Bluefly

This was one of those movies that I *wanted* to like, but I really did not. Harold was pretty well done, but I thought the character of Maude was kind of cliché - the spunky, non-law-abiding old lady with free-love tendencies. I was sort of irritated by how perfect/idealistic she was.

On the positive side - I did see some important themes in this film that go beyond its hippie appearance. The final sequence was great, and a very effective bookend to the rest of the movie.

It was Maude that detracted from the movie's potential power. She was such an absurd character, I couldn't get far enough past that to really appreciate this movie. It has a really good soundtrack, though.

Okay, I'm a trekker. This is the classic, and I felt it was my duty to watch the original episodes. I was really impressed by what I saw. I know a lot of people think the original series of Star Trek is silly, and I will agree that in some ways, it seems pretty out of date today. But there are still so many things about this show that really won't ever seem silly to me, no matter how plywood-and-styrofoam the SFX may be.

First of all, the characters really are great. We all know them. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the crew are wonderful - there's more than one side to each of them, and the relationships we see between some of them were unique to the rest of the television world at the time. Not only this, but the episodes are creative and well-written. What does it matter if you can tell that's just a guy in a gorilla suit? You have to give them credit for doing their best, and starting a science fiction revolution.

The original series of Star Trek, TOS, really did go where no other show wanted or dared to go. In its time, there were things that couldn't be said or done on television. TOS addressed these issues in every way it could. War, racism, sexism, prejudice, and everything 60s society wasn't supposed to see in perspective on TV. Vulcans and Klingons were each a side of our own selves, and in its entirety, Star Trek was of course the human adventure. Hidden behind the premise of a futuristic voyage through the stars, TOS showed people the issues and aspects of our own lives here in the present. I'm a Gen-X child of the nineties, and I still appreciate this show greatly for what it did.

Not only did TOS do all these things in its subtly revolutionary way, but it also paved the road, of course, for all the rest of the Star Trek universe that unfolded in the following years. As you may already know, Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek moral is IDIC - Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. This is the driving force behind Star Trek. Anything is possible. Exploring life is as infinite as exploring the universe. Oh, I know it's corny, but it's true, and this is the series that started it all. All the props to Gene Roddenberry, Great Bird of the Sky.

-Bluefly (And, don't forget to think of DeForest Kelley, may he rest in peace.)

The Avengers is really a fun show for just about anyone. It's set in sixties England, but especially if that's not your time or place, it's very entertaining. I can only speak for the Diana Rigg episodes, not having seen enough of the others, but almost all these episodes have top quality writing and acting. For the most part, they're light-hearted and comedic, but they do also incorporate some serious matters on a slightly deeper level. Even if you're not interested in that, they're fun for the spy-movie parody alone.

Being an X-Files fan, I can't help noticing that Steed and Mrs. Peel seem almost like sixties, British versions of Mulder and Scully. Don't know if anyone else agrees, but that certainly made it a little more fun for me! (I think a few of the best episodes are "Dead Man's Treasure", "Too Many Christmas Trees", "Castle De'ath", and "The Living Dead", among others.)

-Bluefly

Being as it is that Seven Days is on before Voyager, I started watching it out of convenience <g> and now I've seen that it's really a pretty enjoyable show. The premise of going back in time to prevent disasters wouldn't be so original on its own, but the seven-day time limit gives it more possibility. Frank, Olga and the others aren't extremely 3D, but they're likable and interesting, and it works.

Seven Days isn't quite Star Trek caliber, but it's a pretty engaging and well-done show, usually interesting to watch. It should be given credit for its creative uses of the time travel premise. Some episodes have real suspense and intensity, and I'd say that altogether it delivers pretty well.

-Bluefly

I've played a lot of adventure games, and this is hands down the best one I've ever done. Gabriel Knight 3 has an awesome storyline with layer after layer of detail and intrigue. The mystery just keeps unfolding as you solve more puzzles and see more and more of the secrets behind the town of Rennes-le-Chateau. Its 3D rendering and graphics look pretty great, the music is striking, and the cut scenes are really well done. The "dream sequence" movie, and the finale, just left me staring in awe. That's what you want from a game like this.

I really liked the characters, too. The interaction, especially between Gabriel and Grace, is excellent, and I really hope we'll see this continued in a Gabriel Knight 4! The only thing I wasn't amazed by was the dialog, which had its moments but was a little too sarcastic, a little too much of the time. However, I think that's no fault of Tim Curry and Charity James, etc., who did a nice job with what they were given.

As for difficulty, I wouldn't say GK3 was very hard. There are complicated puzzles, but if you're in the right place at the right time, it's pretty straightforward. I think that's to the advantage of advancing the plot, which as I said is just beautifully drawn. Gabriel Knight 3 is well worth whatever you pay for it.

Yes, I think this was probably the best King's Quest ever. It's certainly my favorite. I've played them all, but none were quite like KQ6. For one thing, Alexander is probably the most compelling character a game could have. Of all the quests, his is the most compelling, exciting, and even touching.

Aside from that, the interface is convenient, the gameplay is smooth, and the puzzles are challenging, but they're possible. And for once, not having to be constantly on the lookout for enemies to hack apart is kind of a relief. So go play King's Quest, you'll be better for it.

I was really expecting this to be a cool show. When I watched the pilot, though, I didn't think it was that good. It was just another of those shows trying to cater to what critics approve of, and that's not a real show. I thought the choice of actors for the characters was pretty bad, and their dialogue just didn't work most of the time. The characters weren't developed so their motivations didn't make much sense. It's unfortunate, because the show's concept is very interesting.

There were some good things about Now & Again, though. It had cool music and the overall feeling was interestingly surreal. They did do a good job with that. On the whole, though, this show just wasn't what it could have been.

There have only been three episodes of Relic Hunter so far, but I really like it so far. The plotlines are interesting, the theme song is cool, and Sydney and Nigel are awesome characters.

At first I thought it was a lot like Tomb Raider, but I wouldn't call it a TR ripoff. I hope it gets more publicity soon - it doesn't even have any fan pages yet. Too bad it had to get stuck on UPN, not even during primetime. Well, I hope Relic Hunter has many more episodes, because it's great!

I thought Amazon would be a cool survival show, but it turned out to be a little on the boring side. The continuing plotlines seem to be recycling themselves: crocodiles, warring natives, sadly missed attempts at rescue. I couldn't sympathize with any of the irritating characters except the boy, Will. I just kept wishing they would get rescued and get it over with.

Amazon's just not a fun show to watch. They're obviously using the naked Italian lady as a ratings ploy, since nothing else about the show is very attractive to anyone. In my opinion, Amazon's sister show on UPN, Relic Hunter, is a lot more exciting.

I have always been a King's Quest fan, and this is one of the best KQ games ever. It's just classic. The plot is fun, Connor and the supporting characters are fun, all the puzzles and potions are fun, and even the fights are fun. The easter eggs, by the way, are fun, too.

I understand there was some controversy about making a violent KQ, but compared to what you can find out there today, I really don't think the violence was that important. Mask of Eternity followed in the noble footsteps of its predecessors, keeping with the mind-blowing puzzles and exploration King's Quest has always had.

Congratulations to the KQ team for another beautiful installment! And if this turns out to be the final Quest, well - it was a worthy swansong.

Tomb Raider is one of the coolest CGs of all time. At the time it was released, its quality was groundbreaking and it changed computer gaming forever. Its FX were literally the first and only of their caliber. That may not be true anymore, but it still rivals games that are coming out today. The plot is interesting, the levels are fun, and the weapons, puzzles and general gameplay is great. For once there's a game that's both hard and fun at the same time. And of course, Lara Croft just rules.

The Sixth Sense is really a work of art. It's one of the most captivating and well-made movies I've ever seen. It's chilling, but it's touching, and of course the ending is brilliant. I left the theater stunned, and I don't know how anyone could find this movie boring. Apparently some people need mile-a-minute comedy or nothing...

Bruce Willis is pretty darn good, but he's wallpaper compared to the powerful performance of Haley Joel Osment. Osment should have top billing, not to mention an Oscar for Best Actor. As a young person, I think it's about time a kid gets the recognition they deserve by being cast in a real role. And it's always good when a movie recognizes the supernatural as a very real part of life. So my admiration to the Sixth Sense for really delivering what a lot of movies are afraid to.

I'm reasonably new to the Star Trek phenomenon, but I really like it and I don't understand all these negative comments. Notice that the bashers can never spell. Chacotay? Chackotay? What's next, Star Track? *shudder* Anyway, Voyager is without a doubt one of the best of the four ST series, right up there with TNG. The premise of being stranded in the Delta Quadrant is a new and cool idea. Trying to get home serves as a driving force for the characters and gives them all a purpose together.

As for the characters, it's ridiculous to say that they aren't interesting or well developed. Janeway is a strong leader who risks everything for her ship and crew, like a captain should. Chakotay is not human wallpaper, he's one of the greatest characters. You can't judge him by whether or not Robert Beltran likes Star Trek! The supporting characters are all wonderful and their relationships with each other are fascinating - Janeway/Tuvok, Tuvok/Neelix, Tom/B'Elanna, Harry/Tom, Seven/Naomi, and especially Janeway/Chakotay.

Well, Voyager's an excellent TV show, one of the best I've ever seen. It's cool, it's captivating and it's very entertaining. And even if you have to hate Voyager, no one can say Star Trek is dead. We trekkers know that themessage and the vision of Star Trek will never die.