Pitch Black

Muhammad Islam

There are not many film critics who would dare not to count Pitch Black (2000) as one of the best science-fiction films of all time. The story of Pitch Black starts with a story of a space carriage that crash lands in a desert planet with two suns. The unique story of the film grasps all your attention and throws in a dangerous journey of the survivors across the desert. The story of the films, based partially on the Space Sci-fi clichés in the beginning, does not lose originality.
In the film, dangerous criminal Richard B. Riddick (Diesel) is being transported to prison in a cargo spacecraft. When the spaceship is damaged by comet debris and makes an emergency crash landing on an empty desert planet, Riddick escapes. However, when predatory alien creatures begin attacking the survivors, Riddick joins forces with the crew to develop a plan to escape the planet.
Pitch Black has since developed its own cult following, particularly around the antihero Riddick. A sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick, was released in 2004.
Plot Summary:
The transports ship Hunter-Gratzner, and its crew and passengers in cryo-stasis chambers, pass through a comet’s tail while on autopilot. Debris from the comet ruptures the hull and kills some of its crew, including the captain. The remaining crew is awakened and docking pilot Carolyn Fry (Radha Mitchell) and her co-pilot, Greg Owens (Simon Burke), awake in time to crash-land the ship on a nearby planet. As they explore the planet, they find it is surrounded by three suns, keeping it in perpetual daylight. They come upon an abandoned human geological research settlement, with a spacecraft they can use to escape the planet, though lacking power cells. Death of a British survivor and a reconnaissance tour by Carolyn in the caves reveal that there are abominable creatures that move in the shadows.
Curious about the disappearance of the humans in the settlement, Carolyn investigates their belongings and comes to the conclusion that on that date twenty years ago, the planet was in complete darkness as the suns were eclipsed by another planet. She figures out that the nocturnal are about to come out and the imminent danger. Getting the power cells from Hunter-Gratzner and reviving the abandoned spacecraft is their only chance of survival. But the Planet cruelly starts to eclipse the suns and bring the inevitable darkness. The Imam figures out that the two planets will orbit as one for a long time; so the darkness will continue for days. After losing a few survivors and the group sees convict Riddick (Van Diesel) who is able to see in the darkness as their only chance of survival. The fate dangles on the trust they put on Riddick and his abilities, or does is depend on Allah as the Imam says? Only the journey though the dark desert swarming with abominable nocturnal creatures is to decide. Faith, trust, fear, agony and mans instinct to fight for life all are stretched to the limits as their journey begins.
The Infidel
(2010)

The Infidel is a 2010 British comedy film directed by Josh Appignanesi and written by David Baddiel. The film stars Omid Djalili, Richard Schiff and Matt Lucas and revolves around a British Muslim who goes through an identity crisis when he discovers he was adopted as a child and born to a Jewish family.
Plot Summary:
Mahmud Nasir learns he was actually adopted by his Muslim parents when he was two weeks old, his birth parents are Jewish, and his real name is Solly Shimshillewitz. This comes as a shock to Mahmud, who is somewhat anti-Semitic, exemplified by his relationship with his American Jewish neighbor, Leonard “Lenny” Goldberg (Richard Schiff). Mahmud finds out who his birth father is with help of Lenny. He wants to learn the Jewish way of life and hides this story from his family. The twists and turn of the story puts Mahmud in a position where he is hated by many and liked by a few. His family moves away from him. With earning so much contempt, Mahmud stands strong to express that he is not ashamed of his identity and neither his faith is no less than of any other Muslim. The story in ways shows the mutual tolerance that should exist in modern societies despite the cultural varieties.

Kramer vs. Kramer
(2010)

Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 American drama film adapted by Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, and directed by Benton. The film tells the story of a married couple’s divorce and its impact on everyone involved, including the couple’s young son. It received five Academy Awards in 1979 in the many categories including Best Picture.
Plot Summary:
Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) is a workaholic advertising executive arrives home and finds that his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) is leaving him. Saying that she needs to find herself, she leaves Ted to raise their son Billy (Justin Henry) by himself. Ted and Billy initially resent one another as Ted no longer has time to carry his increased workload and Billy misses his mother’s love and attention. After months of unrest, Ted and Billy learn to cope and gradually bond as father and son. After many months Joanna returns to New York to claim Billy, and a custody battle ensues. The court awards custody to Joanna, a decision mostly based on the assumption that a child is best raised by his mother.
Joanna comes to take Billy. Ted and Billy share probably their last meal together. Joanna calls on the intercom, asking Ted to come down to the lobby. She tells Ted how much she loves and wants Billy, but she knows his true home is with Ted. She will therefore not take him. As she enters the elevator to go and talk to Billy, she asks her ex-husband “How do I look?” The movie ends with the elevator doors closing on the emotional Joanna, right after Ted answers, “You look terrific.”
Kramer vs. Kramer reflected a cultural shift which occurred during the 1970s, when ideas about motherhood and fatherhood were changing. The film was widely praised for the way in which it gave equal weight and importance to both Joanna and Ted’s points of view.