Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Astro Boy"

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Astro Boy"

"Astro Boy" is an animated science-fiction film with the voice talents of Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron, Kristin "Veronica Mars" Bell, Bill Nighy, Nathan Lane, etc.

In the near future, we rely on robots for almost everything. Also, the surface of the earth is basically in shambles, but Metro City is a sprawling metropolis in the sky. A brilliant scientist named Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage) allows his precociously intelligent son to be present when the power-mad President of Metro City places unstable, negative "Red Matter" in a robot for military purposes; and tragedy results. After his son Toby dies, Tenma spends every waking moment constructing a robotic replica of his child. The robot is powered with positive "Blue Matter", plus it has his son's consciousness and good heart. The malevolent President Stone (Bill Nighy) hopes to start a war with the surface of the earth, so he will be reelected. It seems Stone will go to any length to stay in power. After the disaster with the "Red Matter", Stone wants to use the "Blue Matter" for nefarious purposes, so he wants the boy robot destroyed. Instead, the robot-boy escapes to the surface and gets the name "Astro Boy". Astro Boy ends up saving everyone from the malevolent Stone's madness. A movie that both kids and adults can enjoy.

Poetry: "A Killer Has Died" A Work in Progress

Poetry: "A Killer Has Died" A Work in Progress

A killer has died.

I won't give his name

For what he has done

He deserveth no fame

Some of his victims he killed with a pin

Soaked in some poisons and mingled with gin.

Some he killed with a rusty blade

As he laughed out loud as their lives would fade

Others he slew with a makeshift gun

He pulled back the hammer as they started to run

Even sisters in habits who he killed just for fun... (to be cont'd?)

Poetry: "Waging War" A Work in Progress

Poetry: "Waging War" A Work in Progress

Waging War and War Wages

Blood on the Battlefield

Casualties are many

The enemy refuses to yield.

Waging War and War Wages

A taut bow stretches back

Arrows start to hit their mark

A lethal wound starts flowing black

Death turns the battleground quite dark

Waging War and War Wages

A poor vet steps on a mine

As his mangled legs won't let him flee

All he can do is whine.

Waging War and War Wages

Bullets strike a guy in his chest

And his body goes cold

as he dies on the side of a road

Waging War and War Wages

In Iraq an IED [Improvised Explosive Device] creates a deadly blast

It killed thirty some-odd people

Whose lives weren't meant to last... (to be cont'd?)

Waging War and War Wages

Roads are covered in Gore

Blood and violence are in history's pages

Battles ought to be shown the door... (to be cont'd?)

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Law Abiding Citizen"

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Law Abiding Citizen" Rated R

Character(s)/ Actor(s): Clyde Shelton (Gerard "300" Shelton), Jamie "Ray" Fox, etc.

After a brutal home invasion, Clyde Shelton's wife and young daughter are murdered by two thugs. Thanks to a plea bargain, the guy who really killed Shelton's family gets off practically scot-free. Ten years later, seemingly mild-mannered Shelton goes on an over the top vigilante killing spree, crossing over into terrorism. Even in maximum security prison and in solitary confinement, the police and the government are powerless to stop Shelton from killing whomever he pleases. Shockingly violent at times. If you enjoyed movies like "Death Wish" with Charles Bronson, you might enjoy this as well. If you are squeamish, you won't like this movie.

Sci-Fi Bri's Television Picks

Sci-Fi Bri's Television Picks:

"Occupation" (2009) (On BBC America)

In this two-part, four hour miniseries, three British soldiers recently stationed in Iraq have a tough time adjusting to civilian life. They all return to Iraq. One returns to pursue love. Another returns to pursue greed, and the third returns out of guilt. This miniseries depicts the war in Iraq, terrorism and the 'private military contractors' who profit from the war. A really excellent show. One minor complaint was that the British accent was hard to decipher, even with subtitles.

"Community" Thursdays on NBC

I'm not a big fan of situation comedies, but I try to never miss this one about a bunch of misfits who attend a community college. The main character is a smarmy former lawyer whose law license was pulled when the college degree he once earned somewhere south of the border was invalidated. He's pretty much going through the motions at this community college. However, when he meets a very attractive fellow student named Britta he pretends to be an expert in Spanish and starts a study group with the intent of sleeping with her. Instead, he sort of befriends the other members of the study group. I can't recall the actor's name, but one member of the cast is former Saturday Night Live player Chevy Chase. The ex-lawyer is always scheming to get with Britta and to pass his classes with as little effort as possible. Very funny.

"The Forgotten" (ABC)

Christian Slater plays a former cop whose child went missing who leads a group who help find missing people, especially children. Very similar to the program "Without A Trace".

"Mercy" (NBC) A former Iraqi war vet is now head nurse at Mercy Hospital. She constantly butts heads with an arrogant doctor, and another doctor she once had an affair with in Iraq begins working at her hospital. She's married but is still attracted to her former paramour. Very similar to "Hawthorne" on TNT network.

"Flash Forward" (ABC) Just about everyone on earth passes out for two and a half minutes and most have visions of what will happen exactly six months later. Some people try to evade that fate, but others welcome it. Very similar to "Lost". Every week you get a little more information of what happened in that two and a half minutes, but not everything. I really like this kind of show, but you have to give it your undivided attention or you'll probably be lost.

"The Vampire Diaries" A many centuries old vampire becomes a high school student and begins dating a beautiful young fellow student. Very similar to the movie "Twilight", but the story was written before the "Twilight books came out. Incidentally, "Community", "Flash Forward" and "The Vampire Diaries" are all scheduled at the same time, so prepare to deploy your DVR machine, if you have one.

"Modern Family" (ABC) A lame sitcom with an aging Ed O'Neill (the former Al Bundy from "Married With Children") as an older man married to a stunning Latina with a step-child he can't relate to, a gay couple who decide to adopt a child, and overprotective parents who are all friends. I only watched one episode, and it didn't present a good first impression. If I watch it again it will likely be in reruns.

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Zombieland"

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Zombieland" Rated R for violence, profanity, and nudity

Characters/Actors: Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody "Cheers" Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), Abigail "Little Miss Sunshine" Breslin Directed by: Ruben Fleishcher

Tongue in cheek horror about a zombie- infested America in which the four or so remaining humans end up traveling together and kill as many flesh-eating zombies as they possibly can. More funny than scary. Columbus, a twenty-something hypochondriac with irritable bowel syndrome is hilarious as an unlikely survivor in a post-apocalyptic world with his meticulous rules for survival. Tallahassee, a cowboy on the lookout for the last Hostess Twinkies on the planet, is just the opposite. His one area of expertise is "killing zombies" in all kinds of ingenious ways. Columbus and Tallahassee meet and end up traveling together, even though Columbus gets on Tallahassee's nerves. In their travels, they meet a pair of devious girls, who scam them several times. Eventually, they all team up as perhaps the last four living people in America, if not the world. There is a surprise cameo in the film which I won't give away. This was one of the funnier movies I have seen this year.

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Surrogates" ,etc.

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Surrogates" , "Paranormal Activities" and "Whip It"

"Surrogates" Characters/Actors: Greer (Bruce Willis), the Prophet (Ving Rhames), Radha "Melinda and Melinda" etc. Mitchell, James Cromwell, etc.

In the not-too-distant future, people mostly stay home and live vicariously through their robotic "avatars" or surrogates by way of Virtual Reality. Robotic police 'avatars' Greer (Bruce Willis) and Mitchell's character investigate the murder of someone related to the inventor of the surrogates. Meanwhile, "Dreads" or a group of people who despise the surrogates and live in their own separatist enclave, initiate violent acts against any perceived surrogate. After awhile, the real Greer lethargically ventures out of his house to himself investigate and feels quite disoriented. It also seems that everyone with a surrogate takes antidepressants. Someone or many people plot to end the surrogate system. I really enjoyed this film, especially since you couldn't really tell the difference between real people and their avatar surrogates.

"Paranormal Activities" Actors: Katie (Katie Featherston), Micah (Micah Sloat)

Ultra-low budget film mostly about a young couple and the unknown presence that seems to haunt one of them. Micah and Katie are "engaged to be engaged" and have recently moved in together in a nice house in San Diego, California. Katie believes she has been "haunted" since she was a little girl, and she attributes a house she once lived in that burned down to the haunting. Her boyfriend Micah sets up fancy video equipment to record what, if anything is going on. At first, not much happens, but as time goes by the 'presence' manifests itself more and more. It moves and does something else (I don't want to give it away) to a Ouija Board, and it eventually drags Katie out of her bed. You might think that the couple could flee from the 'presance', but think again. Soon after failing to hire an exorcist or similar supernatural expert, the movie comes to a shocking end. The scares are few, but effective. Like a combination of the "Blair Witch Project" and "The Exorcist".

"Whip It" Directed by: Drew Barrymore Characters/Actors: Bliss aka 'Babe Ruthless ( Ellen "Juno" Page), Drew "E.T." Barrymore, 'Hot Tub' Johnny Rockets (Jimmy "SNL" Fallon), Marcia Gaye Harding, Daniel "Home Alone " Stern, Juliette Lewis, etc.

In actress Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, a semi-rebellious beauty pageant contestant goes to a roller derby contest, tries out for the league, and though she is under the minimum age, she makes the team and secretly sneaks out to play between high school classes and her miserable part time job. At first she can barely skate, but after awhile she gets her hapless team into the championship against their arrogant, undefeated rivals. Naturally, her parents oppose her new hobby. It is obvious that the women in this movie had a lot of fun as Roller Derby queens. Not exactly original, but fun to watch.