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[Equilibrium]

Equilibrium

A film with a long list of flaws.  It's watchable and entertaining to a degree.  Another one of those films that is grave disappointment for not living up to it's potential.  A super cop in a society without emotion where feeling is a crime and the punishment is severe.  It starts to present it's world in an interesting way but never bothers to go further than skin deep.  The story is pretty messy as well.

I've been watching one or two a day so it's spread out a little bit and I've seen 61 episodes so far.  It really depends on the quality of the next 19 episodes as to whether I can manage to get to the end or not.  The children of the corn episode "And the children shall lead" (from which the clip Professor Bear posted appears) really did my head in.  It was just so tiresome and annoying.

I'll probably have to admit that I'm not a big TV fan anyway.  I don't have a television feed and scheduled programming has been mostly devoid in my life for around 5 years now.  Box set viewing is how I view TV programmes now. 

Speaking of completest mentalities I have been seriously considering ditching my attempt to watch the original series Star Trek from start to finish.  I don't know how much more of it I can take but I feel obliged to persevere.  I must carry on  and get to the   end.  I can't let it      beat me.  I           just can't.  Don't you                               understand? Ican'tletit     win!

[1. Brendan Purchase]

OK, I have finally got my votes sorted out.  I was tempted to resort to throwing dice to decide.

First I'd like to thank JayzusB.Christ, Jim_Campbell, Link Prime, Sideshow Bob, TodelBack and Dandontdare for their votes and Bolt-01, Hoagy, COMMANDO FORCES, allistermac, Fatboydale, Fungus and BenWilsonham for their honourable mentions.  On with my votes:

1. Brendan Purchase - Deputy Chief Judge Fish.
2. Steve3po - Ukko
3. Hoagy - Necromancer & Toad

My Honourable Mentions in no particular order:

SuperSurfer - Eva Procopio
BenWilsonham - Call me Kenneth
Jim_Campbell - Red Plains Drifter
Dark Jimbo - Mungo Gallowgrass
daveycandlish - Jenny

It was extremely difficult to make this choice.  I loved all the entries and I think everyone put in fantastic work to make an amazing competition this month.

Also a big thanks to CrazyFoxMachine for putting in all the work organising this for us.  You are a star!

Agreed.

I am now not so bothered about whether we get a Dredd sequel or not.  We have a pretty good Dredd film that works as a standalone film.  Sequels can often disappoint.

[Dredd]

Dredd

Only the second time I have watched it.

As a stand alone film it's entertaining, concise and slick.  What you want from a science fiction action movie.  The basic plot works well and to it's advantage.

As a comic adaptation it's OK.  There are enough nods to the comic to keep me relatively happy.  The first time I viewed it I didn't like Anderson.  I loved early Anderson with all her attitude, humour and warmth - a real antithesis to Dredd.  I really enjoyed Anderson's soul searching, trip to Mars and return to the big Meg.  So I have a soft spot for Judge Anderson.  As much as Karl Urban's Dredd is a convincing Dredd, Olivia Thirlby's Anderson was not a convincing Anderson for me.  I have reconciled this point to a degree and on second viewing I enjoyed the movie Anderson in the context of the film (which does work - in the context of the film).

This film only had to do one thing to get a thumbs up from me.  Be better than the '95 Stallone shite.  With that in mind, my standards were set really low so when I first saw Dredd it was a really pleasant surprise and I honestly think it is better on a second viewing.  It is soooo much better than that other film.

One scene I really did like was when the Judges escaped briefly on the skater rink balcony and Anderson looks out over the night time MC1 skyline.  There was just something about it that resonated with me.

This was very much like on of those self contained stories of life in the big Meg.  In the comic it is those stories that keep things fresh.  I think the film did well not to pick any of the big moments in Dredd's history to base the film around.  I hope if a potential sequel becomes a reality this is kept in mind. 

A prog of conclusions ending most the stories started way back in the jumping on prog, 1850.

A striking cover by Henry Flint.

The conclusion to Dredd was satisfying.  Emma Beeby presented a good story well told that thoroughly entertained.  John Burns' artwork is always nice to see in the prog.  Beeby's writing on this strip has had the feel of a Wagner strip and I hope we see more contributions from her.  She captured the feel Dredd perfectly for me.

Flesh appears to get a double length feature in the prog for it's finale.  Can't say I have been bedazzled by Flesh, but I have been enjoying the artwork at least.  I would honestly prefer to see Mill's working on more Savage and Defoe.

Brass Sun is fantastic.  Ian Edginton is fast becoming my favourite writer amongst the current roster at 2000 AD.  Brass Sun is pure epic and I hope we see plenty more from it in the future.  The story telling has been exciting and this conclusion leaves me wanting more.  Inj Culbard's artwork is wonderful and entirely appropriate.  Of the stories that started back in prog 1850, this has been my favourite.

Damnation Station's first run didn't leave a huge impression on me.  This sequel may leave more of a mark if only for Mark Harrison's artwork.  I think that I would have to read the first series and the second series together another time to draw any clear conclusions about the story.  I found it entertaining, but difficult to follow considering I couldn't remember what came before.

(my first prog review)

How is it that I've never heard of Who Dares Wins?

[Daybreakers]

Daybreakers

A vampire film with an interesting concept.  The execution didn't live up to it's potential, however.  It is always sad to watch a film that has really good ideas but not the story to back them up.  The cast is good and it's relatively entertaining but I can't help think it could have been a whole lot better than what it was. 

Ahh Bruce Lee films.  I think I watched them all from a friends box set back when I was at university.  I remember First of Fury and being surprised about the anti-Japanese sentiment, but only to a degree.  There are certainly parallels in our own culture.

I remember Game of Death being pretty awful but watching it because of the circumstances that surrounded it.

Enter the Dragon is the film I am probably most familiar with as it was the first Bruce Lee film I saw and I have seen a few times - although I haven't watched a Bruce Lee film in around 10 years.

I am now of to decide my evening viewing pleasure.

[Monster vs. Aliens]

Monster vs. Aliens

It's a fun and amusing film about Monsters vs. Aliens.  That about sums that up.

[Underworld: Rise of the Lycans]

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

I had memories of being disappointed by this film but I couldn't remember why.  Last night it all came flooding back.  My biggest gripe with this film is its wasted potential.  My second biggest gripe is the poor continuity.  The special effects are really up to muster either.

The film had a strong enough premise to be pretty damn epic even with it's obviously small budget.  It was fun to watch Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen fight it out to see who is the better actor.  Michael Sheen won the fight.

Nevertheless, it's still watchable and not as bad as Underworld: Awakening which I have no inclination of watching again any time soon.

I wasn't aware of the story or even the author, but I get your meaning.  I don't think many people would figure out one of the twists at the end from that reference.  Impressive that you did

I remember seeing half of this very late at night a few years ago and making a mental note to watch the whole thing at a later date. I then forgot all about it so thanks for reminding me!

You're welcome. Hope you enjoy it

Don't know if it was the writers trying to be clever of just some coincidence but, either way, the main character's surname did kinda give away the twist.

Sullivan or Rooks?  Either way I don't see what you're getting at, would you be willing to explain?

For some odd reasons every time I watch the film I think they are saying Brooks not Rooks.

"...it's got to be better than comics"???  This is just pure gibberish to me.