District 9 Review

For years I have been living in ignorance of what science fiction really is. Too long have I been brainwashed by crappy, less-than-intelligent blockbusters like Transformers, Terminator Salvation, and the overrated Star Trek reboot. Too long have I been fooled into thinking that this genre was a lost cause, a near corps gasping for air being pummeled by the near irrevocable bludgeoning of Michael Bay and other brainless, sorry excuses for directors. Too long have I thought this genre long past its golden days of glory. But as I walked out of "District 9" I knew that I had become cleansed of my sinful ignorance, I knew now what science fiction is meant to be like.

I think I was one of the few people who was actually looking forward to “District 9.” Ever since seeing the first trailer I was sold. After all, Peter Jackson filming (or rather supervising the filming of) aliens in South Africa, how much more information does one need? However, enough with my anticipation, I must digress. As it begins, The film lulls us in with its wildly original setting and mockumentary film style. 28 years ago an alien spaceship stopped over Johannesburg, South Africa. Through mock-interviews the film tells us that for months the ship stalled over the city, doing nothing, simply hovering. After some time, the South African government decided that if the aliens wouldn't come to them, they would go to aliens. However, nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to find. Cutting a hole in the ship, they discovered nearly a million filthy, starving aliens. Rehabilitation efforts were promptly started for the aliens, this of course included new food and shelter.
At first, the government relocated the aliens to the shanty suburbs of Johannesburg, but as alien and human cultures began to collide they realized that the aliens must be moved once again. To ease the process, the government hired a weapons corporation interested in the alien's technology to help concentrate them into the small area. Quickly, what was a rehabilitation process instead became ostracization. The shanty dedicated to the aliens became titled District 9 (no doubt a stab at the apartheid's District 6.)

However, “District 9” isn't about that, rather it is about a bureaucrat named Wikus Van de Merwe. Wikus most definitely does not come off as the type of character one would like. He's a skinny, scrawny, spineless, pencil pusher and neither the film nor Wikus himself tries to hide that fact. The most recent task appointed to this roach of a person is to once again move the aliens (or rather as the locals call them “prawns”) from their shanty in adjacent to Johannesburg to a new camp one hundred and fifty kilometers outside of the city. And on that note, “District 9” does a marvelous job in making us care for these poor creatures. On one hand, they're disgusting, insecticidal and well, alien. On the other hand, we can't help but sympathize with them because of the revolting life style they're forced into. However, there also seems to be those of them who are more sentient and capable. Needless to say, Wikus inadvertently gets mixed up with the more capable of them.

For the first half of the film we're expect explosions and gunfights, and I thank whatever gods there may be that “District 9” does not allow such foolishness. Instead it takes its time in easing us into the setting, saving the third act for action, and boy oh boy, what action! Not only is the action good as pure action, but the fact that we're actually attached to characters gives us a reason to care what's happening. In other words, the action doesn't exist purely for the sake of being there, it exists for the sake of engrossment. I won't go into the details of the action though, I'll let you be pleasantly surprised.

Overall “District 9” succeeds in being in a good film because of its wildly original premise and its sharp, gritty, and wonderfully executed drama and action sequences. If you like action movies you'll love it, if you can appreciate wildly original story you'll love it, and if you're a science fiction lover this movie will be like a breath of fresh air after having the gargantuan mess of Michael Bay's transformers pummeling your body.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Review

“To seek revenge may lead to hell, but everyone does though seldom as well.” This was one of the closing lyrics of the original Sweeney Todd play. It epitomized Sweeney's anger, passion, and vendetta. Some found Burton's adaptation for the screen inadequate and failing in comparison to the original play. However, I have seen both and I can say for myself that Burton's stylized recreation of Sweeney more than adequately displays this bloody and tragic tale of blurring justice with revenge.

The film begins, and we see a young and hopeful man staring off into a somber city and singing about it as if it was a paradise. Then Sweeney interjects, calling it a “a hole on the world” which the “vermin of the world inhabit.” At this moment, it would appear as if he was right, it certainly doesn't look anything the young man was purporting it to be. Sweeney then seems to trail off, speaking about a barber and his wife and as we enter his memory the city doesn't seem so dark any more. In his flashback it is quite a bright place filled with bright days, it is indeed a lovely life he had, and it was indeed a lovely wife he had as well. He talks fondly of her beauty and of their child. But then, he speaks of “another man who saw that she was beautiful. A pious vulture of the law, who with a gesture of his claw, removed the barber from his plate. Then there was nothing but to wait, and she would fall, so frail, so lost and oh so beautiful.” The young man asks what happened to the woman, Sweeney says he doubts if anyone should know. They dock and Sweeney leaves ship to go to a familiar place where he once was a happy man. However, he finds that he has nothing left their. A women named Mrs. Lovett tells him his wife had been raped by the corrupt judge that had sentenced him to prison and his daughter stolen by the same. At first, he falls apart. But then, he vows to seek revenge on the man who did this to him, and to make the corrupt city that allowed it suffer as well.

Burton indeed did a fine and meticulous job in creating this film. Due to practical purposes of course he had to cut out certain musical numbers and re mold a few character personalities. However, he forgets none of the vital passion that was captured by the play, if anything he enhances and extenuates it. Through highly stylized costume design and art direction he gives us a feel of the way Sweeney views London. The buildings are all gray and somber, the people all wear dark and drab clothing and nobody seems to be worthy of their own lives. However, in all this dreary darkness Burton doesn't forget a foil. Toby, Mrs. Lovett's young assistant, is an innocent and caution child who used to live in the infamous child workhouses. He inspires us to think that not all the city's inhabitance are as evil and fiendish and Sweeney makes them out to be. Anthony, the young man in the beginning, as well gives us reason to doubt Sweeney.

All of Burton's careful direction comes reinforced by a strong cast. Depp adds never before seen dimension to Sweeney. While his predecessors may have been equipped with more adequate singing voices, Depp's fury, passion, and sadness allows us to at times sympathize with Sweeney and at other moments despise him. Helena Bonham Carter plays the infamous Mrs. Lovett not as a arbitrarily evil hag, but rather as a strangely love-struck and obsessive woman. All these different aspects of the film come together and work in perfect harmony creating a compelling and delightfully gory Tim Burton masterpiece.

The Hurt Locker Review

As I popped “The Hurt Locker” into the DVD player I was anxious. “Is it really as good as everyone says it is?” “Will it live up too all the critical success it has received?” After watching the film, the answer was simple: yes. From the very beginning it grabs its audience by the face and pulls them into the high tension situations that its characters live in. Dragging us at high speeds though desiccated deserts and urban combat zones where almost anything can happen at anytime it both enthralls us and finds the time for good old fashion drama. Masterful director Kathryn Bigelow has created the best movie thus far about our war in the Middle East, possibly the best ever, however only time can tell that fact.

For those who do not already know the film’s premise, it follows the story of a bomb squad located in Afghanistan. The squad’s members consist of Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner), Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie), and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty.) However, looking at the sum of the film's scenes one may not be to consider it much of story at all. It is not that it is incomprehensible, in fact it is extremely pertinent, but it seems to buck general tradition of storytelling. There is no constant, long term goal in the minds of the characters. It has a definite protagonist but the film is much less than solely about him. If I had to describe it I may have to say that it is about three men’s reaction to war they are involved in, and I’m not talking about their political reaction. However, looking back on it I feel that Bigelow (or Boal) couldn’t have chosen a better method in presenting this film. The character’s lack of purpose beyond defusing bombs allows the film to thoroughly explore both their high tension environment and its effect on their minds.

Complimenting its ability to explore, the film’s three main characters all contrast wildly to give a wide variety of viewpoints and reactions to the war. For instance, Specialist Eldridge is convinced that he will die before his rotation is over, and thus he is extremely afraid (after all, if “so many people have died already why not ?” Sergeant Sanborn is also scared; however he faces his opposition with courage and extreme level headedness. Staff Sergeant James however, seems to lack any fear, or caution for that matter, of the world he lives in. In fact, he every minute of it relishes. There is a quote in the beginning of film explaining Staff Sergeant James: "The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug." This quote hangs true in every way for James.

On a more technical note, I found the film, and I have no doubt that others will as well, uncannily suspenseful. Note when I say this that I am not talking about ironically predictable trashy suspense, but rather true suspense. When you know something is going to happen, you just don’t know when and to whom it will happen to. Even at that, the film will sometimes give us and the characters a sigh relief. It addition to being thoroughly entertaining, it gloriously avoids a political bias. It does not possess thinly veiled monologues or irritating end credit statistics. It neither villanizes Afghanistan nor patronizes our troops. Rather, it simply gives us an unwavering glimpse into the lives of our soldiers.

Invictus Review

My primary fear as I walked into Invictus was that it would devolve from a story about a man desperately trying to bring his country together into a bland, simplistic feel-good-film about a sports team that almost didn’t win the State Championship, National Medal, World cup, ect. Needless to say, my sole reason to not be immediately repulsed when I first saw the trailers to this film was two simple words and one gorgeous name: Clint Eastwood. Who can say no to the man that brought us Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River, The Unforgiven and Letters From Iwo Jima? I know that I for one can’t.

Invictus gently engages its audience with cut scenes from various speeches by Mandela and numerous events that were happening throughout South Africa at the time. Slow in its initial pace, it finally comes around to Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) awaking to his 4:00 AM alarm, his first day as president. During his morning jog (not without his own variation of secret service of course) he comes across a stack of fresh newspapers saying “He can win an election. But can he lead a nation?” “First day on the job and they’re already trying to bring you down” one of his body guards complains, “It’s a legitimate question” Mandela justifies.

Just after the apartheid period, Mandela is all too aware of the plight his nation is still in. Distraught as to how he should try and bring his country as together as one, Mandela turns to one of the nation’s most popular sports: rugby.

Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of Mandela is captivating, perhaps Oscar-worthy; every bit of dialogue, every bodily movement shows Freeman’s embracement and immersion of his latest role. Accustomed to playing deep voiced commanding figures, this time around Freeman steps down from his mantle and embodies a man of true humility and absolute discipline. A man of few, simple, and yet eternally true words. I can recall a scene in which Mandela interferes with a community meeting of Springbok protesters. The protesters were demanding that the national rugby team, the Springboks, have the colors of their uniforms and name changed because they felt that those were representations of the not so long ago Apartheid Period. Interfering with the conference Mandela warned them “If we do this we become exactly what they feared …. We must learn forgiveness.” I felt that this scene, perhaps more than any other, showed Freeman’s complete and total understanding of Mandela’s frank, simple, urgent, and yet completely humble nature. However, less can be said about the other talents involved.

While watching the film I could feel none of Eastwood’s directorial talents at work, in fact I think much of the film rode on Freeman’s brilliant performance. For the man who had brought us just last year the emotionally wrenching story of Christine Collins I could see little emotional weight in this film, apart from a single scene in which the Springboks visit the island in which Mandela was once imprisoned.

The film also makes little us of another great talent: Matt Damon. While the scene in which he does speak are well done, as he sports an adequate accent, I feel that he wasn’t given much to say. Most of his scenes involve him looking out a window or at piece of paper while possessing a ponderous look on his face. The role could have been cast to almost any half-wit actor who could pull off a decent Afrikaner accent.

The entire film starts and ends predictably; its only merit besides Freeman’s aforementioned performance is the fact that it pulled it off without making me roll me eyes in frustration. Perhaps a biopic about Mandela’s lifetime would have better earned the title of “Invictus.”

Avatar Review

Nearly twelve years ago at the 70th annual Academy Awards Ceremony the great James Cameron proclaimed himself as King of the World at the Oscar pulpit (accepting his Oscar for best achievement in directing.) "Avatar" may not be his run for second term (but then again, you don't vote for kings do you?) but it’s still visually stunning and must see for movie geeks and general audiences alike.

Taking place in the year 2154 Avatar follows the story of Jake Sully, a paraplegic marine who's brother was recently murdered. However, just before he was murdered he was apparently working on a project that involved creating alien bodies for humans to inhabit via machine. However, there is a problem, for each alien body, or avatar, there can be only one person (or genetic match) to inhabit it. Sully's brother being dead and all the closest genetic match for his brother's avatar is, well, Sully.

The original goal of the project was to create ambassadors to negotiate the alien people of Pandora, more commonly known as the Knahvi, into moving from their home, a giant tree, to another area. The reason for this is because there is a precious, and very profitable, resource cache that is, you guessed it, under their giant tree.

Once Sully is upon Pandora the film is quick to establish each characters role. Sigourney weaver plays the hard bitten, cynical scientist who is dubious of Sully's capability to be anything but trouble (after all, he can't even speak the Knahvi's language.) She inevitably favors her nerdy understudy who can speak the language near perfectly and possess a PhD, however both seem to lack some characteristic the Knahvi treasure, therefore they could never be anything but outsiders. But fear not, Sully is bound to possess it (after all his character would be truly useless without it.) There is a clichéd minor character that is not worth description and two antagonists. The first antagonist is a professional corporate big shot, played by Giovanni Ribisi, who seems to lack any sort of humanity that goes beyond the dollar. Stephen Lang sports a professional military pain-in-the-asshole who seems to be completely unconvinced of the scientists’ ability to negotiate with the Knahvi, it other words he thinks the best ambassador is well aimed bullet. Both characters seemed to be bent of robbing the planet of everything beautiful, almost too bent. While watching the two my mind couldn’t help but think about the corporations in the short-lived “Captain Planet” series that seemed to produce nothing but toxic waste. Granted the characters weren’t that arbitrary, but they were damn near it.

Everything the film lacks because of its unoriginal storyline and characters it makes up in storytelling and visual effects. Let me rephrase that, the visuals in this film are something to behold. There were moments where I could just let go of the movie geek inside of me and just enjoy the breathtaking vistas and kick-ass action. While walking out of the theater I noticed my father was missing, walking back into the auditorium to get him I noticed him scanning the credits. “What are you doing?” I asked him “Looking for where it was filmed” he replied. “It wasn’t filmed anywhere really, its all computer generated” I explained “Really!” his eyes lit up in surprise. Racking my mind I still cannot find a better way to describe the visuals other than “Really!”

When it comes down to it, Avatar isn’t anything too special but is still a good film. Hardened movie goers will be able to spot plot devices and story turns from a mile away. It pushes no envelopes beyond the visual effects spectrum and only reaffirms the obvious, that James Cameron is more of a storyteller than storywriter.