Weekly Review -- Invasion weekend

In the context of our entire world coming apart at the seams and naturally leading to fantasy, science fiction and horror genres reaching a popularity pinnacle, I present to you a week of otherworldly mystery. We may all hold differing opinions on the status of life on other planets and in other galaxies, but one thing is for sure -- speculation is divine, neverending and, most of all, inspiring. If they are desperate enough to decide to drop by, hope springs eternal and belief springs certain that benevolence would outweigh malevolence. After all, the human appetite for destruction is a difficult trait to come by.


The Arrival (1996) -- An interesting take on alien lore and a nifty little thriller in its own right, this early David Twohy work is worth a look. Radio astronomer Zane Zaminsky (Charlie Sheen) receives a signal of unknown origin. When he starts investigating, he uncovers an alien conspiracy and, soon, a trail of dead bodies and secrets force Zane to run for his life. Can he outrun and expose the extraterrestrials before they take over the Earth? Twohy does a great job at maintaining an atmosphere of paranoia within a shocking context, creating a piece reminiscent of 1978's version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers; he would explore similar themes with his underrated 2009 gem A Perfect Getaway. As Zane, Sheen is alternately enthusiastic about his discovery and overwhelmed by the findings, turning the character into the eyes and ears of the audience. The always good Lindsay Crouse shines in a subdued performance as an idealistic climatologist, while Teri Polo and David Schiff give credible supporting turns as Zane's girlfriend and colleague, respectively. The whole take on the aliens is what makes the film stand out, though. The appearance and motivation of the beings is pretty different from what we are used to seeing in similarly themed stories. I also liked the effects; the whole spaceship sequence has dated quite well, giving off a rather organic and unsettling vibe, and not so much relying on budget as it does on imagination, which is the mark of any decent science fiction and fantasy film. On the whole, The Arrival is an innovative and engaging narrative, but what it really gets points for are its genuine attempts to breathe new life into a familiar story.

7/10


Skyline (2010) -- I believe that every cinema buff has a Skyline experience at least a few times in their life. No, I am not talking about witnessing an alien invasion. I am talking about films that seem pretty exciting as you watch them, but that inevitably lead to a what-the-hell moment as the credits start rolling. That is the kind of film that the brothers Colin and Greg Strause have made -- it has its moments, but also misses the mark with a few crucial elements. Jarrod (Eric Balfour) and his girlfriend Elaine (Scottie Thompson) have come to visit Jarrod's friend Terry (Donald Faison) in Los Angeles, for Terry's birthday. Before the guy has a chance to even blow out his candles, strange blue beams start descending from the sky and luring people into bizarre-looking spaceships -- think H.R. Giger meets M.C. Escher meets Independence Day. The friends band together and attempt to survive the invasion as the interplanetary war rages on... The effects are undoubtedly the best part of the film and the very first scene is a sight to behold. Unfortunately, the film falls flat in almost every other aspect. The acting is monotonous at best, with the exception of Thompson and Faison, who inject their performances with a spark of life; to be fair, their characters are the only ones that have potential to begin with. The story picks up details from other and better films here and there, and does not capitalize on the seed of its originality, which it should have focused on exclusively. There is a lot to be explored here, from the aliens' unique appearance to a sort of controlling telepathy that the beams suggest to the aftermath of the invasion, so it is a shame that the entire film is derailed by the pedestrian screenplay. Let us hope that the Strause brothers' next effort will take charge of its own idea, rather than allowing it to dissolve into a lazily written and questionable imitation.

5/10

Weekly Review -- A not-so-great morning

Morning Glory (2010) -- A bit of charm here, a bit of spark there, a host of characters whose flaws are our own and a brisk screenplay that weaves a simple yet lively story -- that, my friends, is what a romantic comedy should be about. Old favorites like Broadcast News and My Best Friend's Wedding relied superbly on these elements, rightfully earning the status of classics. Unfortunately, we have no such luck with Morning Glory, a film that tries and tries in vain to please, attempting so vigorously to be sprightly nonchalant that it stumbles over itself, not unlike its heroine.

After losing her longtime job, TV producer Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) is hired to revamp a New York morning show that has all but imploded. While tangling with the network's problems and a capricious host (Diane Keaton), Becky decides to offer a co-hosting job to a legendary, but rather curmudgeonly, anchor (Harrison Ford), in an effort to boost the ratings. As the two hosts bicker and the show remains in limbo, a prospective romance with another producer (Patrick Wilson) and Becky's dreams of greatness hang in the balance, and Becky starts re-evaluating her priorities...

Chemistry is to romantic comedies what suspense is to thrillers, and this is why the most frustrating part of Morning Glory is the underused spark between Keaton and Ford. Keaton's often neurotic, self-analytical acting style finds a wonderful contrast in Ford's gruff exterior and subdued emotions, and I wish that the two had shared more scenes. Their rapport has a lot of potential and, had it been exploited further, the film would not only have been more appealing, but also more substantial. Contrary to these two subjugated characters and performances, the connection between McAdams and Wilson's characters is supposed to be sizzling, but instead is close to fizzling at every turn. The two have ingredients, but they somehow never make lush, full-on, all-out chemistry. In fact, I find the romance aspect to be painfully underwritten, considering that it is supposed to be one of the main factors that represent a change of perspective looming on Becky's horizon.

The best performances come from actors in supporting roles. McAdams' acting is so over the top that she comes across as manic and unfocused at times. With plenty of natural appeal and charisma, she does not have to try so hard. Wilson shows promise for the genre in a pretty thankless role, but it is Keaton and Ford that steal the show and run with it. John Pankow, so hilariously sleazy on "Episodes", a show you should be watching if you are not already, has a nice turn as a self-deprecating producer. As always, I pay attention to the visual mood of the film and Alwin H. Kuchler's cinematography does not disappoint; the gentleman was responsible for the cinematography in Sunshine (2007) and Code 46, after all.

Morning Glory is one of those films where the great fragments never come together as an entertaining whole. You will enjoy the delightful bits, then spend the rest of the evening wondering about the lack of a certain je ne sais quoi, that rich essence of characterization and storytelling which links the details and creates poignant cinematic fun. The film is a head-scratcher instead of a gem, and that is too bad, because it could have been glorious.

6/10

Weekly Review -- The different meanings of horror

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) -- One of the hotly anticipated sequels of 2010, this Tod Williams film expands the novelty act that was Oren Peli's original, but does not bring anything new to the table. A family that has just moved into an upscale neighborhood starts experiencing strange occurrences that initially only take place at night -- the yard lights are mysteriously switched off, the pool cleaning device is moved by an invisible force, and so on and so forth. When they decide to record the goings-on, numerous secrets start surfacing as the doings of the ghastly entity become increasingly disquieting... What I like the most about Paranormal Activity 2 is the structure. It links the narrative to the first tale and its characters in rather imaginative ways and, even though the ending is slightly over the top with the convenient violence, brings the characters and events from both movies together in a plausible fashion. The ambiance itself was more effective in Peli's film, due to the fresh anticipation factor; here we get more of the same exact thing, although some of the scares are truly chilling. The film fares much less successfully when veering into [REC] territory, with the entire night vision part being a brazen rip-off of the 2007 shocker and a cheap attempt at suspense. Another unnecessary part of the screenplay is the father's skepticism, persisting even after all evidence points to something unexplainable, but obviously possible. Still, the depth of story and character development is not the main attraction of this franchise; the shadows, slamming doors and omnipotent sounds are, and there is plenty of that to keep the viewer's attention. If you liked Paranormal Activity, you are going to love the sequel.

6/10


My Soul to Take (2010) -- After giving us one of the best films of the last five years and the best remake I have ever seen -- 2009's The Last House on the Left -- Wes Craven's production company inexplicably turns to the opposite side of the spectrum and gives us a movie that is not only nonsensical, but also cliched and hurried in the execution of its relatively original idea. Sixteen years after a serial killer known as the Riverton Ripper died in a police sting, seven teenagers that were born on that fateful night believe that the killer is returning to claim their lives. The problem is, he may either still be alive or reincarnated as a member of their group, and the time to learn the truth is running out... I do not know which element this film does not lack, but the main aspect is any semblance of a cohesive plot. I suspect that the screenplay may have been one of those scripts that get butchered by a mass of writers, thereby ruining the original vision. The story could have been intriguing, but that is where the appeal ends. The characters are stereotypical whiners who make inane decisions and talk in some sort of bad cinema code; there is mumbo jumbo about birds and a revolution starting, and no one can guess what it all means, but you should not try too hard to figure it out. The acting is panicked and unconvincing throughout, while the screenplay offers some truly bizarre sequences. There is the entire voice-changing, personality-shifting mode that most of the characters find themselves in, and then there is that classroom presentation scene, which can perhaps be digested if viewed as a quasi-Lynchian effort... oh, forget it, I am incapable of extolling any virtue here. My Soul to Take is more than unmemorable; it is practically unnoticeable. Do not under any circumstances bother with it.

2/10