Skip to main content

Annihilation (2018)

Fear what's inside. Annihilation is a film about an ex-military biologist who signs up to explore a phenomenon near a coast.

Alex Garland does some wonderful things with this film. Most of the shots are great and vibrant when inside the phenomenon. There are a few questionable shots like when the characters and moving through the forested area but at the corner of the screen so you get a wide shot of a beautiful landscape. The writing of each character while good, does have the feeling of just getting to know the character so they can get killed off. I'm so glad they gave Garland the screenplay for the Halo adaptation.

Natalie Portman plays Lena and gives a class on how to give a variety of emotions throughout the film. Anger, sadness, depression, lostness. She is a completely deep character and it'd be hard to cast someone else as this role. Without her, the film would have fallen apart. I can't go into too much detail as that would spoil the ending.

The other big character in the film is Kane, played by Oscar Isaac. This would be the second time Garland directed Isaac and his performance is better for it. Back in Ex Machina, his character was sort of one dimensional. This performance allows Isaac to show a broader range of his ability and in some cases upstages Portman which is hard to do. Some of his early scenes seem weird but they make sense by the end of the movie.

I can't understand why Garland doesn't have any upcoming directorial jobs but then again this movie might confuse the average movie-going audience.

Result: A- (I loved the ending, but the film does have some slow parts.)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Iron Lung (2026)

Iron Lung (2026) is a contained sci fi horror film set almost entirely in one confined space, built around tension, isolation, and curiosity more than outright scares. The movie leans into claustrophobia and atmosphere over shock value. It feels closer to Pandorum than a traditional horror film. Knowing it is not a big budget production makes it easier to forgive some of its rough edges. Markiplier is  known primarily as a major YouTube creator and voice actor in projects like First  Nights at Freddy’s . He is the writer, director and star of the film. Carrying a one room film is not easy, especially without classical acting training, but he does a pretty good job. His performance is committed and focused, and he understands how to hold attention on himself without constant visual change. As a director and writer, he shows promise, especially with pacing and mood. Troy Baker , well known for voice roles in The Last of Us and BioShock Infinite , appears in the film, though...
Post a Comment
Read more

fjord (2026)

Fjord is written and directed by Cristian Mungiu , best known for 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and Graduation , and features Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve . This film is about a lot of things, but at its core, it follows a family trying to get their children back after they are wrongfully taken by child protective services. Along the way, the story explores faith, religious persecution, cultural differences, resistance to change, and the importance of community. There are plenty of political interpretations that viewers can take from the film, but I think Mungiu does something more interesting than simply taking one side or the other. The film can be interpreted as pro-immigration and pro-LGB, while also being pro-Christian and supportive of traditional family values. Rather than forcing the story into one ideological corner, Mungiu allows these ideas to coexist, creating a film that encourages viewers to consider perspectives they might otherwise dismiss. I appreciate that ap...
Post a Comment
Read more

Clayface (2026)

Clayface is a body horror movie set in James Gunn's DC Universe, and it ended up being a pleasant surprise for me. I grew up watching Batman: The Animated Series on Saturday mornings, so I remember Clayface and his strange, monster-like appearance. I had no idea going in that this movie would draw inspiration from the show, which made that connection all the more enjoyable. The animated series leaned more into noir, while this film feels closer to Joker mixed with the body horror of David Cronenberg . Director James Watkins , best known for Speak No Evil , brings that same unsettling energy and deliberate direction to this film. He also makes the smart choice of keeping the camera on his actors long enough for their performances to do the work, specifically Naomi Ackie and Tom Rhys Harries . Tom Rhys Harries gets the benefit of that approach, with the camera giving him room to carry his scenes without constantly cutting away. That decision suits the movie's more intimate...
Post a Comment
Read more