The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones *1/2

Seen in theater.  Released 2013.
Directed by Harald Zwart
Written by  Jessica Postigo (screenplay), Cassandra Clare (based on the novel by.
With  Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Robert Sheehan, Kevin Zegers, Jemima West, Robert Maillet, Kevin Durand, Godfrey Gao, Lena Headey, Harry Van Gorkum.
Cinematography by Geir Hartly Andreassen

Okay so my daughter dragged to me to see this. Actually I went along willingly because I had read the book, which she dragged me to do kicking and screaming.  So yes, I read the book (it wasn't awful) , and my first thought is how much of this film would be comprehensible for a person who had never read the book.  My instinct would say that  pretty much.  It had the major points of the plot, but was simplified.

This is a film marketed to the teenage girl market, but there is probably enough action for the boyfriends to come along too.  There are beautiful people(i.e. the daughter of singer Phil Collins).  And the cinematography is quite nice too.  It has a very Gothic look, though it is slick and overproduced.  Think Nosferatu vs. Twilight.  A little more grittiness a la Nosferatu would have been nice for me and still would have kept its Gothic feel.

Clary (Collins) is a normal teenager until one day she witnesses a murder and that very same day her mom has disappeared.  All this happens and then she finds out that she comes from a long line of demon slayers, a fact her mom was trying to hide from her.  But Clary's power is too great and she breaks the spell that hides her real self.  She meets and joins a team of young demon slayers and the fun begins.

Overall it is a watchable film.  As you would expect the dialogue is clunky and the acting is wooden and the story hokey. (traits quite common with this genre).  The story is kind of silly even though it did stick with the book pretty much.  Maybe those missing details that are in the book, would have made the story more engrossing.

Elysium **1/2 out of 4

Seen in theater.  Released 2013.
Directed and written by Neill Blomkamp
With Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner, Brandon Auret
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch

I am a sucker for Sci-fi films.  Not books as much.  I like to see the worlds that are created by film makers.  I guess my imagination isn't as good as some of these film makers, though in theory it should be better. That's why, we are told, books are better than film.

This one is definitely better than average.  I like the worlds it creates.  Elysium is a satellite that orbits Earth.  The rich and powerful live there.  On the dead and used up Earth are the poor, criminal and the immigrants Mostly Mexican - A none too veiled criticism against some policies and political views held today.

 Elysium is beautiful, green and idyllic.  Earth in gritty, brown and violent.  Jodie Foster is chilling as the officer (Delacourt) who is assigned with keeping the riff raff out of Elysium (Homeland Security?).  The riff raff want in mostly for the technology that Elysium has that heels any physical ailment or disease, which they won't share with the people on Earth.

There is one particularly interesting scene when the hero Max (antihero - he was a criminal) played by Matt Damon is hiding from the soldiers.  Knowingly, an old Mexican woman has him hide in her cart filled with pigs.  She understands.

The movie is by no means perfect.  Like all Hollywood pictures, it descends into a flurry of action and fighting.  But that's pretty much par for course.  I would have also liked to see life on Elysium more.  I would have liked to see some fatal crack or flaw in that society, signifying that that life style is not all it is cracked up to be.  Something like Logan's Run.

But all in all enjoyable. A pretty long trailer.