Super 8

From director J.J. Abrams whose first feature film was Mission: Impossible III (2006) and was the producer and/or director of Cloverfield (2008), and the new Star Trek (2009) will be coming out with sequels to all these franchises starting this year with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) directed by Brad Bird, Star Trek 2: Into Darkness in 2013 and Cloverfield 2 in 2014. 

Being mentored by Steven Spielberg and being very much a Sci-fi fan boy himself, the nostalgic Sci-fi thriller Super 8 is an homage to both, especially the Spielberg Sci-fi movies of the 1970s like Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) but there are also many elements that reminded me of The Iron Giant (1999) and the Korean monster film The Host (2007), making this an extremely fun and moving picture.

The human story is very carefully grounded in the excellent heartfelt performances of the whole cast and always remains the focus of the film. The extra-terrestrial part of the story never over-whelms the human story, and this is what Spielberg and Abrams are both so good at. 

Taking place in a small town in rural America, a group of teenagers are busily involved in making a Super 8 movie for a contest they want to enter.  Filming on location at a local train station one night they witness a derailment that was not an accident but part of a much bigger government conspiracy.  Something escapes from one of the freight cars but no one has seen it. Soon reports of strange events and people gone missing start to panic the town’s people, and our group of future filmmakers are now also involved in trying to solve the mystery of the derailment and why the military has arrived so quickly to conduct strange tests. It sounds a lot like E.T. except that this alien is not so friendly.

Abrams uses his signature style of filming here as he did in Star Trek where he loved to use lens flares, and he uses them in this picture also but he seems to restrict them only to scenes that signal when the alien is somewhere close by, giving those scenes an eerie feeling.

This movie is well worth seeing and is fun for the whole family. It has plenty of suspense and drama in equal parts and is paced very well so it’s never boring and has a very emotional and moving climax.

 J.J. Abrams is the new Spielberg of today’s generation and his films are always going to be something to look forward to. Don’t miss it.

JP

MicMacs

From French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, in the same signature visually immersive style as his previous films Delicatessen (1991), City of Lost Children (1995), Amélie (2001) and A Very Long Engagement (2004), comes another visually distinctive, retro nostalgic film; the humorous, charming revenge comedy MicMacs (2010).

Part circus, part Toy Story, part Buster Keaton, part Mission: Impossible, and part Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it’s a magical and enchanting mishmash of ingredients which produces a wonderful soufflé of color and childlike comedy. 

Highly inventive and imaginative, the story is about Bazil (Dany Boon) whose life is changed irreparably in two separate incidents that leave him orphaned in one instance, and homeless and brain damaged in another, both due to products manufactured by large weapons corporations. When one day he discovers the headquarters of these two corporations across the street from each other in a neighborhood of Paris, he decides to exact revenge in the style that Amélie Poulain would have been proud of. 

The homeless, easy going, good natured Bazil is taken in one day by a group of very unique and colorful secondhand dealers who live in a junk yard cave, and with their help the fun begins. Each member of his new family of outsiders has a unique set of quirky talents and they all decide to work together on a plan to help Bazil in his quest for revenge by setting the two arms manufacturers, who caused his misfortune, against each other in a series of brilliantly funny stings.

The plan is a sort of mission impossible with retro household gadgets and circus act feats of daring. Using their imaginations to create inventive tools from old salvaged equipment they set about their task with Buster Keaton style determination and with hilarious results. This film also reminded me a bit of the Wes Anderson animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), about an underdog who also tries to outfox a group of big corporations using some very inventive techniques with comic results.

If you’re a fan of Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s films you will not be disappointed. This movie is easily right up there with his best work since Amélie and Delicatessen. If you’re not familiar with this director’s work I recommend that you run out and rent these films asap. Your life is not complete if you have not seen these delightful movies. If you like the movies of Terry Gilliam or Tim Burton, with their distinctive visual worlds, and unique sense of childlike wonder, you will enjoy the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet.  He is the Terry Gilliam of France, the Tim Burton of Paris.

JP

Das Boot (The Boat)

“One of the best War movies ever made!” 

“Universally recognized as the best submarine movie of all time and one of the most heart-pounding thrillers ever filmed!”

“This film takes all of the drama and suspense inherent in a submarine-based story and delivers it in a near- perfect package, establishing Das Boot as not just a terrific adrenaline rush, but one of the best movies ever made.”

“It is unlike any other war film in that it confines the audience in a confined submarine where we digest the fear and panic of the human beings on screen. In short, "Das Boot" is a religious experience.”

These are just some of the movie critic’s comments written about Wolfgang Petersen’s epic 1981 German U-boat movie Das Boot, based on the 1973 novel by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, and believe me the critics are not exaggerating.

I have seen this move about six or seven times and it’s just as gripping and suspenseful on every viewing. I’ve owned every version of this film that was ever put out because it is an essential classic; a must own and a must see if ever there was one, and one of the most historically accurate accounts of patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic.

It has often been imitated over the past 30 years by film makers and TV commercials and is still widely considered the benchmark for suspense and authentic, un-glamorized depictions of men at war and submarine warfare. What I like about the film besides its suspense and authentic look, is the clear message of the waste of war and the performances are absolutely without parallel. This movie puts you in the most harrowing situations alongside these young men and never lets you out. You can’t help but feel what they feel.

While the characters were fictionalized, all the events depicted are real events witnessed by the author of the book who spent time on German U-boats in World War II as a photographer and war correspondent. 

Although it’s a long movie you never notice the time go by as the story is so real and gripping with unbearable tension. Don’t be intimidated by the length or reputation or the subtitles, you will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience.

The music is haunting and the sound effects build the tension up to nail biting, teeth grinding levels, making Das Boot perfect for the home theater experience and now that a new restored version has been released on Blu-ray you can experience it as it was always intended on the big screen in High Definition.

Since Das Boot, director Wolfgang Petersen has directed such films as Troy (2004), The Perfect Storm (2000), Poseidon (2006), Air Force One (1997), In the Line of Fire (1993) and Outbreak (1995).

This film is definitely one of those films you must see before you die and in fact it is listed in the book by the same name; ‘1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die’. 

JP

Cars 2

Pixar has done it again. I cannot agree with the critics on this one. As far as I’m concerned Pixar’s record of not having made a single bad film yet is still unbroken. Many critics have said that they feel this is Pixar’s worst film yet and the first one that does not live up to its previous oeuvre of films but I disagree.

Yes I am a fan of Pixar’s work but this film simply does not deserve the bad press it’s getting. Yes it is a very different film from the first Cars movie and yes it does center more on the Tow Mater character but that does not make it a bad film. In fact this film is very exciting, fast moving and funny with a great message like all of the other Pixar films. And yes this move can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Cars 2 is a completely different movie from the first Cars. Where the first Cars was a story about a big city car coming to a small town somewhere on Route 66 USA, Cars 2 goes even further. It is more of a James Bond film that takes us all over the world. We travel to Tokyo, Japan, London, England and Italy.

It starts out with a very exciting James Bond action piece in the middle of the Ocean and from there it barely lets up. This film is more focused on Tow Mater, the hillbilly tow truck from the first movie, and how he is perceived by cars in other countries leading to some soul searching moments. Mater is invited to come along on a racing tour around the world and is mistaken for an international spy. There is a message about gasoline fuel vs. clean reusable fuel and how the oil companies are keeping us depended on fossil fuels.

Overall it’s a great fun ride with a moving message and gorgeous animation that Pixar does so well. All the Pixar hallmarks are there including little teaser cameos from previous Pixar films.

JP

Shah Rukh Khan the King of Bollywood arrives at Toronto City Hall

These pictures were taken by Marina and myself at City Hall where we waited for SRK to arrive with a huge crowd of admirers.

Shah Rukh Khan and the splendor of Bollywood

With the most incredible production values and exotic locations I have ever seen, not to mention the beauty of such actresses as Kajol, Rani Mukharjee and Preity Zinta, lavish musical numbers and hopelessly romantic storylines, I was hooked.

When it comes to the new Bollywood there are two names you need to know. Kajol and SRK, short for Shah Rukh Khan. These two stars are simply the most magical and charismatic onscreen pairing of the Hindi cinema or any cinema today. Their onscreen chemistry is legendary throughout the world. Watching them together in such films as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) will charm you and make you fall in love no matter what your age or background. Their films have so much heart and humor it is no wonder that they are the most celebrated onscreen couple of the Hindi film industry.

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s classic film gems from Dilwale Dhlhania Le Jayenge (1995), which is the start of the ShahRukh era of Bollywood, to Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) are now some of Bollywood’s most beloved classics, but these films are virtually unknown to North American audiences. The production values, music and sheer visual splendor contained in many of these films alone is worth preserving and introducing to a brand new market that has never seen the likes of these beautiful films. But what really makes these films stand out in Bollywood is the emotional heart and the moral values contained in these universal stories that translate easily to any audience.  I have witnessed first-hand the power of these films on people who did not even understand the Hindi language or subtitles, but were moved by the story purely based on the visuals and the performances.

SRK will be among many Bollywood stars attending the International Indian Film Academy awards in Toronto this week to be held at the Rogers Center. He is up for an award for his latest film that was released in early 2010, My Name is Khan, which is about a Muslim American man living in San Francisco who travels across the USA to tell the President that he is not a terrorist. This major Bollywood event being held for the first time in North America should give Toronto and Canada much greater exposure to the delights of the Hindi cinema. I just hope that we, as many in Britain were, are open to the experience.

For anyone starting their Bollywood experience for the first time here is a list of must see films starring the King of Bollywood, one of its most endearing and charming actors anywhere, Shah Rukh Khan. Hopeless romantics at heart will not be disappointed.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge                               1995

Dil Se…                                                               1998

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai                                            1998

Mohabbatein                                                      2000

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham                                 2001

Devdas                                                               2002

Chalte Chalte                                                     2003

Kal Ho Naa Ho                                                    2003

Main Hoon Na                                                     2004

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna                                     2006

Chak De India!                                                    2007

Om Shanti Om                                                    2007

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi                                           2008

My Name is Khan                                                2010

There are of course many other great Bollywood films with heart worth seeing that do not star SRK, but I would start here for the best of Bollywood and compare the rest to them. You will be hard pressed to find anything as good. Movies I did find comparable and are very good are as follows:

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) Aamir Khan

Jab We Met (2007) with Kareena Kapoor & Shahid Kapoor

Tare Zameen Par (2007) with Aamir Khan

3 Idiots (2009) with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor

But I’m hardly an expert and have not seen nearly as many Bollywood films as the average Hindi Bollywood fan who watches them on the Asian TV channels every week.

JP

X-Men: First Class

Directed by Matthew Vaughn who also directed the highly acclaimed film Kick-Ass (2010), one of my favorite films from last year, this X-Men film is extremely effective and satisfying as a set-up film for the X-Men trilogy of 2000 – 2006 and explains how the whole rivalry between Professor X and Magneto began. Although there is not as much action in this film as in previous X-Men films, this one keeps you hooked into the story because of the great characters portrayed by wonderful performances from Kevin Bacon, from Apollo 13 (1995), Michael Fassbender, recently from Inglourious Basterds (2009), James McAvoy, recently from Wanted (2008)and The Last King of Scotland (2006), Jennifer Lawrence, recently from Winter’s Bone (2010), and Nicholas Hoult, recently from About a Boy (2002)and Clash of the Titans (2010), and soon to be seen as Jack in Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) directed by Bryan Singer who also directed the first two X-Men films, X-Men and X2: X-Men United, and wrote and produced the current X-Men: First Class.

 ‘We must adapt to survive’, says one of the mutants in the new prequel to the X-men trilogy that shows the beginnings of young Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender). It is a time before mutants were known to exist to humans and to each other. Mutants are mostly just hiding their freakish abilities from the conservative society of the 60s and just want to fit in. But one mutant, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), has harnessed his abilities and is convinced that he and other mutants like him are the next phase in human evolution and that they could never exist together with humans who, he believes, are on the brink of extinction much like the Neanderthals before them.

Neanderthals existed for thousands of years in Europe and Eurasia before early Homo sapiens known as Cro-Magnon man arrived. When that happened the days of Neanderthals were numbed although it took another roughly 50,000 years after the Cro-Magnon man’s arrival in Europe, but during that time period when Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon co-existed together, we can only imagine what contact between these two very different species of humans must have been like. 

X-Men: First Class tries to answer some of those questions with their own version of an evolutionary mutation that will try to out-compete and displace the current human population to extinction. Not all mutants agree with this aggressive point of view. Some believe that peaceful co-existence with humans is possible. The humans on the other hand who foresee their own marginalization will do anything to destroy all the mutants.

The young Charles Xavier and Magneto make an astonishing discovery in this film due to Xavier’s telepathic abilities and a new invention that amplifies his powers. They realize for the first time that they are not alone and that far more mutants exist all over the world than they ever imagined, all with unique powers. They start to recruit mutants and create a school to help them learn to harness their abilities. But the mutants are of two minds and split up into two camps. Those that want to speed up the inevitable and take revenge for how they have been made to feel as outsiders, ashamed of their abilities, and hasten their demise, and those that want to protect, help and work with the humans.

The humans are also split into two camps, Communist and Democratic societies are at war with each other but when it comes to mutants they are united in their fear. Some humans want to work with the mutants but most would rather just get rid of them if they could. But there is the dilemma. Mutants are superior in every way to humans and humans can only hope that mutants will be merciful. And so it was with Neanderthal. Although Neanderthal appears stronger physically and better able to withstand extreme climates, they were not as smart as the weaker early modern humans and eventually they were out competed to extinction. It was our brains that gave us the edge.

The X-Men franchise has an opportunity here to show what might have occurred in this critical evolutionary phase of human history. Competition between people goes on in our daily lives every day. We are always competing for jobs, wealth, opportunities, education, fame, and there are always people who lose out and fall by the way side. Mutants have far more powerful and advanced abilities but alone they are isolated freaks. Our natural instinct is to cheer for the underdog and in the beginning we cheer for the lonely, outsider mutant but soon the mutants group their talents in gangs and become arrogant and just want to use their abilities to destroy mankind. Then we cheer for the mutants who help humans and fight against the more aggressive mutants. 

What I liked about the previous X-Men films is that mutants who started out in one camp would end up by the end of the film in the opposite camp. For example a mutant starting out in the Xavier or pro-human camp would decide by the end of the film to change to the Magneto or anti-human camp and vice versa. A previously known bad mutant would by the end of the film decide to join the good mutant camp. This new prequel film continues this trend and we see how some mutants can change, through ideology, from one camp to another, either because they feel sympathy for humans or because they admire someone in the opposite camp.

This movie franchise has been extremely successful so far and all the movies in the franchise are great as far as I’m concerned, including the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie about the origins of a popular X-Men character called Wolverine. If you are unfamiliar with the X-Men franchise and want to see all the movies this is a good one to start with.

JP

Clash of the Titans: A hero's journey continues

At the end of the 2010 remake Clash of the Titans you have the feeling that a fully realized world has been created were many new stories can be told with memorable characters and beautiful realistic production design. 

Everything about this remake is an improvement on the 1981 original. The visual effects department of course has taken full advantage of the digital revolution that has taken place since 1981 and this is the perfect type of film to showcase those effects. The original was already an effects heavy film back in 1981 when it was released in the same week as Raiders of the Lost Ark. But this being a very low budget film Ray Harryhausen was hired to do his signature stop-motion animation old school style. This was the last film that Ray Harryhausen worked on using his once very popular stop-motion technique that made such films as 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957), Jason and the Argonauts (1963), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977) so popular.

Laurence Olivia, Harry Hamlin, Maggie Smith, Clair Bloom and Ursula Andress have been replaced by Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Sam Worthington and the late Pete Postlethwaite. The new film is faithful to the original but has a much more international feel with a cast and locations from around the world. Filming took place in Tenerife the Canary Islands, Malta, Italy, Wales, England and Ethiopia.

There are many memorable action sequences from the original that fan boy director Louis Leterrier, who also directed The Incredible Hulk (2008), wanted to retain for the new film but needed updating for a modern audience. Some of the best and well known of these new updated scenes are the God's temple on Mt. Olympus, the Scorpioch battle, Medusa’s cave temple battle and the awesome Kraken sequence. In between we get an array of other worldly and mythological creatures from Hades and the Hades effect, winged half-simian bat like flying harpies, Calibos the deformed king, the Stygian witches, Pegasus the flying horse, and the Djinn who are ancient sorcerers living in the desert. 

What I really liked about this new movie was the beautiful realistic depiction of mythical places like Mt. Olympus and the ancient city of Argos. The Greek city of Argos was beautifully rendered digitally as a massive complex of structures built into the side of a sea-side cliff that was filmed in a place called Los Gigantes, Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands using ancient structures filmed in Italy to make up the City. The God’s home on Mt. Olympus was rendered as a wide open round hall with the floor completely open and looking down on a satellite image of the earth from space complete with clouds and realistic topography.

There is a travelogue type sequence in the film depicting our heroes as they journey on the backs of the Scorpiochs across different landscapes on their way to find the Stygian witches and ultimately Medusa's cavernous temple. The photography in that sequence is breathtaking as we are treated to stunning vistas that were filmed in exotic locations all over the world and adds an epic feel to the journey.

Clash of the Titans is a classic tale of the hero’s journey. Perseus played by Sam Worthington, recently from Terminator Salvation (2009) and Avatar (2009), is born a demigod son of Zeus, half human half god, and must find a way to stop Hades from destroying the city of Argos and awakening the fearsome Kraken, a mythic sea creature that lives in an underwater sea cave. Along the way he obtains a loyal following of men, sorcerers and gods who help him fulfill his destiny. Perseus is tested with trials and given magical weapons before he finally confronts Hades and the enormous Kraken. 

The climactic Kraken sequence improves on the original in every way and does not disappoint. The original sequence was quaint but did not have the scale and realism of this new updated version. Now the Kraken sequence is truly awesome in scale and realism and excitingly filmed and edited. It shows not only the Kraken but also street level action in the city of Argos while Perseus is flying through both Kraken tentacles and Argos streets on his flying horse Pegasus.

Here’s hoping we get more films in this promising franchise. What? They’re already working on it?

Wrath of the Titans, the sequel to Clash of the Titans is now being filmed in Tenerife Spain as I write this. This is exciting news. Jonathan Liebesman, who also directed this year’s excellent Battle: Los Angeles, has replaced director Louis Leterrier, but the cast and crew from Clash of the Titans are mostly all back including Liam Neeson as Zeus, Ralph Fiennes as Hades, Sam Worthington as Perseus and Danny Huston as Poseidon. The new film is due for release on March 30, 2012.

The following is an official summary of the storyline from Warner Bros. Pictures

‘A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus-the demigod son of Zeus-is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity's lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. The triumvirate had overthrown their powerful father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld. Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades, along with Zeus' godly son, Ares (Edgar Ramírez), switch loyalty and make a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus. The Titans' strength grows stronger as Zeus' remaining godly powers are siphoned, and hell is unleashed on earth... Written by Warner Bros. Pictures’  

JP

Source Code

A smart, thought provoking Sci-fi thriller that really challenges our ideas of time and for the most part you have no idea where it’s going. Directed by sci-fi fan and son of singer David Bowie, the promising young Duncan Jones, whose directorial debut film was the excellent Moon (2009) lives up to his reputation here as a director of films with heart.

The concept is a mix of time travel/parallel reality and elements of Avatar (2009). A soldier’s injured body is kept alive and his brain is hooked up to an experimental computer program called the ‘Source Code’ used by the military to occupy someone else’s body during the last eight minutes of his life to discover a future terrorist bombing threat. The soldier, whose consciousness is being used to change the future, must learn in only eight minutes where the bomb is planted, disarm it and identify the bomber so that a future dirty bomb can be prevented from going off in downtown Chicago.

I saw this film just after Bin Laden had been killed so the topic of terrorism seemed very timely. There is a surprise ending which took me a little while to figure out what had happened but the ending is very satisfying. There is enough action, humor and surprises to keep the movie moving along and it’s never boring despite the repetition of the eight minutes that Mr. Gyllenhaal is forced to relive over and over while he figures out what is going on.

Jake Gyllenhaal, recently from Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) and Love and Other Drugs (2010), gives a very convincing performance and keeps us captivated by his character’s, marine captain Colter Stevens, dilemma. We also get an excellent performance by Vera Farmiga, recently from Up in the Air (2009), who plays Colleen Goodwin, the military coach who talks our hero through what he thinks is a training exercise simulation for a new mission.

There are elements in Source Code that are similar to Moon. The movie takes place in very confined spaces, both movies deal with corporate miss use of their employees and there is an unraveling puzzle solving element in both. In fact it was Jake Gyllenhaal who recommended Duncan Jones to direct the film after having seen and loved his earlier work Moon.

Colter Stevens learns more information each time he goes through the ‘source code’, which takes place on a commuter train, so that the events are slightly different each time as he is changing them. The movie is also about making big changes in our lives when we are frustrated by the rut of our daily routine and that we shouldn’t take for granted the beauty and potential that exists all around us.

This movie, like The Adjustment Bureau (2011), has a message but tells it in a very entertaining and sometimes humorous way. Russell Peters, the Canadian comedian, has a small role and most of the cast and crew are Canadian. It will be interesting to see what this promising young director will end up doing next but whatever it is you can be sure it will be another thought provoking Sci-fi action film with heart.

JP

Battle: Los Angeles

Battle: LA is actually an excellent war movie along the same lines as Black Hawk Down (2001) and Green Zone (2010) but here the Marines are fighting aliens during an earth invasion. Unlike other alien invasion films like War of the Worlds (2005), Cloverfield (2008) and District 9 (2009), which are told from the POV of civilians, Battle: LA is unique in that it takes a soldier’s POV and is an all-out war film.  Here we have the best of two of my favorite genres in one film.

A military Sci-fi film, Battle LA has more in common with Terminator Salvation (2009) in terms of its visual style and pacing. Excellent visual effects combined with exciting non-stop action and realistic characters make this a pulse pounding adrenaline rush. Aaron Eckart, recently from The Dark Knight (2008) and Rabbit Hole (2010), gives a very human, vulnerable and compelling performance. His performance as Staff Sergeant Nantz, a decorated soldier who has just retired from the Marines but is pressed back into service when a new world crisis is revealed, keeps us hooked into the story throughout the duration of the film while it literally throws everything possible at us.

We follow a ragtag group of soldiers, who are a mix of survivors from different platoons, much like what would happen and did happen in real war situations against a superior enemy about who they and we the audience know nothing. We learn, as they do, about the enemy as we go. It is easy to see why Eckart was so enthusiastic about his role and the movie during press promotions. I remember him saying how he really got into his role and it shows.

This is a big budget Hollywood film that has lots of visual style and spares no expense on the visual effects. The cast is mostly unknown except for Aaron Eckart and Michelle Rodriquez, recently from Avatar and Machete, which adds to the authentic feel of the film. The hand held documentary style photography covers the action from every angle and gives a ‘you are there’ feel, adding to the realism.

I was excited about the Trailer for this film when I first saw it and when I finally saw the movie I was not disappointed. It delivered what I had expected and more. Although the aliens are not as advanced as I would have liked, the battle is messy and there is a lot of on-the-ground man-to-alien fighting which looked great, think Terminator Salvation, but I would have liked to see more in the air dog fights. Some of the best scenes are with CH-46 and Huey helicopters in the air transporting our soldiers to the battle front while the battle rages below and above. In fact the movie opens with just such a scene.

This movie easily holds up to such war films as Black Hawk Down and Green Zone as well as such alien invasion films as War of the Worlds, Cloverfield and District 9, in fact you get a great mix of both in this movie. Well worth seeing if you’re a fan of those genres.

JP

The Adjustment Bureau

Another film adapted from the great American science fiction novelist Philip K. Dick whose novels have been the inspiration for such films as Blade Runner (1982), Total Recall (1990), Screamers (1995), Minority Report (2002), Paycheck (2003), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and Next (2007). This time the movie The Adjustment Bureau (2011) is based on a Philip Dick short story called The Adjustment Team.

The movie is an alternate reality sci-fi film that is accessible to everyone even if you’re not a fan of the genre because the movie doesn’t look sci-fi or Matrixy. It’s about a mysterious group of men (The Bureau) who are like guardian angels called 'case officers' but look more like special government agents with special powers that adjust our destinies by subtly nudging or encouraging us in directions that are according to a grand plan. We are told that this was deemed necessary because whenever we were left on our own, with free will, we almost destroyed the planet. For example Dark Ages, World War I, Fascism, World War II, Holocaust, and Cuban missile crisis. One of the funny lines in the film is when the Matt Damon character David Norris says to a Bureau agent called Thompson, played by Terence Stamp, ‘If you’re in control of the important things then your incompetent because when I look around these days the world still seems a pretty screwed up place?’ to which the answer is ‘It’s still here. If we’d left things in your hands, it wouldn’t be.’

When a New York politician David Norris (Matt Damon), recently from Hereafter (2010) and Green Zone (2010), and a Dancer in a ballet company Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), recently from The Wolfman (2010) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006), get together and fall in love accidentally despite plans that they should not meet, the grand plan is disrupted and the special agents go to work to fix the potential damage by keeping them apart. We later learn that there is a reason that these two have such strong feelings for each other and they will not give up trying to be together.

It’s a fascinating and original concept and the story is well thought out. What makes this film even better is that the performances and chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are genuine. Besides being a mix of action thriller, love story and sci-fi/alternate reality, it also has a great message. You come out at the end of the film thinking about philosophical questions of our fates and how much are we in control of our own fates and how much is chance. How much free will do we really have and how willing are we to break away from our pre-determined destinies and follow the path of our passions and beliefs? These are very big and difficult questions to answer but this movie is not afraid to ask the big questions in an entertaining way. This exposes the viewer to entertain the idea of opening his mind to new possibilities which so few movies do anymore.

It’s a great movie to take your girlfriend or spouse to see. It reminded me in many ways of the 1998 movie Pleasantville with Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon which also asked big questions using an entertaining alternate reality that was accessible to everyone even if you’re not a fan of the genre. It's more of a romantic comedy but has great performances by an excellent cast just like The Adjustment Bureau and both projects are labors of love. These two movies make for a great double bill of back to back viewing.

JP

Total cinema for your home theatre - Part 1

In this series I will look at some of the best films that will showcase your new high-definition, wide screen home theater system to its fullest. Films you may not have considered before but are truly awe-inspiring in their scale, beauty and clarity. From a select number of conventional Hollywood big budget films to BBC Wildlife documentaries to IMAX and 3D documentaries and finally computer animation. Whatever your home theater system, these movies will wow your guests. For the cinema purist with a high-definition home system, blu-ray disc is the format of choice when viewing any of these films. (see sidebar for movies being released in blu-ray format)

‘Sound is at least 50% of the experience’. Anyone who has a home theater knows that when it comes to enjoying movies to their full immersive potential, just how true that statement is. To experience a movie the way it was intended by the film makers it is essential to have a surround sound system. The best sound systems not only give you the big sounds in a big way but also reproduce the silences and softest sounds with absolute clarity. Effects heavy films are especially good for taking advantage of the new home theater technology to give one the closest experience that matches the cinematic. But there is also another type of movie that showcases the potential of the home theater system even more beautifully.

Non-verbal visual documentaries are filmed in the most exotic and sometimes isolated locations around the world and accompanied by only an eclectic soundtrack of music and natural sound. With no story or dialogue, the awe-inspiring images take on a profound and heightened sense of wonder, while at the same time showing our destructive impact on the planet.

These films are a small niche sub-genre within the documentary genre made by only a hand full of very dedicated, independent film makers. People you have probably never heard of but sound vaguely familiar, people who have, with their visions, influenced many conventional filmmakers and television commercials. These people want to make you think about what you’re watching and you can see something new with every viewing. These films are timelier now than ever and have lost none of their significance.

People who watch these movies rarely see them only once. The timelessness, pure beauty and thought provoking nature of these movies makes people want to see them over and over again. There are people who have reportedly watched these films 50 or 60 times if not in the hundreds. I consider them must viewing at least once every year.

Godfrey Reggio, Philip Glass, Ron Fricke, Alton Walpole, Mark Magidson, and Lawrence Taub are just some of the people involved in the production of these amazing films.

If you love beautiful cinematography of exotic locations put together in thought provoking ways and accompanied by a broad array of eclectic music, you will love this non-verbal, visual form of Total Cinema, where sound and image is everything. Don’t miss these amazing films.

Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance                       1982       Godfrey Reggio

Powaqqatsi: Life in Transformation                      1988       Godfrey Reggio

Naqoyqatsi: Life as War                                       2002       Godfrey Reggio

Anima Mundi                                                         1992       Godfrey Reggio

Chronos                                                                1985       Ron Fricke          

Baraka                                                                 1993       Ron Fricke

The following movies are more silence than sound but are wonderful visual meditations on life.

Into Great Silence is a documentary without narration or a soundtrack and has long scenes of stillness so it can be challenging to watch for the modern audience who is used to a faster paced action packed movie.  But this documentary has its rewards for the patient and curious as it reveals the daily life of monks living in what must be one of the, if not the most, isolated monasteries in the world.  Nestled high in the French Alps, the Grande Chartreuse monastery of the Carthusian Order - founded by St. Bruno of Cologne in 1084, is completely restricted to outsiders and has some of the most stunning picturesque scenery. Its monks are totally dedicated to the service of God and practice permanent silence. Only after years of persistent requests was the German director Philip Groning finally given permission to film inside the monastery. What is revealed is quite amazing as monks in complete silence go about their daily routines of worship and we are shown a world untouched by technology and stunning beauty.

Babies is another excellent documentary with very little dialogue and no soundtrack as it follows four babies from four different parts of the world (Kenya, Mongolia, Japan and USA) from birth until they are one year old.  This interesting experiment reveals how different cultures treat and raise their infants and the impact that our environment has on us as we learn to take our first steps. I like this movie because of the interesting differences in cultures and environments, and the different personalities of the babies themselves.

JP

Tron Legacy IMAX 3D

A video game designer is accidentally sucked into and trapped in his own video game and thought dead for years until a cryptic message sent to his teenage son with instructions, opens the possibility that his father may still be alive and living inside the game. The son discovers a living virtual world when he steps inside the game that his father created.

This is a great visual treat for anyone who has ever wished they could live inside their favorite video game. Tron Legacy was not a great movie, but it was a great spectacle. If you saw it in IMAX and 3D as I did, it was an amazing sensory experience of light and sound which made you feel fully immersed.
 

One thing I noticed about Tron Legacy is how much some of the story elements reminded me of Star Wars. Being a lifelong Star Wars fan I didn’t mind this so much except that Star Wars did it so much better and it is now a 34 year old movie that is still being copied but not bettered. Star Wars just had so much more going for it that this movie didn’t. Some of the elements that Tron Legacy borrowed from Star Wars are as follows.

• The father son relationship, with the son redeeming the father’s sins in the end. 
• The apprentice who turns against the master or teacher and becomes evil in pursuit of order/perfection. Clu in his pursuit of perfection saw his master as being part of the imperfection he is charged with eradicating. Vader also seeks to restore order in the Galaxy and eventually views the Republic and the Jedi Knights as being the obstacle to that order. He must now join with the Emperor to eliminate the Jedi and restore the order that the Emperor promised him if he joined the Dark Side. 
• The stealing of secret plans that hold the key to power and have potential for miss use by evil apprentice.
• The color scheme of red for bad guys and light blue for good guys when using flying disc weapon similar to the light sabers in Star Wars. 
• The vulnerable girl who is the last of her kind after her people are destroyed by the evil apprentice, similar to princess Leia who’s planet was destroyed by the Empire. 
• The video game quality of the action scenes and flying scenes with the hero fending off the bad guys, who are in pursuit after escaping their stronghold, with a laser turret mounted on the back of a flying vehicle.  
• The father in this case is also part Yoda and Obi-wan Kenobi with an interest in Zen and meditation philosophy. He also has special powers as the creator of a digital world in which he is trapped. 
• The creation of an invasion army of programs is similar to the creation of the Droid army in The Phantom Menace, and the Clone army in Attack of the Clones.

Anyone who knows the Star Wars films as intimately as I do will immediately recognize these story elements from the Star Wars saga.

But Tron Legacy has some excellent visual flare of its own, especially during the motorcycle racing sequence on the grid with multiple levels that allow for more suspenseful and visually interesting racing action. 

Tron Legacy also has a beautiful futuristic set and vehicle design with glowing stripes that gives it a clean and sleek feel which I like. Unfortunately there is not much contrast in the design, nothing to balance it with a rougher, more organic look except during the beginning of the film which is set in a city of the 80s. But this is also a little too sleek for that time period.

Other things that caught my eye was the digital version of a younger Jeff Bridges who was a little off putting at first as you could tell he was a digital creation although it was extremely realistic. There was just something about the movement of his mouth that gave it away.

The costumes and make up were also very cool and I noticed some influence of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in the Jeff Bridges hide out apartment that looked very similar to the room where the astronaut finds himself after his psychedelic ride through space with antique furniture and lighting coming from underneath the floor and ceiling.

The ending being quite similar to the ending of Lost in Space (1998), emotionally and visually, it was quite derivative but overall a fun light and sound show.

JP