Olympus Has Fallen (** out of ****)

I mean what did you expect? A stellar action movie that would match Die Hard in quality? I mean coming close to a feat like that would be even ludicrous. Olympus Has Fallen suffers from nearly all the problems seen in pro-american thrillers, they just come off as so artificial. The amount of eye roll worthy moments in the film would be a record high for such a type of film. Just because you have the president of the United States in the film, it doesn't make him an interesting character.

Gerard Butler plays a former secret service member who after a incident is transferred away from the president's service (Aaron Eckhart). During a visit from the Souther Korean Prime Minister, North Korean soldiers look to strike. launching a ridiculous assault on the White House they look to capture the president to get his hands on a special code that could destroy the country. The assault on the White House is pretty entertaining if look past all the stupidity involved by the guards there. Gerard Butler is alone in the ruined capital and must save his country (well sort of, I mean an Irishman playing a patriot).  he's not trapped in with the North Koreans, but they're trapped in their with him (it's that kind of cheesiness you can expect). Also Morgan Freeman plays the Speaker of the House, he's just there to make the wrong decisions and say things about how much in distress the country is. It's not all bad , some of the action is quite fun and the destruction looks great. Still the film is just a nothing special action movie. I mean how special can it be when there is a nearly identical movie coming out this summer with White House Down.

** out of ****

Stoker (***1/2 out of ****)

Something is wrong, in the household of the Stoker family and also a bit in the audience. Director Chan-wook Park takes full control in making this a uncomfortable and yet devilishly delicious experience. The film equivalent of a spider crawling up your body.

It is on India Stoker's (Mia Wasikowska) eighteenth birthday that her father is killed in an automobile accident. At his funeral service, India meets the uncle she never knew she had, Charlie Stoker (Matthew Goode). The feelings of confusion and annoyance from his appearance is only worsened when India's mother Evelyn (Nicole Kidman) invites Charlie to stay with them for an indefinite amount of time. Charlie is unsettling, there is something he's hiding, his intentions are a mystery. India has just no idea what Charlie entering her life means.

It is in the attention of detail that Stoker most thrives. Heightened sounds and an unusual palette of color (some times absolutely luscious in scope and others bland but never mute) makes it a wonder to the senses. Stoker is a movie looking to create literate. There a vast array of symbolism and troupes at work here. It is a dizzying joy to point each one out. Stoker is a complicated film, there are a lot of layers to the film, not everything is clear at first. In reflection the film only becomes more impressive.  A terrific cast just make it all the better. It is an atmospheric treat. People are born with control over their lives, they are given to it by the parents. It is only in accepting this can freedom be attained.

***1/2 out of ****