Reviews

I have to salute Warner Brothers for taking to obvious gamble on producing a film which was not a guaranteed sell for mass audiences. They choose to stick as close to it's source as possible without compromising the integrity of said source. Doubly so I have to salute Zack Snyder for bravely throwing himself into a no win situation in taking on this project. He knew that he was damned by the purists of the graphic novel in lieu of the fact that he strove to stay as close as possible to Alan Moore's masterpiece. He also knew that he would also be damned by the uninitiated. The people who have never read the graphic novel. For the popcorn munching, soda-gulping crowd who were expecting another Dark Knight, and instead found a film which is abundant in psychological complexity, and jam packed with political satire. Watchmen was always meant to be a story where action takes a back seat to character depth.

In this age of cinema, we all seem to be plagued by the belief that things can't be done. We find ourselves to be discouraged to take risks, and attempt to think beyond to sphere of the current social consciousness. In the case of Watchmen, everyone concerned with the making of this film decided that this kind of cynicism is damaging. Warner Brothers decided that instead of joining the line of studios that rejected the project for fear of whatever backlash may occur, WB instead decided to be the one's to say "We did it, and whether you like it, or not, what matters is that we had the guts to say it could be done.

After reading Watchmen I knew deep down that a film was possible, and that all it needed was a Director who had the right sensibility, and comprehension of the material to make it work. Zack Snyder, though not the obvious choice, was definitely a great choice. Some may call him a director who is all flash, and no substance, but after watching his prior work on Dawn of the Dead, and 300 I just can't agree with those claims. Snyder simply knows how to make the most of every scene by capturing it at every angle. He knew that the way to make any film memorable was to insure that every frame is an iconic image that'll be burned into the subconscious of the viewer. With Watchmen he struck a gold mine. Every frame of Watchmen is gorgeous to behold. He brings out the grimy streets of 1980's New York with unflinching passion. When Dr. Manhattan exiles himself on Mars, Snyder makes you feel the blissful solitude. Having read the book, I was able to see the same story from new and exciting aspects. I loved seeing familiar scenes achieve a kind of emotional impact that cannot be achieved with 2D images alone.

I do agree with Alan Moore that the graphic novel format is a medium all it's own, but I also agree with Robert Rodriguez (re: Sin City) when he said the mediums are similar. In the realm of movies, comics are storyboards, and Snyder, like Rodriguez, followed the imagery every step of the way. All the while knowing how to pace the story in all the right ways.

The differences in the adaptation are seldom but they are still appropriate. Never once was something cut or changed that I was left lamenting it's omission. I'm sure a lot of it will be in the promised director's cut. As for the squid. I'm sorry but even if Zack Snyder, and the screenwriters could find a way to fit it in, it seriously would have been a hard pill to swallow on film. Even with Snyder visual talents, it still would have looked ridiculous, and would have overshadowed the impact of Ozymandias' intent. The ending is different, but still the same. You still feel for the tragedy of what Ozymandias has done, but you still feel the conflict that all the Watchmen feel regarding their decisions afterward.

The only shortcomings I could say this film had was that Malin Akerman was lackluster, and seemed unable to reach the core of the part. Also the inclusion of Ozymandias' pet Bubastis is great for fans, but is quite confusing for the uninitiated, so it may mean a lashing from the fans, but since there's no prior scene explaining Bubastis' origins, as a fan I'd feel no remorse for losing the cat. I just hope that the director's cut explains her more thoroughly.

In the end I will boldly say that Watchmen is a masterpiece of ambitious film-making, and in the long run people will look back and realize what all the hubbub is about.

Hmmmmm... Oh Well There's always gotta be one lackluster per series. well unless something worse comes along (which ain't too likely, thank god) this would have to be the black sheep of the series four.

Now just for assurance there is a lot of positives about this ep. I'm not saying it was terrible, but there were a series of negatives which bogged the story down. The things I liked about this ep are as follows...

-The dialogue is top notch. Noticeably, dialogue is one of Stephen Greenhorn's strong suites. They were definitely one of the stronger elements of his previous entry "The Lazarus Experiment" which helped to compensate for a traditional storyline. -Donna beautifully acts as the bridge between The Doctor and Jenny and lends a lot to The Doctor's progression throughout the story. Plus we get to see a whole new side to her cleverness with the way she was able to sort out the numbers. -It's refreshing to see how far Martha has come as a companion that she was able to trek the dangerous terrain and see past the Hath potentially being a danger. -The Hath were a remarkable creation, and it's impressive how they were able to express so much without really saying a thing, and I was saddened with the demise of the Hath that accompanied Martha. -The twist with the war being only seven days long was actually quite unexpected, clever, and it's resolution was immensely satisfying and poignant. I love that The Doctor strives for life to be the ultimate solution. -Georgia Moffett is definitely Peter Davison's Daughter and her performance is very solid and layered just right to the point that I was able to watch her and not think "Eye Candy." I did like that by the end she practically could be The Doctor's Daughter but...

There were key things which really brought the ep down.

Firstly, and most importantly the whole essence of the story the very thing which intrigued us to watch it, was a total and complete cop-out. Frankly it's exceptionally weak to insinuate that you're going to tackle a controversial topic and then roundabout it by taking an invariably hackneyed route. Why waste our time thinking that we may actually meet someone who might shed some light about The Doctor's past and even what happened during The Time War, and then all you do is take the road often traveled? It gives me the vibe that they are intimidated by the hardcore fans and their inevitable backlash. They live to complain, it's inevitable, live with it. It didn't stop Marc Platt when he wrote "Lungbarrow."

Let's face it the new series is generating new canon every week which means that anything that happens in word or action in the series now is indisputably a part of the series history. The Production team have it at their fingertips to create new aspects of the title character's back story, they can even change things that we thought were true through clever writing and outlining. Are they intimidated of taking advantage of such a power? Are they afraid of alienating their core audience? Well I don't know about the rest but I have absolutely no problem breaking taboos to learn more about my favorite character. So, to tease us with the real deal and then just give us a clone right out of the gate is a cowardly gesture, and it basically ruined the spontaneity of the story.

My point is if they were going to go the cop out route with the whole cloning thing they could have made up for it by taking the story other places. It's not like there weren't other avenues they could have pursued with the story. But since they didn't want to stop and think about the other possibilities the story suffered greatly. Hell, if they wanted the cloning thing to work they never should have even hinted that there was going to be a daughter involved, they could have given it a title that may hint at it like "Offspring" or "A Part of Me." either way just something to make us accept that they are going the cloning route, surprise us when they do, and not actually say that she is The Doctor's bona fide daughter.

In conclusion I just wanna say this RTD and crew "Dont be afraid to be controversial, especially if it makes for a great story." After all it worked for "Dogma," "Jesus Christ Superstar," and it definitely seemed to work for "Lungbarrow"

Now this episode is exactly what The Doctor ordered.

An Agatha Christie murder mystery with a Doctor Who twist which completely revels in the world of the author and her world. Gareth Roberts is very rapidly becoming one of my favorite writers on the series for both his contributions to WHO and to SJA.

For this one, sadly I was totally oblivious towards the works of Agatha Christie. I was in no way familiar with Miss Marple and I was only vaguely familiar with Hercule Poirot. I also NEVER knew about the mystery of her ten-day disappearance. I was worried that I may be left out of a few things, but instead Roberts had enough foresight and consideration towards the audience that we really don't need to know much other than the obvious. "Agatha Christie, murder mystery writer nuff said." Another great part is that for the younger crowd, if you're unfamiliar with the anatomy of a murder mystery the episode goes out of it's way to reveal the bare bones for the viewer's edification.

As for the mystery itself, The thing I loved is how it messes with your perception as to which plot elements are relevant and what are coincidental, heck even the title does that. You're natural instinct assumes that The Unicorn and the Wasp are linked in some way and that you don't even think about the actual implications of how the older woman's love for the works of Agatha Christie actually affects the story's direction. The writing deftly crosses twists and turns that has you constantly scrambling to work out the mystery and in doing so you are riveted to hang on to every word and action. Add all that to the intriguing blend of the sci-fi elements, makes for a refreshing spin on a familiar formula.

Another bit I loved was the execution of the 1920's. In High School I was always intrigued by that decade and how it was a time of gross overindulgence where anything goes and I do mean anything. Women were beginning to display personal independence, and people became experimental in practically every way you could imagine, and it wasn't just in America it was everywhere. Be it booze, drugs, or sex it was all on the menu. Especially if you could afford it. I loved in The Doctor's cross-examination how it's inter-cut with the actual truths behind each of the guest's stories. They were totally in tune with the spirit of the era and how even the most noble individual had a secret whether it be petty or shocking and how some could be a sound motive for murder and they entice you to find out how they connect to the emergence of the giant wasp.

Speaking of the giant wasp I loved the irony that for once Donna is completely in her element when dealing with a giant bug and I cheered when she was able to take it on with a magnifying glass. Add to that Donna's encounter with a famous historical icon made for a dynamic equally as memorable and Martha's flirtations with Shakespeare, but yet different largely owing to how Donna empathized with Agatha Christie's self-doubt. One of the things I'm really digging about Donna is that she reaches out to people who may find themselves overwhelmed by The Doctor's world.

Tennant oh, Tennat we can tell you wanted to play Sherlock Holmes because we can tell how much you enjoyed playing detective, pointing fingers, and sussing out crimes and misdemeanors. It was Tennant's enthusiasm for the material which made his performance here one of the most enjoyable to date.

This episode for me was a triumph of plotting, performance, and style. The dialogue sparkles with resounding wit and the plot intrigues and electrifies under Graeme Harper's competent and confident direction which never disappoints. I hope we get more of these historicals in the future, largely because it hearkens back the the Hartnell era when they constantly had brushes with history. Plus it's just plain refreshing to see a show that takes a fictitious routes to encourage us to embrace the facts.

Thus far this is definitely a high contender for my "best of" list at the conclusion of the fourth series.

Ahh the Ood have returned. Those brilliant squiggly faced slaves from "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit. I've always admired the ingenuity of the Ood and of how they are a wholly sympathetic group of Doctor Who monsters and despite that it never gets in the way of them being extremely intimidating. This definitive trait is ever present in this episode. However the one thing we find here which wasn't present in our previous encounter with them is that this time we are cheering them on as they begin their revolution.

First off I will definitely agree with those who have lovingly compared this episode to classic Who, because it feels like a traditional Who-Story, namely that of The Doctor arriving to find a docile species enslaved and he sparks the revolution to liberate said species. It's the age-old Doctor Who story but the twist that New Who delivers is a sort of personal edge to it. It definitely never holds back punches in showing the ugly side of human enterprise and the deliberate blinders they put on to the pain they cause.

Every episode that passes makes me love Donna more and more because she has more heart than I had ever thought she was capable of having after her debut story "The Runaway Bride." It's crushing to see the unprocessed Ood in the cage cradling their secondary brains. The Doctor's description of the procedure is sickening and Donna's reaction echoed my own. It solidifies Donna's stance in her role as a companion, how she sees the horrible things that transpire in the Universe and her reaction to it is far more real and by the end, after all is said and done she learns that the traditional concepts of right and wrong are warped and that many times the enemies aren't who you think they are.

Temple's script also offered up some nuances which actually stray from the obvious. Firstly, In situations like this you usually expect The Doctor to have a local who helps them out, and you think that the character of Solana was going to fit the bill. Boy, was I wrong. Shortly after she betrays The Doctor and Donna i found myself wishing for her demise. Luckily, she did pay the price for choosing the wrong side. As for Tom McInnery's character of Mr. Halpern. He's nothing new in the Who-niverse. We've always seen slimy callous little profiteers, but he's definitely an ideal example of one. His complete and utter contempt for the Ood is abominable and what happens to him in the end lends a lot to the term "Let, the punishment fit the crime," because I don't think I would have been satisfied if he was dispatched in the way of all his subordinates. He needed to face justice and what better way to do it than for the persecutor to become the persecuted. The conclusion of this story was extremely gratifying because I always love it when The Doctor's endeavors provoke real change on a grandiose scale (same reason why "Gridlock" was one of my favorites.) and the newly liberated express their gratitude. I also loved the cryptic foreshadowing in the line "Even your song must end, Doctor." Director Greame Harper has truly been an asset to the Who-niverse of late ever since his return to the series in 2006. He has an incredible knack for pacing and atmosphere and he has a gift for bringing out some spectacular performances from his actors, I truly can't pick out a negative element of the technical side. Then again I don't think I've ever had the need to attack Doctor Who on the technical side. Even in the old days.

All in all for me this series has knocked another one out of the park with this episode. Now as for next week here we are again Ms. Raynor lets see if you redeem yourself for "Daleks in Manhattan."

One of my personal joys of Doctor Who is how versatile the show is, owing heavily to the way it bends genres and is able to switch from being humorous to dead serious without breaking a sweat and the new series accomplishes this feat like Joss Whedon on a really good day. That's why I didn't mind that the Series Four premiere "Partners In Crime" was a lightweight (no pun intended), fun spirited story. I also didn't mind the whimsical nature of that episode because it was pretty much a dead giveaway that story about Pompeii was not going to be all wine and roses, and especially with a show like Doctor Who in mind with only 13 to 14 episodes per series it's important that the array of stories within are a mixed bag and with a companion like Donna it was almost essential that her return story be more whimsical so that way her (official) maiden voyage could be more sobering, and that's one of the big reasons why "The Fires of Pompeii" is such an important and effective episode.

What's important is that it serves to show Donna that Travelling with The Doctor may wield amazing vistas and singular cultures but it also carries heavy decisions. It essentially rocks Donna's preconceptions about what life with The Doctor will be like and that her previous encounters with him have barely prepared her for what is to come and by the end of this story she finally begins to comprehend the essence of that bigger picture that The Doctor always encouraged her to see. So when she decides to help The Doctor throw the big switch to set off Vesuvius, it's a big step for her growth as a companion and the fact the she is able to take such a big leap when she starts off says a lot about where she is going as a companion.

Moran's writing abilities display remarkable flexibility, with "Pompeii" he deceives us into thinking in the beginning that it's going to be one of those "race against time" scenarios with a moralistic twist and pretty much up until they see that marble circuit that's what you think it's going to be. The marble circuit was a stellar device for the story cause it was the first real hook to keep The Doctor from just running off, and we know The Doctor. If it attracts his attention then it's evident that something is off.

Another element which really aids the audience to attach themselves emotionally to the inevitable disaster is that of the Caecillius family. You meet them in the first few minutes and from the get go you basically see a family who are disjointed and separate. The father and mother are focused on status, the son is apathetic and unaffected and the daughter is suffering from an influence beyond her parents comprehension. I think what is a remarkably nimble feat in Moran's writing is how he can show this family from the start and make them invariably appealing and likable in lieu of their flaws. Ironically I was sold on them pretty from from the father's first line "MODERN ART!" cause I actually agree with him, and because I agreed with him I was able to be interested in him and the characters close to him, and it does actually give Donna's argument more weight that there are good, innocent people who die in Pompeii and who don't deserve the fate that may befall them, and as their story with The Doctor progresses you see them gradually work past their detachment. The son becomes more driven to do good, the daughter becomes an independent thinker. The mother and father become more attentive to their children and less towards their status (which is all the more reason of how important the epilogue was and it's a travesty that the sci-fi channel cut it off).

I've heard people say that they shouldn't have been saved but that basically would have ruined Donna's contribution to the story. After saving the Caecillius family, The Doctor realizes that there are times that even he doesn't know best and that he needs someone with him to see the things he doesn't, because we keep forgetting is that in spite of the fact The Doctor may frequent Earth and is abreast of all it's customs and cultures he is still, ipso facto, an alien and he knows that the thing which pushes him to do right is that human element, and that has been the definitive traits from all of The Doctor's Earthling companions spanning all the way back to day one. That's why the family's salvation at Donna's insistence is so essential to both the story and the Doctor's constant evolution, and let's not forget he acknowledges that Donna was right to force him.

The whole concept of the Soothsayers has been done before but I noticed some subtleties in this story which elevate these characters in the story and much of it has to do with the fact that their power sparks The Doctor's curiosity owing to a sort of otherworldly accuracy which serves as the first few breadcrumbs on the trail. The soothsayers, if anything serve more as a means to carry the story along, which they do quite effectively and the scene where The Doctor rescues Donna and interrogates the High Preistess makes for an excellent transition to the final revelation of the Pyrovile's plans.

In conclusion, series four is kicking off with a sort of unpredictable variety which makes one truly curious as to where this series is taking us this year. but for now I say applause to James Moran, Colin Teague, Tennant and Tate, and all of the visiting supporting actors this was truly a milestone of Who-History

Ahh here we are again, only this time some things have changed one of the things being the arrangement of the theme tune. Murray Gold I love the work you've done in the past but this is a bit too much change it back.

Luckily that's my only complaint.

Much like last year opener "Smith & Jones" this one hits the ground running as we see Donna Noble (from "The Runaway Bride" played by British Comedy Star Catherine Tate who clearly ain't bovvered) doing some freelance investigating of a new weight loss drug from Adipose Industries, presided over by Miss Foster (Played with cool, steely authority by Sarah Lancashire) who promises that after taking the pill "The fat just walks away." Unbeknownst to Donna, The Doctor (David Tennant still in top form, and in the same suit) is conducting an investigation of his own and after a series of hilarious near misses (the best of which revolving around a printer) The Doctor and Donna are reunited from across the room with a scene that is a triumph of pantomime between Tennant and Tate.

Frankly the only thing I was interested in seeing was Donna and where she's been and what she's done since we last her, but most importantly what will it be like when she finally says yes to The Doctor. and with that in mind "Partners in Crime" was mission accomplished.

Truth be told I would have disappointed if the B Story (Miss Foster and the Adipose) overshadowed the reunion between The Doctor and Donna. If then were now and all the stories were in feature length serial format then I'd have no gripes about the B-story occasionally taking center stage.

But seeing as all we get is 45 minutes I'd rather focus on what's important in the story and that is The Doctor and Donna. So I'm glad RTD downplayed the menace and ironically the creatures weren't even the menace. I liked that Miss Foster was an amoral midwife who is willing to kill millions of people to be Super Nanny and that the Adipose parents actually disapproved of her methods when it contravened the shadow proclamation.

however that wasn't the important focus. what was important was that we see that Donna actually has grown up considerably in The Doctor's absence and that she has actually become braver and more confident and ready to take on the perilous life of a companion. I was impressed how she was able to infiltrate Adipose industries with a bit more grace than The Doctor and she practically used the exact same methods he did.

Another refreshing aspect is the last scene. The script takes the time to assure the audience that we are not going to have another infatuated companion but instead just a best friend.

"I just want a mate." "You just want TO Mate!?" "I just want A mate." "You're not mating with me, sunshine!" "A MATE I want A MATE!" "Well, that's good. Cause I'm not havin' any of that!" If there's anything the script did so well was to make you feel Donna's wanting and her regrets and it's also refreshing that she has a family member (Bernard Cribbins, scene stealer from "Voyage of the Damned") who encourages her to pursue that life as opposed to the overcautious family members from before.

In any case, for me, the only way an episode could be truly bad is if it lacks repeat value. And for New Who luckily the only ep that has that problem is Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks, and some of the eps from Series 1 of Torchwood (Cyberwoman and Combat specifically) But I re-watched Partners In Crime shortly afterwards and wanted to watch it a few more times. The episode gave me exactly what I wanted from a Season opener and left me ravenous for what promises to be a one of a kind series largely due to the new dynamic between Doctor and Companion.

OK My first IMDb review here goes.

Even with all of the time of watching the previous three films with total utter reverence it wasn't until I finished seeing "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" that I realized what it was that Lucas and Spielberg were shooting for with each of the films.

I realized that they wanted to explore the legends behind all of the major religions and cultures in all the many corners of the world. In "Raiders" they explored the Judaic legends surrounding the Ark of the Covenant. In "Temple" we were given the Hindu legends revolving around Shiva and the Shankara Stones. "Crusade" of course explored the Arthurian/Christian legends of the Holy Grail. All that became invariably clear to me when I saw that in "Crystal Skull" They decided this time to explores the theories surrounding the origins of the Mayan Civilization.

Many theories all pointed towards the ideas that the many elements of the Mayans remarkably advanced mathematical and architectural science was cultivated by aliens. These theories were heavily considered due to the blatant similarities between the Mayans and the Egyptians.

As such It just seems right that this story surfaces when Indiana Jones is heavy into the Cold War especially since the 50's was an era where people were fascinated with the possibility of aliens. When the Roswell landing was still hot in every conspiracy theorist's minds, and it was also intriguing to me that the communists wanted to use the technology inherent in the science to spread their will across the world which blended beautifully with the proceedings. especially since in the 50's people were incredibly paranoid about the threat of Communist infiltration and the fear that they were spreading their philosophy under everyone's noses.

It occurs to me that many of the new aspects introduced in this film were introduced primarily out of necessity. Firstly and most importantly, it's been 19 years since we last saw Indy, a lot of things have obviously happened between here and there and David Koepp's script sharply acknowledges that. We see that Indy's life and his legacy is hollow and empty most of his friends (and family) have passed on leaving Indy debating what he has fought on for when he literally has no one to pass it on to.

It's with that in mind that Marion Ravenwood's reemergence is not only appropriate it's also essential to Indy's development. Seeing her again with their son in tow makes for a refreshing new dynamic. Now it's not just Indy we cheer for we cheer for the whole clan! The chase scene through the jungle punctuates that point because it was staged, choreographed and edited beautifully to the effect where it was able to direct attention to all involved and never once has you watching one portion of it and thinking "I wonder what the other person is doing?" The action is immersive and it's largely due to the appeal of all the characters involved.

Another note of merit to this entry in the series is that it contains the following ingredients -The paramount logo fades to a mountain: check...gotta love the prairie dogs -Indy faces off with a tough guy who meets a grisly fate: check..I don't wanna be in that poor schmuck's shoes when he's eaten alive by ants. -Indy and Co. get menaced by a creepy crawlie: check...Scorpions and flesh eating ants. I'm curious to see what's next. -The main villain's ambition proves to be his (or in this case her) downfall when said person meets their end at the hands of the treasure: check... The human brain just ain't ready for all the knowledge of the universe.

It's disheartening to hear people accusing the filmmakers of not sticking to the formula when it's evident that they have.

They also say the action sequences are way too over the top and with that I wonder "Are you guys really Indy fans?" every single movie in the series had over the top action sequences. Surrounded by poisonous snakes and not bitten once? being able to jump broken tracks on an out of control mine cart? Destroying a gun turret on a tank with a rock? Those are just a few examples. Spielberg and Lucas always intended these movie to be B-Movie style escapism catering more to the "gee-whiz" factor NOT the "Hell-yeah, bee-otch" factor.