Kong: Skull Island

The Newest Monster Movie

Tonight I visited one of my local theaters to catch Kong: Skull Island. We spent the extra cash to watch it in 3D and it was worth it. The filmmakers utilized the additional depth of vision to take the monsters to the next level and I wasn't the only one jumping in my seat. It is a fun movie if monsters or action adventure is your thing. Definitely an NFK for young ones, but for the more adventurous teens it will probably be a hit. Please note there is a great loss of life, human and otherwise.

For the older audience you will recognize many shots from films such as Apocalypse Now, including the one where the helicopter blades are nearly in perfect synch and in slow motion, and other films about the Vietnam War. The trick is accomplished differently now, but the effect is similar. Throughout, you are also listening to popular tunes of the day and from those selfsame Vietnam War era films. Unfortunately, those famous tunes and shots don't lend the expected gravitas to the film as a whole.

The use of still photographs throughout does give a sense of time and place not unlike the pages of National Geographic. It forces the audience to really take in the relationships among the comrades while creating a unique separation only available with the stillness of a snapshot. Each moment frozen in time just like the Vietnam War we read about in history books. They capture something that tugs the heartstrings unlike film or TV footage of the same events. It also forges a very different view from the film which is focused on the typography and ecosystem of the island.

It has the conventional storyline of military personnel shooting anything they don't understand opposed by scientists and an ex-special forces 'tracker.' The costumes and art design, especially the island natives, is spectacular. Take the time to notice the tattoos and colors denoting status within the tribe. The dialogue is wonderful, a perfect mix of anger, awe, and humor. Samuel L. Jackson used some lines from his past roles to great effect and sparked laughter from those that recognized them. It was also one of the more enjoyable performances from John C. Reilly in my opinion.

The insects practically leap off the screen, some good and others not so much but monsters much more familiar to us than Kong himself. We had a blast, but I wouldn't say that this is an award winner except for the art direction, costume, and makeup. A solid 'B' for those who need ratings. I recommend watching in 3D and do watch all the way through the credits, for me. 

Spending the Weekend at the Movies - Part 4

Fourth Film: Assassin's Creed

I truly hope you haven’t missed this film. It was very interesting and, from what I’m told, stayed true to the stories within the game franchise. The Creed is the arch enemy of the Templar Knights and in this film science is allied with the Templars. I can’t recall another film in which science is aligned so closely with a religious group, usually it's the opposite. The feud between the Templars and the Creed dates back to the Crusades and possibly well before that. The object they are fighting over is the apple of knowledge from the Garden of Eden.

Like all ancient objects bestowed with great power, the apple has been lost over time and even the descendants of the Creed don’t know what happened to it. This is where the science comes in. A Templar novice, daughter of a respected knight, has created a device to retrieve genetic memory and force the possessor of the memory to relieve those experiences. It is a painful process and clearly demonstrates the division between the two groups.

The filmmakers force the audience and Cal to experience an almost solitary existence within the lab/prison. We only interact with the machine and the two knights, one who is pushing for faster results and the other arguing for the ‘safety’ of their subject, for most of the film. The push and pull between the knights creates a genuine concern for the younger’s idealism and hope. You can see in Cal's interaction with his captors and his environment how a person wrestles with his beliefs and world view in the face of such a disheartening and claustrophobic existence.

The art design drives home the stark cold reality of living within a Templar Lab versus the texture and warmth of Cal’s memories. Even the space given to the failed experiments conjures up the physical division between the lab and the real world. They are contained within the lab but have a garden terrace that allows some of the sun’s warmth to slip inside to touch their physical bodies. These visual elements also manage to showcase the divide between religious doctrine and those who practice in their everyday lives. Further delineating Templar from the Creed.

I genuinely enjoyed how the regressions visually overlapped Cal’s real world experiences. He reaches for and fights the warmth of the memories. At one point he completely believes that he is going crazy. The film is very personal with the focus staying with Cal throughout, but it shies away from fully putting the audience in his place. There is a disconnect that forces the audience to be the observer, a bystander as this forced experimentation continues.

It is almost a commentary on how many of us would rather ignore what is happening under our noses than chose to take a side. I say almost because this film is clearly on the Creed’s side in this equation. However, the science and the religious right is softened by the woman who invented the machine and appears to care for Cal’s wellbeing, despite the evidence of the failed experiments down the hall. The film is not anti-religion but rather a debate about on the practice and precepts of religion and what God wants his children to do.

It is worth seeing and if you don’t want to dive into motivations of the characters it can be taken as a basic adventure film and simple mystery. NFK for children under 14 and any you don’t wish exposed to human experimentation or bad language.