In 1938, the Nazi’s were poised to take over the world, and one of the tools that gave them the power to attempt it was the Enigma Machine. This device let them encrypt their communications in a way impossible for anyone else of the time to break, and Europe was at risk of being lost because of it. But then a very small group of mathematicians led by the legendary genius Alan Turing became the team assembled at Bletchley Park to break the code. In the process, they re-invented the modern computer, for the first time since Babbage’s Difference Engine. This movie, The Imitation Game, is another retelling of that very exciting and important story, and this time they have Benedict Cumberbatch doing Turing, a man who had a lot in common with Sherlock Holmes, so the casting is perfect. The film is on the festival circuit at the moment, I can’t wait until it hits the theaters on November 21st!
Kingsman: The Secret Service is another great Marvel comic book transformed into a movie. Written by Mark Miller (Kick-Ass) and illustrated by Dave Gibbons (Watchmen artist), the graphic novel was a lot of fun. From the look of this trailer the movie should be just as entertaining. It will be hitting the big screen on 13Feb2015.
This week we get several interesting choices, starting with The Maze Runner based on the great YA novel by James Dashner. I expect this one to pull the best numbers at the box office because of the popularity of the book, so it got the first mention. In limited release we have the new Terry Gilliam film The Zero Theorem, about a computer hacker trying to figure out the reason humans exist. While this one might be the hardest to find on a local screen, it could be the most interesting film out of the group. Space Station 76 definitely gets my vote for silliest movie this time around, with the tag line A 1970s version of the future, where personalities and asteroids collide. I have seen more than one review saying it is the best sci-Fi comedy since Galaxy Quest, which I dearly love. It isn’t the only comedy choice, since we also have Simon Pegg’s rendition of a psychiatrist searching the world in Hector and the Search for Happiness.
The new Terry Gilliam sci-fi film The Zero Theorem gets released on line tomorrow. It is the story of a computer hacker who is assigned by god to discover the meaning of life, if any, and report back so he can understand it himself. As near as I can tell, this is the perfect companion piece to Brazil, another twisted Terry Gilliam project. When we hit the actual weekend we have a number of interesting films in the theaters, starting with Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. If you saw the first movie in this series, I don’t have to tell you about it; if you didn’t, nothing I can say will make sense until you experience it for yourself. A documentary coming out this week I want to see is To Be Takei, all about the man who should have been Captain Sulu decades ago. There are a few more new films this week worth mentioning, but the one I like is the romantic fantasy If I Stay. When you take them all together, it looks like this is the week with the most new and interesting movies so far this year. I can’t wait to see that record broken.
I enjoy the hell out of the The Wil Wheaton Project, and this week I think he has outdone himself. John Barrowman joins Wil to get dressed up in Steampunk style and go party down the town. Lots of Arrow comments and Dr Who references, but what really makes the show special is the level of comedy Wil and his guests bring to the party, and John brings a lot. Trust me when I say everyone who loves both Sci-Fi and Comedy needs to see this show each and every week.
The second Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian world premiere actually took place at the Smithsonian in DC, which was totally appropriate. The third film in the series takes place at the British Museum, so I can make a good guess where its premiere will be held. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb doesn’t seem to have a home page yet, but it won’t be hitting the big screen until December, so there is still time. I really do like this franchise, and I am quite happy they didn’t just make one movie and give up on the concept. In fact, it should be good for another 50 or so films, when you look at how many museums there are in the world of the caliber of the ones they started with.