PUSH...(todd likes movies WAY too much)

Just got in from seeing PUSH, the new sci-fi/hero movie. Figured I'd blog my thoughts. ('Cause that's what you do when you get home from a movie at 12:30am, right?)

Let me start by saying that I loved this movie. I'm so glad I saw it. It's not without its problems, but still a fun ride. Time to break it down:

WHAT WORKS

1. Complex story-line. Most folks don't expect complexity when it comes to hero films, but this one was great. I tend to enjoy movies that have me thinking, questioning, wondering until the very end. PUSH even had an almost "heist movie" feel to it thanks to great pacing and creativity. A few of the questions don't get answered until the very, very end and even then I left wanting to see it again so I could follow it better. Not everybody digs that in movies, but I do!
   
   
2. Nice look. There are some great post-production elements in the movie. Color saturation, film grain, quick cuts all made for a pretty cool viewing experience - even adding some surprise to scenes that might otherwise be pretty normal.
   
   
3. Conspiracy. A hero movie with government conspiracy isn't new, but most of the time it's pretty cut and dried. This movie delved pretty deep into an existing mythology/paranoia regarding these gifted people and the government that's trying to keep things under control.
   
   
4. Lots of characters. I love big ensembles in movies. And not just the main characters. There were at least two tiers of villains, some surprising supporting players and even names from the lead characters' histories are very present throughout the story.
   
   
5. Effects. There were some cool effects in this movie, but it wasn't overpowering. Personally, I thought there was good balance between "look-what-my-computer-can-do" and "here's-a-great-story-you-want-to-be-a-part of.
   

WHAT DOESN'T

1. Acting. I'll be honest. The acting could be better (specifically from Dakota Fanning and Djimon Hounsou.) There are a couple of villains that are a bit too cartoonish for a film that's relatively grounded.
   
   
2. Trying Too Hard. This may sound like I'm backtracking, but I'll throw it out there anyway. While I did love the twists in the story-line and how they were revealed, I think the production could have survived with a little less. Toward the end, I was expecting to be surprised, which is never good. (Right, M. Night?)

If you're looking to catch a movie, I'd highly recommend this one. You'll feel like you got your money's worth and it might even prompt some discussion with others who have seen it. I wouldn't recommend saving it for rental...some of the sound effects and post-production elements really need a big screen to survive.

And let's not forget one of my favorite parts of movie-going...TRAILERS! This one's been bothering me, but I think I've got it figured out.



This seemed really familiar..so I did some digging. And found this from 2007.



Oh...in "Next" Nicholas Cage plays a guy who can see the future. And in "Knowing," Nicholas Cage plays a guy who figures out what's going to happen in the future.

Wait...