Science Fiction Archives | Page 14 Of 121

Dana Kippel’s Reflect is More Than a Meditation on the Game of Life

Relax, Don’t Reflect on it. Because if you try too hard to find the pleasures at the end of the rainbow, this film shows one possible result!

Reflect 2023 Movie Poster Available to stream on Apple TV

Shades of The Truman Show can be found in Reflect, a movie written and directed by Dana Kippel. When she stars in it too, I can’t help but wonder if this work is a result of her going through some personal crisis that she wants to look back on, and sort through. Whatever the case, this magical journey has some elements to like, and other bits which will vary in meaning–subject to each viewer’s own experiences.

And as for whether we’re watching a television show within another depends on who wants to witness the coming challenges. There’s two men, a father and son, who seem to know what is exactly going on, and while I keyed into those characters more than the ladies, that’s because I’m a male. They seem to be in control of the larger story. And as for Summer (Kippel) and her gal pals headed to a retreat to mend fences, what transpires next is somewhat surreal in a Midsummer’s Night Dream kind of way. Although Katie (Grace Patterson), Annie (Marissa Patterson), Nia (Ariana Brown) and Liz (Jadelyn Breier) question what’s to come, Hermes (Joe Filippone) seems more genuine. But this messenger of the gods is no trickster. By the time this film gets to the first campfire scene where everyone should be singing Kum ba yah, arguments ensue!

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Looking at Doctor Who at 60 after Three Specials and the Holiday One in Full

What I offer in this late review of Doctor Who and all four specials is in what my expectations are for this franchise’s future.

Doctor Who at 60 Years Spoiler Alert

After a good start to celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary, where I reviewed the first of three specials, the next one, “The Wild Blue Yonder,” sadly doesn’t raise the bar. It’s a surreal episode, and as for the third, “The Giggle,” that’s going to be an episode returning showrunner Russel T. Davies must have had a hard time writing. The result is neither nostalgia ridden or forward thinking.

It doesn’t feel like a full return to form when all fans got is the return of a few characters, like The Toymaker, played by Neil Patrick Harris. There should’ve been more acknowledgement of the past rather than simply recycling and retconning characters (namely Davros in the latest Children in Need special). The return of Mel is nice, but what about the others? And why does U.N.I.T. headquarters look like the Avengers Tower?

This headmaster missed an opportunity to recognise all 60 years and fill in the gaps when the Doctor was hit with a huge blaster! He could’ve suddenly reverse regenerated or have a moment where his entire life flashed before his eyes to answer those questions. That way, all of his past incarnations could’ve made an apperance. And to have the faces of past companions give their farewell would have done a better job at acknowledging all that history! A few lines here and there isn’t enough to acknowledge all that history. The specials just didn’t feel like an anniversary when there’s very little said about how long this Time Lord has been around.

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Diving Into Why Farscape, The Complete Series (25th Anniverary) Release Matters!

If you’re a fan like me waiting for a Blu-ray release of Farscape: The Complete Series that includes The Peacekeeper Wars as part of the package, this edition is it!

Farscape, The Complete Series - 25th Anniversary Edition — **Available to purchase on Amazon USA**

Shout! Factory is celebrating a milestone year of a beloved 1999-2003 sci-fi epic with an updated release which includes a brand-new featurette! Although there are varying options which edition of Farscape, The Complete Series (25th Anniversary) is best to acquire, the difference lies in how much swag one wants!

What I received for evaluation is the basic one. I didn’t really need the prism stickers, poster from industry artist Joe Corroney, and the enamel pins from Gutter Garbs (link). They would’ve been nice, but honestly I’m all out of wall space to show off my love for this show! Thankfully there’s a mid-priced set too (link). But when all I want is to revisit this world created by Rockne S. O’Bannon again, and the timing of this release couldn’t be any better!

Also, prior editions didn’t include “The Peacekeeper Wars” as part of the set. I’m glad this distributor corrected the oversight, and it’s pleasant to show this collection off on my shelf. When I’m in the mood to binge, I can watch a disc or two per day.

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When Owning Megasets Are A Must; Presenting Our 2023 Holiday Home Video Gift Guide

Sometimes, gifting that pop culture enthusiast in the family is tough, and we got our top new release picks (from this year) on what to give that person!

Godzilla Christmas Tree and Holiday Home Video Gift Guide Anyone searching for a holiday home video gift guide of the godzilla sized home box sets of beloved franchises released this year are in luck! In this year’s edition on what to give that nerd in the family, what I offer is a list of works which I think are must own over others. Most of these major releases are available to purchase now.

There’s only two which will be out very soon, so they should arrive in time for the holiday. What’s offered looks amazing for genre fans and although a few of them are repackaged material, that’s okay since I’m considering anniversary releases too.

To note, each entry is separated out into its own page (please scroll further down to find the next page markers). Presented in alphabetical order are:

ALF: The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) + Bundle

Love him or hate him, Alf was part of 80s pop culture!

Everyone’s favourite wise-cracking alien from Melmac, Gordon Shumway — better known to Earthlings as ALF crash-lands onto DVD in this definitive 24-disc collection. The collection includes every episode of this interstellar hit series, restored to their original broadcast length for the first time in 30 years. It also includes the 1996 film Project: ALF starring Martin Sheen, and all 47 episodes of Saturday morning’s ALF: The Animated Series and ALF Tales! Never has a collection been so out of this world!

This ShoutFactory.com Exclusive includes the NEW DVD release of ALF, an exclusive 18” x 24” rolled poster featuring new artwork, a retro prism sticker, a 7″ vinyl, an enamel pin set, a lunch box, and an authentic Melmac rock.

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Everything is Back with The Star Beast in the First Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special!

Everything fans have been wanting to see in Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special is here, and The Star Beast certainly delivers fun quips and chuckles along the way!

BBC’s Doctor Who is 60-years old, and honestly, they should spend part of their increased budget to have David Tennant back on some semi-permanent basis. He’s a tough act to follow and although this actor has nothing but praise for Ncuti Gatwa, who will take over the role after these specials, I just want him! When “The Star Beast” is part one of a three-story arc, thankfully that means there’ll be a month of this actor doing what he does best–to play Sherlock the only way he best knows how!

And when he says he’s not an interim incarnation, and he’s equally mystified, I’m here for the ride!

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Unboxing GKIDS’s Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon A Time

The Rebuild of Evangelion is finally complete! Now whether one should wait for a megaset to bring them all together or buy each film individually, well…

Available to purchase on Amazon USA

As I’ve said in the unboxing video made to look at the packaging of this latest release that wraps up the Rebuild of Evangelion series, the keepsake edition created by GKIDS and distributed by Shout! Studio is far more attractive looking than Funimation’s. And as for why love this over the other?

That’s up to fans to figure out since the number of years it took to make this series was big, and during that time, negotiating the rights for North American distribution most likely had some troubling bureaucracy (like in the anime) as the final release is on the hands of another company to handle. While I don’t know the full story, I am hopeful a set will be offered, so I can see the cinematic presentation in full.

In this series, we have:

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone — In this intro, we meet the mysterious Kaworu and Lilith in a film edit of what is essentially the anime series, episodes one to seven.

Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance — With this film, the series is sped through fast (8-23), and Mari Makinami is a new character. Asuka is reimagined and sports an eye patch.

Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo — The rather ironic title says it all, and instead of concluding the way the series did, it jumps ahead to deal with a “new” situation. NERV has a rival, and WILLE is not as what they seem. There’s more going on here, and it’s almost okay to start from here. However, a lot of character development points will get missed.

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time – This chapter neatly wraps everything up, and goes to places that I didn’t expect, as the universe implodes, and…. (no spoilers are offered here, as this film is considered reviewed to death)

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