Category Archives: Good digital effects

2019, Acceptable for teenagers, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Action Film, Aliens from outer space, Bisexual theme, Bloody scenes, Cancer theme, Computer geeks, Drugs, Ends in Cliff Hanger, Explicit sexual discussion, Father-daughter relations, Good digital effects, Happy Family Gatherings, Mediocre, Melodrama, Mildly Violent, Mother-daughter relations, Nasty Aliens, Netflix Streaming, Nothing special, Nudity, Romance, Sci-Fi, Sex Scenes, Sexual Tension, Suspense, Various Romances, Vulgar, Young Adults

Another Life (2019)

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From IMDB:

Astronaut Niko Breckenridge and her young crew face unimaginable danger as they go on a high-risk mission to explore the genesis of an alien artifact.

From Netflix you can stream the only season made so far of this series. Each of the 10 episodes lasts about 45 minutes except for the first episode which lasts an hour.

What makes this mediocre (and possible waste of time) series  different is that it is mostly about the inter-relations of the VERY young crew. Along the way you hear a lot of technical space babble. Who knows if any of that jargon approaches reality?  One crisis after another plagues the crew. Fortunately with each crisis there is some far-fetched solution. In a way it makes for easy watching when every seemingly insurmountable problem has a quick and often hokey fix. Eventually there must be another season because the story is just taking off when the season comes to a halt.

When I was a kid I went every Saturday morning to a movie theatre and spent the outrageous entry fee of 20 cents  to see one cartoon, one comedy short, an episode of a series starring such wonders as Superman, and a full-length feature film.  Every episode of that series ended with our hero in some jam. Next episode gets the hero out of that jam only to trap him in another jam. Needless to say, I could hardly wait for the next week’s exciting episode. Similarly I was compelled to binge watch “Another Life” to see how the kids (as I said, a VERY young crew) solved the current problem.

At least it was a welcome break from all the crime stories.

 

2014, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Action Film, Action Hero, Clever Plot, Corny at times, Good digital effects, Mayhem, Military, Nasty Aliens, Violent, War

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

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From Netflix:

As Earth fights an alien invasion, Lt. Col. Bill Cage is killed in action, and a time loop forces him to continually relive his last day. With each iteration, Cage’s skill grows, as does his understanding of the enemy and how it operates.

Are you ready for 113 minutes of Tom Cruise fighting invading aliens? Those 113 minutes might seem long because he keeps getting killed and then repeating his life from his entry into the war against the aliens. He does this at least 300 times. But fear not, only the first rebirth seems repetitious and the film moves briskly, albeit with some unexpected failures along the way. Needless to say this is a violent film consisting mostly of shooting aliens with really big machine guns.

Cruise’s character Cage is accompanied by another re-liver Rita (played by Emily Blunt of “The Devil Wears Prada” fame). Don’t expect a great love affair from old stone face. In all fairness this is Cruise’s kind of film: lots of action, no need to emote.

Acceptable for children who can take the violence. Clever eye candy suitable for an idle moment.

2014, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Digital Effects, Ethical struggles, Fantasy, Good digital effects, Nothing special, Psychic Phenomena, Sci-Fi, Somewhat ridiculous plot, Thought provoking

Trancendence (2014)

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From Netflix:

A husband and wife team of computer scientists work to advance artificial intelligence as a radical anti-technology organization fights to prevent them from creating a world where computers can transcend the abilities of the human brain.

Two hours of digital effects plus some possibly thought-provoking discussions are more or less the content of this not especially important sci-fi film.

As for actors you might recognize Johnny Deep, Paul Bettany (the priest in “Priest”), Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow in “The Dark Knight Rises”), Kate Mara (Zoe Barnes in “House of Cards”), and Morgen Freeman.

In case the plot is not abundantly clear you can always read the Wikipedia summary.

Long and only so-so.

2013, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Acceptable Science, Astronauts, Good digital effects, Psychological Drama, Suspense

Gravity (2013)

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From Netflix:

As a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission embarks on a space walk with a seasoned astronaut, debris strikes their craft and destroys it — leaving the two floating through space tethered together, with no connection to Earth.

After watching Sandra Bullock spin weightlessly in space while I was clutching my seat with white knuckles and cringing, I have definitely decided that I do NOT want to be an astronaut.

As Wikipedia explains, it took three years to make this film. There are even films about the making of “Gravity”.

For the most part this is a visual adventure best seen with a large screen. Equally important are Bullock’s emotions: panic, steely determination, despair, and some elation. Early on we learn that she has cut herself off from feelings when her little girl was killed in an auto accident.

George Clooney plays a role that is secondary to that of Sandra Bullock. Rather than any special acting ability, it is putting ourselves in her place that makes the film so harrowing.

Possibly not for everyone, but definitely a cinematic achievement.

2013, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Action Film, Action Hero, Based on a Book, Good digital effects, Mediocre, Nothing special, Violent

Oblivion (2013)

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From Netflix:

High above a war-torn future Earth, Cmdr. Jack Harper is maintaining the planet’s defensive drones when a crippled starship enters his territory. Its sole occupant, a mysterious woman, leads Harper to shocking truths about humankind’s legacy.

Good digital graphics, plausible plot and the usual really bad guy (a machine named TET) versus some nice survivors make this nothing-special sci-fi film bearable. Fortunately Tom Cruise does not try to act, pulling instead that old trick of keeping a perfectly straight face and letting you supply appropriate emotions on his behalf.

If the ending confuses you, you might try believing the plot description in Wikepedia.

If you have nothing better to do, then the adventure may not be a total loss.

2013, Action Film, Good digital effects, Love Story, Medical Theme, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Violent

Elysium (2013)

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From Netflix:

In this dystopian thriller set in 2159, the wealthiest humans move to a fabulous private space station, while life on Earth grows ever more grim. With no other options, an ex-con agrees to join a risky mission to bring balance to the two worlds.

Is science fiction pessimistic or realistic? First read a newspaper and then tell me the gap between rich and poor is not widening. As a limit to this widening gap we have “Blade Runner” and “Elysium”. In both cases planet Earth is a real mess. Enter Matt Damon who tries to lead an honest life inside this earthly mess. Eventually industry mismanagement accidentally dooms him to death by radiation exposure. To save his own life he undergoes a painful physical operation to become a bit robot-like. What carries the film along is not Damon’s merely acceptable acting, but rather the plot.

As far as acting goes, Jodie Foster can be one real hard-hearted woman. Sit back and watch her make nasty “management” decisions.

Every successful sci-fi film needs some “gimmick”. In this case households in Elysium each have a machine that can cure any human illness. Sign me up!

2013, Acceptable for children, Action Film, B-movie, Bullying, Corny, Could be boring, Fantasy, FBI, Good digital effects, Mayhem, Sci-Fi, Violent

Man of Steel (2013)

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From Netflix:

In another revival of the Superman legend, reporter Clark Kent must keep his alien origins and fantastic powers hidden from the world at large. But when the Kryptonian General Zod plans to destroy Earth, the Man of Steel springs into heroic action.

No amount of digital eye-candy can turn a B-movie into an A-movie. Kids (some of whom are in their 70’s) will enjoy the visuals. However, if you are looking for anything but corny dialog and bathos, look elsewhere.

How does it happen so often that such an extravaganza features as actors a long list of well-known personalities? Look for Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Richard Schiff, Christopher Meloni, Kevin Costner, Lawrence Fishburne. And the list goes on. Assumedly they were each paid a great deal of money.

To be sure, the bullies never win. But it might be almost boring fun watching them try. For awhile my money was on the evil General Zod and his evolutionarily advanced buddies.

2012, Action Film, British, Car Chase, Chase film, Frenetic, Good digital effects, Mayhem, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Spy Theme, Suspense, Violent, Witty dialog

Skyfall (2012)

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From Netflix:

When a serious menace threatens MI6, James Bond is on the case — putting aside his own life and personal issues to hunt and obliterate the perpetrators. Meanwhile, secrets arise from M’s past that strain Bond’s loyalty to his longtime boss.

From Netflix you can stream this 2 hour 23 minute action film.

If nothing else, don’t miss the opening chase scene, possibly the current champion in the race to create ever more frantic and probably impossible chases. Comparing this James Bond film with past efforts shows how far film-makers have progressed in their craft. Just how do you make a London subway train crash through its track floor?

Something new has been added: Both M and James are supposedly getting older which pretends to be the main theme in the film. Of course, James appears in some sex scenes. Perhaps it is just his face, which was made to look if not old then at least really haggard (whereas his body is in very good shape, something that make-up probably cannot hide). Indeed he can stay underwater for 15 minutes and tends to leap over tall buildings (reality is just not important). During the filming he was a young 44 years of age.

As M, Judy Dench fits the bill very well. And she at times in the film looks really old! But let’s give her a break because during the filming she was a young 78 years of age.

Creepy surprise: Javier Bardem knows how to make a really hammy villain. Should we ask how he managed to get a mouthful of decayed teeth? He is the kid on the block because during filming he was a mere 43 years old.

Never mind what the critics say, if you are a James Bond fan then this is just another in a long line of eye-candy adventures.

2013, Action Film, Father-son relations, Good digital effects, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Wonderful photography

After Earth (2013)

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From NetFlix:

A thousand years in the future, Gen. Cypher Raige and his young son, Kitai, crash-land their crippled ship on the long-abandoned, desolate Earth. With his father near death, Kitai sets out to find a beacon that will save them from certain doom.

If nothing else, the visual effects and scenery are worth watching. Although Avatar was more fantastic (in the literal sense), still this film reminds me of Avatar. Digital artistry just gets better and better. Hopefully, the other aspects of a film will keep pace: story, acting, and something in the plot that connects to the human experience.

Up to now Will Smith has had mostly comedy roles and never seemed destined for anything deeper. Here he is a much more serious actor, although it is still science fiction, after all. If anything the story revolves completely around his relation as a Ranger General with his son who aspires to also be a Ranger.

Imaginative and realistic suspense is ever present as the son fights the savage nature of a now-primitive Earth in order to save both his life and that of his injured father.

If you liked “Avatar” or if you are a sci-fi fan, then this well constructed film is for you. (Could be scary for young children).