Two men bicker, fight and get drunk

 THE LIGHTHOUSE (2019)
Endured by Jerry Saravia

A state of isolation for four weeks inside a lighthouse while a brewing storm takes place inside a steep rock island is ripe for cinematic treatment. Director Robert Eggers has liberally borrowed from Herman Melville and Edgar Allan Poe and so, in some idiosyncratic fashion, he has made a manly horror film. This is about two wickies (lighthouse keepers) who do not get along leading to a strenuous relationship fraught with ugliness and despair. I tend to like films that push the edge of paranoia on an island populated only by two people and some seagulls (think "Swept Away," the Wertmuller version), but this "Lighthouse" is monotonous and out of focus with its ideas.

The thunderous music by Mark Korven is about as loud as the water splashing on the rocks. The two wickies, Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and Wade (Willem Dafoe), are to take charge of the lighthouse. They sleep in the same quarters. Thomas does the heavy lifting of dragging barrels of oil and physical labor tasks of carrying heavy kerosene tanks to top of the lighthouse, cleaning pots, etc. I began to wonder what Wade does - I assume masturbating to the white light of the lantern. Masturbation comes up frequently, so to speak, as Wade and Winslow masturbate though not to each other (what else are you going to do on your off time on a rock island?) Winslow uses a ceramic mermaid figurine to feed his fantasies and Wade, well, something slithering inside the top of that lighthouse. 

Slowly, madness settles in Winslow though we figure Wade is already an old, superstitious kook with a pipe and a lust for alcohol. Winslow is supposed to head back, somewhere, and be picked up on that island but no one ever comes and no food rations are delivered. Winslow gets irate with Wade, can't stand his poetic musings or the nightly toasts. It is only natural that Winslow envisions mermaids he's having sex with and finding severed heads and dead seagulls. Since this is Winslow's point-of-view, we assume he is just seeing disturbing visions.  

I started checking out of this film long before Winslow (revealing himself to be somebody else to Wade) slowly goes mad with an evil look in his eyes. I just found both characters unwatchable and unappealing which is a little amazing considering they are played by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. Dafoe commands the screen with those demonic, snarling eyes, large chin and large fisherman's beard - he plays Wade to the hilt. Pattinson has been showing his range ever since his "Twilight" days and never overacts - his last fifteen minutes on screen are a revelation. But "The Lighthouse" is simply overdone and overbaked in terms of atmosphere consisting of hard rain, copious fog, and overcast skies. The film's tone is shrouded in darkness but it becomes overbearing and unthinkably boring with the same level of dread throughout. Dafoe and Pattinson never elicit enough humanity and so we watch two guys who fight, bicker and get drunk and, eventually, leads to an explosion of grisly violence. These two saps maybe needed a few more drinks and should've slept through it until somebody came along.  

Listen To What The Man Sings

 ROCKSHOW (1980)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

If you love Paul McCartney singing his heart away with the Wings band, you could do no worse than watch "Rockshow," an almost seamless compilation of live concert footage clips with over 30 songs from 1976 with McCartney and the band on tour tearing up the stage. It is hardly, in hindsight, one of the best filmed live concerts but it will suffice for McCartney/Wings/Beatles fans. 

Watching a rather cruddy DVD of this notable concert doesn't quite do it justice but it is still energizing and entertaining all the same (in 2013, a restored, longer print on Blu Ray became available but I haven't seen it). McCartney along with his Wings band members including Paul's wife, Linda doing vocals, keyboards, piano, percussion; the joyful Denny Laine doing vocals, guitars, bass, piano and harmonica; Joe English pounding away on drums; Jimmy McCulloch on guitar, vocals, and bass, as well as some distinctive horn players play with an electricity that one can only glean from having been at concerts. Crowd-pleasing songs are performed on stage from the Wings such as "Venus and Mars", "Jet," and two of my favorites, "Listen to What the Man Said" and "Band on the Run." There are some Beatles favorites including the tear-inducing "Yesterday" and "I've Just Seen a Face." The stage is practically on fire when we hear the rousing "Live and Let Die." McCartney is having the time of his life, bowing to the audience frequently and enthusiastically introducing the band members. He is having as much fun as the audience is. 

The concert footage is strong to a degree, though the players are often filmed from practically below the stage. Paul is given a rather odd side-angle view and the other players are sometimes obscured by darkness when the lights are not shining on them. Alas, we are never on the stage with them and the best rock concert films always gave us that impression. Also, there are insufficient crowd reactions and, as usual, it is not always clear which song the audience members are really reacting to since, again, this is a compilation of footage largely shot in Seattle and sections in L.A. as well.

"Rockshow" is often thrilling and, if you like these songs and are a rabid fan, you will sing along too. You'll be listening to what the man sings.     

Carl Sagan would be proud

CONTACT (1997)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Original review from 1997

What is this I hear about summer movies in general? They are all brainless and plotless? Excuse me, people, but don't forget that the smaller films are usually the smarter ones. It's true that Hollywood rarely delivers anything beyond the dumb and dumber set during the summer (or the year, for that

matter). The summer of 1997 had not been as horrendous as most, and one of the smartest and most thought-provoking films of that summer was "Contact."

Jodie Foster stars as Dr. Ellie Arroway, a serious-minded scientist who studies extraterrestrial life. She believes life exists in some distant galaxy, and studies chiefly with the world's largest radio telescope located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico hoping to establish some alien contact. When her research project

is terminated, she persuades the government to fund a project to investigate the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Ellie ends up in Socorro, New Mexico where they have a field of 27 huge disc-shaped radio telescopes where she might get some signal. And she does, and the whole world, including the government, the CIA, the FBI, and the National Security counsel, is eager to know what it

is about. At first, Ellie hears deep vibrating signals. Then she receives an alien signal in the form of the first televised image - Hitler's appearance at the 1936 Olympic Games. Then she gets another visual signal that may be instructions to build a ship.

"Contact" is based on the 1985 novel by the late Carl Sagan, and the film doesn't betray Sagan's beliefs or his ambiguity. There are no green-eyed Martians, no Men in Black with big guns, no laser shows, and no mother ships. "Contact" presents us with the possibility of intelligent life in other

galaxies or stars namely Vega - Ellie makes contact with the signals but not with the life forms (unless the ending of the movie suggests otherwise). When the ship is built, there's controversy as to who should be sent aboard - a believer in God, or a non-believer like Ellie? If the universe reveals God

doesn't exist, then where does civilization stand? If God does exist, should Ellie be the one to go for the 2001 ride through the cosmos?

"Contact" lumbers a bit with two needless subplots: the introduction of Matthew McConaughey as a religious scholar who has a brief affair with Ellie, and a bald Timothy Leary-like scientist (John Hurt) who has been supporting every move she makes. McConaughey appears and disappears too soon before he reappears in the last half of the film - his function is to let Ellie know that if she stands by her beliefs, she should not be travelling in space. However, I was struck by Ellie's decision in the first half not to speak to him after their affair - it seems McConaughey forgot they ever had one. The Hurt character also

has little function except to imply he may have created all the mumbo jumbo about alien ship designs to Ellie just to get the ship built. Hurt's performance is too over-the-top for this film and he seems to have drifted in from "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" minus the long fingernails.

Nevertheless, "Contact" works quite well for two reasons: Jodie Foster's strong, fully realized performance, and the credible, well-written script. Foster makes Ellie into an independent, vulnerable, tough-minded, no-nonsense heroine still harboring deep feelings for her father (David Morse) who passed away when she was young. Ellie's emotional clinging to her father is questioned by McConaughey at one point when she wants proof of God's existence:

McConaughey: 'Did you love your father?'

Ellie: 'Of course.'

McConaughey: 'Prove it.'

The screenplay by James V. Hart and Michael Goldenberg huffs and puffs frequently, providing as much information as possible. It is quite ambitious covering Ellie's place as a scientist and as an atheist, and her relationship with her father; the government and the rest of the free world's involvement in

what may be a revolutionary moment in science or mere hocus pocus; the religious cults who try to take action against building an alien ship; and the final trip itself that may leave you thinking for days as to what is truth and where are the boundaries between time and space. The script is certainly well

devised and constructed but as aforementioned, there are too many subplots that distract from Ellie's ascension or descent as an important scientist. I could live without director Robert Zemeckis's "Gump"-ist attitudes by digitally showing Bill Clinton's opinion of this alien contact. There also too many

scenes of real-life CNN anchors commenting on the action - one or two would have been sufficient, but the whole staff? Ellie's hard-working staff is not given much screen time making it seem as if she's doing all the hard work alone.

"Contact" is clunky but it is still fine entertainment and briskly directed by Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump"). The opening sequence pulls back from earth through the galaxies, the stars and other planets hinting that something else might be out there while we hear various pop songs and then utter silence. It

is eye-opening and breathtaking, including the last twenty minutes where Ellie makes her rickety voyage into space in an alien pod that will take her to, presumably, the alien designers. The film benefits greatly from the astounding supporting cast including Tom Skerritt as David Drumlin, a scientist who wants to go in the pod mission; James Woods as an edgy (what else?) National Security Advisor; and Angela Bassett as a straight-arrow debate official. It is really Jodie Foster who makes the movie her own - ambitious, stubborn, scrupulous, skeptical. Carl Sagan would be proud.

Divide and Conquer

 SPLIT (2016)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

I applaud M. Night Shyamalan for attempting a complex psychological thriller and I'd say that "Split" is among his better efforts. Despite my recommendation, the film is far too uneven and exploits schizophrenia and alternate personalities with a slightly ham-fisted approach. I do not expect a realistic film about alternates and dissociative identity disorder in an alleged horror film environment that incorporates shades of the slasher film variety. I do expect to witness these personalities and whatever traits they share individually but "Split" is meant to scare, to shock and to terrify only. It does succeed at all three.

Three young women are kidnapped in Philadelphia by a meek-looking man with 23 personalities! He keeps the women locked up in a sealed room in an underground tunnel where escape is futile. The crazy lunatic (okay, he's crazy though that is not a medical term) is either named Barry, Dennis or Patricia! One is a studious looking intellectual type, the other is an 8-year-old child and, of course, one is a woman. The alters appear on different days and confront the terrified girls with either calmness, rage or simply wanting to hang out and listen to Kanye West on his stereo! The young women include the introverted Anya Taylor Joy as Casey who tries to reason with this probable serial killer, and we also got Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula though they are not given much to do other than embrace each other, prepare for the worst by trying to break free and run down endless underground tunnels. Casey is the one with potent flashbacks to her less-than-savory uncle which begs the questions - why not just have Casey as the girl protagonist against this DID man whose 24th personality is something less than human and is about to pounce at any moment? This might have made room for introspection and more insights into how his mind works and into Casey's own difficult traumatic background. It is hinted that the man with 24 faces might have had trauma as well. 

James McAvoy is a threatening presence with his eyes evoking malice even when he or she is calm. It is a transformative, perplexing and downright creepy performance that should have warranted an Oscar nomination. Not even Ed Norton from "Primal Fear" could convey such lucidity and sense of impending dread as McAvoy does here. He's the main reason to see "Split" and gives the film immense power. Anya Taylor-Joy is an electrifying presence and her last few scenes showcase her own internal wounds. I shan't omit Betty Buckley as the therapist, Dr. Fletcher, who sees something unique and disturbing about her multiple personality patient.  

"Split" is not perfectly realized when it comes to McAvoy's alters nor is it an unnerving display of directorial magic from Shyamalan. Having said that, the Nightman has created a strong, almost unforgettable entry in his rather uneven filmmaking oeuvre. The psychology might be muted and a tad exploitative, but the thrills and suspense are not.  

Reality comes crashing down on your memories

 TOTAL RECALL (1990)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

"Total Recall" has some nifty special-effects and Arnold Schwarzenegger delivering comical punchlines and kicking ass, and naturally shooting a few people along the way. This is an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick novelette that may bring up ideas of identity and alternate reality but all of that vanishes with its elongated chase story of a would-be secret agent. Or is he?

Arnie is Douglas Quaid, a construction worker in the year 2084 who is married to Lori (Sharon Stone), "the girl of his dreams," who wishes Doug would dream of anything except Mars. Doug is obsessed and keeps watching the news about Mars involving a freedom brigade, mining operations and alien artifacts. Despite his obsession and being told by a co-worker that the fantasy travel agency where you can virtually pretend to go to Mars left someone lobotomized, well, you can't keep a man like Arnie from being less than curious. It is more than a virtual experience - they implant false memories in your brain. Something about this seems less than a fleeting fantasy where, for an extra charge, you can pretend to be a secret agent and save Mars and its people. 

There is much here that could be mined for a psychological exploration of one's psyche, identity and the implications of false memories but "Total Recall" is not that kind of movie. It is a concrete, muscular action movie with Arnie being chased by villains led by the one and only Richter (Michael Ironside) - his arched eyebrows alone could do all the killing. Also oozing some malevolence is Ronny Cox as Cohaagen, the Martian governor who could care less about the population especially when they need air to survive (Cohaagen is so evil that he knocks over a fish aquarium killing its fish). Richter is so evil that he can kill a rat impulsively. Schwarzenegger manages a couple of goofy one-liners like "You're screwed!" or "Consider that a divorce!" Some portions of the film can verge on misogyny and almost all the women, except for Stone's duplicitous Lori, are depicted as prostitutes. Nevertheless, "Total Recall" has the right atmosphere (so to speak) for the depiction of Mars plus the immense production design surrounding the vast underground spaces near an alien reactor. Of course, Schwarzenegger is a rousing action hero and, though he may not show much nuance as Quaid, he gets the job done. Nasty fun but expect only a trickling of Philip K. Dick's ideas here. 

E.T.'s have always been home

 DISCLOSURE DAY (2026)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Whenever I see any recent UFO's or UAP's footage, I am less than thrilled and feel I have been conned. Everything is grainy, out-of-focus or simply a case of people who refuse to get to close to anything resembling an alien because, in a sense, it lends credibility for some and for others it just proves the visual evidence is hogwash. "Disclosure Day" sort of mimics the grainy, black-and-white and out-of-focus footage during its grand finale - I think it is suggesting that any real disclosures of alien intelligence suppressed by the government will be far more glorious, unimaginable footage than any movie can provide. There's not much in "Disclosure Day" that you haven't seen before yet there is enough here to provide intrigue and entertainment value until, well, we will see.

A young whistleblower and cybersecurity expert named Dr. Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor) is being chased by the secret government agency, Wardex Corporation, because he has stolen files copied to thumb drives that holds over 70 years' worth of visual proof of extra-terrestrials on this planet. He's on the run with his exhausted girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson), a former novitiate, and they hide in a nunnery and then some house in the middle of a rural area that surely can be pinpointed by the government in seconds. 

Meanwhile, a Kansas City meteorologist, Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), with bigger aspirations to become a news anchor, has a moment live on air where she makes clicking sounds and then collapses. It is not a language anyone can understand except for Wardex and the fugitive doctor who immediately get wind of this situation - the language is extra-terrestrial. Wyatt Russell is Jackson, Margaret's boyfriend, who has no idea what is going on and is in constant disbelief over Margaret's amazing psychic abilities that have been dormant for some time. They too go on the run when Margaret realizes she has a connection to Daniel. I sensed a little throwback to Spielberg's "The Sugarland Express" here but I digress.

"Disclosure Day" is a Steven Spielberg chase picture and who else can do this like nobody's business. Spielberg and writer David Koepp allow time for some introspection and philosophies over Daniel's wanting to disclose the files online - would it cause a national discussion and interest in what the government has been hiding from us all along? And what about those who follow any religion and have faith in God, would this cause a rupture in their religious belief system that only humans exist in the universe? These are fascinating questions that are brought up but never exactly followed through. What would the existence of alien life actually do to us in our planet? Would people even care in 2026? My suspicion is, unfortunately, no. 

There are some unnerving scenes with Colin Firth as the Wardex CEO Noah Scanlon, who can telepathically communicate with Margaret and Jane thanks to an alien wand of sorts. This wand can cause him pain and turns his eyes black or turquoise blue, and Firth conveys that tension beautifully. All this is to gather information on the whereabouts of our protagonists which begs the question, what sort of alien "thingy" is this? The most unnerving and scary moment that gave me major goosebumps is when Jane is almost held in a trance and pierces her hand with a crucifix while Scanlon confronts her telepathically. 

There are some hair-raising moments including a freight train and a car (recalling Spielberg's own "Duel") that had me holding on to my seat in ways that only Spielberg can manage to. "Disclosure Day" is solidly entertaining and never feels long, always keeping one invested and interested in knowing where the eventual cosmic revelations will lead us to. I felt closer to the strenuous emotions of Margaret and Jane than I ever did to Dr. Kellner, who always seemed a little aloof and uncertain. I like the inclusion of Wyatt Russell as Jackson and he has some good comic lines of bewilderment, though he's unfairly cut out of the film midway through. This is Spielberg's more frenetic approach to his "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and it has already raised discussions on its religious themes and whether we are getting close to a real-life alien disclosure. Perhaps. Any day now?

Mattel Movie Decides Fun is out of the question

 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (1987)

Painfully Endured by Jerry Saravia

Back in the 1980's, I always watched the slight, goofy He-Man cartoons with my younger brother. They were a diverting and virtually painless 30 minutes that my brother thoroughly enjoyed (my 70's equivalent would have been the animated "Super Friends"). It was wonderful to see my brother excited and amped up as a new weekly cartoon episode unraveled featuring the further adventures of He-Man and She-Ra facing the primary antagonist, Skeletor. Fun, diverting, painless. These adjectives would not describe Cannon Group's live-action 1987 adaptation of "Masters of the Universe," which landed with a severely towering thud. A movie like this should be infectious and fun and, alas, it is about as much fun as being forced to eat rotten apples - this movie looks rotten as soon as the "Superman"-like opening credits roll.

Dolph Lundgren is He-Man, who just doesn't fit snugly in the role. He is tall but not nearly as muscular as in the cartoon. Lundgren looks tired and exhausted after running around shooting robots with laser guns and holding a heavy sword at the same time. That must be exhausting! Frank Langella is Skeletor wearing a largely inanimate mask - other than his lothario voice, you would never know it was Langella which means almost anybody could have been handpicked to play the role. I will not describe the plot except that it has to do with a device that lands on Earth (along with a few of our chivalrous heroes) and some musician finds the device and thinks it is some synthesizer! Courteney Cox appears as this musician's girlfriend who lost her parents in a plane crash years back. Cox tries to bring some nugget of emotion and acquits herself, seemingly, but I can't say the same for the rest of the cast.

Purportedly based more so on the He-Man action toys than the popular 1980's TV cartoon, "Masters of the Universe" shows that Cannon productions could mishandle this franchise worse than Superman. The same summer saw "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" which at least was funny (with worse special-effects). I'll say one thing in He-Man's rather fruitless favor - James Tolkan as an irate, straight-arrow cop brandishing a shotgun and realizing he's out of his league next to these cosmic monsters and He-Man. Charismatic Tolkan (and a DeLorean sound effect liberally borrowed from you know where) are mildly entertaining and have some heft. The rest is disposable junk.