Friday, May 31, 2013

After Earth ~ A Review of Tale Of Father Finding His Son

After Earth ~ A Review of Tale Of Father Finding His Son | A Constantly Racing Mind



“I heard stories of Earth, It was a paradise, but we destroyed it.”


We have been watching the trailers for "After Earth," and we get the idea that this is a film about the typical hard-ass of a father character, and the typical son trying to prove his worth to his dad.  "After Earth" is that and a lot more.  These types of films can be played out in many ways and that is what makes "After Earth" a bit different.  The film stars Will and Jaden Smith, father and son in their second outing together.  Not really publicized as in the past, but not really hiding it, is that one of the scriptwriters, and the director of this Sci-Fi, battle against the elements, is none other than M. Night Shyamalan.  Don't let that throw you off, "After Earth" is solid and runs about one hour and forty minutes and is rated PG-13.

Told chronologically out of order, and with plenty of flashback sequences that remind one of another Will Smith flick, "I Am Legend,"  we are told bits and pieces of a much deeper story. Obviously, Jaden Smith is our protagonist, Kitai Raige, son of the famous war hero played by his real father Will Smith.  Cypher Raige, who is a General in the Ranger Corps, is tough as nails and fearless.  As in typical father and son bonding films, Cypher is distant, serious, and seemingly unfeeling.  Kitai, on the other hand is in desperate need of some fatherly approval.  Aren't we all?  Kitai, we find is the best in his class, but too immature to be promoted to Ranger.  The history of the human race unfolds as Kitai tells of the ruin of Earth and humankind’s new manifest destiny to inhabit other worlds.  They built Arks and left, now living on Nova Prime: the world the Earthlings escaped to about a thousand years before.  A planet where, apparently, some alien race decided to leave them a genetically engineered present.  We find the Raiges on the night of Cypher's brief homecoming.  We see a few family moments to give us insight into the dynamics of this somewhat dysfunctional military family.  I don't know if this is true of all military families; however, the relationship between father and son in "The Great Santini" comes to mind.  Realizing that he may be losing his family, especially his son, Cypher sets off to lead one more training mission before announcing his retirement.  When isn't it right before someone's retirement that all hell breaks out?  Taking his kid along on this little vacation trip, the two find they get more they bargained for.

After Earth ~ Banner | A Constantly Racing Mind


Father and son speed off to their destination in a ship of dubious design, reminding one of a giant Manta Ray.  As much as Kitai wants to please his father, he is after all a 14-year-old boy with all the curiosity that comes with that age.  During the flight, when he should be sleeping, he is out and about exploring the ship and ignores a big red 'Restricted Access' sign.  Why he does that is anyone's guess.  I look at my own teenager, and I immediately understand.  At this point, we are introduced to the film's main antagonist, a creature known as an URSA.  Looking something like a cross between a bear but kind of like a spider, there is one caged in the back of the ship, and Kitai is both drawn to, and scared by the creature.  Like "Jaws," you don't actually get to see the creature in action right away.  "TheBook of Eli" writer Gary Whitta does something that one may think is perfect this time around, he brings out the creature at just the right time.  Throughout the story, Whitta's script leaves both subtle and not so subtle hints that there is danger on the horizon.  The creature is worth the wait and the CGI gives us a monster that could give one nightmares.

Predictably, there is a problem with the flight and their spaceship is brought down.  Crashing on the forbidden planet Earth, the Raiges are the only survivors.  Locked into his seat, on order by his Commanding Officer (his father), Kitai is the only one who makes it through the crash in one piece.  Cypher is broken and in peril, and now he must rely on his son to fetch from the other half of their ship's broken fuselage, the second emergency beacon.  The beacon is about a thousand kilometers away in a land fraught with danger and it is up to this young cadet with no real experience to save their lives.  Shyamalan gives us two stories going on simultaneously, Kitai's travels and encounters with the elements, and Cypher's attempts to fix his femoral artery in his broken leg while trying to guide his son through the landscape, which are infested with creatures that have evolved unchecked by man for over a thousand years.  Not to mention the URSA creature that, although is blind, tracks its prey by the scent of fear.  Director Shyamalan's choices for filming locations are exotic and beautiful.  Filmed in Utah, Northern California, and Costa Rica, Shyamalan presents his viewers with the sheer beauty and grandeur of Mother Nature.  We don't see much of this anymore with worlds now totally recreated on a green screen set.  The art direction for "After Earth" is different, reminding one of the sails of a ship and is organic in nature. Minimalist by design so as not to distract the audience from the main focus – the relationship of a immature son and his estranged father.


After Earth ~ Logo | A Constantly Racing Mind
This is not your typical Will Smith film.  No sly remarks thrown in, no happy go lucky "Prince 
of Bel Air," no Captain Hillard whose charisma and appeal we saw in "Independence Day."  No, this is a Will Smith playing a father whose life and his son's life are in grave danger and how he is unable to save the day himself.  On one hand, we have Kitai working to defeat his greatest opponent in this film, and that is himself.  In a Jedi/Zen sort of way we are instructed that "Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice."  Jaden Smith plays his part perfectly. I suppose that Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan wrote Jaden's part to augment the looks of fear and abandonment that he portrays throughout the film. Or, did they write his part to show off his defiance that most teenagers have at that age. Either way, we see a Jaden Smith who is more mature in both his acting skills and in his personal confidence. Kitai, developing from the wild, uncontrolled child running around like a chicken with his head cut off, to a young man who acknowledges the gravity of his situation and that he is in a fight for survival. Will's character has his own problems to contend with.  Besides having to do self-surgery, keep an eye on his kid, and check via flying probes for the URSA creature, he struggles with his own shortcomings as a father.  We find out, that Kitai had an older sister who died tragically.  Actually, both Raiges must come to terms with this death and how they dealt with it in the past and how they as a family must find a way to use that event as place of bonding.  Trapped with a broken leg in the front part of the craft, Will’s character must do his emoting with his face and show us the anguish that he is going through.  

I found the emotional interaction between father and son go from extremely harsh, to that with an aura of respect, while remaining firm. The shift is seen slowly throughout the film as we see some tender moments between Kitai and his wounded father.  In some cases kind of sappy yet not exceedingly so. 

The decision not to feature M. Night Shyamalan's name in the publicity was a wise one. Although his films make money worldwide, Shyamalan is mostly derided since his 2002 film "Signs" where he promised us a big scary monster and failed to deliver. He has been struggling in the eyes of critics ever since. Those days may be over, or, maybe not.  After all is said and done, this movie is ultimately targeted at the teen audience or families with younger teens. Both Smiths offer characters that family members can relate to. With Father's Day on the horizon, I can see why this film was released now. "After Earth" was designed to bring families together in a fun inviting sort of way.

In theaters May 31, 2013.

Movie Data

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Year:  2013
Staring: Jaden Smith, Will Smith
Director: M. Night Shyamalan 
Producer(s): Caleeb Pinkett, Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, James Lassiter, M. Night Shyamalan
Writer: Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 100 minutes
Release Date: 5/31/2013

After Earth ~ Banner-0002  | A Constantly Racing Mind



Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Purge Survive The Night | A Constantly Racing Mind

The Purge ~ Banner-0001  | A Constantly Racing Mind



I like films about dystopian futures, especially if they start out as some sort of Utopia that devolves into some sort of Shirley Jackson "The Lottery" type of messed up world. In "The Purge," the Democratic Republic is gone and the  New Founding Fathers of America,are now in power and have turned the United States into a strictly enforced martial law perfect civilization.  A sort of self regulated Darwinian government that culls out the weak and socially unwanted. 




However...
"If on one night every year, you could commit any crime without facing consequences, what would you do? In The Purge, a speculative thriller that follows one family over the course of a single night, four people will be tested to see how far they will go to protect themselves when the vicious outside world breaks into their home."


"The Purge" is produced by Blumhouse Productions, who in the past few years, have brought the world of cinematic horror, films such as "The Lords Of Salem," "Dark Skies," "Sinister," "Insidious," and the "Paranormal Activity" franchise.


"The Purge, " stars Ethan Hawke ("Sinister") and Lena Headey ("Dredd") and is distributed by Universal Pictures ~ opens June 7th 2013


Related

Movie Data

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Year:  2013
Staring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey
Director: James DeMonaco
Producer(s): Michael Bay,Jason Blum,Andrew Form,Bradley Fuller,Sebastien Lemercier
Writer: James DeMonaco
Rating: R
Running Time: 85 minutes
Release Date: 6/7/2013

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The World's End Trailer #2 | A Constantly Racing Mind

The World's End ~ Banner-0001  | A Constantly Racing Mind

Here is the latest trailer for Simon Pegg ('Star Trek Into Darkness') and Nick Frost's ("Paul") new film, "The World's End." The third in the  "Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy."




Here is the official plot synopsis:
"20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub - The World's End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realise the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind's. Reaching The World's End is the least of their worries."  ~ Working Title Films
"The Worlds End " is due to release August 23rd 2013 in the U.S. and July 19th in the U.K.

Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy
Year:  2013
Staring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Rosamund Pike
Director:  Edgar Wright
Producer(s): Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Nira Park
Writer: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Rating: R
Running Time: 109 minutes
Release Date: 8/23/2013


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Man of Steel Trailer #8 | A Constantly Racing Mind

Man of Steel ~ Banner-0004  | A Constantly Racing Mind

I am thinking that there is some sort of panic going on over at WarnerBrosPictures. They have released yet another television trailer for Zack Snyder's reboot of the American classic hero, Superman titled "Man of Steel" This is television trailer #8 featuring Michael Sheen as General Zod.  Shannon, says in a recent interview, that he looks at his character as sort of a "General Patton." Here is a brief summary of what to expect when the "Man of Steel"  comes out on June 14th, 2013.
"A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind." ~ Written by Warner Bros. Pictures


Look for the "Man of Steel" in theaters on June 14th in the US.

Related
.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Year: 2012
Staring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne
Director: Zack Snyder
Producer(s): Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Emma Thomas
Writer: David S. Goyer
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 143 minutes
Release Date: 6/14/2013

Man of Steel Trailer #7 | A Constantly Racing Mind


WarnerBrosPictures has released yet another television trailer in their promotional campaign leading up to the release of Zack Snyder's reboot of the American classic hero, Superman titled "Man of Steel" This is television trailer #7.  These trailers are coming out so quick it is hard to keep up with them. Anyway, here is the plot in case you don't know who Superman is and why he is the "Man of Steel."
"A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind." ~ Written by Warner Bros. Pictures


Look for the "Man of Steel" in theaters on June 14th in the US.

Related
.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Year: 2012
Staring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne
Director: Zack Snyder
Producer(s): Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Emma Thomas
Writer: David S. Goyer
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 143 minutes
Release Date: 6/14/2013

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Byzantium Movie Clip ~ Eleanor's Essay


Neil Jordan is back with a new vampire film with "Byzantium". It has been about around 19 years since he directed the adaptation of Anne Rices's classic novel "Interview With A Vampire." Once again, the writer is a woman by the name of Moira Buffini. Based on a stage play she wrote the story is about:
"Two mysterious women seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. Clara meets lonely Noel, who provides shelter in his deserted guesthouse, Byzantium. Schoolgirl Eleanor befriends Frank and tells him their lethal secret. They were born 200 years ago and survive on human blood. As knowledge of their secret spreads, their past catches up on them with deathly consequence."

You can find "Byzantium" in US theaters on June 28th, 2013

Movie Data

Genre:  Drama, Horror, Thriller
Year:  2013
Staring: Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton, Jonny Lee Miller, Daniel Mays, Caleb Landry Jones 
Director: Neil Jordan
Producer(s): Sam Englebardt, William D. Johnson, Elizabeth Karlsen, Alan Moloney, Stephen Woolley
Writer: Moira Buffini
Rating: PG-13

Man of Steel Trailer #6


WarnerBrosPictures has released the sixth television trailer in their promotional campaign leading up to the release of Zack Snyder's reboot of the American classic hero, Superman titled "Man of Steel"
"A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind." ~ Written by Warner Bros. Pictures


Look for the "Man of Steel" in theaters on June 14th in the US.

Related
.

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Year: 2012
Staring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne
Director: Zack Snyder
Producer(s): Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Emma Thomas
Writer: David S. Goyer
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 143 minutes
Release Date: 6/14/2013

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Science Fiction For Youth ~ After Earth & Ender's Game 2013


After Earth Banner | A Constantly Racing Mind



Below is a clip of Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) on his mission to save himself and his father, encountering some ultra bad-ass CGI tigers and some sort of giant bird in "After Earth." See the  clip below. 



With some very serious Sci-Fi coming out this year for adult audiences, like "Gravity," , "Europa Report,"  and the Tom Cruise film "Oblivion," Hollywood had deemed it necessary to provide the tweens with some Sci-Fi fodder as well.  After Earth is literally a father and son tale of bonding and coming of age in a post-human Earth. After humanity's escape to other worlds abandoning Earth to naturally select on its own, the creatures have climbed the evolutionary ladder without humans being in the way. After Earth star Will and Jaden Smith and is directed by M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense"), and starts on May 31st 2013.

Later this year, Asa Butterfield and Harrison Ford star in an adaptation of Orson Scott Card's bestselling novel, "Ender's Game." Once agin focused on the youth as the hero, Asa Butterfield's Ender Wiggans is humanity's only hope in the fight against the alien insectoid Buggers. Written and directed by Gavin Hood, "Ender's Game" comes to theaters on November 1st 2013. 

After Earth Rackham| A Constantly Racing Mind

Related

Movie Data

After Earth
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Year:  2013
Staring: Jaden Smith, Will Smith
Director: M. Night Shyamalan 
Producer(s): Caleeb Pinkett, Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, James Lassiter, M. Night Shyamalan
Writer: Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: PG-13


Movie Data

Ender's Game


Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Year:  2013
Staring: Ben Kingsley, Harrison Ford, Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Viola Davis
Director: Gavin Hood
Producer(s): Orson Scott Card,Robert Chartoff, Lynn Hendee, Linda McDonough, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, 
Writer: Gavin Hood
Rating: Not Rated

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Europa Report ~ Trailer

Europa Report - Banner 0001 | A Constantly Racing Mind


Ignoring HAL's last broadcast to the world at the end of Arthur C. Clarke's "2010: Odyssey Two" a new group of exployers are on their way there.

"ALL THESE WORLDS
ARE YOURS EXCEPT
EUROPA
ATTEMPT NO
LANDING THERE
USE THEM TOGETHER
USE THEM IN PEACE"



Europa Report - Poster 0001 | A Constantly Racing Mind
The "Europa Report" a story written by Philip Gelatt ("The Bleeding House"), whose new Sci-Fi thriller involves a crew of international six astronauts embarking on a privately funded three year journey to one of Jupiter's Galilean moons, more specifically Jupiter's fourth moon, Europa. The mission is trying to find extraterrestrial life, by exploring its oceans and confirm these findings of life. However, following a disastrous technical failure and the death of one of the crew, the remaining crew struggle to regain communication with Earth. 

Directing "Europa Report" is 39 year-old Sebastián Cordero, who in 1999  wrote and directed  "Ratas, Ratones, Rateros " a film  about Ecuadorian poverty.  Cordero is a graduate of University of Southern California. In the past, Cordero has worked with Guillermo Del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth") , and Alfonso Cuarón, who has his own Sci-Fi thriller, "Gravity"  coming out this year as well.
The film stars an international cast  including Sharlto Copley ("Elysium," "District 9"),  Michael Nyqvist, ("The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy), Christian Camargo ("Hurt Locker" "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" Parts I & II), Daniel Wu, and Anamaria Marinca. 

Producing " Europa Report"  is Ben Browning of Wayfare Entertainment (now Start Motion Pictures) who has worked with James Cameron on the 2011 film "Sanctum" that they produced together.  Best of all, in my opinion, is that Bear McCreary of "Battlestar Galactica," and "Walking Dead" is providing the musical score for this film.

A promotional website up as Europa Ventures L.L.C. billing themselves as THE WORLD'S LEADER IN AEROSPACE AND EXPLORATION.  Perhaps this is what Virgin Galactic becomes in the future. 

click on the logo

Coming to theaters in the U.S on August 2nd, 2013, however you can purchase the movie on iTunes on June 27th, 


Related

Movie Data

Genre:  Sci-Fi, Thriller
Year:  2013
Staring: Sharlto Copley, Michael Nyqvist, Christian Camargo, Daniel Wu, Anamaria Marinca
Director: Sebastián Cordero
Producer(s): Ben Browning
Writer: Philip Gelatt
Rating: PG-13