Oh the Drama
Oh the Horror
Keep Me in Suspense
Feels like Sci-Fi
Isn't it Romantic
So-called Comedies
Western Unions
Comic Book Heroes
Kid Stuff
Fact not Fiction
Cinema Fantastico (Subtitles)
Just Seen
Blade
Runner 2049 (2017) Set 30 years after its 1982 original, Ryan
Gosling is a synthetic cop who’s job it is to find and ‘retire’ older
synthetics. And then on a recent kill,
he finds something much more—a miracle. Giant in length, imagination & spectacle, this sequel takes a cult
classic and transforms it into a sci-fi masterpiece. The feeling one has when seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey for the first
time? I had that, here. My grade: A Plus
War For The Planet of The Apes (2017) In this third, brilliant installment of the POTA reboot, the ape Caesar
has destroyed the evil Koba & his minions; so why do humans
still hunt his clan? Because
the Simian flu (which gave apes intelligence & killed off most
of humanity) is dealing a further, surprising blow to mankind. Amazing in story, scope & characters, this finale paints the origin story for the 1968 classic to boot. I am blown away. My grade: Apes Plus
Avatar (2009) James
Cameron's brilliant vision of an alien world discovered by Earth
& what happens when it's found to have invaluable resources.
Absolutely stunning, and worth all the praise. My grade: A Plus
Ad Astra (2019) In the near future, power
surges through space are wreaking havoc on Earth. Brad Pitt is a detached, quiet astronaut
asked to go to Mars to transmit a message to Neptune—and a father (Tommy Lee
Jones) he hasn’t seen in 30 years. The
space-tech is breathtaking, on the level of 2001: A Space Odyssey... but this is a story from within, a
man wanting to know his place in the universe. Man, Brad is good. My
grade: A
Star
Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Picking up from 2015’s ‘The Force
Awakens’, young Rey travels to the ancient Jedi world to convince Luke
Skywalker to come back with her; meanwhile, Leia struggles to keep the last of
the Resistance alive and Kylo Ren wrestles with his evil destiny. Critics loved it, many SW fans didn’t—I’m
with the critics here. A stunning film
of both the old & new, it was dark, glorious fun. Carrie Fisher… you'll be loved and missed always. My grade: A
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
While Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard attempt to save their
kidnapped daughter from the forgotten storyline of the last Jurassic
movie, Laura Dern, Sam Neil & Jeff Goldblum return from the first movie 30 years ago
to stop a genocidal scientist developing prehistoric locusts. For as
long as it was (2 1/2 hours) I felt in the dark at times—I would just
enjoy this for all the great chase sequences! My grade: B Plus
Tenet (2020)
A CIA operative is tasked with determining how & why a Russian
oligarch (Kenneth Branaugh) is dealing in ‘inverted weapons’; arms &
explosives from the future that work in reverse. The desired end
result IS the end—of all of us. But why? It’s a much too heady
concept, told in a much too long, James Bond-like story. Intriguing,
but for 2 1/2 hours I could barely grasp what was happening or why. My grade: B Plus….no, D Plus… no, B Plus.... no....
Replicas (2019) Honey, I have something to tell you...
After the death of his wife & kids in a car crash, scientist
Keanu Reeves thinks he can bring them back—with the help of his brain
imprint copier & his colleagues clone pods to regrow their
bodies. Choo choo, all aboard the crazy train! Now look, I adore corny
Keanu and love the snazzy sci-fi here, but someone hasn’t thought this
through. What about—oh hell skip it. Boy I enjoyed this cuckoo show! My grade: B Plus
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Ron Howard directs this action-packed origin story of that lovable rogue Hans Solo.
Ah, so that’s where he got his last name… and met Chewbacca… and why he
nicknamed him Chewie… and how he got his Millennium Falcon... did
we need to know these things? Nope, but Disney promised you plenty of
Star Wars so here ya go! Fun characters & young Solo’s a
charmer too. Oh, you like 2 hours of ray blasters, right? My grade: B Plus
Jonathan (2018)
John & Jonathan aka “J” are brothers; one is a draftsman, the
other a legal clerk. They share an apartment… and the same body.
(One’s awake 7am-7pm, the other 7pm-7am.) They record daily videos
detailing their day for the other, until J learns John is seeing a girl
& sabotages it. John goes silent. “Where are you?” J asks the camera daily. John is angry, depressed and debating this existence in this quiet, ominous sci-fi’ish mind-bender. My grade: B Plus
Rampage (2018)
When a privately funded space station explodes, sending fragments of
nasty genetic experiments into San Diego National Park, 3 animals are
transformed into horrific giant monsters—a wolf, an alligator &
Dwayne Johnson’s long-time pal, an albino gorilla. The Rock to the
rescue! Go away critics—this is monster-sized everything &
muscle-sized fun. I would’ve given this an A if it had come with a big
tub of popcorn. My grade: BIG B Plus
Significant Other (2022)
Harry & Ruth are a young couple (she’s so deep and he’s so likeable
it kills me) who go camping, not knowing something from space has
crashed nearby. Will they go on the run from an alien monster? Oh no,
this movie is much more chilling than that. I was “aw
rats” about the bummer ending, but dammit it was necessary for the
storyline to work. Some good thriller sci-fi. My grade: B
Nope (2022)
Otis and his (funny, overconfident) sister Emerald co-own a black owned
horse ranch. Their dad died recently after being impaled with various
objects that fell from the sky, from a cloud that never moves. What the hell? Is a UFO hiding up there?
Yes! But it’s not what you think in this original horror sci-fi. It
was misleading in places, vague in others, but we’ll all learn what’s
going on towards the end and boy, it’s a doozy. My grade: B
Dune (2021)
In this retelling of frank Herbert’s sci-fi giant, when the Emperor
bestows the dangerous but wealthy desert planet Arrakis to the House of
Atreides to rule, their good fortune won’t last. But this royal
family’s son is prophecized to fulfill a mythical legacy there…
Whew—this is a saga and can’t be told in one movie, so let’s hope the
second chapter (next year) brings more to the table. I feel like it’s
assuming sci-fi fans all know the story. I didn't! My grade: B
Stowaway (2021) Shortly after Toni Collette,
Anna Kendrick & Daniel Dae Kim blast off on a 2
year mission to Mars, an injured man is found on board. (It bothers me how this
isn’t fully explained.) He’s a good man, but his presence is jeopardizing
the mission. Someone will have to go.
We won’t have to wait long to see who, in this tidy, spare space fare. We get to
see some big stars in space, at least. They always shine. My
grade: B
Infinite (2021)
After a near fatal fight, Mark Wahlberg learns he’s an Infinite; one of
500 people on Earth born with the ability to remember every one of
their past lives. Why can’t he? C’mon Mark, remember! You’re needed
to battle another Infinite, who is desperate to end life on Earth
including his own! With little dialogue and ACTION ACTION ACTION, it’s
pretty far out--so watch it for the ultra-violence and Wahlberg’s steel
fists, both unstoppable! My grade: B
Voyagers (2021)
Raised from birth in captivity, a group of children are placed on a
rocket to an Earthlike planet to keep the human race alive. But it’s an
85 year journey, so their grandchildren will arrive, not them. All
goes well for 10 years… until they learn they’re being drugged to stay
docile and uninterested in most things. Stop drinking the blue. Let the madness begin! This got some harsh reviews, but I found it a good sci-fi thrill ride. My grade: B
I Am Mother (2019)
As muffled explosions outside go silent, lights flicker on in a
massive, underground complex. A menacing looking robot gingerly places 1
of 66,000 human embryos in a birthing chamber. After the baby comes to
full-term, the robot cradles her and says in a soft woman’s voice: “Hello Daughter.. I am Mother.”
The human race begins anew, in this intriguing, sorrowful sci-fi
thriller. The ending is no real surprise, but it’s still a cool watch.
My grade: B
In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)
In 1988, Philly cop Locke and his partner are in pursuit of a hooded
figure who’s been killing random people. She’s believed to be killed,
but reappears 9 years later and the killings begin again. Locke will
sacrifice his family & career to nab this mysterious figure and
learn there are grand reasons behind everything, in this very watchable
cop chaser/sci-fi thriller that spans decades. It sure kept my
attention throughout. My grade: B
See You Yesterday (2019)
CJ & Sebastian are black teens, best friends. They’re also
science geeks and hope to win MIT scholarships with a one-day time jump
machine, but when CJ’s older brother is killed by cops, they’ll attempt
to go back in time & save him. It will come at a price, a great
one. What could’ve been a comedy (I chuckled at the start) becomes more
serious by the minute. It’s sci-fi by Spike Lee, and his message is
clear: never quit. My grade: B
Bird Box (2018) 5 years ago, a pregnant Sandra Bullock was trapped in a house with a
group of others as the world ended; if you went outside, you were driven
to madness & suicide. And now she’s alone with 2 small
children… she’s received news of a sanctuary via walkie-talkie, but to
get there she and the kids will have to make a 2 day journey on
foot—blindfolded. It’s a bit much to swallow, but Sandra makes this
thriller one you'll want to follow. My grade: B
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018) It's 1984, and Stefan is a young coder creating a video game with
multiple endings; but more & more, he feels he's being
controlled by outside forces, from the cereal he eats to the cassette he
puts in his Walkman. What's happening? Me. The movie allows you to
use your remote to choose what Stefan does. But what happens when the
choices become bigger? Do you make Stefan a killer or not... wait,
who's controlling who? My grade: B?
The Beyond (2017) When a blinding swirl of light appears beyond the International Space
Station, giant dark orbs begin appearing in Earth’s skies; is it an alien
invasion? No, quite the opposite. As scientists gather to theorize and send
human-hybrid probes into space (um…wow), we’re treated to stunning imagery and
a thought-provoking sci-fi mystery that dares to be minimal in drama and giant
in story. For the hard & true science fiction fan, here is your reward. My
grade: A
KONG: Skull Island (2017) When scientists discover a secret island, they request a military
escort there—sure! It’s 1973, the Vietnam War is ending and a war happy
general (Samuel Jackson) is more than ready for another mission. WELCOME TO SKULL ISLAND: HOME OF GIANT MONSTERS, PRIMITIVE TRIBES
& KONG! Loved the movie’s opening, one of the best I’ve ever seen--also the 70s artillery, monster battles, EVERYTHING. My grade: ONE ASS-WHUPPIN' A
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) JJ
Abrams (and his Disney Overlords) reawaken the Franchise, in this
formulaic (but still immensely fun) return to a galaxy far, far away. It's 20+ years after 'Return of the Jedi' and the Dark Side is back to
destroy more planets--and kill the last Jedi. Han Solo, Princess
Leia, C-P3O... yeah you've been on this ride before, but you'll enjoy it
still. I know I did! My grade: A
The Martian (2015)
When a storm forces a team of astronauts on Mars to take flight,
they leave Matt Damon behind, lost & presumed dead. How will he
survive? With a little humor and more science than sci-fi in this
wonderful-to-look-at adventure of imagination & the human
spirit. Matt may have been 50 million miles from Earth, but he was
never alone. Talk about all the right stuff. My grade: A
Advantageous (2015) Jacqueline
Kim is desperate. She's 50, just lost her position at a bio-tech firm
because of her age. She has few options in this hyper-tech, youth
obsessed society (set 50 years from now). But she has a 12 year old
daughter, who needs a good home and school... what can she do? Her
company will take her back if she's willing to undergo an alteration...
but there's a catch. This is a mother's love, wonderfully told. My grade: A
Ex Machina (2015) Caleb
wins a competition to visit the hidden compound of a technological
genius, not knowing he was pre-selected to help determine the sentience
of Ava, a female android. But it becomes more than that, as he falls
under her spell in this mysterious, ultra-sleek sci-fi spin. But just
how much was orchestrated--and by who? Oh Caleb.. I was mesmerized as
well. My grade: A
Under The Skin (2014)
As a black orb becomes a human eye, we get the feeling that Scarlett
Johansson is new at this human thing. As she drives a white van on the
streets in Scotland, she’ll offer rides to men walking alone—and bring
them to her house, a shiny black realm within, and they’re no more. But
with form comes conscience, in this arthouse meets sci-fi meets horror,
where a story is sensed more than told. Strange but Scarlett is such a good watch. My grade: A
Edge of Tomorrow (2014) As
a war with aliens rages on Earth, Tom Cruise is a cowardly PR officer
thrown into combat; he dies soon enough, only to awaken one day earlier
knowing what's coming. It's Groundhog Day with a sci-fi twist, but we
know how and why it happened, and Cruise does everything you'd do in
this first-rate, fun & always riveting war adventure. My grade: A
I Origins (2014) Ian
(Michael Pitt) is a young scientist, working to prove the evolutionary
design behind the human eye when he meets & falls in love with
the childlike, ethereal Sofi. There is an accident. Years pass, he falls
in love, marries... and discovers a young girl in India has Sofi's
identical iris scans. How can this be? Both thoughtful &
beautiful in its telling, we are reminded of the possibility that the
eyes are the windows to our souls. My grade: A
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) Ten years after a virus has wiped out 95% of the human race, the ape Caesar kindly lords over his great forest community. "What were humans like, Caesar?" "You met them, Maurice." "I only saw their bad side."
But humans still remain, and wish to access the hydroelectric dam to
restore power... can there be peace between ape & man? My grade: A for Apes Rule because this was awesome
Interstellar (2014) Einstein's
theory of time and space are put to the test in Chris Nolan's 3 hour
sci-fi spectacle, when Matthew McConaughey & crew journey
outside our galaxy in search of a habitable planet for mankind's
existence. But there are others, here and beyond, who have different
agendas for this crew. Smart, imaginative & oh the
humanity--that's what good sci-fi is all about. My grade: A
Gravity (2013) When
their mission to repair the Hubble Telescope is aborted due to flying
debris, astronaut George Clooney and rookie Sandra Bullock have nothing
left but their space suits and wits about them. Technically stunning
from start to finish makes this predictabile story a great watch still.
Go Sandra! My grade: A
Oblivion (2013) Years
after an alien invasion, Tom Cruise & his partner Vica live in
an elegant structure in the clouds, tending to the remainder of Earths
resources before they join the rest of the human race on Saturns moon
Titan. But after the discovery of a wrecked spacecraft, all of that is
about to change. Wow--this is what awesome, smart sci-fi is all about. My grade: A
Snowpiercer (2013) After
the goverment tries to stop global warming by shooting chemicals into
the atmosphere, Earth freezes over--and now, all that is left of
humanity is a great train that circles the globe on an endless voyage.
But after 17 years, the "tail class" wants to ride first class. Brutal
but imaginative, a great what-if story. I couldn't stop watching. My grade: A
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) James
Franco is a scientist attempting to create a vaccine for Alzheimers in
this brilliant re-imagining of the prequel to 1968's Planet of the Apes.
Given the lacklaster 2001 remake, I was surprised to see this attempted
again; but I was riveted to my chair from start to finish. My grade: A
Skyline (2010) The world ends not with a whimper but with a bang, in this horrific sci-fi spectacle of an alien invasion that makes Independence Day
look like a home movie. I'm in shock, where did this come from? Made by
the creative team behind Avatar, this film doesn't pack a punch--it
wallops. My grade: A
District 9 (2009) Sci-fi
with a strong political slant, as a wrecked spacecraft expels 1.8
million tentacled aliens into Johannesburg and the South African
government is forced to deal with them. Daring & huge, and all
too real. My grade: A
Moon (2009) Smart,
tense sci-fi with Sam Rockwell as an astronaut living alone on the
moon, and almost done with his 3 year stint when he gets a new
visitor--himself. This was exceptional. My grade: A
Knowing (2009) Nicholas Cage stumbles across a paper written by a 5th grade girl in
1959 containing nothing but endless rows of numbers--and his destiny. I
have to say I was just as surprised as his character was, as this sci-fi
thriller was terrific. What a real treat. My grade: A
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) 13 years after the blockbuster Avatar,
Earth’s military returns to the planet Pandora for its resources—and a
military general mad with revenge for events in the first movie. For
all it’s gorgeous spectacle, it felt childish and I couldn’t help
thinking “been there done that”. It was astounding in 2009, now it’s
more of the same. It’s still worthy of praise, but.. I don’t need to
see it again. My grade: A-
Dual (2022)
In a present where cloning is commonplace, Sarah learns she’s
terminally ill and requests to be cloned so her family won’t suffer any
loss. But then Sarah recovers, so now what? The law is clear; doubles
cannot exist, ONE of them will have to die. For such a tiny budget, an
original premise, smart writing & weird, detached acting come
together quite well. I was fascinated with this small sci-fi from start
to finish. My grade: A-
Elizabeth Harvest (2019) Carried over the threshold by her (much older) husband, Elizabeth is shown a luxurious, ultra-modern home. “It’s all yours” her husband says. “Except this one room. Promise me you’ll never enter it.”
What secrets does it contain? Ones she’s seen before, in this dapper
sci-fi horror show. The surprise is no surprise, but the motive sure
is—and told with great color and style. This one’s for the eyes more
than anything. My grade: A-
Level 16 (2019)
In prison-like dormitories, groups of girls are raised from infancy to
young womanhood knowing only indoored, structured lives. Stay clean. Stay pure. Stay docile. And then one day Sophia passes Vivien and whispers “Don’t take tonight’s vitamin.”
What will Viven discover? That everything she knows has been a lie, on
a monstrous scale. Hugely suspenseful from start to finish, this is
one horrifying but well done late show. My grade: A-
Radius (2017) Liam awakens on the road with no memory of who he is, an overturned
car beside him. As he stumbles toward town, he’s horrified to learn any
living thing that comes within 50 feet of him—birds, people—drop dead
on the spot. Unless Rose, who he learns was in his car with him, is near.
Who is she? Neither knows. We’ll find out, they will too—as things
take a more maddening turn in this B-movie sci-fi mystery with a
compelling, first-rate story. My grade: A-
John Carter (2012) Disney
spared no expense in this grand, faithful adaption of Edgar Rice
Burrough's story of a 19th century man from Earth who is transported to
Mars & becomes its warrior. Undeserving of its critics, this is a
real tribute to classic science fiction and an awesome spectacle not to
be missed. My grade: A-
Upgrade (2018) Set in the future, Grey and his wife enjoy a night out when they’re attacked--Grey is left a quadriplegic, his wife dead. Who? Why? A scientist offers to help Grey walk again with a chip implant—which
does that and more, in this inventive sci-fi spin that combines Death Wish with 2001: A Space Odyssey’s HAL 9000. (Love the fight scenes where a frightened Grey watches as his limbs
flail about!) Dark and imaginative, the ending--pow! My grade: A-
A Quiet Place (2018)
Earth is quiet now; newspapers from 18 months ago lie scattered across
empty streets, their headlines reading “IT’S SOUND!” Alien monsters
came here then, sightless hunters but with super-hearing. A farm family
has survived (their daughter is deaf, they all know sign language).
They’ve made a home under their barn—but for how long? The mother is
pregnant. Ingenious plot, love the sets, the silence—and a chill factor
off the scale. My grade: A-
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
When the volcano on Isla Nublar readies to erupt, Bryce Dallas Howard
& Chris Pratt are asked to help move the abandoned Jurassic Park
dinosaurs to a new island sanctuary. But evil people have big,evil
plans for these creatures… There’s some eyeroll moments—a dinosaur
auction?? But the volcano scenes, the close calls, the creepy, brainy
dino-hybrid—love the dinosaurs, love the Saturday matinee fun. My grade: A-
The
Shape of Water (2017) Sally Hawkins is a mute cleaning
woman in 1962 America, who just happens to mop floors in a not-so-secret govt
lab; so she’s astonished when a captured ‘amphibian man’ is brought in for
study—and torture, by sadistic agent Michael Shannon. She’ll begin teaching it
sign language… and plotting its escape in Guillermo del Toro’s lustrous, Cold
War tribute to Beauty & The Beast. It’s a predictable affair, but wow
what an eccentric watch! My grade: B Plus
Alien: Covenant (2017) In
Ridley Scott’s second “Alien” prequel, the sleeper ship Covenant en
route to a planet for colonization picks up radio signals from one weeks
closer. This planet looks like paradise, let’s go there instead. What will they find? The wrecked spaceship Prometheus (2012) which disappeared 10 years ago, a lone survivor and—you can guess the rest. It's a blood show alright but it’s still smart, spacey sci-fi & I want more! My grade: B Plus
Uncanny (2015) When a
former roboticist turned scientific reporter is sent to interview the
leading expert in robotics, she discovers an eccentric but kind
man--and his amazing creation, a robot man who fools even her. But this
being is emotionally curious, and has many questions in this
suspenseful, smart sci-fi drama. More of these, please. My grade: B Plus
Predestination (2014) Ethan
Hawke is a temporal agent from 1992, sent to 1975 New York to prevent
the Fizzle Bomber from taking 11,000 lives. It's there he meets a
curious stranger with an amazing backstory (trust me, you'll be
enthralled). From there, events--both in the future & the
past--become even more incredible. My grade: B Plus for Be careful, if you're not a serious time-travel fan your head will explode
Prometheus (2012) Ridley Scott delivers astonishing sci-fi suspense when archaeologists
in 2089 uncover star charts in ancient cave paintings, and a
trillionaire builds them a spaceship in hopes of finding the origins of
mankind on another world. Questions remain unanswered, but it's still
stunning. My grade: B Plus
Another Earth (2011) While
driving home, an astrophysicist is shocked to hear reports of a mirror
Earth and crashes into someone else, killing a family. After serving
time in prison, alone and depressed, Rhoda wonders if she has a mirror
twin who's led the same life. Brooding and original, often brilliant. My grade: B Plus
Star Trek (2009) JJ Abrams vision of a reimagined U.S.S. Enterprise explodes on the
screen in an 'altered-timeline' story where anything now goes. This
wasn't "my" Trek, but it was a good romp thru the stars just the same. My grade: B Plus
Beyond Skyline (2017) Picking up where 2010’s Skyline
left off, a giant alien spacecraft hovers high over various cities, sucking
people up to feed on their brains. But
when a cop gets taken too, he manages (with the help of a rogue alien) to
crash the ship to Earth—near a rag-tag group of kung-fu militia in Southeast
Asia?! Bring on those friggin aliens! It’s a B movie plot with B movie
actors and first-rate sci-fi action for the eyes. My God, make popcorn! My grade: B
Life (2017) Excitement
turns to horror on the International Space Station when a soil sample
from Mars containing a dormant microbe awakens and begins to grow at an
astonishing rate. Yum, oxygen.. it's in the air, our blood... dammit
this movie moves way too fast given it's first-rate production, but you
gotta love that "screw humanity" ending no one saw coming! My grade: B
Realive (2017) In
2016 at age 33, Marc is diagnosed with brain cancer; chemo &
radiation may help him live a little longer, but he has a year at best. He’ll
tell his family & friends he’s being cryogenically frozen, and
nearly a century later he’s awakened—in fact, he’s the first successful
re-animation. But it comes with a price, he’ll need constant care. Well, he’s alive, right? They’ll have to keep telling him that. Smart, ponderous & real sci-fi, we need more of this. My grade: B
What Happened to Monday (2017) 50 years from now, the planet is hugely overpopulated and ‘1 child per couple’ is strictly enforced. So when a woman dies giving birth to septuplets, her dad takes them into hiding—naming each for a day of the week. They’ll share one identity to the outside world, but when a ferocious government discovers their secret… Gory, wild sci-fi and not without its flaws, but man this deserves an A for ambition! My grade: B
iBOY (2017) When
young Tom confronts a gang assaulting his friend Lucy, he calls 911 and
gets a bullet in the head for it—along with fragments of his smartphone
into his brain. After
coming out of a coma, he’ll see the world in a whole new light; his
mind is connected to every cellphone, tablet& computer in the
city. I’m coming for you. Yes! Love me some dark & gritty British sci-fi—I really liked Tom & Lucy too. Well done. My grade: B
Moonfall (2022)
The moon’s orbit has shifted, wreaking tremendous havoc on Earth. One
science nerd believes he knows the fantastic reason why, but no one will
listen—until California floods over and former astronauts Patrick
Wilson & Halle Berry fly to the moon to fix it. The CGI here is
gigantic, off the scale and I love the hollow moon premise; but this
predictable fare looked & felt like something from 2009, not 2022. My grade: B-
Downsizing
(2017) When scientists discover how to shrink people
(I loved the premise, very sci-fi), Matt Damon and wife Kiisten Wiig sign
up. Tiny people communities are springing up,
where homes cost hundreds, not thousands. But it’s irreversible, so when Matt’s wife
backs out... he’s on his own. Darn it, what
happened? Things take a preachy
ecological turn, soon the size thing no longer even matters. It’s a kind story though, so watch it for
Matt! My grade: B
Arrival (2016) When
alien spacecraft arrive at various locations about Earth, scientists
are dispatched to learn how to communicate with them--but as
frustrations mount, and global media report escalating paranoia,
violence & threats of war, can linguist Amy Adams 'crack the
code' and end the madness in time? An enthralling story, but this is
'thinking man's sci-fi'; unless you're a scientist or Trekkie, may leave
you scratching your head. My grade: B
Midnight Special (2016) Michael
Shannon & Kirsten Dunst are ex-members of a religious cult, who
return to rescue their 8 year old son seen as the cult's savior. Why
is the government in hot pursuit? Well, for starters the boy speaks in
tongues that contain satellite codes... It's a tense little sci-fi spin,
that seemed to promise something bigger. We get some fascinating
images, at least. My grade: B
Infinity Chamber (2016) Frank awakens in a metallic chamber with a disembodied voice that greets him and tells him he’s being held for processing. “For how long? On what charge?” “I’m sorry Frank, I don’t have access to that information.”
He’ll pass the days re-living recent memories, becoming almost
submerged in them. Will he ever escape or be set free? You be the
judge, in this mind-bender sci-fi play. Hold out till the end--you and
Frank both. My grade: B
Jurassic World (2015) 20
years after the disaster of Jurassic Park, the island is now a world renown attraction; anxious to maintain their
success, a 'new' mega-dinosaur has been created.. Hey they
built extra-high walls this time, what could go wrong? An awesome
spectacle, but it's the same story as the original--right down to
the pair of screaming kids. At least
there's Chris Pratt! My grade: B
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) It's
the height of the Cold War, 1962; but a global crime cartel has a
nuclear warhead, so Russia & the US must work together to stop
them. Enter CIA agent Napoleon Solo (woodenly played by Henry Cavill)
and his KGB counterpart. Critics were less than kind to this pair, but
it's a gorgeous film--and a first class 1960s spy adventure. My grade: B
Selfless (2015) Ben
Kingsley is a successful man, but he's dying of cancer. So when he's
told of a costly process that gives you a new body, where does he sign? He awakens as Ryan Reynolds! But wait, where are these new memories
coming from? He can't leave well enough alone and is now on the run in
this crazy-comspiracy sci-fi thriller. Ryan is good here, so just go
with it! My grade: B
The Signal (2014) On
their drive across the Nevada desert (to Cal-Tech) 3 grad students make
a detour to find the computer hacker who's been taunting them. The next
thing they know, they're in an underground facility--surrounded by men
in biohazard suits. What happened? Something not so surprising, but
still fantastic in scope. Like an independent film but with a sudden,
stunning finale, this is not your father's sci-fi. It's better. My grade: B
Lucy (2014) "Human
beings only use 10% of their brain's potential." So what happens when
poor Scarlett Johansson is kidnapped by Koreans, forced to be their drug
mule and a synthetic fetus drug leaks into her body? The mind reels--at
least hers does, in this sci-fi crime-ride. There's some violent plot
holes (you could've prevented those deaths Lucy) but still, everything's
better with Scarlett on it. My grade: B
Devil's Pass (2013) Five
college students travel to the snowy Ural Mountains in Russia to
unravel the mystery of the 'Dyatlov Pass Incident' (where 9 hikers died
mysteriously in 1959, true story). What they find is strange
activity--and a giant metal door under the snow. Get ready for Blair
Witch suspense with a scary sci-fi angle, and one very chilly climax! My grade: B
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) In
JJ Abrams explosive sequel, the USS Enterprise is sent on a mission to
destroy a mysterious figure who is capable of toppling Starfleet--but
they'll encounter an even darker force along the way. It's big on
pizzazz, but I'd happily settle for some old Trek magic instead. My grade: B
Men In Black 3 (2012) In
this curiously dated sequel, Will Smith must travel back in time to
1969 to prevent an alien invasion in 2012--and to save his partner's
life. It's a juvenile romp but still the best MIB; and everything you
heard about Josh Brolin as a younger Tommy Lee Jones is true. The dude
was awesome. My grade: B
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) A trio of young Seattle journalists set out to find the person
responsible for a mysterious classified ad looking for a partner to
travel back in time, in this quirky indie romantic dramedy. This movie
could've been so much more... and then suddenly, it was. My grade: B
Attack the Block (2011) When
a gang of London's inner-city street toughs encounter a "bald monkey
with fangs that fell from the sky" & kill it, little do they
know there's a slew of gorilla-sized aliens (with phosphorous teeth!)
hot on their trail. Wow, this was smartly done--and one fun ride! My grade: B
Source Code (2011) Jake
Gyllenhaal is sent back into the past (over & over) to relive
the final 8 minutes on a train before it explodes to determine who the
bomber is. Einstein fans will appreciate the quantum theories here (you
can't change "your" present, only create an alternate one) but there's
enough other stuff to satisfy everyone. My grade: B
The Adjustment Bureau (2011) Slick
fantasy with Matt Damon as a US Congressman who meets the woman of his
dreams and will do anything to be with her--even when fate (literally)
tells him it wasn't meant to be. You can see the ending from a mile
away, but Matt makes it worthwhile. My grade: B
Zombieland (2009) Woody Harrelson & Jesse Eisenberg are great as an unlikely duo,
traveling the highways in search of Twinkies and a zombie-free life.
It's gore galore but smart & fun too--I loved it. My grade: B
Sherlock Holmes (2009) Robert Downey Jr & Jude Law are elementary (in a good way) as
Sherlock Holmes & Dr.Watson in this high spirited romp thru 19th
century London, on the hunt for a madman who claims sorcery will help
him rule England--and the world. This movie deserves an A++ for the
visuals & props alone, they were astounding! My grade: B
Daybreakers (2009) Ethan
Hawke is a fanged scientist desperately searching for a blood
substitute after everyone has become a vampire--there's no humans left.
Had some nice sci-fi moments if you can get past all the blood. My grade: B
9 (2009) Weird
sci-fi animation of a post-apocalytpic Earth, strewn with wreckage from
a 1930s war that never was; and among the debris, little burlap beings
scurry about, hiding from the mechanical beasts out to destroy them.
Cliches abound in this little fable, but the imagery is astounding. My grade: B
Extinction (2018) Set in the future, Michael
Pena lives in a sleek sky-tower with his wife & 2 kids—but recently he’s
been having visions of an alien invasion. The city in ruins, his wife buried in the rubble, his girls faces filled
with fright. Are they
premonitions?? No, but
someone IS coming—just not who you expect. This may be a ‘B’ sci-fi spin with blaster shoot-outs, but the truth
behind it is both novel and exciting—I’d love a sequel! My grade: B-
ANON (2018) In the near future, we are all connected to the cloud; our eyes see & record everything. Swirls
of data seem to hang in the air above us all, no one is a stranger…
except for off-the-grid hackers like Amanda Seyfried, who can scrub a
person’s recordings for a price—is she scrubbing lives out too? Detective Clive Owen wants to know in this steamy, sci-fi film-noir. I like what I see here, too bad that things seem to fizzle out towards the end. My grade: B-
Mother/Android (2021)
In the future, it seems everyone owns an android servant. Sadly, the
night Chloe Grace Moretz learns she’s pregnant is when all androids
converted to killers. 9 months later, Chloe & her boyfriend live in
the woods, trying to make their way to Boston (and find other
survivors) before their baby is born. What a sad story on a shoestring
budget—it is bleak on bleak. I’d say this is for fans of Chloe more
than anything. Like me. My grade: C Plus
Code 8 (2019)
In a reality where 1 out of 25 people are born with powers, it’s a
struggle for them. They were once looked upon with awe, but the years
have eroded the public’s trust in them. And now Connor (a man who can
harness electricity) must turn to crime to get money for his sick
mom—who’s freezing powers have turned inward. I loved the “super powers angle” here, so much promise... but all we get is a very standard crime fare. Let’s try this again! My grade: C Plus
Freaks (2019) 7
year old Chloe lives with her dad in a ramshackle house, it’s windows
boarded up; she’s never been outside and is coached on what to say if
she’s ever on her own. There are bad people out there, Chloe. People who want to hurt us.
But why does her dad bleed from his eyes? And what are these strange
visions she keeps having? Almost comical, Chloe gets her answers
& more in this curious but uneven sci-fi horror show. Chloe,
you go girl. My grade: C Plus
Otherlife (2017) Ren
helps design an ‘organic technology’ that allows a person to experience
vacation getaways for a day, a week, even a year—all in their mind
while only a minute of real time has passed. But her backers have more
nefarious plans. “A person could serve a jail sentence and not cost the state a thing.” Ren will stop them--or perhaps she just think she does, in this slick sci-fi spin. It’s a great premise but darn it, gets muddled as we near the finish. My grade: B-
Okja (2017) After a giant food corporation genetically develops a super-pig (which
grows to elephant-size in 10 years), piglets are sent out to be raised
on farms around the world; and now a decade later, the company want
their prize-porks back. But Okja belongs to Mija, a scrappy 14 year
old Korean girl who will chase her beast to the ends of the earth to get
him back. This wild thing starts out sweet, but oh the black-humored
& weird road you’re about to take... My grade: B-
Passengers (2016) A
glitch awakens Chris Pratt aboard the Starship Avalon, but it was too
soon as it's a 120 year journey to another planet. After a year of
solitude, he decides to 'accidentally' awaken one of the other 5,280
sleepers (Jennifer Lawrence), what will happen when she learns the
truth? It's a gorgeous spectacle with much potential, but the story was
slight and the 'ship in danger' felt thrown in. This was more
romance-fantasy than sci-fi. My grade: B-
Star Trek Beyond (2016) In
this third installment of Trek 2.0, the USS Enterprise is taken down by
a giant swarm of "metal space bees", controlled by one wicked
alien--who plans to go after the Federation next. Why? I think
we find out, in this visually stunning but
too-much-action-too-much-debris adventure. I'm starting to warm to some
of the crew here (Kirk & Bones) but it still felt like I was
watching things from inside a cyclone. #notmystartrek My grade: B-
I'll Follow You Down (2014) Erol
and his mom (Gillian Anderson) are alone in the world; his dad went on a
business trip 12 years ago & never returned. And now, as Erol
enters adulthood, his grandfather confides to him that it's not where
his dad went--but when. He has the newspaper clippings from 1945 to
prove it. It's a time travel story, lean on the sci-fi but an earnest,
intelligent drama. I'll take it. My grade: B-
Splice (2009) “What’s
the worst that could happen?” Adrien Brody & Sarah Polley are a
husband-wife genetic scientist team who create a human animal hybrid
just to see if they can. While these two leave a lot to be desired, I
found this everything a movie should be; smart, moving &
captivating from start to end. My grade: B-
Tau
(2018) Knocked out & abducted, young street
hustler Julia awakens inside a super-computer named Tau--that happens to be in
the shape of an ultra-futuristic house. A vicious scientist has built the place and needs her brain algorithms
for his prototype’s artificial intelligence. Things get hokey when the computer warms to its captive, is punished and cries out
“Julia!” but hey that’s sci-fi. And it
did have cool graphics. As for Julia…
you go, girl! My grade: C Plus Plus
Time Trap (2017) When a college professor goes
missing, a couple of his students (and their younger sibs? Why?) head to a
giant cave he was investigating and learn they’re caught in a ‘time pocket’
where time outside is speeding by fast.
Inside they’ll scratch their heads and encounter cavemen and an 8 foot
tall man from the future. It’s actually
compelling, but kiddish too. At least I
wanted to watch it all the way to the end!
My grade: C Plus
Project Almanac (2015) When
science whiz David finds blueprints for a time machine in his deceased
dad's lab, he & his geek-pals get to work. Everything is jerky
& frantic, it's a curious watch--but only for so long. Going
back to ace a test or attend a concert, seriously? I felt like I was in
the middle of a teens busy dream. At least they learned their lesson,
there's no easy fixes. My grade: C Plus
Time Lapse (2015) A
twentysomething trio discover their dead neighbor was watching
them--with a "time camera" that takes a daily photo of their apartment
24 hrs into the future. They learn to profit from it fast enough, but
as faces and events in the photos turn ominous, greed and paranoia begin
taking hold. It's a micro-budget film, but compelling to watch and
makes you think--stand aside, Hollywood. My grade: C Plus
2012 (2009) John Cusack & Amanda Peet narrowly miss being killed, time
& time again as the end of the world approaches. Oh it was a
mega-CGI fest, but better than I expected. My grade: C Plus
Awake (2021)
Shortly after picking up her 2 kids from their grandma, a solar flare
causes Gina Rodriguez to run off the road into a pond. They’re saved,
but will learn their troubles are just beginning; people are no longer
able to sleep, except for a chosen few. How soon can the world go on
before madness sets in? Gina doesn’t want to know in this escape from
everything B-thriller. A great premise, but it’s the second movie at
the drive-in. You know. My grade: C
The Midnight Sky (2020) It’s 2049 and most of
Earth is dead, an apocalyptic event has poisoned the atmosphere. George Clooney is a grizzled scientist at the
North Pole, alive but barely, to warn off space missions returning home. So who is this silent little girl he
finds? I wanted to like this, the
production values are first rate; but a movie so sad shouldn’t move so
impossibly slow. I suppose it’s
hopeful... but just barely. My grade:
C
IO (2019)
There’s very few people (if any) left on this toxic Earth, most live on
Jupiter’s moon now. But Sam (a young scientist) remains, trying to
carry on her father’s work that given enough time the planet will heal
itself. And then a man arrives via helium balloon & tells her
the final shuttle is leaving Earth. I loved the imagery here, but the
dialogue is so ponderous and slow, & much too philosophical…
sci-fi should never be such a bore. This was. My grade: C
White Chamber (2019) A British woman awakens in a white glass
room with metal flooring—an ominous voice will demand answers, she’ll
insist she has none. She’ll be tortured with heat, cold, sound—and
we’ll soon learn this captive was once the captor, doing far worse on
behalf of her government. It’s a lot of talk (but with a couple nasty
surprises) in this b-movie mix of chemical warfare, duty to one’s
country—and revenge. I made it sound better than it was. My grade: C
2067 (2020)
In the year 2067, no more plant life exists on Earth and we survive on
synthetic oxygen. That’s beginning to fail too, but scientists receive a
cryptic message 400 years into the future: Send Ethan Whyte.
He’s just a tunnel worker, he’s no one important--why him? This has a
grand, hopeful ending I liked, but first you’re going to suffer thru 2
hours of a convoluted storyline and a lead actor who cries nonstop!
Christ Australia, c’mon! My grade: C-
3022 (2019)
In June 2198, a cataclysmic event on Earth causes the planet to blow
up. Only 5 people are alive to witness it, serving aboard the space
station Pangea. But as supplies dwindle, so does their states of mind…
what will happen when they encounter a small French crew on a space
shuttle who has nothing? Even with the lowww budget, this could’ve had
potential... but it was humdrum stuff, a sci-fi yawn at best. My grade: C-
Ready Player One (2018) The year is 2045 and
the world is in ruins, many reside in towering stacks of old mobile
homes. But all live & play in ‘The Oasis’, a
cyber universe of beauty, color & adventure. It’s creator has left the greatest gift--find
3 golden keys hidden there, and his trillion dollar empire is yours. This is the Matrix meets Willy Wonka in
Spielberg’s retina-frying kaleidoscope of gaming and pop culture. It’s fun for awhile but if you're not 12-13, oh brother! My grade: C Plus
The Titan (2018)
It’s 2060, and Earth is overpopulated and growing toxic. But in a
mountaintop military compound, scientists are attempting to
‘evolutionize’ a select group of recruits to live on Saturn’s moon
Titan--and save the human race. Failure, failure… so what happens when
they finally succeed? The violence for violence sake was nonsensical
(and I can see why critics were unkind) but I’m glad I gave it a
chance. It’s intriguing sci-fi still. My grade: Big C Plus
Prodigy (2018) On the eve of a little girl's “termination”, a child psychologist is
brought
into a military compound to do a final evaluation on Eleanor, a 9 year
old with an intellect so superior, she’s considered a threat to
humanity. What will the doc discover? A highly precocious brainiac
hiding something in this low budget, well intentioned
sci-fi-ish soap. Kids will be kids
people, you don't need a guy with inkblots to tell you that. Well, I
guess you do. My grade: C
Morgan (2016) is
an artificial human, grown in a lab by scientists; but she seems to
have a problem controlling her lethal temper, so Kate Mara from
corporate is sent in to "evaluate the situation". You're just here to kill her! They're not the only ones who see what's coming a mile away, you will too and probably more. My grade: C
Tomorrowland (2015) Disney
recruits a young George Clooney from the 1964 World's Fair (and some
annoying 14 year old girl from the present) to a dimensional realm where
science geeks and artists can build a "utopian future". So why are
robots trying to kill them? There's a giant sci-fi spectacle afoot, but
without a coherent story it's just a lot of bells & whistles. Shame. My grade: C
These Final Hours (2015) It's
the end of us, our planet consumed in flames. Only Australia remains,
it's skies orange in it's final hours. And as James makes his way "to
the party to end all parties", he encounters Rose, a little girl looking
for her family. Does he really want to spend his final moments helping
her find her dad? If there was ever a time to do the right thing... I
loved the chemistry of this pair--well, while it lasted. My grade: C
Coherence (2014) Four
couples gather for a dinner party at one's house, with lots of laughter
and talk about a comet passing overhead that night. Soon, the power
goes out, the whole street too--except for one house 2 blocks up. Let's
go check it out, grab some purple glow-sticks. Wait, who are those 4
couples over there with red glowsticks? Oh boy are things about to get
trippy! It's suburban suspense with a sci-fi twist. Heh! My grade: C
Alien Abduction (2014) A
family camping trip quickly turns Blair Witchy when they become lost,
only to find a row of empty cars & trucks along a mountain
road--with their doors open & lights on. It's an alien
abduction! There's a couple stylish moments, but local townfolk
interviewed about the mystery of Brown Mountain? Found footage? A boy
who keeps filming no matter what? This lightning was already caught. My grade: C
Divergent (2014) In
the future, people are grouped into one of five factions; caregivers,
business, law enforcement,etc. But some share a special ability to fit
into any faction and they are divergents, and MUST BE DESTROYED. Poor
Shailene Woodley is one of them. If you're a 14 year old girl who
enjoyed "Hunger Games", you came to the right place. My grade: C
Space Station 76 (2014) In
a universe where "the future" is the '70s, Patrick Wilson is one glum
space station captain; his first officer (and secret lover) has been
replaced with a woman, Liv Tyler--who must also deal with some pretty
catty officers wives. Meanwhile, an asteroid hurtles towards them... I've never seen so much potential--set design, retro-tech,
etc--wasted on such a slight story. Arrgh! My grade: C
World War Z (2013) Brad
Pitt sells out in this big budgeted, CGI-laden action movie where every
other person on the planet becomes a zombie seemingly overnight. "We
need your help Brad!" says the government. Why him? Did I miss
something? Neither good nor bad, it just is. My grade: C
Elysium (2013) In
the year 2154, Earth is a planet of disease & decay--while in
orbit is Elysium, a sleek space station of mansions and perfect health
for its wealthy citizens. So what happens when a lowly factory worker
(Matt Damon) gets a dose of radiation and has 5 days to live? Get outta
his way, Jodie Foster! Um, I expected much more than this jarring,
juvenile story. My grade: C
After Earth (2013) When
Will Smith & son Jaden's spaceship crash on Earth, they're in
trouble--mankind has not lived here for 1000 years, the planet is
hostile to humans, and both of Will's legs are broken too! Jaden,
prepare to become a man in this (admittedly corny) but still imaginative
sci-fi adventure. My grade: C
The Hunger Games (2012) Dark
teen fable (based on the blockbuster book) about a bleak future where
24 earnest kids are chosen each year for a televised fight to the death.
I love Jennifer Lawrence, but I wish this movie didn't assume I already
read the book. It should've included some Cliffs Notes. My grade: C
Looper (2012) Sci-fi thriller with Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a looper, hired by
gangsters in the future to kill people they send back in time--including
your older self (why?) Anyway, they should've kept Joseph's older self
in the future--he's Bruce Willis! Been there done that and a tad
overrated, but still a fun watch. My grade: C
Cloud Atlas (2012) Tom
Hanks & Halle Berry are in various casts of characters in
different time periods (the 18th century, 1936, 1973, the present, the
future) with no real rhyme or reason how they all connect--more of a
"the play's the thing", over and over. Our lives and doings ripple thru
all eternity. This seemed almost as long. My grade: C
Total Recall (2012) Set in a grim future where most of the world is uninhabitable, Colin
Farrell is a man on a mission (though why is uncertain to him and to us)
in this impossibly explosive remake of the original hit sci-fi film.
Some nifty effects, but no more mindless action films please; my IQ just
dropped 10 points. My grade: C
Apollo 18 (2011) NASA's
final lunar mission was Apollo 17... or was it? This sci-fi horror
tells us otherwise, and why we haven't been to the moon since. No big
surprises here (you know something bad is gonna happen) but it was still
smartly done; it sure looked like an Apollo mission to me. My grade: C
Limitless (2011) Bradley Cooper is a "down on his luck writer" when he runs into his ex
brother-in-law who hands him an experimental smart pill and the world
becomes his oyster. An interesting what-if story, I just wish I could've
liked Bradley's character better. Isn't there more to life than money
& power? Apparently not. My grade: C
The Darkest Hour (2011) Imaginative
little sci-fi thriller finds some twentysomething American tourists in
Moscow on the night of an 'electrical alien' invasion that decimates the
city--and the planet. Is there a way to stop these things & get
out of Russia? Dammit, this means war! My grade: C
In Time (2011) In
a future where no one grows old, but only the rich own long lives (you
must pay for your time--be it days or years) Justin Timberlake is out to
avenge his mom's death. "Is she my wife, my daughter, my mother? Once
you could tell." The plot gets hokey but it's still a good premise. My grade: C
I Am Number Four (2011) Above
average 'Teenager from Outer Space' with John, secretly one of nine
aliens from another planet, trying to make a new life on Earth. If only
he didn't have to deal with mysterious powers, a pack of wild jocks and a
group of goth-aliens sent to destroy him. Er...wow. My grade: C
Real Steel (2011) In
the year 2020, where 'robot boxing' has replaced men, Hugh Jackman
& his son find an abandoned junkyard bot and train him to be a
world class contender. Why not. Some wonderful technology here,
but...corn is corn. My grade: C
Sound of my Voice (2011) A pair of wannabe journalists infiltrate a small religious cult led by a
woman who claims to be from the year 2054. And as the Justice Dept
listens in, one of them is becoming less a reporter and more a believer.
Interesting enough, but too brief; this felt like a wannabe movie. My grade: C
Monsters (2010) Six
years after alien microbes came to Earth and mutated into giant walking
octopuses in an area between the US & Mexico, a young
photographer is assigned to escort his boss' daughter back to the
States. For such a low budget indie, the tense moments were few but very
real. My grade: C
Inception (2010) Leonardo DiCaprio is an 'extractor' who enters people's dreams to steal
various secrets. Interesting premise, but when they get into stuff like
"third level" (dream within a dream within a dream) it becomes a
convoluted jumble. Bring your imagination, and then some. My grade: C
Pandorum (2009) Dennis
Quaid & Ben Foster awake from hyper-sleep on a sleeper
spacecraft full of goo, gore & other muck in this dark
(literally) sci-fi thriller. I haven't seen so much oil since the BP
spill. My grade: C
The Road (2009) Impossibly grim tale of a man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son,
traveling across a post-apocolyptic landscape in search of a better
life. The world is reduced to ash--its people reduced to cannibals. Is
humanity dead? Let's hope not. My grade: C
