TV Review: One foot in the grave

Release date: January 4th 1990 - November 20th 2000 (6 series. 42 episodes and 2 shorts).

Story: The comedic life, mishaps, and exploits of recently retired Victor Meldrew and his long suffering wife Margret.

My thoughts: This is a classic comedy series. The jokes are great and the characters are amazing. The only downside is that this show can get dark at times (but not always). This show came at the time when the classic sitcoms were changing into what they are today. But this show is great and I would recommend it for everyone.

My score: Four stars.

Film Review: Alien

Release date: May 25th 1979 (US release). September 6 1979 (UK release).

Story: After traveling through deep space on its way back to Earth, the spaceship Nostromo comes across a strange planet and awakens it's crew from stasis. They then land on the planet and start exploring a derelict alien space craft. As they do, they come across a large chamber full of egg like objects. And as one of them takes a closer look, something jumps out, smashes it's way through his visor, and attaches itself onto his face. What was the thing that came out of the egg? Is it dangerous? And what will be the consequences? Watch the movie and find out.

My thoughts: This is a great movie. From the suspense and atmosphere to the scenery and actors. The alien creature itself looks like something out of your nightmares. This movie took elements from classic horror movies and mixed them with elements from science fiction. If you haven't seen it then I would say check it out.

My score: Five stars.

Film Review: Halloween.

Release date: October 25th 1978.

Story: Years after killing his sister, a silent psychopath Michael Myers escapes from the Sanitarium and returns to his home town. Where he begins to stalk and kill those who are unfortunate to cross his path. Will he be recaptured before the whole town falls prey to him?

My thoughts: This movie is a horror classic. It may not be the first on of it's genre but it started the whole 'Slasher killer on the loose' genre which were popular between 1978 to 1984. Also both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were offered the role for the psychiatrist Doctor Loomis but they turned down the offer (Peter had just played a role in Star Wars the year before). Anyway the characters are good (Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis especially) and this movie has a lot of sequels (Halloween 3: Season of the witch is something else completely) and a remake by Rob Zombie. This movie is a must have for any horror film fans and I would recommend it.

My score: Four stars.

Film Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Release date: October 1st 1974.

Story: A group of friends travel across Texas to visit the grave and the old housestead of one of the group's grandparents who used to be cattle farmers. But while they were visiting (and especially after coming across a creepy hitchhiker), they run out of gas and they go searching for anyone who has some spare. But one by one they come across a run down house in the middle of nowhere. And soon fall prey to the house's psychopathic residences.

My thoughts: This horror movie sets out to be both shocking and disturbing. And it doesn't disapproves. There is a lot of horrific scenes in this movie. Especially from the character Leatherface. But it is a great film for the horror genre and has spawned three sequels, a remake and it's prequel, and another prequel. Leatherface has become a horror icon and was the first to appear during the bronze age of horror movies.

My score: Four stars. 

Anime Review: Dragonball Z

Release date: April 26 1989 - January 31 1996 (Japanese release) September 13th 1996 - April 7th 2003 (English dub release). 9 seasons, 291 episodes. The series was re-mastered years later and renamed Dragonball Z Kai.

Story: After the events or Dragonball, Goku is happily married to Chi Chi and has a son named Gohan. But things turn when a new threat arrives on Earth in the form of Goku's brother Raditz. Who reveals Goku's origins. This then leads to a series of adventures which will take him to numerous places, fighting new enemies, meeting new friends, and gaining new powers.

My thoughts: This show is amazing. From the characters to the story archs. Many of the stories follow the same pattern. The characters learn of a new enemy that has appeared, Goku is absent for most of it, the others fight the enemy until it looks like they are close to being defeated, then Goku arrives at the last minuet and finishes off the enemy. The battles (despite been long and take up most of many episodes) are epic and suspenseful. And the opening songs "Fly Away", "We've gotta power!", and the english opening song "Rock the dragon!" are all amazing. So if you haven't seen this yet, then I would highly recommend it.

My score: Five stars.

Film Review: The Fly

Release date: August 15 1986.

Story: Jeff Goldblum plays a scientist named Seth Brundle who is busy trying to perfect his teleporting machines. But with the help from a journalist (played by Geena Davis), he manages to perfect it to the point where living beings can use it. But while testing it using himself as a test subject, he fails to notice that a house fly has entered the device as well. And the two of them merge with terrifying consequences.

My thoughts: This was a remake of a 1958 movie of the same name and story. But it is considered to be better than the original. In the original, the scientist only swapped heads and left arms with the fly and is trying to find a way of reversing it. While in the remake, the transformation from human to hideous human/insect hybrid (named Brundle-fly) takes its time through out the film. And the results are both impressive and shocking. Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis are great to watch and the other characters have their great moments as well. This is a great film for those who are both horror fans and science fiction fans.

My score: Four stars.

Film Review: Freddy vs Jason

Release date: August 15th 2003.

Story: After being powerless for many years due to people having forgotten him, Freddy Kruger comes up with a plan to try and return to his old ways of killing people in their dreams. But in order to do this, he decides to resurrect another undead killer named Jason Voorhees and (in disguised as Jason's mother) sends him off to Springwood to start killing people and in doing so make people remember Freddy and make him powerful again. But then Freddy realises that Jason isn't going to stop and soon the two start fighting. Who will win in this legendary battle? Watch the movie and find out.

My thoughts: This is the movie that introduce me to both Freddy Kruger and Jason Voorhees and their movie franchises. This movie takes it's time to get to the battle between them but it is worth it. Also fans may question the fact that Jason is scared of water when in the other films he is seen entering water without hesitation. But otherwise it is still a good movie and I would recommend it for any horror film fan.

My score: Four stars. 

Film Review: Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla

Release date: December 10th 1994 (Japanese release). 1999 (American strait to VHS release).

Story: During a military task to plant a mind controlling device on Godzilla, the United Nations Godzilla Countermeasures Centre learn that a greater threat is heading towards Earth. In the form of a alien version of Godzilla called Spacegodzilla. In order to counter this new threat, the humans create a new giant robot to counter the creature named M.O.G.U.E.R.A. But Spacegodzilla attacks Godzilla's home island and imprisoning his son. So now Godzilla is out to get his own back as he and M.O.G.U.E.R.A team up to take down Spacegodzilla when it attacks Tokyo.

My thoughts: This a good movie. Spacegodzilla's design is great but its origin is confusing. It is said that during the final battle of Godzilla vs Biollante that Godzilla's cells (named G-Cells) had drifted into space and (after getting radiation from a black hole) created Spacegodzilla. But then immediately afterwoulds they came up with a different origin and that the cells were on the back of Mothra and fell off of her while she was in space. But despite that it is a great film and is a must see for Godzilla fans.

My score: Four stars. 

TV Review: Last of the summer wine.

Release date: November 12th 1973 - August 29th 2010 (31 seasons. 295 episodes).

Story: The comedic goings on with the middle age/elderly residents of a West Yorkshire town.

My thoughts: This is my absolute favourite comedy show. From the characters and settings to the jokes and set ups. The show started off with three characters and the things they get up too but soon changed into more of a comedy soap opera with new characters being added on in later series. And soon it became Britain's longest running comedy show and the longest running sitcom in the world. The main three characters were Compo Simmonite (Played by Bill Owen) and Norman Clegg (played by Peter Sallis) with the third character changing from time to time. First there was Cyril Blamire (played by Michael Bates) for the first two seasons, then there was Foggy Dewhurst (played by Brian Wiled) for series three to eight. When Foggy went off to take over his family's egg painting business,  Ex head master turned inventor Seymour Utterwaite (played by Michael Aldridge) took over from the ninth series to the eleventh and then Foggy returned for series twelve to eighteen. And finally there's Herbert Truelove (played by Frank Thronton). an ex police officer who went by the nickname Truly of the Yard. Other characters include Nora Batty (played by Kathy Staff), her husband and pigeon racer Wally Batty (played by Joe Gladwin), The café owner Ivy played by Jane Freeman), her husband Sid (played by John Comer), Clegg's next-door neighbour Howard, Howards wife Pearl, Howard's mistress Marina, the handyman Wesley, his wife Edith, their daughter Glenda, her husband Barry, the antique shop owner Auntie Wainwright, her helper Smiler Hemmingway, and finally the short sighted Eli Duckett. This is a well known and liked show and will bring laughter to everyone who watches it. The town Holmfirth has become a major tourist attraction thanks to the show. I highly recommend it for all.

My score: Five stars.

TV Review: Terrahawks

Release date: October 9th 1983 - July 26th 1986 (Three seasons. 39 episodes).

Story: The year is 2020. Mars has been invaded and taken over by the villainous Zelda and her mismatch army of alien mercenaries. Zelda now sets her sights on conquering Earth but there is only one thing standing in her way. And that is the Terrahawks. A group of people and robots that use specially made craft which they use to defend the planet at all cost.

My thoughts: This is a really good show. This will be the last Gerry Anderson show to use puppets. Most of the characters are great and the special effects are also great. The one thing that I thought the show should have explored was the character Doctor Ninestein. He is one of many clones that if one dies, another one replaces him. But this only happens once in the show. I thought that it would be a good idea that each clone would have it's own personality and see how this effects the show. But it is stated that the clones have their minds and personality altered so that they become Ninestein. But overall it is a god show and I would recommend it for everyone.

My score: Three stars.

Film Reviews: The Blob.

Release date: September 12th 1958.

Story: A teenager (played by Steve McQueen) and his girlfriend witness a meteor crash landing in a field nearby. But a homeless person gets to it first and discovers that inside is a tiny red blob that soon attaches itself to his arm. The teenagers then take the man to the local doctors and discover that the blob has consumed the man's whole arm and is getting bigger. Soon the blob starts absorbing the local townsfolk and the teenagers try and warn the remaining townsfolk before it's too late. Will they be able to warn them in time? Watch the movie and find out.

My thoughts: I love classic B-movies from the 50's and 60's. Everything from aliens invading, mad science gone wrong, monsters on the rampage, and tons of action. This movie has most of those things. The blob itself is amazing and the song that plays during the opening credits is very catchy. This was also the first big screen debut for Steve McQueen.

My score: Four stars.

Film Review: Puppet Master 2

Release date: November 28th 1990 (UK release). February 7th 1991 (US release).

Story: After the events of the last movie, a team of parapsychologists arrive at the Bodega Bay Inn hotel to investigate the strange murder of Megan Gallagher and the lunatic rantings of a now insane Alex Whitaker. But soon they are picked off one by one by the puppets. And also discover that not only do they have a new puppet within their ranks (Torch), but that their creator Andre Toulon has returned from the dead!

My thoughts: A great movie in the Puppet Master film series. Torch looks cool and he really does known every scene he is in. There might be some things in this that you may not like but overall it is a good sequel.

My score: Four stars.