K-PAX

Rating:
Summary: K-PAX -- Pokorn Junkie's (and my) review
Review: Are we alone in the universe? Do you believe in aliens? What do aliens look like? If you ever saw an alien, how would you know it's an alien? What if aliens could look like people? What if the mental patients that think they are aliens really are aliens? Would you believe if you met an alien? These questions and more will fill your mind after watching "K-PAX".

The film is a sci-fi, dramatic, mystery about a man who claims to be from the planet K-PAX and the physiatrist who treats him. The alien's name is prot and he claims to have traveled to Earth by a beam on light. Of course because of his claims he is arrested and taken to a mental institute and examined. The funny thing is, there are funny things about prot-- he can detect UV light- when it's a fact that no human can, he can take doses of drugs and not be affected, and he can eat a banana whole-- ok, not too weird, but you get the jist.

Dr. Powell is prot's physiatrist. At first Dr. Powell ignores the strange unhumanlike qualities that prot posses, but after a while, becomes more and more unsure-- maybe prot is not a psychotic delusional after all, maybe he IS an alien! (Who's the psycho now?)

Anyhow, the movie has a great plot and many interesting side stories as most films that take place in a mental institute posses-- mental people can be very interesting, what can I say? Besides the obvious "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" meets "Starman" appeal, there is also a dark mystery that makes the story even more interesting and dramatic-- but that's a secret.

Kevin Spacey is a wonderful actor and he shines like the star he is in "K-PAX". Jeff Bridges is also good, but I've never really paid much attention to him before so I have nothing with which to compare his acting (in this film). If you are interested in science fiction, if you like to ask questions, and if you like Kevin Spacey be sure to catch the next beam of light to see "K-PAX". It is a wonderful film.

Rating:
Summary: "Ultraviolet"
Review: Workmanlike performances by both Spacey & Bridges, but suspension of disbelief vaporized when Spacey could do things humans couldn't do (seeing in the ultraviolet spectrum & I won't mention the other item pacifistically, as don't wish to make this review a spoiler, but had to do w/ celestial bodies . . .), but still ended up being all too human. The alternate ending on the DVD provides a somewhat defensible position with regard to this apparent incongruency but I'm still on the fence regarding its ultimate plausibility. It felt like the director &/or writer didn't do a thorough job of setting up the laws governing the reality they were trying to create on the screen. Additionally, movie is a remake of a superior film from Argentina (_El Hombre Mirando al Sudeste_, 1986 or Man Facing Southeast_ in the USA) which won awards on the festival circuit. B

Rating:
Summary: "Ultraviolet"
Review: Workmanlike performances by both Spacey & Bridges, but suspension of disbelief vaporized when Spacey could do things humans couldn't do (seeing in the ultraviolet spectrum & I won't mention the other item specifically, as don't wish to make this review a spoiler, but had to do w/ celestial bodies . . .), but still ended up being all too human. The alternate ending on the DVD provides a somewhat defensible position with regard to this apparent incongruency but I'm still on the fence regarding its ultimate plausibility. It felt like the director &/or writer didn't do a thorough job of setting up the laws governing the reality they were trying to create on the screen. Additionally, movie is a remake of a superior film from Argentina (_El Hombre Mirando al Sudeste_, 1986 or _Man Facing Southeast_ in the USA) which won awards on the festival circuit. B

Rating:
Summary: K-KRAP
Review: On the one hand, you've got the nuthouse dramas where the mental patient provides deep truths to inmates and staff alike (Don Juan DeMarco; Cuckoo's Nest). On the other hand, you've got the Taoist alien dispensing generic new-age advice (Starman). Trying to mix the two was a BIG mistake. This movie was way too long, way too slow, too self-involved and overall just dull. Kevin Spacey has done some fantastic work (Seven; American Beauty; Usual Suspects) but this is isn't it.

Also, someone said the ending was ambiguous. Not true. Prot is Robert Porter.

Rating:
Summary: No special effects, this one's all in the noggen
Review: It's a great story, really well thought out. Spacey is aloof enough to be convincing as the alien traveler. I love movies like this that can succesfully make you use your own imagination to visualize something with an engrossing story. It is much more a drama than a sci-fi, but sci-fi buffs for the most part, I would think, would really like K-PAX. Also, there is an extremely cool planetarium scene that will look incredible on your big-screen.

Rating:
Summary: The Stars Shine in This Intelligent Drama about Our Heart
Review: K-PAX is a star that is located far from the Earth with the distance of 1,000 light years. Now you find a guy in the form of Kevin Spacey at the Grand Central Station, who claims that he has come from there, travelling with a dog-eared notebook and a tiny pencil. So, what should we do? An acclaimed psychiatrist Jeff Bridges enters, to investigate the truth about this strange, but harmless and likable fellow named "Prot."

The strength of the film "K-PAX" all lies in the two leads, and as far as their performance goes, the work is perfect. The most amazing part of the film is actually that Kevin Spacey, after so many high-profile roles that attracted the world's attention so far, looks really like a man from K-PAX. Or, maybe that's understatement. He IS a K-PAX. He eats fruits with peels on (including bananas). He communicates with a dog. And he does it so convincingly.

But most of all, he can heal the troubled hearts of the people living in an institute with him. Perhaps that's the part where many viewers find ordinary and clithed about this film. Certainly we have seen such works as "One Flew Over the Cockoo's Nest" or "Awakening" in the past, and some of the topics here seem overlapping with those of the past masterpieces.

Besides that, the film sometimes clutters with two different subject matters -- namely Prot's too believable theories about the outer space, and his hidden past releted unconsciously to his great fear of the sprinkling water. Moreover, the female players Mary McCormack and Alfre Woodard are literally eclipsed by the two stars of the film.

However, the total result is a satisfactory if not impeccable one. After all, you can't see this top-notch acting coupled together so often, and though the story falters sometimes, looking as if lost in space, the final conclusion is reasonably constructed and offers a thought-provoking message. Plus, we have the impressive photography of John Mathieson ("The Gladiator"), whose good use of light matches with the theme of the film. (By the way, the film is released in Japan as "Hikari-no Tabibito," meaning appropriately "The Traveller of the Light."

But the greatest treasure you can find in "K-PAX" is, no doubt, Kevin Spacey. Though the film itself decides not to take a definite conclusion about his character, one thing is clear -- Kevin Spacey is "Prot." You can forgive the flaws when he shines so bright.

Rating:
Summary: Ignore the bad reviews, this is fantastic stuff.
Review: It might, as the critics called it, seem like a tried and tested plot on first glance: guy comes to earth claiming to be an alien. But if you actually WATCH the film you'll see it's much more than that. Spacey and Bridges are two of the finest actors of our generation and they ensure that this film is more than a stupid cliche. Instead it is a journey of self-discovery looking at the lead character's motivation for creating the character Prot, without completely dismissing the possibility of the other planet situation. In the end it helps Bridges to live his own life in a better way, and the film inspires and moves as you see the tragedy which ruined Spacey's life. Top stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Makes you think......
Review: This is an excellent movie! I will watch it more than once.
If you have seen Starman, featuring Jeff Bridges, it has sort
of the same tone as that movie. Kevin Spacey is very believable
as Prot. I tried to second guess the movie the entire time I
was watching it to try and figure out if he was an alien or
just a person who needs help. You will have to watch the movie
to come to your own conclusion as to who Kevin Spacey's character
actually is. And I liked that the director gave us that choice.
Grab a bowl of popcorn and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Spacey is good, but the movie is still boring...
Review: Kevin Spacey is a fine actor. His voice is monotone. He walks with little swagger. He oozes arrogance. He plays a great off-center character ("Seven", "The Usual Suspects", "The Negotiator"). He plays a good everyday kind of guy ("Pay It Forward", "American Beauty"). He just acts superbly in other films ("L.A. Confidential", "Swimming w/Sharks"). And then there is "K-Pax". While Spacey (Prot) is good... I kept thinking to myself... where are we going here? Jeff Bridges plays the bumbling doctor (Powell) who wants to believe Prot is from the planet K-Pax in some far off distant solar system 1000 light years away. Mary McCormack as Mrs. Powell is unconvincing, distant and cold. There were a few glimpses of Spacey's brilliance as an actor in "K-Pax", but not much else. I judge a good movie when the credits are rolling on the screen at the end... and I usually want to go out and buy the DVD. I can't say that about K-Pax.

Rating:
Summary: WHAT HAPPENED TO BESS??????
Review: Now, I know what some of you will think, but here we go. What if Prot or "Prote" was actually some being from K-PAX that could take the form of humans or take over the apperance of them sort of like a parasite and a host????????????? We are convinced that Kevin Spacey's character is in fact Robert Porter, but who's to say that Prot did not "take over" Robert's body?????? I mean, the camera shut off for a few seconds when it was appraoching the time for him to go and.............................as the title says..............what happened to Bess?????????? Think about it as one possibility. Oh yeah, I loved the movie.