Galaxy Quest - 8 stars out of 10

Galaxy Quest - 8 stars out of 10

I was surprised by “Galaxy Quest.”  I expected this movie to be overly cheesy, especially after deciding it was dumb without giving it a chance when forced to watch it as a teenager  But there is a lot of genius hiding in this script.  While the obvious draw to this film is its parodying of the science fiction genre, particularly “Star Trek,” I was really drawn to the underlying themes of discontentment, inadequacy, and obsessive fandom.  It is a comedy (and a very funny one at that), but there are strong messages hidden beneath the jokes and comedic circumstances.  When I think of a sci-fi parody, I don’t really expect to see quality acting.  I love “Space Balls” and the over-the-top acting perfectly supports the jokes, but “Galaxy Quest’s” incredible cast creates a lot of its humor through character development and exploiting each character’s personality instead of relying heavily on slapstick humor.  Of course Tim Allen is the representative from the comedy genre and Sigourney Weaver is the representative from the sci-fi genre, but then you add in Alan Rickman as the trained actor who resents his role, Tony Shalhoub as the detached actor that goes with the flow, and Sam Rockwell as the actor featured in one episode and consequently fearing the imminent demise of characters like his.  Even more important is that each actor plays two characters – the character that they played on the tv series and the actor trying to make ends meet now that the show has ended.  Each side of their role contains different emotions and motivations, making for a fascinating story.  I also love Enrico Colantoni’s performance as Mathesar, the alien leader who believes the Galaxy Quest television show to be historical documents of a real crew.  His acting will have you convinced that he is actually an alien.  For fans of “The Office,” you will have an opportunity to see Rainn Wilson (a.k.a. Dwight Schrute) in an early role as an alien.  The special effects could be better (considering that this was the same year that “The Matrix” came out), but you will surely be impressed by the depth of this plot and the quality of the acting.  “Galaxy Quest” is a lot more than your standard sci-fi parody.

[Pictured: How did they pull together a cast like this for a sci-fi parody!?!?]

Bowling for Columbine - 7 stars out of 10

Bowling for Columbine - 7 stars out of 10

“Bowling for Columbine” is a tongue-in-cheek look at gun control and the outbreak of school shootings that began in 1999.  Regardless of my political stance on the right to bear arms, I have to admit that this Oscar-winning documentary is very well put together and covers the topic from a variety of perspectives.  The most important part of this film is that Michael Moore tackles the issue and leaves political parties out of it.  Documentaries often approach an issue from the perspective of a particular party and the result is a whiney one-sided argument.  Moore doesn’t blame any single president; in fact, he equally attacks every administration from 1970-2002.  His point is further strengthened by the fact that he is a lifetime member of the NRA and won awards for shooting when he was in school.  The audio and video recordings from the 1999 Columbine shooting are hard to watch but the parts that left the biggest impact on me were the montages with an anachronistic song played over top of them.  The “Happiness is a Warm Gun” sequence shows shootings and suicides then, following a segment about how our weapons of mass destruction are used to protect us from foreign aggressors, the “What A Wonderful World” sequence shows a bunch of foreign policy decisions in which our country was the aggressor or provided weapons to the enemies that we now attack.  I felt that the K-Mart part of the documentary cheapened it a little bit because it came off as extremist and inappropriate.  Moore could have proven his point without bullying a company and verbally attacking people like Dick Clark and Charlton Heston.  Statistics alone should have been enough, like the incredibly low number of gun-related deaths in other countries compared to our own.  Moore argues that our media has created a culture of fear that makes us more likely to use guns.  He displays this through a nauseating cartoon “A Brief History of the United States of America” that shows our history of fear and how it has made us a violent society.  Politics and personal beliefs aside aside, “Bowling for Columbine” is an impressive documentary that represents the issue from several perspectives and makes a strong argument for its case.

[Pictured: Moore receives a free gun for opening a bank account]

FrackNation - 5 stars out of 10

FrackNation - 5 stars out of 10

“FrackNation” is a documentary that seeks to clarify misinformation regarding fracking, particularly by attacking the documentary “Gasland.”  When the latter was released, it threw the world into controversy as many countries outlawed the fracking process and many American operations were shut down; however, the directors of this documentary question “Gasland’s” displays of lighting tap water on fire and statics regarding environmental danger.  It manages to supply people that are affected by fracking who support the process and experts who argue that the process is safe.  The directors say that both sides are represented, but this film is so one-sided that it is hard to decide what to believe in the end.  As a Pennsylvanian, fracking is something that affects me personally but it is difficult to form an opinion based on “Gasland” and “FrackNation,” both of which make a persuasive but one-sided argument.

[Pictured: This lady provides a lot of entertainment value]

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - 3 stars out of 10

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - 3 stars out of 10

“Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” is an action-horror-fantasy film that has gained a cult following in spite of negative critical reviews.  The film has an elaborate story, constant action, and a lot of blood, but its excess in every aspect is its downfall.  It started with so much potential.  The setting of this film is rather stunning with its dark, filtered, out of this world appearance.  From the opening sequence, you are transported into this world.  But then the line becomes completely blurred between serious and parody, which makes it difficult to know how to react each time a witch is blown into pieces or has their head stomped.  The combination of 1800’s costumes and modern weaponry gives it an “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” anachronism that leans toward parody while the gore is simply too realistic to indicate humor.  A censoring of the endless barrage of f- and s-words with a slight taming of the violence could have made this into a PG-13 film and found a great target audience among high school teenagers, but the film seems to miss its mark in many respects.  In spite of everything, I would still probably watch this movie again for Gemma Arterton in the role of Gretel.  Her performance is reminiscent of Jennifer Garner as it combines child-like innocence with a kick-butt attitude.  The issue with the actors actually comes from the script, where each random insertion of an unnecessary f-word takes us out of the moment and we remember that they are just acting.  I actually see potential for this franchise if they gear the sequel toward teenagers by taming down the violence and language to a PG-13 rating.  “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” is confused because everything is so excessive, but focusing on this incredible world instead of the excess could give this film focus and bring the characters to life.

[Pictured: Gemma Arterton is reason enough to watch this film]

Field of Dreams - 9 stars out of 10

Field of Dreams - 9 stars out of 10
In loving memory of James Horner

“Field of Dreams” is a classic whose audience is not limited to baseball fans.  While the film’s plot revolves around a baseball field and the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, the heart of this film is family.  I wish that they would have spent more time developing Kevin Costner’s back-story and it feels like the building of the baseball field is rushed (10 minutes into the movie), but it helps to show that this story digs deeper than Shoeless Joe Jackson.  I’m not sure how, but the writers manage to string together a long series of unbelievable events without us ever questioning their legitimacy.  Perhaps it is the purposeful avoidance of the question “How?”, but it is easy to believe everything that happens from start to finish.  Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta, and Gaby Hoffman give excellent performances but Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, and Burt Lancaster steal the spotlight, each with their own truly stunning monologue.  However, the true emotional impact of this film lies in the music.  James Horner once said of his music: “My job [is] to make sure at every turn of the film it’s something the audience can feel with their heart.  When we lose a character, when somebody wins, when somebody loses, when someone disappears - at all times I’m keeping track, constantly, of what the heart is supposed to be feeling. That is my primary role.”  This statement has never been truer than in the final five minutes of this film.  The music so beautifully encapsulates every tug at our heartstrings and this is what the world will miss the most with the loss of James Horner.  His scoring of this film is passive as it creates an ethereal and mystical presence rather than dominating the background.  “Field of Dreams” is a truly fascinating story that is worthy of its three Oscar nominations (Score, Screenplay, Picture) and will surely leave you in tears during its moving finale.

[Pictured: It is surreal to see these players in the old uniforms because you believe that the scene is actually happening.]

GasLand - 3 stars out of 10

GasLand - 3 stars out of 10

“GasLand” may be noted for its international influence toward the fracking process, but it isn’t noted for its entertainment value.  This documentary creates a case against fracking through interviews with several people in different areas of the country whose lives have been negatively affected by water pollution.  There is little proof that the pollution is a direct effect of fracking but the argument is convincing.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to buy into the argument because the film is so dry.  Josh Fox’s mellow monotone ranges from compassionate to apathetic, but it put me to sleep.  Twice.  Perhaps the banjo-playing while wearing a gas mask was intended to wake us up, but it was just odd.  Moreover, the film’s iconic scene where a man lights his faucet water on fire has been shown to be the result of something other than fracking.  Though I don’t take a specific stance on the issue, I definitely recommend “FrackNation,” a follow-up to this film that disputes the accuracy of Fox’s documentary and manages to be more interesting.  While its Oscar nomination might draw you to this film, “GasLand” is so one-sided that it makes it impossible to form a well-rounded opinion.

[Pictured: The iconic but inaccurate tap water scene]