The Host: Gwoemul (2006)

The film starts at an American lab where the boss is telling the Japanese assistant to go ahead an dump all of the chemicals down the drain. The water empties into the river and the chemicals create a sea creature that attacks the people. The family in the story run convenience stall next to the river and the creature runs off with their daughter. I'm not sure what to call this movie. Labeled at a horror or a comedy... I don't really see either. More along the lines of a bad science fiction than anything.

The film is not well known, and one that I saved for horror month because of the mislabeling as horror. It is one of the films that the 1001 movie book added on a revision, then removed a year later. It is kinda frustrating that a list of 1001 movies changes so much, but I'll digress from that argument.

Not worth you time, and hard to find.

Vote: 5/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468492/

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Daybreakers (2009)

Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe star in a vampire film that is more science fiction that suspense or horror. I've been saving this for horror month viewing for a couple years, and it isn't the first time I've saved a film I didn't need to. It doesn't help that the film is now both dated and bad...

The film gives little background into how vampires took over the world, and explains everything through background media [televisions playing in the background, etc.] and through passing comments. It isn't that I didn't "get it," just more that I thought the screenplay didn't try very hard. The plot is basically that there are so many vampires that they are running out of blood. They have been trying to make substitutes and they actually harvest human blood, but all substitutes end up killing the vampires that try them. Hawke was turned into a vampire by his brother and does not want to be one. He is a doctor that is looking for the cure, Dafoe has a solution and Hawke goes underground [figuratively] to help his cure get tested.

The conflict comes from the vampires that don't really want a cure to exist because a limited supply plus their reserves equals power. Overall the film was kinda stupid and definitely not worth your time.

Vote: 4/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433362/

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Limitless (2011)

Have you ever heard the scientific study that says that humans actually only use 10% of their brain? Well this movie... that I'll go ahead and call a science fiction... plays to the idea that a drug can allow you to use all 100% and achieve your full potential. Great concept... what can they do with it, especially with Bradley Cooper in the lead who can't seem to do anything better than The Hangover films.

Bradley Cooper plays Eddie, a loser who has been unemployed for some time. He lives in a mess of an apartment and aspires to be a writer, but ends up just hanging out at bars telling people how great his writing is going. His girlfriend has given him some time to work things out but just hit the breaking point and breaks up with him. He runs into his ex-brother-in-law who gives him this experimental drug and it is at this point that the movie can clearly make a turn for the worse. We get this cartoon CGI look into what it is like on this drug and able to use your entire brain, I was thinking at this point... more if this and I'll hate this film.

However, the film settles and we get a pretty interesting storyline as we see the side effects of taking this experimental drug. The film becomes a thriller as it becomes clear that others are using it, and what the supply that Eddie has. I was actually quite impressed with this film, it could have been pretty silly but it was done nicely.

A good one to pick up at the video store.

Vote: 8/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219289/

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Source Code (2011)

Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this science fiction action film about a man who wakes up in someone else's body on a train about to be bombed. There, that is your one sentence on what this movie is about, I don't want to say much more. I've heard it compared to a action film with Groundhog Day repetition, I didn't get that... and I don't know if that is the best thing to call it. I don't like spoiling films, especially since this is a mystery first, science fiction second, and action film third.

Jake wakes up as Colter, a friend of traveling mate Christina [Michelle Monaghan] the girl, who is a friend but you can tell there are commitment issues here. Between train bombing sequences Jake's character communicates with "Goodwin," in what is the mystery of the film. Goodwin is played by Vera Farmiga, who you would remember from  Up in the Air, and will probably wonder what she has been up to for the last two years... picking bad films to work on...

[Spoiler] I just have to say the ending sucked. I can't write this review without talking about it. It reminds me of an interview I read with Brad Pitt where he discusses how the ending of one of his early films was re-written because it "didn't test well," he decided from that point on to write in his contract that changes like this couldn't be made on film from the start. For example, the ending of Seven didn't test well, but Pitt fought to keep it how it was, thank goodness because easy happy Hollywood endings don't fit all stories. I really wonder if this was changed because it didn't test well, because it just didn't make sense and I can't see a screenplay writer that came up with this creative sci-fi plot ending it that way.

You could skip this one and wouldn't miss out on much.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0945513/

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The Man from Earth (2007)

This has to be one of the most interesting films that I have seen in a few years. It is a science fiction film with no special effects and no action. How does that work you might ask, well the entire film is a conversation. We really only have one set and the cast is filled with people that have played movie extras and television stars. Don't expect any Oscar performances from this group, and get past how fake the dialog is to begin with.

The film starts with our lead character, John Oldman [David Lee Smith], a professor that after 10 years decides to up and quit his job. All of his colleagues drop by to say goodbye since his departure seems so sudden. He tells them that he really doesn't have a plan and they push and push until he tells them the truth. The truth is that do does not age, for the length of the film they question him on this point and he is able to answer all of their questions with thoughtful and precise detail. It is really a well thought out script, I came up with a few questions of my own and they answered them not long after. I had planned on starting this one in bed and finishing it on the treadmill at the gym, but it is not the type of film that you can be distracted during to enjoy. I watched the whole thing [87 minutes, short...] in bed when I should have been sleeping.

If you watch a lot of movies and can't find anything fairly new, then this is a "B" film I would highly suggest.

Vote: 8/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/

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Scanners (1981)

You would probably be more familiar with David Cronenberg's other major film, The Fly. However, Cronenberg has been making science fiction/horror films for decades. Videodrome, The Dead Zone, Dead Ringers, and Naked Lunch are some of his other 80's horror/scifi films that made him so popular.

I had heard of this film, and with a recent HD release it was about time to check it out. The poster makes it look really cheesy, and honestly that is what I expect from Cronenberg. The film is about people that use telepathy to control other's minds. An inspiration for a familiar ability copied by X-Men. 

Overall it was just ok for me, I feel saying I liked it more might be easier because I felt that I should have... but there were some parts that were a little stupid and I didn't really like Stephen Lack in the leading role. I did love the plot and idea behind the film. There are some cool scenes, there is one where a guys head explodes. This is credited with the most re-wound and re-played scene in VHS history. Don't ask me how they figured that out.

Vote: 6/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081455/

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Paul (2011)

The comedy team responsible for films like Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead are back with this alien comedy. Starring and written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost with voice work for Paul thanks to Seth Rogen. With supporting characters played by Kristen Wiig [from Saturday Night Live], Jason Bateman, and Sigourney Weaver.

The film starts with Graeme and Clive [Pegg & Frost], two British friends, on holiday in America at a comic convention. Their vacation itinerary is to travel across the southwest visiting famous alien and UFO tourist locations. They stumble upon an alien, Paul, as he is escaping from government agents and claiming that they are going to kill him because he has provided them with all the info they need.

The film is not funny because of Paul, Rogen doesn't really bring much to the voice work and he could have been interchangeable. I do like Pegg and Frost and their history of acting together showed and they seemed genuine. Wiig really brought a lot to this film though. Her role as a religious girl from the trailer park who has her faith challenged by the existence of an alien was the best part of the film. The cursing got a little out of hand, but I'm heard worse.

This isn't a movie you want to watch with you parents, but it is an easy watch and much better than I was expecting.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/

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TRON: Legacy (2010)

Now I just watched the original TRON just a couple years ago. I have to say that I didn't like it. I even gave it a 5/10 and remember dozing off a couple times during the "action" sequences. I really didn't even realize that Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner ("Tron") were brought back to do this sequel.

The premise of the film is that after 20+ years of Kevin Flynn [Bridges] disappearance his son find that he has been trapped in the alternate universe or the system since then. I was hesitant to give this film a chance. The first TRON flopped but had a cult following, and this one flopped to everyone surprise. I'm really not sure why people are surprised when sequels to cult films don't do well at the box office. Doesn't that mean they did a good job with it?

Maybe this will have another cult following, but I think it was a little too late. The Disney element makes it cheesy and the 3d element is frustrating. The acting from the son, Sam [Garrett Hedlund], and the girl [Olivia Wilde] were not great, and the plot was stupid enough to put you to sleep. Not worth your time, and the action scenes were very limited which was pretty surprising.

Vote: 4/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104001/

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Solaris: Solyaris (1972)

I pretty much consider this this Soviet Union version of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Watched as part of several lists, most predominantly to finish off a forum groups top 100, but also on the 1001 Movies Book list. The film is directed by Andrey Tarkovskiy, famous Soviet director who also did Andrei Rublev and Stalker.

The film is about a space mission in the future where a small group of scientists have been sent to establish a base on a new planet. A strange haze comes over the vast ocean preventing them from landing and containing some form of alien life. The alien being is able to pull memories from the men on the station, bringing back the main characters dead wife.

Fairly odd, vague, and hard to find. This expensive 1970's Soviet film was very slow at over 2 and a half hours. It took me more than a few shots to finish because I kept falling asleep. I wouldn't suggest it.

Vote: 5/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069293/

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Pandorum (2009)

Starring Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid this sci-fi film is one that I delayed out of horror month. Not really a horror, but with scary creatures and some shock factor scenes in the dark, it could be categorized that way. Thing for me is that there just haven't been a lot of good sci-fi film lately. Since this one was slightly above average, and had a decent script, it is worth a watch if you want to see a sci-fi film.

The film starts with Foster waking up from some sort of hyper-sleep. He wakes Quaid and the two of them realize they are on a ship and have overslept. What happened to the crew that was supposed to wake them up? Foster starts exploring the ship and encounters some strange creatures and a few humans. He learns that some of them have been awake from some time and that no one is really sure of the location of the ship.

Action packed, and filled with a few twists, it has a few cheesy moments, but I'm sure they are difficult to avoid with a plot like this. Not bad.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188729/

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Splice (2009)

Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley star in a film that has been mislabeled as a horror film. This is actually a science fiction film about gene splicing.

Brody and Polley work in a lab splicing genes and creating some pretty interesting looking creatures in attempts to create vaccines for humans. When they start talking about using human genes their project gets canned. They start working in the lab basement and at home, probably all incredibly illegal to begin with... when they actually create a creature from human genes things start to get really messy.

I hate to say more than this, because the best part of the film is seeing what happens in their development. Polley does a great job of acting like a crazy mother and the film starts to take some strange turns. Just not one of my favorite sci-fi films. Rated just after The Box, it is hard to explain why I would watch that one again before this one. Maybe because the story was more original. This one just seemed too cookie cutter and the plot was basic and predictable.

Left open for a sequel, which frustrates me even more, because it tells me money was always a goal, not quality.

Vote: 5/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1017460/

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Moon (2009)

This science fiction film directed by Duncan Jones and starring Sam Rockwell (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, & Frost/Nixon) was one of the best British Films of the year and nominated for a BAFTA award [basically the British Oscars].

The film is about Sam, an astronaut, who is on a three year assignment to harvest minerals on the moon and send them back to earth. With only two weeks left on his assignment he starts to lose it, when he starts seeing things he is in an accident. Gerty is the computer stationed there to assist him, voice played by Kevin Spacey.

I'm not a huge Sci-Fi fan and really liked this film. I fully expected Gerty to be like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, so the encounters with the computer thoughtout the film made me a little nervous for Sam.

Worth watching, maybe should have warranted a Best Actor nomination, I wasn't that in love with the acting, but it was good.

Vote: 8/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/

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Surrogates (2009)

Bruce Willis stars in a film very similar to two others that came out this year: Avatar & Gamer. The underlying central theme in all of these is controlling a robot through a machine.

So you strap yourself in to become that person. You feel what they feel, and can live your life through them. So why was Gamer a 1, Surrogates a 4, and Avatar a 9? Well Gamer was just an awful story line, bad acting, and you controlled actual people making them do awful things like killing people and doing drugs. Surrogates was controlling robots while your body withered away in your room at home because you aren't pretty enough. Avatar is controlling a different species and the story line made some sense. In Avatar when you came back to your real person you had to shave, eat, go to the bathroom, stay in shape. In Surrogates you just let yourself go... you just didn't turn into a bed ridden mess somewho?

The plot holes and some bad acting from the cast around Bruce Willis made this incredibly bad. There were a few redeeming qualities, nothing really worth mentioning. I'm sure he will be ready to forget this film pretty soon.

Vote: 4/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0986263/

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The War of the Worlds (1953)

Written by H.G. Wells, Directed by Byron Haskin, and starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. As an inclusion on the 501 Must-See movies I have been wanting to see this movie for a while. Older Science Fiction movies tend to be very creative in their use of props and special effects not to mention the remake with Tom Cruise came out not too long ago [War of the Worlds (2005)].

Aliens from mars decide that our planet would be most suitable for them than any other in our solar system so they launch an attack. Most people are pretty familiar with the story so it won't be a shock to say that they do not come in peace. Haskin plays a scientist asked to look at the first ship that lands, the robot attacks when he is at a city gathering and the EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) knocks out all of the electronics in the town.

The cool thing about older sci-fi films is that they actually attempt to explain how stuff works. For instance, the scientist shows the townspeople (and viewers) just how the EMP worked. Which is why I love these old sci-fi films. Nowadays they don't even try and stay plausible in their explanations of anything, probably because viewers don't question anything. I will diverge to say that the new film was much more entertaining, however.

The film had some very annoying points as well, just after the EMP "some" of the cars worked just fine, plus the lights in "some" places worked... were they out of EMP range or did we just explain all this just to contradict ourselves. Sylvia (played by Robinson) was a very annoying character. She shrieked at everything, whined about everything, and either annoyed you or make you laugh with her over the top acting throughout.

The coolest part for me was to discover that the lead character had a supporting role in the remake 50 years later. But, it was sad to find out that he actually passed away earlier this month. This might have been more fun to watch just before or after watching the remake to be able to compare the two a little more. I don't think I want to watch it again to do this though.

Vote: 5/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046534/

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