Review: 'The Signal,' starring Laurence Fishburne and Brendon Thwaites

Now I’m going to keep it 100 with you readers here: I went into The Signal not knowing anything about this. I think at most I might’ve seen the trailer when I was sitting in a Landmark theater before seeing Palo Alto. So I’m sitting down thinking, "I’m clearly slipping here on my critic game." Luckily, going in blind smacked me with such a wondrous surprise. I got to go in knowing nothing about The Signal, a tight 95-minute sci fi thriller that starts nice slow and builds to great conclusion.

The story starts with a trio of friends on a road trip. Nick and Jonah are taking Nick’s girlfriend Haley to California, where she is going to Caltech. Along the journey the two, who are hackers that go to MIT, are searching for another hacker going by the handle of Nomad. They are trying to get some payback as Nomad almost got them expelled from MIT. They end up tracing Nomad to a remote place in the middle of the desert and once they search, things go bad quickly, and soon we just see Nick waking up in some government-looking facility in captivity being questioned by scientist in protective suit named Damon.

I’m not going to lie here: This film is pretty surprising. The film starts pretty much like a simple relationship drama and then for a short moment went into found-footage territory that got me scared. See, I find those films quite laughably terrible, but then right when you think it’s going in one direction, it completely changes on you again. This is where the film excels: its ability to shift between genre styles yet still keep its science-fiction core.

There are not many actors in this film, so the focus is manly on the four main stars here. Most of the heavy lifting in acting is on Brendon Thwaites as Nick and Laurence Fishburne as Damon. Each scene with the two of them has a great back and forth that at points can remind you of Fishburne’s scenes in the show Hannibal with how much is said with just calm delivery and facial expressions. Beau Knapp does well as essentially the “best friend with quips” Jonah. The script doesn’t overdo it at all. The Haley character is pretty interesting in the beginning of the film, but basically becomes a damsel in distress that left me very cold. I think Olivia Cooke who plays Haley could’ve done more if given the chance.

Overall, William Eubank has directed a pretty great little sci-fi film. It gave me the same feeling the films Moon and Chronicle did. Here is something new and original on the screen with fresh faces that didn’t cost the GDP of a small country to make.  I hope all you take the time to find and see this summer-time gem of a film because it’s really worth it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Guttenbergs

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Focus Features May Pick Up Keanu Reeves' 'Passengers'

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for Keanu Reeves' long-delayed, troubled sci-fi romance, Passengers. Reeves and writer Jon Spaihts (Prometheus) have been developing the project for years, finally moving forward on it last year with Brian Kirk directing and Reese Witherspoon as the other lead. She dropped out, Rachel McAdams came aboard, only for her and distributor The Weinstein Company to back out mere weeks before filming.

Once again in limbo, it looked like that may be the final word on it, but now Focus Features is in talks to pick up the North American distribution rights. Weinstein left specifically due to the lack of a female lead, and the search for a major actress has to be considered a priority. Focus may not take the plunge without a big name to star opposite Reeves, who is no longer the box office draw he once was.

Spaihts' story appeared on the Black List and centers on a mechanic woken up early from hypersleep while making the centuries-long voyage to another planet. Faced with the prospect of living the rest of his life alone, he wakes up a beautiful passenger to be his companion.   [TheWrap]

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Matt Damon, John Krasinski, and Gus Van Sant's 'Promised Land' goes to Focus Features

Real brief update on the film which was initially intended to be Matt Damon's directorial debut before he had to drop out due to his already jam packed schedule. The small budgeted flick, co-written and starring Damon and John Krasinski(The Office), was passed on by Warner Brothers, leaving the film a little bit in the lurch. But now Deadline reports it's landed in what I think is the perfect situation, with Focus Features and Participant Media teaming up to handle production. Very nice, as Focus knows exactly how to push a prestige picture like this, whereas Warner Brothers really only makes blockbusters nowadays.

Gus Van Sant came aboard a couple of weeks ago to direct the film, which now has the title of Promised Land. The story, described as being similar to the works of Frank Capra, will follow two rival executives in a small town, with Damon's character having his entire life thrown into question.

Filming should begin in April, and personally I think Focus has found themselves a winner here.

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Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom now shooting; Focus Features picks up the rights

I'm probably not the biggest fan of Wes Anderson's films. It's been diminishing returns as far as I'm concerned after the greatness that was Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. Although his Fantastic Mr. Fox was the best animated movie of 2009 and should've kicked Up's tail. With that said I can't help but be a little excited over his next project, Moonrise Kingdom, which is now currently shooting in Rhode Island.


So what makes this one such a big deal? Well before we get the story, just check out the cast that any director would give up their first born for:  Wes Anderson regulars Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray; Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, and Frances McDormand. Guh. Sign me up. There's also a rumor floating around that Owen Wilson may turn up as well, which I don't think anyone would be surprised about. This has to be the best crew Anderson's put together since Tenenbaums, and look how well that turned out. Playing the two kiddies that are the centerpiece of the story are unknowns Jared Gilman and Kara Heyward. So what kind of mischief will those two be causing? Check out the plot below...

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, Moonrise Kingdom follows a young boy and girl falling in love. When they are moved to run away together, various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down – which might not be such a bad thing. Bruce Willis plays the town sheriff; two-time Academy Award nominee Edward Norton is cast as a camp leader; Academy Award nominee Bill Murray and Academy Award winner Frances McDormand portray the young girl’s parents; the cast also includes Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman. The young boy and girl are played by Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward.

Sounds like an idea that could lead to a much funnier live-action film than Anderson's given us in years. Then again I thought the plot for The Life Aquatic sounded cool, and it was so boring hospitals use it for general anesthesia. The script was written by Anderson along with The Darjeeling Limited(ugghh!!) co-writer, Roman Coppola.

Focus Features, my favorite studio, has picked up the worldwide rights, making this the first film of Anderson's that they'll distribute.

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