Wish Upon a Star (1996)

Directed by: Blair Treu

Starring: Katherine Heigl, Danielle Harris, Donnie Jeffcoat, Scott Wilkinson, Mary Parker Williams, Matt Barker and Lois Chiles

Genre: Teen, Family

Rated: PG

In this take on the Freaky Friday switcheroo, the story follows two sisters, Alexia and Hayley Wheaton, who couldn’t be more different. Alexia (Heigl) is beautiful, outgoing and popular, but a bit of an airhead. Hayley (Harris) is her nerdy socially awkward little sister who would do anything to live Alexia’s life. One night while studying for an astronomy exam, Hayley sees a shooting star and makes a wish. The next morning, the girls have switched bodies. What follows is both comical and dramatic as the girls learn what life is like in each other’s lives and the true bond of sisterhood.

I first saw this movie as a kid, when the Disney channel actually played movies worth watching. It was often paired back to back with either Susie Q or the Escape to Witch Mountain remake. I loved everything about this movie, but mostly Heigl’s wardrobe. However, I did become a fan of both Harris and Heigl because of this movie and have followed the work of both actresses ever since.

Now, I still adore the film. While the concept isn’t exactly original – it has been done to death in countless versions of Freaky Friday and multiple knock offs – the writing and performances really pulled the film together. The other actors fade into the background around our two leading ladies. Danielle Harris did an excellent job of switching from the shy, nerdy outcast to the snotty, nit-picky popular girl. Heigl’s performance is a bit less convincing, but she still does a great job with the material.

What I really liked about the film was how each sister was able to find herself through living the other sister’s life. Though there is definitely some conflict in the beginning, by the end of the ordeal the girls come out with a better understanding of each other and themselves. I feel the film pushes two solid messages that every teenage girl should learn – stand up for what you believe in and always be yourself.

Overall, a fun body-swapping flick with a few positive messages built in. I first saw this when I was about ten years old, and I love it just as much at age twenty-three as I did then.  

8/10

Prometheus (2012)

 

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Guy Pearce

Genre: Science Fiction / Horror

Rated: R

The film begins with Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) and their team discovering an ancient cave painting in the hills of Scotland. Two years later, Shaw and Holloway are a part of a group of scientists embarking on a mission to find the alien beings depicted in the painting. Shaw has dubbed these otherworldly creatures as “engineers” and believes them to be the ones who created us. As the crew lands on a moon, they find what they’re looking for and more danger than they could have imagined.

The first thing that must be stated about this film is that the visuals are absolutely amazing. While some are clearly computer generated, this is CGI done right – which is a rarity. The space travel, aliens and action sequences are very well done and enjoyable. There isn’t an obvious fakeness to them that detracts from the intensity of the scene.

The gore and death scenes are uncomfortable to say the least. The scares worked well – depicting people being penetrated by alien creatures, being confined in small spaces with them, or having them extracted from the human body. For example, a self-inflicted cesarean operation is drawn out in gory detail.  

The acting is very well done, even though some of the characters are barely used to their potential. Noomi Rapace brings Shaw to life and makes her a character to root for and care about. Michael Fassbender as the android David is remarkable as well. He is able to convey multiple characteristics and show minute emotions that go undetected by the rest of the crew. Marshall-Green’s Dr. Holloway is likable at first, but slowly becomes more and more annoying, taking unnecessary risks and getting drunk the first night after investigating the moon’s caves. Both Charlize Theron and Guy Pearce are completely underutilized and their characters feel hollow to me.  I would have liked to know more about them.

Some of the actions of the supposed scientists make little sense to me. Like why an experienced biologist would try to touch a living alien life form without taking any necessary precautions. You’re just asking to get picked off that way, buddy. This is even more bizarre when you think about how, just moments before, the same biologist ran from the carcass of a much larger, decapitated alien. If he were afraid of the dead, why try to interact with the living?

The ending, while a fun ride, feels a bit rushed. Everything happens in rapid succession and then the film is over. I would have liked to see a longer fight scene at the end between the surviving character and the Engineer, but I’ve heard the DVD/Blu Ray is going to be an extended director’s cut, so maybe that will contain the action I long for.

Overall, not a classic film, but a fun one. Worth a watch for Ridley Scott fans or fans of Sci-fi in general. The visuals and violence scenes are top notch and the performances of Rapace and Fassbender give us at least a couple characters to enjoy. There’s plenty of action and scares for everyone.

6.5/10