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A review of “The Tall Man” (2012)

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I’m again blogging old movie reviews from Facebook.  In retrospect, I maybe should have given this clever, unexpected gem a 9 out of 10.  I am also a little confused about whether there was a sequel to this movie, entitled “The Regret.”  (Or was that an overseas title for this film?)

*****

I really liked “The Tall Man” (2012) though I can tell right away that many other viewers will not. And it’s hard to explain why, because this is a “twist movie” that’s difficult to discuss without spoilers. The film that you sit down to watch absolutely is not the same film that you wind up seeing.

The movie opens with Jessica Biel as an idealistic doctor in a gorgeous but very poor Washington State small town. The town’s children sporadically disappear, according to a creepy and wonderfully effective montage, and townsfolk blame the supernatural “Tall Man.” For a while, it’s a first-rate thriller. I jumped a few times.

Then there’s a twist.

Then, in the movie’s final 10 minutes, there’s another twist that affects the first. And there’s a hell of a lot of moral ambiguity. (Or maybe not – I, for one, disagreed with and would have hated the prevailing character.)

I thought the whole thing was smart, creative and frightening. Jessica Biel did a great job. The sweeping pans of the forest are fantastic – was it partly CGI? Did they use a helicopter?

It actually isn’t a perfect mystery. There are a few implausibilities. One character is far too well adjusted for his or her circumstances, one character conceals something for no reason, and the young mute girl’s decision makes no sense, if you consider what she does and does not know.

Still – good movie. I’d give it an 8 out of 10.

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A review of “Super 8” (2011)

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“Super 8” (2011) was, as everyone told me, a good movie – I’d give it an 8 out of 10. It had a smart, funny script that made for likeable adolescent protagonists, some nice tension in setting up a sci-fi mystery, and some great special effects (including an impressive train crash that reminded me of the very different “Final Destination” movies). I had fun with this.

I can only enjoy “family films” so much, though. It isn’t that I need violence or sex to be entertained. It’s that these movies are “safe” and therefore predictable. When I realized early on that this was intended for general audiences, it gave me a pretty good idea of what would and would not happen throughout the film. (This film is a mystery that is a little hard to discuss without spoilers.)

The movie was made even more predictable when you realize that director JJ Abrams was consciously imitating a certain other famous filmmaker. Let’s look as what we’ve got: 1) an earnest, vulnerable, yet ultimately heroic adolescent boy; 2) quirky, flawed, yet lovable supporting characters that aid him in his quest; 3) a sci-fi mystery; 4) several family conflicts involving absent parents; and 5) ruthless government and/or military authorities.

Hmmmm. Remind you of anything, anyone?  Hint: see this film’s producer.

There was a little too much heavy handed imagery and plotting. Accidentally turning on a film projector and seeing a dead parent? A flying locket with a picture of said parent? And the locket is let go at the story’s climax? I felt that Abrams would next reach right out of the movie screen and write the movie’s message in black Sharpie marker across my forehead. Just in case I didn’t get it.

Still, this was good. Those kids were so damned cool it made me think it might be fun to be a parent. That heavy kid would actually be really cool to hang out with. If I were his Dad, I’d buy him all sorts of stuff for his hobby of making zombie movies, and I’d let him skip his chores just to give him the space he needs.

This movie also did something pretty creative that I don’t remember seeing done outside of “The X-Files.” We’re shown a government or military conspiracy, but this time the local police department does NOT cooperate or become complicit in it. So you see local cops actively working against their federal or military counterparts. I found that to be different and interesting, and it seems like the sort of thing that might occur in real life.

All in all, this was a good movie. It seems like a pretty decent flick with which to introduce a kid to science fiction.

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A very short review of “The Taking of Deborah Logan” (2014)

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“The Taking of Deborah Logan” (2014) was decent enough; I’d give it a 7 out of 10.  It’s a nice variation of the found-footage horror movie.   It begins as a straightforward documentary-in-production, as a young film crew follows a troubled Alzheimer’s patient.  Then it becomes apparent that there are even darker forces at work.

There’s nothing terribly new here, but it’s still scary enough.  The pacing is a bit slow, the special effects were nothing new, but the makeup effects were very well done.  There’s a very nice touch at the very end.

Jill Larson is fantastic in the title role.  Seriously, where did they find this woman?  She’s a superb actress, even playing the “normal” Deborah Logan with charm and sympathy.  The screenwriters should have shown us more of the unafflicted Deborah, to raise the stakes emotionally when she gets all demonified.

It’s also fun seeing Anne Ramsay again; she’s a cool, fun actress.  Does anyone else remember her as Jamie’s wacky sister in “Mad About You?”  I used to love that show when I was in my 20’s.  Go ahead and ask to see my “man card;” I’m used to it by now.

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The Lazarus Effect on the Flatliners’ Jaunt. With Dark Phoenix.

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[THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS FOR “THE LAZARUS EFFECT.”]  “The Lazarus Effect” (2015) is a good horror – science fiction movie, just not a great one.  I’d give it a 7 out of 10.

It’s well put together.  There are some scary parts, and the characters are likable, if thinly drawn.  One part of this movie expertly recalls Stephen King’s amazing short story, “The Jaunt,” which I believe is the scariest story I’ve ever read.  The closing moments of the movie are damn creepy.   (Watch carefully until the end.)

If you think you recognize Eva, that’s the talented young Sarah Bolger, who was troubled by a vampire prep-school classmate in “The Moth Diaries” (2011).  The smart-mouthed lab assistant?  That’s none other than Quicksilver from “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (the likable Evan Peters).

But here’s it’s problem — this film’s story device was already employed a hundred times better 25 years ago by the far superior “Flatliners.”  That 1990 classic exceeds it on every level — even visually, despite today’s CGI.  I just can’t recommend paying to see “The Lazarus Effect” if the star-studded, funny, genuinely frightening “Flatliners” is available at home.

Even “The Lazarus Effect’s” modern special effects are nothing new.  When Zoe (Olivia Wilde) completes her horrifying transformation, I swear she looked exactly like Jean Grey after her transformation into Dark Phoenix in “X-Men 3: The Last Stand” (2006).

We’re also left with a lot of questions.  (Again, I’m trying to keep this generally spoiler free.)

1)  Are we seeing the real Zoe?  A possessed Zoe?  A traumatized Zoe?  An angry version of Zoe?  All four?  I’m still not sure.

2)  Why does Zoe’s transformation appear to happen gradually?  Why not immediately?

3)  Why is one character made to face consequences for a childhood mistake, no matter how serious it may have been?

4)  What exactly is the significance of the side effects we are told about (increased brain activity and aggression)?

5)  Given what we know about what’s happening to Zoe, does it really make sense that the dog should have a comparable experience?

6)  Can the process we see have a happier outcome for a different subject?

7)  Why does Zoe object to the lab assistant using e-cigarettes in the laboratory?  “Vaping” produces no smoke or odor, and contains no tobacco — it’s just a water mist.

Anyway … do any other horror-sci-fi fans remember “Flatliners” the way I do?  I never hear it mentioned.  Its contemporary, “The Lost Boys,” (justifiably) still gets praise and brings tons of nostalgia to 80’s horror movie fans.  Why not “Flatliners?”  EVERYBODY talked about “Flatliners” back in the day.  It was even better “The Lost Boys,” and it’s served up with both Kief AND Bacon.

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A tiny review of “Project Almanac” (2014).

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Project Almanac (2014) was decent enough; I’d give it an 8 out of 10.  It serves up some nice suspense, with moments that were very funny — Quinn Goldberg’s travails as the group’s awkward member made me laugh, and I wish they gave him more screen time.  There are some familiar tropes here, but they’re still made interesting by the found-footage format.

The ending is a bit obvious … it’s a resolution I think any audience member could have suggested.  And it could have carried a hell of a lot more of emotional punch, considering who’s talking, instead of being rushed along in favor of a less interesting love story subplot.

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A short review of “The Babadook” (2014).

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“The Babadook” (2014) was a decent horror movie — maybe not quite as phenomenal as all the hype suggests, but still quite good.  I’d give it an 8 out of 10.

The acting was just great all around, the directing was good, and the movie benefits from a spooky, atmospheric buildup.  The tone-setting developments with the children’s book were creative, spooky and perfect.  The illustrator for that book deserves a lot of credit for making this film effective.

I did think the pacing was a bit slow, and the ultimate reveal of The Babadook itself was unimpressive.  I immediately thought the entity looked like a cross between Edward Scissorhands and Danny Devito’s The Penguin.  It’s ugly and annoying; I might rather punch it in the face than run from it — especially after it traumatized that poor, misunderstood kid.  (I feel the same way about clowns; I will never understand the common phobia.)

This film might also borrow a page or two from other horror outings.  I know I’ve seen that playground bit before.  And the first appearance of the entity closely parallels “The X- Files” episode “Folie a Deux.”  This monster-of-the-week episode is a classic, one of the show’s best.  “The Babadook’s” visual and even sound effects during the ceiling scene seemed almost identical to me.

Side note: does anyone else in the film or audience realize that this child is incredibly advanced if he is able to construct these weapons?  The character is six years old — the best that I could do at age nine when I played vikings with the kid next door was a broomstick and a garbage can lid as a shield.  I actually made a working crossbow when I was 11 or so, but it certainly didn’t work like this kid’s.  If Australia (where the film takes place) has an equivalent to DARPA, this kid needs to work there right after engineering school.

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My review of “Captain America: Winter Soldier” (2014)

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[THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FILM.]  Okay, now — this was actually a pretty good movie; I’d give it an 8 out of 10.

And that says a lot coming from me — I gave only a lukewarm response to “Captain America: The First Avenger,” because I thought that film was an overly safe family film that had no depth or suspense, and some awkward fight scenes.  I’ve also opined that Captain America is one of the flatter characters on The Avengers’ lineup.  And he’s got a simplistic character concept, even by comic book standards (super-soldier serum, anyone?).

But “Winter Soldier” does improve greatly on some various weaknesses of the origin story.  The action scenes (my favorite is the highway fight) are very, very good, with well choreographed brawls and suspenseful shootouts that aren’t too hard for the viewer to follow.  And the space opera-level climax will definitely give action junkies their money’s worth.

Chris Evans actually is a really good actor, in my estimation.  He seems to do a far better job here than in the other Marvel films, and the script gives Cap a depth that lets Evans show a nice range.  (And dammit if he doesn’t look the part.)  He’s a charismatic lead that lets you more easily buy into the character.  And … Robert Redford in a comic book movie?!  That’s something I never saw coming.  But what a great actor.

My quibbles?  There were a couple.  (BEWARE – SPOILERS AHEAD.)

1)  Cap meets his best friend and (literal) wingman, the superhero Falcon, on a chance encounter after a run around Washington’s Mall?  DEUS EX EXERCISE.

2)  Winter Soldier is nice and intimidating with his bandit-like costume and metal (vibranium?) arm, and it’s a little unnerving when Captain America’s ostensible equal comes crashing into the scene.  But when his mask comes off and he utters one of his few lines of dialogue, he looks and sounds like a slightly dull, soft spoken, 16-year-old boy.  He’s utterly nonthreatening.

3)  I’ve always been hard to please when it comes to conspiracy storylines.  The larger the conspiracy, the less plausible — I refuse to believe that huge numbers of people can keep a secret so big.  S.H.I.E.L.D. is an utterly incompetent spy agency if it allowed Hydra to flourish as it did within its upper echelons.  Besides, Hydra is made up of weirdo fanatics — nuts like that would have a hard time blending in to a mainstream community.

4)  S.H.I.E.L.D. was more fun when it was made up only of good guys.  I never watched the TV show, but I rooted for them in the films.  It was America’s everyman response to a world of super-beings, and it was sort of the committed underdog.

5)  Again, we are never quite sure what Cap’s powers are.  He can withstand 15-story falls with no major injury, but apparently isn’t bulletproof.

6)  Why on Earth does nobody call  The Avengers for help?

But don’t let those minor irks prevent you from checking out this movie.  It’s pretty decent.

Comic Book Nerd Trivia — Winter Soldier looks a heck of a lot like an anti-hero named “Nomad” in the mid-1990’s.  He teamed up with Daredevil when he went to Las Vegas in the “Dead Man’s Hand” storyline.  It’s probably the same character; I am just too lazy to look it up right now.

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Lamenting “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002)

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I’ve been blogging my past movie reviews from Facebook — this was my own humble pan of “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002).

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It’s easy to understand why “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002) was the lowest grossing Star Trek film of all time. I didn’t hate it quite as much as everybody else (I’d give it a 4 out of 10), but it was a pretty big misfire.

The movie was, frankly, boring for most of its first hour. At one point the film’s villains scold its antagonist, “You promised us action – and yet you delay!!” Yeah, that’s pretty much how the viewers felt. This movie has no sense of pacing at all. There’s an admittedly neat horror flourish early on, then an action sequence cheesy enough to have been lifted from “The A-Team.” Then a good portion of the film seems to revolve around … planning …and conversations. Did the filmmakers think they were writing Shakespeare?

This is also a cobbled together pastiche of plot elements we’ve seen many times before. We have a charismatic leader uniting two groups of bad guys. He’s got an astonishing secret and a link to Jean-Luc Picard. He’s got a new secret weapon and is heading to earth to destroy it. There’s another model/clone/whatever of Data. Telepath Donna Troi is mind-raped by a creepy alien (which just might be a plot device in poor taste). Only some inspired ship maneuvers and a surprise stratagem by Data manage to save the day. If this sounds familiar, you may have seen Star Trek movies or the TV show before.

Even the special effects were average. Did this movie really come out the same weekend as “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones?”

Then there are the nitpicks connected with the entire franchise. Why do seatbelts not exist in Star Trek’s universe? If any matter at all can be created out of nothing via “replicators,” why do mining colonies exist? Why are all the aliens humanoid, but with funny foreheads? WHY IS EVERY CREW MEMBER PERFECT IN EVERY WAY? Is the future inhabited solely by cheerful, hardworking honor students who are always home by curfew? Please watch Ron Moore’s “Battlestar Galactica,” people. There are reasons why Starbuck is a compelling character, and Donna Troi is not.

And even a casual viewer of the TV show could spot the … complete lack of continuity. This film really does contradict the “All Good Things” climax for the show (though, admittedly, the show’s writers really did paint future stories into a corner with that far-future epilogue). If imdb.com is correct, director Stuart Baird had no familiarity with show, and even thought that Geordi LaForge was an alien. Wow.

All of this is a little sad, because there are a few elements of a great movie here. Tom Hardy (Space Bane?) was damn fantastic as the story’s villain. I had no idea he was this good of an actor. The guy is intense, convincing and scary, and I love the way he delivers his lines. What a shame his face and mouth were obscured in “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012). The guy is incredible.

Patrick Stewart is also fantastic, as usual. He does just fine in the “X-Men” films, but he seems like a one-note character there, because he’s almost always serene and in control. Even the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” TV show gave him a better range to show. He’s great when he shows remorse, concern and apprehension. You can tell the guy’s done Shakespeare.

Finally, the movie’s climactic ship-on-ship battle was quite good.

This movie also had some damned interesting themes stemming from Hardy’s bad guy, who is a younger, angrier clone (literally) of Picard. (Maybe that’s a spoiler, but it’s okay – you really don’t need to see this film anyway.) The script presents this well – it actually isn’t as stupid as it sounds. Any sci-fi movie in which Hardy and Stewart comment on the duality of man, or nature vs. nurture, ought to be an automatic classic. And this movie did just fine when it let the two actors explore that.

Oh well. They can’t all be gold, right? It’s just a little sad that the cast of a decent TV show (and a couple of decent movies) had to embark on this as their final voyage.

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A very short review of “Skyfall” (2012).

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“Skyfall” (2012) was a decent flick; I’d give it an 8 out of 10. I love modern movies that give us great action sequences without CGI, or at least without cartoonish and incredibly obvious and transparent CGI. The stunts were great. And it had good acting, good directing and fantastic dialogue. I love the way these characters talk.

It suffers from a comparatively weak third act, and a bizarre villain that is far more irritating the menacing. We see no evidence that the bad guy has the physical or mental characteristics to make him an equal to Bond, which is what the movie suggests. (He’s more like a rich jerk with a lisp who talks too much.)

Also … as the “Honest Trailers” gag points out … what happened to the stolen list? Wasn’t that the point of the movie?

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Whatever. I really liked “Silent House” (2011).

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Elizabeth Olsen is goddam amazing. Her performance in “Silent House” (2011) alone is worth the price of a rental. She honestly makes me think of a young Jodie Foster.

I’m surprised this film was so widely panned. I thought it was generally good, and I’d give it an 8 out of 10. It was damn scary, and it had some nifty devices going for it. One was its real-time action, another was its exclusive use of very long tracking shots, that were carefully edited to make the entire film look like one, long continuous take. Another was filming a lot of scenes in almost complete darkness – capturing Olsen’s character’s point of view as she flees through a house from a mostly unseen assailant.

Was this supposed to be a twist movie? If so, it failed in that sense. The plot development toward the end was spelled out early on, and when certain items keep popping up, it’s a clincher. If you can’t see what’s going on by the last 15 minutes, you stayed up too late last night. And although this is supposed to be a remake of a Uruguayan film, its “twist” makes it remarkably similar to a well made French horror film from a few years back, which I won’t name to avoid spoilers. (Please follow suit in any comments.)

I’d recommend this …with the caveat that nearly everyone else seems to have hated it.

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