Gattaca (1997)

4/5

Gattaca takes place in the not-too-distant future where genetically engineered children are the norm and babies made out of love are scorned and treated like dirt. They are forced to become the janitors to the better off, for no other reason than because their genes show a higher predisposition to heart disease or other illness. Their DNA matters more than their willpower. In this dystopian future we find Ethan Hawke as an "In-Valid" who dreams of going into space. He takes on the identity of a recently-paralyzed Jude Law and is soon on his way to the stars. When the mission director is unexpectedly murdered, he must keep his secret from getting out.

This wonderful treat is a provocatively-envisioned and beautifuly-shot film. The acting is spot-on, although the characters themselves can be a bit dull and uninteresting. The set and costume design are impeccable, both believable and beautiful. The editing and music are nothing to write home about, except for the audacious Schubert played as only a twelve-fingered pianist could. This movie gives you something to think about and talk about long after the film ends, and isn't that reason enough to watch it?

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/

1408 (2007)

2/5

Note: This is a review of the director's cut, but I doubt the theatrical version is any better.

The supernatural horror movie 1408, based on a short story by Stephen King, has quite possibly the worst pacing I've seen in a single movie. There are about 5 endings, each more ridiculous than the previous ones, with the first starting about 30 minutes before the movie actually ends. Yeah. The last 4 endings and 29 minutes are excruciating. The plot follows John Cusack as Mike Enslin, an unappreciated author of "non-fiction" horror novels who makes it his mission to spend the night in supposed haunted hotel rooms and write about how scary they are. The trailer would have us believe that he does this because of his dead daughter and lack of faith in God, however, it is never explained. (I have been informed by the trustworthy IMDb forum posters that the movie is very different from the original story. For starters, there is no ex-wife and dead daughter.) There are additional unexplained motivations and side stories, but they don't make the movie any better.

What is good about the movie is the cinematography. The editing, on the other hand, totally ruins it. It is so rapid-fire that it's too jarring to pay attention to anything. And all the good shots are shown for a split second. I can't say much about the acting because I didn't really pay attention to it, but I will say that most of the dialogue is the opposite of realistic. I did like the mood created throughout the film, but it's just not enough to make the movie good. Oh. And also, it's too long. Don't bother with it.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0450385/