Life - Review

Science Fiction meets horror is not a new concept. The idea that aliens exist in space and upon meeting humanity decides it’s time for us to die is pretty standard. The creativity in this type of story can be found in the particular methods used by the alien(s) or space explorers. What makes this alien take over attempt different and therefore worth watching? Let’s dive in and see with “Life” in this box office review…

An international space station crew is preparing to capture a pod that is traveling back from Mars. They catch the pod, as we have seen in the movie previews, and begin studying a single cell life form that seems to be growing at an alarming rate. Things go awry for the crew and it becomes a battle for survival. This is the basic premise or plot of this particular movie.

Overall, I wasn’t impressed with the film. It starts with a scene that is completely unnecessary to anything in the story and then jumps right into the characters on the space station. I did appreciate how the story wasted no time in getting to the conflict of the movie which is the alien life form. Almost immediately we see that the alien is becoming aware and dangerous and the tension builds from there. Unfortunately, the overall pacing is very unbalanced. At times my heart rate was up and then it grinds to a halt and seems to linger in these slower moments before racing back to tension again. It was stop and go and that was annoying for me, personally.

The acting in this film was all done well. The talented cast played their specific roles to a believable level and took what was a subpar movie and made it adequate at best. Thankfully we have the cast that we did otherwise this movie would’ve been one big snooze fest. The fear, the happiness, the pride, the sadness are all emotions delivered on screen by each character and it gave me a connection to each one of them before they are killed. Once they’re killed the camera lingers a bit long on a corpse. I speculate this was done to create a sense of loss and heightened tension. Quite the opposite effect for me, it came across as wasted screen time in what was an energized and engaging scene.

“Life” is in theaters now! I don’t recommend you see this on the big screen. There’s nothing spectacular about this film that warrants your hard earn dollars being spent on ticket prices and concession. It’s a mediocre movie at best and the ending was edited so oddly that it confused me instead of surprised me. I believe the ending was designed to surprise us, and maybe for some it did, but I was confused. When I replayed the scenes in my mind I didn’t get how that ending transpired. It’s worth $1 at Redbox once it’s available and even then you have to enjoy science fiction meets horror films to care.

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Morgan - Box Office Review

The box office is filled with sequels or reboots and I hear often how people want new concepts or stories on screen. Well, when these movies come out it’s exciting because we’ll be treated to something that we can’t precisely figure out from the trailers. So let’s dive in and take a look at my thoughts of “Morgan” in this box office review…

I was excited about this film from the first time I saw the first trailer. I sat in the theater after the trailer ended and could only look forward to something that felt original, terrifying and well acted. The cast in this film was an immediate selling point and I’d recommend following the link to the IMDB page at the end of this review to see all the talented actors. Unfortunately, this film failed to live up to my expectations and according to Rotten Tomatoes I’m not alone in my feelings. This film has a audience score of 35% and the Tomatometer is Rotten 40%. This film was a disappointment.

The short-comings weren’t actor based and they weren’t special effects based. The actors I enjoyed and the look of the film and the special effects all were entertaining and drew me in. The story fell short, as well as fell apart, in the 3rd act. There’s a scene early on where Morgan is in the forest and sees a deer that is dying because it was impaled by a tree branch. She kills the deer. This is only important because near the end of the movie the character that is chasing her, trying to kill her, also becomes impaled on a tree branch.  Unlike the deer however Morgan doesn’t kill the lady chasing her. So I guess that deer scene wasn’t important because if it was, the tension building towards that ladies death would’ve been completed with her death by Morgans hands. Follow the story telling logic, deer is impaled Morgan kills dear. Lady chasing Morgan trying to kill her is impaled, we as the audience just saw Morgan kill the deer so our tension builds because Morgan should be killing the lady and a surprise character will be responsible for killing Morgan or letting her escape. Either way, the lady chasing Morgan should die because that’s what the deer scene was foreshadowing! 

There’s more to the ending that I won’t spoil because while I hated the third act of this film I’m sure some people might enjoy it and I don’t want to take away the shock value that the film tried to create at the very end. The very end, by the way, also frustrated me. There is almost zero acknowledgement in this film that the ending would be possible. After the final scene I did say out loud in the theater, “Oh come on!” because it was so ridiculous. I get surprise endings where we as the audience are shocked or stunned but there’s usually some ground work laid in the film prior to that “WHOA!” moment at the end which makes that scene more impactful and believable. The only build up I recall is one scene where Morgan is looking at the top of her hands and then the palms of her hands but that’s not enough to build an ending off of. If you look down for popcorn or yawn (which is possible in the third act) you’ll miss it and then the ending makes even less sense.

“Morgan” is in theaters now. If you like science fiction horror than the first two acts you’ll enjoy and whether or not the third act is enjoyable will entirely be up to you. If you enjoyed the film comment below and please explain why. I’d love to read why someone enjoyed this movie as a complete film. Maybe you’ll change my mind and I’ll go back and revisit it. Maybe you won’t. Either way let me know. 

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Midnight Special - Box Office Review

Initially I was more curious than excited about this film because an indie science fiction film doesn't sound too believable. Science Fiction films typically have high budgets for special effects and indie films are lower budget films. I imagined a cheaply made, visually lacking B movie spectacular that would end up being the butt of jokes instead of an entertaining thrill ride. After doing some research on this movie my curiosity turned to excitement so let's jump in and take a look at "Midnight Special" in this box office review...

First, let's look at the cast of this film. We've got some heavy hitting talent in this film which helped elevate the emotionally intense moments that occur throughout the film. Michael Shannon plays "Roy" the father who is trying to protect his child at all costs. His portrayal of the father was incredible. His character ran the gambit of emotions and who better than Michael Shannon to capture all these feelings on screen for us. Fear, anger, rage, love, sorrow and more. Next we have Joel Edgerton who plays his partner in crime trying to keep his friends son safe from religious nut jobs and the federal government. This character was much more subtle and he seemed to provide the trustworthiness you would need in order to be the right hand in a situation this delicate. The shining star of this film was Jaeden Lieberher. This kid can act! He had innocent curiosity, fear, panic, love, compassion, determination and physical pain all on screen. I left the theater impressed with the acting chops he brought to this film. Sharing screen time with the talents of Michael and Joel and holding your own is no small task and Jaeden delivered. Keeps your eyes open for this young man in future films. 

The story is simple. A child is deemed "special" because he can speak in tongues, has a curious ability to communicate with electronic devices and can communicate using light spectrums that shoot from his eyes into yours. He's hailed as a savior to one religious group who lives on a ranch and the federal government see him as a threat. 

Overall, the bulk of this film is pretty simple special effects. It was more practical fist fights, gun shots, car chases, etc. There are a few key moments where the special effects shine and I won't get into those moments because it would spoil certain mysteries in the film that are revealed by the end of the movie. That being said, when the special effects are on display they look incredible. I was thrilled with how good this movie looks from start to finish. It's dark and eery and then bright and brilliant. This is a journey in all respects. 

"Midnight Special" is in theaters now! I contend this film will be in my Top 10 favorite films of the year. There is so much to enjoy and if you favor indie and science fiction films this will delight you. It starts a little slow but that is short lived. This is one of those films you need to see on the big screen.  It's worth the time and money. 

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10 Cloverfield Lane - Box Office Review

This film had almost zero publicity leading up to the release date. It was a surprise to most people and we couldn't really have an expectation because we didn't know anything about this film. Is this film connected to the "Cloverfield" movie released back in 2008? Is this film a study on John Goodman's love of puzzles and listening to oldies on vintage jukeboxes? We had no clue. So let's take a look at this film and what I thought the pro's and con's were in this box office review of "10 Cloverfield Lane"...

The overall mood is suspenseful, tense and filled with surprises. The film is answering questions and adding new questions with the answers. This form of story telling I particularly enjoy when done well. The audience doesn't get answers right away which works to keep you on the edge of your seat and when you think you can sit back and enjoy a sigh of relief, twist! Something new occurs within the plot and you're right back on the edge of your seat. This movie keeps you guessing almost the entire time and it's so much fun trying to solve the puzzle of these characters and their story.

The film has three complete characters and two characters who aren't physically present but the idea of these characters help drive the motivation of two main characters played by John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. If it sounds bizarre that's because it was and it totally made these two characters something to watch. John Goodman's performance is absolutely terrifying. We aren't told whether his character is legitimately insane or if he's extremely overprotective until the end of the film. Even then, there's still a discussion that can be had on if he was crazy in the way he handled the events that may or may not lead them into the bunker we see in the previews. 

My only issue with this film is the ending. The entire film we are answering and asking questions and then suddenly for about 10 minutes at the end, the questions are mostly answered. I say, cut those 10 minutes and end the film in the truck on the road and we have even more to discuss. I wasn't disappointed but I did see another way to keep everyone thinking. Those 10 minutes pound the audience over the head with answers and it shut my brain off. Visually, it was entertaining. However, I could've done without the film spelling everything out. It felt like the movie altered from a psychological thriller to a science fiction thriller in just the blink of an eye. 

"10 Cloverfield Lane" is in theaters now. This film is a must see on the big screen. It's going to be in my top 10 favorite films of the year. Everything about this film was entertaining and it kept my brain working up to the end. If this review felt vague that's because I want you to read this, get curious and get to the theater. Go see this movie!!

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Movie Review: The Zero Theorem (2013)

Qohen Leth(Christoph Waltz) is a talented computer operator in a futuristic world.  Qohen lives a very isolated life and it's due to his faith that he will be receiving a phone call.  He doesn't know when, so he has centered his life around working and waiting for the phone call.

Qohen is put on a project by Management(Matt Damon) to prove the Zero Theorem.  Proof that at if the universe ends, there truly is nothing.  The film explores the faith of people and what drives them.  It is explored wonderfully as you see Qohen giving up on experiences that would make him a happier person, but he needs to know what that phone call is.

The visuals in director Terry Gilliam's film help push the faith drive.  Qohen lives in an abandoned church with eyes on him at all time, much how people feel with religion.  The biggest visual metaphor would be the giant crucifix with Jesus' head removed and replaced with a camera.

The pace of the movie wasn't the fastest but overall I didn't get bored watching, especially with Christoph Waltz in the lead role.  Watching him deal with love, friendship, trying new foods and the like felt very organic.  Melanie Thierry as Bainsley was a delight to watch as well as her relationship with Qohen was played out incredibly well.  Lucas Hedges as Bob started off as someone I really did not like, but he turned out to be the most reasonable voice of the film.

On a scale of one to five, "The Zero Theorem" recieves three and a half Pile Drivers.

Please comment below to let us know what you think of "The Zero Theorem."

This blog is from one of my earlier posts on Cinema Head Cheese and you can read more of my movie reviews there.

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Movie Review: Primer (2004)

Aaron(Shane Carruth) and Abe(David Sullivan) have an invention.  They don't know what it is or what it does, but they know they have something.  They find out they have a time machine that makes it possible to go back a short time in the past.  The two have issues with how to use the time that they now have.

Primer is the type of movie that puts your brain into think mode.  I'm actually going to watch it again just so that I can help myself piece together the amount of times the two friends use the time machine.

The camera shots are really weird in this movie.  The opening scene is a shot from the ceiling angled down with a light in in the upper portion of the screen and the garage door in the background.  The next scene in the kitchen/dining area has the camera on the counter top, with the edge of the counter top showing.  There were other shots that just had too much showing of people's backs or other objects in the foreground that weren't vital for the scene.  By no means, am I an expert as far as directing goes, but there were so many scenes that were visually bothersome and it took away from the movie-watching experience.

I did enjoy Primer and do recommend it for you time travel buffs out there.  This is one of the more of how I think time travel would be treated if invented by a couple of young scientific minds.  One that is eager for the science, the other eager for the results.  Watch it a couple times, I'm about to.

As of first watching, I'm giving Primer 3.5 out of 5 Pile Drivers.

Let us know what you think about Primer in the comments below.

This post is from one of my earlier blogs on Cinema Head Cheese and you can read more of my movie reviews there.

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Comic Book Review: Star Wars #12 - Marvel Comics (2015)

Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Stuart Immonen

On the smuggler's moon of Nar Shadaa, Luke is in Grakkus the Hutt's gladiator arena against the monster known as Kongo the Disembowler.  Chewbacca and C-3PO are on the planet as well but have been embroiled in a fight a
gainst a bounty hunter named Dengar.  Han Solo, Princess Leia and Han's "wife" Sana have just arrived onto the infamous moon and see what is happening with Chewie, C-3PO and Dengar.  We also find out there's more to the Gamemaster than anyone had originally imagined.

Luke is in a fight for his life but the odds quickly change into his favor.  Imperial forces are raiding Grakkus the Hutt's arena and Luke's allies are on the way.  There's so much going on all at once, it's tough to type up a review.  Kudos to Jason Aaron for crafting such an awesome tale.  Twelve issues in and the action has been incredible.

I apparently don't know too much about how EMPs impact the Star Wars universe.  I guess the electronics target blasters, communicators and shock collars.  Light sabers and droids are fine, so that works out well for our heroes.  It was also kind of fun seeing Chewbacca and Princess Leia weilding the light sabers as well.

I like the direction of the Gamemaster.  He is more than just a trainer and it looks like we will see plenty more of him.  He looks a bit like a professional wrestler with an Assassins Creed gimmick but it still seems to work.

I absolutely love this series.  Never a dull moment and Jason Aaron is using dialogue that makes you feel like you actually hear the characters' voices.  That, coupled with Stuart Immonen's amazing artwork, has made this a monthly must-buy.

What are your thoughts on the Star Wars comic books?  What other comic books would you like the crew at Maskerpiece Theatre review?  Please let us know in comments below.

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Comic Book Review - Star Wars #10 - Marvel Comics

Written by: Jason Aaron
Art by: Stuart Immonen

Luke Skywalker has been captured by a Hutt gangster and is now being forced into combat for entertainment.  Chewbacca and C-3PO are on the hunt for Luke.  Han Solo and Princess Leia are fleeing the Galactic Empire with the assistance of Han's "wife" Sana.

There is a lot going on in this book but by the end it all looks to be coming together nicely.  The Han Solo, Princess Leia and Sana verbal exchanges are well done but the stars of this comic book are Chewbacca and C-3PO.  Who would have thought that these two would make such a fantastically entertaining team?  Threepio doing the talking and Chewie doing the roaring and pummeling.

Luke may be finding some of his Jedi answers soon, but he's got a serious battle ahead of him.  Han and Leia are on the way to the moon where Luke has been captured but it's going to cost them as Leia makes an unsavory deal with Sana.

This book was going really well until the final page.  A Gungan is giving information to one of the characters.  It kind of looked like a pirate Jar Jar Binks.  I'm really glad it was on the last page as it left me feeling underwhelmed.  The speech in the balloons was very Jar Jar-like.  I hope this isn'y a recurring character.

Comic Book Review - Darth Vader #11 - Marvel Comics

Written by: Kieron Gillen

Art by: Salvador Larroca

Inspector Thanoth is hot on the tails of the Ante to find out where a whole bunch of Imperial Credits have gone.  Darth Vader's secret assistant Aphra is paying the Ante to find out where Luke Skywalker is at the same time all of this is going down.  

Everything is coming to a head in this issue.  Darth Vader is doing everything he can to keep his dealings he's been doing on the down low.  This proves difficult as Aphra barely escapes into her ship only to run into a fleet of Imperials.

This comic book series gets better and better the more I read it.  Every time Vader feels like he has all of his dealings covered, Inspector Thanoth comes up with another counter.  The big question is, does Thanoth know Darth Vader is behind it all?  Also, how much longer is Aphra going to be around?  She's been a pleasant surprise in this series.

What do you think about the Darth Vader comic book series?  Leave your comments below please.

You can read more of my blogs here on Maskerpiece Theatre and also on CinemaHeadCheese.blogspot.com

Comic Book Review - Chewbacca #1 - Marvel Comics

Written by: Gerry Duggan

Art by: Phil Noto

Chewbacca is stranded on a planet, needing a part for his ship.  While he is out "earning" the money for the part, he meets Zarro, an escapee from a nearby prison labor camp who needs help rescuing her father and others.

I have to admit, I was a little hesitant picking up this first issue.  I was fearing we would see Chewbacca thought balloons because how else are we to know what's going on?  Luckily Gerry Duggan knows how to write a Chewbacca book and this issue is basically through Zarro's world view.

Zarro and her father were imprisoned due to Dad's debts.  They have been told they will work off the debt but nobody really feels they are truly getting out of there.  So with dear old Dad's help, Zarro escapes and steals the closest speeder she can find and heads to town.  Everyone in town recognizes the speeder as coming from Jaum's prison camp and apparently, nobody messes with Jaum.

Now here's where Zarro meets Chewbacca.  She follows him back to his ship and spends time coaxing him into helping her rescue her father and her friends.  The Wookie roars totally work with the story as they're sized just right to convey what Chewie is thinking.  Unlike other characters in the Star Wars universe, Zarro has no idea what Chewbacca is saying so she is reading his body language, just like the reader.  

This is a fun book and worth checking out if you liked Chewbacca in the Star Wars films.  If not(yeah, I hear there's people who haven't seen the films, weird) you should watch the movies first to get a sense of Chewbacca the character.

Comic Book Review: Star Wars #9 - Marvel Comic

Written by: Jason Aaron

Art by: Stuart Immonen

Luke Skywalker is looking for clues about the Jedi and has a run in with some of the biggest gangsters in the universe.  Han Solo and Princess Leia are in a fight for their lives with the unlikely companionship of Han's "wife."  Someone needs to save Luke but who will step up and do so?

For those of you out there that loved the original Star Wars movies, this comic book series takes place between episode IV and V (A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back).  The verbal exchange between characters, especially Han Solo's scenes, feel like you can actually hear their voices.  This holds true in issue #9.  This book is suspenseful and fun which is how a Star Wars comic should be.

The mystery behind Han Solo's wife is still there as nothing can be explained while Imperials are hot on the tail of Leia and Han.  There is a great panel where Leia and Han's wife have a good back and forth and when Han attempts to interject, the ladies each answer him at the same time with a "No!"  This was incredibly well done as I can totally see that play out on the big screen.

Luke is in serious trouble in this issue and may require some assistance.  The reveal at the end will make you ready for issue #10.