I_hatenazis Reviews

The Outer Limits: Stranded (1999) Season 5, Episode 19

Definitely worth watching, a low rated gem

[9/10 · 14 March 2014]

The main character, Kevin, is a very smart high school boy with a father who is showing rather obvious favoritism to his athletic older brother. The funny thing is that the father is hardly even aware of it, I've met people like that. Anyway, the boy discovers a crashed space ship with an alien pretending to be an injured U.S. pilot through the power of telepathy. The alien is rather nice and encouraging to the boy, seemingly because he likes him but also because he needs his help. Like all good episodes of the New Outer Limits you get involved with the characters and wish them well, you hope that the dad will stop being so blind, that the alien really ends up being benign, and that things work out well for the Kevin.

One thing that I really liked about the episode was that the main character, Kevin is not an idiot, I hate when characters blindly do stupid things. He is observant, he questions the alien when he notices something wrong. I really liked how this episode progressed and delivered at the end.

One last note, someone mentioned bad special effects, I watch the New Outer Limits for the character development and empathy. The special effects were good enough to deliver the story. For example, Inconstant Moon was a classic and well received because everyone was cheering for the couple, we weren't waiting for the Armageddon special effects to carry that story. At least this is how I see it.

I was surprised by the rather low 7.1 rating at the time I watched this episode, it was a very pleasant surprise.

The Outer Limits: Something About Harry (2000) Season 6, Episode 18

Entertaining but derivative of Men in Black

[7/10 · 3 February 2014]

Judd Nelson as Harry the kid is the protégé.

Gerry Chalk as Detective Frank Dayton is Tommy Lee Jones.

This was a decent episode of Outer Limits but not a great one for the following reason. A classic Outer Limits Episodes really gets me hooked into the fate of the characters. I did care about the characters but I dinged it because it was an obvious derivative of 'Men in Black'.

For better episodes of 'The Outer Limits' that are more original see ... 'The Light Brigade' (with Will Wheaton) for sci-fi setting. 'An Inconstant Moon' - a beautiful love story 'New Lease' - very underrated story about a scientist who gets a taste of his own medicine and an empathetic view of his beautiful and long suffering wife.

This is all in my most humble opinion of course.

Family Guy: Brian Writes a Bestseller (2010) Season 9, Episode 6

One of Brian's funniest episodes

[9/10 · 2 December 2013]

Brian, who considers himself a liberal intellectual, is frustrated that no one bought his serious novel so he agrees with Stewie to write one of those cheesy self help books and it becomes an overnight sensation. In the last segment of the show he is interviewed by Bill Maher and Ariana Huffington in what has got to be one of the funniest TV segments of Family Guy ever written. For one thing, only Brian is animated so it reproduces Bill Maher's show to a T. Secondly, while Brian comes in with a swagger expecting a powder puff interview, Bill Maher uses his quick wit and humor to justifiably eviscerate the shallowness of Brian's book. This episode was actually well written because normally you might feel sorry for Brian because he is a nice guy but in the previous part of the show he was a diva and a total jerk to Stewie who was the one most responsible for his success. Therefore, Brian is getting his well deserved comeuppance, being dressed down by one of his liberal icons.

I have no idea why this episode is only rated 7.0 at the time of this review putting it in the lower half of Family Guy shows unless there are people that hate Bill Maher so much they are just dinging it. I am a conservative but I appreciate good humor when I see it and Bill Maher's material as he was interviewing Brian and re-creating his show for Family Guy was pure gold.

If you enjoy Brian's character at all then watch this episode and if you agree with me that it is better than a 7.0, please vote and give this episode its well deserved higher rating.

Breaking Bad: Negro y Azul (2009) Season 2, Episode 7

Really a Hank Centered Episode and that's a good thing

[9/10 · 7 October 2013]

They advance the story line of Walter and Jesse but I really see this as a Hank centered episode because he has the really intense and stressful moments that would normally be associated with Walter and Jesse. In his re-assignment, he is considered someone who was appointed for political reasons. The border agents deride him because he does not speak Spanish and they even talk about him in Spanish behind his back. In this episode I felt bad for Hank because he really is a quality agent who was being unfairly abused. This episode had a very dark ending that showed his humble good intentions that made you like him even more.

Star Trek: Voyager: The Void (2001) Season 7, Episode 14

A favorite episode: well executed premise

[10/10 · 19 September 2013]

This is where Voyager is trapped in a region of space that has nothing but other trapped ships and the only resources come from new arrivals. One moment the crew is enjoying all the bounty and pleasures that 24th century technology can bring to a dismal fate of competing with other desperate ships in a region of space known as the void.

I have always found Kate Mulgrew's portrayal of a 'tough' Starship capt. rather forced and unconvincing, as if she thinks she has to compensate for the fact that she is a woman. However, in this episode she delivers a brilliant performance. She demonstrates toughness in a very natural manner by showing confidence and leadership and having the big picture and imposing this view on a crew who are clearly overwhelmed by their seemingly hopeless circumstance. This was by far her best performance, she faces down Tuvok, Chakotay, and 7/9 who wanted to adopt a more barbaric strategy of survival by telling them at key moments, 'does it really matter if we last 7 days instead of 2?'

Janeway didn't just spout federation rules, instead she dug deeper into the concepts to see why they work and how they can be applied even here. She came up with a simple principle, 'the whole is greater than the sum of the parts' to form alliances with as many of the other ships as possible. This episode had an eerie and depressing feel to it and the resolution was very satisfying.

Courageous (I) (2011)

A better than average message movie w/extreme moments

[6/10 · 19 February 2012]

I am assuming that most know that this movie is using the cop genre to convey a Christian theme about being a good father.

In terms of the acting, the pious out of work Spanish speaking immigrant stole the show. Without Javier's lighter moments this movie would have been too heavy handed and insufferable, I hope this actor gets more roles. Nathan Hayes who played the new African American deputy turned in the second best performance. I was not overly impressed by the rest of the cast but they managed to hold up the story but I found the lead actor was just plain unlikable to me.

All message movies run the risk of being too heavy handed and this movie definitely went there. The police theme had an appropriate amount of action to keep the pacing so that they could string together their epiphanies successfully.

If you are an average husband or father with a wife that realizes that you are not being Jesus Christ to your household then you should get points for watching this film with her (but you won't). But don't worry. If such a man is aware of his short comings then all you have to do is save your child from a car jacking, participate in a shoot out with a drug gang, blame yourself for being a bad dad when your daughter is killed in an accident. Also, at each point, make the absolute most perfect speech possible about being a dad and serving God. Then invent a new religious ceremony specifically for dedicating your life to being a great dad and servant of God and hang a certificate on a wall filled with righteous words that you wrote for the ceremony. After this you can have breakfast.

I strongly dislike message movies but seriously this was above average for the genre.

The Outer Limits: Final Appeal (2000) Season 6, Episode 21

Ugh - A FLASHBACK Episode

[5/10 · 20 July 2010]

If you liked that last episode of Seinfeld you will like this one as well :-)

A time traveler is put on trial for re-introducing technology at a future time when technology is blamed for unleashing death on the world. The courtroom scene is an excuse to play snippets of past Outer Limits episodes.

I'm not a fan of flashback episodes at all.

I especially dislike this episode because the previous episode in this series 'A Stitch in Time' was a real gemstone. A Stitch In Time is definitely worth watching.

The Outer Limits: The Shroud (1999) Season 5, Episode 10

Totally Lame

[1/10 · 14 March 2010]

I love the Outer Limits and this had virtually no characteristics of a typical good Outer Limits episode and I was very surprised that it was so well rated. Basically, a religious zealot dupes a young couple to * * SPOILER ALERT * * clone Jesus.

This was a bad combination of The Omen, Rosemary's Baby, and various other bad 70's movies. 1. Everyone was wooden and I did not care about the characters. David Stiers (Winchester from M.A.S.H.) gave a valiant but futile attempt to look convincing. In a good Outer Limits episode you ALWAYS care about the actors and it kills you when there is a bad ending.

2. Pacing, in a good Outer Limits episode they use the non-story time for character development but in this episode there simply was no character development.

I kept watching this episode to see when it was going to pick up and it never does. Please watch virtually any other Outer Limit's episode before judging this series.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)

Touching movie

[9/10 · 12 September 2009]

I may hate Nazis but I loved this movie. It worked.

Lucian and sonja were completely in love with each other.

Lucian would go to hell and back for her and it showed (but then again who wouldn't for Rhona Mitra?)

Also, there was the freedom angle w/the enslaved Lycan's. The CGI effects were great, especially in the final battle scene.

At the very end they tied into the first move to show great continuity.

Both Lucian and Viktor were exactly like in the first movie but Luician was far more noble.

Overall, this is definitely worth seeing if you are a fan of the series.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Good head smashing fun ...

[9/10 · 3 September 2009]

* * SPOILERS * * Great movie.

When the basterds decide to smash the head of the uncooperative nazi officer I was worried that the first hit would render him unconscious but no. He started screaming when the bear jew started his work with a nail studded baseball bat. Judging from the audiences response this was Tarantino's crowd pleaser.

My only complaint was that there were not enough scenes w/the basterd's exploits, too much overlong dialog. The finale was great when the basterds and Shoshanna trapped a whole bunch of nazi's in a movie theater and burned / exploded it. This was a badly needed reprise of the basement scene of the dirty dozen. Those animals were actually cheering when they were watching Americans being killed in Italy, now it was their turn.

The last scene was priceless when Aldo ordered the shooting and scalping of Landa's driver. The look on his nazi face was astonishing, 'the war is over and I am only a flunky'. He got what he deserved, good job Tarantino!

Great job Tarantino.