Sci-Fi Archives - Page 6 of 7

Men in Black 3

Fans of the Men in Black franchise recently became thrilled to know there is now a 3rd installment. Like its predecessors, the third movie has all the slime, goofy special effects, and laser guns you could ask for in a sci-fi action comedy. It also has some really good actors and that is what ultimately makes this movie franchise a winner.

Men in Black 3 was directed by Barry Sonnenfield, known for Pushing Daisies and the Lemony Snicket … children’s movie (among others). He has created an exciting movie here that includes a powerfully written twist at the end. The film stars Will Smith as Agent J, Tommy Lee Jones as agent K, and Josh Brolin as a younger agent K. By way of trivia, IMDB reveals that Sacha Baron Cohen was considered but not chosen for the role of Boris. He would have been great no doubt but as it stands, the character they got to play Boris does an excellent job. Based on the acting, special effects, and clever twist at the end, I gave this movie a high rating. It was a fun roller coaster ride that provoked thinking about stuff like time travel. I love sci fi movies that make me think.

By way of summary: Agent J is transported back in time to help save Agent K from Boris’ deadly actions. As he goes back, we see the slime and future devices in retrospect … “retro-furtristic” if you will. It could have been a film on Roswell or Area 51 as it presented the retro cars of the 40’s and 50’s. Horrible Boris the Animal is at his worst here. We witness him murder and commit crimes through time and up to the present. Nevertheless, through a series of events, Boris is defeated and Agent J returns to the present day victorious. He has saved K’s life by going back in time. I won’t reveal the twist here but fans of the franchise are going to love it. I think anyone, pre-existing fan or not, will find it both touching and exciting at the same time.

In my final analysis, I found Men in Black 3 to be a wild and crazy ride that I might consider going on a second time. The actors and the writing deserve the most credit I think. And of course, let’s not underestimate the power of slime. For a fun night out at the movies (kids or adults) I recommend Men in Black 3.

Wonder Woman (2017)

There has been so much buzz about this film and most of it is merited. However, I most love this movie for the simple reasons of: character foreshadowing, the slow motion fighting, and Wonder Woman’s love for flawed humanity.

Wonder Woman

“Before she was Wonder Woman she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true destiny.” -IMDB

Cast

Gal Gadot Diana
Chris Pine Steve Trevor
Robin Wright Antiope
Lucy Davis Etta

Directed by

Patty Jenkins

Written by

Allan Heinberg, Zack Snyder

Other Info

Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, War
PG-13
Fri 02 Jun 2017 UTC
141min
IMDB Rating: 8.2

Patty Jenkins is the director of this visionary film. I admire the way she put it all together. Even though I thought the war scenes and time in Germany could have been cut shorter, the movie works like an amusement park ride. To anyone about to see it I would say: get ready to be rattled! Jenkins is known for Monster which is a biopic based on the female serial killer Aileen Wuornos played by Charlize Theron. There is no superhero element to Monster but it’s a great work that tells a controversial story. So far, she has directed two powerful flms. Let’s hope to see more from her.

There are many powerful actors in this film but the most stand-out are Gal Gadot and Chris Pine. They are wonderful. Whether we are talking about basic action sequences or the love story element, both make the A grade. There is an innocence to both of them that makes the love story work as well as the saving of humanity sequences. Gal is 32, let’s hope she continues to be in the franchise. Her beauty is matched by her acting ability and flexible action moves.

Character foreshadowing is done several times in the film. One time is when they are in the German streets and there is a bearded man watching them. By the second glimpse, it was clear to me he was tracking Wonder Woman. Around another corner and I found out I was correct. Another example is the evil force. We see him a couple times in another form and to me it was clear who he was. What do you think? If you hven’t seen it, you will likely see it as I did. This is a simple directing tool but it works well to keep the movie rolling along with audeince interest. t’s a way of getting their engagement in noticing it. But there’s another film trick used that far surpasses this one.

The cgi slow mo effect used in the fight scenes is not new to us in films. We saw it a lot in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Matrix, as well as pretty much every superhero film made in the past 20 years. The difference here is the way it’s done. There is a marked improvement over anything we have seen before. This special efects and editing team did their homework. I found this tool of film incredible in the story.

The third reason I loved this film is because Wonder Woman pledges to save humans even despite their penchant for anger and war. She falls in love with a human and that helps but it’s her experiences on the battefield that bring her to the conclusion that we are worth saving. The quote she utters at the end and a few tines before (again, the foreshadowing) speaks to personal belief and giving people according to your love rather than what they deserve.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is one of the best superhero moves ever made due to its structure, the cgi and slo mo effects, and the incredible beauty of Wonder Woman’s message for humankind.

9/10

Hancock

This is a repost of Will Smith as Hancock: Lacking Human Moments published first on Yahoo Voices Jul 16, 2008.

Will Smith’s movie “Hancock” is a superhero flick that struck me as lackluster at best. There are a few moments toward the end that worked but overall it was just a movie trying to win an audience through special effects.

In the beginning we find John Hancock curled up on bench in Hollywood, California. He’s clutching a bottle of booze much to the chagrin of a little kid urging him to go get the bad guys. This scene is wholly confusing and I found myself guessing that he was a well known bum with amazing powers. Sounds stupid huh? Well, I was 100% correct. In the first 2/3 of the movie we see Hancock go through rehab and do jail time. I kept hoping we’d get something to hold onto in terms of a moral, but it never came. I suppose one could justify that big chunk of the movie by saying it shows people should be responsible and stay in jail even when they have the superhero ability to break any brick wall down (or thick steel for that matter). I’m sorry but the morals here, which are always there in great super hero movies, are cloudy if not non-existent. This superhero movie had no morals and therefore slipped and fell most of the way through. Now, in the last 1/3 of the movie it recovered somewhat, at least in the morals department. We find out he has a wife he didn’t know about and he does a few things to save her life. Without giving away too much of the plot, I will just say this moral of “selflessness” is presented in the most cryptic way it takes a movie reviewer to glean it, at least that is this movie reviewers opinion. If I were to ask one of my kids what the moral is of the scenes between Hancock and his wife I have a feeling I’d get a blank stare.

Should superhero movies be that complicated?

The second area the movie flopped in my opinion was the lack of human moments. Ironically, superhero movies are great because they reveal the humanity through the characters. Not only did these characters lack endearing human qualities, they seemed one dimensional, like a storyboard that was never fleshed out with human characteristics. I found the characters flat and built to serve only the grossly overdone violence that never stops from the first scene. This movie has tons of CGI effects that are neat to look at but unfortunately they don’t carry the weight needed to become a great superhero movie like “the Hulk” or “Spiderman.” I am a big Will Smith fan, but unfortunately, not even Will Smith can save this colossal train wreck.

Hancock will be a good rental for kids that want to see things get destroyed or by drunks that find identification in going to jail to sober up. For the rest of us working class heroes that need good movies to inspire and propel us to do great things, this movie will fall on empty ears and desperately-seeking-for-more than “Hancock,” human eyes. Those eyes, in case the makers of Hancock are interested, want morals and human moments in movies, it’s what keeps us coming back.

Alien (1979)

The concept of an unknown creature (the xenomorph) being inside you and feeding off your insides is a bone shivering one indeed. That was the concept that catapulted this first of the Alien movies into orbit.

Alien

“After a space merchant vessel perceives an unknown transmission as a distress call, its landing on the source moon finds one of the crew attacked by a mysterious life-form, and they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun.” -IMDB

Cast

Sigourney Weaver Ripley
Tom Skerritt Dallas
John Hurt Kane
Veronica Cartwright Lambert

Directed by

Ridley Scott

Written by

Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett

Other Info

Horror, Sci-Fi
TV-14
Fri 22 Jun 1979 UTC
117min
IMDB Rating: 8.5

Director Ridley Scott had a vision to get this done and he did it with real props, costumes, and a lot of goo! You won’t find any cgi in this film, just well sculpted and shiny creature heads and protruding sharp teeth.

There are so many amazing actors in this first film but Sigourney Weaver will always stand out to me as strong first impression. She is the one who takes on the creature. It’s as if she is attached to it, like its mother. But this mother/child relationship is only host/parasite. The creature wants to kill her and use her to make more offspring.

Like Blade Runner, there is the theme of androids in this film that makes it very interesting. When the android is destroyed for telling the crew they are doomed, it’s his head alone that does the talking. In 1979, special effects were like parlor tricks, they had to use what they had to get the point across. Sometimes, this makes for better effects.

Alien is a space story about a ship sent to retrieve colonists on a far off planet and return them to Earth. They discover a vicious alien lifeform on board that is engineered to wipe out the human race and only they can stop it.

After multiple watchings through the years, I have to say this film is still scary to me and I marvel at how well done the analog effects are. The story is excellent and I hope every horror or sci-fi fan gets a chance to see it once in their lifetime. The acting and the story are top notch and it’s a career high for Ridley Scott as director.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Black outer space is scary. So is being alone. Add to that the fear of an unknown, “Alien,” creature and you have the potential for a terrifying film. Ridley Scott managed to create that. It’s probably one of the most scary films out there in this genre. The idea that nature is cold and uncaring is always a fascinating concept in a movie. Whether it’s a white whale or a 1,000 pound Grizzly Bear, nature needs to feed and it will at any cost in order to survive. In this film, we are held before scenes of nature in its rawest form, uncaring, feeding. It’s a mind-blowing film, I give it my highest recommendation possible to everyone, except young kids say under 8 years old.

10/10

‘Crawl or Die’ – Horror in the Pipeline with a Girl

When you were a kid did you crawl through tunnels? I know I did. These tunnels are kind of like that except a monster is following you and they get smaller and smaller as you try to escape. This is horror in the pipeline with a kick-ass girl.

Horror, Sci-Fi, and Thriller never looked so good in a film. It’s been called “The Most Claustrophobic Film.” I would agree with that. For horror fans, those scares are met by the incredible performance of Nicole Alonso. The Director Oklahoma Ward has created a film that sends fear down your spine and makes it impossible to turn away. Several elements work well to make this a perfect indie horror film.

Crawl or Die (2014)

Cast

Nicole Alonso, Torey Byrne, Tommy Ball

Directed by

Oklahoma Ward

Written by

Oklahoma Ward

Other Info

Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
1hr 30min

Just like rock and roll bands try to play what rocks, so horror directors try to know what scares. As long as I can remember people have said claustrophobia is one of the most universal fears. People don’t like being in an enclosed space. Crawl or Die plays on that fear and believe me, it scares!

Furthermore, the fear of unknown creatures is another fear of many and Director Oklahoma Ward weaves a really scary creature into his film. These scary aspects combined with the extreme physicality of Nicole Alonso as “Tank” make Crawl or Die a horror, sci-fi, thrill ride of a film.

A high level security force is chosen to transport the “package,” the last woman on earth that can become pregnant. The earth as we know it is gone and the continuance of humankind rests in the safe passage of this woman.

While transferring this package, the team has to find its way through a labyrinth of pipes and tunnels. As if that wasn’t bad enough, there is a hungry creature that lives in the passages, coming to feed on them.

*The rest of the review may contain minor spoilers

The star of the movie is Tank (Nicole Alonso). She plays an angry, sexy, soldier role in the manner of Avatar‘s Trudy Chacón (Michelle Rodriguez), Colombiana‘s Cataleya (Zoe Saldana), Alien‘s Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), and the like. Alonso’s physical acting is extreme. You see her pulling her own weight to and fro inside the pipes with artistry and grace. She is fun to watch and definitely easy on the eyes. At the same time, there is a determination in her eyes that builds suspense and keeps you guessing about the horror that is right behind them all.

The creature definitely adds to the terror. In the scenes where you expect the creature to appear, Oklahoma Ward (Director) has deftly added subsonic beats that are choreographed to stop. In some of the early scenes, it seems an eternity before the creature crumbles its spider-like leg through the dirt. This works perfectly to release the scares that are not always that scary. It’s more the waiting on bated breath that creates the horror. Having said that, there are plenty of scares that send chills down your spine. It’s refreshing and remarkable what Ward and Alonso did in this film with such a simple set and formula. This is definitely a movie-makers movie as well as a critic’s film. There is much to talk about. I know I’ll be looking for an interview with the makers soon.

To expand on the “simple conventions” idea: I noticed the team used flashlights in an interesting way. They hung them on their boots as well as held them in their left hand while holding a gun in their right. I suppose when you are in a tunnel that’s getting smaller, you hold your light just about any way you can. The gun is a good thing too although it appeared that even an AK-47 assault type rifle cannot take out this monster. I’ve read online that this is to be the first film in a “Crawl or Die” trilogy. I will be eager to see how Ward uses more simplified effects to produce scares and suspense. As an independent film trying to use minimal budget and conventions to scare, I give this film a perfect score. I am a fan now and am looking forward to next one!

You can follow what’s happening with the Crawl or Die trilogy here.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

The 80’s has some simple movies that made for some really good memories. This horror film is like that only it’s more like a Pee Wee Herman film than a Back to the Future.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

“Aliens who look like clowns come from outer space and terrorize a small town.” -IMDB

Cast

Grant Cramer Mike Tobacco
Suzanne Snyder Debbie Stone
John Allen Nelson Dave Hanson
John Vernon Curtis Mooney

Directed by

Stephen Chiodo

Written by

Charles Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo

Other Info

Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
PG-13
Fri 27 May 1988 UTC
88min
IMDB Rating: 6.1

The effects are just silly. Still, they had a particular charm and allure to them. Through a random series of events, we find out that clowns have laded from outer space and they are looking to recolonize their planet by placing people into cotton candy cocoons. You shuld be in a weird mood before you watch this film. It’s not a traditional horror. Rather, it’s more goofy, silly, twisted humor.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I have to be careful recommending this film because it’s not a traditional horror. The clowns indeed kill people but they are so goofy in the things they do, they’re not scary in the slightest. I understand this film has made money off of action figures and other movie related products. It didn’t do well at the box office. Sine 1988 when it was made it has gathered a following of cult-like movie people, If you have a goofy sense of humor, check this film out and then leave me your thoughts in a comment. I would love to start a dialog about this film.

7/10

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

This film is relatively new and I purposely left spoilers out of my review. A very similar look to the first one in most aspects. The 1970’s songs were a bit more arcane and far off which for me was cool. I liked watching things explode, the raccoon played by Bradley Cooper make jokes, and the Baby Groot emote so much expression with is highly limited words. I couldn’t help but wonder if vol2 was really necessary but it was honestly so much fun, I bought in and there were only a few places where I was bored.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

“Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ continues the team’s adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage.” -IMDB

Cast

Chris Pratt Peter Quill/Star-Lord
Zoe Saldana Gamora
Dave Bautista Drax
Vin Diesel Baby Groot (voice)

Directed by

James Gunn

Written by

James Gunn, Dan Abnett

Other Info

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
PG-13
Fri 05 May 2017 UTC
136min
IMDB Rating: 8.1

So the story goes (this is in the trailers so I assume it’s not considered a spoiler): Starlord meets his biological father played by Kurt Russell. Much of this storyline is outlandish and frankly impossible but I kept reminding myself that this IS a Marvel comic book made into a film. You get the obligatory Stan Lee cameo as well but it never quite feels as polished and robust as Spiderman or Thor. The 70’s music is a standard part of the formula. Maybe it always was, I haven’t read the comics.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Look, I’m not going to criticize a movie that gave this many people jobs and brought so many people out to opening night in my hometown. The fact that the story and action is ALL OVER THE PLACE and it’s hard to focus on what is really happen is probably my fault for not being between 15 and 35 years old.

Still, there was way more comic stuff in this one. It is much funnier than the first by far. The understated, sarcastic humor made me belly laugh more than a few times. The Baby Groot is funny and cute as well. I saw a lot of promotion in the weeks before it was released and Baby Groot lived up to the hype, he delivers! So go see this wild and crazy film. It has some great effects and hilarity to boot. It’s a great way to ring in the Summer but not likely to go on anyone’s top ten of comic book or sci fi films. Then again, some young people surprise me.

7/10

‘E.T. The Extra Terrestrial’

ET might as well be subtitled ‘A Gen-X childhood.’ Those of us who were around age 10 in 1980 received this film that was aimed right where we live.

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Cast

Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote

Directed by

Steven Spielberg

Written by

Melissa Mathison

Other Info

Family, Sci-Fi
Rated PG
115min

Suburbs had been a thing in the 60’s and 70’s but they were blooming all over the American map in the 80’s. ET isn’t the only film from that decade that features them prominently. They are still very much with us today but there was rarely a time when new suburban plots and neighborhoods reminded so many people in America of home. The alien named ET is the interloper who walks across the suburban threshold and gives us an accounting of what we’ve done and where we’re headed. There is also a part of ET that will always appeal to any child. He is the little green man with magical powers that all the kids want face time with. He’s the pet on the street that every kids wants until the next cute one comes along.

ET came on the heels of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I remember seeing ads, on paper, that described what the film was going to be about. It explained the meaning of the term ET “Extra Terrestrial.” A creature from a place other than Earth. There was no photo but I think his green finger was pointing. This built incredible suspense or me at that age about a mysterious creature that Steven Spielberg was going to show us.

When the film starts out, we are in a tract home kitchen. There are Mexican designs like stucco visible but it might as well be a cookie cutter copy of what most American kids recognized as home. The kids are playing a board game and a single mother is supplying them with munchies, a pizza is on the way. This could not be more Americana, to me anyway. What makes it even more close to home for me is the way the mother (Dee Wallace) is a real estate agent. My dad was a real estate agent most of my young life in an Orange County city called “Mission Viejo.” It looks almost identical to the town in this film.

There is a little sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) and an older brother Mike. Elliot is the middle child who makes the strongest connection with the alien. One night, after being left behind by his ship, ET is discovered by Elliot and that’s where the meter play begins. We get an other-worldly look at ourselves as earthlings through the eyes of this alien called ET.

Spielberg has been making movies that do this for decades. If you recall Back to the Future and the way it took us on a ride back to our childhoods to observe the choices the characters made and how they affected their future. Wouldn’t it be grand to go back and change things? I think it’s a very human thing to wonder that and therefore Spielberg’s film appeals to many. ET has a conflict with grow ups (who might report him to the authorities) and the government, NASA to be specific. In the film, I think Spielberg is showing us about ourselves and the way we want to conquer and own something alien rather than respect and learn from it.

There’s a hypnotic effect that comes from scenes with ET. He is such a creative figure. I heard that Spielberg wanted to make a creature that appeared ugly but would still be endeared to children and adults because of his mannerisms and actions. For many years after the film was released, there were ET shirts and toys selling off the shelves. Watching ET, especially in the final scenes, almost puts me in a trance every time I watch it. He gives the film a dreamy aesthetic that evokes wonder without fear.

I remember the Halloween scene so well because it reminded me of when I would go trick or treating. ET is still being hidden from the mother but the kids pull it off by pretending he’s Gertie dressed up like a ghost in a sheet. He is about her height. To me, this movie is more of a flashback to my childhood than a move plot to be reviewed. I would recommend it to any human as a heartwarming film about childhood. At the same time, know that it is a little sing-song and certainly there is no intense action or definitely no horror. This is a family film with enough of an edge to keep it highly suspenseful and engaging. It has the fingerprint of its household name producer on it for sure. As a classic film of all time, I highly recommend it to you.

The Cell (2000)

Looking back at J Lo in this reveals and/or reminds the appeal she had even in 2000. She’s a detective out to catch a serial killer and he is quite elusive indeed.

The Cell

“An FBI agent persuades a social worker, who is adept with a new experimental technology, to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer in order to learn where he has hidden his latest kidnap victim.” -IMDB

Cast

Jennifer Lopez Catherine Deane
Vince Vaughn Peter Novak
Vincent D’Onofrio Carl Stargher
Colton James Edward Baines

Directed by

Tarsem Singh

Written by

Mark Protosevich

Other Info

Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
R
Fri 18 Aug 2000 UTC
107min
IMDB Rating: 6.3

The most important thing to note about this film is its visuals. They are creepy at least and horrifying at most. The visuals make this more than just a serial killer cat and mouse chase. Through a new technology, we get to see inside his thoughts, even through the murders themselves.

This movie may be hard to watch for some who are not open to its avaunt garde approach. It’s surreal and not always clear as to where people are or what is really happening.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Even by today’s standards, the effects in this are stunning. The acting and stories are not the best in this genre but they aerve the story well enough to make the film a fun ride. Despite it’s few flaws, I recommend it.

8/10

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

The seeds of this story were sown with Blade Runner and the Matrix. I don’t know if the creator knows that or not but they were. Androids do indeed dream of electric sheep and I know I may after watching this visual candy parlor for the eyes the past couple hours.

Ghost in the Shell
“In the near future, Major is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals.” -IMDB
Cast
Scarlett Johansson Major
Pilou Asbæk Batou
Takeshi Kitano (as ‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano) Aramaki
Juliette Binoche Dr. Ouelet
Directed by
Rupert Sanders
Written by
Shirow Masamune (based on the comic “The Ghost in the Shell” by), Jamie Moss(screenplay) …
Other Info
Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
PG-13
Fri 31 Mar 2017 UTC
107min
IMDB Rating: 6.9

This film is also a child of the Matrix. Johansson does a pristine job as the heroine. I’ve never read the comics but I feel so lucky the director saw fit to adapt them into this amazing sci-fi action film of 2017.

I love everything about this film: the special effects, the look of the city with it’s giant hologram advertisements. Though it started slow in the first 1/4, it picked up and became an insane ride I didn’t want to get off. Think of our bodies as shells encasing our brains, maybe we all can identify with being a “ghost in a shell.”

FINAL THOUGHTS
The concept of finding your purpose radiates from this film. Young people will be drawn to it because they are doing just that in their young lives. All humans will relate wth the loss suffered by the mother and the quest of “Major” (Johanssen) to regain her memory and set out on her mission, whatever that is. I found it entertaining and inspiring and recommend to anyone, though children below 13 may find it hard to understand. They will likely still enjoy the incredible colorful world created through special effects.

9/10