Source Code (2011)

Groundhog Day but with no laughing.

All joking aside, Source Code was actually an interesting film. Kind of a stretch, but no more so than Inception or any other conceptual movie like it. They are both movies that depict fictional science. But if you can get past reality of the situation, it was definitely an entertaining watch.

Larking back to my previous Groundhog Day comment, I could definitely make some comparisons between the film. You got the same feeling of boredom watching a series of events happen over and over. And there was a similar moment where Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) predicted mundane happenings directly before they occurred, puzzling the female lead, played by Michelle Monaghan (Eagle Eye, Due Date). But these small similarities didn't take away from the film, which was much more action based. Didn't laugh once, promise.

The film tackles some heavy subjects if you're into that sort of thing. I mean, how much is a soldier expected to sacrifice for his country? This guy has to die over and over and over again. Don't get me wrong, saving lives is a priority. But the ethics of the situation is the real question.

The visual effects were decent. Nothing really outside of the box. I definitely appreciated the choice to keep Jake Gyllenhaal in place even when inside the source code. Bouncing back and forth between two actors would be confusing. Sound on the other hand was a mixed bag for me. I didn't notice anything throughout the film, but I found myself despising the background music during the introduction. I felt like I was transported back to some bad 80s movie. Ughh *shiver*

All joking aside, I would still recommend the film. Maybe don't go out of your way to see it in theaters, but a DVD is definitely an option. Don't worry about Blu-Ray, the only difference will be how crisp Gyllenhaal's five o'clock shadow looks. 6.5/10, maybe a seven. But only if you still haven't gotten over Donnie Darko.

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Limitless (2011)

A ridiculously exciting roller coaster from start to finish. I seriously do not know where to begin.

The visual effects were stunning. Moments where Eddie (Bradley Cooper) was on the drug gave you, the audience, the feeling that you were actually on some sort of drug. The entire world became more vivid, giving his moments of "lucidity" a much more grey feeling. Time and space seemed to have no meaning. I can only assume that if I was the type of person to actually do drugs, I would have this movie on repeat for the rest of my life.

The plot circles around the rise of a poor writer, played by Bradley Cooper, to phenomenal heights in a short span of time. When on the drug, the film is wild and fun. I caught myself laughing out loud on occasion, which is always a good thing. When off the drug, the film is dark and, if I may be so bold, even scary at points. You never quite know what is going to happen next, and in that I think the true beauty of the film shines through. All of the normal predictions got thrown out the window on this one. 

The characters are definitely believable. Eddie, the main character, is a phenomenal protagonist. Even though he is willingly imbibing an illegal substance throughout the entire film, you are with him all the way. I found myself thinking out loud, "If he could just get a little more..." in several instances. His girlfriend, played by Abbie Cornish (Sucker Punch, Candy), was a very convincing person to be dating someone with Eddie's personality. The stereotypical "girl with everything going for her" falling for the "poor, nearly homeless artist" has played out many times before. At least this time it payed off for her. A lot of her interaction with on and off drugs Eddie seems a little odd, like she lets him get away with almost anything. But, after realizing how much she put up with him before NZT, you can kind of get the picture.

I don't want to get into much more. Honestly, I could write a lot about this movie. I really enjoyed it, and it is definitely worth going out and seeing. Don't wait around for DVD, this is a
film worth talking about now.

Easily a 9/10, if not more. 

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