Interstellar

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Interstellar!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd May 2026

This has been a long time coming. But now: No more excuses. I am going to sit though this and I will gleam something from it.
Hopefully.

When I was a kid, I often dreamed of leaving the earth and travelling the stars in a spaceship (as kids are often wont to do). Having seen this movie however such dreams now seem like several lifetimes away.

Okay serious now: I was impressed with this movie. Certainly this is a Christopher Nolan movie so one will expect a lot of dialogue and the cerebral elements pushed to eleven - to the point where they threaten to crush the rest of the movie. 
But what makes this movie work is the vision, the visual spectacle and how it takes the science seriously. Say what you like about Nolan's tendency to get behind material that is denser than lead, he sure knows how to craft an incredible movie.

Perhaps it is fitting that Nolan will go on to tackle The Odyssey as that too features a protagonist who takes a very long time to get home..... 

Solaris

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Solaris!

Original image located here. Accessed 30th May 2025

Here we are folks: The classic 1972 Soviet movie that was intended to be a response to 2001: A Space Odyssey but has since become something of a classic in it's own right. Certainly I knew of this film and I had seen the remake that starred George Clooney so what do I make of this?

It's long that's what. Nearly three hours and it comes across as something of an endurance test, with some pointless scenes and a pace that moves faster than a molasses flood. I will give credit to the director Andrei Tarkovsk for demanding that the audience approach the movie on his own terms but that is still quite a demand.

Still, I will give credit for this movie for it's ideas and the hypnotic approach. And the final scene is indeed one I never saw coming. 

Dark Star

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Dark Star!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th January 2025

Here's a question: Can anyone tell me, without looking it up, who created the Alien franchise?
My experience with sci-fi nerds - or any nerds for that matter - is that they tend to venerate creators who come up with successful IP. By way of example: George Lucas gave us Star Wars, Gene Roddenberry gave us Star Trek, J. Michael Straczynski gave us Babylon 5 and Joss Whedon gave us Firefly.
All recognisable names to be sure - so who created Alien?

The answer is two people: Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. The former wrote a movie called Dark Star and it impressed the latter to a point that they joined forces, worked on some of the ideas from said movie and gave us the horror/sci-fi hybrid that we all know.
And if that isn't enough, this movie was the directorial debut of one John Carpenter. It was originally a student film but, with some additional funds, it was expanded upon.
Quite a pedigree one would think.....

Let's get this out of the way: This is a B-Movie. The sets look shoddy, the sfx are cheap, the premises are ludicrous and there is no attempt to hide it. The monster in this movie is a beachball and the cast act like they're stoned. Certainly there are some elements that will crop up again in Alien - blue-collar space-farers working for a faceless corporation - but both films are so removed from each other it's hard to make the connection both came from the same writer. 
And yet, this movie still works: There are plenty of laughs and the cheap nature of it makes it endearing. It certainly does say a lot about doing a lot with limited resources and you must give props to a student film that made the leap into a full feature. 
Funny how big things would come to those behind a mere student film....

Everything Everywhere All at Once

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Everything Everywhere All at Once!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th December 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 95 (2022)

You know the Oscars have been around for under a century (at time of writing) but for something that has such longevity, one would think that it would be a big ask for it to produce a surprise. 
And yet, this is exactly what happened: I went in expecting a movie that combines science fiction and kung fu - hardly Oscar favourite material - but what I got was something else: It was visually astonishing, playful in it's nature, high in it's concept, and audacious in it's ambitions. 
I have no idea how this won Best Picture - it's an against the odds victory if ever there was one - but there's no way I'm going to argue. 
What an incredible movie. 

Alien: Romulus

This evening I went and saw Alien: Romulus.

Original image located here. Accessed 4th November 2024

So we have a new entrant to this franchise. A sceptic would think that this franchise has no purpose being a franchise, with a reasoning of longevity, the lessening of impact of the original, the dilution of the horror and lack of something new to say. So what can we take away from this latest instalment?

Yes it may be a rehash of the first one but that can be hardly surprising given the sizable impact the first one made. Yes there are reminders sprinkled throughout of other (and, cynically, better) Alien movies. 
But I can't hate this movie. It recognises the strengths of the franchise and works with them: The suspense, the world-building, the claustrophobia and knowing that it's what you don't see is terrifying. Get past the dull first half hour and the movie works a treat.

It does however raise the question of what is going to happen next with this franchise...

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Recently I saw Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Original image located here. Accessed 4th November 2024

Well Afterlife was a hit and proved there may be some life in the franchise yet so it should come to no surprise that a sequel would emerge. 

Thing with Ghostbusters though, is that the original movie was a satire of 1980s action heroes - a truth that would no doubt have gone over the heads of it's dedicated fanbase. So the further this franchise advances from the Reagan era, what else can it say?
The impression I got from this movie is that it appears to be at odds with itself.
On one hand the OG Ghostbusters are there to pass the torch to the new guys. But on the other, they seem to play a more active role in the action.
On one hand Melody gives the idea that ghosts are friendly. But on the other, she has her own agenda.
On one hand the film is trying to say something of it's own. But on the other, there are plenty of call-backs to the first movie.
On one hand Phoebe is set up to be the main character. But on the other, there's a large cast here with everyone clamouring for a time to shine.
On one hand it's great to see some familiar faces return. But on the other, they are still competing with the already large cast for something to do.
On one hand the threat has a load of potential. But on the other, it is overcome quite anti-climatically. 

The list goes on.

Where do we go from here indeed....

The Martian

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Martian!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd September 2023

It's no secret that my preferred brand of science fiction is of the hard variety. You know: the kind that is based on science fact. My reasoning is based purely that people will take what they see on screen as gospel so the film-makers have a responsibility to apply science fact whenever and wherever possible.
Regardless of whether the film-makers like it or not. 

Given the success of Mythbusters, it has since become commonplace to show fictional characters solving a problem, applying a combination of ingenuity, engineering, scientific theory, testing and trial & error. And that is the key strength of The Martian: Showing how a guy marooned on a planet and the methods he applies in generating oxygen, growing food and trying to make contact with Earth using what limited resources he has. This is pretty much a survival story and is never once dull. 

Mind you, as I watched this, my eye did divert, however briefly, to Keira's Sailor Moon paraphernalia in the bedroom - and long enough to bring to mind the observation that: "Hey, if you're stuck on Mars go find Rei, she'll help you out" XD

Gravity

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Gravity!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th January 2023

I've been wanting to see this for quite some time. I like my science fiction to be hard but I will admit it is something of a rarity. Because science fact and dramatic tension don't make the best of bedfellows. Still, I will take my hard science fiction anyway I can.

I guess with this kind of film you will have some grumps complaining that it is completely inaccurate to the will of science. But such an assessment would sell this film short: It is nothing less than astonishing. The weightlessness is incredible, the camera work is jaw dropping and some sequences (such as the 13 minute opening scene) are staggering in their accomplishment. Furthermore, this is a very beautiful looking film with some amazing space shots. I also like the use of silence (after all, there's no air in space and therefore no means of sound to travel) and the protagonist is a compelling one, anchored by Sandra Bullock giving the performance of her career.
Not much to add really: This movie is incredible and worthy of sitting next to the giants of the sci-fi genre.

Flash Gordon

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Flash Gordon!

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd April 2021

Consider this the antithesis to the dour stuff I have been watching these past few weeks.
Lets be honest here: The only reason i know this film exists is through the Queen connection ("Flash! A-HAAA!!). And it would be safe to say that I'm not the only one. Still Flash is - apparently - the king of the impossible and the savior of the universe so that was a least worth a look.

So let's not kid ourselves. This is b-grade fare: The colours are garish, the effects cheap, the acting constantly swinging between wooden and hammy, and the whole thing was laughable, even with the passage of forty one years. Still i can't say it was dull. And it is proof that adding Brian Blessed to anything will increase it's awesomeness tenfold.
And hey, the music was great

The Fifth Element

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Fifth Element!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th February 2021

Being the sci-fi enthusiast i am, I have been wanting to see this for many years but, for some reason or another, i never got around to it. That is until recently when my gaming buddies found out I hadn't seen it and urged me to do so. So here we are.
Isn't peer pressure grand?

Okay serious talk now:
There's no way around this: this movie is bizarre. It's a cliche to think that French films are loaded with symbolism and bizarre imagery and this movie does nothing to challenge that cliche.
Okay, sure there are a lot of clever visuals, inventive art direction, and some real colorful moments. The humor is well utilized and the action sequences are great.
But on the other hand, there are some goofy moments.

Boy are there some goofy moments.

The type the interrupt the flow of the movie and threaten to derail the movie completely (ie Gary Oldman's character and Chris Tucker's character). Such moments may add to the bizarre-ness of the movie and it's unique nature but it certainly makes for an odd viewing experience.
Still, when this movie works, it works well. So in the end, I'm glad I saw this one

A Clockwork Orange

And this week's Friday night movie has been... A Clockwork Orange!

Original image located here. Accessed 9th September 2020

This may surprise a number of you readers but I have never seen this movie. Sure I have seen parts of it but I have never seen it all the way through - and not doing so seems dishonest to this serial and myself as a cinema geek. Ironic that this particular movie has a reputation as being one of the most difficult to get through.
Furthermore, this is another case of a movie being so well known that it's reputation precedes it (seems it's something of a touchstone for both film snobs and the anti-sociable). And I have always been suspicious of such proprieties: How can you judge a work on your own terms when it has a weight of a reputation so large that it can't hope to live up to such expectations? (Yes Firefly, I am looking at you).
Finally, there is the issue of shock tactics. For me, the greatest enemy of shock tactics isn't the straight-laced complainers who protest them -- No, it's the march of time. Because the march of time brings copycats who will either replicate the same approach (to some extent) or try to surpass the original to the point where the original looks toothless.
With such factors in mind (whether we like it or not), how do we assess A Clockwork Orange?

In all honesty, i have seen worse.
It may be a bold claim but i this lifetime, I have seen countless movies, a lot of anime, many a music video on rage and a whole lotta weird stuff on SBS.
So yeah, I've see things.

But given the passage of time, I have to admit that there is still some bite in this movie. The art design is extraordinary, the vision of the future is both bleak and plausible, the satire hits with precision and the movie still looks relevant nearly half a century later.
It may be easy to slam Stanley Kubrick for being self-indulgent (seriously how much phallic imagery can you cram into one movie?) but it certainly stands head and shoulders above it's followers. Amusing one moment and downright disturbing the next, this isn't the type of movie I see myself revisiting but at least i can say that I've seen it.
Also, the sci-fi nerd in me finds it funny to see David Prowse in this movie.

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker!

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd January 2020

It would appear that assessing a Star Wars movie carries a degree of risk: It may be enjoyable in the moment but take a step back and you realize 'Hey, wait a minute...". Indeed it would appear that the Phantom Menace has a lot to answer for.

If I could describe this movie in a single word it would be breakneck: Everything is moving so quickly that it is difficult to keep up. Sure there's some great action pieces and some interesting character moments but I can't help but think if this movie would've benefited from being two movies. Or being a three hour epic. Like Avengers Endgame.

Speaking of which, the plan of this movie wrapping up all eight movies preceding does indeed draw similarities to Endgame. But whereas Endgame showed how to properly wrap up a movie serial, Rise of Skywalker seemed limp by comparison. I mean it was all right and, being the geek that I am, i did pick up various nods to the other movies scattered throughout, but this is not quite the 'sticking the landing' this movie was supposed to be.

This may sound kind of strange but I'm drawing a comparison with this movie to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. You see, the latter, i thought the movie was unremarkable UNTIL to awe-inspiring final quarter that completely vindicated the preceding three quarters. And that's the same vibe I'm getting with Rise of Skywalker: The last quarter was superb but somehow the journey there seemed somewhat underwhelming.

So in conclusion, I did gleam some enjoyment of this movie and I did pick up numerous nods to fans, but, much like a lot of the Disney-helmed Star Wars, the thought of what could've been is indeed a lingering one.

The Abyss

And this week's Friday night movie has been....The Abyss!

Original image located here. Accessed 30th August 2019

Apparently director James Cameron is real keen on underwater exploration....
Okay, seriously: I've been wanting to see this movie ever since 1989 (!) when I first saw the advertising poster and thought it is ominous enough to grab my interest. An interest, it would seem, has not waned over the course of three decades...

I do enjoy James Cameron movies and this one didn't disappoint. There's the action and special effects I have come to expect from him but what marks this movie as special is the build up. There's tension, some brilliant photography, and an atmosphere that will make more modern movies green with envy. And the movie has indeed aged well when compared to other movies of the era.

Not much else i can say is that who would've guessed thirty years would be worth the wait?
(of course I've had longer waits to see certain movies but still...)

Alita Battle Angel

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Alita Battle Angel!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd February 2019

My interest in anime truly blossomed during the nineties when my impressionable teenage mind became aware of these Japanese cartoons and how they did things differently to western animation. At the time, watching this breed of animation seemed 'badass' and 'not for the faint-hearted' and far from the 'nerdy' stigmata that anime tends to attract. It was also during this time that i managed to see the likes of Ghost in the Shell, Ninja Scroll and Akira. And in amongst this clutch of titles was one Battle Angel Alita.

I did think highly of the title at the time - and still do years later, especially when quite a few anime seen in this period now come across as puerile (although not the afore-mentioned titles). So when i heard, years ago, that James Cameron was keen on adapting it, i was all for it. Little did I know however was I would have to wait for nearly two decades to see the final product.

It would be cynical of me to decree that nearly two decades of waiting couldn't hope to match the result - not to mention realistic - but somehow, this movie still manages to impress. The big eyes of Alita took some getting used to but the motion capture and the movements were certainly eye-catching. Rosa Salazar does a superb job carrying the movie and a lot of the cast managed to hold their own even when competing against a green screen of special effects (Christoph Waltz especially). And speaking of the green screen, what a special effects bonanza it is. Well choreographed action scenes, inventive designs and some truly mind-blowing action sequences.
Furthermore, clearly this adaptation follows the anime closely, as i recognized certain scenes and plot details. So this is indeed an adaptation of anime that gets the source material and proves that there is indeed an audience outside, what is ultimately, a niche interest.

One question though: Does this adaptation owe more to the anime or the original manga? Because the anime only covers the first two volumes of a nine volume series. In any case, i sincerely hope there is a sequel coming out of this adaptation because hey, why stop at the end of volume two?

Bumblebee

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Bumblebee!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st December 2018

I've never really cared much for Bayformers but I have to admit that this was...... an improvement.

Yes, I'm finding it hard to believe myself. So lets cut to the chase and use dot points:
- This was unexpected: It had humour, heart and some touching moments. Unusual for this particular franchise and even more unusual in that they actually work
- Having a rockin' eighties soundtrack didn't hurt either
- Funny thing: When I originally saw the first Bayformers movie i was frustrated that there seemed to be more focus on the human characters than the Transformers themselves. Here, i have the opposite problem XD
- No way around it: Hailee Steinfeld carries a lot of this movie - so much so i want to see what happens next with this character
- Watching the end credits I noticed this movie was written by a woman, Christina Hodson. If this was a gamble then it clearly paid off
- Ultimately this seems a better movie than it ought to be. And after five attempts, they finally got it right. So what now?

Solo: A Star Wars Story

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Solo: A Star Wars Story!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st June 2018

I have discovered two things with the entrants in the Star Wars franchise: a) every movie that has followed Empire Strikes Back has divided audiences like no other and b) those which challenge the template set by Lucas and take risks come out stronger (ie Rogue One, Knights of the Old Republic and Clone Wars). So how does this one match up, production dramas and all?

Actually it was pretty good. Sure there are some dodgy lines, sure there are some lousy cinematography and sure there are moments where it shows it's origins as a movie made by a director who was switched partway through. But it's an enjoyable romp and loaded with some actions scenes that somehow come as a relief after the dour Last Jedi and Rogue One. There's some callbacks and some decent character moments and it was a lot of fun.

Not much more I can say except I suddenly want a remake of Star Wars: Droids - only one that has, instead of R2D2 and C3PO, the adventures of L3-37, K-2SO and HK-47

Ready Player One

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Ready Player One!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th April 2018

In a way i was dreading this movie: if the trailer was anything to go by, I was expecting it to be 'Pop Culture Reference: The Movie'. But thankfully that was not the case.

It may be kinda shallow but in terms of a rollicking adventure this does it's job. Being the geek that i am was able to pick a large number of the anime/gaming/movie references so clearly this is a movie that knows it's audience. Still, the action sequences are superb and the battle for the fortress at the climax is........jaw-dropping to say the least.
So yeah, a movie that genuinely surprised me by being kinda cool.
Oh and i-R0k is awesome.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Close Encounters of the Third Kind!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd March 2018

Once again, this is a well-known/regarded movie that managed to escape my notice for nearly three decades. I did try to watch it in high school but I don't recall getting very far. Well not this time: I came, I saw and I......

......it seems to me that this movie's reputation lies largely on the final half-hour. I have to admit it was something for a slog to get there but DAMN what a climax. The special effects are incredible - even for a forty one year old movie - and the UFO itself is truly awe-inspiring - which honestly, leaves a lot of CGI-heavy movies of today for dead.
So yeah: Great movie. It may have been a journey to get there but what a pay-off

Colossal

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Colossal!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd February 2018

Seems that this movie is one that slipped through the cracks. No matter: I liked it. It was a new take on the Monster genre that was both clever and entertaining. Anne Hathaway is always a delight (since when is she ever not?) and props must go to the final showdown which features one of the most BAD-ASS marches ever committed to film. Sure there were some points where the movie did meander a bit but for those moments when this movie hits, it hits hard.
Certainly a lot going for this movie in what it wants to say about addiction and how to rise above it - in spectacular fashion it would seem.
Go check this one out!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Star Wars: the Last Jedi!

Original image located here. Accessed 5th January 2018

Well there's a lot to unpack here and it's kinda tricky without giving too much away. I will do my best:

So let me say this straight out: I enjoyed this movie. That being said however, my favorite parts of the movie were those which involved Luke and Rey. Beyond that, a lot of the movie, particularly the parts involving the 'pursuit' came across as somewhat pointless. Still, the final battle was pretty awesome and it's interesting to see this series prove that there is plenty more to this movie series and that it has the potential to keep going in interesting directions. In addition, Kylo Ren being an avatar for the 'Angry Star Wars fan' continues to amuse.
One point however: I've heard people compare The Force Awakens to A new Hope and The Last Jedi compared to Empire Strikes Back. Keeping with this formula, does that mean that no.9 is in the (admittedly unenviable) position of rehashing Return of the Jedi?