The Martian (8/10): Let's talk science!

“I don't want to come off as arrogant here, but I'm the greatest botanist on this planet.”

Ridley Scott’s latest film, The Martian, is an intelligently crafted science fiction drama that takes on the form of a problem-solving movie in a very nerdy way. It is not an easy movie to sell considering it is very talkative and there is a lot of science involved, but Drew Goddard’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel is quite captivating. There is no denying that the true star of the film is Matt Damon who basically manages to put on a one-man show in Mars and deliver a very entertaining performance in a similar way to what Tom Hanks did in Castaway. Although this film does give much more screen time to the characters back home as they try to communicate and find a way to bring their astronaut back, but it is Damon who really stands out. The film has been nominated for the Golden Globes for best comedy and although I don’t agree with that designation it is Damon who delivers the comedy through his charismatic performance as he faces each new struggle in quite a light and positive way. The movie is a drama more than anything else and it carefully studies every scenario of what could go wrong in Mars and presents interesting solutions to those problems. Ultimately that is what makes this film stand out from other space films which Ridley himself has directed. This is a different kind of movie, a survival film with brains that respects its audience and doesn’t try to include any fantastical elements for entertainment purposes (not that I have a problem with it since I was a huge fan of Prometheus, but this is a completely different genre).

Matt Damon gets all the credit for his charismatic performance as Mark Watney, the astronaut who is abandoned in Mars after a storm breaks out and his crew is forced to leave him behind, but the supporting cast is quite impressive as well. Jessica Chastain is Melissa Lewis, the astronaut in charge of the mission who has to make the fatal decision. The rest of the crew members are Beth Johanssen (Kate Mara), Rick Martinez (Michael Peña), Chis Beck (Sebastian Stan), and Alex Vogel (Aksel Hennie). They don’t get much screen time, but they are each given their moment and it is enough to know what motivates their decisions. I would’ve enjoyed to spend more time with these characters considering the cast is wonderful, but Matt Damon doesn’t even give us time to miss them. The focus is on his character and he delivers every line to perfection. We are instantly drawn to his character and we identify with his struggle to survive. Back home at NASA headquarters we are also introduced to several characters who are doing the best they can to bring Mark home. Jeff Daniels is Teddy Sanders, the man responsible for any decision taken as the NASA director, Kristen Wiig is Annie Montrose, the director of Media Relations who is trying to save face in the midst of the situation, Sean Bean is Mitch Henderson, the flight director who is in contact with Watney’s crew as they are returning home, and Chiwetel Ejiofor is Vincent Kapoor, the mission director. It’s surprising how Ridley Scott manages to include all these characters in the film and give them a unique personality as they all join forces to come up with the best solution. Daniels plays a very similar character to who he plays in The Newsroom, but if you only know him from Dumb and Dumber than you are in for a treat.   

When I first heard about this movie I was a bit worried about the effects that recent space films like Interstellar (which also starred Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain), Prometheus (which was directed by Ridley Scott), or Gravity might have on The Martian considering the space theme. To my surprise, the film stands out from the very opening scene as it takes a totally different approach and focuses more on Mark’s survival skills and his wit. He is a very charismatic character who easily pulls you in to his conflict and allows you to participate in the problem-solution process. This isn’t about special effects, it is about intelligent people getting together to come up with a solution.

My Favorite Collection: Good Will Hunting (10/10)

“I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you.”

The scene where Robin Williams’ Sean Maguire sits on a park bench with Matt Damon’s Will Hunting to have their little shrink session about life, love, and identity is perhaps my favorite cinematic moment ever. More than a conversation, it is a monologue that Robin Williams delivers with incredible passion and it gives me goosebumps every time I watch this scene. It’s the reason why he won an Academy Award for best supporting actor and why the film works as well as it does. This is just one fantastic moment, but I can think of many more scenes that left me completely in love with the movie. Like the scene where Sean Maguire and Stellan Skarsgard’s Prof. Lambeau have their long awaited discussion about ego and missed opportunities (“You think I'm a failure. I know who I am, and I'm proud of what I do. I was a conscientious choice, I didn't ef up! And you and your cronies think I'm some sort of pity case. You and your kiss-ass chorus following you around going, "The Fields Medal! The Fields Medal!" Why are you still so efin' afraid of failure?”), the scene where Sean narrates Game 6 of the World Series to Will, which he passed on for the opportunity to meet his future wife (I just slid my ticket across the table, and I said, "Sorry, guys; I gotta see about a girl.”), and of course the final scene between Will And Sean which I don’t want to spoil. There are just so many great moments in this film thanks to the strong performances and the amazing screenplay from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck which is one of my favorites. Even the scenes between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and between Damon and Minnie Driver are incredible and I still have to leave them out of my top five favorite scenes in this movie because there are just so many. And I even left out Will’s amazing monologue about why he shouldn’t work for the N.S.A. It’s simply one of the best written movies ever and it has Robin Williams best performance (that is saying a lot considering how much I loved his work in Dead Poet’s Society, Good Morning Vietnam, and The Fisher King).            

“You're not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you've met, she's not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other.” 

I don’t know if Good Will Hunting is a perfect film, but I know it is perfect for me and for that reason it will always be included as one of my all time favorite films up there with The Sixth Sense and The Dark Knight. I have plenty of other favorites which I sometimes include in my top ten, but those three are always at the very top of my list, and I don’t even worry about having to discuss it with anyone else.

My Review: The Monuments Men (6/10)

"If you destroy their achievements, their history, it's like they never existed."

When I heard George Clooney was going to direct a film about a World War II platoon tasked by Roosevelt to rescue art masterpieces, and that Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, and John Goodman were all going to co-star with him, I was sure it was going to win all kinds of awards and was highly anticipating it. Then when the film release was changed to February my expectations for it lowered tremendously, so I wasn't expecting much from The Monuments Men by the time I went to see it. This allowed me to actually enjoy the film a bit more despite the fact that it didn't come close to reaching its potential. It's a slow building film based on a true historic and important event, and the film doesn't stop reminding us of this fact considering it keeps on stating its self importance through the main characters. The film felt forced during those scenes where we were constantly reminded why the mission was so important and worth the human sacrifice. Despite failing in its grand ambitions and never quite figuring out the tone of the film, it's still worth seeing for the great cast. There were also several scenes that stood out in this war picture that included some comedy, but overall the film felt incomplete at times missing something. The word disappointment comes to mind considering how much potential The Monuments Men had, but it was still entertaining despite some of the misfires in Clooney's film.

The script was adapted by George Clooney and Grant Heslov from Robert Edsel's book about the world's greatest treasure hunt in history. Frank Stokes (George Clooney) is tasked by President Roosevelt to form a platoon with the mission of going into Germany and rescuing art masterpieces from the Nazis who had stolen them from their owners (mostly Jewish collectors) for Hitler's collection. Frank quickly froms a team of seven guys consisting of museum directors, curators, and art historians with very little experience in war. The Monuments Men, as they called themselves, was conformed by Frank, James Granger (Matt Damon), Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), Walter Garfield (John Goodman), Jean Claude Clermont (Jean Dujardin), Donald Jeffries (Hugh Bonneville), and Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban). Despite their little military experience they began a race against time in order to rescue these valuable art pieces and return them to their owners before Hitler destroyed them all.

There are some fun moments in The Monuments Men thanks in most part to the incredible cast, but one can't help and think about how underused they were. The characters were all very poorly developed and they only served to move along the story. I still can recall several funny scenes that were enough for me personally to watch and recommend this film. It's too bad the movie never manages to deliver the importance of the subject matter despite repeating the message constantly. I don't think it did these men justice for their contribution to humanity, but at least we got to know their story and enjoy a light hearted film about them.

My Review: Elysium (7/10)

"I promise you, one day I'll take you to Elysium."

Elysium is Neill Blomkamp's sophomore sci-fi film after his critically acclaimed debut with District 9. Expectations were high considering that film was a unique experience in that it blended some great sci-fi visuals with a social commentary about the apartheid movement in South Africa. District 9 worked as a modern day parable. Sadly Elysium doesn't live up to those high standards he set in his previous movie, but I still have to admit I had a fun time with this film. I think people would've enjoyed this film a little more if they didn't know it was directed by the same person who brought us the groundbreaking District 9. Elysium is far from being a great film because it is very predictable and generic. There were no twists or surprises here, but I enjoyed the CGI and the performances from some of the cast members (sorry Jodie Foster, I can't include you here). Elysium works as a blockbuster as long as you don't think too much about the plot. Unlike in District 9, the social commentary doesn't work too well here because the characterizations were extremely over the top (Jodie Foster could've toned it down a bit). Blomkamp was trying to criticize the immigration issue and the difference in privileges between the rich and poor. However, I felt that as an action sci-fi film it kept me entertained despite the predictability so I still had a good time with Elysium.

The film takes place in 2154 where the planet has suffered from overpopulation and the wealthy have decided to live off in a space station called Elysium. The wealthy have access to a very comfortable life and state of the art equipment such as these medical capsules that heal you in a matter of seconds. Max (Matt Damon) has been dreaming of living in Elysium but his social condition doesn't allow it. He's committed several crimes in the past, but now he's decided to clean up his act and work at a local armor factory. After an incident with some droids, he runs into his childhood friend, Frey (Alice Braga), who's working as a nurse. Max isn't the only one who dreams of being able to go to Elysium. Several thousands of people have searched for a way to get a ticket (especially the sick who want to get healed in those capsules), but Officer Delacourt Rhodes (Jodie Foster) enforces the anti-immigration laws with a stern hand and will stop at nothing to ensure the safety of the wealthy class. When illegal crafts try to enter Elysium she doesn't hesitate in using force to stop them. One of her best agents is Kruger (Sharlto Copley) who happens to be psychotic as well and loves to use violence. When Max suffers an accident at work he is forced to find a way to Elysium and will stop at nothing to get there. 

I enjoyed Matt Damon's lead performance here and it was good to see Copley teaming up with Blomkamp again. The face off between these two characters was probably my favorite scene in this film. Elysium isn't the best sci-fi film of the year, but it still is an enjoyable flick if you go into it with low expectations. The action is pretty fast paced and at times the slow motion action scenes look like a video game. Blomkamp is a young and talented writer/director who will probably continue having success in the genre. Again I think the main weakness of the film was its overselling of the social commentary, but the premise and the action scenes lift this film from other formulaix sci-fi action films. I guess that the wealthy habitants of Elysium would've been better off if they simply offered their employees a better healthcare system. The lovely Alice Braga should also go over her roles a little as to try not to come up with a same ending again because the closure was almost identical to I Am Legend.

My Review: Behind the Candelabra (5/10)

"I love to give the people a good time."

Behind the Candelabra is Steven Soderbergh's latest film based on the autobiographical novel written by Scot Thorson (Liberace's former lover). It is an HBO original movie, but it didn't feel like a TV movie considering Soderbergh was at the helm of this project. The film does a great job of recreating the flamboyant excess of Liberace's life and his hidden love affair with Thorson. The performances from Matt Damon and Michael Douglas were very powerful and I believed their characters. I loved the look of the film and the 70's hairstyles is what kind of stood out above everything else. Damon and Douglas go through some physical changes, and the makeup was done really well. I never felt it was false. Despite the look of the fim and the great performances I didn't feel there was anything special about the story. I felt it was very formulaic and pretty much similar to any other romantic biopic I've seen before. There was nothing groundbreaking here. I was bored throughout several moments and have to admit I got distracted and didn't pay too much attention to the story during the midway point. I didn't know anything about Liberace, but fans of the famous artist might enjoy this film which delves inside his private life. 

Scott Thorson's (Matt Damon) life changes dramatically when an acquaintance of his named Bob (Scott Bakula) who he met at a bar, introduces him to the star of the moment: Liberace (Michael Douglas). Liberace, who is in his mature years of stardom, has a liking for this young man and asks Scott to come work with him and live in Las Vegas. Scott accepts and they soon begin to have a relationship. Scott begins to enjoy the luxurious life that Liberace offers him, but soon the life of excess begins to take its toll on Scott after he is introduced to some drugs by Liberace's plastic surgeon, Dr. Jack Startz (Rob Lowe). Scott also begins to feel suffocated inside the big mansion because Liberace doesn't let him leave the house much. All these elements begin to take a toll on their relationship and what began as a promising life begins to affect him. Dan Aykroyd also has a supporting performance here as Liberace's manager.

Rob Lowe and Dan Aykroyd's characters give the film some lighter and comedic moments, while Michael Douglas and Matt Damon have an interesting and believable chemistry together. They both went out of their comfort zone and took some roles we had never seen them play before. I had no issue with their performances or the overall look of the film, but I wasn't too hooked on the plot. I felt the story dragged at some points and I began to lose interest on the relationship between the two lead men. This isn't a film for everyone, but Soderbergh knows his craft and does a great job at setting the tone of the film.

My Review: We Bought a Zoo (9/10)

¨You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.¨

2011 brought us some surprisingly great family films such as The Muppets and Dolphin Tale, but I think Cameron Crowe just won me over for the best one of the year with We Bought a Zoo. I`m a huge Crowe fan and have loved most of his films (I even loved Elizabethtown and am not ashamed of admitting it despite being hated by nearly every critic), especially Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire. I think this film is up to par with his best work despite being over sentimental at times. I think that what I like best about Crowe`s films are his dialogues. I think he`s a good writer and he creates some interesting characters. He usually writes his own stories for his films, although this time he based it on a true story and adapted the screenplay from Benjamin Mee`s biography, but he still should receive credit for his adaptation. The story isn`t the only thing that works, a lot of credit has to be given to Matt Damon for his performance in the lead role and to the rest of the supporting cast. Scarlett Johansson had strong chemistry with Damon and her performance felt believable, Maggie Elizabeth Jones was cuter than any other character on screen this year, Elle Fanning is almost as amazing as she was in Super 8 (she`s turning into my favorite young actress along with Chloe Grace Moretz), while Thomas Haden Church, John Higgins, and Angus Macfadyen provided most of the laughs in the movie. Colin Ford had to play kind of the rebellious teen son and he did a decent job although he perhaps had the least interesting character. The animals also play a huge part in the overall effectiveness of the film.   

The film is based on a true story about a father named Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) who after losing his wife has to raise his two children on his own in Southern California. His fourteen year old son, Dylan (Colin Ford, a young Bon Jovi lookalike) is going through a very dark time and is having trouble at school. He ends up being expelled for stealing some money and for painting a very dark mural. His seven year old daughter, Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) is a lot closer to her father and is cuter than any other girl her age. She is sweet and always smiling, a complete contrast to Dylan. Benjamin becomes tired of the city life and quits his job as a journalist and decides to buy a new home in the countryside. This new home is big, has lots of space, but it comes with one special responsibility: it is a zoo. Benjamin decides it`s time to begin a new adventure and decides to repair the zoo in time to open it for the public in the summer. The zoo is pretty much abandoned, but with the help of a few workers left Benjamin begins putting his life savings into it in order to restore it in time before the next inspection. Kelly Foster (Scarlett Johansson) has worked at the zoo for several years and becomes his right hand helper, along with Peter (Angus Macfadyen), Robin (Patrick Fugit), and her thirteen year old niece Lily (Elle Fanning). Benjamin`s accountant brother Duncan (Thomas Haden Church) warns him about the financial risks involved, but he decides to go with his heart and live a new adventure.

If you`ve seen a Cameron Crowe film before then you know this won`t just be a family film. Crowe loves music and he always includes some really great soundtracks in his stories. He also manages to include one or two dialogues based on music. He makes a reference to Dylan being named after the great Bob Dylan, but later we realize he was really named Dylan for his dog. Just like the Crowe humor isn`t missing here, the romantic stories aren`t left out either. Crowe is a romantic at heart. We`ve seen some of the most famous romantic lines in movies like Jerry Maguire, such as ¨you had me at hello,¨ but here he also includes a few lines that will be memorable like the ¨twenty seconds of insane courage¨ one. The film is really worth a watch, it is for everyone, it has a love story, several funny scenes, an inspiring story, and several cute animals. Adults and children will enjoy this film alike. I was surprised to hear the characters in which this film was based actually had a cameo near the end of the movie. The real Benjamin and his two children were the first in line to climb the fallen tree in order to reach the zoo. Matt Damon is such a reliable actor; he has had a great year, but the true heart of the film here relies on the cuteness of Elle Fanning, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, and the animals. Yes this film might be over sentimental and cheesy at times, but it`s so cute that it`s hard to resist.

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My Review: Contagion (8/10)

¨It`s figuring us out faster than we`re figuring it out.¨

The first thing I wanted to do after the movie was over was to wash my hands and get disinfected. Contagion is a great thriller about an epidemic that is spreading around the world and taking millions of lives while at the same time spreading panic and fear everywhere. The film is a great case study on human behavior and it felt very authentic (especially after the Swine-flu scare that spread over the globe a couple of years ago). Some may complain due to the pace of the film or the multiple stories that are going on that don`t let you focus on any of the characters, but I really enjoyed it and thought Steven Soderbergh made the right decision by focusing on the virus and letting it be the true central character as we see it spread throughout different parts of the world and affect almost everyone in the same way. The virus and the fear combined together produced sufficient thrills for me despite the slow pace of the film, and I really enjoyed the script from Scott Z. Burns who had previously collaborated with Soderbergh and Matt Damon in the 2009 comedy The Informant. It`s very difficult to typecast director Soderbergh since he makes a wide variety of films and it`s almost impossible to compare his works due to the variety of his projects, but I would have to say Contagion is the most similar to his Oscar winning film Traffic due to all the multilayered plots that were going on. In Traffic the main character was the drugs, while in Contagion it`s the virus. Out of Sight remains my favorite Soderbergh film however.

The movie begins with Day 2 of the virus where we see a sick woman named Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) who is travelling from Chicago to Minneapolis. She had been on a business trip to Hong Kong but spent a few hours in Chicago. Once she arrives home, her husband Mitch (Matt Damon) finds her really ill and decides to take her to the hospital after she suffers a convulsion. Apparently some guy in Hong Kong died from similar symptoms, and so did someone in London, Japan, and Chicago. The virus seemed to have started somewhere in Hong Kong, but it is spreading all over the world. Some doctors in the U.S. Center for Disease Control decide to investigate what could have caused the deaths. Dr. Ellis Cheever (Lawrence Fishburne) is in charge of the investigation, and he sends Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet) to Minneapolis in order to try to pick up as much information as she can and see how Beth`s death could be related to the one in Chicago and across the globe. Erin has an interview with Mitch who seems to be immune, but he won`t take chances with his daughter Jory (Anna Jacoby-Heron) and overprotects her. Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle), who also works for the Center, is in charge of trying to find a vaccine or a cure. Meanwhile the World Health Organization decides to send one of their own to Hong Kong to try to point out where the virus could have begun. Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard) arrives to the populated city and begins her investigation with the help of a local named Sun Feng (Chin Han). Everyone is working against the clock as the virus continues to spread over the world at an alarming rate, and conspiracy theory-blog writer Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) doesn’t help control the chaos as he complains about the government working alongside pharmaceutical companies to make a profit.

There are so many different stories going on that it can be hard to track what is going on if you aren´t paying attention. Everything happens so fast, and the urgency has to do with how quick the virus begins to act and kill people. Many characters or stories get sidelined at times, but that is ok because the main character is the virus itself and it is everywhere. Soderbergh makes sure we get this point across by filming a lot of close up shots of people shaking hands or touching objects that someone else later picks up. The threat is eminent and everywhere. In a way Contagion is a disaster movie, but it is different from most films which usually tend to take an all-action approach or that focus on a few characters. In Contagion there are so many characters and stories going on that some don`t even get a resolution, but it is ok because we find a resolution to the main character: the virus. I know some might find this difficult to deal with and would have wished for the story to have focused on one character, but that isn`t the way Soderbergh works. The only downside to this is that some great actors such as John Hawkes, Marion Cotillard, Elliott Gould, and Bryan Cranston don`t get enough screen time and their talents seem underused. It really doesn’t matter because Contagion is a smart and entertaining thriller well worth a watch. 

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My Review: The Adjustment Bureau (9/10)

¨All I have are the choices I make, and I choose her, come what may.¨

Ever since Adam and Eve we`ve never liked to be told what to do, but what would happen if all our decisions were somehow manipulated by some sort of power to make us act in a certain way without us not even realizing it? In other words, we think we have free will and we believe we make our own choices, but what if someone was making small adjustments behind our backs to make sure we followed a certain path? Those are the questions The Adjustment Bureau raises in this science-fiction romantic movie. Rookie director, George Nolfi (known for writing Ocean`s Twelve and adapting the screenplay for The Bourne Ultimatum), does a great job at combining two unrelated genres such as science-fiction and romance and meshing them together to create this thought provoking film. The Adjustment Bureau is without a doubt the best romantic film I`ve seen this year (and I never expected to be saying this after watching the trailers for this movie). The film is actually based on a short story written by Phillip K. Dick (who is better known for his other short story ¨Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? ¨ which was adapted into a movie you might have heard of: Blade Runner). The movie is not perfect, but I enjoyed every second of it thanks to the great chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. There is just something about forbidden love that makes you root for both these characters because it somehow feels wrong that outside forces can be a factor in their lives. Any normal human being would understand that these two people were meant for each other.

Matt Damon plays a young politician named David Norris, running for Senator in New York. On election night while he is preparing his defeat speech he runs into Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) in the men`s restroom. There is a strong instant chemistry between them and they share a passionate kiss together, but are suddenly interrupted by security guards who were looking for Elise because she got caught crashing a wedding in the same building. David is so inspired by the kiss that he gives one of his best and most authentic speeches ever, but he can`t stop thinking of Elise. Everything isn’t what it seems and there are some mysterious people behind the scenes making sure everyone is following the right path. Richardson (John Slattery) and Harry (Anthony Mackie) have been following David everywhere and seem to know what decisions he is going to make and they try to manipulate them. We later find out that they work for a mysterious agency known as the Adjustment Bureau, who make adjustments in order to keep people on track so they won`t deviate from the intended plan. David and Elise are not intended to be with each other, it isn’t written on the books for them so Harry is ordered to keep him away from her so he will continue on the ¨right path.¨ Something goes wrong and the two meet again, only this time the agents have to make amends and end up telling David who they really are. David isn’t willing to go along with the plan because he believes in free will, so the agency has to bring out their big gun, Thompson (Terence Stamp), in order for the pair to break up. The question now is: can love conquer predestination?

The movie isn’t deep, but it does manage to leave you thinking quite a bit, and that is always a plus. This could be called the Inception for couples although it is a much lighter movie, but it is way better than most romantic films that have come out recently. It is original and intense. It also raises questions about free will, fate, soul mates, and predestination. We`d like to believe that all our decisions are based entirely on our free will, but even we admit that sometimes coincidences take place: for example we get on the wrong bus and run into someone we haven’t seen in a long time. The Adjustment Bureau claims these ¨accidents¨ are actually planned most of the time and they serve to keep their subjects on the right path in order to fulfill their purpose. David is willing to fight this system, like any other human would because we can`t accept the fact that our destinies are already predetermined. He discovers that love after all does conquer all things. The success of the movie doesn’t actually rely on trying to answer the question whether or not we control our destiny or if we are manipulated by outside forces, the true success of the film relies on the chemistry between Damon and Blunt. The two of them are great together, and the film worked better for me at this romantic level than it did with all the science fiction. I absolutely recommend this movie.

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My Review: Hereafter (6/10)

¨If you are afraid about being on your own, don`t be. You are not.¨

I´m a huge Clint Eastwood fan, but I have to admit that Hereafter is one of his weakest efforts. I expected a lot more from this movie which had Matt Damon teaming up again with him after Invictus, and it also had one of the best screenwriters working on the project. Peter Morgan has written screenplays for such great films as The Damned United, Frost/Nixon, The Queen, and The Last King of Scotland. Hereafter will definitely not rank among Eastwood, Damon, or Morgan`s best work. They are all very talented at what they do, but sometimes things don`t work out the way we expect them too. The movie begins with a lot of promise, but then it seems to drift all the way to the anticlimactic ending. Eastwood does take huge risks as a director, but this time it just didn`t work out for him like in his other projects. Hereafter tells three different stories about three characters that in some way or another have to deal with death. It`s not a bad film, I enjoyed Hereafter, especially the first half of the film, but I just hoped the three stories would have tied a little nicer than they actually did. The film lacked a climactic ending, and the most important scene actually takes place in the opening five minutes. This is my least favorite Eastwood film of the last ten years, and he has made plenty of them (Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Iwo Jima, Flags of Our Fathers, Changeling, Gran Torino, and Invictus). I still think Eastwood, who is now 80 years old, is one of the brightest and finest directors in Hollywood so all his films are worth checking out. He tries to leave an important underlying message in all of his films, and in Hereafter he tells us that there is more to life after death.

The movie opens with a French journalist named Marie Lelay (played by Cecile de France known for her role in the French horror film High Tension) who is on vacations in the eastern shores of Asia along with her boyfriend and producer Didier (Thierry Neuvic). While Marie is out on the streets buying some gifts for Didier`s boys a tsunami takes place destroying everything on its path. Marie is swept away by the wave only to be resurrected by some local fishermen. During the incident Marie experiences some sort of afterlife, but she can`t explain it very well. She decides to take some time off from her job and begin writing about her experience. The film then jumps to San Francisco where we are introduced to George (Matt Damon), a factory worker who used to work as a psychic. He is a true psychic who can communicate with the dead, but for him it is a curse unlike what his brother Billy (Jay Mohr) thinks that it`s a gift. Billy wants George to become a psychic again because he is really good at it, but George wants to stay away from that life because he has learned death isn`t fun to be around with. He spends his free time taking cooking lessons where he meets Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard) and an interesting friendship develops although his psychic abilities might get in the way. The third parallel story takes place in London and it centers around Marcus and Jason (Frankie and George McLaren), twins who have to take care of their alcoholic and drug addict mother. One day Jason suffers an accident and dies leaving Marcus on his own desperately trying to find a way to communicate with him. The three stories continue to develop until they overlap with each other.

Hereafter is a strong drama that really begins with a lot of promise, but as the movie continues to develop it starts to drag and the final connection between the three stories isn`t as strong to make the wait worth your while. The best part of the film is the opening scene with the tsunami. I liked the visuals, and the scene felt very real (especially after experiencing the recent tsunami in Japan and seeing all those real life images). Eastwood definitely hooks our attention with that opening, but then he loses us by the time we get to the final act because there is no climax. There is a lot to learn about life after death and this movie tries to explore it, but it doesn`t get to delve in too deep. The movie barely touches the surface of it and it focuses more on the drama and loneliness that each character goes through. By the end you feel like something was missing and that it could have had a more powerful ending considering the subject matter. When it comes to movies about death, I personally prefer films like Meet Joe Black, but I still don’t think Hereafter was as bad as many people considered it to be. It still works as a character driven drama and both Damon and De France give some strong performances. Eastwood still knows how to make good films, this one just isn`t up to par with the rest of his movies.

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