ELYSIUM--a movie review by Gordon Stamper, Jr.

Tri-Star Pictures, Media Rights Capital, and QED International present Elysium.  Written and directed by Neil Blomkamp.  Starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, and William Fichtner.  Cinematography by Trent Opoloch.  109 minutes.  Rated 'R' for strong bloody violence and language throughout.

After the artistic and box office success of District 9, Neil Blomkamp's next project would be an event with high expectations.  His follow-up is Elysium, another speculative fiction tale loaded with social commentary.

The film's greatest asset is Matt Damon as Max, another in Damon's gallery of likable anti-hero performances.  He is an orphan with only one true friend in the world, Frey (Alice Braga), who is now a nurse in a disintegrating Los Angeles and world of the far future.

Max is a reformed ex-con, working a dangerous job on the assembly line for security droids that guard the orbiting paradise of Elysium.  There, the rich lead an idyllic resort-type life and have access to health care that makes residents nearly immortal.  Later, Max is exposed to toxic radiation and begins what may be a suicide mission to the healing beds of Elysium for himself and Frey's dying daughter. 

In the meantime, Elysium's head of defense Delacourt (Jodie Foster) is planning a political coup with the help of a business executive and computer whiz (William Fichtner) and a ruthless killer-for-hire, Krueger (Sharlto Copley).

The movie's action sequences are exciting and suspenseful (and help earn the 'R' rating), and the have and have-not allegory is clearly drawn.  Any disappointment with the plot comes from its predictable conclusion.  The film's ambitious social agenda encourages close viewing, but attentive audience members will figure out the ending at least a half hour before the climax.  Fortunately, the movie is relatively short and not a three hour epoch, or this would have been a fatal flaw. 

Blomkamp seems to have a fascination with exoskeletons, and both Max and Krueger don them in key parts of the plot.  Although many of the film's special effects are dazzling, the suits are District 9 deja vu and one hopes he can get away from them in future storytelling.  They threaten to be the director's Tim Burton-like quirk of the future.

Two hammy performances are miles apart in terms of effectiveness.  Sharlto Copley plays Krueger like Dog the Bounty Hunter with an Afrikaner accent and futuristic weapons, and it generally works.  His is a swaggering, proud-of-it villainy and the laughs Copley gets are intentional.  As for Jodie Foster, she seems to go for mimicry, imitating Christine Lagarde, former Chicagoan and head of the International Monetary Fund, down to the mixed French accent and hair style.  Perhaps she thought it would add to the film's social commentary.  What the audience gets is a befuddling performance that threatens to derail the film at times, but Damon, Copley, and a comparatively understated Fichtner counteract it.

Elysium is a good science fiction and action motion picture, providing adult audiences some material for thought-provoking discussion after the film along with well-executed shoot-'em-up fare.  Though not as original and provocative as District 9, Blomkamp has made at least an oasis, if not a paradise, from August release mediocrity.

My rating:  *** out of ****.

Welcome back to school--an adjusted view

Yesterday at my parents' home, their Munster, Indiana neighborhood had all the signs of a return to school.  Retirees manicured their lawns without the interruption and harassment of passing whippersnappers.  Once again, it was safe to be a pedestrian on the sidewalks, no youngsters just off training wheels clipping you with their bicycles.  The local police had the "your speed" digital signs and speed traps at the ready in the vicinity of all school zones.

Then the return home brought its own revelations.  Columbia and Calumet Avenues became parking lots, waiting for the streams of buses and car pickups at the public and Catholic schools.  Near a ranch home on Columbia, a girl raced from the bus, giddily shouting to her mommy about the exciting day.  Her brother exited the bus with a slow, shuffling death march, wondering what mommy will do to him after hearing about what he did today (if his teacher didn't call mommy first).

At this time last year, I re-entered college teaching, enthusiastic about the possibilities of the upcoming semester.  Though today I may not be the death march boy, I'm not his cheerleader sister, either.

I experienced some of the best and worst in freshman writing.  In my composition class, one student wrote a paper defending sweatshop labor, using sources he found exclusively on Bing and Google searches.  From my research writing students, a hip hop and rap "expert" asserted that Tupac Shakur was one of the biggest music artists of the 80's.  If that's the case, then I love when Madonna did the bump-and-grind onstage with The Beatles.

But some young writers can still dazzle me.  A professional musician and student at Ivy Tech evaluated what are the best and most reliable organs to play in church services.  At Purdue North Central, a group project produced a thoroughly researched essay and oral presentation on practical methods and solutions to reduce fossil fuel consumption and have lower energy bills.

I'm ready for another school year of discovery and encouraging students to find their writing voices.  And my pragmatic side has returned as well, knowing there will be a share of essay disasters.  Perhaps after this semester, at least it will give me more examples of what not to do.  I'm tired of sharing the real-life student example of "The History of the Twentieth Century" for a three to five page assignment.  

THE WOLVERINE: A Movie Review by Gordon Stamper, Jr.

Twentieth Century Fox, Marvel Entertainment, and Dune Entertainment present The Wolverine.  Directed by James Mangold.  Starring Hugh Jackman, Tao Akamoto, Rila Fukushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Hal Yamanouchi, and Famke Janssen.  Cinematography by Ross Emery.  Screenplay by Mark Bomback and Scott Frank, based on the original comics miniseries by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.  126 minutes.  Rated "PG-13" for scenes of intense sci-fi action and violence, some sexuality and language.

In Marvel's latest superhero film The Wolverine, the audience is treated to an intriguing introduction and back story that peaks interest.  There are enough exciting action sequences and Hugh Jackman scenes to keep it from being a time-waster.

Logan (Jackman) is literally hanging out in the Canadian woods, holding a mutual admiration society with a huge male grizzly.  After a hunting party shakes Logan out of the forest and into town, a cyberpunk-like Japanese woman, Yukio (Rila Fukushima), tracks him down at a big bar fight.  An old friend, Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi), is dying of cancer and wants to be able to tell Logan goodbye.  Being one of the most memorable people in Logan's very long life--knowing Yashida since World War II--The Wolverine is willing to come out of hiding and see his friend one last time in Tokyo.  What Logan does not expect is an offer to cure his unwanted immortal status, and an obligation to be the protector for Yashida's favorite granddaughter, Mariko (Tao Akamoto).

After this fascinating setup, the film careens between great action sequences and real pathos, and noisy, stock superhero plotting.  One could argue that The Wolverine goes downhill after a chase sequence on a bullet train that is both suspenseful and technically brilliant.  If only the momentum and human interest had been sustained, this story would appeal to any movie audience.  But big and loud special effects overdrive takes over the latter third of the film, and it includes a plot "twist" that a junior high viewer could have foreseen early on.

However, Jackman is always a pleasure to watch as Logan/The Wolverine.  He has become attached to his character like Sean Connery or Daniel Craig to James Bond.  He enjoys exploring the physical and psychological boundaries of the character, being tough, gruff, or tender at the right moments, and it's his best performance as the nearly invincible hero so far.  Among the supporting cast, the biggest standouts are Fukushima, who plays a ninja-like woman with spotty psychic ability, and Svetlana Khodchenkova, portraying a doctor with an evil agenda.  And Tokyo and the Japanese coastline looks gorgeous.

The Wolverine is good summer action fare with an appealing lead performance. But non-comics fans should be prepared for some frustration in how the intriguing plot conflicts resolve themselves.  Note, especially for comics fans and followers of the X-Men series:  stay for the credits and the extra scene (and you won't have to wait for it until the end of the credits).

My rating:  *** out of ****.

Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters: Taste of Chicago 2013 Concert Review by Gordon Stamper, Jr.

Robert Plant at Taste of Chicago 2013 (photo by Gordon Stamper, Jr.)

The familiar acoustic guitar opening of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" accompanied Robert Plant's entrance on the Petrillo Music Shell stage.  A cheer rolled through the massive crowd, and Mr. Plant and his band mates delivered on the promise of these opening chords throughout their 90 minute performance.  Although his vocal range has been shaved due to time and throat surgery, Plant used what he has left with maximum efficiency and effectiveness at his Taste of Chicago appearance.

Throughout the set, the sound shifted from folk to blues to psychedelia and heavy metal.  Plant's versatile touring band The Sensational Space Shifters made much of it possible, with contributors such as Massive Attack's John Baggott on keyboards, West African multi-instrumentalist Juldeh Camara, and versatile guitarists Justin Adams and Liam Tyson.  "Black Dog" turned into a world beat party with Dave Smith's complex percussion and Camara's banjo-like work on the kolongo.

Juldeh Camara on the kolongo (photo by Gordon Stamper, Jr.)

Mr. Plant applied his Space Shifters to classic blues covers as well, including a slinky rendition of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful," and added old gospel intensity to "Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down."  The latter song was one of Plant's finest moments in the show, with his phrasing and building intensity highlighting his remaining vocal strengths.  "What Is and What Should Never Be" also remained a dynamics showcase for Plant, with seductive whispers leading to a shouting climax.

Perhaps the most straightforward treatment of a song was from Plant's solo work, "In the Mood."  It was good to hear the 80's song in a live setting, but fortunately, much of the show strayed from set arrangements and instead kept even Zeppelin material from seeming too obvious and familiar.  One example would be "Whole Lotta Love," which shifted from the original rhythm to a Bo Diddley beat and "Who Do You Love?" before returning to a metal sonic attack, with Camara's one string African fiddle added in for surreal effect.

But even those audience members who may have been befuddled by the new arrangements seemed to be won over by an ethereal rendition of "Goin' to California."  It inspired some couples to slow dance, caught up on a breezy summer night with a shimmering soundtrack to match.  Plant's Golden God days are gone, but what is left is a music scholar who balances pride in his legacy with musical exploration in his live performances.

THE CONJURING: a movie review by Gordon Stamper, Jr.

Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and Evergreen Media present The Conjuring.   Starring Vera Farminga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, and Ron Livingston.  Directed by James Wan.  Written by Chad & Carey Hayes.  Cinematography by John R. Leonetti.  112 Minutes.  Rated ‘R’ for sequences of disturbing violence and terror.

A litmus test for a horror film is when an audience made up primarily of wise-cracking teenagers has been silenced.  Such was the case with The Conjuring, a suspenseful and stylish horror/thriller and notable entry in the “bad place” genre from an unexpected source:  James Wan, director of Insidious and curator of the Saw series.  Supposedly based on the real-life experiences of demonologist duo Ed and Lorraine Warren, its basis in truth is probably about the same as Fargo’s claim.  Yet that doesn’t diminish the power of this terrifying film. 

We follow the Warrens (Vera Farminga and Patrick Wilson) on their early explorations and encounters with the spirit world, while Carolyn and Roger Perron’s (Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston) big, happy family moves into a large country house that seems like an idyllic fit for them.  Strange events start happening in the Perron’s home, from disturbing noises and stopped clocks to mysterious, deep bruises found on Carolyn.  During a long trip away from home by truck driver Ron, the family comes under heavy attack by dark forces, with the mother trapped and pummeled in the basement while her four daughters are terrorized by a physical manifestation of demonic forces.  Carolyn seeks out the Warrens after one of their college lectures, and the spirit world explorers are plunged into a nightmarish combination of haunted house and exorcism territory.

Director James Wan is the chief orchestrator of terror here, with deft rhythm and timing on his false and genuine scares.  As with humor, the element of surprise is important and the film attacks the viewer with enough off-kilter moments to jolt even the most cynical horror film veteran.  And to Wan’s credit, little of the torture porn violence of Saw is used here. John Leonetti’s extended and panning cinematography also keeps the audience guessing where the next apparition will appear.

The acting is also first rate, particularly Farminga and Wilson, who have strong chemistry portraying a married couple, flesh-and-blood humans facing primal evil.  Livingston does a decent job looking helpless and scared, and Taylor plays yet another terrorized victim well, which is why she’s cast so often in those roles.

Some of the writing goes off the rails, particularly when an extended scene in the house’s basement goes on too long and is inconsistent with the general intelligence the Warrens have shown throughout the movie.  Fortunately, the plot gaffes are few and forgiven by the generally solid storytelling and Wan’s build-up of dread.

As I left the screening, an angry and escalating shouting match started between theater patrons, as if the bad place had shifted to our movie theater.  This is not the feel-good movie of the summer, but if you are appreciative of genuinely frightening horror, The Conjuring is required viewing.

My rating:  ***1/2 out of ****.

    

WORLD WAR Z: a movie review by Gordon Stamper, Jr.

Paramount Pictures et al. present World War Z.  Starring Brad Pitt, Mirielle Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Fana Mokoena, Matthew Fox, and David Morse.  Directed by Marc Singer.  Written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, and Damon Lindelof, based on the novel by Max Brooks.  Cinematography by Ben Seresin (credited) and Robert Richardson (uncredited).  116 minutes.  Rated PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence, and disturbing images.

Zombies have become a part of our vernacular and have a genre all their own, and World War Z is a respectable addition to zombie lore.  The insect swarm-like zombies of this motion picture are an original twist, and enough suspense and high stakes are added to make it a worthwhile viewing experience.

If anyone had been reading the entertainment press's accounts over the past year, World War Z was either 1) never going to be released or 2) going to be an unmitigated disaster.  It started as a project based on the critically and commercially successful Max Brooks novel, but the movie was going wildly over its budget and the third act was recently rewritten.  The only evidence I could see onscreen of the many "cooks" was the over-sanitized zombie violence, which is generally more sci-fi action-like than the grim realism and graphic gore of The Walking Dead.

As for the main plot, Brad Pitt portrays Gerry Lane, a former U.N. worker thrust back into service as a zombie-like virus threatens his immediate family's safety and quickly strangles the globe.  Unless he travels with a research team to one of the original hot spots in Korea, his family will lose their cramped but safe quarters aboard a military ship for "more essential" personnel.  A global journey begins that takes him to Korea and then Israel, in which he meets Segan, a brave Israeli soldier (Daniella Kertesz), who becomes an essential partner in their future journeys of mutual survival.

Though many zombie aficionados may balk at a film with a surprising lack of blood, suspense thriller fans will be pleasantly surprised with the use of tense jeopardy scenarios and build up instead of buckets of gore.  Overall, the zombies are portrayed in selected scenes more like insect swarms or an invading military force, but Gerry and Segan have a few precarious close encounters with the infected ghouls that could make your date or spouse jump in your lap.

Those seeking the existential horror of The Walking Dead, or the social commentary on race and family units of Romero's original Night of the Living Dead, may be disappointed.  However, audiences who like globe-hopping suspense thrillers may want to join Brad Pitt in his zombie-fighting adventures.

My rating:  *** out of ****.

THIS IS THE END: a movie review by Gordon Stamper, Jr.

Columbia Pictures, Mandate Pictures, and Point Grey Pictures present This Is the End.  Starring Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Craig Washington, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, and Emma Watson.  Directed by Evan Goldberg and Rogen.  Written by Rogen and Goldberg, based on their 2007 short film "Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse."  Cinematography by Brandon Trost.  107 minutes.  Rated 'R' for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use, and violence.

Seth Rogen and company have beaten Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and their comedy/horror troupe by two months' release time for a comic version of the apocalypse.  This will probably work towards This Is the End's box office advantage.  But with Rogen's wildly uneven filmography, could he and his co-conspirators make a movie that successfully appeals to dark humor lovers?

The answer is a qualified "yes." The loose premise is that all the actors are playing fictionalized versions of themselves (one hopes), and are generally on their worst behavior in facing the end times.  Rogen picks up Canadian Jay Baruchel from LAX, presumably for some buddy and male bonding time, but eventually drags Baruchel to a wild, celebrity-filled party at James Franco's mansion.  What starts happening outside the bacchanal is the filmmakers' version of the Rapture.  Those left behind face fire, massive earthquakes, and demons that walk the Earth.

Of course, the comedian party animals are left behind and don't fend for themselves too well.  Each are guilty of escalating outrages, particularly Danny McBride, with Michael Cera receiving a dishonorable mention.  The usually mild-mannered and quiet Cera is particularly a good sport in this film, doing a couple of simulated acts that could shock anyone.

In several scenes, the movie delivers the laughs.  Rogen and Baruchel's argument about gluten-free diets is a comic gem.  Parodies of horror movie cliches such as false scares and exorcisms are on target, such as a night scene where an ever-growing group of grown men uncomfortably snuggle up together out of fear.  And the cast's exaggerated send-up of themselves works as a whole.

Yet even at 107 minutes, the film is still too long.  Even though several set pieces are quite funny, the last half hour feels like this premise was based on a shorter film skit, which it was.  As an audience member, you can feel the clock ticking and the passable special effects padding the stretched-out climax. Also, how many dick and scatological jokes can one tell and still be funny?  Rogen and Goldberg must think quite a few.

Even with its flaws, for those who like their humor on the dark side and don't mind having their sensibilities offended, This Is the End offers an entertaining night at the movies.  For those who use the term "off color humor," the film offers consolation that they will not be left behind, but they should leave this film behind.

My rating:  *** out of ****.