Men In Black 3: Trust The Pie

Sony Pictures

Official Site: www.meninblack.com
Director(s): Barry Sonnenfield
Writer(s): Etan Cohen, Lowell Cunningham
Producer(s): Joyce Cox, Laurie Macdonald
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Emma Thompson, and Jemaine Clement. 
Rated: PG-13  


We were introduced to K and J  about 15 years ago. J was just a rookie; K was just, well K. From the beginning there was a focus on K's lack of emotion.  Constantly wondering what happen to K, and how and why  he became so exanimate, J was mildly fed up. The third installment of  Men In Black  was really about K's history explaining how J became part of his life. Involved in this origin narrative is "Boris The Animal" played by funny man Jemaine Clement of  Flight of The Conchords.  

Sony Pictures

Traveling back in time to battle with Boris, J teams up with a very young and relatively vibrant K played by Josh Brolin.  The duo must collaborate to stop Boris from initiating a full invasion of the planet. While entangled  in this struggle to save the world, J discovers how important K is to the survival of the species. Naturally, J has to convince K of his importance in an event that is yet to  happen, and J must learn to use technology from the past to secure the future of humanity.   

 

Sony Pictures

The formula this franchise has used to secure a stable following has not changed. Creative wacky creatures are all there but all of the special effects were magnified by  brilliant writing. It's touching to see what J endured to help his partner of 14 years, despite how much he dislikes K's grumpy nature. Ultimately, J discovers how much K cares for him in return in way he would have never known.  A noteworthy character is the fifth dimensional being who was indispensable in helping the duo anticipate Boris's next move. Much credit has to be given to the writing for creating such an entertaining, strange, brilliant, and kind character with a remarkable  ability that is essential to reaching the climax of the film.   

The content of the film is consistent with the previous two films. 
Very entertaining. However this film brings the audience closer or involves the audience more into the friendship of J and K. As with the previous films, this sequel did not disappoint. Metacritic.com rated the film 58/100 with mixed reviews. Rottentomatoes.com  granted the film 138 fresh tomatoes to 62 rotten ones for a favorable review. I'll rate it an 83.

A Noble Lie: Oklahoma City 1995

A Noble Lie is a detailed two hour documentary on the investigations related to the major figures of  the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, featuring interviews  of citizens, lawyers, politicians, journalist, and law enforcement officials who provide accounts presenting a case that there may have been a government coverup. While the facts in the film seem to build a strong case for suggesting a coverup, the "why" of the topic is not answered. Why would the government install blockades to prevent the "truth" from coming out? That is the puzzle to be put together. 

The SCAD (state crimes against democracy) theory was proffered; explaining how efforts to expose government wrong doing is treated.  There is no mention of motive in the explanation of  SCAD theory in the documentary. Taking away second amendment rights was suggested by  Alex Jones, but the actual reasons behind a possible government coverup remains to be discovered. In total, the documentary was well produced with stimulating facts, and  critical commentary.

Prometheus: David

20th Century Fox

Official Site: prometheus-movie
Director(s): Ridley Scott
Writer(s): John Spaihts, Damon Lendilof
Producer(s): Ridley Scott, Tony Scott  
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Alba, Guy Pearce, Logan Marshall-Green.  

Dr. Shaw (Rapace) and Dr. Holloway's( Green) archeological discovery led them on a two year voyage funded by the Weyland corporation to a planet that may be key in revealing  the origins of humankind. Hoping to answer the ultimate questions of why humans exist, and who created them, both doctors lead a crew of  specialized professionals into a very dark cave like pyramid not only  to be astounded by existence of life, but life that possess matching human DNA.  Elation from this historical discovery subsided after Dr. Shaw came to understand,  the beings that created humankind also wanted to destroy it. 


The production was god like in detail, something Ridley Scott is known for. The grand scope of the ruins of the alien civilization appeared advanced while concurrently antiquated. At some point David ( Fassbender) was wearing a head piece with large protective eye wear that appeared contemporary, and not very futuristic. Beyond that, there is  nothing to complain about. The production added immeasurable value to the validity of the alien genesis of humankind, extinguishing doubt, an advanced civilization could not have engineered homosapiens.    

The pace of the film was good. There was no lag. Each scene had a definitive point that one could clearly  understand. But the action in certain scenes were simply satisfactory, but not amazing. Too often I was awaiting, and yearning  to be possessed by a detail that was bold or earth shattering, only to be satisfied by a detail that was simply interesting. The grand reveal was not so grand. The ultimate questions were only partially answered making me feel the entire film was one big tease.     

Has Prometheus lived up to the hype? To a degree. Claiming this film was a disappointment would be unfair since it was well directed, acted, produced, and written. There was something missing. More action perhaps, more meaningful alien interaction,whatever was missing, this film inflicted me with cinematic blue testicles. Metacritic.com noted a favorable review of 64/100. Rottentomatoes.com granted  a favorable review with 146 fresh tomatoes to 50 rotten ones.  I'll rate it an 83.    

Wanderlust: I Believe I Can Fly

Official Site: wanderlust-movie.com
Director(s): David Wain 
Writer(s): Ken Marino, David Wain
Producer(s): Judd Apatho, Ken Marino, Paul Rudd, David Wain
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Malin Akerman, Ken Marino, Justin Theroux


George( Rudd) and Linda (Aniston) are ambitious and determined to make it in New York, but their determination in achieving success is thwarted when George loses his job after law enforcement raided the company building and confiscated some of the assets. George is unemployed, along with his wife whose penguin documentary was rejected,  after HBO bluntly  told her it is depressing and simply not sexy " Fuck the penguins." 

Making matters worse, they recently purchased a very expensive "micro-loft", but  really it's a studio with a bed that pulls down from the wall.  Out of desperation they tried selling the the studio, I mean "micro-loft", but since the housing market truly despises appreciation, the value of the property decreased only weeks after the purchase. Having lost everything, George and  Linda reluctantly  traveled to Georgia to live with Rick, George's brother. 

On the way to Georgia,  looking for a hotel, the dead broke couple drove into a narrow somewhat muddy road surrounded by trees only to have their headlights spot  a naked thick-assed middle aged man who struck them as insane.That was George and Linda's introduction to the Elysium, a commune for hippies, the antithesis of  what they were striving to be in New York, or was it?    

Linda was hesitant in  becoming a member of the commune, but she eventually assimilated well. Feeling alive and happy, immersing herself into the zeitgeist of free love, vegetarianism, and asceticism, she discovered a passion for life that city culture was not proving. Having many passions from one year to the next was part of Linda's character, living in a commune was one of them. George, enthusiastic initially, was later angered by not having privacy. There were no doors to the bathrooms, and bedrooms. He did not like the food. Veganism was not for George. He wanted meat.


Finding a lifestyle hybrid in which there is bearable compromise between urban, and simple life, came to mind as I watched this  movie. Ascetic living offers a life not hampered by stuff, and the pressure to succeed. An urban life supported by the architecture of simplicity found in asceticism is achievable, by not living beyond one's means; a valuable lesson George and Linda learned.      

Lord Voldemort's Figure