Review: The Adjustment Bureau

This film is based on a Philip K. Dick short story.  As of late I've been reading his work (GASP!) and I  was interested to see this film.  With the leading roles being filled in by Matt Damon and Emily Blunt,  I'm that much more excited to watch this film.

Matt Damon is David Norris, a would be senator, who randomly meets Elise.  It turns out that this romance was never meant to be, and a whole secret organization is doing everything they can to stop their relationship from blossoming.

Likes - I enjoyed this film.  I think it kept to the spirit of PKD pretty well, though not completely.  I haven't read the actual story this was based on but I did read a lot of PKD.  He is a master of making you feel absolutely paranoid.  That paranoia was in the film but wasn't nearly as heavy as it should have been.  I think the film makers were after making this a thrilling tale of love conquering all over a conspiracy theory film.  Matt Damon and Emily Blunt both did well I think but they won't be winning any awards I think.

Dislikes - There wasn't anything in particular that stood out that I didn't dislike about this film.

Overall - This was a good film but not a great film.  I enjoyed this film and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a slick sci-fi thriller.  There isn't much replay value though.  This film did stick with PKD's mastery of creating a world within a world but the feeling of paranoia that is PKD's bread and butter was a bit lacking.  Nonetheless, good film.  I just didn't get that overwhelming film of greatness afterward. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Review: Super

I decided to watch SUPER because of the premise and cast seemed unusually big to me, pure and simple.

SUPER is a film about Frank and his attempt to change the world at large.  His Wife, Sarah, leaves him for a drug dealer.  In his grief and as a vain attempt to get her back, Frank becomes the Crimson Bolt, crime fighter.  Soon he begins to see that simply having the desire to stand up for whats right isn't enough.

Likes - Right away I have to tell you, this movie is dark.  It starts off with a cute premise.  Very quickly, it begins to became a very dark, disturbing tale of trying to do the right thing.  No character is completely innocent or stable.  That's one thing I really appreciated in this film.  Maybe because I'm more astute today, but I noticed that everyone character, including Frank, was a disturbed individual, looking for a way to cope with reality.  It was entertaining to see how each character tried to just survive his or her mundane role in society - drugs, money, the past, a costume.  This movie takes the classic idea of a super hero and places it the real world.  SUPER shows us just how far and how bad things can get.  The cast was amazingly big for such a small title.  I think most everyone did good work, though nothing exceptional can be gleamed from this film.  Except Ellen Page.  Her portrayal of Libby is great.  She provides some of the best lines in the film and the best scenes in the whole film.  She reminds me of Damien Wayne in the Batman comic world, but without the extensive training or confidence.  

Dislikes - Nothing in particular that I disliked about this film.  The most negative aspect I have of this film is that it simply was not at all what I was expecting.  It was much more brutal and true to life then I was expecting. That isn't a bad thing but it took me longer then it should have to appreciate what SUPER was trying to convey.  

Overall - I'd recommend this film for any superhero buff, be you into comics, cartoons, or movies.  Also for anyone who loves dark comedy, this is a must watch.  For the luke warm viewer, I'd probably avoid this film.  It's not for everyone.  Since I'm in a decent mood, I'll give this film 4 out of 5 stars.