I saw Annihilation on February 26, 2018! While that was the official date I saw it, I saw it again last night as well! This is one of the most thought provoking movies I've seen in some time. It's a cerebral movie that is probably the best movie of the 2010s since Ex Machina, which was also written and directed by Alex Garland. He has taken science fiction with this movie, and completely changed the game. This is a movie that will make you explore the mysteries of the universe, as well as struggles leading to human self-destruction, and how it can manifest into something far beyond our own imagination.
Annihilation is a total mind bender that twists the audiences at every turn of the movie. There are several layers to this movie that keep you on the edge of your seat. I was so enamored with the actual scientific part of this movie, but I never expected to be so entranced by the end of this movie. This movie impressed me so much. It's such an achievement in artistic cinema, with a thoroughly woven story rounded out by a predominantly female cast with a world unlike anything you'll find in a movie.
Natalie Portman leads the charge as Lena, a biologist, who goes on a mission following the mysterious return of her husband from a secret mission. Natalie Portman is one of the better actresses in Hollywood. At least two of her roles are all time favorites of mine, and this one is now part of the group. She goes on an expedition with four other women played by Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, Tuva Novotny, & Jennifer Jason Leigh. Every supporting cast member had a moment to shine in some way, especially Rodriguez & a brilliant performance by Oscar Isaac as Portman's husband, Kane. Each member of the team has a scientific or medical background to find out why others have not returned from this mysterious world. While they are going on this mission, one of the most intriguing parts of each character is they're all dealing with some dark self-destructive behavior leading to their downfall, and this mission, in a way, is meant to purify them. That's one of the biggest things going on in this movie-the purification of the human soul. Conversations explain what is going on with the characters and the world we're walking into with these characters.
Our characters encounter a strange world where the laws of nature do not apply called The Shimmer. The Shimmer is the most visually amazing place I've ever seen. The use of color in this world is gorgeous, and makes everything pop more. Also, the use of darkness at times really adds to shock, and there's at least one scene that is so legitimately terrifying that I couldn't stop shaking from how frightened I was. Sheer brutality and perfectly executed horror sold many parts of this world. The further they walked into The Shimmer, the more twisted the world became. I wouldn't last 24 hours in The Shimmer. I can definitely tell you that. I also think the horror elements blended with the overall mystery & science of the world created in The Shimmer are so unique to the science fiction genre. It's such an ambitious movie that I feel succeeds on all levels. It's a world building movie fueled by tension, and the most memorable finale I've seen in some time. Everything that happens to the characters is original, and truly unpredictable. You can't believe what you're watching. It's so beautiful and unique.
I was into everything going on, really enjoying everything, and then the final act completely pulled me in and left me absolutely loving this movie. The lighthouse scenes are out of this world! Much like Ex Machina, Garland brings another third act that gave explosions of color and emotion unlike anything you'll ever feel. It's amazing to watch-the cinematography mixed with the visuals are on another level. What really sells these incredible visuals and twisting story points is that menacing and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. The Alien is one of the best instrumental themes I've heard for a movie, and it sells each second of this lighthouse scene better than anything you can imagine. This movie is your imagination taken beyond the fifth dimension. The fifth dimension would run in fear of The Shimmer. The Lost Souls Room in Beetlejuice is a relaxing vacation spot compared to The Shimmer. Whenever you see a lighthouse after watching this movie, you'll immediately get chills. The ending is open to interpretation, but at the same time, I have seen this twice, so I have pieced together more of the details and occurrences to try and fully grasp everything. It's one of the best movies in the last decade, and one of the better science fiction movies you'll ever see. It honestly may end up being my favorite movie of 2018. It's really going to take a lot to top it.
The world of The Shimmer-the look, the colors, the unique world overall, the lighthouse scenes, the fantastic cast, the character's journey, the thought-provoking story, and one of the best soundtracks in years (that synthesizer will hit you hard) make this a definite 5/5, and one of the legit most ambitious movies ever with a deep look at the human soul interwoven into a dark, unnatural world with bits of light, a kaleidoscope of color, and hope hidden amidst the chaos within. Alex Garland is a force in the science fiction genre, and I can't wait for his next project.
Welcome to the Two Geeks Go To The Movies! This is a project of two college friends who watch way too many movies and have decided to tell the world. Enjoy the ramblings.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Black Panther Review
I saw Black Panther on February 19, 2018! I thought this was an excellent movie! I normally can't stand MCU movies, but this movie never felt like your typical MCU movie. The movie had a darker tone, the characters were great, and the performances were fantastic. There wasn't random humor thrown in. The action was actually amazing. The political storylines were well written and made the audience care about what was going on. It felt more like a DC movie, which is the comic book universe I gravitate towards. I'm honestly not too familiar with Black Panther overall, which is probably why I appreciated it more, but it really is a phenomenal movie that celebrates African American & African pride as well as celebrating black history & culture.
We are introduced to the world of Wakanda-an incredibly advanced technological society fueled by vibranium with awesome warrior women & tribes following the aura of the Black Panther. Wakanda is visually amazing-all the colors and larger than life atmosphere make it unique. The look of Wakanda is actually based off Blade Runner (in my Top 20 movies of all time). There are two big political viewpoints represented throughout the movie from respective characters. It's interesting watching where loyalties and beliefs lie as the movie unfolds. There are twists presented that give us insight into why characters are following a certain path. There is a fantastic depiction of traditional African culture blended with a fantastical element of the advanced Wakanda. It's really a great dynamic!
The performance by Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa was phenomenal-probably the best work of his career thus far. Michael B. Jordan was excellent as Erik Killmonger, his best work since Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights. I sided with Wakanda, but fully understood where Killmonger's animosity was coming from. These were two solid male performances that presented shades of gray approaches to what we were watching. There was no black and white, right and wrong in what was going on. I agreed with both characters to an extent. Daniel Kaluuya (who I honestly hope pulls off the upset win at the Oscars for his amazing work in Get Out) was a great side character as W'Kabi with a lot of motivations and thoughts about the direction Wakanda should head. It all stems around Ulysses Klaue, who has caused so much grief for his family, and he wants to see some justice. Martin Freeman was great as the CIA fighter pilot-he had great comedic timing when he had to, and he understood the cause of Wakanda, and stood with the troops even when he was out of his element. It's honestly something to respect. Andy Serkis was absolutely nuts as Ulysses Klaue, and I couldn't get enough of it. He really stole a lot of the scenes he was in based on his eccentric attitude. Serkis has never disappointed in anything he's done from Gollum/Smeagol in Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit (which also starred Martin Freeman) to Caesar (his work in the new Planet of the Apes trilogy is fantastic) to Snoke (the only thing I liked about The Last Jedi), he has always managed to create something memorable and make it matter.
While these male characters were great (especially T'Challa & Erik Killmonger), we can't really talk about the greatness of this movie without mentioning the incredible females in this movie. It's hard to pick a favorite, because each of the three main female characters had their own strengths to love about them. I really enjoyed Letitia Wright's Shuri-T'Challa's younger sister. She was hilarious, intelligent (very scientific), sarcastic, & cute. She has so much charisma, and she basically keeps Wakanda running. She was the woman with the iron fists-her battle look was awesome. Lupita N'yongo (an actress that is truly one of the most fantastic actresses in the business) delivered a deeply layered performance in the character of Nakia. She is a wardog who basically spies around the world for Wakanda, and protects Wakanda. She never loses her belief system, and even her romantic connection to T'Challa doesn't derail her from the fact that if something doesn't seem right, you don't have to follow it. You can challenge it. She is a great voice for Wakanda. She has the guts to go against the grain. She walks into the lion's den on dangerous missions. Everything she does is for the betterment of Wakanda. She's always conflicted, but even while she may be conflicted about what to do, she never loses her path, which I love. She also is one heck of a warrior-she really can do it all! Then, we come across the ultimate bad ass general, Okoye, played by Danai Gurira. Some may know her as Micchone from The Walking Dead, and she's even more fearless here. She is an incredible fighter. She's all business. She defends the throne. I think it speaks to her character that she will stand by the throne even if she doesn't respect the person sitting on it. In many ways, she is respecting tradition. She is loyal to tradition. It's definitely something to respect. All of these women are unique in their own ways, and at the same time, they're all such strong, intelligent, powerful, beautiful women that run & protect Wakanda. In my opinion, without these glorious Glamazons, Wakanda wouldn't be as strong as it is. The strength lies in the female.
The action in this movie is so amazing to watch. The South Korea scenes are so gorgeous-the colors blended with the awesome technology helmed by Shuri and fast pace of T'Challa blended together to create something truly special. The challenge scenes were gritty, brutal, and well choreographed. The final battle scene was epic. T'Challa (rising to reclaim Wakanda like Sting in WCW from Hollywood Hogan & the nWo) leading the charge with the Dora Milaje against Erik Killmonger was very well done. The cinematography by Rachel Morrison was so fantastic, and captured the grit and emotion of the battle. There was physical and emotional battles going on that resonated with the audience. Ryan Coogler directed an incredible movie with an awesome cast. Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, & Sterling K. Brown also rounded out a wonderful cast in respective cameo roles that all meant something in order to further the story. I mentioned these three, because each was a conscience to a main character, and Coogler made sure everything was fleshed out and told a complete story. In my opinion, everything was explained well. The characters were deeply layered, and I understood every character's stance and emotion through every step they took and every word they spoke.
Black Panther will go down as a truly remarkable moment in cinema. It's one of the greatest comic book movies ever made, and simply, one of the best movies I've seen in some time. I'm so impressed with this cast. These characters have so many dimensions you don't even need the special glasses to see them in a 3D showing. The story & political perspectives were deeply layered, and well written. I think Erik Killmonger's final sentence was perfect for what this movie represents for so many people of color, and it might be one of the most powerful sentences in movie history. The action sequences captured raw physicality, feminine strength, as well as raw emotion. I really encourage everybody to see this movie. It's one of a kind, and in many ways changes the guard for movies. It's a definite 5/5 for me. There were so many things going for this movie, and they delivered on all fronts!
We are introduced to the world of Wakanda-an incredibly advanced technological society fueled by vibranium with awesome warrior women & tribes following the aura of the Black Panther. Wakanda is visually amazing-all the colors and larger than life atmosphere make it unique. The look of Wakanda is actually based off Blade Runner (in my Top 20 movies of all time). There are two big political viewpoints represented throughout the movie from respective characters. It's interesting watching where loyalties and beliefs lie as the movie unfolds. There are twists presented that give us insight into why characters are following a certain path. There is a fantastic depiction of traditional African culture blended with a fantastical element of the advanced Wakanda. It's really a great dynamic!
The performance by Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa was phenomenal-probably the best work of his career thus far. Michael B. Jordan was excellent as Erik Killmonger, his best work since Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights. I sided with Wakanda, but fully understood where Killmonger's animosity was coming from. These were two solid male performances that presented shades of gray approaches to what we were watching. There was no black and white, right and wrong in what was going on. I agreed with both characters to an extent. Daniel Kaluuya (who I honestly hope pulls off the upset win at the Oscars for his amazing work in Get Out) was a great side character as W'Kabi with a lot of motivations and thoughts about the direction Wakanda should head. It all stems around Ulysses Klaue, who has caused so much grief for his family, and he wants to see some justice. Martin Freeman was great as the CIA fighter pilot-he had great comedic timing when he had to, and he understood the cause of Wakanda, and stood with the troops even when he was out of his element. It's honestly something to respect. Andy Serkis was absolutely nuts as Ulysses Klaue, and I couldn't get enough of it. He really stole a lot of the scenes he was in based on his eccentric attitude. Serkis has never disappointed in anything he's done from Gollum/Smeagol in Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit (which also starred Martin Freeman) to Caesar (his work in the new Planet of the Apes trilogy is fantastic) to Snoke (the only thing I liked about The Last Jedi), he has always managed to create something memorable and make it matter.
While these male characters were great (especially T'Challa & Erik Killmonger), we can't really talk about the greatness of this movie without mentioning the incredible females in this movie. It's hard to pick a favorite, because each of the three main female characters had their own strengths to love about them. I really enjoyed Letitia Wright's Shuri-T'Challa's younger sister. She was hilarious, intelligent (very scientific), sarcastic, & cute. She has so much charisma, and she basically keeps Wakanda running. She was the woman with the iron fists-her battle look was awesome. Lupita N'yongo (an actress that is truly one of the most fantastic actresses in the business) delivered a deeply layered performance in the character of Nakia. She is a wardog who basically spies around the world for Wakanda, and protects Wakanda. She never loses her belief system, and even her romantic connection to T'Challa doesn't derail her from the fact that if something doesn't seem right, you don't have to follow it. You can challenge it. She is a great voice for Wakanda. She has the guts to go against the grain. She walks into the lion's den on dangerous missions. Everything she does is for the betterment of Wakanda. She's always conflicted, but even while she may be conflicted about what to do, she never loses her path, which I love. She also is one heck of a warrior-she really can do it all! Then, we come across the ultimate bad ass general, Okoye, played by Danai Gurira. Some may know her as Micchone from The Walking Dead, and she's even more fearless here. She is an incredible fighter. She's all business. She defends the throne. I think it speaks to her character that she will stand by the throne even if she doesn't respect the person sitting on it. In many ways, she is respecting tradition. She is loyal to tradition. It's definitely something to respect. All of these women are unique in their own ways, and at the same time, they're all such strong, intelligent, powerful, beautiful women that run & protect Wakanda. In my opinion, without these glorious Glamazons, Wakanda wouldn't be as strong as it is. The strength lies in the female.
The action in this movie is so amazing to watch. The South Korea scenes are so gorgeous-the colors blended with the awesome technology helmed by Shuri and fast pace of T'Challa blended together to create something truly special. The challenge scenes were gritty, brutal, and well choreographed. The final battle scene was epic. T'Challa (rising to reclaim Wakanda like Sting in WCW from Hollywood Hogan & the nWo) leading the charge with the Dora Milaje against Erik Killmonger was very well done. The cinematography by Rachel Morrison was so fantastic, and captured the grit and emotion of the battle. There was physical and emotional battles going on that resonated with the audience. Ryan Coogler directed an incredible movie with an awesome cast. Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, & Sterling K. Brown also rounded out a wonderful cast in respective cameo roles that all meant something in order to further the story. I mentioned these three, because each was a conscience to a main character, and Coogler made sure everything was fleshed out and told a complete story. In my opinion, everything was explained well. The characters were deeply layered, and I understood every character's stance and emotion through every step they took and every word they spoke.
Black Panther will go down as a truly remarkable moment in cinema. It's one of the greatest comic book movies ever made, and simply, one of the best movies I've seen in some time. I'm so impressed with this cast. These characters have so many dimensions you don't even need the special glasses to see them in a 3D showing. The story & political perspectives were deeply layered, and well written. I think Erik Killmonger's final sentence was perfect for what this movie represents for so many people of color, and it might be one of the most powerful sentences in movie history. The action sequences captured raw physicality, feminine strength, as well as raw emotion. I really encourage everybody to see this movie. It's one of a kind, and in many ways changes the guard for movies. It's a definite 5/5 for me. There were so many things going for this movie, and they delivered on all fronts!