Movie Review: Thrill Seekers

Thrill Seekers a.k.a The Time Shifters
Abandon Pictures, Avenue Pictures, Carlton America, Hamdon Entertainment, USA, Canada, 1999. 

Tom Merrick  (Casper Van Dien) was a star TV reporter whose overambitiousness cost the live of two of his working partners in power plant disaster. He was only saved because he was confused when he saw a strange man loitering in the burning building. Tom is traumatized, loses his marriage and says goodbye to his career.

Years later he is happy getting a job in a quality magazine. You know, the kind of magazine with articles such as 'Hitler found: exclusive first interview' and 'Boy trapped in furnace eats own foot.' His first assignment is to write an article about historical disasters. Researching old pictures reveals that the same man with a black hat (Julian Richings) has always been sighted at the locations of disasters. Maybe there is a centuries old conspiracy behind the accidents. That could be scoop of the century if the photographs are real. So Tom travels to find the original archived photos only to notice that the same man is in the airplane and that the airplane is about to crash. 

HIgh quality journalism

Time Tourist

Tom hijacks the airplane to avoid the crash. After preventing the disaster Tom is arrested by the FBI only to be kidnapped by agents from the future (Theresa Saldana and Peter Outerbridge). He manages to escape but the cops think he is a terrorist. Apparently tourists from the future are coming to watch the disasters. Together with colleague Elizabeth Wintern (Catherine Bell) Tom tries to prevent the next disasters. 

Elizabeth Wintern

Cortez and Felder

Better than average TV-movie has an interesting idea although the economic production reminds that you are watching a TV-movie and it could have worked also as a higher budget film. In Casper Van Dien's filmography this is one of the more interesting ones. The plot keeps in its grip, with couple of clever twists although the time paradoxes that the story creates are quite absurd if thought seriously. Director Mario Azzopardi has scifi-experience for directing episodes for such series as "Outer Limits" and "Stargate SG-1." Martin Sheen appears as a travel company boss from the future. Many of the actors are familiar faces from TV. Catherine Bell appeared in "JAG" and Theresa Saldana in "The Commish". Julian Richings looked familiar and no wonder as he has a long career of acting in scifi-films and TV-series, including "Cube", "Supernatural" and "Orphan Black." 

Recommended for scifi fans who liked "Outer Limits."

Rating: Good

Starring: Casper Van Dien, Catherine Bell, Theresa Saldana, Peter Outerbridge, Julian Richings, Lawrence Dane, Catherine Oxenberg, Mimi Kuzyk, James Allodi, Deborah Odell, Martin Sheen, Matthew Bennett, Marc Donato, Stephen Bogaert, Sumela Kay, Carole Mackereth, Trevor Bain, Matt Birman, Jim Codrington, Brendan Connor, Kathryn Humphries, Oscar Hsu, Tony Meyler, Billy Otis, Lee Smart, Robert Thomas
Director: Mario Azzopardi

Movie Review: Monster High: Freaky Fusion

Monster High: Freaky Fusion
Mattel Playground Productions, USA, 2014.

This time the theme is family heritage or scaritage.

New hybrid students have arrived to Monster High. Neightan Rot (unicorn-zombie), Bonita Femur (Mothman-skeleton), Sirena Von Boo (ghost-mermaid) and Avea Trotter (centaur-harpy) do not want to mingle with the other students as having two freaky flaws instead of one makes them misunderstood. For example Sirena is a real cloudcuckoolander who is easily distracted. The ghoul friends would like to know them better and Frankie Stein gets a crush on Neightan.

Avea, Neighthan, Bonita and Sirena

Frankie

Mmm, tasty. Even funnier when you remember that Draculaura is a vegetarian

Frankie flunks a school assignment about family history. She does not know much about her family as her mom and dad do not want to talk about grandfather Victor Frankenstein. Robecca's father & inventor Hexiciah Steam knew Victor so if Robecca could find his workshop and journal they might get a clue. So they go to the catacombs looking for the workshop. The journal reveals that Victor had a dark side and was obsessed about creating life. 

Hexiciah Steam

Curious kitty Toralei activates a time machine that takes them back in time. In 1814 the school was still under construction. Frankie meets orphan boy named Sparky who tries to create live (what a striking coincidence). Frankie gives him inspiration and Robecca inspires Hexiciah to create a robot daughter. While returning home there is an itty-bitty accident with the time machine and eight ghoul friends get fused together. Oopsy-daisy. Draculaura-Robecca, Cleo-Toralei, Jinafire-Lagoona and Venus-Clawdeen combinations are formed. 

Fusion friends

Sparky

Ghoulia can fix the time machine but it will take some time. Meanwhile they can practice a school play with Mr. Where (one of the many characters of Monster High based on Invisible Man) but the fused halfs are not co-operating. Maybe the hybrids can help them to control their bodies and come to balance with their different sides. But also Sparky learns to use the time machine and causes a dangerous situation.

Mr. Where

School play turns exciting

I liked the movie. Storywise this is one of the best Monster High films if not even the best with the most emotion packed finale exploring the value of friends and family. As the story is darker there is slightly more focus on drama than comedy compared to the prequels. Another theme is that Frankie ponders if she is just made of spare parts or is there a spark of life inside. This is like a bit like steam punk "Ghost in the Shell" for kids. If "Frights, Camera, Action!" explored Draculaura's origins this time Frankie and Robecca are in the spotlight. Frankenstein's story is reinterpreted very loosely in a kid friendly way. Gotta also love a giant robot that quotes Thomas Dolby.

Blinded by science!

In the closing scene Ghoulia has fun with the time machine.

Prehistoric fusion chic

Three webisodes are included:

Inner Monster 1.0
Ghoulia creates a smartphone assistant that works differently than she intented.

Ghoulia the superprogrammer

Inner Monster 2.0
Iris Clops is frustrated about Manny's inability to express feelings. Inner Monster app to the rescue.

Iris

Manny

Boys Fright out
Deuce and Gil are having the ultimate board game duel.

Rating: Good 

Voice actors: Erin Fitzgerald, Haviland Stillwell, Geeg Friedman, Salli Saffioti, Evan Smith, Debi Derryberry, Kate Higgins, Audu Paden, Jonquil Goode, Cam Clarke, Laura Bailey, Dave B. Mitchell, America Young, Paula Rhodes, Cindy Robinson, Stephanie Sheh, Luis Gonzalez, Josey Montana McCoy, Julie Maddalena
Directors: William Lau, Sylvain Blais

Movie Review: A.P.E.X.

A.P.E.X. a.k.a Apex
Green Communications Inc., Republic Pictures, USA, 1994.

In the year 2072 A.P.E.X. (= Advanced Prototype Exploration Unit) was created to explore time. Time paradoxes cause a time virus infection. To avoid epidemic from spreading sterilization units are sent to to destroy the point in time where paradox was detected.

Scientist Nicholas Sinclair (Richard Keats) has nightmares about his wife Natasha (Lisa Ann Russell) vanishing in time anomaly. In 2073 the scientists send A.P.E.X. unit 100 years back in time. In 1973 Hippie family wanders into the test area and creates a time paradox. To save the family Sinclair jumps into the time portal. Dr. Elgin (David Jean Thomas) and Johnson (Kristin Norton) vanish with the research facility because of the paradox. 

Nicholas Sinclair

Natasha

Johnson

When Sinclair returns the world is overrun by A.P.E.X. killer robots. A.P.E.X. robots are slow but deadly but they have one weak spot: their CD-player! Duke Nukem look-alike Shepherd (Mitchell Cox) recruits him into his squad of resistance fighters. By the way their Jeffries Automotive Landmaster personnel carrier looks quite cool:

In the alternate future Sinclair finds out that the people he knew are totally different and also he does not know about himself either. Dr. Elgin is the leader of the resistance. Sinclair finds of that his wife is tough soldier who is infected with the time virus. Sinclair, Shepherd, Natasha, Rasheed (Adam Lawson) and Taylor (Marcus Aurelius) go to search for second laboratory equipped with time machine. They meet also hostile scavengers and a man living in the desert with his family (Brian Richard Peck).

Dr. Elgin

Shepherd

Rasheed and Taylor

"A.P.E.X." has Terminator-style time travelling and futuristic war against the machines made B-movie style. Phillip J. Roth is known for several low-budget so bad they are good scifi-movies, but for once this looks seriously made. For a low budget scifi it moderately entertaining, although the acting is cringeworthy bad at times. Also the midpoint of the movie feels quite lackluster as if they ran out of ideas.

A.P.E.X.

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#40. Movie that is set in the future)

Rating: Average

Starring: Richard Keats, Mitchell Cox, Lisa Ann Russell, Marcus Aurelius, Adam Lawson, David Jean Thomas, Brian Richard Peck, Anna B. Choi, Kristin Norton, Jay Irwin , Robert Tossberg, Kathleen Randazzo, Kareem H. Captan , Merle Nicks, Natasha Roth, Suzi Mealing, J Bartell, Randy Kagan, Tony Gugliuzza, Jose Ontiveros, Richard Hench, Jeffre Phillips, Robert J. Marino, Gary Moran, Joe Zimmerman, Gordon Capps, Jack Barrett Phelan, Steven Michael, Todd James, Eric Gordon, Tom Fellon, Rich Kennedy, Ginger Marin, Marcia Swayze
Director: Phillip J. Roth 

Movie Review: Black Knight

Black Knight
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Runteldat Entertainment, The Firm, Epsilon Motion Pictures USA, 2001.

Jamal Walker (Martin Lawrence) works in Medieval World theme park. Mrs. Bostick's (Isabell O'Connor) business is struggling. He plans to get a job in new amusement park. Cleaning a moat he finds and magic medallion that transports him to medieval times. 

Mrs. Bostick and Jamal

Jamal still thinks that he is in modern times. He saves the life of alcoholic knight Sir Knolte of Marlborough (Tom Wilkinson). Jamal goes to nearby castle where he is mistaken for a messenger. Jamal thinks that he is in new medieval theme park. There he meets a pretty chambermaid Victoria (Marsha Thomason) who has some modern ideas.

Sir Knolte

Jamal tries to enter the castle

Chambermaid Victoria

Jamal introduces himself as Skywalker. Jamal gets shocked by all too realistic execution "show" and disgusting table manners. Then Jamal shows the court some funky dance moves. 

Peas, man!

Play that funky medieval music

Gaining King Leo's (Michael Countryman) favour Jamal gets promoted to security chief. He gets on the bad side of bullyish knight Percival (Vincent Regan). Jamal gets involved in a plot to overthrow cruel King and return the rightful sovereign Queen (Helen Carey) to throne. That's where Jamal's friendship with Sir Knolte gets useful. To win the decisive battle Jamal must become the Black Knight! 

Jamal the Black Knight

Black Knight is a homie version of "A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur’s Court." The plot is a regular goofy guy grows as a person and saves the day. There is also a slight buddy comedy as Jamal and Sir Knolte help each other to get their act together. Most of the comedy comes from Jamal bringing his homeboy attitude to the stiff upper lip British folks of the medieval times. Depending on viewer's taste, Martin Lawrence is either annoying or hilarious. The movie manages to be fun at times although it is quite dumb movie. But hey, it is still better than most of the Eddie Murphy's movies in the 2000s. 

Rating: Average 

Starring: Martin Lawrence, Marsha Thomason, Tom Wilkinson, Vincent Regan, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Countryman, Kevin Conway, Jeannette Weegar, Erik Jensen, Dikran Tulaine, Helen Carey, Michael Burgess, Isabell O'Connor ,Kevin Stillwell, Mikey Post, Tim Parati, Mark Joy, Joe Inscoe, Angel Desai, Elizabeth Roberts, Graham F. Smith, Mark Jeffrey Miller, Zach Hanner, Richard Fullerton ,Jayce Tromsness, Greg Cooper, Mark Pitt, Miki Shelton, Tammy Arnold, Jason Chimonides, Bob Leddy Jr., William Boyer, Denise S. Bass, Eric Paisley 

Director: Gil Junger

Movie Review: The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown a.k.a U.S.S. Nimitz: Lost in the Pacific

The Bryna Company, USA, 1980.

Mysterious billionaire Mr. Tideland assigns systems analyst Warren Lasky (Martin Sheen) to aircraft carrier U.S.S. Nimitz. His duty is to observe and think ways of making things go more efficiently. Captain Matthew Yelland (Kirk Douglas) welcomes him aboard. Unexpected storm rises and the ship is sucked into a mysterious vortex. When they recover, the contacts to military base are dead except for some ancient radio signals. The ship has ended in the middle of World War II just before attack on Pearl Harbor. Commander Richard Owens (James Farentino) is a history specialist so his knowledge comes in handy. The officers try to decide if they should interfere with the Japanese attack and change history or just go with the flow.

Warren Lasky

Captain Matthew Yelland

Commander Richard Owens

The Japanese Zeros attack a yacht carrying Senator Samuel Chapman (Charles Durning) and his secretary Laurel Scott (Katharine Ross). The Americans go for help and there is F-14 Tomcats vs Zeros dogfight. Senator, Laurel and Charlie the Dog are saved together with surviving Zero pilot (Soon-Tek Oh). The senator is quite a doofus and Laurel is the one who writes his speeches. Laurel has to struggle in the men's world so Owens begins to admire her.

Time vortex

Laurel Scott

Senator Samuel Chapman

The Japanese attack force nears and Zero pilot gets nasty. Senator tries to send a radio message to Pearl Harbor, but gets a colourful response. Senator and Laurel are taken to safe place but everything does not go as planned. Captain decides to fight the Japanese but the time vortex disagrees with changing the history. Also Mr. Tidelands real identity is revealed.

Zero

Zero pilot gets nasty

This is a good light scifi with good aviation scenes, although there is not much dogfighting. Department of Defense co-operated with the production so there is good footage of aircraft carrier, takeoffs and landings. Real U.S.S Nimitz is well utilized in the movie. There is a slight letdown with the "Deus ex machina" style ending as the movie plays it safe by not changing history. Also the middle part is quite slow and uneventful, after a solid start. Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen seem to have fun as Captain and the analyst who have some friendly disagreement about the methods.

U.S.S. Nimitz

Rating: Good

Starring: Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino, Ron O'Neal, Charles Durning, Victor Mohica, James Coleman, Soon-Tek Oh, Joe Lowry, Alvin Ing, Mark Thomas, Harold Bergman, Dan Fitzgerald, Lloyd Kaufman, Peter Douglas, Ted Richert, George Warren, Gary Morgan, Phil Philbin,

Robert Goodman, Richard Liberty, Neil Ronco, Bill Couch, Jack McDermott, Masayuki Yamazuki, George H. Strohsahl Jr., Ronald R. Stoops, Kenneth J. Jaskolski, Sergei M. Kowalchik, Jake Dennis, Jim Toone, Edward J. Deats ,Robert L. Huffman, James R. Augustus, Sam P. Baldwin, Ronnie J. Ellis, Timothy W. Gersbacher, Wayne L. Flesher, William S. Frost, David H. Signor

Director: Don Taylor