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Star Trek: Voyager: Future's End (1996)
This time travel episode should have worked, except ...
... the past is hate. Even the contemporary 90s. Time travel works, if Star Trek travels between times in the future. See e.g. 'Yesterday's Enterprise,' season 3 of The Next Generation series. Star Trek: Voyager's universe was so beautifully developed, that you immediately spot that the real-life 90s were hate (albeit an alternate-universe-90s were Microsoft rules earth). Cinema flic Star Trek IV tried the same, and traveled back to their real-life 80s. Hate. Look at medieval paintings. All the hyped Venetian maestros - really - painted hate. Google them and explain to me how they are not hate. (Some ancient Dutch paintings are watchable because they drew nature.) If contemporary times were bearable, the best existing show ever, Voyager, would have nailed it. They are really not.
Predator (1987)
An idiot's eden
This must have been the very first movie people wanted to see after they were created. People know that they aren't qualified to use force in any tiniest parts of their meaningless lives. But those people are desperate for a world where you CAN apply force at any problem. A predator that can cloak. And if you miss with your bazooka, it's not a biggie. Apply more force next time, and keep crossing your other fingers. The jungle in this movie is an exact replica of the stupid world that people genuinely dream of. Even your unwanted kids have to respect you there: I bet they can't hold a bazooka.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021)
Best Star Wars in a decade
Really cool show. If you're looking for a fun Star Wars show, watch exactly this. Avoid all the live-action Star Wars, whose "actors" these days are clearly picked off the streets. In this show, you get clear motivations, sensical plots, credible physics (!), cool gadgets, alive performance from CGI characters, ... the show feels alive, believe it or not. 243 characters to go, so I'll reveal that I'm actually a Star TREK universe fan. Usually Star WARS isn't my cup of tea. Still, I hope they keep the Star Wars continuity and don't start time traveling or sliding through parallel universes. I love what this show is.
Iron Man (2008)
That's not Iron Man, but top notch
That's not Iron Man. The comic books nailed Iron Man at times. Sorry, Robert Downey Jr. The actual Iron Man would have made Captain America look like a grandad long before the Endgame instalment. Iron Man is a "philantropist, playboy, billionaire" (from Avengers I). In movie terms, Iron Man is a lot slicker, even more careless, and a lot less involved. Maybe a few traits resembling Dr. Manhattan in the movie Watchmen, except never desolate. That actual Iron Man would get killed a lot, so the MCU would have had to introduce the multiverse a lot sooner. Honestly, all other (ultra-male) Marvel characters on the big screens were spot on. Given the real Iron Man is more often killed than not, it's probably not surprising that no one alive can nail Iron Man.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Yesterday's Enterprise (1990)
All-time Favourite Episode
Best episode ever. Plot: Enterprise's predecessors time-travel through a rift into the future. As a result, their heroic sacrifice in a war with the Romulans never happened. As a result, the Klingons went to war with the Federation (our guys). As a result, our current Enterprise that they bump into - instantly - changes into a parallel-universe war crew. Had I possessed that script in 1990, I would not have sold it for less than a million dollars, or died with it, tightly under my dead hands. All the details in this beautiful episode make sense, too: Note that our Enterprise crew stays the same (almost) despite the, now, war. Being explorers in our standard universe, you might think they would never have qualified as combattants in this pitch black universe. However, they grew up in this nightmare. The Enterprise C approaches from 30 years in the past. As a result, our guys appear very credible. All staff carry weapons per default. Even the thinking of the top crew adjusts to the parallel universe: You can sense their despair from their arguments in a meeting. The writers of those dialogues must have lived through self-imposed nightmares (?) for years to bring this type of darkness to life. Beautiful. Best episode, even though 'Parallels' in season 7 comes close to this masterpicture.
War of the Worlds (2005)
A Movie about Chess <3
... because there is only one way this can go: Earth annihalates anything different. 'Climate Change' leads to globally agreed protests. And climate change protesters don't even have to agree whether the temperature is going up or down. Still agreement - to the core that change must be annihalated. Earthlings also take as a given that only banks can fund mass multiplying. Banks extort, lie, and ultimately tax, but every last Earthling eventually agrees that it HAS to be banks who fund that attitude. Imagine you're an alien who disagrees with mortgages ... And don't try to get a movie about Secrecy funded because you'll definitely go to jail. They'll plant something in your car boot and have you jailed over terrorism. Secrecy and terrorism is the exact same on Earth. But: Earthlings can't think ahead: They can't think a chess match through to the last round. You know what ? Just wipe them out. Which is the plot of this great movie starring a great (as usual) Tom Cruise. They only left out, that every NORMAL life form can think ahead. But Earth's viewers, anyway, wouldn't have understood that. As a result, the movie brilliantly focuses on the wiping-out bit.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Best of Both Worlds (1990)
Where is the Battle Crew ?
It's not credible that Starfleet hasn't got a seperate war crew. Picard and his crew are explorers. So far, it only ever got to posturing weapons, never actual battles. We are talking Starfleet's flagship here. And an outpost does get destroyed as a warning, at the very beginning of this episode. If you ignore that flaw, then current staff should be trying to leave. Again - they were warned by the enemy, the Borg. Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge is visually impaired and should have the best excuse to drop his golden jacket. At least for now. A war crew like Peter Weller's crew in Star Trek Into Darkness would normally try to save the day here.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Lower Decks (1994)
Gut wrenching <3
Gut wrenching episode. In other words: spot on. Do imagine you serve as junior staff aboard the USS Enterprise. Flagship of the Federation. The Chief Engineer is blind. The third-in-command is an emotionless Android. Chief of security is a Barbarian Klingon. It's almost like Starfleet deliberately pick the wrong people. You studied hard at a Starfleet Academy to get, at the very minimum, not blown into pieces. Ideally, you do want a life as top staff. You freshly arrive aboard the Enterprise, perfectly qualified, but feel desperate instantly - and can't even tell why! After all, there might be a good reason for putting handicapped people in charge. But no one told you that the Academy, or ideally, during the recruiting.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Skin of Evil (1988)
"We at Starfleet stick together. Haha. Oops."
Yar had to either die, or be tried in a Starfleet court. After all, she conspired against Starfleet: As head of security, she failed to report Captain Picard to Starfleet's high command. In the Pilot episode 'Encounter at Farpoint,' an omnipotent alien named Q judges Picard 'guilty.' Granted, Picard tells Yar that 'humanity' was judged, not just him. It's a like a watching its parents getting arrested over a failed mortgage payment. The kid don't know how to react. Yar didn't react, at all. Higher justice it is then. 3 seasons later, unscaved Picard gets milliins of Starfleet staff killed in a Borg massacre. Not her fault. Any more. Put a German general ... I mean Klingon security in charge then.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: All Good Things... (1994)
Picard in court again
An omnipotent alien is trying to kill me. And all humanity. But trust me. I'm a good captain, promise. --- In this brilliant episode, Captain Picard tilts between three points in time: The current season 7, 25 years into the future, and before the very first episode. In all three timelines, he tries to persuade the crew that a singularity in space is trying to prevent all life from even forming. Omnipotent Q accompanies Picard and/or even causes the singularity. Picard meets Q in the actual show already in the very first episode. The encounter is NOT promising. Q keeps trying and accusing Picard in a medieval looking yet futuristic court. In other words, an omnipotent alien keeps warning Picard that something is wrong with him. That never bothers Picard's crew in the 7 years runtime of this decent Star Trek show. It is great to end this show on this note. However, the crew continue to woodenly ignore this elephant in the room. Something is wrong with their captain. I wish, this plot hadn't been ignored in the subsequent movies.
Terra Nova (2011)
Not surprised this great show lasted only one season ...
The show's marketing was bad, and its branding atrocious. I watched this gem only several years after its release. I remember a giant Sky TV poster with the main actor on it, no dinosaurs, and a massive TV channel logo. That was in the UK, and I take it its marketing was similar in other countries. And then the show's name: "Terra Nova." A government would call such a project that, and most likely a fascist nazi government: "Terra" means you're in control of the earth (=terra) now. "Nova" means super nova, means, you erased everyone else first. As a private endeavour, you call that project something "escape" - FROM authorities. Which is, as it turns out, what this show is actually about: A family escaping a polluted future into a clean dinosaur past. And I am not even a fan of family flicks. But this show works: in that paradise past, the kids are scavenging for 'fruts,' a common ancestor of 'fruits' and 'nuts.' Really creative, inspiring, and touching. Such a great show - that marketed itself out of business (?)
Hell or High Water (2016)
Beautiful to watch even in an Endless Loop
Endlessly watchable in an endless loop. Two brothers who rob banks in the US south. Seriously: What's not to love ? Top acting talent throughout, witty dialogues, and several odd twists. Also, if you look for a smart western but you never find them 100% convincing - then watch this hidden gem. In general, movies about financial crime are underrated and rare, because hardly any writer ever wants to explore that complex area. But really, banks put ATMs and cashiers everywhere. Because every spot seems to be policed. It's so beautiful to watch the two brothers outsmart Jeff Bridges playing a ranger.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Were the 80s good then
I started watching Star Trek I - VI AFTER I watched all 7 seasons of Star Trek - The Next Generation. The latter TV show isn't very bright and shiny, and the movies of the old crew felt darker still. For Star Trek I in 1978 to work, it would have had to mirror the contemporary environment - and object to it. The first banks and insurances were erected, and a factory job suddenly became a way of life rather than desperate necessity. Star Trek I would have had to call that world out. Star Trek Into Darkness 35 years later in 2013 absolutely shines at battling its own Federation. Peter Weller in an outstanding and unmatched performance plays an who's-the-real-grownup-here, vile Starfleet Captain that Kirk and his crew can't rival. Absolute perfection. Star Trek I failed at taking a shot at this new world that began in the 1980s. As an example, Mr. T from the A-Team would have been needed to play a vile Starfleet representative. That foe would have given Captain Kirk's men the edge to shine. Instead, Star Trek just accepted this new world, and bemoans whale killings a little in Star Trek IV.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
"Fury, cap the power supply" would have been too short of a movie
That - wouldn't happen. A virtual identity called Ultron tries to eradicate the Avengers. Crucially, Tony Stark himself created the lethal foe. That wouldn't happen because several organisations would already have formed that only revolve around shutting down the Stark Towers, for exactly that situation. Captain America in particular gets to know Tony Stark in 'Avengers Assemble.' A more likely scenario should be that Cap pulls his cell phone and tells Fury (their leader) to pull the plug on the Stark Tower. By the time this movie happens, he should have secretly invested all his spare time to figure out the Stark Tower and its weaknesses. Probably power supply. But then again, Cap evidently isn't much of a secret agent. Maybe they gave that serum to the wrong person. There is a reason why Natasha Romanov has to make do with the Hulk as a partner. Because Cap as a partner would get her killed. Instead of keeping the relationship a secret, he probably would show off in front of Tony Stark. Coming back to the movie, Ultron would get hold of that relationship, too, and just has to take Romanov hostage. Cap even drops a stupid comment on the tete-a-tete between Romanov and Banner (Hulk's alter ego). A movie later, in Captain America: Civil War, Romanov picks Stark's faction over Cap's, at first, and then sides with Cap, anyway. Cap would have been the obvious choice from the beginning if he wasn't useless, as exposed in this movie. 'Justice League' was probably better.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Finally Thor's environment, Great Movie
Did Marvel just sell me a guy - who doesn't take 'no' for an answer ? Great movie, Thor's universe feels bright, fun and adventurous now. Thor isn't naturally likeable unless a movie really adjusts the enivoronment around him. Thor is the brute-force guy. If the world around him is dark, you immediately wonder: well, why isn't he brightening that world up, with thag brute force of his ? Let's be honest, you were asking those questions in Thor 1 and 2. On your mind, he is always a complete failure because his homeworld is dark. In this Thor movie, he forcibly leaves his homeworld because he gets conscripted as a gladiator. Now he has obviously now impact on his environment - and it works. Had he any impact, he could only succeed by using force. Even if he did succeed, you would hate him anyway for using force. Thor is great behind bars.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
The movie ignores Misinformation and Secrecy
World wars are about misinformation and secrecy. If you want to tell a Captain America WW2 story, you would have - two - seemingly unrelated story lines: an 1) undercover Captain America and 2) hundreds of Captain America imposters. However, the movie shows Captain America as a theatre actor for the masses. That story would have to end in him getting shot, like JFK in the 1960s. Like Superman, Captain America would have to pretend to work for a news agency, as an example. Secondly, the movie ignores the element of fear. At no point does the US Army spread fear in Nazi Germany e.g. By using fake Captain Americas.
Dune: Part One (2021)
Why?
Why? There was a dune movie in the 1980s that didn't work, either. Dune has complex worlds that interact with each other and work. That's it. Build blue prints of those worlds. You'll see those worlds make sense but are - boring. You can't tell any interesting story about those worlds. There is struggles over resources ('spice'). That IP turned out even insufficient for computer games, later in the 1990s. Now in the 2020s, stretching the scenes out, and making the characters speak really silently doesn't make those worlds more sophisticated or interesting. The attempt makes dune even more embarassing. Say 'no' to boring.
Snatch (2000)
That's not London
According to this movie, cool underdog London is about: rigged boxing matches, Irish travellers, and other coolest gangs from all over the world. I believe Guy Richie, the script writer, wishes London were Ireland's capital Dublin, just a little richer and brighter. In reality (yep, reality matters), London is about bank loans, mortgages, and ground rents (rents on plain land). If Guy Richie had been a little more honest, this London movie should have been about actual bank debt collectors, Middle Eastern undecided investors and/or brutal landlords. Because that is what not-so-underdog London is about. That path would have been possible because the Welsh movie "Pusher (2010)" nails debt collectors. Pusher feels a lot more real. Now we have a whole generation that think you'll meet cool bosses in London who teach you lessons while they humiliate someone. In reality, London is garbage but not cool garbage.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
I love the plot, thumps down on practical issues
I love this movie for talking about politicians in an honest way. However, a big thumps down for Nick Fury's alternative: As the head of the powerful Avengers initiative, no one should even know what a "Nick Fury" is. In this movie, even Hydra's tipped police know his identity. Captain America should receive his orders from an anonymous What'sApp account. I believe now (2023) is a little late to talk about a new movie called a Secret Invasion. Secrecy should have shaped all parts of the Avengers' organisations. JFK got shot 60 years ago, i.e. 2 generations of mindless zombies. I love that Captain America is depicted as a selfless David who fights a good Goliath-gone-evil. Because those people don't exist. But the character still feels real.
The Avengers (2012)
Captain America should be Iron Man's Bullying victim for that movie to make sense
Iron Man should be constantly bullying Captain America. It makes no sense that he doesn't. Iron Man briefly mentions that Cap's powers "came out of a bottle." Of his dad's. That's all. It would make perfect sense, if Iron Man distracted, ignored and patronised Cap at all times, especially during emergencies. Iron Man per movies 1 and 2 submits to all athorities he ever meets (except baddies, but they aren't authorities). If he doesn't bully, he'll start sleeping bad. Not bullying isn't normal from Iron Man's perspective: Cap is someone everyone wants to be best buddies with. But not a superhero like Iron Man or Thor. That should worry Iron Man in particular. Besides, Iron Man needs no buddies, he is behind armor 90% of the time. On top, he is a self-confessed non-moralist. As a result, Cap should be Iron Man's bullying victim 2 seconds after they meet, and this would never end, as long as Fury puts them in the same team. In this movie, neither of the characters feels real. Because that bullying relationship is misrepresented almost entirely.
Star Trek: Generations (1994)
Felt impactful in '94 but set the wrong course
The Next Generation had barely left the TV screen and a movie came out. And it did feel gigantic. The Enterprise B bridge at the beginning felt impactful, and so did the TNG crew on the big screen. Some people claim that all even-numbered Star Trek movies are good, and odd-numbered bad. But the truth be told, Star Trek movie scripts were never impressive - before the great Star Trek reboots. In Star Trek 7, the studio went for a Picard/Kirk meet ... After Picard was diagnosed with schizophrenia in the last two episodes of the TV series. In hindsight, the movies should have picked up on Picard's mental instability. It made sense, given that he refused to wipe out the Borg with a nanovirus, 3 years earlier. Neither this movie nor the spin-off TV show Deep Space Nine dug deep into Picard's mental issues. Nor did the subsequent movies. This movie set the wrong course after a brilliant ending of the TNG TV series.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
-1 star for silliness
My favourite Marvel movie. Before 2016, I had only seen Iron Man 3 and was pleasantly surprised. I loved that they pitted well-respected and carved-out personalities against each other. In 2016, global authorities had lost most of their credence, and other movies only ever dared to blame black sheep AMONG governments. Captain America went there and explicitly challenged the UN. Loved it. And the coolest guy in the room just says nothing and quietly supports the UN - Iron Man. Until then, this movie was perfect. The story setup was perfect, and the heroes' reactions even better. It's only 9 stars because both got a little silly from there. Consider Captain America: He knows that Iron Man is insane, and that that man machine has a democratic majority that hits harder than his buddies. After that meeting you hide, and stay in touch with your buddies as secretly as possible. That's what I would have expected. Granted, your other buddy has just been brainwashed and you need to save him. However, the last thing you do is suiting up. Instead, you stay undercover. A smash up between Cap's and Iron Man's buddies is audience candy. However, there is no way this situation could have developed. I personally would genuinely have preferred a plot that changed into secrecy and hiding, not a bullfight. Like in Captain America 2 but with enemies that know you (Cap) and might even manipulate you. Not under foreign authority (like here) but e.g. In a Stark Tower: "Cap, let me show you my latest inventions. No need to sign anything." Even if Iron Man supports that UN charter, there is no way he would have openly buddied up with THEM. For the simple reason, that his smash buddies would never accept that extreme move. Because as part of the Avengers, they all know the Winter Soldier's backstory.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Wooden ships
I love the idea of wooden ships. Crusing the known and unknown world for thousands of miles. The first ships, however, were metal ships. Brits wish the centre of the world was London in the late middle ages. Ideally, you want to set this ambitious movie in the mediterranean, though. Since the centre of the world then was Istanbul, then known as Constantinople. You can still vilify the Brits because British Constantine ruled that world. The 'East' India Company and 'Eastern' Levant Company were both located in that area, Constantinople and Ankara. Brits refuse to teach on the India Company in school, because you're allowed to lie to anyone except kids. Pirates of the Carribean's producers made such efforts to create all these magnificent movies. If only the historians had given the slightest care. Watch this series as a parallel universe series where you cross oceans on, basically, canoos.
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
Over-disciplined Next Generation
There we go. The new Enterprise bridge has an adjacent Ready Room. Admittedly, not to openly pressure the staff. But this Next Generation will feel pressured. Everytime they don't listen to The Picard, he can just call them into that Ready Room for a 'quick word.' If that happens to a crewmate a few times, he'll become the laughing stock for the next seven seasons. Therefore, you'll always obey The Picard. And of course, The Picard will never have to actually use that room for that purpose. The sheer existence of that Ready Room over-disciplines the new Enterprise crew. Add to this ingredient, that The Picard calls his first officer 'Number One.' Just to stress that Riker is extra extra loyal. Picards first quick word with Number One in the Ready Room would humiliate Riker instantly and forever. Of course, Riker obeys at all times. The Ready Room of the new Enterprise was the certain sign that the Next Generation was always going to revolve around The Picard.
Star Trek: Discovery (2017)
The Walking Dead
God, that show really went for the death theme. Every last main character is dead inside. Saru looks like Death in Bill and Ted's Adventures. The Klingons, previously fierce, got a white death makeover. I take it you can never quite tell what's real when you're dead. So the show jumps between parallel universes, like a dead person would. Nothing then makes perfect sense, like the new/old spore drive. Things are not dark, though. This show is genuine death, i.e. Illumation. They went for glowing red and light blue, but any other neon colour would also match death. And the show has one big storyline rather than seperate episodes. So the dead viewer is save from taking the last step. Absolute horror from the first minute.