ada-p Reviews

Torchwood (2006–2011)

Adult, yes. Intelligent? Don't insult me!

[3/10 · 2 August 2009]

Firstly, the qualifier statement: I have never watched an episode of the "new" 'Doctor Who', though I saw half an episode in the late 1980s with an old Doctor hiding from long-legged machines that trawled the landscape. Scared the heck out of my six year old self :-) I just sat through the entire first season of 'Torchwood' and I'm feeling disappointed and embittered. I am bloody sure that the creator (RTD?) said that 'Torchwood' was a separate show from 'DW' (ie I wouldn't need to know 'DW' mythology) but I'm confused by who knows what and how. Where did the semi-tamed perydactyl come from... and go? They had a bottle of perydactyl-sauce laying around so they try to attract the predatory bird on occasions, but why? Why wasn't its disappearance referred to later? I'm GUESSING (due to the lack of explanation) that the bird could fly in and out of the rift... so wouldn't it be able to fly above Cardiff too? Why wasn't it caged like a Weevil if it wasn't fully tamed? If it is tamed, where does it perch? These are just my perydactyl questions! There's a temporal/spacial rift running through Cardiff (some place in Wales, I'm Aussie and didn't even know that Wales was a part of Britian... or is it the UK?); the rift is centered in the abandoned (and fictional) Torchwood subway station... so the most top secret, special ops division in the Queen's Country actually CALL themselves Torchwood?! They're named after the publicly-known hub wherein their secret headquarters are located? I'm not upset about the stupidity, it's just so funny! There is also a super cool hidden-in-plain-sight entrance to Torchwood in front of the water feature; that sadly isn't used after episode Cyberwoman. There is a rift machine hidden within the water feature! And Owen knows how to use it! But doesn't know that a part of the machine is missing! And no one in this most secret Black Ops division even comments on the fact that this piece of their uber-powerful machine was A) Missing and B) In Balis' possession.

And why did Balis steal it if he couldn't activate the machine himself? Why didn't they notice the piece was missing? Why didn't the intruder alarm alert these mondo-elite secret service agents that the dangerous Rift machine was compromised? How could Jack forgive Owen for KILLING him? Shouldn't Owen be in deep military trouble? When did Ianto fall for Jack? Why wasn't Ianto Retconned for bringing a dangerous cyborg into Torchwood? And how did he sneak it in? How did clueless Gwen get a job as Second in Command of Torchwood; she was a cop with no weapons experience! What I am trying to say is that I understand British television doesn't have 22 episode seasons - Red Dwarf had six episode seasons. But whilst watching TW S1, I felt like there were episodes missing. Or that the episodes were written by writers who weren't talking to each other. Apart from the pilot, the episodes didn't feel like continuous steps in a story. Apart from that affair, you could mix the episodes up without affecting any plot or character development.

For example: Gwen joins a seriously dangerous and top secret organisation dealing with the manifested consequences of a temporal/spacial rift and we saw no 'learning curve', she hits the ground running and we don't get to learn WITH her; no specialist training in dealing with the alien species, just lessons in gun usage. And how the hell did such a spineless and over-emotional little girl get accepted into such a supposedly elite and vital operation as Torchwood? I'm referring to Countryside and her silly "I need to know WHY Jack!" tantrum, followed by more crying when the cannibal said that he acted this way because he "enjoyed it". Firstly, as an "experienced" cop she would have dealt with child abusers, rapists and paedophiles who say the same so what was with her breakdown about the answer, and secondly, what INTELLIGENT woman (and COP) lets (gives permission to) a SOCIOPATHIC CANNIBALL to lean forward and whisper into her ear! He could have bitten it off you IDIOT! And the way Owen threw her into that tree wasn't "hot"; it wasn't sexual tension; it was violent sexual harassment! I guess I'm saying that there is a dearth between ADULT and INTELLIGENT. The overusage of sex and swearing doesn't bother me in the slightest, it is just there to earn the "adult" tag... but the first season of Torchwood was not intelligent. In trying to portray 'realistic people with human weaknesses we could relate to', the Torchwood writers screwed up by creating characters so emotionally immature and mentally dangerous that they can't function. Shooting each other (Owen KILLING Jack in particular!) do not emphasize tension or thrilling twists... it takes away the tension and suspense because these characters are not powerful enough, nor effective, adults capable of defending Earth against such dangers.

Quantum Leap: The Leap Home: Part 1 - November 25, 1969 (1990) Season 3, Episode 1

Some beautiful moments

[10/10 · 7 July 2007]

As I am not biased with a militant pro-Vietnam War perspective, I was able to enjoy this episode. Despite the other comment's tirade against imagined anti-war slants, the Vietnam War was just a plot device to comment on the insanity of war; similar to the episode dealing with the Cuba missile crisis/hysteria.

The scene whereas Sam sings "Imagine" to his little sister is one of my favourite QL moments. Bakula is a talent singer and musician; his rendition of Lennon's classic carries the hope for peace and "living for today" that was the intention. It is a song for hope written in a time that people were frightened and needed to believe in hope. A time when we needed to believe in the possibility that humanity can overcome the helplessness and fatalism of modern problems.

This episode lets us see into Sam's idyllic childhood at the point before it collapses. God/Fate/Time/JackDalton gives Sam the ability to create positive changes to his own history, although that was not the main point of this leap. A boring basketball sub-plot gave us a chance to see rather touching brotherly bonding, setting up the next episode in which Sam leaps into his brother's Vietnam squad.

A memorable episode. A touching episode. An episode that respects continuity and makes Sam an even more rounded character. And an inspirational song that sums up so much of the positivity, the humanity and the hope that Quantum Leap gave to fans.

Amazons and Gladiators (2001)

Conflicted.

[10/10 · 20 July 2003]

Feminism and misogyny at the same time! I'm all for a movie that depicts womyn standing on their own two feet and kicking patriarchal butt. But, and this is a big but, the movie managed to be exploitive of womyn at the same time. For some strange reason Serena always wore tight boob-raising body armour, there were constant scenes of naked and half naked womyn, the female leads were all unbelievably beautiful and the men (with the exception of the fairly attractive Nortin) were all rather ugly or... out of shape.

I honestly don't know if I love this film or hate it with a passion. It has Thelma and Louise appeal, but also appeals to male sexual fantasies by making womyn sex objects. But the idea that it spaws Satan or other such extremes is a little gynophobic and paranoid. If you feel this way then I suggest you stay clear of "8 Mile" and Britney's "Crossorads". The only movies worse than those that spark thoughtful debate, ie A & G, are those that are mind numbing and appeal solely to...... easily controlled minds.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)

A big fan of the first, bitterly disappointed by the second.

[2/10 · 7 July 2003]

First I'd like to say that I LOVED the first Angels. I saw it as often as some nuts saw 'Titanic' so you know I speak as a person that loves the direction style and fight choreography. That in mind, this movie stunk. I'm not saying it's dreadful but it really isn't as good as the first. It's like McG over reached with this script and it went from a movie to a video game to down right 'eye-roller'.

Demi's role was miniscule for all the hype. The sexy terminator, Robert Patrick, was great as always despite his small role. Bernie Mac; oh my goodness. The guy doesn't tickle my funny bone at all. He doesn't fill the shoes of Bill Murray who had presence. And the bit at the end with the bomb was painfully stupid. If Bill read the script before declining to sign up, I think I can see why he declined even if it were put down to problems with Lucy. The fight sequences were sped up and relied completely on the wires. As another critic said, it looks more like a video game.

While the first movie at least orbited around realism (even the dodging bullet bit was well directed) this movie flies off into outer space. Flying from an exploding motor bike and somersaulting onto another in mid air? Actual flying by Demi? I think McG wanted the sequences to be fun but they are overdone and rediculous. And the ending was a bit cheesy. I left the original movie feeling empower and energetic, but left the theatre last night headachy and tired. It is, well, a bit silly.

Contact (1997)

Diamond in the Rough

[10/10 · 26 June 2003]

So many movies out there are pure drivel. They use sex, or shock, or sex to sell two hours of something that in no way contributes to our existence; be it inspiration, knowledge or spiritual awakening.

Contact is an exceptional example of a movie that DESERVES to exist. From the spectactular beginning shot that shows us just how small we are in a world that once thought the universe was made for, and around, mankind; to its realistic conclusion that any X-Phile would expect to happen: this movie appeals to our humanity, intelligence and sense of adventure.

One of the greatest realisations that the movie will guide you to is that what we search for in outer space is actually in our own backyards. We are cut off from each other and sci-fi tries to quell our loneliness with ideas that we'll meet E.T. and wont feel so lonely in our existence. But were AREN'T alone... we have each other.

I never get tired of watching this movie, though I wish they brought out a packed special edition DVD full of behind the scene effects and the like.