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Film Review: "Deepsea Challenge 3D" (2014).

"Deep. Dangerous. Determined." This is Deepsea Challenge 3D. This documentary film directed by John Bruno, Ray Quint and Andrew Wight and written by Wight and John Garvin. As a boy, filmmaker James Cameron dreamed of a journey to the deepest part of the ocean. This film is the dramatic fulfillment of that dream. It chronicles Cameron’s solo dive to the depths of the Mariana Trench—nearly seven miles beneath the ocean’s surface—piloting a submersible he designed himself. The risks were astounding. The footage is breathtaking. The film is a celebration of science, courage, and extraordinary human aspiration.

On 26 March, 2012, filmmaker and Deepsea explorer James Cameron piloted the craft to accomplish this goal in the second manned dive reaching the Challenger Deep. Built in Sydney, Australia by the research and design company Acheron Project Pty Ltd, Deepsea Challenger includes scientific sampling equipment and high-definition 3-D cameras; it reached the ocean's deepest point after two hours and thirty-six minutes of descent from the surface. The Deepsea Challenger (DCV 1) is a 7.3-metre (twenty-four ft) deep-diving submersible designed to reach the bottom of Challenger Deep, the deepest-known point on Earth.

Yes, the work they're doing is mind-boggling and important, but sometimes the images alone are more than capable of speaking for themselves. Once you get used to the "awesome" and "wow"-heavy dialogue, Cameron's excursion into the deep ocean trenches delivers some fascinating 3D footage. The experience is so immediate and immersive that you actually feel as if you are swimming with the krill. There are impressive rock formations and many other fine things to see, along with an interesting science lesson. Much of the allure of the film comes from Cameron's easygoing, rather unscientific approach to the project. It is useful to be reminded every once in a while that there's a whole universe of things we don't know, and that their discovery is exciting. Most of us will never have the good fortune to see these sights in their natural habitats, but the marvelous 3D imagery reveals them gloriously. The film captures not only the majesty of the brinier depths - but also the fascination therein that keeps luring Cameron back to the ocean. Cameron's showmanship and his on-screen appearances make his documentaries far livelier than your usual scientific expedition documentary, and this one is no exception. Last time we checked, 'Cool' wasn't in the official scientist-jargon handbook, go see this to be entertained rather than to be educated. The ninety-one-minute spellbinder will make your jaw drop with awe. And, like the best documentaries, it will also make you think. One sign of a successful 3D outing is how it makes you believe you are there in every frame, and this one does. The final shot, in particular, is awesome, and confirms that the sooner Cameron gets back to making proper movies, instead of Boys' Own diversions, the better. In the end, you have to give Cameron points for putting his financial muscle behind scientific expeditions rather than, say, lavish parties.

Simon says Deepsea Challenge 3D receives:

Film Review: "Palo Alto" (2013).

"In every city some seek love, some look for trouble, others look for both." This is Palo Alto. This drama film adapted and directed by Gia Coppola and based on James Franco's 2010 short story collection of the same name. A lack of parental guidance encourages teens in an affluent California town to rebel with substance abuse and casual sex.

By November 2012, Emma Roberts, James Franco, Jack Kilmer, Nat Wolff, Val Kilmer, Margaret Qualley and Chris Messina were cast in an adaption of Franco's 2010 short story collection of the same name with Gia Coppola making her directorial debut. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in December. Filming took place throughout Palo Alto, California.

The film stars Roberts, Franco, Kilmer, Wolff, Kilmer, Qualley and Messina. The true entertainment is provided by the cast, especially Roberts. If high school and teen shenanigans aren't your cup of tea, it's almost worth watching for their performances alone.

Gia Coppola + Emma Roberts + James Franco... do we need to say anymore? Coppola is arguably one of the best filmmakers to capture the achingly annoying experience of being stuck in an arrested state (especially as a teenager). Through her creative eye, Coppola is able to emphasise the 'hopelessness' of the characters whose vapidness disappears when they commit their crimes, while capturing their unpolished refinement. A film that is as cold and callous as its subject matter. It's a calculated risk by Coppola, but one that ultimately works. I liked the film, even if I felt a little dirty afterward. It's taut, makes its point without hammering it home, well acted (particularly Roberts; I know!) and visually delicious. Aided by a lively young cast (headed by Unfabulous star Emma Roberts), the writer-director creates a film that entertains as much as it appalls. The film is a drama, a gentle (if thin) drama of hopeless teenagers, and a canny probe into the ecosystem of California's teen culture and the weird influence it exerts on the rest of the population. Coppola definitely finds a captivating way of telling the tale. Her script and the performances give us something thought-provoking out of something superficial. Coppola's unflinching portrayal is social commentary disguised as teen drama, superbly photographed by Autumn Cheyenne Durald and with pitch perfect acting, especially from Roberts. It tells of the same sickness as her aunt Sofia's works, in other words, but it aims for accessibility instead of sublimity. What it doesn't have is a clear point of view, something that would make it of more interest than leafing through a high school yearbook. The sense of detachment that is a signature of Coppola's aunt -- the coolly distant, stylishly dreamlike way she regards her characters -- may work to her detriment. But the film gives you the feeling that you can reach out and slap these hopeless teens out of their apathy - unfortunately you're restricted to your seat and to your judgement - Coppola makes you work.

Simon says Palo Alto receives:

Film Review: "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014).

"So here we are: a thief, two thugs, an assassin and a maniac. But we're not going to stand by as evil wipes out the galaxy." This line, from the trailer, is basically what Marvel’s surprisingly unique film, Guardians of the Galaxy, is all about. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and produced by Marvel Studios. It is the tenth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is directed by James Gunn, who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman. In the film, Light years from Earth and 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser and forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are on the run as well.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige first mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International. Feige announced that the film was in active development at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International during the Marvel Studios panel, with an intended release date of August 1, 2014. He stated that the film's titular team would consist of the characters Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket Raccoon. Nicole Perlman, who was enrolled in Marvel's screenwriting program in 2009, was offered several of their lesser known properties to base a screenplay on. Out of those, Perlman chose Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning's Guardians of the Galaxy, due to her interest in space and science fiction. In early 2012, James Gunn was brought in to contribute to the script. Gunn eventually rewrote the script entirely because "it didn’t work" for him; he would use the film The Dirty Dozen as a reference to convey his ideas of the film to Marvel.

The film features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio del Toro. The performances in this film were all superbly performed. Chris Pratt gives a winning performance as Star-Lord. Saldana gave her best performance in a Science-Fiction film yet! Bautista gave a terrific first performance as Drax. Diesel and Copper gave the best performance of the entire film as Cooper stole the show as Rocket and Diesel was the heart and soul of the film. Pace gave a menacing performance as Ronan. As well as Gillan as Nebula. Reilly gave the films comical touch.

It is an out-of-body experience. Guardians of the Galaxy is the movie that's going to entertain a lot of contemporary folk who have a soft spot for the virtually ritualized manners of Marvel comic-book adventure and it is Marvel’s most elaborate, most expensive, most beautiful movie ever made! Gunn has succeeded in his attempt to create the biggest possible adventure fantasy based on Marvel’s most unknown property and films from his childhood. A legendary expansive and ambitious effort to the sci-fi genre, Gunn opens our eyes to the possibilities of that kind of blockbuster film-making and things may never be the same. In conclusion, it is a grandiose and unique epic with a simple and whimsical heart.

Simon says Guardians of the Galaxy receives:

Also, see my review for Captain America: The Winter Soldier.