Television and Film Reviews
Welcome to my Television and Film Review section of the website. I will be reviewing films I watch. As with the Book Nook, this is starting May 6th, 2025, and so won't be reviewing every film or show I have finished before then. The short version is that dumb comedies are funny, I like sci-fi, and I haven't seen many movies made after 2015 that I would put in the "must watch" category. Congratulations, you're caught up. Now then, let's get on with it.
It Came From Outer SpaceStep Up 2: The Streets
Forbidden Planet
Logan's Run
It Came From Outer Space
Written by Harry Essex, Directed by Jack Arnold
Back to my picks. It was really just alright. While there are aliens in the movie, the movie is mostly about people. I saw the remastered color version because that was the only one I could find, but I think the movie would have been better in black and white. Not much happens. Aliens crash land on Earth, they spend the whole movie trying to fix their ship. In order to do that, they take the forms of some townsfolk, but they never kill anyone and they explain their goal whenever people ask. It came out in 1953, so it is probably a communism allegory. The sheriff gets a mob together at the end right as the aliens are about to finish their repairs, mostly because he doesn't trust the aliens and his deputy said that playing it safe like he had been was dumb and called him a weenie. It's fine though, only one alien is killed in self defense, the people they kidnapped are set free, and then they leave. I can't believe Para-medic said this movie scared her. I once heard from Greg from How to Drink and Midnight Local that movies used to not be taken seriously and people would just show up halfway through a screening and stick around for the next screening to watch up to the part they had missed. Movies were just somewhere you hung out with your friends and talked. This really does feel like that, Lexi and I were chatting for most of it. I did pay attention and I was watching, but it really did feel like it was supposed to be on in the background while you hung out. 3 out of 5 stars. Maybe watch if you have a couple of hours to kill.
Step Up 2: The Streets
Written by Toni Ann Johnson and Karen Barna, Directed by Jon M Chu
Lexi picked this one. You know what, I had fun. Most of that may have been my own doing, there was a line in the film about family, and that sent me off on a bit for the rest of the film about Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. It was late, I thought it was hysterical, Lexi eventually tried to strangle me. It was a good time. The movie itself is alright too. It's your standard dance movie fare. The characters are alright, there was one guy who I felt ended up with the wrong lady at the end. The fashion is bananas. This movie came out in 2008, which means it was likely filmed during 2007 and maybe 2006. We have peak 2000s fashion on display. All the dudes are wearing shirts three sizes too big, all the chicks are wearing either crop tops or bathing suit tops. Everyone is wearing baggy pants and shoes with no arch support. It's great. Oh man, the cell phones. Big, bulky things with screens that slide up to reveal the keyboards. Is this the greatest movie I've ever seen, no. Did I have a good time, yes. I was entertained from start to finished. I think it is important to watch "low brow" movies in addition to "film snob" movies. It gives you great perspective. I want a Sidekick phone. Why don't they make those anymore?
Forbidden Planet
Written by Cyril Hume, Directed by Fred M Wilcox
Back in 1956 when Leslie Nielsen was considered a serious dramatic actor, they made this movie. Frankly, I think it's just alright. A ship is sent out to the Altair system to check for survivors of a crash twenty years ago, and they find one survivor, a Dr. Morbius, and his daughter and robot servant, Robby the Robot. Robbie is my homie. Most of the movie consists of the crew trying not to go bananas over Dr. Morbius' daughter, and them finding out that Morbius has been trying to uncover the secrets of a long dead advanced civilization present on the planet, Altair 4. The members of the civilization basically underwent apotheosis, and Dr. Morbius has gone some of the way there, but he didn't realize that the desires of his subconscious would manifest as a huge invisible monster that kills everyone who wants to either interrupt his work or leave with his daughter. Let me tell you, having an invisible monster is one way to save on the effects budget. The problem resolves itself when Morbius' monster kills him, and by extension itself. The planet is then set to self destruct, and the surviving crewmembers leave, taking along Morbius' daughter and my main man Robby the Robot. I think the main thing I got out of watching this movie was how people in the 1950s envisioned the future, and not through the lens of retrofuturism, but how they actually envisioned the future because this was a genuine product of the 1950s. The radios they use to communicate aren't wireless. They are strapped to their belts and you have a little corded microphone that you pull out to speak in to. The ray guns are just cylinders of various sizes. Artillery cannons are squares with some pegs on the corners to shoot out of. The spaceship the humans come in is a classic flying saucer. The main thing the ship's cook wants is sixty gallons of whiskey, which Robby provides. There is a whole segment in there about how women should cover up because the ship's crew are a bunch of twenty-six year olds who haven't seen women in two years. Let me tell you, if the average age of the ship's crew is 26.4 years old like they say, they aged pretty rough, everyone looks at least thirty-five. Oh, and each one of them to a T has their hair slicked back and shiny, it's a fascinating relic. Again, not much happens plot-wise, there aren't any big twists or turns, but this film is a great historical artifact. Also the Fallout series totally stole the Protectron design from Robby the Robot. I love him so much, he's great, watch the movie just for Robby the Robot. He's even credited as himself, it's fantastic. 3 out of 5 stars. Not bad.
Logan's Run
Written by David Zelag Goodman, Directed by Michael Anderson
It's 70s science fiction before Star Wars. It's cheesy, there are naked people everywhere, but the story is actually pretty good, and the actors are taking it seriously. For what they are, the effects work and miniatures are pretty good. I personally believe that special effects, models, sets, and costumes don't necessarily need to look the best, they just need to give the viewer the impression of what's going on in order to move the story forward. Movies are experiences, and impressions and things that give the audience the gist of what's going on are just as valid of experiences as some computer model created in 16k down to the molecule. Arguably the modles, miniatures, and practical effects are more valid because those take technique and skill from all involved, from the people actually making the effects to the people lighting the shot and setting up cameras to get it to work. I digress. The film is solid, Logan does, in fact, run, Farah Fawcett shows up for a little while. I liked it, and that's the important thing. 4 out of 5 stars. Excellent.