Science Fiction & Fantasy > T Science Fiction & Fantasy

All Pitch In

Advantages: special effects, characters, storyline
Disadvantages: none

...begins the spectacle that is Pitch Black. The beginning of the film still leaves me breathless, the visuals used when showing the ship spiralling out of control towards the planets surface as various compartments of the ship were being jettisoned are fantastic, the camera shaking violently, the speakers pushing out oodles of atmospheric noise to put us right in the middle of the crashing ship. You are willing the people on board to survive what ...
...often lost on film makers. Pitch Black is really the film that launched Vin Diesel's career (even though he was in Saving Private Ryan, who remembers him for that?), and for me it is still his best outing. And what a first outing it is. Riddick is one mean hombre, a murderer who is being taken back to the slam after escaping, he is brutal, he is tough and he is dangerous but as we see in the film he is not totally devoid of humanity, but even then ...

sjp1966 10.10.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Pitch Black (DVD)

Stargate SG1 - Season 1

Advantages: Gripping, addictive, plenty too watch, perfect in most ways
Disadvantages: expensive and may take up most of your days for the next while

...a massive fan of the Stargate franchise since my older brother brought home the first season box set a couple of years ago and we sat down to watch it nearly every day. Ok, so first I’ll begin with an explanation of the Stargate SG1 universe. Here goes. Humans are a the next step in the evolutionary path of a race of aliens known as the ‘Ancients’. They were a massively advanced race both in technoligy and mentaly who existed millions of years ...
...a device known as the Stargate that is capable of near instantanious travel between two of the devices usually situated on different planets though sometimes appear in space. So when the Ancients ascended they left behind stargates on thousands of worlds. Next we have a parasitic race known as the goa’uld which are symbiotes that burrow into a host body and take control of it usually enhanncing its abilities. But these symbiotes are all egomaniacs ...

s-gilly 06.08.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Stargate S.G. 1 - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)

Awesome starter to Torchwood.

Advantages: Amazing scripts, amazing performances and solid special features.
Disadvantages: Slow first episode and gore and sex can be quite OTT for young viewers.

...1 of the hit show Torchwood vary in stucture and content. The first episode "Everything Changes" is, in my opinion, a bit dodgy. It lacks the pace that the rest of the show picks up, and although it was just a starter episode to get it going, I feel it could have used a lot more oppurtunities for more pace rather than the heavy characterisation. However, it's a good episode - as long as you view it from a pre-season angle. The second episode "Day ...
...and turn in the ever-changing Torchwood universe and takes us into Ianto's past (an excellent performance by Gareth David Lloyd makes this believable), and the team confront a cyberwoman from Doctor Who - a truly gore-packed episode! The final installment in this collection is "Small Worlds", which again shocked me and left me stunned by the amount of emotion conveyed through the performance of Lara Phillipart, a young female actress - who, as a ...

oblivion252 01.10.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Torchwood - Series 1 Vol.1 (DVD)

Anti-hero Riddick fights in the Pitch Black

Advantages: Believable, good acting and direction
Disadvantages: Limited due to simple plot

...the viewer. The 2000 film Pitch Black is one such film. The fear of darkness and of creatures unseen combines brilliantly with the fear that the only guy capable of helping you is also the one most likely to kill you. Read on..... The Plot The plotline of a spaceship crash landing on another planet is a much followed one. It is prevalent in many films. This comes with a twist, as it has a passenger who is the most dangerous criminal known, being ...
...plane crash landing, the survivors form a motley crew of families, the criminal: serial killer Riddick, and the man who's been chasing him, Johns. The planet is seemingly sun drenched, but when the sun goes down and the darkness comes, scary happenings start. Strange flying creatures start hunting the survivors, and they need to reach safety on the planet. Sightless due to the darkness, they need a miracle, and it just so happens that Riddick has ...

pmcds 17.03.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Pitch Black (Special Edition) (DVD)

Worth it for the first story alone.

Advantages: Countrycide, special features.
Disadvantages: Some weaker episodes (Random Shoes etc)

...and surreal viewing as the Torchwood team are stranded in the countryside - with evil people about. The performances are top notch in this episode, with everybody contributing fantastically and the emotion is shockingly solid. The script writing is also astonishing, and there are some exciting twists and turns. The rest of the volume, however, is let down by what seems to be a mid season blip - it's surprisingly weak compared to the rest of the ...
...performances are shaky, while "Greeks Bearing Gifts" - while holding some important themes of loss and lesbianism - is a letdown. However, "They Keep Killing Suzie" pulls the side up again, but since most of the episode takes place in a car, it may not attract to the people who prefer non stop action. The special features are also informative, lending helpful insights into the episodes villains and the script writing. Although they aren't on par ...

oblivion252 02.10.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Torchwood - Series 1 Vol.2 (DVD)