Star Wars: The Force Awakens (9/10): And so does the franchise!

“There's been an awakening. Have you felt it? The Dark side, and the Light.”

There is a new film that has been released this weekend that not many people may have heard of, so I want to recommend it because it’s worth checking out. Apparently The Force Awakens is the seventh film in the little recognized Star Wars franchise and I’m surprised not many people have been talking about this sci-fi action packed adventure franchise. It seems to have some sort of cult following because there were a few people dressed up in the movies as some of the characters in the film. I’m glad I was lucky enough to have heard about this J.J. Abrams’s directed movie. Abrams who is better known for creating the hit TV series Lost has directed some remarkable films. His first feature film was Mission Impossible III which I will always remember for having one of the best villains in the franchise (played by the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman). He followed it up with the reboot of the Star Trek franchise which was a wonderful surprise for fans around the globe. I wasn’t a fan of the franchise myself until I got to see what Abrams did with it. He later went on to direct Super 8 which was as close to a Steven Spielberg 90’s movie that you will ever get. From that point on I knew Abrams could do no wrong. After succeeding yet again with another Star Trek sequel he decided to aim for something much smaller: A reimagining of the Star Wars franchise. If the film has success it will probably be thanks to my recommendation of the movie since I’m hoping it gets a lot of word of mouth. Please go watch this movie even if you haven’t seen the other films in the franchise because it stands on its own. It is almost a remake in a way since it follows the basic blue prints of the original film with some returning characters. I guess Abrams can receive some of the credit because everything he’s done up to now has been highly entertaining. Hopefully the film will be a success and that way people will go back and check out the other films in the franchise starting way back in the late 70’s.

The Force Awakens takes place some 30 years after Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) defeated Darth Vader’s evil Empire (sorry for the spoilers if you haven’t seen the original films). It was a battle between the dark forces and the light. Now the galaxy is facing a new threat. Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) has been training his apprentice, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and establishing the First Order which wants to rule the galaxy and put an end to the Resistance which is led by General Leia (Carrie Fisher). Ren is extremely powerful and he uses the dark side of the force to his advantage subjugating anyone who opposes him. The only one who could threaten his abilities is Luke Skywalker, but he has disappeared and no one knows his whereabouts. Both the First Order and the Resistance are searching for him for different reasons. One of the Resistance’s best pilots, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), has received an important tip about his whereabouts, but when Ren finds out he will stop at nothing to retrieve the information. Dameron has no other option but to hide the information in one of his personal droids (BB-8) and sends him off before being captured by Ren. The droid is discovered by a young scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley) who helps BB-8 escape from some mercenaries who are after it. Rey and the droid find assistance from an unlikely ally, a rogue stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega) who is fleeing from the First Order. The fantastic sci-fi adventure begins as these fugitives try to reach the Resistance before the First Order discovers their whereabouts.

Abrams and Disney both leave their personal stamp in this film. There are classic Disney elements to this story which are told through Abrams’s unique style. Abrams knows exactly what his audience wants and he delivers a nostalgic piece of filmmaking by following pretty much the same beats as the original film did. Disney recycles some of its known humor and adds its own familiar tragic elements. I don’t know if The Force Awakens is more of a sequel than it is a reboot with returning characters because it feels so familiar and predictable. But it is exactly what fans wanted and it delivers. Darth Vader is probably the best villain in the history of film, but here Abrams manages to craft another memorable villain who comes close to matching him. Kylo Ren will probably become a pop culture icon just as Darth Vader has been over so many decades. Driver delivers a fantastic and memorable performance although my only complain about his character would be that his powers seem to weaken throughout the film after such a powerful entrance. Although I’m sure that will be resolved in the next film which will probably have a similar tone to The Empire Strikes Back which is my favorite film of the franchise. Harrison Ford stands out once again as Han Solo and he gets a lot of screen time, reminding us all why he is such a beloved action star. He delivers most of the funniest lines in the movie just as he did in the late 70’s and 80’s. The new additions, Daisy Ridley (who reminded me of a young Keira Knightley), John Boyega (who was discovered in the fantastic British horror comedy Attack the Block), and Oscar Isaac all deliver fantastic roles and inject the movie with fresh and well established characters that will deliver the franchise beyond nostalgic value. The Force Awakens had huge shoes to fill, but Abrams managed to reinvigorate the franchise by combining fresh blood with returning beloved characters. Fans will definitely be pleased with the film although it is hard to match the greatness of the original films due to its predictable nature that has more nostalgic value than anything else. We will have to wait and see how it works with younger audiences and if it stands the test of time. 

The Conversation (8/10): The 70's were the Golden Age for Coppola

“We'll be listening to you.”

I can’t think of another director who dominated a decade in the same way that Francis Ford Coppola did during the 70’s. Beginning with The Godfather, following it up with its sequel and this film in 1974, and finally closing the decade with the ambitious Apocalypse Now. Each one of these films can be considered among the best of all time, and unfortunately due to the success of The Godfather sequel, The Conversation is often left out of the conversation. I wouldn’t rank this one so high up, but I can see its appeal and the fact that the film is as relevant (if not even more) today as it was 40 years ago. Both Coppola and Hackman have each declared that this is their personal favorite movie out of the ones they’ve worked in, and that just proves how much passion was put into this project. The Conversation works best as a character study of a paranoid and devoted surveillance expert who is so absorbed in his profession that he shuts everyone out of his life. His life is one of contrasts, because even though he is the best at what he does, he is easily a victim as well (it’s easy to spy on this spy), he is conflicted about putting other lives in danger with his work (he’s haunted about the murder of three individuals as a result of one of his most successful surveillance operations) , but at the same time he is proud of his work and accomplishments. He is considered by his peers to be the best bugger, but ironically he is so concerned about someone spying on him that he shuts everyone out despite the fact that he really has nothing to hide. He lives a persecuted life because that’s how far his paranoia has gone, but that doesn’t mean he’s good at keeping people out, because in several instances we see how easily he’s fooled. The focus is entirely on Gene Hackman’s character so don’t go into this one expecting an edge of your seat thriller. 

The film opens with an extended long shot of a park in San Francisco full of people as the camera slowly begins focusing on a couple walking in circles around the plaza although we can’t quite make out what they are saying. There is a surveillance team following them around with microphones, but it’s hard to distinguish what they are saying from all the noise. This isn’t an issue for Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) who has developed his own technology that allows him to filter out the noise by combining the three separate microphones that his team was using and piecing together the conversation. He is a bit disturbed with what he has recorded and begins having doubts about giving the tape to the person who hired him for the job (referred to as the Director). Harry keeps to himself and acts all secretive, not even allowing his closest assistant, Stan (John Cazale), to know what is disturbing him. When he finally decides to turn in the tapes, he is greeted by the Director’s assistant, Martin (Harrison Ford), who says the Director is away on a Business trip. Since he had specifically said to turn in the tapes directly to him Harry decides to return home with the tapes despite Martin’s protest. He begins to feel followed and this only intensifies Harry’s fears about getting the couple in trouble. At a surveillance convention that takes place soon after, we discover that Harry is a respected man in his line of work although no one knows much about his personal life. 

The performances in this film are great, especially Gene Hackman who delivers one of the best roles of his career. He downplays the paranoia and delivers it in a very subtle manner. Despite not having much screen time John Cazale, Allen Garfield, and Harrison Ford each deliver solid secondary performances. The film’s atmospheric tone is set by the grainy camera work and the outstanding jazzy score which help build the tension. However this being a character study, it relies entirely on Hackman’s performance. The theme of surveillance also continues to resonate today after the ongoing scandals with Snowden’s claims and the increasing advances in technology. The Conversation is a wonderful film that continues to grow on me the more I think of it. It wasn’t the haunting thriller I was expecting to see, but it did surprise me at how well crafted the story was and how it centered on this character that is full of ironies and contrasts. The film ends on a brilliant note as well which just goes on to prove that The Conversation belongs to be considered amongst Coppola’s best work. It’s a shame that after such a brilliant decade, Coppola has never seemed to come close to what he did in those four films. Thanks to the 70’s his work will be hard to equal by any director so he still deserves to be considered as one of the best of our generation.       

My Favorite Collection: Raiders of the Lost Ark (10/10)

“It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.”

So I’m continuing to write these short reviews for some of my favorite films which I’ve never had a chance to comment on. It’s about time I give Steven Spielberg some love for one of the earliest films I have the memory of seeing. I don’t know how old I was when I first watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, but if my memory isn’t playing a trick on me I have to say this is the first movie I actually fell in love with (perhaps it has to do with the fact that it was released on my birth year). Raiders, First Blood, The Goonies, Romancing the Stone, Back to the Future, the Star Wars trilogy, and ET (I’m not including animated films) are the films that made an impact on me during my childhood; and either I watched them on repeat or the images have simply stuck in my memory. The opening scene where we are introduced to Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as he is trying to steal a golden idol from a cave deep in the Peruvian jungle has always fascinated me. He’s forced to escape when he’s crossed by Belloq (Paul Freeman) and the traps go off as we are introduced to the adventurous tone of the film accompanied with the fascinating score by John Williams that has changed the fast-paced blockbuster genre forever. That is all we needed to be introduced to such a fascinating character. As a young boy I imagine I’d easily get distracted by a feature film, but all it took were those opening minutes for me to be hooked to the TV screen for its entire runtime. What followed was one action-packed adventure after another like the scene where Indy faces off a swordsman with his gun, the snake pit scene, the chase sequence involving a truck and some jeeps, and several others that continue to excite me today. It helps that Harrison Ford was playing the titular role and he absolutely owned the part. This is one of the best collaborations between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and everything about this film was a thrilling experience. Harrison Ford turned Indiana Jones into an iconic figure, and several sequels have followed the success of Raiders without ever being able to match it. Even the romance between Ford and Karen Allen works in this film along with the comedic moments that make this adventure such an exciting and thrilling ride.       

The Age of Adaline (5/10): A flawed romantic tale.

"Tell me something I can hold on to forever and never let go."

 

At first glance one might assume that The Age of Adaline is a failed adaptation of a romantic novel that tries to cram the different story elements into a two hour film, but in reality the screenplay was written by J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz directly for this movie. Having a narrator explain the reasons for the main character’s miraculous secret for not aging enforces even more that intuition that the film is a book adaptation and they’re simply trying to summarize as quick as possible the premise for the movie so they can move on to the love story. Unfortunately the screenplay is actually the greatest problem in The Age of Adaline. It seems as if director, Lee Toland Krieger, could’ve used Rashida Jones’s help with the screenplay because this is a step down from his previous collaboration with her in Celeste & Jesse Forever. If you want to watch a unique romantic film, then I’d recommend that movie over this one because The Age of Adaline is full of predictable twists and the romantic story is a bit rushed. The film never really sells the fact that a 100 year old woman should be depressed for having to push away the people she loves because she doesn’t age (I’d understand if she were much older, but a hundred years doesn’t sell it for me).

A narrator (Hugh Ross) introduces us to Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) who was born at the beginning of the 20th century, but after having experienced an accident doesn’t age anymore. After eight decades she remains looking like her 29 year-old self. The only one who knows her secret is her daughter, Flemming (Ellen Burstyn) who by now is an old lady who has to introduce her to everyone else as a friend. Adaline has been changing her identity every ten or so years moving from one place to another never allowing herself to fall in love or tell her secret to anyone, but things change when she meets a young philanthropist named Ellis (Michiel Huisman) who quickly falls for her and relentlessly begins to pursue her with his unique charm. He invites Adaline for his parents’ (played by Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) 40 year anniversary reunion, and that is where Adaline has to decide wether she should reveal her secret to him or continue running like she has been during all these years. If you’ve seen a decent number of romantic movies in the past, you will probably be able to predict where all this is heading. 

The reason why I put so much emphasis on the screenplay during the first paragraph of this review is because I actually enjoyed the performances from the cast, but the weak screenplay is what ultimately brought it down for me. Blake Lively and Michiel Huisman deliver believable and charismatic performances and they do have strong chemistry together, but everything seems to be rushed for the purpose of getting to the twist in the story and when it comes you already were expecting it. Lively plays her character with grace and elegance and you can tell time has made her wise. She wouldn’t fall in love with a simply charming and good looking guy, and Ellis easily proves there is something more about him. The relationship is believable, but it doesn’t take its time to build on it. Harrison Ford is incredibly refreshing in this film and he has some strong scenes with Lively and Baker. There is something quite disturbing about the twist that isn’t ever addressed and that is what I found more disappointing than the actual predictability of the story. The performances were all great, but with a better screenplay this could’ve been a stronger film because it does look beautiful. Overall I had a decent time with The Age of Adaline, but I can’t get past some of the flaws so watch this at your own risk.  

My Review: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (7/10)

"You made one mistake today. You messed with somebody from San Diego."

Director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell have teamed up once again for the sequel to their most successful film after nearly 10 years with very big shoes to fill. Despite having worked together in Step Brothers, The Other Guys, and Talladega Nights (which is my personal favorite), Anchorman was their most quoted and remembered film so expectations were high for this sequel. Despite not being as great as the first film, this sequel manages to entertain thanks to several hilarious scenes and many memorable characters that are just fun to be around. Some of the jokes are a bit familiar and repetitive, but Will Ferrell brings in the laughs and reminds us why he is such a big star. Anchorman does feel a bit overlong and several scenes could have been cut out (his relationship with Linda for example), but I did have a really fun time with this entertaining but ridiculous comedy. In the midst of all the familiar sexist, racial, and blind man jokes, I loved the satire on the 24 hour news networks in the way it criticized their lack of ethics in reporting. Without giving away any spoilers I have to admit that the funniest moment of the film came near the end with some hilarious and unexpected cameos so stick with this film to the end. 

The screenplay was written by McKay and Ferrell following the success of their first film and using familiar elements. Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) now live and work together in New York with their son Walter (Judy Nelson). Their happy lives are shook when their boss (Harrison Ford) promotes Veronica to lead anchor and fires Ron. Ron asks her to choose between him and her job and returns to San Diego on his own. Living a miserable life, Ron gets a second chance when a man named Freddie Schapp (Dylan Baker) comes knocking at his door to offer him a position as an anchor for Global News Network (GNN), the first 24 news channel. Ron accepts and decides to bring along his former local news team: Champ (David Koechner), Brick (Steve Carell), and Brian (Paul Rudd). Together they come up with an idea to change the way people watch news and rise to the top once again.

Will Ferrell pulls it off once again considering he plays a despicable character who is racist and sexist, but somehow we still pull for him because deep down he's a nice but ignorant guy. Several of the gags and jokes feel repetitive, but it's still worth hanging around with these funny characters who we never know what stupid thing they are going to come up with next. Steve Carell being the most unpredictable of the bunch, and in this film he shares some very funny scenes with the always hilarious Kristen Wiig. Their scenes together were much more entertaining than the ones involving Ferrell and Meagan Good (who plays Linda, their producer). Other than the hilarious cameos and the clever spoofs on the 24 hour TV news channels, I also found several other memorable scenes like the one involving the four friends in a car accident, and Ferrell's character living in a lighthouse after he's gone blind for some time. Of course there are also several scenes that didn't work at all, but I still laughed a lot during these ridiculous moments. I really like these characters and despite their somewhat crazy rants they still win me over every time. This sequel may not have as many memorable quotes as the original, but it was still a lot of fun to see these characters reunited taking punches at the 24 hour News networks.

My Review: Ender's Game (4/10)

"In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him."

I honestly don't understand some of the love this film is receiving considering how bored I was through the entire running time. The philosophy in this film didn't make much sense for me either and nothing in this sci-fi world felt believable. It was like having to sit through watching my little brother play one of his video games. Gavin Hood has received a lot of hate for his 2009 Wolverine film, but I was a huge fan of his South African film Tsotsi so I did have some hope for this. I guess he should stick to smaller productions because big scale films don't seem to work for him. The screenplay is based on Orson Scott Card's famous book of the same name which I never had heard of so I can't rate this based on its faithfulness to it. What I can say is that there isn't really anything thought provoking about it, which is some of the praise the book received. Here the themes are lost under all the CGI and extended action scenes. There are a lot of child actors in this film, which also hurt it a bit despite how much I like Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield, and Hailee Steinfeld. I didn't find anything spectacular form Harrison Ford's performance either, although I understand all the excitement from fanboys getting to see him back in space again. I just found this film hard to endure at times and found it a bit too grim and serious considering the subject matter.

Seventy years after an alien race known as the Formics attacked Earth and almost wiped out its existence if it weren't for Commander Mazer Rackham's (Ben Kingsley) heroics, Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) has been preparing a troop for the next attack. He has decided to attack the Formics at their home ground before they come back and destroy them, and in order to do so he has been training young children in hopes of discovering the next Mazer. He believes the one is Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a very quiet and shy boy who has unique strategizing skills. Graff brings him to space to begin his training at a battle school along with other elite kids like Petra (Hailee Steinfeld), Bean (Aramis Knight), Alai (Suraj Partha), and Bonzo (Moises Arias). Ender quickly shows his potential as he masters the training games by understanding the enemy. Despite Graff's assurance that Ender is the chosen one, Ender still fears he might fail because he hasn't quite understood the real enemy's motivation. Will he be able to save the human race? Are the Formics still a threat to humanity? These are questions racing through Ender's head as he begins to dislike who he's shaping up to be.

I found Ender's Game to be one of the worst sci-fi pics of the year along with After Earth. There was nothing really thought provoking about it for me and it completely failed to engage me. This seems to be only the first chapter to a franchise I'm not really looking forward to enduring. I don't even feel inspired to write a proper review for this film and I don't really have much to say about it. There is no charm or appeal found here, and I never bought into the drama. The story could've at least used some dramatic tension to draw me in, but I never felt anything worth engaging in here. 

My Review: Paranoia (3/10)

"Privacy. Absolute myth. There's no such thing."

The film starts off on the wrong foot and never manages to get on track. In the very opening scene you have Liam Hemsworth using voice over narration explaining to us what we are about to see, and you realize that you are going to watch a cliched unoriginal action thriller. Then there is a scene where Gary Oldman's character is looking at some art pieces with Liam and he mentions how Picasso once said that there are no original ideas, that everything is either copied or stolen. You kind of get a sense of a similar thing going on with this script. Paranoia is an action thriller that seems recycled with no fresh ideas and unfortunately lacks thrills. The script was adapted by Jason Dean Hall (Spread) and Barry Levy (Vantage Point) from Joseph Finder's novel, but nothing about it feels inspiring or original. It is a shame because I was excited to get to see Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman face off once again, but Paranoia easily belongs on my worst films of 2013 list mainly because these talented actors can't do anything to improve a weak script. Paranoia gets half a star for Amber Heard who looks stunning despite not adding anything to the story, and another star for Oldman and Ford's presence alone. I could forgive the uninspiring script if at least this technological thriller actually had some thrills, but it doesn't. There aren't any interesting thrills either and the narrative is pretty straight forward and predictable.

Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) has been working for an important technological company known as Wyatt Corporation for the past six years. He hasn't been able to ascend the corporate ladder the way he pictured it as he continues to be an entry level employee, but he and his team are expecting a break through when given the opportunity to present their next project to the boss, Nicolas Wyatt (Gary Oldman). The presentation doesn't go as planned and Adam is left unemployed along with the rest of his team. Feeling bad about the way things turned out, Adam invites them to a fancy club where they use the company's credit card. The next day Adam is called back to Wyatt's office as he is confronted for his crime. Taking advantage of Adam's hunger for wealth and power, Wyatt recruits him to spy on his nemesis: Jock Goddard (Harrison Ford). Goddard happens to run another billion dollar tech company which is his biggest competition. Wyatt wants Adam to win Jock's trust and discover what they are working on, and in return he promises him the life he has always dreamed of. Blinded by greed Adam accepts and soon will find himself way in over his head.

Richard Dreyfuss has a small role in this film as well and his presence only reminds us that a film focusing on him or the other secondary characters such as Oldman and Ford, would be so much better. Instead they allow Hemsworth to play the lead role and he simply doesn't have that on screen charisma to carry a film on his own. I don't think he's a bad actor, but he needs stronger material to keep the audience's interest. He is just outclassed in this film by the other talented actors and we are left out wanting to see more of them. Another issue I had with Paranoia is that the plot doesn't make much sense and it is so dull that it allows you to begin to think too much about it and find all sort of holes. Robert Luketic has just directed his third straight flop after the disappointing Killers and The Ugly Truth. I will defend him for 21, which was a film that at least kept me entertained, but his latest efforts have been really disappointing. Paranoia might just top them all; stay away from this film.

My Review: 42 (8/10)

"Maybe tomorrow, we'll all wear 42, so nobody could tell us apart."

42 is a wonderful and inspiring sports movie based on the life of Jackie Robinson, the first colored baseball player to make it to the Major Leagues. It is really an inspirational film and a great story despite the fact that it follows pretty much the same cliches and formulas that most sport movies follow. It plays itself pretty safe but thanks to some great lead performances and an emotional story the film managed to draw me in, and I was emotionally involved from the very beginning. 42 kind of follows the same formula that Invictus and Remember the Titans did mixing sports with racism, and they are all based on true stories which remind us of the importance that sports have in society and how they can help break barriers. 42 was directed by Academy Award winner Brian Helgeland who adapted the screenplay for LA Confidential and Mystic River. Helgeland has proved to be a better screenwriter than a director, but I think he did a great job with this movie and has seemed to mature as a director. He also wrote the screenplay for this inspiring film. Despite not being a baseball fan, I do tend to love sports and really appreciated learning more about the life of this great baseball player. It is not as great as Moneyball, but it is still a wonderful movie.

42 takes place shortly after the Second World War as the troops are heading back home and things begin settling down. The athletes are back and all eyes are on the new baseball season that's about to start. Despite criticizing the German foreign government, racism is still very much a part of American life as colored people are forced to be segregated. There are only white players in the Major Leagues and the African Americans are forced to play on a separate Negro League. The Brooklyn Dodgers team executive, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), decides its time to shake things up a little and decides to contract Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman), the first African American to sign for the Major Leagues. It won't be easy for Jackie or Rickey as they both have to face opposition and threats from the racist society. Rickey warns Jackie about having to endure the abuse without complaining since the commissioners will be looking for any minor fault as an excuse to expel him from the majors. Jackie finds the fortitude in his wife Rachel (Nicole Beharie) and the rest of the African American community who have their eyes on him. 

Harrison Ford gives the best performance of the film, and probably his best performance in the last decade or two. He is great in this movie and fit the role perfectly. Boseman also played Jackie Robinson very well showing the internal conflict he was going through as he tried to keep calm despite all the abuse he was receiving. It was a quiet performance and he was probably out shined by Harrison Ford, but he was still great. Robinson's story is such an extraordinary one that it turns this ordinary film into a much greater one. Despite following pretty much all the general sport genre conventions and cliches it still manages to draw the viewer in because of the great story. Robinson's life was worth telling and that is what makes this film special. There is much more in stake here than simply a game, and once again we see how sports influenced the cultural views of the time. This was a very emotional and inspirational sports drama with some thrilling moments. It's worth your time and money.

My Review: Apocalypse Now Redux (7/10)

¨I love the smell of napalm in the morning.¨

There is no doubt that Apocalypse Now will be considered by many as one of the best films of all time because it is a very memorable and unique film. It feels surreal at times and has some great performances. It`s also hard to define what genre the film belongs to because it doesn’t seem to have a structure or a pattern we find in other films. Apocalypse Now is a classic and powerful film, but I really wasn’t blown away by it and didn’t enjoy it very much. The problem I had with it was that I watched the Redux version which is almost one hour longer than the original, so there were several moments that seemed to drag forever. What I did enjoy about this movie was the first hour which I felt was an absolute masterpiece. Those first sixty minutes were a lot of fun and had the best moments in the movie. Then the next two hours dragged way too much with all the surrealism. I got the point, the soldiers were getting crazy over the minute and the film succeeds tremendously in pointing that out as we see how nonsensical this war really was. The minds of these men seemed to be lost completely and there was chaos reigning all over the place. For me nothing will replace those brilliant first sixty minutes with a performance from Robert Duvall for the ages. He was perfect in those few scenes he was in and I wish the film would`ve dealt with him instead. The entrance in the helicopters with the classical music and then the surfing in the middle of the war zone was so hilarious; one of the best scenes in film history. I was really feeling good about this movie, until the film went completely in another direction and lost my interest.

The movie takes place during the Vietnam War and it begins with a voice over narration of the main character, Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen), who has recently returned from the United States to continue fighting. He is beginning to lose his mind while he awaits his mission. He says all he wanted to do when he was in the jungle was return home, and once he was home all he wanted was to return to the jungle. War has taken its toll on him. Finally he receives a new mission from Colonel Lucas (Harrison Ford) that is highly classified. He has to go down the Nung River all the way to Cambodia and find a former Colonel who has seemed to have lost his mind and gone haywire. He has built an army of his own and is killing off several Viet Cong officials without taking orders from anyone. Colonel Lucas wants Captain Willard to locate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) and kill him. Willard is sent on his mission along with a Navy patrol boat to escort him. Chief Phillips (Albert Hall), Chef Hicks (Frederic Forrest), Lance Johnson (Sam Bottoms) a known surfer, and Clean Miller (Laurence Fishburne) are Captain Willard`s only companions on this classified mission. In order to begin their course down the river they first have to infiltrate a Viet Cong outpost so Lt. Kilgore (Robert Duvall) and his cavalry help them do so. As Captain Willard and his men begin their descent through the river they come across several bases (friendly and enemy) and the further down we go the more chaotic and wild things begin to get.

The descent through the Nung River was probably my least favorite part of the film. I enjoyed much more the scenes with Lt. Kilgore and his men that helped them begin their mission. Duvall as Lt. Kilgore steals the movie and he is brilliant in every scene. He is more concerned with surfing than he is with the actual War. It`s as if he is living in an alternate reality. This is just a small glimpse of what we are going to see further on in the movie as we encounter different outposts that seem to get weirder every time. Everything is escalating up to the very end and seems to get more and more chaotic thus making the title, Apocalypse Now, very appropriate. This isn’t your typical war movie, people are losing their minds and the film becomes more and more surreal and harder to fit into one specific genre. Francis Ford Coppola was at the top of his game during the 70`s with The Godfather films and you can see how brilliantly directed the scenes were. The cinematography and lighting was excellent. The reason I don’t give this film a higher grade despite admitting it is a memorable and unique movie is because I really wasn’t entertained that much with it. It would be hard to watch it again, unless I could just see that first hour with Robert Duvall. The all star cast makes it a little easier to watch: Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, and Laurence Fishburne.

  

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My Review: Blade Runner (8/10)

¨I need ya, Decks. This is a bad one, the worst yet. I need the old blade runner, I need your magic.¨

Blade Runner, Ridley Scott`s follow up to Alien, wasn`t a very successful movie at the time it was released. The problem might have been that it was ahead of its time, since this dark futuristic film noir sci-fi film was very different from the rest of the sci-fi films that were being released like Star Wars or E.T. The Extraterrestrial, which came out that same year and had a more light and entertaining mood. The problem with Blade Runner is that it`s a much darker film and far more complicated. I really enjoyed this movie, although I don’t consider it a masterpiece as most people do. This movie has become a cult film several years after its release and is among the best sci-fi films in the history of cinema. The dark screenplay was adapted by Hampton Fancher and David Webb Peoples from Philip K. Dirk`s famous fiction novel ¨Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?¨ I have to admit that I watched the director`s cut version without the voice over from Harrison Ford`s character so I really don`t know if it was better that way or not, but from what I understand Ford`s voiceover wasn’t very good. Although one would assume that the voice over would definitely give it a more film noir vibe to it. The best thing about Blade Runner definitely is the great artistic direction where there is a very dark mood thanks to the use of lots of black and grey and a lot of smoke. Scott`s vision of the future isn`t a very bright one and there is a sense of pessimism that reigns all over the film, including in its main characters.

The film takes place in the city of Los Angeles during 2019 where Earth is no longer the only planet humans can live on. Most people have left to other planets with the promise of a better life and new opportunities where they can achieve their dreams and goals. Technology has also advanced in such a way that human`s have been able to create androids that are so similar to humans that it`s almost impossible to differentiate them. These ¨replicants¨ are used mostly to do the dirty work in the colonies outside of Earth. The company that has produced these special robots is run by Tyrell (Joe Turkel) who has given his latest replicants a lifespan of only four years in order to control them and make sure they don`t develop such complex emotions that will make it impossible to differentiate them from real humans. The only way to differentiate these robots is through a psychological test called the VK test. Blade runners are police detectives who specifically work on hunting down these replicants and putting them down since they aren`t allowed to live on Earth. Deckard (Harrison Ford) is an ex blade runner living in Los Angeles who seems quite displeased with life. His ex boss, Bryant (M. Emmet Walsh) calls for him for one last mission after several dangerous replicants have found their way back to Earth and are causing all sorts of trouble. These replicants are searching for their creator because they want to be given the opportunity to live longer. The replicants that are still on the loose and that he has to hunt down are Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), Pris (Daryl Hannah), Leon (Brion James), and Zhora (Joanna Cassidy).

Despite having to hunt down the replicants one by one, the film isn’t just your typical action film where you have one persecution after another. There is more depth to the story as these replicants all have personalities of their own and are very different from each other. More than an action film, this is a very dark and obscure sci-fi film noir and it works really well although I did find some aspects of the film a little too weird and bizarre. Harrison Ford was one of the best actors around in the 80`s and he delivers as this sort of tormented character who really begins to question his moral actions. This is a much darker role than those he played in the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchise. The film also raises several philosophical questions and actually plays out as a parable about discovering who we really are, the search for immortality and not wanting to know the date of our death. How far will mankind go to reach a longer life? Do the means justify the main character`s acts? The film raises several questions and lets the viewer search for their own meaning and answers. It`s been almost 30 years since the film has been released and it still raises a lot of debate amongst fans and there is plenty to discuss about Blade Runner, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers. I still don’t consider this movie as good as Alien, but it is a very well made sci-fi film noir.

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My Review: Cowboys & Aliens (6/10)

¨Whether you end up in Heaven or Hell isn't God's plan, it's your own. You just have to remember what it is.¨

In Cowboys & Aliens Jon Favreau meshes two genres that I never thought I would see in a same movie: a Western and Sci-fi film involving an alien invasion. The idea is pretty original considering we`ve seen several alien invasion films like Men in Black and Independence Day, but they all take place in big modern day cities. Cowboys & Aliens on the other hand takes place in a small Arizona town during 1873 where local cowboys have to unite with bandits and Indians in order to fight against these aliens.  The idea which was based on an independent comic book was great, but the film itself is mediocre. One of the main problems in my opinion is that there were too many people involved in the adaptation of the screenplay. It`s never a good sign when you have more than five people writing the story. Jon Favreau proved in Iron Man that he can direct great films, but this time he was missing an actor like Robert Downey Jr. who can deliver great action scenes along with some comic relief. Downey Jr. was actually Favreau`s first choice to play the lead role, but due to scheduling conflicts he had to go with Daniel Craig. Craig is a great action star (he was great in Casino Royale), but he doesn`t have the charisma that Downey Jr. has and it could`ve came handy in this role. Cowboys & Aliens had plenty of well staged action scenes, but the comedy was missing. I think some humor could have worked better to let the audience know that this movie should be taken lightly considering the title and the plot. I still enjoyed the movie, but I`ve seen a lot better westerns and sci-fi flicks on their own.

Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) wakes up near a small town in Arizona with no memory as to what has happened to him or who he is. He has a strange bracelet in his arm and a cut near his abdomen. Once he arrives in the small town he has a dispute with a young kid named Percy (Paul Dano) who thinks he can do what he wants because his father is a rich and important cattle man: Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). Woodrow used to be a Colonel during the Civil War, but now he runs the town known as Absolution. The local Sheriff (Keith Carradine) discovers that Jake is a wanted man and locks him in prison, but Woodrow wants his head because apparently Jake has stolen gold from him. Jake has no memory of this, but a young local woman named Ella (Olivia Wilde) seems to know more about him. It`s during this dispute between the Colonel and the Sheriff that the aliens attack the small town and abduct about half of the population, including Woodraw`s son. The few cowboys that remain decide it`s best to settle their differences and unite in order to try to find the aliens. Jake discovers that his bracelet works as a powerful weapon against the aliens and he can be their only hope. As the search begins, Jake begins remembering things about his past and piecing things together with the help of Ella.

Daniel Craig is a great actor, but I don’t think this was the right role for him. Harrison Ford has been playing similar roles as a grumpy old man and I really think he can do a lot better. Olivia Wilde is beautiful, but she doesn`t have much to work with in the role she was given. She pretty much stares at Jake all the time, and we get to see her pretty eyes a lot, but that`s about it. Sam Rockwell is very talented and he does what he can with the small role he was given, but I insist a much more comedic approach should have been taken with this film. More comedy, less action. The special effects were good, the action scenes also pretty entertaining and the aliens looked cool, but that is about it. I really like the cast, but they were just given poor material to work with. I still had a decent time with the film, but I was expecting a little more from Favreau and the boys. Cowboys & Aliens is fun, but I`ve enjoyed regular Westerns or Sci-Fi films a lot better. For example I would much rather prefer seeing True Grit, a straight up Western, than this film. What I mean to say is that there are a lot better looking Westerns and Sci-Fi films on their own, and this film would have been a lot better if the meshed genres were better. I still recommend this movie, just don`t go into it with great expectations.

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My Review: Extraordinary Measures (6/10)

¨Scientists get all sensible & careful when they get old. Young ones like risk, not afraid of new ideas.¨

Director Tom Vaughan takes a much more serious approach in Extraordinary Measures then he did with the 2008 comedy What Happens in Vegas starring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz. This movie which also stars two A-list actors, Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser, is a drama focusing on a father`s effort to raise millions of dollars to help fund the research of a scientist who is trying to find a cure for Pompe disease,  a rare genetic disorder that two of his children have. The film is based on the book written by Geeta Anand, ¨The Cure¨, which is based on the true story of the Crowley family. The screenplay was adapted by Oscar nominated writer Robert Nelson Jacobs (Chocolat). I think that Jacobs did a pretty decent job at enlightening us about the disease and covered the scientific research well enough so that we could understand what was going on without getting bored. Vaughan could have made this a tear-jerker and played with the viewers emotions, but he did a great job with trying to stay true to the material and not turning this into a melodrama like My Sister`s Keeper was. The film works well with strong performances from the entire cast, but I still can`t see why anyone would want to see this movie in the theaters because it felt more like a made for television movie, although I don`t think that is necessarily a bad thing. By the end of the movie I felt enlightened and respected the work of these scientists, but I am also glad I waited to watch this movie at home and didn`t go see it at the movies.

John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) is a successful advertising businessman who lives with his wife Aileen (Keri Russell) and three children Megan (Meredith Droeger), Patrick (Diego Velasquez), and John Jr. (Sam M. Hall) in Portland. Megan and Patrick suffer from a genetic disorder known as the Pompe disease. The kids who suffer from this disease never make it past nine, and after Megan turns eight and almost losses her life to the disease, John decides it is time to take drastic and extraordinary measures. He has spent many years researching about the disease and discovers some interesting theories on enzyme treatment from a scientist located in Nebraska named Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford). After trying to contact him and not receiving any response from the Doctor, John decides to travel to Nebraska and convince him to pursue his research. Stonehill is not really person oriented; he has poor communication skills, and has had difficulty coming up with the funds to further his research. John tells Stonehill that he will help raise the money and after hosting several fund raisers and meeting other parents who have children with the same disease such as Marcus Temple (Courtney B. Vance) they raise about 90 thousand dollars which is a lot less than what they needed, but more than Stonehill expected him to raise. John decides to quit his job and work full time with Stonehill helping him raising the funds they need from capitalist groups. Their relationship isn`t the best one and they have their disagreements, but John will do whatever it takes to find a cure for his children before running out of time.

The hardest decision for John was to quit his job and work full time for Stonehill away from home. The ethical dilemma was either to give up and enjoy as much time he could with his children or try to find a cure which meant he would have to spend a lot of time away from home and the results weren`t guaranteed. John took the risk and decided he had to do what was in his power to try to find a cure for his children. The movie also deals with scientific objectivity and how sometimes emotions and feelings are not necessarily a bad mixture. The movie focuses on these issues and doesn`t rely only on the family melodrama of dealing with the disease, it tries to remain objective but at the same time inform us of the reality of this genetic disorder in children. The movie isn`t a highly entertaining film, but it does work as a serious drama and one you would enjoy seeing in the comfort of your home. Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser are decent in their roles although nothing we haven`t seen from them in the past. Courtney B. Vance and Jared Harris have a couple of strong scenes in the supporting role. The kids are ok as well although they don`t play a major role in this movie as one would expect. The movie is far from being extraordinary, but it still is a decent film which I would recommend only for home viewing.

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