Category Archives: science fiction

“Annihilation” Trailers, Featurette, Poster

based on a book, horror, science fiction, ,

The poster is pretty but doesn’t say much about the movie. If you read the book, you know what you are in for. We just hope it is a worthwhile adaptation.

Written for the Screen and Directed by Alex Garland, Annihilation is based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer – Southern Reach Trilogy.  The movie stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac.

Slimmer Featurette interviews Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh and offers more insight into the storyline.

It’s good to see Jennifer Jason Leigh in this movie.

I watched the movie last night on Prime. Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and the rest of the cast are fantastic. Gina Rodriguez is making a name for herself and starring in several movies of late.

The special effects held its own because I know it’s all green screen. The story is visceral, so without reading the book, it’s hard to track what is real and what is imagined. Each character holds a difficulty close to their chest, which sends them on this “self-destruct” mission.

The creatures the women encounter on their mission brings a horrific layer to the story. They are trying to get to the lighthouse where all their answers will be found. But, that doesn’t happen, which is paradox that makes the movie weak.

The movie is based on a trilogy, and the ending indicates there is more to come. I am curious if that will happen based on the box office returns.

“Pacific Rim Uprising” Trailer, Poster, Movie Clip, Blu-ray/DVD

action, fantasy, science fiction, , , , , , , , , ,

This storyline is nothing new and sounds a bit like Transformers, so I suspect this movie is for the kids at heart. The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in Pacific Rim Uprising.

I am interested in John Boyega of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, who stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, and Scott Eastwood of Fate of Fast and Furious.  Check out this interview with Boyega.

The Blu-ray and DVD have hit the streets and the movie is streaming. If you haven’t seen the movie yet nows the time.  If you are into Godzilla and Transformers, you really enjoy this movie. The battles are so awesome to watch.  This second trailer is so much better at letting us know what we will discover in the movie theater.

“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter”

action, adventure, science fiction, sequels, , , , , , , , ,

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and based on Capcom’s hugely popular video game series, comes the latest movie from a popular video game film franchise.

The movie picks up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution.

Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, is the only survivor of what they meant to be humanity’s final stand against the undead.

Now, in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, she must return to where the nightmare began, at The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for the last strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.

Game fans enjoy Resident Evil: The Final Chapter because they appreciate the loud, fast, familiar phenomenon. The movie doesn’t follow the games, yet fans still flock to movie theaters. Reviewers comment that for franchise fans, the movie can feel like a “fittingly kinetic conclusion” to the violent action-horror manner.

Game fans will enjoy the show.

Butterfield Stars in “The Space Between Us”

adventure, family movies, romance, science fiction, , ,

Directed by Peter Chelsom, Space Between Us is an interplanetary adventure. A space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one astronaut is pregnant.

Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet— never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot, played by Asa Butterfield—an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who turns 16, having met only 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing.

While searching for clues about his father and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street-smart girl in Colorado named Tulsa, played by Britt Robertson. When he finally has time to go to Earth, he’s eager to experience all the wonders he could only read about on Mars— from the simplest to the extraordinary. But once his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner’s organs can’t withstand Earth’s atmosphere.

Eager to find his father, Gardner escapes the team of scientists and joins with Tulsa in a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be and where he belongs in the universe.

Gary Oldman, Brit Robertson, and Carla Cugino also star in the film.

Scott Returns to Direct “Alien: Covenant”

action, horror, science fiction, sequels, space opera, suspense, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With Alien: Covenant, a new chapter in his groundbreaking Alien franchise, Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created.

The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise and a dark, dangerous world. They must attempt a harrowing escape when they uncover a threat beyond their imagination.

This movie roars. Yikes!

The movie blends creature horror with a larger, more unsettling story about creation and identity. It’s a philosophical journey about what happens when creators lose control of their creations. Reviews point to Michael Fassbender’s David as the film’s bewitching element. David shifts the storyline from a standard survival mode into a strange, intellectual showdown between synthetic beings and their makers.

Plus, the dark visual perspective and bursts of violence create an edgy, memorable atmosphere despite the uneven plot.

I watched a nice, long clip titled “The Last Supper.” I was surprised to see James Franco. He is the captain, too. There are some other familiar faces. Check out the movie.

“The Circle” Storyline

based on a book, drama, science fiction, thriller, , , , , , ,
the-circle-poster

Based on the international bestseller by Dave Eggers and directed by James Ponsoldt, The Circle stars Emma Watson and Tom Hanks.

What a combination to behold. Watson’s career is really doing well after her Harry Potter days.

The Circle is a thrilling modern morality tale following Mae, played by Watson, as she rises through the ranks of the world’s largest tech and social media company.

She’s encouraged by company founder Eamon Bailey, played by Hanks, to live her life with complete transparency. But no one is safe when everyone is watching.

The trailer seems a bit convoluted, without giving away the story or letting you read the book.  It is hard to tell what is happening, but I can’t agree more with the idea that knowledge is power.

With that, the thriller looks intense, and Watson plays well with Hanks.

Lawrence and Pratt in “Passengers”

drama, science fiction, space opera, thriller, , , , ,
passengers-poster

Directed by Morten Tyldum, Passengers follows Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt in an exciting action-thriller about two passengers on a 120-year journey to another planet when their hibernation pods wake them 90 years too early.

Jim and Aurora come to terms with being forced to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction as the ship teeters on the brink of collapse, with the lives of thousands of passengers in jeopardy.

The movie’s scenes are intense and mysterious. I loved the scene with the swimsuit.

I am guessing this is an action science fiction movie. I speculate that the bad guy is the spacecraft.

“Transformers: The Last Knight” Storyline

legend, science fiction, sequels, thriller, , , , , ,

Transformers: The Last Knight will be a young adult movie for ages to come, and it looks like some cast members are returning. It’s nice to see Anthony Hopkins in this movie, adding some acting credibility.

So, once again, like so many superhero movies, the greatest hero becomes our fiercest enemy.

To rescue Cybertron, Optimus Prime starts a mission that will destroy Earth. Nobody appreciated it!

It’s time for Bumblebee and Cade Yeager to lead the Autobots against their former ally in the ultimate battle to save humanity from devastation.

The movie and cartoons are streaming. All are available on all discs if you want to see it again or haven’t seen it yet.

I love that line, “I am glad I got in that car with you.” It is cheesy, but fun. It’s a great line to say to Wahlberg.

Johansson in “Ghost in the Shell”

animation, fantasy, science fiction, , , , , ,

Directed by Rupert Sanders, Ghost in the Shell stars Scarlett Johansson, Takeshi Kitano, and here is the first look at the trailer as it launched at an epic event in Tokyo.

The series is popular because the story follows Major. She is the first of her kind, which gives her superhuman powers. She is a mind inside an artificial body.

Finding out she has creators who lied to her about her past life. The creators want to control her, but Major is bent on revenge, and nothing will stop her from discovering her real identity and solving the mystery of who she is.

Based on the international science fiction property with the same name, the story follows Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 faces an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotics’ advancements in cyber technology.

“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” Trailer

adventure, animation, drama, fantasy, science fiction, , , , , , , ,

When the movie first arrived, the teaser trailer didn’t say much about the film, but as it says in the trailer, if you know the gothic novel, you know what the movie is about.

Yet, the audience never found the movie worthwhile, as the book did.

Based on the classic graphic novel series Valerian and Laureline and directed by Luc Besson, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a contemporary, unique, and epic science fiction saga.

The imagery looks imaginative and breathtaking. The movie stars Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Herbie Hancock, and Kris Wu.

I find the original master recording by The Beatles fitting for the movie trailer.  The version without instrument or accompaniment adds beauty to the visual effects, though it doesn’t explain the movie’s story very well.