Movie Review

SkyFire: Disaster #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / /

I love disaster movies. I love the logic-defying action and the cheesy scenes. Skyfire has tons of great pyroclastic scenes. It was really well done with the special effects. The story is good too. It injected enough character and plot to make you care about what happens. Not every action-filled movie has that. When they don’t, they can be quite boring.

The main character loses her mother in a volcanic eruption when a young girl. This tragedy colors her life and her father’s. The main disaster takes place at the same volcano. An amusement park is built on the volcano. This part reminded me of Jurrasic Park. What could possibly go wrong? Well, lots and lots.

There were a few times when I thought the movie was over, but it wasn’t. Unlike some science fiction movies that don’t spend any time on the ending, this one had a very thorough ending. I didn’t mind, as the fireworks and spewing lava were a lot of fun. There was some cheese, too. Can’t have a disaster movie without cheese. Just wouldn’t be right.

I give this movie the beer is optional rating. I really liked it. It was fun and fiery and had lots of volcano danger.  Currently streaming on Hulu.

 

YouTube player

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SkyFire: Disaster #MovieReview Read More »

The Mandalorian: #SciFi #Streaming #Review

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / /

If I see Darth Vader’s helmet when looking at a mountain, does that mean I’ve watched too much Star Wars? Is there such a thing?

At any rate, The Mandalorian is an excellent series. Warning: it’s hard to watch just one. The story kept unfolding, and I was eager to see where it went.

The series takes place about 10 years after Return of the Jedi, and looks at the Star Wars universe from a different angle. It’s a bit grittier, a bit darker. I like that. There’s no Darth Vader, of course. He’s quite dead, but the Mandalorian visits familiar planets and some familiar characters pop in now and then. Plus, the baby Yoda character is really adorable. Who doesn’t want one?

The Star Wars universe is vast and filled with thousands of stories. This series put out by Disney is a great way to explore one of them. The ending of season 2 had me cheering. There will be a season 3, and I have to wonder where the story will go next. I will for sure watch.

You don’t need beer to watch The Mandalorian, unless you want one. It’s not boring, and it kept me watching the screen instead of doing something else. If you haven’t seen it yet and love science fiction, I recommend it. It’s streaming on Disney.

 

 

 

 

YouTube player

 

 

 

The Mandalorian: #SciFi #Streaming #Review Read More »

The Colony: #SciFi #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / /

Colony on Netflix is a dystopian where those who left Earth to colonize another planet want to see if their survival has better odds if they return to Earth.

The colonists on Keplar can’t reproduce. The radiation off-world has killed any hope of humans thriving. Earth, however, is all water.

This movie has a lot of flaws, however, it is nicely filmed and the acting is very good. The main character, Louise Blake, had me rooting for her through the entire movie. She has a lot of obstacles to overcome, and she does so with confidence and grit. She will see her mission completed… for the many. However, she has other motives for returning to Earth.

If you think too much about the story, the logic will slip like sand through your hands. Same goes for the ending. It was rather vague and ambiguous. Two minutes could have been spent with something more solid and meaningful. At least, I would have appreciated that.  Every story deserves a decent ending.

It’s worth a watch, though. I was entertained and would actually like to know more about this version of Earth. So for that and the acting, I give this movie a one beer rating. One is enough to have fun.

It’s streaming on Netflix. Here’s the trailer if you want a peek:

 

 

YouTube player

 

 

 

The Colony: #SciFi #MovieReview Read More »

#SciFi #MovieReview : Zone 414

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / /

A daughter goes missing in the only place where humans and androids are allowed to interact. It’s a zone free from crime. So the creator of the androids says…

It’s actually not a bad movie.  If you think ‘Blade Runner’ through the whole thing, you’d not be mistaken. The setting and parts of the story seem inspired by Blade Runner. And also by Logan’s Run. At least, Husband Unit and I thought so.

This movie has the slowest moving taxi in the galaxy, and the Husband Unit and I think that should be a movie of its own. It made us laugh every time it came on screen.

I had to wonder why androids would smoke or eat or drink, but logic isn’t required to have fun watching a movie. Otherwise, very few movies would be fun.

Parts of the plot could have been bridged more smoothly,  but the ending didn’t make us groan or want to throw something. So, that’s always a good thing.

There was some good social commentary if you wanted to give any thought that way to the topics stirred up by the plot.

We give this movie a 1.5 beer rating.

 

Here’s the trailer:

YouTube player

 

 

 

 

#SciFi #MovieReview : Zone 414 Read More »

#SciFi #MovieReview : Space Sweepers

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie, Space Opera / /

A fun adventure set in space, with lots of space action, Space Sweepers is a fun watch.

It was a little long and the backstories were a bit clumsily done, but I felt like I was in space through the whole film.  And, the backstories add a lot to the plot and the story on an emotional level. It made it easier to connect with the characters.

On first impression, the main characters are not people you want to know, but their job isn’t pleasant. They’re outlaws and have few ethics. As we learn more about them, they become more likable, and I rooted for their victory.

The movie starts with a trip up into orbit on a space elevator. We stay in space for the rest of the movie. Sweepers clean up space debris in orbit and earn very little for their efforts. In fact, they often end up further in debt.

The plot centers around them stumbling across a very valuable piece of space debris. It can earn them a fortune and change their lives. The sticking point… the debris is alive.

There’s lots of action, fast flying ships, battle explosions, bad guys, adversaries, and adventure. The world-building is very well done, and I loved the way it ended.

Space Sweepers is definitely worth a watch. And, you don’t need beer!

This movie gets the coveted ‘beer is optional’ rating. It’s currently on Netflix.

 

 

 

 

YouTube player

 

 

 

#SciFi #MovieReview : Space Sweepers Read More »

#SciFi #MovieReview : The Prospect

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / /

The Prospect whisks us away to an alien moon to search for valuable alien gems. The gems are really alien to mine, too. They seem to grow like a living organism. They can also be quite dangerous to extract.

The movie starts with a prospector and his daughter landing on the alien moon to improve their lives with a bit of fortune. However, Fortune doesn’t smile brightly on them.

The daughter is soon left alone with hostile mercenaries and no way off the planet. Her struggle to survive and find a way home is tense and relatable. The story is good, the characters are interesting, and the pacing is really good. My only critique is that I wanted the ending to be a bit less vague. But it was passable.  I would be interested to know more about the world in which she lives. Great world building. I was glad I stumbled across this movie.

I found this indie gem on Netflix. No beer was required.

A teenage girl and her father travel to a remote alien moon, aiming to strike it rich. They’ve secured a contract to harvest a large deposit of the elusive gems hidden in the depths of the moon’s toxic forest. But there are others roving the wilderness and the job quickly devolves into a fight to survive. Forced to contend not only with the forest’s other ruthless inhabitants, but with her own father’s greed-addled judgment, the girl finds she must carve her own path to escape.

Here’s the trailer:

YouTube player

 

 

 

 

#SciFi #MovieReview : The Prospect Read More »

Scroll to Top