K-Pax (Collector's Edition)
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.02 You Save: $12.96 (87%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of K-Pax (Collector's Edition)
Movie Review: Spacey and Bridges deliver!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you get this far in reading reviews then you already know the storyline and ending so I won't be spoiling it for anybody. First off, you have to have a soul to appreciate this film. I just got totally absorbed into the film and the characters. Sad though parts of it are, I still think that, overall, this is a feel good film. The people who slam this film probably watched it from a totally detached point of view in which case I can imagine them finding it boring and slow. It's not the sort of film that you put your brain into neutral and then just simply watch. I was captivated to the point that I didn't let anybody into the room while I was watching it for fear I'd miss a single important phrase or word. Generally, I myself like action films, but I found this film a breath of fresh air. Not surprising, I don't suppose, considering 'Starman' is also one of my favourite films.I must admit, I was a little dissappointed with the ending, but only because I wanted it to confirm my thoughts on whether Prot was an alien or not. In a way it did, but it still left you guessing a bit. There were a couple of keys points that made me believe Prot was who he said he was.
The first was that he openly recognised Robert Palmer in the picture album at the end, and said, very seriously to Jeff Bridges, to look after him when he'd gone, which he did. At that point I realised that Prot was occupying Palmer's body. The other key point was that after Bess had dissappeared it showed her note saying 'I have no home', making her an obvious candidate to go with Prot. I also agree with another reviewer's observation with regard that barely noticeable little smile Spacey gave in the wheelchair at the end of the film. I am going to watch this film again to see if I can pick up any other clues, something I had to do with another Spacey film, The Usual Suspects.
All in all, a very enjoyable film, and brilliantly acted by Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges.
Movie Review: Great Movie and Pretty Close to the Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Kevin Spacey is pure genius. Jeff Bridges is rather impressive himself. Having seen this movie before I read the book, I could easily see these people in the roles in the book. I thought the adaptation of the script was rather respectful to the book. Though not perfect, and missing a main character, the movie really did get the book's mystery across rather successfully. The thing I liked about the movie, is the fact that it isn't as one sided as the book. The book is written in first person from the perspective of the Jeff Daniels character, the psychologist named "Dr. Mark Powell". A film obviously is much more difficult to work in this fashion. The movie is warmer than the book too, which is a plus.Anyway, enough about the book. The movie revolves around a psychologist who gets a new patient who calls himself "prot" (rhymes with goat). "prot," is either an alien from the planet K-PAX or he is a convincing delusional. With "prot's" scheduled departure date, Bridges character "Dr. Powell," is in a race against time to find out "prot's" real identity, if he has an identity at all. "prot" influences many of those who are institutionalized at the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute, as well as much of the staff, as he promises that he will take one of them home with him to K-PAX. That's all I can say without giving anything away. I have no interest in spoiling such a wonderful story.
The movie moves very well. I love the character interaction. The cast is pure gold. Kevin Spacey is remarkable as usual. There isn't really anything bad about this movie at all. And any nitpicking that I would point out, however trivial, would be a spoiler. I will just have to ask you to trust my judgment that this movie is fun, brilliant, and rather captivating. Rent it once, and you'll buy it. I don't think you will be disappointed.
epc
Movie Review: Gorgeous Film
Summary: 5 Stars
K-PAX is an excellent film rendition of Gene Brewer's novel of the same name. Where Brewer's novel was somewhat terse, told largely in the form of psychiatrist's notes, the film is much more lyrical. What debate there may be as to the superiority of a particular version surely lies in the nature of the particular medium, and the film's changes made from the novel are largely to take advantage of its enhanced visual and dialogue aspects. Cinematography and art direction were superb, and the music (a sort of Mike Oldfield/Tubular Bells homage by Ed Shearmur) fit the film perfectly. Director Ian Softley and screenwriter Charles Leavitt deserve kudos for keeping the spirit of Brewer's entrancing novel alive.Especially noteworthy is the acting. Jeff Bridges and Mary McCormack do a wonderful job supporting Kevin Spacey. You really have to admire Spacey for exercising such selectivity over his projects, and here, as in American Beauty, he is at his peculiar best, a real delight to watch. Some viewers may find K-PAX a challenge, as it deals more with questions than answers; some will be disappointed that it doesn't meet their expectations as a science fiction film, or resemble One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest more. I submit that they have missed the point of the film altogether, which is as a gentle character study of a man caught in tragic circumstances, colored with a sense of wonder and social commentary delivered with magical realism. K-PAX is a real delight in both film and print forms; the novel also has an excellent sequel ON A BEAM OF LIGHT and a final member of the trilogy is due out soon. I hope that those books are brought to screen by the same talent involved in this one, it would be a great pleasure.
Movie Review: Christian Metaphor?
Summary: 5 Stars
'Prot', the 'alien' is essentially a mystic who answers questions economically and somewhat mysteriously. Other reviewers of this film consistently fail to address 'Prot's' 'otherwordly' powers. (They mention them but they don't attempt to account for them.) His mathemetical solution, provided to a group of world renowed astronomers and physicists (brought in to test him) detailing the precise cosmological coordinates of his planet (K-Pax) both astonishes, and baffles them because the equations are correct.
If the coordinates were the only example of 'Prot's' powers one could compare him to Michael Rennie in 'The Day The Earth Stood Still'; agree that he was a space visitor and leave it at that but the real mystery in this film is his apparent ability to 'Cure' his fellow mental patients. All of them are showing inexplicable signs of vast improvement which is apparently due to their association with 'Prot'. The reason for their improvement can only be described as miraculous. Why do they improve? They improve because they are the only one's who believe in him. Remember the story in the New Testament about the Apostle who walks on water towards Christ's outstretched hand only to begin to suddenly sink as he becomes freightened. How many others stories in the same book recount Christ curing people and performing other miracles because of their simple faith?
This explanation sheds light on the dazzling cosmological display 'Prot' puts on for the scientists. Is it not likely that 'Prot' knows the universe inside-out because he, in fact, created it!
This analysis may not be everyone's cup of tea but I believe this movie has profound religious undertones.
Movie Review: Is He Or Isn't He... That is the question... Or is it?
Summary: 5 Stars
We've seen this film a number of times and enjoy it every time. It is filled with humor, misery, suspense, intrigue, science and a little bit of philosophy. K-Pax tries to get the viewer to expand his/her knowledge of the world around him/her by presenting the story of a man who appears one day in an airport and claims to be a visiting alien, named Prot (Kevin Spacey), from another star system on a mission to collect data.
People react intensely in favor or against him which both shocks and amuses him. He is immediately arrested and transferred to a mental institution where he meets Dr. Powell (Jeff Bridges), a married man with three children who is more interested in helping his patients reach a breakthrough than raising his children.
The more time Dr. Powell spends with Prot the more involved he becomes in trying to determine if he is an alien or a man suffering from split personalities. Dr. Powell makes it his mission to find out the truth no matter what the cost. Both men learn something from one another along the way. The viewer is left to make up their own mind to the truth. The end has many possibilities but no hard conclusions but this is ok. It really is.
Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey are a good match but Spacey definitely steals the show. One of my favorite things about this film is the constant visual play with light (Prot supposedly traveled to our world via a ray of light); a constant reminder about Prot even when he's not in a scene.
I highly recommend watching this PG-13 film.