5 comments about Solar Crisis.

1. This flick posits the world facing a doomsday solar flare in the near future. Tim Matheson leads a cast of boring action figures to the edge of the sun, where he will pilot a smaller spaceship into the sun while carrying an anti-matter bomb - what amounts to a suicide mission. (The science of solar flares theorizes that they form based on magnetic lines that work like rubber bands; the bomb will snap the lines and prevent the lethal flare from forming.) Meanwhile, Matheson's son escapes from his military school, and Matheson's disapproving father - Charlton Heston as an uptight career military man - sets out to find him. The flare is preceded by other solar phenomenon that's steaming up the earth (and interfering with anything that relies on basic principles of electromagnetism). While the mission must succeed for the sake of humanity, a sinister tycoon played by Peter Boyle is determined to sabotage it.
   
   Nothing in this flick works - least of all why Boyle is set on sinking a mission that's clearly mankind's last hope (doubts over whether it may be worse than the flare or at least uneccessary seem to have been left out of the script). The plot about Matheson's son seems entirely uneccessary, even if it does allow for the obligatory showdown between Heston & Boyle. Lastly, what is the state of technology here? It looks like the near future (with concept versions of today's space and aircraft), but also with holograms and nearly sentient AI - embodied in a luscious fembot and the antimatter bomb's computer (voiced effectively by Paul Williams). "Crisis" rode the crest of early 1990's CGI (a path blazed by the new Trek show) in which then nifty effects made drama obsolete. Now its effects look dated, and the story remains as incomprehensible as before.



2. Here is your first clue - Directed by Alan Smithee. I would definitely like to know the story behind this movie. Like some of the previous reviewers I'll point out that this film is definitely a failure, but I would love to see the original screenplay. It seems to me that this movie was probably supposed to be 2+ hours and somebody came into the editing room and randomly removed large chunks to shrink the running time. I can't even discuss the performances because they all seem so incomplete. Here is an examples. When Annabel Schofield's character starts acting odd Matheson's character says that he knew she didn't look right. This is the first moment she didn't look right so what is he talking about. Plus, her "not looking right" looked way over blown. Something is missing or we're supposed to believe that the other characters are real morons who can't tell when there is something physically wrong with someone else. Anyway, there are a lot of things that don't make sense in this movie because it seems like there are missing pieces. As I said, I would love to read the original screenplay because there is actually a lot of potential for a good story, but the filmmakers really messed up. Alan Smithee was the right choice for this Director when it came time to get credit. I'm sure if they've ever seen it that the prominent actors in the film would have loved to use Alan Smithee in place of their own names as well. The problem with SOLAR CRISIS might have been the writing, but if it were written the way it came out I don't see why anyone would have put money into the project. It seems that if you read the screenplay line for line the way the movie turned out it would make even less sense than the finished product does. I think this one died when the budget ran out or when the editors had to chop it too much. More than likely the CG spending on top of Palance, Boyle, Matheson, and ESPECIALLY HESTON's salaries caused the well to go dry on this one.



3. I would actually give this "film" no stars. Quite possibly, next to a few others, this has to be one of the most convuluted, boring and sickening movies to watch. Want the storyline? Refer to the title, and thats about as exstensive as it gets. I own this on laser disc and have wanted to burn it for years. So many quality films being excluded from dvd and this pile of junk gets released. Too bad alot of good actors got caught up in this mess, but they are just as responsible. Man, this is bad, dont waste a dime on it.



4. The world is facing imminent destruction and a suicide mission is sent to the Sun to avert catastrophe by firing a bomb into its fiery heart: no, it's not Sunshine, it's Solar Crisis, aka Crisis 2050, which burned up a huge chunk of change that's never apparent on screen back in 1990 and returned barely enough to buy a Happy Meal for each of the cast in Japan before going straight to video (remember them?) in the re-edited version presented here that's credited to one Alan Smithee. The plot hook's pretty much the same as Sunshine - suicide mission to the Sun, saboteur on board, logic cast adrift - except that this time they're not trying to reignite the sun but to prematurely detonate a solar flare before it can reach Earth. With a talking bomb. Voiced by Paul Williams. Who wants to be promoted so the crew will take him more seriously...
   
   Given that the cast also includes Jack Palance at his most dementedly OTT, Charlton Heston at his most rigid, top-liner Tim Matheson at his most anonymous, the original Hills Have Eyes' unforgettable Michael Berryman (you may not remember the name, but you DO remember that face) and Peter Boyle as the industrialist out to sabotage the mission because, er, if it succeeds the world will be saved but his share price will go down, you'd expect if not a laugh-a-minute at least a laugh every reel. No joy. This is the worst kind of bad movie: a boring one. The fate of the world may be hanging in the balance but the whole film is shot with a complete lack of urgency or momentum at the same unvarying deadly slow pace. There's low-key and there's walking through it, but here the cast don't even do that. Instead, they just stand still looking at screens in near darkness for most of the time. You keep on hoping for Paul Williams' talking bomb to suffer an existential crisis, but instead the film just... stands there, doing next to nothing. Literally. This is one of the most inert movies ever made - so inert that if Clive Owen had been cast, he'd almost have looked lively by comparison. Even a poorly explained suicidal repair attempt fails to raise a fritter of interest since it mostly involves, yep, the cast just standing still looking at screens in near darkness. Even when the bomb prematurely goes into countdown before being launched they deal with the new crisis by... standing still looking at screens in near darkness as if they had all the time in the world. Merchant-Ivory films have better action scenes.
   
   Things aren't much livelier down on Earth where the movie spends most of it's running time with Matheson's son/Chuck's grandson Corin Nemec trying to hitch a ride to the spaceport across an arid landscape with Palance's insane desert artist "looking for that note out there while the chicks still dig me" while waylaid by rejects from a Mad Max ripoff and evil corporate suits who track him down so they can... release him on a nice beach. Just don't expect logic, if you haven't already guessed that much. Best moment? A ditzy girl in a bar describing Jack Palance as "An old guy with white hair and a face like rotting leather," though Chucky Baby taking out the villain's aircraft with a bazooka fired from the hip from an office window or beating up a barfly who likes his beret are welcome morsels of camp in a film that for 99% of it's running time offers a whole lot of nuttin'. Richard C. Sarafian's slightly longer original cut that played in Japan offers an additional six minutes but cries out to be cut down to a more manageable 17 minutes: the director of Vanishing Point must have thanked his lucky stars when this re-edit gave him an excuse to take his name off the film. A film so bad it's not good, and painfully unfunny with it.
   
   The DVD isn't even a good presentation of the cut 'Alan Smithee' version - while the film was shot in 2.35:1 widescreen, it's been cropped to fullscreen here.



5. Solar Crisis turned out to be a surprise. At first, the film starts out as a typical science fiction movie; you know, pretentious. Then, slowly as the plot finally emerges out from its "suspense"--behold!--a story that can be considered truly "science fiction." Without giving its ending away, Solar Crisis spiral its story and its characters into the heart of the sun. The movie does one thing that most science fiction film of late have failed to accomplish or forgotten its original premise: that self-sacrifice--not space exploration--is the ultimate adventure.

1 comments about Paris: City of Light.

1. I bought this after the Amazon suggestion to purchase with the London DVD since we are visiting both cities in a few weeks. The footage on this DVD is very dated, at least 20 years. The quality of the photography and the audio is extremely poor. The narration seems adequate and accurate, but I was detracted by the poor overall quality. This was a waste of money.

2 comments about American Classics: Old School - Classic Travel Trailers.

1. This DVD is a treasure trove of overviews and actual travel trailers, some restored, some waiting, some inbelievably rare! The DVD is short, but just seeing all of these great old masterpieces which are a slice of American history is a wonderful treat. The photography is great, and we do see some wonderfully restored-to-original trailers, as well as some with modern modifications for the comfort seeking traveler, who still wants the vintage look. Definitely work the low purchase price for such a wonderful trip back in time.



2. It was interesting ,But, I thought there would be more of the older trailers shown , and more info , as I Have A 1957 16' Fireball that I am restoring.

No comments about Britney Spears - Live And More!.

No comments about Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown - Episode 28: Amsterdam, The Netherlands/Holland.

1 comments about Europe to the Max: Hidden Treasures - Romantic Germany and Beyond.

1. I have bought DVDs from both Maxa and Steves and find both to be pretty good. If I had to pick one I'd probably recommend Max as Rick Steves can come off as a bit boring nearing grating after a couple of hours. Steves books are thorough however and make for a good source (though Karen Brown's are the best for quaint inns and travel itineraries).

3 comments about Globe Trekker: Cambodia.

1. Ian Wright takes you on this journey to Cambodia (I saw this on PBS). This is not your usual Ian being a goofball.
   
   In this installment he talks with survivors of the Khmer Rouge's prison. One well-known prisoner Vann Nath is interviewed (whose skills as a painter kept him alive). One of seven survivors of Cambodia's Tuol Sleng torture chambers, and escaped when Pol Pot's "killing fields" regime suddenly collapsed in 1979. He painted graphic pictures of communist Khmer Rouge extracting "confessions" from victims.
   
   Some of his paintings depicting the atrocities he witnessed while he was held captive are shown. GUT WRENCHING!!!



2. One of my favourite Globe Trekker DVDs. Ian Wright, the traveller, was fabulous as always. Just be aware there is quite graphic animal sacrifice in this DVD, including of a dog, so just be prepared.



3. Worth owning, I purchased it for a upcoming trip. A little more information on problems to watch out for and how to move around the country would be nice

5 comments about Globe Trekker: Iceland & Greenland.

1. As opposed to the only other review, I must take an opposing view of this fascinating video. Perhaps I find Ian Wright a charmer as his personality and appearance match those of me and my friends, so his trip journey these north countries felt as though being relayed by a good pal. My only qualm is that I wished the trip were longer. The DVD quality is good and watching Wright trying to navigate a kayak, eat fresh raw fish (nowhere attractively prepared as sashimi)drinking "black death", nude mud bathing, and dog sledding 'cross the frozen tundra, you'd wish you were there.
   
   A highly watchable, sometimes laugh-out-loud, travel video and I look forward to more Globe Trekkers with Mr. Wright!
   
   p.



2. I bought this DVD hoping to get some ideas for outdoor expeditions for an upcoming trip to Iceland. Instead, there were gory scenes such as a reindeer getting its throat slit after being shot, and a scene of a bloody, skinned seal. I had to press the stop button on the DVD player before it was over. (As an aside, don't bother buying this if your main interest is Iceland - the majority of the program -- including the scenes referenced above -- is focused on Greenland.)
   
   Definitely not for children or animal-friendly adults!



3. I brought my Mom on a trip to Iceland last year. She kept saying how much she loves to think back on the trip so I purchased this for her. She says she looks at it often and feels like she's back in Reykjavik.



4. I could do without some of the camera silliness, but other than that I thought it was a great program. Ian Wright always does a vastly better job of showing the country he is visiting than the folks who followed him, many of the later shows seem like nothing but a guide to the bars and shopping in the countries visited. Ian certainly leaves you with a feel for how the places really are.
   
   I can understand that the squeamish can't stand the blood and guts in this show, but the intention is to show these places as they are, and it does that. This is frontier land, they don't get their meat at macdonalds, already cooked and wrapped in paper. If you can't handle that, tough luck.



5. I thought the video was average. I wished they had spent more time on Iceland and less on Greenland (more visit Iceland by far). I did like Ian the host. Now after visiting Iceland on two ocassions (planning a 3rd trip next year) I realize there is so much more to do in the country then what they presented in the video....but worth it for those who might be on the fence trying to decide whether or not to visit the country. BTW, its worth the trip, what a fantastic country!!

5 comments about Rick Steves - Best of Travels in Europe (British Isles/France/Spain & Portugal/Germany, Austria & Switzerland/Italy/Greece, Turkey, Israel & Egypt).

1. Great ivestment for the money! Ten dollars for 21 hours of travel information!! Can't be beat!!
   
   Sharp dvd quality video (definately not VHS) and a wealth of information for the money. Ricks' historical perspective of these destinations with his hands on practical advice make this a great investment for all future Europe-bound travelers. In all honesty, I really can't say enough great things about this dvd set.
   
   The video footage of all these destinations is fantastic as well. Not only focusing on the big tourist destinations, but covering the small country settings off the beaten path make this a wonderful bargain at this price!
   
   Will be added to the family video library!



2. Let's face it - some of like to read travel guidebooks and make detailed lists of itineraries, places to visit, etc. Others of us yawn at the thought of wading through all that print... but do better when we can actually see, with plenty of action and dialogue, the actual PLACES that we might be visiting.
   For those who like to get a feel for the country they are about to visit, these DVDs do the trick. We were awed by the film quality and even the humorous asides that Rick Steves provided about unique experiences he'd had.
   Be aware that Steves has strong opinions about how one best experiences a new country. He does provide basic info for the new or inexperienced traveler while also encouraging visitors to stray from the beaten paths and experience cities away from the usual "touristy" spots. In short, he suggests a mixture of planning and spontaneity, something that is sure to guarantee some unexpected surprises that could be the highlight of the trip.
   Each DVD is a delight and I was actually dissappointed when each ended, feeling as though my appetite was just getting whetting for a particular city. Looking at the DVD on Barcelona, for instance, only made me want to see more of the artist Gaudi's works and I was awestruck by churches which were still in construction after hundreds of years - such painstaking work! Seeing these images on the screen was so much more intense an experience than readng about them in a guidebook.
   We gave a set of these DVDs to a college student who was taking his first trip overseas and he was able to hit the ground running, knowing where to go to get the basic info he needed. From watching the DVDs, he also had a strong sense of WHAT he wanted to see and how best to travel, where to eat and how to avoid some of the pitfalls that one learns only AFTER becoming an experienced traveler. Well worth the price, especially since the savvy viewer should save time and money while having a wonderful time!



3. This DVD give an excellent overview of Europe and is a great value for the money ($4 per dvd). It shows the highlights, and also some more local non-touristy stuff which is nice.



4. Rick Steves is the best for any type of traveller. I enjoyed watching his PBS shows, reading his books, and of course perusing this dvd set. Rick Steves brings us to many different places in Europe and gives us wise advice to save our money and enjoy our travelling. He shows us how to make a budget and pack lightly so that we are not stuck with any worries besides picking of course different regional cuisine, desserts, liquors, museum tours, or public attractions. My favorites on the dvds are his trips through Austria where he partakes in the music (mozart's country) and the chocolate; Italy- with the art, the gondolas, and the food in general: and lastly Turkey with the open shopping marts and local entertainment.
   Its hard not to like Steves since he is so laid back, so well informed, and his advice is easy to follow. Another big plus is that he wont break your bank with these travels, he doesnt lure you to 4 star lodgings, but hostels and country inns. He opts for brown bagging, picnics, and cafeterias instead of sit down dining, and likes to scope out the museum tours and art galleries that are as beautiful but less talked about compared to say the Louvre or Notre Dame. Rick Steve's dvds give you the optimism to plan a European vacation and that it can be attainable and not just a dream.
   The only problem that people may find is that it can be a little out to date, but I have found that Rick tends to update his travel books each year and those are extremely informative.
   This is a great set for anyone looking to travel or just enjoy learning about new countries.



5. Used this DVD for lots of hints for our European travels. Rick never lets you down.

5 comments about Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home.

1. I've been re-watching the classic Star Trek trilogy that includes The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home. This period was, in my opinion, the pinnacle of the Star Trek franchise and of the three I probably had the fondest memories of The Voyage Home argued by many fans to be the best of all the films. Well, after seeing it again I have confess that it has not aged well. Not at all.
   
   To start with the plot is absurd and I have to give major credit to Leonard Nimoy for turning the script into even a half way decent movie. On the other hand Nimoy is the likely culprit for the painfully saccharine sweet feel of the movie. The Voyage Home is without a doubt the most in your face preachy movie in the series. In some ways it reminds me of the tragic Superman IV where Christopher Reeves blackmailed the producers into allowing him to make a message movie. It seems as if actors as directors sometimes forget that the primary reason for movies is entertainment. In the end it's the ham-handedness of the delivery that spoils the message. After The Voyage Home Nimoy went on to direct the mega-hit Three Men and a Baby and then his directorial career just seemed to fizzle out. It's hard to imagine how the director of the biggest grossing movie of 1987 could fall so quickly but maybe there's a limit to just how much heartwarming an audience can take before it turns into heartburn.
   
   The biggest strength of the film is also its biggest weakness. Moving the crew of the Enterprise to the 1980's gave the film tremendous opportunities for humor and The Voyage Home is undoubtedly the funniest of the Star Trek films. On the other hand the film is extremely dated and suffers mightily because of it. After the humorousness of seeing the Enterprise crew wander 1986 San Francisco in full Starfleet uniform wears off it feels a tad goofy.
   
   The last issue that really hurt the film for me is the glaring plot holes. Having the Klingon vessel be capable of time travel at will seems like something that would throw off the entire dynamics of the series. Yes, I realize that the Star Trek crew has traveled back in time in the television series but in movies I think you need to be a bit more diligent. They made mention of trying to avoid influencing the future but proceeded to do things that would undoubtedly have profound effects. At one point Scotty gives away the formula for "transparent aluminum" prompting McCoy to point out that they are probably altering the future. Scotty quips, "How do we know he [the man he gave the formula to] wasn't the inventor" It's a funny line but absurd and hurts the film. In another scene Spock shows concern that Kirk is pawning the glasses McCoy gave him for his birthday. Kirk implies that somehow since they are in the past he will get the glasses as a birthday gift again. It doesn't make any sense. These kinds of things have the feel of lazy scripting used to set up jokes.
   
   Perhaps the most obvious example of how overly cutesy the movie is is the song that plays out the final scene. It sounds like something from a Christmas movie not a Star Trek movie. The films running time is less than two hours but man did it feel longer. It was most disappointing that something I loved from my youth turned out to be not nearly as good as I remembered. What keeps the film decent is the wonderful interactions of the main characters but for me it wasn't nearly enough to offset the films defects.



2. Though Star Trek: The Original Series is probably best known for its diverse cast of characters and mind-bending storylines, many fans of the show consider the comedic-style episodes of the show to be paramount to all others, as they allow the main characters to emote in non-formulaic fashions (remember Sulu brandishing a rapier, Spock hanging from a tree, or the Easter bunny in "Shore Leave"?).
   
   Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a throwback to that style of episode. The film is bookended by moments of seriousness (which keep the film from falling too far outside the Star Trek cannon), but the meat of the story is hilarity all around!
   
   The movie begins with the U.S.S. Enterprise crew heading back home (in a Romulan warship) to face the criminal charges stemming from Captain Kirk's decision to destroy the Enterprise. On the way back to Starfleet, however, the crew finds that the world is in great peril and set off back in time (to twentieth-century San Francisco) to make things right.
   
   While in Frisco, the chaos (and hilarity!) begins. Whether it is Kirk and Spock trying to fit in among the locals, Scotty deciphering old computer technology, or Chekhov trying to find his "nuclear wessels", non-stop laughs abound.
   
   When the Enterprise crew finally does return to Starfleet, the scene that follows is one of the most uplifting moments in the entire Star Trek cannon, effectively ending the Star Trek II-IV movie "trilogy" and giving the show new life in the future.
   
   To conclude, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a rousing film filled with non-stop laughs. Though not as serious as all the other "Original Series" films, this movie has been embraced more than any other for its ability to lampoon both present and future cultures alike. If you just finished watching Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and are not in the mood for any more gut-wrenching scenes, this is the breathe of fresh air you need!



3. And that is the truth. They shot scenes from this fine film in my high school's backyard (The Former Alameda Naval-Air Base). And that was years and years before I ever met the likes of Blane, my production manager at the trophy shop, who laughs at me whenever I talk Trek with some of my customers. Heck Blane, I know you own this title on DVD AND VHS! Just like me. Why don't you just admit it already. It won't make you any less annoying to let the world see the fact that you are a nerd, like us (I mean you ex-wife and me). Maybe one day, when you're really drunk on too much Bud, you'll throw your ball at the bowling alley, miss every single pin, and remark, "No, I'm from Iowa, I just work in outer space."



4. Gene Roddenberry's original concept for the second Star Trek movie was time travel. Paramount wanted nothing to do with the idea and successfully "replaced" Roddenberry with Harve Bennett, and, thereby, "stealing" Star Trek from it's creator. Yet, in a truly ironical twist, Paramount reversed itself when Bennett approached them with Leonard Nimoy's ideas for time travel. Again, Roddenberry had "no" say in this movie--nor does it use any of Roddenberry's original ideas that I am aware of--and the story is written by Bennett and Nimoy, while the script was written primarily by Bennett and his buddy, Nicholas Meyer. Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes are also credited with "writing" the script--although it well known that what Harve Bennett wanted, that was what was in the script.
   
   When "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" came out in theaters, I refused to go to see it; even after the high praise for the film. I recently purchased it, however, as I am trying hard to accept Harve Bennett's and Nicolas Meyer's "new" version of Star Trek. Having watched it twice now, I can honestly say that from my perspective the only thing the film has going for it, is it's (then/now) timely environmental theme of saving the whales. Moreover, I can emphatically state that the only reason I rate this a three star movie is because the bonus features and commentaries on "Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)" provide the "rest of the story." Without the insight from these features as to what the movie was attempting to do, this movie is nothing more than bad science fiction and weak slapstick comedy.
   
   Leonard Nimoy's directing skills could not help the script; and I sense that if the movie had not been so successful at the box office, Nimoy would have come clean. That is, I cannot accept that Leonard Nimoy really believes that the final product is what he wanted; and the fact that this isn't a director's cut suggests to me that Nimoy wanted to leave well enough alone. As for the "cast," I feel like they are more than missing--quite literally for the non-core actors--since the Star Ship Enterprise (blown up in the previous movie) is not even present. Moreover, because most of the movie actually takes place "outside" of the Star Trek environment, the movie frequently dose not even "feel" right. As a result, I think, the actors just walk through their performances, with the "characters" seldom doing their usual roles.
   
   I suspect it is the fact that the movie really is NOT a Star Trek movie at all that made it so appealing to a much wider audience. Too bad the "fools" at Paramount did not listen to Gene Roddenberry; maybe this, the "most favorite" of the "Star Trek" movies would have been even a five star movie if the creator of this "universe" had written and controlled the show.
   
   Update--1 July 2008: If this review was not helpful to you, I would appreciate learning the reason(s) so I can improve my reviews. My goal is to provide help to potential buyers, not get into any arguments. So, if you only disagree with my opinion, could you please say so in the comments and not indicate that the review was not helpful. Thanks.



5. The Good Things
   *Some good special effects. Some of it is quite memorable.
   *Filming style is good.
   *Storyline is great; an interesting departure from the story-arc of the last two films that ties everything together nicely.
   *Characters are still good. You get to learn one or two more things about them all. Good acting.
   *This is mostly a comedy, so there are loads of funny scenes. Lots of memorable dialogue. Good writing.
   *Strong themes about the environment and saving the whales from extinction.
   *Music is good (uses a different, more upbeat theme).
   
   The Bad Things
   *Ummm...
   
   The Questionable Things
   *It almost seems too different in a way; can be good or bad.
   
   This is definately the funniest and most light-hearted of the bunch. Aside from the continuing "Star Trek" storyline and a number of great special effects, the story is dominated largely by hilarious dialogue and scenes as the crew travels back in time and tries to fit into an urban environment. On top of it all, it has some very strong messages about preserving our environment. Altogether, it'll leave you smiling.
   
   The one-disc version had okay video and sound quality. The two-disc version has good quality and a number of featurettes and trailers.