Living In The Future’s Past is a new documentary presented by Jeff Bridges that aims to upend our way of thinking and provide original insights into how our fundamental nature influences our future as Humankind.
Director Susan Kucera’s film promises beautifully captured imagery and valuable insight from the likes of theoretical physicist Leonard Mlodinow and British-American meteorologist and NASA astronaut Piers Sellers, to name just two.
I’m intrigued because the synopsis and this trailer has a similar vibe to Leonardo DiCaprio’s documentary Before the Flood (2016)which I enjoyed.
I also like that Dr. Piers Sellers, the very same meteorologist/NASA astronaut who spoke during my favourite moment in DiCaprio’s documentary, is also featured in this film.
Wesley Clark, Ruth Gates, Bruce Hood and Oren Lyons also make an appearance.
Written/directed by Leigh Whannell and set in the not-too-distant future, Upgrade is the action/sci-fi story of Grey, a self-identified technophobe. One whose only hope to set things right after his world is turned upside down is an experimental implant called Stem.
Starring Logan Marshall-Green, Upgrade isn’t bad but I didn’t exactly love it either. What I did like were the specific impressive moments in the film. Moments of well-delivered dialogue, my favourite of which happens at the very end. Said dialogue is even more impressive, considering the very cool last shot. I enjoyed the fight choreography, for example, some of the moves and the way Marshall-Green was able to remain expressionless at certain points while looking like he was applying all his strength.
As for why I’m not in love with Whannell‘s film, there’s a certain quality to Upgrade that made it feel like something was not as right as it could have been. Perhaps it’s the the writing/structure, and how it didn’t have me feeling as connected to the protagonist or any of the characters as I needed to be.
Maybe it’s the film being set near enough entirely during nighttime. I just know that instead of making me want to fully sing its praises, Upgrade randomly brought to mind other movies I absolutely love. In no particular order: Blade Runner 2049 (2017) ( because of the fight choreography), Ex Machina (2015) (because of the A.I. element) and Locke (2013) (something to do with the nighttime setting and colours, probably.)
No one in Whannell’s film performed especially badly. I hadn’t really heard of Marshall-Green until this movie. I’m now quite certain I’m going to remember him moving forward, and I admit that the beautiful bass in his voice has a little something to do with it.
Outlaw King is a new David Mackenzie-directed historical drama about Robert the Bruce, the great 14th-century Scottish figure whose bravery and cunning defeated and repelled the much larger and better-equipped occupying English army.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chris Pine, Florence Pugh and Billy Howle are among the key cast.
I’m interested because of Pine and Taylor-Johnson. I’m intrigued by Robert the Bruce’s story, and I enjoy Scottish accents.
Tony Curran, Alastair Mackenzie, Duncan Lacroix and Stephen Dillane also star.
I definitely enjoyed Skyscrapermuch more than I expected to. Part of the reason is that I feel Johnson acted well in his role as Will Ford, an assessor of the security of skyscrapers, and a man who finds himself framed when suddenly the safest building in the world (The Pearl) is on fire.
Written/directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, I liked the story, the pace and the fact that I was engaged throughout. The action sequences were thrilling, which meant I had so much fun overall that I maybe almost didn’t notice the truly unbelievable number of near-death scenarios that Ford and his family seemed to conveniently escape.
Another thing that stood out for me as Skyscraper played is how much the young actors playing Ford’s kids looked like they could actually be Johnson’s children. I also noticed how little they looked like Ford’s wife (Neve Campbell). Lastly, I was surprised to find myself less annoyed by the instances of product placement than I usually would be. In fact, I doubt that I can think of Skyscraper in the future without remembering the products in question.
In addition to thoroughly thrilling me, Skyscraper now has me wanting to visit Hong Kong even sooner than previously planned. Before you start worrying though, I promise I’m very much aware that The Pearl isn’t real.
Also starring Pablo Schreiber, Roland Møller and Chin Han; watch it for the thrills, and so you can see how far Johnson has come as an actor.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), Lana Condor
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, the story of a teenage girl whose secret love letters to five crushes end up being delivered is not a bad movie.
Love, Simon (2018)may still be my favourite high school movie in a while, but I liked how good director Susan Johnson’s filmwas at taking me back to that time when I too was a high schooler with an all-consuming crush.
Besides the gift of reminiscing, I enjoyed seeing John Corbett in his role as a father to three daughters. I also definitely liked the look and design of the teenage protagonist’s bedroom – even though it’s not how I’d have liked my teenage room to look.
Overall, I’d say that To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is an adequately entertaining movie that felt very teenage. This is probably why my non-teenage self found some of the mistakes the teenagers in the movie made, quite frustrating to watch.
Led well by Lana Condor, the entire cast did a good job and I’m not that mad at the end result.
You’ll likely guess how things will play out soon after the film starts, but I say, watch it anyway. Especially if reminiscing about high school won’t hurt. And definitely watch it if you’re in high school. I’d probably have loved it more if I’d been around the same age when this movie came out.
