Month: March 2016

Moon

SUB-GENRES: Drama DIRECTED BY: Duncan Jones WRITTEN BY: Nathan Parker (screenplay); Duncan Jones (story) RELEASE: 2009 PEW PEW: The film is slow-going and there is no action to break up the unfolding drama. CAT FOOD: Moon is brimming with existential commentary and emotional human drama. It’s a quiet and oddly serene look at the beauty…

Read More

I, Robot

SUB-GENRES: Action / Mystery DIRECTED BY: Alex Proyas WRITTEN BY: Jeff Vintar & Akiva Goldsman (screenplay); Jeff Vintar (story); Suggested by the book by Isaac Asimov RELEASE: 2004 PEW PEW: There are plenty of action sequences that are supposed to be thrilling, but I didn’t find them terribly compelling. CAT FOOD: There are plenty of…

Read More

The Alien Factor

SUB-GENRES: Horror DIRECTED BY: Don Dohler WRITTEN BY: Don Dohler RELEASE: 1978 PEW PEW: Nah, it’s not a very engaging picture, but stuff happens and it’s amusing. CAT FOOD: Don’t let a zoo ruin your amusement park. I’m sure you’ve heard it many times before, “that movie is so bad it’s good.” Well, Don Dohler’s…

Read More

Beyond the Black Rainbow

SUB-GENRES: Drama / Horror DIRECTED BY: Panos Cosmatos WRITTEN BY: Panos Cosmatos RELEASE: 2010 PEW PEW: Watching the hour hand move on a clock is a more action-packed experience. CAT FOOD: It is possible that this film contains a multitude of social commentaries. The fact that everything is so cryptic begs one to come up…

Read More

Capricorn One

SUB-GENRES: Thriller DIRECTED BY: Peter Hyams WRITTEN BY: Peter Hyams RELEASE: 1978 PEW PEW: It’s a very good seventies thriller with a great uncover-the-mystery value, but don’t expect a modern, high octane rollercoaster ride. CAT FOOD: There’s an exceptional amount of food for thought as we witness first hand what fellow humans might be willing…

Read More

The Martian

SUB-GENRES: Survival DIRECTED BY: Ridley Scott WRITTEN BY: Drew Goddard (screenplay); Based on the novel by Andy Weir RELEASE: 2015 PEW PEW: If you’re an action-only kind of person, your attention might wander. The climax is thrillingly suspenseful. CAT FOOD: The story is very human, with helpings of isolated frustration and triumphant displays of will,…

Read More

Contamination

SUB-GENRES: Horror / Thriller DIRECTED BY: Luigi Cozzi WRITTEN BY: Luigi Cozzi & Erich Tomek RELEASE: 1980 PEW PEW: Mostly suspense-oriented. Very little action. CAT FOOD: If anyone attacks us through coffee, we’re fucked. Two major events happened in the late seventies that changed science fiction film forever. The first was Star Wars in 1977,…

Read More

Spaceballs

SUB-GENRES: Comedy / Action / Adventure DIRECTED BY: Mel Brooks WRITTEN BY: Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan, & Ronny Graham RELEASE: 1987 PEW PEW: Spaceballs does a fine job of replicating the exciting action of the original Star Wars films. It’s surprisingly engaging for a comedy. CAT FOOD: The film parodies some political and religious concepts…

Read More

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

SUB-GENRES: Action / Adventure DIRECTED BY: J.J. Abrams WRITTEN BY: Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams, & Michael Arndt RELEASE: 2015 PEW PEW: The Force Awakens is complete with a near perfect ratio of swashbuckling action to compelling narrative. The series positively glows with, and is perhaps the greatest example of pure ‘pew pew!’ CAT FOOD: This…

Read More

Tron

SUB-GENRES: Adventure DIRECTED BY: Steven Lisberger WRITTEN BY: Steven Lisberger (screenplay); Steven Lisberger & Bonnie MacBird (story) RELEASE: 1982 PEW PEW: Battles are fought through games, and there are a few chase scenes, but Tron is fairly adventure-based instead of action-oriented. CAT FOOD: There are some light religious allegories regarding programs and users, but it’s…

Read More

Brazil

SUB-GENRES: Drama / Comedy DIRECTED BY: Terry Gilliam WRITTEN BY: Terry Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, & Charles McKeown RELEASE: 1985 PEW PEW: There is very little action here. CAT FOOD: Brazil presents a world that is a pure satire of modern bureaucracy. There is a lot to take from this film. Few films present the same…

Read More