It’s a bold statement for sure but once more people begin seeing this film, the buzz will only continue to grow. This is because not only is this one of the most inventive sci-fi/dramas out there but it is also extremely relevant. It takes a premise we are all too familiar with in ‘alien encounter’ movies and turns it on its head and focuses on a likely outcome. We fear the unknown and live in a world where the notion is continually forced upon us (thanks media). So, if aliens ever deem us worthy of a visit, we shouldn’t immediately give in to our initial (artificial) instincts.
As many social studies would suggest,” the more diversity, the less trust”. However, this concept doesn’t necessarily ring true for most people lucky enough to obtain a college education as universities are a breeding ground for lateral thinking and diversity. Still, the media continues to propagate fear. After all, to them it’s just ratings. Now, when you take into consideration these and other global perspectives in the light of an alien arrival, we are bound to think the worst.
With that, “Arrival” is a cautionary tale as well as a provocative, endearing one. We follow a Linguistics professor, Louise Banks (Amy Adams), as she is brought aboard a military team to try to understand the aliens, that have parked in 12 different locations across the globe. As you may have guessed, the world reacts in fear and uncertainty, especially when we cannot find a means to actually communicate with them.
As Louise begins to understand the aliens’ visual communication, many other nations (that were initially working together to understand their arrival) have their own interpretations which prompts the threat of a global war. So, to say that Louise has a closing window in which she has to understand the aliens is an understatement.
Louise is also assisted by theoretical physicist, Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), as they make way with understanding the true nature of the extra terrestrials. They have to work with a military unit that also seems divided in their own right.
We also begin to understand the tragedy that has befallen Louise’s character as she wrestles with the loss of her daughter in seemingly sporadic visions she obtains when communicating with the aliens. Suffice it to say, the narrative we are given is not what it seems.
You see, on one hand the film captures the global zeitgeist of our times with such a monumental event and the other gives a macro approach to the human condition. With that, the story is relevant and captures how our lives are but moments that are worth cherishing.
If I had to liken the tone of the film, it would be similar to “Jaws” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” in how tension is brought about. Everything in the film has purpose although it may not initially seem the case. This is a very carefully made film and one that should be praised and judged with the likes of “Blade Runner” and “Children of Men” (horribly underrated).
I should also mention that the production of this is incredible but it isn’t excessive (see: most any Michael Bay movie). The story is the emphasis in this ‘thinking persons sci-fi film’. My gosh, Amy Adams. Not enough can be said for her. She is killing it. I believe she is this generations Meryl Streep. Her performance here is incredible and the same can be said for her co-stars: Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker (who had a strange accent in the movie), Michael Stuhlbarg, and Tzi Ma.
You cannot sum up this movie but I’ll attempt to. “Arrival” is a thought provoking sci-fi/drama that mirrors the world today while also showcasing how it is better to love than to not love at all.
The film is directed by the visionary Denis Villeneuve (“Sicario”, “Prisoners”). To think that this is the guy that is directing the upcoming “Blade Runner” sequel, “Blade Runner: 2049” has me very optimistic.
My bet is that the film will be nominated for Best Picture. I cast doubt on the academy actually picking it to win just because of its history focusing on straight up dramas. If they were smart, they’d look into “Arrival” as it captures what many people are deeply feeling.
Grade: A+
The film can now be seen at your local theaters.
Note: The 2017 Oscars will be on February 26, 2017 for those planning/anticipating.
Not to be confused with the underrated Charlie Sheen film “The Arrival” (1996), this upcoming film follows an elite team that attempts to investigate alien spacecraft that show up all over the world. The team is led by a linguist expert (Amy Adams) as she tries to understand the aliens on a different level while everyone else seems to be embroiled in their own paranoia.
Check out the trailer!
A reason to be excited about this film is its director – Denis Villeneuve. He is responsible for the superb films “Prisoners” and “Sicario”. The story is based on “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chang and also features other top notch actors – Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film is going to be screened at the Venice Film Festival before it is set for theatrical release on November 11, 2016.
Sometimes what’s old continues to be new again. This is in large part to the overall framework of the beloved science fiction drama series. Although Hollywood seems to be short on ideas (see constant reboots/remakes), I had to welcome a return to The X-Files. The reason for this lays in the shows themes. To ‘fight for the truth’ means attempting to answer all of the mysteries that still lay in our minds. As the ‘X-Files’ department ventures into the unknown, they come across a huge variety of cases. What makes this great for television is that there are so many things to discover. It is hard for the show to grow old when utilizing this formula (this is the same rationale for the upcoming Tales from the Crypt remake TV series coming this fall). Sometimes we just all want to believe, whether this will confirm our personal beliefs or reinsert our own suspicions.
It was 2002 and I was just graduating high school when The X-Files had ended its nine seasons. You can say I’ve always been a fan of the show but I cannot help to think that there have been so many things that have happened since – technology (internet and social media), golden renaissance of TV (The Sopranos), the battle for information transparency (Edward Snowden/Julian Assange), and heightened paranoia due to perceived threats to our own security (post 9/11). When the mini-series was announced last year, I was giddy with excitement due to the fact that we still need a show that attempts to answer existential questions. If there is any closely related show to The X Files that helped capture audience’s imagination and/or curiosity it would be The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits. Frankly, we need shows like The X-Files. Perhaps, that is why so many people are excited for the show’s return, although it’ll only be a 6 part mini-series.
The pilot episode sets up the show nicely in that it gives you a brief explanation of where Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) have been all these years and how they maintain a limited relationship. We have a backstory that takes place in 1947 Roswell, New Mexico and parallels with a case of a woman claiming she has been abducted by aliens in the present. One of Mulder’s contacts happens to be an army doctor that was on site during the Roswell incident and is only able to lead Mulder in the right direction but not give him any concrete answers. Suffice it to say, there is a larger conspiracy at work involving ‘they’ having devious plans to further the human race (at any means necessary).
While the show proposes many theories (examples: see Mulder’s theory on how aliens were brought to Earth via hydrogen bombs going off or O’Malley’s (Joel McHale) theory that digital money will be erased), it will still manage to provoke us into researching these seemingly ridiculous claims. What I found profound, in a way, was how Mulder explicitly states that he is not a believer but that he ‘wants to believe’. This is how the fans of the show really feel. We are brought into this world of the unknown and can’t help to think that there is something larger than us.
As the pilot (titled “My Struggle”) did a solid job of laying the foundation to start the show, the 2nd episode (titled “Founder’s Mutation”) feels a lot more like the original series in that the X-Files have been reopened, Mulder and Scully are back to working together and they continue to hunt down seemingly unconnected, phenomenal cases. What is different this go around is the sub plot of the child Mulder and Scully once raised together. We get a different sense of who they are in juxtaposition to where they are currently in their lives. It’s a nice sub plot that will likely serve as one of the arcs of the series, along with those persistent ‘they’ people meddling with everyone’s lives.
The first episode of the series was watched on Sunday (1/24/2016) by 13.5 million people and the 2nd episode (1/25/2016) had monster ratings (especially with a different time slot) at 9.5 million people. The rest of the episodes will air on Mondays at 8/7c. The series is once again created by Chris Carter. Carter writes and directs individual episodes along with James Wong, Darin Morgan, and Glen Morgan.
The miniseries has a lot of ground to cover but let’s be realistic, they cannot answer every question or create that perfectly formed next chapter every fan has in their heads. There is simply too much ground to cover as too much has happened since 9/11. We live in a different world and this ‘season 10’ of The X Files is a hybrid of what came before and the radically different times we now live in.
I highly recommend this for any X-Files fan. Why is this just a miniseries now?!
Sequels seem to be more and more ubiquitous these days but never really amounting to the first film in which they are based. In this edition, I’m attempting (not loosely) to point out the rare occurrences where a sequel does actually improve upon the original (or is just as good).
Franchises are built on solid foundations where it ‘should’ make sense to expand upon a story (love it or hate it but Hollywood is a business that needs to sustain itself). Whether you are the type of person that thinks Rocky is better than Rocky II (you’re wrong by the way) or the one who’ll fight that Terminator 2 is the ultimate sequel, this list should probably piss you off. (Sorry, you won’t find any Air Bud sequels here!)
14. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Hail HYDRA!!
I absolutely adore this film. So far, this is my favorite of the Marvel films (ok, tied with Guardians of the Galaxy) and a far cry from the crazy boring first installment, Captain America: The First Avenger. Steve Rogers tries to adjust to modern times and after an attack on a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague, is forced to evade the government that once supported him. This event brings Rogers to try to expose a conspiracy while a new threat emerges with the Winter Soldier.
The film is full of action, cool supporting characters (Black Widow and The Falcon), and a bad ass villain in Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce. A must see for any super hero movie aficionado.
13. Before Sunset
Celine: Memory is a wonderful thing if you don’t have to deal with the past.
Most are not aware of the insightful relationship drama, Before Sunrise. No, that’s not a fancy way of me saying ‘chick flick’. Actually, the films, which all three were directed by Richard Linklater (you may remember him for Boyhood and School Rock), chronicle two people with their chance encounter that would go on to define their future lives. I must admit that this film isn’t for everyone but it comes across as a very organic, very real exploration of life and love. The three films that comprise the series include: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight. The reason I mention this 2nd film in the series is because it involved a difficult decision between two people that loved each other but find it almost impossible to be together.
12. Evil Dead 2
Ash: ….Groovy.
I will say that this film is extremely similar to the original but with a bigger production and tighter story telling. Ash is again battling demons (not figuratively….well, maybe) at a secluded cabin as his girlfriend becomes possessed by evil spirits from the Book of the Dead. This is hilarious a lot of the time while also leaving room for you to be a little creeped out. Bruce Campbell (Ash) is perfectly cast and owns this movie (and the one that came after – Army of Darkness). Now that we’re on the topic, Bruce Campbell is set to reprise his role in the Ash vs. the Evil Dead TV series on the Starz Channel on Halloween this year.
11. Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn
James T. Kirk: KHAN!!! (echo) KHAN!!! (echo)
Two of Starfleet’s officers are kidnapped by Kahn, an enemy Kirk never thought he’d never see again. This sets up an intergalactic battle that will have dire consequences. Khan, as you may know, is a genetically modified superman that blames Kirk for the death of his wife (as Kirk exiled Khan and his supermen 15 years prior for attempting to take control of the Enterprise). Kirk exiled Khan and company to the planet Ceti Alpha V but later its ecosystem collapsed. This sets up a battle that involves a Genesis device that reorganizes matter to create habitable worlds for colonization.
With most feeling that the first film in the franchise, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, was a letdown, filmmakers booted series creator, Gene Roddenberry, from production and built a new script (that was completed in 12 days) for the sequel. The rest, as they say, is history as ‘The Wrath of Kahn’ remains one of the most treasured of the film series.
10. Spider-Man 2
[man steps into elevator. Spider-man is in the elevator]
Elevator Passenger: Cool Spidey outfit.
Spider-Man: Thanks.
Elevator Passenger: Where did you get it?
Spider-Man: I made it.
[pause]
Elevator Passenger: Looks uncomfortable…
Spider-Man: Yeah, it’s kind of itchy…
[pause]
Spider-Man: …and it rides up in the crotch a little bit, too.
This sequel doesn’t seem to get enough credit. Everyone seems to be focused on the latest Spider-Man movie. In this outing, things seem to be on the up and up for Peter Parker until Dr. Otto Octavius has an experiment go horribly wrong, leaving him to blame Spidey for his shortcomings. Just as this begins to happen, Peter starts to have complications with his girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson, and best friend, Harry Osborn (who also blames Spidey for his father’s demise). Peter tries to hold onto his personal life (and his super powers) while fending off Doctor Octopus and his tentacles from causing havoc in the city.
9. The Road Warrior
Humungus: I am gravely disappointed. Again you have made me unleash my dogs of war.
Aka Mad Max 2 for all you unfamiliar with the popular franchise on which this last summer’s blockbuster quasi-sequel was based. After avenging the death of his family, Max heads out into the post-apocalyptic world where he comes across a peaceful group of people with oil that he plans to steal. Max ends up becoming their reluctant leader against a band of baddies led by Humungus. Full of action and a sweeping desolate environment to scope out, this remains one of the classics and definitely improves upon the original. This is my favorite in the series (that includes the newest one as well). Some complained that the newest, Mad Max: Fury Road, didn’t have much plot but they failed to remember the originals. The plot was bare as the emphasis was in the action for some straight up visceral entertainment.
8. Rocky II
Rocky Balboa: It’s Apollo.
Mickey: Who were you expecting?
Rocky Balboa: I was hoping he wouldn’t show
Yes, the first Rocky won Academy Awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Film Editing but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better than its sequel. When people think of Rocky, they immediately think of either the elaborate training sequences and/or the inspirational sequences. All of these can be found in the sequels rather than the original. Remember Rocky running up the stairs with all of his followers jumping up and down? Remember him chasing the chicken as part of a training regime that Mickey incorporated? Let’s not forget that Rocky actually defeated Apollo this time around!
7. Superman II
Clark Kent: General, would you care to step outside?
General Zod: Come to me, son of Jor-El, kneel before Zod!
Although Superman: The Movie will forever be a classic, this sequel has all the charm of the first film plus a lot more action. Clark Kent reveals himself (his identity sickos!) to Lois Lane as Superman and even goes as far as throwing away his super powers and becoming human for her. Although not explicitly stated, one has to assume he did this so that he could make “the love” without killing her (with his super strength and speed) and so that he could procreate I guess? Getting sidetracked, the movie has some great and ridiculous scenes that include: a potentially fatal arm wrestling match, the storm on the White House, Superman throwing a giant ‘S’ shield at Non, a teleportation game, and the kneeling before Zod scene.
The film was already in the middle of shooting when Warner Bros. decided to play switcheroo with the Director’s chair and replaced legend Richard Donner (Superman: the Movie, Lethal Weapon series) with Richard Lester (Superman III, The Three Musketeers). Fortunately, the story was mostly finished and what was left just needed to be shot. If you’ve seen Superman III, the tone deviates from the first two greatly. You can thank Lester for that.
6. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Luke: All right, I’ll give it a try.
Yoda: No. Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try.
After the destruction of the Death Star, Luke Skywalker, Leia and Han Solo continue to fight the Galactic Empire. Luke begins his training by Jedi Master Yoda (awesome!), while Vader captures Han Solo and Princess Leia. Luke must make a difficult decision and is eventually pitted in a duel with Darth Vader where he reveals (SPOILER ALERT!) that he is his father.
Not only does this space opera/western film raise the emotional stakes, it also has a ton of great one-liners and puts forth more interesting, supporting characters (Boba Fett, Lando, and Jabba the Hut).
5. Aliens
Ripley: Get away from her, you bitch!
Come on. Did you really think this wouldn’t make the list? It really is hard to improve on the masterpiece of Alien, but an early James Cameron would be the man to do it. Cameron was coming off the success of The Terminator at the time and even wrote the screenplay for Aliens. In this story, Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is found by a group of marines and later comes to a spaceship that has all but one survivor left. It is high tech weapons against a colony of aliens. Bad assery and Lance Henricksen!
More recently, it was announced that a spin off from this film was being worked on by Neill Blomkamp. Don’t hold your breath though as that isn’t supposed to hit screens until 2018.
4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The Terminator: I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.
Cigar Biker: You forgot to say please…
A considerable upgrade from the original, T2 takes us on a thrill ride that still leaves its mark today. Not only do we have great special effects but we also have excellent action sequences with an even more engaging storyline. A T800 machine (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back in time to protect John Connor so that there can still be a resistance to the machines in the future. Meanwhile, a T1000 (Robert Patrick) machine is sent back in time to kill John Connor. This time around, we get more colorful, supporting characters that helps build the mythology of what the other, terrible sequels will later be based off of. T2 is a lot of great things but more than anything, it was a game changer.
3. The Dark Knight
Joker: You wanna know how I got these scars?!
A simple response to the deranged Joker would be “no”. This would likely be at the expense of your life though. Many tout (what a weird word) this as the ultimate Batman film and some may go as far to say this is the best sequel ever. I actually tend to like Batman Begins more so than I did this film. However, it isn’t by much. As ‘Begins’ is about Bruce overcoming his fears, the sequel challenges his morality (directly by The Joker). Don’t even pretend that The Dark Knight Rises stands shoulder to shoulder with these films.
You can’t deny the pure brilliance in The Dark Knight and even though I side with its predecessor (I’m more interested in how he became Batman), they are both on the same level in terms of story, performances and direction.
2. Godfather II
Michael Corleone: I knew it was you, Fredo! You broke my heart!
Yeah, yeah. You’ve likely heard of this movie as the best sequel of all time. It is almost inconceivable that a sequel to a masterpiece would be on par with its original but God gave us Godfather II. The two are about equal in my book. I actually liked Godfather III but it cannot be compared to the first two and definitely isn’t a masterpiece. Anyways, this time around we see the rise of a young Don Corleone (played by Bob Deniro – see how I call him Bob as if I have a personal relationship with him?) as a ‘righteous gangster’ and the fall of his son, Michael Corleone (played by Al “pre- Who ah!” Pacino).
The contrast between father and son is most interesting. Both are living in different times and were brought upon their worlds by different means – Don made himself in Hell’s Kitchen circa 1917 and Michael inherited his father’s ‘legitimate’ business upon his father and brother’s deaths. Both this and the original examine morality while in the mafia. As you are likely to guess, the mafia doesn’t exactly harbor the most noble of intentions.
1. Goldfinger
James Bond: Do you expect me to talk?
Auric Goldfinger: No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!
Ah yes, the quintessential Bond. There are a lot of good James Bond movies and a lot of bad. This film happens to be one of the very best and I’ve seen them all. Many of the stereotypes of Bond began in Goldfinger including pre-credit sequences that have nothing to do with the main storyline, peculiar henchmen, gadgets and a larger scope budget (taking Bond all over the world). Goldfinger saw James Bond take on Aurich Goldfinger and his gold smuggling business. He comes to find out that Goldfinger plans to contaminate Fort Knox and its gold so that his own gold would go up in value. Perhaps Sean Connery will forever be known as the best overall Bond but maybe it was also because the ‘formula’ to Bond started with him as well.
The reason this film is at the top of the list is because how influential it was, not just with its own series of films but other films that followed its formula (Mission Impossible series, Bourne Identity series). Even stereotypes of ‘spy’ films have much to thank for in the Bond franchise, particularly Goldfinger.
Fun fact: Goldfinger was the first Bond film to receive an Academy Award (Sound Effects Editing).
Honorable Mention
Back to the Future II
Doc: The time-traveling is just too dangerous. Better that I devote myself to study the other great mystery of the universe: women!
Look, I love this movie just like anyone else but feel that the movie does not live up to the original and definitely does not exceed it. Sure, it’s relevant this year because 2015 is the year Marty and Doc Brown traveled to in the sequel and we tend to do a lot of reflecting on what technology has sprouted in the film versus what has come forth in reality. This is a good film but not worthy of this list.
The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron – The box office smash sequel pits the Avengers against a one-dimensional villain. This has moments of awesome but mostly settles as a bloated super hero movie. Full review here.
October 6th
Magic Mike XXL – Channing Tatum and pals bare it all…again. McConaughey decided to focus on better movies and does not appear in this oversized sequel. Elizabeth Banks, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, and Jada Pinkett Smith co-star.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – This is a movie about two aspiring, young filmmaker friends that end up making a film for a girl that has leukemia. They learn more about their friendship and the fragility of life. The cast includes Hugh “Wolverine” Jackman, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation), Molly Shannon (SNL alum) and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, upcoming 2nd season of Daredevil).
Manglehorn – A dramedy about a locksmith (Al Pacino) that has trouble living in the present. Can we just get a The Devil’s Advocate sequel already?! Pacino seems to be wasting time on these cutesy movies that have a limited audience. Anyways, the movie focuses on how this locksmith mopes through life in a small Texas town and lives in his tragic, lovelorn past when he desperately needs to change his present. The movie is directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Your Highness) and co-stars Holly Hunter.
Insidious: Chapter 3 – In this prequel, a girl tries to contact her late mother so she recruits a reluctant psychic with grave results. For some reason Dermot Mulroney is in this. Why? Rotten Tomatoes: 53%.
Road Hard – This comedy follows a character named Bruce Madsen, a successful actor/comedian, who decides to change things up and go back to his roots and perform in the comedy club circuit. Things don’t turn out as expected which forces Bruce (played by Adam Carolla) to reevaluate his career. This sounds like an auto-biographical snooze fest! Anyways, the movie co-stars David Koechner (Anchorman, Waiting).
Batkid Begins – This follows a five year-old boy, suffering from leukemia that gets a chance to be Batman for a day via the Make a Wish foundation.
10,000 Saints – A group of smugglers learn the hard price of growing up and the value of family in the backdrop of 1980s New York City. The cast includes Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Gattaca) , Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game, Hugo) , Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door), and Emily Mortimer. There may be a reason this was released direct to video.
Dark Places – From the author of Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) comes a story about a woman (Libby) trying to run away from her tragic past and her brother, who she blames for murdering the rest of her family. She is then contacted by a group that specializes in unsolved cases. Libby (played by Charlize Theron) must decide if she wants to accept the past or truly find the killer responsible. This movie came and went in theaters. The movie co-stars Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass), Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men). It holds a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. Proceed with caution!
Escobar: Paradise Lost – Nick and his brother move from Canada to Colombia during the 1980s to set up a surf shop. There, Nick falls for Maria, who happens to be the niece of Pablo Escobar. Things get worse from there as Nick is recruited to stash away Escobar’s assets before he serves a jail sentence. I’m slightly interested in this but I have to say that Narcoson Netflix deals primarily with Escobar’s rise/fall and that seems a lot more interesting. This film features Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, upcoming Sicario) as Escobar and co-stars Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games).
Final Girl – Veronica is new in town and becomes a target for a group of boys who hunt and kill women in the woods for sport. The tables are turned when Veronica is actually a trained assassin. Abigail Breslin (Ender’s Game, Maggie) stars alongside Wes Bentley (that creepy video recorder dude from American Beauty, bearded weirdo in The Hunger Games).
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief – This is a riveting documentary that chronicles the rise of the Church of Scientology and the followers and defectors that provide insight into the often shocking inner workings of the fastest growing church. Archival footage and interviews with current and former members (that include many Hollywood stars – Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Paul Haggis, etc.) make this a documentary worth catching. My full review is here.
People Places Things – Flight of the Concords alum, Jermaine Clement, stars in this comedy about a happily married professor with two kids that deals with the affair between his friend and his wife. He finds out that the single life with kids isn’t what he was expecting. I happen to enjoy Clement’s sense of humor and may give this a go.
Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! – Talk about beating a dead horse. That wasn’t a request. Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210) and Tara Reid (American Pie) try to hold onto their careers in the popular, purposefully bad SyFy original movie. The outlandish, most once famous cast includes: Frankie Muniz, Bo Derek, David Hassehoff and Mark Cuban (as the President). You know what’s better than a purposefully bad movie? An unintentionally bad movie. See: The Room, Birdemic: Shock and Terror.
What We Did On Our Holiday – As Gordy nears his 75th Birthday, his son and his family decide to visit him in Scotland. Things go awry when his son’s kids are brutally honest and are unable to keep any secrets, which makes an already awkward family trip more awkward. The film stars David Tennant (Doctor Who), Billy Connolly, and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl).
October 13th
San Andreas – Hey, what’s shakin’?! Well, the Rock of course! This is an epic destruction movie for people that enjoy flashy special effects and a sub-par story or…..they just go for the Rock. I don’t blame them. Believe it or not, the movie co-stars Carla Gugino (Watchmen) and Paul Giamatti (Sideways).
Tommorowland – This film probably had the most promise this summer but was an utter disappointment. The marketing was interesting and the director, Brad Bird, has had nothing but success with his earlier films: The Incredibles, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Iron Giant. Check out a full review here.
The Gallows – A group of high school students try to put on a play that failed twenty years earlier and resulted in the death of a student, Charlie. The event is meant to be cathartic for the town on the anniversary of Charlie’s death, but a group of students sabotage the production to help the lead actor avoid stage fright. The group’s actions have grave consequences as Charlie’s story isn’t finished. This story is actually more elaborate than more horror films but still sounds boring.
Dope – We follow a high school student named Butler (Blake Anderson) who tries to stay on the straight and narrow amongst a town (Inglewood, CA) that would rather get by on dealing drugs and making easy money. Butler has aspirations of going to Harvard and leaving the city behind but is tested one night at a party. Lenny Kravitz’s daughter, Zoe Kravitz, costars.
October 20th
Jurassic World – Doctor John Hammond’s future dinosaur world is realized twenty two years later in Jurassic World. Just as any company would do if public interest were waning, they need to innovate new ways to attract people across the world. Of course, if your company happens to be a giant dinosaur zoo, innovation can spell doom in the form of a genetically modified dinosaur, the Indominus Rex. The movie is a lot of fun if you don’t think too much about the story. Check out my full review here.The movie stars Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Guardians of the Galaxy), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village), and Jake Johnson (New Girl, Let’s Be Cops).
Paper Towns – A high school student, Quentin, has always pined for Margo his entire life and when she breaks into his house asking for his help in a revenge plot, he agrees. After their adventure, Margo has disappeared from their school but not without leaving clues for Quentin to follow that will end up changing how he really feels for her. This is based off the book of the same name by author John Green (who also wrote The Fault in Our Stars). The film stars up and comer, Cara Delevingne (upcoming Suicide Squad) and Nat Wolff. You’d have to drag me to see a movie like this. Quirky, romantic movies irritate me because they are highly unrealistic yet pretend they aren’t.
Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ – I don’t usually cover Japanese anime movies but I guess I’m always a little fond of the Dragon Ball Z tv show (when it aired on Cartoon Network back in the day). This details how big baddie, Frieza, is back after falling to Goku’s Super Saiyan years ago. Frieza is hell bent on revenge, even without an actual body. It’s up to Goku and Vegeta to work together. I’d probably save this for hung over Sunday mornings (before football of course).
The Vatican Tapes – Two Vatican priests are out to exorcise a woman believed to be possessed by the Anti-Christ. They must work to save her soul and for humanity…blah..blah…This uninspired movie stars Dougray Scott (MI: 2), Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) , and Michael Pena (Ant-Man). Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%.
Testament of Youth – Alicia Vikander (Ex-Machina) and Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) star in this World War I drama. Vera Brittain (Vikander) postpones her studies to become a nurse as her loved ones, including Harrington head to war. Brittain later becomes a writer, feminist, and pacifist. The film doesn’t sound that interesting but is getting decent reviews. Rotten Tomatoes: 81%.
Z for Zachariah – This tale centers on a lone female survivor (Margot Robbie) of the apocalypse and the last two known men alive (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine) who try to court for her affections. The three must find a way to work together in order to survive. So, it seems that this is about how two dudes wanna do it with Robbie. I don’t blame them. What if the movie casted Amy Schumer instead of Margot Robbie? I believe both men would rather roam the Earth looking for another lady.
I Spit on Your Grave 3: Vengeance is Mine – Jennifer is a girl that is just trying to overcome the torture she’s experienced and live a normal life. When one of Jennifer’s friends is murdered and those responsible escapes, she turns on revenge mode while the rest of the city erupts with rapists and serial killers. Pass!
The Wolfpack – This is a documentary that follows six brothers that live the majority of their lives in a New York apartment. They rely on movies in order to understand the real world. They all reenact scenes of their favorite movies. As the brothers get older, they desire interactions with the real world and everything begins to change when one of them runs away. Sounds like this may be worth checking out.
October 27th
Pixels – Adam Sandler is trying to fart on the box office again with this sad attempt at appealing to the thirty something group that relishes arcade games. The story involves how aliens receive golden age transmissions of video games being played, interpret the message as the real thing and declare war on Earth in the form of well-known classic games that include Donkey Kong and Pac Man. The President enlists his childhood friend, Sandler, to beat the aliens at their own game. He also enlists a rag tag group that includes Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, and Kevin James. The film is directed by Chris Columbus (the 1st two Harry Potter movies).
Southpaw – Jake Gyllenhaal gains a ton of muscle to play a left handed boxer who must overcome the death of his wife. After much inner turmoil and with the fate of his relationship with his daughter at stake, he must climb out and be the best boxer he can be so he can be the best father he can be. The movie received mixed reviews but I wouldn’t mind renting this. I mean, it’s Gyllenhaal and after his performance in Nightcrawler, I expect a solid performance.
The Gift – A husband and wife (Simon and Robin) move into a new home and run into an old acquaintance, Gordo, of Simon’s from high school. The couple accepts a gift of wine and invites him to their house for dinner. Gordo begins to leave more gifts and starts to stalk Robin while she’s home alone. Simon tries to tell Gordo that he is not welcome only then to be threatened by a 25 year old secret about Simon. The movie stars Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Rebecca Hall (The Town) and Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Exodus: Gods and Kings). The film is also the directorial debut of Joel Edgerton. I really wanted to see this film but had scheduling conflicts. The film has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’ll be sure to rent this.
Max – This is supposed to be an uplifting family drama/adventure that centers around a military dog named Max. After Max’s handler, Kyle, is killed, he is then returned to Kyle’s family and ends up helping them heal from their loss. Thomas Haden Church (Sideways), Lauren Graham (Bad Santa), and Robbie Amell (Flash) star.
The Human Centipede III: The Final Sequence – The outrageous idea of a singular digestive system through multiple people is expanded upon in this latest installment from the Dutch filmmaker, Tom Six. This time, they are attempting to utilize 500 people (which are being sewn together a$$ to mouth) to create the largest, singular digestive system the world has ever known. The creepy actor from the original film, Dieter Laser, reprises his role as the crazed doctor. The movie even co-stars Eric Roberts (Best of the Best, The Dark Knight). Not for the easily grossed out.
Yup. That is the new title, which director Ridley Scott revealed while doing press for his other upcoming feature The Martian (which is set to hit theaters October 2nd). The ‘Paradise Lost’ portion of the new title refers to John Milton’s famous poem about the fall of man. Paradise should also refer to where the Engineers (from Prometheus) come from. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and the android, David (Michael Fassbender) were last seen leaving the planet in search of where the Engineers come from. Being that the Engineers created us, logic goes to show that their world is a sort of heaven, or paradise.
Ridley Scott went on to state that the sequels title is such because “we’re heading back to why and how and when the beast was invented. We’ll go back into the back door of the very first Alien that I did thirty years ago.”
Specific scene (that seemed slightly out of place) in Prometheus:
Shaw’s Father: Everyone has their own word; heaven, paradise. Whatever it’s called, it’s someplace beautiful.
Young Shaw: How do you know it’s beautiful?
So, this is likely a hint that the planet that the Engineers are from is not necessarily a ‘paradise’ in the strictest sense of the word.
Alien: Paradise Lost looks to have new creatures, including the Engineer/alien hybrid (which is being called “The Deacon”) that was seen towards the end of Prometheus. The film will begin shooting in February of 2016 for a 2017 theatrical release.
This isn’t the only ‘Alien’ film to go before cameras as it was previously announced that Neill Blomkamp was developing his own film, Alien 5, which would take place after Aliens and focus on Ripley’s character. I should also note that since Ridley Scott is producer on both the Prometheus movies and Blomkamp’s Alien 5 (or whatever you wanna call it), that the Prometheus movies are getting priority over Blomkamp’s. The plan is likely to shoot Alien 5 in 2017 for a 2018 release.
Two giant summer blockbusters make their way to this edition of Cinematic Showdown. One basically catapulted a career while saving the world and the other made us believe a rag tag group of oil drillers could prevent worldwide destruction. These movies also went on to solidify the careers of their directors. When one thinks of big action movies, there are two directors that stick out – Michael Bay and Roland Emmerich. Are you not familiar with them outside of this article’s title? Fear not!
Roland Emmerich: The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, Stargate, 10,000 BC, Universal Soldier
Michael Bay: Transformers (all of them), Bad Boys, Pearl Harbor, The Island, The Rock
Let it be known that I do not like many of these directors’ films but you cannot deny their level of talent when it comes to utter destruction, chaos, and explosions. Hell, that’s probably how they pitch all of their movies.
Check out this funny little South Park segment with Michael Bay pitching a movie:
The factors this time around are:
Story
Performances
Iconic/Pop Culture Significance
Rotten Tomatoes (a critical consensus)
Box Office Results
Story
Independence Day – The entire world is brought to a standstill once UFOs start springing up in major cities all over the world. As humans debate the reason for their presence, they are attacked with giant laser beams that blow up every iconic landmark in the world.
Let us not forget that it was America (Murica!) that was the first to figure out how to stop the aliens. Moreover, it was Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum who took out the mother ship with a cold (computer virus).
“Welcome to Earth!” – Will Smith as he punches alien in Independence Day
Armageddon –NASA comes to learn that a giant asteroid (the size of Texas –of course) is heading to wipe out humankind. NASA also comes to learn that they do not have any contingency plan to save the Earth so they recruit oil drillers. Enter blonde haired Bruce Willis and his crazy group of drillers. Together, with another group of actual astronauts, they rush through space training and then into actual space to stop a loud, unstable asteroid (BS science).
Filled with funny characters and a slightly overbearing love story, the film remains one for the books (Toddlers Who Love ‘Splosions!).
Who has the edge?Independence Day. There was simply a better written story with fleshed out characters and a payoff that united the entire world against those damn aliens. When Willis sacrifices himself in Armageddon, it’s to play to our affections but I have a hard time caring about a reluctant hero, who at the beginning of the film was chasing Affleck around an oil rig attempting to shoot him with a shotgun for sleeping with his daughter. Sorry, I shouldn’t have spilled the beans but the rules should be limited to five years after a movie has come out. In this case, it’s only been 17 years!
Performances
Independence Day – This film catapulted Will Smith into a box office superstar with his cool one-liners and swagger. If you think about it, Will Smith just plays the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as an action hero. That’s not a complaint either.
“We will not go silently into the night!!” – Bill Pullman (Independence Day)
The underrated Bill Pullman pulls a pretty bada$$ president and Randy Quaid is there to be all crazy. Of course, one of my personal favorites is Jeff Goldblum, whose mere presence makes any movie better.
Armageddon – Let’s just say that most everyone hams it up in this movie. Blame the script or the ridiculous story, I don’t really care. Hell, I didn’t even notice the ‘acting’ when I first saw this pic way back in 1998 (I was in junior high to give you some perspective). Watching this now, the performances stick out in a bad way. You can also couple this with the fact that most everyone (minus Willis) went on to do better stuff – Affleck to Argo, The Town; Liv Tyler to Lord of the Rings; Billy Bob Thornton to Monster’s Ball, Bad Santa (my favorite Xmas movie); Steve Buscemi to Boardwalk Empire, and Owen Wilson to Wes Anderson movies.
Who has the edge?Independence Day. You can disagree with me but you’d be wrong. Go back and watch the movies. Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum still kill it on screen.
Iconic/Pop Culture Significance
Independence Day– Roland Emmerich, the director, is known for destroying landmarks. This film was one of the first in a series of films that have since become customary with the filmmaker. Just think about his movies. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about ID4? The White House being blown to smithereens. The Day After Tomorrow? The Statue of Liberty covered in ice and snow. You could also throw in the director’s White House Down as terrorists do a lot of damage there as well. So, in terms of iconography, Emmerich loves to just destroy landmarks to emphasize a sort of global stakes but to also instill a level of realism as people can easily identify these structures.
Outside of that, there are memorable scenes in Independence Day – The President’s speech, Will Smith attempting to fly an alien spacecraft, and Jeff Goldblum’s scientist not only trying to understand what the aliens are up to but also trying to get his ex-wife back.
Armageddon– I don’t know about you but the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about this film is the music. It helped define the movie while also appealing to wider audiences (instead of those that just want straight up action and no BS – is this too much to ask?!)
♪♫“Don’t wanna close my eyes. I don’t wanna fall asleep cause I’d miss you, baby. And I don’t wanna miss a thing” ♪♫ – Aerosmith (obviously)
The film is chalked up to over 2 hours of fun action and the occasional one-liners. It’s reliable cable TV fodder when you’re trying to kill the time. I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch Armageddon while waiting in the doctor’s office?
Who has the edge?Independence Day. Landmark destruction beats out a silly love song. Everyone knows that! That’s not the only reason either. ID4 emphasized unity throughout America and the world whereas Armageddon focused solely on the oil drillers. Let’s not forget that there’s a sequel to Independence Day in the works – Independence Day: Resurgence with the entire cast returning except Will Smith (he thinks he’s better than that). So, people must believe that the film is still relevant.
Rotten Tomatoes
Independence Day – 60% (37/54 Fresh Reviews)
Armageddon – 39% (45/115 Fresh Reviews)
Who has the edge?Independence Day. Not the best review scores but ‘Top Critics’ don’t know how to take a movie for what it is and just enjoy it.
OVERALL WIN: Independence Day (surprise!) The movie that came out during the Fourth of July Weekend completely dominated Armageddon in every category. I thought at least it’d be a little closer than this.
After 20 years, the world will finally get to see an Independence Day sequel. If you haven’t heard already, Roland Emmerich (director) is returning and so is most of the original cast for not one planned sequel but two!!!! Ugh. Wouldn’t you think that 20th Century Fox would want to strike while it’s hot and not wait two decades?! I do remember, vaguely, that the studio was waiting on Will Smith but he was too busy being popular and in demand that eventually the studio scrapped the idea. Now they want to make two more movies. How timely.
Apparently Will Smith still thinks he’s too good to return to a movie that catapulted him to stardom as he has made comments that he would not return. Has he not looked at his box office lately? “After Earth” tanked and “Focus” wasn’t a success. So, who do we have in the upcoming movie right now anyway?
Jeff Goldblum – (Jurassic Park, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Fly — do I really need to be making references? It’s goddamn Jeff Goldblum!). He may be the only reason I rent (not flock to the theater) this upcoming movie. He’s cashing in but he’ll also be headlining.
Bill Pullman – He’s been keeping busy in bit roles over the years with the original Independence Day being his most famous. He was the bomb in “Spaceballs” and “The Serpent and the Rainbow” if you can remember that far back and still think the phrase “the bomb” is cool.
Vivica A. Fox – I’m sure she signed because she wants to be relevant again ever since “Kill Bill”. Dang, that was in 2003! I’m sure she wants to stop being in movies like “Sharknado 2: The Second One” which only came out last year.
Liam Hemsworth – This guy needs to go away. There’s only one Hemsworth to me and that’s Chris Hemsworth!!! He’s sh*tty in those Hunger Games movies and he’s one of the worst actors in “Expendables 2”. Yes, I think he’s more horrible actor than Sly Stallone and his posse of has been movie stars. So, in this movie, he is rumored to play the son in law of Bill Pullman’s character. How creative.
Charlotte Gainsbourg – I have respect for Charlotte but she really needs better work than acting in every Lars Von Trier (Anti-Christ, Melancholia, Nymphomaniac) movie.
Jessie Usher – Haven’t heard much about the guy but he stars in the Starz tv series, “Survivor’s Remorse”. His role will be to play the son of Will Smith’s character, Captain Steven Hiller.
Travis Tope – The son of Tommy Darmody in “Boardwalk Empire” has signed a role which has yet to be disclosed. How mysterious!!
Do we really need to have the same characters or even connections to the original characters???? No! It was 20 goddamn years ago! It could be focused on any survivors. Come on Hollywood!! Also, I do believe that Emmerich’s career is one of the weirdest from any director. He’s obsessed with using well known iconography and destroying it. I’m not kidding!!!
So, he started out strong with Universal Soldier, Stargate, and Independence Day. Now he just convinces studios that he can make big budget movies without any compelling stories to boot. Wanna know how desperate he is to relive his glory days? It’s not only that the Independence Day sequels need to happen for him, it’s that he is also remaking his own movie –“Stargate”.
Anyways, the anticipated released date for the Independence Day sequel is June 24, 2016.
Director Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium, upcoming Chappie) has announced via his Instagram account that 20th Century Fox is on board with making a sequel to the famed franchise.
This comes off of the rumored concept art Blomkamp (a self proclaimed huge “Alien”/”Aliens” fan) posted in early January that included Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn. Weaver, currently starring in the director’s latest film, “Chappie”, has spoken to the director about her thoughts of her character (Ripley) in the franchise and where her journey could lead her.
(concept art above/below of Michael Biehn and Sigourney Weaver posted by the director)
It appears that Blomkamp plans to make a mid-sequel to the franchise. It would make sense, especially looking at the concept art of Biehn (his character killed off screen in “Alien 3”), that the director plans to make a direct sequel to “Aliens”. The only example I can think of a movie doing something similar to this is “Superman Returns” (2006) in an attempt to make a sequel to the good Christopher Reeve movies and negate the bad. This, however, obviously didn’t work as a tactic for Bryan Singer and another reboot, “Man of Steel”(2013) was made to mixed/positive reviews.
This is actually pretty exciting. My only worry is the particular aesthetic Blomkamp brings to his movies doesn’t resemble anything “Alien”-esque but we’re talking the “Alien” franchise here. Plus, since he’s such a huge fan, I am sure it’ll be in good hands. “Chappie” looks awesome by the way!
Note: I should also mention that “Prometheus” fans should not worry either as its sequel is still in development with Ridley Scott at the helm.
With that, “Arrival” is a cautionary tale as well as a provocative, endearing one. We follow a Linguistics professor, Louise Banks (Amy Adams), as she is brought aboard a military team to try to understand the aliens, that have parked in 12 different locations across the globe. As you may have guessed, the world reacts in fear and uncertainty, especially when we cannot find a means to actually communicate with them. 
We also begin to understand the tragedy that has befallen Louise’s character as she wrestles with the loss of her daughter in seemingly sporadic visions she obtains when communicating with the aliens. Suffice it to say, the narrative we are given is not what it seems.
If I had to liken the tone of the film, it would be similar to “Jaws” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” in how tension is brought about. Everything in the film has purpose although it may not initially seem the case. This is a very carefully made film and one that should be praised and judged with the likes of “Blade Runner” and “Children of Men” (horribly underrated).
Liam Hemsworth – This guy needs to go away. There’s only one Hemsworth to me and that’s Chris Hemsworth!!! He’s sh*tty in those Hunger Games movies and he’s one of the worst actors in “Expendables 2”. Yes, I think he’s more horrible actor than Sly Stallone and his posse of has been movie stars. So, in this movie, he is rumored to play the son in law of Bill Pullman’s character. How creative.
Pop Culture Crunch 