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Reviews
Doctor Who: The Stolen Earth (2008)
It was everything one could hope for in a Doctor Who episode!
This episode, "The Stolen Earth," was truly a spectacular event. An epic and instant classic. It brings together elements from all four seasons and incorporates those varied bits in such a symmetrical and coherent way that it makes me wonder if Russell T. Davies, Executive Producer, hadn't had this all in mind from the start? It couldn't have all come together or worked any more perfectly if he had, in my view.
Certainly no modern Who adventure has had so many guest-stars and cameos. And they are all given their moments. How RTD managed to pack so much in one 45 minute episode and do it all justice is astonishing to me. His skill as a writer, producer and show-runner is undeniable and this episode is proof of his mastery of his craft.
The return of Davros, an insane Dalek Caan and the best cliffhanger ending ever (thank gawd we only have to a wait a week!) also serve to make this an outstanding and forever memorable installment. Truly an "A+" effort in all respects.
Apocalypto (2006)
An excellent motion picture!
Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" is simply a well-crafted motion picture coupled with a truly engaging story. Though some scenes of violence were graphic I did not judge it to be on par with Gibson's previous features such as "The Passion of the Christ" or "Braveheart" - In fact, by today's horror genre standard, it struck me as positively tame. The cinematography (Dean Semler) was extremely vivid and absolutely gorgeous.
I came away from "Apocalypto" with a very real sense that I had looked into the past and was given a practical taste of a different culture and way of life. In many ways, the film's story was universal and the physical expressiveness of the actors drew me in to such a degree that reading the sub-titles became a totally reflexive and autonomic function. This in-turn heightened the feeling of having an emotional rapport with many of the characters (especially the "hero", Jaguar Paw).
Enterprise: Broken Bow, Part 1 (2001)
A Stake Through the Heart
Despite a decent first season this series never came close to realizing its potential. Set as a prequel to the original "Star Trek" series it was doomed almost from the start by an executive producer, Rick Berman, who felt compelled to artificially limit and constrict the definition of what a "Star Trek" series could be (which made this futuristic show increasingly anachronistic from a dramatic standpoint). The actual show-runner, Brannon Braga, didn't help matters by his uninspired and tired rehashing of previous Trek episodes and careless disregard of the franchise's internal mythology (it was painfully obvious early on that he was in it only for the paycheck). Never have I seen a series' that so consistently did a disservice to a cast of talented actors (Jolene Blaylock excepted)last so long. It is as if this entire series was produced in bubble existing outside the contemporary television landscape where the audience (even a Trekker audience) is more demanding and sophisticated in their dramatic wants and desires. Unfortunately it appears as if Berman and Braga have succeeded in convincing the higher ups at Paramount that "Enterprise" suffered from "franchise fatigue" and that its core audience was did not walk away but was driven off. Produce a quality offering that lives up to the high ideals and standards of its predecessors and they (the audience) will come.
Simply put, In a TeeVee universe where we are given shows like "Battlestar: Galactica" and "The Shield" the powers-that-be must give the viewing public a "Star Trek" that measures up and is dramatically competitive. It is just that straightforward and easy.