Prometheus (2012)

Prometheus (2012)

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Screenplay by: Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof

Genre: Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 124 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

The search for our beginning could lead to our end.

[IMDb]

Comments: Here's my original thoughts, because it's late and I'm lazy:

I tempered my expectations of Ridley Scott's Prometheus after the film received a solid but not outstanding reception on its opening weekend (I previously mentioned that I was more excited to see it than The Dark Knight Rises; that perception was a little off). This was for the best as I think I would have been disappointed if my expectations were higher than they were. This pseudo-prequel to Alien is a solid if flawed film, but it definitely was worth the watch.

- The film's scope is so fucking grand that it's hard to latch onto one aspect. The reason Alien worked so well is because behind all of the space suits, evil corporations, and questionable-intentioned androids, the film was a horror story at heart. Man versus beast. And people were down with that. Prometheus has so many ideas and themes crammed into the two hour runtime that there's never one aspect to fully get involved in. (The fact that Prometheus was co-written by Lost showrunner Damon Lindelof feels natural, doesn't it?)

- The film looks GORGEOUS. Granted, I saw it in glorious 2D (as 3D is the worst thing to re-happen to movies in years), but this planet that the crew is on feels so alive. The cinematography and landscapes are awesome, and the ship's design is top notch.

- Michael Fassbender owns. That should come as no surprise, but he was above and beyond everyone else in Prometheus. The only character I enjoyed as much was Idris Elba's. I really didn't like Guy Pearce as the elderly Peter Weyland. I like Pearce, but any time a recognizable actor plays an older person by way of prosthetics and make-up I don't buy it. I didn't here.

- I know I make jokes often about actresses that qualify as #motherofgod material, but there are not many higher than Charlize Theron. Jesus fucking Christ. The woman is made of pure gorgeous. And she seems like an awesome person too if you've ever seen any interviews with her.

- Even though I have my share of complaints, I really liked Prometheus. I was hooked for the entire two hours, which surprised me because I'm usually passing out early Friday nights from the work week. It's worth seeing on the big screen as well, even if it's not as good as it should be. At least that didn't try to force Sigourney Weaver's iconic "bitch" line from Aliens (like the "get to the chopper" line in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem), because nothing ruins a prequel/sequel more than shoving ideas from the other movie down the viewers' throats (see: The Hangover Part II). Wow, I really went off on a fucking tangent there. Anyway, go see Prometheus. It's solid.

Looper (2012)

Looper (2012)

Directed by: Rian Johnson
Screenplay by: Rian Johnson

Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 118 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

Hunted by your future. Haunted by your past.

[IMDb]

Comments: I was a huge fan of Rian Johnson's debut film Brick. I thought it was an outstanding piece of work that took an odd gimmick (a film noir where characters talk like it's 1940, even though it's the twentieth century) and made it work completely. His follow-up film, The Brothers Bloom, didn't make the same impression on me. It was well-acted and well-written, but I never was able to fully invest myself in the film. Unfortunately, I felt the same about Looper. It's a really good film, but it just left me cold after it was over. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and especially Emily Blunt (goddamn you John Krasinski!), but I could never get into any of their characters. I didn't feel the burning and drive that set each individual on their course of action. And while I never thought Levitt's facial prosthetics would bother me, I do wonder if they made me less invested in his character, simply because I knew it was fake. Either way, the fact that was I thinking about them proved to be a distraction regardless.

From a distance, I appreciated what Rian Johnson created. But up close, I felt the entire film was a little cold to the touch. I really like and respect Johnson, as his occasional guest spots on Filmspotting have made me realize his passion for filmmaking. However, there's something about his movies that just don't resonate with me. This could be entirely a "me" thing, but I do wonder if others feel the same. Despite this, I heartily recommend checking out Looper. Cold or not, it's a damn fine film.

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008)

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008)

Directed by: Edward Neumeier
Screenplay by: Edward Neumeier

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 105 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

It's a good day to fry.

[IMDb]

Comments: For the first half or so I found myself enjoying Starship Troopers 3 - much like its predecessor. It was a fun science fiction film that, despite its cast and budget limitations, was decently enjoyable. But during the latter half of the film, writer/director Edward Neumeier (who also wrote the previous two films) takes the film in this crazy religious direction. Like the first film, Neumeier attempted to incorporate satirical elements into Starship Troopers 3. However, this time I couldn't decide if he was advocating for or lashing out against religion and it's use to control humanity. Add this to the fact that there was no good action going on, and you have a recipe for me completely checking out of the film. It's a shame too, because Starship Troopers 3 was close to being a solid DTV sequel.

Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004)

Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004)

Directed by: Phil Tippett
Screenplay by: Edward Neumeier

Genre: Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 92 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

They're coming back to wipe us out!

[IMDb]

Comments: I don't know if I should be ashamed or not, but Starship Troopers 2 wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It definitely reeks of being a low budget made-for-Syfy film, but the played up horror qualities along with the lovely naked Kelly Carlson (drool...) made me enjoy this flick a lot more than I should. I had hoped to get to Starship Troopers 3 this weekend too, but I'll gone tomorrow and fairly busy Monday, so it looks like this may be a Tuesday thing. Until then, I'm out.

Starship Troopers (1997)

Starship Troopers (1997)

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Screenplay by: Edward Neumeier

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 129 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Netflix Watch Instantly

The only good bug is a dead bug.

[IMDb]

Comments: I've never been able to determine what kind of a movie Starship Troopers is. Is it a political satire? Is it a big-budget action flick? Hell, given some of the dialogue, is it a comedy? What I do know is that no matter the classification, I fucking love the film.

- I just bought the Starship Troopers Blu-ray last weekend, and wouldn't you know - my player won't play this either. That's two titles in as many weeks. What the hell? Other discs I throw in work fine. Luckily, Netflix is streaming this bad boy in HD, so problem solved.

- While the acting may leave a little to be desired, I thought the special effects held up remarkably well. Sure, they show some age here and there, but for a 15-year-old film, I was impressed.

- There's so many awesome quotes in this film that it's not even funny. The best part is that one of my favorite bands, Minus the Bear, has used a bunch of them as song titles.

- "Damn bugs whacked 'em, Johnny."

- "You're some sort of big, fat, smart-bug, aren't you?"

- OK, that's all I got. I love Starship Troopers. I'm going to test that love by checking out the sequels. I think I'm going to wish the smart-bug would suck out my brains after I'm done.

The Hunger Games (2012)

The Hunger Games (2012)

Directed by: Gary Ross
Screenplay by: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 142 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

The world will be watching.

[IMDb]

Comments: This past weekend I picked up the Blu-ray of The Hunger Games. Why, you ask? Well, each major store had their own exclusive, and I'm a sucker for cool packaging, so I grabbed Target's three-disc edition. It's pretty nice looking. Secondly, despite me thinking this was a Twilight-infested blatant rip-off of the classic Battle Royale (which it generally was), the number of solid reviews the film received certainly peaked my interest.

To be fair, I liked The Hunger Games. It wasn't great, but it held my attention. The film certainly has its share of issues (namely the pacing, my overall give-a-shit level about the characters, and the hugely anti-climatic finale), and so often the characters' actions made no sense to me as they only acted in that fashion to suit the film and placate the audience. Plus, the whole idea behind The Hunger Games is such a waste for a PG-13 film. (Camera tricks. Camera tricks everywhere!)

And as my parting thought, I was reminded early on of John Cusack's character in High Fidelity when he asks, "is that Peter fucking Frampton?" When I saw the character Cinna, the first thing that popped into my mind was, "is that Lenny fucking Kravitz?"

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Directed by: George Nolfi
Screenplay by: George Nolfi

Genre: Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 106 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Cinemax HD (DVR)

Fight for your fate.

[IMDb]

Comments: I had dinner at my father's house tonight, and afterwards we checked out The Adjustment Bureau, a movie that despite its flaws I fucking love. See my earlier review (which in turn contains an even earlier; that's some Inception shit right there):

"I really, really like this movie. Everything I said in my original review still stands (see below): it's ludicrous, silly, and at times overly religious. But Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are just terrific together, and their relationship just feels so powerful that The Adjustment Bureau just gets to me.

Original review: If you go into The Adjustment Bureau for the sci-fi aspect alone, then you may come out disappointed. The film feels a bit gimmicky, as The Bureau has all this unreal power, yet these crazy limitations to control said power (which only exist to allow Matt Damon to do what he does in the film). But the reason that The Adjustment Bureau works is because I totally bought into the Matt Damon-Emily Blunt relationship. They have great chemistry together, and enough time is devoted to them that I felt their love was real. The pair is the definite driving force of the film. I also wasn't a big fan of who is behind The Bureau. While it's never explicitly stated, it's completely fucking obvious. However, this aspect of the film probably won't bother 92% of the American population. Anyway, The Adjustment Bureau definitely comes recommended from me; it's worth a watch, even if you wait until it comes out on Blu-ray."

Total Recall (2012)

Total Recall (2012)

Directed by: Len Wiseman
Screenplay by: Kurt Wimmer and Mark Bomback

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 118 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

What is real?

[IMDb]

Comments: In the grand scheme of things, Total Recall gave me exactly what I wanted: two hours of solid entertainment. Beyond the core story of Hauser, a lot was changed when compared to Paul Verhoeven's 1990 classic. And despite a few aspects feeling really silly (and telegraphed), I found the updated story to be well done. The action scenes, most of which were composed of chases, were well shot and clear enough for me. The effects were awesome, as expected, and Colin Farrell was good enough (though I always found he's much better in low-key roles, like In Bruges). Kate Beckinsale one-ups Jessica Biel in the bad ass scale, but maybe that's because Total Recall was helmed by her husband.

So yeah, Total Recall isn't horrible and provided two hours of mindless escapism, which was all I asked.

Lockout (2012)

Lockout (2012)

Directed by: James Mather and Stephen St. Leger
Screenplay by: Stephen St. Leger, James Mather, and Luc Besson

Genre: Action | Thriller | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 95 Minutes (Unrated Cut)
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Take no prisoners.

[IMDb]

Comments: In regards to Luc Besson, even his lesser films (which is a good portion of his work) are at least entertaining and a fun watch. Lockout, despite a familiar premise and little creativity outside of a jail in space, could have been so much more fun. While it's mildly entertaining, the overall missteps really drag the film down. I should be able to enjoy a movie about a guy blowing shit up in space more, dammit!

The film's first 45 minutes or so are incredibly disjointed. It feels like chunks of the movie were ripped out to shorten the runtime. Many times, I advocate for shorter films. In the case of Lockout, I could've taken a little more. Many of the characters' decisions make little sense, and all I could think about was how stupid this movie was.

Luckily, we settle in a little more toward the middle of Lockout. Maggie Grace and Guy Pearce have a pretty good chemistry together, and Pearce himself was hysterical when given the opportunity. I think that's what makes me so upset: this film could've been Pearce's Shoot 'Em Up, a complete throwaway that's nonetheless awesome as hell.

The ending is even more stupid than the first 45 minutes, and that effectively ruined the positive headway that "Saint and Mather" were making. I'm not too disappointed I picked the Blu-ray up on release week though, because it was mindless entertainment I that I could see myself revisiting again. For all others though, I think the term "rent" is most applicable.

Watchmen (2009)

Watchmen (2009)

Directed by: Zack Snyder
Screenplay by: David Hayter and Alex Tse

Genre: Action | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 186 Minutes (Director's Cut)
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

This city is afraid of me. I've seen its true face.

[IMDb]

Comments: The Watchmen story isn't one that's exactly made for the big screen. It's so grand and large in concept that it doesn't play out like a film; rather it feels that during the bloated three-hour runtime we're only scratching the surface of what's underneath (I do think this would make an interesting TV show, though). Despite my issues, Watchmen is unlike anything I've seen before - I can still remember being awestruck when leaving the theater in 2009. No superhero film I'd ever seen before dealt with material that was so heady. That's what simultaneously makes Watchmen a great watch, but maybe not the greatest film. Either way, it's quite an experience.

Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Directed by: Bruce D. Clark
Screenplay by: Marc Siegler and Bruce D. Clark

Genre: Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Mystery
Running Time: 81 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Netflix Watch Instantly

Hell has just been relocated!

[IMDb]

Comments: Galaxy of Terror is a Roger Corman produced riff on Alien, which was released just two years prior. Galaxy has a pretty solid following, but I just couldn't get into it. I really had no idea what the fuck was going on at times, and although everything's explained more toward the end, it still felt like giant chunks of the film were missing. On the bright side, the film did feature Sid Haig and Robert Englund (along with production design by James Cameron... yes, that James Cameron), plus we got to see a woman sexed to death by a giant space worm, which is never a bad thing in my book. The Netflix print of the film was a fucking terrible full screen version, so that certainly didn't help things either. Where's the Blu-ray version at? Anyway, while Galaxy of Terror wasn't very good, it was at least fun to watch. And just like attractive women being raped by space worms, that's not the worst thing in the world.

Total Recall (1990)

Total Recall (1990)

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Screenplay by: Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, and Gary Goldman

Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 113 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

What would you do if someone stole your mind?

[IMDb]

Comments: I've seen the trailer for the upcoming remake of Total Recall enough that I decided it was time to sit down and watch Paul Verhoeven's original film. I'm glad I did, because Total Recall was right up my alley.

- I loved the general idea behind the film. The various different twists and turns that were brought up felt fresh and original. Plus, I loved how violent and offbeat the entire thing was. The film felt very horror-esque at times, and that's never a bad thing for me.

- I know many love '80s Arnie, but he's always just been so goofy to me. Don't get me wrong, as many of his films are undeniable classics, but I just can't help but chuckle at his acting style at times.

- Sharon Stone was fucking hot back in the day.

- I think Len Wiseman's remake, which comes out in few weeks, will be decent. The trailers look alright, and the cast is decent. I doubt it will be fantastic, but I'm sure I'll go see the film. They better have a three-titted chick though.

Prometheus (2012)

Prometheus (2012)

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Screenplay by: Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof

Genre: Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 124 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater (2D)

The search for our beginning could lead to our end.

[IMDb]

Comments: I tempered my expectations of Ridley Scott's Prometheus after the film received a solid but not outstanding reception on its opening weekend (I previously mentioned that I was more excited to see it than The Dark Knight Rises; that perception was a little off). This was for the best as I think I would have been disappointed if my expectations were higher than they were. This pseudo-prequel to Alien is a solid if flawed film, but it definitely was worth the watch.

- The film's scope is so fucking grand that it's hard to latch onto one aspect. The reason Alien worked so well is because behind all of the space suits, evil corporations, and questionable-intentioned androids, the film was a horror story at heart. Man versus beast. And people were down with that. Prometheus has so many ideas and themes crammed into the two hour runtime that there's never one aspect to fully get involved in. (The fact that Prometheus was co-written by Lost showrunner Damon Lindelof feels natural, doesn't it?)

- The film looks GORGEOUS. Granted, I saw it in glorious 2D (as 3D is the worst thing to re-happen to movies in years), but this planet that the crew is on feels so alive. The cinematography and landscapes are awesome, and the ship's design is top notch.

- Michael Fassbender owns. That should come as no surprise, but he was above and beyond everyone else in Prometheus. The only character I enjoyed as much was Idris Elba's. I really didn't like Guy Pearce as the elderly Peter Weyland. I like Pearce, but any time a recognizable actor plays an older person by way of prosthetics and make-up I don't buy it. I didn't here.

- I know I make jokes often about actresses that qualify as #motherofgod material, but there are not many higher than Charlize Theron. Jesus fucking Christ. The woman is made of pure gorgeous. And she seems like an awesome person too if you've ever seen any interviews with her.

- Even though I have my share of complaints, I really liked Prometheus. I was hooked for the entire two hours, which surprised me because I'm usually passing out early Friday nights from the work week. It's worth seeing on the big screen as well, even if it's not as good as it should be. At least that didn't try to force Sigourney Weaver's iconic "bitch" line from Aliens (like the "get to the chopper" line in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem), because nothing ruins a prequel/sequel more than shoving ideas from the other movie down the viewers' throats (see: The Hangover Part II). Wow, I really went off on a fucking tangent there. Anyway, go see Prometheus. It's solid.

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Screenplay by: Joss Whedon

Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 109 Minutes (Theatrical Cut)
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Witness the resurrection.

[IMDb]

Comments: I'm about all Aliened out about now, but I'm glad to finally get through the series (there will be no AVP sightings tonight). While I don't think Alien: Resurrection was all that great, I did enjoy myself. As a fanboy, I'll credit that to Joss Whedon's writing, because I think that's what held it together at times. One thing that didn't help the film was Winona Ryder, an actress I cannot fucking stand. She makes me cringe in just about every film she's in (and she's invaded some of my recent favorites, including Star Trek and Black Swan). But anyway, for a movie that never needed to be made, Alien: Resurrection ain't half bad. I guess we should be thankful that the (original) franchise ended here.

Alien³ (1992)

Alien³ (1992)

Directed by: David Fincher
Screenplay by: David Giler, Walter Hill, and Larry Ferguson

Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 114 Minutes (Theatrical Cut)
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

3 times the suspense. 3 times the danger. 3 times the terror.

[IMDb]

Comments: And some more...

- So I know I've been watching the preferred versions of the Alien films, but given Alien³'s history, I figured shorter may be better. Plus, I don't think David Fincher wants anything to do with this film, so there is likely no preferred cut.

- I've actually never seen Alien³ or Alien: Resurrection before, so it's about goddamn time. I wasn't really missing much though. The film is decent enough, but nowhere near as good as its two predecessors.

- This is also the only David Fincher film I've never seen. I've like everything he's made, and I consider him one of my top five directors working right now. But Alien³ scores near the bottom of his catalog, along with The Game. (I know a lot of people love that film, but it did nothing for me. It's something I haven't seen in years, so it's something I'll have to revisit sometime.)

- The CGI is pretty horrible in the film as well. The practical effects are fine, but when they animate the alien running around it looks rather bad. This is only a year before Jurassic Park came out too, and that move still looks good today.

- And thus ends another shitty review. On to the last one...

Aliens (1986)

Aliens (1986)

Directed by: James Cameron
Screenplay by: James Cameron

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 154 Minutes (Director's Cut)
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

This time it's war.

[IMDb]

Comments: A couple quick thoughts:

- I like how they sort of replaced Jonesy the Cat with Newt in Aliens. I think I liked Jonesy better. Mostly.

- Again, I'm watching James Cameron's preferred cut of the film. Apparently he wasn't so happy that Fox made him cut down parts of it for the theatrical release.

- I liked Aliens a lot more than the last time I watched it, which was several years ago. It was too "'80s action" for me back then, but I think my tastes have matured some. I really enjoyed this.

- I really don't have much else. It's time to move on to the next installment.

Alien (1979)

Alien (1979)

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Screenplay by: Dan O'Bannon

Genre: Horror | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 117 Minutes (Theatrical Cut)
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

In space no one can hear you scream.

[IMDb]

Comments: I haven't used this format in awhile, so here we go:

- I have to get ready for Prometheus in some fashion.

- And if I'm being honest, I think I'm looking forward to Prometheus more than The Dark Knight Rises. And that's saying something. It probably also says that the film won't live up to my internal hype.

- If I'm being honest again, it's always annoyed me that there's no comma in the tagline after "space." Perhaps the no comma way is the correct way - I'm not entirely sure - but it always felt wrong to me.

- As for the film itself, it's hard to go wrong with Alien. It's been several years since I've seen the film, but it holds up remarkably well. The effects are solid, and despite the archaic looking computer systems everything else looks great (especially on Blu-ray).

- I chose the theatrical cut because it is the version Ridley Scott prefers.

- I was reminded a lot of John Carpenter's The Thing while watching Alien. (Woah there! I realize The Thing came out in 1982, after Alien). The plot, look, and feel of the films are very similar.

- I'm somewhat perplexed at how much everyone wanted to save Jonesy the Cat. I love cats. Seriously. But this cat was an asshole. All he did was hiss and growl. Sorry buddy, you're going down with the ship.

- So if you read the last post, you'll see that I'm trying to not buy as many Blu-rays (half due to saving money, the other half due to the frequency in which I watch movies). This is because I wander around Best Buy when I'm bored. And then I see the Alien Anthology on sale (keep in mind I already own all four special editions on DVD). But this is shiny. And on Blu-ray. And I want it. So I get it. And then I see the Mel Brooks collection on sale. And it's nine of his films on Blu-ray. And I want that also. So I get that too. But wait, there's the Jackass television box set for $13. Looks like that's going in my collection. Oh wait, there's The Deer Hunter for $10 on Blu-ray. And Season Three of Breaking Bad. Yep, those were the last few weekends.

- In summation, I can't fucking wait for Prometheus.

Chronicle (2012)

Chronicle (2012)

Directed by: Josh Trank
Screenplay by: Max Landis

Genre: Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 89 Minutes (Director's Cut)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

What are you capable of?

[IMDb]

Comments: A few weeks ago, both Chronicle and The Grey were released. Normally, I'd indulge in both films, but I've been trying to cut back on my Blu-ray spending (somewhat) and was only going to grab The Grey. For whatever reason, a few days prior I decided to go with Chronicle instead. I figured The Grey was probably a better film (and after seeing Chronicle, I'm pretty positive it is), but the story and themes behind Chronicle are right up my alley. I've really wanted to watch the film for a couple weeks now, but as you've noticed, I've watched pretty much nothing lately. Finally, I sat down to watch it this evening. And it was... alright.

The found footage aspect does Chronicle no favors. It tended to be completley distracting for me; often I was wondering why the fuck a character would be recording something rather than focusing on the film itself. Let's say, for example, when Andrew pushes a car off the road into a river. He proceeds to not only record what is essentially an admission of guilt, but then just stands there while his friends save the guy. Granted, that could have been some sort of foreshadowing, but it just seemed so silly to me. I think a "regular" film would have suited the story better, but who knows if it would have stood out as much?

At its core, I enjoyed Chronicle. It really could have been done better, but I do appreciate the filmmakers trying something different (despite how stale the found footage genre is becoming). This film would have been a better rental, and I definitely think I should have bought The Grey instead. Nonetheless, I was entertained by Chronicle and do recommend it to those with an interest in the superhero genre. This is definitely an origin story.

In Time (2011)

In Time (2011)

Directed by: Andrew Niccol
Screenplay by: Andrew Niccol

Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 109 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Time is money.

[IMDb]

Comments: I've wanted to watch In Time for some time now (ha!); I didn't expect it to be great, but it looked like a decent enough sci-fi thriller. And that's essentially what it was. It's really difficult to dig into the premise at first, as no real explanation is given as to why people are like this. However, after the opening act and once we settle into the main story, In Time finds a nice balance and continues on its merry way in a much more pleasing fashion. I don't think Justin Timberlake is the greatest leading man, and his weaknesses definitely show at times (he works much better as a supporting actor). Overall though, In Time was entertaining enough and at least worth the watch if you have enough time on your hands (ha!).

Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla (1954)

Directed by: Ishirô Honda
Screenplay by: Ishirō Honda and Takeo Murata

Genre: Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 96 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Incredible, unstoppable titan of terror!

[IMDb]

Comments: I'm a sucker for good packaging, so I was immediately drawn to Criterion's amazing Blu-ray release for Ishirô Honda's 1954 classic Godzilla. I've never seen the film - or any in the long line of sequels that followed - so I was having a tough time deciding if I wanted to blind buy the film. I decided to watch some clips on Youtube, and that's when I was given the honor of listening to the main theme of Godzilla:


Pure. Cinematic. Magic.

After hearing that, I immediately bought the film, and I certainly don't regret it after watching Godzilla this evening. Sure, some (well, most) of the effects are extremely dated, and the finale is what I would call less than exciting, but the film's a wonderful peace of nostalgia from the '50s that accurately captured Japan's fears of massive weapons and the testing of those weapons. The print is still rough, despite a superb restoration from the guys at Criterion, so that's a little disappointing as well, but it's likely the best look we're going to get. These are all mostly minor complaints though, as I enjoyed the shit out of Godzilla. If you've never seen the film before, just listen to that theme again. You'll be a fan even before the Blu-ray is in your hands, as I was.

Also Known As: Gojira