Smartlink Slipstream is a retro sci-fi cult classic in my book. It features a very solid performance by Mark Hamil. It's a remarkable effort but it does fall short of achieving it's potential. The plot is a bit simplistic and slow but it's not the snore-fest people some people say it is. Paxton is blast to watch as always. The biggest obstacle this movie faced was it's lack of funding. The world it is sets in is an interesting premise. Decent underutilized cast, Gary Kurtz said in an interview that the script was originally much more violent, but that these violent scenes, which would have made the plot more coherent, were never filmed. The visuals and camera work are not that great, but still manage to do the job.

Woodyanders In the future our planet has been devastated by pollution. Scruffy down on his luck bounty hunter Matt Owens (a typically lively performance by Bill Paxton) kidnaps fugitive android Byron (a fine and likable performance by Bob Peck) from two police officers, who naturally give chase. While the offbeat and interesting setting has promise, alas Steven Lisberger's bland direction, Tony Kayden's wildly uneven script, the sluggish pace, the meandering narrative, the dodgy (not so) special effects, and far too much tedious and pretentious dialogue doom this one to the level of strictly diverting mediocrity. Moreover, this picture crucially lacks the snap and tension it requires to really catch fire; instead it just kind of putters around without ever picking up any steam throughout. Fortunately, the cast do their best to rise well above the lackluster material: Mark Hamill snarls it up nicely as the hard-bitten Will Tasker, Kitty Aldridge provides some much needed (and appreciated) spark as Tasker's feisty partner Belitski, and Eleanor David makes a strong and appealing impression as the sweet and radiant Ariel. The eventual friendship between Byron and Owens and Byron's romancing of Ariel deliver several pleasingly warm and charming moments. Robbie Coltrane, Ben Kingsley, and F. Murray Abraham are given precious little to do in minor parts. Frank Tidy's sumptuous cinematography boasts lots of striking aerial shots and makes the most out of the desolate rocky terrain. Elmer Bernstein's robust and rousing full-bore orchestral score hits the stirring spot. An okay time-waster.

Dumont Lamont I was lucky to see this in the theater in Japan. The title it was given was Kaze no Wakusei, which means Planet of the Wind. This was very interesting to me because I was very interested in Dune which was titled Suna no Wakusei in Japan, which means the Planet of the Sand. Since this was also a science fiction film, I thought it was some how related just a tiny bit. So I was very excited sitting in the theater waiting for it to start, expecting an unofficial sequel to Dune. This film was nothing like Dune, instead we basically get a film where the main characters are being chased by two ruthless bounty hunters. There were many memorable scenes in this film that still swarm in my imagination, perhaps because it's like a story I would expect to read in Heavy Metal magazine. The main character is like a fast talking con man, and it made me angry to see him flirt with the female bounty hunter. Mark Hamill does a great job as the ruthless male bounty hunter and the poison dart guns and use of antidotes was brilliant. The aircraft is very memorable, the kite scene was really bizarre but cool, the scene where a whole family is in the giant hot tub scene was a bit disturbing but once again another memorable scene. I really liked the scenes where they were flying through the valleys, for some reason I kept associating this film with the Orinoco Flow song from Enya, maybe in Japan they had the trailer with that song and it fit like a glove for me. The story kind of drastically changes when they arrive to the underground society, and then it comes to a rather abrupt ending which is definitely not the normal Hollywood formula. I like that this film isn't super violent, filled with gore. Seems to have a nomadic feel to it, I think the way it does it's cinema story telling is a success, and very underrated. Because the main character isn't the toughest guy in the film, I kind of see parallels to Ralph Fiennes character in Strange Days. I have to say that I enjoyed this film more than Strange Days, which is another very interesting sci-fi film.

lost-in-limbo It wasn't like I went in expecting much from this viewing, but by the end I was left rather disappointed with its jumbled and insignificant direction. The ambition is there (on that windy slipstream idea), but it could've done with a little more story coherence with its post-apocalyptic futuristic chase concept. Well meaning, but flat and struck down by a leaden script that leans more to a moralistic self-discovery journey. There's a lot of flying, a lot of chit-chat and cue in that score for maximum impact. Elmer Bernstein's music is adventurously grand and airy, but at times overpowering. The strikingly vast and desolate Turkey locations are well-shot, especially the aerial positioning. Director Steven Lisberger formulates few impressive and rousing set-pieces and gets a dingy atmosphere that fits in with look and feel. The budget is kept tight, as it dispenses with anything zesty and keeps on cruise control. Maybe it fell a tad too long. However what's there to say when a bleached and fully bearded Mark Hamill performance (a terrific turn too) as a torrid lawman was one of the main reasons I was kept glued. Well that tells a lot! Although the cast is surprisingly strong and totally game. A shaggy Bill Paxton slums it, but his charismatic appeal and jovial attitude amuses. Bob Peck manages to emit class, even though his performance is bland (that's mainly down to his android character) and over-sentimental. But this doesn't make you think any less. Kitty Aldridge is fetchingly biting and cynical as Hamill's cop partner. There's also enthusiastic support by Robbie Coltrane, Ben Kingsley, F. Murray Abraham and Susan Leong.Instead of being an under-seen minor sci-fi gem, it's a modest throwaway that gains some interest.