Annihilation Review

I admit, I don’t always see movies when they come out. It takes a bit of time for me to catch up with a lot of modern stuff. That’s not to say that I don’t come around to them, but it just takes a little longer than the average blog. Then again, this is not your average blog, so there’s that going for it. Today we are looking at the 2018 movie “Annihilation”, and it’s a doozy in some ways, and a dud in others.

If you go by the numbers, you’ll find that the movie flopped, and it didn’t seem to find an audience when it came out. In fact, it made roughly less than the budgeted amount, and when people saw it, they weren’t exactly thrilled with what the movie was like. I didn’t know what to expect when I came into this movie, but it seemed interesting enough.

The plot features a biologist and a team of scientists and former military personnel that go into special mission to a lighthouse that has been covered in some sort of mist. This is called the Shimmer, and the team must go in, get some samples and come out, something that no one has done before. With the sole exception of Lena’s husband Kane, who is our main protagonist.

In the Shimmer things start to unravel and our group starts to turn on one another and gets picked off one by one with nature fighting back. The team slowly dissolves and you are face to face with some mythical creatures, mutations, and much more as the movie progresses. The team also begins to lose their minds, which is an interesting trope that is common in these types of movies.

Overall, “Annihilation” is an interesting movie but I must warn you, it is a slow burn. The slow burn is broken up with some scenes of chaos and violence, but there is a lot of walking around and waiting. If you are patient, though, you’re going to get hit with some good effects, nice character acting and good overall story. I found the story to be captivating, and interesting through several chapters. The final act is a little flat, but getting there really is a ride that is worth taking. The movie features a good cast including Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Oscar Isaac and more. Overall, this is a good science fiction movie that fell under the radar of most, and is really worth taking time out to see it. It’s not for everyone, but for those that can appreciate a moody science fiction film, this is definitely going to be a good one to check out. 

9 Major Reasons Why Star Wars The Force Awakens Sucks

Face It, Star Wars Sucks

I’m not going to sit here and type that I’m a revered critic. I’m not. This page is not even on the radar. Even though I did manage to win 2 Golden Popcorn Awards, this page gets less views than an old Vicca VHS tape. The new Star Wars movie is here, and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you don’t know that. I for one am so sick and tired of the marketing. I don’t need Star Wars branded TACO shells! I’m so tired of getting hit with the super marketing push that has nothing to do with the movie, the franchise, or anything at all with cinema. I don’t need “dark side” oranges, or Yoda branded grapes!

Ok, I’ll digress.

There are a LOT of people praising the latest in the Star Wars movies. But I am not so quick to say that this is a great movie. Just like the Dark Knight Returns, I am calling it for what it is, a lackluster, crap shoot of a film. Simply put, this movie sucks.

I’m not that eloquent in writing sometimes, so instead of hashing out a diatribe, I’ll just give you 9 reviews that highlight what I’ve been saying since this movie started and it’s now on our proverbial tables. This movie sucks, and the franchise sucks. It’s overrated, and I’m tired of getting lambasted when I speak my opinion about it.

Here are 9 major reasons or rather reviews that showcase how much Stars Wars The Force Awakens sucks, and how the marketing can go to hell. I’m tired of it.

9 - It's The Same Movie?!

Whether Abrams’ obsessive-compulsive relationship to George Lucas’ 1977 original works for you is a subjective question, of course. You can choose to understand “The Force Awakens” as an embrace of the mythological tradition, in which the same stories recur over and over with minor variations. Or you can see it as the ultimate retreat into formula: “Let’s just make the same damn movie they loved so much the first time!” There are moments when it feels like both of those things, profound and cynical, deeply satisfying and oddly empty. This is the work of a talented mimic or ventriloquist who can just about cover for the fact that he has nothing much to say. He has made an adoring copy of “Star Wars,” seeking to correct its perceived flaws, without understanding that nothing about that movie’s context or meaning or enormous cultural impact can be duplicated.

- Salon.com 

8 - JJ Abrams Sucks As An Action Director (DUH!)

As in his other movies (including Super 8 and Star Trek films), Abrams doesn’t seem to know how to frame the action, dramatically or visually, to maximize the good and minimize the bad. The setup for the climactic set piece, which echoes the three friends in The Wizard of Oz sneaking into the witch’s castle to rescue Dorothy, is almost embarrassingly perfunctory, and the security for all First Order facilities appears set at pre-9/11 levels. The film’s strokes of visual panache include the funereal throne room of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), who looks like an enormous version of Edward Munch’s “Scream.” But Abrams can’t pull off a Triumph of the Will extravaganza, whether with his sub–Albert Speer architecture or Domhnall Gleeson’s glazed face and frozen rabble-rousing as General Hax.

- Filmcomment.com

7 - It Is Just Paying Fan Service (Nostalgia)

But The Force Awakens is still more or less a fetish object, a film that exists to inspire phrases like “It feels like Star Wars again” ad nauseam from a fanbase that equates the lasting impact of Lucas's prequels as something akin to PTSD. Its analog grain, practical effects work (shrewdly augmented with CGI), and the impression, at least, of a new story in this universe being told, rather than the predetermined one we were subjected to last time, lend Abrams's effort a baseline rejuvenation, one he and returning screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan stoke throughout with the kind of nostalgia this series has been exploiting since it first co-opted John Fordian vistas and plot points from Akira Kurosawa films.

- Slantmagazine.com

6 - It's Just The Same Movie (and the same as #9 on this list)

He hasn’t made a terrible picture—just a safe one, where the farthest reaches of fantasy feel merely routine. Every crisis or moment of drama turns out to be a rehash of one that has gone before. Even Luke’s pivotal discovery from The Empire Strikes Back, in which he finds out that his greatest enemy is also his closest relative, is repeated here in a different form, with two characters unexpectedly occupying branches of the same family tree. 

- Newstatesman.com

5 - People Are Willing To Pay Money No Matter What The Movie Is Like (lame)

Some things are the same but updated, an orphan in the desert with a mysterious heritage, a swashbuckling pilot, a plucky droid. And some things are simply the same: C-3PO and R2-D2, the Millennium Falcon, and oh yes, the Force. The unkind view — the cynical view, the greedminded view — is that there is no need for new ideas when people will line up to pay for old ones. 2015.

- Sandiegoreader.com

4 - Either Abrams Doesn't Know How To Pace Himself Or He Doesn't Know The Audience

And yet The Force Awakens adds up to something less than the sum of its parts. The early scenes have a relaxed, assured pace. But as the story moves forward, Abrams becomes more mired in the task of keeping the plot mechanics in gear. There’s the expected climactic battle between X-wing starfighters and TIE fighters, which is mildly exciting and nothing more—the fact that it’s punctuated with dumb dialogue like “General! Their shields are down!” “Prepare to fire!” and even the classic, “It would take a miracle to save us now,” surely doesn’t help. And the movie’s big twist, clearly intended to be a moment of Shakespearean grandeur, is handled clumsily: Instead of allowing a significant figure to have his grand moment, Abrams cuts to other characters expressing shock and dismay, as if he didn’t trust the audience to know what to feel.

- Time.com

3 - It's A Boring Rehash of The Same Ideas As The Original, emphasis on BORING. 

 Pero me fui deshinchando progresivamente, me aburría el más de lo mismo y me resultó francamente pesarosa la segunda parte de la saga.

- Cultura.elpais.com

2 - We Have Already Seen The Same Gags and Tricks For 30 Years! 

But we have had 30+ years of movies aping A New Hope, with some (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl) being better than others (Pan, Lucas’s own Willow). So it is a little disheartening to see the former champion playing the same game as would-be pretenders.

You can make the case that I was hoping to get “the Star Wars movie,” promised in the grandly mythic trailers but instead got merely “a Star Wars movie.” 

- Forbes.com

1 - It's Not Well Made, It's Clunky, and Abrams Doesn't Know How To Handle Visual Style

The picture feels a bit clunky, as if on stilts, until the action takes place. Roger Ebert had a cynical observation about whom the Oscars rewards, to paraphrase, “He who acts most acts best.”  Though not as acrimonious as Lucas’ prequels, which aren’t even worth consideration if we’re to be serious about any kind of analysis, Abrams feels off balance when he’s not running.  I can relate, but I have poor motor coordination because of my cerebral palsy. What’s J.J.’s excuse?

THE FORCE AWAKENS also suffers from Abrams’ lack of a visual style.  It’s not due to technology.  He insisted on real locations and a film medium as opposed to digital cinematography. RAIDERS’ cinematographer Douglas Slocombe, like Peter Suschitzky on EMPIRE, had an easily deconstructed style that was consistent and appropriate for the tone Spielberg wanted for his homage to b-movie serials.

- Cinemalogue.com

There you have 9 reasons why Star Wars: The Force Awakens sucks. I used these sites as quotes because they didn't just go for nostalgia and say this was a great opus. It's not. It's another pull to make money, and while I don't care if people make money in a business, I do find that some things aren't worth their salt, and this again is not worthwhile. I'll save my 30 bucks and pay some bills, get a coffee, and go back to whatever it is I do. But if you're honest with yourself, and you read these things, as well as see the movie, you will see that it's nothing grand. Heck, it's about as exciting as a 70 year old man kicking an up and coming WWE superstar. I suck at writing, which is why I linked you to 9 good writers. I'm done. This sucks. 

Elysium Review

I am pretty jaded about a lot of things. However, this weekend I was able to sit down and watch Elysium on blu ray. I’m one of the few that still rents movies from Netflix, and this was definitely one of the options I have been waiting to see for some time. I didn’t know anything about the movie going in, other than it was a science fiction movie and that Matt Damon was in it. That’s all I knew about it.

The story as it goes is a compelling one. The visual design flow of the movie is absolutely fantastic. There’s a lot going for this movie in terms of looks. I love the views. I love the presentation of a dystopian Los Angeles in contrast to the Elysium luxury living element. I loved the clarity of the presentation, and I didn’t get lost in anything.

The movie flows through a major theme of poverty, immigration, and the future. I felt compelled by the story because I am a naturalized American. I was born in Mexico and came to this country for a better life, and in the movie it’s represented in a fashion that is closely held to my heart. It showcases a struggle, and it showcases reality in ways that great media does.

Aside from the themes, we get a good performance from Matt Damon. I loved his working class job, his heroics in hopes of helping himself not only live, but his first love’s child live. I love the juxtaposition created with the rogue agent as well, and the political elements involved were grand too. Overall, the movie had a lot to offer in terms of story, visuals, and continuity.

This movie made a lot more sense in terms of fighting and themes than “The Dark Knight”. I loved the way things moved forward in this and the social class, justice system, and science fiction elements all work like a very good novel. I knew the story before I saw it happen on screen as there’s some predictable moments here. However, I found myself completely enthralled with the movie as a whole. There are so many great elements here, and the end result, is a hero’s tale that is absolute, it’s perfect. I loved it.

Elysium is the best movie I’ve seen in a long time. Thematically it’s brilliant. The acting is good. There is a lot here, especially in terms of fighting, political exploitation, and so much more. There’s layers to this. I don’t know, maybe I just connected with the notion of immigration and health care. Maybe it’s not that great, but I know one thing’s for sure, this is a heady and serious movie if you let it be. Otherwise, it’s an entertaining science fiction movie with lots of tropes you already know, but with a passion for something greater. I loved it. I highly recommend this one. Visually complex, great narrative, and heavy handed at times, I think it’s the best in a long time.

Pick up Elysium on BLU RAY here, It’s a great science fiction picture.

Time Travel In Popular Culture: How Science and Media Collide

For those of you that follows this blog, make sure that you check out Scary Film Review's participation in this Kindle eBook. "Time Travel in Popular Culture" by Jay Dune. Some of our reviews are in there now, and have been taken down from this site. Pick it up here.

Jurassic World Review

I just moved to a new city, a new state, and hit the reset button on this website. I was told that Amazon links aren’t going to work within the frames, so the archives are going to get a little bit of a shift. However, from what I know about these things, most of you aren’t clicking on anything, or buying from the links, so who gives a flying you know what. This weekend, as I settled into a new city, I went to the movies to see what the hype was all about with the new Jurassic World movie. It turns out, it’s a big pile of trash.

Nonsensical Decision Making

First and foremost, the characters all make and say the most asinine things, without any form of continuity. Sure, there are some that may argue about duality, or split personality or rationale, but there are some concrete elements that aren’t very good. For instance, the owner of the park wants to push the legacy of Hammond (the old guy in the original), but later doesn’t want to kill a serious threat to the safety of the park’s visitors because they’ve invested far too much money. This sort of dichotomy doesn’t make any sense, considering the character’s role. Oh, and of course, he dies by his own foreshadowing. This is not just him, there are several rash decisions. Not only that, why are villains just villains? There’s no storytelling, no reasoning, no greed, no back story, just stupidity. At one point the hero punches another for NO reason, none at all. Just because? Why? No explanation, we just have to accept it.

A Monster Movie None The Less

Let’s not fool ourselves. This is not an epic movie. The sweeping, and empathetic elements of Jurassic Park, the original are gone. This is a void piece of garbage. The cash grabs for Starbucks, Mercedes, Jamba Juice, Dairy Queen, and lots of other sponsors blatantly in the film doesn’t add up for me. The sweeping shots of the Mercedes emblem is far pushier than the original. Not to mention, the characters play absolutely dumb one minute, than smart the next, and even genius level when two kids miraculously know how to put an old Jeep Wrangler together after it’s been sitting idle for at least 20 years.

See Carnosaur Instead

Overall, Jurassic World has a good premise, but it’s a far cry from the intelligence of the original novel, and even the movie. If you hated Jurassic Park 2 and 3, then this is going to be right there with them. This movie was NOT needed, and plays with your logic worse than any horror movie I’ve seen in a long time. I would not recommend spending $34 to see this. That’s my total and I struggled to stay awake with this terribly plotted, ridiculous movie.

Then again, dinosaurs are cool? At least Carnosaur didn’t have the pretense. Jurassic World is the “hipster” of dino-monster movies. Yeah, I said it.

Alien Review

buy blu ray anthology here

Ever go on the movie ride at Disneyworld? It’s weird that amidst all of the movies that they have in there, some of them are horror related, and some of them are harder than others. For instance, they have a whole hallway with Alien on display. This movie is an iconic and oh so real space movie. Ok, it’s not realistic, but it could very well be the fate of those that are going to try and live on Mars and never come back. The movie was released in 1979 and it is directed by Ridley Scott, and stars none other than Sigourney Weaver as Ripley.

Fans of the NES game “Metroid” will liken many of the elements from the game to this movie. The movie as a whole stands the test of time in a lot of different ways. The plot is simple, but well played out. A deep sleep is shaken, the crew aboard a mining vessel in space wakes up and has to answer a distress call. It’s during the mission of helping someone else, that they realize they are messing with something that they’ve never seen before.

Aside from the iconic imagery that comes from the product of Alien, you have to think about the time frame. This movie was released in 1979, and during that point there wasn’t anything remotely close to a computer that could do a lot of the rendering that would get done in the next decade. Computer graphics were not available for this film, and therefore the effects are all done the classic way. Modeling, clay, latex, and a lot of other tricks of the trade were employed and you can’t even tell that they aren’t modern.

Visual design aside, Ripley’s character is somewhat believable, tenacious and strong. Women complaining about how female roles are never really action packed, should shut up and munch on a hot dog for a moment while Sigourney Weaver rocks the silver screen. This is an impactful movie and Weaver does well here, vulnerable at times, strong at others, and all woman. I love it. Feminists would love it too, and any underlining text about sexuality and the beast and all that jazz can just shut down for at least a couple hours while I enjoy my moment in the proverbial sun and say that Ripley may be the best women’s horror movie character ever! BADASS! Mover over Lara Croft.

The production of Alien is something that film geeks really go nuts for, and it’s rightfully so, as you watch it over and over again. If ever there was a perfect science fiction tale, with horror elements to boot, this is it. It sparks the imagination like Wells, Lovecraft, Hitchcock, and many more would attest to. If you haven’t seen this, or if you don’t own it, there’s something wrong with your collection. Get the Alien box set here, and let’s not tell anyone that you haven’t checked it out. Idiot.

Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

Event Horizon Review

Buy the blu ray here

Event Horizon is one of those movies that gets idly passed by at the video stores and through collections as another science fiction romp, but it’s more than that. It reaches to the heart of what horror is and delivers a good narrative, with good acting, and some nice touches here and there to separate itself from the schlock that came out in the late 1990s. In fact, this movie stars Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill, two icons of cinema in my view, and definitely do their part well. Directed by Paul Anderson, this is one movie you have to go back and watch again, with the lights on preferably.

The movie centers around a space ship (surprise surprise) headed into the deep recesses of space, and testing a new technology to somehow understand black holes and even control them. It’s there that something goes wrong, and the ship gets taken into a wormhole and that’s that. In the future, the ship returns and it’s up to a rag tag crew to figure out what’s going on, and perhaps try to tell the tale of loss. In the middle of all of this however, something deeply disturbing takes place, each character has to face their fear, their worst fears as it flashes before them and they get pummeled throughout.

At times, this one reminded me of the original puzzle horror film “Cube”, but it’s more than that. It has a lot of little twists and turns, with some serious suspense. The science may be a bit flimsy, but that doesn’t matter because the scenery here is isolated, scary, and filled with horror. You get a bit of gore, a bit of scares, but more importantly, a character study in space.

It is not on par with some other movies, as there are some slow spots, and the concept can be easily lost as it turns out to be a fragile component to the turning of the screws in the film. It’s not bad, by any means, as there are some great highlights, and the acting is so strong that you can overlook some of the minor misses here and there.

As a horror movie Event Horizon stands tall, but as an instant classic, or compared to others, it’s not that grand. It’s easily forgettable, and it has been, until you rewatch it and find something new. That’s why I recommend picking up this film and watching it again, it’s been a while, no doubt. It has an easy flow, horror themes, science fiction notes here and there, and of course better acting than 90% of the teen scream movies from the era.

Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

Twilight Zone Box Set No Longer Manufactured after December 1

As of Dec. 1st The Definitive Twilight Zone Collection on DVD will no longer be available in this box set. The manufacturers will cease production, get it before it inflates 1,000% on ebay. http://amzn.to/1dqrMeo