Review - The Counselor (2013)

At the Theater - "The Counselor" - This cautionary/morality tale from Director Ridley Scott concerning a desperate Lawyer (Michael Fassbender) who gets in over his head with some very bad people is beautiful to look at and filled with attractive stars, but pretentious as all get out and ultimately pointless. A couple of monologues concerning death, sin, choices, reality, sex, etc., go on for so damned long that I couldn't help but tune out- 80 year old novelist Cormac McCarthy's first screenplay tries to pass off lengthy prose as profound dialogue (only about a quarter of what was spoken was necessary) and it grows tiresome rather quickly. The impressive cast is solid all across the board, but an audience isn't really given much of a reason to care about any of them.  The experience as a whole is a disappointment in relation to the amount of talent involved and a prime example of style over substance.

Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) headlines as the Attorney everyone refers to as "Counselor" (I can't remember ever hearing his actual name) who's madly in love with his sweet and sexy new fiance, "Laura" (Penelope Cruz, looking prettier than ever). For whatever reason, perhaps just good-old-fashioned living beyond one's means, Counselor finds himself eager to throw his chips into the high-stakes gamble of the drug trade, aiming to exponentially increase his returns.  Some may feel sorry for his character by film's end- although Fassbender is a highly talented actor who shines in a late film breakdown, I felt like there wasn't enough back story or exposition to fully set up his character and subsequent motivations.  Once things turn sour, his character is given remarkably little to do.

Javier Bardem (Skyfall) steals the show as The Counselor's connection, the flashy drug trafficker and nightclub proprietor, "Reiner".   This the the only character I even remotely had any interest in, with Bardem transcending the script's material to create a charismatic character.  Sadly, his role is more of a supportive one and his screen time is limited.

Cameron Diaz (Gangs Of New York) slithers in and out of the film as Reiner's love interest, the conniving femme fatale "Malkina".  Her fascination with big cats is quite evident by her ownership of two tamed cheetahs and a body length tattoo of leopard spots running from the back of her neck down her leg.  Perhaps if her true nature and motives (yes, this gripe is a repetitive one) had been handled better or presented in a niftier way, I may have bought into her cold, calculated performance a bit more.  Ultimately, I just didn't feel she was right for the part.

Brad Pitt (Moneyball) has a few scenes as the slick, faux cowboy and middleman "Westray".  Pitt is fine here, though most will probably remember his character's send off more than anything. There's a host of other cameo-like appearances, though most of them are introduced in the film's third act and don't really add up to much.  Some may have fun with so many notable faces sprinkled about.  Things don't end well for many of these poor souls, with at least one of them suffering a fate worse than death...

I do feel I have to point to a specific scene in which Ruben Blades (Predator 2), as a cartel head, rattles off one of the most unnecessarily lengthy and preachy monologues I can remember in screen history.  There are a number of these monologues sprinkled about and some of them admittedly work fairly well- but the aforementioned was the most maddeningly distracting.  Terrence Malick fans (of which I am not) will probably go apeshit...

Those who choose to watch this will probably remember Diaz making love to a Ferrari (the scene garners the film's only laugh), Javier Bardem's wild hair, a highway shootout turned hijacking and the gruesome demise (involving a mechanized garrote) of one of the principal players- I was expecting the scene but found it rather horrific nonetheless. Another segment involving a high tension wire strung across an El Paso highway (apparently for hours) meant to kill one particular victim on a motorcycle is mind bogglingly contrived and utterly ridiculous- apparently traffic was extremely light that day.  It's fairly obvious that screenwriter Cormac McCarthy (a novelist whose works I must confess my disdain for) has traded in his childlike fascination with the pneumatic cattle stunner he showcased in 2007's highly overrated No Country For Old Men for the usage of high tension wire as a killing tool here.  He's found a way to work it into this film's script on a few occasions, to hell with the consequences... and reasoning. 

Lastly, why would U.S. customs allow sewage coming across the border from Mexico to be transported all the way to Chicago? I guess there's a political joke in there somewhere, though this has got to be one of the dumbest (and most conspicuous) ways to transport drugs (and corpses) into the country that I've ever seen. 

As with all of Director Ridley Scott's films, The Counselor is gloriously shot (with cinematography courtesy of Dariusz Wolski) and often a treat to look at.  The vast majority of the remainder of the film's execution, however, is a patchwork of familiar retread pulled from better movies intermingled with a few poor ideas and a host of underdeveloped characters.  I felt Ridley Scott's last film, 2012's Sci Fi/Adventure film Prometheus, was a misfire riddled with similar problems- hopefully this followup doesn't signal the downward slide of his illustrious career.  I've loved many of the accomplished auteur's efforts, with Alien, Blade Runner, Black Rain, Gladiator, Body Of Lies, Robin Hood and Black Hawk Down being my favorites from him.  

The Counselor doesn't belong with the worst films of the year, but it's definitely amongst the most unsatisfying.  It may prove a worthwhile rental for those interested.

6.0 out of 10

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, Brad Pitt, Natalie Dormer, Dean Norris, John Leguizamo, Rosie Perez, Edgar Ramirez, Richard Brake, Toby Kebbell, Goran Visnjic, Bruno Ganz, Sam Spruell and Ruben Blades
Running Time: 117 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for graphic violence, some grisly images, strong sexual content and language

Review - Escape Plan (2013)

At the Theater - "Escape Plan" - Although it should prove to be a passable action/prison flick for most, fans of aging action icons Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzennegger may see Escape Plan as a golden opportunity squandered in a decidedly quick and efficient, relatively lower-budgeted entry in their respective careers.  This tale of a structural engineer (Stallone) who has dedicated his life in testing the security of prisons across the country only to be sold out and locked away inside the secretive, state of the art confines of "The Tomb" (this less generic moniker should have been the film's title) is filmed well and isn't necessarily stupid, though the dialogue's a bit crude and the narrative takes a helluva long time to fully ignite- by the time it does, the credits are pretty much rolling.  A noticeable production gloss and the two (once upon a time) commanding leads would be the only elements separating this film from a wealth of standard DTV action fare- it's a frog's hair above Sly and Arnie's most average, middling entries.  I liked it, but was hoping for something far more thrilling or weighted.

Stallone's Ray Breslin is the film's main character, with Sly breezing through the role as the lockup Houdini specialist until he finds himself Shanghied into a situation he wasn't expecting and locked away inside one of the strange, cubular glass prison cells wich make up The Tomb.  Realizing that he's mysteriously been double-crossed and unable to communicate with his outside handlers, he immediately finds himself on the Warden's (Jim Caviezel) bad side.  Breslin decides he's going to need some inside help on escaping this particular establishment and enlists the aid of the enigmatic prisoner, "Rottmayer" (Schwarzennegger).

I had hoped that the introduction of Schwarzenneger's character would have sparked some kind of much needed momentum, but Director Mikael Hafstrom, along with Screenwriters Miles Chapman and Jason Keller fail to fully capitalize on the occasion.  Schwarzennegger does manage to steal the film outright, effectively chewing scenery and providing some much needed levity with the film's more humorous moments- I loved a scene in which Arnie draws a map for the warden, while most of the Austrian's fans will enjoy an 11th hour "unleashing" that find him blasting away a horde of bad guys with one of those big fucking machine guns his characters were so familiar with long ago.  A scene in which Scharzennegger slips into his native tongue in an effort to distract our main villain is admittedly left-field, though pretty damned fresh territory for the actor.

Jim Caviezel (CBS's Person Of Interest) is ultimately miscast as "The Tomb's" cold and calculated Warden "Hobbes"- I'm a fan of the actor but realized his third act "fracturing" as being forced and unnatural, indicative of an actor out of his natural element.  A more seasoned actor familiar with the action genre would have been more appropriate here- let's say, Ed Harris, maybe...

Vincent D'Onofrio (Men In Black) is Breslin's opportunistic business partner while Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) is prettier than I ever remember her as Sly's co-worker and potential love interest in a relationship that never really reaches first base.  Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson is pretty clunky as the ex-con computer hacker working for their organization.

Former professional footballer Vinnie Jones (Snatch) is the prison's Chief Security officer and Hobbe's right hand enforcer, "Drake".  A climactic fight scene between Stallone and Jones is disappointingly undercooked.  Faran Tahir (Iron Man) is yet another heavyweight figure inside the prison, a Muslim drug trafficker who aides in the escape. Rounding out the notable cast is Sam Neill (Dead Calm) in a criminally wasted turn as The Tomb's conflicted Physician.  He's an actor I always enjoy seeing pop up in films who deserves more starring roles.

I found myself wishing that the film would veer off into either more frenetic or profound territory- committing to scenes in which these older stars would simply go ballistic on the compound or either spend time reflecting on their respective ages and the reality of being older (like the scene between Pam Grier and Robert Forster in 1997's Jackie Brown).  For better and worse, it stays the course with a leisurely pace. 

I do find it funny how there would be a convenient "ventilation" shaft, complete with ladder, below a solitary confinement cell.  A CGI tackon involving the death of a villainous sort is cheap and unnecessary.  Expect a couple of fistfights and explosions, an obligatory stabbing with a shiv, a climactic shootout aboard a tanker and a twist at film's end revealing a character's true nature.

I'm a fan of both of Escape Plan's 60-something headliners and found myself looking around at an empty theater mere days after it's wide release- I couldn't help but reflect on how things have changed since I was a kid... getting older, to the world at large, apparently translates into being less relevant and less cool.  Hollywood and changing audience sensibilities (most of them not for the better) have nearly prevailed in killing off the larger-than-life action stars that defined my childhood.  Potential viewers could do far worse with their time and money spent watching manufactured pretty boys that are half these guys' ages and with zero presence to speak of (Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx in White House Down, anyone?) run around and play pretend, but what kind of fun would that level of ridiculousness be? Escape Plan is a serviceable enough action jaunt that spins it's wheels too much in guilty pleasure territory, though Arnie and Sly still command presence in a charismatic, believable fashion.

Here's to looking forward to The Expendables 3 in 2014...


7.0 out of 10

Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, Curtis Jackson, Vinnie Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio, Amy Ryan, Sam Neill and Faran Tahir
Running Time: 116 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for violence and language throughout

Review - A Hijacking (2012)

On DVD and BLU RAY - "A Hijacking" - This fictional account of a Danish cargo ship crew of seven men held captive by Somali pirates quickly found me searching for my "highly-overrated" file to tuck it away in.  The seven men are held for ransom for over four months, and while there have been much longer real-life hijackings (2 years and 9 months!), I could only wonder about the complete lack of a military presence, from any nation, throughout the ordeal.  That there isn't even a mention of a military or government intervention, or a reasoning behind the lack thereof, hamstrung the narrative for myself for the majority of it's run-time.  Furthermore, although the film covers events well, it fails to explore them (or any one character) with any considerable depth.

The film centers on the harrowing ordeal of ship's cook, "Mikkel" (Pilou Asbaek), a loving husband and father expecting to return home soon when all hell breaks loose, and the calculated, Denmark based CEO, "Peter" (Soren Malling) who decides to handle the matter in-house by employing his shrewd negotiating tactics in dealing with the armed pirates over the phone.  There's plenty of socio-economic commentary spread throughout the narrative as the pirates and the CEO haggle over the prices of the crew's life, with a wealth of obvious, contrasting scenes concerning the pressed suits in a boardroom, the raggedy, gun-toting, sandal-wearing pirates and the terrified prisoners stranded between the two factions who are forced to deal with rapidly declining conditions.

I recognized the docu-drama approach here, though A Hijacking's superficial treatment fails to give a "voice" to any one faction- you'll naturally feel empathy towards Mikkel, though his character spends most of his time locked away in some portion of the ship or cowering in fear as he's forced, at gunpoint, to cook for the pirates. His character, as well as the remarkably claustrophobic feel (strangely, you don't get to see much of the ship at all) and drab cinematography, is missing a true dynamic.  I felt similarly towards the cold, detached, business-like Steven, an individual unaccustomed to losing control who only begins to truly feel "human" towards the very end of the film, apparently starting to crack under the pressure of the unwieldy situation at hand and the possibility of failure in the eyes of his superiors.

My call is to skip it and watch the similarly-themed Captain Phillips instead while it's still in theaters- A Hijacking is nowhere near as interesting or intense and exponentially more frustrating.  This is ulterior-motive film-making that never can quite get a grip on it's own material.  Screaming at the screen (internally) for well over an hour and a half wasn't my idea of a rewarding viewing experience.


6.0 out of 10

Director: Tobias Lindholm
Cast: Philou Asbaek, Soren Malling, Abdihakin Asgar, Dar Salim and Roland Moller
Running Time: 103 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for language

Review - Rush (2013)

At the Theater - "Rush" - Aptly titled, this sports biopic from Director Ron Howard (Willow, Ransom, Apollo 13, Cinderella Man and A Beautiful Mind) is pure celluloid adrenaline. The film is based upon the true story of two rival Formula One racers, Brit James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl), and their epic back and forth duel during the 1976 season. This is vibrant, pulsating storytelling complete with that distinct 1970's feel- the two principal leads are outstanding in fully realized, well-written roles while the racing scenes are spectacularly filmed and edited. This is one of the very best sports films of all time and makes my personal list as well (yes, there's a distinction). That's some feat considering I'm not a car guy and can't stand the sport of racing. 

Chris Hemsworth (Thor: The Dark World) continues to cement his status as one of Hollywood's top, younger leading men as the handsome, fun-loving British playboy James Hunt, though it's German actor Daniel Bruhl (Good Bye, Lenin!) that steals the show outright as the shrewd and meticulous Niki Lauda.  The barbs between these two contrasting, but charismatic characters is priceless and it's rather refreshing that the two actors chosen to play their historic counterparts actually look like them.  Lauda's fiery, near-fatal crash at the 1976 German Grand Prix and subsequent, improbable comeback to defend his World Championship standing is the stuff of sports legend- it's strange that a silver screen adaptation took this long. 

Ron Howard's brisk, confident Direction surprised the hell out of me- he's done great stuff in the past, but I just didn't expect this level of impressive flair in his arsenal. The rapid-fire shots and editing on display in the various racing scenes is some of the sharpest, most coherent work I've seen in quite some time- who knew Opie could teach Michael Bay a thing or two about Directing action scenes?  Rush's striking Cinematography is courtesy of Anthony Dod Mantle (28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire) while the highly effective original musical score is from Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Batman Begins).

My chief complaint with the film involves the painfully thin characterizations of the women in our two racer's lives; Olivia Wilde is barely featured in the film as Hunt's wife, Model "Suzy Miller", while Alexandra Maria Lara spends the majority of her screen-time looking on with a pained expression as "Marlene Lauda".  Both undeniably talented actresses are highly capable and deserved more material to work with.

It's also a bit of a letdown that we don't get a "cameo" of the man who stole Suzy Miller away from Hunt, Actor Richard Burton.  Russel Crowe was rumored to play the hedonistic, alcoholic Welsh actor in a small role that sadly never materialized- how frickin' cool would that have been?!  Racing superstar Mario Andretti is also mentioned as one of the speedsters involved with the climactic contest, but we never get a glimpse of him, either.

All things considered, Rush is two fantastic character studies for the price of one concerning the intense rivalry between two men who live for the thrill of competition and obsessed with winning.  It's fun, compelling, tension-fueled stuff that reeled me in immediately and didn't let up until the finish line.  Potential viewers should understand that they don't have to be racing fans to enjoy it.  Get back on track and catch it in theaters.

Highly Recommended-

9.0 out of 10

Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara and Pierfrancesco Favino
Running Time: 123 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for sexual content, nudity, language, some disturbing images and brief drug use

Review - Captain Phillips (2013)

At the Theater - "Captain Phillips" - This based on true events film concerning the 2009 hijacking of an American cargo ship (the Maersk Alabama) by Somali pirates, is equally tense, interesting and frustrating. Tom Hanks gives a stellar performance as the titular Captain and the Docu-Drama/Thriller approach taken by Director Paul Greengrass (United 93) provides an air of authenticity, though that pesky shaky came (of which I've never been a fan) and a third act that alternates between being harrowing and tedious could put off some viewers. It's still very much worthwhile and comes recommended. 

The film opens by introducing two very different individuals in equally contrasting worlds- American family man and veteran seaman Capt. Richard Phillips as he prepares for his next command of twenty men aboard a massive cargo ship and then 19-year-old Somali "Muse" (Barkhad Abdi) as he volunteers to lead three other desperate men in speedboats aiming to land a large payday by hijacking whichever unfortunate ship crosses their path.

Several hours after an initial attempt at hijacking the Maersk Alabama fails, due to some quick thinking by it's Captain, a second attempt finds the attackers aboard the vessel and holding the Captain and a few other crewman at gunpoint.  The remaining crew members evade the four gunmen for some time in the vessel's engine room before eventually subduing the invader's leader.  A brief standoff between the ship's crew, now holding Muse captive, and the three armed gunman, still holding Phillips hostage, results in a stalemate. The film then switches from the enormous, labyrinthine cargo ship to the sweltering, claustrophobic confines of the emergency lifeboat as the four discouraged gunmen make off with Captain Phillips in a last ditch effort to land a sizable ransom.  Having already attracted the attention of the authorities, the remainder of the film concerns the standoff between the pirates and the U.S. Navy with Phillips looking for an avenue of escape.

The vast majority of this is intense, deadly serious and highly interesting material- it was an event that I was only topically aware of going in and found it fascinating to learn of the many procedures (some work, some fail) and factual-based ingenuity used in this particular ordeal.  Greengrass, an excellent script and a talented, game cast keep events well within the realm of logic and the danger level needle effectively buried in the red throughout- a few unsettling scenes had me squirming in my seat.

I'm comfortable in placing Hank's work here as Capt. Richard Phillips amongst his very best- this is an entirely realistic performance, never overplayed or feeling manufactured.  It's a commanding, yet terrified turn that's sure to garner plenty of the higher profile awards nominations and rightfully so.  Barkhad Abdi, making his feature film debut, puts in solid, memorable work as the face of Somali piracy.

Complaints:

The film concentrates on Captain Phillips and the four Somali pirates; apparently, there wasn't even one other crew member of the Maersk Alabama worth examining.  Don't expect much love given to the Navy Seals who brought the pirates down and there's zero coverage of Phillip's wife/family and the ordeal they may have been going through while the hijacking/kidnapping occurred.  I will admit to being pleased that the film humanizes the hijackers but never glorifies them.

I rarely peek at my watch during a viewing of a film in the theater, though I did during this movie's third act- I believe the narrative spins it wheels, albeit briefly, about midway through the segment where Phillips is taken hostage on the emergency lifeboat. It's an admitted nitpick, though a slight trimming of a few minutes here may have worked wonders for the narrative flow.  I have taken into consideration that perhaps Greengrass and the filmmakers have purposely intended this stretch of tedium as a means to unnerve.

Lastly, I understand how the shaky cam usage acts to promote a "being there" atmosphere, but imagine it being used in a film set in choppy seas aboard a lifeboat!  Take some dramamine before going in...

You'll find yourself shaking your heads at the idiotic reasoning behind why many Merchant Marine ships can't/don't harbor firearms (if you don't already know, that is- the film doesn't cover that issue)- in my opinion, it's wholly ridiculous that many crew members abroad can't defend themselves, or their valuable cargo, with anything more lethal than high-pressure fire hoses and signal flares against fully automatic rifles. Obviously, the preceding wasn't an issue I had with the film itself as opposed to the politics that led to the incident.  It frustrated the shit out of me.

Ultimately, Captain Phillips is a highly effective and largely entertaining event biopic in the vein of Director Greengrass's other based on a true story film, United 93- although I believe that 2006 cinematic account of the fateful flight on 9/11 is superior, the two films would make great companion pieces.  Without question, both offerings are leagues better than 2012's highly overrated Argo.  By all means, check it out if you're a fan of Hanks or if you have any interest in the subject matter. 

Highly Recommended

8.5 out of 10

Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Michael Chernus, Catherine Keener, Max Martini, David Warshofsky, Corey Johnson and Chris Mulkey
Running Time: 134 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody images, and for substance use

Review - Phantom (2013)

On DVD and BLU RAY - "Phantom" - Although this "inspired by actual events" cold war thriller boasts an impressive cast and serviceable production values, it's about as mundane a film experience as it gets. Loosely based on the final, mysterious voyage of the Soviet Submarine K-129, which sank under most curious circumstances in 1968, Phantom fails to capitalize on any of the inherent intrigue of that little-known moment in history with a relatively dull execution by Writer/Director Todd Robinson (Lonely Hearts). It's the cinematic equivalent of chicken broth as a main course...

Ed Harris (The Rock) stars as Russian submarine Captain "Demi"- a reasonable sort tormented by past events and secretly plagued by seizures. Given his final assignment aboard an outdated vessel, Demi and his crew are joined shortly before departure by a trio of shady KGB agents, led by a cryptic David Duchovny (The X Files), with Top Secret orders.  Once revealed, the the true nature of the mission doesn't sit well with the Captain and his crew and tensions escalate between the two factions.

Harris never fails to give his best and he's fine here, though ultimately undermined by lackluster material.  David Duchovy, as one of the more miscast main villains in recent memory, portrays KGB Agent "Bruni".  William Fichtner (The Lone Ranger) is the vessel's First Mate, "Alex", while Johnathan Schaech (That Thing You Do!) is "Pavlov", the mission's Political Officer. Lance Henrikson (Aliens) has a brief scene in the film's opening segment as Admiral "Markov".  There's a handful of other notable faces, though each is given very little to do and even less dialogue.

There's nothing really awful here, though most will probably roll their eyes with a hokey, ill-advised conclusion and forget the rest in mere moments.  It's a dark, drab affair that isn't all that interesting and damned-near completely devoid of tension.  I did have a bit of an issue with so many Americans playing Russians and not even bothering with accents- yes, it's been done before (and rather well), but rarely this distractingly blunt.  By all means, skip it and watch other Submarine-set thrillers like The Hunt For Red October, Das Boot, Crimson Tide, The Enemy Below, The Bedford Incident, Torpedo Run, Run Silent, Run Deep, Destination Tokyo, the Disney adventure film, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or even the supernaturally slanted Below instead. 

5.0 out of 10

Director: Todd Robinson
Starring: Ed Harris, David Duchovny, William Fichtner, Lance Henrikson, Johnathan Schaech, Jason Beghe, Derek Magyar, Sean Patrick Flanery, Kip Pardue and Jason Gray-Stanford.
Running Time: 98 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated R for violence

Review - Gravity (2013)

At the Theater - "Gravity" - 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Alien, Aliens, Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan, Moon and now Gravity... yeah, I'm OK with placing it amongst the greatest "space" films of all time. Gravity is the tale of a catastrophic event that leaves two astronauts stranded in space and fighting for survival- it's a thrilling merger of razor sharp visuals and sound effects excellence (even though it's often appropriately muted), with outstanding Direction from Alfonso Cuaron (Children Of Men) and a flawless performance from Sandra Bullock. Beware- it's the most tense cinematic roller coaster ride in many a moon, with a wealth of extremely long, swirling, spinning shots that may find some audience members a bit queasy. I found myself gritting my teeth with the numerous occasions of near-miss disasters. 

Sandra Bullock's (The Heat) performance, as medical engineer "Ryan Stone", is more of an emotional journey, with this brisk, simplistic tale of survival relying heavily on audience familiarity with the Actress and her subsequent body of work- there simply isn't enough time or opportunity to build a highly memorable character.  That said, the film simply wouldn't work without a considerable talent gifted with inherent charisma and she's excellent with what she's given.  Her character represents the will to live in all of us, even when thrown into the most dismal of situations.  I quickly found myself transported and involved, wondering where my/Sandy's next breath of oxygen would come from...

Though George Clooney (Out of Sight) is reduced to support here as the seasoned astronaut and calming presence assisting our Heroine, he puts in great work as "Matt Kowalski".  There is one strangely poignant, crowd-pleasing scene involving his character that will undoubtedly throw (first-time) viewers for a loop.  I wish there had been more of him.  Most will recognize Ed Harris supplying the voice work as "Houston"/mission control.

Expect a host of awesome visuals (loved the shout-out to 2001) and a great deal of long, impressive cuts courtesy of Director Alfonso Cuaron and Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, with a very cool, often hair-raisingly ominous electro-score from Composer Steven Price. Gravity's 3D lands somewhere between good and very good and I'm torn in recommending it as essential- though it isn't gimmicky and occasionally does add to the overall experience. This is, however, a special effects-heavy event film that demands to be viewed in a quality theater- my only knock against it is it's relatively short run-time (for the genre) of 90 minutes. Hold on tight and, of course, don't let go... 

Highly Recommended

(Kinda cool that I saw this on Sigourney Weaver's Birthday...)

 9.5 out of 10

Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney and Ed Harris
Running Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language

A Photo List - A Little Horror - Version OCT 2013

1. 13 Ghosts (1960)
2. 28 Days Later
3. 30 Days Of Night
4. Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein
5. Abominable
6. Alien
7. Aliens
8. Alligator
9. Altered States
10. American Werewolf In London
11. Army Of Darkness
12. AVP
13. The Awakening
14. Below
15. Big Trouble In Little China
16. Blade
17. Blade II
18. The Blob (1988)
19. Bride Of Frankenstein
20. Byzantium
21. Cabin In The Woods
22. Carrie (1976)
23. Cat People (1942)
24. Cat's Eye
25. The Changeling (1980)
26. Child's Play
27. Christine
28. The Conjuring
29. Constantine
30. Creature From The Black Lagoon
31. Creepshow
32. Creepshow 2
33. Critters
34. Cronos
35. Curse Of Frankenstein
36. Curse Of The Demon
37. Daimajin
38. The Dark Half
39. Dark Night Of The Scarecrow
40. Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
41. Day Of The Dead (1985)
42. The Day Of The Triffids (1962)
43. Daybreakers
44. Dead Calm
45. Dead Man's Shoes
46. Dead Of Night (1945)
47. The Dead Zone
48. Death Proof
49. Deep Rising
50. Deliverance
51. The Descent
52. The Devil's Backbone
53. Disturbia
54. Dog Soldiers
55. Donnie Darko
56. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)
57. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1941)
58. Dracula (1931)
59. Dracula (1979)
60. The Edge
61. Evil Dead II
62. Evolution
63. The Excorcist
64. The Fly (1958)
65. The Fly (1986)
66. The Fly II (1989)
67. The Fog
68. Frankenfish
69. Frankenstein (1931)
70. Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
71. Fright Night (1985)
72. Fright Night Part 2 (1988)
73. Gamera (1999)
74. Ghostbusters
75. Ghostbusters II
76. Gojira (1954)
77. Gremlins
78. Gremlins 2: The New Batch
79. Halloween (1978)
80. Halloween II (1981)
81. Halloween (2007)
82. Hellboy
83. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
84. The Hidden
85. Horror Of Dracula (1958)
86. The Host (2006)
87. Hostel
88. The Howling
89. The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1939)
90. Identity
91. The Innkeepers
92. Innocent Blood
93. The Innocents
94. The Invisible Man (1933)
95. The Island Of Lost Souls
96. JAWS
97. King Kong (1933)
98. Kiss The Girls
99. The Night Stalker (1972)
100. Land Of The Dead
101. Let Me In
102. Let The Right One In
103. Little Shop Of Horrors (1986)
104. The Lost Boys
105. The Machinist
106. Manhunter
107. Mimic
108. Misery
109. The Mist
110. Mr. Brooks
111. The Mummy (1959)
112. The Mummy (1999)
113. My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)
114. Mystery Of The Wax Museum (1933)
115. Near Dark
116. Night Of The Hunter
117. Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
118. Nosferatu (1922)
119. Orphan
120. The Orphanage (2007)
121. The Other
122. The Others
123. Pan's Labyrinth
124. Phantom Of The Opera (1943)
125. The Phantom Of The Opera (1962)
126. The Picture Of Dorian Gray (1945)
127. Piranha (1978)
128. Piranha 3D (2010)
129. Poltergeist 
130. Predator
131. Psycho (1960)
132. P2
133. Road Games
134. Rogue
135. The Ruins
136. Salem's Lot (1979)
137. Scream
138. Session 9
139. Seven
140. Shaun Of The Dead
141. The Shining (1980)
142. The Silence Of The Lambs
143. Silver Bullet
144. The Sixth Sense
145. Sleepy Hollow
146. Slither
147. Son Of Frankenstein
148. Splinter
149. Split Second
150. Stake Land
151. Stir Of Echoes
152. Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight
153. The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse (1933)
154. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
155. Them! (1954)
156. They Live
157. The Thing From Another World (1951)
158. John Carpenter's The Thing 
159. This Is The End
160. Tremors
161. Trick R Treat
162. Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
163. Underworld
164. Underworld: Evolution
165. Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans
166. Underworld: Awakening
167. The Uninvited (1944)
168. Vampyr (1932)
169. Village Of The Damned (1960)
170. The War Of The Worlds (1953)
171. Warm Bodies
172. What Lies Beneath
173. Willard (2003)
174. Wolf Creek
175. The Wolf Man (1941)
176. The Wolfman (2010)
177. The Woman In Black (2012)
178. You're Next
179. Young Frankenstein
180. Zombieland