Surrogates (2009)

O Masterpiece

X Excellent

O Good

O OK

O Mediocre

O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / September 25, 2009

Technological advances breed moral dilemmas and anxieties. The keystone of science fiction story arcs is an underlying question: What if our newfound technology turns against us?

This fearful sentiment provides the foundation of “Surrogates,” a thought-provoking film starring Bruce Willis that’s set in a future where humans live via robotic counterparts. Through these “surrogates,” users operate in the real world remotely, without their corporeal selves ever having to leave the safety of their homes.

While “connected” an operator controls his or her excursionist through a “stem chair,” allowing an out-of-body experience whereby the human feels the sensations through the automaton. Reminiscent of the device in “Brainstorm” (1983), surrogates are equipped with a precautionary measure that protects their users from any catastrophic harm that might befall them.

“Surrogates” opens by summarizing the 14 years of scientific developments that precede the film’s events. When the plot begins, most of the world’s population has already embraced surrogacy, which has virtually rectified many global problems, like crime, disease, and discrimination.

Bruce Willis plays FBI agent Tom Greer, another person who employs his surrogate in his daily duties, that is, until he investigates two unusual homicides that threaten the entire purpose for surrogacy: Humans can be killed while connected to their machines.

Viewers should know that the actors’ performances as the surrogates are, well, robotic — which is intentional. But their human performances are quite authentic, by contrast, which complements the surrogates’ stiffness.

This movie is an inferior cousin to “Minority Report” (2002), an incredible film that also posed intricate moral dilemmas but was effectively able to deliver action and suspense — unlike “Surrogates.”

A cinematic think-piece, “Surrogates” is an intelligent film with ethical underpinnings. It’s accurately rated PG-13, though it has been marketed as a smut-laden action flick, which it is not. I suppose in an attempt to draw audiences to consider their film’s lofty themes, the filmmakers saw fit to pull a bait-and-switch campaign.

And I guess that’s permissible since “Surrogates” nobly engages reflective moviegoers like us with an examination of the balance between our connection with real life, and our obsession to be engaged in the virtual world. (Even the cinema indulges our desires for such vicarious escapism.)

In an age when we play tennis on video games instead of on the court, familiar science fiction themes in films like “Surrogates” are becoming less and less fictional.

Directed by Jonathan Mostow

Bruce Willis / James Cromwell / Ving Rhames

Sci-Fi 88 min.

MPAA: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, language, sexuality and a drug-related scene)

The Informant! (2009)

O Masterpiece

O Excellent

O Good

X OK

O Mediocre

O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / September 18, 2009

For those who are unfamiliar with the shenanigans of Mark Whitacre, this review is careful not to reveal any surprises surrounding him.

Matt Damon plays this character, who is a real-life person portrayed as an onion-layered enigma who sometimes seems dimwitted — other times brilliant — but always possesses more than we know. He is the exasperating subject of “The Informant!,” Steven Soderbergh’s new crime-comedy adapted from a similarly titled book by Kurt Eichenwald.

“The Informant!” begins by informing us that it’s based on real events, though the characters are composites of multiple people and the dialogue has been dramatized. It is the story of a chatty biochemist who becomes entangled in the corporate misdeeds of his company. Because Whitacre insists that he’s ultimately a good person, he agrees to help the FBI as a semi-effective, semi-bumbling informant. Myriad complications ensue.

Damon demonstrates some depth with this character. During a few scenes Whitacre has to act. It’s always impressive to see a performance within a performance, where an actor convincingly inhabits a character who is simultaneously portraying another persona. (Steve Carell is masterful at this — and Robert Downey Jr. performs actor’s acrobatics in “Tropic Thunder” that are mind-blowing.)

“The Informant!” is comparable to Soderbergh’s other criminal comedies, like “Out of Sight” or “Ocean’s 11,” but it’s not nearly as much fun. It is completely dialogue-driven and probably won’t entertain those who are easily bored by the absence of violence and explosions. Indeed, the film’s R-rating is earned solely for profanity.

To be honest, “The Informant!” is a little boring because it’s a “pay attention and listen closely” movie that’s occasionally amusing but never hilarious.

The saving grace of this film is Damon’s frequent voice-over narration, which exposes his character’s random, tangential thoughts, allowing us to wander around in Whitacre’s wonderings. I was reminded of Saturday Night Live’s “Deep Thoughts — by Jack Handey,” with random commentary about indoor swimming pools, sweaters, butterflies, polar bear noses, etc.

On one hand, “The Informant!” is a timely film, released in a decade littered with corporate scandals and fraudulent financial institutions; on the other hand, after hearing about corruption ad nauseam, a film like this isn’t exactly escapist fare.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Matt Damon / Scott Bakula / Tom Papa

Comedy 108 min.

MPAA: R (for language)

9 (2009)

O Masterpiece

O Excellent

X Good

O OK

O Mediocre

O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / September 11, 2009

Writer-director Shane Acker’s animated feature, “9,” is a bleak blend of a Tim Burton-looking take on “Toy Story” and this summer’s “Terminator Salvation.” It portrays a grim scenario of dolls versus machines.

Master of macabre, Tim Burton, is one of the producers of “9,” and indeed, his influence is visually apparent. Mere mention of Burton’s name readily calls to mind his familiar style — that morbid brand whose dark threads have woven films like “Beetle Juice,” “Sleepy Hollow,” Corpse Bride” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” This film follows suit.

Accordingly, parents should know that “9” is not suitable for younger children. Its PG-13 rating is about right, as it is a little unsettling, much like this year’s “Coraline,” another animated feature that’s not really a kids’ movie, either.

For starters, “9” has a post-apocalyptic setting where the human race has crossed the self-imposed finish line of extinction, and dead bodies can be seen amid the rubble.

Before his death, an innovative scientist summons life within nine numbered dolls, which become the only living beings left to contend with artificial intelligence run amok. As in “Terminator Salvation,” the characters in “9” inhabit a world where malicious machines scour the ruins for life — only to promptly extinguish it.

The sharp, jagged, mechanical monsters come in various designs, all of them deadly. In contrast, the 8-inch dolls are comparatively soft, fashioned from burlap sacks, looking like a hybrid of gingerbread men (or women) and sock-monkeys.

Resistance seems futile; yet “the resistance” perseveres. Each of the nine dolls has a prominent personality trait that either aids or hinders his or her survival. Because the characters have actual characteristics, these animate dolls display more humanity than the human rebels in “Terminator Salvation.”

These burlap beings are identified according to the ordinal designation found on their backs. No. 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) is the plucky protagonist whose curiosity and compassion make him a worthy hero.

After 9 is endowed with sentience, we follow his quest to unite a divided 1 through 8 against their common enemies. (Don’t worry: The math is minimal.)

As far as animated films go, “9” spans a wide range of emotions while also providing entertaining and imaginative action sequences. But what makes “9” most intriguing is its conglomeration of many different genres and its heavy-handed commentary on the potential perils of technological advancement among war-prone societies.

Directed by Shane Acker

Elijah Wood / Jennifer Connelly / Christopher Plummer

Animation 79 min.

MPAA: PG-13 (for violence and scary images)

All About Steve (2009)

O Masterpiece

O Excellent

X Good

O OK

O Mediocre

O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / September 4, 2009

“All About Steve” is better than you’d expect: It’s superior to Sandra Bullock’s “The Proposal,” from earlier this year, and it’s almost as much fun as “Miss Congeniality” (2000). The aforementioned movie and the one under review share themes of individuality and self-worth — both commendable concepts for movies aimed at teenage girls.

Screenwriter Kim Barker’s admirable agenda is carried forth through Bullock’s character, Mary Horowitz, a 30-something who’s still single and temporarily living with her parents again. Mary infamously wears tall, red Wonder Woman-like boots, similar to the sort Lynda Carter wore to play said super-heroine in the late ’70s. But Mary’s fantastical footwear pales next to her vibrant personality. She is excessively chatty, rambunctious and often irritating.

Above all, Mary is an intelligent wielder of words, a trivia buff whose command of synonyms and derivatives can be attributed to her passion for puzzles. (She loves crossword puzzles even more than Stanley Hudson does.) Mary savors her work as a “crossword constructor,” a job that entails creating once-a-week contributions for her local newspaper — which I must confess, made me blush knowingly.

When the lonely bachelorette is set up on a blind date with news cameraman Steve Muller (Bradley Cooper), her overzealous eccentricities scare him away. Steve thinks Mary is crazy — alarmingly so — especially after she misconstrues his polite departure as an invitation to follow him across the country, chasing him as he chases the news.

These two conventional roles are enriched by an unconventional supporting character named Hartman Hughes (Thomas Haden Church), an instigating field reporter determined to get promoted to the anchor desk. And though their roles are small, Ken Jeong (“The Hangover”) and DJ Qualls (“The New Guy”) also complement this ensemble.

Regrettably, Sandra Bullock is usually the Keanu Reeves of actresses, which is to say, she doesn’t have exceptional acting talent, but she occasionally takes little niche roles that work — like this one, or her reluctant, undercover pageant contestant, Gracie Hart. Otherwise, Bullock’s parts are hit or miss. For instance, her performance in “The Proposal” doesn’t work at all, but she’s not bad in “28 Days” (not the zombie movie).

“All About Steve” has a few moments that evoke laughter and some that conjure joy, such as a scene involving a close-call with a tornado, or when she explains why she wears those red boots. It is an enjoyable, feel-good movie that revels in uniqueness.

Directed by Phil Traill

Sandra Bullock / Bradley Cooper / Thomas Haden Church

Comedy 98 min.

MPAA: PG-13 (for sexual content including innuendos)