There's a lot to like about this sequel to 2005's Fantastic Four.
The Fantastic Four is about a family. They're also a team. This was one of the points of the first movie that I thought came out rather well. They bicker and fight amongst themselves. There's inner conflict within the team. But none of them is as powerful as all of them, and when the chips are down, they can count on each other.
The story of the Silver Surfer is one of redemption. This is one of the greatest comic book stories ever told and I'm really pleased that it didn't get lost in the movie adaptation. When we're first introduced to the Surfer his job description is not very nice. He basically leads Galactus to inhabited worlds so that G can eat them. When we find out why, the inner turmoil humanizes this most alien of characters. Don't be surprised to see the Surfer brought back in his own film series, much the same way he has been in numerous comics over the years.
Reed steps up as the leader of the group. 'Nuff said.
Doom is more villainous. He actually does evil things in this installment. If he's back in the third film (and he should be), we'll see if he can be the equal of Magneto, as he is in the comics. Despite this, the series needs to introduce more bad guys. Much of the success of the Spider-man and X-Men trilogies was due to the variety and depth of the villains.
There was one down side to this film that totally shocked me. The make-up artists on the film somehow managed to make Jessica Alba look freaky, and not in a good way. I'm not one of those fanboys who, following the first film, complained that she wasn't blonde-haired and blue-eyed enough. Apparently, though, enough did. The fake contact lenses and blonde wig she's wearing in the sequel make her look like she just came from the taxidermist. Jessica Alba doesn't need this! She's arguably the hottest woman alive. (While I'm on that subject I just want to inject the random observation that women seem to have better taste in women than men do.) I sincerely hope they let Jessica revert back to the more natural look she had in the first film.
Overall, I give this film 3 out of 4 stars. This is one of those rare cases when a sequel outshines the original.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Seven Best Sci-Fi Films Since Star Wars
George R. R. Martin, author of Song of Ice and Fire, posted a list of the eight best science fiction movies over on his blog recently. His post comes in response to Star Wars being named "the best science fiction movie of all time." Not to be outdone, I thought I'd throw my 2 cents into the hat. Here's my list of the 7 best science fiction movies since Star Wars' initial release in 1977.
7. Fifth Element - Action, comedy, romance, this film has it all. Blazing battles, a gruff anti-hero (Bruce Willis), a deliciously evil villain (Gary Oldman), and a deliciously...umm...delicious heroine (Milla Jovovich). This film is more space opera (in one scene, quite literally) than than the original Star Wars trilogy combined.
6. Minority Report - That's right, I said it. Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg teamed up to make one of the best science fiction films to come along in years. Of course the real thrust behind this film is Philip K. Dick's brilliant story. Regardless, this is Spielberg's redemption for Artificial Intelligence: AI.
5. Serenity - Fans of Firefly rejoiced when it was announced that Joss Whedon would conclude his short-lived series on the big screen. Unfortunately the film did about as well at the box-office as the series did in the ratings. That's why we have DVD.
4. Twelve Monkeys - One of the best science fiction, and in my mind the best time-travel film ever. Hats off to director Terry Gilliam for paying attention to, and getting the time line right. Even non-sci-fi fans should enjoy the best support acting of Brad Pitt's career.
3. The Matrix - This film revitalized science fiction in 1999 in much the same way that Star Wars did in 1977, with stunning visual effects and unforgettable action sequences. I give it extra nerd-cred for featuring a hacker as the world's savior. Watch the original film three times if you don't want to be disappointed by the bolted-on feel of the sequels that round out the trilogy.
2. Alien - The original film relied more on suspense and solid performances than action and visual effects, as in the later installments of the series. This film gives us one of the most memorable movie monsters, the best film heroine, and one of the most shocking scenes in film history all wrapped up in one tight little science fiction classic.
1. Blade Runner - Author Philip K. Dick and director Ridley Scott's dark vision of a not-too-distant future stands up 25 years later as the best science fiction film of all time. The story follows Deckard (Harrison Ford), an out-of-retirement blade runner, on his last mission to "retire" four fugitive replicants, androids that appear human in every way. This film tackles the difficult theme of what it means to be human, and ends up asking more questions than it answers. Fans should be looking forward to the 25th anniversary director's final cut coming later this year.
7. Fifth Element - Action, comedy, romance, this film has it all. Blazing battles, a gruff anti-hero (Bruce Willis), a deliciously evil villain (Gary Oldman), and a deliciously...umm...delicious heroine (Milla Jovovich). This film is more space opera (in one scene, quite literally) than than the original Star Wars trilogy combined.
6. Minority Report - That's right, I said it. Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg teamed up to make one of the best science fiction films to come along in years. Of course the real thrust behind this film is Philip K. Dick's brilliant story. Regardless, this is Spielberg's redemption for Artificial Intelligence: AI.
5. Serenity - Fans of Firefly rejoiced when it was announced that Joss Whedon would conclude his short-lived series on the big screen. Unfortunately the film did about as well at the box-office as the series did in the ratings. That's why we have DVD.
4. Twelve Monkeys - One of the best science fiction, and in my mind the best time-travel film ever. Hats off to director Terry Gilliam for paying attention to, and getting the time line right. Even non-sci-fi fans should enjoy the best support acting of Brad Pitt's career.
3. The Matrix - This film revitalized science fiction in 1999 in much the same way that Star Wars did in 1977, with stunning visual effects and unforgettable action sequences. I give it extra nerd-cred for featuring a hacker as the world's savior. Watch the original film three times if you don't want to be disappointed by the bolted-on feel of the sequels that round out the trilogy.
2. Alien - The original film relied more on suspense and solid performances than action and visual effects, as in the later installments of the series. This film gives us one of the most memorable movie monsters, the best film heroine, and one of the most shocking scenes in film history all wrapped up in one tight little science fiction classic.
1. Blade Runner - Author Philip K. Dick and director Ridley Scott's dark vision of a not-too-distant future stands up 25 years later as the best science fiction film of all time. The story follows Deckard (Harrison Ford), an out-of-retirement blade runner, on his last mission to "retire" four fugitive replicants, androids that appear human in every way. This film tackles the difficult theme of what it means to be human, and ends up asking more questions than it answers. Fans should be looking forward to the 25th anniversary director's final cut coming later this year.
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