Tag Archives: Sci-Fi

Attack the Block will rock your socks

Posted on January 10, 2012 by The Filmsmith | Leave a comment

Around the same time J.J. Abrams was showcasing his ode to Spielberg, Super 8, Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block was in limited release and getting none of the attention it deserved. In contrast to Spielberg and Abrams’ penchant for quaint middle-American childhoods, Attack the Block is all about urban hoodlums putting their life of hard knocks to use when they have to fight an alien invasion. They aren’t going to share Reese’s pieces or heartwarming moments with the invaders – they’re going to fuck ’em up. Continue reading →

Another Earth might be the best sci-fi film of the year.

Posted on June 29, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

“This is a story about a girl who does something unforgivable.” So utters Rhoda Williams a couple of minutes into the mind-blowing trailer for Another Earth, which may be the best science-fiction film of the year. And the best part? Unlike most sci-fi films, this one delves deeply into the emotions of its characters; it sees how they interact, as well as how they react to the discovery of the titular Macguffin. It tackles questions worthy of a bigger budget, but with an honesty only possible with a shoestring. In short, while it will fall completely under the radar, this is one of the best films of the year, and should be sought after. Travel to a bigger city if you must, but see this film. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Reviews

Tagged Another Earth, Drama, Low Budget, Sci-Fi

Knowing maturely conveys the tragic nature of disaster

Posted on June 24, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 3 comments

Alex Proyas has probably directed some of your favorite films, yet you don’t know his name. His filmography is confounding: The cult-hit The Crow (1994), Dark City (1998, the visual forerunner to The Matrix), and the Will Smith blockbuster I, Robot (2004). Proyas also directed Knowing (2009), the Nicolas Cage prophecy/disaster film at which you likely laughed. “Great, another Nicolas Cage feature on the heels of such beloved films as Bangkok Dangerous and that National Treasure sequel.” Yet Cage and Proyas deliver a grounded sci-fi disaster movie unlike anything we’ve seen, and though it isn’t perfect, it’s a refreshing sci-fi narrative. Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in Filmsmith Faves, Reviews

Tagged Disaster, Knowing, Nicolas Cage, prophecy, Roland Emmerich, Sci-Fi

Super 8? More like, Super Gr8! (seriously though, it’s good)

Posted on June 10, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 5 comments

Super 8 is likely the best movie of the summer. Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in Filmsmith Faves, Reviews

Tagged Filmmaking, J.J. Abrams, love of movies, Sci-Fi, Steven Spielberg, Super 8

Source Code a genuine sci-fi thriller

Posted on April 1, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

Nicolas Cage picks projects that can be hit or miss (Bringing Out the Dead vs Bangkok Dangerous); Jake Gyllenhaal seems to follow a similar pattern of doing the safe film, then the artistic one ( Prince of Persia vs Donnie Darko). Thankfully Source Code, Gyllenhaal’s latest, is a taut sci-fi thriller worth seeing. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Reviews

Tagged Duncan Jones, Jake Gyllenhaal, Moon, Sci-Fi, Source Code

First five minutes of “Source Code” leaves you wanting less

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Aaron Faulkner | Leave a comment

After gaining a following and critical acclaim for his movie Moon, many were eager to see what material Duncan Jones would take on next. And then Source Code, a spec script written by Ben Ripley, fell into his hands and the rest is history. The film is currently having a run at the SXSW Film Festival and will be released nationally April 4th. Last Tuesday the first five minutes of the film were put online so the world could get a little taste of the things to come. However, the footage doesn’t deliver and leaves you wondering if Jones’ film is going to bomb at the box office. And here is why it just might…

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Hard-on for the Marines keeps “Battle: L.A.” from taking off

Posted on March 13, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

In the last 1/3 of Battle: L.A. protagonist Michael Nantz finally confesses to one of his men the details of the inner strife that has been percolating. It’s supposed to be an emotionally charged moment, but it’s abruptly deflated when Nantz proclaims, “But none of that matters right now.” And much to its detriment, that’s precisely how the film treats anything without bullets and fireballs. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Reviews

Tagged Aaron Eckhart, Aliens, Battle: L.A., invasion, Movies, Sci-Fi

“Shaun of the Dead” alumni bring hilarity to sci-fi comedy “Paul”

Posted on February 18, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 6 comments

The last time you saw Nick Frost and Simon Pegg together they were in Hot Fuzz, diving through the air firing two guns at the same time screaming “Ahhh!” Four years later, Frost and Pegg have written and starred in a hilarious ode to all things sci-fi in Paul.

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6 Comments

Posted in Reviews

Tagged Comedy, Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz, Nick Frost, Paul, Sci-Fi, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Seth Rogen, Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg

Best Horror and Sci-Fi of 2010

Posted on February 4, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

In my family’s house, horror films were a staple. Fright Night, The Monster Squad, and the genre-mashing Big Trouble in Little China were family staples, fascinating as much for their special effects as for the worlds they explored. As Ben Creech once commented, horror and sci-fi are cousins to the fantasy genre, and I would have to concur. These genres, traditionally looked down upon by critics and award shows, create fantastic worlds that aren’t always welcoming, but are nonetheless amazing feats of construction.

The following are some horror and sci-fi films of 2010 that are remarkable for the ways in which they play with the trappings of their genre. In other words, they do something that’s refreshing. Gather a posse and chow down on some cool cinema. (Click on the title to read my full review) Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Lists, News, Reviews

Tagged Best of 2010, Daybreakers, Devil, Horror, Predators, Repo Men, Sci-Fi, The Last Exorcism

A new space odyssey emerges in the trailer for ‘Love’

Posted on January 20, 2011 by The Filmsmith | Leave a comment

Imagine a blend of 2001, Solaris, and Moon and you might get an idea of what the new sci-fi movie Love may be about. Tom DeLonge (Blink 182) put down his guitar and backed the production of the film, serving as its composer. But is this new journey into the vastness of space worth your time?

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