I Discovered Time Travel By Accident! "Primer" Review

I dare you to watch this film and not be scratching your head the whole time. Remember when “Inception: came out in 2010 and everyone felt so great that they could watch a movie that would make them feel smart? Well this movie makes Inception look like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” meaning it makes “Inception” look like a film you enjoy because you grab some popcorn turn off your brain and have some fun. “Primer” actually makes you feel stupid, so in a way it’s a little too clever for its own good, but it is still a great movie.

Do you know what it feels like to watch a group of people talk about quantum mechanics; you can’t understand a word they are saying but you are intrigued nonetheless. Now replace quantum mechanics with time travel and that’s “Primer”. I know I used the same analogy with my “The Usual Suspects” review but this time it really rings true The rules of time travel in this film (from the little that I understood) work in such a believably realistic manner that it would make Marty McFly say “Just when you thought you had seen everything”.

It is a very low budget film and that unfortunately becomes apparent throughout the film but it’s one of those times where you forgive the film. Normally when a film shows its low budget to the audience through mediocre special effects, cheap costumes, or a bad production, you wag your finger to them because you know it bit off more than it could chew, but “Primer” is a pistol that carries the ammo of a shotgun. Its script is so fascinating you forget that sometimes it looks like it has been shot with cameras of three digit value.

It reminded me a lot of the film “The Social Network” because it also was a film that had lots of jargon, fast talking, and a young pair of entrepreneurs who fall out over their invention.  The movie’s plot is key but I cannot tell you it. Not because it would spoil it but because it is simply not within my vocabulary to describe it and frankly chances are it’s neither in yours to understand it, unless you are any of the characters on “The Big Bang Theory”

Watch this film once to get the gist of the story, and then watch it about 3 more times to kind of understand how stuff works within the movie and then for good measure watch it one more time, and then you just might understand it. And by the way when I say watch it I mean WATCH IT. I don’t mean put it on and then have a crossword puzzle or a text message chain that you switch between. Heck I wouldn’t even eat anything because the 3 seconds it might take you to look down to your food you might miss some important information. Not that it would really matter because you won’t understand it anyway but still try to pay attention because it is one of those films that is so full of blink and you miss it moments you just have to suck it up and pay attention.

9/10

I think I might have asked this question before but just for the heck of it what is your favorite time travel movie? Post your thoughts below.

Gimmie the keys you quantum physicist! "The Usual Suspects" Review.

Now here is a film that throws so many curveballs at you you won’t even know what hit you. Now I can’t guarantee that you will like the complicated plot as some like the late Roger Ebert disliked the fact that they couldn’t really understand it very well. I can understand why those people don’t like it; it is like watching two scientists talk about quantum physics. But hey I liked this movie.

An ensemble cast featuring Kevin Spacey, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Pollak, Peter Greene, and Pete Postlethwaite, this film noir relies heavily on its actors to do the storytelling and they do great (except maybe for Stephen Baldwin, but who gives a fuck about him anyway?). And when I say film noir, I mean it. This is not a film like Batman Begins where people can say that it has genuine film noir influences; this is a genuine noir film.

Five guys are in a police lineup. They are dicking around and having fun with each other because they are all just pals since they all have something in common; they are criminals. They laugh, they curse and they enjoy the fact that they are in a lineup. They really hit it off and decide that they might work well together on their next crime.

The story is told in “Forrest Gump” fashion where one character is sitting down telling people about his past, that character is played by Kevin Spacey who won his first Oscar for the role, a very admirable choice for the award. I’m not sure if I would agree since there are other performances that year that I really liked but regardless he was fantastic. The film also won an award for its screenplay, proving that there are plenty of respectable members of the industry who enjoyed the complicated twists and turns of the story.

It’s a shame that director Brian Singer hasn’t gone on to direct other film noir projects like this one. I haven’t seen his films “Apt Pupil” or “Valkyrie” but I doubt they match the style of “Suspects” and it really is a shame because he really really understands the idea of film noir, without making it into a caricature like “Sin City”. That’s not to say “Sin City” is a bad movie, heck I think it is a better film but “Suspects” is a more classic film noir while “Sin City is more of a neo noir.

I probably would have enjoyed the movie even if it were not for the great acting because I like the story so much. They say that the audience is always 5 steps ahead of the movie so anything the filmmakers want to have as a surprise must come at least 5 steps before it becomes obvious. This film is constantly 10 steps ahead of the audience so unless you have had it spoiled for you there is no way you will see anything coming.

Maybe it is a little too far ahead however which is why I am going to hold off from my top score. I do wish I could have understood just a little more, but trust me it makes you feel better  if you don’t by having one of the characters get fooled just as you did.

9/10

So tell me what you thought about this film in the comments and also remember to vote in the poll that closes this tomorrow at 10pm. Click here to read my post and here to read Thomas’ post.

Home Alone in Skyfall! "Skyfall" Review

“Skyfall” is the sort of film that any Bond fan can watch and give a sigh of relief. After the relatively disappointing “Quantum of Solace” people were skeptical about the next entry despite the fact that “Casino Royale” was, for many, worthy of standing up against the Connery era. I must confess that I was actually one of the few people that enjoyed “Quantum of Solace” even though I acknowledge it was far inferior to its predecessor and quite unmemorable. My expectations were fairly high for Daniel Craig’s third outing as the sometimes shaken but never stirred agent 007 and I was not disappointed. It is a great movie that fires on all cylinders and really packs a punch dynamically.

After an intense opening sequence in Turkey (And a terrific credit song by Adele), Bond takes a leave of absence from MI6, and of course everything goes to shit when he does, so he has to come back. Raoul Silva is behind the big plot and he is played terrifyingly by Javier Bardem with probably the most homosexual innuendos in a Bond villain since Connery’s “Diamonds are Forever”. That is basically all I can tell you without spoiling the interesting parts. The plot is balanced nicely by the director Sam Mendes, director of “American Beauty” “Road to Perdition” and “Revolutionary Road”. He is the first director to helm a Bond film who has previously won an academy award but to me that is completely irrelevant because the two stars of the film are the script and the director of photography Roger Deakins. The Cinematography is without a doubt the best of any Bond film, giving us amazing shots such as Bond’s shadow fighting another shadow in a tall building in the dark, or the shot seen in the trailer of Bond falling through some ice into a pond with a henchman.

I must confess that the ending, the very ending, gave me a Bondgasm. If the ending doesn’t make you smile then you are not a true fan of the series. I won’t tell you what the scene entails but I can tell you that it will get you excited for the next Bond film in a way you wouldn’t expect. However my favorite scene must be one that is somewhere in the middle; look out for the part where Bond has to try and shoot a shot –glass. I still like “Casino Royale” the best out of the Craig movies but this one holds up perfectly against some of my favorite bond movies like “From Russia with Love”, “Live and Let Die”, and my all-time favorite “Goldfinger”.

The film reminded me a lot of “The Dark Knight” even going as far as to have similar plot points (Or maybe “The Dark Knight” is similar to Bond movies?). There was also a fairly lengthy scene towards the end that played out like “Home Alone” and it that sense it strayed a bit from the Bond formula and that distracted me a bit but nevertheless it was enjoyable to watch.

If you are a Bond fan, do yourself a favor and watch this movie because to tell the truth this is the one you have probably been waiting for for over 20 years.

9/10

Tell me in the comments what your favorite Bond film is and what your least favorite one is as well. You know my favorite one but my least favorite is “View to a Kill” aka James Bond fights a villain who threatens his social security.

Kurt Russel is an Alien!!! "The Thing" Review.

We have had a string of bad movies haven’t we? “Troll 2” “Twilight” “Transformers” “Blade Runner” and “Batman and Robin” make 5 in a row! I think it’s time I reviewed a good movie.

 John Carpenter has a talent for making films that look and feel like B movies but just happen to be entertaining and clever. “The Thing” is a well written film that works because despite its goriness and explicit alien violence, it relies more on suspenseful speculative dialogue between the characters to be thrilling and interesting.

Kurt Russell and David Keith give some truly fun to watch performances that carry the film nicely. The idea is that some sort of alien type creature has the ability to kill someone and then transform into the victim fooling everyone else. So the film works out as a sort of “Reservoir Dogs” style mystery where the question is “who is an alien and who is a human”. That is where the success of the film lies.

Carpenter has a great imagination and is a true man’s director. If you are a woman and like his films then I can tell you that you are beyond my comprehension. His films are tailored for men and I am ok with that. Another film of his, also starring David Keith, “They Live”, which is probably his most famous film, is I think a quintessential guy film, and “The Thing” follows the same formula.

The movie never gets boring and you never have to look at your watch, but it is a bit short of a 10 for me because I wasn’t blown away by it, and some stuff seemed a bit cheesy for me to get past. I’m sure most would agree with me not giving it the full 10 because it just seems like one of those movies that are good but fairly unremarkable, meaning that you will either dislike it or you will think it’s fun but not great. There might yet be a small group of people that are really into these types of flicks and for those few I can tell you now it is at the top of its niche.

9/10

Tell me what you thought of the film in the comments below. Soon I am going to start a new system where I tell you what movie I am reviewing next time so you can vote on it. That will probably start next year when I make a bunch of improvements to the blog so for now let’s stay the way we are shall we? Come back here tomorrow for my thoughts on the deal between Disney and LucasFilm.

Marvel-ous!!! "The Avengers" Review

Marvel’s “The Avengers” is a fun ride from start to finish. Clever dialogue, intense action, abundant humor, and some damn impressive special effects, make this an unforgettable film with plenty to like for everyone.

Joss Whedon really likes the characters and makes sure it is known throughout the movie. If you have already seen the movie then it would be easier to describe Joss as the kid at the end that was describing to the camera what happened at the climax “It was all BOOOOOM!!! And then the big green guy was all ‘RAAAAHHH!!!’ And then it was all like BSSSHHHH and BANG BANG BOOM!!!” That’s right, Joss Whedon is like a kid playing with toys and we are watching it, albeit his toys aren’t action figures but actors, computers, and cameras, and his toys cost 220 million dollars, but who cares if they cost that much if the movie makes close to 1.5 billion.

Like I said this film is really fun. The plot is almost irrelevant but just to humor you guys: You have Loki, brother of Thor trying to step on the human race like they are ants and he is a boot. Nick Furry who can’t let that happen calls together the dream team of heroes: Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor. That is “The Avengers” initiative; to bring the world’s mightiest heroes together to defeat the world’s greatest threat. The heroes don’t get along very well at first because they are either jealous of each other, they all try to run things their way, and they one up each other constantly. This provides us with some of the most entertaining scenes in superhero film history, as the concept alone of heroes battling each other is amusing.

You have Iron Man fighting Thor, Thor fighting The Hulk, The Hulk chasing down Black Widow, Black Widow fighting Hawkeye, and a three-way between Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America (anyway you take that you have to admit that it sounds entertaining). Nothing is to extreme though because they are fighting more like rivaling siblings than actual enemies. “Does your mother know you wear her clothes?” “Im stronger than you” “Puny humans” and stuff like that are some of the childish insult thrown at each other before they all decide to stop quarreling to defeat their real enemy. When that happens the movie comes to its climax and the big explosions and great New York City destruction fills the screen. Get ready to cheer out loud as the fun never stops and the end satisfies you immensely.

Im not going to lie, there were some huge missteps with the film that made it lose some credibility and prestige, such as the very formulaic story, average acting, and familiar cinematography, but when I left the movie theater my exact words where “Damn! That was good.” I would even go as far as to say that the average acting is not so important because the real star of the film is Joss Whedon.

Some films are sophisticated, some films are emotional, some films are, pardon my French, mindfucks, and some films are witty, but this was just plain fun, I enjoyed myself and I don’t regret seeing it at all.

9/10

My favorite of the avengers is The Hulk. Who is yours? Click here to cast your vote.

Foreign Film Week Part 1 “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” Review

Yes I know it’s been a while since I have posted a review, but it is actually a lot harder than I thought it was to keep doing something that is completely optional no matter how enjoyable it is. Anyway to make up for all the lost days I have prepared something special for you guys. I am going to review 3 films for you guys back to back! 3 foreign films to be exact and I want you guys to help me out here with some suggestions of movies I should review after the foreign week.

So let’s get to it shall we? Our first film is the martial arts film “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon".

In a time where gunfights and explosions dominate the box office, it is still possible to have films with ample sword fighting, hand-to-hand combat, and violence come off as quite dramas. Usually those are martial arts or wuxia movies from the east. “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” is probably the most famous of those, being the first to become successful and critically acclaimed.

Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi star as a group of people fighting over the Green Destiny, a special sword that resembles the wands in the “Harry Potter” universe; it might be useful but in the end it is only as good as it’s wielder. All three of them are very skilled fighters, so you can imagine that the sword doesn’t just sit in a single person’s hands for that much. Aside from the three warriors fighting for a sword, there is a criminal named Jade Fox who is just as skilled at martial arts as everyone else. But the film is essentially the quest for justice and honor rather than the quest for a weapon and a criminal, which separates it from most action movies.

Ang Lee directs the film with such precision you almost forget you are watching a live action film; some of the fighting is so outrageous but graceful you think it is a cartoon. Every fight scene is as magnificent as the next, and the choreography manages to make impossible stunts look easy for the fighters such as running across walls, jumping across buildings, or even gliding.

This doesn’t mean that the film is flawless; it loses points because Lee gives us too much of the good stuff. An audience is like a dog: if you keep feeding them juicy human food they aren’t going to like dry dog food. Same here, there are too many perfect action scenes making us feel bored with withdrawal between them even though normally the calmer, quieter sequences would be very interesting. It is much like the film “The Matrix” in a way because the fights are staged by the same martial artist but where they differ is in the quiet sequences; In Crouching Tiger you are waiting for the next fight scene whilst in “The Matrix” you are intrigued by the dialogue and the exposition and in that way I think “The Matrix” is a better film.

But nevertheless the fight scenes are more than worth the wait, and the overall experience certainly merits a watch.

9/10

Don’t forget to leave a comment suggesting a film I should review. Next it is “Run Lola Run (Lola Rent)” and after that is “Pan’s Labyrinth”.

Alien Concentration Camps! “District 9” Review

                Social fiction is the term I just made up to describe the type of genre “District 9” falls into; the science fiction movie that is not just robots fighting each other, time travel, or space racing. No, this genre is about social commentary while using the medium of science fiction to showcase it; hence social fiction. Movies included in this genre include “2001: A Space Odyssey”, “Planet of the Apes”, “Gattaca”, and arguably “Avatar” and “The Matrix”. “District 9” is the sort of movie that doesn’t stick with you after it is over because of dazzling visuals or popcorn entertainment, but it stays because of the idea that it portrays.

                Opening with plenty of pseudo documentary footage explaining the premise, “District 9” shows us how an alien ship landing in Johannesburg South Africa, without the ability to take off again, affects the lifestyle of the citizens, and how the humans deal with the situation over the years. The humans basically treat the aliens so badly it brings segregation of colored people to memory and even the holocaust when the humans kill a lot of them while sticking them in a camp especially for aliens, District 9. Since the humans are fed up with the aliens, they order them to relocate over to district 10 and the person chosen to serve the eviction notices is a man named Wikus, whose mannerisms show us a kind and outgoing spirit, but who deep inside is as bigoted and prejudiced as every human that has had enough of these aliens. He uses the derogatory term “Prawn” to refer to an alien which mirrors the terms used today to describe colored people.

                I applaud the film for giving us a main character that is unlikable to begin with. It is something very hard to do because an audience usually doesn’t want to follow the “Bad Guy” around for most of the movie, and yet Wikus, for the purposes of this review, is the bad guy. I’m not big on giving away information about the plot of a movie because I have found out that I tend to like a film more when I haven’t seen the trailer than when I have, but everyone watching the movie will probably work out that Wikus isn’t the same man by the end of the film, his views have changed, and he develops sympathy for the aliens (or rather empathy).

                Even though the film is primarily a statement on racism and bigotry, that isn’t to say that it doesn’t have its share of robot fights, explosions, and alien gunfire but they are all done out of necessity to the plot rather out of hungry eyes. The effects utilized to create the aforementioned action scenes are convincing and very gritty; the spaceship looks rusty and old and the aliens themselves look like giant cockroaches. After you watch this movie can you guess the budget of the film judging solely on what you see? Obviously that is a rhetorical question since I would only ask it if it was either very high or very low. 30 million, for those of you who don’t know that much about film marketing and economics, is nothing for a science fiction blockbuster like this one and yet it pulled it off very well even managing to get a nomination for an academy award for best visual effects. To put things into perspective, “The Social Network” which didn’t have any special effects, cost about 40 million to make. Now that is impressive if you think about it.

                A few things I didn’t like about the film the first time I saw it turned me around the second time. Ironically though the one thing that annoyed me slightly was something I actually enjoyed the first time around; the excessive pseudo documentary footage. It can get a bit tedious at times but after a while you get used to it. So overall my enjoyment of the movie remains the same: This is a fantastic story about xenophobia with great effects and plenty more to like. Make sure to watch it with an open mind and an empty stomach though, because the themes are quite strong and the “Schindler’s List” type violence might be quite hard to swallow.

9/10 (Fitting Right?)

But what about you? What other science fiction movies do you think bare a lot of social commentary? Click here to cast your vote.