http://dystopia.com/ http://dystopia.com/movie/code-46.html
In Michael Winterbottom's science-fiction love story, Tim Robbins stars as Will, a fraud investigator who shows up at the huge Sphinx corporation to find out which employee has been making fake papelles--identity papers that allow people to travel. With an empathy virus inside of him so he can read people's minds, Will discovers that Maria Gonzalez (Samantha Morton) is the culprit, but he instantly falls in love with her and turns in someone else in her place, leading to a dangerous affair that jeopardizes his family, his career, and his life.

The blossoming romance between Will and Maria is reminiscent of the classic BRIEF ENCOUNTER, in which two people are willing to risk so much for true love. Winterbottom, who previously scored such indie hits as 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE and WONDERLAND, combines with screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce, Academy Award winner Robbins, and Oscar nominee Morton in creating a unique vision of a technologically advanced but emotionally vapid future--except for those citizens who have been banished to the outside, where they struggle every day but have a greater understanding of what's real. CODE 46 is filled with twists, with the unexpected waiting around every corner, but at the heart of the film is the heartbreaking relationship between two compelling cinematic characters.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/code-46.html#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:32:01 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/code-46.html http://dystopia.com/movie/ultraviolet.html
In ULTRAVIOLET's mid-21st century, a virus has turned part of the earth's population into "hemophages," vampire-like creatures with heightened speed and dexterity, and a fascist government is intent on stamping them out. Enter Violet (Milla Jovovich), a hemophage determined to fight for her people. Her battle takes an unexpected turn, however, when she finds herself protecting Six (Cameron Bright), a mysterious young child who was raised in a lab. Tailor-made for young action fans raised on anime and videogames who want nothing more than to see a beautiful heroine leave a path of destruction behind her, ULTRAVIOLET cross-pollinates plot threads from popular franchises like THE MATRIX and UNDERWORLD.

Creating a brightly hued, soft-focus environment constructed entirely with CGI and a green screen, ULTRAVIOLET's look is much like SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (2004). Cementing the reputation she established with similar athletic, minimally clothed roles in THE FIFTH ELEMENT and the RESIDENT EVIL films, Jovovich will go down in the books as a sci-fi femme fatale for the ages. Her Ultraviolet--who inexplicably changes her hair color and outfits seemingly at will--is a lethal melding of Morticia Adams at a rave and KILL BILL's Bride. Pulling off moves that clearly demonstrate the training she underwent for the role, and usually with a bare midriff, she gives her fans plenty to enjoy. Wimmer wisely leaves the door open for further adventures in the saga.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/ultraviolet.html#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:29:08 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/ultraviolet.html http://dystopia.com/movie/pleasantville.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/pleasantville.html#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:25:49 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/pleasantville.html http://dystopia.com/movie/the-village.html
A meticulous filmmaker, Shyamalan displays his penchant for setting up a fascinating atmosphere in every aspect of the movie, from its distinctive color scheme to its intentionally genteel dialogue to its outstanding cinematography, courtesy of Roger Deakins. Renowned cast members Phoenix, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, and Adrien Brody are excellent, but the true standout is Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of director Ron Howard), who embodies the heart of the film with her vulnerable but fiercely vital performance. Like Shyamalan's other movies, THE VILLAGE has a distinct twist that offers shocking revelations, but this film's overwhelming sense of menace is what is sure to resonate with viewers long after it's over.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/the-village.html#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:24:43 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/the-village.html http://dystopia.com/movie/renaissance.html
Christian Volckman's first feature film is rendered in astonishing black-and-white "motion capture" animation that continually yields inventive and subtle visual surprises--car chases take on cosmic proportions, cigarette smoke engulfs an entire room like a lovely wraith, and the already beautiful Parisian skyline becomes a dizzying, jeweled spectacle.

A descendent of classic science-fiction tech-noir like BLADERUNNER, Volckman's film envisions the near future as a cold and heartless place where corporations are supreme and surface beauty is everything; whole scenes are constructed from reflections in nighttime windows, mirrors, and other shiny expanses, and false (but pretty) facades are created to confuse and imprison characters. This constant emphasis on empty, backwards images supports Volckman's seeming disgust with society's preoccupation with youthful beauty (and the multibillion-dollar cosmetic industries that keep us hooked), although his own film is relentlessly gorgeous.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/renaissance.html#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:16:39 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/renaissance.html http://dystopia.com/movie/animatrix.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/animatrix.html#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:13:04 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/animatrix.html http://dystopia.com/movie/i-robot.html
I, Robot employs spectacular visual effects innovations beyond any ever before put on screen to bring a world of robots to life. The character of Sonny, a special robot who holds the key to a murder -- and perhaps the survival of the human race -- represents the cutting edge in photorealism. Indeed, Sonny is the most realistic, emotionally complete, three-dimensional CGI character ever created on film.

I, Robot is directed by Alex Proyas ("Dark City," "The Crow"), who creates an extraordinary future Chicago -- circa 2035 -- where robots are completely integrated into society. Bridget Moynahan stars opposite Will Smith, as the robot psychologist Dr. Susan Calvin. Bruce Greenwood plays Lawrence Robertson, the corporate head of U.S. Robotics, and Chi McBride portrays Spooner’s boss and friend Lt. John Bergin. Actor Alan Tudyk’s physical performance inspired the digital creation of the robot Sonny. James Cromwell plays the pivotal role of the brilliant and reclusive scientist Dr. Alfred Lanning.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/i-robot.html#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:09:57 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/i-robot.html http://dystopia.com/movie/wall-e.html
Director Andrew Stanton kicked up the visual acuity of an already-stellar Pixar Studios in 2003 with his reflective, refractive, color-shimmery realization of FINDING NEMO's oceanic world, which genuinely felt as though it spanned the entire earth. Now, with WALL-E, Stanton replaces an estranged journeyer of an apprehensively fishy disposition with a curious and love-struck robotic one, allowing the quest for eternal love to extend from a desolate, dust-covered, palpably polluted future Earth and into an even more mysterious abyss: the far reaches of outer space.

With virtually no dialogue, WALL-E's neatly contained, eerily vaudevillian first act introduces the tragic robot of the title. Whirring amid dilapidated skyscrapers and equally tall compacted trash heaps, he's the last living thing on Earth (aside from a little cockroach friend). WALL-E has developed a tender and inquisitive personality doing what he was built to do--allocate and dispose of human waste--day in and day out for the past 700 years simply because no one turned him off when the human race left the now-hostile planet.

Soon though, the directive-oriented automaton Eve comes crashing into WALL-E's life from above, immediately becoming the object of his infatuation. At the drop of a hat, the little guy follows her back into the dangerous unknown, where the sight of two robots gliding through the cosmic ether, dancing via fire-extinguisher propulsion, joins the many memorable moments of a deceptively simple, expansively romantic story.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/wall-e.html#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:04:50 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/wall-e.html http://dystopia.com/movie/the-island.html
Together with a beautiful fellow resident named Jordan Two-Delta (Johansson), Lincoln makes a daring escape to the outside world he's never known. Now, with the forces of the institute that once housed them relentlessly hunting them down, Lincoln and Jordan engage in a desperate race for their lives. Rounding out the main cast of "The Island" are Oscar® nominee Djimon Hounsou ("In America," "Gladiator") as the leader of the security team pursuing Lincoln and Jordan; Sean Bean ("National Treasure," "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy) as the head of the Institute; Steve Buscemi ("Ghost World," "Armageddon") as a man who befriends Lincoln despite working for the institute; and Oscar® nominee Michael Clarke Duncan ("The Green Mile," "Armageddon") as another resident who is elated and envied when he is selected to go to "The Island."

Michael Bay directed "The Island" from a screenplay by Caspian Tredwell-Owen and Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, based on a story by Tredwell-Owen. Walter F. Parkes, Michael Bay and Ian Bryce produced the film, with Laurie MacDonald serving as executive producer. "The Island" is a co-production of DreamWorks Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, with DreamWorks distributing the film domestically and Warner Bros. handling the international release.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/the-island.html#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:00:45 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/the-island.html http://dystopia.com/movie/aeon-flux.html
Based on a series of animated shorts that aired on MTV, the live-action feature film version stars Charlize Theron, in jet black hair, as the secret agent of the title. Aeon Flux is a Monican who has been ordered to assassinate Trevor Goodchild (Martin Csokas), the leader of Bregna--a futuristic walled city that is the last vestige of humanity on 25th-century earth. But a long-buried memory prevents her from killing him, ultimately making both of them targets. As Trevor battles his brother, Oren (Jonny Lee Miller), for control of Bregna, Aeon seeks revenge for the murder of her sister (Amelia Warner) while also being hunted down by her former partner, Sithandra (Sophie Okonedo).

At the center of it all is a secret that threatens to tear everything apart. Theron, who performed most of her own stunts, glides through the film in barely-there outfits, while also jumping, running, slinking, diving, and cartwheeling her way through dangerous situations, recalling the gorgeous movements made by the animated version.

The film alternates between stark gray-and-white sets and brilliant splashes of red, green, and yellow, adding a vibrancy that befits a cartoon adaptation. The taut script, by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (who previously teamed up on CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL), delves deep into the relationships of siblings that often border between love and hate. Graeme Revell's smart score never overwhelms the action, which involves a lot of automatic weapons, and Oscar winner Frances McDormand and Oscar nominee Pete Postlethwaite feature in small roles.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/aeon-flux.html#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:53:24 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/aeon-flux.html http://dystopia.com/movie/death-race-2000.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/death-race-2000.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 23:00:25 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/death-race-2000.html http://dystopia.com/movie/the-omega-man.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/the-omega-man.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 22:59:03 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/the-omega-man.html http://dystopia.com/movie/war-of-the-worlds.html
The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, and Tim Robbins. Cruise stars as Ray Ferrier, a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife (Miranda Otto) and her new husband drop off his teenage son Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and young daughter Rachel (Dakota Fanning) for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down. Moments later, at an intersection near his house, Ray witnesses an extraordinary event that will change all their lives forever. A towering three-legged war machine emerges from deep beneath the earth and, before anyone can react, incinerates everything in sight.

An ordinary day has suddenly become the most extraordinary event of their lifetimes - the first strike in a catastrophic alien attack on Earth. Ray scrambles to get his children away from this merciless new enemy, embarking on a journey that will take them across the ravaged countryside, where they become caught in the desperate tide of refugees fleeing from an extraterrestrial army of Tripods. But no matter where they run, there is no safety, no refuge … only Ray's unconquerable will to protect the ones he loves.

Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures present an Amblin Entertainment/Cruise|Wagner Production, a Steven Spielberg film, "War of the Worlds." Directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and David Koepp, based on the novel by H. G. Wells, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. The executive producer is Paula Wagner. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin and Tim Robbins.

This film has been rated PG-13 for Frightening Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence and Disturbing Images. Spielberg's core filmmaking team, which has collaborated with the director on numerous projects, is led by director of photography Janusz Kaminski, ASC, production designer Rick Carter, editor Michael Kahn, A.C.E., and costume designer Joanna Johnston. Music is composed by John Williams. Visual effects and animation is by Industrial Light & Magic, led by senior visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. "War of the Worlds" opens worldwide on June 29, 2005.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/war-of-the-worlds.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 22:57:47 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/war-of-the-worlds.html http://dystopia.com/movie/watchmen.html
As far as superhero movies go, this graphic adaptation of the comic book series from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons makes even Christopher Nolan’s Batman films look like Saturday morning fare. Director Snyder and the screenwriters certainly deserve credit for crafting an adaptation of a work that has been deemed unfilmable since its 1986 release.

Mammoth and mazelike, WATCHMEN follows a group of retired costumed heroes living in an alternate 1985 where Nixon is still president and fear of nuclear doomsday permeates the air. When a hero named the Comedian (an excellent Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is murdered, his former colleague--the unhinged, masked Rorschach (a perfectly creepy Jackie Earle Hayley)--begins investigating who is behind the death. The other masked crimefighters--Silk Spectre 2 (Malin Ackerman), Ozymandias (Matthew Goode), Nite Owl 2 (Patrick Wilson), and Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), a godlike being who is the only one with actual superpowers--soon learn that there may be a plot to rid the world of their kind. Snyder’s previous work in action (300) and horror (DAWN OF THE DEAD) proves to be preparation for this visually stunning film. The fight sequences are fantastically shot by director of photography Larry Fong, and the action can alternately make viewers hold their breaths at its composition or gasp at the shocking violence.

Most will agree that WATCHMEN is not a comic book movie for kids: there’s sex and violence aplenty, but it truly makes itself a film for adults with its smart, complex storytelling.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/watchmen.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 22:55:44 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/watchmen.html http://dystopia.com/movie/la-jetée.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/la-jetée.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 21:41:10 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/la-jetée.html http://dystopia.com/movie/avalon.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/avalon.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 21:38:13 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/avalon.html http://dystopia.com/movie/silent-running.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/silent-running.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 21:34:03 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/silent-running.html http://dystopia.com/movie/on-the-beach.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/on-the-beach.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 21:30:29 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/on-the-beach.html http://dystopia.com/movie/a.i.-artificial-intelligence.html
Emotion is the last, controversial frontier in robot evolution. Robots are seen as sophisticated appliances; they’re not supposed to have feelings. But with so many parents not yet approved to have children, the possibilities abound.

And Cybertronics Manufacturing has created the solution.

His name is David (HALEY JOEL OSMENT).

A robotic boy, the first programmed to love, David is adopted as a test case by a Cybertronics employee (SAM ROBARDS) and his wife (FRANCES O’CONNOR), whose own terminally ill child has been cryogenically frozen until a cure can be found. Though he gradually becomes their child, with all the love and stewardship that entails, a series of unexpected circumstances make this life impossible for David.

Without final acceptance by humans or machines, and armed only with Teddy, his supertoy teddy bear and protector, David embarks on a journey to discover where he truly belongs, uncovering a world in which the line between robot and machine is both terrifyingly vast and profoundly thin.]]> anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/a.i.-artificial-intelligence.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 21:28:32 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/a.i.-artificial-intelligence.html http://dystopia.com/movie/fahrenheit-451.html anonymous http://dystopia.com/movie/fahrenheit-451.html#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 21:26:41 GMT http://dystopia.com/movie/fahrenheit-451.html