Knowing (2009)
This film was advertised as a science-fiction film, but I assure you it is not. Spoiler warning: it is a bible story. Not that this is bad thing. To be more specific, the film is a Noah's arc parable. Only God has been replaced by some angelic, glowing white aliens that come to earth disguised as Malcolm McDowell lookalikes (the older white-haired version). But I suppose that's still better than Alanis Morissette. I think Nicholas Cage plays Noah, being the only one who believes the world is coming to an end, but the ending comes with a surprise twist for his character that deftly diverges from the source material.
Now I realize I am making it sound like the films biblical ties were detrimental to my experience. That is not entirely true. In fact, I found the films final conclusions to be a very satisfying and natural destination for many of the films initial plot lines and setups. It worked. It just wasn't particularly interesting because we have all heard this story before. It wasn't the absurdity of the films final revelations that hurt it. It was the blandness, the lack of creativity. The film is actually pretty interesting for the first few acts, despite an onslaught of blatantly obvious this-will-be-important-later moments. But you cannot say the film does not have an interesting premise.
Nicolas Cage plays John Koestler, an astro physics professor who likes to debate the purpose of life in his classroom instead actually teaching astro physics. He is a widower and atheist who has lost his faith, and his father is a priest. His son receives a mysterious letter from a time capsule uncovered at school that accurately predicts both past and future catastrophes. Gee, I wonder what his character arc is going to be. Something tells me his faith may be restored before the film's final credits.
And that's what the whole film feels like. Just a little too safe a predictable. There a handful of incredibly produced, but uncomfortably familiar, disaster scenes that really shine. It's in those moments that you feel you might be watching something special. The film is also elevated by the fact that Nicolas Cage appears to be sporting his natural hair for the first time since The Rock. But all that just isn't enough. In the final moments, when Nic Cage decides to accept his fate and reconcile with his priest father just seconds before humanity is wiped out, you realize that you don't need a letter with mysterious numbers to figure what's going to happen Next.
Professor P
This film was advertised as a science-fiction film, but I assure you it is not. Spoiler warning: it is a bible story. Not that this is bad thing. To be more specific, the film is a Noah's arc parable. Only God has been replaced by some angelic, glowing white aliens that come to earth disguised as Malcolm McDowell lookalikes (the older white-haired version). But I suppose that's still better than Alanis Morissette. I think Nicholas Cage plays Noah, being the only one who believes the world is coming to an end, but the ending comes with a surprise twist for his character that deftly diverges from the source material.
Now I realize I am making it sound like the films biblical ties were detrimental to my experience. That is not entirely true. In fact, I found the films final conclusions to be a very satisfying and natural destination for many of the films initial plot lines and setups. It worked. It just wasn't particularly interesting because we have all heard this story before. It wasn't the absurdity of the films final revelations that hurt it. It was the blandness, the lack of creativity. The film is actually pretty interesting for the first few acts, despite an onslaught of blatantly obvious this-will-be-important-later moments. But you cannot say the film does not have an interesting premise.
Nicolas Cage plays John Koestler, an astro physics professor who likes to debate the purpose of life in his classroom instead actually teaching astro physics. He is a widower and atheist who has lost his faith, and his father is a priest. His son receives a mysterious letter from a time capsule uncovered at school that accurately predicts both past and future catastrophes. Gee, I wonder what his character arc is going to be. Something tells me his faith may be restored before the film's final credits.
And that's what the whole film feels like. Just a little too safe a predictable. There a handful of incredibly produced, but uncomfortably familiar, disaster scenes that really shine. It's in those moments that you feel you might be watching something special. The film is also elevated by the fact that Nicolas Cage appears to be sporting his natural hair for the first time since The Rock. But all that just isn't enough. In the final moments, when Nic Cage decides to accept his fate and reconcile with his priest father just seconds before humanity is wiped out, you realize that you don't need a letter with mysterious numbers to figure what's going to happen Next.
Professor P
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