Transcendence (2014)

Will Caster (Johnny Depp) has been developing a self-aware AI for many years, with the help of his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall). He has relied also on the groundbreaking work of several colleagues in the field, such as personal friends Max Waters (Paul Bettany) and Joseph Tagger (Morgan Freeman), among others.

When our story begins, Will is giving a presentation to potential investors about the future of AI, and how it can advance not only the human race, but also technology in general, and indeed the wider world.

However, there is also a vigilante group who have been targeting AI researchers across the country, and even around the world. One of the members of this group - present at the event - shoots Will in the foyer after the seminar.

Will is fortunate that the bullet merely grazed him, so at first it seems like he will be okay and make a full recovery. However, the bullet was laced with polonium, so slowly but surely, his internal organs and nervous system begin to shut down, and he is told he has only a few months left to live.

Will Caster (Johnny Depp), Evelyn Caster (Rebecca Hall) and Max Waters (Paul Bettany).

As he faces the end of his life, and Evelyn faces the rest of her life alone, they come up with a 'terrible' - at least it is terrible to everyone who knows them, the two of them see no issue with it - plan; that is, to upload Will's consciousness to the computer they have been developing the AI system on, so that he can not only continue to live on - in a digital form - but AI as a concept can continue to develop.

The vigilante group, however - led by a young intern named Bree (Kate Mara), who had worked with Max in the past - continue their campaign against all advancement of AI technology.

Their crimes - they have already killed a number of researchers - are investigated by FBI Agent Buchanan (Cillian Murphy), with assistance from Joseph Tagger.

I'll leave the plot description there for now, you can experience it for yourself if you so choose.

Joseph Tagger (Morgan Freeman).

The screenplay, by Jack Paglen, is clever enough. The characters are reasonably well-defined, and there are plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing and keep you interested until the film's conclusion. That being said, a lot of the plot points are relatively standard for a film in this genre, so there aren't a lot of surprises for anyone used to films of this nature, but it is still interesting enough to keep you watching.

Mychael Danna's score likewise is relatively standard for the genre. It's not bad, in fact, it's fine for what it is, but there isn't anything too adventurous or outlandish in the score or the instrumentation. The music is suited well to the film, however, with all the major significant emotional points highlighted well by the addition of music. The film doesn't feel overscored at any point, either, which is good.

The production design, by Chris Seagers, is excellent, transporting the viewer directly into the middle of the film's world and environment. From tech servers to a post-apocalyptic world, everything has been created to suit the film, and it does so to a tee.

Agent Buchanan (Cillian Murphy).

Cast performances are again standard for the genre. Johnny Depp is perhaps not as good in this film as he has been in others, then again, he doesn't have a lot of screen time, so it's harder to judge for certain. While there may not be a lot of emotion or rise and fall in his voice for most of the film, for most of the film, he is nothing more than an AI interface, so this actually works well.

Rebecca Hall gives an amazing performance as Evelyn, particularly in the more intense emotional moments, when one assumes she is delivering her performance to an empty room - without the benefit of another actor to 'bounce off' emotionally - which only adds to the impressiveness of what she can convey.

Director Wally Pfister has made a fairly standard science fiction thriller here, that is certainly enjoyable enough to warrant more than one viewing. I have seen this film a few times now, and it still affects me each time, so that must be saying something. If you haven't seen it, it is certainly worth a watch; there is plenty to think about and discuss afterwards.

7 out of 10.

Surf's Up (2007)

After the success of movies like March of the Penguins and Happy Feet, it should come as no surprise that this - another movie featuring penguins - would be on the cards. But this time, it's penguins who love to surf.

Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf) is a young penguin who loves nothing more than surfing, much to the chagrin of his mother, brother and in fact the rest of his colony.

Since he was just a young chick, Cody has looked up to his hero, the greatest surfing penguin ever, Zeke 'Big Z' Topanga (Jeff Bridges), and wants to be just like him. Sadly, Big Z has been dead for ten years, and the biggest surfing meet, the Z Memorial, is coming up soon.

Promoter Reggie Belafonte (James Woods) is desperate to find the next big thing in surfing penguins, and with the help of his assistant Mikey (Mario Cantone), discovers Cody, and takes him to Pen Gu Island where the big event is about to begin.

Once there, Cody meets another great surfer, a chicken named Joe (Jon Heder), and the two become close friends.

Another champion surfer, Tank 'The Shredder' Evans (Diedrich Bader) - who was competing against Big Z on that fateful day - challenges Cody to a surf-off. A massive wave throws Cody from his board, and he is badly injured.

Lifesaver Lani (Zooey Deschanel) takes Cody to a mysterious medicine man (should that be medicine penguin) known as Geek, hoping he can recover in time for the championship.

The story is told in a documentary style, featuring 'interviews' with the characters as the story progresses. The script - by Don Rhymer and Ash Brannon & Chris Buck & Christopher Jenkins - is quite inventive in this way, rather than just being your typical animated movie.

The characters are all clearly defined and written, and the voice performers give their all in bringing these personalities to life. I think the best of the lot is probably Jeff Bridges, but Zooey Deschanel is also excellent.

Mychael Danna's music is good, though there isn't a great deal of original music in the film. The filmmakers instead have chosen to use several pre-existing songs, predominantly rock songs, and a few surfing anthems.

The quality of the animation is decent, especially the scenes featuring surfing; the detail in the moving water is great.

Directors Ash Brannon & Chris Buck have made a reasonable film here. I enjoyed watching it for the purposes of writing this review, and I think I would enjoy it again.

6 out of 10.

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Another beautiful and heart-warming story from the team at Pixar, this film poses the question, “What would have happened if the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs had never hit the Earth?”

And that’s exactly how the film begins: An asteroid headed for Earth flies right past, and the dinosaurs continue to live.

Fast forward a few million years (to when humans come along). But they’re not the humans you expect. In this film, the animals are the intelligent beings, and the humans are the “dumb animals”.

Young dinosaur Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) wants nothing more than to impress his parents (Jeffrey Wright and Frances McDormand) as much as his siblings do. The only problem is, he’s not very strong, not very brave, not very anything, really.

But when the river sweeps him far downstream, and away from home, he must find the strength that lies inside him to get back to his family.

With him is small human Spot (Jack Bright), who is more like a little dog to Arlo, communicating in growls, howls and snarls and walking on all fours.

Along the way, they get help from a family of Tyrannosaurus Rex, Nash (AJ Buckley), Ramsey (Anna Paquin) and their father Butch (Sam Elliott).

Of course, they face plenty of obstacles too, but I’ll let you discover those for yourself.

It feels like I say this every time I review an animated movie, but the realism of computer animation just keeps on getting better. The rocks, trees, grass, water, fire and every other part of nature in this film is so incredibly realistic, you only remember the film is animated when you see the talking dinosaurs.

The screenplay – by Meg LeFauve – is clever, in the same way most animated films are these days, certainly most Pixar films. There is plenty below the surface for older viewers to enjoy, as well as young viewers. I appreciate the cleverness of the writing and the humour immensely.

The score by Mychael and Jeff Danna is superb, strong in all the right places and subtle in others, never distracting you from the action on the screen, but at all times supporting it.

Director Peter Sohn has brought us a beautiful film, that will remind you that healthy fear is not a bad thing, and there are more important things in life than what others think of you.

7 out of 10.