I got out of worse situations than this. Been married three times.
This must be the stupidest movie ever made about aliens who want to use our planet as a replacement. We already saw it happening in “War of the worlds” and “Independence Day“. But those movies overwhelmed us with expensive special effects and immense battles between earthlings and non-earthlings. The most original thing about “Occupation” is that it doesn’t happen on American soil but on the other side of the world. Down-under in Australia in particular. What they did learn from the American versions, is the patriotic waving with a flag. So expect a half-burned Australian flag somewhere near the end.
Environmental protests.
Right now, there’s a 15-year-old Swedish girl who comes to the European Union to fight for better environmental measures before we all ruin our planet. Apparently, these alien invaders haven’t listened carefully to their local “Rise for climate” movement and thereby seriously fucked up their planet. The moment the Alien chief announced this, I laughed spontaneously. I don’t know if there were any environmental protests in the world when they released this movie, but I thought it was appropriate. But that was the only humorous thing I had to laugh about spontaneously and sincerely. The rest of the film makes you want to cry actually. Except for the first 15 to 20 minutes. I still had hope then. Admittedly, the special effects weren’t impressive, but it looked promising. Those 20 minutes were fully utilized to present the entire group of people that formed the basis of the revolution.
It’s really true. A mobile home can stay ahead of lightning-fast alien aircraft.
First, there’s Matt Simmons (Dan Ewing) and his wife Amelia (Stephany Jacobsen). He’s a recovering “Australian Football” player who re-enters the field after taking a dose of pills against his headache. Furthermore, we meet Peter (Temuera “Once were Warriors” Morrison) and his beautiful daughter Bella (Izzy Stevens) who happened to have chosen this small Australian village as a short-term stop during their trip with a mobile home.
And then Jackson (Charles Terrier), a teammate of Matt who has taken over his role as the team leader and explicitly shows that, and his girlfriend Vanessa (Rhiannon Fish) is introduced. The moment the power goes out and an apocalyptic, stroboscopic light lightens the sky, it’s the beginning of a murderous alien invasion. And this jumble of persons ends up in Peter’s mobile home (along with local commentator Seth Grimes played by Felix Williamson). And yes, they know how to get away from this superior breed and end up hiding in a derelict farm.
The CGI was at times excellent.
The story “Occupation” has been told countless times. Nothing new under the sun. Naturally, those randomly gathered individuals become the basis for an uprising against the alien invaders. For that, the very first mutual feuds and misunderstandings must be cleared up, in order to conclude that cooperation and togetherness are a fearsome weapon. Even against creatures that have evolved much further technologically.
What really impressed me was how amazing it sometimes looked. Certainly when you realize that the budget was considerably smaller than that of an American blockbusters. The CGI used for the Martians’ mothership was certainly not bad. The advancing ground troops certainly had an old-fashioned look and reminded me a bit of Scifi from the 70s. And yes, when they removed the helmets of the aliens, their appearance was kind of cliché with those eyes of a fly. The most realistic thing in this movie was the time period. The shown conflict lasts more than a few days. A few months are being bridged. But the story is so full of unrealistic and ridiculous things that you’ll forget about that real soon.
Let’s sum up some stupidities.
A small anthology. Extraterrestrials conquer the planet with their giant spaceships and an army of laser-equipped stormtroopers. What do you do if they infiltrate into your hideout? Indeed, you just crawl behind a mattress or door. Guaranteed safe.
And when you conclude that natural surroundings act as a kind of camouflage, why don’t you use that to protect yourself all the time? Apparently, they realized this at a certain point in time. When they approached a legion of aliens, they were able to avoid a confrontation by driving into a cornfield. The upcoming troops immediately lost track of our heroes (Stupid aliens, they just turned left) and stayed behind just looking around in a dazed way.
Do you remember the troops the Americans gathered to start their attack against the mother ship? Here they save the world by deploying an ultimate attack with roughly 12 people. Even in a Smart, prepared for the upcoming war. And when someone just escaped death and was lying in bed comatose for a long time, you can get him up and running immediately by throwing a bucket of ice-cold water over him. And the final boss fight is just too grotesque for words.
Hey, you blew up half the planet, let’s shake hands.
But especially the end is totally whacked. Finally, they succeed in overriding the cruel conquerors and then suddenly they get all evangelical. Remember that phrase about turning the other cheek? In short, half the population was disintegrated or became slaves, and then they are going to shake hands and talk about improving the world by working together as a united force? Any spiritual or religious movement could use this as a study material.
It’s strange they are suddenly so kindhearted when you compare this with the scene where Temuera Morrison takes care of a captured alien. That was pure rage. But there are more of these oddities to discover in this courageous attempt by the Australians to prove that they are also capable of producing Scifi. In any case, I hope that if we ever have to deal with an alien invasion, these Martians will also be as tame and stupid as those you see in this movie.
Back in 2014, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened into theaters with a mixed reception from critics and audiences and has been deemed as the least desirable of the Spidey movies. In the film, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) must face off against another villain who has been given the name Electro. Moreover, our brave hero uncovers some bizarre mysteries surrounding his parents.
Many fans of the series view the film as an overcrowded mess, but I think it might be the most entertaining of all the Spidey films, until No Way Home arrived, and here are five reasons why that remains true.
Andrew Garfield
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
First and foremost, Garfield is always a delight to have in the Spidey outfit. His charisma and witty banter is almost what makes the film truly great. I have always said that he was the best Spider-Man and this movie proves it with his ability to elevate any scene from dull slog to a comedic venture.
Spidey, in this particular movie, embodies the hero in the original comics with his incessant need to make a fast-talking quip to one of his enemies. There is nothing better than a comic-book character sticking true to his essence and spirit of its source material.
Electro
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
Despite what many people say about the villains, Jamie Foxx as the supercharged baddie Electro proves to be a formidable opponent for the web-head, with his omnipotent powers and overly-powered nature. More than that, Max Dillon is depicted as a quiet, shy loner who is invisible to other people. He is essentially a nobody, until he falls into a vat of electrically-charged eels and becomes the sinister villain Electro.
To better understand a villain, you must understand their plight and Electro’s plight is that of a rags-to-riches success story and the visual effects are certainly something to marvel at.
Action Sequences
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
This article wouldn’t be complete if I decided not to talk about the exhilarating action that embodied the film. Whether we see Spidey chasing down a truck with Oscorp’s product or a massive fight inside a grid that seems like a colossal feat for any Marvel film, the film can take a lot of pride in its action sequences.
One can also never forget the massive and iconic battle sequence between Electro and Spidey in Time Square that seems impossible to be made.
Green Goblin
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
While he remains a secondary villain, Dane Dehaan’s Green Goblin is still noteworthy. Dehaan portrays Harry Osborne who is left with his dead father Norman’s life work and stumbles upon a Goblin serum that enhances his speed, strength, and intelligence.
His little spat with Spider-Man is certainly befitting for the dark, moody tone of the film and entertaining for plenty of comic fans with zippy action and certified intensity. In the end, he is also responsible for the death of Spidey’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy.
Gwen Stacy Death
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
Speaking of Gwen Stacy, this is the only Spidey film that features his love interest dying. As he battles the Green Goblin, Spidey attempts to hold on to Stacy, literally, by a thread in the clocktower. However, when the thread snaps, Spidey is able to snag her in mid-air but the whiplash of the fall snaps her neck, killing her.
What might be the saddest moment in any Spider-Man film, was brought to life in this extraordinary scene that silenced an entire generation of Spider-Man fans.
Peacock is one of the streamers that has yet to break through in terms of their original content getting recognized for awards contention. One such series that might change that fate for the streaming service is Those About to Die and it’s starting to build out its cast. According to Variety, 2-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, The Father) is the first to join the drama series which comes from Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow). Saving Private Ryan screenwriter Robert Rodat will script the series.
Hopkins will play the character known as Emperor Vespasian in the series which is set in the world of gladiatorial battle. It will be an ensemble drama following many different Roman characters that will set forth for violent affairs in the arena among other complexities such as political power and corruption so expect a starry cast for this Peacock drama. Hopkins’ character is described as “despised by the Patricians jockeying for position in the Empire and looking to supplant his heirs to the throne the first chance they get. Vespasian became the Roman emperor after a ten-year civil war. We expect to get more casting news soon as the show will begin filming in Rome in March.
Anthony Hopkins is coming off a terrific performance in James Gray’s Armageddon Time in 2022 after winning his second Academy Award for his role in The Father the year prior. He’ll next voice a character in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon for Netflix and also will star in British drama One Life alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Jonathan Pryce. Emmerich is coming off directing the sci-fi disaster film, Moonfall in 2022.
The Planet of the Apes trilogy headlined by Andy Serkis from the 2010s can be argued as one of the best trilogies of all-time. The technological advances made from motion capture helped actors completely transform into the apes with their interactions with human characters making the story rawer and more emotional. Now, 20th Century Studios will jump back into the world of apes with their latest, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.Deadline reports that William H. Macy (Shameless, Fargo) will round out the cast for the newest chapter of the franchise.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place many years after the conclusion of War for the Planet of the Apes being led by an entirely new cast that includes Owen Teague, Freya Allan and Peter Macon. Details are currently unknown on whether Macy will be playing a human character or an ape. The film series has grossed almost $2 billion dollars for the studio so it’s no surprise that they’re aiming to make more Apes fims.
Macy is coming off his biggest role ever in Showtime’s series, Shameless for which he played Frank Gallagher and was nominated for 6 Emmy Awards for his performance over 11 seasons. Macy is also a former Oscar-nominee for his lead role in the Coen Brothers classic, Fargo. Since then, he’s amassed tons of parts including most recently in Hulu’s The Dropout and a guest spot on the ABC sitcom, The Conners. Macy will next appear in the film, Maybe I Do with Emma Roberts, Diane Keaton, Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon.