Tag Archives: Sci-fi

The Expanse: Hard Vacuum – TV Review

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TL;DR – The churn continues throughout the Solar System as people find no matter the road forward, dangers await

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

The Expanse: Hard Vacuum. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Hard Vacuum Review –

When the rocks hit Earth in Churn and Mother, they threw everything up in the air, both literally and metaphorically. In that one instant, power, alliances, and family all got put up for grabs, and while all of the characters of The Expanse are trying to find their new place in this world, no choice is going to be an easy one.

So to set the scene, at the end of Oyedeng, we watched as Naomi (Dominique Tipper) made a desperate leap from the Pella to the Chetzemoka in a hard vacuum without a suit. It was a perilous journey, and even though it took seconds the toll on her body severe. But as she awakes on the airlock floor, she sees just what Marco’s (Keon Alexander) plan for the Chetzemoka is. The whole ship has been wired with explosives, and on a loop is Naomi’s voice beckoning James (Steven Strait) to save her, but in reality, it is a siren call leading him to his death.  Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Occupation: Rainfall – Movie Review

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TL;DR – A sequel that improves on the first in every way, full of action, and a ride from the start till finish

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Nominated – Best Australian Film & Fascinating Worldbuilding

Disclosure – I was invited to a screening of this film.

Occupation: Rainfall. Image Credit: Monster Films.

Occupation: Rainfall Review –

A couple of years ago, I got to see this little Australian Science Fiction which was punching far above its weight. It was a movie filmed on a minuscule budget that did more with that budget than those with a much larger purse. It was a good representation of an alien invasion film, and full of some great action set pieces. So it was great to see that it was getting a sequel, and I am glad to say it improves on the first film in every way.       

In the years since the first film Occupation, the resistance movement has fought from the hillside towns and villages down to Sydney’s heart. It is a war of attrition and small hit-and-run operations, trying to take the city back one small section at a time. For Matt Simmons (Dan Ewing), this is a battle of zero compromises because it is a fight for their lives. But for Amelia Chambers (Jet Tranter), she is trying to find a diplomatic answer or try to find a cooperative way to work with the other subjugated aliens. However, when Wing Commander Hayes (Daniel Gillies) calls a retreat, and all hope seems lost, a rumour about a new weapon called Rainfall starts to spread. Rainfall could be their one hope, or humanities final downfall.

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The Expanse: Oyedeng – TV Review

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TL;DR – This is Naomi’s episode from start to finish

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

The Expanse: Oyedeng. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Oyedeng Review –

The world of The Expanse is dramatically shifting under the feet of everyone in the Solar System. It is a dangerous time, a churn, with everything being up for grabs. It is in this chaos where we find our characters as the threat of death is very real.

So to set the scene, Naomi (Dominique Tipper) is still trapped on-board Marco’s (Keon Alexander) the Pella. While she was able to save The Roci and its crew from blowing up Tycho Station, it was at the cost of her freedom. But as she remembers better times, Marco comes in to let her walk free, of at least the ship. For there is something, he wants her to witness. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Star Trek Discovery: That Hope is You, Part 2 & Season 3 – TV Review

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TL;DR – The series finale stuck the landing with heart and emotion

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix subscription that viewed this series.

Star Trek Discovery: That Hope is You, Part 2. Image Credit: CBS Studios.

That Hope is You, Part 2 Review –

For more than we have seen in a while, this week’s episode had a lot to do with two competing storylines that had taken whole episodes to lay the groundwork. It was so much story that I wondered if they would have the chance to make it work, but they did. In today’s review, we will first look at the Season Finale That Hope is You, Part 2 and then we will look at more generally at the season as a whole.

So to set the scene, as we saw in Su’kal, Hugh (Wilson Cruz) and Saru (Doug Jones) are still stuck in the holographic program on the Dilithium Planet trying to reach Su’Kal (Bill Irwin) who has become petrified of the outside. While Adria (Blu del Barrio) was able to get them some more radiation medicine, but time is ticking down. Back on Discovery, Osyraa (Janet Kidder) has given up hope on an alliance with The Federation, and how wants to steal the ship and is happy to blast her way out of Federation HQ to do it. Michael (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) are captive on the bridge, but in the heart of the ship, the Bridge Crew and the Spore Data (Annabelle Wallis) have joined together to take the ship back. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Expanse: Tribes – TV Review

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TL;DR – Across the Solar System, everyone is trying to find their place in this new world

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

The Expanse: Tribes. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Tribes Review –

When the rocks fell on Earth, the world of The Expanse changed forever. There are obvious things like the death and damage, and the fact that more death and damage are yet to come. But in the sense of things, how the Solar System works just shifted like pulling a rug out from underneath everyone’s feet.

So to set the scene, the carnage from Marco’s (Keon Alexander) attacks in Gaugamela have continued to reverberate across the Solar System. However, in last week’s Down and Out, we found the first wrinkle in his plan. He expected the Roci to explode and take Tycho Station with it. Marco is on the back foot for the first time, but maybe it won’t be long as he tries to bring Camina (Cara Gee) back into the fold. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Doctor Who: Revolution Of The Daleks – TV Review

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TL;DR – This was a perfectly okay episode, but I wish it could have been more than that

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Disclosure – Watched on ABC IView

Doctor Who: Revolution Of The Daleks. Image Credit: BBC.

Revolution Of The Daleks Review –

Well, before we start, I need to be honest with something, I had utterly bounced off Doctor Who. I had liked Jodie Whittaker’s performance, and the characters, but something about the stories that just fell flat for me. I didn’t watch the last season and from the sounds of things that was for the best. I was honestly going to give the New Year’s special a pass, but then they had to go announce that a certain Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) is back, and well if I am not a sucker for things like this.

So to set the scene, in the aftermath of a Dalek attack on Earth, the body of said Dalek is taken away to be stored in deep storage. However, on the way to Depository, 23, the transport driver is incapacitated, and the corpse is stolen. Sometime later the Technology Sectary Jo Patterson (Harriet Walter) meets with disgraced businessman from Arachnids In The UK Jack Robertson (Chris Noth) who has a new crowd control invention, which just so happens to be an AI-controlled Dalek. Meanwhile, 79 billion light-years away The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) is stuck in prison and has been there for a while, just waiting for someone to break her out. From this point onwards we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Star Trek Discovery: There Is A Tide … – TV Review

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TL;DR – The awkward middle-episode of the three-part season finale

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix subscription that viewed this series.

Star Trek Discovery: There Is A Tide … Image Credit: CBS Studios.

There Is A Tide Review –

As we rush towards the end of the season, we spend a little time exploring the consequence of the crew’s actions to this point, their impact on the galaxy, and the damage they could wreak.

So to set the scene, in last week’s Su’Kal, we ended on a cliff-hanger with Discovery under the control of Osyraa (Janet Kidder) and jumping right to Federation Headquarters. Leaving Michael (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) stuck on his ship and the rest of the away team down in the radiation infested ship. Jumping into Federation space Osyraa create a ruse getting them inside the headquarters shield but not before Book and Michael crash land in Discovery’s perpetually open shuttle bay. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.   

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The Expanse: Down and Out – TV Review

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TL;DR – For every disaster, there is an aftermath, and we start to see some of that this week

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

The Expanse: Down and Out. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Down and Out Review –

Last week’s episode Gaugamela was the culmination of three build-up episodes (well more than that if you count Season 4). An episode where you spent the whole time holding your breath not wanting to see what would happen next. But there has to be an aftermath, and this week’s episode is all of that and more.

So to set the scene, we open with the aftermath of the asteroid impacts on Earth as Amos (Wes Chatham) and Peaches (Nadine Nicole) wake up in a damaged and failing room. They were at the bottom of The Pit when the Pennsylvania asteroid hit. Which meant that Amos stayed on the planet one day too late, but it probably saved their lives. But surviving the impact was one thing. Getting out of a fortified prison when the prison guards don’t know the world has changed is an entirely different matter. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Star Trek Discovery: Su’Kal – TV Review

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TL;DR – After a season we start getting answers while things fall apart

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix subscription that viewed this series.

Star Trek Discovery: Su’Kal. Image Credit: CBS Studios.

Su’Kal Review –

There have been several on-going questions through this season of Star Trek Discovery, and at the core of them is what caused The Burn. Today, after a season of questions, we finally get some answers, before things start falling apart.  

So to set the scene, we start this week’s episode right where last week’s Terra Firma Part 2 finished with a memorial service. While this is happening Stamets (Anthony Rapp) gets a notification from the ship that they are watching that there is a life form on board, which given it has been 125 years, and the amount of radiation seems unlikely, but here we are. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Expanse: Gaugamela – TV Review

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TL;DR – Everything so far this season has led to here, and it did not disappoint.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

The Expanse: Gaugamela. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Gaugamela Review –

When you have set up a narrative to hit an inevitable crescendo, it can be dangerous because it becomes make or break. If you fall flat, all that hard work was for naught, and you can sink your whole narrative. This meant that I came into this episode with a little trepidation as everything from Exodus, Churn, and Mother led to this moment, and well,  I am glad to say that it did not disappoint.  

So to set the scene, during last week’s episode, Amos (Wes Chatham) decided that this was the last time he was ever going to come back down the well, which meant if he had any unfinished business now was the time to fix it. A couple of favours later and he found himself in The Pit, the place where the UN keeps its most dangerous criminals. He is here to meet Clarissa Mao (Nadine Nicole) or as he calls her Peaches. However, as Amos is down The Pit, everything gets put into lockdown, and the room begins to shake. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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