Funny Scene from World’s End

Prometheus (2012)

I’ve been meaning to write this review for some time but currently have about seven different projects on the go at once so it has gotten shifted down my list of priorities. I still don’t have much time to write this so it’s going to be a very quick review.

Firstly I’d like to say that whilst this isn’t the best film I’ve ever seen, it’s certainly not the worst and despite some of the criticism it’s receiving I think it is a great film. When I sat down and the opening credits rolled, I was treated to an absolutely spellbinding introduction to the film, I honestly thought Ridley Scott was about to hit one out of the ballpark Blade Runner style. Indeed for the first fifteen minutes of the film I was convinced this was going to be the case. The opening soundtrack was so haunting and definitely gave the impression that I was in for a treat. The shots of the ancient Earth were filmed in Iceland, a place which I swear to myself I will eventually visit. Apparently they took Scott two weeks to shoot but by God they work. And even after the introduction the film still seemed to be shaping up to be a classic.

Unfortunately the film doesn't continue anywhere near as profoundly as it begins. It settles down and eventually becomes a run of the mill science fiction thriller, not a horror film as some were expecting.

The film lends credence to the ancient astronaut theory which whilst I think is bullshit, nevertheless is an intriguing idea. There are also some intriguing concepts within the film. Scott does seem to like exploring the idea of synthetic life and continues to do so in this film through Michael Fassbender who plays the android David. Michael Fassbender evidently borrows more of his andriod style from the replicants of Blade Runner than Bishop of the Aliens sequel. Still he is probably the most interesting character in the film. He is forced to obey orders arguably against his better judgement. The film also insinuates that he is bitter about being told that he doesn't have a soul and the film also insinuates that he feels very differently about the matter. His reaction to being told that 'he's not a real boy' is subtle but noticeable. I'd have to say he acted well throughout this film.

Charlize Theron's character Meredith Vickers is also arguably an android but this is left ambiguous in the film. She plays a cold and sterile character - selfish and spoilt but the film strongly hints in a number of places that she may too be artificial.

Noomi Rapace's character Elizabeth Shaw was evidently meant to echo Ellen Ripley from the original alien films. Even though she had coaching lessons to perfect her British accent it still slipped in places and didn't quite work though the film is set in 2093 so perhaps it's forgivable.  Nonetheless she plays a great and charismatic character who you genuinely root for.

Even though this is a prequel to alien, it's not a strict prequel and until the last couple of minutes, it could really be regarded as a film entirely unto itself. That said, there are some definite crossover moments such as finally after 33 years revealing what exactly the space jockey from the original Alien film actually was.

There were some poor points in the film. Guy Pierce's makeup was terribly done although he acted the part well. The film didn't tangle my intellect as much as I would have liked it to but then again what more can you expect from a summer blockbuster? The science team didn't exactly strike me as being elite either which detracted from my enjoyment a little. The CGI is well done. This is definitely a film that will divide people as to its quality but I think ultimately any fan of Scott films will enjoy. Others will find something to gripe with. The film is marginally better in 3D than it is in 2D (I watched it in both) but ultimately the difference is a moot point.

I would say overall that Prometheus is a great film, it's not stellar and it's certainly not Ridley Scott's best but it's an enjoyable ride and much better than some of the crap being released these days. Definitely worth a watch for any fan of science fiction.

Finally the film is evidently intended to be the first of perhaps a trilogy so it will be interesting to see where the unanswered questions go in the next films (should they get made).

Wisdom...

The next big movie this year…

That will almost certainly be excellent.

Avengers Assemble (2012)

I really have to review this film because well, it’s totally fucking epic. Not since the Dark Knight has a superhero film of such quality and panache graced the silver screen and any comparisons between this film and that one are completely justified. I wouldn’t say it was as good per se but it’s definitely in the same league. Unlike the Dark Knight, this film doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously, the script isn’t nearly as good but this film overdoses spectacularly on special effects which when combined with the reasonably well written script and a plethora of strong leading characters who have an interesting dynamic between them all creates a film that is a hell of a lot of fun. It’s not difficult to see where the $220 million dollar budget has gone either, in terms of SFX this film reminds me in many ways of the ugly love child of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon.

By the time the film was finally released I had heard enough of the hype to expect a good film and it surely delivered. Marvel Studios has been building up to this film for some years, releasing first Iron Man, then continuing through The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and finally Captain America. To this end, the backstory for most of the characters is already in place leaving just Hawkeye who needed to be introduced. Director Joss Whedon obviously has a passion for the source material this film is based upon and it really shows. The only other feature film I’ve seen of his direction is Serenity and that film was amazing, the TV series Firefly to which it is the conclusion also being a greatly enjoyable ride. So there was no doubt in my mind really that he could pull this one off.

It’s the subtleties that make this film all the better though. The movie sports a very strong cast including Robert Downey Jr (Tony Stark / Iron Man), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers / Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / The Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Tom Hiddleston (Loki) along with Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts). The interaction between this diverse cast feels very organic and at times is down right hilarious – there were more than a few moments in the film where I was in stitches. The humour felt well placed and helped to move along a film which at 2 1/2 hours long seems to fly by.

Ultimately for fans of the genre and fans of any of the character films I cannot recommend this film enough. I haven’t seen a film this year which tops it. IMDB Rating 8.9 / 10.

The Hunger Games (2012)

Just a quick review for this flick I caught at the cinema the other day. Based on the hugely popular trilogy of books by Suzanne Collins, the Hunger Games could be considered in many ways the spiritual successor to the Twilight saga. However whilst I felt very meh in my opinions of Twilight and haven’t felt compelled to watch any of the sequels, the Hunger Games is a different kettle of fish. I wasn’t overly enamoured by the premise of the film which made it sound very much like a loose remake of the Running Man and indeed in many respects this is true but this film has a dark, gritty and visceral quality that puts it light years ahead of that film.

So I think the reason I wanted to see this film was because of all the hype surrounding it and a vague notion I got somewhere along the way that there might be some truth to the hype meaning I had to watch it at some point to determine if there was anything of value. And indeed there was. The Hunger Games takes place in a post-apocalyptic America of some description though the exact circumstances of how America comes to end up like this are neither clear nor particularly relevant since the film is primarily about the barbarity of human nature and the whole idea of a fascist society that lets children kill each other for entertainment and that is really all that needs to be known. To this end, twelve districts, forced to operate under the thumb of an oppressive central government, are compelled to annually send one male and one female teenager as “tribute” to the Capitol. There, they will compete in a televised blood sport – the eponymous “Hunger Games.” When her little sister is selected by lottery for the games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) steps in to take her place. Along with baker’s boy Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), Katniss departs for the capitol, where she discovers a world of exoticism and violence. Eventually, she and Peeta are thrust into the arena, where they must fight for their lives against dozens of other tributes.

This is a long film, it weighs in at 2 1/2 hours but aside from the first 15 minutes or so, the film is well paced and never feels too long or drags. The intensity of the arena is very well done and is on its own an achievement in cinematic storytelling. That this film manages to score a 12A rating at the hands of the BBFC is also particularly impressive since it’s quite violent, bloodthirsty and features numerous scenes of children slaughtering other children. I also mentioned that the plot of this film seemed like a loose remake of the Running Man. That is in some ways true but it’s more like 1984 meets the Truman Show meets The Running Man and in my opinion better than all three.

I did have some minor gripes with this film. I liked the minimalistic style of the districts which reflected some campy films of the 70s like Logan’s Run and THX1138 but I disliked the goofy and overdone makeup and costumes that many of the characters wore – this was something I also hated about the fifth element and I felt it detracted from the realism a little. I also didn’t think the casting for this movie was done fantastically well – I did like Jennifer Lawrence and Woody Harrelson (I nearly lolled when he first came on screen because my mind immediately leapt to Zombieland and his ‘devil may care’ attitude) but ultimately I didn’t think any of the other main characters in this film were well cast. Lawrence and Harrelson carried the film for me – especially Lawrence who does a superb job and I don’t think could have been cast any better.

The best film I’ve seen so far this year without a doubt as well as a masterpiece that exceeded my expectations,  the trailer really doesn’t it do it justice. Go see.

Top 10 Most Ethereal Movie Scenes

This is an article I’ve been thinking about writing for a while but wasn’t sure how to categorise it. It concerns points I've noticed in movies where a particular scene just transcends everything else in the film and cinema as well. The visuals, music and dialogue can occasionally combine perfectly to give a scene that's just out of this world. Although it usually happens near the end of films, it does occasionally take place during the film and in some films it just continues weaving in and out throughout the narrative usually culminating in a film I’d consider to be excellent.

If movie-making is an art then these are my guiding principles as to what I would like to accomplish were I ever to undertake the same feat. Sometimes I find that if a film has one of these moments in, it usually has several - a sort of dreamy theme weaved into the film that gives it depth. All of the films on this list definitely make it into my top 100, even if it is just on the strength of one scene which I consider to be cinematic perfection.

10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – this film is definitely dreamy throughout – most of the film takes place purely in Jim Carey’s mind so you’d kind of expect that. The visual effects are subtle and yet if you think about it, quite complicated at the same time. This film is definitely one that bends reality and has an ethereal quality throughout.
9. Memento – Another mind bending film from Christopher Nolan, told entirely from the perspective of the damaged protagonist. The score and constant scene shifting of this film makes it a little confusing to really follow what’s going on but as the pieces start fitting together, the films dreamy setting begins to take on a new twist. An excellent film and one that also has an ethereal quality throughout.
8. The Butterfly Effect – This one only really has a dreamy sequence near the end where Evan finally manages to find a way to fix everything that he broke. The score and tragic way he does this always work a sort of magic I find. Even though the directors cut ending is harsher and probably makes for a better film, I always preferred the happy theatrical ending.
7. Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome – I liked all the Mad Max movies to be fair and even though I consider this to be the weakest instalment in the trilogy, I find that moments in this film have a quality that is superior to the other two. Some of the scenes from crack in the earth are tragic but the ending is where it hits home most.
6. The Adjustment Bureau – the most recent release on this list but it instantly become one of my favourites for a number of reasons. The dialogue and chemistry between the characters is strong as is the general plot of the film that personifies fate as a force that physically interferes with the lives of the characters. The haunting musical score also works strongly to the films advantage.
5. The Jacket  - It’s difficult to sum this film up but the cold, bleak and disconnected feel of the film has a beauty unto itself. It’s also pretty haunting and has an ethereal quality throughout. Included is the scene where the protagonist stands over his own grave as he struggles to find out how he died, all set with the haunting Sidottu soundtrack that plays throughout the film.
4. Sunshine – My least favourite film on this list but the ending sure is haunting. Firstly the main character stares face to face with a nuclear explosion (which is slowed down for dramatic effect) and then it cuts to earth where we see that the Earth’s climate has been suffering – evidenced by the snow on the ground around Sydney, Australia. All of this takes place with Underworld’s To Heal playing in the background. Perfectly executed.
3. Meet Joe Black – this film is generally weird throughout but the ending sure is touching. I’m not sure whether you’d have to watch the rest of the film or not to get the context. I imagine you probably would but the final scene really brings home what the film has been building up to.
2. Vanilla Sky – everyone I know hates this film and I really think it’s unjustified. Sure 90% of the film is kind of slow and doesn’t make much sense but then the film just thunders to quite a climatic and really existentially crazy finale which suddenly brings into context why the rest of the film doesn’t make sense. I always find the journey of awakening that this film presents at the end to be one of the best scenes in cinematic history. Everything about it works including the brilliant Nothing song by Icelandic artist Sigor Ros and subsequent life review that the character undergoes. A very clever piece of cinema.
1. Blade Runner – Had to do it but this film isn’t my all time favourite for no reason. The film is brilliantly atmospheric and haunting throughout, all the while offering a lot of philosophy and existentialism and a dark dystopian vision of the future. There were a few scenes from this film I could have presented such as Rutger Hauer’s Tears in Rain speech at the end but in the end I settled for Morning at the Bradbury which highlights Roy’s sense of despair and loneliness, all the while with the amazing Vangelis score playing in the background.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Not a bad effort at all from director Joe Johnston here. He has in the past directed earlier favourites of mine including Honey I shrunk the kids, Jumanji, The Rocketeer, October Sky and Jurassic Park III if I really stretch it. I have to say I really quite enjoy the retrofuturistic angle he employs, a very similar angle to the one he employed in the Rocketeer. He also really knows how to cast a leading lady for these types of films, in the case of the Rocketeer Jennifer Connelly who realistically couldn’t have been cast any better. In this film Hayley Atwell and even though I haven’t the faintest idea who she is, she was perfectly cast. These World War II noir type films he directs also seem to carry a heavy sense of nostalgia for the imagined America that was which even has me missing the old days. Chris Evans nails his role as Steve Rogers and doesn’t come across as the cocky arrogant character of his previous films such the Fantastic Four and Sunshine but rather as the archetypal American that the world wishes was really true. Hugo Weaving was good as Red Skull even if he did sound too much like Victor Meldrew at times, enough that I was expecting him to shout ‘I don’t believe it.’ any road. Still it’s almost as if every bad guy role in movies was specifically written for him as he does essentially come across as a walking amalgam of every Bond villain since Dr No. And finally Tommy Lee Jones fared well as the comically uptight General in charge of the project. Even though he’s essentially the same character in every film he’s ever been in, he’s always a welcome addition I suppose. The CGI was pretty good, maybe a little too Star Wars and I’m never overly keen on it in movies but still it was well done. But overall the general feel of the film was good. Go see.

In Time (2011)

It’s with a heavy heart that I write to tell you that I’m reviewing the trailer for another film… and that it stars Justin Timberlake. Ok he’s not that bad really but the plot of the new film he’s in that’s set to be released this October possibly is.

Directed by Andrew Niccol of Gattaca fame, In Time depicts a future where everyone stops aging at 25 years old and will die one year later unless they are able to purchase more time. Time is the universal currency of this film and the more a person has, the longer they’ll live. When the title character (Justin Timberlake) inherits a massive amount of time from someone he soon finds himself on the run in an attempt to keep it. Or something along these lines anyway. It sounds very much to me like a twisted version of Logan’s run (which was decent to be fair).

Despite the concept of this film sounding a shade crap, I have faith that Niccol will do something interesting with it and faint hopes that it will be as good as Gattaca – very faint hopes I might add. With names like Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried and Cillian Murphy it does have a chance. In truth I think it will end up feeling a bit more like Limitless than being a classic but no doubt it will be a good yarn anyway.

Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon (2011)

Don’t even know why I’m posting a review of this, it’s absolutely terrible. I didn’t like the first one much, it was watchable but not fantastic. It had some semblance of a storyline and a fair amount of CGI. The second one I haven’t seen all the way through but from what I’ve seen, it’s just CGI and no storyline. This one is the same thing, oodles of CGI like that on its own has the capacity to make a good film. A good film doesn’t necessarily have to have any CGI and any director worth his salt will use it very sparingly (see Christopher Nolan). A really great film can hold its weight without anything other than dialogue (see The Man from Earth). I think ultimately I’m just bitching because I think Michael Bay is a poor director, so much so that I’m hard pressed to think of a single decent film he’s been associated with save for maybe the Island, perhaps half a point for Armageddon although I think that is a truly terrible film except for the absurdly amusing interactions of the characters. So are there any reasons to like this film? Well there’s Rosie Huntington-Whiteley but she’s not a spectacular improvement over Megan Fox in any way. There’s the very cool introduction to the film which uses a sequence of American presidents sitting in the oval office and other events from bygone eras cleverly recut to imply an alternate motive behind history. Then there’s… Leonard Nimoy and I had to wait until he quoted The Search for Spock before I finally realised it was him. Epic fail. Ultimately not a complete waste of a film, it had some cool moments but is sorely lacking in terms of what $100 million should really buy.

How awesome does this look?

Super 8 (2011)

In 1979 in Ohio, a group of teenagers are making a movie with Super 8 mm film when they witness a train crash. They suspect it was not an accident. There are disappearances and unexplained events around town, and the local deputy investigates the cause of the events.

This film smells a lot to me like classic 80s family sci-fi e.g. E.T., Flight of the Navigator, Cocoon etc. The trailer even uses music cues from the films E.T. and Cocoon. My guess is I will probably love this film especially since it’s from J.J.Abrams who directed Lost and Star Trek.

Written and directed by J.J.Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg. Can it possibly even fail? Released on 5th August 2011.

Priest (2011)

I got dragged into this film kicking and screaming and protesting how shit it was going to be. And given that it was the same person who promised me Battle: Los Angeles was going to be a good film I had good reason to protest. I figured it was going to be a horror version of twilight and couldn't be arsed with yet another vampire movie, especially since the entire genre bores me to death as a general rule. The film was refreshingly not anywhere near as bad as I feared. It had an original take on the whole vampire saga and a nice post apocalyptic landscape combined with blade runner-esque city sets ruled by a dystopian government theocracy. The film is predictably overtly religious in nature although no supernaturalism seems to be involved in the entire film so it could really be classed as pure science fiction set in an alternate reality. The creatures have little in common with vampires and are referred to throughout the film as having evolved. Their evolution subsequently leads to a war between humanity and vampires in which most of the world is destroyed and desertified. Humanity desperate and needing to turn the war around creates the ultimate weapon - the priests. After the war the priests attempt to reintegrate into a society that no longer needs them; that is until they are needed again and the film starts.

Not an amazing film but certainly enjoyable. Stars Paul Bettany, Karl Urban and Ian McKellen Christopher Plummer.

Cargo (2009)

I've been trawling the Internet for more sci-fi films lately since I've cannibalised pretty much every single sci-fi film in the English language worth watching. Now the only thing left is to turn my attention to world cinema and see if there is anything out there that's equally as brilliant as some of the best.

So the latest film I've watched is called Cargo - probably the only science fiction film Switzerland have ever made. The film is in German with subs and the subtitles were such a bad translation of what was actually being said that it left me thinking I could have probably done a better job. That and the English translation of the sentences didn't actually make sense at some points in the film. Still this was mostly forgivable because I still got the gist of what was going on even if I had to fill in some of the blanks myself.

This film is pretty visionary in its own right and considering it was made on a miniscule budget the special effects hold up reasonably well. Certainly they're leaps and bounds better than Babylon 5 although in honesty that's not a terribly difficult feat to accomplish. But if a story is well told often even dated  special effects can be overlooked. I do however fall into a school of thought that thinks 2001: A Space Odyssey is distracting because the SFX have dated so much. Perhaps I'm in a minority there. I loved the book but not the film so much really.

So it's a bit difficult to really compare this film to any others since the storyline is mostly original. It steals ideas from other space operas such as Alien and Event Horizon but doesn't end up becoming a stupid horror film, more one of a gritty drama set in deep space. It's difficult to say what this film is actually about as well without giving away crucial plot points. Sufficed to say the story revolves around a future where Earth has been rendered uninhabitable due to several unspecified ecological calamities and what remains of humanity is packed onto cramped space stations. Another world has been discovered - Rhea and the inhabitants of those stations relish the opportunity to settle on this world - a trip that takes years and enormous expense. This is really what the story is about, a cargo ship transporting goods to a deep space station and a doctor attempting to save up the money required to go. The staff man the ship in 8 months shifts alone and film attempts to capture the loneliness and ensuing paranoia as well as things that haven't even really been considered in sci-fi such as how cold the ships would get in deep space. Predictably though as the doctor is nearing the end of her shift it turns out she's not alone and must wake the others to find out who else is there and for what purpose. The film sort of builds to a twist which is the main plot of the film and to say too much would give it away. It kind of becomes very obvious what's really going on long before it's said on screen but it still makes for a damn fine film and a social commentary on corporate malfeasance.

There are some fairly major plot holes in this film and sometimes the actions of the characters make little sense in light of what's going on but the film mostly glosses over these with a backdrop that is artistically beautiful. Not the best sci-fi I've seen but certainly not disappointing. IMDB Rating 6.2/10

Limitless (2011)

Got chance to watch this decidedly average Sci-Fi film the other day. Thoughts? Well it's decent and I enjoyed it a lot more than Battle: Los Angeles. The premise is also pretty clever - that premise being about a man stumbling across a drug that makes him feel smart and invulnerable (er wait... don't all drugs make you feel like that?). But in the case of this drug - NZT it actually does give him these qualities and consequently he makes the transformation from lowly writer to stock market tycoon in less than a couple of weeks. Naturally though the story isn't a simple as that because this drug has some serious side effects - like complete amnesia, psychosis, oh and it kills you if you stop taking it - a couple of dilemmas that the protagonist faces during the course of this movie. Ultimately the man - Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) manages to overcome these obstacles and we are left with a movie that is arguably pro drugs and was quite possibly funded by the pharmaceutical industry looking to sell more nootropics such as Piracetam and Adderall. But NZT, hell if I had some I'd conquer the world and you pathetic minions would have to bow before me. Time to get in touch with my dealer. The second best film I’ve seen at the cinema this year. Stars Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Tomas Arana and Anna Friel. 7.5/10.

The Films of Christopher Nolan

Figured it was high time I wrote an article about this guy since he has to date achieved something that no other Hollywood director has ever achieved – that achievement being never having made a single bad film. So far. And that in itself is pretty impressive because all good directors seem to have a misfire at some point. Whenever a director like this comes along they earn themselves a fairly large fan base, and also a large following of people who hate them just to stand out from the crowd. The Nolan hating crowd will revile me for being a Nolan fanboy but I honestly think his films are spectacular and as I’ve said before appreciation of art is an individual quality. Rarely is it that a director can tell a story in such a way that it captivates and fascinates an audience especially when the story is something as mundane as Batman. In this case most people would agree that Nolan’s films are as good as I say. So here are his films from start to finish, there aren’t many but they’re all noteworthy.

Following (1998)

This was one of the last Nolan films I got round to watching before the release of Inception. I wasn’t expecting much from it because the movie was made on a budget of $6000 so why would I? The only other half decent film I can think of that was made on a comparable budget is Primer and the cinematography of that film wasn’t great at all. I was wrong. Not only is the film very watchable but it’s also very gripping and puts most $100 million dollar movies to shame. The film basically follows a young writer – Bill who follows people through the streets of London out of curiosity, to see who they are, what they do and where they go. Then one day a man he’s following turns the tables on him and asks why. The man – Cobb turns out to be a professional burglar and invites Bill to come with him as he burgles people’s homes. The plot gets considerably more complex though as Cobb has an ulterior motive and use for Bill that the young writer is unaware of. The psychology, manipulation and sharp dialogue make this. The film like all of Nolan’s uses sharp cuts from scene to scene and doesn’t tell the story in chronological order meaning the viewer has to concentrate on what’s going on and piece the puzzle together themselves. Ultimately the film ties up very well and builds to a spectacular ending. For its budget, this is truly a masterpiece. IMDB Rating: 7.7

Memento (2000)

Studio bosses must have loved following because they gave Nolan much more money to play with his next film as well as a few big name stars (Carrie-Anne Moss, Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano). On a $1 million budget, Nolan directed what is arguably one of the best and most artistic films in the history of cinema. The film centres on amnesiac Leonard (Guy Pearce) who suffers from a rare memory condition which prevents him from forming new memories. The last thing he does remember is the murder of his wife and throughout the film seeks justice and vengeance for that act regardless of the fact that even if he achieves his goal he will be unable to remember it. He does this through a system of notes, tattoos and mementos that let him know how his investigation is progressing. The film proceeds as a good old fashioned film noir-type mystery thriller that builds to an intriguing and ingeniously tragic ending (which is actually the beginning). But it’s still more than this, this film isn’t the average popcorn flick – the viewer has to pay close attention to clues and complex plot otherwise it’s doubtful they will understand the film at all. The viewer is cleverly placed in identical shoes to Leonard as the whole film is presented chronologically backward i.e. it starts at the end and works its way back to the beginning so the viewer has no more clue as to what’s actually going on than the protagonist the film is about. So for the movie goer who expects big bangs and stupid dialogue, look elsewhere because this film isn’t for you. For the movie goer who is open-minded and likes to exercise the old grey matter a little – this film is definitely for you. Add to this the solid performances of the actors, the haunting soundtrack and the at times profound dialogue, it’s not difficult to see why this film is so great. Nolan’s best. IMDB Rating: 8.7 (Top 250: 29)

Insomnia (2002)

Ok so this was Nolan's weakest film by far but in no way could it ever be considered a bad one. Essentially this film is a psychological crime thriller set in eternal daylight near the arctic circle. It stars Al Pacino as Dormer, a detective brought in from Los Angeles to help solve the murder of a high school student in rural Alaska. During the course of the investigation he becomes disoriented in the fog and accidentally shoots and kills his long time partner. After this fact it is revealed that Dormer is being investigated by Internal Affairs back home for corruption and that his partner was planning to fully cooperate with the authorities. So Dormer finds himself attempting to cover his tracks whilst the murderer he is seeking has witnessed the crime and his now attempting to blackmail him. As the film progresses Dormer finds himself being driven gradually insane by the lack of nightfall and sleep, delirium and hallucination soon start making it difficult for him to distinguish fantasy from reality, fact from fiction and most importantly morality from immorality. The feel of the film is one of tense disquiet and is set amidst the backdrop of a beautifully gloomy arctic wilderness. Stars Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. A great film. IMDB Rating: 7.2

Batman Begins (2005)

I’ve never been a massive fan of films based on comic books. I mean I tend to enjoy them but they’re never especially good films, at least they weren’t until this one. By the time Nolan got round to doing this one, the studios must have thought the sun shined out of his arse because they gave him more big names in the cast list than you can shake a stick at (Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe). After the original Tim Burton Batman films I really wasn’t expecting much other than a good yarn but somehow this film was just in a league of its own. Somehow the very two dimensional character of Batman is given considerable depth and even real life plausibility. Everyone knows the story of Batman – the caped crusader but not like this they don’t. This film explains the rise of Batman, the motivations and psychological scarring that led Bruce Wain to become Batman. It explains the training and mastery of ancient martial arts that allow him to become seemingly invincible. Of course it’s not all dialogue and plot though the plot is interesting, it’s a great action film as well. The visual effects throughout the film are very impressive especially the hallucinogen scenes which are very well done. The pace is perfect as well, it starts out relatively slowly but builds to a thunderous action packed climax. It’s about as perfect as a film based on a comic book can be or so you’d think. Nolan followed this up with the Dark Knight which was better still. IMDB Rating: 8.3 (Top 250: 113)

The Prestige (2005)

The Prestige was another film of Nolan's that really hit the bullseye. Set in Victorian era England, the film depicts the rivalry between two competing magicians whose lives gradually become consumed by their hatred for one another, so much so that it eventually destroys everything that either one cares about. In typical Nolan fashion, the film is told chronologically out of sequence and jumps about in time and place but as usual it works perfectly in creating the appropriate level of suspense and intrigue. It's hard to classify this film as any particular genre as it seems to straggle the line between mystery, fantasy, drama and sci-fi - yes sci-fi.  It could be said without a doubt that Nolan has a proclivity for warped narratives and this film is no exception as it twists and turns in every direction ultimately building to a very unexpected ending (unless you have an exception eye for detail). It features an ensemble cast and stars Michael Caine, Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson amongst others. It even stars David Bowie as Nikola Tesla – the ‘real life wizard’ as the film puts it. My biggest gripe with this one - there would seem to be rather a large plot hole in this film [Spoilers] – When Hugh Jackman gets hold of the copying machine, why the hell doesn’t he just use it once and then do the trick the same way as Borden rather than killing himself every time he does the trick. Er… whatever it was a good film anyway. IMDB Rating 8.4 (Top 250: 73)

The Dark Knight (2008)

This was pretty much the most hyped movie of the year so naturally I wasn’t even remotely interested in watching it. Until it came out that is. The reviews from the critics were resoundingly positive and indicated that this was one of the rare occasions in movie history when a film actually lived up to and even surpassed the hype. Hollywood blockbusters aren’t generally supposed to make you think, they’re supposed to be straight forward action movies without plot or depth. The Dark Knight differs in this respect because whilst it could be considered a straight forward action movie, it also has plot and depth. The film continually twists and turns in every direction presenting moral and ethical dilemmas all over the place which Batman as the icon of justice in Gotham is constantly unsure of how to deal with. The film also introduces Batman’s nemesis – the Joker played by Heath Ledger. But Ledger’s Joker is a far cry from Nicholson’s Joker in the decidedly average Burton vision of Batman. Ledger’s Joker is arguably one of the most sinister and evil movie villains of all time. He’s corrupt, insane, psychotic, terrifying and down right psychologically disturbing. And this is really what you want from a movie villain where it’s a black and white, good vs evil sort of story. The Joker’s character in this film is absolute, no backstory, no reason, no rhyme, he’s just evil for the sake of it or as Michael Caine puts it in the film “Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Once the film kicks off, it’s pretty much action and drama for two hours straight, not one scene feels superfluous and the film never feels slow. Lends itself well to repeat watchability. Stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Nestor Carbonell and Eric Roberts. IMDB Rating 8.9 (Top 250: 10)

Inception (2010)

I would have to say that this film was the best film released during 2010. It wasn’t the best one I watched last year as I’d been scouring the IMDB Top 250 for new greats – 12 Angry Men and It’s a Wonderful Life spring to mind but it was the best film released. And by a country mile. After a string of box office hits Nolan was awarded the most coveted prize a Hollywood director can attain – the do what the hell you like cheque. With that cheque Nolan crafted yet another triumph of cinema. The film has all the ingredients of an amazing summer blockbuster. It’s fairly cerebral – much more so that your average blockbuster, layered with complexity, for at least an hour of the film there are four different storylines taking place simultaneously (although not in a way that is confusing) and finally the film just oozes tension. The combination of Hans Zimmer’s impressive score and the constant action sequences for the last hour of the film just ratchets the tension up to boiling point and keeps you there on the edge of your seat until the end of the movie. So what is this blockbuster actually about? Dreams and the nature of reality. The protagonist is Dom Cobb, a man exiled from his home country for a crime he didn’t commit. Condemned to wander the world he works as an extractor – a type of corporate saboteur whose job it is to enter people’s minds and steal ideas from their dreams whilst they’re asleep. But then the head of a powerful corporation offers him a way home if instead of stealing an idea, he can plant one – something much harder to do as the subject can ‘always trace the genesis of an idea’. To give away any more of the plot would spoil the film although in fairness the plot is complex and fairly open ended. People will debate for a long time some of the finer details of this film especially the ending which had the entire audience gasp in bemusement. It is difficult to really classify this film. It feels like a mishmash of a few different films. The easiest way to describe it would be a cross between the Matrix and the Bourne Identity although it seems to bear similarity to a few other films I’ve seen such as the Thirteenth Floor and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The film even borrows some of the ambiguity of Memento as well as introducing the main character as a tortured soul who at the end arguably chooses to believe a lie so they can find their own happiness. Inception is one of the finer films to have been released in the last few years and deserves to be watched by anyone who loves an action blockbuster which keeps you thinking afterwards. Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Marion Cotillard and Michael Caine. IMDB Rating 8.9 (Top 250: 8)

Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

I got chance to watch this special effects bonanza a couple of days ago. There’s no plot really, the film is essentially a Saving Private Ryan-esque take on the alien invasion movie. From start to finish the film follows a group of marines attempting to battle their way out of Los Angeles under the direction of Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), a man who they don’t entirely trust because he got some of his men killed during the Iraq conflict although as the film progresses he predictably wins their confidence. It’s more violent than Starship Troopers and has a plot less interesting than Lost in Translation which is quite an accomplishment on both fronts. It isn’t a good film particularly but as popcorn flicks go I suppose it’s an enjoyable yarn. Basically it was just an excuse to blow the shit out of Los Angeles and echoes other alien invasion films such as District 9 and Independence Day in this respect (although in no way was it as good as either). Since this is the second alien invasion movie released in the last year I suspect it will also be twinned with Skyline although I’ve yet to see that film so can’t say for certain how similar they are. If you get chance give it a watch but you won’t be missing much if you never see it. Stars Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez and Bridget Moynahan.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Well how to summarise this film? Original, thought provoking, spiritual and romantic.

I did promise a review of the latest PKD film as soon as I got chance to watch it and since it was released today, I decided to take a punt at it and see if it was any good. And wow, just wow. Probably the best film I’ve seen so far this year. It is no doubt a film that will polarise critics but as I’ve said before the nuances of PKD films are lost on many people. I expected I’d probably like it but I didn’t just like this film, I loved it. It’s also another example of what seems to me to be a really undertapped hybrid movie genre – the science fiction romance. It was massively better than The Time Traveller’s Wife although perhaps not quite as good as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. There are other examples of course such as the Fountain and Solaris which similarly polarise critics but these examples really don’t compare.

So what exactly is it about? The film stars Matt Damon as David Norris, a democratic politician running for the senate. By chance (although perhaps not – further analysis required) he meets Elise (Emily Blunt), a ballet dancer in the men’s room as he’s rehearsing his concession speech having just lost the election. The chance encounter leaves him more than a little flustered and inspires him to give the speech of his life which unbeknown to him has secured him an interesting future. This is where the film kicks off – he’s never supposed to meet her again and agents of fate are supposed to ensure this doesn’t happen but one of them – Harry (played by Anthony Mackie) bumbles his job (perhaps deliberately) and they meet again which although seemingly serendipitous at the time there turns out to be good reason why which is later revealed. This sets in motion a chain of events whereby Damon discovers the existence of these agents of fate (The Adjustment Bureau) and learns what it is they’re trying to prevent – their being together. During the first encounter it would seem the Adjustment Bureau have successfully intervened and prevented what they were trying to prevent. But years later then they meet again and Damon now being aware of the Adjustment Bureau is adamant that they not change the fate he chooses for himself and thus begins the bizarre combination of existential rollercoaster and love story uniquely twisted together to make a thoroughly enjoyable film.

Although presented primarily as science fiction, the film would seem to have some very strong religious undertones. The Adjustment Bureau can be likened to angels and the film presents a peculiar reason for the need of humanity to not control their own fate but nonetheless a very valid one that’s almost totally believable in light of the real world events it references. They also speak continually of the mysterious chairman who presumably represents God. This probably isn’t what PKD intended as the Adjustment Team were really just a way to personify fate so he could argue against the concepts of predestination but the way the film subtly presents what is really a religious concept as science fiction is very clever and will be satisfying to audiences regardless of religious persuasion as it doesn’t explicitly state anything. In this way the film could arguably be compared to the Mothman Prophecies as questions about the agents of fate and where they come from or who they are are all kept (correctly) unanswered.

The Adjustment Bureau although the antagonists in the story are largely benevolent and only proceeding according to specific instructions. The film states openly that in the past they’ve tried various approaches to controlling fate, from being very controlling to limited intervention to being completely hands off. It would seem that when they don’t intervene that humanity finds a way to fuck everything up royally and this is the reason they have no choice but to follow ‘The Plan’. Going into the film I had expected things to be a little more black and white than this but refreshingly the ‘bad guys’ are entirely presented as a shade of grey. This is perhaps illustrated best when Damon asks Stamp something to the tune of if they’re so great why is the world such a mess to which Stamp glibly replies “At least it’s still here.” and then goes on to point out why it wouldn’t be if it weren’t for them.

The film also alludes to several notions present in good science fiction time travel films such as the butterfly effect and the ripple effect. And it is at times a highly amusing film to watch as the Adjustment Bureau have a real time interpretation of how events are going to pan out if certain actions take place, then they watch helplessly as Damon screws up the entire future before their eyes.

As to how it compares to other PKD films that deal with the fate versus free will paradox, it doesn’t exactly come to the same conclusions which made the end kind of refreshing. Granted it was still the happy sappy Hollywood ending but if it hadn’t have been a happy ending, this film would God damn awful and depressing as fuck. The conclusions it draws are rather different than other PKD films that deal with this theme in that whilst the film does state that while fate will be controlled for a long time to come until humanity can truly be trusted off its leash that not knowing the plan creates the convincing illusion of free will and for a limited few (Damon and Blunt), true free will should they fight for it strongly enough. I have to admit I did love the ending even if it wasn’t totally epic, it was quite existential and echoed Vanilla Sky in many ways (a rooftop finale with a peppering of strong philosophy).

The film is also laced with humour but it’s all well timed and doesn’t compromise the overall dark tone of the story. Additionally the humour makes the love story much easier to believe as the character interaction is fantastic. The performances of Damon and blunt were out of this world. I’m not usually good at spotting on screen chemistry but these two had it in oodles and it was so good it lifted the film to whole new level as they were exceptionally captivating to watch. The screenplay is above par excellence and has the audience genuinely caring whether this couple get together based on one single five minute conversation (I hope you’re taking notes Chic Geek). The back and forth dialogue between Blunt and Damon throughout the film is simply amazing.

I would have to say that overall this is one of the stronger Phillip K Dick adaptions out there and for me it was right on the money. An instant classic.

Films based on the works of Phillip K Dick

I’ve been wanting to collate these together and write about them for quite some time. Films based on the literary works of Phillip K Dick invariably make my favourite movies list. For those of you who’ve never heard of him – PKD was a prolific science fiction writer and penned 44 novels and 121 short stories during his lifetime. Although up to now I’ve only read two of his books – Do androids dream of electric sheep and The man in the high castle – I expect I’ll work my way through a fair chunk of his work over the next few years and if I ever attain my dream of being a director I’ll probably adapt a few myself.

As an amateur writer of science fiction – many of my own short stories are similar in vain to the themes that run throughout the man’s works such as an interest in the metaphysical, theology, monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered states. Thus I guess it’s only natural that this man is one of my idols. But onto the films based on his work – I’ve never seen one I didn’t love.

Blade Runner (1982) – Directed by Ridley Scott

People who know me well know one simple fact about me – that Blade Runner is my undisputed favourite film of all time. I don’t give PKD the credit for this though because the source material for it – Do androids dream of electric sheep is nowhere near as good as the film it spawned making it one of the rare exceptions to the rule of the book always being better than the film. I suspect it’s the brilliance of Ridley Scott that deserves more credit for this film being what it is – over the years he’s directed some amazing films including Alien (1979), Thelma & Louise (1991) and Gladiator (2000). Initially it was a flop at the box office because the production company compromised Scott’s vision and fearing that audiences wouldn’t understand the film included an annoying voiceover. In 1992 a directors cut was released that included the omission of the voiceover and the removal of the uplifting ending and Scott stated at the time that this version was closer to his original vision but the final cut of the film which is now regarded as the definitive version wasn’t released until 2007. Blade Runner: The Final Cut tweaks the film slightly and removes some of the inconsistencies as well as reinserting some of the deleted footage that was left on the cutting room floor. But why is this film my all time favourite – for about 100 reasons really. It takes place in a darkly dystopian future Los Angeles – a city of 106 million people. It features scientific visions such as the existence of arcologies, the future ability of mankind to adeptly manipulate genetics and biology to suit its needs. It features the monopolistic practices of mega-corporations, the future results of globalisation. The film offers subtle themes throughout that aren’t even that obvious to a casual viewer of the film such as a commentary on the disastrous results of overpopulation, environmental catastrophes severely affecting the world’s ecosystems, the emigration of humanity into space. The list of subtle science fiction themes goes on and on and on. Principally the film is about none of these things – all this takes place in the background. The film is principally about the definition of life, what it means to be human, the qualities of empathy and sentience. In this respect it follows a bounty hunter tasked to execute four rogue androids who have returned to Earth in a futile quest to find their maker and request more life. And so all the while this is going on the film is at the same time offering a background commentary on racism and slavery. I didn’t want to write too much more about this film because it really deserves its own article but what makes it so great is its tremendous depth. The atmosphere is beautifully bleak and the soundtrack by Vangelis is one of the most haunting film scores ever composed. For these reasons – this is the best Phillip K Dick adaption of them all and I doubt if there are many Sci-Fi fans out there who would disagree with me.

Total Recall (1990) – Directed by Paul Verhoeven

I absolutely love this film. Many would say it’s just a gorefest and they’d be right. It’s definitely similar in some respects to other works by Verhoeven such as Starship Troopers and Robocop but at the same time the Dickensian streak of questioning the true nature of reality is unambiguously there. The film is based on the short story ‘We can remember it for you wholesale’ and involves a construction worker – Douglas Quaid (played by the awesome Arnold Schwarzenegger) visiting a company called Rekall who sell memories of the ideal vacation. Arnie opts for something called the ego trip and chooses a vacation as a Martian secret agent and from the moment the trip begins the film cleverly twists the idea of Arnold’s presence on Earth as being a result of him having his memories erased. In this respect it’s not totally obvious whether Arnie genuinely is a secret agent or if everything he’s experiencing is a result of the vacation he was sold at Rekall. The film keeps this fairly ambiguous so as to offer a dual interpretation of the film’s events. As well as being a good Sci-Fi yarn, it’s also an excellent action film and offers plenty of gratuitous violence. Another solid film based on PKD’s work with this one.

Screamers (1995) – Directed by Christian Duguay

Not many people regard this as a good film but I certainly do. In fact I think it’s absolutely brilliant so I guess appreciation of art really is a truly individual quality. The film is based on the short story Second Variety and strays pretty far from the source material in quite a lot of ways. For a start Second Variety is set on Earth and features a war between the United Nations and Soviet Union whilst Screamers is set on the distant world of Sirius 6B and features a war between two mega-corporations – The New Economic Block and the Alliance (a miners union). The planet Sirius has been devastated by war and a new weapon was introduced into the mix – the autonomous mobile sword or screamer – a self replicating mechanical weapon. The weapon has no way of distinguishing friend from foe and so attacks anything with a heartbeat forcing all soldiers to wear a device that flatlines their heartbeat rendering them sort of invisible to the screamers. The film centres on Colonel Hendricksson (played by Peter Weller) who feeling betrayed by his superiors sets out to make a peace treaty with the NEB. Along the way they find that the screamers have found a way to evolve into more sophisticated forms and have become sentient life forms in their own right. The film is pretty bleak and I find the soundtrack to be quite haunting as well. Peter Weller as usual just oozes coolness and kind of makes the film what it is. Not the best adaption out there but a must see for fans of Sci-Fi.

Imposter (2000) – Directed by Gary Fleder

I really can’t believe how many people this film has slipped past. Let me just say that never having seen Imposter is like never having seen Star Wars. The critics panned it and it flopped at the box office but I still think it’s a damn fine Sci-Fi movie. Based on PKD’s short story the Imposter, the film is set in the year 2079 where Earth has been attacked by a hostile alien race from Alpha Centuri. The remaining cities are protected from missile attacks by electromagnetic domes and democracies have been replaced by a one world authoritarian government desperately trying to ensure humanity’s survival. Gary Senise plays the part of a weapons engineer but it becomes suspected that he is an imposter – a near perfect human clone carrying a biological nuclear weapon in his chest. And so the film follows his desperate attempts to clear his name and prove that he’s not what the authorities suspect him to be. For a film as unknown as this the cast is pretty stellar – it stars Gary Sinise, Madeline Stowe and Vincent D’Onofrio. I can to an extent understand why this film is underrated – I mean the film’s title gives away the premise for a start but this is to a certain extent redeemed by the double twist ending which I don’t think it was really possible for anyone to see coming. There also doesn’t seem to be enough source material for a movie of this length so the film drags its heels and feels a bit slow at times. But the general feel of the film is very reminiscent of both Blade Runner and Total Recall. I guess the film is also guilty of something else but it’s a problem for most films based on PKD’s work. That problem being that he was also a philosopher and the films based on his work often arrive at the very opposite conclusion to the one PKD intended. Blade Runner and Imposter are both great examples of how PKD passionately believed in some intrinsic ethereal quality that separated man from machine but both films seem to arrive at precisely the opposite conclusion – that no such quality exists. I actually agree with the conclusions drawn from both films rather than PKD – that this intangible quality does not exist – the soul is a manifestation of consciousness but at the same time I think if you’re going to base movies on someone’s work you should remain faithful to the ideals of their original vision. Still if you like the other films on this list – this one is definitely worth a watch.

Minority Report (2002) – Directed by Stephen Spielberg

This is probably the most commercially successful adaption of all the PKD films – a massive budget blockbuster directed by a well renowned director. The film is based on the short story The Minority Report and is basically about a division of the Washington Police department that deals with crimes before they happen – specifically murders. So in true Dickensian style – the film is about free will versus determinism with plenty of drug abuse thrown into the mix – Dick was after all a massive connoisseur of illicit substances and they feature prominently throughout his work. The mechanism that makes it possible to see the future is children that were born with psychic abilities as a result of their mothers’ consuming a dangerous neurotoxin during pregnancy. Once they are grown up they are set up into a kind of hive mind which allows them to accurately predict the future but the futures they see are sometimes different – hence the term Minority report. The film not only deftly deals with the determinism theme – if our future is predictable then do we truly have freewill? This paradox dealt with spectacularly well at the end. The film also predicts an entirely believable future where advertisement and invasion of personal space has become so pervasive that people are targeted by advertisements on an individual level – a future we are currently hurtling toward with alarming speed. The film is clever in numerous ways – the future is neither dark nor perfect and films that predict a future which reflects our present are bound to be the most prescient predictions though not necessarily the most interesting. This film is slick, fast paced and looks polished. One of the best adaptions overall.

Paycheck (2003) – Directed by John Woo

Another one that got panned by the critics but I’ve long since stopped listening to them because they’re usually wrong. This film struck me as being really quite clever but unfortunately doesn’t lend itself to repeat viewings very well as the intrigue of the plot is lost once you know what’s coming. Ben Affleck plays a character called Jennings – a man who will reverse engineer any technology for a company but must have his memories erased afterwards to protect the company’s intellectual property. Normally the contracts he signs up for never last more than a couple of months because the memory erasing technology won’t erase any further back than that. In steps Rethrick (Aaron Eckhart), a billionaire who offers him a substantial amount of money for a contract lasting three years alongside some new memory erasing technology that will allow them to erase that time from his life. Jenning agrees to the contract and then the audience is thrust into the film three years later with a confused Jennings who has given away the 90 million dollars he earned during the contract. Not only this but the FBI is hunting him for espionage, treason and murder. All he seems to have in his possession is a bag of artefacts that are not his own and each individual item seems to come in really useful at fortuitously opportune moments. And so the fun begins as he tries to discover just why the hell he is wanted by the FBI and has seemingly given up his entire earnings for the contract. The conclusion of the film and the reason he gives everything away becomes more predictable as the plot progresses but doesn’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the film. It is based on PKD’s short story of the same name.

 A Scanner Darkly (2006) – Directed by Richard Linklater

This is one of the stranger films on this list – starring Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson and Robert Downey Jr, it is based on PKD’s novel of the same name. Unlike many of the other films on the list, this one actually received favourable reviews from critics which probably means it’s the worst film presented in this article. Set in the near feature where America has lost the war on drugs, the film goes into detail about an epidemic of a drug called substance D which has swept across the country. In response to the epidemic the government has developed an ultra high-tech surveillance network as well as sending out hordes of undercover agents to infiltrate the supply chain. The drug substance D is highly addictive and massively debilitating to users permanently damaging their minds and ability to function normally. The protagonist Bob Arctor (played by Keanu Reeves) is one of the undercover agents however during the course of his investigation he has become addicted to substance D and his life begins to split in two as he slowly forgets where his true loyalties lie even becoming paranoid about the police himself. The plot is fairly complex and very absorbing making this one of the most superior films listed here. It is entirely rotoscoped from start to finish giving a surreal feel to the entire film. It is also obvious that PKD shares more than a few of his own painful experiences from the psychonaut culture within the novel and this comfortably makes the transition to the big screen. This is reflected in the sobering afterword to film which is actually an abridged version from the novel. At the start of the ending credits, the following text appears:
This has been a story about people who were punished entirely too much for what they did. I loved them all. Here is a list, to whom I dedicate my love:
To Gaylene, deceased
To Ray, deceased
To Francy, permanent psychosis
To Kathy, permanent brain damage
To Jim, deceased
To Val, massive permanent brain damage
To Nancy, permanent psychosis
To Joanne, permanent brain damage
To Maren, deceased
To Nick, deceased
To Terry, deceased
To Dennis, deceased
To Phil, permanent pancreatic damage
To Sue, permanent vascular damage
To Jerri, permanent psychosis and vascular damage
...and so forth
In memoriam. These were comrades whom I had; There are no better. They remain in my mind, and the enemy will never be forgiven. The "enemy" was their mistake in playing. Let them play again, in some other way, and let them be happy.

Next (2007) – Directed by Lee Tamahori

I’d forgotten this film was based on PKD’s work when I was reviewing it for the twin films list. The film is loosely based around PKD’s short story – the Golden Man and I’ve never read the book so I can’t comment on how far the film strays from the original premise. The film involves a man (Nicholas Cage) who has the ability to see two minutes into the future and can consequently influence events accordingly. Naturally with an ability like this, he spends much of his time in Vegas at the tables where he never fails to lose. Meanwhile there is a major terrorist threat against America and an agent of the FBI (Julianne Moore) attempts to recruit Cage to track down a nuclear device before it can be detonated. Cage naturally wants no part in this and using his ability is easily able to evade the FBI’s best attempts to capture him. The film also stars Jessica Biel as the love interest and Cage is far more interested in attempting to court her than he is in preventing a nuclear weapon from killing ten million people. His initial attempts to get to know her play out in an amusingly similar way to Groundhog Day and the way the film presents all the various different possible futures is to a large degree quite original. It’s not the best film on this list by far and the critics hated it (no surprise there really) but it’s a good enough action yarn with some interesting ideas about quantum theory subtly thrown in.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) – Directed by George Nolfi

At the time of writing I haven’t yet seen this film since it isn’t due to be released for another week but I’m hopeful that the unknown director George Nolfi will have adapted a decent film from PKD’s short story the Adjustment Team. As this seems to be Nolfi’s first foray into directing, it’s difficult to say what the quality of this film will be like although he did write the screenplays for the Bourne Ultimatum, Timeline and Oceans 12 so perhaps it won’t be too bad. As I understand it the film stars Matt Damon as a politician who glimpses his future and meets the woman of his dreams only to be kept apart by agents of fate who have determined that it’s not his true path. Sounds like another play off between determinism and free will so it will be interesting to see how the film compares to Paycheck and Minority Report in the conclusions drawn. The initial reviews of this film seem mixed although fans of PKD seem to love it so I suspect it’ll be a winner from my point of view (I mean I honestly loved Screamers so it won’t be hard). Other reviews have dismissed it as too cliché but I don’t think cliché is necessarily bad, sometimes life is. I’ll post a more in depth review just as soon as I’ve seen the film.

Other works due to be adapted

At the time of writing it would seem that there are a number of other films in the works based on PKD novels. The Man in the High Castle – A BBC miniseries to be directed by Ridley Scott which could be very interesting given his last adaption. King of the Elves – A Walt Disney adaption to be released in 2012. The Halycon company who developed the Adjustment Bureau is also in the process of developing a film based on PKD’s novel Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said. It’s also rumoured that a film based on the novel Ubik is in the works. Watch this space.