Movie Review: LOOPER

LOOPER

2012

R

"The only rule is: never let your target escape."

-- Joe

Looper is a 2012 sci-fi action film written and directed by Rian Johnson that serves as his third directorial effort, and his first since 2008's The Brothers Bloom. The story tells the tale of a futuristic world in which time travel exists but is outlawed, used only by major crime syndicates for purposes of disposal. These syndicates will send victims back in time where men known as "loopers" wait for them only to execute them on sight. Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is such a man, and he maintains an extravagant lifestyle as a result of his career. One day, as Joe waits for his victim, or "loop," he finds an older version of himself (Bruce Willis) kneeling before him. After a moment's hesitation, Young Joe allows Old Joe to escape, sparking a massive manhunt by Young Joe's company to find the older man. As Young Joe and Old Joe start to interact through their meetings, light is shed on the elder Joe's current agenda for transforming his future into something much more desirable.

I apologize if the above synopsis seems a little bit shoddy, but I don't want to give away too much information about the plot and the storyline. What I wrote, along with the trailer posted below, really gives away the first half of the film. It's the second act that proves to be a little bit astonishing, and I'd rather not be the one to give it all away.

I've been anxiously awaiting this film for quite a while. Many of my readers will know that I have a bit of a man-crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and that might have played a part in me seeing this film as soon as I did. The real selling point for me, however, is the return of a collaboration between Gordon-Levitt and director Johnson, who first joined forces for 2005's Brick. I'm sure that fact has probably been mentioned in every single review for Looper thus far, but I figured I'd reiterate it. Because I loved that film so much, the idea of another film from the two seemed like a gift-wrapped present at Christmas. What I'm here to tell you is that Looper does not disappoint. It's opened to some fantastic reviews - it currently holds a ninety-three percent approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com - and that only fueled the fire for me to get to a theater and see it as soon as I possibly could.

Let's start with the screenplay, shall we? In the past, a number of successful film franchises, such as Back to the Future and those little Terminator films, have dealt with the concept of time travel. For whatever reason, the plot device has remained a viable option for filmmakers in today's society as well, but I don't think I've ever seen it quite done like this. Johnson manages to create a cinematic world where the idea of time travel can understandably exist, and yet, he never takes the time to spell out the precise details for such an existence. Instead, he gives us just enough information for the audience to understand and believe the capability, and it's this tactic that sets Looper apart from the some of the other great time travel flicks. Rather than trying to bash the viewer over the head with drawn-out explanations, Johnson allows the explanation to be this simple: it exists, and it works. For the most part, that's all we need to know.

From there, the film plays out in a relatively straight-forward manner. Anytime you involve time travel, there are going to be a few moments where things can get a little confusing, but the screenplay does well to keep things from getting too convoluted. At the end of the day, I couldn't see any major issues with logic and continuity within the constructs of the story, but some nitpickers will surely find a few minor details here and there. The screenplay does go on to excel in the second half of the film, blending action sequences with a number of thrills and some fantastic plot twists towards film's end. While some of the storyline becomes a tad bit predictable, I can honestly say that I was not expecting the film's ultimately finale, one that just might blow your mind.

To bring this screenplay together, we'd need a pretty good cast, and that's just what we're getting. Gordon-Levitt is fantastic as Young Joe, and with a fantastic bit of make-up, he does his best Bruce Willis impression. In the early going, it's uncanny just how much the young actor mimics the likeness of the veteran, and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. Willis himself also brings a strong performance to the screen. Always one of my favorite actors, I can honestly say that I don't think I've seen him bring forth this strong a character since his turn in 2005's Sin City. I might even go as far back as The Sixth Sense in 1999, if I think about it. Kudos to these two leading men for crafting engaging on-screen characters.

Now, the rest of the cast fills out incredibly well, and you're going to see quite a few familiar faces. Emily Blunt offers a great performance as our leading lady. She continues to impress me with her acting prowess. Also be on the lookout for the likes of Jeff Daniels, Paul Dano and Garret Dillahunt, each of whom brings a great bit to the screen. Where I was truly impressed, however, was with the performance of young actor Pierce Gagnon, appearing in only his third feature film. Even for such a young age, he brought quite a presence and power to the screen, which was definitely a necessity for his particular character. To stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt is quite a feat, but the young Gagnon manages to do just that.

At the end of the day, Looper is a fantastic film, as well as an incredible addition to the science-fiction canon. Sure, it has a few minor flaws here and there, but with any film involving time travel, a bit of disbelief is a bit necessary. If you can let yourself get lost in this world and this story, I don't think there's any reason you won't enjoy the film. Rian Johnson strikes yet again, and I can't wait for his net endeavor.

 

Movie Review Summary

Grade: A

Status: Should See

Movie Review: JOHN CARTER

JOHN CARTER

2012

PG-13

"When I saw you, I believed it was a sign that something new can come into this world."

-- Tars Tarkas

John Carter is a 2012 science-fiction action film directed by Andrew Stanton that serves as his first major directorial foray into the realm of live-action cinema. Based off the first novel from Edgar Rice Borrough's Barsoom series, the film tells the story of Civil War veteran John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who finds himself mysteriously transported to an unknown world called Barsoom. Upon his arrival, he is captured by a race of strange creatures known as the Tharks, led by a creature called Tars Tarkas (voiced by Willem Dafoe). After proving his warrior merit, Tars Tarkas admits John into his tribe and claims that he will help the Tharks defeat their enemies. Never one to fight for a cause, Carter tries to back out of the duty but is swayed after saving a young woman named Dejah Thoris (voiced by Lynn Collins). She explains to John that Barsoom is what he knows to be Mars, and that her world is slowly dying. The constant struggle between her home city of Helium and the enemy city of Zodanga has brought the world to its breaking point, and she believes that John is the man who can make a change. Although he initially avoids the fight, John finally decides to battle for the good of Barsoom.

When Disney prepared to release John Carter, they had expected it to be their next big franchise. With a $250 million budget and an accomplished director at the helm, who was to say that it wouldn't be a smash hit? Still, in the months prior to its release, I don't recall seeing many trailers for the film, and I don't think it really got as much publicity as it needed. Added to the mixed reviews it received from the critical community, and John Carter simply did not perform at the box office. Ultimately, the film barely made back all the money it cost to make, and it finally settled for a tiny $30 million profit. Still, I had every desire to see the film but never had the chance to do so while it played in theaters. And so, to RedBox I went.

The first thing you're going to notice about John Carter is that it's mildly confusing. Now, I've seen plenty of movies with screenplays that make little to no sense, and this one definitely doesn't rank amongst those dregs. However, from the very get-go, you're going to be scratching your head wondering exactly what's going on. We get the basic idea: a man is transported to Mars, where he is captured and all that jazz, but there's little things going on in between that make for a little bit of confusion. It's almost as though we're feeling the same confusion that the John Carter character must be feeling upon his transport, and if that was Stanton's aim, then kudos to him. As the film continues along, however, it ultimately falls into a rote action flick that becomes very predictable very, very quickly. The breath of imagination quickly leaves the film, and I was left wondering how the man who wrote and directed both Finding Nemo and WALL-E could bring forth something so pedestrian.

One thing I did like about the film's storyline, however, was the parallels between the Barsoomian people's war and the American Civil War in which Carter himself fought. We're seeing two opposing cities (a la the North and the South) do battle against one another while a more rudimentary culture (a la the Native Americans) stands by and watches from the side. In that sense, the film does bring something rather interesting, but it serves more as a basis for Stanton's entire concept than as a plot point itself.

The cast in the film does a serviceable job throughout, but I wasn't really overly impressed by anyone in particualr. Kitsch, whose biggest claim to fame is his role on TV's "Friday Night Lights," does well with the role, but it doesn't seem like there was a lot to go with. He has the necessary physique for the action sequences, but with only a small bit of intelligent dialogue, there really wasn't much for him to do. Collins falls into the same category, bringing out the character but not bringing anything overly fantastic. We do get some nice vocal performances from the likes of Dafoe and Thomas Haden Church (in a small bit), as well as some slightly stronger live-action roles from the likes of Mark Strong and Dominic West. And there's even some very small roles from people like Ciarán Hinds, Bryan Cranston and Daryl Sabara, but they're here and gone relatively quickly.

The one thing that John Carter does have going for it is its special effects which are sure to dazzle. Although I'm not quite sure it's anything truly spectacular, I'm sure seeing this Barsoomian world on the big screen was quite a sight to behold. After the visual brilliance of a film like WALL-E, I'm glad to see that Stanton didn't lose sight of his visual performance, even if the rest of the film doesn't quite measure up.

At the end of the day, John Carter is a relatively uneven action film that falls into standard cliché very quickly. Still, there's enough to keep you engaged throughout the film, even if you're going to be a tad bit confused from time to time. Viewers beware: this one runs a bit longer than two hours, and the film starts to overstay its welcome around the ninety-minute mark.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: C-

Status: Don't Need to See

Movie Review: PROMETHEUS

PROMETHEUS

2012

R

"Big things have small beginnings."
-- David

Prometheus is a 2012 sci-fi horror film directed by Ridley Scott that serves as a quasi-prequel to Scott's 1979 film, Alien. After archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover a string of clues to the origin of human life on Earth, they enlist the help of the Weyland Corporation to make their way to a distant planet where they believe they will find the alien species that created humanity. Once there, they find the remains of what looks to be an old colony, but as they continue to explore the caves, they start to realize that there may be a menace amongst them that's more powerful and more terrifying than they could have ever imagined.

Those of you who follow my blog will know just how excited I have been for the release of Prometheus. As a huge fan of Scott's original Alien, I waited (im)patiently for his return to the franchise after thirty-three years. And for most of the film, I have to say that I was filled with an awkward giddiness that kept me engaged from start to finish. It's only in the time after the movie ended that I've started to realize that Prometheus wasn't all it's cracked up to be.

The first major issue with the film is its place as a "quasi-prequel" to 1979's Alien. In recent months, Scott had claimed that while the film would not directly precede the events of Alien, it would take place within the same cinematic universe and would explore the mythologies behind the creatures and events he created within that universe. And so, I was prepared for a film similar to Alien but not necessarily connected to it in any way, shape or form. Where the film goes wrong is in its execution of this idea. Rather than steering clear of the Alien storyline, Prometheus acts as though it's going to answer all the questions left resonating by its predecessor. It has all the pieces to do so, but it's only in the final act that it becomes clear that the situations aren't exactly the same. In a way, the film hypes up the story as a direct prequel but then ungraciously reminds the viewer that it isn't by taking the story in a different direction right at the end. Perhaps I was just put off by this idea, but it took me out of the film and made for a bit of a disappointment.

The second issue is the screenplay itself. While the story proves to be inventive, and it does manage to channel some familiar plot pieces from previous Alien films, it doesn't seem as though the situations are interconnected or plausible. We go from one scene to the next, but we're never quite sure why anyone is doing any particular thing at any given time. I suppose the real issue is that we're never given a clear sense of any character motivation. In past Alien films - especially in the original flick - we always had a great sense of character development. We knew who was doing what, and why they wanted to do it. In Prometheus, however, these things prove to be a bit clouded. Our two archaeologists seem straight-forward enough: they want to learn the origins of human life. But it's some of the ancillary characters who act in strange and peculiar ways, and there really isn't a reason given for some of their actions. And aside from Michael Fassbender's David (an android), we never really get to know any of the characters on an intimate level. Maybe that was the idea, and the joke. Let's make the audience know the most about the only non-human character on board the ship. My biggest issue with the screenplay, however, is that it tried to force emotion onto the audience in blatant and over-the-top ways. Because we couldn't establish any real connection to the characters, it seemed as though tiny plot pieces were added here and there to make us feel some sort of emotion to a given character from time to time. Unfortunately, these moments just seemed gimmicky and proved annoying after a while.

What's sad about all this is that the screenplay actually spoils some rather fine attributes about the film. For starters, I thought the special effects were incredibly well-done, and although they're nothing ground-breaking, it definitely looks realistic, and for that, Prometheus should be applauded. We're also getting a slew of decent performances from the cast. Rapace is good as our apparent lead, although I know she's capable of stronger work (see: 2010's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Fassbender offers the best performance in the film, bringing forth an android that is both the most and least human-like in the franchise. That's quite a feat considering we've gotten some great android performances in past films in the franchise from the likes of Ian Holm and Lance Henriksen. I also thought that Charlize Theron and Idris Elba played their parts well, but both were a tad bit under-utilized, in my opinion. Also be on the watch for a fine supporting performance from Guy Pearce, who you may not recognize under all his makeup.

Still, despite everything I've just said, I have a strong desire to return to the theaters to give this one another chance. Part of me thinks that the only reason I'm so put-off by the film is because it hyped itself up to be a direct prequel then left even more questions unanswered. It's almost as though Scott wanted to leave this film open-ended for a potential sequel, and I can see where they might have the possibility. I suppose we'll have to wait and see about that, but I very well may give this one another view, and should I do so, my thoughts and opinions could very well change drastically. But as it currently stands, I'd go into this one a little wary because, despite all the issues I have with its "quasi-prequel" status, there are still a few negative aspects that simply cannot be overlooked.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: B-

Should You See It? Maybe

Movie Review: MEN IN BLACK III

MEN IN BLACK III

2012

PG-13

"I promised the secrets of the universe, nothing more."

-- Agent K

Men in Black III is a 2012 sci-fi comedy directed by Barry Sonnenfeld that serves as the third installment in the Men in Black film franchise and the first to hit theaters since 2002. After a dangerous killer named Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) escapes from his lunar prison, he heads back to Earth to find and kill Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), who had captured and imprisoned him forty years earlier as he had attempted to aid in an interplanetary invasion. He devises a plan to go back in time to kill a younger K so that he will no longer exist in the present. Soon afterward, K disappears from the present day, leading to emotional unrest for his partner Agent J (Will Smith), who then follows Boris into the past to keep him from exacting his plan. When he reaches 1969, he finds a young K (Josh Brolin), and the two work together, with the help of a solitary alien named Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg), to stop Boris from destroying the planet.

It's been fifteen years since the first Men in Black film turned into a box office smash back, and it's been ten years since we last saw Smith and Jones team up as the alien-fighting team we've grown to know and love. Although I've enjoyed the past two entries in the series, I can't say that I was ever the biggest fan of the films. Still, they proved to be entertaining enough for me to want to see this latest installment, and the addition of actors like Brolin, Clement and Stuhlbarg definitely made the concept a little more intriguing.

Let's start with the screenplay. Although the film doesn't necessarily break any ground on bringing forth new ideas, it still manages to be entertaining. The jokes and gags are pretty consistent, and although I was never l rolling with laughter, I still managed to offer a chuckle here and there. The storyline proves to be engaging, and even though the idea of cinematic time travel has been tried and tested, it still manages to feel fresh in this one. And we're even getting a few twists and turns here and there, some of which I didn't predict until they happened. Ultimately, the story allows the viewer to enter the film and remain engaged with it throughout the film, and for that, it should be commended.

We're also getting a slew of decent performances from the cast. Smith and Jones are their standard selves, but this is really Smith's vehicle. Because of the story's constructs, Jones only appears in the early and later moments of the film. Fortunately, we're getting a clever impersonation job from the likes of Brolin in the intermediary moments. When I first saw the trailers for the film introducing Brolin as the younger Agent K, I immediately thought him to be a fine choice purely based off his look. After seeing the film, however, I can say that Brolin does a fine job filling the shoes, and he proves to bring most of the film's comedy to the table. I also thought that Stuhlbarg managed to steal the show with his performance, and if there's any reason to see the film, it's him alone. Also be on the watch for decent bits from the likes of Clement, Emma Thompson, Nicole Scherzinger and Bill Hader in a cameo appearance.

At the end of the day, Men in Black III might not be the best in the franchise, but it still proves to be an entertaining venture and pleasant addition to the franchise's overall storyline. It fills in a lot of questions that fans may have had about the characters, and even manages to flesh out our two leads a little bit further. For that, I think we can all be appreciative.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: B

Should You See It? Yes

Movie Review: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

2008

PG-13

"How much of human life is lost in waiting?"

-- Professor 'Ox' Oxley

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a 2008 action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg that serves as the fourth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. Released nineteen years after The Last Crusade, this new adventure with Indiana Jones took a very different turn than its predecessors. The film opens on the 1950s, where an aged Indiana (Harrison Ford) has been taken captive by a group of Russian KGB operatives led by a Dr. Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett). At gunpoint, Indiana helps the Russians steal a classified box from a secret warehouse, but he does not know exactly what the box's contents contain. After being returned home, he thinks himself done with the situation until a young man named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) seeks him out to tell him that a mutual friend named Professor 'Ox' Oxley (John Hurt) has been captured by the same Russians in connection with the box they stole. The two make their way to South America to find Ox, and it is there that they learn that their friend had found himself caught in a plot to find a legendary city called Akator by using an equally legendary artifact known as the crystal skull. Indiana and Mutt start to piece together the puzzle that Ox has left for them, but the Russians are soon on their tail once again, eager to find Akator first.

I would like to start this post by telling you a story. I was a sophomore in college in Santa Cruz when Kingdom of the Crystal Skull hit theaters, and like most other Indy fans, I was rather excited to see it. So excited, in fact, that I made the trek down to the local theater for the midnight screening on opening night. The theater was sold out, and fans were lined up around the block to see Ford don the fedora for the fourth time, so you can imagine our audience's anticipation as we sat impatiently waiting for the opening credits to roll.

Fast forward to a little over two hours later, and you would have found me walking out of the theater talking nothing but trash about this film. After that first go-around, I hated it. I despised it. I though that Spielberg had found a way to destroy one of my childhood cinematic heroes. And for that, I was rightfully angry. It took me a few days, but after I thought about the film for a while, I started to come around and think that maybe it wasn't as horrendous as I had originally thought. I soon came home for the summer, and I had the chance to view the film again per my father's request, and seeing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull actually helped to open my eyes to its concepts and themes a little bit more.

I always hear quite a bit of opposition towards this film when I talk about it amongst my friends and my readers, and I can somewhat see their point. I am in now way going to spend hours here trying to convince you of why this film fits into the Indiana Jones canon - although I may save that project for a later date - but I think that I should at least tell you why I happen to enjoy the film. Because so many people did not like Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, many actually forget that it managed to secure relatively positive reviews amongst the critical community. On Rottentomatoes.com, the film holds a seventy-seven percent approval rating and holds the following critical consensus:

Though the plot elements are certainly familiar, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull still delivers the thrills, and Harrison Ford's return to the title role is more than welcome.

Even more indicating of the critical response is the film's score of sixty-five on Metacritic.com, which correlates to "generally favorable reviews." Still, so many of the fans have yet to come around, and I'm sure I know why.

Ultimately, it all boils down to the fact that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does not measure up to its predecessors. Because those films set such a lofty bar, it would have been nearly impossible to reach that particular goal. Still, fans were deservedly spoiled by the first three installments, so why shouldn't they expect something the same, right? But enough of this vagueness. Let's talk about why I like this film.

For starters, I like the story. I think it's an original tale of something that an over-the-top archaeologist like Indiana Jones might actually find himself looking for. Sure, there are some snags here and there, but to be fair, none of the Indiana Jones flicks are perfect. They all have flaws here and there, and Kingdom just has a few more that it couldn't quite work out. But the storyline works well and flows incredibly well, and it manages to keep you wondering where it might actually be going. Let's be honest - did any of us really expect those climactic scenes in Akator? I think not, and I think that's why so many people have spoken out against it. But the story itself works and proves to be entertaining.

I also thought the cast proved to be effective as well. Ford does a fine job reprising his role from nearly twenty years earlier, and he plays the part to a tee considering how much he's aged. I also think that Blanchett was a good addition to the cast list, and her star power alone makes this one worth a gander. Some of my readers will know that I'm not much of a Shia LaBeouf fan, but after re-watching this today, I have to say that I'm not entirely turned off by his performance. It works well with the context of the story, and he's really not as central as I had remembered. John Hurt gives a fine performance in a supporting role, but it's so out there that I think most people overlooked it. Also be on the watch for decent supporting roles from the likes of Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent and Karen Allen, who returns as Marion Ravenwood.

At the end of the day, there's no way that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull can ever be compared to the rest of the Indiana Jones franchise. However, that does not make it a terrible film. I think it's a movie that polarized a lot of viewers at the time of its release, but by giving it another chance now, I think many of them might be able to see past their original insecurities. Ultimately, it's an entertaining romp through the Indy universe, and for that, I think we should all be glad.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: B

Should You Watch It? Yes

Favorites: ALIENS

Aliens have always been a part of the cinematic culture. From the birth of cinema, filmmakers have had a fascination with life amongst the stars. In 1902, Georges Méliès created a film about a trip the moon, where a group of scientists encountered another race of human-like organisms. Flash forward all the way to present day, and we have upcoming alien-centric films like Battleship and Men in Black 3. And in all that time in between, a slew of extra-terrestrials have graced the silver screen, and many of them have become ingrained into the public consciousness.

About a year ago, I first made a list chronicling my favorite cinematic extra-terrestrials. It wasn't a very in-depth post - I basically just put pictures of my favorite movie aliens in a list, and that was that. Ever since, I've been wanting to revamp the post a little bit, and seeing as I've been in a science-fiction sort of way for the past few weeks, I figured now was as good a time as any. And so, I've compiled a list of my twenty favorite aliens from film. The only real stipulations are that the character has to have appeared in at least one feature-length film, and the character must have origins on a planet other than Earth. I'll list them in descending order, so if you wanted to see my favorite, make a jump down to the bottom of this post. That being said, I hope you enjoy this list!

*****

20. Selenites

First Appearance: Le Voyage dans la lune (1902)

At the beginning of this post, I mentioned a little Georges Méliès film called Le Voyage dans la lune, which translates into English as A Trip to the Moon. It was a short film, spanning less than twenty minutes, but in that time, the world caught glimpse of what may have been the first cinematic creatures from outer space: the Selenites. Although a tad bit menacing, these creatures proved to be rather weak - it took only a blow to the head to destroy them. Despite this, they still provided the basic framework for every alien species that would ever be created in the medium of film, and for that, we should all be glad. We all should tip our hats to the brilliance that Méliès brought to the screen, both for creating these otherworldly creatures as well as creating the beginnings of the science-fiction genre.

*****

19. Ewoks

First Appearance: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

Although I was tempted simply to list Wicket (pictured above) in this position, I ultimately chose to place the Ewoks as a whole onto this list. While Wicket is easily the most instantly recognizable of the bunch, it was the entire Ewok clan that helped the Rebel Alliance bring down the Empire in Return of the Jedi. And to think that all it took was a bunch of furballs using antiquated weaponry to bring down some of the most technologically-savvy villains in the galaxy. And they still managed to be cute and cuddly through it all. These guys were so beloved that they managed to nab two made-for-television spin-off flicks, and that alone has to say something.

*****

18. Aliens

First Appearance: Toy Story (1995)

Voiced by: Debi Derryberry

It'd be tough for me to leave these guys out of this list. Having grown up alongside the Toy Story franchise, their antics have become ingrained into my own consciousness. Whether they're worshiping the all-powerful claw or claiming their eternal gratefulness to a certain Mr. Potato Head, there's something terribly endearing about these three-eyed squeaky toys. The fact that they've become popular enough to last through three Toy Story films is also a tad bit incredible, but it's not something I'm really arguing against. They just know how to bring a smile to the audience's face.

*****

17. Spock

First Film Appearance: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Portrayed by: Leonard Nimoy

I know that Dr. Spock has been around much longer than the first Star Trek film, but his inclusion in that film is what makes him eligible for this list. It was always nice to have a bit of a counter-balance to William Shatner's Captain Kirk, and as is evidenced by some of the film sequels, Spock had a much larger importance to the overall story than one could have originally imagined. Nimoy was perfect for the role, although I do think that Zachary Quinto did a fantastic job with the 2009 reboot.

*****

16. Aliens

First Appearance: Independence Day (1996)

These guys were some of the first aliens that ever gave me nightmares. Those of you who have been reading me for a while will remember these aliens' inclusion on the list of ten films that traumatized me, and to this day, they're still one of the creepier ones I've seen on the silver screen. They were equipped with an biomechanical exoskeleton that was creepy enough, but the smaller creatures housed inside those suits are just as spine-tingling. Their reflective eyes don't offer you any insight into what they might be thinking, and that might be the most terrifying part of all.

*****

15. Kal-El / Superman

First Appearance: Superman (1978)

Portrayed by: Christopher Reeve

I know you're probably thinking, "Superman isn't an alien, is he?" Although it's not really the way most of us think about him, his past tells us that he is, in fact, an extra-terrestrial. Born on the planet Krypton before its ultimate demise, this superhuman individual finds a home on planet Earth, where he becomes the savior of many and the spoiler of criminals everywhere. But at his base, Kal-El is a man of Krypton, and it's this little tidbit that makes him eligible for this list.

*****

14. Gonzo

First Appearance: Muppets from Space (1999)

Voiced by: Dave Goelz

Throughout Muppet history, the Great Gonzo was constantly referred to as a "whatever." He never resembled anything earthly, and as a result, he and his friends never knew just how to classify him. All of that changed with 1999's Muppets from Space, which finally gave Gonzo a sense of self in declaring him an extra-terrestrial. Having always been one of my favorite Muppets, I was glad to see that Gonzo was finally given a home and a sense of community rather than have him remain stuck as the "only one of his kind," so to speak.

*****

13. Paul

First Appearance: Paul (2011)

Voiced by: Seth Rogen

In a send-up of nearly every classic sci-fi film that's ever graced the silver screen, you'd think that a movie like Paul would manage to bring us something a little bit different in terms of their alien. And why Paul's look is about as classic as you can get (although the resemblance is explained in the film), Paul's personality is about as different and out there as the possibility of having an alien encounter. This wise-cracking, pot-smoking extra-terrestrial turned the concept of a friendly alien on its ear when Paul hit theaters in 2011, but underneath all the jokes and the rudeness, Paul has quite a big heart, and that's what makes him all the more endearing.

*****

12. Aliens

First Appearance: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

As I wrote in my review of Close Encounters (link above the picture), this film changed the game a bit for the sci-fi alien sub-genre. Before Close Encounters was released, the concept of an alien coming to Earth was usually as a result of some sort of violent invasion; however, this film helped re-shape the extra-terrestrial identity into the possibility for a friendly encounter between human and alien. And although the aliens themselves are a little bit dorky, their method of communication with their human counterparts makes them all the more mystical. It's simply difficult not to like them.

*****

11. Iron Giant

First Appearance: The Iron Giant (1999)

Voiced by: Vin Diesel

Animation has seen its fair share of alien life, but none is more fascinating than the Iron Giant from the 1999 film of the same name. The idea of an alien race made up of mechanical parts wasn't out of the blue in 1999 - you can thank the Transformers for that - but the Iron Giant was something a little bit different. The relationship he creates between himself and the young Hogarth is beautifully-crafted, and it makes for quite the turn of events as the film goes about its business.

*****

10. Prawn

First Appearance: District 9 (2009)

 The biggest sci-fi blockbuster of 2009 was easily James Cameron's Avatar, but there was a smaller sci-fi flick that I thought outperformed the big-budget vehicle on every level, including in its visual effects. While Avatar was winning all the awards, I was strongly making the case for District 9's beautifully-crafted Prawn, whose intricate bodies were the most complex I had ever seen brought to life on-screen. The fact that they fit seamlessly into a real-life environment only enhanced the brilliance of their creation, and it made them seem all the more realistic. That alone should give them the nod over a long list of other computer-generated aliens.

*****

9. Thing

First Appearance: The Thing (1982)

Don't let the above picture fool you into thinking you know what this crafty alien looks like. The whole point of The Thing is that we never truly know who or what this alien is because it has the ability to take on the shape of any living organism with which it comes in contact. This little feature makes it one of the more fascinating additions to the list as well as one of the more frightening. To think that the characters had to guess as to whether the people around them were themselves or were, in fact, this "thing" makes the concept of this alien incredibly terrifying.

*****

8. Barf

First Appearance: Spaceballs (1987)

Portrayed by: John Candy

Barf, which is short for Barfolomew, is a race of alien known as a Mog, which is short for half-man, half-dog. He appears in the 1987 spoof Spaceballs, which plays off many of the classic sci-fi films of the 1970s and 1980s. Barf himself is a bit of a play on the Chewbacca character from the Star Wars franchise, but he's a tad bit funnier than his Wookiee counterpart. And he manages to be one of the funnier parts of the film, so that's an added bonus.

*****

7. Klaatu

First Appearance: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Portrayed by: Michael Rennie

Although he looks just like a human, Klaatu is actually a man from another planet. He comes to Earth in order to warn the human population that the creatures in the universe have noticed the human penchant for violence, and that if they cannot change their ways, the planet may be destroyed. I always thought there was a bit of a religious feeling towards the film, and a lot of it stems from the somewhat Christ-like Klaatu. Rennie plays him well, and the character offers a timeless message that we should all hear.

*****

6. Audrey II

First Appearance: Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

Voiced by: Levi Stubbs

If you have a giant plant like a venus fly trap that sings and feeds on blood, you can be sure that I'm going to be intrigued. Add the fact that it can sing, and I'm going to be hooked. That's exactly what we're getting in Little Shop of Horrors, and Audrey II is every bit as charismatic as he sounds. And despite the fact that he is inherently evil, it's still incredibly difficult to hate him entirely. There's just so much to love!

*****

5. Kro-Bar & Lattis

First Appearance: The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra (2001)

Portrayed by: Andrew Parks & Susan McConnell

Most readers won't have any idea as to whom Kro-Bar and Lattis are, but for the few who do, I'm sure they'll nodding with approval at their inclusion on this list. Natives of the planet Marva, the husband and wife duo lands on planet Earth and find themselves stranded until they can find the element atmosphereum, which powers their spacecraft. In their quest to find it, they stumble upon a nefarious plot crafted by none other than the lost skeleton of Cadavra. If any of this sounds a little ridiculous to you, then you're guessing correctly. The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra is a send-up of 1950s B-movies, and it's nearly perfect in every way. And Kro-Bar and Lattis are simply astounding.

*****

4. Chewbacca

First Appearance: Star Wars (1977)

Portrayed by: Peter Mayhew

How could I possibly leave Chewie off this list? The big guy has to deal with so much throughout the course of the Star Wars saga, and he still manages to hold his head high and become one of the series' central heroes. Whether it's dealing with Han's shenanigans or having to listen to being called a "walking carpet," the universe's most famous Wookiee has plenty on his plate. And still, there's something endearing and affectionate about him, and there's plenty of reason as to why he's featured so highly on this list.

*****

3. E.T.

First Appearance: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Voiced by: Pat Welsh

I would argue that E.T. is easily one of the most beloved cinematic extra-terrestrials ever to grace the silver screen. There's something about this long-necked, short-legged brown creature from outer space that's absolutely lovable. Maybe it's his physical appearance. Maybe it's the way he talks. Maybe it's his loving and generous personality. Maybe it's those brilliant eyes that truly show off his emotions. Whatever the case, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a movie-goer who doesn't think that E.T. belongs on a list like this. And even thirty years later, he's just as beloved as he was back in 1982.

*****

2. Xenomorphs

First Appearance: Alien (1979)

When I think of a terrifying alien, this is the first image that pops into my head. When you have a film simply titled Alien, you can be sure that it's going to at least offer you some sort of extra-terrestrial life. The fact that it gave the world one of the most menacing and fearsome creatures ever put to celluloid is something else entirely. What's so scary about the Xenomorph is that it's horrifying in every stage of its life. It starts out by being laid into the stomach of its host. Once it reaches a certain age of maturity, it bursts out of the host's chest, killing them almost instantly. Finally, it grows into the nearly-unstoppable creature picture above. And through a number of sequels and spin-offs, the Xenomorph has continued to be terrifying, even if the movies in which its appeared have become more and more lackluster. At the end of the day, I'd still hate to run into one of these guys.

*****

1. Yoda

First Appearance: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Voiced by: Frank Oz

I had a lot of trouble choosing the top spot for this list, but it ultimately came down to Yoda, who embodies so many different character qualities throughout his time in the Star Wars saga. When you first meet him, he brings a bit of comedic relief. Then, he turns into the mentor and teacher, leading Luke on his path towards becoming a Jedi. And in the prequels, Yoda is given even more dimensions, showing off an even greater hotheadedness than we saw in the initial trilogy. But what's truly most appealing about Yoda is that, in his heart, he's one of the truest characters to grace the screen in the Star Wars films. He has a very distinct sense of what's right and wrong, and he will do whatever it takes in order to ensure that justice prevails. If that means using force, then he'll do it. If it means using words, he'll do that as well. The sage of the cinematic alien world, there should be no doubt that Yoda is the best. The top of the list, he is.

Movie Review: E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL

E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL

1982

PG

"I'll be right here."

-- E.T.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 sci-fi film directed by Steven Spielberg that went on to win four Academy Awards. The film follows the story of small, friendly alien who is unintentionally left on Earth when his fellow aliens are forced to escape during a foraging expedition. The alien stumbles upon a house where he meets a young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas). Although initially frightened, Elliott elects to bring the alien into the family home, hiding him inside his bedroom closet to keep him safe. He affectionately names the creature "E.T.," and he soon introduces the creature to his older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and his younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore). Together, they do their best to hide E.T. from their mother Mary (Dee Wallace), but it becomes increasingly clear that E.T. simply wants to find his way home. E.T. and Elliott band together to create a communicating device that will send a signal into space in the hopes that E.T.'s ship may hear it and come to his rescue. However, a crew of government agents led by a man only referred to as Keys (Peter Coyote) learns of E.T's existence and moves into position to capture him for themselves.

I have to say that it's going to be difficult to write a review for a film so universally beloved as E.T. The film itself will turn thirty this year, and in that span of time, I'm sure millions, if not billions, of people have had the opportunity to watch it. It's a timeless tale about love and friendship, and even today, it still manages to find its way into the hearts of so many viewers. It had been quite a while since I'd had the opportunity to see the film in its entirety, but I was able to do just that yesterday, so here we go with my review.

I think we first have to take a look at the cinematic landscape in which E.T. was initially released. In the five years prior to E.T.'s release, the sci-fi world had seen the likes of 1977's Star Wars, 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1979's Alien and 1980's The Empire Strikes Back. To release a science-fiction film in the late-1970s or early 1980s was to have it compared to a slew of fantastic fare. At the same time, we need to look at the exploding Spielberg career. In 1975, he released Jaws, which he followed with Close Encounters. Then, in 1981, he released Raiders of the Lost Ark. With three preceding films like that, it was going to be tough to create something just as good. And still, Spielberg still managed to craft something truly brilliant with E.T.

Let's start with the film's screenplay, shall we? At it's base, it's a very simple story. A lost alien enlists the help of a young boy to aid him in getting home, and the two develop a beautiful friendship along the way. That's essentially the plotline in a nutshell. Sure, there are a few twists and turns here and there, but at the end of the day, that's the basics of what we're getting. Where E.T.'s screenplay excels is in its point of view. The film has a very childlike angle, placing the tale of first contact into the mind of a child. For the first two-thirds of the film, the adult perspective is essentially removed from the film - a feat achieved by denying the audience a view of any adult's face, save for Mary's. The story is strictly told from the child's perspective, and screenwriter Melissa Mathison didn't stop there. She managed to weave three different levels of childlike interaction into the film. We get the boyhood perspective from Elliott, the young girl's perspective from Gertie and the teenage perspective from Michael. Just seeing the difference in their reactions to E.T. is enough to make a quality film, but the interaction between the four characters is so brilliantly-crafted that it has to be applauded.

Fortunately, we're getting a well-cast group of actors to bring all these characters to life. As a younger movie-watcher, I had never noticed the merits of the acting in the film. It had always been about E.T. for me, but after re-watching it now, I have to say that the cast does a marvelous job. A lot of credit has to be given to Thomas, who plays the film's emotional lead. His relationship with E.T. is so genuine, and that couldn't have been an easy feat to achieve considering the puppetry used to bring the creature to life. And what a puppet it is! Even thirty years later, one can still marvel at how intricate and beautiful E.T. must have been to moviegoers in 1982. (Note: When the film was re-released in 2002 for the twentieth anniversary, some of the E.T. scenes had been reworked with CGI, but if you're looking for the better version, I still think the original 1982 flick is the way to go. Yes, the CGI brought forth a little bit more emotion for the E.T. character, but it just seemed - and still seems - a little out of place with the film.) I also have to give credit to the young Barrymore, who provides quite the comedic presence throughout the film. The rest of the cast fills out nicely, and as I said before, it's much better than I remember.

I also have to take a moment to give credit to John Williams, who composed one of this best scores for E.T. By this time, Williams had become Spielberg's go-to guy, and this was the second Spielberg film that Williams composed that nabbed him an Oscar for Best Score. Although I'm not sure whether it's his best score, I think that E.T. has to rank as one of Williams' most beautiful. Here's a snippet for your listening pleasure:

At the end of the day, E.T. is one of the most beloved films ever to grace the silver screen. As with Williams' score, I'm not sure I'm ready to crown this film as Spielberg's best; however, I certainly think it has the most heart out of any of his films to date. There's something timeless about this tale that keeps audiences rushing back to see it. E.T. is beautiful in its simplicity, and it tells a tale of friendship and love with which anyone can relate. It has rightfully earned its place amongst the best films ever created, and it has every right to remain on that pedestal.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: A

Should You Watch It? Yes

Movie Review: MOON

MOON 

2009

R

"You've been up here too long, man. You've lost your marbles."

-- Sam Bell

Moon is a 2009 sci-fi drama that served as director Duncan Jones' feature film debut. Sometime in the future, a company called Lunar Enterprises has found a way to harvest and mine helium-3 from the moon in order to convert it to energy for the citizens of planet Earth. They set up a base on the moon, where Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) has been enlisted as the sole man to run the mining operation. The completion of his three-year contract with the company is nearing completion, and an ill and slightly crazed Sam is ready to return to Earth to be with his wife Tess (Dominique McElligott) and his daughter Eve. With two weeks left on the moon, Sam, with the help of the onboard computer system GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey), notices that one of the harvesters has started to malfunction, so he decides to make his way out onto the moon's surface to fix the problem. Because of his illness, however, Sam mishandles the situation and finds himself severely injured after crashing his rover. Some time later, he awakens inside the base, only to find an identical Sam lurking around the station. Confused, the two Sams attempt to piece the mystery together.

When this film first hit theaters in 2009, I was ecstatic to see it. I went out of my way to find a theater that was some distance away just so I could take it in as soon as I possibly could, and I was so blown away by the film that I left the theater nearly speechless. Eventually, I found a copy of the film, and I was able to give it this second viewing nearly three years later. Although I remembered the basic premise of the film, I forgot about some of the little nuances here and there that made this one so unique.

That's what really sets this film apart from other contemporary sci-fi flicks. In a year when everyone was (rightfully) praising Neill Blomkamp's District 9, so many missed out on this little gem of a film that I personally thought was leagues ahead of the aforementioned Blomkamp venture. One of the reason its so fantastic is that we're actually getting something rather original. While the film does fall under the science-fiction genre, it's so based in reality that it becomes instantly believable. At the same time, we're thrust immediately into the story, getting just the right amount of exposition at the beginning so that we're not completely confused. However, a big part of why this film manages to grab and keep our attention is the confusion that it creates. The plot offers a number of twists and turns, and you're never quite sure exactly what's going on. It's only in the film's third act that we start to understand what we've witnessed, and it's in the finale that we're able to appreciate the film fully.

In this second viewing, I did have a moment where I caught something I had missed before, and this little bit of information almost ruined the film for me. I had already had predisposed notions based on what I thought the film meant back in 2009, but one singular line of dialogue changed the film entirely. After stressing about whether I still liked the film and its message, it occurred to me that the plotline itself - the twists and the turns, specifically - were secondary to the message that Moon is trying to convey. At its heart, its a story of ethics. And as with any ethically-centric story, a certain level of emotion is needed to make the audience care about the difference between right and wrong. And this is where Moon truly succeeds. It establishes that emotional connection between viewer and the Sam Bell character, and that connection is what draws us into the film's story.

One reason the connection between audience and Sam is so strong is the performance brought forth by Sam Rockwell. It's a tour-de-force performance, and to this day, I still think it's the best of his career. Because he's essentially the only actor with more than five minutes of screen-time, much of the film's emotional component rests on his shoulders, and Rockwell takes it in stride. He portrays so many different sides to the Sam Bell character that it's truly remarkable that he was able to convey each one so convincingly. I also liked the fact that Jones was able to snag Spacey for the vocal performance of GERTY. It offered a familiar voice for the audience, and Spacey did well with humanizing the character.

I also want to applaud composer Clint Mansell for crafting a perfect score for Moon. It's a soft and laid-back composition, but it manages to fit the tone of the film perfectly. Here's a little snippet for your listening pleasure:

At the end of the day, Moon is not only one of the better films I've seen in recent years, but it is also one of the better sci-fi films I've ever been able to see. If you haven't had a chance, I strongly suggest you give this one a view. I have a feeling you'll be thoroughly surprised.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: A

2 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

http://thismovieguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Melinda%20DillonCLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

1977

PG

"I just want to know that it's really happening."
-- Roy Neary

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 dramatic sci-fi film directed by Steven Spielberg that has become one of the more iconic films of the 1970s. After strange occurrences are reported all around the globe, a team of scientists and investigators led by Claude Lacombe (François Truffaut) desperately attempts to discover the meaning of these seemingly supernatural events. At the same time, the audience meets Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), an electrician who has a close encounter with "something unusual" late one night. After his meeting, however, Roy starts to see a vision that he can't quite make out, and it slowly starts to drive him mad. He becomes invested in the idea of another alien encounter, and his apparent delirium is enough to drive his wife Ronnie (Teri Garr) and his children out of there home. Roy keeps at it, however, and he ultimately learns that he must make his way to a remote area of Wyoming. Joined by a woman named Jillian Guiler (Melinda Dillon), whose son Barry (Cary Guffey) was taken by the aliens, Roy sets out for Devil's Peak in Wyoming, only to face resistance from the United States Army and the aforementioned Lacombe.

Close Encounters was one of those films that I grew up seeing here and there, but I'm not quite sure when I actually first had the chance to sit down and watch it in its entirety. I can distinctly remember seeing the Barry abduction scene as a child because I can recall the sheer terror it made me experience. It was only recently that I was able to find a copy of the 30th Anniversary Edition DVD that I had the time to sit down and watch the film again, and boy, was it grand. I had almost forgotten just how good the movie actually was.

Let's start out with some of its accolades, shall we? For starters, the film has been recognized by audiences and critics alike as one of the better films to emerge from the 1970s. At the time, it was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including nominations for Spielberg's directing and Dillon's acting. It ultimately won the award for Best Cinematography. Today, the film currently holds a 95% approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com, which offers the following critical consensus:

Close Encounters' most iconic bits (the theme, the mashed-potato sculpture, etc.) have been so thoroughly absorbed into the culture that it's easy to forget that its treatment of aliens as peaceful beings rather than warmongering monsters was somewhat groundbreaking in 1977.

I actually hadn't thought about this point until re-watching the movie yesterday. When you take a look back at the films that dealt with extraterrestrial life before 1977, you'll find a lot of movies where the creatures from outer space are attempting to destroy the human race. I mean, take films like 1958's The Blob or the classic 1953 film The War of the Worlds. It was films like these that offered the standard idea of alien life back in the 1950s and 1960s, and although the concept of a friendly alien was not entirely unprecedented - one need only look to the brilliant 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still - it simply wasn't the idea that had forced its way into the collective public consciousness.

In a way, it's surprising that Close Encounters continues to have a staying power with audiences today, seeing as most alien-centric films in today's Hollywood are all about violence and destruction. I mean, if you take a look at 2011 alone, you'll find films like Apollo 18, Attack the Block, Battle: Los Angeles, Cowboys & Aliens, The Darkest Hour and The Thing that all follow that basic premise. And so, it's something quite refreshing to know that at one time, a cast and crew of actors and filmmakers were able to create something so special and so unique, and even thirty-five years later, the film can still have an emotional impact on an audience.

There are a number of reasons as to why Close Encounters works so well as a film. For starters, we're offered a brilliant screenplay written by Spielberg and a few other collaborators. While the film offers a relatively simple story, it manages to show that story from a number of angles, giving the audience an eclectic view of the extraterrestrial occurrences throughout the film. On one side, we're seeing Roy and Jillian's reaction to their alien encounters; on the other, we see the scientists and military. What's interesting, however, is that all parties are working toward the same goal: understanding. Often times in alien-centric films, you'll have a military force who simply wants to eliminate the alien presence, even while a few scientists and civilians want to study and learn from them. The somewhat forced collaboration between the two groups in this film makes for a bit of drama as well as a sense of unity in the face of first contact with life from another world. And, at the end of the day, the film is entirely about communication. While the central focus will always be on the way the humans first communicate with the aliens, there's a lot of room to notice the communication between the humans as well. At nearly every stage of the film, we have some sort of translator for the Lacombe character, and at times, the dialogue between he and someone else can get a little confusing and convoluted. I think that only enhances the brilliance of the film's final act, when the humans are able to make contact with the aliens in a beautifully simple fashion.

We're also getting a string of quality acting throughout the film, and the actors easily find ways to bring their characters to life. It's hard to imagine that the role of Roy Neary wasn't written with Richard Dreyfuss in mind because it fits his personality to a tee. He has the opportunity to let loose and have fun with his performance, and it ultimately proves to be a compelling one. As was previously mentioned, Dillon managed to secure an Oscar nomination for her supporting performance, and I think that says enough about how well she does in the film. I also thought that Truffaut, who perhaps may be more famous as a writer and director than as an actor, did a splendid job as well.

One of the defining parts of this film, however, has to be the musical score, which was composed by none other than the great John Williams. I grew up listening to Williams' scores as a child, and in many cases, I knew a film's music before I ever had a chance to see the film. Close Encounters was one such case, but now that I'm able to see how well the music fits into this particular film. While it may not be his most iconic score, I would argue that Williams may have created one of his most beautiful here. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, here's a little taste of what he brought to the table for Close Encounters:

At the end of the day, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is one of the more iconic films ever to grace the silver screen. I'm sure there's been a point in your life where you've seen a snippet of the film here and there, but if you haven't had a chance to take in the film in its entirety, I strongly suggest you do, and do so soon. The film is simply brilliant, and although it may have been a tad bit overshadowed in 1977 by a little film called Star Wars, there's still so much to love about Close Encounters that I'm sure you'll find a way to enjoy it.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: A-

2 Thumbs Up