Prometheus(2012): Analysis 2

** June 8, 2012: 1:50pm IMAX (Final Analysis!) **

Have you seen the new trailer ;http://youtu.be/1byZkbNB3Jw?! It’s awesome, still not too much given away, but a bit more to nibble on.

Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) has an agenda, what is it? Apparently, the race of space jockey wants the same resources as humans, and hence, they were planning to go to earth. We see the hologram of them running … also, a skeleton of sort.

Then there is the snake-like white creature, which bites and infects a crew member. Someone in the background says, ;”Cut it out”?!

With all these wonderful distractions, we must go back to the original premise of how human race begins! Does it have to do with Darwinism? Amoeba? Bacteria? Am I close? Geee, this is killing me!

Don’t forget to checkout www.weylandindustries.com, pretty cool stuff there showing what they have been developing. Checkout ;the Synapse Reestablisher.

Any theories out there? These are trailers done right!

Cheers.

P.S. can’t believe UK showing date is June 1, and North America’s June 8. Don’t spoil it for us, I don’t want to know after you see it.

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Ju-on (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay, there are a lot of hypes about how good, how clever, how original this film is.   To a certain extent I concur, but I didn’t feel wow when I came out of the movie theatre. Perhaps, I am never a big fan of horror films has to do with it?

We have all seen the trailer, so nothing there to talk about. The premise is pretty apparent, five college students heading to a weekend of explorations, and depend which one you ask, each has his/her own agenda. We get to know Dana(Kristen Connolly), Curt(Chris Hemsworth), Jules (Anna Hutchison), Marty (Fran Kranz), and Holden(Jesse Williams) quickly as the heroine, jock, whore, stoner, and nerd. We also meet Sitterson(Richard Jenkins) and Hadley(Bradley Whitford), who we know from the trailer as the technicians, who have panels of buttons to push, and monitors to survey.

From there you can derive how the story being told. You bet, part of it is like  voyeuristic TV shows: Survivor, Big Brothers, Jersey Shore,… Instead of human dramas, we have human + horror + comedy dramas on a global competitive scale.

I know the film is trying to be bigger than life, and tries to be metaphoric, or not… I just didn’t get the AHA moment. (Now I remember, I should have stayed until the full credits roll is finished. I guess I have to wait till the DVD comes out to watch that part. But I bet nothing will add to my AHA anyway).

I will wait till it hits the DVD shelf, and RENT!

Beginners(2010)

Christopher Plummer Dec. 29, 1959 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Charming, warm, melancholy, sad, happy, strong, free, disappointed, humourous, and perhaps, a beginning of love or a relationship. So do you settle for a giraffe, while waiting to have a lion? That’s what Hal (Christopher Plummer) says to his son Oliver (Ewan McGregor).

Hal comes out of his closet at 75 after his wife dies.

Oliver saw their parents were in a love-less relationship, despite his mom, Georgia(Mary Page Keller), said she was the most emotional among them three. Oliver carries the burden of not making the same mistake that their parents did, and was in four serial relationships, until his father died and met Anna (Mélanie Laurent). Anna’s family is no better than Oliver’s; Anna’s father is suicidal. Both are at the point of finding being alone is not the solution.

This film flows, and likens to listening to a piece of music. Hal is there to remind us that it is never too late to discover who one truly is, and what one truly loves or is in love with. In other words, even someone a bit eccentric( see I judge) like Andy (Goran Visnjic) and an old man, Hal, or perhaps, a sex-less and emotion-less 44 years conjugal relationship. In fact, many people are in love with their pets, but is that taboo? Oliver cannot leave Arthur alone, is that perversion or love? See if you only see love between a man and a woman, you will see perversion, if you don’t, then no. Isn’t that how some judge gay relationship? So it’s all about perspective after all, isn’t it?  and the film certainly reminds us: Hal sees stage four means the progression from one to two to three; Oliver sees it’s terminal, cause there is no stage five cancer. Both are correct, but does it mean Oliver is a realist and Hal’s a dreamer? who to judge!

The point is there are no set rules for love or to be and stay in a loving relationship, one must sample it on their own term. At the end of the day, one must constantly question one’s notion about what it is and challenge it: like caterpillar Anna and Oliver begin.

Definitely not a film for someone who is deeply religious, but for those who want to see a well made film, writer director(Mike Mills), you should RENT it.

Cheers.

P.S. Blue Valentine (2010) is the other perspective http://wp.me/p29qZb-8O!

Nights in Rodanthe (2008)

Oregon Inlet Coast Guard Station, Northern end of Pea Island, East side of State Roa, Rodanthe vicinity (Dare County, North Carolina) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I did not know I am a Nicholas Sparks fan, since this is his 3 1/2 adapted films that I saw. I wrote about Dear John(2010) http://wp.me/p29qZb-6e already, and I have the same thing I want to say. The first half was really good, and the second half was just too sappy for me. I guess almost operatic. I like Richard Gere in this film, he shows us more than the usual Gere, that Gere’s look (angry, pouting, eyes narrowing) and walk (Shoulders up, light on feet but confident,..). I guess this was Lane and Gere reunion after Unfaithful (2002).

The film is about a chance meeting between Adrienne Willis(Diane Lane) and Dr. Paul Flanner(Richard Gere). Adrienne is the substitute B & B hostess, while Paul is the catch by the ocean, no, it’s more like the only guest. Paul is there to redeem his soul, and Adrienne is there to do some soul-searching. Paul’s patient died on the surgery table and he is out here to talk to the husband, despite he had the chance at the hospital. Of course, he is suing him for malpractice. Adrienne has been separated for 8 months, dealing with every aspects of her kids’ lives as a mommy. Her husband, Jack Willis(Christopher Meloni) wants her back and apologizes for everything he did wrong.

As with Dear John(2010) one man and a woman, a beach home B & B , hurricane, dinners, storm, wasted, blackouts, breakfasts, regrets, emotional diarreha, all within three days. Yes, it means they fall in love!

Magically, they feel renewed after those days together. Paul goes to find his son in Ecuador, and Adrienne back to her domestic life. Love letters, of course… Dear Paul, Dear Adrienne…

Oh well, it gets sappy as I say, you can line the dots!

The first half was great, it seemed to work between Lane and Gere, and that’s all I will say.

Rent. Wives’ll like it.

Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Deutsch: Gerard Butler beim Autogramme geben auf der Berlinale 2007 English: Gerard Butler while giving autographs at the Berlinale 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Unusual film, unusual and smart, and must watch with suspension of disbelief. It’s good because you don’t know where it is taking you, in other words, what would happen next or would it ? Promises, promises! Keep thy promises is the underline theme.

Cleverly written, and down beneath you will say wow, really, c’mon, all at once, or one at a time, or in combinations. Despite how wrong and evil Clyde Shelton(Gerard Butler) is, you will secretly hope that he will escape.

The story starts off with Nick Rice(Jamie Foxx) boasting about his high conviction rates in front of his superior, and we can tell that he is the typical ladder-climbing-ambitious counsel in the DA office. He bargains with murderers and commits them for a shorter prison terms, so he cuts deals. Clyde’s wife and daughter were murdered in front of his eyes, and the murderer Clarence Darby(Christian Stolte) walks after three years in jail. Nick tells Clyde that is the best deal he can get him and for his family. Clarence shakes Nick’s hand outside court house after sentencing.

Ten years later, Nick is now ADA and mentoring Sarah Lowell(Leslie Bibb). His daughter is about 10 year-old, who he has little time to spend with. On Rupert Ames(Josh Stewart)’s execution day something terribly went wrong. Ames is the other convict that was in Clyde’s house. Clarence’s fate is catching up with him too, au style Dexter! Clyde surrenders (don’t know why all naked…perhaps to prove that he has no weapons) and now faces Nick’s interrogations. Great scenes and dialogues from here to the courtroom in front of bitchy judge.

Beyond that is all chess game, how many steps are you really ahead of your opponent? The actions are tight. Yes, most things are plausible while you are watching it, and let’s just leave it that way. For some reasons, it works.

If the film wasn’t so sadistic, it might as well be Mission Impossible or Bourne Identity, the difference is that we watch Ethan or Jason kill people without guilt. This one, well, a little, perhaps Clyde – the vigilante – may have gone a tiny bit too far.

Gerard Butler - under-promoted with this film – is way better with this than he is with Gamer (2009). I think he is a fine actor.

Watch! 

p.s. there are no good guys in this film, so make it refreshing or in other words, no wishy-washy dramas. Love the scene when the judge writes her law to prevent Clyde from escaping, and her phone rings!

Mirrors(2008)

An NYPD Command Unit. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Alcoholic NYPD cop Ben Carson (Kiefer Sutherland) suspended for shooting a civilian, and now is  living with his sister Angela Carson (Amy Smart), who is a day-shift bartender. Since his suspension, Ben has also been popping some prescription drugs for his anxiety, or depression perhaps? and he needs a job to supplement his family income? Wait, his wife, Amy Carson(Paula Patton) is a MD, Coroner … hello?! why he says he has to work and his pension is not enough to support his kids and wife?

Anyhoo, he gets a job working as a security guard for a burn-down department store in Manhattan that is still waiting for insurance settlement. Of course, it was a psychiatric hospital before… boo hoo, weird things must have happened there before as with any paranormal films. Damn hand prints are on the mirrors, and Ben can’t wipe them clean. Oooo…souls are trapped inside. Ben does one thing and the mirror image is doing something else. Hallucination perhaps with his drugs that he can’t see or think clear, or speak loud: Ben’s conversation with anyone is either quiet submissive or an outburst; nothing is in between.

Let’s step back a minute to the opening scene. Gary Lewis(Josh Cole) is running away, let me guess, from his own shadow or something scary. He goes into the locker room, first the lockers popped and shown the little mirror behind the locker doors, then he is in front of bigger joined mirrors on the wall. “Sorry, I didn’t clean you properly, I will, give me a chance” (something like that), he says. No, mirror is angry! crack itself, so that Gary’s image can get hold a piece of broken mirror, and you know and I know what happens next. I guess, the director(Alexandre Aja) – like his Haute Tension(2003) - is so proud of the special effect that he needs to show that to us again in clear view photo later in the morgue so to remind us that it is really a masterpiece. See the veins and arteries and the skin, wow!brilliant! The special effect with Angie is quite good too, wait, no, seen that in The Mummy(1999) before.

Anyhoo, we know the mirrors are bad, and whatever trapped inside travel as well, and it only targets the people who piss them off, like Ben and his family, cause he is going to find out the secret, despite he has no authority as a security guard, but once a NYPD, everything is still accessible, eh Bro! Can’t you see, he needs to save his family, he must continue with his detective work despite all. Well, his work leads him to The Texas Chainsaw massacre (1974)-ish house and people, and then a convent. Finally Ben finds the one who is responsible, so that she can sacrifice for his family. She agrees because…? See, The Exorcist (1973) gets it all wrong, the priests should have just gotten some mirrors to do the job right!! Afterall, it’s all smokes-and-mirrors, y’all know.

Of course, a big blow-up scene at the end. Ben is in the basement/tunnel that resembles the set for Aliens(1986) - flooded, gas pipes, water pipes, sewage pipes, who knows - and Ben even utters the trademark line from Aliens, “C’mon you Bitch!”.

Family saved, wife and two kids. Ben comes out of the rubble and building… no one seems to notice him. Why left is right and right is left? Boo Hoo.

Well, if you must, perhaps RENT!

Run Fat Boy Run(2007)

The film starts off with the less glam version of Runaway Bride (1999), i.e., no horse, no bride in pouffy white wedding dress, but a groom escapes through the window of his flat while the wedding party is going on downstairs. The groom is Dennis( Simon Pegg), a self-doubt loser, and the pregnant bride-to-be is Libby (Thandie Newton).

5 years later, he still sees Libby and has parental visitation with his son, Jake (Matthew Fenton), once a week. Dennis is still a nobody working as security guard in a women apparel store, and lives in a basement apartment, where his landlord is threatening his eviction with unpaid rents long overdue.

Libby runs a successful pastry shop and that’s where she met Whit (Hank Azaria), a hedge fund manager with luxury penthouse high-rise suite overlooking the St.Paul’s Cathedral. On Libby’s birthday he proposes…

The story is really straight-forward, and there are moments that are quite sentimental, cause there is genuine love between Libby and Dennis (good acting from both Simon and Thandie), and we can see that. Jake also adores his father despite what he is not. Gordon (Dylan Moran), Libby’s cousin and Dennis’ pal adds some humours to this film. [Spoiler Alert: Simon ran away so that she would only have one bad day, instead of life-time regrets. I think that's kind of sweet nonetheless].

At the end of the day, a marathon is going to determine who gets the girl or the girl back, and who will win a bet, or who will lose.

A good film for a quiet night with no kids around! WATCH.

Pirate of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Tatuaggio realistico, realizzato da Ettore bechis ,raffigurante Il Capitano Jack Sparrow un personaggio immaginario della saga cinematografica Pirati dei Caraibi interpretato da Johnny Depp. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

34% Tomatometer! But I find it the most entertaining out of the four. Why? It moves fast, and not many sub-plots, so it is like driving on a highway 7:00 am with no traffic, hence, getting from point A to B in no time.

The costumes and set costed a lot of money and they look good. I love the scene when the King’s soldiers all in red jackets in a white courtyard waiting for Jack Sparrow(Johnny Depp)to arrive in his runaway carriage, or before that, the King’s dining hall with King George(Richard Griffiths) colourful pastel robe, pasty Victorian make-up, sumptuous buffet, gilt furniture, and beautiful chandeliers.

Back to the movie. Angelica Teach(Penélope Cruz) plays Jack’s old belle luring him into her trap to find the fountain of youth to save her father, Blackbeard(Ian McShane). Joshamee Gibbs(Kevin McNally) and Barbossa(Geoffrey Rush) are back in this franchise chasing after the same treasure.

High sea, battle ships, conquistadors, missionary and mermaids. Philip(Sam Claflin) is the missionary, Syrena(Astrid Bergès-Frisbey) is the captured mermaid for her one-drop tear. I quite like their love story. The mermaids scene is fresh and new.

Love the line when Jack meets his father Captain Teague(Keith Richards) in the tavern,” …does this face need the fountain of youth?!” LOL!

Light, fluffy, entertaining.WATCH!