Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

morrison-dylan-fan Reading an old issue of UK Film Mag Empire,I noticed Kim Newman (who also does an informative intro) review a Czech Sci-Fi film.Whilst trying to find the disc,I discovered that there are a large number of other Czech Sci-Fi titles that I've not heard of before.Deciding to spend April watching one Czech movie a month,I decided to watch the film which started my examination of Czech cinema.The plot-2163:After getting built for 8 years,the space ship Ikarie XB-1 is sent on an 8 year mission to find an Earth-like planet in the Alpha Centauri system.Thanks to a time dissolution process,the crew are told that they will only age 24 months over the 15 year mission.On their way to Alpha,the crew spot a "dead ship" which left earth in 1987.Entering the ship,the crew of Ikarie XB-1 are horrified to find dead bodies that have hardly decayed,and a stockpile of nuclear weapons.View on the film:Before getting to the film,I have to praise Second Run's excellent transfer,which along with offering clear audio and clean subtitles also has a razor sharp image.Flying into space just before the Soviet Union loss their optimism in the "Space Race",co-writer/(along with Pavel Jurácek) director Jindrich Polák looks to the stars with a tantalising sense of grandeur.Backed by a shimmering score from Zdenek Liska, Polák makes what are clearly model effects be easy to forgive,thanks to Polák giving them a real hefty weight. Casing the movie in a "serious" shell, Polák opens the ship up to delightfully quirky,Art- Deco contents,that leaps from a futuristic disco from the genre staple groovy robot.For their uncredited adaptation of Stanislaw "Solaris" Lem, (who was known for being "difficult",which is likely why he was not credited!) the screenplay by Polák and Jurácek aims a (restrained) punch against "The West" by making all of the deadly weapons in space be covered in English language words.Spreading peace,love and communism across the galaxy,the writers impressively take a rather realistic approach to the future machines,that include vitamin-style food pills and CCTV being used by the crew to follow office gossip.Finding conflict in peace,the writers soak the spaceship in a fantastic lived in mood,thanks to peeling away the polite manners of the space crew to unveil their abrasive natures,as Ikarie flies close to the sun.

kevin olzak It would seem that the sci-fi titles produced behind the Iron Curtain during the early 1960s were all heavy on space travel, light on monsters, so Americans such as Roger Corman often purchased the rights to add new footage to rectify the situation ("Battle Beyond the Sun," "Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet," "Planet of Blood," "Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women). American International often picked up foreign titles to use in their TV packages, so most often viewers would only catch these films on the small screen. This 1963 Czech film is quite interesting, several well drawn characterizations, a virtual prototype for the forthcoming STAR TREK, only with a 15 year mission, destined for the 'Green Planet.' The tacked on US ending, lambasted as it's been over the years, proved to be influential at the time, as shown by 1968's "Planet of the Apes." Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater aired this film on two occasions, Nov 25 1967 (followed by second feature "The Tingler") and Aug 1 1970 (followed by second feature "Voodoo Man"). Other Eastern European titles broadcast include "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne," "First Spaceship on Venus," and "The Amphibian Man."

drystyx When I call this science fiction film about a future Russian trip to the star system of Alpha Centauri one with "mature" content, I mean that in a "mature" way.This is not an action packed film. It makes a very good attempt at realistic space travel, given that one overcomes the time and distance angle.I place it as a companion piece, for better or worse, with other Psychological outer space science fiction films, notably ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS and SILENT RUNNING. One could just about call this a three piece trilogy, except I'm sure there are even more from this era that I don't recall right now.The pace is very slow, and for those who speak English, that makes it a very difficult watch, reading the subtitles. However, the acting and directing is top notch.A film like this has to have a good solid ending to justify it, even if the ending is open ended.The ending here is a solid one, and well directed. That makes all the difference, because it is laborious to sit through a "think piece" like this.I don't recommend this for children. As a matter of fact, I rate this X, because I just don't see many people under 18 as being able to appreciate this. It is "mature" in that regard. This is a very deep drama.

mpopham This is an intriguing Czech science fiction film from the early 60's. It's pretty much unknown in the U.S (American - International Pictures dubbed it into English and released it as "Voyage to the End of the Universe" in 1964; it's been seen here only rarely since then).The movie depicts a group of space travelers on a seemingly endless journey to a new planet. They encounter many traps and dangers along the way (including a derelict spacecraft and a mysterious nebula) but the greatest conflict seems to be psychological: namely, the titanic ambition of a 15-year, trans-galactic voyage pitted against the fragility of the human mind and the relative insignificance of human lives.The interior sets are lavish -- certainly on a par with "Forbidden Planet" and perhaps even "2001". The level of detail in the spaceship interiors is admirable, and the same can be said for the smartly designed spacesuits."Ikarie XB 1" stumbles badly, though, when it comes to the exterior effects work. The spacecraft models are too small to provide much detail, and seem to be propelled through space by dark-colored string. As a result the transitions between interior and exterior shots are somewhat jarring.All the same, this movie is a very interesting example of mid-century science fiction. It deserves a much wider audience, and it is to be hoped that a restored, subtitled print will one day make the rounds in American art houses. Cross your fingers.