Movie of the Week: "Knowing"

I'm sure you've heard some nasty things about this movie. Aliens with sleek, blonde hair dressed like boy band members. Check. The whole pedantic Scientology take on the film. Check. Nicholas Cage's acting characterized by this single stoic look throughout the film. Check.

Yes, yes, yes, the film is all of these annoying factors and more. But you know what? Regardless of all of these, I still highly recommend this film to everyone.

First, this film has an interesting premise. Fifty years later, a boy and his father finds a piece of paper from a time capsule that's filled with numbers. They uncover a pattern in the numbers -- figuring out that it had a list of the dates of the major disasters in the world along with the number of casualties and the exact coordinates of where it happened. Three of these disasters haven't occurred yet.

That's the general premise. But there are subplots too that make the story more complex. There's the mysterious psychological history of the woman who wrote the prediction. There's the black stones that appear and follow the child wherever he goes. Oh and the group of albino men wearing black trenchcoats watching the house at night too. Is this a ghost story? A psychological thriller? A sci-fi/alien one? The mystery thickens and you never really quite figure it out until halfway through the film. I like that. I really enjoy movies that make me think.

The effects used in the film was just amazing too. I won't get into it too much so as to not reveal the whole plot. But one thing I can tell you is how freaky they really are. It sent chills up my spine! Definitely a feast for the eyes -- that is, if you can keep your eyes open through it. Really scary stuff.

"Knowing" should give you an exciting and thrilling movie experience if you can learn to ignore a few nuances. I honestly enjoyed it. Really now. I didn't know about the whole Scientology take on it until Jojo mentioned it to me after the film. I interpreted it as rather Christian. Biblical allusions were just represented in a different way. But all the same, the message was positive. At times, the movie deeply frightened me. And other times, it made me think. It's a good balance. I really enjoyed the film.

Go see the movie and judge for yourself. I'd like to know what you thought of it. ;-)