Prometheus (2012)

Film directed by Ridley Scott

Two anthropologists (?) or scientists anyways find cave paintings that show a star map to the same planet that was the focus of Ridley Scott's and James Cameron's "Alien" and "Aliens", respectively. Needless to say, stuff gets scary and stuff gets really really gross. I really don't want to give too much away as the thin plot needs every subtle surprise it can afford if you so choose to undertake this gross/fear-fest. Seriously, don't even watch the trailer or you will figure out the entire movie after the first few minutes. 

Have you seen the classic sci-fi horror, "Alien"? Then you've essentially seen "Prometheus". This is pretty much what a friend of mine told me and, after seeing the movie myself, I have to agree totally. That being said...it was visually amazing and if you don't mind some pretty gross scenes, the movie is psychedelic sci-fi + H.R. Giger gothic wierdness. It also happens to feature what could be my all-time favorite android since Bishop of "Aliens" or Jude Law's "Gigolo Joe" from "Artificial Intelligence: A.I.".

Still, I would recommend waiting until this one makes it to DVD or even the SyFy channel.

Well, fellow Earthlings, I know I was brief today, but that's all folks!

Space out!
--Liam

Stranded (2001)

Film directed by Maria Lidon
Written by Juan Miguel Aguilera

At some point during the mid-21st century, the first manned mission to Mars goes wrong and the crew of six crash lands to the surface of the Red Planet. With the realization that a rescue mission will not arrive anytime before at least two years go by, the crew must find a way to survive in their cramped living space.

First of all, do not let the first five minutes of this film decide the rest for you. The first actor to appear in the movie actually made me laugh it was so bad. It was like someone recorded their presentation for a freshman...for a freshman class that required a video project. The intro sequence is actually annoying too, the way the credits go in and out. BUT BEAR WITH IT.

After the annoying intro, we get to the beginning of the movie...The acting really doesn't get any better to be honest. In fact, one of the worst actors is also the director of the film. There are two actors that seemed to be kind of professional but no one that I had heard of. Oh! I did recognize one: Fabienne, Butch Coolidge's French girlfriend in "Pulp Fiction". She has the same accent in this movie, too.

Anyways if you stick through the bad acting and poorly written intro, the movie actually develops a pretty interesting and somewhat-realistic plot--until towards the end where it gets ridiculous. Should you see this movie? Well, I enjoyed the middle and if you liked sci-NON-fi movie "Apollo 13" you will probably like "Stranded", too. Or at least up to the middle of it.

If you do so choose to check it out, I found it on Netflix Instant up to the date this was posted.

Moon (2009)

Film written/directed by Duncan Jones

So somewhere in the not-too-distant future, a wealthy corporation has set up a mining facility on the Moon. Only one person is needed to operate it and they do so in 3-year stints. Our protagonist, Sam Bell has almost reached the end of his 3-year tour and he is incredibly anxious for his replacement to show up so he can go home and see his family.

Well, not only is he anxious, he is hallucinating. Three years in isolation will do that to someone who only has himself and a computer to talk to (he is unable to communicate live to anyone on Earth for reasons explained in the film). Anyways, Sam eventually meets his replacement (or does he?) and let's just say things don't work out as planned.

I didn't hear too much advertisement or talk about this movie when it came out, but I loved it. The story was classic sci-fi. No unnecessary action scenes or special effects, just a great story. It was well-casted, too. Sam Rockwell ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", "The Green Mile") plays the protagonist and creepmeister Kevin Spacey voices the paranoia-feeding computer, GERTY.

Oh yeah and it was written and directed by David Bowie's son. 'NUFF SAID.

Watch the entire movie for free through Crackle.com right here: