Mars Attacks, 1996

Mars Attacks, 1996
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker


Stage: Home theatre, TV selection for a Friday night


Mars in short: It is a normal day for everyone, until the President of the United States announces Martians have been spotted circling Earth. The Martians land and a meeting is arranged, but not everything goes to plan, and the Martians seem to have other plans for Earth. Are they just misunderstood beings or do they really want to destroy all of humanity?


Preps: Hm. never seen this piece, although I am aware of its notoriousness a while ago. And the people who's opinion I respect, told me it was a nice piece to see.



Reality:Well, another dissappointment. Genuinely, I despise parodies on a certain type of movies and I seldom find them funny anyway. So I am neither fan of more stupid ones like Austin Powers, nor am I a fan of more sophisticated ones (are there any at all?). Anyhow, this is a fine example of making a remake of more than five movies on the topic of aliens, chasing extraordinary images, fighting with weird weapons - and aside, using top notch actors, like Nicholson, Brosnan, Parker and hoping the crowds are going to come because of that cast.
Now, life isn't a bunch of marshmallows all the time. Put it differently, I have seen disastrous pieces put together with the finest crew. One of more dissappointing ones includes Will Smith, Wild Wild West. And this is just one example from the top of my head.
This piece dissappoints me too. No real act. Nicholson acts like the leader of bunch of clowns, which is, ironically, exactly what the movie is all about. Parker is there for the sake of representing the beautiful feminine side (yet limited). All the others just float through scenes instead of acting.
I give up. Not worhty of my time, not worthy of yours. If you are a fan of Austin Powers, you might enjoy it. In all other cases, don't. Really don't :)


My personal rate: 1,0 (and only because I adore the most of the cast. I thought the movie is shitty!)

Mars Attacks on IMDB

I am number four, 2011

I am number four, 2011
Director: D.J. Caruso
Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron



Stage: Local theatre, colloseum.


I am number four in short: Extraordinary teen John Smith (Pettyfer) is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri (Olyphant), John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events-his first love (Agron), powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

Preps: A friend of mine drags me to the movies. I haven't been there for a while, so I don't really care what she will pick. She claims this one to be a good sci-fi. Let's see.


Reality: Well, this isn't a sci-fi movie, just to be clear at the beginning. But it's a good high school adventure - I am not sure, but maybe we should come up with a new genre, that includes vampire movies and similar ones. This piece definitely reminds me of the Twilight saga. Does it come from the same root? Doubtfully, however it does circulate in my mind, everything about teenage vampire movies. This piece is again, located in an unknown city, filled with young high school teens, waiting for some action. And voila, it comes in a shape of extra terrestrial survivors from another planet, that are being chased by another bunch of ET's. The humans here are more in the role of an inhabitant of a certain planet (or playground) of these aliens and the chase until the death is on, while the viewer is pushed with an indefinite romance between an alien and earthling in shape of a lovely (yet wacky) girl.

It just happens every now and then, when I am in the middle of the movie, that the mind drifts away to this concept of a wild goose chase and an impossible romance. The concept is so similar to the Twilight, that in my honest opinion, if you are a fan of that saga, you will absolutely adore this piece. Nicely put together, a strong posture in terms of adventure chase/fight/battle scenes and good versus evil. However in this case, the saints are the one to be rescued. This is the distinctive competence in aspect of Twilight. There you should first adopt the idea of liking vampires and then the fact that they could have feelings too. Here you have an adorable kid that strives for true love and wants to be a member of a regular family instead of the one he's having, being tired of the chase and wants to settle forever (isn't it funny how we never are satisfied with the things that are ours and always want to have something that neighbour has (even if as in this case, it comes in a shape of a cheesy dinner with parents that are cracking unfunny jokes and making a positive attitude towards the family spirit - if you buy that, of course).

The ending of this piece is pretty predictable, yet another flash arrives in a shape of an avenger (the number 6), and the dog, transforming into chimera (or being chimera and transforming from a dog to a poisonous animal). It brings the last breath out of the spectator and yes, I recommend it to all of those, that die when watching something similar to lately popular vampire teen movies. Could it really be a new genre that we are seeing here? Most probably.


My personal rating: 7,5 (a very highly positioned movie in its genre and a good combination of teen love, striving for something new and unusual, yet old and traditional when trying to settle in. Fresh and new cast, new faces and a good act).

I am number four on IMDB

Independence Day, 1996

Independence day, 1996
Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnel

Independence day in short: The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy. Fighting superior technology, Man's best weapon is the will to survive.

Stage: Home TV selection on the 4th of July, Independence Day

Preps: I have seen this piece several times and I didn't mind seeing it again, as I think it's a classical USA memorandum to this day, uniting the minds.



Reality: The movie is again, no dissappointment. A classic, often presented on this very holiday. Has it all - national heroism, solid story, good guys winning over bad guys, a bit more humour than it is supposed to be in this kind. If there was a genre called 4th July classics, this would be it.
The cast is brilliantly chosen, Will Smith for the first time in a serious role - making him respected and well-known (if you remember, he was notorious for his Prince of Bel Air role or they used him as a "cute, but dumb" - for instance in Made in America with Whoopi Goldberg.).

Aliens taking over, humans (in this case again, US armed forces) win. Combining the luck with a historical equipment they win the battle of the battles and have a firecracker evening on this holiday. The speech that American president (Bill Pullman) gives, is solid proof of national concept and "God will give us the win if we believe hard enough". Inspiring and strong enough to make the crowd crazy. The scenes with Will Smith's spouse and the first lady are subtitled with some irony and showing appreciation to the "lower rase" that exists in US. The way Levinson and Hiller communicate, especially when implementing the virus on the mothership is truly witty - however, the implementation itself is as believable as Bruce Willis living in Armageddon.

Nevertheless, a true evening entertainment, a piece I love to see every now and then and can always be in the mood to watch.


One of the most creative dialogues between the two, fighting for the future of the Earth when discussing whether winning is at all an option:


David Levinson: You really think you can fly that thing?
Captain Steven Hiller: You really think you can do all that bullshit you just said?


My personal rating: 7,5 (a good one to choose for this holiday, cannot leave you really empty. Also a solid background if you are doing something else :)

Independence day on IMDB

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