Next (Film)

Based on a short story, it's about a small time Las Vegas magician who can see two minutes into his future. I was not aware going in that the source material was by Philip K. Dick. Other notable movies based on the author's work are Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, and Paycheck. His main characters tend to share many similar traits. they tend to be paranoid and unsure of their surroundings, of knowing what is real, not knowing what to believe. The author was said to be the same way. I guess you sometimes really do write what you know.

As for the movie, Julianne Moore kicks @$$ as the federal investigator needing Nichols Cage's help. It turns out a nuclear weapon has been smuggled into the US and they're hoping Cage can see where the bomb will go off before it actually happens. I liked the premise and the ways the filmmakers demonstrated Cage's ability to see into the future. The ending is rather abrupt and makes you wonder they didn't have enough funds to film the last 30 minutes. Near the end of the film, Cage realizes he chose the wrong path and a terrible mistake occurs. The next scene we're back to about the midpoint and Cage decides to make another choice. And then the film ends, credits roll. We never see the results of this second choice. I guess we're to assume everything works out because that's just how it goes, good guys win. While I found this non-ending to be ballsy, I have this feeling the general public will not think so. A solid film with an interesting premise that not only drops the ending, you don't even get a chance to see it. I'm giving this film a C.

Grindhouse (Film)

The first of the two films in this ode to B movie double-feature is Planet Terror directed by Robert Rodriguez. It's a zombie movie of sorts with Rodriguez doing his best directing job I've ever seen. I've always thought of him as someone with an enormous amount of talent that's never fully been realized, until now. His contribution is a bloody, over the top action spectacle that always seems to have something up its sleeve. This first film makes an immediate impact, but I think its the second film that stays with you longer. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Death Proof, the second movie starts out as a stalker film, but ends up as a revenge picture. Trademark Tarantino dialogue is in full effect and shows how often imitiated, but never surpassed, his original, quirky dialogue can be.

I think these two films have much in common with how the two Kill Bill movies feel. The first Kill Bill was much more action oriented, like Planet Terror. While the second Kill Bill was a more dialogue heavy, action peppered in sequel and Death Proof feels much the same way, especially coming after Planet Terror. I wonder how the two movies would have been, had I not seen them together. I give this tribute to grindhouse cinema a A-.

World's Finest (Image)