Oblivion

First Hit:  Although confusing at times, an interesting story line and Cruise is solid.

The confusion around the story expresses itself with narratives and character dialogues specifically "telling versus showing" to keep the story in the boundaries the filmmakers wanted. 

When the director and writer have to do this and not let the film tell the story with pictures and non-explanatory dialogue, then there is a problem. However, this film makes up for it in visual crispness and the idea that we have been replicated and are remnants and memories of who we were.

Jack has dreams of another life with a woman and when the plot (confusingly) sends a space craft which introduces this woman of his dreams (his earthly wife) Julia (Olga Kurylenko) I had a difficult time wondering how this worked. Where did the space vehicles come from that brought real humans of our past? 

Although the answer to this is question is given towards the end of the film, Julia's arrival created confusion and took me away  from the story. Jack (Tom Cruise) and Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) are “an effective team” whose job is for Jack to fix drones which protect machines sucking all the life out of the oceans while Team Leader Victoria guides and provides support for Jack from their home in the sky. Victoria talks/works with “Sally” (Melissa Leo) a woman who invites kindness with her southern accent.

Sally appears to be the boss of all the machines. The reason for Jack and Victoria's work is that there are "Scavs" (scavengers?) who are damaging the drones and want to damage the machines that are sucking the life out of the ocean (earth). Leading the Scavs, who are remaining humans on earth, is Beech (Morgan Freeman). His band of rebels reaches out to Jack because they think he has enough of his human memory left that he can be "turned" to help them defeat the alien force.

Cruise is as he always is, brave, charming, and the hero of his films. However, he is reliable and always delivers his role with conviction. Risenborough is good but her limited character’s role made it difficult to care much. Kurylenko is very good and is as strong as Cruise and Freeman. Freeman is perfect as the guy with a vision that humans will persevere. Leo is good in a mostly voice and video picture representation and version of the aliens. Joseph Kosinski and Karl Gajdusek wrote the script which didn’t always work. Kosinski directed the film and didn’t really get how the audience might see/interpret his vision.

Overall:  This was interesting enough to keep me engaged and wanting to see the end.

The Host

First Hit:  Well intentioned and not well crafted or executed.

The idea that an alien life form could use our bodies as a host and use them with less anger, violence, and angst is interesting.

The idea of what happens to the person whom had the body prior to being inhabited is thought provoking. Would our violent nature fight against the intrusion?

Would humans see the wisdom of the species taking over their body, or just see the quiet nature and simple robotic way of being as a way to kill our spirit? Or would humans know they are inhabited? All interesting questions and not explored very well in this film.

There were moments where Melanie / Wanderer / Wanda (Saoirse Ronan) who was a human holdout (as Melanie), captured and given new soul (Wanderer / Wanda). The two spirits (Melanie/Wanda) live inside Melanie’s body. She is hated by her former human boyfriend and other humans in a colony headed by Jeb (William Hurt). The souls outnumber the humans but the audience is pushed by the story and director to take sides that the humans are the righteous beings in the universe.

To me the film had a strong possibility to really explore some interesting questions, but only Ronan and Hurt gave the possibility of this interesting story a chance to live in this film. Hurt was hampered by his role as head of the human holdouts and therefore had to have a more human slant. Ronan, however, was able to bring a level of sensitivity to her role and the moment that the camera was about 6 inches above her face as she lay down on the operating table, the tenderness of her human and invader presence was truly felt. She held the film together.

Ronan was the best part of this whole film and it only worked because of her. Diane Kruger as The Seeker, the person charged with converting Melanie from human to Wanderer was very good as her own internal fight with her human aspect became clear as the film progressed. Hurt was fun to see and enjoyable to watch. His natural air of authority rang true. Andrew Niccol wrote the screenplay, playing on human emotions to protect our ways and essence, was a little naïve. It would have been interesting to explore a human getting to know and embrace what was good about the species we were hosting. Niccol also directed this film which showed the limitations of his ability to create a wider more interesting story.

Overall:  Liked some of the acting and the potential of the concept and this execution lacked depth.

Addmissions

First Hit:  This film felt disjointed, lacking depth in character development, with moments of laughter. A good romantic comedy is a wonderful and fun to watch. It is also one of the easier genres to do poorly. Despite having Tina Fey and Paul Rudd, two funny people who can make a romantic comedy work – it doesn’t work here. Yes there are very funny parts but they are few and far between. The failure here is that this film also wants to be taken seriously as a drama as well. The result is a film looking for a base/home genre and therefore lost. When Portia (Fey), who is a Princeton Admissions Director, is with her partner (living together for 10 years) Mark (Michael Sheen), the scenes were not believable. There is no way I bought that they even liked each other – let alone lived together for 10 years. In fact this whole part of the story and script could have been scrapped and the film would have worked. The basic premise is that Portia likes stability and not getting close to anyone. Rudd as John Pressman (a director in an alternative school) pushes for not being stable; he travels with his adopted son and lives in countries all over the world. Both of these people are rebelling against their parents. Portia’s mom Susannah (played by Lily Tomlin) is a rebel of society and stable life – she wants to push the envelope. Mrs. Pressman (Lisa Emery) is old school conservative money and her son John wants to be free and always keep moving. This could be enough for a romantic comedy, but then add Portia may have a son she’s never known and that Rudd might have to settle down – we mix too much drama and it fizzles.

Fey is occasionally good, but mostly neither funny nor dramatically interesting. Rudd is better as he doesn’t have as many hurdles to jump to make his role work. Travis Bratten (as Rudd’s adoptive son Nelson) is excellent. Nat Wolff is very good as a smart lost young man who wants to become part of something. Tomlin is good as Fey’s troubled and inspirational mother. Sheen was wasted in this role that wasn’t needed to make this film work. Karen Croner wrote an inadequate screen play that didn’t know what it wanted to be. Paul Weitz directed this an probably knew it was failing as he filmed and edited it together.

Overall:  Not really worth the money but there are enough laughs to want to watch this for free on a Sunday evening.

Rust and Bone (De rouille et d'os)

First Hit:  Superior acting in a dark, moody and excellent film.

This film is rarely a “feel good film” but the superior acting by Marion Cotillard (as Stephanie) and Matthias Schoenaerts (as Alain van Versch) make this a very strong film.

Alain and his son Sam (played by Armand Verdure) are homeless and trying to get to his Alain’s sisters house. His sister Anna (played by Corinne Masiero) and her husband Richard (Jean-Michael Correia) welcome him and his son although there isn’t any love lost between them.

It is clear at the beginning that Alain is self-centered, arrogant, and selfish but he does love his son. He doesn’t think through his actions and generally does what he wants when he wants to. As a security guard, he meets Stephanie after she’s been hit while drunk at a dance club. He takes her home meets her lover but leaves his number anyway.

Stephanie is an Orca trainer at a water show. She loves what she does, but it is clear her shadow self is part of her life. A mishap with the Orcas and she loses her legs. Depressed and suicidal she reaches out to Alain. His selfish but caring manner has her come out of her shell.

There begins the story of their redemption for their actions and a willingness to grow into acceptance of who they are and what they want.

Cotillard is sublime in this role. The variety of emotions, feelings, and actions are done so well that this role is Oscar worthy. Versch is very good as a kind and selfish brute. Masiero was strong as the sister who finds ways to make her life work. Correia was great to seen again and, as always, wonderful as the sister’s husband who tries to make peace between the occasional warring siblings. Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain wrote a very strong script. Audiard directed this film with strength and elegance.

Overall:  A very wonderful film which deserves any Oscar recognition it gets – probably more.

Playing for Keeps

First Hit:  Predictable film, some strong moments, and generally disappointing with this strong cast.

George (played by Gerard Butler) is a finished professional soccer player from Scotland. He was famous, blew through his money, and is now looking for work.

He’s also is divorced from Stacie (played by Jessica Biel) who is living with their son Lewis (played by Noah Lomax) and her fiance (played by James Tupper). While trying to find a job he moves near his son and ex-wife and becomes the soccer coach for his son’s team. He is a hit and the team begins to score and win games.

However, as expected the parents of the kids on the team want to influence the coach to play their kid or provide special coaching. Making it more complex is that George is a ladies man and all the divorcees want a piece of him in more ways than one. To this end we have Uma Thurman (Patti) who is married to Carl (played by Dennis Quaid).

Patti wants to have an affair with George while Carl, who influences the team and George with money, will kill anyone who has an affair with his wife. There is also Denise (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones) who has influence at ESPN and uses her sexuality and connections to influence George.

Lastly, there is Barb (played by Judy Greer) who is freshly divorced and is prime for sex. Besides the predictability of the film, it sets things up but then lets them go. Example: Carl gives George a bunch of money for the team and George uses it for his rent and deposit on his new digs but there is no consequence for this action.

Butler is good and fits the role well but it just seems so predictable. Biel is very good and she and Butler create a wonderful chemistry. There are a couple of scenes when they are speaking with each other that were really strong. Quaid’s role was odd and not very well thought-out. Zeta-Jones was good and created some fun in the film. Thurman is oddly interesting as a lonely unhappy lush wife. Greer is one of the more interesting people in the film with her emotional jags. Robbie Fox wrote a bland screenplay. Gabriele Muccino directed this film in a very safe way. There wasn’t anything that really stood out or was detrimental. It was safe.

Overall:  This film would be a good Sunday evening family DVD or streaming watch.