Movie: Prometheus
What can I say other than, it was a disappointment. It was shinny and pretty to look at for 2 hours but parts of it made no sense. And other parts of it were completely stupid. I was hoping for more considering it was part of the Alien franchise, but I guess I’ll just call it an inferior spin-off.
Just plain D-U-M-B
The opening sequence with the alien chomping on some bad chewing tobacco is supposed to explain what exactly? how he slipped and fell into the water and created humanity? Really? DNA works like that? … just add water and voila! Not quite. There’s no science in that fiction.
Other stupid shit like why, oh why, when exploring unknown alien structures, does the team always end up getting split up and lost. Don’t they watch scarey movies? Don’t they know what happens to the secondary characters after they split off from the main ones? You die! you dumb red shirts. You are the first course on the baddies meal card.
And when a giant space ship or collapsing building is falling toward you, always remember, TURN … left or right, it matters not … just TURN! Go 90 degrees away from the falling object and you will survive to be in the even crappier sequel.
I can go on for pages complaining about the obvious blunders in this movie, but fortunately someone else did that for me. Read it here.
Where’s the Girl Power?
I am a HUGE fan of powerful women. I love the Ellen Ripley character in the Alien series. But in this movie the females let me down. Charlize Theron played Meredith Vickers and she was stiffer than David the android. No warmth, no emotion … maybe no beating heart either … She was the poster girl for the “Cold Hearted Bitch” club.
Now granted, Elizabeth Shaw’s character was a tough cookie and the lone survivor (she was played by Noomi Rapace who also played Lisbeth Salander in the 2009 film version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). But some of her scenes were also slightly stupid. I mean she pops into a surgical tube, gets sliced open, alien inners sucked out, tummy stapled shut and then she runs through the ship in gauze tape panties and boobie holders … without bledding to death… and then stops to have a casual conversation with another crew member… that’s not likely.
Again, I know it’s science fiction, but should it make some kind of basic common sense too? Don’t ya think?
Overall I have an idea of where they were trying to go with the story, and it seems interesting, but they didn’t quite get there. To me the Alien series is about the indomitable human will to survive. This movie did not show me that. I guess the aliens won this round.
— KRR
Movie: John Carter (of Mars)
The film is based on A Princess of Mars (1917) by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is the first installment in a movie trilogy based on Burroughs’ 11-volume Barsoom series of novels (1912–43). That’s right … written almost 100 years ago!
I admit I had not heard of this series before the movie came out, so many of my sci-fi loving friends gave me an immediate history lesson. Apparently Burroughs’s Barsoom series inspired many well-known science fiction writers (Bradbury, Clark) in addition to real life scientists (Sagan) over the years. It may have even influenced the early US space race. My friends also pointed out that, when comparing any similarities between this movie/books and contemporary sci-fi movies/books, you have to remember that Burroughs did it first.
Speaking of the movie … I loved it. I enjoyed every part of it. It did not disappoint in story content nor flashy shiny stuff. There was A LOT going on in this movie and it would be easy for anyone to get lost. There were many groups, characters, baddies and goodies … and a huge lightning fast puppy-critter. I enjoyed following along with each plot twist and turn. It kept my mind thoroughly entertained, which is hard to do nowadays. Unfortunately the bean counters at Disney considered the movie a bomb and hopes for a sequel are on hold.
So while we wait for the Ferengi accountants to approve the sequel, run (don’t walk) to your local bookstore and buy one or all 11 volumes of the Barsoom series if you haven’t already read them. That’s what I’m going to do right now.
– KRR
Movie: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I recently saw the 2011 movie “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and I enjoyed it very much. I have not had a chance to read the novels but it’s on my list of things to do.
I couldn’t help but be drawn into the character of Lisbeth Salander. There was so much of myself that I saw in her. There was so much of my life that was like hers … it was frighteningly similar.
Another reason I enjoyed the movie was because I found Lisbeth Salander to be the best bisexual character I’ve ever seen on the big screen. It’s nice to see a bisexual character that is not stereotype and not the bad guy.
Lisbeth’s a strong woman even after everything she has endured in her life. She is powerful, a damsel that doesn’t wait around to be saved by the dashing strong man. She is independent, trying her best to gain back control of her life, control that was wrongfully taken from her.
She’s not perfect… she has flaws, fears and weakness like all humans do. But that’s okay. No one should be expected to be perfect, just be real.
If the average movie goer can get past her outward appearance, the piercings and tattoos, they’ll see a woman that is an excellent role model for young people today, especially for women.
For more on this trilogy and is quality writing, check out this link. You might enjoy it.
-KRR
Movie: Dream House
I saw the movie “Dream House” today with friends, a suspense/thriller with Daniel Craig & Rachel Weisz.
*** spoilers *** It was an interesting story with a “chicken-or-egg” theme. My friends and I were debating whether Peter wrote the story first and the movie was just him living the story… Or if he wrote the story after experiencing the events in the movie.
*** spoilers *** It’s a good movie that keeps you guessing all the way til the end. Some parts I found predictable. Before Wil went to talk to the shrink at the nut house, I had figured out that Wil & Peter were the same person. But I like how they handled the wife and daughters. I thought they were live people the whole time, especially since they had apparently different names. It was worth the $11 for the ticket.
— KRR
