Reel advice: Troubled times

Science fiction has been very good to Will Smith. The popular and profitable Men In Black series alone has helped to make Smith's name synonymous with the genre. Of course, we can't forget about Independence Day, I Am Legend and Hancock, to name a few other examples of how good the genre has been to Smith.

In After Earth (Columbia), 1,000 years after we destroyed the paradise that was our home, the planet is uninhabitable, overrun by species that have evolved to kill humans. General Cypher Raige (Smith) and his teenage Kitai (Jaden Smith), are dealing with an evolution on a more personal level. Described by his mother Faia (Sophie Okenodo) as a "feeling and intuitive boy," Kitai, who, in spite of having impressive test scores, is not promoted from Cadet to prestigious Ranger. He worries about disappointing his legendary father and is also still mourning the death of older sister Senshi (Zoe Kravitz), killed by an Ursa (alien). Meanwhile Cypher, who rose to prominence for his "ghosting" (fearlessness) skills, is aware of the chasm between him and his son and plans to retire following one last mission.

Encouraged by Faia, Cypher takes Kitai on the mission with him, to "make good memories together." But a brutal meteor storm seriously damages the ship in which they are traveling, causing it to crash on Earth, killing the entire crew with the exception of the father and son. Cypher, who is badly injured (two broken legs), sends Kitai out to track down a beacon necessary to facilitate their rescue.

From there the movie takes off in a couple of directions. One is an exploration of the relationship between father and son. Kitai feels like he has something to prove to Cypher and often disobeys him, putting himself in danger to do so. Cypher, on the other hand, has a military attitude about being disobeyed, especially by his own son. The other direction the movie takes is one of thrills and chills and special effects galore. Giant birds, killer feline hybrids, flying snakes and a ruthless Ursa make Kitai's journey a nearly impossible one.

After Earth is not without its share of problems. The accents employed by the Smiths are inconsistent and distracting, putting the questionable acting further in doubt. The dialogue, which is supposed to have a formality to it, is often awkward and stilted. There's also a vague whiff of Scientology residue to the story (the dreaded fear). But M. Night Shyamalan wisely avoided going for 3D. After Earth comes close to being Shyamalan's best work in at least 10 years, but that might not be saying much anymore. It's simply not enough for him to be forgiven for The Happening or The Last Airbender, but it's a small step, rather than a giant one, in the right direction.

Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean (Iconoclastic Features): Remember the second wave of gay indie films that appeared in the early to mid-1990s? Films such as Swoon, Poison, Go Fish, My Own Private Idaho and Paris Is Burning gave us hope for a future shining brightly on movie screens across the nation. The trend continued through the `90s and into the early part of the 21st century. But with only a few exceptions (Keep The Lights On, Weekend, Pariah and How To Survive A Plague for example), the momentum has been lost (see the agonizing Scrooge & Marley or Strange Frame).

Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean doesn't do much for the cause. Writer/director Matthew Mishory probably didn't set out to make a bad, boring or even pretentious movie, but that's what we have. In the first few black and white moments alone we experience the eroticization of cigarette burns before being whisked off to gay poet Rimbaud's 1873 bedroom in France and then a reverend's smoky Indiana study in the late 1940s.

By 1951, we have made it to the Hollywood Hills and a flesh-filled pool party at the home of Hollywood homo honcho Roger (Edward Singletary). James Dean (James Preston), known as "quite the wild one," is there in all his glory. A trip to Joshua Tree results in a minor run-in with the law. Dean broods intensely in his UCLA acting class, concentrating on absorbing the wisdom put forth by the instructor (David Pevsner).

At Dean's suggestion, a classmate (Dan Glenn) becomes his roommate. The sexual tension between them is palatable, but Dean gets off with other guys, including a dockworker that lives in Venice Beach. Still, Dean and the roommate find time to cuddle, for example, when the roommate offers his drunk mother his bed for the night.

A sort of SoCal travelogue begins, from Roger's pool parties to UCLA to dinners with horny homo execs in fancy Hollywood eateries to a beach where Dean picks up a more age-appropriate guy for sex. Pushing the tough guy angle a bit hard, Dean admits to having done it all – "beatings, boots, bondage" – more than once, taking in "all the experiences life has to offer." Dean finally sleeps with the roommate, "the only person that's ever meant anything" to him. He also sleeps with a director (Robert Gant) who gives him the career boost he needs.

A pleasure to look at, if a bit artsy, Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean is an untraditional portrayal of one of the most iconic performers to ever appear on screen. It's a shame it's not a better movie. (June 7, 8, 11 at the Siskel on State.)

The East (Fox Searchlight): A smart thriller, like corporate responsibility, could be considered an oxymoron. They've become an endangered species, as with the wildlife, being erased by the environmental damaged caused by corporate disregard for the planet.

The East, directed by Zal Batmanglij, who co-wrote the screenplay with the film's star Brit Marling, is a refreshing change of pace. It's a smart thriller with a conscience. Former FBI employee Jane (Marling), an undercover agent at top-rated private intelligence agency Hiller/Brood, is assigned to infiltrate eco-terrorist group The East.

But Jane is not your typical operative. She's young and has never failed at anything on the job yet, the second being something that makes her boss Sharon (Patricia Clarkson) uneasy. That could be due to her faith (she prays) or it could be her own inner fortitude. Even though she's obviously devout, she sees nothing wrong with lying to her boyfriend Tim (Jason Ritter) about her job-related travel.

We immediately see how good Jane is at her work. Acquiring a new identity as Sarah, including a blonde dye-job and decidedly down-scale wardrobe, she easily fits in with the dumpster-diving Freegans and counter culture kids. Before long, she finds herself in the company of gay East member Luca (Shiloh Fernandez) who brings her back to HQ. Once there she is drugged and watched over by deaf squatter Eve (Hilary Baack), quickly earning her trust.

Once she passes a test administered by leader Benji (Alexander Skarsgård), Sarah only has to prove herself to the distrustful second in command Izzy (Ellen Page). Soon enough, Sarah is included in one of The East's jams, an action involving retribution on a pharma company that produced and continues to distribute a lethal drug. Unbeknownst to her compatriots, Sarah manages to play both sides, minimalizing the jam's damage which involved poisoning high ranking officials in the company with their own product. Nevertheless, The East does a degree of damage and the result of their action makes the news.

The East finds an easy balance between Jane/Sarah's story, about a young professional perfectionist driven to succeed, with that of those whose lives took a vastly different direction than hers (of course, some were able to do so because of, say, a trust fund). The East is at its most intriguing as we watch her struggle with the personal conflicts that arise (an unsurprising relationship with Benji) and the gripping finale (the breath strips + SIM card scene must be seen to be believed) definitely earns the movie its place on the thriller map.