Spectral

Nic Mathieu, 2016

IMDB

3/5

At first glance Spectral looks as if it's another one of the many 2016 Netflix original offerings that may just slip between the cracks, because of the dozens of films queued up that you feel you will never get through. But actually it was originally produced by Universal Pictures and was pulled from schedule presumably due to fears that it wouldn't perform well at the box office. Netflix stepped in and purchased the distribution rights, giving them the ability to release it in their system. Which is a nice save, because it could have been just another film that sat and collected dust and never saw the light of day. It's more than that, and worth a look if you are a fan of the sci-fi genre. If you are a fan of the sci-fi genre, it means that you are also willing to go into a movie like this with a grain of salt. Because Spectral, while pretty entertaining, definitely fits into a formulaic molding. You need to go into this knowing that you aren't getting a Blade Runner. Hell, you aren't even getting a Starship Troopers which is a better version of a Sci-Fi action movie where soldiers attempt to overcome a seemingly undefeatable enemy force. I read somewhere that it was to be marketed as a "supernatural Black Hawk Down". Which is actually a pretty accurate quick description to throw on it. Black Hawk Down had a group of soldiers attempting to rescue two lieutenants in a completely explosive landscape. The landscape is similar here, as well-trained soldiers attempt to reveal what is behind this mysterious enemy that is taking down scores of their men in the battlefield. Early speculation has them believing it's some kind of enemy cloaking device.

While the production design doesn't feel cheap, there are elements of the story that certainly do. Spectral falls victim to some of the typical action-genre tropes. One glaring annoyance is when engineer Clyne (James Badge Dale) determines that the creatures must be made from Bose-Einstein concentrate because of their chemical properties. Well, they need to fight them with plasma cannons and it just so happens that they have everything they need to equip themselves with these weapons right in the bunker that they have hunkered down in. There are a lot of convienent things that are done with the various forms of technology they have. Because of this, at first the enemy force seems undefeatable but that quickly changes in the second half of the film when it seems like Clyne just needs to sit down and stare into space for about 30 seconds and then he can figure everything out.

Iron Man 3

Shane Black, 2013


3/5

A more reflective film than the former two, Iron Man 3 follows Tony Stark as he is confronted with enemies new AND old. Not only is he confronted with dealing with new global terrorist "The Mandarin", his new enemy is a person he ignored years before and now that brush-off is coming back to haunt him. Also, some recent events are causing Tony to confront a new foe he hasn't seen before: anxiety.

Iron Man 3 maintains a consistent continuation of the story, but is a much smarter sequel then its predecessors. Tony Stark is in a much more reflective state of mind. He is more vulnerable and less arrogant than in the previous two films. The film focuses more on Tony Stark the person, rather than Tony as Iron Man. He's forced to seek help wherever he can get it. Drew Pearce & Shane Black's script provided some witty dialogue that gives the series a fresh feel. The exchanges between Tony and Harley (Ty Simpkins) were funny and didn't run out of steam. Great acting on all fronts. The regular cast (Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Favreau, Don Cheadle) are all great. The new faces, Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley, provide a new energy that is different and ultimately effective. James Badge Dale (The Pacific, Shame, The Grey) continues to prove that he has the chops to be in leading roles. The film cleverly calls back to events from The Avengers but doesn't make it required viewing. There a couple of plot-holes in the film, but the film is ultimately satisfying. In the end, it ties up it's loose ends and the climax is satisfying.

Shame

Steve McQueen, 2011


3/5

          Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a man living in New York in his mid-thirties. During the day he has a sleek office job. At night he scours the darker side of New York looking to feed his sex addiction. His all-consuming proclivity spills into every facet of his life. His steady routine becomes disjointed when his unstable sister shows up, unannounced and uninvited, to his small apartment to crash on the couch to try and get over a recent breakup.
          It's probably the most courageous role seen from Fassbender, who figuratively and literally exposes himself quite a bit in the film. His character Brandon is heavily flawed, but effectively draws sympathy as you see there is nothing fun about his disease and that its a ever-going struggle. Brandon is vulnerable, presumably dealing with issues that go back to his childhood. The tension between the two siblings is so evident you could cut it with a knife. Sissy (Carey Mulligan), Brandon's sister, clearly has issues of her own but doesn't have the domestic comforts that Brandon can escape to. Instead, her escape is to run to him but it's not well-received. You get the feeling that Brandon is not able to associate any interpersonal relationship with anything other than a lack of a control of his sexual impulses - therefore, he keeps his distance when it comes to anything else.
          McQueen has a seemingly mature and experienced approach to his film-making. Even though the film is very bleak and disturbing at times, it's very nice looking. McQueen relies on a lot of beautifully glowy night-lit shots of New York juxtaposed with the not-so-nice features. Some gorgeous modern-decor martini bars but contrasted with cold fluorescent lit steel subway cars. The day-time scenes are very deliberately overcast. This is not a film where you will see blue skies and sunshine, people holding hands while joyfully singing in the middle of Times Square.