Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

So I did go to see the latest, and liked it, but didn't love it. It was OK. I thought it was better than the last. Spoilers ahead (don't read if you haven't seen yet).

My favorite parts are when C3P0 loses his memory and when Chewie gets Leah's medal at the end. I also liked seeing Han Solo (Harrison Ford) come back as a force ghost and I liked seeing Kylo Ren turn to the force/the good side. That was satisfying. Lando (Billy Dee Williams) was good to see but he's not really in it much. And I liked seeing the Emperor again revealing himself to be the mastermind.

There were alot of things I didn't understand about the movie. I watched Kevin Smith's review (below) and he had pretty much all of the same thoughts I had about things.

I didn't understand the "healing" powers that Rey and Kylo had, and didn't get all the mind-meld stuff and abilities to step into someone's space like when Rey destroy's Kylo's chambers with her lightsaber when she's not there.

Suppose I need to suspend my disbelief on some stuff, though. Oh well.




Now that the "Skywalker" trilogies are done, I'd still watch some other "Star Wars" universe movies.

- Would still like to see a "Solo: Part II" and show more of Jabba the Hutt
- Would like to see more Obi Wan Kenobi adventures
- Would like to see more of Yoda's life in-between Episodes III and V
- Would like to see a dramatization of Luke training Kylo

The Shape of Water (2017) - an original story or an adapted story?

Last summer I saw a trailer for the film The Shape of Water, which really piqued my interest, as it seemed to be a mysterious and visually intriguing movie, with actors I really enjoy (Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer).

I watched the film in December, and though I found it watchable for the most part, I didn't think it was very a original story; as it was essentially a new twist on an old tale. One thing that especially didn't sit with me well was the dialogue; it felt as if the actors were all using language and speaking as if it were modern times and not early 1960s, and that was a bit distracting. I imagined what the film would be like if it were in a foreign language with subtitles, or set in another country, as it may have worked for me a bit better.

I was surprised that the film received so many Oscar nominations this year; it may win some technical awards, and possibly best picture, director, actress, and possibly Best Original Screenplay - emphasis on "Original".

Leading up to the Awards ceremony, there's been some controversy surrounding the film, with questions being raised as to whether the filmmakers are guilty of plagiarizing the story from another work - a play called Let Me Hear You Whisper by Paul Zindel. The play was also made into two films - 1969 version and a 1990 version. 

I was not familiar with the story or the films, but people who have been pointing out the similarities on Twitter and other social media since last summer. In this article from Hollywood Nerd, the similarities are pointed out, and they are remarkable.  There's also some people who are questioning that director Guillermo del Toro was influenced to write the film based on a story idea he heard from  novelist Daniel Kraus who may have been familiar with the Zindel story (article here). A few other similar court cases about plagiarism are noted in this article here.

According to a recent Deadline article, del Toro claims he's never seen nor heard of the original play, which may be true but quite a coincidence because the two stories are so similar. One would think that at least a credit such as "Inspired by a Story by Paul Zindel" would be appropriate. If the film wins Best Picture, I may be a bit miffed not so much because of this controversy, but because I still feel that in 1992, Beauty and the Beast should have won the Best Picture Oscar, and feel that was a far better fairy tale film.

Interstellar (2014), Solaris (1972), and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

This past summer I was able to catch up with two science fiction films that played here in Chicago in 35 MM at the Music Box Theater. The first was Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris a very slow paced and mysterious film set on a space station where members of the crew succumb to the planet Solaris' control of their minds. It was a visually beautiful film to watch, but felt long; I may need to watch it again a second time to fully comprehend its meaning. Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, also set in the future, left me with a bleak feeling at the end, as most of the characters in the film fell prey to a great deception. I also felt a bit exhausted at the end of it as well. Visually, the film was also beautiful to watch, with stunning visuals. It's another film that I may need to watch again to pay more attention to details, as I feel much went over my head, but I feel I caught the main ideas throughout. In, both films, the comic relief was limited.

Which brings us to one of the year's most anticipated films, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. "Part 8" in the Star Wars saga, this film has its share of suspense and surprises, but perhaps what surprised me the most was the amount of comedy in the film; this film contains probably the most comic relief of all of the Star Wars films put together, which seems unusual since this film was meant to answer some serious questions about the fates of some of the best-known characters in the series such as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. Whenever an actual Star Wars film's comedic tone would fit well in Mel Brooks' Spaceballs (1987), something seems a little out-of-place.

I can only imagine what Interstellar and Solaris would be like with the amount of comedy that was in The Last Jedi.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

I went to see this film over the weekend but I was not blown away by it. I thought it was okay, especially the visual effects and sets. I liked the protagonist's quest to solve the mystery of the film, which pretty much remains a mystery up until the very last minute, and even when its over there are unanswered questions.  I was left to wonder if there will be additional films in this series, and whether I would be interested in the characters enough to want to see additional films in a possible series (I might skip them if they come out). The original Blade Runner from 1982 was a great film that stood alone well by itself, and in my opinion this new film isn't necessary. There were also some awkward comedic moments in the film, especially with Harrison Ford's character Deckart, who has been in hiding for 30 years since the original film's ending. You would never expect a futuristic thriller like this have "cameos" by Elvis and Frank Sinatra, but they do appear, and it's feels awkward. Also, a few more familiar faces from the 1982 film make short appearances in this movie, but they probably didn't need to be in it, really. The movie is long, almost 3 hours. I wouldn't recommend unless you are a huge fan of the first film and absolutely want to see more to this story. This is the kind of film where you really should see the first movie to understand the second.

Star Wars The Force Awakens (2015)

I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens last Sunday afternoon and enjoyed it so much that I went to see it a second time yesterday in 3D!

Before I saw it for the first time, I thought I knew what was going to happen because I had listened to a podcast from Pop Culture Leftovers where the hosts attempted to piece together the entire movie after a careful dissection of every second of the trailers and every rumor that had come out thus far, including some dubious production photo/script "leaks" (click here to listen to that episode).

They got alot right, but they also got a bunch of things WRONG, and the movie was so much better than I expected.

The visual effects were dazzling and the acting was great, especially by the two new young leads, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega - their real names even sound like they belong in the Star Wars universe.

The movie never felt like a rip-off of the original 1977 classic, even though there were plenty of homages to that movie throughout, right down to cameo appearances by aliens and robots from that movie, which I didn't mind at all.  All of the new characters were interesting, including the new villain Kylo Ren, who aspires to be just like his grandfather Darth Vader.

The only thing I didn't like about the experience was that it felt like SO MANY character and plot details are left unanswered, and that it'll be a 2-year wait until the next movie! Oh well, it's Ok though. One of the marks of a great movie is that it leaves you wanting more after it is over.

With Harrison Ford, Max Von Sydow, Oscar Issac.

The Age of Adaline (2015)

Blake Lively impressed me in Age of Adeline.
I have not seen any of her films or TV shows except
for Green Lantern, where she was outshown by the
superheros and visual effects.

Blake Lively plays a 100+ year old woman, Adaline, "trapped" in a young woman's body. But this is not a vampire film. The opening scenes attempt to explain it all with a dramatic voice narrator (sounding like a Bill Kurtis documentary) detailing her plight with enough scientific lexicon to confuse me into suspending my disbelief. If I can believe people survive near-fatal car crashes in Furious Seven, then I can bend a little on this premise too.

And I like the premise, the stuff of novels. But this is an original screenplay. Ellen Burstyn plays her daughter. Yes her daughter! And to great effect - when they talk to each other it really feels like it. Blake dresses, talks, and thinks like an "old soul". Her apartment has a vintage flair, and would likely be a person who loves the classic movies that we all enjoy and love so much.

I like how the film explores memories and aging, as well as having to conceal your true identity and be on the move.  The film Benjamin Button explored some similar ideas, but I found that film to be depressing and ultimately unsatisfying. This movie is much better.

I also like how the movie deals with her having to hide from the world. Only her daughter knows her secret. She can't tell anyone - or can she? Can she really trust another soul? Can she be herself? Will she ever stop hiding?

Harrison Ford is excellent as a man who thinks he remembers meeting Adaline years ago. I love this part of the film, but it comes near the end. Don't go to the movie expecting to see Ford right away.
Kudos to Blake Lively for pulling off this role. Also with Kathy Baker and and actor I'm not familiar with, Michiel Huisman.

Back to the Future 2 (1989) and how it envisioned 2015

Sigh! Back in 1989 when I first saw the movie Back to the Future, Part 2, the year 2015 seemed like such a long time off. Now it's here! Sigh!! 

Even though many of the future ideas are meant for laughs, it's still kind of amazing how much the filmmakers got right about what life would be like in 2015; some examples below. (Flying cars and hoverboards are still a way off, though!)

Flat-panel, widescreen televisions

Watching multiple channels simultaneously
Video conferencing

Employers monitoring employees

Playing video games without using controllers

Outdoor video advertising

Drone cameras 

Making a payment using fingerprint 

Fingerprint scanning

Plastic surgery craze

Robotic fueling systems

Point and shoot digital cameras

Face detection cameras

Voice recognition for electronics

Operating computers without push-keys

Wearable computer glasses

Mobile tablets

Edge of Tomorrow, Snowpiercer, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

So far I've seen 3 new dystopian films in as many months, and surprisingly, I enjoyed them all.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014). I heard this movie described as a cross between Starship Troopers, Saving Private Ryan, and Groundhog Day (!). I might not have gone to see it if Groundhog Day was not in the equation; I love that movie and the concept of continuously reliving the same day with the option of doing something different each time, which is not often explored in films. That's exactly what Tom Cruise does in this, and he's teamed along with Emily Blunt; the two make a great pairing. I went to see the movie on the weekend of June 6, the 70th Anniversary of the Normandy landings. To my surprise, the film starts off with solders battling huge bug-like creatures on a beach (!). I couldn't help but wonder why I was was watching this and not The Longest Day (the next day I did watch that film). The film got better as it progressed, and turned into a very good action thriller, feeling like a "video game" (Live. Die. Repeat.) 

Snowpiercer (2013).  After the entire earth freezes over, only a few human survivors exist, and they're all trapped on a train that circles in a continuous loop. This was a big hit in South Korea last year, but elsewhere, it has been slow to pick up steam (pun very much intended). The film features an international cast: Chris Evans, Jaime Bell, Tilda Swindon, Octavia Spencer, and several South Korean actors that spoke mostly in their native tongue. Did I mention the film also has John Hurt and Ed Harris? (Two of my favorite actors) The film explores class struggle as characters from the back of the train (the slum) attempt to make their way to the front. The journey is an exciting one, as each boxcar presents some new obstacle or revelation about the train's operations. In one scene a man realizes he is in the possession of the last cigarette left in the world; I loved how the camera focused on the smoking ash so intensely.  In another scene a character gets to feel how cold the temperature really is outside (and the results are not pretty).  And one character serves as the train's "photographer" using some coal (I think) and a sketch pad.

Read another blog post about Snowpiercer from Avvaganda.com

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). Not having a vested interested in the series, I almost skipped this. But it's been getting rave reviews for its innovative visual effects, and I just had to see for myself what all the fuss was about. Well, I must say, I was amazed by the CGI and all of the ape effects. For awhile I even thought I could smell the apes (it turned out what I was really smelling was the foot odor from the kids in the row behind me). The movie had a great story, too, exploring themes of war and diplomacy. Thankfully, I didn't need to see any of the previous movies to understand what was happening, and it was a fun movie to watch. I walked out of the movie feeling I really experienced some innovative visual effects.

Prometheus (2012)

This is perhaps my favorite movie made in 2012 that I've seen so far this year - Ridley's Scott's Prometheus, brilliantly directed, never boring.  I really think it is a modern-day sci-fi classic. Roger Ebert even gave it 4 stars, his highest rating.

The movie arrives on DVD and BluRay tomorrow, Oct 9, 2012 in the United States. 

It's not a movie for you if you don't like horror or sci-fi-thrillers. I think it's a good selection for Halloween season because there are plenty of thrills and lots of suspense and mystery. 

Much has been written about it; it's been compared to Alien (it's the same director) and there are some connections, but you don't have to see those movies to enjoy this one (I'm not a big fan of that series). 

The movie has the most amazing, eye-popping, and believable special effects I've seen in a long time. Both the FX and the beautiful, haunting score should be nominated for Oscars. There is a great cast, too including Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender, who plays an android. Early on in the film, he watches Lawrence of Arabia as part of his training on human behavior. When I saw that scene I knew I would love this movie. 

The less you know about it, the better. But in a nutshell, it is about a bunch of explorers looking for signs of life on another planet. There are thrills and unexpected twists that are better left unsaid if you haven't seen it. The movie ends with you wanting to see the next installment, like a great sci-fi serial of the past. 

Music from the film Prometheus by Mark Streitenfeld:

E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982) 30th anniversary screening

The other day I went to see a 30th anniversary screening of the film ET; it was an outdoor movie event "under the stars", which is usually always a fun experience, even if the movie isn't so great. This was the very first time I've ever seen ET in its entirety;  I've always avoided it over the years and never got into the whole craze.

Suspending my disbelief, I bought into the idea that the alien was smart enough to build a communication device to contact his planet, even in the pre-internet, pre-cell phone days of the early 1980s (what a feat!).

Also I liked the bonding with the boy and the alien. Its fair to say that this movie -unlike its subsequent ripoffs - has a heart, in more ways than one. On a sidenote, Henry Thomas, the actor who played Elliot hasn't vanished into obscurity; he has a new independent movie out where he will portray country music legend Hank Williams Sr (due to premiere in cinemas this summer).

ET has forever captured on film many of the same toys I played with as a kid. I spent countless hours with that Speak-N-Spell. What an awesome toy that was!!  So this brought back some memories!

The version of the film that was shown - I learned later - was the 2002 director's cut, with some additional scenes and some added CGI technology (mostly effects that further animate the alien creature). The GCI didn't fool me; I recognized it right away. However I mistakenly thought the part where the alien watches John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man was a deleted scene until I learned that it was in the original. A neat part.

The 2002 DVD (2 discs) has a ton of features that I haven't watched yet.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916) (Silent)

Almost 100 years old, this is a true gem, a very entertaining early version of Jules Verne's classic. Released by Universal the day before Christmas in 1916. I rented a recent re-released DVD of this; the colorized tints really enhance the experience. It was one of the first big-budget films of the silent era, with spectacular underwater photography; there's scenes aplenty of coral and sea life that British director Stuart Paton wanted to show off. Scenes of the Nautilus submarine are cool, as are the scenes on the island, which bring to mind another Verne novel, "Mysterious Island". Haven't read either novel, but this film is reported to be a very faithful film version of the "Leagues" book, with elements of "Island" mixed in. I recommend it. Captain Nemo is played by Allen Holubar, who died at the much-too-soon age of 35. The excellent music score is from the early 90's. View the Wikipedia post.