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Reviews
The Grey (2011)
Liam Neeson Survives in the Wilderness
The Grey is a stellar example of what a survival movie should be. The characters, a group of ex-cons and ruffians, are all likable in their journey to a job on the edge of earth which turns into a fight for survival. The plane sequence is suspenseful to say the least, and the atmosphere really drew me into the world. I felt cold, scared and hopeless just as the characters did in their struggles to fend of the freezing elements and a ruthless pack of wolves.
Liam Neeson does another fine job here as John, an outsider that gets thrown into the fray with a bunch of roughnecks. As the security for oil operations in desolate places, he's tasked with fending off wild animals that come near the sites. His knowledge of wolf behavior and his instincts are what lead him and the rest of the survivors towards safety, but the nature of the situation (temperature, predators, and scale) has the final say in the matter.
The Grey excels in several places. I liked that there was character conflict, but it was due to fear and shock rather than plain arrogance and bad-guy typecasting. Characters that seemed unlikeable were redeemed, and these rough scoundrels banished at the ends of the earth were shown to be real people with something to fight for.
There is also an existential theme in The Grey that challenges people's system of beliefs. John doesn't get a miracle or divine intervention. He has himself and his small amount of resources. People that journey into the wilderness and have the tides turned on them often do not get out alive. Mother nature and starvation are easy to succumb to when our small existence faces a large empty void. Christopher McCandless didn't die because he was a bad person and a sinner. He was an educated, warm person who wandered out into Alaskan wilderness without enough knowledge or resources. It's easy to see how fragile we are when our societal securities are taken away.
The ending was my favorite part of the movie. I'm sure many people expected the outcome, and this was my first thought towards the beginning when John gave the men their chances, but it surprised me nonetheless. I didn't expect John to end up where he did, and when you factor in the chances of it happening, it makes it that much more ironic.
The Grey fails mostly in the portrayal of the wolves, but since they are shown more to be a force confined to the shadows and in the back of everyone's mind, it wasn't such a problem to me that they weren't very convincing.
This is a great survival movie that fans of the genre shouldn't miss.
Tremors (1990)
A fantastic monster film
Tremors is one of the best monster films to come out of the last several decades and it still holds up well today.
The best part of this movie was by far the characters. It really nailed the sense of community and craziness that people have living in a small isolated town. Rachel, NV would be my pick for the closest real life example. (topography is similar too)
Val and Earl are played by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward respectively. They play the handymen of Perfection and just as they try to get out of town to greener pastures, the area is attacked by ancient subterranean creatures they aptly name "Graboids."
What follows is a smart and intense cat/mouse scenario where the town tries to get out of the valley and into the mountains(the Graboids can only travel in soft earth). The sense of isolation and the desolate setting really contribute to the atmosphere of the movie. The characters are all likable and relatable. Unlike most movies of this genre, they think things through and try to make good decisions to get out of their predicament (like real people would).
The standout scene features Burt (Michael Gross), and Heather (Reba McEntire) in their underground bunker. Burt and Heather are the survivalists if the community (there's always a couple), and the scene is intense and hilarious as they fight one head-on.
The performances are all solid. Finn Carter (Rhonda) plays Val's love interest and she brings some beauty and brains into the proceedings. (refreshing!)
The Graboids are done well. They are shown more through their presence underground than in full view which really adds to the suspense. I would go as far to say that Tremors is "Jaws" on land. The models they use are fairly realistic looking as well and the filmmakers and effect department did a great job bringing them to life.
I highly recommend a viewing. Tremors is an easy to follow, fun, and smart monster film with a fantastic cast of actors.
Children of Men (2006)
One of the best movies in recent memory
I've seen Children of Men several times now and it gets better with every viewing. This isn't a hard film to follow, but it is undeniably gorgeous in its portrayal of a bleak and dismal future where humanity has ceased to procreate.
It certainly raised a lot of questions from its premise. What happens when human kind can no longer reproduce? The film begins with the death of the youngest known person in the world. Younger people are cast as celebrities due to their rarity. The film is set in England and we see the negative effect this would have on society. People are depressed, the economy is in the tank, immigrants are harshly deported, and humanity seems to be nearing an end. The film even hints at catastrophic wars across major city centers around the globe.
Several sides are presented here. The English government is rounding up immigrants and placing them in concentration camps or deporting them, terrorist organizations are resisting and plotting their own uprisings, and a mysterious organization called the Human Project is researching the reproductive phenomenon offshore.
Clive Owen's character, Theo, is brought into the fold when his ex wife Julian (played by Julianne Moore), asks him to escort a girl out of the country that her terror organization is protecting. The back and forth is handled well. Julian dies and Theo is asked to protect the girl, Kee, at all costs. He learns she is pregnant and that handing her over to the government or his wife's organization would be a bad idea as both sides would use her to further their agendas. The rest that follows is intense and well thought-out. Theo eventually gets Kee to the Human Project after finding himself in a war between both sides.
The performances and minor touches in this film drew me into its world. Michael Caine (Jasper) played a great part as a hippie father-figure to Theo. I won't hear Ruby Tuesday the same way ever again after having watched those scenes. The music portrayed in the movie (as in the confines of the world) was this brash screaming concoction and I felt the writers did some research to imagine what music may sound like in the future (also representative of the depression and angst people faced, so that was a nice touch). Other things like the cars and some of the interfaces were really neat as well.
Technically, the action scenes were enormously complex and gritty. Children of Men features several composite shots that need to be seen regardless of anything else. The scene everyone talks about is the fight at the end of the film. This shot spans 6 min of unbroken filming and it's truly a masterpiece in editing and execution.
I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic films and Children of Men looks at things a little differently. It's not famine, planetary resources, or overpopulation that leads to humanity's end, but our loss of procreation, the most important resource for our survival. The atmosphere was spot on and perhaps more realistic than most scenarios that threaten to end our existence. This movie places up there with my favorites.
Flyin' Ryan (2003)
A compelling commentary on science and belief
Flyin' Ryan is one of those rare, underrated movies that comes around once in a blue moon and provides compelling insight into many theories of science and belief. Ryan ultimately wins here by asking the questions and providing the evidence for viewers to draw their own conclusions.
The synopsis is a classic one. A boy (Ryan) moves to a new town and gets bullied by a group of kids. He has a hard time adjusting, living with his crazy aunt, and awkwardly courting his new friend Nicki, the cute, smart girl down the street. Ryan eventually stands up to the bullies, gets the girl(and dog), and saves the day.
Now, I know you are drawing a lot of comparisons to Footloose at this point(yes, both movies have gratuitous shots of feet as well), but this is where they go in completely different directions. Flyin' Ryan involves more complex studies into theories like time travel, levitating (with bicycle reflectors no less), and teleporting. It took about 12 viewings, but I finally learned that Ryan's lack of charisma, character,and general social behavior is actually compensated by his superpowers.
Yes, Ryan has superpowers. The first show of this is actually pretty amazing. He gets pushed into the lake by some bullies in some really shallow water and the next instant transports 8ft out. He appears to be drowning, but it's easy to tell it was really a defense mechanism to get the bullies to go away.
The next is the boat ride across the lake. Anywhere across this particular lake is probably several miles so to paddle-boat anywhere would take the better part of a day. Ryan and Nikki manage to make this trek to the other side and back during the afternoon (This caught my attention when they were having a long conversation in the middle of the lake just floating around and going nowhere). They then made it to this old western town where this old guy who randomly appeared (ghost?) gives Ryan some wheels for his Heelys. So, you ask, how is this possible? Time travel. Ryan can not only get places fast, but he can go back in time. The supernatural aspect of this scene is something to chew on as well.
Okay, so he can teleport and travel through time, so why does he run when he gets chased? Well it's simple. He's baiting the bullies to think he's weaker than he really is. They know something is up once he outruns not just a pack of skateboards, but ATVs! Then BAM! That kid flies! He flies right over a gorram gorge! I want to point out that this chase scene was pretty incredible, rivaling those of Bullitt and T2. When Ryan came face to face with the guy carrying the box of tennis balls, I was like "Oh no! Watch out Ryan! You guys are going to run into each other!!!" And then it happened. The guy threw his tennis balls in the air and the skateboarders rolled in and crashed. I was all, "Smooth move Ryan! What a fast thinking plan!" I almost passed out when the motorcycle was about to hit the karate instructor but he jumped right over it! Anyway, Ryan outruns the conveniently placed ATVs that the bullies get on and jumps (sorry flies) over a gorge. Damn, he's going to get some flying lessons from Nicki later that night if you know what I mean.
The plot unfolds as his aunt's house gets smashed up and his dog is stolen. Ryan hatches a plan to fly across the county to a quarry and retrieve his dog. Turns out the dog was stolen by Dirk and sold to his cousin to be a guard dog at the quarry. After some cool chase scenes, Ryan shoves the dog in his backpack, flies to the hospital, and gets a kiss from Nicki!
Overall, this movie had a very positive and compelling message. I thought about what might happen to Ryan if he couldn't do all the cool stuff he did, like if he was a normal kid. Obviously, Nicki chose him for his powers. Like most girls, she chose the guy that will get her ahead in life.
The performances were nuanced and dynamic. Andy Weiss played Ryan with heart and believability. I wouldn't have cast anyone else to play the part of a socially inept kid who has superpowers. Geneve Rupert shines as Nicki, the girl vying for Ryan's affection. Hell, I would want a boyfriend who could time travel, teleport, and fly too! Connor Snyder steals the show though as Aunt Rita. Every scene she's in dominates and really showcases the superb writing in this movie.
At the end of this movie, I have a lot of questions. Did these amazing feats happen because the science is there and Ryan was a superhuman, or was there belief and divine intervention involved? I happen to think that Ryan believed he could fly when he was cornered in the chase scene, but why would he need the shoes? God could have had a hand in this, but I also believe the shoes are the key. Magic would be a product of the supernatural, and we see this time and time again in the movie, but there is simply no real explanation. Makes you think.
Anyway, this is a great movie. I recommend it to anyone who wants something to chew on. I thought Memento was a smart and well crafted movie, but Ryan may be on a different level entirely. See it!
Serenity (2005)
A satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series
Serenity is one of those films I can watch anytime. I missed out on Firefly when it aired, but caught up on the first season once I got older. My opinions of the show aside, Serenity expands on the lore and provides proper closure to the series. In addition, it stands alone well for new viewers with a smooth transition in introducing the world and characters again and continuing the show's arc.
The draw to Serenity is the characters, and though some argue that it's hard to connect to them in a 2 hour span, Whedon really did this movie as a fan service. I recommend watching the first season. Truth is, I could watch Mal and his crew on adventures all day long, but I digress.
As a fan of Firefly, Serenity was a well thought-out, emotional, smart, and fun closure to the series. All of the characters are re-introduced, and we finally get to see River's full potential as a smart and deadly weapon (something the show began to explore before it got canceled). The Alliance is broadcast well here. The show always cast them as this cold, totalitarian government, but with enough evidence to argue against them being completely corrupt or evil. Their actions are shown as monstrous in the story (River, Reaver origin story - more on that, etc), but Whedon was smart to write in the Operative (played by the awesome and underrated Chiwetel Ejiofor), who provided some distance from them. He used their full resources, but took the accountability of their actions (killing children, Mr. Universe, etc), and this was shown through his immovable belief that he had to capture the Tams by any means necessary to achieve his perfect Universe. What ultimately wins out (for Mal/Crew and the viewer), is that Mal wins by proving the Operative wrong and changing his belief.
This never happens in movies. Enemies are usually one-sided and un-swayed by logic or rationality, and where as a normal enemy would give the kill order due to bashed pride and ego, the Operative realizes his wrongness and spares the crew. It's an interesting commentary on belief and argument. Do people admit to logical fallacies when presented with supporting evidence from the other side? Hmm...
There were several things I took issue with. First of all, killing Wash and Book off. Book made sense to me at first. He was a supporting character who ended up on the receiving end for Mal. He was an unfortunate casualty of someone else's fight. Wash rubbed me the wrong way. Undoubtedly the comic relief of the cast, he went in such a horrible way, and I felt there was inadequate mourning over him. The truth here had to do with contracts and green lighting sequels meaning Whedon didn't plan on writing them out beforehand, and knowing we aren't getting a sequel, this bugs me even more.
For those who haven't seen the series, watch this movie. It has some great special effects, great characters, drama, action, and writing. The Reaver origin story is done well, and all sides are given some depth and exploration.
For those who've just seen the movie or are on the fence, watch the series. It really is fantastic and it holds up well today.