By Robin E. Simmons
This is a time when fear–mongering politics and faith-based rhetoric dominates the media. The same is true if one analyzes the themes of popular movies. Clearly, movies with apocalyptic and or religious themes never run out of style or steam.
NOW PLAYING:
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
First of all, this is not really a continuation of CLOVERFIELD. And No, you don’t have to see the former to understand this story that’s set in the same universe. When a young woman wakes up after a terrible accident only to discover she’s locked in a cellar with a doomsday prepper who insists he just saved her life and that the world outside is uninhabitable following an apocalyptic catastrophe. But the “prepper” may be an unreliable narrator and the young woman seems rightful to be uncertain as to what to believe except that if she is to survive, she must escape at any cost. I like the lesson here that there’s more to fear from within than without.
I was absolutely satisfied with the ending. Though clearly not a sequel, it certainly could be. It might help to think of the “Cloverfield” title as more of a twilight zone-esque anthology. It may or may not exist in the same world as the other movie, but it’s irrelevant because it firmly stands on its own. Fun and original and worth a watch for sure.
THE WAVE
Roar Uthaug’s nicely crafted disaster film is to Norway what San Andreas (the film) is to Californians. Set in Norway’s Sunnmøre region, Geiranger is among the most spectacular tourist destinations on the planet. With the looming mountain Åkerneset overlooking the village – and constantly threatening to collapse into the fjord – it is also a place where cataclysm could strike at any moment – and has. After logging in several years at Geiranger’s warning center, our hero geologist Kristian is moving on to a prestigious gig with an oil company. But the very day he’s about to drive his family to their new life in the city, Kristian senses something isn’t right. The There’s a shift in the mountain’s substrata. Naturally. No one wants to believe that this could be the big one, especially with tourist season at its peak, but when that Åkerneset begins to crumble, every soul in Geiranger has only ten minutes to get to high ground before a tsunami hits, consuming everything in its path. Will our hero be able to save his family and others in time? Lots of clichés clutter the action but the ambience of the cataclysm’s impact in time and place are effective.
THE YOUNG MESSIAH
From Cyrus Nowrasteh the writer and director of the extraordinary “The Stoning of Soraya” this thoughtful story of seven-year-old Jesus and His family as they seek to better understand His true nature and mission taps into the power of religion on it’s adherents as the struggle for a more satisfying understanding of how to make it work in the real world. I’d love to moderate a Q&A with local CV author Anne Rice about this film adaptation of her best-selling book “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.” The idea of a young human boy fully self-aware that he is indeed God the Creator of the Universe raises huge questions and offers enormous dramatic potential that’s hinted at but barely explored in this sincere film that does not dishonor a devout faith-based audience. Although it begs for more answers to the profound theological and philosophical questions the movie raises. I’d love to know how Rice approached creating a fictional young Jesus and how she sees him as a young man on a mission. Did Rice create a young Jesus that resented or embraced the “holy suicide” quest he found Himself surrendering to. And why did He think his death would “save” mankind? I’m sure Rice has many things to say yet I do not think her book and the resulting movie has a hidden agenda to make readers and movie-goers believers. Maybe Ms. Rice will read this and respond.
NEW FOR THE HOME THEATER:
MACBETH
Justin Kurzel infuses Shakespeare’s Macbeth with grit and gore as he repaints the story of a brave warrior and inspiring leader brought low by ambition and desire. Kurzel’s thrilling interpretation of the realities of mid 11th century life and times times unflinchingly mainlines what battle must have been like for one of literature’s most famous and fascinating characters, as he lived an an angst -ridden and all-consuming life of passion and ambition in war torn Scotland. The Weinstein Company. Blu-ray.
THE BIG HEAT (1953)
Acclaimed German director Fritz Lang’s film noir masterpiece takes an unflinching look at the systemic corruption of small-town America, pitting a tough cop (Glenn Ford) against the forces of evil represented by a syndicate boss (Alexander Scourby) and his subservient minions within the police force. Gloria Grahame co-stars, indelibly, as a gangster’s moll with a fundamentally decent soul, exploited by both good guys and bad. Lee Marvin makes a terrifying early appearance as a thug whose sharp clothes and fancy apartment do little to conceal his animalistic nature. Two very cool featurettes showcase Anthony Mann’s and Martin Scorsese’s insightful observation on the film and director Lang’s prowess. This special edition is limited to only 3,000 units. Twilight Time Movies. Blu-ray.
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