Category Archives: Television

Legend of the Black Scorpion “The Banquet” (DVD)

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Inspired by the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet, Legend of the Black Scorpion (USA) aka The Banquet (International) definitely lived up to reputation as being one of the most aesthetically pleasing films to come out of China/Hong Kong in quite some time.

The cinematography and musical score for this film were its obvious selling points. Everything from the outdoor locations to the indoor sets were exquisitely well crafted, as were the intricate costume designs and makeup artistry. The overall visual experience you get from this film is just outstanding. Composer Tan Dun also puts together quite an impressive score which helped to set the mood for its audience and intensified the beauty of this film tenfold.

This is where this film’s strengths end however. Its failure begins with its weak storyline and character development. The characters never seem to connect to its viewers and their performances felt more rehearsed than realistic. The film also dragged at the most inopportune times. There were several moments which actually started off strong only to end up being followed by some tiresome dialogue which would make the best of us nod off.

From a purely aesthetic level, it is easy to be swept away by this film. It is perfect in almost every way. Yet from an emotional standpoint, this film leaves its audience yearning for more and leaves you with more questions than answers. Legend of the Black Scorpion should only be watched if your a die hard fan Shakespearean type plots. I can’t really recommend this film to anyone else. After the first hour or so, it became quite a chore to finish.

Synopsis: In 907 AD, the Tang Dynasty is in tatters; infighting snarls the imperial family. Crown Prince Wu Luan loves Little Wan, but his father takes her as his Empress. Wu Luan goes into exile, studying dance and music. His uncle murders his father, taking throne and Empress; uncle sends assassins to kill Wu Luan. The Crown Prince eludes death and comes to court. The Emperor arranges for Little Wan’s coronation and dispatches Wu Luan to a distant land; he then calls for a midnight banquet on the 100th day of his rule. Poison, treachery, Wu Luan’s return, and the love of the innocent Qing for Wu Luan set up the final entanglements. No Fortinbras or Horatio lay the dead to rest. Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (S1)

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After such a huge disappointment with T3 : Rise of the Machines, I had my doubts about the success of this series. To completely honest with you, I had skipped the entire season believing it would be dropped within a year.

Last month however, I got word that a second season was underway and it caught my attention enough to warrant a DVD screening. By episode 3, “The Turk” I was completely hooked. For the next few hours I watched the rest of the series continuously until I had completed all nine episodes. Not only was Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles entertaining, it had to be one of the best sci-fi television series I had watched in years. It was so good in fact that I have already set aside time for the premiere of Season 2 which debuts later this evening on Fox.

If you haven’t checked this series out yet, I suggest you take some time to view all the full episodes on Fox on Demand. This series hasn’t disappointed me yet and has been worth my time so far. The casting is great, the character development excellent, and the plot engaging and suspenseful. If I must take the shallow route, just be sure to check out Lena Headey and Summer Glau. Talk about some serious eye candy. How can a mom who is under so much stress look so damn good? And even nuttier, How can a cyborg we know is a cyborg still be so damn sexy!! haha.

Most watched Cartoons of the 1980′s

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These were the cartoon’s I’d rush home to watch after school. I’d take the T.V. Guide and highlight all the shows and times so I wouldn’t miss them. Personally, I feel I had the privilege of growing up in the greatest decade of animated television. I can’t see any of the cartoons of this generation coming close to the stuff we had back in our day.

G.I. Joe

“A Real American Hero” It was America vs. The COBRA Organization. The most memorable character for me was Cobra Commander. That eerie laugh of his is unforgettable and recognizable anywhere. The infamous Dreadnocks from the swamps were pretty cool as well and I think it was Zartan who could blend in with the swamp?? Let’s not forget Golobulus and the Cobra La faction. Golobulus’s flying bodyguard Nemesis Enforcer was a beast! He kicked major tail until he met up with Sgt. Slaughter who I thought was overrated! lol. Other favorites of mine included Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Roadblock, Gung-Ho, Mercer, Tunnel Rat, Destro, and all COBRA’s Viper teams. Ninja looking soldiers were just too damn cool!

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