Dark Skies

I have loved horror for years now. I could talk for a while about what decades stand out for me in the genre, who's the best scream queen and why George Romero makes such good zombie films. The family idea and building a creepy and intense atmosphere usually work for me. Classical films like Poltergeist, Pet Sematary and Cujo are some of my favorites. Insidious from 2011 is the closest recent horror movie like this. Now in 2013, comes Dark Skies which is somewhat similar to Insidious though Dark Skies has a bit more sci-fi to it and is a bit more memorable.

In Dark Skies, a family is being haunted through many ways by a dark force which we later learn are aliens.
The film does center around a family but it does lack development between the family members but this is not terrible in itself. Dakota Goyo plays the older teenage son and delivers a fine performance just as he did in Real Steel, and his career certainly appears to be on the upswing. Kadan Rockett plays the younger son and plays this sweet young character very well for his age. John Hamilton plays the father and this is frankly the weakest character but you can still see that Hamilton is trying here. Keri Russel plays the mother and is perfectly casted and really carries this movie with her performance.

The plot is anything but new. Dark Skies rips-off Poltergeist, Close Encounters, E.T. and Paranormal Activity very liberally. In a strange way though, that is why I kind of liked the film so much. It reminded me of movies I loved from my childhood and could be considered a homage by director, Scott Stewart to those films.

With a somewhat ambitious and overdrawn plot, there are going to be some things missing inside. That said, the plot elements felt realistic. The film includes both children trying to fit in while Dakota Goyo is experiencing some negative peer pressure while also learning about the opposite sex. The parents are struggling with a serious money issue which brings tension to the film and could cause the younger audience to wonder if that could happen to them. These plot elements are not new but they bring the story just a little closer to home.

Of course in a horror/sci-fi movie, the money is in the scary scenes. The first scenes involving the aliens were a bit scary but the movie is more creepy than anything and is that way throughout. Characters run and walk around aimlessly outside in the middle of the night, experience mental breakdowns and unexplained nose bleeds along with body injuries in the form of marks and scars. The ending is one that we have seen before but it is set-up a bit differently and leaves you with an eerie feeling.

Dark Skies is a film that works on being something else than what you normally see today as it draws from movies from decades ago. As I mentioned earlier, it is a film that left me with a special feeling because of that. I recommend Dark Skies.

4/5

Attack the Block

I had some mixed emotions going into this movie. In the 80's, the films Stand by Me, E.T. and The Goonies did a good job of telling stories of rebellious teenagers going on adventures with no parents around but as times went on, those type of films have kind of changed. Since the 80's, we have had films like Super 8 that struggled quite a bit as it was so unrealistic and also Zathura and Jumanji having the same problem. Attack the Block has this type of plot idea and is about a group of British punk teens fighting aliens during the dark hours. Really, I think this film really goes overboard and was a bit different than my expectations. It does bring some very raw power for a film in this genre and in a way it creates it's own unique spot in the movie history books.

What is surprising about this film to me is the cast. Nick Frost is here who we've seen before and is his usual good self but in addition to Frost, there is a cast of new actors that really stood out for me. From John Boyega to Simon Howard, every one of these actors does a phenomenal job. They have a laid back feel making you root for them and I think all these actors have a shot at more work after this film due to their fine performances.

This film had a good deal of action which is where a film like Super 8 faltered. There is also some top level gore mixed in with great effects which compliments the cast. These are gold scenes as I would call them and especially these action scenes are hard to top. Another thing I really liked is how the creature is used here. It is used in an exciting way that fits right into the film's running time and adds to a great finish.

Also, the set-up to the film is a little different. Characters all are doing things in realistic motion. The attack scenes in particular have good motion and this includes the more minor characters too.

One thing that does not surprise me with this film is how little the parents of these kids are used here. I know it was going to be hard enough to add them to the story but at least there maybe could have been an effort. Without the parents, the story feels a little unrealistic and you even wonder if child social services should be involved here.

Attack the Block is a film that comes close to working at everything it tries to do. It is essentially a retro film that really could have worked in the 80's. It is a film that is almost on par with 80's teen classics, The Goonies, E.T. and Stand by Me and that says something in my book.

4.5/5