Firestarter

Tags

1980's, Art Carney, David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Firestarter, Freddie Jones, George C. Scott, Heather Locklear, Louise Fletcher, Mark L. Lester, Martin Sheen, Moses Gunn, Science Fiction, Stephen King, Thriller

Based on the Stephen King novel, Firestarter is something of a mixed bag when it comes to it. A thriller with some science fiction leanings, it generates some suspense and has a good cast, headed by a young Drew Barrymore. It just has a few inconsistencies that stop Firestarter from rising to a level of major greatness

Andy McGee( David Keith) is on the run with his young daughter Charlie( Drew Barrymore) from a nefarious government agency known as The Shop. We learn that when Andy was younger and a student, he met Charlie’s mother Vicky(Heather Locklear) in an experiment conducted  by the mysterious agency. After being injected with a dose of a hallucinogenic compound, they developed strange powers. Andy can manipulate people through mind control to do what he wants, while Vicky is telepathic . When Charlie was born, she too had powers. In her case, she can cause fires with her mind, often brought on by stress and anger. Andy’s power also weakens him because it uses up so much of his brain function and needs to be controlled as often as possible . With the government onto them and observing them, Vicky was murdered and Charlie was briefly kidnapped . Following his retrieval of his daughter via mind control, Andy is now wanted and on the run. Andy wants to tell the papers about what they’ve been through and expose the nefarious organisation that won’t let them rest. This in turn puts him and Charlie in dangerous territory as they can never really trust anyone. The Shop wishes to use Charlie’s powers for their own ends and are headed by the slippery Hollister(Martin Sheen).  He sends crazed and extremely dangerous assassin John Rainbird ( George C. Scott) on their trail. The assassin has his own disturbing agenda for wanting them captured, in particular little Charlie . Once captured, Andy and Charlie are experiments on by Hollister and sinister Dr. Pynchot(Moses Gunn) . But it’s only a matter of time for as Charlie’s powers continue to grow,  no one is going to be safe from what she will unleash.

Mark L. Lester does a pretty decent job of adapting the Stephen King material and sprinkling memorable moments in there. Yet his control over timing and other areas is less assured. The decision to start the movie in medias res causes Firestarter to loose steam as it continues into the story. Though it is redeemed by a rather eventful and truly explosive finale , Firestarter shoots itself in the foot with its decisions and contrivances that make you scratch your head. The opening half is watchable and has tense moments , but the middle part sags because it wants to have its cake and eat it . Which brings me onto the pacing of the film. I find that Firestarter looses some steam in the middle section  because the story gets repetitive and could have been tighter. As the film goes on we are gifted to moments that do generate some considerable suspense . I’ve seen people group into the genre of horror but I’d put it more as a thriller of paranoia and in the realm of science fiction in some areas Where the movie does score high point is on the effects, which still hold up for their age and just how explosive they do get. For reference, check the climactic scene if you wish to see a lot of fire and destruction .  It’s pretty fantastic and truly memorable stuff and it’s a blast seeing practical effects too. The score by electronic band Tangerine Dream is pretty wonderful; evocatively though a pulsing soundscape evincing danger, hope and action with a lot of style. It adds to the atmosphere of the piece and raises Firestarter up a few notches on the watchability scale.

What sparks Firestarter into life is the main cast. A pint sized Drew Barrymore brings strikingly mature conviction to a role that is quite challenging for someone of such young years. Barrymore gets across the feeling of trying to control something she never wanted, while also showing just how powerful she can be when pushed to the limit. In the emotional stakes she doesn’t miss a beat and is immediately sympathetic to the audience. A lot of Firestarter hinges on Barrymore and though the film is a mixed bag, Barrymore is incredibly impressive and does the heavy lifting of conveying innocence and danger with ease. David Keith is a little  histrionic as her father,  but once he settles into the part he is great and finds a certain groove to play. Kieth has a weariness and intensity about him that shows the fatigue and his “gift has caused him but how deeply he also cares for his daughter . Barrymore and Keith work well together and you do believe in the father daughter bond they share, which I find goes a long way. George C. Scott who I find always delivers, is on sensational form as the extremely creepy assassin who tries to win Charlie over. Scott is as slippery as a reptile and cunning as a fox; you can tell he’s relishing playing a nasty piece of work and he plays it for all it’s worth. Also on slimy duty is Martin Sheen who is reliably villainous and like Scott, having fun being nasty here. Rounding out the villains is Moses Gunn, who has a level of charm and niceness that really disguises cruel and unusual intentions. Evil when it’s presented with a smily face is rather unnerving and Gunn definitely understands the assignment. Art Carney makes the most of his role of man who takes Andy and Charlie in and risks his life in the process. It’s Louise Fletcher and Heather Locklear who are shortchanged with roles that don’t often much in the way of memorability. Both women are good actresses so it would have been nice if they’d be gifted with something to work with. And the same could be said about Freddie Jones, who is only really there to show that some in The Shop have become disillusioned with the practice and to suffer a rather grisly death.   

So overall, Firestarter is a film of good and bad.  But it can be commended for its evocative score, some standout sequences and wonderful cast, especially Drew Barrymore as the eponymous girl with Pyrokinesis

Free Guy

Tags

2020’s, Comedy, Free Guy, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Ryan Reynolds, Science Fiction, Shawn Levy, Taika Waititi, Utkarsh Ambudkar

A funny, lively science fiction comedy with some nice depth on the nature of compliance and making a difference , Free Guy is thoroughly entertaining and leaves you with a beaming smile.

Guy( Ryan Reynolds)wakes up every day, puts on a blue shirt and heads to work at the bank with a smile on his face. He along with his best friend Buddy(Lil Rel Howery) are all happy and compliant with what they don’t see as an endless cycle. They are so used to this that the constant crime around them is just another day and event that isn’t important . That is until he meets the kick ass and confidently sexy Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer) , and something changes inside of him as he sees her as the girl of his dreams. Around this time  he realises that he is actually part of a game that he has believed is real for as long as he remembers .This sparks an unexpected change in Guy who instead of committing crime to improve his stance , uses good acts to up his levels as set out in the game . Guy is what is known as and NPC( non-player character ) who is supposed to be in the background but seems to have gained self awareness that wasn’t expected . In the real world , we see that Milly( whose avatar is Molotov Girl) and friend Keys(Joe Keery) are the creators of the game which are being used by the corrupt Antwan(Taika Waititi ). He stole a code from then that is hidden in the game, especially wants justice for this and is using her avatar to do this . is working along with best friend Mouser(Utkarsh Ambudkar), but both are slowly seeing what he’s up too. Once the group discover that Guy has some semblance of humanity and self-awareness, it’s a breakthrough but also dangerous . For the villainous Antwan has other plans for the game as he wants to shut it down and launch another one , angered by the popularity of Guy in the real world and what it will cost his business. So it’s up to Guy, plus the creators/avatars of the game  to stop this shut down before it’s too late and everything is deleted.

Shawn Levy directs with a feeling of fun that’s also infused with a winning sweetness around the outrageous and striking premise . He never loses track of the heart of what’s happening and the journey that Guy goes on.  The self-aware/meta humour is a hoot, with various sequences proving rib tickling humour that’s hard to resist. While a science fiction comedy in the main sense, Free Guy also has a lot to say about how society lives it’s life through technology and also how it’s cool to break away from the routine and mundane to sparks greatness . Free Guy reminded me a little of The Truman Show, but where that film was a brilliantly scathing attack on reality not being what it seemed, Free Guy has more heart and breezy nature in its exploration of a similar subject while retaining an unexpected level of emotional clarity.  The special effects of the video game world are pretty stellar and contribute the overall craziness of what’s going on. I’ll admit to being a little caught off guard at first as to what the film was going for, which I’m sure was what it was going for. I didn’t quite think I was following it right, but once it hit its stride, Free Guy was a very nice film that impressed me and had me involved. Music plays a key part in this film, with Mariah Carey’s jubilant “Fantasy” a particular inspired choice as is “Make Your Own Kind of Music” by Mama Cass Elliot. 

A lot of what makes Free Guy a pleasant comedy is the main assembled cast . Utilising his typical sarcasm with a feeling of growing wonder, Ryan Reynolds is a comedic delight . I find that Ryan Reynolds has quite a reassuring presence on screen; you know that he’s going to have fun and transfer that to the audience in a great performance. He just has that humour and heart that’s needed for this film and is a hero we can all relate too. Jodie Comer, who in the last few years has emerged as a big star of exceptional talent, provides alternating humour and warm depth as two characters interlinked. Comer rises to this challenge with ease and captures two contrasting characters ( a kick ass avatar with tough, sex appeal and a nerdy game creator trying to regain what’s hers) wonderfully with humour and plenty of cool attitude. Plus, I dig the burgeoning chemistry between the two and how it develops with sweetness and care. Lil Rel Howery provides a lot of the humour as Guy’s best friend who also comes around to the idea of reality not being what he envisaged. Taika  Waititi is on villain duty as the trying to be hip because he has power . And it’s quickly obvious that Waititi is having fun with the part as his manic energy and sense of crazy antics comes through loud and clear. Joe Keery and Utkarsh Ambudkar are used well as two friends experiencing the ups and downs of the corruption of industry and both trying to make headway with it as well as take down Antwan. It’s safe to say that everyone has a purpose here in the story of Free Guy .

So all in all, Free Guy is wonderful entertainment with a great message about being yourself and discovering worth. Add in the comedy and outrageous science-fiction and the cool cast, and it’s a winner in my bookFree Guy

Fire in the Sky

Tags

1990's, Based on a true story, Bradley Gregg, Craig Sheffer, D. B. Sweeney, Drama, Fire in the Sky, Henry Thomas, James Garner, Mystery, Peter Berg, Robert Lieberman, Robert Patrick, Science Fiction

Inspired by the alleged alien abduction of Travis Walton, Fire in the Sky paints a mysterious yet very deep story of the impact of truth and whether people believe what is deemed extraordinary. Whether you believe the story or not, this film is bound to have an effect on you.

It is 1975 in Snowflake, Arizona and happy go lucky logger Travis Walton( D.B. Sweeney) has just started working on a job in the White Mountains. He is on the team headed by his more serious friend and future brother in law Mike Rogers, who is the kind of man who tries to keep everything running smoothly in life. Then there is the rest of the group; hot-headed troublemaker Allan Dallis( Craig Sheffer) , trustworthy and religious David Whitlock( Peter Berg) and jokers, Greg Hayes(Henry Thomas) and Bobby Cogdill( Bradley Gregg) . On the night of November 5th, they are travelling in their truck back home when they see a brilliant red light in the distance. Curious, they go to look at it and here is where events get sinister. They come across what looks like an alien spaceship, though they can’t be sure. Travis gets out to examine it and is struck by a light. Fearing him dead as he doesn’t move, the team in terror leaves. Later on, Mike returns to look for Travis but there is no sign of him. Returning to their town, they relay what they saw to the local police officer. The arrival of seasoned detective Lt. Frank Watters( James Garner) coincides with the investigation as he digs into the story. At first he doesn’t believe their tale and believes there has been foul play involved. The townsfolk get wind of events and most people are highly skeptical of what transpired. Yet when after five days, Travis turns up, disorientated and traumatised, it leaves things wide open for interpretation. Especially when he ‘remembers’ what happened to him, much to the shock of others.

Robert Lieberman is at the helm of this film and he effortlessly infuses it with a sense of time and place. He contributes a very human touch to what many will say is fiction by not going overboard with the alien aspects, keeping a certain sense of realism to things that many may sniff at. Fire in the Sky lets you make your mind up on whether the extraterrestrial encounter took place or not. It edges towards believing Walton’s claims, yet leaves a welcome ambiguity and mystery to it. What’s most impressive about Fire in the Sky is how it doesn’t go for an over sensationalised angle and instead concentrates on the pain of losing a friend and how it sends shockwaves through an uneventful small town. The film is pretty character driven, particularly by and is all the more human for it. Naturally, it has filmic elements to add to the story( which I’ll speak about later that are effectively used), and that’s what makes Fire in the Sky a strange beast. It’s a film about s science fiction subject that’s played entirely straight. Now it’s not flawless by any means( I find some parts of it don’t add up and the denouement could have been stronger), but for my money, Fire in the Sky is a very underrated movie that’s worth your time.

And when it gets to the scenes of what what happened to Travis, horrifying is taken up several notches as we witness the torture and dehumanisation of this man. Shot like a chilling horror movie, it’s a scene that genuinely makes you uncomfortable and disturbed. Many will claim that these sequences embrace science fiction too much, but I think it’s just following the story as Walton told it with an obvious bit of elaboration for the movie to chill you. And that’s not a criticism, I mean don’t all movies based on real life take some different avenues in the name of entertainment? If anything, it’s one of the best scenes in the film in terms of what it presents and just how scary it makes it. Up until that point, there has been definitely strange but these sequences that come later on in Fire in the Sky really go for the jugular. The music by Mark Isham, strikes the right chords of emotion, fear and when needed terror, to create something that plays along to the movie’s strength.

The cast assembled here is a very good one that add a lot to the film. D. B. Sweeney, with his likeable face and jovial manner is ideal for the part of the dreamer whose suddenly taken. It’s impressive because his appearance in the film is mainly in the first quarter and then the last parts, the rest of the time focuses on the other characters related to him. Sweeney manages to make Walton a full character in the time he’s on screen with just the right amount of sympathy and belief, especially after his traumatic experience which is where Sweeney really shines. Robert Patrick is given the most material and boy does he act his socks off. Embodying determination, a head full of guilt and being the boss in life, Patrick explores excellently by giving him layers and making him very relatable. It’s stellar acting from Patrick as the heart of the story. Craig Sheffer, Peter Berg, Henry Thomas and Bradley Gregg flesh out the other members of the team, with particularly good skill from Sheffer as the belligerent member and Berg as the one who tries to smooth everything into a positive. James Garner is a huge plus to the cast and he’s obviously relishing the role of old school lieutenant. Still bearing that twinkle in his eye and wit that balances with notes of grim seriousness, Garner is superb.

Involving, emotional and by turns very creepy, Fire in the Sky is an intriguing film that I think deserves a bigger audience, especially for its acting and aforementioned revelations. I think many will enjoy the mystery and very human drama within Fire in the Sky.

Donnie Darko

Tags

2000's, Beth Grant, Donnie Darko, Drama, Drew Barrymore, Holmes Osborne, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Katharine Ross, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, Noah Wyle, Patrick Swayze, Richard Kelly, Science Fiction, Seth Rogen

Director

Richard Kelly

Starring

• Jake Gyllenhaal
• Jena Malone
• Mary McDonnell
• Holmes Osborne
• Katharine Ross
• Beth Grant
• Patrick Swayze
• Drew Barrymore
• Noah Wyle
• Maggie Gyllenhaal
• Seth Rogen

A genuine cult film that defies being boxed into a specific genre, Donnie Darko is a mind bending film, that’s layered with thematic material, a biting edge and eerie ambience galore.

Donnie Darko(Jake Gyllenhaal) is a suburban teenager in the 1988 who is prone to sleepwalking and disturbing thoughts. He’s a charismatic, smart but troubled young man who seems to delight in challenging authority whenever he can. His parents ( Mary McDonnell and Holmes Osborne) and sisters (one being Gyllenhaal’s real sister Maggie) are confused by him and don’t know how to react to him. On medication to combat his anti-social behaviour towards others and what is seen as paranoid schizophrenia , he one night starts hearing a voice telling him to come outside. Once he gets there, he discovers the voice comes from a frightening looking, six-foot tall rabbit named Frank. He is informed that in twenty-eight days, six hours, forty-two minutes and twelve seconds, the world will end. After waking up far from his house, once he returns he finds that a jet engine crashed into his bedroom. This further highlights the weirdness in Donnie’s life and functions as another indicator of potential doom for everyone. Donnie starts to attend a psychotherapist(Katharine Ross), who tries to fathom what’s going on in Donnie’s mind, but has extreme difficulty opening it up. Most adults seem to act unusually around Donnie, which aids his further alienation from life. Some however seem to understand like the rebellious English teacher Karen Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore), her boyfriend/ fellow professor of science Kenneth Monnitoff( Noah Wyle)and new girl Gretchen( Jena Malone). But then there is the over zealous and devout gym teacher Kitty Farmer(Beth Grant) who is buttoned and wants everyone to follow her lead and slimy motivational speaker Jim Cunningham( Patrick Swayze). As Donnie’s doomsday visions become more frequent and he is driven to commit violent acts by the spooky rabbit, Frank’s mention of time travel sends his mind reeling about what the visions represent. Picking up a book from his professor on the subject, Donnie dives into discovering how he fits into this apocalyptic vision. Is the world really going to end? And if so, what is Donnie supposed to do to stop it?

Richard Kelly made his debut with this film and though his output since has been mixed( though I did like the often maligned and misunderstood The Box), at least he can be remembered for creating this iconic and complex movie. Kelly transports us into the strange world of teenage years and what was going on in the 80’s, but amps it up with the theme of time travel and cause and effect. You just know from the question raising opening that you’re in store for something very unusual and far from conventional. The script, written by Kelly,  is unnerving, caustically funny and highly imaginative, which is a bonus for someone who enjoys all those things when done right . It fleshes out a mystery in the film and creates a fine character in the form of the title anti-hero. He’s disturbed there’s no doubt about it, but he speaks quite a lot of sense when others won’t. And at first we aren’t sure whether what he sees are hallucinations or not, but you definitely know they point to something extremely ominous in the future for everyone. Coming of age is a big theme here and one can view the film as an analogy of puberty and adolescence, as it’s often a time associated with change and something pulling us in a specific direction. And the countdown motif telling us how many days until Armageddon is a real nerve shaker.

Believe me, you’ll find yourself thinking about Donnie Darko a lot after viewing it. The enigmatic story which has a lot of layers and ideas on its mind engages the brain, but refuses to give cheap, easy answers. It’s too smart for that and instead functions as ambiguous and challenging. Whichever angle you want to view the film from, there is something here for everyone to sink their teeth into and think of their interpretation of it all. You can see it as a biting satire in suburbia and conformity, with the disturbed Donnie being the one who fights back against it, coupled with social drama. Or as a sci-fi flick about time travel and how events play out differently because of change. I’d say the film is both of these things and that’s partly why I love it so much. It plays by its own rules and doesn’t try to be like everything else, something which I applaud. I mean you know a film is challenging and complex when there are thousands of websites dedicated to deciphering the many meanings of it. From a visual standpoint, Donnie Darko is extremely atmospheric and immersive thanks to creative camerawork such as slow zooming shots and a gloomy yet strangely majestic colour in cinematography, occasionally punctuated by brightness. Music plays a key role in Donnie Darko; exemplified by the 80’s heavy soundtrack( filled with Tears for Fears, Echo and the Bunnymen and Joy Division) and unusual, distorted thumping of the score that keeps going with alarming intention. One of the best uses of music is the cover of ‘Mad World’ which is stripped back and haunting as it plays over panning shots of all the people impacted by Donnie in a masterful sequence.

In the role that really announced him as a major acting talent, Jake Gyllenhaal is simply put excellent as the main protagonist. He has to go through so many changing emotions, often very quickly and he does it all without missing a beat. The sly, sardonic smile that reveals his disdain for others, the intense stare of alienation and disillusionment and a certain nuance to the mercurial mood swings are all embodied to a strangely charismatic height by the greatness of Gyllenhaal. It is the definition of a star-making role that Gyllenhaal made the most of and clearly shows him as one of the best actors of his generation. Jena Malone boasts a haunting quality as his love interest, who wrestles with her own demons during the course of the movie. Mary McDonnell and Holmes Osborne both make impressions as Donnie’s parents who are bewildered and bemused by his behaviour, as does Katharine Ross as his psychotherapist. A major standout is the scene-stealing Beth Grant. Playing someone whose vicious, unapologetic antagonism is disguised as righteousness is both a hoot and something alarming. She scolds, lectures but never seems to be able to understand others thanks to her bigoted ways and watching her come apart, especially as a result of Donnie, is a sight to behold. And also really standing out is Patrick Swayze; filtering his natural charm offensive into something more charlatan and far from what it first appears. It’s one of the most interesting and different roles Swayze ever took and it shows off his considerable talent. Drew Barrymore has the right rebellious but dedicated attitude for her part of a teacher, persecuted for trying to engage with her students in a way that contrasts with the conservative approach of others. Ably supporting that feeling of challenging conformity is Noah Wyle, who opens Donnie up to the idea of time travel. Maggie Gyllenhaal makes her present felt, with her sparring and jabs at her brother and especially in the later half in emotional fashion. Plus, look out for an early role from Seth Rogen.

A hypnotic, unusual and engaging story of creepy certainty and eerie atmosphere, twined with fine acting and ambiguity, Donnie Darko is simply a must see.

Escape from New York

Tags

1980's, Action, Adrienne Barbeau, Donald Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine, Escape from New York, Harry Dean Stanton, Isaac Hayes, John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Science Fiction

The ever wonderful Gill invited me to take part in a blogathon to honour Kurt Russell and I simply couldn’t refuse.

Director

John Carpenter

Starring

• Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken
• Lee Van Cleef as Bob Hauk
• Ernest Borgnine as Cabbie
• Adrienne Barbeau as Maggie
• Harry Dean Stanton as Brain
• Isaac Hayes as The Duke
• Donald Pleasence as the President

John Carpenter’s science-fiction action film Escape from New York is rightfully held in high regard for its vision and plot. And with atmosphere, imagination and a bad ass lead character to boot, it’s hard to disagree.

The year is a then futuristic 1997. Manhattan Island has been turned into a maximum security prison where once you go in, you never come out. In the main area that was once the central hub, anarchy reigns supreme with violence and destruction. When the President’s plane is hijacked and he crash lands in Manhattan, he is taken hostage by the local crime boss The Duke and his goons. He was supposed to be attending a peace summit with the Soviet Union, but that goes completely out the window with the events that unfurl. Sneaky and manipulative Commissioner Bob Hauk then strong arms the most unlikely person ever to rescue the President from an almost certain death. That person is Snake Plissken, a cynical ex soldier, serving time for theft. Snake is understandably not at all on board with this plan. But after being told that if he rescues the President within 24 hours he could be pardoned, he accepts reluctantly. Though Hauk makes sure he will do it as he has micro explosives implanted in Snake’s neck that will detonate if he doesn’t complete the mission. Hauk knows that Snake would use the opportunity to escape but has him by a tight leash now. With time ticking away, Snake enters the city where he encounters violence from various factions and some assistance by a rag tag group of renegades. They consist of a joking cab driver, hard edged lady and know all.

John Carpenter keeps events imaginative and engaging, with his ingenuity on clear display. I’ve always admired what he brings to a movie and he has the story be one that is very taut and entertaining. Some will say that the film has dated parts, which it does in areas, but the anachronistic touches really add to the oddball personality of the film that it isn’t easy to see why it’s a cult movie. Carpenter plays up the outlandish aspects of the story and the desecration of humanity, mainly in the case of Snake and his no cares attitude towards everything. On the visual front, the practical effects have aged well, with the shots of New York through a futuristic lens being particularly inspired. We get a grimy dystopia to witness and one that has certainly influenced many a film since. Escape from New York is often billed in some quarters as an action movie(which in many cases it is), but for me it’s more about the moody atmosphere than anything else. The cyberpunk echoes and vision of a world in free fall really make sure that Escape from New York is a film to remember. John Carpenter himself provides the pulsing electronic score that compliments the futuristic setting and has just the right notes of darkness there too.

Kurt Russell completely owns the screen as the growling, scowling yet sardonically witty bad ass that is Snake. Russell provides the cynicism and swagger of a man who doesn’t believe in anything and is proud of it. He is ironically the last person you’d think of to rescue a president and that is what ultimately drives the plot. Seriously, Snake ranks as one of the most charismatic and bad ass anti heroes there is. Lee Van Cleef is on nasty form as the scheming and controlling Comissioner who uses Snake to his own advantage. Ernest Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau and Harry Dean Stanton flesh out the crew that Snake falls in with excellently.With some serious style, Isaac Hayes rocks it portraying the crime boss who stands in the way of Snake succeeding. And there’s Donald Pleasence appearing as the President, who it is revealed is not as squeaky clean as he seemed.

Exciting, inventive and engrossing, Escape from New York is John Carpenter at his imaginative and full blooded best, aided by a fine performance from Kurt Russell as one of cinema’s best anti-heroes.

Lucy

Tags

2010's, Action, Amr Waked, Choi Min-Sik, Luc Besson, Lucy, Morgan Freeman, Scarlett Johansson, Science Fiction

Film Title

Lucy

Director

Luc Besson

Starring

• Scarlett Johansson as Lucy
• Morgan Freeman as Professor Norman
• Choi Min-Sik as Mr. Jang
• Amr Waked as Pierre Del Rio

Lucy comes courtesy of director Luc Besson and emerges as a wholly ludicrous but enjoyable action/science fiction film. It’s big ideas and imaginings get a bit over the top and out of control, but some curious theories, bright visual palette and Scarlett Johansson as the eponymous character, more than engage with you, even when the overall film itself gets wildly uneven.

Lucy is an American woman, studying in Taipei. The film starts as her latest boyfriend and slime ball coerces her into delivering a mysterious case to a shady man named Mr. Jang. Lucy doesn’t want to do it, but her beau handcuffs her to the case leaving her with little choice. After this, Lucy is kidnapped by Jang’s associates, who it transpires are all in the Mob. Along with a few other men and through force, a bag of drugs is sewn into her system, and she must act as a drugs mule, otherwise those closest to her will be killed. During a torturous isolation, Lucy is severely beaten by the guards. One of these moments has big consequences, as the drugs that were implanted in her for trafficking burst and leak into her bloodstream. Quickly, Lucy grows incredibly powerful and escapes. From this moment on, her abilities advance alarmingly with her being able to not feel pain, manipulate objects and people and become almost impervious to harm. As she unlocks more of her brain power, the dangers arise as no one is sure just what will occur when she hits the highest level of brain activity. Professor Norman, a respected scientist who has studied topics relating to the powers of the cerebrum, becomes fascinated and curious of this young woman and just what she is capable of. On top of this, the mobsters are on her tail, which combines with her attempting to discover more about her accelerating powers. The main question is, just what will transpire and how dangerous will it be when Lucy reaches 100%?

Luc Besson has always been a stylish director, which he shows off again generously  here. Yet while his direction is far from his best as it leaves things a little too ambiguous, his penchant for strong female warriors remains in a great quantity. The presence of the what if possibilities of the human brain(taking cues from the myth referred to in the film that humans use just 10% of their brain functions) act as both a string to the film’s bow and something that drags it down. It’s hard to explain as it ends up a bit of a mixed exercise in storytelling and ideas it brings into play. Lucy excels the most when delivering action and thrills, of which many can be gleaned. Also when it poses some philosophical questions regarding existence and time, the film shines. A great example is a scene near the end that is visually arresting and compelling to watch, but I won’t spoil it in case anyone hasn’t seen it. The film as a whole is more than a bit messy, but that scene is ace. Yet for all the probing of matter that goes on, the science and events grow absurd and a little repetitive, mainly in the mid-section. Still, somehow I couldn’t divert my eyes from Lucy, which suggests that it at least made some impact on my viewing experience. The most arresting and attention grabbing element of Lucy was the general unpredictability arising from what Lucy’s powers and capacities would reach too, and how many were exhibited with science fiction flair. These moments were resplendent with verve and sparks of imagination, that rose above the jumbled science and lack of real logic. The visual side of Lucy is superbly designed and detailed, particularly the shots of Lucy’s body on the inside as power and acceleration take their place in her blood through rapidly speeding shocks of light that keep going and increasing. A pounding soundtrack hits just the right feelings of something mysterious and dangerous about to hit.

Scarlett Johansson is one of the best things in Lucy. As the title character, she has enough charisma and presence to make the part memorable. The luscious Johansson is most adept at displaying Lucy’s shift from waif like innocent to omnipotent being with a detached confidence; as Lucy’s emotions thaw and all that makes her human is replaced by knowledge and steel. Some will say that she is a blank slate, but her intense eyes and focused demeanor boost the character to something else that other actresses would not have been able to do. Morgan Freeman is given scant material in a pretty thankless role, but in a style typical of him, he makes what he has good and filled with the intelligence we have come to associate with the great man. Choi Min-Sik is effectively used as the nasty mob boss who tangles with Lucy, while Amr Waked suffers from a badly written part of a police captain caught up in everything, yet at least attempts to ring something true out of it.

It’s completely barmy and preposterous, which both helps and weakens the film, but there is enough action and points of interest to be found in Lucy. Plus, the allure of Scarlett Johansson in the title role bolsters it significantly. It’s messy and scattershot, but I found myself largely entertained throughout this outrageous venture.

Arrival

Tags

2010's, Amy Adams, Arrival, Denis Villeneuve, Drama, Forest Whitaker, Jeremy Renner, Science Fiction

Film Title

Arrival

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Starring

• Amy Adams as Dr. Louise Banks
• Jeremy Renner as Ian Donnelly
• Forest Whitaker as Colonel Weber

A sublime science fiction drama with thematic heft and a welcome lack of outrageousness, Arrival stands as an intelligent film that poses many interesting questions for the viewer and grips with airs of mystery and fine performances.

Arrival begins with twelve strange spacecrafts landing at various places around the globe. No one is sure of why these objects have come to Earth and many questions lie on people’s lips regarding intentions of those aboard, particularly as they issue a seemingly indecipherable message. Brilliant linguistics professor Dr. Louise Banks is called up by the American government to aid in discovery of what the beings in the crafts want. Brought along by Colonel Weber and physicist Ian Donnelly, she travels to Montana where one of the ships is levitating. Every eighteen hours, the doorway to these pods open and under the direction of Weber, the team of Louise, Ian and other scientists enters the unknown in hopes of coming across answers. It is here that Louise encounters the alien beings, known as heptapods. At first, the attempts to establish contact with them are futile, but Louise, who is already carrying emotional baggage from the death of her daughter, is not about to give up that easily. Through pain-staking methods and committed diligence to the massive job at hand, Louise slowly but surely begins to form something of a bond with the heptapods and gradually through her patient drive, begins to form an idea of what they could be saying. Yet time is not on her side as foreign powers grow anxious about events and chaos takes hold. Many countries consider taking aggressive action against something they don’t understand and it is up to Banks and Donnelly to crack the language and code before mankind heads towards almost certain destruction by its own hand.

Denis Villeneuve masterfully constructs this mysterious puzzle of a film that probes the mind and moves the heart with excellent degrees of adroitness. The fluidity of his vision and how he chooses to shoot scenes is in full view, particularly in the expansive tracking shots of the spacecrafts and the claustrophobic feeling of the heptapods residing place, which is situated behind a fog enshrouded glass chamber. What is very admirable and most interesting about Arrival at least in my eyes, is the slow burning effect it emits. Villeneuve is clearly not in a rush to tell this story, choosing to slowly reveal things and keep the mystery going for us to unearth. And there are a few well-timed surprises to be discovered in Arrival, which bring out the puzzle box aspects of a jigsaw slowly assembling to create a clear picture. It is also very refreshing that for a movie that contains aliens coming to Earth, this is far from a generic science fiction film with explosive action and ridiculous ideas. As much as the story has global implications as to what the aliens want, it is also the personal story of Louise and the journey she embarks on to understand them. Already having significant personal troubles and sadness in her life, Louise is a character who becomes our entry point to the story and who it is hard not to be emotionally invested with. The timely message of how communication is key to understanding and one shouldn’t rush into the unexpected blindly is heard loud and clear in Arrival. This helps in bringing out yet another layer of exceptional food for thought for the audience to chew over. A subdued lighting scheme causes the movie to have a very mysterious impact as it clearly balances darkness with the occasional flash of light, especially in the case of the heptapods. And talking of those creatures, the effects used to craft them are breathtaking at shaping these strange beings into things of majestic and unusual beauty. Arrival’s soundscape is marvellously constructed, from the sound of the aliens that is difficult to decipher to the melancholy and evocative score of the film, the aural parts of this movie are on a very amazing level.

Front and centre of Arrival and one of its strongest parts is the utterly beautiful and affecting performance from Amy Adams. The dedicated Louise is our entry point to the story and we are put on the same emotional level as her; everything is mainly seen from her point of view and with Adams subtly playing the role to perfection, we feel what she feels. We experience her awe at first seeing the creatures and their way of communication(which resembles symbols formed by an inky substance), we feel her pain of the memories of her deceased daughter and we worry for her as she becomes overworked and determined to uncover the key to everything. It’s a performance of all-encompassing natural emotion that is largely contained and composed, yet always there for us to glimpse. It is quite simply a stunning piece of work from Amy Adams, who is having an excellent year with her other turn in Nocturnal Animals getting notice. Expect a few award notices for her vulnerable and soulful portrayal here. Ably supporting her is Jeremy Renner, who is affable, charismatic and amusingly geeky as the physicist helping Louise with deciphering the message. He works nicely alongside Adams, with the two establishing a good working chemistry of intellect and friendship. The always watchable and sincere Forest Whitaker gives off the definite feeling of authority here as the Colonel in charge of Louise’s mission, although through his eyes you can tell that he is worried about the possibilities of what may happen if contact and motives aren’t established.

Handsomely directed with dexterity by Denis Villeneuve, resonant on both an emotional and intellectual level and acted with soul, Arrival is one science fiction film that gets you to think while at the same time absorbing you with its thought-provoking story and ideas. If you want to see a movie this year that has a brain and a deep heart, make that movie be Arrival as you will be bowled over by what it has to offer.

Humanoids from the Deep

Tags

1980's, Ann Turkel, Anthony Pena, Barbara Peeters, Doug McClure, Horror, Humanoids from the Deep, Science Fiction, Vic Morrow

Film Title

Humanoids from the Deep

Director

Barbara Peeters

Starring

• Doug McClure as Jim Hill
• Ann Turkel as Dr. Susan Drake
• Vic Morrow as Hank Slattery
• Anthony Pena as Johnny Eagle

A gloriously sleazy and shocking sci-fi/horror, Humanoids from the Deep is not what you’d call subtle or thought-provoking viewing. Yet that isn’t what it promises; it promises a nasty, low-budget ride of creatures, blood and boobs that it delivers a plenty. And you can really feel the stamp of executive producer Roger Corman on this flick.

In the fishing village of Noyo, strange events begin happening . Firstly, a boat carrying many fisherman explodes after capturing what appears to be a giant creature. Then all of the dogs in the town are found slain. It all appears to link to a local cannery company introducing a growth hormone to salmon that would help the produce. Jim Hill is a fisherman who occupies a middle ground in the town, as animosity has grown between two parties. On one side there is the Native American population, headed by the young Johnny Eagle, who are opposed to the cannery. On the other side, there is the horribly racist Hank Slattery, who blames the recent rash of horror on Johnny. Yet the creature from the beginning is far from the last and attacks become more prominent, though many don’t live to tell the tale. The assailants are large slimy creatures that emerge from the water.It transpires that the creatures are intent on mating with the women they come across, while eliminating men among the way. Jim decides to take on the threat that is posed to everyone, enlisting the help of the pretty Dr. Susan Drake, a visiting scientist and Johnny. Susan through research discovers that the experimental procedure that she headed is the direct influence on the horrific creatures.  The genetically modified salmon escaped after the experiment and were eaten by a larger fish, mutation began which spawned them into the ravenous and depraved humanoids of the title. Yet with the town about to celebrate the opening of the company with a carnival, horror looms as the creature’s head straight towards them, looking for more women to mate with and more men to slaughter. Now it is up to Jim to save the day as the carnival is about to turn bloody.

What may surprise some is that this exploitative and graphic film is directed by a woman, Barbara Peeters. Bough despite this surprise, she delivers the exciting goods of the film with a crisp pace and plenty of good touches. In an interesting footnote it should be stated that Peeters disagreed with Corman about bringing in more nudity and blood than she had featured. This ended up in Corman hiring an uncredited director to feature more scenes of this nature. I have to say that both directing views are actually pretty good, with Peeters bringing the suspense to the picture and the graphic blood and bare breasts showcasing the sleazy B-movie style that the film was clearly going for. It all fulfills the promise of the outrageous title that becomes an eventful monster movie of low-grade but thrillingly exciting proportions. I think with a movie like Humanoids from the Deep, it depends on your tolerance and squirming threshold. If you want an intelligent film, check those feelings at the door with this one as it is frequently brainless and never takes itself too seriously in the slightest. The creatures are strange to look, but like the rest of Humanoids from the Deep it has that underlying not at all serious quality that makes the, more goofy that outright frightening. An impressively orchestral score is provided by James Horner, that brings a level of class to a film that is the complete opposite.

The cast is competent in roles that don’t require much in the way of development, though they are still fun to watch. Doug McClure is assured as the Every man hero who decides to take action when everyone else is afraid to do so. He’s the one who keeps the thrills ticking along with his no-nonsense attitude. Ann Turkel is the slightly cold but intelligent scientist, who becomes worried about the repercussions of the creatures on a large-scale. Vic Morrow makes for a nasty bully in the film and plays the part to the hilt. I like Anthony Pena as Johnny as he was a dab hand with a shotgun which comes in extremely handy as the attacks become more frequent and his morals are very much intact.

An almost gleefully nasty yet entertaining creature feature, Humanoids from the Deep is for those who don’t mind scuzzy viewing and movies that don’t require the use of the mind.

Species

Tags

1990's, Alfred Molina, Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker, Horror, Marg Helgenberger, Michael Madsen, Michelle Williams, Natasha Henstridge, Roger Donaldson, Science Fiction, Species, Thriller

Film Title

Species

Director

Roger Donaldson

Starring

• Natasha Henstridge as Sil
• Ben Kingsley as Xavier Fitch
• Michael Madsen as Press Lennox
• Alfred Molina as Dr. Stephen Arden
• Forest Whitaker as Dan Smithson
• Marg Helgenberger as Dr. Laura Baker
• Michelle Williams as Young Sil

Scientists tampering with what they really shouldn’t and the horrifying product of this are given a sexy edge in Species; a sci-fi/horror-thriller. If you are looking for logic, look elsewhere as this film is all about the entertainment factor and that is where it delivers the goods.

After sending a telescope into space many years prior to search for extraterrestrial life, a highly secret government science lab gains the knowledge and means of how to splice human and alien DNA. The project, headed up by Xavier Fitch, is put into effect and sets about using these newly gained information for a genetic engineering program. The program is a success with the production of Sil; who appears to look like a young girl, but whose genetic make up christen her as a hybrid who grows from a baby into a young girl in a matter of days. When it becomes known to Fitch that she exhibits potentially dangerous parts to her, he decides to shut down the operation. He has cyanide gas pumped into her chamber in order to kill her, but Sil has developed agility and super strength and escapes from her confines. Worried that this experiment will be exposed, Fitch assembles a team that will track her down. The team features assassin Press Lennox, British anthropologist Dr. Stephen Arden, molecular biologist Dr. Laura Baker and empath Dan Smithson. By the time the rag-tag team has been briefed and begin searching for her, she has already matured into a beautiful woman who enters Los Angeles. Quickly absorbing things from the world around her, Sil sets out on a mission to mate and reproduce. The hitch is that as she is a predator when she feels threatened she attacks, leaving a host of dead bodies in her wake as she seeks out the perfect mate. The team follow her, but find it difficult keeping up with the spawn as her growing mind and alien abilities provide no shortage of confusion. If Sil does successfully conceive and give birth, it would produce a whole new kind of species that the world would not be able to handle. The mission to stop this is now on as the team discover the motives of the creature.

Roger Donaldson takes what is basically a clichéd and slightly silly plot and has a ball with it. He creates a fun ride that is scary and sexy in that order. His glossy filming style and handling of pace is also in evidence throughout Species. I enjoyed how Donaldson opened the film with not giving us a lot of information as Sil escapes. Something about it really stuck with me as enigmatic and a little atmospheric, as I do enjoy a cold open in a film that leaves you wanting to know more.I have to praise the practical effects that made Sil look so good and especially when the beast side emerges. The CGI used is however a bit underwhelming, and they should have really stuck with the ace practical effects and artistry instead. The script of Species is one that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence and is probably the weakest are of the movie. It tries to be both entertaining and intellectual, but is lacking in the latter part. When you hear the characters discussing either the genetic make up or scientific parts of Sil, it just rings more than a little hollow as it never provides much of an insight to her or the other characters. I think it is best to enjoy Species as what it is, a sort of B-movie given the Hollywood treatment and fun that doesn’t require much in the way of straining the brain. And on the horror front, Species hits bulls eye with some pretty icky and gruesome deaths arising from Sil and her insatiable desire. Though with the other positive elements to be found in the picture, the weak script can be sort of forgiven as the film hurtles along with thrills and horror. The exceptional score from Christopher Young has an unusual but necessary vibe to it; switching quickly from eccentric sounds to quickening thrills in a matter of minutes.

Despite the shortcomings of the script, a highly capable set of actors give life and personality to their parts. In what was her debut role, former model Natasha Henstridge plays the pretty predator who is half human and half alien. While Henstridge is physically ideal for the part with a gorgeous face and shapely body(that is displayed prominently), she also demonstrates considerable acting skill as Sil uses her instincts that she acquires at an alarming rate. Her reactions to the world are interesting to watch, as she soaks up what makes humans tick and then through primal desire, takes deadly control. She doesn’t know why she is the way she is, but slowly her vicious, cunning and savage need takes hold and her seductive smile is just the start of mayhem. Ben Kingsley is pretty good as the scientist concerned about the implications of his creation and pretty selfish in his motivations too. I enjoyed the presence of Michael Madsen as the wise ass man of action, whose sarcastic attitude and skill with a gun make him pretty forceful in hunting down Sil. You can tell that Madsen is having a good time in this part. Alfred Molina was pretty solid as the snarky guy in the team, while the sensitive vibe of the reliably good Forest Whitaker strikes more emotion into his part than was probably scripted. Marg Helgenberger does very well as the only female in the group who is the most curious member to be sure. And look out for a young Michelle Williams playing Sil when she looks like a girl before her transformation. All of the actors present rise above the flaws in writing to keep you watching as the carnage unfolds.

So the CGI can be dated, the script a bit scatter shot and the whole exercise more than a little sleazy, but Species still dazzles in a tongue-in-cheek way and with a glossy and sexy surface to it, among the gory horror and thrills.

The X-Files: Fight the Future

Tags

1990's, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Blythe Danner, David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, John Neville, Martin Landau, Mitch Pileggi, Rob Bowman, Science Fiction, The X-Files: Fight the Future, Thriller, William B. Davis

Film Title

The X-Files: Fight the Future

Director

Rob Bowman

Starring

• David Duchovny as Fox Mulder
• Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully
• Martin Landau as Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil
• William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man
• John Neville as Well-Manicured Man
• Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner
• Armin Mueller-Stahl as Strughold
• Blythe Danner as Jana Cassidy

A cinematic outing for the hit television show, The X-Files: Fight the Future is a very successful transfer to the big screen filled with action, unusual moments and credible atmosphere, with a larger scope and budget than television can provide It proves that not all television transfers to the cinema screen are unsuccessful.

Mulder and Scully have both been reassigned since the closure of The X-Files at the end of Season 5. They are now working on a case involving a bomb threat to a federal building in Dallas. Although they manage to locate the explosive, it still goes off due to a mysterious insider. The duo is then used as scapegoats for the explosion, as it is revealed that at least five people perished. With the agency breathing down their necks and the possibility of the two being separated from working together, Mulder and Scully are in a real quandary of what to do. Meanwhile, a mysterious doctor named Kurtzweil, who claims to have known Mulder’s father gives him information that the dead bodies that were found in the explosion where in fact dead before the event. The bodies, as Mulder and Scully discover belong to a young boy and a number of firemen who encountered the Black Oil deep in Texas, which completely takes over the body and will eventually become known. Kurtzweil explains that The Syndicate covered up these deaths by staging the explosion that would make Mulder and Scully accountable. Although they aren’t supposed to be investigating, Mulder drags Scully onto this mission and what they uncover is massive. As the conspiracy builds, all the evidence begins to fall into place as the colonization plan of the nefarious Syndicate, containing the Cigarette Smoking Man, that has been unfolding becomes subtly known and more dangerously deadly than both Mulder and Scully imagined it ever would. It is something that could in essence bring about a new Armageddon. With the duo getting ever closer, the clock is ticking to discover the full extent of the conspiracy as they travel from the heat of Texas to the snowy depths of Antarctica.

There was always going to be a worry that a show as successful as The X-Files wouldn’t make the transition to the silver screen. But Rob Bowman, who has directed a number of episodes on the show, makes Fight the Future a tense, action-packed spectacle that alleviates any worries about whether the show could do it. The answer is a resounding yes as Bowman’s direction rewards the fans with some answers but makes it still a thrilling movie that non-fans can appreciate. Given a larger scope and canvas, the results are astounding and blend what is so successful about the show and gives them a healthy dose of action with the cinematic treatment. Visually, Fight the Future is a sheer winner, with production design and cinematography capturing the sense of danger, mystique and grandeur that the film requires. From an attack of infected killer bees swarming to Mulder and Scully being chased through a crop field and a cool climax within the confines of an icy Antarctica lab, Fight the Future delivers all this in spades. Now I would say that a bit of prior knowledge may be useful when watching the film as the plot is complex and convoluted. But it isn’t to an extent where people who haven’t seen the show can’t enjoy it, it can easily be seen as a well-constructed conspiracy thriller. Thanks to creator Chris Carter’s script that is filled with trademark banter between the agents, unusual events, grotesque horror and a deep sense of tangible danger, Fight the Future never loses you for a second. Composer Mark Snow contributes an eerie score, complete with the signature theme tune played in various parts in different ways that compliments the strange atmosphere of the film and gives it immense tension to burn.

As the two main characters that everyone has come to love as a team, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are brilliant as ever. David Duchovny strikes the right balance between Mulder’s wonderment and his charm, that isn’t afraid to go far beyond what he thinks he can do. Gillian Anderson fares just as well as Scully, the cool-headed but conflicted partner who tries to be rational but can’t always explain what she encounters. The chemistry is still very palpable and probably more so on the big screen as it adds yet more depth and care to the bond that they share with each other, that is under threat but as strong as ever. They are truly one of the best teams on television and now movies. Martin Landau is excellently cast as the paranoid informant Kurtzweil who puts Mulder and Scully on the tail of the conspiracy with his twitchy knowledge and mysterious appearance. Reprising his role from the show and onto the big screen is the creepy and villainous presence of William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man. Just like on the show, he is a shady character who you will just love to hate. Also returning is John Neville as the now weary Well-Manicured Man, who has had a crisis of conscience at his part in the scheme and attempts to put a stop to it and make amends via Mulder. Mitch Pileggi is back as Skinner, who is trying his best to keep his agents confident in what is a dire situation for all involved. In small but memorable roles as both a questioning government official and a sinister member of The Syndicate, Blythe Danner and Armin Mueller-Stahl are well-suited to the parts.

A well-constructed cinematic venture for Mulder and Scully, The X-Files: Fight the Future is an excellent film that keeps the winning essence of the show and gives it plentiful doses of cinematic magic and spectacle.