District 9

Category: Film
Genre:  Sci Fi / Drama
Directed By:  Neill Blomkamp
Running Time:  112 min.

District 9 is the most intriguing film I have seen a good long while.  Thought provoking and well crafted on all fronts I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is a plot driven work, where story is of the first priority.  The cast, while well chosen, is comprised largely of unknowns so as not to distract from the experience.  The protagonist, Wikus Van De Merwe, an everyman character thrust into extraordinary circumstances, provides a vehicle for the audience to see the different facets of the transformative story arc.  Transforming from an outsider to an outcast plays delightfully, and tugs at the strings on our perceptions of segregation and persecution.

Set in Johannesburg South Africa (check), the story sets the alien within the marginally unfamiliar, blending these elements and softening the contrasts, which helps play towards the plausible feeling throughout.  District 9 succeeds greatly in creating a lived in feel, set in the present with an alternate history, establishing an encapsulated dystopia surrounded by everyday trappings of contemporary experience.

At its core this is a story truly about human nature, rather than alien.  The aliens, colloquially  referred to a s Prawns, behave and emote is very human ways, especially as their circumstances trend the behavior towards all too familiar lowest common denominator of human activities.  This inherent grafted humanity lends poignancy to the story, and helps to ground the plot in reality, albeit an altered one.  Man’s inhumanity to man is not restricted to humans; as we see any class of perceived outsider gets the same treatment.

On the reverse of this is Wikus’s continuing humanity, which we see fracture as the story plays out.  He feels the same love and connection to his wife, even once fully transformed into an alien, but loses much of the rest of his humanity once pursued once he finds himself up against the preverbal wall.  Darkly reflected against his humanity is the primary Prawn in the story, “Christopher Johnson”, as he is cast as intelligent and feeling, protecting his son, mourning his abused brethren and still reaching to find his way home.

Underneath the plot and performance, this remains a science fiction film, by virtue of the “what if” question at its core and the fantastic elements at its surface.  Serving this are a host of special effects, pulled off in nearly transparent fashion, serving the story rather than distracting from it.

District 9 is crafted in a manner that makes the whole experience uncomfortably plausible, and both the overtones and undercurrents of social issues and the human condition are hard to ignore once one gets to thinking about it.  A solid story, well told while avoiding the common pitfalls of standard fare, this film set the bar high indeed.

Rating: 8/10

Star Trek

Category: Film
Genre: Sci-Fi / Action / Reboot
Directed By: J. J. Abrams
Running Time: 126 min.

Heading into Star Trek there were two apprehensions on my mind.  First the law of evens, which is a tongue in cheek reference to the Odd numbered Star Trek movies being sub-par, and this was number eleven.  Second, it’s a reboot of a classic property with a director from outside the genre’s core.  As it turns out, I really needn’t have worried, Star Trek is a very worthy film, largely living up to the buzz and assuaging most of the doubts I’d had going into it.

Breaking from the expected “how the gang all got together at Starfleet” origin story line, Abrams manages to weave and dodge a bit to keep the audience guessing, even though in the broad strokes we know the final destinations of each of these characters.  The casting for the entire crew was spot on in this film, with the best choices being Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, and Zachary Quinto as a slightly reinterpreted Spock.  Quinto’s success at this task was even more of a challenge as he acts against Leonard Nimoy himself as an older Spock, and both performances hold up very well.

My main concerns had been with Chris Pine as Kirk, Simon Pegg as Scotty, and Eric Bana as Nero.  Let me start by saying that Chris Pine is not Shatner.  And he shouldn’t be; the new interpretation provided by the new depth of the Kirk character fits nicely with Pine’s performance, especially given the greater level of humor woven into the story.  While given much less screen time than the rest of the cast, Simon Pegg as Scotty simply shines.  A more cheeky performance than James Doohan’s, the new Scotty in instantly likeable and helps draw the story together with his insertion into the main cast in act three.  Eric Bana as the Romulan villain Nero walks a very thin line down a tricky path for an actor.  Romulans have always been over the top or saddled with flat performances in the past (with a few exceptions).  Bana strikes the right balance because the audience understands his motivations, the character is made accessible and therefore believable.

The plot will likely provide a few bones of contention for extreme hardcore fans, but that is to be expected.  In terms of what was considered a reboot, this film does extremely well in terms of continuity, both in literal and emotive terms.  I give Abrams a lot of credit for not shying away from big plot decisions that drive the story forward and provide the impact necessary for the audience to emote with the story.  Less so a reboot, this does well as the eleventh film in the series, and a new, deeper take on the character for a modern audience.

If you watch with a little attention, there are plenty of treats for the fans as well,  each of the main actors gets an iconic line for their character, for example Bones’ “Are you out of your Vulcan mind?” drew a great response from the crowd at the IMAX showing I attended.  The movie is laced with additional nuances and Easter eggs, but I will leave that for the inevitable wiki contributions and cheat sheets that are no doubt already being written by the geek elite.  Suffice to say it’s a Star Trek for both fans and new audiences.

In terms of special effects, one really honestly forgets that there are effects in the film.  The spaceships look like space ships should, and work thanks to intricate CG camera moves. The phasers and transporters all look extremely nifty and are blended seamlessly.  Style wise some scenes were just a tad heavy on lens flares and over lighting, but it can be ignored pretty easily and by no means does it ruin the experience. The new score is excellent and manages to incorporate the original theme, as well as new cues that are beautifully crafted.  Again, the music, outside of the opening and closing titles, is a seamless element; the rest of the movie has far too great of a grip on ones attention to be consciously aware of it unless you make a special effort.

Overall I am exceptionally pleased with the new Star Trek effort, both for its keeping to the spirit of its roots and for making brave choices on new directions, and keeping those two contractions in balance to create an eminently enjoyable film.

Rating: 8.5/10

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Category: Film
Genre: Action / Comic Adaptation / Sci-Fi
Directed By: gavin Hood
Running Time: 107 min.

X-Men Origins Wolverine is a mixed bag as far as comic adaptations go.  Breaking it down by the three acts, the first was great, the second was adequate and the third act just left me with a disappointed questioning look on my face.

I had hoped that this would be a continuation of the “comic movie renaissance” phenomena of last year that included Iron Man, The Dark Night, and to a lesser extend The Incredible Hulk and The Spirit; by this I refer to comic adaptations being treated with care and respect for the original material, made by fans for fans, within the bounds of adaptability.

Wolverine has a rich history with many elements to draw on.  The adaptation fails to take full advantage of this and treats the characters as expendable checkpoints on the path to concluding the film.  The essential problem here is that this is an origin story, a tale with a steady rise from A to B; now its adaptation into film format requires a story arc with a climax followed by a resolving conclusion that wraps up much of the loose ends.  In order to achieve this the makers of Wolverine reinterpreted the Deadpool character in what I can only describe as a wasteful fashion, robbing themselves of the chance to explore a truly interesting character in exchange for an expendable ultimate villain for the final showdown.

The overall impression this film left was that it wasn’t taken all that seriously in respect to the fanbase, the history, or its own execution.  The effects also looked somewhat phoned in, especially in the final climax battles.  As a simple comic-esque action film, Wolverine is certainly enjoyable, and I generally try to approach these adaptation as exactly that; adaptations of the source material into a new media.  Unfortunately the frankly unnecessary ham handed treatment of some of the plot elements and characters pushes my tolerance on truly enjoying the film in its entirety.  Adaptations necessitate certain levels of change, but this is simply a matter of poor choices.

Rating: 6.5/10

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Category: Film
Genre: Drama / Romance / Sci-Fi
Directed By: David Fincher
Running Time: 159 min.

This is one of those rare instances of fine storytelling brought to the screen in just the right way. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button does one of the most interesting things that can be done in fiction. It explores the human condition by changing just one of the major rules of our existence, and watching that path unfold against the backdrop of a life.

In this case the simple but major rule that changes is aging. The chronological age of Button’s character is juxtaposed in reverse with his physical age. This fundamentally changes how he experiences the world and how the world views him, providing grist for insight and new perspective.

This work is sure to be mentioned in the same breath as Forrest Gump, and for a number of reasons. Primary, though not necessarily the most readily apparent, is this is a story without an antagonist, built purely on character development and driven by the same.   Both films use similar protagonist types, the embedded outsider if you will;  by showing the world through their eyes the audience is allowed to examine it anew. This is also a film bound to time, though the creators take a different, softer approach to the portrayal of time here; in Gump time and pop culture events were nearly a character themselves in the story telling.

The layered narrative works well as the key device for advancing the story, allowing access when and where needed. Anchoring the diary and the events of its reading in 2005 by linking them (tangentially) to the events preceding hurricane Katrina also serves the story well.

While this will be called a romance by many, the success of the treatment comes from the organic way the romance fits into the story, rather than it feeling heavy or artificial. It weaves and flows through the story, instead of being written as a cumbersome foundation to the characters and plot.

Casting in this picture was excellent, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett carry the lead roles in a way that, along with the supporting cast, garner nearly total buy-in to the story. The effects in this film are nearly transparent, serving the story telling and not announcing themselves unduly. The aging makeup work is believable and allows the viewer to accept each stage of the characters’ development. This is an important point, as once you buy into the nature of Button’s existence, it holds a mirror up to all the elements of life around it. There were many places there the creators could have copped out and opted for a happier treatment, but instead took what I feel was the brave and honest approach to the material, following it from start to finish with all the emotional repercussions that entails.

I truly enjoyed this film, in both its concept and its execution. As I said it is one of those rare examples of well crafted storytelling from start to finish.

Rating: 8.5/10

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Category: Film
Genre: Sci-Fi / Drama / Remake
Directed By: Scott Derrickson
Running Time: 103 min.

Remaking films certainly has its challenges and pitfalls. Directly comparing 2008’s The Day the Earth Stood Still to the 1950 original with no allowances would be absurd, and not make for much of a review.

As with many remakes, especially science fiction films, the concerns, fears, and hope of the era in which it was made are the driving force behind its relevance. Science fiction is about answering the question of “what if?”, so a new answer is required in remaking the film nearly 60 years later, replacing concerns of man’s inhumanity towards man with the damage man has done to the planet.

The film was reasonably well executed, keeping elements from the first but reinterpreting where appropriate. Keanu Reeves was well cast as he has the blankness and detachment necessary to truly play the character of Klatu. Gort was also nicely reinterpreted, and the supporting visual effects were nicely done as well.

The other casting was a bit off; Kath Bates seemed neither right nor wrong for the role of Secretary of Defense, but simply irrelevant. The military casting was also too much of a charicture, robbing serious moments of their impact. Jaden Smith did well as Jacob, though I found myself very much disliking his character until around the midpoint of the film. Couldn’t quite believe Jennifer Connelly as a mother figure, but perhaps that was inherent to the character rather than a performance failure on her part.

As for the film’s conclusion I think it was the right way to go, both making the title relevant (perhaps more so than in the original) and also providing the reprieve ending with out the world getting off scott free with no consequences.
All in all an entertaining film, though I think if we put half the energy into original projects as we do in remakes, we would have some much more praise-worthy material out there.

Rating: 5/10

The X-Files: I Want To Believe

Category: Film
Genre: Suspense / Sci-fi / Thriller
Directed By: Chris Carter
Running Time: 104 min.

I’m beginning to understand the dichotomy of how certain Star Wars fans feel about Lucas’s modern works after having seen X-Files: I Want To Believe. While a competent effort, the film was almost wholly lacking in the elements that first attracted me to the series and the first film (1998’s X-Files: Fight The Future).

What I enjoyed about the early part of the series and the first movie was peeking into the working of the big conspiracy machine, seeing the strings pulled and catching shadows of those doing the pulling. The recent film on the other hand avoids that path almost entirely, which is both a conscious decision on the creators part and likely a reflection of the times.

Some of the redeeming factors of the film include the exploration of Mulder and Scully’s relationship after all that they have been through. The likability of both character and the actors portraying them (Duchovny and Anderson, respectively) is really what manages to carry the movie as far as it gets. Sadly, that is not all the way to the finish line.

I left the theater with the distinct impression that I’d sat through a nearly two hour episode, and not from one of the best seasons to boot. In the final analysis I may simply be on a different page than the film’s creators, enamored with teh same concept vehicle, but very much of differing opinions on where to go with it.

Rating: 4/10

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Category: Film
Genre: Action / Sci-fi / Fantasy / Comic Adaptation
Directed By: Guillermo del Toro
Running Time: 120 min.

The second installment in the Hellboy film adaptations takes a different tone than the original. Hellboy II focuses on heart and comedy now that we have a family of characters the viewers have invested in. This makes for a different feel to the film, less hard edge attitude, with the action driven equally by the character development and the MacGuffin elements.

There are some novel solutions to the storytelling, I especially enjoyed the toy army treatment in the opening exposition in lieu of revealing the big visual payoff of the golden army and related characters. While at some points the driving force behind the progression of the film felt sloppy of uneven, the added freedom for comedy and exploring character dynamics yields some real gems. One of these moments in when Abe and HB, after sharing quite a few drinks, burst into song to Barry Manilow’s “Can’t Smile Without You.”

All told this was an entertaining second effort, if a bit weak overall. While it lacked the feeling of great things being afoot of the fist film, the added heart and warmth nearly make up for it.

Rating: 6/10

The Incredible Hulk

Category: Film
Genre: Action / Sci-Fi / Comic Adaptation
Directed By: Louis Leterrier
Running Time: 144 min.

I saw The Incredible Hulk at the Clairemont Town Square 14 on Sunday June 15th. After the problems that beset the first Hulk (2003), and the mass rumor mill circling the new effort, I was curious to see the reboot/sequel. I must say, I was pleased with the results.

I was concerned with the casting of the new film, with reservations as to Norton and Tyler’s appropriateness for the roles (moreso Tyler), especially since I felt that while Jennifer Conelly had been largely wasted on the forst film, she still sets a high bar fopr follow on performance. Luckily I need not have worried, both roles were well cast, with Norton’s ability to inject humor into the Banner character, and Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/Abomination being unexpected pluses.

The plot and pacing were tru to comic book style. The true success of the movie I think comes from keeping a reasonable scale and scope to the visuals and the range of the story. The South American sequences were a clever way to reintroduce the Banner character and update his situation, before bringing the action home.

I tried to watch with an eye for story more so than technicalities. Looking too closely at special effects in a movie is a bit like picking apart the typography in a novel. That being said, the visual effects in the new Hulk were well done with a few minor odd moment exceptions. One of the hardest hurdles in doing graphic work for the hulk I’ve realized is that none of us has ever seen a nine foot tall grotesquely muscle-bound man creature in real life, so the mind is left reaching for points of comparison for achieving a “realistic” look.

As part of the building Avengers cabal, The Incredible Hulk measures up well.

Rating: 6/10