Valerian and the city of a thousand planets - by Vijaya Schartz

A phantasmagorie of epic proportions. A thousand worlds anchored into one single city floating in space. Virtual worlds to be sure, but worlds nevertheless, where people thrive and tourism brings millions of humans and alien species. I love the graphics, and the many worlds Luc Besson brought to life.

Impressive photography, I loved all the alien races represented and the many worlds, with their different civilizations. There, a tourist can travel through the universe without leaving the safety of the city in space. A very lucrative business, to be sure.

Of course, all repairs and maintenance are performed by robots... including security, by a cylon-like race of faceless military giants.

The heroes are young and fearless, kind and selfless.

Some aliens are peaceful and idealistic.

They have cute pets that can reproduce whatever you feed them... including priceless energy pearls... which they use to create their own virtual world.

 But that world is threatened by greedy humans, bent on owning the adorable pets for the sake of controlling energy sources.

I loved that famous actors and personalities play secondary roles... including Rihana, who portrays an alien shapeshifter who helps the heroes along the way.

And of course, there are the alien races. Here are a few examples:

And the various habitats of the thousand planets, and the technology, the spacecraft...

All in all, the movie, like Avatar, is an experience you do not want to miss. As for the story and the characters, unlike in Avatar, I found them too simple, and the characters too young and lacking a back story, not deep enough to be interesting. 

Still, if you like science fiction, you will want to see it.


Vijaya Schartz
  Action, Romance, Mayhem
  http://www.vijayaschartz.com
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The best TARZAN movie so far!

 

Surprisingly good movie on an old theme. This story doesn't address the well known legend itself, but takes place later, after Tarzan and Jane have married and live in England among the nobility, and Jane is pregnant. The backstory comes up in skillfully handled flashbacks and does not distract from the story at hand, but adds to its intensity, like the friendship with his ape brother, who perceived his leaving the tribe as a betrayal.

I love it when writers and movie makers strive for excellence, and they surpassed themselves in this production. The character is believable both as an English Lord and as a wild man. Equally at ease with gentry as he is with apes. He also looks the part, with pale skin and the northern European physique. They have gone as far as thickening the muscles of his hands from walking on all four as a child on his front knuckles, like apes do.

But most of all, this Tarzan has the true spirit of the character, fiercely protective of those he loves. A true alpha hero with a sense of justice in troubled times in the persecuted world of Belgian Congo. He understands intrigues and politics and fights for justice and the well being of a country in need of help.

I especially liked the details about the historical period. King Leopold of Belgium is exploiting his colony for cacao (chocolate) as demonstrated by the inscriptions on cargo items being loaded on the ships. He also traffics slaves, and is in search of secret diamond mines to pay his enormous debt and buy mercenaries to "pacify" the land.

The villains in this story are twofold. One is a ruthless Belgian secret service agent, and the other a local chief, both with reasons to capture Tarzan. One to use him, the other to kill him... because Tarzan killed his only son long ago. Later we learn that the son hunted and killed Tarzan's ape mother.

There is also the love story, of course, and it is made very believable. We can relate to Jane's feeling for Tarzan and his feelings for her. What they have is true love, and it was since the moment they first met, when Tarzan saved Jane's life and almost died in the process. Then she nursed him to recovery... all shown in flashbacks.

So, if you like adventure historical stories with a lot of action, adventure, and a sense of justice, by all means, go see THE LEGEND OF TARZAN 2, and you won't be disappointed.

Happy viewing!

Vijaya Schartz

Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

Gods of Egypt, ancient aliens and myths - by Vijaya Schartz

The male gods: Thoth god of wisdom, Horus the defeated rightful king, Set the evil uncle murderer and usurper

GODS OF EGYPT explodes on the big screen and just blew my mind. Love, passion, hatred, revenge, greed, power hunger, and redemption. It has it all, even humor. I loved the script, the storytelling, and the fresh take on the myth. I like that it respects the legend. I also like the fact that the sun god Ra resides in space, on what looks very much like an alien spaceship. The gods are much taller than humans, and liquid gold flow in their veins. Cool

Don't wait for the DVD. This super-production, reminiscent of the great movies of the fifties with high pagentry and lots of extras, must be seen on the big screen, preferably in 3D. Today, of course, we use digital images and blue screens, and the result is amazing. Morphing gods larger than life and alien ships in orbit are possible, and incredible creatures come alive. We understand why the Egyptians revered their gods when they exhibited such powers.

Hathor, goddess of love and Zaya, beauty of the Nile, a simple mortal in love.

I am a new fan of Nicolaj Coster-Waldau playing Horus. Gerard Butler makes a formidable evil brother Set, and the goddess of love, Hathor is played by the beautiful Elodie Yung. As for the mortal couple, Brenton Thwaites and Courtney Eaton as Kek and Zaya, they have the right amount of innocence, chemistry, faith, courage, and determination.

I like the fact that this movie doesn't focus on the better known story of the dismemberment of Osiris by his brother Set. Instead it features Osiris's son and rightful king, the god Horus. Portrayed as a happy go lucky rich boy who loves parties, Horus has a rocky start when on his coronation day, Set kills his father, beats up Horus and steals his all-seeing eyes, his woman... as well as his kingdom... which Set quickly exploits and enslaves for his own aggrandizement. Blind and dispossessed, Horus falls into depression and despair. It will take the example and encouragement of two of his fiercest worshipers to give him the strength and courage to fight back and free his people.

How relevant to our times is this story? More than you think. Greed and power hunger are still a strong motivation among the elite. Love can still move mountains. A few courageous souls can defy their betters and win great battles against impossible odds. Besides, we still honor the old myths. We only have to look at our dollar bill to see the eye of Horus, the all-seeing eye, atop the Egyptian pyramid. Where do you think this came from?

I strongly encourage you to see this movie. You won't regret it. In the meantime, you can read more about gods and aliens with incredible powers in my CHRONICLES OF KASSOUK series. WHITE TIGER is still free at ARe, and Snow Cheetah just received a 5-star review from Fallen Angel Reviews. "On top of being an incredible Sci-fi story, this book had many unique aspects. The biggest of which was one lovable and fun-loving snow Cheetah called Pangura, a pet, and the soon-to-be Queen Natalia... This story ensnared me from the very beginning with the many plot twists, fascinating characters, many Science fiction themes, and a love story that was truly inspiring. This was a wonderful addition to the Chronicles of Kassouk series." Fallen Angel Reviews - 5 stars

Vijaya Schartz
 Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
 http://www.vijayaschartz.com
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