The RetrIever Weekly 09.29.09 ARTS 17 COURTESY TOUCHstONE PICTURES When the surrogates, the perfect and physically beautiful robotic representations of actual humans start being mur- dered, Tom Greer (Bruce Willis) uncovers an intricate conspiracy regarding the surrogate phenomenon. New film Surrogates explores g omin dystopian robotic sci-fi future C to theaters This week Daniel Supanick Despite this issue, Surrogates is surrogate-using population and the CONTRIBUTING WRITER an adequate thriller. It sports some surrogate-opposing population to by Daniel fun action scenes and has enough explore the nature of these opposing Science fiction has always had suspense and thrills to keep an forces, and what this opposition can a fairly bleak look at robotic audience's attention. Bruce Willis say about humanity. It doesn't use Supanick technology and its applications. does a solid job as Tom Greer, a Greer's escape from his surrogate as According to most every film made police officer who must set aside his a way to examine the world he now about robots and computers, the surrogate and go out in the world as sees with his real eyes. Everything CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY [PG] The new documentary from Michael Moore focuses on the economic technology will eventually become himself in order to solve a conspiracy just is, and isn't given meaning. crisis and who is to blame for the ongoing disaster. Expect an unslanted, self-aware and destroy or enslave behind the murder of two humans The next problem that plagues balanced, and restrained inside look at the major players in the great the human race. Movies about who were killed through their own the movie is that even the points economic plunge, because as we all know, Michael Moore is a profes- robots don't usually stray from this surrogates. While he is playing made on the surface of the film's sional in the field of restraint and balance. concept, and over the years it has a character he has played many idea are prioritized below the film's become very one-noted. times before, he is still a pleasure action sets. What observations the THE INVENTION OF LYING [PG-13] Surrogates, the new film from to watch. The film follows general film makes are shirked aside as we British comedian Ricky Gervais’ new film takes place in an alternate Terminator 3 director Jonathan action movie conventions, but it watch Bruce Willis chase and fight universe where lying doesn’t exist. Gervais plays the man who tells the world’s first lie, thus sending society into a tailspin. Backed up by a pow- Mostow, bases itself on this concept. uses its concept to stand out at least villains. The concept is never made erhouse comedic cast, including Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., However, he doesn't have the somewhat. to seem very important to Mostow, and Tina Fey, expect an amusing, but not wholly satisfying, product. technology to enslave us against our Surrogates has its version of the and he never seems interested in will. Instead, we willingly let the future down pretty plainly. It is a anything other than making a cool TOY STORY & TOY STORY 2 IN 3D [PG] technology enslave us, even if the slick future run on the need for action scene, which then cheapens Stop that. Don’t pretend like you haven’t seen them. Disney, however, technology is unaware of this fact. beauty. Ugliness will not be tolerated. any other aesthetic choice he made. doesn’t think you really have...not until you’ve see it in 3D, that is. In In the film, a majority of the Everything is beautiful, sightly, It makes it as though anything he preparation for the June release of Toy Story 3, Disney and Pixar have put together this 3D double-feature of the animated favorites. Go only human race has given itself over to appealing to the eye. If people are did was just to make the movie if you feel compelled to see the movie you watched a million times as a a new robotic technology known sending beautiful robots in public look cool rather than craft a truly kid. Or was that just me? as surrogates. Surrogates serve as to act in their place, why shouldn't meditative dystopian future. anatomically perfect versions of the world be beautiful? Humans Surrogates is not a bad thriller. It WHIP IT [PG-13] ourselves, or a version of what who choose not to use surrogates has sufficient action beats and its Ellen Page plays a beauty pageant reject who finds her love in life when we wish we looked like. They are live in dire conditions, shacking up characters are fun to watch. What she joins a female roller derby team. The poster for this film prints its title twice, so I wouldn’t expect the film to be any more astute. This is without blotches, without scars, in abandoned buildings that they hurts the film is that it has a high also Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, so expect her to bring the same without imperfections. Surrogates have claimed for their own. They concept that is never fully explored expansive talent she brings to her various acting roles to the director’s make people beautiful, and for a see surrogates as an abomination to or cared for. The film focuses more chair. Wait, did I say “expansive” and “various” in describing Barry- price, a person can mentally control humanity, and they will not stoop to on what's available on the surface, more’s acting? I take that back. This movie’s going to suck. the surrogate's actions, sending the lows of living as those who use and not on what questions this idea them out into the world to live out them do. creates on a deeper level. Even the ZOMBIELAND [R] their thoughts for them. While this future's appearance is arguments presented on its surface Adventureland’s Jesse Eisenberg, Semi-Pro’s Woddy Harrelson, Super- Surrogates presents a very realized, the action scenes provide are pushed aside at times, thus bad’s Emma Stone, and Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin star in compelling idea. Is it better to be satisfying thrills, and the concept is making the film nothing more than this horror comedy as a team of on-the-road acquaintances who team together to survive a zombie outbreak. This film should offer a good beautiful or is it better to be human? used to help the film stand out in its a brainless thrill ride. Is Surrogates mix of zombie action and edgy humor. Also, be on the lookout for Bill This is a concept that begs questions own conventions, but these positive fun to watch? Yes. However, there is Murray. Trust me on this. about humanity, its desires, its points do nothing to solve the so much more that could have been imperfections, and how self-image glaring negative attribute. The film, gotten out of it that ultimately isn't A SERIOUS MAN [R] drives us. Unfortunately, Mostow quite ironically, only focuses on the there. It's a film about the dangers of The new film from the Coen Brothers, the filmmaking team behind The chooses to ignore such deep thinking surface of its idea and doesn't deal giving yourself away to the surface Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, and numerous other classics, this and focuses on the surface issues, with the deeper issues. It doesn't use that contradicts its message and film revolves around a middle-aged Jewish man in the late 1960’s who such as how people would react and the surrogates as a way of exploring never leaves the surface. sees his life falling apart around him, despite his best efforts to make what their opinions would be. Even self-image and how we let ourselves everything work. If the trailer is any indication, this should be a darkly humorous, bleak vision, but isn’t that what we love about the Coens? this eventually takes a backseat to be slaves to appearances. It doesn't Comments maybe sent to the film's action sequences. use the conflict between the [email protected]..