Star Trek Into Darkness

Could this be the end of Spock? Captain James Kirk and Dr. “Bones” McCoy are running through a blood red forest on the planet Nibiru. They’re trying to leave while being chased by its inhabitants. They jump off a cliff and dive into the water below where the Starship Enterprise is hiding deep on the ocean floor out of sight. Meanwhile Spock has been lowered into a volcano with a cold fusion device. He intends to stave off a volcanic eruption there in an effort to preserve the planet and it’s denizens. But now Spock has jeopardized his own life. Kirk wants to save him but to do so he would have to break the Prime Directive and expose their technologically advanced ship to this primitive civilization. This would alter history, a definite no-no. The alternative is to remain hidden and allow Spock to die, something Spock himself is advocating.

That‘s an incredibly heart pounding cliffhanger for the climax of a film. But that‘s merely the opening prologue. It’s but one of many set pieces in a relatively uncomplicated saga that concerns a terrorist that must be stopped. 2009′s Star Trek director J. J. Abrams is back along with producer Damon Lindelof (TV’s Lost) who also contributes to the screenplay this time. The producers have continued their gentle re-invention of the series much in a similar vein as the previous entry. The script doesn’t attempt to appease purists of the series. Chances are if you liked the last one, you’ll enjoy this. If you didn’t, then I’d stay clear away. The key players are back. Captain Kirk and Spock’s bromance seems to be even closer this time around as embodied by Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine. They have palatable chemistry. Plus, there are a couple of pivotal additions to the cast. I dare say that the already attractive ensemble gets just a little bit sexier. Hello Alice Eve! It’s got a spectacular villain in Benedict Cumberbatch. My goodness this man has a voice! The British thespian’s intonations resonate with all the power of a great orator. The plot works because the filmmakers start with good characterizations first and then build interesting situations from that.

Star Trek Into Darkness is a model of how to create excitement. Abrams has wisely fashioned this adventure in the grand tradition of Hollywood blockbusters of yesteryear. That means it’s more concerned with classic narrative elements and character development than it is with lots of noisy action set pieces. Although there are some satisfying ones that take place in London and San Francisco. The chronicle is gripping. I was never bored, always captivated by what would happen next. There’s plenty of action, but it’s never at the expense of a coherent account that you generally care about. The script is quick and witty with a clear eye toward creating dramatic tension with pauses for the audience to catch their breath and delight in the repartee between these people. Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Bones (Karl Urban) have the funniest temperaments. It’s also a very pretty movie. It’s got plenty of attention grabbing cinematography with affected lighting techniques. Lens flares abound! Yes there are some admittedly cheesy (and familiar) story ideas: someone unexpectedly cries, people tenderly touch hands on either side of a glass wall and automatic seat belts looks like black square-shaped bugs crawling over the actors. But more often than not, the emotional connections to these well known personalities push this actioner into the realm of a drama that is extremely engaging. At one point, Spock selflessly commands the crew to teleport out of the ship to safety. When Sulu responds “With all due respect, sir, we’re not going anywhere!” I think I kind of shed a tear.

Iron Man 3

As a fan of writer/director Shane Black, I see Iron Man 3 more as the long awaited follow-up to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang than part two in the superhero franchise. Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoy the Iron Man series just fine, but it’s the writer’s wit that captivates me more than awesome technology. In both respects, Iron Man 3 does not disappoint.

An enigmatic terrorist known as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) has taken control of the U.S. broadcasting signal. He has claimed responsibility for a string of bombings across the nation and ultimately threatens the safety of the President.  The threat becomes personal when Tony Stark’s security officer Happy Hogan is gravely injured in one of the attacks. As is usually the case in these Iron Man movies, multiple characters abound. Jessica Biel Rebecca Hall plays a botanist who manipulates DNA to reproduce the limbs of plants. Guy Pearce is also on hand as brilliant scientist Aldrich Killian, who continues to harbor a bitter resentment well after Tony had rebuffed him years before. He’s currently involved in scientific work isolating and empowering certain areas of the human brain. But the most welcome addition is a young Tennessee boy named Harley (Ty Simpkins) who is sort of an amusing foil for Robert Downey Jr. They’ve got great chemistry as a comedic team in the couple scenes that they have together.

I’ve never taken to superhero films that take themselves too seriously. I was one of the few that actually appreciated Iron Man 2 over the original. And this time around, I think I preferred this to part two. With Tony Stark as a lead portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., all of the Iron Man entries have been infused with a lighthearted touch. Its charm helps make this superhero picture a lively romp. Shane Black does a brilliant job at keeping the series light and fun while injecting enough of the requisite dramatic struggle that seems to afflict all superheroes. His major battle with The Mandarin is underscored by juggling relationship problems with girlfriend Pepper Potts and post-traumatic stress related to the events documented in The Avengers. While not particularly deep, the ideas help make the character a bit more complex than simply a generic champion for righteousness. If there is a failing, it’s that the action reverts to a conventional big loud explosion fest at the end. It’s still entertaining. I only wish the story had been as clever as the dialogue. That’s ultimately what makes this the funniest Iron Man yet.

Oblivion

Nobody emotes sincerity like Tom Cruise. In picture after picture, the actor conveys a genuine earnestness that has always made him an engaging presence for me. Few have a filmography that is as solid, or even as monetarily successful. Regardless of his popularity in the public eye, I have remained a steadfast supporter of his acting career. Unfortunately, Oblivion is another recent misstep (Rock of Ages) that has some inspired moments but largely fails to live up to Cruise’s emotive talents

In a future society, Jack Harper is one of the last humans left attempting to mine precious resources that remain on earth. We learn the human race has already been decimated by an apocalyptic war with a group of extraterrestrials called the Scavs. Yet Jack and his communications officer/girlfriend, Victoria (Andrea Riseborough), have no knowledge of this. Their minds erased as part of a mandatory procedure. The unexpected crash landing of a spaceship introduces him to a mysterious woman named Julia (Bond girl Olga Kurylenko), who holds a key to his past. This sets a series of events in motion that will trigger another climatic battle where he may rise up against nefarious forces, so that he might blah blah blah and possibly save mankind.

Utterly dull, lifeless story is made mildly palatable by exceptional production design and a glossy facade. There’s a lot to admire. The picture applies a sophisticated and elegant sci-fi style that is a throwback to the cinematic landscape of the 70s. The visuals are classy. There are these nifty little flying machines called drones that look like big metal orbs. These weaponized machines, which protect Jack from alien attacks, utilize inventive special effects and sound. Every time they were on screen I was fascinated by their tangible attributes. Director Joseph Kosinski adapts his own unpublished graphic novel. He was responsible for the visually stunning TRON: Legacy which I enjoyed. Although I’m starting to sense a pattern as that film suffered from a weak script as well. He wisely employs production designer Darren Gilford again and Academy Award winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda who lensed Life of Pi. Also like TRON: Legacy, Oblivion is highlighted by an orchestral score by a French electronic band. This time it’s M83. Their score’s rich sonic texture is often the only thing that maintains attention when nothing of interest is happening. All of the shenanigans dress up the proceedings in a way that superficially masks a dreary screenplay.

I really wanted to enjoy this.  Works that champion style over substance don’t necessarily preclude my enjoyment. Director Tarsem Singh has built an exquisite oeuvre on the practice. The script’s heart is in the right place as it favors speculative concepts over gadgets and shootouts. Its attempt to be more meditative is admirable. Despite the gorgeous veneer of quality, the soporific story holds absolutely no innovation, passion or enthusiasm. The ideas are thoroughly mundane. Its setup held some promise at first, but it ultimately languishes into something so stridently average. Add to that numerous long, static shots where nothing happens and you have an excellent cure for insomnia. Its narrative similarities to other flicks kept reminding me of better movies I could be watching. I was tempted to list the many examples from which this mediocrity appropriates but that would merely insult a list of superior science fiction movies. Borrowing from other futuristic films wouldn’t have been enough to discredit Oblivion, but the utter lack of excitement is.

Dark Skies

Lacy and Daniel are the Barretts, a married couple with two boys, Jesse a teen, and Sam their youngest. Father Daniel has lost his job and is trying to find employment. Mother Lacy is a real estate agent desperately attempting to sell houses in disrepair as fixer-uppers. Jesse hangs out with an older boy they deem to be a bad influence and little Sam is experiencing sleepwalking fits. Then strange things begin happening. Someone starts sculpturally stacking food in the kitchen, family photographs vanish from their frames, false alarm sensors are tripped throughout their home at the same time. Apparently mounting stress and piling bills are the least of their problems. PG-13 presentation mines the territory of a suburban nightmare.

At first when I heard the ads marketing Dark Skies as from the producers of Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and Sinister, I rolled my eyes. Yeah those were good movies, but the writer and/or director is a more accurate indicator of quality. Scott Stewart also wrote and directed the execrable Legion so I wasn’t optimistic. The thing is, Dark Skies is indeed closer in spirit to those horror pictures than to that apocalyptic action film. Admittedly, this doesn’t break new ground. Despite the fact it has nothing to do with ghosts, anyone who had seen Poltergeist will feel this is awfully familiar. It’s a fairly rote horror story, but there are some twists. The narrative interestingly exploits the idea that the parents are being made to look unfit due to the escalating afflictions the family publicly endures.

The cast is solid. Acting in horror can be difficult because the circumstances can be a bit ludicrous. Josh Hamilton is a sympathetic father. He’s likeable. Slightly less warm, but more sensible is Keri Russell as the mom who puts the pieces together as to what’s occurring well before her husband. A horror cliché is the character who has already figured everything out, but must now convince those who will not listen or believe – deliberately adding to the audience’s frustrations. Though I question whether Russell appropriately conveys the fear the average mother would exhibit. Hearing that her youngest is having conversations with someone who visits him at night should’ve prompted more panic. Oh and I almost forgot to mention a memorable cameo by J.K. Simmons who plays Tangina er uh I mean Edwin Pollard, the resident expert on supernatural phenomena.

Dark Skies isn’t innovative, but thankfully it sidesteps tired genre conventions at least. The blood/gore factor is virtually non-existent. The lazy technique relying on loud bursts of noise to cause jump scares, is kept to a minimum. Even the “Gotcha! It was all a dream” gag is intelligently toyed with in an early scene. The script seems aware of overused plot devices. It’s extremely spooky in parts. Furthermore, it never shows more than it should, so the threat always feels mysterious. No this isn’t original, but it manages to create a pretty evocative mood. What it lacks in creativity, it makes up for in creepiness.

Cloud Atlas

Six different historical epochs are interwoven to tell a story of humanity’s pursuit of righteousness. I must admit I had to be ambiguous in that description because I honestly couldn’t make heads or tails of this movie. In an effort to be more specific, I looked up the official synopsis which reads, and I quote, “An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.” I question whether the person who wrote that nonsense actually saw the finished product because that outline is far from evident after watching this production.

Cloud Atlas is an epic adapted from the 2004 novel of the same name by David Mitchell. Directors Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski clearly think they’re making some grand statement about the nature of mankind. The movie is made up of different parables from the past to the future that ostensibly relate man’s inhumanity to man. As a complete work, the six stories are mildly interconnected as a whole, but evaluated on their own merits, the individual tales are rather simplistic. Surely their purpose is to promote an idea more intellectual than some people are good and others are bad. But that’s the clichéd moral Cloud Atlas tells over and over throughout its massive length. Each one unfolds like a dumbed down version of a better movie. For example, it’s not enough that a book publisher and his fellow patients are trying to escape from a mental institution. We’re also presented with Hugo Weaving dressed up in drag to look like Nurse Ratched to further the homage. I won’t spoil the other 5 (or more) films this rips off. That’s half the fun. Cloud Atlas is undeniably a visually stunning work that utilizes superior production design and makeup to present a portrait of society. Rarely has superficial embellishments been utilized so beautifully to “cloud” a story so inherently shallow.

In a story that demands an emotional connection, the narrative is sorely lacking in character development. Give that there are 6 parts, that leaves roughly 30 minutes per episode. In the original novel, these adventures were told chronologically allowing enough moments to develop feeling for the people. However in the film, the pieces are thrown into a cinematic blender where we’re only given brief glimpses before moving on to the next story as we cycle through each tale over and over through distinct time periods and people. One key character commits suicide for example and I felt nothing. We seem to start in the middle often without much exposition and leave at random junctures. The effect is to often muddle their innate simplicity by constantly introducing a new plot before the old one has a chance to flourish. The historical eras might be grouped by similar themes, but the picture suffers from the chopping. 40 minutes into the movie, having switched focus several times, the results were headache inducing. The ADD style of the shifting storyline is a frustrating chore to follow for almost 3 hours. The overall effect isn’t innovative, it’s mind numbing.

To further complicate matters, all of the lead actors star as different individuals in each of the various sagas. This is accomplished by a dazzling array of incredible makeup, regardless of age, race or gender. Apparently each performer is portraying the same “soul” reincarnated throughout the ages. However this isn’t always clear because in some parts, the actors are completely unrecognizable. It’s a testament to the incredible talent of the makeup department. At the very least, they deserve an Oscar nomination if there‘s any justice. Halle Berry as the wife of a Belgian composer, a white woman, and as a male Korean doctor in the future, are both a marvel of modern makeup.

Cloud Atlas is a beautiful fiasco. It’s impressive production design and ambitious scope fall apart under the weight of an unwieldy and largely incoherent narrative. Had the account been told from beginning to end, from past to future, this would have made more sense. However that decision would not have rendered the parts any more interesting. I suspect the decision to chop the chronicles up into an ever fluctuating storyline is an unsophisticated attempt to make it seem more complex. In fact, the dizzying time shift jumping makes things seem convoluted. Its constantly changing art direction impressively creates wildly divergent eras that are dazzling to look at but emotionally hollow. Add that the frequent star turns by Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving et al, popping up in the various stories as miscellaneous characters is distracting. I will concede I had fun playing “guess the actor” though. It may be an impressive display of makeup, but it does nothing to increase our sympathy. As I am unfamiliar with the source novel by British author David Mitchell, the film may hold more interest for fans of the original text. Alas, with apologies to Dave Eggers, Cloud Atlas is a heartbreaking folly of staggering incoherence.

Frankenweenie

Simple, childlike drama about an intelligent young boy that tames the benefits of electrical power to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life. As the title suggests, the story is a kiddie version of the vintage Frankenstein tale. Frankenweenie was originally a live action short starring Shelley Duvall and Daniel Stern released back in 1984. In its current incarnation, the 30 minute anecdote has been expanded to an 87 minute animated fantasy.

First the good. It’s one of Tim Burton’s most sweetly accessible family friendly films since Corpse Bride. It certainly looks fantastic. I don’t think anyone questions the director’s fetching macabre style. There’s a welcome purity in the visuals that actually benefit the modest tale. The movie is photographed in black in white as a tribute to the horror classics of the 1930s. The cast is fittingly quirky with four of his previous collaborators that include Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, and Winona Ryder. Their new substitute science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski, a particular standout. He is a ghastly joy, delightfully voiced by Martin Landau but with features that almost recall Vincent Price. There’s a magnificently uncontrolled climax that utilizes the idea of a science fair gone amok.

Now the bad. The whole affair has Tim Burton just coasting on the fumes of his earlier successes. The plot is slight in the extreme. Very little of it is innovative or original. The frequent allusions to other people’s works including Bride of Frankenstein or Godzilla feels more like lazy borrowing than the homage I think they’re meant to be. The few attempts at humor are weak and aimed strictly at young children.

Frankenweenie has the mark of quality. It’s a beautifully mounted stop-motion animation that will entertain an undemanding audience. The chronicle of a boy’s love for his dog by way of Frankenstein isn’t particularly fresh. I’ll admit, however, the visual feast is a retro production designer’s dream. The narrative is marked by a tranquil restraint that has been lacking in the director’s recent big budget creations as of late. Yes, this science-fiction comedy horror is pleasant enough, but it’s no classic.

Looper

In 2074, time travel is possible but it’s outlawed. This however doesn’t stop the mob from sending their targets 30 years back into the past. This is where specialized assassins called loopers wait to kill and cleanly get rid of a body that technically doesn’t exist. One day Joe must “close the loop” and finish off his older counterpart, but when he comes face to face with the older version of himself, he hesitates and old Joe escapes. Now he must track down the escapee and eliminate this loose end or incur the wrath of his underworld boss.

Writer/director Rian Johnson has created a fascinating world in which a crime syndicate of loopers kill and eradicate with mechanized skill. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Bruce Willis’ Joe at a younger age. The story is propelled by young Joe’s drive to contain and dispose of his future self. This is Kansas and the blunderbuss is their weapon of choice, a firearm with a short, large caliber barrel that doesn’t require a lot of accuracy to use. Gat Men, the more elite of the mob’s henchmen, are the muscle that enforce the rules that loopers must live by. They journey on slat bikes, cycles that hover over the ground. Many humans have developed telekinesis as sort of a genetic mutation. It’s a heady mix, like The Matrix, The Shining and Donnie Darko had ménage à trois and Looper was the beautiful baby from that union.

Looper’s script is wisely aware of the complexities of time travel. Yet it stops short of fully delving into the cerebral intricacies of it. Astute viewers will notice certain inaccuracies emerge that aren‘t understood until the film develops. Early on JGL allows his future self to escape then promptly revisits the scene again where he immediately rights that wrong. It’s a perplexing sequence when initially viewed, but grows clearer as the film unfolds. There always will be inherent dilemmas in time travel movies that cannot be resolved. Think too hard and you’ll get a headache or simply accept the conceit and it’s wild roller coaster ride of a film. I’m still not convinced the multiple time lines make sense as they exist in never-ending loops of logic, but the narrative had me too hypnotized to care.

What’s separates Looper from your garden variety time travel hokum is its character based structure. There is a lull here and there, but for the most part the thriller is captivating. Willis even gets a chance to single handedly display the kind of badassery he’s known for when he starts blasting away with two guns at those nasty Gat Men. As good as Willis is, this is JGL’s movie. I was concerned upon seeing his unrecognizable face from the trailer that his makeup would be distracting. JGL’s face looks like a heavily botoxed rendering of himself. However, one should not underestimate his acting. Even though Willis and JGL look nothing alike, I would’ve preferred we take a leap of faith and accept the premise without makeup. With facial expressions, vocal inflections and gestures, JGL carefully conveys a younger version of Willis. He’s good enough that after awhile, the weird makeup becomes less of an issue and you’re focused on the scope of his predicament.

The hectic first half is an exciting actioner highlighted by the occasionally confusing time traveling motif. It’s consistently enjoyable. The plot then takes an unexpected turn halfway through. We are introduced to Sara, a single mom on the farm played by Emily Blunt and her mysterious son Cid, an impressive child performance by Pierce Gagnon. Here’s where an interesting sci-fi becomes a human drama. What this storyline lacks in action, it more than makes up for in heart. How mother and son are relevant to his mission is something I won’t reveal, but it gives an already entertaining fantasy, a thrilling development. Precocious little Cid is a boy that easily joins the ranks of creepiest kids ever.

Looper reunites JGL with Rian Johnson, the writer/director behind 2005’s indie high school mystery, Brick. That modern noir heralded a prodigious new talent. His follow-up The Brothers Bloom was a step back, but now with Looper he takes one giant leap forward. In the end, I won’t insist that all of the time traveling mumbo jumbo intellectually holds up, because I don’t think it does. Its brain twisting time zigzag jumps caused me to exclaim Huh?! on more than one occasion. Smart viewers will question script logic. Having a looper murder their own future self clearly causes more problems than a disinterested, neutral party would, for example. But the sincere connection we have to these characters compels us to watch. It’s a mesmerizing tale with a very satisfying conclusion. The second half in particular has a surprisingly amount of heart that even upholds the importance of good parenting. Wasn’t expecting that. Looper blends an engaging sci-fi time traveling fable with the tenderness of an emotional drama. I love when a story exceeds my expectations and Looper does just that. But one last question, Whatever happened to France?

Dredd

Note: Dredd is offered in a 3D version as well. As I feel that format (1) actually makes things look worse and (2) solely exists to charge $4 more for the very same film, I watched this in the clearer, brighter, and less expensive 2D.

Dredd is a character featured in British science-fiction oriented 2000 AD comics. He has made it to the big screen once before in a 1995 movie starring Sylvester Stallone. Based on that less than successful adaptation, my expectations weren’t particularly high for this. What a nice surprise that this is an entertaining improvement. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not going to win any storytelling awards. The whole thing plays out like an amalgamation of RoboCop Meets The Raid with a little Mad Max thrown in for good measure. But if you’re looking for a potent summer action flick (foolishly released in the fall) this should fit the bill.

In the future, the United States has become an ever expanding wasteland. People live in housing blocks that have become slums blighted by crime. The Judges are a new type of law enforcement that serve as judge, jury and executioner all in one. Judge Dredd is our hero and Judge Cassandra Anderson is his fledgling sidekick with psychic abilities. Hooligans driving recklessly down the street lead the pair to the Peach Trees housing block. The 200-story slum tower is run by a murderous drug lord called Ma-Ma. She is the sole supplier of Slo-Mo, an addictive new narcotic that hinders the user’s sense of time. Now Dredd and Anderson must infiltrate her drug den and take down Ma-Ma and her ruthless network of thugs within the building.

Dredd is an eye-popping combat film that is a violent pulp tale of mayhem. Actor Karl Urban strikes just the right balance as our lead. He’s all business as a no-nonsense superhero that gets the job done without ever cracking wise. He’s a poker-faced protector that never shows his face. Ok granted we do see his chin at least protruding from a helmet that covers his head. Actress Lena Headey as Ma-Ma is a bit harder to accept. She reads more like the grande dame on a prime time soap opera than the criminal kingpin she portrays here. Thankfully Olivia Thirlby gives us a reason to care in the engaging emotional arc her rookie Judge must undergo. The script conveniently involves a mind altering substance, called Slo-Mo, which gives the director free reign to slow down action sequences whenever the users are hyped up on the product. It effectively slows perception down and renders everything as if the air has been bedazzled with sparkles. Their production design of the future oddly gave me nostalgia for the late 80s sci-fi TV series Max Headroom. Some scenes almost looks as if they’ve been artificially colorized. The effects are kind of cheap, but if you’re a fan of shoot–’em–ups you’ll get your money’s worth. The violence supports an oppressively dreary tone. Its R rating is well deserved, but it’s highly stylized and artificial as befitting its comic book roots. Yes, we’ve seen this all before, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it I guess.

Robot & Frank

Frank is suffering from dementia. We discover this as we follow him through his daily routine. He says he’s going to Harry’s which is a restaurant that has been closed for a long time. It’s now a froufrou bath products store. He asks his son, Hunter, How’s Princeton?, a school he graduated from 15 years ago. He is often found wandering in the middle of the street. Concerned about his father’s deteriorating mental abilities, Hunter presents him with a robot. This is the near future and the robot is an advanced caregiver of sorts designed to clean, make meals, and ostensibly provide companionship for lonely people.

Robot & Frank is one of those films that will confound your expectations. I hadn’t seen the trailer beforehand and didn’t know what to expect. But the setup had me believing this would be a treacly tale on the regrettable effects of aging. How one plucky little robot improved the life of a cantankerous old coot. To be fair, I was partially right, It certainly starts out that way, but the drama is oh so much deeper than that.

The story is abetted by an appealing cast. Frank Langella plays Frank, a declining retiree in upstate New York. He’s given some wonderful performances in recent years, but this just might be his most engaging. He’s sweet, but never saccharine. He’s playing a sympathetic senior citizen, yes, but one with a surprising talent that makes him far from a saintly. Frank has a past. And let’s be “frank”, he is required to carry the picture. His interactions with everyone else form the bulk of the narrative. He enjoys visiting the local library where he hits on a mature but attractive librarian named Jennifer, played by Suisan Sarandon. She invites him to a fundraiser for her work. There he meets Jake played by newcomer Jeremy Strong, a smug hipster in charge of renovating the way the books are stored. He’s pretty much the very definition of a tool. Upon meeting the old guy, Jake remarks,” You’re so square, you’re practically avant-garde”. This is where the plot’s most interesting development takes off. I won’t spoil it, but it’s hilarious and totally unexpected.

Robot & Frank presents the life of a spirit reborn with a healthy dose of humor. The robot himself sort of reminds me of Woody Allen’s goofy butler disguise in the movie Sleeper. The cockamamie premise could’ve collapsed under a different direction – comparable to one of those high concept TV sitcoms from the 80s like Alf or Small Wonder. But the script manages to be funny, intelligent, and surprisingly original. It treats its main subject, not as an individual to be pitied, but as someone vibrant with a fully formed personality. Frank Langella imbues the character with a pragmatism that wholly unique. He simply finds excitement in doing things that he loves. The surprise here is that those pursuits are less than honorable.

Prometheus

Right from the beginning when we’re introduced to a muscular humanoid creature, the poetic mood of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus seems to openly recall 2001: A Space Odyssey. His own Alien is clearly a reference point as well. Regardless of assertions to the contrary, this is clearly a prequel to that 1979 classic. But while he may reference other works, Prometheus is a wholly intoxicating hybrid all its own. The events fully take advantage of the fear of the unknown coupled with the joy of discovery. It brilliantly exploits the dizzy excitement of what it would be like to explore a foreign planet. Many stories have mined this territory, but few are able to do it with such a grandeur. There is a tremendous imagination at work here. The world that Scott has created is something both ethereal, but still rooted in credible fact. Prometheus is the work of a master. While his contemporaries are often corrupted by an overreliance on special effects, Director Ridley Scott isn’t seduced by such blatant displays. Sometimes there’s a majesty in what we don’t understand over a physical manifestation of CGI. That’s not to say he doesn’t have an eye toward the visual. Some of his pictures are the most stunning ever photographed. But Scott knows there’s beauty in the quieter moments that question the deeper profundities of life. Sometimes within silence therein lies a mystery.

Prometheus is home to a crackerjack cast that flawlessly breathes soul into the dialogue. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) represents the believer, in faith in a higher power, She’s recalls the tenacity of Sigourney Weaver in the original. Her husband, Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) is impressed by more scientific explanations. Together they’re scientists as part of the crew of the Prometheus ship. Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) is the cold pragmatic who monitors the expedition. She’s sent as an employee of the Weyland Corporation who is funding the trip. Also on board is Michael Fassbender as the android David. We are made aware of this immediately so it’s not the revelation that it was in the previous incarnation. He’s utterly fascinating, a scholarly genius who is an expert with languages that happens to idolize Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia. His apparently latent ego is a deliciously frightening development.

I was absolutely riveted to the screen every second throughout the entire film. There’s one particularly gut wrenching scene involving a pregnancy that might possibly be a new high point for tension. It’s a cover your eyes moment that compares favorably with that scene in Alien. You know the one I’m talking about. As the narrative unfolds there are cerebral questions raised. If the final act doesn’t quite answer all ideas proposed before it, that’s more of a tribute to the script’s judicious lack of spelling everything out. Did you really expect to have the eternal debate of Creationism vs. Darwinism answered? The cast is equally adept in engaging our emotions. They strike the perfect balance of Hollywood charisma, but still acceptable as the academics they would have to be to qualify for a mission like this. The visual splendor that follows from all this is an engaging combination of the intellectual sci-fi of the past with the modern technological advances of today. It’s a heady mix.