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Life Redux

Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 29, 2025| Leave a Comment »

“Æon Flux” (2005) – movie review
Today’s review is for the dystopian sci-fi action film “Æon Flux” (2005), starring Charlize Theron as Æon Flux (a lithe, lethal rebel operative with a tragic past and a mission to destabilize a utopian regime), Marton Csokas as Trevor Goodchild (the enigmatic leader of the ruling government and Æon’s conflicted love interest), Jonny Lee Miller as Oren Goodchild (Trevor’s more ruthless brother and political rival / heir), Sophie Okonedo as Sithandra (Æon’s acrobatic ally with hands for feet), and Frances McDormand as The Handler (the Monican leader who issues cryptic orders from a surrealist throne).  Directed by Karyn Kusama and loosely based on Peter Chung’s animated MTV series, the film attempts to translate stylized rebellion and philosophical ambiguity into a live-action narrative of genetic control, memory persistence, and institutional decay.
Background:  I first saw “Æon Flux” several years after its release on DVD, drawn by Theron and the promise of high-concept sci-fi.  I have never seen the original animated series, so all of my comments related to it are from reading / research while drafting this review.  The film was met with critical ambivalence, though it has since (supposedly) earned a modest cult following among fans of stylized dystopia.  Watching it again, I found myself appreciating the ambition more than the end product.  It’s a film that wants to be philosophical but often settles for kinetic.
Plot:  Set 400 years in the future, after a virus has wiped out most of humanity, the surviving population lives in Bregna — a walled city governed by the Goodchild dynasty.  Æon Flux is a top agent of the Monicans, a rebel group seeking to overthrow the regime.  When she’s sent to assassinate Trevor Goodchild, she discovers a deeper truth:  the society is built on cloning, and she herself is a reincarnation of Trevor’s long-dead lover.  As memories resurface and loyalties blur, Æon must decide whether to destroy the system or reshape it.  The film builds toward a climactic confrontation with Oren, revelations about the cloning program, and a final act of destruction that is meant to symbolize rebirth.
So, is this movie any good?  How’s the acting?  The filming / FX?  Any problems?  And, did I enjoy the film?  Short answers:  Sort of;  committed but uneven;  stylized and inventive;  multiple;  yes — with caveats.
Any Good?  Sort of.  “Æon Flux” is a film that struggles to balance action with introspection.  It wants to be a meditation on identity, memory, and control, but often gets distracted by gymnastics, special effects and gunfire.  The script is heavy on explaining and light on emotional resonance.  Still, the film’s ambition — to explore a society built on repetition and repression — is interesting to consider.  It’s not a great film, but it’s trying to be an interesting one.
Acting:  Charlize Theron is physically commanding and emotionally restrained.  Her Æon is more soldier than seductress, and while the performance lacks the anarchic edge of the animated version, it’s grounded in grief and resolve.  I must admit to a certain amount of admiration / respect for Theron – the actress.  I missed much of her early work and am only coming to appreciate her career by viewing her older work retrospectively.  I like that she has been able to alternate between “beauty,” “action hero,” and “serious” roles.  Not many (male or female) can pull off this varied a body of work.  I just hope she doesn’t “jump the shark” by singing in some silly musical.  But, maybe she can sing, too.  LoL.  Marton Csokas brings gravitas to Trevor, though the chemistry between him and Theron feels muted (more like unbelievable).  Jonny Lee Miller’s Oren is suitably sinister, but underwritten.  Sophie Okonedo adds kinetic energy, and Frances McDormand — in a role that feels like a surrealist cameo — delivers cryptic authority with flair.  The ensemble is committed, but the dialogue often works against them.
Filming / FX:  Visually, the film is striking.  The production design blends brutalist architecture with organic surrealism — gardens, corridors, and costumes that evoke a world both sterile and sensual.  The cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh favors symmetry and shadow.  Action sequences are choreographed with balletic precision, though they feel disconnected from narrative stakes.  The film’s aesthetic and its strongest asset is as a blend of other action movies but the action’s not enough to make or carry a story.
Problems:  Multiple.  The script is dense with jargon and light on character development.  The pacing is uneven — slow philosophical stretches punctuated by sudden violence.  The emotional arc between Æon and Trevor is lacking, and the supporting characters feel like mere sketches.  The film’s central concept — cloning as a form of societal stasis — is interesting but poorly explained (probably because it doesn’t work).  And while the visuals are inventive, they often feel like they belong to a better film.
Did I Enjoy the Film?  Yes — with caveats.  “Æon Flux” is a film that rewards visual attention more than deep thought. I found myself admiring the design, the ambition, and Theron’s physicality, even as I questioned the coherence of the plot.  It’s a film that gestures toward depth but rarely dives.  Still, for fans of dystopian aesthetics and speculative fiction, it offers moments of intrigue.
Final Recommendation:  Low Moderate recommendation.  “Æon Flux” is a flawed but visually compelling sci-fi film that explores themes of memory, control, and rebellion.  If you’re a fan of stylized dystopia, philosophical ambition, or Charlize Theron in combat mode, it’s worth a viewing.  It’s rated PG-13 for stylized violence and thematic content.  It didn’t win awards, but it remains a curious attempt to translate animated abstraction into cinematic narrative.  You probably need to watch it — then revisit the original MTV series to see what was lost (and what was never meant to be found).  The movie didn’t impress me enough to do this (view the series) myself…
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Click here (29 November) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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Size Does Matter

Posted in Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

“Godzilla” (1998) – movie review
Today’s review is for the big-budget creature feature:  “Godzilla” (1998), starring Matthew Broderick as Dr. Niko “Nick” Tatopoulos (a worm specialist / biologist turned monster tracker), Jean Reno as Philippe Roaché (a French intelligence agent with a taste for espresso and espionage), Maria Pitillo as Audrey Timmonds (an aspiring reporter and Niko’s ex-girlfriend), Hank Azaria as Victor “Animal” Palotti (a cameraman with guts and a Brooklyn accent), Kevin Dunn as Colonel Hicks (military brass with a skeptical eye), and Doug Savant as Sergeant O’Neal (a level-headed soldier who actually listens).
Background:  I saw this film in theaters during its original release, drawn in by the marketing blitz — trailers teasing a monster that crushes a T-Rex skeleton.  I hadn’t revisited it in over ten years, but curiosity (and a discount Blu-ray bin) brought it back into my queue. I’m using this as the jump off point to watching / reviewing the King Kong and Godzilla films from this millennia.
Plot:  A mysterious creature attacks a Japanese fishing vessel and soon makes landfall in New York City, leaving a trail of destruction and confusion.  Dr. Tatopoulos is brought in to study the beast, which turns out to be a mutated iguana born of nuclear testing.  As the military scrambles to contain the threat, Niko discovers that Godzilla is nesting — laying eggs that could unleash a new generation of monsters.  The film becomes a race against time to stop the creature and its offspring before Manhattan becomes a permanent reptilian habitat.
So, how’s the movie?  The acting?  The filming / FX?  Any problems?  And, did I enjoy the film?  Short answers:  okay to good;  serviceable;  flashy but dated;  many;  sort of.
Any good?  Better than expected (or remembered), but not really the Godzilla I grew up with.  “Godzilla” (1998) is a film that wants to be a “tent-pole” for a series, but ends up as more of a bigger T-Rex Jurassic Park.  It borrows heavily from “Jurassic Park” and “Aliens” but lacks the insight or depth of either.  The creature design is more T-Rex sized velociraptor than kaiju, and the tone veers between disaster flick and slapstick farce – mostly at the expense of the military.  It’ll be a disappointing film if you’re a fan of the original Japanese franchise.
Acting:  Broderick plays Niko with his usual affable awkwardness, but he’s miscast as a leading man in a monster movie.  Reno adds some dry humor and gravitas, though his character feels parachuted in from a different film.  Pitillo’s Audrey is underwritten and often reduced to a plot device.  Azaria brings energy, but his comic relief sometimes undercuts the tension.  Kevin Dunn’s Colonel Hicks is the standard military skeptic, while Doug Savant’s Sergeant O’Neal is one of the few characters who feels grounded — he’s competent, calm, and actually pays attention.  The ensemble is fine, but no one really stands out.  You’re here for the monster, not the humans — and unfortunately, even the monster feels underdeveloped.
Filming / FX:  The visual effects were cutting-edge in 1998 and they’re still pretty serviceable.  Godzilla’s design is sleek but generic, lacking the mythic presence of its Japanese counterpart.  The destruction scenes are loud and chaotic, but rarely suspenseful.  The nighttime rain-soaked aesthetic tries to mask the CGI seams, but the creature’s movements often feel weightless.  The baby Godzillas in Madison Square Garden seem clearly inspired by raptors from “Jurassic Park“, but the sequence plays more like a campy take-off than a serious monster film.
Problems:  Plenty.  This version of Godzilla simply isn’t the correct size of the old days.  The plot tries to make the film about people and forgets to keep the camera on the money.  The film sidelines its own mythology, turning Godzilla into a misunderstood animal rather than a symbol of nuclear reckoning.  The military is portrayed as both incompetent and trigger-happy, and the romantic subplot feels forced.  Traditionally, Godzilla was never really interested in people – eating or chasing.  He (it) was only a problem because it was so big and lumbering, it just laid waste to any city it entered.  Worst of all, the film lacks tension when Godzilla is not on screen and those are big chunks of the film.
Did I enjoy the film?  Yes!  There’s a certain 90s charm to the excess — explosions, one-liners, and a soundtrack that screams “MTV era.”  But as a “Godzilla” film, it misses the mark.  It’s more disaster porn than monster movie, and it trades / loses “something” (depth?) by going for spectacle and people (relationships).  Still, if you’re in the mood for something loud, silly, and vaguely nostalgic, it might scratch the itch.  It scratched mine…
Final Recommendation:  High moderate to low strong recommendation.  “Godzilla” (1998) is a cautionary tale in franchise adaptation — how not to reimagine a cultural icon.  If you’re a kaiju fan, stick with the original Toho films or the more recent Legendary reboot.  If you’re just looking for a creature feature with explosions and quips, this might do the trick.  It worked for me…
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Click here (10 October) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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40 Years – And Still Dreaming With A Higher Love…

Posted in Faith Family and Friends, Family History, Included Video, Videos, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 28, 2024| 2 Comments »

Forty years (and a few months) ago I met my wife.  She was visiting from Liverpool, England and we spent the better part of two weeks playing tourists in San Francisco.  She returned to Merseyside and we exchanged letters and phone calls (VERY expensive back then).  At just about the same time she returned home, the movie “Streets of Fire” was released.  One of the big songs from the film received a LOT of play on MTV (yes, back then they showed “music videos”) and on the radio.  The song was:  “I Can Dream About You“, which was lip-synced in the movie, but was actually sung by Dan Hartman.  The song reminded me of Hil (my wife) and I bought the extended version on an “LP” to play over and over (to the point of ad nauseam for my roommates).
To make a longer story shorter, forty years ago TODAY she came back to me.  I proposed in late October and we were married in early December!
Here’s the song I played over and over while she was away…
And, yes, I still play it (on YouTube, now), and, yes, I still dream about her!
And, being a sentimentalist, here’s another song which reminds me to be grateful for her coming back to me…
My Hil’s return brought me a higher love!
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Click here (28 August) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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When MTV Was Young (And Fun)

Posted in Included Video, Music and Concerts, Quotes, Song Lyrics And Videos By Others, Videos, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2021| 2 Comments »

Who’s Johnny
Favorite Line(s):
I really couldn’t help but fall in love with her
Her being there has made my life worth living
I knew it from the start
That I would lose my heart
Comment(s):
Isn’t it funny how (back in the day) we didn’t mind if a music video was goofy as long as the music was ear candy…  I wonder if today’s youth feel the same way about Spotify or Pandora or whatever?  Can they get the same experience without video / images?  Ah, the questions we dinosaurs ponder from the tar-pits…
By the way, this song is from the movie “Short Circuit” (1986) which tried to humanize artificial intelligence and make fun of the military’s attempts to use robotics as weapons / killing machines.  …A response to the darker view:  “Terminator” (1984).
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Click here (4 November) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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