Author: Stan

Today’s quick review: Singularity. One century after Kronos, the world’s first artificial intelligence, all but wiped out humanity, Andrew Davis (Julian Schaffner) and Calia (Jeannine Wacker), two of the last survivors, head north in search of Aurora, a city rumored to be mankind’s last stronghold. What Andrew does not realize is that he is a robot himself, a human replica sent by Elias Van Dorne (John Cusack), Kronos’ creator, to locate Aurora.

Singularity is a post-apocalyptic teen sci-fi adventure with a low budget and flawed execution. The movie tries to be an epic tale of hope and rebirth in the wake of a robot revolution. But in spite of a promising setup and a decent plot, Singularity quickly runs into problems. Amateurish acting, an uneventful plot, and almost no action are foremost among the film’s many missteps. The result is a movie that fails to deliver on its few good ideas.

Singularity’s most glaring problem is its acting. Julian Schaffner and Jeannine Wacker are badly out of place in the film’s post-apocalyptic setting. Schaffner looks like he was pulled in off the street, while his constant slack-jawed expression undercuts the drama. Wacker is supposed to be a hardened survivor, but she never shows any particular competence at anything. The pair might do well in a teen romance, but here they are liabilities.

There are other, smaller problems that chew away at the movie’s foundations. The action is limited to a few key scenes, but weak fight choreography and miserly use of CGI keep them from having much impact. The plot falls apart in stages, beginning with a reasonable Trojan Horse setup but losing coherence with every new development. The script and cinematography are packed with little incongruities, such as giant robots sneaking around without detection.

Singularity does have a few rays of light. The opening ten minutes, depicting the rise of Kronos, are put together well, even if they have no bearing on the rest of the movie. John Cusack delivers a worthwhile performance in spite of a mediocre script. The basic skeleton of the plot has potential; with a couple of adjustments, it could even make for a moving drama. But poor execution smothers what value the movie offers.

Watch Singularity only if you’re a fan of budget science fiction with missed potential. Singularity could have been a decent entry into the genre, but it falls well short of the mark. For a flawed but more compelling take on the technological singularity, check out Transcendence. For a darker, more imaginative sci-fi story with similar plot elements, check out Blame!. For a sober, low-budget look at human-robot relations, check out Automata.

4.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for a decent premise let down by lackluster writing and a pair of unconvincing leads.

Today’s quick review: Ocean’s Eight. Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), a thief just released from prison, approaches her partner Lou (Cate Blanchett) with a daring plan: to steal a $150 million diamond necklace off the neck of celebrity Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) at the Met Gala. To pull it off, they will need a crew (Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina, and Sarah Paulson) with just the right skills to beat the Met’s tight security.

Ocean’s Eight is a crime comedy with an ensemble cast. Ocean’s Eight is a spinoff of the Ocean’s Eleven series that follows Danny Ocean’s sister Debbie on the heist of a lifetime. The movie hits many of the same beats as its predecessors: a juicy target, a large crew, a plan that relies on subterfuge and misdirection, and a light tone that avoids heavy drama or violence. Though not as sharp as Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Eight carves out a niche as a fun watch.

Ocean’s Eight gets the basics right. Sandra Bullock makes for a likable protagonist as Debbie Ocean, a clever thief with the drive to succeed. The film builds up its heist well, laying out the stages in Debbie’s plan while saving a few surprises for later on. The plot doesn’t quite stick the landing, but it’s paced well and has enough going on to entertain. The last piece of the puzzle is the humor, which mainly takes the form of banter among the crew.

Still, the movie’s charms only go so far. The plot is one or two twists short of being engrossing. The jokes are often amusing but never hilarious, and the humor as a whole lacks the snappy rhythm of Ocean’s Eleven. The cast is also not used as well as it could have been. Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, and Helena Bonham Carter end up doing most of the work, but Cate Blanchett fades into the background and the others have only modest parts.

Ocean’s Eight is a decent popcorn flick with just enough in the way of plot, comedy, and star power to make for an entertaining watch. Those hoping for a return to form for the Ocean’s series may want to temper their expectations. But those looking for light, amusing heist will come out satisfied. For another crime comedy in a similar vein, check out Ocean’s Thirteen. For a more action-oriented heist, check out The Italian Job.

6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for decent entertainment value.

Today’s quick review: Brigadoon. While lost in the highlands of Scotland, Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson), a pair of hunters from New York, stumble across the picturesque town of Brigadoon. There they spend a pleasant day drinking in the local atmosphere, and Tommy falls in love with Fiona Campbell (Cyd Charisse). Their romance is perfect except for one thing: the ancient secret to the town’s seclusion.

Brigadoon is a classic romantic musical with a gorgeous soundtrack and a simple plot. Fittingly enough, Brigadoon’s main appeal is its music. The songs are catchy and lyrical, a mixture of upbeat dances and gentle love songs. The cast has plenty of talent to go around, with no weak links even in the film’s most elaborate musical numbers. The story is slow-paced, light in tone, and free of any serious drama, and it takes frequent breaks for music.

Still, Brigadoon offers little beyond its music. There isn’t much in the way of plot, only a typical romance with a few wrinkles specific to the town of Brigadoon. The story does have a few novel ideas that help give the movie a storybook quality, but these are not enough to make the movie tense or thrilling. Instead, Brigadoon is merely a reprieve, a refreshing peek into an idyllic, rural world full of love and song.

Fans of classic musicals will enjoy Brigadoon. Memorable songs, a quaint tone, and an endearing lead couple in Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse make it well worth a watch. Those who prefer musicals with more substance should give Brigadoon a miss. For another classic musical with similar music, try White Christmas or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. For a more sedate romance set in Wales, try The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.

6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for gorgeous music and a charming, if straightforward, story.

Today’s quick review: Taking Earth. The Earth descends into chaos when alien invaders take control of a fraction of the population to search for Cameron (Marco Torlage), a disguised alien refugee who holds the key to winning an interplanetary war. Cameron’s only hope is to flee across the country with his friend David (Ronan Quarmby) to a waiting spaceship, all while staying ahead of General Garabon (Brad Richards), the leader of the invasion.

Taking Earth is a teen sci-fi adventure with a low budget and poor execution. Taking Earth attempts to be a dramatic science fiction epic that tells the story of a boy with a secret, a planet-wide invasion, and an interplanetary war. However, the movie falls well short of its ambitions. What potential it has is buried under a host of issues ranging from a muddled script and amateurish direction to stilted acting and counterproductive CGI.

Taking Earth struggles with basic storytelling. It sets up its story in the most roundabout way possible, making the first twenty minutes of the movie almost impossible to follow. Core plot points are never fully explained, while the few explanations given raise the wrong kind of questions. The tone seesaws wildly between the high-stakes drama of the story, an excessively grandiose soundtrack, and pervasive, flimsy attempts at humor.

There are a slew of other problems. The dialogue repeats itself without explaining anything. The characters vacillate between forced excitement and unconvincing drama. The pacing is slower than it intends to be, culminating in a drawn-out ending that is not worth the wait. The low budget compounds these problems: The acting is universally flat and unnatural, the few action scenes are badly choreographed, and the cheap CGI hurts more than it helps.

The vast majority of viewers would be better off skipping Taking Earth entirely. Its storytelling is unclear, its spectacle is minimal, and the overall quality of craftsmanship is low enough to make it a chore to get through. Watch it only to dissect it. For a much more entertaining take on a very similar premise, check out I Am Number Four. For a big-budget movie in a similar vein with better spectacle, check out Jupiter Ascending.

2.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 3.5 for sloppy execution of a mediocre premise.

Today’s quick review: The Darkest Hour. Ben (Max Minghella), a young app developer, and Sean (Emile Hirsch), his slacker partner, are on a business trip to Moscow when the city is invaded by invisible energy beings capable of killing with a touch. Together with American tourists Natalie (Olivia Thirlby) and Anne (Rachael Taylor), Ben and Sean must learn to exploit the beings’ weaknesses to make it across the city to safety.

The Darkest Hour is a budget sci-fi survival thriller with an intriguing premise and mediocre execution. The film’s main draw is its unique aliens: invisible beings that can only be seen when they interact with electrical devices, such as light bulbs or car alarms. This core conceit lets the film make the most of its limited special effects budget, provides a strong sense of tension, and lets the characters learn survival strategies.

Beyond its clever design for its aliens, The Darkest Hour is a typical low-budget alien invasion movie. The characters are weak, offering no real depth, but they do display a healthy mix of optimism and pessimism. The plot develops reasonably well, feeding the survivors crumbs of progress at regular intervals. Overall, though, the execution leaves plenty to be desired, with bland acting, low production values, and a linear plot.

Watch The Darkest Hour only if you’re a fan of budget sci-fi. Interesting ideas and decent craftsmanship make it a fine pick by the standards of the genre. But those hoping for tense direction, stunning action, deep characters, or a cerebral plot should look elsewhere. For a military sci-fi take on a similar premise, try Spectral. For the big-budget equivalent, try War of the Worlds. For dark, moving horror in a similar vein, try A Quiet Place.

4.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for a decent premise held back by low production values.

Today’s quick review: Beyond Skyline. When an alien attack devastates Los Angeles, Mark Corley (Frank Grillo), a washed-up Los Angeles police officer, and his son Trent (Jonny Weston) lead a group of survivors across the city in search of safety. But when an alien warship captures the remaining members of the group, Mark and the others are given a unique opportunity to take the fight to the aliens by using their own technology against them.

Beyond Skyline is a budget sci-fi action movie that picks up where the original Skyline left off. Decent special effects let the movie indulge in plenty of alien-fighting action, which takes advantage of the solid alien designs seen in the first film. But poor storytelling and bland characters keep Beyond Skyline from having much impact, forcing the film to rely entirely on spectacle. The result is a popcorn action flick that misses the mark.

Beyond Skyline suffers from an acute lack of tension. The original Skyline was a survival movie that made sure its aliens were mysterious, frightening, and nearly impossible to kill. The sequel scraps that angle in favor of more action, a reasonable progression for the franchise but one that ends up costing the film its dramatic tension. The aliens lack menace, making the story feel more like a series of events than an actual struggle.

Beyond Skyline has other storytelling issues that hurt it. The film races through the invasion of Los Angeles to catch its new characters up to the ending of the first film. From there it zigzags haphazardly, relying on half-baked plot devices to drive the story forward and trying to build drama with flat characters. Beyond Skyline does cover the basics of the genre, but it gets caught between its darker roots and the adventure it wants to be.

Give Beyond Skyline a shot when you’re in the mood for budget sci-fi action and aren’t too particular about plot. Beyond Skyline is a sideways step from the first film, trading the tension of the original for more action while keeping many of the same flaws. The movie does earn points for spectacle, but its flaws are pervasive enough that most viewers would be better off with one of the other movies in the genre.

For an alien invasion movie in a similar vein, check out Skyline, The Darkest Hour, or Revolt. For one with a bigger budget and a more fun attitude, check out Independence Day or Pacific Rim. For a sci-fi movie that blends action, tension, and mystery with greater success, try Prometheus.

5.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for decent action held back by weak storytelling.

Today’s quick review: Skyline. On a visit to Los Angeles, Jarrod (Eric Balfour) and his girlfriend Elaine (Scottie Thompson) end up trapped in his friend Terry’s (Donald Faison) penthouse when aliens invade the city and begin abducting its residents. Together with Terry’s girlfriend Candice (Brittany Daniel) and his assistant Denise (Crystal Reed), the group must find a way out of Terry’s apartment building and to safety.

Skyline is a science fiction survival thriller with a low budget and impressive special effects. The film follows the standard alien invasion formula to a tee: a group of survivors must face an alien menace they have no way of fighting against. Skyline offers a fair amount of action for a budget film, backed by well-used CGI and a decent sense of tension. However, its abrasive characters and bleak tone keep it from holding much appeal.

Skyline has major weaknesses in its characters, its acting, and its script. The parts of the film that are supposed to cause the audience to care are mediocre at best, making the movie more an excercise in survival than a proper story. The survivors never earn much sympathy, but they never drop to the level where schadenfreude kicks in. Coupled with the heroes’ lack of anything to do, this results in a movie that’s hard to invest in.

To its credit, Skyline does a lot with the resources available to it. The film disguises its modest budget well, and the special effects actually let it indulge in a fair amount of action. Skyline also scores a solid hit with its aliens. They are eclectically designed, unexplained, and implausibly hard to kill, but they play well onscreen and give the film a persistent sense of tension. Finally, the movie tucks away one or two good ideas near the end.

Still, Skyline’s virtues are not enough to redeem its weaknesses. For the right viewer, a sci-fi fan who cares about action, tension, and little else, Skyline just squeaks by. But most other viewers would be better served by one of the other movies in the genre. For another budget invasion movie, check out The Darkest Hour or Revolt. For one with more pep, try Attack the Block. For one with a bigger budget and a better script, try War of the Worlds.

4.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for solid CGI and a couple of good ideas, held back by weak acting and writing.

Today’s quick review: Attack the Block. Moses (John Boyega) leads a gang of British teenagers (Alex Esmail, Leeon Jones, Franz Drameh, and Simon Howard) who spend their evenings robbing pedestrians and stirring up trouble. When a horde of alien beasts crashes to Earth in their neighborhood, Moses and his gang decide to take the fight to the creatures. But to protect their apartment complex, they will have to make amends with the neighbors they’ve wronged.

Attack the Block is a science fiction survival movie with comedy elements. Attack the Block savage alien monstersr against the residents of an English apartment complex. The movie features likable characters, punchy dialogue, and practical effects that are simple but effective. The plot holds few real surprises, but it moves fast and gets plenty of mileage out of its characters. The movie blends humor, action, and suspense in one tidy package.

Unlike other survival movies, Attack the Block takes care to flesh out its characters. There isn’t much in the way of backstory, but their personalities come through loud and clear. Moses and his gang skirt the line between despicable lowlifes and scrappy heroes, letting the viewer root for them while still giving them room to grow. The script’s crisp, organic dialogue helps bring the characters to life and keeps the film moving along at a rapid clip.

Watch Attack the Block when you’re in the mood for something punchy with a bit of action and a bit of comedy. Though not a masterpiece, Attack the Block is a fun watch that makes good on its premise and puts a fresh spin on the alien invasion genre. For an alien invasion movie with a similar premise and less likable characters, try Skyline or The Darkest Hour. For a British survival comedy with drier humor, check out The World’s End or Shaun of the Dead.

6.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for lively characters, a punchy presentation style, and a decent plot.

Today’s quick review: Metropolis. Detective Shunsaku Ban (Kousei Tomita) and his nephew Ken-ichi (Kei Kobayashi) travel to the futuristic city of Metropolis in search of Dr. Laughton (Junpei Takiguchi), a scientist infamous for his illegal research. Instead they find Tima (Yuka Imoto), Laughton’s latest project: an advanced robot girl who holds the key to unlocking the power of the Ziggurat, a towering skyscraper at the heart of Metropolis.

Metropolis is a Japanese animated sci-fi adventure based on the manga by Osamu Tezuka. The movie’s friendly, cartoonish animation style and upbeat tone belie a surprisingly mature story about duty and sacrifice. Metropolis features intrepid heroes, nuanced villains, a multifaceted story, a lavish setting, skillful direction, and a lively jazz soundtrack. Although something of a niche pick, Metropolis is a rare treat for the right viewer.

Metropolis has only a loose connection to the science fiction classic of the same name. The setting and themes are similar, but Tezuka takes the story in a different direction. Tezuka’s Metropolis has a sprawling plot involving a bustling utopia, political unrest, and tensions between robots and humans, not to mention Shunsaku and Ken-ichi’s investigation, Tima’s discovery of her identity, and the machinations of Duke Red (Taro Ishida).

In spite of its grand themes, Metropolis never loses sight of its humanity. Ken-ichi and Shunsaku are adventure heroes in the classic mold—persistent, brave to a fault, and entirely selfless—and their allies are just as pure. Together, they give Metropolis an excellent sense of heart and make it a refreshing, wholesome watch. The villains are just as compelling and are driven by a mixture of blunt ambition and nuanced personal conflict.

Metropolis also has craftsmanship to spare. The animation is a distinctive hybrid of early Disney-style characters, richly detailed backgrounds, and tactful CGI machinery. The art style lacks the immediate, universal appeal of Studio Ghibli, but it has a beauty of its own that grows on the audience the more of it they see. The visuals are backed by a jazz soundtrack that helps keep the tone light and attentive direction from director Rintaro.

Still, Metropolis’ peculiar style that will not appeal to everyone. The story gets caught between two extremes: sci-fi epic, laced with politics and drama, and kid-friendly adventure, brimming with optimism and innocence. The combination of the two lets the movie reach farther than either one alone, but at the cost of focus. The logic of the plot also does not hold up perfectly, and its emtional beats are not quite as impactful as they might have been.

Those who enjoy pure-hearted adventure, gorgeous animation, and thoughtful science fiction should give Metropolis a shot. Its unusual combination of light tone and serious content will limit its appeal, but its overall quality makes it well worth a try for the curious. For a family-friendly adventure with a similar tone, try The Adventures of Tintin. For a much darker take on a similar premise, try Blade Runner 2049.

7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for outstanding craftsmanship.

“Got any duct tape?” —Will Sawyer

Today’s quick review: Skyscraper. Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson), a security consultant who lost a leg in the line of duty, has been tasked with verifying the safety of the Pearl, a high-tech Hong Kong skyscraper and the world’s tallest building. But when intruders set fire to the Pearl to get at Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han), the building’s owner, Sawyer must break into the building and navigate the flames to save his family, who are still trapped inside.

Skyscraper is an action thriller with a straightforward premise. Will Sawyer must get to the Pearl, figure out a way in, locate his family, and get them to safety before either the fire or the armed intruders can catch up with them. Skyscraper features decent action, a likable lead, and a well-balanced tone. However, its one-dimensional plot and lack of flair keep it from being anything more than a popcorn watch.

Skyscraper delivers exactly what it promises. The stunts make good use of the Pearl, focusing more on climbing and falling rather than physical combat. The plot includes everything it needs to and doesn’t overstay its welcome, but it offers little in the way of depth or complexity. The tone manages a good balance of levity and tension; the movie keeps the stakes high without going overboard on violence, and it offsets the drama with snippets of humor.

Watch Skyscraper when you’re in the mood for light action with a few good thrills. Those looking for exceptional action, an unpredictable plot, or sparkling dialogue should look elsewhere. But those looking for a popcorn flick with a different style of action should give it a try. For a more violent take on a similar premise, check out Die Hard. For a spy action comedy with similar stunts, check out Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

6.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for competent action with few frills.