The Fifth Element (1997) (7/10)

A fun movie. Sci-fi with the usual space ships, evil, aliens, magic antidote and so on, but also humour. In fact on one level it seems like a parody of many other serious counterparts to itself. The fifth element needs to be combined with the other four. But the fifth element happens to be alive. I do not know if it is fair to say, but Bruce Willis seems a lot like Indiana Jones but for the background. Not too much acting is needed as there is enough action. Many things about the evil and the aliens go unexplained as usual.

The Fifth Element (1997) (7/10)

Enemy Mine (1985) (4/10)

Netflix thought I would like this. So much for their AI algorithms. It is sci-fi (really? it was more about emotions - first anti, then for and the usual violence thrown in for good measure - just good old earth -on any part of it for that matter - in a different setting), it is based in outer space, it has aliens. Are the criteria so simple?

It is about species, ugliness (of the body, of perception and of the mind) and perhaps goodness (or is that just the residual when ugliness leaves?). In short, you can avoid this. Why did I spend time writing this? Perhaps just to indicate that some good is still left in me.

Enemy Mine (1985) (4/10)

Land of the Lost (2009) (3/10)

An absurd movie, fit for an airliner and I did justice to it. Jumping to different universes, finding creatures there, both like you and unlike you, communicating with them, finding higher purposes and all that kind of junk. No real novelty, no real weird ideas. Just hashing together.

Land of the Lost (2009) (3/10)

District 9 (2009) (4/10)

It seemed to start like a joke. So I laughed along. But then they seem to take themselves seriously and tried to make a story out of it. Scavenger aliens eating catfood waiting for a messiah who is hiding and looking for a tube that contains DNA that can transform alien DNA into whatever? DNA? It would have been a very good joke movie. But there were a few elements that were too realistic. The botch up. The experiments. The weapons and economy angle. There was just no imagination. It was gory for a joke. Sigh!

District 9 (2009) (4/10)

Batteries not included (1987) (7/10)

Several complex issues are handled in this fairy tale. On one level its about metal elves, but on the other it is about several real-life issues. Some elements of encounters of the third kind (Spielberg effect?) are seen when different people look at the same situation from their own perspective (but how else can that be?). I think the difference is that they do that without coming across as egotists. Of course many things e.g. supply of raw material to name a very minor one, are swept under the carpet as they should be in any good fantasy. Otherwise, what is the viewers imagination for? The story outline is simplistic, won't necessarily keep you glued to the screen, but has a few twists and the perceived complexities can take you through.

Batteries not included (1987) (7/10)