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| 41. Mr. Bill: 20th Anniversary Director: Gary Weis, Bill D'Elia, Dave Wilson, Walter Williams (IV), James Signorelli, Tim Robbins, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Christopher Guest, Mike Judge, Robert Altman, Adam McKay, Eric Idle, Andy Warhol, Robert Marianetti, Claude Kerven, David Wachtenheim, Paul Miller, Albert Brooks, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Smigel | |
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Amazon.com Those of meek temperament may find Mr. Bill's 20th Anniversary a bit excessive: it is literally the same "uh oh, he's not going to be nice to me!" gag over and over. But the true SNL fan will treasure this little bit of history, perhaps one of the weirdest comedy segments ever to make it to the small screen.--Brendan J. LaSalle Reviews (2)
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| 42. Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 164: The Pegasus Director: Larry Shaw, David Carson, Gabrielle Beaumont, Timothy Bond, Kim Manners, LeVar Burton, Richard Compton, Jonathan West, Marvin V. Rush, Michael Vejar, Robert Becker, Chip Chalmers, Peter Lauritson, Joseph L. Scanlan, Alexander Singer, Robert Iscove, Gates McFadden, Winrich Kolbe, Robert Wiemer, Robert Legato | |
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Admiral Pressman, Riker's old commanding officer aboard the starship Pegasus, wants to retrieve the lost Pegasus because it has secret technology that the Pegasus crew had been working on when their experiments went awry (and the ship was lost). The key is that the Pegasus's crew was working on cloaking technology which, as the episode explains, is illegal for the Federation to use. Never mind the absurdity of such a treaty (c'mon, this is like the USA banning stealth fighter technology so we don't upset China and then allowing China to use stealth technology--it would be an incredibly stupid thing to do), the important thing here is the conflict generated among Picard, Pressman and Riker. Riker is torn between loyalty to his former commander and his duty to the Enterprise and the Federation. There are plenty of terrific, dramatic, and tense moments in this episode. As Riker, actor Jonathan Frakes shines here. Great episode all the way! This episode, along with "Second Chances" and "A Matter of Honor", makes up what I call the essential Riker collection.
"The Pegasus" is one of the first of several Star Trek episodes to hint at dirty dealings by a secret segment of Starfleet; this idea was explored more fully on Deep Space Nine. Apparently everybody on this show has a past and in this one we learn more about Will Riker's. The teaser for this episode is one of the cutist in the series, as Picard and Riker inspect the entries made by the ship's children for Captain Picard Day (and Picard has to explain it all to an admiral who interrupts with the orders for their mission). "The Pegasus" is a slightly above average episode of the series, hurt by the idea that Riker really could be ordered to keep Pressman's secret. If he spoke up when Picard asked him for the truth, he could have saved everyone a ton of grief.
Pressman is portrayed by Terry O'Quinn, whose performace surprisingly anticipates his role on the TV series "Millennium" as Peter Watts. Another guest star, Michael Mack, turns in a wonderfully smooth & predatory performance as the enemy commander, Sirol. In two pivotal scenes, Picard & Sirol engage in darkly comic exchanges of diplomatic niceties, full of thinly-veiled threats. Mack reminds us of why even people who know history are willing to forget the absurd roots of this enemy race, the "Romulans," as a sort of alien version of the Roman Empire; instead, he focuses on the features which make them unique: their elaborate manners & catlike cruelty. Mack's casting also introduces the idea that Romulans come in more than one shade of olive! The script also works in a few moments of lighter humor. The stiking thing is that these moments are actually done well--Star Trek has been using puckish humor unsuccessfully for decades! Don't miss Jonathan Frakes' Patrick Sterwart immitation, or Picard's embarrassment over being a children's "role model"!
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| 43. Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 174: Bloodlines Director: Larry Shaw, David Carson, Gabrielle Beaumont, Timothy Bond, Kim Manners, LeVar Burton, Richard Compton, Jonathan West, Marvin V. Rush, Michael Vejar, Robert Becker, Chip Chalmers, Peter Lauritson, Joseph L. Scanlan, Alexander Singer, Robert Iscove, Gates McFadden, Winrich Kolbe, Robert Wiemer, Robert Legato | |
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A lot of rabbits get pulled out of the hat in the final season of STNG: Riker has a duplicate, Troi had a sister, and now there is a chance Picard has a son. "Bloodlines" does have the distinct of waiting 164 episodes to pick up on Bok's attempt to take his revenge upon Picard, although certainly the idea of the bloodthirsty Ferengi had been replaced by Quark and the Rules of Acquisition in everyone's minds. It is also interesting to see that science in the Star Trek universe is not infallible. However, when it comes to Picard being a "real" father, I much prefer "The Inner Light" (Episode 125) where Picard lives out an entire lifetime on Kataan in 25 minutes of unconsciousness (and where Patrick Stewart's actual son played his son in the episode). "Bloodlines" ends up being a below average STNG episode, which aspires to be memorable but does not really come close. ... Read more | |
| 44. Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 71: Sarek Director: Larry Shaw, David Carson, Gabrielle Beaumont, Timothy Bond, Kim Manners, LeVar Burton, Richard Compton, Jonathan West, Marvin V. Rush, Michael Vejar, Robert Becker, Chip Chalmers, Peter Lauritson, Joseph L. Scanlan, Alexander Singer, Robert Iscove, Gates McFadden, Winrich Kolbe, Robert Wiemer, Robert Legato | |
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Sarek boards the Enterprise with his second wife, also a human, Perrin, along with some Vulcan aides so that he may be present during a meeting between the Federation and the mysterious Legarans. Counselor Troi feels emotions from Sarek and during a musical performance in his honor, Picard and many others in the Senior Staff see Sarek crying and subsequently whisked away by his Vulcan companions. Dr. Crusher surmises he is suffering from Bendii Syndrome, an incurable disease that removes the emotional control that Vulcan's prize among all other attributes in their culture. Sarek is desperate to complete this one final mission, but Picard is worried that Sarek might flip out at the wrong moment and ruin the negotiations with the Legarans. With pleadings from Perrin, Picard tries to see another logical alternative to their predicament. He agrees to a risky ritual - to mind-meld with Sarek so that Sarek can briefly maintain control over his emotions while in his meetings with the Legarans. Picard becomes a mental basket case, overwhelmed with nearly 200 years of pent-up emotions that have been so carefully surpressed through decades of Vulcan teachings and meditations. Everything comes out at once, the love for Perrin that his Vulcan façade won't let him reveal, his anguish over the loss of fellowship with his son Spock, the loss of his first wife and so many other emotions of anger, rage, lonliness, passion and love all come bubbling to the surface like a volcano. Can Picard hold it together while the lionshare of his locus of control is on loan to Sarek? Is Picard's self control enough to protect Sarek through the negotiations? Before their mind-meld, Sarek warns Picard that they will share each other's thoughts and refers to the act as "a terrible intimacy." Enough to make most grown men pee in their pants, but not Picard, who is willing to risk his career and his very mind to help a dignified man retain his dignity through the annals of history.
Patrick Stewart does not have a finer moment as an actor in the entire series than he does when he plays the overwhelming deluge of Sarek's emotions. For his part, Mark Lenard's performance as Sarek is as elegant and as strong as it has always been. There is a sense in which his performance is probably more to the mark than Spock's when it comes to denoting the true Vulcan. "Sarek" also establishes a bond between Picard and Sarek that will have additional meaning down the road in the two-parter "Unification." But the most important thing is that this is the absolute height point of the series in terms of acting.
One caveat. The music that makes Sarek weep isn't Mozart but Brahms.
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| 45. Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 47: Peak Performance Director: Larry Shaw, David Carson, Gabrielle Beaumont, Timothy Bond, Kim Manners, LeVar Burton, Richard Compton, Jonathan West, Marvin V. Rush, Michael Vejar, Robert Becker, Chip Chalmers, Peter Lauritson, Joseph L. Scanlan, Alexander Singer, Robert Iscove, Gates McFadden, Winrich Kolbe, Robert Wiemer, Robert Legato | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (4)
The story is rather routine and not among the show's best but it's worth a look for the development of Ferengi as pivotal characters in the Trek mythology.
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| 46. Faerie Tale Theatre - The Tale of the Frog Prince Director: Gilbert Cates, James Frawley, Tony Bill, Roger Vadim, Peter Medak, Tim Burton, Emile Ardolino, Ivan Passer, Howard Storm, Graeme Clifford, Nicholas Meyer, Francis Ford Coppola, Jeremy Paul Kagan, Eric Idle, Mark Cullingham, Robert Iscove | |
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| 47. Shakespeare Wallah Director: James Ivory | |
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| 48. Best of SNL - Saturday Night Live - Hosted by Buck Henry Director: Gary Weis, Bill D'Elia, Dave Wilson, Walter Williams (IV), James Signorelli, Tim Robbins, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Christopher Guest, Mike Judge, Robert Altman, Adam McKay, Eric Idle, Andy Warhol, Robert Marianetti, Claude Kerven, David Wachtenheim, Paul Miller, Albert Brooks, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Smigel | |
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| 49. Vengeance Is Mine Director: Shohei Imamura | |
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Description Reviews (3)
However, the point -we understand as the story unfolds engrossingly to contain many other characters in similarly true moments- is in fact to lay bare the human soul. Immamura achieves very successfuly this main objective, through his immense storytelling powers: the over the top performances he pulls from his superb cast and his brilliant melding of the many subplots.(The editing here, in my opinion, is one the best works ever done in a movie.) In a little over two hours, Vengeance speaks volumes about the many complexities of the human soul and offers many opportunities to confront its dark side. Thus, it is not an easy movie to watch. Yet it offers many insights to the Japanese culture, and is a great point to start knowing the Japanese cinema as well. Highly recommended.
I think its important to note that the killer in Vengeance is Mine, is by no means a serial killer. I've heard him described as that, and its a misinformed judgement. A serial killers pathology revolves around sex. In this film, the killer murders out of a distance, a coldness for human life. He kills for money, shelter, for survival, having little care (although he does try) for anyones life but his own. ... Read more | |
| 50. Howards End Director: James Ivory | |
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Reviews (39)
HOWARD'S END is set, for the most part, in London, and revolves around two families: the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes. The Schlegels and the Wilcoxes are separated by class; the Schlegels are a middle class family, comfortable, but definitely not "old money," while the Wilcoxes are far more "to the manor born." Society, at the time HOWARD'S END takes place, dictated that the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes definitely not mix. However, mix they do, with disastrous results. In the Schlegel family are two sisters, Margaret (Emma Thompson), the older and plainer, and Helen (Helena Bonham-Carter), the younger and more beautiful. We know trouble is brewing when Helen becomes involved, though briefly, with young Paul Wilcox. Of course, the Wilcoxes consider Helen (or any Schlegel, for that matter) to be beneath them, but the affair also distresses the Schlegels as well. The lives of the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes are destined to be intertwined, however, and Margaret befriends Ruth Wilcox (beautifully played by the always-ethereal Vanessa Redgrave), the mother of young Paul. The lives of the two families become further entwined when Ruth Wilcox dies and leaves her lovely country home, "Howard's End," to her good friend, Margaret. Of course, this doesn't sit at all well with the Wilcoxes, who are truly shocked, and Henry Wilcox (Anthony Hopkins), Ruth's husband, tries to cover up Ruth's final wishes and keep Margaret away from "Howard's End." But that is far from the end of the story and far from the end of the intertwining of the lives of the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes. In a superb and tragic subplot, both Margaret and Helen attempt to befriend a poor clerk, Leonard Bast (Samuel West) and, without meaning to, cause him to lose his meager job and leave him with no hope for the future. The conclusion to this film is surprising and explosive, but the beautiful script by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala is quite understated and the film, like the book, never slips into melodrama. This is a period piece that is enhanced by flawless and understated acting from all. Emma Thompson as Margaret Schlegel is superb and she certainly deserved her Oscar for Best Actress for this film. Anthony Hopkins is, of course, flawless and Vanessa Redgrave's performance is subtle and beautifully nuanced. Samuel West, as the tragic Leonard Bast is wonderful as is Helena Bonham-Carter, though she is not the equal, at least in this film, of Thompson. HOWARD'S END isn't a particularly long book, but this is, at two and one-half hours, quite a long film. The pacing is rather slow and deliberate, but I never got the feeling that things should have been moving along any faster and, for me, at least, the two and one-half hours passed by very quickly. The film holds your interest at all times. HOWARD'S END is a film that contains a bit of everything. While it is tragic, there are times when you laugh or smile, there are times of unsurpassed beauty and there is melancholy and regret aplenty. I would definitely recommend HOWARD'S END to anyone even remotely interested in period pieces and even to those who aren't. Who knows, you just might find a new genre that you love.
This is a movie which takes some patience to view and the artistic elements are well worth waiting for. The Schlegel sisters get themselves into a few trying situations and the men they love either fail miserably or protect them from the world. Margaret (Emma Thompson) is the smarter of the sisters and yet she lacks heart in certain situations. She seems quite happy to let others save her, but is not as willing to sacrifice to save a friend. Her sister falls in love with a young bank clerk and while trying to assist him is seduced and "ruined." She is not following the laws of her society and therefore is rejected at first. This is a tangled web involving the cultured and underprivileged. Margaret and Helen are independent and well educated and when they meet Leonard Bast (Samuel West) their lives are changed forever. A somewhat somber ending because we are not sure any of the characters really get what they first wanted. I found this movie to be enjoyable, yet felt tense throughout the movie because there is always the thought that the sisters have ruined an innocent. Leonard is really the tragic hero in this story because he took on a responsibility neglected by Mr. Wilcox who has his eye on Margaret. All I have to say is..."Don't let anyone steal your umbrella." If you enjoy movies that make you think about more than what is happening on screen, this is a good movie that will make you contemplate the fate of others around you in your world. You could hold someone's destiny in your hands, even if it is not as dramatic as the story in this movie. ... Read more | |
| 51. Chushingura Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | |
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Description Reviews (25)
The photography is gorgeous with brilliant winter scenes backing up intense sword fights in which you aren't sure what happened until someone keels over dead. Political betrayal is revenged while honor ultimately prevails. You are immersed in the feudal Japanese world and yet reminded of much the same thing happening today. Definitely worth seeing and buying once you've seen it.
If you want to gain insight into the Japanese concept of loyalty and the price of honor above all else this is the one movie you should not miss. The color photgraphy and scene settings are well done and sound is excellent; the acting is also very good and does not lean heavily on over-emoting that is the sometimes "norm" for Japanese films. Sub-titles are a little light, but easy enough to see and this is one of the more accessible versions (many are not available to Western audiences as more recently they tend to be done for annual TV specfials. You won't need to know the history to follow the story - or get the point. It's a true story of a proud, old fashioned country Samurai who puts the Samurai Code and personal integrity above politics of reality. He's summoned to the Shogun's castle to do his duty - service to the emperor whole messengers are coming through the territory. A corrupt court official expects and demands a bribe to tell the Samurai what he must know of intricate protocol and is outraged when our hero refuses to bend. The official goads him into drawing his sword in the castle - a capital offense, leading to his forced harikiri - suicide. The remainder of the tale - most of it - is about how the 47 loyal retainers face disgrace and contempt, while biding their time until they can avenge their master. The film has everything: psychological drama, action, passion, greed and pathos - everything in fact that makes life worthwhile. Don't miss this one!
The first act, culminating in the seppuku of Lord Asano, details the conflict between the young lord and Kira, the Shogun's master of ceremonies, and is, in my opinion, the most interesting as it unfolds logically, tragically, and inevitably towards the spilling of blood in the Shogun's castle. Asano and Kira, at least in this stage of the film, are fully realized and three-dimensional characters, and their conflict can be understood on several levels: idealism versus pragmatism; rural versus urban; and, most centrally, a conflict between different conceptions of honor. Kira is slighted because Asano won't show him the deference he feels he deserves, and Asano cannot accept Kira's attempt to teach him a lesson without fatally wounding his pride. The characters feel real because the situation is developed so carefully, and we as viewers understand why the principal actors behave as they do. I think the movie bogs down a bit in the second act where the retainers of Asana plot their revenge on Kira. I also feel it is at this point that those unfamiliar with this story may find it difficult to follow the plot. Like the assassination of Thomas Becket in 12th century England, the story of the 47 loyal retainers has left the historian with not only a wealth of primary documents but also of contemporary analysis of exactly how the events were interpreted. Whereas Becket's murder resonated because of the changing perceptions of the limits of temporal power in medieval Europe, the 47 ronin reflect the changing nature of samurai honor following the pacification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate. Unfortunately, the movie does little to clarify the issues involved despite a three and half hour presentation. The historical Oishi, for instance, worked patiently behind the scenes for years to restore the clan's honor and holdings under the leadership of Asano's younger brother whereas Horibe represented the more radical view that the ronin owed personal allegiance only to their dead lord. In the movie, by contrast, Oishi makes reference to restoring the clan and questions Asano's judgment at the castle, but it is absolutely unclear in the context of the film whether this represents his true beliefs or is simply part of the feint to divert attention from the plot to kill Kira. It is, in fact, hard to ever discern exactly what Oishi is planning, even in hindsight. Horibe, as the leader of the other wing of the retainers, fairs worse, emerging only as Toshiro Mifune's drinking buddy (Mifune, though always enjoyable to watch, is largely wasted in a sub-plot that is completely superfluous to the story). I don't expect complete historical fidelity, but I do expect the events to develop coherently and to address the main issues of the story. I'm not saying that it is a complete mess, just that it is hard to follow at times, and it is not always clear what motivates the characters, and, as film usually does, some of the subtleties of the real events are lost. Thankfully, the exciting and famous battle in the snow largely redeems any momentary flagging of interest. My only quibble is that Kira has degenerated by this point into an absolute caricature of his previous self, becoming the embodiment of the man without honor. I suspect this is incorporated less from history and more from the popularizations of this story, e.g., the various kabuki stagings. Others have spoken of the beautiful visuals, so I won't belabor the point. Suffice it to say this alone is a good reason to watch this film. Others have also spoken of the slow pace. This is also true, and if you demand a tight focus in your movies, this one probably isn't for you. ... Read more | |
| 52. Being Two Isn't Easy Director: Kon Ichikawa | |
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| 53. Best of Saturday Night Live 1975-1980: Classics Vol. 3 Director: Gary Weis, Bill D'Elia, Dave Wilson, Walter Williams (IV), James Signorelli, Tim Robbins, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Christopher Guest, Mike Judge, Robert Altman, Adam McKay, Eric Idle, Andy Warhol, Robert Marianetti, Claude Kerven, David Wachtenheim, Paul Miller, Albert Brooks, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Smigel | |
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| 54. The Best of Saturday Night Live:1988 Director: Gary Weis, Bill D'Elia, Dave Wilson, Walter Williams (IV), James Signorelli, Tim Robbins, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Christopher Guest, Mike Judge, Robert Altman, Adam McKay, Eric Idle, Andy Warhol, Robert Marianetti, Claude Kerven, David Wachtenheim, Paul Miller, Albert Brooks, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Smigel | |
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| 55. Saturday Night Live: 1984 Annual Director: Gary Weis, Bill D'Elia, Dave Wilson, Walter Williams (IV), James Signorelli, Tim Robbins, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Christopher Guest, Mike Judge, Robert Altman, Adam McKay, Eric Idle, Andy Warhol, Robert Marianetti, Claude Kerven, David Wachtenheim, Paul Miller, Albert Brooks, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Smigel | |
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| 56. Faerie Tale Theatre - The Three Little Pigs Director: Gilbert Cates, James Frawley, Tony Bill, Roger Vadim, Peter Medak, Tim Burton, Emile Ardolino, Ivan Passer, Howard Storm, Graeme Clifford, Nicholas Meyer, Francis Ford Coppola, Jeremy Paul Kagan, Eric Idle, Mark Cullingham, Robert Iscove | |
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One of the more light-hearted entries in the series, its a delightfully comic piece, played out by master comedians Crystal and Roberts, with the beautiful Perrine cutting a mean figure as a porker indeed. The series was a huge success, boasting a huge multi award-winning cast (Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, etc), and creator/producer Shelly Duvall has earned laurels for one of the finest family series in years.
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| 57. Bitter Sugar Director: Leon Ichaso | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (52)
It's not Casablanca but it could be a classic if the academia one day took off their mask and recognized its quality. As for the reviewer below, this is not propaganda from Miami. This is about people who want to be free and people -like you- who want others to be slaves. And listen up: there is no blockade, millions of sex-searching tourists with no conscience seek the island every year leaving their money at hotels where Cubans are not allowed to enter and the tips to the prostitutes.
The fresh music & performances heard in the movie, esp. the afro cuban (more afro than cuban, interestingly enough) is a delight to hear and enjoy the proto-African flavored dances that both black & white execute in this film. When my uncle was last permitted to vacation in Miami--before Clinton made it difficult for the frequent immigration & visits of Cuban nationals--he was often questioned as to why he kept returning to Cuba after his yearly visits to Miami. He was well read in Marxist authors & it showed when he spoke. His Miami relatives questioned him as to why if things were so scare as he claimed they were, though not so scarce that he would repeatedly return to Cuba visit after visit during the 90s, why didn't the remaining Cubans with nary a roast chicken to eat even on Sunday, not rise up & rectify things. His reponse was: we don't rise up because all the brave & decisive Cubans have left & migrated to the USA or other ports of haven. Or maybe the brave Cubans are still in Cuba holding onto what little remains of a native Cuban culture & identity there still is instead of wanting the wild abandon & comfort & endless summer after a hard day at the offices or local Walmarts of Miami, USA. ... Read more | |
| 58. The Best of Saturday Night Live:Hosted by John Goodman Director: Gary Weis, Bill D'Elia, Dave Wilson, Walter Williams (IV), James Signorelli, Tim Robbins, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Christopher Guest, Mike Judge, Robert Altman, Adam McKay, Eric Idle, Andy Warhol, Robert Marianetti, Claude Kerven, David Wachtenheim, Paul Miller, Albert Brooks, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Smigel | |
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| 59. Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 177: All Good Things...The Final Episode ('94-'95) Director: Larry Shaw, David Carson, Gabrielle Beaumont, Timothy Bond, Kim Manners, LeVar Burton, Richard Compton, Jonathan West, Marvin V. Rush, Michael Vejar, Robert Becker, Chip Chalmers, Peter Lauritson, Joseph L. Scanlan, Alexander Singer, Robert Iscove, Gates McFadden, Winrich Kolbe, Robert Wiemer, Robert Legato | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (31)
With a stellar performance by Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, the adventure travels the gamut of three separate periods in time ... the future, the present, and the past ... juggle a series of events that might, in fact, forecast the end of all mankind (not just the series, that's how much was at stake here). While I never REALLY liked Q (played by John de Lancie), his role came full circle in this science fiction twist with shades of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. In this two-hour episode, Q rose above being a mere plot device and showed that, as a character, he had worth that the viewers couldn't have possibly imagined. So ... where's the Q movie?
All Good Things..., the swan song episode for TNG, is possibly the best of Star Trek, period, focusing on mind-boggling concepts while retaining the character development and human interest that made the show so appealing. It's the seventh year that the crew of the Starhip Enterprise have been together, but Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is experiencing odd timeshifts. He's constantly switching between three different time periods; to the past, right before the Farpoint mission, the present, and the future, where the crew has long since split up, Picard is retired and is diagnosed with a debilitating mental illness. Naturally, the rest of the crew is skeptical (be it in any time period), but when Picard discovers the true nature of his constant shifting, he realizes it is both the means and cause with which the existence of mankind could be erased. I hesitate to give too much away, though I doubt anyone with a passing interest in Star Trek hasn't already seen this episode. But it plays as an interesting comparison and contrast to the series' first episode, Encounter at Farpoint, which it directly ties in to with Picard's timeshifting to the past. There's been a notable improvement in the quality of the sets and the visual effects, and also the acting, the pacing, and the plot development. All Good Things... has all the solid acting one expects from the cast, and a human touch that was missing from the latest film, Nemesis. It's interesting to note that this episode (meaning the whole series, as well) ends with the door open for all sorts of possibilites; at this time, this clearly implied the much-hyped transition to the big screen. Unfortunately, some of the more open-ended questions this episode focused on were never even touched on. Sure, the Worf/Troi/Riker triangle was resolved, but one of my favorite ongoing side stories, the burgeoning romance between Picard and Dr. Crusher, was completely ignored in the movies. And the final scenes lead one to believe that the movies would take us to "places" never explored, even though the most recent film was merely a plotless action movie that didn't even have enough action to warrant the movie's existence. Stewart is the true highlight of this episode, displaying the great acting chops he's been known for. The fact that we care for him and the rest of the crew as well, adds a sense of urgency and involvement in the proceedings that the otherwise quite frantic pace alone might not have been able to develop. The plot twists are pure Trek, each mysterious element giving away to some big revelation that only leads to more questions. The story is engrossing, the dialogue is strong, and the performances and characterizations are spot-on. There are a few problems with All Good Things. The timeshifting obviously means we're going to see past and future versions of the cast, but everyone's aged to the extent where they can't quite pass for their more youthful selves, and the old-age makeup is never entirely convincing (Old Riker's first appearance gave me a good laugh). That said, I would like to make mention of what full-blown hotties Marina Sirtis and especially Gates McFadden became (McFadden is easily the most attractive post 50-year old actress I've ever seen). The continuing movie series actually began quite well; Generations and First Contact were enjoyable adventures, but everything seemed to fall apart with Insurrection. Funny, All Good Things... is a title that turned out more prophetic than anyone would have guessed.
My sons and I actually saw Patrick Stuart in the flesh in Leeds on my sisters birthday (I should really have gone there instead, but there you go), watching his signposted one man performance about Shylock - Shakespeares alien. It was quite famous over here, and very well attended. I wish I could relate this to you, but I would go WAY over the 1000 word limit and not even begin to scratch the surface. Sufficient to say, that Stuart's vocabulary as an actor is enormous, and he brought so much intelligence to bear on this very rich and complex play (the merchant of Venice) and interwove it most perspicaciously with recent events - terrorism, racism, and his own fascinating recollections of performances, character interpretations, and so many other things. It was like being on board a ship in a gale, exhilarating and wonderful, and no-one wanted it to end. It's a fact that when we had the opportunity to ask questions, and also at other times during the show, Patrick mentioned his relationship with Paramount in several ways. I don't want to quote these comments, but sufficient to say that all the cast members felt that things were not always on an even keel. In fact, there was evidence of a really complicated and not always simple state of play at many times. Fortunately, during the last season, there was relatively little in the way of compromise, largely due to the continuous diplomacy of Spiner and Stewart. The result of this diplomacy in the case of this episode pair is just about as good as it gets, and is a truly magnificent way to conclude the series. Picard, in this episode, has to deal with the final and inevitable onset of the final enemy - age, and mortality. In this he plays beautifuly an far older man than the younger commander seen at Farpoint, though the story is ingeniously composed in such a way that this ending episode is wrapped in an inescable embrace with this very first episode. I doubt whether this could ever have been pulled off by anyone else so well. But what is so well done is to (within the confines of the show format) to produce a strange sense of the timeless and the memorable. This is an astonishing effect. The whole thing seems... haunted by a strange atmosphere which would have been impossible to script in if you were aiming for it intentionally. I think there is a remote chance that this may just happened anyway, by accident. Perhaps, this is may have been due to the time paradoxes and folding in of the plot. But this atmosphere is surely due in greater part to the unconscious realisation by all participants that this was, in fact, the last time that all the cast would be gathered together in precisely that time and place and circumstance, a sort of breaking of the fellowship. After the gymnastics of a complicated plot, which gradually reaches a rather dramatic climax, the final stroke of genius is that the ending is positioned somewhere and sometime, but where exactly... Who knows? I suspect in a future which is that strange ambiguity that we know as happily ever after - no irony intended - in fact, you can truly imagine that the ending never actually happens at all,at least not one witnessed, but trails off into memory forever, into the furthest of distance. And it is there that we bid good bye. Of course, it's not really over, but here the story TELLING naturally ends, and most satisfyingly so. My gosh, what a way to go...
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