Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

“I’m not a survivalist, I’m an optimist!”

Lorene Scafaria’s directorial debut shows promise, with her background as a screenwriter penning Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist her knack for writing a funny line and setting up some amusing and poignant scenes is clear. The soundtrack suits the pensive mood for an end of the world setting and though it falls on the sentimental side it works. Scafaria mixes apocalyptic mind set with road trip adventure and the jovial tone works extremely well for the first half of the film. Unfortunately the “friend” aspect of the film is lost to a romantic storyline between the two lead characters, Dodge (Steve Carrell) and Penny (Keira Knightley). 

There are 21 days left until a meteor hits the earth. Dodge has been abandoned by his wife and Penny regrets her life as a serial monogamist. Both are reflecting on their lives and their misspent ways when Penny stumbles through Dodge’s apartment window and they first meet despite being neighbours for years.  Dodge looks to his first love whereas Penny is looking to reconnect with her family and they both take to the road in search of the void in their lives. Disconnect, loneliness and lack of community spirit are the themes explored, but what it all comes down to is the question, “what would you do if the world was about to end? “ Priorities are changed and rules are thrown out the window making a marvellous first hour of viewing.  The pair cling on to the only pillar of hope they can which is the promise of fulfilment through human connection.  With material items losing value a relationship formed on the road steers these two to their obvious end. 

This is an end of the world comedy that after a strong start takes a turn into romantic schmaltz.  For the most part Scafaria’s strong, witty script keeps the momentum chugging along. People taking drugs, letting their kids get drunk, engaging in promiscuous sexual activity and basically all the conduct of a society on the edge are presented in an exceptionally funny way. Dodge and Penny don't feel fully developed as characters, and though both Carrell and Knightley give good performances, it is hard to believe in their forming relationship. Though mostly charming, it seems to lose the comedic, laid back vibe half way through in favour of mainstream predictability with the emphasis moved from friendship to amorous sentimentality. 

Released in the UK on 13th July 

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…

Chronicle and Costume

 Mixing elements from teen, horror, sci-fi and superhero flicks, Max Landis has crafted a strong script that is complimented by great direction from Josh Trank, resulting in a fresh entry into the already crowded 'found footage' genre.

You can read my review over on Starburst Magazine here.

If you like the content over on Starburst Magazine it is now back in print and you can subscribe to the magazine here.  

Speaking of Max Landis and his writing skills, last week I met his parents...

His mum, Deborah Nadoolman Landis is curating a show at the Victoria and Albert Museum and it's all about Hollywood Costume. It starts in October and it looks spectacular.

I attended a presentation where Deborah Landis spoke all about the event. I wrote about it over on Filmoria here. 

After the presentation we were invited to speak to the curators and museum folk on an individual basis. On my way down the auditorium I spotted a man sitting by himself that looked suspiciously like John Landis... it was.  I had a chat with him about Chronicle, at that time he had only seen the first twenty minutes but said it looked like it was heading to a dark place. He also seemed like an extremely proud father.  I also had a major "Geek Out" as I had just met the man who had directed An American Werewolf in London one of the best films ever. Fact. And what a friendly man he was!