Prometheus

The origins of human existence have been in question for centuries. Were we created by some god or did we evolve from apes? In his 2012 film Prometheus, Ridley Scott introduces the idea that maybe we were created by some distant alien race who made a big time screw up. This film not only serves as a new twist on the regular origin of man story, but also an exploration of what makes a human human.

Prometheus is Scott’s twentieth film, and it has some ties to his 1969 classic, Alien. It may also be his best. Scott takes a philosophical approach in the film and asks viewers what are we humans here for, and why were we created in the first place.

The Prometheus is a space vessel whose crew seeks to take an expedition to the distant moon LV-223 to, hopefully, find out who created mankind and why. The film doesn’t waste any time in transforming itself from a sci-fi adventure to a detective- mystery story. They run into the remains of foreign creatures called Engineers, who could hold the secrets the crew is searching for. The acting is a bit shaky, but overall solid performances from Naoomi Rapace, the talented Michael Fassbender, and Idris Elba. Fassbender plays David, a curious humanoid robot who is a part of the expedition crew. He plays the role with care and without emotion, creating a mysterious character, which the whole film revolves around. The film also doesn’t try to be too intelligent or force its message on the audience; instead, it provides food for thought and leaves a lot of its plot to interpretation.

Scott is well known for his atmospheric approach to film directing. He dedicates himself to creating wondrous and engaging backdrops for each film, and Prometheus is no exception. The world is extremely well-crafted and detailed. Even the most basic landscapes ooze life and pop right at you. This film is one of the most entertaining sci-fi films I’ve ever watched. It is innovative, engaging, suspenseful, and terrifying without being as cheesy as other films of the genre.

Dazed and Confused

High school is, at its simplest form, a building of cliques. Milling around in a typical high school environment, you have your jocks, your cheerleaders, the nerds, stoners, and underclassmen. Regardless of whether or not you intend on falling into one, it is an impossible thing to shake, and you will find yourself in a clique of some sort. However, films like Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused remind us that we are all in this high school craziness together.

The film follows the senior class of 1976 on their last day of school. Randall “Pink” Floyd is the school’s star football player, and he, along with the other jocks, initiate the annual hazing of incoming freshmen, primarily to hunt the young Mitch Kramer. All of the interactions stem from this initial cat and mouse chase, which turns into an unlikely friendship. This isn’t the whole plot, however, as the film jumps back and forth between all the quirky kids, giving each character distinct qualities, morals, hopes, and ambitions.

Linklater gives us a rare sense of individualism amongst these kids, while somehow still relaying that they are all kids. It’s a borderline genius execution on the part of the director. There’s also a very nostalgic aura about the film, and, although none of us were alive to live through this era, we can still have fond memories of the stupid, crazy things we did with our friends.

For a film made in the early 90’s, Dazed and Confused feels every bit like a Grease or American Graffiti. It embodies the soul and spirit of the 70’s; big afros, tight jeans, classic cars, and plenty of reckless abandon plague the film. The film also adds the chill, homely vibes of the 1990’s. With themes of Individuality, teenage romance, social hierarchies, and enjoying your last days with friends, Dazed and Confused is a film that relates to all high school kids, especially seniors. This is a coming-of-age classic which touches on all aspects of being a young teenager taking the next step in life and moving on to bigger and better things.