Tag: Sci-Fi

“Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire” starring Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, & Charlie Hunnam

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SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from the movie Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire (2023) streaming on Netflix.

When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors – outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed. -Synopsis (Netflix)

Remember when y’all dressed up in your parents’ clothes, shoes, etc. and acted like a grown-up? This new movie (streaming on Netflix) is NOT connected to Star Wars (as I’d assumed). I learned that Zack Snyder 1st conceived this as a Star Wars movie; he pitched it to Lucasfilm in 2012 (after it was sold to Disney). As many critics have noted, this is a take on Seven Samurai (1954) dir. by Akira Kurosawa. It’s basically style (SFX/action) over substance, though the CGI isn’t always impressive. I don’t know much re: Snyder’s work (though I know he is a divisive filmmaker); I saw Man of Steel at a (free) pre-screening in 2013. Nope, I would NOT have paid for that movie!

The cast incl. some actors who we (barely) know or haven’t seen before. Boutella (looking FAB at age 40- mad respect for that) is a French-Algerian actress w/ a strong background in dance/former model. I’ve ONLY seen her in Star Trek Beyond (2016) and an ep of Modern Love (2019); she doesn’t have range. This is the 1st time Ed Skrein (Adm. Atticus Noble) and Michiel Huisman (the lead farmer Gunnar) have worked together since Huisman (who is Danish) replaced Skrein (a Brit who resembles a young Jonathan Rhys Meyers) as Daario Naharis in Game of Thrones. Skrein (in the main baddie role) and his troupe of Mother World (NOT the Empire) soldiers are dressed in uniforms almost exactly like Nazis. Yikes, talk about a lazy shortcut for characterization! Huisman (though sporting bigger muscles/lusher hair than in previous roles) still comes off awkward and lacks charisma/screen presence. I recall that MANY viewers complained after he took on Daario; I also saw him in the ensemble drama Treme. As for Charlie Hunnam (Kai), he’s a baddie version of Han Solo w/ a man bun/twinkling blue eyes who speaks w/ an (exaggerated) Irish accent. Yes, Hunnam has charm, BUT that can’t save him here!

The fault should NOT totally fall on the actors’ (well-sculpted) shoulders; the script is uninspiring and the plot is thin. One viewer asked: “Was this written by AI?” LOL! There is a badass woman heroine (who can beat-up men 2x her size), innocent/peaceful farmers, cliched/nasty villains (incl. potential rapists), and a V little arc to the story. As w/ MANY Netflix series/movies, there are TOO many characters who are barely developed; the audience ends up caring little about their fates. As Kora gathers the diverse team of warriors (each w/ a different style), we wonder why they want to join this fight. Like many viewers commented, I wanted to see more of the hardened warrior (played by Djimon Hounsou) and the robot character, Jimmy (voiced by Anthony Hopkins), who has a good scene in the 1st act. I’m also NOT a fan of slow-mo and lens flares (why I quit watching ST: Discovery).

[1] Imagine you’re a twelve year old boy, having watched some cool movies for the first time five minutes ago, having your bootleg toys of popular franchises and smashing them together in dirt saying “and then” every couple of minutes. Now imagine you get tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars to make that a movie.

Now imagine that being better than this.

[2] Other than the world design and effects, there really isn’t much else to salvage from it. In true Snyder style we’ve got lens flare and slow motion, but this time he’s dialed it up over the top. Some of the action scenes are absolutely ruined from way too much diving in and out of slow motion.

[3] The plot? Star Wars excuse aside, it’s a mess. The preposterousness of engaging with their Seven Samurai recruits at moments when each is faced with a crucial test is just lazy storytelling.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Two Films Directed by Christopher Nolan: “Inception” (2010) & “Dunkirk” (2017)

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Inception (2010) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy & Cillian Murphy

Your mind is the scene of the crime. -Tagline

Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep w/in the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back, but only if he can accomplish the impossible, inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea, but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. -Synopsis (Warner Bros.)

What to say about this movie!? Did y’all understand what was going on (w/o a re-watch)? I felt nothing- to keep it short! OK, that’s NOT quite true; I did enjoy seeing ’80s star Tom Berenger (Browning), Tom Hardy (Eames), and Cillian Murphy (Robert Fischer). Hardy gets to be funny/quirky; he has good banter w/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt. As the uber-rich businessman who the gang kidnap, Murphy speaks w/ an American accent (which is flawless). Marion Cottilard doesn’t have much to do in the (undercooked) role of Dom’s wife. Maybe she wanted more (international) exposure? A LOT of media critics commented that Nolan is NOT good at writing female characters. The CGI was somewhat interesting, though since I saw it last month on Max (on TV), it didn’t make a huge impression. I’m sure many viewers (back in 2010) were more impressed. This is a prime case of style over substance, sad to say!

Dunkirk (2017) starring Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Tom Hardy, & Cillian Murphy

When 400,000 men couldn’t get home, home came for them. -Tagline

Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II. -Synopsis

The Mole [beach]: One Week, The Sea: One Day, and The Air: One Hour. -The 3 timelines of the film

Thank goodness- this movie (shot on the actual beach at Dunkirk) was a LOT better than Inception! There were camera operators floating in the water w/ actors. For many of the cockpit shots, Nolan had a two-seat plane rigged, so that the front canopy and cockpit looked like a real Spitfire (BUT w/ non-functioning flying controls). The actual pilot was flying the plane from the rear cockpit, so that the actor could play the pilot (as the plane actually flew). Nolan mounted front and rear-facing cameras on a reconditioned Spitfire. This movie is focused on the experience of battle (incl. its sounds and sights). The individual characters don’t have many lines. Germans are heard/talked about, BUT never seen; this story is NOT about them. The ticking sounds in the score were recorded by Hans Zimmer from one of Nolan‘s own pocket watches; the composer then put the sounds into synthesizers and altered them for the soundtrack.

This is an essential moment in the history of World War II. If this evacuation had not been a success, Great Britain would have been obliged to capitulate, and the whole world would have been lost, or would have known a different fate. The Germans would undoubtedly have conquered Europe, the U.S. would not have returned to war. It is a true point of rupture in war and in history of the world. A decisive moment. And the success of the evacuation allowed (Sir Winston Churchill) to impose the idea of a moral victory, which allowed him to galvanize his troops like civilians and to impose a spirit of resistance while the logic of this sequence should have been that of surrender. Militarily, it is a defeat. On the human plane, it is a colossal victory. -Christopher Nolan (director) re: importance of this battle

While scouting locations, Nolan found a button from an English soldier’s uniform in the sand. After first-hand accounts of this evacuation revealed how young/inexperienced the soldiers were, Nolan decided to cast young/unknowns (aside from pop star Harry Styles- of course). Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) and a French deserter in the uniform of a dead Englishman- Gibson (Aneurin Barnard)- are among the many young soldiers trapped on the beach (The Mole). Styles does a good job in his small role; he should stick to those. Mr. Dawson (veteran character actor Mark Rylance), his son Peter (Tom Glynn Carney- before House of the Dragon), and his 17 y.o. pal George (Barry Keoghan- before fame) are the civilians on the sea. They rescue Cillian Murphy, an (unnamed) soldier shaken by the cold and PTSD; he was the most interesting character. Farrier (Tom Hardy) is the RAF pilot in the air in his Spitfire plane; he liked working w/ Nolan (so took this small role). As w/ Bane (in the Batman movies), he wears a mask most of the time- LOL!

Who are the heroes of Dunkirk? Tommy and Gibson (scared/hungry) try to hide/preserve their lives however they can. George jumps aboard the boat b/c he wants to contribute. We learn that the sub the survivor was on got destroyed by German bombs; also the boat he was escaping in was also destroyed. Murphy’s character has reached his limit; he attacks Mr. Dawson (who was empathetic toward him). George quickly stops him, BUT is grievously injured in a fall! If (eager/naive) George hadn’t sacrificed himself, a LOT of men could’ve died (3rd act). Tommy doesn’t tell the survivor that he caused the death of George. Mr. Dawson remains even-keeled and stoic; we eventually learn that he lost his (older) son in war. Though Farrier’s plane runs out of gas, he continues to protect the beach from attack. In the last scene, he’s forced to land on a small strip of land, then captured by Germans. I almost cried at the end; it was (quietly) emotional. This is unlike what I experienced in 1917.

Movie Trailers: Fall/Winter 2023

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Hey y’all, thnx SO much for reading!

Wow, can you believe we are already in SEPT!? As it’s now Fall, MANY trailers for (potentially intelligent/interesting) movies are being released. It’s the time for film fests, incl. Venice, Telluride, and TIFF. If you follow me on any social media (knightleyemma), you’ve seen a BIT of the Venice Film Fest coverage. The WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes are still going on (here in the US); however, a FEW actors (EX: Jessica Chastain, Adam Driver, Jacob Elordi, Peter Sarsgaard, and Cailee Spaeny) have been out promoting their new movies (under an interim agreement). Directors are NOT on strike, so you may’ve seen some on morning shows, entertainment podcasts, etc. What movie are you most looking forward to this season? Who is the best new actor/actress that you want to see more of in the future?

All the best,

EMMA.

FOE (OCT 6th): Official Trailer

Killers of the Flower Moon (OCT 20th): Official Trailers

Saltburn (NOV 17th): Official Trailer

Priscilla (NOV 3rd): Official Trailer

The Holdovers (NOV 10th): Official Trailer

The Bikeriders (DEC 1st): Official Trailer

Poor Things (DEC 8th): Official Trailer

Ferrari (Christmas Day: DEC 25th) : Official Teaser Trailer

“Ant-Man” (2015) & “Ant-Man & The Wasp” (2018)

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Ant-Man (2015) starring Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, & Corey Stoll, & Evangeline Lilly

Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, pull off a plan that will save the world.

I’m sure that some of y’all regular readers are surprised that I watch (a few) Marvel movies- LOL! In recent yrs, I’ve liked Doctor Strange and Black Panther (both of which I saw in theaters); I felt that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (watched on streaming) was uneven (will do a review later). I have to admit, I would NOT have checked this out if charming/likeable Paul Rudd (Scott Lang) and Corey Stoll (Darren Cross- the main baddie) weren’t in prominent roles. I wanted Darren to have a BIT more character development; he does a good job at being a villain. The OG Ant Man is Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas); I was a BIT surprised to see him (after many yrs). In the opening scene, VFX are used to make Douglas and Martin Donovan (who plays his rival) look younger. Scott’s trio of (diverse/formerly criminal) pals) add to the humor: Luis (Michael Pena), Kurt (David Dastmalchian), and Dave (rapper T.I. Harris). Scott’s young daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson), is cute, bright, and a natural actor; she has great chemistry w/ her on-screen dad. Scott wants to better himself for his child, which is V touching and something which many parents/caretakers can relate to. I liked the directing style, action scenes, and special effects (esp. when the shrinking tech was used). The (unnecessary) kiss btwn Scott and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) at the end didn’t work; I think they should’ve stayed (platonic) friends. Yeah, we see that Rudd looks FAB (in the shirtless scene), BUT Scott and Hope don’t have romantic chemistry. You can watch this movie w/ your fam and have fun!

Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018) starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, & Michael Pena

In the sequel, we get most of the cast back, and few more are added (incl. some surprises). However, it didn’t do anything much different w/ regards to style from the 1st movie. Scott (confined to house arrest at the opener) has a great relationship w/ Cassie, ex-wife Maggie (Judy Greer), and her cop bf- Paxton (Bobby Cannavale). The Wasp suit (worn by Hope) is even more advanced than the one we 1st saw on Scott; it was originally worn by her mom, Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer), who is thought to have died on a mission. I was glad to see that Pfeiffer is back on the big screen! As a protective dad, Hank is V reluctant to have Hope wear this suit; their relationship was complicated/strained over the yrs. Here we have new baddies (who aren’t as scary or interesting as Darren): a mysterious/disappearing woman- Ava (Hannah John-Kamen)- and a Southern criminal businessman- Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins)- w/ a crew of (diverse) henchmen. We also meet a prof- Dr. Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne)- a former associate of Hank’s; I wanted to know more about him. I wasn’t as impressed here; this movie is NOT as memorable as the original and the baddies aren’t that intimidating. Also, there are a few slow scenes (which could’ve been cut) involving Scott’s pals (w/ whom he now runs a security business). Most of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies need better editing, from what I’ve seen and heard (from entertainment critics I follow).

Love in the Time of Pandemic: “Perfect Sense” (2011) starring Ewan McGregor & Eva Green

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Without love, there is nothing. -A tagline for the movie

A mysterious epidemic appears across the world where people suddenly lose one of their senses. At first, it’s the loss of smell, which comes after a destructive temper tantrum. Epidemiologist Susan (Eva Green- who is French) and chef Michael (Ewan McGregor) begin a romantic relationship; her apt is opposite from the restaurant where he works. Soon, the loss of other senses plagues more… and more people; the civil authorities try to maintain order. Is love possible in such a time/situation?

Susan: [narratingthe 1st lines] There was darkness. There is light. There are men and women. There’s food. There are restaurants. Disease. There’s work. Traffic. The days as we know them, the world as we imagine the world.

This indie film reteams director David Mackenzie w/ his Young Adam (2003) star/fellow Scotsman- McGregor. The screenplay was written by a Danish man- Kim Fupz Aakeson; originally this story was set in Denmark. Connie Nielson (also Danish) plays Susan’s bestie- Jenny. To research her role, Green spent several days hanging out in labs in Glasgow w/ biologists and epidemiologists. Susan’s older co-worker Stephen is played by Stephen Dillane (British); he is best known for Game of Thrones. Michael’s boss/the restaurant owner is played by Denis Lawson (McGregor’s uncle); this was their 1st time working together. They both appeared in the Star Wars franchise; Lawson played Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy; McGregor played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy and recent Disney+ series. Ewen Bremner (James- the sous chef) and McGregor were both in the two Trainspotting films; I need to watch those sometime. Alistair McKenzie (from Monarch of the Glen) plays Susan’s virologist co-worker; I recall watching the early seasons of that TV show on PBS.

Susan: Aren’t you going to ask why I haven’t been to work?

Stephen: Well, you’ve been sick.

Susan: Not sick, just unhappy.

Stephen: It’s the same thing.

Susan: Unhappy, on account of a man.

Are y’all fed up w/ the pandemic/COVID-19? Then, this is NOT the film for you, as it delves into similar events/themes! Yup, there are restaurant closings, face masks (KN95), and MANY people facing mental/physical breakdowns. Unlike Contagion, this story is told on a small scale w/ a personal feel. I’m a fan of McGregor (and NOT just for his looks); he usually makes acting look effortless. He brings an easy charm and lightness to Michael, though there is tragedy in his past. Susan is a serious scientist who also has a difficult past. Recently, I’ve seen Green in The Dreamers (her early role; directed by Bertolucci) and Clone/Womb (an indie co-starring Matt Smith). She brings to mind the reserved/elegant leading ladies of a past time, BUT w/ a modern twist. They have V good/easy romantic chemistry. A fun fact: The shaving cream tasted in the bath is actually made of white chocolate, as is the bar of soap bitten into- LOL! Mackenzie went on to direct Hell or High Water; check that film out if you haven’t yet.

[1] This is the “thinking man’s” end of the world type flick.

[2] I found this film quite enlightening, the performances intense, the music appropriate and, last but not least, the photography/ filming magnificent. 

[3] Mackenzie films Glasgow in glory and decay, making wonderful use of water and reflected light, as he did in Young Adam. The hard jar of the camera on a bicycle sans steady-cam is a brave choice, but it draws your attention to visual sense and foreshadows the losses about to fall.

This is a moving film, a thought-provoking one, about love, connection, and all the things we take for granted.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews