From the acclaimed director of “The Single Man” comes “Nocturnal Animals”, a drama/thriller that follows Susan, a married gallery owner, whose life gets shaken when a book arrives from her first husband that is dedicated to her. The book follows a family trip that turns violent which forces Susan to examine some dark truths about her own life. Check out the wicked trailer below!
The story is based upon the novel “Tony and Susan” by Austin Wright. The film is directed by Tom Ford and stars Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Karl Glusman, Armie Hamer, Laura Linney and Michael Sheen. The film opens in select cities on November 18th (additional on November 23rd) and nationwide on December 9th.
Tag Archives: Jake Gyllenhaal
The Best Science Fiction Films
It’s always been difficult to answer the “what’s your favorite movie” question. Being a ‘Sherlock’ of sorts with cinema, I simply have too much to factor in. A better response to the question should be, “which genre?” With this edition, I wanted to focus on the Sci-Fi genre. If I’m being honest with myself, I gravitate towards ‘types’ of films based upon mood just like anyone else but I also do a lot of my viewings in phases. Perhaps that’s why I’m writing this – lately I feel like I want to escape. What better genre of movie than science fiction?
Factors considered: Thought provocation, performances, writing, direction, and overall production (set pieces, cinematography, music, editing, etc.)
*This countdown starts with 16, because why not?
16. Her (2013)
This one is unfairly overlooked but it is likely due to the offbeat genres that director Spike Jonze (“Adaptation”, “Being John Malkovich”) continues to be known for. In this, we follow Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a depressed man who works as a writer of personal letters (for those that cannot write something personal themselves) and is dealing with the impending divorce of his childhood sweetheart (Rooney Mara). Still reeling and unhappy, Theodore ends up buying an operation system that is capable of learning on its own and has a personable voice. Theodore ends up selecting a female voice and naming the OS Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johannson). Strangely, Theodore ends up developing a meaningful relationship with Samantha as she (the operating system) forces him to grow as a person. Theodore comes to terms with a lot in his life through Samantha. The two develop a relationship where the very nature of ‘love’ is questioned.
The film is insightful and makes you question how we relate to each other and how the concept of ‘love’ is subjective. We all feel alone and wish to ‘truly connect’ with another. Never has a film captured this so well.
15. The Last Starfighter (1984)
Doesn’t everyone remember this film fondly? This, along with “Tron”, was one of the first films to use a lot of CGI. Looking back at the effects, you’d likely shake your head but you have to admire what they were trying to accomplish. The premise is neat in that it follows how a teenager (Alex), living in a trailer park, is obsessed with the arcade game, Starfighter, in which he must protect “the Frontier” from Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada. After becoming the highest scoring player, he is approached by an alien named Centauri who explains that the arcade game was a test to find those ‘gifted’ so that they may help in the fight against well, Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada. There’s a lot of 1980s cheese here too, including a subplot that finds a cloned android of Alex trying to pass as the real Alex.
This story is inspiring and fun to think about. What if that video game you’ve spent hundreds of hours playing was actually meant for something? Furthermore, the filmmakers are trying to figure out how to make a sequel but the last rumblings have this in the form of a virtual reality video game. It’s ‘mission: stay tuned’ for anything further from ‘The Last Starfighter’.
14. Planet of the Apes (1968)
“Take you stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!” – George Taylor (Charlton Heston)
I’d be a fool not to include this. The story on which the film is based was conceived due to author Pierre Boulle’s fascination with the humanlike expressions of apes. This led Boulle to begin questioning the relationship between man and ape. The plot of the book, “La Planete des Singes”, focused more on human overreliance with technology (and our complacency) which led to our overruling by the apes.
Anyways, the film follows how an astronaut, George Taylor (played by Charlton Heston), crash lands on a planet run by (you guessed it) apes. The apes are captivated by Taylor as he can actually speak, unlike the rest of the humans they have enslaved. Taylor tries to use his intelligence to outsmart the apes but it really only leads him to the most shocking truth by the film’s end – the planet that he is actually on is a futuristic earth – where the fall of man led to the rise of apes. I would say spoiler alert but it’s been 40 plus years.
13. Dark City (1998)
A man, Robert Murdoch (Rufus Sewell), wakes up in a bathtub without any memory as to who he is. He receives a phone call warning him that people are after him and that he must leave. During the call, he also realizes that there is a brutalized corpse on the floor which suggests he is a serial killer. This puts him on the run for answers that leads him to venture out the only memory he seems to have – of a place called ‘Shell Beach’. Soon, Murdoch comes to find out there are seemingly ‘alien like’ creatures (referred to as ‘strangers’) after him, especially after exhibits the ability to ‘tune’, which are ‘mind powers’.
I do not wish to spoil the ending of such a great film but would mention that if you have even the slightest sway to the sci-fi realm, then I highly recommend this. This also blends sci-fi with the noir genre of the 1940s/1950s – not just with story but also aesthetics. The film is one of the first of its kind – this came out before “The Matrix” mind you.
12. Donnie Darko (2001)
This was an indie film that had a huge cult following and helped give Jake Gyllenhaal his big break. The story is set in 1988 when a troubled teenager, Donnie Darko, is told by a man named Frank (in a giant rabbit costume) that the world is going to end in 28 days. After sleep walking, Donnie comes home to a jet engine having fallen on his room in his family’s house (no one knows where the jet engine came from). We then begin to learn more about Donnie via his sessions with his psychotherapist and how his actions are perpetrated by his visits with Frank (whom his therapist believes are hallucinations). Donnie even starts acting oddly and begins to understand how time travel could theoretically work. We are then thrust in a series of events that leads to the mysterious jet engine in the beginning of the film. Many heralded the film for its deeply emotional themes, scientific explorations, and open ended conclusion that left many in great discussion.
11. Predator (1984)
An alien with cornrows hunts down people one by one until there’s one left – Dutch (Arnie Schwarzenegger). Okay, it’s slightly more complicated than that. A group of mercenaries are recruited to rescue an official in the jungles of Val Verde (which is a fictional South/Central American country or city used by Hollywood to avoid getting into legal or diplomatic disputes). They soon come to find out that they are actually there to help the CIA gather further intelligence after a US Armed Special Forces unit was brutally murdered. Shortly thereafter, the ‘predator’ gets to work and starts picking off the mercenaries one by one. It’s up to Ah-nold to take down the bada$$ predator. The cast is rounded out by some greats – Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Sonny Landham.
Fun Fact: Jean Claude Van Damme was the initial actor chosen to play the Predator.
10. Alien (1979)
The ultimate sci fi/horror film not only made us crawl outside our own skin, but introduced a wonderfully directed movie from the visionary Ridley Scott. It may be best described as venereal horror in that many of the alien designs were symbolic of sexual organs attacking their hosts. Certainly creepy and a visual masterpiece, the story focuses on a space crew that answers a supposed distress signal on an alien planet but discover that it was actually a warning. Of course, all goes to hell when a contaminated member is allowed access to the ship causing all sorts of problems. This is a must watch.
9. Total Recall (1990)
I wish I could shut up about this movie. I constantly think about it. Society is getting closer and closer to the short story by Philip K. Dick – “We Can Remember for You Wholesale”, on which this movie is based. The story finds a man who decides to get a memory implant of an adventure on the planet Mars. He begins to awake in mid-implant and escapes realizing that it has been a set up and that he isn’t who he thinks he is. His entire life has been implanted with what he thinks is his real life. This is the strongest notion of the film – the idea that memories can be implanted when in fact they never happened. By the film’s end, we are unsure if what Arnie accomplished was real or was just an implanted memory he was recalling.
“Consider that a divorce” – Douglas McQuaid (Arnie Schwarzenegger)
Even if you don’t like the genre, the film boasts plenty of one-liners and action sequences to please any Schwarzenegger fan. Also, this is the same director behind other great movies – “Robocop” and “Basic Instinct”.
8. Minority Report (2002)
Based upon “The Minority Report” short story by (you guessed it) Philip K. Dick, this loose adaptation stars a classic Tom Cruise as John Anderton, a Pre-Crime agent in 2054 Washington, D.C. The agency is essentially run by three pre-cogs and their recorded visions. While on assignment, Anderton sees a recording of himself murdering someone (in the future…duh) and in utter shock (and with the intent to prove his innocence), he goes on the run. Tom Cruise loves to run. Anyways, the film explores the implications of what a ‘pre-cog’ program would have on society and ethics. Can someone really be guilty of a crime they haven’t (yet) committed? If such a program existed, would you be able to manipulate the results?
The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and includes an excellent musical score by John Williams and cinematography by Janusz Kaminski (“Schindler’s List”, “Saving Private Ryan”).
7. Back to the Future (1985)
“1.21 gigawatts?!!” – Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd)
One of the most fun time travel movies out there. Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and scientist pal, Dr. Brown (Christopher Lloyd) (not sure how they ever met), take on an adventure when Marty McFly (from 1985) time travels to 1955. Once there, he must recruit Dr. Emmett Brown (who has yet to invent time travel) to get him back to 1985 and also prevent some other ‘events’ from occurring – the fate of Marty’s parents (and his own existence) and Dr. Brown’s at the hands of terrorists.
This movie is a staple of cinema not only because of the cool premise but also of the chemistry between Fox and Lloyd. The film can put anyone in a good mood (even if it doesn’t make logical sense). You can also add to the fact that almost everything about the film is iconic – the Delorean car, Marty’s ‘life preserver’, and the action set pieces – the lightning hitting the clock tower, Marty versus Biff and his goons, etc.
Fun Fact: Eric Stoltz was initially cast in the Marty McFly role and after a month into production was replaced with Michael J. Fox. This was supposedly due to the lack of on screen chemistry that was had between Lloyd and Stoltz.
6. Children of Men (2006)
The year is 2027 where two decades of human infertility has led to a chaotic world. The story follows a man, Theo (Clive Owen), who reluctantly helps a refugee to safety after he witnesses that she is actually pregnant. The film remains dynamic not just because of its premise but also the examinations of the fallout due to such a crisis. Political and social upheaval surrounds a group that is trying to help bring a child into the world. Themes of hope and faith are also explored.
The film features an excellent cast: Clive Owen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Charlie Hunnam and Danny Huston. The film was directed by Alfonso Cuaron (“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”, “A Little Princess” and “Gravity”). The story is based upon the book, “The Children of Men” by P.D. James.
5. The Matrix (1999)
“You think that’s air you’re breathing? Hmm…” – Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne)
No surprise to see this on here. This movie was a game changer and not just because of the revolutionary special effects but the philosophical notions embedded in the story. Would you want to live a lie (in the Matrix) or live in a post-apocalyptic world where a fight wages to destroy the machines’ hold on our consciousness? Also, is the very idea of ‘the Matrix’ plausible? This idea invokes emotions that liken to that of ‘Allegory of the Cave’ by Plato.
Even outside of this, we also get exceptional martial arts sequences that look like a plausible high flying/kicking kung fu movie from the 1970s. Oh and let us not forget about ‘bullet time’ and the advent of 360 degrees camera capturing technology. It is obvious many films copied this technique – “Swordfish”, “The One”, etc.
The film stars Keanu Reeves (who has a knack for picking excellent movies to be in), Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving (always welcome in any movie).
4. Inception (2010)
You cannot simply sum up this film. It’s filled with ideas that range from how we conceptualize our dreams and reality to what we’d be faced with should we have the option to ‘share dreamspaces’. Christopher Nolan initially pitched a script to Warner Brothers Studios around 2002, and he would later be able to complete his film about dream stealers after he proved himself with movies like “The Prestige” and “The Dark Knight”. This remains a highly controversial film as to the many interpretations – which most revolved around which scene took place in reality and which was simply a dream. It seemed as though every viewer had a different interpretation of the story and this ignites discussion.
The special effects were top notch as were the performances from a stellar cast that includes: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Cillian Murphy. This is close to a masterpiece.
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1969)
Can you imagine seeing this in the year it came out? I would be floored and not just with the visuals towards the end of the film. This Stanley Kubrick directed masterpiece is based upon the short story “The Sentinel” by Arthur C. Clarke. It follows a space crew, along with a sentient computer, Hal, on a voyage to Jupiter after they discover a black monolith affecting human evolution. The film is pivotal for examining many large ideas like existentialism, artificial intelligence, human evolution and extra-terrestrial life. The narrative heavily relies upon visuals and there is not much need for dialogue. You add in the moving classical music with pioneering, revolutionary visual effects, and you have a film that is at the top of any sci-fi movie lovers list.
You can’t call yourself a sci-fi aficionado and not see this film.
2. Blade Runner (1982)
This is a truly transcendent film and one of the first in cinema history to tackle themes such as existentialism and what it means to be ‘human’. The story follows a special police operative, Rick Deckard, who agrees to one last mission to hunt down a replicant, an android based clone of a human. These replicants are made to work on dangerous assignments off world but some of them return to Earth to extend their lives (as their life span is only a few years). The problem is that replicants are banned from Earth. As Deckard investigates, he encounters a replicant (Rachael) who believes she is human (thanks to the Tyrell Corporation that manufactured her). Rachael is given false memories to provide an emotional layer to her programming. This programming helps blur the line between human and replicant, thereby making Deckard’s job more difficult. The rogue replicants that Deckard are hunting wish to ask their creator, Tyrell, to extend their lives and are willing to do ‘questionable’ things in order to do so.
The film is also based on a Philip K. Dick book, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” and was directed by the master, Ridley Scott. One of the best sci-fi movies ever and you’d be hard pressed to find someone that disagrees with me.
1. Gattaca (1997)
The setting is ‘the not too distant future’ where humans are genetically altered to possess the best hereditary traits of their parents (can be viewed as a form of eugenics). The film brings about the potential problems of such a technology existing, which includes genetic discrimination. There are those labeled ‘valids’ and ‘in-valids’. We follow Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), who was conceived naturally. Freeman tries everything to pass as a ‘valid’ so that he may accomplish his dream of becoming an astronaut. Along the way, he meets a tragic swimmer, Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), who was meant to be the best swimmer in the world but only received 2nd place and, as a result, placed himself in front of a car – leaving himself paralyzed.
Highly possible and thought provoking, this film examines how our genes could be the only factor in determining our life long dreams. Moreover, this touches upon how hard work and determination juxtaposes that with simply having the ‘tools’ in order to succeed. Just like the tagline for the film, ‘there is no gene for the human spirit’.
Well, there you have it. This is the ‘quintessential’ sci-fi movie list. A lot of factors went into these decisions but I did leave out a couple that I didn’t quite feel like ‘made the cut’.
Honorable Mentions:
“The Thirteenth Floor” (1999) – Thought provoking for sure but everything else about the film could have been better. This examines the concept of virtual reality.
“Solaris” (2002) – Beautiful sci/fi love story set in space and based upon the Russian original under the same title. Human emotion is explored via sci-fi elements. The concept of love is used as a means to help us better understand who we are.
“Ex-Machina” (2015) – A programmer is invited to the estate of his company’s CEO to run Turing tests on his latest creation – Ava.
“The Thing” (1982) – At a research facility in the Antarctic is turned upside down when a crew come into contact with an extraterrestrial life form that imitates other organisms. Paranoia sets in as many do not know who is or is not infected.
“Interstellar” (2014) – In the near future, the ability to harvest crops at a global level continue to wane. A secret NASA facility is set up to send astronauts via a wormhole to potentially hospital planets. The other ‘rub’ is that these are likely one way trips. Controversial and intriguing. This doesn’t get on the list due to its weak ‘family’ and ‘love’ sub plots that undermine the plausibility of the story. The film would be way more gratifying if they fixed these problems.
“Demolition” is Unable to Capitalize on a Good Premise
Demolition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, has a good premise. It also starts off well, wasting no time getting straight to that premise. Davis Mitchell, an investment manager, is riding along in New York Cify with his wife Julia while only half listening to whatever she’s saying. Something about needing to fix the refrigerator. She says he’s never listening. Out of nowhere, another car hits them from the side and Julia dies.
But Davis doesn’t feel anything except a desire to figure out why he doesn’t feel anything. Did he really know his wife? Did he even love her? Why? So, he starts writing to a vending machine company about the stuck candy he didn’t get, as well as the baggage surrounding the death of his wife. He starts descending into madness, doing nothing but writing letters to the vending machine company and taking things apart to see how they work inside. It’s as obvious a metaphor as you can get, but it’s a good setup that shows promise.
However, instead of an in-depth exploration of the inner workings of Davis’s mind and marriage, Demolition turns into a pointless waste of time in which everything is destroyed for almost no reason. Instead of delving into Davis’s emotional baggage, the movie focuses on a shallow emotional affair with the vending machine company’s customer service rep, Karen, as well as Davis doing boring things with her son and seemingly going out of his way to piss off his wife’s parents. There’s nothing interesting about Karen, her life, or even about Davis really.
Not only does Davis not feel anything, he doesn’t seem to think about anything critically. He likes destroying things, trying to summon basic feelings, and giving incredibly superficial advice. He has no concept of consequences, and the movie barely delivers any. He’s a hollow character in a hollow movie. The one time he does something in the end to honor his wife that’s supposed to have meaning, it ends up being something that’s nice, but is really only based on a flitting memory. There’s no revelation or transformation or resolution for anything, really. The movie ends with Davis racing some kids, continuing to try to find his way without any point or direction.
In all, Demolition is disappointing and unsatisfying. What starts as a promising concept dissolves into a vapid story that’s as memorable as Davis’s vague, fading memories of his wife. At least it has a good soundtrack.
Grade: D
Sicario – Review
You have to hand it to director, Denis Villeneuve. He has been becoming the ‘it’ director in Hollywood especially for his engaging, moody drama Prisoners (2013), which starred Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. The same engrossing formula is used with Sicario in that we are thrust into a high strung world filled with themes that examine muddled politics, psychological turmoil, and moral dilemmas in the face of tragic events.
The story examines a rising, idealistic FBI agent named Kate(Emily Blunt) that specializes in kidnappings and is then recruited to a special task force in order to combat the drug trade by a mysterious gov’t official, Matt (Josh Brolin). The task force is led by the equally mysterious Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). Kate and her friend, Reggie (Daniel Kaluuya – Black Mirror), are brought along on missions but without much end goal explanation. They are initially told that they plan to create enough noise to bring out cartel bosses and use them against each other in order to take down the biggest cartel boss.
As Kate journeys into a completely new, chaotic world, so do audiences. The wide shots of the U.S./Mexico border and the bleakness of Mexico’s terrain help propel the setting and, particularly, the tone of the film. You add in the tense music by Johann Johannson (in quite a departure from his work on The Theory of Everything) and you have a very distinct film that is a slow boil but always tense.
The performances from Blunt, Brolin, and especially Del Toro, elevate this movie into the highly plausible reality that engulfs the war against drugs. It was announced a couple of days ago that they would do a spinoff film focusing on Del Toro’s character, Alejandro, and I was a little shocked. After watching, I completely understand and highly desire a spinoff on the character. In fact, I’d go as far to say that Del Toro hasn’t been this good since Traffic, The Usual Suspects or Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Let’s be honest, his ‘role’ in Guardians of the Galaxy was just as looked over as Glenn Close’s was in that movie.
Cinematographer, Roger Deakins, makes this film electric. You may have heard of Deakins and more than likely know his work – Skyfall, No Country for Old Men, and The Shawshank Redemption to name a few. Deakins will also be working on the cinematography with the anticipated Blade Runner sequel. That movie will look gorgeous.
Sicario was written by first timer, Taylor Sheridan, who is known more for his acting (played Deputy Chief David Hale in Sons of Anarchy). The dialogue in the film is crisp and believable. I look forward to see what else the screenwriter can do.
To create such an atmospheric film is impressive. I am now more confident in the Blade Runner sequel, which the director (Denis Villeneuve), is helming. The Blade Runner sequel is set to have Ryan Gosling star and Harrison Ford returning. Villeneuve’s other project includes another sci-fi film, called Story of Your Life, about how a linguist tries to determine whether arriving aliens come in peace or not.
In summary, Sicario is a tense, atmospheric thriller with great performances and an intriguing story. If you enjoyed Prisoners, you’ll most likely enjoy this as well. The film is rated R for strong violence, grisly images, and language and hits theaters nationwide today (October 2nd).
Grade: A-
Upcoming DvD Movie Releases for October 2015 (plus expert analysis)
October 2nd
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.
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 Narcos on 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.
Creed Trailer Previews The Latest Rocky Movie
Yo, Adrian. You, uh, ready for a seventh Rocky movie?
Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone star in New Line Cinema’s Creed, the latest in the Rocky series. The movie is directed by Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station). Thankfully, due to Stallone’s age, this movie doesn’t feature Rocky boxing in the ring. This time around, Rocky trains fledgling boxer Adonis Johnson, the son of the long since departed Apollo Creed.
Adonis never knew his father, but boxing is in his bones, so he tracked Balboa down in Philadelphia to seek his mentoring. It’s old school vs. new school; but mostly new school, with echoes of Rocky’s own training living through a new generation and a more modern world.
This movie could go either way. But I think it’s safe to say that the basic premise of focusing on a new generation is the only way to keep the series going.
Beating Creed to theaters this summer will be another boxing movie: Southpaw, directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, and Rachel McAdams.
Instead of an up and coming boxer, Gyllenhaal plays a champion on top of the world, with a lavish house and a loving family. Everything changes when his wife dies, he loses custody of his kid, and he tries to fight his way back out of a spiral of self-destructive behavior. It also looks like 50 Cent’s acting figures to make this one part comedy.
Personally, I’d rather see Creed. It looks more fun, and Southpaw looks to me like something potentially contrived to be Oscar bait. Maybe that’s just me. Here’s the Southpaw trailer so you can compare the two movies with your own eyes:
The Best Body Swap Movies
Because there’s so many movies to choose from! Whenever a person or personality inhibits a different body or takes over a body (multiple personalities), whether through magic or science fiction elements, then I considered it a body swap. So, if I were to do the Best Body Swap TV shows, Quantum Leap would make the list.
8 . The Hot Chick (2002)
How can anyone forget Rob Schneider’s box office smash? This even starred Rachel McAdams before her role in Mean Girls catapulted her to A-list status. Schneider plays a sleazy criminal and McAdams a girly girl who switch bodies. This is mostly terrible minus a couple scenes but it is the best Rob Schneider movie in which he headlines. The only person that shines in this is Anna Farris as the best friend. Tia and Tamera Mowry (from the Disney show) co-star in the movie.
7. The Change-Up (2011)
Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman star in this yawn fest. Reynolds began his downward career spiral (that’s a thing) right around this time. He was used to churning out stuff that was creatively uninspired and lazy. The story finds an attorney/family man (Bateman) who switches bodies with his best friend (Reynolds), who’s an ‘adult video’ star. Wait, how did these guys become best friends?!
6. Like Father Like Son (1987)
Dudley Moore and the Rapture obsessed Kirk Cameron (those damn Left Behind movies) star as father and son and end up swapping bodies by ingesting South American potion. Mostly cringe worthy, darker than expected and actually showcases how talented Cameron could really be. Dudley Moore mostly embarrasses himself with this pretty forgettable 80s movie that made the rerun section on HBO….in the mid-1990s.
5. Vice Versa (1988)
Same concept as Like Father Like Son but a lot better, mostly due to Fred Savage’s performance, especially once he becomes his father, played by Judge Reinhold. This time around, they swap bodies by wishing while holding a Buddha statue!
4. Source Code (2011)
Jake Gylenhaal plays a soldier who gets his mind transferred to another individual on a train who is about to die. He must find a bomber in 8 minutes before he and everyone else blows up. The cool thing is that he continues to live out the 8 minutes over and over until he succeeds. It’s kind of like Groundhog Day meets The Thirteenth Floor. I definitely recommend it for any sci-fi fan.
3. Freaky Friday (2003)
A remake which defined Lindsay Lohan’s career has her swapping bodies with her mom, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. The feuding mother/daughter team ends up switching due to a fortune cookie. Comedy ensues!
2. Fight Club (1999)
“The things you own end up owning you.” – Tyler Durden
Yes, this counts! Multiple personalities! An insomniac office drone tries to find a way to change his life and ends up meeting the ‘out there’ Tyler Durden. They rationalize existence and end up creating an underground fight club. Things begin to get weird and the insomniac later comes to find out that he and Tyler Durden are the same person. This was one of the most controversial films of 1999 and even though it wasn’t a box office success, it ended up being very popular on dvd and developed a large cult following. Great trailer above!
1. Face/Off (1997)
“I want his face……off!!!!” – Sean Archer as Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage as John Travolta)
I know what you might say, “hey, it’s not a body swap”! Well, yes, it actually is. In the movie, they not only swap faces but also get surgeries to look exactly like one another. The director, John Woo, made his debut in America with Van Damme’s Hard Target but things went totally bonkers when he made this movie. Full of one-liners, unexplained coincidences, overacting, great action scenes and believe it or not improvisation. Oh yeah! Let’s not forget the doves! They’re in every Woo movie (Hard Target, Mission Impossible 2, Broken Arrow, Face/Off). The premise follows an FBI agent named Sean Archer(John Travolta) who is out to catch a global terrorist, Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage), that also accidentally killed his son (he was trying to murder Travolta instead). The story is highly unlikely and quickly explained with ridiculous ‘science’ techniques that would never work (referring to the face swap operation). This is Nicolas Cage’s Cageish of all his roles. Even though the story is ridiculous, it is straight up fun. You can’t help but laugh at the sheer amount of crazy action as Travolta and Cage light up the screen. I was recently listening to a podcast reviewing this movie and they pointed out the creepiness of the ‘face waterfall’ that is used by Sean Archer as a sign of affection. Why is John Travolta obsessed with touching faces? The 2015 Oscars anyone?! Oh, I must also mention that the ‘I want his face off’ scene was improvised! God! Even this trailer is the best!
Honorable Mentions
Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch’s controversial masterpiece chronicles an amnesiac woman and a Hollywood hopeful as they search for clues after a fateful car accident. The notions of perception in terms of dreams and reality are examined. The movie did not make the list as it wasn’t an outright ‘body swap’ movie but rather an ambiguous psychological thriller. David Lynch refuses to speak about the films meaning or symbolism and some have gone on record stating that Lynch likes people interpreting this movie a variety of ways.
Primal Fear (1996)
Edward Norton, in his first role, gets Oscar nominated in this movie about how an altar boy murdered his sexually abusive priest. Though the movie deals with an accused murderer suffering from multiple personality disorder, it is later revealed that it was all an act.
The Best Time Travel Movies
It’s about time! Okay, that was a cheesy pun but a pun nonetheless!! Just the other day I was thinking about all the time travel movies out there. Look, there’s not necessarily a ‘time travel genre’ out there but there are many other genres incorporating time travel as a plot device. The different types of technology and theories that enable time travel that are relied upon can not only make a movie look cooler but provoke audiences to think about possibilities.
With that said, what are the best movies that incorporate the uses of time travel?
13. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
The director (Colin Trevorrow) of the upcoming Jurassic World took on this unique romantic comedy that stars Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson and Aubrey Plaza. There is an ad that states a man is looking for a partner to time travel with. This prompts three magazine employees to seek out the guy who wrote it. Filled with quirky humor and self-awareness, this charming movie should appeal to most as the time travel element serves as just a small part of the plot.
12. Frequency (2000)
The aurora borealis enables a father and son to communicate via radio across 30 years. So, technically, time travel is involved in this family themed drama. Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel(pre Passion of the Christ) star as father and son in this movie that simply uses radio frequency (over 30 years) to change very important family events. What is neat is that once time is altered in the past, the present state of the characters end up having dual memories. For example, once Caviezel advises Quaid (in the past) to avoid an event that could take his life, he ends up remembering his life with and without his father at the same time. I do wish that they would explore this notion more thoroughly though. It’s fascinating how a chain of events can alter your life forever.
11. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Let’s be honest, the time travel aspect kinda sucked. Transferring Wolverine’s mind back in time to prevent the Sentinels from destroying everything. This movie is great for many reasons but not because of the use of time travel. The story excels because of the benefit of time travel as a storytelling device. You have different eras to have fun with, young and older characters and the idea that changes in people(ugh..I mean mutants) doesn’t necessarily come over night.
10. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
One of the greatest classic teen adventures (are there really that many?) also serves as a time traveling comedy. Best friends, Bill and Ted, make way to different time periods (acquiring historical figures)so that they can have a presentation at their school. George Carlin even helps these righteous dudes.
9. Timecrimes (2007)
First saw this on Netflix instant and this doesn’t disappoint. The premise follows a man who spies on a girl and upon getting a better look is stabbed by a bandaged man which sets up a series of events. The man accidentally steps into a time machine where he travels back in time one hour. He attempts to contact himself with unforeseeable consequences. Directed by Nacho Vigalondo, this Spanish film is original, relatable and will keep you thinking long after viewing.
8. Donnie Darko (2001)
After surviving an accident, Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) explores what it means to be alive. He begins trying to understand how time travel would theoretically work all the while talking to his imaginary friend, Frank. Donnie begins to understand the universe, what it means to fall in love, and why he should alter the timeline.
7. Interstellar (2014)
Controversial for sure, this film doesn’t tell a great story but it is one of the most ambitious movies out there to realistically tackle how time travel could work via time dilation — difference of elapsed time between two events as measured by observers either moving relative to each other or differently situated from gravitational masses. While visiting a planet next to a black hole, Matthew McConaughey and company experience time much slower due to the crazy gravitational pull. In the film, an hour experienced by them was seven years experienced on Earth. Let’s not also forget that this film tackles the inevitability of the ‘one way trip’ astronauts will have to take in order for us to live on another planet.
6. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
The world is attacked by aliens and the humans cannot seem to find a way to beat them. Tom Cruise plays an officer who has never seen combat that gets sent on a suicide mission. Once killed, he gets stuck in a time loop where he relives the same day over and over again. Over time, he gets more and more skilled and with Emily Blunt’s help they try to find a way to destroy the aliens. The movie felt like a video game where every ‘next stage’ brings Cruise closer to his goal. Character development was also crucial in this undertaking as was Tom Cruise’s performance. The movie is like a sci-fi adventure in the vein of Groundhog Day.
5. The Planet of the Apes (1968)
This is one of the all-time classics. A crew of astronauts lands on a planet where there are talking apes and humans are the oppressed. SPOILER ALERT!!! This planet is actually Earth in the future. The enslaved humans cannot speak leaving the , 1968 was a trippy year with this and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
4. Star Trek (2009)
This is great. Using time travel to appeal to both new fans while respecting older fans. We get introduced to a separate time line that includes an older Spock in it. An excellent origin tale that thrusts fans into the sheer scale of the Star Trek universe. The only thing I fear is other movies (namely future remakes) adopting this strategy to the point where it’s just lazy.
3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Arnie, a T-800 Terminator, travels back in time to protect John Connor from the T-1000. Groundbreaking special effects, a great script, solid performances (yup, that includes Arnie) and with excellent direction. If you think the upcoming installment, Terminator: Genisys will be this good then you’re just a crazy person.
2. Back to the Future 2 (1989)
After going in the future(2015) to pose as his future son to prevent him from being thrown in prison, an older Biff ends up stealing the Delorean and gives his younger self the Sports Almanac. This, of course, radically changes 1985 and forces Marty to go back to 1955 while trying to prevent himself from interfering with his first trip. The future in the movie is now and we still don’t have automatic lacing for our shoes!!!
1. Back to the Future (1985)
Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time (from 1985 to 1955) and must make sure his parents unite after he inadvertently tampered with the timeline. Michael J. Fox owned the 1980s and this one put him on top for good reason. The movie is filled with great character actors like Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown), Crispin Glover (George McFly), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines) and Thomas F. Wilson (as big time jerk, Biff). This movie is also iconic for the time traveling Delorean car, skateboarding, and rad 1980s musical soundtrack.
Honorable Mentions
Source Code (2011)
Another Gyllenhaal movie sees him as a soldier who is assuming another man’s identity for 8 minutes in order to figure out how a train explodes. The problem is he keeps reliving the 8 minutes and dying with the ultimate goal being to survive.
Looper (2012)
A dickhole named Joe (Joseph Gordan Levitt) works for the mob in 2044 and kills victims sent back from year 2074. Joe has everything he wants until the victim that is sent back happens to be his older self (older dickhole), played by real-life dickhole — Bruce Willis.
Pop Culture Crunch 