E.T.'s herritage

I know that outer-space civilizations are a fascination for most of us and especially for Hollywood producers, but the recent bombardment of not so brilliant movies to the utmost, with some exceptions, makes me ponder. Luckily (or not) they came up with variations of the subject:

• the classical fighting of the invasion: Battle for L.A.
• superpowers movies: I am Number Four
• save your sorry behind: Skyline
• 10 paces duels: Cowboys & Aliens

...and many more that I've probably left out; not talking into account what's to come in 2012 (Chronicle, Battleship...)

So, where does this invasion come from?

I am here to expose 2 theories (probably one more plausible than the other, but who knows)
Firstly, all of this redundancy is another repercussion of the excessive consumer society, hitting this time the movie industry. There's a couple of alien movies that worked; people get intrigued by the subject, then less imaginative directors come up front with copycats of the movie concepts and the cash continues to flow. This pattern can be applied to any film genre especially correlated with the increasing amount of motion pictures coming out each year.

The less rational explanation but my favorite, since I have a certain weakness for the Conspiracy Theory, is that someone wants us to be prepared. If you look back this trend started along with the rumor about 2012, the start of a new era, which was also subject of a movie; at that time there was "The day the Earth stood still" and it escalated from there. If you add the latest discovery of the twin planet ("Another Earth" rings any bell?) and the current economic and social instabilities all of this seems to make sense. Maybe some major stuff is awaiting and we should get used to the idea.

Actually the whole reasoning of the second theory could serve as fuel for the first, and probably it does, but that doesn't mean that it is faulty to 100%. What do you say?

Comprehension is optional, laughs - mandatory - The Rum Diary

Acting: 4.5/5
Story: 3.5/5
Perception: 3/5
Rating: 4.5/5

A washed-out novelist ends up a journalist in a 1960s Puerto Rico, where he tries to keep is slightly strait between hangovers, fishy business and feelings.

The entire package has a absurd touch added to it which is mainly the humor source. The story in it self is catchy but there is the casual unsurprising nonsense coming to the surface from time to time. The problems appear when the editing or the imaging in themselves twist even more the already existing absurd. And these will make you switch from laughter to frown in a blink of an eye.

One thing still remains certain, the actors were up to the task, rendering the said absurd 'more real'. Their play is pretty natural given the conditions which makes the scenes look more plausible. Aside Depp, one of the masters of this 'entangled genre', his fellow 'dizzy' journalist-reporters (Rispoli and Ribisi, which sound like a circus duo) deliver an amusing show. The rest of the crew have a descent performance as common representatives of their character types.

I believe that not all of the twists are supposed to be understood, but the film could be a good entertainment for some time spent between buddies.

Heads/Tails

Acting: 4/5
Story: 4.5/5
Perception: 4.5/5
Rating: 4.5/5

Treating with a delicate in a way that the public will not be overwhelmed nor outraged is never easy. When it is about one of the most terrifying diseases of our times the job is even more difficult. A 20 something guy finds out that he has cancer and that his chances are 50%, him coping with the news and the entire situation gives us a movie.

To be honest I was having high hopes for this one, and it didn't disappoint me at all.
First of all the acting was right as it should have been, it was natural and not a all forced. There were hesitations in the dialogs but they had their perfect timing. The central duo was some sort of ying and yang, control/chaos. If you can easily become attached to the main character, the situation was quite different with the other one. Gordon-Levitt had the easier job in terms of likability, nevertheless he backed it with some serious interpretation. Rogen on the other hand, played the same role he always does: he was in charge with the less-conventional humor, which from time to time seemed to be pushed a little bit too far.
The psychiatrist girl was the balance that the main character needed for the bro-duo to work, she was innocence working with a couch.

What made the film follow its natural path was very well timed alternation between emotional, ironic and crude moments. There was never an over accumulation of neither of these, and that makes you stick to the story bearing both hope and compassion.