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science fiction

Splice * Vincenzo Natali (2009)

This film was on my list, so I guess I read something about that that made me want to see it. Perhaps it was the producer, Guillermo del Toro? Unfortunately, “Splice” is not that good. Two young and too hip scientists work at a facility producing alternative lifeforms in order to find cures for diseases. Of course they take things a step too far. Actually this is already too much information, but anything you read about this film gives most of it away. “Splice” is a scifi, but not a fantasy, even though the creature that Else and Clive create is very fantasyfull. In any case, a slightly overrated film. The IMdB rating of 6.1/10 is already more realistic, but I give it a:

X-Files complete 9 series * Chris Carter (1993-2002)

In August 2008 I ‘blogged‘ about having bought the 9 series X-Files shoebox and now I can tell you we have watched it all. Of course I am not going to review the whole series. A fact is that just as when I watched the series on TV (from 1994 or 1995 on or so) I dropped out somewhere in what proves to be the 8th series, but I have seen several episodes of the 9th as well. It is quite clear why I stopped following the series, they were not getting better. On the other hand, even with Doggett and Reyes there are some interesting episodes. The part of Scully becomes more and more unsatisfying and in some episodes even irritating when Carter has her take over the Mulder role. In any case, overall you can see the series developing. Then less-serious experiments come in, unfortunately resulting in a complete series almost devoid of normal episodes, but initially refreshing. After a while the various directors and story-writers seem to get more of a free hand and some episodes become both amazing and fantasyfull. In general I can say that the X-Files remain one of the more interesting series of my time, but I do not grief that they stopped after a series or two too many when things were not getting better. Unfortunately the last double episode is quite the opposite a final blowout, it is even pretty horrible…
I am not interested in all the extras. Every series has extras on each disc and a separate disc with extras. I do not think I saw any of that, so I cannot comment on it. The box itself looks nice, but is not firm enough for weekly use over two years time. Not that I completely wrecked it, but let me say that I could sell it as “mint” any more. Each series has a nice booklet with information about each episode and a list with all titles (in English and French in my version). Nine times the size of a VHS tape by the way. The box is not cheap, but I do not remember the price after two years, so who gives a damn.

Moon * Duncan Jones (2009)

I have to admit that it was that nice cover that kept asking for my attention and in the end I decided to just rent this film and watch it. “Moon” is a very nice scifi, a bit in the style of the big old productions such as “Solyaris” or “Soylent Green”, with a suggestive, uncanny atmosphere. We see a man living alone on the moon, working for an energy company. Just when his three year contract runs to an end, things do not go too well for Sam. “Moon” has a nice story that not just works towards a ‘revelation’. Instead the story bears different ‘revelations’. The atmosphere is good, the acting too. One minor point is the very end of the film. “Moon” is a film for people who enjoy ‘old-style’ science fiction.

Dune * David Lynch (1984)

I had not seen this film in ages. I never bought it because Lynch himself is not very happy with this commercial project, but every now and then I feel like watching “Dune”, so in the end I just got myself a very cheap copy. “Dune” is a rather dull scifi with a story that is hard to follow. There are various actors that we also see in other Lynch films and on a few occasions there is ‘Lynchian scene’. I do not particularly like “Dune”, but it is not like I was bored stiff either.

District 9 * Neill Blomkamp (2009)

District 9We just wanted to go to the cinema, not to see a film in particular, but it is disappointing what is in the cinemas these days, even the arthouses. “District 9” was the only film that I might want to see and so we did. Blomkamp starts with some sort of mockumentary which explains the situation. It involves aliens in a ghetto in Johannesburg, everything besides that already gives away too much. When the film switches to a more ‘normal’ film, a very original story develops, mixing current social problems (xenophobia, etc.) with weird scifi elements. The key element of the ‘black stuff’ is a bit thin to me, but the writers came up with something original for sure. Towards the end “District 9” develops into a complete over-the-top action slasher which is not really my thing. The film as a whole is not too good in my opinion, but it is the story, the great findings therein and and the documentary part that make this film worth a watch.

Eden Log * Franck Vestiel (2007)

Eden Log“Eden Log” is a very dark and claustrophic French film that plays in an apocalyptic future. The story is explained slowly. In the beginning you just see a man who woke up in some dark tunnel trying to find a way out. As he explores his surroundings, you slowly get the picture of what is going on. The film is shot in black-and-white with a high dark/light contrast. The minimalistic score adds to the pressing atmosphere of the film. “Eden Log” is a great film all the way up to the very weak last scene. A great watch nonetheless.

Solyaris * Andrei Tarkovsky (1972)

SolyarisMy girlfriend read the book and then bought the film. Looking for the cover I noticed that there is also a 2002 American version with George Clooney. In any case, this film is usually presented as a science fiction, but besides the fact that a large part of this 3 hour film plays in some ship above the mysterious ocean of the planet Solaris, there is little scifi about it. The spaceship looks strangely earthly with statues, paintings on the walls, leather chairs and a library. “Solyaris” is more of a philosophical film about how humans react in different surroundings, what is reality, etc. For its time, this film of Tarkovsky must definately have been expensive and groundbreaking. Combining black and white and colour filming, elaborate stages, video-telephones, etc. makes this film not look oldfashioned at all. It is a bit long and slow, not really boring, but not as timeless as The Prisoner for example.

Primer * Shane Carruth (2004)

PrimerI like vague and incomprehensible films in which the story makes no sense, but I like it less when I have the idea that I lack the intellectual capabilities to understand a film!

“Primer” opens with four wizkid-inventors discussing all kinds of physical theories that I cannot follow. It does not help that the white subtitles are hard to see against the often very light background. Two of the wizkids are onto something big, discussing it in detail and I am totally lost. In the second half it becomes relatively clear what it is that the two men have created and then the film becomes vague in the sense that I like better. It is no longer clear what is what, who is who and when is when. “Primer” is a very complex film in different ways and I definitely need to see it a few times more before things will start to make sense. That is a good thing, since most films are ‘over with’ when I saw them ones, but the impression of the first watch did not leave satisfaction. This film is “a challenge” like people seem to love to put it nowadays.

Code 46 * Michael Winterbottom * 2003

A completely different film than “24 Hour Party People” which is from the same director. In the (near) future people live in cities and outcasts live “outside”. People have to have “warrants” for everything and there are forgeries going around. William is sent to Shanghai to investigate the fraud and falls in love with his suspect which eventually leads into problems with the totalitarian system that society is made off in those days. The red line of the film isn’t even that bad, the film itself is alright; it has a good atmosphere and the acting is fine. Irritating are the passionate love-scenes-with-cloths-on and the completely forced “future feeling” that supposedly should be made with throwing different languages through eachother. “Code 46” is alright to watch on tv on an evening that you have nothing to do, but there are better films to see.
-2-

La Cité Des Enfants Perdus * Jean-Pierre Jeunet * 1995

City Of Lost ChildrenIt had been far too many years that I saw this film and then I run into it for only 9 euros. Apparently I saw this film before I started making filmreviews. “City Of Lost Children” is just as the brilliant “Delicatessen” a cooperation between Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. This film is in many ways quite alike “Delicatessen”, it has the same absurd characters, scenery and story and that weird sense of humour. “City Of Lost Children” isn’t as funny as “Delicatessen” though. The story is about an imaginary (future?) city in which children are abducted because some scientist cannot dream. If you know “Delicatessen” you will recognise several actors, the dark atmosphere and the great sense of humour. If you do not know “Delicatessen”, this film is hard to describe; dark, funny, absurd and pretty damn good. I hope that helps!
-3.5-