Hi again,
I just wanted to let everyone know that I plan to post again within 24 hours. I haven't decided yet, but I'm thinking of either doing Contact with Jodie Foster or Terminator 2. And as always, I will consider reviews on demand if you post comments wishing me to do so. See ya around!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Review #1: ALIENS (1986)
Have you ever wondered why the dropships in the “Halo” series evoke feelings of Deja Vu, or why some of the dialogue in “Mass Effect” sends shivers up your spine? Others have as well, and when they've asked people in the entertainment business where they drew their inspiration from, they all said the same thing- a little film called "ALIENS". The movie is just one of those things that's unavoidable in popular culture. Even if you haven't actually seen the film, chances are you've been exposed to it in one form or another. Many have called it a "genre-defining" film, and just about anyone you talk to who has seen it will say the same thing-it is amazing.
The movie is a self-contained sequel to the 1979 film "ALIEN" by Ridley Scott. It neatly picks up where the original left off: Ellen Ripley, a former warrant officer aboard the commercial space freighter Nostromo has been floating through space for 57 years. After surviving an experience with a vicious alien who killed her entire crew, she is found by a deep salvage team and restored to health in orbit around Earth.
Upon being woken up, she is horrified to find that her company superiors have established a colony on the very world she had just escaped. To their apparent surprise, contact with the colony is lost, and Ripley is asked to lead a U.S. military team to the planet to investigate. Upon arrival, they find that everyone, save for one little girl, has been killed by the same alien species, and everyone is plunged head-deep into a battle for survival.
The catch is that a plot summary does not do this film justice. Yes, "ALIENS" aims to tell a story, but it is so much more than that! One of the aspects that sets it apart from the rest of its competitors is that it allows you to not only observe what is happening, but to FEEL it. Through the use of vivid art design and set construction, you immediately feel as though the world is a believable place that you can walk around in.
The same is applied to the characters. Everyone from the main character, to the supporting cast and right on down to the extras, 'feels' lifelike. In a typical, cliched horror movie, the characters are just used as cheap eye candy for the audience; they neither act nor react to their surroundings and are quickly killed off. But in "ALIENS", they go from being cocky, to cautious to scared out of their skin when the realization of what they are facing sets in. And their fear is reflected back on us every step of the way.
The film also has a display of unprecedented military realism. There is not a single James T. Kirk moment where the superior officer goes gallivanting off the ship for no reason. In fact, the commanding officer waits patiently in the ship at a secure distance while the grunts secure the area for him.
Instead of charging in with guns blazing, the squad separates into search and support teams as they sweep through the complex. Everyone has a clearly defined objective and they pursue it intelligently without splitting up to look for the source of a “strange noise”. And contrary to the way drama is usually set up, there is a clear strategy with contingency plans in place.
At one point, about 80% of the marines are killed in a matter of minutes by the aliens, but instead of merely retreating, we find that the dropship, which has been circling the complex until ordered to land, is not only ready for a fast pickup, but has a nuclear payload to take care of the infestation before it spreads and causes further loss of life.
This is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the display of strategy in the film, but it illustrates intelligence to the movie that is very rare in the genre.
Most importantly, “ALIENS” is a film that understands pacing and is not afraid to slowly build anticipation before exploding into action. So many contemporary films fall flat because they immediately jump to the action without any regard for setup, and the result is usually one of boredom. One can only take so many cheap shootouts shoveled down their throats before they are desensitized to the effect.
“ALIENS” wisely recognizes the concept of delayed gratification, and consequently, when the shit hits the fan half way into the movie, everything that happens feels not only more believable, but more rewarding and more intense.
“ALIENS” is at once immersive and breath taking as it sucks you in, straps you down and takes you for the ride of your life.
Some may choose to view the film as a polarizing, "love it or hate it" movie at first glance because it happens to be a genre film. This could not be more untrue. Just about everyone who has seen the movie, male or female, black or white, nerd or jock, religious or agnostic, film buff or book nut, has loved it. It is also one of the rare films to have achieved a perfect, 100% metacritic score.
Never being one to dispute intelligent consensus, I’m giving it 10/10.
Take that Godfather!
The movie is a self-contained sequel to the 1979 film "ALIEN" by Ridley Scott. It neatly picks up where the original left off: Ellen Ripley, a former warrant officer aboard the commercial space freighter Nostromo has been floating through space for 57 years. After surviving an experience with a vicious alien who killed her entire crew, she is found by a deep salvage team and restored to health in orbit around Earth.
Upon being woken up, she is horrified to find that her company superiors have established a colony on the very world she had just escaped. To their apparent surprise, contact with the colony is lost, and Ripley is asked to lead a U.S. military team to the planet to investigate. Upon arrival, they find that everyone, save for one little girl, has been killed by the same alien species, and everyone is plunged head-deep into a battle for survival.
The catch is that a plot summary does not do this film justice. Yes, "ALIENS" aims to tell a story, but it is so much more than that! One of the aspects that sets it apart from the rest of its competitors is that it allows you to not only observe what is happening, but to FEEL it. Through the use of vivid art design and set construction, you immediately feel as though the world is a believable place that you can walk around in.
The same is applied to the characters. Everyone from the main character, to the supporting cast and right on down to the extras, 'feels' lifelike. In a typical, cliched horror movie, the characters are just used as cheap eye candy for the audience; they neither act nor react to their surroundings and are quickly killed off. But in "ALIENS", they go from being cocky, to cautious to scared out of their skin when the realization of what they are facing sets in. And their fear is reflected back on us every step of the way.
The film also has a display of unprecedented military realism. There is not a single James T. Kirk moment where the superior officer goes gallivanting off the ship for no reason. In fact, the commanding officer waits patiently in the ship at a secure distance while the grunts secure the area for him.
Instead of charging in with guns blazing, the squad separates into search and support teams as they sweep through the complex. Everyone has a clearly defined objective and they pursue it intelligently without splitting up to look for the source of a “strange noise”. And contrary to the way drama is usually set up, there is a clear strategy with contingency plans in place.
At one point, about 80% of the marines are killed in a matter of minutes by the aliens, but instead of merely retreating, we find that the dropship, which has been circling the complex until ordered to land, is not only ready for a fast pickup, but has a nuclear payload to take care of the infestation before it spreads and causes further loss of life.
This is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the display of strategy in the film, but it illustrates intelligence to the movie that is very rare in the genre.
Most importantly, “ALIENS” is a film that understands pacing and is not afraid to slowly build anticipation before exploding into action. So many contemporary films fall flat because they immediately jump to the action without any regard for setup, and the result is usually one of boredom. One can only take so many cheap shootouts shoveled down their throats before they are desensitized to the effect.
“ALIENS” wisely recognizes the concept of delayed gratification, and consequently, when the shit hits the fan half way into the movie, everything that happens feels not only more believable, but more rewarding and more intense.
“ALIENS” is at once immersive and breath taking as it sucks you in, straps you down and takes you for the ride of your life.
Some may choose to view the film as a polarizing, "love it or hate it" movie at first glance because it happens to be a genre film. This could not be more untrue. Just about everyone who has seen the movie, male or female, black or white, nerd or jock, religious or agnostic, film buff or book nut, has loved it. It is also one of the rare films to have achieved a perfect, 100% metacritic score.
Never being one to dispute intelligent consensus, I’m giving it 10/10.
Take that Godfather!
Introduction
Hi everyone,
Before I begin the process of doing reviews for my blog, I'd like to give you an overview of what you can expect to see in the coming months. First of all, you can expect three things from me.
1: Atypically long reviews, dealing not only with content, but concept and execution. My focus will be on entertainment value, as well as comparative analysis and cultural significance.
2: A commitment to the genre of science fiction. This will take precedence over all other genres unless something compels me to break this sacred law. Accept it, understand it, love it.
3: A careful approach to editing. As a student, I often have to budget my time between work and leisure, so my work will not be perfectly fine tuned all the time. But as a practicing journalist, I recognize the importance of professional output. If anyone notices a glaring error that needs to be corrected, feel free to point it out and I will make the appropriate changes immediately.
That's all for now. I plan to write reviews based on what I think is interesting, but I'm also considering on-demand reviews as well. If you have suggestions, feel free to drop me a comment and we'll see where to take it from there. Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope to see you around.
Before I begin the process of doing reviews for my blog, I'd like to give you an overview of what you can expect to see in the coming months. First of all, you can expect three things from me.
1: Atypically long reviews, dealing not only with content, but concept and execution. My focus will be on entertainment value, as well as comparative analysis and cultural significance.
2: A commitment to the genre of science fiction. This will take precedence over all other genres unless something compels me to break this sacred law. Accept it, understand it, love it.
3: A careful approach to editing. As a student, I often have to budget my time between work and leisure, so my work will not be perfectly fine tuned all the time. But as a practicing journalist, I recognize the importance of professional output. If anyone notices a glaring error that needs to be corrected, feel free to point it out and I will make the appropriate changes immediately.
That's all for now. I plan to write reviews based on what I think is interesting, but I'm also considering on-demand reviews as well. If you have suggestions, feel free to drop me a comment and we'll see where to take it from there. Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope to see you around.
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