DVDpedia : GQ DVD Library : Genre : S

Summary: No science fiction film has been more successful in portraying mankind's potential space-borne future than "2001: A Space Odyssey". It is still among the most realistic portrayals of how human exploration of the Solar System may unfold. Sadly, that exploration has not kept the pace envisioned by Stanley Kubrick and his collaborator, noted science fiction writer and visionary Arthur C. Clarke. The film is based on Clarke's early short story "The Sentinel", a science fiction literary classic. Those who pay heed to negative comments by previous reviewers will miss a genuine cinematic masterpiece replete with vivid imagery and great special effects. Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood give credible performances as the American astronauts aboard the USS Discovery, though the finest performance is by the actor who is the voice of HAL (HAL 9000, the Discovery's computer.). Incidentally, "Star Trek" fans will remember Gary Lockwood for his portrayal of Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell, the ill fated first officer of the Starship Enterprise and friend of her captain, James T. Kirk, in the series' second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before". "2001: A Space Odyssey" broke ground for the great space films that followed, including the "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" series, yet none of these have depicted space travel as realistically as this seminal work of science fiction cinema.

Summary: "Akira" is one of those exceptional moments when an art form transcends itself and becomes something greater. It is one of the few anime's to be viewed by the "mainstream." It defines animation in the way that "Watchmen" defines comic books, "The Empire Strikes Back" defines science fiction, or "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" defines wuxia, as something to strive for and not quite achieve. It is a watermark.That's some pretty flowery praise, but "Akira" deserves it. Inside this movie is some of the best, most crisp and exiting animation ever captured on film. There are so many stunning moments (the battle with the clowns, the sewer race, Tetsuo's battle with the army, Kaneda's race to save his friend, the background of Neo-Tokyo) backed up with an exceptional soundtrack that blends techno music with traditional Japanese styles. The story line is traditional anime, with an explosive mixture of youth and technology juxtaposed with the traditional need to impose order on chaos. The characters are both righteous and stupid, heroic and annoying, competent and naive. Ah heck, just watch it!Seeing "Akira" get this collector's edition DVD treatment is like seeing the Mona Lisa get her own room at the Louvre. All you can say is "it's about time."

Summary: They get drunk on sour milk. They have two hearts and bald, spotted heads. They're highly intelligent, but if you drop them in seawater they'll melt into a puddle of goop. They're "Newcomers," and they arrived as refugees in a massive alien slave-ship, quarantined for three years and then reluctantly accepted as citizens of Earth. To some humans--including seasoned Los Angeles cop Matt Sykes (James Caan)--the Newcomers are unwelcome "slags." Sykes's own virulent "speciesism" intensifies when Newcomer thugs kill his partner, but he sees logic in teaming up with Sam Francisco (Mandy Patinkin), the first Newcomer detective in the LAPD. Francisco's Newcomer knowledge is vital to their investigation of an alien drug ring, and a friendship grows from life-or-death circumstances. A routine cop thriller with a comedic sci-fi twist, Alien Nation> has two things working in its favor: Caan and Patinkin form a memorable duo, and the basic premise--as conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon (who later developed the film as a TV series)--intelligently accounts for the sociological impact of an alien population. The subtle point is made that humans are extraordinary beings who squander their potential, and the evil of drugs--as dealt by a social-climbing Newcomer played by Terence Stamp--leads to a crisis that threatens to generate global intolerance. These points are well presented in a context of overly familiar plotting and standard-issue sarcasm. It's entertaining for a brisk 90 minutes, but in its attempt to be widely appealing, Alien Nation glosses over issues that might have made it more uniquely provocative. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: The Alien Quadrilogy is a nine-disc boxed set devoted to the four Alien films. Although previously available on DVD as the Alien Legacy, here they have been repackaged with vastly more extras and with upgraded sound and picture. For anyone who hasn't been in hypersleep for the last 25 years, this series needs no introduction, though for the first time each film now comes in both original and "special edition" form. Alien (1979) was so perfect it didn't need fixing, and Ridley Scott's 2003 director's cut is fiddling for the sake of fiddling. Watch it once, then return to the majestic, perfectly paced original. Conversely, the special edition of James Cameron's Aliens (1986) is the definitive version, though it's nice to finally have the theatrical cut on DVD for comparison. Most interesting is the alternative Alien 3 (1992). This isn't a "director's cut"--David Fincher refused to have any involvement with this release--but a 1991 work-print that runs 29 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and has now been restored, remastered, and finished off with (unfortunately) cheap new CGI. Still, it's truly fascinating, offering a different insight into a flawed masterpiece. The expanded opening is visually breathtaking, the central firestorm is much longer, and a subplot involving Paul McGann's character adds considerable depth to story. The ending is also subtly but significantly different. Alien: Resurrection (1997) always was a mess with a handful of brilliant scenes, and the special edition just makes it eight minutes longer. The Alien Quadrilogy offers the first and fourth films with DTS soundtracks, the others having still fine Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. All four films sound fantastic, with much low-level detail revealed for the first time. Each is anamorphically enhanced at the correct original aspect ratio, and the prints and transfers are superlative. Every film offers a commentary track that lends insight into the creative process--though the Scott-only commentary and isolated music score from the first Alien DVD release are missing here. Each movie is complemented by a separate disc packed with hours of seriously detailed documentaries (all presented in full-screen with clips letterboxed), thousands of photos, production stills, and storyboards, giving a level of inside information for the dedicated buff only surpassed by the Lord of the Rings extended DVD sets. A ninth DVD compiles miscellaneous material, including an hourlong documentary and even all the extras from the old Alien laserdisc. "Exhaustive" hardly beings to describe the Alien Quadrilogy, a set that establishes the new DVD benchmark for retrospective releases and looks unlikely to be surpassed for some time. --Gary S. Dalkin

Summary: In delivering non-18-rated excitement, Alien vs. Predator is an acceptably average science-fiction action thriller with some noteworthy highlights, even if it squanders its opportunity to intelligently combine two popular franchises. Rabid fans can justifiably ask "Is that all there is?" after a decade of development hell and eager anticipation, but we're compensated by reasonably logical connections to the Alien legacy and the still-kicking Predator franchise (which hinted at AVP rivalry at the end of Predator 2); some cleverly claustrophobic sets, tense atmosphere and impressive digital effects; and a climactic AVP smackdown that's not half bad. This disposable junk should've been better, but nobody who's seen Mortal Kombat or Resident Evil should be surprised by writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson's lack of imagination. As a brisk, 90-minute exercise in generic thrills, however, Anderson's work is occasionally impressive... right up to his shameless opening for yet another sequel. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: In delivering non-18-rated excitement, "Alien vs. Predator" is an acceptably average science-fiction action thriller with some noteworthy highlights, even if it squanders its opportunity to intelligently combine two popular franchises. Rabid fans can justifiably ask "Is that all there is?" after a decade of development hell and eager anticipation, but we're compensated by reasonably logical connections to the Alien legacy and the still-kicking Predator franchise (which hinted at AVP rivalry at the end of Predator 2); some cleverly claustrophobic sets, tense atmosphere and impressive digital effects; and a climactic AVP smackdown that's not half bad. This disposable junk should've been better, but nobody who's seen Mortal Kombat or Resident Evil should be surprised by writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson's lack of imagination. As a brisk, 90-minute exercise in generic thrills, however, Anderson's work is occasionally impressive... right up to his shameless opening for yet another sequel. --"Jeff Shannon"

Summary: In the follow-up to the worldwide hit, Alien vs. Predator, two of the deadliest extra-terrestrial lifeforms from two of the scariest film franchises ever wage their most brutal battle yet in an unsuspecting Colorado town. When a Predator scout ship crash-lands in the hills outside the town, Alien facehuggers are released in the crash, and an even more evil creature - a hybrid Alien/Predator - is also released. A man & his son hunting in the forests near the crash site soon become the first victims of the facehuggers, and when a Predator receives data about the crash on his home planet, he comes to Earth. One at a time, the inhabitants of the town become targets of the Aliens and the Predator, including the local sheriff, a young female soldier recently returned from Iraq, and several teens. Though the National Guard is called in, they are unable to stop the deadly creatures, and a plan is set in motion to destroy the town with a nuclear device...

Summary: I loved the series, but as a DVD box set, this is a bit of a disappointment.
I've only watched the first 5 episodes, so far, but I have to report that the picture is average, at best. There's been no attempt to clean it up that I can see. At times, it has a hazy quality that makes it seem that you're viewing it across a smoky room - and there's no smokers in our house! There's a fair share of blips and scratches too, although nothing too distracting. It's still better than VHS, of course, but not by as much as I'd hoped it would be.
The sound, at least, is a massive improvement over my old video tapes of the series. Although touted as a 5.1 mix, I got nothing out of my rear speakers, save for some music over the opening credits. But all my front speakers appeared to be busy, even the sub-woofer.
I've not yet watched any of the extras, so I can't comment on those. However, you should be warned that the US version of this set has more extras still, including a Hatch/Benedict commentary over Saga of a Star World. I decided I could live without these though.
Despite all that, I'd still put this down as an essential purchase for fans of the series, and at a reasonable price (less than 40 quid, as I write this).

Summary: Humanity has split the atom, unleashing a new era of science - an era that would also unleash monstrous celluloid rampages. An A-bomb test in the Arctic awakens The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, and it makes New York City its stomping ground in the movie (based on a story by Ray Bradbury) that launched a string of Atomic Age creature features. One of the best of those cautionary yarns is Them! Radiation-mutated ants - 12 feet long and capable of lifting tons - become giant problems for James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, James Arness and all of Los Angeles. They're big. They're bad. They've got a serious attitude problem. You won't find a can of bug spray big enough to stop 'em!

Summary: Disney's foray into big-budget science fiction, close on the heels of Star Wars, had some of the most impressive special effects to grace theater screens in the 1970s. Graced by handsome production design--most notably a glass and latticework interstellar craft that looks like a battleship crossed with a modern skyscraper--The Black Hole is in many ways the most beautiful science fiction film of its era. Unfortunately, the graceful and gorgeous picture is jarred by dialogue that wouldn't pass muster in a comic book and a silly conclusion that plays like a murky, dime-store knockoff of 2001. Too bad, because the visual realization of the film is a veritable haunted house of futuristic phenomena, from the cloaked zombie-like drones shuffling through corridors to the devilish, crimson robot Maximillian, the strong arm of the mad scientist played by Maximilian Schell (a kind of wild man Captain Nemo with an even more ruthless temperament). Only the way-too-cute robot V.I.N.CENT (voiced by Roddy McDowall), a merchandising gimmick that looks like a Fisher-Price toy, mars the technological landscape. Robert Forster is the quietly authoritative captain of an exploration ship that stumbles across the seemingly derelict ship, and Anthony Perkins, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Joseph Bottoms fill out his crew. This is one case of a triumph of art direction and special effects over story--it's worth sitting through it to see the magnificent scene of the fireball rolling through the ship's enormous hull alone. The rest is just atmospheric gravy. --Sean Axmaker

Summary: Even skeptical fans of the "Blade" franchise will enjoy sinking their teeth into "Blade: Trinity". The law of diminishing returns is in full effect here, and the franchise is wearing out its welcome, but let's face it: any movie that features Jessica Biel as an ass-kicking vampire slayer and Parker Posey--yes, Parker Posey!--as a vamping vampire villainess can't be all bad, right? Those lovely ladies bring equal measures of relief and grief to Blade, the half-human, half-vampire once again played, with tongue more firmly in stone-cold cheek, by Wesley Snipes. With series writer David S. Goyer in the director's chair, the film is calculated for mainstream appeal, trading suspenseful horror for campy humor and choppy, nonsensical action. The franchise still offers some intriguing ideas, however, including Drake (Dominic Purcell), the original vampire, whose blood contains the secret that could destroy all blood-suckers in a plot that incorporates a sinister "blood farm" where humans are held--and drained--in suspended animation. And Biel's wise-cracking sidekick (Ryan Reynolds) in her cadre of "Nightstalkers" provides comic relief in a series that's grown increasingly dour. All of which makes "Blade: Trinity" a love-it-or-hate-it sequel... supposedly the last in a trilogy, but the ending suggests otherwise. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: The movie was great.It had suspense,action,violence,vampires and let's not for get the occasional corny lines.But the film makers knew what the fans of the first movie wanted,so the film makers tried as best as they could to give it to them.They showed their knowledge of the audiance by giving them amazing fight scenes, amazing affects and of course the part in both movies when Blade gets his glasses back puts them on and... Besides the movie this DVD includes 2 discs loaded with speacial features:-Disc One:-Commentary track with director Guillermo Del Toro and writer David Goyer -Commentary track with producer Peter Frankfurt and Wesley Snipes -Isolated score -Disc Two:-Production Workshop-Director's Notebook: Interactive reproduction of director's notes with an intro by Del Toro -A Pact in Blood: Interactive collection of original documentaries -- various docs on production, story and other subjects-Art gallery-Original theatrical press kit-Deleted/alternate scenes-Blade II video game survival guide-Music video: Cypress Hill and Roni Size "Child of the Wild West"-Theatrical trailers -DVD ROM:-Script-to-Screen-Original Website If you're a fan of Blade then you certainly would enjoy this movie.

Summary: Directed by Ridley Scott, possibly the best director in Hollywood, Blade Runner: The Director's cut is an outstanding medley of action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense. Robots have been taken to a new level - Nexus 6 Generation Robots called "replicants", which outmatch humans in strength and ability and equal in intelligence, but lack one human quality - emotions. They were used for "slave labor" to work in places too hazardous for humans. However, replicants after a few years begin to develop their own emotions, which causes them to rebel against their masters. Special cops, called blade runners, were assigned to exterminate criminal replicants. Eventually replicants were declared illegal on earth, and were banished to a shuttle in space. LA, 2017. Rick Deckard, (Harrison Ford) a retired blade runner, is forced to "retire" five replicants that have escaped from the shuttle, but winds up falling for one, Rachael. (Sean Young) Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) leads the other three replicants to find their creator, Eldon Tyrell, to expand their short four-year life span. Incredible action scenes, dark, brooding noir, creeping suspense, and excellent sci-fi, Blade Runner: The Director's Cut will please fans of any of these genres. The Director's Cut offers production notes, subtitles, added character developement, the original ending, a unicorn dream sequence, and the deletion of unnecessary scenes and the annoying voice-overs. Plus, it is digitally restored to excellent picture and sound quality. Some "sensitive" viewers might find the plot and noir atmosphere cold, but action, noir, sci-fi, and suspense fans will enjoy it very much. With stunning special effects, incredible cinematography, compelling plot, and rich, incredible characterizations (esp. Rutger Hauer), I strongly recommend Blade Runner: The Director's Cut to action/sci-fi fans.

Summary: In 1979, producer Glen A. Larson (Battlestar Galactica, The A-Team) revived the character of Buck Rogers (originally created in 1928) for a television pilot for NBC. The result got a theatrical release, only to appear a year later on television as a prelude to a series starring Gil Gerard as the astronaut who goes on a space mission, only to awaken 500 years later on a severely different Earth and be chosen to aid a special defence organisation due to his superior piloting skills. In the second season, Buck becomes a crew member on the Seacher, a spacecraft on a mission to find lost tribes of Earth on other planets. Buck's robot assistant is voiced by cartoon legend Mel Blanc. Episode List:
Time of the Hawk (1)
Time of the Hawk (2)
Journey to Oasis (1)
Journey to Oasis (2)
The Guardians
Mark of the Saurian
The Golden Man
The Crystals
The Satyr
Shgoratchx!
The Hand of Goral
Testimony of a Traitor
The Dorian Secret

Summary: Thanks to repeated showings on cable television and home video, this speculative thriller has built quite a loyal following since its release in 1978. The provocative "what if?" scenario still packs a punch, even if it is not always believable. James Brolin, Sam Waterston, and O.J. Simpson star as three astronauts who agree to spare the government embarrassment by faking their historic landing on Mars after their spacecraft is determined to be unsafe for blastoff. When a scheming mission controller (Hal Holbrook) plots to kill the astronauts in a staged capsule fire, the trio embarks on a dangerous mission to expose the truth. Elliott Gould costars as the journalist determined to crack the conspiracy, and director Peter Hyams turns up the tension with an exciting chase sequence involving Telly Savalas as an eccentric barnstormer who comes to Gould's aid. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: Anybody who has written him off because of his string of stinkers--or anybody who's too young to remember "The Goodbye Girl"--may be shocked at the accomplishment and nuance of Richard Dreyfuss's performance in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Here, he plays a man possessed; contacted by aliens, he (along with other members of the "chosen") is drawn toward the site of the incipient landing: Devil's Tower, in rural Wyoming. As in many Spielberg films, there are no personalized enemies; the struggle is between those who have been called and a scientific establishment that seeks to protect them by keeping them away from the arriving spacecraft. The ship, and the special effects in general, are every bit as jaw-dropping on the small screen as they were in the theater (well, almost). Released in 1977 as a cerebral alternative to the swashbuckling science fiction epics then in vogue, "Close Encounters" now seems almost wholesome in its representation of alien contact and interested less in philosophizing about extraterrestrials than it is in examining the nature of the inner "call." Ultimately a motion picture about the obsession of the driven artist or determined visionary, "Close Encounters" comes complete with the stock Spielberg wives and girlfriends who seek to tether the dreamy, possessed protagonists to the more mundane concerns of the everyday. So a spectacular, seminal motion picture indeed, but one with gender politics that are all too terrestrial. "--Miles Bethany"

Summary: The very epitome of a cult SF classic, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is more often referenced than seen, which is a pity since it remains even now one of the most thought-provoking examples of the genre. The title is a misnomer, a mere tease to entice 1950s audiences into the cinema in the expectation of seeing another sensationalist B-movie about murderous aliens (i.e. Communists). In fact, Robert Wise's film of Edmund North's screenplay is a thoughtful Cold War allegory about a Christ-like visitor (Michael Rennie) who comes to Earth preaching a message of salvation for mankind, only to be spurned, killed then finally resurrected (significantly, Rennie's character Klaatu adopts the pseudonym "Mr Carpenter" while on the run from the authorities).
Aside from its philosophical message, the film also boasts memorable imagery--notably the giant robot Gort--a much-quoted catchphrase in "Klaatu barada nikto", and one of composer Bernard Herrmann's most admired scores, featuring the theremin and other electronic instruments that must have sounded very otherworldly back in 1951. The result is a bona fide landmark in cinema SF with a central message about "weapons of mass destruction" that's still uncannily relevant today.
On the DVD: "The Day the Earth Stood Still" has been splendidly restored for its DVD incarnation from the original 35 mm print, and the results are demonstrated in the "Restoration Comparison" feature. Also included is a fascinating 1951 newsreel showing Klaatu receiving a certificate of merit amid stories of Communist threats, the Korean war and beauty pageants ("Pomp and pulchritude on parade in Atlantic City"). Best of all is an absorbing commentary track with director Robert Wise in conversation with Nicholas Meyer (both men have "Star Trek" movies on their CV). --"Mark Walker"

Summary: Please Note: As a franchise organisation, titles and prices may vary between the physical stores and this website.

Summary: Paul Bartel's 1975 cheap-o satire about a futuristic international sport--an anything-goes car race where drivers score points for hitting pedestrians--stars David Carradine as a hero behind the wheel and Sylvester Stallone as his nemesis. The film is clever and macabre enough as a modernist satire, but finally overplays its hand in grim, decadent humor. The sets are gloriously artificial, and former Warhol star Mary Woronov is in sexy, comic form. A DVD release is available. --Tom Keogh

Summary: A provocative science fiction drama, "District 9" boasts an original story that gets a little lost in blow-'em-up mayhem. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, "District 9" begins as a mock documentary about the imminent eviction of extraterrestrials from a pathetic shantytown (called District 9). The creatures, it turns out, have been on Earth for years, having arrived sickly and starving. Initially received by humans with compassion and care, the aliens are now mired in blighted conditions typical of long-term refugee camps unwanted by a hostile, host society. With the creatures' care contracted out to a for-profit corporation, the shantytown has become a violent slum. The aliens sift through massive piles of junk while their minders secretly research weapons technology that arrived on the visitors' spacecraft.
Against this backdrop is a more personal story about a bureaucrat named Wikus (Sharlto Copley) who is accidentally exposed to a DNA-altering substance. As he begins metamorphosing into one of the creatures, Wikus goes on the run from scientists who want to harvest his evolving, new parts and aliens who see him as a threat. When he pairs up with an extraterrestrial secretly planning an escape from Earth, however, what should be a fascinating relationship story becomes a series of firefights and explosions. Nuance is lost to numbing violence, and the more interesting potential of the film is obscured. Yet, for a while "District 9" is a powerful movie with a unique tale to tell. Seamless special effects alone are worth seeing: the (often brutal) exchanges between alien and human are breathtaking. "--Tom Keogh"




> "District 9" downloadables (Click for pdf file)

Summary: Dune
The long-awaited film version of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction epic, Dune, explodes on the screen with dazzling special effects, unforgettable images and powerful performances. The saga of intergalactic warrior Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan) and his messianic rise to leadership features an all-star cast, including Jose Ferrer, Max von Sydow, Oscar winner Linda Hunt and rock legend, Sting. Visit an unbelievable world beyond time and space, and experience the ultimate adventure that goes beyond the imagination. Dune: 3-hour Extended Edition
This special version of "Dune" is the Alan Smithee cut - a three hour ressembling of the film prepared for airing on television. David Lynch had his dirrectorial credit removed from this version, primarily due to his objection to the specially created prologue which attempts to spell out the convoluted twists and turns of what many describe as being an unfilmable plot. Despite Lynch's objections, this version is actually clearer than the original cinema edit, which was notoriously trimmed almost o the point of incomprehension by Hollywood executives determined to make it a more "commercial" duration.

Summary: Even more than most of David Lynch's deliberately bizarre and idiosyncratic movies, Dune is a "love-it-or-hate-it" affair. An ambitious, epic, utterly mind-boggling--and, let's admit it, all-out weird--adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune remains one of the most controversial films in the director's exceedingly provocative career. The story (if Dune can be said to have just one story) is complex and convoluted in the epic tradition; it has something to do with political intrigue and a planet that is home to a precious spice and gigantic sand worms. Think Shakespeare's Henry IV with a dash of Tremors, and set in another galaxy. But despite plenty of strangely whispered voice-overs that explain the characters' thoughts (and endlessly detailed exposition), storytelling is not really among the film's strong points. There are, however, a lot of memorably fantastic/grotesque images, an extraordinary cast, and a soundtrack featuring Toto. I told you it was weird. Among the stars are Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Dean Stockwell, Brad Dourif, Sting, Kenneth McMillan, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, and Linda Hunt. The DVD contains the original release version; a shorter version cut for television has been disowned by Lynch, who insisted his name be replaced by that famous Hollywood pseudonym "Alan Smithee." --Jim Emerson

Summary: A diplomat is nearly assassinated. In order to save him, a submarine is shrunken to microscopic size and injected into his blood stream with a small crew. They have just begun their voyage when it becomes clear there is a saboteur on board.
Special Features:
**English Surround Sound 2.0

Summary: Forbidden Planet is easily one of the finest science fiction movies ever made. Although released in 1956, it still compares favorably with much flashier movies from more recent years. The film is not a "blast-fest" in the Star Wars style, but blends modest action and beautiful hand painted special effects with a fascinating study of basic human nature. Those expecting 1950's B-movie special effects will be pleasantly surprised, as top quality hand rendered artwork abounds, as well as a flying saucer with no strings attached! Also, one of the more memorable big-screen automatons, Robby the Robot, appears in much of the film. The movie also contains some of the best sci-fi film music ever recorded, as it rises and falls to the mood of the scenes. To complement the attractive visuals and sounds is excellent casting, with Walter Pidgeon perfectly suited to the imperious Dr. Morbius. Fine performances by Leslie Nielsen and Anne Francis, among others, help create a dramatic tension you can feel as the film nears its climax. Monsters, mystery and a little humor make Forbidden Planet a genuine classic, which any sci-fi fan should take time to enjoy!

Summary: This 1956 pop adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" is one of the best, most influential science fiction movies ever made. Its space explorers are the models for the crew of "Star Trek"'s "Enterprise", and the film's robot is clearly the prototype for Robby in "Lost in Space". Walter Pidgeon is the Prospero figure, presiding over a paradisiacal world with his lovely young daughter and their servile droid. When the crew of a spaceship lands on the planet, they become aware of a sinister invisible force that threatens to destroy them. Great special effects and a bizarre electronic score help make this movie as fresh, imaginative, and fun as it was when first released. "--Amazon.com"
On the DVDs
Nestled in a metal collector's box decorated with variations of original promo art, the colorfully designed 2-disc 50th Anniversary Edition of "Forbidden Planet" (also available separately) comes in a slip-covered fold-out case accompanied by a pocket of 17 miniature lobby card reproductions (eight for "Forbidden Planet", nine for the 1957 companion movie "The Invisible Boy"). On disc 1, "Forbidden Planet" is presented with a new digital transfer from restored picture and audio elements, with soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, offering considerable improvement over the film's previous DVD release. A selection of deleted scenes were taken from a faded and scratchy 16-millimeter "work print" that had originally been viewed by composers Louis and Bebe Barron as they were creating the film's unique electronic score; they consist of full or partial scenes cut from the final film--mostly for good reason, but collectors (and those who first saw this rare material on the original Criterion Collection laserdisc) will welcome their inclusion here. The "lost footage" is crude special-effects test footage, again primarily of interest to sci-fi historians and aficionados. Given the fact that the original "Robby the Robot" cost over $100,000 to build in 1955, it's easy to see why MGM wanted to get their money's worth: An excerpt from the 1950s TV series "MGM Parade" shows "Forbidden Planet" star Walter Pigeon appearing briefly with Robby, and the popular robot gets even more attention as a guest star in "The Robot Client," an episode of the "Thin Man" TV series (starring Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk) that originally aired on Feb. 28, 1958. Disc 1 also includes a gallery of seven science-fiction movie trailers dating from 1953's "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" to 1960's "The Time Machine".
Disc 2 begins with 1957's "The Invisible Boy", a still-enjoyable B-movie that served as Robby's post-"Forbidden Planet" showcase. Here, filmdom's favorite automaton plays sidekick to a young boy (Richard Eyer) who turns invisible when he gets caught up in a super-computer's scheme of global domination. Also included are three documentaries, all of them very good to excellent: In addition to reuniting the surviving cast members of the '56 classic (including Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Richard Anderson, Warren Stevens, and Earl Holliman), "Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of "Forbidden Planet"" is an appreciative tribute to "Forbidden Planet" with some of Hollywood's foremost sci-fi fans including special effects masters Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, SF movie expert Bill Warren, and others. "Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon" is a featurette about the robot's design, creation, and pop-cultural history, featuring original "Robby" designer Robert Kinoshita, Bill Malone (current owner of the original Robby), and Fred "The Robot Man" Barton, a lifelong robot fanatic builds fully authorized, full-scale Robby replicas for sci-fi fans with deep pockets. Closing out disc 2 is "Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us," a 2005 documentary from Turner Classic Movies, written and directed by Time magazine critic Richard Schickel. It's a thoroughly comprehensive survey of '50s sci-fi and its influence on the next generation of film directors, including engaging interviews with George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Ridley Scott and James Cameron.
Last but certainly not least, the Ultimate Collector's Edition of "Forbidden Planet" comes with a highly detailed three-inch tall die-cast replica of Robby the Robot. Should you display it proudly on your toy shelf or keep it in its cellophane wrapper? That's a tough call for devoted Robby fans... so you'll just have to decide for yourself! "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: I just want to reiterate the comments below that this new Image Entertainment DVD release is by far the finest version of this sci-fi classic that I've ever seen. Though not perfect, it towers above the many public domain versions that have been floating around over the years. Though occasionally a bit pompous, this memorable film is justifiably notable for its striking production design--the futuristic portion may be the part everyone remembers but the design of the post-apocalyptic Everytown by William Cameron Menzies is just as impressive. "Things To Come" is a worthy addition to one's sci-fi DVD collection.

Summary: Based on the Dark Horse comic, HELLBOY is probably one of the more unusual superhero films around today. In a prologue set in World War II, the U.S. Army foils a Nazi plot to open an other dimensional portal and unleash monster fiends upon the world. However, an infant demon slips through into our world. Taking pity on him, government scientist Professor Broom raises the tyke as his own. 60 years later, we find the demon all grown-up and fighting paranormal menaces for a secret U.S. government agency. However, Hellboy finds himself batting not only the evils of his past, but his own feelings for Liz, a fellow freak with pyrotechnic powers. Ron Perlman is perfectly cast as the demon with a blue-collar attitude towards his job. In many ways, he comes across as your local garbage man or plumber with his world-weary view towards the many monsters he faces. His snappy comebacks are especially amusing. Perlman's costume and make-up also reinforce the image with his floppy raincoat and filed-down horns, which resemble goggles more than anything. Selma Blair is touching as the somewhat sullen object of Hellboy's affections, while John Hurt brings an added amount of warmth as the elder Professor Broom. Rupert Evans is solid as the young FBI agent introduced to this unusual situation. As the evil Rasputin, Karel Rodin somewhat underplays the part, making him a rather bland bad guy. Doug Jones, with the voice of David Hyde Pierce, are delightful as fish-man Abe Sapien. Lending solid support is Jeffrey Tambor as Hellboy's antagonistic boss. Despite having a lower budget than most films of its type, the special effects are definitely better than average with snaky haired monsters providing menace and a complaining zombie half-corpse providing laughs. HELLBOY is a fast-paced, fun film that definitely will draw in fans of the cult comic, while the irreverent attitude will appeal to action fans in general. It doesn't matter if you're familiar to the comic or not, this film is definitely a fun time, and as such, is one that I definitely recommend.

Summary: Jack Finney's classic science fiction novel has been the basis of three big-screen adaptations, beginning with the 1956 chiller Invasion of the Body Snatchers and most recently as 1994's underrated Body Snatchers. This acclaimed 1978 version from director Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff) is every bit as creepy as the '56 original, and it fits perfectly into the cycle of paranoid thrillers that thrived in American movies of the 1970s. Kaufman stylishly directs from an intelligent screenplay by W.D. Richter, while Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams lead a distinguished cast (including Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, and Veronica Cartwright) and must fight for survival as the population of San Francisco is systematically cloned by alien "pods" from a distant, dying planet. The atmosphere of dread and paranoia grows increasingly intense as the complexity of the alien invasion is gradually revealed, until nobody can be trusted to be who they appear. Finely tuned performances enhance the film's eerie atmosphere, highlighted by moments that will lurk in your memory long after the movie's over. MGM's DVD release includes a full-length audio commentary by Kaufman, a "pod culture" retrospective, Body Snatchers trivia, production notes, and the original theatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: Arguably the most intelligently written film to feature the masterful stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen, "Jason and the Argonauts" is a colorful adventure that takes full advantage of Harryhausen's "Dynarama" process. Inspired by the Greek myth, the story begins when the fearless explorer Jason (Todd Armstrong) returns to the kingdom of Thessaly to make his rightful claim to the throne, but the gods proclaim that he must first find the magical Golden Fleece. Consulting Hera, the queen of gods, Jason recruits the brave Argonauts to crew his ship, and they embark on their eventful journey. Along the way they encounter a variety of mythic creatures, including the 100-foot bronze god Talos, the batlike Harpies, the seven-headed reptilian Hydra, and an army of skeletons wielding sword and shield. This last sequence remains one of the finest that Harryhausen ever created, and it's still as thrilling as anything from the age of digital special effects. Harryhausen was the true auteur of his fantasy films, and his brilliant animation evokes a timeless sense of wonder. "Jason and the Argonauts" is a prime showcase for Harryhausen's talent--a wondrous product of pure imagination and filmmaking ingenuity. The DVD contains an informative interview with Harryhausen by filmmaker John Landis. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: In this 1959 adaptation of the Jules Verne novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth, James Mason plays Professor Oliver Lindenbrook, a scientist hoping to find the world's core. He leads his unusual party on an expedition to the centre of the earth, by way of a volcano in Iceland. On the way, they encounter enormous mushrooms and giant prehistoric monsters. Produced by Michael Todd with then-spectacular special effects, the story was modernised to suit 1950s sensibilities and graced by a suitably outlandish Bernard Herrmann score. Mason gives this class, while Arlene Dahl and Diane Baker are the romantic interests. And Pat Boone is more palatable than you might expect as a secondary lead. You can watch this with your children and not be bored, and they will surely love it. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Summary: There's a sense of awe to the special effects work of animation specialists Gerry and Sylvia Anderson ("Thunderbirds Are Go")--the slow, lovingly detailed introduction of a massive spaceship creeping out of dock and struggling against its bulk while trapped on the ground, and the almost balletic spectacle of the ship elegantly floating against an impressive star field or dramatically flying against the rugged landscape. These moments are the highlights of this sober science fiction thriller about the discovery of a planet on the far side of the sun in Earth's orbit. A mission is hastily put together, with British astrophysicist Ian Hendry teamed with hotshot American astronaut Roy Thinnes for the three-week trip, but when they suddenly crash-land the strange creatures that surround them are revealed to be human. Against all rational explanations they're back on Earth, but Thinnes suddenly discovers that everything is a mirror image of his existence: "Through the Looking Glass" by way of "The Twilight Zone". Though it begins as a paranoid spy thriller set in the near future (the opening details an ingenious espionage caper featuring a very special eyepiece), it quickly turns into a serious and oddly unsettling space-race drama with a heady twist. Robert Parrish's direction is unusually aloof, but the film is always intriguing and well acted with gorgeous special effects that may rank second only to Stanley Kubrick's "2001" as the most elegant vision of outer space flight on film. --"Sean Axmaker"

Summary: Judge Dredd is one of those movies that doesn't have a brain of its own, so it can only rip off a lot of ingredients from other, better movies. It's a mishmash of Blade Runner, Total Recall, and The Road Warrior, with a dash of Star Wars tossed in for good measure. As if that weren't enough, it's got Sylvester Stallone, who seems to be the only one in the movie who's in on the game and knows it's all a sci-fi scam. Like The Fifth Element a few years later, Judge Dredd depicts a futuristic megalopolis packed with crowded vertical overgrowth and rampant commerce, where anarchy reigns supreme. Violent "block wars" are fought by lawless citizens with machine guns, and Judge Dredd (Stallone) is one of the city's heavily armed policemen, given free rein to judge and execute the perpetrators of violence. But Dredd himself is subjected to judgement and swift justice when his own gun is identified in the murder of a prominent TV reporter, forcing him to do whatever he can to clear his name. Diane Lane plays his partner in crime-fighting and romance, and Rob Schneider provides juvenile comic relief as Dredd's streetwise sidekick. Impressive special effects are on vivid display, and the movie's fun for what it's worth. Lower your expectations and you just might enjoy it. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: Along with the 70's cultural phenomenon 'Star Wars' and the later monumental 'Close Encounters Of The Third Kind', 'Logan's Run' injected enduring respectability into the science fiction genre helping give way to the studios willingness to produce big budget sci-fi. Though there had been earlier successful financial ventures into the field of science fiction ('Planet Of The Apes', 'Westworld', etc.) the release of these three would push the genre over-the-top and open the door for all the mega-buck blockbusters that have followed.Distinguished by dazzling special effects for it's time, 'Logan's Run' continues to gather a strong cult following even within the core of today's sophisticated film fans. The combination of intelligent storytelling, a superb synthesized music score interpolated with some orchestral arrangements and both inspired set and scenic design prove too irresistible for nearly everyone. But perhaps what provides the movie it's biggest reason for longevity is the exemplary cast; featuring Michael York, Jenny Agutter and Richard Jordan in the three primary leads, their terrific performances propel this cinematic treat. Besides the star trio 'Logan's Run' also has memorable portrayals by Peter Ustinov as the "Old Man" and Roscoe Lee Browne as "Box" a robot sentry that York and Agutter encounter during their attempt to find the secret paradise of Sanctuary. The two veteran film actors steal every scene they're in; Browne is actually inside the robot mechanism making all those movements we see - and his resonating voice imbues the odd-looking sentry with a foreboding sense of evil. Ustinov reportedly adlibbed much of his own dialogue at the insistence of the film's director Michael Anderson. The "Old Man" will be etched into your mind forever once you see this remarkable performance. 70's pop culture sensation Farrah Fawcett appears briefly in the pivotal role of Holly, just prior to the launching of the television series "Charlie's Angels".Since it's release in 1976 'Logan's Run' has been superceded by many science fiction and fantasy films of superior quality, aided immensely by the many technological advances in computer generated animation and all areas of special effects. Personally I find that only a few them achieve the same inestimable factor of entertainment that this film does. Also, like me the film's many ardent fans, most of whom have fond sentimental memories of this film, do not forget it's importance to this genre or fail to recognize it's influence upon several movies that have followed in it's wake.

Summary: The extended editions of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings present the greatest trilogy in film history in the most ambitious sets in DVD history. In bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's nearly unfilmable work to the screen, Jackson benefited from extraordinary special effects, evocative New Zealand locales, and an exceptionally well-chosen cast, but most of all from his own adaptation with co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, preserving Tolkien's vision and often his very words, but also making logical changes to accommodate the medium of film. While purists complained about these changes and about characters and scenes left out of the films, the almost two additional hours of material in the extended editions (about 11 hours total) help appease them by delving more deeply into Tolkien's music, the characters, and loose ends that enrich the story, such as an explanation of the Faramir-Denethor relationship, and the appearance of the Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor. In addition, the extended editions offer more bridge material between the films, further confirming that the trilogy is really one long film presented in three pieces (which is why it's the greatest trilogy ever--there's no weak link). The scene of Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship added to the first film proves significant over the course of the story, while the new Faramir scene at the end of the second film helps set up the third and the new Saruman scene at the beginning of the third film helps conclude the plot of the second. To top it all off, the extended editions offer four discs per film: two for the longer movie, plus four commentary tracks and stupendous DTS 6.1 ES sound; and two for the bonus material, which covers just about everything from script creation to special effects. The argument was that fans would need both versions because the bonus material is completely different, but the features on the theatrical releases are so vastly inferior that the only reason a fan would need them would be if they wanted to watch the shorter versions they saw in theaters (the last of which, The Return of the King, merely won 12 Oscars). The LOTR extended editions without exception have set the DVD standard by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi

Summary: It took some time, but at last the third and last episode of the LoTR saga is in the cinemas. Surely, I would fully recommend anyone to go and watch it, even if it's only because this episode completes the cycle. And of course, everyone will do so. But although the movie is a really fine one, it's not up to par with its two predecessors. Why? First some pros:-First-rate acting. The roles of Sam (Sean Astin), Eowyn (Miranda Otto) and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) are my favourites throughout the movie, but their colleagues (Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Elijah Wood and the rest) are also pretty good. There's no moment you'd consider them unbelievable or so. These actors are really perfect. The only strange person in the film is Denethor, who is too much of a weirdo here. -As you'd expect: great special effects. During the battle for Minas Tirith, Aragorn and his men are aided by some mysterious folks I won't spoil, but they look pretty amazing. The city itself is also beautifully animated, and I couldn't believe that it was all just computer animation. Oh, and those monsters! The flying dinosaurs of the previous movies return, but there are also some other birds flying around. Furthermore, some gigantic mammoths, ugly trolls, again a massive amount of orks, and much more. And when the evil land of Mordor finally falls (... Oh really? Does it?), it unleashes one final earthquake that is magisterially animated. -Of course, the simple fact that Jackson and friends have been able to breathe new life into Tolkien's books should be praised in any way. Some great humour too, by the way: our Dwarf Gimli has not lost his sharp tongue. And there are some undeniably heroic moments, such as Eowyn fighting at Minas Tirith (no more details...). The end of the story is also solidly done.But unlike all those LoTR high-priests on this page, I wouldn't say the movie is without its flaws. Of course, filming such a great epos will deliver some problems, and I respect that. But the way Jackson handles these problems nevertheless is a bit irritating at times. Here are a few cons:-Gollum / Smeagol appeared to be a somewhat schizophrenic guy in the second movie. But this time, his whole person is focused at just one thing: stealing the ring and killing the hobbits. He is not the split-into-two-minds-guy anymore, instead he's just evil. Too bad. Still though, he speaks of 'we', as if he still has his good side with him. But we don't see anything of that good side here. Additionally, I began to HATE that Gollum completely, because there were at least three scenes in the first hour where Gollum was saying the same boring line, you know: "hehehehe, Smeagol's gonna kill the hobbitses, hehehehe, and then he takes the precious, and the precious will be his, hehehehe". OK, if he'd say this one time I would not care, but now, almost the entire beginning of the film focuses on that nasty guy.-Where is Saruman? It is a bit too easy: just saying in the beginning of the movie that "Saruman has lost his power" and then ignoring him completely. He was the most important bad guy of the previous two movies! Even his loss of the Palantir is not showed. Why oh why? -Frodo's journey through Mordor is quite perverse. He does not meet ONE ork on his way! The whole land is empty! Yeah, "because the orks had all gone to the gate", blah blah blah. If that Lord Sauron would be really mighty, he would not have allowed a stupid hobbit to cross his land so easily. I expected that the journey through Mordor would be the most exciting part of the film, but it turned out to be the easiest one. -'The Fellowship of the Ring' showed us the history of the ring and the beginning of the fellowship. And some fighting with mysterious black knights and orks. That was all interesting. 'The Two Towers' was centred on the heroic battle at Helm's Deep, and the adventures of Frodo and Sam with Gollum. Still refreshing. But here, in the third movie, there is just another Helm's Deep-like battle (now at Minas Tirith), and then another one, at the gates of Mordor. And in the meantime, there are again Frodo, Sam and also Gollum talking about his precious. It feels as if everything is recycled over and over. And unlike the previous parts, there are just too many heroic moments in this movie. You know, twenty mountain-peaks form a very boring highland together. And yes, the story is oh-so-predictable. But so is the book, so Jackson and co. can't help.Those are some negative comments, and I could add that the music was terrible at times (I like the Wagner and Mahler-style, but this music sometimes was like hammering on a steel pan), and more. But don't think I hate the film. In fact, I like it very much, but when you like a movie, the less good parts of it are all the more annoying. And I wanted to warn for that: don't expect the most brilliant movie you'll ever see. You might like it all the more after all when watching it with fewer expectations. It's good, even essential for everybody who has seen the first and second part, but not THAT good. 4 Stars.

Summary: In the not-too-distant future, Earth is on the verge of total collapse and survival lies in colonising outer space. All hope rests on the Robinson family, whose mission is to establish life on Alpha Prime, the only other habitable planet in the galaxy. However, when their spacecraft is sabotaged by traitor, Dr. Zarchary Smith, they find themselves hopelessly lost in space and flying headlong into some out-of-this-world dangers...

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Summary: An ultracreepy blend of horror and fantasy (think of it as Beauty and the Bugs) from Mexican director Guillermo del Toro (Cronos) about giant cockroaches in the subway tunnels beneath Manhattan. Like its DNA-altered spawn (the title refers to the way some insects evolve to resemble their predators), Mimic is not your everyday bug picture, but a more poetic (though quite gruesome) sort of film, literally crawling with bizarre, striking images. In this case, the mutant bugs are not the result of evil atomic experiments (as in Them!), but are the unexpected side effect of work done by an entomologist (Mira Sorvino) and her Center for Disease Control officer husband (Jeremy Northam), who, in a last-ditch effort to control a roach-carried disease epidemic that was killing children, released a genetically altered form of sterile cockroaches beneath the city. They stopped the virus, but... Also starring Charles Dutton, Giancarlo Giannini, F. Murray Abraham, and Josh Brolin. --Jim Emerson

Summary: Inspired by the Brothers Grimm, Jorge Luis Borges, and Guillermo del Toro's own unlimited imagination, "Pan's Labyrinth" is a fairytale for adults. Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) may only be 12, but the worlds she inhabits, both above and below ground, are dark as anything del Toro has conjured. Set in rural Spain, circa 1944, Ofelia and her widowed mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil, "Belle Epoque"), have just moved into an abandoned mill with Carmen's new husband, Captain Vidal (Sergi López, "With a Friend like Harry"). Carmen is pregnant with his son. Other than her sickly mother and kindly housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdú, "Y Tu Mamá También"), the dreamy Ofelia is on her own. Vidal, an exceedingly cruel man, couldn't be bothered. He has informers to torture. Ofelia soon finds that an entire universe exists below the mill. Her guide is the persuasive Faun (Doug Jones, "Mimic"). As her mother grows weaker, Ofelia spends more and more time in the satyr's labyrinth. He offers to help her out of her predicament if she'll complete three treacherous tasks. Ofelia is willing to try, but does this alternate reality really exist or is it all in her head? Del Toro leaves that up to the viewer to decide in a beautiful, yet brutal twin to "The Devil's Backbone", which was also haunted by the ghost of Franco. Though it lacks the humor of "Hellboy", "Pan's Labyrinth" represents Guillermo Del Toro at the top of his considerable game. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Summary: The five films in the Planet of the Apes series are enjoyable as pure entertainment and yet substantial enough to inspire academic studies like Planet of the Apes as American Myth: Race, Politics, and Popular Culture. Loosely adapted from the novel by French author Pierre Boulle, Planet of the Apes was released at the height of racial and political unrest in America, adding resonance to its story of a NASA astronaut (Charlton Heston) stranded on a planet where superior apes dominate inferior human slaves. The film's final image--in which a horrified Heston realizes the fate of humankind--remains one of the most indelible in all of science fiction cinema. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) continues the original's distant future scenario, pitting militant apes against mutant humans dwelling in the subterranean ruins of New York City. Its phenomenal success spawned Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), in which simian scientists Cornelius and Zira (Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter, reprising their roles from Planet) travel backward in time, setting the stage for the ape supremacy of the first two films. McDowall returned in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) as Caesar, the son of Cornelius, leading an ape revolution that bridges the historical gap of the previous films. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) ended the five-film cycle with McDowall again playing the chimpanzee leader Caesar, defeating gorillas and human mutants to establish the hierarchy introduced in the original film. The Apes films present a classic what-if scenario that hasn't lost a bit of its potency. As if to prove its cultural endurance, the cycle returned to its origins with director Tim Burton's remake of Planet of the Apes--one of the most eagerly awaited films of 2001. --Jeff Shannon

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Summary: Predator wreaked havoc in the jungle and struck box-office gold, so Hollywood logic dictated that Predator 2 should raise hell in the big, bad city. Los Angeles, to be specific, and this near-future L.A. (circa 1997) is an ultra-violent playground for the invisibility-cloaked alien that hunted Arnold Schwarzenegger in the previous film. Scant explanation is given for the creature's return, and because Ah-nuld was busy making Total Recall, Danny Glover was awkwardly installed as the maverick cop (is there any other kind?) who defies a government goon (Gary Busey) to curtail the alien's inner-city killing spree. But why bother, when the victims are scummy Colombian drug lords? Don't look for intelligent answers; director Stephen Hopkins favors wall-to-wall action over sensible plotting, allowing Stan Winston's more prominently featured Predator to join the ranks of iconic movie monsters. And anticipating Alien vs. Predator in comic books and in theaters, there's a familiar-looking skull in the Predator's trophy case! --Jeff Shannon

Summary: "Predator" wreaked havoc in the jungle and struck box-office gold, so Hollywood logic dictated that "Predator 2" should raise hell in the big, bad city. Los Angeles, to be specific, and this near-future L.A. (circa 1997) is an ultra-violent playground for the invisibility-cloaked alien that hunted Arnold Schwarzenegger in the previous film. Scant explanation is given for the creature's return, and because Ah-nuld was busy making "Total Recall", Danny Glover was awkwardly installed as the maverick cop (is there any other kind?) who defies a government goon (Gary Busey) to curtail the alien's inner-city killing spree. But why bother, when the victims are scummy Colombian drug lords? Don't look for intelligent answers; director Stephen Hopkins favors wall-to-wall action over sensible plotting, allowing Stan Winston's more prominently featured Predator to join the ranks of iconic movie monsters. And anticipating "Alien vs. Predator" in comic books and in theaters, there's a familiar-looking skull in the Predator's trophy case! "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: Do yourself a favor: pick up a copy of Alien, Ridley Scott's brilliant sci-fi/horror masterpiece, instead of wasting your time on The Relic. This patent rip-off of just about every other worthy horror and/or disaster flick certainly looks good in the packaging: a sturdy cast led by Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore, and Oscar-winner Linda Hunt; a reliable director (Peter Hyams); and a creepy enough setting--Chicago's Museum of Natural History, where an anticipated exhibition about tribal artifacts called "Superstition" is about to debut. OK. So far, so good. But some of the pieces scheduled for show have crossed customs even though the freighter that has hauled them north is found adrift and empty--its crew the victims of a mysterious creature that is soon on the rampage in the museum. The Relic relies on huge leaps of faith to engage the viewer, and finally offers nothing to elevate what could have been good fun--poking here and there at several different movie genres--to a higher level . Ultimately, the film suffers most from its own self-consciousness--it knows it's a carbon copy of better predecessors, and its awkwardness is apparent. The otherwise glossy production is so dimly lit that it's a struggle to tell what's going on, and everything in this tepid formula piece about genetic mutation gone awry is further marred by cheesy special effects. It's almost as if the movie is trying to run away from itself and hide. Try as they may, the cast is saddled with dull, wishy-washy characters who are predictably doomed or saved, depending on their place in the food chain. While the trick in any good sci-fi film is to make the monster as smart--or smarter--than its pursuers, The Relic relegates its mutated horror to less than brainy turf and the war between good and evil is never much of a war at all--just a noisy, bloody, borrowed mess. --Paula Nechak

Summary: When Robocop was release in Malaysia, it was a hit. I enjoyed the movie (and at that time, I don't even know who is Paul Verhoeven) a lot. Title maybe corny, but what makes a hit is the story involve and the violence.Years later, two sequels came (Robocop 2 was a more action packed oriented without direction rather than the 1st movie while Robocop 3 was an excuse of making a sequel of the sequel) by and I have watched both with dissapointment. And I never thought the movie was written what used to be my favorite comic book writer Frank Miller. Dissapointment it is.Well, comes the DVD Robocop Trilogy set. And yes, I bought it with curious reasons because its cheap. After viewing the classic, this is one edition that you have to get because you can't find a Director's Cut version of 2 scenes that was editted out because its VERY VIOLENT. Plus the 4 deleted scenes, 3 featurettes, storyboards & more is what gives the classic worth paying for, even though Robocop 2 & 3 suck.But to buy all 3 together with the price that is given? I'll buy that for a dollar... well, if only it is for a dollar.Only for the fun of enjoying the cult hit series.

Summary: To say the least, I was expecting far more from this film than what I got. For one thing, the actual concept is interesting and original. A robot going biserk while stationed in a science facility is a great idea to make a suspensful sci/fi epic. But somehow this film doesn't pull it off. The one thing that got to me is how dated this film is. It's not too terribly old; it was released in 1979, but the special effects look like they are out of a 1960's film. Alien came out the same year and this film but this looks like it came out 10 years before it. I also was not big on the acting itself. Harvey Keitel gives a wooden performance, Kurt Douglas is unconvincing as a scientist, and Farrah Faucet just seems be thown in as some Eye Candy. What a shame because I usually like these actors. When the robot finally goes biserk, it's not all that scary and it doesn't last all that long. When its all said and done, this film emerges as a failure, which is a shame because it had so much going for it.

Summary: After creating many of the innovative special effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Trumbull tried his hand at directing, and 1971's Silent Running marked an impressive debut. (In addition to creating the visual effects for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and directing 1983's Brainstorm, Trumbull later turned to the creation of high-tech cinematic amusement park rides.) One of the best science fiction films of the 1970s, Silent Running stars Bruce Dern as Freeman Lowell, a nature-loving crewmember aboard the Valley Forge, a gigantic spaceship in a small fleet that carries the last surviving forests of the Earth, which has fallen victim to overpopulation and ecological neglect. Freeman's name reflects his nonconformist philosophy, which runs counter to the prevailing recklessness of his three ill-fated crewmates, who are eager to jettison their precious payload and return to the bleakness of Earth. Before they can sabotage the forests, Freeman does what he must, and spends the remainder of his mission with three robotic "drones" as his only companions, struggling to maintain his sanity in the vastness of space. Dern is superb in this memorable role, representing the lost soul of humankind as well as the back-to-nature youth movement of the 1960s and the pre-Watergate era. (Appropriately, Joan Baez sings the film's theme song.) A rare science fiction film that combines bold adventure with passionate social conscience, Silent Running will remain relevant as long as the Earth is threatened by the ravages of human carelessness. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: LANGUAGES (AUDIO): RUSSIAN, ENGLISH, FRENCH (DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1.); SUBTITLES: RUSSIAN, ENGLISH, FRENCH, GERMAN, SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, ITALIAN, DUTCH, SWEDISH, ARABIC, HEBREW, CHINESE, JAPANESE. The film is based on a science-fiction novel by Polish writer Stanislav Lem. This is a reflection on the themes of cosmos, Earth, man, human conscience, life, death and responsibility before the future. Solaris is a planet, capable of materializing the earth peoples reminiscences about their home which they left on Earth and their relatives who had died long ago. This mysterious planet had intrigued people for years. The Solaris Ocean is a gigantic live brain whose riddle the films protagonists are trying to solve. But all their attempts contact the unknown civilization end in failure. Meanwhile, strange things happen on the space station... Awards: Grand Special Jury Prize /Palme dArgent/ and Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Cannes IFF, 1972; FIPRESCI Prize at the Karlovy Vary IFF, 1972; Prize for Best Actress (Natalya Bondarchuk) at the Panama IFF, 1973. Special Features: Pictures and filmographies of the films authors; Candids from the shooting ground; The biographies of A. Tarkovsky and S. Lem; An episode from a film, a screen adaptation of S. Lems /Inquiry of pilot Pirks/; A documentary about D. Banionis /A craftsman from a little town/; An interview with the leading actress N. Bondarchuk; Reminiscences of A. Tarkovskys sister; Teasers of the films coming next.

Summary: This "futuristic" movie is a dead giveaway period piece of 1970's culture and sets. The sets look like the back of 3M game packages from the 60's-70's (Remember Twixt, Feudal, Acquire?)and the girls all have hair that betray the era it was made. Originally a novel and made on a relatively small budget. Nonetheless, it is an interesting study of what would be left of us in the event of energy and food shortages with pollution and the destruction of nature. The best aspect of this movie is Heston's role as a COP. It is like a trip back to the old days when they had an expression for the job as "five thousand a year and all you can steal". Opportunity knocks when Heston handles a rich man's murder and discovers luxury like you don't see in 2022. He celebrates his new found treasure which includes a girl, soap, beef and a bottle of bourbon. With the aid of his "book", admirably played by Edward G. Robinson as a former professor now working as a type of librarian police clerk, he discovers that the murder had serious implications on the human condition and eventual destiny of the human race. The knowledge of this horror results in Robinson ending his life by Socratic suicide and Heston dodging assassination attempts by agents hired by Soylent to protect their secret. Heston requires proof of Soylent's scandal and rides the bull to the conclusion which asserts that we are all "Morlock Stew" (with apologies to Mr. Wells). An interesting work, worth a view and the DVD transfer cleans the movie up a bit in a nice widescreen presentation. There are also good additional features which include a party for Robinson acknowledging his 101st picture (also his last..he died shortly afterward) and a section on the making of Soylent Green and the trailer (always interesting because most have nothing to do with the plot that you see on screen) Check it out and spread the word... Soylent Green is...(Gulp!)

Summary: This series boasted a single memorable episode. A one eyed shrieking monster with waving tentacles versus a two eyed squaking Italian with waving arms and you're hard pressed deciding which one to avoid first. Even this episode has you scratching your head. After having encountered so many strange alien life forms by this point in the proceedings, not many of them over-friendly; why should the Alphans still be sceptical about Cellini's story?The rest suffered the handicap of covering ground already boldly gone by the starship Enterprise and was just plain bad in execution. Take a random episode like 'End Of Eternity'. Could of been a terrifying and tense little thriller with a spider like sadist stalking prey in the exposed and anti-septic confines of a moonbase. Instead, they mis-cast the actor, give him a dodgy haircut and ridiculous pantaloons, campy dialogue and petulant little smacks. The result is yet another dire episode.Actor Landau is a walking liability. According to his own script notes, he felt his character was written as a 'shmuck', which couldn't have helped what actors call their 'moduvashun'.I bought it. Which is why I wish to remain anonymous.

Summary: Box set includes 20 discs with 10 slim line amaray cases.For the first time ever, all ten Star Trek Special collectors Edition Movies are available to own, in one stunningly designed Limited Edition DVD Box set, together wit a universe full of special features.The Boxset features 10 X 2 Disc amaray slim packs each containing a movie and a bonus disc of special features, all encased in a rigid outer box.The complete collectyors set is the definative Star Trek Journey, that begins with The Motion Picture and ends, with a generations final journey in Nemesis. This striking gift Set, is guaranteed to delight all fans.1. Star Trek The Motion Picture Dir Ed,2. Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan Dir Ed,3. Star Trek III The Search for Spock Spec Ed,4. Star Trek IV The Voyage Home Spec Ed,5. Star Trek V The Final Frontier Spec Ed,6. Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country Spec Ed,7. Star Trek Generations Spec Ed,8. Star Trek Final Contact Spec Ed,9. Star Trek Insurrection Spec Ed,10. Star Trek Nemesis Spec Ed.

Summary: Please Note: As a franchise organisation, titles and prices may vary between the physical stores and this website.

Summary: Disc 1: Star Wars Episode 1 WS Disc 1 **Commentary by George Lucas and company
Disc 2: Star Wars Episode 1 WS Disc 2 **Never-before-seen Making of documentary **Never-before-seen deleted scenes documentary featuring 7 deleted scenes finished in 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound **2 animatics with multi-angles **5 Featurettes **12 original web documentaries **Music Video: "Duel of the Fates" **Production photos, print ads, theatrical trailers, TV spots, DVD-ROM - game demo
Disc 3: Star Wars Episode 2 WS Disc 1 **Commentary by George Lucas and Rick McCall **Easter Egg **THX Trailer - "Cavalcade"
Disc 4: Star Wars Episode 2 WS Disc 2 **2 Documentaries - "From Puppets to Pixels"and "State of the Art: Previsualization of Episode II" **8 deleted scenes with intros **Music Video, Visual Specs Breakdown **12 Web Documentaries **4 Trailers **12 TV Spots **Easter Egg **Still Galleries **DVD-ROM links
Disc 5: Star Wars Episode 3 WS Disc 1
Disc 6: Star Wars Episode 3 WS Disc 2 **Full-length documentary produced by Lucasfilm **2 New Featurettes: One exploring the prophecy of Anakin Skywalker as The Chosen One, the other providing an in-depth look at the movie's eye-popping stunts **15 part collection of Lucasfilm's groundbreaking "Web-documentaries"
Episode Description: Disc 1: Star Wars Episode 1 WS Disc 1 Disc 2: Star Wars Episode 1 WS Disc 2 Disc 3: Star Wars Episode 2 WS Disc 1 Disc 4: Star Wars Episode 2 WS Disc 2 Disc 5: Star Wars Episode 3 WS Disc 1 Disc 6: Star Wars Episode 3 WS Disc 2

Summary: Was George Lucas's Star Wars Trilogy, the most anticipated DVD release ever, worth the wait? You bet. It's a must-have for any home theater, looking great, sounding great, and supplemented by generous bonus features. The Star Wars Trilogy had the rare distinction of becoming a cultural phenomenon, a defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's story is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi knights, the Force, and droids. Over the course of three films--A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983)--Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford) join the Rebel alliance in a galactic war against the Empire, the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), and eventually the all-powerful Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). Empire is generally considered the best of the films and Jedi the most uneven, but all three are vastly superior to the more technologically impressive prequels that followed, Episode I, The Phantom Menace (1999) and Episode II, Attack of the Clones (2002). How Are the Picture and Sound? <table border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=3 width=155 align="right"> <tr> <td><hr noshade size=1> <font face="Arial,Helvetica" color="336600"> Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side. </font> <hr noshade size=1></td> </tr> </table> In a word, spectacular. Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side. And at the climactic scene of A New Hope, see if the Dolby 5.1 EX sound doesn't knock you back in your chair. Other audio options are Dolby 2.0 Surround in English, Spanish, and French. (Sorry, DTS fans, but previous Star Wars DVDs didn't have DTS either.) There have been a few quibbles with the audio on A New Hope, however. A few seconds of Peter Cushing's dialogue ("Then name the system!") are distorted, and the music (but not the sound effects) is reversed in the rear channels. For example, in the final scene, the brass is in the front right channel but the back left channel (from the viewer's perspective), and the strings are in the left front and back right. The result feels like the instruments are crossing through the viewer. What's Been Changed? The rumors are true: Lucas made more changes to the films for their DVD debut. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) has been added to a scene in Jedi, Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replaces Clive Revill with slightly revised lines in Empire, Temuera Morrison has rerecorded Boba Fett's minimal dialogue, and some other small details have been altered. Yes, these changes mean that the Star Wars films are no longer the ones you saw 20 years ago, but these brief changes hardly affect the films, and they do make sense in the overall continuity of the two trilogies. It's not like a digitized Ewan McGregor has replaced Alec Guiness's scenes, and the infamous changes made for the 1997 special-edition versions were much more intrusive (of course, those are in the DVD versions as well). How Are the Bonus Features? <table align=left cellpadding="5" <tr> <td> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/aplus/starwars/lucas-hamill-30.jpg" border=0 align=top></td></tr></table> Toplining is Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy, a 150-minute documentary incorporating not only the usual making-of nuts and bolts but also the political workings of the movie studios and the difficulties Lucas had getting his vision to the screen (for example, after resigning from the Directors' Guild, he lost his first choice for director of Jedi: Steven Spielberg). It's a little adulatory, but it has plenty to interest any fan. The three substantial featurettes are "The Characters of Star Wars" (19 min.), which discusses the development of the characters we all know and love, "The Birth of the Lightsaber" (15 min.), about the creation and evolution of a Jedi's ultimate weapon, and "The Force Is with Them: The Legacy of Star Wars" (15 min.), in which filmmakers such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron talk about how they and the industry were affected by the films and Lucas's technological developments in visual effects, sound, and computer animation. The bonus features are excellent and along the same lines as those created for The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Each film has a commentary track, recorded by Lucas, Ben Burtt (sound design), Dennis Muren (visual effects), and Carrie Fisher, with Irvin Kershner joining in on the film he directed, The Empire Strikes Back. Recorded separately and skillfully edited together (with supertitles to identify who is speaking), the tracks lack the energy of group commentaries, but they're enjoyable and informative, with a nice mix of overall vision (Lucas), technical details (Burtt, Muren, Kershner), and actor's perspective (Fisher). Interestingly, they discuss some of the 1997 changes (Mos Eisley creatures, the new Jabba the Hutt scene) but not those made for the DVDs. There's also a sampler of the Xbox game Star Wars: Battlefront, which lets the player reenact classic film scenarios (blast Ewoks in the battle of Endor!); trailers and TV spots from the films' many releases; and a nine-minute preview of the last film in the series, Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (here identified by an earlier working title, The Return of Darth Vader). Small extra touches include anamorphic widescreen motion menus with dialogue, original poster artwork on the discs, and a whopping 50 chapter stops for each film. "The Force Is Strong with This One" The Star Wars Trilogy is an outstanding DVD set that lives up to the anticipation. There will always be resentment that the original versions of the films are not available as well, but George Lucas maintains that these are the versions he always wanted to make. If fans are able to put this debate aside, they can enjoy the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han for years to come. --David Horiuchi

Summary: Although widely panned when it was released, Starship Troopers is much more than meets the bloody eye. Popular today largely for its ultra-violence and often campy teen soap opera qualities, it was actually designed by its director Paul Verhoeven to recall the sorts of recruiting propaganda movies used throughout the 20th century to convince young people that joining the military was a glamorous, heroic adventure rather than a ticket to senseless slaughter. His characters are almost stereotypically shallow and beautiful -- more like 90210 cast members than soldiers -- specifically to paint a picture of the bloody war they fight as a patriotic struggle of good and evil instead of the disastrously murderous campaign it really is. Verhoeven's future world is a reasonable representation of Heinlein's benign fascist society and his clever use of every trick in the propagandist's repetoire easily masks the underlying lack of freedoms and civil rights their society has if the audience isn't careful. In fact, in our post-911 world Verhoeven's security state is almost intoxicating in its glossiness and simple-minded fixation with duty, obedience and patriotism. The brilliance of the director's subtle message struck me most when I first saw this movie in the theater. In the row in front of me sat two kids essentially the same age as the film's protagonists and as the credits rolled one of them nearly shouted to the other: "Damn! I wish I could join up right now!"If this film doesn't make you wonder why you want to join those kids and kill bugs you aren't paying attention.

Summary: You can never accuse director Danny Boyle of lacking ambition. "Sunshine" sees one of Britain's most successful directors switching genre once more, as he tackles this gripping science fiction flick about a quest to re-ignite the dying sun. And he nails it, too, adding another plus to a CV that's already covered a kids' film ("Millions"), a big Hollywood blockbuster ("The Beach"), horror ("28 Days Later"), and a pair of British classics ("Trainspotting" and "Shallow Grave").
Bursting out of the gate at a terrific pace, "Sunshine" then doesn't take its foot off the accelerator for much of its near-two hour running time. Set around the crew of the Icarus II who find themselves on a life-saving mission, things soon start going awry, and while you'll find no plot spoilers here, Boyle proves a dab hand at ratcheting up tension on the way to the big finale.
If anything, it's the finale to "Sunshine" that does let the side down, not quite living up to the standard of what preceded it. But such is the strength of the ride to that point that it's hard to complain. Especially when the cast, led by the always-magnetic Cillian Murphy, put in believable performances and get heavily into the spirit of the film.
Topped off with cracking effects that belie its modest budget, "Sunshine" is a real treat, not just for sci-fi fans, but for anyone who likes a strong, tense, thrilling night in front of a movie. --"Jon Foster"

Summary: After he pushed the envelope of computer-generated special effects in The Abyss, director James Cameron turned this hotly anticipated sequel to Terminator into a well-written, action-packed showcase for advanced special effects and for one of the most invincible villains ever imagined. Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a legitimate sequel: there's more story to tell about a hulking, leather-clad android (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who arrives from the future to protect a rebellious teenager and future leader (Edward Furlong) from being killed by the tenacious T-1000 robot (Robert Patrick), whose liquid-metal construction makes him seemingly unstoppable. The fate of the future lies in the balance, with Linda Hamilton (who would later marry her director) reprising her role as the rugged woman whose son will change the course of history. The digital video disc of this blockbuster hit is presented with a digitally mastered THX soundtrack. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: The Machines Will Rise. A decade has passed since John Connor helped Judgement Day and save mankind from mass destruction. Now, 25, Connor lives "off the grid"--no home, no credit cards, no cell phone and no job. Connor has no record of his existence. There is no way he can be traced by Skynet--the highly developed network of machines that once tried to kill him and wage war on humanity. Until, out of the shadows of the future steps the T-X, Skynet's most sophisticated cyborg killing machine yet. Sent back through time to complete the job left unfinished by her predecessor, namely the T-1000, the determined T-X is a machine that is as relentless, as is her human guise beautiful. Now Connor's only hope for survival is to annex with the Terminator, T-101, his mysterious former assassin. Together they must triumph over the technologically superior T-X and forestall the looming threat of Judgement Day--or face the apocalypse and the fall of civilization as we know it.

Summary: A mysterious, pilotless plane carries scientist Rex Reason to a colony of America's best and brightest minds. They've been kidnapped by a dying alien race, the Metalunians, to repair their defense shield before their enemies destroy their world completely, toiling under their spying eyes and futuristic security cameras (two-way TVs that dominate every room). Jeff Morrow, under a raised forehead, bronze tan, and snow-white hair, philosophizes as Exeter, the thoughtful Metalunian torn between his duty and his morals as he forces the plucky humans to labor in his race's defense. The moody mystery of the first half turns to pure pulp adventure when the humans are transported across the galaxy to the battle-scarred world of Metaluna, under the threatening watch of a monstrous bug-eyed monster with a giant brain for a head and massive claws for hands. There's a genuine sense of wonder to Joseph Newman's intergalactic adventure, one of the most ambitious science fiction films of the 1950s. The story is simple space opera, but the futuristic designs of glass and metal, the marvelous alien makeup, and grandstanding special effects invest the film with a Technicolor splendor. Faith Domergue co-stars as a nuclear physicist and "Gilligan's Island"'s Russell Johnson makes his first professorial appearance as a scientist. Science fiction auteur Jack Arnold was an unbilled codirector. "--Sean Axmaker"

Summary: George Lucas's fascinating, almost art-house, film just took a quantum leap into the digital future. Never has the world of THX 1138 looked as bright, clear, and antiseptic as it does on this remastered version. It is equally impressive how far Lucas and the camera crew push the widescreen 2.35 aspect ratio, particularly on a film that emphasizes minimalism. For those that fault the film as being "soundless," prepare yourself for a shock. The new "THX enhanced" THX 1138 sports a newly remastered DTS audio track that enhances every wonderfully subtle, ambient sound of Lalo Schifrin's soundscape. Complaints are likely to be aimed at the restoration. As many assumed, the newly restored (and retitled) THX 1138: The George Lucas Director's Cut underwent a few CGI alterations. In one aspect, the computer graphics are stunning, they're not excessive, and they don't take anything away from the film's storyline. In some aspects the CGI scenes bridge some empty gaps. However, the modern effects do look a little out of place in comparison with the rest of the film. Though a futuristic sci-fi film, THX 1138 is still very '70s in its look and feel. When the newly added scenes appear, it is pretty obvious what has been added. Yes, the purists will cry "Blasphemy!" but in all honesty those new to the film may not notice the differences, and most viewers will probably not care. THX 1138: The George Lucas Director's Cut DVD set contains pretty much everything you could ever want with regard to the film. It includes the new documentary Artifact from the Future: The Making of THX 1138 (30 minutes) as well as the original production featurette Bald (8 minutes). There is also the excellent 63-minute documentary A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope, featuring Zoetrope founder Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, John Milius, and Walter Murch. The DVD's informative and entertaining commentary is a combination of separate tracks by George Lucas and co-writer/sound designer Walter Murch. Though not an action-packed thrill ride, THX 1138 is nonetheless a very interesting, meditative film that hits a lot closer to our home than a galaxy far, far away. --Rob Bracco

Summary: This science fiction blockbuster from 1990 began its production life as a very different movie than the one that was released. An adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," "Total Recall" was originally conceived of with Richard Dreyfuss starring as a Walter Mitty-like character who experiences a variety of artificially induced fantasies. The movie we know is a mega-budget action epic set on Mars. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a normal working man who discovers that his entire reality has been invented to conceal a plot of planetary domination. Oscar-winning special effects and violent action propel the twisting plot, in which Arnold manipulates his manipulators in a world of dazzling high technology. Director Paul Verhoeven ("Robocop") indulges his usual penchant for gratuitous bloodshed, but the movie has enough cleverness to rise above its excesses. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet The first space ship to land on Venus in the year 2000 contains two astronauts and a robot, while a second ship remains in orbit. Radio contact is lost and the first ship treks into unexpected dangers - dinosaurs, quicksand - before the Pioneers are rescued. Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women In 1997 a spaceship lands on Venus and the crew is attacked by a giant flying reptile, god of the Gill Women, who inhabit the Planet. After they kill the creature the women call upon the God of Fire Mountain to destroy the invaders.

Summary: After the success of 1950's "Destination Moon" and 1951's "When Worlds Collide", visionary producer George Pal brought the classic H.G. Wells story of a Martian invasion to the big screen, and it instantly became a science fiction classic and winner of the 1953 Academy Award for Best Special Effects. It's a work of frightening imagination, with its manta-ray spaceships armed with cobra-like probes that shoot a white-hot disintegration ray. As formations of alien ships continue to wreak destruction around the globe, the military is helpless to stop this enemy while scientists race to find an effective weapon. Gene Barry and Ann Robinson play the hero and heroine roles that were de rigueur for movies like this in the '50s, and their encounter with one of the Martians is as creepy today as it was in '53. It finally takes an unseen threat--simple Earth bacteria--to conquer the alien invaders, but not before "War of the Worlds" has provided a dazzling display of impressive special effects. As memorable for its sound effects as for its spectacular visions of destruction, this is a movie for the ages--the kind of spectacular that inspired little kids such as Steven Spielberg (not to mention Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, whose "Independence Day" cribs liberally from the plot) and still packs a punch. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: I saw this film when it was first released,seeing it on the widescreen was quite enjoyable. The story is about a futuristicamusement park ($1000 a week) called Delos which has 3 areas.RomanWorld,MedievalWorld and WestWorld.James Brolin and Richard Benjamin are the main characters in the film,Brolin being the "park vet" having been there already and bringing his pal Benjamin for his first time.Everything is fine at first. Brolin coaxes his pal to blast thegunslinger (Yul Brynner) who's at the bar with them and who's giving Benjamin a hard time.He finally blasts The gunslinger in all the bloody gorea full scale fight breaks out in the saloon.At night when it's quiet, the technicians very stealthily come up from the underground control room to collect all of the shotuprobots for repair. (Pretty convincing looking repairing)The plot is there's a virus attacking the robots central nervous systems causing them to kill the guests in all the parksWatch for the gunslinger chasing hapless Richard Benjaminall over Delos trying to kill himAn enjoyable film full of suspense & chillskeep some acid closeby

Summary: A box office failure at the time, John Boorman's 1974 cult science fiction film Zardoz is an entrancing if overly ambitious project that offers pointed commentary on class structure and religion inside its complex plot and head-movie visuals. Its healthy doses of sex and violence will involve viewers even if the story machinations escape them. Beautifully photographed near Boorman's home in Ireland's Wicklow Mountains by Geoffrey Unsworth (2001), its production design is courtesy of longtime Boorman associate Anthony Pratt, who creates a believable society within the film's million-dollar budget. A bewigged Sean Connery is Zed, a savage "exterminator" commanded by the mysterious god Zardoz to eliminate Brutals, survivors of an unspecified worldwide catastrophe. Zed stows away inside Zardoz's enormous idol (a flying stone head) and is taken to the pastoral land of the Eternals, a matriarchal, quasi-medieval society that has achieved psychic abilities as well as immortality. Zed finds as much hope as disgust with the Eternals; their advancements have also robbed them of physical passion, turning their existence into a living death. Zed becomes the Eternals' unlikely messiah, but in order to save them--and himself--he must confront the truth behind Zardoz and his own identity inside the Tabernacle, the Eternals' omnipresent master computer. --Paul Gaita

Summary: Jurassic Park:
Director Steven Spielberg's Jurassic masterpiece is back in this Collector's Edition containing interviews and special behind-the-scenes footage. One of the most successful films in worldwide box office history, Jurassic Park remains a most compelling and spectacular experience. This thrilling adventure features Sam Neil, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough. Featuring incredible special effects and action-packed drama, Jurassic Park takes you to a remote island where an amazing theme park with living dinosaurs is about to turn deadly, as five people must battle to survive among the prehistoric predators. Rediscover the breathtaking adventure you'll want to experience again and again. The Lost World: Jurassic Park:
Director Steven Spielberg takes us back to the scene of Jurassic Park in The Lost World, the blockbuster sequel with even more dinosaurs, more action and more breathtaking visual effects than its record-breaking predecessor. This Collector's Edition contains exclusive interviews and rare behind-the-scenes footage. The Lost World remains among the most successful films of all time and features an all-star cast including Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore and Pete Postlethwaite. It has been four years since the disaster at Jurassic Park and two groups are in a race against time that will determine the fate of the remote island's prehistoric inhabitants. Take home this classic film that will leave you on the edge or your seat...again! Jurassic Park III: (DTS)
Adventure runs wild when renowned paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) agrees to accompany a wealthy adventurer (William H. Macy) and his wife (Tea Leoni) on an aerial tour of Isla Sorna, InGen's former breeding ground for prehistoric creatures. But when they're terrifyingly stranded, Dr. Grant discovers that his hosts are not what they seem, and the island's native inhabitants are smarter, faster, fiercer and more brutal than he ever imagined in this heart-stomping thriller. Beyond Jurassic Park:
Prepare to go even deeper into the breathtaking adventures of the Jurassic Park Trilogy! Highlighted by fascinating, never-seen-before footage from all three Jurassic Park films, this DVD offers an exclusive look at deleted scenes, additional footage and other materials not shown on any theater screen!

Summary: Those immersed in the "Planet of the Apes" universe will go bananas for this DVD-only boxed set containing all 14 episodes of this obscure 1974 TV series based on the 1968 sci-fi classic. Ron Harper and James Naughton star as two astronauts who crash-land on the simian-ruled planet. Roddy McDowall (Cornelius in the "Apes" films) is Emmy-worthy as "renegade ape" Galen, who befriends them and helps them elude capture by the relentless General Urko. At its best, this series presented thoughtful stories in which the fugitives bridged the human-ape gap ("The Deception"). Of special interest is the episode "The Liberators," which was never broadcast during the series' fleeting run. Notable guest stars include Marc "Beastmaster" Singer ("The Gladiators"), Roscoe Lee Browne ("Tomorrow's Tide"), Sondra Locke ("The Cure"), and a pre-"Bad News Bears" Jackie Earle Haley ("The Legacy"). "--Donald Liebenson"

Summary: While Lost in Space may never enter the pantheon of great television programming, the 1960s sci-fi show certainly has its charms, all of them in evidence on this first volume of episodes from the second season. Produced by Irwin Allen, who would later be responsible for blockbuster disaster films like The Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure, these 16 episodes from 1966-67 (spread out over four DVDs) find the show undergoing some changes, both technically (from black & white into color) and in terms of tone (more campy and tongue-in-cheek, especially as the season goes on). The latter is due in large part to the performance of Jonathan Harris as Dr. Zachary Smith, who puts the "arch" in archvillain (it was his meddling that got them all lost in the first place). Harris's portrayal of Smith as cowardly, duplicitous, pompous, and not a little fey often goes right over the top, but the other characters (including Guy Williams as Prof. John Robinson, June Lockhart as his wife Maureen, and young Bill Mumy as Will) are so bland and generic that Harris, the family robot, and guest stars like Strother Martin and Wally Cox offer the only available relief. The Lost in Space storylines are predictable (almost always involving some alien-related jeopardy prompted by Smith's greed and foolishness) and the special effects and production values won't excite anyone used to the wonders of the digital age. Still, this is television, where budgets are smaller and schedules much tighter, so lowered expectations are in order anyway. Some users may feel shortchanged by the absence of extra features, or by the fact that the set doesn't include the entire season (the second part is available separately). But the transfers are good and the DVD menus easily navigable. But on the whole Lost in Space devotees--and there are many of them--should be well satisfied. --Sam Graham

Summary: As its second season progressed, and as these 14 episodes from 1967 attest, Lost in Space continued to swap science fiction for comic fantasy, and the show's ratings went into orbit. While Star Trek satisfied a smaller audience of serious sci-fi fans on NBC, Lost in Space (airing Wednesday nights on CBS) delighted a younger audience with the cheesy adventures of "Space Family Robinson," stranded on an isolated planet that nevertheless played host to an abundance of alien visitors. Here they include operatic Vikings, a disembodied mechanical head, a spacefaring buccaneer, a Scottish bagpiper in a haunted castle, and, in the deliriously entertaining episode "Revolt of the Androids," a silver-painted super-being whose primary purpose is to "Crush...Kill...Destroy!!" It's all harmless family fun, offering equal amounts of tongue-in-cheek whimsy and some scary highlights that kids, then and now, will find instantly unforgettable. Yes, it all looks quaint and innocent by present-day standards, and it's painfully obvious that series creator Irwin Allen didn't know what to do with the Robinson clan, a wooden variant of Ozzie & Harriett in V-necked velour, with June Lockhart playing happy homemaker while patriarch Guy Williams spent most of his time repairing damaged equipment. It's just as well, since season 2 is dominated by the scene-stealing duo of Dr. Smith (played by Jonathan Harris in the role he was born to play) and the sarcastic Robot B-9, who plays a scolding R2D2 to Harris's duplicitous, flamboyantly feckless C3PO, the latter delivering alliterative insults (like "you ingot of ingratitude!" and "you nickel-plated nincompoop!") in virtually every episode. Guest stars like Albert Salmi, Al "Grandpa Munster" Lewis, and John Carradine are in on the game, adding weekly flavor to a series that shares much in common with such later kid-stuff as H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost. Some may find it hopelessly ridiculous in retrospect, but Lost in Space still offers fun aplenty for those who enjoy its anything-goes approach to low-budget fantasy for the young and young-at-heart. Unfortunately for devoted fans, vintage 1966 radio interviews with Lockhart, Williams, and Harris are the only extras in this well-mastered four-disc set. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: It's the third and final season of the far-out tales of TV's most lovable space crew! Complete your mission with these intergalactic adventures! Join in as the Jupiter 2 crew attempts to finally return home to Earth, with more help from the wily Robot B-9, more antics from master meddler Dr. Zachary Smith, and of course, more "Danger, Will Robinson!" Along with out-of-this-world extras not available anywhere else, this collectible DVD installment of Irwin Allen's LOST IN SPACE presents the final 9 episodes of America's favorite space family

Summary: It’s the third and final season of the far-out tales of TV’s most lovable space crew! Complete your mission with these intergalactic adventures! Join in as the Jupiter 2 crew attempts to finally return home to Earth, with more help from the wily Robot B-9, more antics from master meddler Dr. Zachary Smith, and of course, more "Danger, Will Robinson!" Along with out-of-this-world extras not available anywhere else, this collectable DVD installment of Irwin Allen’s LOST IN SPACE presents the final 9 episodes of America’s favorite space family.

Summary: It is great to see these shows complete and uncut in their original broadcast order with the "Continued Next Week" cliff hanger titles preserved along with the "... last week as you recall..." opening narration. I am very glad they kept that in. It wouldn't be Lost in Space without that. The box set packaging is something new and nearly ideal -- There are 8 single-sided discs in 8 individual packages -- far better than some silly fold out packaging or two-sided disc packaging I've seen in other box sets. Seven discs with four episodes each and the 8th disc has one episode and the original version of the pilot "No Place to Hide" and a "CBS Advertiser Pitch" feature used to sell the show to advertisers. Although the first pilot was shot in color, the DVD has the black and white version rescued from the trash bin by video pirates several years ago that was sold at conventions and broadcast once on the SCI-FI Channel. I don't believe an intact color copy exists, but we can always hope one is found for a later special edition DVD. Dr. Smith and the Robot were not a part of the original concept and the Jupiter 2 was originally called the Gemini 12. The video transfer is an "accurate" film transfer with no edge enhancement which might explain why some other reviewers said the transfer quality was less than perfect. On a regular TV, it looks perfect. On an HDTV monitor it looks like film. Good contrast and black levels. The DVD copy is equal to the source film. Even the original pilot looks clean. This is a definite buy. The season holds together as good SF - unlike the camp of seasons 2 and 3. This is the Lost in Space we all remember and like best. Nothing to criticize here. Great job all around. I'm glad it is finally available. Thank you 20th Century Fox.

Summary: Contains all 21 episodes from season 2. Starring Lee Majors, Richard Anderson, Lindsay Wagner, Farrah Fawcett.

Summary: When astronaut and Air Force Colonel Steve Austin is almost killed in a horrific plane crash, the US Government decides to rebuild him with experimental cybernetic parts which give him superhuman strength, speed, agility and the ability to see considerable distances.

To pay the Government back the $6,000,000 it cost to rebuild him, Austin becomes a secret operative for the Office of Scientific Investigation (OSI), using his superpowers to investigate crime, espionage, space aliens and fight injustice wherever it is found.

Summary: When Earth's moon is blasted out of orbit by a series of spectacular nuclear explosions the greatest adventure mankind has ever known begins for 311 men and women on Moonbase Alpha. Each episode is a fight for survival encountering bizarre life forms, unfathomed civilizations, hostile enviroments and mystic phenomena. Special Features:Original Year 2 Trailers
Stills Gallery
New Character Biographies
Deleted Scene Page & Pictures
Year 2 Novel Write-ups
Cast and Crew Interviews
Production Designer Keith Wilson Interview
Landau & Bain Trailers from UK and USA
Brian Johnson SFX Commentary & Interview

Episode List THE METAMORPH
This first episode of the season, produced by Fred Freiberger, introduces Maya to the regular cast. On the planet Psychon, an evil-minded alien named Mentor captures the Alphans and tries to drain their minds. His daughter Maya who is capable of transforming herself into any form, helps the Earth people to escape. THE EXILES
The Alphans come upon a fleet of missile-like objects that imprison the frozen bodies of exiles from another planet, and rescue two innocent-looking young aliens who turn out to be psychopathic killers. ONE MOMENT OF HUMANITY
Helena and Tony Verdeschi are kidnapped by a lovely female alien, who hopes to use the Earthlings as emotional blueprints for her heartless android masters. ALL THAT GLISTERS
Moonbase Alpha is invaded by hostile living rocks. John Koenig, Helena Russell and Maya must battle time and an army of strange alien life forms that can communicate, transport themselves and attack unsuspecting Alphans with deadly rays of coloured light. JOURNEY TO WHERE
After a technological breakthrough goes awry, Koenig, Dr. Russell and Alan Carter are transported back to the planet Earth as it was in 1339 during the Black Plague. THE TAYBOR
A travelling trader of the universe covets Maya in return for a device that could transport the Alphans back to Earth. THE RULES OF LUTON
Because of Maya's accidental "murder" of some flowers on a strange planet ruled by highly intelligent plant life, she and John Koenig must stand trial and engage in mortal combat with three horrifying aliens who committed a similar "crime." THE MARK OF ARCHANON
Two aliens discovered sealed in a chamber beneath the moon's surface are released from suspended animation. They then begin to infect the Alphans with a mysterious disease that causes outbursts of violence. BRIAN THE BRAIN
A super-robot, originally from Earth, kidnaps Koenig and Dr. Russell on a planet with a poisonous atmosphere and threatens Moonbase Alpha with gravitational disturbance. NEW ADAM, NEW EVE
A space being bearing gifts and calling himself "God" offers the Alphans a new planet Earth to colonise. CATACOMBS OF THE MOON
Blasted from a tunnel by an underground explosion, surrealistic visions of the destruction of Alpha haunt a miner as his critically ill wife fights for her life. A B CHRYSALIS
Maya, Alan Verdeschi and John Koenig head for a planet protected by powerful energy beams from which shock waves wreaking devastation upon Alpha have been emanating for a week. SEED OF DESTRUCTION
On an asteroid, John Koenig collapses inside a cave whose crystal-like walls reflect myriad images of himself, one of which, an evil duplicate of Koenig, returns in his stead to Alpha. A MATTER OF BALANCE
The keeper of an alien temple whose dying race are moving back in time threatens to exchange them with Alpha's crew through a "time portal". SPACE WARP
Her powers disturbed by a mysterious disease, Maya loses control over her metamorphic powers, changing from one creature to another. Meanwhile, Koenig is separated light years from Alpha when the moon travels through a strange space warp, and Moonbase Alpha inhabitants are afflicted by sudden madness. THE BETA CLOUD
Many Alphans are already mysteriously incapacitated when they are further menaced by a huge creature in a space cloud sent by another planet to steal their life-support system. THE LAMBDA FACTOR
The appearance of a cosmic cloud coincides with the mysterious death of a young woman and nightmares experienced by Koenig, transforming one of moonbase Alpha's women into a megalomaniac with strange super powers. THE BRINGERS OF WONDER, PART 1
A "Superswift" spaceship from Earth arrives to rescue the Alphans, but an experimental machine enables Koenig to perceive the apparent rescuers for what they really are: horrifying aliens intending to destroy the moon. THE BRINGERS OF WONDER, PART 2
The Alphans send Maya to infiltrate the ranks of alien warriors who are posing as rescuers from Earth. Conclusion of a two-part story. SEANCE SPECTRE
Dissident Alphans challenge Commander Koenig's authority when the Moonbase appears to be on a collision course with a huge planet, an no one can agree on how to handle the crisis. DORZAK
An evil space criminal, survivor from Maya's destroyed home planet Psychon, arrives on Moonbase as the exiled prisoner of an alien woman, threatening the Alphans. DEVIL'S MOON
Commander Koenig is sent to the moon of an alien's penal colony planet, and is captured and held prisoner by a race of whip-wielding cat women. IMMUNITY SYNDROME
The disintegration of their Eagle spacecraft traps John, Alan and a critically injured Tony on a planet they were exploding. As they are stranded on the nearby planet, they discover that they are being stalked by an alien and that they are now the prey of unknown creatures. THE DORCONS
The warrior Dorcons threaten to invade Alpha unless Maya is handed over to them for use in their medical experiments.

Summary: Its Star Trek, but not as we know it! STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION on DVD. A 7 disc box set featuring the whole of Season One PLUS never before seen special features that are exclusive to DVD. This amounts to an incredible 20+ hours of entertainment. Includes Highly Collectible and innovative packaging. The contents of the Season One box set are as follows: Disc 1Encounter at Farpoint Parts 1 & 2 (episodes 101, 102), The Naked Now (103), Code of Honor (104) Disc 2The Last Outpost (107), Where No One Has Gone Before (106), Lonely Among Us (108), Justice (109) Disc 3The Battle (110), Hide and Q (111), Haven (105), The Big Goodbye (113) Disc 4DataLore (114), Angel One (115), 11001001 (116), Too Short a Season (112) Disc 5When the Bough Breaks (118), Home Soil (117), Coming of Age (119), Heart of Glory (120) Disc 6The Arsenal of Freedom (121), Symbiosis (123), Skin of Evil (122), We'll Always Have Paris (124) Disc 7Conspiracy (125), The Neutral Zone (126), + Special Features as below Special Features:The Beginning - Focusing on the genesis of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Gene Roddenberry’s vision.
Selected Crew Analysis - Featuring first season cast
members discussing their roles.
Making of a Legend - Featuring first season production
staff members discussing the series.
Memorable Missions - Featuring cast and crew discussions
on key episodes and events occurring in the first season.

Summary: DVD boldly goes where no DVD has ever gone before... Season 2 of Star Trek: The Next Generation launches onto DVD. A hot, must-have, 6 disc box set (including a 12 page booklet), with over 17 hours of entertainment and featuring over 1 hour of never before seen special featurettes, including:Mission Overview: Year Two (cast & crew discuss the major changes in season two; includes interviews with Gene Roddenberry)
Selected Crew Analysis: Year Two (an in-depth look at the growth of continuing characters, plus a look at new crew members)
Departmental Briefing, Year Two: Production (behind-the-scenes look at specific key episodes, including interviews with production staff)
Departmental Briefing, Year Two: Memorable Missions (second-season episode discussions with production crew, including Rick Berman)
Inside Starfleet Archives (an exclusive tour of an extraordinary array of Star Trek sets, props, and much more)Resistance is Futile.

Summary: Picking up decades after Gene Roddenberry's legendary original STAR TREK, THE NEXT GENERATION follows the intergalactic adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew aboard an all-new USS Enterprise. This phenomenally successful follow-up, also created by Roddenberry, began airing in 1987 and ran until 1994. This collector's edition box set contains seven DVDs featuring all twenty-six episodes from season three, along with a wealth of special features contained on the seventh disc. Season Three highlights include: the episode Who Watches the Watchers?, the time-warped Enterprise C, a completely powerless Q, and the brilliant season cliffhanger with the Borg.

Special Features:

Mission Overview: Year Three
Selected Crew Analysis: Year Three
Departmental Briefing: Year Three - Production
Departmental Briefing: Year Three - Memorable Missions
Interactive Menus
Scene Selection

Summary: Picking up decades after Gene Roddenberry's legendary original STAR TREK, THE NEXT GENERATION follows the intergalactic adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew aboard an all-new USS Enterprise. This phenomenally successful follow-up, also created by Roddenberry, began airing in 1987 and ran until 1994. This collector's edition box set contains seven DVDs featuring all twenty-six episodes from season four, along with a wealth of special features contained on the seventh disc. Season Four highlights include: the stunning resolution of the Locutus saga, the introduction of the Cardassians, the political machinations in the episode The Drumhead, and evolution of Reg Barclay in The Nth Degree. Special Features: Mission Overview
Selected Crew Analysis
Department Production Briefing
New Life And New Civilizations Documents
Chronicles From The Final Frontier
Selected Historical Data
Inside The Star Trek Archives

Summary: "Space... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out new life; new civilisations... To boldly go where no one has gone before!" Its Star Trek, but not as we know it! STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION on DVD and with completely NEW packaging. Episodes:
Redemption: Part 2
Darmok
Ensign Ro
Silicon Avatar
Disaster
The Game
Unification: Part 1
Unification: Part 2
A Matter of Time
New Ground
Hero Worship
Violations
The Masterpiece Society
Conundrum
Power Play
Ethics
The Outcast
Cause and Effect
The First Duty
Cost of Living
The Perfect Mate
Imaginary Friend
I, Borg
The Next Phase
The Inner Light
Time's Arrow: Part 1

Summary: "Space... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out new life; new civilisations... To boldly go where no one has gone before!" Its Star Trek, but not as we know it! STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION on DVD and with completely NEW packaging. Episodes:
Time's Arrow: Part 2
Realm of Fear
Man of the People
Relics
Schisms
True Q
Rascals
A Fistful of Datas
The Quality of Life
Chain of Command: Part 1
Chain of Command: Part 2
Ship in a Bottle
Aquiel
Face of the Enemy
Tapestry
Birthright: Part 1
Birthright: Part 2
Starship Mine
Lessons
The Chase
Frame of Mind
Suspicions
Rightful Heir
Second Chances
Timescape
Descent: Part 1

Summary: "Space... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out new life; new civilisations... To boldly go where no one has gone before!" Its Star Trek, but not as we know it! STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION on DVD and with completely NEW packaging. Episodes:
Descent: Part 2
Liaisons
Interface
Gambit: Part 1
Gambit: Part 2
Phantasms
Dark Page
Attached
Force of Nature
Inheritance
Parallels
The Pegasus
Homeward
Sub Rosa
Lower Decks
Thine Own Self
Masks
Eye of the Beholder
Genesis
Journey's End
Firstborn
Bloodlines
Emergence
Preemptive Strike
All Good Things: Part 1
All Good Things: Part 2

Summary: If the first season of "Star Trek: Voyager" was a shakedown cruise, then season 2 represents a vital blossoming of the series' potential. As Captain Janeway, Kate Mulgrew maintained Starfleet integrity in the lawless expanse of the Delta quadrant, and became the ethical conscience of her still-uneasy Maquis/Starfleet crew, whose unanimous loyalty would be dramatically proven in "The '37's" (a first-season hold-over). Janeway's moral guidance would also assert itself in "Death Wish" (a "Q" episode featuring "NextGen"'s Jonathan Frakes) and "Tuvix," in which life-or-death decisions landed squarely on her shoulders. Season 2 brought similar development to all the primary characters, deepening their relationships and defining their personalities, especially Robert Beltran as Chakotay (in "Initiations" and "Tattoo"), now firmly established as Janeway's best friend (and nearly more than that, in "Resolutions") and command-decision confidante.
Solid sci-fi concepts abound in season 2, although "Threshold" is considered an embarrassment (as confessed by co-executive producer Brannon Braga in a self-deprecating "Easter Egg" interview clip). It was a forgivable lapse in a consistently excellent season that intensified Janeway's struggle with the villainous Kazon, exacerbated by a Starfleet traitor in cahoots with the duplicitous Cardassian Seska (played by Martha Hackett, featured in a lively guest-star profile). The psychologically intense "Meld" (featuring a riveting guest performance by Brad Dourif) was a Tuvok-story highlight, and the aptly titled "Basics, Pt. 1" provided an ominous cliffhanger, including a second planetary landing (in a season full of impressive special effects) that left Voyager's fate in question. DVD extras are abundant and worthwhile, especially the season 2 retrospective and "A Day in the Life of Ethan Phillips" (who plays Neelix under a daily ordeal of latex makeup). Several Easter egg surprises--including a music video performance by Tim Russ (Tuvok)--are hidden (but easily found) among the "Special Features" menus on disc 7. All in all, this was one of "Voyager"'s finest seasons, leaving some enticing questions to be answered in season 3. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: After proving its long-term potential in season 2, "Star Trek: Voyager" served up some of the best episodes in its entire seven-year history. The second-season cliffhanger was intelligently resolved in "Basics, Pt. II," and the fan-favorite "Flashback" placed Tuvok (Tim Russ) aboard the "U.S.S. Excelsior" from "Star Trek VI", under the command of Capt. Sulu ("Star Trek" alumnus George Takei). It was a brilliant example of interseries plotting, just as "False Profits" was a Ferengi-based sequel to the "NextGen" episode "The Price." The two-part time-travel scenario of "Future's End" is a "Voyager" highlight, with clear echoes (including dialogue lifted verbatim!) of "Star Trek"'s classic "The City on the Edge of Forever," featuring delightful guest performances by actress-comedienne Sarah Silverman and Ed Begley Jr. Character-wise, the season belonged to Kes (Jennifer Lien, whose tenure on the series was now near its end), Neelix (Ethan Phillips), and the Doctor (Robert Picardo), who shined (respectively) in "Warlord," "Fair Trade," and the surprisingly touching "Real Life" (the latter directed by "Potsie" himself, "Happy Days" veteran Anson Williams). By infecting B'Elanna (Roxanne Dawson) with a fellow officer's "Blood Fever," "Voyager" delved into the turbulent Vulcan ritual of Pon Farr, while the cliffhanger "Scorpion" introduced the relentless, Borg-destroying villains of Species 8472, which would pose a continuing threat in subsequent episodes.
Season 3 had a few clunkers (the guilty pleasure "Macrocosm" puts Janeway in stripped-down "Ripley" mode against invading macro-viruses, and Ensign Kim is an awkward "Favorite Son" to a bevy of babes), but for every misstep there's a strong science-fiction concept, like the highly-evolved Hadrosaurs in "Distant Origin," which doubles as a compelling indictment of institutionalized repression. Overall, this is rock-solid "Trek", and the DVD features are equally engaging, albeit growing more perfunctory (especially the season 3 summary) with each full-season release. Don't forget the Easter eggs hidden on the special-features menus, however; they contain some of the set's happiest surprises. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: The third STAR TREK series concerns Benjamin Sisko, commander of the starship Deep Space Nine, who discovers the first known stable wormhole - a virtual shortcut through space that leads to the Alpha Quadrant to the Gamma Quadrant on the other side of the galaxy. The Gamma Quadrant is governed by the Dominion, a group led by the Changelings - an group of shapeshifters which counts DS9 crew member Odo (Rene Auberjonois) among its numbers. The Dominion has become a violent force in the galaxy, and the Deep Space Nine and its crew has become the only home in upholding the way of life established by the Federation.

Summary:

Summary: On October 2, 1959, Rod Serling launched the show that would change the face of television and go on to be widely accepted as one of the greatest series ever broadcast. 50 years later and the Twilight Zone has lost none of its appeal, remaining as fresh, relevant and exciting as the day it was launched. Serling's scripts are still innovative and brilliant and the show features an amazing cast of current and future superstars. Featuring performances by William Shatner, Bill Bixby, Charles Bronson, Robert Duvall, Peter Falk, Buster Keaton, Martin Landeau, Lee Marvin, Roddy McDowell, Burgess Meredith, Leonard Nimoy, Warren Oates, Donald Pleasance, Sydney Pollack, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Rod Taylor, Lee Van Cleef. This limited edition 28DVD box set contains hours or extras including: Dozens of audio commentaries and recollections by stars, directors, composers and fans. Rod Serling audio lectures, appearances, promos and more Isolated soundtracks, Interviews, Photo galleries, 90 Minute Doco: "Rod Serling; Submitted for your Approval" and much, MUCH more!

Summary: "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea"
"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" gets a dose of "On the Beach" in Irwin Allen's visually impressive but scientifically silly "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea". While the "Seaview", the world's most advanced experimental submarine, maneuvers under the North Pole, the Van Allen radiation belt catches fire, giving the concept "global warming" an entirely new dimension. As the Earth broils in temperatures approaching 170 degrees F, Walter Pidgeon's maniacally driven Admiral Nelson hijacks the "Seaview" and plays tag with the world's combined naval forces on a race to the South Pacific, where he plans to extinguish the interstellar fire with a well-placed nuclear missile. But first he has to fight a mutinous crew, an alarmingly effective saboteur, not one but two giant squid attacks, and a host of design flaws that nearly cripple the mission (note to Nelson: think backup generators). Barbara Eden shimmies to Frankie Avalon's trumpet solos in the most formfitting naval uniform you've ever seen, fish-loving Peter Lorre plays in the shark tank, gloomy religious fanatic Michael Ansara preaches Armageddon, and Joan Fontaine looks very uncomfortable playing an armchair psychoanalyst. It's all pretty absurd, but Allen pumps it up with larger-than-life spectacle and lovely miniature work. "--Sean Axmaker"
"Fantastic Voyage"
"2001: A Space Odyssey" took the world on a mind-bending trip to outer space, but "Fantastic Voyage" is the original psychedelic inner-space adventure. When a brilliant scientist falls into a coma with an inoperable blood clot in the brain, a surgical team embarks on a top-secret journey to the center of the mind in a high-tech military submarine shrunk to microbial dimensions. Stephen Boyd stars as a colorless commander sent to keep an eye on things (though his eyes stay mostly on shapely medical assistant Raquel Welch), while Donald Pleasance is suitably twitchy as the claustrophobic medical consultant. The science is shaky at best, but the imaginative spectacle is marvelous: scuba-diving surgeons battle white blood cells, tap the lungs to replenish the oxygen supply, and shoot the aorta like daredevil surfers. The film took home a well-deserved Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Director Richard Fleischer, who turned Disney's 1954 "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" into one of the most riveting submarine adventures of all time, creates a picture so taut with cold-war tensions and cloak-and-dagger secrecy that niggling scientific contradictions (such as, how do miniaturized humans breathe full-sized air molecules?) seem moot. "--Sean Axmaker"

Summary: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was the brainchild of Writer/Producer/Director Irwin Allen... the "Master of Disaster."It ran on ABC 1964-1968 and was for its four years of some of the best and most exciting science fiction on TV at the time. The classic adventures aboard the "SSRN Seaview" will captivate you today, as much as they did in the 60s.