Pun Salad

As I've said before: we're getting pretty deep into the Netflix queue, which I keep in descending order by their algorithm's predicted rating for me. Netflix said I would consider this "just OK" and it was on target.

A large extraterrestrial object enters the atmosphere, seemingly about to destroy a pretty lighthouse somewhere on America's coastline… but instead simply turns into an enigma which mystifies the best and brightest minds the USA has to offer. Something called the "Shimmer" has enveloped the lighthouse's environs, a pretty array of special effects. It keeps growing outward, so that's a problem. Government solution: send in teams of scientists and military types, who promptly vanish and are never heard from again.

Except for a guy named Kane (Oscar Isaac), who unexpectedly reappears at his house, disconcerting his wife Lena (Natalie Portman). Unfortunately, he's very very sick, and quickly becomes uncommunicative.

So, since their strategy is working so well, the government decides to send in an all-girl team! Girl power, that's the ticket! And it's diverse, containing two white ladies (Lena, of course, and also a researcher played by Jennifer Jason Leigh); an African-American, a Hispanic, and a lesbian.

What they rapidly discover: the alien presence is playing tricks with their minds (for some reason that's never explained), and also doing some really disgusting things to the local flora and fauna. And threatens to do the same to them, usually accompanied by violence and insanity.

I didn't fall asleep. These days, that's the mark of an OK movie.