Stowaway: Some of it is good, some is meh.

Movie Review: Stowaway (2021) on Netflix

Mixed bag to report on Stowaway. Some of this film is good. Some of it is meh.

Commander Marina, doctor Zoe, and scientist David are on their way to Mars. They're bringing along a biology experiment to filter carbon dioxide through plant life for later use when they arrive on Mars. Almost immediately, they discover a problem: blood droplets dripping from a ceiling panel of their newly launched ship. Opening the panel, a body drops down, one unconscious launch technician Michael Adams, who was unaccounted for 12 hours earlier because he was securing a part and knocked out during launch. Now he's committed to the mission with no way to return to Earth. And his bloody wound has shorted out the ship's one working carbon-dioxide filtering system. The backup emergency filter won't last the trip. What's a crew to do? 

The major conflict that will become apparent later in the film is that the company running the mission, Hyperion, had cut corners to ramp up the mission. The ship was planned for a crew of two and they stretched plans to fit a third on the assumption nothing would go wrong. Now that the carbon filtering system is waning, adding a fourth person threatens the lives of everyone. The longer the flight goes on, the worse things get. The original three keep the news from Adams, deciding they and Hyperion have 20 days before something drastic must be done and give themselves 10 days to find a solution before telling Adams and somehow killing him. They waste no energy on science on this film, it's all about the emotions of making the decision of who lives and who dies, and struggling to make the right decision.

Here's the rub: They don't do a very good job of explaining things to the audience. So, at first you don't know this ship is on its way to Mars rather than setting up on a space station. They also don't explain why the ship is spinning around a central axis, using centripetal force to create artificial gravity--there could be many logical reasons to do this but they don't give any; my suspicion is it provides logic for blood to dribble from the ceiling to the floor. Also, the gravity builds drama as the crew must use a tool to climb out of the artificial gravity well at each end of the axis to retrieve something, and the extremely long axis helps them make the movie longer. I suppose that's cynical of me, but that's all I can come up with. There are other things, too, but these are chief among them. I think this would have been much more interesting if Adams had been an evil guy sabotaging the mission and we'd spent the movie trying to figure that out. Didn't go there.

As I said, some of the film is good. There are decent effects. The cast is decent (Toni Collette, Daniel Dae Kim, Anna Kendrick, Shamier Anderson). And the mock-up spacecraft is great--this seems where they spent most of their money on this film! 

Stowaway was supposedly Netflix's top pick over its first weekend. There were a lot of viewing choices and possibly there were better ones. I'd rate Stowaway B for Better Luck Next Time.

 

Knives Out: In the Tradition of an Agatha Christie Who Done It, But Better!

Movie Review: Knives Out (2019)
Version: Amazon Prime rental

In the mood for a good mystery? In the style of an Agatha Christie who-done-it? With an ensemble of strange characters all of whom are prime suspects but only one surely must of done it? A ring of clueless policemen but one immensely smart privately consulting detective with at least one irritating quirk who can't quite figure out the crime-defining question but is always on the cusp of finding the answer? Oh, and the victim -- the irascible old man everyone has a reason to kill! Well, that's Knives Out in a nutshell!

It features the usual cast of notables. Christopher Plummer is the victim, one famous mystery writer Harlan Thrombey. Did he commit suicide or was he killed by any of a number of family members or family staff in a position and with a reason to slit his throat? There is daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her husband Richard Drysdale (Don Johnson), and ungrateful grandson Ransom (Chris Evans). They've been living off the old man's fortune too long, to his disappointment. Son Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon) ran the old man's publishing house but was never allowed to run with his instincts and always felt held back in his father's shadow. His son Jacob (Jaeden Martell) was a spoiled family muckraker who enjoyed inciting a family squabble. Granddaughter Meg Thrombey (Katherine Langford) was the apple of her grandfather's eye, dutifully sending a six-figure check to cover her college tuition, until he discovered her mother Joni (Toni Collette) was double billing the accountant and stealing from dear old granddad. That leaves housekeeper Fran (Edi Patterson) who was discovered with a blackmail note and nurse Marta (Ana de Arnas) who was the last person to see Harlan alive. Who could solve this difficult crime? Why, the privately consulting detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) with the irritating Southern gentlemanliness. And so he goes after the clues and that one remaining question he can't quite solve till the very end.

Now, watching a Brit like Craig handle the Southern drawl and charm with such adeptness, after years of watching him play steely-eyed James Bond, was a revelation of his acting skills. He totally took on that role and won the character. He vied with Jamie Lee Curtis, with her verve and sparkle, for steeling the show. It should be noted that Frank Oz of Muppets fame came out of whole cloth to play a human attorney.

The only thing I can compare this film to is Murder on the Orient Express or perhaps Clue, mysteries with large ensemble casts and celebrity roles. It has that look and feel. And so you cannot take it seriously as a mystery, although the conclusion is a surprise. Still, it was a fun story and worth a watch. Jamie Lee Curtis is always fun to watch, Daniel Craig is interesting in this new role, Chris Evans gets to stretch his creative legs in this role, and Toni Collette is delicious in her character. Christopher Plummer commands the screen. Just for their performances, it's worth the watch.

So here's the gist of the story. Harlan Thrombey is a famous mystery writer. His family returns to the "ancestral home" to celebrate his 85th birthday. The next morning his private nurse discovers he has died and investigating police surmise Harlan has committed suicide. But private detective Benoit Blanc, anonymously hired by a mysterious source, attends a follow-up interview of those present that evening, and he has questions. He discovers each of the family members had reason to want Harlan Thrombey dead. Grandson Ransom had left the party early that night but returns late to answer questions and so also becomes one of the suspects. Through flashbacks we learn truths about some of the testimony and about other events that give context to occurrences that night, including an important role nurse Marta played. Even up to the end, all isn't as it seems. Of course! In the last moment, Benoit Blanc discovers the answer to his final question and the culprit is revealed.

As is always so with these ensemble casts, everyone is not just a suspect but every clue is a misdirect. And the job of the viewer is to listen intently without getting snookered. Knives Out is probably one of the better written who-done-its. I think you will agree. Perhaps when it fades to credits, you will find that's the real reveal at the end.

XXX: Return of Xander Cage: It's a Blast!

Movie Review: XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
Version: Library borrow

Take the Fast and Furious franchise, strip it of all the fast cars, keep Vin Diesel but infuse it with some new team mates, and you have XXX: Return of Xander Cage. It's full of action and amazing stunts, just as in the Fast and Furious films.

I was surprised when we found the film on our Xfinity search screen to see that it had low ratings. It's a fun film! Vin Diesel (or his stunt double) starts out the story with some amazing stunt work, skiing down a communications tower and into a mountainous jungle then powering down winding hilly roads on a skateboard. There are other amazing stunts, including kick-ass kung fu fighting with a motor bike and then using it as jet ski through the ocean surf. Whoa!

The main story line involves Vin Diesel as Xander Cage, a government special teams agent who has disappeared but been found again to hunt down a piece of IT gear capable of bringing down satellites to decimate big cities. It turns out the guys who are using it are other members of the government special teams unit, who have deadly martial arts skills, and of course, only Xander Cage can hope to take them on. To help him out, Cage brings on a small team of specialists, who also have mad fighting skills.

Joining Diesel as team members are Ruby Rose as Adele, Kris Wu and Nicks, Tony Ja as Talon, and Rory McCann as Tennyson. They range from snipers, to martial artists, to distraction artists, to an older guy who can ram vehicles into opponents second to none. It's actually a great if quirky ensemble cast.

The bad guys are represented by Toni Collette as the head of the NSA, who more often than not gets in the team's way, although they work for her, Donnie Yang as the main bad guy who wants to keep the device out of the hands of governments, and Deepika Padikone as his accomplice. Then there are the assorted beefsteaks who act as military foils for just about everyone else.

The setting is the Dominican Republic, with its lush jungles, mountainous terrain, and exotic beaches, all which create a wonderful backdrop for stunts and mayhem.

Diesel displays his usual laid-back charm and humor. The others try to keep up. All around, it's a fun romp of good guys against bad guys, sometimes just trying to figure out which is which and which player has the "ball" in a continual game of misdirect. The pace is fast and the action furious -- go figure.

Don't expect any socially redeeming value, this film is just for fun. If you're having a tough day, or politics are just getting you down, or you're simply feeling lousy, put XXX: Return of Xander Cage in the DVD player and zone out! It's a blast.

Miss You Already: It Takes Itself Seriously and Makes You Smile at the Same Time

Movie Review: Miss You Already (2015)
Version: Library Borrow

We watched Miss You Already as a family, my wife, my daughter, and I. It certainly had a lot of women's issues front and center: breast cancer, pregnancy, unsupportive husbands. But as I got to watching it, I realized it went well beyond that. This was about the bonds of friendship, the challenges of family, the responsibilities of marriage -- from both sides of the relationship, and the freedom to make choices. Everyone can relate to these issues.

Toni Collette is a strong lead in the role as Milly, a wild and crazy lover of life with all the responsibilities of a job and a family. Drew Barrymore is a strong second lead in the role as Jess, Milly's best friend since childhood, who has struggled to become pregnant with her husband. She shines less in the limelight but is no less important as a character, a tag-along in Milly's wild ride through life. Especially when Milly learns she has breast cancer. It's Jess who is there at her side through chemotherapy. And then when Milly goes through a mastectomy, it's Jess who's there for her. And when Jess finally becomes pregnant, she sets aside her good news to help Milly through more bad news. Milly seems to grab all the attention until the very end, when she finally comes to Jess's aid. The husbands and children? They're there to add conflict.

The supporting cast is pretty good, too. But who make this movie are Barrymore and Collette shining brightly on the screen. Many parts are just downright funny, despite the serious subject matter, owning to the fine script and contagious grins and laughter of the lead actresses. It's a film that both takes itself seriously and makes you smile at the same time. And who can't enjoy a film like that?

Guys, sit down and watch Miss You Already with your favorite ladies. Ladies, invite your guys over to watch it with you. It will be time worth spending together.