Super 8

Film: Super 8
Genre: Sci-Fi/Adventure
Director: J.J. Abrams
Year: 2011
Starring: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, & Kyle Chandler






Alright, before I get to discussing the film itself, I want to gets some facts out there first. I enjoy the work of J.J. Abrams; I in no way go gaga over his name appearing on a project. Star Trek(2009) was great, LOST was good, but I would hardly call it one of the greatest television shows of all time. Are you still reading at this point? I have nothing against the guy (except maybe for the fact that he is credited for writing the screenplay for Armageddon,) but he just isn't something I would needlessly crap my pants about. Anyhow, I rather liked this movie, and it continues my like for Mr. Abrams, but it doesn't not make me want to kill someone just for a glimpse at his next project.

In the summer of 1979, a boy named Joe (Courtney) and his friends are making a movie for his friend Charles to enter into the Ohio super 8 film festival. Their film is a cheesy zombie film, but in the process of making it, great events happen. During the middle of the night, the boys and a girl named Allison (Fanning) film at a train station, while performing a scene a military train is derailed by a pick-up truck. Following a fantastic crash, something mysterious is released from the crashed train, and threatens the town of Lillian where the kids all live. After the crash many strange phenomenon happen, like power surges, and all of the dogs running out of the county. The sheriff goes missing, which leaves Joe's father: Deputy Lamb (Chandler) in charge of finding out what happened at the train crash, and what suspicious actions the military is taking.

Let me say that I love films like this, an adventure following a group of kids who have an adventure. These were popular in the eighties, and early nineties, but seem to have lost their place in the last decade. This film follows in the footsteps of films such as Stand By Me, The Goonies, The Sandlot, Stephen King's It, and even more recent films such as Monster House. These film resonate with me, for as I watch them, it makes me wish that my childhood was adventurous as these kids'. But, the innovation of video games, and the ever ominous presence of the fear of being murdered kept my generation inside for the most part.

The acting in his film is superb, without a single blemish on the face of Super 8's face. All of the young actors bring a great sense of wonderment, and essentially the mindset of yearly teens to the screen. With some movies the dialogue written for younger actors isn't particularly like how people of that age speak. But, this movie does justice to how boys in their pubescent years actually speak, so it's a nice change to see them not speak like businessmen. Along with the great young actors, Kyle Chandler gives a great performance as Deputy Lamb. Chandler is keen at playing strong characters, who don't have an incredibly strong voice. Though despite this, he is a great presence in this, juggling both the fate of the town in his hands, but also his relationship with his son.


Memorable moments:

• During the scene before the train crash, the kids are rehearsing their film. One boy, Preston acts as an extra talking on a phone in the background. His hammy acting is enough to make me chuckle at a moment.

• The surprising appearance by my voice acting hero Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson) as Izzy the car salesman.

• During the credits you see "The Case," which is the film that the kids were making throughout the movie.

Poltergeist

Film: Poltergeist
Genre: Horror
Director: Tobe Hooper
Year: 1982
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight, & JoBeth Williams





Spielberg does more than direct movies about an action seeking-archeologist, and a small lumpy alien who has a taste for Reese's Pieces. He also produces a truckload of other films, he has production credits on more than twice as many films that contain his label as a director. Poltergeist is one of those films; it's director is Tobe Hooper of Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame, but it is also believed that Spielberg did ghost direct parts of the movie.

Californian suburbia seems to be the mainstay of American normality in the eighties, but something uneasy lurks in the Freeling house. During the last week, the family's youngest member, Carol Anne has been getting out of bed in the middle of the night, and speaking to the television. While the patriarch of the household Steven(Nelson) is at work selling houses in the neighborhood his wife Diane (Williams) stays at home when great occurrences of strange happenings are afoot. Though the occurrences start small (like objects moving across the kitchen floor), leading to the taking of Carol Anne to the "other side" where the spirits are emerging from. The family then enlists the help of Dr. Lesh (Straight) and her colleagues in an attempt to solve the mystery.

This film is considered to be a classic in the horror genre, and credit were credits due, it's pretty fantastic. Nothing particularly scary happens in the first forty minutes of the film, but it finds a way of setting the tone of the film, without losing the audience's interest. While watching you get a feel for the characters, and start to identify yourself with them, so when the crazy starts to happen, you really worry for those involved.

Unlike the majority of horror films made today, this one does not rely on blood, and torture scenes to send shivers down your spine. The only part that features any kind of blood is in the famous scene where one of the scientist looks in the mirror and his face falls off. Even then, it is downplayed, and there are only a few drops of blood seen splashing in the water. Instead, this movie uses a seemingly "visual unknown" to try and scare you. The effects focus on making household items move under the own power, as to make you give a second thought as to what you might have seen out of the corner of your eye while you are trying to go to sleep, and that makes it pretty damn cool.

Memorable moments:
• As noted above, the famous scene with the face that just seems to fall apart at the slightest touch.

• The monologue given by Tangina, a clairvoyant to attempts to cleanse the house. In her speech she gives an explanation as to what is happening to Carol Anne, and despite the fact that it's a movie, you honestly believe what she is saying.

X-Men First Class

Film: X-Men: First Class
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Year: 2011
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, & Kevin Bacon



When it comes to superhero teams, the X-Men have always been my favorite. Whether they be Uncanny, Astonishing, or adjetivelss, I love them all, Something about being society's outcasts, yet still fighting to protect it strikes a chord in me. Started in 1963, the series has had its ups and downs, the films of which reflect this very pattern.

In 1962, the powerful and secretive Hellfire Club have their fingers in a lot of pies, greatly influencing the turn of political events, and possibly changing the course of mankind. Mutants Charles Xavier(McAvoy), and Erik Lehnsherr (Fassbender) are recruited by the CIA to battle the Hellfire club led by Sebastian Shaw (Bacon.) In the process Xavier and Lehnsherr recruit young mutants (people with super-powers) like themselves to help aid in the fight against Shaw and his team. The battle ends up to its apex which might start a nuclear war between the United States, and Soviet Union.

This film is a prequel to the other four X-Men films made by FOX, and it finds a way to work itself around many of the already established characters, and plots seen in previous films. The only major conflict deals with Wolverine: Origins, but we can simply ignore that one if need be. What few problems I have with the film, may only effect those who are big fans of the comic series. These complaints are as follows:
1. Moria McTaggart is a Scottish geneticist, NOT an American CIA agent.
2. Banshee is a middle-aged Irishman. (I can forgive the age, seeing as everyone is supposed to be young.)
3. Sebastian Shaw's powers were tweaked slightly, but if anything this makes the character work better in the film.
4. Havok is Cyclops' younger brother, but according to the film's logic, Havok would be a full grown man when Cyclops is born.

Aside from my few fan boy complaints, this film is fantastic. It is a great introduction to the series, with fantastic writing and performances. While McAvoy is the main protagonist, Fassbender as Lehnsherr is the film's true star, on par, if not better than Sir Ian McKellen's portrayal of the same character. One more blemish is the inclusion of some seemingly needless characters, but this has become a staple of the series, as it feels the need to include as many characters as possible.



The effects in the film are also superb, both the practical and computer generated. Following in the footsteps of the previous films the practical make-up is beyond good, making you believe that these people really look this way. Namely the make-up of the characters of Mystique, and Azazel are top-notch.




Memorable moments:

• The montage showing Xavier training his X-Men. Primarily Banshee learning how to fly using his supersonic screams with gilding wings on his suit.

• Wolverine's unaccredited cameo.

The Man With The Screaming Brain

Film: The Man With The Screaming Brain
Genre: Sci-Fi/Comedy
Director: Bruce Campbell
Year: 2005
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Stacy Keach, and Ted Raimi



Bruce Campbell is one of the coolest cats of all time, and there is no denying that (it's a scientific fact.) But, can a man known for being a mainstay in B-movies keep one from being a stinker? Only time will tell... or perhaps watching some of his lesser known works might as well. The Man With The Screaming Brain is a film made for the Sci-Fi channel (before it's mutation into Sy-Fy), and was directed by Campbell, and shot on location in Bulgaria.

Rich medical industrialist William Cole (Campbell) and his wife travel to Bulgaria to complete a business deal, when tragedy strikes. After arriving in Bulgaria Cole, his wife, and a former KGB agent turned taxi driver are killed by an insane gypsy woman. Meanwhile a scientist (Keach) and his assistant (Raimi) have developed a process in which two halves of separate brains can inhabit the same cranium, allowing for knowledge from one to be passed on. Following their demise Cole and the taxi driver end up stuck in Cole's head, and Cole's wife is eventually placed in a robot body. With the body mix, Cole sets out to get the woman who killed him and his wife, thinking revenge is the way to mental peace.

This movie is a modern day B-movie, with a low budget, few actors, absurd plot, and use of cheesy and simple effects. The sets are fairly minimalistic, with Keach's laboratory being the most elaborate, but then again how many of those old black and white sci-fi films had fantastic production design? The acting is extremely hammy, mainly with Ted Raimi's performance leaving no scenery without a chewed quality. Along with all this silliness the use of stock sound effects makes it all seem rather cartoonish, the cheesy sound of many people gasping left me snickering every time.

I've gone on about the absurdity of the film, but in all actuality it does not take itself seriously at all. Had it been made by people who believed this to be their masterpiece, and felt it as a work of art it would be something completely bad, and an example of naive camp. But this is really more a loving tribute to those b-movies of old, giving a loving homage to the underdog film maker who just wanted to tell their stories, entertain, and make some money as a side-note.


Memorable moments:
• After a chase taking place on a pink Vespa Cole falls off of the scooter and it slams into a car. In an anti-climax it only makes a wee-spark instead of an explosion.


(As the Cool Scale uses Bruce Campbell as a benchmark for maximum coolness, I have decided that in the case of a Bruce Campbell movie being reviewed, Steve Buscemi will represent the apex of coolality.)