably be expanded to a film. There's a huge expenditure of imagination here. It's fascinating.
Emily Rose gradually endears herself to you, while Lucas Bryant remains the enigma he has always been, right up to his role in Marvel's Agent of SHIELD last year.
The supporting characters, particularly Vince & Dave, are wonderful and occasionally precious.
This is the kind of show you can fall in love with, even if you wouldn't nominate it for an Emmy.
The Tomorrow War
(2021)
Guilty Pleasure
7 July 2021
The feeling I got while watching this was similar to the one I get while watching Independence Day. I know that it is a dumb, formulaic, and pointless film, but I don't care. Because it is fun!
Don't expect any nods from the Oscars, just enjoy.
Don't expect any nods from the Oscars, just enjoy.
Bushwick
(2017)
Low Budget Fun
6 July 2021
Bushwick is based on the ludicrous premise that there might be a right wing coup in America. Doesn't sound so ludicrous these days.
The production values are bargain basement but the writing and acting are superior. It touches all the emotional chords, and you can't help but empathize.
The backstory to this fiction is actually occurring right now. It's a somewhat enjoyable fantasy, and a deep warning.
The production values are bargain basement but the writing and acting are superior. It touches all the emotional chords, and you can't help but empathize.
The backstory to this fiction is actually occurring right now. It's a somewhat enjoyable fantasy, and a deep warning.
Tomorrow, When the War Began
(2016)
A waste of time
5 July 2021
Why someone thought it was a good idea to remake the 2010 film as a 6 part TV series is beyond belief. To make it with such abysmal production values, bad editing, bad writing, and bad acting, just adds insult to injury. (The cinematography is actually OK, though the glitchy editing distracts from it). The movie had attractive characters and a brisk pace. The series has neither. The movie was no masterpiece (actually, the Australian version of Red Dawn with prettier people) but it seemed to be well-intentioned. This show is not. It's an attempt to exploit the film and the book ... nothing more.
Stowaway
(I) (2021)
Decent sci-fi
22 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The ship in Stowaway is based upon a cycler, a complicated rig that provides somewhat natural gravity without having to constantly accelerate. Because of this, the issues surrounding EVA's and gravity become complicated. The film demonstrates these about as accurately as we can expect, since it's never been done before.
The film will not get more than a 6 star rating because the most likeable characters dies.
And that's only a spoiler if you know who Anna Kendrick is.
OOps ...
The film will not get more than a 6 star rating because the most likeable characters dies.
And that's only a spoiler if you know who Anna Kendrick is.
OOps ...
After
(I) (2012)
Low budget Gem
22 May 2021
If you are comfortable with low budget films, and care little about special effects, this is a pleasant and intriguing Sci-Fi diversion. The writing and acting are top notch and the plotting is intricate and carefully paced.
It's a bonus having Steven Strait (The Expanse) and Karolina Wyndra (Agent Of S. H. I. E. L. D.) in the same small film.
It's a bonus having Steven Strait (The Expanse) and Karolina Wyndra (Agent Of S. H. I. E. L. D.) in the same small film.
The Vast of Night
(2019)
Unique and wonderfully wierd
28 January 2021
This is not really a sci-fi film. It's more of a sci-fi film about sci-fi films. The setting is the 1950's, and the cinematographic universe is appropriately aged. The two main characters trade dialogue effortlessly. Everything about this film is a surprise.
It begins as an unusual teen story then veers way off the the usual path. This film is not about the story, it's about the film.
I wont ruin it with spoilers but you must watch it. It won't change your life, but you'll feel better after seeing it.
It begins as an unusual teen story then veers way off the the usual path. This film is not about the story, it's about the film.
I wont ruin it with spoilers but you must watch it. It won't change your life, but you'll feel better after seeing it.
Fly Away Home
(1996)
A wonderful Family Film
18 January 2021
I'm not sure what to say except that this is absolutely wonderful. Anna Paquin, as a pre-tween, is brilliant. Jeff Daniels is great as always. Dana Delaney is perfect.
The underdog theme is played for all it is worth, and it's more powerful when you know that this is a true story.
A family film, yes. But also just a damned good film.
The underdog theme is played for all it is worth, and it's more powerful when you know that this is a true story.
A family film, yes. But also just a damned good film.
I came here just to share this quote ...
27 December 2020
Impulse
(2018–2019)
A thoughtful teen drama of unexpected depth
2 February 2020
"Impulse" is one of those shows which evokes strong critical reaction, love it or hate it. The haters are mainly those who insist that this is not sci-fi and not true to the "Jumpers" legacy. And they are right. It's definitely more of a drama than sci-fi, and though I haven't seen/read Jumpers I suspect this show just goes its own way. "Impulse" does not feel like a derivative.
With that out of the way, "Impulse" is intriguing and drags the viewer through the plotline. (Oddly, the plot line drags us into sci-fi). The characters are a bit raw, not the polished personalities TV usually presents. They're real characters dropped into an unnatural situation. Each character is struggling toward redemption, salvation, peace, or whatever the hell you like to call it.
The production values are first class. The on-screen talent is wonderful. The dialogue writing is superior. This is just one damned good show.
With that out of the way, "Impulse" is intriguing and drags the viewer through the plotline. (Oddly, the plot line drags us into sci-fi). The characters are a bit raw, not the polished personalities TV usually presents. They're real characters dropped into an unnatural situation. Each character is struggling toward redemption, salvation, peace, or whatever the hell you like to call it.
The production values are first class. The on-screen talent is wonderful. The dialogue writing is superior. This is just one damned good show.
Bellevue
(2017)
Brilliantly creepy.
5 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Bellevue takes place in a northern Ontario mining town ringed by mountains of slag. It's a disturbing environment. It's a dying town, and the characters are all caught up in desperation. Not a happy place, nor populated by happy people. When a local hockey hero goes missing, a hero who evokes mixed emotions in that he is transgender, it galvanizes the town in the way small towns often are. Anna Paquin (The Piano, True Blood), Canadian born but New Zealand raised, plays a local detective with a complex and intriguing past who takes on the case with great enthusiasm, and does so brilliantly. The supporting cast is also uniformly good. This show treads the blurry line between just eerie and supernatural. Think of it as Twin Peaks relocated to the north. Saying much more would be risking spoilers. It's not light entertainment, which might explain earlier poor reviews, yet it really is a work of art. Treat yourself if you are so inclined.
Dark Matter
(2015–2017)
Real promise as a long running series
12 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
(This review follows the end of Season 2) I wasn't overly impressed with the pilot, but I was intrigued enough to keep watching. I figured once the mystery as to the crew's identities was revealed, the follow up would be lame. Thankfully, I was wrong.
After the cliffhanger ending of Season 1, the writers really stepped up and made this more than a one-trick pony. The notion of people re-inventing themselves was pushed to the forefront and made for some entertaining, and occasionally thoughtful TV.
Killing off the main character (or second main after Mellisa Oneill's Two/Portia) was a risk, but it made for a better show. Losing one of their own made for an unbreakable bond between the crew members. The two most ruthless characters (after Four) truly found their humanity after that. And they became united in grief. Two/Portia began feeling her humanity after discovering that she wasn't really human. Three/Boone found his humanity by simply bonding with the crew, as he came to realize that loyalty and inter-dependence was essential to a good life. Even Six, the traitor, came to see the crew as family and gave up his career and freedom for them. And as Six noted in the season one finale, Five was gradually becoming more like them, building a shell and some strength, meeting the rest in the middle.
The new characters were every bit as flawed as the original crew, and at least two of them fit right in. Melanie Liburd, as Nyx, makes a nice counterpoint to O'Neil's One/Portia. From paper thin personalities, they all evolved into complex characters which the viewer can't help but empathize with.
Some complain about the lack of production values (i.e., mind-blowing special effects) but they have their comic book movies and shows to turn to. Lord knows there are enough of those. Although action sequences form a large part of Dark Matter, it's really more of a character study set against the backdrop of a cool sci-fi universe. Even Zoe Palmer's (Lost Girl) android has an intriguing personality, much deeper than Star Trek's Data.
The acting, with the exception of Bendavid, is uniformly excellent. The veteran Roger Cross brings his A-game to the show and the young, rising star, Jodelle Ferland, is more than a bit endearing. Mellisa O'Neill, the youngest winner of Canadian Idol, proves she can act almost as well as she sings. The entire supporting cast (well, I'm not a big fan of Wil Wheadon) holds their own as well. Cameo appearances by David Hewlett (Stargate Atlantis) as Calchek offers comic relief, as does the appearance of Stargate alumnus Tori Higginson.
Sci-Fi can be two things. A rollicking space adventure (Firefly, Farscape, Killjoys) or a mind-bending exploration of scientific concepts beyond our ken. Dark Matter toys with both, and does both fairly well.
After the cliffhanger ending of Season 1, the writers really stepped up and made this more than a one-trick pony. The notion of people re-inventing themselves was pushed to the forefront and made for some entertaining, and occasionally thoughtful TV.
Killing off the main character (or second main after Mellisa Oneill's Two/Portia) was a risk, but it made for a better show. Losing one of their own made for an unbreakable bond between the crew members. The two most ruthless characters (after Four) truly found their humanity after that. And they became united in grief. Two/Portia began feeling her humanity after discovering that she wasn't really human. Three/Boone found his humanity by simply bonding with the crew, as he came to realize that loyalty and inter-dependence was essential to a good life. Even Six, the traitor, came to see the crew as family and gave up his career and freedom for them. And as Six noted in the season one finale, Five was gradually becoming more like them, building a shell and some strength, meeting the rest in the middle.
The new characters were every bit as flawed as the original crew, and at least two of them fit right in. Melanie Liburd, as Nyx, makes a nice counterpoint to O'Neil's One/Portia. From paper thin personalities, they all evolved into complex characters which the viewer can't help but empathize with.
Some complain about the lack of production values (i.e., mind-blowing special effects) but they have their comic book movies and shows to turn to. Lord knows there are enough of those. Although action sequences form a large part of Dark Matter, it's really more of a character study set against the backdrop of a cool sci-fi universe. Even Zoe Palmer's (Lost Girl) android has an intriguing personality, much deeper than Star Trek's Data.
The acting, with the exception of Bendavid, is uniformly excellent. The veteran Roger Cross brings his A-game to the show and the young, rising star, Jodelle Ferland, is more than a bit endearing. Mellisa O'Neill, the youngest winner of Canadian Idol, proves she can act almost as well as she sings. The entire supporting cast (well, I'm not a big fan of Wil Wheadon) holds their own as well. Cameo appearances by David Hewlett (Stargate Atlantis) as Calchek offers comic relief, as does the appearance of Stargate alumnus Tori Higginson.
Sci-Fi can be two things. A rollicking space adventure (Firefly, Farscape, Killjoys) or a mind-bending exploration of scientific concepts beyond our ken. Dark Matter toys with both, and does both fairly well.
Painkiller Jane
(2007)
A competent sci-fi action series
23 December 2014
Frankly, I'm surprised by the number of negative reviews of Painkiller Jane. It seems to me a competent, if not exceptional, sci-fi series with considerable entertainment value, interesting characters, and sometimes engaging plot lines. Some episodes are derivative but none are truly bad, except perhaps for the pointless clip show in episode 16.
It certainly focuses more on the emotional than the cerebral, but that's not really a criteria for judging a show, not even a sci-fi show.
The writing is solid and the main characters are competent actors. Kristiana Lokken is definitely more than just eye candy -- although the eye candy part does add to the watch-ability -- and she creates a sympathetic and occasionally complex character. (She is credited as a co-executive producer of the series, whatever that means in Hollywoodese). The other main characters are equally competent, although some of the supporting actors are 2nd tier.
It is a bit loose at times but it starts to tighten up toward the end of the season when the focus shifts toward following a story arc rather than the neuro of the week, episodic format.
I suspect many of the negative reviews arise from two things. The first would be viewers who might be comparing it to the comic book, which I have not read, and which should be irrelevant. The second would be production values which are generally based on budgets. There are no mind-blowing special effects in Painkiller Jane, nor should there be. It's not a space opera.
Overall, I think this show got a bad rap, and I would definitely recommend it to sci-fi fans for it's entertainment value.
It certainly focuses more on the emotional than the cerebral, but that's not really a criteria for judging a show, not even a sci-fi show.
The writing is solid and the main characters are competent actors. Kristiana Lokken is definitely more than just eye candy -- although the eye candy part does add to the watch-ability -- and she creates a sympathetic and occasionally complex character. (She is credited as a co-executive producer of the series, whatever that means in Hollywoodese). The other main characters are equally competent, although some of the supporting actors are 2nd tier.
It is a bit loose at times but it starts to tighten up toward the end of the season when the focus shifts toward following a story arc rather than the neuro of the week, episodic format.
I suspect many of the negative reviews arise from two things. The first would be viewers who might be comparing it to the comic book, which I have not read, and which should be irrelevant. The second would be production values which are generally based on budgets. There are no mind-blowing special effects in Painkiller Jane, nor should there be. It's not a space opera.
Overall, I think this show got a bad rap, and I would definitely recommend it to sci-fi fans for it's entertainment value.
Primeval: New World
(2012–2013)
Jurassic Park Meets Stanley Park In Fresh Sci-Fi Thriller
31 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
If nothing else — and fortunately there is much more — you can't fault "Primeval: New World" for a lack of Sci-Fi-Fantasy bona fides. A spin-off from Britain's popular "Primeval" series, this ambitious Canadian project is produced by Sci-Fi diva Amanda Tapping, fresh from her signature role as Helen Magnus in "Sanctuary". Niall Matter, who played the brash but brilliant Zane Donovan in "Eureka", heads the talented ensemble cast as the brash but brilliant Evan Cross, full-time CEO of 'Cross Photonics' and part-time hunter of dinosaurs and temporal anomalies. Or maybe it's the other way around.
After witnessing his wife die in a freak Tyrannosaurus Rex accident years earlier, Cross became obsessed with discovering the origins of the strange magnetic anomalies which appear out of nowhere and seem to be portals to Jurassic Park. With his faithful CFO Ange Finch (Miranda Frigon -- "Heartland", "Sanctuary", "Supernatural") keeping his business solvent and his agenda clear, Cross dedicates his time and considerable resources to solving the mystery, unaware that across the pond in the mother country, savvy secret agents have been spanking the same lizards for years.
Accompanying Cross on his Quixotic quest are faithful employees and fellow loose cannons Toby Nance (Crystal Lowe -- "Smallville") and Mac Rendell (Danny Rahim -- "Young James Herriot"). Rounding out the team is new recruit Dylan Weir (Sara Canning -- "The Vampire Diaries", "Supernatural") a Vancouver Predator Control Officer whose boss, and Cross' best friend, just became dinner for a wayward Raptor. It falls to the ever so competent Ange to keep the loose cannons tied down and the team's activities under wraps since the sudden appearance of Pterodactyls and Raptors in Vancouver's Stanley Park is likely to cause some concern amongst the general public, even if they are technically native species.
Unable to find The Ministry of Prehistoric Terror in the blue pages, Ange stumbles instead upon an "above top secret" and heretofore comatose government agency, Project Magnet, whose single employee, Lieutenant Ken Leeds (Geoff Gustafson — "Eureka", "Once Upon A Time") works out of a basement office like something out of "Hoarders" that hasn't seen action since the 1950's. Nonetheless, the flustered Lieutenant assures the dubious Ange that he has the political clout to give Cross secret government support and semi-official status; to cut red tape and create cover-ups. And he's just chomping at the bit to "kick some alien ass".
"Prehistoric ass," Ange reminds him.
"Even better," he says.
While Ange and Ken are dusting off cold war alien invasion contingency plans, Cross and his team are investigating the latest in a string of dino deaths, the first being a "base jumper" snatched from mid-air and skewered by a Pterodactyl's beak. Amongst the bystanders is Connor Temple (Andrew Lee Potts — "Primeval" Great Britain) one of the aforementioned savvy secret agents from England, who warns Cross cryptically to cease and desist. Cross goes like "yeah, whatever" while admiring Temple's cool uniform with the cryptic Team Britain patch on the shoulder which Cross vaguely remembers from the tragic T-Rex episode that started this whole thing. And then Temple slips cryptically away into the crowd leaving Cross, and the viewer, to wonder why he would travel so far to share so little, and so cryptically. It will be interesting to see if this is a one-off crossover with PGB or if we can expect a few more guest appearances and entanglements.
Space, the Canadian cable TV company which has co-produced several projects with its US counterpart SyFy, has taken things up a notch with its first big solo effort. Promising a series that will be a bit "darker and scarier" while staying true to the British original, they've thrown caution to the wind, along with the typical Canadian reserve, and made a real financial and creative commitment to PNW. If the first episode is any indication, fans of PGB should be delighted with the high production values, great CGI, competent writing, and the talented cast and likable characters. The Vancouver scenery, as always, is gorgeous, and the production crew plays around with some creative cinematography and editing. Producer Tapping directs the first episode with a steady hand and even takes a few risks (e.g., some atypical flashback cuts) which is a promising sign that the series won't go stale quickly.
Having seen only one episode of PGB, I'm not qualified to opine on PNW's relative "darkness" although I can report that it certainly is not as unrelentingly grim and gruesome as some other Sci-Fi-Fantasy fare like "The Fades", "Fringe", or "The Walking Dead" to name three. PNW sprinkles plenty of wit in with the gore and tops it off with a few action sequences to tickle the adrenals. Based on what I've seen so far, I'd give it a "Safe For Parents" rating.
On a major (or American) network, PNW would likely be a success. It's head and shoulders above recent Sci-Fi drek like "Falling Skies" (renewed for season 3) or "Revolution" (renewed for a 2nd season) and there is a modest, but loyal, audience for the genre. Much will depend upon how it plays on SyFy in the U.S. and Watch in Great Britain. With a little luck, PNW could be running alongside Showcase's "Continuum" next season giving Vancouver bragging rights as the time travel capitol of North America.
John Peterson
After witnessing his wife die in a freak Tyrannosaurus Rex accident years earlier, Cross became obsessed with discovering the origins of the strange magnetic anomalies which appear out of nowhere and seem to be portals to Jurassic Park. With his faithful CFO Ange Finch (Miranda Frigon -- "Heartland", "Sanctuary", "Supernatural") keeping his business solvent and his agenda clear, Cross dedicates his time and considerable resources to solving the mystery, unaware that across the pond in the mother country, savvy secret agents have been spanking the same lizards for years.
Accompanying Cross on his Quixotic quest are faithful employees and fellow loose cannons Toby Nance (Crystal Lowe -- "Smallville") and Mac Rendell (Danny Rahim -- "Young James Herriot"). Rounding out the team is new recruit Dylan Weir (Sara Canning -- "The Vampire Diaries", "Supernatural") a Vancouver Predator Control Officer whose boss, and Cross' best friend, just became dinner for a wayward Raptor. It falls to the ever so competent Ange to keep the loose cannons tied down and the team's activities under wraps since the sudden appearance of Pterodactyls and Raptors in Vancouver's Stanley Park is likely to cause some concern amongst the general public, even if they are technically native species.
Unable to find The Ministry of Prehistoric Terror in the blue pages, Ange stumbles instead upon an "above top secret" and heretofore comatose government agency, Project Magnet, whose single employee, Lieutenant Ken Leeds (Geoff Gustafson — "Eureka", "Once Upon A Time") works out of a basement office like something out of "Hoarders" that hasn't seen action since the 1950's. Nonetheless, the flustered Lieutenant assures the dubious Ange that he has the political clout to give Cross secret government support and semi-official status; to cut red tape and create cover-ups. And he's just chomping at the bit to "kick some alien ass".
"Prehistoric ass," Ange reminds him.
"Even better," he says.
While Ange and Ken are dusting off cold war alien invasion contingency plans, Cross and his team are investigating the latest in a string of dino deaths, the first being a "base jumper" snatched from mid-air and skewered by a Pterodactyl's beak. Amongst the bystanders is Connor Temple (Andrew Lee Potts — "Primeval" Great Britain) one of the aforementioned savvy secret agents from England, who warns Cross cryptically to cease and desist. Cross goes like "yeah, whatever" while admiring Temple's cool uniform with the cryptic Team Britain patch on the shoulder which Cross vaguely remembers from the tragic T-Rex episode that started this whole thing. And then Temple slips cryptically away into the crowd leaving Cross, and the viewer, to wonder why he would travel so far to share so little, and so cryptically. It will be interesting to see if this is a one-off crossover with PGB or if we can expect a few more guest appearances and entanglements.
Space, the Canadian cable TV company which has co-produced several projects with its US counterpart SyFy, has taken things up a notch with its first big solo effort. Promising a series that will be a bit "darker and scarier" while staying true to the British original, they've thrown caution to the wind, along with the typical Canadian reserve, and made a real financial and creative commitment to PNW. If the first episode is any indication, fans of PGB should be delighted with the high production values, great CGI, competent writing, and the talented cast and likable characters. The Vancouver scenery, as always, is gorgeous, and the production crew plays around with some creative cinematography and editing. Producer Tapping directs the first episode with a steady hand and even takes a few risks (e.g., some atypical flashback cuts) which is a promising sign that the series won't go stale quickly.
Having seen only one episode of PGB, I'm not qualified to opine on PNW's relative "darkness" although I can report that it certainly is not as unrelentingly grim and gruesome as some other Sci-Fi-Fantasy fare like "The Fades", "Fringe", or "The Walking Dead" to name three. PNW sprinkles plenty of wit in with the gore and tops it off with a few action sequences to tickle the adrenals. Based on what I've seen so far, I'd give it a "Safe For Parents" rating.
On a major (or American) network, PNW would likely be a success. It's head and shoulders above recent Sci-Fi drek like "Falling Skies" (renewed for season 3) or "Revolution" (renewed for a 2nd season) and there is a modest, but loyal, audience for the genre. Much will depend upon how it plays on SyFy in the U.S. and Watch in Great Britain. With a little luck, PNW could be running alongside Showcase's "Continuum" next season giving Vancouver bragging rights as the time travel capitol of North America.
John Peterson
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