Prometheus

Ridley Scott has created an immersive, incredible looking film full of great ideas about creation, destruction, faith and mankind. Starting off with some impressive landscape shots, it moves to a dark, vast and intricate world set to astonish.  Holographic recordings, atmospheric devastation and some visually original images grace the screen. When Scott, as inevitably expected, starts to pick off the crew, the energy is ramped up and some sick shit kicks off; there are a few excellently grotesque moments.

Noomi Rapace plays a strong and focused scientist yet her performance is tinged with tenderness making her an endearing presence. Idris Elba is on fine form as the self-assured captain and Charlize Theron plays her cold role with class but the character is slightly underdeveloped.  Michael Fassbender’s David does not disappoint, in fact, every scene he appears in is pure joy. He is menacing, comical and spot on as a synthetic soulless son of a bitch.

On the surface Prometheus was a blast and Fassbender was fantastic but it definitely had some engine problems.  Unfortunately some of the ideas Scott touches on do not get fully explored.
There are some tacked on scenes that feel out of place and unnecessary but for the most part the sinister mood and sets are engrossing.

Prometheus was never going to live up to the hype surrounding it, or reach the same heights of Alien, but this is a grand, ambitious sci-fi blockbuster.

I am going back for more on Friday…

Some thoughts on comedy

Wanderlust is a new comedy from David Wain starring Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston. I am a fan of Rudd and his comedy styling and even went so far as to take some time out from the Toronto Film Festival last year to watch Our Idiot Brother as I thought it looked promising and also featured Rashida Jones (The Office, Parks and Recreation) sporting a wonderful pair of glasses. 

It wasn't the greatest film ever, but Rudd and Rashida did some great character acting.

Here is my review of Wanderlust it was pretty funny, but not perfect. 

Project X was not a film made for me, but its target audience will probably enjoy it, although with an 18 certificate in the UK some of its potential audience will be lost. There are no female characters in this film, just objects for boys to lust over. 

You can read my review on Cinetalk.

Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman take the opposite direction from Project X  by making a woman the central role in Young Adult. Another refreshing film from this writer/director duo thanks to strong performances, a sharp screenplay and the ability to push boundaries when it comes to female film roles.

You can read my review on Cinetalk

Also out this week is Hunky Dory, which I saw at the London Film Festival last year, and thoroughly enjoyed. The soundtrack features some excellent 70s tunes. 

I didn't enjoy This Means War, in fact it put me in a bad mood for the most part. I haven't written a review but Jonathan Hatfull sums it up nicely over on Fohnhouse.