SOURCE CODE (2011)

The last thing Army helicopter pilot Jake Gyllenhaal remembers is being on a mission in the Middle East. Suddenly he wakes up on a commuter train in America and there's some hot chick sitting across from him talking about life and shit. He understandably freaks out. Then the train blows the fuck up and he instantly wakes up in a strange pod like thing that kinda looks like a cockpit. A woman in military clothing appears on a screen and starts asking him about the details of the mission. Jake has no idea what the f is going on and she explains to him that he is on a mission to identify the person who planted a bomb on a train this morning, in order to prevent an even larger explosion that is going to maybe happen very soon. With this in mind Jake is thrust back into the mission over and over while at the same time trying to figure out what exactly is happening to him. Most likely you've already guessed the twist ending and you would be correct. The "twist" is about as shocking as when George Michael announced that he was gay.

I saw SOURCE CODE at the theater, but when I sat down earlier to rewatch it for this review I couldn't even remember what it was about. Director Duncan Jones seems to be a mildly talented young director, good at creating interesting visuals but I wish he would really try to beef up his character development skills. Both this film and MOON had very interesting premises and visually looked really good, but both films lacked the kind of strong character investment of say the films of Stanley Kubrick.

Worth watching, but after the initial viewing I cannot imagine wanting to watch it over and over.

A FROZEN FLOWER (2008)

Way the fuck back like 700 years or so there was a King. He was raised to be King and his palace guards are some dudes that were actually raised from childhood to protect him at all costs. Among the kids was a dude named Hong Lim and at a very young age the King took him underneath his wing and raised him as a friend/lover. Of course when he became of age the King took a wife, but they never had children because he was unable. The King is under intense pressure from the Emperor and others to produce a prince that will continue the royal dynasty.

So, since he cannot have children, the King talks to Hong Lim about secretly banging out the Queen and makin babies! At first Hong Lim is deeply troubled over this, but since he loves the King so much he reluctantly agrees and wouldn't you know it, the Queen and him even though they start off cold before long they're having a heated love affair. The King grows suspicious...

I have zero idea if any of this is actually historically accurate or not and I don't care. It was a engaging story and for the first 90 minutes I was really into it, but by time the 130 minute mark rolled by I was really for it to fucking end. I really think a better director could have streamlined the story and beefed up the character development a little better. Still it's a good movie, nothing to get all excited over, but I would probably watch it again. Recommended, if you're into this type of movies. Of all the performances I thought Ju Jin Mo as the King was the best. He was very tender at the beginning, but eventually got more and more bitter as events unfolded...what a departure from his role in 200 POUND BEAUTY! Wow.

A few NSFW screenshots.

ESCAPE FROM L.A. (1996)

"You may have escaped from New York, but this is L.A., vato."

August 23, 2000.  A massive earthquake separates Los Angeles from mainland America.  The hardcore Christian President turns the new island into a prison where anybody who doesn't fit into his idea of a perfect Christian nation (kweers, atheists, drug users,dogs and cats who live together, etc.) is exiled permanently.  Logistically, that doesn't even make sense, but whatever.

Fast-forward to 2013 and the President's hot daughter is brainwashed via virtual reality by a revolutionary leader who lives on the Island of Los Angeles. He has her steal a top secret super weapon called the "Sword of Damocles" and deliver it to him. So now it's up to the government to sneak a dude onto the island to locate the President's daughter and return the weapon. That's where soon to be transported to Manhattan, I mean, Los Angeles prisoner and ex-special forces soldier "Snake" Plissken comes in. Yep, that's right.  It's the same fucking story as the original film, except this time instead of Manhattan it's L.A.

Surfing, playing basketball, hang gliding, walking on a treadmill...this movie is definitely weird.  A good way to briefly describe ESCAPE FROM L.A. is there's a short scene where Snake is walking near a road and a car drives by with a dude hanging out of the window shooting a gun while blaring Sugar Ray.  Yes, Sugar Ray.  Snake then turns around to walk off.  The sound of thunder is heard while a bright light flashes from behind a nearby bush.  (It's almost like that awesome non-gun drive by two years later in DISTURBING BEHAVIOR with the non-threatening dudes and that Sesame Street music blaring.)

All things considered, ESCAPE FROM L.A. isn't much worse than the already overrated ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. Cheesier yes, but laughing at it actually adds the much needed entertainment the original lacked.  Based purely on entertainment, EFLA is barely passable.  The story is weak, the look of the whole thing is garbage, the entire movie is a night, zero nudity, zero gore, zero blood, the action scenes are forgettable, the dialogue is rubbish.  Honestly, the biggest entertainment comes from the surprising cast and simply laughing at...everything.  Especially the story and the special effects.

Part 1 - Escape from New York (1981)