Battlestar Galactica: The Plan Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I started watching The Plan really skeptical; I read all the reviews here, and thought it was going to be mediocre at best, as all the negative reviews seem to be saying that in unison.
However, I was really pleasantly surprised. I can understand how some people might be disappointed with The Plan, it doesn't, after all, answer some of the questions left hanging in the air after the series finale. It doesn't have the space battles or insane intensity of some of BSG's better episodes. It doesn't include some of the most important characters (Laura Roslin, Apollo, Starbuck).
But The Plan was never planned or written, I think, as a nostalgia film that is supposed to exploit our feelings for these characters to milk us for some cash. Instead, it has decided to do something bold: to tell an entirely new story that connects with what we already know, happening at the same time as what we've seen during the first two seasons of BSG.
It's the story of how the Cylons, each in different situations and living amongst different humans were in fact influenced by those humans. We see them developing genuine empathy, and utter hate. We see some renouncing their Cylon identity because of what they've done. We see them questioning their actions. We see them at their most brilliant, but also at their most incompetent. We see them for what they truly are: the imperfect creations of imperfect creations. In the end, the moral is simple: it's easy to kill someone from space with a nuke. It's hard to kill someone looking them in the eye.
If your going to watch The Plan expecting some grand revelations about the loose ends in the series finale, then you will come out disappointed. But if you watch The Plan looking for a really well written movie, with some terrific performances, some new insights into Cylon thinking, or just for a little nostalgia, you wont be disappointed.
So, if you choose to buy this DVD, judge it on it's own merits.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

The Cylons began as humanity's robot servants.They rebelled and evolved and now they look like us.Their plan is simple: destroy the race that enslaved them.But when their devastating attack leaves human survivors, the Cylons have to improvise.Battlestar Galactica: The Plan tells the story of two powerful Cylon leaders, working separately, and their determination to finish the task.

Get 35% OFF

Click here for more information about Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

Miami Vice - Season Three (1984) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)ok, they are taking forever with these sets. anyway, its finally here. i think season two was the best season overall, but season three had some of the best episodes; unfortunately, it had some pretty bad ones as well. here's the quick and dirty on each episode:
When irish eyes are crying: the season premier episode. i was a little let down after the spectacular season premier of season 2 (the prodigal son). this is a very good episode though with liam neeson as the IRA terrorist. also, an important episode because crockett gets his ferrari blown up (its a classic mv moment; the expression on crocket's face lol)
stone's war: the stone eps are always good. crocket's reporter friend from viet nam returns to try and take down g. gordon liddy (yea, good luck with that pal!)
kill shot: a ho-hum episode about an impotent jai alai player who gets black mailed by drug dealers. nothing to write home about...
walk alone: ok, one of the best episodes of mv, imho. tubbs has to go undercover in a prison to get the guys that killed his girlfriend in a club. larry fishburne plays a guard. great music in this one and one of the more brutal eps of mv...
the good collar: a ho hum episode again. crockett identifies with a star football player that gets caught up in the drug world. nuthin' special...
shadow in the dark: ok, again one of my fav. eps. dark, moody, dreamlike and strange. a cat burgler goes after people's pants and ear-rings and freaks crockett and a detective out as they both try to develop the mindset of the cat burgler to catch him. GREAT scene with castillo and crockett sitting in a coffee shop together :)
el viejo: i really like this episode featuring willie nielson. has bon jovi song, wanted, dead or alive and flies on the windscreen by depache mode. also features the little reservior dogs geek, steve buscimi. great music, action and plot...
better living through chemistry: i really like this ep too in which tubbs' old partner comes back from NY for a little revenge on tubbs. a genius chemist figures out how to synthesize cocaine. hummm, all they need is a guina pig now. hey, is that izzie??
baby blues: ok, this ep [...]. something about a black market for babies and a dirty lawyer. i only watched it maybe twice, when i've watched the other eps many, many times...
streetwise: another [...] ep featuring the clown that can't act from tombstone (bill paxton). about an undercover cop who is in love with a hooker. this can't end well...
down for the count: sad, dreery 2 part ep. in which zito is killed. didn't really care for these eps and didn't like to see zito go :(
the savage: i like this episode about an assassin and his handler that have been brought in to take out a communist sympathizer. crockett and castillo find some help from an old viet nam friend who was trying to track down the assassin in nam. Michael wright is great as the assassin who has a nasty habit of killing hookers along with his "legit" i.e., "sanctioned" targets. good music and ending...
theresa: crockett's dr. girlfriend (helena bonham carter) is also a junkie. too bad for you crockett! she compromises his case and i.a. goes after crockett, thinking he's dirty. he has to prove himself by taking down brad dourif! a good ep
an afternoon plane: ok, really good ep. in which calderon's son, john leguizmo, comes back to get a little revenge by tricking tubbs and his new lady (also a dr.) to stay on an island that has no guns on it. good music and good acting in an ep in which tubbs takes on 3 stone killers. but why did tubbs' girl think she could help with that??
lend me an ear: great ep. has the song, lend me an ear by the waterboys. crockett and tubbs try to put surveillance on a money launderer and enlist the help of a free-lance bug-guy, who, unfortunately, plays both sides of the fence...
by hooker or by crook: interesting ep. featuring melanie griffith and george takie. melanie is a heidi fliess type madame and crockett uses her to go after sulu. she comes to his boat to tell him what a [...] he is. a decent ep...
viking bikers from hell: ahh, one of my all time fav eps featuring a lot of great new mv music. crockett and tubbs track down, with the help of izzie, the leader of a motorcycle gang who is seeking revenge against the person who took out his friend. he uses the, um, process of elimination to make sure he gets his man. tubbs gets shot in this ep...
everybody's in showbiz: i kinda liked this ep. about a guy sonny put in the clink but who happens to be an artist (writes plays and acts in them). the guy steals a briefcase from a crack dealer and apparently, the crack dealer's entire business is in the briefcase. needless to say, he's not amused. kind of a funny ending as crockett and tubbs get duped...
heroes in the revolution: WTF?!?! where did this s#$) come from? something about gina's mom and a revolution. one of the worst mvs in my opinion...
ok, i left out a couple eps, so sue me. maybe someone could fill in the gaps. anyway, now that i look back on that season, i realize it had a few of my favorite all time eps. the bad episodes bring the season down a little though. hope this guide was helpful to you pal!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Miami Vice - Season Three (1984)

MIAMI VICE:SEASON THREE - DVD Movie

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about Miami Vice - Season Three (1984)

Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.0 (Episodes 1-10) (2005) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the best show on TV right now. Maybe the best Sci-Fi show ever. If you are a sci-fi fan, this is a must-see show. If not, you should still consider checking this out. Yes, it is in space and yes, it has killer robots, yet even with that, the depth of human drama is comparable to anything on TV today.
Last season, the 12 Colonies of Kobol were nearly blown away by the Cylons, machines that resemble humans and the old warrior mechanical types. The humans almost ran out of water and fuel, yet somehow manage to survive. This ragtag group of human refugees is in search of a 13th lost tribe of humans on a planet called Earth. Things this season start out badly, and they only get worse.
Both of the leaders of the fleet are incapacitated at the beginning of the season. President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) is in Galactica's brig for inciting Lt. Kara "Starbuck" Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) to mutiny which caused the loss of the Cylon Raider that had been captured, which was a valuable military asset. Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) was shot by "Boomer" (Grace Park), who is a Cylon,
The second season here picks up right where the first season left off. However, unlike most TV shows, the problems presented in the Season 1 finale are not resolved in the first episode. Some will take the whole first part of the second season to be resolved.
As we learned in season 1, there are 12 models of Cylons. The question is: is the Raider (ship) and Warrior, unit 2 of the twelve, or are there 12 models that resemble humans? We do have the introduction of 2 new human-form cylon models (bringing the total to 6/8, leaving 6/4 left to be uncovered), and the reappearance of political activist/terrorist Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch, of the original Battlestar Galactica).
A unique feature this season, and one that is a most interesting addition, is a textual representation of how many people are still alive. Each week in the credits, there is a sentence which lists the exact number of survivors, and it changes every week, depending on how many people died (or appeared) the episode before.
In comparison to Season 1 it is hard to say which is better. The 13 episodes of Season 1 were all great. In the first half of Season 2, there are also no bad episodes. Battlestar Galactica season 2 has such powerful episodes as " Pegasus" and "Scattered". Yet the best episode of the Season 2.0 DVD is " Valley of Darkness", which in my opinion is sheer brilliance, and possibly the best episode of the series.
This is one of the best shows on TV right now, according to many media outlets. "A Breakaway Hit!" -TV Guide and "The Best Show on Television." -Newsday are but two examples of the rave reviews it has received. If you are a sci-fi fan, this is a must-see show. If you aren't a sci-fi fan, you should still consider checking this out. Even though it's in space and has killer robots, it is more human than most other drama shows on TV today. So say we all.
Anyway, for those who haven't seen this show, but you like a good character drama, be sure to check out this show on DVD. I believe it's even better on DVD. Much like Babylon 5, there is a single story line, with multiple story arcs all tying into that one line. So there is continuity between each episode...and unlike Star Trek, they don't hit the reset button between each episode or movie. What's damaged on a ship in one episode stays damaged in following episodes, as the first season takes place just over a 3 month period.
I recognize that this is a compelling drama that just happens to take place in outer space. It deals with many weighty subjects such as genocide, human flaws, paranoia, depression, and religion. The creators of the original 1970's Battlestar Galactica included many Mormons. On the Internet there are hundreds of articles looking at the religious imagery, the Mormon end-time theology. The religion themes are just as powerful in this new series and this series has practicing religious (clergy - faithful believers), visions, a drug to induce religious visions, and the president believes she is to fulfill prophecy and save humanity.
This is possibly the best Sci-fi series ever!
So say we all.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.0 (Episodes 1-10) (2005)

Sci-fi's hottest TV series returns as Battlestar Galactica 2.0 blasts onto DVD in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. As the epic second season begins, the fight to save humanity rages on - even as civil war looms within the fleet between the followers of President Roslin and Commander Adama. Relive all the intensity and excitement aboard the Galactica with a supernova of explosive bonus features, including deleted scenes and podcasts. It's a heart-pounding adventure you can't afford to miss!

Get 59% OFF

Click here for more information about Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.0 (Episodes 1-10) (2005)

Battlestar Galactica - Season Three Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Battlestar Galactica's new incarnation is superb entertainment. The first two seasons were the best show on television, SciFi or otherwise. Huge themes, such as an apocalyptic vision of the end of the world born of the robot servant's revolt (the Cylons); or a theory of human genesis that posits sister worlds, is interwoven with minute intimate personal detail of fascinating charaters. Characters are explored - their pasts delved into to reveal their evolving natures. These individual threads are picked up and engage the main threads and build towards exciting conclusion after exciting conclusion. The central plot - humanity's struggle against the robot Cylons is nuanced as well. There are moments of savagery on the part of the humans, and moments of odd tenderness, vulnerability, and spirituality on the part of the Cylons. Like life, there is little black or white. Hated characters become humanized, then loved. Characters evolve and change. They are scarred by their experiences (physically and psychically) - and are never again the same. This all increases the sense of reality and our (the viewer's) sense of involvement. Many of the plots echo current events - New Caprica looks like Iraq, for example. The writing, on the whole, is exemplary.
Battlestar's staging succeeds as well. The special effects advance the state of the art for television. As others have noted, technology does not dominate. In fact, many key technologies are familiar - or even retro: they use telephone handsets with intermittent audio problems; guns shoot bullets; space fighters look like 1960s jet fighters; "Dradus" looks like contemporary radar; books are on paper (albeit with a trapezoid shape); their computers are not networked by design. Like the rest of the writing, even these small details are explained and woven into the plot - the anti technology slant is a reaction to the Cylon's revolt. This allows the plotting and writing to remain in the fore - transcending the SciFi genre. I didn't even mention the subtle and addictive language "Galactica speak" that you will soon be talking (if you don't already). This is some 'frackin' good stuff indeed.
Season 3 starts where season 2 left us - with the Cylons occupying the human settlement on New Caprica and oppressing the humans. The humans react with armed resistance and acts of insurrection including a suicide bombing. This depiction of armed insurrection as a basic human response to oppression is bold, and extremely brave considering the political environment at the time those episodes were written and filmed. These early episodes in Season 3 are controversial, thus, and as hard to watch emotionally as anything in the series. To folks who feel that this means the writers of this show have joined Al Qaeda, I'd refer them to read history, including the history of the American Revolutionary War. Americans have behaved this way before (not that the humans of Battlestar Galactica's world are Americans, of course, but they represent us - unavoidably. The 1984 film "Red Dawn" is all about American citizens engaging in insurrection to fight the Russians for example). The resolution of the New Caprica crisis involves a space battle that contains the most thrilling special effects sequence I have ever seen on the small screen. The finale is also extraordinary - involving a mind blowing confluence of events impossible to even remotely characterize without spoilers but involving brilliant plotting, emotional power, and fantastic special effects too.
So why not 5 stars? Season 3 has a tough time exceeding the high bar set by the first two seasons. Other than the New Caprica beginning and that crackling ending, the focus on Gallactica and the Colonial Fleet becomes absolute for much of the remainder of the season and the show loses sight of the Cylons. This is a shame. The battles with the Cylons - both physical and psychological, are the wellspring of the show's crackling tension. Without the Cylons in view, the show sags. We have an airlock crisis, a whole show about Admiral Adama's memories of his troubled marriage, a long show trial of Gaius Baltar - that while dealing with great issues and having great moments lacks the life or death slam of events in the first two seasons. Season 3 is more cerebral, and less action packed than the first two. Is it still worth watching? There are many great moments even in the slower episodes. If you've come this far you've probably fallen in love with the characters and will not mind some psychological background story. Plus, you're crazy if you don't watch the first two seasons and if you do you'll absolutely need to wait on tenterhooks for season 4 with the rest of us - and you'll need to have watched season 3 for continuity alone. Make no mistake, season 3 is still great television - just not quite up to the heart pounding level of the first two seasons, that's all. The finale to season 3 is incredible, and will leave you panting for more. So say we all!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Battlestar Galactica - Season Three

The adventure of one of television's finest dramas continues with the complete third season of the Peabody Award-winning Battlestar Galactica. The Colonies' survivors have found their hopes of eluding their Cylon pursuers dashed by an invasion and occupation of their new home. As the fate of all human life hangs in the balance, friends become enemies, enemies become unexpected allies, and decisions are made that will haunt some people for the rest of their lives. Relive all 20 episodes of the season that challenges everything you thought you knew about the Battlestar Galactica universe. Presented in Dolby 5.1 surround sound, the 6-disc set features over 15 hours of extensive special features, including the DVD exclusive version of the episode "Unfinished Business" containing 25 additional minutes of never-before-seen footage. You won't want to miss a minute of the series considered "one of the best dramas on TV" (Time Magazine).

Get 38% OFF

Click here for more information about Battlestar Galactica - Season Three