Category Archives: Brian’s Reviews

Brian’s Review – “Knowing” (2009)

25 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

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What’s it About?

M.I.T. professor John Koestler links a mysterious list of numbers from a time capsule to past and future disasters and sets out to prevent the ultimate catastrophe.

Directed by Alex Proyas

(Updated and Re-edited by Vic De Leon)

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I was actually pleasantly surprised by “Knowing.” I’ve wanted to watch it for some time simply because it was directed by the versatile and visionary Alex Proyas (The Crow and Dark City), and it had an interesting synopsis and story for it’s dynamic sci-fi plot.

What would you do if you suddenly found out that the world was ending gradually and you knew exactly when the actual end of the earth as we know it was going to happen? That it the heady and provocative tie that binds this film together and kept me interested during its two hour running time. Indeed, this isn’t the kind of film you want to actually think too hard about in the end. That is because there are quite a lot of implausible story choices to be had in the script.

I did wonder just how Nicolas Cage, who portrays an M.I.T Professor named John Koestler, found out the world was going to end so easily and how he managed to piece together so many clues through riddles, tomes, signs and predictions. Proyas’ film goes to great lengths to explain how he figures out the series of enigmatic numbers contained within the paper from the time capsule and how they correlate to real world events and disasters. But, when it comes to the biggest surprise, the inevitable end of the world, he simply hops on his iMac, does some poking around and….POOF!..He knows and deciphers the answer!

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Also, other than his great and absorbing performance in Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage’s acting tends to be a bit hammy, unbalanced and overly dramatized in various films that he stars in. Unfortunately, Knowing is no exception, with Cage walking a tightrope between an all out breakdown and a finely tuned, scene chewing spectacle. To my displeasure, his demeanor often times doesn’t even fit the scenes he’s actually in and it all comes across a bit detached.

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However, he is excellent at resembling a horse and drinking alcohol while looking “concerned.” One last problem before I move on to the good stuff is the special effects. It’s a tale of two movies here because the end of the world stuff looks incredible. Waves of explosions fill the sky and you see the Earth turn to instant, cinderous rubble. But, in earlier scenes involving large scale accidents (plane and train, I won’t divulge more), it looks really fake and obviously CGI. The best special and visual FX, are ones that you don’t really notice.

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The film itself has a wonderful and unique visual look to it. It’s dark without coming across as tremendously dreary and the dynamic cinematography by Simon Duggan (I, Robot, Live Free or Die Hard, The Great Gatsby) is one of the films’ stronger visual attributes. Also, Director Alex Proyas creates a great sense of suspense without having to resort to cheap and banal cliches. We are drawn in by the sheer enormity of the eventual end times and can feel it inching closer as the film progresses. I will admit that the end may turn some viewers off because of how it can feel detached from the rest of the movie, but, just keep in mind that it’s science fiction…not actual science. Recommended and enjoy!

– BRIAN

Brian’s Review – “Birdman” Or: “The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance” (2014)

08 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Movie Reviews

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What’s it About?

A washed-up actor, who once played an iconic superhero, battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career and himself in the days leading up to the opening of his Broadway play.

“Birdman: Or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance”

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Directed by  Alejandro González Iñárritu (as Alejandro G. Iñárritu)

By Brian

6 out of 10

A film full of such flawed characters really should add up to more than “Birdman,” from Mexican director and writer Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel), provides. Michael Keaton (Batman, Beetlejuice), Edward Norton (American History X, Fight Club), and Emma Stone (Amazing Spider-man) deliver Grade A performances across the board and elevate, what I believe, is a mediocre script to solid respectability. That’s not to say that “Birdman” isn’t a great achievement.

It contains a technical prowess rarely seen, these days, on the big screen. The cinematography is simpky astounding. Director of Photography Emmanuel Lubezki (Sleepy Hollow, Gravity) deserved his Oscar. His camera knows no bounds. It swoops in and out of windows, through narrow and dank hallways, and adds a sense of color inside the darkness that permeates through the entire movie. It’s a gorgeous film to look at.

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So, why such a mediocre number for a film that I admire so deeply on a technical level? Well, other films that give the audience a visual experience do that without the interplay that Birdman wastes its time on. These are deeply flawed characters but I never found any of them all that interesting.

For a group of people, in this case actors, that the American public follows so closely, they have almost nothing to say. Norton’s character is one dimensional and self-serving, Keaton is confused about who he is, and Watson is consistently focused on nothing. In other words, it never hooked me into its world. That really is a shame too because the world is painted so beautifully.

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The buzz will undoubtedly lead many to see “Birdman” no matter what my review says. I certainly would never steer anyone away from seeing such a polished film but I have to caution anyone whose expectations have risen since Oscar night. You will probably feel a bit let down.

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Brian’s Review – “Halloween II” (1981)

06 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews

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What’s it About?

While Sheriff Brackett and Dr. Loomis hunt for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to hospital, and the serial killer is not far behind her.

“Halloween II”

Directed by  Rick Rosenthal

Written by John Carpenter, Debra Hill

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8 out of 10

By Brian

Director Rick Rosenthal lost the war before the battle even began. Critics and fans alike were incredibly pessimistic that a 2nd Halloween could ever come close to the level of suspense and terror that the first film successfully provided. Well, they were quite right, in my humble opinion. It’s not as good as Carpenter’s venerable and iconic “Halloween” but it’s pretty damn close. It’s a miracle this film is as good as it is, considering that director John Carpenter begrudgingly accepted to write and produce, with Debra Hill, but refused to direct the feature.

Carpenter even reached out to his friend Tommy Lee Wallace (Halloween III: Season of the Witch, It, Fright Night II) to direct and he politely declined. So, here comes first time director Rick Rosenthal to pick up the pieces to not only make a decent film, but a solid horror sequel, and Rosenthal succeeds brilliantly. There are two distinctive components to “Halloween II,” that make it apparently successful: A good script and wonderful cinematography by Dean Cundey. Writers John Carpenter and Debra Hill decided to start the film directly at the end of the first and have it take place on exactly the same night, on Halloween, in Haddonfield.

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This was a brilliant and a decisively smart decision. That immediately linked it to the first “Halloween” and got the train moving without having to explain any back story. This is a classic case of “if you haven’t seen the first, don’t bother.” One of the criticisms leveled against “Halloween II,” over the years is how much bloodier and violent it is than the first. That is absolutely true and accurate. It is most certainly more violent but the blood is never over the top and the shots of gore never linger. Also, compared to your average “Saw” film, it’s incredibly tame. The main focus is on the suspense and it’s build up. With the shift in location changing from a normal suburban neighborhood to a small town hospital, where staff and patients are vulnerable, it still retains that creepy familiar feeling.

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The hallways appear eerie and desolate. The darkness, surrounding every little corner seems to be hiding something evil, and the hand held camerawork is fantastic. Also, without giving anything away, the ending to “Halloween II” is extremely satisfying. I have always thought of “Halloween” and “Halloween II,” to be one complete three hour film that should have ended right there, at the end of the second entry. It wraps up the Laurie Strode, Michael Myers, and Dr. Loomis stories as well and tight as you can. If you’re in for an enjoyable and classic horror marathon, watch them back to back with the lights off. It’s a scary good time. Highly Recommended!

Vic’s Notes –

“Halloween II”

On the strength of a short film named “Toyer,” Carpenter and late Producer / Writer Debra Hill, decided on rookie Rick Rosenthal to helm the film.

Rosenthal has stated, in the past, that upping the blood and nudity was not his idea at all. It was due to Carpenter coming in, and making some changes, after a rough cut was too tame. Rosenthal feels that Carpenter (who had a strong post presence) damaged his cut, which he felt was fine the way it was paced.

The budget was 2.5 million on this movie. The first’s was only $320, 000.00. Yablans and Akkad both plunked down some serious coin for this entry.

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Composer Alan Howarth (Star Trek: The Motion Picture), returns to co-score the film with Carpenter. Howarth has worked on various Carpenter films like “Escape from New York,” “Christine,” and the horror movie, “Prince of Darkness.”

The Theatrical and TV cuts of “Halloween II” are almost the same length. In the TV cut, we find out the real fate of the EMT, Jimmy, who earlier in the film, slips on a pool of blood.

In “Halloween II,” young actor, Ty Mitchell, plays a young boy who bites into an apple and gets a razor blade stuck in his mouth. He is then rushed to the hospital where Myers chases down Laurie. Ty Mitchell also played, Andy, the son of Adrienne Barbeau in Carpenter’s Pirate Ghost Story, “The Fog” (1980)

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SNL alum, Dana Carvey makes a cameo as a cameraman.

“Jaws” actor Jeffrey Kramer plays Graham the M.E. In “Jaws” he plays Hendricks, an Amity PD deputy.

John Carpenter and Debra Hill originally had planned to write the sequel with Myers tracking down Laurie Strode, a few years later, at a high rise apartment building.

Other horror films that year, including “Omen III: The Final Conflict” and “Friday the 13th” were bested by “Halloween II” at the box office.

In many circles, “Halloween II” is still considered a splatter film instead of a slasher. Also, many fans feel that the first 2 films, along with “Halloween: H20,” are the only true canon. Though, many adore the other sequels (Return and Revenge of Michael Myers) which also starred Donald Pleasence  along with a young Danielle Harris.

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Over the years, “Halloween II” has gained more respect among horror fans and critics. Some initial criticisms remain quite stinging, though. Many do recognize the strengths of this sequel. Some have been known to change or re-review the film with a more favorable (if not glowing) outlook.

Director Rick Rosenthal returned to helm “Halloween: Resurrection” which was met with a very chilly response and is not as admired or respected as his other film, “Halloween II.”

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MANY THANKS TO WIKIPEDIA, FANGORIA AND FEARNET

Brian’s Review – John Carpenter’s “The Fog” (1980)

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews

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Hello, Gang! Here is another older review from my bud, Brian Volke. It has been re-edited and I have added New Images!  Hope you all enjoy it and thanks for checking in on my re-vamped reviews during my hiatus! Thanks for checking into Vic’s Movie Den.

– Vic

What’s it About?

A Northern California fishing town, built 100 years ago over an ancient leper colony, becomes shrouded by a killer fog containing zombie-like ghosts seeking revenge for their deaths.

“The Fog”

Directed by John Carpenter

8 out of 10

By Brian

All of John Carpenter’s best films take simple ideas and he expand upon them by the use of creative and atmospheric worlds and scenarios. “Halloween” took a normal neighborhood and made it terrifying, “The Thing” created a sense of gloom within the snow and cold of Antarctica, and “The Fog” uses darkness and shadows to create one of my favorite ghost stories ever put to screen. His movies are also more dependent on the setting, suspenseful dynamics and locations than most filmmakers use to create immersive mood.

The opening of the film really sets the stage with the legendary John Houseman telling a scary story around a campfire and then dropping us right into the island where we’ll spend the next 90 minutes. “The Fog” is a classic sleepover ghost story similar to the one we’ve all hear a million times about the murderer coming back for revenge and scratching the car with his hook(ironically, the ghosts have hooks here too).

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The script is really simplistic and silly. Supposedly, pirates were screwed over by the Church and now they’re back to re-claim their treasure. Now, before you start to get flashbacks of a Scooby-Doo episode, understand that this is a John Carpenter film and he is a master at creating suspense, mood and dread. Along with a healthy dose of fear and mysticism.

Director of Photography Dean Cundey (Jurassic Park, The Thing, Back to the Future, Escape from New York)was at the top of his game here too. The small, and almost Lovecraftian, coastal village of Antonio Bay is an absolutely perfect setting and his camera work, lighting and compositions are nothing short of stunning. He makes low budget films look a lot more expensive by his use of excellent framing as well as his use of darkness and shadows.

The performances are nothing to really write home about. But they are very adequate for this material. Jamie Lee Curtis is a bit bland at times, Tom Atkins is sometimes blah but nicely stoic enough. The wholesome Adrienne Barbeau (Swamp Thing, Escape from New York, Maude)is nice to look at but offers little else but being a stereotypical scrappy and lonely Mom who takes up the mantle of protecting Antonio Bay as a kind of monster watcher who issues warnings. So, why am I rating this an 8 with a simplistic story, somewhat bland acting, and a silly mystery? Because “The Fog” is all about atmosphere and suspense. And in that line of thinking, it delivers in spades.

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Brian’s Review – John Carpenter’s “Prince of Darkness” (1987)

31 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews

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Hello, Gang! Here is another older review from my bud, Brian Volke. It has been re-edited and I have added new images. Hope you all enjoy it and thanks for checking in on my re-vamped reviews during my hiatus!

– Vic

What’s it About?

A research team finds a mysterious cylinder in a deserted church. If opened, it could mean the end of the world.

“Prince of Darkness”

Directed by John Carpenter

8 out of 10

By Brian

Horror films have one ineffable quality that no other genre can lay claim to: Mood is more important than story. There are some that may disagree with that statement, but, think of some of your favorite horror flicks of all time. Most of them have simple premises that don’t hold a lot of weight (Halloween, Night of the Living Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre) but they have a sense of mood and style that grips the audience and doesn’t let go. Prince of Darkness is not in the same league as the films I mentioned previously but it does share that one vital element: mood.

Director John Carpenter and Director of photography Gary Kibbe (his first film as cinematographer for Carpenter) populate the world with constant barriers that are being thrown up. It might be a door, or lunatics out in the street, or even a possessed person just around the corner. Carpenter creates a sense of claustrophobia that builds and builds as the story progresses until it reaches its climax.

The camera work throughout is top notch. Hallways go on forever, basements have corners that darken into nothingness, and the church itself feels like a shrine to evil. The cast of characters are generally wallpaper except for the great Donald Pleasance, who, as usual, anchors the film with a sense of believability that it otherwise would have lacked. His resume is exhaustive but his consistency throughout his entire career was nothing less than spectacular.

It will never be listed with the best of horror films ever, never won any awards, and is never even thought of as one of the better John Carpenter films. But, I have always had a soft spot for this movie. Time and time again we’re given “horror” films that are utterly boring and lifeless. The word horror refers to a sense of dread, shock and fear. By that definition, Prince of Darkness is a true horror film.

Enjoy the “Prince of Darkness” image gallery below!

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Brian’s Review – “Knowing” (2009)

26 Saturday Jul 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

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Hello, gang! Here is a newly re-edited review done by Brian Volke from a while back with new images. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for stopping in and checking out the re-vamped posts!

– Victor

What’s it About?

M.I.T. professor John Koestler links a mysterious list of numbers from a time capsule to past and future disasters and sets out to prevent the ultimate catastrophe.

“Knowing”

Directed by Alex Proyas

7 out of 10

By Brian

I was pleasantly surprised by this film. I’ve wanted to see it for a while simply because it was directed by Alex Proyas (The Crow and Dark City) and it had an interesting synopsis for the plot. What would you do if you suddenly found out that the world was ending and you knew exactly when it was going to happen?

That it the tie that binds this film together and kept me interested during its two hour running time. This isn’t the kind of film you want to think too hard about. There’s a lot of implausible story choices.

I did wonder how Nicolas Cage found out the world was going to end so easily. The movie goes to great lengths to explain how he figures out the series of numbers contained within the paper from the time capsule and how they correlate to real world events. But, when it comes to the biggest surprise, the end of the world, he simply hops on his iMac and….POOF!..He knows the answer!

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Also, other than his great performance in Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage’s acting tends to be hammy and too dramatized. Knowing is no exception. His demeanor sometimes doesn’t even fit the scenes he’s in. However, he is excellent at resembling a horse and drinking alcohol while looking “concerned.” One last problem before I move on to the good stuff is the special effects. It’s a tale of two movies here because the end of the world stuff looks incredible.

Waves of explosions fills the sky and you see the Earth turn to rubble. But, in earlier scenes involving large scale accidents (plane and train, I won’t divulge more), it looks really fake and obviously CGI. The best special effects are ones that you don’t notice.

The film itself has a great visual look to it. It’s dark without coming across as dreary and the cinematography by Simon Duggan is one of the films’ stronger attributes. Also, Director Alex Proyas creates a great sense of suspense without having to resort to cheap cliches.

We are drawn in by the sheer enormity of end times and can feel it inching closer as the film progresses. I will admit that the end may turn some viewers off because of how it can feel detached from the rest of the movie, but, just keep in mind that it’s science fiction…not science.

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Brian’s Review – “Scanners” (1981)

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

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What’s it About?

A scientist sends a man with extraordinary psychic powers to hunt others like him.

“Scanners”

Directed by  David Cronenberg

8 out of 10

By Brian

What if there were 237 people on Earth that had such tremendous psychic abilities that they could not only control others’ minds but they could inflict bodily harm and death? That’s the premise behind the terrific horror film that launched the career of the great David Cronenberg. I’ve always been an admirer of his work because he’s a man that likes to take chances and makes films that are truly a singular vision.

In Scanners, he creates a world where normal people are nothing but pawns in a game between the movement of the gifted psychics who want to control the world and an opposing group that has recruited a scanner of their own to stop them.

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The cat and mouse game between the opposing scanners is the real meat and potatoes of the story and will have you on the edge of your seat throughout this fast paced trip. The performances are nothing to write home about save for Michael Ironside who makes a truly formidable foe to our protagonist (played by Stephen Lack capably but not memorably). The real star here is the direction by Cronenberg and the ground breaking makeup effects that were way ahead of their time.

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If you’ve never heard of the famous “head exploding scene” until now, you’ll be shocked at just how convincing it is even by today’s movie magic standards. It brings me back to a time in films before computers did all the work and in many ways effects were more convincing because they had real world believability. They took up actual space on the set and the actors were given a chance to see what they’re reacting to versus an empty green screen.

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The camera-work throughout is excellent. Mood is put front and center. This is a dark world filled with desperate people that have clear goals. The mere fact that this film has such a devoted cult following after its release over 30 years ago should give you an idea of its impact. I must warn you that this is a very violent film and if you have a weak stomach, it’s not for you. But, if you like a dark twisted tale with a great plot hook, rent and enjoy!

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Brian’s Review – “A Good Day To Die Hard” (2013)

07 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Movie Reviews

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What’s it About?

John McClane travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working undercover

A Good Day to Die Hard

Directed by John Moore

2 out of 10

By Brian

John McClane, played by Bruce Willis (Pulp Fiction, Red 2), travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack, played by Jai Courtney (I, Frankenstein), is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces. Bruce Willis ought to be ashamed of himself for having the audacity of inflicting this piece of shit on the public and then having the nerve to call it a Die Hard film.

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This is as bad a cash grab I’ve seen from an actor in recent memory. All of the charm and fun from the earlier entries in the series feels like a distant memory and they’re replaced with an experience here that feels cold, boring, distant, incomprehensible, and ugly. Why in the hell did Bruce Willis even make this? He’s certainly not hard up for cash after being one of the top paid actors for the last quarter century. The mind boggles.

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So, why do a sequel to a beloved series that isn’t of very high quality? I’m not here to try to convince anyone that Die Hard is high art or anything but they were slam bam action films that were pure fun and contained a realistic hero in un-relenting and un-realistic situations. The John McClane character is among the most beloved off all time in the action genre and easily Bruce Willis’s most iconic screen role to date.

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This film shows a complete disrespect for the earlier work and Willis himself is largely to blame. My criticism are as follows:

  1. There’s no discernable story here. If there’s no story then the audience has zero reason to care.
  2. As with #1, there’s no characters that are remotely interesting…including John McClane!!! If you don’t care about the characters, you don’t care when they’re in danger and therefore there’s no suspense.
  3. This film is photographed horribly. The entire thing is way too dark and smothered in dark blues and smeary reds. It creates problems as a viewer because when you mix that with the shaky cam effect, it makes an already impossible film to follow even murkier.
  4. Bruce Willis acts old and tired. He puts no effort in to create any dramatic weight and looks utterly bored.
  5. John Moore is a schlock director. Did anyone see Max Payne? I rest my case.
  6. You won’t have any clue what’s going on from one scene to the next. There’s no flow. I was confused and yet too bored to put in any effort to figure it out.
  7. The villain sucks. He has no back-story and very few lines.
  8. There’s double crosses by characters who have almost no screen time. If I don’t even know who these people are, why would I care if someone betrayed someone else?

I could go on and on but I’ll end with this. This isn’t just the worst Die Hard film but my pick as the worst film of 2013.

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Brian’s Top 5: Action Movies

05 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Movie Reviews, Top 5

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Hey, gang!  Vic , here, with another cool Top 5 List from Brian Volke, a good friend and regular contributor to Vic’s Movie Den. It is his Top Cinco Action Movies. Enjoy!

Brian’s Top 5 Action Movies:

5.  Die Hard: This adrenaline pumping movie came out of nowhere and established Bruce Willis as a household name and box office draw.  It’s by far the best film of its kind because we believe in John McClain.  Unlike Dirty Harry or Rambo, he’s a normal guy who has the odds stacked against him.

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4.  Dirty Harry: Before Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood was known primarily as the man with no name in Sergio Leone’s terrific spaghetti westerns.  The story is simple but because his character is so engaging, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.  Also, Andy Robinson is perhaps the best action villain of all time.

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3.  The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I’m throwing this into the action genre because it contains some of my favorite gunfights in screen history.  3 men on the trail of $200,000 worth of gold.  Who will get it?  Well, get ready to have a blast finding out.

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2.  The French Connection: The winner of 1971’s Best Picture has the greatest car chase in screen history.  William Friedkin attached cameras to the hoods of the cars and the effect it created felt like you were in the car.  Ever since, countless films by every major director copied and re-copied it to great effect.  Oh, and Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider are fantastic too.

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1.  Raiders of the Lost Ark: George Lucas took a character inspired from the 1930’s serials that he loved and handed the directing reigns to Steven Spielberg to create the greatest action film ever made.  With barely a moment to catch your breath, from snakes to plane crashes, to chases through the desert, tarantulas, rolling boulders, and historic artifacts, this movie gives you your money’s worth and then some.

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Thanks for the awesome list, Brian. Incredible job and like always, I am very grateful for the contribution. Ok, gang, sound off below and tell us which are your favorite action movies of all time!

– Vic

Brian’s Review – “Mr. Brooks” (2009)

31 Saturday May 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Horror Movies, Movie Reviews

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Mr Brooks movie poster

What’s it About?

A psychological thriller about a man who is sometimes controlled by his murder-and-mayhem-loving alter ego.

“Mr Brooks”

Directed by Bruce A. Evans

8 out of 10

By Brian

I absolutely love it when I throw in a movie that I know nothing about.  No preconceived notions, no trailers, no expectations, nothing.  It’s very freeing when you can just watch a film unfold.  Mr. Brooks turned out to be a film that I enjoyed very much for just that reason.

Costner plays the title character of Earl Brooks, a successful millionaire business owner who is addicted to killing. In fact, he’s the most meticulous killer ever. He has every single detail down pat of how not to get caught by not leaving any bullet fragments, burning all of his clothes, and even vacuuming his murder scenes to not leave any fibers or hairs.

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All of his killings go unsolved until he makes a fatal error.  He forgets to close the shades to the window and someone snaps a picture of his face.  That’s all I’m going to tell you.  The rest takes you on a very interesting ride with a satisfying conclusion that doesn’t tie up all the loose ends like standard Hollywood fare.

Why does this film work when so many other films about serial killers are made and forgotten?  Well, it all starts with Costner, who is absolutely brilliant.  He gives us such a fleshed out and believable character that we can’t help but think there’s a possibility this guy exists.  I was taken so off guard by this film because it was relatively forgotten in its theatrical run and passed by on video.  Do yourself a favor and either rent it or buy it.

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Brian’s Review – “District 9” (2009)

23 Friday May 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

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What’s it About?

An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology.

“District 9”

Directed by Neill Blomkamp

10 out of 10

By Brian

I was starting to feel a little down about the science fiction genre.  Roland Emmerich and Michael Bay films will do that to you.  “Transformers “and “Transformers 2” are two of the worst pieces of shit I have ever seen in my life (Why did I watch the second?  I still don’t know).  I was feeling down.  Was this where science fiction was going?  Brainless directing mixed with sub par acting and non-existent stories?

Well, out of nowhere came “District 9” from director Neil Bloomkamp (Elysium).  This film is flat out the most impressive science fiction film of the decade.  It’s the best since 1999’s Matrix and just as ground breaking.We are given a situation that is completely believable.  Aliens have arrived from their dying home world in a spaceship hovering over Johannesburg. 

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The government, tired of taking care of them, decides to evict them to a new camp where they will be out of their jurisdiction and no longer their financial burden.  Sounds a lot like what’s going on in South Western United States right?The plot weaves to a satisfying conclusion through special effects that are more believable than “special” as well as acting and real relationships of co-dependence that hit all the right notes

In Blomkamp’s District 9, we see a new apartheid. The camp, located in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a brilliant stroke. We see how quickly people can turn against the new group. The black Africans protest to remove the alien inhibitors, but against UN sanctions and international pressure, South Africa hosts the aliens — albeit in a deplorable ghetto.

The movie is carried by Sharlto Copley (Europa Reprt, Shallow Grave, Elysium), who plays Wikus Van De Merwe, a wimpy man who works for a private company hired to move the aliens to a new location. He is sprayed with an alien mist and starts to become one of them — a concept that could have been extremely cheesy in the wrong hands. But Copley maintains humanity and vulnerability in his character. We feel for him as he loses everything he had — his family, job, and home.

This film intelligently discusses racism, corporate and political corruption, and war mongering, wrapped in a science-fiction film that has dialogue and action that is wise and smooth. Kubrick would have loved this movie.

 I absolutely loved this films’ originality and wit.  Note to hack filmmakers such as the ones I mentioned above: THIS is how you do a sci-fi film that doesn’t insult the intelligence of your audience.

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Brian’s Review – “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012)

17 Saturday May 2014

Posted by in Brian's Reviews, Movie Reviews

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What’s it About?

A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.

“Zero Dark Thirty”

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

10 out of 10

By Brian

“Zero Dark Thirty” is not just my pick for the best film of 2012 but for the last several. It’s a towering, suspenseful, smart, well acted, and action filled masterpiece from start to finish. Rarely do I insist you see a film but this one falls under that high a recommendation. Kathryn Bigelow has achieved something really special here. We all know the ending and yet I was in complete suspense for a running time of almost 3 hours. The attention to detail leads to a level of believability that is rarely captured on celluloid.

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Recently, I watched a movie called End of Watch which was about 2 cops recording their actions on the job to create a pseudo-documentary feel. The purpose was to create a verisimilitude; a sense that we were watching reality. It didn’t work for me because the over top effort to falsely create that mood worked against its sole intent. Zero Dark Thirty doesn’t require such a gimmick because it took the time to get the facts straight and recreate the scenes through proper research.

It all pays off because it has that rare ability to draw you in as a viewer and make you feel like part of the experience. I wasn’t watching a CIA operative research the clues. I was riding along in the car with her. I wasn’t feeling the sense that I already knew the ending. I felt like I was discovering the story for the first time as the characters did. And, I didn’t watch a group of Nave Seals invade the compound, I was standing right next to them.

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Only the rare and special movie going experience has that quality and all participants involved should be proud of their work here. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that terrific acting, particularly by Jessica Chastain. Her intelligence and emotions are always portrayed realistically without over dramatizing situations that hardly need embellishment. She comes across as smart, tough, and vulnerable.

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