REVIEW: Sunshine

(above) The crew of the Icarus II have a round table debate about the future of their mission (from left: Chris Evans, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cliff Curtis. Michelle Yeoh, Benedict Wong, Rose Byrne, and Cillian Murphy)


Sunshine "shines" above previous sci-fi outings!
Danny Boyle marks the return of psychologically-minded science fiction

Rating: A

Of all the different science fiction genre films out there, the ones that seem to be the most overused and poorly made are the films whereby teams of scientists and astronauts work together in a desperate attempt to save the planet from certain destruction. This list includes such films as Armageddon, Deep Impact, Red Planet, Mission to Mars, and The Core, to name a few. After over a decade of these disappointing genre films, Danny Boyle’s Sunshine marks the first humane act for the genre, and science fiction in general since Ridley Scott’s Alien.

After single handedly reviving the genre of zombie films with the sleeper success of 28 Days Later, Boyle brings the same brooding atmosphere, original storytelling, and visceral editing to his newest thriller. He delivers a thinking mans sci-fi film that combines the better elements of previous incarnations and improves upon them with a story that takes us where none of these films has even gone before, the Sun.

Taking place in a distant future where the sun is dying and has left the world an arctic wasteland, mankind’s last hope rests on the shoulders of 8 astronauts whose mission it is to reignite the sun, on a ship aptly named the "Icarus". After a previous team of astronauts disappears prior to completing its mission, the film opens 7 years later as a new team is a mere days away from accomplishing their desperate task. Everything seems to be going according to plan until the previous teams ship appears and a rescue attempt ensues. From that point on the film takes a turn to the both disastrous and horrific. While feeling reminiscent to some of the darker horror elements of “Event Horizon,” the filming and narrative style remains uniquely Boyle’s. He keeps it feeling quite fresh and original as a tense psychological thriller that examines the effects of traveling so close to the giver of all life; as some members of the crew become addicted to the sight of the sun, as if they themselves are starring at God.

Whereas many directors feel the best way to thrill and engage an audience is by gratuitous gore, violence and in your face voyeuristic scares common to today’s string of horror films, Boyle is able to deliver a better and more intense, edge-of-your-seat thriller (minus the violence and gore) through clever editing, effects and camera angles. From the very beginning of the film, before everything start to take its inevitable bad turn, Boyle creates an uneasy atmosphere where at any minute something could go wrong and leaves the audience waiting for it to happen but never ready for it when it finally does. Also with a story that seems to demand an explanation as to how the Sun could possibly “die” or how one could even consider “reigniting” it, Boyle gives none and by the time the film is over you don’t even really care. The movie is told in such a way that it is less about the science and all about the journey, the relationships, and the dangers that come about during a mission destined to travel to the most volatile surface in the known galaxy.

Sunshine also makes very logical assumptions about psychosis and obsession that fit very well within its far fetched premise. For example the crews psychiatrist prescribes hours in an “earth simulator” for those crew members suffering from cabin fever, the psychiatrist himself and other crew members develop an addiction to staring at the Sun, which makes sense in a world where the sun could potentially no longer exist.

As far as the performances, everybody delivers. Each actor is very capable of making the most of their screen time and establishing each one of their characters as independent from one another, unlike most of these genre films where all character have the same general admiration for each other. Chris Evans especially is able to deliver an engaging character as the ships engineer who wants nothing more than to complete his mission. If there was any question as to whether Evan's deserved to be in movies, his performance as an exemplary soldier, both resourceful and heroic as he is willing to do anything for the sake of mankind, keeps the film moving in its slower moments. Also, Cillian Murphy never seems to disappoint in his now second outing with Boyle (previously starring in Boyle’s 28 Days Later). As the team’s physicist, it’s Murphy’s project, and in the end the fate of mankind rest in his plan succeeding when it could just as easily fail. As for the other characters they could all use more screen time, but hey, you can only do so much in two hours.

Created as a “love letter” to psychologically minded science fiction, Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland deliver an exciting trip where no man has gone before while at the same time using the journey to the Sun as a metaphor for traveling to the source of all life and in a sense making the journey God.. In the end the Sun itself becomes a character as it represent the one thing that is innate in all creatures, the drive to survive at any cost as well as the fragility of all things, great and small. It’s easy to get swept-up and go along for the ride when even the visuals bring something new to the genre, including some very cool looking golden space suits. My only hope is that more sci-fi films are able to follow the example Danny Boyle has set by proving that just because genre might be used, doesn’t mean it’s all used up.


To get a stronger sense of Danny Boyle's vision from his own lips check out this url: http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/20070708_BOYLE_FEATURE/blocker.html

Next Weeks Review

For those of you expecting The Simpsons review i'm afraid i'm going to have to dissapoint you. It has just come to my attention that the Danny Boyle film Sunshine is being released at a theatre near me on friday and i'm most looking forward to seeing it. Stay tuned for that review for saturday.

No Review This Week

For those of you waiting with baited breath to read my next review this week, I'm afraid I'm going to have to dissapoint. The only movie I feel is worth seeing this week, Danny Boyle's Sunshine, doesn't appear to be playing at any engagements close to me. I refuse to spend money on another Adam Sandler movie, or on seeing John Travolta in drag. So baring some miracle that I'm able to see Sunshine, it looks like you'll have to wait until next week for The Simpsons.

However, if you feel you need to see a movie this weekend and want to know what you should see, go see You Kill Me. Going into it's second or third week (hence no full review), this movie starring Ben Kingsley has him as a Polish hit man in Buffalo, whose alcoholism is affecting his work and as a result the family sends him to San Francisco to join AA and sober himself up. He ends up working at a funeral home while he's down there (how appropriate) and gets involved with a (surprisingly entertaining yet completely forgettable) Tea Leoni. Bill Pullman makes an appearance as an odd and quirky real estate agent hired to look after Kingsley and Luke Wilson plays Kingsley's gay AA sponsor. Kingsley arrives as an unexpectedly funny comedic actor, similar to the comedic turn of Robert DeNiro in Midnight Run. Both Kingsley's timing and delivery are perfect and at the same time is able to capture the complexity and humanity of the character without turning him into a caricature as less experienced actors might. This is definitely a movie you all should check out because it's easily one of the better movie in theaters right now.

REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

(above) Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) and his classmates stand united against the forces of evil

A Longer film with less Magic
Fifth installment lacks the fun of previous films

Rating: C+

Our favorite cast of wand-wielding Brits is back in this, now, fifth installment of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” franchise. Now the stakes are higher and the situation more dire. We last left our scarred hero with the realization that the evil Lord Voldemort (slithering, seedy Ralph Fiennes) has returned with a vengeance. Now at full strength, and just as ugly, Voldemort seeks to continue his power hungry journey to kill or convert all that stand in his way, pretty classic antagonist stuff really. Only Harry and a team of his schoolmates are all that stands between Voldemort and his diabolical victory. In a nutshell, that’s pretty much the only story this movie seems to want to tell. Two and a half hours does seem like an ample amount of time to tell a good story and, in the case of a franchise, it should be enough time to make a significant journey through the story arc. This film however, despite riveting visuals and some creative action, squanders its precious time on depression, angst, and tedious exposition. Harry’s trusty sidekicks, and an enjoyable comeback of some old characters from previous installment, including Gary Oldman as Harry’s lovingly protective godfather, Sirius Black, are also dragged along for the ride.

Since the last film Harry’s got a hair cut, finished puberty, and seems to have been exercising more than just his magic skills. Puberty has been good to Potter (Daniel Radcliff) and we see how the once boy wizard is becoming a young man wizard as he goes up against Lord Voldemort and his “Death-eater” minions. Also on Harry’s agenda is trying to out-wit and out-maneuver the recently appointed, overbearing, fascist, new “Defense Against the Dark Arts” instructor, Professor Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton giving her best Nurse Ratchet with a wand), who wants nothing more than the job of the school headmaster. All this, while at the same time helping to train his schoolmates to be young wizard warriors. Seems like an excellent equation for a fast-paced magic filled adventure right? Wrong! Director David Yates (picking up where Mike Newell left off) seems to lose sight of the action and excitement amongst a series of pacing problems led by constant scenes of Harry feeling sorry for himself and showing the audience the barbarousness of the new Professor Umbridge. Yates seems to really want to make sure the audience understands just how bad things are for Harry and his friends, and ends up doing so ad nauseum. And with the exception of Umbridge, Dumbledore and, perhaps Ron Weasley - there is very little "acting" going on here. It is one of those movies where everybody is one dimensional, lines are spoken, costumes are worn, and special effects are supposed to carry the film. There is absolutely no evidence of internal conflict or character development.

Despite the pacing problems the movie can be a fun entertaining magical adventure, with characters we've grown to love. As it should be the movie is not short on gags and its delightful British humor. But aside from that and a riveting third act leading up to a (way to short) climactic battle between good and evil (that can only be described as “Saving Private Ryan” with magic) the movie falls a little flat and could have left about 30 or so minutes on the cutting room floor. Also with all the magic, mayhem, and disasters that befall this school and magic, along with the constant turnover of teaching staff a question could easily be raised; are the kids at the school actually learning anything?

People might also find the relationship between Harry and Lord Voldemort, which unfortunately feels reminiscent of something seen before. Harry’s angst about this close connection and possible affinity for Voldemort’s evil leaves him succumbing too much to his powerful feelings which only makes him easier to control and manipulate by the dark lord. He is thrust into a situation where he must control his feelings and is eventually confronted with the decision to follow the path of the dark side or the light side of the forc---I mean magic.

For a non-reader of the series, there are many things that seem out of place. There were many times where something was presented on screen that seemed to have only been placed there for the benefit of those people enthralled enough to read through all the books. Characters and particular situations that, for an avid reader, made perfect sense, an avid film goer isn’t given the background the appreciate what’s being shown in screen. For those viewers who don’t understand those little winks at the devoted readers it just seems like a tease. The film would have been much more enthralling if such gaps and lapses of information were more fleshed out and given weight and depth to have the whole audience, not just the devoted ones, care.

Despite a slow pace, the film is visually engaging. Magic never looked so real, nor so worthy of jealousy. Within the first 10 minutes of a fun, broom flight through London I was cursing my “muggle” (non-wizard) heritage and wishing I could fly on a broom and teleport across town through a fireplace, while at the same time fighting off a series of baddies with a magic wand. The visuals are fun and the action scenes are well choreographed but too short and we really aren’t given a sense of the skill it takes to actually be a good wizard. It seems that all you have to do is flick your wand around and say a magic word. Anyone can do that right?

Next Weeks Review

Well i know that Harry Potter: and the Order of the Phoenix comes out today but unfortunately events have transpired against me in such a way that i wont be able to see and review Harry Potter until Friday night. So check back Saturday morning for my review of Harry Potter (although i know all you die hard fans are going to see the movie regardless of what i have to say, if anybody out there is actually reading this that is)

REIVEW: Transformers

(above) Mikaela (Megan Fox) and Sam (Shia LaBeouf) meet the autobots for the first time under the watchfull gaze of Ironhide


The Best Action Film of the Summer!
Transformers is the perfect action adventure homage to the original cartoon

Rating: A

Circa 1983-1984 Hasbro Toy Company came up with an idea for a new product. It wasn’t a toy car, nor was it a toy robot, but a marriage of the two; a robot that could transform into a car and back again. With any new product the biggest problem is trying to figure out how to market it; how to sell it. Some genius market executive came up with a brilliant idea. Thus the Transformers were born, and the marketing success of the cartoon resulted in a cult phenomenon that consumed a generation. Now, after four seasons, a series of spin-offs, one feature length cartoon movie, and 23 years later, the Transformers are given life again. The Steven Spielberg produced and Michael Bay directed summer blockbuster is part re-make, part update, and all homage to the original series. Headed up by the original voice of Optimus Prime himself, Peter Cullen, and up and coming star, Shia LaBeouf, this movie satisfies, entertains, and reminds you of an age when after-school cartoons were worth seeing.

With the help of a creative writing and the thrilling direction of Michael Bay, the movie keeps from feeling like a cartoon while at the same time honoring the source material. The movie maintains the basic “Transformers” plot requirements but with a twist; the Autobots and Decepticons no longer fight over energon cubes but a single all powerful cube, called the Allspark, that has the power to turn electrical devices into sentient, transforming robots. Megatron wants the allspark to enslave humanity and destroy the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime. Prime wants to destroy the cube to keep it from falling into Megatron’s hands. Caught in the middle of this race between good and evil is the U.S. military, the U.S. government, and a boy named Sam (Shia LaBeouf), who holds the key to finding the Allspark and saving humanity. Thrown in are some thrilling action sequences, incredible visuals, and innovative storytelling that keeps the movie feeling fresh and original while at the same time tugging at your sense of nostalgia.

This film marks the first time in 20 years that the leader of the Autobots has something new to say, and pulls out the kid in us. Then to hear the names of memorable characters like “Ironhide”, “Bumblebee”, “Megatron”, and “Starscream,” only stirs up that inner child and reminds you why you fell in love with all these characters in the first place (as if you could ever truly forget). ILM animators have also managed to give the CGI characters life with spectacular visual effects. Each robot has its own personality, individual and distinct from all the others, which makes them so much more engaging to watch.

Much to the devoted fans chagrin, the robots themselves have been given a bit of an overhaul. Bumblebee, who fans remember was a VW Bug in the cartoon, is now a Camaro. Jazz, the one time Porsche, is now a Pontiac Solstice. Even the robot forms of these characters, both autobots and decepticons, are completely different from the way they looked 20 years ago. The movie is all the better for it. The altered appearance of these beloved characters only helps in the effort to ground the film in a sense of reality (even though they're giant, transforming, alien robots...work with me). The complex designs surpass the boxy look from the 80’s and gets you to almost believe that the robots could conceivably transform into all these different things. The mechanics of the transformations has also been well thought out through what is sure to be an extremely expensive and time consuming process; where one frame of animation takes almost 36 hours to render. The effects are so good in fact that the robots look more real in the daylight than they do at night. It’s nearly impossible to take your eyes off the screen (and you certainly wont want to make any trips to the bathroom) because each time any robot is on screen, it’s a feast for the eyes.

Despite initial lamentation by fans at the choice of Michael Bay to direct, after watching the film it hard to believe that any other director could have given the film such life. Michael Bay has established himself as one of the best directors of car chases and excels at visceral explosive action. He is able to give the audience both incredible humor and intense action while holding their attention for a full 2 hours and 33 minutes. Aside from his expert direction of the CGI characters, Bays greatest asset is Shia LaBeouf, who’s “Disturbia” held to top spot for over a month earlier this year. LaBeouf is readily establishing himself as the best actor of his generation. He is able to hold the screen against his CGI co-stars, and even carry the movie when the wants to. LaBeouf brings humor to the film while at the same serving as its emotion anchor. The rest of the cast is also full of heavyweights and cult favorites led by Jon Voigt, Kevin Dunn, Josh Duhamel and, expert character actor, John Turturro.

Transformers is everything a Transformers movie, and a summer action blockbuster, should be, with its only problem being that it isn’t long enough. As the first non-sequel action film of the summer it meets and exceeds expectations. The only sad thing when the credits roll and the fantasy ends, I realize is that my car isn’t really an alien transforming robot.