[Closed] Recent Viewing Part III

That, and Tyler was busy with Iron Man 3, I think.

Yeah! It's sci fi and horror weekend at the Thor house!

Tonight, I've seen these:

THE DAY

This was a low budget post-apocalyptic thriller/slasher from 2011 directed by Canadian Douglas Aarnioskoski that nonetheless managed to get some attention through the Toronto Film Festival that year. I doubt anyone but genre buffs have seen it here, though.

Overall, I quite enjoyed it. Especially the first 20 minutes, which really sets the tone and the relationship between the band of survivors that take shelter in a house against savage cannibal tribes. After that, villains become a bit more stereotypical and it falls into more standard slasher fare. The cinematography is so colour-muted, it's almost monochrome -- it's clearly inspired by films like THE ROAD in that department. Very stylish and well done.

Performance-wise, it's not all that, even though it stars relavtively famous actors like Dominic Monaghan and Shawn Ashmore. The film is really carried by the outlaw/tough woman (is there a term for those?) played by Ashley Bell.

Rock Mafia is a relatively famous songwriting duo who have written for and produced many stars. However, I wasn't aware that they had done any film scores. It's a pretty decent score, following in the tradition of Cave and Ellis for THE ROAD -- a rock basis with some eerie textures and riffs. I don't think there ever was a soundtrack?

THE APPARITION

Here's another horror film I've looked up just now.

I enjoyed it....some of the GRUDGE-like elements creeped me out well enough. But I'm not sure I like the mix of regular teenage-in-distress and the kind of domestic terror they explored in the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films. It's not a terribly original film by any stretch of the imagination. I'll probably have forgotten it in a couple of weeks.

Much of tomandandy's score relies on sound design and stingers (as they do so well), but there were some really good bits with plenty of listening pleasure too. I love the funky dance electronica that is probably in the track "Palmdale" above. That one alone was worth it.

THE BAY

I just caught up on this eco horror/outbreak film from a couple of years ago. I was surprised to discover it was directed by none other than Barry Levinson!

It's pretty effective in its found footage approach, and it builds up suspense and doom quite well, but I wish there more shots of the parasites -- it would have been cool to see them mutate into real big things. But at least it kept things on a more realistic level this way.

Regardless, I love outbreak movies, gross as they sometimes are.

Zarvos' score isn't so much a score as a pure sound design thing. It looms and dooms in the background, merging with the actual sound effects. As it should do for a found footage film. It's not something I would buy on CD, but it was very effective.

THE DARKEST HOUR

I think the promise and story is damn well excellent, which it usually is from Jon Spaights. The invading "monsters" are cool and innovative and the effects and production design is top notch (how they managed to create a deserted Moscow like that is beyond me). The nerve is very tangible, as you never know who is going to be killed next.

HOWEVER, the big problem is the dialogue and the performances -- which are really embarassing at times. And the odd piece of comedy feels misplaced, but I guess that's a given when Tim Bekmametov is one of the producers.

The score by Tyler Bates is pretty cool too. I love the Vangelis-like elements here and there; and the deep, throbbing pulse of many tracks. Again not something I would necessarily buy on CD, but that works wonders in the film (I feel like I'm repeating myself here).

We just saw STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS last night.

What a terrible title. Can we get a colon in there, please? The film was fun. I enjoyed it very much. The story is packed and moves very quickly. I like this new cast, as well. I agree with what everyone else has already said. I don't have much else to add except that [spoiler]although I felt the death of Kirk was like a less enjoyable cover of one of my favorite songs, I did enjoy the "you would have done the same thing" reference. It's kind of fun to play with an alternate reality and see how things might have worked out differently. Of course it didn't hold a candle to the scene in WRATH OF KHAN, and it cheapens it to bring him right back, but that's already been said.[/spoiler]

I didn't notice that space was silent anymore. In STAR TREK space was actually silent (one of the few times that had been done - Whedon's FIREFLY stuff being the first that I can recall), but I never noticed that in this film. Perhaps I just missed that.

I have it on DVD, and like you seen it many times. My favourite "epic film", maybe after LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. The music is wonderful, but my favourite bits are the religoso stuff, like the "Star of Bethlehem" in the opening and all that. Less enthused about the action stuff, and the rowing music gets on my nerves after a couple of minutes.

Possibly the rowing cues are actually my favourites of the whole score...

I see, thanks! The movie? fun?

DAVID BOWIE - FIVE YEARS

Documentary on BBC 2 right now.

Fast and Furious 6

They try so hard to recreate the magic of the 5th, and they come close. But Fast 6 just doesn't equal it. Still, what an intense movie. The action scenes are superb, the intensity of the fight scenes is amazing and that Haywire chick can surely fight. But the over the top end of trailer 3 ([spoiler]flying Letty[/spoiler]) is simply ridiculous and as said, they can't recreate what made Fast 5 still the best of the franchise. That family bond just isn't there.

Nonetheless what a thrill ride, and the teaser to 7 is amazing. But this one is placed 3rd in the list of Fast and Furious movies nonetheless.

Oh, and Vidal's score is a joke. It was so evident he had to mimic Brian Tyler from start to finish. Why hire a new composer if you want him to copy someone else's sound?

7 out of 10

I saw only two parts and I don't think so.

I like the sound of VANISHING ON 7th STREET, I will check that one out.

Currently on arte (German/French PBS): STAR TREK The Motion Picture

God, this truely is one of the most intelligent and beautiful Science Fictions films ever. Am I the only one how has troubles contolling his emotions when they show off the new ship and Goldsmith's "The Enterprise" is playing? Man, what a scene!

The only thing that bugs me: For the first time that ship design strikes me as being dated. Maybe that is because I am so deeply in love with the 2009 redesign. (Probably the only one here.)

Volker

Not the only one. I think The Motion Picture is severely underrated.

My sci fi/horror weekend is finally capped up with this delightful surprise from 2011, which was by far the most artistically ambitious of the bunch. Shades of SOLARIS, 2001, A.I., CONTACT and others.

LOVE

While the film juxtaposes different elements (including the American civil war and various interviews with people), the core story is a man stranded at the ISS in 2039 just as some apocalypse takes place on earth -- leaving him the last survivor of mankind.

Although it depicts the astronaut's descent into solitary madness, it's a very philosophical film that highlights the human need for love and relationships (hence the title) -- whether through voice-over, flashes (Malick-style) and the various other elements. The ending is VERY 2001. And the photography is stunning!

Despite the influences, I really loved this film.

The score was really strong too. Angels & Airwaves is an indie band whose sound -- at least here -- mixes elements of post-rock, electronica and psychedelia art rock (according to themselves, they are influenced by Radiohead and Pink Floyd). At times, it's amazingly beautiful. In fact, the band also produced the movie.

I heartily recommend this -- both film and score!

Wow, really? So you're no fan of SOLARIS, STALKER, 2001 and similar philosophical sci fi fare? Or Terrence Malick, for that matter?

I'll be happy to extoll my views on 2001 once again, but I fear the wrath of Franz Conrad.