Creation story

Much ado has been made about Ridley Scott's latest film Prometheus as to whether or not it is a prequel to the beloved Alien franchise. Whether it be fans of the original series or those just curious about the mystery surrounding this new movie, this has become one of the most anticipated films of the year. Of course, with that anticipation comes the possibility of disappointment if it fails to live up to expectations. Thankfully, this film manages to satisfy those expectations, even if it doesn't fully address everything that some may have wanted the film to do.

Prometheus is about a pair of scientists who believe they have discovered the beings responsible for the creation of the human race and set off on a space voyage along with a crew of several other travelers to the moon that they believe these beings are on. Of course, like most sci-fi space explorations they get more than they bargained for once they begin exploring this distant land.

One of the early signs that there is a connection between this film and the Alien series is the presence of an android on this space flight. David (played by Michael Fassbender) is perhaps the most compelling character in the film. He's not only integral to the interactions the humans have with the beings they encounter, but he also posits some of the film's most compelling questions. At times, David's motives are a bit unclear. The fact that he's a robot, and thus possesses no human emotions, only complicates matters. At times this can be frustrating. But ultimately, I think what it does is spurs healthy debate amongst those who enjoy and want to discuss this movie in great detail.

David's motives are not the only aspect of this film that is left unanswered. The film addresses but does not give clear answers to some major philosophical questions including 'where did we come from' and 'is our fate entirely in our control?'. It should come as no surprise that one of the film's co-writers is Damon Lindelof, who wrote for the TV series, Lost The Lost DNA is felt heavily throughout the film as it not only deals with those eternal debates but only tackles things like daddy issues and infertility.

Again, if you have someone who is willing to engage you on these topics after seeing the film, they make for a rich cinematic experience, but I would also imagine that there will be plenty out there who find their addition to the film's narrative unnecessary. Some people are simply looking for a film that features gooey creatures bursting out of people's chests and scaring the bejeebus out of audiences. Thankfully, the film offers plenty of that in here as well. Let there be no doubt at this point, that this IS an Alien prequel both in story and in spirit. There are plenty of frightful moments in this film that leave many of the human characters in great peril. Without giving too much away, one of the film's best scenes involves Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) attempting surgery on herself in an awesomely squemish sequence. After all these years, Scott still knows how to craft a good creature feature.

While it's hard to overlook it when we're talking about film featuring tons of slimy aliens, there is several noteworthy acting performances as well. As noted above, Fassbender is great as David as he continues to deliver one fine performance after another. Charlize Theron as the corporate-minded executive who oversees the Prometheus flight gives a nice, steely performance. I also really liked Idris Elba, who has a number of great lines as the hard-edged captain of the ship.

In the end, Prometheus may have been a bit too ambitious trying to tackle larger issues than were necessary for a series like this. But it's hard for me to fault them for that. A little mythology never hurt anyone and we could use more film that inspire discussion rather than the mindless dreck that only appeals to those who like to see things go BOOM. The film, with its impressive visual look, really attacks you from all senses and leaves you satisfied. And just like the evil creatures who haunt our protagonists here, once you get a taste, it'll leave you wanting more. Grade: B+

In cyberspace, no one can hear you scream

Every time I see or read something new about Ridley Scott's upcoming sci-fi film, Prometheus I get increasingly excited for it to come out. Case in point, the latest trailer for the film which hit the web yesterday. Check it out for yourself...

2012 Movie Preview (#18 - 13)

18. Neighborhood Watch (July 27th)

Plot: "Neighborhood Watch" is a sci-fi comedy about a suburban "neighborhood watch" group that serves as a front for dads to get some male-bonding time away from their families. The group finds itself in over its head when it uncovers a plot to destroy the world.

Personal opinion: Five years ago, a film featuring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn would have likely been much higher on my list. But since that time, each of them have made some questionable choices in terms of their film roles, which make me somewhat cautious about getting excited about this one. That they are together in this movie helps, along with the fact that Jonah Hill and Will Forte are also part of the cast. I'm a bit suspicious of the sci-fi aspect of this film, but until I see a trailer your guess is as good as mine as to what to expect here.


17. ParaNorman (August 17th)

Plot: In "ParaNorman," a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he'll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all, moronic grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

Personal opinion: For some reason, I got hooked on this film after its first trailer came out last month. It seems as if the people behind this film are trying to outdo Tim Burton in the whole 'creepy, but not too creepy stop-motion animated' genre. I think the idea behind this story is really solid and the world they've created looks very imaginative. The only thing I question is why they are choosing to release this in August instead of October. Having a spooky film like this released in the summer may cause it to get lost in the shuffle.


16. The Five Year Engagement (April 27th)

Plot: The director and writer/star of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" reteam for the irreverent comedy "The Five-Year Engagement." Beginning where most romantic comedies end, the new film from director Nicholas Stoller, producer Judd Apatow ("Knocked Up," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") and Rodney Rothman (Get Him to the Greek) looks at what happens when an engaged couple, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, keeps getting tripped up on the long walk down the aisle. The film was written by Segel and Stoller.

Personal opinion: We've already seen the trailer for this one as well and all signs indicate good stuff here. They had already set themselves up well by having Segal reteam with his Forgetting Sarah Marshall director and pairing him with the sexy and charming Emily Blunt on screen. Segal seems to pick his romantic comedies well having been successful with Marshall and I Love You Man and his streak appears as if it will continue on in 2012.


15. Lincoln (December)

Plot: Based on the best-selling book "Team of Rivals," by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. The screenplay has been written by the Pulitzer Prize winner, Tony Award winner, and Academy Award nominated writer Tony Kushner. The film will focus on the political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War.

Personal opinion: Half-way through and now we're really getting to the good stuff. If you've already seen the picture that came online a few weeks ago, you'll know what inspired casting it was to have Daniel Day-Lewis play Lincoln. Spielberg may be getting a lot of press right now for the two films he has in theaters, but this one is infinitely more appealing to me than those two combined. This one should be a history buff's dream come true.


14. Prometheus (June 8th)

Plot: Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life's ultimate mystery.

Personal opinion: If you visited the blog earlier this week, you no doubt saw that I had posted a trailer for this new Ridley Scott film. As I alluded to in that post, the story is being kept tightly under wraps, but there are some indications that this may be a prequel to 1979's Alien. Having recently gained an appreciation for both the 1979 film and its sequel, I am really curious about this movie. Now even if it ends up having nothing to do with Alien, this still has a very good chance of being good given Scott's proclivity of delivering solid action films.


13. Argo (September 14th)

Plot: Based on true events, "Argo" chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis--the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA "exfiltration" specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.

Personal opinion: DirectingGone Baby Gone Ben Affleck raised some eyebrows. With The Town, he proved his first film was no fluke. Now he's behind the camera again with one of those so crazy it must be true stories. The more I read about this and think about what Affleck has done thus far as a director, the more excited I get for this film. I hate to rush to conclusions, but this could easily be a strong contender for some awards this time next year.

Ridley's believe it or not

Here's the trailer for Ridley Scott's new film Prometheus, which may or may not be a prequel to Alien. I'll have more to say about this film later in the week in my 2012, but for now enjoy the teaser instead.