Skip to main content

Under the Skin

Starring: Scarlett Johansson
Directed by: Jonathan Glazer
Screenplay by: Walter Campbell
Based on the novel by Michel Faber

     Be careful folks, Scarlett Johansson is an alien!
     She calls herself Laura.  She has fallen to Earth and has assumed the form of a human.  There isn't a whole lot of a story here, but basically she goes around Scotland preying on young, hitch-hiking men.  She picks them up in her van.  If you're one of these guys, you don't want to get in that van.  Creepy and strange things happen.  There's also a guy who's on a motorcycle, riding around Scotland, whose role isn't exactly clear.
     There is very little dialogue throughout the film and most of the story is told through silence.  There is almost no action in this film either, and when something is happening, it usually isn't that interesting.
     Scarlett Johansson delivers a strong performance even though she plays a pretty boring character.  The other characters, the men she picks up in her van, are real people.  Director Jonathan Glazer placed hidden cameras throughout the van and didn't tell any of them that they were going to be part of this movie until they actually were finished with their part.
     There are some scenes, especially the opening scene, that seem as if they could be straight out of a Stanley Kubrick film (I'm thinking 2001: A Space Odyssey).  It opens with something that I don't even know how to explain (something intriguing enough that you should see this film).  It ultimately turns into a shot of Johansson's eye, and the progression of that particular scene is pretty cool.

IF YOU'RE A FAN OF HOLLYWOOD MOVIES
     I don't recommend this film.  I counted seven people leaving the theater part way through the movie.  You are going to sit there and be bored the entire time.  And I'm not even kidding about that.  The lack of action, slow pacing of the movie, and some of the long shots will make you squirm in your seat out of boredom.  This is not going to be a movie that will entertain you and frankly, you are probably wasting your time.  Don't worry though, because there are better movies out there.

IF YOU'RE A FAN OF INDEPENDENT MOVIES
      This is a pretty good film.  The direction is quite interesting.  The visuals are stunning.  You still might get bored at some parts of the film, but if you're a fan of watching a movie directed by someone who isn't a huge name in Hollywood, this is the film for you.  The story is basic and simple and it's a good use of your time to go watch this movie.  This movie is a great work of art that shows us what it means to be alive and to appreciate ourselves in our bodies.  I strongly recommend this film.

      Overall, I'm not a huge fan of this film, probably because I'm so used to fast paced movies that Hollywood so often produces.  However, I do recommend giving this movie a try.
      I give Under the Skin a C+.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Hunger Games

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth Directed by: Gary Ross Screenplay by: Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins      If reality television hasn't gone too far yet, then this show should definitely make it go too far.      In a futuristic nation called Panem, one boy and one girl are selected from each of the nation's twelve districts to represent them in an annual television event called the Hunger Games.  Of the 24 contestants, only one will survive in this televised fight to the death.      I like the concept of the story.  While this futuristic society seems somewhat simple, it does not seem all that well developed.  It is unknown how this society came into being, even though it is known how the Hunger Games began.      If this film were released last year, I would have hoped it would be nominated for best make-up.  Many of the characters look absolutely ridiculous and are way too flashy, but the make-up is v
2 comments
Read more

First Man

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, and Corey Stoll Directed by: Damien Chazelle Screenplay by: Josh Singer Based on the book by James R. Hansen      Yes, this is the same director who did La La Land from a few years ago.  But this is a true story this time, and not necessarily a feel good one.      Many of us know about Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.  First Man is not simply the story of the moon landing, but the story about Armstrong and what led him to be the first man in history to walk on the moon.  It's a story about making huge sacrifices for himself, and his family, in order to accomplish such a goal, as well as overcoming a great deal of grief.       The film focuses almost entirely on Neil (Ryan Gosling).  The film opens up on him as one of the premiere pilots in the military, piloting the X-15; a plane that was capable of flying over 100,000 feet altitude.  He is portrayed as
Post a Comment
Read more

Resident Evil: Afterlife

Starring Milla Jovovich and Ali Larter, and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson Resident Evil: Afterlife is a somewhat scary action thriller about a zombie dominated planet during present times. It's the fourth movie in the franchise. Alice (Jovovich) is the former head of security at the Umbrella Corporation, the company that created the T-Virus that accidentally escaped and turned everybody into zombies. She travels to Alaska to what she thinks is a small town called Arcadia, where there is supposedly a colony of survivors that are infection free. She is drawn by transmissions saying that they offer safety and security, food and shelter. When she arrives, nothing is there, but she picks up Claire Redfield (Larter) and travels to what once was Los Angeles where there is another colony of four survivors living atop a prison rooftop and surrounded by zombies. They find that the Arcadia is actually a ship just offshore. Can they make it to the ship? Milla Jovovich plays a very act
2 comments
Read more