Now Playing: November 6, 2009
It's Friday again and that means there's a whole new crop of movies on which you can dump your money. You've no doubt worked hard this week tilling the fields and weaning your young and you wish to take in a film that won't leave you mourning the loss of funds you could've spent on booze. Choosing what film to see without any information is a bit like a round of "Press Your Luck," except landing on a Whammy won't leave you feeling insulted, robbed of your dignity, or wishing for physical harm to come about on another human being. Bad movies can do that to you. Here at Zoom In Online, we're your friends and we want to prove it by providing you with as much information as we can before you attempt to wade through a potential cinematic mine field. Consider us your cinematic D.A.R.E., except funnier and without all the poor results.
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: Robert Zemeckis
Synopsis: Based on the best-selling novel by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his journey into the past, present and future. As the age-old story goes, Scrooge is a greedy old man, concerned only with material possessions and unphased by the spirit of the holidays. However, his old business partner, Jacob Marley, pays Scrooge an untimely visit on Christmas Eve to warn him of the consequences of his ways. But Scrooge dismisses Marley's warnings and later that night, he's visited by the three apparitions who force him to see the error of his ways. Scrooge ultimately reinvents himself and, for the first time since his youth, finally recognizes what is most important in life.
Jim Carrey stars as Scrooge and the three ghosts in this CG-animated retelling of the classic tale, reconfirming Carrey's impressive versatility (and perhaps slight schizophrenia). Other voices to listen for include Robin Wright Penn, Colin Firth and Gary Oldman. What is perhaps most exciting about the film's release is the chance to revisit Robert Zemeckis' talents using CG special effects. While his last movie, Beowulf, made fans "bah humbug" in disapproval, hopefully A Christmas Carol will help us to remember Zemeckis' '80s/'90s heyday consisting of films such as Back to the Future, Forest Gump and Contact.
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Writer: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Synopsis: The title comes from the four stages of alien encounters (obviously), the fourth being alien abduction. Set in the desolate town of Nome, Alaska, The Fourth Kind plays off an abnormal number of disappearances dating back to the 1960s. Despite numerous FBI investigations, the cases remain a mystery to the town, each resident with their own theory regarding what actually happened. Even Universal Studios created a theory of their own: that all of them were abducted by alien invaders and now they're possessed as a result. According to Universal (and only Universal), this is all based off real footage compiled by the real psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler, who began videotaping her disturbed patients with the hopes of finding a common link in their stories.
The cast isn't anything to jump for joy over, with Milla Jovovich as Dr. Tyler, Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Awolowa, Corey Johnson as Tommy and Will Patton as the sheriff. Director Osunsanmi embarks on the highest profile movie of his career thus far, his modest resume consisting of only WIthIn and Etat as previous directorial experience. However, experience isn't everything and in this business, it's only fair to give the newbie a chance. Based on the preview, the film is shot in a gritty style with some legitimately scary-looking scenes (excluding the one of the man floating above his bed. That one they could've done without). In short, this film will either be a post-Halloween horror treat or an extra-terrestrial bust that simply missed the boat. Or should we say, Planet Earth.
Director: Lee Daniels
Writers: Geoffrey Fletcher (screenplay) and Sapphire (novel)
Synopsis: Powerful, moving and raw are just a few words that come to mind with Precious. This film swept the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, snagging the coveted Audience Award, Special Jury Prize and Grand Jury Prize, not to mention the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and Audience Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
Clearly, there's something special in the performances of this film, especially in breakout star Gabourey Sidibe's jaw-dropping interpretation of Precious, an illiterate, overweight teen at a depressingly all-time low. Mo'Nique also gives a stunning performance as Precious' cowardly mother, Rain, and surprisingly so does Mariah Carey as the supportive guidance counselor, Mrs. Weiss. Also, Lenny Kravitz plays a nurse so it's worth seeing for that reason alone.
Director: Richard Kelly
Writer: Richard Kelly, Richard Matheson
Synopsis: Gives new meaning to the word "convoluted." The small, wooden box (a.k.a. the star of the film) is weighted in a big way. Left on the doorstep of newly married couple Norma and James Lewis, the box arrives with a catch: with the push of a button, the couple will be granted $1 million, but will also be responsible for the death of someone they don't know.
The cast includes Cameron Diaz, James Marsden (X-Men and Hairspray) and Frank Langella (thank god). Still, one good actor probably isn't enough to save a picture where the tagline is "you are the experiment" and the dominant antagonist a piece of lethal wood. Considering Kelly's directing style in films like Donnie Darko, The Box is most likely another trippy journey into an all-encompassing, nonsensical pseudo-world where nothing adds up and at times, you get the sense that even Kelly had no idea what he was doing. The difference between this and Donnie Darko however is that Donnie Darko was about complicated characters who were interesting on their own, whereas The Box is about a complicated plot and a bunch of boring people living it.
Director: Grant Heslov
Writer: Peter Straughan (screenplay) and Jon Ronson (novel)
Synopsis: If the cast alone isn't enough to dazzle you, the story certainly will. The movie is based on Ronson's book, which examines the exploration of New Age concepts and psychological techniques in the U.S. Army's First Earth Battallion. The movie follows along the same lines, with George Clooney starring as a Lyn Cassady, a former official of the mind-over-matter movement during the Iraqi war. Ewan McGregor plays curious journalist Bob Wilton, who thinks he may have just stumbled upon the story of a lifetime when he travels to Irag and sees the paranormal experiments underway with his very own eyes. However, when the founder of the top secret military unit goes missing, it becomes Cassady's job to find him, as Wilton willingly tags along.
The incredible cast, which also consists of Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Stephen Lang and Robert Patrick, really comes together in the film to create a perfectly entertaining combination of eccentric, quirky and sometimes downright crazy personalities. The story is both bizarre and even more bizarrely based on factual events, which makes the movie that much more enjoyable. One uncertainty is how well director Grant Heslov will fare considering the majority of his work has been on the acting and production side of things. Everything else, however, makes this movie an absolute must-see.
Final Verdict: Anyone who won't at least give A Christmas Carol a chance is definitely a scrooge. If they won't see The Fourth Kind on the other hand, let it be and invite someone else who still years for another Alien as badly as you do. For its original material and breakthrough performances, definitely check out Precious. But don't get trapped inside The Box unless you're really into Kelly's esoteric style. Lastly, if combining Ocean's 11 and Saving Private Ryan sounds like a semi-decent idea to you, then go see The Men Who Stare At Goats for a hilarious off-kilter look at war.
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