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Movie Reviews of Next
Movie Review: So Sue Me, I Love This Movie.
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, by all accounts I'm supposed to hate this movie. It was critically panned and even the review on the FX movie channel I'm rewatching it on right now gives it one star. Usually I am in full agreement with the professional reviews, but not this time. This is one of the movies that is pure escape for me. I don't analyze every little detail when I watch this movie and I don't find myself being super critical the way I am with other movies. Can't really explain why, but it might have to do with the beautiful theme music, the beautiful settings of the movie, or the incredibly beautiful Jessica Biel. Man this woman takes my breath away and she especially looks lovely in this movie. Maybe I'm soft on this movie because it's about a guy creatively figuring out how to get the woman of his dreams, and I had a similar challenge meeting my current girlfriend. Unfortunately I did not have the main character's ability to see into the future to increase my odds, had to do it the old fashioned way.
There are some interesting twists and turns, and I have to admit I did not see the end coming. I thought it was a very creative use of his ability. The acting is solid, Nicolas Cage is his normal self, and you either like him or you don't, I like him. As beautiful as Jessica Biel is I think she's a fine actress. Julianne Moore is always great in everything I see her in and the rest of the cast is fine as well. I really appreciate the fact the movie never becomes some sappy love story, it never becomes cliched.
So if you're a super critical reviewer maybe you'll see all the plot holes, poor acting, contrived circumstances, and bad script writing, but as I said, none of that stuff entered into my mind. This is not an oscar worthy movie, but it is a super fun escape for a few hours, and honestly isn't that the point of movies in the first place, escapism?
Movie Review: "With freedom comes responsibility."
Summary: 5 Stars
Next brings to the screen the story of Chris Johnson, a.k.a. Frank Cadillac, a down-on-his-luck onstage Las Vegas magician with a rare gift: to be able to see two minutes into the future! Things "liven up" when a government agent in her effort to find a group of terrorists aiming at detonating a nuclear bomb somewhere in the United States attempts to enlist Chris Johnson who seems to be rather preoccupied with other matters...
There are slight hints of the X-Files, Deja Vu (Denzel Washington), Frequency (Dennis Quaid, James Caviezel), Timecop (Van Damme) and The Lake House (Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock).
Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)! Very well written and very well presented, the movie is without a doubt guaranteed to provide more than just a few thrills.
The only major setback is in relation to those "geniuses" that came up with the French-speaking Europeans as the villains and with no explanation whatsoever as to their motive! It's not as if there aren't enough prospective terrorists out there, they're lining up for crying out loud, so why go with some of the most unlikely candidates?
What European would even bother to act as such in reality???
Nevertheless, the setting, the plot, the dialogues, and the music are all good.
In conclusion, Next is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection as it is one of those films that gets you and keeps you thinking long after it's over. 4.5 Stars
Movie Review: Predicting the future can be dangerous
Summary: 5 Stars
The plot of Next is both simple and subtle. Chris Johnson (Nicholas Cage), a Los Vegas magician, can see 2 minutes into the future. A federal agent (Julianne Moore) forces him to use his abilities to find a group of terrorists with a nuclear bomb.
Next is based on a Philip K. Dick story. Dick's works tended to be cerebral and explore the hidden consequences of odd plot twists, such as the ability to predict the future. This movie obviously doesn't get quite as thoughtful, but it does raise some of the issues, such whether Chris Johnson would merely become a tool of the government if he helped them find the bomb. However, I thought these moral dilemmas were resolved a bit too easily by suddenly allowing him to see further into the future.
Overall, the movie combines action with a provocative plot twist. Nicholas Cage's acting is actually not bad in this movie. I didn't like Julianne Moore's character or the way she plays her. Her agent comes across as an annoying know-it-all. She somehow seems to know more than the rest of the FBI agents combined. Other than that, Next is an entertaining sci-fi flick, if not quite as thought-provoking as the story it was based on.
Movie Review: Accept the Premise & Enjoy the Ride
Summary: 5 Stars
NEXT held my attention all the way through. First the premise was original and different. A writer asks us to suspend belief and accept a premise,
once you do that, enjoy the ride.
I was with a friend in LA watching the Godzilla movie. As Godzilla attacked NY, he questioned whether the suspension bridge could actually hold Godzilla's weight computing with engineering algorithms that it couldn't happen. I explained he just spent $9 to see movie geniuses engineer a film adventure asking us to accept the premise that a fictional gigantic lizard exists and has run amuck in NYC. Have fun.
NEXT is a what-if: a mind was so advanced it could foresee a future and multiple paths to avoid the outcome. Fascinating premise. My accolades to the writer.
Whatever it is that Cage eats for breakfast, I have no idea, but he has mesmerizing screen personae and I know he's going to save the day, but it's always done with fresh ideas and great action. I liked Julianne Moore in a competent strong unemotional female, butch, kickin' butt role.
Don't like the movie? Ummm...maybe you didn't get it, and couldn't let go. It's a roller coaster ride for your mind. Enjoy!
Movie Review: CREDIBLE FANTASY
Summary: 5 Stars
Screenwriters, Director and Nicolas Cage combine to make credible this science fiction action film, and in the process create a fine entertainment. Flash forwards become flashbacks become flash forwards, thanks to the specifications provided by the authors for the ability to see the future. Particularly clever is the gimmick that one can see the future but that the very act of seeing and acting upon what one sees can change that future. Would that Edward G. Robinson, now long ago, would have had that kind of foresight, since what he saw occurred inevitably, despite his best efforts to avoid it (John Triton 'The Mental Wizard' in Night Has a Thousand Eyes). Cage underplays wonderfully well, the beautiful girl he loves acts like a beautiful girl with whom he would fall in love, and the FBI team chief (as you know, they are all women now) is suitably tough and impersonal most of the time. There is sufficient action to punctuate and motivate the film but the real star remains human. All-in-all, a fast paced and enjoyable 90+minutes with no deeper significance that what you see on screen. (Note, I do mild violence in describing Robinson's finemovie in the interests of protecting the pleasure of future viewers)