Primer (2004) Dir: Shane Carruth

Strange and surreal low-fi sci-fi tension is what we have here.

The plot:
Four budding entrepreneurs are building a device in one of their garages, though the exact nature of the contraption is unclear to begin with. As the project develops, two of their number realise that they are onto something potentially huge, a scientific discovery or breakthrough that could prove game-changing for our society, but decide to keep the secret to themselves, not letting the others know of their suspicions.
Gradually, as the true nature of the device is revealed, and the pair put it to use to try to swell their bank accounts, unforeseen problems arise and, with each step they take to put things right, things spiral ever further out of control.

A deliberately obtuse summary of the plot there, as to reveal any more would be to ruin the drama.

A slow burning, thought provoking slice of low-budget edginess, that raises more questions that it answers, and never for a second treats the viewer like an imbecile, this is clever stuff. Indeed, there are points when trying to decipher the intricacies of the plot begin to make the head hurt, so this is ripe for repeat viewing, in order to shed light more fully on proceedings.
If your idea of sci-fi deals exclusively with aliens and lightsabers and space battles, avoid this like green tinged bacon, but if you want something with substance, depth and gravity, you could do a lot worse. Clocking in at just under eighty minutes, I reckon this one is worth a punt even for those in doubt.
Spellbinding movie making.

5 out of 5

District 9 (2009) Dir: Neill Blomkamp

Neill Blomkamp's searing alien apartheid tract is an uncompromising study in excellence.
The plot:
In 1982, a gigantic alien spacecraft hoves into view, though not over Manahattan or Washington or L.A. as you may expect, but over Johannesburg. After no signs of communication or life are forthcoming, the ship is boarded and, within, a population of malnourished, terrified aliens are found.
Ferried to Earth, to begin with the aliens are given the same rights as humans - health care, benefits etc - but soon the people of Johannesburg begin to resent the 'prawns' and demand that they be removed. Interred in an area known as District 9, the area quickly falls into neglect and the aliens are forced to live in slum-like conditions. Soon, though, even this isn't good enough, and a plan is hatched to move District 9 some 200 miles from Johannesburg, forcefully evicting the aliens from their homes. Put in charge of the operation is Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), an officious, bureaucratic oaf. During an eviction, Wikus discovers some alien artifacts, and is sprayed in the face by a black, unknown substance. Hours later, Wikus is transforming, seemingly becoming one of the 'prawns' and, suddenly, his loyalties switch as his own government hunt him down to use as a weapon.
Unwanted by his wife or his family, Wikus flees to District 9......
Shot in a documentary style, this hurls you into the heart of the action, Blomkamp rendering every shot with an 'in the moment' energy that is breathless.
The camera takes in all it sees, never flinching from the degrading nature of both the conditions the aliens live in and the awful treatment that is meted out to them by meat-headed humans.
Sharlto Copley's Wikus is really put through the ringer and delivers an emotional, highly-wrought performance that sets the nerves on edge.
The movie is also notorious for courting some controversy amongst Nigerian communities with its depiction of the Johannesburg Nigerians as criminals and eaters of alien flesh but, given the political awareness of the movie, it seems unlikely the makers are a bunch of daft racists.
Packing a powerful punch, this is a masterful science fiction film, doing what all good sci-fi does: dealing with real-life issues through the conceit of sci-fi trappings.
Just excellent.

5 out of 5

Moon (2009) Dir: Duncan Jones

Director Duncan Jones' directorial debut is a highly accomplished affair.
The plot:
Sam Bell (played by Sam Rockwell) is a lone astronaut coming to the end of a three year stint on the dark side of the moon, where he is in charge of maintenance and operation of a process shipping a resource back to Earth which helps alleviate the planet's power shortages. With only a few short weeks to go until the ship arrives to take him home, Sam has an accident and awakens to find that it seems he is no longer alone.
And what's more, the new arrival looks exactly like himself......
With a genuine feel of such excellent retro fare as Alien, Silent Running, 2001 and even Blake's 7, this is well steeped in sci-fi conventions.
Jones does a fantastic job of instilling a real sense of claustrophobic paranoia, clearly demonstrating his knowledge of the genre.
Now, an interesting thing: Jones is son of that well known pop / rock / goth sensation David Bowie, the housewives favourite, which would normally irritate, with suspicions of nepotism elevating to positions of stardom and esteem far in excess of the individual's talent, but that is simply not the case here.
A joyously tense slice of quality sci-fi that we have not seen in manies the year.
Loved it.

5 out of 5

Solaris (1972) Dir: Andrei Tarkovsky

Andrei Tarkovsky's original Solaris is a brooding, melancholic affair, beautifully shot, that is as absorbing as it is long.
The plot: A psychologist, Kris Kelvin, is sent to a space station orbiting the mysterious ocean planet Solaris, after reports of strange goings on aboard reach mission control, not to mention the disappearance and possible murder of one of the scientists aboard.
When Kris reaches the space station, he is greeted with open hostility by the two survivors, and is perplexed by the young woman he keeps seeing fleetingly, though no woman is reportedly aboard. It's not long before his sanity is stretched to breaking point as he is paid visits by his long dead wife, victim of suicide.
Where are the hallucinations coming from, and what is there purpose?
Could it be the planet itself trying to communicate with him?
Hauntingly emotive, this is a slow burner that will drag like a dog's posterior on wet grass for some, but will simply fly by for others.
If action, explosions and laser battles is what you look for in your sci-fi, steer well clear of this, for this is much more austere, a thinking man's science fiction movie, unfit for the dribbling masses.
As Tarkovsky's painful attention to detail allows the narrative to slowly unfold, at an achingly sombre pace, the majesty of the visuals sweeps you along, utterly captivating, utterly riveting, as scene after visually sumptuous scene will leave your mind reeling, convinced that someone must have spiked you with a hallucinogen, for how else to explain the wonders you are witnessing?
At two hours forty five in duration, this is challengingly long, especially bearing in mind that almost nothing happens, but this isn't about plot twists and sleight of hand scripting, this is all about sensory stimulation, and the director achieves his aim, and then some.
As beautifully evocative a movie as you are likely to see, this comes highly recommended.

5 out of 5