Michelle Monaghan, arguably the most underrated actress in Hollywood, has signed on to star in indie drama Fort Bliss.

Monaghan, known most for her roles in Source Code, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Gone Baby Gone, will stars as female soldier who, after being transferred home after a long tour in Afghanistan, struggles to bond with her five-year-old son.

Claudia Myers (Kettle of Fish) will direct from her own screenplay, with filming expected to begin in New Mexico next year.

Monaghan will next be seen in Machine Gun Preacher, opposite Gerard Butler (300) and Michael Shannon (Take Shelter).

Source: Variety

Duncan Jones’ Source Code, written by Ben Ripley and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan, was a fantastic follow-up to his 2009 debut, Moon, taking almost quadruple its $32m. budget at the box office alone this spring.

One of the film’s producers, Mark Gordon, has now sold a TV version of it to CBS, THR report, turning the concept into a weekly episodic format.

Gordon is an Oscar-nominated producer of both film and television programmes, whose list of credits is very impressive, including feature films Saving Private Ryan (which earned him his nomination), Speed, The Day After Tomorrow, and TV shows Reaper, Grey’s Anatomy, and Criminal Minds.

Initially, I thought the idea of developing Source Code into a television show was a terrible idea, because there’s almost no way that the TV show would be anything like as brilliant as the film. But thinking about it a little more, I don’t think it would necessarily have to be as good as the film to still be good. The concept of Source Code, when you think about it, lends itself very well to being turned into a weekly show.

“The action/procedural follows three former federal agents who are part of a top-secret program. Each week, they’ll use “Source Code” technology to jump into the consciousness of people involved in tragic events.”

The only possible/probable pitfall is that, like many shows of its kind (and especially those at CBS – CSI, I’m looking at you), it will no doubt have a very formulaic structure for every episode, and thus quickly start to feel repetitive. Having said this, CSI has of course turned into a major franchise watched across the globe by millions of people every week, who clearly don’t mind if the majority of the episodes have the same basic structure. If it keeps you entertained, does it really matter if it’s entirely original? (An argument can of course be made either way.)

Regardless, I think I’m actually rather warming to the prospect of a Source Code TV show. I love the film so much, and my love for it won’t change regardless of the quality of the adaptation. Steven Maeda, who’s written for TV’s Lost, Lie To Me, and The X-Files, is on board to pen the new programme, and with any luck, Gordon will get a brilliant cast to star, and some great directors on board to shoot it. Hopefully that means I’ll just have more stories set in a world with Source Code to enjoy. More news as we get it.

After making a fantastic debut in 2009 with Moon, winning himself a BAFTA for an Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer, all eyes were on Duncan Jones to see how he would fare with his follow-up project. Source Code does not disappoint.

There are few young British directors working at the moment that I think are showing both current excellence and incredible promise for the future, and Jones is certainly one of them. His debut was by far one of the best I’ve seen in years, and this second film confirms that his talents are not to be underestimated; his creative vision is a force to be reckoned with.

Source Code’s basic premise is arguably nothing groundbreaking, and similar territory has been covered in cinema by the sci-fi genre in years previous. But to me, a film doesn’t necessarily have to be groundbreaking to be worthwhile. If the genre is yet to produce a perfect representation of that story, then all the more reason for writers to try and devise it. And I think Source Code is as close to that perfection as I’ve ever seen.

At the film’s outset, Jake Gyllenhaal’s character, Captain Colter Stevens, awakes on a train bound for Chicago in a body that he soon realises is not his, opposite a woman he does not recognise who calls him Sean and talks to him as if they are friends. Minutes later, just as this woman tells him that everything is going to be okay, we get the first of many brilliantly shot explosions that shoots down the train, engulfing everything in its path.

It is here that we get to see the second world of the film, outside of the Source Code. Captain Stevens is rocketed back into a darkened capsule, where he finds a woman on a screen in front of him in a military uniform. It is she, Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), who briefs him on his mission and tells him about the Source Code. The technology has been developed to allow a person to experience the last eight minutes of another person’s life, and to exist in their reality for those eight minutes. Goodwin tells Stevens that a bomb is on the train, and it is his mission to identify the bomber; a second wave of attacks is imminent, and he is their only hope at stopping them.

She sends him back, into the Source Code, and he awakes at the same moment we first meet him, with the same minute details repeating before – a spilt cup of coffee, a can being opened, the woman opposite him, Christina (Michelle Monaghan), talking to him – but everything is a little bit different each time he goes back. Every time he goes back, he struggles to find anything useful, returning to the capsule with just a sliver of new information following the bomb’s repeated detonations.

With the nature of these kinds of sci-fi films, where time is re-lived again and again, it is difficult to go into significant detail about the film without delving into spoiler territory, and so I will stop myself here from further discussions of the plot. I know there will be many out there who missed Source Code at the cinema and would like to see it for the first time now, and I would hate to spoil your enjoyment of the film in any way.

The danger of such a premise as Source Code’s is of course that it will soon begin to feel repetitive. The same eight minutes re-lived again and again is of course a pitfall for any story to become uninteresting for its reader or viewer. But Jones and writer Ben Ripley seem to avoid this problem with ease; not once in every repeated journey in and out of the Source Code does repetition ever feel evident to the viewer, nor does it feel stressed to do things differently. Jones’ direction is remarkable in being able to ensure that the story is kept alive and enthralling throughout.

And supporting Jones is a fantastic cast. Gyllenhaal’s career is one that I have always thought has been exceptional. I first saw him, like most, in Donnie Darko ten years ago, and his subsequent roles in films like The Good Girl, Brokeback Mountain, Proof (a little-known but brilliant film), Jarhead, Zodiac, and Love And Other Drugs at the start of this year have proven what a terrific actor he is. Source Code is yet another role that he performs outstandingly.

Similarly, Michelle Monaghan shines in her role. The love interest in a film like this could easily have been underwhelming, but the chemistry between Monaghan and Gyllenhaal is very believable. After finding some success in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang opposite Robert Downey, Jr. and Gone Baby Gone opposite Casey Affleck, Monaghan seems to be cementing her worth in this film just as Jones does, proving that she too is a rising star.

I think one of the things I loved most about this film was its attention to detail. When you re-live just eight minutes over a period of a ninety-minute film, you have to pay attention to the details to keep your audience engrossed, and Jones and Ripley have done just that. And if you have the capabilities to watch this film on Blu-Ray, I highly recommend you do just that, because the visual quality is so impressive; high definition was made to show off a film like this, letting you appreciate all its tiny details.

Perhaps the most interesting motif that recurs throughout is the simple phrase, ‘Everything is going to be okay.’ I can’t quite put my finger on why, but I thought its appearance through the film was perfect. At times said in ignorance, in honesty, in fear, in desperation, those few little words come back just enough to be memorable without being repetitive, and just like the characters in and out of the Source Code, we can never know whether or not the words will prove true.

What can be said with certainty, however, is that Jones is a director here to stay. Source Code is an immense second film from him that shows there is much talent that British directors have to offer, and with Jones currently at work writing his third film, I’m already excited to see what he’ll bring to the big screen next. You can be sure that it’s going to be something incredible.

Film: ****½ (4.5/5)

Special Features

Reviewed by Jon Lyus

I reviewed Source Code on its theatrical release and spoke to Duncan Jones soon afterwards and while the answers he gave on my own specific problems with the film were considered and convincing I wanted to hear how he would approach the commentary track knowing that there is much to talk about, and much explaining to do. Very mild spoilers from here on in.

The commentary track, featuring Jones with writer Ben Ripley and Jake Gyllenhaal, has a lot to enjoy if you’re a hardened sci-fi fan interested in the background and influences on the time-shift device but there’s a far more interesting story of how the film came about, the decisions made during (and after) the filming and on the consequences of the ending. Jones reveals that he had two endings (neither of them the one I expected) and how the litany of doomed relationships continues far beyond the closing credits.

From the technical aspects of filming on the Red camera and the light sourcing in the pod, and the discussion of the budget (which was relatively low, but it certainly doesn’t look like it) to the challenges encumbered at the scene when the bomber is revealed, and how it’s really the first time the film actually stops. Jones’s take on his way of filming is very interesting; the director is a safety net or sorts, which fosters a tone of improvisation on the set, and how much of the film’s tone and direction was chosen in editing suite.  The discussion of the ending is present of course and Jones and Ripley explain their thoughts behind it and this is one example of the interesting mode of collaboration between the two and how Jones brought the film to life from the written word.

This commentary is the real highlight. The other extras are listed below and there are some excellently designed small featurettes explaining the science behind it – think Aubrey Beardsley designing pages of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and you’re nearly there. The usual ‘it was great to work with’ moments are there as is an option to watch the film with pop ups on screen to allow you to flow off at a tangent which I can never understand.

Highly recommended, in all arenas.

• Audio commentary with Jake Gyllenhaal, director Duncan Jones and writer Ben Ripley
• Cast and Crew insights
• Access Source Code featurette
• Focal Points

Features: ***½~ (3.5/5)

]]> http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/08/15/source-code-blu-ray-review/feed/ 0 http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/05/17/aronofsky-and-clooney-show-us-their-human-nature/ http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/05/17/aronofsky-and-clooney-show-us-their-human-nature/#comments Tue, 17 May 2011 14:00:19 +0000 Dave Roper http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/?p=88589

Ever since Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Pi, Requiem for a Dream) jumped ship from The Wolverine, we have wondered which beach he would finally wash up on. Needless to say, the critical acclaim (and now apparently hefty BO receipts) enjoyed by Black Swan gave Aronofsky some breadth of choice and accordingly, we hear he may team up with George Clooney for a sci-fi project by the name of Human Nature.

The last film we saw with that name featured an exceedingly hirsuite Rhys Ifans, with Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman giving us their typically skewed look at humanity. We find ourselves in very different territory this time around, however.

Human Nature is an original sci-fi script by Jeff Welch, which has apparently been knocking around for more than a decade. Welch hasn’t much else at all to his name, but then at one point neither did Tarantino or Kaufman, so let’s not pass judgement too prematurely. The script finds Clooney being cryogenically frozen and waking up to a future where humans are kept as pets. Part Planet of the Apes, part Forever Young, part Austin Powers, part Demolition Man?

In all seriousness, it seems safe to assume that this will be a sincere, prestige piece, hopefully continuing recent examples of serious, ideas-based sci-fi (Moon, Source Code, Monsters), rather than the bombastic spectacle of Transformers, Skyline and its like. Akiva Goldsman is believed to be on producer duties at Warner Bros and is said to be looking at the budget, but if all is well, we might see Aronofsky and Clooney back in this genre for the first time since The Fountain and Solaris.

Source: Vulture.

We love posting some unofficial artwork here on HeyUGuys and these three creations from artist Lloyd Stas are too good to pass by.

On his Flickr page (which we were pointed to by LFF and Quiet Earth) there’s a wonderful series of posters for Edgar Wright’s films, even one for his TV show Spaced and his epic Grindhouse trailer ‘Don’t', and they are really worth a look.

The posters below are a sample of his work and ones which really caught our eyes – the posters for Source Code and Mute are such different styles but work completely although we know next to nothing about Mute, a project which Jones has said will probably be made into a comic book first and, if there’s interest, a film later on. If he needs anyone to create an alternate cover I think we know to whom his first call should be placed.

The final poster here is for the forthcoming Rise of the Planet of the Apes, created obviously before panic set in that people may not tie it into the Apes series and assume James Franco was narrating a wildlife documentary.

The critical and commercial success of Source Code has made a lot of Duncan Jones fans happy.

The director’s first film, Moon, was a triumphant debut and formed part of the resurgence of intelligent and commercially successful sci-fi seen in the last few years. All eyes were on his next move and Source Code, the Ben Ripley scripted sci-fi thriller which Jones chose as his second film,  opened to excellent reviews a week and a half ago.

I had the chance to sit down with Duncan Jones last week, when the reviews for Source Code were already in, and we talked about the pressure of following Moon, find out what happened to his supposed follow up Mute and, of course, we touch on the rumours about Jones picking up The Wolverine now that the film’s original director, Darren Aronofsky, has left the project.

Here’s the interview in which we talk in detail about Moon and Source Code so does contain some spoilers for the films.

As the summer of 1999 approached, it was all supposed to be about one film – The Phantom Menace.

At long last, some 16 years after Anakin joined Yoda and Obi-Wan in the glowing afterlife, we were going to find out how it all got started. We were teased with an awesome poster, showing young Jake Lloyd casting a Vader-shaped shadow and a TV spot that gave us Darth Maul opening up a double-ended light saber.

All of the anticipation was building for this one film, despite the fact that plenty of other hefty releases were lining up as well. Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy was due out, as was a science-fiction piece by the directors of well-regarded but relatively unseen indie effort, Bound. The Mummy wound up being a lot of fun and pretty successful too, though not  surprisingly so. It had a well known cast, Sommers had shown some promise in balancing CGI, action and laughs with his previous effort Deep Rising and the finished film wound up being exactly what it looked like from way in advance – a bit like Indiana Jones.

The real surprise, the real treat, wound up being that slightly off the radar science fiction effort, The Matrix.

The Matrix had certainly not appeared out of nowhere. It had been preceded by intelligent and subtle trailers and TV spots, showcasing the film’s style without giving away all of its secrets (surely that double-ended light saber would have had more impact had it been saved for the film itself?) and most importantly it had teased with the now well-known tag-line, “What is the Matrix?” It intrigued us and it interested us and most importantly it surprised us. As Empire stated quite rightly at the conclusion to their initial review, “You can bet your bottom dollar George never saw this phantom menace coming”.

The Matrix was blessed with an instantly distinctive style, a wealth of intelligent ideas, (albeit grafted in from Buddhism, Judeo-Christianity and pretty much every other philosophy or world-view you could think of), a leanness that the increasingly bloated sequels would struggle and fail to match and in bullet-time the coolest special effect to hit our screens since a T-1000 repaired its bullet holes. It was breath-taking stuff, endlessly entertaining and thought-provoking to a degree Lucas could not hope to compare. Even now (and I watched it again, for the umpteenth time, last night) it remains fresh, engaging and exciting, long after the initial wow-factor has worn off.

So why bring this up now? The Matrix was released *shudder* 12 years ago and there is unlikely to be much that is novel to be said about it now. The reason I am writing about it now is because of what it feels like it represents in this current age of media-saturation, a film that succeeded without deluging us with pre-release content, that made its mark through subtle, intelligent marketing rather than battering us into submission with fifty different teasers, trailers and TV spots. The current trend seems to be to give us the first five minutes of a film online (I’m looking at you, Source Code), or present us with an entire set-piece, in theory to whet our appetite, but in fact proving to be a fairly cynical effort to crow bar as many of us as possible into the cinema for that all important opening weekend, on which so much seems now to hang.

There is an article for this site up later containing two new TV spots for Thor, which seems to be a major culprit in this regard. Not that Thor looks like a bad film, far from it. It looks like a lot of fun, well-balanced and smartly directed. But it won’t be surprising. How can it be when across the assorted trailers and clips we’ve seen pretty much everything already? Perhaps I am wrong and Marvel & Branagh have left a few tricks up their sleeves, but I wouldn’t bank on it. Similar accusations can be leveled at Pirates of the Caribbean, Sucker Punch and X-Men: First Class and no doubt Green Lantern, Transformers, Captain America and Cowboys & Aliens will continue to ramp up their efforts over the coming weeks and months.

Very few film-makers and even fewer studios seem to be prepared to take a chance on under the radar success. Presumably the increasingly absurd production and then publicity budgets leave the studios feeling that they can’t run the risk of their films slipping out of our collective consciousness, forgetting in the process that if the film is good enough, it will be seen, it will be successful. Even JJ Abrams, so seemingly committed to teasing and secrecy when marketing his films, is having to concede to the tide. Despite the inventive and successful viral marketing for Cloverfield, he has had to (unwillingly?) agree to put more out there for Super 8, admitting that the volume of marketing being put out there for the films with which he is competing exposes his film to the risk of being passed by. In his own words:-

“I feel we need a little bit of a coming-out party because we are up against massive franchises and brands and most people don’t know what Super 8 means.”

Thankfully, the trailers and spots so far are preserving a little mystery, though it remains frustrating to see Abrams abandon his principles simply because everyone else is doing it and he’s afraid of missing the boat.

Ultimately, this is not a question of the quality of the films under consideration. The Matrix is unquestionably a better film than The Phantom Menace, but then so is pretty much any other film you might care to mention. The point here is that we are losing the opportunity to be surprised, to go to see a film without being able to check off every item on a long mental list of highlights already flagged up by a multitude of advance images and clips. Christopher Nolan showed us last summer than you can keep your cards close to your chest, show off a few money shots and then present your audience with something intelligent, rich in ideas and still containing a few unexpected delights. With Abrams now caving in to pressure (from above?), we seem to be running out of people brave enough to do the same.

I could of course shut my eyes and ears to all of this background noise and make my own choice about how much I already know before going in to a film, though that is a tricky task when writing for a film blog. But I shouldn’t need to. Someone somewhere can surely make the choice to exercise some restraint and demonstrate some subtlety in the interests of preserving some of the mystery, anticipation and surprise that used to be and hopefully can continue to be so precious and important a part of the film-going experience.

Here’s something new for you HeyUGuys readers! This rather nice informative video gives you all the information you’re going to need about what you should be watching at the cinema. April is just around the corner and we have bank holidays coming out of our ears (definitely not complaining!) which means more time to go to the cinema! The Big Picture is five minutes long and is your one stop guide (other than HeyUGuys of course!) into all you need to know about film.

The Big Picture is written, produced and presented by our friend Simon Thompson in association with DMS.

In the April edition, we get to see previews of HOP, Mars Need Moms, Thor, Source Code as well as looking at their DVD & Blu-ray pick of the month which this month is The Social Network.

Duncan Jones’ Moon is one of my favourite films of recent times so to say that I’m excited about seeing it, as well as ridiculously jealous of those who have seen it at previews already, would be something of an understatement.

In advance of the film’s release Summit Entertainment have released an interesting infographic which they’ve sent over to us that explores the various scenarios explored in the film. I have to say that it has revealed a little more about the film that I would have liked before watching it so if you want to go in cold it’s probably best not to look at it in any detail.

If you’re excited about Source Code; check out Jon’s review here.

We’ve teamed up with Optimum Releasing to offer 15 lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to attend the ultimate Duncan Jones double bill screening of SOURCE CODE and MOON, to celebrate SOURCE CODE’s release in cinemas April 1st.

SOURCE CODE and MOON are Duncan Jones’ only two cinematic features to date and are being shown back-to back at this exclusive event!

The double bill screening will be taking place Wednesday 30^th March at 6 for 6.30pm start at a Central London Location.

When decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man, he discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. In an assignment unlike any he’s ever known, he learns he’s part of a government experiment called the “Source Code,” a program that enables him to cross over into another man’s identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. With a second, much larger target threatening to kill millions in downtown Chicago, Colter re-lives the incident over and over again, gathering clues each time, until he can solve the mystery of who is behind the bombs and prevent the next attack.

Filled with mind-boggling twists and heart-pounding suspense, Source Code is a smart action-thriller directed by Duncan Jones (Moon) also starring Michelle Monaghan (Eagle Eye, Due Date), Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed), and Jeffrey Wright (Quantum of Solace, Syriana).

You can follow all our Source Code coverage here and all our Moon coverage which was rather extensive here.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to the double bill screening of SOURCE CODE and MOON, simply answer the following question using the form below:

How many minutes does Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) have to complete his mission?

1. 20 minutes
2. 8 minutes
3. 60 minutes

Source Code is in Cinemas April 1st.

Become a fan of SOURCE CODE on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SourceCodeUK

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

HeyUGuys small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close Monday 28th March 12.00 midday GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

Terms and Conditions:

• Prize is a pair of tickets to the double bill screening of SOURCE CODE and MOON at 6.00 for 6.30pm start at a Central London Location
• Winners will be notified by email
• Winners must be able to attend the double bill screening on the evening of 30^th March
• In order to gain entry into the event, winners must print off their confirmation email and show this to door staff upon arrival
• There is no cash or other alternative to the prize stated and the prize is not transferable and no part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions
• Travel and accommodation is not included

Before he dabbled with Source Code for his latest project Duncan Jones directed a sublime sci-fi movie Moon, I’m sure you’ve heard of it.

The film’s existential themes and measured narrative pacing in no way lend themselves to a money spinning video game conversion for the XBox 360 or PS3, which makes this imagined adaptation all the more perfect.

If you grew up near a computer in the late eighties and early nineties you’ll probably be familiar with LucasArts’ graphical adventure, with Loom, The Dig and the first two Monkey Island games being the prime examples. Now a PC gamer, animator and graphic artist has taken Moon and imagined would it have looked like if it was given the LucasArts treatment.

The ever excellent Man Made Movies blog did the hard work and found this on Mads Johansen’s blog, and I share his excitement for this never to be seen project. Regulars at LucasArts’ SCUMM bar will instantly recognise the VGA graphics and Point and Click mechanics and if you’ve never played Ron Gilbert’s marvelous The Secret of Monkey Island and its sequel, but do own one of those fancy smartphones, then updated versions of the games are available and are just as much fun today.

Of course, there was a Point and Click PC adventure game released in 1997 based on and in the world of Blade Runner and Jones has often talked of his fondness for Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi as well as the shadow of Blade Runner looming over his comic book project Mute, so there is a strange symbiosis here. Basically what I’m saying is can someone please make this game?

Here’s the picture, and head on over to the Man Made Movies blogpost to indulge your geekery further as Jones and Ron Gilbert tweet each other.

I mean – could you leave this box sitting on the shelf?

No. Me neither. Someone, please make this happen.

Duncan Jones’ second film comes to us with a wave of expectation, carrying with it the hopes that the British director can follow up his award scooping debut Moon with something better, something to cement his reputation as one of the most exciting talents of this new century.

Source Code, released on the 1st of April against Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch, does indeed make good on the promise shown, though the film lacks the soul of Moon it is a very strong and engaging thriller with its head, if not its heart, in the right place.

Beginning with shots of a commuter train thundering towards Chicago in the early morning we see Jake Gyllenhaal’s character Colter Stevens wake with a start, confused and apparently in mid conversation with a woman opposite him whom he does not recognise. His senses are heightened and every detail of the train is noted and he tries to shake off the confusion, not helped by the woman opposite , Michelle Monaghan’s Christina, calling him Sean. Stumbling to the bathroom and to a mirror where a confused face, not his own, stares back at him his confusion is our confusion, something that isn’t helped by the sudden explosion on the train, killing all of the passengers including Christina, Colter and Sean – whoever he is.

It is then we get into the Source Code and the search for answers really begins.

In talking about the film I’ll naturally mosey into spoiler territory, but I’ll save the big spoilers for my discussion of the ending later on, I’ll warn you. But to begin with – music.

The news that scheduling conflicts would keep Clint Mansell from scoring Source Code was unfortunate for fans of the composer who did such great things for Jones’ first film, and as the titles roll over shots of the doomed train following the track towards Chicago Chris Bacon’s score is evocative of Bernard Herrmann, not least North By Northwest, whose ghost haunts this film in the beginning until it finds its feet and the story unravels. The theme of the innocent man thrust into a terrifying situation was used by Hitchcock many times, and Source Code marries the search for a train bomber with the search for the identity of Captain Colter Stevens, who finds himself not in Iraq with his helicopter squadron as expected but in a strange cockpit with unknown faces on a screen talking to him. The quest for identity is something this film shares with Moon, and at first Vera Farmiga’s unknown military officer, Goodwin, speaks very like Gerty, impassioned and to the job, only with less emotional connection to Colter, and little patience to explain what he’s doing, or what Source Code is.

When it comes the explanation for how Colter Stevens is in another body, and why he is being sent back to relive the final eight minutes of a passenger’s life on the train is given quickly, using the words ‘quantum’ and ‘parallel’ and some sort of ‘temporal afterglow’ and while the military minds behind this classified project seem certain we, like Colter, remain unconvinced. He is told that another attack is planned and the bomber probably left the train before it blew up. Eager to save lives Colter refuses to find the bomber instead wanting to get everyone off of the train and is told that what he does in the Source Code will not affect the real world – it is a projection. Then we are thrust back in time again, and with Colter Stevens, are back on the train with eight minutes to find the bomb and the bomber before the train explodes.

In his discussions with Truffaut Hitchcock defined the difference between surprise and suspense as having two men sitting at a table with a bomb hidden under it – suspense is showing the audience the bomb while the two carry on their conversation, surprise is having the bomb explode without anyone knowing it was there. Jones substitutes a fast moving train for a table and moving from the initial surprise of the train explosion the film continues on a recurring eight minutes of tangible suspense, with each return to the doomed train yielding more answers to the bomber’s identity just as each time returning to the strange Source Code environment helps Colter piece together his current reality. Thankfully the suspense is bolstered by some imaginative camerawork, doing a good and necessary job in differentiating each eight minutes, and Gyllenhaal is thoroughly compelling in the lead here.

Ben Ripley’s script does a good job of setting up the two mysteries and Jones’ solid direction allows each to remain separate until the need to bring them together arises. Seeing Jones work with another, more conventional, sci-fi premise is bracing as he brings a cohesion and engagement to the narrative with a confidence and sense of fun that elevates the film above its Twilight Zone-esque familiars, notably two in the cinema at the moment – The Adjustment Bureau and Limitless. The subplot of reconciliation with Colter’s father is genuinely moving and provide Gyllenhaal’s best moments in the film, and Jeffrey Wright as the man in charge of the Source Code is great fun, although his delivery wavers into James Earl Jones territory when his blood is up.  Monaghan does good work with a character who on the page came across as thoroughly one dimensional and at journey’s end part of the reason it works is the life she brings to the role. And yes, the dulcet tones of Chesney Hawkes make an appearance too.

The device of resetting time allows the story to build in layers rather than on a linear pathway, each return revealing another piece of the puzzle, while the real world mystery of the Source Code fades slightly and when the answers come it is an anti climax, a discussion rather than a discovery. Initially I thought this was a mistake, and the film had given up one of its mysteries too easily, but Jones knew exactly what he was doing, setting us up for the end, which is where we need to stop those who would not be spoiled except to say that Source Code is a very solid piece of work, a lot of fun with Gyllenhaal in particular giving a powerful performance. Fans of decent sci-fi will love it, fans of Moon will be intrigued to see Duncan Jones riding the Hollywood train while maintaining his own character, and it deserves to do well if for nothing else so we can see what Jones has in store for us next.

Now, the Ending. Here is a spoiler warning.

We discover that ‘narrow’ parameters for entry into the Source Code necessitates near brain death and we see that the real Colter Stevens is half a body after being ‘killed’ in action in Iraq and now he lies with his brain exposed wired up to the machine capable of throwing him back in time. Once the bomber is found and the information is gathered it is understood that Colter’s memory will be wiped and the death he seeks, once the realisation comes, will be denied him. He convinces Goodwin to throw him back on the train one last time at which point he saves the day, gets the girl and when the eight minutes are up Goodwin turns off the life support machine and time in the Source Code stops.

If the film had left us here I would have been happy in the ignorance of what happened next. The film had come to a natural conclusion in emotional and narrative terms. Instead time continues even though Colter is dead and he (Sean) and Christina get off the train and we are shown the beginnings of a very happy ending. It is like witnessing Sam Bell returning to Earth at the end of Moon, staggering his way home and embracing his confused daughter as they both cry and credits roll. But this, still is not the end.

While in his final eight minutes in the Source Code, not only getting the girl and trapping the bomber Colter phones his Dad, and there is a genuinely affecting moment here, he also sends a text to Goodwin – remembering that nothing in the Source Code affects the real world. After the happy ending described above we then see Goodwin coming into work that morning and receiving the text from Colter telling her how he averted disaster – a disaster she and the Source Code would now not be involved with. Thus the day is saved and Colter still lies wired up to the Source Code machine and may do forever more, ignorant of the truth and denied any catharsis.  I have no problem with this twist, yet felt a little cheated that we had spent so long desiring and witnessing a lost soldier and an ailing man’s escape from the Source Code prison only to have it teased and then pulled from us.

I was reminded of Brazil and the moment the grim fate of Sam Lowry is revealed – this hits so hard because the film sets up Sam Lowry as the only man opposing the huge force of the totalitarian state, and while the happy ending (which we find to be false) is unlikely when the rug is pulled from under our feet it makes complete sense and is all the more depressing for it. Perhaps it speaks to the selfless nature of Colter Stevens the soldier that he saved lives, and gave his Father the resolution he needed, but by remaining trapped in the Source Code the film’s ending felt a little uneven, whereas Brazil’s twist of the knife felt completely correct, Source Code’s felt like a stab in the dark.

Nonetheless I had a lot of fun with Source Code. Jones has made good on Moon’s potential and we see a very talented director emerging, in command of his craft and pushing his boundaries. It is relatively unusual to be excited by what a director will do next and I want this film to do well if for no other reason than to have Duncan Jones working again, and soon.

****~ (4/5)

I’m not sure how much I like the idea of seeing the five opening minutes of a film when we’re close to being able to see the whole thing. I’ve written and posted about Duncan Jones’ Source Code more than any other film in the last month or so, and I am really excited to be seeing it very soon, but I’ll not be watching the video Yahoo put up, but I wanted to put it up on the site in case you do.

Certainly the buzz coming out of SXSW where the film had it’s premiere last Friday is extremely positive and it will be intriguing to see how Jones handles a more conventional sci-fi tale than his first film.

So if you fancy it here’s the first five minutes.

Source Code stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Russell Peters and is released in the UK on the 1st of April.

Synopsis: Directed by Duncan Jones (MOON) SOURCE CODE centers on a soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal, JARHEAD) who, as part of an experimental government program to investigate a terrorist incident, finds himself in the body of an unknown commuter living and reliving a harrowing train bombing until he can find out who is responsible for it.

I unfortunately got to SXSW a little too late to see Duncan Jones’ new movie, Source Code but from what we hear, it went down a treat! I guess we’ll just have to wait till it hits UK screenings now since it was the only showing of the movie.

Instead, we have this brand new international poster for the movie which hits UK cinemas1st April. Source Code stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright and Russell Peters.

If you’ve missed the two trailers which have been released for the movie over the past few months, you can catch up here and here.

Synopsis: Directed by Duncan Jones (MOON) SOURCE CODE centers on a soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal, JARHEAD) who, as part of an experimental government program to investigate a terrorist incident, finds himself in the body of an unknown commuter living and reliving a harrowing train bombing until he can find out who is responsible for it.

What do you think of this new poster? We find it a little odd!

Source: IMPA

Yesterday I made the, frankly stupid, prediction that we’d post nothing more on Duncan Jones’ Source Code until it’s premiere at SXSW tonight. How wrong could I be?

Three new stills and a featurette’s worth it seems, as that is what we have on offer for you today, and the stills have Jake Gyllenhaal getting up close and personal with the bomb he is repeatedly sent back in time to find (but not, importantly, defuse). Gyllenhaal stars with Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright in Jones’ tale of time travelling and train bombing.

SOURCE CODE centers on a soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal, JARHEAD) who, as part of an experimental government program to investigate a terrorist incident, finds himself in the body of an unknown commuter living and reliving a harrowing train bombing until he can find out who is responsible for it.

Here are the new pics from our friends at Sky Movies, the video follows below,

The featurette features a load of new footage and has talking heads from the writer, the producer, actors and an astrophysicist – so you really have to watch it don’t you?

Apple have in HD, but you can view it below,

While the world and his Gerty waits for the verdict on Duncan Jones’ follow up to Moon when his time bending thriller Source Code premieres in Austin tomorrow night word has escaped about his long awaited sci-fi project Mute.

Set in the same universe as Moon, with an epilogue of sorts featuring the character of Sam Bell, Mute’s brief synopsis told of a story about a woman whose disappearance causes a mystery for her partner, a mute bartender. When she disappears, he has to go up against the city’s gangsters. Then Source Code came along, and Mute was pushed back.

A few moments ago Jones tweeted the following,

If anyone has a recommendation on the best publishers for graphic novels, (US only, I’m afraid,) let me know. I’m a researchin’.

Immediately my mind went to Mute, which was at one time to be the next film Jones made after Moon, but when Source Code was announced there were rumours that Mute may become a comic book. Jones tonight confirmed those rumours.

ManMadeMovies brought us the news from Gordon and the Whale who sat down with the man himself to talk over his future projects and Mute came up. Here’s what he said when asked about his third film, and Mute was suggested,

Not MUTE, no. Although, I can sort of tell you that I’ve been talking to my producer today and we have decided that we’re going to release MUTE as a graphic novel. Because we’ve had so many problems trying to get this film made, you know? The people who are involved with financing films have just been…shy…shy of making the script. So what we decided to do is we’re going to make a graphic novel of it, prove it…prove it to an audience that this works and maybe in the future get the chance to come back and make it.

While I’m very pleased we’ll be able to see Mute sooner rather than later I am slightly disappointed that it won’t be the big screen Blade Runner-esque film it was teased to be. The budget was rumoured by be around $25 million when it was shaping up to be Jones’ next project, certainly not huge by today’s standards, and if Source Code does well there’s a good chance that studios will be throwing that sort of money at the director.   Although the conversation then turned to what the director’s actual film will be,

I will say this; you know what a big fan I am of BLADE RUNNER…but there’s all this news on the Internet lately about the rights to BLADE RUNNER being bought up…I’m interested in doing a city-based science fiction film. And this is going to do all the geeky things I would want [from one of those kinds of films].

City-based sci-fi?  It’s a damn shame Judge Dredd and Mr Jones didn’t get to meet. But at least we’re looking forward to spending more time in the company of one of most talented directors of our day.

The Source Code tease continues, with another (and probably the last) piece of the Source Code puzzle we’ll see before the film hits the big screens, and the new TV spot released today will turn heads.

There has been a lot of marketing for the film, which is great to see as Duncan Jones has a lot of admirers following his wonderful debut Moon, and we’re all hoping that Source Code will be every bit as good.

For those not in the know, Source Code stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Russell Peters and is released on the 1st of April, so get that date marked.

JoBlo debuted the latest TV spot for the film, which has its premiere at SXSW in Austin in a few days time and this short clip gives a decent overview of what to expect, with the benefit of a little new footage for hardened Coders to pour through.

Two new images from Source Code for you this morning, including a decent look at the source code ‘chamber’ from which Jake Gyllenhaal jumps into the body of a man who died in a train bombing eight minutes before the fateful event. Living these eight minutes over and over Gyllenhaal’s character has to find the bomber and prevent a further threatened bombing.

It’s a great premise and Jones has lined up Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright and Michelle Monaghan to aid Gyllenhaal. It has its premiere ay SXSW in Austin in a  few day’s time and we can’t wait to see how Jones’ follow up to Moon plays out.

Directed by Duncan Jones (MOON) SOURCE CODE centers on a soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal, JARHEAD) who, as part of an experimental government program to investigate a terrorist incident, finds himself in the body of an unknown commuter living and reliving a harrowing train bombing until he can find out who is responsible for it.

These pics came from the ever excellent Wet Dark and Wild and IHJ

There has been rather a lot of Source Code content on the site of late, and while this presents no ethical problems as we’re very much looking forward to Moonman Duncan Jones’ next, there is increasingly a desire to actually see the film rather than be teased endlessly.

So, while we wait for the SXSW screening to come around, or for those not heading Austinwards next week the 1st of April will suffice, here’s a new poster. It doesn’t match up to Olly Moss’s fine work but it’s diverting enough, though I can’t help but think it’s a little early 90s action thriller DVD cover. What exactly is that firing into Jake Gyllenhaal’s chest anyway? The future? A tiny train?

Think of the posters for Moon, then look at the various posters for Jones’ follow up – I can understand the need to sell the film to as many people as possible but if this was the first advertising I had seen then I’d be mentally adding it to my Lovefilm queue.

If you want a synopsis look down, if you want to skip the synopsis and take in the poster  you can look down further,

Directed by Duncan Jones (MOON) SOURCE CODE centers on a soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal, JARHEAD) who, as part of an experimental government program to investigate a terrorist incident, finds himself in the body of an unknown commuter living and reliving a harrowing train bombing until he can find out who is responsible for it.

 

Empire have gifted this to the world, so you know who to thank.

Only a few short days until Duncan Jones runs through Austin, Texas with his time rewinding/face replacing/bomber finding epic Source Code, which has its premiere at SXSW.

If you know HeyUGuys then you’ll know there is something of a love affair between us and Dr Jones and we’re looking forward to taking in the Austin ambience to enjoy his latest. You’ll also know that designer Olly Moss is something of a legend in these parts and the two posters he created for Source Code and Jones’ debut film Moon are fantastic.

If Jones is your man for all things film then I urge you in the strongest possible terms to bookmark ManMadeMovies, because it kicks most of the internet’s arse, and they pointed us to these fine works.

You can see the posters below and ask yourself why Olly Moss isn’t designing everything ever.