The full Geiger treatment

I saw Ridley Scott's Prometheus earlier tonight.  Sleep deprived as I was, I didn't want to miss it on the big screen.

This looks fantastic as only Scott can do. The design is simply breathtaking and there is more beauty in it than in any of that which has gone before. He does vast (an emerging motif of mine this month), just so well.

Character development is strong for the protagonist, played by the feisty, (and by global consensus, it appears, indestructible), Noomi Rapace.  Ripley predux rocks, that's all I'm saying.

Other key players' motivations are revealed at a symphonic pace, and a couple of the usual deadly sins flag the soon to be deceased...

Design is not so much a character, it is rather that Geiger's style, in all it's beauty, organic lividity and sheer viscerality is the foreground and the background upon which all action unfolds. His memes drive plot and mark territory, and signpost change.

The larger themes explored here are reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica's eternal return, and there is sequel all over the last few scenes.

Sunshine

Last night I watched the film Sunshine. A crew of astronauts must fly their "payload" of a nuclear bomb and launch it into a dying sun in order to save the earth. They are protected as they travel ever closer to the sun by a massive array of moveable shields. The film is visually stunning, and the sun is as much a character as the people.

As the plot unfolds, the unfortunate crew are faced with one existential conundrum after another, and the tension heightens to an almost unbearable level. Some strange turns of events lead via a somewhat confusing penultimate action sequence to a powerful conclusion.

In the week in which we had the Transit of Venus, it was with a feeling of synchronicity that I watched the scene where the Sunshine crew view Mercury transiting the sun.

I felt quite distraught after watching Sunshine. Despite its beauty, it is quite horrific in parts and not for the faint hearted, which would include myself, in fact my level of susceptibility to participation mystique is often painfully high.

The fact that I'm currently reading Iain M.Banks' Excession probably didn't help the fear factor. I've been pondering that perfect and mysterious black sphere loitering with intent near the brown dwarf star Esperi for days now - and nobody does vast like Banks.  Later, I slept fitfully and had wierd and troubling dreams....

Horror movie right there on my tv

Last night I happened to see the second half of Diablo Cody's horror flick, Jennifer's Body. It was strangely compelling, like Carrie slash girl power slash bff slash exorcist slash slasher film with a big dash of 21st century irony, and some very snappy dialogue. I wanted to look away but I was laughing too hard, then I felt a bit sick, then I was laughing again. Everything you want from a teen demon-possession meets indi rock band themed gorefest. I still managed to sleep okay...

Robot

I watched another Bollywood film today, the scifi adventure Endhiran. Starring Rajnikanth & Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, S. Shankar's over the top tale of an android's love for his creator's fiance has the full Bollywood shebang. Romance,  action, science fiction, cgi effects, and a fair amount of dance numbers featuring outrageous costumes and even a trip to what appears to be Macchu Picchu...

It seems there is an entire idiom I have yet to fully understand when it comes to these films, where the potential for sexual activity almost always involves a trip to dance fantasy land, and where genre is no barrier to plot development.

I might spend quite a bit of blog every day of june commenting on my initial forays into the fascinating cinema phenomenon that is Bollywood.

Dororo

Now I'm watching Akihiko Shiota's Dororo. It's a fantasy horror film about a hero whose father made a deal with 48 demons in return for power over the kingdom. The hero's 48 body parts were given to the 48 demons before he was born. A sorcerer saved him and made him magic body parts, and raised him to become a warrior.
The hero is accompanied on his quest to kill each of the 48 demons and win back the 48 parts of his body, by a young warrior named Dororo, who is a girl in disguise. So far it is creepy and wierd but also visually amazing. Great special effects - like monkey magic only gorier.

Dhoom 2

Just watched the Indian film, Dhoom 2. Hilarious action, detective, adventure comedy with all-singing, all-dancing cast including Hrithik Rashan, a sensation in India who has millions of fans, and Aishwarya Rai, who starred in Mistress of Spices, and Bride and Prejudice. Fantastic action scenes, stunts, romance and fabulous Bollywood dancing. Something for everyone!