Secret Agent Gal Movie Reviews

Insidious ****1/2

 

Murky monsters. Out-of-body travel. A kid in a coma. Deliciously weird Insidious thrills us through the final violin note.

It’s carefully crafted horror and suspense without visceral violence from the team who brought us the original Saw slasher film, director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell. Menace hovers like a thunderhead. There’s plenty to curdle the blood, without bloodshed.  

Poltergeist meets Paranormal Activity as Insidious delves into paranormal science with it-could-happen-to-you realism. Like The Exorcist, it shows possession. Like The Shining, it conjures a spooky past that encroaches on the present. Like The Sixth Sense, it’s filled with I-see-dead-people moments to raise the hairs on your neck.

Non-stop tension and sympathetic characters add to foreboding. There’s a slo-o-o-w buildup as normal couple Josh and Renai Lambert move into an old Victorian home with sons Dalton and Foster, and a baby sister. 

Gruesome voices cackle over a baby monitor. Spirits stalk the rooms. Boxes of belongings vanish and reappear. Caution: these images may linger with you for days.

Wan takes advantage of darkness and light, silence and cacophony. Nicely imagined and realized ghouls are worthy of a Vincent Price movie. Creepy, under-lit visuals entertain.

Dalton (Ty Simpkins), like his sensitive mom Renai (Rose Byrne), sees and hears things in the old house. After an accident in the attic, Dalton falls into a medical coma.  No one can explain it.

Byrne is wonderful as a terrified, overwhelmed mom who yearns for a peaceful moment so she can compose music at the piano. Playing school teacher dad Josh, Patrick Wilson is perhaps too low key as the drama unfolds. Renai sleeps upstairs while Josh retreats to the couch to prevent a break-in. Later we learn why he is so tuned out.

Foster (Andrew Astor) sheds light on his brother’s nighttime activities. Renai despairs. “I feel like the universe is just seeing how far I’ll bend before I break,” she tells a visiting nurse.

The Lamberts have moved before to escape ghostly turmoil.  After Renai’s close encounter with a man pacing the bedroom, she begs Josh for another family move.

Josh’s mom Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) listens to the harrowing tale and believes. A doctor (Ruben Pla) and a priest (John Henry Binder) try to help. Finally the Lamberts turn to Lorraine’s friend Elise (wise, determined Lin Shaye), who just happens to be a paranormal expert.

 

Nerdy Specs and Tucker (Whannell and Angus Sampson) resemble vintage ghost-busters in their black and white outfits with odd gadgets in tow. The two spar playfully until their esteemed boss shows up for the serious work of saving Dalton.

Guided by Elise, Josh embarks on a mission into The Further to rescue his son. Tiny Tim’s Tiptoe Through the Tulips never sounded so ominous. 

The movie’s best scenes include Dalton’s foray into the attic, and the intervention (complete with black mask, gaseous vapors and raging demons). John R. Leonetti and David M. Brewer provide cinematography. Joe Dzuban is supervising sound editor.  

Like the best horror films, Insidious lets us indulge in our worst fears, and leave the theater feeling that we can face them.

If you like Insidious, you might enjoy: Shutter Island; The Ghost Writer; Splice.

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Insidious   2010  /  PG-13  /  1 hour, 42 mins

Cast Overview:  Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey

Director:  James Wan

Genre:  Horror, Supernatural, Psychological Thriller, Fantasy

The Adjustment Bureau ***1/2

 
 
Free will is at stake as Matt Damon and Emily Blunt star in The Adjustment Bureau, a sci-fi thriller with a passionate but predictable romance.

The film doesn’t venture too deeply into its premise, that benevolent aliens (who look human) control our individual destinies – for our own good, they insist.  Wearing hats and suits, they resemble Men in Black more than angels.

The Adjustment Bureau is pleasing enough with fine work by Damon and Blunt. The chase scenes are exciting. The mystery of why the Bureau is so interested in preventing the hot romance between New York Congressman David Norris (Damon) and ballerina Elise Sellas (Blunt) is revealed gradually.

Yet those who have heard such conspiracy tales may yearn for a more original twist on the short story Adjustment Team by Philip K. Dick. You won’t find that here.

First-time director George Nolfi did adapt the script successfully to appeal to a broad audience. He’s a director to watch out for as his honest, upfront work continues to evolve. Nolfi also wrote The Bourne Ultimatum (2007); The Sentinel (2006) and Ocean’s Twelve (2004).

Right after Norris loses a Senate campaign, Richardson (Mad Men’s John Slattery) tells him that following The Plan is best for his future and Elise’s. The proof? He and the other agents carry small, electronic books that show The Plan unfolding.  Any false move by Norris is immediately flagged and sends the agents scurrying.

The film is just realistic enough to make one wonder whether our own nationally elected officials have been visited by such Mad Men lookalikes.

When a big gun is called in to reason with Norris (Terence Stamp as foreboding Thompson), the upstart remains bull-headed.  Disaster looms. He’s warned that his decision could wreck the world’s future.

 

Agent Harry Mitchell (emotive Anthony Mackie, excellent here) befriends Norris.

Norris’ ultimate price to pay for disobedience would be a dreaded “reset” (the equivalent of a lobotomy). Only the Chairman, a man “we have all met” who could “look like anyone” has the power to intervene.

Cameos by Michael Bloomberg, Jon Stewart and other talking heads add authenticity as Norris pursues national political office.

Damon makes a dynamic, honest politician. A college mooning prank, offensive to voters, is not serious enough to keep Norris from running again for the Senate. Michael Kelly plays his loyal campaign manager.

The handsome visual style of the film reflects Nolfi’s love of architecture.  Production designer Kevin Thompson, location manager Rob Streim and cinematographer John Toll tapped New York City locations including the roof of 30 Rockefeller Center; the New York Public Library; the Custom House in lower Manhattan; the Waldorf Astoria Hotel; the South Street Seaport area; the West Village; the field at Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Park.

If you like The Adjustment Bureau, you might enjoy: Inception; The American; Conviction; Hereafter; Green Zone.

The Adjustment Bureau  2011  /  PG-13  /  1 hour, 46 min

Cast:  Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Michael Kelly, Terence Stamp

Director:  George Nolfi

Genre:  Sci-Fi Thriller, Drama, Romance

Clash of the Titans ***1/2

 

Top billing must go to digital animators and special effects wizards for Clash of the Titans, a majestic, epic quest filled with slimy monsters, heroic humans and Greek gods. It's the monsters who most fascinate us in this enjoyable action adventure directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk).

2D or 3D? The first thing action fans will ponder is, which version should we see? Save your $5. "Added as an afterthought in postproduction, the 3D barely registers," writes Kirk Honeycutt in the Hollywood Reporter.  "It is nothing but Warner Bros.' scheme to fleece an extra $3 or $4 million from the moviegoer's pocket," advises Richard Corliss of Time.

Hero and demigod Perseus (a disappointingly low-key Sam Worthington of Avatar) must embody both human and divine to defeat the egotistical gods and secure man's control over his own destiny. Meanwhile the masses struggle to survive paltry fish catches, floods and earthquakes.

In a divine tiff, the infant Perseus was disowned by his father Zeus and jettisoned to earth in a coffin with his mother. She perished but he survived, to be raised by the kindly fisherman Spyros (the late Pete Postlethwaite).

 
 
 Zeus (majestic, agitated Liam Neeson) later throws a fit on Mount Olympus as his statue is toppled in Greece. Ralph Fiennes plays the delightful spitfire Hades. He will shake up the mortals if given the go-ahead to release . . . the Kraken.

Avoiding camp, the serious actors along with their digital foes make Clash of the Titans satisfying if not awe-inspiring. 

With Zeus' blessing, Hades begins the retribution. Larger than life in a foul, black cloud, he bellows as pterodactyls pick off the offenders. Perseus loses his entire family in the fray as their boat sinks.

Rescued by the king's men, Perseus is recognized as a demigod and eventually chosen to lead the warriors. His fetching guardian angel Io (Gemma Arterton from Quantum of Solace) advises.

Clash of the Titans treats us to giant scorpions, a winged black horse Pegasus, and a ghoulish boat ride across the River Styx to the lair of Medusa. Titans is a computer generated reimagining of Ray Harryhausen's Clash of the Titans (1981) starring Laurence Olivier.

The best monster by far is Medusa, whose gaze will turn any man to stone. Dig her deep laugh, slithering body, hairdo of live snakes, and face of Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova. Perseus must slay Medusa in order to defeat Hades.

The final battle erupts in Argos where the fearsome Kraken is released. Princess Andromeda (Alexa Davalos) has been strung up, willing to sacrifice herself. Mads Mikkelsen (Flame and Citron) plays the manly Draco, a skeptic who comes to respect Perseus.

If you like Clash of the Titans, you might enjoy: The Eagle.

Clash of the Titans 2010 / PG-13 / 1 hr, 58 mins

Cast Overview: Sam Worthington, Alexa Davalos, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng, Tine Stapelfeldt, Mads Mikkelsen

Director: Louis Leterrier

Genres: Action and Adventure, Fantasy, Adventure

Avatar *****

 

The awe is back. Avatar, the Oscar-winning sci-fi fantasy thriller from director James Cameron, transforms science fiction cinema.

Impressive 3D technologies and motion capture techniques keep audiences spellbound for two and a half hours, after which they leave theaters feeling 10 feet tall.

Avatar immerses us in heaven (a phosphorescent land of brilliant orange flowers, shimmering trees and floating jellyfish) and hell (fierce, flying dragons and massive rhino-like Hammerheads). Over 500 plants and creatures appear.

Avatar's reverence for nature, with its theme of oneness and unity, reaches across time and culture. Indigenous wisdom here turns out to be quite advanced. Thus Avatar surpasses The Matrix and Star Wars, along with Cameron's previous films Titanic, The Terminator and Aliens.

Over 2,000 people worked for three years on Avatar, with a budget approaching $300 million. Cameron first envisioned the masterpiece 15 years ago, but had to wait for computer technology to catch up.

Strong, quiet hero Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is a paraplegic ex-Marine has been asked to become an avatar, a genetically grown being resembling the Na'vi who inhabit planet Pandora.

The Na'vi are exquisitely blue with silver-white speckles, golden cat-like eyes and moving ears. They are slender, sport long tails and stand 10 feet tall. Jake is to mingle with the Na'vi as a spy. He is ordered to sway them to allow strip mining of a precious metal (unobtainium).

The Na'vi live within a huge tree that sits right over a rich deposit. Col. Miles Quaritch (gung-ho Stephen Lang) and his mercenaries seek to expel the Na'vi for a corporation that funds the scientific research of Dr. Grace Augustine (always superb Sigourney Weaver).

After some personality conflicts and information-filled dialogue, the film alights as Jake lies down in his Matrix-like pod. Here his mind controls a handsome, new avatar that in effect allows Jake to walk again.

With terrifying CGI creatures in pursuit, Jake is separated from a scouting party. Soon he's rescued by noble Neytiri (graceful Zoe Saldana). Neytiri is the daughter of Eytukan (Wes Studi) and the shaman Moat (CCH Pounder).

 

Neytiri scorns the alien Jake. "You have a strong heart, no fear, but stupid." Since she has received a sign from the Atokirina, delicate floating spores with pure hearts, Jake's fate is to be decided by Eytukan.

Jake is trained to become one with the Na'vi. Before long he's leading their efforts to resist the aliens he once worked for.

In one of the best scenes of the film, Jake tames a flying dragon who becomes his ally. Also stirring is the extended shock and awe battle as Quaritch makes his last stand against Jake and the Na'vi.

Avatar catapults Worthington (Clash of the Titans) and Soldana (Star Trek [2009]) into stardom. Weaver worked for Cameron previously as the heroine of Aliens. Giovanni Ribisi (Lost in Translation) is excellent as a murderous corporate lackey.

Avatar won Oscars for Art Direction, Cinematography and Special Effects.

If you like Avatar, you might enjoy: Inception; Hereafter; 127 Hours.

Avatar 2009 / PG-13 / 2 hrs, 30 min

Cast Overview: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, CCH Pounder, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi

Director: James Cameron

Genres: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Action, Sci-Fi Adventure